By Pierre P Bairin, Christian Edwards, CNN

(CNN) — French President Emmanuel Macron said he wants his government to fast-track the legal process to ensure that a ban on social media use for children under the age of 15 can be in place before the start of the next school year in September.

“The brains of our children and adolescents are not for sale,” Macron said in a video released late Saturday by CNN’s French affiliate BFMTV. “Their emotions are not for sale or to be manipulated, whether by American platforms or Chinese algorithms.”

“We are banning social media for under-15s and we are going to ban mobile phones in our high schools. I believe this is a clear rule – clear for our teenagers, clear for families, clear for teachers,” he stressed.

A growing number of Western countries are seeking to enact sweeping legislation to safeguard young people from the potential harms of social media, following Australia’s landmark law in December that bans under 16s from having accounts on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and other platforms.

Macron’s announcement came days after the British government said it is considering a range of measures aiming to keep children safe online, including banning the use of social media for under-16s.

The French ban is being spearheaded by Laure Miller, a lawmaker from Macron’s Renaissance party. In an interview with the television channel associated with the French parliament, Miller said the government needed to take action because “right now, there is no age verification whatsoever.”

“You can enter any date of birth and access the platform. What we want to impose on platforms, by strictly enforcing the European Digital Services Act (DSA), is real age verification when you access a social network. That changes everything, because users will actually have to prove whether they are over or under-15,” she said.

While conceding that there will “always be ways” to circumvent the restrictions, she said France should “at least put our foot in the door when it comes to protecting minors online.”

Following Australia’s ban, more than 4.7 social media accounts deemed to be held by under 16s have been deactivated or removed, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said last month.

At the time, Albanese told CNN his government had implemented the ban because “we know that social harm is being caused, and therefore we have a responsibility as a government to respond to the pleas of parents and respond as well to the campaign of young people saying, just let us be kids.”

On the eve of the ban, Albanese addressed Australian teens in a video, urging them to “start a new sport, learn a new instrument, or read that book that has been sitting there on your shelf for some time.”

Elon Musk, the owner of X, signaled opposition to the ban in 2024, saying the proposal seems “like a backdoor war to control access to the Internet by all Australians.” X has, however, complied with the measures.

An impetus for the Australian ban was a book by the American social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, which was published in 2024. When the wife of South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas read “The Anxious Generation” – which argues that social media has corroded the mental health of children – she began to give her husband a nightly summary of its contents. “You better bloody do something about this,” she told Malinauskas, who soon commissioned a draft law on potential solutions in the state, which later became a federal campaign.

“The basic argument of the book is that we’ve overprotected our children in the real world and we’ve under-protected them online. We were wrong on both points.” Read more

By Kaanita Iyer, Jim Sciutto, CNN

(CNN) — President Donald Trump said the US used a weapon he referred to as a “discombobulator” to capture then-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro this month, but a senior US official said he’s likely conflating tools used by the US military.

“The discombobulator, I’m not allowed to talk about it,” Trump told the New York Post in an interview that published Saturday but added that it “made [enemy] equipment not work” during the capture.

The president may be conflating several capabilities into a single weapon that doesn’t exist, a senior US official told CNN. US forces did use cyber tools to disable early warning and other Venezuelan defense systems during the operation, it also utilized existing acoustic systems to disorient personnel on the ground.

The US military also for years has had a heat ray weapon, called the Active Denial System, which uses directed, pulsed energy. It’s not clear whether that was used as well.

CNN has previously reported that the ADS, according to the US military, is a nonlethal weapon that shoots an invisible beam of electromagnetic waves that can reach a little more than half a mile away. It penetrates human skin and creates a heating sensation that causes people to move away from the beam.

A few days after Maduro’s capture, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt reposted comments purportedly from a Venezuelan security guard who claimed the US “launched something” during the operation that “was like a very intense sound wave.”

“Suddenly I felt like my head was exploding from the inside,” the security guard added. “We all started bleeding from the nose. Some were vomiting blood. We fell to the ground, unable to move.”

That account hasn’t been verified by CNN.

According to CNN’s analysis of the January 3 operation, the US mission began with a series of strikes at targets across the country, which knocked out radar, communications and air defense infrastructure and cleared a path for US helicopters.

More than 150 aircraft – including bombers, fighters, intelligence and surveillance platforms – were launched from 20 bases on land and sea, according to Air Force Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff.

According to one expert, the US also likely used one-way attack drones for the strikes in the coastal city of Higuerote, which is the home to Venezuelan air defense systems.

Videos from when US forces landed inside the military complex of Fort Tiuna show sustained gunfire eruptions, the sound of which military experts say is consistent with Direct Action Penetrator MH-60 Black Hawks, a type of American attack helicopter, firing 30-millimeter autocannons.

The exact location within Fort Tiuna where Maduro was captured, and the details of what happened when US forces landed inside it, have not been fully revealed.

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CNN’s Natasha Bertrand contributed to this report.

The post Trump claims secret ‘discombobulator’ weapon was used to help capture Maduro appeared first on News Channel 3-12.

Por Gustavo Valdés y Uriel Blanco, CNN en Español

El Gobierno de Estados Unidos deportó el miércoles a Zharik Daniela Buitrago Ortiz, una mujer colombiana con ocho meses de embarazo que había llegado al país en noviembre del año pasado para solicitar asilo junto con otros miembros de su familia.

La deportación de Buitrago Ortiz se llevó a cabo a pesar de que había presentado una petición de habeas corpus en la que alega que tiene ocho meses de embarazo, que se encuentra en una situación de emergencia médica y que se le está negando atención médica mientras se encuentra bajo la custodia de las autoridades de inmigración estadounidenses, según un documento judicial revisado por CNN.

Buitrago Ortiz, de 21 años, se presentó en la frontera en Texas en noviembre junto a su mamá y sus hermanos para solicitar asilo “porque le habían matado a su padre en Colombia”, dijo a CNN Anthony Enriquez, vicepresidente de Litigio en el Centro de Derechos Humanos Robert & Ethel Kennedy y abogado que representa a la joven colombiana.

Desde el momento de su llegada, Buitrago Ortiz quedó en detención y fue transferida a una instalación en Louisiana, según Enriquez. Mientras que la entrevista de miedo creíble de la mamá de la joven colombiana fue aprobada por las autoridades estadounidenses y ha podido llevar su proceso en libertad, la de Buitrago Ortiz fue rechazada, indicó el abogado.

El abogado del Centro de Derechos Humanos Robert & Ethel Kennedy aseguró además que Buitrago Ortiz fue deportada pese a estar “en una situación médica grave, con dolores en el ombligo y la espalda” durante su octavo mes de embarazo. La joven colombiana sostenía, entre otras cosas, que se encontraba en una situación de extrema gravedad médica y que no podía ser deportada por vía aérea sin un riesgo grave para su salud y seguridad, así como para las de su hijo por nacer.

Buitrago Ortiz fue trasladada el miércoles en un vuelo comercial para su deportación, según Enriquez. La joven fue llevada primero de Louisiana a Atlanta, Georgia, donde hizo una escala, y de ahí salió con destino a Colombia, país al que llegó en la noche y pudo comunicarse con su mamá, dijo el abogado.

Enriquez intentó el mismo miércoles detener la deportación presentando una demanda en una corte federal en Georgia y, aunque la jueza de distrito Sarah E. Geraghty aprobó la moción, esta se emitió unas horas después de que la colombiana saliera del país, según el abogado. En el documento judicial se señala que “si la peticionaria aún no ha salido de Estados Unidos, se prohíbe a los demandados deportar a Buitrago Ortiz hasta el 30 de enero de 2026”.

En un comunicado, Tricia McLaughlin, subsecretaria para Asuntos Públicos del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional (DHS, por sus siglas en inglés), dijo a CNN que Buitrago Ortiz es una “presunta miembro de la banda Tren de Aragua” y que anteriormente “había ingresado ilegalmente a nuestro país, fue deportada y volvió a ingresar ilegalmente”, lo cual es un delito bajo la ley estadounidense.

“Los casos de solicitud de asilo pendientes no otorgan estatus legal (en Estados Unidos) y se le concedió la salida voluntaria del país”, añadió Tricia McLaughlin, subsecretaria de Asuntos Públicos del DHS, en una declaración por correo electrónico.

McLaughlin aseguró que “no existen registros” de que Buitrago Ortiz presentara problemas de salud antes de ser deportada.

“La política de ICE exige que toda persona programada para ser deportada sea sometida a un examen médico. Ortiz no fue la excepción y abordó con éxito su vuelo de deportación”, declaró la funcionaria del DHS.

Asimismo, McLaughlin indicó que “las mujeres embarazadas reciben visitas prenatales periódicas, servicios de salud mental, apoyo nutricional y atención médica acorde con los estándares de la comunidad”.

Enriquez negó las acusaciones contra Buitrago Ortiz y dijo que el Gobierno de

By Jordan Valinsky, CNN

New York (CNN) — Move over, protein. Fiber is on pace to be the next “it” nutrient of the year.

Consumers — particularly Gen Z — are fixated on stomach health, leading to the “fibermaxxing” trend taking hold on TikTok. As people try to maximize the fiber in their meals, major food companies are capitalizing on the trend with new, fiber-focused products.

“There is a consumer need in terms of digestion and gut health, and that’s something we’ve seen the last few years,” said Sherry Frey, health and wellness thought leader at NIQ. The younger generation, she added, understands that digestive health is linked to better skin and improved cognitive function.

Dataessential, a food and beverage research firm, found that 52% of consumers were interested in trying “fibermaxxing” after learning about the trend and that 42% of shoppers think food labeled “high fiber” is healthier.

Fiber builds on previous wellness-focused consumer trends, Frey told CNN. First was hydration, as seen with the rise of products like Liquid I.V. and Electrolit. Then protein, a trend that shows no sign of slowing down.

“The natural next step is for fiber,” she said, calling the converging of trends a “perfect storm.”

Also, fiber has been proven to trigger “a naturally occurring GLP-1 in our bodies,” she added, referencing the appetite-suppressing hormone in weight-loss drugs like Wegovy that are flooding the market.

Big Food responds

Consumers’ desire for fiber is already evident on grocery store shelves. Whole Foods’ forecast for 2026 said there are “more fiber-forward callouts on packaging” as well as more products with added fiber.

Thrive Market, a membership-based online supermarket, has seen fiber-related terms surge 30% over the past year with shoppers gravitating toward snacks, bars and supplements, a spokesperson told CNN.

Major food companies have taken notice: PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta said on its most recent earnings call in October that “fiber will be the next protein.”

“Consumers are starting to understand that fiber is the benefit that they need. It’s actually a deficiency in US consumers’ diets, and that will be elevated,” Laguarta told analysts. (More than 90% of woman and 97% of men don’t get their recommended daily intake of fiber, the US government said in 2020.)

PepsiCo is already bolstering its soda portfolio with fiber-forward products. Last summer, it launched a gut-friendly soda following its purchase of Poppi with “Pepsi Prebiotic Cola,” which includes added fiber. More products are on the way, including fiber-enhanced versions of its SunChips, Smartfood popcorn and Propel hydration packets.

McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski also recently predicted on his Instagram account that fiber “is going to be big” in 2026, perhaps signaling that the fast food chain could dip its toes into the trend.

Snacks, such as chips and puffed crackers, will be the battleground for fiber, Frey predicts, notably products made from legumes and beans. But taste is a factor, especially if it’s made from plant-based ingredients.

“C

By Kara Scannell, CNN

(CNN) — Federal prosecutors accuse two of New York’s top real estate brokers, and their brother, of sexually assaulting over a dozen women and young girls over a period that spanned more than a decade.

During the trial’s opening statements, which are scheduled for Monday, prosecutors are expected to describe to a jury how they believe the three brothers — Oren and Tal Alexander, the real estate brokers to the ultra-wealthy, and Alon, an executive at the family’s security company — used their wealth and position to lure women to lavish parties or vacation destinations, drug them with cocaine and club drugs, and violently rape and sexually assault them.

Law enforcement allege the brothers identified women they found attractive on dating apps through party promoters and chance encounters, and often would pool financial resources to pay for the women’s travel expenses, according to court filings. The alleged assaults occurred from 2008 until 2021 in luxury locations in the Hamptons, Aspen, Las Vegas, Manhattan, and during a Caribbean cruise, according to court filings.

Judge Valerie Caproni, who is presiding over the trial in the Southern District of New York, ruled that several of the accusers can testify using pseudonyms, including women who were minors at the time of the alleged assaults. More than 20 women could be called to testify in the case.

Prosecutors have argued in court that they have text messages between the brothers and others arranging travel in addition to photos and videos.

As of Friday, a jury of six women and six men was selected for the trial, which is expected to last at least a month.

The three brothers have pleaded not guilty to charges of sex trafficking and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, among other crimes. If convicted on all counts, they face at least 15 years and a maximum of life in prison. Oren and Alon also face state charges in Florida. All three brothers are defending themselves against multiple civil lawsuits.

The brothers hired lawyers for Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs

Lawyers for the brothers, twins Alon and Oren who are 38 years old, and Tal, who is one year older, have argued the women willingly participated in sex, were not forced to travel, and were not paid to have sex with their clients — young charismatic men living a partying lifestyle. Their lawyers have also said in a court filing last year that the allegations are old and were either not reported to police or “deemed not chargeable at the time they occurred.” They have also argued the criminal case is based on frivolous civil lawsuits.

“The evidence will show that these were consensual adult relationships, that no one was trafficked, coerced, drugged, or deprived of anything of value, and that the government’s case depends on hindsight, regret, and narrative, not facts. We are confident that when this case is tried in court, rather than in headlines, the truth will be clear,” said Juda Engelmayer, a spokesperson for the brothers.

In August, Oren Alexander hired seasoned criminal defense lawyers Marc Agnifilo and Teny Geragos, who weeks earlier represented music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs and successfully defended against sex trafficking charges. During Combs’ trial, the lawyers used witnesses’ text messages to undermine the prosecution theory that the alleged victims were coerced into sex acts. They also argued that many of the witnesses made up allegations and filed civil lawsuits to get a big p