Friday, April 25
Senator Elizabeth Warren faced backlash after urging donations to support victims of the California wildfires, linking to a fundraising platform associated with the Democratic Party. Critics accused her of exploiting the tragedy for political gain. Warren, however, stated that the donations would go to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation and United Way of Greater Los Angeles.
Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) organized a rally in Balochistan to honor victims of extrajudicial killings. The event included a procession to cemeteries where flowers and prayers were offered. Mahrang Baloch highlighted the ongoing struggle and called for a national gathering on January 25 to mark Baloch Genocide Day, commemorating the discovery of mutilated bodies in 2014.
Social media users were shocked at California Guv Gavin Newsom's decision to sit for a podcast during this time of crisis. "Wait, Newsom did a podcast today? He couldn't find a better way to use his time?" one user wrote. "Going on a podcast while the fires are still burning? Guys this is embarrassing," another wrote.
Jack Smith, the special counsel who pursued two federal cases against President-elect Donald Trump, has stepped down from his position. His resignation revealed in a legal filing footnote, marks the end of a tumultuous tenure of courtroom losses and political tension. His resignation was expected before Trump’s inauguration, who had vowed to remove him from his role.
President Joe Biden honoured Pope Francis with the Presidential Medal of Freedom with distinction, the highest civilian award, recognising his faith, hope, and love impacting the world. Biden conveyed the award to the pope via phone, discussing peace and alleviation efforts. This marks Biden's only presentation of the honour with distinction during his presidency.
The week showcased extreme weather contrasts across America.Initially, numerous regions in the United States experienced severe blizzards and prolonged freezing temperatures, attributed to increasingly frequent jet stream deviations. Subsequently, California faced devastating wildfires, with strong winds propelling flames through drought-affected areas, resulting in Los Angeles' most severe wildfire incident on record.The situation intensified when leading meteorological organisations verified that 2024 surpassed all previous temperature records globally. More concerning was the announcement from four of six monitoring agencies that Earth had exceeded a crucial warming limit for an entire year, a threshold considered vital for preventing severe climate change impacts.Scientists indicate th
Outgoing President Joe Biden criticises Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg for discontinuing fact-checking on Facebook and Instagram, calling it shameful. Biden expresses concern over false information spreading. Zuckerberg, in a podcast, accused the Biden administration of pressuring Meta to censor true information. Biden also discussed his political stance and potential pardons.
Zuckerberg said third-party fact-checking veered from what the original intent was. "Early on, we made it really limited; we said, ‘All right, we're just going to have a system where third-party fact-checkers handle the worst of the worst stuff.’ Things that are very clear hoaxes—like "the Earth is flat"—not parsing speech about whether something is slightly true or slightly false; that was the original intent."
At a dinner with 22 Republican governors at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on Thursday, President-elect Donald Trump discussed key issues, including his ambition to acquire Greenland and growing concerns over drone activity. With only 11 days left before his inauguration, Trump sought to establish a cooperative relationship with state leaders.
Earth's average temperature in 2024 reached a record high, surpassing the 1.5 degrees Celsius limit set by the Paris Agreement. This increase, linked to fossil fuel emissions and El Nino impacts, is the first full-year breach of this benchmark. Experts warn about the long-term implications, emphasizing urgent action against climate change.
