President Biden announced a near-final Gaza deal encompassing hostage release and substantial humanitarian aid for Palestinians. This agreement aims to halt fighting, ensure Israeli security, and address the immense suffering inflicted upon Palestinians. The deal follows intense mediation efforts and builds upon recent progress in ceasefire negotiations. Mr. Biden also highlighted the weakening of US adversaries during his presidency, emphasizing a strengthened American position globally.
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Texas Governor Greg Abbott has directed that all state flags be raised to full staff on January 20th, Inauguration Day, despite the U.S. flags remaining at half-staff to honor former President Carter. This decision contrasts with other states which are adhering to the federal order to fly flags at half-staff. Abbott’s announcement cites the importance of celebrating the incoming president’s inauguration, while acknowledging the mourning period for President Carter. The differing flag protocols highlight the political divisions surrounding the upcoming inauguration.
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Jennifer Rubin, a Washington Post columnist, resigned, citing Jeff Bezos’s allegedly “bent-knee approach” to President-elect Trump as a threat to American democracy. Rubin’s departure follows other resignations stemming from perceived pro-Trump biases at the Bezos-owned Post and other major media outlets. In her resignation, Rubin accused Bezos and other corporate media owners of prioritizing profit over journalistic integrity and betraying their audience’s trust. She launched a new media outlet, The Contrarian, aiming to provide unbiased commentary.
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Following former President Carter’s death, flags at Mar-a-Lago were initially lowered to half-staff but have since been raised to full-staff, despite official directives from President Biden and Governor DeSantis to maintain half-staff through January 28th. This action contradicts the established mourning period and comes after Trump expressed displeasure with the timing. Texas Governor Abbott conversely ordered state flags to be at full-staff on Inauguration Day, prioritizing the celebration of the incoming president. Trump previously offered condolences for Carter, attending his funeral services.
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In response to President Biden’s order to fly flags at half-staff for 30 days following President Carter’s death, Texas Governor Greg Abbott directed that state flags be raised to full-staff on January 20th, 2025, for President Trump’s inauguration. This decision cites a federal statute mandating flag display on Inauguration Day, contrasting with President Trump’s opposition to half-staff flags on his inauguration day. Governor Abbott’s statement acknowledged mourning for President Carter while celebrating the inauguration and the nation’s transition of power.
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Poland’s Defence Minister, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, supports Donald Trump’s call for NATO members to increase defence spending to 5% of GDP, viewing it as a necessary wake-up call for Europe. Poland, already a top spender at 4.12% of GDP in 2024, aims to reach 4.7% this year and advocates for a significant increase in EU defence spending. This stance reflects Poland’s leading role in bolstering European security, particularly in light of the war in Ukraine, and its commitment to strengthening NATO’s collective defence. Kosiniak-Kamysz highlights Poland’s substantial military investment and its active support for Ukraine as evidence of its commitment to this goal.
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Judge Aileen Cannon will allow the release of special counsel Jack Smith’s report on Donald Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election, but temporarily blocked disclosure of the classified documents section pending a hearing. This decision follows Trump’s legal challenges delaying the report’s publication, despite the Justice Department’s historical practice of releasing such reports. While the election interference volume may be released soon, the classified documents portion remains under court-ordered restriction, potentially jeopardizing congressional and public access to these investigations. Trump and his team have yet to indicate whether they will appeal the ruling.
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Following Donald Trump’s reelection, Special Counsel Jack Smith’s cases against him concluded due to Justice Department guidelines prohibiting the prosecution of a sitting president. Smith’s resignation, characterized by Trump as a firing, prompted a flurry of attacks from the president-elect, fueled by concerns over the impending release of Smith’s final report. Trump’s efforts to block the report’s release, despite a draft review by his legal team, highlight a potential legal battle. The report’s ultimate public release remains uncertain, with the possibility of Supreme Court involvement.
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Judge Aileen Cannon denied a request to extend an injunction preventing the Justice Department from releasing a portion of Jack Smith’s report detailing President-elect Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election. This allows the report’s release, barring further legal action, while a separate section concerning classified documents remains under injunction pending a Friday hearing. A Justice Department motion to immediately release the January 6th-related portion is still awaiting a ruling from the 11th Circuit. The report’s release comes days before Trump’s inauguration, despite his denial of wrongdoing and prior indictments.
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John Q. Hosedrinker