1. Biden signs $1.7 trillion funding bill, approving $47 billion for Ukraine
President Biden on Thursday signed the $1.7 trillion omnibus government funding bill that Congress passed last week. The bill includes increases in veterans' care and military spending; billions in aid to Ukraine amidst Russia's ongoing invasion; a ban on downloading TikTok to government-owned devices; and the Electoral Count Reform Act, which raises the threshold for lawmakers to challenge the electoral college process. Biden drew attention to the "crucial assistance to Ukraine," encompassing $47 billion in aid on top of the $65 billion the U.S. has already appropriated to address Russia's invasion. The aid is a victory for Democrats, who sought the funding before Republicans gain a House majority and likely move to block some assistance to Kyiv.
Bloomberg Twitter
2. Southwest says it will restore flight schedule Friday
After a disastrous week of cancelations, Southwest Airlines said it expected to resume its normal flight schedule on Friday "with minimal disruptions." Every airline was affected by winter storms across the U.S. last week, but Southwest was particularly hard-hit due to its specific operational organization. More than 2,500 Southwest flights were canceled on Tuesday alone, making up 87 percent of all domestic cancelations that day. "We know even our deepest apologies — to our customers, to our employees, and to all affected through this disruption — only go so far," the company said Thursday. It expects only 39 canceled flights on Friday.
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3. Iconic soccer legend Pelé dead at 82
Brazilian soccer legend Pelé died at the age of 82 on Thursday. Born Edson Arantes do Nascimento, Pelé grew up in poverty in Barau, São Paulo, famously practicing his soccer skills with found items like crumpled newspapers before his meteoric rise in the sport he would soon come to define as a global superstar. Considered one of the greatest players of all time, Pelé joined the Brazilian national team at just 16, going on to win a record three FIFA World Cup championships representing his home country. Pelé's death comes exactly one month after he was hospitalized for an increasingly serious colon cancer diagnosis. He spent his final days in the hospital surrounded by family.
The Associated Press
4. Netanyahu sworn in for 6th term as Israeli prime minister
Benjamin Netanyahu was sworn in as prime minister of Israel on Thursday, re-entering office to lead what many predict will be the country's most right-wing government in history. Netanyahu was most recently ousted as leader 18 months ago, but won a narrow victory in November to retake office alongside his Likud party. Several far-right politicians will join Likud members in Netanyahu's cabinet, despite controversy during Israel's elections. More than 100 retired Israeli ambassadors and foreign ministry officials expressed concerns about Israel's incoming government in a signed letter to Netanyahu. The prime minister's return to office comes after five elections paralyzed Israeli politics for nearly four years, and his latest policy plans are sure to face fierce opposition from more moderate members of parliament.
CNN Politico
5. Jan. 6 Committee withdraws Trump subpoena as it prepares to disband
In one of its final acts as it prepares to disband in the face of an incoming House Republican majority, the Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol has formally withdrawn its subpoena of former President Donald Trump. "In light of the imminent end of our investigation, the Select Committee can no longer pursue the specific information covered by the subpoena," the committee wrote. The group previously voted unanimously to subpoena the former president, with Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wy.) explaining that "we must seek the testimony under oath of Jan. 6th's central player." Trump celebrated the withdrawal, writing that "they probably did so because they knew I did nothing wrong." The withdrawal does not negate the committee's referral of criminal charges against Trump to the Justice Department.
CBS News
6. Mortgage rates recorded their largest calendar-year increase ever
Mortgage rates logged their largest-ever increase in a calendar year in 2022, rising once again in the last week of the year to 6.42 percent from 6.27 last week. The average rate was 3.11 percent at the same time last year. Soaring rates on standard 30-year fixed mortgages "brought 2021's pandemic-fueled housing boom to a halt," writes The Wall Street Journal, and came as the Federal Reserve sought to reign in spiking inflation. The record year of climbing rates included a brief period when rates topped 7 percent for the first time in two decades.
The Wall Street Journal
7. Myanmar's ousted leader gets additional 7-year sentence
Myanmar's ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi was convicted in a final trial on Friday and sentenced to seven years in prison, on top of the 26-year sentence she began serving soon after she was detained by the military in a coup in Feb. 2021. She was found guilty of corruption at the end of a series of trials denounced internationally as a sham, making it likely that she will spend the rest of her life imprisoned. Her lawyers plan to appeal. Last week, the United Nations Security Council passed a resolution calling for the junta to end hostilities and release all political detainees, including Suu Kyi.
Reuters The New York Times
8. Justice Department files suit against major drug distributor
The Justice Department filed a lawsuit on Thursday alleging that AmerisourceBergen Corp. failed to report "at least hundreds of thousands" suspicious opioid orders to the Drug Enforcement Agency. The pharmaceutical distributor, one of the largest in the U.S., is required to flag any orders deemed suspicious. The suit alleges the company was aware drugs sent to two pharmacies "were likely being sold in parking lots for cash," among other "red flags" it should have identified. "For years AmerisourceBergen prioritized profits over its legal obligations and over Americans' well-being," said Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta. The company says it "conducted extensive due diligence into these customers" and reported all suspicious orders. If found liable, AmerisourceBergen could face penalties "potentially totaling billions of dollars," Gupta said.
Politico
9. EPA investigating if Colorado's air pollution regulations are discriminatory
The Environmental Protection Agency is investigating Colorado's air pollution policy for potential environmental justice violations. The investigation is concerning whether the state's regulation of air pollution from industrial facilities disproportionately impacts Hispanic residents as well as other racial minorities. Many refineries across Colorado have had instances of malfunctions increasing the level of emissions in their surrounding areas. These areas tend to largely be minority communities. "We've always prioritized the health and wellbeing of every Coloradan no matter their zip code, but we know we have even more to do," said Trisha Oeth, Colorado Director of Environmental Health and Protection.
The Associated Press The Week
10. Designer Vivienne Westwood dead at 81
Fashion designer Vivienne Westwood died at age 81, her eponymous label confirmed Thursday. The British designer died "peacefully and surrounded" by her family in south London; a cause of death was not immediately made public. She was known for her controversial punk and new wave styles in the 1970s, as well as her on-runway activism for causes like climate change. The designer was made a dame for services to fashion in 2006. "I will continue with Vivienne in my heart," said Austrian designer Andreas Kronthaler, Westwood's husband and creative partner.
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