Emerging Topics in U.S. News
24
BIDEN, TRUMP, REPORT, FINAL
President Joe Biden thought about pardoning President-elect Donald Trump, though it’s not known how seriously, a person directly familiar with his comments told NBC News’s , and
Trump was the victim of the weaponization of justice under Biden’s Justice Department.
Continued at Breitbart...
14
NOEM, HEARING, DHS, KRISTI
Kristi Noem, South Dakota's firebrand Republican governor, faced questioning Friday at her confirmation hearing to be secretary of homeland security.
Noem, the daughter of a farmer and a former representative from South Dakota, is being questioned before the
Continued at ABC...
12
OHIO, VANCE, JD, GOVERNOR
Things move fast in the world of politics. One minute, you're tapped by President-elect Donald Trump to work with Elon Musk as co-chair of the non-governmental, yet supremely influential, Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), and the next, you're thinking
Continued at Red State...
11
FIRE, WILDFIRES, CHIEF, LA
Three years ago, when Kristin Crowley became the first female chief in the history of the Los Angeles Fire Department, she was lauded as a force for stability.
“There is no one better equipped to lead the L.A.F.D. at this moment than Kristin,” the mayor at
Continued at New York Times...
10
DEAL, ISRAEL, CEASEFIRE, HAMAS
Israel's security cabinet approves Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal
toggle caption Hasan N. H. Alzaanin/Anadolu via Getty Images
Israel's security cabinet has voted to approve a ceasefire deal to end the fighting in Gaza. The decision came two days after mediators
Continued at NPR...
7
STARSHIP, SPACEX, FLIGHT, TEST
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said Friday it will oversee an investigation by Elon Musk's SpaceX into an explosive Starship test flight the previous day that forced airlines to divert dozens of flights to avoid debris.
"There are no reports of public
Continued at Newsmax...
6
BIDEN, SENTENCES, 500, DRUG
President Biden announced Friday morning he is commuting the sentences of nearly 2,500 inmates as the end of his presidency draws near.
The commutations are for people convicted of non-violent drug offenses "who are serving disproportionately long sentences"
Continued at Fox News...
6
TRUMP, ADAMS, NEW, MAYOR
Of course Mayor Eric Adams was right to meet with President-elect Donald Trump on Friday: New York City needs every friend it can get in Washington, and Queens’ most famous native son can be a very good friend indeed.
That Adams’ trip to Florida upset his
Continued at New York Post...
5
CNN, DEFAMATION, DAMAGES, JURY
A Florida jury on Friday found CNN liable for defaming a U.S. Navy veteran who helped evacuate people from Afghanistan after the U.S. military withdrew from the country in 2021.
Zachary Young, a Navy veteran who later worked as a security consultant, filed
Continued at Newsmax...
5
FIRE, BATTERY, CALIFORNIA, LARGEST
A fire has broken out at a Californian power plant housing one of the largest battery energy storage facilities in the world.
The blaze began in a building containing lithium-ion batteries on Thursday afternoon, an official at the Monterey County Sheriff's
Continued at BBC...
4
EAGLES, RAMS, FANS, FAN
Los Angeles Rams rookie Jared Verse is making his feelings about Philadelphia Eagles’ fans abundantly clear.
Speaking with the Los Angeles Times ahead of Sunday's NFC Divisional Round matchup, Verse spoke bluntly about his feelings towards the Philadelphia
Continued at Fox News...
The choice of Mr. Vance’s successor has important implications across Republican politics including for the Trump White House, the United States Senate and the Ohio governorship. Mr. Vance resigned his seat on Jan. 10, creating a vacancy for Mr. DeWine to fill.
Mr.
Continued at New York Times...
3
PLEADS, GUILTY, IRAN, ANALYST
A former CIA analyst pleaded guilty Friday to leaking information on a planned Israeli attack on Iran.
Asif Rahman, 34, was arrested by the FBI in November weeks after classified documents appeared on the Telegram messaging app.
He entered guilty pleas in
Continued at Newsmax...
3
REPUBLICANS, TAX, CUTS, BREAKS
Mr. Bessent suggested that the country could improve its fiscal situation by creating an American sovereign wealth fund that would “leverage” U.S. assets. He has set a goal of reducing the annual budget deficit to 3 percent of G.D.P. from the 6.2 percent that
Continued at New York Times...
3
JUSTIN, BALDONI, BLAKE, LIVELY
Justin Baldoni has pulled Taylor Swift into his heated legal battle with "It Ends With Us" co-star Blake Lively.
Baldoni accused Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, of civil extortion, defamation and more in a $400 million lawsuit — which happens to mention
Continued at Fox News...
3
DRUGS, MEDICARE, 15, NEGOTIATIONS
Medicare targets 15 more drugs for price negotiations — including Ozempic
toggle caption Spencer Platt/Getty Images
The Biden administration, in its last full weekday in office, has announced the next 15 drugs up for Medicare price negotiation. Blockbuster
Continued at NPR...
3
BORDER, PATROL, CHIEF, TEXAS
People seeking asylum are detained by the Border Patrol after crossing from Mexico into the San Diego area in June.
A historic uptick in migration during Joe Biden’s presidency led to attacks as he ran for reelection, with Donald Trump and fellow Republicans
Continued at LA Times...
3
MAYOR, OAKLAND, INDICTED, CORRUPTION
Former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao, a left-wing “progressive” whom voters recalled in November, was reportedly indicted by a federal grand jury on Thursday in connection with a corruption probe of one of her campaign donors.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported:
Former
Continued at Breitbart...
2
COURT, RELIGIOUS, DECIDE, HIGH
An American flag waves in front of the Supreme Court building in Washington in 2020.
The Supreme Court agreed Friday to take up a culture wars dispute and decide whether parents have a religious liberty right to have their children “opt out” of using school
Continued at LA Times...
2
LEGACY, LUTHER, KING, MARTIN
Annually, around the time of Monday’s federal holiday, there is a noticeable uptick in education and conversation about the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., one of the most prominent civil rights leaders in U.S. history.
This year, Martin Luther
Continued at Fox News...
2
YEAR, POPULATION, CHINA, CHALLENGES
China said on Friday its population fell for the third year running in 2024, extending a downward streak after more than six decades of growth as the country faces a rapidly ageing population and persistently low birth rates.
Once the world's most populous
Continued at Newsmax...
2
PARADE, MONTH, SHINES, SATURN
A planet parade of Venus, Saturn, Jupiter and Mars shines in the skies this month
toggle caption Ginnette Riquelme/AP
Over the next few weeks, a stunning parade of planets will glow across the night sky, putting on a celestial spectacle that both amateur
Continued at NPR...