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Florida State Representative Hillary Cassel has switched to the Republican Party.

Outgoing West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin expressed strong disapproval on Thursday over President Joe Biden's decision to commute the death sentences of two men convicted in the brutal 2002 murder of Samantha Burns, a 19-year-old student at Marshall University. The two men, Brandon Basham and Chadrick Fulks, had been sentenced to death for their roles in Burns' killing. On Monday, as part of a larger commutation effort, Biden reclassified their sentences from execution to life in prison without the possibility of parole, along with 35 other inmates on federal death row.

BioNTech has entered into two separate settlement agreements with the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the University of Pennsylvania regarding royalty payments for its COVID-19 vaccine.

South Korean lawmakers have impeached Acting President Han Duck-soo, stating he was not working fast enough to complete the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk-yeol.

Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD), Chair of the House Freedom Caucus, told Fox Business that the House GOP needs to consider if new leadership is needed to advance President-elect Donald Trump's agenda.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier announced that he dissolved the German parliament. A snap election will be held in February.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) discovered mutations in bird flu samples taken from a man in Louisiana.

The Chinese government placed sanctions on seven U.S. companies in response to the United States announcing assistance to Taiwan.

Rep. Cori Bush (D-MO), an outgoing member of the "Squad" in Congress, believes she may run for Congress in the future.

President Joe Biden said that the United States will provide more weapons to Ukraine following Russian attacks on Christmas day.