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Trump praises UK troops as brave warriors after widespread condemnation

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Trump praises UK troops as brave warriors after widespread condemnation

Republican presidential candidate and former US President Donald Trump gestures to supporters during a 

campaign rally at the Forum River Centre in Rome, Georgia, US. — Reuters/File

  • King Charles’ concern over Trump’s initial remarks.
  • Trump says soldiers of UK will always be with US.
  • Soldiers’ sacrifice must not be forgotten: British PM.

US President Donald Trump on Saturday praised “brave” British soldiers, calling them warriors, a day after remarks he made about Nato troops in Afghanistan were described as “insulting and appalling” by Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Trump provoked widespread anger in Britain and across Europe after he said European troops had stayed off the front lines in Afghanistan.

Britain lost 457 service personnel killed in Afghanistan, its deadliest overseas war since the 1950s. For several of the war’s most intense years it led the allied campaign in Helmand, Afghanistan’s biggest and most violent province, while also fighting as the main US battlefield ally in Iraq.

“The GREAT and very BRAVE soldiers of the United Kingdom will always be with the United States of America!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “In Afghanistan, 457 died, many were badly injured, and they were among the greatest of all warriors. It’s a bond too strong to ever be broken.”

The Sun on Sunday newspaper reported that King Charles’ concern over Trump’s initial remarks had been relayed to the president, who last year expressed his admiration for the monarch during a state visit to Britain. Buckingham Palace declined to comment on the report.

Trump had also provoked an unusually strong reaction from Starmer, who has tended to avoid direct criticism of the president in public.

The British leader’s office issued a statement to say the prime minister had spoken to the president on Saturday about the issue.

“The prime minister raised the brave and heroic British and American soldiers who fought side by side in Afghanistan, many of whom never returned home,” the statement said. “We must never forget their sacrifice,” he said.

Veterans in Britain and elsewhere have been lining up to condemn the US president’s comments to Fox Business Network’s “Mornings with Maria” on Thursday, in which he said that the United States had “never needed” the transatlantic alliance and accused allies of staying “a little off the front lines” in Afghanistan.

Among them was King Charles’ younger son Prince Harry, who served two tours in Afghanistan.

“Those sacrifices deserve to be spoken about truthfully and with respect,” he said in a statement.

India’s Growth Ambition Needs Long-Term Capital, Not Quick Exits

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India’s Growth Ambition Needs Long-Term Capital, Not Quick Exits

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Budget 2026 is a chance for India to shift incentives from short-term gains to rewarding long-term investor commitment, supporting manufacturing, etc.

From Fast Exits to Patient Capital: India’s Budget 2026 Test

From Fast Exits to Patient Capital: India’s Budget 2026 Test

As India approaches Budget 2026, conversations around growth, investment and competitiveness dominate the economic and policy landscape. Yet beneath these themes lies a deeper and often unexamined issue—what kind of investor behaviour does India’s financial and tax ecosystem actually reward?

Despite our ambitions around manufacturing, capital formation and supply-chain resilience, the system, often unintentionally, continues to tilt incentives towards short-term decision-making. As India enters a structurally different phase of growth, this misalignment between policy intent and incentive design has become increasingly consequential. Budget 2026 offers a timely opportunity to correct this imbalance.

India’s framework does not explicitly discourage long-term investing. However, through design and execution, it nudges investors towards shorter horizons. Tax design is a major contributor.

Capital gains structures define “long-term” using relatively short holding thresholds by global standards. Frequent changes in tax treatment, surcharges, exemptions and interpretative rules introduce uncertainty into long-term return assumptions. Incentives are often time-bound rather than outcome-bound, rewarding entry within a policy window rather than commitment across a full investment cycle. The behavioural message is clear: enter when incentives exist, exit when optimal, optimise tax later.

Policy volatility reinforces this mindset. Shifts in custom duties and input tariffs alter cost structures mid-cycle, while sector-specific incentives—particularly manufacturing and export-linked schemes—are periodically recalibrated or sunset without multi-year visibility. Even flagship programmes such as the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme reflect this tension. PLI has accelerated capacity creation across electronics, semiconductors and specialty manufacturing, yet remains output- and period-specific rather than explicitly rewarding capital retention, reinvestment or operational continuity beyond the incentive window. Rational investors respond accordingly, prioritising speed of capital recovery over permanence.

The ease of short-term liquidity in India further compounds the tilt toward tactical behaviour. Deep public markets, an active PE/VC ecosystem and vibrant secondary transactions are structural strengths for the economy, but without counter-balancing incentives for duration they naturally encourage faster exits and tactical capital deployment.

This matters because India’s growth model is evolving. The next phase of expansion will depend less on consumption-led momentum, rapid capital recycling and asset-light growth alone, and more on manufacturing scale, supply-chain resilience, domestic value addition and stable long-term capital formation. These outcomes cannot be delivered by transient capital. They require patient capital—capital willing to absorb longer gestation periods, regulatory frictions and early-stage inefficiencies in pursuit of durable outcomes. Yet when signals favour agility over longevity, investors adapt by shortening holding horizons, structuring investments for exit optionality and prioritising flexibility over continuity. Over time, a disconnect emerges: policy seeks long-term outcomes, but incentives reward short-term behaviour.

Budget 2026 arrives at a particularly consequential juncture. India is positioning itself as a global manufacturing and supply-chain hub, and capex-led growth remains a stated priority. Global investors are increasingly evaluating India not merely as a tactical allocation but as a long-term destination. States are actively competing for investment through incentives. Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh, for instance, offer combinations of capital subsidies, interest subvention, land rebates and payroll-linked incentives.

New frameworks for Global Capability Centres (GCCs) and advanced manufacturing hinge on employment thresholds and upfront investment commitments. However, many of these incentives are still front-loaded—rewarding establishment rather than long-term continuity. In this context, policy credibility is no longer just about incentive quantum; it is about predictability over time. The question is no longer, “How do we attract capital?” It is, “Do we meaningfully reward investors who stay the course?”

Budget 2026 presents a clear opportunity to rebalance India’s investment ecosystem—not by discouraging liquidity or exits, but by explicitly recognising and rewarding long-duration commitment. Tax frameworks could reward extended holding periods through progressively lower capital gains for assets held beyond longer thresholds. Stability clauses could ensure that core tax and incentive terms remain unchanged over defined periods.

Greater alignment between central and state incentives could enhance benefits tied to reinvestment, asset longevity, employment continuity or supply-chain deepening. States could shift from purely entry-based subsidies to outcome-linked incentives tied to duration—such as sustained employment or capacity utilisation over time. Such an approach would encourage capital with longer horizons, support manufacturing and supply-chain decisions that require permanence and reinforce India’s positioning as a predictable, long-term investment destination.

Crucially, none of this requires new subsidies. It simply requires better incentive design and policy signals that reward patience, predictability and persistence.

India’s next stage of growth depends not only on how quickly capital arrives, but on how confidently it stays. Budget 2026 has the opportunity to send a clear signal that duration matters. By rewarding investors who stay the course, India can better align investor behaviour with its long-term economic ambitions—unlocking sustainable wealth creation and supporting the country’s next phase of structural growth.

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First Published:

January 25, 2026, 17:22 IST

News business India’s Growth Ambition Needs Long-Term Capital, Not Quick Exits
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Troye Sivan: Cosmetic doctor sorry for upsetting singer in video

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Troye Sivan: Cosmetic doctor sorry for upsetting singer in video

Yasmin Malikand

Srosh Khan,BBC Newsbeat

BBC/Sarah Louise Bennett A portrait of Troye Sivan where he is looking at the camera with brownish hair. He has a nose ring on, a blue jumper and a necklace. He's infront of a white wall. BBC/Sarah Louise Bennett

Singer Troye Sivan hit out at a cosmetic doctor who gave him “unsolicited medical advice” on Instagram

A cosmetic doctor who faced a backlash over a video picking apart pop star Troye Sivan’s appearance says he “feels terrible” for upsetting the singer – but will continue to post.

London-based Dr Zayn Khalid Majeed posted a two-minute clip drawing attention to the 30-year-old’s “problem” areas following an appearance at a recent event in Australia.

Fans criticised the “unsolicited” advice, and the singer himself responded with an essay explaining how the video had triggered long-held insecurities about his body.

Since deleting the video and contacting Sivan to apologise, Majeed tells BBC Newsbeat he will try to make a more positive impact with his content.

Sivan, whose career began when he was a teenager, is regarded by many as a poster boy for the “twink” look.

The term refers to younger, slim gay men with a boyish look, and Sivan’s image appears prominently in Google results and on Wikipedia’s definition page.

In the video, which compared studio images of the singer with recent footage from a red carpet interview, Majeed said Sivan appeared to be showing signs of “twink death”.

The cosmetic doctor, who has more than 250,000 followers across platforms, pointed towards several “problem areas”, such as shadows and “volume loss” in the singer’s face.

He then imagined a scenario where Sivan was his patient and listed various cosmetic “improvements” he could opt for, including skin boosters and dermal filler.

Zayn Khalid Majeed/TikTok A screen shot from Majeed's video shows the doctor super-imposed over a composite image of Troye Sivan, made up of two pictures of the singer. One shows him in a studio environment while the other is taken in a media line on a red carpet.Zayn Khalid Majeed/TikTok

Troye Sivan said he considered getting cosmetic surgery after watching a video breakdown of his face on Instagram

People on social media and fans of Sivan criticised Majeed’s “unsolicited” advice on ways to “retwinkify” himself.

The singer himself then got involved, posting on blogging platform Substack about how the video had heightened his insecurities and pushed him towards considering cosmetic surgery.

“I’ve struggled with my body image for a lot of my life, as I’m sure most people have,” he wrote. “What good is money and modern medicine if not to fix all of these flaws that this random… plastic surgeon told me I have?”

Newsbeat reached out to Majeeed, who said Sivan’s response “was incredibly raw and vulnerable”.

“I felt terrible and it was never my intention to make him feel like that, which is why I reached out to him directly to apologise,” he says.

Zayn Khalid Majeed Dr Zayn smiles into the camera. He is wearing blue surgical scubs and a silver chain round his neck. He has white teeth, olive skin and a slight curl in his brown styled hair. He also has a small silver hoop in his ear.Zayn Khalid Majeed

Majeed apologised to Troye Sivan in what the singer called a “thoughtful and sweet message”

Majeed deleted the videos from his TikTok and Instagram, and Sivan later updated his blog to say there were “no hard feelings from [his] side”.

The doctor admits he can “see how it came across”.

Majeed says he started creating content to “educate and inform” people, but began to talk about celebrities because viewers seemed to enjoy it.

“For every one celebrity video I make, I make five chatty educational videos,” he says.

But, reflecting on the situation with Sivan, he says he doesn’t want to contribute to the “negative beauty standards” that people face.

“I have a voice and I need to use it to shape conversations for the better, where we’re more body positive and we accept ageing as a natural process,” he says. “Sometimes you don’t realise the impact that you can have.”

However, Majeed says he will continue to make videos that analyse celebrity faces because he believes there is an appetite for them.

“It is important to demystify surgeries that celebrities have and educate patients,” he says.

‘It’s mind-boggling’

Samantha Rizzo Samantha smiles into the camera with a green scarf wrapped around her neck. She is wearing a black leather jacket and has brown hair. In the background we can see a festive street of shops lined with bunting and wreaths. It is early evening and there are yellow fairy lights switched on.Samantha Rizzo

Content creator Samantha Rizzo says seeing videos about cosmetic surgery made her think she needed botox

Samantha Rizzo, a “skin-positivity” content creator based in New York, says she can see a benefit to posts that seek to “showcase” cosmetic work or provide more information.

“I appreciate if you’re using your clients and they consent to their before, during, after photos,” she tells Newsbeat. “I feel a little icky when they’re just taking the celebrity’s picture.

“Just because they’re famous doesn’t mean you have the right to just pick them apart.”

Rizzo, 26, had botox injected into her jaw in the hope it would relieve pain and migraines after watching videos online. But it left her with limited facial movement and she says she regrets doing it.

In hindsight, she believes her insecurities were shaped by the content she was “consuming”.

“The things you can see can skew your perception of yourself so much that it forces your hand for a decision like that,” she says. “It’s mind-boggling”.

Keelin Moncrieff Keelin stares into the camera. She has blue eyes and silver hoop earrings, wearing her brunette hair down. She is wearing a grey t-shirt and we can see the shoulder straps of her dungarees. She stands against a plain white wall.Keelin Moncrieff

Keelin Moncrieff says she finds the idea of changing her face “disturbing”

Irish-born social media personality Keelin Moncrieff says she has concerns about the availability of information on various procedures and the influence it can have on young people.

The mum-of-one tells Newsbeat she understands some creators might try to be “transparent” about any work they’ve had done, but argues it risks acting as an endorsement for the treatment.

“People can’t make up or fill in the gaps of what they’re not seeing behind the scenes,” she says. “People think that this is an easy process.”

Moncrieff, 28, also says that being online comes with unwanted comments about your appearance – something she’s experienced.

“I remember I got a comment once saying that my hands were really wrinkly,” she recalls. “That’s something that’s never even popped into my brain.”

When it comes to surgical changes though, she’s made her mind up.

“Very often I look in the mirror and think: ‘Oh, I could get this done, I could get this done’,” she says.

“I would find that disturbing. I don’t want to uphold those standards.”

Correction: The headline and first paragraph of this story previously described Dr Zayn Khalid Majeed as a cosmetic surgeon. It has been updated to reflect the fact he is registered with the General Medical Council as a doctor, not a surgeon.

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Pakistan going through an investment emergency’: Report

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Pakistan going through an investment emergency’: Report

New Delhi: With exports stagnating and cost of doing business skyrocketing, Pakistan is going through an ‘investment emergency’ amid ad-hocism and a lack of transparency in policy affairs, a new report has revealed. According to the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the cost of doing business in Pakistan is 34 per cent higher than that of its neighbours and regional states.

“This pushes the entire gamut of the economy on a slippery note as industries, entrepreneurs and start-ups struggle to stay afloat, having been cowed down at the hands of exorbitant energy prices, illogical and lopsided taxation and an uncertain exchange rate,” argues The Express Tribune.

FDIs are on a downturn, and no promising investor is taking Pakistan’s route. Several big-ticket businesses have called it a day, “complaining of a lack of a conducive environment, harassment on the part of taxation officials, pestering political instability and poor law and order,” the report mentions.

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Moreover, Pakistani products are uncompetitive in international markets, and the slump in exports is one of the main reasons behind the economy not taking off. Electricity has soared to Rs 56 per unit and oil and gas are being imported at a skyrocketing dollar-rupee parity.

Exports have stagnated since 2022 despite global trade recovery in several sectors. A rescue and rehabilitation strategy is indispensable to save the industry from extinction, said the report. The recent admission by Pakistan Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb that some multinational companies have left the country due to ‘high taxes and energy costs’ has proved that doing business there is becoming extremely difficult for global firms.

In the recent past, apart from big companies like Procter & Gamble, Eli Lilly, Shell, Microsoft, Uber and Yamaha, scores of companies shifted their offices from Pakistan to Gulf countries and other destinations “in the face of excessive taxation”. Telenor Group has also finally exit Pakistan.

Qatar-based Al Thani Group was the latest among a string of foreign companies to pull out of Pakistan because of the economic uncertainty and political turmoil in the country.

White Flakes On Your Shoulders? Here’s How To Tell Dandruff From Dry Scalp

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White Flakes On Your Shoulders? Here’s How To Tell Dandruff From Dry Scalp

Last Updated:

Confused by scalp flakes? Hair experts explain dandruff vs dry scalp and how the wrong treatment can make flaking worse.

Not all white flakes are dandruff.

Not all white flakes are dandruff.

Few hair concerns are as universally frustrating or misunderstood as scalp flakes. Those tiny white specks on your shoulders can instantly trigger embarrassment, panic-buying anti-dandruff shampoos, and aggressive oiling rituals. But here’s the truth: not all flakes are dandruff. In fact, mistaking dry scalp for dandruff (or vice versa) is one of the most common haircare mistakes, and it often worsens the problem instead of fixing it.

Understanding what your scalp is actually dealing with is the first step to restoring balance, comfort, and healthy hair.

What Experts Say About Scalp Flaking

“Not knowing whether the white flakes on your shoulder is dandruff or just dry skin caused by seasonal shifts is one of the most common mistakes we make, especially when we want to self-treat the issue,” says Ritu Vijayvergiya, Co-founder, 2.Oh!. She points out that when the root cause isn’t addressed, flaking tends to become a recurring, confidence-draining problem.

Dermatologist Dr Surbhi Deshpande from Zynova Shalby Hospital, Mumbai, echoes this confusion. “Most people assume that any white flake on the scalp is dandruff, but medically, that’s not always true. Each of these conditions looks similar on the surface but has a very different cause and treatment approach,” she explains.

Dry Scalp: When Your Skin Needs Moisture

Dry scalp flakes are usually fine, light, and powdery. They often appear during colder months or after frequent hot-water washes, excessive shampooing, or chemical treatments. Essentially, dry scalp is skin that lacks moisture.

“A dry scalp is simply skin that lacks moisture, and it can worsen with hot-water washes, frequent shampooing, and chemical treatments,” says Ritu. These habits weaken the scalp’s natural barrier, making it harder to retain hydration.

Dr Deshpande adds that dry scalp can also result from allergic reactions to hair products or environmental stressors. “Using a strong anti-dandruff shampoo for every type of flaking can sometimes worsen the problem,” she warns.

What helps: Gentle cleansing, hydration-focused shampoos, and scalp nourishment. Ritu advises avoiding harsh anti-dandruff formulas in this case. She notes, “A dry scalp needs gentle cleansing, so opt for shampoos with tri-surfactant formulas and glycerine that effectively remove impurities without disrupting the scalp’s natural moisture balance.”

Dandruff: A Fungal Issue, Not A Dryness Problem

Dandruff flakes are thicker, often greasy, and usually come with persistent itching. Unlike dry scalp, dandruff is caused by a fungal overgrowth that thrives on oil.

“Dandruff is actually linked to an overgrowth of a yeast called Malassezia, which feeds on scalp oils and triggers irritation and rapid skin shedding,” explains Dr Deshpande.

Ritu highlights one of the biggest mistakes people make here: oiling. “One of the worst mistakes people with dandruff make is to oil their hair. Oil on dandruff aggravates fungal growth,” she says.

What helps: Targeted treatment. “Use a medicated or anti-dandruff shampoo with Ketoconazole or Zinc Pyrithione or Selenium Sulphide,” Ritu advises, adding that dandruff often requires specialist diagnosis and consistent treatment.

Why Getting It Wrong Makes Things Worse

The irony is that the solutions for dry scalp and dandruff are often opposite. Oiling helps dry scalp but worsens dandruff. Strong antifungal shampoos help dandruff but strip moisture from an already dry scalp.

“Over-oiling the scalp is another common mistake, as excess oil can actually feed yeast growth and make dandruff more persistent,” says Dr Deshpande. She also stresses the role of lifestyle factors: “Stress management and adequate sleep also play a role, as inflammation often worsens under physical and emotional stress.”

When To See A Dermatologist

If flakes persist beyond a few weeks or are accompanied by redness, intense itching, or hair fall, self-treatment may do more harm than good. “It’s important to consult a dermatologist rather than self-treating,” Dr Deshpande advises.

Flakes are a symptom, not a diagnosis. Whether your scalp is dry or dealing with dandruff, the key lies in understanding its needs and responding thoughtfully. Once the confusion is cleared, the right haircare ritual becomes simpler and far more effective.

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Delhi, India, India

First Published:

January 25, 2026, 16:43 IST

News lifestyle beauty White Flakes On Your Shoulders? Here’s How To Tell Dandruff From Dry Scalp
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Baltimore bloodshed drops as law-and-order push targets repeat criminals

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Baltimore bloodshed drops as law-and-order push targets repeat criminals

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Baltimore recorded a sharp drop in homicides in 2025, continuing a multi-year decline that city prosecutors say is the result of tough on crime policing of repeat violent offenders.

According to statistics provided by the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office, homicides fell to 134 in 2025, down from 202 in 2024, 263 in 2023 and 334 in 2022.

“You know, when I came into this office, we’d had eight consecutive years of 300 plus murders,” Baltimore City State’s Attorney Ivan Bates told Fox News Digital. “The only way you’re going to focus on violent crime in Baltimore City is you must put repeat violent offenders in prison.”

“When we were sworn in, we said, ‘If you’re a repeat violent offender, bring a toothbrush.’ That was the message we sent – meaning we’re going to send you to jail,” he said.

Baltimore State Attorney Ivan Bates discussed the city’s drop in homicides in 2025 with Fox News Digital, crediting tough on crime prosecution. (Fox News Digital)

MURDER RATE DROPS TO LOWEST LEVEL SINCE 1900 ACROSS MAJOR US CITIES NATIONWIDE

Bates, who took office in January 2023, said his administration shifted the office’s approach to enforcing mandatory minimum sentences for repeat offenders, which he says was inconsistently applied previously.

State data show that in 2022, police arrested 1,577 repeat violent offenders. Of those, 869 were convicted, but only 267, or 31%, were sentenced.

Under Bates, the percentage of repeat offenders sentenced has risen sharply: 58% in 2023, 69% in 2024 and 65% in 2025.

“This year alone, out of the 1,160 repeat violent offenders, 682 were found guilty of that offense. We sent 443 of them to prison,” Bates said. “That’s 65% of them.”

A graph depicting a drop in homicides in 2025.

In 2025, Baltimore recorded 133 homicides, marking the city’s lowest homicide count in nearly 50 years and completing a historic three-year decline under the Bates/Scott administration. (Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office)

Maryland law allows prosecutors to seek a five-year mandatory prison sentence without parole for repeat offenders found in possession of illegal firearms. Bates said that enforcing state law has been central to his office’s strategy to

“That means it’s a small group of individuals in Baltimore who are robbing, shooting and killing individuals,” he said. “By finding them guilty, they’re now removed from the community for a minimum of five years without the possibility of parole.”

Police arrests of repeat gun offenders have declined over the same period, according to the data: 1,294 arrests in 2023, 1,246 in 2024, and 1,160 in 2025. Bates said that shows that there are few repeat offenders still on the streets.

“That tells me that we’ve been taking the repeat violent offenders off the streets,” he said.

Police investigating a shooting in Baltimore at night.

Police and other officials investigate a mass shooting in Baltimore County in the 8500 block of Loch Raven Boulevard. (Kim Hairston/Baltimore Sun/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

TRUMP DECLARES VICTORY IN DEM-RUN CITY DESPITE ‘EXTRAORDINARY RESISTANCE’ FROM SANCTUARY POLITICIANS

In addition to sentencing changes, Bates pointed to increased cooperation with federal agencies, including the FBI, DEA, ATF and neighboring Baltimore County.

Through the city’s Group Violence Reduction Strategy (GVRS) and through partnering with the federal government to disrupt drug trade within the city.

“The silent partner has really also been the federal authorities,” he said. “We’re able to take down large drug organizations in a manner and a way we haven’t been able to do.”

Bates also credits rebuilding the State’s Attorney’s Office, which he said had been understaffed when he took office.

“When I came into office in 2023, we only had 140 lawyers,” he said. “Our office went from 140 prosecutors to 200 prosecutors.”

While national crime rates have declined in recent years, Bates said Baltimore’s drop has outpaced national trends, though he cautioned that the gains could be temporary without investment in re-entry programs.

“If we do not do the hard work of investing and giving individuals an opportunity in an exit lane to get out of the criminal life, we can see that type of behavior rearing its head,” he said.

Bates said his office is working with state leaders on programs aimed at repeat offenders returning from prison but acknowledged that prosecutors alone cannot address recidivism.

“I’m here on behalf of the victim. The victim, the victim, the victim,” Bates said. “There are some people that must go to jail and some of them need to be in jail the rest of their natural born lives.”

“My job as the state’s attorney is to stand up for the victims and make sure our community is safe as possible,” he said.

Looting and rioting in Baltimore, Maryland, with police in riot gear responding.

Looting and rioting broke out on April 27, 2015, at North and Pennsylvania Avenues where a CVS store was set on fire. (Algerina Perna/Baltimore Sun/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

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Despite the citywide decline, Baltimore’s entertainment districts, including Federal Hill, have continued to experience shootings.

Police expert Jason Johnson told WBFF, “Obviously, homicides and non-fatal shootings are down, which is fantastic. But that leaves us with some of these crimes that are just as likely to drive people out of the city or dismay people from even visiting the city.”

Baltimore is not the only city seeing a decrease in homicides, with murder rates falling across cities in the U.S. in 2025.

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The Council on Criminal Justice (CCJ) report weighed crime statistics from 40 cities that have reported monthly data for the past eight years. It found 11 of 13 crime categories dropped in 2025 compared to 2024. Nine of them dropped by 10% or more, including homicides, which saw a 21% drop.

“President Trump promised to bring back Law and Order to the United States of America,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt wrote on X Thursday morning, along with a chart from the Council on Criminal Justice showing the country saw its lowest homicide rate since 1900. “This is what happens when you have a President who fully mobilizes federal law enforcement to arrest violent criminals and the worst of the worst illegal aliens.”

Fox News Digital’s Julia Bonavita and Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.

Iranians return to daily life in a capital scarred by deadly protests

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Iranians return to daily life in a capital scarred by deadly protests

Massive protests rocked Iran in recent weeks but appear to have largely subsided after a brutal crackdown that has left at least 3,117 dead, according to official figures.

That number falls far below the death toll cited by human rights groups.

The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), which says it relies on supporters in Iran cross-checking information and that its data goes through “multiple internal checks,” said Friday that the death toll had reached 5,137.

The demonstrations were sparked by economic grievances as the rial currency crashed and inflation soared, morphing into one of the biggest challenges the Islamic Republic faced in the theocracy’s 47-year history, as thousands of people took to the streets to demand the end of the ruling clergy.

It has been difficult to get a clear picture of what transpired in the streets of the Iranian capital during this chaotic time because of an internet blackout that has dragged on for more than two weeks, according to internet monitoring group NetBlocks.

But NBC News documented scenes from the aftermath of the violence on Tehran’s streets.

Man killed by US federal agents was nurse who ‘wanted to make a difference’

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Man killed by US federal agents was nurse who 'wanted to make a difference'

A screengrab from a video obtained by Reuters shows a law enforcement officer spraying irritants at a man identified as Alex Pretti, before he was fatally shot when federal agents were trying to detain him in Minneapolis, Minnesota, US on January 24, 2026. — Reuters

MINNEAPOLIS: The US citizen shot dead by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis on Saturday was an intensive care nurse at a local veterans’ hospital who “wanted to make a difference in this world,” family members said.

Alex Pretti, 37, was shot and killed while scuffling with immigration officials on an icy roadway in the Midwestern city, less than three weeks after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot and killed Renee Good, also 37, in her car.

The latest killing sparked fresh protests and rebukes from local officials, who disputed the Trump administration’s quick claims that Pretti intended to harm federal agents as he participated in demonstrations against a sweeping immigration crackdown.

Pretti was “a kindhearted soul who cared deeply for his family and friends” and those he cared for at a Minneapolis Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital, his parents said in a statement on Saturday.

A photograph of 37-year-old Alex Pretti can be seen at a makeshift memorial in the area where he was shot dead by federal immigration agents earlier in the day in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on January 24, 2026. — AFP
A photograph of 37-year-old Alex Pretti can be seen at a makeshift memorial in the area where he was shot dead by federal immigration agents earlier in the day in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on January 24, 2026. — AFP

“Alex wanted to make a difference in this world. Unfortunately, he will not be with us to see his impact,” his parents said.

Dimitri Drekonja, chief of the Infectious Diseases Section at the Minneapolis VA hospital and a colleague of Pretti´s, called him “a good kind person who lived to help.”

“He had such a great attitude. We’d chat between patients about trying to get in a mountain bike ride together. Will never happen now,” Drekonja wrote on the social media platform Bluesky.

He said Pretti was a nurse working “to support critically ill Veterans.”

Pretti graduated from high school in Green Bay, Wisconsin, in 2006, according to local media reports. He went to nursing school before joining the VA.

Trump administration officials have sought to brand Pretti as a violent aggressor but their accounts are contradicted by video, which AFP has not verified, aired widely by US media.

A federal agent throws a canister of teargas near the site where a man identified as Alex Pretti was fatally shot by federal agents trying to detain him, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, US on January 24, 2026. — AFP
A federal agent throws a canister of teargas near the site where a man identified as Alex Pretti was fatally shot by federal agents trying to detain him, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, US on January 24, 2026. — AFP

Pretti’s parents said their son had stepped in front of a federal agent who shoved a woman protester shortly before his death.

They denounced what they called “sickening lies” from the Trump administration and said the gun found on Pretti, which local officials said he was licensed to carry, was not in his hand when he was shot.

“Alex is clearly not holding a gun when attacked by Trump’s murdering and cowardly ICE thugs,” his parents said in the statement.

“He has his phone in his right hand and his empty left hand is raised above his head while trying to protect the woman ICE just pushed down all while being pepper sprayed.”

The family asked the public to “get the truth out about our son. He was a good man.”

“We are heartbroken but also very angry,” they said.

Ariana Grande Oscar snub explained: Academy voters detail bizarre reasons

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Ariana Grande Oscar snub explained: Academy voters detail bizarre reasons

Ariana Grande Oscar snub explained: Academy voters detail bizarre reasons

While Wicked: For Good was largely shut out of awards consideration this year, including lead actress Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande had scored Golden Globe and Critics Choice nominations for her performance in the film.

Which is why her Oscar snub came as a shock to many, with many of the ‘Arianators’ expressing their disappointment regarding it.

Now, the Academy voters have given Grande’s dedicated fanbase another reason to bare their teeth, as they recently outlined some of the reasons behind the contested snub.

Sitting down for an anonymous conversation with NewsNation, an Oscar voter said, “The movie wasn’t that great. The two have amazing on-screen chemistry but spent most of the movie apart.”

While another added, “I was also just completely turned off by their promotional performances. They creeped a lot of people out and in their rush to feel authentic, came off as cosplaying.”

The anonymous sources further cited the duo’s joint “shenanigans” — like performing each other’s “aura reading” at the Wicked sequel’s premiere in Paris — while saying, “no one wanted to go through that again.”

Also citing the former Nickelodeon star’s “anxiety” and Erivo usually emerging as the one to shield her co-star from it, like she did when Grande was attacked at the film’s Singapore premiere, one of the voters said, “Think of it this way: We were protecting Ariana from her anxiety — and Cynthia from having to intervene. Again.”

The internet exploded with fury over the remarks, with several X (formerly called Twitter) users condemning the aforementioned reasons.

A few users additionally termed the snub a “smear campaign” against both of the stars, while the anonymity of the voters was also called into question.

Meanwhile, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo completed their run as Glinda and Elphaba respectively with Wicked: For Good, released in November 2025.

For the two-part franchise’s first installment, both of the actresses had scored multiple nominations, including Oscar nods for best actress (Erivo) and best supporting actress (Grande).

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe: ‘Football is played on the pitch, not with money’

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Jan 25, 2026, 03:20 AM ET

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has stressed that “football is played on the pitch — not with the money” ahead of Sunday’s clash with Aston Villa.

The match is a meeting of two teams outside of the ‘big six’ who have been challenging in both the Premier League and in Europe across recent seasons and ahead of their league clash at St James’ Park, Unai Emery’s team are third in the table, while the Magpies are sniffing around the European spots.

Despite showcasing their strengths on the pitch, both clubs have been affected by the league’s profitability and sustainability rules (PSR), but Howe is keen to let football dictate league position, not finances.

Asked if the Premier League no longer feels like a closed shop or if teams with bigger wage bills will have an advantage, Howe said: “I’m never a believer that finances should and can dictate the league table, although everyone will tell me that the teams with the highest wage bills will ultimately finish in the high league positions.

“People much cleverer than me will say that the wage bill follows the league position, but I can’t think that way. We have got to think differently and try and find ways to still win games to upset the status quo and finish as high as we can.

“That will always be my belief and that was my belief from day one in management. Football is played on the pitch — not with the money.”

The Deloitte Football Money League was published earlier in the week and Liverpool were revealed to be the highest-earning English club for the first time, while Manchester City, Arsenal, Manchester United, Tottenham and Chelsea were all in the top 10 of the list.

Aston Villa were ranked 14th and Newcastle 17th, while West Ham squeezed into the top 20 and Howe emphasised the importance of building revenue for the future.

– Man United drop to lowest Money League position, Real Madrid top
– Eddie Howe: Newcastle showdown with PSG not about ‘revenge’
– Newcastle United vs Aston Villa: TV channel, kick-off time

He said: “The money leagues, I was interested to see them yesterday. I thought they made interesting reading for us because it shows we’ve got a long way to go in terms of revenue. I know people are bored of us talking about it, but it’s factual.

“Building our revenues will be so important and I know there’s a lot of work behind the scenes to try and do that.

“I have always had the belief that, whatever situation you have, you have to try and outperform your resources. You’ve got to try and overachieve. You have to stretch every ounce of energy and effort from the squad that you have.

“We believe we can still achieve great things, regardless of what financial restrictions there are on us. We will try to achieve the highest possible that we can. I’m reluctant to say whatever that will be, but we will go for the maximum.”

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