Trump eyes executive order to save TikTok as ban nears: Reports
President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly weighing action to delay TikTok’s looming ban as the app’s deadline to sell approaches. Congress passed a law last year requiring TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to divest its American assets, citing national security concerns.
The ban will reportedly take effect Sunday, Jan. 19, unless lawmakers take action.
The potential ban sparked concern among TikTok’s 170 million U.S. users. Many rely on the app for income and content creation. Analysts highlighted risks, including the potential rise of unregulated Chinese alternatives with similar security issues.
Trump’s incoming administration expressed a willingness to address security concerns while preserving the platform.
TikTok CEO Shou Chew plans to attend Trump’s inauguration. Trump invited him to sit “in a position of honor on the dais, where former presidents, family members, and other important guests traditionally are seated,” according to reports. This development marks a significant shift in Trump’s relationship with TikTok. His first administration sought to ban the platform outright.
Reports indicated Trump warmed to TikTok after his campaign saw a surge in popularity on the app during the 2024 election.
Incoming National Security Adviser Mike Waltz said, “TikTok itself is a fantastic platform. We’re going to find a way to preserve it but protect people’s data, and that’s the deal that will be in front of us.”
Outgoing President Joe Biden’s administration also explored ways to soften the ban’s impact during its final days. Officials reportedly considered options to avoid an immediate shutdown. This includes measures to allow the app to continue operating temporarily while ensuring compliance with the law.
TikTok challenged the divestiture requirement in court, arguing it violates the First Amendment right to free speech.
The Supreme Court heard arguments last week and appeared poised to uphold the law. Trump is reportedly considering an executive order to postpone the ban for 60-90 days to allow further negotiations.
Biden’s administration has not committed to blocking the ban but delayed immediate enforcement. Biden’s allies, including lawmakers like Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., called on the White House to extend the timeline.
“I’m hopeful that President Biden will listen to the millions of voices who don’t want the lights to go out on this app,” Khanna said.
Congressional supporters of the ban argued TikTok’s ties to Beijing pose risks to user data and content control.
Chief Justice John Roberts, during Supreme Court arguments, pointed to Congress’ finding that TikTok’s parent company is subject to Chinese laws, saying, “So are we supposed to ignore the fact that the ultimate parent is, in fact, subject to doing intelligence work for the Chinese government?”
Biden warns of ‘oligarchy’ and ‘tech-industrial complex’ in farewell speech
President Joe Biden’s farewell speech to America on Wednesday included several warnings. And a ceasefire deal to end more than a year of fighting in the Middle East between Israel and Hamas hit a snag. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025.
Biden warns of ‘oligarchy,’ ‘tech-industrial complex’ in farewell speech
Speaking from the Oval Office one last time, President Joe Biden delivered his farewell address Wednesday night, Jan. 15. Biden spoke on reforms he would like to see in Washington and issued a stark warning detailing his concerns about what he sees as a concentration of power among the ultra-wealthy and the risks of technology.
In what is likely his final address to the nation after a political career spanning five decades, Biden opened his speech with the ceasefire deal in Gaza announced earlier in the day. He said he kept the incoming administration fully informed during the process.
He said some of his top accomplishments in office include job growth following the pandemic, infrastructure modernization and Medicare reform, telling Americans it will take time to feel the full impact of what has been achieved.
With the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump just days away, Biden said he would ensure a peaceful transfer of power, but he did have a warning.
“Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead,” Biden said. “We see the consequences all across America, and we’ve seen it before. More than a century ago, the American people stood up to the robber barons back then and busted the trusts. They didn’t punish the wealthy. They just made the wealthy play by the rules everybody else had. Workers want rights to earn their fair share.”
Referencing former President Dwight Eisenhower’s concerns about a military-industrial complex six decades ago, Biden said he’s equally concerned about the dangers of a potential rise of a tech-industrial complex.
“Americans are being buried under an avalanche of misinformation and disinformation enabling the abuse of power,” he said. “The free press is crumbling. Editors are disappearing. Social media is giving up on fact-checking. The truth is smothered by lies told for power and for profit. We must hold the social platforms accountable to protect our children, our families and our very democracy from the abuse of power.”
Biden remarked on the rise of artificial intelligence, calling it the most consequential technology of our time. He emphasized that the U.S., not China, must lead the race.
The president also spoke of his hopes for change in the nation’s capital, calling for an end of hidden funding called “dark money” from campaign contributions, a ban on stock trading from members of Congress and for the U.S. to enact an 18-year term limit on Supreme Court justices. He also called for the U.S. Constitution to be amended.
“We need to amend the Constitution to make clear that no president, no president is immune from crimes that he or she commits while in office,” Biden asserted. “The president’s power is not limit[less] — it is not absolute. And it shouldn’t be.”
In closing, Biden called on Americans to stay engaged in democracy. Telling the story of a veteran who worked at the Statue of Liberty, known as the Keeper of the Flame, he said America will always be defined by one word: “possibilities.”
“My eternal thanks to you, the American people,” Biden said. “After 50 years of public service, I give you my word, I still believe in the idea for which this nation stands [for] — a nation where the strength of our institutions and the character of our people matter and must endure. Now it’s your turn to stand guard. May you all be the keeper of the flame. May you keep the faith. I love America. You love it, too.”
Republicans, Democrats react to Biden’s farewell address
Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., wrote on X, “Joe Biden discussing democracy, a free press, institutions and the abuse of power in his final farewell speech is rich.”
Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., also weighed in, writing, “Joe Biden’s going out of office the same way he went in: petty, partisan and frankly not telling the truth.”
“President Biden’s ‘farewell address’ should have been a formal apology for the endless lawfare, inflation-fueling policies and reckless decisions made during his administration,” Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida added.
Democrats responded differently.
“Tonight, President Biden delivered his farewell address to a nation that is stronger because of his leadership,” former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said. “In doing so, he honored the vision of founders, the sacrifice of our men and women in uniform and the aspirations of our children.”
Former President Barack Obama also responded to his former vice president.
“Four years ago, in the middle of a pandemic, we needed a leader with the character to put politics aside and do what was right. That’s what Joe Biden did… I’m grateful to Joe for his leadership, his friendship and his lifetime of service to this country we love,” Obama said.
Netanyahu says cabinet won’t meet over ceasefire deal with Hamas yet
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said his cabinet will not meet to approve the deal for a ceasefire in Gaza until Hamas ends a “last-minute crisis.” The decision comes after Netanyahu’s office said Hamas retracted on some of the terms of the agreement but did not specify which.
Even as a deal seems close or even imminent, Israeli strikes continued in the Gaza Strip, with the territory’s health ministry reporting at least 48 people killed over the past day.
Under the three-phase ceasefire agreement, fighting will stop in Gaza for 42 days. Thirty-three Israeli hostages, including two Americans, and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners will be freed during the first phase. It is set to go into effect Sunday, Jan. 19.
The remainder of the hostages, including Israeli male soldiers, are to be released during the second phase. Hamas said it will not release the remaining captives without a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal.
Israeli troops will pull back to the edges of Gaza and many Palestinians will be able to return to what remains of their homes — something many people took to the streets to celebrate. Israel is also set to allow a flood of humanitarian aid into the region.
The Associated Press reported Thursday morning that mediators from Egypt, Qatar and the U.S. will meet in Cairo on Thursday for talks on implementing the deal.
On Truth Social, Trump said his administration will continue to work closely with Israel to make sure Gaza never again becomes what he called a “terrorist safe haven.”
Crews work to control Los Angeles area wildfires as winds die down
The National Weather Service lifted the red flag warning for the Los Angeles area Wednesday night as winds died down. Strong winds have made it harder for fire crews to battle the flames.
However, dangerous fire and weather conditions are expected to return next week.
Good news: We are expecting a much-needed break from the fire weather concerns to close this week. Bad News: Next week is a concern. While confident that we will NOT see a repeat of last week, dangerous fire weather conditions are expected. #cawx#PalisadesFire#EatonFirepic.twitter.com/zhXmHUWtgp
This comes as firefighters still work to contain the two biggest, deadliest and most destructive fires in Southern California. The Palisades and Eaton fires continue to rage in the Los Angeles area.
Plus, a new vegetation fire broke out in the San Bernardino area Wednesday afternoon.
The Eaton and Palisades fires have not grown much over the past few days, but they are both still largely uncontained. Fire officials reported some progress in the desperate fight to extinguish the flames.
Meanwhile, the Little Mountain fire in San Bernardino spans over 30 acres at 0% containment. Police arrested a man in connection with that fire on two felony charges, including one of reckless burning.
Senate confirmation hearings continue as Inauguration Day nears
Senate confirmation hearings continue Thursday, Jan. 16, as President-elect Donald Trump’s picks for interior secretary, EPA administrator, housing and urban development secretary and treasury secretary answer questions from lawmakers.
“To my knowledge, Donald Trump has never acknowledged the legal results of the 2020 election,” Democratic Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin said to Bondi. “Are you prepared to say today, under oath without reservation, that Donald Trump lost the presidential contest to Joe Biden in 2020?”
Bondi replied, “Ranking Member Durbin, President Biden is the president of the United States. He was duly sworn in, and he is the President of the United States. There was a peaceful transition of power. President Trump left office and was overwhelmingly elected in 2024.”
Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, Trump’s pick for secretary of state, also had his hearing Wednesday. Straight Arrow News political correspondent Ray Bogan has a complete breakdown of what happened here.
Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket lifts off on first space flight
Thursday morning saw a big win for billionaire Jeff Bezos’ space company, Blue Origin, as its New Glenn rocket blasted off into orbit.
The company’s first rocket powerful enough to launch satellites into space took off just after 2 a.m. ET from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. All seven of its engines fired successfully.
Blue Origin marked the mission a success after demonstration technology on board, called the Blue Ring Pathfinder, was safely carried to orbit.
However, the company did not reach its bonus goal of guiding part of the New Glenn rocket back to a safe landing on a platform in the middle of the ocean after takeoff.
It took rival SpaceX four tries to get a similar maneuver right.
Still, Blue Origin stressed its most important goal was for the test satellite to reach orbit. NASA intends to use the New Glenn rocket to launch two orbiters to Mars in the future.
Biden administration finalizes ban on Chinese, Russian tech in passenger cars
President Joe Biden’s outgoing administration finalized rules Tuesday, Jan. 14 to ban the sale and import of Chinese and Russian tech in connected passenger vehicles. The move is Biden’s last push to address national security concerns tied to the auto industry.
The Commerce Department said the systems from those foreign adversaries pose unacceptably high risks and open the door to spying or interference.
The features include components that connect vehicles to the outside world, including Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, as well as self-driving systems. The software bans start with 2027 model year cars, while for hardware, it begins with 2030 model year cars.
General Motors and Ford build some vehicles in China, including the Buick Envision and the Lincoln Nautilus, which will be impacted by the new ruling.
Volvo also makes the S90 sedan in China, as well as sister brand Polestar with the Polestar 2 EV sedan.
The Alliance for Automotive Innovation trade group, which represents several automakers, said the new rules are fair and acknowledged the risks of foreign tech.
The group’s CEO, John Bozzella, also said the timing of the rules going into effect a few years from now strikes a good balance because changing the “world’s most complex supply chain can’t happen overnight.”
The rule not only applies to the import and sale of Russian and Chinese-made cars but also to any cars that have Russian or Chinese technology in them, even if the cars are assembled or manufactured in the U.S.
The Commerce Department said it plans to create another rule for large vehicles like buses and trucks in the future, but it’s not clear exactly when that will happen.
The new rule comes as President Biden also signed an executive order to fast-track the development of artificial intelligence infrastructure, paving the way to lease federal land for companies that agree to build AI data centers. This goes along with new trade restrictions to curb the sale of AI chips from Nvidia and other data centers around the world.
While the incoming Trump administration could reverse some of Biden’s latest steps, Trump could keep some of the policies involving China, given there’s wide bipartisan agreement on national security risks.
Democrats and Republicans criticize Biden over Cuba terror list removal
One of President Biden’s final foreign policy decisions in the White House to remove Cuba from the state sponsor of terrorism list has caused criticism from both sides of the political aisle. Sources tell The Associated Press that senior Biden administration officials who previewed the plan say dozens of political prisoners and others considered by the U.S. to be unjustly detained would be released by the end of the Biden administration at noon on Jan. 20.
The Catholic Church has been negotiating with Cuba’s communist-run government to facilitate the prisoner release.
The plan would also ease some economic pressure on Cuba, as well as a 2017 memorandum issued by then-President Donald Trump toughening U.S. position toward Cuba.
Reaction from Republicans
Republican officials are criticizing Biden’s choice, including Rep. María Elvira Salazar, R-Fla., who said on X, “Cuba is a leading sponsor of terrorism harboring, training and enabling Hamas, Hezbollah and other terrorist enemies of the U.S.”
Once again, the Democrats have BETRAYED the Cubans!
Shame on the entire Biden Administration for taking Cuba off the State Sponsor of Terrorism list.
Cuba is a LEADING sponsor of Terrorism, harboring, training & enabling Hamas, Hezbollah & other terrorist enemies of the USA. pic.twitter.com/4u9slVJCae
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, also weighed in on the decision.
“These moves do incredible damage to American national security and send a message to our adversaries that they can rely on outgoing democrat administrations – and wait out pressure from republican administrations – to continue engaging in terrorism and other aggression against Americans,” Cruz said in a statement.
Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis condemned the decision.
“The Biden administration continues on its quest to leave as much wreckage behind on its way out the door as possible,” DeSantis said on X.
The Biden Administration continues on its quest to leave as much wreckage behind on its way out the door as possible. Cuba should not be removed from the list of state sponsors of terrorism. The communist dictatorship in Cuba is one of the most repressive regimes in the world and…
Florida’s Democratic Party is also criticizing Biden. Democratic Party chair, Nikki Fried, released a statement disagreeing with the action.
“While any return of political prisoners from the clutches of communist Cuba is cause for celebration, the regime’s treatment of the Cuban people continues to be one of the biggest human rights violations of the last century,” Fried said on X.
The Florida Democratic Party condemns the removal of Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism.
Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y. disagrees with the administration’s decision as well.
“Do the majority of Cuban Americans support the removal of Cuba, an adversary of the U.S., from the list of state sponsors of terrorism?” Torres said on X. “If the answer is ‘no,’ then why is the Biden administration unnecessarily alienating Cuban Americans?”
Do the majority of Cuban Americans support the removal of Cuba, an adversary of the US, from the list of state sponsors of terrorism?
If the answer is ‘no,’ then why is the Biden Administration unnecessarily alienating Cuban Americans? I agree with the Florida Democratic… https://t.co/X9YDDl67gE
However, Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., applauds the decision.
“I welcome the Biden administration’s steps to remove Cuba from the state sponsor of terrorism list – a long overdue action that will help normalize relations with our neighbor,” Omar said in a statement.
Will the decision stay?
The move probably won’t last though, with President-elect Trump’s team likely to reverse the decision.
His choice for secretary of state, Marco Rubio, has backed punitive measures against the island’s government.
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo designated Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism in January 2021. He said Cuba hadn’t followed through on commitments it made to President Barack Obama in 2015.
Cuba was one of just four nations designated as state sponsors of terrorism, along with North Korea, Iran and Syria.
TikTok plans for Sunday shutdown, US employees to stay on payroll after ban
Unless the U.S. Supreme Court intervenes, TikTok plans to shut down for U.S. users on Sunday, Jan. 19, according to company insiders who spoke with The Information. The long-anticipated TikTok ban in the U.S. is just days away and new details are emerging about what that will look like for users. While the law banning TikTok would prevent new downloads of the app, existing users would still be able to access it for some time.
However, TikTok says under its plan, access will be disabled. Users who try to open the app will see a pop-up message directing them to a website with information about the ban. The company will also offer users the option to download their data.
If the ban goes into effect and is later lifted, TikTok sources say they will be able to bring the app back online quickly.
TikTok has also reassured its U.S. employees that their jobs will remain safe, even if the app is shut down.
In an internal memo obtained by The Verge, the company confirmed that “employment, pay, and benefits are secure, and our offices will remain open, even if this situation hasn’t been resolved before the January 19 deadline.”
This comes after a law signed by President Joe Biden last year, which gives TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, until Jan. 19 to sell its U.S. assets or face a nationwide ban due to national security concerns.
During oral arguments on the TikTok case last week, some analysts suggested that the Supreme Court is likely to uphold the ban, despite President-elect Donald Trump’s calls for a delay.
TikTok currently has 170 million users in the U.S. The app is already partially or completely banned in more than a dozen countries, including the European Union.
Biden works to lock in climate and clean energy funding before Trump takes office
The Biden administration is making final efforts to secure billions of dollars in funding for climate change and clean energy initiatives before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. To date, $74 billion from the Inflation Reduction Act has been allocated to renewable energy, electric vehicles and other environmental projects.
White House officials are working to finalize these commitments to make them harder to reverse. Trump has pledged to rescind any unspent funds, describing the Inflation Reduction Act as the “greatest scam in the history of any country.”
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has also indicated plans to reassess climate-related tax credits, labeling them “wasteful.”
While the majority of the legislation’s funding has been allocated, approximately a fifth of its available money, or $20 billion, remains unspent and potentially vulnerable to rollback.
This includes financing for climate-smart agriculture, home energy efficiency upgrades, conservation programs and coastal community support.
Despite Trump’s expected attempts to curtail parts of the Inflation Reduction Act, experts suggest a complete dismantling of it is unlikely. Over 75% of the bill’s announced spending has occurred in Republican districts, creating thousands of jobs, which has reportedly left some GOP lawmakers hesitant to pursue a full repeal.
South Korean president reacts to arrest after massive police operation
The death toll rises slightly as relentless Southern California wildfires continue to burn. And President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for defense secretary wins over a key senator for his confirmation. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025.
South Korean president arrested in massive police operation
After weeks of avoiding arrest, South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol is in custody after a massive law enforcement operation Wednesday morning, Jan. 15.
Investigators with the country’s anti-corruption agency arrested Yoon for questioning in multiple criminal investigations related to his short-lived declaration of martial law in December 2024, including accusations of leading an insurrection — a crime punishable by life imprisonment or even the death penalty in South Korea.
Following his arrest, which saw around 3,000 police officers descending on his residence, Yoon released a pre-recorded video message calling the investigations “illegal,” saying “rule of law in this country has completely collapsed” and adding that he only agreed to cooperate with the investigation to prevent violence. The embattled president avoided arrest for weeks, holed up in his fortified residence and surrounded by his presidential security team.
President Yoon Suk Yeol has been taken into custody, but he again reached out to his supporters decrying the investigation as illegal and that he was complying with the warrant to avoid "bloodshed."#SouthKorea#news Here is the break down: https://t.co/mn8CM5nRoIpic.twitter.com/Qks6ganmiU
Officials said that so far, Yoon has refused to answer investigators’ questions or comment and will not allow the sessions to be recorded.
The anti-corruption agency has 48 hours to request a court order for a formal arrest on a charge of attempting a rebellion or release Yoon. If Yoon is formally arrested, investigators can extend his detention to 20 days before transferring the case to public prosecutors for indictment.
South Korea is a key American ally. The U.S. has nearly 30,000 troops stationed there. In addition, President Joe Biden hosted Yoon for a state visit in Washington, D.C. in April 2023.
Southern California wildfire death toll rises to 25, ‘dangerous situation warning’ issued
The National Weather Service issued a warning that the Los Angeles California area is “not out of the woods yet,” even though winds were not as strong as expected on Tuesday, Jan. 14. Wind gusts are forecast to pick up Wednesday, with a dangerous situation warning in effect from 3 a.m. to 3 p.m. PST for parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
Evacuation orders remain in place for 88,000 Los Angeles residents. About 90,000 others remain in evacuation warning zones, meaning they might need to leave at a moment’s notice. A total of 6 million people are under a critical fire threat.
The death toll from the fires rose to 25 on Tuesday. The Eaton and Palisades fires — burning for a full week — are now considered the most destructive and second-most destructive wildfires in Southern California history.
The Palisades fire remains the largest, scorching nearly 24,000 acres of land. It is only 18% contained, a small improvement from Tuesday’s 14% containment.
The Eaton fire spans about 14,000 acres and is now 35% contained. The Auto fire in Ventura County grew slightly from 56 to 60 acres but is now 47% contained, according to CalFire’s latest update.
As of Wednesday morning, five fires continued to scorch the region, with winds forecast to hit 70 miles an hour later Wednesday and into Thursday, Jan. 16.
Pete Hegseth faces tough questions on Capitol Hill
Late Tuesday night, Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, told Fox News she’d vote to confirm Hegseth. She was on the fence ahead of the hearing, and many Democrats hoped she would vote no. Her support for Hegseth could put him over the top.
The hearings continue Wednesday for several nominees, including Trump’s picks for attorney general, Pam Bondi; secretary of state, Marco Rubio; and CIA director, John Ratcliffe.
Find Straight Arrow News political correspondent Ray Bogan’s full recap of Tuesday’s proceedings here.
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission files lawsuit against Elon Musk over X shares
Elon Musk, one of the heads of Trump’s newly created Department of Government Efficiency, faces a new lawsuit over his social media company X. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a lawsuit against Musk.
Since Trump appointed Musk to co-lead the Department of Government Efficiency during his second term, it’s unlikely the incoming Trump administration will pursue this lawsuit.
US watchdog sues Capital One, alleges bank cheated customers out of $2B
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is suing Capital One, saying the bank misled consumers about its offerings for high-interest savings accounts and cheated customers out of more than $2 billion in interest payments.
The lawsuit, filed on Tuesday, focuses on Capital One’s promises and handling of its “360 Savings” accounts. The Bureau said despite promoting 360 Savings as an account that provides one of the nation’s highest interest rates, Capital One froze its rate at a low level for at least several years, even as interest rates rose nationally.
The CFPB said that at the same time, Capital One created “360 Performance Savings,” which saw a much higher growth rate but did not notify 360 Savings account holders about the new offering and instead “worked to keep them in the dark.”
The lawsuit alleges the company marketed the products similarly to obscure their distinction and banned employees from “proactively telling” those with 360 Savings accounts about 360 Performance Savings.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is seeking to impose civil penalties on Capital One and provide financial relief to those impacted.
Musicians come together for benefit concerts to support wildfire victims
With the wildfires in California impacting so many people and uprooting people’s lives, entertainers are coming together to hold benefit concerts to support the victims.
Ringo Starr is taking the famous song lyrics, “I get by with a little help from my friends,” seriously. The former Beatles drummer is holding a two-night benefit concert this week in Nashville. It will feature guest performances from Jack White, Sheryl Crow and “War and Treaty.”
Funds from the concert, which will air as a special on CBS later this year, will be directed to the American Red Cross.
Live Nation is gearing up for its benefit concert, titled “FireAid,” to be held on Jan. 30. Sources told TMZ the response from musicians has been so overwhelming that the event will likely be held in two different venues.
Live Nation is expected to announce the lineup within days.
Hamas accepts draft deal for fragile Gaza ceasefire: Officials
A ceasefire could soon be on the horizon in Gaza. Two officials say Hamas has accepted a draft agreement that would halt its war with Israel.
An Israeli official told the Associated Press that the two sides were still finalizing the details. However, the deal could wind down more than 15 months of fighting, which started when Hamas launched attacks into Israel, killing roughly 1,200 people and taking hundreds more as hostages.
Since then, Israel has launched strikes and invaded Gaza, killing at least 46,000 people based on official Palestinian estimates. A peer-reviewed academic study published last week in the top medical journal, The Lancet, suggested that the number could be as high as 64,000.
On Tuesday, Jan. 14, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken suggested the sides were nearing a deal.
“I believe we will get a ceasefire,” Blinken said. “And whether we get there, the remaining days of our administration or after Jan. 20, I believe the deal will follow closely the terms of the agreement that President Biden put forward last May, and our administration rallied the world behind.”
Under the proposed deal, the two sides would fulfill terms in three phases.
Phase one, the first 42 days, would see Hamas release 33 hostages and Israel release 30 Palestinian prisoners. Israeli soldiers would move further out from the center of Gaza, while displaced Palestinians would move back in.
During phase two, which encompasses the following 42 days, Hamas would release the remaining hostages in exchange for a to-be-determined number of Palestinian prisoners and Israeli troops withdrawing from Gaza.
Phase three would involve exchanges of dead bodies between the two sides, the reopening of Gaza’s border crossings, and a plan to rebuild Gaza.
While officials suggest this is the closest the two sides have come to a deal, previous talks have fallen apart. And the agreement could break if either side fails to meet its requisites during any phase.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would also need his cabinet to approve the deal.
Biden makes late foreign policy moves on Cuba and Asia-Pacific nations
President Joe Biden is making some final foreign policy moves with less than a week left in office. His latest actions address U.S. relations with two adversaries: Cuba and China.
Biden will drop Cuba from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism and reverse some of then-President Donald Trump’s actions tightening U.S. policies toward Cuba.
In return, Cuba will release hundreds of political prisoners before Biden leaves office, according to senior Biden administration officials speaking anonymously. In total, Cuba says it will release 553 people as part of the deal, brokered by the Catholic Church.
President-elect Trump will have the power to reverse the declaration. His pick for secretary of state, Marco Rubio, is the son of Cuban immigrants who fled before the current ruling communist government took power in 1959. Rubio has called for more sanctions against Cuba.
Biden also sent Congress notice asking them to approve agreements with three Asia-Pacific countries: Thailand, Palau and the Marshall Islands.
All three deals could help the U.S. build alliances in a region where China is asserting its control.
The deal with Thailand is a 30-year nuclear cooperation agreement that calls for sharing unclassified nuclear equipment to help Thailand produce energy.
Meanwhile, the deals with Palau and the Marshall Islands are free association agreements. The U.S. provides services like disaster relief and postal infrastructure in exchange for a U.S. military presence in the countries.
The incoming Trump administration has not signaled major opposition to these deals. The president-elect will work to rein in China’s global influence during his term.
Johnson says Capitol will raise flags to full-staff for Trump inauguration
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., says the U.S. Capitol will fly its flags at full-staff during President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration next week. President Joe Biden ordered flags at half-staff during 30 days of mourning for former President Jimmy Carter, who died last month. The U.S. flag code requires the practice after the deaths of presidents.
“On January 20th, the flags at the Capitol will fly at full-staff to celebrate our country coming together behind the inauguration of our 47th President, Donald Trump,” Johnson said in a statement. “The flags will be lowered back to half-staff the following day to continue honoring President Jimmy Carter.”
Johnson is not the first high-profile official to order flags at full-staff for the inauguration. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a similar order on Monday, Jan. 13, requiring flags at the Texas State Capitol and state office buildings to be at full-staff throughout Inauguration Day.
President-elect Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club flew its flag at full-staff Monday. However, it did not violate the U.S. flag code because Mar-a-Lago is a private residence. Like President Biden, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also issued an order directing U.S. flags in the Sunshine State to fly at half-staff through Jan. 28.
The president-elect also paid his respects to Carter in the Capitol Rotunda and attended his state funeral last week.