Author: Andrew Rogers

Northwestern University has reached a $75 million agreement with the Trump administration to restore millions in frozen federal research funds and end several federal investigations into the school’s compliance with anti-discrimination laws. The deal, announced Friday, settles probes by the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education regarding the university’s practices. It also permanently closes all pending investigations by the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division into potential violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on race in admissions. In April, the administration froze $790 million in federal grants and…

President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he intends to grant a full pardon to former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, who is serving a 45-year sentence in the United States for drug-trafficking offenses. The move would erase one of the most high-profile US convictions tied to Central American politics in recent years. Trump shared the news on his social media platform, saying Hernández had been treated “very harshly and unfairly.” He added that the pardon was timely, given Honduras’s upcoming presidential election and the expected rise of conservative candidate Nasry “Tito” Asfura. Hernández led Honduras from 2014 to 2022.…

The death toll from severe flooding in southern Thailand has risen to more than 80 people as floodwaters began to subside on Thursday, officials reported. Torrential rains over the weekend triggered widespread flooding in 12 southern provinces, affecting about 1 million households and over 3 million people. The heaviest impact was recorded in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Patthalung, Songkhla, Trang, Satun, Pattani, and Yala provinces. While water levels have fallen in several areas, some provinces, including Pattani and Nakhon Si Thammarat, still face high water levels. Government spokesperson Siripong Angkasakulkiat said in a press conference in Bangkok that deaths in Songkhla…

A drone attack struck the Khor Mor gasfield in northern Iraq on Wednesday night, forcing the facility to halt operations and cutting power to parts of the Kurdish region. The attack, reported around 11:30pm local time (20:30 GMT), hit several gas storage tanks, causing a fire and explosions that injured several workers. No deaths have been reported. Iraq’s Joint Operations Command said the attack seemed aimed at disrupting the region’s security and economic stability. Officials reported that about 8 percent of the local power grid was affected, causing widespread electricity outages. The Khor Mor gasfield, operated by the UAE’s Dana…

Nvidia (NVDA) has denied claims that it is engaging in “circular financing,” a controversial practice where suppliers invest in their own customers to boost revenue. In a seven-page memo to analysts, the AI chipmaker pushed back against a recent Substack newsletter suggesting Nvidia is using vendor financing similar to accounting controversies from the dot-com era. Nvidia emphasized that it does not rely on vendor financing. Unlike companies such as Lucent in the 2000s, Nvidia said its customers pay within 53 days, and the company’s revenue and reporting are transparent and economically sound. However, prominent short sellers remain skeptical. Jim Chanos,…

Shock and concern spread through Washington, D.C., on Wednesday after two National Guard troops were shot near Farragut Square, just blocks from the White House. Authorities later identified the suspect as an Afghan man. The normally quiet area, frequented by office workers and visitors, was transformed into a chaotic crime scene. Police, National Guard units, and heavily armed Secret Service personnel swiftly cordoned off nearby streets, while nearby office workers were directed to use rear exits. From surrounding buildings, flashing lights and sirens lit the square as law enforcement personnel searched the area. A helicopter hovered overhead, adding to the…

A panel of federal judges has allowed North Carolina to use a new congressional map designed to give Republicans an additional House seat ahead of the 2026 midterms. The redrawn map targets the state’s only swing seat, currently held by Democratic Rep. Don Davis. The 1st District has been represented by Black members of Congress for over 30 years. Under the new boundaries, the district’s Democratic share is projected to drop from 48% to 44%, according to analysis by CBS News. The three-judge panel unanimously denied requests for preliminary injunctions following a mid-November hearing in Winston-Salem. The same judges recently…

A West Virginia judge has ruled that parents can use their religious beliefs to opt out of school vaccine requirements for their children. Raleigh County Circuit Judge Michael Froble issued a permanent injunction on Wednesday, allowing children from families who object to the state’s vaccine mandate on religious grounds to attend school and participate in extracurricular activities. Froble found that prohibiting religious exemptions violated the Equal Protection for Religion Act, passed in 2023 by former Governor Jim Justice. Earlier this year, West Virginia allowed only medical exemptions from school vaccine requirements. Governor Patrick Morrisey issued an executive order permitting religious…

The suspected shooter in a targeted attack near the White House in Washington, D.C., entered the United States under a Biden-era Afghan resettlement program. Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, arrived in 2021 via Operation Allies Welcome, sources from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and FBI confirmed. President Joe Biden responded to the shooting before reports emerged about Lakanwal’s entry into the country. “Jill and I are heartbroken that two members of the National Guard were shot outside the White House,” he posted on social media. “Violence of any kind is unacceptable, and we must all stand united against it.” Lakanwal’s presence…

As firefighters worked overnight to find survivors in Hong Kong’s flaming Wang Fuk Court towers, another group of volunteers focused on saving the estate’s pets. Dozens of workers from local animal welfare groups brought oxygenated pet carriers and animal ambulances to search the flats. Social media showed elderly residents weeping for pets left behind while escaping the fire. Animal welfare workers coordinated with police to move through security cordons, allowing them closer access as the blaze continued. “Pet owners contacted our alliance and we compiled a list of more than 100 cases,” said Anson Cheng from Hong Kong Guardians. “We…