Israel ceasefire, pardons, Trump’s inauguration, executive orders & all things football | Ep. 3

Join hosts Conner Jones and Micah Tomasella as they navigate a jam-packed news week on Culture Brief, a Denison Forum podcast. They discuss the political climate, including Joe Biden's final days as president, a significant ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, TikTok's brief shutdown, and Biden's last-minute pardons followed by Donald Trump's inauguration as the 47th President, his executive orders, and reactions from his supporters and opponents.
Then, they dive into the latest sports news, including the NFL divisional round, the college football national championship, and key moments of sportsmanship. Tune in for thought-provoking discussions, faith perspectives, and even a fun segment on a new candy called Soup Drops!
Topics
• (01:03): Biden's Final Days and Middle East Ceasefire
• (05:51): TikTok Shutdown and Revival
• (07:13): Biden's Last-Minute Pardons
• (13:21): Trump's Inauguration and Executive Actions
• (24:12): Trump's Legacy and Unconditional Love
• (25:57): NFL Playoffs Recap
• (30:07): College Football Championship Highlights
• (34:30): News You Can Use: Soup Drops
• (36:2):2 Listener Mailbag and Fast Food Favorites
• (40:43): Big Upcoming Events in Culture
Resources
• Mailbag: [e-mail] (mailto:[e-mail])
• DenisonForum.org/subscribe (denisonforum.or...)
• What We Know About the Hostage Release - The New York Times (www.nytimes.co...)
• January 19, 2025: First Israeli hostages, Palestinian prisoners freed as Gaza ceasefire takes force | CNN (www.cnn.com/wo...)
• How the Biden and Trump teams worked together to get the Gaza ceasefire and hostages deal done | CNN Politics (www.cnn.com/20...)
• Biden declares decades-old Equal Rights Amendment law - but what happens next? | CBC News (www.cbc.ca/new...)
• TikTok starts restoring service in the U.S. after shutting down over divest-or-ban law - CBS News (www.cbsnews.co...)
• TikTok is back online after Trump pledged to restore it | CNN Business (www.cnn.com/20...)
• Biden Pardons 5 Members of His Family in Final Minutes in Office (www.nytimes.co...)
• Biden sparks outrage with last-minute commutation of man convicted of killing FBI agents - ABC News (abcnews.go.com...)
• FBI Agents Association Statement on Commutation of Leonard Peltier (x.com/FBIAgent...)
• Biden’s Catholic faith both key and complex part of his legacy - OSV News (www.osvnews.co...)
• Trump and Vance to honor tradition with service at DC's historic St. John's Church (cbs12.com/news...)
• Bidens Bring Donald and Melania Trump to the White House for Tea Before the Inauguration: 'Welcome Home' (people.com/bid...)
• Donald Trump’s inauguration - as it happened (www.thetimes.c...)
• Trump signs flurry of executive actions and memos on Day 1 - CBS News (www.cbsnews.co...)
• President Trump’s Historic First Day (x.com/presssec...)
• What would be President Trump’s “proudest legacy”? (www.denisonfor...)
• NFL fans spot Josh Allen's classy gesture immediately after winning huge Bills-Ravens showdown in AFC playoffs | The US Sun (www.the-sun.co...)
• NFL Playoffs Briefing: From the expected (Chiefs) to the unexpected (Jayden Daniels) | FOX Sports (www.foxsports....)
• Ohio State holds off Notre Dame to win college football national championship | Fox News (www.foxnews.co...)
• Progresso launches Soup Drops, a hard candy that's 'soup you can suck on' (www.nbcnews.co....