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Today’s edition of quick hits.
* In Seoul: “South Korea emerged from a night of political turmoil to pro-democracy demonstrations and pronouncements but few firm answers as to what’s next after the leader of this vital American ally and the world’s 10th-largest economy made a surprise martial law declaration.”
* In Paris: “The French government was toppled Wednesday after far-left and far-right lawmakers joined forces to pass a no-confidence measure against Prime Minister Michel Barnier and his Cabinet. Barnier, a conservative who held the post of prime minister for barely three months, is now obliged to tender his resignation, and that of his government, to French President Emmanuel Macron. It was the first time since 1962 that a French government was ousted like this.”
* SCOTUS: “The conservative-majority Supreme Court on Wednesday leaned toward upholding a Tennessee law that restricts gender transition treatments for minors in a significant case on transgender rights. It did not appear based on a lengthy oral argument that conservative justices believed that the law constitutes a form of sex discrimination that would mean courts have to give it close scrutiny.”
* An overdue agreement: “President-elect Donald J. Trump’s transition operation announced on Tuesday that it had belatedly signed an agreement with the Justice Department that will allow the F.B.I. to conduct background checks on people Mr. Trump intends to appoint as senior officials in his new administration.”
* A rare communication: “Gen. Valery V. Gerasimov, the architect of President Vladimir V. Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, called President Biden’s top military adviser last week and talked about how to manage escalation concerns between the two countries, according to defense and military officials.”
* A closely watched story on Capitol Hill: “Representative Jerrold Nadler plans to step down as the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee next term, succumbing to calls for generational change as his party prepares to confront a second Trump administration. Mr. Nadler, the 77-year-old dean of New York’s congressional delegation, had been facing a direct challenge from a close ally, Representative Jamie Raskin of Maryland.”
* In Afghanistan: “The European Union on Wednesday condemned the Taliban for violating human rights and women’s access to education after media reports that the Taliban’s leader has ordered private and public institutions to stop providing medical courses for women and girls in Afghanistan.”
* What an odd thing to joke about: “President-elect Donald Trump was joking when he suggested Canada become the 51st U.S. state during a dinner with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, a Canadian minister who attended their recent dinner said Tuesday.”
See you tomorrow.