Freddie Escobar, president of the United Firefighters of Los Angeles County (UFLAC), criticized Los Angeles leaders for neglecting the city’s fire department, contributing to challenges in combating massive wildfires like the Palisades Fire. The fire has burned 24,000 acres, with another 14,000 acres scorched by the Eaton Fire, exposing severe resource and staffing shortages within the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD).
President Joe Biden announced the cancellation of student loans for 150,000 borrowers on Monday, just one week before the upcoming transition to a Trump administration.
Macy’s has announced plans to close 66 underperforming stores this year as part of its Bold New Chapter strategy, which includes closing about 150 underproductive locations over a three-year period.
Herbert Kickl, leader of Austria’s Freedom Party (FPÖ), has been tasked with forming a government after the collapse of a coalition among mainstream parties. Kickl, a staunch Euroskeptic and outspoken conservative, has sparked controversy with his policies, including a bold stance on immigration and opposition to EU climate and economic policies.
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, is set to host a live-streamed chat on his platform X with Alice Weidel, co-leader of Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, ahead of the country's February 23 national election.
House Republicans are renewing efforts to introduce a national sales tax and abolish the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), framing the measure as a way to ensure illegal immigrants contribute taxes. Representative Buddy Carter (R-GA) will unveil the FairTax Act of 2025 on Thursday, a bill designed to overhaul the U.S. tax system by replacing the federal income tax with a 23% national sales tax.
Two individuals were discovered dead inside the landing gear compartment of a JetBlue aircraft at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on Monday evening, according to authorities.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni made an unofficial visit to President-elect Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate on Saturday, joining a growing list of foreign leaders meeting with Trump as he prepares for his second term in office.
