See, Bwog loves sports. Editor’s warning: mentions of violence.

Happening in the World: Cuba thwarted a potential terrorist attack from a South Florida man on Saturday. The man, a Cuban living in Florida, illegally arrived on the island on a jet ski, attempting to commit acts of violence. Cuban state-run media said that although the investigation is ongoing, the plot is tied to at least two terrorist groups, Nueva Nacion Cubana and La Nueva Nacion Cubana en Armas. (Reuters)

Happening in the US: Japanese baseball star Shohei Ohtani has signed a record-breaking $700 million deal with the LA Dodgers. The player is widely regarded as the best in the MLB, voted most valuable player twice in the last three years. His career began at age 18 with the Nippon Ham Fighters, and at 23, he moved to the US to play with the LA Angels. His new contract with the Dodgers breaks Mike Trout’s record of $426.5 million in 2019. (BBC)

Happening in NYC: Unlicensed vendors have been hurt by crackdowns at the Grand Army Plaza market during the holiday season. Vendors complain that most of their revenue comes from this time of the year. Parks Enforcement Patrol officers have been issuing warnings to vendors and telling them to leave the park. (Gothamist)

Happening in Our Community: On Monday, December 11, the Harriman Institute is hosting a book talk on “Politicizing Islam in Central Asia” with Kathleen Collins. She will discuss the proliferation of Islam in post-USSR states of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan. The event will take place in person at the Marshall D. Shulman Seminar Room in the International Affairs Building. You can reserve your seat here.

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