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A Georgia police officer was killed and a second officer was critically injured after officers responded to a fraud-related call at a Stone Mountain hotel; the suspect was injured and hospitalized, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation is leading the inquiry.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission awarded $21.2 million in grants to 50 community parks across Texas, funding projects from trails and kayak launches to piers and playgrounds; grants are reimbursed on a 50/50 match basis.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that a U.S. attack could trigger a regional war; a U.S. carrier group is reported nearby and Iran has scheduled live-fire drills in the Strait of Hormuz for Sunday and Monday.

Out of the Closet opened a new thrift store at 1709 E. 53rd St. in Hyde Park; 99 cents of every dollar earned goes to the AIDS Healthcare Foundation and the shop offers free confidential HIV testing.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said a U.S. attack on Iran would trigger a "regional war," comments made as a U.S. aircraft carrier group operates nearby; Iran has announced live-fire drills in the Strait of Hormuz.

Local programs from Code Girls United to Flathead Valley Community College are teaching students how to use AI tools and to discuss ethical questions around those tools; educators are emphasizing critical thinking and flexible classroom policies. Some groups are developing peer-led materials and pursuing expansion while colleges weigh program-specific approaches.

Several companies, including UPS, Amazon and Nordstrom Card Services, have announced layoffs scheduled for early 2026; UPS said it will cut about 30,000 operational jobs and Amazon announced roughly 16,000 reductions.

Chinese shoppers are returning to luxury stores but are spending less and visiting in smaller numbers; some brands report stabilization while a broad industry rebound remains uncertain.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the next trilateral U.S.-Ukraine-Russia talks will be held in Abu Dhabi on Feb. 4–5, and U.S. and Russian envoys described recent meetings in Florida as constructive.

Laws easing local limits on housing have spread across states, but researchers and advocates say increased supply alone has not solved affordability and call for stronger government approaches.

The Modi government presented the 2026-27 budget, prioritizing higher capital spending on infrastructure and domestic manufacturing while aiming to lower the fiscal deficit to 4.3% of GDP. The finance ministry's economic survey projects growth of 6.8%–7.2% next year.

Governors from seven Colorado River Basin states met in Washington to discuss plans and a shared commitment to avoid litigation; a Feb. 14 deadline remains for a new agreement.

O&S Doors near Benburb is installing a biomass-fuelled combined heat and power system to burn MDF dust and generate electricity for its factory, supported by a £2.4m grant from the Shared Island Sustainability Capital Scheme. The company says the system could produce about 6.3 million units of energy and begin generating by early 2027.

At a Prince William County town hall, residents questioned rapid data center growth and rising electric bills; officials said nearly half of Virginia's data centers are located in the county.

Independent rankings and owner reports indicate Kia has improved reliability and now ranks near the top among mainstream brands, though it still trails Toyota and Honda.

A US delegation that included Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent held meetings with Russia's special envoy that an American negotiator described as productive, and those talks came ahead of planned indirect three-way negotiations in Abu Dhabi. Separately, global precious metals markets saw a sharp selloff that sent gold and silver down steeply after a dollar rebound tied to reports about a likely Federal Reserve nomination.

Reuters reported Eli Lilly plans six new U.S. manufacturing plants as part of a previously announced at least $27 billion investment, and the FDA granted Breakthrough Therapy designation to its ovarian cancer drug sofetabart mipitecan after positive early trial results.

The IRS is awarding $53 million in grants to support the VITA and TCE no‑cost tax-preparation programs for 2026, selecting 48 TCE and 315 VITA applicants from 479 applications.

The city announced a settlement requiring Uber Eats, Fantuan and HungryPanda to pay a combined $5.195 million to more than 49,000 delivery workers for minimum-pay violations tied to canceled trips, and Uber Eats agreed to reinstate some deactivated accounts.

Negotiations between the WNBA and the players' union have been at a standstill since a Jan. 9 lapse of the extension, and the two sides are scheduled to meet Monday in New York to continue talks.

Link has recommended a community banking hub for Whitehaven after Santander confirmed its branch will close by the end of January 2027, and the local MP has launched a petition calling for a hub.

American Airlines said it plans to reinstate daily nonstop flights between the U.S. and Venezuela once it receives government approvals and completes security assessments. The announcement follows U.S. moves to reopen Venezuela's commercial airspace.

Verizon reported fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results, recording its highest quarterly total mobility and broadband volumes since 2019 and noting that the Frontier acquisition closed January 20, 2026 expands its fiber footprint to over 30 million homes and businesses.

Euro zone GDP rose 0.3% quarter-on-quarter and 1.3% year-on-year in Q4 2025, supported by consumption and investment while exports stayed weak amid U.S. trade uncertainty.

Board-certified foot and ankle surgeon Dr. Lori Grant says heel cushioning and arch support are essential for plantar fasciitis, and supportive shoes can include sneakers, sandals, and dress shoes. The article lists ten affordable options available on Amazon, with prices starting around $30.

Dario Amodei of Anthropic warns that AI is advancing rapidly and could be dominant within two to three years, and he says AI is already writing much of the code at his company.

A video from Colorado's spring workouts showed coach Deion Sanders bench-pressing about 205 pounds alongside players, a moment that highlighted his increased physical involvement after last season's health challenges.

National Taxpayer Advocate Erin M. Collins warned in her 2025 Annual Report to Congress that the IRS will confront staffing cuts, leadership turnover and complex new tax rules for the 2026 filing season, and the agency is phasing out paper refund checks, which could delay refunds for people without direct deposit.

Authorities say a Grand Rapids man was arrested and charged after his fiancé and her two teenage sons were found dead; investigators reported inconsistencies in his account and say he later allegedly confessed, while a 5-year-old in the home was unharmed.

At a Davos panel hosted by David Rubenstein, Eric Schmidt and Joe Ucuzoglu discussed how AI is changing the global landscape. Schmidt said AI currently contributes more than 1% of U.S. GDP and predicted a near-term period focused on building agentic AI.