AP Trending SummaryBrief at 1:47 p.m. EST

Experts worry that Trump’s Jan. 6 pardons will legitimize political violence, embolden extremists

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s pardons of those convicted in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and the rhetoric of retribution from some of those released this week is raising deep concern among attorneys, former federal investigators and experts who follow extremism. They worry that the indiscriminate release of everyone charged in the riots could embolden extremists to commit more violence on the president’s behalf – including during future elections. Some already have mimicked the president’s call for retribution against perceived enemies. Enrique Tarrio, the former Proud Boys leader who was convicted of seditious conspiracy, said “the people who did this” need to “feel the heat.”

On Dakota prairie, home of Trump’s DHS pick, immigration crackdown threatens way of life, economy

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — Gov. Kristi Noem’s heated rhetoric on immigration belies a stark economic reality in her own state: With unemployment at 1.9% — the lowest in the country — South Dakota faces an acute labor shortage and has grown increasingly dependent on the same migrants she may be tasked with deporting as President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security. It’s those migrants, many in the U.S. illegally, who provide the low-paid labor powering the state’s slaughterhouses, dairy farms and construction sites. Any immigration actions spearheaded by Noem, who could be confirmed in coming days, could have crippling consequences for businesses in her own backyard.

Jewelry designer, ‘Bling Empire: New York’ cast member Lynn Ban dies at age 51

Netflix’s “Bling Empire: New York” cast member Lynn Ban has died at age 51. Her death comes weeks after the jewelry designer and fashion expert was hurt in a Christmas Eve skiing accident in Aspen, Colorado. She later underwent brain surgery. Sebastian Ban posted on his mother’s verified Instagram account that she died Monday. The Singapore native was a fixture on the Netflix reality series in 2023. The show featured and showcased the lives and play of wealthy Asian Americans in New York City. Ban’s online biography states that she also spent over 25 years in the fashion industry. Her Lynn Ban Jewelry services private clientele and has been featured in major fashion magazines.

Cold snap chills New York City’s rats, and heats up the fight against them

NEW YORK (AP) — This week’s frigid weather has many New York City residents shivering, scurrying into cozy spots and feeling sapped. Including the rats. The United States’ most populous city has been spared the Upper Midwest’s extreme wind chills, not to mention the shock of record-breaking snow in the deep South. But temperatures this week have been well below average. City “rat czar” Kathleen Corradi says such cold has a chilling effect on the Big Apple’s rodents, but it boosts attempts to get rid of them. She says city rat-fighters can essentially redouble their efforts while the rats are stressed and hunkering down.

Mikaela Shiffrin healed from puncture wound suffered in ski crash, will race next week in France

Mikaela Shiffrin has recovered from her ski crash two months ago and tells The Associated Press she plans to return to World Cup racing next Thursday at a slalom event in Courchevel, France. Shiffrin has been out since the serious spill in a giant slalom race on Nov. 30 in Killington, Vermont, where something punctured her in the side and caused severe trauma to her oblique muscles. The 29-year-old Shiffrin remains focused only on progression, not picking up her pursuit of World Cup win No. 100. Her plan includes racing the slalom and giant slalom at the world championships next month in Austria.

Taiwan plans to cull up to 120,000 green iguanas due to their negative impact on agriculture

PINGTUNG, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan plans to cull up to 120,000 green iguanas, with supporters urging humane methods to bring down the animal’s population, which is wreaking havoc on the island’s agricultural sector. Around 200,000 of the reptiles are believed to be in the island’s southern and central areas, which are heavily dependent on farming, according Chiu Kuo-hao of the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency. Specially recruited hunting teams killed about 70,000 iguanas last year, with bounties of up to $15 each. Local governments have asked the public to help identify iguana nests and they recommend fishing spears as the most humane means of killing the animals.

Authorities ramp up efforts to protect sea turtles as deaths on India’s shores continue to mount

BENGALURU, India (AP) — Dead sea turtles keep washing ashore on India’s east coast and environmentalists and authorities are trying frantically to stop the number of 600 dead from getting even higher. The high number of turtle deaths in Chennai in southern India is most likely due to overfishing just off the coast, experts say, sparking discussion and anger in the region over how the deaths could be avoided. But fishers say that tougher fishing conditions — from warmer waters to higher operating costs — has forced them into a corner. Government officials on and off the coast say they have intensified their monitoring of illegal fishing since high numbers of dead turtles started washing up onshore.

Starbucks’ policy change flushes out a debate over public restroom access

Starbucks’ decision to restrict its restrooms to paying customers has flushed out a wider problem: a patchwork of restroom use policies that varies by state and city. Starbucks announced last week a new code of conduct that says people need to make a purchase if they want to hang out or use the restroom. The coffee chain’s policy change for bathroom privileges has left Americans confused and divided over who gets to go and when. The American Restroom Association, a public toilet advocacy group, was among the critics. Rules about restroom access in restaurants vary by state, city and county. The National Retail Federation says private businesses have a right to limit restroom use.

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs sues man who claimed to have incriminating sex tapes, says they didn’t exist

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Lawyers for Sean “Diddy” Combs are suing a man they said had falsely claimed in interviews to possess videos implicating the music mogul in sexual assaults on celebrities. The lawsuit was filed Wednesday in New York. It accuses Courtney Burgess and his lawyer, Ariel Mitchell, of fabricating “outrageous lies” to fuel his social media notoriety after Combs was indicted in September on sex trafficking charges. Combs also sued Nexstar Media, saying its cable news network, NewsNation, aired Burgess’ allegations without looking into whether they were true.  Burgess and Mitchell did not immediately respond to emails from The Associated Press requesting comment. A phone call to Mitchell was not answered. A spokesperson for Nexstar declined to comment.

Murdoch’s UK tabloids apologize to Prince Harry and admit intruding on the late Princess Diana

LONDON (AP) — Prince Harry claimed a monumental victory Wednesday as Rupert Murdoch’s U.K. tabloids made an unprecedented apology for intruding in his life over decades and agreed to pay substantial damages to settle his privacy invasion lawsuit. Harry’s lawyer David Sherborne read a statement in court Wednesday saying News Group offers a “full and unequivocal apology” for years of unlawful intrusion. It was the first time News Group Newspapers has acknowledged wrongdoing at The Sun, a paper once known for featuring topless women on Page 3. The statement even went beyond the scope of the lawsuit to acknowledge intruding on the life of his mother, the late Princess Diana.

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