The Department of Veterans Affairs plans to cut over 80,000 jobs as part of a large-scale restructuring to improve efficiency, bringing workforce levels back to 2019. This move, set for August, is part of a wider government downsizing. Critics worry about potential negative impacts on services for the 9 million veterans relying on the VA.
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Protests were planned across South Korea on Saturday, as supporters and opponents of suspended president Yoon Suk Yeol prepared to hold rival rallies two weeks after he was impeached. An organiser of a rival anti-Yoon rally said the anger of those who supported his impeachment was "burning even more intensely".
Tesla shareholders don't have the power to directly vote to remove the CEO. But they could influence the Board if they believe Musk's leadership endangers their investment. The call for Elon Musk to resign from the CEO post comes as Tesla is at the receiving end of people's anger against Elon Musk. The Donald Trump administration has vowed strong action and a 'domestic terrorism' charge against protesters setting Tesla vehicles on fire.
Sean 'Diddy' Combs and Luigi Mangione are detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn on separate serious charges, with Combs held for sex trafficking and Mangione for murder. Combs’ trial is set for May 2025, while Mangione faces court in February. Both remain in holding cells, awaiting trial.
US President Trump indicated that the high tariffs on Chinese imports, currently at 145%, will be reduced substantially, emphasising that the previous zero-tariff situation was detrimental to the US. Treasury Secretary Bessent acknowledged the unsustainability of the current trade standoff, while the White House claims many countries are interested in new trade arrangements.
Immigration officials in Newark, NJ detained both undocumented migrants and American citizens, including a military veteran, during a workplace sweep. Mayor Ras Baraka condemned the operation for constitutional rights violations and ICE is investigating the incident. The enforcement action aligns with President Trump's new directives.
During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 2023 state visit to the White House, New Delhi gifted US First Lady Jill Biden a $20,000 lab diamond, the most expensive present. Modi also gave President Biden a carved sandalwood box, statue, oil lamp, and a book. Gifts totaling around $35,000 were presented to various US officials.
A lawsuit accusing Jay-Z and Sean 'Diddy' Combs of raping a woman when she was 13 has been withdrawn. The allegations, which Jay-Z termed 'fictitious,' involved an incident in 2000 after an MTV Video Music Awards after-party. Combs' lawyers also denied the claims, labeling them as baseless. Both artists criticized lawyer Tony Buzbee, suggesting the lawsuits were financially motivated.
Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has appointed Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem as his representative in Lebanon, responsible for religious and non-litigious affairs. Qassem succeeds Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike. Hezbollah, part of Iran's "axis of resistance," delayed public commemorations for Nasrallah and Hashem Safieddine until a February 23 funeral due to security concerns amid recent Israel-Lebanon tensions.
A Southern California judge, Jeffrey Ferguson, is on trial for murder after confessing to fatally shooting his wife, Sheryl, following a heated argument. The prosecution claims the act was intentional, while the defense argues it was accidental. Bodycam footage and his son's testimony play crucial roles in the case. Ferguson, a former prosecutor, faces scrutiny over his extensive firearms experience and past judicial controversies.
President Trump has ordered government agencies to start firing probationary employees, leading to the dismissal of thousands of federal workers, including from the Interior Department, VA, EPA, HHS, and USDA. These cuts are part of cost-saving measures under the Department of Government Efficiency.