Judge tosses last charge against ex-prosecutor accused of misconduct in Ahmaud Arbery case

• February 5, 2025

By RUSS BYNUM, Associated Press

BRUNSWICK, Ga. (AP) — A judge Wednesday threw out a felony indictment against a former Georgia prosecutor, ending her trial on charges that she abused her power by trying to protect the men who chased and killed Ahmaud Arbery in 2020.

Former District Attorney Jackie Johnson for years denied influencing police who initially decided against making arrests when Arbery was fatally shot in coastal Glynn County, where Johnson then served as the top state prosecutor.

She was indicted in September 2021 after state Attorney General Chris Carr ordered an investigation into possible misconduct by Johnson. But prosecutors for Carr’s office struggled to make a case once Johnson’s trial began last week.

Senior Judge John R. Turner on Monday ordered Johnson acquitted of a misdemeanor count of obstructing police. Turner ruled after prosecutors rested their case, declaring they failed to show “one scintilla of evidence” that Johnson had directed police investigators not to arrest the man who shot Arbery.

The judge Wednesday dismissed the one remaining charge, a felony accusing Johnson of violating her oath of office. This time he granted a defense challenge that the indictment used to charge Johnson was fatally flawed by technical errors.

“Frankly, this is a decision I didn’t want to make,” Turner told attorneys in the courtroom. But he said he felt the defense’s challenge to the indictment against Johnson “needs to be granted.”

The judge also expressed sympathy for Arbery’s mother as she sat in the courtroom.

“When I think of this situation, I get a very deep sense of sadness,” Turner said.

Arbery’s mother, Wanda Cooper-Jones, left the courtroom saying she didn’t fault prosecutors for the case’s dismissal.

“The evidence was there,” Cooper-Jones told reporters. “We all know that Jackie Johnson played a part in the cover-up of the death of Ahmaud.”

Defense attorneys for Johnson asked the judge to dismiss the indictment last week. Turner deferred ruling until Wednesday morning.

The judge didn’t explain his reasoning. Defense lawyers had argued the charge accusing Johnson of violating her oath of office contained a fatal technical error: it cited the oath Johnson signed when she was appointed district attorney in 2010 to fill her predecessor’s unfinished term.

Defense attorneys said that oath expired when Johnson took a new oath after winning election in 2012. She took it again after being reelected in 2016.

Witnesses at the trial included former district attorneys who testified they take a new oath after each four-year election cycle, voiding any prior oaths.

Prosecutor John Fowler declined to speak with reporters, deferring questions to the attorney general’s office. A spokesperson for Carr did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

Three white men chased Arbery through their neighborhood before he was fatally shot. They were later convicted of murder and hate crimes.

Father and son Greg and Travis McMichael armed themselves with guns and used a pickup truck to chase Arbery after spotting the 25-year-old Black man running in their Georgia neighborhood on Feb. 23, 2020. A neighbor, William “Roddie” Bryan joined the pursuit in his own truck and recorded cellphone video of Travis McMichael shooting Arbery at close range with a shotgun.

The men told police they suspected Arbery was a burglar and argued that he was shot in self-defense. No one was arrested for more than two months, until cellphone video of the shooting leaked online and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation took over the case from local police.

Since Johnson’s trial opened a week ago, prosecutors have tried to build a case that she worked behind the scenes to protect Travis McMichael and his father, a retired investigator from Johnson’s office, even after the district attorney had recused her office from the case.

Prosecutors suffered a setback last week when Glynn County Assistant Police Chief Stephanie Oliver testified that she and Johnson have never spoken about Arbery’s case. Oliver was one of two officers named in the 2021 indictment charging Johnson with obstruction by “directing that Travis McMichael should not be placed under arrest.”

Prosecutors rested their case Monday without calling Stephan Lowrey, the second officer named in the indictment, to testify.

Johnson recused her office from handling Arbery’s shooting. But prosecutors argued Johnson abused her power by recommending the attorney general appoint a neighboring district attorney, George Barnhill, to oversee the case without disclosing that Barnhill had already advised police that the shooting was justified.

Barnhill testified Friday that he had advised police independently with no input from Johnson.

Johnson was voted out of office in November 2020 and largely blamed her defeat on controversy over Arbery’s killing months earlier.

​ Orange County Register 

Protests against Trump and Project 2025 are planned in cities across the US

• February 5, 2025

A movement to oppose the early actions of President Donald Trump’s administration is taking off online, with plans to protest across the U.S. on Wednesday.

The movement has organized under the hashtags #buildtheresistance and #50501, which stands for 50 protests, 50 states, one day. Many of the protests are planned at state capitols, with some in other cities.

The movement has websites and accounts across social media. Flyers circulating online decry Project 2025, a hard-right playbook for American government and society, and include messages such as “reject fascism” and “defend our democracy.” In a coffee shop just a block from Michigan’s Capitol, organizers of a planned action there Wednesday pushed together tables, spreading out poster boards to write messages that read “No Deportations Ever!” and “Workers Unite!”

Kelsey Brianne, a key organizer of Michigan’s rally, called it a “real grassroots effort.” She learned about the movement Sunday night and has been coordinating speakers and safety protocols.

“I got involved because I knew that there was a need, and I knew what I could do,” Brianne said Tuesday. “But also I want to look back at this time and say that I did something and I didn’t just sit back.”

Trump has signed a series of executive orders in the first couple of weeks of his new term on everything from trade and immigration to climate change. As Democrats begin to raise their voice in opposition to Trump’s agenda, protests have also begun.

On Sunday, thousands of people marched against Trump’s plan for large-scale deportations in Southern California, including in downtown Los Angeles, where protests shut down a major freeway for hours.

Associated Press writers Joey Cappelletti in Lansing, Michigan, and Gabriel Sandoval in Phoenix contributed to this report. Sandoval is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

​ Orange County Register 

CAL FIRE firefighters could become year-round employees, new bill proposes

• February 5, 2025

A newly proposed state bill with bipartisan support would keep CAL FIRE firefighters employed year-round — and help with staffing issues, its supporters said.

The Fight for Firefighters Act proposes to transition about 3,000 seasonal firefighters who are employed for nine months a year into 12-month employees to increase the number of firefighters ready to respond to emergencies at any given moment and to provide relief to understaffed firefighters.

Related: You can track LA wildfire-related legislation with this tool

The proposed legislation was announced during a news conference in Sacramento on Tuesday, Feb. 4, featuring both Democrats and Republicans. Legislators unveiled it exactly four weeks after the deadly wildfires that swept through Los Angeles County last month first broke out.

CAL FIRE Battalion Chief Liz Brown said during the press conference that there was a time when California’s fire season lasted three or four months. But that’s no longer the case.

“Fire season is now all year long, and yet we still rely on outdated models to determine our response,” she said. “We cannot continue to nickel and dime public safety and expect anything but catastrophic consequences.”

Brown said the toll on firefighters is real, from seeing personal relationships suffer to suicides. She noted the high number of calls to CAL FIRE’s mental health helpline by employees and urged more support for firefighters who are stretched too thin.

“Fire doesn’t take a break, and neither should our commitment to those who fight it,” she said.

Senate President Pro Tem Mike McGuire’s office later put out a news release noting that firefighters endure severe mental health challenges as well as face injuries, fatigue and stress that often lead to burnout. More than 57,000 calls have been made by firefighters to the state’s mental health hotline in the last six years, according to the Senate leader’s office.

McGuire said transitioning CAL FIRE firefighters to year-round employees would result in all 356 CAL FIRE engines throughout the state being fully staffed 365 days a year, something he called “a much-needed shot in the arm.”

The text of the bill was not available Tuesday, but supporters said it would also allow all CAL FIRE vegetation management crews, who clear dead or decaying trees and other brush that can fuel fires, and all CAL FIRE helicopter bases to be fully operational year-round.

Employing firefighters year-round is expected to cost the state $175 million to $185 million annually, said McGuire.

But he noted that the losses incurred by the city and county of Los Angeles as a result of last month’s deadly wildfires are expected to be much greater than that amount — and do not account for the toll of human suffering due to lives being upended or lost.

“We should not be pinching pennies when sparks are flying,” McGuire said during the press conference, which featured both Democratic and Republican legislators and CAL FIRE firefighters.

Senate Minority Leader Brian Jones, R-San Diego, noted that his constituents lived through the Cedar fire in 2003 and Witch Creek fire in 2007. Like many of the Democratic legislators who spoke at the press conference, he said that fire preparedness shouldn’t be a partisan issue.

“It’s important to come together to move smart legislation forward and make strategic investments. … When there is a large mega-fire, we want to ensure that there are firefighters ready to respond at a moment’s notice 365 days a year. Every corner of California needs this bipartisan solution to protect homes and save lives,” said Jones, who plans to co-author the bill.

Democratic Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez represents Altadena and Pasadena communities ravaged by last month’s Eaton fire. That fire damaged or destroyed more than 9,000 structures and killed at least 17 people.

On Tuesday, she thanked firefighters and said the Fight for Firefighters Act would provide more support for overworked firefighters.

“Let’s make sure our firefighters are taken care of and give them the 12-month employment they need and deserve to have adequate relief and medical attention during disasters — and mental health and recovery support in between. These heroes need our help,” Pérez said.

Sen. Ben Allen, D-Santa Monica, who represents the Palisades, where the largest wildfire broke out last month, said the proposed legislation would ensure more firefighter boots on the ground at any given moment.

“This is ultimately about giving our firefighters the support they need. … They’re not machines. They simply can’t work back-to-back 24-, 36-hour shifts over and over again without breaks to eat and sleep and remediate from all that smoke inhalation,” Allen said.

Following the press conference, Senate Republicans said in a news release that their members were “encouraged by the initial bipartisan” response in the upper chamber to the recent wildfires yet “remain wary” because previous attempts by GOP members to address wildfire concerns were rejected by Democrats.

The Senate Republican Caucus also shared a list of other fire-related bills introduced this year by GOP legislators. These include:

• SB 87, introduced by Sen. Kelly Seyarto of Murrieta, to extend the sales tax exemption on fundraising activities for all-volunteer fire departments.

• SB 90, another Seyarto bill, to allow Prop. 4 funding to be used to strategically place “prepositioned mobile rigid water storage and mobile rigid dip tanks” in high-risk wildfire areas to reduce helicopter response time for fighting fires.

• SB 223, introduced by Sen. Marie Alvarado-Gil of Amador County, to require the state to build and maintain a statewide integrated wildfire smoke and health data platform.

• SB 252, introduced by Sen. Suzette Martinez Valladares of Santa Clarita, to exempt power line infrastructure from California Environmental Quality Act requirements in order to expedite projects to place power lines underground.

• SB 264, also by Valladares, to allow prosecutors to charge individuals who impersonate a police officer or firefighter during a state of emergency with a felony.

• SB 265, another Valladares bill, to classify burglary committed during a state of emergency — including during or after a wildfire — as a felony.

• SB 268, introduced by Sen. Steven Choi of Irvine, to exclude from taxable income any settlement payments from a state of emergency as declared by the governor.

• SB 269, also introduced by Choi, to provide a tax credit to homeowners who perform qualified home hardening or vegetation management on their properties.

In addition to these bills introduced by Senate Republicans, other state legislators have proposed various bills in response to the wildfires.

This week, for example, Pérez, the senator from Pasadena, introduced SB 256 to enhance the resiliency and reliability of electrical infrastructure in disaster-prone areas by requiring utility companies to prioritize placing power lines underground, expanding the use of microgrid technologies and implementing stronger safeguards and standards for power shutoffs.

​ Orange County Register 

How a Twilight lookalike contest could save this Claremont movie theater

• February 5, 2025

Forbidden love often yields tragedy, but not only is the romance between small-town girl Bella and 104-year-old vampire Edward in “Twilight” an exception to the rule, but it may also inspire a real-life happy ending where a local theater is granted another lifeline.

Laemmle Claremont 5 is nestled in the heart of Claremont Village’s restaurants, boutiques, art galleries and other community cornerstones. Its lobby is decorated with shelves displaying the work of local artists, giving the theater an edge that fits with Claremont’s creative identity. Yet despite its beloved history in the community since opening in 2007, the 18,743-square-foot single-story theater has been on its last legs in recent years.

Declining foot traffic has been steady, leaving managers and staff to brainstorm creative ways to boost attendance. A kiss from a vampire might lead to death or eternal life, and Laemmle is poised to gamble.

Enter their latest stint: A “Twilight” screening alongside a character lookalike contest slated for Thursday, Feb. 13. The event, mostly advertised on TikTok, as well as with amateurish flyers taped haphazardly to power poles and windows around Claremont Village, quickly sold out its 7 p.m. showing. TikTok comments flooded their channel with Twi-hards pleading for an additional showing, and as of Friday, Jan. 31, the newly added 10 p.m. show has only a handful of tickets left.

“If you’re Edward, you’re gonna have to have the hair gel ready to nail that 2008 Robert Pattinson hair—it’s just perfect—which is a tough hill to climb,” said Laemmle Claremont 5 manager Chris Valverde in a phone interview. “If you can nail the hair, you’ve got a great chance to win, and if you’re coming for Charlie Swan (the dad), that’s just going to be whoever has the best mustache. The Bella impression might need that kind of stuttering, stumbling, weird, awkward, but also cool persona to win.”

Valverde added that there will be “Twilight”-themed snacks, including three different themed ICEEs: “Vampire’s Blood,” “Edward Cullen’s Dazzling Blue Eyes,” and “Bella Where The Hell Have You Been Loca Cola?” The theater will also sell other tasty bites and blood-red wine for fans to enjoy while they watch Edward and Jacob battle it out for Bella’s love. The lookalike contest will then judge those best dressed like the film’s fanged (and unfanged) characters for a chance to earn prizes.

The Claremont 5 is one of eight theaters under the Los Angeles-based arthouse movie theater chain Laemmle Theatres. Additional locations operated and owned by Greg Laemmle, son of the late Robert Laemmle, include the Royal Theatre in West Los Angeles, Glendale 5 in Glendale, Monica Film Center in Santa Monica and NoHo 7 in North Hollywood.

Claremont 5 has faced issues not exclusive to other industries and theaters, mainly led by the market disruption of the coronavirus pandemic. However, being a smaller-scale operation, it has struggled twofold. In 2023, Greg Laemmle told Inland Valley Daily Bulletin columnist David Allen that as far as the numbers were concerned, “We’re about half of where we need to be as far as revenue.” The theater has been auctioned twice in the last five years but has failed to find a buyer, including in December. According to a report in the Claremont-Courier, it failed to reach the reserve price, which was somewhere below its previous asking price of $4.25 million. A sigh of relief for the community, but the theater remains in limbo.

SEE ALSO: Laemmle calls off sale of Claremont 5 theater but needs more moviegoers

Carlos Casillas, who’s been a manager at the theater since it opened, said that community protests ensued in 2021 when plans to sell the theater and turn it into a structure equipped with an organic market, two restaurants on the second floor, and a rooftop bar were floated.

“The city would not let the theater be turned into anything else, so it pretty much demolished the plans of the buyers,” Casillas said in a phone interview. “They said it had to remain a theater because the community wanted that. Every time something like that happens, the community ensures that the theater doesn’t disappear.”

Among those in the community who have an affinity for the Claremont theater was Valverde, who had experience with Regal and AMC chains but longed to be a Laemmle employee. He worked intermittently at Buffalo Wild Wings until a busy Super Bowl Sunday when he got a call offering him a job at Claremont 5. Spoiler: He quit his cooking gig on the spot and joined the Laemmle team.

“The Laemmle has always had just a different aura to it than other theaters,” he said. “Everybody in and after high school wanted to work there. It has this cool art house vibe and wasn’t like the chains. You walk in there, and there’s somebody selling tickets who’s always dressed cool and knows about movies. It’s just a different feel and kind of like walking into a coffee shop.”

Valverde developed the idea for the “Twilight” contest. He was initially thinking of hosting a lookalike contest for Timothée Chalamet for the release of “A Complete Unknown.” Although the idea had potential, the film was released when local college students, a substantial part of the theater’s clientele, would be absent due to their winter breaks.

“So I put that idea in my back pocket, and then about a month ago, we started to think about doing special screenings, and I thought ‘Twilight’ would be this perfect opportunity to bring that idea back,” he said in a phone interview. “Everyone has been in a dorm room or your friend’s house, and you’ve put it on and laughed or said your favorite lines. That’s the feeling we want to recreate with this showing; we want it to be like 200 friends surrounding you.”

Valverde said most of the theater’s clientele base is supported by seniors who come in and watch films throughout the day. The theater staff and the seniors are on a first-name basis, with some regulars even bringing staff Christmas presents. However, Laemmle is missing a returning younger customer base, which has been challenging for them to maintain. Staff is working on establishing this in the long term.

The building blocks of appealing to younger audiences involve meeting them where they are, which is online for Gen Z and younger. The theater’s team advertised the “Twilight” screening and lookalike contest on TikTok, where they knew they could reach an audience who wasn’t as moved by traditional ads.

SEE ALSO: Movies in 2024: Lessons from a turbulent year at the box office

“They need a reason to put down TikTok and come out, so we have to have fun ways to engage with them,” he said. “Your average movie isn’t going to bring them in, so having these lookalike contests is the thing that will bring young people back. I do think movie theaters are going to be big again. In 2019, it was massive; everybody went to movies all the time. We just need to get back in the rhythm of going to the movies again.”

Returning to that rhythm means getting a more online group away from rival pastimes such as streaming services. Casillas attributes streaming as one of the leading factors in the theater’s ongoing struggle with attendance.

“All those big streaming companies like Netflix and Hulu buy the movies as soon as they come out,” he said. “It used to be a big movie studio that would buy it and put it into the market for months before it made it out to streaming and DVD or Blu-Ray. It’s hard for us to compete with something as big as Netflix, especially when we’re an independent movie theater, not as mainstream as AMC or Regal.”

A May 2024 report by Advan, showed that movie theater attendance is still below pre-pandemic levels but is slowly increasing, thanks in part to Gen Z audiences. According to the December report of the National Association of Theatre Owners, “The Strength of Theatrical Moviegoing,” 10-24 year-olds listed seeing a movie on opening weekend as their No. 1 preferred activity, regardless of time and money.

Dr. Alicia Kozma, director of Indiana University Cinema, attributes part of Gen Z’s increased enthusiasm as a reaction to the social distancing requirements that upended their social lives and the effects that linger.

“People go to the movies, not just for the content, but for the experience with other people,” Kozma said in a phone interview. “They are tired of watching things alone in their home and want to be out together. They don’t want to feel constrained by the algorithm because, oftentimes, that means they’re missing many things. They want to experience that same community, pleasure, joy and entertainment in person.”

Going to the movies together can feel like a solution to help combat a loneliness epidemic at a time when people between the ages of 15-24 spend 70% less time in person with friends than those of the same age did in 2003. Screening a movie like “Twilight” with a contest is a good way to boost that in-person engagement and get new people into the theater.

“Eventizing is really great for generating new audiences, but once they get in the door, that’s when you really want to use your programming to turn them into repeat customers, community members and supporters,” she said.

Kozma added that versatility is key for an arthouse to stay competitive, especially when it comes to funneling people away from more dominant theater chains at a time when all theaters don’t make much profit on ticket sales alone.

“A good theater and a good programming team understand that at any given time, your theater is four things to four different people, and really clear and consistent programming can take advantage of that so you can have the type of sustained audience community that you need to keep your doors open,” she said. “That doesn’t mean that you disregard or forget the audiences that have been there in the past, but it should have multiple audiences who all have their different needs met.”

Casillas said the theater is focusing on working with Claremont Colleges and their professors to set up some long-term programs where students and faculty can utilize the theater by hosting events. He added that special showings such as the “Twilight” screening and contest help boost appeal to those who may not usually come in.

The Laemmles also started World Wide Wednesdays, where they show foreign films. “Ma Mère,” “Blond Boy for the Casbah,” “Amal,” and “The Importance of Being Earnest” will be shown in the middle of the week and early on Saturdays and Sundays in February. This kind of programming also speaks to Claremont’s roots, where cinephiles in the “City of Trees and Ph.Ds” are able to catch flick out of indie and foreign studios.

“I love this place,” he said. “I’ve always appreciated that they were a family-owned business that tried to show these types of movies to the community, where otherwise there wouldn’t be a place to watch them. The fact that they’ve done it for so long and they’re still family-owned is something to be prideful about.”

​ Orange County Register 

Build upper body strength with the best pullup bars

• February 5, 2025

Which pullup bar is best?

Gym memberships can be expensive, especially when some of those gyms may not have the space or equipment you’re looking for. You may not even have a gym near your home, and you just want to be able to work out in your private space.

Pullup bars aren’t just useful for pullup exercises — many models can be used as pushup stations, dip stations and more. If you’re looking for a sturdy yet easily adjustable pullup bar, the Stud Bar Ceiling or Wall Mountable Pullup Bar is the top choice.

What to know before you buy a pullup bar

Installation

Pullup bars can be installed with four main types of mounts: tension mounts, leverage mounts, wall mounts and ceiling mounts. Other pullup bars are freestanding.

• Tension mount bar: A tension mount bar is similar to tension shower curtain rods, using tension to keep it in place and allowing it to be adjusted to various heights.
• Leverage-mounted bar: A leverage-mounted bar uses your door frame to keep it stable and can be great if you have a stable door frame.
• Wall-mounted bar: Wall-mounted bars attach to the wall and can be more stable than tension and leverage-mounted bars.
• Ceiling-mounted bar: Ceiling-mounted bars can be helpful if you don’t have the space to place a pullup bar anywhere else; just keep in mind how high your ceiling is.
• Freestanding bars don’t have any mounts at all; they just stand on their own.

Weight limit

Look for pullup bars that can handle your weight and then some, as you don’t want to get a bar that’s too close to your weight. Also, take into consideration if you want to do weighted pullups and how much weight you’ll be using if you’ll be doing weighted exercises. There are pullup bars that have weight capacities over 500 pounds, which can give you more than enough comfort when using them.

Height

If using a tension- or leverage-mounted pullup bar would be too low to do pullups, go with a wall or ceiling-mounted bar, which will likely give you more height to work with, but consider what heights you can reach in your home.

What to look for in a quality pullup bar

Different grips

Having a pullup bar with different grips can be helpful if you want to work out different muscles and add more variety to your workouts. The different grips can also allow you to do different workouts on the ground with the bar. Grips such as boulder grips can make pullups more difficult.

Padded grips

Most pullup bars with padding on the grips are made of soft materials such as foam, silicone, or rubber. Having padded grips can make pullups feel more comfortable. However, thicker grips can make pullups more difficult than having no grips on a bar, as larger grips place more work on the forearms.

How much you can expect to spend on a pullup bar

You can find some simple doorway-mounted or tension rod pullup bar designs for $10-$30. If you want a bar that can be more multipurpose and durable, those cost $30-$100. More advanced models with extra features cost from $100-$200.

Pullup bar FAQ

Is there a proper form for pullups?

A. Yes. The proper form consists of placing your hands with an overhand grip on the bar slightly wider than your shoulders. Have your thumbs next to your hands with the grip, not wrapped beneath the bar, and lift yourself up. Keep your shoulders back and maintain an arch while leading with your chest going up to the bar.

The pullup bar that I’m interested in doesn’t offer too many options. How important is my grip?

A. Even with the most basic pullup bar, you can do chin-ups using an underhand grip, and pullups using an overhand grip. However, for other grips such as a hammer or neutral grips, you’ll have to look for models that offer those grips. These grips can be less strenuous on the wrists and can be effective if you can’t do chin-ups or pullups yet.

What are the best pullup bars to buy?

Top pullup bar

Stud Bar Ceiling or Wall Mountable Pullup Bar

What you need to know: Giving you a gym-quality feel, this pullup bar can be placed either on the ceiling or wall of your home.

What you’ll love: The bar is adjustable, so you’re able to adjust it whether it’s mounted to the wall or ceiling. It has a great 600-pound capacity and comes with a lifetime warranty.

What you should consider: The bolts that come with the bar may weaken considerably after frequent use.

Top pullup bar for the money

Perfect Fitness Multi-Gym Pro Doorway Pullup Bar

What you need to know: Providing versatility with its multiple uses, this pullup bar can be adjusted to fit different door frame sizes.

What you’ll love: Along with being able to do pullups with the product, you can place it facing down toward the ground to perform pushups, situps, and more. It has a reliable 300-pound weight capacity.

What you should consider: The grips are on the thinner side.

Worth checking out

Stamina X Boulder Doorway Trainer

What you need to know: This pullup bar is quick to attach to your door trim with no installation needed, giving you quick access to your workouts.

What you’ll love: This item is supported by an audio coaching app that lets you integrate the equipment with the app. It offers various types of grips, including a unique boulder grip.

What you should consider: With no adjustable capabilities, you’ll need to have a sturdy doorway trim for this item to be useful.

Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

Check out our Daily Deals for the best products at the best prices and sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter full of shopping inspo and sales.

BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.

​ Orange County Register 

Trump’s suggestion the US ‘take over’ the Gaza Strip is rejected by allies and adversaries alike

• February 5, 2025

By DAVID RISING and JON GAMBRELL, Associated Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — President Donald Trump’s proposal that the United States “take over” the Gaza Strip and permanently resettle its Palestinian residents was swiftly rejected and denounced on Wednesday by American allies and adversaries alike.

Trump’s suggestion came at a White House news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who smiled several times as the president detailed a plan to build new settlements for Palestinians outside the Gaza Strip, and for the U.S. to take “ownership” in redeveloping the war-torn territory into “the Riviera of the Middle East.”

“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it too,” Trump said. “We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site, level the site, and get rid of the destroyed buildings, level it out, create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs.”

The comments came amid a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, during which the militant group has been turning over hostages in exchange for the release of prisoners held by Israel.

Egypt, Jordan and other American allies in the Middle East have already rejected the idea of relocating more than 2 million Palestinians from Gaza elsewhere in the region. Following Trump’s remarks, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement stressing the need for rebuilding “without moving the Palestinians out of the Gaza Strip.”

Saudi Arabia, an important American ally, weighed in quickly on Trump’s expanded idea to take over the Gaza Strip in a sharply worded statement, noting that its long call for an independent Palestinian state was a “firm, steadfast and unwavering position.”

“The kingdom of Saudi Arabia also stresses what it had previously announced regarding its absolute rejection of infringement on the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, whether through Israeli settlement policies, annexation of Palestinian lands or efforts to displace the Palestinian people from their land,” the statement said.

Similarly, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters in Canberra, Australia, that his country has long supported a two-state solution in the Middle East and that nothing had changed.

“Australia’s position is the same as it was this morning, as it was last year, as it was 10 years ago,” he said.

Trump has already made waves — and upset longtime allies — suggesting the purchase of Greenland, the annexation of Canada and the possible takeover of the Panama Canal. It was not immediately clear whether the idea of taking over the Gaza Strip was a well thought out plan, or an opening gambit in negotiations.

Albanese, whose country is one of the strongest American allies in the Asia-Pacific region, seemed frustrated to even be asked about the Gaza plan, underscoring that his policies “will be consistent.”

“I’m not going to, as Australia’s prime minister, give a daily commentary on statements by the U.S. president,” he said. “My job is to support Australia’s position.”

New Zealand’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that its “long-standing support for a two-state solution is on the record” and added that it, too, “won’t be commenting on every proposal that is put forward.”

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian also underscored Beijing’s longstanding support for a two-state solution.

“We oppose the forced relocation of people in Gaza and hope that the relevant parties will take the ceasefire and post-war governance in Gaza as an opportunity to push the Palestinian issue back on the right track,” he said.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told state-run Anadolu Agency that Trump’s proposal on “deportations from Gaza is not something that either the region or we would accept.”

“Even thinking about it, in my opinion, is wrong and absurd,” Fidan said.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called for the United Nations to “protect the Palestinian people and their inalienable rights,” saying that what Trump wanted to do would be “a serious violation of international law.”

Hamas, which sparked the war with its Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack on Israel, said Trump’s proposal was a “recipe for creating chaos and tension in the region.”

“Instead of holding the Zionist occupation accountable for the crime of genocide and displacement, it is being rewarded, not punished,” the militant group said in a statement.

In its attack on Israel, Hamas killed some 1,200 people, primarily civilians, and took about 250 hostages.

Hamas has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, Canada and the European Union.

Israel’s ensuing air and ground war has has killed over 47,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to local health authorities who do not say how many of the dead were fighters. The war has left large parts of several cities in ruins and displaced around 90% of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million people.

In the U.S., opposition politicians quickly rejected Trump’s idea, with Democratic Sen. Chris Coons calling his comments “offensive and insane and dangerous and foolish.”

The idea “risks the rest of the world thinking that we are an unbalanced and unreliable partner because our president makes insane proposals,” Coons said, noting the irony of the proposal coming shortly after Trump had moved to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development.

“Why on earth would we abandon decades of well-established humanitarian programs around the world, and now launch into one of the world’s greatest humanitarian challenges?” Coons said.

Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a Palestinian American member of Congress from Michigan, accused Trump in a social media post of “openly calling for ethnic cleansing” with the idea of resettling Gaza’s entire population.

Rising reported from Bangkok. Associated Press writers Zeke Miller in Washington, Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey, Simina Mistreanu in Taipei, Taiwan, Josef Federman in Jerusalem, Samy Magdy in Cairo and Charlotte McLay in Wellington, New Zealand, contributed to this report.

​ Orange County Register 

The best running headphones that won’t slip or fall

• February 5, 2025

Which running headphones are best?

Running is challenging enough without the added pain of your headphones slipping off your head or falling out of your ears. Running headphones are specially designed to stay in place while running or when engaging in other forms of vigorous exercise.

This guide will give you all the information you require to find the best running headphones.

What to know before you buy running headphones

Headphone type

While some people find standard in-ear or over-ear headphones work for them while running, the majority of folks have issues with these styles staying put. Enter the ear-hook headphones. These are essentially standard earbuds with an extra part that hooks over the ear to keep them in place. Most runners find these effective for running in. For the minority of people who still can’t stop them from slipping off their ears, there are models with a solid band that sits around the back of the neck, connecting the two earbuds together. Despite being bulkier, they tend to stay where they’re meant to be during exercise.

Wired vs. wireless

Wired headphones feature wires that run from each earpiece and plug into the headphone jack of your phone or other music-playing devices. Wireless headphones usually have a wire connecting the two earpieces, and then they connect to your device via Bluetooth. Wireless headphones are generally much less of a hassle for exercising in because you don’t have a wire in the way or restricting where you can stash your phone. Plus, it’s becoming more common for phones to do away with headphone jacks altogether. On the other hand, wired headphones tend to be cheaper than wireless models, don’t need recharging and can’t run out of battery.

What to look for in quality running headphones

Water-resistance

We’d recommend choosing running headphones with some degree of water resistance, so they won’t be damaged by sweat and they’re safe to run in the rain with.

External controls

Quality running headphones should have external controls to allow you to change the volume of the music you’re listening to, pause, play, and skip between tracks.

Noise cancellation

While noise cancellation can help you focus on running in noisy environments, running headphones should still let in a small amount of ambient noise so you’re aware of any hazards in your surroundings.

Cases

Some running headphones include cases to store them in when they’re not in use.

How much you can expect to spend on running headphones

If you’re looking for budget-friendly running headphones, you can find options between $10-$20. Midrange headphones cost about $20-$40, and high-end choices land between $50-$150.

Running headphones FAQ

Q. Can I take calls with my running headphones?

A. Many, but not all, running headphones have a built-in microphone, which allows you to easily take hands-free calls when your headphones are connected to your phone, either wirelessly or through the headphone jack. If this is a feature you want from your headphones, also ensure there’s a button positioned on the headphones or on their wires to answer incoming calls easily.

Q. Are ear-hook headphones suitable to wear with glasses?

A. If you’re a glasses wearer or you regularly wear shades while out on a run, you might be wondering if the ear hooks will interfere with your glasses. Luckily, in most cases, it’s comfortable enough to wear ear-hook-style headphones with glasses or sunglasses.

What are the best running headphones to buy?

Top running headphones

JLab Epic Air Sport ANC True Wireless Bluetooth 5 Earbuds

What you should know: These top-quality wireless running headphones are comfortable to wear for long periods and won’t come loose.

What you’ll love: They have active noise cancellation and automatically pause what you’re listening to when you take them out of your ears. They’re durable and do a good job staying in your ears, even during long sprints.

What you should consider: Some customers had trouble with the battery life decreasing after using them for a few months.

Worth checking out

mucro Foldable Wired Running Sports Headphones

What you should know: These headphones are a slightly different design with a solid band that runs around the back of the head — great for anyone who struggles to keep other headphones in place while running.

What you’ll love: They’re foldable, so they don’t take up too much room in your bag. They have a decent sound quality. They come with interchangeable earbuds of different sizes for a correct fit.

What you should consider: They lack volume control and are not wireless.

Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

Check out our Daily Deals for the best products at the best prices and sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter full of shopping inspo and sales.

BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. BestReviews and its newspaper partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links.

​ Orange County Register 

USPS has suspended parcels from Hong Kong and China. Here’s what it means for Shein and Temu

• February 5, 2025

By ZEN SOO, Associated Press Business Writer

HONG KONG (AP) — Americans are likely to pay more for products from popular Chinese e-commerce platforms like Shein and Temu as the U.S. Postal Service said it would stop accepting parcels from China and Hong Kong.

The move was announced Tuesday, coming after the U.S. imposed an additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods and ended a customs exception that allowed small value parcels to enter the U.S. without paying tax. Canada and Mexico managed to negotiate a month-long reprieve from 25% tariffs threatened by U.S. President Donald Trump.

It will likely impact online shopping destinations like Shein and Temu, popular with younger shoppers in the U.S. for cheap clothing and other products, usually shipped directly from China.

Cheap, direct postal service helps these companies keep costs low, as did the “de minimis” exemption that previously allowed shipments to go tax-free if their value is under $800.

The temporary suspension by USPS is likely to delay shipments and could mean higher prices in the long term.

What exactly did the USPS announce?

The U.S. Postal Service said in a notice that it would temporarily stop accepting inbound parcels from the China and Hong Kong Posts until further notice.

Letters and flats — mail that measures up to 15 inches (38 centimeters) long or 3/4 inches (1.9 centimeters) thick — are not affected.

Why did it happen?

The USPS did not state a reason in a brief announcement, but the suspension came after Trump closed the “de minimis” customs exemption this week that allowed shoppers and importers to avoid duties on packages worth below $800.

The exemption was removed as part of an executive order to levy a 10% tariff on Chinese goods.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection previously stated that it processes an average of over four million “de minimis” imports each week.

What is the impact and who is most affected?

Consumers and companies alike will no longer be able to send parcels to the U.S. from Hong Kong or China.

This move is likely to impact Chinese e-commerce firms like Shein and Temu, although Shein is likely to be more affected, according to Jacob Cooke, CEO of e-commerce marketing agency WPIC Marketing + Technologies.

Both companies have significant market share in the U.S.

“Compared to Temu, Shein relies more heavily on USPS for direct-to-consumer shipping from China, and without this channel, it will have to rely more on private carriers,” said Cooke.

“That will increase logistics costs, which along with the recent scrapping of the de minimis exemption for most products from China, could erode its price advantage.”

Cooke said Temu operates on a semi-consignment model and often ships bulk orders to the U.S. before fulfilling orders domestically.

“Temu’s model of sourcing low-cost goods should also enable the platform to absorb higher logistics costs and remain price competitive,” he said.

Shein and Temu did not immediately comment.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said China would take “necessary measures” to protect its companies, and urged the U.S. to “stop politicizing economic and trade issues and using them as a tool, and to stop unreasonably suppressing Chinese companies.”

What are possible ways for companies to work around the issue?

It is unclear how long the USPS suspension will last, but the effort to crack down on the de minimis excemption seems like a longer-term shift in policy, Cooke said.

“Shein and Temu will simply need to rely more on private carriers as a workaround to the USPS suspension,” he said.

In the long term, Shein could accelerate its warehouse expansion in the U.S., while Temu can double down on its semi-consignment model. By shipping in bulk to the U.S. and fulfilling orders domestically, logistics cost can be reduced, Cooke said.

“Shipping in bulk to the U.S. and fulfilling domestically can reduce logistics costs, but for Shein, this poses a longer-term disruption to their business model which has depended on rapidly developing new SKUs and shipping them directly to consumers,” Cooke said.

​ Orange County Register