The Federal Reserve acknowledged Wednesday that it conducted unusual inquiries into dollar-yen exchange rates in January, acting on instructions from the U.S. Treasury Department in a move that caught financial markets’ attention and raised speculation about possible currency intervention.
According to meeting minutes from the Fed’s January 27-28 session released Wednesday, the central bank’s trading desk sought price quotes from dealers regarding the dollar-yen exchange rate specifically at Treasury’s direction. The Fed noted in its minutes: “In the days leading up to the meeting, the dollar had depreciated markedly after reports that the Desk had made requests for indicative quotes, known as ‘rate checks,’ on the dollar–yen exchange rate.” The minutes further explained: “The manager noted that the Desk had requested those quotes solely on behalf of the U.S. Treasury in the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s role as the fiscal agent for the U.S.”
These uncommon rate inquiries by the New York Fed in late January caused the yen to gain strength against the dollar, marking an unusual development that put markets on edge about the possibility of the first coordinated U.S.-Japan currency market intervention in a decade and a half. However, no clear evidence of large-scale intervention by either nation materialized following the initial reports.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has publicly rejected suggestions that the United States was actively intervening in foreign exchange markets.
Rising temperatures and absent snowfall are creating major challenges across Western states, where winter recreation generates billions of dollars in economic activity. An innovative Idaho ski resort is now testing insulated covers designed to protect snow from melting during the warmer summer months.
The experimental approach involves using specialized blankets to insulate snow, potentially extending ski seasons despite increasingly unpredictable weather patterns affecting winter sports destinations nationwide.
A Manhattan federal court has issued a temporary order preventing former Palantir Technologies executives from recruiting employees to their new artificial intelligence company, following allegations they used inside information to create a rival firm.
U.S. District Judge Paul Oetken issued the Wednesday ruling that stops former Palantir vice president Hirsh Jain and senior engineer Radha Jain from soliciting workers for their startup, Percepta AI, which they established in 2024. The relationship between the two Jains remains unclear.
The court order will remain active while Palantir’s October lawsuit proceeds. The company alleges the former employees violated confidentiality agreements and used proprietary information to build what they call a “copycat” artificial intelligence software business.
Judge Oetken also prohibited Joanna Cohen, another former Palantir engineer who joined Percepta, from violating her confidentiality contract with her previous employer. However, the judge declined Palantir’s immediate request to enforce non-compete clauses and customer solicitation restrictions.
The judge’s detailed reasoning remains under seal, though a redacted version will be released after both legal teams suggest appropriate edits.
Percepta AI, which is backed by venture capital firm General Catalyst, made its public debut in October. Neither Palantir nor General Catalyst provided immediate responses to requests for comment.
According to Palantir’s legal filing, both companies offer similar AI-powered services designed to help businesses and government organizations improve efficiency using their existing data resources.
The defendants counter in court documents that Percepta operates as a consulting and engineering company that, unlike Palantir, doesn’t sell software products or offer data analytics services.
Court records show Hirsh Jain previously managed Palantir’s healthcare division, while Radha Jain contributed to developing the company’s primary software platform. Cohen specialized in creating AI solutions for specific clients. Hirsh Jain departed Palantir in August 2024 to establish Percepta, with the others following shortly after.
Within months of launching, Percepta recruited at least 10 former Palantir workers, with nearly half of its staff consisting of ex-Palantir employees, according to the lawsuit.
Palantir claims all defendants signed contracts preventing them from competing with the company for one year after departure, soliciting Palantir clients or staff for two years, and using any confidential company information beyond their employment period.
The lawsuit seeks to enforce these contractual obligations and prevent further alleged violations.
Motorists are being advised to avoid a section of Forrest Avenue in the Dover area where police activity has prompted authorities to temporarily shut down the roadway.
Delaware Department of Transportation officials report that Route 8, also known as Forrest Avenue, is currently impassable to traffic in the area between Mifflin Road and Cranberry Run Drive.
The nature of the police activity has not been disclosed at this time. Drivers are encouraged to seek alternate routes while authorities work to resolve the situation and reopen the roadway to normal traffic flow.
Maintaining healthy livestock has become the deciding factor between success and failure for hog producers, according to a Missouri farmer. Scott Phillips, who operates two sow facilities in Cass County in western Missouri, explains that disease prevention has become his top priority.
“If our hogs get a Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome virus or Porcine epidemic diarrhea, it costs us so many millions of dollars,” Phillips explained to Brownfield. The financial impact of these diseases can be devastating enough to force operations out of business entirely.
Phillips’ experience highlights the growing importance of biosecurity measures and preventive care in modern livestock operations, where a single disease outbreak can result in catastrophic financial losses.
Livestock markets displayed uneven performance Thursday at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange as traders anticipated direct sales activity and prepared for the upcoming USDA On Feed report scheduled for Friday release.
Live cattle contracts experienced modest declines, with April delivery settling 27 cents lower to reach $242.52 per hundredweight. June live cattle contracts also dropped, falling 2 cents to close at $238.42.
Feeder cattle markets similarly moved downward during the session. March feeder cattle contracts decreased by 40 cents, finishing at $370.57, while April feeder cattle also posted losses in Thursday’s trading.
Federal agriculture data suggests chicken production is on track for continued growth heading into 2026, according to the latest weekly hatchery statistics.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that 254.35 million broiler-type eggs were placed in incubation facilities during the most recent reporting period. This figure represents a weekly jump of 993,000 eggs and shows a 2% climb compared to the same timeframe in the previous year.
Hatchery success rates remained steady at 79.1%, which aligns with performance levels seen in recent weeks. Meanwhile, 195.754 million broiler chicks were transferred to meat production facilities, though this number dropped by 445,000 from the prior week.
The data points to strengthening poultry production as the industry continues to recover and expand operations nationwide.
WASHINGTON – Jay Bhattacharya, currently serving as director of the National Institutes of Health, has been tapped to simultaneously lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on an interim basis, according to an administration source who spoke Wednesday.
The appointment was initially disclosed by The New York Times and later verified by the official, who requested anonymity since the decision had not yet been publicly announced.
This appointment makes Bhattacharya the third person to helm the troubled CDC, America’s premier public health organization, since President Donald Trump began his second presidency. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. suddenly dismissed former CDC Director Susan Monarez during the summer, barely four weeks after senators had approved her nomination.
Monarez, who had spent years working as a government researcher, subsequently appeared before a Senate panel where she revealed that Kennedy terminated her employment after she declined to approve his proposed modifications to children’s immunization schedules without supporting scientific evidence.
Jim O’Neill, the Deputy Health Secretary and former investment professional, had been filling the acting CDC director position and supervising the vaccine policy revisions until his reported exit the previous week.
As a health economics expert and former Stanford University faculty member, Bhattacharya gained attention for his vocal opposition to the federal government’s coronavirus lockdown measures and vaccination mandates. In his NIH role, he manages the country’s most significant source of biomedical research funding.
During a recent congressional hearing, Bhattacharya stated that childhood measles vaccination represented “the best way to address the measles epidemic in this country,” and confirmed he had found no proof connecting individual vaccines to autism.
Trump administration representatives have indicated their intention to identify a long-term CDC director, a position that must receive Senate approval.
Food delivery giant DoorDash announced Wednesday that its fourth-quarter revenue climbed 38% as the company attracted additional U.S. customers and expanded into new areas like restaurant booking services.
However, Wall Street appears concerned about the company’s increasing expenditures on emerging technologies, such as self-driving delivery robots and experimental drone services.
Shares of DoorDash dropped 3% during after-hours trading Wednesday following the earnings announcement.
The San Francisco-headquartered company posted quarterly revenue of $3.96 billion for the final three months of 2024. This figure fell short of the $3.99 billion projection from analysts surveyed by FactSet.
The platform processed 903 million total orders during the quarter, representing a 32% increase and surpassing analyst expectations of 884.8 million orders, FactSet data showed. The company reported maintaining over 56 million active users throughout the period, with 35 million subscribers paying monthly fees for DashPass, Wolt+, and Deliveroo Plus membership programs.
However, the company’s spending increased substantially during the same timeframe. Research and development expenses surged 41%, while sales and marketing expenditures jumped 31%.
Company CEO and Co-founder Tony Xu explained Wednesday that DoorDash is currently constructing a unified technology platform designed to integrate its various international operations. The company purchased Finnish delivery service Wolt in 2022 and acquired British competitor Deliveroo in the previous year.
“This is a massive and expensive undertaking and honestly one you shouldn’t do if you thought your best days were behind you,” Xu stated in his message to investors.
DoorDash’s net profits increased 51% to reach $213 million, equivalent to 49 cents per share. This earnings figure came in below Wall Street’s anticipated 59-cent per-share profit.
SANTA FE, N.M. — Lawmakers in New Mexico’s unique volunteer legislature have moved to end their unpaid status that has existed since the state joined the union.
In a close vote Tuesday evening, the state Senate approved a constitutional amendment that would eliminate the current ban on direct legislative pay. The measure will now go before voters this November, who will decide whether to link lawmaker salaries to New Mexico’s median household income.
The proposal gained momentum after years of failed attempts, driven this time by a coalition of younger female state representatives who highlighted the difficulties of managing careers, families, and legislative responsibilities simultaneously.
Currently, New Mexico covers lawmakers’ travel costs and provides meal and lodging stipends during legislative sessions. Many representatives also qualify for public retirement benefits.
The volunteer “citizen legislature” has traditionally been viewed with pride throughout New Mexico. However, supporters of paying legislators argue the current arrangement prevents young people and working-class individuals from running for office and can hamper work on complicated policy matters as lawmakers must maintain separate paying jobs.
For comparison, lawmakers in states like New York and California earn more than $100,000 annually, while New Hampshire pays its legislators just $100 per year.
NEW YORK (AP) — Following a series of cold weather deaths, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Wednesday that the city will restart operations to clear homeless encampments, but with a significantly different strategy than his predecessor used.
The Democratic mayor had halted the encampment clearing program shortly after taking office in January, criticizing the previous administration’s methods as inadequate for connecting people with permanent housing solutions.
However, Mamdani now says his revised strategy — which puts the city’s homeless services department in charge instead of police and includes extensive outreach efforts — will produce better outcomes.
“We will meet them looking to connect them with shelter, looking to them with services, looking to connect them with a city that wants them to be sheltered and indoors and warm and safe. And that is something that I believe will yield far better results,” he said at an unrelated news conference.
The announcement follows the deaths of at least 19 individuals outdoors during recent severe cold weather, sparking concerns about the city’s homeless response efforts. City officials report no evidence that any of the deceased were residents of encampments, despite the administration’s intensive efforts to encourage homeless individuals to use new shelters, heated buses and warming facilities.
The outdoor fatalities have created an early challenge for Mamdani’s administration, generating questions about whether more could have been done and renewed criticism regarding the new mayor’s limited administrative background.
Former Mayor Eric Adams had made encampment sweeps a signature element of his public safety agenda. Those operations, conducted by police and sanitation teams, faced strong opposition from homeless advocacy organizations and produced limited success — while most cleared sites remained empty, only a small percentage of those encountered during sweeps agreed to enter temporary housing.
The updated protocol calls for posting advance notice before clearing any encampment, followed by daily visits from homeless services outreach staff for one week to connect individuals with available resources and support services.
On the eighth day, sanitation crews would remove the encampment structures, with officials hoping residents would have relocated voluntarily. Police would only observe the process, according to a city spokesperson.
Coalition for the Homeless Executive Director David Giffen expressed surprise at the announcement, calling it “blindsided” by the decision and describing it as a “political response” that won’t benefit homeless New Yorkers.
He warned that such actions could damage relationships between city outreach staff and unsheltered individuals, potentially leading to more fatalities during future extreme weather events.
“When a city worker shows up and throws out all your belongings, you’re not going to trust that person the next time they show up offering you a place to sleep inside,” Giffen said.
New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin, also a Democrat, praised Mamdani’s decision as “an important step forward.”
“Allowing New Yorkers to stay on the street during extreme weather is inhumane,” Menin said in a statement, adding that after oversight hearings at the Council, “it was clear that the City needed to take a closer look at how this policy was being implemented. Protecting lives must remain our top priority.”
Following Wednesday’s confirmation that eight backcountry skiers perished and one person remains unaccounted for in an avalanche near Lake Tahoe, officials report this Northern California Sierra Nevada incident ranks among America’s most fatal snow disasters. The tragedy prompts a review of other catastrophic avalanches throughout U.S. history:
The nation’s deadliest snow disaster occurred when an enormous snow wall engulfed two Great Northern passenger trains, plunging them into a canyon and claiming 96 lives. The trains had been stranded on the railway for multiple days due to severe weather conditions, though some passengers who had walked to nearby towns were spared from the disaster.
During the height of the Klondike Gold Rush, a sequence of snow slides in April 1898 became the era’s most devastating tragedy, taking approximately 65 lives along the Chilkoot Trail.
Mount Rainier witnessed the nation’s most fatal climbing disaster when a tremendous ice avalanche struck the Ingraham Glacier, claiming the lives of ten climbers and their guide.
The community of Twin Lakes, located near Independence Pass, suffered a devastating blow when an avalanche destroyed multiple residences, resulting in seven fatalities that included five young children.
Alpine Meadows Ski Resort near Lake Tahoe experienced tragedy when an avalanche struck the facility, claiming seven lives, including four staff members who had stayed despite the resort’s closure due to hazardous conditions. Remarkably, a 22-year-old chairlift operator survived and was found five days later by a specially trained rescue dog in the ski chalet debris.
MEXICO CITY – Walmart’s Mexican operations delivered disappointing fourth-quarter results this week, with earnings falling short of Wall Street expectations as the retail giant grappled with currency headwinds.
Walmex, which operates Walmart stores throughout Mexico and Central America, saw its net income decline 3.9% during the final three months of 2025 compared to the previous year. The company earned 14.60 billion pesos, significantly below the 16.68 billion pesos that financial analysts had projected, according to data from LSEG.
While sales increased by 3% to reach 282.85 billion pesos for the quarter, this figure also came up short of analyst expectations of 287.37 billion pesos.
The retailer’s Central American business faced particular challenges during the reporting period, though performance improved when accounting for currency fluctuation impacts. Mexico’s peso gained significant strength against the U.S. dollar, rising 13.8% over the full year and 1.5% in the fourth quarter alone, which reduced the value of international earnings when converted back to pesos.
Chief Executive Officer Cristian Barrientos emphasized the company’s commitment to its core strategy moving forward. “We know what we have to do, we have clear priorities and we will accelerate the speed at which we are moving,” Barrientos stated in the earnings announcement. He indicated the company will continue prioritizing competitive pricing, maintaining product inventory, and expanding its online shopping platform.
Despite the profit challenges, Walmex maintained its aggressive expansion strategy throughout the quarter. The company launched 102 additional locations in Mexico, with the majority being Bodega Aurrera discount grocery stores, while adding 13 more stores in Central American markets. This growth brought the retailer’s total store count to 4,265 locations across the region.
The exchange rate at the end of December was approximately 18.01 Mexican pesos per U.S. dollar.
Wall Street investment firm Morgan Stanley established banking relationships with Jeffrey Epstein’s financial trusts as recently as 2019, according to newly released Justice Department documents that shed light on the convicted sex offender’s continued access to major financial institutions.
The correspondence, part of over 3 million pages published by the DOJ on January 30, 2026, reveals that Epstein’s associates and investment vehicles maintained banking connections with Morgan Stanley well beyond his 2008 conviction and registration as a sex offender following a plea agreement.
These banking relationships developed during a timeframe when competing Wall Street institutions like Deutsche Bank and JPMorgan were severing their connections with the controversial financier due to reputational concerns.
Epstein received immunity in 2008 after entering a guilty plea to Florida state prostitution charges, resulting in a 13-month incarceration. Federal authorities later charged him in July 2019 with trafficking dozens of minors for sexual exploitation.
The intervening period saw escalating legal challenges, including Virginia Giuffre’s 2016 defamation case against Epstein confidante Ghislaine Maxwell. Investigative reporting by the Miami Herald in 2018 further intensified public attention on Epstein’s activities. The financier took his own life in a Manhattan detention facility in August 2019 while facing trial.
Internal emails show Morgan Stanley’s risk management team terminated an Epstein trust account in 2017, yet the institution established a new account relationship in 2019, according to the released documentation.
A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed that Morgan Stanley ended one banking relationship with Epstein in 2017 after informing him of their decision to discontinue services. The same source indicated another account opened in 2019 was quickly shuttered, though specific reasons and exact timing weren’t disclosed.
Communications with the financial institution were managed by Epstein’s long-serving accountant Richard Kahn, whose legal representative didn’t respond to requests for comment. Kahn currently serves as co-executor of Epstein’s estate, which provided $105 million in cash to settle U.S. Virgin Islands claims regarding the territory’s use for trafficking operations.
Estate executors also established a victim compensation program that distributed $121 million. Fellow executor Darren Indyke’s attorney similarly didn’t respond to comment requests.
Reuters discovered no indication of misconduct by Morgan Stanley or the estate executors, and found no evidence suggesting Epstein personally contacted the bank.
Federal banking regulations require institutions to verify customer identities and beneficial ownership while monitoring potentially suspicious activity as part of standard due diligence procedures.
Reuters couldn’t establish what specific verification measures Morgan Stanley implemented when establishing Epstein-connected accounts.
Morgan Stanley joins several Wall Street firms that maintained financial relationships with the New York-based financier over multiple years. Various banks have encountered scrutiny regarding their Epstein and Maxwell connections, with Maxwell convicted in 2021 for assisting Epstein’s criminal activities.
JPMorgan served as Epstein’s banking partner from 1998 through 2013, when the institution ended the relationship.
Deutsche Bank informed Epstein in December 2018 of plans to close his accounts, completing the process following his July 2019 arrest, as previously reported by Reuters.
JPMorgan verified to Reuters that their banking relationship with Epstein concluded in 2013. Deutsche Bank declined comment regarding specific closure dates for this report.
Documentation indicates Morgan Stanley’s connections with Epstein-related entities were operational by 2015. An April 17, 2015 email forwarded to Epstein showed Kahn writing: “Morgan Stanley account is open and funded with 5,000,000.”
Redacted or damaged portions of the documents rendered some information unreadable.
A February 6, 2016 email exchange with Epstein included Kahn noting that a “Morgan Stanley=existing brokerage account in stc name currently has approximately 17,250,=00,” potentially referencing a Southern Trust account. Reuters couldn’t verify the precise amount or whether figures represented thousands or millions. Southern Trust operated as one of Epstein’s business entities.
Morgan Stanley complex risk officer Rachel Kaplan sent correspondence on August 18, 2017, contained within the DOJ documents, to Epstein and attorney Darren Indyke at Southern Trust Co, stating the bank’s decision to “terminate our current broker/client relationship.”
Kaplan, serving as vice president and risk officer in Morgan Stanley’s wealth management division, directed inquiries to Morgan Stanley. The institution declined comment about their Epstein banking relationship.
Two years afterward, on March 18, 2019, Kahn confirmed to Epstein the establishment of a new Morgan Stanley account, according to documentation. This account served Butterfly Trust, another Epstein financial entity. Butterfly Trust appeared in a 2020 settlement with the New York State Department of Financial Services that penalized the bank for permitting Epstein to withdraw questionable cash amounts.
Iranian officials have notified aviation authorities of scheduled rocket launches planned for Thursday across southern regions of the country, according to information posted on the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration’s website Wednesday.
The rocket activity is set to occur between 330 GMT and 1330 GMT on Thursday, with Iranian authorities issuing the standard aviation warning to ensure flight safety in the affected areas.
This week, Iranian naval forces have been conducting military exercises in the strategically important Hormuz Strait, and the country is preparing for joint naval operations with Russia scheduled for Thursday.
The rocket launch announcement comes as relations between Iran and the United States continue to deteriorate, with American naval vessels positioned in waters near Iran. U.S. Vice President JD Vance recently indicated that Washington is evaluating whether to maintain diplomatic talks with Tehran or consider alternative approaches.
The aviation warning system, known as NOTAM, serves as a crucial safety tool that alerts pilots, flight crews, and others using airspace about potential hazards or restricted areas.
Australia’s leading telecommunications company Telstra Group delivered financial results that surpassed analyst predictions on Thursday, driven by strong performance in its mobile services division and effective expense management, while simultaneously refining its earnings projections for the 2026 fiscal year.
The telecommunications giant implemented rate hikes across the majority of its mobile service packages beginning in July of last year, solidifying its position as the leading service provider in Australia’s intensely competitive telecommunications market dominated by three major players.
The company has pursued strategic initiatives to boost profitability and concentrate efforts on key business areas including mobile and internet services, which included restructuring its enterprise operations through workforce reductions and asset sales.
Australia’s dominant telecom operator announced attributable earnings of A$1.12 billion (equivalent to $788.03 million) for the six-month period ending December 31, representing an increase from the previous year’s A$1.03 billion and marginally surpassing Visible Alpha’s projected consensus of A$1.11 billion.
The company refined its underlying EBITDA after lease amortization outlook to fall within A$8.2 billion to A$8.4 billion, adjusting from its previous projection range of A$8.15 billion to A$8.45 billion.
Telstra announced an interim shareholder dividend of 10.5 Australian cents per share, representing an improvement over the 9.5 Australian cents per share distributed in the previous year.
The telecommunications provider also expanded its existing A$1 billion stock repurchase program, initially announced in August, increasing it to as much as A$1.25 billion.
America is moving forward with plans to pull out all of its approximately 1,000 military personnel currently deployed in Syria, according to a Wednesday report from the Wall Street Journal that cited three unnamed U.S. officials.
Reuters has not been able to independently confirm this reporting.
Just last week, American forces completed their departure from a key military installation in Syria, transferring control of the facility to Syrian government forces. This handover marked another indication of improving diplomatic relations between Washington and Damascus, potentially paving the way for a more extensive American military exit from the country.
According to the Journal’s sources, the remaining U.S. military positions throughout Syria will be vacated during the coming two-month period.
The Trump administration’s ambitious plan to make home loans more affordable isn’t delivering the results officials hoped for, according to Federal Reserve meeting minutes made public Wednesday.
During the Fed’s January 27-28 policy meeting, a New York Federal Reserve official briefed colleagues on the administration’s $200 billion mortgage bond-buying program launched earlier this year. The initiative successfully pushed down yields on mortgage-backed securities compared to similar Treasury bonds, the minutes revealed.
However, the New York Fed official “observed that the decline was unlikely to result in a material increase in mortgage refinancing because current mortgage rates are well above the weighted average rate of outstanding mortgages,” according to the meeting record.
This assessment aligns with what private market experts have been saying – while the Trump program has moved some financial markets, it hasn’t meaningfully changed the challenging dynamics facing homebuyers and the housing sector.
Federal Reserve policymakers pointed to a different core issue: America simply doesn’t have enough homes available for sale. Until builders can increase the housing supply, affordability problems will persist in what represents the largest category of household debt, Fed officials concluded.
The most significant factor driving mortgage rates lower has actually been the Federal Reserve’s own interest rate cuts. Last year, Fed officials reduced their benchmark rate by 0.75 percentage points, bringing it to a range between 3.5% and 3.75%. The central bank is currently pausing further cuts while monitoring whether inflation continues declining, though markets anticipate additional rate reductions in 2024.
The meeting minutes also covered other Fed operations, including updates to the central bank’s standing repurchase agreement facilities. The New York Fed official reported that recent modifications have made these short-term lending tools more appealing to financial institutions.
Additionally, the Fed’s large-scale Treasury bill purchases designed to boost bank reserves before the mid-April tax season are progressing as planned. Reserve levels are expected to fluctuate around $3 trillion during this period.
These liquidity operations serve a technical purpose, ensuring money markets maintain adequate cash flow to keep short-term interest rates trading within the Fed’s target range.
The Trump administration is set to roll back environmental regulations governing coal-fired power facilities this week, which would permit these plants to release increased amounts of dangerous pollutants such as mercury, according to a Wednesday report from the New York Times.
Top officials from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are anticipated to make this announcement public during their scheduled visit to Louisville, Kentucky, on Friday, the Times reported.
A prominent activist investment firm is pressuring the London Stock Exchange Group to undertake a comprehensive portfolio evaluation and execute a massive 5 billion pound ($6.7 billion) share repurchase program within the coming year, according to a Bloomberg News report published Wednesday that cited sources with knowledge of the situation.
The news follows recent reports that Elliott Investment Management acquired a position in LSEG and began discussions with company leadership about strategies to enhance operational performance.
The stock exchange’s share price has plummeted over 30% during the last twelve months, with additional pressure coming from a widespread global decline in software company valuations.
Paul Singer’s Elliott is also pushing LSEG to reevaluate its complicated organizational framework, which includes data services, trading platform operations, and majority ownership of 51% in the American-listed Tradeweb Markets, according to the Bloomberg report.
The investment firm wants LSEG to strengthen its investor outreach regarding potential benefits from artificial intelligence technology, as the company’s data division could experience increased demand from AI-related applications, the report noted.
Elliott is additionally advocating for operational enhancements to boost profit margins and close performance gaps with industry competitors, Bloomberg reported, while clarifying that the fund is not advocating for a complete company sale or separation of the exchange operations.
“LSEG maintains an active and open dialogue with our investors, while remaining focused on executing our strategy,” an LSEG representative stated to Bloomberg.
Neither Elliott nor LSEG provided immediate responses to requests for comment. Reuters, which supplies news content for LSEG’s Workspace terminal and other products, could not independently confirm the Bloomberg report.
A tragic mining accident in Nigeria has claimed the lives of 37 people who succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning while working at an underground site, according to police sources and security documents obtained by Reuters.
The deadly incident unfolded around 5:45 Wednesday morning at a mining operation located in Kampani, within the Wase region of Plateau state. Emergency responders transported an additional 25 miners to medical facilities for treatment.
Nigeria’s Solid Minerals Development Minister Dele Alake explained that the location was a former lead extraction site where stored minerals naturally emit poisonous gases. The minister noted that local residents were unaware of the hazardous fumes when they descended into the tunnel seeking to harvest minerals.
Following the fatalities, Alake has mandated the immediate shutdown of all mining operations under license 11810, which is operated by Solid Unit Nigeria Limited and belongs to owner Abdullahi Dan-China in the Zuraq area.
Initial investigation results indicate the deceased workers, all between ages 20 and 35, perished after breathing in toxic gases while laboring in the underground chambers, security documentation revealed.
State officials in Plateau confirmed multiple deaths occurred but declined to specify exact numbers, while noting that survivors continue receiving medical care at area hospitals.
Law enforcement has established a perimeter around the mining location to block additional entry attempts.
Nigeria’s mining sector is characterized by widespread illegal operations that typically lack adequate safety protocols, with workers frequently operating without proper protective gear.
Federal authorities have mandated an immediate halt to all mining work throughout the impacted region while investigations proceed.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced Wednesday his intention to pursue “strategic partnerships” with China during an upcoming visit, as his country navigates rising tensions over President Trump’s tariff agenda.
Speaking at his political party’s Ash Wednesday gathering in Passau, Bavaria, Merz outlined Germany’s approach to international relations amid growing trade disputes.
“We have a strategic interest in finding partners in the world who think the way we do, who act the way we do, and who above all are prepared to shape the future together so that we remain a country with prosperity and a high level of social security,” Merz stated during the event.
The German leader emphasized that foreign and economic policies have become inseparable in today’s global landscape.
Addressing the Trump administration’s trade approach directly, Merz said: “If the Americans believe that, with their tariff policy, they should exert influence around the world — if they believe that tariffs are more important than taxes at home — then that is something Americans can, of course, decide for themselves. But it is not our policy.”
Trump’s aggressive tariff strategy has created strain between traditional allies, potentially threatening bilateral trade relationships and posing additional risks to Germany’s already weakened economy.
Merz made clear Germany’s position on the tariff issue, declaring: “You can do it, but we will not go along with it. And if you overdo it, then we Europeans are certainly able to defend ourselves against it.”
The Chancellor pointed to recent European unity during disputes involving Greenland as evidence that the continent can respond collectively to American pressure, suggesting the European Union would take action if Washington escalates tariff measures.
Describing Germany’s balanced approach, Merz explained: “That is our double strategy: an outstretched hand and, at any time, a renewed partnership — but also enough cohesion and unity within the European Union so that we can defend ourselves sufficiently against things we do not want.”
At a 2011 NBA playoff matchup between the Chicago Bulls and Indiana Pacers, Rev. Jesse Jackson watched intently from the baseline as players warmed up before the game.
The civil rights icon appeared completely at home in the athletic setting, surrounded by an environment that had shaped much of his life’s work.
Jackson, who passed away Tuesday at 84, began his athletic journey early and maintained deep connections to sports throughout his career as both participant and champion for change. After receiving a football scholarship to Illinois, he transferred to the historically Black North Carolina A&T following his first year. As quarterback for the Aggies, he helped lead the team to a conference championship in 1964 and earned induction into the university’s athletic Hall of Fame two decades later.
“What is not a well-known fact is that Rev. Jackson, first of all, he was a football player,” said CK Hoffler, Jackson’s attorney for 38 years. “He himself, as a former athlete, understood the plight of athletes.”
During that Bulls-Pacers game, Jackson’s imposing 6-foot-3 frame commanded attention even among professional basketball players. His presence overshadowed even Bulls star Derrick Rose, the league’s MVP that season and fellow Chicago native whom Jackson had traveled to Indianapolis to support.
Jackson’s athletic background ignited his lifelong commitment to securing fair treatment and equal opportunities for athletes across all sports, regardless of their race, gender, or country of origin.
“He’s always been an advocate of greater inclusion, whether it was fair pay and other things for athletes throughout the country and throughout the world,” Hoffler said. “Athletes from overseas, ensuring that they got a fair shake as well. That was part of what (he) felt was fair. That was part of his social justice.”
Jackson’s commitment to athlete advocacy extended beyond public demonstrations to include private negotiations and behind-the-scenes work.
“The Harlem Globetrotters, they had their own cartoon,” Hoffler said. “They did a lot of community building, and they were just iconic in and of themselves. But they had no insurance. They had no benefits. And Rev. Jackson, upon hearing that, took it upon himself to negotiate their benefits.”
Len Elmore, a former 10-season NBA player now serving as senior lecturer at Columbia University, observed clear connections between Jackson’s athletic foundation and his broader social justice mission.
Throughout the years, Elmore saw Jackson consistently push for reform across Major League Baseball, the NFL, and NBA without hesitation.
“He certainly had a vision and in trying to achieve that vision he was very forward and aggressive in stating what the world should be like,” said Elmore, who teaches courses on athlete activism and sports-related social justice. “He also was very critical of the timing of some of the actions that didn’t come fast enough or they weren’t capable enough.
“His understanding of the world and what it should be, what it should look like was amazing. And his leadership in trying to get there was something that inspired a lot of us.”
Elmore, who operated a sports agency during the early to mid-1990s, treasures an award he received from Jackson’s Rainbow PUSH organization’s sports division recognizing efforts to expand Black representation among sports agents.
Jackson also advocated strongly for minority coaching opportunities. Elmore recalls Jackson’s persistent efforts to convince Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney to implement what became the NFL’s Rooney Rule in 2003. The policy initially mandated that teams interview at least one diverse candidate before filling head coaching positions, addressing the shortage of minority head coaches.
Jackson, Elmore said, “wanted folks to have a piece of the pie. He wanted that pie to have diverse overtones.”
However, Jackson didn’t hesitate to criticize the Rooney Rule’s limited impact. Following Brian Flores’ racial discrimination lawsuit against the NFL, Jackson advocated for improvements in a 2022 USA Today opinion piece, describing the rule as a “toothless tiger.”
“You recognize change and the type of change that he envisioned. It wasn’t just a dream, it was active,” Elmore said. “Whether it was either influencing to some extent Harry Edwards in the ’60s, the Rooney Rule, the Nike boycott (demanding more Black employees) in 1990 — he wanted athletes to recognize their platform and the legacy they possess. Not just in the field, but in the boardroom. … That is what Jesse Jackson envisioned and what he was about.”
According to Hoffler, Jackson maintained passion for all sports while particularly connecting with athletes who championed equality. Despite his football background, basketball held special appeal for him. In recent years, he regularly attended NBA All-Star Weekend events, specifically supporting the HBCU Classic game that highlighted underrepresented college players.
Jackson continued appearing at basketball games throughout his 70s and 80s.
“Even when he was physically not able to walk,” Hoffler said, “he was still at some of those games in a wheelchair. That’s how much he was committed to the plight of athletes.”
A trailblazing Palestinian diplomat who shattered gender barriers in international relations has passed away in France at 76 years old.
Leila Shahid made history as the first woman to represent Palestine in an ambassadorial role, serving in key European posts during pivotal moments in Middle Eastern relations.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas honored her memory, describing Shahid as a “model of diplomacy committed to the values of freedom, justice and peace,” and noting that “she remained faithful to her people’s message until her final days,” as reported by the official WAFA news agency.
Born in Beirut in 1949 during the aftermath of the Arab-Israeli war that displaced hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, Shahid’s family originally hailed from Jerusalem and what became northern Israel.
Following early work in Palestinian refugee settlements, she moved to Paris during the 1970s to earn her doctorate in anthropology. By 1976, she had risen to lead France’s Palestinian student organization.
Shahid witnessed firsthand one of the conflict’s darkest chapters when she returned to Beirut in 1982 during the Sabra and Shatila killings, where Israeli-supported Lebanese Christian forces murdered hundreds of Palestinian civilians in refugee settlements.
The Palestine Liberation Organization appointed her as ambassador to Ireland in 1989, marking her historic achievement as the first Palestinian woman to hold such a position. She transferred to the Netherlands the subsequent year.
Her most significant diplomatic assignment came as Palestinian representative to France from 1993 through 2005, a period encompassing both promising peace negotiations and the eruption of the second intifada in 2000. During this time, she accompanied Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat during his final moments before his death at a French military medical facility in 2004.
Shahid concluded her diplomatic career representing Palestinian interests to the European Union, Belgium, and Luxembourg from 2006 to 2014.
Beyond her diplomatic work, she spent years directing “The Review of Palestinian Studies,” a French-language publication documenting the conflict’s history.
WASHINGTON — Four U.S. senators returned home Wednesday following their historic visit to Ukraine, where they’re now advocating for Congress to approve new economic penalties against Russia designed to weaken Moscow financially and force President Vladimir Putin into meaningful peace negotiations.
The bipartisan group became the first American senators to travel to Odessa since the conflict started nearly four years ago. Ukraine’s third-largest city serves as a vital Black Sea shipping hub and has faced repeated Russian attacks. Democratic senators Jeanne Shaheen, Chris Coons, Richard Blumenthal, and Sheldon Whitehouse completed the journey, while Republican Senator Thom Tillis had to cancel due to personal matters.
“One of the things we heard wherever we stopped today was that the people of Ukraine want a peace deal, but they want a peace deal that preserves their sovereignty, that recognizes the importance of the integrity of Ukraine,” Shaheen told reporters during a phone briefing.
The senators’ trip occurs during a pivotal time in the ongoing war. Representatives from both nations were simultaneously conducting U.S.-facilitated discussions in Switzerland over two days, though neither party seemed willing to compromise on critical matters including territorial disputes and future security arrangements. Lawmakers believe the proposed sanctions could push Putin toward accepting a settlement, particularly with the U.S. establishing a June timeline for resolution.
“Literally nobody believes that Russia is acting in good faith in the negotiations with our government and with the Ukrainians,” Whitehouse stated. “And so pressure becomes the key.”
However, proposed legislation targeting Russia with severe economic penalties has remained stalled in Congress for several months.
Multiple sanction proposals are currently under consideration by senators, including comprehensive legislation that would grant the Trump administration authority to implement tariffs and secondary penalties against nations buying Russian oil, natural gas, uranium, and other exports that fund Moscow’s war machine. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has also moved forward with more focused bills targeting China’s military assistance to Russia, seizing frozen Russian funds, and dismantling Moscow’s “shadow fleet” of oil vessels used to evade existing sanctions.
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who helped sponsor the Senate’s comprehensive sanctions and tariff proposal, issued a statement during this weekend’s Munich Security Conference announcing that Senate Majority Leader John Thune pledged to schedule a vote on the sanctions bill once it secures the necessary 60 votes for passage.
“This legislation will be a game changer,” Graham declared. “President Trump has embraced it. It is time to vote.”
Blumenthal, Graham’s co-sponsor on the bill, confirmed bipartisan backing for what he described as a “very tough sledgehammer of sanctions and tariffs,” while acknowledging that “we need to work out some of the remaining details.” Democrats and several Republicans have opposed Trump’s broader tariff strategy aimed at negotiating trade agreements and boosting domestic manufacturing.
In the House of Representatives, a cross-party coalition led by Republican Representative Brian Fitzpatrick has introduced sanctions targeting Russia’s military industry, banking sector, and petroleum exports that sustain the war effort.
Another House proposal, spearheaded by Representative Gregory Meeks, the leading Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, would increase U.S. military aid to Ukraine by $8 billion. Democrats currently need one additional Republican vote to force consideration of that measure.
Upon their return, the senators plan to document how American companies operating in Ukraine have suffered Russian attacks. The Democratic lawmakers also aim to pressure Trump into providing additional U.S. weapons to Ukraine. “Putin understands weapons, not words,” Blumenthal emphasized.
Nevertheless, the legislators will return to a Washington where the Trump administration remains uncertain about its long-term commitment to achieving lasting peace in Ukraine and broader European security. For the moment, they drew encouragement from discussions with European allies and Republican colleagues.
“We and the Republican senators who were with us in Munich spoke with one voice about our determination to continue to support Ukraine,” Coons reported.
Motorists traveling through a section of Old Mill Bridge Road should expect delays today as construction crews have temporarily closed one lane of traffic.
The Delaware Department of Transportation reports that the northbound lanes of Old Mill Bridge Road at the intersection with Tidal Road are currently restricted due to active construction work in the area.
Officials indicate the lane closure will remain in effect until 3 PM today. Drivers are advised to allow extra travel time and consider alternate routes if possible to avoid potential congestion in the construction zone.
Ocean City, Maryland officials received welcome news last week when a federal judge ruled entirely in their favor regarding a legal challenge from offshore wind developer US Wind.
On February 13, 2026, Judge Gallagher of the United States District Court granted a motion that completely threw out US Wind’s cross-claim against federal defendants in the case. Ocean City announced the court decision on February 18th.
City officials are calling the ruling a major procedural win in their ongoing legal battle. The judge’s decision means that US Wind’s cross-claim cannot proceed any further in the federal court system.
The dismissal represents the latest development in what has been a contentious legal dispute between the Maryland resort town and the renewable energy company over offshore wind development plans.
The leader of California’s troubled high-speed rail project has stepped away from his position temporarily after facing domestic violence allegations that led to his arrest earlier this month.
Ian Choudri, who heads the California High-Speed Rail Authority as CEO, was taken into custody on February 4th in Folsom, a city near Sacramento, confirmed police Lieutenant Lou Wright. Authorities have not released further information about the incident.
No charges were filed against Choudri, and prosecutors did not require him to make a court appearance, according to his attorney Allen Sawyer. Choudri has decided to take several days off from his leadership role, his lawyer indicated.
“While my client appreciates that this legal matter has been thoroughly evaluated, his family needs time to privately process and heal,” Sawyer stated. “He remains committed to his work, and this short absence will also give the board space to independently review the conclusions of the legal process.”
Neither the prosecutor’s office, the rail authority, nor California’s transportation department provided responses to requests for comment.
News of Choudri’s arrest became public this week when Sacramento television station KCRA first broke the story.
The rail authority brought Choudri on board in 2024, drawing from his experience with European high-speed rail networks. His mission has been to breathe new life into what ranks as the country’s most ambitious infrastructure undertaking, which has been plagued by soaring expenses and lost federal support during the previous Trump presidency.
The ambitious project aims to link San Francisco and Los Angeles by high-speed rail.
In previous interviews with The Associated Press, Choudri expressed his desire to join the effort to “completely turn it around” and secure stable financing. His strategy has involved seeking private sector partnerships to help fund the massive undertaking.
Last year, Governor Gavin Newsom and California legislators committed to providing $1 billion each year through 2045 for the project, funded through the state’s cap-and-trade program designed to cut emissions from major polluters.
When California voters initially backed $10 billion in bonds in 2008, they were told this would cover roughly one-third of the expected costs and that trains would be operating by 2020. More than four years beyond that target date, officials now estimate the project could require over $120 billion to complete.
DENVER — Five people have lost their lives following a devastating series of crashes on a Colorado interstate where more than 30 vehicles, including seven big rigs, collided after powerful winds created a blinding dust storm, state officials confirmed Wednesday.
Colorado State Patrol initially reported four fatalities and 29 injuries from Tuesday’s accidents on Interstate 25 near Pueblo. However, one additional person succumbed to their injuries at the hospital, bringing the death toll to five.
The catastrophic chain of events began around 10 a.m. Tuesday when fierce winds swept across drought-stricken farmland adjacent to the highway, creating what Major Brian Lyons of the Colorado State Patrol described as a “brown out” condition.
“Visibility was next to nothing,” Lyons explained.
The National Weather Service recorded wind speeds reaching approximately 70 mph in the area Tuesday morning. Dramatic footage captured by a motorist trapped in the aftermath shows massive clouds of dust rolling across the highway, with damaged vehicles gradually becoming visible through the thick, dusty haze.
Hospital staff treated the wounded for injuries ranging from minor to life-threatening, Lyons reported. While accidents occurred on both sides of the interstate, the northbound collision resulted in the fatalities, whereas the southbound incident caused only vehicle damage, patrol officials noted.
Among the vehicles involved was a pickup truck towing a livestock trailer containing 30 sheep and one goat, according to the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region, which responded to assist with the animals. Some livestock became trapped inside the damaged trailer while others escaped and roamed free until humane society workers could safely capture them. Four sheep sustained injuries too severe for recovery, the organization reported.
The investigation into the crashes, which occurred approximately two miles from Pueblo, remains ongoing. While poor visibility will be examined as a primary factor, other contributing elements may also be considered, stated Trooper Sherri Mendez, a patrol spokesperson.
The same powerful wind system that struck eastern Colorado Tuesday, combined with unusually warm temperatures and extremely dry conditions, also fueled wildfires across the region and caused flight delays at Denver International Airport. Similar dangerous wind and drought conditions continued Wednesday, maintaining elevated fire risks throughout the area.
GREENBELT, Md. — A federal jury is deliberating the fate of a renowned Supreme Court attorney who secretly earned tens of millions of dollars as a high-stakes poker player while allegedly evading taxes on his massive gambling winnings.
Thomas Goldstein, who co-founded the influential SCOTUSblog and argued more than 40 cases before the nation’s highest court, faces 16 federal charges following a six-week trial that concluded Wednesday in Maryland. His indictment last year stunned Washington’s legal circles, where Goldstein was a respected figure until his 2023 retirement.
Federal prosecutor Sean Beaty described Goldstein as among the most brilliant attorneys ever to appear before the Supreme Court during closing arguments.
“He’s not a dummy. He’s a willful tax cheat,” Beaty told the jury.
Defense lawyer Jonathan Kravis countered that federal investigators rushed to judgment and wrongly believed an accountant’s fabricated claims about his client’s gambling activities without proper investigation.
“Not even close,” Kravis said. “Tom Goldstein is innocent.”
The proceedings, which began January 12, featured testimony from Hollywood actor Tobey Maguire, known for his “Spider-Man” films and poker enthusiasm, who sought Goldstein’s legal assistance in collecting gambling money owed by a billionaire. Goldstein also testified on his own behalf.
Federal authorities allege Goldstein concealed millions in gambling earnings from tax collectors, siphoned funds from his law practice Goldstein & Russell to cover poker debts, and improperly claimed gambling losses as business write-offs.
“It was a textbook tax-evasion scheme,” Beaty stated. “And Mr. Goldstein executed that nearly flawlessly.”
Goldstein maintains his innocence, claiming he consistently directed his firm’s staff and accountants to properly categorize his personal expenditures. In a 2014 message to an employee, he wrote that “we always play completely by the rules.”
His defense team acknowledges Goldstein should have monitored his company’s financial matters more carefully and concedes he made unintentional errors on tax documents. However, Kravis insisted his client never deliberately cheated on taxes or knowingly filed false information.
“A mistake is not a crime,” he argued.
Additional charges accuse Goldstein of deceiving IRS investigators and concealing gambling debts from accountants, staff members, and mortgage companies. Court documents claim he failed to disclose a $15 million gambling debt on home loan paperwork while house-hunting in Washington, D.C., with his spouse in 2021.
According to prosecutors, Goldstein earned approximately $50 million in poker proceeds during 2016 alone, including about $22 million from games in Asia. The alleged tax scheme unraveled when another gambler, believing Goldstein had cheated him, reported a 2016 debt to the IRS.
The indictment also claims Goldstein misused his law firm to inappropriately pay wages and health benefits to four women with whom he maintained or pursued romantic relationships from 2016 through 2022. He reportedly met three through a “sugar daddy” dating platform that connects older men with younger women seeking financial assistance, while encountering the fourth at a poker event where she worked as a server and masseuse.
Government lawyers say these women held fictitious positions and contributed minimal work to Goldstein’s firm. The charges allege he avoided taxes by categorizing the women’s compensation and healthcare costs as legitimate business expenses.
Goldstein’s legal team criticized prosecutors for inappropriately presenting sensational details about his romantic relationships to grand jurors. Days before his January indictment, his attorneys claimed Justice Department officials hastily pursued charges before the presidential transition.
“This roving search for a crime appears to be motivated in large part by personal animus towards Mr. Goldstein,” defense lawyers wrote ten days before formal charges were filed.
Goldstein previously served on the legal team representing Democrat Al Gore in Supreme Court litigation following the contested 2000 election ultimately decided in favor of Republican George W. Bush. Last November, after learning of the investigation but before facing charges, Goldstein published an opinion piece in The New York Times calling for dismissal of criminal cases against Republican President Donald Trump.
“Although this idea will pain my fellow Democrats, all of the cases should be abandoned,” he wrote following Trump’s 2024 election victory.
Prosecutors sought to introduce statements Goldstein recently made to The New York Times Magazine regarding his criminal case. He told the publication that his wife, who helped establish SCOTUSblog alongside him, remained unaware of his gambling activities or relationships with other women.
“I just had this entirely separate life,” he revealed to journalist Jeffrey Toobin.
GLOUCESTER, Mass. — Search teams are utilizing advanced underwater technology in their ongoing effort to locate a commercial fishing vessel that went down in Atlantic waters last month, claiming the lives of all seven people on board. However, harsh winter conditions continue to hamper recovery operations.
The Lily Jean, measuring 72 feet in length, was heading back to harbor during the early morning hours of January 30 for equipment repairs when the vessel sank in icy waters near the historic Massachusetts fishing community of Gloucester. Several agencies are now working in partnership to find the vessel’s remains and possibly retrieve the bodies of those who perished, authorities announced Wednesday. The collaborative effort includes the U.S. Coast Guard, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Massachusetts Environmental Police.
Recovery operations face significant challenges as the Lily Jean rests in waters exceeding 300 feet in depth under extremely harsh winter conditions. Environmental police teams have deployed side-scan sonar equipment to collect information and identify unusual objects on the seafloor, according to officials. Plans also include sending a remotely operated underwater vehicle to capture images and footage, though rough sea conditions have prevented this step so far.
Massachusetts Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, a Republican representing Gloucester, promised that officials would keep the mourning community informed of developments.
“One of the most haunting things about grief or loss at sea is the not knowing,” Tarr said during a news conference on Wednesday. “Answering those questions requires a tremendous amount of effort.”
The Coast Guard initially began search and rescue operations after receiving a distress signal from the boat approximately 25 miles off Cape Ann. Recovery teams discovered scattered debris in the area where the alert originated, along with one body and an unoccupied life raft, Coast Guard officials reported. The search operation was called off the next day, and the local community has since come together to support the victims’ families.
Gloucester holds the distinction of being America’s oldest seaport and maintains a reputation for its tight-knit fishing industry. The community gained national attention through “The Perfect Storm” book and film, which drew inspiration from the FV Andrea Gail that disappeared at sea in 1991.
Coast Guard representatives have released the names of those who died when the Lily Jean sank: captain Accursio “Gus” Sanfilippo and crew members Paul Beal Sr., Paul Beal Jr., John Rousanidis, Freeman Short and Sean Therrien. Jada Samitt, a fisheries observer working for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, was also on board.
Ricky Beal, whose brother Paul Beal Sr. was among the victims, expressed hope during Wednesday’s press conference that the investigation would help families understand the tragedy. He also urged people following the case to avoid sharing unverified information.
“As of now, hopefully in the future, the investigation will give us some light on what happened. But as of now, only God knows what happened that fateful morning,” Beal said.
The Lily Jean and its crew, led by Sanfilippo, appeared in a 2012 History Channel episode of “Nor’Easter Men.” The program portrayed Sanfilippo as a fifth-generation commercial fisherman operating out of Gloucester in the Georges Bank area. The show documented the crew working through dangerous weather for extended periods, sometimes spending up to 10 days at sea harvesting haddock, lobster and flounder.
Federal transportation officials are ordering the closure of over 550 commercial driving schools nationwide after discovering serious safety violations that put the public at risk, according to an announcement made Wednesday.
The schools, which train future truck and bus drivers, were found to have hired instructors without proper qualifications, skipped essential student testing, and committed other critical safety infractions during federal inspections.
This action represents the Transportation Department’s ongoing campaign to enhance trucking industry safety standards. Unlike previous efforts last fall that targeted up to 7,500 schools including many already-closed facilities, this current initiative specifically addresses active schools with major deficiencies identified during 1,426 inspection visits.
Federal officials have intensified their scrutiny of states issuing commercial driver’s licenses to unqualified immigrants following a deadly August crash in Florida. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated that an unauthorized truck driver performed an illegal U-turn, resulting in three fatalities. Additional fatal incidents, including a recent Indiana crash that claimed four lives, have heightened these safety concerns.
According to Duffy, 448 schools failed to satisfy fundamental safety requirements. Inspectors documented problems including unqualified teaching staff, inadequate student skill assessments, insufficient hazardous materials training, and inappropriate training equipment. An additional 109 schools voluntarily withdrew from the official registry upon learning of planned inspections.
“American families should have confidence that our school bus and truck drivers are following every letter of the law and that starts with receiving proper training before getting behind the wheel,” Duffy said.
The targeted schools are predominantly smaller operations, including several programs operated by school districts. Larger, well-established schools were typically excluded from this enforcement action. Currently, 97 additional schools remain under investigation for compliance violations.
Industry observers point to a fundamental issue within the trucking sector: schools and companies can essentially approve their own operations when applying for certification, with questionable practices potentially going undetected until later Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration audits.
The number of students affected by these school closures remains unclear. However, the industry currently has excess driver capacity due to a 10% decline in shipping volumes since 2022 amid economic uncertainty, though many trucking companies continue struggling to recruit well-qualified drivers with clean driving records.
Beyond threatening to revoke federal funding from states with inadequate commercial driver’s license programs, the Trump Administration has emphasized enforcing English proficiency requirements for truck drivers. California stands as the sole state to lose funding thus far, with $160 million in federal support being withheld.
MILAN – When Canada’s hockey captain Sidney Crosby was sidelined by injury during a crucial Olympic quarter-final match, his teammates found the inspiration they needed from an unlikely source: Crosby himself, speaking from the locker room.
The Canadian squad staged a dramatic comeback against Czech Republic on Wednesday, overcoming a deficit to win 4-3 in overtime and advance to the Olympic semi-finals. The victory came after what many considered a surprisingly difficult challenge from the Czech team.
Canada appeared dominant early in the Milan contest but found themselves in serious trouble as the game progressed. Nick Suzuki managed to tie the game with under four minutes remaining in regulation, setting the stage for Mitch Marner to score the winning goal just 82 seconds into overtime.
The team was forced to compete for most of the game without their 38-year-old leader, who left the ice carefully during the second period following a collision with Czech defender Radko Gudas and never returned to action.
“He couldn’t come out for the third but he did address the players,” explained coach Jon Cooper. “We didn’t want this to be Sid’s last game at this Olympics. So it was a big motivator for the guys coming out.”
Cooper revealed Crosby’s simple but powerful message to his teammates: “‘Go get it, boys’,” the coach shared.
“He’s a true leader and they didn’t want it to be the end of the tournament for him,” Cooper added, noting it was premature to discuss the captain’s injury status.
The Pittsburgh Penguins star and Stanley Cup champion holds legendary status in Canadian hockey, having created some of the nation’s most memorable Olympic achievements, including the famous 2010 “Golden Goal.” His current teammates drew strength from protecting that legacy.
“Hopefully he’s back in the next game,” said 19-year-old forward Macklin Celebrini. “That’s our leader, our captain, the heart and soul of our team.”
Copper prices rebounded strongly on Wednesday, recovering from their lowest point in over a week as investors seized the opportunity to purchase at reduced prices and industrial metals followed technology stocks higher.
The primary copper contract on the London Metal Exchange gained 2.2% to reach $12,893 per metric ton by 1700 GMT, after peaking at $12,941 earlier in the session. The metal had dropped 1.8% on Tuesday, falling to its weakest level since February 6.
Chinese traders, who represent the world’s largest metals market, remained mostly sidelined due to Lunar New Year celebrations. Panmure Liberum analyst Tom Price explained that traders “rarely leave significant capital in the market” during the holiday period, noting that increased volatility typically results in dip-buying opportunities. “So I think that will offer a little bit of support,” Price stated.
According to broker Marex, base metals have been following signals from the Nasdaq instead. The Nasdaq Composite gained 1.3% as technology companies recovered ground following a recent artificial intelligence-driven market selloff.
London Metal Exchange copper inventories rose for the twelfth consecutive day, reaching 224,625 tons – the highest level in eleven months. New deliveries arrived at warehouses in New Orleans and Kaohsiung.
American storage facilities now hold nearly 18% of all copper available in LME warehouses, while an additional 538,122 tons remain on the U.S. Comex exchange.
“When inventories and copper prices lift together, something’s not right,” Price observed, noting that American copper usage has decreased over the past twelve months.
The immediate-delivery LME copper contract traded at a $97 per ton discount compared to three-month forward contracts, indicating limited urgent demand for the metal.
Other base metals also rallied broadly. Zinc increased 2.4% to $3,365.50 per ton after reaching a two-week low on Tuesday, while aluminum rose 1.7% to $3,086.50, positioned to end a four-session decline.
Lead advanced 0.9% to $1,963.50, nickel surged 3.1% to $17,375, though tin fell 0.3% to $45,710.
Swiss food giant Nestle is exploring ways to scale back its involvement in the ice cream sector, according to a Bloomberg News report released Wednesday.
The multinational company is examining various strategies, including potentially reducing its ownership stake in Froneri, a joint venture ice cream business, sources familiar with the discussions told Bloomberg.
Another option under consideration involves transferring some of Nestle’s wholly-owned ice cream operations to the Froneri partnership, according to the report.
Neither Nestle nor Froneri provided comments when contacted by Reuters about the potential business changes.
Froneri operates as a partnership between investment firm PAI Partners and Nestle. The company received a significant financial boost in October when Goldman Sachs and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority invested in the venture, establishing its market value at 15 billion euros, equivalent to approximately $17.69 billion.
Should Nestle move forward with reducing its ownership percentage, PAI Partners might expand its control over Froneri. Alternatively, Nestle could transfer portions of its stake to other investors such as the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, Bloomberg reported.
The discussions remain in preliminary stages, and there’s no guarantee any transaction will be completed, according to the report.
Froneri manufactures well-known ice cream products including Haagen-Dazs and Rowntree’s brands. The company faces competition from Magnum Ice Cream Company, which recently began operating independently following its separation from Unilever last year.
Federal agricultural officials report a small decrease in the country’s potato inventory levels over the past month.
According to new data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, potato stockpiles nationwide have fallen by one percent since February 1, 2025.
The modest decline represents normal fluctuations in the agricultural supply chain as winter storage supplies are gradually consumed and spring planting season approaches.
The USDA regularly tracks commodity inventories to help farmers, distributors, and food industry professionals make informed decisions about production and pricing.
The United States poultry industry is experiencing modest growth, according to new data from the National Agricultural Statistics Service showing a 2% increase in broiler-type eggs being prepared for hatching nationwide.
The federal report also indicates that broiler chick placements across the country have risen by the same 2% margin, suggesting continued expansion in poultry production operations.
These figures reflect the ongoing activity in America’s chicken farming sector, which plays a significant role in the nation’s agricultural economy and food supply chain.
Delaware and regional farmers are grappling with a challenging financial reality as the costs of running their operations continue to climb while their income streams shrink. According to agricultural finance experts, this troubling pattern represents a significant break from past trends.
Bill Moore, who serves as an agricultural economist with Compeer Financial, explains that farm income has failed to match the rising expenses of agricultural production. “And for the last two-plus years we’ve seen a real divergence where historically they tend to trend together, but production costs have really kind of [stayed elevated],” Moore stated.
The economist notes that this separation between income and expenses marks an unusual departure from historical agricultural economic patterns, where farm revenues and production costs typically followed similar trajectories. The sustained period of elevated input expenses while revenues lag behind is creating budget pressures for farming operations across the region.
The City of Cambridge is encouraging residents to think about participating in their 2026 spring cleanup program.
The municipal initiative appears to be part of Cambridge’s ongoing community beautification efforts, though specific details about dates, locations, and collection procedures have not yet been announced.
Residents interested in learning more about the spring cleanup program can check the city’s civic alerts for additional information as it becomes available.
The British Broadcasting Corporation announced Wednesday it will seek dismissal of President Donald Trump’s massive $10 billion defamation lawsuit, claiming the president cannot prove the network harmed his reputation through a controversial documentary.
Court documents filed in Miami federal court reveal the BBC’s strategy to challenge Trump’s legal case on multiple fronts. The network plans to argue that Trump has not successfully demonstrated valid claims for defamation or violations of Florida’s unfair trade practices statutes.
Additionally, the BBC intends to challenge whether the court has proper authority to hear the case under Florida state law, federal civil procedure rules, and constitutional due process protections. The network has previously issued an apology to Trump regarding the editing in question.
Trump’s legal team has not yet provided comment on the BBC’s filing. The network has until March 17 to submit its official response to Trump’s December 15 lawsuit, with a trial date set for February 15, 2027.
The lawsuit stems from allegations that the BBC manipulated video footage from Trump’s January 6, 2021 address to create a misleading impression that he directly instructed his supporters to attack the U.S. Capitol as Congress prepared to confirm Joe Biden’s 2020 election victory.
The disputed editing in the documentary titled “Trump: A Second Chance?” combined footage of Trump telling supporters they would march to the Capitol with separate footage recorded nearly an hour later where he urged them to “fight like hell.”
Trump is demanding a minimum of $5 billion in damages for each of his claims against the publicly-funded British broadcaster.
The documentary controversy and accompanying accusations of editorial bias resulted in the November departures of the BBC’s chief executive and news director.
President Donald Trump voiced sharp criticism Wednesday of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer regarding an agreement concerning the Diego Garcia military installation, calling the British leader’s approach misguided.
Writing on his Truth Social platform, Trump stated: “Prime Minister Starmer is losing control of this important Island by claims of entities never known of before.”
The president also indicated that the United States might need to utilize Diego Garcia, along with an airfield in Fairford, to “eradicate a potential attack” from Iran should diplomatic efforts fail to resolve the ongoing nuclear standoff with Tehran.
The controversy stems from a 2025 deal in which Britain agreed to hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, while maintaining operational control of the crucial U.S.-UK military facility on Diego Garcia through a lease lasting 99 years.
The Seattle Seahawks, fresh off their Super Bowl victory, have officially entered the marketplace as their ownership begins a formal sale process.
According to a statement released by the Estate of Paul G. Allen, the decision to sell the NFL franchise aligns with the late Microsoft co-founder’s wishes to liquidate his sports investments and donate the money to charitable causes.
Allen acquired the Seahawks in 1997 for $194 million but passed away in 2018 at 65 years old due to complications from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a form of cancer. His estate has overseen team operations since his death.
The sale will be managed by investment firm Allen & Company alongside legal representatives from Latham & Watkins, with the process expected to extend through the 2026 offseason.
Any final sale agreement will require approval from NFL team owners.
Following their February 8 Super Bowl triumph over the New England Patriots, Forbes valued the Seahawks at $6.7 billion in 2025, ranking them as the 14th most valuable NFL franchise.
Sporting Kansas City has brought Norwegian midfielder Lasse Berg Johnsen into their fold, the Major League Soccer club revealed on Wednesday.
The 26-year-old player comes to Kansas City from Swedish club Malmo FF, signing a deal that runs through the 2027-28 season with an additional year option for 2028-29.
David Lee, the club’s president of soccer operations and general manager, expressed enthusiasm about the new signing.
“We are delighted to add Lasse to the team,” Lee stated. “Lasse is a highly experienced and accomplished player in both the domestic and international game, and he arrives in Kansas City as he enters the prime of his career.”
Lee continued his praise for the Norwegian midfielder’s abilities and character.
“He has excellent quality in possession and fits the profile of midfielder that we wanted to add to the squad. Lasse has shown throughout his career that he is a winner, while his personality and character will elevate our locker room,” Lee added.
Throughout his professional career in Scandinavian leagues since 2019, Berg Johnsen has recorded 18 goals and 21 assists across 258 matches.
Sporting Kansas City is set to kick off their 2026 MLS regular season campaign on Saturday evening when they face the San Jose Earthquakes in California.
WASHINGTON – The White House confirmed Wednesday that President Donald Trump has not engaged in direct conversations with Democratic members of Congress in recent days regarding potential government shutdown issues.
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt made the statement during Wednesday’s briefing, clarifying the current level of communication between the administration and Democratic leadership on the matter.
After more than a century of uncertainty, Spanish officials have definitively confirmed that celebrated architect Antoni Gaudi was behind the design of a mysterious building tucked away in a remote Catalonian forest.
The announcement Wednesday puts to rest decades of debate surrounding the Xalet del Catllaras, a three-story mountain lodge constructed for cement factory employees about 78 miles north of Barcelona. While experts had long suspected Gaudi’s involvement due to his connection with factory owner Eusebi Guell, no comprehensive study had been conducted to verify the theory.
That changed when officials commissioned Gaudi expert Galdric Santana to conduct a thorough investigation in 2023. Santana, who leads planning for 2026 commemorative events marking 100 years since Gaudi’s death, discovered definitive proof of the architect’s involvement.
“What’s most important is that it shows the new architectural approach that Gaudi had,” Santana explained.
The researcher identified distinctive structural features that only Gaudi employed during that specific period, including unique arch designs, specialized vaulting techniques, and rooms divided by walls positioned at 45-degree angles. These innovative methods wouldn’t appear in his students’ work for another decade or more, Santana noted.
Using advanced 3D analysis, historical documents, photographs, and floor plans from other Gaudi projects, Santana uncovered geometric and structural evidence that definitively linked the famous architect to the building constructed between 1901 and 1908 in La Pobla de Lillet.
Initially, Santana acknowledged the possibility that Gaudi might not have been the designer, given the structure’s isolated location and the architect’s busy schedule during those years working on major Barcelona landmarks like Park Guell and Casa Batllo.
However, the expert believes Gaudi likely didn’t oversee the actual construction, as the finished building differs from the original plans. This deviation may explain why Gaudi never publicly claimed credit for the design, following the common practice of architects refusing to sign their names to projects that strayed from their blueprints.
According to Santana, approximately ten other structures remain unverified as potential Gaudi creations.
SURPRISE, Ariz. — The second-highest ranking official in the baseball players’ union expressed deep personal distress over the circumstances that forced union leader Tony Clark to step down, while emphasizing that the leadership change won’t impact upcoming contract negotiations where Major League Baseball is anticipated to demand a salary cap.
Deputy executive director Bruce Meyer spoke candidly Wednesday about the emotional toll of recent developments. “Just on a personal level I think we’re all fairly devasted by things that have happened in the last 48, 72 hours,” Meyer stated. “I’m not going to go beyond that in terms of personal feelings, but it’s fair to say that we were all personally upset, concerned about Tony. But I think this was something that the players determined had to happen at this particular point in time.”
Clark, a former All-Star first baseman who led the union for over a decade since 2013, stepped down Tuesday with crucial labor negotiations looming. The current collective bargaining agreement expires December 1st.
According to a source familiar with internal union discussions who requested anonymity, Clark was pressured to resign by the union’s eight-member executive subcommittee following an investigation by external legal counsel. The probe uncovered evidence that Clark maintained an improper relationship with his sister-in-law, who has worked for the union since 2023.
Meyer explained the timeline of events, saying “The information that really led to this came out within the last … 72 hours or so. So this is not something that has been kind of sat on. When the information came out the players on the subcommittee made their feelings known. And Tony, to his credit, he’s always been about the players first and Tony decided to take the action he did in the interest of the players.”
Clark has not responded to requests for comment.
The union’s traditional spring training facility visits were delayed by one day, starting Wednesday with the Kansas City Royals. The executive board scheduled its second consecutive day of virtual meetings, with Royals player representative John Schreiber anticipating a leadership decision by Wednesday evening.
“We’ll see how the meeting goes today,” Schreiber commented. “We’re going on the right path and we’ll have a decision shortly.”
Meyer, who joined the organization in 2018 under Clark’s leadership, spearheaded the 2021-22 contract talks that concluded with a March 10 agreement, ending a 99-day owner lockout. He was elevated to deputy executive director in July 2022.
Regarding future negotiations, Meyer stated confidently, “I don’t anticipate that anybody’s going to be leading negotiations other than me.”
Clark’s exit occurs amid an ongoing federal investigation by Brooklyn prosecutors into OneTeam Partners, a licensing venture established in 2019 by the baseball union, NFL Players Association, and RedBird Capital Partners.
“There have been some issues hanging over, as you know, and in some respects it’s good to get them out of the way sooner rather than later,” Meyer acknowledged.
The union’s complete 72-member executive board holds voting rights for selecting the new executive director, including the executive subcommittee, 30 major league team representatives, and 34 minor league players who joined union representation in 2022.
With MLB expected to propose implementing a salary cap, the possibility of a work stoppage looms that could result in the first canceled regular season games since 1995.
Meyer stressed continuity in the union’s approach: “We don’t expect anything to change in terms of bargaining. We’ve been preparing for bargaining for years. Players have been preparing. Players know what’s coming. At the end of the day leadership is important and leadership comes and goes, but what remains is the players. At the end of the day, it’s the players who determine the direction of the union. At the end of the day, it’s the players who determine our priorities and bargaining. Those priorities obviously have not changed and will not change.”
The union maintains its firm opposition to any salary restrictions.
“Our position and the historic position of this union for decades on a salary cap is well known,” Meyer declared. “It’s the ultimate restriction. It’s something that owners in all the sports have wanted more than anything and in baseball in particular there’s a reason for that, because it’s good for them and not good for players.”
The 64-year-old Meyer brings three decades of experience from Weil, Gotshal & Manges law firm before transitioning to the NHL Players Association in 2016 as senior director of collective bargaining, policy and legal affairs. He declined to discuss his interest in permanently succeeding Clark.
When asked about potential changes to family member hiring policies, Meyer remained vague: “I think it’s fair to say there are issues that will be addressed. There are various issues that will be evaluated, re-evaluated with the advice of counsel and, as always, at the direction of players.”
Dairy commodity values climbed during midweek trading sessions on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, boosted by anticipated strong demand from international markets.
Cheese blocks advanced 5 cents to reach $1.50 per pound, with trading activity including transactions at both $1.48 and $1.50. Barrel cheese prices gained 2 cents, settling at $1.47 per pound.
Nonfat dry milk saw a modest increase of three-quarters of a cent, closing at $1.5975 per pound. Meanwhile, dry whey remained steady at 74 cents per pound, and butter prices held unchanged at $1.7050 per pound.
The upward movement in dairy commodities reflects optimism about global consumption patterns and export opportunities for U.S. dairy products.
A descendant of the man who created Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups is publicly calling out Hershey for what he claims are cost-cutting measures that compromise the beloved candy’s quality.
Brad Reese, age 70 and grandson of the original inventor, sent a scathing letter on February 14th to Hershey’s corporate brand manager, alleging the company has switched from milk chocolate to compound coatings and swapped peanut butter for peanut crème in several Reese’s varieties.
“How does The Hershey Co. continue to position Reese’s as its flagship brand, a symbol of trust, quality and leadership, while quietly replacing the very ingredients (Milk Chocolate + Peanut Butter) that built Reese’s trust in the first place?” Reese questioned in his letter, which he shared publicly on LinkedIn.
His grandfather, H.B. Reese, worked at Hershey for two years before launching his own confectionery business in 1919. The famous peanut butter cups were created in 1928, and H.B. Reese’s six sons eventually sold the company to Hershey in 1963.
Hershey responded Wednesday, maintaining that the classic Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups continue to be manufactured using the traditional method with genuine milk chocolate and peanut butter made from roasted peanuts, sugar, salt, and other basic ingredients. However, the company acknowledged that formulations differ across various Reese’s products.
“As we’ve grown and expanded the Reese’s product line, we make product recipe adjustments that allow us to make new shapes, sizes and innovations that Reese’s fans have come to love and ask for, while always protecting the essence of what makes Reese’s unique and special: the perfect combination of chocolate and peanut butter,” the company stated.
Brad Reese believes Hershey has crossed a line. He recently discarded a package of Reese’s Mini Hearts, a Valentine’s Day release, after discovering the wrapper indicated they contained “chocolate candy and peanut butter crème” rather than authentic milk chocolate and peanut butter.
“It was not edible,” Reese explained to The Associated Press. “You have to understand. I used to eat a Reese’s product every day. This is very devastating for me.”
Federal regulations require products labeled as milk chocolate to contain specific minimum amounts: 10% chocolate liquor (a paste from ground cocoa beans), 12% milk solids, and 3.39% milk fat. Manufacturers can sidestep these standards by using alternative terminology like “chocolate candy” on packaging, as seen on Hershey’s Mr. Goodbar wrapper.
According to Brad Reese, multiple Reese’s products have undergone recipe modifications in recent years. He claims Reese’s Take5 and Fast Break bars previously featured milk chocolate coatings but no longer do. Additionally, White Reese’s products, which contained actual white chocolate when introduced in the early 2000s, now use white crème instead.
International versions also differ from American products, Reese noted. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups marketed in Europe, the United Kingdom, and Ireland contain different ingredients. A British online retailer’s website described the candy as having “milk chocolate-flavored coating and peanut butter crème.”
During an investor conference call last year, Hershey CFO Steven Voskuil confirmed the company had modified certain formulations, though he didn’t specify which products. Voskuil emphasized that Hershey carefully preserved the “taste profile and the specialness of our iconic brands.”
“I would say in all the changes that we’ve made thus far, there has been no consumer impact whatsoever. As you can imagine, even on the smallest brand in the portfolio, if we were to make a change, there’s extensive consumer testing,” he explained.
However, Brad Reese reports frequently hearing complaints from people who believe Reese’s products have declined in taste quality. He urged Pennsylvania-headquartered Hershey to remember founder Milton Hershey’s philosophy: “Give them quality, that’s the best advertising.”
“I absolutely believe in innovation, but my preference is innovation with quality,” Reese concluded.
CAIRO — An intensification of unmanned aerial attacks in Sudan’s Kordofan area has resulted in mounting civilian casualties and disrupted relief efforts, according to experts and aid workers who spoke Wednesday as Sudan’s civil war approaches its third year.
The Sudan Doctors Network, an organization monitoring wartime violence, reports that no fewer than 77 individuals lost their lives with dozens more wounded in multiple assaults, primarily carried out by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces targeting populated neighborhoods. Civilians comprised the majority of casualties.
The battle between the RSF and Sudan’s armed forces escalated into comprehensive warfare in April 2023. The World Health Organization reports that the fighting has claimed at least 40,000 lives and forced 12 million people from their homes. Relief organizations warn the actual casualties may be significantly higher due to combat in remote and expansive territories that prevent access.
According to Jalale Getachew Birru, a senior East Africa analyst with the nonprofit Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED), Sudan’s military has expanded its deployment of unmanned aircraft and aerial bombardments in Kordofan during the previous year as hostilities moved westward, transforming the area into “a primary theater of operations.”
Military officials announced two weeks ago that they had ended the RSF’s blockade of Kadugli, South Kordofan’s provincial capital, along with the adjacent town of Dilling following more than two years under siege.
Nevertheless, Birru stated the blockades remain partially intact. “These cities are still encircled, and the fight for the control of these cities and the wider region is ongoing,” he explained to The Associated Press.
Walid Mohamed, a Kadugli resident, informed the AP that ending the blockade enabled increased flow of supplies and medical resources into the city, reopening connections with Dilling and reducing food costs following a severe humanitarian crisis. Nevertheless, he noted that RSF unmanned aircraft attacks have become nearly constant since then, primarily hitting medical facilities, marketplaces and residential areas.
Omran Ahmed, who lives in Dilling, similarly reported increased drone attacks, “spreading fear and terror among residents as they see more civilians become victims.”
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk issued an urgent warning Wednesday that unmanned aircraft strikes claimed more than 50 civilian lives during a two-day period this week.
“These latest killings are yet another reminder of the devastating consequences on civilians of the escalating use of drone warfare in Sudan,” Türk stated, denouncing the attacks on civilian locations including marketplaces, medical centers and educational institutions.
U.N. spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric indicated evidence shows both warring parties deployed drones against civilians during this week’s violence.
“These civilians have been at one time or another in government-controlled areas and areas controlled by the RSF, which would make us believe that both sides are using them,” he explained.
Two military officials, speaking anonymously because they lacked authorization to address media, informed the AP this week that the army does not deliberately strike civilian infrastructure.
United Nations agencies announced Wednesday that a U.N. convoy successfully delivered aid to more than 130,000 people in Dilling and Kadugli, marking the first significant supply delivery in three months. However, relief workers express alarm about increasing violence.
Mathilde Vu, an advocacy manager with the Norwegian Refugee Council, told the AP there’s “huge concern” about the “unacceptable” escalation in Kordofan and its potential to “shatter lives and obstruct any hope to reverse the famine/ starvation” affecting the region.
“It’s very indiscriminate. Between Kordofan, Darfur and the east (Sennar), it’s now every other day we receive messages like ‘drone attack here, hit a civilian infrastructure, killed people,’” Vu explained.
Kholood Khair, founding director of Confluence Advisory think tank, told the AP that recent Sudan fighting has concentrated in Kordofan, where the military seeks to establish access into the adjacent Darfur region.
El-Fasher city, North Darfur’s capital, served as the army’s final stronghold in the area before falling to the RSF in October. Reclaiming it could enable the military to reestablish crucial supply and logistics connections between Kordofan and Darfur.
Meanwhile, the RSF aims to establish a corridor from Kordofan back toward the country’s center and capital city Khartoum, according to Khair.
Both military forces and the RSF have deployed unmanned aircraft, particularly in North Kordofan, with civilians bearing the brunt of attacks.
ACLED data shows that 163 aerial and drone attacks nationwide targeted civilians last year, resulting in 1,032 deaths. The army allegedly conducted 83 strikes causing 568 fatalities, while the RSF carried out 66 strikes killing 288 people.
Federico Donelli, associate professor of international relations at the University of Trieste, reports that both sides have increased their drone usage in Kordofan during recent weeks.
Donelli explained that multiple factors drive this increase, including the army’s procurement of new weaponry and unmanned aircraft manufactured and provided by foreign entities.
“This has enabled the army to rely more heavily on precision strikes, mirroring tactics that the Rapid Support Forces have been using for some time,” he noted.
Both sides may face challenges maintaining adequate troop numbers, he suggested. “Consequently, drones are favored over deploying armed units on the ground, particularly in contested areas such as Kordofan.”
Khair from Confluence Advisory predicted the Kordofan fighting could change direction in coming periods, with the army potentially attempting to advance into Darfur, especially toward el-Fasher, where authorities have documented war crimes.
“We expect to see the bombing campaigns not only continue but increase in frequency and volume,” she warned.
ROME — Pope Leo XIV kicked off the Catholic Church’s 40-day Lenten period of reflection by conducting Ash Wednesday services and criticizing what he called the destruction of global legal standards caused by current warfare around the world.
The pontiff brought back the customary prayer procession that his predecessor Pope Francis had mostly assigned to other church officials during his later years in office. Leo XIV led a group of dozens of religious leaders including monks, priests, bishops and cardinals as they walked between Roman churches before he placed ashes on cardinals’ foreheads during the service.
The Ash Wednesday observance marks the start of Lent, a 40-day period focused on fasting, prayer and spiritual preparation leading to Easter celebrations commemorating Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection.
During his sermon, Leo XIV reflected on humanity’s failures and described how the ashes distributed to worshippers carry the “weight of a world that is ablaze, of entire cities destroyed by war.”
“This is also reflected in the ashes of international law and justice among peoples, the ashes of entire ecosystems and harmony among peoples, the ashes of critical thinking and ancient local wisdom, the ashes of that sense of the sacred that dwells in every creature,” he stated.
The Pope has been vocal in his criticism of how global conflicts have undermined the international legal framework established after World War II, particularly citing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the U.S. military action in Venezuela aimed at removing that country’s leadership.
Earlier this week, Vatican officials announced they would decline to join the Trump Administration’s proposed Board of Peace for Gaza. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, explained that the United Nations should be the proper organization to oversee the fragile Gaza ceasefire and reconstruction efforts.
A devastating avalanche struck a group of 15 skiers during a guided backcountry expedition in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains on Tuesday, leaving nine people still unaccounted for as rescue operations continue.
The skiing party was participating in a three-day wilderness adventure organized by Blackbird Mountain Guides in the remote backcountry near Frog Lake, close to Lake Tahoe. Participants had been staying overnight in mountain huts positioned at an elevation of 7,600 feet, bringing their own provisions for the multi-day journey.
According to the tour company’s promotional materials, they promised clients an elevated experience: “If you’ve booked the Frog Lake Huts in Truckee, trust our guides to elevate your trip to the next level. We’ll navigate in and out of the huts, manage the risks, and find the best terrain and snow quality for you and your group!”
When disaster struck Tuesday, six members of the skiing group managed to find safety and were successfully rescued after spending hours taking shelter while rescue teams worked through blizzard conditions. However, nine individuals remain missing.
In an official statement, Blackbird Mountain Guides confirmed they are working closely with rescue authorities. The company explained that the avalanche occurred as the group, which included four professional guides, was making their way back to the starting point of their trek.
The guide service operates from locations in both California and Washington, providing mountaineering and backcountry skiing experiences throughout the western United States, as well as international destinations in Europe and Japan. Additionally, they provide educational programs focusing on wilderness survival skills and emergency medical training.
The remote area where the skiers went missing had remained inaccessible to the general public for 100 years until the Truckee Donner Land Trust purchased the property and established the mountain huts, which feature basic amenities including sleeping pads, cooking stoves, and restroom facilities.
This particular expedition was designed for skiers with intermediate to advanced abilities, requiring participants to be capable of ascending up to 2,500 vertical feet during a single day’s journey. While guides provide first aid supplies and waste disposal equipment, skiers must supply their own gear and avalanche safety equipment, including locator beacons, shovels, and probes.
The company’s website acknowledged the challenging nature of these excursions: “Generally our guides are able to find excellent backcountry snow conditions, but often we need to travel through difficult conditions to access the goods. This requires riders to be adept with their backcountry touring skills and have a solid foundation of touring before the trip.”
Weather conditions had been deteriorating throughout the week, with avalanche warnings issued as early as Sunday when a major winter storm system began affecting the region. The Sierra Avalanche Center escalated their alert to a more serious avalanche warning for the Central Sierra Nevada and Greater Lake Tahoe area, beginning Tuesday morning at 5 a.m., with predictions of significant slides continuing through Wednesday.
The dangerous conditions resulted from rapidly accumulating snowfall on unstable underlying snow layers, combined with powerful wind conditions that created extremely hazardous avalanche potential.
Snow measurements from Soda Springs, located near the avalanche site, showed at least 30 inches of new snowfall accumulated within a 24-hour timeframe, according to data from the Soda Springs Mountain Resort.
WASHINGTON — Federal Reserve policymakers are deeply split on whether to reduce interest rates again in 2025, with most officials wanting to see inflation drop more significantly before supporting additional cuts, according to meeting minutes released Wednesday.
The document from the Fed’s January 27-28 meeting revealed that the “vast majority” of the 19 committee members believe the employment market has found stability following unemployment increases in late 2025. Most policymakers also indicated the central bank’s benchmark rate has reached a neutral position that neither boosts nor hampers economic growth.
During that January session, Fed officials chose to maintain their primary interest rate at approximately 3.6%, following three reductions implemented in the final months of 2024. However, two committee members — Fed governors Stephen Miran and Christopher Waller — dissented by voting for an additional quarter-point reduction.
The meeting minutes highlighted significant disagreement among committee members, revealing three distinct viewpoints: “Several” policymakers indicated that further rate reductions would “likely be appropriate” if inflation continues its downward trend. Meanwhile, “some” officials supported maintaining current rates “for some time,” suggesting an extended pause in rate changes. Additionally, “several” committee members said they would have backed language in the post-meeting statement indicating the Fed’s next action could be either a rate cut or increase, depending on whether inflation stays above their 2% goal.
The Seattle Seahawks NFL franchise has officially been placed on the market by the estate of its late owner.
Paul Allen’s estate made the announcement Wednesday that they have begun the official process to sell the Super Bowl-winning team.
Allen, who helped start Microsoft alongside Bill Gates, passed away in 2018 at 65 years old from complications related to non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
The tech billionaire purchased the Seahawks in 1997, preventing the franchise from a potential relocation to Southern California.
Forbes reports that Allen’s original investment was $194 million. The financial publication now estimates the team’s worth at $6.7 billion, ranking it 14th among NFL franchises.
The most recent NFL team transaction involved the Washington Commanders, which Josh Harris and his investment group acquired in 2023 for a record-breaking $6.05 billion. Industry experts anticipate the Seahawks sale will surpass the $7 billion threshold.
Since Allen’s passing, his sister Jody Allen has overseen the franchise as the estate’s executor. The late owner also possessed the Portland Trail Blazers basketball team, which is currently undergoing its own sale process.
The Trail Blazers are set to be acquired by Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon in a transaction worth $4.25 billion.
The financial firm Allen & Co. along with legal representatives from Latham & Watkins will handle the Seahawks sale proceedings.
Allen’s will specifically outlined his intention for his sports properties to eventually be sold, with the money generated going toward charitable organizations.
The world’s largest food and beverage company, Nestle, announced Wednesday that it will nominate former Swiss National Bank Chairman Thomas Jordan to join its board of directors while implementing significant changes to its corporate governance structure.
The Swiss-based multinational has experienced significant leadership instability during the last year and a half, with two chief executives leaving their positions and a board chairman resigning ahead of schedule. These departures came following major business challenges that negatively impacted the company’s stock value and sparked concerns about its management oversight.
Jordan will be nominated for board election along with Fatima Francisco, who currently leads Procter & Gamble’s Global Baby, Feminine and Family Care division. Shareholders will vote on both candidates during the company’s annual shareholder meeting scheduled for April 16.
The consumer goods corporation announced it has conducted a comprehensive evaluation of its governance procedures and committee framework, with reforms taking effect during the upcoming annual meeting.
The planned modifications include scheduling more frequent board meetings to boost director involvement and restructuring committee roles and duties, according to the company’s announcement.
Under the new structure, the existing chair’s and corporate governance committee will be eliminated. A newly created audit and finance committee will handle financial oversight responsibilities, while a separate nomination and corporate governance committee will manage governance matters.
Arizona Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur is standing firmly behind his controversial selection of Nathaniel Hackett to serve as the team’s offensive coordinator.
The 46-year-old Hackett brings 17 years of NFL coaching experience, though his recent track record has raised eyebrows. Denver dismissed him as head coach partway through the 2022 campaign, and the New York Jets stripped away his play-calling duties during his tenure there, transferring those responsibilities to Todd Downing after just one month into the 2023 season.
Most recently, Hackett worked for the Green Bay Packers in a defensive analyst role under Matt LaFleur, who happens to be Mike LaFleur’s brother.
“He’s been very successful and is very highly thought of, especially in our profession,” Mike LaFleur said.
The 38-year-old LaFleur plans to handle play-calling responsibilities for Arizona himself. During his previous role as offensive coordinator with the Los Angeles Rams, head coach Sean McVay managed those duties. LaFleur revealed that Hackett was his only consideration for the offensive coordinator position when he took over as Cardinals head coach in January.
“If you guys believe one thing from this press conference, it is literally: I wanted him and nobody else. And he’s here,” Mike LaFleur said.
When addressing the negative feedback surrounding his appointment, Hackett acknowledged the criticism but explained his approach to handling it.
“Learn from your adversity,” Hackett said. “Sometimes you gotta block out that noise. I’ve learned to block out that noise.”
The Cardinals face significant decisions as they rebuild their offensive system, with quarterback Kyler Murray’s future remaining uncertain. Murray could potentially be moved in a trade after sitting out 10 games last season due to a foot injury, raising ongoing questions about his durability given his substantial contract.
WASHINGTON – The Treasury Department announced Wednesday new guidelines requiring oil companies conducting business in Venezuela to handle their tax payments through a split system.
Under the new rules, businesses operating in Venezuela’s oil sector will pay local taxes, permits, and fees directly to Venezuelan authorities. Meanwhile, energy royalties, per-barrel charges, and federal tax obligations must be deposited into the Foreign Government Deposit Funds, which are overseen by the current administration.
These guidelines were outlined in a Frequently Asked Questions document that Reuters obtained before its official posting on the Treasury Department’s website.
The new FAQ document references two general licenses that Treasury released on February 10th. The first license removed U.S. sanctions that had restricted Venezuelan oil exports, sales, storage, and transportation activities. The second authorization permits American companies to provide goods, technology, software, or services for Venezuela’s oil and gas exploration, development, and production operations.
Officials in Ivory Coast are debating whether to slash the payments made to cocoa farmers, following the lead of neighboring Ghana amid a severe downturn in the global cocoa market, according to two government sources speaking to Reuters.
Senior officials from Ivory Coast indicated that all possibilities remain under consideration as the government weighs matching Ghana’s approach. Ghana has already reduced its farmer payments by 28.6% for the remainder of the 2025/2026 harvest season’s primary crop, working in coordination with Ivory Coast authorities as both nations respond to dramatically falling market prices.
These farmer payments, established at the beginning of each harvest period, represent the direct compensation producers receive for their crops before any middlemen, export companies, processing facilities, trading firms, or farming cooperatives add their markup.
Previous reports have not disclosed these coordination talks between Ghana and Ivory Coast, nor the internal Ivory Coast government deliberations about matching Ghana’s pricing strategy.
According to the Ivory Coast-Ghana Cocoa Initiative (ICCIG), these two African nations collectively supply approximately 60% of worldwide cocoa production and have maintained close coordination since the sector’s crisis began.
“We have put all options on the table and discussions are progressing well. Courageous and realistic decisions will be taken soon,” stated the first Ivory Coast official, who requested anonymity due to lack of authorization to discuss the matter publicly.
The second official explained that the ongoing price decline, which has seen cocoa values plummet nearly 50% over recent months, has severely limited the government’s available responses.
Cocoa commodity contracts on the ICE exchange reached their lowest point in two and a half years this Tuesday, as ongoing concerns about unsold cocoa inventory in both Ivory Coast and Ghana continued pressuring market values.
“We must think about the survival of the cocoa sector in Ivory Coast. We need to act; changes are underway,” the source explained, refusing to provide additional specifics.
Both sources confirmed that a multi-ministry committee has convened regarding this issue, with a decision potentially coming in the near future.
An Ivory Coast government representative did not respond to Reuters’ request for commentary.
Alex Assanvo, serving as ICCIG’s executive secretary, explained that both countries are adjusting to this unexpected market reversal and have implemented protective measures to avoid structural harm.
Assanvo noted that the trading departments of Ivory Coast’s Coffee and Cocoa Council and Ghana’s COCOBOD maintain ongoing communication.
He also supported the Living Income Differential program, launched in 2019 to increase farmer revenues, arguing that current market instability demonstrates its importance.
ICCIG is organizing a bilateral meeting to enhance coordination as farmers experience financial strain.
“The organisation remains mobilised to coordinate policies in both countries,” Assanvo stated, noting that all sector participants would be brought together to examine market changes and suggest enhancements to price-stabilization systems.
Export companies and purchasers anticipate Ivory Coast will announce reductions shortly, indicating the question has shifted from whether to when.
“The country is resisting, but for how long? I don’t see Ivory Coast doing something different from Ghana,” commented the director of an Abidjan-based export firm.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney moved a step closer to securing parliamentary control Wednesday after a Conservative Party member switched sides to join his Liberal government.
Matt Jeneroux, who represents an Alberta district for the Conservative opposition, announced his decision to join the Liberal caucus in the House of Commons. The defection brings Carney’s centrist Liberal Party to 169 seats in the 343-member chamber, leaving them just three seats away from majority control.
Since winning a minority government in last April’s election, the Liberals have required opposition backing to advance major legislation including budget measures. Carney has argued that achieving a majority would allow his government to respond more swiftly to trade policies from U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration.
“The world has changed, and Canada must change with it. This is a time to come together — and together, we will build a stronger future,” Carney wrote on social media platform X.
Jeneroux is scheduled to meet with Carney later Wednesday. In his statement announcing the switch, the Alberta representative cited his desire to address “unprecedented pressures” facing Canada’s economic stability and independence.
Three Liberal-held seats currently remain empty, and if Carney’s party captures all of them in upcoming special elections, he would secure the majority needed to govern until April 2029. While two of these vacant positions are in traditional Liberal strongholds, polling suggests the third seat in a Montreal-area district will present a more competitive contest.
This marks the third time in recent months that a Conservative member has crossed the floor to join the Liberals, intensifying scrutiny on Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre. Poilievre narrowly survived a leadership challenge last month following his party’s election defeat despite holding substantial polling advantages.
Poilievre responded harshly to the defection, posting on X that “Mark Carney is trying to seize a costly Liberal majority government that Canadians voted against in the last election through dirty backroom deals.” He accused Jeneroux of betraying his constituents.
Carney must still officially call the special elections to fill the remaining vacant seats before he can claim majority status in Parliament.
The head of the National Institutes of Health will now also oversee the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on an interim basis, according to a Wednesday report from The New York Times.
Jay Bhattacharya, who currently serves as NIH director, has been tapped to take on the acting director role at the CDC as well, two administration officials told the newspaper.
The dual appointment means Bhattacharya will simultaneously lead both major federal health agencies during this transitional period.
A Seaford resident is facing multiple felony charges after authorities say he targeted construction sites across Sussex County to steal appliances last fall.
James Deshields, 57, was taken into custody by Delaware State Police on February 17, 2026, in connection with a string of break-ins at homes still under construction during September 2025. According to investigators, Deshields would break into these properties and steal refrigerators or attempt to remove them, often severing water lines in the process and causing additional property damage.
The Sussex County Criminal Investigations Unit took over the case after multiple similar incidents were reported. Detectives discovered that witnesses had spotted a suspect along with a Honda CRV at various crime locations. Through their investigation, they identified Deshields as a person of interest and learned that both Georgetown and Seaford police departments were looking into comparable cases.
Deshields was initially taken into custody on September 23, 2025, for an unrelated offense. During that detention, investigators secured a DNA search warrant to test his genetic material against evidence gathered from one of the burglary locations. Although Deshields fought against providing the DNA sample, authorities were able to collect it and forward it to the Division of Forensic Science for analysis.
The forensic lab returned its findings earlier this month, which investigators used to connect Deshields to the crimes. An arrest warrant was then issued.
Following his February arrest, Deshields was processed at Troop 4 and appeared before Justice of the Peace Court 2. He was released after posting a $27,500 unsecured bond.
The charges against Deshields include three counts each of second-degree burglary, theft of $1,500 or more, and criminal mischief under $1,000. He also faces one count each of attempted theft of $1,500 or more, second-degree conspiracy, resisting arrest, and second-degree criminal trespass.
Two Smyrna residents found themselves in handcuffs Tuesday after police say they swiped packages from front porches in the downtown area.
Smyrna Police Department officers responded to a call on February 17, 2026, regarding stolen packages from a home in the first block of South Main Street. Following their investigation, law enforcement officials identified the alleged thieves as 27-year-old Angel Fish and 34-year-old Sean Cornwell, both residents of Smyrna.
Police were able to track down Fish and Cornwell quickly after the initial report, successfully retrieving the stolen merchandise. During the arrest process, investigators discovered the duo had also targeted a second home in the area, taking another package from that residence as well.
Two University of Delaware women’s tennis athletes have received recognition from Conference USA for their outstanding doubles performance.
Blue Hens players Maryia Hrynashka and Paulina Jurkowska were selected as the CUSA Women’s Tennis Doubles Team of the Week for February 18, according to Wednesday’s conference announcement from Dallas.
The weekly honor highlights the pair’s exceptional play on the court and adds to the University of Delaware’s growing list of conference accolades this season.
Agricultural advocates in Ohio are pushing for legislative changes that would bring greater clarity to property tax calculations for farming operations. The proposed legislation targets Ohio’s Calculated Agricultural Use Value program, which determines how farmland is assessed for tax purposes.
According to Evan Callicoat, who serves as the director of state policy for Ohio Farm Bureau, the organization’s members are seeking more straightforward rules regarding how agricultural land valuations translate into tax obligations. Callicoat explains that the proposed statehouse bill aims to enhance both transparency and consistency within the CAUV system.
The legislation would establish clearer parameters for farmers to understand their tax responsibilities, though the incomplete quote suggests additional details about farmer protections were not fully captured in the original reporting.
Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway is taking a stance that federal pesticide labeling requirements should satisfy state regulations as legal battles continue over glyphosate-based products. Hanaway expressed her position clearly, stating: “Look, if there’s an EPA warning that’s prescribed for any herbicide or pesticide, that should be enough in Missouri.”
Her comments come during a period when both state legislators and the U.S. Supreme Court are examining various legal disputes connected to glyphosate, the active ingredient in many weed killers. Meanwhile, Monsanto’s popular Roundup product faces ongoing litigation challenges in courts across the country.
Agricultural officials in Nebraska are raising concerns about how uncertain ethanol policies are worsening economic hardships for farmers across the state. Michael Dibbern, who leads the Nebraska Corn Growers Association, indicates that the economic strain on agricultural producers goes beyond what official bankruptcy statistics reveal.
According to Dibbern, many farmers facing financial difficulties won’t pursue formal bankruptcy proceedings. Instead, he explains, “They’re just going to quit. They’re going to sell off their equipment and be done.” This trend suggests the true scope of agricultural financial distress may be underreported in official data.
The ongoing lack of clear direction in ethanol policy continues to create uncertainty for corn producers who depend on ethanol demand for market stability. Nebraska agricultural leaders emphasize that policy clarity is essential for farmers to make informed business decisions during these challenging economic times.
Agricultural industry leaders are still waiting for federal action on expanding E15 ethanol fuel availability across the country after a key deadline passed without resolution. The National Corn Growers Association’s chief economist reports the industry remains in limbo regarding year-round E15 distribution nationwide.
Krista Swanson, speaking with agricultural news outlets, expressed frustration with the delay from the Congressional Rural Domestic Energy Council. “Unfortunately, the council had a first deadline of February 15th, and that has come and gone, and we haven’t really heard a lot,” Swanson stated.
Economic analysts suggest that if E15 expansion moves forward, it could create a dual impact on markets – potentially increasing corn commodity prices due to higher demand for ethanol production, while simultaneously offering consumers lower fuel costs at gas stations nationwide.
Agricultural and biofuel industry representatives are pressing Congress to reject what they describe as unreasonable demands from a small number of mid-sized oil refineries. The organizations argue these refiners are preventing year-round access to E15 ethanol fuel while seeking excessive financial benefits.
According to the groups, lawmakers should not permit “a tiny handful of mid-sized refiners to take year-round E15 hostage while demanding outlandish handouts.”
Maryland officials have given the green light to more than $7.1 million in state grants supporting recreational improvements and environmental protection efforts spanning seven counties, including several on the Eastern Shore.
The Maryland Board of Public Works endorsed the funding package, which will benefit Allegany, Cecil, Dorchester, Frederick, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and St. Mary’s counties through various Department of Natural Resources programs.
Recreation projects received the largest portion of funding, with over $3.6 million allocated through the Program Open Space – Local initiative for four separate endeavors. Two major recreation facilities will be developed with this money: Cecil County plans to build a new recreation center at Calvert Regional Park that will include an indoor track, sports courts, and community gathering spaces. Meanwhile, Dorchester County will upgrade the Thendara Center in Hurlock with kitchen and restroom improvements, plus replacement of an outdoor shooting facility.
An additional $73,000 from the Local Parks and Playgrounds Infrastructure Program will fund two smaller projects. Frederick County’s Thurmont will receive $19,000 toward constructing a pedestrian bridge on the Gateway Trail, while Kent County gets $53,000 to enhance the boardwalk and install new seating at Betterton Beach. This infrastructure program was established during fiscal years 2022 and 2023 specifically to support municipal and county park development.
Environmental conservation efforts also received substantial backing, with $522,000 designated for permanent conservation easements through the Rural Legacy program covering 262 acres in St. Mary’s County. The Patuxent Tidewater Land Trust will oversee protection of two separate properties – a 57-acre agricultural site and a 205-acre wooded area – within the Huntersville Rural Legacy Area. These preserved lands will safeguard 7,800 feet of predominantly forested stream corridors serving both the Patuxent River and Potomac River watersheds.
The board additionally approved nearly $2.9 million through the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program for acquiring conservation easements on 394 acres total. Queen Anne’s County will see protection of 290 combined acres that will preserve 2,500 feet of forested stream buffers along waterways feeding into Tuckahoe Creek. Kent County’s 104-acre easement, managed by the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy, will protect more than 9,000 feet along Tavern Creek, which flows into the Chester River.
Complete details about these approved items can be found in the Board of Public Works meeting materials from February 18, 2026. The board consists of three members: Governor Wes Moore, Treasurer Dereck E. Davis, and Comptroller Brooke E. Lierman.
The Program Open Space – Local component has operated since 1969 under the Department of Natural Resources, supporting county and municipal governments in planning, acquiring, and developing recreational properties and amenities. Property transfer taxes provide the program’s funding source.
Maryland’s Rural Legacy Program, launched in 1997, focuses on preserving extensive working landscapes across 36 designated areas statewide. Both this program and the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation recently received national recognition from the American Farmland Trust.
The state’s Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program permanent easement option has operated since 2009, acquiring conservation agreements from voluntary participants that ensure continued maintenance of conservation practices beyond federal contract expiration dates.
SEATTLE (AP) — The estate of the late Paul Allen has initiated the sale of the Seattle Seahawks NFL franchise, following the deceased owner’s previously stated intentions.
On Wednesday, Allen’s estate made public its decision to move forward with putting the team on the market. The timing comes as the Seahawks have just completed a successful season that resulted in their second Super Bowl championship since the franchise began.
The sale will be handled by investment banking firm Allen & Company alongside legal representation from Latham & Watkins. Estate representatives expect the transaction process to extend throughout the NFL’s offseason period. Any final sale agreement will require approval from the league’s ownership group before becoming official.
Rev. Jesse Jackson’s historic 1988 presidential campaign launch in Pittsburgh represented more than political ambition—it embodied his vision for America to achieve its greatest potential.
“If I can become president,” Jackson declared, reflecting on his upbringing in poverty as a Black child in segregated South Carolina, “every woman can. Every man can. I’m giving America a chance to make a choice to fulfill the highest and best of an authentic and honest democracy.”
Though Jackson’s presidential bid didn’t succeed, it sparked inspiration across America among those who believed in his vision. Jackson passed away Tuesday at age 84, leaving behind a transformative legacy.
Today, numerous activists, religious leaders, civic organizers, and elected officials trace their motivation back to Jackson’s groundbreaking campaigns and his unwavering commitment to equality and justice.
“Here I was, a kid growing up in public housing, and I got to witness this Black man running for president. He gave me a glimpse of what is possible, and he taught me how to say, ‘I am somebody’,” explained Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia, referencing Jackson’s famous slogan taken from poetry.
Warnock, who leads Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta—the same congregation once pastored by Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.—believes Jackson’s influence remains crucial today amid current political challenges regarding elections, international relations, and immigration policy.
“His voice is now silent, but his example is eternal, and that work is left to us,” Warnock stated.
Jackson’s remarkable career encompassed international humanitarian efforts, advocacy for progressive economic policies, and leadership within the Civil Rights Movement that King had previously guided. Jackson witnessed King’s assassination at the Memphis hotel where it occurred.
Jackson’s 1988 White House pursuit forced Americans to consider whether King’s protégé could reach the presidency twenty years after the civil rights leader’s death. His equality-focused message during the Democratic primary attracted diverse voter support and surprised party establishment figures, who subsequently restructured the primary process due to increased participation.
Political experts believe these changes later enabled another Black Illinois politician to win the presidency twenty years afterward.
Barack Obama acknowledged this connection in his tribute to Jackson’s life.
Obama noted that former first lady Michelle Obama “got her first glimpse of political organizing at the Jacksons’ kitchen table when she was a teenager.” He added, “And in his two historic runs for president, he laid the foundation for my own campaign to the highest office in the land.”
This relationship didn’t prevent Jackson from critiquing Obama or supporting activists who challenged America’s first Black president’s policies.
“He continued to reach out to young Black activists throughout the protests that started in 2014,” explained DeRay McKesson, a racial justice organizer active in Ferguson, Missouri, during Black Lives Matter demonstrations. “As an activist and organizer, I appreciate that Jesse, just like the generation of people he came up with, had a deep understanding of structural change.”
Following his presidential campaigns, Jackson maintained significant political influence. Operating from his Rainbow PUSH Coalition headquarters in Chicago, he guided emerging leaders for decades. Following his death, numerous activists, political strategists, and congressional members attributed their success to Jackson’s mentorship.
Democratic Rep. Troy Carter of Louisiana first encountered Jackson while working as a young aide to New Orleans Mayor Sidney Barthelemy.
“Over the years, since our first meeting, he encouraged me in every step of my political career. His legacy will endure in every life he inspired,” Carter reflected.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris honored Jackson by recalling how his 1988 campaign created unity among supporters. As a San Francisco law student, she remembered strangers “from every walk of life would give me a thumbs-up or honk of support” when they spotted her “Jesse Jackson for President” bumper sticker.
“They were small interactions, but they exemplified Reverend Jackson’s life work — lifting up the dignity of working people, building community and coalitions, and strengthening our democracy and nation,” Harris wrote. She later became the first Black woman nominated for president by a major party.
Even political opponents recognized Jackson’s significance as a civil rights pioneer and champion of progressive humanitarian principles.
“I don’t have to agree with someone politically to deeply respect the role Jesse Jackson, a South Carolina native, played in uplifting Black voices and inspiring young folks to believe their voices mattered,” wrote Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, the Senate’s only Black Republican. “Those that empower people to stand taller always leave a lasting mark.”
Tennessee state Rep. Justin Pearson discovered Jackson at age 8 through a Black history picture book his mother provided, with Jackson’s image on the cover.
Pearson, now 31, expressed gratitude to Jackson for “creating space for people like me to be where I am.” He met Jackson after Republican legislators expelled him and another Black Democratic colleague for participating in a gun control demonstration at the Tennessee Statehouse.
The Memphis representative later accompanied Jackson to place a wreath where King was murdered. Pearson has joined Jackson at various civil rights commemorations across the South, noting Jackson’s distinctive presence even among other prominent figures.
“You have a lot of civil rights elders who you read about, but it means something different when you have somebody who you can talk to, who can be present, who is there physically,” said Tennessee state Rep. Justin Jones, the other expelled legislator who met Jackson. Both representatives won reelection to their positions.
Jackson “was committed to raising the rising generation of civil rights voices and leaders and legislators, and somebody who has a whole movement that is standing on his shoulders,” Jones, 30, observed.
Stacey Abrams was 10 years old in Gulfport, Mississippi, during Jackson’s initial presidential campaign. The ministers’ daughter recalls being “transfixed” by this “larger than life figure who did not look like everyone else.”
As former Georgia House minority leader, Abrams launched two unsuccessful gubernatorial campaigns. Both times, she worked to mobilize diverse constituencies, including communities of color and lower-income voters, using strategies that reflected Jackson’s political approach. Jackson provided guidance throughout both campaigns.
“I’ve been one of, I would say, thousands of people who received counsel and support from Jackson, but also got a phone call that said, ‘I’m thinking about you,’ or an offer to come and be a part of something he was doing,” Abrams shared.
“I think that’s the legacy that’s most important, that he didn’t stand as a single figure who wanted to be alone. He built community.”
CHICAGO — One day following the passing of civil rights legend Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., his five children delivered a heartfelt memorial Wednesday outside the family’s Chicago residence, sharing memories that ranged from lighthearted moments about his famous determination to tearful reflections on losing their father.
The 82-year-old activist passed away Tuesday at his Chicago residence following a prolonged battle with a rare neurological condition that impaired his mobility and speech. Gathering on the front steps of the home where Jackson lived for years, his children — including Congressman Jonathan Jackson — celebrated both his monumental contributions to the civil rights movement and his dedication as a spiritual guide and parent.
“Our father is a man who dedicated his life to public service to gain, protect and defend civil rights and human rights to make our nation better, to make the world more just, our people better neighbors with each other,” his youngest son, Yusef Jackson, stated while visibly emotional during parts of his remarks.
The Jackson family indicated that while specific arrangements for the funeral will be shared later, memorial services are scheduled to commence next week. Jackson will lie in repose at the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition headquarters in Chicago, the organization he established and which Yusef now leads. A larger church venue will host subsequent services to handle anticipated attendance.
Jackson gained national recognition sixty years ago as a close associate of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., participating in the historic voting rights demonstration from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama. King subsequently assigned Jackson to Chicago to establish Operation Breadbasket, a Southern Christian Leadership Conference initiative designed to push corporations toward hiring African American employees.
Jackson was present with King during the assassination of the civil rights leader on April 4, 1968.
Tributes have arrived from around the globe for Jackson, with flowers accumulating outside the residence where large photographs of the smiling leader have been displayed. However, his children emphasized that family always came first for their father.
“Our father took fatherhood very seriously,” his oldest daughter, Santita Jackson, remarked. “It was his charge to keep.”
The children’s remembrances echoed the eloquent style characteristic of their late father — incorporating prayer, emotion, and occasional humor, including references to the disagreements that naturally arise in a bustling, large household.
Former congressman Jesse Jackson Jr., his eldest son, explained that his father’s funeral services would welcome everyone, “Democrat, Republican, liberal and conservative, right wing, left wing — because his life is broad enough to cover the full spectrum of what it means to be an American.”
The family’s only request is that attendees show respect during the services.
“If his life becomes a turning point in our national political discourse, amen,” he stated. “His last breath is not his last breath.”
A Catholic diocese in New Jersey near Philadelphia has reached an agreement to pay $180 million to settle clergy sexual abuse cases, marking another major payout in a scandal that has plagued the church for over twenty years.
The Camden diocese settlement requires bankruptcy court approval and follows years of the diocese resisting a state grand jury probe before cooperating last year.
Similar to dioceses across the nation, Camden declared bankruptcy while facing numerous lawsuits after states loosened statute of limitations laws.
This settlement joins a growing list of substantial payouts by Catholic Church organizations throughout the United States.
The Los Angeles Archdiocese reached an $880 million agreement in 2024 to compensate over 1,000 clergy abuse survivors from incidents spanning decades.
Covering Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties, this archdiocese had already distributed more than $740 million to survivors, bringing their combined payments above $1.5 billion.
In December, a federal judge approved the New Orleans Archdiocese’s commitment to pay at least $230 million to hundreds of clergy abuse survivors.
This agreement concluded lengthy negotiations and established safeguards aimed at preventing future abuse incidents. The archdiocese declared bankruptcy in 2020 to manage more than 500 abuse claims collectively rather than individually.
Back in 2007, San Diego’s Roman Catholic Diocese committed to a $198 million settlement covering more than 140 clergy abuse cases.
However, the diocese filed for bankruptcy in 2024 when confronted with approximately 400 new lawsuits alleging decades-old abuse by priests and other church personnel. These cases emerged after California removed statute of limitations restrictions on childhood sexual abuse claims in 2019.
The Oregon Province of the Society of Jesus, a Jesuit religious order, agreed in 2011 to distribute $166 million among more than 450 Native Americans and Alaska Natives who suffered abuse at the order’s educational institutions throughout the northwestern United States. This same order had previously settled another 110 abuse cases in Fairbanks, Alaska, for $50 million in 2007.
Orange County’s Roman Catholic Diocese finalized a $100 million settlement with approximately 90 abuse survivors in 2004, followed by an additional $7 million agreement three years later to resolve four more sexual abuse lawsuits.
Portland’s archdiocese became the first Catholic diocese to declare bankruptcy over abuse allegations in 2004 after resolving more than 100 cases. When the bankruptcy concluded three years later, the archdiocese had addressed over 300 claims and distributed nearly $90 million in settlements and legal costs. The archdiocese later agreed to pay almost $4 million in 2019 to settle eight additional clergy abuse claims.
Boston’s Roman Catholic Archdiocese committed to an $85 million settlement covering more than 500 clergy abuse lawsuits in 2003. The extensive nature of Boston’s abuse crisis sparked nationwide and international reporting on widespread priest abuse and institutional cover-up efforts.
The Diocese of Covington distributed more than $81 million to over 200 sexual abuse survivors through a 2006 court settlement. A diocesan report released in 2020 revealed that 59 Catholic priests and 31 other church-affiliated individuals had abused children since the 1950s.
Philadelphia’s Archdiocese has distributed more than $78 million to resolve 438 clergy sexual abuse claims as of 2022, according to official reports. In 2023, the archdiocese committed an additional $3.5 million to settle another abuse case.
The Catholic Diocese of Wilmington, serving Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore communities, committed to a $77 million settlement for approximately 150 clergy abuse survivors in 2011.
Oakland’s Diocese reached a $56 million agreement with 56 abuse survivors in 2005. The diocese declared bankruptcy in 2023 after facing more than 300 childhood sexual abuse lawsuits filed under a new state law that temporarily extended litigation time limits for such cases.
American speed skating sensation Jordan Stolz will attempt to capture his third gold medal when he competes in Thursday’s men’s 1,500-meter race at the Winter Olympics, facing off against seasoned Dutch competitor Kjeld Nuis in what will be the veteran’s final Olympic appearance.
The 21-year-old Stolz has already exceeded high expectations by claiming victory in both the 1,000-meter race last Wednesday and the 500-meter event on Saturday, setting Olympic records in each competition.
Stolz stands as the sole American speed skater to earn gold at the Milano Cortina Games and enters Thursday’s race as the clear favorite to win the 1,500-meter event.
However, Nuis presents a significant challenge. The 36-year-old Netherlands athlete currently holds both the Olympic record and world record in the 1,500m, with a world-best time of one minute 40.17 seconds.
Nuis enters as the two-time defending Olympic champion, having won the event at both the Beijing 2022 and Pyeongchang 2018 Games, where he also captured the 1,000m title.
“He (Stolz) is obviously the one to beat,” Nuis commented on Wednesday. “He has to make a mistake for us to beat him, but I do not think he is going to make any mistakes.”
“Everyone is fully focused. Nobody is going to make a mistake at this point, and definitely not him,” he continued.
“I have a lot of respect for him. We all maybe hoped he would crack under the pressure of representing the United States at the Olympic Games. That has not always been a good match. But he … just lives up to all expectations. He is so calm.”
“I do not go out there hoping someone is going to have an off day. I want to skate my best race, and hopefully it will be enough for a medal.”
The Netherlands team has already secured nine speed skating medals at these Games, including gold medals from Jutta Leerdam in the women’s 1,000m and Femke Kok in the women’s 500m events.
After placing sixth in last week’s 1,000m race, Nuis acknowledged that the significance of his final Olympic competition is beginning to affect him emotionally.
“I arrived here saying to myself, ‘Just enjoy it, your last Olympic race, it does not matter what is going to happen.’ But now I am like, ‘I need to win a medal.’ So, I’m feeling a bit nervous. But I should be feeling that as well. I need it to perform,” he explained.
The Federal Communications Commission obtained written transcripts of Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show from NBC following complaints from a Republican congressman who claimed the Spanish-language performance might have broken federal broadcast standards, an FCC official revealed Wednesday.
Commissioner Anna Gomez disclosed that she examined the performance transcripts after discovering the agency had requested them from NBC, which is owned by Comcast. “I reviewed them carefully, and I found no violation of our rules and no justification for harassing broadcasters over a standard live performance,” Gomez stated.
The review came after a GOP legislator raised concerns that the Puerto Rican superstar’s Spanish-language performance during the halftime show could have contained content that violated broadcast decency standards.
A detention facility in northeastern Syria that once housed thousands of family members connected to suspected ISIS militants now contains fewer than 1,000 families, according to the camp’s former administrator who spoke Wednesday.
The Al-Hol camp, located close to Iraq’s border, served as a primary holding facility for relatives of alleged Islamic State fighters captured during the American-supported military operations against the extremist organization in Syria.
Management of the facility shifted last month when forces loyal to President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s government captured large portions of northeastern Syria from Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, including multiple prisons housing Islamic State members.
Last week, U.S. military officials announced they had finished relocating 5,700 adult male ISIS detainees to Iraq.
Jihan Hanna, who previously ran the camp and continues working with international organizations and Syria’s government, informed Reuters that the families still there are Syrian citizens being moved to a facility in Aleppo. She noted that most foreign nationals had already escaped.
Syrian government officials have not yet responded to requests for information.
Camp records from January 19 – one day before government forces assumed control – showed a population of 6,639 families totaling 23,407 individuals, primarily Syrians and Iraqis, plus 6,280 foreign nationals from over 40 countries.
The United Nations refugee agency UNHCR reported witnessing “a significant decrease in the number of residents in al-Hol camp in recent weeks,” though they stated no verified population counts were available.
“Over the weekend the camp administration advised UNHCR not to enter the camp due to the unrest and anxiety in the camp,” the agency added in their statement to Reuters.
Syria’s government criticized the SDF for abandoning al-Hol on January 20 without coordination.
The SDF responded that same day, explaining their troops were “compelled to withdraw from al-Hol camp and redeploy to areas surrounding cities in northern Syria that are facing increasing risks and threats.”
A Syrian security official revealed that most camp residents escaped during a five-hour window when no guards were present, with some departing alongside men who arrived to collect relatives for unknown destinations.
Both the security official and an NGO worker confirmed that the camp’s most dangerous section, called the annex, now sits completely vacant.
The security source explained that escapees have dispersed throughout Syria, prompting authorities to create a special unit working with international partners to “follow up on the matter and pursue those who are wanted.”
Some have crossed Syria’s borders entirely.
In Lebanon, military forces have interrogated more than a dozen Lebanese citizens who illegally entered from Syria after departing al-Hol, according to a Lebanese security source.
Syria’s Directorate of International Cooperation announced Tuesday that hundreds of people, primarily women and children, had been relocated from al-Hol to a newly established camp near Akhtarin in northern Aleppo.
American alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin claimed her first Olympic gold medal in eight years on Sunday, capturing the slalom championship in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy. For the 30-year-old athlete, this victory represented much more than athletic achievement — it marked her first Olympic triumph since her father’s passing six years ago.
“Everything in life that you do after you lose someone you love is like a new experience,” Shiffrin explained following her slalom victory on the Olimpia delle Tofane course, which helped her move past her disappointing performance at the Beijing 2022 Games.
“It’s like being born again. I still have so many moments where I resist this. I don’t want to be in life without my dad.”
The champion’s personal battle played out alongside professional challenges including injuries, confidence issues, and gradually rebuilding faith in her skiing abilities.
“When I did get injured… my slalom was in a place that I felt was repeatable. And my GS (giant slalom) was not quite,” she explained.
Shiffrin acknowledged that competing at the Olympic level has become more challenging over time.
“Yes, I think it’s harder,” she responded when questioned about whether Olympic competition is more demanding than World Cup racing.
“I wouldn’t have said that in Sochi (2014, when she won slalom gold) because I was like, what are we talking about? It’s just skiing.”
However, Sunday brought the mental clarity she had been seeking.
“What was beautiful was that I actually felt that it was… it just felt like ski racing. It felt like another day on the mountain between the start and the finish,” she said.
Narrow Margins Define Success
Shiffrin’s reflections highlighted how slim the difference between victory and defeat remains, even with extensive experience. Following a lackluster team combined event, she was reminded of the work still required despite holding the career record with 108 World Cup wins.
“I can show up with however many victories… and they think it’s a given. And I’m like, this just goes to show how hard it is,” she noted.
During the race, she defeated Switzerland’s Camille Rast by 1.50 seconds — a margin nearly equal to the combined gaps between first and second place in women’s Olympic slalom events since 1998.
“It felt like it was just on the limit… we’re just right nudging against the ceiling here,” she described.
Before competition began, her emotions about her father’s absence returned.
“I sort of started to cry a little bit because I was thinking about my dad. Maybe today was the first time that I could actually accept this reality,” she shared after taking a quiet moment in the finish area to remember him.
Her grieving experience has been more practical than mystical.
“Part of my journey through grief has been challenging because I don’t feel this thing that a lot of people talk about… this deep spiritual connection,” she revealed. “People talk about feeling the presence, and I haven’t felt it in that way. I feel connected to him in my thoughts and in talking about him.”
Shiffrin credited her support team with helping her reach this breakthrough moment.
“The wonderful thing about this day was that I felt proud before it happened because of my team,” she said, referencing conversations that helped her work through complicated feelings.
Ultimately, her team’s guidance was straightforward and practical.
“It is as simple as skiing. It is something that I have within myself and we’ve trained and prepared for,” Shiffrin concluded.
Pressure is mounting for South Korea’s women’s curling squad as they prepare for a do-or-die showdown against world champion Canada in their last round-robin contest at the Winter Olympics, with team captain Gim Eun-ji vowing to maintain her positive attitude despite the high stakes.
The Korean team currently holds third place in round-robin play with a 5-3 record, setting up a critical Thursday matchup against Canada, the two-time world champions who entered the tournament as heavy favorites.
Canada, led by Rachel Homan, struggled early in the competition but has gained momentum recently and sits one spot below South Korea in the standings, making their head-to-head battle essential for both squads’ semifinal aspirations.
“It’s a game that we must win, but I feel if I smile and enjoy the game, rather than feeling pressure that I have to win, I’ll be able to feel less burdened and make good shots,” Gim explained following her team’s victory over defending Olympic champion Sweden on Wednesday.
“If I play the game that way, I’ll be able to win. They’re ranked at number one in the world, so they are a tough team, but ranking isn’t important at the Olympics. How much you enjoy the game is important. I’ll play the game with that mindset…”
“I definitely want to win a gold medal because South Korea doesn’t have a gold medal (in curling), so that’s what I want to realise.”
While the previous South Korean women’s curling team captured hearts and silver medals at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, earning the nickname “Garlic Girls,” Gim’s current squad has adopted the moniker “5G.”
“Four people on our team have names that are spelt with a ‘ji’ but (Seol) Ye-eun doesn’t. But she has a nickname with a spelling that includes a ‘ji’,” Gim revealed.
“Her nickname is dwaeji, which means pig, because she eats a lot. So that’s why we came up with the nickname 5G.”
A Delaware State University researcher has secured significant federal funding to advance his work in agricultural science.
Dr. Vincent Fondong has been awarded a $1.13 million research grant to continue his investigations into potato virus studies. The substantial funding will support ongoing research efforts at the Dover-based university.
The grant represents a major investment in agricultural research at Delaware State University, where Dr. Fondong serves on the faculty. His work focuses on understanding viral infections that affect potato crops, research that could have important implications for agricultural production.
Delaware State University continues to attract significant research funding for faculty projects across various scientific disciplines. The university has been building its reputation as a research institution in recent years.
Details about the specific scope and timeline of Dr. Fondong’s potato virus research project were not immediately available.
An extraordinary situation has emerged in Washington as President Trump pursues billions of dollars in compensation from the very government he oversees, creating what experts describe as an unparalleled ethical dilemma.
The president’s legal claims for damages put his own Justice Department in the unusual position of potentially having to approve massive payments to their boss, raising questions about conflicts of interest at the highest levels of government.
This unprecedented scenario involves the administration essentially being asked to rule on whether taxpayers should compensate Trump for alleged damages, creating what legal observers call an extraordinary conflict between the president’s personal interests and his official duties.
The situation presents Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Justice Department with a complex challenge as they navigate the uncharted territory of a president seeking compensation from his own government.
A West African nation has permanently terminated a controversial vaccine research project that received $1.6 million in funding during the Trump presidency, according to the country’s top diplomat.
Guinea-Bissau’s Foreign Minister Joao Bernardo Vieira announced Tuesday that his government has definitively ended the study, which was designed to examine potential side effects of hepatitis B vaccination, including exploring connections to autism.
“It’s not going to happen, period,” Vieira stated during an interview, explaining that the decision came after widespread criticism from both the scientific community and U.S. lawmakers.
The research proposal had generated significant controversy among medical experts and international health organizations. The World Health Organization’s Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus declared the study unethical, particularly because the trial design meant only half of participating newborns would receive the hepatitis B vaccine immediately after birth.
Guinea-Bissau, among the most economically disadvantaged nations in West Africa, experiences elevated rates of hepatitis B infection. The country had initially paused the research last month while conducting an ethical evaluation.
Opposition to the study intensified because critics argued it was being used to validate theories connecting vaccines to autism – claims frequently promoted by current U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., despite contradictory scientific evidence.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had authorized the $1.6 million grant following Kennedy’s decision to eliminate the agency’s guidance recommending hepatitis B vaccination for all American newborns.
Medical data from Johns Hopkins University indicates that approximately 90% of infants exposed to hepatitis B during birth or their first year develop chronic infections, with 15% to 25% eventually dying prematurely from liver complications or cancer.
The study was being conducted by researchers from the Bandim Health Project, operated by the University of Southern Denmark and based in Guinea-Bissau. The research team planned to enroll 14,000 newborns to investigate what they termed “non-specific effects,” including skin conditions and neurodevelopmental issues such as autism.
Currently, Guinea-Bissau administers the hepatitis B vaccine at six weeks of age, by which time many babies born to infected mothers have already contracted the virus. The nation plans to begin birth-dose vaccination in 2028.
The proposed trial would have given half the participating infants the vaccine at birth, while the remaining half would receive it at the current six-week timeline.
Frederik Schaltz-Buchholzer, who was leading the investigation, expressed disappointment that the discussion had become politically charged rather than focusing on scientific merit.
“Everyone will lose if this trial is halted but, especially, confidence in vaccines and health research will suffer greatly,” Schaltz-Buchholzer commented, adding that his team remains hopeful a revised study proposal might gain approval in the future.
The Bandim project has maintained operations in Guinea-Bissau for multiple decades, with researchers stating their mission involves comprehensively understanding vaccines’ complete effects, both beneficial and harmful.
Kennedy has referenced Bandim research findings to support his decision to reduce U.S. funding for Gavi, an organization that facilitates vaccine purchases for the world’s most impoverished nations.
CDC representatives did not provide comments when contacted about the study’s termination.
ANTERSELVA, Italy – France’s women’s biathlon relay squad captured Olympic gold Wednesday after a remarkable comeback performance led by rising star Oceane Michelon during the crucial third segment of the race.
The French team faced early difficulties when Camille Bened struggled through an opening leg that saw several top contenders fall behind. However, the squad demonstrated remarkable resilience, staging a methodical recovery that culminated in victory.
Michelon, just 23 years old, received the baton from Lou Jeanmonnot while sitting in third place. Drawing from her experience as part of France’s world championship relay team from the previous year, she quickly seized control and established a lead that would prove insurmountable.
“I had my first experience of a big event last year at the World Championships, and today I was really happy to be able to be part of this relay, so I took all my chances and I just focused only on me,” Michelon explained to reporters while French supporters braved the cold weather, chanting her name.
“In my head I was alone, I just focused on only me. I was alone and I said to myself, don’t think, only do what you are able to do and what you have to do, and we will see in the end what happens,” she added.
Michelon’s dominant performance created such a substantial advantage that when Julia Simon took over for the anchor leg, neither Sweden nor Norway mounted serious challenges for first place. Instead, those nations focused their efforts on competing for the silver and bronze medals, which they ultimately claimed respectively.
Back in the athletes’ area, Bened felt a wave of relief after worrying that her opening performance had created too much pressure for her teammates. The victory marked France’s second relay gold medal in as many days at the Winter Olympics.
“It’s really insane, a gold medal in the Olympics, it’s a childhood dream. And now it’s here and I can’t understand it,” Bened shared with Reuters. “I need to touch the medal to understand that it’s really here, and I need to keep touching it to make sure it’s still here.”
Livestock trading activity continues at a sluggish pace in today’s cash cattle markets, with buyers and sellers yet to establish clear pricing. No significant bids or asking prices have emerged during midday trading sessions.
Market analysts anticipate that trading patterns will mirror those seen in recent weeks, with substantial transaction volumes likely postponed until later this week. Thursday and Friday are expected to see increased activity, particularly as traders await the release of Friday’s Cattle on Feed report from the United States Department of Agriculture.
Meanwhile, at Missouri’s Ozarks Regional Stockyards, feeder cattle operations involving both steers and heifers were being monitored, though specific pricing details were not immediately available.
WASHINGTON – The head of the Federal Communications Commission pushed back Wednesday against claims that federal regulators forced CBS to block a political interview on Stephen Colbert’s late-night program, while also announcing an official probe into ABC’s daytime talk show “The View.”
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr verified that his agency has launched an enforcement action to determine whether ABC’s popular morning program broke federal equal time regulations regarding political candidate appearances.
The controversy began when Colbert revealed Monday that CBS attorneys prevented him from broadcasting a sit-down interview with James Talarico, a Democratic state lawmaker from Texas seeking his party’s U.S. Senate nomination. According to Colbert, network legal teams made this decision following updated FCC guidelines issued in January that removed previous exemptions for daytime and late-night talk shows from equal time requirements when featuring political candidates.
Atlanta United announced Wednesday they have acquired experienced striker Sergio Santos as a free agent for the upcoming 2026 Major League Soccer campaign.
The Brazilian forward, age 31, has agreed to terms that include a club option extending through December 2027.
Throughout his MLS career beginning in 2019, Santos has netted 28 goals while providing 13 assists across 156 regular season appearances with three different clubs.
Chief soccer officer and sporting director Chris Henderson praised the acquisition, stating: “Sergio has been a productive forward in our league for the past seven seasons and will add competition to our group of attackers. He’s going to bring MLS experience, quality and a winning mindset to our team, and we look forward to welcoming him to the club.”
The veteran attacker’s MLS journey includes stints with Philadelphia Union from 2019 through 2022, FC Cincinnati spanning 2022 to 2025, and most recently Houston Dynamo during the 2025 campaign.
Atlanta United will kick off their 2026 regular season schedule with a road match against FC Cincinnati this Saturday.
A new study published Wednesday in a medical journal shows that approximately 3 million Americans enrolled in Medicare Advantage programs were compelled to seek new healthcare coverage, representing roughly 10% of all participants in these privately-operated plans.
The research, published in JAMA, revealed that residents in rural communities faced plan cancellations at twice the frequency of their urban counterparts. This disruption creates significant concerns about maintaining access to healthcare providers, specialized medical care, and ongoing treatments, according to Hannah James, a policy researcher with the RAND Corporation think tank, who authored an editorial alongside the study.
Seven states saw more than 40% of their Medicare Advantage participants affected by plan exits, with Vermont experiencing the most severe impact at 92% of enrollees. The remaining states included Idaho, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Maryland, and New Hampshire.
Medicare serves approximately 60 million Americans who are either 65 or older or have qualifying disabilities. Roughly half choose Medicare Advantage plans operated by major insurance companies, while the remainder receive coverage through the traditional government-administered Medicare program.
During 2025, insurance companies reported financial losses after experiencing increased costs and reduced government payments, prompting announcements of market exits and shifts for 2026.
The study determined that enrollees with smaller insurance providers represented half of all those experiencing coverage disruptions.
UnitedHealthcare, owned by UnitedHealth Group, was responsible for nearly 14% of the disruptions. CVS Health’s Aetna division followed at 8.65%, while Elevance accounted for approximately 8% of the affected enrollees.
Research findings indicated that plans offering consumers broader provider networks were most commonly discontinued.
James explained in her editorial that the existing system, where the government compensates insurers through pre-arranged payments, creates incentives for companies to target more profitable patients.
“Policymakers should consider whether the current program design adequately aligns plan incentives with beneficiary needs,” James stated.
According to health policy organization KFF, UnitedHealthcare controlled nearly one-third of all Medicare Advantage plans in 2025. Humana held 17% of plans, followed by CVS Health at 12%, and Elevance at 7%.
The Israel Defense Forces announced Wednesday that a young paratrooper lost his life in a tragic case of mistaken identity during overnight combat operations in southern Gaza.
Staff Sgt. Ofri Yafe, age 21, died from wounds sustained when fellow Israeli forces accidentally fired upon his unit near Khan Yunis, military officials confirmed. Yafe served as a reconnaissance fighter with the Paratroopers Brigade and hailed from HaYogev, a farming community in Israel’s Jezreel Valley. Israeli media reports indicate he was raised in Kibbutz Megiddo in the country’s northern region.
Initial military findings reveal the fatal shooting happened around 2 a.m. during standard operations to dismantle Hamas military installations close to the Yellow Line boundary in the Khan Yunis sector. Two separate Israeli military teams were working simultaneously in the vicinity when the confusion occurred.
One team erroneously determined the other group posed a threat and began shooting, military sources explained. Emergency responders airlifted the severely injured Yafe by helicopter toward medical treatment, but he succumbed to his injuries while being transported, the IDF stated.
Military leadership emphasized that investigators continue examining the exact circumstances of the incident and have informed Yafe’s relatives of his death.
The fallen soldier leaves behind his mother and father, Hadas and Yiftach, along with three siblings named Noy, Tzuf, and Itamar. His grieving family released a public message expressing their devastation. “We are shocked by the tragedy and cannot digest the loss of Ofri, our beloved son. This is incomprehensible,” the family wrote.
Regional officials from northern Israel also paid tribute to Yafe’s service. The Jezreel Valley Regional Council honored him, saying he “set out to defend the State of Israel and all of us, and fell in battle.”
Military statistics show that 472 Israeli service members have perished during ground combat operations in Gaza against Hamas forces, with 80 of those deaths resulting from accidental shootings by their own troops or other mishaps.
Security forces across Turkey conducted sweeping arrests Tuesday, taking 88 people into custody on suspicions of belonging to the organization blamed for the country’s failed 2016 military coup.
The arrests occurred through two independent operations targeting suspected followers of the Gulen movement, which Turkish officials hold responsible for the deadly uprising attempt.
In the larger operation, prosecutors from Kayseri province in central Turkey issued warrants for 70 suspects after conducting an eight-month investigation. Police teams launched coordinated strikes across four provinces – Kayseri, Istanbul, Adana, and Mersin.
The massive operation involved 144 police units with 676 officers, including specialized tactical teams, according to authorities. During property searches, investigators seized hidden recording devices, cameras, illegal firearms and bullets, plus documents and electronic files allegedly connected to the organization.
A second investigation led by Istanbul’s Chief Public Prosecutor resulted in 18 more arrests spanning eight provinces. Sixteen of those detained held government positions, prosecutors revealed.
Istanbul officials stated that two suspects allegedly occupied leadership roles in the organization, while others faced membership accusations. Authorities withheld the identities of those arrested and declined to specify which government agencies employed them.
Officials confirmed both investigations proceeded independently, without indicating whether additional arrests might follow. No details were released about upcoming court hearings or formal criminal charges.
Turkey’s leadership blames the Gulen movement for masterminding the July 2016 coup attempt, when military factions tried to topple the government. Official casualty figures show at least 250 deaths and roughly 2,200 injuries from the violence.
The Turkish government points to Fethullah Gulen, a religious leader who lived in exile in the United States from 1999 until his 2024 death, as the architect of the coup plot. Turkey has officially classified the Gulen movement as a terrorist organization.
Turkish law enforcement and prosecutors have maintained an aggressive campaign against suspected movement supporters since 2016. Tuesday’s detentions represent the most recent phase of this continuing crackdown, officials confirmed.
JERUSALEM — President Donald Trump’s newly established Board of Peace will convene for its inaugural session Thursday in Washington, marking an initial challenge for one of his signature foreign policy programs as it attempts to strengthen the fragile Gaza ceasefire agreement.
The president’s expansive vision for this board ranges from overseeing Gaza’s reconstruction into a modern metropolis to competing with the United Nations Security Council in international conflict resolution. However, these grand plans may face harsh realities given the limited headway made in achieving even basic ceasefire objectives in Gaza.
Deadly incidents continue almost daily, with Israel conducting strikes it claims target militants who pose threats to or attack Israeli troops, resulting in Palestinian casualties including non-combatants. The militant group Hamas remains armed, international peacekeeping forces have yet to arrive, and a Palestinian administrative committee intended to replace Hamas leadership remains stranded in Egypt.
“If this meeting does not result in fast, tangible improvements on the ground — and particularly on the humanitarian front — its credibility will quickly crumble,” said Max Rodenbeck, Israel-Palestine Project Director at the International Crisis Group, a global think tank.
Over two dozen countries have joined as charter members of the board.
The membership roster features Israel and other regional powers involved in ceasefire discussions, along with nations from beyond the Middle East whose leadership either backs Trump or seeks his approval. Notable U.S. partners including France, Norway and Sweden have chosen not to participate.
Israeli officials express concern about Qatar and Turkey’s participation, given their established relationships with Hamas. Palestinian leaders oppose the arrangement because no Palestinian representatives received invitations to join the board, despite its authority over territory housing approximately 2 million Palestinians.
Trump, who has designated himself as the board’s chairman, announced earlier this week that member nations had promised $5 billion for Gaza reconstruction and would provide thousands of personnel for peacekeeping and law enforcement duties. Neither financial commitments nor this week’s meeting agenda have been disclosed publicly.
“We want to make it successful. I think it has the chance to be the most consequential board ever assembled of any kind,” Trump told reporters on Monday. He repeated his disapproval of the U.N.’s track record in settling international conflicts.
Trump — working alongside son-in-law Jared Kushner and envoy Steve Witkoff — has outlined bold reconstruction plans for Gaza using international investment.
During a Davos presentation last month, Kushner proposed completing reconstruction within three years, despite U.N. projections indicating that debris removal and mine clearance alone could require significantly more time.
Kushner’s presentation depicted a rebuilt Gaza featuring beachfront tourism areas, manufacturing districts and technology centers. He acknowledged that reconstruction would only start in weapons-free zones and that security would be crucial for attracting investors.
Current joint calculations by the U.N., European Union and World Bank estimate reconstruction costs at approximately $70 billion.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that reconstruction cannot proceed until Hamas surrenders its weapons, creating uncertainty for Palestinians amid widespread destruction.
The ceasefire agreement has stopped large-scale military campaigns, secured the release of remaining hostages held by Hamas and increased humanitarian aid shipments to Gaza. However, a permanent end to the conflict that began with Hamas’ October 7, 2023 assault on Israel remains uncertain.
The agreement envisions Hamas surrendering its arsenal and Israeli forces leaving Gaza while international troops arrive. It left certain questions unresolved and established no timeline, essentially postponing difficult decisions to avoid immediate confrontation.
Israel and the U.S. consider Hamas’ weapon surrender essential for progress in other areas. Arab and Muslim Board of Peace members have criticized Israel for weakening the ceasefire through daily military actions and want the U.S. to restrain its ally. While they have urged Hamas to disarm, they emphasize that Israeli withdrawal is equally crucial.
Israel’s definition of demilitarization encompasses everything from heavy weaponry like rocket launchers down to standard rifles. Netanyahu stated Sunday that Hamas must surrender approximately 60,000 automatic weapons.
Although Hamas accepted the ceasefire terms, the group has only made unclear or conditional promises regarding disarmament as part of a process toward Palestinian statehood. Senior Hamas leaders have indicated their security personnel must keep some weapons to maintain order during the transition period.
Potential solutions being considered include Hamas “securing” weapons in monitored storage facilities under external oversight or surrendering heavy arms while retaining some handguns for police work, according to two regional officials familiar with the talks. One official noted that disarmament represents a complex process potentially lasting months. The officials spoke anonymously due to the sensitive nature of negotiations.
Whether Israel or the United States would accept such arrangements remains highly uncertain.
The ceasefire terms also establish a temporary International Stabilization Force composed of troops from Arab and Muslim-majority nations to screen, train and assist a new Palestinian police organization. While its specific duties aren’t fully detailed, responsibilities would include protecting aid deliveries and preventing arms trafficking.
Nations asked to contribute troops demand that any deployment be characterized as peacekeeping. They have rejected involvement in Hamas disarmament, viewing it as potentially dangerous work. Another worry involves the presence of Israeli-allied armed groups.
Indonesia has started preparing up to 8,000 soldiers for the force, though its foreign minister stated last week they would not participate in disarmament operations.
According to the ceasefire terms, Hamas must transfer authority to a transitional committee of politically neutral Palestinian officials. The U.S. has selected a 15-person committee and appointed former U.N. envoy Nickolay Mladenov to supervise them as the board’s Gaza representative.
The committee, headed by former Palestinian Authority deputy minister Ali Shaath, has not yet received Israeli authorization to enter Gaza from Egypt. Israeli officials have not addressed the situation.
Mladenov stated last week that the committee cannot function unless Hamas relinquishes control and ceasefire violations end.
“We’re only embarrassing the committee and ultimately making it ineffective,” he said at the Munich Security Conference. “All of this needs to move very fast.”
LIMA, Peru — Congressional representatives in Peru are preparing to select the nation’s eighth president in ten years on Wednesday, following the recent removal of José Jerí from office. Four legislative candidates, mostly unfamiliar to the general public, are competing for the position.
The winner of Wednesday’s vote will govern Peru until July 28, at which point they will hand over authority to whoever wins the general election set for April.
This constant turnover in Peru’s highest office demonstrates the ongoing political turmoil caused by presidents lacking strong legislative support. Congressional members have repeatedly relied on expansive readings of a constitutional provision concerning “permanent moral incapacity” to dismiss sitting leaders.
On Tuesday, legislative members voted to dismiss Jerí following a four-month tenure. His removal came after information surfaced about secret meetings he held with Chinese business leaders, including someone with government contracts. Jerí maintained he was simply organizing a Peruvian-Chinese cultural celebration.
Prosecutors have opened two preliminary inquiries into Jerí concerning accusations of unlawfully promoting private business interests and using his influence inappropriately against state interests.
Legislative officials announced Tuesday that four individuals had formally entered Wednesday evening’s selection process. Support levels for each remain uncertain.
The leading contender appears to be María del Carmen Alva, a 58-year-old attorney put forward by the conservative Popular Action party. Alva, who formerly held the congressional speaker position, belongs to a family with substantial investments in agricultural exports, particularly companies shipping asparagus to global markets including the United States.
Also running is Héctor Acuña, a 68-year-old engineer from the conservative Honor and Democracy faction. While he brings extensive private sector background, many consider him less experienced in traditional politics compared to other contenders. He is the sibling of César Acuña, a wealthy former regional leader and presidential hopeful for the April 12 election under the Alliance for Progress party. This party previously backed former presidents Dina Boluarte and Jerí.
The remaining contenders include José Balcázar, an 83-year-old retired judge from the leftist Perú Libre party, and Edgard Reymundo, a 73-year-old sociologist representing the leftist Bloque Democrático.
Whoever replaces Jerí will face escalating violence and extortion threatening small business operators and working families. Along with security challenges, various political factions are pushing for strong assurances of fair elections that will also choose a two-chamber legislature with 130 parliamentary representatives and 60 senators.
TORONTO (AP) — A third Conservative Party member of Canada’s Parliament has switched allegiances to join Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberal government.
Prime Minister Carney revealed through social media Wednesday that Alberta MP Matt Jeneroux has abandoned the Conservative Party to become part of the Liberal caucus. This marks the third time in recent months that a Conservative legislator has made such a political switch.
Jeneroux’s party change brings the Liberal government one step closer to achieving majority control, which would allow them to advance legislation without needing support from opposition parties.
Three upcoming parliamentary by-elections could potentially secure the Liberals’ path to majority rule.
This latest defection deals another setback to Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre, who suffered defeat in April’s election and temporarily lost his parliamentary seat before returning to the House of Commons.
While Poilievre successfully navigated a party leadership review last month, he continues facing challenges maintaining unity within his caucus.
Jeneroux had initially revealed his intention to resign back in November, coming just days after another Conservative MP departed to join the Liberal ranks. At that time, Poilievre indicated Jeneroux would be stepping down from Parliament entirely come spring.
However, Jeneroux explained in a Wednesday social media post that family discussions led him to reconsider, stating that current circumstances require “steady leadership” for the nation.
Since taking over from Justin Trudeau as prime minister in 2025 and securing electoral victory, Carney has positioned the Liberal Party toward the political center.
During last month’s World Economic Forum in Davos, Carney spoke out against economic pressure tactics used by major powers against smaller nations. His comments at the international gathering earned significant praise and media attention, overshadowing U.S. President Donald Trump’s presence at the event.
TRENTON, N.J. — The Catholic Diocese of Camden has reached a massive $180 million agreement to settle clergy sexual abuse allegations, marking one of the larger such settlements nationwide while remaining smaller than some record-breaking cases.
In a letter released Tuesday, Bishop Joseph Williams of the Camden Diocese, which serves southern New Jersey and surrounding Philadelphia suburbs, revealed the settlement details.
“For the survivors of South Jersey, this day is long overdue and represents a milestone in their journey toward restored justice and the healing and recognition they have long sought and deserve,” Williams stated.
Attorney Greg Gianforcaro, who represents victims in lawsuits against the diocese, praised the determination of abuse survivors in securing this agreement.
“It’s been an extremely long and arduous battle,” Gianforcaro told reporters during a phone interview.
This settlement adds to a series of agreements stemming from a scandal that first gained widespread attention over twenty years ago when the extent of abuse and institutional cover-ups emerged in Boston. While the Camden agreement surpasses settlements of approximately $80 million in Boston and Philadelphia, it falls short of some California cases, including the Los Angeles Archdiocese’s $880 million agreement reached in 2024.
The Camden settlement follows the diocese’s decision last year to drop its opposition to New Jersey’s grand jury probe into decades of alleged child sexual abuse by religious officials. The state Supreme Court subsequently authorized the investigation to proceed.
Like numerous dioceses across the country, Camden filed for bankruptcy protection as it faced a flood of lawsuits following changes to statute of limitations laws.
In 2022, the diocese had already agreed to an $87.5 million settlement addressing clergy abuse allegations from approximately 300 accusers, representing one of the nation’s largest Catholic church cash settlements at that time. According to victims’ lawyers, the current $180 million announcement incorporates those previous funds.
The Camden diocese oversees six southern New Jersey counties located outside Philadelphia. The settlement requires bankruptcy court approval before taking effect.
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy – The British men’s curling team, led by Bruce Mouat, ended their losing streak in spectacular fashion Wednesday, delivering a commanding 9-2 victory over the United States to stay in contention for Olympic medal rounds.
The world champions had endured three consecutive losses over recent days, putting their semifinal aspirations in jeopardy. However, they returned to form against Danny Casper’s American squad, securing the victory with four ends remaining in the match.
“It felt like we were close a lot of the week. We just had a few one or two shots maybe in a game that were going the wrong way for us, and this time we felt like we were getting breaks,” Mouat explained after the match.
“Which we probably hadn’t really felt like we had most of the week. We put in a really good performance.”
The 2022 Olympic silver medalists and current world number-one ranked team now sit in third place with a 5-4 record after completing all their round-robin matches. Norway and Italy are tied for fourth place, each with four victories, and both nations have one game remaining.
“You want to be in control of your own destiny, but now seeing all these other teams trying to still get into the playoffs, it’s hard,” Mouat noted.
“Obviously you want everyone to play well, but you’re supporting their opposition at times.”
In other Wednesday action, Switzerland’s Yannick Schwaller and Canada’s Brad Jacobs both secured wins, having already clinched semifinal berths.
The Swiss team maintained their perfect record with a 10-4 triumph over Norway, collecting their eighth victory without a loss. Meanwhile, Canada overcame an early 3-0 deficit to defeat host nation Italy 8-3.
“We’re just enjoying ourselves a lot here. I wanted to get to this stage for my whole career and all my teammates had the same idea,” Schwaller commented.
“It’s all an experience. We want to enjoy ourselves and that we do, and it translates, I think, to the ice.”
The Czech Republic, captained by Lukas Klima, earned their second competition victory by defeating China 10-5 in a matchup between teams in the lower portion of the standings.
The round-robin phase concludes Thursday morning after nine games per team, with the top four advancing to evening semifinals.
A powerful coalition of investors delivered a stern message to Starbucks on Wednesday, demanding shareholders reject the reelection of two board members due to what they call ongoing failures in handling worker relations.
The investor group is targeting lead independent director Jorgen Vig Knudstorp and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee chair Beth Ford as the coffee giant continues struggling to negotiate a contract with its unionized employees.
The company made headlines last year when over 3,800 baristas walked off the job in what became Starbucks’ most extended work stoppage ever. The Starbucks Workers United union organized the strike to demand improved staffing levels, more reliable work schedules, and increased wages following stalled contract negotiations.
The labor conflict presents a significant challenge for CEO Brian Niccol as he attempts to boost declining sales figures.
“We are concerned that, without a constructive relationship between Starbucks and its unionized workforce, sustaining the turnaround may prove difficult,” the investors stated in their letter released before the company’s March 25 annual shareholder meeting.
The coalition includes several major institutional investors: New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, New York City Comptroller Mark Levine, Trillium ESG Global Equity Mutual Fund, SOC Investment Group, Merseyside Pension Fund, and the Shareholder Association for Research and Education.
Starbucks defended its employment practices in response, stating: “We offer the best job in retail with hourly partners earning an average of $30 an hour and world-class benefits… all for those who only work 20 hours a week on average.”
The investor coalition had previously contacted both directors in January, expressing concerns about the board’s unexplained decision to eliminate its Environmental, Partner, and Community Impact Committee.
According to Starbucks, the dissolved committee’s duties have been redistributed among existing committees, with the full board now taking primary oversight of labor-related matters.
Two major American oil refiners are working to establish direct purchasing agreements with Venezuela’s state-owned oil company, cutting out middleman traders to boost their profit margins, industry sources reveal.
Phillips 66 and Citgo Petroleum want to begin buying heavy crude oil straight from PDVSA starting in April, according to people familiar with the companies’ plans. Currently, these refiners purchase Venezuelan oil through trading companies and Chevron.
The push for direct deals follows recent changes in U.S. policy toward Venezuelan oil. Trading firms Trafigura and Vitol obtained the first American licenses in January to export Venezuelan crude as part of a $2 billion agreement between Caracas and Washington. Chevron has maintained authorization to operate in Venezuela and transport crude since last year.
The Trump administration expanded these opportunities last month by issuing broader licensing for Venezuelan oil exports. White House officials project this could increase trade to $5 billion in the coming months.
Phillips 66, among America’s largest refiners, is currently working through compliance procedures and seeking internal approval to purchase directly from PDVSA, three sources confirmed. The company intends to charter its own tankers to collect crude at Venezuelan terminals once clearance is obtained.
While declining to discuss specific commercial activities, a Phillips 66 representative acknowledged that access to heavy crude represents a valuable opportunity for their Gulf Coast operations, which can handle various crude oil types. The company previously purchased Venezuelan oil from Vitol last month at approximately $9 below Brent crude prices.
White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said Friday that the administration is managing significant interest from energy companies. “The president’s team is working around the clock to field requests from oil and gas companies,” Rogers stated.
Venezuela-owned refiner Citgo Petroleum is also pursuing direct crude purchases but faces logistical challenges. The company wants Venezuelan oil delivered to Gulf Coast facilities, which proves difficult given PDVSA’s limited shipping capacity, according to another source.
In an email statement, Citgo confirmed plans to utilize opportunities under the general license for direct Venezuelan crude purchases, aiming to process this oil at Gulf Coast refineries in upcoming months. The company made its first Venezuelan crude purchase since 2019 in January, buying 500,000 barrels through Trafigura for February delivery.
Valero, America’s second-largest refiner and a major buyer of Venezuelan oil through Chevron, plans to establish direct PDVSA purchases later this year after evaluating Venezuela’s loading infrastructure conditions. The company is significantly increasing Venezuelan oil imports, with up to 6.5 million barrels heading to Gulf Coast refineries in March, primarily through Chevron arrangements.
However, these expansion plans may encounter obstacles as Washington continues refining regulations for Venezuelan business dealings. The South American nation remains under economic sanctions, creating ongoing compliance challenges.
PDVSA has informed potential buyers they require individual licenses or specific Treasury Department clearance to collect cargoes at Venezuelan ports, sources indicated. Additionally, many American banks remain hesitant to finance Venezuelan oil transactions.
The increased Venezuelan oil flow to American markets has affected pricing. Venezuelan Merey crude is now being offered at $10 below Brent prices, down from $6-$7.50 below Brent last month, as more oil shifts from Chinese to American buyers.
Initial Venezuelan crude purchases by Vitol and Trafigura were negotiated at approximately $15 below Brent prices, generating $500 million in sales last month, according to Energy Secretary Chris Wright. These trading companies earned profits of up to $4 per barrel after covering transportation and storage costs.
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy – A young Swiss curler is carrying on his family’s Olympic tradition at the Milano Cortina Winter Games, leading his team to an undefeated record in men’s curling competition.
Yannick Schwaller, now 30, was only six when he watched his father Christof and uncle Andreas capture bronze for Switzerland at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. Today, he serves as skip for the Swiss squad that swept all eight matches in round-robin play to advance to the semifinals.
Speaking Wednesday from the same venue where his father competed in the 2010 World Championships, Schwaller reflected on the family connection.
“It’s awesome. In 2002, there was a bus going to get them at Zurich Airport when they came back, and I remember vaguely a public viewing,” Schwaller recalled. “That maybe sparked some inspiration early. I wasn’t really coached by my father, but it was always a bit of mentoring, when I had questions. Now it feels like a circle is closing. 24 years later, I’m playing on this stage as well.”
“He even played the World Championships here (Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium) in 2010, I think. So yeah, it’s just an awesome feeling to follow his footsteps,” he added.
The path to curling wasn’t immediate for Schwaller, who initially resisted the sport that made his family famous.
“I didn’t want to be a curler at first until I was 13 or 14. I only had football in mind and I played football a lot, we grew up next to a pitch,” Schwaller explained. “But then it (curling) grabbed me somehow, and I never looked back. My dad, he was so cool about it. He never said ‘you have to do this or do that now, you have to practice’. He really let me do my own thing.”
The curling tradition may continue into another generation, as Schwaller brought his one-and-a-half-year-old son River to the Olympics. The toddler gained internet fame as the ‘Curling Baby’ after cameras caught him playing with a curling broom nearly twice his size.
When asked about his son’s potential curling future, Schwaller responded with a smile: “He can choose for himself, I guess, but the way he’s attracted to brooms, he might be!”
Charlotte FC has locked up one of their rising stars, extending forward Idan Toklomati’s contract through the 2028-29 season with a club option for 2029-30, the Major League Soccer team revealed on Wednesday.
The Israeli international, just 21 years old, made quite an impact during his debut campaign, finding the back of the net 13 times while contributing four assists over 36 matches in all competitions for Charlotte.
“Idan is a top talent that we were able to sign at 19 and has blossomed into one of Major League Soccer’s brightest talents,” stated Charlotte general manager Zoran Krneta.
The promising striker, who fills a U22 Initiative roster position, made his way to Charlotte from Israeli club Maccabi Petah Tikva in 2024.
“He is a player who believed in our development pathway for him, and during his first full season with the first team, he scored double-digit goals,” Krneta explained. “Our aim, as well as Idan’s, is to win trophies for the Carolinas, and this extension is an important piece of our long-term roster-building strategy.”
Charlotte FC is set to kick off their 2026 regular season campaign this Saturday with a road match against St. Louis City SC.
American farmers are facing significant financial hardships, but new federal legislation could offer relief. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson has unveiled the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, also known as Farm Bill 2.0, designed to address the agricultural sector’s current economic struggles.
“There’s a lot of pain right now in American agriculture financially, and they need a bridge,” Thompson stated when announcing the proposed legislation.
The comprehensive bill would establish a five-year framework of support for farmers through updated farm safety net programs, offering much-needed predictability during uncertain economic times. Thompson emphasized that the agricultural community requires immediate certainty to navigate ongoing financial challenges.
Farmers and travelers throughout the Midwest are dealing with dangerous winter conditions as heavy snow and strong winds batter agricultural regions from North Dakota and northeastern South Dakota through the upper Great Lakes area. The severe weather is creating hazardous driving conditions and putting additional strain on farm animals.
Northern sections of Lower Michigan are experiencing freezing rain, adding to the challenging conditions, while light rain showers are moving through eastern farming areas of the Corn Belt. The contrast is stark compared to much of the rest of the nation, which continues to see temperatures well above normal for this time of year.
Transportation officials are urging caution in affected areas as the combination of snow, wind, and icy conditions makes travel treacherous. Livestock producers are taking extra precautions to protect their animals from the harsh weather conditions.
Drivers using Clay Road should expect delays this afternoon as construction crews have shut down the left lane in both directions between Wescoats Road and Marsh Road.
According to DelDOT traffic officials, the lane closure is necessary for ongoing construction activities in the area. The restriction is expected to be lifted by 3 PM today.
Motorists are advised to allow extra travel time and use caution when navigating through the work zone. Traffic may be reduced to single-lane conditions during peak construction periods.
