Author: Andrew Rogers

The cost to rebuild Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge has more than doubled, and the project is expected to finish later than originally planned, Maryland authorities said Monday. The Maryland Transportation Authority now estimates the rebuild will cost between $4.3 billion and $5.2 billion, with an expected opening in late 2030. This is a two-year delay from earlier projections and more than double the previous $1.7 billion to $1.9 billion estimate. The bridge, a key route for traffic to the Port of Baltimore, collapsed after a cargo ship, the Dali, hit one of its pillars on March 26, 2024. Six…

Two human smugglers have been charged after a panga boat carrying migrants capsized off Imperial Beach, San Diego, killing four passengers, federal prosecutors announced Monday. The incident occurred amid rough surf on Nov. 14, when an argument reportedly broke out between the boat’s captain and several passengers. Customs and Border Protection agents were alerted to the vessel crossing the international maritime boundary and responded within an hour. David Alfonso Barrera Nunes, a Mexican national believed to be the captain, was arrested Saturday and charged in connection with the deaths of the four migrants. A second man, Luis Enrique Barreto Goitia,…

Dearborn, Michigan, Mayor Abdullah Hammoud addressed recent complaints from residents about a local mosque’s call to prayer, saying the issue is legally permissible and not a problem. Speaking on the Nov. 3 episode of the “Not From Here” podcast, Hammoud said the mosque’s calls, even as early as 5:30 a.m., comply with city ordinances regarding noise levels. He noted that calls to prayer have been part of Dearborn life for decades. “I would tell you is, you know, those complaining about the call to prayer, I mean it’s a very, very few,” Hammoud said. “We’ve done decibel readings at these…

President Donald Trump suggested Monday that a diplomatic path may be opening with Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, though he has yet to decide on direct military action. The comments come as U.S. forces continue to build a presence near Venezuela. Trump indicated he could speak directly with Maduro at a “certain time,” hinting at a potential resolution without resorting to bombs or ground troops. At the same time, he made clear his willingness to strike drug operations in other countries, including Mexico and Colombia. “We know their address. We know everything about every one of them,” Trump said of drug…

New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani announced Monday that he has reached out to the White House to arrange a meeting with President Donald Trump. The move signals a potential thaw in relations after months of sharp rhetoric between the two leaders. Mamdani, speaking at a Bronx food pantry, said the proposed meeting is part of a promise to New Yorkers. “My team reached out to the White House to fulfill a commitment I made to New Yorkers over the course of this campaign,” he said. The meeting is intended to address the city’s affordability crisis affecting housing, groceries, child…

President Donald Trump is set to welcome Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the White House on Tuesday in a highly orchestrated visit. Sources say the plans include a morning welcome ceremony and an evening formal dinner, highlighting the significance of the meeting. While the visit will have all the ceremonial trappings of a state visit, it is technically a working visit because King Salman remains Saudi Arabia’s head of state. The crown prince, however, manages most day-to-day affairs and attends diplomatic events as the kingdom’s de facto ruler. Trump has announced that the United States will sell…

The Republican Party is facing renewed criticism as President Donald Trump moves to block the release of Jeffrey Epstein files. This action has drawn sharp reactions from political experts, highlighting deep divisions within the party. Christina Greer, associate professor of political science at Fordham University, said the controversy reveals a pattern of broken promises by GOP leaders. “Every accusation is a confession,” Greer remarked, pointing to the repeated pledges by party officials to ensure transparency in the Epstein case. Trump’s legal efforts to prevent the files from going public have created a rift with prominent GOP figures. Representative Marjorie Taylor…

Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been sentenced to death by the country’s special war crimes tribunal for her role in the deadly crackdown on a 2024 student-led uprising. The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) convicted Hasina on three counts, including incitement, ordering killings, and failing to prevent atrocities. The ruling was made in absentia, as Hasina fled to India in August 2024 and refused to return for her trial. Hasina, along with former Interior Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, has consistently rejected the court’s authority, calling the tribunal “biased and politically motivated.” In a statement from India, Hasina challenged Bangladesh’s…

Chile will hold a presidential run-off after leftist former labor minister Jeannette Jara and far-right leader Jose Antonio Kast topped Sunday’s first round of voting. The election has been dominated by voter concern over violent crime, including murders, kidnappings, and extortion. With 82.97 percent of votes counted, Jara, 51, representing an eight-party leftist coalition, received 26.71 percent. Kast, 59, earned 24.12 percent, according to Chile’s Servel electoral service. Kast has campaigned on strict border security, promising walls, fences, and trenches along Chile’s northern border with Bolivia to block migrants from countries like Venezuela. He called for national unity and pledged…

The UN Security Council is set to vote Monday on a U.S.-drafted resolution supporting Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan, including the deployment of an international force. Washington warned that failure to act could trigger renewed fighting in the region. The draft resolution has undergone multiple revisions following high-stakes negotiations and formally endorses the plan that helped maintain a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas on October 10. The Gaza Strip has been devastated after two years of conflict, triggered by a Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The latest version of the resolution authorizes the creation of an…