Politics

The Biden administration released 11 Yemeni detainees from Guantanamo Bay to Oman on Monday, marking another step toward the administration's goal of closing the detention facility. These men, described by U.S. Department of Defense records as “former al-Qaeda members,” were captured after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

A powerful winter storm swept across central and southern states to the East Coast on Monday, creating dangerous travel conditions, power outages, and widespread disruptions. Snow, ice, and freezing temperatures caused schools, businesses, and government offices to shut down across multiple states.

Senator Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) was conspicuously absent from Monday’s 2024 election certification proceedings.

Outgoing Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) faced renewed scrutiny Sunday over his past comments defending President Joe Biden’s mental fitness. Appearing on NBC’s Meet the Press, Schumer was pressed about earlier claims dismissing concerns over Biden’s cognitive decline. Instead of addressing the criticism, Schumer repeated his assertions, further fueling allegations of a coordinated effort to obscure Biden’s condition from the American public.

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) will expand its presence in Vallejo, a Bay Area city grappling with rising crime and a severe police staffing shortage. The decision follows a petition by residents urging Governor Gavin Newsom to deploy state resources, similar to the CHP’s ongoing crime-reduction efforts in Oakland.

Gary Shapley, the IRS supervisory special agent who exposed alleged misconduct in the Hunter Biden tax investigation, has called for sweeping reforms at the Department of Justice (DOJ) and his own agency. Shapley’s testimony and subsequent disclosures have raised concerns about political bias and systemic issues within federal institutions.

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, 84, was seen using a walker on the House floor during Monday’s joint session of Congress to certify President-elect Donald Trump’s 2024 election victory. The sighting comes weeks after Pelosi underwent hip replacement surgery following a fall during a bipartisan congressional delegation (CODEL) trip overseas.

In a striking contradiction, leftist activists and LGBTQ groups have begun arming themselves, citing fears of persecution under a potential second Trump presidency. Organizations like the Socialist Rifle Association and Pink Pistols have reported significant membership growth, with many left-leaning individuals acquiring firearms for the first time.

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer defended his handling of the nation’s child grooming gang scandal on Monday, responding to increased scrutiny following remarks from SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.

Former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan is seeking to block prosecutors from questioning his long-time law partner about the profits generated by their private law firm. Prosecutors argue the firm's lucrative earnings, reportedly more than $1 million annually for Madigan as a 50% partner, are central to understanding his motives in the corruption case.