Finally, Hunter Biden admits laptop is his; northeast braces for cold; McCarthy meets Biden; Ukraine attacks corruption; Columbia Journalism Review takes on anti-Trump Russia stories; a personal note
Chinese spy balloon over U.S.; Air Force intelligence officer had hundreds of classified docs in his home; Patriots comment on Brady retirement; Guantanamo detainee released to Belize
Good Friday morning! TGIF!
My take: Today is personal. Not news personal. Me personal. It is time for me to deal with a health issue and as a result I will be taking a leave from the newsletter for a short time. Early next week I will prepare to deal, and on Thursday February 9th late in the day I will be dealing. I have been running the “car” at 70 miles an hour for 40 plus years and well I may not have put too much oil in it. Obviously there are consequences. The great lesson here is don’t ignore things. They don’t go away. When will I return (if the healthcare system doesn't kill me)? I will need a week to two to recuperate and then I will be back God willing. So with next week, we are looking at 2 to 3 weeks. Maybe quicker or maybe it will take more time. This is now in other’s hands. What is best is I am hanging down South with my favorite people ❤️(human and four-leggeds). Feel free to DM me on the Bobby Newman Facebook/Messenger. Have a great few weeks. I take leave during a pretty slow news period and I look forward to great Spring and Summer knowing I will have some follow-up on what I am dealing with. There is so much good ahead of us and thanks for reading!
Now to your “1 to…”
Breaking: Suspected Chinese spy balloon found over northern U.S.: “The United States government ... is tracking a high-altitude surveillance balloon that is over the continental United States right now," said a Pentagon spokesperson.
Start with a smile: 6-year-old uses dad’s phone to order $1,000 worth of food on Grubhub: The boy purchased multiple orders of jumbo shrimp, chicken sandwiches, chili cheese fries, ice cream, grape leaves and more.\\
Potential mass shooting thwarted in Hollywood: Man arrested, ‘high-powered’ weapons seized.
It's Black History Month. Here are 3 things to know about the annual celebration.
As ice storm continues in the South, parts of the Northeast brace for brutal wind chills not felt in decades: As Texas and the Mid-South await warmer temperatures, a separate winter storm brewing in the Northeast has forecasters raising alarms about wind chills well below zero degrees Fahrenheit on Friday and Saturday. “This is an epic, generational Arctic outbreak,” said the National Weather Service in Caribou, Maine. “The air mass descending on the area Friday into Friday night is the coldest air currently in the Northern Hemisphere.”
By late Thursday night, the Northeast could begin feeling temperatures below zero, prompting officials in several states to announce preparations.
Punxsutawney Phil makes his Groundhog Day prediction: Punxsutawney Phil has spoken: Six more weeks of winter await us.
Shocking: The press versus the president, part one: from Columbia Journalism Review.
Vindicated: Trump celebrates CJR report on Russiagate.
Hunter Biden finally admits infamous laptop is his as he pleads for criminal probe: So much for “the laptop ‘could be’ mine.” First son Hunter Biden’s lawyers admitted late Wednesday that the infamous laptop that the now-52-year-old abandoned at a Delaware computer repair shop in the throes of his crack cocaine addiction does indeed belong to him. The revelation came in a petulant letter from Hunter’s lawyers seeking a criminal probe into what they called attempts to “weaponize” its contents.
McCarthy says he sees an 'opportunity to come to an agreement' on debt ceiling after 'very good' Biden meeting: Biden, McCarthy met for first time since Republicans took majority in House.
Air Force Intel Officer had hundreds of Classified and Secret Files at his Florida home: A retired Air Force intelligence officer accepted a plea deal with federal prosecutors last year admitting to illegally possessing hundreds of top secret and classified documents, according to court records filed Friday. Lt. Col. Robert Birchum, whose career stretched from 1986 to 2018, worked in various jobs in intelligence and served as chief of combat intelligence "for a certain Air Force group," according to court documents. Prior to his retirement, he also worked with classified intelligence information at Joint Special Operations Command, Special Operations Command and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
US expected to announce $2.2 billion Ukraine aid package that includes longer-range missiles: The US is expected to announce a new Ukraine security package worth approximately $2.2 billion that includes longer-range missiles for the first time, according to multiple US officials. The package, which is expected to be announced in the coming days, will include a commitment to provide Ukraine with the Ground-Launched Small Diameter Bomb- a guided missile with a range of 90 miles, two officials said. Though the missiles will effectively double the range of Ukrainian weaponry, the package won’t include the long sought-after ATACMS missile with a range in excess of 200 miles. The US has constantly rebuffed Ukraine’s requests for that system over concerns they may be used to hit targets deep inside Russia.
Over 100K job cuts announced in January: analysis.
House passes resolution to remove Ilhan Omar from Foreign Affairs Committee: The Republican-led House of Representatives voted on Thursday to pass a resolution to remove Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar from the powerful House Foreign Affairs Committee. House Republicans have argued Omar should not serve on the committee in light of past statements she has made related to Israel that in some cases been criticized by members of both parties as antisemitic. Democrats have criticized the push to oust Omar, arguing it amounts to an act of political revenge and that the Minnesota Democrat has been held accountable for her past remarks. The party-line vote was 218 to 211. GOP Rep. David Joyce of Ohio voted “present.”
Brian Deese, top economic adviser to Biden, is set to resign: President Joe Biden announced Deese's departure as director of the National Economic Council, saying, "“He has helped steer my economic vision into reality and managed the transition of our historic economic recovery to steady and stable growth.
Biden admin transfers a Guantanamo detainee to Belize: Majid Khan, a Pakistani citizen and Guantanamo’s only known legal U.S. resident, arrived in Belize on Thursday. Two more detainees could leave the facility in Cuba soon.
Justice Department in talks to search former Vice President Mike Pence's home for classified documents: Pence's lawyers previously found documents during their own search.
Statements from Robert Kraft and Bill Belichick on Tom Brady's Retirement: Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft and head coach Bill Belichick have issued the following statements on Tom Brady's retirement.
Robert Kraft wants Tom Brady to retire as member of Patriots: 'He always has been and always will be a Patriot'.
Trump taunts Haley about past statements on challenging him: “Nikki has to follow her heart, not her honor. She should definitely run!” he wrote, including an older clip of Haley saying that she would support Trump if he ran in 2024 and would not jump into the race if the former president did so.
Eager to challenge Trump, Republicans aren’t so eager to be the first: Nikki Haley is expected to join the 2024 race this month, but other G.O.P. contenders are taking a wait-and-see approach. Some anti-Trump Republicans worry that too much dithering could be costly.
Tim Scott launching listening tour amid 2024 speculation: Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) will launch a listening tour this month amid increasing speculation that he will run for the White House in 2024. On his “Faith in America” listening tour, Scott will hold an event to honor Black History Month on Feb. 16 in Charleston, S.C., and later head to Iowa, where he will give remarks at two stops in Des Moines and West Des Moines, respectively, according to Fox News, which first reported Scott’s plans.
Larry Hogan says he will support Trump if he’s the nominee: Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, a moderate Republican who has long been a critic of former President Trump, said he would support Trump if he is the GOP nominee for president in 2024. Hogan, who is mulling a White House bid of his own, has said he does not think Trump will be the party’s nominee in 2024. But in an interview with conservative radio talk show host Hugh Hewitt on Thursday, Hogan reluctantly conceded that he would support whomever the GOP’s choice for president is in 2024.\
Trump claims Ron DeSantis begged him for endorsement: ‘There were tears coming down from his eyes’.
Ukraine’s anti-corruption searches reveal luxury watches, cars and thousands of dollars in cash: Ukrainian authorities have conducted a series of anti-corruption raids across the country, uncovering stashes of cash as well as luxury watches and cars. Among those caught up in the investigations is the acting head of the Kyiv tax authority, who was allegedly part of a scheme to overlook 45 billion Ukrainian hryvnia ($1.2 billion) in unpaid taxes. On Wednesday, the State Bureau of Investigations (SBI) said that it had found hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, as well as luxury watches and cars, at the tax chief’s residence. CNN is attempting to reach that individual for comment. The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) said the raids were part of an effort to combat what they described as “the internal enemy” in the country.
Parents pay at least one monthly bill for 40 percent of millennials: In a new survey, two-fifths of millennials say their parents still pick up one or more of their monthly bills. And the most common parental subsidy is the largest: housing. Twenty-four percent of millennials say Mom or Dad pay their rent, and 17 percent say parents cover a mortgage.
U.S. to boost Military role in the Philippines in push to counter China: Washington and Manila announced a plan to give the American military access to four new locations in the Southeast Asian country, a growing strategic partner in the region.
CDC warns not to use eye drop brand as it investigates death, infections across 11 states: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is asking people to stop using a brand of artificial tears that could be behind dozens of infections across the U.S. The CDC says lab and epidemiological evidence have tied the use of EzriCare Artificial Tears to a multi-state cluster of Pseudomonas aeruginosa patients, but the investigation is ongoing and there is not yet a definite link.
Rivian to lay off 6% of its workforce as EV price war concerns grow: Rivian’s CEO told employees that the company will lay off 6% of its workforce as it works to conserve cash. The electric truck maker’s move follows EV price cuts by rivals Tesla and Ford. Rivian said the cuts will not affect workers at its Illinois factory.
A real zoodunit: Monkeys found but mystery deepens in Dallas.
Beyoncé announces Renaissance World Tour: It kicks off in Stockholm this May.
Yelp’s top 100 US restaurants 2023.
(That’s a wrap for the week. Thanks so much for reading. I appreciate iy. Have a great weekend unless you have something else to do. See you…well…soon..God willing.)