The ACTUAL NEWS: Monday, January 13th 2025 Recap
U.S. Announces AI Export Controls; Trump Anticipates Call with Putin; More National and Global News
TODAY IN HISTORY
1903 First group of Korean immigrants enter Hawaii
1966 Lyndon Johnson appoints first African American cabinet member
1990 Douglas Wilder of Virginia becomes the nation’s first elected Black governor
1995 All‑female team competes in America’s Cup sailing for first time
1999 Michael Jordan retires for a second time
2021 Donald Trump became the first U.S. president to be impeached twice
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NATIONAL
The Department of Defense expressed pride in the Navy's decision to name two future Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carriers after Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. President Biden announced that the carriers will be named the future USS William J. Clinton (CVN 82) and the future USS George W. Bush (CVN 83). These ships will honor the legacies of both presidents, who served with determination and dedication, and will serve as lasting tributes to their leadership. The aircraft carriers will play a key role in safeguarding national security and inspiring future service to the country.
Outgoing President Joe Biden highlighted his foreign policy achievements on Monday, asserting that U.S. adversaries are weaker now than when he assumed office four years ago, despite ongoing global crises.
President Joe Biden expressed deep sorrow over the loss of 24 lives in the wildfires across Los Angeles, offering prayers for the victims and their families. He acknowledged the widespread devastation caused by the ongoing fires in Southern California. Biden highlighted that he is closely monitoring firefighting efforts and has directed federal support, including personnel and aerial resources, to assist in suppressing the fires. He emphasized his administration's commitment to supporting survivors and combating the fires, especially as wind conditions worsen. The president also expressed gratitude to firefighters and first responders for their heroic efforts.
Republican U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said on Monday that Congress should place conditions on aid to Los Angeles communities devastated by wildfires, alleging that state and local officials in largely Democratic California have mismanaged the state's water resources and forests (which isn't true!)
The U.S. Senate energy panel said on Monday the nomination hearing for President-elect Donald Trump's pick for secretary of the interior, Doug Burgum, will take place on Thursday instead of Tuesday, blaming a "bureaucratic delay" with a federal ethics office.
Eli Lilly CEO David Ricks has requested that the U.S. government pause price negotiations for prescription drugs. Speaking at the JPMorgan Healthcare Conference, Ricks stated that the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) needs to be "fixed" before the second round of price cut discussions can proceed.
A group opposed to affirmative action has filed a lawsuit against McDonald's, alleging that the company did not go far enough in rolling back its diversity initiatives. The lawsuit specifically targets McDonald's decision to continue offering scholarships to Latino and Hispanic students despite recent changes to other diversity programs.
U.S. Special Counsel Jack Smith, who led the federal cases against Donald Trump on charges of trying to overturn his 2020 election defeat and mishandling of classified documents, has resigned, as the Republican president-elect prepared to return to the White House.
A federal judge on Monday cleared the way for the U.S. Justice Department to publicly release a portion of former Special Counsel Jack Smith's report on President-elect Donald Trump's 2020 election subversion case.
Sharon Sprung, the Brooklyn artist who painted the iconic official portrait of former first lady Michelle Obama, has a new powerful female subject: U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.
As part of the White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research, on Tuesday, the First Lady Biden will join Fierce JPM Week 2025 in San Francisco, California, to discuss the importance of advancing women’s health research.
On Thursday, January 16th, President and the First Lady will attend the Department of Defense Commander in Chief Farewell Ceremony.
President Joe Biden announced on Monday that his administration would cancel student loans for over 150,000 borrowers. The cancellations will target individuals who attended schools that defrauded students, those with permanent disabilities, and public service workers.
Republican allies of President-elect Donald Trump in the U.S. House of Representatives are working to gather support for a bill that would authorize talks on purchasing Greenland, according to a copy of the bill circulated to potential co-sponsors on Monday.
Cleveland-Cliffs is teaming up with Nucor to prepare a potential bid for U.S. Steel, according to CNBC. The deal would involve Cleveland-Cliffs acquiring U.S. Steel in an all-cash transaction and then selling U.S. Steel's Big River Steel subsidiary to Nucor.
On Monday, the U.S. imposed sanctions on the extreme right-wing online network "Terrorgram," designating it a terrorist group for promoting violent white supremacy. The U.S. State Department also named three of the group's leaders as Specially Designated Global Terrorists. The group primarily operates on the Telegram social media platform.
GLOBAL
A spokesman for Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan's ruling party stated that paving the way for him to run for a fourth term is "on the agenda." He emphasized that the key factor in this decision would be whether the people support it.
Germany, Poland, Britain, France and Italy will implement as swiftly as possible new NATO targets for weapons and troop numbers which the alliance is about to agree upon, German Defense Minister Pistorius pledged on Monday.
President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke on Sunday with Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru of Japan and President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. of the Philippines to advance the continuing cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. This meeting follows the historic trilateral summit hosted at the White House in April 2024. Together the three Leaders discussed trilateral maritime security and economic cooperation, as well as the Peoples Republic of Chinas dangerous and unlawful behavior in the South China Sea.
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has nominated Alice Weidel as its candidate for chancellor in the upcoming Bundestag elections, marking the party's first such move. Weidel aims to restore Germany's strength, wealth, and safety, with a key proposal to close the country's borders to migrants. She also advocates for ending the escalation of the Ukraine conflict, suggesting that a meeting between Putin and Trump could help resolve it. Additionally, Weidel calls for the resumption of gas supplies from Russia through the Nord Stream pipeline.
Venezuela condemned new sanctions imposed by the U.S., Britain, and the European Union on Friday. The sanctions followed the swearing-in of President Nicolas Maduro for a third term, which came after a six-month election dispute.
Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro says he plans to “liberate” Puerto Rico from U.S. influence, declaring that “Puerto Rico’s freedom is pending.”
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday to discuss efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza, according to Netanyahu's office. Following the meeting, Netanyahu sent a high-level delegation, including the head of Israeli Mossad, to Qatar to advance talks for the return of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
Denmark privately reached out to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's team, expressing openness to discussing enhanced security in Greenland or increasing the U.S. military presence there, without suggesting any claim to the island, Axios reported on Saturday, citing two sources.
Denmark recognizes that the United States has security interests in the Arctic and is ready to discuss these with the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said on Monday.
All 5 parties of Greenland Parliament, oppose Trump’s idea to make the autonomous island part of the US, per DR. “I do not want to be part of the United States, as Trump suggests,” said Mariane Paviasen, spokesperson for the ruling Inuit Ataqatigiit (IA) party. “I want an independent Greenland.”
Greenland Prime Minister Mute Egede said on Monday the country is looking to strengthen its defense and mining ties with the United States, albeit on its own terms, following renewed interest from U.S. President-elect Donald Trump.
South Korea's impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol will not attend the first formal hearing of the trial to determine if he is removed from office or reinstated because of concerns about his safety, Yonhap News reported citing his lawyer.
The Italian justice minister has filed a request to revoke the arrest of an Iranian businessman detained in Milan who was wanted by the United States on suspicion of involvement in a drone strike against its forces, the justice ministry said on Sunday.
Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai urged Muslim leaders on Sunday to back efforts to make gender apartheid a crime under international law, and called on them to speak out against Afghanistan's Taliban over its treatment of women and girls.
European foreign ministers will meet at the end of January to discuss the lifting of sanctions on Syria, the EU foreign policy chief said on Sunday in Riyadh ahead of a meeting of top Middle Eastern and Western diplomats and Syria's new foreign minister.
Hungary plans to hold talks with regional allies to counter the impact of higher oil prices resulting from a new round of US sanctions on Russia's oil and gas sector, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said on Sunday.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
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U.S. Announces AI Export Controls and Diffusion Rule to Strengthen National Security and Economic Leadership
The U.S. government is taking a multi-faceted approach to safeguard its leadership in artificial intelligence (AI) technology while protecting national security. The Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) has introduced new regulations designed to control the export of advanced computing chips and AI model weights. These measures are intended to prevent adversaries from misusing AI technology for harmful purposes, such as developing weapons or launching cyberattacks, while ensuring that trusted allies and partners have access to cutting-edge innovations under secure conditions.
The initiative includes a series of export controls, including the new Artificial Intelligence Authorization and exceptions for low-volume exports and specific supply chains. By managing the export of dual-use technologies—those with both civilian and military applications—the U.S. aims to curb the potential misuse of AI systems while maintaining its competitive edge in the global AI race.
In tandem with these export controls, the Biden administration has introduced the Interim Final Rule on Artificial Intelligence Diffusion, a set of regulations aimed at streamlining licensing processes and reinforcing security standards. This rule is designed to facilitate AI technology’s responsible diffusion, particularly for trusted nations, while ensuring that U.S.-developed AI remains secure and out of the hands of adversaries.
The rule features six key provisions to enhance U.S. national security and economic strength:
No Restrictions for Key Allies: The rule allows chip sales to 20 critical U.S. allies and partners without licensing requirements, ensuring that these countries, which have robust technology protection regimes, can access large-scale U.S. AI technology.
Streamlined Licensing for Low-Risk Orders: Chip orders involving up to 1,700 advanced GPUs—typically placed by universities, medical institutions, and research organizations for non-threatening purposes—will no longer require licensing. This change accelerates the delivery of low-risk shipments globally.
Universal Verified End User (UVEU) Status: Trusted entities headquartered in close allies and partners can obtain UVEU status, allowing them to deploy up to 7% of their global AI computational capacity, including hundreds of thousands of chips, to various countries. This status strengthens U.S. leadership and ensures AI frontier training remains domestically controlled.
National Verified End User (NVEU) Status: Trusted entities located in non-adversarial countries can apply for NVEU status, enabling them to purchase up to 320,000 advanced GPUs over the next two years. This provision allows national entities to serve local and regional needs while minimizing diversion risks.
Caps for Non-VEU Entities: Non-verified entities in countries outside trusted allies can still purchase up to 50,000 advanced GPUs per country, ensuring U.S. technology remains available to foreign governments and businesses, but within controlled limits.
Government-to-Government Agreements: The U.S. aims to foster international cooperation through agreements with foreign governments that align with its export control, clean energy, and technology security policies. These arrangements could double the available chip caps for participating nations.
While the diffusion rule encourages the global spread of U.S. technology, it also imposes significant restrictions on countries of concern. These include measures to prevent adversaries from using advanced semiconductors for training AI models and restrict the transfer of model weights for closed-weight AI systems to non-trusted actors. The rule ensures these weights are securely stored and protected from illicit access, further safeguarding against national security risks.
These new regulations build on prior chip controls, such as those introduced in October 2022 and 2023, and reflect ongoing consultations with bipartisan Congressional members, industry stakeholders, and international allies. Together, these efforts aim to ensure that the U.S. remains at the forefront of AI innovation while minimizing risks associated with its misuse by adversarial actors.
President Biden's Call with Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel
President Joe Biden spoke on Sunday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss ongoing ceasefire and hostage release negotiations in Doha. The discussions were centered on a potential agreement based on the May 27, 2024 arrangement, which was endorsed by the UN Security Council. Biden highlighted the changed regional dynamics, including the ceasefire in Lebanon, the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, and Iran's weakening influence. He emphasized the urgent need for a ceasefire in Gaza, the return of hostages, and a surge in humanitarian aid facilitated by halting the fighting. Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed gratitude for President Biden's longstanding support of Israel and the exceptional U.S. assistance for Israel’s security and defense.
Biden Assures Families of Americans Detained by Taliban of Ongoing Efforts for Their Release
President Joe Biden spoke with the families of three Americans—Ryan Corbett, George Glezmann, and Mahmoud Habibi—who have been unjustly held by the Taliban in Afghanistan since 2022. During the conversation, the President reaffirmed the U.S. government's commitment to reuniting them with their loved ones. Biden highlighted his administration's ongoing efforts to bring home Americans wrongfully detained overseas, noting that over the past four years, more than 75 Americans have been freed from detention in countries including Burma, China, Russia, and Iran. He emphasized that securing the release of detained Americans, particularly in Afghanistan, remains a priority for his administration, with continued diplomatic efforts aimed at bringing them home.
Trump Adviser: Diplomatic Resolution Likely for Ukraine War, Calls with Putin Expected
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to have a call in the coming days or weeks, according to Mike Waltz, Trump’s incoming national security adviser.
Waltz acknowledged that "everybody knows that this has to end somehow diplomatically," but emphasized the difficulty of expelling all Russian forces from Ukrainian territory, stating, "I just don't think it's realistic to say we're going to expel every Russian from every inch of Ukrainian soil, even Crimea."
He highlighted that Trump has "acknowledged that reality," a position now recognized globally. Waltz referred to the war as a "meat grinder of people and resources" with "World War Three consequences" and stressed the need for a resolution. In discussing contacts between Trump and Putin, he stated, "I do expect a call for, at least in the coming days and weeks."
The ongoing Russian invasion of sovereign Ukraine has led to tens of thousands of deaths and millions displaced. U.S. officials regard Russia as a significant threat, while Russian authorities view U.S.’ efforts to protect Ukraine against its abuser as “efforts to undermine Russia's interests and stability”.
Tens of Thousands Protest Cancellation of Romanian Presidential Election
Tens of thousands of Romanians protested in Bucharest on Sunday, demanding that the canceled presidential election be reinstated and that outgoing President Klaus Iohannis resign. The protests followed Romania’s top court annulling the election on December 6, two days before the second-round vote, due to allegations that frontrunner Calin Georgescu had benefitted from a biased social media campaign, allegedly orchestrated by Russia. The court ordered a full re-run of the election, which has been set for May 4 and May 18, but the election's cancellation sparked anger, with many calling for a return to democracy. Protesters, including left-wing and opposition supporters, accused political parties of corruption and betrayal, demanding transparency and the continuation of the election process. There is uncertainty about whether Georgescu, who opposes Romanian support for Ukraine, will be allowed to run again.
PHOTO(S) OF THE DAY
Mexican firefighters arrived in the U.S. to help battle wildfires that have devastated large areas of California. Two aircraft carrying the crews and humanitarian aid landed in Los Angeles on Saturday, where they were greeted by California Governor Gavin Newsom.
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That’s it from me for now. Thank you so much for reading.
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