Céline Dion (58 años, Quebec) ha regresado pisando fuerte al mundo de los espectáculos a gran escala. El pasado 17 de octubre, ofreció el último de sus conciertos en el Plenitude Arena en el centro de París. En su primera etapa, han sido 16 shows, 540.000 entradas vendidas, lo que le significó una recaudación de 112 millones de euros, según las cifras reveladas por Billboard Boxscore. La residencia —como se llama a una serie de 10 o más espectáculos en el mismo recinto— comenzó el 12 de septiembre en el que era su regreso a los escenarios después de seis años, cuando Céline Dion fue diagnosticada con el síndrome de la persona rígida. “Gracias, París, por recibirme de nuevo. Guardaré estos momentos conmigo durante mucho tiempo”, escribió la artista en su cuenta de Instagram, en la que acumula 12 millones de seguidores, tras finalizar el último espectáculo. Está previsto que regrese a la capital francesa para una segunda etapa esta primavera, con 10 conciertos programados entre el 8 y el 29 de mayo.
Saudi Arabia should resist pressure to join the Abraham Accords and champion an inclusive Makkah Defense Agreement to strengthen Muslim unity, regional sovereignty, and collective security against external hegemony. The Abraham Accords and the Risks of Strategic Realignment US President Trump needs to consider the geostrategic, geoeconomic, and geopolitical ramifications of repeatedly urging the Kingdom […]
Saca admitted to diverting more than $300 million in public funds during his 2004-2009 presidency.
Former Salvadoran President Elias Antonio Saca was released on Thursday after completing a 10-year prison sentence for embezzlement and money laundering involving more than $300 million in public funds.
The 61-year-old former president appeared in court to formally register his release after serving his sentence in full, without early-release benefits, his lawyer, Mario Machado, said.
Saca was sentenced in September 2018 to five years for embezzlement and another five for money laundering. Under a plea agreement, he admitted to diverting and laundering more than $300 million during his 2004-2009 administration, avoiding a potential 30-year prison sentence.
He was arrested in 2016 during his son’s wedding. Prosecutors accused him of siphoning money from the state budget for himself and others, including more than $7 million transferred to his former political party, the Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA).
Text Reads: Former El Salvador president Elías Antonio Saca regains his freedom after 10 years in prison! 🌟
During the trial, Saca acknowledged exploiting weaknesses in government oversight to transfer public funds to private accounts. He also disclosed that he had issued regulations allowing him to classify information about financial transactions as state secrets, shielding the transfers from scrutiny.
According to his testimony, the money was transferred over the course of his five-year presidency into 13 private bank accounts belonging to his former private secretary, Elmer Charlaix, and two other presidential staff members.
In 2019, Saca was convicted in a separate bribery case after offering $10,000 to a court employee in exchange for information about proceedings against him. A judge ruled that the additional sentence would be incorporated into his existing 10-year term.
He was also ordered to repay $260 million to the state. In another case involving the diversion of funds from Taiwan, he was sentenced to pay an additional $6 million. It remains unclear whether he has fulfilled that obligation.
Saca, a businessman and radio broadcaster who served as president under ARENA, is one of four former Salvadoran presidents to have faced corruption charges. His successor, Mauricio Funes, fled to Nicaragua in September 2016 and died there in 2025.
Haunted houses can make paranormal tourism a profitable economic strategy for cities. American Haunts, an industry trade group, estimated that the haunted-homes industry generates between $300 million and $500 million in annual ticket sales.
However, some homes have such dark histories that they're better left alone.
To find the most haunted home in every US state, Business Insider considered properties known locally for spooky occurrences, ghost sightings, or with horrifying backstories.
Some of these properties are open to the public, while others have been transformed and are now private residences.
Lucy Yang contributed to a previous version of this article.
ALABAMA: Sweetwater Mansion
Sweetwater Mansion in Florence.
Library of Congress
Located on Sweetwater Avenue in Florence, Alabama, this plantation home was built in 1835 by Gen. John Brahan and first occupied by Robert Patton, Brahan's son-in-law and, eventually, the governor of Alabama.
Many spooky stories are associated with this mansion, including one about the home's caretaker, who one day witnessed a casket appear out of thin air. Inside, she found a man dressed in a Confederate uniform, believed to be one of General Brahan's sons who died in the Civil War, AL.com reported.
Other examples of reported supernatural activities include distant voices of children's giggles and a woman in old clothes wandering the halls, as reported by Forbes.
Property records indicate that the private home, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976, was sold to a hospitality group in 2023. The Willingham, a graduate student magazine at the University of North Alabama, reported that although the sale was part of a hotel investment, the owners have since worked with the Sweetwater Foundation to restore the mansion and find a new purpose for it.
The foundation is led by a descendant of the original owners and also works with descendants of the estimated 300 enslaved people once connected to the property.
ALASKA: Jesse Lee Home for Children
US National Archives and Records Administration
Opened in 1926 as a sanctuary for orphaned children, this property was damaged in a 1964 earthquake and has remained abandoned since.
According to a widely reported urban legend, the spirits of several children are said to roam the hallways of the home after it closed as an orphanage. Visitors reported experiencing "dread and despair" when they walked inside and hearing giggling children and the sounds of jump ropes and bouncing balls, per Haunted Rooms, a ghost tour company.
By 2021, the home was mostly demolished by Seward City, with future plans still under discussion, KDLL reported.
ARIZONA: Winnie Ruth Judd's House
Hedwig Samuelson and Agnes LeRoi, a couple who rented this home, were murdered here in 1931.
Everett Collection/Shutterstock
In 1931, a 26-year-old medical secretary named Winnie Ruth Judd fatally shot two of her friends in this bungalow.
Dubbed the "Trunk Murderess," Judd was caught trying to dispose of her victims' corpses in Los Angeles after she stuffed their bodies into two trunks and other luggage.
After a jury found her legally insane, she was held at a mental health facility, but she escaped in 1962, vanishing for almost seven years before she was found in California, The New York Times reported. Her sentence was commuted in 1971, and she was paroled.
The house remains infamous in the area. Today, it serves as a working office for attorney Robert Warnicke, according to the local outlet KJZZ.
ARKANSAS: Allen House
Google Maps
Built in 1906 by local businessman Joe Lee Allen, this eye-catching home is said to be haunted by several spirits.
Local legend says Allen's daughter killed herself by consuming mercury cyanide on Christmas Day in 1948, according to the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism. Since then, her ghost is said to have haunted the two floors of this mansion.
While the house used to host ghost tours and haunted mazes, in 2024 the company running the tours announced it would no longer offer them because it was a private residence.
In 2023, the house was listed for $488,000. The listing was removed in March 2024, per Zillow.
CALIFORNIA: Winchester Mystery House
Library of Congress
This eerie mansion has an even creepier backstory. The home was built by Sarah Winchester after her husband, the creator of the Winchester rifle, died in 1881.
Since then, many have claimed, including Sarah herself, that the building is haunted by the spirits of those killed with her husband's invention, per Smithsonian Magazine.
She built the home to escape the angry spirits, and it has many quirks, including "a staircase that leads to nowhere, cabinets that open into walls, and a door that opens up to a 12-foot drop," Business Insider previously reported.
Today, it is open to visitors.
COLORADO: Henry Webber House
National Park Service
The history behind this quaint 1885 building, which is also known as Pioneer Park, is much darker than you'd think.
Henry Webber, a shoe and boot merchant who moved to Aspen in 1880, decided to build this home after making huge profits from his mining investments, per History Colorado.
The spooky story, though, involves Webber's wife, Harriet Webber, who died under "mysterious circumstances" and is said to haunt the house, The Aspen Times reported.
Today, the property is part of Pioneer Park and has been listed in the National Register of Historic Places since 1987, although the house itself — which was sold in 2021 for $11.5 million — remains a private residence.
CONNECTICUT: The Seaside Regional Center
The Seaside Regional Center is in Waterford.
Rachel Rose Boucher/Shutterstock
Formerly known as the Seaside Sanatorium, this building opened in the 1930s to treat children with tuberculosis.
In the 1950s, the property was renamed the Seaside Geriatric Hospital and served as a home for older patients for three years. After that, it reopened as the Seaside Regional Center, a home for people with mental illness, until it was closed in 1996.
Today, the abandoned spot is a popular destination for paranormal researchers, who claim to have seen ghostly orbs and other spooky phenomena, as reported by The New York Times.
In recent years, a developer has been fighting plans to demolish the property, which has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1996, according to the Connecticut Mirror.
DELAWARE: John Dickinson House
This home is in Dover.
Library of Congress
Also known as Poplar Hall, this plantation home was the childhood home of John Dickinson, one of the Founding Fathers of the US.
Local lore says the home is haunted by Dickinson himself, and visitors have reported hearing the "sound of a quill pen scratching across parchment paper," Delaware Today reported.
The house is owned by the State of Delaware and serves as a park where visitors can learn about Dickinson's life and the stories of the 59 enslaved people who once lived and worked on the plantation, per the National Park Service.
FLORIDA: Riddle House
Google Maps
Located in West Palm Beach, this private residence was first used as a funeral parlor in the early 1900s.
Legend has it that one of the homeowner's employees fell into financial hardship and hanged himself in the attic, the Palm Beach Post reported. His spirit is reportedly just one among many that haunt the home, said to be one of the most active haunted locations in South Florida.
Today, the house is part of the Yesteryear Village park and offers occasional ghost tours.
GEORGIA: Hay House
This mansion is in Macon and is part of The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation.
Doug Nurnberger/Shutterstock
Also known as the Johnston-Felton-Hay House or the "Palace of the South," this historic residence was built in the late 1850s. Since then, various sightings of spooky figures and swinging chandeliers have been reported.
Today, the mansion is owned by the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation and serves as a museum. The property has been in the National Register of Historic Places since 1974.
In 2010, a photographer claimed he captured a ghost on camera — wearing a top hat, no less — while snapping pictures of a wedding at the Hay House, as reported by Macon's The Telegraph.
HAWAII: 'Iolani Palace
A view of 'Iolani Palace from Kapiolani Boulevard in downtown Honolulu.
Faina Gurevich/Getty Images
Located in Honolulu, this residence was home to the island's last royal family until the monarchy was overthrown in 1893.
Since then, visitors and staff members have reported hearing footsteps and seeing the figure of a woman believed to be Queen Lili'uokalani, Honolulu Magazine reported.
Most recently, the National Historic Landmark, which is owned by the state, has become a tourist attraction.
IDAHO: Standrod Mansion
Standrod Mansion, built in 1901, at N. Garfield Avenue in Pocatello.
Carol M.Highsmith/Library of Congress
Built by a judge named D.W. Standrod in 1902, this mansion has a tragic backstory. Both of the Standrods' children died at a young age, and the home is said to be haunted by their spirits.
In 2020, the Idaho State Journal reported that a new owner, Barbara Magin, originally from New Jersey, revamped the property and brought it back to life.
Magin shared with the publication that when she visited the home, she felt it was trying to communicate with her, saying, "Help me."
"There are ghosts. I've had experiences with them. And I just told them that I was here to take care of the mansion," she said in the interview. "[They're] welcome to stay."
ILLINOIS: McPike Mansion
A guided tour at the McPike Mansion in Alton.
US Department of Transportation
Built in 1869 for local businessman Henry McPike, this three-story, 16-room brick house is said to be haunted by several spirits.
People have reported hearing children laughing when no one was present, seeing faces appear randomly in the home's windows, feeling touched, and more, according to the mansion's website.
Today, the private mansion is owned by Sharyn and George Luedke and regularly offers ghost tours.
A 2014 feature by Business Insider reported that many locals believe the ghosts of the home's former owners and their servants still surround it.
INDIANA: Culbertson Mansion
Thomas Kelley/Getty Images
The former home of William Culbertson, once the richest man in Indiana, this mansion and its carriage house are said to be haunted.
The carriage house burned down in 1888 after a lightning strike, killing everyone inside. Some believe their spirits roam the property, the Courier Journal reported.
Today, the historic site is owned by the state and offers haunted mansion tours in October.
IOWA: Villisca Axe Murder House
A newspaper clipping from June 14, 1912 reporting on the Moore murders.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library/Library of Congress
In 1903, Josiah Moore moved into this residence with his family.
On the night of June 9, 1912, Moore, his five family members, and two guests were brutally murdered in the home. All eight victims were bludgeoned to death with an ax.
The horrific crime was never solved, and the home — per multiple reports — remains haunted by the spirits of the victims.
As of 2024, the private home is owned by Lance Zaal and serves as a local attraction, the Villisca Axe Murder House, which offers tours and even overnight stays for $199 per night, according to its website.
KANSAS: Clutter Family Home
Four members of the Clutter family were murdered by two ex-convicts in The home picture here is from Nov. 2, 1979.
AP
On the morning of November 15, 1959, wheat farmer Herbert Clutter, his wife, and his two teenage children were found bound and shot to death in this home.
Ex-convicts Perry Smith and Richard Hickock were later arrested, convicted, and executed for the crime. American author Truman Capote eventually immortalized the Clutter tragedy in his non-fiction bestseller, "In Cold Blood."
The home, which has been owned by Leonard and Donna Mader, was previously open to tours but is now closed to the public.
KENTUCKY: Loudoun House
Library of Congress
A shining example of Gothic Revival architecture, this elegant home was built in 1851 for Francis Key Hunt.
Some visitors have reported seeing a ghostly woman and capturing orbs in pictures, per Paranormal Traveling.
Today, the mansion is owned by the City of Lexington and is the home of the Lexington Art League and its galleries.
LOUISIANA: Myrtles Plantation
Spanish moss hanging from Crepe Myrtle trees at night outisde the Myrtles Plantation in St. Francisville.
wanderluster/Getty Images
The Myrtles Plantation has been haunted by a series of deaths on its property, including that of two of the owner's children in the 1820s, per Nola.com.
Since then, the plantation has been said to be one of the most haunted homes in the US.
Today, the plantation functions as a hotel with restaurants on-site. The plantation also offers a variety of tours, including an evening "mystery" tour, per the hotel's website.
MAINE: Wood Island Lighthouse
Wood Island Lighthouse in Biddeford.
Chausa Tra/Shutterstock
The 11th-oldest lighthouse in the US, Wood Island Light, was built in 1808 under the orders of then-President Thomas Jefferson.
According to one urban legend shared by the lighthouse's website, it is haunted by the ghost of a fisherman named Howard Hobbs. In 1896, Hobbs shot and killed his landlord, Frederick Milliken, before turning the gun on himself.
Today, the lighthouse is owned by the US Coast Guard and is maintained by the Friends of Wood Island Lighthouse, who run a variety of tours on the property.
MARYLAND: Hager House
This home is in Hagerstown.
Alejandro Guzmani/Shutterstock
This stone house, constructed in the mid-1700s, was built by German immigrant Jonathan Hager, the founder of Hagerstown.
The property is reportedly haunted by as many as 13 ghosts of former residents who died in the home. Visitors have reported hearing disembodied voices and footsteps, seeing objects move on their own, and other paranormal activity, per the Herald-Mail.
Today, the house is owned by the City of Hagerstown and serves as a museum that offers guided tours.
MASSACHUSETTS: Jonathan Corwin House
Judge Jonathan Corwin's home in Salem.
AlessandroV/Shutterstock
Known as the Witch House, this structure is the only remaining building with direct ties to the Salem witch trials.
It is the former residence of Jonathan Corwin, who served as a judge during the hearings that led to the executions of 20 innocent people, falsely accused of witchcraft.
Today, the building is owned by the City of Salem and opens seasonally as a museum, per its website.
MICHIGAN: Bruce Mansion
Google Maps
Built by lumber baron John G. Bruce in 1876, this building has been a popular destination for paranormal investigators.
The house, which at some point served as a location for church events and funerals, saw multiple of its owners die on the property, including John Walker, who is said to have hanged himself in the mansion's central tower after running over a pedestrian and burying him in the backyard, the County Press reported.
Since then, multiple tenants in the house have moved out due to paranormal activity, the County Press also reported.
These days, the home is privately owned and hosts mystery tours, per its website.
MINNESOTA: Glensheen Mansion
GummyBone/Getty Images
On June 27, 1977, an 83-year-old millionaire heiress named Elisabeth Congdon and her nurse, Velma Pietila, were murdered in this massive mansion, as reported by Minnesota Public Radio.
Roger Caldwell, the husband of one of Congdon's adopted daughters, Marjorie, was later arrested and convicted of the crimes. Marjorie herself was charged, but acquitted, of aiding and abetting and conspiracy to commit murder.
In 1982, Caldwell's conviction was overturned based on new evidence introduced during Marjorie's trial. Although Caldwell was offered a new trial, he confessed to the murders after prosecutors cut him a deal.
However, Caldwell only served a little over five years before he was released from prison. He died by suicide in 1988.
Today, the mansion serves as a museum, venue, and beer garden, and offers a variety of tours, per its website.
MISSISSIPPI: The Longfellow House
Library of Congress
Also known as Bellevue, this building was built in 1850 as a private home for slave trader and pirate Daniel Smith Graham.
According to local legend, the building is haunted by the ghosts of the men, women, and children who were abused by Graham, who is said to have been sadistic and cruel, per the house's historical marker.
Today, the private residence is one of the last antebellum houses on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
MISSOURI: Epperson House
Google Maps
Now part of the University of Missouri-Kansas City, this four-story building is known for its many secret passageways and reported hauntings.
Built by businessman Uriah Epperson in 1923, the 54-room house was donated to the university in 1942 after Epperson's passing over a decade earlier, and it briefly served as a Navy dormitory during World War II, per Fox 4 News in Kansas City.
Since then, the house has gathered local legends of paranormal activity, with reports saying people have heard footsteps and music.
Today, the house is planned to be renovated and turned into a boutique hotel, as reported by Fox 4 News.
MONTANA: Daly Mansion
Tara Krauss/Getty Images
This mansion was bought in 1886 by businessman Marcus Daly, one of the three "Copper Kings" of Montana during the Gilded Age.
Staff have reported paranormal activity in the mansion, such as the smell of roses when none are around and fire alarms going off inexplicably, the Missoulian reported.
Today, the property is owned by the State of Montana and run by the Daly Mansion Preservation Trust. The mansion can be rented for events like weddings and offers seasonal tours inside the property.
NEBRASKA: Fort Sidney
Fort Sidney Museum is located in the Officer's Quarters and is reputed to be haunted.
Google Maps
In 1975, the Lincoln Journal Star published a story titled "A Ghost at Ft. Sidney? Well..." which tried to determine whether the ghost of a young officer's wife still roamed the home.
According to local legends, this historic building, which was once a supply station and trailhead for gold-seekers, is haunted by the ghost of a young officer's wife, who broke her neck in 1885 after falling down a staircase.
Upon her death, the husband boarded up the staircase. However, visitors have said they've heard noises of a person walking up or down the staircase and falling.
Built in 1863 by millionaires Lemuel "Sandy" Bowers and his wife, Eilley, this historic building is said to be haunted by Bowers himself.
According to locals, after Mrs. Bowers' death, many people saw a green light floating around the grounds, along with shadows and the voices of spirits.
Today, the mansion is owned by Washoe County Parks and operates as a seasonal museum.
NEW HAMPSHIRE: Ocean-Born Mary House
Library of Congress
According to local lore, this home is haunted by a woman named Mary Wallace, a folklore figure more commonly known as "Ocean-Born Mary." Her spirit is said to protect the property, where her husband was murdered over a pirated treasure, per New Hampshire Magazine.
Today, the house is a private residence.
NEW JERSEY: Seabrook-Wilson House
This home is in port Monmouth.
Andrew F. Kazmierski/Shutterstock
Also known as the Spy House, this property dates back to 1650, when it was a popular drinking spot for both British and Colonial soldiers.
Now, some say the old tavern is home to as many as 22 different ghosts, from a "devil-worshiping sea captain" to a "blood-thirsty pirate" in the basement, according to the Best of NJ.
NEW MEXICO: Luna Mansion
Google Maps
Formerly a steakhouse, the Luna Mansion is said to be haunted by as many as four ghosts. The most famous is Josefita, who was once the lady of the opulent home, per local news outlet KOAT.
Patrons of the restaurant claimed to have seen an empty rocking chair move back and forth as Josefita appeared and watched them eat.
Today, the building operates as a historic event venue that hosts haunted house tours, according to its website.
NEW YORK: Amityville Horror House
Paul Hawthorne/Getty Images
In 1974, this expensive estate became the site of a horrific mass murder when 23-year-old Ronald J. DeFeo Jr. fatally shot his parents and four siblings.
One year later, George and Kathy Lutz moved into the home with their three children. After only 28 days, however, the Lutz family left, claiming that they had been terrorized by paranormal phenomena such as strange odors, slamming doors, and a voice that screamed: "Get out."
Their claims eventually became the subject of Jay Anson's best-selling book, "The Amityville Horror: A True Story."
NORTH CAROLINA: Biltmore Estate
Wirestock/Getty Images
Among the largest private homes in the US, the massive 8,000-acre Biltmore Estate is said to be haunted by Edith, the wife of its original owner, George Washington Vanderbilt II, of the wealthy Vanderbilt family.
Visitors have reported hearing her laughing and calling for her husband inside the property, per Explore Asheville.
Today, the historic mansion serves as a museum, an attraction, and a winery.
NORTH DAKOTA: Chateau De Mores
GummyBone/Getty Images
Originally built in 1883 as a summer home for Antoine de Vallombrosa, the Marquis de Mores, the 26-room, two-story home is now a museum. However, some people believe this historic building is haunted by a female spirit, the Minot Daily News reported.
Today, the house is a historic site open to the public.
OHIO: Ohio State Reformatory
ullstein bild Dtl./ullstein bild via Getty Images
Built in 1896, the Ohio State Reformatory was designed as a middle-tier prison for criminals too old for a juvenile detention facility but who had committed lesser offenses than those sent to the state penitentiary, according to the building's website.
The state began withdrawing funding from the facility in the 1960s, and by the 1980s, the building had severely deteriorated, leading to its closure in 1990.
In 1994, the film "The Shawshank Redemption" was filmed on the property.
Once filming wrapped, the Mansfield Reformatory Preservation Society, a nonprofit organization, purchased the property for $1 and opened its doors to the public for ghost tours. The home now attracts more than 120,000 visitors each year, and ticket sales help fund property restoration.
Visitors can tour the facilities during regular times or visit during the seasonal "Blood Prison" offerings, which include themed tours and escape rooms.
OKLAHOMA: Skirvin Hotel
Aerial view of the Skirvin Hilton, Oklahoma City.
Aaron Yoder/Getty Images/iStockphoto
While Oklahoma has its fair share of haunted homes, the Skirvin Hotel is one of its most famous.
Over the years, many of the hotel's guests, including several NBA players, have claimed to see a ghost named Effie, who is said to have died at the hotel, The New York Times reported.
Legend has it that Bush's youngest daughter, Eugenia, still haunts the home. Visitors have claimed they've heard female voices and described random cold spots when visiting the mansion, per the Oregonian.
PENNSYLVANIA: The Farnsworth House
George Sheldon/Shutterstock
This bed-and-breakfast is said to be haunted by the ghosts of Confederate soldiers, a nurse named Mary, several other women and children, and even some cats, as reported by Fox 43.
These days, the privately owned home is popular for its group dining experiences and ghost tours.
RHODE ISLAND: The Breakers
AlexandreFagundes/Getty Images
The Breakers in Newport is the second Vanderbilt property on this list. The estate, which served as a summer home for Cornelius Vanderbilt II in the late 19th century, is said to be haunted by his wife, Alice, per Visit Rhode Island.
Today, the historic mansion is a museum open to the public.
SOUTH CAROLINA: Magnolia Plantation and Gardens
Thomas J Crawford/Getty Images
Originally acquired by Stephen Fox in the early 17th century and passed down to his son-in-law Thomas Drayton, the Magnolia Plantation encompassed more than 1,700 acres of land cultivated by enslaved people prior to the Civil War.
The property still has four preserved slave cabins on its grounds.
Various reports of creepy voices, growls, and the sound of music have shrouded this Charleston plantation in mystery over the years, per CBS News.
Today, the plantation is a museum and is open to the public.
SOUTH DAKOTA: Bullock Hotel
GummyBone/Getty Images
Some believe this building is haunted by its original owner, Seth Bullock, per Legends of America.
Guests have reported feeling a "ghostly presence" on the second and third floors of the hotel, while others have said they've smelled a cigar burning, heard boots and ragtime music, or seen floating glasses.
TENNESSEE: Carnton Mansion
Carnton is a historic home and museum in Franklin, Williamson County.
Mariusz S. Jurgielewicz/Shutterstock
This plantation served as a field hospital on November 30, 1864, during one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. The site is said to be haunted by the ghosts of fallen Confederate soldiers, per a town website.
TEXAS: Menger Hotel
Gerald Zaffuts/Getty Images
The Menger Hotel, which opened its doors in 1859, is among the oldest hotels in San Antonio.
Its founder, William Menger, a brewer from Germany, began by opening a tavern, only to realize that those who came to drink there often needed a place to sleep afterward. That's when he and his wife, Mary Menger, launched a small inn next to the tavern.
Soon after, the place became successful and was revamped into a bar similar to the House of Lords Pub in London, according to local news outlet KSAT. It was frequented by famous figures, most notably Theodore Roosevelt.
Legend has it that this historic hotel is haunted by several spirits, from a murdered maid named Sallie White to famed riverboat captain Richard King, per Texas Monthly.
UTAH: McCune Mansion
todamo/Getty Images
The construction of this Victorian mansion began in 1898 and was completed in 1901.
In 1999, the McCarthey family purchased it and helped restore it to its original architectural style. Since then, many people have booked the place for private events such as weddings.
However, according to local reports, this popular wedding venue is said to be haunted by two spirits: a man believed to be Alfred McCune and a young girl, per Only In Utah.
VERMONT: Hartness House
Google Maps
James Hartness, a politician, inventor, and astronomer, built the Hartness House in the early 1900s. During that time, several underground tunnels were built on the estate to support the former owner's work and create private office space for him.
In the 2000s, the small hotel underwent renovation and reopened as a boutique inn.
Since then, many locals have reported several paranormal activities, suggesting that the underground tunnels are home to several ghosts, per NewEngland.com.
VIRGINIA: Ferry Plantation House
Bill Chizek/Getty Images
Built in the 1640s, this plantation is reportedly home to 11 spirits, including that of Henry, an enslaved man who was likely born on the plantation, per WHRO, Norfolk, Virginia's public radio.
Today, the historic house is owned by the City of Virginia Beach and run by The Friends of the Ferry Plantation House. The house offers a variety of paranormal tours.
WASHINGTON: Thornewood Castle
National Park Service
Local legends claim that this estate, located in the town of Lakewood, is haunted by the ghosts of several former residents.
Interestingly, in 2002, the castle was featured as a haunted mansion in Stephen King's miniseries, "Rose Red."
WEST VIRGINIA: West Virginia State Penitentiary
Library of Congress
This creepy site operated as a prison for the state of West Virginia from 1876 to 1995.
The Gothic-style building is said to be haunted by numerous spirits, and visitors have reported feeling their hair being pulled and hearing voices telling them to leave, local news station WTRF reported.
The building, owned by the state, operates today as a tourist facility, offering a variety of tours.
WISCONSIN: Brumder Mansion
Google Maps
This charming bed-and-breakfast is also a popular destination for ghost hunters and paranormal investigators.
The property is said to be home to at least three known spirits, and visitors have reported seeing shadowy figures and moving chairs, per Paranormal Milwaukee.
Today, the 1910 privately owned building serves as a bed-and-breakfast and event venue.
WYOMING: Occidental Hotel
Maisna/Getty Images
Over the years, this historic 1880 hotel has been home to gold miners and criminals, and it even served as a brothel.
Disney has embraced TikTok's Live feature to do red-carpet interviews for premieres, featuring personalities like Carter Kench.
Julian Hamilton/Getty Images
Influencer marketers from Disney, the NFL, and more shared novel ways they're using platforms today.
They're embracing Substack for cultural cachet, Threads to experiment, and YouTube for entertainment.
Brands are also bringing creators in earlier, treating them more like creative partners.
Creators are jumping among an ever-wider mix of platforms and formats — and brands are scrambling to follow them.
We asked the most innovative marketers working with influencers which platforms and tactics have their attention right now — and why.
Marketers from Disney, e.l.f. Beauty, and others told us they're using platforms like TikTok to own the red carpet, Substack to align with tastemakers, and Threads to experiment.
"YouTube is a home for creators. TikTok is a great way to get discovery," said Ian Trombetta, the National Football League's senior vice president of global social, creator, and content marketing. "And then Instagram is another big one for us as it relates to discovery. Even platforms like X and Reddit have a really important role to play."
Beyond platforms, brands like Keurig Dr Pepper are also exploring ways to work directly with creators, involving them earlier in the campaign process.
"A major shift has been pivoting away from rented reach to true collaboration," said Samim Sadrzadeh, Disney's director of creator content and partnerships. "For a long time, the industry treated creators as ad placements. We think that significantly undersells the value they actually bring."
Substack, Threads, and more
YouTube and creators are taking over the living room, and marketers like e.l.f. Beauty and St. Jude's fundraising organization ALSAC are leaning in, not wanting to be left behind.
"We have a lot of plans around long-form content, and that's a great place to show up," said Patrick O'Keefe, e.l.f. Beauty's chief integrated marketing officer. "We've been on YouTube for years. We're now looking at it from the lens of entertainment."
Others, like Poppi and Rothy's, are embracing the newsletter platform Substack to partner with creators. For some creators, Substack has become a way for them to get more personal with their biggest fans. That helps Poppi plan collaborations, said Sophia Sesto, Poppi's vice president of culture.
Under creator marketer Kemma Kefalas, Yahoo has leaned into Threads to try out new things.
Yahoo
Yahoo has found value in Meta's Threads as a way to try out ideas in a lower-key environment before putting them out on bigger platforms, especially if it's jumping on a cultural moment and isn't sure how the effort will go over. When Taylor Swift released "Patient Zero," Yahoo riffed on it with a Thread that tied the "Os" in its name to the song.
"I think it's a little less precious over there, and it feels like a fun place to kind of gut check certain things, see how they'll perform," said Kemma Kefalas, Yahoo's senior director and head of Creative Lab. "It's just been a nice kind of litmus test for us."
Disney has especially found success with TikTok's Live feature, finding it a customizable way to build excitement for premieres. For "Zootopia 2," it had the viral squirrel character Nibs interview cast on the red carpet, while internet personality Carter Kench played host for the "Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special."
"Those moments work because we treated the platform as a canvas for a new kind of storytelling that connects directly to audiences in real time," Sadrzadeh said.
Brands are going direct
Platforms may always be a necessary part of doing business with creators. But going direct has become a bigger buzzword as many brands seek to bypass platforms entirely.
Keurig Dr Pepper, for one, wouldn't typically hire a creator through a platform's marketplace, said Lindsay Burstein, senior director of integrated social and communications, using TikTok as an example.
"We would hire the creator, have them post on TikTok. Then we have the ability to use that content and distribute it across multiple channels, but slice it up in different ways that make sense for that channel."
Influencers spent a long time trying to convince marketers to take them seriously. This year, marketers are expected to spend $44 billion with creators, more than tripling in five years, per the Interactive Advertising Bureau.
As brands increasingly treat creators as long-term partners, they're engaging with them earlier in the marketing process.
Yahoo's approach is to find creators who are entertaining and figure out how to insert itself into their work, rather than vice versa, as it did with TV persona Kyle Cooke to promote its new Yahoo Weather app.
"We're working with them for the entertainment that they bring to people, and we'll Yahooify it," Kefalas said. "Our briefs are often loose in those regards. We're not doing a lot of 'talk to camera, promote products' kind of thing. We've gotten a lot of positive feedback from creators that they've loved that opportunity to just do what they do best."
Eni Award 2026: premiate le migliori ricerche su transizione energetica, ambiente e nuove tecnologie alla presenza del Presidente della Repubblica Sergio Mattarella
Si è svolta al Palazzo del Quirinale, alla presenza del Presidente della Repubblica Sergio Mattarella, la cerimonia di premiazione degli Eni Award 2026, giunti alla loro diciottesima edizione. All’evento hanno partecipato anche la Presidente del Consiglio di Amministrazione di Eni, Giuseppina di Foggia, e l’Amministratore Delegato Claudio Descalzi.
Il premio, riconosciuto a livello internazionale nel mondo della ricerca, è dedicato ai temi dell’energia e dell’ambiente e punta a valorizzare studi e innovazioni capaci di contribuire alla sostenibilità, all’accesso all’energia e alla transizione verso modelli più efficienti e a minore impatto ambientale.
Dalla nascita di Eni Award, nel 2008, la Commissione Scientifica incaricata di valutare le candidature ha coinvolto ricercatori appartenenti ad alcuni dei principali istituti scientifici internazionali, tra cui anche sei Premi Nobel. Il premio Transizione Energetica, dedicato alle migliori innovazioni per la decarbonizzazione del sistema energetico, è stato assegnato alla Professoressa Véronique Gouverneur della University of Oxford.
La sua ricerca ha aperto nuove prospettive nella chimica del fluoro, attraverso processi più sicuri e sostenibili per la produzione di composti utilizzati nelle batterie, nei farmaci e nei prodotti per l’agricoltura. Le tecnologie sviluppate consentono di evitare la produzione di acido fluoridrico, riducendo consumi energetici e impatto ambientale. Gouverneur ha inoltre dimostrato la possibilità di recuperare il fluoro dai rifiuti industriali, secondo un approccio di economia circolare.
Il premio Frontiere dell’Energia, destinato alle ricerche capaci di contribuire a ridefinire il paradigma energetico del futuro, è stato assegnato alla Professoressa Laura Gagliardi della University of Chicago. La sua attività di ricerca ha sviluppato modelli matematici avanzati basati sulla meccanica quantistica, capaci di prevedere le proprietà dei materiali prima ancora della loro realizzazione in laboratorio, accelerando così i processi di sperimentazione.
Il lavoro si concentra sulla progettazione di materiali innovativi per l’energia e l’ambiente, comprese strutture reticolari definite come vere e proprie “spugne molecolari”, in grado di catturare anidride carbonica dall’aria e raccogliere acqua dall’umidità atmosferica. Gli studi contribuiscono inoltre al miglioramento dell’efficienza dei processi catalitici, aprendo nuove possibilità per lo sviluppo di tecnologie energetiche più sostenibili.
Il premio Soluzioni Ambientali Avanzate è stato assegnato a John F. Hartwig della University of California, Berkeley. La ricerca premiata riguarda lo sviluppo di un processo catalitico scalabile e sostenibile per il riciclo della plastica, capace di scomporre polietilene e polipropilene nei loro componenti fondamentali, che possono essere riutilizzati per produrre nuovi materiali senza perdita di qualità.
Una soluzione che punta a favorire il riciclo circolare della plastica, riducendo rifiuti, consumo di materie prime fossili ed emissioni. Il premio Giovane Ricercatore dell’Anno, rivolto a studiosi che hanno conseguito il dottorato di ricerca in università italiane, è stato assegnato a Leonardo Magherini e Filippo Trevisi.
Leonardo Magherini, del Politecnico di Torino, ha studiato nella propria tesi di dottorato i meccanismi di trasporto di diverse tipologie di particelle presenti nell’acqua, che possono rappresentare una criticità ambientale ma anche diventare strumenti per le attività di bonifica. Filippo Trevisi, del Politecnico di Milano, ha invece approfondito una nuova tecnologia eolica basata sui ventoplani, velivoli collegati a terra tramite un cavo e capaci di volare ad alta quota lungo traiettorie circolari. Una soluzione pensata anche per contesti nei quali non è possibile installare turbine eoliche tradizionali.
La sezione Giovani Talenti dall’Africa, istituita nel 2017, ha premiato Nosakhare Jeremiah Aigbedion della Pan African University Institute for Basic Sciences, Technology and Innovation, in Kenya, e Gosego Keotshepile Mapula Sedikelo della University of South Africa. La ricerca di Aigbedion punta allo sviluppo di nuove leghe metalliche più resistenti e durevoli per migliorare l’accumulo di energia negli impianti solari a concentrazione, così da permettere la produzione di elettricità anche dopo il tramonto.
Il lavoro di Sedikelo sviluppa invece un metodo basato sugli ultrasuoni per recuperare metalli preziosi come litio, nichel e cobalto dalle batterie esauste, favorendone il riutilizzo nella produzione di nuovi accumulatori. Per la sezione Eni for Innovation, dedicata ai progetti più innovativi sviluppati da ricercatori ed esperti tecnici del Gruppo, sono stati premiati tre gruppi di lavoro.
Mario Baldassarre, Mauro Burattini, Rosa Carbone, Davide Chianetta e Davide Deriu di Eni hanno sviluppato un processo innovativo per la valorizzazione degli scarti alimentari, con l’obiettivo di massimizzare la resa in prodotti energetici. Fabio Assandri, Francesco Bonacini, Angelo Ferrando, Ilic Formigoni, Marzia La Barbera, Mirco Nodari e Nicola Vecchini di Versalis sono stati premiati per una tecnologia avanzata di pirolisi destinata al riciclo di rifiuti plastici misti a composizione altamente variabile.
A Francesco Cannarile, Aurora Cerabolini, Roberto Grandi, Lorenzo Lancia, Debora Parisi e Gianmaria Tarantino di Eni è andato invece il riconoscimento per una metodologia dedicata alla specializzazione efficiente dei Large Language Model (LLM) per applicazioni nei domini aziendali. Anche nel 2026 Eni, attraverso Joule, la propria Scuola per l’Impresa, ha assegnato la menzione speciale Eni Joule for Entrepreneurship, rivolta a team, spin off universitari e startup impegnati nello sviluppo e nel trasferimento di tecnologie sostenibili.
Tre le realtà premiate: Alkelux, Hypermeteo e Algae Scope. Alkelux produce un nanopolimero ecosostenibile utilizzato come additivo nel packaging alimentare, valorizzando gli scarti delle lavorazioni agricole.
Hypermeteo raccoglie, elabora e distribuisce dati e indici meteo-climatici certificati ad alta risoluzione, combinando dati osservativi globali, intelligenza artificiale e algoritmi proprietari. Algae Scope sviluppa invece alternative sostenibili ai PFAS, trasformando le alghe marine in una polvere naturale e atossica capace di conferire ai tessuti e ai materiali proprietà idrorepellenti e ignifughe. Sono intanto già aperti i bandi per l’edizione 2027 di Eni Award. Il termine per la presentazione delle candidature è fissato al 20 novembre 2026.
Cavities aren't the only Halloween candy hazard — many sweets can cause a fright to teeth and dental work even in adults, a dentist warns.
Hard sweets can crack a tooth, while sticky treats can pull out dental work, potentially turning a trick-or-treat haul into an expensive dental visit, according to Dr. Marc Lazare, a New York City dentist who has practiced for nearly 30 years and focuses on biomimetic dentistry.
"I'm never going to be the dentist who says, 'Don't enjoy Halloween. Don't have candy,'" he told Fox News Digital. "I love Halloween."
It's all about moderation, he said.
As a dentist, he said he evaluates candy by how it could damage teeth: "Can it harm the enamel? Can it contribute to decay and cavities? Can it pull out a filling or a crown? Can it crack a tooth?"
People with fillings, posts, crowns, existing cracks or teeth weakened by grinding are particularly vulnerable, he noted.
Hard sweets can force people to crunch down, which may crack or split a tooth, especially one that has already been restored, Lazare said.
"Anything where you have to force a crunch is not good," he said.
Super-sticky candies and caramels can cling to teeth and pull out fillings or crowns. Chewy sweets can get stuck between teeth, prolonging sugar exposure and what Lazare called an "acid attack."
Sour candy can also expose enamel to acid, he warned. He recommended avoiding snacking throughout the day to help limit acid exposure.
Candy isn't the only Halloween treat that can haunt your teeth, Lazare noted. While raisins are often seen as a healthier alternative for trick-or-treaters, they can stick to teeth and also contribute to prolonged acid exposure.
"Raisins are probably one of the worst things you can have for your teeth," he said.
Lazare said his treat recommendation would be chocolate, which melts and dissolves quickly. Dark chocolate is best, he said, because it tends to be lower in sugar than other candy, but beware of fillings like raisins and toffee in that chocolate.
Rinse with water and wait about an hour before brushing because acid can temporarily soften tooth enamel and brushing immediately may increase wear. Then maintain your regular brushing and flossing routine.
Sugar-free gum can also help clear food from teeth and get saliva flowing, Lazare said.
If a crown or other restoration comes out, "don't panic," he said. "Stop chewing on that side, save any crown or restoration that comes off, and contact your dentist promptly. Never try to reattach it with household glue."
Anyone experiencing severe pain, swelling or significant bleeding should "seek urgent dental care," he said.
Some restorations may be reusable, depending on their condition.
The main goal, Lazare said, is prevention, a central tenet of his biomimetic approach, which focuses on preserving natural tooth structure for the long term.
"In developing drones and counter-drone systems, Europe has one significant advantage: our partnership with Ukraine," said European Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis.
As many as 8 million people have been affected by food shortages, electricity blackouts and health clinic closures
Extreme drought driven by an historic El Niño is affecting as many as 8 million people in Papua New Guinea, causing a cascade of issues from shortages of food and water, to electricity scarcity and schooling disruption.
An influential coalition that includes churches, trade unions and business groups has said the Pacific nation is in the midst of a “national crisis”, but there appears to be “no coordinated plan to protect vulnerable communities from the worsening impacts of El Niño.”
A Colorado mother of three says her family was denied $12,000 in taxpayer-funded preschool benefits because she chose a Catholic education for her children, accusing the state of discriminating against religious families through a program promoted as universal.
Erika Nagle, whose children attend St. Mary Catholic School in Littleton, Colorado, told Fox News Digital that two of her children were denied access to the state's preschool funding program, leaving her family to cover additional education expenses.
"We are being excluded from this benefit because we are Catholic," Nagle said in an interview with Fox News Digital. "And so in a state that preaches inclusion, they are actively going out of their way to exclude a huge chunk of people because of our religious beliefs."
At the center of the dispute is Colorado's universal preschool program, which Nagle says provides more than $6,000 per eligible child for preschool education. Catholic schools challenging the program argue that the state's participation requirements unfairly burden their religious beliefs and admissions practices.
According to Becket, Colorado launched its preschool funding program in 2023, offering eligible families approximately $6,300 to cover 15 hours of preschool per week. The organization said the program was promoted as a universal benefit that would allow parents to choose among public, private and religious preschools, prompting Catholic families across the state to seek participation.
Nagle says the consequences go beyond her family's finances.
"We have had two preschools in the archdiocese that have been closed down," she said, arguing that the program is affecting Catholic school enrollment and pressuring families to abandon the religious education they want for their children.
"The state is dangling a carrot over here, incentivizing people to leave their faith, to abandon the Catholic education that they want," she said.
Nagle argued that nearly every school has admissions criteria tailored to the community it serves, whether that means prioritizing neighborhood children, people who identify as LGBTQ, children with special needs or low-income families. She said St. Mary similarly prioritizes Catholic families while welcoming students whose families are willing to respect the school's religious teachings. Nagle questioned why the Catholic school's admissions practices should be treated differently.
"The state grants $6000 per family to be used during the year before kindergarten, so the year when they're in pre-K, which is technically the year before kindergarten, and you can use it at the school of your choice," Nagle said. "And so Catholics are forced to pay the price for the school of our choice, which is Catholic school. And so you have thousands of Coloradans that are being forced to pay more than anyone else."
The legal battle raises questions about the extent to which religious schools can participate in publicly funded education programs while maintaining faith-based admissions policies.
"Colorado shouldn't force Catholic families to give up their choice, which is a faith-based school, and, you know, the state is letting other schools serve their communities, but they're not letting Catholic families serve their communities," Nagle said. "And to me, it also makes me wonder, is this by design, is this paving the way for godlessness or for what? Why can't Catholic families receive this benefit when there are other schools that were granted their exemption for other admissions requirements?"
The Supreme Court is hearing the case on Tuesday.
A spokesperson for the Colorado Department of Early Childhood (CDEC) said the department could not comment on pending litigation.
Smartbird CEO Nadia Carlsten at Business Insider's The Long Play.
Carl Timpone / BFA
Nadia Carlsten, CEO of Smartbird, spoke on the public company's shift from sneakers to AI.
When the AI pivot was announced, the company's stock skyrocketed. It has since come back down.
Carlsten said Smartbird has a different approach to AI infrastructure, focusing on customer needs.
Before Smartbird was powering large language models, it was making shoes.
The CEO of the AI infrastructure company, Nadia Carlsten, spoke about the transition with chief correspondent Ben Bergman on Thursday at Business Insider's The Long Play.
Its roots are the sustainable sneaker company Allbirds, which skyrocketed in the late 2010s. The shoes were particularly popular among the Silicon Valley crowd. Allbirds went public in 2021 before the market turned on many direct-to-consumer businesses. The stock quickly fell, and it sold to American Exchange Group in March for $39 million.
"The short answer is the shoe business wasn't doing that well," Carlsten said.
The company then sold off its footwear business and shed most of its workforce, rebranding as Smartbird. The AI pivot skyrocketed the stock and was briefly up 800%, though it has since come back down. Carlsten, who became CEO in June, said she had never worn those wool shoes.
"The goal of the company was to do something valuable and meaningful. And for me, I knew I wanted to do AI infrastructure," she said.
After looking at the emerging AI infrastructure sector, she believed with the company's transformation, it was the "right place at the right time" for her to join.
In the five months since she took over, Carlsten said the experience can be described in one word: exciting.
"Never in my life thought that I would be the CEO of a former shoe company and managing what is essentially a startup." Since taking on the role, she has focused on building out a new team, scouring new technologies for the company to look into, and producing a new pipeline of customers.
While the stock price has gone down since the initial pivot-induced spike, Carlsten does not regret taking on the challenge. She is betting on the company's long-term potential.
"The stock market is going to do what the stock market does," she said. "What I care about is making sure that we're putting the company on the right path, and that we're able to build it quickly enough and well enough that we have a sustainable business that investors will love. So what happens in the short term? Not that important. What happens in the long term is very important."
When asked why the company decided to reinvent itself in the public eye instead of beginning as a private start-up, Carlsten countered with a question: "Why not?" she said, "It will come back up."
Having to reinvent the company from scratch can be challenging, and the public's presence is clear, she said. Yet, Carlsten said reinvention is inevitable for companies.
"This is a very public reinvention of the company, and people are watching," she said. "I think every company needs to reinvent itself every now and then."
When asked why the company is fully remote, Carlsten said most of the work at Smartbird is done virtually or at data centers, meaning an office would not be of much use.
"We spend a lot of time actually building things, which I actually love. So if my people are sitting in an office, something's wrong," she said.
Working within the emerging AI sector
Carlsten said that although her competitors are building similar AI infrastructure, the way Smartbird is going about it is unique.
"For us, it's about the right infrastructure for the right company at the right time," she said. "Our business model allows us to work more closely with customers, but it also is a lot less capital intensive."
Smartbird is looking to work with companies that have yet to explore implementing AI in their systems, she said. As more companies outside the tech realm look to adopt AI into their businesses, they have the choice to build infrastructure themselves or outsource it, and Smartbird wants to be the one to do it for them, she said.
"We'll do the infrastructure part. We'll let you focus on the actual business," she said.
The most common misconception Carlsten said she has encountered in the business is that it's all about GPUs. She said the company does a lot more than just run GPUs.
"It's really about having a holistic system that a customer can use to do AI," she said.
Another rumbling that's taken over the tech company discourse is whether there's an AI bubble and if it will pop. Carlsten said that depends on how people go about defining the bubble.
Excitement in the sector means funding might be going into companies that may not prosper in the future, but this is something that happens with the arrival of new technologies, she said.
"Every time there is a transformational technology, this happens," she said. "Even if we assume that there is a bubble, that doesn't mean that the technology is not good. It also doesn't mean that the adoption of the technology is going to go away."
Heavy rainfall and flash floods in South Pelion, Central Greece, on Wednesday evening caused extensive destruction in infrastructure, brought bridges and roads down, flooded homes and businesses and set human and animal lives at risk. Video: Flood in Platanias Several villages and settlements were cut off electricity and water and communications. Residents and business owners […]
On Thursday, October 29, Delcy Rodríguez, acting president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, delivered an address to the nation in which she took stock of the transformative actions undertaken throughout the year across the political, economic, cultural, spiritual, and democratic spheres.
In her remarks, Rodríguez reviewed the executive branch’s performance, the management of public policies, and ongoing consultative processes aimed at addressing the country’s social demands.
During the address, she defended the Venezuelan government’s independence in defining its strategic policies. “The decisions regarding this transformation are made here, signed here, and announced here—before you. Sovereignty is not up for negotiation,” she asserted.
Rodríguez also addressed the complex situation the nation faced following the socioeconomic impact experienced over the course of the year, noting that the institutional response is focused on consolidating a recovery in production, strengthening public services, and improving the population’s living conditions.
A central theme of her address was the announcement of a national consultation aimed at driving a reform of the criminal justice system. “The goal is to build a more transparent and humane justice system one that leaves behind corruption, procedural delays, and the criminalization of poverty,” Rodríguez explained.
The text reads, “Venezuela has a clear path forward. We are advancing toward a democratic, economic, and social transformation—through judicial reforms, dialogue, and decisions that translate into tangible improvements in the quality of life for the Venezuelan people. I know there is still work to be done, but our commitment is firm: to correct what is wrong, protect what works, and build a country with opportunities for all. The rebirth of Venezuela is proven through actions!”
This initiative is part of an institutional transformation agenda presented by the executive branch, which includes strengthening the judicial system and developing mechanisms to expand guarantees for citizens. Within this framework, the government is engaged in a political dialogue with representatives of the National Assembly elected in 2015; the third round of these talks took place in October.
The agenda also covers political guarantees for upcoming electoral processes, the reform of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice, and the allocation of resources for socioeconomic relief following the earthquake.
In her address, Delcy Rodríguez also spoke directly to the nation’s youth and to Venezuelans living abroad. She maintained that the ongoing transformations aim to ensure that new generations “inherit functioning institutions rather than ruins.”
Regarding the return of migrants, she affirmed that the decision is voluntary and that those who choose to return will be treated with respect, provided with proper documentation, and offered employment opportunities. “We are building a country worth returning to,” the acting president stated.
Rodríguez also announced progress on a labor dialogue and consensus forum, designed to strengthen social justice and ensure the progressive improvement of income for the Venezuelan working class. This body functions as a tripartite consultative space, involving the country’s main trade union confederations, business chambers, and the national government.
In this context, she explained that four separate increases in worker income are planned for 2027. Furthermore, she stipulated that these increases can, under no circumstances, be lower than the economic growth recorded in the preceding quarter.
The president reiterated the national government’s commitment to addressing the demands of various social sectors in a timely manner, prioritizing family well-being, the restoration of essential public services, and direct support for communities.
The leader emphasized that economic stakeholders also have a platform to achieve concrete objectives that will drive a significant boost in production and foster sustainable economic growth. Through these initiatives, the government aims to translate productive growth into tangible improvements in the quality of life and purchasing power of the Venezuelan people.
Rodríguez’s message comes at a time of progress within the political dialogue forum, which has addressed political guarantees, judicial system reform, and the recovery of resources to support the country’s social and economic needs.
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