“A former anaesthetist has been jailed for life for intentionally poisoning 30 patients, 12 of them fatally. Frédéric Péchier, 53, was convicted Friday at the end of a four-month trial in the eastern city of Besançon. In one of France’s biggest ever medical malpractice cases, Péchier was found to have introduced chemicals like potassium chloride or adrenaline into the infusion bags of patients.” (12/18/25)
“A federal appeals court on Wednesday blocked Michigan’s ban on conversion therapy for minors who are LGBTQ+, declaring it violates the First Amendment rights of therapists and counselors. In a 2-1 opinion, the court said the law illegally restricts speech that reflects the moral beliefs of therapists. It set aside a lower court’s ruling and granted a preliminary injunction sought by Catholic Charities of Jackson, Lenawee and Hillsdale Counties. ‘The Michigan law discriminates based on viewpoint — meaning the law permits speech on a particular topic only if the speech expresses a viewpoint that the government itself approves,’ Judge Raymond Kethledge wrote, joined by Judge Joan Larsen. They noted that the law permits counseling that helps someone undergoing a gender transition.” (12/17/25)
“Officers were called to the 5200 block of Greene Lane at about 10:52 a.m. after a homeowner reported shooting an intruder, police said. Upon arrival, officers from the South Central Area Command were directed to an apartment, where they found a man with an apparent gunshot wound. Police rendered aid until paramedics arrived. The injured man was transported to Sunrise Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. According to LVMPD, the homeowner told investigators that a man entered his apartment uninvited and unannounced, which led to a physical altercation.” (12/17/25)
“On Monday, Maui County Council passed historic legislation that aims to phase out over 6,200 transient vacation rentals, or TVRs, in West and South Maui. Introduced in May 2024 by Mayor Richard Bissen, Bill 9 aims to increase the availability of long-term housing for local families amid a housing crisis that was exacerbated by the Lahaina wildfire, which destroyed more than 2,200 structures and displaced over 12,000 people. Units in West Maui will need to be phased out by Jan. 1, 2029, with those in South Maui by Jan. 1, 2031. The units are part of the Minatoya List, which consists of transient vacation rentals located in apartment-zoned areas. These properties were built before 1989 and are grandfathered in under a permit exemption. Generally, TVRs are only permitted to operate in hotel-zoned areas. Bissen signed the bill into law Monday afternoon.” (12/18/25)
“Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has warned he may abandon a long-awaited trade deal between members of the South American bloc Mercosur and the European Union after key countries sought a delay. The Brazilian leader issued the threat on Wednesday after Italy joined fellow heavyweight France in saying it was not ready to commit to the pact to create the world’s biggest free-trade area. The EU had expected its 27 member states to approve the deal in time for European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to fly to Brazil to sign an agreement with the host, along with Mercosur partners Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay, on Saturday. ‘I’ve already warned them: If we don’t do it now, Brazil won’t make any more agreements while I’m president,’ Lula told a cabinet meeting.” (12/17/25)
“House Republicans passed a bill they say will lower healthcare costs for a broad swath of Americans by roughly 11%. It’s a victory for Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who has been managing deep divisions within the House GOP on the topic of healthcare as insurance premiums are set to spike across the country in a matter of weeks. One glaring issue that remains unresolved is Obamacare subsidies, which were enhanced during the COVID-19 pandemic but are set to expire at the end of this year. The legislation passed 216 to 211. Just one Republican, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., voted against it along with all House Democrats. The bill’s passage comes hours after a group of moderate Republicans joined a Democrat-led discharge petition to force a vote on extending the subsidies for another three years.” (12/17/25)
“Ukrainian drones hit a tanker in the southern Russian port of Rostov-on-Don, killing and injuring a number of people and sparking a fire, the city’s mayor was quoted as saying early on Thursday. … Regional governor Yuri Slyusar had initially reported the Ukrainian strike on the vessel in the port and the casualties among the ship’s crew. Slyusar also said parts of a high-rise apartment block under construction were damaged in the city and two private homes burned down in a nearby town.” (12/18/25)
“The House shot down a pair of Democratic-led resolutions Wednesday designed to curtail President Trump’s strikes on suspected drug boats in the Caribbean and the administration’s ‘hostilities within or against Venezuela.’ The first resolution, brought by House Foreign Affairs Committee ranking member Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.), aimed to end the boat strikes by directing the president to stop ‘hostilities with any presidentially designated terrorist organization in the Western Hemisphere’ unless authorized by Congress. … The second resolution, led by House Rules Committee ranking member Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), would direct the president ‘to remove the use of United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against Venezuela’ unless authorized by Congress.” (12/17/25)
“Demonstrators on the streets of Britain’s two largest cities, chanting or displaying ‘globalize the intifada’ signs or protesting in other ways that intimidate the local Jewish community, face arrest, the country’s two most senior police chiefs warned Wednesday. In a joint statement, London Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley and Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson said Sunday’s terror attack targeting Jews celebrating Hanukkah on Bondi Beach in Australia had compelled them to take a tougher line. … Named for a rebellion by Palestinians during Israel’s first occupation of Gaza and the West Bank in the late 1980s, the literal translation of intifada is ‘uprising’ — but it can be interpreted as a call for violence against Jews, police said.” (12/17/25)
“President Trump addressed the nation Wednesday night from the White House Diplomatic Reception Room to tout his accomplishments in 2025 and his goals for the next three years in office. The address was about 20 minutes long. Mr. Trump touted his economic record — defending his handling of inflation and tariffs — and accused Democrats of bringing the country to the ‘brink of ruin,’ as his administration deals with widespread voter frustration over the economy. He announced the government is sending $1,776 to military service members before Christmas, which he referred to as ‘warrior dividends.'” (12/17/25)
