USA – Page 48 – Prologue Journal

China’s Xi Offers Olive Branch to Trump by Sending Top Deputy to Inauguration

Wall Street Journal Vice President Han Zheng is set to be highest-level Chinese official ever to attend a presidential swearing-in, signaling Beijing’s willingness to engage the new administration. https://www.wsj.com/articles/chinas-xi-offers-olive-branch-to-trump-by-sending-top-deputy-to-inauguration-2876a8db

SpaceX loses spacecraft after successful booster catch in Starship test

Washington Post SpaceX said the ship experienced “a rapid unscheduled disassembly during its ascent burn,” moments after a dramatic, successful booster catch at the launchpad. https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/01/17/spacex-starship-launch-lost-explosion-debris/

China Sees a Fresh Decline in Population, Despite a Rise in Births

Wall Street Journal The Year of the Dragon produces a baby rebound, but demographers say it is temporary. https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-sees-a-fresh-decline-in-population-despite-a-rise-in-births-abc62c1d

Biden says Netanyahu should accommodate ‘legitimate concerns’ of Palestinians

Jerusalem Post The outgoing President said that Israel can’t sustain itself without a long-term commitment with Palestinian factions. https://www.jpost.com/american-politics/article-837957

More Than a Week After the Fires, Los Angeles Evacuees Remain in Limbo

New York Times Many neighborhoods are still off-limits to residents. Evacuees say they are increasingly frustrated and at a loss over what to do next. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/16/us/la-fires-evacuations-homes.html

Biden thanks troops for ‘strength’ and ‘integrity’ in unprecedented times at farewell address to military

Fox News President Biden on Thursday thanked service members for their “strength” and “integrity” while giving his farewell address in Virginia. “There’s never been a time in history when we’ve asked our military to do so many different things so many places, all at the same time,” the president said at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall…

Nancy Pelosi Is Skipping Trump’s Inauguration

New York Times The former speaker clashed with Donald Trump throughout his first term, and the acrimony between the two persisted after he left office. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/16/us/politics/nancy-pelosi-trump-inauguration.html

China Reports Robust 2024 Growth After Wobbles Prompt Stimulus

Wall Street Journal China said that its economy expanded by 5% last year, but a variety of weak signals have raised skepticism among some outside economists. https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-economic-growth-data-reliability-9242e07b

Defense Department Bids Farewell to Outgoing Commander in Chief

Defense.gov The secretary of defense and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff bid farewell to President Joe Biden, who has served as commander in chief of the U.S. military for four years. https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/4032697/defense-department-bids-farewell-to-outgoing-commander-in-chief/

Donald Trump Jr. Visited Greenland. Then Things Got Weird.

Wall Street Journal In a quiet corner of the island, locals suddenly find themselves at the center of a geopolitical power play. https://www.wsj.com/articles/donald-trump-jr-visited-greenland-then-things-got-weird-9c7bdb66