A summary of the most important social, economic and political news of the week.
World News
Bondi Beach Massacre Two gunmen opened fire on families celebrating the first night of Hanukkah at Sydney, Australia's Bondi Beach last Sunday, killing at least 15 people. The father-and-son attackers used long guns to target the gathering, with the elder suspect dying at the scene after
World News
The Ukraine/Russia peace agreement that the Trump administration has been working hit a roadblock: territorial concessions. Trump advisers Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are meeting with Zelensky and European leaders in Berlin next weekend to push the U.S. peace plan, which includes Russia's demand for full
World News
An Afghan national shot and killed a 20-year-old West Virginia National Guard member, Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, near the White House the day before Thanksgiving. The 29-year-old suspect, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, who entered the U.S. in 2021 after serving with CIA-linked paramilitary units in Afghanistan, drove
World News
President Trump heaped praise on Zohran Mamdani, New York City's democratic socialist mayor-elect, during a White House visit this week. “I feel very confident that he can do a very good job,” Trump said, a stark reversal from previously calling Mamdani a “lunatic” and a “communist.” The
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The longest government shutdown in American history came to an end Wednesday night, when President Trump signed legislation to reopen the government after 43 days. Eight Senate Democrats broke ranks to vote with Republicans 60-40 on a deal that funds the government at current levels through January 30, reversing
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Democrats did well in Wednesday's off-year elections. The party significantly outspent Republicans on advertising in the high-profile races, which are being watched as a preview of the 2026 midterms. And turnout was extraordinary, with races drawing their highest voter numbers in decades. * New York City Mayor:
World News
President Trump wrapped up a six-day, 20,027-mile tour of Asia on Wednesday with a meeting with Xi Jinping in Busan, South Korea. President Trump agreed to to trim down tariffs on China from 57.6% to 47.6% in exchange for China's agreement to pause
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The East Wing of the White House has been fully demolished to make way for President Trump's new 90,000-square-foot ballroom project. (No, there’s not an extra zero in that number.) A backhoe tore through part of the East Wing on Thursday as construction began
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After 737 days in captivity, all 20 living Israeli hostages were released from Gaza on Monday morning as part of a ceasefire agreement brokered by President Trump. The men, ages 21 to 48, spent most of their time underground in tunnels with minimal food, water, and medical care. In exchange,
World News
After two devastating years, the war in Gaza appears to nearly be over. President Trump announced a breakthrough ceasefire deal on Wednesday, with Israel and Hamas agreeing to exchange hostages for prisoners and begin a withdrawal of Israeli forces. The conflict, which began with Hamas's October 7, 2023
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Israel has shifted to defensive operations in Gaza, following President Trump’s call to halt strikes in the enclave, marking the closest the two sides have come to ending the war since the October 7 attacks nearly two years ago. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a suspension of the operation
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Former FBI Director James Comey was indicted Thursday in federal court on charges of making false statements to Congress and obstructing its Russia probe investigation. The two-page indictment alleges Comey lied to the Senate in September 2020, when he testified he had not authorized anyone to leak information from