“A New York judge delayed a Tuesday decision on whether President-elect Trump’s conviction can withstand the Supreme Court’s presidential immunity ruling, following his election victory last week. Judge Juan Merchan agreed to freeze the case until Nov. 19, newly public court records show, enabling prosecutors to respond to Trump’s demand the case be dismissed entirely now that he is president-elect. Trump’s sentencing, which would be the first of any former president, is scheduled for Nov. 26. He was convicted on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment made to porn actor Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election to conceal an affair, which he denies. Trump’s attorneys [claim] his election as president compels the dismissal of his criminal prosecutions.” (11/12/24)
“Russian lawmakers on Tuesday passed controversial legislation banning ‘propaganda’ that urges people to opt against having children, the latest measure targeting what Moscow depicts as Western liberal ideas. Facing an ageing population and low birth rates, Moscow is seeking to reverse a demographic slump — accentuated by its ongoing full-scale invasion of neighboring Ukraine — that threatens its economic future. Members of the Russian parliament’s lower house, the Duma, voted unanimously in favor of the draft bill, which would apply to materials online, in media, advertising and in films that promote a ‘rejection of childbearing.'” (11/12/24)
“Ahead of the verdict, Nadezhda Buyanova was led, handcuffed, into the courtroom and locked inside a glass and metal cage. Through the glass, the 68-year-old paediatrician told me what she thought of her predicament. ‘It’s absurd, just absurd,’ the doctor said. ‘I can’t get my head around what’s happening to me. Perhaps later I’ll be able to.’ The paediatrician had been reported to police by the mother of a 7-year-old boy she’d been treating. The woman had claimed that the doctor had made negative comments about the boy’s father, a Russian soldier, who had been killed fighting in Ukraine and that the doctor had said Russian servicemen there were legitimate targets. Ms Buyanova denies making such comments and there is no audio or video recording to prove she made them.” (11/12/24)
“The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to hear a request from former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows to move his Georgia election interference case to federal court. The decision keeps in place a lower court’s ruling that Meadows'[s] case would remain in Fulton County, where he was charged as a co-conspirator in now-President-elect Trump’s alleged effort to overturn the state’s 2020 election results. … The Supreme Court’s decision halts Meadows'[s] efforts to move the case to federal court, where he could raise claims of immunity and argue his actions were taken as part of his official duties.” (11/12/24)
“Germany is set to hold a snap election on February 23 after an agreement was reached among parties in the country’s fractured parliament on Tuesday. Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) said that the main parties had agreed on the date for a snap election. The official announcement was made by Rolf Mutzenich, group leader of the SPD, in Berlin. Mutzenich said that Scholz will officially announce a vote of confidence in the government on December 11, followed by a vote five days later. Should the government fail to win the backing of parliament — an outcome that is widely expected — President Frank-Walter Steinmeier would confirm a date for the election.” (11/12/24)
“A suspected attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels [sic] saw multiple explosions strike near a vessel traveling through the Red Sea on Tuesday, though no damage was immediately reported by the ship, authorities said. The attack comes as the rebels [sic] continue their monthslong assault targeting shipping through a waterway that typically sees $1 trillion in goods pass through it a year over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip and Israel’s ground offensive in Lebanon. The Houthis have insisted that the attacks will continue as long as the wars go on, and the assaults already have halved shipping through the region.” (11/12/24)
“The main UN aid agency in Gaza says Israel has failed to meet a US deadline to boost aid to the territory or risk a reduction in American military aid. Last month, in a strongly worded letter, the US secretary of state gave Israel an ultimatum of 30 days to ensure more aid trucks reached Gaza daily. The deadline expires on Tuesday. The amount of aid getting into Gaza is at its lowest level in a year, the UN says. … In his letter on 13 October, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Israel needed to allow a minimum of 350 lorries a day into Gaza, every day, by 12 November.” (11/12/24)
“Major French newspapers, including Le Monde, Le Figaro and Le Parisien, said on Tuesday that they were taking legal action against social media platform X for allegedly using their content without paying. Representatives for X did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The newspapers said they were due payment under their ancillary rights, which allow payment to news outlets by digital platforms for the distribution of their content. They said that X, formerly known as Twitter, has never agreed to open negotiations with French news publishers, unlike Alphabet Inc’s Google and Meta Platforms Inc. They also said X, which is owned by billionaire Elon Musk, has not complied with an order issued by the Paris Court of Justice in May to release information required to calculate the amount owed [sic].” (11/12/24)
“Former Democratic Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is angling to become defense secretary in President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet, The Post has learned. The Pentagon post is at the top of Gabbard’s wish list, four sources told The Post Tuesday, but the soon-to-be 47th president has yet to make his final decision. One GOP insider said Gabbard ‘was going to privately petition Trump early this week’ about becoming defense secretary, though the source added that the 43-year-old could also be interested in becoming CIA director. A source close to the transition told The Post that Gabbard, who is serving as an adviser to that team, is believed to be interested in the defense job — but faces competition from former Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Wilkie, who is leading the transition’s Pentagon team.” (11/12/24)
“Democrat Ruben Gallego has won the open Senate seat in Arizona, defeating GOP opponent Kari Lake. Gallego’s victory marks the final Senate race call of the 2024 elections. Including two independents who caucus with Democrats, Republicans will hold 53 seats to Democrats’ 47 when the new Congress is sworn in on Jan. 3.” (11/11/24)
