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Welcome and thank you for joining our live updates of US politics with one-time FBI Head Comey set to make his first court appearance in a DOJ criminal case alleging he provided false information to the U.S. Congress back in 2020.

Court Proceedings and Anticipated Developments

This initial hearing is expected to be brief, as reported by Associated Press, but the event is nonetheless loaded with historic weight given that the prosecution has increased worries that the DOJ is being employed politically in targeting the former president's government critics.

Comey is projected to plead not guilty at the U.S. district court in Alexandria, Virginia, and his legal team will almost certainly seek to have the charges thrown out before trial, potentially by contending that the case constitutes a discriminatory or vindictive legal pursuit.

Specific Allegations and Judicial Claims

The two-charge legal accusation alleges that James Comey gave deceptive testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee on the fall of 2020, by denying he had permitted an assistant to act as an anonymous source to the press, and that he obstructed a government investigation.

James Comey has maintained his innocence and has expressed he was looking forward to a court trial. This legal action fails to name the associate or say what material may have been provided to the press.

Governmental Context and Larger Ramifications

While criminal charges are normally just the commencement of a protracted legal process, the Department of Justice has trumpeted the situation itself as something of a win.

Former administration representatives are anticipated to point to any conviction as evidence the prosecution was properly founded, but an exoneration or even case dismissal may also be cited as additional evidence for their ongoing argument that the legal system is stacked against them.

Legal Selection and Governmental Comments

The judge randomly assigned to the proceedings, Nachmanoff, is a President Biden's administration judicial appointment. Famous for thorough preparation and a cool temperament, the judge and his experience have already attracted the commander-in-chief's scrutiny, with Donald Trump deriding him as a "Crooked Joe Biden nominated court official."

Other Administrative Developments

• Donald Trump met with the Canada's leader, Prime Minister Carney, and humorously suggested him to consent to "unification" of their both nations
• The former president hinted that he might disregard a law requiring that federal employees on furlough will receive back pay once the federal shutdown finishes
• Speaker of the House Speaker Johnson said that his choice to stave off the official seating of congresswoman-elect the Arizona representative of AZ has "nothing to do" with the fact that she would be the 218th endorser on the bipartisan congressional measure
• Noem, the homeland security secretary, inspected the ICE facility in Oregon's Portland together with right-leaning content creators

Throughout the extended hearing, Bondi declined to talk about many of the government's disputed actions, notwithstanding continual inquiries from the opposition party

Under pressure, she made personal remarks about a number of legislators from the minority or cited the continuing budget impasse to portray them as irresponsible.

Worldwide Developments

Overseas in Egypt, a United States representatives has joined the negotiations happening between Palestinian group and the Israeli government on the Middle East initiative with the most recent development that captive and detainee rosters have been exchanged.