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In the news today: A senior Justice Department official plays down the chances of charges arising from the latest Epstein files revelations; House Speaker Mike Johnson faces tough choices as a partial shutdown drags on and the debate over ICE intensifies; and Gaza’s Rafah border crossing reopens. Also, Bad Bunny makes history at the Grammy Awards.

A document with an email chain from Jeffrey Epstein illustrates the amount of redactions of personally identifiable information that the Department of Justice was required to do before release of Epstein documents, is photographed Sunday. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick) 

US NEWS

Top Justice Department official plays down chance for charges arising from latest Epstein files revelations

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said Sunday on CNN that the existence of “horrible photographs” and troubling email correspondence does not “allow us necessarily to prosecute somebody.” Read more.

Why this matters:

• Department officials said over the summer that a review of Epstein-related records did not establish a basis for new criminal investigations, and Blanche said that position remains unchanged even as a massive document dump since Friday has focused fresh attention on Epstein’s links to powerful individuals around the world. 
  
  

• Blanche said Sunday that there were a “ton of people” named in the files besides President Donald Trump and that the FBI had fielded “hundreds of calls” about prominent individuals where the allegations were “quickly determined to not be credible.”

RELATED COVERAGE ➤

• From Elon Musk to the former Prince Andrew, a who’s who of powerful people named in Epstein files
  
  
• IOC president says Epstein files and ICE are ‘sad’ distractions from Winter Olympics

POLITICS

House Speaker faces tough choices as partial government shutdown drags on and debate over ICE deepens

House Speaker Mike Johnson is trying to muscle a federal funding package to passage and prevent a prolonged partial government shutdown as debate intensifies over the Trump administration’s sweeping immigration enforcement operations. Read more.

What to know:

• Johnson signaled he is relying on help from President Donald Trump to ensure passage. Trump struck a deal with senators to separate funding for the Department of Homeland Security from a broader package. Under the plan approved by the Senate, DHS would be funded temporarily to Feb. 13, setting up a deadline for Congress to try to find consensus on new restrictions on ICE operations.
  
  

• A first test will come on Monday during a committee meeting when Johnson will need his own GOP majority to advance the package after Democrats refused to provide the votes for speedy consideration. Johnson said he is hopeful work can wrap up for a full House vote, at least by Tuesday.
  
  

• It is the second time in recent months that federal government operations have been disrupted as Congress is using the annual funding process as leverage to extract policy changes. This time, the administration has signaled its interest in more quickly resolving the shutdown. Johnson said he was in the Oval Office last week when Trump, along with border czar Tom Homan, spoke with Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York to work out a deal on immigration enforcement changes.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤

• Mayor of Portland, Oregon, demands ICE leave the city after federal agents gas protesters
  
  

• France’s Capgemini to sell subsidiary working with ICE during anger at US immigration crackdown
  
  

• Man sentenced to 4 years in prison for throwing Molotov cocktail during LA immigration protest
  
  

• Fundraising hauls show RNC vastly outpacing Democrats ahead of midterm elections
  
  

• Right-wing influencers are targeting Somali child care centers, leaving some fearing for safety
  
  

• Misconduct complaint dismissed against judge who handled El Salvador prison deportation case
  
  

• Judge calls Justice Department’s statements on slavery exhibit display ‘dangerous’ and ‘horrifying’
  
  

• Black history centennial channels angst over anti-DEI climate into education, free resources
  
  

• Texas A&M University to end women’s studies due to new policy on race and gender topics
  
  

• Kennedy Center to close for 2 years for renovations in July, Trump says, after performers’ backlash
  
  

• ‘Melania,’ panned by some film critics, opens with strong ticket sales for a documentary

WORLD NEWS

Gaza’s border crossing to Egypt reopens in a key step for truce, but few Palestinians can cross

Gaza’s Rafah border crossing with Egypt reopened on Monday for limited traffic, a key step in the Israeli-Hamas ceasefire. But it is a mostly symbolic development on the ground as few people will be allowed to travel in either direction and no goods will be going into the war-torn territory. Read more.

Why this matters:

• The reopening is seen as a key step as the U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement that took effect on Oct. 10 moves into its second phase. This phase is more complicated. It calls for installing the new Palestinian committee to govern Gaza, deploying an international security force, disarming Hamas and taking steps to begin rebuilding.
  
  

• Within the first hour of the opening, no one was actually seen crossing in or out of Gaza. An Egyptian official said 50 Palestinians would cross in each direction on the first day.
  
  

• About 20,000 Palestinian children and adults needing medical care hope to leave devastated Gaza via the crossing, according to Gaza health officials. Across Egypt, about 150 hospitals are ready to receive evacuated Palestinian patients, authorities said. Also, the Egyptian Red Crescent said it has prepared “safe spaces” on the Egyptian side to support people evacuated.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤

• The Rafah crossing is Gaza’s lifeline to the world. Here’s why
  
  
• Iran summons EU ambassadors to protest Revolutionary Guard being listed as terror group
  
  
• Syrian rapper Al Darwish returns home after 13 years to perform in post-Assad Damascus

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