Wednesday Scoop: No Confidence

The big story…

PM Theresa May Faces a Vote of No Confidence in Parliament

Following opposition to the proposed Brexit deal and a delay of the vote on the deal that was set for Tuesday, conservative Members of Parliament have called for a vote of confidence in British Prime Minister Theresa May, meaning that May could be ousted from her office as soon as the end of the day. May has promised to do everything in her power to avoid a vote of no confidence, warning that her successor would have to deal with the same Brexit issues that she has.

The vote will be by secret ballot and will take place today at 6pm GMT (1pm EST). If May wins the confidence vote, conservative leaders are not allowed to bring up another confidence vote for at least a year. Regardless of who is Prime Minister, the U.K. needs to decide whether or not they will be leaving the EU, and under what conditions, as Brexit is set to take place in March 2019.

In gun violence…

Fatalities Reported at Strasbourg Christmas Market Shooting, Suspect Still at Large

France has currently upgraded their security threat level after a terrorist attack left 3 dead and at least 12 injured. The gunman is still at large. Read more about it in Erin Whitten’s report for CMN.

In the Oval Office…

Pelosi and Trump Duel It Out in the Oval Office

Things heated up in the Oval Office yesterday when House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer had a sit down with President Trump and VP Pence. The televised meeting focused on Trump’s plan for a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border with the President saying that he’d take personal responsibility in the case of a government shutdown to get what he wants.

In TIME…

TIME’s Person(s) of the Year: “The Guardians”

TIME Magazine‘s Person of the Year has gone to “The Guardians and the War on Truth,” journalists who have risked their lives to report the truth. The magazine’s four different covers feature Jamal Khashoggi, Filipino journalist Maria Ressa, the two journalists currently jailed in Myanmar, Kyaw Soe Oo and Wa Lone, and the staff of the Capital Gazette.

At Baylor University…

Baylor Student Accused of Rape to Serve No Jail Time

A former Baylor University student and fraternity president who was accused of rape has struck a plea deal that will only leave him with a charge of unlawful restraint. The former student, who was expelled from Baylor, will serve no jail time nor will he have to register as a sex offender.

In global news…

Easter Island Demands Return of Plundered Statue in British Museum

The Rapa Nui people are asking that one of their Easter Island statues, which is housed in the British Museum and was taken from the island in 1868, be returned to its rightful place.  This is not the only controversial item within the museum’s walls and the U.K. is not the only country to face the effects of centuries of plundering and colonization. So, the question is: How will museums and countries adapt to the times and what example will the British Museum set for the rest of the world?

Trending today…

Beyoncé RSVP’d Yes

The daughter of one of the richest men in Asia is getting married, and the wedding has been a week of festivities with a star guest list and, some speculate, a price tag of around $100 million. Oh, and Beyoncé flew in for a private concert. NBD.

First of all, how rich do you have to be to have BEYONCÉ perform at your wedding?!

— tim hell. (@itsTimHell) December 9, 2018

Last but not least…

Track Review: TRONCO ‘Animales’

A cute, playful ditty from the Barcelona-based pop duo, “Animales” is both dreamy and brittle. Read more in Padideh Aghanoury’s review for CMN.

Today’s Morning Scoop was made possible by Erin Whitten, Padideh Aghanoury, and the CMN Staff. A mishap at a chocolate factory led to the streets of a German town accidentally getting paved with chocolate. @ AP News, we’re pretty sure this was a plot line in ‘Willy Wonka,’ but we’ll take it.