Jan. 20 (Asia Today) — Bank deposits in South Korea are falling sharply as investors shift cash toward the stock market during the KOSPI’s rally, raising concerns in the financial sector about an accelerating “money move,” industry data showed Tuesday.

Demand deposits at the five major banks – KB Kookmin Bank, Shinhan Bank, Hana Bank, Woori Bank and NH Nonghyup Bank – totaled 673.9145 trillion won ($455.6 billion), down 4.99% from the end of last month, a decline of 35.3973 trillion won ($23.9 billion), the financial sector said.

Time deposits also edged lower, slipping to 938.2555 trillion won ($634.3 billion) from 939.2863 trillion won ($635.0 billion) in December.

Market participants attributed the outflows to a shift into securities-related cash, including investor deposits – standby funds used directly for stock purchases – and cash management accounts.

Investor deposits rose to 91.2182 trillion won ($61.7 billion) as of Friday from 77.912 trillion won ($52.7 billion) at the end of November, the data showed. Cash management account balances climbed to 102.9779 trillion won ($69.6 billion) from 98.0722 trillion won ($66.3 billion) over the same period.

The increase in investor deposits has tracked the KOSPI’s gains, the report said. Investor deposits hovered near 60 trillion won ($40.6 billion) in June last year when the index was around 2,000, then topped 80 trillion won ($54.1 billion) on Oct. 13. As the KOSPI resumed a steady rise in January and touched 5,000, investor deposits moved above 90 trillion won ($60.8 billion), reaching 92.8537 trillion won ($62.8 billion) on Jan. 8.

Banks revived deposit products paying interest in the 3% range in the second half of last year, but they are facing competition from alternatives such as integrated investment accounts known as IMAs, introduced in December, the report said.

The IMA products are marketed as offering principal protection if funds are held to maturity while targeting returns above 4%, the report said. About 220 billion won ($149 million) flowed into one product on its first day, it added.

A banking industry official said the reappearance of 3% deposit products reflects an attempt to respond to the money move. The official said the decline in time deposits remains modest, but banks are monitoring the trend closely.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

A new draft defense spending bill making its way through Congress seeks to boost funding for the U.S. Air Force’s E-7 Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft to $1.1 billion for the current fiscal year. This is hundreds of millions of dollars more than Congress had already authorized in a defense policy bill signed into law last month. This underscores the changing fortunes of the E-7 program, which the Pentagon had sought to cancel last year.

The Senate Appropriations Committee released a draft of the Defense Appropriations Act for the 2026 Fiscal Year, which reflects negotiations with its counterparts in the House, earlier today. The proposed defense spending legislation is currently consolidated with other bills covering funding for an array of other government agencies. A separate annual defense policy bill, or National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), for the current fiscal cycle became law in December, and had already approved $846.676 million in funding for E-7. Congress also included a separate tranche of $200 million for Wedgetail in a short-term spending bill signed into law in November to reopen the federal government following a protracted shutdown.

“The agreement emphasizes the importance of the E-7 Wedgetail platform and the airborne early warning and battle management mission for the Department ofthe Air Force. Therefore, $1,100,000,000 is included in Research, Development, Test and Evaluation, Air Force for fiscal year 2026 to continue E-7 rapid prototyping activities and transition to engineering and manufacturing development aircraft,” according to a Joint Explanatory Statement report the Senate Appropriations Committee also released today. “The Secretary of the Air Force is directed to present a plan to the congressional defense committees, not later than 90 days after the enactment of this Act, on ongoing actions to streamline requirements and control costs on future production of the E-7 aircraft.”

The Boeing 737-based E-7s are part of a larger Air Force plan to supplant its current fleet of E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft, which we will come back to later on. The Air Force’s 16 remaining E-3s provide essential airborne early warning, data-sharing, and command and control capabilities, but are aging and have become increasingly difficult to operate and maintain. The Wedgetail features a newer radar and other improved systems over the E-3 in a package that also offers better fuel economy and other benefits, as you can read more about here. Versions of the Wedgetail are already in service in Australia, South Korea, and Turkey. The United Kingdom is still on track to field the E-7, but the NATO alliance cancelled plans to buy a fleet that multiple members would operate collectively after the U.S. military separately withdrew from that effort.

Furthermore, “the agreement bolsters the E-7 Wedgetail aircraft program and includes a new general provision that prohibits the use of funds to pause, cancel, or terminate the E- 7,” the Joint Explanatory Statement adds.

The Air Force first announced plans to buy E-7s in 2022, but, as noted, the Pentagon had moved to cancel the program last year. The Air Force had requested just under $200 million for Wedgetail in Fiscal Year 2026, but explicitly to support the process of closing it out, including a full financial audit. The Pentagon and the Air Force had also laid out an alternative plan involving the purchase of additional E-2D Hawkeye airborne early warning and control aircraft as interim gap-fillers for the retiring E-3s until the Air Force could push most, if not all, airborne target warning sensor layer tasks into space. Officials justified the decision, in part, by raising concerns about the E-7 vulnerability, especially in future high-end fights, such as one against China in the Pacific. Significant delays and cost overruns were also cited as key factors.

Members of Congress, as well as independent observers, were quick to question various aspects of this plan, including whether E-2s would be an adequate interim substitute for the E-7 and what the realistic timeline might be for new space-based capabilities to become operational. In the U.S. military, the Hawkeye is currently in service with the Navy. The lower and slower flying aircraft was designed with the unique requirements of carrier-based operations, and their constraints, in mind. Survivability concerns would apply just as much to the E-2 as the E-7, the latter of which also offers a larger platform that is more adaptable to expanded mission needs, such as battle management and acting as a networking node.

When it comes to future space-based capabilities, the U.S. officials have touted progress on being able to persistently track targets on the ground and at sea from orbit, but have acknowledged challenges in doing the same with ones in the air.

“So GMTI [ground moving-target indicator capability] and AMTI [air moving-target indicator capability] sound like they’re really close, just because one little letter that is all you changed, [but it] turns out they’re pretty different,” Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman, U.S. Space Force’s top officer, said during a press briefing on the sidelines of a conference in December, according to Breaking Defense. “What it takes to accomplish AMTI is different than what it takes to accomplish GMTI.”

“Things on the ground move slower than things on [sic] the air, so [they] require different levels of fidelity tracks,” he added.

With all this in mind, there had already been a steady drumbeat of moves in Congress to preserve the E-7 program since last summer. The NDAA for Fiscal Year 2026 was the first piece of legislation to enshrine this into law. That bill also included a provision blocking the retirement of any E-3s in the current fiscal cycle.

When the Air Force may now begin to field E-7s operationally, even with a further boost in funding, does remain to be seen. When the Pentagon revealed plans to cancel the program last year, the Air Force was still working to acquire two initial production representative prototypes. The original plan had been to use those aircraft for test and evaluation purposes in the lead-in to the production of Wedgetails in a full U.S.-specific configuration. The Air Force had hoped to have the first examples flying missions in 2027. As of January of last year, the initial operational capability timeline had been pushed back to 2032, according to the Government Accountability Office, a Congressional watchdog.

In the meantime, Congress does look set to further underscore its support for the E-7, a program already in a completely different position from where it was a year ago.

Contact the author: joe@twz.com

HILARY Duff has addressed the long-running feud with her big sister Haylie, and admitted “we don’t talk anymore”.

The two sisters, who were once incredibly close, have not been photographed together in years, leading fans to suspect they have fallen out.

For years, Hilary, 38, and her sister Haylie, 40, have had no interaction whatsoever when they used to be very close.

They do not like each others posts on social media, nor comment on anything of each others.

Hilary and Haylie have also not been seen together in public in at least five years.

Now Hilary, who is currently relaunching her music career, has appeared to have lifted the lid on the fall out with her sister, and even blamed “jealousy”.

Read More about Hilary Duff

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It all happened when the Younger star took to the stage for the first time in 18 years.

During her concert in London on Monday night, Hilary introduced fans to the new song, We Don’t Talk.

In a clip of her performing the song on stage, she sings: “Don’t know when it happened / Not even sure what it was about,” alluding to their broken down relationship.

She continues: “’Cause we come from the same home, same blood.

“People ask me how you’re doing / I wanna say amazing, but the truth is that I don’t know / What I always end up saying is how … ”

For the chorus, Hilary sings: “We don’t talk, we don’t talk about it / We don’t talk about anything anymore.”

It is in the second verse that Hilary alludes to sibling rivalry.

“And if it’s ’cause you’re jealous / God knows I would sell it all, then break you off the bigger half,” she sings.

The song also includes the lyrics: “Let’s have it out / I’ll hear you out, you’ll hear me out on the couch / Get back to how we were as kids / Let’s break it down / So sick of being so sad about / How we don’t talk and you won’t talk about it.”

Taking to social media to speculate that the song was about her fall out with Haylie one fan said: “That song is so about her sister Haylie. You can tell she gets emotional at the end of the song.”

Another added: “WOWW… Hilary Duff just sung We don’t talk and it’s 100% about Hailey. But not mean at all. Basically telling her to reach out.”

A third agreed: “I think Hilary misses her sister!”

ADDRESSING FEUD

After years of silence, back in November Hilary seemingly addressed the feud between her and her sister while chatting about “family drama”.

Speaking to Rolling Stone about her musical comeback, the star said she feels “ready to fill in the blanks and share with people and connect with them on the level of now”.

She then told the outlet how she and her fans have gone through twists and turns and “have gone through a lot of the same things”.

“Whether that’s complicated relationships, anxiety, raising kids, divorces, trying to find yourself in adulthood, family drama…

“Finally I felt safe enough and comfortable in my own family to step outside and open that part of myself up again,” she explained.

On Tuesday afternoon, hundreds of protesters walked out of school and off the job to march in downtown Los Angeles nd decry President Trump’s actions during his first year back in office.

The “Free America Walkout” at Los Angeles City Hall was among dozens of rallies taking place across Southern California and the nation. The event was coordinated by the Women’s March and intended to demonstrate opposition to violent Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids, the increased presence of military personnel in cities, Trump’s harmful immigration policies toward families and escalating attacks on transgender rights.

Hundreds of protesters marched along Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena. Among the slogans on their signs: “Democracy doesn’t fear protest, dictators do” and “We choose freedom over fascism.” Meanwhile, similar marches took place in Burbank, Long Beach and Santa Monica. Scores of students at Garfield and Roosevelt high schools in East L.A. ditched class to join the downtown rally.

“I just don’t know if he’s [Trump] actually done anything that is positive,” downtown protester Mario Noguera told ABC7 News. “Everything’s been about depleting everything: resources, rights. I just don’t feel like we’re getting anywhere.”

The walkout took place on the anniversary of Trump’s inauguration, an event he commemorated with a nearly two-hour news conference in which he called his first year in office “an amazing period of time” where his administration accomplished more than any other in history.

“We have a book that I’m not going to read to you, but these are the accomplishments of what we’ve produced, page after page after page of individual things,” Trump said, holding up a thick stack of papers. “I could sit here, read it for a week, and we wouldn’t be finished.”

Among the list of accomplishments he touted were his tariffs, his immigration crackdown, the economy and his actions in Gaza and Venezuela.

The Free America Walkout began at 2 p.m. in cities across the U.S. and was designed to differ from mass weekend actions such as the No Kings protests by deliberately taking place during the workday.

Organizers said that whereas protests demonstrate collective anger, walkouts demonstrate collective power.

“A walkout interrupts business as usual,” organizers stated. “It makes visible how much our labor, participation, and cooperation are taken for granted — and what happens when we withdraw them together.”

In downtown L.A., protesters condemned the effects of ICE raids locally as well as in Minneapolis, where a federal agent recently shot and killed Renee Nicole Good, a wife and mother.

This month, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Los Angeles as part of the “ICE Out for Good” weekend of action, a national protest movement in response to Good’s killing.

Roxanne Hoge, chair of the Republican Party of Los Angeles County, criticized the stream of local anti-Trump protests Tuesday.

“Their boring, predictable tantrums are now part of the L.A. landscape, much like the dilapidated RVs and dangerous encampments that their policies result in,” Hoge told the Los Angeles Daily News. “We are interested in good governance and public safety, and wish our Democrat friends would join us in advocating for both.”

The order to indefinitely pause the processing of immigrant visa applications from those 75 countries will take effect on Wednesday, 21 January.

Prior to this move, Trump expanded a travel ban that came into force on 1 January, which bars nationals of countries on that list from entering the US.

Haiti and Iran, who have both qualified for the 2026 World Cup, are on the list of countries with full restrictions.

Ivory Coast and Senegal, who have also qualified, are on the list of countries with partial restrictions.

The State Department said a Fifa Pass appointment does not allow people “who are otherwise not eligible” to be issued a visa, meaning fans from those four countries appear unlikely to be able to travel to the US for this summer’s tournament.

Guidance from the State Department specified there are exceptions for “any athlete or member of an athletic team, including coaches, persons performing a necessary support role, and immediate relatives” to the travel ban for the World Cup.

However, it added “the exception does not apply to fans or spectators”. They can still submit visa applications but “they may be ineligible for visa issuance or admission to the United States”.

The US will host 78 of the 104 total matches at the World Cup, across 11 cities, including the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

With a history dating back to 1086 and many of its original architecture so well preserved, this charming market town should be on everyone’s bucket list

On the surface, it’s a typical market town in the centre of England but this hidden gem is hiding a wealth of history and boasts over 400 listed buildings and a staggering five grade I listed buildings – including a castle and a Norman Church.

The unassuming place in question is Ludlow, a thriving medieval market town and architectural gem with a huge sense of community, stacks of independent shops and many highly recommended places to eat and drink.

Famous for its exceptionally well-preserved medieval and Tudor architecture and a largely intact original street plan, Ludlow is seen as a treasure trove of English times gone by.

Steeped in history, Ludlow was first recorded in 1086 when its impressive castle was developed which was later housed within its town walls in 1233 of which many parts of it, and all of its seven gates, can still be identified today.

As time moved forward, Ludlow became a fashionable social centre with many county families building desirable Georgian brick houses in the 18th and 19th Centuries – many of which still stand today.

Alongside Ludlow Castle and St. Laurence’s Church, the town also boasts The Buttercross market hall dating back to 1746, The Readers House, a Grade-I listed gem sporting its original timber-frame structure and the famous half-timbered with Tudor facade, Feathers Hotel built in 1619.

Away from its never-ending architectural treasures, Ludlow boasts a vibrant independent shopping scene and is packed with boutiques, antique stores, art galleries and specialist food shops.

Many reviewers praise Ludlow and its attractions as a ‘lovely place to visit’.

One wrote: “Ludlow castle and Ludlow itself are a lovely place to visit and have a wander around. The scenery is beautiful.”

Another said: “I can’t possibly put into words all I’d like to say about this place. It’s wonderful. This is the second time I’ve been and I’m as full of wonder now as I was the first time.”

Is there a town you think we should be shouting about? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com

The Caledonian Sleeper picked up passengers at Birmingham International on Thursday evening for the first time in 30 years, with Manchester floated as a potential future stop.

The boss of the iconic Caledonian Sleeper has hinted at the possible next stops as the train begins journeys from Birmingham.

On Thursday evening, the Sleeper called at Birmingham International for the first time, collecting passengers from the city at 10.44pm before transporting them to Scotland.

As the first sleeper service linking Birmingham to Scotland in three decades, it marked a significant milestone for Caledonian Sleeper. Prior to the service’s launch, Managing Director Graham Kelly told the Mirror that additional stops were under consideration, though nothing had been finalised and talks remained at an early stage.

When questioned about whether the Sleeper might call at Manchester – the biggest city on the west coast currently not served by the train and situated directly on the London Euston to West Scotland line – he commented: “We need to look at that from a ‘number of coaches’ point of view. Manchester is an interesting option.”

According to Mr Kelly, the primary obstacle to adding Manchester as a destination involves scheduling complexities.

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“It comes down to timings. Can you land a timing that works? From a timing perspective, would consumers board at that time? It’s something we’d need to look at. I’d expect (the stop in Manchester) would be around 1am (going North) and maybe 4.30am coming down the other way.”

Regarding additional destinations, Mr Kelly indicated that Scottish locations were most probable. “Do we look to expand with any other destinations in Scotland? It’s very much in the early thoughts and planning stage and not something we’re far enough down the line with. It’s very much in our thoughts for the 2026/27 rail year, for 2030 onwards.”

At present, Manchester has no sleeper train services arriving or departing. Should the Caledonian Sleeper extend to Manchester, it would provide an excellent overnight alternative for travellers heading to Scotland or London.

Thursday evening’s Birmingham service featured a traditional Scottish performance by acclaimed Kintyre bagpiper Lorne MacDougall. Among the inaugural passengers was well-known railway enthusiast Francis Bourgeois, who was journeying to Inverness.

“It is the culmination of a huge amount of work and effort of the team at Sleeper, and across the industry,” Mr Kelly remarked. Birmingham has been incorporated into the current timetable without requiring additional rolling stock.

“The UK rail network is a busy place. There’s been a huge amount of work done on train paths, where trains go and when,” Mr Kelly elaborated when discussing the complexities of introducing a new stop. “It’s not as easy as saying ‘I’m going a different way tonight’. Both at night and in the morning, we’ve had to work with Network Rail to retime services, to allow us to have this path going through Birmingham International each day.”

Mr Kelly highlighted that the Sleeper emits seven times less CO2 than equivalent car and aviation routes.

In 2025, the rail service operated at 90% capacity. The addition of the new Birmingham stop is expected to push that figure closer to full capacity. Regarding ticket prices, Mr Kelly confirmed there were “no plans for an increase”.

Addressing the contentious issue of the Sleeper’s seat option, which requires passengers to sit upright in a non-reclinable seat for the entire journey, Mr Kelly explained that UK rail standards prohibit the use of reclining seats. However, he noted that cabin lights had recently been dimmed in response to customer feedback.

One of the UK’s most picturesque towns has quaint cobbled lanes, a renowned antiques market and a sprawling 700-acre park with free-roaming deer, making it the ideal day out

There are charming towns scattered across the country, with riverside walks and cosy pubs that offer that quintessential English backdrop. One picturesque destination well worth a visit is nestled in the southeast, offering a journey into the past.

The pristine historic town of Petworth in Sussex is characterised by winding cobbled streets and Georgian architecture, with a distinctive art and antiques scene. The charming lanes are brimming with antique shops and independent boutiques, along with cafes, delis, and cosy pubs.

One of its most notable eateries is The Hungry Guest on Middle Street, which serves seasonal, locally sourced food that has put the town on the map. Elsewhere, there’s a selection of inviting pubs, including The Welldiggers Arms, The Black Horse Inn and The Angel Inn.

Petworth Antiques Market has also garnered attention in Petworth, thanks to over 40 dealers offering everything from exquisite furniture to ornaments and a wide range of homeware. One visitor shared on TripAdvisor: “I absolutely love going to the Petworth Antique Market, the customer service is amazing with extremely friendly, helpful staff, and I always always find beautiful treasures there!!”

The magnificent Petworth House and Park is another highlight, with an expansive 700-acre park nestled among the grand 17th-century Petworth House. Within its walls, guests can wander through the historic stately home and find an extraordinary collection of internationally renowned art and sculpture.

The estate stands as one of the finest surviving examples of an English landscape crafted by the legendary Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown. Visitors can also gaze upon hundreds of deer roaming freely throughout Petworth Park’s grounds or soak up breathtaking vistas of the South Downs, with the park providing an ideal vantage point.

It’s even been featured on the big screen in films such as Napoleon, Rebecca, and Maleficent, as well as in Netflix’s hit series Bridgerton. One TripAdvisor user raved: “Another National Trust gem! Had a wonderful day there. So much to see and wonderful walks in the grounds and deer park. The art collection is outstanding, and as usual, the volunteers in the house were great. Had an interesting talk in the square dining room about the history of the family. Found the kitchens fascinating! Great cafe too. Highly recommend.”

Another penned: “We had such a wonderful visit! The house is extremely interesting to explore, and the grounds are gorgeous. Petworth town is really lovely too. We were lucky to see the Turner exhibition at Petworth House when we were there, which was absolutely great! Andrew, Nicola and Kathy were all such wonderful guides/staff. They were really lovely and kind, and they answered all of our questions, which made our visit even more special. Thank you!”

There’s plenty to explore in Petworth, which is conveniently located just over half an hour’s drive from Chichester and roughly 50 minutes from Portsmouth. It offers an idyllic day out with its shops, eateries, and unspoilt landscapes, and was even hailed by Condé Nast Traveller last year as one of the UK’s most picturesque towns.

Do you have a travel story to share? Email webtravel@reachplc.com

Jan. 20 (Asia Today) — A South Korean defense advisory panel has recommended creating a Joint Operations Command to streamline wartime and peacetime command as Seoul prepares for the transfer of wartime operational control, while calling for the disbandment of the military’s Drone Operations Command.

The Future Strategy Subcommittee under the Defense Ministry’s civilian-military advisory panel released its findings Tuesday, outlining defense reform tasks and implementation steps covering future defense concepts, command and unit restructuring, force structure and personnel reforms.

The subcommittee said a Joint Operations Command should be established to unify the command structure and strengthen operational command ahead of the wartime operational control transfer, known as OPCON. Under the proposal, the Joint Operations commander would also serve as the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces commander after the transfer, overseeing both wartime and peacetime operations.

The panel said the Joint Chiefs of Staff would shift to a narrower role focused on strategic situation assessment, military strategy development and force development.

The subcommittee also recommended abolishing the Drone Operations Command, saying it creates inefficiency because drone missions and requirements are already being developed by each service. It said a smaller functional command could handle cross-service tasks such as identifying integrated requirements.

In its future defense concept, the subcommittee said planning should account for North Korea’s nuclear and conventional capabilities and gray zone threats, as well as the possibility of disputes with neighboring countries. It recommended building a Korea-led combined defense system after OPCON transfer and a tailored deterrence posture within the alliance using South Korea’s conventional capabilities and broader military power including U.S. nuclear forces.

The panel urged early fielding of key assets tied to deterring North Korea, including high-power, ultra-precise ballistic missiles, long-range surface-to-air missiles and military reconnaissance satellites and microsatellite systems. It also called for raising research and development spending for advanced defense technology such as artificial intelligence, defense semiconductors and robotics by an average of more than 10% per year.

To address declining manpower, the subcommittee recommended expanding the use of civilian resources in non-combat roles and some combat support areas, with legal and institutional changes to enable use in both wartime and peacetime. It also proposed changes to the military service system to allow people to choose multi-year professional service alongside short-term conscripted service.

The subcommittee recommended building a total defense workforce of 500,000 by 2040, including 350,000 active-duty troops and 150,000 civilian defense personnel such as civilian employees and specialized reservists.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has deployed a military radar in the Somali region of Puntland as part of a secret deal, amid Abu Dhabi’s ongoing entrenchment of its influence over the region’s security affairs.

According to the London-based news outlet Middle East Eye, sources familiar with the matter told it that the UAE had installed a military radar near Bosaso airport in Somalia’s semi-autonomous Puntland region earlier this year, with one unnamed source saying that the “radar’s purpose is to detect and provide early warning against drone or missile threats, particularly those potentially launched by the Houthis, targeting Bosaso from outside”.

The radar’s presence was reportedly confirmed by satellite imagery from early March, which found that an Israeli-made ELM-2084 3D Active Electronically Scanned Array Multi-Mission Radar had indeed been installed near Bosaso airport.

READ: UAE: The scramble for the Horn of Africa

Not only does the radar have the purpose of defending Puntland and its airport from attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, but air traffic data reportedly indicates it also serves to facilitate the transport of weapons, ammunition, and supplies to Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), further fuelling the ongoing civil war in Sudan.

“The UAE installed the radar shortly after the RSF lost control of most of Khartoum in early March”, one source said. Another source was cited as claiming that the radar was deployed at the airport late last year and that Abu Dhabi has used it on a daily basis to supply the RSF, particularly through large cargo planes that frequently carry weapons and ammunition, and which sometimes amount to up to five major shipments at a time.

According to two other Somali sources cited by the report, Puntland’s president Said Abdullahi Deni did not seek approval from Somalia’s federal government nor even the Puntland parliament for the installation of the radar, with one of those sources stressing that it was “a secret deal, and even the highest levels of Puntland’s government, including the cabinet, are unaware of it”.

READ: UAE under scrutiny over alleged arms shipments to Sudan

MEGHAN Trainor has announced she welcomed her third child via surrogate and shared the youngster’s adorable name and gender.

The singer shared the news in an Instagram post on Tuesday.

It included a slideshow of photos of Meghan, her husband, Daryl Sabara, and their two sons bonding with their new baby sister.

One captured the Grammy Award winner in tears as she had her first skin-to-skin contact with her newborn baby girl, moments after the youngster’s arrival.

Meghan revealed in her caption that her daughter, named Mikey Moon Trainor, was born on January 18th with the help of a “superwoman surrogate.”

“Our baby girl Mikey Moon Trainor has finally made it to the world thanks to our incredible, superwoman surrogate,” the Mother singer’s caption began.

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“We are forever grateful to all the doctors, nurses, teams who made this dream possible. We had endless conversations with our doctors in this journey and this was the safest way for us to be able to continue growing our family.

“We are over the moon in love with this precious girl. Riley and Barry have been so excited, they even got to choose her middle name. We are going to enjoy our family time now, love you all,” she concluded.

Mikey joins Meghan and Daryl’s boys, Riley and Barry.

Fans reacted with surprise and congratulatory messages in the comments for the growing family.

“WHATTTT!!!!! OMG MY HEART THIS IS INCREDIBLE!!! Congratulations!!!! So happy for you and your family!!!” one person wrote.

“Somehow I had no idea you were having a daughter via surrogacy,” another shocked user said.

“Oh my god I’m so happy for you all,” remarked a third.

“Not Meghan just surprising us all with another baby,” laughed a fourth.

“WHAT!!!! Congratulations omg!!! You finally have your baby girl I’m gonna cryyyy,” added a fifth.

Meghan – who recently underwent a dramatic weight loss – just revealed late last year that she’s heading on the road for her The Get In Girl Tour.

The tour kicks off on June 12th in Michigan and wraps on August 15th in Los Angeles.

Meghan appears to have much to focus on away from the recent toxic mom group drama ignited by her pal Ashley Tisdale.

Ashley claimed in a blog post that her close circle of mom friends, which includes Meghan, Hilary Duff, and Mandy Moore, repeatedly made her feel “left out” from their get-togethers.

A source exclusively revealed to The U.S. Sun that the ladies’ separation from the High School Musical star “wasn’t an overnight thing” and that she’d been “slowly slipping away” from them for years.

They also claimed that Ashley’s controversial political comments contributed to the feud as she made others feel “uncomfortable with her by association.”

WASHINGTON — A ballooning Immigration and Customs Enforcement budget. Hiring bonuses of $50,000. Swelling ranks of ICE officers, to 22,000, in an expanding national force bigger than most police departments in America.

President Trump promised the largest mass deportation operation in U.S. history, but achieving his goal wouldn’t have been possible without funding from the big tax and spending cuts bill passed by Republicans in Congress, and it’s fueling unprecedented immigration enforcement actions in cities such as Minneapolis and beyond.

The GOP’s big bill is “supercharging ICE,” one budget expert said, in ways that Americans may not fully realize — and that have only just begun.

“I just don’t think people have a sense of the scale,” said Bobby Kogan, senior director of federal budget policy at the Center for American Progress and a former advisor to the Biden administration’s Office of Management and Budget.

“We’re looking at ICE in a way we’ve never seen before,” he said.

Trump’s big bill creates massive law enforcement force

As the Republican president marks the first year of his second term, the immigration enforcement and removal operation that has been a cornerstone of his domestic and foreign policy agenda is rapidly transforming into something else — a national law enforcement presence with billions upon billions of dollars in new spending from U.S. taxpayers.

The shooting death of Renee Good in Minneapolis showed the alarming reach of the new federalized force, sparking unrelenting protests against the military-styled officers seen going door to door to find and detain immigrants. Amid the outpouring of opposition, Trump revived threats to invoke the Insurrection Act to quell the demonstrations and the Army has 1,500 soldiers ready to deploy.

But Trump’s own public approval rating on immigration, one of his signature issues, has slipped since he took office, according to an AP-NORC poll.

“Public sentiment is everything,” Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-N.Y.) said at a news conference at the Capitol with lawmakers supporting legislation to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

Americans, she said, are upset at what they are seeing. “They didn’t sign on for this,” she said.

Border crossings down, but Americans confront new ICE enforcements

To be sure, illegal crossings into the U.S. at the Mexico border have fallen to historic lows under Trump, a remarkable shift from just a few years ago when President Biden’s Democratic administration allowed millions of people to temporarily enter the U.S. as they adjudicated their claims to stay.

Yet as enforcement moves away from the border, the newly hired army of immigration officers swarming city streets with aggressive tactics — in Los Angeles, Chicago and elsewhere — is something not normally seen in the United States.

Armed and masked law enforcement officers are being witnessed smashing car windows, yanking people from vehicles and chasing and wrestling others to the ground and hauling them away — images playing out in endless loops on TVs and other screens.

And it’s not just ICE. A long list of supporting agencies, including federal, state and local police and sheriff’s offices, are entering into contract partnerships with Homeland Security to conduct immigration enforcement operations in communities around the nation.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has warned Democrats that this is “no time to be playing games” by stirring up the opposition to immigration enforcement officers in Minneapolis and other places.

“They need to get out of the way and allow federal law enforcement to do its duty,” Johnson said at the Capitol.

Noem has said the immigration enforcement officers are acting lawfully. The department insists it is targeting criminals in the actions, what officials call the worst of the worst immigrants.

However, reports show that noncriminals and U.S. citizens are also being forcibly detained by immigration officers. The Supreme Court last year lifted a ban on using race alone in the immigration stops.

Trump last month called Somali immigrants “garbage,” comments that echoed his past objections to immigrants from certain countries.

The Trump administration has set a goal of 100,000 detentions a day, about three times what’s typical, with 1 million deportations a year.

Money from the big bill flows with few restraints

With Republican control of Congress, the impeachment of Noem or any other Trump official is not a viable political option for Democrats, who would not appear to have the vote tally even among their own ranks.

In fact, even if Congress wanted to curtail Trump’s immigration operations — by threatening to shut down the government, for example — it would be difficult to stop the spending.

What Trump called the “Big, Beautiful Bill” is essentially on autopilot through 2029, the year he’s scheduled to finish his term and leave office.

The legislation essentially doubled annual Homeland Security funding, adding $170 billion to be used over four years. Of that, ICE, which typically receives about $10 billion a year, was provided $30 billion for operations and $45 billion for detention facilities.

“The first thing that comes to mind is spending on this level is typically done on the military,” said Kathleen Bush-Joseph, a policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute. “Trump is militarizing immigration enforcement.”

Ahead, Congress will consider a routine annual funding package for Homeland Security unveiled Tuesday, or risk a partial shutdown Jan. 30. A growing group of Democratic senators and the Congressional Progressive Caucus have had enough. They say they won’t support additional funds without significant changes.

Lawmakers are considering various restrictions on ICE operations, including limiting arrests around hospitals, courthouses, churches and other sensitive locations and ensuring that officers display proper identification and refrain from wearing masks.

“I think ICE needs to be totally torn down,” Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) said on CNN over the weekend.

“People want immigration enforcement that goes after criminals,” he said. And not what he called this “goon squad.”

Big spending underway, but Trump falls short of goals

Meanwhile, Homeland Security has begun tapping the new money at its disposal. The department informed Congress it has obligated roughly $58 billion — most of that, some $37 billion, for border wall construction, according to a person familiar with the private assessment but unauthorized to discuss it.

The Department of Homeland Security said its massive recruitment campaign blew past its 10,000-person target to bring in 12,000 new hires, more than doubling the force to 22,000 officers, in a matter of months.

“The good news is that thanks to the Big Beautiful Bill that President Trump signed, we have an additional 12,000 ICE officers and agents on the ground across the country,” Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a December statement.

The department also announced it had arrested and deported about 600,000 people. It also said 1.9 million other people had “voluntarily self-deported” since January 2025, when Trump took office.

Mascaro writes for the Associated Press.

It was clear many fans had turned on Frank during the defeat by the Hammers, with large numbers singing “you’re getting sacked in the morning” at him.

That feeling remained evident before Tuesday’s match.

“I really do think 99% of this stadium are Frank out,” said Spurs supporter Sarah Sturgeon-Scraggs, who has been attending home games with her dad Ronnie since she was nine.

“I have enjoyed coming to the matches because of the people we sit with and I get to spend time with my dad, but we get so little joy.”

Ronnie added: “Barring some sort of miracle on player support, style and results instantly the fans have abandoned him and I feel personally that he must go.”

This win and the much-improved first-half performance was still not enough to change their view, with a return to a more conservative and unadventurous display in the second half a cause for frustration.

“The first half was really enjoyable,” said Sarah. “There was a lot more movement, a lot more forward passing and a press. However, the second-half performance shows why Frank is not the right person to be managing this team. We went to five at the back, the game ground to a halt. It sucked the joy out of it yet again.

“I am still Frank out.”

Fellow Spurs supporter Ali Speechly held a similar view before kick-off.

“If we could see signs of what he is trying to achieve we might have more patience,” she said.

“It looks like a bunch of players doing what they want.”

Any change of heart after the game?

“Much better first half, where has that been? But second half we were dead again,” she said. “They either play a good first half or second half. It feels Thomas Frank can’t string the two together.”

Some, however, did see enough to believe Frank can build on this.

Alfie said before the match that Tottenham were playing “like a Championship team”, but after he said: “The first half was brilliant. The second half wasn’t great but we didn’t concede.

“But I am really happy with the result and I think Frank might have a lot more up his sleeve than we think.”

Hidden in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales is a scene of such natural beauty that even Hollywood filmmakers have flocked to it

In the middle of the Yorkshire Dales is a natural wonder that has been created over millions of years – and has been attracting visitors, including Hollywood royalty, for centuries.

The village of Malham, North Yorks., is famed for its stunning limestone landscape and has a soaring limestone ‘amphitheatre’ – Malham Cove – that can be found just a short walk from the village centre.

With breath-taking scenery, climbing Malham Cove is a whole family activity with many reviewers commenting that the terrain is suitable for kids from two-years-old and upwards – planting itself as a firm outdoor family favourite.

Malham Cove is a 70-metre-high, gently curving cliff of white limestone that formed along the line of the Middle Craven Fault – a major geological fault line – and has been eroded backwards from that line by water and ice over millions of years. The result is a scene of such stunning natural beauty, people flock to the village of Malham to climb the cove in their droves.

Today, the sheer rock face of Malham Cove challenges climbers and also protects a pair of nesting peregrine falcons but also the full circular walk around the cove is easy for first timers and children. It has even featured as a backdrop to many movies, including Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

However, the natural beauty doesn’t end there with Gordale Scar, an impressive limestone gorge once regarded as one of the natural wonders of England, to the east of Malham village and Janet’s Foss, a lovely waterfall said to be home to Janet, Queen of the Fairies.

The village also offers vibrant cafés and charming pubs – perfect for walkers to enjoy after a big hike. Reviews of the area and Malham Cove itself are overwhelmingly positive.

One happy holidaymaker wrote: “What an amazing place to visit. It is very busy with lots of people but it doesn’t take away from this unique place. We stopped at a lovely little pub next to the stream.”

One other said: “Breath-taking natural scenery which is a must for you to visit. The terrain is great for all ages from 2+. Plenty of pubs/cafes and public toilets which is a bonus. Views are spectacular.”

Jan. 20 (UPI) — Two more women have accused actor Russell Brand of rape and sexual assault, and a judge in London on Tuesday granted Brand bail ahead of a Feb. 17 pretrial hearing.

Brand, 50, appeared remotely from his home in South Florida via video in the Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London, during which new charges were entered based on complaints filed by two women.

The additional charges accuse Brand of one count of rape and one count of sexual assault in 2009. The bail amount was not announced.

Those charges are in addition to two counts of rape, two counts of sexual assault and one count of indecent assault filed against Brand that are alleged by four women from 1999 to 2005.

Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring told Brand that one of the charges against him only can be tried in a crown court and granted him an unannounced bail amount ahead of his scheduled pretrial hearing in London’s Southwark Crown Court on Feb. 17.

Tuesday’s hearing lasted about six minutes, during which Brand only acknowledged his name and date of birth.

The entertainer previously denied all allegations against him and said he only had consensual relations with his accusers and all other women.

He called the claims against him a “coordinated attack,” The Guardian reported.

One accuser said Brand raped her in 1999 while in southern England, and another said he “indecently assaulted” her in London in 2004.

A third accuser said Brand sexually assaulted and orally raped her in 2004, while a fourth victim accused him of sexual assault between 2004 and 2005.

Brand in May pleaded not guilty to those charges.

The actor and comedian was married to singer Katy Perry from October 2010 to December 2011 and has appeared in several films and television programs.

He is married to Laura Gallacher, who is the mother of Brand’s daughters, Peggy and Mabel.

US has moved to assert strict control over the production and sale of Venezuelan oil since attacking the country this month.

The United States military announced that it has seized a seventh Venezuela-linked oil tanker, as the US tightens its control over the production and sale of the country’s considerable oil resources.

US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), which oversees military operations in Latin America, said on Tuesday that it captured the Motor Vessel Sagitta as part of its blockade on oil vessels leaving and entering the country.

“The apprehension of another tanker operating in defiance of President Trump’s established quarantine of sanctioned vessels in the Caribbean demonstrates our resolve to ensure that the only oil leaving Venezuela will be oil that is coordinated properly and lawfully,” SOUTHCOM said in a statement.

It added that Tuesday’s tanker seizure occurred “without incident”, sharing a video appearing to show US forces flying towards the vessel and landing on its deck.

The US began seizing sanctioned tankers on December 10, as part of a campaign of increasing pressure on Venezuela.

Tensions between the US and Venezuela came to a peak on January 3, when US President Donald Trump authorised a predawn military operation to abduct his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolas Maduro.

In the lead-up to that operation, Trump and allies like Stephen Miller had been increasingly vocal about laying claim to Venezuelan oil, given the US’s history of prospecting for petroleum there in the early 20th century.

But by 1971, Venezuela had nationalised its oil industry. Efforts to expropriate assets from foreign oil companies in 2007 have further fuelled criticism from the Trump administration, which considers Venezuelan oil “stolen” from US owners.

Legal experts, however, largely consider such arguments a violation of Venezuelan sovereignty.

Trump has nevertheless said the US will control Venezuela’s oil and has used the threat of further military attacks to pressure Venezuela’s government into compliance.

The Trump administration has also placed steep sanctions on Venezuela’s economy, as part of a trend stretching back to the Republican leader’s first term as president.

The US has framed the tanker seizures as a way of enforcing those sanctions, although the legality of using military force to enforce economic penalties is disputed.

Trump and his officials have said that the sale of Venezuelan oil on the world market will be dictated by the US and that the proceeds from those sales will be placed in a US-controlled bank account.

Trump has also used control over Venezuela’s oil to ratchet up pressure on Cuba, for which access to Venezuelan oil is an important economic lifeline.

The US president told reporters on Tuesday at a White House briefing that he has taken 50 million barrels of oil from Venezuela.

“We’ve got millions of barrels of oil left,” he said at the White House. “We’re selling it on the open market. We’re bringing down oil prices incredibly.”

Interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez, meanwhile, said that her country had received $300m from recent oil sales. In her inaugural state of the union address last week, she signalled that her administration would reform the country’s hydrocarbon law to allow more foreign investment in future.

Timothy Busfield, the Emmy-winning actor known for “The West Wing” and “Thirtysomething,” has secured a legal victory in his child sex abuse case.

A New Mexico judge on Tuesday sided with Busfield, announcing he will release him on his own recognizance as the 68-year-old actor-director awaits trial stemming from allegations he sexually abused two child actors on the set of the Fox drama “The Cleaning Lady.” His wife, “Little House on the Prairie” star Melissa Gilbert, was in attendance at Tuesday’s hearing and wept following the decision.

“Thank you, God,” she appeared to say.

New Mexico District Court Judge David A. Murphy said the child sex abuse allegations against Busfield are “inherently dangerous” and that prosecutors proved “Mr. Busfield does pose a danger to the safety of others” but that it is currently “difficult for the court to put too much weight into the allegations as they’ve not been vetted by the judicial system.”

Leading up to his decision, Murphy cited letters submitted by Busfield’s defense team from the actor’s friends and family, additional affidavits in support of the actor and “the lack of a pattern involving children in this case.”

“I don’t find that there’s been sufficient presentation that this defendant may commit new crimes pending trial. There’s not evidence of a pattern of criminal conduct,” Murphy added. “There are no similar allegations involving children in his past. There’s no evidence of noncompliance with prior court orders.”

Though Busfield will be supervised by a pretrial services officer in Albuquerque, his travel will not be limited and he is required to report to that officer. He is barred from possessing firearms and weapons and from consuming alcohol or drugs. He is also ordered to refrain from contacting the alleged victims and their family and from discussing his case with witnesses.

Busfield had been jailed at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Albuquerque, where he was booked on two felony counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and a single count of child abuse. He turned himself into law enforcement last week, days after New Mexico officials issued a warrant for his arrest.

An affidavit filed earlier this month accuses Busfield of inappropriately touching two child actors, who are brothers, during his tenure as a director, actor and producer for “The Cleaning Lady.” According to the complaint, one child actor said Busfield first touched his “private areas” multiple times on set when he was 7 years old. The actor said that, when he was 8 years old, Busfield touched him inappropriately again several times, according to the affidavit. The complaint also detailed a police interview with Busfield in which he suggested that the boys’ mother might have sought “revenge” on the director for “not bringing her kids back for the final season.”

Leading up to his surrender, Busfield denied the allegations. “They’re all lies, and I did not do anything to those little boys,” he said in a video published last week by TMZ. He also told supporters at the time he intends to “fight” the charges and predicted, “I’m gonna be exonerated.”

Tuesday’s hearing featured statements by Bernalillo County Deputy Dist. Atty. Savannah Brandenburg-Koch, Busfield defense attorney Amber Fayerberg and testimony from “Cleaning Lady” cinematographer Alan Caudillo.

Although Brandenburg-Koch argued against Busfield’s release and cited previous allegations that he assaulted two women, his attorney presented audio from the child actors’ initial interviews with police in which they said that Busfield did not touch them inappropriately.

“This was not a failure to disclose,” Fayerberg said of the audio clips, which she played in the courtroom. “This was an express denial.”

Fayerberg also mentioned the legal troubles of the child actors’ parents, including father Ronald Rodis’ guilty plea to a federal fraud charge in 2017, and a fraud lawsuit in 2011 against the boys’ mother, Angele LaSalle. The attorney said the two young actors had been “victimized” but not by Busfield.

“They were victimized by their own parents, who no longer could make money as a lawyer, disbarred. No longer could write bad checks,” she said, “taking 85% of the money they made on a TV show and then manufactured into victims as revenge.”

Busfield’s professional career has taken numerous hits amid the child sex abuse allegations. As the complaint circulated, Busfield was dropped by his agency and edited out of an upcoming film, according to Deadline. Last week, NBC also decided to pull an episode of “Law & Order: SVU” featuring Busfield from its programming lineup.

SACRAMENTO — California Gov. Gavin Newsom sharply criticized world leaders while attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, this week, faulting them for their “complicity” and failure to confront President Trump’s aggressive posture on issues such as Greenland and trade.

Speaking to reporters there, Newsom urged European and other global leaders to “stand tall and firm” and to “have a backbone,” bemoaning that too many have been “rolling over” in the face of Trump’s actions and rhetoric.

“It’s just pathetic,” Newsom told reporters.

He quipped that he “should’ve brought a bunch of kneepads for all the world leaders,” a retort Newsom has become fond of leveling against those he feels are supine in their duties. He admonished the suggestion that Europeans could continue to approach diplomacy with Trump as they have previous presidents. Newsom called Trump a “T-Rex.”

“You mate with him, or he devours you, one or the other,” Newsom said.

His comments came as the forum grappled with heightened geopolitical tensions, particularly debates over Trump’s controversial push involving Greenland — a flashpoint that has drawn warnings from European leaders and underscored wider concerns about the erosion of traditional alliances and global norms.

On Tuesday, stocks slumped on Wall Street after Trump threatened to hit eight European countries with new tariffs over his attempts to assert American control over Greenland.

Trump is scheduled to speak Wednesday at the World Economic Forum, where he is expected to try to convince Americans he can make housing more affordable. However, many onlookers will be watching what Trump has to say about his desire to acquire Greenland.

The annual event opened Monday and is a four-day gathering of world leaders with the stated mission of engaging in “forward-looking discussions to address global issues and set priorities.”

Trump’s attendance comes after his administration opted to skip the annual United Nations climate policy summit in Belém, Brazil, in November, with Newsom instead attending as a proxy for the United States.

While in Switzerland, Newsom announced Tuesday that California surpassed 2.5 million cumulative new zero-emission vehicle sales since 2010. The state had set a goal of putting 1.5 million zero-emission vehicles on the road by 2025, with that target eclipsed despite setbacks in clean energy brought on by the Trump administration.

“California didn’t reach 2.5 million zero-emission vehicles by accident — we invested in this future when others said it was impossible,” Newsom said in a statement.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Carlos Beltrán and Andruw Jones, center fielders who excelled at the plate and with their gloves, were elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame on Tuesday.

Beltrán, making his fourth appearance of the ballot, received 358 of 425 votes for 84.2% from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, 39 above the 319 needed for the 75% threshold.

Jones, in the ninth of 10 possible appearances, was picked on 333 ballots for 78.4%

Beltrán moved up steadily from 46.5% in 2023 to 57.1% the following year and 70.3% in 2025, when he fell 19 votes short as Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner were elected.

Beltrán was hired as the New York Mets’ manager on Nov. 1, 2019, then fired on Jan. 16, 2020, without having managed a game, three days after he was the only Astros player mentioned by name in a report by Major League Baseball regarding the team’s illicit use of electronics to steal signs during Houston’s run to the 2017 World Series championship — his final season.

He was hired by the Mets as a special assistant before the 2023 season.

“When I retired from baseball, I thought everything that I built in baseball, like relationships … I thought that was going to be lost,” he said in 2023. “Being back in baseball, I still receive love from the people, I still receive love from the players. The teammates that I had inside the clubhouse, they know the type of person that I am. But at the same time I understand that that’s also a story that I have to deal with.”

Jones received just 7.3% in his first appearance in 2018 and didn’t get half the total until receiving 58.1% in 2023. He increased to 61.6% and 66.2%, falling 35 votes short last year.

They will be inducted at Cooperstown, New York, on July 26 along with second baseman Jeff Kent, voted in last month by the contemporary era committee.

BBWAA members with 10 or more consecutive years in the organization were eligible to vote.

Chase Utley (59.1%) was the only other candidate to get at least half the vote, improving from 39.8% last year. He was followed by Andy Pettitte at 48.5%, an increase from 27.9% last year, and Félix Hernández at 46.1%, up from 20.6%.

Cole Hamels topped first-time candidates at 23.8%. The other first-time players were all under 5% and will be dropped from future votes.

Steroids-tainted players again were kept from the hall. Alex Rodriguez received 40% in his fifth appearance, up from 7.1%, and Manny Ramirez 38.8% in his 10th and final appearance.

David Wright increased to 14.8% from 8.1%.

There were 11 blank ballots.

A nine-time All-Star, the switch-hitting Beltrán batted .279 with 435 homers and 1,587 RBIs over 20 seasons with Kansas City (1999-2004), Houston (2004, ’17), the Mets (2005-11), San Francisco (2011), St. Louis (2012-13), the New York Yankees (20014-16) and Texas (2016). He had 311 homers hitting left-handed and 124 batting right,

Beltrán was the 1999 AL Rookie of the Year and won three Gold Gloves, also hitting .307 in the postseason with 16 homers and 42 RBIs in 65 games.

Jones batted .254 with 434 homers, 1,289 RBIs and 152 stolen bases in 17 seasons with Atlanta (1996-2007), the Dodgers (2008), Texas (2009), the Chicago White Sox (2010) and the Yankees (2011-12). He finished his career with the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of Japan’s Pacific League from 2013-14.

His batting average is the second-lowest for a position player voted to the Hall of Fame, just above the .253 of Ray Schalk, a superior defensive catcher, and just below the .256 of Harmon Killebrew, who hit 573 homers.

Carlos Beltran with the Mets in 2011.

(Bill Kostroun / Associated Press)

A five-time All-Star, Jones earned 10 Gold Gloves. He joins Braves teammates Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz and Chipper Jones in the hall along with manager Bobby Cox.

In the 1996 World Series opener at Yankee Stadium, Jones at 19 years, 5 months became the youngest player to homer in a Series game, beating Mickey Mantle’s old mark by 18 months. Going deep against Pettitte in the second inning and Brian Boehringer in the third of a 12-1 rout, Jones became the second player to homer in his first two Series at-bats after Gene Tenace in 1972.

Baseball Hall of Fame voting results

425 votes cast, 319 needed.

Carlos Beltrán 358 (84.2%), Andruw Jones 333 (78.4), Chase Utley 251 (59.1), Andy Pettitte 206 (48.5), Félix Hernández 196 (46.1), Álex Rodríguez 170 (40.0), Manny Ramírez 165 (38.8), Bobby Abreu 131 (30.8), Jimmy Rollins 108 (25.4), Cole Hamels 101 (23.8), Dustin Pedroia 88 (20.7), Mark Buehrle 85 (20.0), Omar Vizquel 78 (18.4), David Wright 63 (14.8), Francisco Rodríguez 50 (11.8), Torii Hunter 37 (8.7)

Received fewer than 20 votes (less than 5%, dropped from future ballots): Ryan Braun 15 (3.5), Edwin Encarnación 6 (1.4), Shin-Soo Choo 3 (0.7), Matt Kemp 2 (0.5), Hunter Pence 2 (0.5), Rick Porcello 2 (0.5), Alex Gordon 1 (0.2), Nick Markakis 1 (0.2), Gio González 0, Howie Kendrick 0, Daniel Murphy 0.

Jan. 20 (UPI) — Vice President JD Vance and his wife, second lady Usha Vance, announced Tuesday that they’re expecting their fourth child.

They revealed the news in a joint post on Instagram.

“We’re very excited to share the news that Usha is pregnant with our fourth child, a boy. Usha and the baby are doing well, and we are all looking forward to welcoming him in late July,” the post read.

“During this exciting and hectic time, we are particularly grateful for the military doctors who take excellent care of our family and for the staff members who do so much to ensure that we can serve the country while enjoying a wonderful life with our children.”

JD Vance and Usha Vance, who married in 2014, share three children: Ewan, 8, Vivek, 5, and Mirabel, 4. The last vice president to welcome a child while in office was Schuyler Colfax — who served under President Ulysses S. Grant — in 1870.