Tipsheet: Itching for a fight, Dems vow to hold the line

View in your browser     Itching for a fight, Dems vow to hold the line By Mike Lillis   The January battle to keep the government open is the fight Democrats have been itching for. On three occasions in recent months, Democrats punted on some of their top priorities as the GOP passed short-term funding bills — a strategy that outraged liberals eager for confrontation on issues like immigration and health care. Read the full story here     Listen to the HillCast AM View: Dem, Republican leaders meet in search of budget deal, DACA fix By Alexis Simendinger House and Senate leaders from both parties are meeting with White House officials on Capitol Hill today, in search of an elusive budget deal before a Jan. 19 deadline. Listen to The Hill's podcast here     Hatch exit opens door for Romney By Jordain Carney and Lisa Hagen   Longtime Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) announced on Tuesday that he would retire from the Senate, clearing the way for former presidential nominee Mitt Romney to mount a political comeback and take the seat. Read the full story here     Orrin Hatch, ‘a tough old bird,’ got a lot done in the Senate By Alexander Bolton Sen. Orrin Hatch (Utah), the longest-serving Republican senator in history, will retire at the end of this Congress, bringing to a close a storied 41-year career that put him at the center of the nation’s biggest political debates. Read the full story here       Trump: I have a 'much bigger' button than Kim Jong Un By Max Greenwood President Trump on Tuesday said that the nuclear launch button on his desk is "much bigger" and "more powerful" than that of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un – and that his button actually "works." Read the full story here     Congressional investigators find irregularities in FBI's handling of Clinton email case By John Solomon Republicans on key congressional committees say they have uncovered new irregularities and contradictions inside the FBI’s probe of Hillary Clinton’s email server. Read the full story here     The Memo: DACA tensions roil GOP By Niall Stanage A fix for DACA is one of the most urgent issues on the congressional agenda but the politics of the subject are complicated, especially for President Trump and his party. Read the full story here     Trump ratchets up support for demonstrators in Iran By Jordan Fabian and Rebecca Kheel The Trump administration on Tuesday ramped up its support for the protests gripping Iran and urged other nations to take a stand against Tehran’s violent crackdown on demonstrators. Read the full story here     GOP Rep. Shuster won’t seek reelection By Cristina Marcos Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) will not seek reelection this year, becoming the fourth House Republican committee chairman to call it quits. Read the full story here     Labor Department eyes drug test rule for unemployment pay By Lydia Wheeler The Trump administration is looking to bring back and broaden a rule that Congress killed last year requiring drug testing for unemployment benefits. Read the full story here     Trump's war on immigration caseworkers needs to end By Former Rep. Steve Israel OPINION | Using every tool it can to restrain immigration, the Trump administration has now taken aim at a little-known but vital resource: immigration caseworkers in congressional offices. Read the full story here     If Democrats want Congress back, women must play a key role By Jose Aristimuno OPINION | 2017 was definitely the year of women political empowerment, and it all started with the Women’s March in January 2017. Over 470,000 people over flowed the streets of the Nation’s Capital. What a sight it was. Read the full story here     The New York Times: Democrats outline demands as threat of shutdown looms By Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Thomas Kaplan Democrats are pushing for funding for children’s health care and protection for young undocumented immigrants, among other priorities. Read the full story here     The Washington Post: Trump takes hard line on ‘dreamers’ but remains willing to deal By Robert Costa, David Nakamura and Ashley Parker The president is caught in a snarl of competing interests within the White House and his own party, with many of his supporters clamoring for a standoff over funding for his promised U.S.-Mexico border wall, and others who are reminding him of his pledge last year to “show great heart” toward the immigrants brought to the United States illegally as children. Read the full story here     CNN: Trump lawyers talked with special counsel team By Evan Perez   President Donald Trump's legal team held talks with the members of special counsel Robert Mueller's team a few days before Christmas, a source briefed on the matter told CNN. Read the full story here     Reuters: Trump draws rebukes after touting aviation safety record By David Shepardson   U.S. President Donald Trump took credit on Tuesday for a record year of safety for commercial aviation in 2017, swiftly drawing criticism and derision from commentators who said the achievement reflected trends predating his administration. Read the full story here     The Associated Press: Trump warns Palestinian Authority it may lose US aid money By Zeke Miller and Jill Colvin Acknowledging his push to broker peace in the Middle East has stalled, President Donald Trump appeared to threaten to cut off U.S. aid money to the Palestinian Authority, asking why the U.S. should make “any of these massive future payments” when the Palestinians are “no longer willing to talk peace.” Read the full story here         Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up for The Hill Tipsheet       Forward this Tipsheet     You might like         Privacy Policy  |  Manage Subscriptions  |  Unsubscribe  |  Email to a friend  |  Sign Up for Other Newsletters   The Hill 1625 K Street, NW 9th Floor, Washington DC 20006 ©2016 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc.

DAILY DOSE: Redefining the Past

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Daily Dose

Print · Read Online Redefining the Past By Tzvi Freeman Nothing can hold you back—not your childhood, not the history of a lifetime, not even the very last moment before now. In a moment you can abandon your past. And once abandoned, you can redefine it. If the past was a ring of futility, let it become a wheel of yearning that drives you forward. If the past was a brick wall, let it become a dam to unleash your power. The very first step of change is so powerful, the boundaries of time fall aside. In one bittersweet moment, the sting of the past is dissolved and its honey salvaged. Print Page   ·   Read Online   ·   Discuss   ·   Share on Facebook By Tzvi Freeman From the wisdom of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, of righteous memory; words and condensation by Rabbi Tzvi Freeman. Subscribe and get your dose daily. Or order Rabbi Freeman's book, Bringing Heaven Down to Earth, click here. This email was sent to: tweatsho.email004@blogger.com Change email address · Manage Subscriptions · Going on Vacation? · Unsubscribe Tip: To ensure that our emails continue to be delivered to your inbox, add subscriptions@chabad.org to your address book or "whitelist" it in any filters or anti-spam programs you may have. © Copyright Chabad.org, all rights reserved. Privacy Policy Chabad.org · Ask the Rabbi · Contact Us · Donate

Overnight Defense: US withholding $255M in aid to Pakistan | Haley wants emergency UN meeting over Iran protests | US service member killed in Afghanistan

View in your browser     THE TOPLINE: President Trump on Tuesday said the Iranian people are "finally" taking action against the country's "brutal and corrupt" rulers, and reiterated his warning to Tehran that "the U.S. is watching" its response to protests. "The people of Iran are finally acting against the brutal and corrupt Iranian regime," Trump said on Twitter. "All of the money that President Obama so foolishly gave them went into terrorism and into their 'pockets.' The people have little food, big inflation and no human rights. The U.S. is watching!"  The Trump administration has publicly said it supports peaceful protesters demonstrating against the Iranian government.  More on that here.   Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, meanwhile, is placing the blame for the recent protests across the country on Tehran's "enemies." "In recent days, enemies of Iran used different tools including cash, weapons, politics and intelligence apparatus to create troubles for the Islamic Republic," Khamenei said, according to Reuters. Read about that here.   U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley on Tuesday called for the international organization to hold multiple emergency sessions as protests continued in Iran for the sixth day. "The U.N. must speak out," Haley said at a press conference. "In the days ahead, we will be calling for an emergency session both here in New York and at the Human Rights Council in Geneva. We must not be silent. The people of Iran are crying out for freedom." Haley also hailed Trump's response as a contrast to the international community's handling of 2009 protests and said the world must respond better this time. Read more on that here.   MORE ON IRAN: - Iranian state TV: 9 more protesters killed overnight - State Department calls on Iran to stop blocking social media - Former CIA Director Brennan hits Trump strategy on Iran   HALEY: US WITHHOLDING $255M IN AID FROM PAKISTAN: The United States is withholding $255 million in aid from Pakistan over what the Trump administration describes as a failure to sufficiently fight terrorism, U.S. Ambassador the United Nations Nikki Haley confirmed Tuesday. "The administration is withholding $255 million in assistance to Pakistan," Haley said at a press conference. "There are clear reasons for this. Pakistan has played a double game for years. They work with us at times, and they also harbor the terrorists that attack our troops in Afghanistan. That game is not acceptable to this administration." The withholding of the aid has been expected, particularly after Trump blasted Pakistan in a Monday tweet. "The United States has foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars in aid over the last 15 years, and they have given us nothing but lies & deceit, thinking of our leaders as fools. They give safe haven to the terrorists we hunt in Afghanistan, with little help. No more!" Trump tweeted. The Hill's Rebecca Kheel has more here.   Trump's New Year's Day tweet prompted Pakistan's National Security Council to hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday, according to CNN. The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and attended by Pakistan's Foreign, Interior, and Defense ministers, as well as the chiefs of staff of the Pakistan air force, army, and navy.  The sit-down comes as demonstrators took to the streets of Karachi to protest Trump and the U.S.  Read more on that here.   US TROOP KILLED, FOUR INJURED IN AFGHANISTAN: One U.S. service member was killed and four others were injured in a "combat engagement" in eastern Afghanistan on New Year's Day, U.S. Forces Afghanistan said Tuesday. "We are deeply saddened by the loss of one of our own," Gen. John Nicholson, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, said in a statement. "At this very difficult time our heartfelt sympathies go out to the families and friends of our fallen and wounded brothers." The incident happened Monday in the Achin district of Nangarhar province, according to Tuesday's release. Two of those injured are being treated at a nearby medical facility and are in stable condition, according to the release. The other two service members who were injured are back on duty. Read more on that here.    The tragedy comes as the commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East wants the Afghan military to follow a new strategy in 2018 he hopes will lead to new gains in the war against the Taliban. U.S. Central Command head Gen. Joseph Votel said an increase of Americans to train and advise the Afghan military can help escalate the fight. The plan involves exerting pressure on the Taliban during the normally quieter Afghan winter, before launching an offensive against the group in the spring. Read the rest here.   ICYMI: -- The Hill: Trump shifts gears on Afghanistan -- The Hill: North Korea preparing for another missile launch: reports -- The Hill: South Korea offers high-level talks with North Korea -- The Hill: Trump: Sanctions beginning to have 'big impact' on North Korea -- The Hill: US general: ISIS's 'repressive ideology' endures despite lost territory -- The Hill: In surprise, Trump maintains many Obama-era Russia policies -- The Hill: Opinion: Trump's national security strategy misses the mark on globalization -- The Hill: Opinion: Missile defense must prioritize homeland defense     Please send tips and comments to Rebecca Kheel, rkheel@thehill.com, and Ellen Mitchell, emitchell@thehill.com. Follow us on Twitter: @thehill, @Rebecca_H_K, @EllenMitchell23         Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up for Defense Newsletters     Forward Defense Newsletters       Privacy Policy  |  Manage Subscriptions  |  Unsubscribe  |  Email to a friend  |  Sign Up for Other Newsletters   The Hill 1625 K Street, NW 9th Floor, Washington DC 20006 ©2016 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc.

Overnight Tech: US calls on Iran to stop blocking social media | Big court win for Airbnb | FTC approves Lenovo settlement over privacy charges

View in your browser     US CALLS ON IRAN TO STOP BLOCKING SOCIAL MEDIA: The State Department on Tuesday urged the Iranian government to end its blocking of social media platforms amid continued protests against the country's clerical rulers. Steve Goldstein, U.S. undersecretary of State, said the administration would like Iran to "open these sites," according to The Associated Press. The founder of the messaging app Telegram said Sunday that Iranian authorities blocked many of its citizens from accessing the app after the technology company refused to close down some channels. Protests began over economic concerns last week, but have shifted toward anti-government demonstrations focused on Iran's clerical rulers, according to reports. In the remarks reported by the AP, Goldstein said the social media platforms are "legitimate avenues for communication" and that the U.S. is obligated "not to stand by." President Trump and other administration officials, including U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, have said they support the peaceful protesters. Trump said Monday that it's "time for change" in Iran. "The people of Iran are finally acting against the brutal and corrupt Iranian regime. All of the money that President Obama so foolishly gave them went into terrorism and into their 'pockets,' " Trump said Tuesday. Read more here.   Please send your tips, comments and resolutions to Ali Breland (abreland@thehill.com) and Harper Neidig (hneidig@thehill.com) and follow us on Twitter: @alibreland and @hneidig. We're also on Signal and WhatsApp. Email or DM us for our numbers.   JUDGE TOSSES LAWSUIT AGAINST AIRBNB: A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit brought by Apartment Investment & Management Co. (Aimco), one of the largest residential landlords in the country, against Airbnb. The lawsuit alleged the homesharing platform lets tenants effectively break their leases by subletting properties. U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee based her decision on the Communications Decency Act (CDA), a law that insulates tech firms from being liable for user-created content. "Airbnb hosts, not Airbnb, are responsible for providing the actual listing information," Gee explained in her decision on Dec. 29. The law has given technology firms cover from legal challenges from other industries. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, for example, ruled in favor of Backpage.com, over allegations it facilitated prostitution on its site. The court sided with Backpage because of CDA. Other companies have used the law to fight back against claims of user-posted pirated content on their platforms. Read more here.   FTC APPROVES LENOVO SETTLEMENT: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on Tuesday approved a settlement with computer manufacturer Lenovo over charges that it had violated user privacy with software that came preloaded on its computers. The commission voted 2-0 to approve the settlement it reached in September with the company. "Lenovo compromised consumers' privacy when it preloaded software that could access consumers' sensitive information without adequate notice or consent to its use," acting FTC Chairwoman Maureen Ohlhausen said in a statement at the time. "This conduct is even more serious because the software compromised online security protections that consumers rely on." Read more here.   GERMANY WILL FINE SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES FOR NOT REMOVING HATE SPEECH: Germany has begun enforcing a new law that mandates that social media firms must swiftly remove hate speech, hoax stories and illegal content from their platforms or face a fine. Social media firms with at least 2 million users will have 24 hours to remove material that has been flagged to them and could see fines up to 50 million euros if they don't. The law, known as NetzDG in Germany, was created to target large sites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, according to the BBC, but will also affect platforms like Reddit, Tumblr and potentially others. NetzDG had been announced previously to give companies time to prepare before it went into effect in 2018. The law was proposed after several notable instances in which hoax stories and racist material were spread across social media platforms. Read more here.   UBER LOOKS TO BOUNCE BACK FROM ROUGH 2017: Uber is eager to put 2017 in the rear-view mirror after a year mired in controversies. The year began with the "delete Uber" campaign and ended with revelations the ride-hailing firm paid to cover up a massive data breach. But even under fresh new leadership, the embattled start-up continues to be haunted by past missteps, increasing the chances that Uber, once a darling of the tech industry, could have federal regulators on its back. Read more here.   AGENCIES RACE TO IMPLEMENT EMAIL SECURITY TOOL: The federal government's use of a security tool that cracks down on fake emails has surged in recent weeks as agencies with .gov domains rush to meet a deadline to implement the tool and bolster cybersecurity, according to new research. The tool, called the Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting, and Conformance (DMARC), helps organizations that use it identify fraudulent messages purporting to come from their email domains. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced in mid-October that it would mandate that organizations operating .gov domains use DMARC as well as HTTPS to encrypt web traffic. Homeland Security gave departments and agencies 90 days, or until mid-January, to comply with the directive. Read more here.   TRANSITIONS: NEW YEAR, NEW TEAMS: -Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) office announced that the hiring of Chris Soghoian as senior technologist. Soghoian will help the senator on tech and cybersecurity matters. He has been working in Wyden's office as a fellow through TechCongress since Feb. 2017. Before he worked as the principal technologist with the Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project at the American Civil Liberties Union, and as a technologist in the U.S. Federal Trade Commission's Division on Privacy and Identity Protection. -CTIA-The Wireless Association announced on Monday that it has promoted Scott Bergman to senior vice president of regulatory affairs. He originally joined the trade association in 2009 after working at the FCC in a variety of senior positions.   IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Vanity Fair: Inside Silicon Valley's problematic, bacchanal dark side. Microsoft's top ten tech issues for 2018 Reuters: Spotify hit with $1.6 billion copyright lawsuit WSJ: EU asks: Does control of 'Big Data' kill competition?         Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up for Technology Newsletters     Forward Technology Newsletters       Privacy Policy  |  Manage Subscriptions  |  Unsubscribe  |  Email to a friend  |  Sign Up for Other Newsletters   The Hill 1625 K Street, NW 9th Floor, Washington DC 20006 ©2016 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc.