News From Around the Web
#1 US Officially Leaves World Health Organization - Mary Kekatos for ABC News, The White House D, Snehalmdr, NY Nanc, and David on X
The U.S. has officially completed its withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO), the Trump administration announced on Thursday. It comes exactly one year after President Donald Trump signed an executive order to begin the process of withdrawal. The move was announced by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of State. A senior HHS official said on Thursday that the WHO "strayed from its core mission and has acted contrary to the U.S. interests in protecting the U.S. public on multiple occasions."
#2 Jack Smith Defends Criminal Investigations Into Trump During House Hearing - Ali Schmitz for PBS, MAGANationVoice, Carlyle Gordon/#NAFOfella, Geri Ricci,
Lise Latulippe @liselatulippe.bsky.social, Red, and American Patriot on X
Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee sharply criticized former special counsel Jack Smith over his investigation of President Trump, which produced more than 40 criminal charges that have since been dropped. GOP lawmakers accused Smith of partisanship, but as Ali Rogin reports, Smith defended his conduct, saying the law required him to act...#3 Trump Snubs Canada by Withdrawing Country’s Invite to Join ‘Most Prestigious Board of Leaders Ever' - Michael Sinkewicz for Fox News, Gene & Andrea, Tokyo Rosie, Garena, RETIRE THAILAND PARADISE=VETS FIND MATE-CURE PTSD!, Paul Rudnick, and Fidus Enquart on X
President Donald Trump announced Thursday that Canada was no longer welcome to his newly established Board of Peace. In a statement posted on Truth Social, Trump rescinded Canada's invitation, informing Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney that his country could no longer join the "most prestigious Board of Leaders ever assembled." "Dear Prime Minister Carney: Please let this Letter serve to represent that the Board of Peace is withdrawing its invitation to you regarding Canada’s joining, what will be, the most prestigious Board of Leaders ever assembled, at any time," Trump wrote...
#4 Informal Peace Talks Between Russia, Ukraine, US Begin in Abu Dhabi - Burc Eruygur for aa, Jim Ferguson, The Wonk, faiyaz brohi, Pakistan TV, and CLAUDIO PACIFICO on X
Informal trilateral talks between Russia, Ukraine, and the US have begun in the Emirati capital Abu Dhabi, according to media reports on Friday. Citing remarks by Ukraine’s Presidential Office to journalists, the RBC-Ukraine news agency reported that there is no official start time for the talks, though some teams are already on site and are holding informal discussions. It also reported that Ukraine's presidential communications adviser, Dmytro Lytvyn, explained the talks to be conversations involving various "non-formal" representatives, while not clarifying further. Lytvyn added that, therefore, these conversations cannot be considered as a regular political meeting, which he said happens within some clear framework...
#5 RNC Eyes ‘America First’ Midterm Convention to Boost Trump, GOP Ahead of Critical Elections - Paul Steinhauser for Fox News, MAGA Voice, David Marcus, USA News Repost, and AK Kamara
The Republican National Committee (RNC) is taking a big step toward holding its first-ever midterm convention. The RNC on Thursday advanced a change to the party's rules that would allow Chairman Joe Gruters "to convene a special ceremonial convention outside a presidential election cycle," according to a memo shared first with Fox News Digital. National political conventions, where party delegates from around the country formally nominate their party's presidential candidates, normally take place during presidential election years...
#6 House Passes DHS Funding Bill Despite Democratic Opposition Over ICE - NBC News, Cathy, Ed Gallrein/Greg Price (community note)/K80 Dubz/Brad38/Troy Thomas,
Make American History Great Again, and The Washington Times on X
A small band of moderate House Democrats teamed with Republicans on Thursday to pass a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security, overcoming a revolt by most Democrats furious about ICE’s aggressive operations in Minneapolis and other U.S. cities. The vote was 220-207, with seven Democrats breaking with their party and voting yes. The House also passed a separate package of bills to fund other federal agencies in a broad, bipartisan vote in a bid to avert a partial government shutdown on Jan. 31...
#7 White House and China Finalize Deal to Sell U.S. TikTok Business to Investors Backed by Trump - NBC News, MiyataGaming.com, MacHash, DailyShorts.io, SIR Busy_Brain, and FOX 4 NEWS on X
The United States and China have signed off on a deal that hands control of TikTok’s U.S. operations to a group of investors backed by President Donald Trump. TikTok said Thursday in a news release that a new company, TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, would ensure the app continues to be available in the U.S. The company will "operate under defined safeguards that protect national security through comprehensive data protections, algorithm security, content moderation, and software assurances for U.S. users," the statement said...
#8 AG Paxton Launches “Wide-Sweeping” Investigation Into Vaccine Incentivization Framework - Steven Middendorp for The HighWire, George Orwell, Dawn Richardson, Director of Advocacy, Wanda Dietel, Leigh Attaway Wilcox, and The Epoch Times on X
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched an investigation into a “multi-level, multi-industry scheme that has illegally incentivized medical providers to recommend childhood vaccines that are not proven to be safe or necessary.” Paxton’s office said the investigation will be wide sweeping and will examine the “incentivization framework that historically forced” children to receive more than 70 doses of vaccines from birth to 18 years of age. AG Paxton has announced his investigation on the heels of the CDC’s historical modification of the childhood vaccine schedule, following a comprehensive scientific review that found the US was recommending more than twice as many vaccines as some peer nations. The new vaccine schedule is facing scrutiny from medical groups like the American Academy of Pediatrics, which receives funding from major vaccine manufacturers, including Pfizer, Moderna, Merck, Sanofi, and GlaxoSmithKline. At least 19 states have announced they will follow the AAP’s guidelines rather than the CDC’s, despite the AAP’s known conflicts of interest that promote more vaccinations for all children...
#9 RFK Jr. Launches ‘Take Back Your Health’ Tour in Harrisburg, Shapiro Pushes Back - Lydia McFarlane for WVIA News, MJTruthUltra/Glenda, Pennsylvania Governors Office/Voter McVoterface, Major Anthony Jones, Steve Kirsch/Governor Josh Shapiro, and WILK Newsradio on X
Robert F. Kennedy joined supporters and conservative state lawmakers in Harrisburg for an "Eat Real Food" rally in Harrisburg, kicking off his "Take Back Your Health" national tour.“We're here today because of the existential crisis in American health. Americans pay two to three times what our peer nations pay for health care. And yet we have the worst results in the worst outcomes in the developed world,” said Kennedy, the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. His speech focused on President Donald Trump’s changes to federal health policy that Kennedy has pioneered. Kennedy said much of health spending goes towards treating chronic illness...
#10 Huge US Armada Heading to Middle East - Newsmax, The Daily Cable, WNDU, Reality Check, Vegas, and 24hr Geopolitics on X
A U.S. military aircraft carrier strike group and other assets will arrive in the Middle East region in the coming days, two U.S. officials said on Thursday, even as U.S. President Donald Trump voices hopes of avoiding new military action against Iran. U.S. warships including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, several destroyers and fighter aircraft started moving from the Asia-Pacific last week as tensions between Iran and the United States soared following a severe crackdown on protests across Iran in recent months. One of the officials said additional air defense systems were also being eyed for the Middle East.
And Now for Something Special 
Teach your children well... important read:
"Among the myriad of harm that humanity has inflicted upon itself through both the wired and wireless world, the disappearance of wholesome boredom might be the most consequential..."
