5 Things to know for Dec 12: Hostages, Ukraine, Supreme Court, Abortion, Climate

By CNN Newsource

Published December 12, 2023 4:50 AM

By Alexandra Banner, CNN

(CNN) — Every year, Google releases a list of users’ most-searched terms. The top trending term in the US and globally in 2023 was “War in Israel and Gaza,” the tech giant announced Monday. Other leading topics included NFL player Damar Hamlin, the “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” movies, and the late actor Matthew Perry. Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.

1. Hostages

President Joe Biden pledged unshakeable support for Israel and hailed his administration’s efforts to secure the release of hostages held in Gaza. “We’ve gotten more than 100 hostages out and we’re not going to stop till we get every one of them home,” Biden said at a menorah lighting ceremony at the White House. The reception, which celebrated the fifth night of Hanukkah, featured about 800 guests including Holocaust survivors, lawmakers and Jewish leaders. Several family members of US citizens believed to have been taken hostage by Hamas had asked to attend but never received invitations. Meanwhile, the UN General Assembly will resume its emergency session on Gaza today, days after the US vetoed a Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire.

2. Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will come face-to-face with US lawmakers today on Capitol Hill with a desperate plea for more aid to defend his country against Russian invasion. It is his third US visit since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, but it appears unlikely to shift the position of senators who are hesitant to green-light more funds. Many Republicans, even those who support additional funding for Ukraine, aren’t willing to do more unless Democrats agree to major policy changes on the US southern border in exchange. It remains to be seen whether Zelensky can make a convincing pitch as he meets President Joe Biden, House Speaker Mike Johnson and others in the coming hours.

3. Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has agreed to quickly decide whether former President Donald Trump has any immunity from criminal prosecution for alleged crimes he committed while in office. Special counsel Jack Smith posed the extraordinary question to the court on Monday in an attempt to bypass a federal appeals court in deciding a fundamental question of Trump’s election subversion trial. This is the first time the high court will weigh in on the historic prosecution of the former president. If the conservative-leaning Supreme Court rules in Trump’s favor, it could have extraordinary consequences. The justices’ decision may determine whether the trial, which is scheduled to begin in March, is over before the 2024 presidential election.

4. Abortion

The Texas Supreme Court has ruled against a woman who sought an emergency abortion and ultimately left the state to pursue the procedure. Kate Cox, a 31-year-old mother of two, sought the abortion under Texas’ “medical emergency” exception after her doctor diagnosed her fetus with a rare and deadly genetic condition and said the pregnancy could threaten her life and future fertility. A state judge ruled last week that Cox could terminate her pregnancy — but the Texas Supreme Court ruled against her on Monday. The case has triggered a tense and highly public legal battle. Attorneys for Cox said Monday she left the state to get the procedure elsewhere because “she couldn’t wait any longer.” Since Roe v Wade was overturned in 2022, nearly 1 in 5 people seeking an abortion traveled out of state, data shows.

5. Climate

Climate advocates and international negotiators at the COP28 climate talks in Dubai are bitterly divided after a new draft of the core agreement dropped the mention of phasing out fossil fuels. The draft posted Monday called on countries to take actions to reduce planet-warming emissions, which “could” include reducing the consumption and production of oil, coal and gas. Many climate experts have blasted the vague language and a lack of concrete timelines. The fossil fuel industry was given record access to the conference, a recent analysis showed. Meanwhile in the US, a group of 18 California children are suing the Environmental Protection Agency in federal court, alleging it has harmed children’s health over decades by “intentionally” allowing pollution.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

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Gen Z is already worried about looking old

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HAPPENING LATER

SpaceX readies for launch of mysterious X-37B space plane

After facing delays Monday, SpaceX is aiming to launch its Falcon Heavy rocket today with a secretive military spacecraft along for the ride. The unmanned X-37B robotic space plane is considered one of most fascinating projects from the US Space Force. Among the research on board will be a NASA experiment that aims to find ways to sustain astronauts on future deep-space missions.

TODAY’S NUMBER

8
That’s how many years a New Jersey man was sentenced to serve in prison after being caught on camera shouting racial slurs at his neighbors. The man’s actions were captured on a neighbor’s doorbell camera in 2021 and went viral online, leading to his arrest.

TODAY’S QUOTE

He should never have been jailed in the first place, and we’re going to work with our embassy in Moscow to see how much more we can find out.

— John Kirby, US National Security Council spokesman, on the whereabouts of jailed Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny. Lawyers for Navalny say they have lost contact with the political figure, who was believed to be imprisoned in a penal colony outside of Moscow. Navalny was sentenced to 19 years in prison in August following extremism charges. Supporters of Navalny claim his arrest and incarceration are a politically motivated attempt to stifle his criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

AND FINALLY …

There’s nothing wrong with a little retail therapy, but you could probably be shopping more sustainably. Watch this short video to learn how your wardrobe choices are impact the environment (and why returns are more of a hassle than you think).

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