C'est Vrai

We open journalism.℠

A computer-assisted reporting Web app used by Progress New York
Donate $25 today to our Go Fund Me to help us raise $300,000 in start-up capital.
C'est Vrai - Breaking News Briefs and the Latest Headlines

C'est Vrai

Page One and Everything In Between

News Briefs Tuesday, December 09, 2025

International

Trump invokes the war on drugs on Venezuela, but not on Honduras : NYTimes
What war on drugs ?
President Donald J. Trump (R) was caught in a duplicitous trap of his own making after claiming he was seeking to hold cartels accountable.
Ukraine peace talks infused with motivations of profit, adding controversy to a complicated settlement
Corruption
As tripartite peace talks heat up between the U.S., Russia, and Ukraine, mixed motivations over profit emerge.
As Chris Tang responds to the Wang Fuk Court fire, he's also managing political dissent leading up to the Dec. 7 elections
Security warnings
Kong Kong Secretary for Security Chris Tang is warning against disruptions to the planned Dec. 7 elections.

U.S.A.

As Trump gloats over pushing MTG to resign, Mamdani remains mum on undermining Chi Ossé's primary against Hakeem Jeffries
Politics
Leaders of both political parties determine who gets to run for, or keep, public office. It's all about obedience.
A new grand jury fails to indict Letitia James in alleged mortgage fraud case, dealing a setback to Trump's reported campaign of retaliation
No bill
After a special prosecutor presented the alleged case to a new grand jury, no charges were returned against Letitia James.
Justice Democrats enter a sixth 2026 House race in their next wave of challenges to Democratic Party incumbents
2026 Midterms
Leftist Democrats are stepping up their challenge against incumbents as the party faces pressure from progressives.

New York

A review of some of the anti-LGBTQ controversies of Eric Adams' term as New York City mayor
Homophobia
NEW YORK, December 5 (C'est Vrai) — As Eric Adams' term as New York City mayor comes to an end, here's a review of some homophobic low-lights during his time in City Hall.
ICE detain and separate a Chinese immigrant from his 6-year-old son, who were living in Astoria, Queens
Separating families
NEW YORK, December 4 (C'est Vrai) — The father and son were separated by ICE agents after they reported to an immigration hearing at 26 Federal Plaza.
Tish James declines to prosecute two NYPD officers in the death of Win Rozario
NYPD Shooting
NEW YORK, December 4 (C'est Vrai) — Despite a CCRB finding of misconduct, two NYPD police officers will not face criminal charges over the 2024 death of a teen in crisis.
As Gov. Kathy Hochul prepares to run for reëlection in 2026, she's coming under pressure from leftists
Politics
NEW YORK, December 4 (C'est Vrai) — Left-leaning Democrats are attempting to influence Gov. Kathleen Hochul (D-N.Y.) on prison reform and taxes on the wealthy.

Editorial

In the Opinion pages, responses to Trump's reported duplicity on the drug war
Narco-states' rights
President Donald J. Trump (R) likes to sound tough-on-crime in the war on drugs. But some of his actions contradict his tough-talk.
Editorials Round-up : Is Trump's goose cooked ?
The Opinion Pages
President Donald J. Trump's threats to investigate dissidents and the impact of the Government shutdown are major causes of concern.

Economy

Netflix purchases the streaming, studio, and gaming units of Discovery Warner Brothers, creating an online content giant
Binge-Buying
Netflix and Warner Brothers Discovery announced the acquisition after a bidding war attracted Paramount Skydance and Comcast.
X, successor to Twitter, has been fined $140 million by the European Commission over content violations
Tweets
The European Commission made a finding that X had committed content and advertising violations of the Digital Services Act.
The Trump administration once again circles back with threats to suspend SNAP, but this time for Blue States
Data mining
USDA Secretary Brooke L. Rollings' threat to withhold SNAP benefits may defy a Court ruling over data privacy.

Culture

'Champagne Problems' : A Netflix Christmas rom-com you can raise a flute, or two, to
Les Etoiles
In this charming Netflix holiday movie, the stars Minka Kelly and Tom Wozniczka invite us for some cozy snuggles, and delightful escapism.
A decade later, the controversy over Neil deGrasse Tyson's "fake news" use of George W. Bush's quote still kept off of scientist's Wikipedia page
Reliable sources
Neil deGrasse Tyson had mixed-up George W. Bush's 2003 speech about a space shuttle disaster with remarks about the Sept. 11 attacks.

Headlines

The New York Times
Supreme Court Questions N.Y. Ban on Religious Exemptions for Vaccines
 Dec. 8, 2025
The New York Times
Top N.Y. Cannabis Official Resigns as Major Investigation Is Dropped
 Dec. 8, 2025
The New York Times
Paramount Makes Hostile Bid for Warner Bros. Discovery
 Dec. 8, 2025
The Washington Post
Trump loyalist Alina Habba resigns as New Jersey’s top federal prosecutor
 Dec. 8, 2025
The New York Times
Must the Military Disobey Unlawful Orders ? Pam Bondi Has Said Yes.
 Dec. 8, 2025
Newsweek
Republicans ‘Made Fun of Trump’ Behind His Back : Marjorie Taylor Greene
 Dec. 8, 2025
The Washington Post
D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith is stepping down
 Dec. 8, 2025
The New York Times
Powell Faces Pressure From Multiple Fronts as Fed Prepares to Cut Rates
 Dec. 8, 2025
CNN
Marjorie Taylor Greene defiant since announcing resignation after falling-out with Trump
 Dec. 7, 2025
The New York Times
Opinion : The Crucial Lesson of a Forgotten Nixon-Era Episode
 Dec. 7, 2025
The New York Times
Cold Case Inquiries Stall After Ancestry.com Revisits Policy for Users
 Dec. 7, 2025
NY1
Judge orders removal of bike lane in Astoria in response to lawsuit
 Dec. 6, 2025
Gothamist
Queens judge orders Astoria bike lane removed, says city fell short on safety measures
 Dec. 6, 2025
The New York Post
Zohran Mamdani sparks outrage by tapping radical who praised notorious cop-killer Assata Shakur for education transition team
 Dec. 6, 2025
Newsweek
Marjorie Taylor Greene Says Trump Was ‘Furious’ With Her Over Epstein Files
 Dec. 6, 2025