Israel has instructed soldiers to get ready to spend the winter on Mount Hermon, a strategic peak inside a buffer zone that has been shared with Syria for decades but that Israeli forces have taken control of since the fall of the Assad administration. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement widely reported by Israeli media and the AFP news agency that "our holding of the Hermon peak is of great security importance due to what is happening in Syria and everything must be done to ensure the IDF's preparations in the area, to allow the troops to stay there in the difficult weather conditions." Although Israel has stated that its presence in the buffer zone is only temporary, worries have increased in light of what UN chief António Guterres called "severe violations of Syria'...

In violation of U.S. sanctions, the Department of Justice accused 14 North Korean nationals of plotting to use phony identities to obtain IT employment with American corporations and syphon off money back to their homeland. The conspiracy allegedly made at least $88 million between April 2017 and March 2023, according to the indictment, which was submitted to a federal court in Missouri on Wednesday. More from CNBC China stresses plans to boost growth at top agenda-setting meeting Why egg prices may soon flirt with record highs 45% of Singapore workers fear looking lazy for admitting AI use at work The charges against the 14 defendants include conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering, identity theft, and conspiracy to violate the International E...

President Joe Biden is on pace to become the first president to nominate more federal judges of color as he makes a last-ditch effort to confirm judicial nominations before his term ends. Tiffany Johnson, Biden's judicial candidate for the Northern District of Georgia, was confirmed by the Senate on Monday. To far, Biden has appointed more Black women to lifetime federal judgeships than any other president in a single term. According to data the White House provided to NBC News, approximately 60% of Biden's 233 appointees are individuals of color. The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced the nominations of Benjamin Cheeks and Serena Raquel Murillo, two additional candidates for U.S. district judge, on Thursday; they now await Senate confirmation. According to the Leadership Conference on Ci...

More than 3,000 homeowners were permitted to return home by Thursday, according to officials, as cooler weather aided California firefighters in making good headway on a wildfire that broke out in picturesque Malibu. According to fire officials, the Franklin Fire, which has destroyed numerous homes and scorched over 4,000 acres, was 30% contained Thursday night. During a briefing on Thursday, Dusty Martin, one of the fire incident commanders, stated that we have made significant progress on the incident in the past few days. About 3,700 residents have been permitted to return, which Martin referred to as "a big win." According to Franklin Fire's operations section commander, Los Angeles County Fire Assistant commander Drew Smith, the fire started Monday in a culvert in Malibu Canyon and wa...

California firefighters made considerable headway on a wildfire that started in picturesque Malibu and has displaced thousands of people from their homes thanks to cooler weather. According to fire officials, the Franklin Fire, which has destroyed numerous homes and scorched over 4,000 acres, was 30% contained Thursday night. "We have had a great opportunity to do perimeter control," Franklin Fire's operations section chief, Assistant Chief Drew Smith, said a briefing Thursday night on behalf of Los Angeles County Fire. Firefighters were mopping up and getting ready for homeowners to return to their houses in the southern part of Malibu, he added. High winds accelerated the fire's quick development and spread after it started Monday near a tunnel in Malibu Canyon, according to Smith. The f...

California firefighters made considerable headway on a wildfire that started in picturesque Malibu and has displaced thousands of people from their homes thanks to cooler weather. According to fire officials, the Franklin Fire, which has destroyed numerous homes and scorched over 4,000 acres, was 30% contained Thursday night. "We have had a great opportunity to do perimeter control," Franklin Fire's operations section chief, Assistant Chief Drew Smith, said a briefing Thursday night on behalf of Los Angeles County Fire. Firefighters were mopping up and getting ready for homeowners to return to their houses in the southern part of Malibu, he added. High winds accelerated the fire's quick development and spread after it started Monday near a tunnel in Malibu Canyon, according to Smith. The f...

According to UnitedHealthcare's parent firm, Luigi Mangione, the suspect in the CEO's murder, was not covered by the company's insurance. According to UnitedHeath Group, there is no evidence that Mangione, 26, has ever had insurance from the firm. Mangione is suspected of shooting CEO Brian Thompson dead on a street in midtown Manhattan on the morning of December 4, while Thompson was making his way to a hotel for an investor meeting. The murder is still being investigated. According to Joseph Kenny, chief of detectives for the New York Police Department, Mangione's writings and social media posts reveal that he sustained a life-altering, excruciating back injury. According to Kenny, Mangione might have singled out Thompson because to UnitedHealthcare's size. He mentions that United Health...

The popular stainless steel drinkware manufacturer Stanley has recalled over 2.6 million travel mugs that were sold in the US because of a potential fire hazard from defective lids. The Stanley Switchback and Trigger Action travel mugs, which were available for purchase nationwide between June 2016 and December 2024, are recalled. Reason for the Recall Following concerns that the mugs' screw-on caps' threads may shrink under heat and torque, perhaps leading to the lids abruptly detaching, the recall was started. This flaw makes it more likely that hot liquids will spill, increasing the possibility of burns. Stanley has received 91 incident reports globally, including 16 occurrences in the United States, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Of them, 38 resulted i...

A voluntary recall of a number of Riverside Natural Foods Inc.'s MadeGood granola bars has been issued because of possible metal pieces that could pose a major safety risk to customers. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a notification announcing the recall, which impacts products sold in South Carolina as well as other countries. Granola bars manufactured from January to November of 2024 are the subject of the recall. Cookies & Crème, Chocolate Banana, Chocolate Drizzled Birthday Cake, Chocolate Drizzled Cookie Crumble, Chocolate Chip, Mixed Berry, Strawberry, and Chocolate Drizzled Vanilla are among the flavors that have been impacted. The FDA's website has a comprehensive list of individual items, complete with Universal Product Codes (UPC) and Best-By Dates. Riversi...

Strong winds have fueled the Franklin Fire in Malibu, which has burned over 4,000 acres this week. However, a change in the weather and the lifting of red flag warnings offer firefighters hope that the fire will be put out. The mayor of Malibu reported Thursday afternoon that the fire, which started on Monday night, had expanded to 4,037 acres and was 20% contained in the well-known coastal enclave. The city stated that officials were getting ready to permit some residents to return home following an examination of the roads, utilities, and other infrastructure, despite the fact that thousands of homes had been under evacuation orders and warnings. "Please know that we are working tirelessly to get you back safely," Malibu Mayor Doug Stewart stated in a message for those who are still unab...