Pelican Press

Rainbow Six Siege’s “Biggest Transformation” Yet Teased Rainbow Six Siege’s “Biggest Transformation” Yet Teased During the championship weekend of the Six Invitational, Ubisoft has announced that it will be revealing a new era of Rainbow Six Siege on March 13 at the Siege X Showcase in Atlanta, Georgia. A new attacker operator named Rauora, who hails from New Zealand, will also join Rainbow Six Siege. The teaser for the big upcoming Siege update describes it as the game’s “biggest transformation” yet. This will include both graphical and audio improvements, as well as “deepened tactical gameplay,” although no specifics were shared. Additionally, Ubisoft said there will be “new ways to play,” but again didn’t say if that would come in the form of new game modes or something else. Rauora will be available to play at the start of the upcoming Year 10 Season 1 as part of the Operation Prep Phase battle pass, and will be unlockable with Renown or R6 credits after two weeks. Rauora is equipped with the 417 designed marksman rifle or the M249 light machine gun as her primary weapon, and the GSH-18 9mm pistol or the new Reaper MK2 machine pistol as her secondary. The latter has a red dot sight and an extended magazine. Her special gadget is the Deployable Omnilink Mesh Launcher, or DOM. It’s a smart bulletproof barrier that can only be used in doorways and reaches all the way to the ground. As a smart cover, DOM can sense when ally drones are nearby and will let them through by lifting itself up. DOM also has a trigger at the top that can be opened by any operator through shooting it. While both attackers and defenders can open and close the barrier, the attacking side has more benefits. Defenders will be locked out for a short time when the barrier is first deployed or has just closed, and only an attacker’s presence will open it again. It also opens up much faster when an attacker triggers it. While Rauora’s barriers are bulletproof, they are still susceptible to explosions. They also cannot remove Castle’s reinforced barricades if it’s already out or used while Tubarão’s Zoto Canister is in effect. Jäger’s ADS gadget can also take out DOM before it gets a chance to even deploy. Rainbow Six Siege was released in 2015 and has been one of Ubisoft’s premiere live-service games since. It’s gotten a ton of support of the years, most recently full cross-play as well as stricter anti-cheat measures, including cheaters being instantly perma-banned. Despite rumors of a sequel, Rainbow Six creator director Alexander Karpazis claimed that its a game that can “last forever,” which is good news for the nearly decade-old game. Separately, Ubisoft’s executives said that they are doubling down on open-world and live-service games going forward. Source link #Rainbow #Sieges #Biggest #Transformation #Teased Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Why Applied Materials, Inc. (AMAT) Crashed on Friday Why Applied Materials, Inc. (AMAT) Crashed on Friday We recently compiled a list of the These 10 Firms Were Heavily Hit on Friday. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) stands against the other stocks. Wall Street’s main indices finished mixed on Friday, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq emerging as the sole gainer, rallying 0.41 percent. The Dow Jones, for its part, decreased by 0.37 percent, while the S&P 500 was little changed, dipping 0.01 percent. Ten companies mirrored a mostly pessimistic broader market. To come up with this list, we considered only the stocks with at least $2 billion in market capitalization and $5 million in daily trading volume. Is Applied Materials Inc. (AMAT) The Best Manufacturing Stock To Buy Now? A technician in a clean room assembling a semiconductor chip using a microscope. Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) dropped its share prices by 8.18 percent on Friday, to close at $169.20 each as investors sold off positions following weak earnings and full-year outlook. In a statement, Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) said its net income for the first quarter of fiscal year 2025 fell by 41 percent to $1.185 billion from $2.019 billion in the same ******* a year earlier, even as revenues grew 7 percent to $7.166 billion from $6.707 billion year-on-year. For the next quarter, Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) expects revenues to settle at $7.1 billion. While that would be up on a year-on-year basis, investors took path from the company’s potential risks from exports, with the new tariff imposition expected to hurt the company’s revenues by $400 million for the full fiscal year 2025, half of which will be booked in the second quarter of the year. “For the second fiscal quarter, we are encouraged by the trends supporting continued customer investments to enable leading-edge technology inflections, while also taking into account export control-related headwinds,” said Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) Chief Finance Officer Brice Hill. Overall AMAT ranks 6th on our list of the stocks that crashed on Friday. While we acknowledge the potential of AMAT as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for other AI stocks that are as promising as AMAT but that trade at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and Complete List of 59 AI Companies Under $2 Billion in Market Cap. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey. Source link #Applied #Materials #AMAT #Crashed #Friday Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Tributes Paid After Death of Half-Life 2 and Dishonored Artist Viktor Antonov Aged 52 – IGN Tributes Paid After Death of Half-Life 2 and Dishonored Artist Viktor Antonov Aged 52 – IGN Tributes Paid After Death of Half-Life 2 and Dishonored Artist Viktor Antonov Aged 52 IGNView Full Coverage on Google News Source link #Tributes #Paid #Death #HalfLife #Dishonored #Artist #Viktor #Antonov #Aged #IGN Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

At least nine dead amid wild weather in US At least nine dead amid wild weather in US At least nine people have died as wild weather rocked the US, with the state of Kentucky recording the lion’s share of fatalities as waterways swelled from heavy rain and submerged roads. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said on Sunday that hundreds of people stranded by flooding had to be rescued. Beshear said many of the deaths, including a mother and seven-year-old child, were caused by cars getting stuck in high water. “So folks, stay off the roads right now and stay alive,” he said. “This is the search and rescue phase, and I am very proud of all the Kentuckians that are out there responding, putting their lives on the line.” Beshear said the storms have knocked out power to about 39,000 homes, but he warned that harsh winds in some areas could increase outages. Much of the US beyond Kentucky faced another round of biting winter weather. The Northern Plains faced life-threatening cold, and tornado watches were issued for parts of Georgia and Florida. In southeastern Kentucky, a 73-year-old man was found dead in floodwaters in Clay County, County Emergency Management Deputy Director Revelle Berry said. Parts of Kentucky and Tennessee received up to 15 centimetres of rain during the weekend storms, said Bob Oravec, a senior forecaster with the National Weather Service. “The effects will continue for a while, a lot of swollen streams and a lot of flooding going on,” Oravec said on Sunday. “Any time there’s flooding, the flooding can last a lot longer than the rain lasts.” In Atlanta, a person was killed when an “extremely large tree” fell on a home early on Sunday, according to Atlanta Fire Rescue Captain Scott Powell. Elsewhere, bone-chilling cold is expected for the Northern Plains. Dangerously cold wind chill temperatures in the Dakotas and Minnesota of minus 40 Celsius to minus 45.6 C are expected. Heavy snowfalls were expected in parts of New England and northern New York. Source link #dead #wild #weather Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Muskingum County Adult Child and Protective Services honors four with awards Muskingum County Adult Child and Protective Services honors four with awards ZANESVILLE − Muskingum County Adult Child and Protective Services recently awarded two honors, according to an announcement from the agency. Kevin Appleman of Zanesville City Schools, Ginger Hamilton who recently retired from the protective services board, and Misty Cromwell of the Mental Health and Recovery Services Board received the Millennium Miracle Marker awards. The award recognizes those whose who go above and beyond in supporting the agency’s mission. The David E. Boyer WOW Employee of the Year Award went to Martha McCray. It’s named for the agency’s former executive director and is given to staff members who demonstrate passion, compassion and empathy to the values and mission of the agency. This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Muskingum County Adult Child and Protective Services honors four Source link #Muskingum #County #Adult #Child #Protective #Services #honors #awards Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Under Trump, NASA meetings are on hold and missions are up in the air – The Washington Post Under Trump, NASA meetings are on hold and missions are up in the air – The Washington Post Under Trump, NASA meetings are on hold and missions are up in the air The Washington PostSpace CEOs Pitch Tech For Trump’s Push to Mars PayloadWhat has Elon Musk planned for SpaceX now he’s in the White House? Evening StandardWill Trump make space great again? Sky News Source link #Trump #NASA #meetings #hold #missions #air #Washington #Post Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

WA families forced to send kids to school without lunch due to cost of living pressures WA families forced to send kids to school without lunch due to cost of living pressures Cost of living pressures are forcing more WA families to send their children to school without lunch, with one charity reporting a 77 per cent rise in the number of kids asking for food. Source link #families #forced #send #kids #school #lunch #due #cost #living #pressures Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Fatal fiery ****** on I-20 after semi goes over bridge Fatal fiery ****** on I-20 after semi goes over bridge Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what’s in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience.Generate Key Takeaways The Brief Dallas deputies say one person has died in a fiery ****** that happened early Sunday morning. A semi-truck swerved to avoid a ****** on I-20 and went over the bridge. The semi-truck landed on a parked trailer below and all caught on fire. DALLAS – About 1:30 a.m. Sunday on I-20 at Hwy 310, a semi-truck driver trying to avoid a ****** went off the roadway, over the guardrail and crashed on the roadway below. The semi-truck caught on fire and the driver died in the ******. Fatal fiery ****** on I-20 near South Central Expressway. Near the Dallas-Hutchins border. Fatal fiery ****** What we know Deputies with the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office say they believe the semi-truck went off of the highway to avoid a ****** already in that area. The semi-truck was headed eastbound. When the semi went over the guardrail, it landed on a trailer parked under the bridge. The semi caught fire. Deputies say the driver died in the ******. What we don’t know Emergency officials are working to determine if anyone else was injured. There is no word on how long the roadways will be closed. The names of those involved have not been released. No information has been released about the initial ****** in that area. The Source Information in this article is from the Dallas County Sheriff’s Office. Source link #Fatal #fiery #****** #I20 #semi #bridge Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Box Office: ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ Flies to Heroic $100 Million Over Presidents Day Holiday Weekend – AOL Box Office: ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ Flies to Heroic $100 Million Over Presidents Day Holiday Weekend – AOL Box Office: ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ Flies to Heroic $100 Million Over Presidents Day Holiday Weekend AOLView Full Coverage on Google News Source link #Box #Office #Captain #America #Brave #World #Flies #Heroic #Million #Presidents #Day #Holiday #Weekend #AOL Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Rainbow Six Siege Will Be Around For Another 10 Years with Siege X Rainbow Six Siege Will Be Around For Another 10 Years with Siege X Ubisoft has just revealed Siege X at the Six Invitational in Boston. It promises to keep the game going for another ten years. The post Rainbow Six Siege Will Be Around For Another 10 Years with Siege X appeared first on Insider Gaming. Source link #Rainbow #Siege #Years #Siege Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

More than 300 trains already cancelled as Sydney train chaos set to continue More than 300 trains already cancelled as Sydney train chaos set to continue Commuters have been warned of even more mass delays and cancellations as the ongoing rail dispute appears no closer to a resolution. Source link #trains #cancelled #Sydney #train #chaos #set #continue Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Hezbollah chief says Israel must fully withdraw from Lebanon by February 18 Hezbollah chief says Israel must fully withdraw from Lebanon by February 18 BEIRUT (Reuters) – The head of Lebanese armed group Hezbollah said on Sunday that Israeli troops must withdraw from Lebanese territory in full by a February 18 deadline, saying it had “no pretext” to maintain a military presence in any post in southern Lebanon. Under a truce brokered by Washington in November, Israeli troops were granted 60 days to withdraw from southern Lebanon where they had waged a ground offensive against fighters from Iran-backed Hezbollah since early October. That deadline was later extended to February 18, but Israel’s military requested that it keep troops in five posts in southern Lebanon, sources told Reuters last week. Trusted news and daily delights, right in your inbox See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. In a recorded televised speech, Hezbollah secretary general Naim Qassem said: “Israel must withdraw completely on Feb. 18, it has no pretext, no five points or other details… this is the agreement.” Qassem said any Israeli military presence on Lebanese soil after February 18 would be considered an occupying force. “Everyone knows how an occupation is dealt with,” Qassem said, without explicitly threatening that his group would resume attacks against Israel. Israel’s public broadcaster said on Wednesday the U.S. had authorised a “long term” Israeli troop presence in southern Lebanon. During the broadcast of Qassem’s speech, at least three Israeli air strikes hit Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley. Israel’s military said it conducted strikes after identifying Hezbollah activity at sites containing rocket launchers and other weapons. Qassem also called on the Lebanese government to reconsider its ban on Iranian flights landing in Beirut. Lebanese authorities banned the flights from landing until February 18 following Israeli accusations that Tehran was using civilian aircraft to smuggle cash to Beirut to arm Hezbollah. The decision stranded dozens of Lebanese nationals in Iran, where they had been on a religious pilgrimage with plans to return via Iran’s Mahan Air. Lebanon sent two of its own planes to retrieve them, but Iran barred them from landing in Tehran. Hezbollah organised a protest outside Beirut airport on Saturday, where its supporters were tear gassed by Lebanese troops. Qassem described Lebanon’s ban on Iranian planes as “the implementation of an Israeli order”. “Let the plane land and we will see what Israel will do,” he said. (Reporting by Maya Gebeily; Editing by Jan Harvey) Source link #Hezbollah #chief #Israel #fully #withdraw #Lebanon #February Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Rainbow Six Siege Y10S1 Reveal Showcases ‘Operation Prep Phase’ Rainbow Six Siege Y10S1 Reveal Showcases ‘Operation Prep Phase’ It’s that time of year once again. Ubisoft has taken centre stage at the Six Invitational – one of the biggest esports tournaments in the world – to highlight the future of Rainbow Six Siege. It’s the tenth anniversary of the game’s release this year, and huge things are in the pipeline. As the grand final of the Six Invitational approached, Ubisoft dropped a super-sized trailer that had the audience in Boston expressing their excitement. Read on to learn everything you need to know about the Rainbow Six Siege Y10S1 update. Still Getting Better Joshua Mills, one of the game directors working on Rainbow Six Siege at Ubisoft, got emotional on the stage as the trailer was revealed. It was a serious showcase that featured fan-favourite characters, a momentous soundtrack, and a look back at the history of the Rainbow organisation. Mills and Alex Karpazis, the creative director of Siege, first explained that anti-cheat measures and protections against malicious operators have been boosted immeasurably ahead of the Rainbow Six Siege Y10S1 update. This includes deeper collaboration with Battleye – a partnership that has seen more than 19,000 cheaters banned from R6S in one month in January. The pair also revealed that since Y9S2 was released, a -40% decrease in ‘matches impacted by cheaters’ has been recorded. Credit: Ubisoft at the Six Invitational reveal of Y10S1 Fresh Operator The newest Operator coming to Rainbow Six Siege in Y10S1 is fresh out of the New Zealand SAS. Her name is Rauora and she uses a lightweight cover deployment system that allows her to block doorways in a matter of seconds, opening and closing the doors as she sees fit, moving quickly and disrupting defensive tactics with ease. It’s called the ‘D.O.M.’ launcher, the ‘Deployable Omnilink Mesh’ launcher. From next week, users will be able to try Rauora out on the test server. Evolution Mills and Karpazis touted a ‘never-before-seen’ evolution hitting Rainbow Six Siege this year. It was stressed that Operation Prep Phase is called that because it’s laying the foundation for something monumental. Shortly after that claim, the team rolled a trailer that revealed ‘Siege X’. SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #Rainbow #Siege #Y10S1 #Reveal #Showcases #Operation #Prep #Phase Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

At least 9 deaths blamed on powerful storm that toppled trees and flooded roads – CNN At least 9 deaths blamed on powerful storm that toppled trees and flooded roads – CNN At least 9 deaths blamed on powerful storm that toppled trees and flooded roads CNNGov. Beshear to address public during severe weather emergency YahooAt Least 9 Dead in South After Rainstorm Pounds the Region The New York TimesE. KY impacted by heavy rainfall, causing mudslides and issues on roads WYMT Source link #deaths #blamed #powerful #storm #toppled #trees #flooded #roads #CNN Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Rainbow Six Siege Y10S1 Reveal Showcases Big Changes and New Operator, Rauora Rainbow Six Siege Y10S1 Reveal Showcases Big Changes and New Operator, Rauora It’s that time of year once again. Ubisoft has taken centre stage at the Six Invitational – one of the biggest esports tournaments in the world – to highlight the future of Rainbow Six Siege. It’s the tenth anniversary of the game’s release this year, and huge things are in the pipeline. As the grand final of the Six Invitational approached, Ubisoft dropped a super-sized trailer that had the audience in Boston expressing their excitement. Read on to learn everything you need to know about the Rainbow Six Siege Y10S1 update. Still Getting Better Joshua Mills, one of the game directors working on Rainbow Six Siege at Ubisoft, got emotional on the stage as the trailer was revealed. It was a serious showcase that featured fan-favourite characters, a momentous soundtrack, and a look back at the history of the Rainbow organisation. Mills and Alex Karpazis, the creative director of Siege, first explained that anti-cheat measures and protections against malicious operators have been boosted immeasurably ahead of the Rainbow Six Siege Y10S1 update. This includes deeper collaboration with Battleye – a partnership that has seen more than 19,000 cheaters banned from R6S in one month in January. The pair also revealed that since Y9S2 was released, a -40% decrease in ‘matches impacted by cheaters’ has been recorded. Credit: Ubisoft at the Six Invitational reveal of Y10S1 Fresh Operator The newest Operator coming to Rainbow Six Siege in Y10S1 is fresh out of the New Zealand SAS. Her name is Rauora and she uses a lightweight cover deployment system that allows her to block doorways in a matter of seconds, opening and closing the doors as she sees fit, moving quickly and disrupting defensive tactics with ease. It’s called the ‘D.O.M.’ launcher, the ‘Deployable Omnilink Mesh’ launcher. From next week, users will be able to try Rauora out on the test server. This story is developing as the reveal unravels… SUBSCRIBE to our newsletter to receive the latest news and exclusive leaks every week! No Spam. Source link #Rainbow #Siege #Y10S1 #Reveal #Showcases #Big #Operator #Rauora Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Rubio says ****** must be ‘eradicated,’ throwing ceasefire into doubt – National Rubio says ****** must be ‘eradicated,’ throwing ceasefire into doubt – National U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday fully endorsed Israel’s conflict aims in the Gaza Strip, saying ****** “must be eradicated” and throwing the shaky ceasefire into further doubt as talks on its second phase are yet to begin. Rubio met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the start of a regional tour, where he is likely to face pushback from Arab leaders over U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposal to transfer the ************ population out of Gaza and redevelop it under U.S. ownership. Netanyahu has welcomed the plan, and said he and Trump have a “common strategy” for Gaza. Echoing Trump, he said “the gates of hell would be open” if ****** doesn’t release dozens of remaining hostages abducted in the militant group’s attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, that triggered the 16-month conflict. The ceasefire’s first phase is set to end in two weeks and the second phase has yet to be negotiated, though talks were meant to begin two weeks ago. In the second phase, ****** would release dozens of remaining hostages in exchange for more ************ prisoners, a lasting truce and the withdrawal of Israeli forces Story continues below advertisement Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, told Fox News that “phase two is absolutely going to begin” and he had ”very productive” calls Sunday with Netanyahu and officials from Egypt and Qatar, which serve as mediators, about continuing talks this week. He also said hostages to be released include 19 Israeli soldiers and “we believe all of them are alive.” Netanyahu’s office said Israel’s security Cabinet would meet Monday to discuss the second phase. Netanyahu also instructed negotiators to leave for Cairo on Monday to discuss further implementation of the first phase. 1:58 Palestinians reject Trump’s relocation plan as they return to Gaza Rubio said ****** can’t continue as a military or government force. “As long as it stands as a force that can govern or as a force that can administer or as a force that can threaten by use of violence, peace becomes impossible,” he said. “It must be eradicated.” Story continues below advertisement ****** reasserted control over Gaza when the ceasefire took hold last month despite suffering heavy losses. Rubio is also set to visit the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, political heavyweights in the region. The Israeli military, meanwhile, said it carried out an airstrike Sunday on people who approached its forces in southern Gaza. The ******-run Interior Ministry said the strike killed three of its police officers while they secured the entry of aid trucks near Rafah on the Egyptian border. Resuming the conflict could doom hostages This week marks 500 days of the conflict. Netanyahu has signaled readiness to resume the fighting after the ceasefire’s current phase, though it could be a death sentence for remaining hostages. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Netanyahu has offered ****** a chance to surrender and send its top leaders into exile. ****** has rejected that scenario and insists on ************ rule. Spokesman Abdul Latif al-Qanou told The Associated Press the group accepts a ************ unity government or a technocratic committee to run Gaza. Story continues below advertisement Last week, ****** threatened to hold up this weekend’s release of hostages because Netanyahu has yet to approve the entry of mobile homes and heavy machinery into Gaza as required by the ceasefire agreement. An Israeli official said on condition of anonymity in line with regulations that the issue would be discussed in the coming days, and Israel was coordinating with the United States. In another sign of closing ranks, Israel’s Defense Ministry said it received a shipment of 2,000-pound (900-kilogram) MK-84 munitions from the United States. The Biden administration had paused a shipment of such bombs last year over concerns about civilian casualties in Gaza. 2:05 ****** delays hostage releases as it accuses Israel of violating ceasefire ‘If someone has a better plan … that’s great’ In an interview last week, Rubio indicated that Trump’s Gaza proposal was in part aimed at pressuring Arab states to make their own post-conflict plan that would be acceptable to Israel. Story continues below advertisement Rubio also appeared to suggest that Arab countries send troops to combat ******. “If someone has a better plan, and we hope they do, if the Arab countries have a better plan, then that’s great,” Rubio said Thursday on the “Clay and Buck Show.” Trending Now Trolling Trump, Illinois governor declares Lake Michigan is now Lake Illinois Why it’s not easy to be a ‘Product of Canada’ at the grocery store But “****** has guns,” he added. “Someone has to confront those guys. It’s not going to be American soldiers. And if the countries in the region can’t figure that piece out, then Israel is going to have to do it.” Rubio wasn’t scheduled to meet with Palestinians on his trip to the Middle East. Arabs have limited options For Arab leaders, facilitating the mass expulsion of Palestinians from Gaza or battling ************ militants on behalf of Israel are nightmare scenarios that would bring fierce domestic criticism and potentially destabilize an already volatile region. Story continues below advertisement Egypt will host an Arab summit on Feb. 27 and is working with other countries on a counterproposal that would allow for Gaza to be rebuilt without removing its population. Human rights groups say the expulsion of Palestinians would likely violate international law. Egypt has warned that any mass influx of Palestinians from Gaza would undermine its nearly half-century peace treaty with Israel, a cornerstone of U.S. influence in the region. 1:24 Israel’s army withdraws from central Gaza, leaves behind trail of destruction Arab and ******* countries have conditioned any support for post-conflict Gaza on a return to ************ governance with a pathway to statehood in Gaza, the West Bank and east Jerusalem, territories that Israel seized in the 1967 ******** conflict. Israel has ruled out a ************ state and any role in Gaza for the Western-backed ************ Authority, whose forces were driven out when ****** seized power there in 2007. Story continues below advertisement Rubio to visit regional heavyweights The UAE and Saudi Arabia have rejected any mass displacement of Palestinians and would be key to any regional response. The UAE was the driving force behind the 2020 Abraham Accords in which four Arab states — Bahrain, the UAE, Morocco and Sudan — normalized relations with Israel during Trump’s previous term. Trump hopes to expand the accords to include Saudi Arabia, potentially offering closer U.S. defense ties, but the kingdom has said that it won’t normalize relations with Israel without a pathway to a ************ state. Rubio won’t be visiting Egypt or Jordan, close U.S. allies at peace with Israel that have refused to accept any influx of ************ refugees. Trump has suggested that he might slash U.S. aid to them if they don’t comply, which could be devastating for their economies. Rubio is also skipping Qatar. Story continues below advertisement —Natalie Melzer reported from Nahariya, Israel. Associated Press writer Samy Magdy contributed to this report from Cairo. More on World More videos Source link #Rubio #****** #eradicated #throwing #ceasefire #doubt #National Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Larsson's knee helps Frankfurt beat bottom side Kiel Larsson's knee helps Frankfurt beat bottom side Kiel It may have been a bit of a flukey one with his knee, but Hugo Larsson’s goal has helped Eintracht Frankfurt to a 3-1 win over Holstein Kiel in the Bundesliga. Source link #Larsson039s #knee #helps #Frankfurt #beat #bottom #side #Kiel Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Does Warren Buffett Know Something Wall Street Doesn’t? He Just Made a Shocking Move That Could Be a Warning for Investors. Does Warren Buffett Know Something Wall Street Doesn’t? He Just Made a Shocking Move That Could Be a Warning for Investors. Warren Buffett isn’t called “the Oracle of Omaha” for nothing. The billionaire has proven his knowledge of the stock market over time, and as a result, Berkshire Hathaway has delivered market-beating performance over 58 years. As chairman, Buffett has helped the holding company generate a compounded annual gain of more than 19% over that time ******* — that’s compared with about a 10% such increase for the S&P 500. So, it’s clear Buffett generally has made the right decisions at the right times. This often involves going against the current market trends. In the past, this top investor wrote he and his team “attempt to be fearful when others are greedy and to be greedy only when others are fearful.” And it’s possible this is what is happening right now. As the S&P 500 climbs, after already completing two years of double-digit gains, and investors pile into high-growth stocks such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing players, Buffett just made a shocking move — and one that could be seen as a warning to investors. Does this famous investor know something Wall Street doesn’t? Let’s find out. Image source: The Motley Fool. Friday was a big day for investors and the stock market in general as it offered them a glimpse into the latest moves of investing experts. Managers of more than $100 million in stocks must file form 13F with the Securities and Exchange Commission, detailing their latest buys and sells, on a quarterly basis. And that form was due this past Friday, Feb. 14. It would be impossible to follow every move of every billionaire investor, but taking a look at these experts’ latest moves could inspire us to make certain decisions that suit our investment strategies — or offer us a clue about what may happen next in the market. And considering Warren Buffett’s excellent long-term track record, it’s a fantastic idea to turn to him first. Before we talk about Buffett’s surprising move in the fourth quarter of 2024, though, it’s important to quickly discuss his general views on investing. The billionaire is known for value investing, meaning he aims to scoop up shares of companies that are trading for bargain valuations now — but have what it takes to advance over time. Buffett also has a strong belief that solid American companies will win over the long run, and to gain exposure to these players, he’s recommended that non-professional investors add a good S&P 500 Index fund to their holdings. Buffett himself has held two — the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSEMKT: SPY) and the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT: VOO) — since the fourth quarter of 2019. But in a shocking move, Buffett in the recent quarter closed out both of these positions. Story Continues These funds, mimicking the composition of the S&P 500, offer investors exposure to the benchmark, so they will win or lose according to how the S&P 500 performs. The past two years, as mentioned, have been winning ones. Over time, the S&P hasn’t delivered as much of a gain as Buffett’s portfolio of carefully chosen stocks, but the index still has been a successful investment. Today the S&P 500 continues to climb in this bull market, yet Buffett has sold these assets that offer exposure to the index’s performance. Does this mean Buffett knows something Wall Street doesn’t — and thinks the index may be heading for a correction? We don’t know exactly why Buffett made the move, but some may consider this as a warning about the possibility of declines to come. In his most recent shareholder letter, Buffett commented on the “casino-like behavior” in the market. And, knowing Buffett’s affinity for value, he’s surely noticed the S&P 500 is trading at one of its most expensive levels since it launched as a 500-company index back in the late 1950s. The Shiller CAPE ratio, an inflation adjusted measure of a company’s earnings-per-share and stock price, has reached beyond 35 — something it’s done only twice before. S&P 500 Shiller CAPE Ratio data by YCharts So, Buffett may have decided to lock in profits ahead of any potential correction and allocate the funds to individual stocks — he bought one new stock, Constellation Brands, and added to five positions in the quarter. Still, Buffett’s past comments highlight his belief in the S&P 500’s value as a long-term investment and the strengths of American companies. In his 2013 letter to shareholders, he said that in his will he’s advised a trustee to put 90% of his cash in an S&P 500 Index fund to benefit his wife. He also wrote: “American business has done wonderfully over time and will continue to do so.” Now the next question is: What does this mean for you as an investor? Of course, it’s impossible for any investor — even Buffett — to predict with 100% accuracy what the index will do next. So his decision — or his team’s decision — to sell the S&P 500 index funds doesn’t mean you should stay away from these funds or stocks in general. Instead, it highlights the importance of considering valuations and holding onto quality investments for the long haul. After all, even if the S&P 500 falls in the near future, it’s likely to deliver a long-term win for you as it’s done for many other investors, including Buffett, throughout its history. Ever feel like you missed the boat in buying the most successful stocks? Then you’ll want to hear this. On rare occasions, our expert team of analysts issues a “Double Down” stock recommendation for companies that they think are about to pop. If you’re worried you’ve already missed your chance to invest, now is the best time to buy before it’s too late. And the numbers speak for themselves: Nvidia: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2009, you’d have $360,040!* Apple: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2008, you’d have $46,374!* Netflix: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2004, you’d have $570,894!* Right now, we’re issuing “Double Down” alerts for three incredible companies, and there may not be another chance like this anytime soon. Learn more » *Stock Advisor returns as of February 3, 2025 Adria Cimino has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Berkshire Hathaway and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool recommends Constellation Brands. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Does Warren Buffett Know Something Wall Street Doesn’t? He Just Made a Shocking Move That Could Be a Warning for Investors. was originally published by The Motley Fool Source link #Warren #Buffett #Wall #Street #Doesnt #Shocking #Move #Warning #Investors Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

British couple held in Iran need ‘prompt’ *** action, says Richard Ratcliffe British couple held in Iran need ‘prompt’ *** action, says Richard Ratcliffe Before being detained, the Foremans shared videos of their travels in Iran The *** government must act “more promptly” to help a British couple currently being held in Iran than it did to secure the release of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, her husband Richard Ratcliffe has said. Craig and Lindsay Foreman were arrested in January, but news of their detention emerged this week when state-run Iranian media reported they were being held on unspecified security charges. The couple, both aged 52, had been on a motorbike trip across the world and had planned to be in Iran for only five days. Mr Ratcliffe, whose wife Nazanin was arrested in Iran in 2016 and released only six years later, said the dangers of travelling to the country would be “a lot clearer” if Foreign Office travel advice reflected “the risks of hostage-taking” there. Family handout Craig and Lindsay Foreman are being held in custody in Iran The *** Foreign Office advises against all travel to Iran, saying British and British-Iranian dual nationals are at “significant risk of arrest, questioning or detention”. Having a British passport or connections to the *** “can be reason enough for the Iranian authorities to detain you”, it adds. The Foreman family said the couple’s detention was a “distressing situation” and they are “deeply focused on ensuring their safety and wellbeing during this trying time”. Responding to the case, Mr Ratcliffe told the PA news agency: “My heart goes out to them, and I hope they are not in for a long ordeal, and that the government is able to respond more promptly than it did in our case. “I do think the risks would be a lot clearer to people if the *** travel advice to Iran talked about the risks of hostage-taking. People would be more alert to the fact that it is not personal, and it doesn’t matter whether you have travelled there with a good heart.” Posting on Instagram before being detained, Mrs Foreman acknowledged travelling to Iran, against Foreign Office advice, and to Pakistan was risky and “slightly scary”. But she wrote “we know the rewards of meeting incredible people, hearing their stories, and seeing the breathtaking landscapes of these regions could far outweigh the fear”. Mr Ratcliffe said the “top priority” for the *** government should be to make sure Mr and Mrs Foreman were not being held in solitary confinement, because it was “important they do not feel alone”. He added a court process in the case may happen soon but said: “It’s not a real court… it will be a form of brutal theatre to get the government’s attention. And it will hurt much the same. I really hope they will be okay.” The *** Foreign Office did not respond directly to Mr Ratcliffe’s comments when approached by BBC News, but said it was providing consular assistance to two British nationals detained in Iran and is in contact with the local authorities. Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian national, was arrested at an airport in Tehran in April 2016 and accused of spying charges, which she denied. Mr Ratcliffe went on hunger strike twice as part of his campaign for his wife’s release. She was ultimately freed and returned to Britain in March 2022 after the *** government agreed to settle a £400m debt dating back to the 1970s. Getty Images Richard Ratcliffe and Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe in Downing Street in 2022 Mr and Mrs Foreman were heading for Australia on their journey across the globe and had crossed into Iran from Armenia on 30 December. They planned to be in Pakistan by 4 January. After staying in the cities of Tabriz, Tehran and Isfahan, accompanied by a tour guide, they travelled on to Kerman, in east-central Iran, but never checked into their hotel there. The Iranian authorities have not said what the couple are accused of. In a series of social media posts before they were detained, the pair described their joy at being in Iran. Mrs Foreman, a life coach with a doctorate in psychology, said she was “having an amazing time”. Her husband Craig, who is a carpenter, spoke of the “lovely people” of a “lovely country”. The couple had moved from East Sussex to start a new life in Andalucia, Spain, in 2019 and appeared on an episode of Channel 4’s A New Life in the Sun in 2022 to showcase their lives as expats. Mrs Foreman is reported to have been carrying out a research project on their journey to Australia, asking people what it means to be human and what constitutes a good life. She was due to present her findings at a conference on positive psychology in Brisbane in July. Source link #British #couple #held #Iran #prompt #action #Richard #Ratcliffe Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Austria fatal stabbing suspect had ‘Islamic terror motive’: officials – National Austria fatal stabbing suspect had ‘Islamic terror motive’: officials – National Austrian authorities said Sunday the stabbing of six people that left a 14-year-old boy dead was carried out by a man with possible connections to the Islamic State group who appeared to have acted alone. The suspect, a 23-year-old Syrian, was arrested after the attack, which took place on Saturday afternoon in the center of the southern city of Villach, close to the main square. Police said he used a folding knife. Those wounded were two 15-year-old boys and men aged 28, 32 and 36. Two were seriously wounded and two others are also still receiving hospital treatment, while one was treated for minor injuries. “This is an Islamist attack with an IS connection by an attacker who radicalized himself within a very short time via the internet,” Interior Minister Gerhard Karner told reporters in Villach Sunday. State Gov. Peter Kaiser thanked a 42-year-old man, also a Syrian, working for a food delivery company who drove toward the suspect and helped prevent the situation from getting worse. “This shows how closely terrorist evil but also human good can be united in one and the same nationality,” he said. Story continues below advertisement As the focus shifted to migration and asylum-seekers, Karner said that it will ultimately be necessary to “carry out a mass screening without cause, because this assassin was not conspicuous.” He did not elaborate on his plans. It was unclear how long the suspect had been in Austria, although authorities said he had a residence permit. Migration front and center in Austrian politics Austria’s far-right leader Herbert Kickl, whose party won a national election four months ago, called for “a rigorous crackdown on asylum” in the wake of the attack. On Sunday, Kickl said that since all other parties in Austria had failed to implement the necessary asylum restrictions, it is crucial for his party to control the Interior Ministry — which is in charge of asylum and migration — in any future government. Last week, coalition talks in Austria collapsed for a second time when Kickl’s Freedom Party and the conservative People’s Party were unable to agree on who would oversee the Interior Ministry. Story continues below advertisement Migration was a prominent topic leading up to the election, which resulted in Kickl’s party securing its first national election victory since World War II. The topic has taken center stage in many European countries, with far-right parties making inroads in elections. 2:09 Austrian far-right could form government for 1st time since Second World War On Saturday, police in neighboring Germany said a 2-year-old girl and her mother died two days after being injured in a car-ramming attack during a labor union demonstration in Munich. It marked the fifth attack involving immigrants in Germany over the past nine months, with migration becoming a significant issue ahead of upcoming elections on Feb. 23. Get daily National news Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. The mayor of Villach, Günther Albel, said the attack was a “stab in the heart of the city.” State police director Michaela Kohlweiss said “The current picture is that of a lone perpetrator,” Kohlweiss said. Police presence will be increased in the streets of Villach and at events in the weeks ahead, Kohlweiss added. Story continues below advertisement A second deadly attack in Austria The Villach attack marks the second deadly extremist attack in Austria in recent years. In November 2020, a man who had previously attempted to join the Islamic State group carried out a rampage in Vienna, armed with an automatic rifle and a fake explosive vest, killing four people before being fatally shot by police. Last August, authorities foiled an attack on Taylor Swift shows in Vienna that was inspired by the Islamic State group. Trending Now Why it’s not easy to be a ‘Product of Canada’ at the grocery store Tourist badly injured after approaching shark for photo in Turks and Caicos The Islamic Religious Community in Austria expressed sympathies to the victims and their families in a statement on Sunday and said that it is “fully committed to peaceful and respectful coexistence.” The President of the Islamic Religious Community, Ümit Vural, added that the attack “has nothing in common with the true values of our faith.” 4:43 2 teens arrested in terror plot wanted to ‘kill large crowd’ at Taylor Swift concert in Austria Residents began placing candles at the site of the attack in the city of about 60,000 inhabitants. A group of young people who knew the boy who died in attack gathered at the crime scene on Sunday morning to mourn and tearfully light candles, local media reported. Story continues below advertisement President Alexander Van der Bellen called the attack “horrific.” “No words can undo the suffering, the horror, the fear. My thoughts are with the family of the deceased victim and the injured,” he posted on X. The Free Syrian Community of Austria issued a statement on Facebook distancing itself from the attack and expressing its deepest condolences to the victims’ families. “We all had to flee Syria, our home country, because we were no longer safe there — no one left their country voluntarily. We are grateful to have found asylum and protection in Austria,” the association said. Calls to strengthen migration rules Kickl wrote on X Saturday that he is “appalled by the horrific act in Villach.” “At the same time, I am angry — angry at those politicians who have allowed stabbings, rapes, gang wars and other capital crimes to become the order of the day in Austria. This is a first-class failure of the system, for which a young man in Villach has now had to pay with his life,” Kickl said. Story continues below advertisement According to the Interior Ministry, 24,941 foreigners applied for asylum in Austria in 2024. The largest group of applicants was from Syria, followed by Afghanistan. Over the past two years, the number of asylum seekers has decreased significantly. In 2022, applications peaked at over 100,000, while approximately 59,000 individuals sought asylum in 2023. Conservative party leader Christian Stocker said on X that the attacker “must be brought to justice and be punished with the full force of the law.” The leader of the Social Democrats, Andreas Babler, said, “Crimes like this one simply should not happen in our society.” More on Crime More videos Source link #Austria #fatal #stabbing #suspect #Islamic #terror #motive #officials #National Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

De Minaur out to go one better against Alcaraz in Doha De Minaur out to go one better against Alcaraz in Doha Alex de Minaur will face former Wimbledon quarter-finalist Roman Safiullin as he sets off on his quest to go one better than in Rotterdam and set up another ATP 500 tournament final showdown at the Qatar Open with Carlos Alcaraz. De Minaur has been seeded No.2 in the Doha hardcourt event, with Spain’s top-seeded Alcaraz again his principal hurdle, as the pair set off on their quest to meet each other in a final for the second time in the space of a fortnight. But there’s no guarantees in what looks a loaded field – even in the absence of now banned world No.1 Jannik Sinner – with Alcaraz scheduled to meet Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals in what would be their first clash since their quarter-final epic at the *********** Open, won by the Serb. De Minaur, who lost the Rotterdam final in three sets to world No.3 Alcaraz, will open his Qatar campaign on Tuesday against Russian world No.70 Safiullin, who’s endured a tough start to the season, losing all his three tour-level matches, including a four-setter against Thanasi Kokkinakis at the *********** Open. Djokovic, who ended up pulling out of his semi-final with Alexander Zverev with a hamstring tear, has a fiendish first-round clash on his return against the man he beat in the 2021 Wimbledon final, Matteo Berrettini, while Alcaraz meets 2014 US Open champ Marin Cilic in his opener. There’ll be three *********** men in the main draw, after Chris O’Connell booked his place alongside de Minaur and Alexei Popyrin by battling through his final qualifying round on Sunday. The Sydneysider O’Connell, who made a hugely encouraging start to the season when he pushed the then world No.11 Tommy Paul to five sets in the *********** Open, defeated Russian Pavel Kotov 6-4 6-2. It set him up for a first-round clash in Doha on Monday with wildcard Hady Habib, the Lebanese who made history in Melbourne by becoming the first man from his country to play in and win a grand slam singles. Should he prevail, O’Connell could potentially meet Popyrin in all-Sydney second round match, but world No.26 ‘Poppy’ has a tough ask in his first round on Monday against eighth seed, Britain’s rising star Jack Draper. Popyrin, who had a breakthrough 2024 campaign with his surprise triumph in the ********* Open, has had an injury and illness-hit start to 2025, and is yet to win a tour-level match this year in his three events. Source link #Minaur #Alcaraz #Doha Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Full transcript of “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” Feb. 16, 2025 Full transcript of “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” Feb. 16, 2025 On this “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” broadcast, moderated by Margaret Brennan: Secretary of State Marco Rubio Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council Rep. Dan Crenshaw, Republican of Texas Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, Democrat of New Hampshire Rep. Jamie Raskin, Democrat of Maryland Click here to browse full transcripts from 2025 of “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan.” MARGARET BRENNAN: I’m Margaret Brennan in Washington. And this week on Face the Nation: President Trump’s national security team takes his MAGA movement to Europe. We will talk to Secretary of State Marco Rubio in his first Sunday show interview since taking office. Newly confirmed Trump administration officials took the president’s shock- and-awe tour overseas last week. In Munich, the vice president blasted some of America’s closest allies about their style of democracy. (Begin VT) J.D. VANCE (Vice President of the United States): The threat that I worry the most about vis-a-vis Europe is not Russia. It’s not China. It’s not any other external actor. And what I worry about is the threat from within. (End VT) MARGARET BRENNAN: Also on the agenda, pushing those same allies to make Europe great again by stepping up their efforts to protect Ukraine, while the administration says they will begin direct talks with Russia to end the war. Secretary of State Marco Rubio joins us from Israel, as the negotiations with ****** to end that conflict enter a crucial stage. Back home, more pink slips for federal employees go out and the scrutiny of Elon Musk’s role as the hatchet man for those agencies intensifies. Meanwhile, inflation is up. We will talk with the president’s chief economic adviser about what the administration can do to curb it. It’s all just ahead on Face the Nation. Good morning, and welcome to “Face the Nation.” We want to begin today with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is in Jerusalem on the second leg of his trip through Europe and the Middle East. Mr. Secretary, I know it’s the evening hours there, and you’ve had a long day. We appreciate your time. You’ve got quite a busy schedule. You met earlier with Prime Minister Netanyahu. He said he’s lockstep with the Trump administration, but he can’t share details on – quote – “when the gates of hell will be open if all our hostages are not released.” Did he tell you he wants to keep talks going to get to phase two of this hostage deal? MARCO RUBIO (U.S. Secretary of State): Well, I think we share a common goal. We want to see every hostage released. Frankly, I think – and the president has said this – we want to see them out as soon as we possibly can. And – and, certainly, you know, the world has watched these images of people – and it’s just heartbreaking to remember that some of them have been now almost two years there. It’s a horrifying situation. So we coordinate and work very close with them. We share the goal that every hostage needs to come home, every single one, without delay. Obviously, the – there are details of how we’re pursuing that and coordinating that we’re not going to share publicly because we don’t want to endanger the hostages and we don’t want to endanger this process. But suffice it to say that, if it was up to us, every one of these hostages would be home right now, and we want it to happen as soon as possible. MARGARET BRENNAN: OK. So, the deal stands? SECRETARY MARCO RUBIO: Again, we want every hostage out as soon as possible. MARGARET BRENNAN: OK. SECRETARY MARCO RUBIO: We will – and we want to see them home. There are some that are supposed to – under the deal, there are some that are supposed to be released coming up next weekend. We expect that to happen, but we’d like to see them all come out. We’re not going to – we’re not in favor of waiting weeks and weeks. Now, that may be the process that’s in place because of the deal, but we would like to see them all out as soon as possible, and we continue to coordinate. And that – that’s what we’d like to see as the outcome. MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. SECRETARY MARCO RUBIO: Who wouldn’t want all these hostages to be home and with their families? MARGARET BRENNAN: Understood. Want to ask you about Iran as well. President Trump has said he wants a diplomatic deal with Iran. Are you reaching out to them? And alongside that, does the U.S. support a preemptive strike by Israel on Iran to take out its nuclear program? SECRETARY MARCO RUBIO: Well, first of all, Israel will always have to act in what they believe is their national interest and their national defense. And so I’m not going to speak about whatever strategies they may have on this or any other topic. I will say that we don’t have any outreach from Iran. We haven’t seen any. And, ultimately, we’ve seen in the past that efforts that Iran has undertaken diplomatically have been only about how to extend the time frame that – but continue to enrich and re – and – and in addition to sponsor terrorism, in addition to build these long-range weapons, in addition to sow instability throughout the region. But let’s be clear. There’s been zero outreach or interest to date from Iran about any negotiated deal. Ideally, yes, I would love to wake up one day and hear the news that Iran has decided not to pursue a nuclear weapon, not to sponsor terrorism, and reengage in the world as a – as a – as a normal government. We’ve had no indication of any of that, not just now, but for 30 years. MARGARET BRENNAN: So you head from Israel to Saudi Arabia next. I know you’ll be talking about Gaza, but we’ve also learned that Saudi Arabia is trying to facilitate this diplomacy with Russia about Ukraine. Which Russian officials do you expect to be meeting with? And what will the focus of your talks there be? Do you actually believe Vladimir Putin is ready to negotiate and make concessions? SECRETARY MARCO RUBIO: Well, here’s what I know. I know President Trump spoke to Vladimir Putin last week. And, in it, Vladimir Putin expressed his interest in peace, and the president expressed his desire to see an end to this conflict in a way that was enduring and that protected Ukrainian sovereignty, and that was an enduring peace, not that we’re going to have another invasion in three or four years. That’s a good call. Now, obviously, it has to be followed up by action. So, the next few weeks and days will determine whether it’s serious or not. Ultimately, one phone call does not make peace. One phone call does not solve a war as complex as this one. But I can tell you that Donald Trump is the only leader in the world that could potentially begin that process. Other leaders have tried. They have not been able to do so. When he ran in his campaign and he was elected as president, one of his promises was, he would work to bring an end to this conflict in a way that’s sustainable and fair. And, obviously, you know, this is the first step in that process, but we have a long ways to go. Again, one call doesn’t make it. One meeting wouldn’t make it. This – there’s a lot of work to be done. But I – I thought it has – you know, even the longest journey begins with the first step. So we’ll see what happens from here, hopefully good things. MARGARET BRENNAN: Who will you be meeting with? SECRETARY MARCO RUBIO: Well, nothing’s been finalized yet. I was scheduled to be in Saudi Arabia anyways. We invited – we announced that trip a week ago, and – a week-and-a-half ago. So, ultimately, look, if at any point in time there’s an opportunity to continue the work that President Trump started last week to begin to create an opening for a broader conversation, that it would involve Ukraine and would involve the end of the war, and would involve our allies all over the world, particularly in Europe, we’re going to explore it, if that opportunity presents itself. I don’t have any details for you this morning, other than to say that we stand ready to follow the president’s lead on this and begin to explore ways, if those opportunities present itself, to begin a process towards peace. Now, a process towards peace is not a one-meeting thing. This war has been going on for a while. MARGARET BRENNAN: Right. SECRETARY MARCO RUBIO: It’s difficult. It’s complicated. It’s been bloody. It’s been costly. So it will not be easy to end the conflict in this. And there are other parties at stake that have opinions on this as well. The European Union has sanctions as well. The Ukrainians are obviously fighting this war. It’s their country, and they’re on the front lines. So, one meeting isn’t going to solve it. But I want to reiterate the president made clear he wants to end this war, and if opportunities present themselves to further that, we’re going to take them if they present themselves. We’ll see what happens over the next few days. MARGARET BRENNAN: But, to be clear, Keith Kellogg, who is the envoy appointed to help with these talks, says these are going to be parallel negotiations, meaning the Ukrainians and Russians aren’t talking to each other yet. When you meet with your Russian counterpart, whoever that is, are you going to be sitting there arguing Ukraine’s position? SECRETARY MARCO RUBIO: Well, first of all, I think that we have to understand is, right now, there is no process. MARGARET BRENNAN: Right. SECRETARY MARCO RUBIO: What – what we have right now is a call between Putin and President Trump in which both sides expressed an interest in ending this conflict. I imagine there will be follow-up conversations to figure out what a process to talk about that would look like. And then, at that point, perhaps we can begin to share more details. So it’s a bit premature. I know there’s been a lot of reaction to it, because there’s been no conversation about it, any serious conversation. But I want to go back to the point I made. President Trump ran. He was very clear. He thinks this war needs to end. And if he sees an opportunity to end it, which is what he’s looking for, whether there is an opportunity or not, we’re going to pursue it. Ultimately, it will reach a point when you are – if it’s real negotiations, and we’re not there yet, but if that were to happen, Ukraine will have to be involved, because they’re the one that were invaded, and the Europeans will have to be involved because they’re the – they have sanctions on Putin and Russia as well, and – and they’ve contributed to this effort. MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. SECRETARY MARCO RUBIO: We’re just not there yet. We really aren’t, but hopefully we will be, because we’d all like to see this war end. MARGARET BRENNAN: No doubt. The last administration did have contact through the intelligence agencies with Russia, but they didn’t believe there was any proof that Vladimir Putin was interested in talks. You know the history with Vladimir Putin. He likes to use diplomacy as a cover to distract while he continues to wage war. Do you trust that this time is different? SECRETARY MARCO RUBIO: Yes, I don’t think, in geopolitics, anyone should trust anyone. I think these things have to be verified through actions. I said yesterday that peace is not a noun. It’s a verb. It’s an action. You have to take concrete steps towards it. What I can tell you is, I know of no better negotiator in American politics than President Trump. MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. SECRETARY MARCO RUBIO: I don’t – I think President Trump will know very quickly whether to say, is this a real thing or whether this is an effort to buy time. But I don’t want to prejudge that. I don’t want to foreclose the opportunity to end a conflict that’s already cost the lives of hundreds of thousands and continues every single day to be increasingly a war of attrition on both sides. I think everyone should be celebrating the fact that we have an American president that is seeking to promote peace in the world, not start wars, but end them, in a way that’s enduring. MARGARET BRENNAN: Right. SECRETARY MARCO RUBIO: That’s something we should be happy about. Whether it’s possible or not, we’re certainly willing, but it’s not entirely up to us, obviously, but we’ll find out. MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, you did speak in a phone call with Russia’s top diplomat, Sergey Lavrov. The Russian side claimed that you discussed restoring trade, which seemed to be a nod to sanctions, easing restrictions on diplomats, and other gestures like a high-level leaders meeting. Are you actually considering, is the Trump administration considering lifting sanctions on Russia? SECRETARY MARCO RUBIO: Well, the phone call was to establish communications that are consistent with the call the president made last week with Vladimir Putin, because if we are – if there is going to be the possibility of – of progress here towards peace, we are going to need to talk to the Russians. I mean, that is going to have to happen, and we’re going to have to be able to be able to do it across our channels. MARGARET BRENNAN: About lifting sanctions, though? SECRETARY MARCO RUBIO: I also raised in that conversation concerns that – well, we didn’t go into any details. I mean, what we just discussed is basically the ability to begin communicating. I had never spoken to Mr. Lavrov in my life, so it was an opportunity for us to begin to open that channel of communication, which, again, if there’s the potential for peace here, that’s a channel that has to exist. But let me add one more thing. I also raised the issue of our embassy in Moscow, which operates under very difficult conditions. I raised that because it’s important. It’s going to be very difficult to engage in communication with Russia about anything if our embassy is not functioning. And he raised concerns about his diplomatic mission in the United States. So, at a very basic level, if, in fact, there is going to be an opportunity here to pursue peace by engaging with the Russians, we’re going to need to have functional embassies in Moscow and in Washington, D.C., and that’s certainly something foreign ministers would talk about as a matter of normal course. MARGARET BRENNAN: I want to ask you about what happened in Munich, Germany, at the Security Conference. Vice President Vance gave a speech, and he told U.S. allies that the threat he worries about the most is not Russia. It is not China. He called it the threat from within, and he lectured about what he described as censorship, mainly focusing, though, on including more views from the right. He also met with the leader of a far-right party known as the AfD, which, as you know, is under investigation and monitoring by ******* intelligence because of extremism. What did all of this accomplish, other than irritating our allies? SECRETARY MARCO RUBIO: Why would our allies or anybody be irritated by free speech and by someone giving their opinion? We are, after all, democracies. The Munich – Munich Security Conference is largely a conference of democracies, in which one of the things that we cherish and value is the ability to speak freely and provide your opinions. And so I think if anyone’s angry about his words, they don’t have to agree with him, but to be angry about it, I think, actually makes his point. I thought it was actually a pretty historic speech. Whether you agree with him or not, I think the valid points he’s making to Europe is, we are concerned that the true values that we share, the values that bind us together with Europe are things like free speech and democracy and our shared history in winning two World Wars and defeating Soviet communism and the like. These are the values that we shared in common. And, in that Cold War, we fought against things like censorship and oppression and so forth. MARGARET BRENNAN: Right. SECRETARY MARCO RUBIO: And when you see backsliding, and you raise that, that’s a very valid concern. We can’t tell them how to run their countries. We are – he simply expressed in a speech his view of it, which a lot of people, frankly, share. And I thought he said a lot of things in that speech that needed to be said. And, honestly, I don’t know why anybody would be upset about it. People are allowed – you know, you don’t have to agree on someone’s speech. I happen to agree with a lot of what he said, but you don’t have to agree with someone’s speech to – to at least appreciate the fact they have a right to say it and that you should listen to it and see whether those criticisms are valid. MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. SECRETARY MARCO RUBIO: I assure you, the United States has come under withering criticism on many occasions from many leaders in Europe, and we don’t go around throwing temper tantrums about it. MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, he was standing in a country where free speech was weaponized to conduct a genocide. And he met with the head of a political party that has far right views and some historic ties to extreme groups. The context of that was changing the tone of it. And you know that, that the censorship was specifically about the right. SECRETARY MARCO RUBIO: Well, I have to disagree with you. No, I have – I have to disagree with you. Free speech was not used to conduct a genocide. The genocide was conducted by an authoritarian Nazi regime that happened to also be genocidal because they hated Jews and they hated minorities and they hated those that they – they had a list of people they hated, but primarily the Jews. There was no free speech in Nazi Germany. There was none. There was also no opposition in Nazi Germany. They were a sole and only party that governed that country. So that’s not an accurate reflection of history. I also think it’s wrong – again, I go back to the point of his speech. The point of his speech was basically that there is an erosion in free speech and intolerance for opposing points of view within Europe, and that’s of concern, because that is eroding. That’s not an erosion of your military capabilities. That’s not an erosion of your economic standing. That’s an erosion of the actual values that bind us together in this transatlantic union that everybody talks about. And I think allies and friends and partners that have worked together now for 80 years should be able to speak frankly to one another in open forums without being offended, insulted, or upset. And I spoke to Foreign Ministers from multiple countries throughout Europe. Many of them probably didn’t like the speech or didn’t agree with it, but they were continuing to engage with us on all sorts of issues that unite us. So, again, at the end of the day, I think that, you know, people give all – – that is a forum in which you’re supposed to be inviting people to give speeches, not basically a chorus where everyone is saying the exact same thing. That’s not always going to be the case when it’s a collection of democracies where leaders have the right and the privilege to speak their minds in forums such as these. MARGARET BRENNAN: Mr. Secretary, I’m told that we are out of time. A lot to get through with you. We appreciate you making time today. SECRETARY MARCO RUBIO: Yes. MARGARET BRENNAN: We’ll be back in a minute. (ANNOUNCEMENTS) MARGARET BRENNAN: We want to turn now to the economy and inflation, which, compared to last January, ticked up about 3 percent last week. Kevin Hassett is the director of the National Economic Council, and he joins us now. Good morning to you, Director. KEVIN HASSETT (Director, National Economic Council): Good morning, Margaret. Good morning. MARGARET BRENNAN: So, I don’t have to tell you, but the rest of the country saw their egg prices at the grocery store go up. We’re now at a record high due to that bird flu outbreak, but also labor costs, and that’s contributing to food costs overall. When will the administration get that outbreak under control? KEVIN HASSETT: Right. Well, what’s going on, right, as you know, is that there is an inflation problem that’s very large. We saw the Consumer Price Index come out, and we found out that the stagflation that was created by the policies of President Biden was way worse than we thought. Over the last three months, across all goods, including eggs, the average inflation rate was 4.6 percent, way above target, and an acceleration at the end of the Biden term. And, you know, this is really not just us. You could go look at Jason Furman, Larry Summers, economic advisers of President Biden kept saying, don’t do this. You’re going to cause massive inflation. In fact, Jason Furman has a very thought-provoking peace in “Foreign Affairs” right now calling the Biden economic record a tragedy. And this is them, not us, right? It’s – so, now we’ve got a lot of things that we’re doing to get ahold of it. MARGARET BRENNAN: You’re talking about fiscal spending there. KEVIN HASSETT: Excuse me. Yes, that’s right. MARGARET BRENNAN: You were talking about fiscal spending there. But… KEVIN HASSETT: Well, where does inflation come from, right? And so what we’re doing now is, we’ve – we’ve got, really, a multi-multi-faceted plan to end inflation. And I will go quickly, because I want to end with what we’re doing with egg prices. But we’re going to have a macroeconomic change that has supply-side tax cuts, so we have more supply, and we’re going to reduce government spending, both through what DOGE is doing, and through congressional action. And so, therefore, the macroeconomic forces that Jason Furman said were a tragedy are going to be reversed. That’s a good thing. Then we’re also going to have a lot of energy production, a lot of deregulation. And then, finally, when needed, we’re going to focus on the individual thing-by-thing pieces. And so, for example, you mentioned avian flu. President Biden didn’t really have a plan for avian flu. Well, Brooke Rollins and I have been working with all the best people in government, including academics around the country and around the world, to have a plan ready for the president next week on what we’re going to do with avian flu. In fact, I was editing the thing with them tomorrow. But – but the final thing – and then I will give it back to you. I promise not to filibuster. (LAUGHTER) KEVIN HASSETT: The question is, like, why did we do this? Why did we do this? That’s what everybody’s talking about. But the thing that I always start with when I’m looking at what we’re doing, what the president wants us to do, is, why did they do that? Why did they do that? MARGARET BRENNAN: Right. Right. KEVIN HASSETT: And – and there are too many times where it feels like nobody thought about that in the press, or maybe… MARGARET BRENNAN: Oh, gosh. KEVIN HASSETT: … the left wing economists. Why did they do that? Why did Biden print so much money and cause so much inflation? Why did he do it? MARGARET BRENNAN: Oh, Kevin. KEVIN HASSETT: That’s – that’s what I’m thinking about. MARGARET BRENNAN: Kevin, you know, we talked about that on Face the Nation quite a lot. Quite a lot. KEVIN HASSETT: I don’t want – mean to criticize you. OK, good for you. MARGARET BRENNAN: No, no, no. KEVIN HASSETT: Yes. MARGARET BRENNAN: So, next week, we’ll see the plan on how to get avian flu – how to get bird flu, under… KEVIN HASSETT: I could talk about it right now if you’d like to, yes. MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, sure. What – what is the plan? Are you going to – – what are you going to do? KEVIN HASSETT: Yes, so – so, again, the – the Biden plan was to just, you know, kill chickens. And they spent billions of dollars just randomly killing chickens within a perimeter where they found a sick chicken. And so you go – I just went to the grocery store. I shop for our family, in part because I love to look at prices. And there were no eggs at the store yesterday, just a few. And – and so that happened because they killed all the chickens. And so what we need to do is have better ways, with biosecurity and medication and so on, to make sure that the perimeter doesn’t have to kill the chickens, have a better, smarter perimeter. And so having a smart perimeter is what we’re working on. And we’re finalizing the ideas about how to do that with the best scientists in government. And that’s the kind of thing that should have happened a year ago. And if it had, then egg prices would be, you know, a lot better than they are now. MARGARET BRENNAN: OK. KEVIN HASSETT: But the avian flu is a real thing. MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. KEVIN HASSETT: And, by the way, it’s spread mostly by ducks and geese. And so think about it. They’re killing chickens to stop the spread, but chickens don’t really fly. The – the spread is happening from the geese and the ducks. And so why does it make any sense to have a big perimeter of dead chickens, when it’s the – the ducks and the geese that are spreading it? MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, the Department of Agriculture policy has been to kill those chickens, as you know. KEVIN HASSETT: Right. MARGARET BRENNAN: But we’ll watch the details of that. KEVIN HASSETT: Sure. MARGARET BRENNAN: But let’s get back to something the president said. Higher interest rates, as you know, are part of that battle against inflation that the Federal Reserve has been waging. But, this past week, the president called for interest rates to be lowered. Why does he think that’s going to lower your grocery prices? KEVIN HASSETT: Well, first of all, I – I want to say that I, just this weekend, have arranged to begin once again regular lunches with Jay Powell at the Federal Reserve. And Jay and I have a long and collegial relationship. And I’m going to go over there with him and the other governors. So we’re going to talk about our views about what’s going on, and listen to his. And that collegiality has been going on for four years when I was here before, and the president very much values that. I think that the – the thing about… MARGARET BRENNAN: But that’s not to influence? KEVIN HASSETT: … lower interest rates – no, I’m going to talk about – well, Jay is going to – Jay is an independent person. MARGARET BRENNAN: Right. KEVIN HASSETT: The Fed independence is respected. And – and the point is, the president’s opinion is also – can be heard. He’s the president of the United States. But here’s the thing that I think is interesting, that if we get inflation under control, then that takes the pressure off the Fed. And one way to tell whether markets think, are we getting inflation under control, is to look at longer-term interest rates that the Fed doesn’t affect directly. And if you look at it, the 10-year Treasury rate has dropped about 40 basis points… MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. KEVIN HASSETT: … over the last couple of weeks while we announced our plan to control inflation. MARGARET BRENNAN: Well… KEVIN HASSETT: That saved the American people about $40 billion, about $40 billion, just from talking about the stuff that we’re about to do. MARGARET BRENNAN: OK. KEVIN HASSETT: That’s pretty good. MARGARET BRENNAN: Right, but the president’s statement contradicts economic policy. As you know… KEVIN HASSETT: No. Inflation – no. Inflation rates are already – I’m saying the interest rates are already lower by 40 basis points. So, Interest rates are lower. The one that matters… MARGARET BRENNAN: You’re briefing the president on it. OK. KEVIN HASSETT: … the most for the economy is maybe the 5- or 10- year rate. MARGARET BRENNAN: But on… KEVIN HASSETT: Those the ones that matter the most. And those are down already. So the president’s right about that. MARGARET BRENNAN: Before we run out of time, I really want to make sure I get to you on tariffs. KEVIN HASSETT: OK, sure. MARGARET BRENNAN: Because there’s concern that that will add to prices. KEVIN HASSETT: Sure. MARGARET BRENNAN: Because they’ll be added on to consumers and what they pay. How are these reciprocal tariffs going to work? The president was tweeting he wants to put them on, like, 175 different countries that have a VAT tax, a value-added tax. KEVIN HASSETT: You know, we’re talking to leaders of other countries all the time. Last night, into the wee hours of their morning and kind of a late night for me, I was talking to Minister Reynolds from the U.K. about this very matter. But here’s the way I would like to think about it, that, right now, U.S. companies are spending – are paying foreign governments about $370 billion a year in tax, and foreign companies are paying the U.S. government about $57 billion in tax. And a lot of it is because of the VAT. But if we didn’t have to pay the foreign governments tax, over 10 years, it’d be about $5 trillion of tax that U.S. citizens don’t have to pay. That would more than pay for the tax cuts that we’re debating right now. And so if we get some of that money back, either through tariffs, or for – obviously, if they reduce the tariffs of that, then that’s good for Americans. It’s going to put more money in their pockets. MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. KEVIN HASSETT: And – and that’s what President Trump is – is trying to do. MARGARET BRENNAN: Kevin Hassett, I would like to have you come back, sit at the table… KEVIN HASSETT: Always. MARGARET BRENNAN: … and talk through this in – in more detail at another time. We have to leave it there for today. KEVIN HASSETT: Thanks. Happy – happy to be here. MARGARET BRENNAN: Take care. A lot more “Face the Nation” in a moment. (ANNOUNCEMENTS) MARGARET BRENNAN: We will be right back with a lot more Face the Nation with more from that gathering of foreign leaders from Munich. And, here at home, seven federal prosecutors resigned on principle last week. We will tell you why. Stay with us. (ANNOUNCEMENTS) MARGARET BRENNAN: Welcome back to FACE THE NATION. The Munich Security Conference is an annual gathering of heads of state and international security policymakers. It’s one of the biggest conferences. And one of the biggest topics this year was the war in Ukraine. We spoke to two lawmakers earlier from Munich, including House Intelligence Committee Republican Dan Crenshaw. We asked him about President Zelenskyy’s views regarding what’s needed in a potential peace deal. (BEGIN VT) MARGARET BRENNAN: I understand that he has asked not just for continued military support now, but security assurances in the event of a peace deal. What can you tell him about what to expect from America? REPRESENTATIVE DAN CRENSHAW (R-TX): Well, I just – I just came from a lunch where General Kellogg spoke. He’s the special envoy leading this effort to establish peace. And he’s very clear that the kind of peace we’re talking about is a lasting peace, which, of course, involves security assurances. And part of that process is figuring out exactly what that means. Even the Ukrainians are talking about what that means. There’s a variety of options, per se. I think the Europeans have to play a huge role in that. One of the things that gets talked about a lot is where do – European forces actually acting as a peacekeeping force. The Ukrainians clearly have a seat at the table and then the United States will be the intermediary as we try to establish a peace deal. But the Europeans need to demand a seat at the table by being uncomfortably aggressive, which is something they haven’t done. You should be threatening things to Putin that actually make you uncomfortable because that’s how – that’s the only language Putin speaks is power. And when General Kellogg is at that table with Putin, he’s only got a finite amount of leverage. And there’s only so much more leverage that the U.S. can – can impose. And if anybody can do it, I think it’s Donald Trump. And he’s already – he’s already said that, that nothing is off the table. Vice President Vance said that, nothing is off the table, economic, military. They will use the amount of leverage they can. My message to European leaders is, if we want to win, if we want a better outcome for Ukraine at the end of these peace talks, you need to be uncomfortably aggressive. You need to, not just bolster your own defense spending, I mean because that’s a long-term issue, that’s a long-term investment – MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. REPRESENTATIVE DAN CRENSHAW: You need to be talking about where you’re going to be putting actual troops on the ground. Stop following our lead and actually take the lead. Let us be actually holding you back. That would be an ideal situation and vastly change the power dynamic when dealing with Putin. MARGARET BRENNAN: There already is a military security alliance known as NATO. You are saying you think there should be something else or some other entity providing security assurances for Ukraine? REPRESENTATIVE DAN CRENSHAW: European soldiers. I mean, look, Europeans send aid, right? They send weapons. They do the same things we do. They – they – they match it, barely. My argument to them is you shouldn’t be matching it, you should be doubling it. You should be tripling it. It’s your continent. Zelenskyy had a – gave a speech today. He talked about a European army, right? So, there’s – there’s a lot of talk about this. Of course, there’s NATO. That’s – that’s a security – that’s a – that’s a defensive alliance. MARGARET BRENNAN: Right. REPRESENTATIVE DAN CRENSHAW: That’s – that’s – that’s some – that’s not an army. That’s – they did this – we’re talking about different things here. The Europeans need to come together, in my opinion, and have just a much stronger message towards Putin instead of finger wagging at us about what we’re willing to give or not give in a peace deal. Again, I tell them, look, if you want a seat at the table, earn it. The Ukrainians have earned it. The Ukrainians have impressed everybody for the last three years. They’ve fought valiantly and courageously. They’ve earned my respect. They earned that seat at the table. We need to listen to their – to what they want. We listened to Zelenskyy. MARGARET BRENNAN: OK. You said that both President Trump and Vice President Vance were clear, nothing is off the table. However, the defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, did seem, in Brussels, to take things quite explicitly off the table. He said the U.S. does not want Ukraine in NATO and that Ukraine would not return to its pre-2014 borders, which acknowledges giving up some of Crimea and potentially the east. Do you think offering concessions before negotiations begin is a good strategy here? REPRESENTATIVE DAN CRENSHAW: Yes, the – I think you have to listen to the White House as a whole. They walked – they walked those back and – MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. REPRESENTATIVE DAN CRENSHAW: And – and made it clear that nothing is off the – nothing is off the table. So, no, you walk into a negotiation with everything on the table and I think that’s exactly what this White House is doing. MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. REPRESENTATIVE DAN CRENSHAW: It’s less than a month since this administration has been in power and they want to move fast. And everybody’s a little nervous. But I think they should be much more optimistic than they should be nervous. You needed a seismic shift here. This was not a sustainable operation in Ukraine. If Kamala Harris had been president, you’d be going along the same lines, which is basically funding this war until every Ukrainian is dead. That’s not an end that we can accept. MARGARET BRENNAN: So – REPRESENTATIVE DAN CRENSHAW: There has to be some talk of negotiation. And I’ll remind the American people, too, from our perspective, from American strategic deterrent’s perspective, even getting Putin to that table to talk about an end to the war is – MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. REPRESENTATIVE DAN CRENSHAW: Is a massive strategic win for us because it establishes back our deterrents over time. MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, do you know that he is actually committing to come to the table? We don’t have a commitment to actually negotiate from Vladimir Putin. REPRESENTATIVE DAN CRENSHAW: No, we don’t. MARGARET BRENNAN: OK. REPRESENTATIVE DAN CRENSHAW: You know what would be really helpful? What I said before, if the EU was uncomfortably aggressive about it. MARGARET BRENNAN: OK. Got it. REPRESENTATIVE DAN CRENSHAW: Again, Putin only responds to power. And this is – this is what I remind western leaders here, too. Western – westerners don’t speak that language. Westerns talk about negotiations and, you know, and good moral values that we share and we believe each other. MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. REPRESENTATIVE DAN CRENSHAW: That’s not how the east works. They only respond to power. MARGARET BRENNAN: So, OK, on that point, Vladimir Putin, it sounds like you would agree, is an accused war criminal. He is a dictator. There is a warrant out for his arrest, as you know. He invaded Ukraine. He is clearly a U.S. adversary. But this past week President Trump said he’d love to have Putin back in the G-8, which would make him, again, a peer global leader. President Trump floated inviting him to the U.S. or even visiting Russia himself. Do you think any of that is appropriate? REPRESENTATIVE DAN CRENSHAW: It’s more appropriate than not talking to him for the last two years, which is what President Biden did. Who did that help? It hasn’t – it hasn’t gotten us anywhere. MARGARET BRENNAN: Talking is different than inviting him to the United States. REPRESENTATIVE DAN CRENSHAW: Right. Sure. I mean, you can parse it out however you like. But the reality is, is you’re going to have to get him to the table somehow, right? And there’s a carrot and a stick approach. Trump can use a lot – can use a lot of leverage. And then the Europeans can use a lot more leverage. But you also have that carrot approach. And Trump is good at that. He’s good at flattering people in order to get them to the table. That is what we need. Whether we like it or not, that’s what we need. MARGARET BRENNAN: But flattering a very brutal dictator who is pretty cunning, frankly, you really think that’s a winning strategy? REPRESENTATIVE DAN CRENSHAW: I mean, he’s not that cunning. He’s fought a – it was a war that has destroyed his society, killed hundreds of thousands of Russians. He’s made a massive mistake and miscalculation. He’s not – he’s not as clever as maybe we are giving him credit for. I think let Trump do his campaign promise and play this out. Look, nobody is going to take advantage of Donald Trump. And General Kellogg made that very clear because that was a question Europeans asked him, you know, are we – are you going to sell out just to get a deal, just to get a deal because of the campaign promise. Kellogg just laughed at that. He’s like, there is no way. There is absolutely no way that Donald Trump will be seen – he will not let himself go down in history as having sold out to Putin. He will not let that happen. He believes – just for the sake of his own legacy. MARGARET BRENNAN: Right. REPRESENTATIVE DAN CRENSHAW: But he does care about lasting peace here and lasting European peace. MARGARET BRENNAN: But I think you know some of the things Europeans point to is the fact that the United States cut out our allied government in Afghanistan from the negotiation Donald Trump cut with the Taliban. They point back to that and say, don’t do this again. REPRESENTATIVE DAN CRENSHAW: Sure. And I criticized that decision, too. MARGARET BRENNAN: OK. REPRESENTATIVE DAN CRENSHAW: But that’s just not what’s happening now. This is a vastly different situation. I mean Europeans have all sorts of opinions. The Ukrainians, I think, are very optimistic, as they should be. We’ve had some very good conversations. Some very realistic conversations. And I’m very excite and optimistic about what can happen here. MARGARET BRENNAN: Congressman Crenshaw, thank you for joining us. REPRESENTATIVE DAN CRENSHAW: Thanks for having me. (END VT) MARGARET BRENNAN: Coming up next, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Jeanne Shaheen. Stay with us. (ANNOUNCEMENTS) MARGARET BRENNAN: We also spoke with New Hampshire Democrat Jeanne Shaheen while she was in Munich, focusing on the negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, as well as bipartisan efforts in the Senate to help Ukraine. (BEGIN VT) MARGARET BRENNAN: In terms of negotiations, there were some comments made by President Trump this week. The defense secretary said returning to Ukraine’s pre-2014 borders is unrealistic. He’s suggesting that maybe the east and another part of Ukraine and Crimea will be taken by Russia. Why do you think there was this plan to give concessions before talks begin? SENATOR JEANNE SHAHEEN (D-NH): Well, I think it was a mixed message coming from the administration. On the one hand you heard Secretary Hegseth saying they were going to take NATO off the table, that Ukraine needed to give up territory, and on the other hand you had Vice President Vance saying that everything should be on the table, including the possibility of putting boots on the ground in Ukraine. So, it’s a mixed message. I hope that the upshot of that is that we are going to do everything we can to support Ukraine. MARGARET BRENNAN: In terms of what Congress can do, are your hands tied here or are some of your Republican colleagues willing to put something, perhaps, in an upcoming defense bill, for example, that might help Ukraine? SENATOR JEANNE SHAHEEN: Well, I think that’s one option. One of the things that we’re talking about doing right away is making some statements on the – the repossession of assets by Russia that are held in the United States and in Europe and the importance of having those assets go to Ukraine to help both with the execution of the military conflict, but also to think about rebuilding. Again, there’s bipartisan support. There was bipartisan support for the bill and there’s bipartisan support to continue to try and ensure that those assets from Russia get repaid to Ukraine because Russia is really the aggressor here and we need to hold Vladimir Putin accountable. MARGARET BRENNAN: You know, your Republican counterpart, Roger Wicker, he is the chair of the Armed Services Committee, was really sharp in his comments at Munich. He was saying, he was puzzled, he was disturbed by what the defense secretary, a member of his own party, had said about Ukraine. He was very clear that what Vladimir Putin is doing, he said, is absolutely out of Adolf Hitler’s playbook. Those are sharp words considering the president of the United States says he wants to meet face-to-face to Vladimir Putin and possibly bring him to the White House. SENATOR JEANNE SHAHEEN: Well, they are sharp words and they are very much justified. Regardless of what President Trump may be doing to try and lay the groundwork for any future negotiations, the fact is there is strong bipartisan support in Congress to help Ukraine in this unfair war that Russia has initiated. And I think Senator Wicker’s comments are very important. MARGARET BRENNAN: At the conference you’re at, you were able to speak with European leaders. What are they saying to you about their view of America now? SENATOR JEANNE SHAHEEN: Well, we had a chance to meet with representatives from Britain, from Canada, not a European country but also very concerned about Ukraine, with people from the Balkan countries, with President Zelenskyy, obviously. And there is a great deal of concern about the U.S. position on Ukraine. At the panel that we had with President Zelenskyy, we talked about the importance of Europe and the United States acting in concert so that we can hold Putin accountable with sanctions so that we can – so that there is no daylight between the United States and our NATO allies and our European allies. Clearly that’s what Vladimir Putin has been trying to do throughout this conflict, and we need to make it clear that that is not going to happen, that we are going to work together, and we are going to support Ukraine. MARGARET BRENNAN: Does Congress need to be any part of approving this deal President Trump says he wants to take possession of some of the critical minerals that Ukraine has inside their territory? He says he wants to use that as sort of repayment for what the U.S. has spent on weapons. SENATOR JEANNE SHAHEEN: Well, I think there are some benefits to having the United States have some investments in Ukraine. That’s part of what a critical minerals deal would do. It’s not at all clear who – who has possession of those critical minerals. Some of them are in the eastern part of Ukraine where Russia controls the territory. Some of them are owned by private – actually oligarchs. There are several oligarchs who own a number of those critical mineral sites. So, I think those are details that have not yet been worked out and I have not seen the agreement that’s been put in front of President Zelenskyy. MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, we know Zelenskyy will be discussing that with other members of the administration. We’ll stay tuned on that. But I do want to bring up something that we – SENATOR JEANNE SHAHEEN: He – MARGARET BRENNAN: Sorry. Go ahead. SENATOR JEANNE SHAHEEN: One of the things that, in our conversations with President Zelenskyy, President Zelenskyy reiterated nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine. And I – he got reassurances from the bipartisan senators that he met with that we agree Ukraine absolutely must be part of any negotiations between Russia and the United States. MARGARET BRENNAN: Senator Shaheen, thank you for your time today. SENATOR JEANNE SHAHEEN: Thank you. (END VT) MARGARET BRENNAN: Both of our full interviews with Congressman Crenshaw and Senator Shaheen are on cbsnews.com and our YouTube channel. We’ll be back in a moment. (ANNOUNCEMENTS) MARGARET BRENNAN: Last week seven federal prosecutors resigned in objection after the Justice Department directed them to drop the investigation into New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who is facing charges, including bribery and conspiracy. In her resignation letter, Danielle Sassoon, the acting U.S. attorney overseeing the case, said a dismissal amounted to a quid pro quo and that the DOJ, quote, “proposes dismissing the charges against Adams in return for his assistance in enforcing the federal immigration laws.” In response, then Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove threatened her with an investigation into her conduct. Joining us now is Maryland Democrat Jamie Raskin. He’s the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee. This episode is highly unusual. Is there anything that you, in your role, can do about this episode and what’s happening inside Attorney General Bondi’s Justice Department? REPRESENTATIVE JAMIE RASKIN (D-MD): Well, the Justice Department is at war with its own attorneys, its own prosecutors. And the whole episode is just saturated with corruption. It was a corruption prosecution and investigation, which led to a grand jury indictment against Eric Adams for bribery, conspiracy, other corruption charges. And then the new Department of Justice decided to squash the whole thing, basically saying to Adams, well, we will drop this case against you if you engage in certain kinds of political or policy accommodations with us. And then, in order to complete that deeply corrupt bargain, they had to try to coerce their own lawyers to do it. But, of course, the prosecutors were saying, nothing has changed in the facts of the case and nothing has changed in the law. In fact, additional evidence was found, meaning that they were going to revise and expand the original indictment, but instead they were told to kill it for political reasons. And so, you know, this is an outrageous violation of the rules of prosecutors and an offense against due process in a very dangerous first move for the Department of Justice to be making under the Trump people. MARGARET BRENNAN: Mayor Adams, of course, claims there was no quid pro quo and that none of this was wrong, but there was the lead prosecutor, as well, on this case who resigned in objection to what’s happening. But it’s moving forward here. This is all now in the hands of a judge. Does he have leeway to prosecute? REPRESENTATIVE JAMIE RASKIN: So, first of all, just about Danielle Sassoon. I mean that’s a very conservative U.S. attorney, and she couldn’t take it. I mean you have the most conservative prosecutors in the country resigning in opposition to this steam roller on behalf of corruption. But it’s not over yet because Judge Dale Ho does not have to accept the withdrawal of the charges, the dismissal of the charges, which seven Department of Justice attorneys resigned rather than be involved in. The head of the public integrity section, the head of the criminal division, five other lawyers said, no way, and they wrote very stinging rebukes of the attorney general and the Department of Justice in this case. So, Judge Ho has to accept this dismissal, but he may not. He may go ahead and try to appoint another prosecutor to go ahead and, you know, go through with the indictment that was handed down by a grand jury. MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, Attorney General Bondi says there’s nothing wrong here, saying it was President Biden’s weaponized DOJ that went after Adams for political reasons, and only after he criticized President Biden’s immigration policies. This is a fellow Democrat. Do you think he should be prosecuted? And how do you respond to that allegation? REPRESENTATIVE JAMIE RASKIN: Well, first of all, the attorney general did not cite any changes in the facts of the case. She did not cite any changes in the law, because neither occurred, nor did she cite any irregularities in the investigation or the prosecution. MARGARET BRENNAN: She’s saying it’s all made up. REPRESENTATIVE JAMIE RASKIN: Well, then she’s – she’s mimicking her boss then, who just lies as a matter of course. One would expect more from the attorney general of the United States. And, you know, this whole corruption attack that is an attack on the Department of Justice for engaging in corruption prosecutions could be impeachable in a different political environment. But the fact that Mayor Adams is a Democrat is neither here nor there for me. I’m against corruption across the board. It seems like Donald Trump wants to attract all of the corrupt politicians in America to his side. MARGARET BRENNAN: So in the Oval Office President Trump – you may have seen this image – he has hung a picture, a framed picture of the front page of “The New York Post,” that has his mugshot in it from that criminal case in New York. Yesterday he also tweeted, “he who saves his country does not violate any law.” He seems to believe that all those prosecutions against him were politically motivated and voters apparently didn’t think it mattered. He was elected with a mandate. How do you convince the public that it does matter? REPRESENTATIVE JAMIE RASKIN: The dominant objective of this administration is corruption and lawlessness. The first thing that they did was they sacked 17 inspectors general. Those are the people who are actual corruption fighters within the departments and agencies. These are the people who ferreted out $91 billion worth of waste, fraud and abuse in the government. MARGARET BRENNAN: They argue it’s within their political power to do so. REPRESENTATIVE JAMIE RASKIN: Oh, it – there’s no doubt it is, but they sacked them. Actually, it’s not within their political power to do so in a lawless way. They have to notify Congress first, 30 days in advance, and they have to set forth the specific reasons for why an inspector general is being fired. They never did that. And the reason, of course, is because they want to pursue agendas of corruption across the board. They’re saying they’re not going to enforce the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. They are shutting down the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which has saved American consumers $31 million in bank overdraft charges, credit card late fees from corporations completely inflated and having nothing to do with the actual charges and so on. They’re getting rid of anything in the government that supports consumers, that supports citizens against the rip-off artists who are their friends. MARGARET BRENNAN: And there’s little Democrats can do to push back because you don’t have any political power. REPRESENTATIVE JAMIE RASKIN: Well, we’re winning in court. More than a dozen federal injunctions and temporary restraining orders have been issued against everything from their ******** seizure of computer data and every Americans’ private data at the Treasury Department. MARGARET BRENNAN: OK. REPRESENTATIVE JAMIE RASKIN: To their ******** attempt to ban birthright citizenship in America. MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. We’ll see the – REPRESENTATIVE JAMIE RASKIN: We’re winning across the board. We are a country based on law. MARGARET BRENNAN: We will watch what happens in those court decisions. Thank you, Congressman Raskin. We’ll be right back. REPRESENTATIVE JAMIE RASKIN: You bet. (ANNOUNCEMENTS) MARGARET BRENNAN: We have some happy news to report. After almost 500 days in captivity, American Israeli Segui Dekel-Chen was released yesterday, along with two other Israeli hostages. Dekel-Chen was kidnapped during the October 7th attack from the kibbutz where he lived with his two young girls and his wife. They survived the attack and yesterday he learned the name of his third daughter who was born while her father was in captivity. And we will see you next week. Face The Nation Transcripts More More Source link #Full #transcript #Face #Nation #Margaret #Brennan #Feb Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Building partially collapses in Brookline, police say Building partially collapses in Brookline, police say Crews are investigating after a partial building collapse in Brookline on Sunday morning. The Brookline Fire Department responded to reports of the collapse at 50 Vernon Street around 10 a.m. Upon arrival, crews discovered that the top two floors of the three-story building had fallen. The building, which was under construction and vacant, was not occupied at the time of the incident, according to fire officials. Video footage from the scene shows several cars in nearby driveways crushed by debris. Brookline Police have confirmed to Boston 25 News that there have been no reported injuries. Authorities are investigating the cause of the collapse, and Boston 25 has reached out to OSHA for additional information. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Source link #Building #partially #collapses #Brookline #police Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Kim Sae-ron Dies: Popular Korean Actress Known For ‘The Man from Nowhere’ Was 24 – Deadline Kim Sae-ron Dies: Popular Korean Actress Known For ‘The Man from Nowhere’ Was 24 – Deadline Kim Sae-ron Dies: Popular Korean Actress Known For ‘The Man from Nowhere’ Was 24 DeadlineSouth Korean actress Kim Sae-ron found dead at home, police official says Reuters.comNetflix star Kim Sae-ron, who was forced into hiding after DUI ******, found dead at 24 New York Post Actor Kim Sae-ron, 24, found dead The Korea HeraldKim Sae-ron, Star of A Brand New Life and The Man from Nowhere , Found Dead in Her Home at 24 PEOPLE Source link #Kim #Saeron #Dies #Popular #Korean #Actress #Man #Deadline Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Raskin says DOJ made “deeply corrupt bargain” in move to drop charges against NYC mayor Raskin says DOJ made “deeply corrupt bargain” in move to drop charges against NYC mayor Washington — Rep. Jamie Raskin, a Maryland Democrat, said Sunday that the Justice Department made a “deeply corrupt bargain” with its move to drop charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “This is an outrageous violation of the rules of prosecutors and an offense against due process, and a very dangerous first move for the Department of Justice to be making under the Trump people,” Raskin said on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan.” Last week, Acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove sent a memo that instructed prosecutors in Manhattan to abandon the indictment that charged Adams with bribery, conspiracy and campaign finance violations, which he denied. Bove justified the decision by saying the case “has unduly restricted Mayor Adams’ ability to devote full attention and resources to the ******** immigration and violent crime.” He also alleged that the prosecution was politically motivated due to Adams’ criticism of the Biden administration. The directive prompted a revolt at the Justice Department that burst into public view when Danielle Sassoon, the acting head of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York, resigned in protest rather than file a motion seeking to drop the case. She was soon joined by other top Justice Department officials. Different prosecutors ultimately filed a motion late Friday to abandon the charges. Sassoon alleged in her resignation letter that the Justice Department proposed dismissing the charges against Adams in return for his assistance in enforcing the federal immigration laws. Adams’ attorney denied that he offered to help enact the president’s deportation agenda in exchange for having his case dropped, saying the mayor’s team “offered nothing and the department asked nothing of us.” In response to Sassoon’s resignation, Bove also denied there was any quid pro quo, writing in a letter that Sassoon’s allegation was “false.” On Sunday, Raskin said the Justice Department had to “try to coerce their own workers” to file the motion to drop the case, adding that “they were told to kill it for political reasons” although they said nothing had changed in the facts of the case. “The Justice Department is at war with its own attorneys, its own prosecutors, and the whole episode is just saturated with corruption,” Raskin continued. Rep. Jamie Raskin appears on “Face the Nation” on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025. CBS News Adams, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, was set to stand trial in April, and faced up to 45 years in prison if convicted. He and Mr. Trump met in Florida before the president was sworn in last month. Raskin, who taught constitutional law for decades, noted that the back and forth is “not over yet.” He noted that Judge Dale Ho, who is overseeing the case, doesn’t have to agree to withdraw the charges. “He may not,” Raskin said. “He may go ahead and try to appoint another prosecutor to go ahead and go through with the indictment that was handed down by a grand jury.” The Maryland Democrat said the fact that Adams is a member of his party is “neither here nor there for me.” He said he’s “against corruption across the board,” while accusing the president of seeking to “attract all of the corrupt politicians in America to his side.” Kaia Hubbard Kaia Hubbard is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital, based in Washington, D.C. Source link #Raskin #DOJ #deeply #corrupt #bargain #move #drop #charges #NYC #mayor Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]