Author: Justin M. Larson

Erik Menendez Branded ‘threat,’ Stepdaughter Talia Slams ‘Prison System’Erik Menendez’s bid for parole collapsed after a lengthy California hearing, sparking outrage from his stepdaughter Talia. She erupted online, questioning why he was still seen as a threat and warning that “hell is about to break loose,” vowing to expose prison secrets. Despite pleas from 18 family members, the parole board pointed to the savage 1989 murders and Erik’s prison violations as reasons to deny release. The Menendez brothers have long claimed abuse, but Erik’s own testimony conflicted with his defense. After more than 30 years behind bars, his fight for…

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President Donald Trump is once again vowing to protect Social Security if congressional Republicans seek another reconciliation bill.Asked earlier this week what he would prioritize should Republicans in Congress seek a reconciliation bill, a cost-cutting tactic that would bypass the usual Senate filibuster, Trump said he would focus efforts on cutting unnecessary things, and “save” others, such as Social Security.”One thing I said and I gave my word — we’re not going to hurt anybody on Medicaid, Medicare or Social Security,” Trump said Monday in the Oval Office. Congress is prohibited from touching Social Security’s benefit structure or revenue mechanisms…

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Aid agencies are continuing to work tirelessly to reach the hardest-hit areas.The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said nearly 800 people have died since late June – almost three times the toll during the same period last year.Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has been hardest hit, where flash floods and landslides swept away homes and schools in mountainous districts, cutting off entire villages and communities.Punjab – the country’s most populous province – is also on high alert as rising waters on the Sutlej, Ravi and Chenab rivers threaten downstream communities. Authorities fear that upstream water levels and near-full reservoirs could trigger further…

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The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved updated COVID-19 vaccines for some Americans.The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was approved for use in adults aged 65 and older and for those between ages 5 and 64 with at least one underlying condition that puts them at high risk for severe COVID.In a press release, the companies said their 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccine will target a sublineage known as LP.8.1, an offshoot of the JN.1 subvariant, in line with FDA guidance to more closely match circulating strains.”These vaccines are available for all patients who choose them after consulting with their doctors,” Health and Human…

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Erik Menendez Branded ‘threat,’ Stepdaughter Talia Slams ‘Prison System’Erik Menendez’s bid for parole collapsed after a lengthy California hearing, sparking outrage from his stepdaughter Talia. She erupted online, questioning why he was still seen as a threat and warning that “hell is about to break loose,” vowing to expose prison secrets. Despite pleas from 18 family members, the parole board pointed to the savage 1989 murders and Erik’s prison violations as reasons to deny release. The Menendez brothers have long claimed abuse, but Erik’s own testimony conflicted with his defense. After more than 30 years behind bars, his fight for…

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Melty, gooey, savory, and rich, cheese is understandably one of the world’s favorite foods. Cuisines from across the globe feature this beloved dairy product, with origins stretching—literally—back at least 7,000 years. Nowadays, of course, we know that too much of some nutrients in cheese—namely sodium and saturated fat—aren’t so helpful for certain health concerns. High amounts of both can be particularly problematic for people with high blood pressure (also known as hypertension), which raises the risk of heart problems. And since about 45% of Americans have the condition, it’s worth asking whether our collective love of cheese is doing our…

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In an online alert, the UN agency said that disease and hunger will only increase, unless all Israeli impediments to aid delivery at scale are removed and access is allowed across the Strip.The UN aid coordination office, OCHA, confirmed on Wednesday that some aid is allowed into the enclave every day, albeit far too little to meet the huge level of needs.OCHA’s Olga Cherevko returned this week to a UN-supported community kitchen in Gaza City that she last visited in March, which had been struggling to stay open even then during the total blockade. Community resilienceIt had been forced to…

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More than 100,000 Ukrainian homes have been left without power by the latest Russian drone attacks on energy infrastructure, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has said.The Poltava, Sumy and Chernihiv regions were affected, Zelensky stated in a post on Telegram.Ukraine’s energy ministry said it was a continuation of Moscow’s policy of destroying civilian infrastructure ahead of winter. Last year, Ukraine said Russia had destroyed half of its electricity-generating capacity.But more recently Ukrainian strikes have also hit Russian refineries and an oil depot.In his post on Wednesday, Zelensky said Russia had carried out almost 100 drone attacks overnight. Energy facilities were the…

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Erik Menendez Branded ‘threat,’ Stepdaughter Talia Slams ‘Prison System’Erik Menendez’s bid for parole collapsed after a lengthy California hearing, sparking outrage from his stepdaughter Talia. She erupted online, questioning why he was still seen as a threat and warning that “hell is about to break loose,” vowing to expose prison secrets. Despite pleas from 18 family members, the parole board pointed to the savage 1989 murders and Erik’s prison violations as reasons to deny release. The Menendez brothers have long claimed abuse, but Erik’s own testimony conflicted with his defense. After more than 30 years behind bars, his fight for…

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As members of the UN Security Council negotiate the renewal of the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ahead of a 31 August deadline, the mission’s future role and capacity are under intense debate.UNIFIL has long been a stabilising presence in southern Lebanon, working alongside the Lebanese armed forces, mediating between parties, and supporting local communities.A key part of its mandate is to implement Security Council resolution 1701, which brought an end to the 2006 hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah militants.Yet challenges remain, from Israeli military positions inside Lebanon to Hezbollah’s arsenal and the broader question of how resolution 1701 – which…

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Germany’s cabinet has passed a draft bill which will introduce voluntary military service. The bill could also lead to conscription if more troops are needed.It’s part of a move to boost German national defences, following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.Compulsory military service in Germany was ended in 2011 under then-Chancellor Angela Merkel.Chancellor Friedrich Merz has made boosting Germany’s military a priority given the threat from Russia and said “we are now back on the path to a military service army”.He summed up his thinking earlier this year saying: “We want to be able to defend ourselves so that we don’t…

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‘Bar Rescue’ host Jon Taffer argues Cracker Barrel leadership should be ‘disempowered’ after rebrand disaster on ‘Varney & Co.’ Cracker Barrel shares rose on Wednesday after the restaurant chain said it will scrap its new logo. It’s an about-face from the past week in which the company’s stock sank for consecutive days due to the fierce backlash from customers.Shares rose as much as 6% in premarket trading on Wednesday. “We thank your guests for sharing your voices and love for Cracker Barrel,” the restaurant chain said in a statement to FOX Business on Tuesday. “We said we would listen, and…

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