Israeli cabinet approves Gaza ceasefire deal with Hamas
The deal will take effect from Sunday and involves the exchange of captives held in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners.
Former Oakland mayor Sheng Thao indicted on bribery charges
Thao, 39, removed from office in November recall, accused of key role in sprawling corruption and bribery scheme
Sheng Thao, the former mayor of Oakland, and three others have been indicted for a slate of federal charges including conspiracy and bribery. The indictment, which was unsealed and announced in California on Friday, is the culmination of an investigation led by the FBI, the US Postal Inspection Service, and the US Internal Revenue Service.
Also charged in the indictment were Andre Jones, Thao’s longtime romantic partner, and David and Andy Duong, a father-son business duo who own Cal Waste Solutions, the company that picks up the recyclables of Oakland’s more than 436,000 residents. The foursome are accused of orchestrating a scheme in which Thao allegedly extended contracts for Cal Waste Solutions, appointed high-level officials who would allegedly help the Duongs’ business interests, and bought housing units from another company owned by the Duongs.
Continue reading...Big fire at California battery plant prompts evacuations amid toxic smoke
Blaze erupts at one of world’s largest battery storage plants in Monterey county, leading to highway and school closures
A large fire burning on Friday at one of the world’s largest battery storage plants in northern California is sending up flames of toxic smoke, leading to the evacuation of 1,700 people and the closure of a major highway.
The blaze in Moss Landing started on Thursday. Fire crews were not engaging with the fire but were waiting for it to burn out on its own, the Mercury News reported.
Continue reading...Meteorite strike captured in rare video from Canadian home’s doorbell camera
Sound was also recorded in footage of space rock hitting house entranceway, producing cloud of smoke and a crackle
A doorbell camera on a Canadian home has captured rare video and sound of a meteorite striking Earth as it crashed into a couple’s walkway.
When Laura Kelly and her partner returned home after an evening walk, they were surprised to find their walkway littered with dust and strange debris, according to the Meteoritical Society, which posted the video with its report.
Continue reading...Farewell Remarks by Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (As Delivered) – Department of Defense
- Farewell Remarks by Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III (As Delivered) Department of Defense
- Military bids farewell to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, following release of critical OIG report 13newsnow.com WVEC
- Watch live: Austin bids farewell to Defense Department The Hill
- Austin, the first Black defense secretary, ends his term marred by Afghanistan but buoyed by Ukraine The Associated Press
- General Lloyd Austin: Reflections on a Legacy of Leadership BlackEngineer.com
Gaza atrocities will ‘haunt’ Antony Blinken, says former US diplomat
Hala Rharrit calls for accountability for US officials who ensured the flow of arms to Israel despite abuses in Gaza.
Mesmerising ice formations cover US lake
Areas around the country are seeing freezing conditions ahead of even colder temperatures in the coming days.
US grounds SpaceX’s Starship after test flight explosion
The rocket's upper stage disintegrated over the Caribbean, forcing airline flights to alter course.
Trump inauguration to move indoors amid frigid temperatures in Washington – as it happened
This live blog is now closed. You can read our latest reporting here:
- Donald Trump moves inauguration indoors due to severely cold weather
- Trump’s inauguration: what to know and how to watch
Donald Trump told CNN that he will decide what to do with TikTok once he takes office, after the supreme court upheld legislation that will ban it on Sunday unless its Chinese owner sells its US operations.
“It ultimately goes up to me, so you’re going to see what I’m going to do,” Trump said in an interview with the network. Asked if he would try to reverse the ban, should it go into effect, Trump said: “Congress has given me the decision, so I’ll be making the decision.”
It is not clear that the Act itself directly regulates protected expressive activity, or conduct with an expressive component. Indeed, the Act does not regulate the creator petitioners at all …
Petitioners, for their part, have not identified any case in which this Court has treated a regulation of corporate control as a direct regulation of expressive activity or semi-expressive conduct … We hesitate to break that new ground in this unique case.
Continue reading...Social Media Influencer Accused Of Poisoning 1-Year-Old Girl For GoFundMe Donations – HuffPost
- Social Media Influencer Accused Of Poisoning 1-Year-Old Girl For GoFundMe Donations HuffPost
- Australia influencer charged with poisoning 1-year-old to profit from GoFundMe donations USA TODAY
- Woman allegedly poisoned baby and posted videos online for donations, police say CNN
- Woman poisoned baby to grow online following and solicit donations, police say The Washington Post
- Australian woman charged with poisoning 1-year-old girl, posting videos for donations, police say CBS News
UN chief: UNIFIL found 100 Hezbollah arms caches in south Lebanon since truce began – The Times of Israel
- UN chief: UNIFIL found 100 Hezbollah arms caches in south Lebanon since truce began The Times of Israel
- Israel must withdraw from Lebanon by January 26 deadline: President Aoun Al Jazeera English
- Guterres to conduct solidarity visit to Lebanon UN News
- UN chief hopes for ‘new chapter of peace’ in meeting with new Lebanese president The Associated Press
- LEBANON / GUTERRES PRESSER UN Web TV
CIA Leaker of Israel Intel Pleads Guilty Days Before Trump Takes Office – The Intercept
- CIA Leaker of Israel Intel Pleads Guilty Days Before Trump Takes Office The Intercept
- C.I.A. Analyst Pleads Guilty to Leaking Classified Documents About Israel The New York Times
- Former CIA analyst pleads guilty in leak of secret files on Israel The Washington Post
- Former CIA employee pleads guilty to leaking files on Israel’s Iran strikes Al Jazeera English
- Former CIA analyst pleads guilty to leaking Israeli retaliation plans ABC News
More than 230,000 displaced in DRC since start of the year, UN says
The UN says the forced displacement is one of 'the most alarming' humanitarian crises in the world.
Decoding Donald Trump’s new official portrait
Photographers describe the photo as "serious", "ominous" and a "message picture".
Decoding Donald Trump’s new official portrait
Photographers describe the photo as "serious", "ominous" and a "message picture".
Former CIA employee pleads guilty to leaking files on Israel’s Iran strikes
Asif William Rahman has pled guilty to transmitting classified national defence information, US Justice Department says.
Ukraine war latest: Russia, Iran sign strategic partnership deal; Ukraine strikes Russian S-400 radar equipment – Kyiv Independent
- Ukraine war latest: Russia, Iran sign strategic partnership deal; Ukraine strikes Russian S-400 radar equipment Kyiv Independent
- Russia and Iran move to strengthen military ties BBC.com
- A Russian-Iranian inaugural gift for Trump Atlantic Council
- Analysis: Russia, Iran strengthen alliance after Syria setback Al Jazeera English
- Iran's Pezeshkian left waiting for an hour to meet Putin in Kremlin ایران اینترنشنال
Qatari PM details Gaza ceasefire implementation, monitoring
Qatar’s prime minister detailed monitoring mechanisms for the Gaza ceasefire and defended his country’s role.
US Senate forwards bill targeting undocumented immigrants accused of theft-related crimes
Critics call Democratic lawmakers ‘spineless’ for joining GOP in making bill potentially big legislative win for Donald Trump
The US Senate on Friday cleared the way for final approval of a bill that targets undocumented immigrants accused of theft-related crimes, a preview of how Republicans will use their majorities to help Donald Trump deliver on his long-promised border crackdown – and an early test of how Democrats will respond.
The Laken Riley Act, named after a 22-year-old Georgia nursing student who was murdered last year by a Venezuelan national, cleared a key procedural hurdle by a vote of 61-35, with 10 Democrats joining Republicans to advance it. A vote on final passage was scheduled for early next week, making it potentially one of the first pieces of legislation he signs as president.
Continue reading...What’s needed on the ground to implement the Gaza ceasefire deal?
Palestinians in Gaza desperately need aid as 15 months of war has caused a humanitarian crisis.