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  • Suicide bombers strike security force headquarters in northwestern Pakistan

    Two suicide bombers attacked the headquarters of a security force in northwestern Pakistan on Monday morning, killing at least three officers and wounding five others, police and rescue officials said.The attack took place in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, said city Police Chief Saeed Ahmad.Video above: Pakistani officials say the insurgent attack on a train has ended but some hostages are deadHe said one attacker detonated his explosives at the main gate of the provincial headquarters of the Federal Constabulary, while the second bomber was shot and killed by officers near the parking area.According to Ahmad, a large number of security personnel were on open ground inside the headquarters for morning parade drills when the attack took place. “The terrorists involved in today’s attack were on foot and failed to reach the parade area and a timely response by our forces prevented a much larger tragedy,” he told The Associated Press.No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.However, the Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, have been blamed for similar previous assaults in the country, which has witnessed a surge in militant attacks. The TPP is separate from but allied with the Afghan Taliban that leads Afghanistan.The latest attack came less than two weeks after a suicide bomber struck outside a court in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad, detonating his explosives next to a police car and killing 12 people.The attacks have strained ties between Islamabad and Afghanistan’s Taliban government, with Pakistan accusing the Pakistani Taliban of operating freely inside Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover in 2021.Pakistan’s government often accuses Afghanistan of turning a blind eye to cross-border attacks by militants.Kabul denies the allegation, but tensions between the two sides escalated after Afghanistan blamed Pakistan for Oct. 9 drone strikes in Kabul and vowed retaliation. The ensuing fighting killed dozens of people, including soldiers, civilians and militants, before Qatar brokered a ceasefire on Oct. 19, which remains in place.It was followed by two rounds of talks in Istanbul, during which the two sides failed to reach an agreement after Afghanistan refused to give guarantees in writing about preventing the TTP from using Afghan soil for attacks inside Pakistan.Pakistan in recent weeks has stepped up operations against the TTP, killing dozens of insurgents near regions bordering Afghanistan. Associated Press writer Rasool Dawar in Peshawar, Pakistan, contributed to this story.

    PESHAWAR, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa —

    Two suicide bombers attacked the headquarters of a security force in northwestern Pakistan on Monday morning, killing at least three officers and wounding five others, police and rescue officials said.

    The attack took place in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, said city Police Chief Saeed Ahmad.

    Video above: Pakistani officials say the insurgent attack on a train has ended but some hostages are dead

    He said one attacker detonated his explosives at the main gate of the provincial headquarters of the Federal Constabulary, while the second bomber was shot and killed by officers near the parking area.

    According to Ahmad, a large number of security personnel were on open ground inside the headquarters for morning parade drills when the attack took place. “The terrorists involved in today’s attack were on foot and failed to reach the parade area and a timely response by our forces prevented a much larger tragedy,” he told The Associated Press.

    No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack.

    However, the Pakistani Taliban, also known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, have been blamed for similar previous assaults in the country, which has witnessed a surge in militant attacks. The TPP is separate from but allied with the Afghan Taliban that leads Afghanistan.

    The latest attack came less than two weeks after a suicide bomber struck outside a court in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad, detonating his explosives next to a police car and killing 12 people.

    Muhammad Zubair

    Security officials and rescue workers gather at the site of a suicide bombing at the main gate of headquarters of the Federal Constabulary (FC) in Peshawar, Pakistan, Monday, Nov. 24, 2025.

    The attacks have strained ties between Islamabad and Afghanistan’s Taliban government, with Pakistan accusing the Pakistani Taliban of operating freely inside Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover in 2021.

    Pakistan’s government often accuses Afghanistan of turning a blind eye to cross-border attacks by militants.

    Kabul denies the allegation, but tensions between the two sides escalated after Afghanistan blamed Pakistan for Oct. 9 drone strikes in Kabul and vowed retaliation. The ensuing fighting killed dozens of people, including soldiers, civilians and militants, before Qatar brokered a ceasefire on Oct. 19, which remains in place.

    It was followed by two rounds of talks in Istanbul, during which the two sides failed to reach an agreement after Afghanistan refused to give guarantees in writing about preventing the TTP from using Afghan soil for attacks inside Pakistan.

    Pakistan in recent weeks has stepped up operations against the TTP, killing dozens of insurgents near regions bordering Afghanistan.

    Associated Press writer Rasool Dawar in Peshawar, Pakistan, contributed to this story.

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  • High surf drags three people off Big Sur beach, the second such incident in a week

    High surf swept three people off the beach and into the ocean in Big Sur on Saturday, the second such incident at Garrapata State Park in a week.

    Two women and a man were swept off the rocks at Sobrenas Point around 3 p.m., according to a news release from the California State Parks.

    Both women made it back to shore on their own and were taken to a hospital with unknown injuries, but a man who was with them, believed to be about 30 years old, was still missing.

    “At around 4:24 p.m., a US Coast Guard helicopter spotted what appeared to be a body in the ocean but due to the high surf, lost visual,” parks officials said.

    The search was called off around 7 p.m. due to darkness and was scheduled to resume Sunday morning.

    The missing man was wearing a white turban, black shorts, black shirt and a black vest.

    The National Weather Service warned that waves between 13 and 18 feet were expected at Big Sur and Monterey beaches through Monday night, and cautioned beachgoers to stay off rocks and away from the water’s edge.

    “Sneaker waves can unexpectedly run significantly farther up the beach than normal, including over rocks and jetties,” the weather service advised. “Rip currents are typically more frequent and stronger in the vicinity of jetties, inlets, and piers.”

    Last week, a 7-year-old girl was swept into the ocean at the same park. Both she and her 39-year old father died after he jumped in to try to save her.

    Jack Dolan

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  • United Way distributes thousands of Thanksgiving meal kits to families in Central Florida

    IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, AND THE LONG LINES SHOW THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE IN NEED OF FOOD THIS YEAR. CARS STRETCHED AROUND THE BLOCK THIS MORNING AT VALENCIA COLLEGE. HEART OF FLORIDA, UNITED WAY DISTRIBUTED 6000 THANKSGIVING MEAL OR MEAL KITS TO FAMILIES IN NEED. MORE THAN A THOUSAND VOLUNTEERS PACKED THOSE MEALS THIS WEEK AT THE CENTRAL FLORIDA FAIRGROUNDS. THE ORGANIZATION SUPPORTS LOCAL WORKING FAMILIES WITH LIMITED ASSETS AND INCOME. THEY SAY THAT THESE FAMILIES ARE OFTEN LEFT CHOOSING BETWEEN RENT, MEDICINE AND PUTTING A HOLIDAY MEAL ON THE TABLE. THAT’S ENOUGH FOOD TO FEED 24,000 PEOPLE. THIS THURSDAY MORNING FOR THANKSGIVING, WE GIVE AWAY MEALS THAT ARE UNCOOKED. FAMILIES GO HOME. THEY CAN COOK THEIR MEAL TOGETHER AND HOPEFULLY ENJOY THE SAME MEAL THAT WE’LL HAVE THIS COMING THURSDAY. NO MATTER WHAT’S GOING ON, EVERYBODY WANTS TO LEND A HAND. AND THAT’S SO IMPORTANT BECAUSE PEOPLE DON’T ALWAYS GET ALONG. AND RIGHT NOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE NOT GETTING ALONG. AND THIS IS WHAT WE NEED. WE NEED PEOPLE TO GIVE, TO WELCOME AND TO EMBRACE. WE CERTAINLY DO. EACH KIT INCLUDES A SHELF STABLE, FAVORITES, CANNED VEGETABLES, MASHED POTATOES AND SEASONINGS, PLUS A GIFT CARD SO THAT FAMILIES CAN BUY THE PROTEIN OF THEIR CHOICE. VOLUNTEERS DISTRIBUTED MEALS AT MULTIPLE LOCATIONS ACROSS ORANGE

    United Way distributes thousands of Thanksgiving meal kits to families in Central Florida

    Updated: 11:27 PM EST Nov 22, 2025

    Editorial Standards ⓘ

    Heart of Florida United Way distributed 6,000 Thanksgiving meal kits to families in need in Central Florida, with cars stretching around the block at Valencia College.More than 1,000 volunteers packed these meals earlier in the week at the Central Florida Fairgrounds.The organization supports local working families with limited assets and income, who often face difficult choices between rent, medicine, and holiday meals.”It’s enough food to feed 24,000 people this Thursday morning for Thanksgiving. We give meals that are uncooked, families can go ahead and cook their meals and hopefully enjoy the same meal we are having this upcoming Thursday,” Jeff Hayward, president and CEO of Heart of Florida United Way, said. Volunteer Alisa Toro said, “No matter what’s going on, everyone wants to lend a hand, that’s so important because people don’t always get along, and right now not a lot of people are getting along, this is what we need, we need people to give, welcome and to embrace.”Each kit includes shelf-stable favorites such as canned vegetables, mashed potatoes, and seasonings, plus a gift card for families to buy the protein of their choice.Volunteers distributed meals at multiple locations across Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties.

    , Fla. —

    Heart of Florida United Way distributed 6,000 Thanksgiving meal kits to families in need in Central Florida, with cars stretching around the block at Valencia College.

    More than 1,000 volunteers packed these meals earlier in the week at the Central Florida Fairgrounds.

    The organization supports local working families with limited assets and income, who often face difficult choices between rent, medicine, and holiday meals.

    “It’s enough food to feed 24,000 people this Thursday morning for Thanksgiving. We give meals that are uncooked, families can go ahead and cook their meals and hopefully enjoy the same meal we are having this upcoming Thursday,” Jeff Hayward, president and CEO of Heart of Florida United Way, said.

    Volunteer Alisa Toro said, “No matter what’s going on, everyone wants to lend a hand, that’s so important because people don’t always get along, and right now not a lot of people are getting along, this is what we need, we need people to give, welcome and to embrace.”

    Each kit includes shelf-stable favorites such as canned vegetables, mashed potatoes, and seasonings, plus a gift card for families to buy the protein of their choice.

    Volunteers distributed meals at multiple locations across Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties.

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  • Two UAB football players stabbed on campus, another player in custody

    Two University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) football players are recovering after being stabbed by another player on campus Saturday morning.It happened shortly after 10 a.m. at the Football Operations Center.Two people were stabbed, according to Birmingham Fire and Rescue, which responded to the scene. Their injuries did not appear to be life-threatening.Both victims were taken to UAB Hospital for treatment.UAB issued the following statement: “We’re grateful to report that two players injured in an incident this morning at the Football Operations Building are in stable condition. Our thoughts are with them and their families as they recover. The suspect – another player – remains in custody, and an investigation is taking place. The team elected to play today’s game. UAB’s top priority remains the safety and well-being of all of our students. Given patient privacy and the ongoing investigation, we have no further comment at this time.”The team elected to play the afternoon game at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, where 29 players were being honored on Senior Day.UAB player Daniel Israel Mincey was booked into the Jefferson County Jail on Saturday afternoon on charges of aggravated assault and attempted murder. It has not been confirmed if his arrest is connected to the stabbings.UAB Police and Public Safety are handling the investigation.This is a developing story and will be updated as information becomes available. ____The Associated Press contributed to this report.

    BIRMINGHAM, Ala. —

    Two University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) football players are recovering after being stabbed by another player on campus Saturday morning.

    It happened shortly after 10 a.m. at the Football Operations Center.

    Two people were stabbed, according to Birmingham Fire and Rescue, which responded to the scene. Their injuries did not appear to be life-threatening.

    Both victims were taken to UAB Hospital for treatment.

    UAB issued the following statement:

    “We’re grateful to report that two players injured in an incident this morning at the Football Operations Building are in stable condition. Our thoughts are with them and their families as they recover. The suspect – another player – remains in custody, and an investigation is taking place. The team elected to play today’s game. UAB’s top priority remains the safety and well-being of all of our students. Given patient privacy and the ongoing investigation, we have no further comment at this time.”

    The team elected to play the afternoon game at Protective Stadium in Birmingham, where 29 players were being honored on Senior Day.

    UAB player Daniel Israel Mincey was booked into the Jefferson County Jail on Saturday afternoon on charges of aggravated assault and attempted murder. It has not been confirmed if his arrest is connected to the stabbings.

    UAB Police and Public Safety are handling the investigation.

    This is a developing story and will be updated as information becomes available.

    ____

    The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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  • Deaths in ICE custody raise serious questions, lawmakers say

    Southern California lawmakers are demanding answers from U.S. Homeland Security officials following the deaths of two Orange County residents and nearly two dozen others while in federal immigration custody.

    In a letter Friday to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, U.S. Reps. Dave Min (D-Irvine) and Judy Chu (D-Pasadena) pointed to the deaths of 25 people so far this year while being held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The number of in-custody deaths has reached an annual record since the agency began keeping track in 2018.

    Two Mexican immigrants — who had long made their homes in Orange County and were sent to the Adelanto ICE Processing Center north of Hesperia — were among the deaths.

    “These are not just numbers on a website, but real people — with families, jobs, and hopes and dreams — each of whom died in ICE custody,” the lawmakers wrote. “The following cases illustrate systemic patterns of delayed treatment, neglect, and failure to properly notify families.”

    Ismael Ayala-Uribe, 39, died Sept. 22 about a month after being apprehended while working at the Fountain Valley Auto Wash, where he had worked for 15 years, according to a GoFundMe post by his family.

    He had lived in Westminster since he was 4 years old, and had previously been protected from deportation under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA. The Times previously reported that his application for continued protection was not renewed in 2016.

    Ayala-Uribe’s relatives and members of Congress have alleged that he was denied proper medical care after being taken into ICE custody in August. Adelanto detention staff members were aware of his medical crisis, according to internal emails obtained by The Times. But Ayala-Uribe initially was taken back to his Adelanto dorm room, where he waited for another three days before being moved to Victor Valley Global Medical Center in Victorville.

    ICE officials acknowledged that Ayala-Uribe died at the Victorville hospital while waiting for surgery for an abscess on his buttock. The suspected cause of the sore was not disclosed.

    Ayala-Uribe’s cause of death is under investigation, ICE has previously said.

    A second man — Gabriel Garcia-Aviles, 56, who lived near Costa Mesa — died Oct. 23, about a week after being detained.

    ICE said Garcia-Aviles was arrested Oct. 14 in Santa Ana by the U.S. Border Patrol for an outstanding warrant, and eventually sent to the Adelanto center. ICE said in a previous statement that he was only at the Adelanto facility for a few hours before he was taken to the Victorville hospital for “suspected alcohol withdrawal symptoms.”

    His condition rapidly worsened.

    The deaths have focused attention on the treatment of detained immigrants as well as long-standing concerns about medical care inside Adelanto, one of the largest federal immigration detention centers in California. The situation raises broader concerns about whether immigration detention centers throughout the country are equipped to care for the deluge of people rounded up since President Trump prioritized mass deportations as part of his second-term agenda.

    “These deaths raise serious questions about ICE’s ability to comply with basic detention standards, medical care protocols, and notification requirements, and underscore a pattern of gross negligence that demands immediate accountability,” Min and Chu wrote in the letter to Noem and Todd M. Lyons, the acting director of ICE.

    The letter was signed by 43 other lawmakers, including Reps. Robert Garcia (D-Long Beach), J. Luis Correa (D-Santa Ana), John Garamendi (D-Walnut Grove) and Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles).

    An ICE representative did not immediately respond to an email Saturday seeking comment.

    The lawmakers stressed the need to treat the immigrants with humanity.

    The lawmakers said Garcia-Aviles had lived in the U.S. for three decades. His family did not learn of his dire medical condition until “he was on his deathbed.” Family members drove to the hospital to find him “unconscious, intubated, and . . . [with] dried blood on his forehead” as well as “a cut on his tongue … broken teeth and bruising on his body.”

    “We never got the chance to speak to him anymore and [the family] never was called to let us know why he had been transferred to the hospital,” his daugher wrote on a GoFundMe page, seeking help to pay for his funeral costs. “His absence has left a hole in our hearts.”

    Meg James

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  • An L.A. man was detained in an immigration raid. No one knows where he is

    WASHINGTON — No one seems to know what happened to Vicente Ventura Aguilar.

    A witness told his brother and attorneys that the 44-year-old Mexican immigrant, who doesn’t have lawful immigration status, was taken into custody by immigration authorities on Oct. 7 in SouthLos Angeles and suffered a medical emergency.

    But it’s been more than six weeks since then, and Ventura Aguilar’s family still hasn’t heard from him.

    The Department of Homeland Security said 73 people from Mexico were arrested in the Los Angeles area between Oct. 7 and 8.

    “None of them were Ventura Aguilar,” said Tricia McLaughlin, the assistant Homeland Security public affairs secretary.

    “For the record, illegal aliens in detention have access to phones to contact family members and attorneys,” she added.

    McLaughlin did not answer questions about what the agency did to determine whether Ventura Aguilar had ever been in its custody, such as checking for anyone with the same date of birth, variations of his name, or identifying detainees who received medical attention near the California border around Oct. 8.

    Lindsay Toczylowski, co-founder of the Immigrant Defenders Law Center who is representing Ventura Aguilar’s family, said DHS never responded to her inquiries about him.

    The family of Vicente Ventura Aguilar, 44, says he has been missing since Oct. 7 when a friend saw him arrested by federal immigration agents in Los Angeles. Homeland Security officials say he was never in their custody.

    (Family of Vicente Ventura Aguilar)

    “There’s only one agency that has answers,” she said. “Their refusal to provide this family with answers, their refusal to provide his attorneys with answers, says something about the lack of care and the cruelty of the moment right now for DHS.”

    His family and lawyers checked with local hospitals and the Mexican consulate without success. They enlisted help from the office of Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Los Angeles), whose staff called the Los Angeles and San Diego county medical examiner’s offices. Neither had someone matching his name or description.

    The Los Angeles Police Department also told Kamlager-Dove’s office that he isn’t in their system. His brother, Felipe Aguilar, said the family filed a missing person’s report with LAPD on Nov. 7.

    “We’re sad and worried,” Felipe Aguilar said. “He’s my brother and we miss him here at home. He’s a very good person. We only hope to God that he’s alive.”

    Felipe Aguilar said his brother, who has lived in the U.S. for around 17 years, left home around 8:15 a.m. on Oct. 7 to catch the bus for an interview for a sanitation job when he ran into friends on the corner near a local liquor store. He had his phone but had left his wallet at home.

    One of those friends told Felipe Aguilar and his lawyers that he and Ventura Aguilar were detained by immigration agents and then held at B-18, a temporary holding facility at the federal building in downtown Los Angeles.

    The friend was deported the next day to Tijuana. He spoke to the family in a phone call from Mexico.

    Detainees at B-18 have limited access to phones and lawyers. Immigrants don’t usually turn up in the Immigration and Customs Enforcement online locator system until they’ve arrived at a long-term detention facility.

    According to Felipe Aguilar and Toczylowski, the friend said Ventura Aguilar began to shake, went unconscious and fell to the ground while shackled on Oct. 8 at a facility near the border. The impact caused his face to bleed.

    The friend said that facility staff called for an ambulance and moved the other detainees to a different room. Toczylowski said that was the last time anyone saw Ventura Aguilar.

    She said the rapid timeline between when Ventura Aguilar was arrested to when he disappeared is emblematic of what she views as a broad lack of due process for people in government custody under the Trump administration and shows that “we don’t know who’s being deported from the United States.”

    Felipe Aguilar said he called his brother’s cell phone after hearing about the arrests but it went straight to voicemail.

    Felipe Aguilar said that while his brother is generally healthy, he saw a cardiologist a couple years ago about chest pain. He was on prescribed medication and his condition had improved.

    His family and lawyers said Ventura Aguilar might have given immigration agents a fake name when he was arrested. Some detained people offer up a wrong name or alias, and that would explain why he never showed up in Homeland Security records. Toczylowski said federal agents sometimes misspell the name of the person they are booking into custody.

    The family of Vicente Ventura Aguilar, 44

    Vicente Ventura Aguilar, who has been missing since Oct. 7, had lived in the United States for 17 years, his family said.

    (Family of Vicente Ventura Aguilar)

    But she said the agency should make a significant attempt to search for him, such as by using biometric data or his photo.

    “To me, that’s another symptom of the chaos of the immigration enforcement system as it’s happening right now,” she said of the issues with accurately identifying detainees. “And it’s what happens when you are indiscriminately, racially profiling people and picking them up off the street and holding them in conditions that are substandard, and then deporting people without due process. Mistakes get made. Right now, what we want to know is what mistakes were made here, and where is Vicente now?”

    Surveillance footage from a nearby business reviewed by MS NOW shows Ventura Aguilar on the sidewalk five minutes before masked agents begin making arrests in South Los Angeles. The footage doesn’t show him being arrested, but two witnesses told the outlet that they saw agents handcuff Ventura Aguilar and place him in a van.

    In a letter sent to DHS leaders Friday, Kamlager-Dove asked what steps DHS has taken to determine whether anyone matching Ventura Aguilar’s identifiers was detained last month and whether the agency has documented any medical events or hospital transports involving people taken into custody around Oct. 7-8.

    “Given the length of time since Mr. Ventura Aguilar’s disappearance and the credible concern that he may have been misidentified, injured, or otherwise unaccounted for during the enforcement action, I urgently request that DHS and ICE conduct an immediate and comprehensive review” by Nov. 29, Kamlager-Dove wrote in her letter.

    Kamlager-Dove said her most common immigration requests from constituents are for help with visas and passports.

    “Never in all the years did I expect to get a call about someone who has completely disappeared off the face of the earth, and also never did I think that I would find myself not just calling ICE and Border Patrol but checking hospitals, checking with LAPD and checking morgues to find a constituent,” she said. “It’s horrifying and it’s completely dystopian.”

    She said families across Los Angeles deserve answers and need to know whether something similar could happen to them.

    “Who else is missing?” she said.

    Andrea Castillo

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  • 2025 Florida Classic Weekend in Central Florida

    2025 Florida Classic Weekend in Central Florida

    ARE STEPPING UP FOR THE FLORIDA CLASSIC. FROM THE BRASS TO ALL THE FANS IN THE STANDS, THIS EXCITEMENT RUNS WELL BEYOND THE FIELD AT CAMPING WORLD STADIUM. THIS YEAR MARKS THE 80TH MEETING BETWEEN THE FLORIDA A&M RATTLERS AND THE BETHUNE-COOKMAN WILDCATS. THE FLORIDA CLASSIC IS GOING TO BE A GOOD TIME. AND JOINING ME THIS MORNING TO TALK ABOUT THE RICH HISTORY OF THIS AND WHAT WE CAN EXPECT FROM THIS MILESTONE YEAR. WE HAVE TONY JENKINS FROM FLORIDA BLUE AND JUSTIN KINSEY, BOARD MEMBER FOR FLORIDA CITRUS SPORTS. GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING. THANK YOU. SUCH AN EXCITING TIME, TONY. LET’S TALK ABOUT, FOR THOSE WHO AREN’T FAMILIAR, WHAT IS THE FLORIDA CLASSIC? IT’S AN INSTITUTION NUMBER ONE. IT’S THE NUMBER ONE FUNDRAISER FOR BOTH OF THESE SCHOOLS FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR. MOST BOWL GAMES YOU HAVE MIDDLE INDIVIDUALS, PRODUCERS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN RECEIVING THE FUNDS. ALL OF THESE FUNDS GO BACK TO THE SCHOOLS. SO THAT’S ONE REASON WHY PEOPLE SHOULD ATTEND THIS. BECAUSE YOUR MONEY IS GOING BACK FOR SCHOLARSHIPS. SECONDLY, THIS IS THE BEST WEEKEND OF THE YEAR. YEAH, ALL THE ACTIVITIES SURROUNDING THE FOOTBALL GAME. THERE’S A BATTLE OF THE BANDS. THERE’S A BIG LUNCHEON. SO IT’S JUST A FESTIVE WEEKEND. SOME PEOPLE CALL IT A BIG FAMILY REUNION. IT ACTUALLY IS THE FOOD THAT’S OUT THERE. IT SMELLS GOOD. IT TASTES EVEN BETTER. THE ATMOSPHERE IS SO ELECTRIC. ABSOLUTELY. ALWAYS A GOOD TIME. WHAT MAKES CLASSIC WEEKEND SO SPECIAL? JUSTIN, ALL THESE YEARS LATER, I THINK IT’S JUST WHAT TONY SAID. IT BEING A FAMILY REUNION. SO BEING IN THE CENTER OF THE STATE, YOU HAVE PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE STATE OF FLORIDA THAT HAVE ATTENDED BOTH FAMU OR BETHUNE-COOKMAN. YOU HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS THAT HAVE ATTENDED AND EVERYONE MEETS RIGHT HERE IN THE MIDDLE, AND THEY JUST GO ALL AROUND THE STADIUM. YOU HAVE A WILD ELECTRIC ATMOSPHERE, AND THAT’S WHAT MAKES IT SPECIAL. JUST THE PEOPLE COMING BACK TO BE WITH EACH OTHER, THE COMMUNE, EVERY YEAR. IT SURE DOES. I REMEMBER BEING A LITTLE GIRL WATCHING MY COUSINS COME DOWN FROM TALLAHASSEE FOR THE CLASSIC STAYING WITH US, AND I WOULD JUST WATCH THEM IN AWE, GET READY FOR ALL THE EVENTS AND ALL THE FUN THINGS THAT COME ALONG WITH CLASSIC WEEKEND. SPEAKING OF THE EVENTS, TONY, THERE’S SOMETHING NEW THIS YEAR. THERE’S A GOLF TOURNAMENT WHICH IS TEEING OFF RIGHT NOW. YES. WHAT CAN PEOPLE EXPECT WITH THIS NEW ADDITION AND THE REST OF THE EVENTS THIS WEEKEND? I’M EXCITED THAT THE ORGANIZERS FLORIDA, CITRA SPORTS, THE TWO SCHOOLS. WE’RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO ADD NEW INGREDIENTS AND NEW PROJECTS WITH THE GAME. THIS GOLF TOURNAMENT IS BRAND NEW. IT’S OUR INAUGURAL GOLF TOURNAMENT AT EAGLE CREEK, AND WE’VE GOT OVER 20 TEAMS THAT HAVE BEEN A PART OF IT THIS YEAR, SO I’M EXCITED THAT WE’RE ADDING THIS NEW COMPONENT TO THE FLORIDA CLASSIC. YEAH, IT’S GOING TO BE A LOT OF FUN. AND JUSTIN JUST PUT INTO PERSPECTIVE. WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE IMPACT, BUT THIS REALLY AFFECTS NOT JUST THE SCHOOLS BUT CENTRAL FLORIDA AND BEYOND. BEYOND ESPECIALLY THE COMMUNITIES OF WEST LAKES, LAKE LORNA DOONE, THE ROCK ROCK LAKE COMMUNITIES, LAKE SUNSET. WE HAVE OVER 70 TO 80 VENDORS THAT ARE LOADING IN RIGHT NOW. AND THE FISCAL IMPACT FOR THE SMALL BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURS ARE ABOUT 500 TO $750,000 PER YEAR. SO THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS FROM IT. OBVIOUSLY, THE THE HOTELS, THE AIRPORT TRAVEL, ALL OF THE EVENTS HAPPENING AROUND HERE. THERE ARE A LOT OF FREE EVENTS HAPPENING THAT MAKE THAT ATMOSPHERE ELECTRIC, LIKE IN LORNA DOONE PARK. WE HAVE THE YARD WHERE WE SEEK TO CREATE THE HBCU CAMPUS ATMOSPHERE. YOU HAVE THE DIVINE NINE OUT THERE. YOU HAVE THE VENDORS, YOU HAVE THE FAN FEST GOING ON THE FLORIDA BLUE FLORIDA CLASSIC FAN FEST, AND IT’S JUST AN AMAZING TIME. ALWAYS, ALWAYS STOP BY THE RV LOT IF YOU GET A CHANCE. OH, CERTAINLY. SO. AND I’LL BE OUT THERE WITH MY SOURCE FOR DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY INCORPORATED REALLY QUICKLY. BEFORE WE GO, WHERE CAN PEOPLE LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FLORIDA CLASSIC? GO TO OUR WEBSITE, FLORIDA CLASSIC DOT. THERE’S NEWS OUT THERE. PEOPLE CAN FIND OUT ABOUT THE GAME, ABOUT THE EVENTS, SIGNING UP FOR THE GAME. SO THAT’S INCREDIBLE. AND OF COURSE WE’LL POST ALL OF THIS ON OUR WEBSITE WESH.COM. AND EVEN THOUGH IT IS A FRIENDLY RIVALRY, I’M WEARING ORANGE FOR A REASON.

    The 2025 Florida Classic Weekend is underway in Central Florida.The lineup of events celebrating the 45th annual matchup between Florida A&M University and Bethune-Cookman University will run Thursday, Nov. 20, through Saturday, Nov. 22.Leaders from Florida Blue and Florida Citrus Sports join WESH 2 to discuss the rich history, impact, and events in Orlando.Event RundownInaugural Florida Classic Golf Tournament Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025, 7 a.m.Eagle Creek Golf ClubFlorida Classic Consortium Kickoff Friday, Nov. 21, 2025, 11:30 a.m.Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress ResortFlorida Blue Battle of the Bands Friday, Nov 21, 2025, 7 p.m.Kia CenterFlorida Classic Fan FestSaturday, Nov. 22, 2025 (pre-game)Tinker Field Florida Blue Florida ClassicSaturday, Nov. 22, 2025, 3:30 p.m.Camping World StadiumClick here to learn more.

    ORLANDO, Fla. —

    The 2025 Florida Classic Weekend is underway in Central Florida.

    The lineup of events celebrating the 45th annual matchup between Florida A&M University and Bethune-Cookman University will run Thursday, Nov. 20, through Saturday, Nov. 22.

    Leaders from Florida Blue and Florida Citrus Sports join WESH 2 to discuss the rich history, impact, and events in Orlando.

    Event Rundown

    Inaugural Florida Classic Golf Tournament

    Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025, 7 a.m.

    Eagle Creek Golf Club

    Florida Classic Consortium Kickoff

    Friday, Nov. 21, 2025, 11:30 a.m.

    Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort

    Florida Blue Battle of the Bands

    Friday, Nov 21, 2025, 7 p.m.

    Kia Center

    Florida Classic Fan Fest

    Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025 (pre-game)

    Tinker Field

    Florida Blue Florida Classic

    Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025, 3:30 p.m.

    Camping World Stadium

    Click here to learn more.

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  • Hundreds of families wait in line for Thanksgiving food giveaway in Winter Park

    A LOT OF PEOPLE IN CENTRAL FLORIDA NEED HELP PUTTING FOOD ON THE TABLE, AND THIS LINE OF CARS WAITING FOR A THANKSGIVING MEAL IS PART OF THE PROOF. THIS EVENT WAS PUT ON BY THE HISPANIC AMERICAN ALLIANCE GROUP IN WINTER PARK AND WESH TWO MICHELLE MEREDITH REPORTS. SOME PEOPLE GOT IN LINE LAST NIGHT. THERE WAS MUSIC, PEOPLE DANCING, FRUIT CRATES THAT WERE CREATIVELY TURNED INTO SUN HATS. IT LOOKED LIKE A PARTY. BUT TAKE A CLOSER LOOK. AND THERE WAS FOOD BEING STUFFED INTO CARS THAT PULLED UP ONE AFTER ANOTHER IN A LINE THAT SEEMED NEVER ENDING BECAUSE THIS WAS BETTER THAN A PARTY. IT WAS A FOOD GIVEAWAY PUT ON BY THE HISPANIC AMERICAN ALLIANCE GROUP, AND THE JOINT WAS JUMPING. THEY TELL US THEY STARTED THIS FOOD GIVEAWAY DURING THE PANDEMIC, AND 75 FAMILIES SHOWED UP. AND SINCE THAT TIME IT HAS JUST EXPLODED BECAUSE OF THE NEED. THE FOOD WAS SUPPLIED BY SECOND HARVEST AND WINN-DIXIE, BOTH CONTRIBUTING A TOTAL OF 56,000 POUNDS OF IT. WITH WINN-DIXIE PITCHING IN 500 TURKEYS. I’VE BEEN AMAZED TODAY WITH THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE I MEAN, IT’S 500 THAT WE’VE WE’VE SIGNED UP TO BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF. PEOPLE HAVE BEEN LINED UP HERE SINCE LAST NIGHT, AND THAT’S A BIG DEAL. AND EVEN THIS MORNING, COMING IN AT 630, THEY WERE LINED UP DOWN THE STREET A COUPLE OF MILES, AND FROM CHOPPER TWO WE COULD SEE THE LINE GOT OUR ATTENTION AND THE ATTENTION OF THE FOLKS WHO WAITED HOURS TO GET A CHANCE AT A FIRST CLASS THANKSGIVING DINNER. I CAN EAT DINNER FOR THIS BECAUSE IT’S TOO MUCH. IT’S SAD BECAUSE PEOPLE IS NEEDED, BUT IT’S HAPPINESS THAT WE CAN HELP THEM. SO THAT IS A IS A JOINT OF DIFFERENT EMOTIONS AT THE SAME TIME. HAPPINESS THAT ON THIS DAY SEEMED TO PUT A SMILE ON EVERYONE’S FACE. COVERING ORANGE COUNTY AND WINTER PARK MICHELLE MEREDITH WESH TWO NEWS. RIGHT NOW YOU CAN HELP GET FOOD TO STRUGGLING NEIGHBORS. WESH TWO NEWS. SHARE YOUR CHRISTMAS FOOD AND FUND DRIVE BENEFITS. SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK. IF YOU’RE ABLE TO, WE HOPE YOU’LL HELP BY GIVING ONLINE OR STARTING A FOOD DRIVE. ALL PROCEEDS WILL BENEFIT OUR NEIGHBORS WHO NEED IT MOST. ALL OF THE DETAILS ARE ON THE SHARE

    Hundreds of families wait in line for Thanksgiving food giveaway in Winter Park

    Updated: 11:29 PM EST Nov 20, 2025

    Editorial Standards ⓘ

    A Thanksgiving food giveaway organized by the Hispanic American Alliance Group in Winter Park provided meals to hundreds of families, with some arriving the night before to secure their spot in line.The event featured music, dancing, and creatively repurposed fruit crates as sunhats, creating a festive atmosphere as cars lined up to receive food. The giveaway, which began during the pandemic, has grown significantly due to increasing demand.The food was supplied by Second Harvest and Winn-Dixie, contributing a total of 56,000 pounds of food, including 500 turkeys.”I’ve been amazed with the amount of people,” said Shawn Sloan from Winn-Dixie. “It was 500 the amount of people we signed up to take care of, and people have been here since last night, and even coming in at 6:30, there were people lined up down the street a couple of miles.”From Chopper 2, the line of cars waiting for food stretched for miles, capturing the attention of those waiting for hours to receive a Thanksgiving dinner. “I can eat dinner.. for this…it’s too much,” said Matilde Canela, who picked up food at the event.Lorena Ortega from the Hispanic American Alliance Group expressed mixed emotions about the event. “It’s sad because people are needing but it’s happiness that we can help them, so it’s a joint emotion as the same time,” she said.The event brought smiles to many faces, highlighting the community’s spirit of giving and support during the holiday season.

    WINTER PARK, Fla. —

    A Thanksgiving food giveaway organized by the Hispanic American Alliance Group in Winter Park provided meals to hundreds of families, with some arriving the night before to secure their spot in line.

    The event featured music, dancing, and creatively repurposed fruit crates as sunhats, creating a festive atmosphere as cars lined up to receive food. The giveaway, which began during the pandemic, has grown significantly due to increasing demand.

    The food was supplied by Second Harvest and Winn-Dixie, contributing a total of 56,000 pounds of food, including 500 turkeys.

    “I’ve been amazed with the amount of people,” said Shawn Sloan from Winn-Dixie. “It was 500 the amount of people we signed up to take care of, and people have been here since last night, and even coming in at 6:30, there were people lined up down the street a couple of miles.”

    From Chopper 2, the line of cars waiting for food stretched for miles, capturing the attention of those waiting for hours to receive a Thanksgiving dinner. “I can eat dinner.. for this…it’s too much,” said Matilde Canela, who picked up food at the event.

    Lorena Ortega from the Hispanic American Alliance Group expressed mixed emotions about the event. “It’s sad because people are needing but it’s happiness that we can help them, so it’s a joint emotion as the same time,” she said.

    The event brought smiles to many faces, highlighting the community’s spirit of giving and support during the holiday season.

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  • House explosion caused by child turning on lamp during a gas leak, neighbor says

    A massive explosion that destroyed a home in Chino Hills over the weekend was sparked by someone turning on a lamp while the house was filled with gas, according to a neighbor.

    On Sunday at around 3:44 p.m., the Chino Valley Fire District responded to an explosion in the 4200 block of Sierra Vista Drive in Chino Hills, according to a Fire District news release. The home exploded because of a gas leak, but the source of the leak was not found, officials said.

    According to a GoFundMe fundraiser reportedly started by a neighbor, the family had “just returned home and one of the children turned on a lamp,” sparking the blast. The explosion “blew out windows and launched the home’s garage door across the street into a neighbor’s yard,” according to the neighbor.

    Firefighters arrived to find a home in shambles, with walls collapsed, windows blown out and parts still aflame. Five neighboring homes were damaged and eight people were taken to the hospital with injuries, officials said.

    Eight people are recovering in the hospital after a suspected gas leak caused an explosion at a Chino Hills home.

    (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

    According to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, nine people were inside the house, including six children between 6 and 15 years old.

    About 16 neighboring homes were temporarily evacuated while SoCalGas shut down gas to the area, according to the Fire District. The gas leak was stopped at 10:45 p.m. and residents were allowed to return to their homes 15 minutes later.

    Sierra Vista Drive was closed for about seven hours between Del Norte and Descanso avenues while officials responded to the incident, according to the release.

    Several of the victims have second- and third-degree burns and at least two people have been intubated, according to the GoFundMe.

    The GoFundMe will raise funds to help the family to find a new home and house their pets, according to the website.

    Summer Lin

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  • Off-duty pilot who tried to cut a flight’s engines midair won’t serve prison time, judge rules

    A federal judge on Monday ruled there would be no prison time for a former Alaska Airlines pilot who had taken psychedelic mushrooms days before he tried to cut the engines of a passenger flight in 2023 while riding off-duty in the cockpit.U.S. District Court Judge Amy Baggio in Portland, Oregon, sentenced Joseph Emerson to time served and three years’ supervised release, ending a case that drew attention to the need for cockpit safety and more mental health support for pilots.Federal prosecutors wanted a year in prison, while his attorneys sought probation.“Pilots are not perfect. They are human,” Baggio said. “They are people and all people need help sometimes.”Emerson hugged his attorneys and tearfully embraced his wife after he was sentenced.Emerson was subdued by the flight crew after trying to cut the engines of a Horizon Air flight from Everett, Washington, to San Francisco on Oct. 22, 2023, while he was riding in an extra seat in the cockpit. The plane was diverted and landed in Portland with more than 80 people.Emerson told police he was despondent over a friend’s recent death, had taken psychedelic mushrooms about two days earlier, and hadn’t slept in over 40 hours. He has said he believed he was dreaming and was trying to wake up by grabbing two red handles that would have activated the fire suppression system and cut fuel to the engines.He spent 46 days in jail and was released pending trial in December 2023, with requirements that he undergo mental health services, stay off drugs and alcohol, and keep away from aircraft.Attorney Ethan Levi described his client’s actions as “a product of untreated alcohol use disorder.” Emerson had been drinking and accepted mushrooms “because of his lower inhibitions,” Levi said.Emerson went to treatment after jail and has been sober since, he added.Baggio said the case is a cautionary tale. Before she sentenced him, Emerson said he regretted the harm he caused.“I’m not a victim. I am here as a direct result of my actions,” he told the court. “I can tell you that this very tragic event has forced me to grow as an individual.”Loved ones and pilots addressed the judgeEmerson’s wife, Sarah Stretch, was among those who spoke on his behalf at the hearing.“I am so sorry for those that it’s impacted as much as it has. But I am extremely proud to be here with this man today, because the growth that he has had from this terrible experience has not only helped him, but benefited all that surround him,” she said through tears.One of the pilots of the 2023 Horizon Air flight, Alan Koziol, said he didn’t think Emerson was acting with malice and that he seemed “more like a trapped animal than a man in control of his faculties.” Koziol said that while pilots bear “immense responsibility,” he also wanted to see the aviation industry become more open to allowing pilots to seek mental health care.Lyle Prouse, sentenced to 16 months in prison for flying an airliner under the influence of alcohol in 1990, told the judge via videoconference that Emerson was “solidly engaged” in recovering. Prouse said he got sober and was eventually reinstated by the airline and retired as a 747 captain. He was pardoned by then-President Bill Clinton.“I know Joe like nobody else in this courtroom knows Joe on that level,” he said.Geoffrey Barrow, assistant U.S. attorney in the district of Oregon, said Emerson’s actions were serious and that the crew “saved the day by intervening.”“There were 84 people on that plane who could have lost their lives,” he said.Alison Snyder told the court via phone that it was a traumatic experience for her and her husband as passengers.“Because of Joseph Emerson’s actions that day, we will never feel as safe flying as we once did,” she said.Emerson was already sentenced in state caseEmerson, of Pleasant Hill, California, had pleaded guilty or no-contest to all charges in September as part of agreements with prosecutors.He was charged in federal court with interfering with a flight crew. A state indictment in Oregon separately charged him with 83 counts of endangering another person and one count of endangering an aircraft.A state court sentenced him to 50 days in jail, with credit for time served, plus five years of probation, 664 hours of community service — half of which he can serve at his own pilot health nonprofit — and over $60,000 in restitution, nearly all of it to Alaska Air Group. His sentence included rules over drugs, alcohol and mental health treatment, as well as avoiding aircraft.His attorneys argued before federal sentencing that the “robust” state prosecution “resulted in substantial punishment.”Emerson told a state court in September he was grateful the crew restrained him. He said being forced to confront his mental health and alcohol dependence was the greatest gift he ever received.

    PORTLAND, Ore. —

    A federal judge on Monday ruled there would be no prison time for a former Alaska Airlines pilot who had taken psychedelic mushrooms days before he tried to cut the engines of a passenger flight in 2023 while riding off-duty in the cockpit.

    U.S. District Court Judge Amy Baggio in Portland, Oregon, sentenced Joseph Emerson to time served and three years’ supervised release, ending a case that drew attention to the need for cockpit safety and more mental health support for pilots.

    Federal prosecutors wanted a year in prison, while his attorneys sought probation.

    “Pilots are not perfect. They are human,” Baggio said. “They are people and all people need help sometimes.”

    Emerson hugged his attorneys and tearfully embraced his wife after he was sentenced.

    Emerson was subdued by the flight crew after trying to cut the engines of a Horizon Air flight from Everett, Washington, to San Francisco on Oct. 22, 2023, while he was riding in an extra seat in the cockpit. The plane was diverted and landed in Portland with more than 80 people.

    Emerson told police he was despondent over a friend’s recent death, had taken psychedelic mushrooms about two days earlier, and hadn’t slept in over 40 hours. He has said he believed he was dreaming and was trying to wake up by grabbing two red handles that would have activated the fire suppression system and cut fuel to the engines.

    He spent 46 days in jail and was released pending trial in December 2023, with requirements that he undergo mental health services, stay off drugs and alcohol, and keep away from aircraft.

    Attorney Ethan Levi described his client’s actions as “a product of untreated alcohol use disorder.” Emerson had been drinking and accepted mushrooms “because of his lower inhibitions,” Levi said.

    Emerson went to treatment after jail and has been sober since, he added.

    Baggio said the case is a cautionary tale. Before she sentenced him, Emerson said he regretted the harm he caused.

    “I’m not a victim. I am here as a direct result of my actions,” he told the court. “I can tell you that this very tragic event has forced me to grow as an individual.”

    Loved ones and pilots addressed the judge

    Emerson’s wife, Sarah Stretch, was among those who spoke on his behalf at the hearing.

    “I am so sorry for those that it’s impacted as much as it has. But I am extremely proud to be here with this man today, because the growth that he has had from this terrible experience has not only helped him, but benefited all that surround him,” she said through tears.

    One of the pilots of the 2023 Horizon Air flight, Alan Koziol, said he didn’t think Emerson was acting with malice and that he seemed “more like a trapped animal than a man in control of his faculties.” Koziol said that while pilots bear “immense responsibility,” he also wanted to see the aviation industry become more open to allowing pilots to seek mental health care.

    Lyle Prouse, sentenced to 16 months in prison for flying an airliner under the influence of alcohol in 1990, told the judge via videoconference that Emerson was “solidly engaged” in recovering. Prouse said he got sober and was eventually reinstated by the airline and retired as a 747 captain. He was pardoned by then-President Bill Clinton.

    “I know Joe like nobody else in this courtroom knows Joe on that level,” he said.

    Geoffrey Barrow, assistant U.S. attorney in the district of Oregon, said Emerson’s actions were serious and that the crew “saved the day by intervening.”

    “There were 84 people on that plane who could have lost their lives,” he said.

    Alison Snyder told the court via phone that it was a traumatic experience for her and her husband as passengers.

    “Because of Joseph Emerson’s actions that day, we will never feel as safe flying as we once did,” she said.

    Emerson was already sentenced in state case

    Emerson, of Pleasant Hill, California, had pleaded guilty or no-contest to all charges in September as part of agreements with prosecutors.

    He was charged in federal court with interfering with a flight crew. A state indictment in Oregon separately charged him with 83 counts of endangering another person and one count of endangering an aircraft.

    A state court sentenced him to 50 days in jail, with credit for time served, plus five years of probation, 664 hours of community service — half of which he can serve at his own pilot health nonprofit — and over $60,000 in restitution, nearly all of it to Alaska Air Group. His sentence included rules over drugs, alcohol and mental health treatment, as well as avoiding aircraft.

    His attorneys argued before federal sentencing that the “robust” state prosecution “resulted in substantial punishment.”

    Emerson told a state court in September he was grateful the crew restrained him. He said being forced to confront his mental health and alcohol dependence was the greatest gift he ever received.

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  • Police warn of dangerous TikTok ‘door-kicking’ challenge

    Police in Pennsylvania are warning residents about a viral TikTok challenge where kids record themselves kicking in the front doors of people’s homes. Similar instances of door-kicking have been reported in other states.In Pennsylvania, Multiple police departments in the Susquehanna Valley have reported these incidents. The Lower Swatara Township Police Department said officers responded to a report of disorderly juveniles just before 3 a.m. on Sunday. Police reviewed video camera footage, which showed one juvenile kicking in a front door while recording on her phone before running off with two other juveniles. Watch: Ring camera footage of the incident Officers walked through the neighborhood and spoke to several residents who said the same incident had happened to them. Anyone who recognizes the individuals in this video is asked to contact Lower Swatara Township police. Police said this incident is likely related to a viral TikTok trend where kids are kicking in the front doors of people’s homes, warning that this challenge is very dangerous. Adams County Crime Stoppers reported a similar “door-kicking” incident where a male kicked the front door of a home in McSherrystown Borough, Pennsylvania, multiple times the night of Halloween, Oct. 31. Authorities said the male fled with two other individuals after causing damage to the door. Police released a photo of the male suspect. KCRA reports that police in the Sacramento, California, area have warned residents of an uptick in cases of kids kicking the front doors of strangers’ homes. In Baltimore, WBAL reported that two teenagers were arrested while carrying out the trend in July.In September, a “ding-dong ditch” prank in Houston, Texas, resulted in the death of an 11-year-old boy when the homeowner exited the house and shot him.Anyone who experiences similar activity at their home is advised to call the police immediately.

    Police in Pennsylvania are warning residents about a viral TikTok challenge where kids record themselves kicking in the front doors of people’s homes.

    Similar instances of door-kicking have been reported in other states.

    In Pennsylvania, Multiple police departments in the Susquehanna Valley have reported these incidents.

    The Lower Swatara Township Police Department said officers responded to a report of disorderly juveniles just before 3 a.m. on Sunday.

    Police reviewed video camera footage, which showed one juvenile kicking in a front door while recording on her phone before running off with two other juveniles.

    Watch: Ring camera footage of the incident

    Officers walked through the neighborhood and spoke to several residents who said the same incident had happened to them. Anyone who recognizes the individuals in this video is asked to contact Lower Swatara Township police.

    Police said this incident is likely related to a viral TikTok trend where kids are kicking in the front doors of people’s homes, warning that this challenge is very dangerous.

    Adams County Crime Stoppers reported a similar “door-kicking” incident where a male kicked the front door of a home in McSherrystown Borough, Pennsylvania, multiple times the night of Halloween, Oct. 31.

    Authorities said the male fled with two other individuals after causing damage to the door. Police released a photo of the male suspect.

    KCRA reports that police in the Sacramento, California, area have warned residents of an uptick in cases of kids kicking the front doors of strangers’ homes.

    In Baltimore, WBAL reported that two teenagers were arrested while carrying out the trend in July.

    In September, a “ding-dong ditch” prank in Houston, Texas, resulted in the death of an 11-year-old boy when the homeowner exited the house and shot him.

    Anyone who experiences similar activity at their home is advised to call the police immediately.

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  • Watch: First trailer for ‘Moana’ live-action remake released

    I am Loves my island. the It calls me

    Watch: First trailer for ‘Moana’ live-action remake released

    Updated: 4:39 PM PST Nov 17, 2025

    Editorial Standards ⓘ

    Disney has released the first trailer for its live-action remake of “Moana,” starring Catherine Lagaʻaia as Moana and Dwayne Johnson. Based on the animated version, the live-action version (also titled “Moana”) was announced in 2023 and is slated for release on July 10, 2026. Disney has now released the first trailer for the remake, which follows the same story as the animation, giving fans a first look at the island and people of Motunui.In April 2023, Dwayne Johnson announced that he would be returning as his character, Maui, from the animated original.“Deeply humbled to announce we’re bringing the beautiful story of MOANA to the live action big screen!” he wrote along with a video of him and his two younger daughters, Jasmine and Tiana, at the beach in O‘ahu. “This story is my culture, and this story is emblematic of our people’s grace, mana and warrior strength. I wear our culture proudly on my skin and in my soul, and this once in a lifetime opportunity to reunite with MAUI, inspired by the spirit of my late grandfather, High Chief Peter Maivia, is one that runs very deep for me. We’re honored to partner with @DisneyStudios to tell our story through the realm of music and dance, which at the core is who we are as Polynesian people. Much more to come, but until then What can I saaaaaay except…You’re welcome.”Also featured in the new trailer is Lagaʻaia as Moana, as well as Johnson as the shapeshifting demigod Maui, who can only be seen from behind as he takes on the form of an eagle.Per the trailer, the movie will feature songs from Lin-Manuel Miranda’s original soundtrack, including “I Am Moana”, which Lagaʻaia sings throughout the teaser.Released in 2016, the original Disney Animation Studios film followed the titular character, voiced by Auli’i Cravalho. Moana attempted to restore the heart of the goddess Te Fiti, with the help of demigod Maui.”Moana,” the live-action remake, will release in theaters on July 10, 2026.

    Disney has released the first trailer for its live-action remake of “Moana,” starring Catherine Lagaʻaia as Moana and Dwayne Johnson.

    Based on the animated version, the live-action version (also titled “Moana”) was announced in 2023 and is slated for release on July 10, 2026. Disney has now released the first trailer for the remake, which follows the same story as the animation, giving fans a first look at the island and people of Motunui.

    In April 2023, Dwayne Johnson announced that he would be returning as his character, Maui, from the animated original.

    “Deeply humbled to announce we’re bringing the beautiful story of MOANA to the live action big screen!” he wrote along with a video of him and his two younger daughters, Jasmine and Tiana, at the beach in O‘ahu. “This story is my culture, and this story is emblematic of our people’s grace, mana and warrior strength. I wear our culture proudly on my skin and in my soul, and this once in a lifetime opportunity to reunite with MAUI, inspired by the spirit of my late grandfather, High Chief Peter Maivia, is one that runs very deep for me. We’re honored to partner with @DisneyStudios to tell our story through the realm of music and dance, which at the core is who we are as Polynesian people. Much more to come, but until then What can I saaaaaay except…You’re welcome.”

    Also featured in the new trailer is Lagaʻaia as Moana, as well as Johnson as the shapeshifting demigod Maui, who can only be seen from behind as he takes on the form of an eagle.

    Per the trailer, the movie will feature songs from Lin-Manuel Miranda’s original soundtrack, including “I Am Moana”, which Lagaʻaia sings throughout the teaser.

    Released in 2016, the original Disney Animation Studios film followed the titular character, voiced by Auli’i Cravalho. Moana attempted to restore the heart of the goddess Te Fiti, with the help of demigod Maui.

    “Moana,” the live-action remake, will release in theaters on July 10, 2026.

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  • Influencer-fueled protein trends are reshaping everyday snacks and weight goals

    New diets come and go often, but every now and then, some stick around. The latest: protein. Everyone seems to be looking for more ways to add it to their diet.From coffee shops to grocery stores, you couldn’t miss the promotion of protein even if you tried. But how much do you need? Doctors and nutritionists say it’s less than what social media might lead consumers to believe. Prioritizing protein isn’t new, but the number of people doing so is.”Things tend to go to an extreme at first,” said Kim Flannery, director of nutrition at the Wisconsin Athletic Club. “And I think that’s kind of where we are right now.”It’s everywhere, from social media influencers and now in coffee shops.For the first time, Starbucks added protein to its menu of drinks, even allowing customers to add it to their cold foam on top of their coffee.The trend has continued at the grocery store, too.Emilie Williamson with Metro Market said she’s seen a substantial increase in protein-filled snacks. “A big goal of ours is to meet shoppers where they’re at,” Williamson said.Walking down the aisle of your local grocery store, you will quickly find protein in many everyday snacks, like muffins, cereal, pretzels, chips, and even protein pastries.Dr. Lisa Morselli, assistant professor in the division of endocrinology at Froedtert Hospital in Wisconsin, said this is where she gets worried about the quality of the product.”These are all foods that are pretty processed,” Morselli said. “The protein snack marketing probably gives people license to snack without really paying attention to what they put in their mouth.”Morselli believes the trend has been influenced by social media.Morselli said those on GLP-1 weight loss medications need more protein in their diet for muscle gain.Separately, those looking to lose weight can find success in protein, too, according to Dr. Morselli.”Protein is involved in the control of hunger,” Morselli said.Morselli explains that protein-rich foods can make you feel full longer.Protein can also be great for balancing blood sugar levels. But for muscle gain or weight loss, protein isn’t a magic pill, either.”It’s not that if you take a higher protein, or if you have a higher protein intake, it will magically protect your muscles; you still need to exercise them,” Morselli said.Flannery said when talking to nutrition clients, she hopes to emphasize that protein is just one piece of the pie. “People tend to focus so much on the protein that they tend to lose the balance,” Flannery said.Flannery worries the trend of sharing personal protein goals could be going too far.”One number does not by any means apply to everyone,” Flannery said.Flannery said personal protein goals are different for everyone, with age, sex and activity levels all taken into consideration.According to the recommended dietary allowance, when calculating protein goals, the person should take .36 grams of protein per pound of body weight.For example, if the person weighs 150 pounds, a modest protein goal would be around 54 grams of protein.Arguably more importantly than any goal is the quality of protein the person is consuming.”A lot of the health problems that we have are due to the, all the processed foods,” Flannery reminds.A New York Times investigation in October found many popular protein powders and shakes contain dangerous levels of lead.Flannery said this is what worries her about the rise in protein snacks.”We’re just adding protein to junk food,” Flannery said.Flannery recommends getting protein from real foods like beans, tofu, meat, fish, and in some cases, pasta that can be healthy, too.”My opinion is that it’s better to eat real food and get your protein from real food,” Morselli agreed.

    New diets come and go often, but every now and then, some stick around. The latest: protein. Everyone seems to be looking for more ways to add it to their diet.

    From coffee shops to grocery stores, you couldn’t miss the promotion of protein even if you tried. But how much do you need?

    Doctors and nutritionists say it’s less than what social media might lead consumers to believe.

    Prioritizing protein isn’t new, but the number of people doing so is.

    “Things tend to go to an extreme at first,” said Kim Flannery, director of nutrition at the Wisconsin Athletic Club. “And I think that’s kind of where we are right now.”

    It’s everywhere, from social media influencers and now in coffee shops.

    For the first time, Starbucks added protein to its menu of drinks, even allowing customers to add it to their cold foam on top of their coffee.

    The trend has continued at the grocery store, too.

    Emilie Williamson with Metro Market said she’s seen a substantial increase in protein-filled snacks.

    “A big goal of ours is to meet shoppers where they’re at,” Williamson said.

    Walking down the aisle of your local grocery store, you will quickly find protein in many everyday snacks, like muffins, cereal, pretzels, chips, and even protein pastries.

    Dr. Lisa Morselli, assistant professor in the division of endocrinology at Froedtert Hospital in Wisconsin, said this is where she gets worried about the quality of the product.

    “These are all foods that are pretty processed,” Morselli said. “The protein snack marketing probably gives people license to snack without really paying attention to what they put in their mouth.”

    Morselli believes the trend has been influenced by social media.

    Morselli said those on GLP-1 weight loss medications need more protein in their diet for muscle gain.

    Separately, those looking to lose weight can find success in protein, too, according to Dr. Morselli.

    “Protein is involved in the control of hunger,” Morselli said.

    Morselli explains that protein-rich foods can make you feel full longer.

    Protein can also be great for balancing blood sugar levels. But for muscle gain or weight loss, protein isn’t a magic pill, either.

    “It’s not that if you take a higher protein, or if you have a higher protein intake, it will magically protect your muscles; you still need to exercise them,” Morselli said.

    Flannery said when talking to nutrition clients, she hopes to emphasize that protein is just one piece of the pie.

    “People tend to focus so much on the protein that they tend to lose the balance,” Flannery said.

    Flannery worries the trend of sharing personal protein goals could be going too far.

    “One number does not by any means apply to everyone,” Flannery said.

    Flannery said personal protein goals are different for everyone, with age, sex and activity levels all taken into consideration.

    According to the recommended dietary allowance, when calculating protein goals, the person should take .36 grams of protein per pound of body weight.

    For example, if the person weighs 150 pounds, a modest protein goal would be around 54 grams of protein.

    Arguably more importantly than any goal is the quality of protein the person is consuming.

    “A lot of the health problems that we have are due to the, all the processed foods,” Flannery reminds.

    A New York Times investigation in October found many popular protein powders and shakes contain dangerous levels of lead.

    Flannery said this is what worries her about the rise in protein snacks.

    “We’re just adding protein to junk food,” Flannery said.

    Flannery recommends getting protein from real foods like beans, tofu, meat, fish, and in some cases, pasta that can be healthy, too.

    “My opinion is that it’s better to eat real food and get your protein from real food,” Morselli agreed.

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  • Commentary: Front-runner or flash in the pan? Sizing up Newsom, 2028

    The 2028 presidential election is more than 1,000 days away, but you’d hardly know it from all the speculation and anticipation that’s swirling from Sacramento to the Washington Beltway.

    Standing at the center of attention is California Gov. Gavin Newsom, fresh off his big victory on Proposition 50, the backatcha ballot measure that gerrymandered the state’s congressional map to boost Democrats and offset a power grab by Texas Republicans.

    Newsom is bidding for the White House, and has been doing so for the better part of a year, though he won’t say so out loud. Is Newsom the Democratic front-runner or a mere flash in the pan?

    Times columnists Anita Chabria and Mark Z. Barabak disagree on Newsom’s presidential prospects, and more. Here the two hash out some of their differences.

    Barabak: So is the presidential race over, Anita? Should I just spend the next few years backpacking and snowboarding in the Sierra and return in January 2029 to watch Newsom iterate, meet the moment and, with intentionality, be sworn in as our nation’s 48th president?

    Chabria: You should definitely spend as much time in the Sierra as possible, but I have no idea if Newsom will be elected president in 2028 or not. That’s about a million light-years away in political terms. But I think he has a shot, and is the front-runner for the nomination right now. He’s set himself up as the quick-to-punch foil to President Trump, and increasingly as the leader of the Democratic Party. Last week, he visited Brazil for a climate summit that Trump ghosted, making Newsom the American presence.

    And in a recent (albeit small) poll, in a hypothetical race against JD Vance, the current Republican favorite, Newsom lead by three points. Though, unexpectedly, respondents still picked Kamala Harris as their choice for the nomination.

    To me, that shows he’s popular across the country. But you’ve warned that Californians have a tough time pulling voters in other states. Do you think his Golden State roots will kill off his contender status?

    Barabak: I make no predictions. I’m smart enough to know that I’m not smart enough to know. And, after 2016 and the election of Trump, the words “can’t,” “not,” “won’t,” “never ever” are permanently stricken from my political vocabulary.

    That said, I wouldn’t stake more than a penny — which may eventually be worth something, as they’re phased out of our currency — on Newsom’s chances.

    Look, I yield to no one in my love of California. (And I’ve got the Golden State tats to prove it.) But I’m mindful of how the rest of the country views the state and those politicians who bear a California return address. You can be sure whoever runs against Newsom — and I’m talking about his fellow Democrats, not just Republicans — will have a great deal to say about the state’s much-higher-than-elsewhere housing, grocery and gas prices and our shameful rates of poverty and homelessness.

    Not a great look for Newsom, especially when affordability is all the political rage these days.

    And while I understand the governor’s appeal — Fight! Fight! Fight! — I liken it to the fleeting fancy that, for a time, made attorney, convicted swindler and rhetorical battering ram Michael Avenatti seriously discussed as a Democratic presidential contender. At a certain point — and we’re still years away — people will assess the candidates with their head, not viscera.

    As for the polling, ask Edmund Muskie, Gary Hart or Hillary Clinton how much those soundings matter at this exceedingly early stage of a presidential race. Well, you can’t ask Muskie, because the former Maine senator is dead. But all three were early front-runners who failed to win the Democratic nomination.

    Chabria: I don’t argue the historical case against the Golden State, but I will argue that these are different days. People don’t vote with their heads. Fight me on that.

    They vote on charisma, tribalism, and maybe some hope and fear. They vote on issues as social media explains them. They vote on memes.

    There no reality in which our next president is rationally evaluated on their record — our current president has a criminal one and that didn’t make a difference.

    But I do think, as we’ve talked about ad nauseam, that democracy is in peril. Trump has threatened to run for a third term and recently lamented that his Cabinet doesn’t show him the same kind of fear that Chinese President Xi Jinping gets from his top advisers. And Vance, should he get the chance to run, has made it clear he’s a Christian nationalist who would like to deport nearly every immigrant he can catch, legal or not.

    Being a Californian may not be the drawback it’s historically been, especially if Trump’s authoritarianism continues and this state remains the symbol of resistance.

    But our governor does have an immediate scandal to contend with. His former chief of staff, Dana Williamson, was just arrested on federal corruption charges. Do you think that hurts him?

    Barabak: It shouldn’t.

    There’s no evidence of wrongdoing on Newsom’s part. His opponents will try the guilt-by-association thing. Some already have. But unless something damning surfaces, there’s no reason the governor should be punished for the alleged wrongdoing of Williamson or others charged in the case.

    But let’s go back to 2028 and the presidential race. I think one of our fundamental disagreements is that I believe people do very much evaluate a candidate’s ideas and records. Not in granular fashion, or the way some chin-stroking political scientist might. But voters do want to know how and whether a candidate can materially improve their lives.

    There are, of course, a great many who’d reflexively support Donald Trump, or Donald Duck for that matter, if he’s the Republican nominee. Same goes for Democrats who’d vote for Gavin Newsom or Gavin Floyd, if either were the party’s nominee. (While Newsom played baseball in college, Floyd pitched 13 seasons in the major leagues, so he’s got that advantage over the governor.)

    But I’m talking about those voters who are up for grabs — the ones who decide competitive races — who make a very rational decision based on their lives and livelihoods and which candidate they believe will benefit them most.

    Granted, the dynamic is a bit different in a primary contest. But even then, we’ve seen time and again the whole dated/married phenomenon. As in 2004, when a lot of Democrats “dated” Howard Dean early in the primary season but “married” John Kerry. I see electability — as in the perception of which Democrat can win the general election — being right up there alongside affordability when it comes time for primary voters to make their 2028 pick.

    Chabria: No doubt affordability will be a huge issue, especially if consumer confidence continues to plummet. And we are sure to hear criticisms of California, many of which are fair, as you point out. Housing costs too much, homelessness remains intractable.

    But these are also problems across the United States, and require deeper fixes than even this economically powerful state can handle alone. More than past record, future vision is going to matter. What’s the plan?

    It can’t be vague tax credits or even student loan forgiveness. We need a concrete vision for an economy that brings not just more of the basics like homes, but the kind of long-term economic stability — higher wages, good schools, living-wage jobs — that makes the middle class stronger and attainable.

    The Democrat who can lay out that vision while simultaneously continuing to battle the authoritarian creep currently eating our democracy will, in my humble opinion, be the one voters choose, regardless of origin story. After all, it was that message of change with hope that gave us President Obama, another candidate many considered a long shot at first.

    Mark, are there any 2028 prospects you’re keeping a particularly close eye on?

    Barabak: I’m taking things one election at a time, starting with the 2026 midterms, which include an open-seat race for governor here in California. The results in November 2026 will go a long way toward shaping the dynamic in November 2028. That said, there’s no shortage of Democrats eyeing the race — too many to list here. Will the number surpass the 29 major Democrats who ran in 2020? We’ll see.

    I do agree with you that, to stand any chance of winning in 2028, whomever Democrats nominate will have to offer some serious and substantive ideas on how to make people’s lives materially better. Imperiled democracy and scary authoritarianism aside, it’s still the economy, stupid.

    Which brings us full circle, back to our gallivanting governor. He may be winning fans and building his national fundraising base with his snippy memes and zippy Trump put-downs. But even if he gets past the built-in anti-California bias among so many voters outside our blessed state, he’s not going to snark his way to the White House.

    I’d wager more than a penny on that.

    Anita Chabria, Mark Z. Barabak

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  • South Africa investigates mystery of a plane that arrived with more than 150 Palestinians from Gaza

    South Africa’s intelligence services are investigating who was behind a chartered plane that landed in Johannesburg with more than 150 Palestinians from war-ravaged Gaza who did not have proper travel documents and were held onboard on the tarmac for around 12 hours as a result, the country’s president said Friday.The plane landed Thursday morning at O.R. Tambo International Airport, but passengers were not allowed to disembark until late that night after immigration interviews with the Palestinians found they could not say where or how long they were staying in South Africa, South Africa’s border agency said.It said the Palestinians also did not have exit stamps or slips that would normally be issued by Israeli authorities to people leaving Gaza.The actions of South African authorities in initially refusing to allow the passengers off the plane provoked fierce criticism from non-governmental organizations, who said the 153 Palestinians — who included families with children and one woman who is nine months pregnant — were kept in dire conditions on the plane, which was extremely hot and had no food or water.South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said there was an investigation to uncover how the Palestinians came to South Africa via a stopover in Nairobi, Kenya.“These are people from Gaza who somehow mysteriously were put on a plane that passed by Nairobi and came here,” Ramaphosa said.Palestinians being ‘exploited’The Palestinian Embassy in South Africa said in a statement the flight was arranged by “an unregistered and misleading organization that exploited the tragic humanitarian conditions of our people in Gaza, deceived families, collected money from them, and facilitated their travel in an irregular and irresponsible manner. This entity later attempted to disown any responsibility once complications arose.”It didn’t name who chartered the flight, but an Israeli military official, speaking anonymously to discuss confidential information, said an organization called Al-Majd arranged the transport of about 150 Palestinians from Gaza to South Africa.The official said that Israel escorted buses organized by Al-Majd that brought Palestinians from a meeting point in the Gaza Strip to the Kerem Shalom crossing. Then buses from Al-Majd picked the Palestinians up and brought them to Ramon airport in Israel, where they were flown out of the country.South African authorities said 23 of the Palestinians had traveled onward to other countries, without naming those countries, but 130 remained and were allowed in after intervention from South Africa’s Ministry of Home Affairs and an offer by an NGO called Gift of the Givers to accommodate them.“Even though they do not have the necessary documents and papers, these are people from a strife-torn, a war-torn country, and out of compassion, out of empathy, we must receive them and be able to deal with the situation that they are facing,” Ramaphosa said.Shadowy operationThe secretive nature of the flight raised fears among rights groups that it marked an attempt by the Israeli government to push Palestinians from Gaza.Israel’s foreign ministry referred questions to the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), the Israeli authority responsible for implementing civilian policies in the Palestinian territories. It said the Palestinians on the charter plane left the Gaza Strip after it received approval from a third country to receive them as part of an Israeli government policy allowing Gaza residents to leave. It didn’t name the third country.Around 40,000 people have left Gaza since the start of the war under the policy.Israel’s government had embraced a pledge by U.S. President Donald Trump to empty Gaza permanently of its more than 2 million Palestinians — a plan rights groups said would amount to ethnic cleansing. At the time, Trump said they would not be allowed to return.Trump has since backed away from this plan and brokered a ceasefire between Israel and the militant group Hamas that allows Palestinians to remain in Gaza.South African leader Ramaphosa said that it appeared the Palestinians who arrived in Johannesburg were being “flushed out” of Gaza, without elaborating. The comment followed allegations by two South African NGO representatives who claimed that Al-Majd was affiliated with Israel and working to remove Palestinians from Gaza.They offered no evidence for the claims and COGAT didn’t respond to a request for comment on those allegations.Gift of the Givers founder Imtiaz Sooliman, one of those to allege involvement by what he called “Israel’s front organizations,” said this was the second plane to arrive in South Africa in mysterious circumstances after one that landed with more than 170 Palestinians onboard on Oct. 28. The arrival of that flight was not announced by authorities.Sooliman said the passengers on the latest plane did not initially know where they were going and were given no food for the two days it took to travel to Johannesburg.“They were given nothing on the plane itself and this must be challenged and investigated,” Sooliman said.South Africa has long been a supporter of the Palestinian cause and a critic of Israel and has led the international pro-Palestinian movement by accusing Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza in a highly contentious case at the United Nations’ top court. Israel denies committing genocide and has denounced South Africa as the “legal arm” of Hamas.The people that ended up in South Africa underlined the desperation of Palestinians following a two-year war that has killed more than 69,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, and reduced the territory to rubble. The ministry’s death toll does not distinguish between militants and civilians, but it says more than half of those killed were women and children. A fragile ceasefire is in place.Jerusalem-based organizationAn organization called Al-Majd Europe has previously been linked to facilitating travel for Palestinians out of Gaza. It describes itself on its website as a humanitarian organization founded in 2010 in Germany and based in Jerusalem that provides aid and rescue efforts to Muslim communities in conflict zones.The website does not list office phone numbers or its exact address. It states that Al-Majd Europe works with a variety of organizations including 15 international agencies, but no organizations are listed and a “will be announced soon” message was displayed in that section on Friday.Another message that appeared Friday on the website said people were impersonating it to request money or cryptocurrency “under the pretext of facilitating travel or humanitarian aid.” Al-Majd Europe didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment sent to an email address given on its site. Imray reported from Cape Town, South Africa, and Frankel reported from Jerusalem. Michelle Gumede and Mogomotsi Magome contributed to this report.

    South Africa’s intelligence services are investigating who was behind a chartered plane that landed in Johannesburg with more than 150 Palestinians from war-ravaged Gaza who did not have proper travel documents and were held onboard on the tarmac for around 12 hours as a result, the country’s president said Friday.

    The plane landed Thursday morning at O.R. Tambo International Airport, but passengers were not allowed to disembark until late that night after immigration interviews with the Palestinians found they could not say where or how long they were staying in South Africa, South Africa’s border agency said.

    It said the Palestinians also did not have exit stamps or slips that would normally be issued by Israeli authorities to people leaving Gaza.

    The actions of South African authorities in initially refusing to allow the passengers off the plane provoked fierce criticism from non-governmental organizations, who said the 153 Palestinians — who included families with children and one woman who is nine months pregnant — were kept in dire conditions on the plane, which was extremely hot and had no food or water.

    South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said there was an investigation to uncover how the Palestinians came to South Africa via a stopover in Nairobi, Kenya.

    “These are people from Gaza who somehow mysteriously were put on a plane that passed by Nairobi and came here,” Ramaphosa said.

    Palestinians being ‘exploited’

    The Palestinian Embassy in South Africa said in a statement the flight was arranged by “an unregistered and misleading organization that exploited the tragic humanitarian conditions of our people in Gaza, deceived families, collected money from them, and facilitated their travel in an irregular and irresponsible manner. This entity later attempted to disown any responsibility once complications arose.”

    It didn’t name who chartered the flight, but an Israeli military official, speaking anonymously to discuss confidential information, said an organization called Al-Majd arranged the transport of about 150 Palestinians from Gaza to South Africa.

    The official said that Israel escorted buses organized by Al-Majd that brought Palestinians from a meeting point in the Gaza Strip to the Kerem Shalom crossing. Then buses from Al-Majd picked the Palestinians up and brought them to Ramon airport in Israel, where they were flown out of the country.

    South African authorities said 23 of the Palestinians had traveled onward to other countries, without naming those countries, but 130 remained and were allowed in after intervention from South Africa’s Ministry of Home Affairs and an offer by an NGO called Gift of the Givers to accommodate them.

    “Even though they do not have the necessary documents and papers, these are people from a strife-torn, a war-torn country, and out of compassion, out of empathy, we must receive them and be able to deal with the situation that they are facing,” Ramaphosa said.

    Shadowy operation

    The secretive nature of the flight raised fears among rights groups that it marked an attempt by the Israeli government to push Palestinians from Gaza.

    Israel’s foreign ministry referred questions to the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), the Israeli authority responsible for implementing civilian policies in the Palestinian territories. It said the Palestinians on the charter plane left the Gaza Strip after it received approval from a third country to receive them as part of an Israeli government policy allowing Gaza residents to leave. It didn’t name the third country.

    Around 40,000 people have left Gaza since the start of the war under the policy.

    Israel’s government had embraced a pledge by U.S. President Donald Trump to empty Gaza permanently of its more than 2 million Palestinians — a plan rights groups said would amount to ethnic cleansing. At the time, Trump said they would not be allowed to return.

    Trump has since backed away from this plan and brokered a ceasefire between Israel and the militant group Hamas that allows Palestinians to remain in Gaza.

    South African leader Ramaphosa said that it appeared the Palestinians who arrived in Johannesburg were being “flushed out” of Gaza, without elaborating. The comment followed allegations by two South African NGO representatives who claimed that Al-Majd was affiliated with Israel and working to remove Palestinians from Gaza.

    They offered no evidence for the claims and COGAT didn’t respond to a request for comment on those allegations.

    Gift of the Givers founder Imtiaz Sooliman, one of those to allege involvement by what he called “Israel’s front organizations,” said this was the second plane to arrive in South Africa in mysterious circumstances after one that landed with more than 170 Palestinians onboard on Oct. 28. The arrival of that flight was not announced by authorities.

    Sooliman said the passengers on the latest plane did not initially know where they were going and were given no food for the two days it took to travel to Johannesburg.

    “They were given nothing on the plane itself and this must be challenged and investigated,” Sooliman said.

    South Africa has long been a supporter of the Palestinian cause and a critic of Israel and has led the international pro-Palestinian movement by accusing Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza in a highly contentious case at the United Nations’ top court. Israel denies committing genocide and has denounced South Africa as the “legal arm” of Hamas.

    The people that ended up in South Africa underlined the desperation of Palestinians following a two-year war that has killed more than 69,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, and reduced the territory to rubble. The ministry’s death toll does not distinguish between militants and civilians, but it says more than half of those killed were women and children. A fragile ceasefire is in place.

    Jerusalem-based organization

    An organization called Al-Majd Europe has previously been linked to facilitating travel for Palestinians out of Gaza. It describes itself on its website as a humanitarian organization founded in 2010 in Germany and based in Jerusalem that provides aid and rescue efforts to Muslim communities in conflict zones.

    The website does not list office phone numbers or its exact address. It states that Al-Majd Europe works with a variety of organizations including 15 international agencies, but no organizations are listed and a “will be announced soon” message was displayed in that section on Friday.

    Another message that appeared Friday on the website said people were impersonating it to request money or cryptocurrency “under the pretext of facilitating travel or humanitarian aid.” Al-Majd Europe didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment sent to an email address given on its site.

    Imray reported from Cape Town, South Africa, and Frankel reported from Jerusalem. Michelle Gumede and Mogomotsi Magome contributed to this report.

    Source link

  • South Africa investigates mystery of a plane that arrived with more than 150 Palestinians from Gaza

    South Africa’s intelligence services are investigating who was behind a chartered plane that landed in Johannesburg with more than 150 Palestinians from war-ravaged Gaza who did not have proper travel documents and were held onboard on the tarmac for around 12 hours as a result, the country’s president said Friday.The plane landed Thursday morning at O.R. Tambo International Airport, but passengers were not allowed to disembark until late that night after immigration interviews with the Palestinians found they could not say where or how long they were staying in South Africa, South Africa’s border agency said.It said the Palestinians also did not have exit stamps or slips that would normally be issued by Israeli authorities to people leaving Gaza.The actions of South African authorities in initially refusing to allow the passengers off the plane provoked fierce criticism from non-governmental organizations, who said the 153 Palestinians — who included families with children and one woman who is nine months pregnant — were kept in dire conditions on the plane, which was extremely hot and had no food or water.South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said there was an investigation to uncover how the Palestinians came to South Africa via a stopover in Nairobi, Kenya.“These are people from Gaza who somehow mysteriously were put on a plane that passed by Nairobi and came here,” Ramaphosa said.Palestinians being ‘exploited’The Palestinian Embassy in South Africa said in a statement the flight was arranged by “an unregistered and misleading organization that exploited the tragic humanitarian conditions of our people in Gaza, deceived families, collected money from them, and facilitated their travel in an irregular and irresponsible manner. This entity later attempted to disown any responsibility once complications arose.”It didn’t name who chartered the flight, but an Israeli military official, speaking anonymously to discuss confidential information, said an organization called Al-Majd arranged the transport of about 150 Palestinians from Gaza to South Africa.The official said that Israel escorted buses organized by Al-Majd that brought Palestinians from a meeting point in the Gaza Strip to the Kerem Shalom crossing. Then buses from Al-Majd picked the Palestinians up and brought them to Ramon airport in Israel, where they were flown out of the country.South African authorities said 23 of the Palestinians had traveled onward to other countries, without naming those countries, but 130 remained and were allowed in after intervention from South Africa’s Ministry of Home Affairs and an offer by an NGO called Gift of the Givers to accommodate them.“Even though they do not have the necessary documents and papers, these are people from a strife-torn, a war-torn country, and out of compassion, out of empathy, we must receive them and be able to deal with the situation that they are facing,” Ramaphosa said.Shadowy operationThe secretive nature of the flight raised fears among rights groups that it marked an attempt by the Israeli government to push Palestinians from Gaza.Israel’s foreign ministry referred questions to the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), the Israeli authority responsible for implementing civilian policies in the Palestinian territories. It said the Palestinians on the charter plane left the Gaza Strip after it received approval from a third country to receive them as part of an Israeli government policy allowing Gaza residents to leave. It didn’t name the third country.Around 40,000 people have left Gaza since the start of the war under the policy.Israel’s government had embraced a pledge by U.S. President Donald Trump to empty Gaza permanently of its more than 2 million Palestinians — a plan rights groups said would amount to ethnic cleansing. At the time, Trump said they would not be allowed to return.Trump has since backed away from this plan and brokered a ceasefire between Israel and the militant group Hamas that allows Palestinians to remain in Gaza.South African leader Ramaphosa said that it appeared the Palestinians who arrived in Johannesburg were being “flushed out” of Gaza, without elaborating. The comment followed allegations by two South African NGO representatives who claimed that Al-Majd was affiliated with Israel and working to remove Palestinians from Gaza.They offered no evidence for the claims and COGAT didn’t respond to a request for comment on those allegations.Gift of the Givers founder Imtiaz Sooliman, one of those to allege involvement by what he called “Israel’s front organizations,” said this was the second plane to arrive in South Africa in mysterious circumstances after one that landed with more than 170 Palestinians onboard on Oct. 28. The arrival of that flight was not announced by authorities.Sooliman said the passengers on the latest plane did not initially know where they were going and were given no food for the two days it took to travel to Johannesburg.“They were given nothing on the plane itself and this must be challenged and investigated,” Sooliman said.South Africa has long been a supporter of the Palestinian cause and a critic of Israel and has led the international pro-Palestinian movement by accusing Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza in a highly contentious case at the United Nations’ top court. Israel denies committing genocide and has denounced South Africa as the “legal arm” of Hamas.The people that ended up in South Africa underlined the desperation of Palestinians following a two-year war that has killed more than 69,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, and reduced the territory to rubble. The ministry’s death toll does not distinguish between militants and civilians, but it says more than half of those killed were women and children. A fragile ceasefire is in place.Jerusalem-based organizationAn organization called Al-Majd Europe has previously been linked to facilitating travel for Palestinians out of Gaza. It describes itself on its website as a humanitarian organization founded in 2010 in Germany and based in Jerusalem that provides aid and rescue efforts to Muslim communities in conflict zones.The website does not list office phone numbers or its exact address. It states that Al-Majd Europe works with a variety of organizations including 15 international agencies, but no organizations are listed and a “will be announced soon” message was displayed in that section on Friday.Another message that appeared Friday on the website said people were impersonating it to request money or cryptocurrency “under the pretext of facilitating travel or humanitarian aid.” Al-Majd Europe didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment sent to an email address given on its site. Imray reported from Cape Town, South Africa, and Frankel reported from Jerusalem. Michelle Gumede and Mogomotsi Magome contributed to this report.

    South Africa’s intelligence services are investigating who was behind a chartered plane that landed in Johannesburg with more than 150 Palestinians from war-ravaged Gaza who did not have proper travel documents and were held onboard on the tarmac for around 12 hours as a result, the country’s president said Friday.

    The plane landed Thursday morning at O.R. Tambo International Airport, but passengers were not allowed to disembark until late that night after immigration interviews with the Palestinians found they could not say where or how long they were staying in South Africa, South Africa’s border agency said.

    It said the Palestinians also did not have exit stamps or slips that would normally be issued by Israeli authorities to people leaving Gaza.

    The actions of South African authorities in initially refusing to allow the passengers off the plane provoked fierce criticism from non-governmental organizations, who said the 153 Palestinians — who included families with children and one woman who is nine months pregnant — were kept in dire conditions on the plane, which was extremely hot and had no food or water.

    South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said there was an investigation to uncover how the Palestinians came to South Africa via a stopover in Nairobi, Kenya.

    “These are people from Gaza who somehow mysteriously were put on a plane that passed by Nairobi and came here,” Ramaphosa said.

    Palestinians being ‘exploited’

    The Palestinian Embassy in South Africa said in a statement the flight was arranged by “an unregistered and misleading organization that exploited the tragic humanitarian conditions of our people in Gaza, deceived families, collected money from them, and facilitated their travel in an irregular and irresponsible manner. This entity later attempted to disown any responsibility once complications arose.”

    It didn’t name who chartered the flight, but an Israeli military official, speaking anonymously to discuss confidential information, said an organization called Al-Majd arranged the transport of about 150 Palestinians from Gaza to South Africa.

    The official said that Israel escorted buses organized by Al-Majd that brought Palestinians from a meeting point in the Gaza Strip to the Kerem Shalom crossing. Then buses from Al-Majd picked the Palestinians up and brought them to Ramon airport in Israel, where they were flown out of the country.

    South African authorities said 23 of the Palestinians had traveled onward to other countries, without naming those countries, but 130 remained and were allowed in after intervention from South Africa’s Ministry of Home Affairs and an offer by an NGO called Gift of the Givers to accommodate them.

    “Even though they do not have the necessary documents and papers, these are people from a strife-torn, a war-torn country, and out of compassion, out of empathy, we must receive them and be able to deal with the situation that they are facing,” Ramaphosa said.

    Shadowy operation

    The secretive nature of the flight raised fears among rights groups that it marked an attempt by the Israeli government to push Palestinians from Gaza.

    Israel’s foreign ministry referred questions to the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), the Israeli authority responsible for implementing civilian policies in the Palestinian territories. It said the Palestinians on the charter plane left the Gaza Strip after it received approval from a third country to receive them as part of an Israeli government policy allowing Gaza residents to leave. It didn’t name the third country.

    Around 40,000 people have left Gaza since the start of the war under the policy.

    Israel’s government had embraced a pledge by U.S. President Donald Trump to empty Gaza permanently of its more than 2 million Palestinians — a plan rights groups said would amount to ethnic cleansing. At the time, Trump said they would not be allowed to return.

    Trump has since backed away from this plan and brokered a ceasefire between Israel and the militant group Hamas that allows Palestinians to remain in Gaza.

    South African leader Ramaphosa said that it appeared the Palestinians who arrived in Johannesburg were being “flushed out” of Gaza, without elaborating. The comment followed allegations by two South African NGO representatives who claimed that Al-Majd was affiliated with Israel and working to remove Palestinians from Gaza.

    They offered no evidence for the claims and COGAT didn’t respond to a request for comment on those allegations.

    Gift of the Givers founder Imtiaz Sooliman, one of those to allege involvement by what he called “Israel’s front organizations,” said this was the second plane to arrive in South Africa in mysterious circumstances after one that landed with more than 170 Palestinians onboard on Oct. 28. The arrival of that flight was not announced by authorities.

    Sooliman said the passengers on the latest plane did not initially know where they were going and were given no food for the two days it took to travel to Johannesburg.

    “They were given nothing on the plane itself and this must be challenged and investigated,” Sooliman said.

    South Africa has long been a supporter of the Palestinian cause and a critic of Israel and has led the international pro-Palestinian movement by accusing Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza in a highly contentious case at the United Nations’ top court. Israel denies committing genocide and has denounced South Africa as the “legal arm” of Hamas.

    The people that ended up in South Africa underlined the desperation of Palestinians following a two-year war that has killed more than 69,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, and reduced the territory to rubble. The ministry’s death toll does not distinguish between militants and civilians, but it says more than half of those killed were women and children. A fragile ceasefire is in place.

    Jerusalem-based organization

    An organization called Al-Majd Europe has previously been linked to facilitating travel for Palestinians out of Gaza. It describes itself on its website as a humanitarian organization founded in 2010 in Germany and based in Jerusalem that provides aid and rescue efforts to Muslim communities in conflict zones.

    The website does not list office phone numbers or its exact address. It states that Al-Majd Europe works with a variety of organizations including 15 international agencies, but no organizations are listed and a “will be announced soon” message was displayed in that section on Friday.

    Another message that appeared Friday on the website said people were impersonating it to request money or cryptocurrency “under the pretext of facilitating travel or humanitarian aid.” Al-Majd Europe didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment sent to an email address given on its site.

    Imray reported from Cape Town, South Africa, and Frankel reported from Jerusalem. Michelle Gumede and Mogomotsi Magome contributed to this report.

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  • Signs and strategies to cope with seasonal affective disorder

    WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY OF NEXT WEEK. NICE TO SEE SOME RAIN. WE’RE NOW SEEING SHORTER DAYS, LONGER NIGHTS. SOME PEOPLE MAY EXPERIENCE WHAT THEY CALL SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER. OUR OWN ALYSSA MUNOZ JOINS US IN THE STUDIO THIS MORNING. AND ALYSSA, YOU SPOKE WITH A HEALTH EXPERT ON SOME WAYS TO HELP WITH THIS. YEAH, I DID ROYALE AND TODD AND SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER, KNOWN AS SAD OR WINTER DEPRESSION STARTS AROUND LATE FALL OR EARLY WINTER WHEN THERE’S LESS SUNLIGHT. NOW HERE’S SOME SIGNS YOU CAN LOOK OUT FOR. IT’S NORMAL TO HAVE DAYS WHERE YOU JUST FEEL DOWN OR SLEEPY, BUT BE WARY. IF YOU START OVERSLEEPING A LOT. APPETITE CHANGES, SUCH AS CRAVING FOODS WITH HIGHER CARBOHYDRATES LIKE CAKE, CHOCOLATE OR CANDY. AND IF YOU NOTICE ANY WEIGHT GAIN OR LOW ENERGY. NOW, CHRISTINA SAUER, AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT UNM, SAYS, HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP YOURSELF. THEY’RE NOTICING CHANGES WITH THE SEASON AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE STRATEGIES PEOPLE CAN USE TO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR THEMSELVES, LIKE MAKING SURE THAT YOU DO GET SOME TIME OUTSIDE EVERY DAY, TRYING TO GET LIGHT EXPOSURE EARLY IN THE DAY. YOU KNOW, THERE’S OTHER NUTRITIONAL STRATEGIES, AND IF YOU FEEL DOWN FOR DAYS AT A TIME, AND THESE METHODS AREN’T HELPING, SEE A HEALTH CARE

    Signs and strategies to cope with seasonal affective disorder

    Doctors say seasonal affective disorder is common in the fall and winter months

    Updated: 3:10 AM PST Nov 15, 2025

    Editorial Standards ⓘ

    As the days become shorter and nights grow longer, some individuals may experience seasonal affective disorder, commonly known as SAD or winter depression.The disorder typically begins in late fall or early winter due to reduced sunlight, but there are some cases in the summer.Kristina Sowar, an associate professor at the University of New Mexico, said there are a few symptoms to look out for with SAD.”If someone is really feeling like, you know, my mood is just really low, and in turn, I have very limited motivation. It’s hard for me to get out of bed. It’s hard for me to socialize with people who I care about. It’s pretty hard for me to go to work or school,” Sowar said. “Like, when there’s enough impairment that it’s impacting your day-to-day life. We definitely recommend that people seek some professional support.”Symptoms to watch for include oversleeping, changes in appetite such as cravings for high-carbohydrate foods like cake, chocolate, and candy, weight gain, and low energy levels. “If they’re noticing changes with the season, there are strategies people can use to provide some additional support for themselves, like making sure that you do get some time outside every day, trying to get light exposure early in the day,” Sowar said. “You know, there’s other nutritional strategies.” If feelings of sadness persist for days at a time and self-help methods are ineffective, Sowar advised consulting a health care provider.

    As the days become shorter and nights grow longer, some individuals may experience seasonal affective disorder, commonly known as SAD or winter depression.

    The disorder typically begins in late fall or early winter due to reduced sunlight, but there are some cases in the summer.

    Kristina Sowar, an associate professor at the University of New Mexico, said there are a few symptoms to look out for with SAD.

    “If someone is really feeling like, you know, my mood is just really low, and in turn, I have very limited motivation. It’s hard for me to get out of bed. It’s hard for me to socialize with people who I care about. It’s pretty hard for me to go to work or school,” Sowar said. “Like, when there’s enough impairment that it’s impacting your day-to-day life. We definitely recommend that people seek some professional support.”

    Symptoms to watch for include oversleeping, changes in appetite such as cravings for high-carbohydrate foods like cake, chocolate, and candy, weight gain, and low energy levels.

    “If they’re noticing changes with the season, there are strategies people can use to provide some additional support for themselves, like making sure that you do get some time outside every day, trying to get light exposure early in the day,” Sowar said. “You know, there’s other nutritional strategies.”

    If feelings of sadness persist for days at a time and self-help methods are ineffective, Sowar advised consulting a health care provider.

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  • Signs and strategies to cope with seasonal affective disorder

    WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY OF NEXT WEEK. NICE TO SEE SOME RAIN. WE’RE NOW SEEING SHORTER DAYS, LONGER NIGHTS. SOME PEOPLE MAY EXPERIENCE WHAT THEY CALL SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER. OUR OWN ALYSSA MUNOZ JOINS US IN THE STUDIO THIS MORNING. AND ALYSSA, YOU SPOKE WITH A HEALTH EXPERT ON SOME WAYS TO HELP WITH THIS. YEAH, I DID ROYALE AND TODD AND SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER, KNOWN AS SAD OR WINTER DEPRESSION STARTS AROUND LATE FALL OR EARLY WINTER WHEN THERE’S LESS SUNLIGHT. NOW HERE’S SOME SIGNS YOU CAN LOOK OUT FOR. IT’S NORMAL TO HAVE DAYS WHERE YOU JUST FEEL DOWN OR SLEEPY, BUT BE WARY. IF YOU START OVERSLEEPING A LOT. APPETITE CHANGES, SUCH AS CRAVING FOODS WITH HIGHER CARBOHYDRATES LIKE CAKE, CHOCOLATE OR CANDY. AND IF YOU NOTICE ANY WEIGHT GAIN OR LOW ENERGY. NOW, CHRISTINA SAUER, AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT UNM, SAYS, HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP YOURSELF. THEY’RE NOTICING CHANGES WITH THE SEASON AND THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE STRATEGIES PEOPLE CAN USE TO PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR THEMSELVES, LIKE MAKING SURE THAT YOU DO GET SOME TIME OUTSIDE EVERY DAY, TRYING TO GET LIGHT EXPOSURE EARLY IN THE DAY. YOU KNOW, THERE’S OTHER NUTRITIONAL STRATEGIES, AND IF YOU FEEL DOWN FOR DAYS AT A TIME, AND THESE METHODS AREN’T HELPING, SEE A HEALTH CARE

    Signs and strategies to cope with seasonal affective disorder

    Doctors say seasonal affective disorder is common in the fall and winter months

    Updated: 6:10 AM EST Nov 15, 2025

    Editorial Standards ⓘ

    As the days become shorter and nights grow longer, some individuals may experience seasonal affective disorder, commonly known as SAD or winter depression.The disorder typically begins in late fall or early winter due to reduced sunlight, but there are some cases in the summer.Kristina Sowar, an associate professor at the University of New Mexico, said there are a few symptoms to look out for with SAD.”If someone is really feeling like, you know, my mood is just really low, and in turn, I have very limited motivation. It’s hard for me to get out of bed. It’s hard for me to socialize with people who I care about. It’s pretty hard for me to go to work or school,” Sowar said. “Like, when there’s enough impairment that it’s impacting your day-to-day life. We definitely recommend that people seek some professional support.”Symptoms to watch for include oversleeping, changes in appetite such as cravings for high-carbohydrate foods like cake, chocolate, and candy, weight gain, and low energy levels. “If they’re noticing changes with the season, there are strategies people can use to provide some additional support for themselves, like making sure that you do get some time outside every day, trying to get light exposure early in the day,” Sowar said. “You know, there’s other nutritional strategies.” If feelings of sadness persist for days at a time and self-help methods are ineffective, Sowar advised consulting a health care provider.

    As the days become shorter and nights grow longer, some individuals may experience seasonal affective disorder, commonly known as SAD or winter depression.

    The disorder typically begins in late fall or early winter due to reduced sunlight, but there are some cases in the summer.

    Kristina Sowar, an associate professor at the University of New Mexico, said there are a few symptoms to look out for with SAD.

    “If someone is really feeling like, you know, my mood is just really low, and in turn, I have very limited motivation. It’s hard for me to get out of bed. It’s hard for me to socialize with people who I care about. It’s pretty hard for me to go to work or school,” Sowar said. “Like, when there’s enough impairment that it’s impacting your day-to-day life. We definitely recommend that people seek some professional support.”

    Symptoms to watch for include oversleeping, changes in appetite such as cravings for high-carbohydrate foods like cake, chocolate, and candy, weight gain, and low energy levels.

    “If they’re noticing changes with the season, there are strategies people can use to provide some additional support for themselves, like making sure that you do get some time outside every day, trying to get light exposure early in the day,” Sowar said. “You know, there’s other nutritional strategies.”

    If feelings of sadness persist for days at a time and self-help methods are ineffective, Sowar advised consulting a health care provider.

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  • Trump ran on ‘America first.’ Now he views presidency as a ‘worldwide situation’

    WASHINGTON — On the campaign trail, Donald Trump was unapologetic about putting America first. He promised to secure the nation’s borders, strengthen the domestic workforce and be tough on countries he thought were taking advantage of the United States.

    Now, 10 months into his second term, the president is facing backlash from some conservatives who say he is too focused on matters abroad, whether it’s seeking regime change in Venezuela, brokering peace deals in Ukraine and Gaza or extending a $20-billion currency swap for Argentina. The criticism has grown in recent days after Trump expressed support for granting more visas to foreign students and skilled immigrant workers.

    The cracks in the MAGA movement, which have been more pronounced in recent weeks, underscore how Trump’s once impenetrable political base is wavering as the president appears to embrace a more global approach to governing.

    “I have to view the presidency as a worldwide situation, not locally,” Trump said this week when asked to address the criticism at an Oval Office event. “We could have a world that’s on fire where wars come to our shores very easily if you had a bad president.”

    For backers of Trump’s MAGA movement, the conflict is forcing some to weigh loyalty to an “America first” ideology over a president they have long supported and who, in some cases, inspired them to get involved in the political process.

    “I am against foreign aid, foreign wars, and sending a single dollar to foreign countries,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who in recent weeks has become more critical of Trump’s policies, said in a social media post Wednesday. “I am America First and America Only. This is my way and there is no other way to be.”

    Beyond America-first concerns, some Trump supporters are frustrated with him for resisting the disclosures about the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his network of powerful friends — including Trump. A group of Republicans in the House, for instance, helped lead an effort to force a vote to demand further disclosures on the Epstein files from the Justice Department.

    “When they are protecting pedophiles, when they are blowing our budget, when they are starting wars overseas, I’m sorry, I can’t go along with that,” Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) said in a CNN interview. “And back home, people agree with me. They understand, even the most ardent Trump supporters understand.”

    When asked to respond to the criticism Trump has faced in recent weeks, the White House said the president was focused on implementing “economic policies that are cutting costs, raising real wages, and securing trillions in investments to make and hire in America.”

    Mike Madrid, a “never Trump” Republican consultant, believes the Epstein scandal has sped up a Republican backlash that has been brewing as a result of Trump deviating from his campaign promises.

    “They are turning on him, and it’s a sign of the inviolable trust being gone,” Madrid said.

    The MAGA movement was not led by a policy ideology, but rather “fealty to the leader,” Madrid said. Once the trust in Trump fades, “everything is gone.”

    Criticism of Trump goes mainstream

    The intraparty tension also has played out on conservative and mainstream news outlets, where the president has been challenged on his policies.

    In a recent Fox News interview with Laura Ingraham, Trump was pressed on a plan to give student visas to hundreds of thousands of Chinese students, a move that would mark a departure from actions taken by his administration this year to crack down on foreign students.

    “I think it is good to have outside countries,” Trump said. “Look, I want to be able to get along with the world.”

    In that same interview, Trump said he supports giving H-1B visas to skilled foreign workers because the U.S. doesn’t have workers with “certain talents.”

    “You can’t take people off an unemployment line and say, ‘I’m going to put you into a factory where we’re going to make missiles,’” Trump argued.

    Trump in September imposed a $100,000 fee for H-1B visas for skilled workers, a move that led to confusion among businesses, immigration lawyers and H-1B visa holders. Before Trump’s order, the visa program had exposed a rift between the president’s supporters in the technology industry, which relies on the program, and immigration hard-liners who want to see the U.S. invest in an American workforce.

    A day after Trump expressed support for the visa program, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem added fuel to the immigration debate by saying the administration is fast-tracking immigrants’ pathway to citizenship.

    “More people are becoming naturalized under this administration than ever before,” Noem told Fox News this week.

    Laura Loomer, a far-right activist and close ally of Trump, said the administration’s position was “disappointing.”

    “How is that a good thing? We are supposed to be kicking foreigners out, not letting them stay,” Loomer said.

    Polling adds on the heat

    As polling shows Americans are growing frustrated with the economy, some conservatives increasingly blame Trump for not doing enough to create more jobs and lower the cost of living.

    Greene, the Georgia Republican, said on “The Sean Spicer Show” Thursday that Trump and his administration are “gaslighting” people when they say prices are going down.

    “It’s actually infuriating people because people know what they’re paying at the grocery store,” she said, while urging Republicans to “show we are in the trenches with them” rather than denying their experience.

    While Trump has maintained that the economy is strong, administration officials have begun talking about pushing new economic policies. White House economic advisor Kevin Hassett said this week that the administration would be working to provide consumers with more purchasing power, saying that “we’re going to fix it right away.”

    “We understand that people understand, as people look at their pocketbooks to go to the grocery store, that there’s still work to do,” Hassett said.

    The acknowledgment comes after this month’s elections in key states — in which Republicans were soundly defeated — made clear that rising prices were top of mind for many Americans. The results also showed Latino voters were turning away from the GOP amid growing concerns about the economy.

    As Republicans try to refocus on addressing affordability, Trump has continued to blame the economic problems on former President Biden.

    “Cost, and INFLATION, were higher under the Sleepy Joe Biden administration, than they are now,” Trump said in a social media post Friday. He insisted that under his administration costs are “tumbling down.”

    Ana Ceballos

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  • At Trump’s urging, Bondi says US will investigate Epstein’s ties to Clinton and other political foes

    DOJ to investigate Epsteins ties to Clinton, other political foes at Trumps urging

    Acceding to President Donald Trumps demands, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said Friday that she has ordered a top federal prosecutor to investigate sex offender Jeffrey Epsteins ties to Trump political foes, including former President Bill Clinton. Political Science Prof. at Menlo College, Melissa Michelson, says this is a deflection on Trumps part that may backfire.

    NEW YORK – Acceding to President Donald Trump‘s demands, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said Friday that she has ordered a top federal prosecutor to investigate sex offender Jeffrey Epstein’s ties to Trump political foes, including former President Bill Clinton. 

    Bondi posted on X that she was assigning Manhattan U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton to lead the probe, capping an eventful week in which congressional Republicans released nearly 23,000 pages of documents from Epstein’s estate and House Democrats seized on emails mentioning Trump.

    Trump, who was friends with Epstein for years, didn’t explain what supposed crimes he wanted the Justice Department to investigate. None of the men he mentioned in a social media post demanding the probe has been accused of sexual misconduct by any of Epstein’s victims.

    Hours before Bondi’s announcement, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that he would ask her, the Justice Department and the FBI to investigate Epstein’s “involvement and relationship” with Clinton and others, including former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers and LinkedIn founder and Democratic donor Reid Hoffman.

    Trump, calling the matter “the Epstein Hoax, involving Democrats, not Republicans,” said the investigation should also include financial giant JPMorgan Chase, which provided banking services to Epstein, and “many other people and institutions.”

    “This is another Russia, Russia, Russia Scam, with all arrows pointing to the Democrats,” the Republican president wrote, referring to special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of alleged Russian interference in Trump’s 2016 election victory over Bill Clinton’s wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

    Asked later Friday whether he should be ordering up such investigations, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One: “I’m the chief law enforcement officer of the country. I’m allowed to do it.”

    In a July memo regarding the Epstein investigation, the FBI said, “We did not uncover evidence that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties.”

    The president’s demand for an investigation – and Bondi’s quick acquiescence – is the  latest example of the erosion of the Justice Department’s traditional independence from the White House since Trump took office. 

    It is also an extraordinary attempt at deflection. For decades, Trump himself has been scrutinized for his closeness to Epstein – though like the people he now wants investigated, he has not been accused of sexual misconduct by Epstein’s victims. 

    None of Trump’s proposed targets were accused of sex crimes

    A JPMorgan Chase spokesperson, Patricia Wexler, said the company regretted associating with Epstein “but did not help him commit his heinous acts.”

    “The government had damning information about his crimes and failed to share it with us or other banks,” she said. The company agreed previously to  pay millions of dollars to Epstein’s victims, who had sued arguing that the bank ignored red flags about criminal activity. 

    Clinton has acknowledged traveling on Epstein’s private jet but has said through a spokesperson that he had no knowledge of the late financier’s crimes. He also has never been accused of misconduct by Epstein’s known victims.

    Clinton’s deputy chief of staff Angel Ureña posted on X Friday: “These emails prove Bill Clinton did nothing and knew nothing. The rest is noise meant to distract from election losses, backfiring shutdowns, and who knows what else.”

    Epstein pleaded guilty in Florida in 2008 to soliciting prostitution from an underage girl, but was spared a long jail term when the U.S. attorney in Florida agreed not to prosecute him over allegations that he had paid many other children for sexual acts. After serving about a year in jail and a work release program, Epstein resumed his business and social life until federal prosecutors in New York revived the case in 2019. Epstein killed himself while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. 

    Summers and Hoffman had nothing to do with either case, but both were friendly with Epstein and exchanged emails with him. Those messages were among the documents released this week, along with other correspondence Epstein had with friends and business associates in the years before his death. 

    Nothing in the messages suggested any wrongdoing on the men’s part, other than associating with someone who had been accused of sex crimes against children.

    Summers, who served in Clinton’s cabinet and is a former Harvard University president, previously said in a statement that he has “great regrets in my life” and that “my association with Jeffrey Epstein was a major error of judgement.”

    Messages seeking comment were left for Hoffman through his investment firm, Greylock. Hoffman bankrolled writer E. Jean Carroll’s sexual abuse and defamation lawsuit against Trump.

    After Epstein’s sex trafficking arrest in 2019, Hoffman said he’d only had a few interactions with Epstein, all related to his fundraising for MIT’s Media Lab. He nevertheless apologized, saying that “by agreeing to participate in any fundraising activity where Epstein was present, I helped to repair his reputation and perpetuate injustice.”

    Bondi, in her post, praised Clayton as “one of the most capable and trusted prosecutors in the country” and said the Justice Department “will pursue this with urgency and integrity to deliver answers to the American people.”

    Trump called Clayton “a great man, a great attorney,” though he said Bondi chose him for the job.

    Clayton, the chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission during Trump’s first term, took over in April as U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York – the same office that indicted Epstein and won a sex trafficking conviction against Epstein’s longtime confidante,  Ghislaine Maxwell , in 2021. 

    Trump changes course on Epstein files

    Trump suggested while campaigning last year that he’d seek to open up the government’s case files on Epstein, but changed course in recent months, blaming Democrats and painting the matter as a “hoax” amid questions about what knowledge he may have had about Epstein’s yearslong exploitation of underage girls.

    On Wednesday, Democrats on the House Oversight Committee released three Epstein email exchanges that referenced Trump, including one from 2019 in which Epstein said the president “knew about the girls” and asked Maxwell to stop. 

    White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt accused Democrats of having “selectively leaked emails” to smear Trump.

    Soon after, Republicans on the committee disclosed a far bigger trove of Epstein’s email correspondence, including messages he sent to longtime Trump ally Steve Bannon and to Britain’s former Prince Andrew, now known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. Andrew settled a lawsuit out of court with one of Epstein’s victims, who said she had been paid to have sex with the prince. 

    The House is speeding toward a vote next week to force the Justice Department to release all files and communications related to Epstein. 

    “I don’t care about it, release or not,” Trump said Friday. “If you’re going to do it, then you have to go into Epstein’s friends,” he added, naming Clinton and Hoffman.

    Still, he said: “This is a Democrat hoax. And a couple, a few Republicans have gone along with it because they’re weak and ineffective.” 

     

    Donald J. TrumpPoliticsBill ClintonNews

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