Lawsuit Accuses Major Food Companies of Marketing 'Addictive' Food to Kids

 Lawsuit Accuses Major Food Companies of Marketing 'Addictive' Food to Kids (Thanks to Trevor for this one)

Major food companies, including Kraft Heinz, Mondelez and Coca-Cola, were hit with a new lawsuit in the U.S. accusing them of designing and marketing "ultra-processed" foods to be addictive to children, causing chronic disease.

"There is currently no agreed upon scientific definition of ultra-processed foods," Sarah Gallo, senior vice president of product policy for the Consumer Brands Association, an industry group representing food and beverage makers, said in a statement. "Attempting to classify foods as unhealthy simply because they are processed, or demonizing food by ignoring its full nutrient content, misleads consumers and exacerbates health disparities."

ABC to Pay $15 Million to Settle a Defamation Suit Brought by Trump

 ABC to Pay $15 Million to Settle a Defamation Suit Brought by Trump - The New York Times

The outcome of the lawsuit marks an unusual victory for President-elect Donald J. Trump in his ongoing legal campaign against national news organizations.

Adding to the housing crisis: Home Insurance Policies are being Dropped across the Country

See Where Home Insurance Policies Were Dropped in Your State - The New York Times

Homeowners Face Rising Insurance Rates Amid Costly Climate Change Disasters - The New York Times

 The Home Insurance Crunch: See What’s Happening in Your State

TikTok denied emergency request to stop ban from taking effect

 TikTok denied emergency request to stop ban from taking effect - ABC News (Thanks to Sara for this one)

Related: TikTok will take its case to the Supreme Court - The Verge

The Trocks, an All-Male Comic Ballet Troupe in Drag, Turn 50

 The Trocks, an All-Male Comic Ballet Troupe in Drag, Turn 50 - The New York Times

The Trocks were never interested in making a political statement, their artistic director said. “We are men doing performances of ballet in drag for comedic purposes.”

Giant Companies Took Secret Payments to Allow Free Flow of Opioids

 Drugmakers Paid PBMs Not to Restrict Opioid Prescriptions - The New York Times (Thanks to Maia for this)

Drugmakers including Purdue Pharma paid pharmacy benefit managers not to restrict painkiller prescriptions, a New York Times investigation found.

TIME 2024 Person of the year: Donald Trump

 TIME 2024 Person of the year

Google’s Year in Search 2024: Breakout searches of the year

 Google’s Year in Search 2024: Breakout searches of the year

15-year-old girl is identified as school shooter as police search for motive

Abundant Life Christian School Shooting in Madison, Wisconsin: What We Know - The New York Times

 Madison School Shooter Who Killed 2 at Abundant Life Identified as 15-Year-Old Girl - The New York Times

German Government Collapses; is Germany still Germany?

 German Government Collapses as Chancellor Olaf Scholz Loses Confidence Vote - The New York Times

Opinion | Germany Doesn’t Feel Like Germany Anymore - The New York Times

Russian general killed in Ukrainian special operation, Kyiv source says

 Russian general killed in Ukrainian special operation, Kyiv source says (Reuters)

Bomb Kills Russia’s Head of Nuclear Defense Forces, Igor Kirillov, in Moscow - The New York Times

Pa. doctor accused of illegally prescribing suboxone in Bucks County

 Pa. doctor accused of illegally prescribing suboxone in Bucks Co. – NBC10 Philadelphia (Thanks to John for this)

Dr. Kenneth Fox is accused of improperly and illegally prescribing suboxone to patients in his office in Bucks County, Pennsylvania

Kennedy’s Lawyer Has Asked the F.D.A. to Revoke Approval of the Polio Vaccine

 Kennedy’s Lawyer Has Asked the F.D.A. to Revoke Approval of the Polio Vaccine (Thanks to Taylor and Alana for this one)

Aaron Siri, who specializes in vaccine lawsuits, has been at Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s side reviewing candidates for top jobs at the Department of Health and Human Services.

Drone Sightings Reported in New Jersey and New York: What We Know

Mysterious drone sightings in New Jersey prompt security concerns. Here’s what we know | CNN (Thanks to Mitch and Finn)

Mystery drones flying over New Jersey have residents and officials puzzled : NPR (Thanks to Sam for this)

Drone Sightings Reported in New Jersey and New York: What We Know - The New York Times 

Reports of flying objects continue to occur throughout the region. State and local officials say they do not pose a threat but have provided few answers.

The New Jersey Drone Mystery May Not Actually Be That Mysterious | WIRED (Thanks to Lexi for this)

America, its healthcare and its antihero

 Luigi Mangione and the Making of a Modern Antihero | The New Yorker

Opinion | UnitedHealth Group C.E.O.: Brian Thompson Was Never Content With the Status Quo - The New York Times

Opinion | What Doctors Like Me Know About Americans’ Health Care Anger - The New York Times

Opinion | The Rage and Glee That Followed a C.E.O.’s Killing Should Ring All Alarms - The New York Times

Opinion | Three Columnists Wrestle With the Lionizing of Luigi Mangione - The New York Times

Adults are getting worse at reading and math

 US adults are getting worse at reading and math

It looks like adults are getting dumber, too!

Two challenges in controlling what tech China has access to and how might a trade war play out.

 How U.S. Firms Battled a Government Crackdown to Keep Tech Sales to China - The New York Times

An intense struggle has unfolded in Washington between companies and officials over where to draw the line on selling technology to China.

Biden Targets China’s Chip Industry With Wider Trade Bans - The New York Times

New rules significantly expand restrictions on selling China chip technology, but critics say they also contain carve-outs that are favorable to industry.

Second Big Challenge:

China's obscure, very important shot at Trump - POLITICO

China flexes its power with rare earth elements

Time to laugh! Best Comedy of 2024: Nikki Glaser, Ronny Chieng,’ ‘English Teacher’ and More

 Best Comedy of 2024: Nikki Glaser, Ronny Chieng,’ ‘English Teacher’ and More - The New York Times (Thanks to Sabrina for this one)

Jon Stewart made “The Daily Show” must-see TV again, Theo Von had a memorable moment with Donald Trump, and Nikki Glaser broke through.

Arrests Made in 2021 Crash That Killed Over 50 Migrants

 Arrests Made in 2021 Crash That Killed Over 50 Migrants - The New York Times (Thanks to Aidan for this one)

Josefa Quino Canil De Zavala after being detained on Monday in a joint operation between Guatemalan and U.S. authorities for alleged involvement in a deadly 2021 truck accident that killed more than 50 migrants in southern Mexico.

Monarch butterflies will be listed as a threatened species

 Monarch butterflies will be listed as a threatened species : NPR (Thanks to Elizabeth for this one)

Ryan Borgwardt, Wisconsin Kayaker Who Faked His Death, Is in Custody

Ryan Borgwardt, Wisconsin Kayaker Who Faked His Death, Is in Custody - The New York Times (Thanks to Sebastian for this one)

Ryan Borgwardt returned to the United States on his own after staging his own drowning death and fleeing the country, the authorities said.

The body of a woman missing near a Pennsylvania sinkhole has been found

 The body of a woman missing near a Pennsylvania sinkhole has been found : NPR (Thanks to Elizabeth for this one)

Amazon: New Drone Has ‘Double the Range and Half the Noise’

 Amazon: New Drone Has ‘Double the Range and Half the Noise’ (Thanks to Sebastian for this one)

It is currently operating in Arizona and Texas.

A Stray Dog Climbed an Egyptian Pyramid. Along Came a Paraglider

 A Stray Dog Climbed an Egyptian Pyramid. Along Came a Paraglider. - The New York Times

A video of a dog on a pyramid took off on social media — but only after it was appropriated and doctored.

Ghost guns in the spotlight after UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting

 Ghost guns in the spotlight after UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting : NPR (Thanks to Sam for this one)

Ghost guns seized in federal law enforcement actions are displayed at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives field office in California in 2022.Photo by Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images via NPR

FBI Director Chris Wray resigning amid pressure from Trump

 FBI Director Chris Wray resigning amid pressure from Trump

Colin Farrell ‘shared a few texts back and forth’ with Danny DeVito about ‘who’s the best Penguin’ ahead of role

 Colin Farrell ‘shared a few texts back and forth’ with Danny DeVito about ‘who’s the best Penguin’ ahead of role | CNN (Thanks to Ali for this one)

Netanyahu Finally Takes the Stand in His Corruption Trial

 Netanyahu Finally Takes the Stand in His Corruption Trial - The New York Times (Thanks to Finn for this one)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel is accused of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in a trial that began four years ago. He has denied the charges.

OpenAI has finally released Sora

 OpenAI has finally released Sora - The Verge

OpenAI’s video-generating AI tool is now available, and if you have the $200 per month ChatGPT Pro plan, you can prompt it for 1080p videos up to 20 seconds long.

Google Makes New Quantum Computing Breakthrough

 Google Makes New Quantum Computing Breakthrough - The New York Times

Google unveiled an experimental machine capable of tasks that a traditional supercomputer could not master in 10 septillion years. (That’s older than the universe.)

Google reveals quantum computing chip with ‘breakthrough’ achievements - The Verge

Google says Willow is a quantum computing chip capable of performing a task in 5 minutes that would take a supercomputer 10 septillion years to complete.

ByteDance, TikTok seek temporary halt to US ban pending Supreme Court review

 ByteDance, TikTok seek temporary halt to US ban pending Supreme Court review | Reuters (Thanks to Graydon for this one)

Rebels Assert Control in Damascus, Their Plans Still Unclear

 Rebels Assert Control in Damascus, Their Plans Still Unclear - The New York Times (Thanks to Cole for this one)

The fighters who forced Bashar al-Assad into exile began the complex task of governing the Syrian capital. On the road to Damascus, New York Times reporters saw evidence of lawlessness and relics of the deposed regime.

Juan Soto and Mets agree to 15-year $765 million deal

 Juan Soto, Mets agree to contract: $765 million, 15 years (sources) (Thanks to Frank for this one)

Jay-Z accused in a civil lawsuit of raping a 13-year-old girl in 2000 along with Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs

Jay-Z accused in a civil lawsuit of raping a 13-year-old girl in 2000 along with Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs (Thanks to Sara for this one)

Jay-Z denies allegations he sexually assaulted a 13-year-old in 2000 with Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs | CNN (Thanks to Rex for this one)

December 8, 2024: Syria civil war news

 December 8, 2024: Syria civil war news | CNN (Thanks to Graydon for this one)

Robots are helping restore lost seagrass meadows

 Robots are helping restore lost seagrass meadows | CNN (Thanks to Trevor for this one)

President-elect Trump lays out his plans in first interview on Meet the Press, plans pardon for Jan. 6 rioters on day one

Donald Trump says he'll pardon Jan. 6 rioters on day one: 'Acting very quickly' | Fox News (Thanks to Derrick for this one)

President-elect Trump lays out his plans in first interview on Meet the Press

Luigi Mangione, 26, alleged killer of Brian Thompson, CEO of UnitedHealthcare, arrested in Altoona, PA.

Luigi Mangione yells going into extradition hearing in Pennsylvania after being charged with CEO’s murder: Latest | The Independent (Thanks to Derrick for this one)

 Court Papers Detail Capture of Person of Interest in Health Care C.E.O.’s Killing

The man, Luigi Mangione, 26, was arrested in Altoona, Pa., after he was spotted at a McDonald’s. A criminal complaint said that he began shaking when an officer asked him if he had been to New York recently, and that his backpack held a 3D-printed gun and a silencer

 

Syria Civil War: What to Know About the Rebels and the Fall of Assad as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham takes control of Syria

Syria Civil War: What to Know About the Rebels and the Fall of Assad - The New York Times (Thanks to Alana for this one)

Assad Arrives in Russia After Fleeing Syria, Russian Media Says

President Bashar al-Assad landed in Russia, according to state media outlets there and two Iranian officials, after fleeing the country as rebels took control of Syria’s capital.

Abu Mohammad al-Jolani (alternate spelling: Jawlani), the Islamist rebel leader who spearheaded the rebel offensive, declared the group’s achievement “a victory for the whole Islamic nation,” speaking from the Umayyad Mosque, an ancient landmark in Damascus, the capital. His group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, once linked to Al Qaeda, has tried to gain international legitimacy by eschewing jihadist ambitions and focusing on organized governance.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said in a statement on Sunday that “the United States strongly supports a peaceful transition of power to an accountable Syrian government through an inclusive Syrian-led process.” He said the U.S. would “support international efforts to hold the Assad regime and its backers accountable for atrocities and abuses perpetrated against the Syrian people, including the use of chemical weapons and the unjust detention of civilians such as Austin Tice,” Blinken said, referring to an American journalist who disappeared in Syria years ago.

With Syria in flux, Turkey attacks U.S.-backed forces.

As Assad’s Dictatorship in Syria Ends, New Risks for the Middle East Are Huge - The New York Times

Biden Weighs Approach to Rebels in Syria Amid Secret Message Exchange - The New York Times

See How the War in Syria Has Changed - The New York Times

A note about the flags you are seeing that represent Syria

7.0 magnitude earthquake strikes California

 7.0 magnitude earthquake strikes California | AP News (Thanks to Lexi for this one)

7.0 Earthquake Rattles Northern California and Prompts Tsunami Warning - The New York Times (Thanks to Finn for this one)