- Trump cancels a .25% cut in mortgage insurance premiums that was scheduled to go into effect 1/27/17. The cut would have taken rates from .8% to .65% on FHA issued loans. [Link]
- Trump’s first executive order was to give agencies the power to roll back parts of Obamacare. The order did not specify what parts of Obamacare will be targeted. The order said that Trump plans to promptly repeal the law. [Link]
- The Senate approved Trump’s pick for Secretary of Defense, James Mattis and Department of Homeland Security, John Kelly. [Link]
- Senate Democrats lead by Ron Wyden block the confirmation vote for Trump’s CIA pick Mike Pompeo. [Link]
- Isaiah McCoy spent six years on death row and is now free after a judge decided he was not guilty during his retrial. The retail was granted after the prosecutor from the first trial was found to have threatened McCoy then lied to the judge about it. [Link]
- Russia extends Edward Snowden’s visa through 2020. In 2018 Snowden will have the ability to apply for Russian citizenship. [Link]
- Newly released CIA documents shed some light on the US torture program that started after 9/11. [Link]
- Over Obama’s 8 years as president, he ordered 542 targeted drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen, and Somalia. Those strikes killed at least 324 civilians. [Link]
- Air Wars reports that over 450 Iraqi and Syrian civilians have been killed by the US coalition’s airstrikes since October 17th. [Link]
- The Turkish Parliment passes a bill that will strengthen the position of president. The bill still needs to be approved in a referendum that will take place in the coming months. Erdogan is currently president but would need to be reelected if the referendum passes. [Link]
- At least 20 people were killed in a market explosion in Pakistan. The Pakistani Taliban are claiming responsibility for the attack. [Link]
- On Thursday, Obama ordered B-52 bombers to destroy al-Nusra targets in Syria. The Pentagon has reported that 100 militants were killed. [Link]
- Doctors Without Borders reports that 10 children were killed by an explosion in Yemen. [Link]
Listen to the Weekly Freedom File Podcast where I break down some of the biggest news stories in the past week with the podcast’s host. This week we discuss the NATO, the budget resolution, and Chelsea Manning. LISTEN HERE
