Healthcare CEO Assassinated, Gaza's Tragedy Deepens, TikTok Ban Nears
HAPPENING TONIGHT
In Syria
Syrian rebels, known as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), are advancing toward the capital, Damascus, in a renewed effort to topple President Bashar al-Assad.
The rebels' latest push began the day after the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah was brokered. Since then, the rebels have captured Hama and Aleppo — two of the country’s largest cities this week by catching Assad’s forces off guard. Now, the rebels are making their way to the key city of Homs, which is crucial for controlling routes between Damascus and the coastal regions.
This marks a dramatic escalation in the Syrian Civil War, which began in 2011 as a pro-democracy uprising. Over the years, it has evolved into a complex conflict involving U.S.-backed rebels, Russian and Iranian support for Assad, and neighboring countries closing borders to avoid spillover violence.
AROUND THE WORLD
Gaza
- Israeli airstrikes on Friday killed dozens of civilians at Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, according to its director, who called the scene "catastrophic."
Eyewitnesses reported that Israeli forces killed four doctors, destroyed vital medical supplies, and expelled an Indonesian medical team—the area's only surgeons. Israel claims, without evidence, that Hamas uses hospitals as cover. - A new report by Amnesty International accuses Israel of genocide in Gaza. The nearly 300-page report, based on data collected through June 2024, concludes Israel has "brazenly, continuously, and with total impunity unleashed hell," surpassing previous allegations of war crimes.
- A group of US senators is calling on Secretary of State Antony Blinken to make it safer for journalists reporting from Gaza and to prioritize media access to the enclave, which has been shut off to international reports by Israel.
In the letter, Sens. Brian Schatz, Tim Kaine, Chris Van Hollen, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Peter Welch, Amy Klobuchar, Jeff Merkley, George Helmy, Cory Booker, Jeanne Shaheen, and Tina Smith argue that the US “must make clear to Israel that targeting media organizations and members of the press is unacceptable.”
The Committee to Protect Journalists reports Israel has killed 140 journalists during the conflict, more than in any other conflict globally.
Lebanon
After 13 months of cross-border violence, Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire just before Thanksgiving. Since then, though, you wouldn’t know it. While the Biden Administration claims that fighting has significantly decreased, hostilities continue.
France, which is co-enforcing the ceasefire with the U.S., claims Israel violated the agreement 52 times in one day. Israeli strikes killed 11 people on Monday alone. Israel alleges Hezbollah instigated the violations but has provided no evidence.
IN THE US
CEO Shooting Mystery
UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was fatally shot in midtown Manhattan on Wednesday by a lone gunman still at large.
Thompson was walking to a shareholder meeting when witnesses say a man calmly shot him in the back before fleeing, suggesting the attack was targeted.
Investigators say the gunman had etched the words "delay," "deny," and "depose" on the bullet casing—a chilling nod to the tactics often criticized in the insurance industry for denying or delaying legitimate claims. Thompson's wife disclosed he had received threats but claimed she didn't know the details.
This assassination has ignited a broader conversation about health insurers prioritizing profits over patient care. Online, doctors in a Reddit medical thread trashed UnitedHealthcare for denying reasonable claims, endangering lives.
While most agree that violence is not the answer, the shooting highlights the broader angst amongst people who are fed up with insurers prioritizing their own profit margins and CEO salaries over covering medical care they are owed and could potentially save their lives or those they love.
Noor Al-Sibai
Hunter Biden Pardon
This week, President Biden issued a controversial pardon for his son Hunter, sparking outrage and accusations of abusing presidential power.
Hunter Biden faced up to 42 years in prison for lying on a 2018 gun application and tax fraud. He was scheduled to be sentenced on December 12 and December 16.
Critics claim Biden acted selfishly, but supporters see it as an act of a devoted father. Hunter is Biden's only surviving child from his first marriage. His mother and infant sister died in a car accident decades ago, and his brother Beau passed away from a brain tumor. Hunter has battled drug addiction for years.
Biden may not care about Palestinian children, but he has proven to be a devoted father to his own. The firestorm this pardon has ignited is perplexing. Would any parent -- given the chance -- not give their child a get-out-of-jail-free card?
People need to stop asking Democrats to play by different rules than Republicans, and they for sure need to stop asking Biden to be a worse father than any of us would be in his situation. - The Nation
Trump Transition Troubles
President-elect Donald Trump's second transition is off to a chaotic start, echoing the turbulence of his first term.
While some insiders believe the transition is more orderly than in 2016, others describe it as chaotic, using terms like "shit show" and "dumpster fire."
Burgess Everett
Trump's nominee for the Department of Defense, Pete Hegseth, faces allegations of sexual misconduct, alcohol abuse, and financial impropriety. Even some Republican senators are demanding thorough vetting before committing to a vote for him.
- Hegspeth is accused of sexually assaulting a woman in 2017. He claims the encounter was consensual but paid the woman an undisclosed amount of money to settle the matter to protect his career and family, he claims.
- The NYT published a letter from Hegspeth’s mother in which she describes her son as an “abuser of women.” His mother later retracted her statements.
- Hegspeth is also accused of having a drinking problem and encouraging sexist behavior in past leadership positions.
- Any failure of Hegseth's nomination could trigger further instability and scrutiny of other controversial candidates, such as Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Concerns persist that further nominee withdrawals could undermine Trump's authority and embolden critics within the GOP.
China Tit-for-Tat
This week, China banned numerous rare minerals used by the US for key tech and military products, citing national security concerns. The minerals are used by the US to produce cell phones, solar panels, fiber optic cables, flame retardants, batteries and nuclear weapons. The US relies on China for 50% of its imports of these minerals.
The new restrictions are unprecedented and target the US specifically instead of any and all countries that receive the minerals from China. The US, under Biden, has recently limited exports of semiconductors to China.
The US gets nearly all of its antimony from China, which is used for defense technology. While these new restrictions may not hinder immediate capabilities, they are a reminder of just how precarious the US dependence on these essential materials is.
Tik-Tok is Ticking
A three-judge panel on a federal appeals court unanimously upheld a law requiring TikTok's parent company, ByteDance, to sell its stake in the app by January 19, 2025, or face a potential ban in the U.S. The court ruled that ByteDance poses a national security threat as a Chinese company with access to sensitive American user data.
If ByteDance fails to divest by the deadline, app stores could be forced to remove TikTok. ByteDance plans to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court, arguing that the ruling infringes on its users' First Amendment rights.
If TikTok is banned but you already have the app, you can continue using it, but without updates, its functionality would degrade over time, making it effectively useless.
MORE FROM AROUND THE WORLD
South Korea
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol sparked outrage this week by briefly declaring martial law, citing threats from "North Korean communist forces" and "anti-state elements" in the opposition Democratic Party.
The National Assembly swiftly revoked the declaration amid public protests. Thousands demanded Yoon's resignation, and military forces surrounded Parliament during the upheaval. Although Yoon apologized and pledged not to repeat the move, calls for impeachment persist.
On Saturday, an attempt to impeach him lost support and failed because many feared it would lead to instability in the country.
"The failed vote is likely to trigger further political disarray and growing public demands for the president’s resignation. The opposition leader has vowed to impeach Yoon, and lawmakers are considering filing a new impeachment motion next week. The national police have opened an investigation into Yoon on treason accusations by opposition parties and activists." The Washington Post
France
Lara BULLENS
French Prime Minister Michel Barnier was ousted in a historic no-confidence vote, the first since 1962.
Barnier bypassed Parliament to impose deep budget cuts, triggering the backlash. His removal underscores political instability as France grapples with economic challenges.
WEIRD BUT TRUE
Love mayo? Now you can drink it chilled, thanks to one Japanese company.
