The 1982 Air Florida Crash’s Terrible Echo in Washington

There’s a haunting echo between the plane crash on Wednesday and the one 43 years ago in Washington.

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SoftBank in Talks to Invest Up to $25 Billion in OpenAI

A new investment from the Japanese conglomerate would be separate from the $100 billion tied to a project announced at the White House last week.

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'We were blindsided': Federal workers react to buy-out offer

Federal workers were told they could take part in a "deferred resignation program" in exchange for eight-months of pay.

from BBC News

Mexico asks Google Maps not to rename Gulf of Mexico

US President Donald Trump has ordered that the body of water be renamed the Gulf of America.

from BBC News

Climate change made LA fires worse, scientists say

Scientists say the fires that engulfed Los Angeles were made 35% more likely due to climate warming.

from BBC News

Rwanda, the West’s ‘Donor Darling,’ Seizes an Opportunity in Congo

A conflict that has raged for decades reached a flashpoint this week when rebels backed by Rwanda marched on a key Congolese city in a bid to occupy territory and exploit minerals.

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Tennessee Legislature Meets With Trump Playbook on its Agenda

A special session set to start Monday afternoon pairs disaster aid with two priorities for both the president and Gov. Bill Lee of Tennessee: tougher immigration laws and school vouchers.

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A $35 Billion Loan Project, Led by World Bank, Aims to Expand Electricity in Africa

Some $35 billion is aimed at building small solar sites in rural areas and other improvements. The World Bank chief called the project “foundational to everything.”

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Italy Begins Shipping Migrants to Albania, Reviving Stalled Program

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s first attempt to have asylum seekers held for assessment overseas was immediately blocked by judges. Now another is underway.

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The Wars Within Trump’s Court

The second Trump White House is starting out with a remarkable degree of conflict among different individuals, constituencies and worldviews.

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They Were Waiting for Flights. Then Trump Closed a Door for Afghan Allies.

An executive order has halted refugee flights for Afghans who supported the American mission in Afghanistan and had been approved to resettle in the U.S.

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I Prosecuted the Capitol Rioters. I Know Why Trump Pardoned Them.

Trump’s pardons will encourage more violence.

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Watch Air National Guard tackle Hughes wildfire in LA

The new wildfire grew quickly overnight and was dubbed an "immediate threat to life" by the California Fire Department.

from BBC News

Seven Police Officers Are Shot While Responding to Suicide Call in Texas

The officers went to an apartment in San Antonio and were shot by a barricaded man, who was found dead, the authorities said.

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Sacklers Up Their Offer to Settle Purdue Opioids Cases, With a New Condition

A group of 15 states have reached a tentative new deal that would require them to set aside hundreds of millions of dollars from the settlement in a legal-defense fund for the family.

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Devotees of Mt. Bachelor Ski Area Are Working to Take Their Mountain Back

Devotees of Mt. Bachelor are putting together a bid to rescue the ski area — and their way of life — from the titans of the industry.

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Do Chimps Who Pee Together Stay Together?

Scientists suspect that contagious urination, a behavior they observed among a troop of apes in Japan, may play an important role in primate social life.

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Elephants are not people, US court rules

Judges ruled a bid to free five elderly African elephants from Cheyenne Mountain Zoo was based on a law that only applied to humans.

from BBC News

Anthony Zurcher: With the promise of a 'golden age', a second Trump era begins

Trump's inaugural speech was a mix of promises – and contradictions – that underlined some of the challenges he faces upon his return.

from BBC News

'End woke' and 'boost crypto' - Trump fans' day one wishlist

Trump's biggest supporters tell the BBC what issues they're excited to see the new president tackle first.

from BBC News

Mesmerising ice formations cover US lake

Areas around the country are seeing freezing conditions ahead of even colder temperatures in the coming days.

from BBC News

What We Know About the TikTok Ban

The popular video app went dark in the United States late Saturday and then came back around noon on Sunday, even as a law banning it took effect.

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Inside South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s Life in Jail

President Yoon Suk Yeol, a former prosecutor, used to put people in jail. Now, after his formal arrest, he himself is in a cell, alone.

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State Republicans Propose New Limits on Transgender Identity

The new lawmaking sessions open after a campaign year in which Republicans leaned on messaging that tapped into fears about transgender issues.

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TikTok says it will 'go dark' on Sunday without US government action

The Supreme Court earlier upheld a law that would ban the video app in the US unless its Chinese parent-company sells it.

from BBC News

Biden commutes sentences of 2,500 non-violent drug offenders

The outgoing president says he has issued more individual pardons and commutations "than any other president in US history".

from BBC News

Three ways Democrats are breaking with tradition before inauguration

Michelle Obama will not attend the swearing-in, as Democrats follow Trump in ignoring some conventions.

from BBC News

Bob Uecker, Clubhouse Wit-Turned-Popular Sportscaster, Dies at 90

Uecker turned his meager baseball career into humorous fodder covering games on TV and as a commercial pitchman.

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Washington Post Employees Plead With Jeff Bezos to Meet

In a letter, more than 400 employees asked Mr. Bezos, the company’s owner, to meet, saying they were “deeply alarmed” by recent decisions at the paper.

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Takeaways From Jack Smith’s Report on the Trump Election Case

Jack Smith wrote that Donald Trump would have been convicted had the case been allowed to proceed and explained why he didn’t pursue charges of incitement of the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol.

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Princess Kate’s Cancer Diagnosis: A Timeline of the Last Few Months

Catherine, the Princess of Wales, announced in March that she was being treated for an undisclosed type of cancer.

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The tricky questions facing Trump's nominees for top jobs

Allies of the president-elect can expect intense questioning when Senate confirmation hearings begin this week.

from BBC News

What's the latest on Los Angeles wildfires and how did they start?

Everything you need to know about the blazes that have forced thousands to leave their homes.

from BBC News

News Outlets Batten Down the Hatches for Trump’s Return

Media organizations are taking unusual steps to prepare for what they fear will be a legal and political onslaught from the new administration.

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Oil Tycoon Harold Hamm Throwing an Inauguration Day Party

Harold G. Hamm, the founder of the Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, and other oil and gas companies stand to profit from Donald Trump’s energy policies.

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Art Once Divided Father and Son. Could It Now Bring Them Together?

A beloved illustrator died in the middle of a project. His son, who had been drifting away from art for years, was given the chance to finish the work.

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Writing Fantasy Came Naturally. Reality Was Far More Daunting.

After winning just about every major science fiction and fantasy award, Nnedi Okorafor explores a traumatic event in her own history in her most autobiographical novel yet.

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Trump Discusses Tax Cuts for New Yorkers With G.O.P. Lawmakers

The president-elect told Republicans from New York, New Jersey and California to come up with a plan for increasing the state and local tax deduction — a move that would benefit their constituents.

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Trump avoids prison or fine in hush-money case sentencing

Donald Trump will still take office as the first US president with a felony conviction.

from BBC News

Pacific Palisades Fire Could Test Getty Center’s Efforts to Protect Its Art Collection

The museum, which describes itself as the “safest places for art during a fire,” is now in a mandatory evacuation zone. A spokeswoman said it had not sustained damage.

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Five Presidents and a Funeral

The pious Carter and profane Trump had some things in common.

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Far From the Fires, the Deadly Risks of Smoke Are Intensifying

Researchers see a growing health danger from the vast plumes of pollution spawned by wildfires like the ones devastating Los Angeles.

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Man films escape from LA fires with elderly father-in-law

The men were forced to leave the car they were in and escape on foot as fire closed in around them.

from BBC News

Trump Organization Issues Ethics Pledge for President-Elect’s Second Term

The measures largely echo agreements the family made for his first term, including appointing an outside ethics lawyer and limiting Mr. Trump’s access to detailed financial information.

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Mauro Morandi, Italy’s Robinson Crusoe, Dies at 85

He was the sole resident of Budelli, an undeveloped sliver of paradise off the northern coast of Sardinia. He embraced the solitude, until he was evicted.

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Can Susie Wiles, Trump’s Chief of Staff, Survive?

As Ms. Wiles heads to Washington, the view in Trump World is that the president-elect’s closest aide and veteran strategist has a better chance than anyone.

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U.S. Steel Faces Stark Choices as Nippon Steel Merger Founders

The onetime dynamo is fighting to revive a takeover by Nippon Steel. Other tie-ups could also face obstacles, and going it alone could force cutbacks.

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‘The Last Showgirl’ Review: Pamela Anderson Is Dazzling

The actress stars as a dancer at a Las Vegas revue on its last fishnet leg in Gia Coppola’s sensitive and beguiling film.

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France Indicts Founder of Notorious Website Used in Pelicot Rape Case

The site, coco.fr, was shut down in June after being linked to more than 23,000 sexual abuse and other cases in France alone, including the rape trial that shocked the country last year.

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'We need to get out of here!' Palisades residents describe flight from inferno

David Latt said he and his wife had just 10 minutes to grab important documents and family photographs

from BBC News

The Surgeon General’s Warnings About Alcohol Hit Restaurants at a Tricky Time

The surgeon general’s call to arms about the link between drinking and cancer could strike at a fiscal lifeline for restaurateurs facing falling sales.

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U.S. Withholds Funding for World Anti-Doping Agency

In a damaging blow to the agency, the Biden administration said it had lost confidence in WADA’s ability to guard against the use of performance-enhancing drugs by elite athletes.

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Port Workers Could Strike Again if No Deal Is Reached on Automation

Cargo could stop flowing at East and Gulf Coast ports, which handle most imports, if a union and an employers’ group can’t agree on the use of machines that can operate without humans.

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Aubrey Plaza calls husband's death 'unimaginable tragedy'

The actress and filmmaker's family ask for privacy after the announcement of his death at the weekend.

from BBC News

Judge Cannon Blocks Release of Jack Smith’s Report on Trump Documents Investigation

Judge Aileen M. Cannon, a Trump appointee who dismissed the documents case in its entirety this summer, on Tuesday temporarily barred the special counsel, Jack Smith, from releasing the results of his investigation to the public.

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Apple urged to withdraw 'out of control' AI news alerts

Apple has pledged improvements to its news summarising tool, but critics say it is dangerous and needs to be withdrawn.

from BBC News

Two people found dead in JetBlue plane landing gear

A medical examiner's office is performing an autopsy to determine their cause of death.

from BBC News

After bruising election loss, what next for Kamala Harris?

The outgoing vice-president is weighing her options, which could include another White House run, or a bid to be California's governor.

from BBC News

New Orleans attacker wore Meta smart glasses - what else do we know?

Investigators are also looking into the attacker's back-to-back travel to Egypt and Canada in 2023.

from BBC News

In Reversal, Musk Disparages Farage

Elon Musk, the billionaire backer of Donald J. Trump, had been promoting Nigel Farage. But on Sunday Mr. Musk said Mr. Farage “doesn’t have what it takes.”

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Hailing a Taxi or Uber Will Be More Expensive Under NYC Congestion Pricing Program

Transportation officials want to reduce the number of taxis, Ubers and Lyfts that idle in heavy traffic. To do that, they will charge riders new fees.

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See Angelina Jolie, Nicole Kidman and More at W Magazine’s Golden Globes Party

Celebrities packed into a suite at the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles for the W Magazine party on Saturday night.

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Watch: Snow blankets parts of New York and Nebraska

Parts of the US have been covered in snow as a severe winter storm sweeps the country.

from BBC News

Life in Pictures: Jimmy Carter

A look back at the life of the 39th US president.

from BBC News

David Lodge, British Novelist Who Satirized Academic Life, Dies at 89

His 15 well-plotted novels teemed with romance and strange coincidence. An erudite literary critic with an ear for language, he also wrote a raft of nonfiction books.

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Ford and General Motors Report a Sales Surge, Especially for E.V.s

The two big automakers said 2024 sales were up by 4 percent thanks to big increases in the final quarter.

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A Half-Ton Piece of Space Junk Falls Onto a Village in Kenya

No one was hurt by the object, believed to be part of a launch rocket. Experts say the frequency of such incidents is increasing as the amount of debris in orbit around the Earth increases dramatically.

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What CCTV and social media videos reveal about New Orleans attack

BBC Verify’s Jake Horton looks at how the attack in New Orleans unfolded.

from BBC News

Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen Dish About Their New Year’s Eve Show

The morning after the two were live on CNN, they talked about tequila shots, Diplo and Cohen’s dancing skills.

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Why the FBI Is Investigating the New Orleans Bourbon Street Truck Attack as Terrorism

The F.B.I. defines international terrorism as violence inspired by foreign terrorist groups. Domestic terrorism is defined as violence meant to further ideological goals or intimidate civilians.

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Vehicle Ramming Attacks: Using Cars and Trucks as Weapons Has Become Common

A New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans killed at least 10 people.

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Webcam appears to show police running to New Orleans attack scene

The moment was captured on a webcam in the French Quarter of the city, moments after the attack happened.

from BBC News