EPFO Refund: Govt simplifies withdrawal process for PF account holders; Who can benefit? Check details
According to official figures, more than seven lakh inoperative accounts fall under this category. Accounts that are already Aadhaar-linked will receive the money immediately, while transfers to the remaining eligible accounts will be processed in phases.
Tejas crash: HAL clarifies ‘minor technical issue on ground, no airborne accident’
The tragic crash involving the LCA Tejas aircraft was limited to a minor technical issue on the ground, and there was no airborne accident, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) said in a filing to the stock exchange. The company also said that the issue is being analysed and HAL is working closely with the Indian Air Force(IAF) for speedy recovery.
Panipat refinery protest: Workers turned violent, throw stones at security, know what happened
Harayana witnessed a massive violence at Panipat Refinery and Petrochemical Complex at Baholi, when the protesting workers started throwing stones at the security officers on Monday. The protest turned violent after a standoff with the security officials.
Indian Railways to scrap UTS, enable unreserved ticket bookings on single ‘RailOne’ app
The Indian Railways will now shut down its long time Unreserved Ticketing System mobile app from March 1, 2026, changing the digital process of railway ticket booking. The discontinuation of the app is part of a strategy to make the ticketing process smoother.
The border wall is closing in on Big Bend, sparking opposition by locals
Residents and elected officials are speaking out against a proposed border barrier through Texas’ biggest state park and one of the jewels of the national park system.
Trump fires judge-picked US attorney as top DOJ official warns courts to stay in their lane
The Justice Department announced Friday the firing of a second court-appointed U.S. attorney in as many weeks, revealing the swift removal of another prosecutor selected by federal judges to lead a district. The judges in the Eastern District of Virginia had chosen veteran lawyer James Hundley to fill the vacancy left by Trump-appointee Lindsey Halligan, who stepped down from the role last month after the court said she was illegitimately serving. A top DOJ official quickly announced Hundley’s termination on social media, intensifying the ongoing fight between the executive and judicial branches over who has authority to choose the top prosecutors in each of the 93 federal court districts. “Here we go again. EDVA judges do not pick our US Attorney. POTUS does. James Hundley, you’re fired!” Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche wrote on X. FEDERAL JUDGE DISQUALIFIES US ATTORNEY, TOSSES SUBPOENAS TARGETING NY AG LETITIA JAMES Blanche’s comment echoed a similar one he made when announcing the termination of Donald Kinsella after judges in the Northern District of New York chose him to replace Trump appointee John Sarcone, whom they also disqualified. Constitutional scholar John Yoo recently told Fox News Digital that while the law gives judges the authority to choose a lawyer to fill a U.S. attorney vacancy, the Constitution and court precedent clearly grant the president — not the attorney general or deputy attorney general — the power to dismiss U.S. attorneys at will. Underscoring that the decision had come from the president was Dan Scavino, the head of the White House Presidential Personnel Office, who told Hundley through a social media post, “Check your email James,” after Blanche announced Hundley’s termination. Halligan’s and Sarcone’s absences have left DOJ leadership, including Attorney General Pam Bondi and Blanche, to serve as signatories on court filings in those districts as the Senate fails to confirm Trump’s preferred nominees to serve in them and several other blue state districts, where the home state senators must approve of the nominees under the upper chamber’s blue slip tradition. In a similar scenario, the court disqualified Trump appointee Alina Habba, and DOJ leadership responded by assigning three department officials to assume the duties of the U.S. attorney there. The DOJ initially also appealed the decision to disqualify Habba, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit upheld a lower court ruling on it, and the department has not at this stage sought relief from the Supreme Court.
Reporter’s Notebook: Trump’s State of the Union becomes political boxing match as Democrats boycott
Imagine a boxing match. A boxing match may only go a few rounds. But it’s a big production. There’s a massive buildup for weeks in the press. There’s the weigh-in. Both fighters enter the ring to fanfare. Everyone scans the crowd to see “who” is there or nabbed seats close to the ring. Celebrities. Actors. Musicians. Models. Other famous athletes. There’s a lot to see. And that’s why the president’s State of the Union speech is similar. DHS SHUTDOWN DRAGS INTO WEEK TWO AS IRAN THREAT, SOTU CLASH COMPLICATE HILL TALKS Yeah, there’s the speech. But there’s a lot more on which to focus when President Donald Trump delivers his State of the Union address on Tuesday night. It may range from what “trunks” the fighters wear when they enter the ring to who is serving as their cornermen. Do you train your attention on the speech itself and what the president says? Does he deliver a stemwinder of an address, veering off into any number of political tributaries and addressing countless grievances? Do you observe the delivery of a president who maintains a mostly loyal MAGA base but struggles with soaring disapproval ratings? What about the presence of Supreme Court justices who ruled against the president last week on tariffs, one of the most seminal issues of his administration? How about his push to double down on tariff policies, despite the decision by the High Court? We haven’t even discussed what the president may say about ICE, unrest in the Twin Cities, the stalemate over funding for the Department of Homeland Security. And that’s to say nothing about the possibility of invading Iran or new questions emerging about Greenland. This is just an incomplete list regarding the speech. But State of the Union messages are now laced with theater and performance. It extends well beyond what the president may say or do. Lawmakers were practically props a few decades ago, applauding and cheering when they heard the president tout a policy or achievement they endorsed. Or, sitting silently if something came up which they opposed. Now, State of the Union is a participatory if not contact sport. The president’s most ardent opponents are expected make noise, heckle, boo, shout or even upbraid the president. Think of the iconic photo depicting Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, waving his cane at Trump before House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., banished him from the address last year. Or former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., and Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., on their feet, jeering former President Joe Biden a few years ago. BILL MAHER CALLS FOR COMPLETE END TO STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS AHEAD OF TRUMP SPEECH Tuesday night will serve as a test for Congressional decorum. Expect outbursts and shouted retorts. But we’ll see if anyone raises – or lowers – the bar when it comes to their conduct compared to Johnson bouncing Green from the chamber last year. Then there’s the old “look who I brought” to the speech watch. Democrats may gravitate toward pillars of their community, local heroes, or those wronged by ICE. Republicans may bring along local law enforcement officials helpful toward the detention and deportment of those in the country illegally. Or, the relatives of those harmed by illegal immigrants. There’s also a question whether some lawmakers will show up. Some Republicans representing vulnerable districts or competitive states may skip out to build distance between themselves and the largely unpopular president. Meantime, a growing number of Democrats plan to attend an alternative to the president’s address. They are eschewing the speech in exchange for what they call the “People’s State of the Union” on the National Mall. Some Democrats may pull double duty. One wonders if some lawmakers — of both parties — will use travel issues posed by the East Coast blizzard as a convenient excuse to skip out. Someone who might not skip out: former Rep. George Santos, R-N.Y. The House expelled Santos in late 2023. Only the sixth Member ever kicked out of the House. But as a former Member, Santos still has privileges to come and go from the Capitol as he wants. So Santos showed up for Biden’s State of the Union in 2024. Santos pleaded guilty to wire fraud and identity theft in 2024. But Trump commuted Santos’ sentence last fall. And then there is who reacts to Trump. Virginia Democrat Gov. Abigail Spanberger, delivers the official Democratic response. She’s a moderate former Congresswoman who prevailed last fall by campaigning on “affordability.” Republicans will focus on Spanberger and plans to redraw House districts in Virginia to offset prospective gains by GOPers through redistricting — at the president’s behest — in Texas. WATCH: TOP 5 MOST MEMORABLE MOMENTS IN AMERICAN STATE OF THE UNION HISTORY Three other prominent Virginians have delivered rebuttals to State of the Union messages in recent years. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., was Virginia’s Governor when he responded to then President George W. Bush in 2006. Democrats drafted then Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., to deliver the response to Mr. Bush’s 2007 speech. Republicans tapped then Virginia Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell to speak after Obama’s 2010 oratory. Most responses to presidential State of the Union addresses either don’t go well or are barely remembered. It may be noteworthy if Spanberger hacks through the noise at all and people remember anything from her presentation. Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., will deliver the Democrats’ response in Spanish. This will be Padilla’s highest profile moment since guards protecting Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem threw the senator to the ground when he interrupted her remarks about ICE during a news conference in Los Angeles in June. The president will be on screen most of the time during the speech. But the two men who likely rival Trump for screentime are Johnson and Vice President JD Vance. Or at least their torsos will as they’re half visible in the frame, sitting above Trump on the House dais. Johnson will run the show, as he is Speaker
Kingpins fall, prices don’t: How cartels defy the rules of economics
In most markets, removing a CEO rattles investors and drives prices up or down. In the global drug trade, taking down a kingpin barely moves the needle. Over the weekend, Mexican authorities said they killed one of the world’s most prolific traffickers, Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes — better known as “El Mencho,” the longtime leader of the Jalisco New Generation cartel. His death should represent a major disruption to the market. And yet, cartels appear to defy one of economics’ most basic assumptions. DEATH TOLL RISES AFTER MEXICAN DRUG CARTEL LEADER KILLED IN US-BACKED OPERATION Basic economics holds that when supply is disrupted — especially in a risky black market — scarcity drives prices higher. Increased danger should mean higher premiums. And after decades of kingpin arrests, cartel crackdowns and military operations, the cumulative effect should be visible in the data. But drug prices remain remarkably stable. Part of the explanation, as Tom Wainwright argues in “Narconomics: How to Run a Drug Cartel,” is structural. Cartels do not function like fragile, personality-driven firms. They resemble decentralized corporations that are built to absorb shocks, replace leadership and protect distribution networks. Remove a boss and the enterprise keeps running. But resilience at the top is only part of the story. Cartels also exert extraordinary control over their supply chains, particularly over the farmers who grow coca, the raw ingredient used to make cocaine. “Under normal market conditions, coca farmers would be able to shop around and sell their leaves to the highest bidder. That would mean that in times of scarcity, coca buyers raised their bids, and the price of the leaf went up,” Wainwright explains. TOURISTS TRAPPED IN PUERTO VALLARTA RECOUNT CARTEL RETALIATION AFTER EL MENCHO KILLED In many coca-growing regions, prolonged violence has left a single trafficking group in control. “That group is the sole local buyer of coca leaf, so it dictates the price,” Wainwright said. That dominance allows traffickers to dictate prices and insulate themselves from rising costs. “Just as big retailers protect themselves and their customers from price rises by forcing suppliers to take the hit, cartels keep their own costs down at the expense of coca farmers.” The tight grip that cartels have on the supply chain, Wainright said, means that “any worsening in coca-growing conditions simply makes poor farmers even poorer, without doing much to cut the cartels’ profits or raise the price of cocaine for consumers.” Killing a kingpin can change the leadership chart, but it does not dismantle the supply chain that keeps the market stable.
Sen Adam Schiff says he’ll skip the State of the Union for the first time, slamming President Donald Trump
President Donald Trump is slated to deliver the State of the Union address on Tuesday night, but Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff of California said he will skip the speech for the first time. In a video posted on Saturday, Schiff accused the president of running afoul of the “law and Constitution.” “He is ignoring court orders. He has weaponized the Justice Department to go after his enemies. He is letting loose ICE troops in our streets that are getting people killed,” Schiff said. ADAM SCHIFF CONFRONTED ON POLLING SHOWING OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FOR REQUIRING PHOTO ID TO VOTE “I’ve never missed one. I have always gone both to inaugurations and to States of the Union. But we cannot treat this as normal. This is not business as usual. I will not give him the audience he craves for the lies that he tells,” Schiff said. In a statement provided to Fox News Digital, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said, “Every Democrat in Congress tried to pass a $4 trillion dollar tax hike and voted against the working and middle class tax cuts the American people are seeing right now in their refunds. Democrats all voted against securing the border and deporting criminal illegals. Democrats all voted against modernizing our military. The list goes on. It’s not a surprise that they refuse to celebrate and honor the Americans who have benefitted from the commonsense policies Republicans have governed with.” BILL MAHER CALLS FOR COMPLETE END TO STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS AHEAD OF TRUMP SPEECH The senator indicated he will instead participate in the People’s State of the Union event being held by MeidasTouch and MoveOn. Multiple Democratic lawmakers are planning to skip the president’s address and attend the left-wing event instead. ADAM SCHIFF MAKES ENDORSEMENT IN CALIFORNIA GUBERNATORIAL RACE CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Schiff joined in the Senate in late 2024, after serving in the House of Representatives since 2001.
Trump, Schumer find rare common ground on releasing UFO files
For two of Washington’s most diametrically opposed political figures, there is a newfound common ground: whether the truth is out there. President Donald Trump and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., have butted heads since the former came to Washington, D.C. But now both want to expose whether there is life beyond the stars. Their newfound unity on the subject conjoins a passion of Schumer’s and a moment of expedience for Trump. TRUMP DIRECTS RELEASE OF GOVERNMENT ALIEN AND UFO FILES TO MULTIPLE FEDERAL AGENCIES NATIONWIDE Trump, spurred by former President Barack Obama saying on a podcast that there was alien life — then walking it back shortly after — ordered Secretary of War Pete Hegseth late Thursday night to dump the government’s files on extraterrestrials. “Based on the tremendous interest shown, I will be directing the Secretary of War and other relevant Departments and Agencies to begin the process of identifying and releasing Government files related to alien and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), and unidentified flying objects (UFOs), and any and all other information connected to these highly complex, but extremely interesting and important, matters,” Trump said on Truth Social. The timeline for release of the documents and the breadth and scope of materials that could become public were unclear, but chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell told Fox News Digital in a statement, “The Department looks forward to working with the interagency to fulfill the President’s directive.” UFO TASK FORCE EYED AS LAWMAKER WARNS OF STRANGE OBJECTS IN SKIES AND WATERS DEFYING KNOWN TECHNOLOGY For Schumer, it’s a passion project years in the making. Seeking more transparency on UFOs and UAPs is a torch Schumer picked up from the late former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., a friend and mentor of the current top Senate Democrat. It’s also an issue he has prodded Trump to take up since last year. “Now do UFOs,” Schumer said in response to Trump ordering files related to the assassinations of former President John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. to be declassified. Reid gave the quest to unveil secrets surrounding UFOs and UAPs legitimacy in the late 2000s when he played a key role in funding the Pentagon’s Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program. That public program received millions to investigate unexplained phenomena. Several years later, Schumer picked up where his predecessor left off. His most recent push came in 2023, when he served as Senate majority leader under former President Joe Biden. DHS SHUTDOWN DRAGS INTO WEEK TWO AS IRAN THREAT, SOTU CLASH COMPLICATE HILL TALKS He and Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., introduced legislation modeled after the President John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection Act of 1992. That bill, meant to be an amendment to the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), would have created a review board at the National Archives and Records Administration to collect the government’s trove of documents on UFOs and UAPs and established a presumption of disclosure for the records, requiring the government to provide a compelling reason why they shouldn’t be released to the public. Ultimately, their original version did not pass muster, and a more watered-down iteration of the bill became law — an outcome Schumer blasted as an “outrage” at the time. “It means that declassification of UAP records will be largely up to the same entities that have blocked and obfuscated their disclosure for decades,” Schumer said.