eznews.in
The United States lost its last triple-A credit rating from a major agency on Friday, as Moody's downgraded its rating from Aaa to Aa1, citing escalating government debt levels. This downgrade undermines President Donald Trump's narrative of economic strength, coinciding with the failure of his key spending bill in Congress due to opposition from Republican fiscal hawks. Moody's highlighted a decade-long increase in debt and interest payment ratios, projecting federal deficits could rise to nearly nine percent of GDP by 2035, up from 6.4 percent last year. The agency noted that the federal debt burden could reach approximately 134 percent of GDP by 2035. Moody's decision aligns with previous downgrades by S&P and Fitch, reflecting ongoing concerns about fiscal governance. Despite these challenges, Moody's adjusted its outlook from "negative" to "stable," acknowledging the US's economic resilience and the dollar's status as the global reserve currency. 
Published: May 17 2025, 7 ameznews.inA Chinese court has ordered a 29-year-old woman to pay 70,000 yuan (approximately Rs 8.30 lakh) in compensation after she accidentally collided with a pedestrian, leading to the latter suffering a hip fracture. The incident occurred in May 2022 in a Shandong residential complex, where 59-year-old Liu abruptly stopped while on a phone call, resulting in her being knocked over by Wang, who was walking quickly behind her. Liu initially sought 188,000 yuan in damages for medical expenses and disability compensation, claiming Wang's inattention caused the accident. However, the court found both women partially responsible, with Wang failing to observe her surroundings. The ruling drew criticism, particularly regarding the judge's comments on maintaining a safe distance, which are not applicable to pedestrians under current traffic laws. Following backlash, a court official apologized for the misleading statement, highlighting the ongoing debate about personal space and accountability in such incidents.
Published: May 17 2025, 11 ameznews.inValeria Marquez, a 23-year-old beauty influencer, was shot dead during a TikTok livestream in Mexico, igniting a wave of online speculation that blamed her for her own murder due to alleged connections to criminal activities and her ex-boyfriend, reportedly linked to a notorious drug cartel. Despite the immediate shock, experts warn that Marquez's case is emblematic of a troubling trend in Mexico, where violence against women often fades from public consciousness after initial outrage. The Jalisco state prosecutor's office is investigating the murder as a possible femicide, but many cases of gender-based violence remain unresolved, with 2023 seeing 852 recorded femicides in Mexico. Advocates criticize the systemic failures in addressing such violence, highlighting the negligence of law enforcement and the societal tendency to dismiss these tragedies. Marquez was buried under police protection, a stark reminder of the ongoing crisis of violence against women in the country.
Published: May 17 2025, 12 pmeznews.inTen prisoners escaped from a New Orleans jail early Friday morning after breaking through a wall behind a toilet, evading detection for several hours. A manhunt is now underway for the nine fugitives, who authorities have deemed "armed and dangerous." One inmate has been recaptured, found hiding under a car in a tourist area shortly after the escape. The jailbreak occurred just after midnight, with the inmates breaching the wall and scaling an enclosure before slipping away unnoticed until a headcount at 8:30 AM revealed their absence. Initially, law enforcement reported 11 escapees, but this was later corrected to 10. Some of the inmates are reportedly facing serious charges, including murder. Media outlets have circulated images of the escape route, featuring a hole in the cell wall accompanied by graffiti proclaiming their innocence and mocking the ease of their escape.
Published: May 17 2025, 12 pmeznews.inThe Israeli military announced on Saturday the initiation of "Operation Gideon's Chariots," a renewed offensive in Gaza, following reports of 100 fatalities from airstrikes in the region. The military stated its aim is to expand the conflict against Hamas, focusing on securing the release of hostages and achieving broader war objectives. Since resuming operations on March 18 after a two-month truce, Israel has reportedly targeted over 150 sites in Gaza, leading to significant casualties. The renewed violence has drawn international condemnation, with UN rights chief Volker Turk describing the situation as potentially constituting ethnic cleansing due to the ongoing blockade and humanitarian crisis. Amid increasing pressure to lift the blockade, Hamas has called for U.S. intervention to facilitate aid access in exchange for hostages. The conflict has resulted in over 53,000 deaths since its escalation, with humanitarian conditions deteriorating sharply.
Published: May 17 2025, 12 pmeznews.inThe first week of Sean "Diddy" Combs' sex trafficking trial featured key witness Casandra Ventura, his ex-girlfriend, who accused him of severe abuse, coercion, and rape. Combs, 55, faces federal charges including sex trafficking and leading an illegal sex ring, potentially resulting in life imprisonment. Ventura, known as "Cassie," testified about her experiences of being coerced into degrading sex parties, often involving drugs and male escorts, which Combs referred to as "freak-offs." While the defense acknowledged the violence in their relationship, they argued Ventura was a willing participant, presenting text messages to support their claim. As the trial unfolds, prosecutors must demonstrate that Combs led a criminal enterprise that included sex trafficking, with additional testimonies expected from former associates and friends of Ventura. Combs, once a powerful figure in the music industry, now appears diminished as he faces these serious allegations.
Published: May 17 2025, 12 pmeznews.inThe US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is contemplating participation in a reality TV show where immigrants would compete for American citizenship, a proposal that remains under review. Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin emphasized the department's openness to innovative ideas aimed at fostering patriotism and civic duty. The concept, pitched by Canadian American Rob Worsoff, involves contestants demonstrating their American spirit through various challenges, such as gold mining and assembling a Model T car, with one participant eliminated each episode. Worsoff clarified that the show is not intended to be a harsh competition akin to "The Hunger Games," but rather a celebration of American values. This proposal emerges amid ongoing immigration policy changes under the Trump administration, which has sought to end temporary protected status for many immigrants, intensifying the government's crackdown on immigration.
Published: May 17 2025, 11 ameznews.inA report has emerged suggesting that the US is considering relocating one million Palestinians from Gaza to Libya, with the Trump administration reportedly discussing the plan with Libyan leaders. In exchange, the US would release billions of dollars in frozen funds to Libya, which has been politically unstable since the 2011 overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi. However, the plan lacks a formal agreement, and a US official has dismissed the report as "untrue," stating that the situation in Gaza makes such a relocation impractical. Hamas officials also denied any knowledge of the discussions, emphasizing Palestinians' strong ties to their homeland. The report follows Trump's previous suggestions of resettling Palestinians in other Arab nations, which have been rejected by both regional leaders and Palestinian authorities. The ongoing conflict in Gaza has resulted in significant casualties and displacement, with over 53,000 Palestinians reported killed since Israel's military response to a Hamas attack in October 2023.
Published: May 17 2025, 8 ameznews.inUS President Donald Trump has asserted that India has proposed eliminating all tariffs on American goods, although he expressed no urgency in finalizing a trade agreement. In a Fox News interview, Trump criticized India's trade barriers, stating, "They make it almost impossible to do business," while suggesting that a deal could be imminent but emphasizing he is "in no rush." India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar responded, clarifying that trade negotiations are complex and far from conclusive, stressing that any agreement must be mutually beneficial. Trump's comments coincide with his broader strategy to reshape global trade dynamics, including plans to set new import duty rates within weeks. He also hinted at potential trade expansion with Pakistan, linking it to US efforts to mediate ongoing tensions between the two countries. Additionally, Trump highlighted recent progress in US-China trade talks, framing concessions as acts of goodwill.
Published: May 17 2025, 9 ameznews.inA 30-year-old pregnant woman, Adriana Smith, has been kept on life support for three months in Georgia after being declared brain-dead, a situation her mother attributes to the state's restrictive abortion laws. April Newkirk expressed frustration that the decision to maintain life support was made without family input, emphasizing that they should have had a choice regarding the pregnancy, which is now 21 weeks along. Smith, a registered nurse, suffered severe headaches and was later diagnosed with multiple blood clots in her brain. Under Georgia's six-week abortion ban, doctors were reportedly hesitant to act, despite medical ethics experts asserting that the law does not apply to removing life support from a brain-dead patient. This case has sparked outrage among Democrats and reproductive rights advocates, highlighting the implications of stringent abortion laws in the state, particularly for marginalized communities.
Published: May 17 2025, 9 ameznews.inElon Musk's artificial intelligence firm, xAI, has attributed the controversial and misleading posts about "white genocide" in South Africa by its chatbot Grok to a "rogue employee." The incident, which occurred after unauthorized modifications to Grok's prompts, led to the chatbot disseminating unfounded theories in response to unrelated queries. In response, xAI has committed to increasing transparency by publishing Grok's system prompts on GitHub and implementing stricter controls to prevent similar occurrences. The company will also establish a 24/7 monitoring team to oversee the chatbot's operations. Grok humorously acknowledged the situation, suggesting that it was merely following altered instructions and speculated that the rogue employee was not Musk himself but rather a programmer with misguided intentions. The company did not confirm whether the employee involved has faced disciplinary action.
Published: May 17 2025, 9 am
For the fastest, latest, not so wokest news, 'experts say' you need to visit Eznews
India
World
Economy
Science
Health
Showbiz
Contact