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December 6, 2023
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December 6, 2023
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December 6, 2023

Kevin McCarthy was booted as House speaker two months ago. Now he’s leaving Congress by year’s end

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Two months ago, Kevin McCarthy was booted as House speaker. Now, the Republican congressman from California says he’s resigning and will leave Congress by year’s end. His announcement caps a stunning end of his House career for the onetime deli counter owner from Bakersfield, California. McCarthy has risen through state and national politics to become second in line to the presidency as speaker, until hard-right conservatives engineered his removal in October. McCarthy made his announcement in The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday and wrote that he’ll “serve America in new ways.” McCarthy had brought Republicans into the majority but found it was much more difficult to lead the GOP’s factions.

Heavy fighting in Gaza halts most aid delivery and leaves civilians with few places to seek safety

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Israeli forces are battling Hamas militants across Gaza in intense fighting that has prevented the distribution of vital aid in much of the territory and brought some of the devastation and mass displacement seen in the north to the south. As the focus of the ground offensive moves down the Gaza Strip and into the second-largest city of Khan Younis, it is further shrinking the area where Palestinians can seek safety and pushing large numbers of people toward the sealed-off border with Egypt. On the Gaza side of the border, makeshift shelters and family homes are already overflowing and many are sleeping in the streets.

A narrowing Republican presidential field will debate with just six weeks before the Iowa caucuses

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — The shrinking field of Republican presidential hopefuls are preparing to gather on a debate stage for the fourth time this year. The debate Wednesday at the University of Alabama will be their last meeting before the Iowa caucuses kick off the presidential nominating season next month. Four candidates will be on stage, but front-runner Donald Trump will not be among them. The former president has skipped all the debates to avoid giving his trailing rivals more attention.

Norman Lear, producer of TV’s ‘All in the Family’ and influential liberal advocate, has died at 101

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Norman Lear has died. The producer who made TV topical in the 1970s with the sitcom “All in the Family,” died Tuesday night at the age of 101 years old. “All in the Family” starred Carroll O’Connor as diehard conservative Archie Bunker, who clashed with his liberal son-in-law over racism, feminism and the Vietnam War. It was one of a string of TV hits for Lear and then-partner Bud Yorkin that also included “Maude” and “The Jeffersons.” Lear’s series reflected his political beliefs, which he put into action by founding the nonprofit liberal advocacy group People for the American Way.

Authorities responding to reports of multiple victims in shooting at University of Nevada, Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Police officers were responding Wednesday to a “confirmed active shooter” in a building at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, the university announced in a post on the social media platform X. “This is not a test,” the university wrote. “RUN-HIDE-FIGHT.” Las Vegas police said in a separate post on X that there appeared to be multiple victims. The university said the shooter was at the Beam Hall, Frank and Estella Building, home of UNLV’s Lee Business School, and that police were responding to a report of additional shots fired at the nearby student union.

Trump tells supporters, ‘Guard the vote.’ Here’s the phrase’s backstory and why it’s raising concern

Former President Donald Trump is urging supporters to “guard the vote” during next year’s election, a phrase that set off alarm bells among pro-democracy advocates who say it signals permission to his followers to take extreme measures. The phrase is a relatively novel one for Trump. Activists on the right have been setting the groundwork for it to be deployed more widely. Trump’s former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, has spent months repeating the phrase. And Victor Mellor, a close Flynn associate, told The Associated Press he has been setting up a new group called “Guard the Vote” but it would “absolutely not” encourage violence.

Fake Donald Trump electors settle civil lawsuit in Wisconsin, agree that President Biden won

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Ten Republicans who posed as fake electors for former President Donald Trump in Wisconsin and filed paperwork falsely saying he had won the battleground state have settled a civil lawsuit and admitted their actions were part of an effort to overturn President Joe Biden’s victory. Attorneys who filed the case on behalf of Democrats announced the settlement on Wednesday. Under the agreement, the fake electors acknowledged that Biden won the state, withdrew their filings and agreed not to serve as presidential electors in 2024 or any other election where Trump is on the ballot.

Washington’s center of gravity on immigration has shifted to the right. Can the parties make a deal?

WASHINGTON (AP) — Washington’s center of gravity on immigration has shifted demonstrably to the right. The immigration debate is now focused on measures meant to keep migrants out as Republicans sense they have the political upper hand. A bipartisan group of senators tasked with finding a U.S.-Mexico border deal this week is running out of time to reach an agreement. The consequences of failure stretch far beyond the southern border. Congressional Republicans are insisting on tougher border measures as their price for greenlighting billions of dollars in additional aid to Ukraine. The stalemate puts the future of U.S. military assistance to Kyiv at risk as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine nears the two-year mark.

US announces new weapons aid for Ukraine as Congress is stalled on more funding

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is sending a new $175 million package of military aid to Ukraine. The aid comes as Congress remains stalled on legislation that would provide new funding for Ukraine as well as money for Israel’s war with Hamas and other security needs. The Biden administration has said money to aid Ukraine is running out, and the Pentagon packages of weapons and other equipment for the war have become much smaller in recent months. The package was announced Wednesday and includes guided missiles for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, known as HIMARS, and also anti-armor systems and high-speed anti-radiation missiles.

The West has sanctioned Russia’s rich. But is that really punishing Putin and helping Ukraine?

VERONA, Italy (AP) — Western officials say sanctions against Russia’s billionaires are meant to isolate President Vladimir Putin, choke off support for his war and turn powerful business allies against him. But in the 20 months since the invasion, only a handful of sanctioned businessmen have spoken out against him. And while the White House has proposed seizing tycoons’ assets in some circumstances, only $5.4 million of $58 billion in frozen private assets has gone to Kyiv. With growing concerns about the future of Western support, former diplomats and analysts suggest a new approach to sanctions is needed — one that not only splits the tycoons from Putin’s Russia but also generates more funds for Ukraine.