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“After months in hiding from the secret police, Venezuela’s popular opposition leader is planning a return to the public stage—a last-ditch attempt to stop President Nicolás Maduro from clinging to power when his term ends this week,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“Jean-Marie Le Pen, the founder of France’s far-right National Front who was known for fiery rhetoric against immigration and multiculturalism that earned him both staunch supporters and widespread condemnation, has died. He was 96,” the AP reports.

“Austria’s Freedom Party was tasked with trying to form what could become the nation’s first far-right-led government since World War II, adding to the trend of anti-immigrant and populist parties gaining ground across Europe,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

“The Biden administration is negotiating with the Taliban to exchange Americans detained in Afghanistan for at least one high-profile prisoner alleged to be an Osama bin Laden associate held in Guantanamo Bay,” the Wall Street Journal reports. “The Biden administration, which has been discussing a deal with the Taliban since at least July, told the group on Nov.

“Elon Musk is throwing grenades into Europe’s political mainstream over issues ranging from immigration to free speech, creating a dilemma for governments as they try to respond to the tech billionaire and key adviser to the incoming Trump administration,” the Wall Street Journal reports. “In recent days and weeks, Musk has weighed in with a series of incendiary social-media posts on European politics, including supporting a far-right party ahead of an election in Germany, accusing the British prime minister of being complicit in rape, denouncing judges in Italy and slamming the European Commission.” “The stream of posts from the world’s richest man has morphed into a diplomatic headache and caught several mainstream European political parties on the back foot.” CNN: Musk plays politics abroad as world leaders brace for Trump’s return.

“Republicans are set to control the legislative process in nearly twice the number of states as Democrats in 2025,” Axios reports. “State laws can have an even greater impact on your life than those passed by Congress.”