Bright lights, little city

Associated Press
How Elon Musk's crusade against government could benefit Tesla
Elon Musk has long railed against the U.S. government, saying a crushing number of federal investigations and safety programs have stymied Tesla, his electric car company, and its efforts to create fleets of robotaxis and other self-driving automobiles. Now, Musk’s close relationship with President Donald Trump means many of those federal headaches could vanish within weeks or months. On the potential chopping block: crash investigations into Tesla’s partially automated vehicles; a Justice Department criminal probe examining whether Musk and Tesla have overstated their cars’ self-driving capabilities; and a government mandate to report crash data on vehicles using technology like Tesla’s Autopilot.
Associated Press
Migrants stranded in Mexico try to restart life after Trump eliminates legal pathway to US
Margelis Rodriguez and her two children took selfies on their flight to Tijuana, showing off the T-shirts she had custom-made to mark what she expected to be her family's life-changing moment. The celebratory words now sting — driving home how close they came without making it and how precarious their lives are with their future more uncertain than ever, Rodriguez said while standing near the tent her family lives in at a shelter in Tijuana, a block from the towering wall marking the U.S. border. The family is among tens of thousands of people who had appointments into February, many of them left stranded in Mexican border cities after President Donald Trump took office.
Associated Press
Trump's education chief comes from the boardroom, not the classroom. Backers say that's her strength
Linda McMahon once described herself as an outsider stepping into the world of education, a business leader with an “inquiring mind” who would challenge the status quo and demand more for students. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said he told McMahon closing the department would be a “disaster” for students nationwide.
Associated Press
America's kids are still behind in reading and math. These schools are defying the trend
Math is the subject sixth grader Harmoni Knight finds hardest, but that's changing. In-class tutors and “data chats” at her middle school in Compton, California, have made a dramatic difference, the 11-year-old said. Since the pandemic first shuttered American classrooms, schools have poured federal and local relief money into interventions like the ones in Harmoni's classroom, hoping to help students catch up academically following COVID-19 disruptions.
Associated Press
Trump will host Jordan's King Abdullah II as he escalates pressure on his Gaza resettlement plan
President Donald Trump will host Jordan’s King Abdullah II at the White House on Tuesday as he escalates pressure on the Arab nation to take in refugees from Gaza — perhaps permanently — as part of his audacious plan to remake the Middle East. The visit is happening at a perilous moment for the ongoing ceasefire in Gaza as Hamas, accusing Israel of violating the truce, has said it is pausing future releases of hostages and as Trump has called for Israel to resume fighting if all those remaining in captivity are not freed by this weekend. Trump has proposed the U.S. take control of Gaza and turn it into “the Riviera of the Middle East,” with Palestinians in the war-torn territory pushed into neighboring nations with no right of return.
Associated Press
What to know about proposals to ban abortion pills and punish women who seek abortion
Lawmakers in some states where abortion is already banned are seeking to explicitly bar abortion pills or take a step that most leading anti-abortion groups oppose: punish women who seek to end their pregnancies. And one scholar who follows abortion policy said that the bills can affect the debate even if they don't pick up momentum.
Associated Press
Villagers offer support for a critical lifeline in rural Alaska days after plane crash kills 10
The small, striped plane rolled to a stop on a snow-covered airstrip in a remote western Alaska village not far from where a crash just days earlier had killed all 10 people on board. It was an affecting scene, and it highlighted just how crucial air service is in rural Alaska communities like Golovin, an Inupiat Eskimo village of about 160 people just south of the Arctic Circle. “As with any other tragedy, our region comes together and our residents here in Golovin wanted to show Bering Air that we care and that we support them 100%,” said Irene Navarro, a lifetime resident.
NBC News
Justice Department orders charges against NYC Mayor Eric Adams dismissed
Acting U.S. Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove has ordered federal prosecutors in New York to drop corruption charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams, a senior Justice Department official said Monday evening.
Reuters
Indonesia general to head state food procurement company, sparking concerns on military role
Indonesia's appointment of an army general to run the national food procurement company has raised concerns about the expansion of military roles under President Prabowo Subianto, with a rights activist saying it also violated military laws.Major General Novi Helmy Prasetya was named chief executive of Bulog, a powerful state logistics company in charge of government-controlled imports of rice and other important food staples, on the weekend, becoming the first active duty general in the role since the authoritarian regime of General Suharto. Under military laws, soldiers are allowed to fill civilian posts only at state institutions in sectors such as defence, security, intelligence and disaster response. "This is a threat to democracy and a violation towards the law," said Ardi Manto Adiputra, director of Indonesian rights group Imparsial, late on Monday.
AFP
US prosecutors ordered to drop New York mayor corruption case: reports
The US Justice Department on Monday ordered federal prosecutors to drop corruption charges against Democratic New York Mayor Eric Adams, US media reported, after his rapprochement with President Donald Trump.A man once touted as a future Democratic Party star, Adams has ramped up contact with associates of Republican US President Donald Trump in recent weeks.
AFP
Malaysia's Hindus mark Thaipusam festival with fervour
Hundreds of thousands of Hindus flocked to temples across Malaysia to celebrate the Thaipusam festival Tuesday, with many piercing their bodies with hooks and skewers in acts of devotion.Some worshippers pierce themselves with skewers or hang hooks and chains from their bodies in acts of penance.
TODAY
Jelly Roll reveals his 'new goal' after losing more than 100 pounds
Country star Jelly Roll is on a health and weight loss journey. He's been candid about the process and recently revealed he's lost more than 100 pounds.
Associated Press
South Korea's top think tank lowers economic growth projection, citing Trump's tariffs
South Korea’s top economic think tank slashed its growth forecast for the country’s economy for the second time in four months on Tuesday, expressing concern about the impact of U.S. President Donald Trump’s expanding tariffs. The Korea Development Institute now projects South Korea’s economy to grow by 1.6% in 2025, which is 0.4 percentage points lower than its previous estimate announced in November. Kim Jiyeon, a KDI economist, said the “deterioration of the trade environment” following Trump’s inauguration was a major factor.
Associated Press
Stock market today: Asian stocks down after Trump imposes tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum
Stocks in Asia were mostly down Tuesday, after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed 25% tariffs on all U.S. imports of steel and aluminum. Trump said over the weekend he would announce 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports, with more import duties to come later in the week. Fear around tariffs has been at the center of Wall Street’s moves recently, and experts say the market likely has more swings ahead.
CNN
World’s most populous nation saw a ‘staggering’ rise in hate speech last year, report says
India’s religious minorities have faced a “staggering” rise in hate speech over the past year, including from top leaders of the ruling Hindu nationalist party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to a report released Monday.
USA TODAY
Ex-Ohio 911 dispatcher who admitted to starting forest fires gets 18 months in prison
James Bartels was sentenced to 18 months in prison for sparking 26 fires in Wayne National Forest, prosecutors announced on Monday.
Reuters
Europe looks to embrace AI at Paris summit's 2nd day while global consensus unclear
World leaders gathered on Tuesday for the second day and plenary session of the Paris summit on artificial intelligence, as U.S. willingness to sign onto a statement championing sustainable AI remained in question. Hours after President Emmanuel Macron declared France was in the AI race and Europe was eager for business, representatives of nearly 100 countries including China, India and the U.S. prepared to meet and determine if competing national interests could be reconciled. U.S. President Donald Trump has torn up his predecessor Joe Biden's AI guardrails and Europe has taken note.
CNN
Suspects in robbery of NFL star Joe Burrow’s home took selfie with stolen jewelry, FBI says
Three Chilean men facing charges for allegedly breaking into NFL star Joe Burrow’s home took a selfie with
AFP
Philippine divorce activists vow to fight on
In her bid to convince lawmakers to legalise divorce, Filipina fruit vendor Avelina Anuran has publicly testified about the abuse she said she regularly endured at the hands of her husband. Despite the opposition and failed previous attempts to legalise divorce, Anuran remains determined.
CNN
Defense Secretary Hegseth brings back Fort Bragg name, with a different namesake
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is bringing the name Bragg back to one of the Army’s largest bases, Fort Liberty, which replaced the namesake of a Confederate general in 2023.

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