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DOGE is investigating Medicare Agency Payment Systems for Fraud.

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Following Mexico's approach, Canada too Gets 30-Day Pause on Tariffs: Canada has reached an agreement with President Trump to pause tariffs for 30 days, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a social media post.

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Trump Advisers Weigh Plan to Dismantle Education Department: Trump administration officials are weighing executive actions to dismantle the Education Department as part of the campaign by billionaire Elon Musk and his allies to shrink federal agencies and slash the size of the government workforce.

Elon Musk on USAID: Elon Musk has stated that Donald Trump agrees that the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) needs to be "shut down." This follows reports of funding freezes and administrative leave for USAID employees after disputes over access to agency systems. (Source: CNN)

Tariffs and Retaliation: In response to U.S. tariffs, Canada and Mexico have imposed retaliatory tariffs against Americans. President Trump has indicated that these tariffs might not include oil. (Source: AP News, CNBC)

Groundhog Day Prediction: Punxsutawney Phil has seen his shadow, predicting six more weeks of winter according to tradition, though NOAA data suggests Phil's accuracy is only about 30% over the past decade. (Source: The Washington Post)

German Immigration Bill: The German parliament has rejected a proposed immigration bill despite support from far-right groups, indicating significant political division on this issue. (Source: BBC)

Hostage Release: Hamas has announced the release of Yarden Bibas and two others in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, marking the fourth swap since the ceasefire began. (Source: BBC)

Trump's Tariffs on Mexico and Canada: President Trump confirmed the implementation of a 25% tariff on Mexico and Canada, with the possibility of these tariffs increasing over time, although oil might be excluded. (Source: CNBC)

Health Policy Criticism: Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump's pick for health secretary, faced criticism during his confirmation hearing over past comments on vaccines and race. (Source: NPR)

These stories reflect a mix of national and international events, with implications for policy, politics, and public safety.

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Biden Grants Last-Minute Pardons Before Trump Takes Office

Just before Donald Trump becomes President again, Joe Biden decided to forgive Dr. Anthony Fauci, General Mark Milley, and some people from a special group in Congress who looked into the January 6th Capitol riot. This means they won't face any legal trouble for things they did while in office.

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Powell Triggered Markets Carnage: VIX Spikes 58%, Stocks Plummet, Dollar Hits 2-Year Highs, Bitcoin Nosedives to 98.6K.

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Dominique Pelicot, a French national, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for the rape of his wife, Gisèle Pelicot. The case took a shocking turn as his daughter came forward with allegations of sexual abuse, claiming he had sedated her before the assaults. A disturbing photograph, taken after one of these incidents, depicted her in a compromising position with her father.  

In a dramatic courtroom confrontation, Dominique's son, David, questioned his father about the abuse, asking if he had also harmed his son and his sister.

The case is part of a larger scandal involving the rape of Gisèle Pelicot. All 51 defendants in this trial were found guilty, with evidence suggesting they were invited to sexually abuse Gisèle after she was sedated. Court documents indicate that Dominique Pelicot photographed these horrific acts.

Full story is found here: https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/12/19/world/france-rape-verdict-pelicot

- Photo curtsey: Guillaume Horcajuelo/EPA, via Shutterstock

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#Bitcoin briefly surged to $104k—what triggered the spike? Bitcoin bulls are buying aggressively, holding strong, and pulling coins off exchanges.

With Bitcoin's market cap alone hitting $2 trillion, bolstered by $31 billion in net inflows from US Bitcoin ETFs, the total crypto market cap has now surpassed $3.5 trillion. Several altcoins are experiencing significant growth, and NFTs are making a comeback. XRP recently reached its highest price in nearly seven years—though some claim manipulation, the price has since started to decline.

In a notable move, Brazil proposed using Bitcoin as a national reserve asset, sending a strong signal to the global market to take notice.

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Bitcoin Hits $100,000, Lifted by Hopes of a Crypto-Friendly Washington.

The world’s largest digital currency has staged an extraordinary rally since Election Day, surging more than 40% in just four weeks and setting one record after another.

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French Government Falls as National Assembly Approves No-Confidence Vote

The government of President Emmanuel Macron collapsed after the National Assembly voted for the first time in more than a half-century to oust a prime minister from office, a sign of the political gridlock that has paralyzed France.

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Trump Picks Paul Atkins to Run SEC: President-elect Donald Trump picked the conservative lawyer to run the Securities and Exchange Commission, choosing a regulatory skeptic who will be expected to cut red tape and rein in the agency’s enforcement division.