WWII Vet Celebrates 100th Birthday on Battleship New Jersey

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WWII Vet Celebrates 100th Birthday on Battleship New Jersey

(Headline USA) Aboard the Battleship New Jersey, surrounded by friends, family and the ship’s important legacy, John “Johnny Q” Quinesso Sr. marked a milestone: his 100th birthday.

The World War II Navy veteran and longtime volunteer was honored last week with a special luncheon and recognition ceremony on the nation’s most decorated battleship. The celebration was Thursday; his actual birthday was Jan. 24.

For Quinesso, a lifelong South Jersey resident, the celebration was not just about longevity — it is about service that has never stopped.

Apart from serving three years in the South Pacific as a Radioman 2nd Class, the WWII veteran has spent more than two decades volunteering at the Battleship New Jersey Museum, sharing his experiences and educating students and visitors from around the world.

“I call the Battleship New Jersey my second home,” Quinesso said. “I’ve been a tour guide here for over 20 years. It’s one of the most wonderful things I’ve ever done in my life.”

For Quinesso, teaching visitors about the Battleship New Jersey is about more than history — it’s about understanding the cost of freedom.

“To let them know that without the battleship, we may not be able to start building our freedom today,” he said.

Quinesso joined the Navy straight out of high school in 1943, at 19 years old. Trained as a radio operator, he served aboard the LSM-302, a medium landing ship that delivered troops, tanks and supplies to beaches across the Pacific. His service took him to Wake Island, Guam, Okinawa and Saipan during some of the war’s most intense fighting.

One moment, however, stands above all others. Off the coast of Guam, the crew at that point was preparing for a potentially devastating invasion of Japan with ships on the ocean as far as he could see. One night, while standing the midnight watch on the radio, Quinesso received a transmission that would change the world.

The message read, ‘The Japanese had surrendered. The war is over,’” he recalled. “I ran right down to the captain and banged on his door.”

Quinesso said after that all hell broke loose on the ship, with the crew crying and hugging each other.

“That was my most glorious moment. I’ll never forget it — it feels like yesterday.”

After returning home, Quinesso built a 43-year career as an IRS agent. But when the Battleship New Jersey reopened as a museum in 2001, he found a new calling: educating future generations about sacrifice, service and history.

Marshall Spevak, CEO of the Battleship New Jersey Museum, said Quinesso’s presence carries a special weight as time pushes the history of WWII further into the past.

“There’s still a certain reverence when you talk to a World War II veteran,” he said. “There will only be a few more years where we have World War II vets in this world. That’s why it’s so important that we continue to tell their stories so their legacy lives on.”

At 100, Quinesso remains sharp, warm and quick with humor. He often tells students that service helped shape his life.

“I went in as a young boy and came out a grown-up young man,” Quinesso said. “That’s what service did for me.”

During last week’s ceremony, Quinesso received New Jersey’s the Distinguished Service Medal, the state’s highest military award. For Quinesso, the recognition is meaningful — but being on the ship, telling stories and connecting with people remains the best reward.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press.

Nuclear Weapons Test Monitor Finds No Evidence for US Claim of Chinese Test

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Nuclear Weapons Test Monitor Finds No Evidence for US Claim of Chinese Test

(Dave DeCamp, Antiwar.com) An international nuclear weapons testing monitor said on Friday that there was no evidence China conducted a nuclear test on June 22, 2020, after a US official accused Beijing of secretly conducting a test that day.

“China has conducted nuclear explosive tests, including preparing for tests with designated yields in the hundreds of tons,” US Undersecretary of State Thomas DiNanno said in a post on X, a claim he also made at a UN disarmament conference in Geneva.

“China has used decoupling – a method to decrease the effectiveness of seismic monitoring – to hide its activities from the world. China conducted one such yield-producing nuclear test on June 22, 2020,” he added.

In response to the US claim, Robert Floyd, the executive director of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO), issued a statement. “Regarding reports of possible nuclear tests with yields in the hundreds of tonnes, on 22 June 2020, the CTBTO’s [International Monitoring System] did not detect any event consistent with the characteristics of a nuclear weapon test explosion at that time. Subsequent, more detailed analyses have not altered that determination,” he said.

Map of the CTBTO’s International Monitoring System (CTBTO website)

Floyd explained that his organization’s International Monitoring System (IMS) is “capable of detecting nuclear test explosions with a yield equivalent to or greater than approximately 500 tonnes of TNT, including detecting all six tests conducted and declared by the DPRK.” He added that any test below the 500-ton level is “roughly 3% of the yield of the explosion that devastated Hiroshima.”

Chinese Ambassador Shen Jian, Beijing’s representative in Geneva. also strongly denied the US claim. “China notes that the US continues in its statement to hype up the so-called China nuclear threat. China firmly opposes such false narratives,” he said. “It (the United States) is the culprit for the aggravation of the arms race.”

The US accusation suggested the Trump administration may be looking for a pretext to restart nuclear weapons testing that involves explosives, something President Trump has suggested he may resume.

DiNanno’s claim also came after the expiration of New START, the last nuclear arms control treaty between the US and Russia, which limited the deployment of nuclear warheads and strategic launchers. The treaty expired without the US accepting a Russian offer to maintain its limits for a year to give room to negotiate a replacement, meaning that for the first time in many decades, Washington and Moscow have no constraints on their nuclear arsenals.

Americans Borrowed A Lot to Pay for Christmas 2025

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Americans Borrowed A Lot to Pay for Christmas 2025

(Mike Maharrey, Money Metals News Service) The Debt Black Hole got a little bigger as U.S. consumer debt unexpectedly surged in December. Americans apparently put a Christmas spending spree on Visa and Mastercard.

Consumer debt climbed by $24 billion, a 5.7 percent increase, according to the latest data from the Federal Reserve.

Americans are now buried under $5.11 trillion in consumer debt.

The Federal Reserve consumer debt figures include credit card debt, student loans, and auto loans, but do not factor in mortgage debt. When you include mortgages, U.S. households are buried under a record $18.59 trillion in debt.

The big jump in consumer credit in December broke the trend of slowing borrowing we’ve seen over the last year, as Americans have run their credit cards close to the limit. The December growth in consumer debt was more than double the 2.4 percent average growth charted for the entirety of 2025.

Consumer borrowing cratered in the latter half of 2025, likely reflecting growing consumer stress, as price inflation persists and credit cards become maxed out.

KPMG recently reported that the slowing growth of revolving credit likely reflects a drop in borrowing and spending by the bottom 80 percent of U.S. households “that are increasingly stressed.”

“The top 20 percent now account for nearly two-thirds of all consumption. The top 3.3 percent have increased spending the most. Spending has stagnated, adjusting for inflation, among the bottom 80 percent.”

That’s bad news for a U.S. economy that depends on consumers buying stuff. Persistent price inflation forced Americans to blow through their savings and then turn to credit cards to make ends meet. However, consumer borrowing has slowed significantly this year, indicating Americans may be maxing out the plastic.

The slowdown in borrowing also reveals why so many people are pushing for further interest rate cuts despite price inflation still well above the Fed’s stated target. They want to pump up borrowing to stimulate the economy.

However, it appears consumers found a little room on the plastic to pay for Christmas.

Pundits lauded the big 1.26 percent month-on-month increase in retail sales in December, calling it a sign of “consumer health.” But it now looks like consumers had to borrow to fund the spending spree. Borrowing billions to pay for Christmas presents isn’t exactly healthy consumer behavior, especially when already up to their eyeballs in debt.

Non-revolving credit, primarily reflecting credit card balances, climbed by $13.8 billion. It was the biggest monthly gain in two years.

The double whammy of rising debt and interest rates exacerbates the debt problem. The average annual percentage rate (APR) currently stands at 19.61 percent, with some companies still charging rates as high as 28 percent. The average is only slightly down from the record high of 20.79 percent set in August 2024, despite Fed rate cuts.

High debt levels have created elevated levels of consumer stress.

LegalShield’s Consumer Stress Index (CSLI) increased by 3 points in the third quarter and was at the highest level since March 2020, when the economy was shut down during the pandemic.

The source of this stress: debt.

According to LegalShield, “The index has now increased for seven consecutive months, up 8.2 percent in 2025, signaling continued financial strain among American households. Legal inquiries related to bankruptcy rose sharply, while foreclosure and consumer finance issues remain elevated.”

Meanwhile, the New York Fed reported that overall delinquency rates remained “elevated” in the third quarter, with 4.5 percent of all debt in some stage of delinquency. Credit card and student loan delinquencies have increased at the fastest rate.

Overall debt flow into serious delinquency was 3.03 percent in the third quarter, up from 1.68 percent year-on-year.

Credit card delinquencies are rising, even among consumers with strong credit scores. According to VantageScore, there was a 47 percent year-on-year increase in late payments by people in the prime segment.

Non-revolving credit, primarily reflecting outstanding auto loans, student loans, and loans for other big-ticket durable goods, also picked up momentum in December, but failed to reach the pre-pandemic trend.

Non-revolving credit grew by 3.2 percent to $3.78 trillion.

Over the last several months, non-revolving credit has averaged a tepid 2 percent increase rate. Before the pandemic, revolving credit growth averaged 5 percent. It appears consumers are opting not to finance big-ticket items, as more and more of their income is necessary just to pay daily expenses.

The increase in non-revolving debt in December likely reflected an increase in college loan debt as students prepared for the winter/spring semester.

Borrowers are also struggling to keep up with their non-revolving loans – particularly their student debt. Seriously delinquent student loans surged to 10.2 percent in the second quarter as the government began requiring payments after years of forbearance in the wake of the pandemic.

Transitions of student loans into serious delinquency rose to 14.3 percent in the third quarter. That was up from 12.9 percent in the second, 8 percent in the first, and 0.8 percent in the fourth quarter of last year. It has been the fastest transition rate into serious delinquency since the data have been collected, going back to 2000.

The bottom line is that Americans have blown through the savings they accumulated during the pandemic and have run their credit cards close to the limit. The Christmas spending spree may have been a last gasp.

And even if consumers still have some borrowing power, an economy run on Visa and Mastercard simply isn’t sustainable. When Americans finally hit their credit limit, it will have major implications for economic growth.

Mike Maharrey is a journalist and market analyst for Money Metals with over a decade of experience in precious metals. He holds a BS in accounting from the University of Kentucky and a BA in journalism from the University of South Florida.

Hotel Rips Gold Bars Out of Floor and Sells Them

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Hotel Rips Gold Bars Out of Floor and Sells Them

(Mike Maharrey, Money Metals News Service) When I was a kid, someone superglued a quarter to the cafeteria floor at my junior high school. We enjoyed several days of entertainment watching people trying to pick that quarter up.

A few kids were super-aggressive in their efforts to unstick that quarter. (Keep in mind, this was the 1980s. A quarter went a lot further than it does today. Heck, it might have even been minted before 1965, making it 90 percent silver. If it was so-called “junk silver,” it was definitely worth picking up!)

So, why am I telling you about a junior high prank?

Well, I was reminded of this incident by a story I ran across. A hotel in Macau tore up its entire lobby floor to make a little money.

Oh, by the way, the floor was embedded with gold bars weighing 1 kilogram each.

People all over the world are rushing to coin dealers, jewelry stores, and pawn shops, hoping to sell scrap gold and take advantage of the skyrocketing price over the last couple of years. But the Grand Emperor hotel in Macau went to extremes to make a profit in this gold bull market.

The hotel opened in 2006 and is known for its opulence. The entryway featured a “golden pathway” with dozens of gold bars embedded in the floor. The hotel’s parent company recently announced it removed “a number” of the gold bars and sold them to a refiner, pocketing $12.8 million. The company reportedly liquidated 79kg of gold.

In a statement, Emperor Entertainment Hotel Ltd said the sale would “strengthen the group’s financial position and enable it to invest should suitable investment opportunities arise.”

If you ask me, the hotel company already had a suitable investment in gold and may have been better off holding onto the metal rather than swapping it for rapidly devaluing fiat currency. But they didn’t consult me.

In a filing, the company said that while the gold-adorned floor created “a sumptuous and resplendent atmosphere” in the hotel, “in light of the prevailing market conditions,” leadership thought the spiking gold price presented a “good opportunity” to remove and sell them.

A change in the hotel’s marketing strategy also drove the decision to remove the gold bars from the entryway.

Macau was a Portuguese colony for nearly 450 years before control of the region was handed over to China in 1999. It is now a “special administrative region,” similar to Hong Kong, with more autonomy than other Chinese provinces.

Macau is the only place in China where casino gambling is legal, but Beijing has increasingly pressured the area to diversify its economy. The Grand Emperor shuttered its casino last fall.

The company filing noted that it is “actively planning for other entertainment and amusement facilities,” and the lobby was already slated for renovation.

“Given that the relevant area is planned to undergo renovation and redevelopment, the precious metal that were originally part of the hotel’s interior design and outfits are no longer relevant to the theme of the hotel in the future.”

The hotel still retains some gold. According to the company website, the Grand Emperor features an antique gold carriage, which “exhibits the fine craftsmanship of 18th-century Europe.”

Mike Maharrey is a journalist and market analyst for Money Metals with over a decade of experience in precious metals. He holds a BS in accounting from the University of Kentucky and a BA in journalism from the University of South Florida.

WATCH: Body-Cam Footage Shows Police Responding to Brown University Shooting

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WATCH: Body-Cam Footage Shows Police Responding to Brown University Shooting

(Headline USA) New video footage from the day of the Brown University shooting that killed two students and injured nine others was released Monday, with city officials saying they had redacted the most graphic, violent images to avoid harming victims and “maintain the trust we have built in our community.”

“It is incredibly important to me that the city of Providence remains fully transparent, accountable and compliant with the state’s Access to Public Records Act,” Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said in a statement. “We also know that the footage and audio we are required to release will likely be harmful and traumatizing for the victims, families and neighbors who are still trying to heal and recover from this incident.”

News outlets across the U.S. and other countries had been requesting body camera footage, audio clips and other public records shortly after the shooting took place in mid-December. Local news outlet WPRI was the first to release some of the footage, which shows Lt. Patrick Potter’s response.

“Dispatch, be advised: This is an active shooter situation,” Potter can be heard saying.

WPRI reporter Alexandra Leslie said on Twitter/X that her outlet is still reviewing the footage and will release more soon.

The city released those records Monday, saying they waited at the request of the victims′ families until after a memorial service was held the previous week on Brown’s campus.

On Dec. 13, gunman Claudio Neves Valente, 48, entered a study session in a Brown academic building and opened fire on students, killing 19-year-old sophomore Ella Cook and 18-year-old freshman MukhammadAziz Umurzokov and wounding nine others.

Two days later, authorities say Neves Valente, who had been a graduate student at Brown studying physics during the 2000-01 school year, also fatally shot Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro at Loureiro’s Boston-area home.

Neves Valente, who had attended school with Loureiro in Portugal in the 1990s, was found dead days later in a New Hampshire storage facility.

The Justice Department has since said Neves Valente planned the attack for years and left behind videos in which he confessed to the killings but gave no motive. The FBI recovered the electronic device containing the series of videos during a search of the storage facility where Neves Valente’s body was found.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

 

Republicans Start Work To Get Trump His $1.5 Trillion Military Budget

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Republicans Start Work To Get Trump His $1.5 Trillion Military Budget

(Dave DeCamp, Antiwar.com) A few weeks after President Trump declared on Truth Social that he wants a $1.5 trillion military budget, Republican leaders in Congress are working on making his dream of increasing military spending by about 50% a reality.

The 2026 military budget marked the first to exceed $1 trillion, which was achieved by Congress passing a 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) worth over $900 billion and combining it with $150 billion in supplemental military spending that was included in the so-called Big Beautiful Bill, a reconciliation bill that became law last year.

Now, the chairs of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees are eyeing another reconciliation bill to secure Trump’s $1.5 trillion budget. Mike Rogers (R-AL), chair of the House committee, said he and his Senate counterpart, Roger Wicker (R-MS), want to pass a reconciliation that will include $450 billion in military spending.

“We’ve informed our leadership of that,” Rogers told Breaking Defense last week. “We’re not talking about something frivolous here. We’re talking about national defense.”

He explained that he expects the White House to request about $1.03 trillion for the NDAA and that $20 billion from the reconciliation bill passed last year would be rolled into the 2027 budget, leaving a $450 billion to reach Trump’s goal of $1.5 trillion.

Other Republican leaders oppose using reconciliation bills to pad the military budget, as they want the entire amount included in the NDAA, including Se. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), chair of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, wants Trump’s massive request to be treated as the base budget.

“Much of the Defense Subcommittee’s most arduous work in recent months has been helping the armed services address real, urgent operational shortfalls that were created when much of Washington decided to pretend that one-time infusions of cash could take the place of consistent annual appropriations,” McConnell said in a recent floor speech, according to Roll Call.

Either way, Republicans in Congress seem eager to go along with a mammoth increase in military spending and are just currently at odds over how exactly they will come up with the money.

This article originally appeared at Antiwar.com.

 

Netanyahu To Meet Trump on Wednesday as Israel Pushes for Iran War

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Netanyahu To Meet Trump on Wednesday as Israel Pushes for Iran War

(Dave DeCamp, Antiwar.com) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet with President Trump at the White House on Wednesday as Israel is pushing for a new war with Iran following talks between US and Iranian officials in Oman on Friday.

Axios reported that Netanyahu was initially set to visit the US on February 18, but Israel requested that the meeting be moved up following the Oman talks. The meeting will mark the sixth time Trump hosts Netanyahu in the US during this administration.

In a statement on the upcoming meeting, Netanyahu’s office said that any negotiations with Iran “must include limitations on ballistic missiles and a halting of the support for the Iranian axis.”

The demand that Iran must place limits on its missiles, the country’s only deterrence and way to launch counter-attacks against the US and Israel, is designed to sabotage diplomacy and ensure that there is war. Iran has made clear that its missile program isn’t up for discussion, something it reiterated following the Oman talks.

Netanyahu signs the guest book in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Monday, September 29, 2025, before a bilateral meeting with President Donald Trump (Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)

“Missiles are never negotiable because they are a defense issue,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Al Jazeera on Saturday. Araghchi led the talks for Iran in Oman and met with US envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law, who holds no official position in the administration but has been deeply involved in Middle East policy.

According to The Jerusalem Post, Israel has conveyed to the US that Iran’s missile program is a “red line”and that it’s willing to act alone, though the US would likely defend Israel from any Iranian counterattacks as it did during the 12-Day War back in June 2025. When Trump met Netanyahu back in December, he said that he was willing to back an Israeli attack on Iran if the Islamic Republic “continues” its missile program.

Following the US-Iran negotiations in Iran, Trump said the talks were “very good” and claimed Tehran was willing to do more to reach a deal than it was last year, though Araghchi also said Iran would not agree to end its nuclear enrichment program.

During negotiations last year, the US demanded zero enrichment, which Tehran rejected, but a potential agreement was on the table to establish a regional nuclear consortium involving Iran and Gulf Arab states. Under the proposed deal, uranium enrichment would occur at the joint nuclear site. The potential location of the site wasn’t clear, and negotiations were still underway when Israel launched the 12-Day War on June 13 with full US backing.

Hours before the first Israeli strikes hit, Trump claimed in a post on Truth Social that he was committed to diplomacy with Iran, suggesting that he could be using the current talks as cover to prepare for war. According to Axios, he said after the Oman talks that he was in “no rush” to attack Iran because he was still putting military assets “in position” in the region and that he preferred a diplomatic deal. “They know that if they don’t make a deal, the consequences are very steep,” he said.

Hearing Today on Charlotte Train Stabbings

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Hearing Today on Charlotte Train Stabbings

(Headline USA) North Carolina Republican lawmakers are preparing to grill Charlotte-area leaders about crime-fighting tactics and spending, particularly in the wake of two stabbings — one fatal — on the light rail system in the Democratic-led city.

A state House oversight committee asked Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Estella Patterson, Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden and others to testify Monday at the Legislative Building.

The August fatal stabbing death of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, followed in December by a non-fatal stabbing on the same Charlotte rail system, are among the chief reasons for GOP critiques of area law enforcement. The suspect in each stabbing — which drew comments from President Donald Trump — faces charges in state and federal court.

In invitation letters to testify, the committee’s cochairmen wrote high-profile crimes in recent years raise “serious concerns” about law enforcement staffing, “prosecutorial practices, and the City’s overall public safety strategy.”

The committee “has an explicit duty to ensure that local governments receiving and expending public funds are prioritizing the safety and security of North Carolina residents,” the letters read.

The committee’s public scrutiny has been useful for Republicans earning political points on hot-button issues. The panel can seek more documents and reports from local entities or threaten funding losses — although that couldn’t occur without separate action by the full General Assembly.

Decarlos Brown Jr., the man accused in Zarutska’s death, had more than a dozen prior criminal arrests before the most recent charge, and concerns had been raised about his mental health. Republican lawmakers, as well as Trump and Vice President JD Vance, blamed Democratic leaders in Charlotte and statewide for soft-on-crime policies they allege allowed Brown to stay out of custody.

Lyles wrote soon after Zarutska’s death that it was a “tragic failure by the courts and magistrates.” She and others have since highlighted additional safety measures for the light rail system.

Zarutska’s death already resulted in a new state law that barred cashless bail for certain violent crimes and many repeat offenders. It also seeks to ensure more defendants undergo mental health evaluations.

Democratic Gov. Josh Stein last week issued an executive order designed in part to address mental health treatment for people whom police confront and who are incarcerated.

The suspect in the second light-rail attack — identified in federal records as Oscar Gerardo Solorzano-Garcia and in state court as Oscar Solarzano — is from Central America and had been transported out the country twice since 2018 — having been convicted of illegal reentry into the U.S., according to an FBI affidavit.

Brown has been jailed due to the charges. A federal court ordered last month that he undergo a psychiatric examination to determine whether his legal case can proceed. A similar exam was ordered in state court months ago. Brown’s lawyers for federal court declined comment late last week. His state court lawyer didn’t immediately respond to an email.

Solarzano is also jailed and an attorney representing him in state court didn’t immediately respond to an email. There is no lawyer listed in his federal case.

The December stabbing occurred weeks after a federal immigration crackdown in Charlotte and elsewhere in North Carolina, resulting in hundreds of arrests over several days.

Republicans for years blamed McFadden, who is facing a Democratic primary next month, for failing to cooperate with immigration agents. A recent state law has now made it mandatory for sheriffs to honor requests from federal officials to hold an arrested immigrant so agents can take custody of them.

The committee meeting was previously delayed while committee leaders received guidance on what they could ask publicly about Zarutska’s death. A federal magistrate judge had granted a request from Brown’s attorneys preventing lawmakers from disclosing what’s inside their client’s case files from local police or the Mecklenburg County district attorney.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

 

Facebook Goes on Trial This Week in Landmark Undercover Investigation Case

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Facebook Goes on Trial This Week in Landmark Undercover Investigation Case

(Headline USA) A trial focused on the dangers of child sexual exploitation on social media and whether Meta misrepresented the safety of its platforms is set to start in New Mexico with opening statements Monday.

It’s the first stand-alone trial from state prosecutors in a stream of lawsuits against major social media companies, including Meta, over harm to children, and one that is likely to highlight explicit online content and its effects.

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez sued Meta in 2023. His team built the case by posing as kids through social media accounts, then documenting the arrival of sexual solicitations as well as the response by Meta, the owner of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.

Prosecutors say they’ll provide evidence and testimony that Meta’s algorithms and account features enticed and addicted young people to social media, while also creating a “breeding ground” for predators who target children for sexual exploitation. Prosecutors allege Meta failed to disclose what it knew about those harmful effects, in violation of state consumer protection laws. Meta also is accused of creating a public nuisance.

“Meta knowingly exposes children to the twin dangers of sexual exploitation and mental health harm,” the lawsuit states. “Meta’s motive for doing so is profit.”

Meta denies any legal violations and says prosecutors are cherry-picking evidence to make sensationalist arguments. On Sunday, Meta called the state’s investigation “ethically compromised” in its use of child photos on proxy accounts, delays in reporting child sexual abuse material and the disposal of data from devices used in the investigation, in social media posts on X by company spokesperson Andy Stone.

The company says lawsuits are attempting to place the blame for teen mental health struggles on social media companies in a way that oversimplifies matters. Meta says it has a longstanding commitment to supporting young people, highlighting a steady addition of account settings and tools — including safety features that give teens more information about the person they’re chatting with and content restrictions based on PG-13 movie ratings.

“For over a decade, we’ve listened to parents, worked with experts and law enforcement, and conducted in-depth research to understand the issues that matter most,” the company said in a statement. “We’re proud of the progress we’ve made.”

It’s unclear whether Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg will testify at trial. New Mexico limits the ability to compel out-of-state witnesses to testify in person, while prosecutors can present testimony by Zuckerberg from a deposition.

Personal opinions of Zuckerberg and evolving attitudes toward social media loomed over jury selection from a pool of more than 200 residents of Santa Fe County, including several educators, young adults who grew up with social media and others who never signed up.

“Quite frankly, he’s the tech bro making money off of all of us,” one person said of Zuckerberg.

An attorney for the state warned that there would be “very sensitive and very explicit material discussed in terms of safety to children” during the trial.

More than 40 state attorneys general have filed lawsuits against Meta, claiming it is deliberately designing features that addict children to its platforms. The majority filed their lawsuits in federal court, and New Mexico’s case against Meta is the first to reach trial.

Opening statements have been postponed in a bellwether trial underway in California against social video companies, including Meta’s Instagram and Google’s YouTube, that focuses on a 19-year-old who claims her use of social media from an early age addicted her to technology and exacerbated depression and suicidal thoughts. TikTok and Snapchat parent company Snap Inc. settled claims in the case.

Torrez, a Democrat seeking reelection this year to a second term, has urged Meta to implement more effective age verification and remove bad actors from its platform. He’s also seeking changes to algorithms that can serve up harmful material and criticizing end-to-end privacy encryption that can prevent the monitoring of communications with children for safety.

Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press

 

Assault Weapons Bill Passes House Amid Cost, Penalty Questions

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Assault Weapons Bill Passes House Amid Cost, Penalty Questions

(, The Center Square) Legislation that would restrict the future sale, purchase and transfer of certain assault firearms and large-capacity ammunition feeding devices has passed the House of Delegates in Virginia.

House Bill 217, sponsored by Del. Dan Helmer, D-Fairfax, would make it a Class 1 misdemeanor to import, sell, manufacture, purchase or transfer assault firearms as defined in the bill. Firearms and magazines lawfully owned or manufactured before July 1 could continue to be possessed, but most future transfers would be prohibited under the legislation.

During floor debate, Republican lawmakers raised concerns about how current owners could legally dispose of grandfathered firearms without triggering criminal penalties.

Del. Wren Williams, R-Patrick, questioned whether lawful owners could sell grandfathered firearms under the bill. Helmer responded that the bill text governed transfers and encouraged members to read the legislation.

Williams later questioned the bill’s language leaving owners with limited options, such as surrendering firearms to the government, transferring them to immediate family members or passing them through inheritance. He said common practices such as private sales, dealer purchases or buyback programs could expose individuals or organizers to misdemeanor charges under the bill’s restrictions.

Other lawmakers raised questions about how the bill would be enforced and whether it could withstand court scrutiny.

House Minority Leader Terry Kilgore, R-Scott, warned during floor debate that the proposal could face legal challenges under recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings, including the Bruen decision, which requires firearm regulations to be consistent with the nation’s historical tradition of gun regulation.

Lawmakers also pointed to cost and equity concerns raised during debate on related gun legislation considered alongside HB217.

Del. Eric Zehr, R-Campbell, said criminal penalties tied to firearm storage requirements in HB871 could disproportionately affect lower-income households that cannot afford biometric safes, potentially exposing parents to misdemeanor convictions for noncompliance.

A fiscal impact statement from the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission estimates at least $50,000 in additional state correctional costs but notes the overall impact on state prisons, local jails, community corrections and juvenile facilities cannot be determined due to limited data. The analysis also indicates the bill could expand the applicability of existing felony offenses related to firearm transfers and record-check violations.

In a statement released after House passage, Helmer said weapons similar to those he carried during military service “have no place in our schools, our churches or our streets.”

The House vote comes as the Senate advances a companion measure, Senate Bill 749, sponsored by Sen. Saddam Salim, D-Fairfax. His proposal has cleared committee and was read a second time in the upper chamber.

If both chambers approve matching legislation, the proposal would be sent to the governor for final action.

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