Sunday, December 5th, 2021 

Venezuelan intelligence officials announce the death of Hernán Darío Hernández, the leader of a FARC dissidents group, after an ambush carried out by an armed commando of the Venezuelan Armed Forces. Hernández was responsible for the 2003 El Nogal Club bombing that left 36 casualties and over 200 injured individuals. (El Tiempo) 

Due to alleged incorrect intelligence inputs, soldiers of Indian armed forces open fire on a group of miners returning home after work in Nagaland, mistaking them to be militants. Thirteen people and one soldier are killed; the soldier and seven miners in the subsequent confrontation with angry locals. (BBC News) 

The death toll from yesterday’s Semeru volcano eruption in East Java, Indonesia, rises to 14, while 56 other people are injured. (BBC News) 

Chaz Mostert and Lee Holdsworth win the 2021 Bathurst 1000 in Bathurst, NSW, Australia. (ABC News Australia) 

Biden and Putin Ukraine call set for Tuesday U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin will discuss the increasingly dire situation in Ukraine during a video call Tuesday. Whitehouse spokesperson Jen Psaki said Biden plans to “underscore U.S. concerns with Russian military activities on the border with Ukraine and reaffirm the United States’ support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine.” Some 94,000 Russian troops have massed on the Ukrainian border. Intelligence estimates suggest an invasion could begin as early as next month. REUTERS 

CNN fires Chris Cuomo for helping brother handle sexual misconduct allegations CNN announced Saturday that anchor Chris Cuomo had been fired after evidence emerged that he used his position and contacts to help his older brother, former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), weather accusations of sexual misconduct. The former governor resigned in October after an investigation concluded that he had groped or otherwise harassed 11 women who worked for him. CNN called the younger Cuomo’s behavior “a breach of journalistic ethics” and announced that they have hired a law firm to examine his behavior in greater depth. REUTERS 

Pope meets with migrants in Greece after being heckled by Orthodox priest A Greek Orthodox priest heckled Pope Francis during his Saturday visit to Athens, shouting “Pope, you are a heretic!” before being led away by police. The elderly priest fell to the ground as police grabbed him, but he seemed uninjured. Francis “appeared not to notice.” The Roman pontiff then proceeded to a meeting with Ieronymos, the Greek Orthodox bishop of Athens, who welcomed Francis with “honor and fraternity.” Sunday, Francis met with migrants on the Greek island of Lesbos. He warned politicians against “instilling fear of the other” and using migrants for “political propaganda.” Pope Francis is expected to return to the Vatican Monday. BBC 

Congressman criticized after posting Christmas photo with guns Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) has drawn criticism after posting a photo of himself and his family smiling in front of a Christmas tree while holding guns only four days after a school shooter killed four people in Michigan. Massie captioned the photo, which he tweeted Saturday, with the words “Merry Christmas! ps. Santa, please bring ammo.” Massie is well-known for his libertarian views. Manuel Oliver, the father of one of the victims in the 2018 Parkland school shooting, called the photo “very nasty.” Rep. John Yarmuth (D-Ky.) posted a tweet calling Massie an “insensitive asshole.” CNN 

Iran nuclear talks hit stalemate over sanctions The United States’ hesitancy to lift all sanctions on Iran is the greatest obstacle to reviving the 2015 nuclear agreement, a senior Iranian official said Sunday. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action — which was signed by Iran, Germany, the U.S., Russia, China, Britain, and France — reduced sanctions against Iran in return for restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program. Former President Trump pulled out of the deal and re-imposed sanctions in 2015. Talks broke off Friday and are expected to resume Monday. Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has urged the U.S. and other nations to take a hard line against Iran, saying that Iran “must begin to pay a price for its violations.” REUTERS 

Tighter U.S. travel restrictions start Monday as cases spike again The U.S. is averaging more than 100,000 new COVID-19 cases per day for the first time in two months. As of Saturday, 1,651 Americans are dying of COVID every day, according to the seven-day average. Starting Monday, international travelers will need to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within one day of departure, the Biden administration announced Thursday. Under the previous policy, the test could be taken up to three days prior to departure. The new Omicron variant has been detected in at least 16 states. CNN 

Meta to add ‘Split Payments’ feature to Facebook messenger  Facebook Messenger, a messaging app with more than 1.3 billion monthly users worldwide, will add a new “Split Payments” feature, parent company Meta (formerly Facebook) announced Friday. It was already possible for users to send each other money through the app, a service also offered by apps like Venmo and Cash App. The app Splitwise offers expense-splitting but relies on third party services to actually transfer funds. Messenger’s new feature will integrate both functions and, according to the announcement, enable the user to “split a bill evenly or modify the contribution amount for each individual — with or without yourself included.” GIZMODO 

Saturday, December 4th, 2021 

Rio de Janeiro mayor Eduardo Paes cancels the city’s New Year’s Eve celebrations on Copacabana Beach due to the worldwide spread of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. (Sky News) 

Twenty-three people drown after the bus they are travelling in plunges into the Enziu River in Mwingi, Kenya. (BBC News) 

The Pakistani Minister of Finance announces that the country has received a $3 billion (11.3B SAR, ₨.530B) one-year loan from Saudi Arabia. (Reuters) 

An improvised explosive device is discovered in the personal vehicle of a Turkish police officer who was to be part of the security detail for a rally in Siirt featuring Turkish President Recep Erdoğan. The bomb was discovered before the officer had left for the rally, and was defused by bomb squads. (Bloomberg) 

The End Sunday 

Alec Baldwin says ‘someone is responsible’ for the ‘Rust’ shooting, but ‘it’s not me’ ABC on Thursday night aired its primetime interview with Alec Baldwin, who discussed in detail the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of his film Rust. The actor claimed he never pulled the trigger on the prop gun, telling George Stephanopoulos he cocked the gun while they were blocking a scene and it unexpectedly went off after he let go of the hammer. But Baldwin said that when Hutchins fell, he thought she might have fainted or had a heart attack and never considered there could have been a live round in the gun “until probably 45 minutes to an hour later.” Baldwin called for answers about how the live round got on set. “Someone is responsible for what happened, and I can’t say who that is, but I know it’s not me,” he said. “Honest to God, if I felt that I was responsible, I might have killed myself.” Baldwin also said he can’t imagine making another movie that involves guns and suggested he could stop acting entirely. “I couldn’t give a s— about my career anymore,” he said.  ABC NEWS 

George Clooney passed on making $35 million in 1 day Wouldn’t it be nice to be so rich you can be presented with the opportunity to make $35 million in a day and decide, “Nah, I’m good”? George Clooney did just that, revealing in an interview with The Guardian he was once offered a $35 million payday “for one day’s work for an airline commercial.” But he discussed the offer with his wife, Amal Clooney, and ended up turning it down. “I talked to Amal about it and we decided it’s not worth it,” Clooney explained. “It was [associated with] a country that, although it’s an ally, is questionable at times, and so I thought: ‘Well, if it takes a minute’s sleep away from me, it’s not worth it.’” If only he was that discerning after reading the script of Batman & Robin.  THE GUARDIAN 

One person is killed and 41 others are injured as the Semeru volcano erupts in East Java, Indonesia. (BBC News) 

Twenty-three people drown after the bus they are travelling in plunges into the Enziu River, Mwingi, Kenya. (BBC News) 

South Korea reports a record 5,352 new cases and 70 deaths from COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 467,907 and the nationwide death toll to 3,809. (Yonhap News Agency) 

The Pakistani Minister of Finance announces the country has received a $3 billion (11.3m SAR, ₨.530B) one-year loan from Saudi Arabia. (Reuters) 

Gambians go to the polls to elect their president. Approximately 960,000 people are eligible to vote. (BBC News) 

A group of four former Serbian state security officers, including Radomir Marković, are found guilty of the murder of Slavko Ćuruvija. Two have been sentenced to 20 years in prison, while Marković and the remaining officer will serve a 30-year sentence. (Balkan Insight) 

Biden weighs options as Russia masses troops on Ukrainian border President Joe Biden is working on a plan to counter an increasingly likely Russian invasion of Ukraine, Biden said Friday. Biden did not provide details, but experts predict his response could include increased economic sanctions against Russia as well as military aid to Ukraine. 94,000 Russian troops have massed on the Ukrainian border. Newly released U.S. intelligence documents suggest that the invasion could come as early as January 2022 and involve 175,000 troops. Russian Vladimir Putin has demanded signed assurances that NATO will not admit Ukraine as a member. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said the U.S. will not provide any such guarantee. REUTERS 

Parents of suspected Michigan school shooter arrested after manhunt James and Jennifer Crumbley, parents of Michigan school shooting suspect Ethan Crumbley, have been arrested in Detroit, police announced Saturday morning. Law enforcement considered the two fugitives after they failed to appear at their arraignment Friday, but the couple’s lawyer insisted they had left town for their own safety and always intended to turn themselves in. Oakland county prosecutor Karen McDonald levied charges against the parents Friday. Officials have said that James purchased the gun used in the shooting, which was reportedly described as Ethan’s Christmas present, and that both parents ignored warnings from a teacher about their son’s mental state. CNN 

Le Pen, Orban, and other European populist leaders gather in Warsaw Europe’s most prominent right-wing populist figures met in Warsaw Saturday to discuss concerns about the European Union. Jaroslaw Kaczynski, Poland’s deputy prime minister and leader of the governing Law and Justice party, hosted the summit. Other attendees included Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen, and Santiago Abascal, the leader of Spain’s Vox party. Le Pen tweeted that the leaders are united by their desire for “a Europe of nations to give back to the peoples of Europe their freedom and their sovereignty.” The European Commission has accused the governments of Poland and Hungary of implementing anti-democratic policies and is withholding funds from the two Central European nations. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

Omicron reaches Maryland, other U.S. states Three confirmed cases of the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus have been detected in Maryland, Gov. Larry Hogan (R) announced Friday. Two of the three cases were detected in people from the same household, one of whom recently returned from South Africa. The third case occurred in a vaccinated individual with no ties to the other two. None of these individuals, all of whom live in the Baltimore metro area, has been hospitalized. Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) announced Wednesday that the first Omicron case in the U.S. had been confirmed in California. Cases have also been confirmed in New York Colorado, Minnesota, and Hawaii. THE WASHINGTON POST 

Gambians vote in first presidential election since former dictator’s exile Voters in the small African nation of Gambia head to the polls Saturday to elect a new president. This presidential election is the country’s first since former dictator Yahya Jammeh went into exile in 2017. Jammeh took power in a 1994 coup. His long presidency was characterized by human rights abuses and widespread corruption. Current President Adama Barrow defeated Jammeh in the 2016 election, but Jammeh initially disputed the results in an attempt to remain in power. He fled to Equatorial Guinea only after neighboring countries threatened military intervention to oust him. Barrow is running for reelection against five other candidates. One, Mama Kandeh, is supported by a political faction that remains loyal to Jammeh. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

China: democratic countries are ‘doomed to fail’ China’s government criticized American democracy Saturday ahead of an upcoming “Summit for Democracy” to be hosted by President Joe Biden. The summit, scheduled for next week, will be attended by over 100 nations, including Taiwan. The government of the People’s Republic of China regards Taiwan as a rebel province. Tian Peiyan, deputy director of the Chinese Communist Party’s Policy Research Office, released a report warning of “excessive democracy,” which he said “brings not happiness but disaster to voters.” Citing American political polarization, Tian said that the U.S. system is “doomed to fail” and suggested that a more authoritarian style of government is necessary in large, multi-ethnic countries like the U.S. and China. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

Macron to become first major western leader to meet with MBS since Khashoggi murder French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Saudi Arabia Saturday to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman. Macron is the first major western head of state to meet with Salman since the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, in which the prince has been implicated. Critics allege that the meeting serves to legitimize thuggish behavior by the Saudi regime. Macron has defended the visit, arguing that France needs Saudi Arabia as an ally to counter Iran’s increasing influence in the region. REUTERS 

Volcano erupts in Indonesia A volcano has erupted on the Indonesian island of Java. Indonesians living near Mount Semeru are fleeing the area, and local media outlets report ash blotting out the sun and blanketing entire villages. Airlines have been warned that the ash cloud could be up to 50,000 feet high. No fatalities have yet been confirmed. Mt. Semeru is over 12,000 feet high and is named for the dwelling place of the Hindu gods. It has erupted at least 62 times since 1818. BBC 

Hawaii expecting blizzard with up to 12 inches of snow The National Weather Service issued a warning Friday informing residents of Hawaii’s Big Island to brace for up to 12 inches of snow. The advisory went into effect at 6 p.m. local time Friday and will remain in effect until 6 a.m. local time Sunday. The Weather Service has warned of “blizzard conditions” with winds of up to 100 miles per hour and is urging residents to refrain from traveling. Snow will be concentrated around the summits of the island’s mountains, but the storm is also expected to drop up to 40 inches of rain on other parts of the island. It has been more than three-and-a-half years since Hawaii’s last blizzard warning. CNN 

Friday, December 3rd, 2021 

Militants attack a bus carrying civilians in Bankass, Mali, killing the driver, before setting it on fire and killing 31 passengers. The majority of the victims are women who were on their way to work at the local market. (BBC) 

Seven Peshmerga fighters and three civilians are killed by Islamic State gunmen in a village in Makhmour, Erbil Governorate, Kurdistan Region, Iraq. (Al Jazeera) 

Germany surpasses six million cases of COVID-19. (Urdu Point) 

Taoiseach Micheál Martin announces that due to fears of the Omicron variant, from December 7 until January 9, nightclubs will be closed and restaurants and bars will only be allowed to offer table service for groups of no more than six people. Additionally, indoor services can only operate at 50% capacity and families can only have visitors from three other households. (Sky News) 

Europe surpasses 75 million cases of COVID-19. (Reuters) 

Mexico reports its first case of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in a 51-year-old man who travelled from South Africa. (Anadolu Agency) 

South Africa surpasses three million cases of COVID-19. (CNN) 

French president Emmanuel Macron meets UAE crown prince Mohammed bin Zayed at Expo 2020 in Dubai. The two men sign a major arms deal between the two nations. (The National News) 

The parents of Ethan Crumbley, James and Jennifer Crumbley, accused of terrorism and murder in the shooting deaths and injuries at Ethan’s school, are charged with manslaughter for their role in the incident. They are caught after fleeing the police. (CNN) 

Police in Bosnia and Herzegovina arrest seven suspected war criminals in Bijeljina and Sokolac due to their reported massacre of 22 civilians during the Bosnian Genocide. (CTV News) 

Portuguese Minister of Internal Administration Eduardo Cabrita resigns after a series of scandals, including an incident where his official car was involved in a car accident that killed a highway worker. (AP) 

Magnus Carlsen defeats challenger Ian Nepomniachtchi in Game 6 of the 2021 World Chess Championship in a marathon 136 move game. It is the first decisive result in a regulation World Chess Championship game in more than 5 years and is also the longest game in World Chess Championship history. (The Guardian) 

The End Saturday 

Didi Global delisting in New York Chinese ride-hailing company Didi Global said Thursday it planned to delist its shares in the United States and secure a listing in Hong Kong, instead. The decision came five months after the company’s debut on the New York Stock Exchange, which raised about $4.4 billion. Chinese authorities had reacted with surprise to the IPO and announced a data-security review. Chinese regulators ordered Didi to remove some of its apps and blocked new users from Didi’s China operations. Didi’s move to delist in New York, which came as Beijing finished its cybersecurity review, was widely seen as part of ongoing efforts by China and the U.S. to weaken ties between the world’s two largest economies. THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

Congress approves deal to avert a government shutdown Congress on Thursday approved a stopgap funding deal to prevent a partial government shutdown before a Friday deadline. House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) unveiled the measure hours before House Democrats pushed it through with just one Republican vote. She said it would keep federal agencies funded through Feb. 18, with “virtually no changes to existing funding or policy.” After the House vote, the Senate quickly passed the measure 69-28, despite an effort by conservative Republicans to block it unless funding for President Biden’s vaccine mandates was removed. The White House urged Congress to use the time the bill would provide to “engage in robust bipartisan negotiations” on a long-term solution to avoid bouncing from one fleeting fix to another. REUTERS 

November jobs report expected to show strong hiring Wall Street expects the Labor Department’s monthly employment report to show strong hiring in November, potentially adding pressure on the Federal Reserve to speed up plans to unwind its recovery-boosting bond purchases. Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal predicted that U.S. nonfarm employers added 573,000 jobs in November, up from 531,000 in October. Experts cited several reasons for a pickup in hiring, including a leveling off of Delta variant coronavirus infections and the expiration of extra unemployment benefits, which could nudge some people back into the job market. Companies also have been raising wages to recruit people to fill open positions. Economists expected the unemployment rate to fall to 4.5 percent from 4.6 percent. MARKETWATCH 

Germany announces national lockdown for the unvaccinated  Germany on Thursday said it was imposing a nationwide lockdown for people who have not been vaccinated against the coronavirus. Under the policies, the unvaccinated can’t enter non-essential businesses but can go to essential ones, such as supermarkets and pharmacies, outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel and her successor, Olaf Scholz, announced. Unvaccinated people also are forbidden to meet with more than two people from another household. The government also will limit crowds at large events, such as soccer matches, and shut down bars and restaurants in areas with high infection rates. “The fourth wave must be broken and this has not yet been achieved,” Merkel said. CNN 

Biden announces measures to fight Omicron variant President Biden on Thursday announced plans to fight the spread of the new Omicron coronavirus variant in the United States, focusing on campaigns to get more people vaccinated and provide booster shots for those eligible for them. Biden said new “family mobile vaccination clinics” would offer shots and boosters to all eligible members of a family. The Biden administration also is imposing tougher COVID-19 testing requirements for international travelers and making at-home COVID testing free for more Americans. Biden said at the National Institutes of Health that the moves would help keep people safe while allowing schools and businesses to remain open. “We’re going to fight this variant with science and speed, not chaos and confusion,” he said. THE WASHINGTON POST 

More states confirm their first Omicron cases A Minnesota resident has tested positive for the Omicron coronavirus variant, marking the second case of the strain confirmed in the United States, authorities said Thursday. The second person infected was a fully vaccinated man who was recently in New York City for the Anime NYC 2021 convention. The event, which drew 53,000 people, was held at the Javits Center from Nov. 19 to Nov. 21. The patient developed mild symptoms on Nov. 22 and got tested two days later. His symptoms have since cleared up. By the end of Thursday, Omicron cases had been confirmed in five states, with five infections in New York. “We should assume there is community spread of the variant in our city,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said. The first U.S. case was confirmed a day earlier in California. REUTERS 

U.S., allies sanction Belarus over migrant crisis, human rights  The United States and allies on Thursday imposed new sanctions on Belarus over the country’s role in creating a migrant crisis on its border with Poland and continuing human rights violations by authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko’s regime. The U.S., United Kingdom, European Union, and Canada targeted numerous Belarusian entities and individuals to increase pressure on Lukashenko. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has accused Lukashenko of using “innocent migrants as a political weapon, as an effort at destabilization,” by luring them to the borders of Poland and other neighboring countries with promises of easy passage into Western Europe. The sanctions came as tensions with Russia, Lukashenko’s most powerful supporter, rose over its massing of troops on its Ukraine border. CNN 

Trump-allied lawyers ordered to pay Michigan and Detroit election lawsuit costs U.S. District Judge Linda Parker on Thursday ordered Sidney Powell, Lin Wood, and seven other lawyers allied with former President Donald Trump to pay Detroit and Michigan a total of $175,000 for abusing the court system with a baseless lawsuit claiming election fraud and seeking to overturn Trump’s 2020 election loss in the state. The lawyers have a month to pay the sanctions, which will cover what the city and state spent fighting the lawsuits. Michigan is seeking the disbarment of four of the lawyers, including Powell, best known for vowing to “release the Kraken,” a mythical sea creature, to destroy Biden’s victory. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said the sanctions show there are “consequences to filing meritless lawsuits.” THE ASSOCIATED PRESS 

GoFundMe removes crowdfunding campaigns for man convicted in Arbery murder GoFundMe said Thursday it had shut down crowdfunding campaigns for William “Roddie” Bryan, who was convicted along with father and son Gregory and Travis McMichael, for murdering Ahmaud Arbery in southeast Georgia. The three men, all of them white, were convicted last week of chasing down Arbery, who was Black, as he ran through their neighborhood. Travis McMichael fatally shot Arbery with a shotgun as Bryan captured the killing on video. “GoFundMe prohibits raising money for the legal defense of a violent crime,” a spokesperson for GoFundMe said, adding that the company had removed three campaigns for Bryan before they raised any money. Defense attorney Kevin Gough said Bryan will lose his constitutional right to counsel if he can’t raise money for an appeal. NBC NEWS 

Missouri commissioned, then buried, report finding mask mandates save lives Missouri’s health department found in an analysis that mask mandates prevented coronavirus infections and saved lives, but the state did not release the data publicly, The New York Times reported Thursday after nonprofit news organizations acquired the analysis through a public records request. The Missouri Independent reported Wednesday that the health department’s analysis found lower infection and death rates in the four areas of Missouri with mask mandates — St. Louis, St. Louis County, Kansas City, and Jackson County — from the end of April until the end of October, the peak of Missouri’s Delta wave. “Masked” areas had 15.8 new COVID-19 cases per day for every 100,000 residents. Areas without mask mandates had 21.7 daily new cases per 100,000 residents. Areas with mandates also had fewer deaths. THE NEW YORK TIMES 

Germany announces national lockdown for the unvaccinated Germany on Thursday said it was imposing a nationwide lockdown for people who have not been vaccinated against the coronavirus. The unvaccinated are banned from entering non-essential businesses but can go to essential ones, such as supermarkets and pharmacies, outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel and her successor, Olaf Scholz, announced. Unvaccinated people also are forbidden to meet with more than two people from another household. Crowds at large events, such as soccer matches, will be limited, and bars and restaurants in areas with high infection rates will have to shut down. “The fourth wave must be broken and this has not yet been achieved,” Merkel said.  CNN 

Alec Baldwin says he didn’t pull trigger in movie set shooting Actor Alec Baldwin told ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos in an interview that aired Thursday that he “didn’t pull the trigger” of the gun he was holding on the set of the movie Rust when it fired a live round, killing the film’s cinematographer, Halyna Hutchins, and wounding director Joel Souza. “I would never point a gun at anyone and pull the trigger at them, never,” Baldwin said. “Someone put a live bullet in a gun, a bullet that wasn’t even supposed to be on the property,” he said. Baldwin was holding an antique revolver rehearsing a scene for the Western in October at the Bonanza Creek Ranch near Santa Fe, New Mexico, when the gun went off. On Tuesday, the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office issued a new search warrant indicating that investigators might have determined where the live round came from. ABC NEWS 

Thursday, December 2nd, 2021 

(NY)

Ten oil workers are killed and another is injured during an attack on a bus in Deir ez-Zor, Syria. (Reuters) 

Finland reports its first case of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in a person who travelled from Sweden. (Reuters) 

Greece reports its first case of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in a man who travelled from South Africa to Crete. (Ekathimerini) 

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency approves GSK and Vir Biotechnology’s sotrovimab antibody treatment, after a clinical trial found that the treatment reduced the risk of hospital admission and death by 79% in vulnerable adults if administered within five days of symptoms developing. (The Guardian) 

Minnesota reports their first case of the Omicron variant in a person who traveled from New York City. (KSTP-TV) 

Morocco buys six Bayraktar TB2 drones from Baykar amid rising tensions between Morocco and Algeria. (Morocco World News) 

A group of four former Serbian state security officers, including Radomir Marković, are found guilty of the murder of Slavko Ćuruvija. Two have been sentenced to 20 years in prison, while Marković and the remaining officer will serve a 30-year sentence. (Balkan Insight) 

Alan Tudge stands down as Minister for Education and Youth after Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced an investigation into domestic abuse allegations against Tudge from a former staffer who claimed that the two were involved in an extramarital affair. (The Guardian) 

Major League Baseball implements a lockout after the collective bargaining agreement they had with the Major League Baseball Players Association expired yesterday. This is the league’s first labor stoppage since the players’ strike of 1994 and 1995. (ESPN) 

In basketball, the Memphis Grizzlies defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder 152–79, making it the largest blowout in the history of the National Basketball Association. (ESPN) 

Conservatives push to block funding bill over COVID mandates as shutdown looms The threat of a government shutdown increased this week as conservative Republicans pushed party leaders to block a funding bill over President Biden’s vaccine and testing mandates. “We’re opposed to the mandate,” said Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.). Democrats and many Republicans had hoped that talks were headed toward a deal to keep the government funded when the current spending measure expires Friday. Lawmakers were working toward a new stopgap bill that would keep federal agencies financed until late January or later. “We won’t shut down,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Tuesday. But on Wednesday an increasing number of conservatives, including the House Freedom Caucus, urged McConnell to “deny timely passage” of any deal that includes funding of vaccine and testing mandates. THE WASHINGTON POST 

Susan Arnold to become Disney chair when Bob Iger leaves Dec. 31 Walt Disney Co. announced Wednesday that Susan Arnold, a former Carlyle Group and Proctor & Gamble executive, will take over as chair of the entertainment giant’s board of directors when Bob Iger leaves the post on Dec. 31. The company said in a filing with the Security and Exchange Commission that Iger, who has held a senior role at the company since 1996, informed the board Wednesday that he would step down as chair as he leaves his role as CEO at the end of the year. Arnold has served on Disney’s board for 14 years. “Having most recently served as independent lead director, Susan is the perfect choice for chairman of the board, and I am confident the company is well-positioned for continued success under her guidance and leadership,” Iger said in a statement.VARIETY 

1st U.S. Omicron coronavirus case confirmed in California California officials on Wednesday confirmed the United States’ first case of the Omicron coronavirus variant, which the World Health Organization has identified as a “variant of concern.” “The individual was a traveler who returned from South Africa on Nov. 22,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a news release. “The individual, who was fully vaccinated and had mild symptoms that are improving, is self-quarantining and has been since testing positive.” The San Francisco health department and California’s state health department urged in a joint statement for people to “remain vigilant” but said the case was “not a cause for panic.” Speaking at the White House, the nation’s top infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci urged Americans to “get boosted now. We may not need a variant-specific boost.” NPR 

Supreme Court’s conservatives signal support for Mississippi abortion law The Supreme Court’s newly bolstered conservative majority showed signs of willingness to uphold Mississippi’s restrictive abortion law as the high court heard arguments in the case Wednesday. The Mississippi law bars most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Upholding it would go against decades of court precedents, which have guaranteed women the right to terminate pregnancies up to the point of fetal viability at 22 to 24 weeks. Chief Justice John Roberts, widely considered the most moderate conservative in the 6-3 majority, said the Mississippi law isn’t a “dramatic departure” from the viability cut-off. Liberal justices said the high court’s credibility would be irreparably damaged if it tosses out decades of precedent so swiftly after conservatives gained a larger majority. THE WASHINGTON POST 

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker declines to seek re-election Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker (R), a popular moderate Republican and critic of former President Donald Trump, announced Wednesday he will not seek re-election in 2022. Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito also declined to run for re-election or for Baker’s job. “After several months of discussion with our families, we have decided not to seek re-election in 2022,” Baker and Polito wrote in a statement. “This was an extremely difficult decision for us. We love the work, and we especially respect and admire the people of this wonderful Commonwealth. Serving as Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts has been the most challenging and fulfilling jobs we’ve ever had.” The news left the gubernatorial contest wide open. POLITICO 

House Jan. 6 panel backs holding former DOJ official in contempt The House committee investigating the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol attack voted unanimously Wednesday to hold former Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark in criminal contempt for refusing to comply with a subpoena to testify. Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) said Clark can avoid a House vote on the contempt resolution, which would leave it to the Justice Department to decide whether to file charges, by appearing before the committee to assert his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination and declining to answer the committee’s questions, one by one. If prosecuted, Clark would become the second aide to former President Donald Trump, after former Trump strategist Steve Bannon, to face charges for refusing to cooperate in the inquiry into the insurrection by a mob of Trump’s supporters. USA TODAY 

4 injured when WWII bomb explodes in Munich Four people were injured in Munich, Germany, on Wednesday when a buried World War II bomb exploded at a site being drilled to build a train tunnel. The Munich fire brigade said one of the victims sustained serious injuries. British and U.S. warplanes dropped 1.5 million tons of bombs on Germany during the war, but about 15 percent of the bombs failed to explode. Three-quarters of a century after the war, more than 2,000 tons of live bombs and other munitions are discovered every year in Germany. Some of the explosives are buried as much as 20 feet underground. Police said there was no danger at the site of the explosion outside of an area that has been cordoned off. REUTERS 

Meghan Markle scores win in media battle Meghan Markle is celebrating a big win in her legal battle against a U.K. tabloid. After a judge ruled earlier this year that the Mail on Sunday interfered with the Duchess of Sussex’s “reasonable expectation” of privacy when publishing portions of a letter that she wrote to her father in 2018, a court has now dismissed an appeal brought by the tabloid’s publisher, Associated Newspapers. The contents of the letter were “personal, private and not matters of legitimate public interest,” the court ruled. The publisher argued Meghan’s letter was actually “crafted with readership by the public in mind.” But Meghan maintained she never wanted the letter to become public, and she celebrated the court’s decision, hoping “we are now collectively brave enough to reshape a tabloid industry that conditions people to be cruel, and profits from the lies and pain that they create.”  CNN 

Britney Spears celebrates her post-conservatorship 40th birthday Britney Spears’ birthday wish may have come early a few weeks ago when her conservatorship finally ended, but the pop star officially turned 40 on Thursday, and a source told Entertainment Tonight she “feels like this is the first year in a very long time that she actually has a reason to celebrate.” Spears’ fiancé, Sam Asghari, shared videos of the two flying on a private plane, with Asghari singing her happy birthday and presenting her with a B-shaped cake. “Baby, this is hot,” Spears tells him. It wasn’t clear where the plane was headed, though Spears, who previously declared she would celebrate her birthday for two months, said she was thankful to be “able to go out of the country.” Asghari’s Instagram story also showed them watching a dazzling fireworks show on the beach, and even though we haven’t heard about the two of them getting married just yet, he wrote, “Happy 1st birthday to my wife.” All in all, it certainly sounds like a more enjoyable 40th birthday than Kendall Roy’s.  ENTERTAINMENT TONIGHT 

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