Donald Trump appears to have secured David Solomon’s job for the foreseeable future.
The Goldman Sachs CEO has had, let’s say, a rocky relationship with the rank-and-file inside the big investment bank, and just a few months ago, looked to be on thin ice.
MDs and senior executives thought he was dictatorial and could be a jerk at a company where CEOs normally stroked the egos of top brass. Junior bankers believed his back-to-work edicts and perk-containment strategies wreaked of insensitivity, and leaks were flying out of its normally buttoned-down corporate culture every day.
Trump’s tariffs threats and moves to deregulate everything from oil drilling to crypto, have created a significant degree of market volatility — the perfect environment for Goldman Jack Forbes / NY Post Design
But with the changing regulatory climate under Trump, Solly is said to be secure these days.
The Donald’s tariffs threats, moves to deregulate everything from oil drilling to crypto, have created a significant degree of market volatility, the perfect environment for Goldman’s top-flight trading desk to extrapolate huge profits.
Even more, dealmaking – or underwriting stock sales, IPOs and advising on mergers and acquisitions — is expected to grow significantly under Trump, at least compared to the virtual M&A shutdown under Joe Biden.
Solly himself recently said during a Reuters conference that dealmaking in 2025 will surpass its average over the past 10 years.
One former Goldman managing director told me: “Solly is fine; just look at the stock price. No one cares anymore that he could be a jerk.”
Goldman’s share price is up around 65% over the past year, topping the nearly 50% of archrival JPMorgan and the less than 25% that S&P 500 has posted.
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The resurgence comes after Solly banished many of his haters. He cut his losses after the monumental flop at retail banking, stopped moonlighting as DJ D-Sol – which was viewed as unbecoming of a corporate titan by his predecessor Lloyd Blankfein – and focused on Goldman’s core business of dealmaking and trading.
All good but Solly can also thank Donald Trump for the assist.
Trump is absolutely right in wanting to end the bloodshed in Ukraine. The suffering has been appalling and the stalemate brutal. But in the furious mix of wild opinions this week from the White House down, there are at least 10 truths that every American voter must hang onto.
In Trump’s rush to end the bloodshed, these are also the truths against which any deal will be judged and which will define him when the history books are written.
To ignore them or not treat them with the gravity they deserve will also have enormous consequences for decades to come:
Truth No. 1
Vladimir Putin started this war, despite what Trump said days ago.
President Trump must understand that it was Russian President Vladimir Putin who started the war with Ukraine, writes The Post’s Douglas Murray. Photo by MIKHAIL METZEL/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
In February 2022, following a massive buildup on Ukraine’s borders, Putin’s army launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. There is no rational narrative outside of Russian propaganda that blames “aggressive” actions by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky or NATO that can justify such a military action. This came after Putin had already seized Crimea in 2014 and launched a war in the Donbas, in eastern Ukraine.
And that doesn’t include the other wars he started, like that against the tiny nation of Georgia in 2008.
Trump is absolutely right that the war “never had to start.” I believe it is true that it wouldn’t have started if he had been in the Oval Office. But it was Putin, not Zelensky, who started the war.
Trump has claimed that the war would not have started if he had been in office. Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images
Truth No. 2
Russia is fighting for conquest. The Russian Federation invaded Ukraine in 2022. Whatever you think of the country or its leadership, Ukraine is an internationally recognized, sovereign nation. Putin invaded in the hope of devouring the country wholesale. By contrast, Ukraine has absolutely no territorial ambitions in Russia.
And remember the brutality of Russia’s actions. Among the multitude of depravities and war crimes committed by Putin’s army has been the abduction of some 20,000 Ukrainian children. Who wants to live in a world where the strong can simply devour the weak, and kidnap little children by the thousands? Why hasn’t the US put their release at the top of the list of its negotiating demands?
Truth No. 3
Ukraine is fighting for its independence. Most Ukrainians do not want to be part of Russia. They do not want to be governed from Moscow. The vast majority want to live in an independent, sovereign country in control of its own future.
Truth No. 4
Ukrainians are not Russians. Ukrainians and Russians are not “one people — a single whole,” as Putin wrote in a 2021 essay. He is also simply lying in his assertion that “modern Ukraine is entirely the product of the Soviet era.”
Ukrainians and Russians are two separate ethnic groups. They speak different languages and have distinct histories.
Truth No. 5
Putin is a dictator. Putin has ruled Russia with an iron KGB fist since coming to power in 1999. He has ruthlessly quashed independent media, ended free and fair elections, crushed civil society and killed his political opponents. And not just inside Russia, but around the world. People who live inside Russia and express any opposition to the war are imprisoned.
Trump called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a “dictator without elections.” etiana Dzhafarova/Pool Photo via AP
Truth No. 6
Zelensky is not a dictator. A political outsider, Zelensky won the 2019 presidential election, which was relatively free and fair. He has a 57% approval rating, not the 4% Trump claimed.
Unlike in Russia, Ukraine has vibrant independent media that hold the government to account — despite claims to the contrary by internet swamp creatures and Russian bots.
Many Ukrainians freely criticize the government’s conduct of the war. When Britain was fighting for its survival against the Nazis in the 1940s, it too did not hold elections.
The Russian ambassador to the UK spent yesterday crowing that he’s “not sure” Zelensky would be re-elected if there were elections today. But we all know one thing for sure. Whether or not Zelensky would be re-elected in Ukraine, Putin will always be re-elected in Russia. Because his elections are con jobs, pageant shows. Putin hasn’t won a free and fair election in his life. Because he doesn’t hold them.
Truth No. 7
Russia is not a friend of the US. It is a hostile, nuclear-armed state that resents American power and the world the US has built. It has ever closer relations with China, Iran and North Korea. In fact, all of its main friends are countries that are the biggest foes of America.
Truth No. 8
Ukraine is a friend of the US. Ukraine wants to be part of the American-led order. Its people and government are deeply pro-American. Since the start of the Russian invasion, the Ukrainian men and women I have seen fighting at the front lines are fighting the Russian military to protect their loved ones and their country. They also do it in the knowledge that if they fail, other countries will be next.
A building destroyed by Russian bombing in Kherson on Feb. 20, 2025. Kherson Regional Military Administration via AP
Truth No. 9
Putin cannot be trusted. This isn’t just a statement of fact. It is also something that 81% of American voters agree on.
Putin has invaded multiple countries in violation of every international treaty. He has interfered in multiple elections in his nearest neighbors. He has violated international agreements, including the INF Treaty with the US.
He has lied to American presidents and European leaders his whole career. He has lied to Trump even since Trump has been back in office. Most recently Putin promised that he wouldn’t target Ukrainian energy facilities.
Ukrainian police with the body of a man killed in a Russian attack on Kyiv on Feb. 12, 2025. AP Photo/Alex Babenko
Yet just this week he carried out a massive missile and drone attack against multiple energy facilities in Ukraine. It is almost as though Putin’s word doesn’t count for very much and he doesn’t care if you know it.
Truth No. 10
American aid to Ukraine is not being wasted.
Nobody would argue that Ukraine is a country without corruption. But that does not mean its people and sovereignty should not be protected.
We should also remember which country in this war is truly corrupt. Russia is one vast, kleptocratic state, led by Putin and a small cartel of oligarchs who have made themselves among the richest people on Earth. All while keeping most of the Russian population in a state of poverty that would not be believed by most of us in the West.
Putin and his cronies have been accumulating power and wealth all their careers. And they will torture and kill anyone who exposes this corruption. Remember his political opponent Alexey Navalny and the lawyer Sergei Magnitsky? It is easy to expose corruption in Ukraine. But in Russia, it is deadly.
Besides, according to the Department of Defense, some $58 billion out of the $183 billion in Ukraine aid has been spent in America. It is money that has benefited American workers and industries.
The war has also degraded the military of one of the despotic regimes in the world and reduced its threat to not just Europe but America without one US soldier being killed. It has also sent a strong deterrent message to China, Iran and North Korea not to try the same.
Zelensky meeting with Trump’s special envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg on Feb. 20, 2025. ZUMAPRESS.com
You can criticize Zelensky, complain. But we should be under no illusions about who started this fire and who the true dictator or villain of this tragic tale is.
Trump has a chance to bring an end to this war, to stop the killing. Maybe even win a Nobel Peace Prize.
But he will not be honored if the peace is an appeasement, one that bows down in the face of evil as it denies obvious truths.
The judgment of history will be even harsher — decades of peace and prosperity in Europe and America thrown away to a resurgent Russia harassing the East. Without a strong peace, it won’t be just Ukraine that suffers. It is all of us.
Well, I wasn’t expecting that. The Lloyds Banking Group (LSE:LLOY) share price closed 4.9% higher 20 February, after the bank released its 2024 results.
At one point, its stock was up 7.6%, having set a new 52-week high of 67.6p.
And yet the bank failed to meet analysts’ expectations on a number of key measures. In these circumstances, I’d normally expect the group’s value to go down. Instead, investors collectively decided that its market-cap should be over £1.15bn higher.
Lower-than-expected profits
For example, the consensus of analysts was for post-tax earnings of £4.64bn. The bank missed this by £161m (3.5%). Also, at 12.3%, its return on capital employed was 0.3 percentage points lower than forecast.
However, my biggest surprise is that investors appeared to ignore the increase in the amount set aside to cover fines and compensation arising from the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) investigation into the alleged misselling of car finance.
Previously, the bank had estimated that it might have to pay £450m. This has now been increased by a further £700m, to £1.5bn. However, it’s still lower than the £4.2bn (or 6.9p a share) that one analyst reckons it’ll cost.
As events have unfolded, we’ve seen how sensitive the bank’s share price has been to various court judgements, FCA announcements and media reports. With disappointing profits and an increase in the motor finance provision, I was expecting a significant correction in the share price, especially since it’s performed so strongly in recent months.
Egg on my face
But I was wrong. However, on closer inspection, it’s easy to see why investors reacted so positively. Despite the base rate being cut, it managed to record a net interest margin of 2.95%, which was in line with ‘expert’ predictions.
Also, the bank’s increased its dividend. The payout for 2024 will now be 3.17p. This beat market expectations by 2.6%. Even with the post-results jump in the share price, the stock’s yielding 4.8%. Also, it’s announced another £1.7bn of buybacks.
However, I believe future dividends and share buybacks could come under threat if the motor finance provision has to be increased further. When there’s a need to preserve cash, these are easy targets.
But I think the Lloyds share price isn’t the bargain it once was. It has a price-to-book (PTB) ratio of 0.88. On paper, this suggests the stock’s cheap. However, according to McKinsey & Company, the average PTB ratio of 1,500 listed banks is 0.9, the lowest of all sectors.
And its shares now trade on a multiple of 10.5 times its 2024 earnings. With all of the FTSE 100’s banks now reporting their 2024 results, it’s possible to compile a league table of price-to-earnings (P/E) ratios, and Lloyds is at the bottom.
Bank
P/E ratio
NatWest Group
8.37
Barclays
8.44
Standard Chartered
8.97
HSBC
9.00
Lloyds Banking Group
10.53
Source: company annual reports 2024
I believe this reflects the recent share price rally rather than investors rating the bank more highly than the others. Lloyds is almost totally reliant on the domestic economy, and with the UK struggling to grow, I fear the bank’s future earnings may disappoint investors. Also, I’ve no idea what the final bill might be once the FCA completes its investigation.
In the stock market, the best opportunities are often where other investors aren’t looking. And I think this is definitely true when it comes to UK shares. The FTSE 100 and the FTSE 250 get a lot of attention – and rightly so. But beyond this, there are some quality companies I think investors should have on their radars.
Cohort
One example is Cohort (LSE:CHRT). The company is a collection of six smaller businesses focused on defence technology, specifically communications and sensors.
With this type of business, demand is highly sensitive to political (in)stability. Obviously, this isn’t under the company’s control and this creates a risk that can’t be ignored.
The firm’s growth strategy however, has been very successful. It looks to acquire businesses that can complement its existing operations and leave current management teams in place.
This is the kind of model that the likes of Diploma and Halma have applied very effectively. And I think investors should keep an eye on Cohort as a business with a lot of potential.
Porvair
I also think filtration equipment manufacturer Porvair (LSE:PRV) is worth paying attention to. Its products help keep aircraft fuel clean and lab samples free from contaminants.
These industries can be cyclical and this is a risk. With aerospace, for example, investors should pay close attention to the ongoing issues at Boeing and (to a lesser extent) Airbus.
Importantly though, these industries also have high barriers to entry. Both aircraft equipment and laboratory filters need to meet strict quality standards and specifications.
This means customers have limited (or no) choice when it comes to suppliers and this translates into a lot of pricing power for Porvair. In this regard, it reminds me of Rolls-Royce.
Forterra
Forterra (LSE:FORT) is a straightforward business – it makes bricks. And a combination of efficient manufacturing and UK-based production helps it maintain lower costs than its rivals.
The business is naturally vulnerable to downturns in UK construction output. Furthermore, the debt on its balance sheet has been increasing over the last few years, which creates risk.
On the plus side, the government is aiming to boost housebuilding. And this should mean that demand for bricks is set to pick up before too long.
Lower costs than competitors is a big advantage for any business. It’s the advantage Howden Joinery Group has and I think there’s something similar here.
Off-the-grid
With high-quality shares, it’s often hard to find opportunities in stocks that other investors are looking at. These usually present themselves when the market overreacts to some news.
A bit further off the beaten track, however, there are companies that don’t necessarily get the attention they deserve. And that can mean buying opportunities come around more often. I think Cohort, Porvair, and Forterra are stocks investors should think seriously about buying.
At the very least, they should take a closer look and keep an eye on them going forward.
The Rams, riding a four-game winning streak, could be positioned to clinch the NFC West if they beat a Cardinals team that routed them 41-10 in Week 2.
The Rams are coming off a 19-9 victory over the New York Jets, a win highlighted by the return of veteran tight end Tyler Higbee, who scored the go-ahead touchdown on a pass from Matthew Stafford. He has passed for 20 touchdowns, with eight interceptions, this season. Since he was traded to the Rams in 2021, the 16-year pro has a 13-1 record in December games.
Receiver Puka Nacua did not play and receiver Cooper Kupp suffered an ankle injury in the first game against the Cardinals. Both are back to full strength. Running back Kyren Williams has rushed for 1,243 yards and 13 touchdowns. Williams also has two touchdown catches. Against the Jets, Williams rushed for a season-best 122 yards and touchdown in 23 carries, the second time in as many games he eclipsed 100 yards rushing. The offensive line has cleared the way for Williams and has not given up a sack in three games. Right tackle Rob Havenstein suffered a shoulder injury in practice this week and is listed as questionable. If Havenstein cannot play, veteran Joe Noteboom will start at right tackle, coach Sean McVay said.
Safeties Budda Baker and Jalen Thompson and linebacker Kyzir White lead the Cardinals defense, which gave up 36 points in last Sunday’s defeat by the Carolina Panthers.
Quarterback Kyler Murrary passed for three touchdowns in the Week 2 win over the Rams. This season, Murray has passed for 16 touchdowns, with nine interceptions, and has rushed for five touchdowns. Running back James Conner, who through the years has excelled against the Rams, suffered a knee injury against the Panthers and is questionable. The Cardinals placed offensive tackles Paris Johnson Jr. and Jonah Williams on injured reserve this week because of knee injuries.
Lineman Kobie Turner and safety Quentin Lake lead a Rams defense that has not forgotten the beatdown it suffered against the Cardinals in September, when Murray connected with receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. for two touchdown passes in the first quarter. In the last two games the secondary played, arguably, its best games of the season.
PORTLAND, Ore. — The Lakers are looking for answers when it comes to maximizing their star trio. For the star duo of LeBron James and Austin Reaves, things were a little less cluttered Thursday night as the pair took turns dragging the Lakers to a much-needed win after awful back-to-back losses.
James and Reaves made the biggest shots, got the biggest stops and, on a night when they didn’t have Luka Doncic, pushed the Lakers to a 110-102 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
James scored 40 on the second night of a back-to-back and Reaves added 32, both players also getting key stops as Portland (23-33) pushed in the fourth quarter.
The Lakers’ fight to win, particularly from James and Reaves, left coach JJ Redick in awe, pouring praise on his leaders.
“He really just defies anything that’s normal. And not just the physical feats and the plays. It’s the mentality,” Redick said about James. “He’s, I believe I saw the other day, he’s a billionaire. And he’s playing on the second night of a back-to-back at 40 after 22 years with every fricking record and every accolade. … He’s one of the greatest competitors.
“And Nate [McMillan, assistant] and I were talking about it before the game. It’s like, he’s amazing to coach. He brings it every single day. … He sets the standard for how you’re supposed to approach this craft. And that’s to me the most incredible thing. It’s just a mindset to do it, get up the next day, do it, get up the next day, do it over and over again.”
So why not take the night off?
“Because I still love the game and I still got a lot to give to the game, to give to my teammates, to give to this league for while I’m here,” James said. “I don’t have much time left. So, while I’m here today in this time, I’m going to try to give what I got when I’m out on the floor. So, why? It’s the love of the game and I have an opportunity now to show my son the ranks of how to be a professional in this league. And to be along [with] him every single day, that’s a treat.”
And in Reaves, Redick has a player who fought constantly against a Portland team that tried to bully him off the ball, sustaining a cut on his shoulder in the process. Reaves made a trio of huge defensive plays in the fourth quarter to help keep the Lakers ahead.
“He’s going to give you every ounce of competitive juice that he has every single night,” Redick said. “That’s really what it comes down to.”
The version of the Lakers that will finish this season is nowhere close to being decided. They’re stuck between the version that worked its way to 10 games above .500 and the one they committed to when they traded Anthony Davis and Max Christie for Doncic.
Doncic, who has appeared in three games since Christmas, is expected to play in back-to-backs moving forward, with Redick saying the team is just being cautious in the guard’s return from a calf strain.
“Speaking with him Tuesday night after practice, we sat down together. He’s all in,” Redick said of Doncic. “He’s [over] the mental part of the shock and everything, he’s in a really good place. And now we’ve got to get him physically where he needs to be to be Luka.”
Doncic and Jarred Vanderbilt are on track to play Saturday in Denver.
The Lakers (33-21) still are waiting for Doncic to get into some kind of rhythm after his extended absence, though Redick said the team is focused on finding ways for James, Reaves and Doncic to shine together.
“It’s all of us. It’s not just the staff. It’s the players too. It’s them and us working together to find the balance to allow our three best players to be at their best,” Redick said. “You’ve seen this happen a million times in the NBA. It doesn’t happen in three games. It might not happen in three months. That’s just the reality of how these things work. We’re all committed to making it work. I think we can all be a little more organized.”
But the fight the Lakers showed Thursday, as they worked off rust from the All-Star break coupled with fatigue from one of the toughest back-to-backs on the NBA schedule, flying from Charlotte to Portland, is something they can build upon.
“The best way to compete in this league is to play hard,” James said. “You can get through a lot of games if you’re able to just play hard. You’re able to cover up for a lot of mistakes.”
James’ assessment on what it takes to win in the NBA was echoed by his coach.
“I had this revelation, like I don’t know, six weeks ago, two months ago,” Redick said. “And the math stuff, it’s important. Like it really is. Try to generate high-value shots. You strategize around throw-aheads and what those create, like all that stuff. It’s super important. Game plan defensively, it’s all important. Guys have to communicate, all that stuff. There’s actually only one cheat code in the NBA, and that’s playing hard. If you play hard every night, you have a chance to win. If you don’t play hard every night, you’re probably going to lose.
“…You give yourself a chance to win every night if you play hard.”
Rapper Latto is always switching up her hair, serving looks that are bold, glamorous, and totally unforgettable. Latto’s hairstyles range from bombshell blonde waves to fiery red locks for her JessicaRabbit Halloween transformation.
Whether the Big Mama rapper is rocking a high-fashion updo, a throwback pageant style, or a twisted bun, each look brings something fabulous.
Latto’s Best Hairstyles
Bombshell Waves
Latto wore her hair in bombshell waves at the 2023 BET Awards. Photo: imagepressagency / Deposit Photos
Latto gave pure bombshell energy at the 2023 BET Awards while wearing honey blonde waves. No doubt, it’s one of her best hairstyles. The ultra-voluminous look featured a deep side part cascading in soft, glossy curls that flawlessly framed her face. The blend of warm caramel and golden tones gives her hair extra dimension.
An ombre blonde wig will help you get the rapper’s beauty look. Photo: Luvme
Get the look: Want to recreate Latto’s iconic bombshell waves? Start with a honey-blonde wig in a warm, multi-tonal shade. The AiryFit collection from Luvme is one way you can channel the look. Made for all-day comfort and featuring adjustable sizing, it’s a versatile choice.
To get those waves, use a large-barrel curling iron to create voluminous waves, focusing on a deep side part for that glamorous, face-framing effect. Brush through the curls gently for a soft, bouncy finish.
Jessica Rabbit Red Waves
Latto wore red hair as Jessica Rabbit for Halloween 2024. Photo: Instagram / Latto
Latto went full glam and sultry for Halloween 2024, channeling Jessica Rabbit with these sleek, fiery red waves. Her hair is styled in a deep side part, flowing in sculpted curls that frame her face.
The bold, vibrant shade of red takes this look to the next level. Paired with her glitzy red gown and purple gloves, this hairstyle is pure bombshell.
50s Pageant Glam
Latto wears a retro glam hairstyle in her Georgia Peach music video. Photo: Youtube / Latto
Latto is giving full-on retro beauty queen vibes with this ultra-glam 1950s-inspired hairstyle. She wore the look in her Georgia Peach music video.
Her golden blonde locks are styled in a sleek half-up, half-down look, with soft waves cascading past her shoulders for that pageant-perfect finish. The teased bangs add height and drama, while Latto also shines with a tiara.
Textured High Bun
Rapper Latto shows off a textured bun with loose tendrils at the 2022 Billboard Music Awards. Photo: imagepressagency / Deposit Photos
Latto turned heads at the 2022 Billboard Music Awards with this textured high bun. Her hair is piled high in a voluminous updo, with tousled strands adding drama and dimension. The messy-yet-glamorous look is balanced with sleek, face-framing tendrils that curl softly down both sides.
Top Knot with Crimped Waves
Latto wears a sleek top knot with crimped waves at a Billboard Women in Music Event in 2023. Photo: imagepressagency / Deposit Photos
At the 2023 Billboard Women in Music event, Latto rocked a bold sleek top knot with crimped waves that gave major high-fashion energy.
The top section of her hair is pulled up into a sharp, twisted bun, with a few spiky strands sticking out for that cool, edgy effect. Her long, crimped waves flow down her back, adding texture and a throwback ‘90s vibe.
Polished Updo with a Veil
Rapper Latto looks dramatic with a veil and updo hairstyle at the 2022 American Music Awards. Photo: imagepressagency / Deposit Photos
Latto brought full mystery and drama to the 2022 American Music Awards with this polished updo featuring a veil. Her hair is pulled back into a tight, sculpted bun, creating a smooth look that lets her red lipstick shine.
Soft strands are styled into delicate curls along her forehead, adding a romantic touch. The sheer black veil brings her red carpet look to a gothic glam level.
Twisted Updo
Latto gets edgy with a twisted updo hairstyle at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards. Photo: imagepressagency / Deposit Photos
Latto served elevated glam at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards with this twisted updo. Her hair is parted down the middle and styled into two sculpted twists, pinned at the crown for a chic and structured look.
Loose face-framing strands add softness, while the sleek, polished texture keeps it chic. Latto pairs the look with feathery eyelashes for a bold beauty look.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has said she will not remove New York City Mayor Eric Adams from office.
Hochul made the announcement at a press conference in her office in Midtown.
“After careful consideration, I have determined that I will not commence removal proceedings at this time,” she told reporters.
“ My strong belief is that the will of the voters and the supremacy and sanctity of democratic elections preclude me from any other action,” Hochul said.
“I cannot deny the people of this great city the power to make this decision for themselves.”
Governor Kathy Hochul has chosen not to remove Mayor Eric Adams, instead leaving the decision to New York City voters. pic.twitter.com/xvHCflsOXR
Nevertheless, Hochul said she would be implementing a range of measures intended to limit his executive authority.
Her proposals including appointing a “special inspector general” to oversee the mayor’s office and making it easier for the city comptroller and the New York City Council to sue the federal governments.
“This is an opportunity to install safeguards that we need to have in place to give people confidence that there’s only one factor in every decision that’s made, and that’s what’s best for the people of the city,” Hochul said.
Democrats have demaned that Hochul invoke special powers to remove Adams from office after the Department of Justice agreed to drop corruption charges against him in exchange for cooperating with the administration’s mass deportation efforts.
The rule relates to a clause within the New York City charter that states the mayor “may be removed from office by the governor upon charges and after service upon him of a copy of the charges and an opportunity to be heard in his defense.”
Adams had been charged by prosecutors with taking $100,000 in benefits and illegal campaign donations in exchange for favors to Turkish private and public entities.
However, Adams insisted the case was a political persecution after he spoke out against the Biden regime’s policy of allowing in millions of illegal immigrants, many of whom set their sites on New York City.
He responded to her announcement by declaring there is “no legal basis” for limiting his authority.
“I have told the governor, as we have done in the past, that I am willing to work with her to ensure faith in our government is strong,” Adams said.
“I look forward to continuing those conversations.”
A Spanish photographer has been named Underwater Photographer of the Year for his picture of a humpback whale and her newborn calf in French Polynesia.
Alvaro Herrero beat more than 6,750 other entries to take home this year’s prize.
His photo shows “a mother’s love and communicates the beauty and fragility of life in our ocean”, the competition’s organisers said.
Judge Peter Rowlands added: “This delicate yet powerful study of a mother and calf’s bond says all that is great and good about our world.
“We face our challenges, but the increasing populations of humpback whales worldwide shows what can be achieved.”
Image: The runner-up in the British Waters Living Together category of the 2025 Underwater Photographer of the Year competition, taken at Balaclava Bay, Portland. Pic: Guy Trees/UPY 2025
The Underwater Photographer of the Year competition, which started in 1965, celebrates photography beneath the surface of the ocean, lakes, rivers and even swimming pools, and attracts entries from around the world.
There are 13 categories, testing photographers with themes such as macro, wide angle, behaviour and wreck photography.
Image: A winning image in the British Waters Living Together category of the 2025 Underwater Photographer of the Year competition, taken at Loch Carron. Pic: Dan Bolt/UPY 2025
Image: Bass shoal at Eddystone Rocks – an entry in the 2025 Underwater Photography of the Year competition, in the British Waters Wide Angle category. Pic: Rick Ayrton/UPY 2025
David Alpert was named the British Underwater Photographer of the Year for his image titled The Curious Seal.
He said his photo challenges misconceptions that British waters are murky and lifeless.
Image: David Alpert won the British Underwater Photographer of the Year award for his image titled The Curious Seal. Pic: David Alpert/UPY 2025
“My photo is from Lundy Island, a marine protected area since 1973,” Mr Alpert said.
“British seals are delightfully curious, more interactive than any other species I have dived with around the world. Briefly, I become one of the privileged few, crossing the bridge, able to make a connection with a wild animal.”
Image: Camels drinking water in Kuwait. This image won the portrait category at the awards. Pic: Abdulaziz Al Saleh/UPY 2025
Image: This picture of a tiger shark in Indonesia won in the Save our Seas Marine Conservation Photographer of the Year category. Pic: Robert Marc Lehmann/UPY 2025
Image: Two male Asian sheepshead wrasse fighting, which won the action category in the competition. Pic: Shunsuke Nakano/UPY 2025
Meanwhile, South Korea’s Ruruka was named the Up and Coming Underwater Photographer of the Year.
His entry, titled Underwater Aurora, shows a diver in the waters of a cenote sinkhole in Mexico.
Ruruka travelled around 24 hours from his home to capture the image during the rainy season, when more tannin-rich water drains into the sinkhole, creating the bands of colour.
President Donald Trump signed the executive order granting clemency to Jan. 6 defendants on his first day in office.
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Jim Watson/AFP
The Department of Justice has widened the scope of President Trump’s pardons for Jan. 6 riot defendants to include separate but related gun charges. The charges stemmed from FBI searches executed during the sprawling investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021 attack, which allegedly turned up evidence of other crimes not directly connected to the Capitol breach.
In legal filings this week, federal prosecutors asked judges to dismiss cases against two former Jan. 6 defendants, who had both faced federal gun charges.
This week’s legal filings represent a more expansive understanding of Trump’s Jan. 6 pardons than was initially clear. Trump’s order, which he issued on his first day in office, gave clemency for “offenses related to events that occurred at or near the United States Capitol” on Jan. 6.
Immediately after Trump’s pardons — which included defendants who violently assaulted police officers and those with long criminal records — the Department of Justice appeared to stand by the separate gun charges. That was then.
In the case against Elias Costianes of Maryland, federal prosecutors alleged he joined the mob that breached the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, and took videos of himself inside of the building. Costianes pleaded not guilty to the Jan. 6 charges, and his case was still pending when Trump took office and ordered the dismissal of all ongoing Capitol riot cases. But that was not Costianes’ only legal problem. When FBI agents first arrested Costianes and searched his residence on Feb. 12, 2021, they found four guns, along with evidence that Costianes used and sold cocaine and testosterone.
Costianes pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of a firearm or ammunition by an unlawful user of a controlled substance. He was sentenced to a year in prison, which he began serving earlier this month.
This week, the Department of Justice said in a court filing that it had concluded that Trump’s pardon order extended to Costianes’ drug and gun case, because it was sufficiently related to his Jan. 6 charges.
“He should be immediately released from custody in connection with this case because the President has pardoned him of the offenses in the indictment,” the government’s lawyers wrote.
A mugshot of Daniel Ball.
Department of Justice
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Department of Justice
Federal prosecutors had accused Daniel Ball of Florida of throwing an “explosive device that detonated upon at least 25 officers” during the Capitol riot, and alleged that he “forcefully” shoved police trying to protect the building. He was arrested in May 2023. According to charging documents, Ball had a criminal record before his arrest for Jan. 6, including for “Domestic Violence Battery by Strangulation,” “Resisting Law Enforcement with Violence,” and “Battery on Law Enforcement Officer.” Ball pleaded not guilty to the Jan. 6 charges, and his case was dismissed when Trump took office.
But when federal agents originally arrested Ball on the riot charges, prosecutors alleged they also found a gun and ammunition in his possession, which would be illegal given his criminal history. In August 2024, a grand jury in Florida indicted Ball for “Possession of a Firearm or Ammunition by a Convicted Felon.” He pleaded not guilty to the gun case. After Ball was released from detention on his Jan. 6 charges, the Justice Department indicated it planned to pursue the gun case and had him rearrested. Then, this week, the federal prosecutors appeared to reverse their position and filed a brief motion indicating that they would like to dismiss that case, as well.
Costianes and Ball are not the only Jan. 6 defendants who have faced ongoing legal problems. A Jan. 6 defendant from North Carolina, for example, has pleaded not guilty to federal charges of “Production of Child Pornography” and “Possession of Child Pornography,” stemming from the search of his residence as part of the Capitol riot investigation. It’s unclear how broadly the Trump administration will interpret the pardons going forward.
In the legal filing in Costianes’ case, Department of Justice lawyers said, “Whether the pardon applies is a fact-intensive and case-specific inquiry.”
