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Trump will ‘most likely’ pardon Capitol rioters on Day 1 and says Jan. 6 committee members should be jailed — The president-elect also said during an exclusive interview with “Meet the Press” that he won't request a special prosecutor to investigate outgoing President Joe Biden.
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Rolling Stone, Washington Examiner, Axios, New York Post, The Hill, The Independent, RedState, The Guardian, The Post Millennial, Forbes, Metro.co.uk, Breitbart and CNN
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Peter Nicholas / NBC News:
Trump details sweeping changes he'll carry out on day one and beyond in an exclusive interview — Trump vowed to launch a mass deportation effort, impose tariffs and pardon many convicted in the Jan. 6 attack in an interview with “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker.
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CBS News, Washington Examiner, NPR, The Hill, New York Times, Forbes, Daily Mail and No More Mister Nice Blog

Trump's Biggest Lies from His ‘Meet the Press’ Interview — From immigrants to Obamacare, the president-elect continued his campaign trail falsehoods — Donald Trump gave his first network interview since the election and spread falsehoods about immigrants, the Affordable Care Act and — of course — the 2020 election.
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NBC News
Allan Smith / NBC News:
Trump aims to end birthright citizenship, says American citizens with family here illegally may be deported — President-elect Donald Trump, in an exclusive interview with “Meet the Press,” also said he is open to working with Democrats on a legislative way to keep Dreamers in the United States.
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Raw Story, Axios, Politico, Rolling Stone, RedState, New York Post, The Post Millennial and The Guardian
Brett Samuels / The Hill:
Trump: 'I don't think' access to abortion pills is going to change
Trump: 'I don't think' access to abortion pills is going to change
Discussion:
Rolling Stone

Syrian rebels announce fall of Russia-backed Assad regime — Syrian rebels announced on Dec. 8 that they had ousted President Bashar al-Assad from the capital city of Damascus. — “The tyrant Bashar al-Assad has fled. We declare the city of Damascus free from the tyrant Bashar al-Assad,” rebel leaders said in a statement.
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The Syrian Regime Collapsed Gradually—And Then Suddenly — Assad's fall offers the possibility of change. — As Hemingway once wrote of bankruptcy, the collapse of autocratic regimes tends to happen gradually and then suddenly—slowly, and then all at once. This is not just a literary metaphor.
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Washington Examiner, Atlantic Council, Associated Press, Semafor, Reuters, Bloomberg, The Hill, Middle East Monitor, Jewish Insider and Forbes

Russia says Syria's Assad has left country and gave orders for peaceful power handover — Russia said on Sunday that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had left office and departed his country after giving orders for a peaceful transfer of power, but did not say where he was now or whether the Russian military planned to stay in Syria.
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New York Times, New York Post, The Kyiv Independent, Politico and Bloomberg

Jubilation and gunfire as Syrians celebrate the end of the Assad family's half-century rule — Syrians poured into streets echoing with celebratory gunfire on Sunday after a stunning rebel advance reached the capital, ending the Assad family's 50 years of iron rule but raising questions …
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The Guardian, The Hill, Reuters, Politico, Fox News, NBC News, New York Times, Variety, UPI, Associated Press, Asia Times, Commentary Magazine, 19FortyFive, The Post Millennial, Breitbart, Al Jazeera, The Atlantic, Metro.co.uk, The Times of Israel, Raw Story, The Defense Post, Middle East Monitor, CNBC, The Gateway Pundit, The Japan Times, NewsNation, Wall Street Journal, Mediaite and Exposing the role …

Syria rebels celebrate in captured Homs, set sights on Damascus — Syrian President Bashar al-Assad flew out of Damascus for an unknown destination on Sunday, two senior army officers told Reuters, as rebels said they had entered the capital with no sign of army deployments.
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BBC, USA Today, The Hill, Washington Examiner, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Al Jazeera, Sky News, Los Angeles Times, The Daily Caller, The Times of Israel, UPI, Middle East Monitor, The Kyiv Independent, Power Line, The New European, Bloomberg, Townhall, Althouse, Axios, masslive.com, NPR, Instapundit, The Guardian, New York Post, Exposing the role …, NewsNation, Associated Press, Algemeiner.com and The War Zone

Syria's sudden uprising is a stark reminder of Obama's failed foreign policy
Discussion:
Politico, The Times of Israel, The Independent, Fox News and The Hill

Trump Transition Live Updates: Trump Gives First Televised Interview Since Election — Where Things Stand — President-elect Donald J. Trump insisted in an interview with NBC's “Meet the Press” to air on Sunday that he would not direct his administration to seek retribution …
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Did Trump Drain Democrats' Energy? These Races Will Be the First Test. — As Democrats try to fire up their fatigued base, two contests for the Virginia legislature will serve as the first measure of partisan enthusiasm since Donald J. Trump's victory. — Even as the exhausted nation recovers …
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Holly Otterbein / Politico:
Democrats inch toward the anger phase of their election loss
Democrats inch toward the anger phase of their election loss
Discussion:
American Prospect

Playbook: The right dons brass knuckles for Hegseth brawl — With help from Eli Okun, Garrett Ross and Bethany Irvine — DRIVING THE DAY — SYRIA LATEST — Syria's Assad era is over. President BASHAR AL-ASSAD, the dictator whose family has ruled in the country for a half-century …

Climate Activists Need to Radically Change Their Approach Under Trump — Donald Trump's return to Washington might seem like a terrifying moment for the fight against climate change. The incoming administration is not just hostile to the energy transition; it's also expected to pull …
Discussion:
Informed Comment and Energy Security and Freedom

Federal employees scramble to insulate themselves from Trump's purge — Career civil servants are scrubbing social media, changing job titles and looking for private sector work over fear that Trump might fire them — Lisa Rein covers federal agencies and the management of government.
Discussion:
Raw Story

US announces nearly $1 billion more in longer-term weapons support for Ukraine — The United States will provide nearly $1 billion more in longer-term weapons support to Ukraine, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Saturday as the Biden administration rushes to spend all the congressionally approved money …
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Associated Press, Defense News, Reuters, Al Jazeera, Politico and Washington Examiner
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