Latest news with #VargasReports
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Noah's Ark: Researchers claim they may have found it in Turkey
(NewsNation) — A team of researchers claims to have found what they believe is evidence of Noah's Ark at the Durupinar site in eastern Turkey, using advanced scanning technology to support their theory that the biblical account represents historical fact rather than parable. Andrew Jones, lead archaeological researcher for Noah's Ark Scans, told NewsNation his team has been investigating the ship-shaped rock formation since 2019. The site was discovered in 1959 by Turkish Army Capt. Ilhan Durupinar. 'We have a shape of a ship, and then you look at the size of it … exactly 300 royal Egyptian cubits,' Jones said Thursday on NewsNation's 'Vargas Reports.' 'That's what Moses wrote in the book of Genesis.' Though many scientists say the rock is most likely a natural geological formation, the team conducted nondestructive geophysical scans, including ground-penetrating radar and electrical resistivity tomography, which Jones said revealed structural patterns inconsistent with such formations. Neuralink patient explains first year of life with brain chip The scans detected what appear to be chambers and corridors extending up to 30 feet underground. They say the scans reveal buried timberlike patterns consistent with a man-made vessel. Soil testing revealed the formation contains nearly 'three times more organic matter' than surrounding areas, with elevated potassium levels that researchers suggest could indicate decomposed wood. The site is located in the mountains of Ararat, matching the biblical account in Genesis that describes the ark's resting place. Jones said the scans show three distinct layers of material, with what appears to be a central tunnel and side chambers with right angles, suggesting constructed walls and rooms. Jones acknowledged that others have previously claimed to discover Noah's Ark but said his team will continue research until another site provides comparable evidence. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
COVID school closures did lasting damage, new book finds
(NewsNation) — Five years after COVID-19 shut down schools nationwide, a new book argues the extended closures caused unnecessary harm to American students and were driven more by politics than science. In an interview on NewsNation's 'Vargas Reports,' author David Zweig discussed his book 'An Abundance of Caution,' which examines the lasting impact of school closures during the pandemic. 'Closing schools did not help anyone. It only harmed kids,' Zweig said Monday. 'The evidence was clear before the pandemic; lots of academic literature explained why this would be the case.' Trump admin. will defend FDA against abortion pill lawsuit Zweig highlighted that 22 European countries reopened schools in April and May 2020, months before most American schools resumed in-person learning. He said this evidence was 'ignored or dismissed by our public health authorities and largely by the legacy media.' The author cited an example of what he calls politically-motivated decision-making: when the American Academy of Pediatrics reversed its guidance supporting school reopenings shortly after then-President Donald Trump posted on social media advocating for schools to reopen. 'There was nothing that changed epidemiologically in that span of time for them to change the rules,' Zweig said. 'It happened immediately after Trump's tweet.' Marjorie Taylor Greene: I'll win Georgia governor or Senate seat The book details various harms to children beyond academic setbacks, including increased child abuse cases that went unreported due to children being isolated from teachers who often identify and report abuse. Zweig also discussed the impacts on extracurricular activities that provide crucial opportunities for disadvantaged students. Zweig said medical professionals privately expressed concerns about school closures to him but feared speaking publicly against CDC guidance. 'I approach this topic apolitically. I've written for The New York Times,' Zweig said. 'I am not a right-wing ideologue by any stretch.' Studies now show American students suffered significant academic and emotional setbacks during the extended school closures compared to countries that reopened education systems earlier. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Food dyes ‘messing with' children's brains, FDA leader says
(NewsNation) — The things you eat now won't taste any different when petroleum-based dyes are removed from those products, DR. Marty Makary promised during an appearance Thursday on NewsNation's 'Elizabeth Vargas Reports.' Makary, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, joined Vargas to discuss the Trump administration's push to remove the chemicals from Americans' diets as part of its 'Make America Healthy Again' plan. 'These petroleum-based food dyes we are targeting have no taste, they have no nutritional value,' he said. 'Studies have shown that these vibrant colors that don't appear naturally in food are messing with the brains of young developing children.' RFK Jr. announces phasing out of food dye in US products The Trump administration is seeking to eliminate nine petroleum-based dyes in food by the end of 2026, Makary announced at a news conference Tuesday alongside Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya. 'Today, the FDA is asking food companies to substitute petrochemical dyes with natural ingredients for American children as they already do in Europe and Canada,' Makary said. 'We have a new epidemic of childhood diabetes, obesity, depression, and ADHD. Given the growing concerns of doctors and parents about the potential role of petroleum-based food dyes, we should not be taking risks and do everything possible to safeguard the health of our children.' Would $5K 'baby bonus' be enough to boost US birth rate? One of the dyes, Red No. 3, already had its authorization revoked by the FDA in January after studies showed it can cause cancer in male rats. Makary, a British American surgeon and professor who has authored more than 300 peer-reviewed articles, was confirmed as the 27th FDA commissioner in March. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump admin. ‘engaging' with order on Salvadoran prisoner: Official
(NewsNation) — The Trump administration is working on the return of a Maryland man mistakenly sent to a Salvadoran prison, even if a federal judge in the case is expressing frustration at the pace, a U.S. State Department spokesperson said Friday. The U.S. Supreme Court this week said the government must facilitate the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, whom the U.S. sent to El Salvador last month with dozens of alleged migrant gang members. On Friday, U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis pressed the Justice Department for a status report and received little information from government attorneys. Appearing Friday on 'Elizabeth Vargas Reports,' State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce signaled the White House is working on Abrego Garcia's release, but maybe not on a schedule that pleases Judge Xinis. President Trump on Friday evening said he respects the Supreme Court and would follow the order. Who is the alleged MS-13 member wrongly deported to El Salvador? 'We're addressing the Supreme Court ruling, we're engaging with this. Right now, the judge has an issue with timing,' Bruce said. 'But the Department of Justice knows what that ruling is and clearly is complying with her orders and answering her questions.' Host Elizabeth Vargas noted the administration's attorneys did not provide information. She asked Bruce why Trump simply cannot call Salvadoran president Nayib Bukele, whose country is being paid $6 million to incarcerate the deportees, to make the release happen. Bukele is expected to be in Washington on Monday to meet with Trump. 'The conversations will be wide-ranging, I'm sure. I can't speak to them because I don't know the details,' Bruce said. Also Friday, Bruce said this weekend's slated talks in Oman between the U.S. and Iran over Iran's nuclear capabilities are a major step forward, even if Iran insists the talks are not direct, but rather with the help of a go-between. El Salvador deportation case going back to Supreme Court: McGinley And Bruce praised an immigration judge's decision that the U.S. can continue deportation proceedings against former Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder who is accused of supporting the terrorist organization Hamas. 'Every sovereign nation has a right to decide who's going to come in and the standard of what allows you to stay in this nation,' Bruce said. Khalil's attorneys said they plan to keep fighting, and the judge gave them until April 23 to seek a waiver. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Signal chat leak: Security experts divided on impact of breach
(NewsNation) — Security experts expressed mixed views on the sensitive national security information shared in a White House group chat, with both agreeing the incident represents a significant security breach despite what appears to be minimal operational impact. At the center of the debate is whether Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's messages detailing planned U.S. airstrikes in Yemen constituted a classified war plan. Journalist Jeffrey Goldberg, who was inadvertently added to a group chat on the Signal messaging app, on Monday published an account of officials accidentally leaking what he called 'war plans' to him. Potential travel ban 'sending a chill' through airlines: editor Retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Richard Newton called the Signal app leak 'an extraordinary breach of security' that raises serious concerns about operational communications among top national security officials. While the leaked details about planned U.S. airstrikes in Yemen did not necessarily compromise the mission, Newton said there were broader implications of sensitive information being exposed. Matthew 'Whiz' Buckley, a former Navy fighter pilot, characterized the incident as an 'unforced error' but maintained that the leak would not have fundamentally altered the military's operational capabilities. 'The president could have emailed Yemen these plans, and it would not have changed the outcome,' Buckley said on NewsNation's 'Elizabeth Vargas Reports.' Social Security clawbacks become more intense beginning Thursday Both military veterans acknowledged that while the specific Yemen strike might not have been critically compromised, the incident highlights dangerous communication practices at the highest levels of national security leadership. Newton, who previously oversaw global operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stressed that the information shared — including operational planning details and weapon systems information — would likely be classified. He recommended moving sensitive discussions away from commercial messaging platforms such as Signal and back to secure military communication channels. Retired Brig. Gen. Peter Zwack cautioned against underestimating the Houthis, describing them as a sophisticated adversary capable of integrating advanced military capabilities. Trump to impose 25% tariff on cars not made in US 'Our adversaries are watching and learning,' Zwack said Wednesday on NewsNation's 'CUOMO,' saying that the incident provides unprecedented insight into U.S. military decision-making processes for China, Russia and Iran. Tracy Walder, a former CIA and FBI agent, provided an even more pointed critique. She said unequivocally that such a breach would typically result in immediate termination, emphasizing that sensitive operational information should never be shared on platforms such as Signal. 'If I did something like this on Signal and leaked this kind of information prior to an attack happening, I most likely would have been fired,' she told NewsNation. Walder raised additional concerns about the leak's potential impact on intelligence gathering, saying that human assets might become less willing to provide critical information if they sense a lack of operational security. Both experts agreed that the incident could significantly damage international intelligence-sharing relationships, particularly with the Five Eyes alliance, made up of major English-speaking nations. Wisconsin Supreme Court race could ripple across country Zwack stressed the importance of trust in intelligence operations, arguing that such breaches require immediate acknowledgment and corrective action to maintain collaborative relationships with key allies. 'This is all about trust, especially if you're downrange and you're really, really relying on each other,' Zwack said. 'And yes, screwups happen, but it's so important to take responsibility and work to clean it up.' While acknowledging Signal's potential utility for routine communications, both Zwack and Walder were clear that the platform is not appropriate for sensitive operational details. 'Encrypted does not mean classified, and I think that's where everybody is getting it wrong,' Zwack said. Walder pointed out that Signal, despite being encrypted, has been penetrated by multiple foreign intelligence services. The White House has maintained that no war plans were disclosed, but the text messages reportedly contained precise strike timing and weapons details sent hours before the attack. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
