Channel Tunnel power malfunction fixed, but rail delays may linger

PARIS (AP) — The Channel Tunnel's operator said trains through the undersea link between continental Europe and the United Kingdom were running again Wednesday in both directions aftera day of travel chaoscaused by a power malfunction.

Eurostar, which runs passenger trains through the tunnel, said its services were operating again but warned that "knock on impacts" following the disruptions on Tuesday could still cause delays and cancellations.

The power supply problem in the 50-kilometer (32-mile) Channel Tunnel was fixed overnight Tuesday, its operator, Eurotunnel, said in a short statement that didn't detail the fault's cause.

Tuesday's hours-long interruption of cross-Channel train services upendedtravelers' end-of-year getaway plansand provoked scrambles for flights and buses.

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

December 31, 2025

Channel Tunnel power malfunction fixed, but rail delays may linger

PARIS (AP) — The Channel Tunnel's operator said trains through the undersea link between continental Europe and the U...

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Times Square has a dazzling new ball for the New Year’s Eve drop — and it’s the biggest yet

It's out with the old and in with the new in Times Square this year as the famous New Year's Eve ball drop rings in 2026 with a dazzling new ball — the largest in the history of an event that started in 1907.

The Constellation Ball, as it has been named, is the ninth ball to usher in the new year at the famous Midtown Manhattan intersection. It measures 12.5 feet in diameter and weighs just over 12,000 pounds.

The ball features 5,280 circular Waterford crystals in three different sizes — 1.5-inch, 3-inch and 4-inch — as well as LED light pucks. The shape of the crystals is a departure from the triangular ones seen on previous balls since 1999.

"Each new crystal size features a unique design that celebrates the Ball's spirit of eternal positivity," reads a statement from the event's organizers One Times Square.

Michael Phillips, president of Jamestown, the firm that owns and operates One Times Square, said the ball "is meant to represent interconnectedness, wholeness, and the cyclical nature of tradition, celebrating the eternal relationship between the past, present, and future."

The ball drop is an integral part of New Year's Eve celebrations for those who gather in Times Square, as well for people watching on television.

At 11:59 p.m. a dazzling ball glides slowly down a pole, while attendees — and millions of people tuning in from home — count down from 60. At the stroke of midnight, the crowd erupts into a cacophony of sound, often pulling their loved one in for a ceremonial kiss.

The Times Square ball first dropped in 1907, and it came into being thanks to Jacob Starr, a Ukranian immigrant and metalworker, and the former New York Times publisher, Adolph Ochs. The latter had successfully drawn crowds to the newspaper's skyscraper home in Times Square with pyrotechnics and fireworks to celebrate the forthcoming year, but city officials banned explosives from being used after just a few years of the festivities.

So Ochs commissioned Starr, who worked for sign-making firm Strauss Signs (later known as Artkraft Strauss, a company at which Starr served as president), to create a new visual display.

Over the past century, that display, and symbol of the New Year, has evolved from an iron and wood cage adorned with light bulbs to a dazzling technicolor crystal sphere.

The concept was based on time balls, nautical devices that had gained popularity in the 19th century. As time-telling became more precise, ship navigators needed a standardized way to set their chronometers. Each day, harbors and observatories would raise and lower a metal ball at the same time to allow sailors to synchronize their instruments.

Both Ochs and the New York Times' chief electrician, Walter Palmer, have been credited with the idea, allegedly inspired by the downtown Western Union Building, which dropped a time ball each day at noon. But Starr's granddaughter Tama Starr, who joined Artkraft Strauss in 1982 and now owns the business, said in a phone interview that she believes it was her grandfather who came up with the concept of the ball being lowered and lit up with the new year numerals at midnight.

"The idea was to … have it illuminated with the brand-new electricity that had just come up to the neighborhood," said Tama, who for many years served as foreperson at the Times Square ball drop. "And it was lowered by hand … starting at one minute to midnight, and that was the way it was done for many years."

"It was an adaptation of an old, useful thing," she added. "It was instantly popular. People just loved it."

Though Manhattan had been partially illuminated by electricity since the early 1880s, the US National Park Service (NPS)notesthat half of American homes were still lit by gas lights and candles until the 1920s. The sight of a glimmering ball lowering down from the dark skies would have seemed otherworldly.

When the ball reached the parapet with a sign displaying the numbers of the year, "the electrician would throw the switch, turning off the ball and turning on the numbers at the same time," Tama said. "So it looked like the ball coming down transformed into the set of numbers."

All of Times Square got in on the theatrics. In the first year, waiters in nearby restaurants and hotels wore battery-powered "1908" top hats that they illuminated at the stroke of midnight.

"It looked like magic to people," said Tama.

'A minute outside of time'

There have been seven different Times Square balls since that first descent, from a 700-pound iron structure fitted with 25-watt light bulbs, to a lighter aluminum frame after World War II, to a "Big Apple" during the administration of the city's former mayor Ed Koch.

In 1995, when the ball got a glitzy update with rhinestones, strobe lights and computer controls, traditional signmakers were no longer needed — which meant that Artkraft Strauss, the company that had brought the ball to Times Square, was no longer needed either.

Nonetheless, Tama remembers her years as the timekeeper on the roof of One Times Square fondly.

When the last minute of the year arrived, workers lowered the ball using a complex pulley system.

In performing this ritual year after year, Tama sees an intrinsic link between the countdown, which she calls "a minute outside of time," and the making of New Year's resolutions.

"When you're concentrating really hard, time seems to slow down," she said. "It felt like the longest minute in the world. It felt like you had time to wash your hair, call your mother, change your life. You really can change your life in one minute — you can decide to be different. You can decide to be kinder and better."

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

December 31, 2025

Times Square has a dazzling new ball for the New Year’s Eve drop — and it’s the biggest yet

It's out with the old and in with the new in Times Square this year as the famous New Year's Eve ball drop rings in 2026 with a daz...

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How Trump’s tariffs hit Americans: Rising costs and global backlash

WASHINGTON – PresidentDonald Trumphad been in office less than three months when he slapped retaliatorytariffson imports from dozens of countries, arguing the duties would benefit American companies that have been treated unfairly by foreign nations.

But Trump's tariffs drove up prices for American consumers, sowed confusion and anger aboard (even among some U.S. allies), and landed before a skeptical U.S.Supreme Court, which is weighing whether he acted legally.

Trump announced the tariffs during aRose Garden ceremonyon April 2, which he dubbed  "Liberation Day." Holding up a large chart, Trump said he would place 10% tariffs on imports from all countries and additional duties on 60 countries that he said are the largest contributors to the U.S.trade deficitand that impose the most significant barriers against U.S. products.

"For decades, our country has been looted, pillaged, raped and plundered by nations near and far, both friend and foe alike," he said. "But now it's our turn to prosper."

Takeaways:President Trump's massive tariffs are even steeper than expected

China and Canada fight tariffs with tariffs

At least two countries –ChinaandCanada– struck back.China, which had waged a long trade war with the United States during Trump's first term, responded to Trump's latest tariffs withcountermeasures. Beijing slapped extra levies on all U.S. goods and curbed exports on some rare-earth elements.

By the end of the year, though, the tensions showed some signs of easing. China agreed in November toresume purchasesof U.S. soybeans and halted its expanded curbs on the export of rare earths minerals, while the United States lowered some tariffs on Chinese goods. Trump said he would visitBeijingnext April and host Chinese PresidentXi Jinpingfor a state visit to the White House later in 2026.

Canada, one of the United States' top two trading partners,retaliatedagainst Trump's tariffs by placing duties on billions in U.S.-made goods, including steel and aluminum products, computers, sports equipment and certain cast iron products. The Canadian government removed the tariffs on many of the goods in September but left in place the duties on steel, aluminum and autos.

Canadian businesses did their part to fight back. Tired of Trump'sdismissive attitudetoward their country, restaurant and bar owners and others in the food and beverage industry yanked American products from their shelves while a "Buy Canadian" movement took hold across much of the country. In Montreal and other cities, bar owners stopped usingKentucky bourbonin drinks like the Old-Fashioned and substituted Canadian rye instead.

Just a bluegrass-pickin' minute:Canadians are making Old-Fashioneds without Kentucky bourbon?

Trump abruptlyhalted trade talkswith Canada in October after Ontario's regional government aired a television ad that showed former PresidentRonald Reaganspeaking negatively about tariffs. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carey apologized, but trade talks between the two countries have yet to resume.

Guitars, bagels and booze:How Canadians became reluctant warriors in Trump tariff fight

Trump drops tariffs on Brazilian coffee, beef

Trump's tariffs caused a spike in prices for American consumers. The nonprofitTax Foundationreported in October that the tariffs had driven up retail prices by 4.9%. Other reports showed that prices for some beef cuts jumped by 18.4% in September.

A separate analysis released in October by the global investment firm Goldman Sachs concluded that Americans, not foreign exporters or overseas governments, are bearing the majority of the cost of the tariffs. U.S. consumers will absorb 55% of tariff costs by the end of this year, the analysis said.

Though Trump insisted the tariffs were not impacting food prices, he removed duties on more than 200 food products in November, includingBrazilian coffee, beef, orange juice and fruit.

Are $2,000 rebate checks coming?

Trump has suggested that money raised by the tariffs could be returned to Americans in the form of$2,000 rebate checks. He initiallyfloated the ideain July and has continued to dangle the prospect of rebate checks for several months, suggesting the $2,000 payments would go to low- and middle-income Americans and could arrive in the middle of next year.

But analysts have warned that the tariffs won't raise enough money to pay the rebates. The Tax Foundationestimatesthe tariffs will generate $158.4 billion in revenue during 2025 and another $207.5 billion in 2026. But the rebate checks could cost as much as $606.8 billion – double the amount of revenue the tariffs are expected to bring in, the organization said.

'I'll believe it when I see it.'Are $2K tariff checks coming soon? Why Americans have mixed feelings.

Rebate checks:Trump wants to send $2,000 checks. Tariffs may not cover them.

Supreme Courtto decide fate of tariffs

The fate of Trump's tariffs rests with theSupreme Court,which is weighing whether he acted legally when imposed the duties.

During nearly three hours of debate on Nov. 5, justicesquestionedwhether Trump has the power to impose sweeping tariffs on most imports. The Constitution gives Congress sole authority to set taxes. But Solicitor General John Sauer argued that the duties imposed by Trump are "a regulatory tariff, not a tax."

A legal challenge:Trump says his tariffs will help American businesses. So why are they suing?

At least three of the court's six conservative justices – Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Neil Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett – sounded skeptical of the Trump administration's arguments. A fourth, Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who is sometimes a swing vote in politically divisive cases, appeared undecided.

A decision is expected soon.

Contributing: Maureen Groppe, Bart Jansen, Francesca Chambers and Joey Garrison

Michael Collins writes about the intersection of politics and culture. A veteran reporter, he has covered the White House and Congress. Follow him on X: @mcollinsNEWS

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:How Trump's tariffs have impacted American pocketbooks

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

December 31, 2025

How Trump’s tariffs hit Americans: Rising costs and global backlash

WASHINGTON – PresidentDonald Trumphad been in office less than three months when he slapped retaliatorytariffson imports ...

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Iran's president says answer to attack would be harsh in apparent response to Trump warning

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday said his country's answer to an attack would be harsh, which appeared to be in response to a warning by U.S. President Donald Trump over reconstruction of Iran's nuclear program.

"Answer of Islamic Republic of Iran to any cruel aggression will be harsh and discouraging," Pezeshkian said on the social media platform X.

Pezeshkian did not elaborate, but his statement came a day after Trump suggested the U.S. could carry outmilitary strikes if Iran attempts to reconstitute its nuclear program. Trump made the comment during wide-ranging talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate inFlorida.

"Now I hear that Iran is trying to build up again," Trump said during a news conference with Netanyahu after their meeting. "And if they are, we're going to have to knock them down. We'll knock them down. We'll knock the hell out of them. But hopefully that's not happening."

The two leaders discussed the possibility of renewed military action against Tehran months aftera 12-day air war in Junethat killed nearly 1,100 Iranians including senior military commanders and scientists. Iran's retaliatory missile barrage killed 28 people in Israel.

Trump suggested Monday that he could order another U.S. strike against Iran.

"If it's confirmed, they know the consequences, and the consequences will be very powerful, maybe more powerful than the last time," Trump said.

Pezeshkian said Saturdaythat tensions between the sides already had risen.

"We are in a full-scale war with the U.S., Israel and Europe; they don't want our country to remain stable," he said.

Iran has insisted it isno longer enriching uraniumat any site in the country, trying to signal to the West that it remains open to potential negotiations over its atomic program.

U.S. intelligence agencies and the International Atomic Energy Agency assessed Iran last had an organized nuclear weapons program in 2003, though Tehran had been enriching uranium up to 60%, which is a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%.

Meanwhile, some of the largest protests in three years entered a third day Tuesday afterthe country's currency plummetedto a record low against the U.S. dollar. The head of the Central Bank resigned on Monday.

According to witnesses and videos on social media, rallies took place in Tehran and other cities and towns. Police fired tear gas in some places. Near a market in downtown Tehran, footage showed people pushing back police and security forces and throwing stones at them.

University students also rallied inside campuses on Tehran University and other major universities, witnesses said.

Pezeshkian met a group of businessmen to listen to their demands, media reported.

"The administration will not spare any effort for solving problems and improving situation of the society," Pezeshkian said. He also assigned Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni for talks with protesters.

The head of the country's tax department, Mohammad Hadi Sobhanian, also said the government will revise its tax arrangement in favor of businesses, dropping penalties for delay in paying taxes.

The government announced the closure of offices and banks on Wednesday for managing energy consumption during the winter days, to be followed by weekly holidays on Thursday and Friday. Saturday also is a religious holiday in the country.

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

December 30, 2025

Iran's president says answer to attack would be harsh in apparent response to Trump warning

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday said his country's answer to an attack would be ha...

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Israel says it will halt operations of several humanitarian organizations in Gaza starting in 2026

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel on Tuesday said it had suspended more thantwo dozen humanitarian organizations, including Doctors Without Borders and CARE, from operating inthe Gaza Stripfor failing to comply with new registration rules.

Israel says the rules are aimed at preventingHamasand other militant groups from infiltrating the aid organizations. But the organizations say the rules are arbitrary and warned that the new ban would harm a civilian population desperately in need of humanitarian aid.

Israel has claimed throughout the war that Hamas was siphoning off aid supplies — a charge the militants deny. Early this year, Israel announced it would require aid organizations to register the names of its workers and provide details about funding and operations in order to continue working in Gaza.

The new regulations included ideological requirements — including disqualifying organizations that have called for boycotts against Israel, denied the Oct. 7 attack or expressed support for any of the international court cases against Israeli soldiers or leaders.

Israel's Ministry of Diaspora Affairs said more than 30 groups — about 15% of the organizations operating in Gaza — had failed to comply and that their operations would be suspended. It also said thatDoctors Without Borders, one of the biggest and best-known groups in Gaza, had failed to respond to Israeli claims that some of its workers were affiliated with Hamas or Islamic Jihad.

"The message is clear: humanitarian assistance is welcome — the exploitation of humanitarian frameworks for terrorism is not," Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli said.

Doctors Without Borders, also known by its French acronym MSF, said Israel's decision would have a catastrophic impact on their work in Gaza, where they support around 20% of the hospital beds and a third of births. The organization also denied Israel's accusations about their staff.

"MSF would never knowingly employ people engaging in military activity," it said.

'Exhausted local staff'

While Israel claimed the decision would have limited impact on the ground. the affected organizations said the timing — less than three months into a fragile ceasefire — was devastating.

"Despite the ceasefire, the needs in Gaza are enormous and yet we and dozens of other organizations are and will continue to be blocked from bringing in essential life-saving assistance," said Shaina Low, communications adviser for the Norwegian Refugee Council, which has also been suspended.

"Not being able to send staff into Gaza means all of the workload falls on our exhausted local staff," Low said.

Some aid groups say they didn't submit the list of Palestinian staff, as Israel demanded, for fear they'd be targeted by Israel, and because of data protection laws in Europe.

"It comes from a legal and safety perspective. In Gaza, we saw hundreds of aid workers get killed," Low explained.

The decision not to renew aid groups' licenses means offices in Israel and East Jerusalem will close, and organizations won't be able to send international staff or aid into Gaza.

Israel says militants exploiting aid groups

According to the ministry, the decision means the aid groups will have their license revoked on Jan. 1, and if they are located in Israel, they will need to leave by March 1. They can appeal the decision.

"The message is clear: humanitarian assistance is welcome — the exploitation of humanitarian frameworks for terrorism is not," said Chikli, the diaspora minister.

The Israeli defense body that oversees humanitarian aid to Gaza, COGAT, said that the organizations on the list contribute less than 1% of the total aid going into the Gaza Strip, and that aid will continue to enter from more than 20 organizations that did receive permits to continue operating in Gaza.

"The registration process is intended to prevent the exploitation of aid by Hamas, which in the past operated under the cover of certain international aid organizations, knowingly or unknowingly," COGAT said in a statement.

This isn't the first time Israel has tried to crack down on international humanitarian organizations. Throughout the war, Israel has accused the U.N. Relief and Works Agency, or UNRWA, of being infiltrated by Hamas, using its facilities and taking aid. The United Nations has denied it.

Israel also has said thathundreds of Palestinian militantswork for UNRWA, the top U.N. agency working with Palestinians. UNRWA has denied knowingly aiding armed groups and says it acts quickly to purge any suspected militants.

After months of criticism from Israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahuand his far-right allies,Israel banned UNRWAfrom operating on its territory in January. The U.S., formerly the largest donor to UNRWA, halted funding to the agency in early 2024.

NGOs say Israel vague over data use

Israel failed to confirm that the data collected from the new regulations wouldn't be used for military or intelligence purposes, raising serious security concerns, said Athena Rayburn, the executive director of AIDA, an umbrella organization representing over 100 organizations that operate in the Palestinian territories. She noted thatmore than 500 aid workershave been killed in Gaza during the war.

"Agreeing for a party to the conflict to vet our staff, especially under the conditions of occupation, is a violation of humanitarian principles, specifically neutrality and independence," she said.

Rayburn said organizations expressed their concerns and offered alternatives to submitting staff lists, such as third-party vetting, but that Israel refused to engage in any dialogue.

Palestinian girl killed in Gaza

A 10-year-old girl was killed and another person was wounded by Israeli fire in Gaza City near the Yellow Line that delineates areas under Israeli control, the territory's Shifa Hospital said Tuesday.

The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the incident but have said troops operating near the Yellow Line will target anyone who approaches or threatens soldiers.

The Gaza Health Ministry, part of the Hamas-run government, said on Monday that 71,266 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, not including the girl. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count. The United Nations and independent experts consider the Health Ministry the most reliable source on war casualties. Israel disputes its figures but has not provided its own.

Find more of AP's Israel-Hamas coverage athttps://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war.

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

December 30, 2025

Israel says it will halt operations of several humanitarian organizations in Gaza starting in 2026

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel on Tuesday said it had suspended more thantwo dozen humanitarian organizations, including Doctors...

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Snow, wind and freezing temps. See the New Year's Eve forecast

Clear and dry weather is in store for most of the country for New Year's Eve, but snow, rain or windcould disrupt holiday travelin parts of the Midwest, Northeast and California, forecasters warned.

On the heels ofblizzard conditions that swept across much of the northern tier of the country, "much of the U.S. mainland will enter a period of relative tranquil weather," the National Weather Service said ahead of New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. But some of the same regions impacted by the heavy snow, power outages and travel delays won't see reprieve for the holiday.

A blast of arctic air will bring freezing temperatures as far south as the Tampa, Florida, area, while an additional several feet of snow is expected across the Great Lakes region over the next couple of days, the weather service said. Light snow will reach through to the Ohio Valley on Dec. 31.

To the west,a recently rain-soaked Southern California could see additional flash floodingfrom rain that will dump on several Southwestern states, the weather service said.

"While there still will be pockets of poor travel through New Year's Day, much of the country will have good travel conditions following the back-to-back winter storms that swept through parts of the Midwest and Northeast," AccuWeather Meteorologist Elizabeth Danco said.

People gather on Washington Street as snow falls during a winter storm in the Brooklyn Borough of New York City, December 26, 2025. New York City received around 4 inches of snow overnight. Airlines canceled 1,500 US flights during the peak holiday travel period Friday, with severe winter storm warnings and heavy snow forecast across parts of the Midwest and northeast.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> People walk with their dog in the snow in Central Park in New York City on December 27, 2025. New York City received around 4 inches of snow overnight. Airlines canceled 1,500 US flights during the peak holiday travel period Friday, with severe winter storm warnings and heavy snow forecast across parts of the Midwest and northeast.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

See the magic and chaos of holiday snowfall in the Northeast

People gather on Washington Street as snow falls during a winter storm in the Brooklyn Borough of New York City, December 26, 2025.New York City received around 4 inches of snow overnight. Airlines canceled 1,500 US flights during the peak holiday travel period Friday, with severe winter storm warnings and heavy snow forecast across parts of the Midwest and northeast.

Here's what to know about the areas of the U.S. that could give holiday travelers trouble on New Year's Eve:

Midwest New Year's Eve forecast

Lake-effect snow, which develops when cold air blows over a relatively mild lake to create heavy snow downwind, could bring 1 to 2 feet of snow, and up to 3 feet in some areas, downwind of Lake Ontario and Lake Erie over the next couple days, the weather service said.

Lighter snow is expected to stretch down into the Ohio Valley, reaching the central Appalachians by New Year's Day.

"The combination of blowing snow, rapid reductions in visibility, and slick asphalt can increase the risk of spinouts and crashes this week," AccuWeather Meteorologist Alyssa Glenny said.

Major Midwest hubs including in Chicago, Detroit and Minneapolis could face airport delays.

Northeast New Year's Eve forecast

Cities across the Northeast including New York, Boston and Philadelphia could see snow and gusty winds on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, AccuWeather reported. Snow squalls could cause sudden whiteout conditions on interstates between the Great Lakes and Appalachians.

If you'll be in Times Square for New Year's Eve, prepare for possible flurries and wind chill temperatures in the teens, Danco said. A temperature of about 30 degrees will feel colder due to 15 mph winds at midnight, AccuWeather predicted.

The arctic chill will keep high temperatures 5 to 10 degrees below normal for New Year's Eve across much of the East, with winds making it feel even colder, AccuWeather said.

Mid-Atlantic New Year's Eve forecast

The cold air will spread along the I-95 corridor, including across the mid-Atlantic region, with temperatures 5 to 10 degrees below normal, AccuWeather reported.

The weather service serving Baltimore and Washington, D.C., said dry and chilly conditions are expected throughout the region for New Year's Eve. Light snow or flurries are possible in some areas late that night and into the morning of New Year's Day.

South and central U.S. New Year's Eve forecast

A blast of cold air impacting much of the country will bring freezing or near-freezing temperatures as far south as Louisiana and Florida through the new year, forecasters said. Millions were under freeze watches and cold weather advisories in the region on Dec. 30.

Mild, tranquil temperatures will meanwhile blanket the northern and central Plains into New Year's Eve, making for a pleasant holiday, the weather service said.

The West New Year's Eve forecast

A dry spell put an end to a dayslong atmospheric river that caused flooding and mudslides in parts of California, but a new storm system lurking off Baja California could bring more rain to Southern California on New Year's Eve, threatening flash flooding by the new year, the weather service said.

"People heading out to the parade or bowl game in Pasadena should pack a rain jacket or poncho and wear boots or waterproof shoes," Danco said.

The rain is also expected to spread to the Desert Southwest region, the Great Basin and the Four Corners (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah) on New Year's Eve and into New Year's Day.

The Intermountain West region should see mild temperatures, the weather service said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:New Year's Eve forecast across the US includes snow, rain

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

December 30, 2025

Snow, wind and freezing temps. See the New Year's Eve forecast

Clear and dry weather is in store for most of the country for New Year's Eve, but snow, rain or windcould disrupt hol...

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US removal of panels honoring Black soldiers at WWII cemetery in the Netherlands draws backlash

MARGRATEN, Netherlands (AP) — Ever since a U.S. military cemetery in the southern Netherlands removed two displays recognizingBlack troopswho helped toliberate Europefrom the Nazis, visitors have filled the guestbook with objections.

Sometime in the spring, the American Battle Monuments Commission, the U.S. government agency responsible for maintaining memorial sites outside of the United States, removed the panels from the visitors center at the American Cemetery in Margraten, the final resting place for roughly 8,300 U.S. soldiers, set in rolling hills near the border with Belgium and Germany.

The move came after U.S. President Donald Trumpissued a series of executive ordersending diversity, equity and inclusion programs. "Our country will be woke no longer," Trump said in an address to Congress in March.

The removal, carried out without public explanation, has angered Dutch officials, the families of U.S. soldiers and the local residents who honor the American sacrifice by caring for the graves.

U.S. Ambassador to the Netherlands Joe Popolo seemed to support the removal of the displays. "The signs at Margraten are not intended to promote an agenda that criticizes America," he wrote on social media following a visit to the cemetery after the controversy had erupted. Popolo declined a request for comment.

The displays highlighted the sacrifices of Black Americans

One display told the story of 23-year-old George H. Pruitt, a Black soldier buried at the cemetery, who died attempting to rescue a comrade from drowning in 1945. The other described the U.S. policy of racial segregation in place duringWorld War II.

Some 1 million Black soldiers enlisted in the U.S. military during the war, serving in separate units, mostly doing menial tasks but also fighting in some combat missions. An all-Black unit dug the thousands of graves in Margraten during the brutal 1944-45 season of famine in the German-occupied Netherlands known in theHunger Winter.

Cor Linssen, the 79-year-old son of a Black American soldier and a Dutch mother, is one of those who opposes the removal of the panels.

Linssen grew up some 30 miles (50 kilometers) away from the cemetery and although he didn't learn who his father was until later in life, he knew he was the son of a Black soldier.

"When I was born, the nurse thought something was wrong with me because I was the wrong color," he told The Associated Press. "I was the only dark child at school."

Linssen together with a group of other children of Black soldiers, now all in their 70s and 80s, visited the cemetery in February 2025 to see the panels.

"It's an important part of history," Linssen said. "They should put the panels back."

The decision was based on Trump's DEI policies

After months of mystery around the disappearance of the panels, two media organizations — the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) and online media Dutch News — this month published emails obtained through a U.S. Freedom of Information Act request showing that Trump's DEI policies directly prompted the commission to take down the panels.

The White House did not respond to queries from AP about the removed panels.

The American Battle Monuments Commission did not respond to queries from AP about the revelations. Earlier, the ABMC told the AP that the panel that discussed segregation "did not fall within (the) commemorative mission.''

It also said that the panel about Pruitt was "rotated" out. The replacement panel features Leslie Loveland, a white soldier killed in Germany in 1945, who is buried at Margraten.

Chair of the Black Liberators foundation and Dutch senator Theo Bovens said his organization, which pushed for the inclusion of the panels at the visitors center, was not informed that they were removed. He told AP it is "strange" that the U.S. commission feels the panels are not in their mission, as they placed them in 2024.

"Something has changed in the United States," he said.

Bovens, who is from the region around Margraten, is one ofthousands of locals who tend to the gravesat the cemetery. People who adopt a grave visit it regularly and leave flowers on the fallen soldier's birthday and other holidays. The responsibility is often passed down through Dutch families, and there is a waiting list to adopt graves of the U.S. soldiers.

The locals remember the sacrifices of the Black soldiers

Both the city and the province where the cemetery is located have demanded the panels be returned. In November a Dutch television program recreated the panels and installed them outside the cemetery, where they were quickly removed by police. The show is now seeking a permanent location for them.

The Black Liberators is also looking to find a permanent location for a memorial for the Black soldiers who gave their lives to free the Dutch.

On America Square, in front of the Eijsden-Margraten city hall, there is a small park named for Jefferson Wiggins, a Black solider who, at age 19, dug many of the graves at Margraten when he was stationed in the Netherlands.

In his memoir, published posthumously in 2014, he describes burying the bodies of his white comrades who he was barred from fraternizing with while they were alive.

When Black soldiers came to Europe in the Second World War, ''what they found was people who accepted them, who welcomed them, who treated them as the heroes that they were. And that includes the Netherlands,″ said Linda Hervieux, whose book "Forgotten" chronicles Black soldiers who fought on D-Day and segregation they faced back home.

The removal of the panels, she said, "follows a historical pattern of writing out the stories of men and women of color in the United States."

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

December 30, 2025

US removal of panels honoring Black soldiers at WWII cemetery in the Netherlands draws backlash

MARGRATEN, Netherlands (AP) — Ever since a U.S. military cemetery in the southern Netherlands removed two displays recogn...

Read More