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Trump Blows Up Government Funding Bill

Trump Blows Up Government Funding Bill

Your unbiased daily news brief

James Kratch
December 19, 2024

Good Thursday morning. Scientists now believe the moon may be over 100M years older than previously thought. Have a great day!

In Today’s Brief

Louisiana: Bird flu
Vietnam: Arson attack
Gaetz: Ethics reversal
Markets: Fed panic
NFL: Drone ban

... and more

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Top Tips

1) Boss move

President-elect Donald Trump has thrown Congress into chaos.

The news: A partial government shutdown may be imminent after Trump torpedoed a bipartisan funding bill. The president-elect blasted the deal backed by Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (as did billionaire sidekick Elon Musk), leading House Republicans to scrap it.
The reasoning: Trump is demanding an increase to the national debt ceiling, which will be reinstated next year. He and Vice President-elect J.D. Vance, who still represents Ohio in the Senate, also said Johnson's deal gives too much to the Democrats.
Big picture: The House GOP started scrambling to meet Trump's demand while Senate Republicans and Democrats were thrown for a loop. The situation underlines Trump's unpredictable style, his hold on the GOP and his desire for showdowns with the other side. The matter also renews questions about Johnson's long-term hold on the gavel.

2) House call

A bomb threat against City Hall in Los Angeles may have been an inside job.

The news: Deputy Mayor Brian Williams was placed on administrative leave after FBI agents raided his home on Tuesday. Mayor Karen Bass' office acknowledged he is suspected of calling in the threat.
More details: The bomb scare happened sometime earlier this year. Los Angeles Police determined there was no immediate threat to the public. Williams has been in office for almost two years and has a public safety portfolio, including oversight of the LAPD and the city's emergency management services.
Big picture: The LAPD concluded Williams was responsible during its investigation. It then asked the FBI to take overgiven the conflict of interest. Williams' alleged motive is unclear.

3) All gone

Call it V-MH Day -- victory over the murder hornets.

The news: A five-year effort to eradicate the northern giant hornet -- also known by the above name -- has succeeded. The insect has not been detected in three years, according to Washington state and federal agriculture officials, after first being identified in 2019.
Key context: Murder hornets are native to Asia and parts of eastern Russia, building underground nests in heavily-forested areas. How they landed in Washington is unclear. But they presented a significant threat to honey bees and other pollinators and possess a very painful sting.
Big picture: Officials will keep trapping areas with past sightings as a precautionary measure. But all indications are the hornets are eliminated from the ecosystem. Which is good given they can kill an entire hive of honeybees in 90 minutes.

Quick Tips

U.S. News

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the first serious bird flu case in a human. A Louisiana patient is in critical condition after exposure to dead and sick birds; the person is over 65 and has underlying medical conditions (More)
Utah police are probing an apparent family murder-suicide. Cops believe a man killed his wife and three of their children before killing himself in a Salt Lake City suburb; a fourth child is in critical condition (More)
A California man was tied to this week's Wisconsin school shooting. A restraining under the state's gun red flag law claims the man was in contact with the alleged shooter and discussed bombing a government facility before the 15-year-old woman killed a student and teacher (More)

World News

Eleven people died in an arson attack in Vietnam. A man set a Hanoi cafe and karaoke bar on fire after a dispute with its staff; seven people were rescued with two hospitalized (More)
A Dutch publishing company retracted a controversial 2020 medical journal study promoting hydroxychloroquineas a treatment for the coronavirus. The antimalarial drug was promoted by then-President Trump and became a national flashpoint amid safety concerns (More)
France has avoided a government shutdown. The country's parliament approved a special law that maintains core state functions while contentious negotiations over the national budget continue (More)

Political News

The House Ethics Committee will release its Matt Gaetz ethics report by the end of the year. The former Florida House member and failed Attorney General nominee was the subject of a sexual misconduct probe when he resigned in November; the panel initially opted against divulging its findings (More)
Talks on a bipartisan Senate immigration bill have begun, according to Axios. President-elect Trump has made border security his top priority and some Democrats have moved to the right on the issue since his victory (More)
A former Florida congressman is accused of acting as an unregistered foreign agent. Federal prosecutors said ex-Rep. David Rivera made over $5.5M lobbying for a sanctioned Venezuelan businessman and committed fraud to conceal his activities (More)

Business & Markets

Major indexes closed lower yesterday as markets recoiled on the latest Federal Reserve guidance. The central bank cut interest rates another quarter-point, but Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said the central bank will be "cautious" in 2025 without further progress on inflation (Dow -2.58%, Nasdaq -3.56%, S&P 500 -2.95% | More).
The Supreme Court will review the federal law banning TikTok in the U.S. if its Chinese parent company does not divest. The high court will hear ByteDance's appeal on Jan. 10 and is expected to rule on its constitutionality before the law takes effect nine days later (More)
The Department of Justice is suing CVS. A lawsuit claims the pharmacy chain filled illegal opioid prescriptions and then billed federal health insurance programs (More)

Entertainment & Sports

The NFL has asked Congress to ban unauthorized drones from the airspace around its games. The league said there were 2.8K drone incursions during the 2023 season, including one that delayed the AFC Championship Game and led to felony charges (More)
The National Park Service is being sued over fees and permit requirements to film in national parks. Two filmmakers allege the rules violate the First Amendment by requiring advance permission for protected speech (More)
A Brazilian judge ordered an Adele song removed from radio and streaming services worldwide. The singer is accused of plagiarizing a Brazilian artist with Million Years Ago; the order also threatens non-compliance fines for Sony Music and Universal Music (More)

Quick Hitters

Feel Good: A British man's heart stopped while he was at a McDonald's and a stranger saved him with CPR and a defibrillator. The two now consider themselves lifelong friends.
Quality Rest: Make sure you really do recharged and relax this holiday season. Here are some tips to help unplug and unwind while away from work.
Go Deep: President-elect Trump's pick to lead the Federal Communications Commission has threatened to revoke broadcast licenses. The First Amendment will likely keep him from doing so.
New Idea: Architecture students at the University of Hong Kong have developed a device that reduces heat stress for construction workers. It attaches to a safety helmet and cools workers' bodies.
Life Hack: You do not need to wait for the new year for resolutions. Here are tiny changes you can make today and sustain for personal growth.

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