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Border arrests are little changed in December, ending Biden’s term at lowest level
By ELLIOT SPAGATUpdated 12:54 PM CST, December 30, 2024
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Arrests for illegally crossing the border from Mexico in December are little changed from a month earlier, a U.S. official said Monday, hovering near the lowest levels since July 2020 and indicating that an anticipated surge ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration as president hasn’t happened.
There were about 44,000 arrests during December as of Monday morning, suggesting the month will end close to the 46,612 arrests made in November, according to a senior U.S. Customs and Border Protection official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the count is preliminary and has not made public.
December will mark the sixth straight month that arrests for illegal crossings were less than the monthly average in 2019, the official said. It also signals that final full month of President Joe Biden’s presidency will be at or near the lowest during his four years in office.
Asked to comment on the latest numbers, the Homeland Security Department released a statement by Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, that said “swift and effective implementation” of asylum restrictions in June resulted in another month below the 2019 average. ...
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Jimmy Carter, former president and Nobel Peace Prize winner, dies at age 100
Former President Jimmy Carter built a legacy as a tireless champion for peace.
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What Jimmy Carter can teach us about life and our legacy
Not only is America saying goodbye to a president, but behind the protocol and pageantry, the Carters are saying goodbye to a father, a grandfather, an uncle, and a friend.
Trump appears to side with Musk, tech allies in debate over foreign workers roiling his supporters
Trump appears to be siding with Musk and his other backers in the tech industry as a dispute over immigration visas has divided his supporters.
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State funeral for Jimmy Carter to be held Jan. 9
The former president will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol ahead of the funeral, from Jan. 7 to Jan. 9.
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Analysis: Carter’s presidency holds foreign policy lessons for Trump | CNN Politics
Donald Trump once called Jimmy Carter a “nice man” but a “terrible president.”
www.cnn.comJimmy Carter: Many evolutions for a centenarian ‘citizen of the world’
The 39th and longest-lived U.S. president, James Earl Carter Jr., died Sunday at the age of 100. His life ended where it began, in Plains, Georgia.
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Trump endorses House Speaker Mike Johnson amid Republican infighting
President-elect Donald Trump threw his support behind Republican Mike Johnson amid a fight over House speakership that will culminate in a vote at the end of the week.
Elon Musk backs Germany's far-right party ahead of upcoming elections
Germany is to vote in an early election on Feb. 23 after Chancellor Olaf Scholz's three-party governing coalition collapsed last month.
www.cbsnews.comAn appeals court upholds a $5 million award in a sexual abuse verdict against President-elect Trump
A federal appeals court issued a written opinion upholding the $5 million award granted to E. Jean Carroll for defamation and sexual abuse.
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FBI to sports leagues: Star athletes' social media bling may attract cross-border burglary crews
The bureau sent a best-practices memo to sports leagues so athletes can avoid becoming victims, a source said. South American visitors may be involved in some break-ins.
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After cat dies from bird flu infection, experts caution against raw pet food
Raw milk and meat can be contaminated with bacteria and viruses, experts say.
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Russian foreign minister blasts Ukraine peace deal reportedly floated by Trump's team: 'Not happy'
A rumored peace deal that may be under consideration by President-elect Trump was rejected by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday.
Georgia attorney general against Fani Willis bid to retake Trump case
Chris Carr urged the state Supreme Court to reject Fani Willis’s appeal to prosecute Trump, citing conflicts and prioritizing nonpartisan prosecution options.
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From 'worst president' to 'highest respect': Trump softens opinion of Jimmy Carter in death
Donald Trump mocked Jimmy Carter as worst president in history. But after Carter's death, Trump suggested ex-leader had his 'highest respect.'
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Trump defends foreign worker visas, siding with Musk amid MAGA backlash | CNN Politics
President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday defended the visa program that allows highly skilled foreign workers to immigrate to the US, marking his first comments on an issue that has divided his supporters this week.
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Chinese hackers access U.S. Treasury Department workstations, obtain unclassified documents
The Treasury Department says Chinese hackers accessed several department workstations and unclassified documents. China denies any involvement.
www.cbsnews.comA guide to funeral services for former President Jimmy Carter
Funeral services honoring former President Jimmy Carter, who died Sunday at age 100, will be held in Georgia and Washington, D.C., beginning Saturday, Jan. 4, and concluding Thursday, Jan. 9.
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Johnson faces tough fight ahead in speaker’s race even after Trump endorsement | CNN Politics
House Speaker Mike Johnson faces a tough fight to retain the gavel even after an endorsement from Donald Trump, a test of the president-elect’s influence over his party amid the limits of an extraordinarly narrow majority.
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Whitehouse warns 'war machine' needed to combat GOP - Washington Examiner
The DNC chair election is set to take place on Feb. 1, 2025.
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Trump endorses Mike Johnson for House Speaker: Which Republican lawmakers are opposed?
House lawmakers on Friday are set to vote on the speakership amid dissatisfaction from key Republicans over Mike Johnson's leadership.
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Events scheduled around Jimmy Carter's state funeral in Washington
Here are events in Washington, Atlanta, and Plains, Ga., around the state funeral for former President Jimmy Carter, who died Sunday at age 100.
Counting down the top 5 US political moments of 2024
2024 was a presidential campaign year unlike anything else in modern history, and The Associated Press is counting down the biggest moments.
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CDC warns of 'high' respiratory virus activity as cases increase across US
Respiratory illness activity is currently considered "high" in the United States, according to the CDC. In one state, it is at a "very high" level.
A look ahead: Trump's agenda vs. Congress
Donald Trump is getting ready to battle Congress as he returns to the White House. But Washington has a way of pushing back against presidents. New York Times reporter Carl Hulse discusses the prospects of "governing by crisis."
www.cbsnews.comTreasury says Chinese hackers remotely accessed workstations, documents in 'major' cyber incident
The Treasury Department says Chinese hackers remotely accessed several employee workstations and unclassified documents after compromising a third-party software service provider.
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Analysis: After a quarter-century in power, Putin faces a new test – the return of Trump | CNN
This New Year’s Eve, Vladimir Putin marks a quarter-century as Russia’s first man. While his grip on power appears more secure than ever, fresh uncertainty lies around the corner.
www.cnn.comSouth Korean court issues warrants to detain impeached President Yoon and search his office
South Korean anti-corruption agency said it is investigating whether his declaration of martial law amounted to rebellion.
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DC US attorney to step down days before Trump inauguration - Washington Examiner
The Department of Justice, through Graves’s office, has charged nearly 1,500 people in connection to the Jan. 6, 2021, incident at the U.S. Capitol.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
5 big storylines that will shape 2025: From the Politics Desk
From a narrow House Republican majority to new leadership in the Senate to Democrats' response to Trump 2.0, here are the major questions hanging over the new year.
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Washington Post columnist attacks paper trying to reach out to 'MAGA readers': 'Logical fallacy'
Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin slammed mainstream media’s attempts to reach out to “MAGA readers" to try and appear neutral after the election.
How American presidents have planned their own funerals
Jimmy Carter’s funeral will feature an interstate choreography of grief, ceremony and logistics that is characteristic of state funerals.
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What we know about the South Korea plane crash that killed 179 people
Video of the incident showed the plane belly-landing at Muan International Airport and skidding down the runway before crashing into a wall and bursting into flames.
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Maddow on what she got wrong in 2024: I thought JD Vance would frighten more people
Rachel Maddow tells Semafor that one of the things she got wrong in the 2024 election was thinking Americans would be more "unnerved" by Republican vice president-elect JD Vance.
'No heating, no light': Moldovans fear looming energy shortage as Russia halts gas supplies
Moldovans are bracing for a difficult winter ahead as a looming energy shortage could leave them without enough energy.
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Online dating scammers bilk more money each year. A bipartisan bill seeks to stop them at the source.
The Online Dating Safety Act would require dating apps to notify users if they've been in contact with a scam account.
www.cbsnews.comJimmy Carter is being mourned in his tiny hometown and around the world
Tributes to former President Jimmy Carter are pouring in from his small hometown of Plains, Georgia, and around the world.
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Biden lauds former President Jimmy Carter's decency and character in remarks
Biden remembered Carter, who died Sunday, as someone who "lived a life measured not by words, but by his deeds."
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Democratic attorneys general gear up for return of Trump court battles | CNN Politics
When the frequent court foes of Donald Trump’s first administration look back at the early days of his presidency, they recall “building the airplane as we were flying it,” as outgoing Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson has described it. That was especially true of the intense and...
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Ethics panel closes investigations into members misusing campaign funds
The Congressional Ethics Committee gave passes to several representatives accused of misusing campaign funds.
www.washingtonexaminer.comNow Syria's long-ruling Baath party is collapsing, too
The party that for decades ruled as part of the Assad dynasty is now being blamed for damaging relations with other Arab countries and aiding in the spread of corruption that brought the war-torn nation to its knees.
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These six states banned or limited DEI at colleges and universities in 2024
Six states banned the practice of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in their educational institutions in 2024 alone.
Biden moves to bar oil, gas and geothermal development in a Nevada mountain range for 20 years
President Joe Biden’s administration is taking steps to bar oil, gas and geothermal development for 20 years in northeastern Nevada’s Ruby Mountains.
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Rep. Victoria Spartz demands 'assurances' Speaker Johnson 'won't sell us out to the swamp'
President-elect Donald Trump endorsed House Speaker Mike Johnson to retain the gavel, but Rep. Victoria Spartz is demanding "assurances" that Johnson "won't sell us out to the swamp."
Special counsel Jack Smith withdraws from appeal of classified docs case against Trump's co-defendants
Special counsel Jack Smith has withdrawn from his appeal of the classified documents case against Donald Trump's co-defendants and referred the case to state prosecutors.
Stock markets to close Jan. 9 to mourn Jimmy Carter
The New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq said they would halt trading in honor of the former president, who died at age 100.
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Federal appeals court upholds sexual abuse verdict against Trump | CNN Politics
A federal appeals court upheld the jury’s verdict finding Donald Trump sexually abused writer E. Jean Carroll and denied his request for a new trial.
www.cnn.comAnother Democratic state lawmaker in Florida is joining the Republican party
Following Florida Democrats’ losses on Election Day, a second state lawmaker has announced she’s switching her party affiliation and joining the Republican caucus.
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Concerns grow after Israeli forces detain the director of besieged Gaza hospital
Video captured outside Kamal Adwan Hospital shows its director, Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, walking toward a military vehicle along a street strewn with rubble and lined with destroyed buildings.
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Trump’s convincing 2024 victory sets House GOP up for homefield advantage in 2026 midterm elections
Republicans will work to defend their fragile House majority in the 2026 midterm elections, but thanks to Trump's convincing 2024 victory, the GOP will enjoy some home-field advantage in key congressional races
South Korea plane crash: Officials investigate over 100 Boeing aircraft in operation
After a deadly plane crash in South Korea, authorities are conducting a full investigation on 101 of the same model of aircraft that are operating in six local airlines.
Outside the White House, visitors reflect on the legacy of Jimmy Carter
Visitors to Washington, DC recall Jimmy Carter as a man who led by example.
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Former President Jimmy Carter dies at 100
Carter had been in hospice care since February 2023 at his home in Plains, Georgia, where he lived with his wife of 77 years, Rosalynn Carter.
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Liberal Media Scream: Eleventh-hour CBS admission of ‘undeniable’ Biden brain fog - Washington Examiner
Having known about it for months or longer, now, the media are promising to call out health problems when they see them.
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U.S. sends billions more in aid to Ukraine, likely last tranche of Biden's presidency
President Biden said the U.S. will "work relentlessly" to strengthen Ukraine during his final days in office.
www.cbsnews.comSenator's son sentenced to 28 years for killing a North Dakota deputy during a car chase
A North Dakota judge sentenced Ian Cramer, the son of U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer, to 28 years in prison.
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Texas building dozens of miles of border wall despite Biden's defiance
Texas has continued to build border wall along its shared boundary with Mexico despite the Biden administration's cancellation of all Trump-era contracts.
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'The first to sue': Opposing Trump's desire to end birthright citizenship is personal for this attorney general
The son of immigrants is among 23 Democratic attorneys general likely to be regularly suing the incoming Trump administration over contentious policies.
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Newly released pictures show Joe Biden meeting Hunter Biden’s Chinese business partners | CNN Politics
Newly released pictures show then-Vice President Joe Biden meeting some of his son Hunter Biden’s Chinese business partners during an official visit to the country, as well as Hunter meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping and other senior officials.
www.cnn.comJimmy Carter and Playboy: How ‘the weirdo factor’ rocked ’76
Jimmy Carter already had drawn months of media scrutiny as a devout Southern Baptist running for president.
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These decisions about refugees weren’t popular. Jimmy Carter made them anyway | CNN Politics
These steps President Jimmy Carter took while in office are still shaping the United States more than four decades later. But they didn’t help him at the polls.
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Democrats and Republicans honor former President Jimmy Carter's lifetime of service
Politicians recognized Carter for his presidential accomplishments and humanitarian work after he left the White House.
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'A community of galactic civilizations': Jimmy Carter's decades-old message for aliens
The message from then-President Carter was attached in 1977 to the Voyager spacecrafts that are currently floating through interstellar space.
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Kansas once required voters to prove citizenship. That didn't work out so well
Republicans made claims about illegal voting by noncitizens a centerpiece of their 2024 campaign messaging.
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Dr. Leana Wen says for bird flu, "we should have learned our lesson from COVID" in testing
"I feel like we should've learned our lesson from COVID, that just because we aren't testing doesn't mean the virus isn't there," Dr. Leana Wen said.
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Trump says Bill Gates asked to meet in apparent message to Musk | CNN Politics
In a message that appeared to be intended as a private communication to Elon Musk, President-elect Donald Trump said in a social media post Friday that Microsoft founder Bill Gates had asked to meet with him
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Fire rips through one of Gaza’s last hospitals; Israel detains director
NBC News’ crew in Gaza captured a blaze tearing through several units, with volunteers attempting to douse the flames with buckets of water, or sifting through smoldering rubble.
www.nbcnews.comJet crash disaster in South Korea marks another setback for Boeing
For decades, Boeing has maintained a role as one of the giants of American manufacturing. But the the past year's repeated troubles have been damaging.
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US transfers Guantanamo detainee to Tunisia, leaving 26 at Cuba facility
The U.S. Department of Defense on Monday announced that Guantanamo Bay detainee Ridah Bin Saleh al-Yazidi had been repatriated to Tunisia.
Jimmy Carter's extraordinary life in pictures, from peanut farm to White House to Nobel Prize
Former President Jimmy Carter, who died Sunday at the age of 100, led an extraordinary life that began at a peanut farm in Plains, Georgia, and went on to include four years in the world's most powerful office.
www.cbsnews.comLessons from the elections held in 70 countries in 2024
Some 70 countries that are home to half the world’s population held elections in 2024, and voters' message was often: “You’re fired.”
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Natural gas spikes due to warnings of January cold snap in much of US
Natural gas futures surged due to forecasts that an arctic blast is expected to hit much of the East Coast and Southern states.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
US appeals court upholds Trump verdict in E. Jean Carroll defamation case
In a separate case, Trump was also ordered by a jury to pay Carroll more than $80 million in damages for the defamatory statements, though the president-elect’s appeal of that decision is still pending.
Read Trump's statements on Jimmy Carter's death
After Jimmy Carter's death Sunday at the age of 100, President-elect Donald Trump said "we all owe him a debt of gratitude."
www.cbsnews.comGerman government seeks to downplay Musk's backing of far-right party ahead of general election
The German government has sought to downplay efforts by tech entrepreneur Elon Musk to get involved in the country’s general election campaign by repeatedly endorsing the far-right Alternative for Germany, or AfD, party.
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Judge allows charges to proceed against 5 people in connection with Liam Payne's death
The Argentinian Public Prosecutor's Office revealed Monday that five people had been charged in connection with the death of singer Liam Payne.
Trump gives Johnson 'complete and total endorsement' ahead of speakership fight
President-elect Donald Trump gave his "complete" and "total" endorsement of Mike Johnson ahead of next month's expected fight to hold onto the House speakership.
Wyoming governor approves $100 million sale of state land to join Grand Teton National Park
Wyoming will sell a 1-square-mile parcel of pristine, state-owned land bordering Grand Teton National Park to the U.S. government for $100 million.
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The plane that crashed in South Korea is one of the world's most popular aircraft
There are nearly 4,400 Boeing 737-800s in service around the globe.
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What's closed on January 9? What to know about national day of mourning for Jimmy Carter
Following Joe Biden's declaration, various organizations like the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq announced that they would be closed to honor of Carter.
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US to send $1.25 billion in weapons to Ukraine, pushing to get aid out before Biden leaves office
U.S. officials say the United States is expected to announce it will send another $1.25 billion in military assistance to Ukraine.
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Gun reforms, police training and social media: Laws going into effect in 2025
From gun reform to agriculture, hundreds of laws and amendments will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2025. Here are a few to know.
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State of emergency declared in Trinidad and Tobago as government launches anti-gang crackdown
The move comes after a weekend of deadly gang-related violence and reprisal shootings.
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Marc Elias's tactics helped Trump this election - Washington Examiner
An FEC ruling thanks to Democratic lawyer Marc Elias ended up giving an assist to Trump and is poised to reshape the campaign finance system.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt reach divorce settlement after 8 years
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have reached a divorce settlement, bringing an apparent end to one of the longest and most contentious divorces in Hollywood history
Jimmy Carter sought to expand democracy worldwide long after he left the White House
Jimmy Carter helped expand democracy around the world long after he left the White House. His efforts gave rise to the Carter Center, which promotes fair elections as a vehicle for peace.
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Analysis: Jimmy Carter never appointed a Supreme Court justice, but he left a remarkable judicial legacy | CNN Politics
Jimmy Carter, who served a single full presidential term without the chance to appoint a Supreme Court justice, nonetheless left behind an incomparable judicial legacy.
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Carter feuded with successor presidents, once had shouting match with Bill Clinton
Deceased President Jimmy Carter feuded with multiple presidents after he left office, including with former presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.
'I'm euphoric': Ukrainian POWs reunite with their families after release in swap deal with Russia
Russia and Ukraine exchanged prisoners of war on Monday, according to Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. (AP video: Vasilisa Stepanenko, Volodymyr Yurchuk)
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Biden's Defense Department announces new multi-billion-dollar aid packages for Ukraine
The Biden White House announced billions of dollars of additional military assistance to Ukraine in a final push ahead of the impending Trump administration.
US Attorney for DC resigns as crime hits 50-year low ahead of Trump's inauguration
U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew Graves, who was nominated by President Joe Biden, has served in the role for more than three years.
What the only battleground Democrat to do better than Trump says his party needs to learn | CNN Politics
Josh Stein’s victory in this year’s North Carolina governor’s race was huge. And his opponent was widely seen as the weakest Republican in a major race this cycle.
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Treasury Department hit in cyberbreach by China-sponsored actor, officials say
The “major” breach was achieved by gaining access to a third party cybersecurity service.
Democrats launched 'calculated effort' to undermine SCOTUS since Dobbs, CBS reporter says
CBS News correspondent Jan Crawford argued Sunday that Senate Democrats have sought to undermine the Supreme Court since its landmark Dobbs decision in 2022.
Middle East latest: Israel intercepts Houthi missile fired from Yemen
Israel’s military says it intercepted a missile fired toward the country by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. The attack set off sirens late Monday in central areas of Israel, including Tel Aviv.
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ACLU 'ready to return to the courts' to thwart Trump immigration plans
ACLU leadership warned two days after the election that the organization stood ready to take on Donald Trump and his immigration policies again.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
Joe Biden praises 'dear friend' Jimmy Carter after the former president's death
President Joe Biden praised his 'dear friend' Jimmy Carter after the former president died at the age of 100 at his Georgia home on Sunday.
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Syria's de facto leader says it could take up to 4 years to hold elections
A war monitor in Syria says an Israeli airstrike in the outskirts of Damascus killed at least 11 people.
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Uncovering the atrocities of the Assad regime at its 'death factory' on the hill
Sednaya prison was the site where thousands of Syrians were tortured and killed under Assad’s regime. Investigators have uncovered mass graves, and are calling for justice.
The winds of change: Offshore wind’s role in a future Trump administration - Washington Examiner
The offshore wind industry is optimistic the renewable power source can play a role in President-elect Donald Trump's energy agenda, despite his critiques.
www.washingtonexaminer.com
How major US stock indexes fared Monday, 12/30/2024
Stocks fell on Wall Street as a strong year for the market looks set to end on a sour note. The S&P 500 closed 1.1% lower Monday.
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Jimmy Carter remembered as statesman and humanitarian as world leaders respond to his death at 100
World leaders react to the death of Jimmy Carter, the 39th president, who strived to improve the lives of Americans and people around the world for decades after his presidency.
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President Biden marks Jan. 9 as national day of mourning after Jimmy Carter's death
President Joe Biden marked Jan. 9 as a national day of mourning in honor of the death of former President Jimmy Carter.
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Biden and his aides confront idea he still could have beaten Trump - Washington Examiner
Biden and several of his aides have reportedly told people recently that he could have beaten Donald Trump in spite of the uphill battle he faced.
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Daily Briefing: The longest-living former president
Former President Jimmy Carter dies at 100. Here is the news to know on Monday.
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Jimmy Carter nears the top of America's 'Most Admired Man' list, according to Gallup
The late president Jimmy Carter frequently made the top 10 of Gallup's "Most Admired Man List," the analytics firm said.
Transcript: Philanthropist and author David Rubenstein on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Dec. 29, 2024
The following is the full transcript of an interview with David Rubenstein, philanthropist and author, on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" that aired on Dec. 29, 2024.
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Transcript: Aditya Bhave on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Dec. 29. 2024
The following is a transcript of an interview with Aditya Bhave, senior economist at Bank of America, on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" that aired on Dec. 29, 2024.
www.cbsnews.comTranscript: Dr. Leana Wen on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Dec. 29. 2024
The following is the full transcript of an interview with Dr. Leana Wen on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" that aired on Dec. 29, 2024.
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Full transcript of "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Dec. 29, 2024
On this "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" broadcast, the annual correspondents' roundtable and Dr. Leana Wen join Major Garrett.
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