Jobs report crushes expectations as hurricane impact fades Akin Oyedele in Business Insider "Job creation remained strong in the US even after deadly hurricanes slammed into the Southeast this fall and temporarily weakened hiring," writes Akin Oyedele, senior markets reporter at Business Insider. The U.S. economy added 228,000 nonfarm payrolls in November – exceeding economists' expectations – and retail hiring was strong ahead of the holiday season. The manufacturing sector added 31,000 jobs, bouncing back from a slump in 2016 caused by the impact of a stronger dollar on U.S. exports. The overall unemployment rate held at a 17-year low of 4.1 percent. Click here to read more. ------------ The Associated Press reports on First Lady Melania Trump's visit to the Children's National Medical Center in Washington, where she privately greeted patients and their families, answered children's questions about her family's Christmas traditions, and read "The Polar Express" aloud to patients and their families. ------------ The Hill reports that the President signed a stopgap funding bill on Friday to avoid a government shutdown as budget talks continue. The measure funds the government until December 22, providing two additional weeks for congressional leaders to negotiate. ------------ Stephen Collinson writes at CNN that President Trump is a "keeper of promises," and "a politician who actually does what he told voters he would do" by declaring Jerusalem as Israel's capital and beginning preparations to move the U.S. embassy to the city. ------------ Anna Giaritelli at the Washington Examiner reports that the Department of Homeland Security announced the creation of a Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office that "will oversee federal efforts to prevent terrorists from using chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear weapons to attack the U.S. or its interests abroad." According to Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, "DHS is moving towards a more integrated approach, bringing together intelligence, operations, interagency engagement, and international action."