Hikers and cyclists can now cross Vermont on New England’s longest rail trail, a year after floods

President Donald Trump signed an executive order establishing a government reserve of bitcoin, retaining 200,000 seized bitcoins. The U.S. government will not sell any bitcoin deposited into the Reserve, aiming for a full accounting of its holdings and developing strategies for acquiring additional bitcoin. Trump's move towards mainstream acceptance of cryptocurrency includes the creation of a U.S. Digital Asset Stockpile for seized cryptocurrencies other than bitcoin. Full Article

Support for Israel among Americans has dropped to 46 percent, the lowest in 25 years, while sympathy towards Palestinians has increased. Support for Palestinians has risen to 33 percent, with Democrats and independents favoring an independent Palestinian state. Republicans overwhelmingly support Israel. The U.S. will continue negotiating between Israel and Hamas as they uphold a ceasefire deal in the Gaza Strip. Full Article

Nike debuted its first Super Bowl commercial in 27 years featuring a star-studded female lineup of athletes like Caitlin Clark and Sha’Carri Richardson, but faced criticism for its stance on transgender athletes in women’s sports. XX-XY Athletics released a response video with athletes like April Hutchinson and Sia Liilii calling out Nike for not addressing the issue of biological males competing in women’s sports, prompting a call for Nike to stand up for women’s sports...

Former head of the Office of Special Counsel, Hampton Dellinger, ended his legal battle against his firing by President Trump after a court ruling favored the administration. Dellinger, appointed by President Biden, cited the court's decision and the risk of losing in a Supreme Court battle as reasons for ending his fight. His termination, announced via email, was challenged on grounds of violating federal law protecting special counsels from arbitrary removal. Full Article

A Baltimore judge ruled that Adnan Syed, featured in the "Serial" podcast, will remain on supervised release under Maryland's Juvenile Restoration Act, as he is not a danger to the public. Syed, previously convicted of murder in the killing of his high school girlfriend Hae Min Lee, had his sentence reduced after years of court rulings and appeals, with the state's attorney supporting the decision. Despite Lee's family opposing the sentence reduction, Syed, now 43,...

San José Mayor Matt Mahan unveiled an initiative to pressure homeless people into accepting shelter or facing jail time, following a U.S. Supreme Court decision allowing local bans on camping. Bay Area cities like Berkeley and Oakland have adopted aggressive tactics to clear out homeless camps, with Mahan focusing on increasing short-term shelter beds in San José instead of permanent housing options, leading to a proposal that would escalate punishment for rejecting shelter offers. Despite...