International alarm is growing over fighting in western Syria, where hundreds of civilians have been reportedly killed amid intense clashes.
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Today's Political News Compilation - Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2024
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Fate of Trump’s Cabinet picks unclear as Republicans prepare to take power in Senate
By MARY CLARE JALONICKUpdated 6:18 AM CST, December 25, 2024
WASHINGTON (AP) — The fate of President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet is still unclear after Republican senators spent much of December carefully dodging questions about Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ’s views on vaccines, accusations of sexual misconduct against Pete Hegseth and Tulsi Gabbard’s 2017 meeting with then-President Bashar Assad of Syria.
While some GOP senators have indicated they are all-in for Trump’s picks, others have withheld support, for now, especially on some of his more controversial nominees. The dynamic is injecting uncertainty into the process as Republicans prepare to take the Senate majority in January with a four-seat margin and as Trump aggressively challenges them to confirm his Cabinet immediately.
It’s not unusual for senators to wait until after confirmation hearings to publicly announce a decision. But Republicans are under more pressure than usual as Trump and his allies make clear that they will confront senators who don’t fall in line.
“You only have control of the Senate because of Donald Trump,” the president-elect’s son, Donald Trump Jr., warned during a media appearance this month. “Without that, you’d be relegated to insignificance.” ...
READ THE FULL STORY - AP
Analysis: Trump bristles at Musk’s rocketing profile as Democrats play on the president-elect’s vanity | CNN Politics
Whether Elon Musk is the real “president,” merely the “prime minister” or just Donald Trump’s multibillionaire enforcer, he’s carving out an unprecedented role that could raise conflicts of interest for the new administration.
www.cnn.com
Trump takes aim at Canada, Greenland and the Panama Canal in Christmas Day posts
The posts build upon a series of messages Trump has delivered in recent weeks, including that the U.S. should buy Greenland and obtain control of the Panama Canal.
www.nbcnews.com
Christmas blackouts in Ukraine after 'massive' Russian strike
Ukrainians faced fresh Russian drone and missile strikes on energy infrastructure nationwide on Tuesday night into Christmas Day morning.
Trump picks Miami-Dade County Commissioner Kevin Marino Cabrera for Panama ambassador
President-elect Trump nominated Miami-Dade County Commissioner Kevin Marino Cabrera to serve as ambassador to Panama, calling him a "fierce fighter."
Battlegrounds, primaries and potential retirements mark the key Senate races to watch in 2026
Democrats need to net four seats to flip the Senate in two years, a tall order with just one Republican running in a state Kamala Harris carried in November.
www.nbcnews.com
How presidents have spent their Christmases in office: From Hawaii to Mar-a-Lago
Presidents have spent their Christmases in a number of places, some staying close by the capital, with others traveling as far as Hawaii or Mar-a-Lago.
Ukraine: Zelensky condemns "inhumane" Russia Christmas Day attack
Russia has launched a major missile and drone attack on Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
www.bbc.com
Is Russia planning a ‘false flag’ attack on Moldova?
Russia has accused Moldova of plotting a military operation against the breakaway Transnistria region.
How 2024 made Elon Musk the world’s most powerful unelected man
A timeline of events in the year of Elon Musk shows how omnipresent he has become, how his X feed has become as unavoidable as Donald Trump’s was
Trump and Biden offer Christmas greetings as US approaches transfer of power
President-elect Trump and President Biden bid Americans a merry Christmas as the nation nears a change in presidential administrations.
Trump names ambassador to Panama after suggesting US control of Panama Canal | CNN Politics
President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday announced his pick for US ambassador to Panama.
www.cnn.com
Israel kills 5 journalists in Gaza as babies in tent camp freeze to death
Infants sheltering in flimsy tents die of hypothermia as Hamas, Israel trade blame for delays in reaching a truce deal.
NYT journo says his podcast won't be 'resistance show' in 2nd Trump term, rejects 'normalizing MAGA' concerns
New York Times' Ezra Klein is vowing his podcast won't be a "resistance show" during the second Trump presidency and spoke about understanding an administration he opposes.
Undersea power cable linking Finland and Estonia hit by outage, prompting investigation
Finland’s prime minister says authorities are investigating an interruption in a power cable under the Baltic Sea between his country and Estonia
Taxi driver crashes into crowd in New York City on Christmas Day - Washington Examiner
A taxi cab driver crashed into a crowd of people outside a New York City's Macy's on Christmas Day.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
The Supreme Court enters its teenager era | CNN Politics
Like millions of American teens, Kailey Corum is savvy about the dangers of TikTok – but she’s also wary about government efforts to shut it down.
www.cnn.com
Russia launches massive Christmas Day attack on Ukraine
“Russian evil will not break Ukraine and will not distort Christmas,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy vowed after the strikes targeting his country's energy system.
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Blue state mayor proposes city ordinance to strengthen transgender care protections in the face of Trump EOs
Seattle’s Democratic mayor this week proposed a city ordinance that would strengthen protections for those seeking transgender care and surgeries, while calling out the Trump administration's "hateful, dangerous and discriminatory attacks" against the LGBTQ+ community.
Mayor Bruce Harrell campaigned as a moderate before his win in 2021, pushing public safety and helping local businesses, according to The Seattle Times, although he has expressed support for transgender care previously.
Harrell was elected following riots in the city after George...
Continue reading...Mayor Bruce Harrell campaigned as a moderate before his win in 2021, pushing public safety and helping local businesses, according to The Seattle Times, although he has expressed support for transgender care previously.
Harrell was elected following riots in the city after George...
HHS sends all employees a $25,000 voluntary buyout offer
Health and Human Services employees were offered voluntary buyouts to resign from their jobs on Friday night, according to a person who received the email and an administration official.
The agency’s approximately 80,000 employees received an unsigned email Friday night offering them a “voluntary separation incentive payment,” with a deadline to respond set for Friday, March 14.
The White House and the Department of Health and Human Services didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
In February, during an interview on Fox News’...
Continue reading...The agency’s approximately 80,000 employees received an unsigned email Friday night offering them a “voluntary separation incentive payment,” with a deadline to respond set for Friday, March 14.
The White House and the Department of Health and Human Services didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
In February, during an interview on Fox News’...
Federal funding cuts lead FEMA to cancel National Fire Academy courses
The country's preeminent federal fire training academy canceled classes, effective immediately, on Saturday amid the ongoing flurry of funding freezes and staffing cuts by President Donald Trump's administration.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced that National Fire Academy courses were canceled amid a "process of evaluating agency programs and spending to ensure alignment with Administration priorities," according to a notice sent to instructors, students and fire departments. Instructors were told to cancel all future travel until...
Continue reading...The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced that National Fire Academy courses were canceled amid a "process of evaluating agency programs and spending to ensure alignment with Administration priorities," according to a notice sent to instructors, students and fire departments. Instructors were told to cancel all future travel until...
DHS has begun performing polygraph tests on employees to find leakers
The Department of Homeland Security has begun performing polygraph tests on employees to determine who might be leaking information to the media about immigration operations, according to four sources familiar with the practice. The department’s plans to perform these tests was first reported by Bloomberg Government.
A spokesperson for DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Border czar Tom Homan and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem have blamed lower-than-expected ICE arrest numbers on recent leaks revealing the cities...
Continue reading...A spokesperson for DHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Border czar Tom Homan and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem have blamed lower-than-expected ICE arrest numbers on recent leaks revealing the cities...
Unions ask court to stop DOGE from accessing Social Security data of millions of Americans
A group of labor unions are asking a federal court for an emergency order to stop Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency from accessing the sensitive Social Security data of millions of Americans.
The motion for emergency relief was filed late Friday in federal court in Maryland by the legal services group Democracy Forward against the Social Security Administration and its acting commissioner, Leland Dudek. The unions want the court to block DOGE's access to the vast troves of personal data held by the agency.
Included in the filing is an...
Continue reading...The motion for emergency relief was filed late Friday in federal court in Maryland by the legal services group Democracy Forward against the Social Security Administration and its acting commissioner, Leland Dudek. The unions want the court to block DOGE's access to the vast troves of personal data held by the agency.
Included in the filing is an...
CDC to study vaccines and autism, despite several studies already finding no link
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will study whether vaccines cause autism, despite numerous existing studies already showing there is no link.
Continue reading...14-year-old charged with murder of Newark police officer
A 14-year-old boy has been arrested and charged with murder in the death of a Newark police officer, after shots were exchanged between police and a group.
Continue reading...USCIS employees asked to volunteer to help ICE operations
Officials staffing the U.S. legal immigration system have been asked to volunteer to help Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations, according to an internal notice obtained by CBS News, another sign the Trump administration is prioritizing deportation efforts.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) employees were asked this week to sign up for 60-day assignments — or what the government calls "details" — to assist ICE, the agency charged with carrying out President Trump's mass deportation promise.
The assignments, which...
Continue reading...U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) employees were asked this week to sign up for 60-day assignments — or what the government calls "details" — to assist ICE, the agency charged with carrying out President Trump's mass deportation promise.
The assignments, which...
As many top Democrats stay silent on Cuomo mayoral run, an accuser feels betrayed
Lindsey Boylan helped drive Andrew Cuomo from office in 2021 when the former aide came forward as the first woman to accuse the governor of sexual harassment.
At the time she had allies in high places: Every New York Democrat in Congress, the state's legislative leaders and then-President Joe Biden all condemned Cuomo's behavior and said he should resign.
But now that Cuomo is back as a serious contender in the race to be mayor of New York City, many of those top Democrats have little to say about his candidacy.
To Boylan, that feels like a...
Continue reading...At the time she had allies in high places: Every New York Democrat in Congress, the state's legislative leaders and then-President Joe Biden all condemned Cuomo's behavior and said he should resign.
But now that Cuomo is back as a serious contender in the race to be mayor of New York City, many of those top Democrats have little to say about his candidacy.
To Boylan, that feels like a...
Pope Francis responding well to treatment, Vatican says
The 88-year-old prayed on Saturday morning in the chapel of the papal suite at Rome's Gemelli Hospital, the Vatican said.
Continue reading...Israeli tourist one of two women gang-raped in India, police say
The two women were reportedly stargazing with three male tourists near a lake in Hampi, Karnataka, when they were attacked.
Continue reading...Twelve injured in shooting at Toronto pub
The three male suspects entered the pub and opened fire "indiscriminately" police say.
Continue reading...What is hantavirus, disease which killed Gene Hackman's wife?
Betsy Arakawa died from a respiratory illness linked to a rare virus transmitted by infected rodents. Here's what to know about the deadly disease.
Continue reading...Republicans demand Trump cut American legal association out of nominee process
Several Republican senators have taken issue with the American Bar Association (ABA) and are calling for President Donald Trump to take drastic action against the group. In a letter to ABA President William Bay, lawmakers said the group, which plays a key role in judicial nominations, had become "biased and ideologically captured." Now, those lawmakers want President Trump to "remove the ABA from the judicial nomination process entirely."
Sen. Eric Schmitt, Sen. Ted Cruz, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, Sen. Josh Hawley, Sen. Bernie Moreno and Sen. Mike Lee...
Continue reading...Sen. Eric Schmitt, Sen. Ted Cruz, Sen. Marsha Blackburn, Sen. Josh Hawley, Sen. Bernie Moreno and Sen. Mike Lee...