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    Trump delivering on promise to shrink the bureaucracy

    President Donald Trump gives two thumbs up to cheering supporters from his motorcade heading to his Mar-a-Lago estate. Photo: Greg Lovett / Palm Beach Post via AP
    "Trump has made a significant down payment on his campaign pledge to shrink the federal bureaucracy," the WashPost reports in its lead story:
    "By the end of September, all Cabinet departments except Homeland Security, Veterans Affairs and Interior had fewer permanent staff than when Trump took office in January — with most shedding many hundreds of employees, according to an analysis of federal personnel data by The Washington Post."
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    Apple: Mac and iPhone both affected by big chip vulnerability

    Illustration: Rebecca Zisser / Axios
    After more than a day of silence, Apple confirmed Thursday that the Mac, iPhone and iPad are all affected by the recently disclosed massive chip vulnerability.
    The company said in an online support document that it has recently added security protections to MacOS and iOS designed to prevent one series of attacks, known as Meltdown, and is working to update Chrome to prevent against another type of attack, dubbed Spectre. The Apple Watch is not affected, it said.
    Why it matters: Although the vulnerabilities are at the hardware level, most of the mitigations are being done at the operating system level, putting the onus on companies like Apple, Microsoft and Google. Microsoft and Google have already released and detailed patches for Windows, Chrome OS and Android. (For more on the Meltdown and Spectre, check out our explainer here.)
    The current updates to MacOS and iOS protect against Meltdown, but Apple said it will look to incorporate better protections against Spectre-type attacks in future updates to those operating systems.
    The bigger immediate threat from Spectre, Apple said, is in the browser. "Analysis of these techniques revealed that while they are extremely difficult to exploit, even by an app running locally on a Mac or iOS device, they can be potentially exploited in JavaScript running in a web browser," Apple said. "Apple will release an update for Safari on macOS and iOS in the coming days to mitigate these exploit techniques."
    Apple said its current testing shows little impact on most benchmarks with a 2.5% impact on one test, known as JetStream. "We continue to develop and test further mitigations within the operating system for the Spectre techniques, and will release them in upcoming updates of iOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS."
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    U.S. conviction of Turkish banker stirs tensions between nations

    The front page of an Ankara newspaper showing Atilla in the courtroom. Photo: Altan Gocher / NurPhoto via Getty Images
    Mehmet Hakan Atilla, a Turkish banker, has been found guilty of bank fraud and conspiracy due to his involvement in a plot to help Iran evade U.S. sanctions. Atilla's conviction in New York has spurred anger in Ankara, with Turkey's foreign ministry accusing the U.S, of "unprecedented intervention in Turkey's domestic affairs," per BBC News.
    Why it matters: Atilla was convicted based on statements by Turkish-Iranian gold trader Reza Zarrab, who spoke after admitting to taking part in the scheme himself, the BBC reports. And "Zarrab's schemes, which could have helped Iran pocket more than $100 billion, rank among the largest sanctions evasion episode in modern history," Jonathan Schanzer of FDD — a Washington-based national security research firm — wrote in the Atlantic.
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    Spicer says he "screwed up" as press secretary, but never lied

    Sean Spicer said Thursday that he "screwed up" at times but never intentionally lied while he was White House Press Secretary. Spicer was interviewed on S.E. Cupp's HLN show Unfiltered
    Sean Spicer on his time as press secretary: There were times "I screwed up" and it "felt really bad"… https://t.co/JPaABSd2fe
    — The Lead CNN (@TheLeadCNN) 1515103050.0
    Key quote: "And so when I screwed up, it felt really bad. Because you realize that you're tarnishing your personal reputation, your family's reputation, your friends who like you and support you, you know, some of your colleagues and ultimately again, this administration and the American people who I wanted to do my best job for every single day."
    • On the subject of Michael Wolff's "Fire and Fury," which is to be released early tomorrow, Spicer said: "There is a lot of things I know are attributed to myself and other people that frankly never happened."
    • One more thing: Spicer said if Trump ran for re-election in 2020, "he will be the nominee of the Republican Party and he will serve a second term."
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    The Iran protests, by the numbers

    A protester under a flag of the National Council of Resistance of Iran. Photo: EMMANUEL DUNAND / AFP / Getty Images
    • Citizens saw a 40% increase in prices for basic goods, like eggs, in the lead up to the protests the NYT reports.
    • 26.7% of 15-24 year olds are unemployed, per BBC. Total unemployment sits at 12.4%, but is as high as 60% in some areas of Iran.
    • There have been 8 tweets from President Trump about the protests since they started.
    • More than 1,000 protestors have been arrested since December 28, per the Daily Beast.
    • "Tens of thousands" of Iranians are participating, Vox reports.
    • Around 41% of homes in Iran have at least one smartphone, per BBC; social media has played a big role in spreading word of the protests.
    • More than 25 cities have seen demonstrations, per the LA Times.
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    Report: Weinstein Co. could sell for less than $500 million

    Photo: Chris Pizzello / AP
    The Weinstein Co. film studio, founded by disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, is close to a sale for less than $500 million, The Wall Street Journal reports. Shareholders may lose all of their equity, sources tell The Journal. Roughly half of the acquisition would be debt. Operating expenses and legal bills would likely strip the current owners from receiving any cash from a sale at that price, sources added.
    Why it matters: Movie releases and corporate logistics have been in limbo since Weinstein was ousted from the company after dozens of high-profile accusations of sexual assault. A sale would be a refresh for the company, its investors (WPP Group, Goldman Sachs, Softbank) and its Hollywood contractors.
    Sources tell the Journal that roughly 20 bids have come in for the company since December, and that the Weinstein Co.'s owners and board of directors have narrowed down a list of six potential buyers. Some of the bidders are interested only in certain assets of the company, like its television production company or film library.
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    FCC Chair pulls out of major tech conference due to death threats

    FCC Chairman Ajit Pai last year. Photo: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images
    FCC Chairman Ajit Pai canceled his speaking appearance at the widely attended Consumer Electronics Show after receiving death threats, according to an FCC official. Details of the threats to Pai remain unclear.
    Why it matters: The debate around FCC's move to reverse net neutrality rules drew sharp criticism from net neutrality supporters, including some threats of violence. A bomb threat was reportedly called into the agency before the commissioners voted on the repeal last month — although its origin was not known.
    What they're saying: "We look forward to our next opportunity to host a technology policy discussion with him before a public audience," Consumer Technology Association President Gary Shapiro said in a statement sent out about the cancelation. FCC spokesman Brian Hart declined to comment beyond saying Pai would not attend CES. Digital Music News, an industry blog, and Recode earlier reported the circumstances of Pai's decision to cancel on the annual Las Vegas trade show.
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    Billionaire Mercers distance themselves from Bannon

    Steve Bannon. Photo: Andrew Harrer / Getty
    Rebekah Mercer, a primary financial supporter of Steve Bannon and Breitbart News, has released a statement saying she and her billionaire father have not spoken to Bannon "in many months" and do not support his "recent actions and statements," after Bannon attacked President Trump and his family in interviews for a forthcoming book, per the Washington Post.
    Meanwhile, the Mercers and other Breitbart board members have seriously discussed removing Steve Bannon as chairman of Breitbart due to his feud with Trump, the Wall Street Journal reports and Axios' Jonathan Swan has corroborated.
    Why it matters: If the Mercers abandon Bannon he'll be left without the main funders of his political activities, harming his ability to take on the GOP establishment in this year's midterm elections. Mercer said in the statement that her family has "provided no financial support to [Bannon's] political agenda" in recent months.

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    Puerto Rico governor forms task force to examine Maria death toll

    Ricardo Rossello, governor of Puerto Rico, speaks during a news conference at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images
    Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rosselló has created a task force to examine the death toll from Hurricane María and release its findings within 90 days, per Reuters.
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    Michael Wolff's "Fire and Fury" to be released four days early

    Photo: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI / AFP / Getty Images
    Michael Wolff's new book "Fire and Fury," which details an inside-look of President Trump's White House, is being released on Friday, four days earlier than planned, according to his publisher.
    Why it matters: One of Trump's lawyers sent a cease and desist letter to Wolff and president and publisher Henry Holt earlier on Thursday, demanding they cease "further publication, release or dissemination of the Book."
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    Trump administration slaps new sanctions on Iran

    Pictures of Ruhollah Khomeini and Hassan Rohani are stomped by the protesters in front of the embassy of Iran in Paris.Photo: Julien Mattia / NurPhoto via Getty Images
    The U.S. Treasury Department announced today it's placing new sanctions against five Iranian entities over ties to the country's ballistic missile program and said that "additional sanctions targeting human rights abuses would be forthcoming."
    Why it matters: The timing. In less than two weeks Trump will have to decide whether to waive economic sanctions as they relate to the the 2015 nuclear deal, which eased the sanctions in exchange for Iran backing off its nuclear weapons aspirations. Trump will also have to decide whether to re-certify the deal.
    Go deeper: The move also comes amid Iranian citizens' backlash and protests against the government.
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    Snow, flooding batter Boston

    A man shields his face from wind and snow as he walks through the Public Garden in Boston. Photo: Keith Bedford/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
    Boston is experiencing flooding in addition to blizzard conditions as Winter Storm Grayson hits the Northeast, with storm surge filling streets in the city's Seaport area with icy water. Snowfall in some areas of New England has surpassed one foot.
    Boston Harbor saw its highest tide Thursday at least since 1978 — and likely since 1921. The National Weather Service said that while the tide was receding, the water from the storm would it would take "hours or days to drain," and is likely to freeze "in some locations." Boston is also experiencing hurricane force winds.
    Elsewhere in Massachusetts: The fire department in the town of Duxbury reported multiple water rescues and "treacherous" conditions, while flooding has hit the town of Scituate particularly hard.
    Elsewhere in the Northeast: Parts of New Jersey highways were closed near Atlantic City, per the Weather Channel. Amtrak is running on a modified schedule in the Northeast Corridor. Newark, New York, Philadelphia and Boston are all experiencing major flight cancellations.
    Flooding in Scituate, MA! (via Jill Pelo) https://t.co/T9GTzhokls
    — AndreaWBZ (@AndreaWBZ) 1515089478.0
    #MAflood View from Seaport Lane #Boston looking east down Seaport Blvd. #MAwx #Wx #MAtraffic Road closures are in… https://t.co/AQ7Y0XxISh
    — Mass State Police (@MassStatePolice) 1515089924.0
    Roads are treacherous. DXFD Car 3 while responding to a reported building fire crashed on Harrison St. At the same… https://t.co/nZEfhRvRBM
    — Duxbury Fire PIO (@DXFD_PIO) 1515091805.0
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