Much-needed rains revive Iraq's fabled Mesopotamian Marshes

(The Center Square) — The Trump administration is taking New Jersey Gov. Mikkie Sherrill to federal court over newly signed legislation banning ICE agents from wearing masks during immigration operations in the state. 

The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Newark, alleges that the so-called Law Enforcement Officer Protection Act violates federal law by giving state officials control over federal immigration enforcement activities. The DOJ asks a federal judge to block the law, saying it threatens the safety of federal officers who have faced a wave of harassment, doxing, and even violence.

"To be clear, the Federal Government will not comply with this blatantly unconstitutional law," the DOJ wrote in the 24-page complaint. "But the threat of enforcement by Defendants chills individual officers from protecting themselves and performing their duties. The consequences for public safety are severe."

Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate called New Jersey's law an "illegal attempt to regulate the federal government" and said threatening officers with prosecution "for simply protecting their identities and their families also chills the enforcement of federal law and compromises sensitive law enforcement operations."

"The Department of Justice will steadfastly protect the privacy and safety of law enforcement from unconstitutional state laws like New Jersey’s," Shumate said in a statement.

New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport vowed to defend the new law in court, saying it "protects both law enforcement and the public by limiting the use of masking while including careful exceptions to protect law enforcement safety and operational needs." 

The Democrat said allowing ICE agents to wear masks during operations in the state will "undermine public trust and accountability, and make it easier for criminals to impersonate our officers." 

"To this day, the Federal Government still cannot explain when its officials need to mask or forgo identification in violation of this law, or why they actually need to do so, particularly given the serious safety concerns inherent in anonymized policing," she said in a statement. "New Jersey responded thoughtfully and carefully to these profound public safety concerns, and we look forward to responding in court." 

Last year, the DOJ filed a similar lawsuit against California after Democrats in the state passed a mask ban. A federal judge blocked the state from enforcing the law. 

New Jersey Democrats and immigrant rights groups say the new restrictions are necessary amid an uptick in ICE operations in the state targeting people for deportation. 

"When federal immigration officers violate the law and sow fear in our communities, they undermine public trust in law enforcement and make it harder for us to keep the public safe," Sherrill said in a statement at the time.

The Justice Department sued New Jersey in February over an executive order signed by Sherrill that barred ICE agents from using state-owned property as staging areas for operations, accusing her administration of "harboring criminal offenders" from law enforcement.

The governor was also criticized by the Trump administration for launching a new public website urging the public to report ICE activity, upload videos of enforcement actions, and "Know Your Rights" information for people who are detained.

US economic growth rebounded less than expected in the first quarter as consumer spending cooled, while inflation surged in March with fallout from the Middle East war beginning to bite, government data showed Thursday.

Even as the world's biggest economy appears to remain resilient, analysts warn of its reliance on an AI investment boom -- and consumers are showing fatigue that could intensify as the energy shock from the war worsens.

Gross domestic product rose at an annual rate of 2.0 percent in the January to March period, according to an advance estimate released by the Commerce Department.

This was significantly higher than the 0.5 percent figure in the final three months of 2025, but still below the 2.2 percent expansion that economists predicted.

White House spokesman Kush Desai was quick to laud the growth rate, saying it was "driven by an astonishing surge in business investment." He touted President Donald Trump's agenda of tax cuts and deregulation.

But Navy Federal Credit Union chief economist Heather Long called it "a split-screen economy" where companies and investors involved in artificial intelligence are flourishing while middle- and moderate-income households grapple with cost hikes.

Steeper costs are expected to weigh on households and create steep political risks for Trump's Republican Party heading into the November midterm elections.

- 'Big warning sign' -

An uptick in government spending and investment boosted the GDP figure, but this was "partly offset by a deceleration in consumer spending," the Commerce Department said.

Long estimates that "nearly half of the larger tax refunds have already gone to pay for higher gas prices for many families," although it remains encouraging that layoffs are low.

"But it's a big warning sign that consumption has slowed to just 1.6 percent in the first quarter," she said in a note.

A separate Commerce Department report on Thursday showed that the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge surged in March as energy costs skyrocketed over the war.

The personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index jumped 3.5 percent from a year ago, up notably from 2.8 percent in February.

Excluding food and energy, the index rose 3.2 percent from a year prior.

Energy costs have soared since US-Israeli strikes targeting Iran on February 28 triggered Tehran's retaliation in virtually blocking off the Strait of Hormuz.

The waterway is a key route of transit for energy and fertilizers, sending global costs up.

This has caused prices at US gasoline stations to spike, with the average price of a gallon (3.78 liters) of regular gasoline hitting $4.30 according to data from the AAA motor club.

- 'Anemic' outside AI -

"The big picture is that growth already was sluggish ahead of the energy shock, with the economy's underlying momentum anemic outside the continued surge in AI-related capital expenditure," said Oliver Allen, senior US economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics.

While there was a jump in government spending, boosting GDP growth, this was "entirely due to a sharp rebound in federal government spending following the shutdown in the fourth quarter," he said.

Allen added that consumer spending in the first three months this year was also weaker than its average pace over the past four quarters.

"The subdued labor market, depressed confidence, meager real income growth, and exhaustion of pandemic-era excess savings all are starting to weigh on households," he warned.

Chris Zaccarelli, chief investment officer at Northlight Asset Management, expects the US economy can withstand short-term global shocks.

"But we are becoming more concerned that the global economy is going to have a much more difficult time weathering the upcoming storm," Zaccarelli added.

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King Charles III was set to pay his respects to fallen US troops at a military cemetery on Thursday, the final day of a state visit aimed at healing ties between Britain and the United States strained by the war in Iran.

By all accounts, the four-day visit has been a success, with President Donald Trump rolling out a pomp-filled welcome for Charles and Queen Camilla, including a 21-gun salute, military jet flyby and lavish white-tie White House banquet.

Charles will lay a wreath late Thursday morning at Arlington National Cemetery just outside Washington, then attend a "block party" to mark 250 years since American independence from Britain.

The couple will later meet with Native Americans at a national park, before departing for the British island territory of Bermuda in the Atlantic.

The centerpiece of the whirlwind trip was Charles's speech Tuesday to the US Congress, the first by a British monarch since Queen Elizabeth II in 1991.

The address was warmly received, even as Charles ranged over subjects from climate change and the need for restraints on presidential power to the importance of NATO and the defense of Ukraine -- sensitive issues for Trump's Republicans.

The 77-year-old monarch skirted around tensions between Trump and Prime Minister Keir Starmer over Britain's refusal to join the war against Iran,  insisting the partnership between the two countries was "born out of dispute, but no less strong for it."

The royals visited New York on Wednesday, where they stopped at the 9/11 memorial and met leftist Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

Charles, who is passionate about gardening and the environment, later visited an urban sustainable farming project in Harlem, while Camilla celebrated the 100th birthday of Winnie the Pooh at the New York Public Library. 

Security has been tight for the royal visit, which came just days after an alleged assassination attempt against Trump at a Washington media gala.

The trip has seen light moments between Charles and Trump, including the US president joking that his Scottish-born mother had a crush on the the future king when he was younger.

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(The Center Square) – Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern on Thursday submitted a new merger application to the U.S. Surface Transportation Board that would create the country's first transcontinental railroad.

The $85 billion acquisition of Norfolk Southern by Union Pacific would "drive growth, enable substantial cost savings for shippers and strengthen the U.S. supply chain," Norfolk Southern said.

“After completing the additional work requested by the STB, the facts remain clear: This merger enhances competition and delivers real public benefits that make America’s supply chain stronger,” Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena said in a statement. “Our analysis uses complete systemwide traffic data provided by all Class I railroads to identify even more opportunities for our combined railroad to grow and compete.”

The Surface Transportation Board declined to approve the rail companies' initial application, saying it needed more information on how the merger would impact the competitive balance in the industry.

Supporters argue that the deal would create a freight rail network spanning from the East Coast to the West Coast, modernize freight transportation, and improve the country’s supply chain, reducing transportation times and cutting shipping costs.

President Donald Trump has endorsed the merger, saying it “sounds good to me.”

The International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers – Transportation Division (SMART-TD), the country's largest rail union, also supports the deal, saying it would save industry jobs and create stability.

“SMART-TD evaluates every merger based on how it will affect our members’ jobs, livelihoods, and long-term stabilty,” SMART-TD President Jeremy Ferguson wrote in a letter to lawmakers. "“Union Pacific has committed that employees of both Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern will not face involuntary furloughs, guaranteeing job protection for the duration of their careers,” 

Opponents of the merger say it would give one company control over nearly half of U.S. rail traffic and reduce competition.

"This did not begin with a customer asking for a UP-NS merger to happen," President and Chief Executive Officer of BNSF Railway Katie Farmer said in a news release. "It's driven by Wall Street on the promise of a big shareholder payout. It will eliminate competition, raise costs for consumers, and destabilize the supply chain that powers the American economy."

BNSF Railway is a competitor of Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern, whose CEO said the merger will lead to growth.

“This merger is fundamentally about growth,” Norfolk Southern President and CEO Mark George said in a Thursday statement. “Shippers have been clear about what they value, and the data backs it up. When single-line rail service is available, they choose it. Our combined network will deliver seamless freight moves within and across the Mississippi watershed markets with one Class I railroad accountable from origin to destination.”

The Surface Transportation Board oversees railroad mergers and must decide whether the deal serves the public interest. 

(The Center Square) - Maine Gov. Janet Mills announced she would suspend her campaign in the race for U.S. Senate on Thursday. 

Mills was one of the top contenders for the Democratic nomination against incumbent Republican Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine. Now, Graham Platner, an oyster farmer, appears poised to be the frontrunner for the competitive Democratic nomination. 

Mills said she did not have the financial resources to continue her campaign in a statement posted to social media Thursday. 

"While I have the drive and passion, commitment and experience, and above all else - the fight - to continue on, I very simply do not have the one thing that political campaigns unfortunatley require today: the financial resources," Mills wrote. 

Mills did not endorse another candidate in the Democratic primary for the competitive U.S. Senate Race in Maine. 

Platner has faced controversy over past comments and a tattoo some have recognized as resembling a Nazi symbol. 

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Kirsten Gillebrand, head of the Senate Democrat's campaign arm, said they would work to support Platner's campaign against Sen. Collins. 

"After years of allowing Trump's abuses of power, Senator Collins has never been more vulnerable and we will work with the presumptive Democratic nominee Graham Platner to defeat her," Schumer wrote in a statement. 

Maine's primary election is set for June 9. 

Filipino ferry dispatcher Dave Delos Reyes has been handing out N95 masks for nearly three weeks to protect passengers against the smoke that a landfill fire has sent billowing above a stretch of Manila Bay.

The fire at Metro Manila's Navotas landfill is largely invisible to the naked eye, combusting as deep as 15 metres (50 feet) below the surface and releasing a toxic brew of methane as well as carbon dioxide.

Nearly 500 people who lived on islands near the site have been evacuated to the town centre of Obando municipality, about 2.5 kilometres (1.6 miles) away, but it is not nearly far enough to escape the smoke.

"Honestly, sometimes the smell is so strong that it can still seep through the N95 masks. It hurts our throat and heads," Delos Reyes told visiting AFP reporters on Thursday.

At its peak, smoke from the underground fire was affecting air quality across Metro Manila, where an "acutely unhealthy" reading was recorded in multiple areas, according to a local monitor.

Those numbers are finally returning to normal, the Philippine Space Agency's Ernest Macalalad told AFP, the result of around-the-clock efforts to snuff out the fire by covering it with tons of soil, depriving it of oxygen.

But in Obando, residents and evacuees alike said the smoke was still impacting their health and livelihoods.

AFP journalists who traveled to the landfill site by boat saw billows of thick, gray smoke completely enveloping houses on Salambao -- one of the islands from which people were evacuated.

"The smoke from the landfill comes and goes. We can feel it for around 20 minutes, then it will be gone," said Monica Verses, who sells candy and drinks from the open window of her tiny convenience store. 

"Every time the smoke reaches my store, my chest tightens, and I cough a lot," the 62-year-old said.

The US government's disaster agency has linked emissions from landfill fires to cancer, liver damage, rashes and reproductive disorders. 

Multiple residents told AFP the smoke from the landfill, which stopped receiving trash last August, only gets thicker at night.

- 'Not a typical fire' -

Fires like the one at Navotas pose a different set of challenges from aboveground blazes, said Superintendent Anthony Arroyo, a spokesman for Manila's fire bureau.

"It's not a typical fire with surface combustion or a blaze... there's layers of rubbish in a mountainous area, and below that... methane gas," he said.

Fires that start below the surface often begin spontaneously, as organic matter decomposes and creates heat, fueled by oxygen that sneaks in through the cracks.

Flooding the area with water had not been considered, as it risked compromising the liner that prevents chemicals from leaking into the ground below, Arroyo said. 

Instead, firefighters and public works employees were covering the site inch by inch with soil dredged from a nearby site.

"The soil itself absorbs heat. At the same time, it serves as a smothering method, removing the oxygen from the subsurface fire."

While about 50 percent of the affected area has now been covered, work has been slow-going, Arroyo added, with heavy equipment unable to be used in some parts of the landfill due to its sloping walls of refuse.

For evacuees like Ramon Adino, 68, who is living in a cramped school classroom with 12 other families, a return to "normal life" is now just a matter of waiting.

"I'm slightly better now, but I'm still struggling to breathe normally... It's like I'm always catching my breath," he said, adding he hoped the fire would "be extinguished soon".

Food vendor Marissa Gusi, 62, said that while living conditions at the evacuation site were difficult, she planned to prioritise her health.

"I'd rather stay here indefinitely than lose my life because of that smoke," she said.

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(The Center Square) - Ten candidates are running to fill the seat vacated by Georgia U.S. Congressman Barry Loudermilk, who announced he was not running for reelection.

Republicans John Cowan, John Hobbs and Chris Mora are among eight candidates seeking the party’s nomination in the 11th Congressional District.

Cowan, a neurosurgeon, said he would work to remove the federal government’s involvement in healthcare. He called for increased price transparency, targeting pharmacy benefit managers and expanding health savings accounts.

“When patients have power and the government steps back, prices come down,” Cowan wrote in a statement to The Center Square.

Cowan also called for greater transparency and for solutions to address the United States’ budget crisis. He said he would support legislation that caps annual deficits at 3% of GDP.

“Any serious cap needs automatic enforcement and a narrow supermajority carve-out for genuine emergencies, paired with a ban on congressional stock trading so the American people know their representatives are tightening belts right alongside them,” Cowan said.

John Hobbs, who is also seeking the Republican nomination, said he would eliminate the tax code entirely. He called for the elimination of property taxes and income tax.

“The government has no place in real estate, especially in taking homes from people,” Hobbs told The Center Square. “As long as property taxes exist, there’s no such thing as true ownership in this country.”

Both Hobbs and Cowan said they would work to bring federal investment back to the district. The two candidates said they would work to expand access to broadband, improve road quality and rural hospital funding.

“District 11 families send their hard earned tax dollars to Washington every year, and they deserve a representative who makes sure that money comes home to work for them,” Cowan said.

Also in the race are Chris Mora, Lisa Ann Carlquist, Rob Aderkerson, Uloma Stacy Kama and William Brown. They did not respond to a request for an interviews. 

Chris Harden and Barry Wolfert are running for the Democratic nomination in District 11. Harden told The Center Square he would increase access to healthcare in the district, including for abortion procedures.

“I’m one of the only people running on women’s reproductive rights,” Harden said. “We still have women who are having to carry dead fetuses because doctors can’t take care of them for fear of losing their license.”

Harden said he is hopeful Democrats can flip the seat in Georgia’s eleventh. He said the party is seeking to capitalize on affordability messaging to engage voters.

“A lot of people are upset with the way things are going right now,” Harden said. “I’m hopeful that people will look at the candidates and what they are saying and not just the ‘R’s’ and ‘D’s’.”

Wolfert did not respond to a request for an interview. 

Global automaker Stellantis -- owner of the Jeep and Fiat brands -- said Thursday it had swung back into profit in the first quarter, but failed to convince investors ahead of presenting its new strategy.

The 14-brand group, which also include Peugeot and Chrysler, posted a net profit of 377 million euros ($440 million) in January through March, compared to a loss of 387 million euros in the same period last year.

However, the carmaker's shares slumped more than eight percent at one point on the Paris stock exchange before recovering slightly as the profit missed the analyst consensus forecast of 387 million calculated by Bloomberg.

Analysts remained sceptical that the world's fifth-largest carmaker can rebuild solid margins, particularly in Europe.

Sales rose by six percent to 38.1 billion euros, with sales volumes rising in all regions, including North America, where the carmaker has suffered in recent years.

The sales revenue figure was slightly below analyst expectations compiled by financial data provider Factset, but the 12-percent increase in sales volumes surpassed forecasts.

"The first three months of 2026 reflect the early results of our actions to return Stellantis to sustainable, profitable growth," chief executive Antonio Filosa said in a statement.

Filosa said the new vehicles it had launched last year had been well received.

Stellantis hopes to build on that momentum, with another 10 models hitting showrooms this year, he added.

"Our priority is clear: to put our customers back at the centre of everything we do," he said.

Stellantis, formed in 2021 through a merger of France's PSA Group and Italian-American company Fiat-Chrysler, booked a colossal 20-billion-euro charge on its 2025 results as it sought to pivot away from the EV sector.

- Strategy change -

The company plans to unveil a new strategy on May 21 to turn around its fortunes as Western automakers face rising competition from Chinese carmakers.

According to media reports, Stellantis is looking to focus on four of its brands: Peugeot in France, Fiat in Germany and Jeep and Ram in the United States.

The other brands would receive less resources.

Recent decisions included cutting 650 engineering posts in Germany for the group's Opel brand.

The carmaker is also opening up its underused European factories to Chinese partners seeking to assemble cars in Europe to avoid tariffs and make EVs eligible for purchase subsidies.

Leapmotor has already announced that it will produce two models in a Stellantis factory in Spain.

Dongfeng is also reportedly looking to use several Stellantis factories in Europe. 

Stellantis improved revenues and sales volumes in North America, including in the United States where it beat an overall decline in the car market.

Its performance in Europe failed to impress, however, with a five-percent increase in volumes converting to just a one-percent increase in revenues, indicating margins were being squeezed.

"Europe still seems to be the most difficult region to turn around," said analyst Michael Foundoukidis at Oddo.

Partnerships with Chinese carmakers "cannot, on their own, be considered an adequate answer," he added.

In Filosa's view, "we know that our industrial footprint in Europe has a very large capacity, and our first goal is to increase capacity utilization there in our plants." 

Filosa, in his statement, argued: "Our brands represent our strongest asset for our customers and for our markets."

He added: "What we need to balance for our future is the way we grow volume, which is our number one objective, exploring the reach and the power of our brands and our product, and the way we work that efficiently."

While Stellantis's first-quarter swing into profit failed to meet analyst forecasts, most of its rival have been seen their profits falling.

German rival Volkswagen announced on Thursday its first-quarter profit had fallen 28 percent.

BYD, General Motors, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz and Volvo have all also reported falling first-quarter profits.

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A large statue has appeared on a plinth in central London with Banksy's name scrawled on the base, prompting speculation Thursday that it may be the famously enigmatic street artist's latest work.

The statue -- of a suited man marching, with one leg off the plinth, while carrying a flag that is covering his face -- reportedly first emerged on Wednesday just off the central street of Pall Mall.

Banksy, whose real identity has not been officially confirmed, has not claimed the piece as his own on his Instagram account.

The artist -- best known for his satirical murals, often using a distinctive stencilling style -- typically uses the platform to confirm his works, posting images and a caption.

The appearance of the statue comes just over a month after a Reuters investigation claimed to have confirmed the artist's true identity.

It backed up a similar claim by the Mail on Sunday tabloid nearly two decades ago that he is a 52-year-old Briton, born as Robin Gunningham, who later changed his name to David Jones.

The report relied in part on a New York arrest record from 2000 as well as witness testimony from a more recent visit to Ukraine by Banksy.

The potential new work sits on Waterloo Place, in the heart of central London, near more than century-old statues of King Edward VII and nurse Florence Nightingale, as well as the Crimean War Memorial.

It has reportedly been drawing crowds of onlookers since being erected.

The artist, who typically creates a media and public frenzy whenever he reveals a new piece of art, has previously unveiled an unofficial statue in the British capital.

His work known as "The Drinker", which satirised Auguste Rodin's iconic bronze sculpture "The Thinker", was unveiled in 2004 on nearby Shaftesbury Avenue.

It was stolen soon afterwards and then endured years of contested ownership.

Westminster Council, which is responsible for the area where the new statue has appeared, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday said Kyiv would seek details from Washington about a Kremlin offer for a ceasefire on May 9, when Russia holds large-scale World War II commemorations.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin made the proposal to pause fighting in his four-year invasion of Ukraine during a call with US President Donald Trump a day earlier. The Kremlin said Trump supported the move.

The proposal came after Russia announced earlier this week that no army hardware would be included in this year's World War II Victory Day celebrations, breaking with its traditional bombastic display of military might.

It called the decision a precautionary measure given the threat of Ukrainian retaliatory strikes.

Responding to Putin's new Victory Day truce proposal, Zelensky said he had instructed members of his team to get more details on what exactly was on the table, saying Ukraine ultimately wants to end the war.

"We will clarify what exactly this is about -- a few hours of security for a parade in Moscow, or something more," Zelensky said in the statement.

"Our proposal is a long-term ceasefire, reliable and guaranteed security for people, and a lasting peace. Ukraine is ready to work toward this in any dignified and effective format," he added.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that the overarching idea was for the ceasefire to last for Victory Day itself, May 9, but that the precise timings would be determined by Putin.

The United States has spearheaded efforts to bring Russia's invasion to a close through a negotiated settlement, but those efforts -- already fraught with major divisions -- have been derailed by fighting in the Middle East.

The Kremlin's call for a short halt in fighting came several weeks after the warring countries agreed an Easter truce that was marred by allegations of violations by both sides.

- 'We shouldn't make concessions' -

The centrepiece of Russia's May 9 celebrations is typically a massive military parade through Red Square in Moscow, presided over by Putin.

Cities throughout the country hold public celebrations that draw large crowds onto the streets, and world leaders allied with Putin descend on Moscow for the army procession.

In central Kyiv, some residents of the Ukrainian capital said they did not believe Putin's Victory Day proposal was in Ukraine's interests.

"If it were a complete ceasefire, then yes. But a partial one -- no, we shouldn't make concessions to them," said Nadia Maiboroda, a pensioner.

"They are insidious; they will do what they want, and it will not save us, in any case," added the 71-year-old, who was displaced by fighting in eastern Ukraine.

Vitaliy, a 26-year-old philologist, was hopeful the proposal could lead to a longer halt in combat.

"Any ceasefire is always good. If it can be stopped for one day, that means it can be stopped for a longer term. The question is who will comply with it and how," he told AFP.

Ukraine's army has increased its long-range strikes against energy and military targets deep behind the front lines in recent months, regularly sending batches of drones towards the capital.

Kyiv is aiming to dent the oil revenues that fund Russia's war chest.

Russia has meanwhile pursued its campaign of long-range drone and missile attacks.

Zelensky's response to Putin's ceasefire proposal on Thursday came as Moscow's forces killed two people in the southern city of Kherson, and in the Dnipropetrovsk region, local officials said.

Twenty more people were wounded in the Black Sea port city of Odesa, the head of the region said.

The invasion of Ukraine, launched by Russia in February 2022, has become the bloodiest conflict in Europe since World War II, killing hundreds of thousands of people and displacing millions.

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