The Full Belmonte, 12/7/2024
A poster calling for information about the killing in Midtown Manhattan on Thursday. PHOTO: MIKE SEGAR/REUTERS
The person of interest in the killing of a UnitedHealth Group executive has likely left New York City, an NYPD official said.
“Police have traced his movements from Midtown to an upper Manhattan bus station ( read for free). Bullet casings recovered at the scene etched with the words ‘deny,’ ‘defend’ and ‘depose,’ as well as a cellphone found on the street and security-camera images of a smiling, hooded man are among the clues guiding investigators. The words on the bullets echo widespread anger over health-insurance coverage issues.” [Wall Street Journal]
Insurance executive's killing sparks online praise and hate
Support for the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO, as well as sympathy for it, has spread on social media, alarming experts.
Brian Thompson was named chief executive of UnitedHealthcare in 2021. UnitedHealthcare
“Tens of thousands of people have expressed support on social media for the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO, or sympathized with it, in what at least one researcher is calling a worrying sign of radicalization among segments of the U.S. population.
‘And people wonder why we want these executives dead,’ Taylor Lorenz, a former New York Times and Washington Post journalist, wrote on Bluesky a few hours after the CEO, Brian Thompson, 50, was gunned down in Manhattan by a man with a silenced pistol. After a backlash, Lorenz later posted, “no, that doesn’t mean people should murder them.”
The Network Contagion Research Institute at Rutgers University identified thousands of similar posts on X within hours of the killing. The posts, which could have been viewed by more than 8.3 million accounts, garnered 180,000 likes and 24,400 reposts, according to the institute.
‘The surge of social media posts praising and glorifying the killing of UnitedHealth CEO Brian Thompson is deeply concerning,’ said Alex Goldenberg, a senior adviser for the institute and a fellow at Rutgers. (Thompson was CEO of UnitedHealthcare, not of UnitedHealth Group, its parent company.)
‘We’ve identified highly engaged posts circulating the names of other healthcare CEOs and others celebrating the shooter,’ he said. ‘The framing of this incident as some opening blow in a class war and not a brutal murder is especially alarming.’
Law enforcement officials have been warning for years of a heightened risk of political violence from a small minority of Americans, mainly on the right, radicalized on social media and marinating in conspiracy theories. (Police have not revealed information about the killer’s possible motive.)
These posts appeared to come mostly from accounts that have expressed far-left views, but some came from far-right accounts as well, noted Tobita Chow, a climate activist whose post summing up the sentiment reached millions of accounts.
‘My notifications are mostly a cascade of populist rage,’ he posted. ‘Checking people’s profiles, it’s coming from across the political spectrum: leftists, normie Dems, MAGA, a libertarian or two, and many people whose presence on here is otherwise entirely apolitical.’
The main theme animating many of the posts about the Thompson killing was that UnitedHealthcare and other insurance companies harm and kill Americans by denying coverage in the name of profit. Many posts raised an announcement last month by Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield — which covers consumers in Connecticut, New York and Missouri — that it would no longer pay for anesthesia care if a surgery or procedure goes beyond an arbitrary time limit, regardless of how long the procedure takes. (Anthem BCBS reversed course on the policy Thursday.)
‘Then people wonder why a health insurance CEO was gunned down … because insurance companies pull this garbage,’ one X user wrote.
Some of the top sitewide posts on Reddit after the shooting were celebratory, ranging from memes that congratulated the shooter to top replies in subreddits like ‘r/nursing’ that created a mock coverage review and claim denial for Thompson’s care. ‘This fatal shooting has been reviewed by a peer and is considered a non-covered experimental procedure,’ read a reply with over 2,400 upvotes.
Thompson was the father of two teenagers. Law enforcement officials told NBC News they found the words ‘deny,’ ‘defend’ and ‘depose,’ written on the shell casings found at the shooting scene. Those words seem to echo the title of a 2010 book, ‘Delay Deny Defend,’ whose subtitle is, ‘Why insurance companies don’t pay claims and what you can do about it.’ The author declined to comment.
Lorenz, who was a technology reporter for The New York Times from 2019 to 2022 and a columnist for the Washington Post from 2022 to earlier this year, also posted the photo of another insurance company CEO with a birthdate and a blank date of death. (That post has since been removed.) And she reposted a post that said: ‘hypothetically, would it be considered an actionable threat to start emailing other insurance CEOs a simple, ‘you’re next’?’
Lorenz, who now hosts a popular podcast for Vox Media and has a Substack newsletter, said in an email to NBC News that she was not seeking to justify violence. She noted that she later posted: ‘I hope people learn the names of all of these insurance company CEOs and engage in very peaceful letter writing campaigns so that they stop ruthlessly murdering thousands of innocent Americans by denying coverage.’
In the email to NBC News, she said she didn’t intend to suggest that she personally wanted health care executives dead.
‘My post that you cited below uses the royal ‘we’ and is explaining the public sentiment surrounding the event. People absolutely want healthcare executives dead because these executives are responsible for unfathomable levels of death and suffering. … People have a very justified hatred toward insurance company CEOs because of the death and suffering they facilitate. It’s interesting how you don’t consider that violence.’
She added, ‘Me surfacing commentary that OTHER people post like Jenny, is not me endorsing those people and their posts. I can’t believe I have to explain to a reporter in 2024 that retweets are not endorsements.’
One of the most read X posts on the subject came from Chow, the climate activist. In an interview, he said he was not condoning the killing but was calling attention to populist anger about the private health insurance system.
‘Saw mainstream news coverage about the killing of the CEO of United Healthcare on TikTok and I think political and industry leaders might want to read the comments and think hard about them,’ he wrote in a post that got 137,000 likes.
‘Compassion withheld until documentation can be produced that determines the bullet holes were not a preexisting condition,’ one user responded.
‘My take is that there is a great deal of populist anger about the way corporations in private health insurance are able to just abuse people and ruin people’s lives and in the case of health insurance even potentially leave them to die with impunity and for profit,’ Chow said. ‘Obviously I don’t think the solution to that is vigilante assassinations, but I think business and political leaders need to take seriously where this sentiment is coming from.’
He said the killing produced an outpouring of complaints about UnitedHealthcare specifically.
Many social media users shared a chart from the finance website ValuePenguin that showed UnitedHealthcare had the highest claims denial rate among major insurance companies.
While the gunman’s motive is not yet known, health care industry professionals have experienced escalating threats, said Drew Neckar, a principal consultant at Cosecure, a security and risk management company.
‘The health care sector specifically has seen a pretty significant increase in violence, whether that be physical violence, threats, et cetera. It’s been a problem for decades, but it has significantly increased since the pandemic,’ he said.
Neckar noted that the threats are usually aimed at front-line providers such as doctors and nurses, though he said he has also noticed an increase in threats against health care executives.
‘There isn’t a healthcare organization I’ve worked with in the past several years that hasn’t experienced at least a 25 to 50% increase in actual violence against staff and threats of violence against staff,’ he said.
Shannon Watts, founder of the gun violence prevention group Moms Demand Action, vividly recalls the endless, losing battles loved ones waged against UnitedHealthcare for coverage sought by her late stepfather, who was dying from glioblastoma in the early 2000s.
Despite her bitterness over UnitedHealthcare’s treatment of her stepfather, Watts was horrified to read the vitriol aimed at the slain executive.
‘You know it was really across all platforms. It was shocking to me to see prominent people, not just bots, defending, condoning, mocking, celebrating gun violence,’ she said.
‘Two things can be true: The health insurance system is broken and must be fixed, and also gun violence and murder is wrong.’“ Read more at NBC News
Health Insurer Scraps Widely Hated Plan to Cap Anesthesia Coverage
“A top health insurance provider has scrapped a controversial plan to limit anesthesia coverage for surgical patients. Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield will no longer try to implement the much-ridiculed cap, which would have required patients to pay out-of-pocket for any anesthesia administered after their surgery went over an arbitrary time limit. Connecticut’s comptroller, Sean Scanlon, said Thursday in a statement, ‘After hearing from people across the state about this concerning policy, my office reached out to Anthem. I’m pleased to share this policy will no longer be going into effect here in Connecticut.’ The plan was announced last month for customers in Connecticut, New York, and Missouri. The pending policy went viral on Wednesday, after the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, Brian Thompson, was gunned down in Manhattan in a ‘targeted attack.’ Anthem said in a statement Thursday that it had pulled the policy for all three states, citing ‘significant widespread misinformation’ about it.” [Daily Beast]
Read it at Axios
The U.S. labor market bounced back with 227,000 jobs added in November.
“The Labor Department data confirmed that October’s softening was the result of storm- and strike-related distortions, rather than a more fundamental weakening. Last month’s solid growth was roughly in line with expectations. The report reinforced expectations that the Fed will cut interest rates later this month. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite rallied to set new records.” [Wall Street Journal]
A federal appeals court upheld the U.S. TikTok ban.
“The panel ruled that Congress can shut down the social-media app over national security concerns if it doesn’t shed its Chinese ownership. Lawmakers passed the sell-or-ban law with bipartisan support after they received classified briefings about Beijing’s ability to use the platform to surveil Americans and spread Chinese propaganda. The court rejected TikTok’s and several big users’ First Amendment challenge. The platform is expected to appeal to the Supreme Court.” [Wall Street Journal]
Clock ticks on Biden's pardon record
Data: Justice Department. Chart: Kavya Beheraj/Axios
“President Biden's pardon of his son Hunter ignited a debate over whether Biden was abusing his power. But he'll have to issue well over 100 more in his last few weeks in office to come close to his predecessors' totals, Axios' Erin Doherty and Hans Nichols write.
Why it matters: After Biden's controversial pardon of his son, he's facing enormous pressure to flex his clemency muscle.
By the numbers: Biden has been reluctant to show mercy — handing out just 26 pardons and commuting 135 criminal sentences since he took office in January 2021.
He's granted just 1.2% of the requests he's received, according to Justice Department data.
President-elect Trump — who had fewer acts of clemency than his recent predecessors during his first term — had granted 29 pardons at this point in 2020.
But in the final weeks as the nation's 45th president, Trump nearly quintupled his number of pardons, ending with a total of 144.
Zoom in: President Obama, who had the most clemency grants of any president since Harry Truman, ended his two terms with 212 pardons and a whopping 1,715 commutations, far more than any recent president.
The bulk of Obama's commutations cleared sentences for prisoners who had been convicted of drug charges.” [Axios]
Biden ponders preemptive pardons
President Biden lights the National Christmas on the Ellipse last evening. Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
“Former Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Mark Milley is among those the White House is considering for preemptive pardons before President-elect Trump takes office.
Axios is told President Biden has discussed the possibility with staff. But there's no consensus proposal or list. As we told you yesterday, others being mentioned include Liz Cheney and Anthony Fauci.
Why it matters: The preemptive move would be a novel and risky use of the president's extraordinary constitutional power, AP notes.
White House lawyers are discussing pardons for people who haven't even been investigated, let alone charged. Biden's team fears Trump and his allies, who have boasted of enemies lists and exacting ‘retribution,’ could launch investigations that would be reputationally and financially costly for their targets, even if they don't result in prosecutions.” [Axios]
The first rioter tried on Jan. 6 charges gets reduced prison sentence after Supreme Court decision
“A Texas man who was the first rioter to go on trial for the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol was resentenced on Friday to nearly seven years in prison after he delivered an angry, profane rant to the judge who agreed to modestly reduce his original sentence. Guy Reffitt benefitted from a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that led to the dismissal of his conviction on an obstruction charge.” Read More at AP News
U.S. Naval Academy may consider race in admissions, judge rules, saying a diverse officer corps is important to national security
“Last year, the Supreme Court rejected race-conscious affirmative action in college admissions, but the case included a footnote carving out the potential use of race in admissions within the nation’s military academies.”
Read more at Washington Post
Judge dismisses manslaughter charge in Daniel Penny subway chokehold trial
“The judge overseeing the trial of Daniel Penny has dismissed the top manslaughter charge in the case, after the jury repeatedly said it was deadlocked on that count against the Marine veteran accused of killing Jordan Neely with a chokehold in a New York City subway car in May 2023.
The decision means jurors will now only consider the lesser charge of criminally negligent homicide against Penny. It carries a maximum sentence of up to four years. Penny has pleaded not guilty.
The prosecution has argued that Penny acted recklessly when he restrained Neely by the neck for about six minutes. Witnesses said Neely had been yelling and behaving erratically aboard the train.” [NBC News]
President-elect Trump sits down with NBC News for first network interview since election
“President-elect Donald Trump is sitting down with NBC News’ Kristen Welker today for his first network interview since winning the election.
The exclusive interview comes as Trump is publicly doubling down on support for his embattled pick for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, amid
allegations of alcohol abuse and reports about his treatment of women, which Hegseth has denied.
Trump said on social media that Hegseth is ‘doing very well’ and will be a ‘fantastic, high energy’ defense secretary. ‘Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!’
As Trump prepares to take office, President Biden is considering issuing pre-emptive pardons for some of Trump’s critics and perceived enemies to protect them from potential retribution, two sources familiar with the discussions confirmed.” [NBC News]
Trump's gilded Cabinet
Data: Axios and Americans for Tax Fairness research. Chart: Axios Visuals
“President-elect Trump has assembled an administration of unprecedented, mind-boggling wealth — smashing his own first-term record by billions of dollars, Axios' Zachary Basu writes.
That's even without counting the ballooning fortunes of his prized outside adviser and the world's richest man: Elon Musk.
Why it matters: It's not hyperbole to call this a government of billionaires. Whether it acts as a government for billionaires — as Democrats argue is inevitable — could test and potentially tarnish Trump's populist legacy.
The big picture: Besides Trump, Musk and his fellow Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) head Vivek Ramaswamy, at least 11 billionaires will serve key roles in the administration.
They've been picked to lead the departments of Treasury (Scott Bessent), Commerce (Howard Lutnick), Education (Linda McMahon), Interior (Doug Burgum), the Small Business Administration (Kelly Loeffler) and NASA (Jared Isaacman).
Financier Stephen Feinberg has been nominated for the No. 2 position at the Pentagon. Trump family in-laws Charles Kushner (ambassador to France) and Massad Boulos (Middle East adviser) were tapped for diplomatic roles, alongside billionaire donor Warren Stephens (ambassador to the U.K.).
An additional four top appointees are hundred-millionaires: celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz (Medicare and Medicaid administrator), Fiserv CEO Frank Bisignano (Social Security commissioner), real estate executive Steven Witkoff (Middle East envoy) and fracking CEO Chris Wright (Energy Department).
Elon Musk carries his son X Æ A-Xii after a meeting on Capitol Hill yesterday. Photo: J. Scott Applewhite/AP
By the numbers: Trump's projected Cabinet alone is worth at least $10 billion, according to research by Axios and the nonprofit Americans for Tax Fairness — an estimate that likely undervalues the true total.
With Musk, Ramaswamy and other wealthy appointees included, the top of the Trump administration's net worth is likely higher than the GDP of hundreds of countries, including Finland, Chile and New Zealand.
President Biden's Cabinet, by comparison, was worth an estimated $118 million when he took office, according to Forbes.
Between the lines: Trump's gilded Cabinet is the product of an election in which billionaires spent like never before in U.S. history — mostly on behalf of Republicans.
Yet it was Democrats who shed major support among working-class voters, suggesting Trump's populist message — and the aspirational riches he represents — once again were underestimated.
What to watch: By rewarding so many of his biggest donors and billionaire allies with plum postings, Trump could risk flying too close to the sun.
With every billionaire appointee comes a minefield of conflicts of interest and ethical concerns — exactly the kind of swampy conditions that Trump has vowed to drain.
The optics alone could turbocharge the strain of populist left politics — championed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) — that characterizes America today as an ‘oligarchy.’” [Axios]
Trump's AI + crypto czar
David Sacks onstage at Axios BFD on May 14. Photo: Chris Constantine for Axios
“President-elect Trump's choice of David Sacks as his ‘White House AI & Crypto Czar’ will put a controversial Silicon Valley veteran, ally of Elon Musk and popular podcaster in charge of the White House's emerging-tech policy.
Why it matters: The tech industry's conservative-libertarian wing has long complained Washington's leaders and culture stifle innovation. Now it will be their turn to call the shots, Axios managing editor Scott Rosenberg writes.
Catch up quick: Sacks was a co-founder of PayPal, where he worked with Musk and Peter Thiel, and later invested in their companies SpaceX and Palantir.
Sacks co-hosts the "All-In Podcast" and is a leading critic of progressive ideas.
In June, he hosted a fundraiser for Trump at his San Francisco home. In July he spoke at the Republican National Convention.
He runs his own VC firm and this year launched Glue, an AI-driven Slack competitor.
Trump wrote that Sacks ‘will safeguard Free Speech online, and steer us away from Big Tech bias and censorship. He will work on a legal framework so the Crypto industry has the clarity it has been asking for, and can thrive in the U.S.’
Trump said Sacks will lead the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.
Between the lines: Sacks' appointment takes the same side door Trump is using to put Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy in charge of his DOGE efficiency office.
Sacks will become a ‘special government employee’ and can serve a maximum of 130 days a year, with or without compensation, per Bloomberg.
That means he won't face confirmation hearings or financial disclosure requirements.
P.S. Trump picked former Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.), a former businessman with experience dealing with Communist Party officials, as his ambassador to China.
The choice ‘offers a potential olive branch to Beijing,’ Bloomberg reports: In 2019, during the first Trump administration, Perdue told Chinese trade negotiators in a CNBC opinion piece that ‘cooperation is our ultimate goal.’” [Axios]
Trump friends make his win their gain
Data: YCharts. (SpaceX private-company valuation per news reports.) Chart: Axios Visuals
“Two of President-elect Trump's closest allies have seen their wealth supercharged by his election — and the assumption that lucrative government business will now flow their way, Axios' Felix Salmon writes.
Why it matters: Investors aren't necessarily clamoring for SpaceX shares because Starlink has become more profitable or Palantir shares for some sudden AI breakthrough.
Instead, they're buying into the proximity of Elon Musk and Palantir co-founder Peter Thiel to President-elect Trump.
Both companies have gotten exponentially more valuable in recent months.
SpaceX's private valuation has reportedly increased by $140 billion just since June, to the neighborhood of $350 billion.
Palantir's publicly traded stock has more than tripled this year.
The big picture: Both companies are now worth substantially more than market fundamentals would usually suggest.
SpaceX is worth more than double most any other defense contractor.
Palantir is trading at 60 times its revenue over the last 12 months (charted below).
Data: Yahoo Finance. Chart: Axios Visuals
Between the lines: Both men are likely to use their access to Trump in different ways, and investors are counting on it to pay off.
Musk, wearing his DOGE hat, could attempt to sell Trump on the idea that Space Force is much cheaper than the Army, Navy or Air Force, while also being a smarter strategic investment.
Thiel has been described as a ‘kingmaker’ in Trumpland after Trump picked Thiel protégé JD Vance as his running mate.” [Axios]
MAGA Loyalist Turned to Influencers in Desperate Secretary of State Push
“Associates of the right-wing firebrand Ric Grenell sought the help of MAGA influencers to secure him Donald Trump’s nomination for secretary of state. Shortly after Trump’s election victory, an ally of Grenell’s approached conservative social media influencers, offering paid contracts up to five figures to post favorable content about Grenell, Politico reported Thursday. Influencers, the contract stipulated, would post pro-Grenell content and do so during ‘peak posting times,’ ensure that ‘content must appear genuine,’ and not ‘as an overt advertisement or promotional message.’ Grenell denied the alleged influencer conspiracy to Politico. However, his desire for the highly coveted Cabinet position was no secret. Trump’s former ambassador to Germany and acting director of national intelligence spent the past three years reportedly telling people in the president-elect’s orbit that it was secretary of state ‘or bust.’ Despite being one of Trump’s most loyal cohorts, Trump ultimately chose Florida Sen. Marco Rubio to lead the State Department. Grenell is said to have been offered other posts, including director of national intelligence, but has turned the offers down.” [Daily Beast]
Read it at Politico
Donald Trump’s pick to run the NIH wants to take on ‘cancel culture’ colleges.
“Dr. Jay Bhattacharya is considering linking a university’s likelihood of receiving research grants to a measure of academic freedom on campus, people familiar with his thinking said. The Stanford professor and critic of the Covid-19 response wants to counter what he sees as a culture of conformity in science that ostracized him over his views. The NIH gives out roughly $25 billion in research grants annually.” [Wall Street Journal]
5 Takeaways From the 2024 Elections Now That They’re Finally Over
By Ed Kilgore, political columnist for Intelligencer since 2015
What a long, strange trip to November 5 it really was! Photo: Al Drago/Bloomberg/Getty Images
“With the resolution of an incredibly close House race in California (Democrat Adam Gray unseated incumbent Republican John Duarte), we now know the major results of the 2024 balloting a month after Election Day. It’s a good time to set aside Republican spin claiming a massive landslide victory and Democratic rationalizations about this or that mistake changing everything, and just look at the numbers and the story they tell. As we will discuss, total GOP control of the federal government probably won’t last more than two years, and there are no particular signs of an electoral realignment down ballot. Republican triumphalism and Democratic despair are equally unmerited from the perspective of the election itself….” Read more at The Intelligencer
INTERNATIONAL
South Korea president survives impeachment after governing lawmakers boycott vote
“South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol survived a vote of impeachment on Saturday after the vote was boycotted by governing party lawmakers.
In another day of high drama, a number of lawmakers left parliament ahead of the vote to impeach President Yoon over his decision to impose a short-lived period of martial law earlier this week. Just two remained inside while the one governing lawmaker who returned voted against the motion.”
Read More at CNN
Bakr Al Kassem/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
Iran Begins to Evacuate Military Officials and Personnel From Syria
“Iran began to evacuate its military commanders and personnel from Syria, according to regional officials and three Iranian officials, in a sign of Iran’s inability to help keep President Bashar al-Assad in power as he faces a resurgent rebel offensive.”
Read more at New York Times
‘Aggressive’ Russian Attacks
Romanian presidential candidate Calin Georgescu votes during parliamentary elections at a polling station near Bucharest, Romania, on Dec. 1.Mihai Barbu/AFP via Getty Images
“Romania’s Constitutional Court annulled the country’s ongoing presidential election on Friday, citing alleged Russian interference. The top court’s decision is final and binding. Under the ruling, the entire presidential election process—during which more than half of registered voters had submitted their ballots during the first round—will have to be rerun. Outgoing President Klaus Iohannis’s term ends on Dec. 21, and until the government selects a new election date, it is unclear who will be the head of state after he leaves.
The runoff, initially scheduled for this Sunday, pitted pro-Russian, far-right candidate Calin Georgescu against pro-European Union, centrist leader Elena Lasconi. On Monday, the Constitutional Court validated the first presidential election round, which saw Georgescu surge to first place despite opinion polling having him at single digits until just days before the election. However, the court decided to reverse that ruling after Romania’s top security council declassified documents on Wednesday that highlighted ‘aggressive hybrid Russian attacks’ during the election period.
Moscow has denied any interference.
The court is ‘seeking to ensure the fairness and legality of the electoral process,’ the justices said, adding that a detailed explanation of their ruling would be released at a later date. According to Romanian intelligence, authorities identified more than 85,000 attempted cyberattacks on election websites and IT systems.
They also accused Russia of running a vast influence campaign to promote Georgescu on social media platforms, including TikTok and Telegram, and they alleged that TikTok gave him ‘preferential treatment’ by not marking him as a political candidate, in violation of the country’s electoral laws. TikTok has denied giving Georgescu any special treatment.
Romania’s anti-organized crime prosecuting unit announced on Friday that it will launch an investigation into Georgescu’s campaign. It is unclear if the pro-Russian candidate will be allowed to participate in the rerun.
Social Democrat Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu—who ran in the election but did not make the runoff—called the ruling ‘the only correct solution.’ However, many lawmakers have denounced the court’s decision. This ‘is practically an official coup d’etat,’ Georgescu said on Friday in a recorded message. ‘The state is in an induced coma.’
Lasconi also condemned the ruling. ‘The constitutional court’s decision is illegal, amoral, and crushes the very essence of democracy,’ she said. ‘Whether we like it or not, from a legal and legitimate standpoint, 9 million Romanian citizens, both in the country and the diaspora, expressed their preference for a particular candidate through their votes.’
Analysts worry that the court’s decision could erode Romania’s institutions, trigger protests, and potentially endanger the country’s pro-Western trajectory; Romania is a member of the EU and NATO. Georgescu seeks to shift closer to other Moscow-friendly nations in Eastern Europe and end Bucharest’s support for Ukraine in its war against Russia.
Such a shift away from the West ‘would have serious negative impacts on U.S. security cooperation with Romania,’ U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller warned on Wednesday, following the documents’ declassification.
The parliamentary elections held on Dec. 1, in which far-right parties secured a third of seats but the ruling Social Democrats won the largest grouping, will be unaffected by the court’s ruling.” [Foreign Policy]
“Blockbuster trade agreement. After 25 years of talks, the European Union and Mercosur blocs finally clinched a massive free trade deal at a summit in Uruguay on Friday. The agreement will drop tariffs on more than 90 percent of goods, creating a new market of 700 million people. Negotiators hope that it will help reduce Europe’s reliance on China and insulate the continent from proposed tariffs that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has threatened.
‘This agreement is not just an economic opportunity; it is a political necessity,’ European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said. ‘I know that strong winds are coming in the opposite direction, toward isolation and fragmentation, but this agreement is our near response.’
The deal still faces several significant challenges. Before it can go into effect, the text must be translated into all EU languages, which could take several months as lawyers pore over the wording. The European Commission must then seek approval from all EU members, in which at least four nations representing at least 35 percent of the bloc’s population must adopt it, and then the European Parliament must vote to pass it.
Such approval may be tricky, as farmers across Europe have already vowed to oppose the deal. They claim that farmers in Mercosur’s four founding countries (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay) damage the environment with their lower statements for pesticide use and animal treatment. Heads of government in Austria, France, the Netherlands, and Poland have also expressed concerns that the free trade deal could subject European markets to unfair competition.” [Foreign Policy]
“Suspending powers. South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol suffered another political blow on Friday when the leader of his People Power Party, Han Dong-hoon, called for the suspension of his executive powers. Han cited ‘credible evidence’ that Yoon sought to arrest his opponents after declaring a short-lived martial law order on Tuesday.
According to Hong Jang-won, the deputy director of South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, Yoon had demanded the arrest of Han, Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung, and several other legislators. Han had previously vowed to try to stop impeachment proceedings against Yoon, which the president is expected to face on Saturday. However, Han said that learning of this intelligence has changed his mind, adding that he believes there is a ‘significant risk’ that Yoon could take similar action again if he were to remain in power.” [Foreign Policy]
“Synagogue fire. Australian authorities are searching for several people who allegedly set fire to a synagogue in Melbourne early Friday. Emergency services were called to Adass Israel synagogue around 4 a.m. local time—just an hour before the temple was scheduled to hold morning services. One person sustained minor injuries, local police said, and the building reportedly suffered significant damage.
‘I have zero tolerance for antisemitism,’ Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said. ‘It has absolutely no place in Australia.’ Reports of antisemitic acts in Australia and around the world have increased since Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. According to the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, more than 2,000 anti-Jewish incidents were documented in the country between October 2023 and this September.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Albanese’s government of encouraging such crimes with so-called anti-Israel policies, including supporting the creation of a Palestinian state.” [Foreign Policy]
“When a massive fire destroyed much of Paris’s iconic Notre Dame Cathedral in April 2019, thousands of people around the world mourned. This weekend, though, France will reopen the historic UNESCO World Heritage Site after an extensive restoration process. The two-day ceremony, which will be attended by around 50 world leaders, comes at a time when French President Emmanuel Macron is struggling to establish an air of stability following a no-confidence vote that ousted Prime Minister Michel Barnier on Wednesday.” [Foreign Policy]
TECH
“OpenAI is launching a new, $200-per-month subscription that will give users unlimited access to the most advanced version of ChatGPT.” [Axios]
BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
Stellantis recalling more than 300,000 Ram trucks for braking system defect
“The Netherlands-based automaker said the hydraulic control unit on the trucks is prone to failure, which can cause the anti-lock brake, electronic stability control and traction control systems to not work properly.” Read More at AP News
HEALTH AND MEDICINE
America's health decline
Data: IHME. Chart: Axios Visuals
“Like RFK Jr. or not, he and the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement's focus on chronic disease gets at an ugly truth: America isn't as healthy as other countries, Axios' Caitlin Owens writes.
Predictions say that'll get worse.
Why it matters: The U.S. outspends other countries on health care by a landslide. But it's not buying us the longer, healthier lives that people in other countries enjoy. That will only become more true over time.
For all of Kennedy's falsehoods, a political spotlight on chronic disease could open doors to examining U.S. health care failings that don't always get a lot of attention.
By the numbers: America's global rank in life expectancy is projected to drop from 49th in 2022 to 66th in 2050, according to a new study by researchers at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation published in The Lancet.” [Axios]
Health care vibes hit all-time low
Data: Gallup. (Respondents who rated either metric "excellent" or "good.") Chart: Axios Visuals
“Americans' view of health care quality is at a record low, a new Gallup poll finds.
Just 44% of adults said the quality of U.S. health care is excellent or good — the smallest share since Gallup's tracking started in 2001.
Many factors are fueling Americans' dim views of the health care system, including:
High and unpredictable costs. Unexpected medical bills top Americans' financial concerns.
Longer wait times. Patients are waiting longer for less face time with their doctors.
Insurance frustrations. This week's brazen murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson unleashed a torrent of long-simmering rage.
Yes, but: People generally feel good about their own care and coverage.
71% of Americans say their care is either good or excellent, per Gallup. 65% say the same about their coverage — complicating the politics of any major changes.
What's next: President-elect Trump's picks for key health-care roles — including RFK Jr. for HHS and Dr. Oz as head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services — have left the health world bracing for an unpredictable and potentially chaotic shake-up.” [Axios]
USDA mandates testing of nation’s milk supply for bird flu, expanding previous efforts to fight H5N1 outbreak infecting U.S. cows
“The order requires dairy farmers and processors to share raw milk samples before pasteurization. The broader testing, which public health experts have been clamoring for, is slated to begin the week of Dec. 16, after nearly 60 people, mostly farmworkers, have been sickened with bird flu in the United States.”
Read more at Washington Post
MEDIA
L.A. Times Planning to Add AI-Powered ‘Bias Meter’ to Every Story
“Billionaire owner of the Los Angeles Times, Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, has announced his plans to launch a ‘bias meter’ for all articles on the outlet’s website as soon as next year. Speaking to CNN’s Scott Jennings on his radio show, the media mogul explained the meter would allow readers to view different perspectives on a news or opinion article in real time and allow them to write or read comments on the subject matter. ‘What we need to do is not have what we call ‘confirmation bias’ and then that story, automatically, the reader can press a button and get both sides of that exact same story based on that story and then give comments,’ Soon-Shiong explained. ‘Now I’m giving you some little breaking news here but this is what we’re currently building behind the scenes. And I’m hoping that by January we launch this.’ The billionaire proceeded to explain his hope for the module in building ‘respectful disagreement’ and starting a ‘conversation.’ Following his announcement, the L.A. Times’ editorial guild released a statement in response writing, ‘the newspaper’s owner has publicly suggested his staff harbors bias, without offering evidence or examples’ and that they value ‘an earnest search to understand all sides of an issue.’ Soon-Shiong notably blocked the paper from publishing a Kamala Harris endorsement in October which was met with opposition from some staff.” [Daily Beast]
Read it at The Hollywood Reporter
“Paul Krugman, 71, will retire from The New York Times at the end of the year and will write a final column soon. Read the announcement.” [Axios]
SPORTS
A's clear last major Vegas hurdle
Rendering of planned A's stadium in Las Vegas. Image: Negativ via AP
“The Las Vegas Stadium Authority approved lease, non-relocation and development documents yesterday for the A's to build a $1.75 billion stadium on the Strip, and bring Major League Baseball to a growing sports mecca.
The stadium exterior — shaped like a ‘spherical armadillo’ — will have five overlapping layers, with a similar look to the famous Sydney Opera House, AP reports.
Amenities include an under-seat cooling system, and a split lower bowl to bring fans closer to the action. The stadium will feature the ‘world's largest cable-net glass window.’
Zoom in: After 57 years, the Athletics played their last game in Oakland in September.
The club will open the 2025 season in West Sacramento, Calif., and play there until their Vegas home is ready — projected for Opening Day 2028.
Zoom out: The A's will add another prof team to a Vegas market that includes the NFL's Raiders, NHL's Golden Knights and WNBA's Aces.
The Golden Knights and Aces have combined to win three championships in recent season.” [Axios]
CULTURE
2024 in pop culture: In a bruising year, we sought out fantasy, escapism — and cute little animals
“I’ll get you, my pretty! And your little pygmy hippo, too! Forgive us the shameless attempt to link the fantasy hit “Wicked” to the delightful Moo Deng. But, hear us out — there’s something the two have in common as the year draws to a close. Escapism.” Read More at AP News
Timothée Chalamet ‘Floored’ by Bob Dylan’s Reaction to New Biopic
“Timothée Chalamet thanked Bob Dylan for the shoutout after the legendary singer-songwriter praised his new biopic A Complete Unknown. ‘Floored. I am so grateful. Thank you Bob,’ Chalamet posted on X. The film, set to be released on Dec. 25, stars Chalamet as a young Dylan. ‘Timmy’s a brilliant actor so I’m sure he’s going to be completely believable as me. Or a younger me. Or some other me,’ Dylan posted on X. Though Dylan didn’t share if he’s seen the film yet, he did recommend the book the biopic is based off of. ‘The film’s taken from Elijah Wald’s Dylan Goes Electric – a book that came out in 2015. It’s a fantastic retelling of events from the early ‘60s that led up to the fiasco at Newport,’ he added. ‘After you’ve seen the movie read the book.’ Dylan also gave a nod to the film’s title, A Complete Unknown, which references lyrics from Dylan’s 1965 song ‘Like a Rolling Stone.’ ‘What a title!’ he wrote.” [Daily Beast]
Known as the Joachim-Ma Stradivarius, the violin was once owned by the renowned Hungarian musician Joseph Joachim. (Sotheby's)
This 300-Year-Old Stradivarius Violin Could Become the Most Expensive Musical Instrument Ever Sold at Auction
“Crafted by the renowned violin maker Antonio Stradivari in 1714, the rare instrument is expected to sell for between $12 million and $18 million.” [Smithsonian]
Photo: Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images
“The 20-foot-long stegosaurus fossil known as ‘Apex’ will soon be on public display at New York's Museum of Natural History.
Billionaire Ken Griffin paid $44.6 million for the fossil earlier this year, making it the most expensive dinosaur ever sold at auction. He's loaning it to the museum for four years.
The media got a sneak peek at Apex today. It'll be on public display beginning Sunday.” [Axios]
ANIMALS
‘Queen of the Seabirds’ Is Hatching a New Chick at the Age of 74
“Please clap: An elderly Laysan albatross named Wisdom is preparing to hatch yet another chick at the grand old age of 74, an achievement the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Pacific celebrated in a tweet this week. The ‘queen of the seabirds’ is the ‘world’s oldest known wild bird’ and she has a new boyfriend, with her former long-term partner—Akeakamai—not having been seen with her in some years, The Independent reports. The couple used to get together each year at the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge in the North Pacific, where Wisdom would often lay a single egg. In her remarkably long lifetime (the BBC reports that Laysan albatrosses usually live for 12 to 40 years) Wisdom has produced 50 to 60 eggs and over 30 fledglings, most recently in 2021. Jon Plissner, Midway’s Supervisory Wildlife Biologist, told The Independent staff are ‘optimistic that the egg will hatch.’ Congratulations to our girl.” [Daily Beast]
Read it at The Independent