Unbiased headline news for Tuesday March 12, 2024 – Ukraine will need more than a billion dollars to rebuild scientific infrastructure that was ravaged or decimated during two years of Russia’s aggressive assault on its neighbor, the United Nations’ cultural and scientific agency reported.

More than 1,443 scientific facilities, many affiliated with the country’s universities, have been damaged or destroyed along with 750 crucial technical equipment pieces, most of which are beyond repair, the agency stated in a report released on Monday.

U.S. intelligence officials testified before a Senate committee on the state of global security threats facing the United States, including artificial intelligence, election security, and misinformation by U.S. adversaries.

In addition to threats related to terrorism, cybercrime, corruption, narcotics trafficking, and climate change; Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines warned of threats posed by regionalized conflicts, as well as major authoritarian powers who are “actively working to undermine the United States”.

President Joe Biden on Monday unveiled a $7.3 trillion budget proposal featuring significantly bolstered spending for security at the U.S.-Mexico border, as well as higher taxes aimed at profitable corporations.

Responding to political pressures from both the right and left amid an election year, Biden’s budget proposes $2.9 billion for the Department of Homeland Security to handle the surge of asylum-seekers at the southern border.

Former President Donald Trump’s White House trade adviser, Peter Navarro, has been ordered to report to federal prison in Miami by March 19th, following his conviction on two counts of criminal contempt of Congress, his lawyers revealed in a court filing on Sunday.

Navarro was found guilty by a jury last year of defying a subpoena for documents and testimony from the now-defunct House select committee that investigated the January 6th twenty-twenty-one Capitol attack.

Two 18-year-old men have been taken into custody in connection with a mass shooting at a SEPTA bus stop in Philadelphia last week, authorities announced.

Charges against the two 18-year-olds include criminal attempted murder, aggravated assault, and conspiracy, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said. At about 3 p.m. Wednesday, three masked gunmen exited a car parked near the bus stop and fired more than 30 rounds toward high schoolers who were attempting to board a bus, Philadelphia police said.

Three children and two adults perished after a school bus collided with a semitruck on U.S. Route 24 in Illinois on Monday, authorities said.

The fatal collision between the school bus and the semitruck carrying sand happened on the highway at 11:30 a.m., local time, in Rushville, Illinois State Police said during a press briefing. Both vehicles erupted into flames after the collision, according to authorities.

An avalanche forecaster lost his life in a snowslide he triggered while skiing in eastern Oregon last week, officials said.

Nick Burks, 37, and a friend, both experienced and carrying avalanche air bags and beacons, were backcountry skiing the chute on Gunsight Mountain on Wednesday, near Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort. His friend skied down first and witnessed as the avalanche was triggered and overtook Burks.

Eric Carmen, the singer/songwriter known for hits like “Hungry Eyes” and “All By Myself,” has died, his wife Amy announced on his official website. Carmen was 74.

“It is with tremendous sadness that we share the heartbreaking news of the passing of Eric Carmen,” she wrote. “Our sweet, loving and talented Eric passed away in his sleep, over the weekend. It brought him great joy to know, that for decades, his music touched so many and will be his lasting legacy.

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