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We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
The Masked Singer season 14 saw a dazzling victory as singer and actress Ashlee Simpson Ross claimed the crown as Galaxy Girl. Among the many memorable moments she experienced during the season, Ashlee has now shared which one stands out as her favorite. This season was particularly historic, as it featured Ashlee and her husband, actor and singer Evan Ross, as the first-ever married duo to compete against each other, taking on the personas of Galaxy Girl and Stingray, respectively.
As Galaxy Girl, Ashlee delivered several standout performances, captivating audiences with renditions of songs such as “Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl” by Chappell Roan on Premiere Night, “Just A Girl” by No Doubt on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Night, “Drive” by Incubus on Ozzfest Night, “Lights” by Ellie Goulding on Star Trek Night, “Misery Business” by Paramore during the Semi-Finals, and an electrifying finale featuring “Good 4 U” by Olivia Rodrigo and “Try” by P!nk. She concluded her journey on the show with a powerful performance of her own chart-topping hit, “Pieces of Me,” which was particularly poignant as her sister, singer Jessica Simpson, unmasked her.
Over the course of the season, the panelists gradually pieced together Ashlee’s identity. Guest panelist Kelly Osbourne was the first to correctly identify her during Ozzfest Night. By the finale, Jessica Simpson’s presence was a clear hint, leading all the panelists—Robin Thicke, Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg, Ken Jeong, and Rita Ora—to unanimously select Ashlee as their final guess. Jenny and Rita had already suspected it earlier in the competition.
Throughout The Masked Singer season 14, the panelists did eventually guess Ashlee’s identity correctly, beginning with guest panelist Kelly Osbourne on Ozzfest Night. During the finale, Jessica’s presence gave away Ashlee’s identity, and all of the panelists, including Robin Thicke, Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg, Ken Jeong, and Rita Ora, stated Ashlee for their final guesses, after Jenny and Rita had figured it out earlier.
The Masked Singer Season 14 Winner Ashlee Simpson’s Favorite Moment Was During The Finale
In a Masked Singer Instagram post, Ashlee shared that her favorite moment was during the finale when she sang “Try,” and ascended above the stage on a platform. Ashlee said, “The sets that they gave me were absolutely gorgeous. And getting to fly on my last song was probably my favorite moment. At first, I was scared. I was like, “Oh, wait. How am I gonna …?” And then I was like, “Let’s just do it!” Then I did it, and it felt so powerful and beautiful.”
Ashlee Revealed Why She Joined The Masked Singer Season 14
The Masked Singer Season 14 Contestant Galaxy Girl Promotional PhotoImage via FOX
Ashlee revealed that she joined The Masked Singer season 14 because she and her kids have always been big fans of the show. She said, “I love the show. I watch it with my kids, and it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. And I know they’re gonna be so excited when they get to see this season. It’s something very special that I get to share with them.”
As the Masked Singer season 14 winner, Ashlee joins the group of previous champions, including T-Pain (Monster, season 1); Wayne Brady (Fox, season 2); Kandi Burruss (Night Angel, season 3); LeAnn Rimes (Sun, season 4); Nick Lachey (Piglet, season 5); Jewel (Queen of Hearts, season 6); Teyana Taylor (Firefly, season 7); Amber Riley (Harp, season 8); Bishop Briggs (Medusa, season 9); Ne-Yo (Cow, season 10); Vanessa Hudgens (Goldfish, season 11); Boyz II Men (Buffalos, season 12); and Gretchen Wilson (Pearl, season 13).
As Galaxy Girl, Ashlee’s powerful vocals and spectacular stage presence were evident in every one of her performances. It was so much fun to put together the clues to figure out her identity. Ashlee truly deserved to win The Masked Singer season 14, and she’ll always be remembered for her out-of-this-world performances as Galaxy Girl.
Southwest Airlines has introduced new restrictions concerning portable chargers and power banks to minimize the danger of battery fires during flights.
Starting April 20, the airline will enforce a rule allowing passengers to carry only one portable lithium charger in their carry-on luggage. These power banks must not be stored away; instead, they should be kept in a bag under the seat or carried directly by the passenger, according to an internal communication from Dave Hunt, Southwest’s vice president of safety and security.
Additionally, passengers will no longer be allowed to use in-seat power outlets to charge their portable lithium batteries, as stated in the memo.
Despite this restriction, Southwest has announced plans to equip its entire fleet with power outlets by the middle of next year, likely reducing the need for passengers to bring their own chargers.
A Southwest Airlines plane pull into a gate at Pittsburgh International Airport in Imperial, Pa., Thursday, March 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported almost 100 incidents involving portable batteries leading to smoke, fire, or extreme heat on aircrafts last year.
Airlines like Lufthansa and countries including South Korea have already introduced restrictions on the use of power banks on flights, following incidents like a fire on an Air Busan plane in 2025.
Portable lithium power banks are currently not allowed in checked baggage, per FAA regulations. Southwest’s policy has also prohibited their use when not in plain sight, but the current policy is a little more lenient with the amount of power banks a traveler can bring on the plane (two), so long as all other requirements (proper packing, a limit on watt-hours) have been followed.
The new Southwest rule goes even further than the limit of two chargers per passenger that the International Civil Aviation Organization recommended last month. But the airline says it isn’t going to aggressively enforce the policy by searching bags and confiscating chargers. Instead, Hunt said the airline will inform travelers of the new policy when they book their flights and at the airport.
“Our approach reflects our Culture of Safety and Security in action: Proactively managing risk and caring for our Customers and People at every step,” Hunt wrote in the memo.
This change is one of several recent adjustments to Southwest Airlines’ policies.
The airline enacted a new assigned-seating policy in January, which replaced the carrier’s longstanding open-seating arrangement. The airline also plans to upgrade the majority of its aircrafts’ cabins with larger overhead bins, and will designate certain bins as reserved for use by those who purchased a more premium “Extra Legroom” option.
The airline encountered turbulence on social media for a change in policy impacting plus-size passengers, as well. Previously, plus-size passengers were not required to purchase a second seat in advance, though it was recommended. (Additional seats for larger customers are provided free of charge “if space is available on the flight,” according to Southwest.) Refunds could be obtained after travel. But under the new policy, customers must buy an extra seat and “pay any applicable seat fee” before boarding. Refunds can be obtained later, but only if: both seats were in the same fare class; the refund request is made within 90 days; and the plane would have taken off with “at least one” extra open seat, according to Southwest.
The Strait of Hormuz carries around one-fifth of the world’s seaborne oil in addition to fertiliser, helium, and other essentials.
The shipping channel has been effectively shut to most international trade since US-Israel strikes on Iran began on 28 February.
The Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime passage, typically witnesses the transit of over a hundred cargo ships daily. These vessels transport vital commodities such as oil and fertilizer from the Middle East to various global destinations.
However, traffic through this strategic channel has significantly dwindled to just a handful of ships each day, despite the ceasefire agreement reached between the United States and Iran on Wednesday. The slowdown persists, highlighting the ongoing tensions in the region.
Currently, hundreds of ships are anchored at both ends of the strait, with approximately 20,000 seafarers facing uncertainty as they remain stranded due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, now entering its second month.
Although direct peace talks between the US and Iran are scheduled to occur in Pakistan on Friday, maritime trade continues to suffer. The shaky nature of the ceasefire contributes to the slow recovery of shipping activities in the area.
On Wednesday, Iran declared that it would reopen the crucial shipping lane, which has been under military blockade since February 28, contingent upon coordination with its armed forces. This announcement marks a potential shift, but the situation remains delicate.
Ship tracking data taken from 9 April to 10 April shows few ships making the currently perilous crossing. Some 20 to 30 vessels have been targeted in the past month in the region. Credit: Courtesy of Maritime Traffic / Reuters / SBS
In the first 24 hours after that announcement, just seven vessels appeared to transit across the contested waterway.
Six of those were bulk cargo vessels; three of them were apparently Chinese-owned, and three of them appeared to be Greek.
“Iran has made clear — through both its statements and actions — that passage is subject to permission, conditions and political leverage. That is not freedom of navigation. That is coercion,” Sultan Al Jaber, CEO of the United Arab Emirates’ state-owned oil company, said on Thursday.
He noted that the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company had 230 ships loaded with fuel, ready to sail, that effectively remain grounded.
With Iran having demonstrated its unassailable ability to shut off traffic, questions remain over when exactly the Strait of Hormuz opens, for whom, and in what capacity.
Is the Strait of Hormuz open?
Last month, US defence secretary Pete Hegseth said that the Strait of Hormuz was, and always had been, open.
“The only thing prohibiting transit in the strait right now is Iran shooting at shipping,” Hegseth told reporters at a Pentagon briefing. “It is open for transit should Iran not do that.”
While technically accurate, Hegseth’s statement does emphasise that the definition of “open” is not entirely straightforward.
Credit: SBS
Ships have continued to pass through the strait since it was closed by Iran, but traffic is a fraction of what it once was.
While ships are not being physically blocked, they are being deterred from passing through. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have attacked 20 to 30 commercial vessels since 28 February.
Most of those that have made it across have been Chinese-flagged vessels, as the country continues to purchase oil from Iran and the ceasefire arrangement appears to have changed little.
“There were far fewer tankers going through the Strait of Hormuz yesterday, after the ceasefire was signed, then the day before, when there was active war in the region,” Jessie Moritz, lecturer at ANU’s Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies, told SBS News. “The ceasefire is very fragile at the moment.”
Iran uses a so-called “mosaic defence” structure through which semi-autonomous regions can operate militarily without coordination with each other. As such, the country has continued to fire missiles at Israel and other neighbouring countries throughout the “ceasefire”.
Israel, meanwhile, launched a devastating wave of attacks across Lebanon shortly after the ceasefire declaration. Hundreds of people were killed as Israel struck dozens of sites across Beirut, the Bekaa valley, and the south of the country.
Israel has said that Lebanon is not part of the ceasefire arrangement — something that the US has echoed — contradicting statements by mediators Pakistan as well as Iran, who “re-shut” the Strait of Hormuz in response.
“The immediate effect of the ceasefire has been confusion over who controls the Strait,” Moritz said. “Iran will claim that they are opening the strait, and that is part of their ceasefire terms, but what is their definition of open? The reality is that Iran has very little incentive to compromise.”
A new toll lane?
All of the ships that went through the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday passed through the new “toll route” travel lane established by Iran in order to attempt to charge US$2 million ($2.8 million) per vessel.
The attempted imposition of a toll has infuriated US President Donald Trump, who warned in a post on his Truth Social platform that such revenue-raising would not be accepted.
“There are reports that Iran is charging fees to tankers going through the Hormuz Strait — They better not be and, if they are, they better stop now!” Trump said on Friday.
Iran’s reported plan for the future of Hormuz has also been rejected by a coalition of 40 countries, led by the United Kingdom, which is trying to return trade to normal through the strait.
“The fundamental freedoms of the seas must not be unilaterally withdrawn or sold off to individual bidders,” UK foreign secretary Yvette Cooper said in a speech in London overnight. “Nor can there be any place for tolls on an international waterway.”
“It’s going to be difficult to get [Iran] to back off of that idea. Very difficult,” Moritz said. “They have every incentive and every reason to try to maintain this and to make it the new status quo.”
How long could Iran keep the Strait of Hormuz shut?
Trump and members of his cabinet have called on other nations to help open the strait, but Iran has demonstrated that even the largest military in the world can’t force it to release its grip on the waterway.
“This is a regime that thrives on chaos and, as part of its strategy, they use the deaths of innocent civilians in Iran to justify their regime,” Moritz said. “The more of a hammering Iranian civilians get, it empowers the regime, to an extent.
“I’m not saying that Iran has come out well of this war, because the Iranian people are having an absolutely horrific time, but the regime has a strategic advantage.”
Whilst American objectives in the conflict have been ill-defined, key sticking points around sanctions, Iran’s nuclear enrichment capabilities, and its military support for regional proxies like Hezbollah and Hamas remain.
There are several global trade choke points around the world. Credit: SBS
“The conditions that led to this conflict have not changed fundamentally,” Moritz said. “What we’ll see over the next 48 hours is this balance between how much Iran is willing to give up in order to reduce the bombings in Lebanon, and how much the US is willing to give up in order to open more trade through the Strait of Hormuz.
“The most likely outcome, in my view at the moment, is that we’re going to see several months of contestation over the Strait of Hormuz and a very gradual reopening rather than a sudden shift.”
Economists have long cautioned that the domestic impacts of the conflict are likely to be delayed for some time and could potential remain with us for months if not longer when they do arrive in earnest. The longer trade is strangled off the Iranian coastline, the heavier the financial storm that Australians will have to endure.
Still, Mortiz argues that Iran will not be able to maintain its position forever. At some point, it will need to cash in its most powerful bargaining chip, not least of all because of the damage the current situation is doing to its relationship with China.
“In the long term, this hurts everyone, including the Iranian regime,” she said, noting that US-imposed sanctions on the country have given rise to the waves of protests seen within the country in recent years, which are slowly eroding its power and support.
“The Iranian regime is not fully immune to all forms of pressure,” she said, adding that diplomacy may be the more effective strategy.
America’s fertility rate has reached a new historic low, continuing its descent for the third year in a row, according to official reports. This pattern, highlighted by recent statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), indicates a significant and ongoing shift in the nation’s demographic trends.
The CDC’s provisional data reveals that in 2025, the general fertility rate declined to 53.1 births per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44. This is a slight decrease from the previous year’s rate of 53.8, marking a one percent drop within a year. More strikingly, it represents a 23 percent decrease from the peak fertility rate recorded in 2007, which stood at 69.3.
In terms of actual births, the numbers reflect this downward trend. Approximately 3.6 million babies were born last year, a one percent decline from 2024. This is also a noticeable fall of 16 percent from the 4.3 million births reported back in 2007.
Experts have remarked on the significance of these figures, describing them as indicative of broader societal changes. They suggest that an increasing number of women are choosing to delay starting families, a trend that is reshaping the nation’s demographic landscape.
Experts told Daily Mail that the new data told a ‘striking story’, and showed that more women were waiting longer to start having families.
America’s fertility rate has been in decline since 2007. Experts initially blamed the Great Recession of 2008, saying economic uncertainty led many to put off having children.
But even as the economy initially rebounded, the decline continued.
Experts say continued economic and financial instability, as well as an increased focus on schooling and career have led people to delay having children, have fewer children or not have children at all.
In the CDC’s release, the provisional data suggested that the fertility rate’s decline was driven by a drop in the number of teenage pregnancies. It also showed that more women are having children later.
Among those aged 15 to 19 years, births dropped seven percent in 2025 to 11.7 per 1,000 women in the age group. Among those aged 18 to 19 years, they fell 11 percent to 21.9.
Among women aged 20 to 24, births dipped six percent to 52.5.
Women aged 25 to 29 experienced the fourth-largest drop, four percent, to 85.6 births.
But for those aged 30 to 34 years, who had the highest fertility rate overall, births ticked up three percent to 96.2 births per 1,000 women in that age group.
Among 35- to 39-year-olds, they rose two percent to 55.1.
There was also a record-high fertility rate among women aged 40 to 44 – 12.8 births per 1,000 women, up one percent from 2024.
For 45- to 49-year-olds, births remained at their record high for the age group of 1.1.
Dr Elizabeth Cherot, the chief medical officer at Unified Women’s Healthcare, told Daily Mail: ‘This week’s CDC data tells a striking story.
‘There were roughly 710,000 fewer babies born in the US last year compared with the peak in 2007, a decline in the general fertility rate in less than two decades. That’s a fundamental shift in how Americans are thinking about family.’
Provisional CDC data shows that Americans are having fewer children (stock image)
She added: ‘The broader fertility decline is complex.
‘Women aren’t having fewer children in a vacuum. They’re making deeply personal decisions shaped by economic pressures, career considerations and questions about the kind of support they’ll have if they do choose to start a family.’
The CDC has yet to release its total fertility rate estimate for 2025, or the number of children per woman.
For a population to remain stable, this should be at 2.1 children per woman.
In 2024, it was 1.6 children per woman. It has been below the replacement threshold since 2007.
Polling in recent years has indicated that the proportion of adults who say they never want to have children has grown, while many couples plan to have fewer children than in previous generations.
A Pew Research Center study published last year found that, on average, men and women aged 20 to 39 years planned to have 1.8 children. In 2012, the figure was 2.3.
Overall, about three-quarters of men and women said that they planned to have at least one child.
That was down from about 90 percent in 2012.
Political leaders are warning of dire consequences if the population decline continues.
The White House proposed offering a $5,000 ‘baby bonus’ to every US mother after she gives birth and President Donald Trump has worked to make the fertility treatment in vitro fertilization more affordable to make it accessible to people who want to have children.
Elon Musk – who has 14 children with four different women – called the decline ‘the biggest threat to civilization’ and has warned it ‘will lead to mass extinction of entire nations.’
Vice President JD Vance has also claimed that ‘our people aren’t having enough children to replace themselves.
Today marks the debut of a thrilling new shark movie on Netflix titled Thrash. Fans of the cult-hit Sharknado series will likely find this latest addition to the shark movie genre irresistible.
Directed and penned by Norwegian filmmaker Tommy Wirkola, Thrash is a survival thriller that combines elements of suspense and humor. Set in South Carolina, the film centers on a group of residents who fail to evacuate as a severe Category Five hurricane approaches. As the storm intensifies, the levees give way, flooding the town and leaving destruction in its wake. To complicate matters further, the floodwaters are swarming with ferocious sharks on the hunt. While Thrash may not reach the campy heights of the Sharknado films or match the craftsmanship of Alexandre Aja’s 2019 thriller Crawl, it still offers plenty of CGI shark action to keep viewers entertained.
The film boasts a commendable cast featuring Phoebe Dynevor, Whitney Peak, Alyla Browne, and Djimon Hounsou. Although the plot of Thrash might not demand close attention, it provides enough thrills and spills to keep an audience engaged. For those who might find themselves a bit lost in the narrative, Decider offers a comprehensive breakdown of the 2026 plot and ending.
Photo: Netflix
Thrash 2026 movie plot summary:
The storyline unfolds in the town of Annieville, South Carolina, focusing on residents who choose to stay despite the impending storm. Among them is Dakota (played by Whitney Peak), a reclusive teenager grappling with the loss of her mother. Her fear of leaving her home is palpable. Her uncle, Dale (played by Djimon Hounsou), is a marine biologist who studies sharks and assures Dakota he’ll come for her. Dale’s expertise leads to a startling discovery as he and his colleagues observe sharks moving inland, seeking refuge from the storm.
Meanwhile, Lisa (portrayed by Phoebe Dynevor) faces her own challenges. Nine months pregnant and recently abandoned by her child’s father, she is summoned to her meatpacking job just as the hurricane hits. Trapped by the closed interstate, Lisa’s attempts to escape are thwarted, leaving her to face the storm’s fury.
Finally, Dee (Alyla Browne), Ron (Stacy Clausen), and Will (Dante Ubaldi) are siblings living with their foster parents, Mrs. and Mr. Olsen. Mr. Olsen refuses to evacuate, insisting it’s just a bit of rain.
Spoil alert: It’s not just a bit of rain. The hurricane makes landfall, and almost immediately, the levees protecting the town break. The entire town is flooded and under water within minutes. Lisa’s car is swept up in a wave of water, and punctured by a fallen tree, trapping her inside, just outside of Dakota’s house. To make matters worse, her co-worker’s meat packing truck is punctured, spilling delicious animal blood into the water. Yum yum!
It doesn’t take long for the sharks to show up. Dakota watches from her upstairs window with horror as the sharks tear apart two guys who try to rescue Lisa from the car. They don’t make it. Lisa is alone, and trapped… unless Dakota decides to help her.
Meanwhile, Mr. Olson is quickly proven wrong when his so-called reinforced windows break and the house begins rapidly flooding. His foster son reminds him that their truck has a vehicle snorkel on it, which should prevent water from flooding the engine, and allow them to escape by driving. Mr. and Mrs. Olson instruct the kids to stay inside while they go get the vehicle. But in the garage, the Olsons are attacked by sharks.
The kids witness the attack and know they are on their own. Unfortunately, sharks swim into the house before they can close the door. With the water rising, they know they can’t stay camped out on the kitchen table. They come with a plan to venture into the basement (please don’t go into your basement during a flood!) to retrieve steaks, in order to “distract” the sharks. Because everyone knows sharks love frozen steak!
Across town, Dakota successfully frees Lisa from her car, and brings her back to the safety of her room. But it won’t stay safe for long. The water is still rising. And, oops, now Lisa’s baby is coming. The girls decide they need to retrieve the boat left by Lisa’s would-be rescuers. Since Lisa is actively giving birth, it’s up to Dakota to retrieve the boat. She comes up with a plan to distract the sharks with vibrations, which her uncle told her attracts sharks because they think it’s injured fish. So Dakota throws a vibrating toothbrush in a plastic bag into the water to serve as a decoy, while she retrieves the boat.
Mr. Olson reappears, gravely injured, demanding the kids sacrifice themselves to go get help. But they refuse, and instead, Mr. Olson serves as the distraction to the sharks that Ron needs to get to the basement to retrieve the steaks (you know, the thing they want to distract the sharks… again). Lucky for Ron, he also grabs a random box from the basement, which just happens to contain dynamite. What kind of foster home was Mr. Olson running?
The kids come up with a new plan to duct tape the steaks to the dynamite, light it, and blow up the sharks that eat the steak. How the hell will the dynamite stay lit in the water? Don’t think about it too hard.
Photo: Netflix
Thrash 2026 movie ending explained:
Lisa gives birth to a baby boy while Dakota’s house collapses around her. The floor and roof fall apart just as she’s giving her big push, and she plummets into the water. Somehow, though, she gives birth and the baby is fine. I guess her mom got that water birth after all. But now, Lisa is stranded in shark-infested waters with a newborn.
Luckily, Dakota has retrieved the boat and is on her way over. After fending off one of the sharks with a harpoon gun, Dakota tries to pull Lisa and the baby to safety. Unfortunately, her boat capsizes. Fortunately, Uncle Dale pulls up in his rescue boat. He throws an electromagnetic shark deterrent into the water, scaring away all the bull sharks but one. That least bull shark is coming for the girls… but is eaten by the great white shark Dale had been tracking, before it gets to the humans. The great white swims away. Dale rescues his niece, Lisa, and her newborn baby. Everyone is totally fine!
Meanwhile, the foster kids need to lure the sharks to them if they want their dynamite-in-steak plan to work. The youngest has heard about the vibrations thing on shark week, so the kids jump into the water and thrash about. For some reason, the sharks opt to go for the steak over the fresh, wriggly kids in the water. Also for some reason, the fuse on the dynamite was not extinguished by the water. The shark eats the dynamite-steak, and blows to pieces. It worked! The kids get to the garage and escape in the snorkel vehicle.
The storm is over, and all’s well that ends well. But in the very last scene of the movie, one of the workers at the storm tracking headquarter sees an even bigger hurricane coming for the east coast on the radar. “Oh f–k me,” he says, and the movie ends. Get it? It’s funny because we will continue to get destructive, bigger, unprecedented storms with alarming frequency, thanks to climate change.
WASHINGTON (AP) — On Friday, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser introduced her final budget proposal before leaving office later this year. The $21.2 billion gross operating budget is expected to ignite debates both in the District Council and on Capitol Hill, where Republicans have increasingly expressed interest in influencing local governance.
The budget proposal prioritizes funding for education and healthcare, yet it also suggests cuts in several areas. Notably, it reduces $127 million allocated for upcoming collective bargaining agreements and pay raises for non-union city employees.
One significant aspect of the budget is the reduction in the general funds budget, which is set at $12.7 billion—a 3.3% decrease from the 2026 projection. These general funds are crucial for financing city services. Mayor Bowser attributed these cuts to diminished revenues resulting from federal workforce downsizing and rising costs, including increased Medicaid expenses and higher administrative costs for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) due to recent federal law changes that shifted more financial responsibility to states.
Addressing the Council, Bowser asserted that the city remains financially stable and outlined what she describes as the three phases of her administration: the growth era, the COVID-economic period, and the post-COVID phase.
“We are adapting to the changes the DOGE has made to our workforce and commercial areas,” she explained, referencing the previous administration’s efforts to reduce federal government size. She noted that the rising expenses and reduced revenues have resulted in a projected budget shortfall that needs to be addressed.
“I think we all have to be clear headed about where we are and what it will take to keep growing,” said Bowser, who has served as mayor since 2015 and has announced she will not be running for reelection this year.
Members of the council questioned Bowser and members of her staff on proposed targets, including taking aim at programs intended to help defray the cost of child care in a city where a family pays on average more than $25,000 a year for infant care, according to the advocacy group Child Care Aware of America. It would cap the District’s child care subsidy program, which helps the city’s poorest families afford care, at 6,000 children. Families currently receiving the subsidies would continue to receive them. And it would eliminate a program that supplemented the wages of child care providers, a measure passed during the pandemic to help attract and retain workers to a field with historically low wages.
Council Chairman Phil Mendelson said the council would likely vote on the budget in June.
Washington’s budget has been complicated in the last two years, including in 2025 when the House passed a federal government funding bill that would force the district’s government to revert to its 2024 budget parameters, effectively cutting $1.1 billion from its previously balanced budget midway through the financial year.
The remaking of the federal workforce by the Department of Government Efficiency heavily impacted the Washington region. Terry Clower, director of the Center for Regional Analysis at George Mason University estimated more than 50,000 jobs were lost in the region. Clover said those job losses would be more than lost salaries and income taxes for the workers, also hitting businesses that support those workers, meaning additional lost revenue for localities.
The D.C. Office of Revenue Analysis estimated that Washington had a net loss of 22,000 federal jobs at a combined annual pay of more than $3 billion.
City Administrator Kevin Donahue said said one area where revenue was hit was the impact of the reductions in the federal workforce, primarily by the Department of Government Efficiency, that cost about $325 million in lost revenue from job cuts and the accompanying consumer spending. Those losses will be even higher in the 2027 fiscal year.
(KTLA) – In a move to enhance in-flight safety, Southwest Airlines has introduced restrictions on portable chargers and power banks to mitigate the risk of battery fires during flights.
Starting April 20, travelers will be restricted to carrying just one portable lithium charger in their carry-on luggage. These power banks cannot be stored in overhead bins but must be kept either in an under-seat bag or directly with the passenger, as outlined in an internal communication from Dave Hunt, Southwest’s vice president of safety and security.
The memo further specifies that passengers are not allowed to use in-seat power outlets to recharge their portable lithium batteries.
Despite these new restrictions, Southwest announced that by mid-next year, all its aircraft will be equipped with in-seat power outlets, potentially diminishing the necessity for passengers to bring personal chargers.
A Southwest Airlines plane pull into a gate at Pittsburgh International Airport in Imperial, Pa., Thursday, March 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, last year witnessed nearly 100 incidents involving portable batteries that resulted in smoke, fire, or intense heat onboard aircraft.
Airlines like Lufthansa and countries including South Korea have already introduced restrictions on the use of power banks on flights, following incidents like a fire on an Air Busan plane in 2025.
Portable lithium power banks are currently not allowed in checked baggage, per FAA regulations. Southwest’s policy has also prohibited their use when not in plain sight, but the current policy is a little more lenient with the amount of power banks a traveler can bring on the plane (two), so long as all other requirements (proper packing, a limit on watt-hours) have been followed.
The new Southwest rule goes even further than the limit of two chargers per passenger that the International Civil Aviation Organization recommended last month. But the airline says it isn’t going to aggressively enforce the policy by searching bags and confiscating chargers. Instead, Hunt said the airline will inform travelers of the new policy when they book their flights and at the airport.
“Our approach reflects our Culture of Safety and Security in action: Proactively managing risk and caring for our Customers and People at every step,” Hunt wrote in the memo.
This change is one of several recent adjustments to Southwest Airlines’ policies.
The airline enacted a new assigned-seating policy in January, which replaced the carrier’s longstanding open-seating arrangement. The airline also plans to upgrade the majority of its aircrafts’ cabins with larger overhead bins, and will designate certain bins as reserved for use by those who purchased a more premium “Extra Legroom” option.
The airline encountered turbulence on social media for a change in policy impacting plus-size passengers, as well. Previously, plus-size passengers were not required to purchase a second seat in advance, though it was recommended. (Additional seats for larger customers are provided free of charge “if space is available on the flight,” according to Southwest.) Refunds could be obtained after travel. But under the new policy, customers must buy an extra seat and “pay any applicable seat fee” before boarding. Refunds can be obtained later, but only if: both seats were in the same fare class; the refund request is made within 90 days; and the plane would have taken off with “at least one” extra open seat, according to Southwest.
Brian and Lynette Hooker are captured sitting on a dinghy in the water in this undated photograph.(Courtesy of Brian Hooker/Facebook)
SEA MYSTERY: Police have posed several questions to the husband of an American boater who vanished in the Bahamas, according to the couple’s attorney.
MINDHUNTERS: The individual responsible for the Gilgo Beach murders has been added to a notorious group of serial killers, as the FBI delves into his disturbing psyche.
EVIDENCE TRAIL: A Hawaiian doctor has learned his fate after prosecutors alleged that jealousy led him to assault his wife during a hike on a cliffside.
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Inset, left to right: Crystal Garcia and Anfernee Watts (Broward Main Jail). Background: The area in Florida where Garcia allegedly killed her infant son (Google Maps).
A young mother in Florida, aged 21, is accused of causing the tragic death of her 3-week-old son. Allegations suggest she strapped the child into a car seat, left him in a bathtub, and played loud music, ignoring his cries for hours.
Court documents reveal that Crystal Garcia faces severe charges, including aggravated manslaughter of a child, neglect, evidence tampering, failing to report the death, and lying to authorities in connection to her infant’s demise.
The baby’s father, 25-year-old Anfernee Watts, is similarly charged with these offenses and an additional count of obstructing a criminal inquiry. More details can be found here.
On August 1, 2025, around 1:44 p.m., the Hollywood Police Department and Hollywood Fire Rescue responded to a home on the 6000 block of Thomas Street after receiving a distress call about an unresponsive baby. Upon arrival, authorities found the infant in a small playpen within a private room. Sadly, he was declared dead by 1:50 p.m.
Investigators noted the infant was lying face-up with his mouth open and traces of white foam inside, as per the affidavit. The baby had cracked lips with dried blood and was still in a soiled diaper. Additionally, a strong bleach odor emanated from the bathroom. The window there was open, and the presence of cleaning supplies like a mop, broom, wipes, and a cleaning solution indicated recent use.
A car seat was found next to the playpen, and an Amazon Alexa device was located inside the bathroom.
Watts initially told officers he left the home around 5:30 a.m. for a job interview in Miami after he and Garcia fed the baby, changed his diaper, and placed him in the playpen wrapped in a blanket. He claimed Garcia later called him about the situation, but investigators determined the couple shared a cellphone, which remained inside the home.
In a separate interview, Garcia told officers she fed the baby and went back to sleep before waking around 10 a.m. She said she noticed the baby was not making noise and realized something was wrong after opening one of his eyes.
“You know when you see someone when they passed, like it was like that,” she told officers, per the affidavit.
Garcia admitted she did not call 911 or attempt CPR, instead waiting for Watts to return home. She said she began cleaning the room and did not tell her mother because she did not want to “stress her out.”
As the investigation progressed, detectives said they uncovered multiple inconsistencies in the couple’s accounts.
Watts claimed his job interview lasted about 10 minutes, but investigators determined no such interview took place. He also admitted to disposing of baby bottles and other items from the home and said he knocked over a jar of bleach and cleaned it up with wipes while Garcia was calling 911.
Surveillance footage from a Ring camera across the street showed Garcia outside the home roughly 30 minutes before calling 911, carrying a large white garbage bag and what appeared to be a mop or broom and placing them in a trash bin.
Family members told investigators the baby had been healthy just days earlier, including during a doctor’s visit on July 28, 2025.
Garcia later provided several different versions of events before ultimately admitting to a more detailed account, according to the affidavit.
“She placed the baby’s gray pacifier in his mouth, wrapped him in the blanket tightly, securing the pacifier in his mouth to prevent him from spitting it out and strapped him into the car seat,” the affidavit said. “She then entered the bathroom and placed the car seat with the baby in it, inside of the bathtub.”
Garcia told investigators she then played lullabies on the Alexa device, closed the bathroom door, and went back to sleep.
“Despite hearing the baby cry, she willfully ignored his distress and failed to check on him for several hours,” the affidavit states. “Upon later observing that the baby was unresponsive and appeared deceased, she failed to immediately seek medical assistance and instead participated in staging the scene to mislead law enforcement.”
Detectives said Garcia eventually admitted she was “scared of going to jail,” and that she and Watts fabricated a story to tell police, placing the baby back in the playpen to make it appear he had died in his sleep.
Garcia also allegedly called the department and left a voicemail saying she had “lied” about her son’s death, clarifying that she “smothered the baby.”
“My investigation into this incident revealed that Crystal Garcia and Anfernee Watts provided multiple false and inconsistent statements to law enforcement in an attempt to conceal the true circumstances surrounding the death of their 3-week-old child,” a detective wrote. “Both he and Crystal Garcia admitted to fabricating a story to present to law enforcement … in an effort to make it appear as though the baby died in his sleep.”
The Broward County Medical Examiner’s Office later determined the baby’s cause of death was suffocation and ruled the manner of death a homicide.
Both defendants are being held in the Broward Main Jail without bond. It was not immediately clear when they were scheduled to return to court.
Robyn Dixon is making a triumphant return to The Real Housewives of Potomac, marking her comeback two years after announcing her departure from the series.
On Friday, April 10, Bravo unveiled the lineup for the eleventh season, confirming the return of Karen Huger to full-time status following her six-month incarceration due to a DUI. Joining her are regulars Gizelle Bryant, Ashley Darby, Wendy Osefo, Stacey Rusch, and Tia Glover.
After being absent for two seasons, Robyn, now 47, is rejoining the show in a part-time capacity as a “friend” of the Housewives. This announcement comes almost exactly two years after she disclosed that Bravo had decided not to renew her contract following the conclusion of season 8.
“I will not be part of season 9 of The Real Housewives of Potomac,” Robyn stated on her “Reasonably Shady” podcast episode dated April 15, 2024. “The network chose not to bring me back. Essentially, I was let go.”
Meanwhile, the show’s cast members, including Angel Massie and Keiarna Stewart, are still processing the surprising arrest of their fellow castmate, Dr. Wendy Osefo. “It’s shocking when a colleague faces such circumstances,” Angel confided exclusively to Us Weekly during BravoCon 2025 on Friday, November 14. “I never take pleasure in someone else’s hardship. [I’m…]
She added, “I hope that I inspired you, the viewers, the fans, to live your life, you know, authentically, not feel pressure to change for anyone or for society or to impress people and just to be yourself. It’s been such a fun, amazing, stressful, crazy, wild journey the past eight years.”
Robyn’s RHOP return comes amid a major cast overhaul for the franchise. Season 10 newbie Angel Massie spoke out in February to deny that she’d quit The Real Housewives of Potomac, though she admitted she’d yet to sign up for season 11 either.
Fellow cherry blossom–holder Keiarna Stewart seemingly signaled her departure from the show earlier this week with a cryptic Instagram statement.
“This chapter? Closed with intention,” Keiarna posted on Thursday, April 9. “The next one? Bigger, better, and produced by me. No noise. Just elevation. Big business only.”
Robyn Dixon and Gizelle Bryant in 2023.David Becker/Bravo
Bravo’s season 11 casting announcement did not include Monique Samuels, who returned in season 10 as a “friend” after previously serving as a cast member from seasons 2 through 5.
Hours before Bravo’s RHOP cast announcement, Monique, 42, posted the following quote via Instagram, “I trust myself to create, receive and sustain everything I desire.”
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Fans can expect The Real Housewives of Potomac to delve into Wendy, 41, and her husband Eddie Osefo’s 2025 arrest on charges of insurance fraud, conspiracy insurance fraud and giving a false statement to a police officer. Us Weekly obtained court documents revealing that an initial investigation into an alleged robbery at the Osefos’ home eventually turned into a fraud case against them. (Us confirmed in March that the Osefos will be tried separately in their fraud case. Neither has entered a plea.)
Dr. Wendy Osefo and husband Eddie Osefo’s legal troubles appear to be the talk of Potomac. On October 9, The Real Housewives of Potomac stars made headlines when they were arrested for fraud. According to court documents obtained by Us Weekly, a grand jury indicted both Wendy and Eddie for insurance fraud, conspiracy to commit […]
Wendy broke her silence about her legal trouble at BravoCon 2025, telling fans last November, “It’s an unfortunate situation and right now I can’t say too much. But I will say, when the time is right, I will share my story with everyone. For now, they are just allegations so we will continue to push forward.”
The Real Housewives of Potomac airs on Bravo. Old episodes can be streamed on Peacock.
