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15 hours ago

Trump names ‘Hollywood ambassadors’ as puppy-killing Governor Kristi Noem set for Senate hearing: Live

President-elect casts Mel Gibson, Sylvester Stallone and Jon Voight as controversial South Dakota Republican to appear before Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

Oliver O'Connell,Joe Sommerlad
Friday 17 January 2025 09:17 GMT
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President Joe Biden gives his farewell address to the nation

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Donald Trump has named actors Mel Gibson, Sylvester Stallone and Jon Voight as his “special ambassadors” to Hollywood on Thursday, calling the Los Angeles entertainment industry heartland a “great but very troubled place.”

“They will serve as Special Envoys to me for the purpose of bringing Hollywood, which has lost much business over the last four years to Foreign Countries, BACK—BIGGER, BETTER, AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem – the president-elect’s nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security and best known for bragging about shooting dead her dog Cricket in her memoir – will finally have her Senate confirmation hearing on Friday after it was abruptly postponed earlier this week.

President Joe Biden meanwhile expressed concern over the state of American democracy in his final TV interview as commander-in-chief on Thursday night.

Biden told MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell he is “concerned about how fragile democracy is.”

“That sounds corny,” he admitted. “But I really am concerned... because I really think we’re in an inflection point in history here.”

Biden also lamented the fact he “spent too much time on the policy, not enough time on the politics”.

1 day ago

Is Trump right to take credit for the Israel-Hamas ceasefire?

Donald Trump wasted little time in taking credit for the ceasefire deal agreed between Israel and Hamas on Wednesday, bringing a halt to the violence in Gaza after 15 months of brutal conflict.

Not everyone agreed with Trump’s version of events, however, as Joe Sommerlad reports.

Is Trump right to take credit for the Israel-Hamas ceasefire?

Joe Biden bristles at suggestion president-elect made the difference in pushing agreement over the line

Oliver O'Connell16 January 2025 21:12
1 day ago

Biden admin ‘exploring options’ for TikTok; app might not be gone Sunday

The outgoing Joe Biden administration is “exploring options” to make sure that TikTok remains available in the U.S. even if Sunday’s ban moves forward, three people familiar with the discussions told NBC News.

“Americans shouldn’t expect to see TikTok suddenly banned on Sunday,” one official said, telling the network that the administration is looking at ways to implement the law without the app going offline.

Deputy White House Chief of Staff Bruce Reed has been fielding calls from those pushing the president to stop a ban from going into effect, two people familiar told NBC.

Gustaf Kilander reports.

TikTok ban: Biden admin ‘exploring options’

If the administration stops the ban, the issue would be adjudicated by the incoming Trump administration

Oliver O'Connell16 January 2025 21:00
1 day ago

Sen. Chris Murphy rips Trump treasury pick for ‘clusterf***’ understanding of Medicard

Oliver O'Connell16 January 2025 20:50
1 day ago

Zuckerberg lawyer skewers ‘toxic masculinity and Neo-Nazi madness’ as he drops Meta as client

An attorney who previously represented Meta as a client has dropped the social media giant amid growing frustrations over the company’s recent changes.

Mark Lemley, a Bay Area intellectual property attorney and Stanford Law School professor, had represented Meta in a proceeding over the company’s alleged use of copyright texts for training artificial intelligence. The case, brought by a group of authors, could lead to precedent case law.

But Lemley couldn’t rationalize what he called “Facebook’s descent into toxic masculinity and Neo-Nazi madness,” he wrote on Bluesky.

Michelle Del Rey has the details.

Lawyer aims broadside at Zuckerberg as he fires Meta as client

‘I cannot in good conscience serve as their lawyer any longer,’ intellectual property attorney Mark Lemley writes

Oliver O'Connell16 January 2025 20:40
1 day ago

Trump names FCC commissioner

Donald Trump has appointed Olivia Trusty to serve as a commissioner on the Federal Communications Commission. She will require confirmation from the Senate.

The president-elect wrote on Truth Social:

I am pleased to announce that Olivia Trusty will serve as a Commissioner on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Olivia is currently the Policy Director on the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, where she has fought tirelessly to grow the Economy, empower Innovation, and reignite the American Dream. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Georgetown University. Olivia will work with our incredible new Chairman of the FCC, Brendan Carr, to cut regulations at a record pace, protect Free Speech, and ensure every American has access to affordable and fast Internet. Congratulations Olivia!

Oliver O'Connell16 January 2025 20:35
1 day ago

Temporary protected status: Who is protected by Biden’s latest extension?

Nearly a million immigrants will continue to be allowed to live and work for the next two years in the United States under emergency legislation extended by Joe Biden in one of the last decrees of his presidency.

With Donald Trump hoping to expand his “America First” agenda after defeating Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election with strong anti-migrant rhetoric, this latest move from Biden will likely be taken personally by the president-elect.

Continue reading...

Temporary protected status: Who is protected by Biden’s latest extension?

One of Joe Biden’s final acts on immigration was to extend four grants of Temporary Protected Status – covering nearly one million immigrants from Venezuela, El Salvador, Ukraine, and Sudan – through to 2026.

Oliver O'Connell16 January 2025 20:30
1 day ago

Trump names secretary of Air Force

Donald Trump has named Dr Troy Meink as his secretary of the Air Force.

The president-elect wrote on Truth Social:

I am pleased to announce that Dr. Troy Meink will be the next United States Secretary of the Air Force. Troy currently serves as the Principal Deputy Director of the National Reconnaissance Office, and began his career as a KC-135 Tanker Navigator, and later, as a test engineer for missile defense systems. Troy will work with our incredible Secretary of Defense Nominee, Pete Hegseth, to ensure that our Nation’s Air Force is the most effective and deadly force in the World, as we secure PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH. Congratulations Troy!

Oliver O'Connell16 January 2025 20:24
1 day ago

After another day of Trump nominee confirmation hearings, who’s left?

Today saw Senate confirmation hearings for Doug Burgum for the Interior Department, Scott Turner for the Housing and Urban Development Department, Lee Zeldin for the EPA, Scott Bessent for the Treasury Department, and Pam Bondi’s second day before the Senate Judiciary Committee for a second day.

But who’s next to face a grilling from a Senate committee?

Kristi Noem, Trump’s pick for Homeland Security Secretary is expected to appear on Friday.

Doug Collins, for the Department of Veterans Affairs, is expected to appear the day after the inauguration.

Beyond that, there are still a handful of candidates whose dates have not yet been chosen — watch this space...

Oliver O'Connell16 January 2025 20:22
1 day ago

Read Speaker Johnson’s announcement removing Turner from intelligence committee

Oliver O'Connell16 January 2025 20:18

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