Cold snap sees parts of the East wake up to snow

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is ordering a review of military fitness and grooming standards to maintain the strength and effectiveness of the U.S. military. The review will assess existing standards related to physical fitness, body composition, and grooming, including regulations on beards, with a focus on maintaining high and uncompromising standards. Hegseth aims to reverse "woke" policies and restore the warrior ethos to ensure the military remains the world's most lethal and effective fighting force....

Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed a bill designating the firing squad as the preferred method of execution for capital punishment, making Idaho the only state in the U.S. to do so. This decision comes after Brad Sigmon was executed by firing squad in South Carolina, and Idaho has nine prisoners on death row. The bill was supported by over two-thirds of the legislature and also kept lethal injection as a backup method. Full Article

Over 80 Afghan women studying in Oman on a U.S.-funded scholarship face imminent deportation to Afghanistan after the program was canceled by the Trump administration's cuts to foreign aid. The students, fearing persecution and life-threatening risks, are appealing for help to continue their education abroad. Since the Taliban's return to power in 2021, they have imposed severe restrictions on women, including banning them from education and employment. Full Article

Outside a Manhattan courthouse, protesters gathered to criticize the Trump administration's plan to deport Columbia University graduate Mahmoud Khalil, a leader in protests against Israel. A judge granted Khalil's lawyers the ability to speak with him privately, as federal investigators searched social media for ties to Hamas. In politics news, Senate Democrats refuse to pass a bill to fund the government, raising the likelihood of a shutdown, while Europe and Canada retaliate against Trump's tariffs...

An all-clear was issued at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital in San Bernardino County after reports of a possible gunman prompted an evacuation, which was later determined to be a "swatting" incident with no injuries reported. Authorities confirmed there was no active threat on campus, with normal business operations resuming and law enforcement remaining on site for further investigation. The incident caused a massive law enforcement response, leading to evacuations and traffic disruptions in the...

Two teenagers, aged 17 and 15, are facing charges including assault with intent to murder while armed after allegedly shooting a 29-year-old man near Nubian Square in Roxbury. The suspects were arrested after being identified through surveillance footage and were found in possession of a loaded firearm and crack cocaine. The victim sustained non-life-threatening injuries and the suspects, who are minors, will be arraigned in Boston Juvenile Court. Full Article