NEWS

Latest News Headlines for Monday January 15, 2024 – In the Republican primary, while many voters see Donald Trump as a strong contender for November, Nikki Haley currently shows a greater lead over Joe Biden in potential head-to-head matchups than either Trump or Ron DeSantis. As the GOP presidential nomination race unfolds, Trump, Haley, and DeSantis all appear to have a national advantage over President Biden should they become his challenger. However, Haley and DeSantis face more challenging paths to the nomination, trailing significantly behind Trump at this stage. — London’s Metropolitan Police apprehended six pro-Palestine activists over an alleged scheme to disrupt operations at the London Stock Exchange. The investigation revealed that members of the Palestine Action group intended to inflict damage and attach themselves to infrastructure on Monday morning to prevent the stock exchange building from opening. “These are significant arrests,” stated Metropolitan Police Detective Superintendent Sian Thomas. — John Kerry, U.S. special envoy on climate, is reportedly stepping down from his role in the Biden administration in the coming weeks, according to sources familiar with his plans. Kerry, with a background as a senator and secretary of state, was appointed shortly after Joe Biden’s election in 2020 to spearhead global climate change initiatives for the administration. A key figure in drafting the 2015 Paris climate accords, Kerry brought extensive international experience to the role. — Denmark’s Prime Minister announced Frederik X as the new king following Queen Margrethe II’s formal abdication. The historic event drew massive crowds celebrating the succession from a revered monarch to her esteemed son. Queen Margrethe, at 83, became the first Danish monarch in nearly 900 years to voluntarily abdicate the throne. Thousands gathered outside the palace to witness the royal transition, marking the first Danish succession in over fifty years not prompted by a monarch’s death. — Ecuador’s prison agency announced the release of all prison guards and administrative staff held hostage by inmates amid nationwide civil unrest. According to the SNAI prisons agency, 178 employees were taken hostage across five prisons on Monday. Tragically, one guard was killed in the El Oro prison. The hostages, held in facilities in Azuay, Cañar, Tungurahua, Cotopaxi, and Napo, were eventually released. — A tragic hot air balloon crash in Eloy, Arizona, resulted in four fatalities and one critical injury on Sunday morning, according to the Eloy Police Department. The crash occurred in a rural desert area of Pinal County, about five miles north of Eloy, at 7:30 a.m. local time. Eloy’s mayor confirmed that 13 individuals were aboard the balloon, including eight skydivers, four passengers, and a pilot, as reported by local ABC Arizona affiliate KNXV. — Following Hurricane Otis’s impact on Acapulco on October 25, the Mexican government deployed 25,000 troops to the resort city. Despite this, violence continued throughout the week. The Acapulco business chamber reported significant disruptions due to gang threats and attacks, causing approximately 90% of the city’s passenger vans to cease operations, affecting the primary transportation mode. The violence also led to early business closures on Thursday and Friday. The Category 5 hurricane resulted in 52 deaths, 32 missing persons, and extensive damage to nearly all resort hotels. — Ruth Ashton Taylor, a pioneering journalist and the first female newscaster on the West Coast, has passed away at the age of 101. Taylor died on Thursday at an assisted living facility in San Rafael, California, as confirmed by her family. The cause of death was not disclosed. Her daughter, Laurel Conklin, shared on Sunday that her mother’s passing was sudden. Born in Long Beach in 1922, Taylor had an over 50-year career spanning radio and television news.

Stuck in the Middle Radio Show cartoon edition. Allen discusses the Hunter Biden investigation and gives his personal feelings about it. MAGA callers revolt! This is another edition of the REAL centrist radio talk show with a cartoon overlay.

Latest News Headlines for Saturday January 13. 2024 – Over the weekend, Israeli air strikes in the Gaza Strip resulted in the deaths of more than 30 Palestinians, including young children, as reported by officials. Concurrently, a U.S. strike against Iran-backed rebels in Yemen intensified concerns about the Israel-Hamas conflict potentially escalating into a broader regional confrontation. Since the war’s onset, triggered by a deadly attack on southern Israel by Hamas and other Gaza militants on October 7, the conflict has rapidly expanded. New battlefronts have emerged, involving Iran-supported groups such as the Houthi rebels in Yemen, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and militias in Iraq and Syria, leading to various attacks. — Top United Nations officials have called for the return of civilians to their homes in the Gaza Strip, amid ongoing Israeli military operations against Hamas. This appeal was made during a U.N. Security Council meeting. Martin Griffiths, the U.N.’s humanitarian affairs chief, depicted the dire situation in Gaza, where displaced civilians are being pushed into increasingly limited areas due to Israel’s military actions. Members of the Security Council have described the situation in Gaza as a “catastrophe.” — The 2024 election season kicks off in Iowa with the state’s high-profile caucuses. This event marks the first major test of former President Donald Trump’s influence in the Republican Party during this election cycle. Trump currently maintains a substantial lead, but his competitors are hopeful for an upset. Success in Iowa is not essential for securing the party nomination, but a strong showing can provide crucial momentum. The state offers only 40 delegates, a fraction of the 1,215 required for nomination. — Lai Ching-te has secured victory in Taiwan’s presidential election, with his opponents conceding after a competitive three-way race. This election’s outcome will significantly influence Taiwan’s relations with China for the next four years. The focus is on the stability and peace of the strait separating China from the self-governed island of Taiwan, which China claims as its own. The Chinese government previously framed the election as a choice between peace and conflict. — A sequence of earthquakes shook Oklahoma from Friday evening into Saturday morning, including two of magnitude 4.4. The USGS reported a 3.2 magnitude quake near Arcadia, northeast of Oklahoma City, at 9:37 p.m. CT. Approximately 10 minutes later, a 4.4 magnitude quake occurred west of Arcadia. This was followed by two smaller quakes of 2.7 and 2.5 magnitude. On Saturday morning, a 2.6 magnitude quake was recorded near Acadia at around 4:45 a.m. CT. — The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating two fatal vehicle-train collisions at the same high-speed rail crossing in Florida last week, resulting in three deaths. On Friday, a Brightline train collided with a Chevrolet Avalanche pickup truck, killing both the driver and passenger, according to Melbourne police. Melbourne Mayor Paul Alfrey reported that the vehicle attempted to beat the train. This incident occurred two days after a similar collision involving a Brightline train and a Honda Element SUV at the same crossing. — In Idaho, authorities have recovered the body of a man killed in an avalanche while backcountry skiing with two others who were rescued the previous day. The Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office responded to a GPS alert indicating a potential avalanche fatality near Stevens Peak, close to the Montana border. The rescue operation took place on Thursday afternoon, as stated in an announcement on social media. — The Quaker Oats Company, a subsidiary of PepsiCo, has broadened its previous recall from December to include a wider range of granola bars and cereal products due to potential salmonella contamination. The expanded recall now encompasses popular items like Cap’n Crunch Treats cereal bars and Gatorade Protein Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars, with expiration dates ranging from Jan. 11, 2024, to Oct. 31, 2024. This update was recently announced on the Food and Drug Administration’s website, detailing the extended range of products under recall.

#Trump claims he never met #Jeffreyepstein yet the #MAGA cult has no problem with this. They still say #clinton is the problem. This is what you call #hypocrisy

Latest News Headlines for Thursday January 11, 2024 – A record-breaking twenty million Americans have enrolled for affordable health insurance for 2024 under the Affordable Care Act, as announced by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. This marks the third consecutive year of record enrollments. “Since my inauguration, there’s been an 8 million increase in ACA enrollments, and with six days remaining, more can still join,” President Biden stated. He highlighted the affordability, noting most people could choose plans costing as little as $10 per month. Additionally, Mr. Biden criticized Republicans for obstructing efforts to make these reduced healthcare premiums permanent. — Ecuador’s capital witnessed a heavy military presence on its almost empty streets following an intense conflict declaration between the government and drug cartels, instilling widespread fear among its residents. 36-year-old President Daniel Noboa ordered military action to “neutralize” criminal gangs. This directive came after armed assailants attacked a TV studio and threats of random killings of civilians and security forces emerged. Declaring an “internal armed conflict,” Noboa’s decisive action comes less than two months into his presidency. — President Biden recently met with Elizabeth Whelan, sister of Paul Whelan, whom the U.S. considers unjustly detained in Russia on espionage charges since 2018. Elizabeth Whelan, who had long sought this meeting, continues to advocate for her brother’s release, urging the Biden administration for increased efforts. Following their meeting, Mr. Biden immediately phoned Paul Whelan’s parents, the White House reported. Paul Whelan, convicted in 2020 to a 16-year prison term, was arrested in 2018 during a wedding in Russia. — The Ohio House, predominantly Republican, voted to override Governor Mike DeWine’s veto on a bill that would ban gender-affirming care for minors and limit transgender women and girls from participating in sports teams. LGBTQ+ activists warn this could significantly impact transgender youth’s daily lives in the state. This veto override moves forward a law banning gender-affirming surgeries and hormone therapies for individuals under 18, and imposes restrictions on their mental health care. Additionally, the bill prohibits transgender girls and women from joining girls’ and women’s sports teams at both K-12 and collegiate levels. — An avalanche at the Palisades Tahoe resort on the California side of Lake Tahoe has resulted in one fatality, as confirmed by authorities. The individual who lost his life in the incident has been identified as 66-year-old Kenneth Kidd, a resident of both Point Reyes and the Truckee area. This incident is the first avalanche-related death in the U.S. for the 2023-2024 winter season, as reported by the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. The Placer County Sheriff’s Office, with Sgt. David Smith providing details in a press briefing, stated that there are no reports of missing persons and that search operations have been completed. — A Portland, Oregon teacher, who unexpectedly discovered a part of an Alaska Airlines plane in his backyard, has shared his difficulties in coping with the incident. Bob Sauer, a versatile science teacher in Portland, recounted to “Good Morning America” his astonishing experience of finding the airplane’s door plug, a focus of intense search efforts across Portland. The component, measuring 26-by-46 inches and weighing 63 pounds, was found intact on Sunday evening in Sauer’s backyard. — A unique chest tattoo, depicting a murder scene, played a pivotal role in the arrest and conviction of a California gang member for a fatal shooting. 25-year-old Anthony Garcia was found guilty of first-degree murder on Wednesday for his involvement in a 2004 shooting at a Pico Rivera liquor store. Facing potential life imprisonment at his sentencing next month, Garcia’s tattoo, described as a “crime scene sketch and a confession,” was so detailed that it even accurately represented the bullet trajectories, according to Lloyd, the prosecutor. — U.S. Representative Lauren Boebert has been exonerated from domestic violence allegations following her ex-husband’s retraction of his accusation. He initially claimed she had punched him during a disagreement at a restaurant where they were attempting to reconcile, as stated in police and court records. Jayson Boebert, Lauren Boebert’s ex-husband, was arrested on misdemeanor charges related to an incident last Saturday in Silt, a rural Colorado town. After calling 911 to report domestic violence, he later resisted police cooperation, leading to his forcible removal, as per the police report.

Latest News Headlines for Wednesday January 10, 2024 – Addressing an audience in Tel Aviv, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken disclosed a joint initiative with Israeli authorities for a United Nations-led mission in Gaza. This initiative aims to facilitate the return of displaced Palestinians to their homes in northern Gaza, marking a significant stride towards re-establishing normalcy in the region. “Amidst the de-escalation of Israel’s military operations in northern Gaza and the reduction of IDF forces, we’ve reached an accord on a U.N.-guided assessment mission. This mission will identify necessary measures to ensure the safe return of displaced Palestinians to their northern homes,” Blinken stated. — Pentagon officials announced that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is undergoing hospital treatment for an infection linked to his recent prostate cancer surgery. The disclosure, issued by Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, sheds light on Austin’s medical situation, which has sparked controversy due to delayed communication with the White House and Congress. The statement reveals Austin’s early detection of prostate cancer last month, followed by a “minimally invasive procedure” on December 22 aimed at treating and eliminating the cancer, as per medical officials. — In the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley is rapidly gaining ground on ex-President Donald Trump. Recent polls indicate a notable surge in Haley’s support, signaling a potentially pivotal showdown in New Hampshire’s upcoming primary. A new CNN survey, conducted by the University of New Hampshire and released Tuesday, shows Haley trailing Trump by only seven points, securing 32% of the vote against his 39%. This marks a significant reduction of her deficit, which was 12 points in the previous University of New Hampshire poll, just weeks ahead of the state’s critical primary. — In Afghanistan, the Taliban have intensified their enforcement of stringent dress codes, leading to the detention of numerous women. Last week in Kabul, the Taliban’s morality police apprehended several women and girls, as confirmed by a senior Taliban spokesperson. This action, showcasing a renewed focus on restricting women’s freedoms, became evident through social media posts showing the detainees being transported in police vehicles. The Taliban acknowledged these arrests following the circulation of images and videos depicting the incidents in the capital city. — Russia has apprehended an American citizen, identified as Robert Romanov Woodland, on charges related to narcotics, potentially facing up to 20 years in prison. This was announced by a Moscow court. “The Ostankinsky District Court of Moscow has decreed the detention of Robert Romanov Woodland for two months, until March 5, 2024,” the court communicated via social media. Woodland was arrested earlier in January and is implicated in various drug-related crimes. — Elon Musk’s social media enterprise X is set to launch three new programs starring former CNN anchor Don Lemon, ex-U.S. congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, and sports radio personality and former ESPN star Jim Rome. Lemon will present his distinctive perspectives in 30-minute episodes, airing thrice weekly, as announced on the platform formerly known as Twitter. Rome’s shows will broadcast on X five times a week, starting post-Super Bowl. Additionally, 2020 presidential candidate Gabbard will feature in a series of exclusive documentary-style videos, as per the San Francisco-based company’s separate announcements. — Meta, the tech conglomerate, declared on Tuesday its initiative to shield young users on Instagram and Facebook from exposure to harmful content, including posts related to suicide, self-injury, and eating disorders. Stated in a blog post by the Menlo Park, California-based firm, this new policy aims to block such ‘age-inappropriate’ content from appearing in teens’ feeds, even if posted by followed accounts. Meta emphasized its commitment to ensuring safe, age-appropriate experiences for teenage users on its platforms. — Walmart is set to deepen its investment in artificial intelligence and drone technology to enhance shopping experiences for its customers. Announced in a keynote at the CES trade show in Las Vegas on Tuesday, the leading U.S. retailer plans to extend its drone delivery service to an additional 1.8 million households in the Dallas-Fort Worth area later this year. Walmart has already made significant strides in drone delivery, completing 20,000 deliveries across seven states to date.