A proposed 1-gigawatt AI data center in Kenya is facing scrutiny after it became clear it would consume a third of the country's power. With the President warning that operating Microsoft's planned facility would require cutting power to as many as half of the country's citizens and businesses, the project's development has faltered as all parties discuss potentially scaling back its ambitious goals.
A survivor of Jeffrey Epstein's abuse has told how the late sex offender sexually abused her while he was under house arrest for soliciting prostitution from a minor. Roza, who was recruited from Uzbekistan as a teenager by Epstein's associate and modelling agent Jean-Luc Brunel, spoke publicly for the first time alongside a number of victims in a field hearing that was organised by House Democrats.
The Trump administration cannot detain long-term immigrant residents without a bond hearing, a federal appellate court panel ruled Monday. In a 2-1 ruling, a Sixth Circuit panel said the administration cannot treat immigrants who have lived in the U.S. for years the same as it treats individuals who are picked up while attempting to enter the country.
Iran's chief negotiator said on Tuesday that Washington must accept Tehran's latest peace plan or risk the collapse of the Middle East truce, after President Donald Trump warned the ceasefire was near failure. The war, triggered by US-Israeli strikes on Iran more than two months ago, has destabilised the region and rattled global markets.
The United States remains the largest travel market in the world and retained its position in 2025. However, it is losing ground. Last year, the U.S. experienced a slump in visitor numbers and international spending, driven in part by Canadians choosing to stay away. read more
Looks to me like Iran is getting a bit uppity.
Saw this also ...
IRGC Navy Claims Vast Expansion In Its Definition Of Strait Of Hormuz
www.twz.com
... It remains unclear how the IRGC will enforce its tenfold increase in what it considers the Strait.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy claims it has greatly expanded how it defines the Strait of Hormuz, which it has closed to most shipping since the start of the now-paused war. The move comes as that closure has wide-ranging impacts on the global economy and with U.S. President Donald Trump mulling new military actions against Tehran amid deadlocked peace negotiations and a tenuous ceasefire barely holding.
Under its new definition, the IRGC claimed a tenfold expansion "forming a complete crescent" of "about 20 to 30 miles to one now over 200 to 300 miles," Political Deputy of IRGC Navy Mohammad Akbarzadeh said in a TV interview, according to the official Iranian FARS news agency.
"The Strait is no longer viewed as a narrow stretch around a handful of islands but instead has been greatly enlarged in scope and military significance," Akbarzadeh noted. "In the past, the Strait of Hormuz was defined as a limited area around islands such as Hormuz and Hengam, but today this view has changed. The Strait is now defined as a strategic zone stretching from the city of Jask in the east to Siri Island in the west." ...
Yet his FDA recently OK'd flavored e-cigs because that's what Big Tobacco wanted.
FDA authorizes first fruit-flavored e-cigarettes in US amid political pressure
www.reuters.com
... The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday allowed the marketing of fruit-flavored e-cigarettes in a first authorization of non-tobacco-flavored vaping products, amid mounting political pressure on the agency. ...
U.S. regulators have avoided granting licenses to vapes, and the FDA has said it would continue to require a heavy burden of evidence of benefits to smokers for vape flavors that also have strong appeal to youth, such as fruit or candy flavors.
However, earlier this year, the agency tweaked its strict approach to flavored vapes, a shift that follows intensifying tobacco industry lobbying and political pressure to allow more products to market. ...
'Don't go to the US -- not with Trump in charge': the UK tourist with a valid visa detained by ICE for six weeks (2025)
www.theguardian.com
... Karen Newton was in America on the trip of a lifetime when she was shackled, transported and held for weeks on end.
With tourism to the US under increasing strain, she says, 'If it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone' ... Karen, 65, had a British passport and a tourist visa. ...
Related ...
FIFA World Cup hotel bookings falling short of expectations in US cities, report finds
www.abc10.com
... The anticipated hotel boom tied to the upcoming FIFA World Cup may be falling short of expectations, according to a new report.
The American Hotel & Lodging Association released a report on Monday, highlighting the challenges faced by hotels across the U.S. in the lead up to the international soccer tournament. The report said that, across host cities, hotels have not seen strong bookings and that domestic travelers are outpacing international visitors.
"Hotels across host markets have spent years preparing for the World Cup, and while there is real excitement, the data points to a more nuanced outlook," Rosanna Maietta, president & CEO of AHLA, said in a news release. "A range of factors have tempered early optimism, though forward indicators show there is still meaningful opportunity ahead."
According to AHLA, the FIFA room block cancellations, international travel barriers and rising costs have contributed to the shortcomings. ...
Kansas City had the highest number of hotel owners, roughly 85% to 90%, report below expectations, just trailing behind a typical June or July without any major events. In Boston, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle, nearly 80% of respondents said booking pace was less than expected, with some calling the tournament a "non-event" due to FIFA room releases and weak international fan visits.
According to the report, Miami and Atlanta have reported the strongest numbers with just 50% of hotelier respondents saying the bookings are in line or ahead of expectations.
...
Camper Van Beethoven - Good Guys and Bad Guys (1986)
www.youtube.com
Lyrics excerpt ...
...
[Verse 1]
Well, there are good guys and there are bad guys
And there are crooks and criminals
There are doctors and there are lawyers
And there are folks like you and me
[Chorus]
So let's get high while the radio's on
Just relax and sing a song
Drive your car up on the lawn
...
A fun tune ...
Related ...
Texas county pauses data center construction in rural areas for a year
[emphasis mine]www.texastribune.org