News From Around the Web
#10 Biden Administration Moves to Forgive $4.7 Billion of Loans to Ukraine - Simon Lewis and Daphne Psaledakis for Reuters, Proud Elephant, Rand Paul, Heritage Action, Rep Thomas Massie, and Junior's on X
The Biden administration has moved to forgive about $4.7 billion in U.S. loans to Ukraine, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Wednesday, as outgoing officials seek to do what they can before leaving office to bolster Ukraine in its war against Russia. A funding bill passed by the U.S. Congress in April included just over $9.4 billion of forgivable loans for economic and budgetary support to Ukraine's government, half of which the president could cancel after Nov. 15. The bill appropriated a total of $61 billion to help Ukraine fight the full-scale invasion Moscow launched in February 2022...#9 Trump Picks Matthew Whitaker for Ambassador to NATO - Ryan Lucas and Stephen Fowler for NPR, Trump War Room, Kyle Becker, Karli Bonne, and Shadow of Ezra on X
President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday tapped Matthew Whitaker, who briefly served as acting attorney general in Trump's first term, as his ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. "Matt is a strong warrior and loyal Patriot, who will ensure the United States' interests are advanced and defended," Trump said in a statement. "Matt will strengthen relationships with our NATO Allies, and stand firm in the face of threats to Peace and Stability - He will put AMERICA FIRST."
#8 Texas Land Commissioner Offers 1,402 Acres to Trump for ‘Deportation Facilities' - Armando Garcia for ABC News, Breaking 911, Senator Ted Cruz, Garcia Reports, and Texas General Land Office on X
Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham is offering the incoming Trump administration 1,402 acres the state purchased along the Texas-Mexico border to be used in a mass deportation operation. In a letter to President-elect Donald Trump, Buckingham said she's offering the land "to be used to construct deportation facilities." The Texas General Land Office purchased the plot of land from a farmer in October to facilitate Texas' efforts to build a wall."My office is fully prepared to enter into an agreement with the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or the United States Border Patrol to allow a facility to be built for the processing, detention, and coordination of the largest deportation of violent criminals in the nation’s history," Buckingham wrote in the letter, dated Tuesday...
#7 Impassioned Voters Vow to Kick Bucks County Democratic Commissioners Out of Office - Barnini Chakraborty for The Washington Examiner, Scott Presler, George, and Eddie on X
The Bucks County commissioner accused of attempting to steal a Pennsylvania Senate seat for Democrats issued an emotional mea culpa Wednesday, saying the “passion” in her heart got the best of her. Democratic Commissioner Diane Ellis-Marseglia spoke before people who showed up to give her a piece of their minds for openly defying the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to stop counting undated or incorrectly dated mail-in ballots in the race between Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) and his GOP challenger, David McCormick. “That issue that I spoke on has now gone viral,” she said. “It was genuinely not the best words. I feel terrible about it. I should have been more clear. I will be more clear in the future.”
#6 Ellen Degeneres Has Moved to Great Britain, Lists Montecito Estate: ‘Never Coming Back’ to the United States - Josh Dickey for The Wrap, Breaking 911, I Love America News, Carlos Hernandez, Bad Hombre, and Terrance K. Williams on X
Ellen DeGeneres and wife Portia de Rossi have moved to rural England, put their Montecito estate on the market, and plan to never return to the United States, telling friends the election of Donald Trump was their primary motivation, a person close to the former TV host told TheWrap. Though the incoming Republican administration was the cited catalyst, a fresh start couldn’t hurt: DeGeneres has been open about being “kicked out of show business” after reports of toxic workplace behavior at the syndicated “Ellen” show in 2022...
#5 Speaker Johnson Announces New Capitol Bathroom Policy in Response to Controversy Over Trans House Member - Danielle Wallace and Elizabeth Elkind for Fox News, Wokie Plumpkin, Grant Young, and Mark Kaye on X
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., announced a new bathroom policy for the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday in response to controversy related to transgender Rep.-elect Sarah McBride, D-Del. "All single-sex facilities in the Capitol and House Office Buildings — such as restrooms, changing rooms, and locker rooms — are reserved for individuals of that biological sex," Johnson said in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital. "It is important to note that each Member office has its own private restroom, and unisex restrooms are available throughout the Capitol." "Women deserve women’s only spaces," he added...
#4 Judge Sentences Laken Riley’s Murderer to Life in Prison - CNN, Libs of TikTok, Jack Poso, and Josh Hawley/Curtis Houck on X
Jose Ibarra isn’t just guilty of Laken Riley’s murder — he was also convicted of a host of other crimes. Ibarra was indicted on 10 counts involving two separate incidents — and on Wednesday, a judge agreed with the prosecution that Ibarra was guilty of each. Here’s how prosecutor Sheila Ross described each charge and why Ibarra was guilty on all counts: Ross outlined Ibarra’s clear intention to kill Riley, citing evidence and testimony from the medical examiner. “He put huge holes in her head with a rock. And he did it more than once. And there could be no other reason to do that, other than to silence her forever,” the prosecutor said...#3 New York Post Begs Trump to Ditch ‘Dreadful Duo’ Tulsi Gabbard and Matt Gaetz - Ariana Baio for Independent, Townhall.com, Mike Sington, Titan, and Ames on X
Donald Trump’s decision to nominate controversial loyalists to his cabinet has caused a tidal wave of negative media coverage, even by his typically friendly newspapers and criticisms from fellow Republicans. Pointing to former congressman Tulsi Gabbard and outgoing congressman Matt Gaetz, the New York Post editorial board implored the president-elect to “rethink” his choices in an op-ed published on Tuesday. Gabbard was nominated as director of national intelligence while Gaetz was named as pick for attorney general. “Gaetz and Gabbard are dreadful,” the board wrote. “They’re distracting chaos agents who won’t accomplish what Trump wants them to, and will most likely backfire on his agenda.”
#2 Jasmine Crockett Says GOP Wants to Take Black History Out of Schools to Spread Lie of White ‘Oppression’ - Raquel 'Rocky' Harris for The Wrap, Collin Rugg, Ivy Malise, Jessica, and The 10th Justice on X
Speaking to Congressional colleagues from both sides of the aisles on Capitol Hill Wednesday, Rep. Jasmine Crocket slammed a proposed GOP bill that “would fire all workers that work in offices related to diversity, equity, and inclusion” because DEI “oppresses white men.” She took her time at the podium to give what she called a “vocabulary lesson” on the meaning of oppression, arguing that the reason why some GOP lawmakers want to remove Black history from school curriculums is to spread the lie of white oppression...
#1 'Sell Tesla, SpaceX Stock': Musk Mocks Jeff Bezos, Alleges He Believed Trump Would Lose - Vani Mehrotra for News18.com, Elon Musk, Newsweek, Habibi, Bull Dog, and Pejjy on X
Two days after Elon Musk’s SpaceX launched its giant Starship rocket to space from Texas, the billionaire, on Thursday, claimed Amazon founder Jeff Bezos was convinced Donald Trump would lose the American presidential election. Moreso, Musk said Bezos even convinced others to sell out their Tesla and SpaceX stock, probably because Musk openly supported Trump. Elon Musk fueled Trump’s election effort by giving at least 119 million dollars. Meanwhile, Bezos was one of those who congratulated Trump soon after declared his victory in the presidential polls...
And Now for Something Special 
Don't know how special or positive this is, but it's certainly interesting...
This Church Has an AI Jesus for Confessions: ‘It Gave Me So Much Advice’ - Ben Cost for The New York Post
Is this the mess-AI-iah? Just in case artificial intelligence hasn’t been taking on enough jobs lately — now it’s replacing the almighty. A church in Switzerland is now using an AI hologram of Jesus to take confessions from Catholic worshippers, as seen in a wild viral video. “I was surprised, it was so easy, and though it’s a machine, it gave me so much advice,” one awestruck worshipper told DW News while describing their experience with the Sermon-ator, located at St. Peter’s Church in Lucerne...
