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Recent Articles
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18-year-old girl killed in fiery crash
A a teenage girl was among the teens killed in a violent incident that occurred early Sunday morning. Near Farley, Missouri, on State Highway 45, an overturned automobile carrying 18-year-old Tessa Walker caught fire and killed her. The accident injured four other teenagers. Tessa Walker, a Park Hill School senior, was preparing to start her college career in the autumn at Northwest Missouri State. Besides being an accomplished athlete, Tessa was a hard worker in the classroom. She participated in track, girls' flag football, and volleyball. She participated in the AVID college-readiness program for all four years, and her dedication paid off with many awards, including academic scholarships… |
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Oil prices are skyrocketing but companies will not rush to drill in California
If you are an oil producer with wells in California and global oil prices have risen to over $100 a barrel in the last week, are you going to drill new wells? It’s a question that touches the lives of hundreds of thousands of Californians who either live near oil wells or receive royalty checks as mineral rights owners. Experts said probably not, given this state’s aging fields and the unpredictability of global prices. It’s too early for data that will show if companies have ordered more drilling rigs on their fields — known as the rig count — since the U.S. and Israel invaded Iran and sent oil prices soaring. But analysts and producers say only if prices stay above $80 for at least a year … |
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Renee Nicole Good-her murder made people think
The killing has already been diced into bureaucratic fragments: a federal agent, a Minnesota street, a woman dead, a government mumbling about procedure while another city absorbs yet another rupture. That sterile accounting matters, but it is not enough. The public keeps asking a question older than the press and more durable than outrage: who was she? And why must we only learn her name after the state has erased her? Renee Nicole Good did not seek to be a symbol. She did not audition for national relevance. She lived a life that should have remained private—work, children, grief, partnership, rebuilding. And yet here we are, forced to know her only through the instant of her death. That i… |
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US journalist Don Lemon arrested after covering anti-ICE protest at Minnesota church
US journalist Don Lemon and three other people were arrested on Friday in connection with an anti-immigration crackdown protest that disrupted a service at a Minnesota church and increased tensions between residents and the Trump administration, officials said. Lemon was arrested by federal agents in Los Angeles, where he had been covering the Grammy Awards, his attorney Abbe Lowell said. It is unclear what charge or charges Lemon and the others are facing in the 18 January protest at the Cities Church in St. Paul. Lemon's arrest came after a magistrate judge last week rejected prosecutors' initial bid to charge him. Lemon, who was fired from CNN in 2023, has said he has no affiliation to th… |
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Two more people die while skiing in the Lake Tahoe region
There have been two additional fatalities in the Sierra Nevada, adding to the total number of fatalities that have occurred throughout the winter season. The avalanche that occurred on Castle Peak last week killed nine lives. According to the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, which arrived just before noon, the most recent deaths occurred on Friday in two "fatal ski incidents" that were unrelated to each other at the Boulder Lodge of Heavenly resort. In a press statement, the Sheriff's Office stated that paramedics from the Ski Patrol and the Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District attempted to save the life of the subject. On the other hand, both persons were pronounced dead at the site of th… |
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Rail regulators accused of ignoring safety recommendations
More than 3,000 rail accidents, causing 23 deaths and nearly 1,200 injuries over the past decade, have been attributed to human error and track defects. Yet, federal railroad regulators have largely ignored most safety recommendations arising from these investigations, according to a new study. An analysis by the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism at the University of Maryland reveals a powerful industry behind these failures, using its influence to thwart federal safety reforms. It is accused of actively lobbying President Donald Trump’s administration to reduce track inspection and repair requirements and loosen rules aimed at preventing crew fatigue. The center’s analysis of data … |
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CTCARE in Saigon refused a disabled girl who traveled 300 km to buy a wheelchair battery
A disabled girl from Dalat was left humiliated, stranded, and emotionally devastated after traveling hundreds of kilometers to Ho Chi Minh City in search of a replacement wheelchair battery, only to encounter hostility and confusion at a local mobility equipment dealer, CTCARE. The girl, who relies entirely on an electric wheelchair for mobility and survives on government assistance, believed she had purchased her wheelchair several years earlier from CTCARE, a wheelchair and mobility equipment business in Saigon. When the battery failed, she contacted the company seeking to by a replacement. She saved her money, but apparent pride and stubbornness from the owner refused her. She had a frien… |
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The New Face of American Power
Opinion | Editorial America’s Doctrine of Power in 2026 The opening week of 2026 has stripped away any lingering illusions about the trajectory of U.S. foreign policy. In Caracas, a military raid removed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro from power. Days later, Washington floated the possibility of acquiring Greenland by force. These are not isolated provocations. They clearly show a belief that control over land can be bargained for, valuable resources are seen as rewards, and military power is used as a way to gain economic advantage. Venezuela: Justice or Oil? Officials framed the Caracas operation as a crackdown on corruption and narcotics trafficking. Maduro and his wife were flown to… |
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Winning peace in Lebanon is harder than winning war
But a symbolic meeting would not be enough to resolve the conflict in Lebanon, which has deep historical roots and a wide geopolitical reach. Despite the ceasefire, Israel continues to occupy parts of southern Lebanon. The aim of the ongoing operation, as declared by Defense Minister Israel Katz, is to establish a “security zone” over the entire area south of the Litani River – which represents 10 percent of Lebanon’s national territory. The civilian population has been barred from returning to their homes while Israeli forces have continued bombing and mass demolition. Netanyahu appears to be using the narrative of “destroying Hezbollah” to cover up what is really a campaign of mass destruc… |
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The Vote That Was Not Supposed to Happen
The House’s vote to cancel Trump’s tariffs on Canada is less about trade mechanics than about political courage. In a chamber long bent under executive power, a bipartisan crack appeared. Whether symbolic or substantive, the rebellion signals a deeper struggle over democracy, consumer costs, and the meaning of loyalty in American politics. On February 11, 2026, the House of Representatives narrowly voted 219–211 to terminate President Donald Trump’s emergency tariffs on Canadian imports. Six Republicans broke ranks to join Democrats, while one Democrat opposed the measure. The resolution, spearheaded by Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, challenges Trump’s use of emergency powers to justify swe… |
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The Climate Emergency Governments Still Pretend Is Optional
GENEVA — A coalition of scientists and public health experts this week urged the World Health Organization to formally declare climate change a global public health emergency, escalating pressure on governments as new projections warn 2026 could become one of the hottest and most destructive climate years ever recorded. The demand arrives at a moment of extraordinary contradiction. Governments across Europe, North America, and Asia now openly acknowledge the dangers of climate change while simultaneously approving new fossil fuel projects, subsidizing oil and gas production, and delaying emissions targets that scientists say are already dangerously inadequate. The WHO panel’s argument was bl… |
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Trump says if Iran does not open the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours he would destroy their power plants
On Saturday night, Trump warned Iran in a Truth Social post that the United States will attack Iran's power reactors if the Strait of Hormuz stays blocked. "The United States of America will hit and destroy their various power plants, starting with the biggest one first!" Trump warned in the post if Iran does not fully open the Strait of Hormuz without threat within 48 hours from now. The Strait of Hormuz is an important trading route that carries around 20% of the world's oil. Oil prices have skyrocketed worldwide as a result of Iranian strikes on ships in the region, which has effectively cut off maritime activity in the area. The Trump administration has made yet another effort to rein do… |
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Humans are on the way out and there may be no way to stop
Extinction Isn’t a Metaphor I walk through this world like a man pacing a burning house. The walls are cracking, the air is poison, and everyone else is sipping cocktails as if the smoke is just weather. Extinction isn’t a metaphor—it’s the goddamn bill collector at the door, pounding, and we keep turning up the music to drown him out. I see forests gutted like carcasses, oceans foaming like rabid dogs, skies thick with the exhaust of our arrogance. We’re clever enough to split atoms, to stitch genes, to whisper to satellites—but too stupid to stop sawing through the floor we stand on. I want to grab humanity by the collar, slam it against the wall, and snarl: Are you aware of the implicatio… |
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The Epstein Files and the Machinery of Forgetting
Editorial The first instinct of power, when threatened, is not denial but delay. Delay until outrage exhausts itself, until headlines thin, until the public grows bored or distracted or numb. The newly unsealed Jeffrey Epstein-related documents land in public view with the weight of something both familiar and unfinished, a reminder not merely of a disgraced financier and the crimes that orbited him, but of how expertly the machinery of forgetting has been engineered. These files do not arrive as a revelation in the cinematic sense. There is no single smoking gun, no neat moral closure. Instead, they arrive like sediment, layer upon layer of testimony, allegation, recollection, and evasion. … |
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The World Is Burning Quietly While We Argue About Nothing
Letters To Editor By Alan Fitpatrik It has become strangely normal to live in a moment where the planet is warming, wars drag on without clear ends, and scientific breakthroughs quietly move forward while political arguments stay stuck in place. We are surrounded by evidence of what humans can do at their best, yet governed too often by systems that reward delay, fear, or brute control. This contrast is not abstract. It shows up in flooded neighborhoods, in families displaced by conflict, and in the widening gap between those who can afford to adapt and those who cannot. When leaders cling to power through force or deception, it is rarely the powerful who suffer first. It is the poor, the yo… |
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Why Are Cereal Boxes Only Half Full
Consumer Investigative The first time you notice it, you assume you’re imagining things. You open a familiar cereal box — the same brand you’ve bought since childhood — and it feels oddly light. You shake it. You peer inside. Half the box is empty. You tell yourself it must be settling. That’s what we’ve been trained to think. Gravity, transport, crumbs falling into gaps. Physics, not profit. But physics doesn’t explain why the box itself hasn’t gotten any smaller. This is not an accident. It is a business strategy, and it has a name: shrinkflation. Companies quietly reduce the amount of product while keeping the packaging, branding, and price largely the same. The goal is simple: preserve p… |
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US Olympic medalist Jenny Simpson rushed to hospital after collapsing during North Carolina race
Jenny Simpson collapsed at an event in North Carolina on Tuesday night Removed from bookmarks I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Olympic bronze medalist and world champion runner Jenny Simpson suffered a medical episode and collapsed while pacing a mile group at a community event in Raleigh, North Carolina, on Tuesday night. The 39-year-old 1,500-meter specialist received CPR and an automated external defibrillator (AED) was used at the track before she was transported to a hospital. The incident was first reported by LetsRun. Simpson was participating in a Sir Walter Running event, which encourages runners of all levels … |
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Ecuador Chone Killers gang as now terrorist organisation
The US? State Department has designated the Ecuadorean gang Chone Killers as a foreign “terrorist organisation”, imposing sanctions on a crime ?group that Washington has accused of carrying out attacks on civilians and public officials. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the gang ?has also been classified as a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist”. “Chone Killers has committed numerous attacks targeting civilians, law enforcement officers and government officials, including high-profile assassinations of public officials,” Rubio said in a statement announcing the designations. The move against the Ecuadorian street gang ?is part of a broader campaign by US President Donald Trump’s admi… |
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US Secret Service opens fire on shooter near White House
The US Secret Service fired fire at a shooter near the White House, injuring him and causing a short lockdown. The incident occurred on Monday and the Washington DC Metropolitan Police Department has initiated an investigation. The incident follows an alleged attempt to assassinate United States President Donald Trump at the White House journalists' luncheon last month. Secret Service Deputy Director Matthew Quinn said the incident happened after plainclothes officers recognized a “suspicious individual” they suspected was armed. Agents chased the man a short distance and asked for assistance. When uniformed Secret Service personnel showed up there, the suspect tried to run, and they shot. A… |
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Crossing Trump and his Insurrection in Minnesota
Editorial Minnesota is standing on a line most people pretend doesn’t exist until it’s under their feet. The killing of Renée Good didn’t just spark protests. It tore open a fracture that’s been widening for years, one where federal power shows up without consent, accountability drifts upward into silence, and states are left holding the consequences. The question now isn’t whether order returns. It’s who gets to impose it, who they answer to, and which law they plan to hide behind when it goes wrong. That law has a name, and it’s older than most Americans realize. The Insurrection Act of 1807 sits on the books like a quiet threat, rarely mentioned, almost never explained, waiting for the mo… |