Le’Andria Johnson has a message for her fans after she was arrested earlier this week in Greenville, S.C., following a drunken outburst at a local bar.
The “Better Days” singer addressed her arrest Tuesday in a video on the Larry Reid Live YouTube channel, thanking those who sent messages of support and saying she is taking time to “woosah.”
“This has been a daily walk for me for some time now, and I’m yet still growing,” said the Grammy-winning gospel singer, who for years has spoken to church congregations and media outlets about her battle with alcoholism.
“So just keep me lifted, and I’m a get through this,” she added.
Johnson was taken into police custody around 3 p.m. Monday and charged with public intoxication and possession of an open container, according to an incident report from the Greenville Police Department. She was released from detention the next day and given a personal recognizance bond on her charges, Greenville Public Information Officer Sgt. Diana Munoz confirmed Wednesday.
Police apprehended Johnson after receiving a call about a customer “causing a disturbance” and “screaming at patrons” at BrickTop’s restaurant in the city’s downtown area, the incident report said.
According to the report, officers identified and located Johnson after she left BrickTop’s and went down the street, “screaming profanities at a male who was walking with her.”
Upon being approached by police, Johnson handed her Styrofoam cup to the man, who attempted to hide it, the report said. After observing “multiple signs that she was heavily intoxicated” — the scent of alcohol, slurred speech and unstable posture — officers confirmed the cup contained alcohol and “disposed” of it.
The “Sunday Best” victor was arrested and initially booked on a $257.50 bond, which she does not have to pay “on the condition that she show up to court,” Munoz said in a statement to The Times.
If Johnson requests a jury trial, “she will not have to appear in court until her jury trial date, which can be next year,” Munoz added.
After almost 16 years spent as The Weeknd, Abel Tesfaye says he is considering retiring his famous musical moniker after his upcoming projects.
Tesfaye spoke at length about his experiences with music in recent years as part of a new cover story with Variety, which coincides with the release of his new album, Hurry Up Tomorrow, on Jan. 24. While discussing the journey that led to this new record, Tesfaye looked back to an infamous show at California’s SoFi Stadium in Sept. 2022. Just four songs in, Tesfaye’s failing voice necessitated the cancelation of the gig’s remainder.
As he explains though, a trip to his doctor resulted in nothing out of the ordinary. “And that’s when we came to the realization that it was all up here,” he told the publication while pointing at his head.
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It was the combination of factors – ranging from the myriad items on his already-packed schedule to the mental exhaustion – that has since weighed heavily on Tesfaye as he strides toward the release of Hurry Up Tomorrow. Promoted with billboards that teased an impending end, and social posts that indicated his story would conclude with this final ‘chapter’, Variety pushed Tesfaye about what his repeated references “closing this chapter” relate to. “I would say my existence as the Weeknd,” he explains.
“It’s a headspace I’ve gotta get into that I just don’t have any more desire for,” he continues. “You have a persona, but then you have the competition of it all. It becomes this rat race: more accolades, more success, more shows, more albums, more awards and more No. 1s. It never ends until you end it.”
“Part of me actually was thinking, ‘You lost your voice because it’s done; you said what you had to say. Don’t overstay at the party — you can end it now and live a happy life’,” he adds, looking back at his canceled 2022 show. “Put the bow on it: ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow’? Now we’re here. When is the right time to leave, if not at your peak? Once you understand who I am too much, then it’s time to pivot.”
As Tesfaye asserts, though the closing of this chapter may see The Weeknd as fans know it coming to an end, it won’t be the end of music that he makes.
“I don’t think I can stop doing that,” he says. “But everything needs to feel like a challenge. And for me right now, the Weeknd, whatever that is, it’s been mastered. No one’s gonna do the Weeknd better than me, and I’m not gonna do it better than what it is right now. I think I’ve overcome every challenge as this persona, and that’s why I’m really excited about this film, because I love this challenge.
“But I just want to know what comes after,” he adds. “I want to know what tomorrow looks like.”
Tesfaye is scheduled to release his sixth studio album as The Weeknd, Hurry Up Tomorrow, on Jan. 24. On May 16, his film of the same name will be released via Lionsgate. Directed by Trey Edward Shults (Waves, It Comes At Night), the film will mark Tesfaye’s feature-starring debut, and serves as something of an extension of the forthcoming album.
The anti-ageing regime of an eccentric American entrepreneur who takes more than 100 pills a day could be harmful if copied, a leading nutritionist has warned.
Millionaire Bryan Johnson’s quest for longevity is captured in the Netflix documentary Don’t Die: The Man Who Wants to Live Forever.
Within the first 10 minutes, a breakdown of the 47-year-old’s routine shows him taking three pills upon waking, 54 at breakfast and 34 more later.
A list shown on screen includes pills for vitamin C, heme iron, zinc, metformin and taurine. Johnson has previously said his full plan includes more than 100 drugs and supplements.
Vicky Pennington, nutritionist at Boots, told the Express Johnson’s regime was “tailored to help achieve his personal goals and includes a blend of many different supplements with some at high levels”.
But she warned: “For most of us, taking too many supplements all at once can be harmful. In addition, your body might not require any additional supplements on top of your daily diet and taking an excess amount could be unsafe.
“For example, taking more than 100mg of vitamin D a day could be harmful, as it can cause calcium to build up in the body, which is known as hypercalcemia. This can weaken the bones and damage the kidneys and the heart.
“Therefore, it’s important to follow the instructions on the packaging for any supplements that you wish to take and consult a healthcare professional for personalised advice.”
Johnson’s daily “Blueprint” routine begins at 4.30am and includes more than 100 steps to keep his body “in its ideal state”.
Others include electromagnetic stimulation of his abdomen, wearing a laser cap to promote hair growth and something called “penis shockwave therapy”.
Johnson explains in the documentary: “By doing Blueprint, one of the key objectives is to achieve the lowest possible biological age. Just like a tree has rings, we all have a signature inside our body of our age.
“After doing Blueprint now for two years, I have reversed my biological age [by] 5.1 years…and my speed of ageing is 0.69, which means for every 12 months [lived], I age eight months.
“In terms of how far this goes, it’s open-ended – we have no idea. But I want to take my speed of ageing to the lowest possible number.”
Ms Pennington said most people can get all the nutrients they need by eating a varied and balanced diet, although supplements can support this if a particular nutrient is lacking.
She added: “If you decide to take any supplement it should always be taken following the instructions on the packaging.
“One supplement that all adults should consider taking is vitamin D. The Government recommends that we should all consider taking 10 micrograms of vitamin D daily throughout the winter months and some people should consider taking it all year round.”
Sunlight is the main natural source of vitamin D and our bodies can struggle to make enough between March and October.
Vitamin B12 is another supplement that may benefit people with a vegan or plant-based diet who do not get it from eating meat, fish, poultry, eggs or dairy, Ms Pennington said.
She added: “For many other vitamins and minerals, a supplement should only be considered if we don’t feel we are getting enough from our diet.
“Everyone’s dietary needs differ, and supplements can impact our bodies in different ways, so you may wish to speak to a healthcare professional such as a pharmacist or a GP if you are unsure or need any advice. There is also information on supplements available on Boots Health Hub.
“A multivitamin product is a really easy way to get a range of nutrients in one, but if you wish to take another supplement alongside a multivitamin, make sure you’re not doubling up on any nutrients, to avoid taking too much. Taking too much of certain nutrients may not be safe.”
Over the course of a few years, Kody Brown has come up with a few outlandish ideas. He once convinced his entire family to leave their beloved cul-de-sac and move to Arizona. He also once tried to have his four wives agree to live in one big house out on Coyote Pass. Obviously, none of his grand ideas were really that great. Most recently the Sister Wives star had the idea to get his passport stamped, sharing he wanted to leave the United States and never look back.
Kody Brown is fed up with the family drama
It only took three seasons and three years for Kody to finally become fed up with the family drama. The 55-year-old has had to watch his life turn to ruins after three out of his four wives chose to leave him for greener pastures. Kody has since become bitter and intolerable. Now, he wants to be one of the many celebrities who move to Europe for a new start. In a recent Sister Wives episode, he admitted to his fourth and favorite wife, Robyn Brown, that he would like to “get away” from the feuding.
Kody told cameras, “I got an itch to move so bad, just to get away from the energy of it all. I got to get out of here because this isn’t going to work for me, because all the memory, all the energy of it.” The idea of moving seems nice, but Kody admits that it’s only a pipe dream since his younger children are still in school. “And here’s the stupid thing: I’ve got kids in college, kids in grade school, but I want to move to Europe,” he goes on. “I want to get away from this where I can’t see it or be bombarded by it or feel it anymore.”
Kody Brown wanting a change isn’t a bad idea
I think it is pretty normal for someone like Kody to want to start over. Even though he is not the most liked on Sister Wives he does deserve a chance to be happy. If Kody were to move to Europe, hopefully, he could learn how to be a bit more laid back. And if he moved as a monogamous man he would easily find a community that welcomed Robyn and their children. Heck, even Robyn might learn to relax in the countryside of France or the vineyards of Italy. The family could rebond over their shared trauma and leave the drama of Arizona behind them.
It’s not like anyone back home would miss them. Kody no longer speaks to most of his older children. Their years-long feuds have gone on long enough, leaving hurt feelings on both sides. Kody could distance himself from the ex-wives who cause him such grief and learn to be happy with what he has. Perhaps the best reason to move abroad is the fact that nobody would really have watched the TLC show. Kody, Robyn, and their children could live as normal people.
Kody Brown can’t just relocate to Europe
Sadly Kody can’t start his visa application just yet. He has way too many issues at home that he needs to iron out. Kody just sold his Arizona home for $1,775,000 and relocated to a bigger mansion in Flagstaff. The Browns also need to figure out Coyote Pass. Janelle Brown has made it clear she wants to be bought out of the property, but Kody keeps ignoring her requests. Sadly, you can’t leave your home country with problems like these in your backyard.
Kody’s main reason for wanting to leave is to get away from the memory of it all. But the first thing we learn as an adult is that we can’t run away from our problems. In reality, Kody should take the time to sort through the lava pit that is his feelings. If he talked to someone, he could understand why he has been feeling a certain way. We have all heard a bunch of Kody’s stupid ideas, but for once, I don’t think the thought of moving to Europe is a bad one. All he has to do is get his ducks in a row and he can then move on.
[Warning: The following contains MAJOR spoilers for All Creatures Great and Small Season 5 Episode 1, “To All our Boys.”]
Veterinarian Siegfried Farnon (Samuel West) gave Skeldale’s housekeeper Mrs. Hall (Anna Madeley) a look that would make you believe he’s in love with her in the All Creatures Great and Small Season 5 premiere on Sunday, January 12 on PBS. The episode marked a tonal shift for the series as it depicts the hardships of World War II, albeit it doesn’t completely abandon its warm nature. Everyone’s contributing to the war effort in 1941 Darrowby, and for Mrs. Hall, that means signing up to be blackout warden alongside the prickly Mr. Bosworth (Ted Lasso‘s Jeremy Swift).
Siegfried was nothing short of awestruck upon first sight of Audrey in uniform near the episode’s end (see above), and she was surprised by his response. He was thoroughly impressed by her decision to serve and told her not to worry about household duties as much while she’s committing herself to the cause. Some fans of the Masterpiece drama have long hoped that the widowed Siegfried and Audrey would get together, as they feel the characters have been flirting for a long time. What’s more, the inspiration for Siegfried’s character, veterinarian Donald Sinclair, was married to a woman named Audrey. Now that Mrs. Hall is single following her Season 4 split from fiancé Gerald (Will Thorp), will the show lean into this romantic possibility? The actors have said that their relationship gets more complicated in Season 5.
“The relationship with Mr. Farnon is so complex because there’s so many layers to it, in that he employs her in the house, as well as that they have a real fondness for each other, and they are very good friends to one another,” Madeley told Express around the show’s U.K. premiere in 2024. “You can see where there’d be potential there. Then with Gerald, he’s the first person that comes along that you really see in another way, helping Mrs. Hall out.”
West said that Siegfried will feel “protective” of Audrey this season as she carries out her warden duties (she’s the town’s first and only woman on that team, and Mr. Bosworth had to be convinced to let her on).
“I think Siegfried is caught up with ideas of protecting Mrs. Hall and being angered by Bosworth’s jobsworthing,” he said. “And he oversteps the mark in trying to protect somebody he would see as staff but also as a friend. My friend and companion and housekeeper is away doing important stuff that I’m not being asked to do. And he slightly feels like a spare part at a wedding.”
The actors have remained tightlipped about whether Siegfried and Audrey will get together.
“I think, ‘No comment’ is the only thing to say,” West said, per Hello!. As Madeley added, “I think we’ll remain enigmatic about that. That’s for you to be interested in.”
Swift told TV Insider that Mrs. Hall and Mr. Bosworth strike up some kind of relationship as they work together as blackout wardens. He didn’t say if it was romantic per se, but he didn’t rule out that possibility either. He did, however, reveal that Mr. Bosworth has “two or three fantastic squabbles” with Siegfried. Perhaps they’re fighting over Mrs. Hall, even if that’s a subconscious feeling?
Elsewhere in the episode, a medical issue forced James (Nicholas Ralph) out of his role as a pilot in a Royal Air Force bomber crew. The chronic illness was contracted in an earlier season and was something that James and wife Helen (Rachel Shenton) were concerned their infant son would contract. They never expected James to fall ill with it, and they definitely never imagined that it would get him discharged from the military. James didn’t want to go home at first; he was compelled to continue serving and leading his men, who were sent on a dangerous mission without him after his diagnosis and many of them didn’t survive. Eventually, he decided to return home to his family.
When it comes to Siegfried and Audrey, should the show go for it and bring this employer and employee together as a couple? Let us know your thoughts in the poll below.
All Creatures Great and Small, Sundays, 9/8c, PBS (check local listings at pbs.org)
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Spencer Rascoff co-founded Zillow. Austin Allison sold his company to Zillow for $125 million. Now they’ve teamed up to co-found Pacaso and transform the $1.3T vacation home market.
Pacaso’s streamlined digital marketplace is leading the co-ownership revolution, making luxury vacation homes accessible, fully utilized, and hassle-free. And the results speak for themselves: nearly $1 billion in transactions, 1,500+ happy homeowners, $100 million+ in gross profits, and impressive growth on their H1 2024 earnings, the company says.
With properties in 40 markets, Pacaso is using co-ownership to make luxury vacation homes accessible worldwide. And this is just the start. Even better – investors can join for just $2.70/share.
Next-generation co-ownership
Pacaso’s co-ownership model is powered by proprietary tech and an innovative structure that eliminates the headaches of traditional vacation home ownership. Here’s how it works:
Seamless transactions: Clients easily buy, finance, and resell shares of luxury homes through Pacaso’s intuitive platform.
Turnkey ownership: Pacaso handles maintenance, scheduling, and furnishing; owners simply enjoy their vacation homes.
Maximized value: Homes that once sat empty 90% of the year now stay occupied nearly year-round, benefiting owners and local economies.
Pacaso is leading the charge in the $1.3 trillion U.S. vacation home market, combining real estate innovation with tech-driven efficiency to generate multiple revenue streams. These include transaction service fees on every sale, recurring property management fees, and exclusive financing options tailored to co-owners.
The platform’s global reach is growing quickly, with recent market expansions in Paris and London. In fact, Pacaso’s first Paris property sold out so fast that they purchased a second – on the same street. Now, as they scale, Pacaso’s unique model is poised to dominate the vacation home segment.
Why investors are paying attention
There are many reasons top firms like SoftBank and Maveron have already backed Pacaso, including:
Proven leadership: Pacaso’s founding team helped grow Zillow to a $16 billion valuation.
Strong growth metrics: Nearly $1 billion in transactions, over $100 million in gross profits, and a 38% year-over-year increase in adjusted gross profit in H1 2024.
Surging demand: 40% of Americans want to buy a vacation home in the next year (Coldwell Banker), and co-ownership is growing 21% annually in the United States
And here’s the kicker: Pacaso is now accepting public investment in this co-ownership boom for just $2.70 a share.
TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, the main global producer of advanced chips used in artificial intelligence applications, is expected to report a 58% leap in fourth-quarter profit on Thursday because of surging demand.
The world’s largest contract chipmaker, whose customers include Apple (NASDAQ:) and Nvidia (NASDAQ:), has benefited from the megatrend towards AI. But the Taiwanese company faces headwinds from U.S. government technology restrictions on China and uncertainty about President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration, which has threatened broad import tariffs.
TSMC is set to report a net profit of T$377.95 billion ($11.41 billion) for the quarter ended Dec. 31, according to a LSEG SmartEstimate drawn from 22 analysts. SmartEstimates give greater weighting to forecasts from analysts who are more consistently accurate.
That estimate compares to the 2023 fourth-quarter net profit of T$238.7 billion.
TSMC last week reported a jump in fourth-quarter revenue in Taiwan dollars, comfortably beating market expectations. The company gives its revenue outlook in U.S. dollars on its quarterly earnings call, scheduled for 0600 GMT on Thursday.
Brett Simpson, Arete Research co-founder and senior analyst, said 2025 will be another year where TSMC’s growth is largely driven by AI customers.
“From the U.S. government perspective, Arete is optimistic that TSMC can build a good relationship with the new administration particularly given its new fab cluster in Arizona is the biggest foreign direct investment project in the U.S. at present,” he added.
TSMC is spending billions of dollars on new factories overseas, including $65 billion on three plants in the U.S. state of Arizona, though it says most manufacturing will remain in Taiwan.
Edward Chen, chairman of Fubon Financial’s securities investment unit, said progress on the Arizona fab and its yield rates, or the percentage of usable chips, would be crucial for the company.
“Additionally, the impact of tariffs to be imposed by the incoming Trump administration on demand remains to be seen,” he added.
TSMC, at its earnings call, will update its outlook for the current quarter as well as for the full year, including planned capital expenditure as it races to expand production.
On its last earnings call in October, TSMC said capital expenditure was likely to be higher in 2025 than last year, though it did not provide a figure.
On the call, it predicted 2024 capital expenditure as being slightly higher than $30 billion.
The AI boom has helped drive up the price of shares in Asia’s most valuable company, with TSMC’s Taipei-listed stock soaring 81% last year, compared with a 28.5% gain for the broader market.
The “Shark Tank” star is teaming up with Project Liberty founder Frank McCourt to purchase the platform’s US assets from its parent company, ByteDance, and “rebuild the platform in a way that prioritizes the privacy of its 170 million American users.”
TikTok is facing a potential ban due to the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, a law signed by President Biden that passed in Congress last April with bipartisan approval.
“I want to work with him [McCourt] because he’s done far more work on the algorithm, and he lets me be part of this deal so that we can buy TikTok without buying the Chinese spyware” O’Leary told “The Big Money Show” Tuesday.
TikTok has faced controversy over it being a China-based company and for allegedly being used as spyware software for the Chinese Communist Party.
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have warned about the potential national security threat TikTok allegedly poses via US phones.
Kevin O’Leary is partnering up with another investor in a bid to purchase TikTok from its parent company ByteDance. Fox Business
“The reason TikTok is about to get canceled in the United States is because of algorithms that let you spy,” O’Leary said, explaining how he and McCourt would restructure the platform so that users could decide whether to share their data with TikTok or not. Under their ownership, O’Leary argued, users that elected to share their data would get paid.
“If they do share it, and they want to monetize it, they get a piece of the advertising action. I think that’s fantastic,” he said. “We’re going to make this thing work the way the market wants it to work, and then we’re going to take it all around the world.”
If their bid to acquire the social media platform is successful, O’Leary explained how they would change the platform to better align with US interests.
O’Leary said he and Frank McCourt want to “rebuild the platform in a way that prioritizes the privacy of its 170 million American users.” Fox Business
Besides giving users ownership of their data and stripping out the “Chinese spyware”, the investor emphasized TikTok has the potential to grow from its current 170 million users to “past 200 million” by regaining user trust.
“We’ve got to get everybody back that doesn’t trust it, that wouldn’t put it on their phone. And the way to do that is to democratize it, allow people to invest beside us,” O’Leary said Friday on “Varney & Co,” on FOX Business.
“The third thing I think everybody’s going to find attractive, including Trump, is we’re going to open it so that it’s inter-operative. So if you’re posting on Truth Social or on X, click here to populate TikTok. Everybody would want to do that. And we would ask others, like Instagram and Meta, let’s do the same thing. Let’s share two ways,” he added.
The investor also said how he would look to get countries like India, Switzerland, France, Canada and Germany onto the platform after these changes were instituted.
“This thing will become the world’s largest television network in a matter of two years,” O’Leary said about TikTok’s growth potential.
O’Leary and McCourt’s bid will be impacted by the Supreme Court’s much anticipated ruling on the law to ban the platform unless it is divested and then ByteDance’s willingness to do so if their hand is forced before the deadline.
TikTok is set to be banned from US app stores on Jan. 19. REUTERS
The high court heard oral arguments on Friday in a fast-tracked case ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s return to the White House. A final decision is expected before Inauguration Day.
O’Leary explained how a Supreme Court decision to uphold the ban would be “good news” for their bid.
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“What that means is that the company goes into a binary decision as to whether to let it be shut down midnight on the 19th or engage with a buyer,” he told “America Reports” Friday on Fox News. “Now, you may be aware that we have put an offer – I think we’re the only syndicate formed that gave a viable offer last night – to ByteDance, and they may want to start considering it because there’s $30 to $40 billion worth of American shareholder’s value tied up there. And if the Supreme leader [Chinese President Xi Jinping] wishes to, we can just shut it off as they did in India and that capital gets erased. And of course, that’s not good for future capital raising.”
O’Leary argued his and McCourt’s ambitious plans for TikTok heavily rely on Xi Jinping.
“I think the only person that matters in this deal is the Supreme leader, who’s got to decide. All Chinese companies are controlled by him,” he said.
O’Leary went on to explain how China wants to be considered a “destination” for capital, explaining that every country needs it to grow their economy, even those in adversarial positions with the U.S. like China.
“They’re competing for the largest economy status. So if you want to be a big boy and you want to play in international markets, you don’t wipe out shareholder money. It’s not just U.S. shareholders. Every sovereign wealth fund around the world, many of them have huge investments in ByteDance,” he said.
“But it won’t be my decision or Frank McCourt’s decision. The two of us have put our syndicate out there. We’ve made the offer. Every single American shareholder has our offer. They know it. And this is really up for ByteDance to decide.”
O’Leary stressed that he thinks ByteDance should give their offer serious consideration after their free speech argument in court “fell on deaf ears.”
“We’ll make it very free speech. We’ll make it way better and we’ll make sure we abide by the order of the courts. This is the right path,” he said.
Twenty-three years after the 9/11 attacks on NYC, new US intelligence documents reveal 234 “rehabbed” former Gitmo detainees have returned to terrorism and killing Americans — an alarming 32% recidivism rate. Most of them have not been recaptured and are still at large.
Nonetheless, lame-duck President Biden is quietly freeing more of these high-risk terrorist suspects from the Guantanamo Bay prison, all to fulfill his old boss Barack Obama’s pledge to permanently close the facility in Cuba.
Shortly after taking office, Biden reversed President Trump’s executive order to keep Gitmo open and is lining up more inmates to transfer out of the prison with the goal of emptying it and shuttering it — even though the remaining prisoners have long been classified by military intelligence as the worst of the worst and too dangerous to release.
Earlier this month, the outgoing president freed 11 Yemeni prisoners — all of them al-Qaeda terrorists, including two of Osama bin Laden’s bodyguards — leaving the number of remaining detainees at 15. He sent them to Oman, where we are told they’ll be monitored, rehabilitated and go on to live peaceful lives.
However, some of Oman’s counterterrorism programs “were postponed or canceled” after the COVID-19 pandemic, and “Oman’s iniatives to counter violent extremism remained opaque in 2023,” according to the State Department’s latest country report. It also stated that Oman has “limited resources” and needs to “improve its CT (counterterrorism) capabilities.”
The control tower is seen through the razor wire inside the Camp VI detention facility in Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba. AP
What’s more, Oman’s remote, uncontrolled borders with Saudi Arabia and Yemen present additional “obstacles for counterterrorism,” the report warned.
One of the bin Laden bodyguards released by Biden — Sana Ali Yislam al-Kazimi — was a “facilitator for the Yemen-based al-Qaida branch,” according to a declassified military dossier, and could slip back into his old role across the border.
Just six months ago, Oman abandoned 28 other Gitmo terrorists it promised to reform under an agreement with Obama. Oman stripped them of citizenship and shipped them across the border to Yemen, a known terrorist redoubt.
Gouled Hassan Dourad, a Somali prisoner, planned attacks in Djibouti and Ethiopia.Ismael Ali Faraj Ali Bakush, aka Ismael Ali Bakush, was a fighter for the Taliban and al Qaeda. DoDZayn al-Ibidin, a senior Osama bin Laden lieutenant involved in the planning of 9/11, was captured in Pakistan in 2002.
Perhaps it needed to make room for Biden’s 11 new parolees, who include unrepentant al-Qaida operative Hani Saleh Rashid Abdullah, who’s tied to 9/11 planners and lusted for watching footage of the attacks while incarcerated and required “robust security assurances” from Oman.
Or more likely, officials in Muscat viewed them as an internal terror threat and wanted to get rid of them rather than “reintegrate” them into their society.
“Anyone who thinks they’ll be rehabbed simply doesn’t want to look at past incidents of detainees returning to the fight,” said ret. Army Lt. Col. Brian F. Sullivan, a former FAA special agent who specialized in counterterrorism.
Once al Qaeda’s third in command, Mustafa Faraj Muhammad Masud al-Jadid al-Uzaybi aka al-Libbi, plotted plane hijackings and the assassination of Pakistan’s president.Guantanamo Bay detainee Muhammad Rahim al Afghani, one of Osama bin Laden’s top aides and translators. via CAGE InternationalKhalid Sheikh Mohammed was the architect of the 9/11 attacks. He has agreed to a controversial plea deal that gives him life in prison but not the death penalty. AP
But Biden isn’t finished. Three other Gitmo fiends have been cleared for release — including an “explosives expert who trained al-Qaeda members and provided operational support to key al-Qaida figures” and “a key member of the al-Qaeda network in Somalia,” according to Gitmo parole board documents reviewed by The Post.
And three more are eligible for review by the parole board, including Abu Zubaydah, “one of Osama Bin Laden’s most trusted facilitators,” according to his Gitmo dossier. Congress would have to be notified 30 days in advance of Zubaydah’s release, giving Republicans time to raise objections.
Encep Nurjaman, an Indonesian head of al Qaeda in Southeast Asia, where he plotted the Bali nightclub bombing of 2002.Walid Bin Attash worked as bodyguard for Osama bin Laden and helped with USS Cole attack.
These “forever” detainees have been charged in the military court system. Biden wants to move them out, as well, but a law blocks their transfer to US prisons. Trump has vowed to keep Gitmo open.
Biden is hellbent on clearing out the cells despite being fully briefed by his intelligence agencies that one in three released detainees have gone back to fighting against America — and some have actually managed to kill more Americans.
“Based on trends identified during the past 20 years, we assess that some detainees currently at GTMO will seek to reengage in terrorist or insurgent activities after they are transferred,” a recent US intelligence report warned.
Mustafa-al-Hawsawi, a Saudi Arabian who provided financial and travel support to the 9/11 hijackers. via International Red CrossRamzi-bin-al-Shibh was supposed to be one of the 9/11 hijackers, but was rejected for a visa to the US. He helped facilitate the attacks.
According to the June 2024 declassified report by the Office of National Intelligence, a total of 234 of the 733 detainees released from Gitmo have reengaged in terrorist activities, including conducting and planning attacks and recruiting and funding terrorists. That’s a re-offense rate of 31.9%. (The share would be even higher if US intelligence included engagement in anti-US statements or propaganda in its definition of “terrorist activities.”)
Detainees have appealed to the Biden administration through their bleeding-heart pro-bono defense lawyers to ensure their release. They argue their bloodthirsty clients have reformed their violent ways thanks to “yoga classes” and other touchy-feely prison activities and just want to return home to help their sick moms or run their family shops.
Several terrorists have told the exact same sob story to the review board, as The Post has previously reported. But since those stories were exposed, the Pentagon has removed the detainees’ written submissions and hearing transcripts from the review board website. It claims they aren’t posted “at the request of the detainee,” but those materials have now been removed from all detainee files.
Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, a Saudi Arabian who plotted the bombing of the USS Cole.Ammar al-Baluchi, nephew of the Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, he helped hide and transferred the money needed for 9/11. via International Red Cross
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin assured that each of the released detainees “underwent a thorough review,” yet the public is now blind to that process.
Even more stunning: The administration admits that resettling terrorists in Islamic countries like Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan hasn’t stopped them from returning to their violent ways. According to the 2024 ODNI report, “Former GTMO detainees routinely communicate with members of terrorist organizations.”
“Some detainees determined to reengage have and will do so regardless of any transfer conditions,” the report adds.
Ali Hamza al-Bahlul was convicted in 2008 of performing media relations for Osama bin Laden and providing material support for terrorism. Was sentenced to life in prison.Abd al-Hadi al-Iraqi commanded Al-Qaeda’s army, and served as the terror group’s accountant. As part of a plea deal, he will be held in prison until 2032.
Gitmo inmates previously repatriated in Afghanistan are now under the care of the Taliban, who reclaimed control of Kabul in late 2021 (thanks to Biden’s disastrous troop withdrawal) and are once again sheltering al-Qaeda leaders, who no doubt have reunited with those Gitmo alumni and are plotting a 9/11 encore.
“The men Joe is sending to Oman will be no different,” said ret. Army Capt. Sam Faddis, a former CIA operations officer who served in the Middle East. “We will see them again soon on the battlefield.”
He added: “Given the open-border policies of the Biden administration and the extent of our penetration by terrorist networks, that battlefield may be right here at home.”
Paul Sperry is a senior reporter for RealClearInvestigations and author of the bestseller “Infiltration.” Follow him on X: @paulsperry_
When looking at the meagre share price returns of the FTSE 100, it may be tempting to ignore the index altogether. Why bother with it in an ISA when all the really sexy returns are being generated in New York?
However, overlooking the Footsie in favour of higher potential returns elsewhere can be a mistake. For proof, consider these three blue-chip shares. Five grand invested in each of them just two years ago would now be worth around £55,000 in total!
Rolls
The star of the show has been Rolls-Royce (LSE: RR). Since the start of 2023, shares of the iconic engine maker have soared 520% higher!
That was when CEO Tufan Erginbilgiç took the helm. Since then, international travel has bounced back and there’s been a significant rise in defence spending. Rolls’ profit margins and balance sheet have improved massively.
Looking ahead, the company forecasts underlying operating profit of £2.5bn-£2.8bn by 2027, up from an expected £2.1bn-£2.3bn last year.
However, the stock now trades at 27 times this year’s forecast earnings, which isn’t cheap. It suggests to me that much of the anticipated growth is priced in.
Therefore, if earnings come in light — because of ongoing supply chain issues, for example — then the stock could fall sharply.
M&S
Perhaps surprisingly, the next stock is Marks and Spencer Group (LSE: MKS). Shares of the posh supermarket are up by a whopping 178% since January 2023.
I don’t follow M&S too closely, but clearly I should, since it returned to the FTSE 100 in mid-2023. The reinvigorated company has achieved market share gains across clothing and food categories for four consecutive years.
On 23 December, it recorded its biggest ever day of food trading, while its online joint venture with Ocado is now delivering a record number of orders per week.
However, one risk worth noting here is the recent rise in the National Insurance and minimum wage announced in the UK Budget. To preserve profits, M&S may be forced to pass these higher costs on to customers. This might prevent it taking more market share in the ultra-competitive supermarket industry.
IHG
Finally, shares of InterContinental Hotels Group (LSE: IHG) have been on fire, surging 111% in the past two years to sit just off an all-time high.
Like Rolls, IHG has enjoyed a strong recovery in travel since the pandemic. It owns a diverse range of brands, including Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, and InterContinental (luxury).
In Q2, global revenue per available room (RevPAR) grew 3.2%, then ticked up another 1.5% in Q3. Impressively, the latter was achieved despite a 10.5% drop in RevPAR in Greater China. This highlights the strength and quality of the firm’s diverse global portfolio.
After its two-year doubling, the stock is trading at 24 times this year’s forecast earnings. That valuation doesn’t leave much room for error if, say, weakness in China spreads to the Americas and Europe.
Foolish takeaway
Admittedly, there was an element of cherry-picking here. Yet all three shares are well-known blue-chips, not obscure names.
Moreover, 3i Group stock (up 172%) actually did better than IHG, as did International Consolidated AirlinesGroup (up 148%).
So this proves that there are likely plenty of wealth-building UK stocks about, just waiting to be found.
