Good Morning! Today’s edition is 1,183 words, a 4-minute read.

What’s on tap: 

• Fani Williams gets booted from Trump Case

• College Football Playoff kicks off

• Safest ways to travel

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Big Story

French Mass Rape Case

A French court sentenced Dominique Pélicot, 72, to 20 years in prison for drugging his wife, Gisèle, and facilitating her rape by dozens of men over nearly a decade.

• Alongside him, 50 other men were also convicted for crimes like aggravated rape, sexual assault, and possession of child abuse imagery. Pélicot drugged Gisèle’s food and filmed the assaults, which occurred from 2011 to 2020, until his arrest in December 2020.

• The 15-week trial brought global attention to the case and sparked national debates about the treatment of women in society. Gisèle Pelicot bravely waived her right to anonymity and insisted on a public trial.

• Her husband admitted to the charges of rape during the trial. But, many of the accused didn’t, even though the prosecution showed videos of their acts in court.

• Gisèle spoke out after the verdict, thanking supporters and calling for a future built on mutual respect between men and women.

Big Story

Fani Williams Removed from Trump’s Election Case

The Georgia Court of Appeals has removed District Attorney Fani Willis from the election interference case against Donald Trump and others in a 2-1 ruling.

• Willis' removal was considered necessary due to an "appearance of impropriety" related to her relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade. The court stated this was a "rare case" where disqualification was required to restore public confidence.

• The removal stems from Willis' romantic relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade, which was revealed in January 2024. While Willis and Wade testified that their relationship began after his hiring and that they split expenses evenly, the appeals court found that the appearance of impropriety could not be fixed even after Wade's resignation.

• The Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of Georgia, must find another prosecutor to take over unless Willis successfully appeals to the state Supreme Court. The case involving Trump and 14 other remaining defendants (four have already pleaded guilty) has been stalled for months.

Big Story

Amazon Christmas Strike

The Teamsters union has started a strike against Amazon, with workers walking out at seven locations across New York City, Atlanta, and California.

• The timing is significant because it's during the final week of holiday shopping, one of Amazon's busiest periods. The union says about 10,000 workers have joined them, and they're setting up picket lines at hundreds of Amazon fulfillment centers.

• The strike began after Amazon reportedly missed a December 15 deadline to start contract negotiations. The Teamsters are fighting for better wages, benefits, and safer working conditions. According to Teamsters President Sean O'Brien, Amazon's "insatiable greed" is to blame for any holiday delivery delays that might result from the strike.

• Amazon strongly disputes the Teamsters' claims. The company's spokesperson, Eileen Hards, says the union is spreading false information about how many Amazon employees they represent. Amazon also accuses the Teamsters of illegally threatening and intimidating workers to join them.

• The current striking workers represent only a small portion of Amazon's total workforce.

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Quick Stories

US News

• Luigi Mangione is facing both federal and state murder charges for the killing of UnitedHealth Group executive Brian Thompson. Pennsylvania transferred Mangione to New York City Police custody after he waived his extradition proceedings rights. (More)

• Kentucky Senator Rand Paul proposed on X (formerly Twitter) that Elon Musk could serve as Speaker of the House. The Speaker doesn't have to be an elected member of Congress, and he argued that choosing Musk would deeply upset the political establishment. (More)

• The US Department of Justice announced that an entire floor of a building in New York City's Chinatown was operating as an illegal Chinese police station. New York resident Chen Jinping pleaded guilty to his role in operating the station, which the Chinese government ran. (More)

World

• During his year-end news conference, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Russia should have launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine earlier. Putin also mentioned that he would discuss the case of missing American journalist Austin Tice with ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. (More)

• US and Arab mediators are working to finalize a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, aiming to pause the 14-month conflict in Gaza and secure the release of hostages and Palestinian prisoners. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes killed 44 Palestinians on Thursday. (More)

• China has allowed representatives from Germany, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark to board the Yi Peng 3, a Chinese bulk carrier linked to Baltic Sea cable breaches. The vessel has been stationary nearby for a month while diplomats from Stockholm and Beijing discuss the issue. (More)

Business & Economy

• US stock markets closed mixed on Thursday (S&P -0.09%, Nasdaq -0.10%, Dow +0.04%). The Dow barely snapped its longest losing streak since 1974. (More)

• FedEx announced Thursday it will spin off its less-than-truckload freight division to focus on its core delivery business. The news sent FedEx shares up 10% in after-hours trading. Analysts estimate the move could unlock up to $20 billion in shareholder value. (More)

• Bankrupt retailer Big Lots Inc. announced it will begin selling its stores in the coming days because it failed to complete its planned asset sale to private equity firm Nexus Capital Management LP. (More)

Sports & Entertainment

• The expanded 12-team College Football Playoff kicks off tonight with No. 10 Indiana vs. No. 7 Notre Dame at 8 p.m. ET. The action resumes Saturday with No.11 SMU at No. 6 Penn State, then No. 12 Clemson at No. 5 Texas, and finally No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Ohio State. (More)

• Sammy Sosa and the Chicago Cubs ended their 17-year rift Thursday after the former slugger apologized for "mistakes" made during his career. While Sosa has long been linked to performance-enhancing drugs, his statement stopped short of directly admitting to their use. (More)

• Bluey, the dog from the hit Disney+ show, will be featured at Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and Disney Cruise Line next year. It will also be made into a full-length movie in 2027. (More)

Science, Health, & Tech

• Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will be stuck on the International Space Station until late March 2025 due to additional work needed on SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft. They arrived on the ISS in June. (More)

• Researchers have uncovered a mastodon jawbone and other bone fragments in a New York State backyard. A homeowner noticed teeth buried just inches beneath the soil, and the jawbone was later spotted protruding from the topsoil. (More)

• US life expectancy rose to 78.4 years in 2023, its highest since 2019, driven by fewer Covid-related deaths and a drop in drug overdose fatalities. Covid, previously the fourth-leading cause of death in 2022, fell to 10th place last year. (More)

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