Axios reports: If measured by the number of bills signed into law, the 118th Congress was by far the most unproductive since at least the 1980s, according to data from public affairs firm Quorum. That is not the only metric of success, but the stunning stat is a marker of how difficult the chaos of the last two years made …

The Daily Beast reports: Former President Jimmy Carter left one last parting gift for president-elect Donald Trump after his death at 100 on Sunday. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, the American flag should fly at “half-staff for 30 days at all federal buildings, grounds, and naval vessels throughout the United States and its territories and possessions after …

Via press release from Bill and Hillary Clinton: Hillary and I mourn the passing of President Jimmy Carter and give thanks for his long, good life. Guided by his faith, President Carter lived to serve others-until the very end. From his commitment to civil rights as a state senator and governor of Georgia; to his efforts as President to protect …

The Washington Post reports: Memorial services for former president Jimmy Carter are expected to span several days and include public events in Atlanta and Washington. Afterward, the 39th president will be buried in a private ceremony in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, the Carter Center said Sunday. There will be a state funeral in Washington. The date and arrangements remain …

Posted by former President Obama to Medium: Elected in the shadow of Watergate, Jimmy Carter promised voters that he would always tell the truth. And he did — advocating for the public good, consequences be damned. He believed some things were more important than reelection — things like integrity, respect, and compassion. Because Jimmy Carter believed, as deeply as he …

Deadline Hollywood reports: Linda Lavin, the beloved veteran stage and TV actress known for her Emmy-nominated role in the 1976 sitcom Alice and for her Tony-winning performance in the 1986 play Broadway Bound, died today, Dec. 29. She was 87. The news comes as a shock as Lavin has been working as recently as this month, promoting her new Netflix …

Variety reports: Universal’s “Wicked” is officially the highest-grossing Broadway adaptation in global box office history, overtaking 2008’s “Mamma Mia” to notch the harmonious milestone. “Wicked” has generated $634 million worldwide after six weeks of release while “Mamma Mia” amassed $611 million (not adjusted for inflation) by the end of its box office run. “Wicked,” starring Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, …

“This is exhausting. We need legal immigration but we don’t need OVER immigration. We also need to TAX remittances for those who make their money here and send it back to the home country they don’t want to live in but want to subsidize. “There’s a reason we are the number one country in the world and millions flock to …

Via press release from the White House: Today, America and the world lost an extraordinary leader, statesman, and humanitarian. Over six decades, we had the honor of calling Jimmy Carter a dear friend. But, what’s extraordinary about Jimmy Carter, though, is that millions of people throughout America and the world who never met him thought of him as a dear …

“I just heard of the news about the passing of President Jimmy Carter. Those of us who have been fortunate to have served as President understand this is a very exclusive club, and only we can relate to the enormous responsibility of leading the Greatest Nation in History. “The challenges Jimmy faced as President came at a pivotal time for …

The Hill reports: Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), outgoing chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said on Sunday that President-elect Trump’s remarks about Panama have larger consequences on America’s credibility abroad. “It’s a serious statement because it affects America’s credibility globally. Our allies don’t know whether we are reliable partners or not. The Panama Canal obligations were established by a …

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports: Former President Jimmy Carter, a man who redefined what a post-presidency could be, died Sunday. He was 100. Carter, who lived longer than any other U.S. president, entered home hospice care in Plains, Georgia in February 2023 after a series of short hospital stays. The only Georgian ever elected to the White House, Carter left office …

The Washington Post reports: Azerbaijan demanded Sunday that Russia admit responsibility for the incident that led to the crash of a passenger plane on Christmas Day, killing 38 people, and pay compensation to the government and affected families. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said in televised remarks that the national carrier’s plane, which was supposed to land in Grozny, the capital …

“The guy’s worth $450 billion as of today. So I don’t think he’s doing it for the money. He’s doing it for the bigger project and the bigger vision of America. He doesn’t need the dollars. He really doesn’t. So it’s not about, ‘If I get involved in this, I’ll get another little contract here or there.’ That’s nothing to …

“Greenland is a highway from the arctic all the way to North America, to the United States. It’s strategically very important to the arctic which is going to be the critical battleground of the future because as the climate gets warmer. “The arctic is going to be a pathway that maybe even cuts down on the usage of the Panama …

The Associated Press reports: Cases of a wretched stomach bug are surging in parts of the United States this winter, according to government data. The most recent numbers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show there were 91 outbreaks of norovirus reported during the week of Dec. 5. A norovirus infection is characterized by sudden vomiting and …

“Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House, is doing an extraordinary job. I tell everybody, I was a pretty effective speaker. I could never do his job. He has no margins. Any two or three members can rebel at any moment. “They need a Republican unity program for the next two years. These guys who wake up every morning and say, …

The Daily Beast reports: Far-right figurehead Laura Loomer has given a grovelling public apology to President-elect Donald Trump‘s AI advisor Sriram Krishnan after she “accidentally doxxed” him. Loomer took a break from her scheduled programming on X, namely saying Elon Musk is censoring her and then begging for her blue check back, to blurt out the apology after she revealed …

ABC News reports: The discount chain Big Lots, which filed for bankruptcy protection in September, has reached a deal that will keep hundreds of its stores and distribution centers open. Big Lots said Friday it will be sold to Gordon Brothers Retail Partners, a firm that specializes in distressed companies. Gordon Brothers will then transfer Big Lots’ stores, distribution centers …

“We know the movement that we have in Arizona, and I will never take that for granted. But there is a corrupt machine here that is hellbent on making sure I never hold office. So, I won’t put my family (and myself) through the torture of running again. I will go to Washington, D.C., return VOA News to its glory …