Author: Lester Holt

The sudden firing of political analyst Matthew Dowd has triggered strong backlash within media and journalism circles. The decision followed remarks he made about conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s death, which many viewed as insensitive and unprofessional. While some defended Dowd’s right to free expression, others argued that his comments crossed a line, placing news organizations under pressure to respond. According to reports, Dowd’s contract was terminated shortly after his remarks went viral on social media. The incident has reignited debates about free speech, accountability, and the responsibilities of journalists and commentators in the public sphere. Media insiders describe the firing…

Reflection AI, an AI startup focused on coding automation, is nearing a $5.5 billion valuation in a planned $1 billion funding round. The deal, if completed, would mark nearly a tenfold increase from its previous valuation of $545 million just six months ago. The upcoming round is expected to include Nvidia’s venture arm with at least $250 million in investment. Other major backers are likely to include Sequoia Capital, Lightspeed Venture Partners, and DST Global, signaling strong confidence in the startup’s growth potential. Reflection AI was founded in 2024 by Misha Laskin and Ioannis Antonoglou, former researchers at Google DeepMind.…

Court intervenes following urgent legal filings A federal judge in Washington, D.C., on Sunday issued an emergency order stopping the Trump administration from deporting a group of Guatemalan minors. The injunction came after attorneys argued that the government was preparing to carry out removals in violation of legal protections. Ten children at the center, ruling protects all minors The case concerns 10 unaccompanied children, ages 10 to 17, who lawyers said were hours away from being flown to Guatemala late Saturday night. Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan imposed a 14-day suspension on deportations and instructed that the children remain in the…

Washington, August 30, 2025 — Senator Bernie Sanders has called for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to step down from his role as U.S. health secretary, citing serious concerns over the impact of his leadership on public health. Sanders Challenges Kennedy’s Leadership In an op-ed published in The New York Times, Sanders accused Kennedy of putting Americans’ health at risk and demanded his immediate resignation. He criticized the administration’s slogan, “Make America Healthy Again,” arguing that Kennedy’s actions have contradicted this goal by undermining scientific guidance and weakening public health agencies. Sanders highlighted the recent firing of CDC director Susan Monarez…

Extreme temperatures escalate fire risk Southern Europe is facing a severe heatwave, intensifying ongoing wildfires. In Spain, one-quarter of weather stations reported temperatures above 40°C, with Cádiz reaching 45.8°C on Sunday. The national weather agency, Aemet, warned that although the heatwave is slowly easing, very high temperatures will persist in eastern and southern regions. Fires ravage land and threaten lives Preliminary data from Copernicus shows that wildfires have burned 348,000 hectares in Spain this year, exceeding the previous record from 2022. In Portugal, 216,000 hectares have been destroyed. Fatalities include four in Spain, including a firefighter, and two in Portugal.…