A vicious diplomatic fight to end 2016

View this email in your browser Brought to you by USATODAY.com What it looks like when John Kerry isn't watching the clock One hour and 10 minutes. That's how long Secretary of State John Kerry spoke Wednesday, delivering a passionate outline  for a peace proposal between Israel and the Palestinians. His speech was notable for two big reasons: 1. It harshly criticized Israel. 2. With less than a month left for the Obama administration, it had people wondering, "Why now?" Kerry said a "two-state solution," which envisions an independent Palestinian state existing peacefully alongside Israel, is in jeopardy because Israel won't stop building settlements on land claimed by Palestinians. The U.N. Security Council passed a resolution Friday that called Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem a violation of international law. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin  Netanyahu is furious  with the U.S. for failing to veto that resolution, and on Wednesday he called Kerry's speech "a great disappointment." Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said he is ready to resume peace talks if Israel freezes settlement construction. The raging diplomatic argument also pits President Obama against President-elect Donald Trump, who has firmly taken Netanyahu's side. So what did Kerry hope to achieve? He put the administration's position on the record and emphasized that the U.S. did not collude with the Palestinians on last week's resolution. As for Obama, he's on vacation with his family in Hawaii. And Trump, of course,  is tweeting. Respect (just a little bit) Remember after the election when President Obama and President-elect Donald Trump acted like they were cool with one another? Well, Trump put an end to that Wednesday by tweeting he's upset about a few things : 1. He's not happy that Obama said he could have won if he had been able to run for another term. ("I say NO WAY!") 2. Trump is not OK with what he sees as Obama's "inflammatory" roadblocks during the transition of power. ("Thought it was going to be a smooth transition — NOT!") 3. And he's not on board with the Obama administration's refusal to veto the U.N. Security Council resolution condemning Israeli settlements in the West Bank. ("Stay strong Israel, January 20th is fast approaching!") But could something else actually be upsetting Trump that he hasn't yet distilled into 140 characters?  Obama did just best him as the Most Admired Man of 2016.  Dylann Roof just showed how hard he intends to fight for his life Dylann Roof told a judge Wednesday  that he won't call witnesses or present evidence to spare his life for killing nine black worshipers at a Charleston, S.C., church in a hate crime last year. Roof, 22, is acting as his own lawyer in the penalty phase of his trial after he was convicted of the attack earlier this month. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty, and Roof's defense lawyers say he got rid of them because they wanted to present what Roof thought was embarrassing evidence to get the jury to spare his life. U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel warned Roof Wednesday that being his own lawyer was a bad idea. Ariana Grande says something everyone needs to hear Ariana Grande is not cool with our culture's reductive view of women, and she's not going to be silent about it anymore. In a message posted to Twitter , Grande shared that she and her beau, The Way collaborator Mac Miller, were picking up food when they had a run-in with one of Miller's fans, who said "Ariana is sexy as hell, man. I see you. I see you hitting that!" For Grande, being discussed as if she wasn't present — and being reduced to a "piece of meat" in the process — left her feeling "sick and objectified." She is not cool with the pervasive dehumanization of women. "Things like (this) happen all the time and are the kinds of moments that contribute to women's sense of fear and inadequacy," she wrote.  Read her post here.  Some other things: 50 states: 50 most Instagrammed restaurants Our take: 10 best albums of 2016 The cheapest dates to fly in 2017 Want the Short List delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up! This is a compilation of stories from across USA TODAY Contributing: Associated Press Invite others to enjoy The Short List newsletter. Thank you for subscribing to the The Short List. Got some feedback, a tip or just want to say hello? Email us at newsletters@e.usatoday.com. USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. Unsubscribe from the The Short List Why did I get this? Update my subscription preferences USA TODAY 7950 Jones Branch Drive McLean, VA 22102

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -