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Good morning everyone. We have major developments to break down today. First, a mass exodus of Republicans from the House is expected this month, with as many as 20 members heading for the exits, some possibly earlier than planned, as many conclude they are facing grim odds going into 2026. At the same time, the Thailand Cambodia peace deal championed by Trump has collapsed, and a new investigation shows that Trump himself engaged in the same mortgage fraud activity he is now pursuing against Letitia James and others. Before we dive in, TikTok has intensified its crackdown on news content, issuing multiple community guidelines strikes while the White House escalates efforts to target journalists it disapproves of. This is exactly why I am building more of my work here. If you have not yet subscribed, please consider doing so. Your support allows me to do this work full time and to keep delivering independent, unflinching, real-time reporting.
Here’s what you missed: Puck News has confirmed that a growing number of House Republicans are heading for the exits as frustration boils over in a GOP-led government that has become mired in infighting, legislative paralysis, and hostility from a volatile White House; members describe a demoralizing environment where Speaker Mike Johnson cannot move key bills, colleagues are openly defying leadership with rare discharge petitions, productivity has collapsed, and many now believe staying in Congress offers little influence and high political risk ahead of a potentially brutal midterm cycle—fueling an exodus unlike anything the conference expected after winning full control of Washington.
Republicans are increasingly alarmed that their failure to unite behind a healthcare plan, as Democrats push to extend enhanced subsidies, could drive up voters’ costs, spark backlash, and lead to midterm losses, with several GOP lawmakers warning the party is unprepared and at risk if it cannot agree on an alternative. ProPublica revealed that Trump signed mortgages for two Palm Beach homes just weeks apart in the 1990s, certifying each as his primary residence even though he never lived in either and used them as rental properties, a pattern that closely matches the conduct his administration now calls deceitful, potentially criminal, and grounds for firing or prosecuting political opponents. Trump says he will be signing an executive order this week to restrict or ban states’ ability to regulate AI:
 A renewed surge in the Thailand–Cambodia border conflict saw Thai F-16s bomb Cambodian positions after Thailand said Cambodian forces killed a Thai soldier and launched rocket attacks; both nations accused the other of firing first, casualties mounted on both sides, hundreds of thousands of civilians evacuated, and leaders from ASEAN and Malaysia urged restraint despite a Trump-brokered cease-fire just weeks earlier proving unable to contain the long-running, temple-border dispute. Newly uncovered 2016 clips show Pete Hegseth repeatedly warning that troops must refuse unlawful orders from a President Trump, a sharp contrast with his current role as defense secretary, where he attacks Democrats for giving similar warnings amid scrutiny over potentially illegal U.S. strikes and debates about the limits of presidential military authority. A 27-year-old Honduran man with end-stage renal failure, detained during Charlotte’s “Operation Charlotte’s Web,” alleges ICE denied him dialysis and pressured him to sign a voluntary deportation order by saying he would not receive treatment otherwise; his attorney calls the account “classic duress,” ICE denies the claim, and although officials have agreed not to enforce the order for now, his family fears for his health as he reportedly receives incomplete care while awaiting a January court hearing. A lawsuit accuses federal agents of repeatedly firing tear gas, pepper balls, and other chemical agents near a Portland ICE facility not for safety reasons but to stage dramatic scenes for pro-Trump influencers invited by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, with residents of a nearby apartment building reporting illness, PTSD triggers, and children sleeping in closets for safety as fumes seeped into their homes and made daily life unsafe. Trump criticized Zelenskyy for not reading the latest U.S. peace proposal as Washington pushes Kyiv toward a deal Russia still wants changed, while Ukraine, Europe, and U.S. envoys continue tense negotiations over territorial concessions and security guarantees with no breakthrough yet.
 Marjorie Taylor Greene says she resigned from Congress after Trump turned on her, accusing him of fueling threats against her family and abandoning core “America First” principles, while also claiming many Republicans secretly mock him but publicly fall in line out of fear.
 According to the Guardian, more than 230 environmental groups, including Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, and Food & Water Watch, have urged the US Congress to impose a national moratorium on new data centers, arguing that the rapid and largely unregulated growth of AI- and crypto-driven facilities is raising household electricity bills, straining water supplies, and worsening climate impacts; with voters increasingly blaming data centers for higher utility costs, at least $64 billion in projects have already been stalled by local opposition, creating political risks for President Trump as electricity prices continue to rise. Colin Allred has ended his U.S. Senate bid and will instead run for the newly redrawn Texas Congressional District 33, setting up a primary fight with Rep. Julie Johnson and reshaping the Democratic field as Jasmine Crockett prepares to enter the Senate race. CNN has confirmed that China’s exports rebounded in November despite a steep drop in shipments to the U.S., pushing its year-to-date trade surplus above $1 trillion for the first time, even as factory activity and domestic demand remain weak amid a fragile, tariff-easing truce with the U.S. Today, the Supreme Court is weighing the Trump administration’s effort to expand presidential power by allowing Trump to fire members of independent agencies without cause, a move that could overturn a 90-year precedent, affect multiple removed board members, and determine whether courts can reinstate officials who were unlawfully dismissed.
Good news: Conservation efforts along India’s west coast have driven a dramatic rebound in olive ridley sea turtles, with roughly 1 million nests counted this year—ten times more than two decades ago—thanks to protected beaches, fishing bans, hatcheries, and community programs like the Velas Turtle Festival that help safeguard eggs and guide hatchlings safely to the sea. After losing all her limbs to sepsis eight years ago, Kim Smith is celebrating new independence thanks to a successful left-hand transplant that she says feels completely natural, allowing her to write, do daily tasks, and regain confidence, while she expresses deep gratitude to her donor’s family and continues an inspiring recovery highlighted in a new documentary.
 A long-term study of more than 3,000 adults found that diets high in polyphenol-rich foods like tea, coffee, berries, nuts, cocoa, whole grains, and olive oil were linked to healthier blood pressure and cholesterol levels and slower increases in cardiovascular risk with age, suggesting that even small, consistent dietary shifts can meaningfully support long-term heart health.
See you this evening. — Aaron You’re currently a free subscriber to the Parnas Perspective. For the full experience, more content, and to support Aaron, upgrade your subscription. |
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