Today’s Headlines: Former FBI Director James Comey pled not guilty to charges of obstruction and making false statements, with his trial now set for January 5th. Meanwhile, Trump’s picking new enemies, calling for Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson to be jailed for “failing to protect ICE officers.” Both fired back, with Johnson saying it’s not the first time Trump’s tried to have a Black man unjustly arrested. Adding to that authoritarian flavor, new data shows nearly a quarter of FBI agents are now focused primarily on immigration enforcement — a number that hits 40% in some major field offices. Donald Trump announced that Israel and Hamas have finally agreed on the first phase of their ceasefire plan — Israel will pull back troops, hostages will go home, and prisoners will walk free. Qatar and Hamas added that the deal also opens the gates for aid to enter Gaza. At the same time, his administration quietly inked an executive agreement giving Qatar near–NATO-level security guarantees — a move that normally requires Senate approval, but apparently we’re skipping that part now. In economic news, gold prices just hit a record high of $4,000 an ounce — the strongest rally since 1979 — while the dollar is down more than 9% this year, signaling a crisis of confidence in U.S. institutions. A 29-year-old Florida man was arrested for starting the January wildfires that destroyed over 17,000 homes in Malibu and Palisades, killing 30 people. And to end on a rare uplifting note, 64-year-old immunologist Fred Ramsdell won the Nobel Prize in Medicine — learning the news only after returning from an off-the-grid Montana vacation. Truly the anti-Trump.

Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode:

NYT: Comey Pleads Not Guilty and Will Seek to Dismiss Charges as Vindictive

Axios: Trump baselessly calls for Pritzker, Chicago mayor to be jailed

WaPo: A quarter of FBI agents are assigned to immigration enforcement, per FBI data

WSJ: Trump Says Middle East Deal Is ‘Very Close,’ May Travel to Region This Week

Axios: U.S. security guarantee for Qatar sparks jealousy and confusion

Axios: Gold's rally signals investors' eroding trust in the U.S.

AP News: Authorities charge man with sparking deadly January wildfire that leveled LA neighborhoods

Wired:Scientist Who Was Offline 'Living His Best Life' Stunned by Nobel Prize Win

Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson

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