From The Torch Podcast Network, This is The Chimes Weekly. I’m Matthew Garcia, here to start off your week with major headlines and what’s coming up. It’s Monday, December 8th.

The New York Times filed a lawsuit challenging new Pentagon guidelines imposed by Secretary Pete Hegseth. According to AP News, the rules restrict media access and require outlets to acknowledge they could be labeled security risks — a move many news organizations say violates the First Amendment. The Pentagon argues that the policy imposes “common sense” rules that protect the military from release of information that could put them in danger.

In light of the Pentagon controversies, this Thursday, the Pentagon announced that the US military had conducted another deadly strike on a Venezuelan boat suspected of carrying illegal narcotics. The strikes killed four men. According to the Guardian, A large explosion suddenly overtook the boat as it moved through the water, followed by an image of a vessel in flames and dark smoke streaming overhead. This pushed an ongoing debate on whether this act is legal or an act of war. 

Last Tuesday, Pope Leo called on the Trump Administration to pursue dialogue with Venezuela in the midst of rising tensions and increased U.S. military presence in the Caribbean. The Pope told reporters that he believed the U.S., if it wanted to enact change in Venezuela, should seek dialogue. The Pope also commented on a phone call between Trump and Maduro the week prior in which  Trump threatened the use of military force. Maduro is accused by the Trump Administration of being involved in drug trafficking, rigging votes, and human rights abuses.
According to the Los Angeles Times, more than 14,500 subsidized households may lose housing next year after expected federal funding cuts. Housing instability could raise rents and increase competition, especially for students who seek off-campus housing.
Last Thursday, Israeli and Thai officials stated that the remains of Thai agricultural worker Sudthisak Rinthalak were returned by Hamas on Wednesday.

Sudthisak was part of Israel’s agricultural workforce, which employs many foreign workers from Thailand. The Thais were the largest group of foreigners to be taken hostage by militias during the Oct. 7 2023 Hamas attack. The return marked another step to the completion of the first phase of Gaza ceasefire. The body of a final hostage, Israeli police officer Ran Gvili, who died while defending a kibbutz during the Oct. 7 attack, has yet to be returned.

That’s all for last week’s headlines. Now, let’s dive into what’s happening this week at Biola. The Fall addition of the Point Magazine launch is this Thursday at Common Grounds from 7-9 pm. The magazine has been in the works since the beginning of the year. Get a free magazine and enjoy music with others. Chapel opportunities are quickly coming to an end! This week, there are only 7 more chapels. If you need 8 more…you may just be out of luck. If you find yourself barely making the cut, you may also go to spiritual direction for credit. Enjoy the last few chapels of the Fall semester. If you want to get into the Christmas spirit, the Conservatory of Music is hosting the Pop Ensembles Christmas concert this Wednesday. The event is FREE! Head over to the SUB Fireplace Pavillion at 7 pm for a fun night of music. Also this Wednesday, enjoy a fun night of comedy and attend Live from Lot F! The event will be from 8-10 pm, and tickets are free. However, you do need to reserve a spot. Go to our show notes to find the link or check out @lifefrom_lotf on Instagram. To hear from some of the show writers and performers, check out our new Biola Backstage episode that will be released this Tuesday.

Thank you for joining us for the last episode of Season 4 of The Chimes Weekly. No episodes will be released next week or during winter break, so we will see you all for Spring semester. If you haven't done so already, check out our new video podcast Office Hours on Youtube or anywhere you listen to podcasts. And that’s all for this week. Thanks for listening! As always, if you enjoyed this episode, leave us a review and share it with a friend or a roommate. To read stories from The Chimes, see our show notes, or head over to our website at ChimesNewspaper.com. The Chimes Weekly is a production of The Chimes Media Group and The Torch Podcast Network. This episode was produced by Matthew Garcia with headlines written by Reagan Glidewell, Jae Koo and Jason Lee. This episode was engineered by Jason Lee. Our theme music is from Warner Chappell Productions. Thomas Rakhola is our Editor-in-chief and Reagan Glidewell is our managing editor. I’m Matthew Garcia, and we’ll see you all next time.