Baroness Dr. Hilary Cass, a leading critic of transgender treatments for children, has warned that allowing minors unrestricted smartphone use constitutes a “deliberate social experiment” with serious consequences. Speaking in her maiden speech to the House of Lords, Cass linked excessive screen time to rising rates of anxiety, depression, and insomnia in children, particularly those already struggling with mental health challenges or bullying.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with outgoing White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on Thursday in Jerusalem, emphasizing the importance of protecting vulnerable minorities in Syria. These groups include Christians, Druze, Kurds, and others who face significant threats amidst ongoing conflict.
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) is poised to challenge Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo over her reported rush to allocate the remaining CHIPS and Science Act funds before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. In a letter expected to be delivered Wednesday, Ernst calls Raimondo’s expedited spending plan “extremely concerning” and urges her to stop any “binge buying” of taxpayer dollars.
Hundreds of farmers drove tractors into central London, blocking major roads to protest Labour’s controversial inheritance tax changes. The No Farmers, No Food campaign gathered an estimated 500 tractors near Whitehall on Wednesday, demanding the government reverse plans that they say will devastate family farms. Protest organizers vowed to escalate actions if Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s administration does not relent.
Contrasting views on U.S. immigration policy came into sharp focus on Tuesday during separate congressional hearings addressing the incoming Trump administration’s stance on deportations and border security.
A wildfire driven by fierce Santa Ana winds continues to burn in Malibu, just north of Pepperdine University, as 700 firefighters work to bring the flames under control.
The Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a challenge to a Wisconsin school district policy that facilitates gender transitions without informing parents. Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, and Brett Kavanaugh dissented, signaling they would have taken up the case.
American Airlines announced it will not resume flights to Haiti in February, citing the worsening gang violence and instability in the Caribbean nation.
The collapse of the Assad regime in Syria has sparked warnings of a looming migrant crisis. With President Bashar al-Assad fleeing to Russia over the weekend, European leaders welcomed the regime's fall, but the resulting instability may drive millions of Syrians toward Europe, echoing the 2015 migrant crisis.
