Next-generation robot production
The company is preparing the facility to manage large-scale production using specialist software platforms. This includes real-time control and tracking of production lines through an innovative Manufacturing Execution System (MES).
BotQ will also benefit from Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), which helps oversee the lifecycle of robots from design to manufacturing. Dedicated Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) will also help manage resources, scheduling, and logistics.
Finally, the facility will also have a specially designed Warehouse Management System (WMS) – to optimize inventory management. The factory will also integrate some of the robots made by Figure.
Figure explains this innovative approach. Its humanoid robots will assist in manufacturing additional robots. This use of robot labor will increase over time, enhancing automation, speeding production, and reducing human involvement in repetitive tasks.
Robots building robots
To complete the factory’s design, Figure hired manufacturing experts to optimize assembly lines and processes for efficient mass production. This enabled them to create innovative automation processes, including precision grease dispensing for motors and automated battery cell testing and handling.
Figure also developed a new internal artificial intelligence (AI) software, Helix, to control robots used directly in the manufacturing line. This, they explain, enables robots to handle repetitive tasks and transport materials, reducing the need for traditional conveyor systems.
Are we living inside a black hole? James Webb’s survey of 263 galaxies hints at yes
Scientists find new evidence suggesting that our universe has been rotating since birth inside a black hole.
Over a century ago, a German physicist named Karl Schwarzschild mathematically described what we now recognize as a black hole using equations. He laid the foundation for black hole cosmology, which is also called the Schwarzschild cosmology.
Many years later, in the early 1970s, two scientists, Raj Kumar Pathria and I.J. Good, built upon Schwarzschild’s work and proposed that the Schwarzschild radius—which we now call the event horizon (the boundary of a black hole beyond which nothing can escape) might also act as the boundary of our universe.
So when Earth rotates around the center of the Milky Way, it moves in a specific direction. Because of the Doppler shift, if a galaxy is rotating opposite to Earth’s movement, the light it emits gets slightly compressed.
This makes it appear brighter than galaxies moving in the same direction as Earth. This effect could explain why telescopes detect more galaxies rotating opposite to Earth’s motion than expected.
“If that is indeed the case, we will need to re-calibrate our distance measurements for the deep universe. The re-calibration of distance measurements can also explain several other unsolved questions in cosmology, such as the differences in the expansion rates of the universe and the large galaxies that, according to the existing distance measurements, are expected to be older than the universe itself,” Shamir concluded.
China develops next-gen amphibious military vehicle with unmanned turret
The new amphibious infantry fighting vehicles are expected to replace the existing Type 05 family.
China is developing the next generation of amphibious infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) to replace the existing Type 05 family, according to a new post on X (formerly Twitter) by the handle OedoSoldier.
The new amphibious IFV, identified by hull number 003, appears to feature an unmanned turret with no visible crew positions and may integrate multiple sensor systems for target acquisition and active defense, potentially forming part of a hard-kill active protection system (APS).
The vehicle is armed with a 30mm autocannon, similar to the ZBD-05, but no visible Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) launcher, which may be mounted on the other side of the turret. The hull features changes like adjusted road wheel spacing and a modified rear transom flap, likely improving hydrodynamics and amphibious maneuverability.
New IFV favors active defenses over heavy armor
Unlike Western designs that rely on composite or NERA armor as layered passive protection, adding significant weight, the Chinese model emphasizes active defenses better suited for light vehicles with limited conventional armor, Army Recognition writes.
The ZBD-05 serves as the infantry fighting vehicle, armed with a 30mm autocannon and anti-tank guided missiles to support infantry. The ZTD-05 is an amphibious assault vehicle, equipped with a 105mm rifled gun capable of firing both kinetic and guided munitions
Other variants include command and control vehicles, reconnaissance units, armored recovery vehicles, and engineering support models. These different versions enable the Type 05 platform to carry out a wide range of amphibious operations, including direct assault, logistical support, and battlefield coordination, which has proven to be crucial for enhancing the operational flexibility and effectiveness of China’s amphibious forces in various combat and support scenarios.
Breakthrough device mimics brain’s neurons, converts light into electrical signals
The tiny micropillar quantum resonant tunneling diode (RTD) acts as a sensory neuron, detecting light, processing data, and converting it into electrical signals, all within a single nanoscale device.
A team of researchers from the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL) has reshaped the future of brain-inspired computing by developing a tiny quantum resonant tunneling diode (RTD), that mimics a sensory neuron.
The device, inspired by the way biological neurons process information, has the ability to detect light and convert it into electrical signals within a single nanoscale component, operating quickly, efficiently, and with minimal energy.
Meanwhile, the new device seamlessly integrates these capabilities into a single, compact component. As a result, it does more than simply detect light but also encodes optical information into electrical oscillations, enhancing its functionality beyond that of a basic sensor.
The team believes its sensory neuron behavior is a key advancement toward developing in-sensor intelligent edge systems that process data at the source, eliminating the need for large external processors.
The device’s compact design and compatibility with existing III–V semiconductor platforms make it ideal for integration into future optical sensors and systems, including autonomous vehicles, next-generation LiDAR (light detection and ranging), and ultra-fast visual processing for robotics.
The scientists believe the breakthrough will bring the world closer to hardware that not only detects the world but also interprets it, much like natural systems.
Life on Earth may have originated from microlightning in water droplets: Study
A new study suggests that tiny flashes of light may have produced the first organic molecules on our planet, indicating the Miller-Urey hypothesis could have merit.
There are multiple theories that explain the origin of life on Earth, but one of the most disputed ones was proposed in 1953 when two scientists named Stanley Miller and Harold Urey conducted an experiment where they simulated early Earth’s conditions using water, gases, and electric sparks to mimic lightning. At the end of their experiment, the duo found that amino acids, the building blocks of life, had formed.
The intriguing science of microlightning
“On early Earth, there were water sprays all over the place—into crevices or against rocks, and they can accumulate and create this chemical reaction,” said Richard Zare, one of the study authors and a professor at Stanford University. “I think this overcomes many of the problems people have with the Miller-Urey hypothesis,” he added.
Zare and his team performed an interesting experiment to demonstrate the above-mentioned chemical reaction. They first studied the process that enables water droplets to gain electric charges as they turn into a spray or splash.
Researchers observed that smaller droplets carried a negative charge and larger droplets had a positive charge. Surprisingly, when these oppositely charged droplets were brought close to each other, the study authors noticed ‘microlightning’, i.e., tiny flashes of electricity. The process is similar to how lightning forms in clouds but on a much smaller scale.
This chemical reaction eventually resulted in the production of organic molecules such as glycine (an amino acid) and uracil (a key component of RNA). Our experiment shows that the “microelectric discharges between oppositely charged water microdroplets make all the organic molecules observed previously in the Miller-Urey experiment, and we propose that this is a new mechanism for the prebiotic synthesis of molecules that constitute the building blocks of life,” Zare noted.
China's Xi Dismisses Invitation to EU-China Anniversary Summit, FT Reports
Chinese President Xi Jinping has dismissed an initial invitation to visit Brussels for a summit to mark the 50th anniversary of ties, Financial Times reported on Sunday.
Beijing told EU officials that Premier Li Qiang would meet the presidents of the European Council and Commission instead of Xi, the FT said, citing two people familiar with the matter whom it did not identify.
The Chinese premier usually attends the summit when it is held in Brussels, while the president hosts it in Beijing, but the EU wants Xi to attend to commemorate half a century of relations between Beijing and the bloc, the newspaper said.
China, the world's second-biggest economy, and the EU, its third-largest, spent most of 2024 exchanging barbs over allegations of overcapacity, illegal subsidies and dumping in each other's markets.
In October, the EU imposed double-digit tariffs on China-made electric vehicles after an anti-subsidy investigation, in addition to its standard car import duty of 10%. The move drew loud protests from Beijing, which in return, raised market entry barriers for certain EU products such as brandy.
US Fed Likely to Keep Rates Steady as Trump Uncertainty Flares
The US Federal Reserve is widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged at its policy meeting this week, treading carefully amid uncertainty over President Donald Trump's economic policies, which include spending cuts and sweeping tariffs.
Since January, Trump has imposed levies on major trading partners Canada, Mexico and China, and on steel and aluminum imports, roiling financial markets and fanning fears that his plans could tip the world's biggest economy into a recession.
The Trump administration has also embarked on unprecedented cost-cutting efforts that target staff and spending, while the president has promised tax reductions and deregulation down the road.
Powell himself has said that policymakers are focused on separating signal from noise as the outlook evolves.
"We do not need to be in a hurry, and we are well positioned to wait for greater clarity," the Fed chief added in a recent speech in New York.
'No pressing need' -
Economist Michael Pearce at Oxford Economics said he expects the Fed will not want to "overreact" to early signs that inflation may pick up, or to indications that the economy is weakening more quickly than anticipated.
Pearce of Oxford Economics expects that the economy is strong enough to weather a downturn from tariffs -- meaning the Fed will unlikely be forced to respond to weakening conditions.
But there remains a risk that more weakness comes through, he said, and that the Fed "will react to a growth scare and loosen policy sooner."
Daco of EY said Powell "will have to tap dance around policy uncertainty and its cousin market volatility" in a press conference after the Fed's rate decision is announced Wednesday.
Private sector activity is slowing as policy uncertainty remains elevated, while stocks have pulled back notably, he said.
GDP growth is also likely to stall in the first quarter in part due to weaker consumer spending.
US Fed Likely to Keep Rates Steady as Trump Uncertainty Flares
The US Federal Reserve is widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged at its policy meeting this week, treading carefully amid uncertainty over President Donald Trump's economic policies, which include spending cuts and sweeping tariffs.
Since January, Trump has imposed levies on major trading partners Canada, Mexico and China, and on steel and aluminum imports, roiling financial markets and fanning fears that his plans could tip the world's biggest economy into a recession.
The Trump administration has also embarked on unprecedented cost-cutting efforts that target staff and spending, while the president has promised tax reductions and deregulation down the road.
A new investment product has been introduced in the financial markets. Leverage Shares has launched the 2X Long Coinbase Daily ETF, which is listed on Nasdaq. This product aims to double the daily return of Coinbase shares.
The new ETF is designed for investors looking to trade with bullish expectations. While the product aims to provide increased exposure by doubling daily percentage returns, it is deemed suitable for short-term trades due to the risks associated with daily compounded returns. The expense ratio of the product has been set at 0.75%.
Private sector activity is slowing as policy uncertainty remains elevated, while stocks have pulled back notably, he said.
GDP growth is also likely to stall in the first quarter in part due to weaker consumer spending.
"Powell may find it difficult to reaffirm that the economy is 'holding up just fine,' and that it 'doesn't need us to do anything,'" Daco added in a note.
Looking ahead, he warned that the Fed's policy stance could shift rapidly with economic conditions.
"A reactionary monetary policy stance means policy direction could rapidly turn more dovish on weaker economic and labor market data, just like it could turn hawkish with hotter inflation readings," he said.
New Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney Seeks Alliances in Europe as he Deals with Trump
New Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is heading to Paris and London on Monday to seek alliances as he deals with U.S. President Donald Trump's attacks on Canada's sovereignty and economy.
Carney is purposely making his first foreign trip to the capital cities of the two countries that shaped Canada's early existence.
At his swearing-in ceremony on Friday, Carney noted the country was built on the bedrock of three peoples, French, English and Indigenous, and said Canada is fundamentally different from America and will “never, ever, in any way shape or form, be part of the United States.”
Robert Bothwell, a professor of Canadian history and international relations at the University of Toronto, said Carney is wise not to visit Trump.
"There’s no point in going to Washington," Bothwell said. "As (former Prime Minister Justin) Trudeau’s treatment shows, all that results in is a crude attempt by Trump to humiliate his guests. Nor can you have a rational conversation with someone who simply sits there and repeats disproven lies."
Bothwell said that Trump demands respect, “but it’s often a one-way street, asking others to set aside their self-respect to bend to his will.”
Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal, said it is absolutely essential that Canada diversify trade amidst the ongoing trade war with the United States. More than 75% of Canada's exports go to the U.S.
Republicans Split on Spending Cuts, Medicaid as They Seek Path Forward on Trump Tax Cuts
Congressional Republicans, under pressure to move forward on President Donald Trump's tax cut and border security agenda, are at odds over how much spending they can cut from the federal budget without leaving constituents who rely on social safety net programs out in the cold.
Senate Republicans have been locked in closed-door debates about whether to overhaul the Medicaid health insurance program for low-income Americans to help pay for extending Trump's $4.6 trillion in 2017 tax cuts and other tax proposals, the mass deportation of unauthorized immigrants and a boost in military spending.
Debate over the Trump agenda also involves another hot-button fiscal issue: the debt ceiling.
Senate Republicans who favor deeper spending cuts hope to use the congressionally mandated borrowing limit on the nation's $36.6 trillion of debt as leverage to get their way.
Having avoided a weekend government shutdown, Congress faces a high-stakes mid-year deadline for passing Trump's agenda, given that House Republicans included a $4 trillion debt ceiling increase in their budget blueprint. If lawmakers fail to raise the ceiling before the Treasury exhausts its ability to pay its bills, the country will face a catastrophic default.
Senate Finance Committee Republicans, who discussed spending cuts with Trump at the White House last week, said the president wants the debt limit to remain part of the legislation.
"We need things like the debt limit, because it's the only leverage we have to get down to reasonable spending levels," said Senator Ron Johnson, of Wisconsin, who attended the White House meeting.
Repeated congressional brinkmanship over the debt has led two of the three largest global ratings agencies to cut the federal government's once top-tier credit rating.
With a 53-47 majority, Senate Republicans need only 51 votes to pass a blueprint and unlock a parliamentary tool known as budget reconciliation to circumvent Democrats' ability to use the Senate filibuster to block Trump's legislative agenda.
"We've still got a lot of things that we've got to reconcile with the House," said Senator Thom Tillis, another Republican who met with Trump last week. "Part of what we were doing is making sure that the president agreed. And it was a good meeting that way."
"It depends on what else is out there," said Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, who chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.
The House plan for Trump's agenda calls for $880 billion in cuts over a decade from the healthcare and energy sectors and another $230 billion from agriculture, numbers that have raised concerns about the possibility of reductions for Medicaid and nutrition programs for the poor including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
The House would also cut $330 billion from education programs over a decade.
Trump has promised that those who rely on Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security will not see reduced benefits.
Newsom Draws Liberal Ire for Being Moderate in Podcast
California Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom infamously dodged a recall election, dined out at a fancy restaurant during mass COVID-19 lockdowns, and pivoted from massive deadly wildfire mismanagement.
He is now running a podcast where he invites staunch conservatives for debate.
All of which has Democrats seeing red.
Steve Bannon, Charlie Kirk, and Newsmax host Michael Savage all sat down with Newsom recently, as the embattled Democrat governor tries to remake himself as a moderate Democrat all to grease the wheels for the 2028 Democrat presidential primary, experts say.
Even The Washington Post admits appealing to Trump's base – even if it is just giving them a platform for debate – is popular, noting talking with conservatives is good for the podcast business.
"I think he's playing the long game here," California Republican strategist Matt Klink told The Hill. "He realizes that he's got a lot of runway between now and the 2028 election."
Klink said Newsom's "positioning himself more as a moderate Democrat who is at least willing to listen to the thought leaders that are shaping the Republican narrative" might be "a start" to wiping away years of bad press.
Newsom admitted he wants to "change the conversation" by "talking directly with people I disagree with, people I look up to, and you — the listeners."
"He wants to be a middle-of-the-road Democrat," Klink said. "He tries to position himself more of a Bill Clinton-esque Democrat that can touch close enough to center, so that he can touch a little bit to the right and still move as far left as he needs to win a Democratic primary. He’s trying to try to navigate precarious waters."
CNN Poll: Dems' Favorability Rating Sinks to Record Low
Democrats' favorability ratings sank to a record low in the latest CNN poll released Sunday.
Opposing the popular-vote winner in President Donald Trump, obstructing his agenda and efforts to cut government waste, fraud, and abuse, and threatening to shut down the government by rejecting their own President Joe Biden-era spending levels in a continuing resolution did not sit well with registered Democrats and left-siding independent adults.
Even a majority of Democrat adults (52%) are saying the leadership of the party is taking things in the wrong direction.
That eye-popping poll result flips the majority that had sided otherwise eight years ago at the start of the first Trump administration, according to CNN.
House GOP Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has called Democrats "leaderless" and "rudderless," and those polled largely agree.
When asked who among Democrats "best reflects the core values" of the party (with no names and just a blank space to respond):
30% did not name someone.
10% said Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris 9%.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., 8%.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., 6%.
Former President Barack Obama 4%.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, 4%.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., tied with many others at 2%.
"No one: That's the problem," one respondent wrote, CNN reported. "That's the problem."
Ordnance From Syria's 13-Year Conflict Explodes in Port City, Killing at Least 16 People
The paramedic group, known as the White Helmets, said it worked overnight, searching through debris and recovered 16 bodies, including five women and five children, and that 18 others were injured. The group and residents said the explosion occurred in a metal scrap storage space on the ground floor of the four-story building.
The United Nations said in February that about a hundred have been killed from exploding ordnance during the last 13 years, adding that since the ouster of Bashar Assad in December, over 1,400 unexploded devices across Syria have been safely disposed of and 138 minefields and contaminated areas identified in Idleb, Aleppo, Hama, Deir-ez-Zor and Lattakia.
US Starts to Build Submarine Presence on Strategic Australian Coast Under AUKUS
In the control room of the American Virginia class attack submarine USS Minnesota, off the Western Australian coast, sonar operators adjust to the chatter of dolphins in new waters where the U.S. submarine presence will soon grow significantly.
On a training exercise from its home port in Guam, USS Minnesota is a forerunner to four Virginia class submarines that will be hosted at a Western Australian naval base from 2027, under the AUKUS partnership to transfer nuclear submarine capability to Australia.
Crew use video game joysticks to interrogate screen images from a photonic mast that has replaced a periscope. Life aboard can mean up to 100 days without seeing sunlight, and intermittent communication with families via email to maintain stealth.
Migrant Kid Shelter Accused of Abuse Took in $3B From Biden
A Texas nonprofit that sought to house migrant kids reportedly took in around $3 billion in grants during the open-border Biden administration, and the massive cash influx was used to double executives' salaries.
Southwest Key Programs' grift operation that boosted executive salaries up to 139% had the plug pulled by the Trump administration last week, the New York Post reported in a look at tax filings and records.
As border crossings hit all-time highs under President Joe Biden, the Austin, Texas, nonprofit took in billions in taxpayer dollars from 2021 through 2024 to help shelter and place migrant children in the U.S., according to the Department of Health and Human Services.
Grassley is rotating back to Villarreal for answers for Congress amid "lazy and obstructive" responses to requests for records with a letter this week.
Trump's Justice Department has cut the funding to Southwest Key, but it also dropped a Biden-era civil case against it this week.
"Out of continuing concerns relating to these placements, HHS has decided to stop placement of unaccompanied alien children in Southwest Key facilities, and to review its grants with the organization," HHS wrote in a statement.
"In view of HHS' action, the Department of Justice has dismissed its lawsuit against Southwest Key."
Southwest Key Programs is "pleased" about the case dismissal and "strongly denied the claims relating to child sexual abuse in our shelter," the Post reported.
Netanyahu Moves to Oust Head of Israel's Domestic Security Service
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told the head of the country's Shin Bet domestic security service Ronen Bar that he plans to bring his dismissal before the government this week, a statement from Netanyahu's office said on Sunday.
"We are in the midst of a war for our very existence - a war on seven fronts," Netanyahu said in a press release. "At all times, but especially in such an existential war, the prime minister must have full confidence in the Shin Bet chief.
"But unfortunately, the situation is exactly the opposite – I do not have such confidence," the prime minister said. "I have a continuing distrust in the head of the Shin Bet. A distrust that has grown over time."
Hospitalised Pope Francis Admits Frailty, Calls Body 'Weak'
Pope Francis acknowledged being fragile and "facing a period of trial", as he thanked well-wishers Sunday for prayers in a message from hospital, where he has been slowly recovering from pneumonia.
The 88-year-old pope, who has weathered setbacks along with periods of improving health since being hospitalised on February 14, sent a particularly personal message to the faithful that referenced both his faith and his frailty.
"I am sharing these thoughts with you while I am facing a period of trial, and I join with so many brothers and sisters who are sick: fragile, at this time, like me," wrote the pope in the message published by the Vatican.
Nevertheless, their visit was "a bit like giving them a window onto a wider stage of Christian life," Santobonio said.
Other children had arrived in the early morning from an impoverished town near Naples to deliver a letter to Francis, said Andrea Lacomini from UNICEF, which organised the excursion.
"He loves children, he is the pope of the children, so we are waiting for him. We're sure he will get better," Lacomini told AFP.
"We need an important leader like him, because at this time there aren't many heroes in the world," he added.
"He's the only one who talks about peace."
Despite failing to appear at the window, Francis addressed his youngest well-wishers in his message.
"I know that many children are praying for me; some of them came here today to 'Gemelli' as a sign of closeness," Francis wrote.
TIPP Poll: Mass Deportation Now 'Consensus' Issue
A new poll show 71% of former Vice President Kamala Harris' voters give deportation of criminal aliens their approval.
Even in a massively "polarized" country, a majority of Americans back mass deportation of illegal migrants, according to political strategist Steve Cortes' findings in his latest TIPP Insights poll released this week.
"Specifically, by a +19% margin, Americans back broad, mass deportations of all illegal aliens by a 56%-37% spread," Cortes wrote. "In a country that is politically polarized, where most issues breakdown roughly 47% - 47% along party lines, that kind of margin on a controversial topic like immigration, it points to an emerging consensus in the country."
Cortes' League of American Workers advocacy group commissioned the poll, which noted its balance with a registered voter pool that went for Trump over Harris by just 1 percentage point.
Trump Deports 'Hundreds of Violent Criminals' Despite Judge's Order to Halt Flights
U.S. removes hundreds of alleged Venezuelan gang members under now-blocked authority
The Trump administration has transferred hundreds of immigrants to El Salvador despite a federal judge's order temporarily barring the deportations under an 18th century wartime declaration targeting Venezuelan gang members, officials said Sunday. Flights were in the air at the time of the ruling.
U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg issued an order Saturday evening blocking the deportations but lawyers told him there were already two planes with migrants in the air — one headed for El Salvador, the other for Honduras. Boasberg verbally ordered the planes be turned around, but they apparently were not and he did not include the directive in his written order.
Video released by El Salvador’s government Sunday showed men exiting airplanes into an airport tarmac lined by officers in riot gear. The men, who had with their hands and ankles shackled, struggled to walk as officers pushed their heads down to have them bend down at the waist.
The video also showed the men being transported to prison in a large convoy of buses guarded by police and military vehicles and at least one helicopter. The men were shown kneeling on the ground as their heads were shaved before they changed into the prison’s all-white uniform – knee-length shorts, T-shirt, socks and rubber clogs – and placed in cells.
The migrants were taken to the notorious CECOT facility, the centerpiece of Bukele's push to pacify his once violence-wracked country through tough police measures and limits on basic rights
US Will Keep Hitting Houthis Until Shipping Attacks Stop, Hegseth Says
The United States will keep attacking Yemen's Houthis until they end attacks on shipping, the U.S. defense secretary said on Sunday, as the Iran-aligned group signaled it could escalate in response to deadly U.S. strikes the day before.
The airstrikes, which killed at least 31 people, are the biggest U.S. military operation in the Middle East since President Donald Trump took office in January. One U.S. official told Reuters the campaign might continue for weeks.
The Houthi movement's political bureau described the attacks as a "war crime" and said Houthi forces were ready to "meet escalation with escalation," while Moscow urged Washington to cease the strikes.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Fox News: "The minute the Houthis say we'll stop shooting at your ships, we'll stop shooting at your drones, this campaign will end, but until then it will be unrelenting."
Sean Curran Stood in Line of Fire for Secret Service, Now Leads It
Sean Curran, 48, the head of President Donald Trump's Secret Service detail July 13 - jumping on his body to potentially take bullets - is now charged with fixing the problems that led to the Biden-era lapse in security as Secret Service director.
Sean Curran, 48, the head of President Donald Trump's Secret Service detail July 13 – jumping on his body to potentially take bullets – is now charged with fixing the problems that led to the Biden-era lapse in security as Secret Service director.
Curran is the agent in sunglasses staring down the pool photographer who snapped the now-famous picture of a fist pumping Trump shouting "fight, fight, fight" with the American flag waiving behind him.
"They have to protect the top leadership of this country at the same time when there are massive challenges for morale, funding, training and coordination with other [law enforcement] agencies.
"I hope Director Curran is up to the job."
Curran is "the quintessential outside-insider," according to Jonathan Wackrow, one of former President Barack Obama's body men.
"He understands the service intimately, but he's not biased by its bureaucracy," Wackrow told the Post.
Trump has credited Curran and others for saving his life.
"He proved his fearless courage when he risked his own life to help save mine from an assassin's bullet," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Jan. 24.
Hospitals have been experimenting for years with technology designed to improve care and streamline costs, including sensors, microphones and motion-sensing cameras. Now that data is being linked with electronic medical records and analyzed in an effort to predict medical problems and direct nurses' care — sometimes before they've evaluated the patient themselves.
Adam Hart was working in the emergency room at Dignity Health in Henderson, Nevada, when the hospital's computer system flagged a newly arrived patient for sepsis, a life-threatening reaction to infection. Under the hospital's protocol, he was supposed to immediately administer a large dose of IV fluids. But after further examination, Hart determined that he was treating a dialysis patient, or someone with kidney failure. Such patients have to be carefully managed to avoid overloading their kidneys with fluid.
Democrats Running for New Jersey Governor Navigate the Delicate Politics of Immigration
Along an industrial stretch of roadway in New Jersey’s biggest city, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka appeared with immigrants rights activists last week to protest the Trump administration’s deal with a private company to open the first new immigration detention center of the president’s second term.
Voters, he said, “don’t believe that people should be rounded up simply because they try to become citizens of the United States.”
In pushing back against construction of the 1,000-bed detention facility, Baraka, one of six Democrats running for governor in New Jersey this year, has staked out an aggressive approach on an issue that his party has struggled with recently. Other candidates have either moved closer to President Donald Trump, partly embracing his get-tough approach to immigration, or spent most of their time talking about the economy and the high cost of living.
But immigration was top-of-mind for voters in 2024 and is a centerpiece of the president's agenda, according to Micah Rasmussen, the director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics at Rider University, which means Democrats willing to take a stand may benefit politically.
“There is a penalty for seeming lost and not knowing what to say about something because the Democrats haven’t found their way yet,” he said. “Voters are not rewarding hesitation. They want boldness.”
Not every Democrat in the contest to succeed term-limited Democrat Phil Murphy as governor is jockeying to the left of the president. Former state Senate President Steve Sweeney has called on the party to disavow sanctuary state policies supported by Baraka and others and “get back to listening to regular people.”
Sen. Tuberville: Tariffs 'Only Shot We Got' to Save US
Critics of President Donald Trump tariffs are ignoring the troubles the visionaries are seeing down the road, according to Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala.
Critics of President Donald Trump's tariffs are ignoring the troubles the visionaries are seeing down the road, according to Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala.
"President Trump walked into a hornet's nest: I know people are complaining about these tariffs right now, but ladies and gentlemen, let me tell you something, this is the only shot we got to get our country back," Tuberville told Sunday's "The Cats Roundtable" on WABC 77 FM-N.Y.
"We can't raise taxes on the American people. We're $37 trillion in debt. We've got to get manufacturing back to this country."
!summarize #boxoffice #hollywood #movies
Next-generation robot production
The company is preparing the facility to manage large-scale production using specialist software platforms. This includes real-time control and tracking of production lines through an innovative Manufacturing Execution System (MES).
BotQ will also benefit from Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), which helps oversee the lifecycle of robots from design to manufacturing. Dedicated Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) will also help manage resources, scheduling, and logistics.
Finally, the facility will also have a specially designed Warehouse Management System (WMS) – to optimize inventory management. The factory will also integrate some of the robots made by Figure.
Figure explains this innovative approach. Its humanoid robots will assist in manufacturing additional robots. This use of robot labor will increase over time, enhancing automation, speeding production, and reducing human involvement in repetitive tasks.
Robots building robots
To complete the factory’s design, Figure hired manufacturing experts to optimize assembly lines and processes for efficient mass production. This enabled them to create innovative automation processes, including precision grease dispensing for motors and automated battery cell testing and handling.
Figure also developed a new internal artificial intelligence (AI) software, Helix, to control robots used directly in the manufacturing line. This, they explain, enables robots to handle repetitive tasks and transport materials, reducing the need for traditional conveyor systems.
Are we living inside a black hole? James Webb’s survey of 263 galaxies hints at yes
Scientists find new evidence suggesting that our universe has been rotating since birth inside a black hole.
Over a century ago, a German physicist named Karl Schwarzschild mathematically described what we now recognize as a black hole using equations. He laid the foundation for black hole cosmology, which is also called the Schwarzschild cosmology.
Many years later, in the early 1970s, two scientists, Raj Kumar Pathria and I.J. Good, built upon Schwarzschild’s work and proposed that the Schwarzschild radius—which we now call the event horizon (the boundary of a black hole beyond which nothing can escape) might also act as the boundary of our universe.
So when Earth rotates around the center of the Milky Way, it moves in a specific direction. Because of the Doppler shift, if a galaxy is rotating opposite to Earth’s movement, the light it emits gets slightly compressed.
This makes it appear brighter than galaxies moving in the same direction as Earth. This effect could explain why telescopes detect more galaxies rotating opposite to Earth’s motion than expected.
“If that is indeed the case, we will need to re-calibrate our distance measurements for the deep universe. The re-calibration of distance measurements can also explain several other unsolved questions in cosmology, such as the differences in the expansion rates of the universe and the large galaxies that, according to the existing distance measurements, are expected to be older than the universe itself,” Shamir concluded.
China develops next-gen amphibious military vehicle with unmanned turret
The new amphibious infantry fighting vehicles are expected to replace the existing Type 05 family.
China is developing the next generation of amphibious infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) to replace the existing Type 05 family, according to a new post on X (formerly Twitter) by the handle OedoSoldier.
The new amphibious IFV, identified by hull number 003, appears to feature an unmanned turret with no visible crew positions and may integrate multiple sensor systems for target acquisition and active defense, potentially forming part of a hard-kill active protection system (APS).
The vehicle is armed with a 30mm autocannon, similar to the ZBD-05, but no visible Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) launcher, which may be mounted on the other side of the turret. The hull features changes like adjusted road wheel spacing and a modified rear transom flap, likely improving hydrodynamics and amphibious maneuverability.
New IFV favors active defenses over heavy armor
Unlike Western designs that rely on composite or NERA armor as layered passive protection, adding significant weight, the Chinese model emphasizes active defenses better suited for light vehicles with limited conventional armor, Army Recognition writes.
The ZBD-05 serves as the infantry fighting vehicle, armed with a 30mm autocannon and anti-tank guided missiles to support infantry. The ZTD-05 is an amphibious assault vehicle, equipped with a 105mm rifled gun capable of firing both kinetic and guided munitions
Other variants include command and control vehicles, reconnaissance units, armored recovery vehicles, and engineering support models. These different versions enable the Type 05 platform to carry out a wide range of amphibious operations, including direct assault, logistical support, and battlefield coordination, which has proven to be crucial for enhancing the operational flexibility and effectiveness of China’s amphibious forces in various combat and support scenarios.
Breakthrough device mimics brain’s neurons, converts light into electrical signals
The tiny micropillar quantum resonant tunneling diode (RTD) acts as a sensory neuron, detecting light, processing data, and converting it into electrical signals, all within a single nanoscale device.
A team of researchers from the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL) has reshaped the future of brain-inspired computing by developing a tiny quantum resonant tunneling diode (RTD), that mimics a sensory neuron.
The device, inspired by the way biological neurons process information, has the ability to detect light and convert it into electrical signals within a single nanoscale component, operating quickly, efficiently, and with minimal energy.
Meanwhile, the new device seamlessly integrates these capabilities into a single, compact component. As a result, it does more than simply detect light but also encodes optical information into electrical oscillations, enhancing its functionality beyond that of a basic sensor.
The team believes its sensory neuron behavior is a key advancement toward developing in-sensor intelligent edge systems that process data at the source, eliminating the need for large external processors.
The device’s compact design and compatibility with existing III–V semiconductor platforms make it ideal for integration into future optical sensors and systems, including autonomous vehicles, next-generation LiDAR (light detection and ranging), and ultra-fast visual processing for robotics.
The scientists believe the breakthrough will bring the world closer to hardware that not only detects the world but also interprets it, much like natural systems.
Life on Earth may have originated from microlightning in water droplets: Study
A new study suggests that tiny flashes of light may have produced the first organic molecules on our planet, indicating the Miller-Urey hypothesis could have merit.
There are multiple theories that explain the origin of life on Earth, but one of the most disputed ones was proposed in 1953 when two scientists named Stanley Miller and Harold Urey conducted an experiment where they simulated early Earth’s conditions using water, gases, and electric sparks to mimic lightning. At the end of their experiment, the duo found that amino acids, the building blocks of life, had formed.
The intriguing science of microlightning
“On early Earth, there were water sprays all over the place—into crevices or against rocks, and they can accumulate and create this chemical reaction,” said Richard Zare, one of the study authors and a professor at Stanford University. “I think this overcomes many of the problems people have with the Miller-Urey hypothesis,” he added.
Zare and his team performed an interesting experiment to demonstrate the above-mentioned chemical reaction. They first studied the process that enables water droplets to gain electric charges as they turn into a spray or splash.
Researchers observed that smaller droplets carried a negative charge and larger droplets had a positive charge. Surprisingly, when these oppositely charged droplets were brought close to each other, the study authors noticed ‘microlightning’, i.e., tiny flashes of electricity. The process is similar to how lightning forms in clouds but on a much smaller scale.
This chemical reaction eventually resulted in the production of organic molecules such as glycine (an amino acid) and uracil (a key component of RNA). Our experiment shows that the “microelectric discharges between oppositely charged water microdroplets make all the organic molecules observed previously in the Miller-Urey experiment, and we propose that this is a new mechanism for the prebiotic synthesis of molecules that constitute the building blocks of life,” Zare noted.
China's Xi Dismisses Invitation to EU-China Anniversary Summit, FT Reports
Chinese President Xi Jinping has dismissed an initial invitation to visit Brussels for a summit to mark the 50th anniversary of ties, Financial Times reported on Sunday.
Beijing told EU officials that Premier Li Qiang would meet the presidents of the European Council and Commission instead of Xi, the FT said, citing two people familiar with the matter whom it did not identify.
The Chinese premier usually attends the summit when it is held in Brussels, while the president hosts it in Beijing, but the EU wants Xi to attend to commemorate half a century of relations between Beijing and the bloc, the newspaper said.
China, the world's second-biggest economy, and the EU, its third-largest, spent most of 2024 exchanging barbs over allegations of overcapacity, illegal subsidies and dumping in each other's markets.
In October, the EU imposed double-digit tariffs on China-made electric vehicles after an anti-subsidy investigation, in addition to its standard car import duty of 10%. The move drew loud protests from Beijing, which in return, raised market entry barriers for certain EU products such as brandy.
US Fed Likely to Keep Rates Steady as Trump Uncertainty Flares
The US Federal Reserve is widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged at its policy meeting this week, treading carefully amid uncertainty over President Donald Trump's economic policies, which include spending cuts and sweeping tariffs.
Since January, Trump has imposed levies on major trading partners Canada, Mexico and China, and on steel and aluminum imports, roiling financial markets and fanning fears that his plans could tip the world's biggest economy into a recession.
The Trump administration has also embarked on unprecedented cost-cutting efforts that target staff and spending, while the president has promised tax reductions and deregulation down the road.
Powell himself has said that policymakers are focused on separating signal from noise as the outlook evolves.
"We do not need to be in a hurry, and we are well positioned to wait for greater clarity," the Fed chief added in a recent speech in New York.
Economist Michael Pearce at Oxford Economics said he expects the Fed will not want to "overreact" to early signs that inflation may pick up, or to indications that the economy is weakening more quickly than anticipated.
Pearce of Oxford Economics expects that the economy is strong enough to weather a downturn from tariffs -- meaning the Fed will unlikely be forced to respond to weakening conditions.
But there remains a risk that more weakness comes through, he said, and that the Fed "will react to a growth scare and loosen policy sooner."
Daco of EY said Powell "will have to tap dance around policy uncertainty and its cousin market volatility" in a press conference after the Fed's rate decision is announced Wednesday.
Private sector activity is slowing as policy uncertainty remains elevated, while stocks have pulled back notably, he said.
GDP growth is also likely to stall in the first quarter in part due to weaker consumer spending.
US Fed Likely to Keep Rates Steady as Trump Uncertainty Flares
The US Federal Reserve is widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged at its policy meeting this week, treading carefully amid uncertainty over President Donald Trump's economic policies, which include spending cuts and sweeping tariffs.
Since January, Trump has imposed levies on major trading partners Canada, Mexico and China, and on steel and aluminum imports, roiling financial markets and fanning fears that his plans could tip the world's biggest economy into a recession.
The Trump administration has also embarked on unprecedented cost-cutting efforts that target staff and spending, while the president has promised tax reductions and deregulation down the road.
A new investment product has been introduced in the financial markets. Leverage Shares has launched the 2X Long Coinbase Daily ETF, which is listed on Nasdaq. This product aims to double the daily return of Coinbase shares.
The new ETF is designed for investors looking to trade with bullish expectations. While the product aims to provide increased exposure by doubling daily percentage returns, it is deemed suitable for short-term trades due to the risks associated with daily compounded returns. The expense ratio of the product has been set at 0.75%.
Private sector activity is slowing as policy uncertainty remains elevated, while stocks have pulled back notably, he said.
GDP growth is also likely to stall in the first quarter in part due to weaker consumer spending.
"Powell may find it difficult to reaffirm that the economy is 'holding up just fine,' and that it 'doesn't need us to do anything,'" Daco added in a note.
Looking ahead, he warned that the Fed's policy stance could shift rapidly with economic conditions.
"A reactionary monetary policy stance means policy direction could rapidly turn more dovish on weaker economic and labor market data, just like it could turn hawkish with hotter inflation readings," he said.
New Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney Seeks Alliances in Europe as he Deals with Trump
New Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is heading to Paris and London on Monday to seek alliances as he deals with U.S. President Donald Trump's attacks on Canada's sovereignty and economy.
Carney is purposely making his first foreign trip to the capital cities of the two countries that shaped Canada's early existence.
At his swearing-in ceremony on Friday, Carney noted the country was built on the bedrock of three peoples, French, English and Indigenous, and said Canada is fundamentally different from America and will “never, ever, in any way shape or form, be part of the United States.”
Robert Bothwell, a professor of Canadian history and international relations at the University of Toronto, said Carney is wise not to visit Trump.
"There’s no point in going to Washington," Bothwell said. "As (former Prime Minister Justin) Trudeau’s treatment shows, all that results in is a crude attempt by Trump to humiliate his guests. Nor can you have a rational conversation with someone who simply sits there and repeats disproven lies."
Bothwell said that Trump demands respect, “but it’s often a one-way street, asking others to set aside their self-respect to bend to his will.”
Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill University in Montreal, said it is absolutely essential that Canada diversify trade amidst the ongoing trade war with the United States. More than 75% of Canada's exports go to the U.S.
Republicans Split on Spending Cuts, Medicaid as They Seek Path Forward on Trump Tax Cuts
Congressional Republicans, under pressure to move forward on President Donald Trump's tax cut and border security agenda, are at odds over how much spending they can cut from the federal budget without leaving constituents who rely on social safety net programs out in the cold.
Senate Republicans have been locked in closed-door debates about whether to overhaul the Medicaid health insurance program for low-income Americans to help pay for extending Trump's $4.6 trillion in 2017 tax cuts and other tax proposals, the mass deportation of unauthorized immigrants and a boost in military spending.
Debate over the Trump agenda also involves another hot-button fiscal issue: the debt ceiling.
Senate Republicans who favor deeper spending cuts hope to use the congressionally mandated borrowing limit on the nation's $36.6 trillion of debt as leverage to get their way.
Having avoided a weekend government shutdown, Congress faces a high-stakes mid-year deadline for passing Trump's agenda, given that House Republicans included a $4 trillion debt ceiling increase in their budget blueprint. If lawmakers fail to raise the ceiling before the Treasury exhausts its ability to pay its bills, the country will face a catastrophic default.
Senate Finance Committee Republicans, who discussed spending cuts with Trump at the White House last week, said the president wants the debt limit to remain part of the legislation.
"We need things like the debt limit, because it's the only leverage we have to get down to reasonable spending levels," said Senator Ron Johnson, of Wisconsin, who attended the White House meeting.
Repeated congressional brinkmanship over the debt has led two of the three largest global ratings agencies to cut the federal government's once top-tier credit rating.
With a 53-47 majority, Senate Republicans need only 51 votes to pass a blueprint and unlock a parliamentary tool known as budget reconciliation to circumvent Democrats' ability to use the Senate filibuster to block Trump's legislative agenda.
"We've still got a lot of things that we've got to reconcile with the House," said Senator Thom Tillis, another Republican who met with Trump last week. "Part of what we were doing is making sure that the president agreed. And it was a good meeting that way."
"It depends on what else is out there," said Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, who chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.
The House plan for Trump's agenda calls for $880 billion in cuts over a decade from the healthcare and energy sectors and another $230 billion from agriculture, numbers that have raised concerns about the possibility of reductions for Medicaid and nutrition programs for the poor including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
The House would also cut $330 billion from education programs over a decade.
Trump has promised that those who rely on Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security will not see reduced benefits.
Newsom Draws Liberal Ire for Being Moderate in Podcast
California Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom infamously dodged a recall election, dined out at a fancy restaurant during mass COVID-19 lockdowns, and pivoted from massive deadly wildfire mismanagement.
He is now running a podcast where he invites staunch conservatives for debate.
All of which has Democrats seeing red.
Steve Bannon, Charlie Kirk, and Newsmax host Michael Savage all sat down with Newsom recently, as the embattled Democrat governor tries to remake himself as a moderate Democrat all to grease the wheels for the 2028 Democrat presidential primary, experts say.
Even The Washington Post admits appealing to Trump's base – even if it is just giving them a platform for debate – is popular, noting talking with conservatives is good for the podcast business.
"I think he's playing the long game here," California Republican strategist Matt Klink told The Hill. "He realizes that he's got a lot of runway between now and the 2028 election."
Klink said Newsom's "positioning himself more as a moderate Democrat who is at least willing to listen to the thought leaders that are shaping the Republican narrative" might be "a start" to wiping away years of bad press.
Newsom admitted he wants to "change the conversation" by "talking directly with people I disagree with, people I look up to, and you — the listeners."
"He wants to be a middle-of-the-road Democrat," Klink said. "He tries to position himself more of a Bill Clinton-esque Democrat that can touch close enough to center, so that he can touch a little bit to the right and still move as far left as he needs to win a Democratic primary. He’s trying to try to navigate precarious waters."
CNN Poll: Dems' Favorability Rating Sinks to Record Low
Democrats' favorability ratings sank to a record low in the latest CNN poll released Sunday.
Opposing the popular-vote winner in President Donald Trump, obstructing his agenda and efforts to cut government waste, fraud, and abuse, and threatening to shut down the government by rejecting their own President Joe Biden-era spending levels in a continuing resolution did not sit well with registered Democrats and left-siding independent adults.
Even a majority of Democrat adults (52%) are saying the leadership of the party is taking things in the wrong direction.
That eye-popping poll result flips the majority that had sided otherwise eight years ago at the start of the first Trump administration, according to CNN.
House GOP Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has called Democrats "leaderless" and "rudderless," and those polled largely agree.
When asked who among Democrats "best reflects the core values" of the party (with no names and just a blank space to respond):
30% did not name someone.
10% said Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris 9%.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., 8%.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., 6%.
Former President Barack Obama 4%.
Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, 4%.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., tied with many others at 2%.
"No one: That's the problem," one respondent wrote, CNN reported. "That's the problem."
Ordnance From Syria's 13-Year Conflict Explodes in Port City, Killing at Least 16 People
The paramedic group, known as the White Helmets, said it worked overnight, searching through debris and recovered 16 bodies, including five women and five children, and that 18 others were injured. The group and residents said the explosion occurred in a metal scrap storage space on the ground floor of the four-story building.
The United Nations said in February that about a hundred have been killed from exploding ordnance during the last 13 years, adding that since the ouster of Bashar Assad in December, over 1,400 unexploded devices across Syria have been safely disposed of and 138 minefields and contaminated areas identified in Idleb, Aleppo, Hama, Deir-ez-Zor and Lattakia.
US Starts to Build Submarine Presence on Strategic Australian Coast Under AUKUS
In the control room of the American Virginia class attack submarine USS Minnesota, off the Western Australian coast, sonar operators adjust to the chatter of dolphins in new waters where the U.S. submarine presence will soon grow significantly.
On a training exercise from its home port in Guam, USS Minnesota is a forerunner to four Virginia class submarines that will be hosted at a Western Australian naval base from 2027, under the AUKUS partnership to transfer nuclear submarine capability to Australia.
Crew use video game joysticks to interrogate screen images from a photonic mast that has replaced a periscope. Life aboard can mean up to 100 days without seeing sunlight, and intermittent communication with families via email to maintain stealth.
Migrant Kid Shelter Accused of Abuse Took in $3B From Biden
A Texas nonprofit that sought to house migrant kids reportedly took in around $3 billion in grants during the open-border Biden administration, and the massive cash influx was used to double executives' salaries.
Southwest Key Programs' grift operation that boosted executive salaries up to 139% had the plug pulled by the Trump administration last week, the New York Post reported in a look at tax filings and records.
As border crossings hit all-time highs under President Joe Biden, the Austin, Texas, nonprofit took in billions in taxpayer dollars from 2021 through 2024 to help shelter and place migrant children in the U.S., according to the Department of Health and Human Services.
Grassley is rotating back to Villarreal for answers for Congress amid "lazy and obstructive" responses to requests for records with a letter this week.
Trump's Justice Department has cut the funding to Southwest Key, but it also dropped a Biden-era civil case against it this week.
"Out of continuing concerns relating to these placements, HHS has decided to stop placement of unaccompanied alien children in Southwest Key facilities, and to review its grants with the organization," HHS wrote in a statement.
"In view of HHS' action, the Department of Justice has dismissed its lawsuit against Southwest Key."
Southwest Key Programs is "pleased" about the case dismissal and "strongly denied the claims relating to child sexual abuse in our shelter," the Post reported.
Netanyahu Moves to Oust Head of Israel's Domestic Security Service
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told the head of the country's Shin Bet domestic security service Ronen Bar that he plans to bring his dismissal before the government this week, a statement from Netanyahu's office said on Sunday.
"We are in the midst of a war for our very existence - a war on seven fronts," Netanyahu said in a press release. "At all times, but especially in such an existential war, the prime minister must have full confidence in the Shin Bet chief.
"But unfortunately, the situation is exactly the opposite – I do not have such confidence," the prime minister said. "I have a continuing distrust in the head of the Shin Bet. A distrust that has grown over time."
Hospitalised Pope Francis Admits Frailty, Calls Body 'Weak'
Pope Francis acknowledged being fragile and "facing a period of trial", as he thanked well-wishers Sunday for prayers in a message from hospital, where he has been slowly recovering from pneumonia.
The 88-year-old pope, who has weathered setbacks along with periods of improving health since being hospitalised on February 14, sent a particularly personal message to the faithful that referenced both his faith and his frailty.
"I am sharing these thoughts with you while I am facing a period of trial, and I join with so many brothers and sisters who are sick: fragile, at this time, like me," wrote the pope in the message published by the Vatican.
Nevertheless, their visit was "a bit like giving them a window onto a wider stage of Christian life," Santobonio said.
Other children had arrived in the early morning from an impoverished town near Naples to deliver a letter to Francis, said Andrea Lacomini from UNICEF, which organised the excursion.
"He loves children, he is the pope of the children, so we are waiting for him. We're sure he will get better," Lacomini told AFP.
"We need an important leader like him, because at this time there aren't many heroes in the world," he added.
"He's the only one who talks about peace."
Despite failing to appear at the window, Francis addressed his youngest well-wishers in his message.
"I know that many children are praying for me; some of them came here today to 'Gemelli' as a sign of closeness," Francis wrote.
TIPP Poll: Mass Deportation Now 'Consensus' Issue
A new poll show 71% of former Vice President Kamala Harris' voters give deportation of criminal aliens their approval.
Even in a massively "polarized" country, a majority of Americans back mass deportation of illegal migrants, according to political strategist Steve Cortes' findings in his latest TIPP Insights poll released this week.
"Specifically, by a +19% margin, Americans back broad, mass deportations of all illegal aliens by a 56%-37% spread," Cortes wrote. "In a country that is politically polarized, where most issues breakdown roughly 47% - 47% along party lines, that kind of margin on a controversial topic like immigration, it points to an emerging consensus in the country."
Cortes' League of American Workers advocacy group commissioned the poll, which noted its balance with a registered voter pool that went for Trump over Harris by just 1 percentage point.
Trump Deports 'Hundreds of Violent Criminals' Despite Judge's Order to Halt Flights
U.S. removes hundreds of alleged Venezuelan gang members under now-blocked authority
The Trump administration has transferred hundreds of immigrants to El Salvador despite a federal judge's order temporarily barring the deportations under an 18th century wartime declaration targeting Venezuelan gang members, officials said Sunday. Flights were in the air at the time of the ruling.
U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg issued an order Saturday evening blocking the deportations but lawyers told him there were already two planes with migrants in the air — one headed for El Salvador, the other for Honduras. Boasberg verbally ordered the planes be turned around, but they apparently were not and he did not include the directive in his written order.
Video released by El Salvador’s government Sunday showed men exiting airplanes into an airport tarmac lined by officers in riot gear. The men, who had with their hands and ankles shackled, struggled to walk as officers pushed their heads down to have them bend down at the waist.
The video also showed the men being transported to prison in a large convoy of buses guarded by police and military vehicles and at least one helicopter. The men were shown kneeling on the ground as their heads were shaved before they changed into the prison’s all-white uniform – knee-length shorts, T-shirt, socks and rubber clogs – and placed in cells.
The migrants were taken to the notorious CECOT facility, the centerpiece of Bukele's push to pacify his once violence-wracked country through tough police measures and limits on basic rights
US Will Keep Hitting Houthis Until Shipping Attacks Stop, Hegseth Says
The United States will keep attacking Yemen's Houthis until they end attacks on shipping, the U.S. defense secretary said on Sunday, as the Iran-aligned group signaled it could escalate in response to deadly U.S. strikes the day before.
The airstrikes, which killed at least 31 people, are the biggest U.S. military operation in the Middle East since President Donald Trump took office in January. One U.S. official told Reuters the campaign might continue for weeks.
The Houthi movement's political bureau described the attacks as a "war crime" and said Houthi forces were ready to "meet escalation with escalation," while Moscow urged Washington to cease the strikes.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Fox News: "The minute the Houthis say we'll stop shooting at your ships, we'll stop shooting at your drones, this campaign will end, but until then it will be unrelenting."
Sean Curran Stood in Line of Fire for Secret Service, Now Leads It
Sean Curran, 48, the head of President Donald Trump's Secret Service detail July 13 - jumping on his body to potentially take bullets - is now charged with fixing the problems that led to the Biden-era lapse in security as Secret Service director.
Sean Curran, 48, the head of President Donald Trump's Secret Service detail July 13 – jumping on his body to potentially take bullets – is now charged with fixing the problems that led to the Biden-era lapse in security as Secret Service director.
Curran is the agent in sunglasses staring down the pool photographer who snapped the now-famous picture of a fist pumping Trump shouting "fight, fight, fight" with the American flag waiving behind him.
"They have to protect the top leadership of this country at the same time when there are massive challenges for morale, funding, training and coordination with other [law enforcement] agencies.
"I hope Director Curran is up to the job."
Curran is "the quintessential outside-insider," according to Jonathan Wackrow, one of former President Barack Obama's body men.
"He understands the service intimately, but he's not biased by its bureaucracy," Wackrow told the Post.
Trump has credited Curran and others for saving his life.
"He proved his fearless courage when he risked his own life to help save mine from an assassin's bullet," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Jan. 24.
Hospitals have been experimenting for years with technology designed to improve care and streamline costs, including sensors, microphones and motion-sensing cameras. Now that data is being linked with electronic medical records and analyzed in an effort to predict medical problems and direct nurses' care — sometimes before they've evaluated the patient themselves.
Adam Hart was working in the emergency room at Dignity Health in Henderson, Nevada, when the hospital's computer system flagged a newly arrived patient for sepsis, a life-threatening reaction to infection. Under the hospital's protocol, he was supposed to immediately administer a large dose of IV fluids. But after further examination, Hart determined that he was treating a dialysis patient, or someone with kidney failure. Such patients have to be carefully managed to avoid overloading their kidneys with fluid.
Democrats Running for New Jersey Governor Navigate the Delicate Politics of Immigration
Along an industrial stretch of roadway in New Jersey’s biggest city, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka appeared with immigrants rights activists last week to protest the Trump administration’s deal with a private company to open the first new immigration detention center of the president’s second term.
Voters, he said, “don’t believe that people should be rounded up simply because they try to become citizens of the United States.”
In pushing back against construction of the 1,000-bed detention facility, Baraka, one of six Democrats running for governor in New Jersey this year, has staked out an aggressive approach on an issue that his party has struggled with recently. Other candidates have either moved closer to President Donald Trump, partly embracing his get-tough approach to immigration, or spent most of their time talking about the economy and the high cost of living.
But immigration was top-of-mind for voters in 2024 and is a centerpiece of the president's agenda, according to Micah Rasmussen, the director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics at Rider University, which means Democrats willing to take a stand may benefit politically.
“There is a penalty for seeming lost and not knowing what to say about something because the Democrats haven’t found their way yet,” he said. “Voters are not rewarding hesitation. They want boldness.”
Not every Democrat in the contest to succeed term-limited Democrat Phil Murphy as governor is jockeying to the left of the president. Former state Senate President Steve Sweeney has called on the party to disavow sanctuary state policies supported by Baraka and others and “get back to listening to regular people.”
Sen. Tuberville: Tariffs 'Only Shot We Got' to Save US
Critics of President Donald Trump tariffs are ignoring the troubles the visionaries are seeing down the road, according to Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala.
Critics of President Donald Trump's tariffs are ignoring the troubles the visionaries are seeing down the road, according to Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala.
"President Trump walked into a hornet's nest: I know people are complaining about these tariffs right now, but ladies and gentlemen, let me tell you something, this is the only shot we got to get our country back," Tuberville told Sunday's "The Cats Roundtable" on WABC 77 FM-N.Y.
"We can't raise taxes on the American people. We're $37 trillion in debt. We've got to get manufacturing back to this country."