Weekly News Briefs: Dec. 12

Local

Pending approval on Tucker mixed-use proposal

Officials in Tucker will vote Monday evening on a mixed-use proposal on the corner of Hugh Howell Road and Mountain Industrial Boulevard. The plan was submitted by Stephen Macauley, who envisions a movie studio, hotel, as well as apartments, senior-living units, and retail space, possibly having more residents than the city of Pine Lake. Macauley’s “Nexus Tucker” proposal would also include an elementary school and amphitheater. According to the AJC, city staff have been hesitant about the project and advised officials to vote against it.

 

National

McCain calls Russian hacks “another form of warfare”

According to The New York Times, Republican and majority leader, Sen. Mitch McConnell expressed support towards the investigations taking place of possible cyberattacks from Russia, which may have swayed the election. McConnell didn’t say whether the alleged hack was done to influence the result in favor of president-elect Donald Trump, however, he said “we need to approach all these on the assumption the Russians do not wish us well”. Earlier last week, Sen. John McCain said that were no doubt about Russian intelligence services hacking into the system, and called for the initial Senate intelligence investigation on whether the Russians had meddled with the election results. McCain called the hack “another form of warfare”.

 

Global

Egypt declares three days of mourning after cathedral bombing

Egypt officials have declared three days of mourning after a Dec. 11 bombing left 25 people dead and 49 injured. The bomb went off in Egypt’s main Coptic Christian cathedral during Sunday Mass, and according to ABC, the Egyptian President, Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, called it a suicide bombing. Most of the victims of the attack were women and children killed from over 12 kilograms of TNT explosives used in the attack, according to The Guardian. While one has claimed responsibility for the attack yet, el-Sissi identified the bomber as Mahmoud Shafiq Mohammed Mustafa, and said two more suspects are on the run, and three women and a man have been arrested thus far.