The U.S. has updated a decades-old science and technology agreement with China to reflect their growing rivalry for technological dominance. The new agreement, signed Friday in Beijing after many months of negotiations, has a narrower scope and additional safeguards to minimize the risk to national security. The State Department said the agreement sustains intellectual property protections, establishes new guardrails to protect the safety and security of researchers and “advances U.S. interests through newly established and strengthened provisions on transparency and data reciprocity.” It covers only basic research and does not facilitate the development of critical and emerging technologies, the department said.

A former FBI informant accused of falsely claiming that President Joe Biden and his son Hunter accepted bribes has agreed to plead guilty to federal charges, according to court papers filed Thursday. As part of the plea deal with Justice Department special counsel David Weiss, Alexander Smirnov will admit he fabricated that the story that became central to the Republican impeachment inquiry in Congress. The plea agreement comes just weeks after prosecutors filed new tax evasion charges against Smirnov. The two sides will recommend a sentence of at least two years behind bars and no more than six years, according to the agreement. David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, attorneys for Smirnov, said they will make their case for a fair sentence in court and declined to comment further.

Over 10,000 people gathered in on Sunday night to celebrate the completion of Mesechta Shabbos and the start of Mesechta Eiruvin as part of Dirshu’s Daf HaYomi B’Amud program. People traveled from across the UK and Europe. The event was held under heavy security is expected. The massive event was held at the Copper Box Arena. A full article will be published shortly, but here is a taste of the beautiful singing and dancing at the event. A moving performance by Zanvil Weinberger singing the hit by the late Dedi Graucher, Z”L “Ratzah HaKadosh Baruch Hu” – performed at the Dirshu event in London. A stunning performance featuring Motty Steinmetz, Zanvil, Hershy Weinberg, and Baruch Levine, accompanied by the Malchus Choir.

After insurgents toppled Syrian President Bashar Assad this month, many senior officials and members of his dreaded intelligence and security services appear to have melted away. Activists say some of them have managed to flee the country while others went to hide in their hometowns. For more than five decades, the Assad family has ruled Syria with an iron grip, locking up those who dared question their power in the country’s notorious prisons, where rights groups say inmates were regularly tortured or killed. The leader of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham insurgent group — which led anti-government fighters who forced Assad from power — has vowed to bring those who carried out such abuses to justice.

In recent days, IDF officers held their first meetings with leaders of Syrian villages in the area captured by the IDF in Ramat HaGolan following the fall of the Assad regime, Ynet reported. The officers met with the village elders in their homes and reassured them that IDF forces would not harm the villagers and their daily lives will not be disturbed. Capt. Omer, a company commander from the 77th Battalion of the 7th Armored Brigade, met with the elder of the village of Umm Batnah, the deepest area the IDF has advanced in Syria, 12 kilometers (8 miles) from the border. “I asked the village elder to collect weapons from residents after they had taken rifles from abandoned Syrian military outposts,” the officer said. The residents complied with the order and turned in the weapons.

For years, Donald Trump has railed against the Fake News Media, rallying millions of loyal supporters – myself included – to his side with promises to expose their corruption and lies. The battle against media dishonesty became a cornerstone of his brand, a cause that many Americans rallied behind as they poured their trust—and millions of dollars—into his legal defense funds. Yet, in a stunning move that reeks of betrayal, Trump has chosen to settle a lawsuit with ABC News over their outright lies about him for a paltry $15 million donation to his future presidential library. This wasn’t just any lawsuit. Trump had the rare opportunity to depose ABC’s top figures, including George Stephanopoulos, and gain access to their internal communications through discovery.

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu revealed on Sunday that he held an extensive conversation with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump regarding efforts to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. The discussion comes as Israeli officials signal that a potential ceasefire-hostage agreement could be finalized by Chanukah, though key issues remain unresolved. Netanyahu, speaking in a video message, described the conversation with Trump as “very friendly, very warm, and very important.” While refraining from sharing specifics, the prime minister reiterated Israel’s commitment to bringing the hostages home. “We are working tirelessly, without rest, to bring our hostages home, the living and the fallen together,” Netanyahu said.

Prosecutors in Texas announced Friday that they will seek the death penalty against two Venezuelan men who are accused of killing a 12-year-old Houston girl after they had entered the U.S. illegally. The death of Jocelyn Nungaray was among several cases this year that became flashpoints in the debate over the nation’s immigration policies. Nungaray’s mother campaigned for President-elect Donald Trump, calling for better control of the border in the wake of her daughter’s death. Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg said her office would file an official court notice later Friday that prosecutors will seek the death penalty for Johan Jose Martinez-Rangel, 22, and Franklin Jose Peña Ramos, 26. Each man has been charged with capital murder for Nungaray’s June 16 death.

Vice President Kamala Harris is reportedly considering her next steps in politics after her 2024 election loss to Donald Trump, with close advisers debating whether she should pursue another presidential bid or run for governor of California. According to CNN, Harris has signaled to supporters and donors that her political career is far from over, telling them, “You haven’t seen the last of me.” Advisers are divided on what her next move should be, with some pushing for a gubernatorial campaign in 2026, which they view as a strong opportunity. “It seems like a layup,” one adviser said, adding that Harris could likely clear the Democratic primary field in California.

Some banks and banking trade groups are suing the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau over a finalized rule that limits overdraft fees banks can charge. The rule is part of President Joe Biden administration’s campaign to reduce junk fees that hit consumers on everyday purchases, including banking services. But banks argue that without overdraft protection, desperate consumers will instead lean on worse, unregulated services to ease their crunch.