WE all love a good bargain bargain buy, so it's no surprise fashion fans obsess over some of the slashed prices in retailers like TK Maxx. The shop is known for selling brand-name and designer clothing at discounted prices. But a fashion stylist recently noticed a problem with some of the clothes on the rails and urged shoppers to think twice before picking clothes up there. Kenzie Welch took to Instagram and explained that despite her love of the budget-friendly retailer she can't un-see one major probloem. "Ever since I noticed this one thing I can never look at their clothing the same," she explained. The issue? Some of the cloths in the shop aren't quite up to scratch and have some subtle design flaws. To prove her point, Kenzie picked up a trendy silver midi skirt which looked perfectly fine at first glance. But when she turned it around the show the back of the garment she pointed out that the back pockets were unevenly spaced out, which could make it fit weird on your bum, she said. And it wasn't just the one skirt that had this subtle design problem all of the silver skirts on the rail did too. The problem continued with a cable knit jumper, which also looked totally fine at first. But, unlike the rest of the same jumpers on the rail, one of them was missing a design feature on the top of the sleeve, which might seem like a small problem but could completely change the way the garment fits and looks. Elsewhere in the shop, a plaid shacket also fell victim to the same issue. Kenzie explained: "Here on this shacket you can see the pockets are misaligned, so this one is slightly higher on the left "It's not the most obvious thing you would notice but I can't walk into a TK Maxx anymore and not notice these small details." And if you thought the problem wouldn't continue into the show section - you'd be wrong. Kenzie also found a pair of UGG boot dupes which had been stitched up wrong, leaving some of the inside panelling of the shoe visible. Unlike the skirt, it seemed like the problem was only on one pair of the shoes though. "Make sure you are inspecting your clothing at TK Maxx," she added. After sharing her video on social media people were left divided over the issue. One commented on the clip: "That's literally why they're at TK Maxx." A second agreed: "That's why a lot of these items end up at TK Maxx, many of them are seconds, meaning they had slaws when created so ended up in discount shops." But others thanked Kenzie for pointing the issue out. "This is great intel , thank you," one said. "That's fascinating! Such great tips to look out for, I had no idea," another fashion fan wrote. And someone else added: "I've noticed this and have to remind myself to slow down and be more mindful when shopping! "Stop and inspect the quality of things!"
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DAMASCUS, Syria — Syria's prime minister said Monday that most cabinet ministers were back at work after rebels overthrew President Bashar Assad, but some state workers failed to return to their jobs, and a United Nations official said the country's public sector came "to a complete and abrupt halt." Meanwhile, streams of refugees crossed back into Syria from neighboring countries, hoping for a more peaceful future and looking for relatives who disappeared during Assad's brutal rule. The rebel alliance now in control of much of the country is led by a former senior al-Qaida militant who severed ties with the extremist group years ago and promises representative government and religious tolerance. The rebel command said Monday they would not tell women how to dress. Syrian citizens stand on a government forces tank that was left on a street Monday as they celebrate in Damascus, Syria. "It is strictly forbidden to interfere with women's dress or impose any request related to their clothing or appearance, including requests for modesty," the command said on social media. Nearly two days after rebels entered the capital, some key government services shut down after state workers ignored calls to go back to their jobs, the U.N. official said, causing issues at airports and borders and slowing the flow of humanitarian aid. Rebel leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, who was long known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed al-Golani, also met for the first time with Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi Jalali, who stayed in Syria when Assad fled. Israel said it carried out airstrikes on suspected chemical weapons sites and long-range rockets to keep them from falling into the hands of extremists. Israel also seized a buffer zone inside Syria after Syrian troops withdrew. Syrians wait to cross into Syria from Turkey on Monday at the Oncupinar border gate near the town of Kilis, southern Turkey. In northern Syria, Turkey said allied opposition forces seized the town of Manbij from Kurdish-led forces backed by the United States, a reminder that even after Assad's departure, the country remains split among armed groups that have fought in the past. The Kremlin said Russia granted political asylum to Assad, a decision made by President Vladimir Putin. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on Assad's specific whereabouts and said Putin did not plan to meet with him. Damascus was quiet Monday, with life slowly returning to normal, though most shops and public institutions were closed. In public squares, some people still celebrated. Civilian traffic resumed, but there was no public transport. Long lines formed in front of bakeries and other food stores. There was little sign of any security presence, though in some areas small groups of armed men were stationed in the streets. Syrian citizens celebrate Monday during the second day of the takeover of the city by the insurgents in Damascus, Syria. Across swathes of Syria, families are now waiting outside prisons, security offices and courts, hoping for news of loved ones who were imprisoned or who disappeared. Just north of Damascus in the feared Saydnaya military prison, women detainees, some with their children, screamed as rebels broke locks off their cell doors. Amnesty International and other groups say dozens of people were secretly executed every week in Saydnaya, and they estimate that up to 13,000 Syrians were killed between 2011 and 2016. "Don't be afraid," one rebel said as he ushered women from packed cells. "Bashar Assad has fallen!" In southern Turkey, Mustafa Sultan was among hundreds of Syrian refugees waiting at border crossings to head home. He was searching for his older brother, who was imprisoned under Assad. "I haven't seen him for 13 years," he said. "I am going to go see whether he's alive." Jalali, the prime minister, sought to project normalcy since Assad fled. "We are working so that the transitional period is quick and smooth," he told Sky News Arabia TV on Monday, saying the security situation already improved from the day before. Israeli soldiers sit on top of a tank Monday along the so-called Alpha Line that separates the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights from Syria, in the town of Majdal Shams. At the court of Justice in Damascus, which was stormed by the rebels to free detainees, Judge Khitam Haddad, an aide to the justice minister in the outgoing government, said Sunday that judges were ready to resume work quickly. "We want to give everyone their rights," Haddad said outside the courthouse. "We want to build a new Syria and to keep the work, but with new methods." But a U.N. official said some government services were paralyzed as worried state employees stayed home. The public sector "has just come to a complete and abrupt halt," said U.N. Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria Adam Abdelmoula, noting, for example, that an aid flight carrying urgently needed medical supplies was put on hold after aviation employees abandoned their jobs. "This is a country that has had one government for 53 years and then suddenly all of those who have been demonized by the public media are now in charge in the nation's capital," Abdelmoula told The Associated Press. "I think it will take a couple of days and a lot of assurance on the part of the armed groups for these people to return to work again." People wave Syrian opposition flags at City Hall Square in Copenhagen, Denmark, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Emil Nicolai Helms/Ritzau Scanpix via AP) People attend a rally celebrating the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government, at central Syntagma square, in Athens, Greece, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis) People wave Syrian opposition flags at City Hall Square in Copenhagen, Denmark, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Emil Nicolai Helms/Ritzau Scanpix via AP) People gather to react following the fall of Syrian president Bashar Assad’s government, in Trafalgar Square, in London, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali) People wave Syrian opposition flags at City Hall Square in Copenhagen, Denmark, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Emil Nicolai Helms/Ritzau Scanpix via AP) People gather to react following the fall of Syrian president Bashar Assad’s government, in Trafalgar Square, in London, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali) People attend a rally celebrating the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government, at central Syntagma square, in Athens, Greece, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis) Members of the Syrian community in Finland wave a Syrian flag and celebrate in Helsinki, Finland, Dec. 8, 2024. (Roni Rekomaa/Lehtikuva via AP) People attend a rally celebrating the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government, at central Syntagma square, in Athens, Greece, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis) Syrians wave opposition flags and give out sweets during a spontaneous rally in Wuppertal, Germany, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, following the fall of Syrian president Bashar Assad’s government. (Christoph Reichwein/dpa/dpa via AP) Syrians celebrate the fall of the Assad regime in Syria at a demonstration in Stockholm, Sweden, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Jonas Ekstroemer/TT News Agency via AP) A Syrian man waves a flag during a spontaneous demonstration celebrating the fall of the Assad regime, in Nicosia, Cyprus, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) People gather to celebrate the Syrian government fall at Faith mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) Syrians wave Syrian opposition flags at a rally in Wuppertal, Germany, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, following the fall of Syrian president Bashar Assad’s government. (Christoph Reichwein/dpa/dpa via AP) People wave Syrian opposition flags at City Hall Square in Copenhagen, Denmark, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (Emil Nicolai Helms/Ritzau Scanpix via AP) Syrians living in France gather on Republique square after the Syrian government fell early today in a stunning end to the 50-year rule of the Assad family, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard) People gather to celebrate the Syrian government fall at Faith mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) People gather to celebrate the Syrian government fall at Faith mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) People gather to celebrate the Syrian government's fall, in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) Syrians living in France hug during a rally on Republique square after the Syrian government fell early today in a stunning end to the 50-year rule of the Assad family, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024 in Paris. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard) People gather to react following the fall of Syrian president Bashar Assad’s government, in Trafalgar Square, in London, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali) People gather to celebrate the Syrian government fall at Faith mosque in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Emrah Gurel) People attend a rally celebrating the fall of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government, at central Syntagma square, in Athens, Greece, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis) A Syrian man waves a flag during a spontaneous demonstration celebrating the fall of the Assad regime in Nicosia, Cyprus, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias) Get local news delivered to your inbox!AP News Summary at 9:47 p.m. EST
Nanorobots Market Size, Share, and Trends Analysis Report to Observe Prominent CAGR of 12.23% by 2031, Size, Share, Trends, Demand, Growth, Challenges and Competitive OutlookTAMPA, Fla. — New guidance from Florida’s top health official could lead to an increase in cavities and other dental issues, especially among children and low-income communities, health experts are warning. Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo last month advised communities against adding fluoride to their drinking water citing studies in Canada and Mexico that found a correlation between high levels of the chemical and lower IQ scores in children. It comes after Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of Health and Human Services, posted on social media that Trump would push to remove fluoride from drinking water on his first day in office. Several communities in Florida, including Collier County and the city of Winter Haven, had already bucked scientific consensus about the substance’s effectiveness in reducing tooth decay and have voted to stop adding fluoride to their water supplies. Naples could be about to join them. But public health experts and dentists say the studies cited by Ladapo are based on exposure to larger quantities of the substance than the 0.7 milligrams of fluoride per liter of water that was set as the national drinking water standard in 2015 . Water fluoridation is supported by the American Dental Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Florida Dental Association. “It’s disheartening to hear Dr. Ladapo’s misinformed and dangerous comments regarding community water fluoridation,” American Dental Association president Brett Kessler, president of the American Dental Association, said in an email. The Florida Dental Association sends member dentists and its own experts to local government meetings to advocate for the continuation of water fluoridation when the practice comes up for a vote. “We find it discouraging to say the least,” Jeff Ottley, president of the Florida Dental Association, said of Ladapo’s new guidance. “Water fluoridation has been proven for over 75 years to be safe at optimal levels to reduce tooth decay by at least 25% in children.” Ottley added that Florida has the second lowest reimbursement rate for dentists who treat children covered through Medicaid. It means very few dentists will take Medicaid patients. Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral often found in water at low levels. More than 70% of communities nationwide add fluoride to drinking water based on federal government recommendations first established in the 1950s. More than 70% of Florida communities follow those recommendations, according to Florida Department of Health data . The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention called its contribution to the decline in cavities one of the 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century. That success is because fluoride that is consumed through water is used by children’s body as they grow teeth, said Isaac Garazi, a dentist and the owner of Garazi Periodontics and Dental Implants in Miami. The mineral results in stronger enamel more resistant to the bacteria that causes decay. Garazi pointed to the Canadian communities of Windsor and Essex, which in 2019 voted to put fluoride back in drinking water six years after removing the mineral. The decision came after local health organizations reported a 51% increase in the percentage of children who had either dental decay or needed urgent dental treatment over a two-year period through 2017 compared to the most recent years when fluoride was present in the water supply. “As a dentist who grew up without this benefit, and has seen an entire generation grow up without dental decay, I say to dental schools and pediatric dentists, get ready; you will be in tremendous demand,” Garazi said. Ladapo guidance cites studies in Mexico and Canada that showed a correlation between fluoride levels found in the urine of mothers during pregnancy and IQ levels of children measured when they were older. The Canadian study found a 4.49 point lower average IQ score among boys aged 3 and 4 born to mothers with elevated fluoride levels. The Canadian study states that the findings show a possible case for reducing fluoride intake during pregnancy. The Mexican study concludes that more research is needed to determine the cause of high fluoride levels in urine. Neither study calls for the end of water fluoridation. Ladapo also points to a study that states that many municipalities in several European countries have stopped adding fluoride to their drinking water. But Mary Rose Sweeney, a professor at the Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin and one of the authors of the study, disagreed with how Ladapo represented her work. “As Dr Ladapo cited our 2018 report in his guidance document, I would like to point out that while several EU countries ceased adding fluoride to water, none of these countries cited evidence of harm or adverse effects as the reason for discontinuing the practice,” she said in an email to the Tampa Bay Times. The study was funded was funded by the Irish Water Institute at Dublin City University where Sweeney previously worked as a professor. It calls for caution by those considering the merits of water fluoridation. “Politicians/elected representatives should act on evidence before advocating for the removal of fluoride from community water schemes which could have potentially serious personal and economic consequences particularly for disadvantaged children,” it states. Ladapo’s guidance also says that the wide availability of fluoride through other means, like toothpastes, mouthwash and in-office dental applications, may mean some pregnant women and children are receiving more fluoride than necessary. But studies have shown that children in lower-income homes are less likely to brush their teeth regularly, meaning the removal of fluoride from drinking water would have a greater impact in those homes. Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Ladapo in 2021, the second year of the pandemic. Ladapo had made a name for himself with columns in the Wall Street Journal expressing skepticism about the safety of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. As the state’s top health official, he was frequently gone against the consensus of medical science to back DeSantis, including recommendations against getting newer versions of the COVID-19 vaccine and supporting Florida’s ban on gender dysphoria treatment for children. Ladapo’s guidance on water fluoridation is not binding. Decisions on what goes into drinking water supplies are the remit of elected officials in cities and counties. Pinellas County commissioners voted 4-3 in October 2011 to stop adding fluoride to drinking water. The move made national headlines and was credited with causing the election defeat of two Republican commissioners who supported the measure. The new board voted 6-1 to resume fluoridation in 2012. The lone nay vote came from Commissioner Norm Roche. Now a Tallahassee resident, Roche said it was ironic to see that two big issues of his time in office — water fluoridation and the Rays stadium — are still being hotly debated a decade later. His position remains the same, he said. “Our task is safe, clean drinking water,” he said. “Anything added to that mission — a chemical or an additive — needs to meet the strictest of standards and be subject to heavy scrutiny.” ©2024 Tampa Bay Times. Visit tampabay.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.Plymouth Argyle came up with yet another last-gasp Home Park goal, this time from striker Andre Gray, as they twice fought back from behind to draw 2-2 with Watford. The Championship match was into the sixth minute of added time, with the Pilgrims on the brink of just a second home defeat of the season, when Gray, playing against one of his former clubs, scored with a superb curling shot. The ball flew into the net in front of the Devonport End, with Watford goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann rooted to the spot, and the Green Army exploded into noise. No sooner had referee Andy Davies restarted the game than he blew for full-time and Argyle had clinched a point which had seemed beyond them for most of the match. Watford striker Vakoun Bayo had opened the scoring early on but Gray equalised out of the blue with a tremendous first time volley in the 23rd minute. The visitors restored their advantage late in the first half through defender Ryan Porteous and they rarely looked like losing it until Gray came up with his moment of magic for his third goal in five games for the Pilgrims. Defender Lewis Gibson returned to action for Argyle against Watford after missing the previous four matches due to a thigh injury, and also captained the side as well. There was one other change to the starting line-up from the 1-1 draw away to Derby County, which had been before the third international break of the season on November 9 as Gray made just his second start for Argyle. Mustapha Bundu and Callum Wright dropped down to the bench while Ryan Hardie, who was a second half substitute against Derby was missing from the matchday squad. Gibson played as the left-sided central defender as Argyle lined up in a 3-4-1-2 formation, with Julio Pleguezuelo and Kornel Szucs alongside him. Matty Sorinola and Bali Mumba were the wing-backs with Darko Gyabi and Adam Randell in central midfield. Morgan Whittaker was in the number 10 role behind the two strikers of Gray and Michael Obafemi. There was a yellow card for Mumba within the first minute after a foul on Moussa Sissoko and the resulting free-kick into the Argyle box was put over his own crossbar by Gray. Watford had all of the possession in the early stages of the game and it was no surprise when they took the lead in the eighth minute. Yasser Larouci put in a low cross from the left which Pleguezuelo could not cut out and Bayo bundled the ball into the net from a couple of yards out. There was a brief moment of silence inside the stadium with both sets of supporters not quite realising the deadlock had been broken, before the Watford fans in the Barn Park End at the opposite end of the pitch started to celebrate. Sorinola had one threatening cross into the Watford box which was headed behind for a corner by Mattie Pollock but, otherwise, it was the visitors who did all of the attacking. Larouci beat the Argyle offside trap in the 17th minute and got to the by-line and cut the ball back to Kwadwo Baah, who could not make a clean contact with his shot and Mumba was eventually able to clear his lines. Sorinola was caused all sorts of problems by Larouci with his trickery on the ball and clever movement as Watford pressed for a second goal. However, completely against the run of play, Argyle equalised in the 23rd minute. Gibson hit a long diagonal cross into the penalty area and Gray met it on the volley as he scored with a perfectly-placed shot into the corner of the net Argyle almost grabbed a second goal a short while later when the ball was played inside to Whittaker in his central position and he let fly from 25 yards with a strike which flew inches wide. Obafemi also had a good chance when he spun on the edge of the penalty area and sent a low shot narrowly past the outside of Bachmann’s left post. Watford almost regained the lead following a corner when the ball dropped to Porteous about six yards out but the defender could not hit the target from around six yards out. Bayo then sent a right-foot shot flying wide from 20 yards as the visitors continued to provide a real attacking threat with some slick passing. Their efforts were rewarded with a second goal in the 41st minute. Imran Louza played a free-kick from a central position to the right for Mattie Pollock, who put the ball across the face of goal and Porteous got there first before Sorinola to slot home from close range. Argyle had penalty appeals soon afterwards when Obafemi battled to hold the ball up under a challenge from Larouci and went to the ground but Davies allowed play to continue. TV replays indicated that was the correct call. Watford had been much the better side for most of the first half and were good value for their 2-1 lead while Argyle needed to regroup during the break. Gyabi had an early second half shot from distance which flew over the bar but showed some attacking intent from the Pilgrims before Gibson sent a header too high after a long throw-in from Szucs. Watford threatened next with a shot from Baah which was blocked behind for a corner by Gibson, who was booked soon afterwards for a blatant foul on Bayo as the striker looked to run in behind him. Argyle clearly tried to play with more intensity after the interval and take the game to Watford after being on the back foot for so much of the first period. However, the Hornets were still good going forward and Chakvetadze had a curling shot from around 25 yards pushed over the bar by Argyle ‘keeper Dan Grimshaw. Gyabi became more influential for the Pilgrims in the second half as he regularly drove forward from midfield and he had a shot saved by Bachmann by the base of his left post. Whittaker then left the pitch in the 68th minute with what appeared to be a foot injury and was replaced by Wright in Argyle’s first substitution of the match. Moments later, Gray could not quite get on the end of an inviting cross from Sorinola and the ball bounced out of play for a goal kick. Mumba and Sorinola pushed high up the pitch for Argyle, leaving the back three very much on their own as Szucs, Pleguezuelo and Gibson spread out across the pitch. Argyle were almost caught out when Sissoko powered his way past Szucs and played the ball in for Bayo, whose shot on goal forced an excellent save out of Grimshaw as he touched the ball wide. That was followed by a double Argyle substitution in the 79th minute as Freddie Issaka and Bundu were sent on for Sorinola and Obafemi respectively. Wright had a clear sight of goal for Argyle inside the Watford box but his low shot went wide, with the aid of a slight deflection for a corner, Issaka was a straight swap at right wing-back for Sorinola and Bundu played up front alongside Gray but the Pilgrims still found it hard to create clear-cut chances. However, they did not give up and Gray came up with a wonderful curling shot with virtually the last kick of the match to earn the Pilgrims a point. Dan Grimshaw; Julio Pleguezuelo, Kornel Szucs, Lewis Gibson; Matty Sorinola (Freddie Issaka 79 mins), Adam Randell Darko Gyabi, Bali Mumba; Morgan Whittaker (Callum Wright 68 mins), Michael Obafemi (Mustapha Bundu 79 mins); Andre Gray. Substitutes (not used): Marko Marosi, Nathanael Ogbeta, Jordan Houghton, Adam Forshaw, Rami Al Hajj, Victor Palsson. Daniel Bachmann; Ryan Porteous, Mattie Pollock, James Morris (Franciso Sierralta 90 +4 mins); Ryan Andrews, Moussa Sissoko, Imran Louza, Yasser Larouci (Ken Sema 85 mins); Kwadwo Baah (Tom Ince 90 +4 mins), Giorgi Chakvetadze (Edo Kayembe 74 mins); Vakoun Bayo. Substitutes (not used): Jonathan Bond, Rocco Vata, Antonio Tikvic, Mamadou Doumbia, Leo Ramirez-Espain. Andy Davies 16,400 and we want you to join us. Once you sign up for our updates, we'll send all the latest straight to your phone. To join our community, you need to already have WhatsApp. All you need to do is click this link and select 'Join Community'. 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A judge on Monday granted a request by prosecutors to dismiss the election subversion case against Donald Trump because of a Justice Department policy of not prosecuting a sitting president. Judge Tanya Chutkan agreed to the request by Special Counsel Jack Smith to dismiss the case against the president-elect "without prejudice," meaning it could potentially be revived after Trump leaves the White House four years from now. "Dismissal without prejudice is appropriate here," Chutkan said, adding in the ruling that "the immunity afforded to a sitting President is temporary, expiring when they leave office." Trump, 78, was accused of conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 election he lost to Joe Biden and removing large quantities of top secret documents after leaving the White House, but the cases never came to trial. Smith also moved on Monday to drop his appeal of the dismissal of the documents case filed against the former president in Florida. That case was tossed out earlier this year by a Trump-appointed judge on the grounds that Smith was unlawfully appointed. The special counsel paused the election interference case and the documents case this month after Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in the November 5 presidential election. Smith cited the long-standing Justice Department policy of not indicting or prosecuting a sitting president in his motions to have the cases dismissed. "The Government's position on the merits of the defendant's prosecution has not changed," Smith said in the filing with Chutkan. "But the circumstances have." "It has long been the position of the Department of Justice that the United States Constitution forbids the federal indictment and subsequent criminal prosecution of a sitting President," Smith said. "As a result this prosecution must be dismissed before the defendant is inaugurated." In a separate filing, Smith said he was withdrawing his appeal of the dismissal of the classified documents case against Trump but pursuing the case against his two co-defendants, Trump valet Walt Nauta and Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira. - 'Empty and lawless' - Trump, in a post on Truth Social, said the cases were "empty and lawless, and should never have been brought." "Over $100 Million Dollars of Taxpayer Dollars has been wasted in the Democrat Party's fight against their Political Opponent, ME," he said. "Nothing like this has ever happened in our Country before." Trump was accused of conspiracy to defraud the United States and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding -- the session of Congress called to certify Biden's win, which was violently attacked on January 6, 2021 by a mob of the then-president's supporters. Trump was also accused of seeking to disenfranchise US voters with his false claims that he won the 2020 election. The former and incoming president also faces two state cases -- in New York and Georgia. He was convicted in New York in May of 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels on the eve of the 2016 election to stop her from revealing an alleged 2006 sexual encounter. However, Judge Juan Merchan has postponed sentencing while he considers a request from Trump's lawyers that the conviction be thrown out in light of the Supreme Court ruling in July that an ex-president has broad immunity from prosecution. In Georgia, Trump faces racketeering charges over his efforts to subvert the 2020 election results in the southern state, but that case will likely be frozen while he is in office. cl/smsWASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump's pick for intelligence chief, Tulsi Gabbard, faced fresh scrutiny Monday on Capitol Hill about her proximity to Russian-ally Syria amid the sudden collapse of that country's hardline Assad rule. Gabbard ignored shouted questions about her 2017 visit to war-torn Syria as she ducked into one of several private meetings with senators who are being asked to confirm Trump's unusual nominees . But the Democrat-turned-Republican Army National Reserve lieutenant colonel delivered a statement in which she reiterated her support for Trump's America First approach to national security and a more limited U.S. military footprint overseas. “I want to address the issue that’s in the headlines right now: I stand in full support and wholeheartedly agree with the statements that President Trump has made over these last few days with regards to the developments in Syria,” Gabbard said exiting a Senate meeting. The incoming president’s Cabinet and top administrative choices are dividing his Republican allies and drawing concern , if not full opposition, from Democrats and others. Not just Gabbard, but other Trump nominees including Pentagon pick Pete Hegseth, were back at the Capitol ahead of what is expected to be volatile confirmation hearings next year. The incoming president is working to put his team in place for an ambitious agenda of mass immigrant deportations, firing federal workers and rollbacks of U.S. support for Ukraine and NATO allies. “We’re going to sit down and visit, that’s what this is all about,” said Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., as he welcomed Gabbard into his office. The president-elect announced other appointments Monday, including his lawyer Harmeet Dhillon for assistant attorney general for civil rights at the Justice Department and Mark Paoletta as the returning general counsel of the Office of Management and Budget. Meanwhile, Defense Secretary pick Hegseth appeared to be picking up support from once-skeptical senators, the former Army National Guard major denying sexual misconduct allegations and pledging not to drink alcohol if he is confirmed. The president-elect's choice to lead the FBI, Kash Patel , who has written extensively about locking up Trump's foes and proposed dismantling the Federal Bureau of Investigation, launched his first visits with senators Monday. “I expect our Republican Senate is going to confirm all of President Trump’s nominees,” said Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., on social media. Despite widespread concern about the nominees' qualifications and demeanors for the jobs that are among the highest positions in the U.S. government, Trump's team is portraying the criticism against them as nothing more than political smears and innuendo. Showing that concern, nearly 100 former senior U.S. diplomats and intelligence and national security officials have urged Senate leaders to schedule closed-door hearings to allow for a full review of the government’s files on Gabbard. Trump's allies have described the criticisms of Hegseth in particular as similar to those lodged against Brett Kavanaugh, the former president's Supreme Court nominee who denied a sexual assault allegation and went on to be confirmed during Trump's first term in office. Said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., about Hegseth: “Anonymous accusations are trying to destroy reputations again. We saw this with Kavanaugh. I won’t stand for it.” One widely watched Republican, Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, herself a former Army National Guard lieutenant colonel and sexual assault survivor who had been criticized by Trump allies for her cool reception to Hegseth, appeared more open to him after their follow-up meeting Monday. “I appreciate Pete Hegseth’s responsiveness and respect for the process,” Ernst said in a statement. Ernst said that following “encouraging conversations,” he had committed to selecting a senior official who will "prioritize and strengthen my work to prevent sexual assault within the ranks. As I support Pete through this process, I look forward to a fair hearing based on truth, not anonymous sources.” Ernst also had praise for Patel — “He shares my passion for shaking up federal agencies" — and for Gabbard. Once a rising Democratic star, Gabbard, who represented Hawaii in Congress, arrived a decade ago in Washington, her surfboard in tow, a new generation of potential leaders. She ran unsuccessfully for president in 2020. But Gabbard abruptly left the party and briefly became an independent before joining with Trump's 2024 campaign as one of his enthusiasts, in large part over his disdain for U.S. involvement overseas and opposition to helping Ukraine battle Russia. Her visit to Syria to meet with then-President Bashar Assad around the time of Trump's first inauguration during the country's bloody civil war stunned her former colleagues and the Washington national security establishment. The U.S. had severed diplomatic relations with Syria. Her visit was seen by some as legitimizing a brutal leader who was accused of war crimes. Gabbard has defended the trip, saying it's important to open dialogue, but critics hear in her commentary echoes of Russia-fueled talking points. Assad fled to Moscow over the weekend after Islamist rebels overtook Syria in a surprise attack, ending his family's five decades of rule. She said her own views have been shaped by “my multiple deployments and seeing firsthand the cost of war and the threat of Islamist terrorism.” Gabbard said, “It's one of the many reasons why I appreciate President Trump’s leadership and his election, where he is fully committed, as he has said over and over, to bring about an end to wars.” Last week, the nearly 100 former officials, who served in both Democratic and Republican administrations, said in the letter to Senate leaders they were “alarmed” by the choice of Gabbard to oversee all 18 U.S. intelligence agencies. They said her past actions “call into question her ability to deliver unbiased intelligence briefings to the President, Congress, and to the entire national security apparatus.” The Office of the Director of National Intelligence was created after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks to coordinate the nation’s intelligence agencies and act as the president’s main intelligence adviser. Associated Press writer Stephen Groves contributed to this report.The suspect in the high-profile killing of a health insurance CEO that has gripped the United States graduated from an Ivy League university, reportedly hails from a wealthy family, and wrote social media posts brimming with cerebral musings. Luigi Mangione, 26, was thrust into the spotlight Monday after police revealed he is their person of interest in the brutal murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, a father of two, last week in broad daylight in Manhattan in a case that laid bare deep frustration and anger with America's privatized medical system. News of his capture in Pennsylvania -- following a tip from a McDonald's worker --triggered an explosion of online activity, with Mangione quickly amassing new followers on social media as citizen sleuths and US media tried to understand who he is. While some lauded him as a hero and lamented his arrest, others analyzed his intellectual takes in search of ideological clues. A photo on one of his social media accounts includes an X-ray of an apparently injured spine. No explicit political affiliation has emerged. Meanwhile, memes and jokes proliferated, many riffing on his first name and comparing him to the "Mario Bros." character Luigi, sometimes depicted in AI-altered images wielding a gun or holding a Big Mac. "Godspeed. Please know that we all hear you," wrote one user on Facebook. "I want to donate to your defense fund," added another. According to Mangione's LinkedIn profile, he is employed as a data engineer at TrueCar, a California-based online auto marketplace. A company spokesperson told AFP Mangione "has not been an employee of our company since 2023." Although he had been living in Hawaii ahead of the killing, he originally hails from Towson, Maryland, near Baltimore. He comes from a prominent and wealthy Italian-American family, according to the Baltimore Banner. The family owns local businesses, including the Hayfields Country Club, its website says. A standout student, Mangione graduated at the top of his high school class in 2016. In an interview with his local paper at the time, he praised his teachers for fostering a passion for learning beyond grades and encouraging intellectual curiosity. A former student who knew Mangione at the Gilman School told AFP the suspect struck him as "a normal guy, nice kid." "There was nothing about him that was off, at least from my perception," this person said, asking that their name not be used. "Seemed to just be smiling, and kind of seemed like he was a smart kid. Ended up being valedictorian, which confirmed that," the former student said. Mangione went on to attend the prestigious University of Pennsylvania, where he completed both a bachelor's and master's degree in computer science by 2020, according to a university spokesperson. While at Penn, Mangione co-led a group of 60 undergraduates who collaborated on video game projects, as noted in a now-deleted university webpage, archived on the Wayback Machine. On Instagram, where his following has skyrocketed from hundreds to tens of thousands, Mangione shared snapshots of his travels in Mexico, Puerto Rico and Hawaii. He also posted shirtless photos flaunting a six-pack and appeared in celebratory posts with fellow members of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity. However, it is on X (formerly Twitter) that users have scoured Mangione's posts for potential motives. His header photo -- an X-ray of a spine with bolts -- remains cryptic, with no public explanation. Finding a coherent political ideology has also proved elusive, though he had written a review of Ted Kaczynski's manifesto on the online site goodreads, calling it "prescient." Kaczynski, known as the Unabomber, carried out a string of bombings in the United States from 1978 to 1995, a campaign he said was aimed at halting the advance of modern society and technology. Mangione called Kaczynski "rightfully imprisoned," while also saying "'violence never solved anything' is a statement uttered by cowards and predators." According to CNN, handwritten documents recovered when Mangione was arrested included the phrase "these parasites had it coming." Mangione has also linked approvingly to posts criticizing secularism as a harmful consequence of Christianity's decline. In April, he wrote, "Horror vacui (nature abhors a vacuum)." The following month, he posted an essay he wrote in high school titled "How Christianity Prospered by Appealing to the Lower Classes of Ancient Rome." In another post from April, he speculated that Japan's low birthrate stems from societal disconnection, adding that "fleshlights" and other vaginal-replica sex toys should be banned. ia/nro/dw
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Syrian government services come to a 'complete halt' as state workers stay homeA judge on Monday granted a request by prosecutors to dismiss the election subversion case against Donald Trump because of a Justice Department policy of not prosecuting a sitting president. Judge Tanya Chutkan agreed to the request by Special Counsel Jack Smith to dismiss the case against the president-elect "without prejudice," meaning it could potentially be revived after Trump leaves the White House four years from now. "Dismissal without prejudice is appropriate here," Chutkan said, adding in the ruling that "the immunity afforded to a sitting President is temporary, expiring when they leave office." Trump, 78, was accused of conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 election he lost to Joe Biden and removing large quantities of top secret documents after leaving the White House, but the cases never came to trial. Smith also moved on Monday to drop his appeal of the dismissal of the documents case filed against the former president in Florida. That case was tossed out earlier this year by a Trump-appointed judge on the grounds that Smith was unlawfully appointed. The special counsel paused the election interference case and the documents case this month after Trump defeated Vice President Kamala Harris in the November 5 presidential election. Smith cited the long-standing Justice Department policy of not indicting or prosecuting a sitting president in his motions to have the cases dismissed. "The Government's position on the merits of the defendant's prosecution has not changed," Smith said in the filing with Chutkan. "But the circumstances have." "It has long been the position of the Department of Justice that the United States Constitution forbids the federal indictment and subsequent criminal prosecution of a sitting President," Smith said. "As a result this prosecution must be dismissed before the defendant is inaugurated." In a separate filing, Smith said he was withdrawing his appeal of the dismissal of the classified documents case against Trump but pursuing the case against his two co-defendants, Trump valet Walt Nauta and Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira. Trump, in a post on Truth Social, said the cases were "empty and lawless, and should never have been brought." "Over $100 Million Dollars of Taxpayer Dollars has been wasted in the Democrat Party's fight against their Political Opponent, ME," he said. "Nothing like this has ever happened in our Country before." Trump was accused of conspiracy to defraud the United States and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding -- the session of Congress called to certify Biden's win, which was violently attacked on January 6, 2021 by a mob of the then-president's supporters. Trump was also accused of seeking to disenfranchise US voters with his false claims that he won the 2020 election. The former and incoming president also faces two state cases -- in New York and Georgia. He was convicted in New York in May of 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels on the eve of the 2016 election to stop her from revealing an alleged 2006 sexual encounter. However, Judge Juan Merchan has postponed sentencing while he considers a request from Trump's lawyers that the conviction be thrown out in light of the Supreme Court ruling in July that an ex-president has broad immunity from prosecution. In Georgia, Trump faces racketeering charges over his efforts to subvert the 2020 election results in the southern state, but that case will likely be frozen while he is in office. cl/sms
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I’m a fashion stylist and I can NEVER shop at TK Maxx after spotting a major problem – you won’t un-see it eitherNone