“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has taken the stand for the first time in his long-running corruption trial, rejecting what he described as ‘absurd’ allegations against him. Appearing at a crowded courtroom in Tel Aviv on Tuesday, the embattled Israeli leader said the charges levelled against him were an ‘an ocean of absurdity.’ Israel’s longest-serving prime minister faces charges of bribery, fraud and breach of public trust in three separate cases. He has consistently denied any wrongdoing.” [editor’s note: No comments on “absurdity” published from the thousands of Palestinians abducted and held without charge or trial, of course, but I can guess what they might think – TLK] (12/10/24)
“People with diabetes who are taking GLP-1 meds such as Ozempic or Mounjaro may be getting an added bonus: Reductions in their odds for a dangerous blood clot, new research finds. The study found that folks with diabetes who were using the drugs lowered their odds for a form of clot called venous thromboembolism (VTE) by 20%, compared to people taking another type of diabetes drug.” [editor’s note: Nice … now if my “insurer” would quit stalling on authorizing my prescription … – TLK] (12/10/24)
“Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is in intensive care after brain surgery and is recovering ‘well,’ the government announced on Tuesday. The 79-year-old, who is commonly referred to as Lula, underwent a craniotomy procedure to drain a haematoma on his head after an MRI scan showed an ‘intracranial haemorrhage,’ according to a medical note shared by the government. The injury related to a fall at home on October 19 and Lula had been suffering with headaches, the note said.” (12/10/24)
“South Korea’s previous defense minister was formally arrested Wednesday over his alleged collusion with President Yoon Suk Yeol and others in imposing martial law last week, as authorities investigate whether their acts amount to rebellion. Martial law, the first in more than 40 years, lasted only about six hours but triggered a domestic firestorm and large street protests. Yoon and his associates face criminal investigations and impeachment attempts. The Justice Ministry has banned Yoon and eight others from leaving the country as authorities see them as key suspects. It’s the first time a sitting president in South Korea has received a travel ban. The Seoul Central District Court said it approved an arrest warrant for former Defense Minister Kim Yong Hyun on allegations of playing a key role in rebellion and committing abuse of power, making him the first person arrested over the Dec. 3 martial law decree.” (12/10/24)
“Most of the nation’s 734 immigration judges are seeking to reinstate their union ahead of an expected spike in immigration cases from President-elect Trump’s planned mass deportations. The judges’ appeal, scheduled to go before the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) on Tuesday, seeks to restore their right to bargain for contracts and have a union — a right stripped from them during Trump’s first term. Immigration judges are expecting a huge surge in new cases — adding to an already historic backlog of 3.7 million cases — once Trump launches his promised mass deportations of millions of undocumented immigrants.” (12/10/24)
“U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell suffered a sprained wrist and a cut to his face after falling Tuesday in Washington, D.C., according to his office. McConnell is ‘fine,’ according to Sen. John Thune, R-South Dakota, who spoke in McConnell’s place at a press conference Tuesday afternoon. A spokesperson for the senator said McConnell has been cleared to resume his schedule. ‘Leader McConnell tripped following lunch,’ his office said. ‘He sustained a minor cut to the face and sprained his wrist.’ … McConnell, now 82 and in his seventh term representing Kentucky, announced in February plans to step down from his post as the GOP’s Senate leader at the end of the year, a position he’s held since 2007.” (12/10/24)
“A court in France has found French-Cameroonian author Charles Onana guilty of downplaying the Rwandan genocide. The 60-year-old writer was fined €8,400 ($8,900; £7,000) and Damien Serieyx, his publishing director from Editions du Toucan, was ordered to pay €5,000. They are also required to pay €11,000 in compensation [sic] to human rights organisations that that filed the suit. The Paris court ruled that Onana’s writings violated France’s laws prohibiting genocide denial and incitement to hatred, noting that France would ‘no longer be a haven for denialists.'” (12/10/24)
“The Supreme Court heard oral arguments Tuesday on a case that could reshape a key environmental law and determine the future of an oil railway project in the west. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires federal agencies to conduct a review of environmental impacts before making any decisions and then issue a ‘detailed statement’ of the review. SCOTUS heard arguments in the Seven County Infrastructure Coalition v. Eagle County case, to decide whether an agency is required to study environmental impacts beyond the ‘proximate effects of the action over which the agency has regulatory authority.’ … The Seven Country Infrastructure Coalition (SCIC) petitioned the Surface Transportation Board (STB), a federal agency, to build an over 80-mile transportation system to connect crude oil from Utah’s Uinta Basin to a national railway.” (12/10/24)
“Musicians Tegan & Sara, Open Mike Eagle, Kathleen Hanna of Bikini Kill and more have signed a letter organized by Fight for the Future demanding music labels drop their lawsuit against the Internet Archive, the online library and nonprofit best known for the Wayback Machine. ‘We, the undersigned musicians, wholeheartedly oppose major record labels’ unjust lawsuit targeting the Internet Archive,’ the Musicians for Fairness and Preservation Open Letter reads. ‘We don’t believe that the Internet Archive should be destroyed in our name.’ Instead, the letter offers three alternative ways the lives of musicians could be materially improved: By partnering with organizations like the Internet Archive to preserve original recordings and music culture, allowing musicians to keep 100 percent of merchandise sales and ending vertical investments in streaming services like Spotify.” (12/09/24)
“U.S. wildlife officials announced a decision Tuesday to extend federal protections to monarch butterflies after years of warnings from environmentalists that populations are shrinking and the beloved pollinator may not survive climate change. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plans to add the butterfly to the threatened species list by the end of next year following an extensive public comment period. ‘The iconic monarch butterfly is cherished across North America, captivating children and adults throughout its fascinating life cycle,’ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director Martha Williams said in a news release. ‘Despite its fragility, it is remarkably resilient, like many things in nature when we just give them a chance.’ The Endangered Species Act affords extensive protections to species the wildlife service lists as endangered or threatened. Under the act, it’s illegal to import, export, possess, transport or kill an endangered species. A threatened listing allows for exceptions to those protections.” (12/10/24)
