Politics and views in the United States.

The US reaffirms its stance that there is 'no genocide' in Gaza, Michael Cohen testifies in Trump hush money trial, Sen. Lindsay Graham compares Gaza to Hiroshima & Nagasaki, and Gov. Kristi Noem is banned by 6 tribes in South Dakota.

TRANSCRIPT

Welcome to 2024 Talks, where we're following our democracy in historic times.

We do not believe what is happening in Gaza is a genocide.

We have been firmly on record rejecting that proposition.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan repeats the White House position that what Israel is doing does not amount to genocide.

Sullivan says there has to be better protections for civilians and a workable post-war plan.

Israel is already having to repeatedly retake parts of northern and central Gaza after Hamas fighters reappeared there.

In a way, some say, suggests an endless guerrilla war.

But the administration faces criticism from both sides for pausing some arms shipments.

On Meet the Press, South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham said Israel is justified in using the most powerful weapons.

We decided to end the war by bombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki with nuclear weapons.

That was the right decision.

Give Israel the bombs they need to end the war they can't afford to lose.

Michael Cohen, former fixer and lawyer for former President Donald Trump, has started testifying in Trump's hush money trial.

The defense will likely attack his credibility, but Cohen also faced that issue when testifying to Congress in 2019.

I am here under oath to correct the record, to answer the committee's questions truthfully, and to offer the American people what I know about President Trump.

Donald Trump slammed Judge Juan Marchand and called the trial a scam as he left the Manhattan courthouse Monday.

Republican VP Hopeful and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has been banned from entering nearly 20 percent of her state after six Native American nations banished her from their reservations.

Noem accused tribal leaders of benefiting from drug cartels.

Meanwhile, she's still doing damage control on cable news for shooting a 14-month-old dog.

This was a vicious, dangerous dog that was a working dog.

And I had to make a choice between the safety of my children and an animal that was killing livestock and attacking people.

The New Hampshire Senate will vote this week on a bipartisan gun violence bill prompted by a deadly hospital shooting last year.

The bill would let the state report mental health and other disqualifying issues to the federal background check system.

State Senator Deborah Altshuler of Stratham calls it a historic move to close a loophole.

We have people who are a danger to themselves and others around them and struggling with severe mental health issues who have access to firearms because we have zero stopgap.

A new statue at the U.S. Capitol honors Arkansas civil rights activist Daisy Gatson Bates, best known for her work with the Little Rock Nine, who integrated the Central High School.

Each state is allowed two statues, and the one of Bates and another of musician Johnny Cash will replace two less-known 19th century figures.

I'm Farah Siddiqui for Pacifica Network and Public News Service.

Find our trust indicators at publicnewsservice.org.