Sinema goes independent

Plus, the UK faces its worst strikes in decades.   Sen. Kyrsten Sinema registers as an independent; the UK faces widespread walkouts over the holidays. Tonight's Sentences was written by Jariel Arvin. Our end-of-year campaign ends soon If you find value in our work and want to ensure it remains free for everyone, regardless of how the advertising business is doing, make a gift today. We’re committed to keeping our work free, and reader gifts help us do that. Support this newsletter and all of Vox with a one-time gift today. [Count me in!](   TOP NEWS Why Kyrsten Sinema left the Democratic Party Anna Moneymaker/ Getty Images - Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema announced she’s leaving the Democratic Party to become a political independent. [[CNN / Jeremy Herb](] - Sinema said she’s changing affiliations because, like roughly a third of Arizonans, she doesn’t fit in either political party. [[Politico / Burgess Everett](] - It’s also the case, however, that while Sinema hasn’t announced plans to run for reelection in 2024, being an independent could help her avoid a tough primary contest. [[Vox / Christian Paz](] - Democrats will maintain Senate control despite Sinema’s departure. Sinema says she won’t caucus with the GOP. [[Associated Press / Jonathan J. Cooper and Lisa Mascaro](] - The Arizona senator’s party change may have been a long time coming. Her unwillingness to support weakening the filibuster to protect voting rights and increasing corporate taxes have frustrated Democrats. [[New York Times / Carl Hulse](]  [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( The UK faces mass strikes - The United Kingdom is facing its worst strikes in years, with hundreds of thousands of workers set to walk out in December, demanding better wages and working conditions. [[Wall Street Journal / Max Colchester](] - Nurses, ambulance crews, and postal workers are among several unions that want pay increases to address Britain’s cost-of-living crisis fueled by near-record inflation. [[Quartz / Amanda Shendruck]]( - Meanwhile, the UK’s interior minister is urging people to reconsider plans to travel abroad as airport staff walkouts could bring travel to a halt in the week leading up to Christmas. [[CNBC / Jenni Reid](] - Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says he’s working on laws to lessen the impact of the strikes. [[BBC / Becky Morgan](]   MISCELLANEOUS The US government is suing to block Microsoft from acquiring video game company Activision Blizzard for $69 billion over antitrust concerns. [[Vox / Sara Morrison](] - A Moscow court sentenced opposition figure Ilya Yashin to more than eight years in prison for speaking out against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. [[CNN](] - Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL) is struggling to find a Washington, DC, apartment due to high housing costs, and because he has bad credit from the debt he took on to support his run for Congress. [[Guardian / Martin Pengelly](] - An attorney for the victim’s family has filed a motion for a new hearing seeking information that led to the release of Adnan Syed, the subject of the hit podcast Serial. [[AP / Brian Witte](]   CROSSWORD OF THE DAY What's a nine-letter word for "burst at the seams"? [Solve today's new Vox crossword puzzle]([,]( and stay tuned for more puzzles coming out Monday through Saturday. Want more crosswords? [Sign up for our crossword newsletter here]( and get a dedicated crossword reminder each weekend.   Help us reach our goal We’re aiming to add 3,000 financial gifts from readers by Dec 31. Give today to help keep Vox free. [Yes, I'll help keep Vox free](   VERBATIM “Like a lot of Arizonans, I have never fit perfectly in either national party.” [[Sen. Kyrsten Sinema on her decision to register as an independent / Arizona Republic](]   LISTEN TO THIS R-E-S-P-E-C-T (for Marriage Act) Sen. Tammy {NAME} managed to rally bipartisan support for a marriage equality bill, but she’s the first to admit the legislation is “humble.” An activist wonders if there’s an overemphasis on the institution of marriage. [Listen now ▶](   Read more from Vox [The bizarre far-right coup attempt in Germany, explained by an expert]( [Megan Thee Stallion, Me Too, and hip-hop’s cycle of misogynoir]( [The Whale screenwriter on writing about religious fundamentalism, bodies, and hope]( [I went to effective altruism’s first post-Sam Bankman-Fried conference. Here’s what I saw.]( [An incomplete guide to this very weird year, in charts](  [Learn more about RevenueStripe...](   [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [YouTube]( This email was sent to {EMAIL}. Manage your [email preferences]( [unsubscribe](param=sentences). If you value Vox’s unique explanatory journalism, support our work with a one-time or recurring [contribution](. View our [Privacy Notice]( and our [Terms of Service](. Vox Media, 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, Floor 12, Washington, DC 20036. Copyright © 2022. All rights reserved.