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Good morning and welcome our live updates of United States government affairs with one-time Federal Bureau of Investigation Chief James Comey set to make his first court hearing in a Department of Justice criminal case accusing him of lied to the U.S. Congress back in 2020.

Judicial Process and Anticipated Outcomes

This initial hearing is expected to be brief, per AP news agency, but the moment is nevertheless loaded with historic weight given that the prosecution has heightened apprehensions that the Justice Department is being used as a weapon in going after the former president's political enemies.

James Comey is expected to plead not guilty at the federal courthouse in Virginia's Alexandria, and his legal team will undoubtedly attempt to dismiss the case before trial, potentially by asserting that the case constitutes a targeted or vindictive prosecution.

Particular Allegations and Court Claims

The dual-count legal accusation claims that the defendant gave deceptive testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee on September 30, 2020, by claiming he didn't permitted an assistant to serve as an unnamed source to the journalists, and that he impeded a congressional proceeding.

James Comey has maintained his innocence and has expressed he was looking forward to a trial. These charges fails to name the person or specify what details may have been shared with the media.

Governmental Setting and Wider Implications

While criminal charges are usually just the beginning of a protracted judicial procedure, the Department of Justice has publicized the situation itself as something of a win.

Former administration representatives are expected to point to any guilty verdict as evidence the case was well-justified, but an acquittal or even charge dismissal may also be presented as additional evidence for their long-running argument that the criminal justice system is prejudiced toward them.

Judicial Assignment and Political Comments

The presiding judge chosen by lottery to the proceedings, Nachmanoff, is a President Biden's administration appointee. Recognized for systematic approach and a cool temperament, the judicial officer and his history have already received the chief executive's scrutiny, with Donald Trump mocking him as a "President Biden selected court official."

Additional Political Developments

• The former president met with the Canada's leader, Prime Minister Carney, and jokingly pushed him to accept "combining" of their respective nations
• The former president indicated that he might disregard a statute stipulating that government staff without pay will receive back pay once the budget impasse ends
• Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said that his decision to postpone the official seating of congresswoman-elect Grijalva of the state of Arizona has "no connection" with the reality that she would be the 218th signatory on the cross-party discharge petition
• Noem, the homeland security secretary, visited the ICE center in Portland, Oregon joined by conservative influencers

Throughout the five-hour proceedings, Attorney General Bondi refused to discuss numerous the administration's contentious policies, despite persistent inquiries from the opposition party

Under pressure, she personally attacked several senators from the opposition or invoked the current government shutdown to depict them as irresponsible.

Global Situations

In Egypt, a American delegation has participated in the negotiations happening between Palestinian group and Israel on the Middle East initiative with the most recent development that captive and detainee rosters have been shared.