Owners of a fire-resistant house in LA hope city rebuilds smarter

In a brief message left in the welcome book at Shannon Airport in Ireland, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent wrote "AMERICA FIRST!" as the Trump administration's motto. Bessent was en route from Kyiv, Ukraine, to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss sanctions, rare Earth minerals, and U.S. funding. Vice President JD Vance was also scheduled to meet with Zelenskyy before U.S. envoy Keith Kellogg's planned trip to Ukraine on Feb. 20 to work on...

A federal judge temporarily blocked President Trump's executive order restricting transgender health care for individuals under 19, citing harm to trans teens and young adults who had their care suspended. The judge questioned the government's argument that the order is not a nationwide ban on care but a "general policy directive." The ACLU, representing the plaintiffs, argued that the order caused fear and confusion among transgender youth and providers. The White House defended the order,...

A new study by Stanford University scientists analyzed the impact of historic 2023 rainstorms on groundwater levels in Southern California, revealing that deep aquifers did not fully recover from decades of depletion caused by pumping. Despite the storms filling reservoirs, only 25% of the water lost to pumping since 2006 was replenished in aquifers more than 150 feet underground. The study, published in Science, emphasized the need for sustained wet years to restore deep aquifers...

A New Jersey man is suing safari tour company African Portfolio for failing to ensure his wife's safety during a Zambia trip that resulted in her death in a hippopotamus attack. The lawsuit alleges that tour guides walked away during the attack, causing catastrophic injuries to Lisa Manders, who died shortly after. The company denies negligence and plans to either dismiss the lawsuit or go to arbitration. Full Article

Philadelphia Eagles rookie cornerback Cooper DeJean received a thoughtful message from Iowa alum Caitlin Clark after his Super Bowl victory, despite her loyalty to the Kansas City Chiefs. Clark, a WNBA star, congratulated DeJean on his standout performance in Super Bowl LIX, where he intercepted a pass from Patrick Mahomes and scored a touchdown on his 22nd birthday. DeJean expressed gratitude for the message from Clark, a Chiefs fan, who had previously made headlines for...

Senator Tina Smith of Minnesota, a Democrat, announced she would not seek re-election in 2026, creating an open seat for her party to defend next year. Governor Tim Walz is considering running for the Senate seat, while several other Minnesota Democrats, including Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan and Attorney General Keith Ellison, may also run. Democrats will have to defend two open Senate seats next year, as Senator Chuck Schumer expressed confidence in retaining Smith's seat....