The Week of December 22, 2024 by CoenM

President Biden commuted 37 of the 40 federal death sentences, converting them to life imprisonment. Of the three remaining, two were convicted of hate crime mass shootings, while the third is the surviving brother who carried out the 2013 bombing of what SPORTING EVENT?

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the president of what UNITED NATIONS AGENCY, said he narrowly avoided death when the Israeli Air Force attacked the main airport in Yemen? Israel said it was targeting Houthi facilities, and did not know Ghebreyesus was at the airport.

Struggling Nissan and what OTHER JAPANESE AUTOMAKER announced plans to merge by 2026? The holding company for the two companies (plus Nissan-owned Mitsubishi) would become the third largest automaker in the world, behind Toyota and Volkswagen.

The US House Ethics Committee released its report on what FORMER CONGRESSMAN from Florida, which reported that the committee found credible evidence that he had paid for drugs and sex? The reported noted that one of the paid sexual encounters was with a 17 year old girl.

The Parker probe made the closest-ever pass of what CELESTIAL OBJECT, at 3.8 million miles above its surface? The probe reached a speed of 430,000 miles per hour during the pass, the fastest speed ever recorded for a man-made object.

Denmark announced a large increase in defense spending for what AUTONOMOUS TERRITORY, after Donald Trump reiterated an interest in the US gaining control? Trump first suggested taking control in 2019, citing its strategic location and mineral resources.

Taliban forces in Afghanistan struck several locations in what NEIGHBORING COUNTRY, apparently in response for that country bombing sites in Afghanistan earlier in the week? That country said its bombings in Afghanistan were aimed at Islamic militants.

Baristas at somewhere between 170 and 300 outlets of what COFFEE CHAIN ended their strike, which sought to highlight the company's alleged unfair labor practices? The chain has 535 unionized locations among its 10000-plus stores.

Donald Trump said he was in favor of what TYPE OF VISA, which allows companies to hire non-US citizens for highly skilled jobs? The visa program is causing dissention among Trump supporters, some of whom believe it takes jobs away from Americans.

Your HallR Memorial Mini-Theme of the Week: Effin' Birds. Russia originally blamed a bird strike for the crash of a flight from Baku to Grozny by what EURASIAN NATION's flag carrier? Thirty eight people died when the flight, redirected to an airport in Kazahkstan, was apparently hit by a Russian air defense system.

What ASIAN COUNTRY saw both the impeachment of its acting president as part of an ongoing political crisis, and an actual bird strike contribute to the crash of a Jeju Air flight from Bangkok, killing 179?

No birds were involved when what US DOMESTIC AIRLINE put a ground hold on all of its flights on Christmas Eve day? The hold, prompted by an outage of the airline's flight operations system, lasted an hour but disrupted flights across the country.