IAEA Chief: Iran Poised to ‘quite Dramatically’ Increase Stockpile of Near Weapons-Grade Uranium
MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) — Iran is poised to “quite dramatically” increase its stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium. That’s according to comments by the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency on Friday. Rafael Mariano Grossi made the comment Friday on the sidelines of the International Institute of Strategic Studies’ Manama Dialogue in Bahrain. Grossi said Iran had begun preparing advanced centrifuge cascades to spin at nuclear facilities to increase its supply of 60% enriched uranium. That kind of material is a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%. Grossi said: “I think it is very concerning.” Iran did not immediately acknowledge the preparations, which Grossi said had begun Friday. Inspectors hope to examine what’s going on.
US Added a Strong 227,000 Jobs in November in Bounce-Back From October Slowdown
WASHINGTON (AP) — America’s job market rebounded in November, adding 227,000 workers in a solid recovery from the previous month, when the effects of strikes and hurricanes had sharply diminished employers’ payrolls. Last month’s hiring growth was up considerably from a meager gain of 36,000 jobs in October. The government also revised up its estimate of job growth in September and October by a combined 56,000. Friday’s report also showed that the unemployment rate ticked up from 4.1% in October to a still-low 4.2%. The November data provided the latest evidence that the U.S. job market remains durable even though it has lost significant momentum from the 2021-2023 hiring boom, when the economy was rebounding from the pandemic recession.
Trump Offers a Public Show of Support for Pete Hegseth, His Embattled Nominee to Lead the Pentagon
WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump is offering a public show of support for Pete Hegseth, his embattled choice to lead the Pentagon. Hegseth’s ability to win confirmation by the Senate is in doubt as he faces questions over allegations of excessive drinking, sexual assault and his views on women in combat. Trump posted on social media that Hegseth is a winner “and there is nothing that can be done to change that.” Hegseth spent much of the week on Capitol Hill trying to salvage his Cabinet nomination and reassure Republican senators that he is fit to lead the Pentagon.
Hunt for the Gunman Who Killed UnitedHealthcare’s CEO Heads Into Third Day As New Clues Emerge
NEW YORK (AP) — As the investigation into a masked gunman who stalked and killed the head of one of the largest U.S. health insurers moves into its third day, possible leads have emerged about his travel before the shooting. UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson died in a dawn ambush Wednesday as he walked from his midtown hotel to the company’s annual investor conference. But days later, the gunman was still at large and the reason for the killing remained unknown. New York City police say evidence firmly points to it being a targeted attack. Law enforcement officials say investigators now believe the suspect may have traveled to New York last month on a bus that originated in Atlanta.
Thousands Flee As Syrian Insurgents Advance to the Doorstep of the Country’s 3rd Largest City, Homs
BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian opposition activists and pro-government media both say insurgents have entered two towns just north of the central city of Homs, bringing them closer to Syria’s third largest city. Friday’s break into Rastan and Talbiseh came a day after opposition gunmen captured the central city of Hama, Syria’s fourth largest, after the Syrian army said it withdrew to avoid fighting inside the city and spare the lives of civilians. The insurgents, led by the jihadi Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, have said that they will march to Homs and Damascus, President Bashar Assad’s seat of power. Over the past week, insurgents have made major gains in Syria’s north and center.
South Korea’s Governing Party Head Supports Suspending Yoon’s Powers, Making Impeachment More Likely
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea’s governing party chief is expressing support for suspending the constitutional powers of President Yoon Suk Yeol for imposing martial law, in a bombshell reversal that makes Yoon’s impeachment more likely. People Power Party leader Han Dong-hun said he had received intelligence that Yoon had ordered the arrests of unspecified politicians based on accusations of “anti-state activities” during martial law. He said Yoon poses a risk of extreme actions that could put South Korea and its citizens in danger. Impeaching Yoon would require support from two-thirds of the National Assembly, or 200 of its 300 members. The opposition parties who brought the impeachment motion have 192 seats.
Biden Is Considering Preemptive Pardons for Officials and Allies Before Trump Takes Office
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is weighing whether to issue sweeping pardons for officials and allies who the White House fears could be unjustly targeted by President-elect Donald Trump’s administration. The preemptive move would be a novel and risky use of the president’s extraordinary constitutional power. The deliberations so far are largely at the level of White House lawyers. But according to two people familiar with the matter, Biden himself has discussed the topic with some senior aides. The two people spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive subject. They said no decisions have been made, and it is possible Biden opts to do nothing at all.
Romania’s Top Court Annuls First Round of Presidential Vote Won by Far-Right Candidate
BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — A top Romanian court has annulled the first round of the country’s presidential election, days after declassified intelligence alleged Russia ran a coordinated online campaign to promote the far-right outsider who won the first round. Friday’s unprecedented and final decision by the Constitutional Court came after President Klaus Iohannis declassified intelligence on Wednesday that alleged Russia ran a sprawling campaign comprising thousands of social media accounts to promote Calin Georgescu across platforms like TikTok and Telegram. Despite being a huge outsider who declared zero campaign spending, Georgescu emerged as the frontrunner on Nov. 24. He was due to face reformist Elena Lasconi of the Save Romania Union party in a runoff on Sunday.
Federal Appeals Court Upholds Law Requiring Sale or Ban of TikTok in the U.S.
A federal appeals court panel on Friday upheld a law that could lead to a ban on TikTok in a few short months, handing a resounding defeat to the popular social media platform as it fights for its survival in the U.S. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that the law – which requires TikTok to break ties with its China-based parent company ByteDance or be banned by mid-January – is constitutional, rebuffing TikTok’s challenge that the statute ran afoul of the First Amendment and unfairly targeted the platform.
Will Juan Soto Top Shohei Ohtani’s Deal? in the Era of Deferred Money, It Might Depend on the Math
NEW YORK (AP) — Deciding whether Juan Soto tops Shohei Ohtani for baseball’s largest contract could be in the eye of the beholder because of all the deferred money in Ohtani’s deal. Ohtani agreed last December to a $700 million, 10-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, easily exceeding the previous high set when Mike Trout and the Los Angeles Angels struck a $426.5 million, 12-year agreement through 2030. Ohtani’s deal includes $680 million in deferred money payable from 2034-43. There are several interpretations for how to value that deal in current dollars.
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