(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Overnight News Digest December 1, 2024 [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.'] Date: 2024-12-01 The crew of the Overnight News Digest consists of founder Magnifico, regular editors side pocket, maggiejean, Chitown Kev, jeremybloom, eeff, Magnifico, annetteboardman, doomandgloom, Besame, and jck. Alumni editors include (but not limited to) Rise above the swamp, Interceptor 7, Man Oh Man (RIP), wader, Neon Vincent, palantir, Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse (RIP), ek hornbeck (RIP), rfall, ScottyUrb, Doctor RJ, BentLiberal, Oke (RIP) and jlms qkw. BBC Malaysia and Thailand flooding kills at least 12 Huge flooding caused by heavy rain in Malaysia and neighbouring Thailand has killed at least 12 people, officials say. More than 122,000 people have been forced out of their homes in northern Malaysia, while in southern Thailand, around 13,000 others have also been displaced. There are fears the number could rise, as heavy rain and storm warnings remain in place. Emergency services personnel have been deployed to help rescue stranded residents and shelters are being provided.The flooding, which began earlier in the week, has seen thousands of residents evacuated in both nations. BBC Georgia's PM hits back as protests and resignations intensify Georgia has seen a fourth night of street demonstrations and a string of public resignations, triggered by the ruling party's decision to suspend a push to start talks on joining the European Union. As tens of thousands of Georgians headed back to the streets of several cities, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said they had fallen victim to opposition lies and he rejected calls for new elections. He confirmed reports that Georgia's ambassador to the US, David Zalkaliani, had become the latest senior diplomat to stand down, explaining that he had come under considerable pressure. But Kobakhidze sought to deny the reason for the protests, saying on Sunday that "we have not suspended anything, it's a lie". Pro-EU protesters were out in big numbers again on Sunday night, and when fireworks were aimed at the parliament building as well as riot police, the police responded with water cannon. AP News Lake-effect snow blankets the Great Lakes as Thanksgiving travelers head home ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Lake-effect snow blanketed swaths of the U.S. as Thanksgiving travelers journeyed home this holiday weekend, with more snow expected to fall over the Great Lakes region through the week. While the weather event dumped dozens of inches of snow in upstate New York, including nearly 4 feet (1.22 meters) off Lake Ontario, as well as parts of Pennsylvania and Michigan, flinty fans scoffed at the flurries and numbing temperatures during Sunday’s nighttime NFL game in Buffalo. Lake-effect snow is caused when warm, moist air is blown across a body of water and mixes with colder, drier air, creating narrow bands of often heavy snow on land. The National Weather Service said additional snow was forecast to fall overnight Sunday into Monday — with more heavy lake-effect snow is expected to hit the Great Lakes area Wednesday and Thursday, along with gusty winds and freezing temperatures. AP News Desertion threatens to starve Ukraine’s forces at a crucial time in its war with Russia KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Desertion is starving the Ukrainian army of desperately needed manpower and crippling its battle plans at a crucial time in its war with Russia, which could put Kyiv at a clear disadvantage in future ceasefire talks. Facing every imaginable shortage, tens of thousands of Ukrainian troops, tired and bereft, have walked away from combat and front-line positions to slide into anonymity, according to soldiers, lawyers and Ukrainian officials. Entire units have abandoned their posts, leaving defensive lines vulnerable and accelerating territorial losses, according to military commanders and soldiers. Some take medical leave and never return, haunted by the traumas of war and demoralized by bleak prospects for victory. Others clash with commanders and refuse to carry out orders, sometimes in the middle of firefights. “This problem is critical,” said Oleksandr Kovalenko, a Kyiv-based military analyst. “This is the third year of war, and this problem will only grow.” The Guardian Irish Greens virtually wiped out in general election rout The Green party in Ireland has been virtually wiped out in the general election, and its leader admitted it was entering a period of “rebuild” after the electorate removed any prospect of the party re-entering government. The Greens lost all but one of their 12 seats, with its leader, Roderic O’Gorman, scraping through on the 13th count. It means the party is unlikely to team up again with the two centre-right parties, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, which are on track to come within a few seats of the 88-seat majority needed to form the new government. Counting from Friday’s election could continue into Monday. The proportional representation system involves multiple counts and too-close-to-call scraps for the final seats in many constituencies. The party’s losses are the worst since 2011 when it was left with no seats in the election, triggered by the financial crash and IMF bailout. Hindustan Times Donald Trump taps three vocal Hindu lawmakers for key cabinet roles—Who are they? With Indian-origin figures like Kash Patel and Vivek Ramaswamy, Donald Trump’s incoming cabinet is seen as a major win for India. Donald Trump’s incoming cabinet is being hailed as a major win for India, and here's why: his 2.0 cabinet features several Indian-origin lawmakers, some of whom have sparked debate not just for their political credentials but also for their outspoken stances on their religious beliefs. Among the latest additions is Kash Patel, a 44-year-old Trump loyalist with roots in Gujarat. Alongside Patel, figures like Tulsi Gabbard and Vivek Ramaswamy have gained attention for their vocal embrace of their Hindu roots. Although Tulsi Gabbard has no direct ties to India, her deep connection to Hinduism, particularly the teachings of Hare Krishna philosophy, has been a defining part of her identity. Al Jazzera Trump taps Lebanon-born Massad Boulos as Arab and Middle East adviser United States President-elect Donald Trump has selected Lebanon-born billionaire Massad Boulos as his senior White House adviser for Arab and Middle Eastern affairs, citing the businessman’s outreach to Arab Americans during the election campaign. The announcement of the appointment on Sunday comes as the Trump administration continues to take shape, particularly in terms of the officials who will oversee US policy in the Middle East, although the purview of Boulos’s role was not immediately clear. In a statement on Trump’s Truth Social platform, the president-elect hailed Boulos as “an accomplished lawyer and a highly respected leader in the business world, with extensive experience on the International scene”. “Massad is a dealmaker, and an unwavering supporter of PEACE in the Middle East. He will be a strong advocate for the United States, and its interests, and I am pleased to have him on our team!” Trump wrote. Al Jazeera Syrian rebels push towards Hama as government forces launch counterattacks Rebel groups in northwestern Syria say they are pushing towards the city of Hama after taking control of nearby Aleppo in a lightning offensive that started last week. The attempted southern advance on Sunday comes on the fifth day of the surprise rebel offensive as Syrian and Russian forces have launched counterattacks, reportedly pounding opposition-controlled Idlib province and Aleppo with air attacks since Saturday. Government forces under the control of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have also been fortifying the northern province of Hama, according to the Syrian state news agency, SANA. It reported the army overnight pushed back opposition fighters in its northern countryside. Forces there were being resupplied with heavy equipment and rocket launchers, according to SANA. On Sunday, United Nations special envoy to Syria, Geir Pedersen, appealed for all stakeholders in the conflict to immediately seek a political resolution. Al Jazeera Bolsonaro hoping Trump’s return will help political comeback in Brazil Brazil’s former President Jair Bolsonaro has expressed hope that United States President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January will help bolster his own political comeback, amid accusations that he took part in a failed coup in the South American nation. The Wall Street Journal reported late on Thursday that Bolsonaro is banking on Trump pressuring Brazil with sanctions to delay enforcing a court ruling that bars him from office until 2030 for baselessly attacking the country’s voting system before the 2022 elections he lost. “Trump is back, and it’s a sign we’ll be back, too,” Bolsonaro said in an interview with the US newspaper. Bolsonaro’s remarks come just days after Brazilian police released a report implicating the former president in an alleged criminal organisation designed to overturn the 2022 election that he lost to his left-wing rival, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Reuters Exclusive: UN calls for $2.6 trillion investment to reverse land degradation RIYADH, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Restoring the world's degraded land and holding back its deserts will require at least $2.6 trillion in investment by the end of the decade, the U.N. executive overseeing global talks on the issue told Reuters, quantifying the cost for the first time. More frequent and severe droughts as a result of climate change combined with the food needs of a rising population meant societies were at greater risk of upheaval unless action was taken, Ibrahim Thiaw said ahead of talks in Riyadh this week. A large chunk of the around $1 billion a day that is required will need to come from the private sector, said Thiaw, who is Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). "The bulk of the investments on land restoration in the world is coming from public money. And that is not right. Because essentially the main driver of land degradation in the world is food production... which is in the hands of the private sector," Thiaw said, adding that as of now it provides only 6% of the money needed to rehabilitate damaged land. Washington Post Reusing plastic water bottles, to-go containers? Scientists say that’s a bad idea. [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/12/1/2289666/-Overnight-News-Digest-December-1-2024?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=latest_community&pm_medium=web Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/