Social media erupts over funeral rendition of Jimmy Carter’s reported favorite song, ‘Imagine’

January 9, 2025

The late former President Jimmy Carter reportedly held the 1971 John Lennon hit “Imagine” as his favorite tune. But its use as a song at his state funeral ceremony has set a firestorm on social media from critics saying it wasn’t fit for use in what in a memorial service in a Christian church.

On Thursday, the tune was performed by fellow Georgian Trisha Yearwood and her husband Garth Brooks during Carter’s Washington National Cathedral funeral service. One year earlier, Brooks and Yearwood performed it at former first lady Rosalynn Carter’s wake, as well. The country star couple previously worked with Carter on several Habitat for Humanity home projects, according to reports.

Social media lit up later Thursday, calling into question the performance of the song, given its lyrical rejection of religion.

“Imagine there’s no heaven / It’s easy if you try / No Hell below us / Above us, only sky,” the first line goes.

HARRIS, EMHOFF APPEAR TO IGNORE TRUMP, OBAMA AT CARTER FUNERAL

Former President Jimmy Carter. (Emma Woodhead/Fox Digital)

On X, several observers, including top conservative figures, questioned the use of the song, while others differed.

“Having Joe Biden lecture us about what a strong Christian Jimmy Carter was before the crowd sits through ‘Imagine’ with the lyrics ‘Imagine there’s no heaven /It’s easy if you try’ makes me question the authenticity of the assertion,” said commentator Erick Erickson, who also served on the Macon City Council in Carter’s home state.

“Imagine there is no heaven — Sung for someone who is a devout Southern Baptist,” one X user added.

TRUMP CHATS UP OBAMA WHILE CLINTONS, HARRIS IGNORE PRESIDENT-ELECT AT CARTER WAKE

“I don’t think Jimmy would appreciate the ‘no religion’ part,” another said.

Self-described “Trumpocrat” Steve Carlson, a perennial Minnesota Democratic candidate now running for governor in 2026, wrote that it is an “insult” to have “Imagine” played at Carter’s funeral.

REV GREG LAURIE DETAILS HOW LENNON FOUND GOD

“Why would any Christian have that sung at their funeral? Imagining there is no heaven and no Christianity at a Christian funeral is dark, indeed,” said Mollie Z. Hemingway, Federalist editor and frequent “All-Star Panel”-ist on Fox News’ “Special Report with Bret Baier.”

A prominent member of the Catholic clergy also chimed in on X, saying he was “appalled” by the performance.

“Under the soaring vault of what I think is still a Christian church, they reverently intoned, ‘Imagine there’s no heaven; it’s easy if you try” and “imagine there’s no country; it isn’t hard to do. Nothing to kill or die for, and no religion too.’ — Vested ministers sat patiently while a hymn to atheistic humanism was sung,” said Bishop Robert Barron, prelate of the Catholic Archdiocese of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota.

“This was not only an insult to the memory of a devoutly believing Christian but also an indicator of the spinelessness of too much of established religion in our country,” the bishop said.

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The National Review’s Jim Geraghty said the fact “Imagine” asks the listener to imagine the absence of heaven is a “de facto concession” that it exists, in an apparent defense of the rendition.

“Otherwise, there would be no need to ask us to envision otherwise,” Geraghty said.

Lennon himself had a complicated view of Christianity and organized religion, but notably corresponded with Christian preachers like Oral Roberts.

“I was brought up a Christian and I only now understand some of the things that Christ was saying in those parables,” Lennon also has been quoted as saying. “God is a concept by which we measure our own pain.”

Charles Creitz is a reporter for Fox News Digital.

He joined Fox News in 2013 as a writer and production assistant.

Charles covers media, politics and culture for Fox News Digital.

Charles is a Pennsylvania native and graduated from Temple University with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism. Story tips can be sent to [email protected].

Venezuela’s Opposition Leader, Maria Corina Machado, Is Freed After Being Detained

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January 9, 2025

Venezuela’s popular opposition leader, María Corina Machado, was freed on Thursday afternoon after a brief detention by adversaries during an antigovernment protest in Caracas on Thursday, according to a statement on X by a political aide.

Ms. Machado was “violently intercepted as she left the gathering,” her party said on X. “Regime troops shot at the motorcycles that were transporting her.”

The country’s autocrat, Nicolás Maduro, is set to be sworn in for a third term as president on Friday.

Ms. Machado had been living in hiding in Venezuela amid threats of arrest from government officials, and this was her first public appearance since August. She had called for gatherings around the country, and in cities around the world, to protest Mr. Maduro’s inauguration.

Thousands turned out to support Ms. Machado at an event in Caracas on Thursday, all risking government detention. There, the opposition leader stood atop a truck while supporters shouted, “Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!”

On X, the political aide, Magalli Meda, said that as Ms. Machado was leaving the gathering, she was knocked off her motorbike.

“Firearms went off at the event,” Ms. Meda said. “They took her away by force.”

During her brief detention, “she was forced to record several videos and was later released,” she added. “In the next few hours she herself will be the one to address the country to explain what happened.”

Representatives for Ms. Machado declined to say who detained her. The event was full of government security forces, who are often backed by members of armed gangs know as colectivos.

Venezuela’s interior minister, Diosdado Cabello, speaking in a television interview, called the capture “a lie” and accused the opposition of inventing it to attract attention.

The country’s opposition, as well as the United States and other countries, say that Mr. Maduro had stolen a recent election and that the real winner was Edmundo González, a former diplomat who has Ms. Machado’s backing.

Mr. González has been living in exile since September.

Before her detention, Ms. Machado told her followers, “This force that we have built and that grows every day has prepared us for this final phase.”

“Whatever they do tomorrow,” she said of the Maduro inauguration, “they’ve just buried themselves!”

About 2,000 people have been detained in Venezuela since the July 28 election, including, in recent days, Mr. González’s son-in-law, Rafael Tudares, as well as Carlos Correa, the director of a high-profile nonprofit organization, Espacio Público.

Thousands of Venezuelan opposition supporters take to the streets ahead of Maduro’s third inaugration

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January 9, 2025

Venezuelan opposition parties and their supporters protested around the country on Thursday in a last-minute effort to put pressure on President Nicolás Maduro, one day before he is due to be sworn in for his third six-year term.
Maria Corina Machado, Venezuela’s most popular opposition leader, made an appearance for the first time since August when she went into hiding at an unknown location.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, 62, has been in power since 2013.

Venezuelan opposition parties and their supporters – including leader Maria Corina Machado, who had been in hiding – protested around the country on Thursday in an eleventh-hour effort to put pressure on President Nicolás Maduro, one day before he is due to be sworn in for his third six-year term.

The opposition and the ruling party are locked in an ongoing dispute over last year’s presidential election, which they both claim to have won.

The country’s electoral authority and top court say Maduro, whose time in office has been marked by a deep economic and social crisis, won the July vote, though they have never published detailed tallies.

VENEZUELAN OPPOSITION LEADER MARÍA MACHADO HAS URGENT MESSAGE FOR PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP

The government, which has accused the opposition of fomenting fascist plots against it, said it will arrest opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez should he return to the country and has detained prominent opposition members and activists in the lead-up to the inauguration.

The opposition says Gonzalez, 75, won in a landslide. It has published its own vote tallies as evidence, winning support from governments around the world, including the United States, which consider Gonzalez the president-elect.

Machado, who is the country’s most popular opposition leader but who was barred from running in 2024, joined a protest in Chacao in eastern Caracas at around 2:20 p.m. local time (18:20 GMT), dressed in a white shirt and blue jeans and waving a Venezuelan flag from the top of a truck.

A supporter of Venezuela’s opposition reacts while gathering with fellow supporters ahead of President Nicolas Maduro’s inauguration for a third term, in Caracas, Venezuela, on Jan. 9, 2025. (Reuters/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria)

“They lost the streets, which are ours, they are barricaded in Miraflores (presidential palace),” Machado told the crowd. “From today we are in a new phase.”

Her appearance marked her first public outing since August when she went into hiding at an unknown location.

Machado, 57, urged protesters to peacefully flood the streets and repeatedly asked members of the police and military – who guarded polling stations during the election – to back Gonzalez’s victory.

“I’m not afraid, I lost my fear a long time ago,” said 70-year-old Neglis Payares, a retired central bank worker, as she gathered with other opposition supporters in western Caracas in the morning.

“We don’t know how many of them have their heart on our side,” she added, gesturing at security forces who had gathered near the protest.

2 AMERICANS ARRESTED IN VENEZUELA ON EVE OF MADURO INAUGURATION OVER ‘TERRORISM’ CLAIMS

Reuters witnesses estimated some 7,000 people had gathered in Caracas by around 2:20 p.m. local time. In the days after the election, thousands also took to the streets.

Maduro, 62, has been in power since 2013. He has the vociferous support of leaders in the armed forces and the intelligence services, which are run by close allies of powerful Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello.

“I am convinced nothing will happen,” Cabello said on state television on Monday. “But that doesn’t mean we will lower our guard.”

The military’s financial interests make loyalty shifts unlikely, said BancTrust, a London investment bank, in a note. “A limited military rebellion would entail significant risks for those involved, thus diminishing incentives to participate,” it wrote.

‘WE HAVE NO WORK’

Security forces set up checkpoints around the country.

In the western oil city of Maracaibo, an opposition protest of dozens of people was quickly dispersed by motorcycle-mounted security forces by late morning. In central Valencia, protesters gathered at another location after initially being met with tear gas.

Opposition supporters also gathered in San Cristobal, near the border with Colombia, in the western city of Barquisimeto and in eastern Puerto Ordaz.

“I’m here because we need to get rid of this government. We have no money, we have no work,” 62-year-old housewife Roisa Gomez said at a protest in the central city of Maracay. “I’m fighting for my vote, which I cast for Edmundo Gonzalez. They cannot steal the election.”

Soon afterward, security forces used tear gas to disperse the Maracay protesters.

Many of the demonstrators were of retirement age and said they wanted change so their migrant children and grandchildren would return to the country. More than 7 million Venezuelans live abroad.

The ruling party was holding rival marches nationwide, images of which were broadcast on state television.

“We’ve come out to show that there is a democracy. On this side are the patriots who will be sworn in with Nicolas (Maduro), on the other side are fascists who want (foreign) intervention, war, to sell their country,” said 50-year-old Caracas motorcycle taxi driver Manual Rincon.

Gonzalez, who has been on a tour of the Americas this week and met with U.S. President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump’s national security advisor, has repeatedly pledged to return to Venezuela but given no details about how.

An arrest warrant was issued for Gonzalez for alleged conspiracy, prompting his September flight to Spain.

Machado is being investigated by the attorney general in at least two cases, but no warrant for her has been made public.

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The government has detained several high-profile politicians and activists, including a former presidential candidate. This week, the attorney general’s office said it had freed more than 1,500 of the 2,000 people, including teenagers, detained during post-election protests.

Venezuelans living abroad also held protests, including in Madrid, where Gonzalez’s daughter Carolina Gonzalez spoke to hundreds of demonstrators.

“My dad sends a hug to all of you, glory to the brave people of Venezuela,” she said, her voice breaking.

Friday Briefing: Racing to Control Los Angeles Fires

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January 9, 2025

Firefighters rushed to contain the Los Angeles wildfires

Officials hoped that a drop in wind speeds yesterday would give firefighters a window to take control of the fast-moving blazes that have raged unchecked this week. At least five people have been killed, but that figure is expected to rise. Almost 180,000 people were under evacuation orders. Entire neighborhoods have been destroyed, along with landmarks, making the landscape unrecognizable. Follow our live coverage and our maps of fires.

The Santa Ana winds, dangerous gusts that have spread the flames, were expected to intensify overnight and through the weekend, and possibly continue into next week. Helicopters and planes dropped water from an ominous orange sky, and firefighters battled the blazes with a renewed supply of water after hydrants had gone dry in previous days.

The Hollywood Hills, home to celebrities and entertainment executives, also began to burn overnight. Paris Hilton, Billy Crystal and other celebrities lost their homes.

Twenty people had been arrested and accused of looting during the chaos, with that number expected to increase, law enforcement officials said.

Context: Los Angeles, which is about the same size as two small U.S. states, can be hard to picture. Disasters or riots might occur on one end of the city while those on the opposite end are far removed from the scene. These wildfires, though, have assaulted the metropolis as a whole.

Rescue: As one resident rushed to evacuate, she sent out a plea to her Instagram followers: Could someone help evacuate her roughly 300-pound pig?

Lebanon elected a president after two years of gridlock

Lebanon’s Parliament picked Gen. Joseph Aoun, the commander of the Lebanese military, to become the next president.

Aoun won by an overwhelming majority in the second round of voting, reflecting the changing power balances at an unnerving time for Lebanon. The nation has endured a series of disasters in recent years, including an economic collapse and a war between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah.

Context: The country’s international backers, including the U.S., have hinted that financial support after the war was contingent on a successful presidential election.

Background: Aoun is considered to have U.S. backing and is widely respected in Lebanon. Since 2017 he has led the military, which is the only national institution to have cross-sectarian support.

How the U.S. capitalized on supporting Ukraine

The Ukraine Defense Contact Group will meet this week for the last time under the Biden administration. The group was first formed after Russia’s invasion in 2022 to provide aid and ammunition to Ukraine. It also gave the U.S. a rare chance to undermine an old enemy.

The Biden administration turned first to U.S. allies for help, but also drew on relationships with non-NATO countries. The way the group was formed could serve as a blueprint for future administrations to use in case of major conflicts, U.S. officials said, such as a potential Chinese attack on Taiwan.

What’s next: The group’s fate is uncertain. President-elect Donald Trump is deeply skeptical of supporting Ukraine, and has openly curried favor with President Vladimir Putin. Should the U.S. back out, the Pentagon said, another nation could take over.

MORE TOP NEWS

Across China’s west, Communist Party leaders are separating hundreds of thousands of Tibetan children from their families and placing them in boarding schools, rights activists say. The schools teach in Mandarin, push party values of loyalty and patriotism, and replace the culture and Buddhist beliefs that are instilled in Tibetan homes.

Our colleagues analyzed hundreds of videos posted to social media and propaganda departments to learn how these schools operate.

CONVERSATION STARTERS

Restoring the (very) old, with a modern touch

The second floor of a 12th-century palazzo in Genoa was in total disrepair: The walls were pocked with holes and the windows rattled and leaked — it couldn’t even be classified as a residence anymore.

But two architects could still feel a palpable grandeur, and they paid 250,000 euros for the wreck. Two years and another 350,000 euros later, their efforts yielded a glorious, 1,000-square-foot one-bedroom apartment where they now live. They even found a few secrets in the walls. See more from the renovation.

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Adam Carolla rips California leaders for running state ‘into the ground’ as fires rage: ‘Lunatic nutjobs’

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January 9, 2025

Comedian Adam Carolla sounded off on California politicians, accusing “environmental lunatics” of running the state “into the ground” as wildfires tear through Los Angeles County.

“Donald Trump said to clean up the forest, that’s when you knew it wasn’t going to happen, because whatever he says, we do the opposite of,” Carolla told Sean Hannity on Wednesday.

“He wants to build a wall on the border. We want to tear it down. He likes ivermectin. We say it’s horse paste. He wants to clean up the forest. We reject everything, so we’ll do the opposite of everything Trump ever suggested, number one.”

SPACE SATELLITES TRACK ASTONISHING EXPANSION OF DEADLY CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES

“The state is run by a handful of environmental lunatics like the Coastal Commission. Eight or 12… unelected people deciding what goes on in the entire state,” he continued. “That’s how it’s always been, a handful of lunatic nutjobs running everyone else into the ground.”

Carolla, who was forced to evacuate on Tuesday, said he still doesn’t know if there is anything left of his home.

“I would say it’s a coin-toss at best,” he said, when asked if he thinks his home is still intact. “I’ve seen a lot of footage of houses that were around my house burnt to the ground. There’s still some hope that my house is still intact, but if it is, it’ll be a miracle.”

A house in on fire as residents try to escape the site in Pacific Palisades, California, Los Angeles, United States on January 8, 2025. A fast-moving wildfire has forced 30,000 people to evacuate, with officials warning that worsening winds could further escalate the blaze. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Critics have scrutinized leaders like Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass for left-wing policy approaches to fire prevention, and many blame the liberal leaders for the catastrophic damage.

Bass, specifically, has faced heavy criticism for being on a trip to Ghana while her city grappled with the devastating fires and her cuts to the L.A. Fire Department’s budget last year.

“We had a major fire in Malibu three and a half weeks ago. It’s not like it was three and a half years ago. This is an ongoing issue,” Carolla said. “And Newsom likes to say it’s now year-round because he wants to talk about climate change, so he’s the first guy who’s aware of it.”

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“They want to blame everything on climate change, but it’s really their inaction,” he continued. “That’s why we’re in this predicament.”

Carolla warned that Democrats will lose their deep-blue districts in areas like Malibu, Pacific Palisades and Santa Monica if they “don’t get it together.”

“These are deep-blue progressive cities who vote and raise money and bend over backwards for these people, but they don’t have a house anymore, and that’s because of you, so it’s time to get it together,” he warned.

Upon returning from her overseas trip on Wednesday, Bass was pressed on her fire prevention efforts, but she had nothing to say.

Carolla argued that liberal leaders are unaccustomed to challenging questions about their own leadership, since the media is largely on their side as well.

“The city officials are… very left-leaning and very deep-blue, and they get actually angry when you ask them any substantive questions,” he said. “They’re not really even used to being asked any difficult questions because the media’s in their hip pocket as well, so they don’t even know how to react when a tough question is asked.”

Fox News’ Joshua Comins contributed to this report.

Bailee Hill is an associate editor with Fox News Digital. Story ideas can be sent to [email protected]

Venezuela’s Opposition Leader, Maria Corina Machado, Detained at Protest

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January 9, 2025

Venezuela’s popular opposition leader, María Corina Machado, was detained during an anti-government protest in Caracas on Thursday, according to a statement on X by her party, Vente Venezuela.

Ms. Machado had been living in hiding amid threats of arrest from government officials, and this was her first public appearance since August.

It was initially unclear who detained her, though the event was full of government security forces. She was “violently intercepted as she left the gathering in Chacao,” a part of Caracas, said the statement. “Regime troops shot at the motorcycles that were transporting her.”

The country’s autocrat, President Nicolás Maduro, is set to be sworn in for a third term tomorrow.

Former NFL star Frank Wycheck suffered from CTE prior to death, researchers say

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January 9, 2025

The late Frank Wycheck, who is remembered for the pass that started the iconic “Music City Miracle” play, suffered from an advanced stage of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), researchers said.

Wycheck died in December 2023 after he sustained a fall at his Tennessee home. He had made clear that he wished to work with experts on CTE research and related brain injuries.

A study of Wycheck’s brain conducted by researchers at Boston University’s Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center confirmed the former Tennessee Titans star tight end also suffered from the degenerative brain disease during the final years of his life.

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Frank Wycheck of the Tennessee Titans on the field against the Cincinnati Bengals at the Adelphia Coliseum in Nashville, Dec. 10, 2000. (Scott Halleran/Allsport)

Wycheck was diagnosed with CTE stage III. Stage IV is the most severe form of the disease and can lead to dementia, memory loss and depression. CTE can occur after repeated head injuries, such as concussions or blows to the head, according to the Mayo Clinic.

A 2017 study conducted by the Boston University CTE Center concluded that the brains of 99% of former NFL players had at least trace amounts of the neurodegenerative disease. Researchers studied the brains of 202 former football players.

FORMER NFL QUARTERBACK BERNIE KOSAR SOUNDS ALARM ON THREAT OF BRAIN INJURIES AFTER 100+ CONCUSSIONS: ‘TRAGIC’

Wycheck, a three-time Pro Bowl tight end, played in the NFL from 1993 and 2003, starting with Washington and finishing his career with the Houston Oilers organization, which moved to Tennessee and became the Titans.

Wycheck’s family said in a statement they are grateful for this diagnosis, which they believe further highlights the concerns around CTE in contact sports like football. They want to honor his legacy with a stronger commitment to player safety and support for those affected by head injuries.

His daughters said their family had challenges understanding both the physical and mental changes Wycheck was experiencing, thinking he was just missing the spotlight of his career.

Frank Wycheck celebrates the Tennessee Titans’ win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Divisional playoff game in Nashville, Jan. 11, 2003. (Simon Bruty/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images )

“We witnessed our father becoming increasingly isolated and experiencing drastic mood swings. He became more impulsive, and often inconsistent and undependable,” Deanna Wycheck Szabo said in a statement. “Now in hindsight, I understand that he was suffering from the symptoms of CTE due to the repeated trauma his brain and body endured over 11 seasons in the NFL.”

Former tight end Frank Wycheck of the Tennessee Titans runs onto the field prior to the game against the San Diego Chargers at LP Field on Sept. 22, 2013, in Nashville. (Frederick Breedon/Getty Images)

Szabo said Wycheck loved football and his teammates. She said he fought for years after retiring to bring attention to the symptoms and struggles he knew stemmed from CTE, feeling too often ignored and helpless. Szabo also said she wishes her family had been educated on CTE symptoms to know what to look for and now hope for increased intervention, education and support for NFL alumni and their families.

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“Instead of believing that something was inherently wrong with him, we now know he was doing the best he could as a father and friend under circumstances beyond his control,” Szabo said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Chantz Martin is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

Guantánamo Bay Explained: The Costs, the Captives and Why It’s Still Open

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January 9, 2025

The Pentagon’s detention operation at Guantánamo once held hundreds of men who were captured by U.S. forces and their allies in the war against terrorism. Now there are just 15 prisoners as the prison enters its 24th year.

President George W. Bush opened and filled it. President Barack Obama tried to close it but couldn’t. President Donald J. Trump said he would load it up with “bad dudes” and didn’t. And President Biden said he wanted to finish the job Mr. Obama started but will not be able to do it.

Unless Congress lifts a ban on the transfer of Guantánamo prisoners to U.S. soil, the costly offshore operation could go on for years, until the last detainee dies.

Who Is at Guantánamo Now?

The 15 remaining prisoners range in age from 45 to 63. They are from Afghanistan, Indonesia, Iraq, Libya, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Yemen. One is a stateless Rohingya, another is Palestinian.

All but three were transferred to Guantánamo from the C.I.A.’s secret overseas prison network, where the Bush administration hid people it considered the “worst of the worst” until 2006.

Five are defendants in the Sept. 11 case, including Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, who is accused of planning the attacks. One is a Saudi man accused of orchestrating the bombing of the U.S.S. Cole in 2000 that killed 17 U.S. sailors. These are capital cases that have never reached trial.

The longest-serving prisoner is Ali Hamza al-Bahlul, who was brought to the base from Afghanistan the day the prison opened, four months after the Sept. 11 attacks in 2001. He is the only prisoner currently serving a sentence of life in prison.

In the early years of the detention operation, some of the youngest prisoners were teenagers. Today, the youngest is Walid bin Attash, 45, a defendant in the Sept. 11 case who has a deal to plead guilty in exchange for life in prison rather than face a death-penalty trial.

The oldest is Abd al-Hadi al Iraqi, 63, who is the most physically disabled prisoner at Guantánamo Bay. He has been convicted of committing war crimes in 2003-04 wartime Afghanistan.

The prison has been used exclusively for suspected members of Al Qaeda and the Taliban or their associates. None have been women or U.S. citizens.

Why Hasn’t a President Closed It?

Congress will not allow it.

Each year it adopts legislation that forbids the transfer of any Guantánamo detainee to U.S. soil for any reason.

But the Obama administration concluded that it could not release everybody and that to close the prison, at least a few of the prisoners would have to be held in Guantánamo-style detention in the United States.

Also, the C.I.A. would likely object to third-country transfers of its former prisoners who know classified information related to their detention, such as the identities of people who they say tortured them.

For now, U.S. intelligence agencies monitor all their communications to make sure they do not divulge state secrets.

Do We Know How Much It Costs?

Not exactly. The last comprehensive study of the costs of running the prison, by The New York Times in 2019, put the figure at more than $13 million per year for each prisoner. Most of that went to supporting court operations and the prison staff.

At the time, there were 40 prisoners and a Pentagon staff of 1,800 U.S. forces.

By that measure, it would cost $36 million to hold each prisoner there in 2025.

But operational costs have changed. The Pentagon has reduced the staff by more than half and hired more contractors, who may be more expensive than soldiers serving on nine-month tours of duty.

The war court proceedings have cost hundreds of millions of dollars in salaries, infrastructure and transportation. Since 2019, the Office of Military Commissions has added two new courtroom chambers, new offices and temporary housing, more lawyers, more security personnel and more contractors.

Increasingly, the costs of court operations are considered national security secrets and not subject to public scrutiny. But snapshots emerge. Prosecutors paid a forensic psychiatrist $1.4 million in consulting fees in the Sept. 11 case.

Is the C.I.A.’s Torture to Blame?

It is a factor. If some of these prisoners had been taken directly to the United States soon after they were captured, they would have been in federal custody and potentially already put on trial in U.S. courts.

Instead, 12 of the last 15 were held in overseas “black site” prisons run by the C.I.A. where they were held incommunicado and interrogated with waterboarding, beatings, sleep deprivation and years of isolation.

Because of what was done to them, and where, the Bush administration government chose to have the men tried in a new national security court it created at Guantánamo Bay. The trials have been stuck in pretrial hearings, two for more than a decade, that have focused on the taint of their torture; how much the prisoners’ lawyers, and the public, could know about it; and efforts to have cases dismissed because of it.

The health of the remaining detainees is deteriorating, both physically and mentally, and lawyers blame it on their long-term solitary confinement and abuse. Some have brain damage and disorders from blows and sleep deprivation. Others have damaged gastrointestinal systems from rectal abuse.

Congress is funding a new $435 million medical clinic on the base.

Can More Prisoners Be Released?

Three of the 15 prisoners are designated for release if the State Department can find countries to resettle and track their activities. They are the stateless Rohingya, a Somali and a Libyan.

Three other prisoners who have never been charged, all former C.I.A. prisoners, have not been cleared but get periodic reviews. One of them is an Afghan man whom Taliban leaders want repatriated.

Also as part of his plea deal, the disabled Iraqi prisoner could serve his sentence, which expires in 2032, in the custody of a U.S. ally better able to care for him. The State Department has a plan to send him to a prison in Baghdad. But he is suing the government to stop that transfer. His lawyers argue that Iraqi prisons are inhumane, which would violate U.S. obligations to not forcibly send someone to a country where he might be abused. They also say that Iraq does not have the capacity to provide him with adequate care, a condition of his plea deal.

Who Released the Most Prisoners?

The George W. Bush administration sent about 780 men and boys to Guantánamo, and released about 540 of them in the first years of the enterprise. The C.I.A. delivered the last detainee there in 2008. No other administration has sent detainees to Guantánamo Bay.

The Obama administration released another 200. Many of them were resettled in third countries because their home nations were too unstable to help them re-enter society or to monitor their activities.

Although Mr. Trump campaigned before his first election to fill the place up, his administration did not send anyone there. It let one go — a Saudi who was repatriated to Saudi Arabia to serve his war crimes sentence there.

The Biden administration released 25 prisoners, about half through repatriations, and mostly in his final days in office.

Ex-Obama staffer and liberal podcaster slams LA mayor for being overseas during wildfires

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January 9, 2025

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Former Barack Obama spokesman and “Pod Save America” podcast co-host, Tommy Vietor, called out Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass for being overseas while wildfires have been decimating her city.

Vietor replied to a social media post critical of Bass on Wednesday, noting he had seen no sufficient excuse or reason why the Democratic mayor hadn’t returned from her trip to Ghana by the time he posted.

“Inexplicable decision to not come back earlier,” Vietor commented on Vanity Fair reporter Nick Bilton’s recent post.

CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES RAGE ACROSS LOS ANGELES COUNTY, FORCING THOUSANDS TO EVACUATE THEIR HOMES

Bass has been heavily criticized after it was reported that she was out of the country in Africa when the fires began breaking out on Tuesday. Bass returned to her city on Wednesday.

While Bass was on an overseas trip, massive fires ravaged major parts of Los Angeles County. Five people have died, homes and buildings have been destroyed, and at least 130,000 people have been ordered to evacuate due to the inferno.

Prominent figures have alleged that Bass’ incompetence has contributed to the ongoing devastation.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass was visiting Ghana when the fire broke out, prompting criticism from prominent media figures. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel)

In his post, Bilton savaged the mayor, stating, “Karen Bass cut fire department funding by $17+ million. She was in Ghana when the fires started, even though she knew about them (as we all did), days before. This should have been treated like a CAT 5 Hurricane before it started, but instead it was treated by our current mayor as not important enough to even be here.”

Los Angeles Times owner Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong ripped the mayor over the LAFD budget cuts, posting on X, “Our hearts go out to those who have lost their homes and are seeking shelter. Fires in LA are sadly no surprise, yet the Mayor cut LA Fire Department’s budget by $23M. And reports of empty fire hydrants raise serious questions. Competence matters…”

Soon-Shiong’s $23 million number was inaccurate as the city cut around $17 million from the department last year. However, Bass’ original budget proposal sought to cut $23 million.

The Eaton Fire burns a vehicle on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025 in Altadena, Calif. (Ethan Swope/AP)

Former Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rick Caruso said, “We have got a mayor that is out of the country, and we have got a city that is burning, and there is no resources to put out fires. It looks like we’re in a third world country here.”

Hollywood celebrities also railed against city leadership. Actress Sarah Michelle Gellar wrote on Instagram, “City of LA you want everyone to evacuate yet you have complete gridlock and not one traffic cop on the roads helping.”

Influencer and model Amber Rose asked on Instagram, “How TF is there Low water pressure in Los Angeles???? WTF The fire hydrants barely work here??? This is insane!”

President-elect Donald Trump also blasted the L.A. mayor, as well as Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-Calif., in a recent Truth Social post.

“Fire is spreading rapidly for 3 days — ZERO CONTAINMENT. Nobody has ever seen such failed numbers before! Gross incompetence by Gavin Newscum and Karen Bass…. And Biden’s FEMA has no money — all wasted on the Green New Scam! L.A. is a total wipeout!!!”

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France Indicts Founder of Notorious Website Used in Pelicot Rape Case

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January 9, 2025

The founder of the website used by Dominique Pelicot to invite dozens of men to rape his wife after he’d drugged her was indicted on Thursday in France on myriad charges, including some related to that case.

If found guilty, he faces up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to 7.5 million euros, or about $7.7 million.

The site’s founder, Isaac Steidl, 44, was released from jail on Thursday. The investigating judge’s office said he was placed under “judicial supervision,” had to pay a bail of 100,000 euros and was barred from leaving France.

The website he created in 2003, called coco.fr, became notorious in France during the trial of Mr. Pelicot and 50 other men, who were all found guilty last month, mostly for raping Mr. Pelicot’s now ex-wife, Gisèle, while she was heavily sedated.

One of the charges against Mr. Steidl that is related to the Pelicot case is administering an online platform to enable an illicit transaction by an organized gang. Among the other charges he faces are complicity in drug trafficking, complicity in the possession and distribution of child pornography, aggravated pimping and aggravated money laundering.

Mr. Steidl “firmly denies the accusations made against him, and undertakes to cooperate fully to demonstrate his lack of responsibility for the alleged offenses,” his lawyer, Julien Zanatta, told Agence France-Presse.

During the trial, some of the men said that the website became a hotbed for predators who paid a 5 euro monthly fee to communicate in private chat rooms that had names like “without her knowledge.” The site was not moderated, several defendants testified. It kept no record of messages, according to Le Monde, a French newspaper.

Many said during the trial that after connecting with Mr. Pelicot on the site, they then moved to private chats, by text or Skype, to arrange a visit to the Pelicots’ home in southern France, where they joined him in raping his ex-wife while she was in a deeply drugged state.

Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said in a statement that the website was implicated in more than 23,000 cases in France alone from 2021 to 2024, involving 480 alleged victims. The cases included allegations of sexual abuse of children, pimping, prostitution, rape, drug trafficking, scams and homicides, police and prosectors said in a statement.

The site was shut down in June after an 18-month investigation that stretched across Europe. Police froze bank accounts in Hungary, Lithuania, Germany and the Netherlands and seized 5 million euros, the Paris prosecutor said at the time.

Mr. Steidl’s home in Bulgaria had been searched at the request of French judges over the course of the operation, the prosecutor’s office said.

Mr. Steidl grew up in the southern French province of Var. In April 2023, the French government agreed to his demand to renounce his French citizenship. Last June, after his site was closed, he was interviewed by an investigating judge in Bulgaria, with French law enforcement officials present.

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