“This plan was developed and negotiated by my team and will largely be implemented by the incoming administration,” Biden said. By HANNAH SARISOHN JANUARY 16, 2025 03:44 US President Joe Biden delivers his farewell address to the nation from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on January 15, 2025. (photo credit: MANDEL NGAN/POOL VIA REUTERS) President Biden began his farewell address on Wednesday night by taking credit for his administration’s “nonstop negotiations” over the past eight months that led to the ceasefire and hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas. As of Wednesday morning, it was uncertain that Biden would be able to speak of the finalized deal from behind the Resolute desk in his final address to the nation. “This plan was developed and negotiated by
Author Archives: The Esbec Team
Jan
South Korea’s impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol faced renewed questioning on Thursday, a day after his dramatic arrest over a failed martial law declaration, but his lawyers said he would not take part. The Constitutional Court was also to hold its second hearing in a trial that will decide whether to uphold Yoon’s impeachment, after the dawn raid that made him the country’s first-ever sitting president to be detained. The former star prosecutor – facing charges of insurrection – was questioned for hours on Wednesday but exercised his right to remain silent before being moved to a detention centre. Investigators from the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) were to resume Yoon’s questioning on Thursday at 2pm local time, but his lawyer said he could not for health reasons, the Yonhap news agency
![Pam Bondi, President-elect Donald Trump's choice for attorney general, appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee on January 15 [Ben Curtis/AP Photo]](https://esbecgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Key-takeaways-as-Trump-nominees-face-US-Senate-confirmation-hearings.jpg)
For a second day in a row, the United States Senate has weighed nominees for key positions in President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet, grilling candidates on their backgrounds and qualifications. Wednesday was a busy day for the Senate, as it held hearings for six Trump nominees, including heavy-hitters like Senator Marco Rubio — his pick to be secretary of state — and Pam Bondi, tapped for the attorney general’s seat. The hearings come as Republican leaders in Congress hope to give Trump a strong start to his second term, which begins on Monday. High-level cabinet positions need Senate approval, and Republicans hold 53 seats to the Democrats’ 45. Still, controversial nominees will need every vote possible to succeed in their appointment. Wednesday’s hearings, for instance, were preceded by fiery proceedings a day
Jan
Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) start-up MiniMax has launched a new series of open-source models, intensifying the competition among mainland technology firms to deliver cost-effective AI systems that can rival top offerings from US competitors. The Shanghai-based company on Tuesday unveiled the MiniMax-01 large language model (LLM) family, which includes a general-purpose foundational model, the MiniMax-Text-01, and the multimodal MiniMax-VL-01 with visual capabilities. LLMs are the tech that powers text-generating AI products such as ChatGPT . In benchmark tests that MiniMax posted to its official WeChat account, the new foundational language model was shown to be on par with the world’s leading AI models in evaluations that included maths problem solving, domain knowledge, the ability to follow instructions, and avoiding hallucinations or factual errors. MiniMax’s release of an industry-leading AI system
Jan
Arsenal came from behind to beat Tottenham 2-1 and reignite their Premier League title challenge on Wednesday as Alexander Isak fired Newcastle into the top four. Elsewhere, David Moyes endured a miserable return to the Everton dugout, watching his toothless side lose 1-0 to Aston Villa at Goodison Park. Arsenal’s victory at the Emirates lifts […] The post Arsenal reignite Premier League title hopes as Isak stars again appeared first on The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News.
Jan
EVs with a heat pump retain 83% of their real-world range in freezing temperatures on average. Meanwhile, EVs without a heat pump lose roughly 25% of their real-world range on average. Having a heat pump isn’t everything, though; some EVs without one can still deliver over 80% of their real-world range in the cold. No matter what type of car you drive, cold weather means the fuel efficiency will go down. In the case of combustion cars, the fuel consumption will go up because cold air is denser than warm air, and because the fluids are colder, which leads to increased friction. In the case of electric vehicles, more heat is needed to warm the cabin–and because EVs are much more efficient than ICE cars, there’s little to no waste
Jan
In an era where digital technology interweaves seamlessly with daily life, understanding and maintaining mental health has become increasingly complex. Our constant connectivity, while offering unprecedented opportunities for communication and growth, also presents unique challenges to our psychological wellbeing. A groundbreaking study in the Journal of Clinical Psychology reveals that the integration of digital technology into daily […]
Jan
President Joe Biden on Wednesday will give his last Oval Office address as he prepares to hand over power to President-elect Donald Trump and exit politics after a decadeslong career. Biden is delivering his farewell address to the nation in prime time. He is set to begin at 8 p.m. ET. Biden is leaving the White House after four years with a complex legacy bookended by Trump’s historic return to Washington. The speech comes just five days before Trump’s inauguration. Biden will be in attendance as his successor is sworn in, resuming a tradition of American democracy that Trump himself sidestepped in 2021. In a letter released Wednesday morning, Biden reflected on where his administration started in the shadows of COVID and the Jan. 6 attack by a pro-Trump mob
Jan
BBC The area in Gaza which Israel’s military has told people to go to “for their safety” has been hit by 97 strikes since May, BBC Verify analysis has revealed. The findings come as negotiations for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas appear to be nearing a breakthrough. Mediators in Qatar say talks are in their final stages, raising hopes that an agreement could be reached soon. The “humanitarian zone” was first established by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in October 2023 to protect civilians and keep them out of harms way. On 6 May 2024, the IDF significantly expanded the zone to include the cities of Khan Younis and Deir al-Balah. The area – much of which is a strip of land along the Mediterranean sea – is densely
Jan
If you are betting on the California wildfires, I don’t know what to tell you. Go outside (if it’s safe). Do some reflecting. Call a gambling-addiction hotline, probably. Though I suppose the impulse to wager on destruction isn’t all bettors’ fault — gambling companies have people right where they want them, placing wagers on things most of us never would have imagined just a few years ago. We’re days into the new year, and it already feels like the gambling boom has gone too far. In case you missed it, the prediction market Polymarket is letting people place bets on aspects of the fires that have ravaged the Los Angeles area. The platform set various markets for questions like how long it would take the first fire to be contained
Jan
Genesis Prize Chairman Stan Polovets praised Milei’s support for Israel, achievements in reforming Argentina’s economy, and pursuit of justice for AMIA terror victims. By JERUSALEM POST STAFF JANUARY 14, 2025 18:09 Javier Milei at the Western Wall, February 6, 2024 (photo credit: WESTERN WALL HERITAGE FOUNDATION) The Genesis Prize announced President of Argentina Javier Milei as the 2025 Genesis Prize Laureate, the first time the award, known as “The Jewish Nobel Prize,” has been bestowed upon a head of state. Milei was the unanimous choice of the nine judges on the committee, which commended him for his unequivocal support of Israel during one of the most difficult times since the founding of the Jewish State. President Milei recently announced his decision to move the Argentinian embassy to Jerusalem, has reversed years
Jan
Spain is planning to impose a tax of up to 100% on the value of properties bought by non-residents from countries outside the EU, such as the UK. Announcing the move, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said the “unprecedented” measure was necessary to meet the country’s housing emergency. “The West faces a decisive challenge: To not become a society divided into two classes, the rich landlords and poor tenants,” he said. Non-EU residents bought 27,000 properties in Spain in 2023, he told an economic forum in Madrid, “not to live in” but “to make money from them”. “Which, in the context of shortage that we are in, [we] obviously cannot allow,” he added. The move was designed to prioritise available homes for residents, the Spanish prime minister said. Sánchez did not
Jan
A flurry of separate lawsuits were filed Monday against Southern California Edison, a utility company in California, by homeowners and renters who lost their homes in the Eaton Fire. The four lawsuits each allege the company failed to de-energize all of its electrical equipment despite red flag warnings issued by the National Weather Service. “The property damage and economic losses caused by the Eaton Fire is the result of the ongoing custom and practice of Defendant of consciously disregarding the safety of the public and not following statutes, regulations, standards, and rules regarding the safe operation, use and maintenance of their overhead electric facilities,” said a complaint filed by Evangeline Iglesias, who said she worked a decadeslong career with FedEx in order to buy a single-family home that was destroyed
Jan
The updated Tesla Model Y is going into production today in Germany. The report comes from the German newspaper Handelsblatt. American customers will have to wait a little longer to get their hands on the facelifted crossover. The updated Tesla Model Y is reportedly going into production today at the company’s European factory in Germany. According to the German newspaper Handelsblatt , employees at Tesla’s Gigafactory Berlin facility were informed of the product launch yesterday, with assembly set to begin today, January 14. Tesla’s sole manufacturing facility in Europe only assembles the Model Y, which was once again the best-selling electric vehicle in the world last year. However, Tesla’s grip on the car world slipped slightly in 2024 when it saw global delivery numbers fall for the first time, despite
Jan
Under Health Ministry protocols, hostages are treated in designated units. Each is assigned a private room and is accompanied by a nurse, doctor, and social worker. By DR. ITAY GAL JANUARY 14, 2025 14:00 Updated: JANUARY 14, 2025 14:03 SURROUNDED BY Soroka medical staff who cared for her during the past six months, 85-year-old former hostage Alma Avraham, carrying a huge bouquet of flowers, leaves hospital to resume life in the bosom of her family. (photo credit: Courtesy Soroka Hospital Spokesman) Sheba Medical Center and Ichilov Hospital have spent recent weeks holding discussions to ensure they are fully prepared to receive hostages released from Hamas captivity. Both hospitals, which have experience handling such cases, will operate as they have in the past—with utmost sensitivity, respect for the returnees’ preferences, and