As Vivek Ramaswamy posted photos from Superbowl Sunday, social media users asked him why he was there if he did not like American culture. In December, Ramaswamy made a long rant about US culture blaming it for nor producing top engineering talents owing to it misplaced focus on mediocrity and not on excellence, he said -- to the ire of many Republicans.
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Columbia University has issued disciplinary actions, including suspensions and expulsions, against students involved in pro-Palestinian protests. This followed government pressure and funding cuts. Notable impacted students include Mahmoud Khalil, Leqaa Kordia, Ranjani Srinivasan, and union president Grant Miner, resulting in widespread protests and controversy.
Linda McMahon, a Trump ally and former WWE CEO, has been confirmed as the US Secretary of Education with a 51-45 Senate vote. She faces the challenge of leading the education department amid cuts and policy shifts while maintaining funding for critical programs.
Kyle Rittenhouse, acquitted of homicide in 2021, contrasts his self-defense case with Luigi Mangione's, who is accused of killing the CEO of UnitedHealthcare. As both the cases are being compared as how Americans lust for 'young white killers', Rittenhouse said he is not even remotely like Luigi Mangione who killed a man in cold blood.
Early Sunday, a man was arrested after climbing the Big Ben tower in London, barefoot and holding a Palestinian flag. The incident caused major traffic disruptions, leading to road closures and the cancellation of Parliament tours. Emergency crews and negotiators eventually talked him down safely. He is now in police custody while supporters chanted nearby.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited Poland to address long-standing tensions over the exhumation of Polish victims of WWII massacres. Both nations have agreed to start exhumations, signaling improved relations. Poland, currently holding the EU presidency, has keen interest in the matter, especially ahead of upcoming presidential elections. The exhumations would provide proper burials for the victims.
​Zapeta was nabbed at the border in Arizona on June 1, 2018, records revealed. He was deported a week later but he re-entered the country illegally at some point, Marie Ferguson, a spokesperson for US Immigration and Customs Enforcement said. It's not known when he crossed the border again after being deported in 2018.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order to create the United States' first sovereign wealth fund, which could be used to purchase TikTok. This fund aims to monetize American assets for public investment. Trump's decision follows his previous election promise to fund major national projects. TikTok was briefly taken down as the law requires its Chinese owner ByteDance to either sell it to an American owner or face a ban.
Thailand has introduced free public transport in Bangkok for a week to tackle severe air pollution. Over 350 schools were closed due to hazardous PM2.5 levels. The government also banned crop stubble burning and implemented work-from-home schemes to improve the city's air quality.
Myanmar repatriated 300 Chinese nationals involved in scam centers through Thailand, with thousands more expected to follow. These scam compounds, run by criminal gangs, exploit trafficked workers for online fraud. China, Myanmar, and Thailand are cooperating to dismantle these operations. Repatriated individuals, labeled as "suspects" by China, were escorted by police. Thailand is collecting biometric data to prevent future misuse of its territory for such crimes.
Luigi Mangione, accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, has secured high-profile New York lawyer Karen Friedman Agnifilo for his defense. Evidence linking Mangione to the crime scene, including a matching 3D-printed gun and fingerprints, has strengthened the prosecution's case. Mangione, currently held in Pennsylvania on separate charges, may waive extradition to New York next week.