## U.S. Capitol unveils statue of teen civil rights icon Barbara Rose Johns, taking Robert E. Lee's spot

Authored by nbcnews.com

Johns was 16 years old in 1951 when she led a student strike for equal education at R.R. Moton High School in Farmville, Virginia.

William Powell and became Barbara Rose Johns Powell, raised five children and was a librarian in the Philadelphia Public Schools.

The statue shows the young Johns standing to the side of a lectern, holding a tattered book over her head.

The statue replaces one of Lee that was removed in December 2020 from the Capitol, where it had represented Virginia for 111 years.

The Johns piece is part of the National Statuary Hall Collection at the Capitol, in which each state can contribute two statues.

In December 2020, a state commission recommended replacing Lee's statue with a statue of Johns.

Johns is also featured in a sculpture at the Virginia Civil Rights Memorial outside the state Capitol in Richmond. »

### Trump’s chief of staff confirms Trump is in the Epstein files as she torches Bondi

Authored by independent.co.uk

White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles confirmed that President Donald Trump’s name is in the Epstein files, claiming the late sex offender and Trump were “young, single playboys together.”.

Wiles, who also managed Trump’s 2024 campaign, told Vanity Fair she has read what she described as “the Epstein file.”.

open image in gallery White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles confirmed that President Donald Trump is in the Epstein files, telling Vanity Fair that the late sex offender and Trump were "sort of young, single playboys together." »

### The perfect plastic? Plant-based, fully saltwater degradable, zero microplastics

Authored by eurekalert.org

Last year, Aida and his team developed a plastic that could quickly degrade in salt water within several hours, without leaving any microplastics behind.

In the presence of salt water, the bonds holding the two polymers together came apart and the plastic decomposed.

“From this abundant natural substance, we have created a flexible yet tough plastic material that safely decomposes in the ocean. »

### A woman is suing the IRS to get pets classified as dependents and eligible for tax deductions

Authored by the-independent.com

A lawyer and her golden retriever are suing the Internal Revenue Service to try and get pets classified as legal dependents – a change that would have some tax benefits for pet owners.

While the IRS defines pets as property, Reynolds says this does not reflect Finnegan’s role in their household, according to QZ.

This includes Child Tax Credit (and Additional Child Tax Credit), the Credit for Other Dependents, and the Earned Income Tax Credit, the outlet reports. »

### Half-Life 3 is rumored to be a Steam Machine launch title and could arrive in spring 2026

Authored by engadget.com

For the diehard fans out there, the latest test of patience comes from Insider Gaming Weekly's podcast, which claimed that the third installment in the Half-Life franchise is set to release with the launch of the Steam Machine sometime in spring 2026.

"The window I was specifically told was spring 2026 for the Steam Machine, for the Frame, for the Controller, for Half-Life 3," Mike Straw, one of the hosts of the Insider Gaming Weekly podcast and senior editor at Insider Gaming, said.

Straw added that all the previous dates for an announcement of the next Half-Life game have passed, but that his sources "are still adamant this is a game that will be a launch title with the Steam Machine." »

## In pictures

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