Mahila Samriddhi Scheme: How to register for Delhi’s Rs 2500 monthly aid for women? Check eligibility and step by step guide
Delhi will launch the Rs 2,500/month ‘Mahila Samriddhi Scheme’ for eligible women from…
4 Trailblazing Women Entrepreneurs to watch in 2025: Redefining resilience and innovation
From tech startups to traditional industries, these trailblazing women are not only challenging the status quo but are also redefining the landscape of business and innovation.
With Texas facing soaring electricity demand, the politics of energy quietly shift at the Capitol
The Legislature has tried to clamp down on renewable energy resources in the past, but many lawmakers are recognizing the need to support all types of generation to meet record demand growth.
This charter school superintendent makes $870,000. He leads a district with 1,000 students.
On paper, Salvador Cavazos earns less than $300,000 to run Valere Public Schools, a small Texas charter network. But taxpayers likely aren’t aware that his total pay makes him one of the country’s highest-earning superintendents.
Fetterman calls out Dems’ ‘unhinged petulance’ after Trump speech: ‘We’re becoming the metaphorical car alarm’
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., called out his own party the day after President Donald Trump’s address before a joint session of Congress, warning that the Democrats are becoming like a blaring car alarm that people ignore. “A sad cavalcade of self owns and unhinged petulance. It only makes Trump look more presidential and restrained. We’re becoming the metaphorical car alarms that nobody pays attention to—and it may not be the winning message,” the senator said in a post on X. Some lawmakers held signs up during Trump’s speech with messages including “FALSE,” “SAVE MEDICAID,” “PROTECT VETERANS” and “MUSK STEALS.” ‘COULDN’T CLAP FOR A 13-YEAR-OLD BOY’: GOP SLAM ‘CHILDISH’ DEM SILENCE ON SUPPORTING CANCER SURVIVOR Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, was removed from the chamber after being disruptive. Some Democrats opted not to attend the address and a few others who did attend chose to walk out. “The Democrats should lose the Midterms based on their behavior at last night’s Joint Address to Congress,” Trump declared in a Wednesday post on Truth Social. Trump declared that “Republicans should utilize the footage provided on the total disrespect they showed to all of those that were honored that night, including young ladies who were killed by illegal migrants, people with terminal cancer, etc. They didn’t even have the common courtesy to stand, smile, or applaud. This could be, on analyzing the full tape of this Historic Event, your full CAMPAIGN TO VICTORY! In other words, Republicans can take what happened last night, and win any Race in the Country.” BILL TO PREVENT MALES FROM WOMEN’S SPORTS RECEIVES NO SUPPORT FROM SENATE DEMS: WHO WERE THEY? Fetterman on Wednesday agreed with Trump’s strong warning toward the terror group Hamas. “You can choose. Release all of the Hostages now, not later, and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is OVER for you,” Trump declared on Truth Social. “I am sending Israel everything it needs to finish the job, not a single Hamas member will be safe if you don’t do as I say.” “This is your last warning! For the leadership, now is the time to leave Gaza, while you still have a chance. Also, to the People of Gaza: A beautiful Future awaits, but not if you hold Hostages. If you do, you are DEAD! Make a SMART decision. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW, OR THERE WILL BE HELL TO PAY LATER!” Fetterman, a staunch supporter of Israel, approved of Trump’s warning. “Free all the hostages or start killing Hamas members again. I fully agree with @POTUS,” the senator tweeted. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP An agreement between the terror group and Israel called for negotiations regarding a second phase during which hostages would be freed in exchange for additional Palestinian prisoners, a permanent ceasefire and Israel pulling out of Gaza, according to the Associated Press. Hamas spokesperson Abdel-Latif Al-Qanoua said that the “best path to free the remaining Israeli hostages” is via negotiations regarding that phase, the AP reported.
Casey DeSantis calls CDC ‘utter disgrace’ for keeping COVID-19 vaccine on its recommended list for children
Casey DeSantis, wife of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, called out the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Wednesday for continuing to recommend the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine for babies and children, describing it as an “utter disgrace.” DeSantis, who has three young children, was advocating for the state legislature to pass a permanent ban on COVID-19 vaccine mandates in Florida, as some of the current protections are set to expire in June. “It is absolutely ridiculous and unconscionable that at this point, with what we know about the mRNA COVID vaccine, and frankly, what we don’t know about the COVID mRNA vaccine, that the CDC would still put this on … the shot, still on their recommended vaccine list for our children,” she said. According to the CDC’s recommended schedule on its website, babies are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine at 6 months old. The World Health Organization updated its guidance about 16 months ago and listed healthy children aged 6 months to 17 years old as “low-priority” targets for the vaccine. RAND PAUL HITS ‘BIDEN/HARRIS CDC’ OVER COVID-19 VACCINE GUIDANCE FOR 6 MONTH OLDS “Modelling shows that the public health benefit of vaccination is lowest for healthy children and adolescents,” the WHO said in a study on the vaccine, which also noted that the initial push to vaccinate healthy children was to “avoid school closures.” The first lady of Florida said vaccine recommendations should be “evidence-based, not agenda-driven.” “The CDC loses further credibility when their recommendations are not justified by all of the available evidence that we are seeing,” DeSantis said. WHO UPDATES COVID VACCINE RECOMMENDATIONS, DEEMS HEALTHY KIDS A LOW PRIORITY She also said she would like to see vaccine status not being used “as a way to discriminate against our fellow Floridians,” describing instances of mothers being kicked out of pediatricians’ offices and medical patients being denied care over COVID-19 vaccinations. Her remarks came during a news conference in Tampa where Gov. DeSantis was endorsing legislation that would make vaccine mandate protections permeant in Florida. “I’m here as governor endorsing making these protections permanent,” the governor said. “You should not be forced to take an mRNA shot against your will, and that should be the right of every Floridian.” The governor also thanked his wife for standing with him in seeking permanent protections against vaccine mandates and for “her righteous anger at the CDC pushing the mRNA shots on our kids.” Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo, who has advocated for halting the use of the COVID-19 vaccine, was also present at the conference, as well as a young man negatively impacted by the vaccine.
Macron says Russia a threat to Europe as EU leaders hold emergency summit
EU leaders gather for an emergency defence summit in Brussels as future partnership with US remains uncertain. French President Emmanuel Macron has said Russian aggression “knows no borders” and is a direct threat to Europe as European Union leaders prepare to hold emergency talks in Brussels in the wake of the Trump administration’s stance on transatlantic ties. “Who can believe that this Russia of today will stop at Ukraine?” Macron said in a televised address late on Wednesday. All 27 EU leaders will gather for Thursday’s defence summit for the first time since the explosive meeting in the Oval Office between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week. Trump has since softened his tone on Zelenskyy after the Ukrainian leader’s willingness to sign a controversial mineral deal with the US. Zelenskyy’s insistence that Washington provide a security guarantee in lieu of the deal invited Trump’s wrath. Washington says Ukraine’s entry into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) – established in 1949 against the Soviet Union threat – is “unrealistic” and has threatened to withdraw American troops from Europe, asking European allies to step up their defence spending. Advertisement Trump has reached out to Russian President Vladimir Putin without involving his European allies in his push to end the Ukraine war. In his statements, he has blamed Ukraine for the war, which was triggered by Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Washington has since halted military aid as well as intelligence sharing with Ukraine, critical for Kyiv’s defence against Russia. Trump’s Ukraine policy The Ukraine policy shift has sent US allies scrambling, with EU leaders openly questioning Washington’s reliability as a security partner going forward. They also fear that Kyiv and Europe’s interests will be overlooked in any deal to end the biggest conflict on the continent since World War II. Macron warned that Europe must be prepared to stand alone in the face of Russian aggression. “I want to believe the US will stay by our side,” said Macron. “But we have to be ready if that isn’t the case.” “The future of Europe does not have to be decided in Washington or Moscow,” he added. Macron also said he would discuss with his European partners extending French nuclear deterrence to other countries on the continent, but that the decision and control would continue to remain in the French president’s hands. Other European leaders, including British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, have embraced Zelenskyy and reaffirmed their support for Ukraine at weekend talks in London after the White House blowup. President Donald Trump, right, meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office at the White House on Friday, February 28, 2025, in Washington. [Mystyslav Chernov/AP Photo] ‘Europe’s very survival at stake’ At the Brussels meeting, EU leaders will contemplate the ramifications of Trump’s unpredictable and transactional approach to foreign policy. Zelenskyy will also attend the summit. Advertisement While the Brussels meeting will aim to cement European support for Kyiv, it is unlikely to yield any major announcements of aid beyond the 30 billion euros ($32.4bn) the bloc has already committed this year. EU leaders are also expected to discuss a proposal by the European Commission to borrow up to 150 billion euros ($162bn) to lend to member states under a rearmament plan. On Tuesday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen laid out an 800-billion-euro ($863bn) plan to “re-arm Europe” and assume responsibility for the continent’s defence. “There’s a real fear that the US could step away and leave Europe vulnerable to Russian aggression, or other aggression. There is a feeling here that Europe’s very survival and future could be at stake,” Al Jazeera’s Natacha Butler, reporting from Brussels, said. She said that EU leaders will be talking about how “to rearm Europe, how to make sure that Europe could become sovereign in terms of defence, to bolster and increase defence spending across the European Union and military coordination.” Butler said a peace plan proposed by France and the United Kingdom will also be discussed. “We know the plan involves sending European peacekeepers to ensure any potential ceasefire in Ukraine in the future.” Macron bringing up the nuclear deterrent has not really been discussed before, but “this shows the sense of urgency that is being felt here in Europe in terms of its own security”, the Al Jazeera correspondent said. Adblock test (Why?)
Will the US make business deals with Russia?
US secretary of state says there are ‘extraordinary’ economic opportunities in Russia. After three years of Western sanctions, Russia could once again be open for American businesses — but only if a deal can be done to end the war in Ukraine. US President Trump says he wants to see major economic deals with Russia, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says there are “extraordinary” opportunities there. Moscow says it is open to economic cooperation, but its war-driven economy is overheated, interest rates are high, and the business environment is unpredictable. The European Union and India aim to finalise a free trade deal by 2025. Germany is planning to relax debt rules to boost defence spending. Plus, why are so many Senegalese people unemployed? Adblock test (Why?)
Israel’s Gaza aid blockade could breach humanitarian law: European nations
UK, France, and Germany demand Israel uphold ceasefire terms, warning its blockade on aid risk breaching humanitarian law. The blockade of aid to the Gaza Strip announced by Israel last week would risk violating international humanitarian law, three European foreign ministers have said in a statement. In a joint statement published on Wednesday, the foreign ministers of the United Kingdom, France and Germany called on the government of Israel to abide by its international obligations, and “to ensure full, rapid, safe and unhindered provision of humanitarian assistance to the population in Gaza”. Israel blocked the entry of aid shipments to Gaza on Sunday, hours after the first phase of its ceasefire deal with the Palestinian group Hamas expired, raising fears of hunger and more hardships during the holy month of Ramadan that began over the weekend. “A halt on goods and supplies entering Gaza, such as that announced by the Government of Israel would risk violating International Humanitarian Law,” the three ministers said. Displaced Palestinians, living in makeshift tents in the al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, receive food aid [File: Ashraf Amra/Anadolu] “Humanitarian aid should never be contingent on a ceasefire or used as a political tool,” the statement added, calling on all parties to uphold the ceasefire. Advertisement Separately, on Wednesday, five European members of the United Nations Security Council, including the UK and France, called on Israel to “immediately let humanitarian aid flow into the Gaza Strip”, urging parties “to find a way forward to the next phases of the ceasefire agreement and hostage release deal”. Rights groups have accused Israel of crimes against humanity and violations of international laws for blocking aid in Gaza. Nearly 50,000 Palestinians have been killed and 70 percent of Gaza’s buildings and roads are damaged after 15 months of nonstop Israeli bombardment. Hamas has accused Israel of reneging on the ceasefire that ended the Gaza war. Israel now wants to extend the first phase of the deal by 50 days instead of entering into the second phase as agreed originally. Israel was supposed to withdraw its forces from the Philadelphi Corridor at the end of the first phase on March 1, but it has refused to do so. Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff is reportedly expected to visit the region in the coming days to end the deadlock. Desperate need for aid On Wednesday, the World Food Programme (WFP) said it has food supplies for the Palestinian enclave to keep public kitchens and bakeries open for less than two weeks. Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud, reporting from Gaza, said the blockading of aid was having “a massive negative impact across the Gaza Strip”. “People have been going hungry here … and the market is depleting,” he said. “We see many of the items that used to be available and common, like flour, medicine and other basic necessities, are now either expensive or unavailable.” Advertisement Rosalia Bollen, a spokesperson for the UN’s children’s agency, said the block on humanitarian aid, including vaccines and ventilators for pre-term babies, “will have devastating real-life consequences” for children and their parents. “If we’re unable to bring that in, routine vaccination will come to a standstill,” she said. “Neonatal units won’t be able to care for preterm babies, so this is a real-life consequence that we’ll be dealing with very, very soon if we’re unable to resume the aid supplies coming in.” Bollen, who is in Gaza, said existing supplies have already been largely distributed throughout the enclave. “The first phase of the ceasefire wasn’t just a pause in hostilities … it really was a lifeline for families here,” she added. “The mood here is very depressed; families that I speak with are deeply worried about what the future is going to hold.” Adblock test (Why?)
Trump says DC Mayor Bowser ‘must clean up’ homeless encampments in the capital
President Donald Trump said he has notified Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser that she needs to “clean up all of the unsightly homeless encampments” within the city or the federal government “will be forced to do it for her.” In a Truth Social post on Wednesday, the president specifically referenced areas near the State Department and the White House that are populated with homeless encampments that need to be removed, adding that the nation’s capital “must become CLEAN and SAFE!” “If she is not capable of doing so, we will be forced to do it for her!” Trump wrote, in part. “We want to be proud of our Great Capital again. Thank you Mayor Bowser for your efforts on behalf of the Citizens of our Country. Hopefully you will be successful!” TRUMP THROWS SUPPORT BEHIND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TAKING OVER DC Trump has previously stated that he supports the federal government taking over the nation’s capital if it cannot be managed correctly, adding that the city cannot remain as it is when foreign leaders come to town. “They’re not doing the job,” Trump said last month, arguing that there is “too much crime” and “too many tents on the lawns – these magnificent lawns.” Despite his criticism of the city, Trump has said he likes the Democratic mayor personally. The two met in December to discuss their shared priorities for Washington, D.C., a moment that was described by Bowser as a “great meeting.” “President Trump and I both want Washington, DC to be the best, most beautiful city in the world and we want the capital city to reflect the strength of our nation,” Bowser said in December. DC BLACK LIVES MATTER PLAZA TO GET NEW LOOK, REPLACE STREET MURAL AS PART OF ‘EVOLUTION’ Trump’s social media post on Wednesday also comes one day after Bowser announced the city will be replacing its controversial Black Lives Matter Plaza with murals by students and artists as part of DC’s America 250 project ahead of the country’s 250th anniversary next year. When the plaza was constructed in 2021, Bowser said it would be a permanent installation. “The mural inspired millions of people and helped our city through a painful period, but now we can’t afford to be distracted by meaningless congressional interference,” Bowser’s statement said, referencing a recently-introduced bill that calls for changing the plaza. “The devastating impacts of the federal job cuts must be our number one concern.” Details surrounding a date for the plaza’s transformation were not given.