Tucker Carlson Network, deadly sea monster, and holiday markets.

Adam Rogers
December 12, 2023

Happy Tuesday! Today’s edition is 1,134 words, a 4 minute read.

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Big Stories

Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson announced he is launching a new subscription streaming service.

Details: Subscriptions to the Tucker Carlson Network will cost $9 per month, or $72 for the year, and will offer “hours of exclusive content.” In a video promoting the network, Carlson called out big media for manipulating audiences, and said the last time people believed in the government was “probably before COVID”. He added that he’s created something new and “relentlessly honest” that corporate gatekeepers can’t control.
Catch up: Since he was fired from Fox News, Carlson has hosted a free show on X, the platform formerly know as Twitter, where he interviewed a series of high profile guests, including former President Donald Trump. He was Fox News’ top-rated anchor at the time of his ouster, pulling an audience that was two times bigger than his competitors at CNN and MSNBC.
Dollar signs: Carlson has almost 11 million followers on X, and he is banking on the idea that some will fork over their cash to get the exclusive content he is promising on his platform. He plans to keep posting videos for free on X, and it remains to be seen if his fans are loyal enough to cough up an extra $9 a month for access to another streaming service.

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld Washington state’s ban on conversion therapy in minors.

Background: In 2018, Washington passed a law that allows the state to take away the licenses of therapists who try to counsel minor’s to change their sexual orientation. Brian Tingley, a family counselor and proponent of conversion therapy sued the state, claiming the law violates his First Amendment right to free speech. Two lower courts have already upheld the law.
Reasoning: The court didn’t provide any reasons for not hearing the case, which is common practice when a case is denied. However, Justices Samuel Alito, Brett Kavanaugh, and Clarence Thomas dissented, and would have heard the case.
What’s next: Justice Thomas wrote in his dissent that he has no doubt the issue in question will come before the court again. In a separate brief opinion, Alito said the case "presents a question of national importance" directly involving issues related to free speech.

Lebron James’ eldest son, Bronny James, made his long-awaited college debut Sunday at USC after being sidelined for almost five months.

Catch up: James had a heart attack during a workout in July and lost consciousness on the court. He was treated at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles and released a few days later. The sudden cardiac arrest was caused by a congenital heart defect according to several evaluations at different hospitals. Although treatable, congenital heart defects are present at birth and are one of the most common types of birth defects.
First action: In his first game back, James played under a minutes restriction, finishing with four points, three rebounds, and two assists in 17 minutes. USC lost 84-79 in overtime to Long Beach State. During a post-game press conference he thanked his family and support staff for helping him through a difficult period of his life.
High hopes: Before the incident, Bronny was ranked 20th in ESPN’s Top 100 2023 recruiting class and joined the Trojans as one of the top prospects in the country. Lebron has often said that his long-term goal is to play as a father-son duo in the NBA before he retires.

The U.S. Air Force has disciplined 15 people linked to the intelligence leaks from Air National Guardsman Jack Teixeira after the investigation found that they “intentionally failed” to report documented concerns about Teixeira’s behavior before the leaks. (More)

The Supreme Court will hear arguments this week in cases that will determine abortion access in Arizona, New Mexico, and Wyoming. (More)

On Monday, Special Counsel Jack Smith requested a swift Supreme Court decision on whether former President Donald Trump can face charges for allegedly plotting to overturn the 2020 election results. (More)

Israel's military claims to have captured Hamas' former headquarters in Gaza City. However, the conflict continues in southern Gaza, worsening the situation for civilians. Approximately 90% of the population, nearly 2 million people, have been displaced, according to UN relief agencies. (More)

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny has been moved from the prison where he was serving his sentence, and his spokesperson reports that his whereabouts are now unknown. (More)

Donald Tusk, a centrist party leader, was elected Poland's prime minister again on Monday. This marks the return of a pro-European Union government, ending eight years of national conservative rule. (More)

U.S. stock markets closed higher on Monday (S&P +0.39%, Nasdaq +0.20%, Dow +0.43%). (More)

Toy maker Hasbro says it will cut 1,100 jobs due to slow toy sales continuing through the holiday season. (More)

Ford will cut 2024 production of its EV F-150 Lightning truck by half as demand for electric models continue to drop. (More)

Greta Gerwig's "Barbie" led Golden Globe nominations with nine nods, including best picture musical or comedy and acting nods for Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling. Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer" closely followed with eight nominations, including best picture drama and nods for Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr., and Emily Blunt. (More)

The Turkish Football Federation suspended all leagues after Ankaragucu's president, Faruk Koca, punched a referee in the face during their Super Lig home match against Rizespor. (More)

U.S. Soccer unveiled the 2023 Female Player of the Year nominees, featuring last year's winner Sophia Smith, along with Crystal Dunn, Emily Fox, Naomi Girma, and Lindsey Horan. (More)

Apple launched an AI-powered journal app for iPhones with the iOS 17.2 update on Monday. The Journal app utilizes Apple's Siri to intelligently recommend journal topics. It can prompt users to write about music, document appointments, or note completed workouts. (More)

Scientists found a largely intact six-foot-long skull of a deadly pliosaur, a massive marine reptile that inhabited the waters off England's coast millions of years ago. The creature likely used its parietal eye and snout glands to locate prey. (More)

Chinese public health advocate Gao Yaojie died at 95 in New York City on Sunday. Trained as a gynecologist, she was renowned in China for exposing a man-made AIDS crisis and working to remove the stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS. (More)

Tamarind is poised to be the breakout flavor agent of 2024.

This worm clones itself using its butt.

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