7. Alabama State Rep. Susan DuBose (R-Hoover) expressed confidence that the “What is a Woman Act,” which defines biological sex and related terms by genetics at birth, will pass early in the 2025 legislative session after narrowly missing Senate approval last year. The bill seeks to clarify the definitions of male, female, and other gender-related terms in state law and administrative codes to address what DuBose described as growing societal confusion. Praising federal actions under the Trump administration, DuBose spoke to the continued importance of codifying similar protections at the state level to ensure legal consistency in Alabama.

6. To meet President Trump’s mass deportation goals, ICE officers have been ordered to ramp up daily arrests to 1,200–1,500. Field offices are being issued specific quotas and officers will face potential reprimand for missing targets. While officials claim operations will prioritize immigrants with criminal records, critics argue that the quotas incentivize arrests of non-criminal immigrants, heightening risks of civil rights violations and public backlash. The administration is mobilizing personnel from other federal agencies to support ICE’s efforts, but some former officials caution this shift could undermine investigations into serious crimes like counterterrorism and human trafficking.

5. President Donald Trump’s approval rating has surged to +6 during the first week of his second term, a sharp contrast to his initial presidency when he began with a net-negative rating. CNN’s Harry Enten pointed out that Trump is the first president to achieve a higher net approval rating at the start of his second term than at any point in his first, reflecting a significant change in public sentiment. Enten attributed the improvement to Trump’s altered approach and decisive actions, which appear to align more closely with the expectations of the American people.

4. After unwavering support from Alabama U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn), and a last minute no vote from former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) forced Vice President JD Vance to cast a tie-breaking vote, Pete Hegseth, a former Fox News host, overcame a contentious confirmation process to become Secretary of Defense, marking a major win for President Donald Trump’s administration’s potentially most contentious nominee. Critics questioned his qualifications and cited allegations of misconduct, while supporters argued his outsider status makes him uniquely positioned to challenge Pentagon bureaucracy. Hegseth plans to prioritize troop readiness and reduce the influence of diversity programs, aligning with Trump’s vision for a reformed and more focused military, though his leadership style and policies are already drawing sharp divisions.

3. The CIA has revised its assessment to favor the theory that COVID-19 originated from a lab leak in Wuhan, joining other agencies like the FBI and Department of Energy in this stance, though it emphasizes low confidence and a lack of new evidence. This shift comes under the leadership of CIA Director John Ratcliffe, who has criticized past delays in addressing the pandemic’s origins and prioritized a public evaluation of China’s role, even though Dr. Anthony Fauci received a pardon for all activities reaching back to 2014 for his behavior and testimony on this matter. The Wuhan Institute of Virology remains under scrutiny for its bat coronavirus research and alleged security lapses, while China continues to deny the claims, labeling them as efforts to discredit Beijing.

Dale Jackson is a thought leader for Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 5-9 a.m. weekdays on WVNN and from 10-11 a.m. on Talk 99.5 and News Radio 1440, with a rebroadcast on WVNN at 10 p.m.