Tuesday morning news: January 7, 2025

Election certification » President-elect Donald Trump’s election victory is now official.

Vice President Kamala Harris, in her capacity as president of the Senate, certified the results at the Capitol on Monday.

HARRIS:  The votes for president of the United States are as follows: Donald J. Trump of the state of Florida has received 312 votes. Kamala D. Harris (cheers up for a second or two)

Harris joined a short list of other vice presidents who have overseen the confirmation of their own losses. Richard Nixon did it after losing to John F. Kennedy in 1960. Al Gore followed suit after the 2000 election.

HARRIS: Kamala D. Harris of the state of California has received 226 votes …

It was also the 4th anniversary of the Capitol riot in 2021, in which protestors burst into the Capitol building. And Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer remarked:

SCHUMER: We will never forget. We cannot forget … because democracy is sacred.

There were no incidents at the Capitol on Monday following a decisive election win for Trump in November.

Trudeau resigns » Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced his resignation after nearly a decade in power.

The decision bows to rising discontent over his leadership and growing turmoil within his government.

TRUDEAU:  This country deserves a real choice in the next election and it has become clear to me that if I'm having to fight internal battles, I cannot be the best option in that election.

His announcement follows the abrupt departure of his finance minister.

He plans to remain on the job until a new leader of the Liberal Party is chosen.

West Bank bus attack » In Israel:

SOUND: [Bus attack scene]

Government leaders are condemning a deadly attack on a bus carrying Israelis in the West Bank Monday.

Israeli government spokesman David Mencer:

MENCER: Three Israelis were murdered, two women in their 60s and one man in his 40s. Eight people were wounded and of course families shattered. Terrorists opened fire on cars and a bus this morning in Al-Funduq. Our army is currently conducting a manhunt for the gunmen.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to “settle accounts" with the attackers "and with everyone who assisted them."

Hamas praised the attack in a statement, but did not claim responsibility for it.

Gaza ceasefire talks » Meantime, Israel's phased withdrawal from southern Lebanon is going as-planned, according to the Biden administration.

Both Israel and the terror group Hezbollah agreed to withdraw from southern Lebanon as part of a mutual ceasefire agreement reached in November. The Lebanese army is filling the void.

Senior U.S. advisor Amos Hochstein told reporters Monday:

HOCHSTEIN: I have every confidence from what I saw today and what I get reports from the team on the ground, that things are going as they should be and I think the Lebanese army is doing its job very, very well.

The Biden administration is still pushing hard to broker a cease-fire deal between Hamas and Israel that would bring the remaining hostages held by the terror group home.

Blinken in Asia, NoKo missile test » North Korea test-fired another ballistic missile on Monday.

It reportedly traveled nearly 700 miles before splashing into waters between the Korean Peninsula and Japan.

Secretary of State Tony Blinken was in Seoul Monday for talks with South Korean allies. He told reporters:

BLINKEN: We condemn the DPRK’s missile launch just today, yet another violation of multiple UN Security Council resolutions.

South Korean officials also denounced the launch as a provocation that poses a serious threat to peace and stability on the peninsula.

Winter weather » Snow, ice, and frigid winds have been blasting much of the country. A polar vortex that dipped south over the weekend is keeping an area stretching from the Rocky Mountains to the coast of Maine in its frosty grip.

Louisville, Kentucky Mayor Craig Greenberg said Monday:

GREENBERG: It is the largest single-day snowfall we’ve had in over 25 years here in Louisville. Very significant event.

Nearly a foot of snow has fallen on the city since Saturday.

Blizzard conditions slammed Kansas and Missourri with 45 mph winds.

And the National Weather Service extended winter storm warnings into this morning for several states from West Virginia to New Jersey.

And Richard Bann with the National Weather Service says attention is now turning to parts of the Southern Plains.

BANN:  We are looking at the potential for another system to take shape that could bring, uh, wintry weather to parts of Oklahoma and Texas.

But he said it’s still too early to predict the severity.

I'm Kent Covington.

Straight ahead: congress considers what can be done to regulate sports gambling. Plus, an in vitro fertilization doctor has a change of heart.

This is The World and Everything in It.

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