Today's edition of quick hits:
* Iraq: "Iraqi forces have advanced into the center of ISIS-held Ramadi as part of a final push to retake the city, the spokesman for Iraq's counterterrorism forces said Tuesday."
* France: "French police have foiled a terror attack on police and army personnel in the region of Orleans, the interior minister has said. Bernard Cazeneuve said on Tuesday that two men, aged 20 and 24, were arrested on 19 December and were being held for questioning. Both are thought to have had contact with another Frenchman, currently believed to be in Syria."
* Syria: "A new round of talks on ending the conflict in Syria will convene in Geneva near the end of January, the head of the United Nations in Europe said on Tuesday, as negotiators try to make further progress after the Security Council approved a diplomatic road map last week."
* Texas: "A grand jury concluded Monday that it would issue no indictments in the death of Sandra Bland, who was found dead in a Texas jail cell earlier this year and whose handling by police sparked criticism of excessive force."
* Refugees: "President Obama will host a major summit at next year's United Nation's General Assembly to press countries to do more to help more than 60 million refugees displaced by war and other crises, his U.N. ambassador said on Monday."
* San Francisco: "A judge has ruled that the San Francisco police officers who exchanged racist and homophobic text messages in 2012 will be allowed to keep their jobs and will not face discipline. The San Francisco Chronicle reports the judge ruled the police department waited too long to address the misconduct allegations, ignoring a one-year statute of limitations for any personnel probe."
* Pennsylvania: "The Pennsylvania Supreme Court sided with Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf on Monday, ruling that he has the power to suspend executions in the state."
* Pretty darned impressive: "SpaceX completed an historic vertical landing of its Falcon 9 rocket on Monday night -- the first time such a feat had been achieved."
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.