Rare Al Capone artifacts on display for first time at Vegas’ Mob Museum
Al Capone, one of America’s most infamous mobsters, is taking center stage at The Mob Museum in Las Vegas. The new exhibit, “The First Public Enemy,” offers visitors a rare glimpse into the legendary gangster’s personal life.
The exhibit highlights Capone’s personal Colt 1911 pistol, nicknamed “Sweetheart.” The .45-caliber firearm was with Capone during some of his most dangerous moments, and is now on display for true crime enthusiasts.
The exhibit also features a 1929 silent home video filmed by Capone himself. The footage shows him relaxing poolside with fellow mobsters Lucky Luciano and Frank Costello, offering a unique look at his life outside the criminal spotlight.
Capone’s granddaughter, Diane Capone Pette, recently auctioned off some of his belongings, according to the Associated Press. She and her sisters wanted to ensure these items would not be lost to wildfires, or mishandled after their lifetimes.
Their goal is to preserve Capone’s legacy as they knew him — as a grandfather, not just a gangster.
The exhibit officially opens to the public on Wednesday, Jan. 15. As a bonus, guests will receive one complimentary cocktail with admission.
Elon Musk’s expanding Vegas Loop operating with little oversight: Report
Elon Musk‘s experiment in underground, electric vehicle-powered public transportation in Las Vegas is expanding. However, according to a ProPublica report, the Vegas Loop project is flying under the radar with very little government oversight.
The news outlet said because the project is privately operated and gets no federal funding, it’s spared from the typical government vetting and environmental analyses.
The Boring Company, founded by Musk, launched the service in 2021. The project started at the Las Vegas Convention Center with plans for more growth underway in other areas including the Las Vegas Strip and McCarran Airport.
The head of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority called the loop project the only feasible option to ease traffic. The Clark County Commission and Las Vegas City Council granted Boring permission to build and operate the system underground without any public debate.
This approval allowed the transportation to run close to homes and businesses. It also bypassed the normal checks and balances that apply to major public transit projects.
According to records obtained by ProPublica and City Cast Las Vegas, Boring has also gotten around environmental and labor regulations by installing tunnels without work permits on county property twice. The company also dumped untreated water into storm drains and the sewer system.
The county did give Boring cease-and-desist letters, but no fines were issued.
In 2022, Boring successfully requested to no longer need a special permit. The special permit would have required more extensive reporting on safety and accidents.
As a result, the county has significantly reduced its oversight of the project, despite the involvement of taxpayer money from hotel room taxes and convention revenue.
The project is on track to be a 68-mile underground network across much of the city.
Wildfires force thousands to evacuate Southern California
Three massive wildfires are burning out of control in Southern California, putting thousands of homes at risk. And President-elect Donald Trump shares his plans to acquire Greenland, the Panama Canal and bring Canada as the 51st state. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025.
Southern California wildfires force thousands to evacuate
Three separate wildfires are burning in the Los Angeles, California, area, and there is no end in sight, as strong winds are fueling the flames. The most extreme of the three is the Palisades Fire, which spans nearly 3,000 acres and has already forced 30,000 residents to evacuate.
Cities surrounding Pacific Palisades, including Malibu, issued evacuation orders. Officials there told all residents to prepare to leave their homes, whether they were under evacuation orders or not since the inferno was moving so quickly.
All hands are on deck to fight the #PalisadesFire in Southern California. California is deeply grateful for the brave firefighters & first responders battling the blaze.
We will continue to mobilize resources and support local communities as they respond to this severe weather. pic.twitter.com/JZrYy85e4z
The neighboring city of Santa Monica also issued an evacuation order for the northern part of the city. It also closed the area to the public, warning of an immediate threat to life.
As thousands of firefighters continue to battle the flames, authorities work to find the fire’s cause.
A second wildfire, dubbed the Eaton Fire, burns near Pasadena. A city spokeswoman said it has “created its own firestorm” with flying embers igniting at least a dozen other spot fires.
So far, the Eaton Fire has consumed about 1,000 acres. It engulfed homes and forced more than 100 people to evacuate from a nursing home — some in wheelchairs and on gurneys. A federal disaster declaration is now in effect for the Eaton Fire.
Crews are also battling the Hurst Fire about 100 acres in the San Fernando Valley, which is in the northern part of Los Angeles County. The Hurst Fire also prompted evacuation orders.
The Los Angeles County canceled schools in 19 districts Wednesday, Jan. 8. Plus, more than 200,000 people are without access to power, either because of the powerful Santa Ana winds or because a utility provider turned off electricity to prevent additional fires.
The forecast called for the winds to continue for days, producing gusts that could top 100 miles per hour in the mountains and foothills.
Biden administration asks federal appeals court to block 9/11 plea deals
The Biden administration asked a federal appeals court to block a plea agreement for accused 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. The controversial deal would spare Mohammed from the death penalty for his role in planning the terror attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001.
The deadly attack rocked the U.S. and began the war on terrorism.
In court filings Tuesday, Jan. 7, the Justice Department argued the government would be irreparably harmed if the guilty pleas were accepted for Mohammed and two co-defendants in the 9/11 attacks.
It said the government would be denied a chance for a public trial and the opportunity to “seek capital punishment against three men charged with a heinous act of mass murder that caused the death of thousands of people and shocked the nation and the world.”
The Defense Department negotiated and approved the plea deal but later revoked it.
However, attorneys for the defendants argued the deal was already legally in effect and that U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, who began the administration’s efforts to throw it out, acted too late.
Mohammed is set to enter his guilty plea on Friday, Jan. 10, if the appeal is not granted. His co-defendants, accused of lesser roles in 9/11, are due to enter theirs next week.
Harris, Johnson deliver eulogies for President Jimmy Carter
The 39th president died last week at the age of 100.
Carter’s body had been lying in repose since Saturday, Jan. 5, at the Carter Presidential Center in Atlanta before being transported Tuesday morning to Washington D.C.
Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson each delivered a eulogy during Tuesday’s ceremony
“We all know that his care for humanity didn’t stop at building homes,” Johnson said. “In the face of illness, President Jimmy Carter brought lifesaving medicine. In the face of conflict, he brokered peace. In the face of discrimination, he reminded us that we are all made in the image of God. If you were to ask him why he did it all, he would likely point to his faith.”
Harris highlighted Carter’s faith. She said, “James Earl Carter, Jr. loved our country. He lived his faith. He served the people. And he left the world better than he found it.”
Carter’s body will lie in state through Thursday morning, Jan. 9, and then be taken to the National Cathedral for a state funeral. Biden is expected to deliver a eulogy.
Trump suggests using military, economic force to expand America
In a wide-ranging press conference from Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday, President-elect Donald Trump touched on a bunch of topics, including a $20 billion foreign investment to build data centers in the U.S. He also talked about his plans to revoke Biden’s recent ban on offshore oil and natural gas drilling as well as expansion strategies for the United States.
Trump reiterated his goals of acquiring the Panama Canal, which has been under Panama’s sole control since 1999, and Greenland, a territory of Denmark.
Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., is leading an American delegation currently in Greenland, though the country’s prime minister said he is there as “a private individual.”
The Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen responded to Trump’s remarks Tuesday, saying Greenland was not for sale.
Greenlandic Prime Minister Múte Egede reiterated this point, saying “Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders. Our future and fight for independence is our business.”
A reporter asked the president-elect if he can assure that he would not use any military force to take control of either the Panama Canal or Greenland.
“I can’t assure you, you’re talking about Panama and Greenland,” Trump replied. “No, I can’t assure you on either of those two but, I can say this we need them for economic security. The Panama Canal was built for a military. I’m not going to commit to that now.”
In response to those remarks, the prime minister of Denmark called the United States its country’s “closest ally” and did not believe the U.S. would use any force to secure Greenland. Panama’s foreign minister repeated earlier comments from the country’s president that the sovereignty of the Panama Canal is not negotiable.
“[I’d use] economic force because Canada and the United States — that would really be something,” he said. “You get rid of that artificially drawn line, and you take a look at what that looks like. It would also be much better for national security. Don’t forget, we basically protect Canada.”
Outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issued his response in a post on X saying, “There isn’t a snowball’s chance in hell that Canada would become part of the United States.”The president-elect also spoke of one more geographical goal of his in the upcoming term: to rename the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America, saying it “has a beautiful ring to it.”
Not long after his remarks, Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia said she directed her staff to begin drafting legislation for the name change.
Police: Former soldier used AI to plan Las Vegas Cybertruck explosion attack
New details are emerging about the man who blew up a Tesla Cybertruck outside Trump Hotel in Las Vegas on New Year’s Day. Las Vegas police said Tuesday the attacker used generative AI, including ChatGPT to plan the attack.
An investigation into former soldier Matthew Livelsberger, 37, found his search history on ChatGPT included questions about firearms and explosives. Straight Arrow News reporter Lauren Taylor has more details on the investigation into the Cybertruck explosion.
Girl Scout cookie season begins, 2 flavors discontinued
Girl Scout cookie season has arrived. The annual tradition is meant to teach young girls about entrepreneurial skills through selling boxes of cookies.
Almost everyone has a favorite, of course, but if yours is Girl Scout S’mores or Toast-Yay! Cookies — bad news. The Girl Scouts plan to retire those two flavors later this year.
The organization said discontinuing those two flavors may lead to something new and delicious.
Titans have top pick in 2025 NFL draft, fire general manager
The Tennessee Titans wrapped up the number one overall pick in April’s NFL draft after losing to the Houston Texans on the final day of the regular season. They fired General Manager Ran Carthon 48 hours later, who likely would have made that pick.
Carthon lost his job after posting a 9-25 record over his two seasons in charge.
Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk said in a statement, “I’ve loved the time I’ve spent with Ran –– he’s a talented football mind, a great man, and friend to everyone along his path. It’s impossible to ignore that our football team hasn’t improved over the past two years. I am deeply disappointed in our poor win-loss record during this period, of course, but my decision also speaks to my concern about our long-term future should we stay the course. I love this team more than you can imagine. To our fans: We know this level of performance isn’t acceptable. We’re humbled by your support as we continue to work towards building the team you expect and deserve.”
The draft order from pick 18 to 32 will be decided by 14 teams in the playoffs, with the Super Bowl champion making the 32nd pick in the first round.
Several teams that finished near the .500 mark for the season will look to retool after many of the top picks are off the board.
Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said they’ll immediately get to work preparing for the draft.
“The silver lining of being in this situation and the opportunity that you’re presented is that you do have a head start on the rest of the league to a certain extent. So this is something we really have to take advantage of. This is a position we don’t want to be in ever again, so hopefully, make the most of it and springboarding into creating those opportunities,” Macdonald said.
In Las Vegas, one day after the Raiders let interim head coach Antonio Pierce speak to the media about the season and the state of the team, they fired him. Six teams are now looking for new head coaches, and two teams are looking for new general managers.
Tesla Cybertruck bomber used ChatGPT to plan attack: Las Vegas police
Las Vegas police said Tuesday, Jan. 7, that the attacker who exploded a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel used the generative artificial intelligence tool ChatGPT to plan the attack. An investigation into 37-year-old former soldier Matthew Livelsberger found his ChatGPT search history included questions about firearms and explosives.
Authorities said Livelsberger looked for information on explosive targets, ammunition speed and whether fireworks were legal in Arizona. They say this was when he reportedly considered an attack on the skywalk at the Grand Canyon.
The Las Vegas sheriff said it was the first incident he is aware of in the U.S. where an attacker used ChatGPT to help build a device.
ChatGPT owner OpenAI told the Associated Press, “ChatGPT responded with information already publicly available on the internet and provided warnings against harmful or illegal activities. We’re working with law enforcement to support their investigation.”
The investigation also turned up notes detailing Livelsberger’s motivation. They included that he felt a burden taking lives as a service member. He warned the U.S. was collapsing and urged Americans to rally around President-elect Donald Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
Man accused of Tupac Shakur’s murder seeks to have charges dropped
Nearly three decades after the murder of rapper Tupac Shakur, the man accused of orchestrating the fatal drive-by is fighting to have all charges against him dropped, according to The Associated Press. In Sept. 1996, a gunman opened fire on Shakur as he sat in the passenger seat of a car driven by Death Row Records CEO Marion “Suge” Knight in Las Vegas. Shakur died six days later from his injuries.
Since then, speculation has swirled about who committed the crime, but no suspect had been identified until recently. In Sept. 2023, the case saw a breakthrough with Duane “Keffe D” Davis’s arrest after a search of a Las Vegas home.
“This investigation started on the night of Sept. 7, 1996. It is far from over,” said Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff Kevin McMahill in a Sept. 2023 press conference.
Now, Davis is seeking freedom. The motion filed accuses prosecutors of “egregious” constitutional violations due to the 27-year delay in bringing charges. Under Nevada law, there is no statute of limitations for murder.
Davis’ attorney, Carl Arnold, filed the motion Monday, Jan. 6, arguing a lack of corroborating evidence and claiming authorities failed to honor immunity agreements granted to Davis during prior investigations.
According to a news release, Arnold says, “the failure to honor immunity agreements undermines the criminal justice system’s integrity and seriously questions this prosecution.”
Trial set for March
Davis’ court-appointed attorneys also filed a bail request last December, arguing he is not receiving adequate treatment for his colon cancer, which is in remission. They also requested that his 2019 memoir and recent interviews, in which he talked about the events of that night, be excluded from the evidence.
Davis has pleaded not guilty, and his trial is set to begin on March 17.
Wolfgang Puck’s Vegas restaurant reopens after health code violations
Foodies on the Las Vegas Strip looking for a bite to eat at Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant were out of luck this past weekend. The Southern Nevada Health District closed down Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill at the MGM Grand after an inspection Thursday, Jan. 2.
According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the health department found multiple health code violations. Officials said the routine inspection discovered violations relating to inadequate pest control and food safety measures. The closure not only covered the restaurant but also the prep kitchen, butcher shop, bar, server station, exhibition kitchen and the hot line — where the main cooking takes place.
The department issued 42 demerits in total to Puck’s multiple operations, though the bar and server were not among them.
According to Casino.org, this is believed to be the first time a celebrity chef’s Las Vegas restaurant has been closed by health officials.
The department says, “A closure takes place when an establishment has 41 or more demerits, an imminent health hazard requiring closure, or failed a ‘C’ grade reinspection. An establishment must remain closed until approved to operate by the health district.”
The health department conducted a reinspection Monday, Jan. 6 at Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill. The restaurant received an “A” grade and was able to reopen.
Puck opened his restaurant at the MGM Grand in December 1992, just a few months after launching his first Vegas restaurant, Spago. His restaurants led other celebrity chefs to open eateries along the Strip, with diners today able to visit restaurants from chefs like Bobby Flay, Guy Fieri and Gordon Ramsay.
Coaches brace for change as NFL’s ‘Black Monday’ approaches
The day after the NFL’s regular season ends is known as “Black Monday,” when struggling teams inform coaches their services are no longer needed. This year, it falls on Monday, Jan. 6, and there is plenty of speculation surrounding what could be more than half a dozen moves.
Three job searches are already underway, as the Chicago Bears, New York Jets and New Orleans Saints fired their coaches during the season.
Current NFL job openings
Chicago Bears –– Thomas Brown (interim)
New York Jets –– Jeff Ulbricht (interim)
New Orleans Saints –– Darren Rizzi (interim)
Those teams currently have interim head coaches, all of whom will reportedly interview for the head job with their respective teams. But there will also be multiple outside candidates brought in.
Three teams have made it clear they will give their coaches at least one more season in charge. New England’s first-year coach, Jerod Mayo, is the shakiest on this list; he has posted a 3-14 record. Right now, the Patriots are in line for the number one pick in April’s draft.
Titans head coach Brian Callahan has seen good and bad reports concerning his tenure.
“I don’t really pay much attention to those reports. I just try to come in and do my job as best I can and do it as long as they allow me to do it,” said Callahan. “If for some reason, and hopefully it’s years from now, they say your services are no longer needed, then that’s how it goes.”
Coaches in the ‘hot seat’
Las Vegas Raiders –– Antonio Pierce
Jacksonville Jaguars –– Doug Pederson
New York Giants –– Brian Daboll
Indianapolis Colts –– Shane Steichen
Dallas Cowboys –– Mike McCarthy
Although it’s pure guesswork, these five coaches are most mentioned in the debate about whether the teams need a change.
For those like Doug Pederson and Brian Daboll, it would not be a surprise if they were let go Monday.
For Mike McCarthy of the Dallas Cowboys, the jury truly is still out. He has heard both praise and criticism from team owner Jerry Jones. On New Year’s Eve, Jones talked about the possibility of retaining McCarthy on a local Dallas radio station, saying he’s been thinking about the issue for weeks.
“What I’m not gonna do this morning is get into any indication one way or the other that I’m not interested in having Mike back. I don’t want that to be the case at all,” Jones said.
Not exactly a vote of confidence. In any case, McCarthy is in a different situation. His contract expires Jan. 14, so he‘ll be free to sign with any team –– whether he’s officially fired or not. There are also reports that other teams could be interested in McCarthy.
Musk aids Vegas police, says Cybertruck contained explosion at Trump Tower
Las Vegas authorities said they still have no clear motive for why an Army soldier drove a Cybertruck in front of the Trump Tower in Las Vegas on New Year’s Day, intending to kill himself and set off an explosion. Law enforcement is still searching for answers, while Tesla CEO Elon Musk has taken a central role in the investigation. Musk reportedly sent a team to Las Vegas to assist investigators in extracting data and video from the remains of the Cybertruck.
The Las Vegas sheriff has praised Musk’s assistance, noting that the truck contained “a tremendous number of cameras” and that Musk provided authorities with footage from Tesla’s charging stations.
The sheriff said the footage is already helping investigators track the movements of Sgt. Matthew Alan Livelsberger, who traveled from Colorado to the Las Vegas Strip over several days.
While Musk is providing evidence to officials in Las Vegas, he is also weighing in on an online debate: Why did the explosion cause minimal damage?
On X, Musk said, “The evil knuckleheads picked the wrong vehicle for a terrorist attack. Cybertruck actually contained the explosion and directed the blast upwards. Not even the glass doors of the lobby were broken.”
The evil knuckleheads picked the wrong vehicle for a terrorist attack. Cybertruck actually contained the explosion and directed the blast upwards.
In another post, Musk boasted about the Cybertruck’s durability, sharing a conservative activist’s comment that called the incident a “Cybertruck ad campaign” and adding, “I’m pretty sure we could get it running again too.”
While some suggest the Cybertruck’s strength contained the explosion, others point to Livelsberger’s extensive military background, claiming he had the expertise to create a more lethal blast.
The Washington Post reports that investigators have primarily found evidence of fireworks and fuel, with a car analyst telling the paper he doesn’t believe Musk’s claims.
“You didn’t really have an explosion as much as you had a bonfire,” Karl Brauer, Iseecars.com executive analyst, told the Post. “I’m not at all convinced that the Cybertruck being so strong is the reason it blew upward.”
Kenneth Cooper, a special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives San Francisco division, seemed to agree.
“The level of sophistication is not what we would expect from an individual with this type of military experience,” Cooper said.
Fellow Green Berets, including Livelsberger, have a “sophisticated understanding of explosives and how bombs work,” according to group chats reviewed by The New York Times. Some of his comrades speculated that Livelsberger may have struggled with mental illness.
Family members of Livelsberger have suggested he wouldn’t have wanted to cause damage to the Trump Hotel, as he was a staunch Trump supporter, according to sources who spoke to The Independent and The Daily Beast. The New York Post reports that Livelsberger’s wife left him days before the attack.
As investigators work to find concrete answers, speculation continues over the motive behind the New Year’s Day explosion.
South Korean investigators suspend efforts to detain impeached president after standoff
The FBI unveils more information about the man who drove a truck into a New Orleans crowd on New Year’s Day, killing more than a dozen. And multiple reports indicate President Joe Biden could make a big decision on the proposed takeover of U.S. Steel. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Friday, Jan. 3, 2025.
South Korean investigators suspend efforts to detain impeached president after standoff
After an hours-long standoff, South Korean investigators suspended efforts to arrest impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol. The standoff between South Korea’s anti-corruption agency and the presidential security service lasted nearly six hours at Yoon’s presidential residence Friday, Jan. 3.
The agency called off its agents due to concerns for their safety after the presidential security service and Yoon’s supporters blocked them from entering Yoon’s residence.
Yoon, a former prosecutor, defied investigators’ attempts to question him for weeks in connection with the short-lived period of martial law he imposed at the beginning of December.
A Seoul court issued a warrant for Yoon’s detention Tuesday, Dec. 31, but enforcing it is complicated. Yoon’s lawyers, who filed a challenge to the warrant Thursday, Jan. 2, said it could not be implemented at his residence due to a law that protects locations potentially linked to military secrets from search without the consent of the person in charge.
The anti-corruption agency said it would discuss the next steps but did not immediately say whether it would make another attempt to detain Yoon. The warrant for his detention is valid for one week.
New Orleans attack investigation continues as city hosts Sugar Bowl
The FBI now believes the suspect in a deadly New Orleans truck attack on New Year’s Day likely acted alone. The agency said Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S. Army veteran, killed 15 people and injured dozens more early Wednesday, Jan 1, after driving into a crowd on Bourbon Street in the city’s French Quarter.
The agency called the attack “a deliberate act of terror,” and said Jabbar was “100 percent inspired” by the radical Islamic terror group ISIS.
The FBI concluded this after conducting hundreds of interviews, reviewing phone calls, social media accounts and electronic devices connected to the suspect.
Investigators said there appears to be no “definitive link” between the New Orleans attack and the explosion outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas at this time.
Law enforcement investigating the Tesla Cybertruck explosion in Las Vegas identified the man who carried out the attack as Matthew Alan Livelsberger on Thursday, Jan. 2.
Livelsberger was an active-duty U.S. Army Green Beret. He was reportedly on leave at the time of the attack.
Authorities identified Livelsberger’s burned body by matching his tattoos.
Back in New Orleans, life started to return to normal Thursday as the city hosted the Sugar Bowl at the Superdome. Plus, visitors were once again allowed back into the French Quarter.
Notre Dame went head-to-head with the Georgia Bulldogs and came out on top. With Notre Dame’s victory, the college football playoff semifinals are now set.
The Fighting Irish will face Penn State in the Orange Bowl next Thursday, Jan. 9. Texas will meet Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 10.
The two winners will play in the National Championship game on Monday, Jan. 20. It will be the first championship game since the NCAA went to a 12-team playoff format.
2 dead, 19 hurt after small plane crashes into California building
Two people are dead and 19 more injured after a small plane crashed into a furniture manufacturing building in southern California on Thursday.
The people who died were believed to have been on the plane while those injured were among the 200 or so people inside the building. Paramedics transported 11 people to the hospital and treated eight others at the scene.
The crash occurred about half a mile from the Fullerton Municipal Airport. Investigators are working to learn what led up to the incident.
Biden to block Nippon Steel’s bid to take over US Steel: Reports
President Joe Biden decided to block Nippon Steel’s bid to purchase U.S. Steel due to national security risks, according to multiple reports. Biden is expected to announce his decision as early as Friday, reports said.
Senior advisers warned Biden that the U.S. rejecting the Japanese corporation’s $14.9 billion offer could damage relations between the two countries.
Biden’s decision comes after the interagency Committee on Foreign Investment could not conclude the risks of Nippon’s offer, leaving the decision up to the White House.
While U.S. Steel shareholders backed the takeover, the proposed deal faced opposition from union members and politicians.
President-elect Donald Trump, who a group of American steelworkers backed during his campaign, also vowed to block the deal when he takes office later this month.
Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel indicated they would take legal action if the federal government blocked the deal.
119th Congress begins Friday with GOP taking control of House and Senate
The 119th Congress starts Friday with Republicans in full control of the House and Senate for the first time since 2019. The new term, which lasts two years, begins when House members are sworn in.
Despite narrowly hanging on to the GOP majority 219-215, Rep. Mike Johnson’s speakership hangs in the balance. At least one Republican said he would not back Johnson and others expressed concerns about his leadership.
Johnson received a major boost this week when Trump publicly backed Johnson.
In the Senate, Republicans will officially take the reins after flipping the majority in the November election. The new Senate Majority Leader will be Sen. John Thune of South Dakota.
Golden Globes kick off award season this Sunday
Hollywood’s award season officially kicks off Sunday, Jan. 5, with the Golden Globes.
Nominees include Timothée Chalamet, Ariana Grande, Selena Gomez and Angelina Jolie.
Movies looking to win big include “A Complete Unknown,” “Emilia Perez,” “Wicked” and “The Brutalist.”
“The Bear,” “Shogun,” “Nobody Wants This” and “Only Murders in the Building” are among the television series looking to take home trophies.
Comedian Nikki Glaser, who hosted the Tom Brady roast, will lead the award ceremony. This year, the Golden Globes will air live on CBS and stream on Paramount+.