Newsletter Dec 11, 2023

Quick Six

Zelensky to White House this week as GOP ties up funding
Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky will travel to Washington Tuesday to meet President Joe Biden and plead to Republicans balking at sending more money for his fight against Russia, amid warnings aid will run out in weeks. In a flurry of diplomatic activity after the White House announced Zelensky's visit, an aide for House Speaker Mike Johnson -- who has been trying to tie Ukraine aid to funding for US border security -- will also meet with Zelensky.
WHY GOP IS TYING UKRAINE AID TO US BORDER SECURITY

Fed expected to pause interest rate hikes again this month
The U.S. Federal Reserve is widely expected to hold interest rates at a 22-year high for a third consecutive meeting on Wednesday as it continues to fight elevated inflation. With the financial markets all but certain that another pause is coming, traders and analysts are now debating how soon the central bank will start cutting interest rates, and how rapidly it will then do so.
ANOTHER RATE PAUSE COULD SIGNAL A TURNING POINT

Hypocritical US leads COP28 push to phase out fossil fuels
The US is helping lead the charge at UN climate talks to phase out fossil fuels, but the superpower's status as the world's top oil producer is already casting doubt on its credibility. The US has startled some observers at the COP28 summit by supporting calls to end extraction of oil, gas and coal, with major oil exporter Saudi Arabia the most vocal opponent and pointing out the duality.
JOHN KERRY TURNS 80 ON THE DAY OF TRUTH AT COP28

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Markets

DJIA	36,247.87	0.36%
S&P 500	4,604.37	0.41%
Nasdaq Composite	14,403.97	0.45%
Japan: Nikkei 225	32,307.86	-1.68%
UK: FTSE 100	7,554.47	0.54%
Crude Oil Futures	71.18	-0.07%
Gold Futures	2,021.50	0.35%
Yen	144.99	0.03%
Euro	1.08	0.02%
* As of market close

Israeli forces pushing into southern Gaza

Israeli forces pushed Sunday into southern Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of civilians have fled in search of shelter from bombs and intense fighting with Hamas militants. Aid groups have sounded the alarm on the "apocalyptic" humanitarian situation in the Palestinian territory, warning it is on the brink of being overwhelmed by disease and starvation. Hamas, which runs Gaza, said Sunday that Israel had launched "very violent raids" near the southern city of Khan Yunis.

SEE HOW GAZA REFUGEES ARE COPING WITH THE VIOLENCE

Musk returns conspiracist Alex Jones to X

Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X, on Sunday reinstated far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones on the social media platform, a year after vowing never to let him return. Jones, who said that a December 2012 school shooting in Newtown, Conn., that killed 20 children and six educators was a hoax, was banned from the platform -- then still known as Twitter -- in 2018 for violating its "abusive behavior policy."

SEE WHY ELON MUSK IS ALLOWING ALEX JONES BACK ON X

'Hollywood' sign celebrates 100th birthday

The landmark word has loomed over Tinseltown since before movies started talking, becoming a symbol of the entire film industry. For the first time in decades, the Hollywood sign -- at least a little bit of it -- was illuminated on Friday to celebrate its 100th birthday. The nine-letter sign is officially a centenarian but, as with many an aging grande dame in Hollywood, looks as fresh as ever as fans flocked for birthday selfies.

READ THE RICH HISTORY OF THE ICONIC HOLLYWOOD SIGN

Extra point

What did the original "Hollywood" sign read and what was its purpose?

Friday's answer: In 2009, James May constructed a regular-sized house, complete with a full bathroom, using 3 million Lego pieces.

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