Agencies

• The US Supreme Court ruled that the president has the authority to fire leaders of independent agencies, overturning the 1935 landmark precedent *Humphrey’s Executor v United States*. • The decision stemmed from a legal challenge regarding the White House's March 2025 firing of Federal Trade Commission (FTC) member Rebecca Slaughter. • This ruling significantly expands executive power by removing long-standing legal protections that limited presidential control over independent regulatory bodies.

Case focused on White House’s March 2025 firing of Federal Trade Commission member Rebecca SlaughterUS supreme court decisions – live updatesSign up for the Breaking News US emailThe US supreme court ruled that Donald Trump can fire leaders of independent agencies or commissions, ending 90 years of court precedent that curbs executive power.The vote in the case of Trump v Slaughter is 6-3, with dissents from Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Ketanji Brown Jackson and Elena Kagan. Continue reading...

• Top intelligence agencies have warned organizational leaders that AI-driven cyber catastrophes are imminent, stating the timeline for these breaches is measured in months rather than years. • The warning emphasizes that AI is rapidly accelerating the ability of attackers to execute sophisticated breaches, making systemic vulnerabilities more critical. • This alert follows a recent security lapse where journalist Brian Krebs discovered CISA had exposed plaintext usernames and passwords on GitHub for approximately six months.

• A wave of high-profile resignations and firings has created a leadership vacuum at the top of the CDC and FDA. • These departures suggest the Trump administration may be pivoting away from specific goals of the "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) movement. • The instability at these critical health agencies raises concerns about the continuity of public health oversight and the administration's actual policy direction.

• The first working session between independent film distributors and international film agencies was held in Cannes, hosted by Europa Distribution and Marché du Film, to improve collaboration. • The session was part of the Sorrento Industry Days, which also included an Italy-Spain comparison on distribution and the CinemaHora Forum in Moldova to support new filmmakers. • Other notable events include the Europa Distribution Network Conference in Brussels and the upcoming launch of HBO Max in six European countries on 13 January.

• Federal statisticians have expressed concerns that Trump administration actions targeting statistics agencies could permanently damage public trust in official government data. • The concern follows the president's recent firing of Bureau of Labor Statistics Commissioner Erika McEntarfer and other moves viewed as politicizing economic and social data collection. • Experts warn that undermining statistical agencies threatens the integrity of economic indicators, unemployment figures, and census data that shape policy decisions and business planning.

Official report says system ‘completely failed’ because some form of violence by Axel Rudakubana had been ‘unambiguously signposted over many years’Southport attack inquiry report – latest updatesAxel Rudakubana was able to carry out the Southport atrocity because of “catastrophic” failures by multiple agencies and the “irresponsible and harmful” role of his parents, a damning inquiry has found.Sir Adrian Fulford condemned the “inappropriate merry-go-round” of state bodies passing the buck and their “frankly depressing” refusal to accept responsibility, saying: “This culture has to end.” Continue reading...