December 2022 Current Events: US News
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The world is a very busy place, and it's hard to stay on top of everything. Infoplease has got you covered. Here are the US news events you need to know so far for December 2022.
- Houston Police Confirmed That A Suspect Has Been Arrested In Killing Of Rapper Takeoff
- A New Stealth Bomber Aircraft Unveiled By The United States Air Force
- Governor Of Maryland, Larry Hogan, Bans Use Of TikTok On State Devices
- United States Democratic Senator Warnock Wins The Georgia Runoff Election To The Senate
- Democratic Senator Kyrsten Sinema Announces That She Will Leave The Party
- Governor Of Arizona Builds Border Wall Of Shipping Crates In Final Days Of Office
- President Of The United States, Joe Biden, Signs Same-Sex Marriage Bill Into Law
- One-Week Government Funding Bill Passed By United States House, Gets Sent To The Senate
- $858 Billion Defense Act Passed By Senate, Get Sent To Biden
- A Bid To Keep Tittle 42 Policy Rejected By Appeal Court
- Massachusetts Reached An Agreement To Reform The Mentally Ill Inmates’ Prison Conditions
- Henry Berg-Brousseau, A Transgender Right Activist, Passed Away At The Age Of 24
- January 6 Committee Recommends Trump Be Barred From Office
- United States Senate Passes $1.66 Trillion Funding Bill, Sends It To Biden
- After A Landmark Deal, United States Higher Education Strike Ends
- Pandemic-Era Border Restrictions To Stay In Place For Now After Supreme Court Ruling
Houston Police Confirmed That A Suspect Has Been Arrested In Killing Of Rapper Takeoff
Photo Source: Jordan Strauss/Invision
Friday, December 2, 2022 - A suspect has been arrested and charged with murder regarding the killing of one of the members of Migos, called Takeoff, at a bowling alley in Houston last month. Houston Police made the announcement that Takeoff, who was 28 years old, was an innocent bystander.
Troy Finner, the city police chief, confirmed that Patrick Xavier Clark, 33, was arrested and charged, and another man, Cameron Joshua, 22, was charged with unlawfully carrying a weapon.
Police reports stated that the shooting occurred in the early hours of November 1 after violent arguments erupted over a game of Dice. The dispute erupted as over 30 people were leaving a private party. Police also confirmed that at least 2 people opened fire, and another man and a woman suffered injuries that were not life-threatening.
Source: The Guardian
A New Stealth Bomber Aircraft Unveiled By The United States Air Force
Photo Source: AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez
Saturday, December 3, 2022 – The United States Air Force unveiled its newest bomber aircraft, the B-21 Raider, in Palmdale, California. The Bomber, which Northrop Grumman built, was named in honor of the courageous spirit of airmen who executed the surprise World War II Doolittle Raid.
Northrop Grumman’s press release said the sixth-generation aircraft is expected to assist the Air Force in getting through the toughest defenses for precision strikes anywhere in the world. According to the release, six bombers are currently in various final assembly stages in California.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin acknowledged these newest stealth bombers while delivering a speech at the Reagan National Defense Forum at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley. Although the first flights of the stealth bomber are expected in 2023, spokeswoman Ann Stefanek emphasized the importance of data and events in commencing operations.
Source: CNN
Governor Of Maryland, Larry Hogan, Bans Use Of TikTok On State Devices
Photo Source: AP Photo/Michael Dwyer
Wednesday, December 7, 2022 - The Governor of Maryland, Larry Hogan, has issued an emergency directive prohibiting the use of the Chinese-owned app TikTok on state government devices and networks; he is the latest republican in the United States to crack down on TikTok.
Hogan's ban covers many Chinese and Russian-influenced products and platforms because he said they present an “unacceptable level of cybersecurity risk to the state.”
The directives from Hogan also apply to Huawei Technologies, ZTE Corp (000063. SZ), Tencent Holdings’ (0709. HK), WeChat, QQ and WQ Wallet, Alibaba products, and Russia’s Kaspersky Lab.
Last month, the FBI Director, Chris Wray, said TikTok’s United States operations raised national security concerns, flagging the risk the Chinese government could harness the video-sharing app to influence users or control their devices.
Source: Reuters
United States Democratic Senator Warnock Wins The Georgia Runoff Election To The Senate
Photo Source: AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite
Wednesday, December 7, 2022 - Raphael Warnock, who is a Democrat won re-election to the senate of the United States in a hard-fought runoff in Georgia. The victory strengthened the party majority as he fought off a challenge by Republican Herschel Walker. With the result, Georgia is now seen as a battleground state certain to play a prominent role in the presidential election in 2024.
Donald Trump also suffered a huge setback due to Walker’s defeat, as he seeks the Republican nomination to run for the White House again in 2024.
Supporters of Warnock gathered at the Atlanta ballroom on election night to celebrate when the United States television network called the race.
Warnock’s victory was powered by a strong showing in urban and suburban counties, which includes Atlanta’s Fulton County, where the incumbent Democrat was winning 77% of the vote.
Source: Reuters
Democratic Senator Kyrsten Sinema Announces That She Will Leave The Party
Photo Source: AP Images/J. Scott Applewhite
Friday, December 9, 2022 - Kyrsten Sinema, a United States Senator for four years of being elected, has announced her intention to leave the Democratic Party. She, however, made it clear that she will not sit with Republicans but will instead serve as an independent member in the chamber.
In the video she uploaded on Twitter, she said, “registering as an independent and showing up to work with the title independent is a reflection of who she has always been, and it is also a reflection of who Arizona is.”
The 46-year-old however did not say whether she would run for re-election in 2024 and informed Chuck Schumer, Democratic Leader, of her decision. Reports show the White House has also been informed of her intentions.
Even though she has long been willing to vote against her party line on various issues, a White House statement describes her as a key partner in many of President Biden’s legislative successes.
Source: BBC
Governor Of Arizona Builds Border Wall Of Shipping Crates In Final Days Of Office
Photo Source: AP Images/Ivan Valencia
Sunday, December 11, 2022 - Republican Governor of Arizona has begun to erect a new barrier with shipping containers along part of the US-Mexico border before he has to hand over the keys of his office to his successor, who is a Democratic in January.
The rusting hulks, topped with razor wire and with bits of metal jammed into gaps, stretch more than three miles through Coronado national forest land south of Tucson, and the Governor has announced the plans for an extension; he plans to extend up to 10 miles at the cost of $95m.
In August, Doug Ducey issued an executive order to erect old shipping containers near Yuma. Workers 11 days later have installed 130 of what was described as “22ft-high, double stacked, state-owned, 8,800Ib, 9x40ft containers, linked together and welded shut.”
Source: The Guardian
President Of The United States, Joe Biden, Signs Same-Sex Marriage Bill Into Law
Photo Source: AP Images/Craig Ruttle
Tuesday, December 13, 2022 - On Tuesday, the president of the United States, Joe Biden, signed a landmark new federal protection for same-sex and interracial couples into law. The respect for Marriage Act was signed by Biden before thousands of invited guests on the South Lawn at an event that the White House said reflected the importance of the moment.
Biden described the law he was about to sign as one that recognizes “everyone should have the right to answer those questions for themselves without the government interference.”
The defense of Marriage Act becomes void with the new law; the Defense of Marriage Act defines marriage as between a man and a woman. It mandates that states honor the validity of out-of-state marriage licenses, including same-sex and interracial unions.
Such a bill had seemed improbable for many people in Washington not long ago, even as public opinion on same-sex marriage has shifted over the years.
Source: CNN
One-Week Government Funding Bill Passed By United States House, Gets Sent To The Senate
Photo Source: AP Images/J. Scott Applewhite
Thursday, December 15, 2022 - The United States House of Representatives has approved a stopgap one-week funding bill, a move whose objective is to give lawmakers more time to pass a bill to fully fund the federal government through its fiscal fund year on September 30, 2023.
Also known as “continuing resolution, the stopgap measure is needed to avert a partial shutdown of federal agencies that would otherwise begin on Saturday. The bill passed with a vote of 224 voted to 201, largely along party lines, with nine Republicans voting for the measure.
Top congressional negotiators on Tuesday announced agreement on a framework for the full-year “omnibus” bill. Though the amount agreed on was not revealed, it is believed that it should be more than last year’s $1.5 trillion. Aside from funding the U.S. government, the package will also include aid for Ukraine in its fights against the Russian military.
Source: Reuters
$858 Billion Defense Act Passed By Senate, Get Sent To Biden
Photo Source: Getty Images
Friday, December 16, 2022 – The Senate of the United States has passed legislation that authorizes a record $858 billion in annual defense spending. The approved legislation is $45 billion more than what was proposed by President Joe Biden. With an 83-11 bipartisan majority, the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) was greatly supported by the senators, a bill-setting policy that must be passed annually for the Pentagon.
The fiscal 2023 NDAA authorizes $858 billion in spending for the military, with a 4.6% increment for the troops included. It also includes funding for purchases of weapons, ships, and aircraft, support for Taiwan which faces aggression from China and aid Ukraine in the fight off the invasion by Russia.
Senator James Inhofe described the bill as the most important bill they do pass every year.
Source: Reuters
A Bid To Keep Tittle 42 Policy Rejected By Appeal Court
Photo Source: SOURCE
Saturday, December 17, 2022 – A federal appeals court rejected a bid by several states led by Republicans after a district court struck down the controversial Trump-era border policy. The bid was aimed at keeping the Title 42 rule in force. Before the ruling, Republican-led states said they would seek intervention from the Supreme Court if the appeal court ruled against them.
The CD Circuit, in the new order, denied the request of the state to ‘intervene in the case and subsequently put the ruling of the lower court on hold. A circuit panel that consisted of an Obama appointee, a Trump Appointee, and a Biden appointee handed down the order.
“More than eight months ago, the federal government issued an order terminating the Title 42 policy,” said the appeal court.
Source: CNN
Massachusetts Has Reached An Agreement To Reform The Mentally Ill Inmates’ Prison Conditions
Photo Source: Getty Images
Tuesday, December 20, 2022 – After Years of civil rights investigations by the United States Department of Justice, the Massachusetts state prison system will change how inmates with serious mental health issues are cared for; they will now also supervise prisoners who are prone to harming themselves.
After a two-year investigation by the Department of Justice, which started in November 2020 after reports of prisoners’ conditional rights being violated, it was discovered that inmates in mental health watch die or injure themselves.
A professor in Yale School of Medicine psychiatry, Reena Kapoor, an independent monitor, will ensure that the Massachusetts Department of Corrections complies with the agreement with United States Attorney Racheal Rollins. The deal includes improvements in policies and training that will result in heightened supervision for inmates.
Source: Reuters
Henry Berg-Brousseau, A Transgender Right Activist, Passed Away At The Age Of 24
Photo Source: Getty Images
Thursday, December 22, 2022 - A transgender rights Advocate, Henry Berg-Brousseau, whose story has been inspirational for opposition to Tran-restrictive legislation in Kentucky, passed away at 24. He was the deputy press secretary for politics for the Human Rights Campaign, one of the largest LGBTQ+ advocacy organizations in the country.
Her mother, Karen Berg, a state Senator, confirms he has always been a victim of mental illness and that the cause of his death was suicide.
Berg-Brousseau made the news headline when he was 16, after his testimony against the anti-trans bathroom bill in Kentucky. The Republican state legislator then praised his courage.
“My son had finally found a community”, said his mother, a Democrat from Louisville. She also said it could not undo the brokenness he already felt.
Source: The Guardian
January 6 Committee Recommends Trump Be Barred From Office
Photo Source: AP / Pool EPA
Friday, December 23, 2022 - The House select committee tasked with investigating the insurrection on January 6, 2021, has recommended that former United States President Donald Trump be barred from holding office again.
The report of 845 pages was based on more than 1,000 interviews and collected documents, including emails, text, phone records, and investigations of 1 year and a half.
In the last public meeting held by the committee, trump was referred to the Justice Department on at least four criminal charges. In its executive summary, the committee said they also have proof of possible charges of conspiring to injure or impede an officer and seditious conspiracy.
The report states “that evidence has led to an overriding and straight forward conclusion: the central cause of January 6th was one-man, former President Donald Trump, whom many others followed. None of the events of January 6th would have happened without him.”
Source: CNN
United States Congress Passes $1.66 Trillion Funding Bill, Sends It To Biden
Saturday, December 24, 2022 – A $1.66 trillion government funding bill has been passed by the United States House of Representatives hours before the midnight deadline. The bill provided record military funding and sent emergency aid to Ukraine.
President Joe Biden said, “the bipartisan funding bill advances key priorities for their country and caps off a year of historic bipartisan progress for the people of America.”
The vote marked the end of the 117th Congress, which landed some major victories over the past two years for Biden. They include a bill to battle climate change with billions of dollars, a massive COVID-19 aid stimulus bill, and the first major infrastructure investment measure in years.
The $1.66 trillion funding bill is an exemption from the numerous bills passed bipartisanly, which were opposed by House Republican conservatives and some conservatives in the Senate.
Source: Reuters
After A Landmark Deal, United States Higher Education Strike Ends
Tuesday, December 27, 2022 – After a nearly six-week strike, the academic workers in California ended what is described as the largest-ever strike to hit United States higher education after approving an agreement for higher wages.
The groundbreaking strike brought together 48 000 teaching assistants, researchers, tutors, and other graduate student instructors across the nine-campus system. They include famous universities such as UC Berkeley and UCLA. The workers on strike said it was not possible for them to live where they worked due to the low wages.
In a statement, the Executive Director of system-wide labor relations, Letitia Silas, said, “the University of California welcomes the ratification of these agreements with their valued graduate student employees.”
At the begging of the strike, the union said its members were working themselves into debt with a base salary for part-time employees that starts at $24,000 a year.
Source: The Guardian
Pandemic-Era Border Restrictions To Stay In Place For Now After Supreme Court Ruling
Photo Source: AP Photo/Fernando Llano
Wednesday, December 28, 2022 – The United States Supreme Court has left a pandemic-era policy for the time being. The policy gives United States officials the autonomy to expel migrants at the US-Mexico border. The request by Republican state attorneys general was granted after the court's 5-4 vote.
President of the United States, Joe Biden, said the US government would have to enforce the order until the matter was resolved, but he said he thinks it is overdue.
On Dec. 19, John Roberts, the Chief Justice and a member of the court’s 6-3 conservative majority, issued a temporary administrative stay to maintain Title 42 while the court decided whether to keep the policy.
There was no immediate comment about the court’s ruling from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico.
Source: Reuters
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