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Google Must Sell Chrome to End Search Monopoly: US Justice Department (Maria)
The author writes, “The US Department of Justice has proposed a far-reaching overhaul of Google’s structure and business practices, including the sale of its Chrome browser, in a bid to end its monopoly on internet search. The DOJ proposals follow a landmark court ruling in August in which a federal judge ruled that Google maintained an illegal monopoly over search services. The proposals filed to a Washington federal court include the forced sale of the Chrome browser and a five-year ban from entering the browser market. … The DOJ also said Google should give publishers and content creators the ability to block their data from being used to train its artificial intelligence models.”
Trump’s Border Czar Pick Supports Using Texas Ranch for Mass Deportations (Sean)
From The Texas Tribune: “The Texas General Land Office is offering President-elect Donald Trump a 1,400-acre Starr County ranch as a site to build detention centers for his promised mass deportations of undocumented immigrants, according to a letter the office sent him Tuesday. Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham said in the Tuesday letter that her office is ‘fully prepared’ to enter an agreement with any federal agencies involved in deporting individuals from the country ‘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.’”
US House Passes Bill To Punish Nonprofits Deemed To Support ‘Terrorism’ (DonkeyHotey)
The author writes, “The bill, which gives the treasury the power to strip non-profits it claims support ‘terrorism’ of their tax-exempt status, does not require the treasury to adhere to any evidentiary standard in releasing its findings. Although groups targeted could appeal to the IRS or the courts for review, simply being identified as a supporter of terrorism could have a chilling effect on advocacy groups, critics warn.”
Trump Counties’ Disproportionate Dependence on Federal Cash (Gerry)
From Axios: “The incoming administration will face stark fiscal arithmetic: Most federal dollars go to direct transfers to Americans, disproportionately located in the very places that propelled Trump back to the White House. Why it matters: If the Elon Musk/Vivek Ramaswany-led Department of Government Efficiency is to achieve anything approaching the $2 trillion in annual cost savings they’ve floated, slashing bureaucrats from the federal payroll or payments to well-heeled contractors wouldn’t be enough. Rather, it would require cuts to programs on which the counties that backed Trump heavily depend.”
For Legal Disputes, Elon Musk’s X Picked a Venue Far From Texas HQ (Russ)
The author writes, “Tech billionaire Elon Musk has chosen a sprawling federal court district in northern Texas to resolve all lawsuits filed against X, the social media platform he owns that was formerly known as Twitter. The decision ensures that such lawsuits will be heard in courthouses that are a hub for conservatives, which experts say could make it easier for X to shield itself from litigation and punish critics.”
With Gaza’s Education System in Ruins, Parents Take Matters Into Their Own Hands (Laura)
From The Intercept: “Kids in Gaza have been without school for 13 months. Parents are looking to out-of-work teachers and volunteers to fill in the gaps.”
Jordan Peterson Wrestles With Meaning (Al)
From Unherd: “The hostility towards Peterson at the apex of his fame was always excessive. Was he not exactly what high-status liberals said they longed for? — a male role-model espousing personal responsibility, so comfortable with his emotions that he’s crying all the time. … Yet Peterson increasingly seems to be approaching the old, uncharitable portrayal of his critics. Once he was distinguished by his calm stoicism, but now he is angry: ‘Up yours, woke moralists; we’ll see who cancels who!’ All this naturally calls his self-help credentials into question.”
14 Dramatic Moments From the 2024 Nature’s Best Photo Awards (Dana)
The author writes, “A mother will teach her children many things. This is no different in nature. In the Grand Prize shot from the 2024 Nature’s Best Photography International Awards, a mother tiger shares a lesson on battle with her cub. Photographer Mangesh Ratnakar Desai captured the incredible image, describing the moment as ‘a masterclass in survival.’ On photographing wildlife and nature, he says: ‘Nature photography is more than capturing moments; it is a profound connection to the earth and its countless marvels.’”
