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The Daily Briefing

YOUR MORNING NEWS ROUNDUP

Wed Dec 4 2024

Nicole Fallert | Newsletter Writer

@nicolefallert

A declaration of martial law in South Korea triggered a political crisis for the major U.S. ally. The incoming Trump administration is feeling pressure to conduct background checks on Cabinet picks. The Supreme Court will consider if states can stop transgender adolescents from using puberty blockers and hormone therapy.

🙋🏼‍♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. Find yourself a free chocolate chip for National Cookie Day.

US stands with reversal of martial law in South Korea

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he welcomed South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's decision to rescind a martial law declaration after the surprise decree sparked intense political backlash and fierce protest.

What happened: Yoon declared martial law before reversing the move early Wednesday. While the specifics vary in different countries, martial law generally allows for the military to control civilians temporarily during times of emergency.

•	The last 24 hours have been chaos in Seoul. Photos and videos showed parliamentary staffers emptying fire extinguishers at armed forces as they tried to breach the National Assembly.
•	Now Yoon may be out: South Korean lawmakers submitted a bill on Wednesday to impeach Yoon, with voting set for later this week.
•	Could something like this ever happen in the U.S.? Martial law could be declared in the U.S., and has been imposed relatively rarely in the country's history during times of war, unrest and natural disaster.

Soldiers advance to the main building of the National Assembly after South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law in Seoul, South Korea, December 3, 2024.

YONHAP, via REUTERS

Republicans call for deeper vetting on Trump picks

Some Republicans have questions for Pete Hegseth – a veteran and conservative media personality who has been accused of sexual misconduct – and want to see background checks conducted on him and President-elect Donald Trump's choice for a new FBI director, Kash Patel. Trump's team said Tuesday that it has taken an initial step toward working with the Department of Justice on background checks and security clearances, signing what's known as a memorandum of understanding that would pave the way for them to engage in that process. Read more

More news to know now

•	Lake-effect snow won't stop soon.
•	A missing Pennsylvania woman may have fallen into a sinkhole while looking for a cat.
•	Ex-Florida ballerina Ashley Benefield was sentenced to 20 years in the shooting death of her husband.
•	Enron went bankrupt 23 years ago. Pranksters have seemingly relaunched brand as a '"parody."

What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.

What's at stake for transgender minors?

The Supreme Court on Wednesday will consider states' ability to prevent transgender adolescents from using puberty blockers and hormone therapy, a major culture war flashpoint that comes to the high court after President-elect Donald Trump campaigned on an anti-transgender platform. How the conservative court decides a Tennessee transgender rights case could affect not just access to specific medical treatments across much of the country, but could also impact ongoing legal challenges to other rules targeting transgender people, such as those restricting bathroom use and sports competition. Here's what you need to know about the most high-profile case the court has taken up this term.

•	📺 Listen to the arguments live on USA TODAY's YouTube channel at 10 a.m. ET.
•	Stories of justice and action across America: Sign up for USA TODAY's This is America newsletter.

The case of Hannah Kobayashi takes another turn

The case of a Hawaii woman whose disappearance was the subject of a large search effort in Los Angeles took a dramatic turn this week when police officials said they reviewed footage of her crossing into Mexico. Authorities said she was not the victim of an abduction, foul play, or human trafficking as had been rumored on social media. And while police have not confirmed a motive, Kobayashi had previously expressed a desire to step away from "modern connectivity" and left her phone behind in California. Read the latest in the case.

Today's talkers

•	How would you fare at "Pop Culture Jeopardy"?
•	Princess Kate continued her return to royal duties (and donned a necklace previously worn by Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Diana).
•	Get lost in the dreamy White House holiday decorations.
•	Some of the year's top new restaurants don't require reservations.

The college football playoff rankings have arrived

The College Football Playoff entered its final phase this week, marking the last time the committee would release its projections ahead of Selection Sunday's definitive rankings. That is when we get the final bracket and clarity on the teams that will make up the first 12-team College Football Playoff bracket. The latest rankings reveal offered plenty of intrigue with upsetting losses this past weekend for the likes of Miami and Ohio State. Here's how everything happened in the final rank.

Photo of the day: A long-awaited visit

U.S. President Joe Biden arrived in the Angolan port city of Lobito on Wednesday, the last day of a trip to Africa, to tout a plan to extend a railway that could channel critical minerals from Congo to the West. The trip is Biden's first and only visit to Africa as president. The trip delivers on a promise to visit the continent, but comes only weeks before his presidency ends.

President Joe Biden arrives at the Aeroport de Catumbela in Catumbela, Angola, on December 4, 2024.

ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS, AFP via Getty Images

Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here . Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com.