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Aaron Rodgers reportedly told that Jets are moving on without him – Yahoo Sports Aaron Rodgers reportedly told that Jets are moving on without him – Yahoo Sports Aaron Rodgers reportedly told that Jets are moving on without him Yahoo SportsSources: Rodgers unlikely to return to Jets in ’25 ESPNJets tell Aaron Rodgers they’re moving on from QB in face-to-face meeting New York Post Aaron Rodgers, Jets appear headed for split after two seasons NFL.comAaron Rodgers’ future with Jets could be decided as soon as this week, team expected to part ways, per report CBS Sports Source link #Aaron #Rodgers #reportedly #told #Jets #moving #Yahoo #Sports Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Full transcript of “Face the Nation with Margret Brennan,” Feb. 9, 2025 Full transcript of “Face the Nation with Margret Brennan,” Feb. 9, 2025 On this “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” broadcast, moderated by Margaret Brennan: CBS News director of elections and surveys Anthony Salvanto Rep. Michael McCaul, Republican of Texas Rep. Ilhan Omar, Democrat of Minnesota Sen. Bill Hagerty, Republican of Tennessee Scott MacFarlane, Jan Crawford, Sam Vinograd and Christopher Krebs 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 continues to make good on his campaign pledges. What do Americans think of the Trump 2.0 policies and the job Mr. Trump’s doing as president? As Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency squad continue their sweep through the federal agencies, President Trump says they’re doing so at his insistence and that there’s more to come. But that revamp is leading to confusion. And the consequences are spreading across the country and around the world. How could the president’s bureaucratic shakeup impact America’s law enforcement, homeland security and intelligence capabilities? Plus, what’s the impact of cutting U.S. aid to the countries that need it the most? We will talk with Texas Republican Congressman Michael McCaul and Minnesota Democratic Congressman Ilhan Omar. Tennessee Republican Senator Bill Hagerty will join us from the Senate Republican retreat in Florida. It’s all just ahead on Face the Nation. Good morning, and welcome to Face the Nation. We begin today with our first assessment of how President Trump and his policies are doing just three weeks into his second term. Our CBS poll finds that a majority of Americans, 53 percent, approve of the job he’s doing. That’s a better approval number than he ever reached during his first term in the White House. Joining us with more is our executive director of elections and surveys, Anthony Salvanto. Good to see you, Anthony. What’s driving this? ANTHONY SALVANTO: I will keep it simple, Margaret. He’s doing, in the eyes of the public, what he said he would do in the campaign. There’s political value in that. In fact, 70 percent of people say he’s doing what he promised. That’s whether they approve of him or not. Now, there’s another part of this that continues over from the campaign. There were words that he was described as being tough, being energetic. And he still is today in big majority numbers. So, as people take a look in these first few weeks, there’s been a lot of activity. They’re getting that general sense of governance, and that’s being reflected in these early numbers. MARGARET BRENNAN: So that’s perception. What about the actual policies? ANTHONY SALVANTO: Well, let’s start with the ones that are popular. And, again, these echo a lot of what we saw in the campaign. The idea of deporting those in the country illegally continues to be popular. We saw that in the campaign. Sending troops to the U.S.-Mexico border, again, majority in favor. We’d seen that in the campaign. For his supporters in particular, the focus on ending DEI is popular. We had seen in the campaign a lot of them thought those processes had gone too far. There are some other things in here that get more mixed reviews, I will add. The idea of the U.S. taking over Gaza is not seen as a good idea. MARGARET BRENNAN: Something he floated at a press conference this past week. ANTHONY SALVANTO: He did, but it also gives you a little insight into how people are processing Donald Trump and what he does, because then, for a lot of his supporters, they say, well, that’s not really his goal. That’s a negotiating tactic. And then, on tariffs, those are not as popular. Those are things that the majority – with the exception of the ones on China. MARGARET BRENNAN: Why? ANTHONY SALVANTO: People think it will raise prices. And that’s important context here too, because people are still sensitive to price increases. A lot of them report that prices haven’t gone down. Remember that Donald Trump won the election on inflation, and that was a big reason. And what we find now is two-thirds of people saying that they don’t think the administration is focused enough on lowering prices. And that stands out as one of those big gaps when you talk about initial preferences, initial expectations and what’s getting delivered. That’s certainly going to be something to watch. MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, that’s interesting, because, throughout the campaign, he was abundantly clear that tariffs were something he wanted to use. And we talked quite a lot about possible impact on inflation. I know you also polled on President Trump’s work with Elon Musk and this so-called DOGE, Department of Government Efficiency. ANTHONY SALVANTO: Yes. MARGARET BRENNAN: We’re all kind of learning what it is. What do people think of it? ANTHONY SALVANTO: Well, exactly on that point, we’re all sort of learning this, so I think this will take a while to play out. Initially, you get very partisan responses on the role that Elon Musk should or should not play. You get a majority of Republicans saying he should have at least some influence, though it’s more of the MAGA base that really wants him to have a lot, and a lot of Democrats in opposition. Part of this is, too, the broad goals of cutting spending, of cutting foreign aid have things that have long been in the polling popular with Republicans. But in terms of the impact and approach, that may take a while for people to really see it play out. MARGARET BRENNAN: How you do it. And we will be talking about that ahead on the program. Anthony, thank you. ANTHONY SALVANTO: Thank you. MARGARET BRENNAN: And we turn now to Republican Congressman Mike McCaul of Texas. Good morning. It’s good to have you here. REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MCCAUL (R-Texas): Good morning, Margaret. Thanks for having me. MARGARET BRENNAN: I want to dig in to what has been happening, this mass confusion with USAID. There were 30 million metric tons of food sitting at a port in Houston all week because there weren’t U.S. workers to unload the food aid, food American taxpayers had already bought, food that Secretary Rubio said should be delivered, but wasn’t. How is this mass confusion increasing efficiency? REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MCCAUL: Well, if I could peel back on that a little bit, the confusion, I think, goes back to the Biden administration when they started to implement these woke policies of drag queen shows in Ecuador, when they started talking about LGBTQIA programs, like, say, in Latin American countries, how to sue Catholic governments, promoting atheism in Nepal, where you have Tibetan Buddhist monks. MARGARET BRENNAN: I saw the White House fact sheet on there. But this… REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MCCAUL: This is what gave the USAID a ****** eye. I personally believe that USAID has a national security mission. MARGARET BRENNAN: Right. REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MCCAUL: If you go back to its inception in the ’60s, under President Kennedy and the Cold War, it was to counter the Soviet Union. We need to return to the core mission principles. MARGARET BRENNAN: Right. Well, you have been a big supporter of USAID when you were chairman of House Foreign Affairs. REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MCCAUL: Right. MARGARET BRENNAN: You have talked about the great work that it does around the world. But back to this food aid, I mean, this isn’t a theater program. This is food for starving people. How is getting it all locked up in these ports – I mean, it’s the way it’s being implemented that has drawn so much shock here. Do you think this is being done well? REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MCCAUL: Well, I think – so, the secretary, in response to all this – and, by the way, I – put holds on all those programs I was talking about that had nothing to do with the central core mission. However, the secretary made waivers on humanitarian assistance and PEPFAR, which has been the most successful global health program, initiated by President Bush, by the way. MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MCCAUL: The implementation of this is where I would urge the administration to move more expeditiously. I just got word about 10 minutes ago at the World Food Program now. These waivers are now being implemented, that it is being executed, that food will be going out, but, to your point, about $40 million in food rotting in these warehouses in Houston, about 500,000 metric tons on ships on the sea. The peace through food program dates back to the ’50s… MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MCCAUL: … after the Marshall Plan. It is to provide stability in fragile, unstable countries. It is to counter Russia, China and terrorism. It is our diplomatic power. MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MCCAUL: Otherwise, we’re talking about bullets, as Mattis talked about and Lindsey Graham. MARGARET BRENNAN: Right, that if you don’t fully fund the State Department, you have got to buy me more bullets. That’s Mattis’ line. REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MCCAUL: Cool. MARGARET BRENNAN: But on how this is being done, Secretary of State Rubio keeps saying he’s issuing waivers and he’s getting things moving. I’m glad the World Food Program now says food is moving. REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MCCAUL: Yes. MARGARET BRENNAN: But there’s a huge divide between what he’s saying and then the fact that there weren’t USAID workers there to actually load ships or move things. There weren’t folks to process. It seems a fundamental misunderstanding between the bosses and the operators. Is this really how it should be done? Why not review and then take action? REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MCCAUL: And there’s a debate about whether you should – there is a top-to-bottom review. I think, after what happened under the Biden administration, it absolutely needs to be reviewed to get back to the core mission, as I talked about. MARGARET BRENNAN: Right. REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MCCAUL: So that is being done. At the same time, putting a halt on all humanitarian assistance and lifesaving medicines, I think that’s where Secretary Rubio issued these waivers for a reason… MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MCCAUL: … in consultation with the president, President Trump. And it seems to me his department needs to start implementing the waivers. Now, again, the World Food Program is doing that. MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, they have to be able to go back to work. REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MCCAUL: Yes. MARGARET BRENNAN: I mean, that was before the courts, if people could even go back to work to implement what he’s telling them to do. REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MCCAUL: And there is a temporary injunction on that issue. MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MCCAUL: I would urge the State Department to put the adequate resources necessary to deliver this, because our foreign adversaries are looking at this. Just as they laughed at the Ecuador drag shows, they’re also questioning what’s happening now. And I think we need to have a strong presence in destabilized nations to keep out our adversaries. MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. But do you think this was done intentionally, or are people like this individual Pete Marocco, who Secretary Rubio has authorized to run this, do they just not know how the department works or how USAID works? REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MCCAUL: I really can’t speak for him. I know that he’s been in charge – put in charge of the foreign assistance program. MARGARET BRENNAN: Should he come into Congress and answer questions, since there’s a hearing on USAID this week? REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MCCAUL: Well, I do think the administration has provided, by the way, notification and consultation with the Foreign Affairs Committee that I chaired. And that is required under law. They have done that. I think, if they decide to terminate, that’s a whole ‘nother issue. My understanding is that they want to look at putting USAID underneath the State Department, which is not a novel concept. MARGARET BRENNAN: No. REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MCCAUL: I mean, Madeleine Albright talked about this under… MARGARET BRENNAN: Right. REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MCCAUL: And Bill Clinton and Warren Christopher talked about this. MARGARET BRENNAN: Right. REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MCCAUL: Even Joe Biden talked about this. And I think putting it under State makes a lot of sense to me to provide the direct supervision and oversight. MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MCCAUL: But you know how this department works, since you were the chair for so long of the committee overseeing it. When this Trump-appointed judge put that federal – the pause on the putting USAID workers on leave, he wrote in the opinion: “No future lawsuit could undo the physical harm that might result if USAID employees are not informed of imminent security threats occurring in the countries to which they have relocated in the course of their service to the United States.” He’s saying that the messy way this rolled out put people in physical risk when they are deployed by our government to countries overseas. Did the secretary of state have any idea? REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MCCAUL: The secretary of state issued the waivers for PEPFAR and for humanitarian both food and medicine. MARGARET BRENNAN: But people living and working in places like Syria aren’t able to access computer systems and security warnings that are there. REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MCCAUL: The – every – every president that comes in does a review. I would argue, though, that since the secretary’s issued the waivers, that it’s incumbent upon his subordinates now to implement these waivers so that we don’t see what could happen where people are not getting their vaccines, they’re not getting the **** treatment, there are starving people in destabilized countries. MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MCCAUL: And then we see China and Russia. And, quite frankly, Lindsey Graham and I did the Global Fragility Act to impact the Sahel in Africa. That is turning into a terror safe haven. You got Ebola popping up in Uganda. MARGARET BRENNAN: Right. REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MCCAUL: These are serious issues that, if we don’t start implementing waivers, you’re going to see it get worse, not better. And I would urge the administration to do that. MARGARET BRENNAN: You’re striking a very different tone than Congressman Brian Mast, who was here last week. And he said there’s a grift on the American people. He said PEPFAR and Americans shouldn’t fund AIDS drugs for 20 million people across Africa because their governments might work with China. REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MCCAUL: It’s the best… MARGARET BRENNAN: There’s a divide in your party about this right now. REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MCCAUL: Well, it’s the best – I can only speak to the program that President Bush started, and it was to save millions of lives. That is probably one of the – been the best goodwill missions in the United States and put the best face, no pun intended, on the nation overseas with our adversaries, countering them, with these people. We’re saving their lives. The best global health program ever implemented by the United States was PEPFAR. I’d hate to see that go away. It will sunset once we achieve the mission. However, programs like that, when you look at the national security importance of USAID… MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MCCAUL: … need to be maintained. And I go back to why it was implemented in the first place. MARGARET BRENNAN: On Friday night, the president ordered all foreign assistance to South Africa be halted and said we should prioritize the resettling of Afrikaner refugees. These are white South Africans. That means they will get priority over everyone, it seems, because there’s a suspension of refugee entry into the United States, including those Afghan allies who worked along the United – alongside the United States. Are you going to try to help lift that? REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MCCAUL: Yes, I believe – I did a comprehensive investigation that the debacle of Afghanistan that the Biden administration was responsible for… MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MCCAUL: … including leaving our Afghan partners behind. Those… MARGARET BRENNAN: Should they get a carve-out from the Trump ban on refugees? Should the Afghans? REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MCCAUL: And I do believe that it was an unintended consequence that needs to be fixed. Look, we promised them that we would protect them when they worked with our service men and women in Afghanistan. These are the interpreters, the ones who were right alongside our combat veterans. They have these Special Immigrant Visas and P-1, P-2. MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MCCAUL: And it’s my view that they should be allowed to go forward with the SIV program. MARGARET BRENNAN: And others. REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MCCAUL: And they have been vetted, by the way, Margaret. They have been vetted. Unlike some of the other groups they talk about, these have been vetted. They worked with our troops to defeat the Taliban, which, unfortunately, Biden surrendered to. But it seems to me we ought to live up to our word. Otherwise, down the road, in another conflict, no one’s going to trust us. MARGARET BRENNAN: Congressman McCaul, thank you. REPRESENTATIVE MICHAEL MCCAUL: Thanks, Margaret. MARGARET BRENNAN: Face the Nation will be back in a minute. (ANNOUNCEMENTS) MARGARET BRENNAN: We go now to Tennessee Republican Senator Bill Hagerty, who joins us this morning from Palm Beach, Florida. Good morning to you, Senator. SENATOR BILL HAGERTY (R-Tennessee): Good morning, Margaret. Good to be with you. MARGARET BRENNAN: I have a lot to get to with you today, but I want to start with the announcement from the White House that over 65,000 employees have accepted the offer to leave their jobs with pay through September 30. This is that deferred resignation program, or buyout, as it’s called. Can you explain how putting federal workers on paid leave through September will save taxpayers money, if we’re paying them not to work? SENATOR BILL HAGERTY: Margaret, eventually it will save taxpayers money. I think what President Trump is trying to do is be humane in the process of allowing them to make plans to find other employment. But I certainly think the government is far too big, far too bloated. And we’re on a path now to start to see it shrink. This is the first step only, but we’re moving in the right direction. MARGARET BRENNAN: So does that mean the agencies won’t hire replacements for these people who take the so-called buyout? Are you reducing head count? SENATOR BILL HAGERTY: I think what we will see is each agency – yes, I think what we will see, Margaret, is each agency go through a top-to-bottom review to decide exactly what they need to do to deliver on behalf of the American public. As you know, there’s been a lot of consternation and pearl-clutching about the activities of Elon Musk and his team. But their charge led by President Trump is to go in and find efficiencies, find opportunities and, frankly, deliver more of taxpayer dollars to the actual programs that are intended, less to overhead and administration. MARGARET BRENNAN: So you said, eventually, it will save money. I know you’re on Appropriations Committee and you watch these things pretty closely here. When will it save money? SENATOR BILL HAGERTY: Well, I would say certainly as soon as these people start to roll off the payroll. Again, I’m from the private sector, Margaret. My entire background has been in business. This is the way you do it. You come in, you look at the opportunities before you. President Trump has brought a new administration. And this is not unusual to take a hard look at these programs, and also to look for opportunities to cut bloat and waste. Look, we’re $36 trillion in debt. Clearly, the American public needs… MARGARET BRENNAN: Right. SENATOR BILL HAGERTY: … to see more accountability, more visibility, more performance for their taxpayer dollars. MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. And I think anyone who works in the private sector understands how layoffs work. The government is so unique, though, with laws establishing some of these agencies. And, as you know – and we will talk about it later in the program – some of this is tied up in the courts. SENATOR BILL HAGERTY: Yes. MARGARET BRENNAN: Specifically, since you’re on banking, the budget director announced he’s notified the Federal Reserve that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will no longer take congressional funding because it’s not necessary. Elon Musk tweeted: “Rest in peace.” Can you tell us, did the White House inform… SENATOR BILL HAGERTY: I missed Elon Musk’s tweet. MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. Did the White House inform the Banking Committee that it’s being dismantled? What does “CFPB, rest in peace” mean? SENATOR BILL HAGERTY: So, I have had significant conversations with Russ Vought, who is our new OMB director. The CFPB has been out of control for some time. The way it’s designed, I think, is unconstitutional. It has no oversight. It’s been basically a reckless agency that’s been allowed to go way beyond any mandate that I think was originally intended. So it’s time to rein it in. And I’m applauding anything that we can do to bring more stability and more control to the federal government and take agencies like this back into some sort of sense of accountability and oversight. MARGARET BRENNAN: So, what does that mean? Because it’s established as an agency, and there are legal protections here. SENATOR BILL HAGERTY: Well, it was established as an agency that does not have the jurisdiction of the Congress. Its funding source is separate from us. It has no accountability. This is not the type of agency I think that the founding fathers contemplated. We actually contemplated a balance of power. Yet this rogue agency has been created. And, frankly, it’s been used as a tool to come in and just hammer the American private sector and pursue initiatives that certain people like Rohit Chopra might have approved or Senator Elizabeth Warren might have approved, but this is not the way the American public should be funding and supporting programs of this nature. MARGARET BRENNAN: OK. So, a different government agency, USAID, and its fate is also in question. We looked at the Congressional Research Service definition here, because it was enshrined in law, USAID. It says, because Congress established it as independent within the executive branch, the president does not have the authority to abolish it. Congressional authorization would be required to abolish, move or consolidate USAID. So, have you – or do you expect Congress to actually authorize the president to dismantle and consolidate USAID? SENATOR BILL HAGERTY: I think there’s a tremendous appetite to do it, again, Margaret, because what we want to see is alignment of our programs with America’s national security interest. USAID has been out of control. I have demanded accountability from a AID. They have refused it. As an appropriator, I have asked them to be very clear about, for example, their role funding ****** in Gaza. They would not comply. They will not tell us what they do. Now that we start to find out some of the programs that AID has been funding, I mean, think about it, sex change operations in Guatemala, LGBTQ programs in Serbia, this is ridiculous. This is so beyond the pale. MARGARET BRENNAN: The U.S. government does not sex change operations or fund ******. You know that, though. But you sit on… SENATOR BILL HAGERTY: That is not true, Margaret. I couldn’t get the secretary of state. I asked him three times to tell me that we were not funding ****** to AID. He couldn’t do it. And, frankly, what we found is that we’ve been funding, as American taxpayers, organizations… MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you have any evidence that the United States government is terror – is funding a terrorist group? SENATOR BILL HAGERTY: Certainly, the funds that have gone to UNRWA. You saw the UNRWA members who were also ****** members going In an attack on… MARGARET BRENNAN: OK, that’s – UNRWA is not a terrorist group. UNRWA is part of the United Nations. SENATOR BILL HAGERTY: UNRWA is supporting terrorist groups. And if you look at what UNRWA has done, it’s been so counter to our national interest. It’s unbelievable that we would fund it. MARGARET BRENNAN: OK. Since you’re on Foreign Relations, let me ask you specifically what’s happening inside the State Department right now. A gentleman named Darren Beattie has been appointed as acting undersecretary for public diplomacy and public affairs. He was fired from the first Trump administration after he attended a white nationalist convention. He’s made a lot of inflammatory statements against women and minorities. If he couldn’t work for the first Trump administration, how is he qualified to work now? SENATOR BILL HAGERTY: Margaret, I’m not familiar with Mr. Beattie or the claims that you raise. But if we want to talk about qualifications for people serving in the administration, why not look back at the prior administration? The only qualification Tony Blinken seemed to have to be secretary of state is that you organized 51 intelligence – so-called intelligence officials to forge a letter to say that the Hunter Biden laptop was Russian disinformation. MARGARET BRENNAN: OK. SENATOR BILL HAGERTY: If we want to talk about accountability and who should be serving, let’s go back and look at the last administration. MARGARET BRENNAN: Is attending a white nationalist rally appropriate – if it wasn’t appropriate to attend a white nationalist rally then, is it appropriate now? SENATOR BILL HAGERTY: I don’t know anything about this, Margaret. I don’t know anything about this… (CROSSTALK) MARGARET BRENNAN: OK. Well, the secretary of state spoke about it earlier this week. So, Secretary Rubio does know about it. (CROSSTALK) MARGARET BRENNAN: Tariffs. President Trump said he plans, as soon as this week, new reciprocal tariffs on everybody. It sounds like he’s broadening out this trade war. SENATOR BILL HAGERTY: Yes. MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you know exactly which goods or countries will be impacted in the coming days? SENATOR BILL HAGERTY: So, I talked with President Trump on Friday about this broadly, Margaret. This is a concern that he has had for some time. As you know, I served in his previous administration and worked my heart out to get two trade agreements executed with Japan. I was the U.S. ambassador to Japan in his administration. Here’s what we’re trying to deal with, and it goes all the way back to World War II and the aftermath. MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. SENATOR BILL HAGERTY: We made very favorable terms of trade with countries whose economies have been devastated in Europe and Japan. MARGARET BRENNAN: OK. SENATOR BILL HAGERTY: We should have time-limited that. We should have put some type of GDP per capita limit on it. MARGARET BRENNAN: OK. SENATOR BILL HAGERTY: Because what we have now are countries that have very unfavorable and unfair terms that are fully developed. MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. SENATOR BILL HAGERTY: So it’s time to address this. MARGARET BRENNAN: Senator, I’m sorry. SENATOR BILL HAGERTY: It’s already begun to happen. President Trump and I talked – yes. MARGARET BRENNAN: Senator, I’m sorry. My… SENATOR BILL HAGERTY: It’s already begun to happen. MARGARET BRENNAN: I’m running out of time because of the commercial break that’s coming up here. SENATOR BILL HAGERTY: OK. MARGARET BRENNAN: So I have to leave it there. I apologize for cutting you off. We will be right back. (ANNOUNCEMENTS) MARGARET BRENNAN: Coming up, we will check in with Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar from Minnesota. She’s here with us in studio. (ANNOUNCEMENTS) MARGARET BRENNAN: We will be right back with a lot more Face the Nation. Stay with us. (ANNOUNCEMENTS) MARGARET BRENNAN: We’re joined now by Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar of Minnesota. Good to have you here. You have spoken quite a bit this week about what USAID meant in your life, particularly when you were living in a refugee camp for four years. And USAID, you talked about, helping to keep you alive. We know this week a federal judge will come to some kind of hearing and decision perhaps on what happens to all those government workers. Are the courts the main line of defense here? REPRESENTATIVE ILHAN OMAR (D-MN): Yes. I mean, what we are witnessing is a constitutional crisis. We are seeing an executive branch that has decided that they are no longer going to abide by the Constitution, in honoring Congress’ role in the creation of the agencies, in their role in deciding where money is allocated. And so the only recourse we have since our congressional leadership, the speaker will not stop the executive, is through the judiciary. And this is, you know, when you think about the checks and balances that we have, the courts are the only recourse we have at the moment. And we have seen – and when we talk about the illegality of what the executive is doing, we have seen every single executive order that has been challenged in the courts, was found to be ********. MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. REPRESENTATIVE ILHAN OMAR: And that, I think, should give faith to the American people that our courts are working as they should, the checks and balances are working. MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. REPRESENTATIVE ILHAN OMAR: What is not working is the way that the executive is behaving and the congressional leadership that is failing the American people. MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, some of these court cases are ongoing, so we’ll have to see where – where they end up, but – REPRESENTATIVE ILHAN OMAR: But the ones that have already been adjudicated, every single executive order has been halted at the moment by an order. MARGARET BRENNAN: Many of them Republican judges who – REPRESENTATIVE ILHAN OMAR: Yes. Yes. MARGARET BRENNAN: Who have also made that decision. REPRESENTATIVE ILHAN OMAR: Trump-appointed judges. MARGARET BRENNAN: It was interesting – it was interesting to hear Congressman McCaul indicate that when it came to breaking up an agency that was enshrined in law that maybe there is some resistance there. Senator Hagerty, however, thought that Congress would be supportive of dismantling USAID after I read that – that description of the statute. It seems, though, that – that Democrats don’t have a lot of leverage here to push this argument forward in Congress. Do you think you do? REPRESENTATIVE ILHAN OMAR: Well, they don’t have the numbers in order to dismantle through Congress. That’s why they are going through this ******** – that’s why they’re going through this ******** route. We know that USAID has support, not just with Democrats, but with Republicans. I can’t see McCaul taking a vote to dismantle USAID, you know. So – so we know that the – the votes are not there to dismantle the Department of Education. We know that the votes are not there to grant security clearances for them accessing Treasury. And – and so every single process that they are going through in implementing Trump’s agenda – MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. REPRESENTATIVE ILHAN OMAR: Is, at the moment, ********. And they know they don’t have the support for it in Congress. That’s why they’re not bringing it through Congress. MARGARET BRENNAN: It’s interesting that the first place to focus is such a small portion of federal spending, to look at – at – at aid. But when you look at the popularity, Secretary Rubio has right in saying that it’s getting harder to defend foreign aid because it’s not popular. We saw the Chicago Council on Global Affairs surveyed American opinions on foreign policy and they found a growing number want to reduce economic and military aid to other countries. So, how do you convince the public that your point of view is the right one, because it – it sounds like they’re sliding the other way? REPRESENTATIVE ILHAN OMAR: Well, foreign aid, I think, throughout the history of – of our country has not been popular with the American people because we don’t have that many conversations about what it does, how much of it – it accounts for in our budget. A lot of people hear the millions, billions, and they don’t fully have a concept of what – what that actually means. MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. REPRESENTATIVE ILHAN OMAR: The lives it touches. And – and how important it is both the soft power that we have as a country, how it keeps us competitive around the world, how it buys us goodwill. We – we can have the conversation. But when you just say foreign aid to – to a lot of people, they’re thinking that we’re sending bombs to other countries – MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. REPRESENTATIVE ILHAN OMAR: Which people like me and others oppose. MARGARET BRENNAN: Right. An allegation we heard earlier in the program. I want to ask you about something President Trump said this week alongside the Israeli prime minister. It took many by surprise. Take a listen. (BEGIN VC) DONALD TRUMP (President of The United States): The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it, too. We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangers, unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site. (END VC) MARGARET BRENNAN: The president said Palestinians would be permanently removed. How do you think this is heard and understood around the world? REPRESENTATIVE ILHAN OMAR: Well, that – that’s just plain out ethnic cleansing and – and genocide. That’s – that’s what he’s talking about. The – the ************ people will remain in Gaza. There is no support around the world for the ludicrous suggestion that – that he is making. MARGARET BRENNAN: Well, he doesn’t give them a choice to leave. Open the gates. REPRESENTATIVE ILHAN OMAR: Yes, I’m pretty sure most of the people in – in Gaza would love to remain in their homeland and – and be where they were born. MARGARET BRENNAN: Congresswoman, we have to leave it there for today, but I appreciate you coming in. REPRESENTATIVE ILHAN OMAR: Thank you. MARGARET BRENNAN: We’ll be right back with a lot more FACE THE NATION. Stay with us. (ANNOUNCEMENTS) (BEGIN VC) ACTIVE FBI AGENT: We just have a lot of unknowns, and it feels like no one has our backs. No one’s been a voice for the small people. And if we’re going to go out there and risk our lives, the least you could do is protect our, you know, safety and our families. (END VC) MARGARET BRENNAN: That was an active FBI agent who spoke with CBS’s Scott Macfarlane last week. The agent asked for anonymity due to safety concerns, including the risk that private information about the individual could be made public, a practice known as doxxing. For more on that interview and the impact of the Trump administration’s bureaucratic overhaul is Justice Department correspondent Scott Macfarlane. We’re also joined by chief legal correspondent Jan Crawford, homeland security contributor Samantha Vinograd, and cybersecurity expert and analyst Chris Krebs. It’s good to have you all here. And even just trying to whittle this down to exactly what to ask you was hard because there has been so much happening. Scott, let’s talk on the very immediate thing that was raised in that interview, physical security. You obtained an email from the acting FBI director that said he has concerns for the safety of personnel, as well as risks to their families. What exactly does he have in mind, and what’s being done to protect them? SCOTT MACFARLANE: Let’s take a moment to underscore the significance of that message. These are people who chase terrorists for a living. And there’s an internal email they’re worried about, a unique form of retribution at this moment. That gives you an indication the turmoil the FBI is in at this moment. There are two types of retribution these agents are concerned about. First of all, as you mentioned, the doxxing, that people are going to come after them and they’re concerned that the January 6th rioters, now lionized, now galvanized, or their supporters and sympathizers will come after the agents who are responsible for nearly 1,600 arrests. But more fundamentally, and perhaps more immediately, they’re worried about retribution for doing their jobs, professional retribution, that there will be a purge, firings, forced resignations that are going to gut America’s joint terror task force, child predator task forces and violent crime units. MARGARET BRENNAN: And just to be clear, FBI agents don’t get to pick what assignments they get, just like the United States military does not get to pick it. SCOTT MACFARLANE: And this was not a Washington, D.C., investigation. This involved every field office of the FBI nationwide. They were assigned in communities from California to Connecticut. MARGARET BRENNAN: Sam, when you look at some of the national security implications here, it’s not just the domestic law enforcement. The CIA offered a different early retirement and resignation option. The CIA director said if an individual works on a high-priority issue or has a specific language skill, they can’t take the so-called buyout we’ve been talking about earlier in the program. They are trying to target these cutbacks in specific ways. Can you actually really do that and – and is this a good idea? SAMANTHA VINOGRAD: Well, I think it depends the subjectivity of how you define national security. I would argue that all of the CIA count as a critical national security position. But more broadly, Margaret, I worked for three presidents. They all had different approaches to the federal workforce. What concerns me with this administration’s rapid elimination approach is that it creates a wildly uneven playing field with our adversaries. The KGB is not shedding agents. The ******** Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not losing diplomats. What we have in this moment is tens of thousands of personnel taking the buyout, leaving their jobs. We have countless others on leave. We have others who are worried about taking certain assignments because of fear of retribution, or spending hours talking to family and lawyers about their professional options while being expected to do their day job. We don’t have all hands on deck in a very dynamic threat environment. And longer term, I am concerned what this will do for recruitment to the federal government and redundancy. It takes years to train and equip a spy. It takes years to train an aid worker. So, coming back from the talent cuts that we’re seeing could have a generational impact. MARGARET BRENNAN: And that – the comparison was made early in the program, oh, well, in the private sectors they do buyout. Even in the private sector people can say, hey, we lost some institutional knowledge or expertise here. You’re saying American government, the taxpayer invested in that expertise and that’s what’s being lost here. SAMANTHA VINOGRAD: And there’s no quick fix switch to turn it back on. It will be a longer term investment in getting talent back onto the field. MARGARET BRENNAN: So, Chris, you know, in trying to whittle down who this applies to, who it doesn’t, CBS has obtained an internal communication given out at homeland security, employees were told anyone working for Customs and Border Patrol can’t take the buyout. ICE, other immigration related departments, TSA you can’t, FEMA, parts of it at least you can’t. And the agency you used to run, CISA, was singled out. But then we’re seeing conflicting reports that say very different things about parts of that agency being affected and dismantled. Cybersecurity is the new frontier for warfare, right? CHRIS KREBS: Absolutely. Yes. MARGARET BRENNAN: So – so, what does this mean? CHRIS KREBS: Well, it’s not clear, right? Let – let’s also step back a minute and recognize that President Trump, in his first administration, in 2018, established CISA, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. MARGARET BRENNAN: Which is when you worked for – CHRIS KREBS: That’s what it – that’s the agency I ran. And to your point the threat landscape it as active and dynamic as ever. And it’s not as if we’re, all of a sudden unplugging systems today that we weren’t doing two to three months ago. It’s becoming more digitized, more connected. And the opportunity space for the bad guys is also increasing. Even during the campaign the vice president’s phone was accessed by ******** threat actors. So, we have this opportunity right now to continue to invest in our cybersecurity defenses. So, the conversations I’ve had with CISA personnel is that they’re going to hang on because the public service mission is so important to many of these individuals it could be making millions in the cybersecurity industry, in the private sector. They are committed to getting through this, to continuing to protect the American people, the American networks, the federal – the federal government. That’s the opportunity. MARGARET BRENNAN: Secretary Noem said CISA has gotten far off mission. How was that received? CHRIS KREBS: Well, I think to Sam’s point, you know, every administration has a set of – policies and priorities that they – they go in, they review, they sometimes do it rapidly, sometimes do it slowly, at the beginning of the Biden administration, Scott, as we were talking about, the – they took down or disassembled the Department of Justice China Task Force. China is obviously a huge threat. There are elements of CISA, the elections security mission specifically, that was clearly spelled out in Project 2025 as a distraction, as something that’s not core. And I will say that having worked with those people, they’re American patriots. They are public servants. My hope is that as the administrative review process goes through, that they are provided opportunities to work elsewhere because they are – they’re effective and there are other things that we have to continue to be doing. MARGARET BRENNAN: I want to drill down more, but I – come back with everything these days, Jan, to the fundamental questions, is this legal? As our legal expert, you know, some of these buyouts are – are tied up in court. Is it legal? JAN CRAWFORD: Right. And we’re going to have a hearing this week, tomorrow, on whether or not these pauses can remain. I think the judge is going to keep this pause in place, is kind of putting it on hold, even though this is one of the weaker of all the lawsuits that’s been filed against these many executive orders. The argument is that Trump just went about this the wrong way. So, that’s why it’s different than when Bill Clinton cut over 200,000 jobs from the federal government when he was in office. He involved Congress. And that’s a common theme with all of these lawsuits. And there are many. I mean, dozens and dozens from coast to coast that these executive orders, and doing these executive orders, Trump did it unilaterally. That – and he cannot do that. Like, he has to involve Congress. And he’s usurping Congress’ role. So, whatever the judge does in – in this case on the buyouts, you know, I think it does raise one interesting issue when you’re talking about the impact on people and how some of these orders, as you guys were discussing, what about those 65,000 people who say they want those? MARGARET BRENNAN: Right. JAN CRAWFORD: They want to do this. They may have a claim now. They’re relying on this. So, that raises a whole nother legal issue if these buyouts cannot proceed. So, all of this is going to take some time to sort out. The courts right now are definitely putting up, you know, yellow to red lights on a lot of these executive orders. But, you know, like our polling is showing, like I – this, to me, regardless of whether these end up being legal losses, losses in the courts, they’re political wins. It’s – it’s a victory for Trump because he’s showing that he’s doing, as our polling reflects, what he promised in the campaign. MARGARET BRENNAN: Right. JAN CRAWFORD: And so, you know, regardless of how many of these end up surviving at the end of the day – MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. JAN CRAWFORD: Trump can still say this was a win for him politically. MARGARET BRENNAN: Right. And we keep coming back to that, but it’s not just what you do it’s how you do it. And that’s what I think is so illuminating to hear from you all from inside the agencies. Scott, I want to come back to you because the attorney general, Bondi, dissolved an FBI task force that worked to uncover covert efforts by Russia, China, Iran and others to manipulate voters. There seems to be an effort to refocus the Justice Department. What’s that focus? SCOTT MACFARLANE: Yes, there were some first-day orders when Pam Bondi arrived at main justice this week, including repurposing this foreign influence task force the FBI has, trying to shepherd its resources more towards drug cartels versus the ongoing kinetic foreign influence campaigns, which have been part of our country for some time now. MARGARET BRENNAN: That Chris was mentioning, right. SCOTT MACFARLANE: That – that Chris knows quite well. I think their concern though is broader than just that task force. If there is a gutting of FBI personnel, either by giving them new jobs that aren’t what they’re there for or firing them, you can’t just replace an FBI agent tomorrow. MARGARET BRENNAN: Right. SCOTT MACFARLANE: It takes many months of training, background checks, polygraphs, they go to Quantico. It takes a long time to deploy, years to get them up to speed. And for a supervisor we’re told it takes five to seven years to get somebody in place. That’s something that goes beyond the Trump term. MARGARET BRENNAN: Jan, on the legal question, Democrats are throwing around constitutional crisis as a phrase. JAN CRAWFORD: I don’t see that yet. I mean so far the president is not ignoring judicial orders. MARGARET BRENNAN: So far. JAN CRAWFORD: Right. MARGARET BRENNAN: Two weeks in. JAN CRAWFORD: And they’re appealing them. They’re, you know, so I – MARGARET BRENNAN: On the – on the congressional consent portion, though, we’re not – you did hear from – from Congressman McCaul that, well, if it’s in statute, that’s another matter. You have to at least consult with Congress before you destroy an agency or dismantle it. JAN CRAWFORD: Right. And all of these executive orders raise similar legal issues, but they’re different because they depend on what the law at issue actually says. So, the USAID, you know, trying to put those employees that you were talking about on administrative leave, I think there’s about 3,000 of them, and then kind of the force evacuation from their host countries, a very highly regarded federal district court judge here in D.C., a Trump appointees, put that on hold. MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. JAN CRAWFORD: And pointed to a specific federal law that says that he has to consult Congress before you’re going to dismantle or really kind of reorganize USAID. So, that one, that’s a – that’s a pretty strong lawsuit right there. That’s a strong one. But that judge also upheld part of Secretary Rubio’s order that would freeze future funding of USAID projects. So, (INAUDIBLE). MARGARET BRENNAN: Chris, quickly, on the national security questions of having these DOGE employees, which the White House says have security clearances and are only looking inside systems, read only, is there risk? CHRIS KREBS: Well, I – theoretically there are various risks associated with access to systems. You – you could have sensitive information, proprietary information. You could be plugging in systems that aren’t necessarily clean or haven’t gone through the normal protocols for access to these government systems. You could also see some of these folks getting targeted by ******** or Russian actors – MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. CHRIS KREBS: For compromise, for extortion and exploitation. But the real – I, you know, the opportunity that I’m looking for out of DOGE specifically is to radically transform government IT. We have to do it. It’s been too long. MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes. And we’ll continue to track that. Chris Krebs, thank you, all of you. We’ll be back in a moment. (ANNOUNCEMENTS) MARGARET BRENNAN: When the U.S. Agency for International Development sends assistance to countries around the world, the material is stamped with the agency’s logo, and its motto, “from the American people,” so the recipients of our assistance know exactly who sent it. Today, the future of the agency is very much in doubt. (BEGIN VT) MARGARET BRENNAN (voice over): President John F. Kennedy created USAID in 1961 as a way to exert American strength. JOHN F. KENNEDY (Former U.S. President): The people who are opposed to aid should realize that this is a very powerful source of strength for us. MARGARET BRENNAN (voice over): Sixty-four years later, Elon Musk called those public servants criminals and said USAID must die. President Trump tasked him to go to work. DONALD TRUMP (President of The United States): Look at all the fraud that he’s found in this USAID. It’s a disaster what the people – radical left lunatics. They have things that nobody would have even believed. MARGARET BRENNAN (voice over): On Friday the USAID signs were removed from outside the building named after President Ronald Reagan, who fiercely fought for foreign aid. RONALD REAGAN (Former U.S. President): We aren’t buying friends, we’re helping friends. MARGARET BRENNAN (voice over): We spoke with a ten-year veteran of USAID, who asked to stay anonymous out of fear for their family members’ safety. MARGARET BRENNAN: Are people motivated by politics where you work? USAID WORKER: Civil servants are, at their core, sworn to uphold the rules of our government, of our Constitution, and to serve each incoming administration. My personal politics don’t play a role in us delivering small food packets to kids in Sudan that are literally hours away from dying. MARGARET BRENNAN (voice over): A federal court will decide whether it is legal for a president to unilaterally dismantle an agency enshrined in law by Congress. Yet last week half a million metric tons of food aid sat waiting in U.S. ports with no workers able to unload or deliver it, complicating Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s ability to unfreeze a few projects, like feeding the starving in Sudan, and giving medication to AIDS patients. MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you think there is a chance that these people with DOGE are doing what Donald Trump has said, the president of the United States has said they’re increasing efficiency? USAID WORKER: No, I don’t. You know, I respect our new secretary of state. And when he took office, he said that he was going to do everything in his power to align U.S. foreign policy with making Americans stronger, safer and more prosperous. I can tell you that every individual at USAID welcomes that conversation and welcomes that challenge, including myself. MARGARET BRENNAN (voice over): It isn’t clear why this sliver of spending, less than 1 percent of the federal government, is the first focus of this so-called efficiency project, but it feels like a demolition, perhaps a preview of the future for other public servants. USAID WORKER: Please pay attention to USAID. This might not affect you right now, but I it will tomorrow. (END VT) MARGARET BRENNAN: We’ll be right back. (ANNOUNCEMENTS) MARGARET BRENNAN: That’s it for us today. Thank you all for watching. Until next week. For FACE THE NATION, I’m Margaret Brennan. (ANNOUNCEMENTS) Face The Nation Transcripts More More Source link #Full #transcript #Face #Nation #Margret #Brennan #Feb Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Nine police officers injured in two days Nine police officers injured in two days Getty Images Ch Insp Luke Moyne said all of the officers remained on duty which was a “testimony to their resilience” during the “difficult challenges” they faced Nine police officers were injured over a 48-hour ******* in Londonderry and Strabane over the weekend. According to police, between Friday 7 February and Sunday 9 February, the officers were met with aggression from people who, in some instances were armed. Some were also subjected to “racial and sectarian abuse”. Ch Insp Luke Moyne said all of the officers remained on duty which was a “testimony to their resilience” during the “difficult challenges” they faced. ‘Head-butted’ Ch Insp Moyne said one officer was punched in the face while during another callout a woman ran towards an officer with a knife. Other officers were also reportedly head-butted and kicked, with blood also being spat at them. Two more officers were also assaulted when attending a large fight in Derry city centre involving a crowd. During another incident an officer sprained her wrist while restraining a man and another officer was kicked in the head. ‘Grim reality’ “All of these shameful attacks will be investigated rigorously,” he added. “We are supporting these officers following a very difficult weekend. They are receiving the appropriate care and our ******** support has been set up. “However, assaults across this weekend from just one policing district in Northern Ireland, shows the often grim reality of what our officers on the ground are facing each and every day.” Source link #police #officers #injured #days Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Mastercard plans to get rid of credit card numbers. We could be heading towards the end of cards Mastercard plans to get rid of credit card numbers. We could be heading towards the end of cards Mastercard has already said it will remove the 16-digit number from their credit and debit cards by 2030 as banks turn to biometrics. But that opens up a whole new set of potential dangers. Source link #Mastercard #plans #rid #credit #card #numbers #heading #cards Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Face the Nation: Omar, Vinograd, Krebs Face the Nation: Omar, Vinograd, Krebs Face the Nation: Omar, Vinograd, Krebs – CBS News Watch CBS News Missed the second half of the show? The latest on…Dem. Rep. Ilhan Omar says that as the Trump administration has steamrolled forward with executive orders to dismantle USAID and the Department of Education as well accessing the Treasury Department records because the president doesn’t “have the support” among Republicans in Congress, amid the Trump administration’s bureaucratic overhaul, CBS News Justice Department correspondent Scott MacFarlane, chief legal correspondent Jan Crawford, CBS News homeland security contributor Sam Vinograd and CBS News cybersecurity expert and analyst Chris Krebs join to discuss the impact, and USAID had only accounted for less than 1% of the federal budget before the Trump administration began its campaign to dismantle it. It isn’t clear why this sliver of spending is the first focus of the so-called efficiency project, but it feels like a demolition — and perhaps a preview of the future for other public servants. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On Source link #Face #Nation #Omar #Vinograd #Krebs Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Ulta Beauty, Inc. (ULTA) Among the Best Hair Care Stocks to Buy Ulta Beauty, Inc. (ULTA) Among the Best Hair Care Stocks to Buy We recently published a list of the 12 Best Hair Care Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Ulta Beauty, Inc. (NASDAQ:ULTA) stands against other best hair care stocks to buy right now. According to a report by Mordor Intelligence, the global hair care industry is valued at $93.89 billion as of 2025. It is anticipated to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 3.4% between 2025 and 2030 and reach $110.97 billion by 2030. The Asia-Pacific region is the largest market for the hair care industry worldwide. However, South America takes the top spot as the fastest growing. The steady growth in the global hair care industry can be attributed to various factors, including consumers’ evolving preferences and increasing technological advancements. In addition, macro trends such as a growing focus on personal wellness, inclination towards top luxury and premium hair care brands, and growing disposable incomes are further supporting growth in the global hair care industry. The demand for eco-friendly and sustainable solutions is also growing, as consumers are inclined towards organic, natural, and vegan hair care solutions and products. Another prominent driver of market growth in the global hair care industry is the rising prevalence of hair concerns. These include hair fall, dandruff, heat damage from styling tools, and other conditions. Around 50 million men and 30 million women in the United States were affected by androgenetic alopecia in 2023 alone. Androgenetic alopecia is commonly known as male-pattern baldness in men and female-pattern hair loss in women. The rise of such concerns is ballooning the demand for specialized hair care products. The hair loss treatment segment is thus anticipated to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 7.6% between 2024 and 2029. Another report by Mordor Intelligence shows similar trends in the hair care products market. It has a size of $94.10 billion as of 2025 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 3.39% between 2025 and 2030. This translates to an anticipated market size of around $111.16 billion by 2030. Specialized concerns such as hair and scalp problems are driving this growth. In addition, consumers are inclined towards hair care products recommended by professionals, further driving the market. READ ALSO: 10 Best Furniture Stocks to Buy Right Now and Top 12 Luxury Clothing Stocks to Buy According to Hedge Funds. American consumers are rightfully skeptical about the future, wondering if President Donald Trump’s tariffs could lead to a trade war. Trump said he would impose 25% tariffs on ********* and ******** goods and 10% on imported goods from China. He also signaled that potential tariffs on items imported from the European Union may be next. According to CNBC, Trump agreed to halt tariffs against Mexico for a month and delay those against Canada for at least 30 days. However, China has already responded with additional tariffs of up to 15% on goods imported from the United States. Story Continues American consumers expect these tariffs to directly impact their wallets. A recent consumer survey conducted by BOE on the potential effects of tariffs on consumers found that nearly 86% of Americans believed their wallets would be affected by the scenario. 12% are already stockpiling items, with a majority of others changing their shopping habits to accommodate the effects of these tariffs on their bank accounts. Economists corroborate this view and say that many businesses will likely pass down the additional expenses to customers, indirectly or directly. This is why tariffs typically trigger increased prices for consumers. Higher tariffs on items traded between the US and China may result in inflated prices on appliances, apparel, electronics, and toys. Similarly, tariffs against Canada and Mexico may increase the already existing pressure on grocery prices. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, grocery prices are up 28% over the last five years. These conditions are materializing when consumer spending is already stretched, with many households feeling financial strain. The US economy has noted steady progress overall in bringing inflation down. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the consumer price index, a significant inflation measure, increased 2.9% in December 2024 compared to a year earlier, down from a June 2022 pandemic-era high of 9.1%. However, most cases show a slowing in price increases instead of a significant fall. We sifted through stock screeners, online rankings, and ETFs to compile a list of 25 hair care stocks. We then selected the top 12 most popular stocks among elite hedge funds as of Q3 2024. We sourced the hedge fund sentiment data from Insider Monkey’s database. The list is sorted in ascending order of hedge fund sentiment. Why do we care about what hedge funds do? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here). Jim Cramer Sees Upside in Ulta Beauty (ULTA) Following CEO Appointment A photograph of a customer testing out different products in the skincare aisle at a store. Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 40 Ulta Beauty, Inc. (NASDAQ:ULTA) is a beauty retailer that offers merchandise in various categories, including hair care, skincare, cosmetics, hair styling, and more. It also offers several beauty services in its stores, focusing on hair, makeup, skin, and brow. The Ulta Beauty store prototype includes an open salon area on the salon floor. It offers its customers a new way to shop by bringing together “All Things Beauty, All in One Place.” Ulta Beauty, Inc. (NASDAQ:ULTA) operates more than 1,437 retail stores across 50 US states as of the end of fiscal Q3 2024. The company’s rick-and-mortar offerings and digital presence are both a significant part of its strategic standing. It sells hundreds of beauty brands in its stores, provides curbside pickups and delivery services, and also offers shop-in-shop partnerships, such as its partnership with Target. The company’s loyalty program continually pulls consumers to its website and app, which has over 44 million members. A significant portion of Ulta Beauty, Inc.’s (NASDAQ:ULTA) sales come from its loyalty membership program, which rose another 5% year-over-year in fiscal Q3 2024. Management hopes to report net sales of more than $11 billion for fiscal year 2024 and an operating margin of around 13%. The company has a resilient market share and strong operating model, ranking it fourth on our list. Overall, ULTA ranks 4th on our list of best hair care stocks to buy right now. While we acknowledge the potential of ULTA, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than ULTA but that trades 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 #Ulta #Beauty #ULTA #Among #Hair #Care #Stocks #Buy Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Rep. Ilhan Omar says Trump federal gutting doesn’t “have the support” among Republicans in Congress Rep. Ilhan Omar says Trump federal gutting doesn’t “have the support” among Republicans in Congress Washington — Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota Democrat, said Sunday that she doesn’t think Republicans have the support in Congress to approve the Trump administration’s gutting of federal agencies and programs, saying “that’s why they’re not bringing it through Congress.” “Every single process that they are going through in implementing Trump’s agenda is, at the moment, ********, and they know they don’t have the support for it in Congress,” Omar said on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan.” Recent actions that the Trump administration has argued are being put in place to make the government more efficient have prompted confusion through corners of the federal government and beyond, including actions with serious implications for the main U.S. agency handling foreign assistance. On Friday, a judge prevented the Trump administration from placing 2,200 employees of the U.S. Agency for International Development, known as USAID, on administrative leave, after a pause on all new U.S. foreign assistance programs funded by the State Department and USAID the week prior. Omar, who was born in Somalia and has said she benefited from USAID programs while living in a refugee camp as a child, argued Sunday that USAID has support “not just with Democrats, but with Republicans.” And she noted that even with GOP control of both the House and Senate, “the votes are not there” for other recent developments, like granting Elon Musk’s team access to Treasury Department data or the possibility of dismantling the Department of Education. With the dynamic, Omar characterized the current moment as a “constitutional crisis.” “We are seeing an executive branch that has decided that they are no longer going to abide by the Constitution in honoring Congress’s role in the creation of the agencies, in their role in deciding where money is allocated,” Omar said. Omar said that “the only recourse we have” is through the judiciary branch, noting that the bulk of the Trump administration’s controversial and sweeping moves to overhaul the federal bureaucracy so far have been temporarily halted by judges, including some who were Republican-appointed. She said the moves by judges “should give faith to the American people.” “Our courts are working as they should,” Omar said. “The checks and balances are working. What is not working is the way that the executive is behaving and the congressional leadership that is failing the American people.” On the issue of foreign aid more broadly, Omar acknowledged that it hasn’t always been popular among Americans, which she attributed to a messaging disconnect on where the aid is going and for what use. “A lot of people hear the millions, billions, and they don’t fully have a concept of what that actually means, the lives it touches, and how important it is — both the soft power that we have as a country, how it keeps us competitive around the world, how it buys us goodwill,” Omar said. Meanwhile, Rep. Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican who also appeared on “Face the Nation” on Sunday, argued that USAID “needs to be reviewed to get back to the core mission,” while stressing that “we need to have a strong presence in destabilized nations to keep out our adversaries.” Trump ally Sen. Bill Hagerty was asked on “Face the Nation” about Congress’ views on dismantling and consolidating USAID. The Tennessee Republican argued that there’s a “tremendous appetite” to do so, saying “USAID has been out of control.” “What we want to see is alignment of our programs with America’s national security interest,” he said. Hagerty also defended the Trump administration’s proposed buyouts for federal workers, a deadline for which a judge temporarily halted on Thursday, saying it’s “not unusual to take a hard look at these programs” and adding that he expects each agency to go through a “top to bottom review.” “There’s been a lot of consternation and pearl clutching about the activities of Elon Musk and his team, but their charge, led by President Trump, is to go in and find efficiencies, find opportunities, and, frankly, deliver more of taxpayer dollars to the actual programs that are intended, less to overhead in administration,” Hagerty added. Kaia Hubbard Kaia Hubbard is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital, based in Washington, D.C. Source link #Rep #Ilhan #Omar #Trump #federal #gutting #doesnt #support #among #Republicans #Congress Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau staff to work remotely, HQ shuttered Consumer Financial Protection Bureau staff to work remotely, HQ shuttered Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Acting Director Russell Vought speaks with reporters during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, U.S., March 11, 2019. Jonathan Ernst | Reuters Consumer Financial Protection Bureau employees were told Sunday to work remotely because their Washington, D.C., headquarters would be closed through Feb. 14, according to a memo obtained by CNBC. The memo, from CFPB Chief Operating Officer Adam Martinez, follows an email sent Saturday from newly installed acting CFPB director Russell Vought which instructed staff to suspend nearly all activities of the regulator, including supervising financial firms. This story is developing. Please check back for updates. Source link #Consumer #Financial #Protection #Bureau #staff #work #remotely #shuttered Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Baltic states unplug from Russia and join EU power grid – BBC.com Baltic states unplug from Russia and join EU power grid – BBC.com Baltic states unplug from Russia and join EU power grid BBC.comBaltics Unplug From Russian Grid to Gain Energy Independence BloombergBaltic states cut last Russian energy link Al Jazeera EnglishBaltic states switch to European power grid, ending Russia ties ReutersBaltic states leave Russian power grid in closer EU integration The Guardian Source link #Baltic #states #unplug #Russia #join #power #grid #BBC.com Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Alvin Kurti’s ruling party ahead but short of majority, exit poll shows Alvin Kurti’s ruling party ahead but short of majority, exit poll shows Kosovo’s ruling party is on track to win the largest number of votes in Sunday’s parliamentary election but fall short of a majority of seats, an exit poll predicts. Vetevendosje, the party of Prime Minister Alvin Kurti, will win 42% of the vote, the Koha News portal says, which would translate to 47 seats in the 120-seat parliament. The centre-left governing party is expected to come ahead of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) on 21%, the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) on 20% and the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) on 7%, the exit poll shows. Kurti came to power in 2021 when a coalition run by his party received more than 50% of votes and secured a small majority in parliament. His popularity has been boosted by efforts to extend government control over the ethnic-Serb majority north. But that has antagonised Kosovo’s main backers – the EU and the US. Opposition parties advocate a more conciliatory approach, and have criticised the government’s handling of the economy. The centre-right LDK has campaigned on joining Nato, and restoring relations with the US. The PDK, also centre-right, was founded by former guerrilla fighters of the Kosovo Liberation Army. Under Kosovo’s constitution, 10 MPs must come from the Serb *********, and they will not cooperate with Kurti’s party. The remaining 10 seats are reserved for other ********* ethnic groups, which have previously cooperated with Vetevendosje, which translates as “self-determination”. Kurti has previously said he would not cooperate with any of the opposition parties. Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in February 2008, after years of strained relations between its Serb and mainly Albanian inhabitants. It has been recognised by the US and major EU countries, but Serbia, backed by its powerful ally Russia, refuses to do so, as do most ethnic Serbs inside Kosovo. Source link #Alvin #Kurtis #ruling #party #ahead #short #majority #exit #poll #shows Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Plymouth stun Liverpool in FA Cup giant-killing Plymouth stun Liverpool in FA Cup giant-killing Watch highlights as the Championship’s bottom side Plymouth Argyle knock out Premier League leaders Liverpool with a hard-fought victory in the FA Cup fourth round. Source link #Plymouth #stun #Liverpool #Cup #giantkilling Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Madeleine King: Decarbonisation needs to happen now but it doesn’t mean end of *********** gas sector Madeleine King: Decarbonisation needs to happen now but it doesn’t mean end of *********** gas sector Australia’s oil and gas sector has powered our economy for decades, creating jobs and investment but — most importantly — keeping the lights on at home. Source link #Madeleine #King #Decarbonisation #happen #doesnt #*********** #gas #sector Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Rep. Ilhan Omar says Trump federal gutting doesn’t “have the support” among GOP in Congress Rep. Ilhan Omar says Trump federal gutting doesn’t “have the support” among GOP in Congress Rep. Ilhan Omar says Trump federal gutting doesn’t “have the support” among GOP in Congress – CBS News Watch CBS News Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota tells “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” that as the Trump administration has steamrolled forward with executive orders to dismantle USAID and the Department of Education as well accessing the Treasury Department records because the president doesn’t “have the support” among Republicans in Congress. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On Source link #Rep #Ilhan #Omar #Trump #federal #gutting #doesnt #support #among #GOP #Congress Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Duke of York ‘strikes deal to make money off Pitch@Palace contacts’ Duke of York ‘strikes deal to make money off Pitch@Palace contacts’ The Duke of York has reportedly struck a deal to earn money by sharing contacts he made through his Pitch@Palace initiative. Prince Andrew could earn millions under the deal with Startupbootcamp (SBC), based in the Netherlands, from the project which aimed to connect entrepreneurs with investors. Pitch@Palace has faced scrutiny since Yang Tengbo, an alleged spy who headed the ******** branch of the project, was banned from the *** last year on national security grounds. Under the apparent new agreement, the Duke will be paid for each deal SBC agrees in worldwide territories. It comes amid a row between the King and the Prince, 64, after the monarch cut his private security and £1 million allowance in October. The King wants Andrew to move into Frogmore Cottage, the Duke of Sussex’s former residence, it is alleged The move is believed to be the first step by the King to remove his younger brother from Royal Lodge, a 30-room property in Windsor thought to be worth £30 million which he is struggling to maintain, and into Frogmore Cottage, the Duke of Sussex’s former residence. Officials from SBC reportedly pitched the idea to Buckingham Palace last year. A source told The Sun: “[Prince Andrew] will earn money from each deal SBC secures from his Pitch@Palace work and the windfall will help enable him to hold on to Royal Lodge. “It is a way of exploiting the enviable business links he has secured over the years.” A palace source told the newspaper that its officials had “neither reviewed nor approved the details of any financial arrangements between the Duke or his advisers and any third party”. The Prince has been struggling financially since he was stripped of his working royal titles by the late Queen three years ago. He has also faced scrutiny over his ties to paedophile Jeffrey Epstein following a disastrous Newsnight interview in 2019. The Prince also stepped away from Pitch@Palace after the investigation into his relationship with Epstein came to light. The Duke launched his Pitch@Palace initiative in China. Its leader there was accused of being a foreign agent and banned from the *** – Anthony Devlin/WPA /Getty The Prince launched Pitch@Palace, which ran a Dragons’ Den-style business, in the *** in 2014 on a not-for-profit basis. Two years later, he launched it overseas including in China, which was operated for profits. Mr Yang, 50, a businessman, who was appointed to lead the ******** branch, was unveiled last year as the suspected foreign agent involved in a spy scandal in the ***. He was banned from the *** on national security grounds in 2023. Pitch@Palace has faced scrutiny following the revelation that Mr Yang allegedly visited Buckingham Palace twice and was invited to the Duke’s 60th birthday party. Meanwhile, Business Matters reported in January that half of the cash balance at Pitch@Palace Global, the commercial arm of the scheme, was withdrawn in the space of a year. The latest figures from Companies House show that the company’s funds fell from £454,979 to £220,990 in the 12 months to March 31 2024. The destination of the funds has not been listed, documents show. Source link #Duke #York #strikes #deal #money #PitchPalace #contacts Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

Super Bowl commercials 2025: Live updates Super Bowl commercials 2025: Live updates Spanish-language telecasts will be on Fox Deportes and Telemundo Viewers looking for a Spanish-language telecast of the Super Bowl will have two options this year: Fox’s cable TV network Fox Deportes and NBCUniversal’s over-the-air broadcaster Telemundo. The first time the Super Bowl aired in Spanish was in 2015 on Fox Deportes. Telemundo’s first broadcast of the Super Bowl took place in 2022, and the network has seen its viewership of NFL games significantly grow since then. Last fall, the two networks announced they would each air the Super Bowl and produce separate broadcasts. While NFL games, especially the Super Bowl, are known for their explosive ratings, the league has been pushing to expand its audience, both globally and within the U.S. A key part of that strategy is Hispanic viewership, CNBC reported last year. — Lillian Rizzo Fox nabs $8M ads for Super Bowl this year A general view from outside of the Caesars Superdome prior to the Super Bowl LIX Opening Night fueled by Gatorade with Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles on Feb. 3, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Don Juan Moore | Getty Images Advertisers once again shelled out a record amount for spots during the Super Bowl this year. Broadcaster Fox sold out of ad spots in the fall for the Super Bowl, and more than 10 of its 30-second commercials were priced at $8 million, CNBC previously reported. Advertisers that got in early spent more than $7 million, the person said. Few live events or TV programming garner the audience that the Super Bowl does each year, ensuring advertisers are willing to pay up to have their brands in front of millions of eyeballs at once. Last year Nielsen reported roughly 123.7 million people watched the Super Bowl. This year has potential for even more viewers with Fox offering the game on its free streaming service Tubi. — Lillian Rizzo Free streamer Tubi will air the Super Bowl for the first time Pavlo Gonchar | Lightrocket | Getty Images The Super Bowl is no stranger to streaming as broadcasters have been offering simulcasts of the game on their services in recent years. What’s different this year is that the Super Bowl will be available on Tubi, the Fox-owned free, ad-supported streaming service. Consumers without cable TV subscriptions or access to the game through traditional methods will be able to watch it for free on the Tubi app, which is available on streaming TVs, devices and phones. Fox Deportes’ Spanish-language telecast will be offered, too, and Tubi will have an exclusive pregame Red Carpet show for those looking for an alternative to the typical pregame show. Tubi’s viewership skews toward millennials, Gen Z and women, expanding potential fandom for the NFL and reach for advertisers that have shelled out big bucks. Tubi will air the same feeds as those broadcast by Fox — commercials and all. — Lillian Rizzo Source link #Super #Bowl #commercials #Live #updates Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

2/9: Face the Nation – CBS News 2/9: Face the Nation – CBS News 2/9: Face the Nation – CBS News Watch CBS News This week on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,” as the Trump administration continues its dismantling of USAID, Republican Rep. Michael McCaul and Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar join to discuss. Plus, our correspondents’ panel. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On Source link #Face #Nation #CBS #News Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Dricus Du Plessis not rushing Alex Pereira fight, wants Khamzat Chimaev next – MMA Junkie Dricus Du Plessis not rushing Alex Pereira fight, wants Khamzat Chimaev next – MMA Junkie Dricus Du Plessis not rushing Alex Pereira fight, wants Khamzat Chimaev next MMA JunkieView Full Coverage on Google News Source link #Dricus #Plessis #rushing #Alex #Pereira #fight #Khamzat #Chimaev #MMA #Junkie Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Common Greek Myths Found Throughout Art History Common Greek Myths Found Throughout Art History Inspired by Greek mythology: “Perseus freeing Andromeda,” Piero di Cosimo, 1515. Credit: Public Domain Those who are well-versed in Greek mythology likely recognize many scenes from myths in famous artworks. In fact, apart from religious scenes, images from Greek mythology are one of the most common themes in European art. Greek mythology is prominent in art dating from antiquity through to the renaissance and even in contemporary artwork. During the Renaissance particularly, Greek and Roman mythology became very popular due to a renewed interest in antiquity brought about by humanism. The cultured and educated elite prided themselves on deep knowledge of ancient Greek and Roman art, literature, culture, and history, which naturally involved a study Greek mythology. Scenes of nymphs, gods, and mythic creatures such as satyrs are common in art of the Renaissance, and as the ******* served as the foundation for much of later European art, these themes carried on throughout the centuries. While mythology is a popular theme in art generally, there are a number of specific myths that are particularly common in great works of art. “Primavera,” Botticelli, 1482. Credit: Public Domain The Three Graces are common figures from Greek mythology found in art While Botticelli’s masterwork “Primavera” features countless figures from Greek and Roman mythology, the three women in diaphanous garments in the foreground are particularly iconic figures — the three Graces. The three Graces, or Charities, are found throughout centuries of art history. They are easily identifiable as they are almost always depicted together. Most often, they are shown as three beautiful, nude women clasping hands or holding onto each other’s shoulders. Frequently, the two Graces flanking the third are depicted facing the viewer, while the woman in the middle has her back to the viewer. In Greek mythology, the three figures are known as the Charities, but they were called the “Gratiae,” or Graces, in Roman myth. Collectively, they are considered the goddess of beauty, charm, creativity, and goodwill, and their roles often changed from myth to myth. The Graces, Aglaea, “Shining,” Euphrosyne,”Joy,” and Thalia, “Blooming,” are often referred to as the daughters of Zeus and an Oceanid named Eurynome. Homer associates the three women with Aphrodite, the goddess of Love. Their most important role in Greek myth was as attendants to the twelve Olympian gods. Often, they are described as either preparing a feast for the gods, or dancing for them. They also help Aphrodite bathe and get dressed, and even weave her clothes. Worship of the goddesses is quite ancient, as many scholars argue that their cult dates back to the Pelasgians, or the archaic ancestors of the ancient Greeks. The story of the ******* War Scenes from the Iliad and Odyssey are very common in art, as knowledge of the “Iliad” and the “Odyssey” was considered a part of basic education for centuries. It was expected that most educated people would immediately recognize scenes from the war upon seeing them depicted in a painting. Although many scholars have debated whether or not the ******* War as we know it from the works of the great poet Homer truly occurred, it is generally agreed upon that the ******* War as described in the Iliad and the Odyssey can be considered myth. In fact, it is believed to be one of the most important and foundational stories in Greek mythology. Featuring some of the most iconic figures from myth, including Agamemnon, Achilles, Paris, Hector, and of course a number of the Olympian gods, scenes from the ******* War feature prominently in European art. Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s “Helen of Troy,” 1863. Credit: Public domain The ******* War began after the ******* prince Paris took Helen, wife of the Spartan king Menelaus, back with him to Troy. Paris had been promised the hand of the most beautiful woman in the world after he deemed Aphrodite the most beautiful in a competition against Hera and Athena. This act brought about 10 years of fighting, and the Greeks besieged the city of Troy for a decade before finally gaining access to the city by using the famous ******* horse. Some of the most widely-depicted fighters from the ******* War are Achilles, Patroclus, and Hector, who were involved in one of the most famous episodes from the war. Hector was the greatest of all ******* warriors — so great that even his enemies, the Greeks, admired him. Achilles, the greatest of the Greek warriors, soon became the target of Hector. The ******* warrior wanted nothing more than to defeat his enemy in battle, but Achilles refused to fight after the Mycenaean king Agamemnon took away his “battle prize,” a ******* woman named Briseis. While Achilles sat in his tent, fuming over the loss of Briseis, Patroclus, his closest friend and who many argue may have been his lover, donned the Greek hero’s distinctive armor and went to battle. Thinking that Patroclus was Achilles, as he was wearing the warrior’s iconic armor, Hector killed him. When word got back to Achilles, he was so enraged that he went on a killing spree, massacring the ******* forces, while seeking out Hector. When he finally found the warrior, he chased him around the walls of Troy three times until Hector was convinced to face Achilles face-to-face by the goddess Athena. Hector accepted that he would likely be killed by Achilles after he tried to strike the hero and missed. Rather than plead for his life, Hector simply requested that his body be treated with respect after his death. But Achilles, full of rage, dragged Hector’s body by its heels with his chariot around the city’s walls. The corpse of Hector was a frequent subject of paintings, and is even alluded to in the famous work “Liberty Leading the People” by French painter Delacroix. The body of Hector is alluded to in the position of the semi-nude corpse in the bottom left of the work. “Liberty Leading the People,” Eugene Delacroix, 1830. Credit: Public Domain American artist Cy Twombly, who frequently drew inspiration from Greek myth in his artwork, explored the story of Achilles, Hector, and Patroclus in his 1978 work “Fifty Days at Iliam: Shades of Achilles, Patroclus, and Hector.” Leda and the Swan: Greek mythology and eroticism in art Zeus, king of the Olympian gods, was known for his infidelity to his wife, Hera. In one of the most famous and surely most bizarre myths on the subject, Zeus transforms into a swan in order to seduce the beautiful Leda, who was already married to the Spartan king Tyndareus. As a swan, Zeus tricked Leda by falling into her arms after being pursued by an eagle. According to myth, the ******* act, which many consider nonconsensual, occurred on the same night that Leda had sex with her husband. So, after falling pregnant, Leda “gave birth” to two eggs, one of which contained Helen of Troy, Clytemnestra, famed wife and ********* of Agamemnon, and the twins Castor and Pollux, who were known as the Dioscuri. The paternity of the children varies from myth to myth, but most commonly, Helen and one of the twins, Pollux, are the children of Zeus, and the others, Clytemnestra and Castor, are fully mortal. The story of Leda and the Swan became wildly popular in Renaissance artwork. Both Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo both painted the scene, but the originals of their work are now lost, and only copies from other artists remain. Most art historians believe that the two works were likely destroyed deliberately, as the scene was considered highly erotic at the time. Painters were more free to paint overtly erotic works on the theme than they would be if the couple had been two human beings, but the scene still inspired controversy amongst people who objected to eroticism in art. The most famous surviving work featuring the scene in Renaissance art is “Leda and the Swan” by Coreggio, but it was not immune from damage and controversy either. It was attacked with a knife by Louis, son of Philippe II, the Duke of Orleans, while in his collection. Louis was known to love painting, but was also guilty about his life of excess and sex, which was likely the reason for the attack. The story of Leda and the Swan was also the inspiration for William Butler Yeats’ 1923 sonnet of the same name. The work is known as a masterpiece, as it both tells of the violent ***** of Leda, as well as the events that the attack brings about — the ******* War and the death of Agamemnon. “Perseus freeing Andromeda,” Piero di Cosimo, 1515. Credit: Public Domain Perseus freeing Andromeda The scene in which the Greek hero Perseus swoops in to save Andromeda, perhaps the first “damsel in distress,” was a favorite of painters, as it allowed them to paint a beautiful nude woman, a fearsome sea monster, and a beautiful seaside landscape. According to Greek myth, Andromeda, an Ethiopian princess is chained to a rock as a sacrifice to a horrifying sea monster. The monster, named Cetus, began to torment the kingdom after the princess’ mother Cassiopeia began to claim that she was more beautiful than the Nereids, or the sea nymphs who accompanied Poseidon. The god of the sea punished Cassiopeia for her arrogance by sending Cetus to the Ethiopian coasts. After seeking advice from an oracle, Andromeda’s father, the king Cepheus, learns that he must sacrifice his daughter. “Perseus and Andromeda,” Giuseppe Cesari, 1592. Credit: Public Domain He then chained her to a rock along the sea, where she could be eaten by the terrifying sea monster. Luckily, however, Perseus happened to be flying by the coast of Ethiopia on his winged sandals after killing Medusa. “Perseus and Andromeda,” Felix Valloton, 1907. Credit: public domain Upon seeing her as he flew by, Perseus fell in love with Andromeda, and immediately went to ask her father Cepheus for her hand in marriage. The king agreed, but only if Perseus could save his daughter and kill the monster in his seas. The hero manages to kill the beast with the same sword, called “Harpe,” that he had used to kill Medusa. “The Lament for Icarus” by H. J. Draper. The theme is a common one from Greek mythology in art. Credit: Public Domain Icarus The famous story of Daedalus and Icarus, the boy who flew too close to the sun, is one of the most well-known tales from Greek myth. According to the story, variations of which are found in the works of Greek writers Homer and Herodotus, and the Romans Ovid and Virgil, the great artisan Daedalus searches for a way to escape the complex labyrinth of his own making with his son, Icarus. The father and son were trapped in the maze by King Minos, who ordered Daedalus to construct the labyrinth to hide the Minotaur, a fearsome creature and the product of his wife Pasiphae’s affair with a bull. In order to leave the labyrinth, Daedalus decided to construct wings of wax and feathers for himself and his son, Icarus, so they could fly. When the moment to escape arrived, Daedalus warned Icarus not to fly too close to the sun, but the disobedient boy did not listen to his father and he fell into the sea when the wax in his wings melted and fell apart from the heat of the sun’s rays. While many depictions of the famous myth focus on the figure of Icarus and the moment he begins to fall, the most well-known depiction of the painting almost ignores the crucial moment completely. “Landscape with the Fall of Icarus,” c.1555 (oil on canvas) by Pieter Bruegel the Elder (Disputed) Most viewers standing before Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s “Landscape with the Fall of Icarus” likely do not even spot Icarus at first glance. Instead, they admire the intricate landscape, which features men working in the fields, the sea, and even cities far in the background. Upon closer inspection, however, one can make out a small pair of legs flailing in the sea in the lower right corner of the work. The scene depicts the moments after Icarus plunged from the sky into the sea, and focuses on the world around him instead of on the dramatic moment. In this work, Bruegel is exploring the version of the myth told by the ancient Roman poet Ovid in his famous work “Metamorphoses,” which describes a fisherman, plowman, and shepherd at the scene. Ovid describes them as “astonished” as they marvel at the pair flying above them, yet Bruegel shows them all hard at work, except for the shepherd, who presumably looks up at Daedalus, who is not featured in the painting. "ICARUS" Henri Matisse: The Cut-Outs #matisse #tatelondon #icarus pic.twitter.com/F4owkZmSYJ — M 2 3 (@M23projects) July 3, 2014 The great French artist Matisse also explored the theme of Icarus in one of his famous Cut-Outs, which were made out of paper. His work “Icarus” was included in his illustrated book “Jazz,” which was released in 1947. Notably, Matisse’s figure does not have wings at all, and seems to float in space, surrounded by the stars. In his version, the once tragic figure may not have fallen at all after losing his wings, but ascended even further into space. Conversely, it could depict the moment before Icarus falls out of the sky. Source link #Common #Greek #Myths #Art #History Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Bodies of migrants recovered in Libya, authorities say Bodies of migrants recovered in Libya, authorities say The bodies of at least 28 migrants have been recovered from a mass grave in a desert in south-east Libya, the country’s attorney general said. The grave was discovered north of Kufra, just days after another mass grave with 19 bodies was found on a farm in the same city. Officials found the latest grave following a raid on a human trafficking site, where authorities freed 76 migrants who had been detained and tortured, the office of the attorney general posted on Facebook. One Libyan and two foreigners have been arrested, it added. “There was a gang whose members deliberately deprived ******** migrants of their freedom, tortured them and subjected them to cruel, humiliating and inhumane treatment,” the statement said. Images shared online – which the BBC has not independently verified – show police and volunteers digging in the sand before placing corpses in ****** bags. The search in Kufra – more than 1,700 kilometres (1,056 miles) from Libya’s capital Tripoli – is continuing. The attorney general says the bodies recovered have been taken for autopsy, with investigators suspecting links to smuggling networks. Authorities are documenting the testimonies of survivors. Last year, a mass grave containing the bodies of at least 65 migrants was found in the south-west of Libya. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) described it as “deeply shocking” at the time. Since the overthrow of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, the country has become a key transit route for migrants risking dangerous desert and Mediterranean Sea crossings to reach Europe. Unicef has said that in 2024 the number of people who died or went missing in the Mediterranean, trying to reach Europe, surpassed 2,200. Source link #Bodies #migrants #recovered #Libya #authorities Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Brian Leishman MP’s anger over Grangemouth refinery closure Brian Leishman MP’s anger over Grangemouth refinery closure Labour MP Brian Leishman says the *** government has not done enough to keep Grangemouth oil refinery open. A Scottish Labour MP has criticised his party for not doing enough to save the Grangemouth oil refinery. Earlier this week, some workers at the site were sent redundancy letters by their employer, Petroineos. The site is Scotland’s only oil refinery, and is expected to close by the summer. Brian Leishman, Labour MP for Alloa and Grangemouth, said he was angry at the *** government, as well as other parties involved. But Labour said it had offered a £100m support package to the community. The prime minister has previously said he took the issue of the refinery closure very seriously. Sir Keir Starmer added: “We’ll do everything we can to make sure that viable long-term future is there for the workers, for their communities and all that rely on it.” ‘We should be doing more’ Leishman told BBC Scotland’s The Sunday Show he had anger at a multitude of actors “but primarily at my own government at the moment”. He said the current *** government, which came into power last summer, had inherited the problem from the previous Conservative administration, who he accused of turning their back on the refinery workers. He also criticised the inaction of the SNP government at Holyrood. Leishman added: “There’s a lot of people who have got to carry the can for this but we really, in government now, should be doing an awful lot more.” He said he had taken the issue to the top of the *** government and the answers he had received back had been “incredibly underwhelming and not good enough”. Leishman added: “This is the biggest industrial issue to hit Scotland in 40 years – more must be done.” He added: “The workers want to go on the proper transition towards greener, cleaner energy industries. “The Grangemouth refinery is the perfect site for that.” Getty Images Anas Sarwar promised Labour would invest in Grangemouth He said the Scottish Labour leader, Anas Sarwar, had been “very quiet on the issue”. Leishman continued: “The wider Scottish Labour party needs to do an awful lot more as well and that goes right up to the prime minister down in Downing Street as well, he’s got to do an awful lot more.” He said he had not seen any plans for the refinery from the Labour party, despite the claims made during the election campaign that if they won the election they would intervene. Leishman added: “It’s one thing being in opposition and making promises. Now we’re actually in government, we should follow through and make good on them.” During last summer’s general election campaign, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar promised that if his party won the *** election it would invest in Grangemouth. He said: “We would step in to save the jobs at the refinery and to invest in that transition by making an energy transition hub at Grangemouth and we would put hundreds of millions of pounds behind it to make it a reality.” Scottish Labour said the *** Labour government had put together a £100m package to support the community and invest in the workforce, including investment in skills, local energy projects, and wider growth initiatives. They added: “As well as continuing work on industrial futures for the site, the government is also providing tailored support to ensure workers can secure good, alternative jobs.” Petroineos has said the closure was going ahead because the site was unable to compete with those in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. The company said the decision would “safeguard fuel supply for Scotland” by converting the site into a terminal able to import petrol, diesel, aviation fuel and kerosene into Scotland. The shift is expected to keep around 65 of the roughly 500 jobs on the site. The majority of the workers at the plant are understood to have agreed voluntary redundancy deals, with the job losses spread out over the next 18 months. A spokesperson for the *** government’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said: “We took immediate action following Petroineos’s confirmation on the closure of Grangemouth. “Before July, there was no overall plan for the future of the Grangemouth refinery. “Within weeks, we worked with the Scottish government to put together an unprecedented £100m package to support the community and invest in the local workforce, along with tailored support to help those affected find good, alternative jobs.” Getty Images Michelle Thomson called on the Scottish government to do more The SNP MSP Michelle Thomson – who represents Falkirk East – said both governments needed to do “a whole lot more” to support oil and gas workers. She told The Sunday Show: “I absolutely accord a huge amount of blame for this to the *** government. They have done absolutely nothing. They are asleep at the wheel.” Thomson called on the SNP Scottish government to use their convening powers to arrange an immediate meeting on the future of Grangemouth with Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ineos chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe. The Scottish government’s Energy Secretary Gillian Martin said she wanted to secure a long-term future for “the wider Grangemouth industrial cluster”. She added: “Refining at Grangemouth should continue, and a premature closure of the refinery is fundamentally short-sighted and detrimental to the transition to net zero.” She urged the *** government to “bring forward real investment to save Grangemouth”. Scottish Conservative MSP for Central Scotland Stephen Kerr said: “Brian Leishman was rightly critical of his own government. “Most of the funding for the growth deal that would have helped saved this lifeline refinery was provided by the last Conservative government. “Michelle Thomson today refused to acknowledge the SNP had failed to deliver a just transition for our oil and gas industry, but it has never been clearer that the SNP and Labour governments have both turned their backs on this vital sector.” Getty Images Derek Thomson, Scottish secretary for Unite the Union, represents employees at Grangemouth. He told BBC Radio Scotland that there were no jobs for the Grangemouth staff to move on to that had the same skills or salary base. Mr Thomson added: “The *** government has to take the fair share of shouldering the responsibility in all of this with the pre-election and post-election promises from Keir Starmer and Anas Sarwar just not coming to fruition.” He added that the Scottish government could have done more, and should have pushed the *** government more. The union representative added he believed the workers’ jobs could still be saved. Source link #Brian #Leishman #MPs #anger #Grangemouth #refinery #closure Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

All Super Smash Bros. games, ranked All Super Smash Bros. games, ranked VGChartz’s Mark Nielsen: “While the future of Smash Bros. has been uncertain for a while – whether Nintendo will build on Ultimate or bring us a new entry entirely – within all likelihood a new Nintendo system still means something new for Smash Bros. is on the horizon, and that something will almost certainly include new fighters, however many or few. While this might be the gaming article equivalent of putting up Christmas decorations in October, it’s never too early to start speculations when it comes to Smash Bros. before two thirds of everything inevitably gets leaked ahead of time. Keep in mind that this is not a list of predictions for future newcomers, though a few could perhaps fit in that same category, but rather a small list of the characters that in this writer’s humble opinion are overdue an appearance in the gaming crossover to end all crossovers.” Source link #Super #Smash #Bros #games #ranked Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Sen. Andy Kim says he’s open to shutting down the government if Trump continues dismantling agencies Sen. Andy Kim says he’s open to shutting down the government if Trump continues dismantling agencies Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., indicated Sunday that he is open to working with other Democrats to deny Republicans the votes necessary to keep the government funded ahead of a key deadline next month if the Trump administration continues reshaping federal agencies and programs. “In a few weeks, the Republicans are going to try to figure out how they move forward, and they have, for the last two years, needed Democratic votes for every single continuing resolution, and they should not count on that this time,” Kim said in an interview on NBC News’ “Meet the Press.” A continuing resolution, or CR, is usually a bill that temporarily funds the government at previous levels until a new budget is agreed upon. Kim added that he’d favor working against Republicans in this way if the Trump administration continues gutting government agencies like the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Department of Education the way it has in the first few weeks of President Donald Trump’s term. “They are simply trying to dismantle the government,” Kim told “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker. “So yes, look, if we have to take steps to be able to hold them accountable, use the leverage that we have to force it, I cannot support efforts that will continue this lawlessness that we’re seeing when it comes to this administration’s actions.” Kim added that working together to fund the government “only for them to turn it around, to dismantle the government, that is not something that should be allowed.” Kim isn’t the first Democratic senator to raise such concerns ahead of the March 14 funding deadline. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., the vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, told NBC News in a statement last week that it’s hard to negotiate with Republicans on a budget when the White House is slashing funding allocated for agencies that was approved during the previous budget cycle. “Democrats and Republicans alike must be able to trust that when a deal gets signed into law, it will be followed,” she said. Kim emphasized that if Democrats break from Republicans on government funding and the federal government shuts down, the GOP should be to blame. “This is about whether or not they can get the votes. They are the majority, and if they cannot govern that, then you know that’s for the American people to see,” Kim said. Already, rank-and-file Democrats have sought for leaders in their party to do more to push back against the Trump administration, though it’s unclear if voting against Republicans and shutting down the government would achieve that aim. At a protest against Trump in front of the Capitol building last week where several Senate and House Democrats rallied alongside protesters, rallygoers at one point chanted, “Do you job! Do your job!” “We are at a point where we are basically on the cusp of a constitutional crisis, seeing this administration taking steps that are so clearly ********, and until we see a change in that behavior, we should not allow and condone that, nor should we assist in that,” Kim said on Sunday. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Source link #Sen #Andy #Kim #hes #open #shutting #government #Trump #continues #dismantling #agencies Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content] For verified travel tips and real support, visit: [Hidden Content]

****** Moss makes an emotional return to the ESPN set following his ******* surgery – The Associated Press ****** Moss makes an emotional return to the ESPN set following his ******* surgery – The Associated Press ****** Moss makes an emotional return to the ESPN set following his ******* surgery The Associated PressMoss makes emotional return as ESPN analyst ESPNRandy Moss makes emotional return to ESPN’s Sunday NFL Countdown after ******* battle Yahoo SportsRandy Moss returns to ESPN on Sunday NBC SportsRandy Moss Breaks Down in Tears During ESPN Return After Tribute Video PEOPLE Source link #****** #Moss #emotional #return #ESPN #set #******* #surgery #Press Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Chris Foster Ramsay: Why it might be the right time to break up with your bank on Valentine’s Day Chris Foster Ramsay: Why it might be the right time to break up with your bank on Valentine’s Day With Valentine’s Day around the corner, it’s time to assess the relationship you have with your bank. Loyalty counts for little in the world of big finance, so make sure you’re not being played for a fool. Source link #Chris #Foster #Ramsay #time #break #bank #Valentines #Day Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]

Quebec police watchdog investigating police arrest that led to hospitalization in Saint-Eustache Quebec police watchdog investigating police arrest that led to hospitalization in Saint-Eustache Quebec’s police watchdog is investigating an operation in Saint-Eustache after a person sustained injuries while in custody on Saturday. The Bureau des enquêtes indépendantes (BEI) said in a news release published Saturday that it received a 911 call around 8:30 a.m. about a motorist who drove off the road and then ran away. The BEI investigates in all cases where a person, other than an officer on duty, dies, suffers serious injury or is injured by a firearm used by a police officer. Saint-Eustache police officers arrived at the scene minutes later and used pepper spray on the person before arresting them, according to the agency. At 8:50 a.m., police reportedly took the person to the detention centre, where the person lost consciousness. The BEI said first aid was administered until ambulances arrived half an hour later. The person was then taken to hospital in serious condition. Four BEI investigators have been assigned to investigate the circumstances of the intervention. No further information is available at this time, the agency said. Quebec provincial police said they opened a criminal investigation into the incident, but did not provide additional details. Source link #Quebec #police #watchdog #investigating #police #arrest #led #hospitalization #SaintEustache Pelican News View the full article at [Hidden Content]