Meta to Initiate Global Layoffs as Company Restructures for 2025

A mass shooting at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) on December 6, 2023, resulted in the deaths of three professors: Dr. Jerry Cha-Jan Chang, Dr. Patricia Navarro Velez, and Dr. Naoko Takemaru. The shooter, Anthony Polito, 67, was killed by a university police officer approximately ten minutes into the incident. According to a final report released by Las Vegas Metro police, Polito had a troubled background, including multiple failed job applications to UNLV and severe debt amounting to $75,000. Investigators discovered disturbing items in his apartment, including numerous women's dresses, which were reportedly for the entertainment of sex workers. Polito also had a list of targets, highlighting professors at both UNLV and East Carolina University. His actions were said to be driven by perceived inadequacies regarding personal achievements and professional frustration. In the aftermath of the shooting, the UNLV community created six murals at Beam Hall to honor the victims and aid in healing, as described by a university spokesperson.

Chicago is experiencing significant upheaval as federal immigration raids, initiated by the Trump administration, have led to 5,500 arrests from January 23 to 29, nearly tripling last year's average. Undocumented immigrants, like restaurant workers Manuel and Iban, are living in fear, worrying about job losses and family disruptions. "We are afraid, but what else can we do? We keep working," said one immigrant, highlighting the community's dependency on their labor. Experts warn that the crackdown reveals a broken immigration system. The economic reliance on undocumented workers in sectors like hospitality and agriculture poses challenges to local economies, with many businesses reporting decreased foot traffic. Pastor Paco Amador from a local church noted, "One of the Trump administration’s goals is to create panic," as families are reportedly avoiding schools and restaurants. Civil society is mobilizing, with groups like La Villita Se Defensa providing emergency resources and information on navigating immigration encounters. Meanwhile, the ongoing operations have drawn criticism from various community leaders regarding their impact on vulnerable populations, especially amid accusations of racial targeting in arrests.

Steven Lawayne Nelson, a 37-year-old inmate, was executed in Texas on Wednesday for the 2011 murder of Rev. Clint Dobson during a robbery at NorthPointe Baptist Church in Arlington. Nelson received a lethal injection at 6:50 p.m. local time at the state penitentiary in Huntsville, as reported by the Associated Press. Nelson's final words were directed to his wife, Helene Noa Dubois, and included expressions of love and gratitude. He claimed during the execution that he was at peace, famously stating, “It is what it is... Let’s ride, Warden.” The execution followed a controversial conviction, wherein Nelson insisted he was merely a lookout during the crime and alleged two other men were responsible for Dobson's murder. The December 2011 incident saw Dobson, 28, beaten and suffocated inside his church office. Nelson, who was sentenced to death, faced multiple appeals throughout his incarceration but maintained that he did not kill Dobson. His execution marks the second in the U.S. for the year and the first of four scheduled in Texas within three months, according to state records.