Pete Hegseth Crumbles Under Pressure 1.14.25 Ally Sammarco Jan 15 Credit: Getty Images Happy Tuesday and welcome back to Today’s American News, your source for news and analysis on the circus that is American politics and entertainment. Hegseth confirmation hearing shows unpreparedness for defense post… Any objective observer already knew that C-list Fox News host Pete Hegseth was unqualified to command the most powerful armed forces in the history of the world. Senate Republicans will likely vote to confirm him in deference to (or fear of) Donald Trump, but it won’t be without a fight from Democrats, who skewered the nominee on sexual assault allegations, his opposition to women in combat roles, and more. Politico chronicled seven “wild moments” from the hearing. Watch Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), a decorated war hero, grill and stump Hegseth here. Michelle Obama to skip Trump’s second inauguration… It’s tradition for former first spouses to join former U.S. presidents at the inauguration of a new commander-in-chief. Michele Obama is saying to hell with that, and who can blame her? The world of politics seems superficial, it’s good to see our former first lady speak her mind through action. Other current and former presidents (and vice presidents) and their spouses will attend, meaning that Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris will be sitting through the travesty that is a second Trump swearing in. (Former first lady Michelle Obama at Trump’s first inauguration in 2017) Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs needs better lawyers… We don’t know who needs to hear this, but this message from Diddy’s lawyers is not exactly exonerating. Apparently the videos he took of his so-called “freak-offs” did not show illegal activity in their view. Maybe they were trying to be clever and frame the video evidence in their own terms before it is widely seen. But this seems like a blunder that won’t help the rapper’s reputation or his case–though if what his attorneys say is accurate, it is a relief that Americans, and particularly those who have suffered SA, won’t have such trauma-inducing video clips being plastered wall-to-wall by the media. U.S., China agree that AI should not have sway over nuclear weapons… When geopolitical rivals, the United States and the People’s Republic of China, agree on the most basic and obvious of matters, it’s news. In a bilateral conversation between their respective heads of state, the countries’ leaders agreed on “the need to maintain human control over the decision to use nuclear weapons.” The U.S. and China are two of a small club of nuclear-armed nations that includes the other three members of the veto-wielding U.N. Security Council (France, Russia, and the United Kingdom are others), as well as south Asian rivals India and Pakistan, and global hermit North Korea. Israel has not disclosed that it is a nuclear power but is widely thought to have nuclear capability, while Iran seems to be nearing nuclear capacity. Today’s Buzz This Jimmy Kimmel montage of kindness is a must-see… The wildfires that have ravaged southern California have shown the worst of Mother Nature as well as the best in people. Kimmel, a southern California resident who sheltered 19 people at his home in recent days, gave a tearful monologue that can be viewed here. Today’s Furry Friend Watch as wildfire victims are reunited with their animal family members. Thanks for reading Today’s American News. Join us again tomorrow evening for more headlines and analysis.

 

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Bird Flu is Back and We Are Screwed

12.18.24

Ally Sammarco Dec 19

Photo by JOHN TOWNER on Unsplash

Happy Wednesday and welcome back to yet another edition Today’s American News, your source for news and analysis on the circus that is American politics and entertainment.

Trump and Vance are ready to burn it all down… It’s a bad sign when a president-elect and vice president-elect are already calling the shots leading America to another federal government shutdown, but that’s what Donald Trump and JD Vance are doing. Sorry, Mike Johnson, you no longer run the House. “Trump and Vance issued a statement Wednesday insisting that Congress raise the nation’s debt ceiling and cut a range of spending proposals instead of passing the package that Speaker Mike Johnson and House Republicans had negotiated with their Democratic counterparts.” Politico writes.

It’s starting: Trump is going after his enemies and Liz Cheney is first on the list… Convicted felon Donald Trump is making good on his promise to go after his enemies, and former Republican Congresswoman and vice-presidential daughter Liz Cheney is first on the list. Cheney’s former colleagues in the House of Representatives are doing Trump’s bidding, laying the groundwork and abusing their power and making the former Congresswoman’s work on the January 6 Committee an impetus for criminal prosecution.

Prepare to be grossed out as the Matt Gaetz ethics report is coming… After blocking release of the ethics panel investigation into the release of former Congressman Matt Gaetz’s ethics report into sexual misconduct and drug use for weeks, Republicans in the House of Representatives have finally green-lit the report to make its way into public view. After the shutdown mess is figured out, the report is coming, allegedly.

Bird flu on the rise across the United States… Just when you thought things couldn’t get worse, “A person in Louisiana has the first severe illness caused by bird flu in the U.S.,” according to the CDC. “Officials determined the patient had exposure to sick and dead birds in backyard flocks, though an investigation into the source of the infection in the state is ongoing. This is also the first case of H5N1 bird flu in the U.S. that has been linked to exposure to a backyard flock, a news release noted… The case was first confirmed by health officials Friday, adding to the total of 61 reported human cases of H5 bird flu reported in the United States.”

Today’s Buzz

Sean “Diddy” Combs in court on sex trafficking… “Diddy” was in court today on charges of racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation, and the prosecution said it’s still putting together its case. Discovery–the collection of relevant documents for the case–”is on track to be completed by the end of 2024. A trial date has been set for May 5, 2025.” New information about the celebrity’s so-called “freak-offs” could implicate additional figures in the entertainment industry.

Thanks again for reading Today’s American News. Check back for tomorrow’s edition.