Desmond Milligan

鑫鼎鑫商貿有限公司7月獲政府批出5,294萬元供應飲用水合約，涉嫌未經內地生產商授權投標並疑提供冒牌水，負責人夫婦被捕，政府即時終止合約。財經事務及庫務局今晚（20日 )表示，鑫鼎鑫按合約條款向政府繳交了約100萬元按金，政府可按合約條款扣除合約按金，以補償政府因終止合約所帶來的損失。 另外，政府再公布已即時終止所有其他與該些公司的合約，當中包括兩份分別由渠務署批出的化學品合約和消防處批出的資料輸入服務合約，合約總額分別為600多萬元和500多萬元。連同供水合約及另三份被終止合約，鑫鼎鑫夫婦名下共六份合約被終止。 8月17日下午在香港壁球中心後樓梯所見，大量「觀音山」牌飲用水空桶砌成一面牆。（資籵圖片／廖雁雄攝）8月17日下午在香港壁球中心後樓梯所見，大量「觀音山」牌飲用水空桶砌成一面牆。（資籵圖片／廖雁雄攝）8月17日下午在香港壁球中心後樓梯所見，大量「觀音山」牌飲用水空桶砌成一面牆。（資籵圖片／廖雁雄攝）政府：即時終止所有與鑫鼎鑫商貿負責人有關聯合約鑫鼎鑫商貿61歲男董事呂子聰及57歲女股東陳碧琳夫婦，繼被警方以涉嫌詐騙拘捕後，又被海關以違反商品說明條例拘捕。 政府發言人今晚表示，政府已即時終止所有與鑫鼎鑫商貿負責人有關聯的合約。基於物流署早前取得鑫鼎鑫的營運資料，以及政府部門近日對鑫鼎鑫的執法行動，政府有理由相信鑫鼎鑫及與其負責人有關聯的公司（即與鑫鼎鑫使用同一註冊辦事處的公司，而該些公司的董事包括鑫鼎鑫的董事／股東）未能繼續履行合約。 8月17日下午在香港壁球中心後樓梯所見，大量「觀音山」牌飲用水空桶砌成一面牆。（資籵圖片／廖雁雄攝）+2今另終止渠務署化學品合約消防處輸入服務合約物流署早前已終止與鑫鼎鑫的政府辦公室樽裝飲用水合約及另外三張與其負責人有關聯的化學品合約，財經事務及庫務局亦隨即通知各政策局及部門終止其所有與該些公司的合約，今日再即時終止所有其他與該些公司的合約，當中包括兩份分別由渠務署批出的化學品合約和消防處批出的資料輸入服務合約，合約總額分別為600多萬元和500多萬元。 香港壁球中心的飲水機正使用「觀音山」牌飲用水。（資籵圖片／廖雁雄攝）香港壁球中心的飲水機正使用「觀音山」牌飲用水。（資籵圖片／廖雁雄攝）就物流署與鑫鼎鑫的政府辦公室樽裝飲用水合約，鑫鼎鑫按合約條款向政府繳交了約一百萬元按金。政府可按合約條款扣除合約按金，以補償政府因終止合約所帶來的損失，並保留所有追究權利。物流署亦會繼續全力配合執法機構調查。 物流署、渠務署和消防處會繼續嚴肅跟進上述合約，包括考慮按合約條款向相關公司追討政府損失。如發現合約涉及任何違法行為，會交由執法機構處理。 香港壁球中心的飲水機正使用「觀音山」牌飲用水，有市民繼續飲用。（資籵圖片／廖雁雄攝）香港壁球中心的飲水機正使用「觀音山水」，有市民繼續飲用。（資籵圖片／廖雁雄攝）打開壁球中心1樓飲水機，看到機內正是「觀音山水」。（資籵圖片／廖雁雄攝）政府飲用水｜鑫鼎鑫、Happy水從何來？解構內地貼牌、水站運作政府飲用水｜物流署：已付鑫鼎鑫2268元　轉屈臣氏4個月付710萬政府飲用水｜提貨單曝光　揭鑫鼎鑫代表同為觀音山羊台山銷售人員政府飲用水｜警方到東莞調查製水廠　證委託者非合約訂明生產商 View the full article

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump has filed lawsuits against two construction companies over what he called a "completely preventable" outbreak of Legionnaires' disease that has killed five people and sickened more than 100 others in New York City. Legionnaires' disease is a severe pneumonia caused by a type of bacteria called Legionella, which grows in warm or hot water, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An outbreak of the disease, which began on July 25, has been clustered across five zip codes in Central Harlem. The city health department said the outbreak is linked to cooling towers, heat exchangers that use fans and water to cool down buildings. On Aug. 14, health officials confirmed that 12 cooling towers at buildings including NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem tested positive for the Legionella bacteria. Crump and other attorneys filed complaints on behalf of two construction workers who were hospitalized with Legionnaire's disease in July after working near the hospital in Harlem, according to a news release. Crump said the legal team has also filed a notice of claim and intend to sue the city as well. "It is believed that the cooling towers at Harlem Hospital were filled with rainwater after several large July storms," the release said. "The water was left untreated, which permitted bacteria to spread causing workers at the site to become sick." Construction companies, city accused of negligenceCrump accused Skanska USA Building, Inc., Rising Sun Construction LLC and the city of negligence at a news conference on Aug. 20, announcing the lawsuits. The attorneys said the construction companies were put on notice about the possibility of Legionella bacteria through bulletins after the storms, but failed to take action to keep those working near the hospital safe. "When corporations cut corners, tragedies like this happen. Preventable tragedies, unnecessary tragedies," Crump said. Crump said the lawsuit is seeking not only compensation for the workers but also accountability and answers about why this outbreak occurred in Harlem — a historically Black neighborhood in Upper Manhattan. Skanska and Rising Sun did not immediatedly respond to a request for comment from USA TODAY. When asked about Crump's claims about the source of the outbreak, a spokesperson for the city's health department said the investigation is ongoing. "Molecular testing may help us determine which cooling tower — or cooling towers — were the source of the bacteria in the Central Harlem cluster," spokesperson Chantal Gomez said in a statement. "The Public Health Lab is still determining a match through DNA sequencing and we expect final results soon.” Electrian describes gasping for air while hospitalized with Legionnaire'sNunzio Quinto, a union electrian who worked at a ground-up construction of the NewYork City Public Health Laboratory, a 10-story facility adjacent to the hospital complex, said he thought he had food poisoning when he first started feeling lethargic in late July. Quinto said his family took him to the hospital, where he was immediately diagnosed with Legionnaire's disease. He suffered breathing problems, pain and internal bleeding during a five-day stay in the hospital, but said his coworkers weren't notified of his illness. "I want answers to what's going on. I can't have a safe place to work? This is New York City," Quinto said at the news conference. Contributing: Thao Nguyen This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lawsuit blames Legionnaires' disease outbreak on negligence View the full article

A resident in South Lake Tahoe, California, has tested positive for plague, according to local health officials. The person is believed to have been bitten by an infected flea while camping, officials said. In a separate incident last month, a person in Arizona died from plague. Plague is a disease caused by a type of bacteria that usually results in about seven cases nationally each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It occurs naturally in areas of the western U.S., where it circulates among wild rodents and other animals. Humans usually get infected through the bite of an infected rodent flea or by handling an infected animal. Symptoms, including fever, nausea, weakness and swollen lymph nodes, usually show up within two weeks of exposure, according to health officials. "Plague is naturally present in many parts of California, including higher elevation areas of El Dorado County," Kyle Fliflet, El Dorado County’s acting director of public health, said in a statement. "It's important that individuals take precautions for themselves and their pets when outdoors, especially while walking, hiking and or camping in areas where wild rodents are present." The disease can be cured with antibiotics, which must be given quickly to prevent serious illness or death. At least 15 people have died from plague since 2000, the latest CDC data shows. MORE: Leading pediatrician group recommends COVID vaccine for infants, toddlers in contrast with RFK Jr. The risk to the public of exposure as well as the risk of human-to-human transmission remains low, according to health officials. View the full article

This China market EV shows a new side of Audi originally appeared on Autoblog. Joint Venture EV Enters ProductionThere's a new side of Audi than the familiar German luxury brand that we all know—one that uses all caps. Under a joint venture with Chinese automaker SAIC, Audi is essentially relaunching itself in that market with new models, different styling, and a dedicated production facility. And while the brand name is the same, it's spelled "AUDI" to distinguish it from the parent Euro version. The first product of this joint venture, the AUDI E5 Sportback, started rolling off the production line August 18, according to an Audi press release. Customers in China can now pre-order this electric vehicle, with the first deliveries scheduled for September. Audi already sells a few electric models in the United States, so are we missing out on anything? Reimagined Electric WagonAudiUnveiled in April, the E5 Sportback hews closely to the AUDI E concept that debuted last year. The wagon-like proportions create some resemblance to Audi Avant models, but the flat front end is a major departure from the automaker's "single frame" grilles. It's ringed by more than 1,000 individual lighting elements, according to Audi, and incorporates the same Matrix LED tech the automaker uses in other markets. Measuring 192.1 inches long, 77.1 inches wide (without mirrors), and 58.1 inches tall, the E5 Sportback is about two inches shorter, two inches narrower, and half an inch lower than the European-market Audi A6 Avant e-tron, which features Audi's more traditional design language. However, the two wagons share a 116.1-inch wheelbase. Instead of the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) used by the A6 e-tron, and most of Audi's forthcoming EVs for the U.S. and Europe, the E5 Sportback uses an architecture called the Advanced Digitized Platform (ADP), co-developed with SAIC. Like PPE, ADP incorporates an 800-volt electrical architecture for faster charging. Audi claims the E5 Sportback can recover up to 230 miles of range in 10 minutes of charging. Up To 764 HPAudiAudi plans to offer four versions of the E5 Sportback in China. The base Pioneer version has a single-motor rear-wheel drive powertrain generating 295 horsepower and a 76-kilowatt-hour battery pack delivering an estimated 384 miles of range on China's CLTC testing cycle. It's priced at 235,900 yuan; approximately $32,844 at current exchange rates. A Pioneer Plus model upgrades to 402 hp and 100 kWh, giving it a CLTC-estimated range of 480 miles, for 269,900 yuan ($37,577). Two dual-motor all-wheel drive versions are also available. The Pioneer Quattro generates 517 hp and has an 83-kWh pack good for 387 miles on the CLTC cycle. The top Flagship Quattro has a 100-kWh pack like the Pioneer Plus, but CLTC-estimated range drops to 402 miles while power increases to 764 hp, getting it from zero to 62 mph in an Audi-estimated 3.4 seconds. The Pioneer Quattro costs the same as the Pioneer Plus, while the Flagship Quattro starts at 319,900 yuan ($44,539). Plenty Of TechAudiInside, customers will find a 27-inch panoramic screen stretching from roof pillar to roof pillar, with 4K resolution and a voice assistant from TikTok parent ByteDance that Audi says will offer natural-language processing and programmable behavior. The operating system is Audi's own, running on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8925 automotive chipset, capable of 30 billion operations per second, according to Audi. For driver-assist, the E5 Sportback is equipped with 29 sensors, including a lidar unit, three radars, 11 cameras, 12 ultrasonic sensors, and a handful of others. This will enable features like adaptive cruise control with automated lane changes and traffic-light recognition, and automated parking that can memorize spaces. It's Different, But Is It Better?AudiAs CarNewsChina points out, the E5 Sportback is manufactured in China at the SAIC Volkswagen Automotive Co. joint-venture plant in Shanghai, with major components sourced from other Chinese firms, including LFP battery cells from CATL. Given the current tariff regime, it wouldn't make financial sense to export it to the U.S. But it's unclear that we'd be missing much. Audi expects the U.S.-market A6 Sportback e-tron to get up to 392 miles of range on the more-stringent EPA testing cycle, while the S6 e-tron comes within a few tenths of the E5 Sportback's acceleration time, at 3.7 seconds to 60 mph. The A6 e-tron is more expensive—pricing starts at $67,195 for a single-motor version—but China-market incentives likely make up some of that price difference. And while Audi plans to launch additional Chinese AUDI models in 2026 and 2027, the automaker's PPE architecture leaves plenty of scope for additional U.S.-market models. Just don't expect any of them to be wagons as, despite strong sales of the gasoline RS6 Avant, they just aren't popular enough in the U.S. This China market EV shows a new side of Audi first appeared on Autoblog on Aug 20, 2025 This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Aug 20, 2025, where it first appeared. View the full article

Autoblog aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission. Walmart Has a Rooftop Cargo Carrier on Sale for $33, and It's 'Built to Last' originally appeared on Autoblog. A rooftop cargo carrier can make all the difference when you need extra space for travel. Instead of cramming luggage, sports gear, or camping equipment inside your vehicle, these carriers give you the flexibility to haul everything securely on top. They’re especially useful for family trips, outdoor adventures, or even just freeing up room for passengers on longer drives. Right now at Walmart, the Ldyso Rooftop Cargo Carrier is on sale for only $33, marked down almost 70% from its original $101 price. With its universal design, it fits most vehicles and provides an impressive amount of storage space. Whether you’re heading camping for the weekend, taking a trip to the mountains, or visiting the beach with family, this bag is designed to keep your belongings safe, dry, and out of the way. Ldyso Rooftop Cargo Carrier, $33 (was $101) at WalmartGet it!Built from durable 600D Oxford fabric, this carrier resists peeling, tearing, UV rays, and weather extremes. Its 15-cubic-foot capacity gives you room for luggage, camping gear, or sports equipment, while the included anti-slip mat helps keep everything in place during the drive. The waterproof construction and heavy-duty straps provide peace of mind, and despite its size, it weighs just under 3 pounds, making it easy for one person to maneuver. It's suitable for all car sizes including sedans, SUVs, trucks, and more. Related: Amazon's 'Must-Have' Car Trash Can Is Now Just $10 One reviewer shared their confidence in the durability, saying, “[It] survived harsh weather and rough terrain. This carrier is built to last!” Another called it a travel essential, writing, “This rooftop carrier is a game changer for family trips, keeping everything dry even through unexpected rainstorms!” Shoppers also praised its dependability, with one noting, “Rain or shine, this roof bag never fails to protect our belongings. A must-have for outdoor enthusiasts!” Finally, its versatility stood out to buyers who use it across all kinds of trips. As one review summed up, “From ski trips to beach days, this carrier adapts to every journey. So versatile!” Walmart’s flash deals don’t last long, so visit the site today and snag the Ldyso Rooftop Cargo Carrier for just $33 while it’s still on sale for nearly 70% off. Walmart Has a Rooftop Cargo Carrier on Sale for $33, and It's 'Built to Last' first appeared on Autoblog on Aug 20, 2025 This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Aug 20, 2025, where it first appeared. View the full article

Gordon Murray Special Vehicles said its new Le Mans GTR supercar sold out immediately after its public unveiling at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering, committing the entire 24-car production run before the company disclosed a price. 10 Must-Have Tools and Gear for the Modern Car Collector (Amazon Edition) The Le Mans GTR, developed under the newly formed Gordon Murray Special Vehicles (GMSV) banner, is positioned as a road-legal machine with race-bred intent. The car’s longtail silhouette and detailing draw on endurance icons from the 1970s through the 1990s, with GMSV citing influences that include the Matra-Simca MS660, Porsche 917 and Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/3. Aerodynamics are central to the program. The GTR employs enhanced Passive Boundary Layer Control to cut drag, an aero-balanced front splitter, deep side skirts, a twin-channel rear diffuser and a full-width rear wing. The chassis package is described as stiffer and lighter than the brand’s prior road cars, with a wider track, upgraded cooling and optimized weight distribution. Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires complete the track-leaning specification. Power comes from a naturally aspirated GMA V-12 that spins to 12,100 rpm, paired exclusively with a six-speed manual transmission and rear-wheel drive. Output figures were not released, but the high-revving engine and low-mass philosophy mirror the company’s stated objective of preserving an “analog” driving experience in a modern, tightly packaged supercar. The cockpit is pared back compared with GMSV’s T.50, featuring a new dashboard with redesigned switches and dials, revised seat cushioning and reworked pedals. The company says the changes reflect the car’s emphasis on precision driving rather than grand-touring comfort. GMSV plans to build 24 examples, with the first customer deliveries expected in 2026. Officials declined to discuss pricing; however, the company confirmed all build slots are allocated. The car remains in development, with further technical details, homologation plans and performance data to be released closer to production. The Le Mans GTR debuted alongside GMSV’s S1 LM, a separate tribute to Le Mans themes, underscoring the brand’s focus on lightweight engineering and driver engagement. While much of the supercar industry shifts toward hybridization and dual-clutch transmissions, Gordon Murray’s latest project doubles down on a manual gearbox, a naturally aspirated V-12 and aggressive aero — a combination aimed at customers seeking a purist’s take on modern performance. Daily Driven Collectibles: The Best Upgrades That Don’t Hurt Resale Follow us on Facebook and Twitter View the full article

Monterey Car Week Is an Extravagant Celebration of All Things Cars: Here's How Mine Went originally appeared on Autoblog. A week for everything on wheelsAfter four years of attending Monterey Car Week, one would think that I could come up with some poetic way to start my traditional overview article of California's finest celebration of automotive madness. However, I don't. Five days of back-to-back car shows tend to fry your brain, but I would be a fool to complain. It is the best kind of torture an automotive enthusiast can put themselves through, and believe me when I say that the lasting exhaustion does not outweigh the experience. To give you a mere idea of what ensues in Monterey and the surrounding cities of Carmel-by-the-Sea and Seaside, allow me to take you on a digital walkthrough of some of the events I was fortunate enough to attend. The showsMotorluxGabriel Ionica View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article It all starts with the finest mixture of what defines sheer opulence: ludicrously expensive cars and private jets. Hagerty's Motorlux takes place at the Monterey Jet Center and fills the tarmac with some of the best four-wheeled works of art the motoring world has ever seen. This year's highlights included the "200 MPH Club," with icons like the Ferrari F40 and Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale headlining that section, "From Stuttgart with Love," dedicated to every model that made Porsche one of the world's foremost sports car manufacturers, "America's Wild Horse," an ode to the past 60 years of the Ford Mustang, and "The Mercedes Maestro," celebrating the stunning designs of the late Brunco Sacco. Gabriel Ionica View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article Oh, and it would be an utter shame to forgo any mention of the food offerings from the 25+ restaurants, 3 of which were Michelin Guide-recognized establishments. Of course, what goes better with Michelin-level food than drinks from 30+ wineries and 15+ spirit distilleries? In other words, if you want it, you'll find it at Motorlux. It is one of the benchmarks by which Car Week events should be judged, right alongside another show you might all be familiar with. The QuailGabriel Ionica View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article If someone were to curse me and say that I could only attend two Monterey Car Week events lest they slash the tires on my Z31, I'd stick with Motorlux and The Quail. Short of hosting their own private event at a rented mansion somewhere in Pebble Beach, just about every manufacturer will show off their latest and greatest at The Quail. The new Bugatti, the new Acura, and one of the biggest Pagani-focused activations I've seen to date are all meticulously arranged within the finely cut greens of The Quail Lodge & Golf Club. I was also pleasantly surprised to see a smattering of vintage JDM finds among the exotics, something I hope signals a permanent change within The Quail's repertoire. After all, the collector's market is changing, and JDM legends like the AE86 are quickly becoming a sought-after commodity. Gabriel Ionica View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article If you thought Motorlux was the pinnacle of food and drinks at a motoring event, wait until you see what the hosts at The Peninsula Hotels have set up here. Apart from the various small bites and drinks offered by the various automakers, The Quail arranges four or so main food tents at the different corners of the lawn. Each has its own theme, ranging from Mediterranean to Spanish and a Japanese-oriented tent at this year's show. Some of them even have live music that fits the theme of the food, with the Japanese tent in particular standing out thanks to an outstandingly talented Koto player. All of this did wonders for the overall vibe, making the entire event a spectacular celebration of all things automotive. If you can find a way to attend, do so; you will not be disappointed. Concours d'LemonsGabriel Ionica View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article Alan should thank me for even mentioning his show here. This absolute oil stain of a show ruins the lawn in front of the Seaside City Hall each year, displaying the worst automobiles the world has ever had the misfortune of seeing. It is the foil of the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, and as far as you can get from a prestigious automotive showing. Jokes aside, Lemons is one of the best worst things you could spend your time doing at Monterey Car Week. If you need a break from the opulence and pompousness of some of the other shows here, swing by Seaside. There are not enough shows celebrating the automotive disasters of the world, and Concours d'Lemons takes up that awful duty with pride. Nobody here takes themselves too seriously; they know their cars are crap, and that's the point. Last year, a Bricklin barely made it onto the lawn, inundating the entire place with coolant smoke after it horribly overheated from the sheer pressure of existing. Gabriel Ionica View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article It's an absolute hoot, and you're likely to see some cars that are as rare as those showcased at Pebble. Like, when's the last time you laid eyes upon a 1980 BMA Brio? They're nowhere near as valuable, but hey, rare is rare, right? Concorso Italiano/The PaddockGabriel Ionica View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article Monterey Car Week's best celebration of La Dolce Vita made a welcome return to the Bayonet Black Horse Golf Club this year, alongside a sister event dubbed The Paddock. In an effort to attract a more diverse audience, the organizers at International Car Week created another event dedicated to a wider array of cars. They even collaborated with Radwood, bringing a touch of 80s goodness to a place that would otherwise be full of Lancias, Alfa Romeos, and everything in between. It was a great way to bring people to Car Week who might otherwise think that their car needs to look like the ones at Pebble to warrant attention, and hopefully, it will inspire other event hosts to follow suit. Gabriel Ionica View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article Then there's the crowning jewel of the Bayonet Black Horse, Concorso Italiano itself. Now under new management, the show seeks to bring itself back to the glory days of yore. Dare I say, they've succeeded. The entire lawn was filled with Italian beauties of all eras, from Lancias to Ferraris, to Iso Grifos of provenance I had never heard of. If your stomach decided it also needed attention, there were plenty of food offerings on the side, ranging from Italian to American to Mexican. Arguably, the best place to enjoy your grub was atop the center hill, where the live band would serenade you with anything from Tutu Cutugno to Louis Prima's rendition of C'è la luna mezzo mare. It was the closest thing to Italy without having to get on a plane or a boat, and I'll let nothing stop me from coming back again next year. Arrivederci! Pebble Beach Concours d'EleganceGabriel Ionica View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article Unequivocally, the show that put Monterey Car Week on the map, the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance is California's finest automotive-themed garden party. On the last Sunday of Car Week, the eighteenth fairway is dotted with some of the rarest and mind-blowingly exquisite automobiles you will ever see brought together in a single place. What tickles me most about Pebble isn't the sheer number of one-offs, prototypes, and former royalty-owned cars; it's the fact that in order to be in the show, they have to drive onto the lawn under their own power. Not only has this given birth to Dawn Patrol, a group of folks crazy enough to wake before the sun and see these mechanical marvels drive onto the lawn, but it also means that these historical monuments get to stretch their legs once more. It is history in motion; it is like watching a zoetrope of people who had no idea you would be watching them exist hundreds of years later. Gabriel Ionica View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article This goosebump-inducing thought was none more prevalent than when I watched a 1910 Renault BZ reportedly owned by John Jacob Astor IV, who perished among those on the Titanic, be fired up by its owner in front of my very eyes. One of the country's most prominent socialites and businessmen witnessed this very car in motion more than 100 years ago. That's a century. I shared a moment with someone who existed when the Ford Model T was just introduced, through this single automobile. That's a powerful thought, and one of the foremost reasons why cars will always be part of my life. The auctionsR.M. Sotheby'sGabriel Ionica View the 4 images of this gallery on the original article R.M. is one of my favorite auctions to attend during Car Week, partly because of its massive inventory. Housed within the Portola Hotel and Monterey Conference Center, R.M. Sotheby's took over two massive conference rooms as well as the beachside lot behind the hotel with an incredible variety of vintage and contemporary rides. Picking a favorite is no easy feat, but just as love can move mountains, I think I can manage. Picking the headlining McLaren F1 and red Mercedes-Benz 300SL seems like a cop out, so I'll instead go for the 1906 Züst 28/45 Spider Corsa. I'll go into more detail about my favorite auction cars in a later article, but seeing such a rare race car from an automaker I had never heard of before was an exhilarating opportunity. Doubly so, given that it was in such a preserved and period-correct condition. Just think of what this car could say if it were able to speak and the stories of glory it could tell! Gooding & Company View the 4 images of this gallery on the original article Gooding is a close second in terms of my favorite auctions at Car Week, but I frankly feel like it could very well tie with R.M. Sotheby's. Being in such close proximity to Concours Village means that you could easily stop by when exploring the various activations there. In the same vein as R.M., picking a favorite is a monumental decision, especially given Gooding's penchant for proudly featuring finely patinaed examples of some of the world's most prestigious vehicles. Saying that, it should be unsurprising that my favorite was an unrestored 1934 Bugatti Type 57 Ventoux. Seeing a car of this caliber tell stories through each of its scars and blemishes is damn close to a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and had I had all the time in the world at my disposal, it would surely be spent studying this Type 57. Look for my longer fangirling article out soon. Bonhams View the 4 images of this gallery on the original article Bonhams is a little bit further from the action, located close to The Quail, but their smaller lot is still an incredibly good time and worth checking out. They've had some rather unusual examples over the year, and my favorite from this auction is no stranger to that concept. Ladies and gentlemen, this is ludicrous engineering at its finest. This is the result of answering "why not?" every time someone asks you why you're embarking on anything that bewilders the common folk. This is the 1919 Bugatti Avio 8C, an exceptional amalgamation of automotive and aviation ingenuity. Again, more details are coming, but just to whet your palate, this thing sports a 14,718cc SOHC 8-cylinder engine with dual carburetors and makes 200bhp through a 4-speed manual transmission. Utterly monstrous, and a true testament to the era when anything was possible with a large enough brain and deep enough pockets. Final thoughtsThere were, of course, so many other moments I can't include in this article for fear of turning into a sequel to The Iliad, but to put it bluntly and mildly: it was an extraordinarily extravagant extravaganza the likes of which has yet to be topped by any other event I've attended. Monterey Car Week is often called "The Car Lover's Mecca," and that is as close as you can get to a one-sentence description of this week of madness. If you can ever make your way to Car Week, even for a day or two, do it. The only condition is that you have to come back and tell me I was right about the whole deal. Monterey Car Week Is an Extravagant Celebration of All Things Cars: Here's How Mine Went first appeared on Autoblog on Aug 20, 2025 This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Aug 20, 2025, where it first appeared. View the full article

2026 Mazda3 Prices Jump — Should You Grab A 2025 Model Instead? originally appeared on Autoblog. A Compact Car That’s Still in the GameWith the Mazda6 gone for years, the Mazda3 has remained one of the few compact sedans and hatchbacks still sold in the US, a segment that has seen shrinking competition as crossovers take over the market. Mazda continues to offer it mainly because of its balance of premium feel and approachable pricing. For buyers, it has meant a new-car option that doesn’t push too far into entry-level luxury territory while still feeling a step above typical compact sedans. Now, the 2026 model year has arrived with a modest bump in pricing. The increase is not dramatic, but it does raise the question of whether buyers should consider paying slightly more for the refreshed 2026 version, or instead look at 2025 inventory currently on dealer lots. Mazda View the 3 images of this gallery on the original article Discounted 2025 Models Are AvailableThe base 2026 Mazda3 2.5 S sedan now starts at $24,550, representing only $400 increase from the outgoing 2025 model’s MSRP of $24,150. Meanwhile, the Mazda3 Hatchback also employs the same price hike, while higher trims follow the same pattern. The most expensive Mazda3 is the Turbo Premium Plus hatchback, priced at $37,890. Of note, these prices don't include a $1,235 destination charge. Dealer listings for 2025 models on Cars.com show that inventory units are often discounted. For instance, a 2025 Mazda3 2.5 S Select Sport with a listed MSRP of $27,120 was being sold for $22,999 after a dealer discount. A Select Sport models are discounted based on inventory listings, while the base 2.5 S shows a discount of around $1,000. Buyers who value the absolute lowest cost may find opportunities in inventory listings, but going for inventory units means skipping the updates that come with the new model year. Mazda View the 1 images of this gallery on the original article Are the 2026 Updates Worth it?The 2026 Mazda3 introduces a few updates to justify its higher sticker price. Chief among them is the standardization of the Mazda Harmonic Acoustics eight-speaker audio system, replacing the old six-speaker setup. Upper trims continue to offer a 12-speaker Bose system, while the Turbo Premium Plus gains a larger 10.25-inch display with limited touchscreen functionality. Amazon Alexa Built-in is added from the Select Sport trim upward, enhancing convenience for tech-focused buyers. From a value perspective, the changes make sense, especially considering the $400 hike. Buyers who want the latest tech and upgraded base audio will find the 2026 model more appealing, while those indifferent to such updates may see little downside in choosing a 2025 car. The price gap on paper is small, but local inventory pricing suggests the choice will depend less on MSRP and more on the deals offered by individual dealers. Mazda said the 2026 Mazda3 will arrive at dealerships later this year. Mazda View the 2 images of this gallery on the original article 2026 Mazda3 Prices Jump — Should You Grab A 2025 Model Instead? first appeared on Autoblog on Aug 20, 2025 This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Aug 20, 2025, where it first appeared. View the full article

FIRST ON FOX: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is reviewing federal security grants for Muslim groups with "alleged terrorist ties" after a new report linked past funding to "extremist" organizations. According to a DHS document obtained by Fox News Digital, 49 projects "with alleged affiliations to terrorist activities" have already been canceled, a move the department estimates will save $8 million. The review primarily targets funding distributed through FEMA’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP), which provides aid to churches, mosques, synagogues, and other faith-based institutions facing threats of hate-driven violence. The probe follows a report by the Middle East Forum, a pro-Israel conservative think tank, which claimed that more than $25 million in DHS and FEMA grants went to "terror-linked groups" between 2013 and 2023. Cotton Calls On Irs To Pull Muslim Advocacy Group's Nonprofit Status The Department of Homeland Security, led by Secretary Kristi Noem, is reviewing federal security grants for Muslim groups with "alleged terrorist ties" after a new report linked past funding to "extremist" organizations.A DHS official said the department is conducting its own independent review of funding but added, "We take the results of the MEF report very seriously and are thankful for the work of conservative watchdog groups." Read On The Fox News App The report flagged a $100,000 grant in 2019 to the Dar al-Hijrah mosque in Virginia, which Customs and Border Protection once described as a "mosque operating as a front for Hamas operatives in the U.S.," according to records obtained by the Investigative Project through the Freedom of Information Act. In response to the MEF’s findings, DHS is reviewing all current and future contracts to ensure funds are not awarded to such organizations. Officials said the department is also examining ways to recover unspent funds. Funding for fiscal year 2024 has already been allocated. That includes $94 million for 500 Jewish organizations and another $110 million shared among 600 Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh and Jewish institutions. The report flagged a $100,000 grant in 2019 to the Dar al-Hijrah mosque in Virginia.For fiscal year 2025, DHS said applicants will face tougher requirements to ensure a "robust" vetting process. "We don’t want to be empowering groups that could be causing a threat to our community here in the United States," a DHS official said. The Middle East Forum’s report also highlighted specific cases of funding that it claims went to groups with extremist ties. It said $10.3 million had gone to the Islamic Circle of North America, which the forum alleges is tied to the South Asian Islamist movement Jamaat-e-Islami. The report further cited $250,000 awarded to the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), which DHS has accused of having "Hamas ties." Another $750,000, according to the report, went to mosques in Michigan and Texas that DHS described as "outposts for Iran’s revolutionary brand of Shi’a Islamism," including the Islamic Center of America and the Islamic House of Wisdom near Detroit, as well as the Islamic Ahlul Bayt Association in Austin. House Committee Alleges Biden Admin Used Funds To Back Anti-government Protests In Israel Nearly $100 million in FEMA security funding went to 500 synagogues this year amid an increase in anti-Semitic attacks.CAIR told Fox News Digital it has no active federal contracts with DHS. "While our civil rights organization has no active federal grants that the Department could eliminate or cut, and while the government cannot ban American organizations from receiving federal grants based on their religious affiliation or their criticism of Israel's genocide in Gaza," a CAIR spokesperson said, "it’s important to note that Kristi Noem’s Department of Homeland Security is embarrassing President Trump by making decisions based on the ravings of the Middle East Forum, an Israel First hate website." FEMA has previously worked with CAIR, holding seminars to encourage participation in the NSGP program. But last week, CAIR urged organizations to withdraw from applying for DHS and FEMA grants — including the NSGP — unless DHS drops two new vetting rules. Those provisions require recipients to cooperate with immigration officials and prohibit them from running programs tied to diversity, equity, inclusion, or aid to undocumented immigrants, as well as from engaging in certain "discriminatory prohibited boycotts." Original article source: DHS pulls funding from groups with ‘alleged terrorist ties’ after watchdog report View the full article

Less than three months after its launch, Elon Musk’s "America Party" appears to have been shelved. Musk allegedly told associates that he wants to focus on his companies and avoid starting a party that could siphon voters from the GOP, the The Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with his plans. Musk has also allegedly worked to maintain ties with Vice President JD Vance, considered the heir apparent to the MAGA movement, according to WSJ. The outlet added that the tech billionaire reportedly told associates he was concerned that forming a new political party would damage his relationship with the vice president. Elon Musk stands in the Oval Office to attend a press conference with President Donald Trump, at the White House on May 30, 2025.What Musk's Fracture With Trump Means For Gop’s Future: ‘Beating Heart Of The Republican Party’ While the plan is paused at the moment, Musk’s allies told WSJ that he has not formally ruled out launching the America Party and could revisit the idea as the 2026 midterms approach. After spending months working with the Department of Government Efficiency, Musk’s time at the Trump White House came to an end on May 30. Though they appeared on good terms, President Donald Trump and the tech billionaire began trading barbs almost immediately. Read On The Fox News App A few days after leaving the administration, Musk posted on X — the social media platform he owns — criticizing legislation the Trump White House was promoting. "I’m sorry, but I just can’t stand it anymore. This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it," Musk wrote. His criticism continued, including memes and jabs aimed at the administration. Musk stayed firm in his opposition to the bill, citing the amount of spending as his reason for objecting to it. President Donald Trump and Elon Musk speak before departing the White House on the way to Trump's South Florida home in Mar-a-Lago in Florida on March 14, 2025.Trump Dismisses Musk's Political Ambitions As 'Ridiculous' In Sharp Rebuke On June 5, Musk posed a question — and a poll — to his followers: Should there be a new political party? The next day, he announced that "the people have spoken. A new political party is needed in America to represent the 80% in the middle!" Musk asked a similar question nearly a month later, on July 4, the day Trump signed the "big, beautiful bill." "Independence Day is the perfect time to ask if you want independence from the two-party (some would say uniparty) system! Should we create the America Party?" Musk included another poll with his post. In the end, 65.4% of respondents voted "yes," while 34.6% voted "no," showing a drastic change from his June poll in which 80.4% voted "yes." Musk announced the next day that "the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom." "I am saddened to watch Elon Musk go completely ‘off the rails,’ essentially becoming a TRAIN WRECK over the past five weeks," Trump wrote on Truth Social on July 6. "He even wants to start a third political party, despite the fact that they have never succeeded in the United States – The system seems not designed for them." Elon Musk receives a golden key from Trump in the Oval Office at the White House on May 30, 2025.However, the feud between the two appears to have cooled. The social media spats have stopped, and in late July Trump appeared to wish Musk well, writing on Truth Social that he wanted to see the tech billionaire’s businesses "thrive like never before." "Everyone is stating that I will destroy Elon’s companies by taking away some, if not all, of the large-scale subsidies he receives from the U.S. government. This is not so! I want Elon, and all businesses within our country, to THRIVE, in fact, THRIVE like never before! The better they do, the better the USA does, and that’s good for all of us," Trump wrote. A spokesperson for Musk did not respond to a request for comment. Original article source: Elon Musk halts plans for new political party, prioritizing business instead: report View the full article

鑫鼎鑫商貿有限公司7月獲政府批出5,294萬元供應飲用水合約，涉嫌未經內地生產商授權投標並疑提供冒牌水，負責人夫婦被捕，政府即時終止合約。財經事務及庫務局今晚（20日 )表示，鑫鼎鑫按合約條款向政府繳交了約100萬元按金，政府可按合約條款扣除合約按金，以補償政府因終止合約所帶來的損失。 另外，政府再公布已即時終止所有其他與該些公司的合約，當中包括兩份分別由渠務署批出的化學品合約和消防處批出的資料輸入服務合約，合約總額分別為600多萬元和500多萬元。 政府發言人今晚表示，政府已即時終止所有與鑫鼎鑫商貿有限公司負責人有關聯的合約。基於物流署早前取得鑫鼎鑫的營運資料，以及政府部門近日對鑫鼎鑫的執法行動，政府有理由相信鑫鼎鑫及與其負責人有關聯的公司（即與鑫鼎鑫使用同一註冊辦事處的公司，而該些公司的董事包括鑫鼎鑫的董事／股東）未能繼續履行合約。 物流署早前已終止與鑫鼎鑫的政府辦公室樽裝飲用水合約及另外三張與其負責人有關聯的化學品合約，財經事務及庫務局亦隨即通知各政策局及部門終止其所有與該些公司的合約。今日再即時終止所有其他與該些公司的合約，當中包括兩份分別由渠務署批出的化學品合約和消防處批出的資料輸入服務合約，合約總額分別為600多萬元和500多萬元。 就物流署與鑫鼎鑫的政府辦公室樽裝飲用水合約，鑫鼎鑫按合約條款向政府繳交了約一百萬元按金。政府可按合約條款扣除合約按金，以補償政府因終止合約所帶來的損失，並保留所有追究權利。物流署亦會繼續全力配合執法機構調查。 物流署、渠務署和消防處會繼續嚴肅跟進上述合約，包括考慮按合約條款向相關公司追討政府損失。如發現合約涉及任何違法行為，會交由執法機構處理。 View the full article

美國總統特朗普（Donald Trump，又譯川普）8月18日在白宮與烏克蘭總統澤連斯基（Volodymyr Zelensky）及多名歐洲領袖會面，討論俄烏停火。俄羅斯外交部長拉夫羅夫（Sergei Lavrov）20日在新聞發布會上表示，若沒有俄羅斯的參與，西方國家討論烏克蘭安全問題將不會有出路。 拉夫羅夫表示，俄羅斯支持為烏克蘭提供「真正可靠」的保障，並建議這些保障可以參考俄烏在2022年戰爭初期於伊斯坦堡討論的協議草案，指出提議還要求烏克蘭成為中立國家並放棄加入北約的野心。該草案當時遭到基輔拒絕。 美俄關係：圖為2025年8月15日，俄羅斯外長拉夫羅夫陪同總統普京出席在阿拉斯加舉行的美俄峰會。（Reuters）在發布會上，拉夫羅夫說：「我們不能同意現在有人提議，在沒有俄羅斯參與的情況下解決安全問題、集體安全問題。這行不通。我相信，西方，尤其是美國非常清楚，沒有俄羅斯參與、嚴肅地討論安全問題是烏托邦，是死路一條（a road to nowhere）。」 他還指責參加美烏歐峰會的歐洲領導人企圖改變特朗普政府和美國總統本人的立場，稱是「不道德」的行為。我們沒有聽到歐洲人提出任何建設性的想法。」 2025年8月19日，特朗普在白宮會見澤連斯基和歐洲七大領導人。（白宮圖片）這凸顯了莫斯科一直要求西方政府就烏克蘭和歐洲安全問題與俄方直接接觸，但又表示西方至今仍拒絕這樣做。 北約軍事領袖20日會議　討論烏克蘭局勢與安全安排如何給烏克蘭安全保障　特朗普：美國不會派兵　德法英有意派部隊特朗普晤澤連斯基展標紅俄控區地圖　英媒：或施壓烏克蘭割地求和美烏歐峰會傳頻繁討論烏克蘭安全保證問題　美媒推演未來3種可能 View the full article

現年47歲的台灣男團始祖F4成員吳建豪離婚已經7年，近日驚爆疑有新歡兼見過家長。吳建豪早前與一名長相酷似台灣女星殷悅（Melody）的女子同框出現在印尼一場婚禮上，還被目擊在印尼商場有親密互動，引發大家對吳建豪感情狀況的猜測。 吳建豪早前與一名長相酷似台灣女星殷悅（Melody）的女子同框出現在印尼一場婚禮上，還被目擊在印尼商場有親密互動。(網上圖片)吳建豪早前被拍到與新歡出遊，最近又與新歡一起現身印尼牧師女兒的婚禮，身邊還有吳建豪的媽媽，看來已經見過家長獲得認可。據悉，吳建豪新歡氣質出眾，當日身穿淡黃色連身裙，舉止優雅，與吳建豪十分相配。 吳建豪新歡氣質出眾，當日身穿淡黃色連身裙，舉止優雅，與吳建豪十分相配。(網上圖片)吳建豪2013和新加坡「百億千金」石貞善（Arissa）結婚，但結婚僅1年，二人就在社交平台「隔空互寸」，可惜二人婚姻只維持了5年便於2018年以離婚收場。吳建豪離婚後的感情生活一直都備受關注，去年他曾與小17歲的中國女星虞書欣傳出緋聞，但雙方都沒有承認戀情。而今次傳出吳建豪與疑似殷悅的緋聞，亦未有任何回應。 2013年與新加坡百億千金石貞善（Arissa）的吳建豪，卻在婚後5年內屢次傳出離婚消息。(IG@xarissaxcheox)吳建豪（左）與石貞善屢傳婚變。（Instagram圖片） View the full article

Back in 2023, Tesla updated its Model 3 Sedan with a facelift that brought a few new features. Unfortunately for Model 3 buyers, one of those new features involved dropping the traditional turn signal stalks for the frustrating buttons also seen on the much-maligned Model S steering yoke. Fortunately, buyers now have a chance to fix the problem with an official Tesla retrofit—at least, in China. The option, which was brought to broader attention by Electrek, costs the equivalent of about $350 on the brand's official Chinese market site and directly replaces the buttons with a more conventional stalk. It is currently available only to cars that have been built since February of 2025, but the listing states that the program will later be expanded to other Model 3s with the same issue. The option is only available in China at the moment, but the fact that it can be done by Tesla there suggests that other markets could benefit from the same fix in the future. Although Tesla removed the turn signal stalk on both the Model S and the Model 3 in recent updates, the feature survived on the Model Y when it was updated earlier this year. Between that choice and this new Chinese-market option, it seems that company leadership finally is grasping that stalks have generally been the turn signal control of choice over buttons for most of automotive history for a good reason. Just two years after first embracing a yoke in place of a steering wheel and then demoting the control system to a paid option, Tesla finally seems to be learning the right lessons about its unusual driver interface choices. You Might Also Like You Need a Torque Wrench in Your Toolbox Tested: Best Car Interior Cleaners The Man Who Signs Every Car View the full article

Federal support for electric vehicles is court-forced at best these days. President Donald Trump and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy have both made clear that the new administration is not a fan of the majority-electric-vehicle-future set forward by former president Joe Biden and states like California. This hostility has manifested in the removal of the $7500 EV tax credit subsidy as of next month, and a strangling of California's autonomous emissions policies. But an end to federal electric vehicle subsidies shouldn't signal defeat, the California Air Resources Board says. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is the state agency historically responsible for creating the Golden State's proprietary emissions policy—and, empowered by Governor Gavin Newsom, the board has made some drastic recommendations to push back against the Trump administration. Namely, instead of bowing to a lack of EV incentives, CARB suggests that California should start to "backfill the federal tax credits." NurPhoto - Getty ImagesWhat exactly does this backfilling scheme mean for residents? Well, the gist of it is that California wants to fill in the EV incentive gaps with "point-of-sale rebates, vouchers, or other credits." Essentially, CARB believes that these sort of tax credit programs were essential to maintaining the sales flow of electrified models, and wants to continue zero-emissions sales progress by opening new incentive avenues. "Incentives are an important component of the state’s ZEV strategy that crosscuts the need to address both the affordability of vehicles and infrastructure and to support market expansion. These options, contingent upon available resources, would provide multi-year certainty for the ZEV market and have direct benefits for consumers that impact purchasing decisions," an August CARB report sent to Governor Newsom reads. The report comes by request of Governor Newsom's June 12 executive order focused on maintaining clean transportation strategies in California. Other CARB recommendations include funding additional infrastructure for commercial EVs, increasing access to zero-emissions vehicles for low-income buyers, and to retain carpool lane access for certain electrified vehicle owners. Additionally, CARB recommends that California adopt stronger consumer assurance measures related to electric vehicles, adding a degree of confidence in recourse should an EV purchase go awry. Citizens of the Planet - Getty ImagesThe rapid-fire response from CARB recommend that officials in California take a strong stand against what they're describing as backwards progress. California has long set its own emissions rules and has dozens of states follow them in tow, but the required EPA-approval process has become contentious since President Trump took office. The federal government has axed California's ability to mandate commercial vehicle emissions levels and even failed to renew a federal waiver allowing low-emissions vehicles to use carpool lanes without the requisite amount of occupants. But California's focus on air quality is not without precedent, as CARB research shows that five of the 10 most polluted cities in the U.S. are in California. "As federal agencies move backward, we are moving forward with a set of actions to expand clean and zero emission vehicle adoption across all vehicle types," CARB chair Liane Randolph said on a call with media. "We got a lot of advocacy around supporting an incentive program that has no income limits and no MSRP limits; other advocates felt strongly that the program should be limited to medium- and low-income residents and that there should be an MSRP cap." Justin Sullivan - Getty ImagesIt remains unclear what exactly will happen in California, but the likelihood that the Golden State will become an even stronger haven of electrified adoption is high. Randolph said that California could go as far as filling in the entire gap and offering a $7500 EV tax credit, but she also said it could be lower. Similarly, the CARB chair confirmed that California will likely hold strong on its 100-percent zero-emissions new vehicle sales by 2035. Around one in five new cars sold in California are ZEVs, with over two million zero-emissions vehicles currently on the road. "The regulation was adopted before there was a wholesale federal assault on progress and innovation, and so I think we are going to get a lot of advocacy from stakeholders to stick to that timeline," Randolph said to reporters on August 19. "I think we’re going to get advocacy from manufacturers, for instance, who are concerned about whether they can meet that timeline, and I think that’s going to be a really robust conversation." You Might Also Like You Need a Torque Wrench in Your Toolbox Tested: Best Car Interior Cleaners The Man Who Signs Every Car View the full article

Kia is no stranger to safety recalls, but it’s now facing a federal audit in response to how it’s handled one of those recalls. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Office of Defect Investigation’s Recall Management Division is conducting the audit, which was announced on August 6. Mercedes dealership refuses to make lemon car it sold right with customer. The safety recall in question was issued through an NHTSA filing in February 2025. It involves 137,256 Kia Souls and Seltos from the 2021 to 2023 model years. The problem stems from piston oil rings that were manufactured incorrectly. Thanks to a loss of oil flow, damage to the engine could occur and the crossover could suddenly lose power while it’s in motion, which of course is a huge safety risk. Imagine your engine dying while you’re cruising along the highway at 75 mph. Kia came up with a solution to the problem on April 4, 2025 with dealers inspecting engines to determine if they should be entirely replaced. The procedure given to dealership service departments was changed on May 7, 2025. But it seems a lot of people think Kia isn’t handling the situation correctly. Some say the remedy doesn’t work, others allege the results of the inspections are inconsistent, and still other Kia ownes allege they weren’t given a new engine because of a lack of availability. Those Kia owners complained to NHTSA and the Recall Management Division is now conducting an audit of the recall process. It seems like these days not only are there are lot of car safety recalls, many manufacturers are having trouble following through and fixing them all the way. After all, we’ve covered when Ford has had to recall vehicles which had supposedly already been fixed by a previous recall remedy. Kia might be facing the same thing soon enough. Image via Rodman Rochin/Facebook Marketplace Join our Newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube page, and follow us on Facebook. View the full article

President Donald Trump said on Truth Social Wednesday that Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook “must resign, now!!!” Trump’s comment came after the director of the U.S. Federal Housing Finance Agency, William Pulte, a sharp critic of the Fed, alleged in a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi that Cook “falsified bank documents and property records to acquire more favorable loan terms, potentially committing mortgage fraud.” In the letter that Pulte called a “criminal referral,” he said that his agency had obtained her mortgage documents and requested that the Justice Department review the matter. He further alleged that Cook falsified her “residence statuses for an Ann Arbor, Michigan-based residence and an Atlanta, Georgia-based property.” Pulte’s letter is the latest scrutiny over the mortgages of prominent Democratic figures, including Sen. Adam Schiff of California and New York Attorney General Letitia James. The letter about Cook’s mortgages ratchets up the administration’s pressure on the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates. Pulte has posted on social media dozens of times calling on Fed Chair Jerome Powell to resign or lower rates, and he attended Trump’s recent tour of the Federal Reserve’s headquarters renovation. Cook has a permanent vote on the central bank’s rate-setting committee and was appointed by President Joe Biden to a term running until 2038. Before joining the Fed, Cook was a professor of economics at Michigan State University. Cook, a graduate of Spelman College and Oxford University, is regarded in the economics field as a trailblazer. She is the first Black woman to serve on the Federal Reserve board in the U.S. central bank’s more than 100-year history. The Federal Reserve declined to comment on Trump's post Wednesday. The Justice Department and FHFA did not immediately respond to requests for comments. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com View the full article

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — State police are on the hunt for a fleeing suspect out of Vermont, believed to have traveled to Connecticut in a black Audi after allegedly dragging a trooper in Massachusetts following a domestic incident. Vermont authorities identified the suspect as 23-year-old Mason L. Payne. According to police, the domestic incident happened in Dover, Vt., around 5 p.m. on Tuesday. Authorities said they responded to the report of a domestic assault allegedly involving an unspecified weapon. Five juveniles arrested after stolen car crashes into tree in Trumbull Payne’s last encounter was with a trooper during a traffic stop around 10 p.m. Tuesday in Holyoke, Mass., on Interstate 91 near Exit 15, when he allegedly dragged the trooper several feet with the vehicle while attempting to flee. Massachusetts State Police deployed a K-9 unit and air wing as the car continued fleeing into Holyoke. A cruiser attempted to tag the fleeing vehicle but was unsuccessful. State police said they terminated the pursuit for safety reasons. The trooper was not seriously injured, state police said. This is a developing story. Check back for updates. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com. View the full article

GILES COUNTY, Tenn. (WHNT) — A Sheriff’s Office in Tennessee is warning residents to stay away from “shake and bake” meth cooking devices. Over the weekend, Investigators with the Giles County Sheriff’s Department responded to a home where they found a plastic bottle with tubes coming out of it. Tennessee Authorities believe that it is a home-made device used to cook methamphetamine and is part of a process commonly referred to as the one-pot method or the “Shake and Bake Method.” Giles County Officials told News 19 that the shake and bake method of creating methamphetamine carries a significant risk for explosions, chemical burns and poisoning. Additionally, authorities said that the gases produced from this method can be lethal. Authorities are reminding the public to not move or manipulate one of these devices if you find them. If you see anything similar to this device, please contact the Giles County Sheriff’s Office at (931)-363-3505. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com. View the full article

Martha Nolan, the 33-year-old expat Irish fashion designer found dead on a 54-foot Sea Ray at the Montauk Yacht Club earlier this month, has been laid to rest in her home country. Her boyfriend, Nicholas DiRubio, delivered a eulogy at the funeral in Carlow, Ireland, Wednesday morning, about 55 miles from Dublin. "Martha had a way of putting people first. She loved helping people and many of you in this room have been lucky enough to experience that love, whether it was telling you to cop on or focus on the good in this life, or just being a shoulder to lean on," he said, according to the Irish Mirror. "The shining light that Martha brought into this world is a reflection of everybody in this room. For friends, family, loved ones, both past and present, we’ve all been lucky to have known Martha and we must live every day forward with her in our hearts. May she rest in peace." Homicide Investigator Warns Against Rushing Bikini Designer's Yacht Death Probe As Lawyer Reveals New Details In New York, Suffolk County detectives are still investigating her cause of death. A preliminary scene investigation and her initial autopsy both came back inconclusive, according to county police. The toxicology report is expected to reveal whether she had any drugs in her system and if they contributed to her death. "In our society right now, the way we’ve evolved with these designer drugs, all these substances that are created in a lab, you want to be extra careful that whatever testing you’ve done is comprehensive and complete before you make any findings in the case," Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney told the New York Post. Read On The Fox News App Tierney, who was headed to court Wednesday for the sentencing of an illegal immigrant MS-13 member convicted of assault and kidnapping, could not immediately be reached for comment. Mystery Still Surrounds Death Of Irish Fashion Designer At Exclusive Montauk Yacht Club Nicholas DiRubio (left) carries the coffin of partner Martha Nolan as her body is carried out of the Cathedral of the Assumption, Carlow, following her funeral service. Nolan, 33, was discovered unconscious on the boat at Montauk Yacht Club, New York, in the early hours of Aug. 5. Picture date: Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025."What you do is you test for heroin, cocaine and fentanyl, right? Now you want to test for xylazine...," he told the paper, referring to a powerful animal tranquilizer. "You want to test for some obvious other substances." Xylazine, according to the National Institutes of Health, is commonly known as "tranq" and is not approved for human use by the FDA. However, it is often mixed with other drugs without consumers' knowledge. Heroin overdose antidotes like Narcan do not help someone overdosing on xylazine. The hearse carrying the coffin of Martha Nolan leaves the Cathedral of the Assumption, Carlow, following her funeral service. Nolan, 33, was discovered unconscious on the boat at Montauk Yacht Club, New York, in the early hours of Aug. 5. Picture date: Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025.Montauk Yacht Death: Timeline Reveals Bikini Mogul’s Final Days In Hamptons Before Mysterious Demise Arthur Aidala, a high-profile New York attorney hired by her family, said relatives met with homicide detectives and that a "deep, deep" investigation was underway to determine what happened to her before she died and called early reports of a potential overdose premature and speculative. Town of East Hampton police arrived at the Montauk Yacht Club around midnight on Aug. 5 in response to a report of an unconscious woman on a Sea Ray Sundancer 540 docked there, named the Ripple. When officers arrived, good Samaritans were attempting CPR, according to authorities. But first responders pronounced Nolan dead at the scene. County homicide detectives took over the investigation later that morning. Nolan was the founder of East x East, a boutique fashion company focused on summerwear and sunglasses for men and women. Original article source: Irish bikini designer Martha Nolan laid to rest in Ireland as cause of death remains unknown View the full article

Before each NFL season, as a professional bettor, I have a few essential tasks. I update a list of beat writers for every team to gain an edge on team or player injury information before the market reacts. I aggregate scoring outcomes from the past three seasons and update my key numbers charts and corresponding line-movement values. Finally, I review every rule change and predict its impact on the game. There are three NFL rule changes worth examining before the start of the season to see how they might affect play on the field and our betting. Let's take a look at them. Dynamic kickoff rule: touchbacks to the 35-yard line The NFL has been adjusting touchback yardage for the past decade. In 2016, kickoff touchbacks were moved from the 20-yard line to the 25-yard line to reduce kick returns in favor of player safety. As this rule took effect, teams consistently opted for touchbacks, and the return rate dropped so sharply the play became largely a formality to start a drive. Last season, the NFL moved touchbacks from the 25-yard line to the 30-yard line to encourage more returns. The impact was minimal, with only about a 10% increase in return rates. Still, more than two-thirds of kickoffs were downed in the end zone, with drives starting at the 30-yard line. This season, the NFL is advancing touchbacks another five yards, with drives now starting at the 35-yard line. The league has placed the onus on kickers to avoid blasting the ball into the end zone and instead aim to land it inside the 10-yard line, forcing the return team to run it out. Jacksonville Jaguars running back Tank Bigsby (4) returns a kickoff as he tries to get past New Orleans Saints safety Ugo Amadi (0) in the first half in New Orleans, Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Butch Dill) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)Betting impact: Increasing field position will directly increase scoring I believe this change will absolutely increase scoring totals. Drives will often start at the 35-yard line, now just two first downs away from attempting a long field goal. Even if the average starting position for returns remains similar, the likelihood of a return advancing directly into scoring position — or resulting in a touchdown — increases, as does the chance of a return turnover. With more returns, turnovers will likely rise in volume, giving the opposing team possession in high-value scoring territory. The extent to which these changes will boost scoring remains to be seen, but it’s hard to envision any scenario where scoring decreases because of this. The betting edge likely lies in targeting overs and against-the-spread plays on teams with strong special-teams units. Somewhere, Devin Hester wishes he was still in his prime to capitalize on these rules. [Check out all of Yahoo's sports betting content here in our new betting hub] For reference, last season KaVontae Turpin (Dallas Cowboys), Raheem Blackshear (Carolina Panthers), and Austin Ekeler (Washington Commanders) led the league in kickoff return yards. Deebo Samuel, now with the Commanders after moving from the 49ers this offseason, ranked fifth. Expect Washington to excel in this area. Washington and Dallas will play two divisional games. I expect the market to move over from the initial pricing, and I expect the special-teams touchdown and turnover markets to take some steam on "Yes" in a long-shot prop market. If that game is priced similarly to other matchups, an edge certainly exists. Expanded replay assistThe expanded replay-assist rules allow replay officials, who monitor the game from the booth rather than on the field, to overturn incorrect flags. If an incorrect flag is thrown for a face-mask, horse-collar tackle, tripping, running into or roughing the kicker, or hitting a defenseless player, replay officials can quickly determine the play did not warrant a penalty. These reviews are limited to “clear and obvious” situations, as defined by the league. However, "clear and obvious" missed calls cannot be upgraded to penalties. The expanded replay assist can only remove unnecessary flags, not add them. The betting impact: May very slightly and situationally reduce scoring This benefits the defense and its impact can only slightly reduce scoring, as some 15-yard automatic first downs will be reversed. I suspect this will occur less than once per game, resulting in a neutral to minimal impact. However, it’s worth noting the Baltimore Ravens led the NFL in penalties against and penalty yards against last season. The Houston Texans and New York Jets ranked second and third, respectively. These rankings are unsurprising, as these teams play highly physical defense, and this trend may continue this season. Among these teams, only the Jets changed their coaching staff, bringing in Aaron Glenn, who emphasizes increased physicality. There may be live betting opportunities to exploit here. If you see a call you believe will be overturned, negating a first down and yardage, quickly bet the under or the defensive team against the spread or money line to gain an edge. Thursday night flex scheduling requirements reduced by a weekThursday Night Football matchups can sometimes be a grueling, slow-burn watch. In 2022, when Amazon Prime took over the TNF stream, the Colts played at the Broncos on Oct. 6. This game was expected to be a decent matchup at the start of the season, with Matt Ryan leading the Indianapolis Colts and Russell Wilson newly traded to the Denver Broncos. However, it was clear by game time that both teams were underperforming and lackluster. The result: no touchdowns, overtime and a 12-9 Colts win, driven by seven field goals. The aftermath saw an uproar of fan complaints. The NFL has made a clear effort to schedule better games in prime-time slots. This season, they introduced a rule allowing the league to flex Thursday Night Football matchups with just three weeks’ notice, down from a month. Betting impact: Bet more lookahead spots and target home-team ATS and unders in flexed games Combining this adjustment with the fact that sportsbooks price every NFL game in advance and offer widely available look-ahead lines, there may be edges to exploit when flex-schedule changes are announced. When news of a flex-schedule drops, check for rest or travel disparities in the updated matchups and target unders. Ensure the listed game date has changed and the odds are updated, as bets placed before the reschedule may be voided. I suspect most sportsbooks will simply adjust the date and retain the same odds, creating actionable betting opportunities. View the full article

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