Good morning! For those not keeping track at home, the NFL conference championship games were yesterday. The Kansas City Chiefs will face the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl 58 on Feb. 11 in Las Vegas.

And, since Taylor Swift is rapidly taking over the world, the American Airlines flight from Kansas City to Las Vegas the day before the game is AA 1989.

 GOVERNMENT 

Over the weekend, three U.S. Army soldiers were killed and at least 34 more were injured in a drone strike on a small U.S. outpost in Jordan. President Biden blamed Iran-backed militants in nearby Syria and Iraq. He vowed to "hold all those responsible to account at a time and in a manner our choosing."

This attack comes as the U.S. and U.K. continue to strike Iran-backed Houthi militants in and around the Red Sea. The U.S. also struck Iran-backed forces in Iraq last week. The Iraqis condemned that as a violation of their sovereignty.

Bipartisan members of both houses of Congress are hitting President Biden for his recent barrage of attacks in the Middle East. They claim he needs congressional permission.

• A recent letter from four senators says “Unless there is a need to repel a sudden attack, the Constitution requires that the United States not engage in military action absent a favorable vote of Congress.”

Biden sent a letter to Congress last week explaining his legal rationale for the strikes: Congress already gave him permission…over 20 years ago.

• These things are called Authorizations for Use of Military Force (AUMFs).

• One was passed after 9/11 in September 2001. Another was passed in 2002 before the U.S. invaded Iraq.

• Neither law has an expiration date.

Federal law (the War Powers Act) requires Biden send that letter to notify Congress he’s taken military action. It should be noted that Congressional opposition to this came before the most recent attack on U.S. forces. We’ll find out soon if that changes any minds in Congress.

 GOVERNMENT 

Biden pauses new LNG export terminals

The Biden administration will stop granting new permits to (build the terminals that) export liquefied natural gas (LNG). Existing exports won't be affected. The move is a big win for the environmental movement and those worried about climate change.

• This is the natural gas used to heat homes, power gas stoves, and more. It’s liquefied for transportation purposes before being turned back into a gas.

• This isn’t about exporting the gas itself, but about the terminals that facilitate that. Current LNG terminals and those being built that already have permits won’t be affected.

• During the pause, the government will study how LNG exports affect the environment, economy, and national security.

The U.S. was the world’s biggest LNG exporter last year. Climate activists and (most) Democrats are big fans of the new policy as a way to fulfill Biden’s pledge to slash U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030. Business groups and (most) Republicans think it’s a radical move that will only increase the world’s reliance on Russian and Iranian gas.

 POLITICS 

🔴 A Missouri state senator has come up with a new approach to term limits. Bring back duels, Hamilton style. Missouri Republicans are fighting amongst themselves and (state) Sen. Nick Schroer’s solution is simple: kill each other, in the (state) Senate chamber, “at the hour of high noon.” Yippee-ki-yay, cowboy. Somehow, we don’t foresee this idea going anywhere.

🔵 Ever think you’d be much better at being rich than some actual rich people? Ex-coal CEO Don Blankenship is running for Senate again, this time as a Democrat. Blankenship ran as a Republican in 2018 and got smacked in the primary after running a super weird (and racist?) commercial about “China people” and “cocaine Mitch” McConnell. He spent a year in federal prison for mine safety issues and later ran a third-party campaign for president in 2020. The West Virginia Democratic Party (obviously) released a statement disowning him.

🔴 Former President Donald Trump owes writer E. Jean Carroll $83.3 million for defamation. A federal court awarded her $18.3 million in compensatory damages (to right the wrong) and $65 million in punitive damages (as punishment to Trump). Also revealed in this trial: Trump has $400 million in cash on hand.

🔵 Once a favorite of progressives, Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) is losing their favor due to his staunch support of Israel. In response to anti-war/anti-Israel/pro-Palestine/pro-peace (however you’d like to see them) activists protesting outside his house near Pittsburgh, Fetterman took to his roof and began waving an Israeli flag. Right or wrong, antagonizing protestors is certainly a move.

 TRIVIA 

The United Nations has a court to hear disputes between countries. In a story below, we refer to it as the World Court. But that is not its official name. What is the World Court’s official name?

 WORLD 

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia: A liquor store is opening in Saudi Arabia for the first time ever. Alcohol is illegal there as Islam forbids drinking. The store will cater exclusively to foreign diplomats in the capital of Riyadh. They’ll have to sign up in an app to get permission to enter the place and Muslims won’t be allowed in. Wild times in Saudi Arabia. First, they start letting women drive. Now they’re selling alcohol to verified non-Muslim foreign diplomats. Who knows what’s next?

🦃 / 🇹🇷 Turkey: Days after Turkey said it would finally vote to allow Sweden to join NATO (membership requires unanimous consent), the Biden administration told Congress it plans to sell up to $23 billion worth of F-16 fighter jets to the Turks. The last holdout, Hungary, also now says it will vote soon to approve Sweden’s membership in the club.

🇹🇻 Tuvalu: The tiny island country of Tuvalu ousted its pro-Taiwan prime minister in Friday's election. This is a win for China as it seeks more influence in the Pacific and has the cash to buy loyalty offer assistance Tuvalu needs (though it’s also tight with the U.S. and nearby Australia). Tuvalu has ~11,000 people across 10 square miles. Much of its government's cash comes from .tv domain name sales. Tuvalu is an active member of the (very real) Alliance of Small Island States.

🇺🇳 World Court: A few weeks ago, South Africa brought a case to the U.N.’s World Court accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza. The court handed down an interim decision Friday that demands Israel take steps to prevent genocide in its war in Gaza. It doesn’t require Israel to stop military activity in the region. Nor does it mean Israel is actually committing genocide (as South Africa claims). The full decision on that front will likely take years. Regardless, the World Court is toothless — it has no authority to enforce its orders (side note: the court's current president is American).

 BRIEFS 

• China’s navy did a drive-by near Taiwan to show its stuff ahead of a U.S.-China diplomatic meeting

• French farmers are planning an “indefinite siege” of Paris over regulatory disagreements

• The military-run White House Medical Unit is under investigation for passing out drugs like candy

• Google unveiled a wild new AI video generator called Lumiere but has no plans for a public release

• The NSA admitted to buying Americans’ data from brokers as a way to avoid having to get warrants

• The Justice Department says former NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed 13 women

• Tesla is recalling 200,000 vehicles due to broken backup cameras

• Nikki Haley joined the growing list of politicians targeted by swatting

• The hard landing of an American Airlines flight in Hawaii sent six people to the hospital

 QUOTE 

 SNACKS 

🍪 Food: For your enjoyment, we present: the 9-oz., $3.99 Aldi Pizza Cookie.

🤖 AI: Jersey Mikes is the latest fast food chain to roll out AI-powered bots to take your order in the drive-thru.

💾 Retro: Want to build a drag-and-drop retro website for yourself? Mmm.page has you covered.

 POLL 

 ANSWER 

The judicial arm of the United Nations based in the Hague, Netherlands — called the World Court by uncultured Americans — is the International Court of Justice or ICJ.