News

Summary

Briana Boston, 42, was charged with threatening a health insurance company after repeating words linked to the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

During a recorded call with Blue Cross Blue Shield about a denied claim, Boston said, "Delay, deny, depose, you people are next," echoing phrases engraved on bullet casings at Thompson’s murder scene.

Authorities allege she exploited the CEO’s homicide to make the threat.

Boston, a mother of three with no prior criminal record, was arrested and held on $100,000 bail amidst warnings of potential copycat incidents targeting healthcare executives.

Summary

House Committee members urged Apple and Google CEOs to prepare for compliance with a law potentially banning TikTok in the U.S. next month.

This follows a U.S. Court of Appeals ruling upholding a law requiring ByteDance to divest TikTok by Jan. 19 to address national security concerns. Without divestiture, app stores must block TikTok.

TikTok has filed an emergency injunction, citing harm to businesses and creators, while arguing the law is unconstitutional.

Trump’s stance on enforcing the ban remains unclear, amid reports of his ties to TikTok investor Jeff Yass.

Summary

Donald Trump plans to discuss potentially ending childhood vaccination programs with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., his nominee for Health and Human Services.

Trump expressed openness to revisiting vaccine policies, citing concerns about autism rates, despite scientific consensus debunking links between vaccines and autism.

Critics warn reducing vaccinations could lead to outbreaks of preventable diseases like measles.

Kennedy, known for questioning vaccine safety, would oversee the CDC if confirmed.

Public health experts remain concerned about the implications.

Summary

Officials at Naval Weapons Station Earle in Colts Neck, New Jersey, confirmed multiple instances of unidentified drones entering the airspace above the base, though no direct threats have been identified.

Residents across northern New Jersey have reported sightings of large drones near critical infrastructure, including military sites, since mid-November.

Sen. Andy Kim, along with other lawmakers, has called for a federal investigation, urging the FBI and DHS to address public safety concerns and provide transparency.

The White House stated most drones appear lawful, but investigations are ongoing.

Summary

Crystal Mangum, who accused three Duke lacrosse players of rape in 2006, admitted for the first time on a podcast that her claims were fabricated.

She said she lied for validation and apologized to Reade Seligmann, Collin Finnerty, and David Evans, acknowledging they “didn’t deserve” the accusations.

The case, which drew national attention, collapsed after evidence disproved her story, leading to the disbarment of Durham DA Mike Nifong for misconduct.

Mangum is currently in prison for a 2011 murder conviction.

Summary

U.S. hospitals are routinely drug-testing pregnant women and reporting positive results—often triggered by hospital-administered medications like morphine or benzodiazepines—to child welfare agencies.

Mistakes and misinterpretations of these tests have led to investigations, child removals, and trauma for innocent mothers.

A lack of safeguards, reliance on error-prone tests, and policies mandating automatic reporting exacerbate the problem.

Advocates and experts are calling for reform, including limiting unnecessary testing and ensuring results are reviewed before reporting, as these practices disproportionately harm mothers while failing to address actual child abuse risks.

Summary

Elon Musk, the wealthiest person on Earth, faces significant conflicts of interest with the federal government across six areas tied to his business empire:

• Tesla is under investigation for autopilot safety issues and labor violations.
• SpaceX relies on billions in federal contracts while facing environmental scrutiny.
• X (formerly Twitter) is under SEC investigation for stock manipulation and data privacy concerns.
• xAI faces accusations of environmental racism and lacks AI regulation.
• Neuralink is scrutinized for unethical animal testing by the FDA.
• Musk’s cryptocurrency holdings are subject to financial oversight, including fraud and tax regulations.

Critics warn Musk’s proposed "Department of Government Efficiency" could weaken accountability and benefit his ventures by reducing regulatory oversight.

Summary

Robert Rundo, founder of the neo-Nazi “Active Club” network, will be sentenced in US federal court after pleading guilty to conspiracy to riot at 2017 California rallies.

Rundo, who fled the US in 2018, expanded his network internationally while evading law enforcement, promoting militant extremism across North America, Europe, and beyond.

Prosecutors seek a two-year sentence, citing his global influence and attempts to avoid capture, while Rundo’s defense argues for time served due to harsh conditions in foreign detention.

Experts doubt imprisonment will deter Rundo’s extremist activities.

TUCKED INTO A $895 billion Pentagon bill making its way through Congress is a little-noticed provision to further conceal the death toll in Gaza — the latest effort by U.S. policymakers to cast doubt on casualty figures reported by Palestinian health officials.

The House approved this year’s National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, on Wednesday and sent it to the Senate for a vote, despite Democratic objections over a GOP proposal to prohibit transgender children on military health insurance from receiving gender-affirming care.

The death toll provision of the must-pass bill, which passed 281-140 with 81 Democratic votes, has received significantly less attention. It would bar the Pentagon from publicly citing as “authoritative” casualty data from the Gaza Health Ministry, effectively concealing the full extent of the death toll in Gaza in the military’s public communications. The data from Palestinian authorities has been the only consistent and reliable count of the death toll out of Gaza over the last 14 months, with Israel consistently denying human rights workers access to the enclave and preventing foreign media journalists from entering.

Summary

An AP-NORC poll reveals low public confidence in President Trump’s ability to appoint qualified Cabinet members, manage spending, and oversee the military in his second term.

About 3 in 10 Americans express high confidence in these areas, while half are "not at all confident."

Republicans show more confidence (6 in 10), but it's less unanimous than Democrats' skepticism (three-quarters express doubt).

Independents remain divided, with most expressing low or moderate confidence in Trump’s leadership abilities across key responsibilities.

Summary

Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford has revived the 2020 fake electors case, filing new felony charges against six Nevada Republicans for submitting a forged certificate declaring Donald Trump the winner of the state’s election.

This follows the dismissal of the original case due to improper venue. Ford’s move aims to avoid the statute of limitations expiring while appealing the dismissal ruling.

The case is part of a broader scheme across multiple battleground states to overturn Joe Biden’s victory.

The defendants deny wrongdoing, calling the charges politically motivated.

Summary

Chinese President Xi Jinping is unlikely to attend President-elect Donald Trump’s January 20 inauguration, citing risks and protocol concerns, experts say.

Trump extended the invitation, but analysts argue Xi would avoid being perceived as a subordinate guest and risks linked to potential U.S. policy shifts, including tariffs or Taiwan diplomacy.

Trump’s return is expected to escalate U.S.-China tensions, with Beijing adopting a cautious stance amid his selection of China hawks for key positions.

Experts predict an eventual Trump-Xi meeting but warn of a continued mix of confrontation and engagement.

Summary

The African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, the largest independent Black Protestant denomination, reaffirmed its ban on same-sex marriage at its 2023 General Conference, frustrating Rev. Jennifer S. Leath, a long-time advocate for LGBTQ+ inclusion.

Leath, a self-identified "quare" pastor and academic, has fought for two decades to challenge the denomination's stance, which she argues alienates LGBTQ+ members.

Despite setbacks, including the rejection of a key proposal for open debate, she remains committed to reforming church policies.

On Wednesday, the U.S. was one of just a handful of countries to vote against a resolution in the UN General Assembly this week calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, despite the Biden administration’s supposed renewed efforts to obtain a ceasefire before Donald Trump is in office.

The resolution, which also called for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, passed the assembly 158 to 9, with 13 abstentions. Italy and Germany, which have previously abstained from similar votes, voted for a ceasefire for the first time, leaving the U.S. one of the only major world powers to not approve of a ceasefire resolution.

An electronic traffic message board — normally the forum for messages like “right lane closed ahead” — had been reprogrammed with an ominous message.

“One less CEO,” the sign, at the corner of southbound Aurora and Dexter Way, said, “many more to go.”