World News: Happy New(s) Year Eve

Tuesday, December 31

People celebrate the arrival of the year 2020 at a New Year's Eve countdown event near the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic headquarters in Beijing.

Trump will sign 'Phase One' of China trade deal. It's the last day of 2019. It's Tuesday's news.

We're counting down the hours to 2020. Your smart home devices are always listening. And there's no Short List tomorrow, but we'll be back in your inbox Thursday 📧.

It's Alex with a New Year's resolution suggestion for faithful Short List readers: Watch USA TODAY's TikToks.

But first, you needed to do those errands, like, yesterday. Here's what is open and closed on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

The Short List newsletter is a snappy USA TODAY news roundup. Subscribe here!

Protesters break into US Embassy in Baghdad, shouting 'Death to America'

Demonstrators shouting "Death to America!" smashed their way into the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad after U.S. airstrikes killed 25 fighters of an Iran-backed militia in Iraq. No deaths or serious injuries were immediately reported at the protest.

•	Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, who condemned the airstrikes, urged militiamen and their supporters to leave the embassy area and halt the violence.
•	Secretary of State Mike Pompeo defended the airstrike as a "decisive response" to a rocket attack on an Iraqi military base that killed an American contractor last week.
•	President Donald Trump, on Twitter, accused Iran of orchestrating the embassy attack and said the Shiite-led nation would be "held responsible."

Members the Hashed al-Shaabi, a mostly Shiite network of local armed groups trained and armed by powerful neighbour Iran, smash the bullet-proof glass of the US embassy's windows in Baghdad after breaching the outer wall of the diplomatic mission.

Ahmad Al-Rubaye, AFP via Getty Images

Trump says he will sign a 'Phase One' China trade deal Jan. 15

Minutes before financial markets in the U.S. opened for the final day of the year , President Donald Trump announced he will sign a "Phase One" trade deal with China on Jan. 15. Trump made his vow to crack down on Chinese trade practices a major part of his 2020 election campaign, yet his administration has not provided documents detailing what the first phase of an overall agreement involves. When Trump and Chinese officials announced the Phase One agreement in mid-December, the United States agreed to shelve plans to impose tariffs on $160 billion of Chinese goods that had been set to take effect Dec. 15. Trump said he plans to visit China soon to start talks on "Phase Two."

What everyone's talking about

•	The 10 best movies you missed this year (but can stream or rent.)
•	"Christmas miracle": An Ohio man shares his emotional reunion with his dog, Lucy, after five months apart.
•	A giant red buoy "the size of a truck" washes up on a Florida beach after being lost for two years.
•	Is 2020 the start of a new decade? Some people insist it's not, and they may have a point.

New year, new you

For the naysayers who believe it's impossible to stick to New Year's resolutions, listen up. It's all about one's mindset and, of course, motivation. Here's how to accomplish your New Year's resolutions, according to the experts:

Craft an appropriate, measurable goal: Instead of setting an objective of losing weight, get specific.

Begin when you're actually ready: New Year's Day does not need to be ground zero.

Make a habit of your resolution: If your resolution is eating healthier, decide on a time to meal prep and anything else needed in advance.

Move on after slip-ups: Appropriately assess a backslide for what it is and what it is not – a flame-thrower to any and all improvement.

Attacks on faith communities raise a familiar question

One man goes on a stabbing spree at the home of a rabbi during a Hanukkah celebration. Another opens fire with a shotgun inside a Texas church. When does hate become domestic terrorism? Should perpetrators be prosecuted as terrorists under the law? On one side: Though hate crimes can overlap with what is generally considered terrorism, having domestic terror as a separate prosecutable act recognizes it as unique. On the other side: Terrorism, along with hate, is changing. Instead of being organized by groups, many terror suspects are loners. If abused, such a law could be used against those with viewpoints, however radical, protected by the First Amendment.

•	Texas church had fed the gunman who opened fire during service and was watching him before rampage.
•	Rabbi's son slashed in head as victims fought to fend off machete at Hanukkah party.

Real quick

•	Trump would beat every Democratic candidate in Virginia and Florida except for former Vice President Joe Biden.
•	Class of West Virginia cadets were fired for a "completely unacceptable" Nazi salute photo.
•	MSC Cruises' new and largest ship, MSC Grandiosa, crashes in the port of Palermo, Sicily.
•	Alabama's police chief apologizes for an "insensitive" viral photo of officers holding a "homeless quilt."

Hey, Google: Stop listening

Smart home devices from Google, Amazon and Facebook are engineered to listen for your commands and respond to them. Usually, they engage only when you say your "wake" word. But these devices are always listening – even when they're "sleeping." If that makes you uneasy, there's a simple fix: Turn off the microphones. Here's how to do it for each device.

A break from the news

•	Happy New Year! 20 things that will help you eat better and get in shape in 2020.
•	Can you get out of filing a 2019 tax return? Here's when taxpayers might not have to file.
•	Taking an Uber or Lyft tonight? Avoid surge pricing by scheduling your ride in advance.