USDA $12 Billion Farm Aid Program Draws Mixed Reactions from Row Crop Farmers 
Jazz Ensemble Cancels Kennedy Center New Year’s Eve Shows After Trump Renaming Sparks Backlash 
Pentagon Awards $328.5 Million Lockheed Martin Contract to Support Taiwan Air Force Amid Rising Tensions 
MSF Faces Possible Ban From Gaza as Israel Enforces New Aid Registration Rules 
Zohran Mamdani Sworn In as New York City Mayor in Historic New Year Ceremony 
Salvador Nasralla Challenges Honduras Election Results Amid Fraud Allegations 
U.S. Lifts Sanctions on Three Intellexa-Linked Executives Amid Spyware Controversy 
Zelenskiy Says Ukraine Discussing Possible U.S. Troop Presence as Security Guarantee 
Philippines Challenges Chinese Research Vessel Spotted Near Cagayan Coast 
Global Concern Grows as Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza Deepens Despite Ceasefire 
Zelenskiy Says Ukraine Seeks Strong Peace Deal, Rejects “Weak” Agreement in New Year Address 
UN Condemns Israel’s Move to Cut Utilities to UNRWA Facilities 
Trump Ends National Guard Deployments in Major Cities Amid Legal Setbacks and Crime Debate 
U.S. Government Agrees to Review Frozen NIH Diversity Research Grants After Legal Challenge 
Kremlin Says Ukrainian Drone Attack Hardens Russia’s Stance on Peace Talks 
Trump Delays Tariff Increases on Furniture and Cabinets for One More Year 
The recent shootings in Atlanta and in Boulder have prompted many current and former government officials to speak up, including former President Barack Obama. Fox News host Tucker Carlson took the opportunity to blast Obama following the shootings, calling the former president a “racial arsonist.”
Carlson accused Obama of being a “racial arsonist” and using divisive rhetoric that prompted the recent shootings. This comes as Obama issued a statement calling out Congress to push for stricter gun control laws and that racism, sexism, and indifference were driving factors that lead to the mass shootings that recently occurred. The shooting in Atlanta highlighted the violence against the Asian American community as six of the eight victims at the Asian spa that the gunman attacked were of Asian descent.
“More than any other contemporary leader, Barack Obama is a racial arsonist,” said Carlson Tuesday, discussing the responses to the recent shooting at Boulder, Colorado that left 10 people dead. “He emerges at our most vulnerable moments to deepen the wounds that divide us. He sows hate. Why does Barack Obama do this? Well, it would take a psychiatrist to answer that question fully, though it seems obvious that deep loathing of some kind plays a role. It must play a role.”
That same day, President Joe Biden said he wanted Congress to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Biden also urged the Senate to pass the two bills that would close loopholes in terms of background checks on gun buyers. The White House has also said that Biden is open to using executive action.
In other news, the newest episode of Obama’s podcast with Bruce Springsteen discussed manhood and toxic masculinity as well as their personal struggles with their fathers. In the opening of the episode, Obama said that society’s definition of masculinity has not changed since he and Springsteen were children, noting “narrow distorted ideas” that stemmed from society’s definition of masculinity.
The former president cited traits such as suppressing emotions, an emphasis on being tough physically, and determining success by what is owned and a man’s ability to dominate rather than the ability to love and care for other people.
