News from November 20, 2025

Politics

Congress passes measure to reverse Biden's Alaska oil leasing limits

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Congress has passed a measure to overturn a plan enacted during the Biden administration that put off limits to oil and gas leasing nearly half a vast petroleum reserve in Alaska. Critics see the vote as political meddling that creates confusion over the future management of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska. Tuesday’s House vote followed passage by the Senate during the government shutdown of the resolution disapproving a management plan for the reserve that was finalized in 2022 under then-President Joe Biden. The offices of Alaska’s Republican congressional delegation members have said the resolution “fulfills the objectives” of an Alaska-specific executive order signed by President Donald Trump earlier this year. The executive order called for reinstating a plan dating to the first Trump administration that sought to make available for leasing about 80% of the reserve. The measure next goes to Trump for consideration. There has been outsized attention on Alaska since Trump’s return to office, with moves to expand development of oil and gas and other resources cheered by state political leaders who had considered the Biden administration overly restrictive in its approach. The votes are among the latest taken under the Congressional Review Act that are aimed at nullifying land management plans adopted under Biden. A statement from the congressional delegation last month said the review act provides an expedited way to overturn certain federal rules and forbids an agency from issuing another substantially similar rule unless it’s authorized by law. But Alex Cohen, director of government affairs for the Alaska Wilderness League, called use of the act a “super, super blunt instrument.” Regulatory policy instead requires “very careful, considered stakeholder engagement, scientific analysis,” he said. The approach taken by Congress also raises questions about what constitutes a substantially similar rule, Cohen said, adding there is a lack of clarity around what happens when a plan is overturned. A bill passed earlier this year calls for oil and gas lease sales in the petroleum reserve, for which the last sale was held in 2019, and in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Major companies sat out the first two lease sales held for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge; the first was at the end of Trump’s first term and the second near the end of Biden’s.

Becky Bohrer 6 hours ago

Technology

The Algorithm Thinks You’re Ugly: An Interview With Artist Gretchen Andrew

There is a direct line between lip fillers and the techno-apocalypse, and Gretchen Andrew draws that line with her latest Universal Beauty series. This series, recently acquired by the Whitney in New York, reveals the preferences of hidden algorithms that define our current beauty standards. Standards not even Miss Universe contestants can meet. In our conversation, Andrew and I discuss how impossible-to-achieve criteria are flattening people’s relationship to their bodies and homogenizing faces around the globe. What is at stake? “The whole diversity of humanity is lost,” according to the artist. Gretchen, an ex-Googler, is a Silicon Valley dropout. After becoming disillusioned by the way technology was designed to exploit users and experiencing a culture that penalized her for dressing like Cher from Clueless, Gretchen left tech to pursue a career in art. In the art world, she felt free to use technology subversively and wear short skirts as a form of 3.0 feminism. Her previous projects: Thirst Trap Glitch Gifs, in which she used SEO optimization hacks to make her vision board canvases the top search result for “contemporary art auction record,” capture the artist’s drive perfectly. Gretchen could have continued further along this line, using her brilliance to expose technological loopholes while promoting her name. However, Universal Beauty marks a departure. Or perhaps an evolution or maturing. Not in Gretchen’s interests, but in her tactics. The focus is less about her explicitly and more about the technology that traps us all. Making us feel forever inadequate. Forever ugly. While keeping us craving more of this feeling. And Gretchen will be the first to admit that she is not above social media addiction. But admission, be it via her work or her words, is always the first step. First, congratulations on your acquisition by the Whitney. What can you tell us about the Facetune Portraits project, and about the work that was acquired? In Facetune Portraits, I look at how A.I.-driven beauty standards are impacting how we experience ourselves and how we experience others. I take what is normally an invisible force—whether it’s digital Facetuning or the way it’s impacting things like lip fillers and plastic surgery—and make it visible so that we can talk about it. In my Universal Beauty series, I look at Miss Universe contestants who are from all over the world—they’re completely gorgeous—and yet they’re not good enough for the algorithms, giving the rest of us absolutely no hope. Not only that, but the contestants are from all around the world. They should look completely different, but we see the homogenizing impact of A.I. when we see Miss Jamaica being given the same body as Miss Finland being given the same body as Miss Philippines. It’s compressing all humanity into a single unified look. Describe the Facetune aesthetic. What does the algorithm think is beautiful? We’ve grown so used to seeing each other and ourselves on a two-dimensional screen. And because screens are flat, our expectations of how we’re supposed to look are incorporating efforts to mimic that third dimension within the two-dimensional space of the screen. One example is having absurdly big lips. Some people really like the way that those big lips look from the front, but no one thinks that they look great from the side. That’s why we get memes around “duck lip.” There’s this distinct prioritization of making sure we look good on a screen. It reminds me of ancient Egyptian art. The reason why hieroglyphics have bodies that are contorted is that, within the two-dimensional surface, the Egyptians wanted to convey the three-dimensionality of the body. So they represented each body part from its most recognizable angle and sort of stuck it all together. That’s really what’s happening today with our cameras and algorithms: we are attempting to convey three dimensions in the 2D space of a screen. What is lost when we do that? The whole diversity of humanity is lost. There have always been beauty standards, but never before has there been a single, universal, international beauty standard. We’re also losing connections to our actual bodies. We’re prioritizing how people look over what they do. We’re prioritizing how we look over how we feel. Within that prioritization, we lose a really important connection to ourselves. Another thing we’re losing is the celebration of the individual. I see not just a desire to be beautiful, but a desire to be like everyone else. That feels safer to people today than to actually look like yourself. How is this different than in the ‘90s, before there was social media, when media was dominated by a couple channels or Vogue, and these Western exports were setting the dominant beauty standard around the world? I think with A.I., the pace and the uniformity of that has increased significantly. Although there has been this Western beauty standard before, maybe there was a slightly different beauty standard in Japan or Kenya. With A.I., there has been an acceleration of this beauty standard convergence. Anybody—they don’t need massive Photoshop skills—can take their image, process it through a Facetune algorithm, and go to a plastic surgeon and say: Make me look like this, which is increasingly happening. I read a study out of Cornell that 0.2 percent of the data used to train A.I. comes from Africa and South America. Do you know where most of the data that’s training these beauty algorithms is coming from? We’re in a feedback loop, especially with social media. I’m sure you’ve noticed that if you post a photo of your face or other people, you’re more likely to get engagement. I don’t think that’s because that’s what people want to see. I think these platforms are driving more engagement in order to get more images of faces and bodies for training their algorithms. I think Instagram, by volume, must be Western. It’s also not so much who is using it as it is about the quantity of images that people are seeing. Influencers, for example, have so many more followers and get so much more exposure. It doesn’t matter how many regular people are using the app, the majority of people are seeing images that look like these influencers. What made you interested in addressing social media and beauty standards in your work? I like to find seemingly innocuous, frivolous and feminine things and use them as opportunities to have conversations about technology and its impact on our lives. Beauty standards seemed like a ripe area where a lot of people are not thinking about A.I. or the technological apocalypse, and so it became a very wide doorway to have these conversations. On top of that, I think a lot about the physical and metaphorical shapes that we as women contort ourselves into to meet societal expectations, especially as we age. I’m approaching 40, and my friends are getting Botox or plastic surgery. This project is not about shaming women for these things. It’s about understanding where standards come from and making decisions from there. Can you talk about your decision to turn these digital images into oil paintings via an oil paint printer? I wanted to create a portrait that shows both who we are and who we’re told to be at the same time. I wanted to represent this in a way that would be part of the history of portraiture. Portraits have always shown what we value at any given time. Look at me and my big family. Look at my jewels. Look at my land behind me. Within this current world of A.I., I wanted to investigate what is important to us, and I think what’s important to us is fitting in. It’s being accepted by the algorithm. What do you think about celebrities like Sarah Jessica Parker who refuse to get plastic surgery? Celebrities like that are really important. They remind us that beauty can exist outside of the algorithm. But also, she’s not coming up today. She’s already a big deal, and she can make that stand now in a way that I think is very important and interesting. What I really want to see is somebody who’s very young make that same decision and succeed. I think it’s going to be a lot harder. Totally. I read the memoir Careless People by Sarah Wynn Williams. It’s such a damning portrait of Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg. After I read it, I was so worked up, and I was like, ‘I have to get off social media.’ And then, of course, I didn’t. So my question is, what does awareness do? There’s an idea that it changes things. But my question is: does it? As far as what awareness does, I think it makes us cognizant that we are making a choice, even if we continue to use filters and get lip fillers. Technology has made things so seamless that we have slipped into an absurd world where people are injecting things into their lips that they have bought on Alibaba, and it happens to be cement. This is becoming normal so fast. I really believe social media is going to be the tobacco of our generation, with the impact on mental health. Here we are, knowing it’s bad for us, still smoking. When I hang up on this phone call, I’ll probably get on Instagram for a second. Awareness is not going to win the war, but it is at least a way to see what’s going on and maybe have a little bit more agency as an individual, even if societally we’re totally fucked. My last question is, if social media is like tobacco and it’s bad for us, why do you still use it? Because I’m addicted. Yeah, me too. More Arts interviews Anthony Kiendl On Unlocking MCA Denver’s Potential and Upending Art World Hierarchies How Artist Eamon Ore-Giron Is Keeping Ancient Deities Alive Adrián Villar Rojas On Time, Decay and the Fragile Afterlife of Art Five Decades On, Hal Bromm Reflects On His Gallery’s History and His Own Legacy Abang-Guard Talk Labor, Legacy and “Makibaka” at the Queens Museum

Mieke Marple 6 hours ago

Politics

Army secretary to meet with Zelenskyy on Ukraine peace talks, officials say

WASHINGTON (AP) — Several high-ranking Army officials, including Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, are in Ukraine to help with peace talks, U.S. officials said Wednesday, as Trump administration efforts to halt Russia’s war in Ukraine have stalled. Driscoll had been planning a trip to Ukraine for some time to discuss the country’s drone warfare innovations and tactics, but last week President Donald Trump decided to identify him as a kind of “special representative” to kick-start peace negotiations and conduct a fact-finding mission, one of the officials said. That official confirmed Driscoll is scheduled to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy this week as well as top Ukrainian government, military and defense industry officials. Driscoll is accompanied by Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George, the service’s most senior officer; Gen. Chris Donahue, U.S. Army Europe and Africa commanding general; and Sgt. Maj. Michael Weimer, the Army’s top enlisted official, an Army official said. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive plans. Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States, Olga Stefanishyna, said in a post on Facebook that the U.S. Army officials began their visit by meeting with Ukrainian Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal. She said they were told about the situation on the battlefield and what was needed to strengthen Ukraine’s defense capabilities, and the two sides also discussed areas of potential defense cooperation. Shmyhal posted a picture on X of himself meeting with Driscoll. Both he and the ambassador noted that the Americans and Ukrainians were focused on implementing defense agreements reached between Trump and Zelenskyy. Neither Ukrainian official mentioned any discussion about renewing peace negotiations with Russia. White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller declined to comment on reports that the Trump administration has drafted a new peace plan and had dispatched U.S. defense officials to Kyiv to go over it with the Ukrainians. “I would agree that that’s an issue in which the president has continued to put at the forefront of our foreign policy goal, which is to reach a settlement in the Ukraine-Russia war, so that we can have peace in Europe and we can end the killing and the slaughter of so many innocents,” Miller said. The Trump administration’s efforts to broker an end to the war have hit roadblocks since the president met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska in August. Tough new U.S. sanctions on Russia’s oil industry are aimed at pushing him to the negotiating table. Trump said last month that he was putting on hold his plan for a meeting with Putin in Budapest, Hungary, because he didn’t want it to be a “waste of time.” Zelenskyy and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met in Ankara on Wednesday and said they’re committed to finding a peaceful settlement. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Tuesday that Russia was not sending a representative to the meeting in Turkey, but insisted that Moscow was ready to negotiate. The U.S. official, meanwhile, said Driscoll is hoping to make a subsequent trip to meet with Russian officials for similar negotiations, adding that the intent is to achieve Trump’s desire for peace as quickly as possible in a way that both sides support. The trip to Ukraine also will help the U.S. address the issue of drone warfare, which military officials have consistently said is being pioneered by Ukraine. During an appearance Sunday on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Driscoll said that drones were the “threat of humanity’s lifetime.” He has spent a major portion of his tenure as Army secretary pushing greater integration of drones into the U.S. military arsenal. Shmyhal said in his post that the Americans were shown Ukraine’s “developments in defense innovation: production of FPV drones, interceptors, and deep-strike capabilities.” The Wall Street Journal first reported the visit by the Army officials. Associated Press writer Aamer Madhani contributed to this report.

Konstantin Toropin 6 hours ago

World

‘The Real Housewives of Potomac’ Alum Mia Thornton Arrested, Charged With Theft

Mia Thornton, a former star of Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of Potomac,” has been arrested and charged with theft, according to multiple outlets. Thornton, whose real name is Mia Fields-Thornton, is currently in police custody after being arrested on Wednesday at the Atlanta airport. The former Bravo star was then booked at the Fulton County Jail, where she was charged with felony theft by taking. Representatives for Thornton did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for comment. Per CBS News, Atlanta officers assigned to Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport were called to the Customs and Border Protection office on Wednesday over a wanted person. The person in-question was later revealed to be Thornton. The reality TV personality has been accused of stealing furniture from a condo she was renting in the area. According to claims made by the condo’s management company in a police report, Thornton and a man, identified as Jared McGriff, “suddenly moved out of the unit in the middle of the night” at the end of October. She is accused of taking the condo’s furniture and TV, which are estimated to cost around $11,000. In body-camera footage of the arrest obtained by TMZ, Thornton is seen telling arresting officers that she knew of the warrant out for her arrest and the reason for the court order. “I just want him to put the furniture back,” she noted while being escorted out of the airport. “Enough is enough. I have several emails to my roommate telling him to put it back.” Thornton’s arrest comes nearly seven months after she announced her exit from “The Real Housewives of Potomac.” In a message released on Instagram, Thornton shared she and her family had “made the decision to relocate to Atlanta,” which is why she would no longer be appearing on “RHOP.” “The past four seasons have been an unforgettable journey one filled with growth, lessons, and so many incredible memories,” she noted before thanking Andy Cohen, her castmates and the show’s producers. She added: “This next chapter is already full of exciting opportunities, and I can’t wait to take you all along for the ride. Big things are coming…”

Alyssa Ray 6 hours ago

World

None Dare Call It Mutiny

No word in military lexicon evokes fear and dread like mutiny. Most often defined as the illegal transfer of a ship’s command from its lawful captain or master, mutiny can lead to the same punishment today as it did centuries ago when Fletcher Christian wrested command of HMAV Bounty from Capt. William Bligh: death. This penalty is detailed in Article 90 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, the document that governs how military personnel are required to behave. It reads, in part, that anyone disobeying lawful orders shall be punished as follows: “If the offense is committed in time of war, by death or such other punishment as a court-martial may direct.” Article 92 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice further reminds service members they may face court martial for failure to obey lawful orders, calling such disobedience a dereliction of duty. These severe penalties are what make the video by a half-dozen congressional Democrats suggesting service members disobey so stunning. Contrary to some media reports, they did not expressly call for mutiny among those in uniform, but they came about as close to it as the law allows. “You must refuse illegal orders,” said Rep. Chris Deluzio, D-Pa., in the 90-second video inciting servicemen and women to disobey. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Deluzio joined fellow former naval officer Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., and former CIA analyst Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., in invoking illegal orders, though the elected officials merely said that “you can refuse illegal orders,” rather than requiring disobedience. This may be technically correct, but it’s abjectly corrupt. The severity of punishment for disobeying orders might explain why nobody refused Barack Obama’s order to kill Anwar al-Awlaki. America was at war when Obama ordered the 2011 death of al-Awlaki, who was born in New Mexico, so anyone in the chain of command refusing to carry out the drone strike that killed him could be subject to the death penalty. Al-Awlaki was thought to be aligned with al-Qaeda, but there was no trial for this U.S. citizen, no judge, no jury, no verdict, just a Hellfire missile strike in the desert of Yemen. Such vagaries make this ‘Don’t Give Up the Ship’ video very dangerous, not only for the nation but for ordinary military personnel. It repeatedly suggests that people in uniform, who are trained in everything from small boat handling and computer repair, to engineering and command, interpret law. Whether it’s the captain of an aircraft carrier or the teenage bosun’s mate, none of them are steeped in interpreting the law. That’s what judges are for. Deluzio, Slotkin, Kelly and the other Democrats featured in the video won’t spark a military uprising against the government like the world saw in Russia’s 1917 February Revolution. But the infusion of woke ideology into the military in recent years means there are some people in the chain of command who may take this video to heart and just start saying ”no” when given an order. That includes admirals and generals possibly acting in defiance of the commander in chief. Most military officers have at least a cursory understanding of law and its relationship with military action; that’s part of the command structure. The video isn’t telling them anything they don’t already know, but it is replete with finely-crafted misinterpretations of the truth. Among other things, it claims, “This administration is pitting our uniformed military, and intelligence community professionals, against American citizens.” It’s an incendiary statement but means nothing more than some liberals disagree with what those in uniform have been ordered to do, like the war in Vietnam; some people are ideologically pitted against others. The video’s six Democrats don’t specify any particular military action or orders that demand disobedience, but it’s a good bet they’re referring to the National Guard deployments to crime-ridden cities and the escalating American attacks on suspected drug boats in international waters. They may also be trying to lay a groundwork for derailing any military intervention in Venezuela. We don’t know because they won’t say, which is typical of leftist rhetoric. The risks promoted by these politicians are staggering. Attorney David Sheldon, whose law firm specializes in military justice, advises service members, “All military orders are presumed lawful. The burden falls on the service member to establish that an order is manifestly unlawful.” This counsel is much wiser than what these lawmakers are advocating. They are engaged in the worst kind of manipulation, hoping for one man or woman to face court martial for dereliction of duty in pursuit of the Left’s newest cause celebre, and that person, depending on circumstances, faces a penalty up to and including death. This attempt to foment mutiny among the ranks may not be illegal, but it is despicable. We publish a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Daily Signal.

Scott Hogenson 6 hours ago

Entertainment

Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon Comedy ‘Compulsive Liar’ Lands at Amazon MGM Studios

Nearly a decade after working together on the Oscar-nominated screenplay for “The Big Sick,” Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon have set up the upcoming comedy “Compulsive Liar” with Amazon MGM. Just as with “The Big Sick,” Nanjiani will star in the film as well as co-write and co-produce with Gordon alongside Holly Brown of Gaumont. Shawn Levy and Dan Levine will also produce through 21 Laps, with Emily Feher overseeing the project. “Compulsive Liar” will be based on the Canadian comedy “Menteur” from director Émile Gaudreault, who is an executive producer on this film. While plot details for “Compulsive Liar” are being kept under wraps, “Menteur” follows a man who constantly lies to everyone in his life, right up to the point where his friends and family stage an intervention about his deception. When he fights his loved ones over the intervention, he wakes up the next day in a world where all his lies have come true. Nanjiani is set to release his next standup special, “Night Thoughts,” on Hulu on December 19. He is also set to appear in Amazon MGM’s upcoming second season of “Fallout” due out next year as well as the new James L. Brooks film, “Ella McCay”; the forthcoming teen road trip comedy from director Bobby Farrelly, “Driver’s Ed”; and Dylan Meyer’s upcoming directorial debut for NEON, “The Wrong Girls.” Gordon co-developed, wrote and executive produced “Little America” for Apple TV, which just picked up the show based on true American immigrant stories for a second season. Alongside Nanjiani, they formed the production company Winter Coat, which has a first look deal with Sony Television. Gordon is represented by Mosaic, Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham and UTA.

Amazon Mgm,Jeremy Fuster 6 hours ago

Technology

#MetroStyleWatch: The Best Dressed Korean Stars At the Blue Dragon Awards 2025 | ABS-CBN Metro.Style

Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo arrived in quintessential Wicked-era fashion. Ariana chose an archival Dior by John Galliano from the Fall/Winter 2007 collection—an unexpected but successful reach into the early-2000s couture vault. Cynthia countered with a statement-making off-the-runway look from Sarah Burton's Spring/Summer 2026 collection for Givenchy. Their complementary styling has become a staple of this awards season, and its absence next season will be felt. White emerged as the evening’s dominant color. Metro's Best Dressed Anya Taylor-Joy wore a sheer Maison Margiela couture design from Fall/Winter 2025, a look that balanced theatricality with technical finesse. Jennifer Lawrence returned to her Dior roots in clean, confident ruched tailoring. Rising star Chase Infiniti delivered one of Louis Vuitton’s strongest tulle experiments to date, offering a floating, near-architectural silhouette. Sydney Sweeney kept things modern in Miu Miu, leaning into the label’s ongoing exploration of pared-back glamour.

Unknown 6 hours ago

Technology

Australia’s biggest gold miner tops up childcare workers’ salaries to keep them out of the Super Pit

“There are more childcare places than there are child carers, so it’s not a lack of buildings and infrastructure, it’s a lack of the carer ratio that’s required in a childcare so they can’t actually meet those ratios, which then reduces the amount of spots,” he said. “So the first problem to deal with is getting more carers interested or employed into those roles so that the children can actually be looked after. “It is a real critical issue for us in order to release the worker from their domestic life to come work for us if their kids can’t get care. “It’s kind of levelling them up to sort of make being a child-carer in Kalgoorlie competitive with being a child-carer anywhere else because the rent Kalgoorlie is astronomically high. “When they’re on a lower wage base and having to pay higher costs, it just destroys it, they say, ‘If I’m going to be a childcare worker, why would I do it here?’”

Hamish Hastie 6 hours ago

Politics

Sen. Tammy Duckworth accuses Trump administration of aviation politics during shutdown

Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth suggested during a hearing Wednesday that the Trump administration was playing politics with the aviation system during the shutdown to force an agreement to reopen the government. Duckworth, of Illinois, zeroed in on why the Federal Aviation Administration and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy never shared the safety data they relied upon when they decided to order airlines to cut some of their flights at 40 busy airports near the end of the shutdown. She also questioned why President Donald Trump didn’t just find a way to pay air traffic controllers the way he did for the military, although the government relied on help from a private donor to pay soldiers. “It fails to strengthen confidence in good government, and the American people are understandably suspicious of a DOT and FAA that does not show its work,” Duckworth said during the Commerce Committee’s aviation subcommittee hearing. During the shutdown, Duffy said repeatedly that the FAA ordered airlines to cut flights because of concerning safety data that FAA experts recognized. He said the order was based on the increasing number of controllers calling out of work as they dealt with the financial pressures of working without a paycheck, along with some reports from pilots concerned about controllers’ responses and a number of runway incursions. Duckworth got political during Wednesday’s hearing because she took offense to the way Republican leaders on the committee said when they announced it that it would “examine the toll Democrats’ government shutdown took on the air traffic control system, airline operations, and training.” The White House said Duckworth was the one playing politics after her party repeatedly voted against reopening the government while Democrats tried to reach an agreement on health insurance subsidies. “If Tammy Duckworth had a shred of integrity and honesty, she would be commending Secretary Duffy’s heroic efforts to keep the skies safe while she and fellow Democrats prioritized playing stupid political games,” White House spokesman Kush Desai said Wednesday. Shutdown may hurt the effort to eliminate controller shortage Although Duckworth led the hearing on a detour into the debate about health insurance subsidies, most of the discussion focused on worries that there could be lasting damage to efforts to eliminate the longstanding shortage of air traffic controllers and attract young people to the profession. “How do you go into a high school and encourage someone who is about to graduate to get excited about aviation? Get excited about the industry when the headline every single day is you don’t get paid?” said former New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, who now leads the Airlines for America trade group. Aviation industry backs paying controllers during shutdowns That’s why the entire aviation industry, through the Modern Skies Coalition, is saying it hopes Congress can find a way to spare crucial workers at the FAA and other agencies the pain of working without pay during the next government shutdown because thousands of flights were delayed or canceled nationwide during this fall’s lapse in funding. The airline trade group said more than 6 million travelers were affected by delays and cancellations. Efforts to address the controller shortage and hire more FAA technicians and test pilots were set back by the shutdown because some people decided to leave the profession and the yearslong training process for these crucial FAA employees was interrupted. The government did find a way to keep the academy that trains air traffic controllers open. But Duffy said that some students and young controllers quit and the number of experienced controllers who decided to retire spiked. Several bills that would make it possible for the FAA to pay its employees during a shutdown have been proposed since the last major shutdown in the first Trump administration, but none have passed because of concerns about costs. Lawmakers hope that the disruptions this fall might provide enough motivation to finally pass a measure like the bipartisan one introduced in the House Tuesday or one that Kansas Republican Sen. Jerry Moran, who led the hearing, proposed again before the shutdown. Financial stress weighed on controllers The president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association union, Nick Daniels, said the financial stress of going without pay for a prolonged period adds risks to the nation’s aviation system. Many controllers already work 10-hour shifts six days a week because the FAA is so short on staffing. “Asking these dedicated, patriotic American workers to survive working full time for more than a month without pay is simply not sustainable,” Daniels said. “That situation creates substantial distractions for individuals who are already engaged in extremely stressful work.” Shutdown delayed plane makers Jim Viola, who leads the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, said he understands how disruptive shutdowns can be because he lived through them when he used to work at the FAA. He said this fall’s shutdown only added to the backlog of applications to get new designs and advancements of planes certified. “The most significant impact of the 2025 government shutdown on manufacturers is that no new certification projects were allowed to start which impacted the pace of U.S. aerospace innovation and completely halted new business activities,” Viola said. “During the shutdown, the FAA could not accept or facilitate work on any new applications for design and production approvals.”

Josh Funk 6 hours ago

Politics

Suspek sa pamamaril, arestado sa Quezon City | ABS-CBN News

Others covered by the proposed ban are: individuals related to incumbent government officials up to the 4th degree of consanguinity or affinity; those who served from the position of bureau chief up to any position in the cabinet within five years from the party list elections they are being nominated for; former provincial police directors; Armed Forces battalion commanders or any higher position within five years from the party list polls they are being nominated for; as well as individuals whose income is more than the base pay of a party list representative at the lower chamber. The bill further requires nominees to belong to the marginalized and underrepresented sector, which their group seeks to represent in Congress. “There is an urgent need to restore the party-list system to its original purpose, which is to give the marginalized sectors representation and voice in Congress. The party-list system has been bastardized throughout the years, and there is therefore an even more urgent need now to strengthen and further improve so as not to make useless and illusory the representation of marginalized and underrepresented sectors of our country,” ACT Teachers Party List Rep. Antonio Tinio, Gabriela Party List Rep. Sarah Elago, and Kabataan Party List Rep. Renee Co said in their explanatory note for the bill.

Bea Cuadra 6 hours ago

Technology

Magkaangkas sa motorsiklo sugatan matapos makabanggaan ang SUV | ABS-CBN News

Matapos nito ay tuluyang tinulak papalayo ng lalaki ang motorsiklo. “Yung exact na 2:54 a.m. galing siya rito, tinitingnan niya ‘yung motor, then lumipat po siya sa likod. Doon po siya nanunungkit ng mga nakasampay na damit, ‘yun po talaga ‘yung una niyang kinuha,” sabi ng biktima. Pasado alas-6 na ng umaga nang mapag-alaman ng may-ari na nawawala na ang kanyang motorsiklo. Agad siyang nagtungo sa barangay para mag-blotter at nagreport na rin sa pulis. "Palagay ko ito hindi taga-Tumana. Dumayo lang dito para magnakaw ng motor. Kung ito’y taga-Tumana dampot agad kasi may profile kami,” sabi ni Jamin Pahayahay, desk officer ng Barangay Tumana.

Bea Cuadra 6 hours ago

World

‘No family deserves this pain’ – Davido reacts to Kwara Church attack, Kebbi abduction

Famous Nigerian musician, Davido, has reacted to the abduction of schoolgirls in Kebbi State and the church attack in Kwara State. Three people were killed during a church programme at a branch of the Christ Apostolic Church, CAC, in Kwara State on Tuesday evening, while some members were abducted alongside the pastor. The tragic attack occurred less than 24 hours after the abduction of 25 secondary schoolgirls in Kebbi State on Monday, November 17, 2025. Reacting to the frightening attacks in a statement shared on X on Wednesday evening, Davido said: “No family deserves this pain.” Expressing concern over the security situation in Nigeria, the singer stated: “These acts of violence must never become our norm. “My heart goes out to the young girls kidnapped in Kebbi and their families. No family deserves this pain. “As Nigerians, we must stand together in unity and continue working towards a country where every child can grow up in safety and hope. “Also, I am deeply saddened by the tragic attack on the church in Kwara State. I pray for the families who lost loved ones and everyone affected by this heartbreaking incident. These acts of violence must never become our norm. "Everything must be done to bring the girls home safely. I urge anyone with credible information to come forward in whatever safe and responsible way they can, so it can support the ongoing efforts to rescue them. “May God comfort the grieving families in Kwara, bring peace to our nation, and put every sponsor of violence and disorder to shame.”

Abubakar Ibrahim,Daily Post 16am 6 hours ago

Business

African Development Bank Group rallies Stock Exchanges to reinvent Africa’s financial future

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, November 19, 2025/ — The African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) on Tuesday commenced a round of high-level meetings with African development finance institutions and private sector financial partners to forge a bold, historic blueprint for a New African Financial Architecture, designed to bridge the financing gap for the continent’s development needs. Download Document: https://apo-opa.co/4r8E8Do At the invitation of Bank Group president Dr Sidi Ould Tah, more than 50 representatives of regional and continental banks and development finance institutions are convening at African Development Bank Group headquarters in Abidjan over the next two days for talks Dr Ould Tah described as vital to the continent’s destiny. “As the architects of Africa’s capital markets, you are custodians of financial institutions and catalysts of our continent’s future,” Dr Ould Tah said at the start of the first session with heads of African securities exchanges, private equity funds and venture capital funds. The meeting, a first of its kind between the Bank and African stock exchanges, aims to explore their role in long-term financing, with a focus on reforming how Africa’s capital is mobilized. Dr Felix Edoh Kossi Amenounve, CEO of the West African Regional Stock Exchange (BRVM), welcomed the meeting, highlighting the need for fundamental change. “There are gaps between financing needs and available resources, but we need to think about the reforms needed to achieve the capitalisation of African pension funds. Because these funds were originally created to finance governments,” Amenounve said. The continent’s leading financial institutions represented at today’s meetings include the African Exchange Linkage Project (AELP), Rwanda Stock Exchange, Mozambique Stock exchange, Cabo Verde Stock Exchange, Nairobi Stock Exchange, Tunis Stock Exchange, West African Regional Stock Exchange (BRVM), the Central African Stock Exchange, Casablanca Stock Exchange and the Ghana Stock Exchange. “The capital markets are the bedrock upon which long-term, sustainable economic growth is built,” Dr Ould Tah said, adding “by mobilizing patient capital, you provide our sovereigns and businesses with diversified funding sources, while offering investors, particularly institutional investors, a broader array of opportunities.” Underpinning Dr Ould Tah’s Four Cardinal Points (https://apo-opa.co/43FpwRX) since taking over the helm of the institution in September is increasing access to predictable and affordable long-term financing. A key objective of the consultations is to enable financial flows for private equity and venture capital by reinforcing existing African investment funds and expanding their capacity to finance small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), mid-market companies, and emerging industrial champions. SMEs which represent nearly 90% of businesses and over 60% of jobs on the continent continue to face limited access to risk capital. The promotion of sustainable finance, the digitalisation of markets, attracting investment capital to Africa’s markets, and programmes tailored to SMEs were among the issues discussed during the meeting. The development of financial education among young people was also highlighted as a key focus for the approach to be developed by the continent’s stock exchanges, as well as increasing the use of digitalisation tools and fintech to boost opportunities. Donald Waweru Wangunyu, Non-Executive Director, Nairobi Stock Exchange, stressed the need for regional coordination in order to achieve “scaling up, policy coordination and implementation of reforms; we have good projects, but the obstacles are still there, ” he said. Ms Sonia Ben Frej, Chairwoman of the Board, Tunis Stock Exchange, emphasised the problems of regulatory convergence and the need to update obsolete regulations. Through engagement with fund managers, institutional investors, DFIs, and regulators, the goal of the two-day meetings will be to forge a path for financial institutions to mobilise additional financing for Africa, to enable countries to avoid the existing dependance on overseas development assistance. Dr Ould Tah said the Bank Group would take a comprehensive approach to capital market development, focusing on three key pillars: – Supporting capital market regulatory authorities, stock exchanges, and other intermediaries through technical assistance, institutional support projects, and policy-based operations. – Diversifying savings mobilization and market participants to promote product liquidity and deeper markets for credit enhancement companies, institutional investors, and other financial institutions. – Research, training, and policy dialogue to enhance the capacity of Africa’s capital market stakeholders. Capital markets development across Africa is a key priority and woven into the fabric of the strategic priorities of the Four Cardinal Points. Development finance institutions especially have a catalytic role to play. ‘We will build it together, it requires a collective effort from each of us,” Dr Ould Tah explained. The consultations will continue on Wednesday for a second day, with heads of African Development Financial Institutions. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB). About the African Development Bank Group:The African Development Bank Group is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 41 African countries with an external office in Japan, the Bank contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. For more information: www.AfDB.org SOURCEAfrican Development Bank Group (AfDB)

ieyenews 6 hours ago

Politics

US Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida indicted on charges of stealing $5M in disaster funds

MIAMI (AP) — U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick of Florida has been indicted on charges accusing her of stealing $5 million in federal disaster funds and using some of the money to aid her 2021 campaign, the Justice Department said Wednesday. The Democrat is accused of stealing Federal Emergency Management Agency overpayments that her family health care company had received through a federally funded COVID-19 vaccination staffing contract, federal prosecutors said. A portion of the money was then funneled to support her campaign through candidate contributions, prosecutors allege. “Using disaster relief funds for self-enrichment is a particularly selfish, cynical crime,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement. “No one is above the law, least of all powerful people who rob taxpayers for personal gain. We will follow the facts in this case and deliver justice.” A phone message left at Cherfilus-McCormick’s Washington office was not immediately returned. Cherfilus-McCormick was first elected to Congress in 2022 in the 20th District, representing parts of Broward and Palm Beach counties, in a special election after Rep. Alcee Hastings died in 2021. In December 2024, a Florida state agency sued a company owned by Cherfilus-McCormick’s family, saying it overcharged the state by nearly $5.8 million for work done during the pandemic and wouldn’t give the money back. The Florida Division of Emergency Management said it made a series of overpayments to Trinity Healthcare Services after hiring it in 2021 to register people for COVID-19 vaccinations. The agency says it discovered the problem after a single $5 million overpayment drew attention. Cherfilus-McCormick was the CEO of Trinity at the time. The Office of Congressional Ethics said in a January report that Cherfilus-McCormick’s income in 2021 was more than $6 million higher than in 2020, driven by nearly $5.75 million in consulting and profit-sharing fees received from Trinity Healthcare Services. In July, the House Ethics Committee unanimously voted to reauthorize an investigative subcommittee to examine allegations involving Cherfilus-McCormick.

Unknown 6 hours ago

Health

COLUMN: Gluten-free food tax credit would be delicious for Canadians with celiac

Canadians with celiac disease are looking for a little financial relief from the government, in the form of an e-petition. I don’t usually sign petitions, as a member of the press. But since I was diagnosed with celiac disease more than 20 years ago, I have spent likely a few thousand dollars more for my groceries than I would have if my immune system could just act normal. Instead, when I want to eat a single cookie from a bakery the average cost is just under $5. A box of spaghetti (which is always significantly smaller than a standard box) is sitting at the same price, and a loaf of bread is running about $10, if it’s on sale. I’ve almost been priced right out of my favourite bag of corn flakes, which is now edging near $15. A lot of the best, healthiest options are not even available in our grocery stores, and I resort to shopping on Amazon and driving to other cities (even Bellingham) to purchase gluten-free options. Ordering a burger comes with a $5 surcharge — and heaping gobs of faith in the kitchen’s ability to understand what it means to be celiac. Most restaurants don’t really inspire the level of confidence I require to settle in enough to enjoy my meal, and oftentimes, it feels like a child’s game of telephone, sending questions back to the kitchen staff via the server, and back again to me, while the rest of the table patiently waits for me to either choose a salad or die of starvation. It’s just really hard to find something to eat, and when that something has been found, it’s a matter of choking on the cost. Thankfully, I’ve always been able to afford my specialized diet. But one in six Canadians with celiac disease are experiencing food insecurity. Celiac Canada recently quoted a study that found nearly 50 per cent of households with a child who has celiac disease are food insecure. That’s why they’re supporting the House of Commons petition for a $1,000 tax credit to offset the high costs of gluten-free food, and frankly, I do, too. This isn’t a fad for us. This isn’t a trend. Celiac disease is a serious autoimmune disorder in which the ingestion of gluten damages the small intestine and negatively impacts many other organ systems in the body. One per cent of Canadians are diagnosed with it. The more gluten someone with celiac ingests, either accidentally or because that’s all that’s available, the more inflammation they experience. And that inflammation is a serious concern that can lead to even more medical issues. Gluten-free food can cost anywhere from 15-500 per cent more than their gluten-containing counterparts including staples like cereal, breads, pastas, and baked goods. I like to explain to people that I can eat only about 20 per cent of the product in any given grocery store. It used to be more like five per cent. Things are improving for us those of us with celiac. The food is more palatable than 20 years ago. The awareness is at an all-time high. A tax credit, similar to other countries, would be the cherry on top of that gluten-free pie. The petition is open for signatures until December 6, 2025 and can be found online at ourcommons.ca/petitions. -Jessica Peters is an editor with Black Press Media

Jessica Peters 6 hours ago

Technology

From Hamilton rink to TD Coliseum, fans get 'high-end experience'

Maximum capacity at the former hockey rink is 19,000 (for boxing or MMA), but Paul Young, of the developer, Oak View Group, said a typical concert will hold between 13,000 and 14,000 fans. “The seating capacity is virtually unchanged,” said Young, while inside the 156-seat House of Peroni — one of the Coliseum’s five private clubs that overlooks the floor and the stage. “Every seat has been replaced, things have been slightly maneuvered around. The only seats that are different are in the premium areas like the clubs and suites,” he added. “For the general public to come here, they’re going to see vast improvements on every level whether that’s more space to move around, more restrooms to get to and to get back to your seat faster, more drinks and more food.”

Jane Stevenson 6 hours ago

Technology

LIVE: Black Friday has landed early in Australia — we're keeping track of all the best PC gaming deals right here

Early signs suggest Black Friday will be bigger in 2025 than ever before—at least in Australia. I'm not the Nostradamus of deals or anything either, because the evidence is right there for anyone to see. Black Friday sales have started earlier than ever, and as of mid-November, there's a ridiculous amount of PC gaming stuff on sale. So starting from now and running until after Cyber Week, myself and Ben Mansill will be keeping this live blog ticking over, not only with an exhaustive list of current deals, but also with some more fleshed-out rolling posts pointing out some especially interesting bargains. No more beating around the bush: onto the deals. Quick links — handy shortcuts to the best PC gaming deals on the web Amazon : laptops, games, accessories and more Kogan : Peripherals, monitors and more Mwave : One of Australia's biggest PC retailers Dell : expect discounts on monitors, laptops and more eBay : spend and save on a huge range of gaming gear HP : save on gaming laptops and monitors Lenovo : bargains on selected laptops, desktops and more Razer: discounts on peripherals and gaming laptops Samsung: gaming monitors galore Secretlab : price cuts on Secretlab gaming chairs Black Friday gaming laptop deals View Deal View Deal View Deal View Deal View Deal View Deal View Deal View Deal Back to top ^ Black Friday gaming monitor deals View Deal View Deal View Deal View Deal View Deal View Deal View Deal View Deal Back to top ^ Black Friday gaming keyboard deals View Deal View Deal View Deal View Deal View Deal Back to top ^ Black Friday gaming mouse deals View Deal View Deal View Deal Back to top ^ Black Friday gaming headset deals View Deal View Deal View Deal Back to top ^ Black Friday gaming controller deals View Deal View Deal View Deal View Deal View Deal View Deal Back to top ^ Black Friday PC component deals View Deal View Deal View Deal View Deal View Deal View Deal View Deal View Deal View Deal View Deal View Deal View Deal View Deal View Deal View Deal View Deal View Deal View Deal Back to top ^ Black Friday PC storage deals View Deal Back to top ^ Black Friday PC accessories deals View Deal View Deal View Deal View Deal Back to top ^ Black Friday gaming chair deals View Deal View Deal Back to top ^ Black Friday streaming gear deals View Deal View Deal View Deal Back to top ^ Black Friday NBN deals View Deal View Deal View Deal Back to top

Ben Mansill,Shaun Prescott 6 hours ago

World

Over 1,000 pounds of meth seized, 15 people charged in Colorado investigation

DENVER (AP) — Federal authorities said Wednesday they seized more than a half-ton of methamphetamine and indicted 15 people following a two-year investigation that disrupted a drug trafficking organization from Mexico operating in Colorado. Eleven people have been arrested, but four others including the organization’s alleged leader remain free and are believed to be in Mexico, the Colorado U.S. Attorney’s Office announced. Dave Olesky, Drug Enforcement Administration special agent in charge, said in a news conference that the investigation revealed ties “to elements in Mexico involving the Sinaloa and Jalisco cartels.” Olesky did not take questions, and an agency spokesperson declined to elaborate. Sinaloa and Jalisco, notorious cartels whose names are derived from the Mexican states where they originated, were among eight Latin American crime groups recently designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the Trump administration. An arrest affidavit said the seized methamphetamine amounted to millions of individual doses. Most of the 1,115 pounds (505 kilograms) of meth was discovered hidden in the corners of boxes of pear squash that was recently imported from Mexico and found on a property in the Denver suburb of Lakewood in April, the affidavit said. Almost 100 pounds (45 kilograms) were found on a Greyhound bus passing through Vail in December after investigators got a warrant to track a cellphone used to communicate with a suspected drug dealer. Authorities were waiting to check the bus when it arrived in the ski resort town, the affidavit said. The drugs were headed to the Denver area, U.S. Attorney Peter McNeilly said. “This is one supply chain that needed to be broken,” said Marv Massey, acting FBI special agent in charge.

Colleen Slevin 6 hours ago

Entertainment

Singer Waje announces engagement

Popular Nigerian singer Aituaje Iruobe, known as Waje, has revealed that she is engaged. The 45-year-old singer disclosed this in a recent interview with Hip TV Lagos. “I am actually engaged,” she said without giving further details about her engagement. While her fiancé remains unknown, the music star recently revealed in a previous interview that she can’t marry an unsuccessful man. She explained that age isn’t on her side for her to be patient with a struggling man. During the podcast interview on The Honest Bunch, Waje also disclosed that the father of her daughter denied responsibility and abandoned her after getting her pregnant as a teenager. She added that he later came back to apologise but never assumed responsibility for their daughter despite her obliging to his demand for a DNA test, which he never showed up for.

Abubakar Ibrahim,Daily Post 07am 6 hours ago

World

Trump pledges ‘cooperation and coordination’ to end Sudan’s civil war  - Trinidad Tribune – Latest Trinidad

United States President Donald Trump has pledged to address the conflict in Sudan, in response to an apparent request from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. On Wednesday, Trump announced his intention to intervene twice, once at the Saudi Investment Forum in Washington, DC, and a second time on his online platform, Truth Social. “Arab Leaders from all over the World, in particular the highly respected Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, who has just left the United States, have asked me to use the power and influence of the Presidency to bring an immediate halt to what is taking place in Sudan,” Trump wrote. “It is considered a Great Civilization and Culture, unfortunately gone bad, but one that can be fixed with the cooperation and coordination of Countries.” At the investment forum, Trump relayed how the crown prince appealed to him personally for assistance. “He mentioned Sudan yesterday, and he said, ‘Sir, you’re talking about a lot of wars, but there’s a place on Earth called Sudan, and it’s horrible what’s happening,'” Trump said. The US president added that his administration had “already started working” on the issue within a half-hour of the crown prince’s request. Trump had hosted Prince Mohammed, better known by his initials MBS, in Washington, DC, this week for the crown prince’s first official visit since 2018. The trip was marked by mutual praise between the two leaders and the promise of increased US-Saudi investments. Prince Mohammed concluded his two-day trip on Wednesday after the business forum. Trump, who has long lobbied for the Nobel Peace Prize, said he would collaborate with Saudi Arabia and other Arab partners to achieve a resolution to the conflict in Sudan. “We will work with Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and other Middle Eastern partners to get these atrocities to end, while at the same time stabilizing Sudan,” Trump wrote in his post. The civil war in Sudan erupted in April 2023, as the government-controlled Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) clashed with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for control of areas including the capital Khartoum. The result has been widespread bloodshed, displacement and famine. The United Nations documented at least 3,384 civilian deaths between January and June of this year, putting the country on track to surpass the civilian death toll for all of 2024, which hit 4,238. A UN-backed analysis declared famine in two war-torn cities, el-Fasher and Kadugli, this month. Approximately 45 percent of the population faces acute food insecurity as a result of the conflict. The fighting has forced more than four million people to flee Sudan, heightening instability in the region. Within Sudan, the UN has documented evidence of mass executions, ethnic violence and sexual violence being used as a weapon of war. Tom Fletcher, the top UN official for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief, recently posted about his trip to el-Fasher, calling the city a “crime scene” after it fell to RSF forces last month. Sudan has suffered three internal wars within the last 40 years alone, with previous conflicts stretching from 1955 to 1972 and from 1983 to 2005. Trump, meanwhile, has sought to brand himself as the “peace president”, despite an expanding bombing campaign in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean. He said in his second inaugural address in January: “My proudest legacy will be that of a peacemaker and unifier.” Trump and his allies claim the US president has ended “eight wars in eight months”, although critics question whether the peace deals he has struck will last. In some cases, attacks have continued, as is the case with Israel’s war in Gaza, which UN experts consider a genocide. In the case of Egypt and Ethiopia, critics argue there was no war to end, although tensions have long simmered between the two countries. Still, leaders of several of the countries involved — including Israel, Armenia and Azerbaijan — have pledged to nominate Trump for his much sought-after Nobel Prize. In the case of Sudan, Trump highlighted the dire humanitarian needs of the civilians caught in the crossfire. “Food, doctors, and everything else are desperately needed,” he wrote on Wednesday.

Cb_usr 6 hours ago