My Weekly Recommendations

What to read, watch, and listen to

Here in Northern Minnesota, the sun begins its descent in the sky around 2:30 pm. By 3:30, it’s decidedly evening.

The end of the year spins towards us, quietly. Quickly. I hope you’re enjoying your friends and family, that the warmth of their love surrounds you, and that you’re basking in the glow of the lights that warm the darkness.

---

Here are a few stories we’ve worked on this week, in case you missed them:

What’s Happening in Syria, Explained

Syria’s dictator, Bashar al-Assad, has fallen. The question now is, what happens next in Syria, and what are the consequences for the broader Middle East?

How Trump Can Get Things Done in Congress

How can Donald Trump and Republicans pass ambitious legislation with such slim majorities. The answer may lie in an old rule.

Who is Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson?

She became the first Black woman to serve on the nation’s highest court, propelled there by her years as a public defender and her time clerking for the man whose seat she ultimately took.

Pete Hegseth Isn’t Fit to Be Secretary of Defense

Find out why fellow Minnesotan Pete Hegseth isn’t fit for one of the most difficult jobs in the world.

Pardoning Fauci?

With six weeks left in his presidency, rumors have begun swirling that Biden administration staff is pushing for preemptive pardons for people like Liz Cheney and Anthony Fauci. But can he do that?

What I’m reading…

With al-Assad Gone, Syrians Search Prisons for Traces of Their Loved Ones

By Ben Hubbard for The New York Times

Guided by cellphone flashlights, relatives searched a notorious lockup in Damascus for traces of loved ones who were snatched during the regime of Bashar al-Assad.

Energized by next Trump term, red states move agendas further right

By Molly Hennessy-Fiske for The Washington Post

Governors, legislators and attorneys general ready plans for the “perfect storm of conservative policies” coming to many state legislatures and Washington.

How Biden is continuing to cancel student loan debt despite Supreme Court ruling

By Katie Lobosco for CNN

Although the Supreme Court struck down President Joe Biden’s signature student loan forgiveness program in late June, his administration has found ways to cancel more than $48 billion in debt since then.

From farmer to premier: who is François Bayrou, the new French prime minister?

By The Guardian International Staff

François Bayrou, the new French prime minister, calls himself a country man. A tractor-driving “son of the soil” and breeder of thoroughbreds, he has run for president three times, saying his rural roots and centrist politics led him to try to find common ground between left and right.

What I’m listening to…

Vanishing Treasures with Katherine Rundell

Here’s Where It Gets Interesting

What can we do to help save the most vulnerable animals? I am joined by #1 NYT Best-Selling author Katherine Rundell to talk about extraordinary animals like the Greenland shark which can live to be over 600 years old, or the American Wood frog that freezes in the winter, and kickstarts its own heart in the spring. Katherine shares stories about animals you’ve probably never heard of, the challenges they face, and the urgent need for preservation and mindful coexistence with the natural world.

Bringing up Bibi: Netanyahu testifies

The Economist

For five years the prospect of a criminal prosecution has loomed over Binyamin Netanyahu. This week, he became the first Israeli prime minister to testify as a defendant.

What I’m watching…

‘Are you serious?’: He spent months in a Syrian prison. CNN’s camera caught the moment he’s freed

CNN

While searching a secretive prison in the belly of the Assad regime’s legacy of torture for American journalist Austin Tice, CNN’s Clarissa Ward made a startling discovery when a rebel fighter uncovered a hidden prisoner still unaware of Assad’s ouster.

Conversations I had this week…

From the Vault: Empowering Change: Sharon McMahon on Unsung Heroes, Patriotism, and Local Action

United.She.Stands

---

Closing soon…

Registration for Governerds Insider — my book club and private group! It’s only open three times a year, and it makes an amazing holiday gift for a book or history lover who already has everything! We’d love to have you join us yourself, or buy a gift card for a loved one. See more here.