Sgt. Celestino Chavez Jr., a U.S. Army soldier missing in action since 1953 during the Korean War, has finally returned home to Gallup, New Mexico, for burial. His remains, discovered among those repatriated from North Korea in 2018, were positively identified through DNA testing last year. Sgt. Chavez was wounded defending his position near the Jangjin (Chosin) Reservoir before his convoy was ambushed and he was declared missing. He was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for his actions during the attack.
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France has completed a long-term plan to bring its gold reserves home by selling its remaining holdings from the U.S. Federal Reserve. This strategic move involved upgrading 129 tonnes of gold between July 2025 and January 2026, replacing older bars with new, internationally compliant ones stored in Paris. The Banque de France generated nearly 13 billion euros from this operation, highlighting its practical financial decision to enhance the safety and tradability of its gold reserves while capitalizing on favorable market conditions. This upgrade aligns with France’s ongoing efforts since 2005 to modernize its gold stock and ensure it meets contemporary global standards.
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Nairobi and Moscow have reached an agreement to halt the recruitment of Kenyans into the Russian army. Following concerns over approximately 1,000 Kenyans being forcibly conscripted after being promised civilian work, Foreign Minister Musalia Mudavadi confirmed that Russia will no longer enlist Kenyan citizens. Both nations are collaborating on plans to repatriate Kenyans who were lured to Russia under false pretenses, aiming to end their involvement in the conflict.
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Amidst growing diplomatic tensions and claims of persecution in South Africa, some white South Africans living in the United States are reportedly planning to return home. These expatriates cite safety concerns, cost of living, and family ties as primary motivators, with an increase in inquiries to recruitment firms and thousands reclaiming citizenship. While official government statistics indicate a significant number of white South Africans returned in 2022, some individuals also point to lifestyle factors, such as more time spent outdoors and affordable health insurance, as reasons for their repatriation.
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The Trump administration has announced its support for a 10-year deadline for cities to replace lead pipes, backing a Biden-era rule to reduce lead in drinking water. The Environmental Protection Agency will defend this overhaul, the most significant in three decades, against a legal challenge from a utility industry association. This stance deviates from the administration’s typical deregulation approach, acknowledging that comprehensive lead pipe replacement is necessary to prevent adverse health effects. The agency concluded that a 10-year timeframe is feasible, as previous rules relying on chemical treatment and monitoring proved insufficient.
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President Donald Trump announced the Environmental Protection Agency’s rescission of the endangerment finding, a legal determination used for nearly two decades to limit heat-trapping pollution. This repeal is projected to significantly alter most U.S. policies aimed at curbing climate change, including vehicle emissions standards. The finding, established in 2009, asserted that greenhouse gas emissions endanger public health and welfare, a premise now disputed by the administration, which argues it lacked factual and legal basis. This action has been met with criticism from environmental groups who plan legal challenges, citing overwhelming scientific evidence of climate change harms.
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The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a policy change on January 21, 2026, ceasing criminal charges for Clean Air Act violations related to diesel emissions tampering, often called “tuning” or “deletes.” This shift in enforcement, targeting practices like removing emissions control devices, follows a commitment to efficient resource use and avoiding over-criminalization. While criminal charges are no longer pursued, civil penalties for these violations may still be issued in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This decision follows the pardon of a mechanic charged with Clean Air Act violations in November 2025, which also inspired legislative attempts, such as the “Diesel Truck Liberation Act,” that ultimately did not pass.
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The EPA has ruled that Elon Musk’s xAI acted unlawfully by utilizing numerous methane gas turbines to power its data centers in Tennessee. The agency’s decision revises policies regarding gas turbines, asserting that air permits are required regardless of their temporary nature. This ruling is a victory for community activists concerned about the data centers’ pollution, particularly in historically Black neighborhoods. The EPA estimates that the action will lead to substantial annual reductions in harmful emissions by 2032.
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The Environmental Protection Agency has announced a change in its approach to air pollution regulations. The agency will no longer calculate the monetary value of health benefits, such as avoided healthcare costs and prevented deaths, when assessing rules for fine particulate matter and ozone, focusing instead on costs to industry. This shift, part of a broader business-friendly realignment, has drawn criticism from environmental and public health advocates who view it as a dangerous abandonment of the agency’s core mission to protect public health. While the EPA insists it remains committed to its mission and will still quantify emissions, critics argue that the change could lead to weakened safeguards, potentially allowing increased pollution and disregarding the value of lives saved and health benefits.
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The Environmental Protection Agency has recently removed all mentions of fossil fuels, the primary driver of global warming, from its online page explaining climate change causes. This change now solely emphasizes natural phenomena, despite scientific consensus attributing nearly all warming to human activity. Several scientists and former EPA officials have criticized this alteration as misleading and detrimental to public understanding. Furthermore, links related to climate change impacts and risks on the EPA website are now broken. This action follows the removal of the national climate assessment earlier this year, raising concerns about the government’s transparency regarding climate change information.
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John Q. Hosedrinker