Your First Look at Today's Top Stories

Having trouble viewing this email? View the web version.

Sponsored By

DaybreakInsider.com

Thursday, January 4, 2024

Judge Unseals About 170 Names from Jeffrey Epstein’s List

Insider: A federal judge in New York has unsealed the identities of about 170 associates of Jeffrey Epstein as part of a long-running lawsuit between one of his accusers and his sex-trafficking partner Ghislaine Maxwell. Former President Bill Clinton is perhaps the biggest name disclosed in the documents. He was previously identified as “Doe 36” and was named in dozens of redacted court filings. The documents also bring fresh scrutiny to Prince Andrew, a longtime friend of Epstein who said he cut ties with him in 2010 (Insider). Wall Street Journal: The Journal’s reporting, based on thousands of pages of emails and schedules largely from 2013 to 2017, provides new details about how often people met with Epstein. It shows Epstein had contacts with an array of powerful people long after he was a registered sex offender. Most said that they now regret their association with Epstein and that they didn’t know Epstein was using those ties in his dealings with the women (Wall Street Journal).

Explosions Kill Over 100 Gathered at Iran Commander Qassem Soleimani's Tomb

Just the News: Two explosions near Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani’s tomb killed at least 103 people who gathered there Wednesday on the anniversary of his 2020 death, according to Iranian state media. In addition to the 103 deaths, 141 people were injured, according to the Islamic Republic News Agency. The first explosion occurred less than half a mile from his tomb as people walked toward the area to commemorate his death, while the second explosion occurred about .6 miles away, according to the state-run outlet. An official from Iran’s Kerman Province, where the explosions occurred, said the blasts were the result of terrorism (Just the News). Associated Press: Soleimani was the architect of Iran’s regional military activities and is hailed as a national icon among supporters of Iran’s theocracy. He also helped secure Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government after the 2011 Arab Spring protests against him turned into a civil, and later a regional, war that still rages today (Associated Press).

United States Remains Confident Hamas Used Hospital to Store Weapons, Hold Hostages

CNN: The US doubled down on its assessment that Hamas and other Gaza militants used the enclave’s largest hospital complex as a command hub as well as to hold hostages and store weapons, with a senior intelligence official pointing to newly declassified intelligence that reinforces the conclusion of Israeli and US intelligence. But the US intelligence community did not release any new evidence to support its assessment after questions were raised about to what extent the Al-Shifa Hospital was indeed the “beating heart” of Hamas operations, as Israel had claimed (CNN). Associated Press: The U.S. believes that Hamas members evacuated days before Israel raided the complex on Nov. 15 and that they destroyed sensitive documents and electronics before Israeli troops entered the facility. U.S. officials had previously pointed to classified intelligence, obtained independently from the Israelis, to offer support for Israel’s raid. Gaza’s hospitals have played a central role in the dueling narratives surrounding the war that the Hamas-run Health Ministry says has killed 22,100 people — though it does not differentiate between civilians and combatants. Hospitals enjoy special protected status under the international laws of war. But they can lose that status if they are used for military purposes (Associated Press).

Al-Qaeda Issues Threats Against U.S. Airports, High-Value Individuals

News Nation: The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is monitoring a potential terror threat against the United States from an affiliate of al-Qaeda, known as the AQAP. The group has released alarming videos online, calling for attacks on U.S. airlines, prominent figures and iconic locations. The AQAP, identified as al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, posted videos this week urging terrorist actions on global flights, Times Square and the New York City subway. The content includes specific calls for attacks on Jewish and Western targets, singling out American, British and French airlines. Notably, high-profile individuals such as Bill Gates, Elon Musk and former Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Shalom Bernacchi are named as potential targets (News Nation). Just the News: The video features a video of the American flag followed by Israeli flags being burned as a voice says, “Our enemy is one and that is why we strive jihad against this enemy.” The video flashes between scenes of busy areas of New York City, an exploding aircraft, the subway system, a person assembling a bomb, and operatives with suicide vests wearing Palestinian keffiyehs (Just the News).

U.S., Western Countries Issue Threat to Houthi Terror Group

Wall Street Journal: The U.S., Britain and key allies issued what officials described as a final warning to the Houthi Yemeni rebel group Wednesday to cease its attacks on international shipping in the Red Sea or bear the consequences. “Ongoing Houthi attacks in the Red Sea are illegal, unacceptable, and profoundly destabilizing,” says the statement issued by more than a dozen nations. “The Houthis will bear the responsibility of the consequences should they continue to threaten lives, the global economy, and free flow of commerce in the region’s critical waterways.” The U.S. military has prepared options to strike the Iran-backed rebel group, U.S. officials say (Wall Street Journal). Newsmax: President Joe Biden has said he wants to avoid direct military attacks on the group to avoid escalating a Middle East conflict. The Pentagon last week said it sank three Houthi boats in the Red Sea after gunmen fired on American helicopters responding to an attack on another commercial ship (Newsmax).

Biden Administration Blames Republicans for Border Crisis

Politico: The Biden administration is attempting to flip the blame for the migrant crisis at the southern border onto Republicans. In anticipation of Speaker Mike Johnson heading to the U.S. southern border on Wednesday, the White House issued a statement accusing House GOPers of ducking the chance to address the issue they’ve been attacking. “Actions speak louder than words,” White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said in a statement first obtained by POLITICO ahead of two days of Republican border visits. “House Republicans’ anti-border security record is defined by attempting to cut Customs and Border Protection personnel, opposing President Biden’s record-breaking border security funding, and refusing to take up the President’s supplemental funding request.” Republicans have been critical of Biden’s handling of the southern border since the beginning of his term, often saying he’s downplayed, neglected or worsened a historic migrant influx through Mexico (Politico). Reporter Ed O’Keefe: AND Speaker Johnson RESPONDS… with spokesman Raj Shah calling POTUS Biden “derelict in his duty to protect our border from the day he was sworn into office” (X).

Academics Want CRT Being Taught to Infants

Daily Wire: Academics and activists teamed up to create a guide to teaching Critical Race Theory (CRT) to young children, arguing that kids exhibit racial bias from as young as three years old. Titled “Reflections on Children’s Racial Learning,” the guide was created by a leftist organization called EmbraceRace, and shares strategies to effectively inculcate liberal beliefs on race among young children. It was written in part by professors at prominent universities such as the University of North Carolina and Wake Forest University, who urge parents to have “courageous conversations about race” with their toddlers (Daily Wire). Embrace Race: There is a growing body of research and evidence that makes clear that children’s racial sensibilities begin to form in infancy, that almost all children develop racial and other biases by kindergarten, and that those biases become fairly entrenched by adolescence (Embrace Race).

Trump Gains Endorsement from Top Five Republican Leaders in House

Spencer Brown: With fewer than two weeks until the Iowa caucuses, former President Donald Trump has locked up endorsements from the top five Republicans in the U.S. House — even those he’s previously worked against. On Wednesday morning, House GOP Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) threw his support behind Trump — joining the rest of the House’s Republican leadership slate in endorsing the 45th president (Townhall). Olivia Beavers: The top 5 Rs in House GOP leadership have now endorsed Trump for president. Emmer, the majority whip, endorses DJT a day after Scalise (X).

Trump Appeals to Supreme Court to Overturn Decision Barring Him from Colorado Ballot

Wall Street Journal: Former President Donald Trump asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn the decision by Colorado’s highest court removing him from the state’s 2024 presidential primary ballot because of his actions surrounding the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, according to a statement from the Trump campaign. The Colorado court halted its ruling from taking effect until Jan. 4 to give the former president and current Republican front-runner an opportunity to appeal. The Colorado Republican Party earlier asked the Supreme Court to reverse the ruling. The high court is widely expected to agree to hear Trump’s appeal to provide clarity on Trump’s eligibility, which has divided state judges and officials (Wall Street Journal). Hill: Similar cases have been brought in states, including Michigan and Minnesota, but most have been unsuccessful in removing Trump’s name from any state’s ballot. However, just before the new year, Maine became the second state to disqualify Trump from the state’s Republican primary ballots. Trump appealed that ruling to state court on Tuesday, and the case could similarly reach the Supreme Court within weeks (Hill).

10.

Several State Capitals Evacuate Amid Bomb Threats

Associated Press: Multiple state capitals received bomb threats Wednesday morning that led to brief evacuations or lockdowns as police investigated, but no evidence of explosives was found. The warnings came after a spate of false reports of shootings at the homes of public officials in recent days. Connecticut, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi and Montana were among the states that evacuated statehouse offices or buildings. Lawmakers in Kentucky and Mississippi have begun meeting in legislative sessions (Associated Press). Washington Post: It is unclear why the emails targeted the states above, a mix of red, blue and swing states. The threats come amid an increase in attacks — threatened and real — on public officials, including a spate of “swatting” incidents recently that targeted politicians from both sides of the aisle (Washington Post).