Five students from a small Italian town have received tickets to the Winter Olympics closing ceremony after their creative design inspired the beloved mascots for the Milano Cortina Games.
The mascot characters — two stoats called Tina and Milo — have become incredibly popular with fans, leading to plush toy versions being completely sold out at official Olympic merchandise locations.
While the Winter Games took place in northern Italy, the creative spark behind the mascots originated in Taverna, a mountain community of approximately 2,500 residents situated 521 meters high in the Sila mountains of southern Calabria.
“The concept of the stoat came entirely from the students. We worked on it for about a month,” explained Gabriella Rotondaro, the physical education instructor who guided the project development over three years ago.
“It was the idea that won, not the stoat as a character. It conveyed the values of sport and inclusion, and that is why it prevailed,” Rotondaro continued.
The student team and their instructors emerged victorious in a nationwide contest organized by Italy’s Ministry of Education along with the Milano Cortina Foundation, beating approximately 1,600 other submissions from throughout the country.
The five young designers — Sara Godino, Aurora Munizza, Francesco Angotti, Federico Barra and Tommaso Pascuzzi — were approximately 13 years old when they created their winning concept.
Beyond receiving tickets to the closing ceremony in Verona, the students were awarded two mascot figures valued at roughly 35 euros ($41) each, along with flags and Olympic-themed scarves.
Critics in Italy have raised questions about whether the school deserved more substantial financial compensation, particularly given that many southern Italian schools face ongoing infrastructure challenges.
However, Rotondaro chose not to escalate that debate.
“Certainly, funds to improve the school building or its activities would have been appreciated, but what matters most is the recognition these five students deserve for their brilliant ideas,” she stated.
WASHINGTON – Consumer prices climbed more sharply than anticipated in December, with early indicators suggesting inflation may continue accelerating into January. This development makes it less likely that the Federal Reserve will reduce interest rates before the summer months.
According to Friday’s report from the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis, the core personal consumption expenditures price index – which strips out volatile food and energy costs – jumped 0.4% in December following November’s unchanged 0.2% increase. Financial analysts surveyed by Reuters had predicted a smaller 0.3% rise. Over the full year ending in December, core PCE inflation reached 3.0%, up from November’s 2.8% rate.
This metric serves as a key benchmark for the Federal Reserve as it works toward its 2% inflation goal. The figures were part of Friday’s preliminary fourth-quarter economic growth report.
While last week’s Consumer Price Index data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed modest January increases, economists noted persistent challenges in services sector pricing. A particularly notable spike occurred in legal services during January.
Barclays economist Pooja Sriram explained the impact: “This category, which the BLS does not publish, but can be backed out, registered a 12.0% month-on-month increase in January, which alone is worth about 10 basis points on core PCE inflation.” However, she cautioned, “That said, this tends to be a very volatile category, with very little forward-looking inference.”
Economic forecasters predict core PCE inflation could climb as high as 0.4% monthly for January, potentially pushing the annual rate to 3.1%.
These projections may shift following next Friday’s January Producer Price Index release. January’s PCE inflation figures are scheduled for March 13, with reporting timelines affected by last year’s government shutdown delays.
The broader PCE price index rose 0.4% in December, doubling November’s 0.2% gain. Annual PCE inflation increased to 2.9% from November’s 2.8%.
Government data also showed consumer spending – representing over two-thirds of all economic activity – grew 0.4% in December, matching November’s pace. After accounting for inflation, consumer spending managed just a 0.1% gain, indicating modest momentum entering the first quarter.
MADRID – Spain’s top diplomat called on the European Union Friday to remove sanctions targeting Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, following the South American nation’s passage of a prisoner amnesty measure.
Rodriguez assumed leadership last month following the U.S.-backed removal of President Nicolas Maduro. Since taking power, she has complied with Trump administration oil policy requirements and freed hundreds of individuals that human rights organizations consider political detainees, working toward improved U.S.-Venezuela relations.
Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares argued the EU should “send a signal that (Venezuela) is heading down the right path in this new phase.”
“Sanctions are never an end in themselves. They are a means to achieve ends so that this broad, peaceful and democratic dialogue can take place,” Albares told reporters in Barcelona.
When asked about Spain’s request later Friday, EU Commission spokesperson Anouar El Anouni avoided directly responding to Madrid’s suggestion, stating: “We do stand ready to use every tool at our disposal in our toolbox to support a transition towards democracy in Venezuela.”
The European Union first implemented various sanctions against Venezuela in 2017, including restrictions on arms sales and surveillance technology, after regional voting processes the bloc deemed flawed and irregular.
The following year, the EU expanded its punitive measures to include economic sanctions against 11 high-ranking Venezuelan officials, including Rodriguez, who served as Maduro’s vice president. The bloc cited their role in human rights abuses and efforts to weaken democratic institutions and legal frameworks.
Human rights advocates argue the amnesty legislation passed unanimously Thursday by Venezuela’s ruling party-dominated parliament doesn’t provide adequate relief for the hundreds of political prisoners still detained. Venezuelan authorities have consistently rejected claims they hold political prisoners, maintaining that all incarcerated individuals have been convicted of criminal offenses.
Delaware’s agricultural community gathered with Congresswoman McBride in Harrington on February 19th for a focused discussion on the pressing issues facing local farmers. The summit brought together Farm Bureau officials and growers from throughout the First State to engage in direct dialogue about industry challenges and potential solutions.
Key issues on the table included federal Farm Bill provisions, escalating costs for farming supplies, crop insurance matters, labor shortages, and emerging agricultural technologies. Local farmers emphasized which Farm Bill elements they consider most essential for Delaware agriculture, while also expressing concerns about how mounting input expenses are squeezing their bottom lines and threatening farm viability.
McBride informed attendees that she serves on the bipartisan Poultry Caucus in the House, which Senator Chris Coons co-chairs. She indicated plans to utilize insights gained from the summit regarding insurance coverage issues and High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI) in her caucus work.
The congresswoman also discussed her ongoing research into artificial intelligence applications in farming and requested farmer input to bring back to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, where she serves.
Delaware Farm Bureau expressed appreciation for participating in the summit and maintaining strong collaboration with Congresswoman McBride.
ANTERSELVA, Italy – Norwegian biathlete Sturla Holm Laegreid wrapped up an extraordinary Milano Cortina Olympics on Friday, claiming his fifth medal in what turned out to be one of the most unexpected performances of the Games.
The 29-year-old athlete secured a silver medal in the men’s mass start, the final men’s biathlon competition, capping off two weeks that saw him earn three silver and two bronze medals despite entering the Olympics without a single World Cup podium finish this season.
Laegreid’s Olympic journey was marked by both athletic triumph and personal drama, including a widely-publicized emotional admission of marital infidelity that went viral on social media.
“It was a fighter’s race, tough snow conditions on the track, and also tough wind conditions in the shooting range. So it was the race you needed to be sharp and focused to do well,” Laegreid explained to reporters following Friday’s competition.
“I was fighting (to get) the targets down today and rewarded with the silver medal. So really, really proud of myself today,” he added.
The Norwegian’s medal collection from these Games includes silver finishes in the mass start, pursuit, and relay competitions, along with bronze medals in both the sprint and individual events. This performance came as a surprise given his struggles throughout the World Cup season, though he was previously part of Norway’s gold medal-winning relay team at the Beijing Olympics.
Following his successful but emotionally challenging Olympic experience, Laegreid admitted he’s reluctant to return to regular life.
“It’s been also kind of nice to be here in the bubble, don’t really think about the real life, and really, you know, decide what thoughts I want to have, who I want to be around,” the athlete reflected.
“But yeah, to come home. I guess it’s a time for everything now. It’s time to live the real life again,” he continued.
In Friday’s mass start race, Laegreid was edged out for gold by fellow Norwegian Johannes Dale-Skjevdal, who delivered a flawless shooting performance to claim his first Olympic medal.
“I mean, if there’s one guy who has the level, it’s him,” Laegreid said of his teammate’s victory. “I was also impressed by his shooting in these conditions, it was his first time shooting 20 for 20 and it wasn’t an easy day to do it on, so huge respect and a well-deserved gold medal.”
Agricultural leaders in Minnesota are gearing up for a legislative fight to protect their farming drainage practices. The Minnesota Corn Growers Association plans to advocate for maintaining current drainage rights as lawmakers convene for the new session.
According to MCGA President Wes Beck, environmental groups are working to expand the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s regulatory authority over agricultural drainage systems, potentially bypassing existing statutory guidelines. Beck stated the organization is focused on “defending our rights to continue to drain our farmlands appropriately.”
The upcoming legislative battle highlights ongoing tensions between agricultural interests and environmental advocates over water management practices on Minnesota farmland.
Delaware Department of Transportation officials are reporting a traffic incident that has shut down multiple lanes on Interstate 95 northbound in the vicinity of South Chapel Street.
The crash has resulted in significant lane restrictions for motorists traveling north on the major highway corridor. DelDOT traffic management systems are currently showing the incident as active.
Drivers planning to use this section of I-95 should anticipate delays and may want to consider using alternative routes until the roadway can be fully reopened.
The Delaware Department of Transportation has not yet provided an estimated time for when normal traffic flow will resume. Motorists are encouraged to check DelDOT’s traffic information system for the most current updates on this developing situation.
The space agency has set its sights on March 6 as the target date to send four crew members on a historic journey around the moon as part of the Artemis II mission.
This lunar voyage will mark a significant milestone in space exploration, as these astronauts will become the first humans to travel to the moon since the conclusion of the Apollo program in 1972.
The ambitious ten-day expedition is planned to cover a distance exceeding 600,000 miles as the crew conducts a flyby of the lunar surface before returning to Earth.
The Artemis II mission represents a crucial step in NASA’s broader goal of returning humans to the moon and eventually establishing a sustainable presence there for future exploration missions.
The final chapter of New York City’s historic nursing strike appears to be closing as the last group of striking healthcare workers has reached a preliminary contract agreement with their employer.
Officials from the New York State Nurses Association announced Friday that roughly 4,200 nurses at NewYork-Presbyterian hospital have secured a tentative deal that will go before union members for a vote over the weekend. The proposed contract includes wage increases exceeding 12% across a three-year period, maintains current health benefit protections, and establishes new guidelines governing artificial intelligence implementation in healthcare settings.
The labor dispute commenced on January 12 when 15,000 nursing professionals across three major hospital networks left their posts, demanding improved compensation and enhanced workplace safety measures. The widespread work stoppage created significant staffing challenges throughout the city’s healthcare system, prompting Governor Kathy Hochul to issue an emergency declaration that permitted medical workers from other states and countries to temporarily fill vacant positions.
Earlier this month on February 14, approximately two-thirds of the striking nurses resumed their duties following successful contract negotiations with Montefiore and Mount Sinai health systems.
Union President Nancy Hagans praised the NewYork-Presbyterian nurses’ determination in a statement announcing the breakthrough. “For a month-and-a-half, through some of the harshest weather this city has seen in years, nurses at NYP showed this city that they won’t make any compromises to patient care,” Hagans declared.
Hospital spokesperson Angela Karafazli expressed satisfaction with the resolution in her own statement. “We are pleased to have reached a tentative settlement with NYSNA, through the mediator, that reflects our tremendous respect for our nurses,” Karafazli commented.
Newly released Justice Department files show Charles Schwab processed approximately $27.7 million in wire transfers for Jeffrey Epstein as the convicted sex offender attempted to buy an extravagant palace in Morocco during the 10 days leading up to his 2019 arrest.
The financial services company handled these transactions for Epstein over several months in 2019, even as the disgraced financier faced intense public attention following Miami Herald investigations in 2018. Schwab submitted a suspicious activity report to federal authorities on July 13, one week after Epstein’s arrest.
According to the documents, Schwab established three business accounts for Epstein’s companies in April 2019. One account belonged to Southern Trust, the entity seeking to purchase the lavish Bin Ennakhil palace in Marrakesh. The corporate account designated Richard Kahn, Epstein’s accountant, as an authorized individual, while Epstein served as Southern Trust’s president and sole beneficial owner.
From June 26 through July 9, 2019, Southern Trust directed Schwab to transfer roughly $12.7 million in euros for the property acquisition, then canceled that order. The brokerage subsequently received another wire request bearing Epstein’s signature and transferred $14.95 million for the same property, despite the account lacking adequate funds while awaiting the return of the initial payment.
When contacted by Reuters, Schwab refused to discuss account specifics, citing federal regulations, privacy laws, and company policies requiring confidentiality.
“An associate of Epstein opened accounts in April 2019. Shortly after, our Risk team began investigating the accounts and within 60 days of starting the review, we notified the client of our decision to close and terminate the relationship. We also referred the matter to federal law enforcement,” the company stated in an email response.
Schwab declined to specify when its risk team initiated its investigation.
Federal Bank Secrecy Act regulations require financial institutions to submit suspicious activity reports within 30 days of discovering concerning facts, along with reporting daily cash transactions exceeding $10,000 to help detect and prevent money laundering.
A FinCEN spokesperson informed Reuters that federal law prohibits confirming or denying the existence of any alleged suspicious activity report.
Kahn’s attorney did not respond to Reuters’ inquiries.
Marc Leon, the Marrakesh real estate agent, told Reuters via email that Epstein initially attempted to purchase Bin Ennakhil in 2011, with negotiations over terms and pricing continuing for years.
Property listings in the Justice Department files describe Bin Ennakhil as featuring gold-adorned walls, a hammam steam spa, 60 marble fountains, and an outdoor pool and jacuzzi across 4.6 hectares. The estate includes multiple gardens containing hundreds of olive trees and over 2,000 palm trees, covering an area larger than New York’s Washington Square Park or approximately six soccer fields.
Leon defended his involvement in facilitating Epstein’s property bid.
“Epstein had been convicted of sex crimes (in 2008) and had served his sentence. There was therefore nothing to prevent him from attempting to purchase property in Morocco. We had no way of knowing that he had continued his terrible crimes,” he explained.
Epstein died in jail in August 2019 while facing federal sex trafficking charges.
Epstein sought Schwab’s services in 2019 as Deutsche Bank closed accounts belonging to the convicted sex offender, who had pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting prostitution from a minor and served prison time.
The U.S. Virgin Islands subpoenaed Schwab along with at least six other financial firms in 2020, requesting documents related to Epstein’s estate co-executors. The subpoena did not name Schwab as a defendant or include any wrongdoing allegations against the brokerage.
Emails and wire transfer requests in the Justice Department documents indicate Epstein discussed the luxury Marrakesh property purchase with associates during spring 2019. Southern Trust, Epstein’s company, agreed to acquire the property through Leon in March 2019.
After evaluating various financial arrangements, Epstein instructed associates to transfer funds to Leon.
Schwab received Southern Trust’s order to wire 11.15 million euros, approximately $12.7 million at that time, to Leon on June 26, 2019, according to the suspicious activity report reviewed by Reuters.
The funds went to Leon’s Julius Baer account in Switzerland, where Leon was based at the time.
The following day, Schwab received a call from someone whose identity was redacted in the report, requesting the transfer’s cancellation. When asked why, the caller explained that real estate deal terms were not “agreeable.”
The caller also indicated another payment for a larger amount would be made to a different account.
Schwab successfully reversed the order, with funds scheduled to return on July 10.
Two days before Epstein’s arrest, Southern Trust instructed Schwab in a July 4 wire transfer request signed by Epstein and his co-signatory to send Leon $14.95 million.
Schwab transferred the funds to Leon’s Julius Baer account, despite Southern Trust’s account lacking sufficient funds because the earlier transfer had not yet been returned.
While Schwab could reasonably expect the payment would be transferred back to Epstein’s account, the bank faced risk until the funds returned.
Reuters could not determine when the $12.7 million ultimately returned to Epstein’s account, though the funds were scheduled to arrive July 10, according to the July 13 suspicious activity report.
When asked about its policy for processing international wire transfers from accounts with insufficient funds, Schwab declined to comment.
Reuters could not establish whether Julius Baer accepted the transfers. A Julius Baer spokesperson declined to comment.
Leon stated: “The anti-money laundering checks in force were carried out by the banking institutions involved in the future transaction, which ultimately never took place.”
Schwab canceled the second transfer on July 9, three days after Epstein’s arrest, at the request of an individual acting on Epstein’s behalf whose name was redacted.
An email in the Justice Department documents shows Epstein’s accountant Kahn requested the transfer cancellation on July 9.
House Oversight Committee member Robert Garcia announced in January that Kahn has been ordered to testify before Congress next week to answer questions about whether he helped facilitate Epstein’s crimes through managing the deceased sex offender’s financial affairs.
Reuters has no evidence of wrongdoing by Kahn.
In a post-arrest exchange with Schwab, an unidentified Epstein associate asked whether future Southern Trust account transfers would still require two signatures, as more money would be sent soon.
The Justice Department announced on July 8 that Epstein had been charged with sex trafficking of minors and remained in jail.
In its July 13 suspicious activity report to FinCEN, Schwab expressed “concerns with attempted wires for the purpose of real estate, in light of negative media surrounding Jeffrey Epstein” and worries about him being a potential flight risk before a bail hearing.
“This investigation is the result of an internal referral,” the document shows Schwab stating.
While Epstein’s deal collapsed, the Bin Ennakhil palace – meaning “amidst the palms” – in Marrakesh is no longer empty.
“The property has since been sold to another buyer,” Leon informed Reuters.
A federal bankruptcy court judge has granted final approval for Saks Global’s emergency financing package worth $1 billion, following the resolution of disputes with luxury brand partners and other business associates.
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Alfredo Perez authorized the funding during a Friday court session in Houston after Saks successfully addressed objections from several parties, including high-end fashion house Dolce & Gabbana, property landlords, and Amazon.com, which operates an online retail partnership with the department store chain.
The primary concern among luxury brand suppliers centered on whether Saks’ bankruptcy lenders could claim ownership rights to valuable merchandise – including designer handbags, apparel, and jewelry – that fashion labels had provided through consignment agreements worth millions of dollars.
Saks and its financial lenders successfully negotiated a resolution confirming that consigned inventory remains the property of the supplying brands rather than belonging to the retailer. Under typical consignment arrangements in the luxury retail sector, fashion labels maintain ownership of their products even while displayed in Saks stores until the items are actually sold to customers.
This business model is standard practice in upscale department store operations, where designer brands frequently establish boutique sections within larger retail spaces and provide merchandise through consignment or concession agreements.
With the major objections resolved prior to Friday’s hearing, Judge Perez was able to approve the crucial financing that will help Saks continue operations during its bankruptcy proceedings.
Delaware State Police have taken a second suspect into custody in connection with an armed carjacking that took place at a Bear shopping center last spring.
Daviel Aviles, 20, of Middletown, surrendered to authorities at Troop 2 on February 19th, facing charges related to the May 19th robbery at Salem Center on Pulaski Highway.
According to police, the incident unfolded around 2:15 in the afternoon when a victim became engaged in a dispute with one suspect in the shopping center’s parking lot. Investigators say a second individual then joined the confrontation, brandishing a firearm. The two suspects collaborated to steal the victim’s car before driving away in the stolen vehicle.
Detectives with the Delaware State Police Troop 2 Criminal Investigations Unit conducted an investigation that led them to identify both Calvin Williams and Daviel Aviles as the individuals responsible for the crime. Arrest warrants were subsequently issued for both men.
Williams was apprehended first when law enforcement executed a search warrant at his home on May 30th. Members of the Delaware State Police Special Operations Response Team assisted with the arrest, which occurred without any complications.
Following his surrender, Aviles appeared before Justice of the Peace Court 2 for arraignment. He now faces charges of Robbery Second Degree and Conspiracy Second Degree, both felony offenses. The court set his bond at $20,500 cash, and he was transported to the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution.
The Los Angeles Rams have elevated assistant coach Nate Scheelhaase to the role of offensive coordinator, according to a source familiar with the decision who spoke with The Associated Press on Friday.
The source requested anonymity since the Rams have not yet officially announced head coach Sean McVay’s complete coaching staff for the coming season. Scheelhaase steps into the position left vacant when Mike LaFleur departed this month to take over as Arizona Cardinals head coach.
At 35 years old, Scheelhaase has emerged as a highly sought-after coaching talent in NFL circles over the past season. He participated in interviews for no fewer than five head coaching openings during the last two months. For the past two seasons, he served as a key offensive aide under both McVay and LaFleur, earning the pass game coordinator title last year as the Rams posted a 14-6 record and advanced to the NFC championship game.
While McVay continues to handle play-calling duties and oversee offensive design for Los Angeles, Scheelhaase becomes the fifth person to hold the offensive coordinator position during McVay’s decade-long tenure as head coach. Each of the four previous assistants in this role has advanced to become a head coach, as has former Rams quarterbacks coach Zac Taylor.
These five former top Rams assistants — Matt LaFleur, Taylor, Kevin O’Connell, Liam Coen and Mike LaFleur — continue to serve as head coaches today. This number could have been higher, but McVay operated without a designated offensive coordinator for two seasons following Matt LaFleur’s exit.
Scheelhaase, who played quarterback at Illinois during his college career, worked under Matt Campbell at Iowa State from 2018 through 2023. He rose to become the Cyclones’ offensive coordinator in his final year there, orchestrating a significant turnaround that drew McVay’s notice.
During his time in Los Angeles, Scheelhaase handled the detailed task of creating visual diagrams of offensive plays for the team’s weekly game preparations — a meticulous responsibility previously managed by several Rams assistants who later secured prominent positions elsewhere.
Last season, the Rams operated what many considered the NFL’s most effective offense, topping the league in both points scored and total offensive yards during regular season play with AP NFL MVP Matthew Stafford leading the unit. Stafford has confirmed his return for what will be his 18th NFL campaign. The Rams are expected to be among the top contenders for a Super Bowl appearance at their home venue, SoFi Stadium, in February 2027.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — During the first session of President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace held in Washington, the administration highlighted commitments of billions in funding to reconstruct the Gaza Strip and envisioned a “new and harmonious” Middle East emerging from conflict. Presentation materials displayed at the session featured visions of sparkling skyscrapers and fresh athletic facilities.
However, such hope remains absent among Gaza’s population, where Palestinians enduring months or years in overcrowded temporary settlements or destroyed neighborhoods express little faith in promised changes.
“Since the beginning of the war, we’ve been hearing about conferences and meetings. They say there’s a solution and peace, but it’s all a joke. They’re all liars,” said Faraj Abu Anze, who is among tens of thousands of Palestinians living in a sprawling tent camp on the Mediterranean coast.
“We see nothing of that on the ground. There is no hope. Education and health care are gone. There is no life,” he said.
The president revealed that nations participating in his comprehensive peace initiative had committed $7 billion toward rebuilding efforts and agreed to deploy thousands of military personnel as part of an International Stabilization Force.
However, officials provided no specific schedule, and rebuilding activities have not yet commenced.
Israeli authorities maintain that Gaza reconstruction cannot proceed until Hamas surrenders its arsenal, a provision within the October ceasefire agreement that has become a significant obstacle.
International organizations including the United Nations, European Union and World Bank have calculated reconstruction costs at $70 billion — potentially ten times Thursday’s announced commitments. Clearing enormous amounts of debris containing unexploded weapons alone could require multiple years.
Gaza’s Health Ministry reports that over 72,000 Palestinians have died in the conflict that began with Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 assault on Israel. Though part of the Hamas-controlled administration, the ministry’s casualty figures are considered generally accurate by the United Nations and independent analysts.
Palestinian fighters killed approximately 1,200 individuals, primarily civilians, during their initial assault and captured 251 others as hostages. While the ceasefire agreement halted major combat operations and secured the freedom of all remaining captives, it left crucial questions about Gaza’s governance unresolved.
“There are meetings every day, but we see nothing,” said Ahmad Abu Selme, who has been displaced twice during the war. “There are tents everywhere and people are frustrated. We are tired.”
“I hope a real peace takes place and that we can go back to our homes,” he added. “I know there are no homes anymore, but we still want to return.”
American officials plan to initiate reconstruction efforts in Rafah, located along Gaza’s Egyptian border. The community suffered extensive destruction and population exodus during fighting, and currently sits within the Gaza territory under complete Israeli military authority.
Ruwayda Dheir, displaced from Rafah along with tens of thousands of others, doubts she and fellow residents will benefit from the promised funding.
“The most important thing is that they put the money where it belongs and give it to the people,” she said. “They’ll say they spent it on infrastructure, but we won’t see it.”
A Winter Storm Watch is now in effect for much of the Delmarva Peninsula, with heavy snow and gusty winds expected to create hazardous travel conditions from Sunday afternoon through Monday afternoon.
The National Weather Service issued the watch Thursday afternoon, warning that snow accumulations could exceed 5 inches across New Castle, Kent, and Sussex counties in Delaware, plus Kent, Queen Anne’s, Talbot, and Caroline counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Wind gusts up to 35 mph could create blowing snow and reduced visibility.
“Travel could be very difficult,” meteorologists warn, noting that the storm’s timing could significantly impact both Monday morning and evening commutes. The heaviest snowfall is expected Sunday night into Monday morning.
Residents should prepare now by stocking up on essentials, checking emergency kits, and avoiding unnecessary travel during the storm. Those who must drive should keep extra supplies in their vehicles and allow extra time.
TV Delmarva meteorologists will continue monitoring this developing situation closely. The Winter Storm Watch remains in effect until 6:00 PM Monday, but conditions and timing could change as the storm approaches.
Stay with TV Delmarva for the latest forecast updates and school closing information throughout the weekend.
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump suffered a significant setback to his trade agenda Friday when the U.S. Supreme Court rejected his use of emergency authority to implement extensive import taxes across the globe.
The high court’s 6-3 decision determined that Trump’s reliance on emergency powers legislation to establish these trade levies was unconstitutional.
Notably, two of the three justices Trump nominated to the court sided with the majority against this major component of his second-term economic strategy.
Trump had invoked the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977, known as IEEPA, to justify his widespread tariff program, despite the law making no reference to trade duties. The legislation, originally designed to allow presidents to freeze assets and halt financial transactions during national crises, was first implemented during the Iranian hostage situation. Since then, it has been applied to various international conflicts, including responses to September 11th and the conflict in Syria.
The president argued that America’s trade imbalance constituted a national emergency serious enough to warrant such measures, but the Supreme Court rejected this reasoning.
Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the majority, stated: “The fact that no President has ever found such power in IEEPA is strong evidence that it does not exist.”
The court’s opinion emphasized that the Constitution “very clearly” assigns Congress, rather than the executive branch, the authority to establish taxes, including import duties.
Three justices — Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, and Brett Kavanaugh — opposed the majority ruling.
Justice Kavanaugh wrote in dissent: “The tariffs at issue here may or may not be wise policy. But as a matter of text, history, and precedent, they are clearly lawful.”
In early 2024, Trump used IEEPA to establish tariffs on the nation’s top three trade partners: Mexico, Canada, and China. He justified these measures by declaring a national emergency related to illegal border crossings and fentanyl trafficking.
Later, in April during what Trump called “Liberation Day,” he implemented “reciprocal” import taxes reaching 50% on products from numerous nations, plus a standard 10% levy on nearly all other countries, again citing IEEPA authority.
Trump also applied IEEPA to establish significant import duties on Brazilian products, pointing to that nation’s legal action against former President Jair Bolsonaro, and on Indian goods, citing India’s Russian oil purchases.
These IEEPA-based tariffs have experienced frequent changes over the past year, with rates being removed, increased, and reinstated multiple times.
Although the Supreme Court’s ruling eliminates many of these import taxes, other Trump tariffs based on different legal foundations remain in place.
The majority of America’s trade partners continue to face substantial duties on particular industries, including steel, aluminum, automobiles, copper, lumber, kitchen cabinetry, bathroom fixtures, and upholstered goods.
The White House has not yet issued a statement regarding the court’s decision, but tariff opponents are celebrating the outcome.
We Pay the Tariffs, representing small businesses that challenged the import taxes, described the ruling as a “tremendous victory” for companies harmed by the levies.
Group leader Dan Anthony stated: “They’ve taken out loans just to keep their doors open. They’ve frozen hiring, canceled expansion plans, and watched their life savings drain away to pay tariff bills that weren’t in any budget or business plan. Today, the Supreme Court has validated what we’ve been saying all along: These tariffs were unlawful from the start.”
Government records indicate the Treasury Department has gathered over $133 billion from these emergency-power-based import taxes through December.
However, the Supreme Court did not determine whether businesses and individuals who paid these tariffs could receive refunds. Several companies, including warehouse retailer Costco, have already filed lawsuits in lower courts seeking reimbursement.
Justice Kavanaugh, in his dissenting opinion, warned the refund process could prove challenging.
“The Court says nothing today about whether, and if so how, the Government should go about returning the billions of dollars that it has collected from importers. But that process is likely to be a ‘mess,’ as was acknowledged at oral argument,” Kavanaugh wrote.
LIVIGNO, Italy — Two American-born athletes stand as the leading contenders for Olympic gold in women’s halfpipe skiing, yet neither will be wearing red, white and blue when they compete.
Zoe Atkin represents Great Britain with minimal public attention, while Eileen Gu faces constant criticism for skiing under China’s flag.
Athletes switching national allegiances isn’t uncommon in international competition. But when Olympic medals are at stake and a high-profile competitor like Gu achieves remarkable success, the situation becomes controversial and politically charged.
“So many athletes compete for a different country,” Gu commented following Thursday evening’s qualifying round that positioned her for a potential third medal at these Games. “People only have a problem with me doing it because they kind of lump China into this monolithic entity, and they just hate China. So it’s not really about what they think it’s about.”
Her remarks came after U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance stated on Fox News earlier this week that he hoped someone who benefited from an American upbringing would choose to represent the United States.
The 22-year-old California Bay Area native acknowledges she faces harsh criticism not only for representing her mother’s country of origin but also due to her achievements both in competition and commercial endeavors.
Following the Olympics, Gu plans to attend a Milan fashion event.
But first, Saturday brings her opportunity to claim a sixth Olympic medal and potentially achieve a perfect record across two consecutive Games. No athlete has accomplished this feat since big air joined the program four years ago, creating three aerial freestyle skiing disciplines in the snow park.
“Like, if I wasn’t doing well, I think that they probably wouldn’t care as much, and that’s OK for me,” she explained.
Olympic regulations require athletes to be “nationals” of their competing country — terminology similar to citizenship but with distinct legal implications. Athletes holding multiple nationalities must complete a waiting period to switch allegiances, though neither Gu nor Atkin has changed during their Olympic careers.
This situation reflects the nature of freeskiing and snowboarding — lifestyle sports emphasizing personal expression, developed through events like X Games and Dew Tours where national flags rarely appear. Athletes spend most of their time traveling internationally with little focus on countries or national anthems.
“We’re all going to the same place, all traveling together,” explained Nick Goepper, a three-time American medalist competing for his birth country. “There’s 25 guys who do this at a high level across the world and it’s better to hang out and mingle with each other, just like people do.”
Beyond Vance’s statements, recent news reports about a 2025 document indicating the Chinese government provided millions in funding to Gu and another athlete have generated Olympic headlines. Gu rarely discusses financial motivations, instead emphasizing her goal to promote the sport and encourage female participation in China, where the discipline was less established than in America.
“I’ve never received criticism from anybody in the ski industry about any of these decisions,” she told The Associated Press last month. “But that’s because I’m friends with all of them.”
Atkin experiences success without similar controversies. The Massachusetts-born athlete has maintained dual citizenship from birth, with her father being British. (Gu’s citizenship remains a subject of ongoing speculation, which she hasn’t publicly clarified.) Like Gu, Atkin studies at Stanford University.
The 23-year-old world champion has represented Britain throughout her career, explaining that the smaller team structure allows her to train and compete at her preferred pace.
“It also has a lot to do with my family and I guess I don’t really care what anybody else thinks,” she stated. “Obviously, we compete for our nation, but at the end of the day, this is an individual sport and I’m trying to do my best show and my best skiing. To me, that’s all it’s really about.”
Gus Kenworthy represents a middle ground between Gu and Atkin — initially gaining Olympic fame representing America before continuing his career with Britain.
He encountered criticism when switching teams, partly due to the competitive depth of the U.S. squad. This year, America qualified all four male halfpipe skiers for Friday’s final while leaving two top-10 ranked athletes, including two-time gold and silver medalist David Wise, off the team.
“You could be the fifth best person in America, ranked seventh in the world, and still not make the team,” noted Kenworthy, who earned silver in 2014. “It’s great to have all these different countries represented. But sometimes it sucks to be in that position, and I’ve been in that position.”
The dynamics shift dramatically when action sports enter the Olympic spotlight.
As Gu consistently states and reiterated Thursday, “people are entitled to their opinions.”
Agricultural organizations across the United States are responding to the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn President Donald Trump’s emergency tariffs with demands for more stable trade policies moving forward.
In the wake of the high court’s ruling, farming groups are emphasizing the need for predictability in international trade regulations while specifically requesting that agricultural supplies and equipment be excluded from any future tariff measures.
Leaders with the Ohio Soybean Association believe the state is well-positioned for significant biofuel industry expansion by 2026, which could create new market opportunities for soybean producers. Bennett Musselman, who serves as the association’s president and farms in Pickaway County, points to new infrastructure development and growing market demand as key factors driving the potential growth.
“With some of the new crush plants that are coming online, we will have the ability” to capitalize on these emerging opportunities, Musselman explained. The anticipated expansion represents a promising development for Ohio’s agricultural sector as farmers look for ways to strengthen commodity markets.
Farm industry leaders are keeping a watchful eye on a recent Supreme Court decision that restricts presidential authority over tariff implementation, with potential implications for agricultural trade policy. The high court’s ruling has drawn attention from lawmakers who say it could significantly alter how trade matters affecting agriculture are handled going forward.
Nebraska Republican Representative Mike Flood commented on the decision’s impact, stating that legislative and executive branches must collaborate more closely in the future. “The ruling really underscores Congress’s responsibility and obligation to set the tariff policy,” Flood explained, emphasizing the shift in how such economic policies will be developed.
The Supreme Court’s Friday decision marks a notable change in the balance of power regarding trade policy, particularly as it relates to agricultural markets that often depend on international commerce. Industry observers suggest this ruling could lead to more legislative involvement in trade decisions that directly affect farming communities and agricultural exports.
Do financial topics make you nervous? A Baltimore-born social media star wants to change that.
Vivian Tu has captured the attention of millions through her TikTok presence called ‘Your Rich BFF,’ creating fun and accessible content about money management. Her videos cover everything from salary negotiation strategies to managing credit card debt effectively. The self-described ‘favorite Wall Street girly’ has amassed 10 million social media followers and authored two books on personal finance.
Growing up in Baltimore as the child of Chinese immigrants shaped Tu’s financial perspective early on. While her parents instilled frugal habits and money awareness from childhood, Tu discovered her true calling for financial education several years into her professional journey.
After earning her degree from the University of Chicago, Tu launched her career as a JPMorgan trader in New York City. Following her Wall Street experience, she transitioned to a sales role at BuzzFeed for two years. Tu launched her TikTok presence in late 2021, which now boasts 2.7 million followers. The inspiration came from constantly providing financial guidance to her coworkers.
Beyond social media, Tu produces the podcast ‘Networth and Chill’ and recently accepted the position of chief of financial empowerment at SoFi, a financial technology and banking company. Her latest publication, ‘Well Endowed,’ hit shelves this month.
Here are Tu’s essential recommendations for managing money wisely, from curbing unnecessary spending to beginning your investment path:
According to Tu, discussing money matters ranks among the most crucial conversations couples can have. Though talking finances with a partner may feel daunting, it’s essential for building a solid future together. Rather than waiting until engagement or marriage, Tu advocates for early financial discussions.
‘Start early, start often. I always say you have to talk about money on the first date,’ she said.
Tu suggests beginning these conversations with engaging questions. She recommends asking: ‘If I gave you $100,000 tomorrow to plan your dream two-week vacation, what would you do?’ When one partner envisions an outdoor adventure while the other prefers luxury accommodations, this reveals different lifestyle priorities.
Financial discussions can be enjoyable while revealing important insights about your partner’s money values and aspirations. These conversations don’t need to be serious initially; they can deepen alongside your relationship.
Excessive spending can prevent emergency fund building or worse, create credit card debt. Tu suggests pausing before purchases to examine your motivations.
‘The most important question to ask yourself before you buy something is: Do I want it or do I want people to know I have it?’ Tu said. ‘There have been multiple instances in my personal life where I have bought stuff to be cool, to prove to someone else that I was cool.’
Tu emphasizes making deliberate purchasing decisions and avoiding spending driven by social pressure or the desire to fit in with certain groups.
While homeownership is traditionally viewed as part of ‘The American Dream,’ rising costs have made it increasingly difficult to achieve. However, Tu points out that owning property isn’t the ideal choice for everyone. Renting provides greater flexibility and can be more budget-friendly.
‘Are you okay with maintaining your own HVAC, providing plumbing for toilets if something starts leaking at 2 a.m.?’ Tu said. ‘If not, you’d be better off having your landlord be on the hook for that.’
While many consider homeownership a future investment, renters can still achieve strong financial positions through other means, Tu explains. She advocates allocating funds toward alternative investments, building savings accounts, and eliminating debt.
For those who find investing overwhelming, Tu recommends robo-advisers as an accessible starting point for beginners or anyone seeking simplicity.
‘A robo-adviser is the happy medium,’ she said. ‘What I love about (robo-advisors) is that anybody who doesn’t understand investing can be investing in 45 minutes. It is better to start today than to start tomorrow, the sooner the better.’
These automated investment platforms gather information about your financial circumstances and future objectives through questionnaires, then provide personalized advice and handle investments on your behalf.
WASHINGTON — Federal environmental officials announced Friday they are rolling back tougher mercury pollution standards for coal-burning power plants, marking another step in the Trump administration’s push to support fossil fuel operations by reducing environmental regulations.
Mercury and other dangerous pollutants released by coal and oil power facilities can damage children’s developing brains and increase risks of heart problems and other health issues in adults. These same facilities also produce significant greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. EPA officials made their announcement at a large coal facility along the Ohio River in Louisville, Kentucky.
“The Trump EPA’s action follows the rule of law and will reduce of cost of generating baseload power, lowering costs and improving reliability for consumers,” EPA Deputy Administrator David Fotouhi said in a statement. Agency officials estimate the regulatory change will save hundreds of millions of dollars.
The new regulation brings back industry standards originally put in place during 2012 under the Obama administration, which successfully cut mercury pollution by almost 90%. The Biden administration had worked to strengthen those requirements even more after Trump’s first term had attempted to weaken them.
Power plants that burn coal represent the biggest single source of mercury contamination caused by human activity. These facilities discharge mercury into the air, which later comes down through rainfall or settles naturally, contaminating the food supply through fish and other consumable products.
Conservation organizations maintain that stronger pollution controls have protected lives and improved health outcomes for communities located near coal power facilities. However, industry representatives have argued that stricter emission requirements, combined with other coal plant regulations, have made operations financially unsustainable.
Industry leaders have criticized the Biden administration for implementing excessive regulatory requirements that would force widespread plant closures.
“The reliability of the electric grid is in a better place because of the administration’s swift repeal of this rule. As crafted, the rule would have dealt a crippling blow to power plants that are essential to maintaining grid reliability,” said Jim Matheson, CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.
The coal sector’s prospects have shifted significantly over the past twelve months.
During March, EPA officials touted what they called the “biggest deregulatory action in U.S. history,” revealing plans to eliminate numerous environmental safeguards. The Biden administration’s climate change priorities were ending — EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin described the moves as “the death of the ‘green new scam.’” Fossil fuel regulations became primary targets, including major initiatives to cut carbon pollution from coal facilities and require greenhouse gas disclosure. The current Trump administration has also given additional time for many coal plants to meet certain Clean Air Act requirements.
In addition to reducing environmental oversight, the Trump administration has issued emergency directives preventing the planned closure of multiple coal facilities. Government officials argue these plants provide steady electricity during severe weather or other high-demand periods. Eliminating coal would compromise grid dependability, particularly as new data centers create unprecedented electricity demands, according to officials. They have rejected concerns about increased consumer costs from maintaining coal operations, their substantial emissions, and their major role in climate change.
Earlier this month, EPA officials also withdrew a determination that climate change poses public health risks, which has historically justified federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions. Recently, President Donald Trump met with coal miners who praised him as the “Undisputed Champion of Beautiful, Clean Coal.”
Environmental advocates argue that supporting coal makes no economic sense when renewable energy sources are cleaner, more affordable, and dependable.
Gina McCarthy, who led EPA during Barack Obama’s presidency, said the Trump administration will be known for prioritizing the coal industry over public health.
“By weakening pollution limits and monitoring for brain-damaging mercury and other pollutants, they are actively spiking any attempt to make America – and our children – healthy,” said McCarthy, who also chairs the climate advocacy organization America Is All In.
WASHINGTON — President Trump acknowledged Friday that he’s weighing limited military action against Iran while diplomatic negotiations over the country’s nuclear program remain ongoing.
When asked by reporters whether the United States might pursue targeted military strikes during ongoing talks, Trump responded, “I guess I can say I am considering that.” His comments came the same day Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announced Tehran plans to complete a draft agreement within “the next two to three days” for submission to Washington.
“I don’t think it takes long, perhaps, in a matter of a week or so, we can start real, serious negotiations on the text and come to a conclusion,” Araghchi stated during his appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” program.
The escalating rhetoric comes as the Trump administration has assembled the most substantial U.S. military deployment in the Middle East seen in decades, with additional naval vessels and aircraft heading to the region. Officials from both nations have indicated readiness for armed conflict should nuclear negotiations collapse.
“We are prepared for war, and we are prepared for peace,” Araghchi declared Friday.
Earlier this week, Trump stated he believes Iran has “enough time” over the next 10 to 15 days to reach an agreement following recent indirect diplomatic sessions in Geneva that showed minimal progress. However, these discussions have remained at an impasse for years, with Iran rejecting broader American and Israeli demands to curtail its missile capabilities and end support for militant organizations.
During Friday’s interview, Araghchi claimed his American negotiating partners haven’t demanded complete cessation of uranium enrichment in current discussions, contradicting statements from U.S. officials.
“What we are now talking about is how to make sure that Iran’s nuclear program, including enrichment, is peaceful and will remain peaceful forever,” he explained.
The Iranian diplomat added that his country would implement trust-building measures in exchange for sanctions relief.
A White House official, speaking anonymously, countered Araghchi’s assertions by reaffirming Trump’s position that Iran must not possess nuclear weapons capabilities or enrich uranium.
Iranian officials have maintained that discussions should focus exclusively on nuclear matters and claim they’ve halted uranium enrichment since U.S. and Israeli airstrikes targeted Iranian nuclear facilities last June. While Trump described those attacks as having “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, the actual extent of damage remains unclear as Tehran has blocked international inspection teams.
Iran continues to assert its nuclear activities serve peaceful purposes, while the United States and other nations suspect the program aims toward weapons development.
KYIV, Ukraine — Despite numerous challenges blocking a peace agreement in Ukraine, diplomatic negotiations represent the sole realistic pathway forward, according to the newly named leader of the United Nations refugee agency who issued this warning Friday while highlighting how humanitarian efforts worldwide are becoming dangerously overextended due to simultaneous global emergencies.
Barham Salih, the former Iraqi president who assumed the role of UNHCR high commissioner following his December election, conducted his inaugural Ukraine visit since beginning his tenure.
Following trips to Ukrainian frontline communities such as Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia, Salih held discussions with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about current peace negotiation efforts. Their talks also covered future UNHCR operations as Ukraine faces continued Russian strikes against its power infrastructure throughout this brutal winter season.
“You have to be hopeful, but I do understand the difficulties in the situation, and it’s clear, of course, there are many, many impediments along the way, but at the end of the day, there is no military solution. There needs to be peace, a durable and just peace so that people can go back to their lives,” Salih told The Associated Press during a Kyiv interview.
“Things are not necessarily easy, definitely not easy, but let’s redouble the effort to make sure that diplomacy has a chance and really bring about a durable and just peace to this war that has been going on for far too long,” he continued.
International donors have committed just $150 million toward the organization’s $470 million Ukraine funding request. This significant gap demonstrates widespread reductions throughout humanitarian sectors, creating mounting challenges for aid distribution across numerous global emergencies.
According to Salih’s figures, approximately 3.7 million Ukrainians remain internally displaced while nearly 6 million Ukrainian refugees have settled in European nations and other countries.
“This tells you the gap between what is needed and what is available,” he explained. “My appeal to the international community is, really, this is not the moment to walk away, this is not a moment to look the other way round. These vulnerable populations need support. We should deliver this help to them.”
UN agency projections indicate 10.8 million Ukrainians will require humanitarian support by 2026, based on recent organizational reports. The most urgent requirements remain concentrated near combat zones in eastern and southern Ukraine, plus northern border areas. Escalating fighting continues generating additional displacement waves.
Ukraine’s funding appeal faces competition from major conflicts in Sudan and Gaza. Since his appointment, Salih has spent merely one week at Geneva headquarters, instead traveling to Kenya, Chad, Turkey and Jordan before reaching Ukraine.
Severe reductions in U.S. humanitarian funding under President Donald Trump have accelerated the deterioration of global humanitarian systems and significantly weakened organizations’ capacity for aid delivery.
Worldwide, 117 million people face displacement, including at least 42 million refugees, Salih reported. Two-thirds experience prolonged displacement while remaining reliant on humanitarian support.
Choosing priorities amid declining resources proves “difficult,” he acknowledged.
“It’s really very difficult to prioritize given the scale of the problem. I was in Kenya and I was in Chad recently and I was in Turkey and in Jordan talking to refugees from Syria. And of course, now in Ukraine, these are all pressing issues, pressing requirements,” he said.
“We need to be there to help people, but also I have to say we really need to look at durable solutions too as well. It’s not a matter of sustaining dependency or humanitarian assistance,” he added.
During his Zelenskyy meeting, Salih said they explored focusing on the “recovery phase and sustainable solutions and self reliance as we go forward.”
Young students at a Georgia elementary school are struggling to cope after losing a beloved teacher in a tragic accident involving an immigration enforcement chase.
Linda Davis, age 52, died Monday morning when her vehicle was struck by a pickup truck driven by a man attempting to escape from federal immigration agents. The fatal collision occurred less than half a mile from Herman W. Hesse K-8 School in Savannah, where Davis worked with kindergarten and first-grade students who have special needs.
School principal Alonna McMullen described the heartbreaking task of informing the young children about their teacher’s death.
“It was extremely difficult to tell 5 and 6 year olds that the teacher they loved and cherished will not be returning to see them,” McMullen explained. “To see the looks on their faces, it broke my heart.”
The crash site has become an impromptu memorial, with a cross fashioned from red roses and flower arrangements placed in the roadway median. A handwritten message reads: “Rest In Peace & Power, Dr. Davis.”
Davis had joined the school staff in September, arriving after the academic year had already started. Despite her brief tenure, she quickly won over colleagues and students with her positive attitude and commitment to helping children with special educational requirements succeed.
“Even the most difficult students, she knew how to make them shine,” McMullen told reporters.
The educator had been working in Savannah-area schools since 2022. Beyond her professional life, Davis was caring for four children of her own and serving as guardian to another child, according to her sister Felicia Jackson.
Jackson described the profound impact of losing her sister in a social media tribute.
“The preventable, sudden, and violent loss of her presence and love has created a vacuum of compounded grief so vast it feels as though it fills the Mariana Trench,” Jackson wrote.
Standing nearly six feet tall, Davis brought joy to her household, Jackson recalled, noting how her sister enjoyed performing Disney melodies and musical theater numbers with her children at full volume.
“That was Linda: fully alive, engaged, and loving,” Jackson wrote.
The incident has prompted questions from local officials about federal immigration enforcement methods during the current administration’s intensified deportation efforts.
Savannah Mayor Van Johnson and Chester Ellis, who chairs the Chatham County Board of Commissioners, have raised concerns about whether the pursuit that led to Davis’s death was warranted.
Lindsay Williams, a spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement, confirmed that the fleeing driver had no prior criminal record but was residing in the country without legal authorization.
School security footage from Monday morning captured a red pickup truck racing past the campus, followed moments later by two law enforcement vehicles with emergency lights activated.
Police have identified the truck’s driver as 38-year-old Oscar Vasquez Lopez, who sustained minor injuries in the crash. He remains in custody facing charges that include vehicular homicide and operating a vehicle without proper licensing.
According to Williams, ICE agents had stopped Lopez to carry out a deportation order issued by an immigration judge in 2024. Lopez fled when officers approached his vehicle, the agency reported. ICE stated that Lopez struck Davis’s car after making a U-turn and running through a red traffic signal.
Don Plummer, representing the Georgia Public Defender Council, which has assigned an attorney to Lopez’s case, emphasized that his client maintains the presumption of innocence.
“He is presumed innocent, and the court process will determine the outcome,” Plummer stated.
Meanwhile, students in Davis’s special education classes are creating artwork depicting their teacher as a way to process their grief, while school staff members have prepared memorial banners to display during Thursday evening’s basketball game.
A family-owned educational toy company found itself at the center of a major Supreme Court victory after challenging former President Trump’s trade tariffs in what started as a long-shot legal battle.
Rick Woldenberg, who has led Learning Resources Inc for almost 30 years, never expected to become involved in high-stakes litigation when he took over the family business. However, his company became one of the key players in a Supreme Court decision announced Friday that overturned Trump’s tariff policies implemented under emergency economic powers legislation.
The high court ruled against the former president’s sweeping tariff program after numerous importers, state governments, and other entities filed legal challenges. Learning Resources, headquartered in Illinois and specializing in educational toys imported primarily from China, was among the first small companies to file suit against the tariffs in April of last year.
The ruling could result in billions of dollars being returned to importers like Learning Resources, though the Supreme Court left questions about the timing and process of such refunds unanswered.
“My hope is that this ruling is an opportunity for everyone to take a breath and think about what is important and what needs to get done,” Woldenberg said Friday in an interview with Reuters.
The White House has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the court’s decision.
Companies like Learning Resources and its affiliated business hand2mind make up approximately 97% of all U.S. importers, bringing in roughly $868 billion in goods each year, based on a 2025 Chamber of Commerce study. That same report characterized Trump’s tariff policies as an existential threat to small importing businesses.
Woldenberg quickly became a vocal opponent of the trade duties shortly after Trump announced them last April. After his company secured a victory in federal district court in June, Learning Resources petitioned the Supreme Court for expedited review of the case.
“I decided that I would have a lot harder time dealing with not acting than acting,” Woldenberg explained in a Thursday interview, emphasizing that he viewed his legal fight as non-partisan.
“It’s about taxes,” he stated. “They owe us money… every American agrees we pay too much in taxes, and no one will want to pay a tax they don’t have to pay.”
Legal experts caution that Friday’s Supreme Court ruling doesn’t resolve all issues, as the refund process will likely be lengthy and complicated. They also note that Trump could potentially pursue tariffs through alternative legal mechanisms.
The toy industry runs deep in Woldenberg’s family history. His mother established Learning Resources in 1984, building on a business foundation laid by Woldenberg’s grandfather over 100 years ago.
The company, along with hand2mind, produces educational products including Alphabet Coffee Cups designed to teach children the difference between capital and lowercase letters, and Numberblocks, a mathematics learning toy based on a popular British television program.
With approximately 500 workers and distribution to around 100 nations worldwide, Learning Resources conducts most of its manufacturing in China, which faced some of the harshest tariff penalties. Woldenberg estimates his company paid about $10 million in tariff fees during 2025 alone.
The financial burden forced the company to abandon expansion projects, including plans for an additional 600,000 square feet of warehouse and office facilities in Illinois. Staff members were reassigned from their regular duties to work on restructuring the company’s supply network. Marketing strategies, sales initiatives, and product development all required immediate overhauls.
“The company went from trying to innovate to trying to react and survive. It spent less. It took in less. We shrank last year,” he explained.
A central element of Woldenberg’s opposition campaign focused on demonstrating the real-world difficulties of the Trump administration’s push for companies to relocate manufacturing operations back to American soil.
“Moving a supply chain out of a country on an emergency basis, as if bombs are falling on your head, is a project no one is prepared for,” he said.
The manufacturing process for his company’s toys requires more than 30 injection molding machines, each weighing several tons, that heat plastic and force it into thousands of steel molds. Relocating such equipment would cost enormous amounts of money and present nearly impossible logistical challenges, requiring dozens of flatbed transport trucks and multiple cranes, according to Woldenberg.
Beyond equipment concerns, there’s the matter of skilled workers. Woldenberg’s manufacturing partner in China has years of toy-making experience, employing highly trained staff capable of meeting the toy industry’s strict safety requirements. Building similar expertise elsewhere could require months or even years, he noted.
Following the court victory, Woldenberg is eager to return his company’s focus to normal business operations after dedicating much of the past year to legal proceedings. He remains optimistic that Learning Resources will recover the tariff payments it made to the government.
“And as soon as they do, we’ll start spending it,” he said. “We want to run our company again.”
Investment powerhouse KKR is considering selling technology company BMC Helix in a deal that could be worth up to $1.5 billion, industry insiders report.
Sources familiar with the potential transaction say investment bank Jefferies is handling the sale process for Helix, and preliminary offers have already come in from both private investment firms and corporate purchasers. The sources requested anonymity since the discussions remain confidential.
Representatives from KKR and Jefferies refused to provide comment, while BMC Helix has not responded to inquiries about the potential sale.
This proposed transaction will gauge market interest in software company acquisitions during a period when artificial intelligence developments have created uncertainty about sector valuations and slowed deal-making activity.
BMC Helix operates as an artificial intelligence-powered platform that helps large companies automate their IT support services, handle technical problems, manage computer assets, and oversee complex technology systems. The company faces competition from other IT management firms like ServiceNow.
Industry sources indicate the company produces approximately $150 million in core earnings and brings in $750 million in recurring annual revenue. Based on these financial metrics, potential buyers might value Helix at eight to ten times its core profits, reaching the $1.5 billion price range, according to the sources.
This sale opportunity stems from KKR’s 2025 restructuring that separated the Helix division into its own standalone entity specializing in IT services and operations. Meanwhile, the original parent company BMC Software continues operating its mainframe and software automation divisions.
Following the Helix transaction, KKR intends to start preparing BMC Software for a public stock offering as soon as 2026, sources revealed.
Technology company values have declined recently as stock market investors express concerns that artificial intelligence advances might disrupt traditional software business operations. This broader software market downturn has also caused some merger and public offering plans to be postponed.
President Donald Trump has scheduled a diplomatic visit to China spanning March 31 through April 2, where he will engage in crucial discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping amid shifting trade dynamics between the two economic superpowers.
The White House confirmed Trump’s upcoming journey on Friday, coinciding with a Supreme Court ruling that dismantled numerous tariffs the president had implemented on imported products as part of his approach to managing U.S.-China relations.
During his stay, Trump plans to visit Beijing for what’s described as an elaborate, multi-day diplomatic engagement with the Chinese leader. This marks Trump’s return to China since his 2017 visit, making him the most recent American president to travel there.
Originally, discussions were centered on extending an existing trade agreement that prevented both nations from imposing additional tariffs. However, following Friday’s court decision, questions remain about Trump’s legal options for reinstating import duties on Chinese goods.
The Trump administration has defended these trade measures as essential responses to national security concerns stemming from trade deficits and China’s involvement in manufacturing chemicals used to produce illegal fentanyl.
Speaking to visiting foreign dignitaries on Thursday, Trump described the upcoming trip enthusiastically. “That’s going to be a wild one,” Trump remarked. “We have to put on the biggest display you’ve ever had in the history of China.”
Chinese embassy representatives in Washington have not yet responded to inquiries about the visit, and Beijing has not officially acknowledged the planned meeting.
This diplomatic encounter represents the first face-to-face meeting between the leaders since their October discussion in South Korea and their first direct communication since February. During their previous October summit, Trump agreed to reduce certain Chinese tariffs in return for Beijing’s commitment to combat fentanyl trafficking, restart American soybean imports, and maintain rare earth mineral exports.
While the October negotiations largely avoided the contentious Taiwan issue, Xi brought up American arms sales to the island during their February conversation.
The United States announced its most substantial weapons deal with Taiwan in December, involving $11.1 billion worth of defensive equipment potentially useful against Chinese military action. Taiwan anticipates additional such agreements.
Beijing considers Taiwan part of Chinese territory, a claim Taiwan’s government disputes. While America maintains official diplomatic relations with China, it sustains informal connections with Taiwan and serves as the island’s primary weapons provider. U.S. law requires providing Taiwan with necessary self-defense capabilities.
According to Trump, Xi indicated during their February discussion that he might consider expanding soybean purchases further. American farmers, who represent a significant political base for Trump, have faced economic challenges, while China remains the world’s largest soybean market.
Despite Trump’s justification of aggressive policies toward various regions including Canada, Greenland, and Venezuela as measures to counter Chinese influence, he has recently moderated his stance toward Beijing in several key sectors, including tariffs, advanced semiconductors, and drone technology.
Media conglomerate Paramount announced Friday that federal regulators have completed their initial antitrust review of the company’s massive $108.4 billion cash offer to purchase Warner Bros Discovery, the entertainment giant behind HBO Max.
The conclusion of the regulatory waiting period on February 19th removes one potential roadblock for Paramount’s acquisition attempt, according to company officials. As Paramount noted, this development “means there is no statutory impediment in the U.S. to closing Paramount’s proposed acquisition of WBD.”
However, the end of the mandatory 10-day review period under federal Hart-Scott-Rodino Act guidelines doesn’t signal final approval from the U.S. Department of Justice, which retains authority to continue examining the proposed merger.
Federal investigators maintain the power to demand additional documentation, conduct further analysis, and potentially file legal action to prevent the transaction from moving forward. The Justice Department demonstrated this approach in 2023 when it moved to stop the JetBlue-Sprint combination well after the initial waiting period had concluded.
Complicating Paramount’s pursuit is the absence of a binding agreement with Warner Bros Discovery, which has already committed to a competing offer from streaming giant Netflix valued at $27.75 per share, totaling approximately $82.7 billion.
Netflix’s top legal executive David Hyman criticized Paramount’s announcement, stating: “Paramount Skydance continues to mislead stockholders and distract from the facts.”
“They have not secured approvals needed to close and they are a long way from doing so,” Hyman added.
The Netflix acquisition will likely trigger extensive examination by both American and European competition watchdogs, who must evaluate whether merging Netflix’s worldwide streaming dominance with Warner Bros Discovery’s established century-old entertainment production capabilities would harm market competition or restrict options for consumers.
WASHINGTON – Supporters of the Make America Healthy Again movement who helped propel President Donald Trump back to the White House are now threatening to abandon him over a controversial executive order signed this week.
The order, which invokes the Defense Production Act to increase domestic manufacturing of glyphosate – a widely-used herbicide – has sparked outrage among MAHA followers who view the chemical as a public health threat.
These same activists were instrumental in Trump’s 2024 victory and have seen some of their priorities implemented during his second term, including cuts to recommended childhood vaccination schedules and promotion of whole food diets in federal nutrition guidelines.
However, Wednesday’s executive order has created a rift between the administration and its health-conscious supporters, who see it as betraying their core mission to reduce exposure to potentially harmful chemicals.
“I don’t feel like there’s much hope after this executive order in preserving the MAHA vote,” stated Kelly Ryerson, who serves as co-executive director of American Regeneration and has been vocal in opposing glyphosate use.
The presidential directive describes glyphosate as “crucial to the national security and defense, including food-supply security.”
The White House has not yet provided a response to requests for comment regarding the backlash.
The timing of Trump’s order coincides with Bayer’s announcement of a massive $7.25 billion settlement proposal to resolve tens of thousands of legal claims alleging their Roundup weedkiller causes cancer. Bayer remains the sole U.S. manufacturer of glyphosate and had previously warned they might cease domestic production without regulatory protection from ongoing litigation.
Currently, America relies heavily on Chinese imports to meet glyphosate demand, a dependency the executive order aims to reduce.
While Bayer continues to defend glyphosate’s safety profile, scientific studies present conflicting evidence, with some research suggesting potential links to cancer and endocrine system disruption.
Dave Murphy, who leads United We Eat and previously managed finances for Kennedy’s presidential campaign, characterized the executive order as a “strategic mistake” that could hurt Republicans politically.
“Trump would not be in the White House this second time without those followers, and we expect him to live up to his word,” Murphy emphasized.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., despite his long history of criticizing glyphosate and previously calling it “one of the likely culprits in America’s chronic disease epidemic” on social media, defended the order as essential for national security.
“When hostile actors control critical inputs, they weaken our security,” Kennedy explained in his statement, though he didn’t identify specific countries. “By expanding domestic production, we close that gap and protect American families.”
The controversy comes at a politically sensitive time, with November’s midterm elections approaching. Republicans currently hold narrow control of both the House and Senate, but all House seats and one-third of Senate positions will face voters this fall.
Trump already faces potential electoral challenges from his immigration policies and persistent concerns about high living costs. Historical patterns show sitting presidents typically lose House seats during midterm elections, with the last exception being George W. Bush in 2006.
MAHA activists have taken to social media platforms to express their frustration, sharing posts and images declaring “we do not consent to being poisoned.”
Moms Across America, led by Zen Honeycutt who has close ties to Kennedy, has launched a petition drive urging Trump to reverse his decision.
“True national security is healthy families and the ability of the next generation to reproduce and thrive, which will not happen for as long as these pervasive, harmful herbicides are being used,” the petition argues.
While estimates of MAHA’s voter strength vary significantly, the movement represented a substantial portion of Kennedy’s support base during his presidential campaign before he withdrew and endorsed Trump.
Financial markets responded with mixed signals Friday after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s extensive tariff program, delivering a blow to the administration’s trade policy while creating new concerns about government spending.
The high court’s decision validated a lower court ruling that determined the Republican president overstepped his legal authority when implementing the import duties under a 1977 statute. Stock markets initially climbed roughly 0.5% following the announcement, with retail companies and consumer-focused businesses leading the gains, though some of those increases faded within an hour.
The ruling potentially requires the federal government to reimburse between $150 billion and $200 billion to domestic and international companies that previously paid these trade duties. This development could particularly benefit automobile manufacturers and businesses that import consumer products.
However, the decision also triggered concerns in bond markets, where 10-year Treasury yields rose to 4.102% as investors worried about the government’s fiscal position.
“The big question for everyone is what exactly happens to refunds and whether this means the government has to refund the tariff revenue and how quickly that happens. And the key source of uncertainty is what the administration does in response,” explained Gennadiy Goldberg, who leads U.S. rates strategy at TD Securities in New York.
Goldberg added that “What matters for the fixed income market is forward collections of tariffs.”
Economists from Penn-Wharton Budget Model estimated the potential refund amount at approximately $175 billion, according to Friday reports. However, trade law specialists caution that the reimbursement process will likely face significant legal challenges, making refunds far from certain.
The court’s action raises questions about projected government revenue streams that could total trillions of dollars over the coming decade, money needed to manage the nation’s $30 trillion debt load. This uncertainty adds to existing market anxiety about America’s deficit spending and might prompt bond investors to demand higher yields on government securities.
“Fixed income yields jumped over concerns that the U.S. Treasury is now going to have to pay a significant amount back to U.S. corporations. This would lead to a higher deficit and a potential degradation in credit standards of the United States,” stated Phil Blancato, chief market strategist at Osaic in New Jersey.
Trump’s April 2nd “Liberation Day” tariff announcement had previously caused significant disruption in global stock and Treasury bond markets, with his unpredictable trade approach continuing to create market volatility throughout the past year, including a major selloff in October.
Earlier bond market turmoil in April had forced the administration to scale back some of its tariff plans, leading to pauses in certain duties while pursuing new trade deals and reducing others after agreements were reached. Companies worldwide have filed thousands of lawsuits challenging the tariffs’ legality while seeking refunds.
Eddie Ghabour, CEO of KEY Advisors Wealth Management, warned that another surge in Treasury yields could become a “major headwind for markets.”
Some market participants believe the administration will find alternative legal pathways to reimpose similar tariffs, potentially limiting the long-term impact of Friday’s Supreme Court decision.
“I think the Trump administration has contingency plans in place,” said Jeff Leschen, managing director at Bramshill Investments in Florida, noting that investors need time to process the news. “I don’t expect there will be major revisions to the S&P targets for the year.”
The ruling could negatively affect investor confidence, particularly for those anticipating Trump will pursue alternative methods to restore import duties. This uncertainty may impact sectors with substantial international revenue or those vulnerable to raw material and component price changes, including technology, materials, energy, and industrial companies.
An outgoing Federal Reserve official is sounding the alarm that America’s robust economic performance may require continued high interest rates to prevent runaway inflation.
Atlanta Federal Reserve President Raphael Bostic described last year’s 2.2% economic growth as impressive, calling it “a pretty strong number” during remarks Friday at an economic forum in Birmingham, Alabama. However, he cautioned that such vigorous expansion could complicate efforts to bring inflation under control.
“Our economy has remained remarkably resilient,” Bostic noted, projecting that growth will climb to 2.4% in the coming year. This forecast exceeds what he believes represents the economy’s natural capacity for expansion.
The Fed official expressed particular concern about inflation implications, stating: “What that means is that we have to worry about the implications for prices on a strong economy.” With inflation hovering around 3%, he emphasized it remains “a long way” from the Federal Reserve’s desired 2% benchmark.
Bostic argued it would be “prudent” for the central bank to maintain restrictive interest rates that could slow economic activity and help drive down stubbornly high prices that have shown minimal improvement in recent months.
The Atlanta Fed president, who is stepping down this month after attending his final policy meeting in January, highlighted how remarkable the economic performance has been despite significant challenges. He praised the growth figures given “all the turbulence we’ve seen, with the disruptions in trade relationships, and the uncertainty around where policy will land.”
Friday’s economic data revealed that while fourth-quarter growth disappointed at 1.4%, the full-year expansion of 2.2% surpassed what Bostic considers the economy’s sustainable growth rate of approximately 1.8% annually. This figure aligns with projections from his Federal Reserve colleagues.
When economic growth significantly exceeds this threshold, it typically drives up prices, Bostic explained, making a case against reducing interest rates. His perspective contrasts with incoming Fed chair nominee Kevin Warsh, who has suggested that emerging productivity gains could allow for faster economic growth without triggering inflation.
Bostic’s comments highlight an evolving discussion within the Federal Reserve about whether advancing artificial intelligence technology might be reshaping the economy’s fundamental growth capacity and what that could mean for future price stability.
LONDON – Sarah Ferguson’s decades-long role as a steadfast supporter of her former husband Prince Andrew has come to an abrupt end as her own connections to Jeffrey Epstein have surfaced, leaving both royal figures isolated and disgraced.
Ferguson, widely recognized by her nickname ‘Fergie,’ wed Prince Andrew in an elaborate Westminster Abbey wedding in 1986, later welcoming daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. Though the couple separated in 1992 and finalized their divorce four years afterward, they maintained their bond and continued living together in a 30-room estate until recently.
However, damaging revelations regarding both Ferguson and Andrew’s association with the convicted American sex offender have emerged, particularly through the January publication of over 3 million pages of government documents, leaving their reputations in ruins with little chance of recovery.
The released files indicate Ferguson brought her daughters, ages 20 and 19 at the time, to meet Epstein in America just one week following his 2009 prison release for charges related to soliciting and procuring a minor for prostitution.
Prince Andrew, King Charles’ younger sibling, faced arrest Thursday as authorities investigate potential criminal activity involving leaked government documents provided to Epstein during Andrew’s tenure as a trade representative.
While no formal charges have been filed, Andrew appeared worn and troubled when photographed leaving the police facility after a full day of questioning. He maintains his innocence and has expressed regret over his association with Epstein.
Ferguson has remained absent from public view for several months now.
Email correspondence reveals Ferguson maintained both emotional and financial relationships with Epstein.
In messages signed by ‘Sarah,’ she described Epstein as “the brother I have always wished for” and wrote “I am at your service. Just marry me,” while proposing she could help manage his properties.
Multiple charitable organizations severed connections with Ferguson in September following earlier document releases that demonstrated her continued friendship with Epstein despite his criminal conviction.
Ferguson’s representatives did not respond to Friday requests for comment.
Ferguson continued residing at Andrew’s Windsor residence, Royal Lodge, until October of last year, when mounting Epstein-related revelations prompted King Charles to revoke Andrew’s princely title and demand his departure from the property.
Palace insiders indicated at that time that Ferguson would need to secure alternative living arrangements.
Hello! magazine documented her time in the United Arab Emirates, while additional reports suggest she may be staying with her daughters.
Both princesses maintain London apartments and divide time between secondary residences in England’s Cotswolds region and Portugal.
Each daughter maintains employment and supports various charitable endeavors.
“If I was to advise this to them, I would say keep the lowest of profiles, get on with your day job,” a former senior royal aide told Reuters.
Before these latest disclosures, Ferguson had been gradually attempting to improve her standing within the extended royal family.
Shortly after her 1992 separation from Andrew, tabloid publications printed photographs showing Ferguson topless while having her toes kissed by American financial consultant John Bryan.
This scandal compounded existing media coverage of her excessive spending patterns. During the couple’s separation, the late Queen Elizabeth declared Ferguson responsible for settling her own financial obligations.
In subsequent years, Ferguson authored multiple publications, including the children’s book series “Budgie the Little Helicopter” and her personal memoir, while earning substantial income as a Weight Watchers representative.
Another controversy emerged in 2010 when tabloid journalists exposed Ferguson offering access to her former spouse for £500,000. She issued an apology for what she called a “serious lapse in judgement.”
During a 2011 London Evening Standard interview, Ferguson characterized her Epstein involvement as a “gigantic error of judgement on my behalf.”
Despite public statements, private communications continued, with Ferguson even denying to Epstein that she used the word “paedophilia” during the interview, according to released documentation.
“As you know, I did not, absolutely not, say the ‘P word’ about you but understand it was reported that I did,” she wrote to him in emails.
“I know you feel hellaciously let down by me. You have always been a steadfast, generous and supreme friend to me and my family.”
Ferguson’s spokesperson claimed last September that she made those remarks to prevent potential litigation from Epstein.
Television star Eric Dane, beloved for his performances in “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Euphoria,” passed away this week at age 53 after battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as ALS.
The progressive neurological condition took Dane’s life less than 12 months following his public announcement of the diagnosis, highlighting the aggressive nature of this devastating illness.
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows ALS affects a relatively small population. Researchers counted approximately 33,000 cases nationwide in 2022, with projections indicating the number could climb beyond 36,000 by the decade’s end.
The condition shows a slight preference for affecting males over females and typically emerges during middle age, most commonly striking individuals between 40 and 60 years old.
ALS targets nerve cells located in both the brain and spinal cord, resulting in progressive loss of muscle function that worsens as time passes.
The disease destroys nerve cells in both upper and lower regions of the body, causing them to malfunction and eventually die. When nerves can no longer activate specific muscles, patients gradually develop paralysis. Individuals diagnosed with ALS often experience difficulties with movement, speech, swallowing, and respiratory function.
Medical researchers have yet to identify the precise cause of this condition, though Mayo Clinic specialists note that a limited percentage of cases stem from genetic inheritance.
The alternate name “Lou Gehrig’s disease” honors the legendary New York Yankees baseball player who brought national attention to ALS. Gehrig received his diagnosis in 1939 on his 36th birthday, succumbed to the illness in 1941, and became the public face of ALS awareness for many years.
Medical professionals explain that initial symptoms often appear mild and easy to overlook. The condition frequently starts with muscle spasms and weakness affecting a single arm or leg.
As the disease advances, muscles lose their ability to function properly, according to specialists at University of California San Francisco Health. Patients may experience declining strength and coordination in their limbs, weakness in feet and ankles, and cramping or spasms in muscles of the arms, shoulders, and tongue. Difficulty swallowing and speaking often develop alongside persistent exhaustion.
UCSF medical experts emphasize that cognitive abilities and the five senses – sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch – typically remain unaffected by the disease.
In advanced stages, muscles responsible for breathing may become paralyzed. Patients often lose the ability to swallow properly, leading to aspiration of food or saliva. Respiratory failure represents the leading cause of death among ALS patients.
Diagnosing ALS presents significant challenges since no single test or procedure can definitively confirm the condition. Medical professionals typically conduct comprehensive physical examinations, laboratory testing, and brain and spinal cord imaging.
Physicians look for specific indicators that may suggest ALS, including abnormal toe reflexes, decreased fine motor skills, painful muscle cramping, involuntary muscle twitching, and spasticity characterized by stiff, jerky movements.
While no cure exists for ALS, the medication riluzole has received approval for treatment purposes. Mayo Clinic research indicates this drug may prolong survival during early disease stages or delay the need for mechanical breathing assistance.
Relyvrio, another treatment option that generated significant controversy, was withdrawn from American markets by Amylyx Pharmaceuticals in 2024. The ALS Association, which gained prominence through the viral 2014 “ice bucket challenge” fundraising campaign, had partially funded the drug’s development.
Additional medications are sometimes prescribed to help manage specific symptoms as they arise.
As ALS progresses, choking becomes increasingly frequent, often necessitating feeding tube placement. Patients may require mobility aids like braces and wheelchairs, as well as communication devices including speech synthesizers and computer-based systems.
Following symptom onset, medical experts indicate survival times range from two years to a full decade. The majority of patients live between two and five years after symptoms first appear, while approximately 20 percent survive beyond the five-year mark following diagnosis.
ANNAPOLIS, MD — The Maryland Board of Public Works has given the green light to permanently protect 11 working farms spanning nearly 1,500 acres through new conservation easements.
The Maryland Agricultural Preservation Foundation secured approval for these easements on February 20, 2026, which will forever safeguard 1,479 acres of valuable agricultural land. The protected properties are located throughout Anne Arundel, Dorchester, Queen Anne’s, St. Mary’s, Somerset, and Talbot counties.
This latest action represents Maryland’s continued dedication to maintaining its farming heritage and ensuring productive agricultural land remains available for future generations. The conservation easements prevent development on these working farms while allowing agricultural operations to continue.
The preservation effort spans multiple Eastern Shore counties that are part of the Delmarva Peninsula’s rich agricultural landscape. These protected farms contribute to the region’s economy and help maintain the rural character that defines much of Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
Nebraska’s cattle industry finds itself at odds over proposed legislation that would eliminate the state’s existing livestock branding regulations. The Agriculture Committee recently heard contrasting viewpoints on the controversial measure during public testimony sessions.
State Senator Ben Hansen from Blair, who authored the proposed legislation, argues that the changes would establish consistent regulations across Nebraska’s cattle industry. Hansen told committee members that the current system creates challenges for livestock operations.
“As a businessman, I struggle with the idea that producers face different rules,” Hansen stated during his testimony before the Agriculture Committee.
The proposed overhaul has created a rift within Nebraska’s ranching community, with cattle producers expressing opposing views on whether the state’s brand law system should be dismantled or maintained in its current form.
American agricultural exports showed a mixed performance during the week ending February 12th, with rice and cotton reaching their strongest export levels of the current marketing year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The surge in rice exports was primarily driven by strong demand from Colombia, while Vietnam emerged as a key buyer pushing cotton sales to new yearly peaks. Soybean and soybean product exports also demonstrated positive momentum compared to the prior week.
However, several other major agricultural commodities experienced declining export sales. Corn, wheat, sorghum, beef, and pork all recorded lower sales figures than the previous week, highlighting the uneven nature of current international demand for American farm products.
The contrasting performance across different agricultural sectors reflects varying global market conditions and international buying patterns that continue to shape U.S. export opportunities.
Drivers should prepare for significant traffic delays on Interstate 95 in New Castle County this Monday as state transportation crews conduct bridge maintenance and inspections.
Delaware Department of Transportation officials have announced they will close multiple lanes on southbound I-95 during daytime hours Monday for bridge inspection activities. Additionally, crews will implement overnight lane restrictions on northbound I-95 for bridge construction work.
The work zone is located at the I-95 and Route 896 interchange in the Newark area. Transportation officials also plan to use rolling roadblocks overnight on northbound Route 896 and the northbound Route 896 entrance ramp to northbound I-95 on both Monday and Tuesday nights, depending on work progress.
Motorists are advised to seek alternate routes or allow extra travel time when passing through the construction zone during the scheduled closure periods.
Motorists should plan alternate routes as a section of Wedgewood Road remains completely blocked to traffic due to construction activities.
According to DelDOT officials, both lanes of Wedgewood Road are inaccessible between Covered Bridge Lane and New London Road. The road closure is scheduled to remain in effect until 5 PM this afternoon.
Drivers traveling through the area are advised to seek alternative routes and allow extra time for their commutes while the construction work continues.
While most people think of Olympic athletes spending their downtime stretching or strategizing, a surprising number of competitors at the Games have discovered a different way to unwind: knitting.
Among those wielding needles alongside their athletic equipment is Ben Ogden, the American cross-country skier who made headlines this week by becoming the most accomplished male U.S. Olympic competitor in his discipline.
The trend of crafting between competitions has caught on with multiple Olympic participants, who find the rhythmic, meditative nature of knitting helps them stay calm during the intense atmosphere of the Games.
Bronze medalist Jessie Diggins, who claimed her podium spot in the women’s 10-kilometer cross-country event, has also embraced the craft as part of her Olympic routine.
The athletes’ choice to pursue this traditional hobby demonstrates how competitors are finding creative ways to manage stress and pass time between their high-stakes performances on the world’s biggest sporting stage.
JACKSON, Miss. — For the second consecutive day Friday, the University of Mississippi Medical Center kept its outpatient clinics shuttered and non-emergency surgeries postponed due to a cyber attack that infiltrated their computer networks.
Medical center administrators cautioned that the disruption may persist for several additional days while they assess the full scope of the cyber breach and work to bring back online the network infrastructure they deliberately shut down to prevent further damage.
Despite the clinic closures, hospital facilities and emergency departments continued normal operations, with patients receiving appropriate medical attention, according to Vice Chancellor LouAnn Woodward, who addressed reporters during Thursday’s press briefing. She explained that the cyber assault impacted numerous computer systems throughout the facility, including their digital patient records database.
“Some of us in the room have been here long enough that we remember taking care of patients with pen and paper,” she said.
Officials are currently investigating whether the attackers gained access to confidential patient data, Woodward indicated.
While confirming that the cyber criminals had made contact with university leadership, she declined to reveal what ransom demands were made. The medical center is coordinating response efforts with federal investigators.
During Thursday’s media briefing, FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Eikhoff emphasized that the bureau’s primary focus centers on restoring the hospital’s technological capabilities to ensure uninterrupted patient treatment.
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — The massive power demands of hosting a Winter Olympics — from lighting venues to producing artificial snow — will be met entirely through renewable energy sources at the 2026 Milan Cortina Games, marking an unprecedented commitment to environmental sustainability.
Event planners identified electricity consumption as their biggest opportunity to reduce environmental impact, recognizing it as a primary contributor to carbon emissions at large-scale sporting events. Italy’s major utility provider, Enel, has committed to delivering completely certified green power to all Olympic facilities.
According to the organizing committee’s September sustainability report, all electrical power during the Games will come from verified renewable sources. When temporary generators are necessary, officials plan to use hydrotreated vegetable oil instead of conventional diesel fuel.
“This is also an opportunity to contribute to a broader shift — showing athletes, spectators and future host cities that cleaner energy solutions are increasingly viable for events of this scale,” organizers stated in a Friday announcement to The Associated Press. “We hope the steps taken for these Games can support ongoing progress across major events.”
Enel will deliver 85 gigawatt-hours of electricity for both the Olympic and Paralympic competitions. The company purchased “guarantee of origin” certificates from renewable energy facilities to match the Games’ complete power requirements.
These GO certificates represent a European trading system established in 2001, where each certificate equals one megawatt hour of electricity generated from verified renewable sources.
Companies trade these certificates through market transactions or broker arrangements. After use, certificates are permanently retired to prevent duplicate claims for the same renewable energy production. This framework aims to accelerate renewable energy development by helping organizations achieve their environmental goals.
Enel described its clean energy commitment as translating “the values of sustainability and inclusion inherent in the Games into concrete terms, combining technological innovation and environmental protection.”
However, the certificate system faces criticism from some experts. Matteo Villa from the Italian Institute for International Political Studies called it a “great way to promote your event,” but argued it doesn’t actually make Italy’s energy system cleaner or more renewable.
Villa emphasized that the Games’ environmental impact can only be as sustainable as Italy’s overall energy infrastructure.
Enel’s 2025 preliminary data shows nearly 75% of its Italian electricity production was carbon-free. Hydroelectric power accounted for roughly 50%, geothermal provided 17%, and wind, solar, and other renewables contributed under 10%. Natural gas plants supplied the remaining power.
Northern Italy hosts numerous hydroelectric facilities that benefit from mountainous terrain and abundant water resources. Nevertheless, Italy’s national power grid continues to depend significantly on fossil fuels, based on International Energy Agency country data.
Enel constructed new primary electrical substations in Livigno and Arabba to distribute power across the Olympic region. The company also built and enhanced distribution networks in Livigno, Bormio, and Cortina areas, creating lasting infrastructure benefits for local communities beyond the Games.
Environmental responsibility has become central to these Games as both organizers and the International Olympic Committee demonstrate methods for reducing carbon emissions while managing major events. Climate researchers warn that the number of locations capable of reliably hosting Winter Olympics will decrease dramatically in coming decades.
“Every Games we strive to push innovation in sustainability, reduce the overall impact and the carbon footprint,” Julie Duffus, the IOC’s sustainability director, told the AP on Friday. She emphasized the clean power initiative, energy infrastructure improvements, and the decision to use primarily existing or temporary venues.
Matteo Di Castelnuovo, an energy economics professor at Milan’s SDA Bocconi School of Management, expects Olympic organizers will maintain their clean energy focus, noting “the challenge lies somewhere else to make them greener.” The more complex issue involves reducing emissions beyond direct control, particularly transportation-related pollution.
The Games’ estimated greenhouse gas emissions equal those produced by 4 million typical gasoline vehicles traveling from Paris to Rome, according to the organizing committee’s carbon management plan. The largest portion of the environmental footprint comes from indirect activities including visitor accommodations and spectator transportation. Aviation contributes significantly because jet fuel combustion releases substantial carbon dioxide.
Karl Stoss, who leads the Games’ Future Host Commission, has suggested potentially reducing the number of sports, athletes, and attendees in future Olympics.
Several prominent skiers, including U.S. team members Lindsey Vonn and Mikaela Shiffrin, have voiced concerns during competition about climate change accelerating global glacier melting.
Primary elections are already taking place in some areas, but a nationwide fight over congressional district maps continues to unfold as the November midterm elections approach.
Congressional district boundaries remain up in the air in Missouri, New York, Utah and Virginia. Meanwhile, governors in Florida and Maryland are pressuring their state legislatures to redraw House districts. These efforts add to redistricting changes that have already been implemented in California, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas.
While congressional maps are normally redrawn every ten years following the census, former President Donald Trump sparked an uncommon mid-decade redistricting effort last summer when he encouraged Texas Republicans to alter House districts to benefit the GOP in the midterms. Democratic leaders in California responded in kind, setting off a nationwide redistricting battle.
Republicans estimate they could secure nine extra seats in states where they’ve successfully redrawn congressional maps, while Democrats project they might pick up six seats in other areas due to redistricting efforts. However, these projections depend on historical voting trends continuing through November. That outcome remains questionable, particularly since the party holding power usually loses congressional seats during midterm elections and Trump’s poll numbers show negative approval ratings.
Democrats only need to pick up a handful of seats in November to take House control away from Republicans, which would enable them to block Trump’s legislative priorities.
Missouri Current map: two Democrats, six Republicans New map: Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe approved a revised House map last fall that could help Republicans secure one more seat. Challenges: Opposition groups filed petition signatures in December attempting to force a statewide vote on the map. The Republican secretary of state has until August to verify the petition’s legality and signature count. Multiple lawsuits are also challenging the new districts’ legality.
Maryland Current map: seven Democrats, one Republican Proposed map: The Democratic-controlled state House approved a redistricting plan supported by Democratic Gov. Wes Moore that could help Democrats gain another seat. Challenges: The Democratic state Senate president stated his chamber won’t proceed with redistricting due to worries it might hurt Democrats.
New York Current map: 19 Democrats, seven Republicans Proposed map: A judge ordered a state commission in January to redraw boundaries for New York City’s only Republican-held congressional district, ruling it unconstitutionally weakens Black and Hispanic voters’ influence. Challenges: Republicans lost their state court appeal but have petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case.
Utah Current map: no Democrats, four Republicans New map: A judge imposed revised House districts in November that could help Democrats win a seat. The court determined lawmakers had bypassed anti-gerrymandering rules approved by voters when creating the previous map. Challenges: Republicans are fighting the court-ordered map in both the state Supreme Court and federal court.
Florida Current map: eight Democrats, 20 Republicans Proposed map: Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis announced he will convene a special legislative session in April focusing on congressional redistricting. Challenges: A lawsuit claims DeSantis lacks legal authority to call the special session. The state constitution prohibits drawing districts intended to help or hurt a political party or incumbent.
Texas Current map: 13 Democrats, 25 Republicans New map: Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed revised House districts into law last August that could help Republicans gain five more seats. Challenges: The U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way in December for the new districts to be used in this year’s elections. It suspended a lower-court decision that had blocked the new map for being “racially gerrymandered.”
California Current map: 43 Democrats, nine Republicans New map: Voters approved revised House districts in November drawn by the Democratic-controlled Legislature that could help Democrats win five additional seats. Challenges: The U.S. Supreme Court allowed the new districts to be used in this year’s elections in February. It rejected an appeal from Republicans and the Department of Justice, who argued the districts improperly favor Hispanic voters.
North Carolina Current map: four Democrats, 10 Republicans New map: The Republican-controlled General Assembly gave final approval in October to revised districts that could help Republicans gain another seat. Challenges: A federal court panel denied a request in November to prevent the revised districts from being used in the midterm elections.
Ohio Current map: five Democrats, 10 Republicans New map: A bipartisan panel with a Republican majority approved revised House districts in October that improve Republicans’ odds of winning two more seats. Challenges: None. The state constitution mandated new districts before the 2026 election. Since Republicans had passed the previous maps without adequate Democratic support, they were set to expire after the 2024 election.
RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia’s Democratic-controlled legislature approved new congressional district boundaries on Friday, strategically designed to help their party secure four additional U.S. House seats in the ongoing national redistricting fight. While the move demonstrates state Democrats’ legislative strength, significant obstacles stand between them and implementing more favorable district lines for this year’s midterm contests.
A judge in Tazewell, located in conservative Southwest Virginia, has temporarily halted a planned April 21 voter referendum on the redistrict maps by issuing a restraining order on Thursday.
Democratic leaders are challenging both this decision and an earlier ruling from the same judge, who determined last month that Democrats unlawfully expedited the planned public vote on their constitutional amendment enabling the redistricting effort. Virginia’s Supreme Court has accepted the party’s appeal of the initial decision.
Should Democrats succeed in holding their referendum, citizens would decide whether to temporarily implement new congressional boundaries before reverting to Virginia’s standard redistricting procedures following the 2030 census. Democratic officials sought to release the new map prior to the April election.
Former President Donald Trump initiated an uncommon mid-decade redistricting fight last year by urging Republican leaders in Texas to redraw their districts to boost GOP representation. The strategy aimed to help Republicans maintain their slim House majority despite political challenges that typically benefit the opposition party during midterm cycles.
This action sparked a nationwide redistricting competition. Currently, Republicans anticipate gaining nine additional House seats across Texas, Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio. Democrats project winning six more seats in California and Utah, while hoping to offset the remaining three-seat difference in Virginia.
Virginia Democratic lawmakers have characterized their redistricting efforts as a necessary response to Trump’s actions.
“The president of the United States, who apparently only one half of this chamber knows how to stand up to, basically directed states to grab power,” stated Virginia’s Democratic Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell in February. “To basically maintain his power indefinitely — to rig the game, rig the system.”
Republican officials have expressed outrage at the proposal. House Minority Leader Terry Kilgore characterized the redistricting as an attempt by liberals from northern Virginia’s Arlington, Fairfax and Prince William counties to control the entire state.
“In southwest Virginia, we have this saying … They say, ‘Terry, you do a good job up there, but you know, Virginia stops at Roanoke,’” Kilgore explained, referencing how residents across Virginia’s Appalachian region feel underrepresented in state government. “That’s not going to be the same saying anymore, because Virginia is now going to stop just a little bit west of Prince William County.”
Virginia currently sends six Democrats and five Republicans to the U.S. House, representing districts established by a court after a bipartisan legislative commission couldn’t reach agreement on boundaries following the 2020 census.
The legislation implementing Democrats’ more partisan map, contingent on voter approval, now awaits the signature of Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger, who has signaled her support.
“Virginia has the opportunity and responsibility to be responsive in the face of efforts across the country to change maps,” Spanberger declared while endorsing the referendum.
Democratic hopefuls are already positioning themselves for potential opportunities. “Dopesick” author Beth Macy and former U.S. Rep. Tom Perriello have announced campaigns in traditionally Republican areas that would shift into districts with higher Democratic registration.
Virginia Del. Dan Helmer and former federal prosecutor J.P. Cooney, who participated in Trump investigations before being dismissed by him, have launched campaigns in a previously rural district that would now primarily encompass voters near the nation’s capital. Additionally, former Democratic congresswoman Elaine Luria is attempting a comeback against Republican Rep. Jen Kiggans, who defeated her in 2022, in a competitive district the new map would make slightly more Democratic-friendly.
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court dealt a major setback to President Donald Trump’s trade strategy Friday, issuing an uncommon rebuke by determining he overstepped his authority in declaring an economic emergency to impose extensive import taxes.
Trade tariffs have become the cornerstone of Trump’s economic message to voters ahead of the midterm elections, with the president once calling tariffs his “favorite word in the dictionary.” He pledged that manufacturing plants would return from abroad bringing employment opportunities, while cautioning that eliminating tariffs might trigger a severe economic downturn.
However, Friday’s Supreme Court decision will likely extend political and economic uncertainty surrounding international commerce throughout the election cycle.
According to two individuals familiar with the president’s response who requested anonymity, Trump labeled the ruling “a disgrace” when he received word of the Supreme Court’s decision during a private gathering with multiple governors. A third person briefed on the discussion revealed that Trump stated he has “to do something about these courts.”
The governors’ meeting concluded shortly after Trump was informed of the ruling.
The president is anticipated to make public remarks about the decision during an afternoon news conference.
Republican political consultant Doug Heye noted it was immediately apparent that the president “is not going to be happy” regarding the decision.
“We’re starting to hear about how this is a massive blow, a massive repudiation,” he stated.
Nevertheless, Heye indicated Trump would likely seek alternative methods to advance his trade policies.
“Are they going to be able to figure out how to use this as an opportunity or not?” he questioned. “There are too many questions.”
The administration intends to utilize different legal authorities to maintain his tariff program, though these approaches will only extend the controversy and sustain an issue that remains largely unpopular among voters.
Approximately 60% of Americans believed Trump had overreached in implementing new tariffs on foreign nations, based on an AP-NORC survey from January.
Even more concerning for a president who campaigned on addressing Americans’ affordability worries, 76% indicated in an April poll that Trump’s tariff strategies would raise consumer prices domestically.
Trump’s assertive tariff implementation had created discomfort among numerous Republican legislators, both publicly and privately, compelling them to justify what amounted to tax hikes on American citizens and enterprises.
Throughout Trump’s second presidential term, no fewer than seven GOP senators have expressed their objections. This month, six House Republicans aligned with Democrats to support a measure opposing Trump’s tariffs on Canada.
Free trade had historically represented a fundamental principle of the Republican Party prior to Trump’s political emergence.
Former Vice President Mike Pence, who served during Trump’s initial term, celebrated the Supreme Court decision as a win for citizens, constitutional separation of powers, and free trade principles.
“American families and American businesses pay American tariffs — not foreign countries,” Pence posted on social media. “With this decision, American families and businesses can breathe a sigh of relief.”
Democrats quickly capitalized on the opportunity presented by the Supreme Court, with Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., declaring that Trump “is not a king” and his “tariffs were always illegal.”
“Republicans in Congress could have easily ended this economic crisis by standing up for their communities,” stated DelBene, who chairs the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “Instead, they chose to bend the knee to Trump while families, small businesses, and farmers suffered from higher prices.”
The decision effectively enables Trump’s opponents to argue he violated the law while middle-class families bore the consequences.
Yet Trump has maintained that his tariffs prevented national economic collapse, a message he delivered Thursday evening to voters in the battleground state of Georgia.
During Thursday’s address at Coosa Steel, a Georgia steel manufacturer, the president mentioned “tariff” 28 times, with the company attributing the import taxes to making their products more competitive against Chinese goods.
“Without tariffs, this country would be in such trouble right now,” Trump declared.
Trump also expressed frustration about having to defend his tariff authority before the Supreme Court.
“I have to wait for this decision. I’ve been waiting forever, forever, and the language is clear that I have the right to do it as president,” he said. “I have the right to put tariffs on for national security purposes, countries that have been ripping us off for years.” The high court disagreed by a 6-3 margin.
The president has repeatedly provided misleading information about his tariffs, asserting contrary to evidence that foreign governments would bear the cost and that the revenue would be adequate to reduce the national debt and provide taxpayer dividends.
Fresh analysis from a major American bank released Thursday showed that tariff payments by medium-sized U.S. companies increased threefold during the past year.
The additional tax burden has forced companies employing a total of 48 million Americans — the type of businesses Trump promised to strengthen — to manage the new costs by raising customer prices, reducing their workforce, or accepting diminished profits.
Trump’s tariffs — not entirely eliminated by the ruling — were projected to produce $3 trillion in revenue over a decade, according to Congressional Budget Office estimates. While substantial, this amount would fall short of covering anticipated deficit spending.
The Supreme Court has not addressed how any potential refund mechanism would operate.
WASHINGTON – The National Aeronautics and Space Administration announced Friday that it’s setting its sights on March 6 as the target date to send four crew members on a historic journey around the moon through its Artemis II program, after successfully completing a critical launch preparation test this week while warning that additional preparations might push back the timeline.
Space agency officials reported that they finished an extensive launch countdown simulation Thursday evening that lasted nearly 50 hours, during which they loaded the massive rocket with approximately 730,000 gallons of fuel without encountering the troublesome hydrogen leak issues that disrupted their first rehearsal attempt last month, according to statements made at a Friday press briefing.
South Korean golfer Somi Lee fired a personal-best 61 on Friday, establishing a commanding three-shot advantage at the halfway point of the Honda LPGA Thailand tournament with a total of 17-under par.
Behind Lee sits world’s top-ranked player Jeeno Thitikul, who delighted her hometown supporters by shooting a 63 at Pattaya’s Siam Country Club Old Course, putting her at 14-under par.
Friday’s conditions proved favorable for scoring, as golfers consistently posted rounds in the 60s. Both Lee and Thitikul capitalized on these opportunities to separate themselves from the field.
Both golfers played flawless rounds without dropping a shot. Lee’s scorecard featured nine birdies plus an eagle, matching the course record, while Thitikul combined seven birdies with an eagle for her strong showing.
The Thai star celebrated her 23rd birthday in style, with spectators serenading her with “Happy Birthday” songs after her birdie putts. Thitikul noted she’ll cherish the day for both the festivities and her performance.
“For the past two days, I have been in a good position where I just want my ball to be,” she said. “So if we can put the ball where it’s kind of safe, not too risky, should be not a big problem with this golf course.”
Lee expressed satisfaction with her historic round as well.
“My shots went well overall, but even the shots that didn’t go well I was able to save with my putter, so I think that’s what overall went well today,” she said.
The South Korean is pursuing her second LPGA Tour victory, having captured the Dow Championship this past June.
“I had the best score of my life today so I’m emotional,” she said. “But since the competition is not over and there is still two more days left, I just want to celebrate this a little bit.”
Competitors battled sweltering temperatures throughout the day, presenting additional challenges according to Lydia Ko, who shares third place with Japan’s Chizzy Iwai following a flawless 64. Despite the heat, Ko remained focused and felt encouraged by her ball-striking improvements.
“My ball striking is something that we’ve been trying to dial down, and especially my iron play,” the New Zealand native explained. “I think I had like my worst iron greens in regulation stats these past couple years, so that was something that was really high on my attention list.
“It’s been a while since I hit 16 greens, so definitely nice to come off with a round like that. Yeah, especially with Jeeno playing well today, I felt like the whole group was really able to get in a good momentum and make a lot of birdies out there.”
First-round co-leaders Chanettee Wannasaen of Thailand and Japan’s Nasa Hataoka struggled to maintain their early pace. Wannasaen posted a 71 to fall back to 8-under and a tie for 13th place, while Hataoka’s 72 dropped her to 7-under and tied for 22nd.
Last year’s tournament winner Angel Yin followed her opening 69 with a disappointing 75, leaving her at even par for the championship.
American striker Josh Sargent has completed his highly anticipated transfer to Toronto FC, with the Major League Soccer franchise reportedly shelling out approximately $22 million for his services, multiple sources confirmed Friday.
The United States national team player had been embroiled in a lengthy dispute with Norwich City after he refused to participate in the club’s FA Cup match against Walsall back in January, attempting to push through a move to his preferred destination of Toronto. Following his refusal to play, Norwich relegated Sargent to their reserve squad, where he remained until this transfer was finalized.
This massive transfer fee places the deal among MLS’s most expensive acquisitions ever, trailing only LAFC’s $26.5 million purchase of Son Heung-min and matching Atlanta United’s $22 million investment in Emmanuel Latte Lath, according to The Athletic. Additional performance bonuses could potentially increase the total package to $27 million.
During his tenure with Norwich beginning in 2021, Sargent found the back of the net 56 times across 157 matches, competing in both England’s top-flight Premier League and second-tier Championship. Before being sidelined due to the transfer dispute, he had netted eight goals in 25 appearances across all competitions this campaign.
The 26-year-old striker maintains aspirations of earning a spot on the United States Men’s National Team roster for the upcoming World Cup. While he has earned 29 international appearances for his country, with his most recent call-up occurring in September, Sargent hasn’t scored for the national team since 2019 and faces intense competition for limited roster positions.
WILMINGTON, Delaware – A Friday decision by the U.S. Supreme Court declaring former President Donald Trump’s tariffs unconstitutional has left businesses facing an uncertain path to recover an estimated $175 billion in payments, with no clear roadmap from the high court on how refunds should be processed.
The justices ruled that tariffs implemented under emergency economic powers violated federal law, but offered no direction on the refund mechanism for the massive sum collected from importers nationwide.
UNDERSTANDING THE TARIFF COLLECTION SYSTEM
When importing goods subject to tariffs, businesses typically secure a bond through Customs and Border Protection and pay estimated duties to bring merchandise into the country. The government then finalizes actual tariff amounts through a process called liquidation, typically occurring 314 days after goods enter the U.S. Companies receive refunds for overpayments or must cover any shortfall. Importers attempted to halt this finalization process at the U.S. Court of International Trade while awaiting the Supreme Court’s decision, but were unsuccessful.
SUPREME COURT SILENT ON REFUND PROCESS
The high court’s ruling contained no instructions for handling repayments. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, writing in dissent, warned the decision would likely create “serious practical consequences in the near term, including refunds.” He referenced oral arguments where attorneys acknowledged the refund distribution process would likely be “a mess.” The matter now returns to the Court of International Trade for resolution.
POTENTIAL REFUND MECHANISMS
Over 1,000 lawsuits from importers seeking refunds are already pending in the trade court, with legal experts anticipating a surge of additional cases. In December, the court established its authority to reopen final tariff decisions and mandate government refunds with interest – power the Trump administration indicated it would not contest. Trade law specialists say this ruling eliminated potential legal obstacles to the refund process.
REQUIREMENTS FOR BUSINESSES SEEKING REFUNDS
Individual importers may need to file separate lawsuits in the Court of International Trade to obtain refunds, as legal experts question whether class-action suits could encompass the diverse range of affected companies. Federal trade law allows importers two years to pursue refund claims through litigation. This process may disproportionately impact smaller enterprises, which already faced greater tariff burdens than well-funded corporations like Costco. Attorney representatives for importers indicate some smaller businesses might forgo potential refunds rather than spend thousands on legal and court expenses.
HISTORICAL PRECEDENT FOR LARGE REFUNDS
The Court of International Trade has previously managed extensive refund operations. Following Congress’s 1986 harbor maintenance tax on cargo values at U.S. ports, the Supreme Court declared portions unconstitutional in 1998. The trade court subsequently supervised refunds to more than 100,000 claimants under Judge Jane Restani, who continues serving on the court.
AVOIDING COMPLICATIONS
Trade specialists note that government tracking systems for tariff payments and enhanced record-keeping should facilitate refund calculations. Small business advocates have urged the Trump administration to provide automatic repayments and expressed concerns about potential government delays through excessive paperwork review. However, some companies seeking refunds may not receive payments if they weren’t the designated “importer of record” – the entity legally responsible for regulatory compliance and duty payments. Contractual agreements between tariff-paying companies and importers of record will determine ultimate refund recipients, potentially creating additional legal disputes. Industry groups warn the entire process could span several years.
The University of Delaware men’s basketball team is set to travel for an upcoming road game against Middle Tennessee State University.
The Blue Hens will make the journey to face the Blue Raiders as they continue their current season schedule. Player Christian Bliss is among the team members making the trip for this matchup.
This road game represents another opportunity for Delaware to compete away from their home court as they work through their conference play.
Confidence is starting to grow that a winter storm will impact the region Sunday into Monday, bringing the potential for widespread accumulating snowfall. However, while the threat for some sort of snow is becoming clearer, major questions remain regarding just how significant this system will become.
Forecast guidance remains in general agreement that low pressure will develop off the Southeast or Mid-Atlantic coast late Saturday night or Sunday, then strengthen as it moves offshore into Monday. What remains highly uncertain is how close the storm tracks to the coast and how intense it ultimately becomes.
Model solutions continue to vary widely. Some guidance depicts a stronger storm tucked closer to the Mid-Atlantic coastline, which would support heavier snowfall, stronger winds, and a higher risk of coastal flooding. Other solutions keep the storm weaker and farther offshore, which would result in lighter snowfall totals and potentially even some rain mixing in at the onset.
There has been a subtle westward shift in some of the midday model runs, particularly with the ICON and UKMET, suggesting a slightly closer track. Meanwhile, the ECMWF has come into better agreement showing at least light snowfall accumulations across the entire area. Ensemble guidance, however, still shows significant spread, highlighting the continued uncertainty.
It is worth noting that while some mid-range American models such as the GFS and NAM have hinted at an extreme scenario featuring 2 to 3 feet of snow in parts of the region, that solution currently appears to be an extreme outlier. At this time, confidence in a historic blizzard scenario remains very low. The overall snow threat is real and it is increasing, but the most extreme projections do not appear to be the most likely outcome.
High-resolution guidance is also offering important insight. Some CAMs, including the MPAS, show a significant reduction of snowfall on the backside of the system due to weaker phasing of upper-level energy. The timing and interaction of shortwave energy from the Midwest and West Coast will ultimately determine how amplified the upper-level trough becomes and whether the system achieves a more neutral or negative tilt. A stronger, phased system would support heavier snow, while weaker phasing would favor a more modest event.
Another key factor will be boundary layer temperatures. The air mass ahead of the storm is not particularly cold, meaning surface temperatures will play a critical role in determining how efficiently snow accumulates. Even with a weaker solution, increasing northeasterly winds could develop Sunday into Monday, especially near the coast, raising at least some concern for minor coastal flooding.
The bottom line: confidence is high that precipitation will occur Sunday into Monday, with an 80 to 90 percent chance of measurable precipitation. Confidence is increasing that a chuck of that is snow. However, it is too early to lock in specific totals or buy into extreme scenarios. Expect forecast adjustments as newer data continues to refine the storm’s evolution.
The London Stock Exchange completed its inaugural deal Friday using a groundbreaking new system that enables investors to buy and sell stakes in private companies without requiring a full public stock offering.
This milestone transaction established a specialized investment vehicle called a TPEIC to hold ownership interests in Oxford Science Enterprises, an investment company connected to Oxford University. The shares will be available for purchase through organized auctions on the exchange’s Private Securities Market.
The London Stock Exchange became the first organization to receive government approval for operating a Private Intermittent Securities and Capital Exchange System, known as PISCES, as the United Kingdom seeks to stimulate economic expansion, improve access to investment capital, and prevent companies from removing their shares from public markets.
Oxford Science Enterprises carries a valuation of 1.3 billion pounds, equivalent to $1.75 billion, and maintains ownership positions in over 100 companies working in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and life sciences sectors.
The PISCES framework aims to assist smaller businesses that lack experience with capital markets in gaining attention from potential investors while avoiding the complexities and costs of conducting a complete initial public offering.
London Stock Exchange CEO Dame Julia Hoggett expressed enthusiasm about the development, stating: “We are delighted that the first transaction will take place on our Private Securities Market in the coming weeks.” She emphasized that this demonstrates how businesses can utilize the new framework “in innovative ways to access the solutions that best suit their needs.”
International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry delivered strong praise for the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics on Friday, declaring the multi-city format a resounding success that surpassed all expectations.
Speaking at a press conference in Milan, Coventry emphasized how the Games proved skeptics wrong about hosting events across multiple locations.
“These Games are truly … successful in a new way of doing things, in a sustainable way of doing things, in a way that I think many people thought maybe we couldn’t do, or couldn’t be done well, and it’s been done extremely well, and it’s surpassed everyone’s expectations,” Coventry stated.
This represents the IOC leader’s strongest public support yet for the innovative approach of distributing Olympic events across various Alpine locations instead of centralizing them in a single host city.
Coventry’s positive assessment follows two weeks during which event organizers worked to demonstrate that a geographically scattered Olympics could maintain consistent quality for athletes.
The successful execution comes after numerous years of logistical hurdles and political obstacles, including construction setbacks at Milan’s Santagiulia Arena and disputes over constructing a new sliding facility in Cortina despite IOC recommendations against it.
Event organizers also dealt with sporadic disruptions throughout the Games, including suspected railway sabotage and demonstrations in Milan related to housing and environmental concerns.
Worries about transportation between the spread-out venues were lessened by minimal cross-regional movement among spectators, although some athletes had to walk through heavy snow to reach the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium when weather conditions halted vehicle traffic.
Coventry highlighted that maintaining uniform standards across multiple athlete villages despite the geographic separation between venues from Cortina d’Ampezzo to Livigno and Bormio was key to the Games’ success.
Strong performances by Italian competitors also boosted ticket sales, which reached approximately 1.4 million.
“And the athletes are extremely happy. And they’re happy because the experiences that the MiCo (Milano Cortina) team and my team delivered to them have been the same,” she explained.
However, mixed relay silver medalist Tommaso Giacomel expressed disappointment about the lack of an Olympic village near the Antholz-Anterselva Biathlon Arena, noting that competitors were spread across different hotels in the area rather than housed together.
The Games featured dual opening ceremonies – a major event at Milan’s San Siro stadium and a smaller, more personal parade along Cortina d’Ampezzo’s Corso Italia, where athletes and fans could interact closely.
Coventry noted that athlete feedback indicated the more intimate venues sometimes created a better Olympic experience, citing the Cortina opening ceremony as an example.
The Zimbabwean official, leading her first Games as IOC president following 2025 elections, positioned Milano Cortina as a model for future host cities dealing with increasing costs and climate challenges, while recognizing that modifications will be needed.
“It allows us to really look at ourselves and look at the things that we have in place and how we’re then going to make certain adjustments for the future,” she said.
Beyond operational aspects, Coventry emphasized the Games’ broader significance, noting gender balance with women comprising 47% of competitors and worldwide participation as indicators of advancement.
“But it’s been an incredible experience and we’re all very proud to have gender equity playing a big role in the delivery of the Games,” she remarked, describing “tremendous Games” where athletes have “come together and shared in their passion”.
With the closing ceremony in Verona approaching, Coventry indicated attention would soon turn to a comprehensive review process, but stressed the main takeaway was already evident.
“So we look forward to doing that and to learning from all the incredible experiences that I think all of the stakeholders have had across these Games, across these past two weeks,” she concluded.
The stage is set for an exciting women’s curling championship at the Winter Olympics as Sweden secured their spot in the gold medal match with a 6-3 victory over defending world champions Canada on Friday at the Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium in Italy.
Switzerland will face Sweden in Sunday’s final after defeating the United States 7-4 in their semifinal matchup at the Milano Cortina Games.
Canada’s team, led by Rachel Homan, had hoped to mirror their men’s team by reaching the final, but struggled with multiple mistakes throughout their semifinal loss to Anna Hasselborg’s Swedish squad.
This marks Sweden’s third consecutive Olympic Games where they will take home a curling medal, following their gold medal performance in Pyeongchang and bronze medal finish in Beijing during the previous Winter Olympics.
Saturday will feature the bronze medal contest between the United States and Canada, while the curling competition concludes Sunday with the highly anticipated gold medal battle between Sweden and Switzerland.
American businesses are claiming victory after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down President Trump’s emergency tariff program, though getting their money back won’t happen overnight.
The high court determined that Trump overstepped his authority when he used the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose sweeping import duties. This landmark ruling could send shockwaves through the global marketplace for years to come.
Companies have been scrambling to adapt to Trump’s constantly changing trade strategies, where tariffs became a go-to tool not only for trade disputes but also to pressure foreign governments on various issues.
The financial stakes are enormous. Economists from the Penn-Wharton Budget Model estimate that more than $175 billion in collected tariffs could now be eligible for refunds, affecting thousands of companies whether they challenged the administration in court or not.
Stock markets responded favorably to the news, with European luxury companies like LVMH, Hermes, and Italian outerwear brand Moncler all seeing their share prices climb following the decision.
Industries hit hardest by the tariffs include consumer products, automotive manufacturing, and clothing companies that rely heavily on affordable production facilities in China, Vietnam, India, and other international manufacturing centers. These import duties increased costs for bringing in both finished products and component parts, cutting into profit margins and disrupting carefully coordinated global supply networks.
Legal activity has exploded since the tariffs took effect. More than 1,800 tariff-related lawsuits have been submitted to the U.S. Court of International Trade since April, compared to fewer than 24 such cases throughout all of 2024.
Major companies taking legal action include divisions of Japan’s Toyota Group, warehouse retailer Costco, tire manufacturer Goodyear, aluminum producer Alcoa, Japanese motorcycle company Kawasaki Motors, and French eyewear giant EssilorLuxottica.
Legal representatives expect many more global companies to file lawsuits now that the ruling is final, as many held back to avoid drawing unwanted government attention. These new plaintiffs will join a lengthy queue of businesses that may wait months or even years to recover billions in import duties. Attorneys say companies that filed early lawsuits will likely receive their refunds faster.
Nabeel Yousef, a partner at Freshfields law firm, explained the complexity ahead: “Companies face the challenge of gathering detailed import data to calculate the tariffs paid under various regimes, which were applied over different time periods. Even multinational firms may not have all their data neatly organized.” He cautioned that despite Friday’s ruling, “on Monday, companies are going to start getting checks in the mail.”
These elevated tariffs have increased expenses for consumers already struggling with years of post-pandemic price increases. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported last week that American consumers and businesses absorb 90% of Trump’s tariff costs, contradicting the White House’s claims that foreign entities pay these fees.
By November, the actual U.S. tariff rate had reached 11.7%, a dramatic increase from the 2.7% average between 2022 and 2024, according to Yale Budget Lab data.
Initially, some companies hesitated to challenge Trump’s tariff policies, but attitudes changed after November’s Supreme Court hearing, where multiple justices questioned Trump’s legal reasoning for his expansive trade actions.
The U.S. Court of International Trade will likely handle the logistics of processing refunds. Meanwhile, Trump administration officials indicate they will continue imposing tariffs through other legal channels, including laws designed to combat unfair trade practices or protect industries vital to national security.
Ted Murphy, who co-leads Sidley Austin’s global arbitration, trade and advocacy practice, noted: “It’s not like tariffs are going away. They’re just going to be under a different umbrella.”
The automotive industry will continue facing substantial tariffs that weren’t imposed under the 1977 emergency powers law. For instance, 25% import duties on vehicles from Mexico and Canada, implemented last year citing national security concerns, remain in effect.
However, lawyers point out that thousands of auto parts imported from countries subject to Trump’s reciprocal tariffs are still being charged these duties, inflating costs for both parts suppliers and car manufacturers.
Some American companies, expecting lengthy refund delays, have chosen to sell their refund rights to outside investors. This arrangement involves accepting immediate payments of roughly 25 to 30 cents per dollar owed while giving up any additional recovery to investors if the tariffs are overturned, as Reuters reported in December.
German shipping company DHL announced it will utilize its technology systems to help customers receive refunds “accurately and efficiently” once they’re approved.
It remains uncertain whether companies will reduce prices to help middle- and lower-income American consumers who have cut back spending due to higher costs.
Jason Cheung, CEO of small toy company Huntar Co and one of the lawsuit plaintiffs, said: “We would definitely be filing for a refund as I imagine every other importer would. I highly doubt prices will go down though. That rarely occurs.”
The U.S. Supreme Court delivered a major setback to President Donald Trump’s trade strategy on Friday, ruling that his extensive use of emergency powers to impose tariffs went beyond presidential authority in a 6-3 decision with far-reaching economic consequences.
Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the conservative-led majority, determined that Trump’s application of the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) overstepped constitutional boundaries. The court concluded that this emergency law did not provide Trump with the tariff authority he asserted.
“Our task today is to decide only whether the power to ‘regulate … importation,’ as granted to the president in IEEPA, embraces the power to impose tariffs. It does not,” Roberts stated in the decision, referencing the statutory language Trump’s administration used to defend the widespread import taxes.
The White House declined to provide immediate reaction to the court’s ruling. However, Democratic leaders and business organizations praised the outcome.
Several justices in the majority also determined that Trump’s interpretation would encroach upon congressional authority and breach the “major questions” doctrine. This legal principle, favored by conservative justices, mandates that executive branch actions with “vast economic and political significance” must receive explicit congressional approval. The court previously applied this doctrine to block several key initiatives from former Democratic President Joe Biden.
Roberts referenced earlier Supreme Court precedent, writing that “the president must ‘point to clear congressional authorization’ to justify his extraordinary assertion of the power to impose tariffs,” concluding: “He cannot.”
The Chief Justice explained that had Congress intended IEEPA to grant presidents “the distinct and extraordinary power to impose tariffs, it would have done so expressly — as it consistently has in other tariff statutes.”
Trump has made tariffs — essentially taxes on foreign goods — a cornerstone of his economic and diplomatic approach. These trade measures have been fundamental to a worldwide trade conflict Trump launched during his second presidency, straining relationships with trading partners, disrupting financial markets and creating global economic instability.
The high court reached this verdict following a legal challenge brought by affected businesses and twelve U.S. states, predominantly under Democratic leadership, contesting Trump’s unprecedented application of emergency law to unilaterally establish import taxes.
Conservative Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Brett Kavanaugh formed the dissenting minority. Roberts was joined by conservative Justices Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett, both Trump appointees from his first presidency, alongside liberal Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson.
The liberal justices did not endorse the portion of the ruling citing the major questions doctrine.
The Supreme Court, maintaining a 6-3 conservative composition, had previously supported Trump in multiple emergency decisions since his return to office in January 2025 after lower courts blocked his policies.
Economic projections suggested Trump’s tariffs would produce trillions in revenue over the coming decade for the United States, which maintains the world’s largest economy.
Trump’s administration has withheld tariff collection figures since December 14. However, Penn-Wharton Budget Model researchers estimated Friday that collections from Trump’s IEEPA-based tariffs exceeded $175 billion. This substantial sum would likely require refunding following the Supreme Court’s adverse ruling on IEEPA-based tariffs.
CONGRESSIONAL AUTHORITY
The Constitution assigns Congress, rather than the president, responsibility for taxation and tariff authority. However, Trump bypassed this by utilizing IEEPA’s statutory powers to establish tariffs on virtually all U.S. trading partners without congressional consent. Trump implemented additional tariffs under separate laws not challenged in this case. Government data from October through mid-December indicates these represent approximately one-third of Trump-imposed tariff revenue.
IEEPA permits presidential regulation of commerce during national emergencies. Trump became the first president to employ IEEPA for tariff implementation, representing one of numerous ways he has aggressively expanded executive power since returning to office across diverse areas including immigration enforcement, federal official dismissals, domestic military deployment and overseas military actions.
Kavanaugh, also a Trump first-term appointee, authored a dissenting opinion arguing that IEEPA’s language, historical context and previous Supreme Court decisions supported the Trump administration’s stance.
“Like quotas and embargoes, tariffs are a traditional and common tool to regulate importation,” Kavanaugh wrote in his dissent, joined by Thomas and Alito.
“The tariffs at issue here may or may not be wise policy,” Kavanaugh continued. “But as a matter of text, history, and precedent, they are clearly lawful. I respectfully dissent.”
Kavanaugh also warned the decision might affect existing trade agreements.
“Because IEEPA tariffs have helped facilitate trade deals worth trillions of dollars—including with foreign nations from China to the United Kingdom to Japan, the Court’s decision could generate uncertainty regarding various trade agreements,” Kavanaugh explained.
Trump characterized the tariffs as essential for U.S. economic security, warning the nation would face vulnerability and ruin without them. Speaking to reporters in November, Trump stated that without his tariffs “the rest of the world would laugh at us because they’ve used tariffs against us for years and took advantage of us.” Trump claimed the United States suffered exploitation by other nations including China, the world’s second-largest economy.
Candace Laing, president and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, characterized the decision as a legal determination rather than a trade policy revision.
“Canada should prepare for new, blunter mechanisms to be used to reassert trade pressure, potentially with broader and more disruptive effects,” Laing stated.
Following Supreme Court arguments in November, Trump indicated he would explore alternatives if the court ruled against his tariff authority, telling reporters “we’ll have to develop a ‘game two’ plan.”
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and other administration officials announced the United States would pursue alternative legal justifications to maintain as many Trump tariffs as possible. These alternatives include statutory provisions allowing tariffs on imports threatening U.S. national security and another permitting retaliatory measures including tariffs against trading partners the U.S. Trade Representative determines have employed unfair trade practices against American exporters.
These alternatives lack the flexibility and immediate impact that IEEPA provided Trump, and may not replicate his tariffs’ full scope quickly.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer hailed the decision as a “victory for the wallets of every American consumer,” adding: “Trump’s illegal tariff tax just collapsed. He tried to govern by decree and stuck families with the bill. Enough chaos. End the trade war.”
Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren said the ruling left numerous questions unresolved.
“The Court has struck down these destructive tariffs, but there is no legal mechanism for consumers and many small businesses to recoup the money they have already paid. Instead, giant corporations with their armies of lawyers and lobbyists can sue for tariff refunds, then just pocket the money for themselves,” Warren stated.
ENHANCED NEGOTIATING POSITION
Trump’s capability to immediately impose tariffs on any trading partner’s products under declared national emergency status increased his negotiating leverage with other nations. This brought world leaders rushing to Washington seeking trade agreements that frequently included commitments for billions in investments or enhanced market access for U.S. companies.
However, Trump’s use of tariffs as a foreign policy weapon has successfully alienated numerous countries, including those traditionally considered America’s closest allies.
IEEPA had historically been employed for imposing sanctions on adversaries or freezing their assets, not establishing tariffs. The law contains no specific mention of tariffs. Trump’s Justice Department argued that IEEPA permits tariffs by authorizing presidential authority to “regulate” imports during emergencies.
The Congressional Budget Office estimated that maintaining all current tariffs, including IEEPA-based duties, would generate approximately $300 billion annually over the next decade.
Total U.S. net customs duty receipts reached a record $195 billion in fiscal 2025, ending September 30, according to Treasury Department data.
On April 2, designated by Trump as “Liberation Day,” the president announced “reciprocal” tariffs on goods from most U.S. trading partners, invoking IEEPA to address what he termed a national emergency related to U.S. trade deficits, despite America running trade deficits for decades.
In February and March 2025, Trump invoked IEEPA to impose tariffs on China, Canada and Mexico, citing fentanyl trafficking and illegal drug smuggling into the United States as constituting a national emergency.
SECURING CONCESSIONS
Trump has employed his tariffs to secure concessions and renegotiate trade agreements, and as punishment for countries that anger him on non-trade political issues. These have included Brazil’s prosecution of former president Jair Bolsonaro, India’s Russian oil purchases that fund Russia’s Ukraine war, and an anti-tariffs advertisement by Canada’s Ontario province.
IEEPA was enacted by Congress and signed by Democratic President Jimmy Carter. In creating the measure, Congress imposed additional presidential authority restrictions compared to predecessor legislation.
The tariff cases before the justices involved three separate lawsuits.
The Washington-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit supported five small importing businesses in one challenge, and the states of Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, Oregon and Vermont in another.
Additionally, a Washington-based federal judge supported a family-owned toy company called Learning Resources.
Illinois Farm Bureau’s newly elected leader has confirmed that a complete leadership change has taken place on the Country Financial board of directors. Phillip Nelson, who secured his position through member voting in December, informed Brownfield that the transition process has concluded successfully.
“We were seated,” Nelson stated, referring to the installation of new board members. He elaborated that “The six of us that were elected in Chicago were seated on Country Financial.”
Nelson’s comments indicate that the board restructuring, which began with elections held in Chicago, has now been finalized with the formal installation of the newly chosen directors.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Following a successful rocket fueling demonstration, NASA is setting its sights on launching astronauts to the moon in March, marking a historic return to lunar exploration.
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced Friday that ground crews achieved “major progress” comparing the initial countdown rehearsal — which faced hydrogen leak problems earlier this month — to Thursday evening’s second test that concluded without major fuel leakage issues.
Isaacman described the demonstration as “a big step toward America’s return to the lunar environment” in a post on social media platform X.
The space agency could potentially launch the four-person crew aboard the Artemis II mission for a lunar flyby as early as March 6 from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The crew, consisting of three American astronauts and one Canadian, will begin their required two-week health isolation period Friday evening to maintain scheduling flexibility.
NASA has a narrow five-day window in March to get the crew off the ground using the Space Launch System rocket before postponing operations until April. February launch opportunities were lost after hazardous liquid hydrogen leaks occurred during the initial fueling test.
Engineering teams replaced two sealing components, resulting in Thursday’s successful repeat test. The countdown proceeded smoothly to the target 29-second mark.
While the repairs proved effective, additional tasks remain including completing a flight readiness assessment, according to NASA’s Lori Glaze.
Mission Commander Reid Wiseman and two fellow crew members observed Thursday’s test alongside launch control personnel. These astronauts will become the first humans to journey to the moon since the Apollo 17 mission concluded NASA’s original lunar exploration era in 1972.
MILAN (AP) — While Olympic crowds pack Milan’s famous Duomo, dedicated young volunteers are guiding visitors to discover the city’s hidden religious treasures through an innovative program that showcases sacred art and architecture.
The program, called ‘The Path of Beauty’ or ‘La Via della Bellezza’ in Italian, launched in 2020 through the archdiocese’s youth ministry department. While tours normally happen on weekends, organizers expanded to weekday schedules during the Olympic Games, continuing through March 15.
‘The concept focuses on welcoming people into these sacred spaces and encouraging them to reconnect with artistic magnificence passed down through generations, yet remains meaningful today,’ Sara Cainarca, who oversees the visiting team, explained to The Associated Press on Wednesday.
The archdiocese program involves 15 to 20 participants, with each volunteer becoming an expert on one or two Milan churches. These brief tours cover a dozen Catholic churches throughout the metropolitan area.
Volunteers position themselves inside their designated churches, clarifying they aren’t professional tour guides but offer complimentary introductions to each building’s historical significance and religious artwork.
Throughout the Olympic period, volunteers report hosting guests from the United States, France, Germany and Spain, including some attending the Games and others simply eager to explore beyond Milan’s famous attractions.
Giovanna Giuditta Mazza, an art history student who began participating two years ago, conducts tours in English, French and Italian, primarily at the Basilica of San Lorenzo Maggiore, dating to the late 4th and early 5th centuries and ranking among Milan’s most ancient churches.
‘Visitors entering the church typically arrive without expectations,’ explained Mazza, 22. ‘However, upon departure, I notice excitement in their expressions, which means everything to me.’
These interactions provide volunteers opportunities to discuss their personal faith.
‘True beauty encompasses more than artistic expression,’ stated Víctor Ortíz, a 22-year-old cultural heritage student. ‘It includes God’s message as well.’
The Santa Maria presso San Satiro church gains recognition for Renaissance architect Donato Bramante’s visual trick, creating a trompe-l’oeil apse to overcome space limitations.
Ortíz, who frequently leads tours there, describes how the location connects to a 13th-century miracle, where a Virgin Mary image reportedly bled after being attacked.
‘The increasing religious devotion from that incident ultimately resulted in the church’s construction during the 16th century,’ he noted.
‘La Via della Bellezza’ originated as educational workshops where Lombardy region university students examined connections between artistic expression and spiritual life. Volunteers later expanded to cities including Brescia and Bergamo, where churches and basilicas feature renowned Romanesque and Baroque artwork.
‘Our goal involves guiding visitors as they transform from sightseers into spiritual seekers discovering deeper personal longing,’ said Cainarca, 26.
Volunteers gather monthly with specialists providing advanced instruction in art history and related subjects. The group also visits regional destinations to enhance understanding of both artistic legacy and underlying spiritual customs. Their next trip heads to Ravenna, featuring Christian monuments celebrated for mosaics recognized as UNESCO World Heritage sites.
However, Milan remains Cainarca’s preferred working location. She believes the city’s churches define its character, noting patron Saint Ambrose established ideals of community cooperation.
‘Currently, Milan represents fashion, retail, banking and modern architecture,’ she observed. ‘These churches provide opportunities for reflection, meditation and exploration.’
In a significant 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court has determined that presidents lack the authority to impose tariffs through the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The high court ruled that because tariffs function as taxes, the Constitution reserves this power exclusively for Congress.
The justices emphasized that the Constitution grants Congress sole authority to “lay and collect taxes and duties,” effectively blocking presidents from using emergency economic legislation to establish trade barriers. This ruling represents a major limitation on executive branch powers in international trade matters.
Agricultural organizations across the country are responding to the decision, which could significantly impact how future trade disputes are handled and resolved.
A new international partnership has been established between Pakistan and the United States to transform the historic Roosevelt Hotel in Manhattan, according to an announcement made Thursday by Pakistan’s Finance Division.
The collaborative effort involves working with the US General Services Administration on managing, maintaining, renovating and completely redeveloping the iconic New York property, officials stated.
Both nations have formalized their cooperation through a signed memorandum of understanding. GSA Administrator Edward C. Forst signed on behalf of America, while Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue Sen. Muhammad Aurangzeb represented Pakistan. The signing ceremony was observed by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and US special envoy Steve Witkoff.
The agreement creates a structured, time-bound framework for evaluating technical, commercial, and financial aspects of the collaboration. Officials say this approach is designed to promote transparency, organized decision-making, and measurable results.
Given the hotel’s valuable Manhattan location and New York’s complicated zoning and municipal approval requirements, institutional coordination aims to minimize implementation risks, clarify regulatory obligations, and safeguard the transaction’s worth.
Pakistan International Airlines purchased the Roosevelt Hotel in 2000 in partnership with Saudi Prince Faisal bin Khalid Al Saud, 76 years after the Midtown Manhattan icon first opened its doors in 1924. The airline subsequently purchased the prince’s ownership share, gaining complete control of what continues to be one of its most prized international properties.
The building has been rented out at different times, with New York City being the most recent tenant, utilizing it to house migrants. But this February, the city canceled its $220 million rental contract, dealing a major financial blow to the airline.
For Pakistan, the sudden contract cancellation creates significant worries, especially concerning PIA’s expected income. The substantial lease payment served as an essential financial resource for the financially troubled national carrier, providing vital revenue support to the money-strapped airline.
Pakistani officials are now working to maximize the property’s commercial potential as part of a wider privatization initiative, implemented in response to a worsening financial crisis that has compelled the government to restructure and sell off its national airline.
The goal continues to be maximizing returns from this asset in accordance with the government’s privatization plan while enhancing economic relationships between Pakistan and the United States.
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greek officials have reached a preliminary agreement with a Belgian collector to acquire rare World War II photographs that document the execution of 200 Greek political prisoners by Nazi forces, the country’s Culture Ministry announced Friday.
The collector, Tim de Craene, had listed the historic images for sale on eBay but has now removed them from the auction site following the agreement with Greek authorities.
Greek officials are working to secure the photographs after designating them as part of the nation’s cultural heritage.
Culture Minister Lina Mendoni revealed the preliminary deal after government experts traveled to Belgium on Friday to meet with de Craene and confirm the authenticity of the images. Mendoni did not reveal specific terms of the agreement or explain how Greece plans to obtain the photographs.
The dozen images, which surfaced on eBay last Saturday, capture 200 political prisoners during their final moments on May 1, 1944. These photographs represent the only known visual documentation of an execution that holds deep significance in Greece’s World War II experience.
The killings occurred at a shooting range located in Athens’ Kaisariani neighborhood. The images depict men walking through a gate and along a pathway, with several prisoners looking directly toward the camera. One photograph shows the group positioned against a wall before their execution.
Greek cultural ministry specialists who examined the collection in Belgium discovered the photos were part of a much larger archive of 262 images captured by Wehrmacht Lieutenant Hermann Heuer during his deployment in Greece from 1943-44 throughout the Nazi occupation. The experts confirmed the authenticity of the complete collection, which also includes related documents.
The mass execution at Kaisariani of 200 communist political prisoners stands among the most horrific crimes committed during Nazi Germany’s occupation of Greece and continues to hold profound meaning in the nation’s historical narrative.
Following World War II’s conclusion, Greece was torn apart by a brutal civil conflict between communist forces and Western-supported government troops that continued until 1949. The divisions from that period continue to influence Greek society today.
Soon after the photographs appeared online for sale, vandals attacked the memorial at the Kaisariani execution site, destroying plaques that bore the victims’ names.
“Historical memory will not be erased, no matter how much it bothers some people,” the Kaisariani municipality declared in an official statement, promising to restore the damaged monument. The municipality described the photographs as evoking “a chill of emotion for the heroic, valiant stance of the 200 communist heroes who stood up against the firing squad.”
WASHINGTON — Despite the Supreme Court’s rejection of President Trump’s global tariff program, the administration maintains several pathways to continue imposing aggressive import taxes on foreign goods.
The high court rejected Trump’s broad assertions of emergency authority to levy tariffs on virtually every nation worldwide. However, the president can still utilize tariff mechanisms from his previous administration and tap into additional powers, including legislation dating to the Great Depression era.
“It’s hard to see any pathway here where tariffs end,” Georgetown trade law professor Kathleen Claussen explained. “I am pretty convinced he could rebuild the tariff landscape he has now using other authorities.”
Trump had asserted extensive authority to impose tariffs through the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act. However, challengers successfully argued to the Supreme Court that such emergency powers were unnecessary since Congress had already provided the executive branch with tariff authority through multiple other laws, albeit with specific limitations on presidential use.
Import taxes have served as a fundamental element of Trump’s international and economic strategy during his second presidency, featuring substantial “reciprocal” tariffs on most nations. The administration has defended these measures by declaring America’s persistent trade deficits a national emergency.
Yale University’s Budget Lab calculations show average U.S. tariff rates have surged from 2.5% when Trump resumed office in January to approximately 17% one year later — the steepest level since 1934.
The president implemented these measures unilaterally, despite the Constitution explicitly granting taxation and tariff powers to Congress.
One powerful tool available to the United States targets countries accused of “unjustifiable,” “unreasonable” or “discriminatory” trade practices through Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.
Trump utilized this authority extensively during his first term, particularly targeting China. He invoked Section 301 to implement comprehensive tariffs on Chinese goods amid disputes over Beijing’s aggressive tactics to challenge American technological leadership. The U.S. continues employing these powers to address what officials characterize as unfair Chinese shipbuilding industry practices.
Section 301 tariffs face no size restrictions and last four years with possible extensions. However, the trade representative must complete an investigation and typically conduct public hearings before implementation.
While experts consider Section 301 effective against China, it presents challenges when addressing smaller nations that Trump targeted with reciprocal tariffs.
“Undertaking dozens and dozens of 301 investigations of all of those countries is a laborious process,” noted trade expert Veroneau.
When the U.S. Court of International Trade invalidated Trump’s reciprocal tariffs in May, judges determined the president couldn’t invoke emergency powers to address trade deficits.
This ruling partly reflected Congress’s specific grant of limited authority to address trade imbalances through Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. This provision permits presidential imposition of tariffs up to 15% for maximum 150 days responding to unbalanced trade, without requiring preliminary investigations.
However, Section 122 authority has never been implemented for tariff purposes, creating uncertainty about its practical application.
Throughout both terms, Trump has aggressively exercised Section 232 authority from the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 to impose tariffs on imports deemed national security threats.
In 2018, he implemented tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum, expanding these measures since returning to office. He also applied Section 232 tariffs to automobiles, auto parts, copper, and lumber.
Last September, the president extended Section 232 tariffs to kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities, and upholstered furniture.
While Section 232 tariffs lack legal limitations, they require Commerce Department investigations. Since the administration conducts its own investigations — similar to Section 301 cases — “they have a lot of control over the outcome,” Veroneau observed.
Nearly a century ago, during the collapse of U.S. and global economies, Congress enacted the Tariff Act of 1930, imposing substantial import taxes. These Smoot-Hawley tariffs, named for their congressional sponsors, have faced widespread criticism from economists and historians for restricting international commerce and worsening the Great Depression. They also received memorable recognition in the 1986 film “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.”
Section 338 of this legislation authorizes presidential imposition of tariffs up to 50% on imports from countries discriminating against U.S. businesses. No investigation is necessary, and no time limits exist for these tariffs.
These tariffs have never been implemented — U.S. trade negotiators historically preferred Section 301 sanctions — though the United States employed their threat as leverage during 1930s trade negotiations.
Last September, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent informed Reuters that the administration was evaluating Section 338 as an alternative if the Supreme Court rejected Trump’s emergency powers tariff approach.
The Supreme Court delivered a significant blow to President Donald Trump’s trade agenda Friday, voting 6-3 to eliminate some of his broadest import taxes after determining he exceeded presidential authority by using emergency legislation to justify widespread tariffs affecting nearly every nation globally.
While Trump has implemented numerous trade levies throughout the past year, Friday’s court decision leaves many industry-specific taxes intact, giving the president continued options for aggressive import taxation. However, the ruling eliminates a fundamental group of tariffs Trump established through the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977, known as IEEPA.
The IEEPA legislation gives presidents broad authority to control international commerce following national emergency declarations. While previous administrations have utilized this statute repeatedly over decades, typically for implementing sanctions against foreign nations, Trump became the first president to apply it for tariff implementation.
Using IEEPA authority, Trump established import duties affecting virtually every global trading partner last spring. On what he termed Liberation Day, April 2nd, he implemented “reciprocal” trade taxes reaching 50% on products from numerous nations, plus a standard 10% levy on most other countries.
The baseline 10% duty began in early April, while Liberation Day’s higher rates faced multiple delays and revisions over several months, with most taking effect August 7th. Trump justified these emergency tariffs by citing America’s persistent trade deficit with other nations, though countries maintaining trade surpluses with the U.S. also faced taxation.
Liberation Day tariffs affected key trading partners including South Korea, Japan and the European Union, which collectively ship electronics, automobiles, auto components and pharmaceuticals to American markets. Following negotiations, Trump’s rates on most EU, Japanese and South Korean goods reached 15% before Friday’s ruling. However, Trump recently threatened 25% increases on certain South Korean products, and nations worldwide continue facing sector-specific tariffs not covered by IEEPA.
Early in his second presidential term, Trump applied IEEPA to establish new tariffs targeting America’s three largest trading partners: Mexico, Canada and China.
Trump justified these levies by declaring a national emergency regarding illegal immigration and trafficking of fentanyl and related chemicals. Initially announced in February 2025, these “trafficking tariffs” were implemented gradually with periodic delays, reductions or increases through ongoing retaliation.
Before Friday’s Supreme Court decision, trafficking-related tariffs stood at 35% for Canadian imports and 25% for Mexican goods not meeting 2020 United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement requirements. China faced a 10% fentanyl-related levy, reduced from 20% imposed earlier. Chinese products also experienced extremely high Liberation Day rates, though these decreased during trade negotiations.
Leading U.S. imports from China encompass mobile devices, electronics, apparel, toys and home appliances. Canada and Mexico serve as major automotive and auto parts suppliers, with Canada providing America’s largest crude oil supply and Mexico exporting significant fresh produce, beverages and other goods.
Trump additionally used IEEPA to impose substantial import taxes on Brazilian products during summer months, citing Brazil’s policies and criminal prosecution of former President Jair Bolsonaro.
Brazil already faced Trump’s 10% baseline Liberation Day rate. Bolsonaro-related duties added 40%, creating total levies of 50% on many Brazilian products before Friday’s ruling.
Despite America maintaining consistent trade surpluses with Brazil over recent years, the country’s primary exports include manufactured goods, crude oil and agricultural commodities like soybeans and sugar.
India has also confronted additional IEEPA tariffs. Following Liberation Day, Trump imposed 25% levies on Indian imports, later adding another 25% related to India’s Russian oil purchases while citing emergency powers legislation, totaling 50%.
Earlier this month, the U.S. and India reached a trade framework agreement. Trump announced Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed to cease Russian oil purchases, with plans to reduce U.S. tariffs on the ally to 18%. India committed to “eliminate or reduce tariffs” on all American industrial products and various agricultural goods.
India’s top U.S. exports include pharmaceuticals, precious stones, clothing and textiles.
Although the Supreme Court eliminated Trump’s sweeping IEEPA-based import taxes, most American trading partners continue facing steep sector-specific tariffs.
Citing national security concerns, Trump has utilized separate legislation – Section 232 of the 1962 Trade Expansion Act – to implement new levies on steel, aluminum, automobiles, copper and lumber globally. He began rolling out additional Section 232 tariffs in September targeting kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities and upholstered furniture.
Under pressure to address rising consumer prices, Trump has recently rolled back certain tariffs. Beyond trade frameworks, this includes adding specific levy exemptions and eliminating import taxes on coffee, tropical fruits and beef.
Nevertheless, Trump continues threatening that additional sector-specific levies are forthcoming.
In a devastating blow to President Trump’s economic strategy, the nation’s highest court ruled Friday that his extensive worldwide tariffs violate constitutional law, delivering a 6-3 verdict against the administration.
The ruling focused on trade penalties Trump implemented using emergency authority, including his broad “reciprocal” duties affecting virtually all trading partners globally.
This marks the first substantial element of Trump’s comprehensive policy platform to face direct scrutiny from the Supreme Court, an institution he influenced through appointing three conservative judges during his initial presidency.
The court’s majority determined the Constitution “very clearly” assigns Congress authority over taxation powers, including trade duties. Chief Justice John Roberts stated in his opinion: “The Framers did not vest any part of the taxing power in the Executive Branch.”
In his dissenting opinion, Justice Brett Kavanaugh argued: “The tariffs at issue here may or may not be wise policy. But as a matter of text, history, and precedent, they are clearly lawful.”
International reactions came swiftly, with British officials expressing confidence their favorable trade relationship with America will persist despite the court’s decision.
The United Kingdom had received preferential treatment with only 10% reciprocal duties from Washington, along with special exemptions for their automotive and steel sectors.
A British government representative stated: “The U.K. enjoys the lowest reciprocal tariffs globally, and under any scenario we expect our privileged trading position with the U.S. to continue. We will work with the Administration to understand how the ruling will affect tariffs for the U.K. and the rest of the world.”
According to an anonymous source with direct access to the president’s response, Trump called the Supreme Court ruling “a disgrace” upon learning of the decision during his morning session with multiple state governors.
The president was conducting a private meeting with nearly two dozen governors from both political parties when news of the verdict broke.
Trade expert Wendy Cutler, formerly a U.S. trade negotiator and currently vice president at the Asia Society Policy Institute, noted that international partners understood the legal risks Trump faced when using emergency provisions for tariff implementation.
“Nevertheless, they chose to conclude deals with Washington, convinced that other statutes would be utilized to keep the tariffs in place,” Cutler explained. “They are waiting to see the Administration’s Plan B. Walking away from the deals announced in recent months does not seem to be in the cards.”
The Trump administration recently finalized trade agreements with Taiwan and Indonesia this month.
Former Acting Solicitor General Neal Katyal told The Associated Press the outcome exceeded expectations: “The decision today is everything we asked the Supreme Court to do. It is a complete and total victory for the challenge to President Trump’s tariffs. It’s a reaffirmation of our deepest constitutional values and the idea that Congress, not any one man, controls the power to tax the American people.”
Canadian Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Candace Laing cautioned that legal victory doesn’t guarantee policy changes, stating: “The Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the use of IEEPA tariff powers is a legal ruling, not a reset of U.S. trade policy. This is certainly not the last chapter of this never-ending story. Canada should prepare for new, blunter mechanisms to be used to reassert trade pressure, potentially with broader and more disruptive effects.”
Cornell University economist Eswar Prasad predicted procedural complications ahead while doubting fundamental policy shifts. “The ruling sharply constrains the Trump administration’s aggressive use of tariffs without Congressional approval. Still, it is unlikely to deter the administration from pursuing other avenues to impose tariffs,” he observed, noting the administration’s stated readiness to reimpose similar duties through alternative methods.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer celebrated the decision in a statement, declaring it will “finally give families and small businesses the relief they deserve” and urged Trump to end “this reckless trade war for good.”
Schumer emphasized the president’s “overreach failed,” adding: “We’ve said from day one: a president cannot ignore Congress and unilaterally slap tariffs on Americans.”
Analysts warn that some form of trade duties will likely remain, while the process of refunding billions in collected tariff revenues could prove complex.
Scott Lincicome from the libertarian Cato Institute highlighted potential challenges: “That refund process could be easy, but it appears more likely that more litigation and paperwork will be required – a particularly unfair burden for smaller importers that lack the resources to litigate tariff refund claims yet never did anything wrong.”
He urged Congress to establish permanent safeguards against unilateral tariff actions: “The tariff beatings will continue until Congress reclaims some of its constitutional authority over U.S. trade policy and checks the administration’s worst tariff impulses.”
Leading House Democrats praised the Supreme Court’s action, with Rep. Richard Neal, ranking Democratic member on the House Ways and Means Committee, calling the decision “a victory for the American people, the rule of law, and our standing in the global economy.”
Neal criticized the tariffs for inflating grocery and energy costs while destabilizing small enterprises, demanding the administration compensate affected consumers and businesses.
Rep. Brendan Boyle, ranking Democrat on the House Budget Committee, argued the tariffs damaged the economy and burdened families financially. “Today’s decision is an important step toward protecting families and restoring basic economic fairness,” Boyle stated.
The National Retail Federation’s executive vice president of government relations, Dave French, welcomed the ruling as providing “much-needed certainty for U.S. businesses and manufacturers.”
“Clear and consistent trade policy is essential for economic growth, creating jobs and opportunities for American families,” he emphasized, urging courts to ensure smooth refund procedures that would boost the economy and allow companies to reinvest in operations, employees, and customers.
House Majority PAC, a leading Democratic political action committee, used the decision to target vulnerable Republicans, stating: “The Supreme Court’s decision clarifies the law, but it doesn’t rewrite history. Vulnerable House Republicans repeatedly voted to enable Trump’s tariffs, which raised prices and wreaked economic havoc on American families and businesses. Their constituents have paid the price, and House Majority PAC will ensure Republicans are held accountable for their votes come November.”
Ann Robinson, owner of Scottish Gourmet in Greensboro, North Carolina, which imports food and gifts from the UK, India, and China, expressed jubilation at the news.
“I am overjoyed, but nervous about what new method the current administration will take to cover the deficit spending caused by the Big Beautiful Bill,” she said. “Tariffs were the easy answer — now that is gone.”
The 10% baseline duty on UK merchandise pressured Robinson’s business significantly. “I ended up spending about $30,000 on tariffs in the fall season,” she revealed, wondering about the timeline for tariff elimination.
“I have goods flying in next week, and a container docking next Friday,” she noted. “Time to schedule my ‘Say Goodbye to Tariffs Sale’!”
Businesses have collectively paid billions in tariff fees, with major retailers like Costco already pursuing court refunds, though Justice Kavanaugh warned of potential complications.
“The Court says nothing today about whether, and if so how, the Government should go about returning the billions of dollars that it has collected from importers. But that process is likely to be a ‘mess,’ as was acknowledged at oral argument,” Justice Kavanaugh wrote in his dissenting opinion.
We Pay the Tariffs, representing over 800 small businesses opposing the duties, emphasized the critical need for efficient refund mechanisms.
Executive director Dan Anthony stated: “A legal victory is meaningless without actual relief for the businesses that paid these tariffs. The administration’s only responsible course of action now is to establish a fast, efficient, and automatic refund process that returns tariff money to the businesses that paid it.”
The White House remained notably silent for approximately 20 minutes following the court’s announcement, despite Trump having anticipated the possibility of an adverse ruling on his emergency tariff powers.
This decision severely undermines Trump’s conviction that he could implement import taxes without congressional approval, adding to the uncertainty his fluctuating tariff policies have created since returning to office.
Trump previously warned that losing this case would devastate the U.S. economy and cause budget deficits to skyrocket without tariff income.
The CAMEO Network, representing small businesses, applauded Friday’s Supreme Court ruling.
CEO Carolina Martinez stated: “Tariffs are holding back U.S. manufacturing, driving up costs for businesses and consumers, and slowing our economy. Our hope is that this ruling provides relief for business owners who have been navigating supply chain shocks and uncertainty over the past year.”
The decision comes despite Trump’s recent success with emergency court orders allowing extraordinary executive actions on various issues from high-profile dismissals to significant federal spending reductions.
Financial markets showed modest positive movement following the tariff ruling, with the S&P 500 rising 0.1% minutes after the announcement. The index had been fluctuating between minor gains and losses earlier, as disappointing economic growth data and accelerating inflation reports had minimal market impact.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 20 points (less than 0.1%), while the Nasdaq composite increased 0.1%. Treasury bond yields remained relatively stable.
While Trump retains tariff authority, he cannot use the rapid-implementation law he previously employed. Senior administration officials indicate plans to maintain the tariff structure through alternative legal mechanisms, though other statutes impose greater restrictions on the speed and scope of presidential trade actions.
The Congressional Budget Office estimated the tariffs would have generated approximately $3 trillion in economic impact over the coming decade.
The Justice Department defended Trump’s use of a 1977 emergency import regulation law, arguing it encompasses tariff-setting authority. Legal challengers contended the statute never mentions tariffs and that Trump’s application failed multiple legal standards, including criteria that invalidated former President Biden’s $500 billion student loan forgiveness initiative.
Chief Justice John Roberts authored the majority opinion, supported by Justices Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett, two of Trump’s three Supreme Court nominees, along with the court’s three liberal justices.
Justice Brett Kavanaugh, Trump’s other appointee, penned the primary dissent with support from Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito.
Delaware’s motor vehicle office in Wilmington is scheduled to begin serving customers again starting Tuesday, March 10, 2026, beginning at 8:00 in the morning.
State officials announced that all services at the reopened facility will require advance scheduling to control the number of people inside the building at any given time. Authorities plan to release additional information about how the appointment booking system will work as the March reopening date gets closer.
The announcement mentioned that DMV offices in Delaware City, Dover, and other locations continue their regular operations.
HAVANA – As power outages plague Cuba, residents across the island nation are turning to solar energy solutions to keep their lights on and businesses running while Washington’s sanctions continue blocking crucial oil deliveries.
The combination of longstanding US economic restrictions and Cuba’s ongoing financial troubles has prevented the government from securing adequate fuel supplies for years. Recent threats of American tariffs have further reduced oil shipments from key allies Venezuela and Mexico, intensifying the energy shortage.
With support from Chinese funding and equipment contributions, Cuban authorities have added more than 1,000 megawatts of solar capacity over the past year and plan to expand that figure twofold in coming years. However, many citizens aren’t waiting for government solutions.
Havana resident Roberto Sarriga explained his decision to invest in solar technology: “Given the frequent outages, which pretty much stop you from doing anything, a friend offered to help me invest in panels and set everything up.”
Sarriga noted that his solar setup allows him to maintain internet access, keep his phone charged for communication, and operate a television for his elderly mother’s entertainment. “The idea was to at least have the basics covered,” he added.
While the dollar-priced imported panels remain financially out of reach for most Cubans, they’ve become increasingly popular among private entrepreneurs and those receiving financial support from overseas family members.
To boost renewable energy adoption, Cuban officials announced Thursday evening new tax incentives that eliminate personal taxes for up to eight years for business owners pursuing clean energy projects.
Solar installation specialist Raydel Cano, who services residential and commercial properties throughout Havana, reports growing customer interest as fuel becomes scarcer. Recent weeks have left owners of gas and diesel generators without viable alternatives.
“Private businesses see themselves obligated to install panels,” Cano observed, explaining that renewable energy has become the primary option as the electrical grid continues deteriorating.
Despite higher initial investment costs, Havana cafe manager Dariem Soto-Navarro considers solar the superior choice given diesel’s increasing unavailability. “In addition to being clean, green energy, it optimises operating costs,” he stated. “It is without a doubt one of the best solutions for entrepreneurs and private businesses.”
Even transportation workers are adapting to the energy challenge. Tricycle-taxi operator Alejandro Arritola installed rooftop solar panels to extend his vehicle’s range when gasoline runs out.
“It extends my range and I don’t have to use any gasoline,” Arritola explained, emphasizing how his family maintains mobility despite widespread shortages. “If there’s no public transportation, it doesn’t matter.”
The Trump administration maintains that its restrictive policies create pressure for political reform in Cuba. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated Wednesday that Cuba should consider making “very dramatic changes very soon” in its own interests.
United Nations officials have cautioned that failing to address Cuba’s energy requirements could trigger a humanitarian emergency. The island already faces severe shortages of food, fuel, and medical supplies, prompting authorities to implement rationing programs protecting essential services.
According to recent reports from Izvestia newspaper, Russia – among Cuba’s few remaining oil suppliers – is preparing future crude shipments, though no specific timeline was provided.
LIVIGNO, Italy – Freestyle skier Hunter Hess turned presidential criticism into Olympic fuel Friday, delivering a standout halfpipe performance while embracing the harsh words directed at him by President Donald Trump.
After completing his first run at the Winter Olympics, the 27-year-old athlete made his statement clear – forming an ‘L’ with his fingers against his forehead while looking directly into a television camera.
“Apparently I’m a loser,” Hess said to reporters afterward, flashing a smile.
The exchange stems from Trump calling Hess “a real loser” following the athlete’s earlier comments about having mixed emotions while representing the United States. The remarks came amid broader tensions as several American sports figures have voiced concerns about recent immigration enforcement actions, including a deadly incident in Minneapolis where federal agents fatally shot two individuals.
Rather than letting the presidential rebuke derail his Olympic dreams, Hess channeled the controversy into competitive drive during his runs in the Italian Alpine community.
“I worked so hard to be here. I worked my entire life to make this moment happen,” Hess explained. “I’m not going to let controversy like that get in my way.”
The Oregon native credited his family with helping him navigate what he described as “a lot of noise and a lot of hate out there,” while acknowledging that “all those people are super entitled to their opinion, and I respect it.”
His Friday morning performance backed up his determination. Hess executed two solid runs, successfully landing after performing aerial flips and twists above the 7.2-meter halfpipe structure. His efforts earned him fifth place among 25 competitors, securing his spot in the evening’s final round.
The skier also updated his Instagram profile to read “a real loser,” further embracing the presidential criticism.
Hess clarified his patriotic feelings during Friday’s post-competition interviews, addressing the original comments that sparked Trump’s ire. His earlier statement suggested that wearing the American flag didn’t mean endorsing every domestic policy.
“I love the United States of America. I cannot say that enough,” Hess emphasized. “My original statement, I felt like I said that, but apparently some people didn’t take it that way. I’m so happy to be here, so happy to represent Team USA.”
The Bend, Oregon resident reflected on the unprecedented attention surrounding his Olympic experience.
“I’m just a skier from Bend, Oregon,” he noted. “I’ve been doing the same thing with the same people my entire life, so being seen by the entire world was definitely a unique experience.”
Hess acknowledged that the week leading up to his Olympic competition was unlike anything he had previously encountered, as the political controversy thrust him into the national spotlight.
WASHINGTON – A new federal regulation released Friday by the Trump administration could suspend employment authorization for asylum seekers for potentially decades, marking one of the most significant changes to immigration work permits in recent history.
The Department of Homeland Security unveiled the proposed regulation aimed at discouraging migrants from submitting asylum claims primarily to obtain legal employment authorization while also reducing case backlogs to enhance security screening procedures.
This regulatory change, expected to face court challenges, represents part of President Trump’s comprehensive strategy to curtail both authorized and unauthorized immigration. Following his 2025 return to the presidency, Trump has continued his campaign messaging that characterized immigrants and asylum seekers as criminals and economic burdens, despite research showing otherwise.
Under the DHS proposal, employment permit processing would halt for all future asylum applicants until average case processing times drop to 180 days or less. Given existing delays, federal officials project it would require 14 to 173 years to achieve this benchmark, though they note various factors might accelerate the timeline.
The administration has also outlined stricter qualification standards for asylum-related work authorization, maintaining that employment permits are “not an entitlement” but remain under the homeland security secretary’s authority.
The regulation’s most significant provision would prohibit migrants who entered the country without authorization from obtaining new employment permits or extending current ones. Limited exemptions would apply only to individuals who contacted border officials within 48 hours of entry to report persecution fears, torture concerns, or other emergency circumstances that forced illegal crossing.
Immigration rights organizations and Democratic lawmakers have condemned Trump’s aggressive asylum policies, arguing they violate established domestic and international legal frameworks.
The Commerce Department’s Census Bureau reported Friday that December brought a modest decline in new single-family home purchases nationwide, though construction companies successfully worked down their surplus inventory levels.
December’s new home purchases decreased by 1.7% to a seasonally adjusted annual pace of 745,000 units. This followed November’s improved rate of 758,000 units, which had risen from October’s 656,000. Government shutdown delays from last year postponed the release of this data.
While new home purchases represent only a fraction of total residential real estate transactions and typically show monthly fluctuations, they provide important market insights since they’re recorded when contracts are signed. Compared to the same period last year, December’s new home purchases climbed 3.8%.
Available new home inventory dropped to 472,000 units in December, down from November’s 485,000 units. The number of homes currently being built reached its lowest point in almost four and a half years. Based on December’s purchasing rate, clearing the current supply of new homes would require 7.6 months, an improvement from November’s 7.7-month timeline.
The typical price for a new home rose 4.2% year-over-year to $414,400 in December.
Mortgage interest rates could provide some relief for the housing sector. Freddie Mac data indicates that 30-year fixed mortgage rates dropped to 6.01% this week, marking the lowest point since September 2022 and down from the previous week’s 6.09%.
Olympic skiing champion Lindsey Vonn provided an encouraging health update following her most recent medical procedure, reporting that the complex six-hour operation was successful despite ongoing challenges with pain management.
The 41-year-old athlete underwent her first surgical procedure on American soil after enduring four previous operations at a medical facility in Italy. Her medical journey began after sustaining a severe leg fracture during competition at the Milano Cortina Olympics.
Taking to social media platform X on Friday, Vonn shared her progress with fans. “Just a quick update … my last surgery went well. It took a little over 6 hours,” the skiing star posted.
She continued with an honest assessment of her current condition: “I have been recovering from the surgery but pain has been hard to manage. Making slow progress but I hope I can be out of the hospital soon.”
The decorated athlete, who claimed Olympic gold in 2010 and ranks as the second-most accomplished female competitor in World Cup skiing history, returned to the United States last Sunday. Her transfer came after medical staff at Ca’ Foncello Hospital in Treviso cleared her for discharge.
WASHINGTON, Feb 20 – Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi disclosed Friday that recent nuclear negotiations in Geneva did not involve American demands for a complete halt to uranium enrichment activities, while Tehran made no proposals to pause its enrichment operations.
During a Friday interview on MS NOW, Araqchi stated: “We have not offered any suspension and the U.S. side has not asked for zero enrichment.”
The Iranian diplomat explained that current discussions center on different objectives. “What we are now talking about is how to make sure that Iran’s nuclear program, including enrichment, is peaceful and would remain peaceful forever,” Araqchi remarked.
According to Araqchi, both nations are exploring technical and political “confidence building measures” designed to guarantee the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear activities. In return, some form of sanctions relief would be provided, though he declined to elaborate on specific details.
While Araqchi did not provide exact timelines for Iran’s response to U.S. representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, he expressed optimism about reaching an agreement. He indicated that a diplomatic resolution could be accomplished “in a very short period of time” and anticipated presenting a draft proposal within the next two to three days, followed by additional discussions approximately one week later.
This diplomatic activity comes as tensions escalate following President Donald Trump’s Thursday ultimatum to Tehran. Trump established a 10-15 day timeframe for reaching an agreement, warning of “really bad things” if negotiations fail. This warning coincides with increased U.S. military presence in the Middle East, raising concerns about potential broader regional conflict.
Residents of Salisbury now have access to a streamlined way to communicate non-emergency concerns to city officials.
The city’s Information Services Department has transitioned to an updated digital system that modernizes how residents can report issues and track their progress. This technological upgrade aims to enhance the experience for both city staff and community members.
The revamped platform, known as Citizen Reporter, replaces what was previously called the problems or issues reporting system. Citizens can access this service through the city’s website by clicking on “Report an Issue,” maintaining the same entry point as the old system.
The new system allows residents to file reports without revealing their identity or to provide contact information for progress updates. Additionally, community members can browse other submitted requests to promote government transparency and access extra resources through the city’s Citizen Reporter Hub Site.
Mayor Randy Taylor expressed enthusiasm about the technological advancement, stating, “Our goal is to make it easier for residents to connect with their local government. This new system improves transparency and ensures that citizen requests are handled quickly and effectively.”
City officials plan additional website improvements throughout the next year, including changing the “Report an Issue” button to read “Submit a Citizen Report” as part of broader website renovations. The process begins with pinpointing the relevant location, verifying the matter doesn’t require emergency services, and then choosing an appropriate service category. Users can then provide detailed descriptions and upload photographs related to their concerns.
According to the City’s Information Services Department, “This new platform and interface leverages Esri’s ArcGIS technology and incorporates feedback gathered over several years from users of the previous system. As a result, citizen service requests will be processed more efficiently, with improved workflows and users will experience more consistent notification updates.”
Residents interested in using the service or learning more can visit https://citizenrequest-salisbury.hub.arcgis.com/
The Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles announced that its Wilmington office will reopen its doors on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, beginning at 8:00 a.m.
Unlike before, customers will need to schedule appointments ahead of time to help control the number of people inside the building at any given time. Officials say they will provide additional information about how the appointment scheduling system will work as the reopening date gets closer.
Meanwhile, residents can still visit the DMV locations in Delaware City, Dover, and Georgetown without appointments, as these offices will maintain their current walk-in service policies.
Motorists in the area should seek alternate routes as Bull Pine Road has been temporarily shut down due to a vehicle accident.
The closure affects the stretch of Bull Pine Road running from Parker Road to Shortly Road while emergency responders handle the crash scene.
Delaware Department of Transportation officials have not yet indicated when the roadway will reopen to traffic. Drivers are advised to use caution and find alternative routes until the situation is resolved.
GREENVILLE, Va. — A Virginia farming couple is getting ready to welcome hundreds of young livestock enthusiasts from across the region for their annual competition that has become a major draw for agricultural youth.
Tom and Sarah McCall will host their sixth MC Livestock Stockman’s Challenge on March 21 at the Rockingham County Fairgrounds in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The event brings together participants aged 5-19 from Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, West Virginia, and Tennessee.
The competition features nine different categories — three for cattle, two for hogs, plus sheep and goat divisions — with four animals in each group. Young contestants evaluate and rank the animals from best to worst on judging cards.
“We also have verbal questions for one class in each species that the contestants answer from memory after they have judged the classes,” Sarah explained. “Our contest does not include reasons, but we do have a separate jackpot for those that would like to participate.”
The event has experienced remarkable growth since its debut in 2021, when 150 children took part. Last year, organizers had to cap registration at 300 participants due to overwhelming demand.
Entry fees are set at $20 for individuals or $80 for teams, with the youngest competitors participating at no charge.
Both Tom and Sarah grew up on farms and were heavily involved in 4-H and FFA programs, competing in livestock judging and showing cattle and sheep throughout their state. They both graduated from Virginia Tech, where Tom studied agribusiness before becoming a licensed veterinarian through the Virginia Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine.
The couple operates M C Livestock in Greenville, Virginia, running a 130-head Angus cow breeding operation. They hold bull and female sales twice yearly in April and November.
Their sons, Jake and Zach, also participated extensively in livestock judging at local, state, and national levels.
According to Sarah, organizing an event of this magnitude requires extensive preparation and coordination.
The planning process begins in December following their fall bull sale and continues for several months leading up to the March competition.
“We wanted to give back to the ag community and feel strongly about supporting our youth,” Sarah stated. “Tom’s mom was a member of the 1960 Virginia State 4-H livestock judging team and coached him, his sisters and many others over the years. We wanted to do something to honor her and we are passionate about these kids and the judging program so it seemed like a perfect fit.”
The McCalls rely on a substantial support network to make the event successful. While they supply the cattle, friends contribute high-quality animals for the other three species. More than 50 volunteers help coordinate and execute the competition day, with Virginia Tech’s Youth Animal Science Department serving as a key partner.
“Tom and I went to Virginia Tech with Katherine Carter (Virginia Youth Animal Science Extension Specialist), so it was natural to start with her and his sister Ruth Boden when he first had the idea to start a contest,” Sarah noted. “Without guidance from Katherine and Ruth, there would be no contest. They are the experts. Virginia Tech’s role, through Katherine, is helping with registration, rules, contest format, and most importantly tabulations the day of the contest.”
Katherine Carter confirmed that while various farms and individuals nationwide organize judging competitions, the McCalls appear to be the only ones doing so in Virginia.
“Tom and Sarah created this opportunity in 2021 in response to COVID and so many contests and events that were hosted by Extension, universities, and other organizations being cancelled due to the restrictions imposed at that time,” Carter said. “Over the course of the last five years, 1,147 contestants from six states have participated in the contest.”
Carter and the Youth Animal Science Team at Virginia Tech handle logistics and scoring responsibilities.
“Tom and Sarah source all the stock, sponsors, contest day help and awards,” Carter said. “They do an amazing job.”
The competition day begins with registration at 7:30 a.m., followed by judging at 9 a.m. Participants are organized into smaller groups that rotate through each category.
Competitors receive 12 minutes to assess and evaluate the animals in each class.
Judging typically concludes by lunch, when participants enjoy a catered meal sponsored by Farm Credit while listening to an inspirational speaker.
“Our motivational speakers are generally young rising stars that have an inspiring story to tell about how their livestock judging career has helped them along their life career path,” Sarah explained. “Many times they are one of our officials, but sometimes we ask an outside person to come in. We try to find someone that will resonate with the kids and inspire them to be the best they can be in whatever field they choose. We have had a variety of occupations represented, from collegiate judging coaches to a human hospital administrator, a U.S. Senator’s aide, genetics specialist, and an Ag law student.”
Following lunch, contestants participating in the jackpot competition present their reasoning. Categories are split into senior (14-19 years) and junior (9-13) divisions.
The senior division champion receives $100, while the junior champion earns $50. Runner-up prizes are $50 and $25 respectively.
Ties are resolved by favoring the contestant with the lower placing score. If needed, question scores serve as a second tiebreaker, and officials make the final determination if ties persist.
After reasoning competitions conclude, officials calculate final scores and provide class critiques and official rankings for each category. Awards are distributed and the event typically wraps up around 3 p.m.
“One of our top priorities is for the kids to experience a fun high quality event,” Sarah said. “To us, this means quality livestock, quality people and top notch officials. We feel that our motivational speaker is a unique twist that you won’t find at other contests. We also have a peewee age division that allows kids from 5 to 8 years old to get a taste of what judging in a real contest is like.”
Sarah identified the young participants as the most fulfilling aspect of organizing the competition.
“We believe in these kids! The smiles on their faces with a firm handshake and a thank you at the end of the day is our reward,” Sarah said.
At various events, Sarah noted that former contestants frequently approach them to express gratitude for their efforts and dedication.
“I was at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association meeting last year when a young lady stopped me to thank me,” Sarah recalled. “I was also approached by a parent in Louisville at NILE who was excited to tell me about his daughter who was judging with the VA state 4-H team. Our contest was her very first one. It’s tremendously rewarding.”
The McCalls firmly believe the competition, particularly the jackpot portion, teaches young people to make and justify their decisions — a valuable skill for any future career path.
“Passing that on to these kids is our ‘why’ for having the contest,” Sarah said.
Looking ahead, the McCalls are considering adding a collegiate division to the competition. Tom has also expressed interest in expanding participation.
“Tom would love to have 500 kids,” Sarah said, “but the rest of us are not sure we can handle that many and still have a quality experience. But we’ll see where it goes. If we can handle more, we will.”
Drivers traveling on northbound Interstate 495 are facing significant delays this morning after a traffic accident forced authorities to shut down two left lanes near the East 12th Street overpass.
The crash has created a bottleneck in the area, with traffic being funneled into the remaining right lanes. Delaware Department of Transportation officials are working to clear the scene and restore normal traffic flow.
Motorists are advised to seek alternative routes if possible or allow extra travel time when passing through the area. The duration of the lane closures has not yet been determined.
Motorists using Rogers Road in New Castle County should plan for potential delays this afternoon as construction work continues to impact traffic flow.
DelDOT reports that periodic lane restrictions are affecting the stretch of Rogers Road between Oakmont Drive and New Castle Avenue (Route 9). The construction-related closures are expected to remain in place through 5 p.m. today.
Drivers are advised to allow extra travel time and consider alternate routes if possible during the affected hours.
(Editor’s note: Letitia Nichols serves as deputy state director for USDA Rural Development in Maryland and Delaware.)
Several representatives from USDA Rural Development recently attended the 25th annual MidAtlantic Women in Agriculture Regional Conference, demonstrating the agency’s dedication to helping farmers throughout the Delmarva Peninsula and broader Mid-Atlantic area.
The gathering united female farmers, ranchers, agricultural business owners and farm service providers for comprehensive workshops centered on farming topics.
Attending the conference allowed our Rural Development staff to directly hear about the issues and obstacles that women agricultural producers face in our area.
Conference attendees learned from Oksana Bocharova, who successfully received funding through the Value-Added Producer Grant program.
Agricultural producers throughout the Delmarva area can apply for federal grants designed to boost farm revenue and create new market access.
USDA Rural Development is now taking applications for its VAPG initiative. Officials have pushed back the application deadline to 1 p.m. on April 22.
The VAPG initiative ranks among USDA Rural Development’s most sought-after resources for assisting farmers, ranchers, and producer-focused enterprises in creating innovative products, broadening marketing reach, and boosting producer earnings.
This program directly addresses the requirements of numerous area agricultural producers dealing with narrow profit margins and evolving markets.
The VAPG initiative finances two main project categories:
• Planning grants: Financial support for feasibility assessments, business planning, and market analysis for potential projects; and
• Working capital grants: Resources to start or grow processing, marketing, or distribution of value-enhanced products.
For 2026, planning grants have a maximum of $50,000 while working capital grants can reach up to $200,000.
Every grant demands a 1:1 matching contribution, which can consist of cash and qualifying in-kind donations.
USDA continues to mandate that all applications must be filed electronically using their online application system.
The system features a comprehensive user manual and detailed guidance to assist applicants through the submission process.
Potential applicants should start their preparation well in advance.
Due to the program’s competitive and complicated requirements, many producers partner with professional grant writers, cooperative extension personnel, or regional development groups to improve their application quality.
For additional details, reach out to your state’s business programs director or go to https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/business-programs/value-added-producer-grants.
Lisa Fitzgerald serves as our business programs director for Delaware and Maryland, and can be contacted at [email protected] or 302-857-3628.
CAMBRIDGE, Md. — As spring planting season approaches, Dorchester County farmer Rusty Eberspacher and his son Todd are preparing to begin herbicide applications, but an unresolved pesticide investigation from 2024 continues to weigh on their minds.
The farming duo has been waiting eight months for the Maryland Department of Agriculture to complete its investigation into complaints filed by a neighboring resident who claimed their chemical applications damaged garden plants.
The initial complaint was submitted in late May, according to Rusty, after they applied a grass herbicide commonly used in vegetable farming to one of their fields. The neighbor alleged the spray harmed plants in their garden.
“The chemistry takes two weeks, but he called the next day,” Rusty explained.
A second complaint followed later in the growing season when Todd applied a combination of insecticide and liquid fertilizer. Rusty noted that tensions with the neighbor had escalated previously, including a social media dispute in August 2023.
“The comment was we killed his garden,” Rusty said.
Following the complaints, a Maryland Department of Agriculture Pesticide Regulation Section inspector conducted a site visit and collected swab samples from the neighbor’s home and property. While MDA confirmed the ongoing investigation, officials declined to provide additional details due to its active status.
Despite putting personal conflicts aside, Rusty expressed frustration with the lengthy delay in receiving results, particularly since he believes no violations occurred.
“I don’t think it’s reasonable to be waiting months and not have an answer,” he stated. “If we’ve done something wrong, we want to know about it.”
Kelly Love, pesticide program inspector manager, acknowledged that the standard timeframe for sample analysis ranges from four to six months, though some cases process faster while others take longer.
“It frustrates a lot of people,” Love admitted regarding the extended waiting periods.
Rob Hofstetter, who manages the Pesticide Regulation Program, explained that samples must be sent to an out-of-state laboratory because Maryland currently lacks the necessary testing equipment. The external lab follows strict quality control procedures, which contributes to delays.
“Even when we did them in house, they took a while,” Hofstetter noted.
He shared the applicators’ frustration with the prolonged process.
“It’s frustrating for me as well because I don’t have a good reason why it’s late,” Hofstetter said. “I’m at the mercy of the chemist who’s working with the samples.”
The pesticide regulation department handles approximately 35 to 40 investigations each year, a significant decrease from the 180-200 annual cases Hofstetter remembered from his early career decades ago.
While some complaints can be resolved through phone conversations, department policy requires responding to every complaint received, including those from repeat complainants.
“We have a number of complaints where we don’t find anything but we’re there every single time,” he explained. “We have to respond, we can’t just blow it off.”
Once laboratory results are returned, Hofstetter said the investigation undergoes an internal review process before both parties receive the findings.
“Once we have it, our goal is to get it off our desk in 24 hours,” he said.
Rusty Eberspacher indicated that if the investigation concludes with no violation found, he would view any future complaints from the same neighbor as harassment.
“It doesn’t make us look good as farmers,” Rusty said. “The first thing you hear is what you tend to believe.”
(Editor’s note: Nicole Cook serves as an environmental and agricultural faculty legal specialist with UMES. This information should not be considered legal or financial guidance for readers.)
Winter’s chill has many people dreaming of warmer days ahead: gentle winds, blooming gardens, and for prospective beekeepers, purchasing their first “nuc!”
Honeybees play a crucial role in supporting Maryland’s farming sector, and beekeeping operations that produce honey and beeswax while providing crop pollination services offer farmers an extra revenue stream.
However, due to their agricultural significance, Maryland enforces detailed regulations designed to protect honeybee populations, and state officials treat these requirements with utmost seriousness.
Breaking Maryland’s beekeeping regulations constitutes a misdemeanor offense.
Therefore, prospective beekeepers should familiarize themselves with Maryland’s legal requirements before purchasing their first colony.
Maryland’s Department of Agriculture oversees approval processes for bringing honeybee colonies into the state.
State law prohibits shipping or bringing any colony or previously used beekeeping equipment into Maryland without proper documentation from an authorized apiary inspector from the equipment’s or colony’s origin state.
Colonies or bees entering Maryland without required paperwork face quarantine in MDA-designated locations, and the department may eliminate them at the owner’s cost if they’re not removed within 24 hours of official notification.
All beekeepers must allow MDA access for colony inspections and register each colony within 30 days of acquisition, then annually by January 1st.
While inspection and registration services are provided free of charge, registration certificates cannot be transferred between owners.
Registration forms are available at http://mda.maryland.gov/plants-pests/Pages/apiary_inspection.aspx.
MDA inspections verify that honey processing facilities maintain cleanliness and sanitation standards, proper ventilation, adequate lighting with protective covers over food areas to prevent contamination.
Inspectors also confirm accessible water supplies for honey processing areas, and ensure honey houses are used exclusively for extracting, processing, packaging, or handling honey during extraction periods. External openings in extraction and packaging areas must have screens in good condition.
Each colony requires moveable frames that can be removed without damaging other combs, and honey extraction is limited to capped combs free of bee brood, larvae, wax moth, or small hive beetle contamination.
Transporting bee colonies through Maryland requires constant screening or covering, and vehicle operators must keep engines running continuously except during refueling to prevent bee agitation, unless bees are stored in refrigerated compartments maintained at 45 degrees Fahrenheit.
Vehicles carrying bees cannot travel more than one mile from interstate highways.
Beyond state regulations, beekeepers should research local county and municipal restrictions.
Frederick County’s zoning rules, for instance, mandate apiaries be positioned at least 10 feet from property boundaries, require on-site water sources to discourage bees from seeking water elsewhere, and require apiaries to be situated behind solid barriers at least six feet high that run parallel to property lines and extend 10 feet past the apiary in both directions.
Beekeepers employing workers must submit either a Certificate of Compliance with State Workmen’s Compensation Laws or provide MDA with workers’ compensation policy or binder numbers as insurance proof.
Additional information about Maryland’s beekeeping regulations and details about how beekeeping qualifies as an agricultural activity for reduced property tax assessments under Maryland’s Tax-Property Article can be found at https://www.agrisk.umd.edu by searching for “bee.”
ANTERSELVA, Italy – Norwegian athlete Johannes Dale-Skjevdal delivered a flawless performance on the shooting range Friday, hitting every single one of his 20 targets to capture gold in the men’s biathlon 15-kilometer mass start event at the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics.
His victory marked a historic moment for Norway, as the nation now holds 17 gold medals at these Games – breaking their own world record for most golds won by any country at a single Winter Olympics. The previous mark of 16 golds was set by Norway at the Beijing 2022 Games.
Fellow Norwegian Sturla Holm Laegreid claimed silver, finishing 10.5 seconds behind his teammate. France’s Quentin Fillon Maillet secured the bronze medal after overtaking Germany’s Philipp Horn during the final lap.
Among all 30 competitors in the race, Dale-Skjevdal was the sole athlete to achieve perfect shooting accuracy throughout the event. This exceptional marksmanship proved decisive for the 28-year-old, who is known for his talent but has struggled with consistency in the past.
“There’s a lot of feelings. Olympic champion. Damn, it’s sick, it’s a dream … I have no words,” Dale-Skjevdal shared with Norwegian television following his victory.
The competition consisted of five laps around a 3-kilometer course, with athletes required to shoot from both prone and standing positions twice each. Every missed shot resulted in a penalty lap around a 150-meter loop.
Early leaders Emilien Jacquelin of France and Italy’s Tommaso Giacomel both struggled as the race progressed. Giacomel was forced to withdraw completely due to side pain before the third shooting segment.
Weather conditions proved challenging, with heavy snowfall from Thursday and unpredictable winds affecting the competition. However, the experienced Norwegian team managed to take control as the race developed.
Strong, gusty winds created havoc during the third shooting round, but Dale-Skjevdal maintained his perfect accuracy to move ahead of Laegreid. Horn held third place with Fillon Maillet close behind.
After Dale-Skjevdal’s fourth perfect shooting series secured his gold medal and Laegreid maintained his comfortable silver medal position, attention turned to the bronze medal battle.
Fillon Maillet made his decisive move with 1.2 kilometers remaining in the race. Despite Horn’s efforts to respond, the French athlete pulled away during a long downhill section to claim the bronze medal.
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump acknowledged Friday that he is weighing the possibility of launching a limited military action against Iran, though he offered no additional specifics about any potential operation.
When White House reporters questioned whether he was contemplating a targeted strike designed to bring Iran to the negotiating table regarding its nuclear activities, Trump responded by saying “I guess I can say I am considering” such action.
The president’s brief comments came during a media availability at the White House on February 20th, but he declined to elaborate further on what form any military response might take or the timeline for such a decision.
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy – Three seasoned Canadian curlers are pursuing another Olympic gold medal, but they’re competing in a sport that has transformed significantly since their earlier triumphs.
Team Canada secured their spot in Saturday’s championship match after defeating Norway 5-4 in Thursday’s semifinal round. They’ll face world champion Britain for the ultimate prize.
Skip Brad Jacobs hasn’t competed in an Olympic final since 2014, while his teammates Marc Kennedy and Ben Hebert last reached this stage 16 years ago. Despite their experience, all three acknowledge the sport has evolved considerably.
Reflecting on the differences between now and his 2014 Sochi victory, Jacobs explained his changed perspective: “Back in Sochi, I really felt like we were going to win gold. We had worked our way through that event and got stronger and stronger and stronger. We became very dominant throughout the playoffs. This time, curling has changed, curling is a lot more difficult.”
“The game against Britain is a coin flip, 50-50. Either team could win that game. I’m grateful to have secured a medal and played as well as we have all week. Now we just have one opportunity to leave it all out in the ice and see what happens,” Jacobs added.
Hebert, now 42, captured gold on home soil in Vancouver during the 2010 Olympics when he was just 26 years old under skip Kevin Martin’s leadership.
“You go to the Olympics your very first time, you win Olympic gold in your home country undefeated, and you’re just, ‘I can do this every time’,” Hebert recalled.
“That’s not how it went in my career, and that’s not how it goes for anybody … There’s so many good teams and players that want to get here. The game’s changed a lot since 2010. The ice has changed, the way players throw it, how good everybody is …”
“Sometimes it’s tough to teach an old dog new tricks. But I’ve had guys like Brad and Marc come in and push me to new levels to continue to elevate my game, so that I can still be out here at 42,” Hebert said.
Kennedy, 44, stepped away from competitive curling following Canada’s disappointing fourth-place finish at the 2018 Olympics but found his way back to the sport.
“I semi-retired six years ago, so to be back here is pretty incredible, and to be with these guys – really proud of my team,” Kennedy stated.
“We lost the Olympics in 2018, we got fourth place, my hip was a mess, and I was exhausted. I was ready to step away from the game. Then an opportunity came up to play with Brad Jacobs the following year. Working a real job wasn’t as much fun as I thought, so it was time to get back on the ice,” he explained.
Kennedy has also been involved in controversy during these games after responding angrily to accusations of cheating.
Prince Andrew, the younger sibling of King Charles, was taken into police custody this week amid accusations that he provided sensitive British government materials to the late Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced American financier.
Investigators from Thames Valley Police spent an entire day Thursday interviewing the 66-year-old Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor about claims he transmitted classified documents to Epstein, who was later convicted as a sex offender, during his tenure as a trade representative.
Documents from U.S. files connected to Epstein indicate that Mountbatten-Windsor may have shared reports in 2010 regarding business prospects in locations he had toured while serving as the Special Representative for Trade and Investment.
The former prince, who celebrated his 66th birthday on Thursday, has consistently maintained his innocence regarding any connections to Epstein. Authorities released him from detention Thursday evening as their investigation moves forward.
The potential criminal charge Andrew faces is misconduct in public office, a serious offense rooted in centuries of judicial precedent rather than written statutes. This crime can result in a life sentence upon conviction.
Law enforcement officials have noted that this type of case involves “particular complexities” requiring thorough evaluation, though they declined to provide additional specifics.
Britain’s chief prosecutor Stephen Parkinson stated earlier this month that regulations surrounding misconduct in public office are “quite clear.”
However, legal experts note this charge has typically been applied to lower-level officials such as police officers and correctional staff. Research from the anti-corruption organization Spotlight on Corruption suggests prosecutors may find it challenging to pursue such complex cases against high-ranking individuals.
One notable example involved a former police officer who received a 10-month prison term in 2013 for providing information to The Sun newspaper and attempting to sell another story involving celebrity children to the now-closed News of the World.
The Law Commission proposed in 2020 to replace the current misconduct statute, and legislation to implement this change is currently under parliamentary review, though it would not apply retroactively.
Tom Frost, who teaches law at Loughborough University, explained that misconduct in public office “remains a difficult offence to prove in relation to senior executives or senior political figures.”
Prosecutors must first demonstrate that the accused held a public position and was “acting as, not simply whilst, a public official” when the alleged misconduct occurred.
Since Mountbatten-Windsor’s trade envoy position was voluntary without salary compensation – though he did receive travel expenses and lodging – establishing his status as a public official may prove more complex. However, Crown Prosecution Service guidelines indicate that payment is “not determinative” in such cases.
Additionally, prosecutors must prove the defendant intentionally engaged in misconduct “to such a degree as to amount to an abuse of the public’s trust.”
The Court of Appeal established in 2003 that this standard is demanding, requiring conduct that was “not merely negligent but … an affront to the standing of the public office held.”
The charge also requires proving the conduct lacked reasonable justification or excuse.
Given the intricate nature of misconduct in public office cases, investigators and prosecutors will likely need several weeks or months before deciding whether to file formal charges.
Mountbatten-Windsor, who has maintained his innocence regarding Epstein connections but has remained silent since additional documents became public, may face additional questioning sessions.
Should charges be filed, the former prince would initially appear before a magistrates’ court.
Cases involving misconduct in public office must be heard by a judge and jury, meaning Andrew’s trial would move to Crown Court, which handles the most severe criminal matters. His case would most likely be heard at the renowned Old Bailey courthouse in central London.
While Britain’s criminal court system currently faces significant scheduling delays, with some trials scheduled as late as 2030, a case involving the monarch’s brother would likely receive priority scheduling.
WASHINGTON – A government oversight agency released a report Friday criticizing the Federal Aviation Administration’s ability to effectively monitor United Airlines’ aircraft maintenance operations due to staffing shortages, inadequate training programs, and limited access to airline operational data.
The U.S. Transportation Department Office of Inspector General launched this evaluation in early 2024 after the FAA increased its monitoring of United Airlines following multiple safety-related incidents involving the carrier.
According to the OIG’s findings released Friday, the FAA’s current monitoring approach is “insufficient to oversee safety risks.” The report also revealed that due to inspector shortages, the FAA has sometimes resorted to conducting inspections remotely rather than delaying them until in-person visits could be arranged.
Shares of Blue Owl Capital tumbled more than 5% during Friday morning trading, continuing a steep decline that has seen the investment management firm lose over half its stock value during the past year.
The New York-based alternative asset manager announced Wednesday it would liquidate $1.4 billion worth of assets from three investment funds, with proceeds going back to investors in a nine-year-old investment vehicle.
According to Bloomberg News reporting Friday, the company sold its loan portfolio to three major North American pension funds and its own Chicago-based insurance company, Kuvare.
“A lot of pushback this morning focusing on the fact that one of the four buyers of the loans was Kuvare, Blue Owl’s own insurance asset manager,” Brian Finneran, managing director at Truist Financial, explained.
The debt being sold covers 128 different companies spanning 27 industries, with software and services making up the largest portion at 13 percent, Blue Owl reported.
Company officials said the loans were sold at 99.7 percent of their listed value, matching the firm’s internal valuations, which they pointed to as proof their asset pricing was accurate.
The investment manager also permanently eliminated a feature that allowed investors – primarily wealthy individuals – to withdraw portions of their funds each quarter, raising red flags about private lending standards and the sector’s ties to the struggling software industry.
“We are not halting investor liquidity in non-traded debt fund Blue Owl Capital Corp II,” the company stated Thursday, one day after announcing it would return 30 percent of the fund’s net asset value to investors while ending quarterly withdrawals.
Rather than continuing a tender-offer system that would have let investors reclaim 5 percent of their investment, Blue Owl said its new approach “returns six times as much capital and returns it to all shareholders over the next 45 days.”
“In the coming quarters, we will continue to pursue this plan to return capital to OBDC II investors,” the company added.
The stock decline reflects weeks of mounting anxiety over software company valuations as artificial intelligence developments threaten to disrupt existing business models.
This uncertainty has spread to private credit firms that have become major lenders to the technology sector, an industry that has increasingly relied on private credit since banking regulations tightened traditional lending after the financial crisis.
The turbulence also affected larger competitors Apollo Global and KKR, with sector returns broadly under pressure from valuation concerns.
The private credit industry has faced intense examination following last year’s bankruptcies of auto-parts manufacturer First Brands and subprime lender Tricolor. Investors have expressed strong doubts about the quality of private credit portfolios and their valuations.
“We’re not to the point that we say what’s going on with Blue Owl is necessarily systemic any more than when we see a particular bank have some credit risk,” Steve Wyett, Chief Investment Strategist at BOK Financial, noted.
“This is indicative of a bigger issue in the private alternative world, whether it’s private credit, private equity, or venture capital, this is about this mismatch between the need for liquidity from underlying investors and what the managers can deliver based upon the assets that they’re invested in.”
Adding to Blue Owl’s troubles, Business Insider reported Friday that the company failed to secure financing for a $4 billion data center project it is jointly developing in Pennsylvania with CoreWeave.
Blue Owl did not respond immediately to requests for comment about the financing report.
The financing setback comes several months after Blue Owl secured a $27 billion agreement to fund Meta’s largest data center project.
“And then the hits keep coming, Blue Owl down again this morning on headline that it couldn’t secure financing for a $4 billion CoreWeave data center,” Finneran said.
American business expansion hit its weakest pace in 10 months during February, with factory orders declining and service companies seeing reduced new business growth, according to survey data released Friday.
The S&P Global flash Composite PMI Output Index, which measures activity across manufacturing and service industries, dropped to 52.3 this month from January’s reading of 53.0. This marks the lowest level since April, though any figure above 50 still signals private sector growth. Both industry sectors saw their flash PMI readings decline during the month.
Chris Williamson, chief business economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence, warned of significant economic cooling ahead. “The PMI data so far this year are indicative of GDP rising at an annualized rate of just 1.5%, signalling a marked cooling of the economy in the first quarter compared to the robust growth rates seen in the second half of last year,” Williamson stated.
The Commerce Department also reported Friday that fourth-quarter gross domestic product growth fell short of expectations, hampered by last year’s government shutdown disruptions and weakened consumer spending patterns. The service sector index fell to 52.3 from January’s 52.7, missing economists’ projected 53.0 reading. Manufacturing activity dropped to a seven-month low of 51.2, down from last month’s 52.4 and below the anticipated 52.6. Factory new orders decreased for the second time in three months. Job creation across both sectors nearly stalled, registering just 50.2.
PARIS – American diplomatic officials are keeping a watchful eye on the death of a French far-right activist at the hands of alleged hard-left extremists, raising the possibility that the incident could be classified as terrorism in remarks that may escalate ongoing friction between the United States and France.
The State Department’s counterterrorism division announced Thursday on social media platform X that it was tracking the situation, cautioning that “violent radical leftism was on the rise” and should be considered a threat to public safety. The bureau added: “We … expect to see the perpetrators of violence brought to justice.”
Under Secretary of State Sarah B. Rogers, a public diplomacy leader who has spearheaded multiple criticisms of European administrations, posted on X Friday that she was also closely following developments in the case.
“Democracy rests on a basic bargain: you get to bring any viewpoint to the public square, and nobody gets to kill you for it. This is why we treat political violence – terrorism – so harshly,” Rogers stated.
Neither the U.S. State Department nor France’s Foreign Ministry provided responses to requests for comment.
The counterterrorism bureau at the State Department holds significant responsibility in creating terrorist designations and implementing related sanctions measures.
Tensions between Washington and Paris have persisted for months across issues including trade policies, freedom of expression, and international relations. Rogers has consistently criticized France regarding its stance on technology oversight and speech regulations.
Deranque lost his life last Saturday following brutal confrontations between extreme-left and extreme-right factions in Lyon.
Legal authorities reported that six individuals are being investigated for murder, while a former aide to a France Unbowed (LFI) hard-left party representative is facing charges of complicity through incitement.
The event has caused significant upheaval in French political circles, damaging the LFI party while strengthening the far-right National Rally in advance of upcoming presidential elections next year, according to political observers. The incident also sparked a diplomatic disagreement between Macron and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
The British Royal Family is grappling with what experts are calling their most devastating crisis since the 1930s, following the shocking arrest of Prince Andrew in connection with the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
King Charles received devastating news Friday morning as images of his younger brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor exiting a police station dominated newspaper headlines worldwide, marking an unprecedented moment for the thousand-year-old monarchy.
Andrew faces charges of misconduct in public office related to his controversial relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, the deceased American financier convicted of sex trafficking. The situation has sparked questions about whether this scandal could threaten the future of the entire royal institution.
Graham Smith, who leads the anti-monarchy organization Republic, initiated the police complaints that led to Andrew’s arrest. Smith used the moment to renew his calls for abolishing the monarchy entirely.
“I think it’s incredibly bad for the monarchy,” Smith stated.
Andrew has consistently denied any criminal behavior regarding Epstein while expressing regret about their association.
UNPRECEDENTED ROYAL TURMOIL
While the Windsor family has weathered numerous controversies throughout the decades, this situation represents uncharted territory for the monarchy.
Previous royal scandals included Princess Diana’s divorce and tragic death in 1997, which generated significant public backlash, along with more recent turmoil when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle abandoned their royal responsibilities and later publicly criticized the institution from America.
However, no senior royal has ever faced criminal investigation and arrest before, creating the monarchy’s most serious existential threat since King Edward VIII abdicated in 1936 to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson.
“It’s certainly the worst crisis since the abdication, and it’s particularly bad because it’s not a crisis over which they can really exercise any control,” explained a former senior royal advisor who maintains close ties to King Charles.
“They have been sort of predominantly on the back foot throughout because they’ve had to react to information emerging, and they still don’t know what else is in the files,” the advisor revealed to Reuters under anonymity conditions.
ROYAL FAMILY CUTS ALL TIES
The central concern for King Charles, Prince William, and their advisors involves determining whether Andrew’s scandal will inflict permanent damage on the monarchy or simply reinforce existing negative public perceptions of the disgraced former prince.
The royal family has already implemented maximum separation from Andrew, removing all his official titles, taking away his residence, and eliminating any public role within the family structure.
King Charles, currently receiving treatment for undisclosed cancer, and Queen Camilla have publicly expressed support for abuse victims. Prince William and Princess Kate have stated they feel “deeply concerned” about revelations contained in the Epstein documents.
Following Andrew’s arrest, King Charles issued an unusually direct public statement: “Let me state clearly: the law must take its course,” demonstrating his commitment to further distancing the monarchy from his brother.
“The institution has taken every step that it can to distance itself from him and his actions,” confirmed Julian Payne, Charles’ former communications director.
“The hope is that by doing so, they can create some clear blue water between the working members of the family and what they exist to do on behalf of the UK and the other countries around the world where he is king, and this person and the actions that they are responsible for answering.”
PUBLIC SUPPORT REMAINS STRONG
Recent polling data from YouGov in January, conducted before the U.S. government released millions of Epstein-related documents that triggered the British investigation, revealed that only 3% of British citizens view Andrew favorably, while 90% hold negative opinions of him.
However, other royal family members maintain significantly higher approval ratings. Prince William enjoys positive support from 77% of the public, while King Charles receives approval from 60% of citizens.
The monarchy as an institution, despite facing challenges with younger demographics, continues receiving majority support from the British population.
“It’s challenging and it doesn’t reflect well on the family as a whole, but I think they’ll survive,” commented Jeremy Paul, a 59-year-old accountant, while heading to work Friday morning.
Republic’s Smith warned the situation would become “game over” for the royals if investigations revealed that King Charles or Prince William possessed knowledge about Andrew’s Epstein connections and failed to take appropriate action.
Currently, no evidence suggests either Charles or William had such knowledge.
INVESTIGATION CENTERS ON TRADE ROLE
While the royal family remains concerned about potential future revelations from Epstein documents, the former advisor believes nothing will likely implicate King Charles or Prince William directly.
Andrew’s arrest stems from allegations that he shared confidential government information with Epstein during his tenure as a trade envoy for Britain.
Notably, King Charles had originally opposed his brother receiving the trade position that now forms the basis of the criminal investigation, while Prince William maintains no relationship with his uncle, according to the former advisor.
“It’s not existential … I don’t think it’ll bring the monarchy down, I know quite a few people are thinking about that,” the advisor explained.
“I think it’ll do significant harm that will be quite lasting. But I think in the king and in the Prince of Wales, the right people are there to maintain and restore sufficient trust and respect.”
A federal court has denied Tesla’s bid to avoid paying a massive $243 million judgment related to a deadly 2019 accident involving one of the company’s self-driving Model S vehicles.
U.S. District Judge Beth Bloom in Miami made her ruling public this past Friday, stating that the trial evidence “more than supported” the jury’s original verdict. The judge noted that Tesla failed to present any fresh arguments that would justify overturning the substantial financial award to the crash victims’ families.
The case centers on a fatal collision in 2019 that involved Tesla’s Autopilot technology, which has faced increasing scrutiny over safety concerns in recent years.
(Editor’s note: John Hall works as a professional commodities analyst.)
Should farmers prioritize maximizing yields or maximizing profits? This fundamental question challenges Delaware agriculture as input costs continue climbing this growing season.
Hall questions whether the agricultural industry has taken the wrong approach. He notes that most farming conferences today concentrate on certification requirements rather than discussing financial returns. While pesticide experts draw large crowds when presenting new chemical products, they rarely mention treatment expenses.
Hall recalls a well-known weed specialist from years past who would chuckle when questioned about costs. With input expenses rising again this season, he believes it’s crucial to shift attention toward profitability.
A former colleague once established a corn competition that awarded high economic returns rather than just bushels per acre. Though it seemed like an excellent concept, the program ended when the organizer retired because he handled most of the financial calculations himself.
While yield competitions remain widespread today, Hall worries that farmers have become too focused on pushing production limits without considering profit margins. He emphasizes that production matters greatly, but fears this yield-first approach has created problems.
Over the next two weeks, Hall plans to examine two critical issues to support his argument. He encourages growers who haven’t prepared crop budgets to review their financial planning.
Using Iowa State University information, Hall calculated machinery expenses and combined them with fixed costs, reaching $733 per acre for 2026 corn production. This figure includes various operational items detailed in his analysis.
To determine projected per-bushel costs, farmers should divide this amount by anticipated yield. With 200 bushels per acre, the example shows $3.67 in variable costs per bushel.
Hall discovers that most producers stop their calculations at this point during discussions. However, he stresses that fixed costs must also be included in the total. His examples combine fixed expenses with cash requirements to determine business cash flow needs, assuming the farm provides the only income source. After reviewing his January 13th article, he realized family living expenses should be added to fixed costs.
The fixed cost items totaled $325,980 for a 1,000-acre operation to simplify calculations. Dividing this by acreage yielded $325 per acre. Like variable costs, he divided this by the expected 200-bushel yield, resulting in $1.63 per bushel. Total costs equal variable costs plus fixed costs: $3.67 + $1.63 = $5.30.
Comparing this to December 2026 corn futures prices reveals concerning numbers. On February 19th, December harvest futures traded at $4.68. Historically, annual price peaks often occur in February or March. Even adding positive basis to futures prices likely won’t reach the $5.30 break-even point, making 2026 prospects look dim.
Hall’s analysis shows total per-bushel costs at different yield levels: 240, 200, and 160 bushels per acre. The differences are significant. Since yield mapping consistently demonstrates soil variability across farms, he poses a challenging question:
Must farmers plant every available acre? He acknowledges this requires a major philosophical shift toward idling some ground, wondering how many operators would consider this approach.
Soybean economics present similar challenges. Hall’s January 20th column examined soybean budgets using Iowa State data. Their 2026 variable cost estimates include seed and chemicals at $230.95, labor at $44.33, and land at $286.00, totaling $561.28 per acre. Adding the same $325 fixed costs used for corn creates a total of $886.28. Using a 70-bushel yield, estimated costs reach $12.66 per bushel.
November soybean harvest futures traded at $11.16 on February 19th. Soybeans typically face negative basis, making $10.75 a realistic selling price.
Applying the same scenario used for corn analysis, an 85-bushel yield would cost $886 divided by 85, or $10.42 per bushel. This appears manageable, but lower yields create problems. A 55-bushel crop would cost $886 divided by 55, or $16.10 per bushel.
Achieving profitability in 2026 will prove difficult. Since higher yields showed the most promise, reducing variable costs may be challenging. However, some fixed costs and cash payment items might be eliminated. Machinery payments deserve first consideration, as most equipment loans require payments exceeding depreciation rates.
Eliminating equipment with high payments will be painful but might restore profitability. Having adequate cash for payments is essential for maintaining cash flow.
Hall concludes his budget discussion with this thought: Why plant marginal soils when yields are so vital for profitability?
Next week, he will examine supply and demand factors, which he expects will be even more concerning.
(Note: Hall researches material from Allendale, DTN, USDA, University Land Grants and other credible sources when compiling articles. This represents expert consensus rather than personal opinion. Those seeking marketing coaching or strategy discussions can contact him at [email protected] or call 410-708-8781.)
Three people lost their lives and four aid workers sustained injuries Thursday when drones targeted a humanitarian convoy transporting essential supplies through Sudan’s conflict-torn Kordofan region, according to medical monitoring groups.
The Sudan Doctors Network reported on social media that the vehicles were delivering food and emergency aid to Kadugli city and Dilling town in South Kordofan when the attack occurred in the Kartala area. The medical group attributed the drone assault to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), though the specific aid organization operating the convoy remains unknown.
Sudan has been engulfed in civil war since April 2023, with fighting between the RSF and government military forces spreading nationwide. The World Health Organization reports that the conflict has claimed at least 40,000 lives and forced 12 million people from their homes. Aid organizations warn the actual casualty count may be significantly higher due to limited access to remote combat zones.
The Kordofan region has become the latest battleground, where humanitarian groups and security analysts document increasing drone attacks that disrupt relief efforts and harm civilians. This occurs despite military claims of regaining control and lifting sieges in Kadugli and Dilling. February alone saw 77 civilian deaths from drone warfare across Kordofan.
United Nations agencies announced Wednesday that a convoy successfully reached Dilling and Kadugli with assistance for over 130,000 residents – marking the first substantial aid delivery in three months. Nevertheless, relief workers express growing alarm over the intensifying violence.
This marks the second assault on humanitarian convoys within a month, the Sudan Doctors Network noted. Earlier in the month, attackers struck a World Food Program convoy in North Kordofan.
Meanwhile, a UN-supported investigative team released findings Thursday concluding that RSF actions in el-Fasher, North Darfur’s capital, during late October displayed “hallmarks of genocide.” In response to these findings, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on three RSF commanders involved in el-Fasher operations and demanded the group agree to an immediate ceasefire.
A prominent British lobbying company has ceased operations and entered bankruptcy proceedings following damaging revelations about its co-founder’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein, the deceased convicted sex offender.
Global Counsel announced Friday it has halted business activities and dismissed approximately 80 employees in the United Kingdom after numerous clients severed relationships with the firm. The exodus occurred after documents exposed the depth of Peter Mandelson’s connection to Epstein, who died while imprisoned in New York during 2019. The company employs roughly 130 people across the globe.
Mandelson, who established Global Counsel in 2010 following the Labour Party’s electoral defeat, stepped down from the company’s board last year and divested his ownership stake this month in what appeared to be an effort to shield the business from the growing controversy.
Interpath, a consulting company, has assigned administrators to explore possibilities for the enterprise and examine its holdings.
“While Global Counsel had grown over the past 15 years to become one of the U.K.’s leading public affairs consultancies, the rapid and sudden loss of clients over recent weeks has had a monumental impact on the business,” said Will Wright, U.K. chief executive of Interpath and joint administrator.
Among the extensive collection of Epstein-related documents released by the U.S. Justice Department, correspondence revealed that Mandelson shared confidential government intelligence with the financier he called his “best pal” during 2009, while serving as a senior Labour government official.
The files also contained evidence of $75,000 in payments during 2003 and 2004 from Epstein to financial accounts connected to Mandelson or his spouse, Reinaldo Avila da Silva. Mandelson has challenged the validity of these banking records. In his resignation letter to Labour, Mandelson stated he had no memory of receiving such funds and pledged to investigate the matter.
After the Epstein documents became public, law enforcement officers conducted searches at Mandelson’s London residence and another property associated with him.
British authorities are investigating Mandelson for possible misconduct while in public service, though he faces no allegations of sexual crimes. On Thursday, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was taken into custody on similar suspicions related to his tenure as a UK trade representative.
Mandelson’s selection for the prestigious diplomatic position nearly ended Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s career as critics questioned his decision-making abilities. Mandelson’s extensive political history has been marked by scandal, including two departures from Tony Blair’s administrations around 2000.
Less than a year after the appointment, Starmer dismissed Mandelson in September when earlier email releases demonstrated he maintained his friendship with Epstein following the financier’s 2008 conviction for sexual offenses involving a minor.
The government intends to publish records from the screening process, hoping to clear Starmer’s name and demonstrate that Mandelson was dishonest.
A prominent Belarusian opposition figure who made headlines for rejecting forced exile has been freed from prison following a medical emergency that left him with lasting health complications.
Mikola Statkevich, 69, was released after experiencing a stroke while serving his sentence, according to his wife Maryna Adamovich. Speaking to reporters Friday from Belarus’s capital city, she explained that her husband continues to experience speech difficulties as a result of the medical episode. “Now he’s recovering and gaining strength,” Adamovich stated during a telephone conversation.
The veteran politician’s release came after he made a dramatic stand in September when dictator Alexander Lukashenko granted pardons to 52 political detainees. While other prisoners accepted transport to Lithuania’s border as part of the U.S.-negotiated agreement, Statkevich denounced the arrangement as “forced deportation.” He dramatically exited the transport vehicle and remained in the border zone for hours before Belarusian authorities arrested him and returned him to custody.
Statkevich had been serving a 14-year sentence following his 2020 arrest on accusations of inciting mass disorder, charges that international human rights organizations like Amnesty International have condemned as politically driven.
Government spokesperson Natalia Eismont announced Friday that Lukashenko authorized Statkevich’s freedom due to his medical situation, responding to appeals from his family members.
The authoritarian leader, often called “Europe’s last dictator,” has controlled Belarus for more than 30 years through systematic suppression of opposition voices. After massive demonstrations erupted following disputed 2020 elections, authorities detained over 65,000 individuals, physically assaulted thousands, and shuttered hundreds of independent news organizations and civil society groups.
International sanctions and diplomatic isolation have pressured Belarus for years due to human rights violations and its support for Russia’s 2022 Ukraine invasion. Recently, Lukashenko has attempted to improve Western relations by freeing hundreds of imprisoned dissidents.
Statkevich’s initial release occurred following discussions between Lukashenko and then-President Donald Trump in August, which led to the lifting of restrictions on Belarus’s national carrier, Belavia. An additional 123 political prisoners, including Nobel laureate Ales Bialiatski, gained freedom on December 13 when the U.S. removed certain trade penalties.
However, government persecution of critics continues despite these prisoner exchanges. The Viasna human rights organization reports that 1,146 political prisoners remain in Belarusian custody.
“It’s still unclear what Statkevich’s legal status is and whether the authorities have cleared the accusations against him,” explained Pavel Sapelka from Viasna. “Political repressions in Belarus are continuing, and it means that no government critic can feel secure.”
According to Sapelka, Statkevich required more than a month of intensive medical treatment at a prison hospital following his stroke.
Throughout his lengthy political career, Statkevich, who ran against Lukashenko in the 2010 presidential race, has faced imprisonment three times and spent over 12 years in detention facilities.
Exiled opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who fled Belarus in 2020, expressed her emotions about the development. “I feel immense relief that Statkevich is finally free and at home,” she told reporters. “With his courage and bravery, he won a huge moral victory, for which he paid a high price.”
Delaware farmers will have the opportunity to request federal financial assistance starting Monday, as the U.S. Department of Agriculture opens applications for its massive $11 billion Farmer Bridge Assistance Program.
The USDA has officially announced that the registration window is now available for agricultural producers seeking support through this significant aid initiative.
Drivers traveling through New Castle County should prepare for significant traffic delays Monday as state transportation officials implement multiple lane closures along Interstate 95 near the Route 896 interchange.
The Delaware Department of Transportation has scheduled daytime lane restrictions on southbound I-95 to conduct bridge inspections throughout Monday. Transportation crews will also shut down multiple lanes on northbound I-95 during overnight hours for bridge maintenance work.
Additional traffic disruptions are planned for Route 896, where DelDOT will implement rolling roadblocks on the northbound lanes and the northbound on-ramp connecting to northbound I-95. These rolling closures are scheduled for Monday night and may extend into Tuesday evening if work crews require additional time to complete the bridge repairs.
Motorists are advised to seek alternate routes or allow extra travel time when navigating through the Newark area during the construction period.
State transportation officials are warning Delaware drivers about dangerous visibility conditions as dense fog settles across the region.
The Delaware Department of Transportation has activated a fog advisory covering the entire state as thick atmospheric conditions significantly reduce visibility on roadways.
Motorists are being urged to exercise extreme caution while traveling, as the heavy fog creates potentially hazardous driving situations throughout Delaware’s highway system and local roads.
The advisory remains active as weather conditions continue to impact safe travel across the First State.
Delaware Department of Transportation crews are conducting construction work that has forced the temporary closure of eastbound Abbotts Pond Road today.
The affected stretch runs from Shawnee Road to North Union Church Road, with the closure expected to last until 3 PM this afternoon.
Motorists traveling in the area should plan alternate routes and allow extra time for their commutes while the construction work is underway.
Following the catastrophic failure of the Potomac Interceptor on January 19th, environmental and economic consequences are mounting as this massive sewer main continues dumping raw sewage into the Potomac River. The six-foot-wide pipeline has released between 240 million and 300 million gallons of untreated wastewater, creating what some experts call the nation’s most significant sewage disaster.
Although protecting public health from dangerous contaminants and harmful bacteria remains the immediate focus, officials will eventually need to calculate the additional pollution burden now flowing into the river and Chesapeake Bay, and determine who bears responsibility for the damage.
Water testing conducted by the University of Maryland revealed E-coli concentrations that soared to 10,000 times above EPA safety standards during the worst period of the spill. While downstream monitoring by DC Water indicates contamination levels are beginning to decrease, repairs won’t completely halt the leak until mid-March, with full restoration work taking an additional nine months to finish.
Repair efforts faced significant setbacks when workers discovered a 10-foot-wide stone barrier near the rupture site, and pump equipment failed due to a massive accumulation of non-flushable wipes, causing an additional 600,000 gallons to escape into the waterway.
The disaster threatens to shut down local fishing operations and aquaculture businesses, potentially devastating tourism in the region while undermining decades of watershed restoration efforts. The environmental setback could be substantial, as a month’s worth of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution entered the river system within just days, warranting a major response to address the damage.
If agricultural operations had caused even a small portion of this contamination, there would be clear targets for blame and legal action. Instead, elected officials are deflecting responsibility to avoid accountability for the infrastructure neglect that caused this 60-year-old pipe to fail.
This major spill, along with numerous smaller sewage releases throughout the watershed, must not be permitted to undo the environmental improvements funded by taxpayers, agricultural producers, watermen, and municipal governments. Regardless, residents across the region will ultimately bear the financial burden of this disaster.
