A recent event discussed the COVID-19 vaccine after the Town of Port Hedland passed a motion calling for Moderna and Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccines to be suspended.
The U.S. economy added 227,000 jobs in November, surpassing economists’ forecast of 215,000, the Department of Labor reported Friday. The unemployment rate edged up slightly to 4.2%, as more individuals entered the workforce.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) increased its military presence along the Syrian border in the Golan Heights on Friday in response to rapid advances by Syrian rebels against the Assad regime. The move comes as rebel forces, including Islamist factions, capture key cities like Aleppo and Hama, forcing regime troops to retreat.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s Labor government on Friday, accusing its anti-Israel policies of fostering antisemitism after an arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue. The Adass Israel synagogue was firebombed during morning prayers, injuring one and causing extensive damage. Worshippers inside reported masked assailants throwing incendiary devices through the windows.
Poland’s Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski called for Russia’s suspension from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) during a meeting in Malta on Thursday, accusing Moscow of attempting to rebuild its empire. Sikorski led a walkout of European delegations in protest against Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s presence.
President-elect Donald Trump reiterated his support for Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense on Friday, dismissing reports that the nomination might be reconsidered. In a post on Truth Social, Trump praised Hegseth’s qualifications, calling him “a fantastic, high-energy Secretary of Defense” and emphasizing his confidence in the Fox News host.
Canada has banned 324 additional assault-style firearms, continuing its push for stricter gun control. This decision builds on a 2020 ban of 1,500 firearm models, which was expanded to over 2,000 last month as more weapons were identified. Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc announced the new restrictions, which take effect immediately, stating, “Firearms designed for the battlefield plainly do not belong in our communities.”
Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, one of the nation's largest health insurers, has reversed its decision to cap reimbursement for anesthesia care based on surgery time limits.
A group of transgender rights activists staged a protest Thursday near House Speaker Mike Johnson's office on Capitol Hill, opposing a new policy that restricts bathroom use based on biological sex.
Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas sharply criticized the redistricting process in her state during a Thursday House Oversight Committee hearing on the 2020 Census.
