2025-02-28 18:01:01.266

Observant Muslims worldwide will observe Ramadan, a month of fasting, prayer, reflection, and charity. It is a time of increased worship, religious reflection, charity, and good deeds, often bringing families and friends together in festive gatherings. Ramadan is followed by Eid al-Fitr. This year, Ramadan begins around March 1st and its start date may vary slightly based on moon sightings. Fasting, one of the Five Pillars of Islam, involves abstaining from food and drink from dawn till sunset. Exemptions exist for illness or travel. Ramadan is marked by increased mosque attendance, Quran recitation, and charitable giving, including providing iftar meals for the needy. Cultural traditions vary widely, from the mesaharati's pre-dawn calls in Egypt to communal feasts in Indonesia and festive markets in India. Concerns exist regarding the commercialization of Ramadan, but many see a balance between religious observance and festive celebrations. This year, Ramadan occurs amidst the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and significant political changes in the Middle East, such as the fall of the Syrian government.

2025-02-27 08:06:51.182

Michelle Trachtenberg, the star of 'Gossip Girl' and 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer,' died Wednesday morning at the age of 39. A friend, photographer Amanda de Cadenet, shared on Instagram that Trachtenberg had been recently hospitalized and that they had a FaceTime conversation from her hospital bed. De Cadenet stated that Trachtenberg "knew death was a high possibility" in her final months. Trachtenberg underwent a liver transplant within the last year, and it's believed her body may have rejected it, leading to her death from natural causes. The news was confirmed by Trachtenberg's representative, Gary Mantoosh, who requested privacy for the family. Law enforcement stated the death is not suspicious, and the medical examiner will determine the official cause. Tributes poured in from fellow actors, including Blake Lively, Ed Westwick, Rosie O'Donnell, James Marsters, and Alyson Hannigan.

2025-02-27 08:05:35.063

A new lunar lander, Athena, built by Intuitive Machines, has launched toward the moon's south pole. This mission, IM-2, is particularly significant because Intuitive Machines is the first private company to successfully land on the moon. Athena, launched atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, carries a drill, a small robotic hopper (Grace), and a tiny rover to search for water ice in the south pole region. This region is crucial due to the potential for water ice, a valuable resource for future lunar exploration. The mission builds upon the success of Intuitive Machines' first lunar lander, Odysseus, which landed successfully but experienced some technical difficulties. IM-2 aims to be more ambitious with the deployment of multiple robots and a drill to collect data. Athena's journey includes a solar eclipse and a challenging landing near Mons Mouton, a plateau near the south pole offering sufficient sunlight for a 10-day mission. The lander will attempt to drill into the surface to a depth of one meter, while Grace will hop into a permanently shadowed crater to search for ice. A small rover, along with a matchbook-size rover called AstroAnt, will also explore the area. This mission represents a significant step forward in private lunar exploration, with the potential to revolutionize our understanding of the moon's resources.

2025-02-27 08:05:35.06

A school-aged child in West Texas has died from measles, marking the first measles death in the US since 2015. The child was unvaccinated. The outbreak, centered in Gaines County, has now spread to eight additional counties, with a total of 124 confirmed cases, mostly in unvaccinated children aged 5-17. Eighteen people have been hospitalized, primarily for respiratory issues related to measles pneumonia. While the death toll was initially misreported as two, Texas officials confirmed only one death. Low vaccination rates, particularly in Gaines County where nearly 1 in 5 kindergartners lack the MMR vaccine, are to blame. Health officials warn that the outbreak could continue for months due to the highly contagious nature of measles and low vaccination rates across West Texas. Free vaccination clinics have been opened in Lubbock, but experts fear that the upcoming Houston rodeo could further spread the virus. The CDC is providing assistance to Texas health officials in their response to the outbreak.

2025-02-27 08:04:09.838

Jeff Bezos, owner of The Washington Post, has narrowed the topics covered by the newspaper's opinion section to solely defending personal liberties and the free market. This significant shift from the publication's traditional broader focus has led to the resignation of the opinion editor, David Shipley. Bezos, on X (formerly Twitter), stated that viewpoints opposing these pillars will be published elsewhere, asserting that the internet now covers a wider range of opinions. This decision has been met with mixed reactions. Some see it as a strategic move to avoid potential retaliation from former President Donald Trump, while others criticize it as an indication of Bezos prioritizing his business interests over journalistic integrity. The change echoes the Wall Street Journal's editorial stance. This is just the latest in a series of changes at the Post under Bezos' ownership. Prior events include the decision not to endorse a presidential candidate, leading to resignations and subscription cancellations; the resignation of cartoonist Ann Telnaes; and the resignation of executive editor Sally Buzbee following a newsroom restructuring. The move has drawn both support from Trump allies like Elon Musk and Charlie Kirk, and criticism from those who see it as a move towards a right-wing agenda, including former Post editor Marty Baron and Senator Bernie Sanders. Bezos purchased the Washington Post in 2013 for $250 million.

2025-02-27 07:40:28.968

The Trump administration announced the elimination of more than 90% of the U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID) foreign aid contracts and $60 billion in overall U.S. assistance worldwide. This represents a significant retreat from decades of U.S. policy that viewed foreign aid as beneficial to U.S. interests. Internal memos and court filings revealed the administration's plans, which leave few USAID projects intact. The Supreme Court temporarily blocked a lower court order requiring the release of billions in frozen aid. The cuts have halted thousands of U.S.-funded programs, impacting initiatives such as Ebola containment and HIV/AIDS treatment in Africa. Nonprofits and contractors criticized the rapid and widespread contract terminations, describing them as a maneuver to circumvent court orders. Lawmakers and organizations expressed concern over the lack of transparency and potential negative consequences for global health, security, and U.S. interests. The administration claims the cuts address "waste" and align spending with "American interests," but critics argue that the cuts are politically motivated and harm vital programs.

2025-02-27 07:39:38.264

Khloe Kardashian shared an embarrassing yet impressive moment with her mother, Kris Jenner. Khloe sought advice about a basketball player who wasn't returning her calls. Kris, after learning Khloe had only been on one or two dates, gave unsolicited and NSFW advice, suggesting Khloe should have performed oral sex on him to keep him interested. Khloe was mortified but also impressed by her mom's direct and confident approach to dating. This isn't the first time Kris offered unconventional dating advice; she previously encouraged Khloe to send nude photos to men she was interested in. Kris Jenner's dating tips are definitely bold and memorable.

2025-02-27 07:39:38.261

Actress Michelle Trachtenberg was found dead in her Manhattan apartment Wednesday morning. Her mother, Lana, discovered her unresponsive in bed. Emergency responders pronounced her dead at the scene. Trachtenberg, 39, had recently undergone a liver transplant, and it is suspected that complications from the transplant may have contributed to her death. Despite health concerns, Trachtenberg had been active in recent days, even going out with friends just days before her death. She had publicly defended her appearance online, stating she was 'happy and healthy'. The family has requested privacy.

2025-02-26 19:32:36.965

President Trump's second administration begins with a chaotic cabinet meeting including Elon Musk, who is not a cabinet member. Musk's leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has led to mass resignations and an email demanding federal workers justify their jobs. Trump threatens to fire non-respondents. He also proposes selling American citizenship for $5 million, aiming to raise trillions. Other key events include a bizarre AI video depicting a post-war Gaza as a luxury resort, trade and tariff discussions with Mexico, Canada, and the EU, and reports of Musk calling Trump a "f***ing moron". Amidst this, Musk reveals receiving numerous death threats related to DOGE's progress. Additional news includes a minerals deal between Ukraine and the U.S., potential tariffs on Canada and Mexico, and the firing of over 100 US spies for sexually explicit chats.

2025-02-26 19:17:14.899

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Workplace communications platform Slack experienced an outage Wednesday morning as thousands of users reported they were unable to use the service. The tech company, based in San Francisco, said it was investigating reports of trouble connecting or loading Slack. On an update on the company’s website, Slack said it had “determined a variety of API endpoints, sending (and) receiving messages, and some threads loading” were impacted. A spokesperson for Slack said updates on restoring services will be posted to status.slack.com. At the peak of the outage, more than 3,000 users reported they couldn’t access the platform, according to the website DownDetector. Some services appeared to be coming back online by mid-morning Wednesday, including group and direct messaging as well as emoticon reactions.