January 1, NEW YORK ATTORNEY GENERAL IS INVESTIGATING TRUMP PROJECTS

The New York attorney general’s office is looking into ties between Deutsche Bank and Investors Bank and several Trump Organization projects, the New York Times reported late Monday.

The attorney general’s office issued subpoenas late Monday to the banks, which opens an additional line of inquiry into Deutsche Bank’s dealings with Trump, the newspaper reported, citing one unnamed source.

China Official Says West Using Christianity to ‘Subvert’ Power

(Reuters) – Western forces are trying to use Christianity to influence China’s society and even “subvert” the government, a senior official said, warning that Chinese Christians needed to follow a Chinese model of the religion.

China’s constitution guarantees religious freedom, but since President Xi Jinping took office six years ago, the government has tightened restrictions on religions seen as a challenge to the authority of the ruling Communist Party.

The government has cracked down on underground churches, both Protestant and Catholic, even as it seeks to improve relations with the Vatican.

Google Paid Former Exec $35 Million After Harassment Claim

(AP) – Google paid former search executive Amit Singhal $35 million in an exit package when he was reportedly forced to resign after a sexual assault investigation, according to court documents released Monday.

Details of the exit package were revealed as part of a shareholder lawsuit against the company, one that followed a published report of payouts Google made to executives accused of sexual misconduct.

MMA Fighter Conor McGregor Arrested in South Florida

(AP) – Authorities say mixed martial artist and boxer Conor McGregor has been arrested in South Florida for stealing the cellphone of someone who was trying to take his photo.

According to a Miami Beach police report, the 30-year-old McGregor was arrested Monday afternoon and charged with robbery and criminal mischief.

The report says McGregor was leaving the Fontainebleau Miami Beach shortly after 5 a.m. Monday when a 22-year-old man attempted to take a picture of McGregor.

Pentagon Tries to Tamp Down Fears of Killer Robot Tanks

The Pentagon is trying to calm fears that a new artificial intelligence-driven Army tank will be turned into a killer robot, Defense One reported.In response to a hair-raising account of the Advanced Targeting and Lethality Automated System (ATLAS) Program in Quartz, the military is now changing the wording in its request for information to emphasize the program would follow Defense Department policy on human control of lethal robots, Defense One reported.