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☆ Tons of other animals have clitorises — and they can teach us more about human sexuality
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Paola Rosa-Aquino | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Many animals have clitorises, a female sex organ, but experts say they're understudied. She said she's seen more interest in this field in recent years, mostly from young female researchers. They found that all female snakes studied have a pair of clitorises — or hemiclitores, a two-part clitoris. Brennan said the fact that snake species have intersex individuals has heightened confusion about the creature's genital organs over the years. Their findings suggest that, like those in human females, the dolphin's clitoris provides pleasure during sex.

Congress, currently controlled by Biden's Democrats, is expected to approve $44.9 billion more this week in a bill funding the federal government. Zelenskiy stressed as he began his speech that he was addressing both Democrats and Republicans. "No more blank checks to Ukraine," Republican Representative Andy Biggs wrote on Twitter hours before Zelenskiy's visit to Washington. Biggs, a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, has emerged as the main challenger to House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy in the House speakership election, slated for Jan. 3. Gaetz said nothing had changed his opposition to Ukraine aid and, when asked if there was anything compelling in the speech, said, "I loved the fashion choices."

☆ U.S. Capitol riot committee delays releasing final report on assault by Trump backers
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Patricia Zengerle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) carries the comittee's final report as he departs after the final public meeting of the U.S. House Select Committee investigating the January 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol, on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., December 19, 2022. The House of Representatives Select Committee said it expected to release its report on Thursday. "Rather than honor his constitutional obligation to 'take care that the laws be faithfully executed,' President Trump instead plotted to overturn the election outcome," the House panel said in the 160-page summary of the report. Trump then waited hours to make a public statement as thousands of his supporters raged through the Capitol, assaulting police and threatening to hang Pence. Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Scott Malone, Cynthia Osterman, Alison Williams and Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Seven decades ago, Carol Aird and Therese Belivet went on a second date. The film earned six Academy Award nominations and the enduring adoration of queer women the world over, who have dubbed Dec. 21 “Carol Day,” and the holiday season “Carol Season.”One of the best ways to celebrate? ‘Carol’ is that magic for the sapphic community.”Watching “Carol” has also been a holiday tradition for Kaina Dominguez, the founder of The Bush Films, a queer film festival with screenings throughout the year. Queer women-centered site Autostraddle once had a “30 Days of Carol” event, where it posted 30 articles about “Carol” in as many days, and one of its writers also watched “Carol” on a 24-hour endless loop. And then there is ‘Carol,’ braving the tsunamis of ‘business/industry requirements’ and telling the tale of love with sensitivity and honesty.”

☆ Ahead of Zelenskiy address, U.S. Senate backs new ambassador to Russia
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Patricia Zengerle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Dec 21 (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate on Wednesday confirmed Lynne Tracy as President Joe Biden's nominee to be ambassador to Russia, hours before Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy was to give a rare wartime address to a joint meeting of Congress. Tracy, a career diplomat and current ambassador to Armenia, will be the first woman to serve as U.S. ambassador to Russia. It was not immediately clear when she will assume the post, because Russia must agree to accept her. Washington has been sending a steady supply of weapons and economic assistance to Zelenskiy's government as Ukraine fights Russian troops. Moscow has an ambassador in Washington, Anatoly Antonov.

☆ Crypto Giant Binance Offers Little Transparency After FTX Collapse
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Patricia Kowsmann | Caitlin Ostroff | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Binance founder Changpeng Zhao says the crypto exchange has taken no loans and is profitable. The collapse of the crypto exchange FTX has triggered calls for transparency in the industry. To many investors, the industry’s biggest player, Binance, remains a black box. Crypto exchange Binance processes more transactions than most of its rivals combined, accounting for roughly half of crypto spot trading and two-thirds of derivatives trading, according to the research firm CryptoCompare.

☆ U.S. Capitol riot probe to release final report on assault by Trump backers
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Patricia Zengerle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, Dec 21 (Reuters) - The U.S. congressional panel probing the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol wraps up its work on Wednesday with a final report outlining its case that former President Donald Trump should face criminal charges of inciting the deadly riot. The report lists 17 specific findings, discusses the legal implications of actions by Trump and some of his associates and includes criminal referrals to the Justice Department of Trump and other individuals. Trump then waited hours to make a public statement as thousands of his supporters raged through the Capitol, assaulting police and threatening to hang Pence. Monday marked the first time in U.S. history that a congressional committee referred a former president for criminal charges. Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Scott Malone and Cynthia OstermanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ FTX Wants to Claw Back Sam Bankman-Fried’s Donations
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Patricia Kowsmann | Paul Kiernan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

New management at the collapsed crypto exchange FTX said it would try to recoup donations made by Sam Bankman-Fried and other executives, which include tens of millions of dollars in contributions to U.S. politicians and affiliated groups. The Securities and Exchange Commission said in a lawsuit last week that customer assets were used to make investments, real-estate purchases and large political donations.

"No more blank checks to Ukraine," Republican Representative Andy Biggs wrote on Twitter hours before Zelenskiy's visit to Washington. Biggs, a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, has emerged as the main challenger to House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy in the House speakership election, slated for Jan. 3. Many House Republicans insist that they do support Ukraine. "I hope all House Republicans will attend the Zelenskiy address this evening. And when they do, they should listen to President Zelenskiy describe the horror his people have endured at the hands of (Russian President) Vladimir Putin," Schumer said.

[1/2] U.S. President Joe Biden and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy walk down the Colonnade to the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S., December 21, 2022. The planning for Zelenskiy's speech began in October, according to a Pelosi aide, when she met with Ruslan Stefanchuk, chairman of Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada. Zelenskiy, Fried said, "didn’t go to Berlin, Brussels, London or Paris" for his first trip abroad since the start of the war. The optics of Zelenskiy receiving a hero's welcome as a defender of democracy carries a message far deeper than military aid. In a Senate speech he described Zelenskiy as "a leader who is fighting for his life, fighting for his country's survival and fighting to preserve the very idea of democracy."

☆ Zelenskiy may visit Washington to meet Biden, congressional leaders- sources
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Punchbowl News first reported the possible trip, which would be Zelenskiy's first known visit outside Ukraine since Russia launched its assault on the country on Feb. 24. Zelenskiy is expected to meet congressional leadership and national-security committee chiefs from the Republican and Democratic parties and could address a joint session of Congress, Punchbowl reported earlier. Zelenskiy made a surprise trip to troops in the battered eastern frontline city of Bakhmut, underlining Russia's stuttering but persistent attempts to capture it. Zelenskiy last left Ukraine for the Munich Security Conference on Feb. 19, according to his official schedule. Her office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the reported visit by Zelenskiy.

It is a grave federal offense, anchored in the Constitution itself," said Representative Jamie Raskin, a Democrat on the select committee member, as he announced the charges. "If we are to survive as a nation of laws and democracy, this can never happen again," said Representative Bennie Thompson, the select committee's chairperson, as the meeting began. SEVERAL INVESTIGATIONSThe select committee's work is one of a series of investigations into the riot. The select committee approved its report including the recommendation of charges unanimously, with all of its seven Democrats and two Republicans in favor. Trump was the first presidential candidate in decades to not release his tax returns during either of his campaigns for president.

☆ U.S. Capitol riot panel meets, to ask prosecutors to charge Trump
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Patricia Zengerle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/3] A mob of supporters of then-U.S. President Donald Trump climb through a window they broke as they storm the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, U.S., January 6, 2021. While potentially damaging to Trump's reputation as he starts a bid for the White House in 2024, any recommendations would be non-binding and the Justice Department itself will decide whether to pursue prosecutions. NBC reported on Monday that the committee believed it had sufficient evidence for criminal referrals against Eastman citing unnamed sources. Some prominent Republicans have urged the party to move on from Trump's focus on 2020 as they select a nominee for 2024. A Reuters/Ipsos poll in October found that two in five Republicans believed Trump was at least partly responsible for the attack.

☆ Trump a target as U.S. Capitol riot probe votes on criminal referrals
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Patricia Zengerle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/3] A mob of supporters of then-U.S. President Donald Trump climb through a window they broke as they storm the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, U.S., January 6, 2021. The committee is scheduled to meet Monday to consider referrals and vote on its final report, which it expects to release in full on Wednesday. It subpoenaed Trump in October, asking him to testify and provide documents, but he filed suit to block the action. A Reuters/Ipsos poll in October found that two in five Republicans believed Trump was at least partly responsible for the attack. Four of the committee's members, including both Republicans, leave Congress early next year.

☆ U.S. House Jan. 6 Capitol riot probe to consider Trump criminal referral
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Patricia Zengerle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

The committee is scheduled to meet Monday to consider referrals and vote on its final report, which it expects to release in full on Wednesday. With Republicans due to take control of the House of Representatives next month, the Jan. 6 committee is expected to be disbanded, even as Trump seeks the Republican nomination to run for the White House again in 2024. It subpoenaed Trump in October, asking him to testify and provide documents, but he filed suit to block the action. A Reuters/Ipsos poll in October found that two in five Republicans believed Trump was at least partly responsible for the attack. Four of the committee's members, including both Republicans, leave Congress early next year.

☆ U.S. court decision paves way for depositor case against Lebanese bank
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The court decision, issued on Dec. 15 in a case brought by Lebanese depositors against leading lender Bank Audi, overturned a lower district court's decision that said Beirut courts had "exclusive jurisdiction" to try cases against Lebanese banks. A district court dismissed their claim on the reasoning that such cases should only be heard by Lebanese courts. There was no immediate response from Bank Audi in Beirut to a request for comment filed outside business hours. Jeffrey Rotenberg, a lawyer from DLA Piper representing Bank Audi in the case, said the decision was "non-precedential." Abdelsater said the Raads wanted access to $17 million they had in savings at Bank Audi.

☆ Peru ministers resign after protest deaths as new government wobbles
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Marco Aquino | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/8] Demonstrators injured during clashes with security forces are treated by medical personnel amid violent protests following the ousting and arrest of former President Pedro Castillo, in Ayacucho, Peru December 15, 2022. Education Minister Patricia Correa and Culture Minister Jair Perez announced their resignations on Twitter, citing the deaths of individuals during the unrest. Peru has been through years of political turmoil, with multiple leaders accused of corruption, frequent impeachment attempts, and presidential terms cut short. The United Nations on Friday expressed "deep concern" over reports of deaths and detentions of minors involved in the demonstrations. Reporting by Marco Aquino; Writing by Valentine Hilaire and Brendan O'Boyle; Editing by Rosalba O'BrienOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ U.S. Senate passes record $858 billion defense act, sending bill to Biden
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Patricia Zengerle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Joshua Roberts/File PhotoWASHINGTON, Dec 15 (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate passed legislation on Thursday authorizing a record $858 billion in annual defense spending, $45 billion more than proposed by President Joe Biden, and rescinding the military's COVID vaccine mandate. Senators supported the National Defense Authorization Act, or NDAA, an annual must-pass bill setting policy for the Pentagon, by an overwhelming 83-11 bipartisan majority. AID FOR TAIWAN, UKRAINE AND JUDGESBecause it is one of the few major bills that always passes, lawmakers use the NDAA as a vehicle for a range of initiatives. A bid to amend the bill to award back pay and reinstate troops who refused the vaccine failed. A bill to fund the government through Sept. 30, 2023, - the end of the fiscal year - is expected to pass Congress next week.

The Daniel Anderl Judicial Security and Privacy Act, named for the son of a federal judge who was fatally shot in 2020, was attached to the annual must-pass defense policy bill that the Senate endorsed 83-11. The defense bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives last week and now heads to President Joe Biden for his signature. The judicial security measure, which the federal judiciary backed, had long languished in Congress before its supporters were able to tack it on to the National Defense Authorization Act. The measure remained in the 4,000-plus page defense bill despite criticism from public interest groups who say it could chill free speech and undermine efforts to scrutinize judges' conflicts of interest. Sponsors of the bill, including Senator Bob Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat, say it is narrowly tailored to protect judges.

CNN —Scientists have discovered that female snakes have a clitoris — a previously overlooked or dismissed part of their anatomy (and that of many other animals), according to a new study. Female genitalia is not an easy subject to bring up sometimes and I think people were happy saying ‘it doesn’t exist. Folwell decided to investigate the female genitalia of snakes after noticing that very little research had been done on the topic. Studies of female genitalia in the animal kingdom are relatively sparse because of an “overwhelming focus on male genitalia,” according to the study. Last year, Patricia Brennan, an associate professor of biological sciences at Mount Holyoke College and coauthor on the new snake study, revealed dolphins also have functional clitoris.

CNN —One week into her presidency, Peru’s new President Dina Boluarte is battling to contain widespread protests that erupted after the ousting of former President Pedro Castillo. Boluarte announced Tuesday the government will set up a crisis management committee as protests calling for political change continue across the country. Boluarte, his former vice president, has since become president, and on Monday proposed bringing general elections forward two years to April 2024 during a televised speech. At least seven people have died in the protests ongoing in Peru, according to a tweet from the health ministry on Wednesday. Boluarte also doesn’t belong to a political party after she was expelled from Peru Libre due to internal disagreements.

☆ U.S. House Jan. 6 committee to meet Dec. 19 for vote on referrals, report
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, Dec 13 (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol will hold a public meeting on Dec. 19 to vote on its report and criminal referrals, before releasing the report on Dec. 21, the panel's chairman said on Tuesday. Democratic U.S. Representative Bennie Thompson told reporters at the Capitol that the report would be posted online on Dec. 21. The panel has not said who might be referred for criminal charges or on what charges. A referral does not necessarily mean that the Justice Department, which is conducting its own investigation of the riot, will decide to file charges. (This story has been refiled to fix a typographical error in the headline)Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; editing by Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Following Griner's release, U.S. lawmakers want a "National Hostage" day
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( Patricia Zengerle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Dec 13 (Reuters) - Days after the release of U.S. basketball star Brittney Griner from imprisonment in Russia, Democratic and Republican U.S. lawmakers will introduce legislation on Tuesday to establish March 9 as an annual day to remember Americans detained abroad. The bill, according to text seen by Reuters, seeks to make March 9 "National Hostage and Wrongful Detainee Day," to call increased attention to Americans unjustly held abroad and add urgency to the push to bring them home. "Brittney Griner's release and unjust imprisonment has only underscored the need for Congress to continue working to safeguard the lives of wrongfully detained Americans," said Democratic Senator Chris Coons, a lead sponsor of the bill, in a statement. The measure's sponsors also include Republican Senator Marco Rubio and Representatives Haley Stevens, a Democrat, and French Hill, a Republican. The administration has been unable to secure the release of former Marine Paul Whelan, who was jailed in Russia on 2020 on spying charges.

☆ The US may have lost in the World Cup, but soccer is more popular than ever in America
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Harry Enten | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +36 min

The Atlas Lions made history as the first African team to reach a World Cup semifinal. They made history as the first all-female refereeing crew for a men's World Cup match. It was Morocco's first World Cup win since 1998 — and its third-ever at the tournament. Less spoken about is that they also rate better on television than the men do in the World Cup. We’ll just have to wait and see, though with the US, Canada and Mexico hosting the 2026 World Cup, soccer isn’t going away anytime soon.

☆ U.S. Congress creeps toward deadline to pass $1.5 trillion funding bill
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Richard Cowan | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] A man walks past the U.S. Capitol building as a government shutdown looms in Washington, U.S., September 30, 2021. Over the weekend, behind-the-scenes efforts made progress toward a deal on an "omnibus" spending bill. That prompted Senate Appropriations Chairman Patrick Leahy to pull back from a plan to introduce a Democratic-written funding bill this week. "Chairman Leahy feels that sufficient progress in negotiations took place over the weekend to delay the introduction of the omnibus appropriations bill for the time being. But it was promptly attacked by Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell.

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