Tony Siragusa Dies: Super Bowl Winner, Former Fox Sports NFL Analyst & TV Host Was 55

Associated Press
IRS has improved taxpayer services but is slow to resolve ID theft, an independent watchdog says
The IRS boosted taxpayer services through Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act but still faces processing claims from a coronavirus pandemic-era tax credit program and is slow to resolve certain identity theft cases, according to an independent watchdog report released Wednesday. “For the first time since I became the National Taxpayer Advocate in 2020, I can begin this report with good news: The taxpayer experience has noticeably improved,” Erin M. Collins wrote in her 2024 annual report to Congress. Remaining service gaps include prolonged delays in resolving claims from the nearly half a million taxpayers whose identities were stolen by fraudsters who received a refund on their behalf.
Associated Press
What to know about wildfires raining embers onto the Los Angeles area
Fierce wildfires are raging in the Los Angeles area, with fast-moving flames burning through homes and businesses as residents flee smoke-filled canyons and picturesque neighborhoods that are home to many celebrities. Many of the towering fires began Tuesday and were fueled by powerful Santa Ana winds, which gusted more than 70 mph (112 kph) in some spots. Gov. Gavin Newsom said the state has deployed more than 1,400 firefighting personnel to battle the blazes.
USA TODAY
Trump won't rule out military force to acquire Greenland, Panama Canal | The Excerpt
Plus: California Gov. Gavin Newsom declares a state of emergency as the Palisades Fire rages. Illegal immigration plummets at the U.S.-Mexico border.
AFP
US tariff and inflation fears rattle global markets
Stock markets were rattled Wednesday by worries about incoming US President Donald Trump slapping tariffs on imports and the fading prospects for interest rate cuts.Data released Tuesday pointed to price pressures and a relatively robust US labour market, denting hopes of several more cuts to interest rates in the world's biggest economy.
NBC News
Three fires grow, forcing more than 80,000 evacuations around L.A.
A fire in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles has forced some residents to evacuate amid "life-threatening and destructive" winds.
Associated Press
Poland to hold presidential election on May 18, says parliament speaker who will run in it
The head of Poland's parliament said Wednesday that the country's presidential election will be held on May 18, with a runoff on June 1 if needed. The election will decide whether the pro-European Union Cabinet of Prime Minister Donald Tusk will gain an ally in the presidential palace at a challenging time for Poland and for Europe. The incumbent right-wing President Andrzej Duda is at odds with the government, blocking legislation and making strongly critical comments.
AFP
Spanish PM says Musk 'stirs up hatred', warns against fascism
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez warned Wednesday that fascism could return as X owner Elon Musk, an ally of US President-elect Donald Trump, "openly attacks our institutions" and "stirs up hatred".During a speech for the start of official commemorations on the 50th anniversary of dictator Francisco Franco's death, Sanchez accused Musk of heading an "international reactionary" movement that "openly attacks our institutions, stirs up hatred and openly calls for the support of the heirs of Naz
Yahoo Finance
Stock market today: Dow, S&P 500 inch lower with Trump tariff power move, rate cuts in focus
Investors absorbed a report that President-elect Donald Trump is considering declaring a national economic emergency to pave the way for proposed tariffs.
Reuters
Biden says he is undecided on pre-emptive pardons, according to USA Today interview
U.S. President Joe Biden said he remained undecided on whether to issue pre-emptive pardons to protect some public figures who have been threatened with retaliation by his Republican successor Donald Trump. In an interview released Wednesday, Biden told USA Today he was considering the pardons for people such as former Republican congresswoman Liz Cheney and former top U.S. health official Dr. Anthony Fauci before he leaves the White House on Jan. 20. Biden said he had urged Trump in a White House meeting last month not to carry out threats to investigate or prosecute people who criticized him or participated in his impeachment trials.
Associated Press
Speaker Mike Johnson says Trump is the coach calling plays. But what if coach changes his mind?
House Speaker Mike Johnson often says he sees himself as the quarterback and President-elect Donald Trump as the coach calling plays on their legislative priorities as Republicans take power in Washington. Trump has given mixed signals, flip-flopping over what is the best strategy for moving ahead with the party's legislative agenda.
AFP
Spending 3% of GDP on defence 'realistic': Czech PM
The Czech premier said Wednesday that aiming to spend three percent of GDP on defence was "realistic", a day after US President-Elect Donald Trump urged NATO members to raise spending.Trump on Tuesday pushed NATO members to boost defence spending to five percent of GDP, underlining his long-standing claim that they are underpaying for US protection.
Associated Press
From AI assistants to holographic displays, automakers showcase in-cabin experiences at CES
Automakers pulled out all the stops to showcase their latest advances for in-vehicle experiences at CES, the Consumer Technology Association’s annual trade show of all things tech, in Las Vegas this week. Hyundai Mobis unveiled a full-windshield holographic technology, while BMW spotlighted its new “iDrive” panoramic display. Many of these driving enhancements aim to “make life on board more comfortable,” explains Axel Maschka, executive vice president and head of the business division at Hyundai Mobis.
AFP
US private sector hiring undershoots expectations: ADP
The US private sector added fewer jobs than anticipated in December, payroll firm ADP said Wednesday, with hiring and wage increases both cooling.According to ADP, wage gains slowed in December, with those staying in their jobs seeing pay growth ease to 4.6 percent.
Associated Press
Kansas' top elections official is running for governor after pushing back on conspiracy theories
Kansas' top elections official launched a campaign for governor Wednesday after building his public profile by pushing back against unfounded election conspiracy theories and breaking with fellow Republicans on voting rights issues. Secretary of State Scott Schwab is the first candidate to confirm plans to seek the GOP nomination in 2026 to replace term-limited Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. Schwab has repeatedly vouched for the integrity of Kansas elections on his two-term watch, despite President-elect Donald Trump's false assertions that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him, Such assertions circulated widely within the GOP.
Yahoo News
Los Angeles wildfires live updates: Palisades, Eaton and Hurst blazes force tens of thousands to evacuate
At least five wildfires were burning across Southern California on Wednesday.
CNN
Trump asks Supreme Court to pause sentencing in hush money case
President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday urged the US Supreme Court to pause his sentencing in the hush money case, a highly unusual request that relies in part on the court’s decision last year to grant him broad immunity from criminal prosecution.
Yahoo Finance
Moderna stock seesaws as first US bird flu death puts vaccine development in focus
Moderna stock was on track to see a weekly gain of 10% as of Wednesday following the first reported bird flu death in the US.
Associated Press
Brazil marks 2nd anniversary of right-wing coup attempt as Bolsonaro's legal troubles deepen
Brazilian authorities gathered in capital Brasilia on Wednesday to mark the second anniversary of an alleged coup attempt by supporters of former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was joined by the Supreme Court's deputy Chief Justice Luiz Edson Fachin for a ceremony at the presidential palace, one of the buildings Bolsonaro supporters trashed in 2023 in a bid to trigger a military intervention that would oust the leftist leader from office.
Associated Press
At last, some welcome news on college costs. Tuition has fallen significantly at many schools
New research indicates students are paying significantly less to attend public universities than they were a decade ago. Figures compiled by the nonprofit College Board indicate the average student attending an in-state public university this year faces a tuition bill of $11,610, which is down 4% from a decade earlier when taking inflation into account. Just under half of students attending in-state public universities are graduating with some debt, down from 59% a decade earlier, according to the College Board figures.
Reuters
Study identifies risk potential for thousands of mutations of a cancer gene
Scientists have characterized the role of thousands of mutations in the BRCA2 cancer gene, findings that may help reassure worried patients about their cancer risk or guide doctors toward better, more targeted treatments, according to a study published on Wednesday. Harmful mutations in BRCA2 - a gene responsible for repairing damaged DNA - significantly increase the risk of breast, ovarian, prostate and pancreatic cancers. About 45% of women who inherit a harmful BRCA2 mutation will develop breast cancer by the age of 70.

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