Friday, January 31

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Kentucky woman seeking abortion files lawsuit challenging state’s near-total ban
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Kentucky woman seeking abortion files lawsuit challenging state’s near-total ban

A woman in Kentucky who is seeking an abortion filed a lawsuit Tuesday that seeks to strike down the state’s near total ban. The suit, filed by a woman referred to in the documents as Mary Poe, alleges that two Kentucky abortion laws violate the state Constitution’s rights to privacy and self-determination. The lawsuit was filed Tuesday afternoon in the Jefferson County Circuit Court. The American Civil Liberties Union said in a statement and complaint shared first with NBC News that the lawsuit reflects “the severe harms that Mary Poe, who is approximately seven weeks pregnant, is suffering because the government has denied her access to the care she needs.” “I feel overwhelmed and frustrated that I cannot access abortion care here in my own state, and I have started the difficul...
U.S. says it will not change policy on arms transfers to Israel despite ‘dire’ Gaza humanitarian crisis
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U.S. says it will not change policy on arms transfers to Israel despite ‘dire’ Gaza humanitarian crisis

The U.S. will not change its policy on arms transfers to Israel even though the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip remains dire, the State Department said Tuesday, the deadline the White House set for Israel to ramp up access to aid in the besieged Palestinian enclave. State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters the decision came as "Israel has taken a number of steps" outlined in a letter from Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to Israeli counterparts last month. "We continue to be in discussion with Israel about the steps they took and other steps they need to take," he said. An average of just over 30 trucks a day have been let into Gaza in recent weeks, representing “just over six percent of the daily needs,” acc...
Elon Musk worries free speech advocates with his calls to prosecute researchers and critics
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Elon Musk worries free speech advocates with his calls to prosecute researchers and critics

In July, tech billionaire Elon Musk said he hoped some states would consider criminal prosecutions of people participating in what he called an advertiser “boycott” of platforms like his social media app, X. In October, Musk turned his attention to a former State Department official, Victoria Nuland, saying she should be “ prosecuted ” after she went on television and criticized him as a tool of the Kremlin. And then last week, Musk revived a long-running feud with a group that monitors hatred online, the Center for Countering Digital Hate, saying that its members should be prosecuted for “their many crimes.” Musk, the world’s richest person, has in the past two years called for several of his opponents to be prosecuted, and it’s something that free speech adv...
Wildfires burn in New York and New Jersey as red flag warnings are triggered across Northeast
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Wildfires burn in New York and New Jersey as red flag warnings are triggered across Northeast

Weather conditions triggered red flag warnings in the northeast part of the United States as firefighters in California continued to battle a large wildfire that has burned over 20,000 acres. Much of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut are under a red flag warning Tuesday due to dry and windy conditions. Massachusetts and Rhode Island are under the same warning, the National Weather Service in Boston said in a post on X . The agency urged people to avoid outdoor burning and activities that may produce a spark and to use caution when disposing of igniters, such as cigarettes. The warnings come as a historic drought continues to grip much of the Northeast. In New Jersey, three counties are suffering “extreme” drought and the rest of the state has severe or moderate dr...
Oregon officials search for 5-year-old who went missing over the weekend
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Oregon officials search for 5-year-old who went missing over the weekend

Authorities in Coos County, Oregon, are searching for a 5-year-old boy whose mother said he vanished over the weekend while she was taking a nap. The Coos County Sheriff’s Office said that Joshua James McCoy was reported missing after sundown Saturday from Hauser, an unincorporated community that runs along Route 101 in Oregon. Deputy Jeff Lee, a spokesman for the Coos County Sheriff's Office, said in a phone interview Tuesday that Joshua's mother told deputies dispatched to her home that she and her son had both fallen asleep Saturday afternoon. When she woke up at 5:30 p.m., Joshua was gone, according to statements from the sheriff’s office, which did not identify his mother by name. Joshua, who goes by Josh or Joshie, is described as 3 feet, 6 inches tall, with brown hair and b...
28 thoughtful gifts for pets and their parents
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28 thoughtful gifts for pets and their parents

I never need an excuse to get my pets gifts , but the holidays are a particularly good one. They’re an opportunity to buy a new toy, bed or treats for my cats and dog, as well as spoil my loved ones’ companions. In fact, the pets in my life are often the easiest to shop for, so I never have a shortage of ideas about what to get them — instead, I tend to have a list so long I don’t know where to start. If you need some inspiration, I rounded up the best gifts for pets this year. Most of them are approved by the NBC Select staff’s pets, and some are highly rated items our furry friends have on their wishlists. I also included a handful of gifts for pet parents. SKIP AHEAD The best gifts for dogs | The best gifts for cats | ...
‘Wheel of Fortune’ contestant’s hilariously wrong answer has people giving him a round of sausage
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‘Wheel of Fortune’ contestant’s hilariously wrong answer has people giving him a round of sausage

A " Wheel of Fortune " contestant has gone viral for his hilariously wrong answer on the Nov. 11 episode of the show. The correct answer to the puzzle in question was, "Give yourself a round of applause." With only a few tiles missing, the board read "___E _OURSE_F A ROUN_ OF A___AUSE," before contestant Will Jordan gave his answer. "Treat yourself a round of sausage," he guessed — which, clearly, was wrong for a number of reasons. A clip now viewed over a half a million times on X shows Jordan's comical "missolve." After Jordan's fellow contestant Kitina solved the puzzle correctly, host Ryan Seacrest joined in the fun. "Will, I kind of like yours better," he joked. "That sounds better than just clapping right now." Following the silly sausage solve, the game show...
Israeli minister draws criticism for saying Trump’s win is an opportunity to annex parts of West Bank
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Israeli minister draws criticism for saying Trump’s win is an opportunity to annex parts of West Bank

A call from Israel’s ultranationalist finance minister to use Donald Trump’s election win as an opportunity to annex parts of the occupied West Bank has drawn international condemnation and fueled fears about the U.S. ally’s plans. Bezalel Smotrich said Monday that “the time has come” to extend Israeli sovereignty over settlements in the area — land recognized by the international community as belonging to Palestinians in their quest for a future state. The Israeli minister welcomed the president-elect’s victory and said that he would seek Trump's support for the move. “I intend, with God’s help, to lead a government decision that says that the government of Israel will work with the new administration of President Trump and the international community to ap...
Trump just realigned the entire political map. Democrats have ‘no easy path’ to fix it.
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Trump just realigned the entire political map. Democrats have ‘no easy path’ to fix it.

President-elect Donald Trump raised eyebrows when he decided to hold a campaign rally in the Bronx in late May. The New York City borough has been one of the most Democratic-leaning counties in the country for years. Trump won just 15% of the vote there in 2020 and 9% in 2016. Democrats viewed it as a stunt amid his criminal trial in Manhattan . Some suggested the crowd was made up of supporters far from the borough’s borders. In the end, the rally stood out not because of anything Trump said or did, but because of who showed up. It was one of the most diverse rallies of his entire political career. And as Tuesday’s results started pouring in, it was clear Trump was on to something bigger, not just in the Bronx but throughout the country. His coalition had changed. R...
What to buy from Home Depot’s early Black Friday sale
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What to buy from Home Depot’s early Black Friday sale

While Black Friday is still a couple weeks aways, many retailers, including Home Depot , are already discounting tons of bestselling products from major brands, giving you early access to its holiday deals. From now through until Dec. 4, you can shop Home Depot’s Black Friday sale, which is offering up to 50% off select home appliances, vacuums , power tools, smart home devices , furniture and holiday decor . I regularly cover deals at popular home and kitchen retailers so I know what brands are actually worth investing in and what makes a good sale. Below, I rounded up the best early Black Friday deals at Home Depot and will continue to update this list through the entirety of the sale. SKIP AHEAD The best early Black Friday sales at Home...