Trump threatens to try to take back the Panama Canal. Panama's president balks at the suggestionMost Americans want to leave politics behind for the holidaysFor weeks, residents of New Jersey and other US states have reported seeing thousands of unidentified lighted drones flying overhead, a phenomenon that has sparked conspiracy theories and prompted politicians to demand the Biden administration explain what was behind the mysterious sightings. US officials have said that most of the sightings involve manned aircraft and that there is no evidence of any threat to public safety or national security. But those responses have done little to reassure anxious Americans or placate state and local officials. Here is what we know so far. What are people seeing, and where? Since November, hundreds of people have shared videos and photos online of bright objects in the night sky. While the majority of incidents have come in New Jersey, people in other states, including Maryland, Virginia, Massachusetts and New York, have reported seeing what appear to be drones as well. An official told reporters on Saturday that there had been more than 5,000 reported sightings, but that fewer than 100 merited further investigation. US aware of 'non-human' activity and is hiding UFO captures, whistleblower claims Former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan posted a video of purported drones above his home in Davidsonville, Maryland, though some social media users responded that at least some of the lights in his video appeared to be stars in the constellation Orion. The sightings have created a social media frenzy. A Facebook group entitled "New Jersey Mystery Drones - let's solve it" had nearly 75,000 members as of Tuesday, with people posting theories ranging from extraterrestrials to foreign actors. What has the Biden administration said? The White House said on Tuesday that drones spotted over the north-eastern United States were all operating "legally and lawfully," after president-elect Donald Trump called on the US government to be transparent on a situation that has sparked a public uproar. "Our assessment at this stage is that the activity represents commercial, hobbyist, or law enforcement drones, all operating legally and lawfully," along with some aircraft or even stars mistaken for drones, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said. Homeland Security secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in an ABC News interview on Sunday that there was "no question" New Jersey residents were seeing some drones, though he added that at least some of the sightings were of manned aircraft. He suggested the increased activity could reflect a 2023 change in a Federal Aviation Administration rule to allow nighttime flying of drones. How have other officials responded? Some state officials, including New York governor Kathy Hochul, have called on Congress to enact stricter rules for drones while giving states wider authority to combat drone activity. "This has gone too far," Hochul said in a statement on Saturday, a day after the runways at a local airport in New York were shut down for an hour due to drones. On Sunday, Hochul posted on X that the federal government was sending a drone detection system to New York. New Jersey governor Phil Murphy wrote a letter to President Joe Biden last week asking for more federal resources to investigate the phenomenon. Trump said on Monday the US military should tell the American public about the nature of the drone sightings. "The government knows what is happening," Trump told a press conference. "For some reason, they don't want to comment. And I think they'd be better off saying what it is our military knows and our president knows." Source: AP / Brian Glenn/TMX Who's responsible? It's not clear. Officials have said most of the sightings were of manned aircraft, but local, state and federal authorities are still investigating. Some politicians have suggested that foreign countries could be dispatching the drones. US representative Chris Smith told Fox News that a coast guard vessel off the New Jersey shore was trailed closely by more than a dozen drones and speculated that a foreign power could be behind the activity. He said he's asked the military to authorise the shooting down of a drone to learn more. How the United States helped counter Iran's attack on Israel Another congressman from New Jersey, Jeff Van Drew, said in a statement last week that drones had been spotted hovering near a nuclear plant and suggested an Iranian "mothership" might be responsible for the flying objects. A defence deparment spokesperson said there was no truth to that notion. Boston police arrested two men on Saturday after a drone was detected "dangerously close" to Logan International Airport, the city's police department said. Using drone monitoring technology, police were able to track the operators' position to a nearby island, where they confronted three individuals who fled on foot. Two of the three were taken into custody and charged with trespassing, with additional charges possible.

Without a change in state law, Scout Motors won't be able to sell its cars in SC. A fight awaits.Like father, like son: Don Jr. allegedly cheats on Kimberly Guilfoyle

Lazada Philippines enhances e-commerce experience in 2024Across the continent of Africa, we have been witnessing the burning of French flags and the overnight closure of military bases. Once the dominant power across much of the continent, France now watches its influence wane at an unprecedented pace. The closing of French military bases in Senegal and the termination of defense agreements in Chad reflect a larger pattern of rejection; a continent shaking off the remnants of its colonial past and the structures of external domination. France’s retreat from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger marked the beginning of this unraveling. Disillusioned by the prolonged presence of French troops under the guise of counterterrorism, these nations opted to sever ties. Senegal’s recent decision to shut down a permanent French military base is a significant blow, given its history of stability and alignment with Paris. Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye’s emphasis on sovereignty and the removal of foreign troops highlights a growing continental desire. Chad’s decision to end its defense cooperation with France underscores the erosion of trust in Paris. Once a critical partner for France in the Sahel, Chad is now charting a new path. Together, these moves signify a rejection of the neocolonial dynamics that have long characterized Africa’s post-independence history. France’s historical trajectory in Africa casts a long shadow over the current transformation. Its dominance on the continent dates back to the 17th century when it established trade posts in Senegal, gradually expanding to control vast swathes of West and Central Africa. By the 20th century, French territories encompassed over 11.5 million square kilometers. Policies of assimilation imposed French language, culture and governance, embedding them deeply into African societies. Many African elites, educated in French systems, internalized these influences, with some resisting independence altogether. This legacy persists in subtle forms, from economic agreements tied to the CFA franc currency to continued French military presence, all of which reinforced perceptions of paternalism and control. However, decades of unrest, dissatisfaction, and shifting global alliances have begun to dismantle these structures. At the heart of this transformation lies the African public’s discontent with France’s policies. For decades, Paris maintained its grip on former colonies through military presence, economic ties and political influence. Branded as partnerships, these arrangements were often seen as extensions of colonial control. French businesses dominated local economies, while French troops, meant to ensure security, became symbols of paternalism and resentment. The revolts in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger – often referred to as the “anti-French wave” – were not isolated incidents. They marked the culmination of years of frustration with France’s perceived arrogance and ineffectiveness. In Mali, accusations of indifference in combating insurgencies fueled anti-French sentiment. Burkina Faso questioned France’s motives, and Niger’s military junta expelled French troops shortly after overthrowing a French-aligned government. As France’s influence recedes, alternatives like Türkiye, China and Russia have stepped in. As is known, Russia’s Wagner Group provides military support in countries like Mali and Burkina Faso, while China’s extensive investments in infrastructure offer African leaders a seemingly more attractive economic alternative. Türkiye, a rising regional power, has gained traction through not only valuable humanitarian aid, education initiatives and business cooperation but also significant infrastructure projects such as highways and railways. These developments have bolstered Türkiye’s image as a versatile partner offering tangible benefits. Together, these shifts have given African nations more leverage, enabling them to push back against traditional powers like France. The numbers tell a clear story. Between 2010 and 2023, Chinese investments in Africa surged by 200%, exceeding $200 billion annually. Meanwhile, France’s share of foreign direct investment has steadily declined. This economic realignment is redefining partnerships across the continent. France’s loss of influence extends beyond military withdrawals or canceled agreements; it reflects the waning of French soft power. Once a dominant cultural force, France now struggles as African nations increasingly prioritize their own languages, cultures and traditions. Yes, French remains an official language in many African countries, but even this is being challenged. Local languages are gaining prominence in education, media and public life, while younger generations turn to English for broader global opportunities. The cultural bond that once tied France to its former colonies is fraying. The roots of this rejection lie in history. France’s colonial legacy in Africa is one of exploitation and control, a reality many Africans have neither forgotten nor forgiven. Even when France framed its actions as supportive, they were often seen as self-serving. With nations like Senegal and Chad joining the chorus of discontent, the tide has decisively turned. African leaders and populations are increasingly unwilling to accept arrangements that do not prioritize sovereignty and development. What lies ahead is uncertain, but the direction is clear. Africa is stepping into a new era, preferring partnerships that prioritize dignity, respect and mutual benefit. While rejecting neocolonial structures is essential, Africa must also guard against over-reliance on new actors that might replicate similar dependencies. For France, this transformation is a profound challenge to its global ambitions. Africa has long been central to its foreign policy, providing resources, markets and strategic depth. The closing doors in Africa are more than a rejection of France. They are a declaration by a continent determined to define the coming centuries. As the echoes of colonialism fade, Africa’s voice grows louder, calling for equality and a future written on its own terms.President-elect Donald Trump on Monday held a wide-ranging news conference in which he said he would preserve access to the polio vaccine but equivocated on other vaccines, pledged to look at bringing down the costs of pharmaceuticals and expressed doubts that his daughter-in-law might be Florida's next senator. Trump held forth for over an hour, the first time he took questions from reporters since winning the election. The event harkens back to his long-winding news conferences from his first term and is a stark contrast from President Joe Biden , who doesn't often take questions from reporters. Here's a look at some of what he touched on: Trump defended his choice for health secretary, prominent vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. , but said he personally is a “big believer” in the polio vaccine and would preserve access to it. “You’re not going to lose the polio vaccine," he said. “That’s not going to happen.” Over the weekend, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who had polio as a child, spoke out in defense of the polio vaccine after a recent report disclosed that one of Kennedy's advisers filed a petition to revoke approval for the polio vaccine in 2022. Kennedy has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism. Trump seemed to question whether there’s a link, saying “We’re looking to find out,” and remarked on the rising cases of autism being diagnosed. “There’s something wrong, and we’re going to find out about it,” he said. There are no blood or biological tests for autism; instead, a doctor bases the diagnosis on a child’s behavior. While the autism diagnosis has been available for at least 80 years, the definition gradually expanded to include milder cases, which are more common. A study last year found that about a quarter of kids with autism — about 110,000 in the U.S. — have the most severe version of the developmental disability, which has left them unable to speak or with an IQ below 50 or both. Of Kennedy, “He’s going to be much less radical than you would think," he said. "I think he’s got a very open mind, or I wouldn’t have put him there.” Trump described a dinner he had this month with Kennedy; Dr. Mehmet Oz , a celebrity heart surgeon turned talk show host and lifestyle guru whom he's tapped to run the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; and top pharmaceutical executives in which they discussed drug prices. Trump heaped praise on the companies — the same ones that Kennedy has routinely argued profit off of Americans unfairly — but said the high cost of health care was a focus of their dinner. “What came out of that meeting is that we’re paying far too much,” Trump said. Trump also hit pharmaceutical benefits managers, calling them “horrible middlemen” who drive up the cost of drugs. Pharmaceutical companies have been aggressively lobbying Congress to restrict the role of pharmaceutical benefit managers, which help health insurance companies’ biggest clients decide how and what prescription drugs will be covered in their insurance plans. “I don’t know who these middlemen are, but they are rich as hell," Trump said. The press conference was Trump’s most extensive public appearance since his victory six weeks ago — a rare absence from the public stage for the former reality star. But it also underscored how even while president-elect, Trump has seized the spotlight from Biden, who still has a month left on his term in office. Biden has not held a press conference in months and has had a limited public schedule. While Trump was addressing some of the top-of-mind issues of the day -- including sightings of drones flying over the Northeast -- Biden himself has been silent, leaving it to aides to try to calm the public. Trump seemed skeptical that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis would appoint his daughter-in-law to be a Florida senator, taking the seat held by Marco Rubio, who has been nominated for secretary of state. Asked whether he expected DeSantis to name Lara Trump to replace Rubio, Trump said, “I probably don’t, but I don’t know.” Trump recently spoke with DeSantis at a memorial for Florida law enforcement officers. Trump's allies have been pushing DeSantis to nominate Lara Trump, who is married to Trump's son, Eric, and served as co-chair of the Republican National Committee this year. “Ron’s doing a good job with his choice," Trump said, without elaborating. He lavished praise on Lara Trump, including for her work at the RNC, where part of her duties involved focusing on “election integrity,” a priority of Trump's after he falsely claimed fraud in the 2020 presidential election. Trump indicated he would look at intervening in the potential ban of TikTok in the U.S. The popular social media platform must cut ties with its China-based parent company or be banned by mid-January under a federal law. He didn't offer specifics, but Trump credited the platform with helping him win the election. His campaign saw it as a bridge to reach younger, less politically engaged voters, particularly when clips circulated showing him with celebrities at UFC fights. “We’ll take a look at TikTok,” he said. “You know, I have a warm spot in my heart for TikTok." Trump tried to ban TikTok during his first term but changed his mind and pledged to “save” TikTok. Once he takes office, his Justice Department would be tasked with enforcing the new federal law against TikTok. Trump on Monday was meeting with TikTok CEO Shou Chew at his Mar-a-Lago club, according to two people familiar with the president-elect’s plans who were not authorized to speak publicly about them and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity. Trump noted the differences between the first time he was to take office eight years ago and today, saying executives now want to meet with him. He said they were “hostile” back then. “Everybody was fighting me,” he said about his first term. “This term, everybody wants to be my friend. I don’t know. My personality changed or something.” While he left office in 2021 ostracized and angry, Trump has had a stunning turnaround leading to his election win. Last week, he was honored by being named Time magazine’s Person of the Year and ringing the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange. His meeting with the TikTok executive was part of a string of meetings he's had with Silicon Valley billionaires and other technology leaders since becoming president-elect. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google CEO Sundar Pichai have all flown to Trump's club to meet with him. He revealed Monday that he had also met with Google co-founder Sergey Brin. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos will meet with him this week, Trump said. “We have a lot of great executives coming in — the top executives, the top bankers, they’re all calling," he said. "It’s like a complete opposite from the first one.” With multiple wars going on, Trump has sought to insert himself back on the world stage. He said he is working to get Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza to be released and had a “very good talk” with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But on Monday he seemed to buffer expectations about his promise to solve the Russia-Ukraine war even before taking office, describing the conflict as a “tough one” and a “nasty one." “We are trying to get that war stopped, that horrible, horrible war” he said. “It’s a tough one. It’s a nasty one. It’s nasty. People are being killed at levels that nobody’s ever seen.” Russia's invasion of Ukraine is Europe’s biggest armed conflict since World War II and has cost tens of thousands of lives on both sides. Trump declined to say whether he's spoken to Russian President Vladimir Putin since winning the election. He met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Paris this month when he visited for the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral. Trump's incoming press secretary has said that Trump invited Chinese leader Xi Jinping and other world leaders to his Jan. 20 inauguration, but Trump said Monday that Zelenskyy was not among them. “If he'd like to come, I'd like to have him," Trump said. Trump said Xi has not yet said whether he is coming. He described the Chinese leader as “a friend of mine” and “an amazing guy” but acknowledged that the COVID-19 pandemic had affected their relationship. “It was a bridge too far for me,” he said. Associated Press writers Zeke Miller and Amanda Seitz in Washington and Colleen Long in Palm Beach, Florida, contributed to this report.On subreddits dedicated to Luigi Mangione , tens of thousands of followers pore over the links between the man who allegedly shot the CEO of United Healthcare and the number 286. On Discord servers, dedicated groups obsess over individual eyebrow hairs. On X, accounts share the Monopoly-linked trail of clues that could prove Mangione’s innocence. And on TikTok, all of these conspiracy theories and more are shared in videos viewed tens of millions of times and set to songs like Britney Spears’ Criminal . This is the online world of conspiracy theories dedicated to Mangione, which have exploded in the week since he was arrested and charged with the December 4 murder of Brian Thompson. Following the shooting, a community of fans lionized the shooter as a left-wing folk hero standing up for the common man against the evils of the US health care system. Even though his real identity didn’t match this idealized version, fans on TikTok and X embraced him anyway , buying hoodies with his image and writing songs dedicated to him, along with posting AI-generated music videos . While a huge fandom has emerged in support of Mangione, though, there is a parallel world online where seemingly just as many people are dissecting every single aspect of the shooting and Mangione’s arrest to try and find the “truth.” One of the earliest of these conspiracy theories relates to Mangione’s distinctive eyebrows, which were one of the main ways in which he was reportedly identified by a customer in a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania. (It should be pointed out that some in conspiracyland believe a previously unknown face recognition technology was used to identify him—something for which there is no evidence.) Online sleuths have been comparing the images of the suspected shooter released by police prior to his arrest and Mangione’s mugshot and have come to the conclusion, based purely on eyebrow examination, that these are not the same person. On Reddit, where there is now a dedicated Luigi Mangione subreddit with 21,000 followers, one user took the time to “ photoshop Luigi Mangione's eyebrows onto the UHC CEO shooter ” to prove their point that these are not the same person. In one particularly testy exchange on a conspiracy theories subreddit, two hair stylists clashed over Mangione’s eyebrows. “I was a hairstylist for 20 years back in the day, no one’s eyebrows grow that fast in three days,” one user wrote. “It was on the state board test. Hair on your head grows a quarter of an inch a month. Hair on your brows grows slower.” “I’m also a hair stylist and I work with models,” another user responded. “Different lighting and different facial expressions cause different shadows in photos. This man is trying to start a revolution. Don’t make a conspiracy out of someone who is for the people.” This is just one of the conspiracy theories swirling around about Mangione, though. Another popular theory relates to the number 286 and its multiple links to the alleged shooter. In his profile on X, Mangione features the Pokémon Breloom, which is the 286th Pokémon. Mangione also had posted exactly 286 times on X when he was arrested. 286 is also the code health insurance companies use when “when the appeal time limits for a health care claim are not met.” Other users on TikTok pointed out a potential link to the Bible, with Proverbs 28:6 stating: “Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways.” Finally, some people online claimed the distance between the location of the shooting and the McDonald’s where Mangione was spotted is 286 miles. However, according to Google Maps , the distance is actually 279 miles. Whatever the distance between it and Manhattan, the location of this McDonald’s has itself sparked some conspiracy theories, as seen in the work of one Reddit poster who took the time to document the many links between the board game Monopoly and the shooting. First, they pointed out that the backpack found in Central Park by police contained money from the game. They also noted that Altoona is the home of Pennsylvania Railroad, one of four railroads for sale in the standard US version of the game. Finally, the poster highlighted the fact that McDonald’s ran a promotional campaign with the game for decades, though it was halted briefly at the beginning of the century after a massive fraud scandal involving, among dozens of others, a key insider and Gennaro “Jerry” Colombo, who claimed to be a member of the Colombo crime family. Some conspiracy theorists on X are also trying to claim that Mangione is a “patsy” or a “CIA plant”—a typical suggestion in the wake of any high-profile shooting. One claim is that former House speaker Nancy Pelosi was somehow involved because her brother, a former mayor of Baltimore, once mentioned Mangione’s grandfather, a well-known businessman, in an interview in The Baltimore Sun. Beyond comments like “suspicious” or “well, well, well,” though, there appears to be little interest in this one even among the conspiratorially-minded. One of the more interesting theories floated over the weekend on Reddit claimed that the mysterious drones seen in New Jersey in recent weeks——which are quite possibly neither mysterious nor drones —are being used to “try to distract us from the United Healthcare uprising.” As with pretty much every other major incident that has happened in the US in the last century, for some people it just comes down to one idea. “It’s a psyop,” an account called Illuminati Eyes wrote as part of a 1,000-word post on X that has been viewed 4.6 million times. Having laid out the case for why this is a psyop—a psychological operation typically conducted by a government to influence a target audience’s beliefs—the account concludes: “Luigi didn’t kill Brian Thompson, the deep state did. 3/10 psyop—lazy execution, but it’s working.”

Regula , global developer of identity verification solutions, has been reviewing fraud trends in the Crypto industry. In this sector, deepfakes have become a threat, probably surpassing traditional document fraud. Deepfakes can be used to spread disinformation and to promote crimes like fraud. It is currently a largely unregulated technology. The survey finds that 57 percent of crypto companies have reported audio deepfake attacks, the highest among all surveyed sectors. Following this, 53 percent face video deepfake fraud, surpassing the 45 percent impacted by fake documents. The study also shows that while the Crypto industry experiences an average loss of $440,000 from advanced fraud techniques like deepfakes, in terms of the most concentrated impact of the financial fall-out, 37 percent of firms lose over $500,000 per attack, with an average loss of $440,000. Crypto organizations are not only more frequently targeted by deepfake fraud but also rely on unique defense strategies. According to the study: • 57% rely on multi-factor authentication (MFA), for instance email token verification. • 53% use biometric facial recognition. • 37% leverage fingerprint biometrics, compared to a global average of 52%. • 45% adopt digital document verification combined with liveness checks. To combat some of the adverse impacts of cyberattacks and to address some of the weaknesses with standard practices, 90 percent of crypto firms are relying on live video interviews with document checks. A mix of biometric verification and online document verification remains the second most dominant choice, with 93 percent support. As indicated above, only 37 percent of companies in the sector use fingerprint biometrics, trailing the global average of 52%. Gaps such as these potentially leave the industry vulnerable. Is regulation the answer for tackling these trends? 39 percent of Crypto companies advocate for the establishment of a dedicated regulatory body to monitor and combat deepfake-related threats – well above the global average of 29 percent. Commenting on this, Henry Patishman, Executive Vice President of Identity Verification Solutions at Regula states: “Crypto is facing a new frontier in fraud, where deepfake attacks have surpassed traditional threats in prevalence.” He adds: “This shift calls for a reevaluation of identity verification – not just as an onboarding tool, but as a critical defense measure, emphasizing real-time liveness detection and robust, multi-layered security.” Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news.Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, business, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs.Luigi Mangione , 26, has been arrested and charged with the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, who was fatally shot in New York on Dec. 4. Mangione faces additional charges, including one count of forging a document and criminally possessing a firearm. Authorities arrested Mangione at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania on Dec. 9. In the wake of the arrest, various claims related to Mangione emerged online One image shared across social media appears to show an X post from Burger King, reading, “We don’t snitch.” The image was shared with posts commenting on Mangione’s choice to visit McDonald’s. Luigi Mangione shouldn’t have gone to McDonald’s. pic.twitter.com/vlGc2o2hVd Other social media users claim to have discovered a book review Mangione allegedly wrote for unabomber Ted Kaczynsky’s manifesto. the suspected ceo shooter's goodreads page... who says there aren't any literary men left pic.twitter.com/kgoGtqGj2C Additionally, a YouTube video featuring a countdown clock with a description stating “if you see this i’m already under arrest” has been linked to Mangione, with some wondering if it was real . Others claimed Mangione is related to a Maryland lawmaker with the same last name. Luigi Mangione is cousins with the sitting Maryland State Delegate Nino Mangione, who represents District 42A. #luigimangione #fyp #fypage #nyc #xyzbca #brianthompson #crime #news #unitedhealthcare #uhc #viralvideo #luigi #breakingnews VERIFY fact-checked each of these claims. THE SOURCES Burger King tweeted ‘we don’t snitch’ The viral image of what appears to be an authentic Burger King X post is fake. VERIFY reviewed Burger King’s social media accounts and found no evidence the post ever existed and a spokesperson confirmed it’s not real. “We can confirm that this did not come from the official Burger King X account. This is a fabricated tweet,” a Burger King spokesperson confirmed to VERIFY. There are indications the image is fake. The screenshot includes the terms “retweet” and “quote tweets.” But that terminology hasn’t existed on the platform since Elon Musk took over and rebranded Twitter as X. Tweets are now known as “posts.” Mangione wrote a positive book review of the unabomber’s manifesto A Goodreads account featuring Mangione’s name and picture that match his other social media accounts does exist , but VERIFY could not independently confirm its authenticity. Archived versions of the page show the account attributed to Mangione left 52 book ratings and 13 reviews. Among these, the account gave a 4 out of 5 star rating to unabomber Ted Kaczynsky’s manifesto on Jan. 23, 2024. The Goodreads profile lacks identifying details, such as location, that VERIFY could use to cross-reference and confirm its authenticity. A review of Mangione’s active X account and archived social media profiles reveals no specific references to the books listed on the Goodreads account. Confirming the authenticity of social media profiles presents significant challenges due to the ease with which spoof accounts can mimic real ones, a Law.com blogpost explains . YouTube countdown clock video was connected to Mangione The YouTube video labeled “The Truth,” featuring a countdown clock and the description, “If you see this I’m already under arrest,” is not connected to Mangione, a Google spokesperson told VERIFY. Jack Malon, Google’s policy communications manager, stated, “We terminated the channel in question for violating our policies covering impersonation , which prohibit content intended to impersonate another person on YouTube.” Google confirmed the YouTube account was an imposter by analyzing the channel’s metadata . Updates to the channel name and handle were made after Mangione’s arrest, Malon said. Additionally, Malon confirmed that three channels believed to belong to Mangione were removed under Google’s Creator Responsibility Guidelines , which allow for the removal of content or channels if the creator acts maliciously on or off the platform. Examples cited for removal include: Intending to cause malicious harm to others. Participating in abuse or violence, demonstrating cruelty, or participating in fraudulent or deceptive behavior that leads to real-world harm. Malon did not respond to VERIFY’s request for further details on how the three channels were verified as Mangione’s. Social media platforms often remove accounts under similar circumstances. Following Mangione’s arrest, Meta disabled his Instagram account . Meanwhile, his X profile was briefly suspended but later reinstated after X owner Elon Musk said he was “looking into” the suspension. Mangione is related to a Maryland lawmaker Luigi Mangione’s cousin, Nino Mangione, is a Republican member of Maryland’s House of Delegates, serving Baltimore County. Nino Mangione confirmed the relationship on social media. Nino Mangione posted a statement to X on behalf of the family that reads, “Unfortunately, we cannot comment on news reports regarding Luigi Mangione. We only know what we have read in the media. Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi’s arrest. We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved.” A Statement From The Mangione Family Regarding Luigi Mangione pic.twitter.com/6E6E2CfgFv Nino Mangione also cancelled a recent fundraising event , originally scheduled for Dec. 12, writing a “terrible situation involving my cousin” prompted the cancellation. The VERIFY team works to separate fact from fiction so that you can understand what is true and false. Please consider subscribing to our daily newsletter , text alerts and our YouTube channel . You can also follow us on Snapchat , Instagram , Facebook and TikTok . Learn More » Follow Us Want something VERIFIED? Text: 202-410-8808

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Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for Secretary of Defense, is continuing to meet with Senators who will decide whether to approve his elevation to the post. There are still questions about reported sexual misconduct allegations, allegations of mismanagement of funds while leading a veterans' charitable organization, and questions about alcohol and drinking issues that he reportedly had while working at Fox News. Those questions have reportedly come up with Hegseth's meetings with senators. Hegseth met Monday with Sen. Joni Ernst, a Republican from Iowa, who is herself a military veteran and a sexual assault survivor. Sen. John Cornyn on Tuesday told reporters he has learned more about Hegseth's reported history with alcohol. "[Hegseth] admitted that coming back from deployment he and a lot of his young single service members did enjoy drinking and partying. I don't find that unusual or abnormal," Cornyn said. "He doesn't currently believe that he has a problem. He has in the past consumed alcohol, but I don't think he would be unique here on Capitol Hill or in the Pentagon for having done that." RELATED STORY | Trump doubles down on support for Hegseth amid contentious nomination process Cornyn and other Republican senators have also reiterated that the allegations of sexual misconduct against Hegseth so far come from anonymous accusers. It's still not clear if accusers would come forward before or during confirmation hearings. Hegseth is expected to meet soon with Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, another pivotal voice in the Senate who could lend crucial support to Hegseth's nominations. Republicans have a large enough majority in the next Congress to not need Democratic votes to confirm any of Trump's cabinet nominations — but that majority is still slim enough that the party can sustain only a few defections.SANTA CLARA — Brock Purdy is charged with distributing the ball to the 49ers’ still-plentiful array of offensive weapons. On Tuesday, he threw disgruntled wide receiver Deebo Samuel his full support. “I want to get Deebo the ball every play if I could,” Purdy said. “I want to have him break all the records as best as possible. I want Deebo to do Deebo things, and we all do in this building.” Thing is, Samuel’s sub-par production this season has mirrored the 49ers’ rocky road to a 6-7 record entering Thursday night’s visit by the Rams (7-6). “Not struggling at all just not getting the ball!!!!!!!” Samuel wrote Monday in a since-deleted post on the social media platform X. The timing off that complaint was peculiar. The 49ers had just shaken a three-game losing streak with a 38-13 win over the Chicago Bears, a game Samuel acknowledged was their best offensive showing and most complementary outing. But the 49ers did so with minimal production again from Samuel, who had two catches for 22 yards and five carries for 13 yards. “You read what you read. A little frustrated, for sure,” Samuel said Tuesday at his locker before practice. General manager John Lynch asked 49ers fans to give Samuel “some grace,” and coach Kyle Shanahan also threw support behind Samuel’s gripes. “Deebo and I talk every day so I understand Deebo saying that,” Shanahan said. “Deebo wants to help us out, and the only way he is helping us is getting the ball more. And we’d like to get him the ball more.” Samuel, a two-time captain, has scored just two touchdowns (Week 1 run, Week 5 reception) after 12 last regular season; he had 14 in 2021. He missed the 49ers’ Week 3 loss in Los Angeles because of a calf injury. Three years removed from his All-Pro breakout season, Samuel’s production has taken a nosedive this season, even though he is getting the ball. His 72 touches (40 receptions for 533 yards, 32 carries for 92 yards) are second to only now-injured running back Jordan Mason’s 164. In an X post 10 minutes after complaining about his opportunities, Samuel wrote : “Just cause I voice my opinions don’t mean I’m hating on any of my teammates!!” Jauan Jennings (57 catches, 774 yards, six touchdowns) and tight end George Kittle (56-800-8) have seized more on their targets from Brock Purdy, while 2022-23 mainstays Brandon Aiyuk and Christian McCaffrey have missed most of the season injured. “We’d always love things to stay in-house,” Shanahan said. “It’s probably why I don’t go on social media: I’d get worked up if I was reading stuff all the time. Is it a distraction in our building? No.” “He’s one of my best friends on this team. I absolutely love Deebo and what he’s done for me,” Purdy said. “He’s right: he’s doing great right now with what we ask of him the offense. He’s not struggling. Like Ricky (Pearsall) or Aiyuk last year a little bit, there are moments through a season where guys just don’t get the ball, depending on defensive schemes and taking guys away.” Samuel has flourished in the 49ers’ rivalry against the Rams, including three years ago when his “wide back” persona emerged as he scored on both a run and a reception to lead the victorious 49ers out of a 3-5 rut and toward the playoffs. That dual-threat duty is not such an inventive concept anymore, however. “They’re not surprised anymore,” Samuel said. “We’ve been doing it almost three years now, so you’ve got a 50-50 chance whether I’m in the backfield getting a handoff or anything along those lines. They have a glimpse of what’s going on. ... There’s three or four (defenders awaiting) no matter who has the ball.” “Deebo has created such a high standard, the things he’s done, the innovation which we’ve created things for Deebo. That’s part of the problem,” said Lynch, noting that multiple teams now deploy Samuel-esque, dual-threat players that no longer surprise defenses. “... That frustration mounts. But he’s made so many plays for us, I think we need to give this guy some grace and bring him along, because we need him the rest of the way,” Lynch added. “We need him Thursday night. Deebo’s a big part of this team. We’re alright. We can all learn from different situations and a lot of things in the world these days that you can get caught up in.” Some of Samuel’s most productive efforts this season have come as a kick returner (11 returns for 333 yards, including six returns in their Dec. 1 loss at Buffalo). “We’ve got a lot of big football to play and he’ll be a big part of our season moving forward,” Lynch said. As for next season, Samuel carries a $16 million mark on the salary cap. The 49ers restructured his contract in March, so he would incur a $31.6 million hit if he’s released or traded before June 1; after that date, an exit would count $11 million in 2025 and $21 million in ’26. GUERENDO IDLING Running back Isaac Guerendo’s foot sprain Sunday kept him out of Tuesday’s light walkthrough and it’s uncertain whether he’ll make a second straight start. Guerendo ran for 78 yards and two touchdowns, and he had 50 yards on two catches, before exiting and bequeathing the backfield to Patrick Taylor Jr. Guerendo got clocked at 20.2 mph on a 30-yard, second-quarter carry that was the NFL’s fastest by a running back in Week 14. GREENLAW UPDATE The 49ers remain reluctant to declare whether linebacker Dre Greenlaw will make his season debut Thursday night, the date pegged for his comeback from an Achilles tear in the Super Bowl. Shanahan said there’s been no setback, that he merely wants to talk first to Greenlaw and see how the next two days go. OTHER INJURY UPDATES Defensive end Nick Bosa (oblique, hip) and left tackle Trent Williams (ankle) will officially miss the fourth week of practice, albeit this week’s only consisting of Tuesday’s walk-through that began at 5:10 p.m. Shanahan has not indicated whether they’ll miss a fourth straight game. While left guard Aaron Banks practiced for the first time since a Nov. 24 concussion in Green Bay, guard Ben Bartch (ankle) did not practice and is expected to go on Injured Reserve before Thursday’s kickoff. Limited were defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos, safety Malik Mustapha, and linebackers Dee Winters and Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles. HARGRAVE MOVEMENT Defensive tackle Javon Hargrave’s bloated contract was restructured to lessen the 49ers’ financial restraints next year. While that could stage his potential release after two seasons, as pointed out by OverTheCap.com, Hargrave is also more affordable to keep, seeing how his 2025 salary was chopped from $19.9 million to $2.1 million, and his salary cap mark fell from $28 million to $10.3 million. “The plan for him is to be a Niner,” Shanahan said, deferring business matters to the front office staff. “The mechanics of contract stuff, those are things I don’t look into until after the offseason.” Hargrave, 31, has been on injured reserve since tearing a biceps in the Sept. 22 loss at Los Angeles. He made the Pro Bowl last season and totaled seven sacks in his first year with the 49ers. Jordan Elliott replaced him in this season’s lineup next to Maliek Collins, with rookie Evan Anderson, Kevin Givens, Kalia Davis and Khalil Davis also in the interior rotation.

NoneJimmy Spithill introduces his new Red Bull Italy SailGP Team

10 AI Predictions For 2025WASHINGTON — Elon Musk, clad in tuxedo and black tie, took the stage at President-elect Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort shortly after the election with all the swagger of the winning candidate himself. "The public has given us a mandate that could not be more clear, the clearest mandate. The people have spoken. The people want change," Musk told the audience of Trump's biggest donors, campaign leaders and appointment seekers. "We are going to shake things up. It's going to be a revolution." Musk's attachment to Trump created an alliance between America's most powerful politician and its richest businessman — and roughly the same percentages of Americans have favorable views of each, according to a new poll from the AP-NORC Center for Public Aff airs Research. Experts are split on whether that overlap in public opinion is a good or bad thing for Musk's businesses or for Trump's politics, but it could have far-reaching eff ects in both realms. Musk, whose net worth tops $400 billion, oversees six businesses while working closely with Trump: electric car manufacturer Tesla, the X social media platform, space technology company SpaceX, brain link company Neuralink, the startup xAI and tunneling operator The Boring Co. "Even though there's a negative impact, in terms of potentially alienating some of their customers that might not be fans of Trump, the benefits far outweigh any negatives when it comes to having a right-hand seat next to Trump in the White House," said Dan Ives, an analyst at Wedbush Securities. Ross Gerber, CEO of Gerber Kawasaki Wealth and Investment Management, identified himself as an investor in Musk's Tesla and a driver of Tesla's new Cybertruck, the futuristic pickup that drew huge amounts of attention but also was the subject of safety concerns and multiple recalls. "Having your CEO not working at your company and working at the job of having to fire government employees ... as a shareholder, I'm paying someone to not work for my company," he said. "As a Cybertruck owner with self-driving that sucks and doesn't work, I'm like, 'Dude, this isn't fair.'" Despite his skepticism, Gerber said he won't stop investing in Musk's businesses. "I've made a lot of money with Elon," he said. "I'm not in the business of investing based on the popularity of CEOs." Musk doesn't appear to give Trump much boost with people who don't back the incoming president. He is viewed somewhat or very unfavorable by about half of adult Americans, similar to Trump, according to the APNORC poll. About 4 in 10 Americans have a somewhat or very favorable view of the world's richest person, very similar to the percentage who view Trump positively. One political strategist said Musk is the ideal validator for someone who cultivates an image of success in business and who stocked his Cabinet and key adviser roles with billionaires. "Trump has always pushed this narrative that he's a successful developer and a very successful businessman. I think having Musk with him is his double-down on this business success, good-forthe-economy, good-for-everybody-making money kind of persona," said Christine Matthews, a national political pollster who has worked for Republicans. "In this case, Musk is seen as this successful, innovative, tech entrepreneur, frontier-buster." Musk also has at his disposal X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter that he purchased and turned into a megaphone for conservative ideas. Having spent an estimated $250 million to support Trump in the election, Musk signaled he is willing to back Republican primary challenges to GOP members in the House and Senate seeking reelection in 2026 who waver on Trump's appointments and agenda. Trump tasked him with leading a group to reduce the size of the federal government and reduce the rulemaking authority of the federal bureaucracy. Tesla stands to make significant gains under a Trump administration with the threat of diminished subsidies for alternative energy and electric vehicles doing the most harm to smaller competitors. Trump's plans for extensive tariff s on Chinese imports make it less likely that Chinese EVs will be sold in bulk in the U.S. anytime soon. Some analysts believe the billionaire's role will create a very friendly landscape for Tesla in coming years. Ives believes ending the EV credit and taking subsidies from Detroit carmakers, Hyundai and other companies will create only opportunity for Tesla. Tesla's stock price nearly doubled since Trump's victory, creating an additional $750 billion shareholder wealth in the past six weeks. Gerber feels that jump is because investors believe Tesla will have an advantage when it comes to autonomous driving because Trump could grant the company a national autonomy license. Still, he thinks Tesla will be the "big loser" of Musk's businesses because of Trump's promise to end the EV tax credit for carmakers. Musk's other companies — including his artificial intelligence company, xAI — could reap the benefits of working within the Trump administration, he said. The relationship between the two men has no parallel in U.S. history, said David Nasaw, biographer of American business tycoons Andrew Carnegie and William Randolph Hearst. He noted Musk, to a level unlike other tycoons, relied on subsidies and favorable government decisions for his success from Tesla to SpaceX.Trump Nominates Conservative Lawyer Harmeet Dhillon To Lead DOJ Civil Rights Division

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FCSCA refutes claim of cancellation of BPL ration cards Srinagar: The Department of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs has strongly refuted reports from certain quarters on social media, particularly a video, wherein it is being alleged that “...the Government has issued an order cancelling around 1.5 lakh Below Poverty Line ration cards affecting a huge number of beneficiaries and putting their families in distress ...” while terming the assertion totally fabricated and based on false assumptions. As per the statement issued by the Department, no such order has been issued. Besides, it has rebutted the claims that the figure being quoted in the said video does not even match the actual deletion figure of 1.27 lakh cited in media reports for having been reported to the parliament recently with regard to fake and duplicate ration card deletions in Jammu and Kashmir since 2013. These are in fact the deletions carried out in the past, over 10 years in J&K as a part of reforms pursued by the Government of India across the country. The document added that elimination of bogus/duplicate ration cards and beneficiaries is an essential requirement under Targeted PDS Control Order of Government of India, which is now being established through technology interventions like Aadhaar seeding, eKYC and through field verification. As a result of accelerated Aadhaar seeding, pursued by the Department, huge duplication of ration cards and beneficiaries was established leading to deletion of such ration cards and beneficiaries over the years. At the same time, bringing the left out eligible beneficiaries under the PDS cover has also been seriously pursued by the Department, and this effort has also led to the addition of 8.6 lakh eligible beneficiaries to PDS in J&K since shifting to a dependable Ration Card Management System in September, 2022. Further, it is clarified that only order issued by the Department in recent past in the context of PDS seeks inclusion of children born during years 2011 to 2016 in their family ration cards so that additional benefits flow to these beneficiaries and households as per eligibility under PDS. The Department has also issued explicit orders for prompt inclusion of any eligible beneficiary still left out under PDS, wherever reported. As a result of these efforts the number of beneficiaries under NFSA, who are provided free food grains every month, has gone up from 66.37 lakh to 66.59 lakh during last three months. Additionally, the Department has also pursued, in a mission mode, the inclusion of left out JK registrants on e-Shram Portal so that none such registrant who is eligible under PDS for free or subsidised food grains, remains uncovered. A mammoth exercise for matching of nearly 34.80 lakh such registrants in J&K was carried out in coordination with NIC and every registrant who remained unmatched with PDS data base, was approached by the Department of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs and Labour & Employment Department for securing their inclusion. Of these, nearly 34.40 lakh registrants are presently availing benefits under PDS or other schemes, and remaining forty thousand, could not either be traced by the Department or they refused to share their details and documents, despite making efforts in coordination with respective district administrations. Expressing firm resolve of the Department, a spokesman of the Department said the Department is making arrangements for providing free food grains every month to 66.59 lakh beneficiaries under NFSA and for providing highly subsidised food grains to another group of 31.81 lakh beneficiaries in the Non Priority Households category, which implies that 98.40 lakh people are presently benefitted under PDS every month in J&K. The spokesman further said that the technological interventions like aadhar seeding, e-PDS etcetera are aimed at securing the marginalised communities their due share in ration distribution and this would remain a priority of the Department so that eligible beneficiaries are benefitted under Targeted Public Distribution System and undeserving are weeded out.

+Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox On Monday, the US justice system formally accused Mahdi Mohammad Sadeghi and Mohammad Abedini of “exporting sophisticated electronic components to Iran”, in violation of US regulations and US sanctions against Iran. These components were used in a drone attack in Jordan in January that claimed the lives of three US servicemen, the US Department of Justice said in a statement. Iran had denied any involvement and denounced the allegations as “baseless”. Abedini, 38, was arrested in Italy on Monday at the request of US authorities, according to the US Department of Justice. Sadeghi, 42, is incarcerated in the US and holds dual nationality, according to the US Justice Department. “These arrests are contrary to all international laws and standards,” said Vahid Jalalzadeh, an official of the Iranian Foreign Ministry, quoted on Saturday by the Tasnim news agency. Jalalzadeh added that Iran had voiced its protest in an “invitation” to the Ministry addressed to the Swiss ambassador in Teheran and the chargé d’affaires of the Italian embassy. The US and Iran, once close allies, broke off diplomatic relations in 1980, shortly after the Islamic Revolution overthrew the Washington-backed Pahlavi dynasty and American diplomats were taken hostage in their embassy in Teheran. Since then, the two countries have exchanged information indirectly through the Swiss embassy in Iran, which represents American interests in the country. Translated from French by DeepL/jdp

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