Keeping Up With America

Ex-N.Y. trooper staged his own shooting for attention or sympathy, prosecutors say: A former New York state trooper who claimed he had been shot on a Long Island highway by an unknown gunman, setting off a multistate manhunt, actually shot himself and took the gun to his home, a prosecutor said Monday.

Israeli restaurant in Brooklyn tagged in 'act of antisemitism,' mayor says: A restaurant vandalized overnight in Brooklyn caught the attention of the city’s mayor, who called the tag “a despicable act of antisemitism.” Mayor Eric Adams shared pictures of the damage on social media: red paint which covered the windows of Miriam restaurant in Park Slope. The messages read “genocide cuisine” and “Israel steals culture.”

Transgender inmate sues over Trump's order curtailing trans rights: A transgender woman serving in a federal prison has filed a lawsuit arguing that President Donald Trump‘s executive order directing the U.S. government to recognize only two, unchangeable sexes and requiring inmates like her to be housed in men’s prisons violates the U.S. Constitution and federal law.

Democratic lawmakers slam Trump for not making good on promise to 'immediately' lower food prices amid egg shortage: Donald Trump vowed to slash grocery prices as soon as he took office, yet he has barely addressed the cost of food in the whirlwind of executive orders he signed in his first week, Sen. Elizabeth Warren and other Democratic lawmakers wrote in a searing letter.

Trump seeks to circumvent laws on California's water amid wildfire response: President Donald Trump has signed an executive order seeking to circumvent federal and state laws dealing with California's water system in an effort to provide the southern part of the state with necessary water resources to fight wildfires.

Around the World

Hamas says 8 of remaining 26 hostages are dead, according to source: Hamas has told Israel that eight of 26 Israeli hostages set to be released as part of the first phase of the ceasefire are dead, a Middle Eastern official briefed on the matter told NBC News on Monday.

Defectors offer insight into mindset of North Korean soldiers fighting in Ukraine: Few people understand what may be going through the minds of North Korean soldiers fighting and dying for Russia in the war against Ukraine. But Lee Chul Eun is one of them.

Lets Talk Business and Tech

Treasury yields drop as investors look for safety after AI sell-off in stocks

Amazon taps Whole Foods CEO to oversee grocery business

Power stocks plunge as energy needs called into question because of new China AI lab

Richer, Wiser, Happier

3 signs you need debt relief for 2025: Optimism surrounding a declining inflation rate has waned in recent months as Americans saw inflation rise in October, November and December. That increase partially came during the Federal Reserve's latest interest-rate-cutting campaign, which now seems halted until additional progress is made in lowering the inflation rate to the Fed's target 2% goal. For now, then, prices on many common items are likely to stay high and savings secured via lower borrowing interest rates will be delayed, perhaps until much later in 2025.

4 Stocks That Are Too Cheap to Ignore | Jon Quast, Fool. Buying cheap stocks isn't the secret path to wealth in the stock market. If that was all that investors had to worry about, it would be incredibly easy to make money. Stock screeners can show which stocks are the cheapest. So investors would only need to buy whichever stocks the screener said were the best value right now.

What happens when your CD account matures?: Certificates of deposit (CD) accounts have unique features that many other savings vehicles lack. Right now, they have interest rates in the 4% to 4.50% range, which makes them many times more profitable than traditional savings accounts with rates under half a percentage point. And, unlike high-yield savings accounts, which have variable rates, CD rates are fixed, allowing savers to earn that elevated return for months or even years, regardless of any volatility in the interest rate climate during that CD term.

Sports and Showbiz Shenanigans

Mac McClung returns to NBA slam dunk contest eyeing 3-peat | New York Islanders place Pulock, Hogberg on injured reserve

‘Squid Game’ Actor Park Sung-hoon Had ‘Concerns’ About Playing a Trans Woman But Felt ‘Relief’ After Fan Messages | Jackie Chan Wraps ‘The Shadow’s Edge,’ Teams With K-Pop Star Jun for Macau-Set Heist Thriller

Lady Gaga 'reassembles shattered mirror' to create 'Mayhem' on new studio album | Jennifer Lopez tears up at 'Kiss of the Spider Woman' Sundance premiere: 'It's a big deal'

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