Category: News

Lakewood has boosted its public shuttle fleet by putting three new full-size buses into service. These buses are already being used on several of the busiest shuttle lines. The change comes after riders pushed the system’s capacity — monthly ridership jumped by more than 50% since the new buses started running. The new buses were funded using money from the Lakewood Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ). Each bus sports dual doors, a kneeling feature to ease boarding, folding seats for strollers or wheelchairs, and tri-lingual signage in English, Yiddish, and Spanish — making the service more accessible for a wide range of residents. Another five buses are already ordered and expected to arrive in the coming year, with township leaders preparing to purchase still more to expand routes across different parts of Lakewood.

A phone scam hit Lakewood and nearby towns overnight and into the morning of December 7. A caller claiming to be a captain from the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office told a resident there were two outstanding “failure to appear” warrants—and demanded the person turn themselves in with $10,000 in cash. The caller later texted a fake warrant showing the resident’s name. Officials say this is a scam. Police stressed that the Sheriff’s Office never calls people to demand cash or threaten arrest over the phone. If you get a similar call, do not comply, don’t give personal info, and don’t send money. Report it directly to police.

Elon Musk posted a provocative image on his social media account on platform X. The graphic showed the flag of European Union split in half and overlaid with Nazi symbols — with the caption “Fourth Reich.” The post appeared without explanation. The gesture intensifies an already heated dispute between Musk and the EU. Just days earlier, regulators imposed a €120 million fine on X for violating transparency rules under the bloc’s digital law. The impact is likely to resonate widely across Europe and beyond. The comparison to Nazi Germany has the potential to inflame tensions among EU leaders, lawmakers and the public — especially given the historical weight of the “Fourth Reich” label.

In Edmonton, Canada, police began testing body cameras fitted with AI-powered facial recognition. The pilot — launched December 3 — is being run by the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) using cameras from Axon Enterprise. Roughly 50 officers will wear the cameras through the end of December. The cameras scan faces in public places against a “high-risk” database of about 7,000 individuals flagged for serious offenses or outstanding warrants. The system operates in “silent mode” — officers get no alerts on the spot; images are reviewed later at police headquarters.

President Trump declared a sweeping new immigration crackdown. He said he would effectively shut down migration from what he dubbed “Third-World countries,” pause all pending immigration applications from dozens of non-European nations, and move to strip benefits from many non-citizens. The crackdown came early Sunday morning, when federal agencies began canceling many green-card and naturalization interviews. As part of the response, law-enforcement agents from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) moved to freeze pending asylum cases and re-review existing immigrant applications from affected countries.

US Special Envoy for Ukraine Keith Kellogg said a peace agreement to end the war in Ukraine could come soon, but two major sticking points remain: control of the Donbas region and the future of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. He made the remarks on the morning of December 7 at the Reagan National Defense Forum in Simi Valley, California. Kellogg described the conflict as “in the last 10 metres.” If those two disputes are resolved, he said, the rest of the deal should fall into place. He didn’t offer a firm date — only that “we’re really, really close.” The potential accord could alter control over territory long contested since Russia’s 2022 invasion. Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts continue: US negotiators remain in contact with Kyiv and Moscow in hopes of ironing out the final details.

Ron DeSantis unveiled a sweeping statewide plan dubbed the “AI Bill of Rights” meant to regulate artificial-intelligence tools across Florida. He laid out new rules aimed at curbing deepfake technology, protecting personal data, and imposing limits on AI data-center development. Under the proposal, AI systems would face new restrictions — especially when it comes to using a person’s name, image or likeness without their consent, displaying deepfake content, or selling personal data. Parents would get rights to review their child’s chatbot interactions, and insurers or legal professionals could be required to disclose when AI tools helped generate claims or legal briefs. The plan also seeks to rein in large AI data centers. Utilities would be barred from passing added costs to ratepayers, and local governments could veto new projects. Some zones — like farmland or environmentally sensitive regions — would be off-limits. This proposal could significantly reshape how AI is used in Florida — especially in advertising, government services, health care, and data-heavy industries. Lawmakers will now debate which proposals become law. So far, supporters say it will protect privacy and prevent harm from deepfakes; critics raise concerns about possible overreach and limits on legitimate AI uses.

On Thursday evening in Washington, Senate Democrats introduced legislation to extend enhanced premium subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for three more years. The subsidies currently help roughly 24 million Americans afford marketplace health plans, but are set to expire at the end of December. Chuck Schumer announced the plan on the Senate floor and said all Democrats support it — meaning the bill needs at least 13 Republicans to break a filibuster and advance. The move comes just weeks after a deal ended a 43-day government shutdown, which included a pledge for lawmakers to take up this subsidy question. Failure to pass the extension — or a compromise version — could lead to large premium increases next year, threatening coverage for many. At this point, Republicans remain mostly opposed, arguing for income caps or other policy changes before renewing subsidies. That resistance makes the chance of passage uncertain. If the subsidies expire, millions could face significantly higher insurance costs — or lose coverage altogether. For now though, the Senate is gearing up for a decisive vote next week as time runs out before the year-end deadline.

The Pentagon has formally completed its review of the trilateral AUKUS nuclear-submarine agreement and confirmed plans to proceed with submarine sales to Australia. A U.S. official said Thursday the evaluation identified ways to strengthen the pact and aligned with the priorities of the current U.S. administration. The deal, involving exports of at least three Virginia-class submarine vessels to Australia beginning in 2032 — followed by future construction of next-generation subs — remains intact. The arrangement represents Canberra’s largest defense commitment ever, totaling nearly A$368 billion (about US$240 billion) over three decades. The review was led by U.S. Department of Defense under its defense-policy office, which earlier raised concerns about U.S. submarine production capacity. This concern remains relevant: U.S. yards must expand output significantly if they are to supply Australia without undermining their own fleet needs.

Ukrainian forces struck the Nevinnomyssk Azot chemical plant in the Stavropol region of southern Russia. The plant is located near the city of Nevinnomyssk, in Stavropol Krai. The assault hit one of the plant’s production workshops and sparked a fire inside the facility. Nevinnomyssk Azot is among Russia’s largest chemical enterprises. It produces over one million tons of ammonia and up to 1.4 million tons of ammonium nitrate yearly — essential base materials for explosives and ammunition. The strike is described by Ukrainian authorities as part of an effort to cut the enemy’s capacity for missile and bomb production. Russian officials have not responded publicly to the claim.