Iconic Italian fashion designer Valentino Garavani has died at the age of 93, his foundation announced, passing away peacefully at his home in Rome. Born in 1932, Valentino built one of the most influential fashion houses in the world, becoming internationally renowned for his elegant designs and signature “Valentino red.” He founded his fashion house in 1957, with a major turning point coming through his … Continue reading Fashion designer Valentino has died
The Kremlin said Russian President Vladimir Putin has received an invitation to join the U.S.-led “Board of Peace” for Gaza and is reviewing the proposal. The board, created by President Donald Trump, aims to oversee the Israel-Hamas ceasefire and Gaza’s reconstruction. Several countries have confirmed invitations, though reports say permanent membership may require a $1 billion payment. Putin’s potential inclusion has drawn attention given Russia’s … Continue reading Putin invited to join Trump’s ‘Board of Peace,’ Kremlin says
SpaceX successfully launched 29 new Starlink satellites (Group 6-100) into low Earth orbit on Sunday, January 18, from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The Falcon 9 rocket’s first stage, B1080, completed its 24th flight and landed safely on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic. The upper stage deployed the satellites after a coast and second engine burn, continuing the expansion of the Starlink megaconstellation. … Continue reading SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches 29 Starlink satellites to orbit from Florida
Astronomers from University College London and Cardiff University have discovered a mysterious bar-shaped cloud of iron inside the Ring Nebula. The cloud, roughly 500 times the length of Pluto’s orbit and with a mass comparable to Mars, fits within the nebula’s inner layer. Observations were made using the Large Integral Field Unit (LIFU) mode of the WEAVE instrument on the William Herschel Telescope. The Ring … Continue reading Mysterious iron ‘bar’ discovered in famous nebula
Anahita Laverack, originally aspiring to be an aerospace engineer, founded Oshen after realizing the lack of reliable ocean data hindered autonomous robotics challenges. She and co-founder Ciaran Dowds developed fleets of autonomous micro-robots, called C-Stars, capable of surviving 100 days at sea to collect ocean data. Starting small, they tested their robots from a 25-foot sailboat in the U.K., iterating through harsh conditions to make … Continue reading Oshen built the first ocean robot to collect data in a Category 5 hurricane
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh are developing robot “dogs” to assist in dangerous situations where humans cannot safely operate. One such robot, named Spotless, can search for casualties, detect hazards like toxic gas, and assess injuries and heart rates. Kimberly Elenberg, a project scientist, demonstrated how Spotless speeds up search-and-rescue operations by providing critical information before medics arrive. The project highlights Pittsburgh’s growing … Continue reading Pittsburgh researchers developing lifesaving robot “dogs”
French President Emmanuel Macron plans to ask the EU to activate its trade “bazooka,” the Anti-Coercion Instrument, in response to President Trump’s tariff threats over Greenland. The mechanism allows the EU to impose punitive trade measures—including restrictions on investment, public procurement, and intellectual property—against countries that attempt to coerce the bloc. Macron emphasized that Europe will respond in a united, coordinated way to defend its … Continue reading Macron to urge EU to use trade ‘bazooka’ in response to Trump’s tariffs
Republican Rep. Michael McCaul warned that any U.S. military intervention to seize Greenland would put America at odds with its NATO allies and could effectively end the alliance. McCaul, speaking on This Week, acknowledged Greenland’s strategic importance but said the U.S. already has full military access there under existing treaties, so an invasion isn’t necessary. He said a forced takeover would undermine NATO’s Article 5 … Continue reading GOP Rep. McCaul says a US invasion of Greenland would mean ‘war with NATO itself’
The Trump administration is proposing a $1 billion payment for permanent membership on the newly established Board of Peace, a UN-backed body overseeing the Israel-Hamas ceasefire. President Trump is expected to serve as the board’s inaugural chairman, with authority to invite members and approve decisions, while member states would otherwise serve three-year terms. The board’s mandate is to rebuild Gaza, with “virtually every dollar” raised … Continue reading Trump wants nations to pay $1 billion for permanent Board of Peace seats
European leaders pushed back against President Trump’s threat of tariffs over their opposition to his Greenland plans, with Italian leader Giorgia Meloni calling it a “mistake.” Trump threatened 10–25% tariffs on goods from eight European countries unless Greenland is “purchased” by the U.S., escalating tensions over the Arctic island. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the threat, with Macron urging … Continue reading EU scrambles to avert Trump Greenland tariffs, prepares retaliation
The Justice Department is investigating Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey over an alleged conspiracy to impede federal immigration agents. The probe stems from statements Walz and Frey made criticizing the recent deployment of nearly 3,000 ICE and Border Patrol officers to Minneapolis, following the killing of Renee Good by an ICE officer. Subpoenas are expected, and the investigation focuses on 18 … Continue reading DOJ investigating Gov. Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey over alleged conspiracy to impede immigration agents
Kianna Underwood, a 33-year-old former Nickelodeon star, was killed in a hit-and-run Friday in Brooklyn, New York. Police said she was crossing an intersection in Brownsville when a black SUV struck her, and she was then hit by a black and gray sedan; both drivers fled the scene. Underwood starred in seven episodes of Nickelodeon’s “All That” in 2005 and voiced Fuschia Glover on the … Continue reading Kianna Underwood, former Nickelodeon star, killed in hit-and-run
A 52-year-old man, Hector Lionel Alfaro, killed his wife, Roxana Rodriguez, 48, and their 17-year-old daughter, Sienna, before taking his own life in a Lakewood, Los Angeles County home Thursday morning. Deputies responded around 8 a.m. after a 19-year-old daughter called, reporting her father had fired a gun and was unconscious nearby; she was unharmed. Inside the home, authorities found Alfaro, his wife, and daughter … Continue reading California man kills wife, teen daughter in murder-suicide: authorities
A tragic crash in Mullica Hill, South Jersey, killed a husband and wife and partially destroyed a home on Banff Drive on Saturday evening. Police said a Hyundai SUV, driven by 72-year-old Thomas Hengel with his 61-year-old wife Lisa Hengel as a passenger, accelerated for unknown reasons, hit a curb, crossed two yards, and crashed into the living room. The impact sparked a fire that … Continue reading Husband, wife killed after vehicle crashes into NJ home, catches on fire
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey condemned the administration’s immigration operations in the city, describing the influx of federal agents as an “occupying force.” He said the deployment of thousands of ICE and Border Patrol agents, along with the potential arrival of military troops, has increased fear rather than public safety. Frey argued the operations target Latino and Somali communities and sparked peaceful protests following the fatal … Continue reading Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey says federal agents are an “occupying force”
Rare snow fell in the Florida Panhandle on Sunday, January 18, covering neighborhoods in Chipley with a light blanket. Snow accumulation ranged from flurries up to two inches in parts of Georgia, Alabama, and the Panhandle. Residents captured the unusual event on video, showing snowflakes settling on streets and homes. The National Weather Service warned of continuing freezing temperatures overnight into Monday morning, Storyful has … Continue reading Fluffy Snow Falls on Florida Palms in Rare Weather Event
Guatemala’s interior minister said gangs killed seven police officers in retaliation for the government’s refusal to move gang leaders to lower-security prisons. The attacks followed prison uprisings in which gang inmates took 46 hostages at three facilities, one of which authorities regained control of on Sunday. Officials said gang violence has intensified since mid-2025 as inmates demand fewer restrictions for their leaders. Guatemala continues to … Continue reading 7 police officers killed in attacks in Guatemala after prison crackdown on gangs
At least 5,000 people have been killed in nationwide protests in Iran since late December, including about 500 security personnel, according to an Iranian regional official. The unrest, sparked by economic hardship and escalating into calls to end clerical rule, represents the deadliest turmoil since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Iranian leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, blamed the deaths on “terrorists and rioters” allegedly … Continue reading At least 5,000 dead in Iran unrest, official says
Wildfires fueled by extreme heat have killed at least 18 people in central and southern Chile, burning thousands of hectares of forest and destroying hundreds of homes. President Gabriel Boric declared a state of catastrophe in the Biobío and Ñuble regions, allowing greater military involvement as more than two dozen fires spread and forced about 50,000 people to evacuate. Strong winds and temperatures above 38°C … Continue reading Chilean president declares state of catastrophe as wildfires kill at least 18
At least 21 people were killed and around 100 injured when two trains collided and derailed in southern Spain on Sunday night, according to authorities. An Iryo train travelling from Málaga to Madrid derailed near Adamuz and crossed onto an adjacent track, hitting a Madrid-to-Huelva train, which also derailed. Emergency services reported passengers trapped, overturned carriages, and evacuations carried out in darkness, with some injuries … Continue reading High-speed train crash in southern Spain leaves at least 21 dead
The Syrian government announced a ceasefire agreement with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), including the SDF’s withdrawal from areas west of the Euphrates River and their integration into the Syrian military. The deal follows days of clashes over strategic positions and oilfields in northeastern Syria and allows Syrian state institutions to re-enter al-Hasakah, Deir Az Zor, and Raqqa. Under the agreement, the SDF’s administration … Continue reading Syria announces ceasefire agreement with Kurd-led SDF after heavy fighting
Mortgage rates fell for the second straight week, with the average 30-year fixed mortgage dropping to 6.06%, the lowest level in more than three years, according to Freddie Mac. The decline has already boosted purchase and refinance activity, signaling improving housing momentum ahead of the spring buying season. The drop follows President Trump’s order for federal housing regulators to purchase $200 billion in Freddie Mac … Continue reading Mortgage rates fall to lowest level since 2022
President Trump has proposed banning large institutional investors from buying single-family homes in an effort to ease housing shortages and improve affordability for first-time buyers. While he argues that removing private equity firms would open up the market, experts say the actual impact may be limited. A 2024 Government Accountability Office report found institutional investors may have raised prices and rents but said their effect … Continue reading Trump wants to ban Wall Street investments in single-family homes
Shares of Novo Nordisk rose more than 5% after early data showed a strong initial U.S. launch for its new GLP-1 weight-loss pill, Wegovy. Analysts described the early prescription numbers as a “solid start,” with estimates ranging from about 3,100 to more than 4,000 prescriptions filled in the first full week. The early momentum boosts Novo Nordisk’s efforts to regain market share from rival Eli … Continue reading Novo Nordisk shares rise 5% after Wegovy obesity pill has ‘solid’ launch
Former U.S. Senator Kyrsten Sinema is being sued by the ex-wife of her former security detail member, alleging that Sinema’s romantic relationship with him led to the breakup of their marriage. The lawsuit claims Sinema pursued Matthew Ammel while he was married, exchanged “romantic and lascivious” messages with him, and provided him with jobs and support, including psychedelic treatment for PTSD and other issues. Ammel … Continue reading Ex-Sen. Kyrsten Sinema sued for allegedly breaking up bodyguard’s marriage
