Hegseth’s final confirmation vote for defense secretary expected Friday
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The showdown over Pete Hegseth’s nomination for defense secretary will soon come to a head with a confirmation vote Friday, Jan. 24. And President Donald Trump is opening the books on the killings of former President John F. Kennedy, former Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Friday, Jan. 24, 2025.
Hegseth’s final confirmation vote for defense secretary expected Friday
President Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary, former Fox News host and Army veteran Pete Hegseth, is a step closer to getting the job after the Senate voted to advance his nomination.
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Senators voted mostly along party lines to move forward with Hegseth’s nomination on Thursday, Jan. 23, 51-49. Two Republicans joined Democrats in voting against the nomination: Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine.
That vote set the stage for a final confirmation vote on Friday, Jan. 24. Hegseth, who served in Iraq, is expected to secure the majority support needed to join Trump’s cabinet. This comes amid misconduct allegations and objections from Democrats.
Democrats said Hegseth was not qualified to lead the Department of Defense. They have questioned his judgment amid reports of heavy drinking.
Plus, the Associated Press reported Hegseth admitted to paying $50,000 to a woman who accused him of sexual assault in 2017. After an investigation, the district attorney in Monterey County, California, did not file charges.
The AP said the payment admission was included in answers provided to Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren during the vetting process.
During his confirmation hearing last week, Hegseth told senators he was “falsely accused” in that case and was completely cleared. In addition, he has pledged to refrain from drinking if he becomes secretary of defense.
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Trump to appeal judge’s block of birthright citizenship order
Trump said he will appeal a federal judge’s order that blocks his executive order to end birthright citizenship.
On Thursday, a U.S. district judge granted a temporary restraining order against Trump’s executive actions, calling it “blatantly unconstitutional.”
The case, brought by Arizona, Illinois, Oregon and Washington, was the first to get a hearing before a judge and applies nationally. It’s just one of five lawsuits including 22 states and several immigrant rights groups nationwide.
On Friday, Trump will visit two states on that list: North Carolina and California. He will tour areas devastated by Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina and the wildfires still raging in the Los Angeles area.
On Saturday, Jan. 25, the president will travel to Nevada, where he’ll hold a rally in Las Vegas. Nevada was a key battleground state in the recent election and Trump became the first Republican presidential candidate to win the state since 2004.
Trump signs order declassifying JFK, RFK and MLK Jr. assassination docs
Trump followed through on another one of his campaign promises Thursday, signing an executive order to declassify all government records related to the assassinations of former President John F. Kennedy, former Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and civil rights activist Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The order requires the director of national intelligence and the attorney general to coordinate with the assistant to the president for national security affairs and Trump’s legal counsel within 15 days and present a plan for releasing the documents.
Straight Arrow News reporter Lauren Taylor looks at why now and what releasing the files could mean here.
Teen who stabbed 3 girls at dance class sentenced to more than 50 years
The teenager who stabbed three girls to death at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in the U.K. last July was sentenced to more than 50 years in prison.
The case judge said he could not impose a sentence of life without parole because the convicted killer, 18-year-old Alex Rudakubana was only 17 when he fatally stabbed Bebe King, 6; Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7; and Alice da Silva Aguiar, 9.
However, the judge said Rudakubana must serve 52 years, minus the six months he’s been in custody, before being considered for parole, adding “it is likely he will never be released.”
The prosecutor told the court that Rudakubana was obsessed with violence and genocide.
UnitedHealthcare names new CEO after Brian Thompson killing
UnitedHealthcare named a new chief executive officer. Parent company UnitedHealth Group announced Thursday that longtime employee Tim Noel will be the next CEO of its health insurance company, following the killing of former top executive Brian Thompson.
A gunman killed Thompson on the sidewalk outside a New York City hotel in December. It was caught on camera and stunned the nation.
Prosecutors charged Luigi Mangione, 26, with several counts of murder in connection to the case. Mangione is currently being held without bond in a Brooklyn jail. He has pleaded not guilty.
UnitedHealthcare, the nation’s largest private health insurer, said Noel will bring “unparalleled experience” to the CEO role. He joined the company in 2007 and most recently served as CEO of UnitedHealthcare’s Medicare and Retirement Department.
‘Emilia Perez,’ ‘Wicked,’ ‘The Brutalist’ among best picture nominees
The Oscar nominations are out, and the musical “Emilia Perez” leads the pack with 13 nominations, including Best Picture. Other movies vying for the top prize include the historical epic “The Brutalist” and the film adaptation of the Broadway hit “Wicked” — both up for 10 awards.
“Conclave,” a thriller about the election of a new pope, and the Bob Dylan biopic “A Complete Unknown” nabbed eight nominations each.
Rounding out the 10 movies in the best picture category are independent films “Anora,” “Nickel Boys” and “I’m Still Here,” as well as the blockbuster sequel “Dune: Part Two.”
American TV host and comedian Conan O’Brien will host the 97th Academy Awards on March 2.
Tags: Brian Thompson, Executive Order, health insurance, Martin Luther King Jr., Pete Hegseth, UnitedHealthcare, Entertainment, Assassination, Hurricane Helene, disaster, Murder, Immigrant, Immigration, Veterans, United Kingdom, Donald Trump, Department of Defense, Alaska, California, Arizona, Los Angeles, New York City, Illinois, Lawsuit, Oregon, migrants, Nevada, Washington, U.S. Senate, Massachusetts, Wildfire, Medicare, North Carolina, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Maine, Taylor Swift, Classified documents, Non-citizens, movies, Las Vegas, Susan Collins, Death, hurricane, John F. Kennedy, Elizabeth Warren, natural disaster, shooting, Sexual Assault, Prison
[CRAIG NIGRELLI]
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP’S PICK FOR DEFENSE SECRETARY — FORMER FOX NEWS HOST AND ARMY VETERAN PETE HEGSETH WHO SERVED IN IRAQ– IS A MAJOR STEP CLOSER TO GETTING THE JOB, AFTER THE SENATE VOTED TO ADVANCE HIS NOMINATION.
SENATORS VOTED, MOSTLY ALONG PARTY LINES, TO MOVE FORWARD — 51 TO 49 — WITH TWO REPUBLICANS JOINING DEMOCRATS IN VOTING AGAINST THE NOMINATION: LISA MURKOWSKI OF ALASKA AND SUSAN COLLINS OF MAINE.
THAT VOTE SETS THE STAGE FOR A FINAL CONFIRMATION VOTE **TODAY**.
HEGSETH IS EXPECTED TO SECURE THE MAJORITY SUPPORT NEEDED TO JOIN TRUMP’S CABINET, DESPITE FACING MISCONDUCT ALLEGATIONS AND OBJECTIONS FROM DEMOCRATS, WHO SAY HE’S NOT QUALIFIED TO LEAD THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND HAVE QUESTIONED HIS JUDGMENT AMID REPORTS OF HEAVY DRINKING.
This ALSO COMES AS THE ASSOCIATED PRESS IS NOW REPORTING HEGSETH ADMITTED TO PAYING 50-THOUSAND DOLLARS TO A WOMAN WHO ACCUSED HIM OF SEXUAL ASSAULT IN 20-17. AFTER AN INVESTIGATION, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY IN Monterey (MONTER-AY) COUNTY, CALIFORNIA DID NOT FILE CHARGES
THE A-P SAYS THE PAYMENT ADMISSION WAS WRITTEN IN ANSWERS PROVIDED TO MASSACHUSETTS DEMOCRATIC SENATOR ELIZABETH WARREN IN RESPONSE TO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS SHE HAD FOR HEGSETH AS PART OF THE VETTING PROCESS.
DURING HIS CONFIRMATION HEARING LAST WEEK — HEGSETH TOLD SENATORS HE WAS “FALSELY ACCUSED” IN THAT CASE AND HAD BEEN COMPLETELY CLEARED. IN ADDITION, HE HAS PLEDGED TO REFRAIN FROM DRINKING IF HE BECOMES SECRETARY OF DEFENSE.
PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYS HE WILL APPEAL A FEDERAL JUDGE’S ORDER — BLOCKING HIS EXECUTIVE ORDER ENDING BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP.
ON THURSDAY — A U.S. DISTRICT JUDGE IN WASHINGTON STATE GRANTED A TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER AGAINST TRUMP’S EXECUTIVE ACTIONS, CALLING IT QUOTE “BLATANTLY UNCONSTITUTIONAL.”
THE CASE — BROUGHT BY ARIZONA, ILLINOIS, OREGON AND WASHINGTON — WAS THE FIRST TO GET A HEARING BEFORE A JUDGE AND APPLIES NATIONALLY.
IT’S JUST ONE OF FIVE LAWSUITS, INCLUDING 22 STATES, AND SEVERAL IMMIGRANT RIGHTS GROUPS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
TODAY — PRESIDENT TRUMP IS SET TO VISIT TWO OF THE STATES ON THAT LIST: NORTH CAROLINA AND CALIFORNIA.
HE WILL TOUR AREAS DEVASTATED BY HURRICANE HELENE IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA AND THE WILDFIRES FIRES THAT ARE STILL RAGING IN THE LOS ANGELES AREA.
TOMORROW — HE WILL BE IN ANOTHER STATE THAT IS SUING OVER BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP: NEVADA — WHERE HE’LL HOLD A RALLY IN LAS VEGAS.
NEVADA WAS A KEY BATTLEGROUND STATE IN THE RECENT ELECTION, TRUMP BECAME THE FIRST REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE TO WIN THE STATE SINCE 2004.
TURNING TO THE U-K NOW — WHERE THE TEENAGER, WHO STABBED THREE YOUNG GIRLS TO DEATH AT A TAYLOR SWIFT-THEMED DANCE CLASS, LAST JULY, HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO MORE THAN 50 YEARS IN PRISON.
THE JUDGE IN THE CASE SAID HE COULD NOT IMPOSE A SENTENCE OF LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE — BECAUSE THEIR KILLER, 18-YEAR-OLD ALEX RUDAKUBANA WAS ONLY 17 WHEN HE FATALLY STABBED 6-YEAR-OLD BEBE KING, 7-YEAR-OLD ELSIE DOT STANCOMBE AND 9-YEAR-OLD ALICE DA SILVA AGUIAR.
HOWEVER, THE JUDGE SAID RUDAKUBANA MUST SERVE 52 YEARS — MINUS THE SIX MONTHS HE’S BEEN IN CUSTODY — BEFORE BEING CONSIDERED FOR PAROLE… ADDING QUOTE “IT IS LIKELY HE WILL NEVER BE RELEASED.”
THE PROSECUTOR TOLD THE COURT THAT RUDAKUBANA WAS OBSESSED WITH VIOLENCE AND GENOCIDE.
UNITEDHEALTHCARE HAS NAMED A NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER.
PARENT COMPANY UNITEDHEALTH GROUP ANNOUNCED THURSDAY LONGTIME EMPLOYEE TIM NOEL WILL BECOME THE NEXT CEO OF ITS HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANY, FOLLOWING THE KILLING OF FORMER TOP EXECUTIVE BRIAN THOMPSON.
A GUNMAN MURDERED THOMPSON ON THE SIDEWALK, OUTSIDE A NEW YORK CITY HOTEL IN DECEMBER. IT WAS CAUGHT ON CAMERA AND STUNNED THE NATION. PROSECUTORS HAVE CHARGED 26-YEAR-OLD LUIGI MANGIONE WITH SEVERAL COUNTS OF MURDER. MANGIONE IS CURRENTLY BEING HELD WITHOUT BOND IN A BROOKLYN JAIL. HE HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY.
UNITEDHEALTHCARE, THE NATION’S LARGEST PRIVATE HEALTH INSURER, SAYS NOEL WILL BRING “UNPARALLELED EXPERIENCE” TO THE ROLE OF CEO.
HE JOINED THE COMPANY IN 2007 AND MOST RECENTLY SERVED AS CEO OF UNITEDHEALTHCARE’S MEDICARE AND RETIREMENT DEPARTMENT.
FINALLY THIS MORNING – THE OSCAR NOMINATIONS ARE OUT – AND THE MUSICAL “EMILIA PEREZ” LEADS THE PACK WITH 13 NOMINATIONS INCLUDING BEST PICTURE.
OTHER MOVIES VYING FOR THE TOP PRIZE INCLUDE THE HISTORICAL EPIC “THE BRUTALIST” AND THE FILM ADAPTATION OF THE BROADWAY HIT “WICKED” – BOTH UP FOR 10 AWARDS.
“CONCLAVE” – A THRILLER ABOUT THE ELECTION OF A NEW POPE – AND THE BOB DYLAN BIOPIC “A COMPLETE UNKNOWN” NABBED EIGHT NOMINATIONS.
ROUNDING OUT THE 10 MOVIES IN THE BEST PICTURE CATEGORY — INDEPENDENT FILMS “ANORA,” “NICKEL BOYS” AND “I’M STILL HERE” AS WELL AS THE BLOCKBUSTER SEQUEL “DUNE: PART TWO.”
WE WILL FIND OUT WHICH FILM THE OSCAR GOES TO ON MARCH 2ND – WHEN CONAN O’BRIEN HOSTS THE 97TH ACADEMY AWARDS.
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