This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
JERUSALEM – Middle East/Israel Morning Brief
George Mason University freshman's terrorism plot alarms Virginia lawmakers
Lawmakers in Virginia raised varying degrees of concern about the safety of Jews in the state in statements to Jewish Insider after a George Mason University freshman was charged on Thursday evening with plotting a mass casualty attack at Israel's consulate in New York.
The state's Republican governor, Glenn Youngkin, told Jewish Insider the thwarted terrorist attack "serves as yet another wake-up call that anti-Semitism and the threat to Jewish students and the Jewish community in Virginia, and across America, is very real."
"We must remain vigilant against hatred and violence in all its forms," Youngkin said. "My administration has been fully committed to safeguarding the safety of every Virginian, and we will continue working hand in hand with law enforcement to combat extremism wherever it appears."
'An absolute mockery': Soros-backed news organization awards U.N. Persons of the Year to Israel's fiercest anti-Semitic critics
At its end of year awards, the PassBlue news organization acknowledged the efforts of three United Nations employees, whom it assesses have had the most impact over the last 12 months. The three chosen, Francesca Albanese, Philippe Lazzarini, and Antonio Guterres also happen to be the most strident critics of Israel.
As WorldNetDaily reported, PassBlue, which on its website describes itself as "an independent, women-led nonprofit multimedia news company that closely covers the U.S.-U.N. relationship, women's issues, human rights, peacekeeping and other urgent global matters playing out in the world body," says its mission is to hold the powerful people and the 193-member countries of the United Nations to account. It also happens to receive funding from the deep pockets of George and Alex Soros via the Open Society Foundations.
Arsen Ostrovsky, CEO of the International Legal Forum and a senior fellow at the Misgav Institute for National Security, said the award "makes an absolute mockery of everything PassBlue is meant to stand for."
"The organization claims to be a 'women-led non-profit' that covers the U.N., women's issues and human rights," he added. "To honor this group of U.N. individuals who have peddled in relentless Jew-hatred, rape denial and justification of Hamas crimes, is obscene, unconscionable and just inexcusable. They may as well have given the award posthumously to Yahya Sinwar."
Islamists in Syria burn Christmas tree in Christian-majority town
In Syria, thousands of Christians took to the streets on Tuesday to protest the burning of a Christmas tree in a predominantly Christian town in the center of the country, reported Ynet.
The incident, allegedly carried out by foreign jihadist rebels, has intensified fears among Christians and other minorities about the new leadership under the jihadist rebel group Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham or HTS. Despite their attempts to project a moderate image and promises to safeguard all minorities, the attack has raised serious concerns about what the future holds under their rule.
The attack, which enraged Syria's Christian minority – already significantly reduced during the country's brutal civil war – took place in the town of al-Suqaylabiyah in Hama province, where the majority of residents are Christians. Video footage of the incident shows masked gunmen pouring flammable liquid on a large Christmas tree in the town square before setting it ablaze.
IDF intercepts 4th Houthi ballistic missile fired at central Israel in last week
A ballistic missile fired by Yemen's Houthis was intercepted by Israeli air defenses early Wednesday morning, the military said, marking the second night in a row – and the fourth in less than a week – that the Iran-backed terror group has fired at the country's center in what has recently become a near-nightly occurrence, reported the Times of Israel.
The incoming missile set off sirens over a wide swath of central Israel, sending millions of people scrambling to reach bomb shelters. The sirens were activated as a precaution against falling fragments from the interception.
The alerts were issued in a wider area than usual as part of a new policy implemented by the Home Front Command, following delayed alerts in a previous attack.
Hamas refuses to hand over list of names as hostage deal loses some momentum
Recent optimism surrounding the hostage negotiations between Israel and Hamas has given way to mounting frustration as Israeli officials reveal significant obstacles in their dealings with the terrorist group – specifically, Mohammed Sinwar, according to the Jewish News Syndicate.
Sources close to the talks paint a picture of deliberate obstruction, describing how slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar's brother has consistently misled mediators over weeks, stonewalling requests for hostage lists and withdrawing from previously reached agreements. Security and political officials have expressed deep concern over Sinwar's handling of the negotiations.
Two critical roadblocks persist: Hamas' continued refusal to provide a list of hostages for initial release, and disagreements over the Palestinian prisoner exchange ratio and deportation terms.
Defense Ministry signs multi-billion shekel deal for more Arrow-3 interceptor missiles as Houthi threat grows
Israel's Defense Ministry and Israel Aerospace Industries, or IAI, signed a major production contract Wednesday to expand the supply of Arrow-3 missile defense interceptors for the Israeli military.
The deal, valued at billions of shekels, marks a significant boost to Israel's air defense capabilities. The agreement, led by the Israel Missile Defense Organization within the Directorate of Defense Research and Development, will provide the Israel Defense Force with a large number of Arrow-3 interceptors.
U.N. Security Council to hold emergency session on Houthi attacks
At Israel's urgent request, the United Nations Security Council will convene next Monday, following the Houthi missile launch toward Israeli territory overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday.
According to Israel Hayom, Danny Danon, Israel's ambassador to the U.N., expressed satisfaction with the scheduled council meeting: "The Houthis appear not to have grasped the consequences that await those who attempt to attack Israel. The Security Council must stand with Israel and condemn these attacks. I urge the council to uphold international law and establish Iran's accountability in this matter."
Biden's commuting 37 out of 40 death row sentences doesn't include Pittsburgh Tree of Life synagogue shooter
U.S. President Joe Biden announced on Monday he is commuting the sentences of 37 of the 40 people on federal death row, converting their punishments to life imprisonment just weeks before President-elect Donald Trump, an outspoken proponent of expanding capital punishment, takes office.
The move spares the lives of people convicted in killings, including the slayings of police and military officers, people on federal land and those involved in deadly bank robberies or drug deals, as well as the killings of guards or prisoners in federal facilities.
It means just three federal inmates are still facing execution. They are Dylann Roof, who carried out the 2015 racist slayings of nine Black members of Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, South Carolina; 2013 Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev; and Robert Bowers, who fatally shot 11 congregants at Pittsburgh's Tree of Life Synagogue in 2018, the deadliest anti-Semitic attack in U.S. history.
Amsterdam court hands out lenient sentences to five participants of pogrom
A Dutch court on Tuesday passed the first five sentences over last month's attacks against Israelis in Amsterdam, prescribing punishments critics said were inappropriately mild, according to the New York Post.
The sentences, the heaviest of which was six months in prison, prompted indignation from Dutch Jews, who were shocked by the coordinated mass assaults by dozens of Arabs and Muslims on fans of Israel's Maccabi Tel Aviv team who were in Amsterdam for a match.
Herman Loonstein, a prominent lawyer and Jewish community activist, said the prosecution bore some of the responsibility for the sentences, which he found excessively lenient.
"The prosecution rushed this but at the expense of their preparedness." "A better preparation could have led to an attempted homicide indictment," which did not happen.
RFK Jr. wants the U.S. to stop fluoridating its water, Israel has lessons to offer
The nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an anti-vaccine activist and harsh critic of government health agencies, has cast a spotlight on debates over the role the government should play in public health – and over the degree to which mounting distrust in science should guide policy-making.
According to Israel National News, fluoridation offers a case study in those debates. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fluoridation in water has been shown to reduce cavities in children and adults by about 25% over a lifetime, with the organization dubbing it "one of the 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century."
Those same debates lay at the root of the decision in 2013 by Israel's health minister to end water fluoridation. Now, Israel's policy change could act as a case study for how defluoridation could affect Americans. And the discourse is ongoing, with Israeli public health experts and some parents agitating for fluoride to be reinserted in the water – citing worsening dental outcomes for children – at the very moment when the United States may move in the opposite direction.
U.S. ambassador to Israel slams Washington-funded report claiming Gaza famine
The Jewish News Syndicate reported the U.S. government-funded network released a "Gaza Strip food security alert" on Monday, in which it claimed that Israel had enforced (a near-total blockade of humanitarian and commercial food supplies" for nearly 80 days in areas of northern Gaza. The report no longer appears on the network's website.
After JNS published, a USAID spokesperson said the "decision support team" at FEWS NET decided to take the Dec. 23 Gaza alert down "until further notice," "to address inaccuracies in the population data set."
Several Syrians wounded in Quneitra skirmish, following protest at IDF presence in buffer zone
Five Syrians protesting Israel's operation over the buffer zone were wounded by IDF fire in Quneitra, according to Syrian reports on Wednesday.
In addition, a Syrian man in his 20s, identified as Khalil al-Aref, was taken into Israeli custody from the town of Abdeen and brought to Israeli territory, reported i24NEWS.
Since the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, the IDF has been operating in the buffer zone and beyond, responding to the prospect of advanced and dangerous weapons arriving in the hands of Islamists who swept to power in the country.
Despite Israeli attempts at explaining the operations, some Syrians have expressed anger at what they perceive to be a violation of their sovereignty.
Turkey's Erdogan warns Kurdish fighters in Syria they'll be 'buried' if they don't lay down arms
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says that Kurdish militants in Syria will either lay down their weapons or "be buried," amid hostilities between Turkey-backed Syrian fighters and the militants since the fall of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad this month.
"The separatist murderers will either bid farewell to their weapons, or they will be buried in Syrian lands along with their weapons," Erdogan told lawmakers from his ruling AK Party in Parliament, and reported in the Times of Israel.
He also says Turkey would soon open its consulate in Aleppo, and adds Ankara expects an increase in traffic at its borders in the summer of next year, as some of the millions of Syrian migrants it hosts begin returning.
This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
The headlines this week have included the case of William and Zachary Zulock of Georgia, two homosexuals who adopted two sons and were convicted of sexually abusing them, using them for child porn, and more.
It was the Alcovy Judicial Circuit District Attorney's office that announced the penalties for the two, life without parole.
"William Zulock pleaded guilty to six counts of aggravated sodomy, three counts of aggravated child molestation, two counts of incest and two counts of sexual exploitation of children. His husband, Zachary Zulock, pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated sodomy, three counts of aggravated child molestation, two counts of incest, two counts of sodomy, three counts of sexual exploitation of children and two counts of pandering to a person under 18," Fox News revealed.
The prosecutor accused the two of creating a "house of horrors."
Evidence included confirmation from surveillance cameras insider their home "showing multiple instances of the defendants 'committing sexual abuse in different parts of the house,'" the report said.
Libs of TikTok posted online a comment about the case, in that, "They adopted 2 kids, used them to product child p**n," and more.
Then the social media page expressed the opinion that 100 years in prison is "not harsh enough."
But that "not harsh enough" was among the mildest of opinions concerning the two convicts.
Among the sentiments expressed on social media:
"Pedo lives don't matter."
"Quick trial-Quick EXECUTION."
"No death penalty?"
"A bridge/overpass and a couple long ropes seem appropriate."
"Drawn and quartered needs to be brought back…"
"If dogs are put to sleep for attacking children, why aren't we doing the same to pedophiles?"
"Absolutely sickening.'
And, "What's deserved: Locked in a room with no light that's too small to stand up in & too short to lay down in."
"Real castration not chemical."
Then there also was one just showing the picture of a bullet.
"Kingdeath2006" explained what likely is the bloodiest idea of all, "Forget the wood chipper, I have a better idea," atop an image of multiple human bodies mounted on long spears, similar to the Roman death penalty of crucifixion.
Gov. Jim Pillen was rushed to the hospital after being thrown from his horse on Sunday, Fox News reported. The 68-year-old Nebraska Republican remains in intensive care with multiple injuries but is expected to recover.
The governor has received care for several injuries sustained after his family's newly acquired horse bucked him off. "Gov. Pillen was transported to Nebraska Medicine Sunday afternoon after a horseback riding accident while riding with his daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter near Columbus," a news release from Pillen's office shared.
"The Governor’s injuries included minor lacerations to his spleen and kidney, seven broken ribs, a partially collapsed lung resulting from the rib damage, and a minor fracture in one of his vertebrae. There were no injuries to his neck, head, nervous system, or additional internal organs," the news release added.
Prognosis
Despite so many injuries, Pillen is expected to make a full recovery. To spur his healing along, doctors recommended a minimally invasive procedure to repair the bleeding in his spleen.
"The procedure took less than an hour and included anesthesia. During that time, Lieutenant Governor Joe Kelly briefly acted as Governor, pursuant to the Nebraska Constitution – a transfer of power which happens regularly when the Governor travels outside of the state," the news release stated.
"The procedure was a success, and the Governor caught the second half of the Nebraska men’s basketball win over Murray State in his recovery room, while chatting and joking with his family and team. In summary, the Governor’s injuries were serious but not life-threatening and could have been much worse," the governor's office shared to reassure constitutents.
Pillen will remain hospitalized mainly for observation but will continue working from his hospital room in the meantime. The news release thanked those involved in his care and recovery.
"Gov. Pillen, First Lady Suzanne, and their family are enormously grateful to the teams at Nebraska Medicine, Columbus Community Hospital, and the EMS professionals who transported him after the accident. The Governor looks forward to returning to his office soon after Christmas and wishes a blessed and safe holiday to all Nebraskans," the news release concluded.
More Work Ahead
Pillen was elected to office in 2022 after defeating Democratic challenger state Sen. Carol Blood, according to the Associated Press. It was the first time he'd run for any public office.
Gov. Pete Ricketts was term-limited, leaving the office up for grabs, though the state has a 24-year streak of electing Republicans for the job. Pillen was the clear choice for Nebraskans, perhaps because of and not despite his inexperience in politics.
Pillen has spent his career as a veterinarian and hog farm owner and serves on the Board of Regents at the University of Nebraska. During the campaign, Pillen won popularity for his strong conservative views, including lower taxes, fewer mandates, and shrinking the size of government.
That message from a bonafide businessman was enough for him to best the GOP's Trump-endorsed businessman Charles Herbster. After Pillen took office, he began an aggressive push to outlaw abortion and so-called gender-affirming care for minors in Nebraska which only cements his conservative legacy.
It's a miracle that Pillen wasn't more seriously injured in this event with his horse. Perhaps God knew that Pillen had too much work left for the people of Nebraska, especially the unborn and vulnerable children.
House Speaker Mike Johnson's supporters are circling the wagons to ensure he will remain as the GOP leader, Fox News reported. Lawmakers hope to avoid in-fighting at the start of President-elect Donald Trump's new administration as another fight threatens to undermine Trump's new administration.
Republican lawmakers are still shell-shocked from the last fight over the speakership. Johnson's predecessor, Rep. Kevin McCarthy, endured 15 rounds of votes before finally being confirmed.
Despite the California Republican's eventual win, he wouldn't last in the position with some members of his party champing at the bit to get rid of him. McCarthy's fellow Republicans ousted him from the position, and a three-week fight ensued that hamstrung the Congress before Johnson became the replacement.
So far, Johnson has held onto his leadership position and avoided McCarthy's fate. Now his fellow lawmakers are urging colleagues to keep the status quo for to ensure a smooth transition for Trump when he takes over.
Avoiding Conflict
Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) warned that conflict with Johnson could prevent the new Congress from officially taking office. "If we have some kind of protracted fight where we can’t elect a speaker — the speaker’s not elected; we’re not sworn in," Giminez pointed out.
"And if we’re not sworn in, we can’t certify the election," he told Fox Digital. Gimenez believes Trump might hold the key to making this happen.
"I would hope that President Trump would chime in and talk to those who are maybe a little hesitant, and say, 'We’ve got to get going. We don’t have time.'" Gimenez added.
Rep. Pat Fallon (R-TX) similarly believes "it would be immensely helpful" for Trump to throw his weight behind Johnson. "Any time would be great, but right after Christmas if President Trump said, ‘You know, listen’ — it would even be really cool if somehow Mike Johnson ended up at Mar-a-Lago for Christmas… wherever the president is," Fallon hoped.
"I think it would be incredibly powerful," he added. Unfortunately, there is a tight timeline to getting this done as lawmakers return on Friday, Jan. 3, to elect the speaker before the vote is certified three days later on Jan. 6.
Conservative Opposition
The concerns about instability are very real, but some conservatives are still pushing for a fight. The Hill reported that anonymous sources said lawmakers behind the scenes are urging Trump to give Johnson the boot.
"Members are calling Trump to dump Johnson," one of the sources told the news outlet. Another said that "members are sharing their discontent and concern, and he’s observing" Johnson’s "inability to decide, inability to get it done" in Congress.
“The president recognizes that [Johnson] is somebody he can push around. I think he’s weighing the benefit of that with, can this guy get it done," the second source said. Yet a third source shared that "there’s real concerns about his ability to manage the place" based on the spending deals Johnson has brokered.
"It’s just laying out what’s going on. You can kind of see what was happening with this was going to happen," the source noted. Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) confirmed that these discussions have indeed been happening "for a couple of weeks" ahead of the vote.
Trump notched a decisive victory and should have smooth sailing ahead with such a mandate. Unfortunately, Republicans sometimes can't get out of their own way and might diminish Trump's power with these squabbles.
President Gerald Ford's former chief of staff, Bob Barrett, shared the events that led to former first lady Betty Ford's recovery from drug and alcohol addiction, the UK Daily Mail reported. Her healing led to the creation of the Betty Ford Foundation which has saved countless others from the throes of addiction.
Since its founding in 1982, the Betty Ford Center has become the destination for the rich and fabulous who are also addicts. However, before that ever happened, Betty Ford needed saving.
In his new book Inside the President's Team: Family, Service, and the Gerald Ford Presidency, Barrett gives a glimpse into the inner workings of the family's ordeal. The former first lady became addicted to pills after being prescribed opioids for a pinched nerve.
Betty Ford's substance abuse would escalate to an addiction to alcohol and a host of other pills. How her family dealt with it would change the trajectory of many lives.
A Family in Crisis
Barrett recounted Ford's daily routine when she was at her worst. "I had watched her pour a large glass of vodka over ice at nine every morning and nurse it until four in the afternoon," Barrett said.
"She would then pour another that lasted until dinner, when the drinks began to flow more freely. Far too many nights, I had seen her end the evening in an extreme state of intoxication," he added.
However, it would be in the years after President Ford left office when the family would reach out to Barrett for help. "Mom’s going to die if we don’t do something," Susan, the Fords' youngest daughter, told Barrett on March 31, 1978.
"We’re going to do this intervention thing with her. You’ve got to get him home," Susan said, referring to her father, Gerald Ford, who was in Maryland to give a speech.
Barrett said in his book that he knew that turning Susan down "was clearly not an option" and described her as "the perfect blend of her mother and her father: tough, beautiful, and smart." Barrett found a substitute to give a speech in for the former president's place and booked him on the next flight back to California to "ambush his wife."
The Aftermath
The family held the intervention for Betty Ford at home. Twelve of her closest loved ones shared with the former first lady all of the ways her addiction impacted them.
Her children spoke, including Susan, who went last. "Mom, when I was little, and even as I grew up, I always admired you for being a dancer. I wanted to be just like you," she told her mother.
"But now, these days, you’re falling and clumsy. You’re not the same person. And I’ve talked to you about things - things that were important to me, and the next day you didn’t even remember," Susan added.
Betty Ford would enter rehab and successfully kick her addictions with the support of her husband and family. She later launched a clinic in Rancho Mirage in 1982 and treated actress Elizabeth Taylor the following year. Others, including Ozzy Osbourne, Drew Barrymore, Robert Downy Jr., and many others, have also gotten well at the Betty Ford Center.
Barrett's account underscores Betty Ford's impact on people fighting addiction. It was her humility in admitting that she had a problem that led to a place of hope and freedom from addiction.
Former President Bill Clinton (D) was in MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, DC on Monday after he developed a fever, but was discharged on Tuesday, according to his deputy chief of staff.
Angel Ureña told reporters that the hospital visit was for testing and observation only. It was later reported that Clinton had the flu and was released on Tuesday.
Clinton was “in good spirits and grateful for the care he is receiving," Urena said.
Health challenges
Clinton, 78, has had a few other health issues in recent years.
In 2021 he was hospitalized for sepsis that developed from a urinary tract infection.
In 2004, he had quadruple bypass, followed by two stents in 2010.
Active in politics
Clinton campaigned hard for Kamala Harris in 2024. He has stayed active in politics and has spoken at every Democratic National Convention since 1976.
“I want to say this from the bottom of my heart,” he said in August. “I have no idea how many more of these I’ll be able to come to.”
In the news
Clinton was in the news last week when he commented on a pardon by President Joe Biden of his son Hunter.
"I think that the president did have reason to believe that the nature of the offenses involved were likely to produce far stronger adverse consequences for his son than they would for any normal person under the same circumstances," Clinton said.
He said he did not think the pardon by Biden was comparable to his pardon of his brother Roger Clinton on drug charges even though some have compared the two.
Roger Clinton served his sentence and was later pardoned, whereas Hunter's pardon will keep him out of jail.
"I wish he hadn't said he wasn't going to do it," Clinton admitted. "I think it does weaken his case."
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is dismissing rumors that she is pregnant.
The 35-year-old New York congresswoman has been the subject of speculation over her appearance, with some describing her as having a maternal glow.
AOC on pregnancy rumors
AOC felt compelled to respond in an Instagram video, in which she shared that a Republican lawmaker had approached her and asked if she was expecting.
Ocasio-Cortez had a playful answer to users who called her "glowing," saying she ate too much on Thanksgiving.
"Everyone keeps asking me if I’m pregnant,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “Actually, a member, a Republican, came to me on the floor this week and asked me if I was pregnant. I’m not pregnant guys, I had a lot of food at Thanksgiving. Okay? It happens.”
Rumors about AOC's supposed pregnancy gained traction through right-wing activist Laura Loomer, who accused AOC of hiding a "baby bump."
"Hey @AOC,” Loomer wrote on X. “The election is over. You can come out and finally admit you’re pregnant. Or are you waiting till the 9th month to abort? The election is over, cupcake.”
Career woman
AOC entered Congress in a shocking upset against Democratic incumbent Joe Crowley at the age of 29. She is engaged to her longtime boyfriend, Riley Roberts, who proposed in 2022.
The couple met as undergraduates at Boston University, long before AOC became a world-famous politician.
A quintessential career woman, AOC expressed some reluctance about the engagement, as she wasn't sure if her future husband would be comfortable with supporting a more famous wife.
"For him to experience us dating when I was still working as a waitress and a bartender through now and seeing how the world responds [to me], I think has been a very eye-opening experience for him as well," Ocasio-Cortez told GQ.
AOC recently suffered a career setback after losing a bid to represent Democrats on the powerful House Oversight Committee. She lost decidedly to a much more senior member, Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), who triumphed despite a cancer diagnosis.
While AOC has many years to climb the political ladder, the biological clock operates on its own time. If she is indeed planning a family soon, that's wonderful news.
The man who attempted to assassinate Donald Trump at his Florida golf course won't face trial until September of next year.
Judge Aileen Cannon agreed to delay Routh's trial over the large body of evidence in the case, but she rejected his request for a postponement until December 2025 as "excessive."
Routh had been scheduled to face a jury in February, but the trial has been pushed back to September 8, 2025, almost a year after Routh tried to kill Trump on September 15, 2024.
Trump assassination trial delayed
A Secret Service agent had spotted Routh lying in wait with a rifle while Trump was golfing at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach.
The agent fired his gun at Routh, who fled in his car down Interstate 95 before being captured in Martin County.
Routh has pled not guilty to the five federal crimes with which he is charged, including attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate.
In a court order Monday, Judge Cannon agreed to some delay given the seriousness of the charges Routh faces but rejected his request for a December trial as "excessive."
"Upon review of the full record, and following the status conference held on December 11, 2024, the Court determines that a continuance of trial from the current setting of February 10, 2025, is warranted to accommodate what both parties agree is substantial discovery in this case," Cannon wrote.
State charges filed
Cannon came to national attention while overseeing President Trump's classified documents trial. The judge dismissed the Biden Justice Department's case in July, just days after Trump survived a first assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Routh had requested Cannon's recusal, citing her appointment by Trump and his praise of her rulings, but Cannon refused.
“I have never spoken to or met former President Trump except in connection with his required presence at an official judicial proceeding, through counsel,” Cannon wrote. “I have no ‘relationship to the alleged victim’ in any reasonable sense of the phrase.”
The prosecution of Routh has seen a legal feud between the feds and state prosecutors allied with Florida governor Ron DeSantis (R), who have accused the Biden Justice Department of stonewalling.
Florida attorney general Ashley Moody announced state charges of felony murder against Routh last week, accusing him of causing a car crash that left a six-year-old girl gravely injured.
"The basis for the arrest warrant is that Routh committed an enumerated felony—here, domestic terrorism—and that felony seriously injured and could have killed a six-year-old girl," a press release said.
Former President Bill Clinton is out of the hospital after a brief health scare just before Christmas.
The 78-year-old was discharged on Christmas Eve from a hospital in Washington D.C. after treatment for the flu.
"President Clinton was discharged earlier today after being treated for the flu," his spokesperson, Angel Urena wrote in a post on X. "He and his family are deeply grateful for the exceptional care provided by the team at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and are touched by the kind messages and well wishes he received. He sends his warmest wishes for a happy and healthy holiday season to all."
Clinton released from hospital
The former president was admitted Monday to MedStar Georgetown University Hospital in Washington for testing after he came down with a fever.
The incident comes three years after Clinton was hospitalized for an infection that entered his bloodstream. He spent six days in the hospital before being released.
Clinton has also had some heart issues in recent years, leading to him getting a quadruple bypass surgery in 2004 at the age of 58. He later had stents placed to open up a coronary blockage.
Once famous for his love of a good hamburger, Clinton now eats a vegan diet.
Clinton back in spotlight
Clinton hit the campaign trial in the fall for Kamala Harris, who lost the presidential election to Donald Trump in a historic wipeout for the Democrats.
The results have left the party adrift, with many arguing the Dems took a wrong turn by rejecting the political centrism that Clinton - a charismatic, two-term president - championed in the 1990s.
Now 78, the former Democratic president has a frail appearance but is in good shape mentally.
Clinton's new memoir, Citizen: My Life After the White House, addresses some of his biggest controversies through the years, including his ties to Jeffrey Epstein and the Monica Lewinsky affair.
“He hurt a lot of people, but I knew nothing about it, and by the time he was first arrested in 2005, I had stopped contact with him. I’ve never visited his island,” Clinton wrote of Epstein.
“I wish I had never met him,” he added.
As President-elect Donald Trump prepares for his inauguration on January 20, a withdrawal from the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) has been scheduled as a priorityTrump's administration aims to remove the U.S. from the W.H.O. effectively reversing Biden's 2021 policy on his very first day in office, Breitbart reported.
Continuation of Previous Withdrawal Efforts
Trump's decision is an extension of his earlier attempt to exit the W.H.O. during his presidency in 2020, a process that was interrupted when President Joe Biden reinstated the U.S. relationship with the W.H.O. upon his own inauguration.
Ashish Jha from the Trump transition team mentioned the importance of the timing of this move, "The transition team wanted Trump to withdraw on the first day because of the ‘symbolism’ of reversing Biden’s own inauguration-day move."
Jha also added that this act represents deeper mistrust among Trump's close advisors towards the W.H.O.
The Financial and Operational Impact of U.S. Withdrawal
The United States is the largest contributor to the W.H.O., providing about 16% of its total budget, which was US$6.83 billion in 2024.
This significant financial backing supports the organization's global health initiatives, which will face challenging times due to this policy shift.
Additionally, the U.S. hosts over 8,000 W.H.O. career bureaucrats whose future involvement is now under scrutiny.
Criticism and Skepticism Surrounding the W.H.O.
The decision aligns with the previous criticisms Trump has levied against the W.H.O., particularly its perceived favoritism towards China during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"They seem to be very China-centric, and they seem to err always on the side of China," Trump declared in April 2020, showcasing his distrust in the organization's global neutrality and effectiveness.
An anonymous source familiar with the plans also expressed a dismissive view towards the W.H.O., emphasizing a continuing indifference towards the organization's influence.
Preparing for a Shift in U.S. Global Health Policy
The implications of the U.S. withdrawal will likely resonate well beyond its immediate financial impacts, affecting global health security and emergency responsiveness.
Observers are closely monitoring the potential fallout of this decision, especially those in global health sectors who relied on U.S. leadership and funding.
As January 20 approaches, the world watches to see how these changes will unfold, marking a significant pivot in U.S. international relations and public health policy.
