memeorandum: Live Blog: Deadly Protests Continue In Iran (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty)

12:35 PM ET, January 1, 2018

Top Items:

BBC:

Iran unrest: ‘Ten dead’ in further protests overnight — Ten people have been killed overnight in anti-government protests sweeping Iran, according to state TV. — “In the events of last night, unfortunately a total of about 10 people were killed in several cities,” it said.

Discussion: TheBlaze, Fox News, Los Angeles Times, Axios, NPR, Fox News Insider, IJR, Mediaite and Althouse

Daniel B. Shapiro / Politico:

Where We Can Agree on Iran — Imagine a free, democratic, independent and wealthy Iran giving full expression to the beauty of Persian culture and the brains and spirit of its people. Imagine a political, clerical and military elite that doesn't steal its country's patrimony while brutally repressing …

Mallory Shelbourne / The Hill:
Trump earns praise for support of Iranian protesters

Discussion: Townhall.com, Politico and IJR

Associated Press:
Iran protests have violent night; at least 12 dead overall

Discussion: Associated Press and The Week

Karim Sadjadpour / The Atlantic:
The Battle for Iran — Protest movements in the Middle East …

Discussion: RedState and Taylor Marsh

Ben Casselman / New York Times:

Democrats in High-Tax States Plot to Blunt Impact of New Tax Law — Democrats in high-cost, high-tax states are plotting ways to do what their states' representatives in Congress could not: blunt the impact of the newly passed Republican tax overhaul. — Governors and legislative leaders in New York …

Discussion: John Hawkins' Right Wing News and Althouse

CNN:

Kim Jong Un offers rare olive branch to South Korea — (CNN)North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has held out a rare olive branch to the country's southern neighbor, offering talks over sending a delegation to the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang next month. — Kim struck an unusually conciliatory note …

Discussion: The Hill, IJR, Althouse, fox13now.com and AOL

Brett Samuels / The Hill:
South Korea hails North's proposal for talks

Discussion: RedState and Yonhap News Agency

Choe Sang-Hun / New York Times: Kim Jong-un's Overture to South Korea Signals Possible Thaw in Nuclear Crisis

Reuters:
North Korea's Kim says ‘open to dialogue’ with South Korea, will only use nukes if threatened

Discussion: New York Times, The Daily Caller and The Week

Olivia Beavers / The Hill:
North Korean leader: Nuke button is ‘on my table’

Discussion: Associated Press and RedState

Cara Buckley / New York Times:

Powerful Hollywood Women Unveil Anti-Harassment Action Plan — Driven by outrage and a resolve to correct a power imbalance that seemed intractable just months ago, 300 prominent actresses and female agents, writers, directors, producers and entertainment executives have formed an ambitious …

Discussion: Business Insider and Axios, more at Mediagazer »

Craig Silverman / BuzzFeed:

I Helped Popularize The Term “Fake News” And Now I Cringe Every Time I Hear It — After a yearlong battle for its meaning and ownership, “fake news” is now both an empty slogan and a deeply troubling warning sign. — In October 2014 I came across a false story that was quickly racking up likes, shares, and comments on Facebook.

Discussion: Althouse and The Week, more at Mediagazer »

Kyle Balluck / The Hill:

Democrats more fearful about 2018 than Republicans: poll — Democrats are more fearful about what 2018 holds than Republicans, according to a poll released early Monday. — The new Axios survey showed 55 percent of Democrats are more hopeful personally about the new year while 44 percent are more fearful.

Discussion: RedState and Axios

Barack Obama:

During my presidency, I started a tradition of sharing my reading lists and playlists. It was a nice way to reflect on the works that resonated with me and lift up authors and artists from around the world. With some extra time on my hands this year to catch up, I wanted to share the books and music that I enjoyed most.

Discussion: IJR and Axios

Kenneth P. Vogel / New York Times:

Partisans, Wielding Money, Begin Seeking to Exploit Harassment Claims — WASHINGTON — As the #MeToo movement to expose sexual harassment roils the nation's capital, political partisans are exploiting the moment, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars to support accusers who come forward …

Discussion: Fox News, Breitbart, Althouse, IJR, Front Page Magazine and RedState

Evan Osnos / New Yorker:

Making China Great Again — As Donald Trump surrenders America's global commitments, Xi Jinping is learning to pick up the pieces. — When the Chinese action movie “Wolf Warrior II” arrived in theatres, in July, it looked like a standard shoot-'em-up, with a lonesome hero and frequent explosions.

Judd Legum / ThinkProgress:

Trump said he was going ‘back to work.’ Then he went golfing — for 7 straight days. — On Christmas, Trump tweeted that he would be going “back to work” the next day. … Trump has since gone golfing for seven consecutive days, while the press pool ate pancakes at a local IHOP. — December 26

Gabriel Debenedetti / Politico:

No-name congressmen, mayors and wannabes gun for Trump in 2020 — John Delaney is a three-term congressman, stuck low on the seniority totem pole, representing a state packed with other Democrats, deep in a powerless minority. — And he thinks he should be president of the United States.