Senate confirms Zeldin to lead Environmental Protection Agency

The Senate confirmed Lee Zeldin as the new head of the Environmental Protection Agency with a 56-42 vote, including support from three Democrats. Zeldin, a former Republican congressman from New York and ally of President Trump, is tasked with helping roll back environmental regulations, particularly those aimed at climate change and electric vehicles. He vowed to support EPA staff but declined to commit to specific … Continue reading Senate confirms Zeldin to lead Environmental Protection Agency

Ex-Sen. Menendez sentenced 11 years in prison on corruption charges

Former U.S. Senator Bob Menendez was sentenced to 11 years in prison after being convicted of corruption for accepting bribes, including gold bars, cash, and a luxury car, in exchange for using his political power. Judge Sidney Stein condemned Menendez for betraying public trust, noting the severity of the corruption. Menendez, who was found guilty on all 16 counts, maintained his innocence, calling the case … Continue reading Ex-Sen. Menendez sentenced 11 years in prison on corruption charges

Trump moves to prepare Guantanamo Bay for 30,000 ‘criminal illegal aliens’

President Donald Trump announced plans to prepare Guantanamo Bay to house 30,000 “criminal illegal aliens,” instructing the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security to expand the facility. The detainees, posing a threat to U.S. security, would be sent to Guantanamo to prevent their return. Trump emphasized the move would help combat migrant crime. Cuban President Diaz-Canel criticized the decision as “brutality.” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi … Continue reading Trump moves to prepare Guantanamo Bay for 30,000 ‘criminal illegal aliens’

DOJ Mulls Dropping Case Against NYC Eric Adams

Senior Justice Department officials under President Trump have discussed with federal prosecutors in Manhattan the possibility of dropping the corruption case against New York Mayor Eric Adams. Adams, indicted in September on charges including bribery and fraud, has pleaded not guilty, claiming political prosecution. Recently, he has cultivated a relationship with Trump, who has suggested he may issue a pardon. Despite discussions between the Justice … Continue reading DOJ Mulls Dropping Case Against NYC Eric Adams

Ex-con arrested for bologna sandwich battery, cops say

Florida police arrested ex-con Oquavious Chandler, 29, for allegedly throwing a bologna sandwich at his roommate during an argument over a PlayStation 5. Though the victim was uninjured, Chandler’s prior battery convictions—two involving video games—led to the charge being upgraded to a felony. Previously, he served a year in prison for choking his sister over a gaming dispute, the Smoking Gun has reported. Now facing … Continue reading Ex-con arrested for bologna sandwich battery, cops say

USDA inspector general escorted out of her office after firing

USDA Inspector General Phyllis Fong was escorted from her office after refusing to comply with her firing by the Trump administration. Fong, a 22-year veteran, argued the termination violated federal law. The White House defended the firings of 17 inspectors general, calling them necessary to replace “rogue, partisan bureaucrats.” Fong’s office has investigated food safety, animal welfare, and Elon Musk’s Neuralink, Reuters has reported. Critics, … Continue reading USDA inspector general escorted out of her office after firing

American Airlines jet carrying 60 collides with military chopper over DC

A Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet collided mid-air near Reagan National Airport, killing at least 19 people. The crash, which occurred around 9 p.m. Wednesday, sent both aircraft into the frigid Potomac River, where divers are searching for the remaining 60 passengers, four crew members, and three soldiers. No survivors have been found. The American Airlines plane split in half and … Continue reading American Airlines jet carrying 60 collides with military chopper over DC

Three arrested after ancient Romanian artifacts stolen from Dutch museum

Dutch police arrested three men after a four-day hunt for suspects in the explosive robbery of ancient Romanian artifacts from the Drents Museum. The stolen treasures, including the 2,500-year-old golden Helmet of Cotofenesti and three gold bracelets from 50 BC, were on loan from Romania’s National History Museum. The heist has led to the dismissal of the Romanian museum’s director and angered officials. While the … Continue reading Three arrested after ancient Romanian artifacts stolen from Dutch museum

American fighters are dying in Ukraine in growing numbers

More than 20 Americans are missing in action in Ukraine, with rising casualties among foreign volunteers filling gaps in Ukraine’s defenses, CNN reports. At least five American fighters have been killed in the past six months, with some bodies still unrecovered. Two were repatriated from Russian-held territory after negotiations. Survivors describe intense battles, poor leadership, and devastating losses. Families of the missing struggle with grief, … Continue reading American fighters are dying in Ukraine in growing numbers

Police catch caravan laden with explosives outside synagogue in Australia

Australian police foiled a planned antisemitic attack after discovering a caravan with explosives in Dural, northwest of Sydney, on Jan. 19. Authorities called it a terrorist plot, with arrests made but details undisclosed. Over 100 officers are investigating under a joint counter-terrorism operation. The incident comes amid a rise in antisemitic attacks in Australia since the Israel-Gaza war began in late 2023, NBC News has … Continue reading Police catch caravan laden with explosives outside synagogue in Australia

Man Who Burnt Quran In 2023 Sparking Huge Protests Shot Dead In Sweden

Salwan Momika, the Iraqi Christian who sparked outrage in 2023 by burning Qurans in Sweden, was shot dead in Sodertalje. His death comes just before a court ruling on whether he was guilty of inciting ethnic hatred, which has now been postponed to February 3. Police confirmed the shooting occurred indoors, and Momika was taken to the hospital but did not survive, NDTV has reported. … Continue reading Man Who Burnt Quran In 2023 Sparking Huge Protests Shot Dead In Sweden

Russia claims nuclear plant targeted during massive Ukrainian drone attack

Ukraine launched a massive drone attack on Russian energy infrastructure, including an attempted strike on the Smolensk nuclear power plant, which was intercepted, according to Russian officials. At least 100 drones targeted power and oil facilities across western Russia, causing a fire at an oil refinery. Russia also launched overnight drone strikes on Ukraine, hitting a port in Odesa and causing debris to fall near … Continue reading Russia claims nuclear plant targeted during massive Ukrainian drone attack

Congo’s leader calls for massive military mobilization as Rwanda-backed rebels expand their control

Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi urged young people to enlist in the army as M23 rebels, backed by 4,000 Rwandan troops, advanced deeper into eastern Congo, capturing parts of Goma and South Kivu. A regional summit called for an immediate ceasefire and talks, but Tshisekedi was absent. Meanwhile, South African peacekeepers were killed, prompting President Cyril Ramaphosa to accuse Rwanda, leading Rwandan President Paul Kagame to … Continue reading Congo’s leader calls for massive military mobilization as Rwanda-backed rebels expand their control

Archaeologists Uncover 2,000-Year-Old Mask Mould Believed to Depict Medusa

Archaeologists in Sicily have uncovered a Roman mask mould depicting Medusa in the ruins of the ancient Greek city Finziade. The mould, dating to the late Republican period (133-31 BCE), was found in a building likely used for mask production. The mould’s design—featuring a stern face with wild hair—resembles Medusa, a figure from Greek mythology often associated with protective charms, Gizmodo has reported. This discovery, … Continue reading Archaeologists Uncover 2,000-Year-Old Mask Mould Believed to Depict Medusa

Gigantic 500,000-mile ‘hole’ in the sun’s atmosphere aims solar wind at Earth

A massive coronal hole, nearly 500,000 miles wide, has opened in the sun’s atmosphere, releasing fast solar wind toward Earth. This solar wind, moving at speeds over 310 miles per second, is expected to reach Earth by January 31, potentially triggering a minor (G1) geomagnetic storm. While not severe, G1 storms can enhance aurora displays, especially in higher latitudes. The solar wind causes auroras when … Continue reading Gigantic 500,000-mile ‘hole’ in the sun’s atmosphere aims solar wind at Earth

Juno spots most extreme volcanic activity on Io to date

During a flyby of Jupiter’s moon Io on December 27, 2024, NASA’s Juno spacecraft discovered a massive volcanic hotspot in Io’s southern hemisphere. This hotspot, larger than Earth’s Lake Superior, emits eruptions with six times the energy of all the world’s power plants. Io, the most volcanic body in the solar system, experiences intense activity due to Jupiter’s gravitational pull. Juno’s infrared instrument, JIRAM, captured … Continue reading Juno spots most extreme volcanic activity on Io to date

Space Force projects ULA to outpace SpaceX in 2025 national security missions

The U.S. Space Force plans 11 national security launches in 2025 using United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) Vulcan rocket, pending final certification. The schedule also includes seven missions aboard SpaceX’s Falcon rockets. This comes as the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program aims to recover after completing only five missions in 2024. Vulcan, part of the NSSL Phase 2 program, is under review following a successful … Continue reading Space Force projects ULA to outpace SpaceX in 2025 national security missions

Scientists Just Used AI to Simulate 500 Million Years of Evolution

EvolutionaryScale, an AI startup backed by Amazon and NVIDIA, is using large language models (LLMs) to generate new proteins, potentially advancing fields like medicine and evolutionary biology. Their third model, ESM3, successfully created a new green fluorescent protein (GFP) by simulating 500 million years of evolution. ESM3, which is open for use by the scientific community, is trained on 771 billion tokens from 3.15 billion … Continue reading Scientists Just Used AI to Simulate 500 Million Years of Evolution

Vatican Warns AI Could Undermine ‘Foundations Of Society’

The Vatican issued a new document on artificial intelligence (AI), warning that it could erode trust in society and make people “cogs in a machine.” Pope Francis, concerned about AI’s potential misuse to manipulate minds and spread misinformation, emphasized that AI-generated fake content could fuel polarization and conflict. The document also expressed concerns about AI being used to replace human workers, infringe on privacy, and … Continue reading Vatican Warns AI Could Undermine ‘Foundations Of Society’

Mystery NJ drones were authorized by FAA, White House says

Many of the mysterious drones spotted over New Jersey and the East Coast last year were authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for research and other purposes, according to the White House. The sightings sparked panic, including a temporary airport shutdown, fueled by misinformation. Some drones were also flown by hobbyists and private citizens. The White House clarified that the drones posed no national … Continue reading Mystery NJ drones were authorized by FAA, White House says

US consumer confidence dips again to start the year

U.S. consumer confidence fell for the second month in a row in January, dropping to 104.1 from 109.5 in December, below economists’ expectations. The decline reflected a weaker outlook on current economic conditions and the labor market. Despite this, consumer spending remained strong, with retail sales rising 0.4% in December. The proportion of consumers expecting a recession stayed low, but there are signs of rising … Continue reading US consumer confidence dips again to start the year

Boeing loses almost $1bn every month in 2024

Boeing faced a tough year in 2024, losing nearly $1 billion per month and a total of $11.8 billion, its worst result since the 2020 pandemic. Issues included safety and quality control problems, a damaging strike, and challenges in both its commercial and defense divisions. A door panel failure on a 737 Max and ongoing concerns about past crashes added to its troubles. The company … Continue reading Boeing loses almost $1bn every month in 2024

Fed expected to hold interest rates steady, defying pressure from Trump

The Federal Reserve is set to announce its latest interest rate decision, with investors expecting it to hold rates steady, despite President Trump’s call for a reduction. This would pause a series of rate cuts that began in late 2024. While inflation has slowed, it remains above the Fed’s target. Trump has urged the Fed to lower rates, citing the potential for falling oil prices, … Continue reading Fed expected to hold interest rates steady, defying pressure from Trump

Senate confirms Trump pick Sean Duffy for Transportation secretary

The Senate confirmed former Rep. Sean Duffy of Wisconsin as President Trump’s pick to lead the Transportation Department with a bipartisan vote of 77-22. During his confirmation hearing, Duffy outlined priorities such as improving aviation and highway safety, addressing the air traffic controller shortage, restoring trust in Boeing, and rebuilding Interstate 40. He also pledged to continue the investigation into Tesla’s self-driving software, Fox News … Continue reading Senate confirms Trump pick Sean Duffy for Transportation secretary

No ‘traitors’ in Canada’s parliament, says foreign meddling inquiry

A Canadian public inquiry has found no evidence of “traitors” in parliament colluding with foreign governments to interfere in elections. The final report acknowledged attempts by foreign states, particularly China and India, to meddle in recent elections, but stated their impact was minimal. The inquiry warned that disinformation posed a significant threat to democracy. It also criticized the government’s slow response to interference and lack … Continue reading No ‘traitors’ in Canada’s parliament, says foreign meddling inquiry