Panthers, it is that time of year once again. A period of thankfulness, seeing family, and, of course, good food. Yep, it is Thanksgiving time! Despite not having the sheer fame that Christmas has, Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday in itself. The downside is that the moment that break ends, we hit the ground running getting prepared for final exams. While you are getting ready for the inevitable food coma or stressing hard for finals week, check out this week’s KICs. This week we have president Biden allowing missiles into Russia, a fatal stabbing in Manhattan, Jose Barra being found guilty, and Matt Gaetz withdrawing from Trump’s Cabinet.
World – Biden allows US missiles to be inside Russia
President Joe Biden has allowed Ukraine to use US missiles to strike deep inside Russia, marking a huge reversal of Washington’s policy in the Ukraine-Russia war. The change has mostly come from the fact that North Korean ground troops have been deployed to supplement the shrinking number of Russian soldiers, which has caused alarm bells to start ringing in Washington and Kyiv.
Ukraine having possession of these missiles could help put Ukraine in a better negotiation position if ceasefire talks do occur. It is not known at this time if Trump will reverse this decision as his spokesmen have declined to comment on the issue. Richard Grenell, one of Trump’s closest foreign policy advisers, has shared his distaste with the decision.
Republican representatives believe this decision by Biden is long overdue and that there are still too many restrictions on Ukraine. Poland’s foreign minister, Radoslaw Sikorski, has stated that President Biden’s decision has been made to move a response with recent North Korean involvement.
National – Fatal stabbings across Manhattan showcase need for changed criminal system
On November 18, 2024, 51-year-old Ramon Riveria was said to have stabbed three innocent bystanders. The New York system failed to make sure he was sentenced for a crime due to his mental health issues.
Riviera had a lot of serious mental issues that were ignored and regarded as not serious. All these incidents occurred at a construction site where people were working. Prior to the arrest, Ramon was not privy to crimes, including eight prior arrests.
Riviera did not give a specific reason for the stabbings, but he did explain to police that he chose them because they were innocent and alone. At a New York City conference on Tuesday, official Adams explained that the system has failed people a lot of times and a change will be made.
State – Jose Ibarra found guilty
In Georgia on November 20, 2024, 26-year-old Jose Ibarra continued his trial for the murder of 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley. Riley’s body was found on a wooded running trail near the University of Georgia.
Earlier this week, evidence presented included surveillance footage of Riley going for a run that morning and Ibarra disposing of Riley’s jacket in a dumpster. Riley was expecting to call her mother during her morning run, but Riley’s mother grew worried because her daughter never called. Strands of Riley’s hair were found at the crime scene as key evidence.
An updated version of the article revealed that Ibarra was found guilty and sentenced to life without parole. Ibarra’s DNA was found on Riley’s body.
Politics – Matt Gaetz withdraws as Trump’s pick for Attorney General
Former Representative Matt Gaetz is withdrawing his candidacy for President-elect Donald Trump’s Attorney General. His decision was made largely on the amount of sex trafficking and drug use allegations against him.
Gaetz met with Republican senators to discuss his nomination and released a statement on Thursday, stating how his confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the work of the Trump/Vance transition. Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Justice has also faced numerous concerns and questions from fellow Republicans, and his pick of Gaetz had encountered controversy from the start. Gaetz has faced allegations that he participated in sex parties, used illegal drugs, and had sex with a minor.
The FBI investigated the charges beginning in 2021, but the Department of Justice never brought charges. Trump posted on social media after the dropout, saying how he hopes to see Gaetz succeed in the future past the allegations.