Category: U.S. News

The Defense Department announced Friday it has formed partnerships with seven major technology companies to integrate artificial intelligence capabilities into classified military operations, marking a significant expansion of AI use in warfare.

The companies involved in the initiative include Google, Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, Nvidia, OpenAI, Reflection and SpaceX. These firms will supply resources designed to enhance decision-making capabilities for military personnel operating in challenging battlefield conditions, according to Pentagon officials.

Military leaders have been dramatically increasing their reliance on artificial intelligence technology in recent years. According to a March report from the Brennan Center for Justice, AI systems can significantly decrease the time needed to locate and engage battlefield targets, while also improving weapons maintenance operations and supply chain management.

The announcement follows ongoing tensions with Anthropic, a technology firm not included in the partnership list, which has taken the Pentagon to court over AI usage restrictions. The company sought contractual guarantees that its technology would not be deployed in fully autonomous weapons systems or for domestic surveillance purposes. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth insisted the military must retain the right to use the technology for any lawful purpose.

Legal action by Anthropic began after President Donald Trump moved to prohibit federal agencies from using the company’s Claude chatbot, while Hegseth attempted to classify the firm as a supply chain security risk – a designation typically reserved for potential foreign threats to national security infrastructure.

OpenAI previously secured a Pentagon contract in March to substitute its ChatGPT technology for Anthropic’s services in classified settings.

Military officials stated Friday that personnel are currently utilizing AI tools through the official GenAI.mil platform.

“Warfighters, civilians and contractors are putting these capabilities to practical use right now, cutting many tasks from months to days,” Pentagon officials said, emphasizing that enhanced AI capabilities will “give warfighters the tools they need to act with confidence and safeguard the nation against any threat.”

ORLANDO, Fla. — Hillsborough County authorities have confirmed that remains discovered in Tampa Bay belong to the second missing University of South Florida doctoral student from Bangladesh, Sheriff Chad Chronister announced Friday.

The body of Nahida Bristy was recovered Sunday inside a garbage bag that snagged a kayaker’s fishing line, according to Chronister. Investigators used DNA analysis and dental records to positively identify the severely decomposed remains.

Bristy’s fellow USF doctoral student and friend, Zamil Limon, was found dead in a similar garbage bag on a bay bridge two days earlier. Authorities arrested Limon’s roommate, 26-year-old Hisham Saleh Abugharbeih, on the same day and charged him with two counts of first-degree murder. He remains in custody without bond.

When confronted with evidence of the crimes, the suspect displayed a disturbing lack of emotion, Chronister reported.

“He was nonreactive,” Chronister said. “He was callous and showed no emotion when we showed him the information we had.”

While investigators believe both students were killed at the same location and timeframe, the sheriff said additional investigation is needed to make that determination official.

Chronister acknowledged that detectives have not yet established what drove the suspect to commit the murders.

“I hope we find that out,” Chronister said.

Although Abugharbieh had deleted information from his mobile device, forensic specialists uncovered troubling internet searches made in the days leading up to April 16, when both victims disappeared. The searches included disturbing queries such as “Can a knife penetrate a skull?” and “Can a neighbor hear a gunshot?”

Evidence shows the suspect also bought cleaning supplies, heavy-duty construction-grade garbage bags, and other materials, according to the sheriff.

“This was calculating. That’s what makes this so premeditated,” Chronister said.

Investigators discovered extensive blood evidence throughout the shared apartment, including the kitchen area, hallway leading to Abugharbieh’s bedroom, and inside his room. The apartment was shared by Abugharbieh, Limon, and a third roommate.

Forensic testing using luminol spray even revealed bloodstains forming the outline of a person in a fetal position beside Abugharbieh’s bed, the sheriff noted.

Surveillance showed Limon was last spotted at their off-campus housing complex, while Bristy was last seen at a university science facility on the same date. Limon was pursuing studies in geography, environmental science and policy, while Bristy focused on chemical engineering. Abugharbieh was no longer enrolled at the university.

Jennifer Spradley, a public defender representing Abugharbieh in Tampa, declined to provide comment on the case when contacted earlier this week.

WIMBERLEY, Texas — Five people died when their aircraft went down in a wooded area of central Texas Thursday evening, according to local authorities.

The fatal accident occurred in Wimberley, located approximately 40 miles southwest of Austin, Hays County Judge Ruben Becerra announced through social media on Friday.

Federal Aviation Administration officials confirmed the Cessna 421C went down at approximately 11:25 p.m. Thursday with five occupants on board. Both the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board will conduct investigations into the incident.

Flight records indicate the aircraft had departed from Amarillo roughly two hours before the crash, with New Braunfels National Airport as its intended destination. Images published by the Austin American-Statesman revealed the completely destroyed plane scattered throughout a forested region.

Judge Becerra stated that victim identities will remain confidential until relatives receive proper notification.

A second plane traveling in the same vicinity successfully completed its landing at New Braunfels airport, situated about 30 miles northeast of San Antonio.

Audio recordings from Air Traffic Control reveal one pilot mentioned flying alongside the Cessna pilot to the same destination.

“I haven’t heard anything from him,” the pilot states in the recording.

An air traffic controller replied: “He started to move erratically and now his track is disappeared from the scope. So we want to make sure everything’s all right with him.”

At least one aviator in the vicinity verified that the distressed aircraft’s emergency locator beacon had activated. Emergency services were subsequently contacted by the controller.

Weather data from the National Weather Service showed overcast conditions in the New Braunfels region before the accident, with thunderstorm activity developing two hours afterward.

The community of Wimberley, home to roughly 3,000 residents, serves as a well-known tourist and recreational hiking spot in the Texas Hill Country along the Blanco River.

PORTLAND, Maine — A Maine court has determined that a teenager accused of murdering a woman while she was paddleboarding is mentally fit to proceed with his trial.

The killing of 48-year-old Sunshine “Sunny” Stewart from St. George sent shockwaves through the Crawford Pond area in Union, Maine last summer. Law enforcement officials arrested Deven Young of Frankfort, Maine on murder charges in connection with Stewart’s death approximately two weeks after her remains were discovered in July.

Young, who was 17 when the alleged crime occurred and has since turned 18, has been processed through the juvenile court system up to this point. State prosecutors are seeking to try Young as an adult, but first required a competency evaluation to move forward.

Maine District Court Judge Eric J. Walker issued his ruling Wednesday, stating: “The court finds that the defendant is competent to proceed based on the court’s finding that the juvenile has a rational, as well as a factual, understanding of the proceedings and a sufficient present ability to consult with legal counsel with a reasonable degree of rational understanding.”

Young’s next court appearance is scheduled for May 7. According to police reports, a medical examiner concluded that Stewart died from strangulation combined with blunt force trauma.

Defense attorney Jeremy Pratt, representing Young, refused to provide comment Thursday. Prosecution team members also declined to speak about the case.

Law enforcement has not disclosed any potential motive for the killing. Brief court filings that appeared temporarily on the state’s judicial website before being removed contained minimal information, only noting that Young “did intentionally or knowingly cause the death of another human being, namely Sunshine Stewart.”

Audio files obtained by media outlets from the Waldo County Sheriff’s Office earlier this year revealed Young’s previous incidents of aggressive conduct and mental health struggles before Stewart’s death occurred. According to the Portland Press Herald, Young had been awaiting state-provided behavioral health treatment.

Stewart disappeared while paddleboarding at Crawford Pond on July 2, with her body recovered the following day. The pond serves as a popular summer destination for swimming, boating and fishing activities. Stewart’s home was located approximately 21 miles away in the Tenants Harbor section of St. George.

Family members and friends honored Stewart’s memory with a maritime memorial service last August. The tribute featured a boat parade through Tenants Harbor, with several vessels decorated with flowers.

The boats displayed photographs of a smiling Stewart alongside a large banner reading “Shine On.” Throughout her life, Stewart had worked in various roles including fisherman, boat captain, biologist, carpenter and bartender, according to those who knew her.

BEREA, Ky. — Kentucky State Police have arrested a suspect believed to be connected to Thursday’s deadly bank robbery that resulted in the shooting deaths of two U.S. Bank employees.

Trooper Justin Kearney announced Friday that authorities have detained someone who is “believed to be involved” in the fatal incident that occurred at the Berea branch.

According to state police, the gunman entered the U.S. Bank location Thursday dressed in a gray-white hoodie, mask, and gloves before opening fire on a male and female worker.

The manhunt involved multiple law enforcement agencies conducting house-to-house searches for evidence and video footage, while helicopters, drones, and K-9 units scoured the area. The investigation included personnel from the Lexington Police Department, county sheriff’s departments, FBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

“This was a team effort,” Kearney wrote in his Friday morning social media post.

The trooper declined to release additional information about the arrest.

Local schools were placed under lockdown protocols Thursday as a precautionary measure until officials confirmed campus safety. State police reported that bus transportation was suspended, requiring parents to personally retrieve their children from school.

U.S. Bank officials released a statement expressing their cooperation with investigators and commitment to assisting the victims’ loved ones and staff members.

“We’re deeply saddened by the tragic event that took the lives of two of our employees at our Berea, Kentucky branch earlier today,” the financial institution stated. “Our hearts go out to the families of the victims, our colleagues and the entire Berea community.”

Berea is located approximately 36 miles south of Lexington.

The U.S. Navy has awarded a substantial contract worth nearly $100 million to enhance its artificial intelligence capabilities for detecting Iranian mines in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz, according to recently disclosed contract information.

San Francisco-based Domino Data Lab received the contract to develop advanced AI software that can rapidly train underwater drones to recognize different types of explosive devices. This technology aims to dramatically reduce the time needed to clear mines from one of the world’s most vital shipping corridors for oil transport.

The contract, valued at up to $99.7 million, expands Domino’s involvement in the Navy’s Project AMMO — Accelerated Machine Learning for Maritime Operations — which seeks to make underwater mine detection more efficient, precise, and less reliant on human personnel.

“Mine-hunting used to be a job for ships,” explained Thomas Robinson, Domino’s chief operating officer, in a Reuters interview. “It’s becoming a job for AI. The Navy is paying for the platform that lets it train, govern, and field that AI at a speed required for contested waters that block global trade and imperil sailors.”

The AI platform combines information from various sensor technologies, including side-scan sonar and visual imaging equipment, while allowing Navy officials to track the effectiveness of different detection models in real-time and implement improvements as needed.

The technology’s primary advantage lies in its rapid deployment capability. Previously, updating AI systems aboard unmanned underwater vehicles to recognize new or unfamiliar mine designs required up to six months. Domino’s innovation has shortened this timeframe to just days.

Robinson provided a practical example of the system’s strategic value: “If there were UUVs in the Baltic Sea trained on Russian mines, and then they needed to be deployed to the Strait of Hormuz to detect Iranian mines, with Domino’s technology, the Navy could be ready in a week rather than a year.”

President Trump has stated that Navy forces are actively removing Iranian mines from the strait, a crucial waterway whose disruption poses significant threats to the global economy. The mine-sweeping operation could extend for months despite an unstable ceasefire following weeks of conflict between the United States and Iran.

Navy representatives were not immediately available to provide additional comments on the contract award.

A private girls’ summer camp in central Texas will remain shuttered this summer following a devastating flood disaster that claimed 27 lives last year.

Camp Mystic officials announced they have pulled their application to resume operations for the upcoming summer season. The facility became the site of tragedy when flooding swept through the central Texas area, resulting in the deaths of 27 individuals.

The decision means families who may have been hoping to send their daughters to the camp will need to make alternative arrangements for summer activities.

NEW YORK (AP) — Eight New York City police officers were injured when a Queens residence exploded in a dramatic blast that hurled the responding officers across a yard during the early morning hours of Thursday.

The officers had been called to the scene regarding reports of an armed individual with a knife and the odor of gas when the devastating explosion occurred. All eight officers sustained minor injuries, including burns and at least one head wound, according to police officials. Medical personnel treated the injured officers, and authorities confirmed that everyone who had been inside the residence was located, though several required hospital treatment.

Dramatic body camera footage captured the terrifying moment just before 3 a.m. when officers approached the small Queens home. As one officer began opening the front door, a tremendous explosion erupted, shattering windows and launching the officers backward across the yard into a fence. The video shows the officers struggling to get back on their feet amid the debris while smoke poured from the damaged structure, with officers checking on each other’s welfare.

“You guys good?” one of the officers can be heard saying.

The footage then jumps forward about a minute, showing an officer assisting two young children from the home while several other residents stumbled out of the building.

“I want to be clear: We got very lucky today, alright,” Assistant Chief Christopher McIntosh of the New York Police Department said at a news briefing hours later. “This could have turned out really differently.”

“Thankfully, today, luck was on their side,” he said of the officers.

According to McIntosh, the individual who triggered the initial emergency call had come to the residence while intoxicated, carrying a knife and two garbage bags containing canisters filled with an “unknown substance.” The man forced entry by pushing through an air conditioning unit to access a basement apartment where his wife, daughter and two grandchildren were living.

The family members managed to escape the building before officers arrived on scene. The suspect remains missing, McIntosh reported.

The residence completely collapsed following the explosion, and surrounding homes also sustained damage, authorities confirmed.

ATLANTA — Standing inside the wooden framework of what will soon become his first home, 27-year-old Ozzy Herrera let his imagination run wild on a recent morning. He pictured rich brown leather furniture complementing the flooring, warm terra-cotta paint on the walls, and a stylish bar cart positioned near the kitchen area.

The dual-job airport worker never thought homeownership would be possible at his age.

“It’s special. It’s magical,” he said.

This coming May, approximately 1,000 volunteers working with Habitat for Humanity will finish construction on Herrera’s residence along with 23 additional affordable housing units in Atlanta’s Sylvan Hills area as part of the 40th Carter Work Project.

These concentrated week-long construction efforts, honoring former President Jimmy Carter and his deceased wife Rosalynn, have resulted in approximately 5,000 homes across 14 nations since beginning in 1984. Atlanta will host the project for the first time since 1988, when the Carters participated in building 21 residences in a different area of the city.

The Sylvan Hills development represents Habitat for Humanity’s evolving approach toward real estate development as the organization marks its 50th year during an escalating affordable housing shortage and expanding political debates over housing costs.

“The gap between what a family can afford and what it costs to create that unit of housing is the widest it has been in modern history,” said Jonathan Reckford, CEO of the international organization.

The charitable organization intends to take on developer responsibilities for additional projects since many smaller development companies remain unable to recover from COVID-19 pandemic financial damage or have closed permanently.

Within Sylvan Hills, Habitat for Humanity is constructing on an 8-acre property acquired in 2015. The organization also secured rezoning approval for the former saw-blade manufacturing site to allow residential construction. The 24 housing units will combine single-family houses and townhomes, creating a new neighborhood called Langston Park. This represents Atlanta Habitat for Humanity’s inaugural multifamily townhome construction project.

“We do believe it’s important to get the best use out of every precious piece of land that we’re able to acquire and come by so that we can serve more families,” said Atlanta Habitat for Humanity President and CEO Rosalyn Merrick.

Each Langston Park residence will require approximately $200,000 to construct. Future homeowners will make monthly mortgage payments calculated according to their earnings, though Habitat eliminates interest charges. Plans call for constructing an additional 40 homes at the location eventually.

Phileena Daniel, also 27, received approval to purchase one of the houses. She and her 7-year-old child have faced housing difficulties over the last two years, including residing in a pest-infested apartment with rats and cockroaches. She appreciates the security that permanent housing in Langston Park will provide.

“You know, sometimes we don’t see ourselves going far in life as young Black women in this society,” she said. “This is giving us an opportunity to expand.”

Habitat for Humanity’s transition into community development represents “a classic example of a nonprofit organization really trying to be responsive to community needs,” said Vincent Reina, urban economics and planning professor at the University of Pennsylvania.

“They can still be true to their core mission, which is advancing homeownership opportunities, but they are also acknowledging that we need a diverse set of housing solutions to really meet the needs of individuals,” said Reina, who is also founder and faculty director of the Housing Initiative at Penn.

Elevated home prices and 30-year mortgage rates exceeding 7% have placed homeownership beyond reach for moderate-income families in all except a few of the 98 most costly metropolitan regions nationwide, according to research released last year by Reina and Benjamin J. Keys, a Wharton real estate and finance professor.

This transformation has elevated affordable housing into a significant national concern.

In Congress, both chambers have approved separate affordable housing legislation. Legislative leaders are working to resolve disagreements before sending final legislation to President Donald Trump for his signature.

Trump has issued executive directives aimed at reducing housing regulatory obstacles and assisting smaller financial institutions in providing home loans. His proposed 2027 budget, though, calls for reducing Department of Housing and Urban Development funding and eliminating various community development initiatives that currently assist cities in creating affordable housing.

Meanwhile in Atlanta, Herrera continues contemplating the opportunities that homeownership might create. His mother battled breast cancer, and both his parents could move in with him if circumstances required. Predictable, affordable monthly housing costs would also support his ambition of opening a coffee shop. Herrera explained that increasing rental prices throughout the Atlanta region had previously forced him to relocate, consuming time and resources that could have advanced that business goal.

“Now, I can finally take some risks,” he said.

Those who believe journalism offers a glamorous lifestyle should examine Ann Hermes’ photograph of Tom Haley during a cold winter day at his Vermont workplace.

The image shows Haley writing in a notebook while reclining in his office chair, wearing loose-fitting khakis and a baseball cap. His left foot props up on the only clear space of a desk otherwise buried under stacks of notebooks, newspapers, printed documents and a lanyard dangling from a stray photo. A crooked calendar decorates the wall behind him, while worn blue carpeting covers the floor.

Hermes specializes in capturing subjects that represent bygone eras or face extinction. Her previous work includes documenting North America’s final operating Morse code station and old-fashioned department store photo studios. Recently, she’s focused her lens on newsrooms similar to Haley’s workplace at the Rutland Herald.

The Brooklyn photographer has documented approximately 50 newsrooms throughout America, primarily in smaller communities, creating a visual record of spaces and careers threatened by decades of industry decline. One newspaper she photographed in Alameda, California, has already ceased operations.

Her project continues to expand.

Despite her own newsroom experience as a former Christian Science Monitor employee, Hermes never expected this work to become such an intensive personal mission.

“I love these spaces,” she says. “I love spending time with these people. The more time I spent in newsrooms and hearing about their difficulties of life, it took on a different agenda. I couldn’t have spent so much of my free time on this if I didn’t enjoy it.”

Her photographs challenge stereotypes about journalism as an elite, prestigious profession, particularly at the community level. The images reveal dedicated workers in modest environments that would horrify interior designers. Sticky notes cling to computer screens. Writing supplies, notebooks, and paper boxes clutter bookshelves alongside half-finished whiskey bottles. Carpet stains remain unaddressed. Antacid containers rest atop microwaves.

One empty metal filing system sits beneath a sign reading “stories to be written,” evidence of an abandoned organizational effort.

New Yorker writer Zach Helfand observes: “News people tend to pay their surroundings little mind. There’s too much to do and always a deadline looming. What you see hanging around these rooms isn’t designed but improvised, and more revealing.”

Newsrooms aren’t the only endangered elements Hermes captures. Physical newspapers, increasingly rare as publications abandon printing for digital formats, appear throughout her images. They overflow from storage spaces, yellow with age, pile up in delivery vehicles, and stack in precarious towers requiring careful navigation.

Additional newspapers fill archival storage areas, or “morgues,” a term gaining unfortunate relevance. These cardboard files contain clipped articles that once served research purposes before digital databases emerged.

These archives preserve community history, however. Their disappearance means losing countless local memories.

“This is really a love letter to local journalism,” Hermes says. “It’s not a ‘gotcha’ piece.”

She admires the “true believers” who remain committed to their profession despite facing criticism from public officials who resist scrutiny and economic pressures that have forced colleagues into other careers.

“The rewards are diminishing in doing this job,” she says. “You have to really believe in the fundamental civic service that you are providing. Otherwise, why else would you do it? It’s a really difficult job.”

Hermes displays her work online and hopes to compile her newsroom photography into a published collection. She believes her role has evolved beyond documentation into advocacy, planning exhibitions in communities she’s visited to emphasize local journalism’s importance.

Her target involves photographing 100 newsrooms total: “I feel like I learn something new in every newsroom I visit.”

BEREA, Kentucky — A deadly bank robbery in Kentucky has left two employees dead and sparked an intensive manhunt for the gunman, law enforcement officials announced Thursday.

The shooting occurred at a U.S. Bank location in Berea when an armed individual wearing a gray-white hoodie, mask and gloves entered the building and opened fire on a male and female worker, according to Kentucky State Police spokesperson Trooper Scottie Pennington.

“They’re our people that work in our community, and they’re no longer with us,” Pennington told reporters. “At this time we do have some leads, and we’re trying our best to bring this evil person to justice.”

Authorities have launched a comprehensive search operation involving local police, state troopers, FBI agents and additional federal agencies. The effort includes door-to-door canvassing for witness accounts and security footage, along with aerial searches using helicopters and drones, plus K-9 teams, Pennington explained.

Officials have not determined how the perpetrator escaped the scene or disclosed whether any money was stolen during the incident, the spokesperson noted.

Kentucky State Police have released a photograph of the suspect through social media channels and are asking the public for assistance in identifying the individual.

“If you see something strange and you don’t feel right about it — you know, your dogs are acting weird — call us,” Pennington said. He advised community members to stay alert, keep exterior lights illuminated and ensure their cell phones remain charged.

Several nearby schools implemented temporary security lockdowns until officials confirmed the campuses were secure. Parents were required to personally collect their children rather than allowing normal bus transportation, Pennington reported.

U.S. Bank officials stated they are cooperating fully with investigators and pledged assistance to the victims’ relatives and fellow employees.

“We’re deeply saddened by the tragic event that took the lives of two of our employees at our Berea, Kentucky branch earlier today,” the company said in a statement. “Our hearts go out to the families of the victims, our colleagues and the entire Berea community.”

Berea is located approximately 36 miles south of Lexington.

The United States Air Force has committed to purchasing five additional Boeing E-7A Wedgetail surveillance planes, Air Force Secretary Troy Meink announced during congressional testimony on Thursday.

Meink informed members of the House Appropriations defense subcommittee that the service will acquire five engineering and manufacturing development versions of the E-7A aircraft. This purchase comes on top of two prototype models that are already under contract.

The surveillance aircraft program faced uncertainty in the previous year when Pentagon officials stepped back from an original plan to purchase 26 Boeing E-7A units. That larger acquisition was intended to modernize the military’s aging fleet of airborne early warning and control system aircraft, known as AWACS, which dates back to the Cold War era.

When the Defense Department reduced its acquisition plans, NATO also abandoned its own proposal to purchase six E-7A aircraft.

The E-7A Wedgetail is built using Boeing’s widely-used 737 commercial aircraft as its foundation. The United States had previously committed to acquiring the two prototype versions of the surveillance plane.

TACOMA, Wash. — Authorities in Tacoma, Washington rushed to Foss High School Thursday afternoon after receiving reports of a knife attack that left six people wounded, including the student responsible for the assault.

Four students and one adult security guard sustained injuries during the incident, while the attacking student was also hurt and taken into police custody, according to Tacoma Police Department spokesperson Shelbie Boyd.

Emergency responders from the Tacoma Fire Department arrived at the school at 1:38 p.m. following the attack report, said spokesperson Chelsea Shepherd. Medical crews provided treatment and transported five victims to area hospitals, with four listed in critical condition and one suffering minor wounds.

The student suspect, who was the sixth injured person, remained under police supervision while receiving medical care at a local hospital for minor injuries. By late afternoon, all victims were reported to be in stable condition.

Fire department officials declined to specify the exact nature of the injuries sustained during the incident.

“The school is secure, and we are currently investigating. Parents can pick up their kids in the student’s parking lot. There’s a reunification area there,” Boyd explained.

School officials implemented immediate lockdown procedures at 1:38 p.m., with students safely released from the building at 2:45 p.m., Tacoma Public Schools confirmed in a written statement. All school activities and after-school programs scheduled for Friday have been called off.

Classes will resume Monday with mental health counselors available on campus to assist students and faculty members.

“We are grateful for the quick, calm action of our staff and our first responders,” district officials stated.

A U.S. Coast Guard vessel that vanished during a devastating World War I attack has been located by divers more than 100 years after it disappeared beneath the waves off England’s coast.

Coast Guard officials revealed Wednesday that the USCGC Tampa has been discovered approximately 50 miles from Newquay, Cornwall, resting more than 300 feet below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean. The British technical diving group Gasperados confirmed the identity of the sunken cutter.

Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Kevin Lunday stated that the bravery and sacrifice demonstrated by the Tampa’s crew exemplifies the service’s tradition of protecting America throughout every military conflict since its establishment in 1790.

“When the Tampa was lost with all hands in 1918, it left an enduring grief in our service,” Lunday said. “Locating the wreck connects us to their sacrifice and reminds us that devotion to duty endures.”

The vessel met its fate when struck by a torpedo from a German submarine while traveling through the Bristol Channel, according to officials. The ship went down in under three minutes, claiming the lives of everyone on board – totaling 131 casualties. Among the victims were 111 Coast Guard members, four Navy sailors, and 16 British naval personnel and civilians. This tragedy represents the greatest single loss of American naval lives during World War I combat operations.

The Gasperados diving team made 10 separate expeditions to potential wreck sites during their search.

“This discovery is the result of three years of research and exploration,” team leader Steve Mortimer wrote on Facebook. “TAMPA is of huge importance to the United States and the relatives of everyone who died that day. Their final resting place is known at last.”

The volunteer diving group initially reached out to the Coast Guard Historian’s Office in 2023 about the Tampa investigation.

“We provided the dive team with historical records and technical data to assist in confirming the wreck site,” Coast Guard Atlantic Area Historian William Thiesen explained. “This included the archival images of the deck fittings, ship’s wheel, bell, weaponry, and archival images of the Tampa.”

Coast Guard leadership is currently working on plans for future underwater research and exploration of the site.

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Michigan State University was forced to move several final examinations to new locations after authorities arrested a man found with chemical substances that could be used for methamphetamine production inside the campus’s biggest academic facility.

A 31-year-old individual faces charges filed Wednesday for malicious property destruction and possession of materials to operate a methamphetamine laboratory. Wells Hall remains shuttered since Monday following the incident.

Campus Police Chief Mike Yankowski stopped short of confirming whether investigators found an operational drug manufacturing setup within the facility. However, court documents indicate the chemical substances “destroyed approximately $20,000 or more of Wells Halls, specifically multiple doors and flooring.”

The police chief would not confirm the suspect’s student status, though the police affidavit notes he carried an outdated student identification card. A judge set his bond at $500,000 cash.

Officers responded to a trespassing report Sunday evening and found the individual inside the building carrying several bags containing liquids, which testing revealed to be hydrochloric acid, methanol, isopropyl alcohol, acetone and butane, according to Yankowski.

“Most of these items are household items,” Yankowski said. “Those products alone might not be dangerous, but if you start mixing chemicals together there is a reaction.”

The East Lansing university is currently conducting final examinations this week before upcoming graduation ceremonies.

Aviation fuel costs have surged to nearly double their previous levels due to ongoing conflict with Iran, creating a significant financial burden for wildfire suppression efforts nationwide.

The dramatic increase in fuel expenses is expected to drive up the cost of aerial firefighting operations by tens of millions of dollars during the upcoming summer fire season, when aircraft play a crucial role in battling blazes across the country.

AUSTIN, Texas — Camp Mystic administrators announced Thursday they are pulling back their licensing application to operate during the upcoming summer season, stating they want to allow more time for bereaved families to mourn their losses.

The announcement follows several days of intense scrutiny from Texas state legislators who have been examining how camp leadership handled the catastrophic flooding that occurred on July 4th. That disaster took the lives of 25 young campers and two teenage staff members. Camp owner Dick Eastland also perished in the flood waters.

“No administrative process or summer season should move forward while families continue to grieve, while investigations continue and while so many Texans still carry the pain of last July’s tragedy,” Camp Mystic said in a statement.

The Texas Department of State Health Services verified Thursday that camp officials had indeed withdrawn their licensing request.

NEW YORK — Defense attorneys for Harvey Weinstein conducted cross-examination of his accuser during his rape retrial on Thursday, signaling their intention to scrutinize her complicated emotions and intricate relationship with the former entertainment industry mogul.

This marks the third occasion that Jessica Mann has faced questioning from Weinstein’s legal team in a New York courtroom. However, new attorneys are now representing the former studio executive whose fall from grace became a catalyst for the #MeToo movement addressing sexual misconduct. Whether their questioning will reach the emotional intensity of Mann’s previous cross-examinations remains uncertain.

Defense attorney Teny Geragos initiated her questioning of Mann on Wednesday by focusing on her mixed emotions regarding Weinstein throughout their complicated relationship, which included some consensual intimate encounters.

During earlier testimony under prosecution questioning, Mann revealed that despite the alleged assault, she had feelings of love for “a part of him” due to his kindness and support regarding her personal challenges and career aspirations, describing their relationship as having “some pretty human moments.”

“What did he do for you that made parts of you really love him?” Geragos inquired.

“It was the validation,” Mann responded.

When Geragos continued questioning about the “human moments,” Mann described an incident where she struck Weinstein, believing he wanted it as part of intimate play, but he subsequently told her, “Jess, that’s not you.”

“So when you were talking about the validation that you received … and the human moments that you shared with Harvey, it was that you slapped him?” Geragos pressed.

Mann clarified she was actually referring to his comment that “that’s not you.”

The court session ended shortly thereafter. When proceedings resumed Thursday, Geragos continued examining Mann about her initial encounters with Weinstein.

The 73-year-old Weinstein is facing his third trial on charges alleging he sexually assaulted Mann at a New York hotel in March 2013. While he received a conviction in 2020, an appellate court reversed that decision. His first retrial ended with a hung jury on the rape charge.

Mann also claims Weinstein assaulted her again in Beverly Hills, California, in late 2013 or early 2014. No criminal charges have been filed related to that allegation.

“He just treated me like he owned me,” she testified to jurors this week.

The 40-year-old Mann admits she sometimes accepted his sexual advances but maintains the two assaults occurred while she objected and begged him to stop.

Weinstein’s legal team argues that all interactions between the pair were consensual and part of a supportive, caring relationship. They contend Mann gained advantages from her association with an Academy Award-winning producer and only made accusations later during the #MeToo movement of 2017 and 2018.

Mann first encountered Weinstein at a Los Angeles-area gathering around early 2013. She was working as a financially struggling hairstylist and actress hoping to succeed in entertainment.

The married Weinstein invited her to a bookstore, purchasing movie-related books for her. Soon after, he took her to dinner at a Beverly Hills hotel.

“From your perspective in 2013, going to dinner with another man who’s older than you can imply certain ideas, like a date, correct?” Geragos questioned.

Mann said she hadn’t considered it a romantic encounter. Since his assistant arranged the dinner, it appeared “somewhat professional,” she testified.

Following the meal, Weinstein invited her to his hotel suite, where Mann said he pressured her to remove her shirt and allow him to massage her. She testified that she massaged his back instead to “de-escalate” the situation.

Geragos suggested Mann could have simply exited the room.

“In theory. Because I could have done a lot of things,” Mann answered.

The alleged assault occurred weeks following the dinner meeting.

The Associated Press typically does not identify individuals who report sexual assault, unless they consent to being named, as Mann has chosen to do.

Young Americans are dramatically changing how they consume news, with teenagers increasingly turning to social media platforms and online content creators instead of traditional journalism outlets, according to new research.

The Media Insight Project’s latest study reveals that 57% of teenagers between ages 13 and 17 check social media for news at least once daily, significantly higher than the 36% of all U.S. adults who do the same.

The research also shows that 57% of teens obtain information about national issues and events from influencers or independent content creators at least occasionally, compared to 43% of adults. The study represents a partnership between The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, the American Press Institute and journalism programs at Northwestern University and the University of Maryland.

The findings highlight how deeply social media has become embedded in teenage life and demonstrate that young people are increasingly consuming news through these platforms rather than going directly to established news organizations.

Although Americans haven’t completely turned away from traditional news sources, they are reassessing which outlets they consider trustworthy, according to Robyn Tomlin, executive director of the American Press Institute.

“Traditional national and local outlets continue to stand out as a trusted source, but people, especially younger audiences, are also building relationships with younger creators they believe are transparent and authentic,” Tomlin said. “That reality has enormous implications for the future of news.”

Beyond social media platforms, teenagers also show greater willingness to use search engines and artificial intelligence chatbots when looking for news information.

The research indicates that roughly 40% of teens access news daily through search engines, while approximately 20% report using AI chatbots for the same purpose.

However, age groups show similar patterns when it comes to digital news websites, apps, television and streaming services. About 40% of both U.S. adults and teenagers watch television news at least once daily, with comparable numbers visiting digital news sites.

“The idea that television is going away is a misapprehension,” said Tom Rosenstiel, journalism professor at the University of Maryland who participated in the survey. “Watching news through video is not going away. It’s changing. The way you see it on YouTube is different than on the ‘CBS Evening News.’”

Even though many teenagers receive news from influencers and AI sources, they maintain considerable skepticism about these information sources.

While teens express more confidence than adults in AI chatbot information, relatively few show high trust levels. Only 11% of teenagers demonstrate strong confidence in AI-generated information, compared with just 4% of adults.

Teenagers also believe they’re better equipped to identify whether content comes from humans or artificial intelligence. Approximately one-third of teens feel highly confident in their ability to distinguish between AI-created and human-created content, while only about 20% of adults share that confidence.

Similar doubt exists regarding influencers. Just 12% of teenagers express strong confidence in information from independent creators or influencers across television, social media or other platforms. While this exceeds the 6% of U.S. adults who feel similarly, it remains quite low overall.

As expected, the survey found teenagers show greater interest in celebrity news, music, movies, sports and entertainment content. Adults demonstrate more concern for political developments, business matters and economic issues.

Both teenagers and adults experience significant news fatigue, particularly concerning political coverage, Rosenstiel noted. Most Americans in both age groups report they frequently or occasionally try to avoid stories about national government and politics, with about 60% saying they actively avoid news related to President Donald Trump.

“People are tired of the feeling that things are spinning out of control that they’re very judicious in what they’re spending their time on,” Rosenstiel said.

Rosenstiel explained that many teens approach news gathering differently than older generations. They’re much less inclined than adults to avoid celebrity coverage or news delivered through social media channels. He suggested that the most valuable journalism for some people might be content that helps them navigate daily life, even if it comes from unconventional sources.

“Part of the problem for traditional journalism,” Rosenstiel said, “is the traditional journalism definition of what is real news.”

The Media Insight Project survey represents a collaborative effort between the American Press Institute, Northwestern University Medill School of Journalism, Local News Network at the University of Maryland’s Philip Merrill College of Journalism and The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. The poll surveyed 2,101 Americans, including 1,092 adults aged 18 and older and 1,009 teenagers aged 13 to 17. Adult polling occurred February 5-8, while teen polling took place February 2-16 using NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, designed to represent the U.S. population. The margin of error is plus or minus 4.1 percentage points for adults and plus or minus 4.3 percentage points for teenagers.

STARKE, Fla. — A 70-year-old Florida man faces execution Thursday evening for the brutal murder of his 13-year-old step-niece nearly five decades ago.

James Ernest Hitchcock is scheduled to die by lethal injection at 6 p.m. at Florida State Prison near Starke. He was originally condemned to death in 1977 following his conviction for first-degree murder in the July 31, 1976, slaying of Cynthia Driggers. After multiple appeals, courts repeatedly upheld his death sentence in 1988, 1993, and 1996.

The execution would mark the state’s sixth this year, continuing a dramatic surge that followed a record-setting 19 executions in 2025. Under Republican Governor Ron DeSantis, Florida carried out more death sentences in 2025 than any governor since capital punishment resumed in 1976, shattering the previous high of eight executions set in 2014.

Court documents reveal that Hitchcock had been living with his brother’s family in Orlando for several weeks before the tragic incident. On the night of July 31, 1976, the then-20-year-old returned home after drinking beer and using marijuana with friends. Investigators say he then sexually assaulted Cynthia Driggers, his brother’s stepdaughter.

When the teenager told Hitchcock she was hurt and intended to inform her mother, he prevented her from leaving her bedroom and began strangling her, authorities stated. He then dragged the girl outside, where he continued beating and choking her until she died, before hiding her body in nearby bushes. Hitchcock subsequently showered and went to sleep.

During his trial, Hitchcock changed his story, claiming his brother discovered him and the girl after what he described as consensual sex. He testified that his brother flew into a rage and killed the girl outside, and that he had only confessed initially to shield his sibling.

Hitchcock maintained “he had initially taken the blame to protect his brother.”

Last week, the Florida Supreme Court rejected an appeal to stop the execution. Defense lawyers contended their client was innocent and argued the state unlawfully denied access to public records concerning capital punishment cases.

A final appeal remains under consideration by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Nationwide, 47 individuals were executed in 2025, with Florida leading due to numerous death warrants issued by DeSantis. Alabama, South Carolina, and Texas each carried out five executions, tying for second place.

Florida has another execution planned for May 21, when Richard Knight, 47, is set to receive a lethal injection for fatally stabbing his cousin’s girlfriend and her 4-year-old daughter.

The state’s execution protocol involves a three-drug combination consisting of a sedative, a paralytic agent, and a heart-stopping medication, according to the Department of Corrections.

ALBANY, N.Y. — A towering canine figure that has become synonymous with Albany’s identity faces an uncertain destiny.

For nearly seventy years, the massive 28-foot white terrier known as Nipper has perched atop a warehouse building, his black ears and tilted head recreating the iconic RCA advertisement showing a dog listening to a phonograph. The composite statue, built over a steel framework, has evolved into much more than corporate advertising.

Local residents have embraced the statue as a cherished landmark along the Hudson River. Families driving past regularly show their children the distinctive figure, and Nipper’s likeness decorates everything from keychains to sweatshirts throughout the area.

“When I think of Nipper, I think of Albany. When I think of Albany, I think of Nipper,” said Cody Hitt, who was out with friends recently at a bar right by the statue.

However, that community affection now mixes with growing worry about the statue’s fate. Following extended legal battles, the empty four-story structure supporting Nipper recently received a red warning sign with white markings — an official alert advising emergency personnel to exercise extreme caution before entering.

“It’s definitely not a good thing for Nipper. He is attached to that building, so if something happens to it, it’s going to be kind of hard to take him off,” said Cara Macri, director of preservation services for the Historic Albany Foundation.

The original Nipper was a real dog from late 1800s England who got his moniker from his habit of nipping at people’s legs. After the pet’s death, Francis Barraud, the brother of Nipper’s owner, created the famous painting “His Master’s Voice,” depicting the curious dog listening to sounds from a phonograph.

The Gramophone Company purchased rights to the artwork in 1899, and it was later registered for American use. RCA obtained the “His Master’s Voice” trademark in 1929.

Albany’s version of Nipper was installed by crane in the late 1950s to mark the site of an RCA appliance distribution center.

While other Nipper replicas were created during the brand’s peak years — including a 14-foot version from 1958 now housed at Baltimore’s Maryland Center for History and Culture alongside an oversized phonograph — Albany’s version stands tallest.

The statue commands attention in a skyline otherwise dominated by the modernist state government buildings near the Capitol, including a 44-story tower and an egg-shaped theater.

At downtown’s Fort Orange General Store, merchandise featuring the famous dog consistently ranks among top sellers, appearing on everything from socks to shot glasses.

“He is kind of like our unofficial mascot here at Fort Orange, as well as the city of Albany,” said Cubello, who was wearing a Nipper hoodie.

While Nipper himself remains in excellent condition after decades of weather exposure, the structure beneath him tells a different story. The building has remained vacant for more than ten years, with peeling paint visible across its front facade.

Development plans announced a decade ago to convert the purchased building into residential units and commercial space never materialized. Foreclosure proceedings have continued for years, with city records showing an attorney serving as receiver for the property.

Legal representatives involved in the ongoing litigation did not return requests for comment.

The Historic Albany Foundation added the building to its endangered properties list in 2024. The city posted the red warning placard at the entrance in March, prompting Times-Union columnist Chris Churchill to write an urgent piece titled: “Nipper has our love, but needs more protection.”

Mayor Dorcey Applyrs’ administration reports efforts are underway to designate Nipper as an official city historic landmark, which would provide protection for both the statue and building against harmful modifications. Additionally, a state panel recently nominated the warehouse district containing Nipper’s building for inclusion on state and national historic registries, potentially making the property eligible for preservation tax incentives.

Relocating Nipper from his longtime perch is not under serious consideration, given the logistical complexity and high costs involved.

After all, finding a new location for a roughly four-ton statue presents significant challenges.

“There’s a whole redevelopment downtown. You could put him there. You could put him on the riverfront,” Macri said. “But he’s a big dog.”

Extended naval missions to the Middle East and Caribbean regions are placing growing pressure on military families stationed in Navy communities such as Norfolk, Virginia.

The lengthy separations caused by these overseas deployments are creating mounting challenges for spouses and children left behind in these naval hub cities.

Following the conclusion of King Charles and Queen Camilla’s recent American tour, NPR host Steve Inskeep interviewed former U.S. Ambassador to Britain Matthew Barzun to explore why British royal visits continue to capture American attention.

The discussion focused on understanding the cultural and diplomatic significance of these high-profile visits and what draws Americans to royal ceremonies and appearances, even centuries after the country’s independence from British rule.

Barzun, who served as the United States’ diplomatic representative to the United Kingdom, provided perspective on the lasting appeal of royal pageantry and protocol among American audiences during these official state visits.

Country music has lost one of its most rebellious voices with the passing of David Allan Coe, the songwriter behind the iconic workplace rebellion anthem ‘Take This Job and Shove It’ and numerous other hits. The 86-year-old musician died Wednesday evening.

His spouse, Kimberly Hastings Coe, shared news of his passing with Rolling Stone magazine on Wednesday, calling him among the finest singers and songwriters of his generation.

‘My husband, my friend, my confidant and my life for many years. I’ll never forget him and I don’t want anyone else to ever forget him either,’ she expressed to the magazine.

According to a representative speaking to People magazine, Coe passed away around 5 p.m. on Wednesday. No cause of death was revealed.

Throughout his career, Coe remained an outsider figure within Nashville’s mainstream music industry, despite achieving success both as a performer and songwriter. He built a devoted fanbase drawn to his unpolished, frequently explicit material and his enigmatic background filled with controversy.

Health issues had kept him largely out of the public eye since September 2021, when his wife announced on social media that he had been hospitalized due to COVID-19.

Coe’s songwriting credits include some of country music’s most memorable tracks. Johnny Paycheck scored a major hit with his composition ‘Take This Job and Shove It’ in 1977, while Tanya Tucker found success with his ‘Would You Lay With Me (in a Field of Stone)’ in 1974. He also became the first country artist to record ‘Tennessee Whiskey,’ written by Dean Dillon and Linda Hargrove, which later became a signature song for both George Jones and Chris Stapleton.

As a recording artist, Coe achieved success with tracks like ‘You Never Even Call Me by My Name,’ penned by Steve Goodman and an uncredited John Prine, along with ‘The Ride’ and ‘Mona Lisa Lost Her Smile.’ His career extended into film, with appearances in movies including ‘Stagecoach’ and ‘Take this Job and Shove It,’ which borrowed its title from his famous composition.

Born in Akron, Ohio, Coe’s early years were marked by trouble with the law. He spent time in youth facilities and served a prison sentence from 1963 to 1967 for possessing burglary tools. He also claimed connections to the Outlaws motorcycle organization, though many details about his past have been embellished over time.

‘I’d have never made it through prison without my music,’ Coe shared in a 1983 Associated Press interview. ‘No one could take it (music) away from me. They could put me in the hole with nothing to do but I could still make up a song in my head.’

His debut recording was a blues collection titled ‘Penitentiary Blues,’ featuring compositions he created while incarcerated. Coe later explained to journalists that he avoided overusing prison themes in his music to distinguish himself from Merle Haggard’s similar background, though he felt his criminal past overshadowed his musical achievements in media coverage.

Moving to Columbia Records, Coe released ‘The Mysterious Rhinestone Cowboy,’ which became his stage persona after he began performing in a sparkling suit while wearing a mask.

During the peak of country music’s outlaw era, Coe positioned himself as a central figure in the movement. His song ‘Longhaired Redneck’ painted vivid pictures of performing in rough establishments, ‘Where bikers stare at cowboys who are laughing at the hippies who are praying they’ll get out of here alive.’

He gained additional recognition through his appearance in ‘Heartworn Highways,’ a celebrated documentary about the outlaw country scene, which showed him performing at a Tennessee correctional facility.

With his extensive tattoos and long hair, Coe attracted fans from various backgrounds, including motorcycle enthusiasts, medical professionals, attorneys, and financial workers. His final recording project in 2006 was an unexpected partnership with Dimebag Darrell and other former members of the metal band Pantera.

Coe also released two adult-oriented albums, 1978’s ‘Nothing Sacred’ and 1982’s ‘Underground Album,’ which he distributed through motorcycle publications. These recordings faced criticism for containing racist, homophobic, and sexually graphic content. In a 2001 Billboard magazine interview, he revealed that author and songwriter Shel Silverstein had encouraged him to record these controversial songs, a decision he later regretted.

‘Those were meant to be sung around the campfire for bikers, and I still don’t sing those songs in concert,’ he explained.

Legal troubles continued into his later years when, in 2016, Coe was required to pay the IRS over $980,000 in restitution for tax obstruction and received three years of probation. Court records indicated he earned money from approximately 100 annual concerts between 2008 and 2013 while failing to file proper tax returns or pay required taxes.

A New Jersey father and daughter have admitted their guilt in operating an elaborate art forgery operation that successfully deceived prominent galleries and auction houses throughout New York City.

The pair entered guilty pleas for their involvement in a sophisticated counterfeiting scheme that spanned multiple years, during which they created and sold fraudulent artworks falsely attributed to renowned artists including Andy Warhol and Banksy.

The operation targeted Manhattan’s prestigious art market, where the duo managed to convince established galleries and auction houses to purchase their forged pieces as authentic works by famous artists.

Details of how the father-daughter team executed their deception and the total value of fraudulent artwork they sold have not been fully disclosed as the case continues through the legal system.

The guilty pleas mark a significant development in what authorities describe as one of the more elaborate art fraud cases to emerge from the region in recent years.

LOS ANGELES – Disturbing new details have emerged in the murder case against indie pop artist D4vd, as Los Angeles County prosecutors filed court documents Wednesday describing the gruesome methods they claim the musician used to kill and dismember his teenage girlfriend.

The court filing reveals that David Burke, the 21-year-old singer known professionally as D4vd (pronounced “David”), allegedly used an inflatable blue pool to contain blood while dismembering 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez with chainsaws and other implements after fatally stabbing her in April.

Prosecutors say Burke ordered the pool, two chainsaws, a shovel, body bag and additional supplies online using a false identity, having them shipped to his Hollywood Hills residence following the murder.

The victim’s severely decomposed remains were found in September inside a body bag in the trunk of Burke’s Tesla, authorities report. Police discovered the torso and head in the bag, with the limbs stored separately in a plastic garbage bag beneath. Two fingers from the girl’s left hand, including one bearing a tattoo of Burke’s name, had been severed and were never located.

The vehicle had been abandoned near Burke’s home on July 29, 2025, before he left for a concert tour. Workers at an impound lot later detected the smell of decomposition and contacted police after the car was towed there weeks later.

The prosecution’s filing, which CBS News published online, marks the first time authorities have outlined a possible motive for the killing. They allege Burke murdered the teenager to prevent her from damaging his rising music career with threats to expose details about their relationship.

Burke was preparing to release his debut studio album and had secured lucrative endorsement deals when the crime occurred, according to the district attorney’s office.

Court documents indicate the pair engaged in a sexual relationship beginning when the victim was just 11 years old. Investigators recovered text message exchanges discussing sex, pregnancy, abortion and emergency contraception, along with explicit photographs.

The fatal attack occurred on April 23, 2025, one day after the two argued about her threats to expose him, prosecutors state. Burke allegedly summoned her to his home via Uber before stabbing her to death upon her arrival.

Evidence of the dismemberment was later found during a September search of Burke’s garage, including blood samples and pieces of the inflatable pool showing “multiple linear cuts,” according to the court brief.

The musician rose to prominence in 2022 when songs he recorded on his phone for gaming videos became viral hits on TikTok. His track “Romantic Homicide” led to a recording contract with Interscope Records, and he performed at the 2025 Coachella festival.

Burke entered a not guilty plea to first-degree murder and additional charges during his April 20 arraignment. “We believe the actual evidence will show David Burke did not murder Celeste Rivas Hernandez, nor was he the cause of her death,” stated his defense attorney Blair Berk.

When Richard Miles walked out of a Texas prison in 2009 after being cleared of a wrongful murder conviction, he carried newspaper articles about his case as proof of his innocence. Despite this evidence, employers at warehouses and fast-food chains refused to hire him.

Miles’ experience highlights a widespread problem facing the thousands of Americans who have been wrongfully convicted. Their struggles have gained renewed attention through the case of Calvin Duncan in New Orleans, who won an election for parish clerk but may never serve after Louisiana legislators voted to eliminate his position.

“We’re still kind of like looked at as an inmate that did a particular crime. It further deteriorates our ability to believe that the system can heal itself,” Miles explained. He eventually secured employment through connections at his church. “When cases like in Louisiana occur, it just shows us that the system is not healing itself.”

Duncan’s situation has struck a chord with exonerees nationwide who recognize the discrimination and suspicion they face while trying to start over. Duncan spent almost three decades behind bars before his murder conviction was overturned in 2021 when evidence showed police officers had provided false testimony. Voters elected him to oversee the Orleans Parish criminal court clerk’s office last November, with Duncan promising to reform the system that had wronged him. He was scheduled to begin his duties May 4.

Republican legislators who pushed to eliminate Duncan’s office claim their decision stems from efficiency concerns rather than his criminal justice history.

“Even if they are seen as somebody who is exonerated, there is still a stigma as somebody who has been in prison,” said Jon Eldan, who leads After Innocence, a California nonprofit organization.

Data from the National Registry of Exonerations shows more than 3,800 Americans have had their convictions overturned since 1989.

However, unlike individuals on parole or probation, those who are exonerated cannot access government programs that provide job placement help, housing support, and mental health care.

“I was turned down by many prisoner reentry organizations because they said, ‘Look, you’re not on parole, you’re not on probation,’” explained Jeffrey Deskovic, who served 16 years for rape and murder charges in Peekskill, New York, before his 2006 exoneration.

While 38 states have established compensation programs for the wrongfully convicted, recipients often wait years before receiving payments.

Eldan’s After Innocence organization connects exonerees with groups offering job preparation, housing assistance, and medical care. The group also works to correct criminal records to accurately reflect case outcomes.

Miles, who was imprisoned for more than 14 years, now operates Miles of Freedom, a Dallas nonprofit that assists formerly incarcerated people, including exonerees, in rebuilding their lives.

The obstacles Miles encountered while job hunting — including gaps in employment history and lack of current job skills — are common among exonerees. However, evidence suggests some employers simply refuse to hire anyone with a prison background.

No federal agencies track employment rates specifically for exonerees. Research on formerly incarcerated individuals shows unemployment rates far exceeding national averages. A 2018 Prison Policy Initiative study found unemployment above 27% for people with prison records. Separate 2021 federal data revealed 33% of federal inmates released in 2010 remained jobless four years later. The national unemployment rate stood at 4.3% in March.

Deskovic used compensation money received five years after his release to establish the Deskovic Foundation, a New York nonprofit focused on freeing wrongfully convicted individuals. He later earned a law degree to represent them in court.

Exonerees tell Deskovic that employment challenges persist much as they did when he sought work as a donut shop employee and newspaper reporter but couldn’t maintain steady employment.

Advocates point to Duncan as an example of someone who successfully rebuilt his life and achieved elected office, yet still faces questions about his innocence and post-release achievements.

“If he wasn’t an exoneree, would they be doing this to him? I’m sure that they would not,” Deskovic said.

Eldan’s organization collaborated with a Delaware state senator to create legislation providing compensation for wrongful imprisonment, along with monthly payments and assistance with housing, food benefits, and health insurance. The law also grants exonerees official certificates declaring their innocence and wrongful incarceration.

Eldan reports his group is partnering with officials in California, New Mexico, and other states to pass similar legislation providing innocence certificates and criminal record corrections.

Both Eldan and Miles advocate for increased state funding of post-release programs for exonerees.

“But it’s hard to write into a statute, something that actually translates into real benefit for these people,” Eldan noted. “It’s not because the state is bad, but because the state just is not particularly good at delivering those services.”

Ben Spencer endured 34 years in prison for a Dallas murder he didn’t commit before his 2021 exoneration and release. His applications for positions at an Amazon warehouse and as an airport baggage handler were unsuccessful.

Eventually, someone familiar with his case helped Spencer obtain work as a facilities engineer performing repairs for a company. He has held that position for five years.

“I think I’m kind of settling in a little more now. I’m still trying to figure out the cellphone and computers,” Spencer said. “When I walked out of the jail, it was like waking up out of a coma or a bad dream. And of course, I still had to try to get some financial stability. I guess I won’t say I’m there now, but I’m closer to where I wanna be now than I was.”

SALT LAKE CITY — Legal representatives for reality television personality Taylor Frankie Paul from ‘The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ and her former boyfriend will appear before a Utah judge Thursday, each seeking long-term protective orders against the other in a dispute that will impact custody of their toddler.

Paul and Dakota Mortensen, who share a 2-year-old son, are both requesting that a court convert temporary restraining orders into permanent protections, with each accusing the other of domestic abuse.

During an April 7 court session, Third District Court Commissioner Russell Minas stated he had ‘concerns going both ways’ regarding the mutual allegations. The commissioner currently prohibits Paul from having unsupervised visits with her child due to what he described as a pattern of aggressive conduct toward Mortensen when children were nearby.

The former couple, whose troubled relationship was prominently featured on their reality show, must maintain a distance of at least 100 feet from each other until Thursday’s afternoon proceeding. Court officials expect both parties to attend in person after participating virtually in the previous hearing.

Court documents reveal that attorneys are examining eleven separate incidents of conflict between the former partners. A recently surfaced video from one 2023 altercation led ABC to take the unusual step of canceling an already-completed season of ‘The Bachelorette’ featuring Paul. Hulu temporarily halted production on ‘The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ before resuming filming last week.

The leaked footage shows Paul appearing to strike, kick and hurl furniture at Mortensen while her daughter observed and became distressed. Authorities charged Paul with aggravated assault and additional violations, including domestic violence committed in a child’s presence. Police body camera video from her arrest was included in the Hulu series’ debut season.

Paul entered a guilty plea to the assault charge, which will be downgraded from a felony to a misdemeanor if she avoids legal issues during a three-year probation period ending in August. Prosecutors dropped the remaining charges.

The Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office recently decided against filing additional charges against Paul for more recent confrontations with Mortensen. New criminal charges would have constituted a violation of her probation from the 2023 assault case.

The decision not to pursue prosecution may strengthen Paul’s position as she works to restore custody rights for her son.

Utah’s protective order system can limit or completely eliminate parental visitation rights. When one parent obtains such an order against the other, court officials may determine that parent should receive custody. In cases where both parents have orders against each other, judges rely heavily on recommendations from court-appointed advocates investigating the child’s welfare.

The couple’s son, Ever, will have a court-appointed legal representative present during Thursday’s hearing to assist the commissioner in establishing the most secure living situation for the child.

Attorney Michael McDonald, representing the boy’s interests, expressed concerns during the April 7 session about Paul’s pattern of engaging in conflicts with Mortensen while their son was present.

Eric Swinyard, Paul’s legal counsel, contends that Mortensen initiates the violence in their relationship. He presented court evidence including photographs of Paul’s injuries following an incident in a vehicle where she claims Mortensen forced her head against the dashboard.

Daniela Diaz, representing Mortensen, detailed additional confrontations between the pair and claimed that Paul manipulates their son ‘as a pawn to start fights.’

If you or someone you know needs help with domestic violence, please contact the national domestic violence hotline at 1-800-799-7233.

A Texas death row inmate was set to face lethal injection Thursday evening despite new claims from his relative that he was the actual gunman in a deadly 2008 robbery.

James Broadnax, 37, received a death sentence for the murders of Stephen Swan and Matthew Butler, who were shot and killed outside Butler’s recording studio in Garland, a Dallas suburb. His relative, Demarius Cummings, received life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for his role in the crime.

According to prosecutors, Broadnax admitted his guilt in the shootings, telling news media while incarcerated that “I pulled the trigger” and expressing no regret for his actions.

The execution was set to take place after 6 p.m. Central Time at the Huntsville state prison facility, located approximately 70 miles north of Houston.

Defense attorneys filed emergency petitions with the U.S. Supreme Court seeking to halt the execution after lower courts refused to intervene.

The legal team’s final attempts center on two main arguments: Cummings has now admitted to being the actual shooter, and Broadnax’s rights were violated when prosecutors removed potential jurors based on their race.

“I’m really gonna tell it like it’s supposed to be told, that it was me, that I was the killer. I shot Matthew Bullard, Steve Swann,” Cummings stated in a recent prison video recording made to support efforts to stop the execution.

Defense lawyers argue in Supreme Court documents that Cummings’ admission is “corroborated by the fact that his DNA, and not Mr. Broadnax’s, was found on the murder weapon and in the pocket of one of the victims.”

In the same video, Broadnax claimed his earlier confession was untrue, saying he didn’t value his life at the time. His legal team contends he was under the influence of narcotics during his media interviews.

Broadnax also expressed regret to the victims’ families for his involvement in the robbery.

“I wish I could show them my soul, so they could see just how sorry I am. I am very much remorseful for everything that happened,” Broadnax stated.

Defense attorneys further claim prosecutors removed all seven potential Black jurors due to race, “utilizing a spreadsheet during jury selection that bolded only the names of every Black juror,” court filings indicate. One Black juror was subsequently added back to the panel. Broadnax is African American.

The 1986 Supreme Court decision in Batson v. Kentucky established that removing jurors based on race violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.

In previous appeals, Broadnax’s legal team argued prosecutors violated his constitutional protections by using his rap lyrics to depict him as violent and dangerous to justify a death sentence. Several prominent rap artists, including Travis Scott, T.I. and Killer Mike, submitted court briefs supporting Broadnax’s case.

However, the Supreme Court rejected that appeal along with another challenging how forensic evidence was presented during trial.

The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles rejected Broadnax’s petition Tuesday for either a 180-day delay or sentence commutation.

The Texas Attorney General’s Office has characterized Cummings’ shooter confession as “questionable new evidence.” State lawyers also argued in court papers that Broadnax’s allegations about racial targeting of Black jurors are “entirely meritless,” claiming these individuals were dismissed based on their responses during questioning, including opposition to capital punishment.

Theresa Butler, the mother of victim Matthew Butler, has requested the execution move forward.

“This so called confession from cummings is just a stall tactic by broadnax’s desperate defense team. Its all a lie,” Butler posted on social media.

Should the execution proceed, Broadnax would become the third person executed in Texas this year. The state has historically conducted more executions than any other.

Approximately one hour before Broadnax’s scheduled execution Thursday, Florida planned to execute James Ernest Hitchcock, 70, for the beating and strangulation death of his 13-year-old step-niece.

A Louisiana sheriff and her top financial officer are facing serious criminal charges connected to one of the most significant prison escapes in recent American history.

Susan Hutson, who serves as sheriff in New Orleans, along with Chief Financial Officer Bianka Brown, received indictments Wednesday following a special grand jury investigation into the May 2025 incident where 10 detainees fled from the Orleans Parish Justice Center.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill announced that Hutson faces 30 felony charges while Brown was hit with 20 counts. The charges include criminal malfeasance, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy offenses.

A judge established bail amounts of $300,000 for Hutson and $200,000 for Brown. Both officials must give up their passports and cannot travel outside Louisiana’s borders.

“While Sheriff Hutson did not personally open the doors of the jail for the escapees, her refusal to comply with basic legal requirements and to take even minimal precautions in the discharge of her duties directly contributed to and enabled the escape,” Murrill said in a statement.

Neither the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office nor attorneys for the accused officials provided immediate comments following the indictment announcement. It remains uncertain whether Hutson and Brown will step down from their positions.

Michelle Woodfork, who won the sheriff’s election, is set to take the oath of office in early May, replacing Hutson.

The dramatic escape occurred on May 16 when inmates at the Orleans Parish Justice Center, a facility primarily housing individuals awaiting trial or sentencing, managed to break free by dismantling a sink and toilet from their cell wall and crawling through the opening they created.

Staff discovered the missing prisoners during regular morning roll call. The escapees included individuals facing murder charges, though authorities eventually captured all 10 fugitives.

Prior to Wednesday’s charges against the top officials, more than a dozen people had already faced prosecution as accomplices in the breakout, including detention facility staff members and family members of the escaped inmates. Among those charged was a maintenance employee who shut off water to the compromised cell when the inmates requested it.

The indictment details that Hutson faces 14 counts of malfeasance in office, along with multiple conspiracy charges, accusations of maintaining fraudulent public records, and obstruction of justice violations. Brown received similar charges.

Hutson, originally from Philadelphia, won the Orleans Parish sheriff’s race in December 2021 and began serving in May 2022. Her election marked historic firsts as Louisiana’s first African-American female sheriff and New Orleans’ first woman to hold the position.

Her career background includes work as both a defense lawyer and prosecutor before moving to Los Angeles, where she monitored the police department and oversaw detention facilities from 2007 to 2010. She returned to New Orleans in 2010 as an independent police monitor, spending a decade implementing reforms including specialized teams for officer-involved shooting investigations and mandatory body camera programs.

A federal judge in Washington D.C. handed down a four-year prison sentence Wednesday to a Romanian citizen who orchestrated fake emergency calls targeting numerous high-ranking American officials, federal prosecutors announced.

Thomasz Szabo, age 27, coordinated what authorities describe as an extensive campaign of fraudulent threats aimed at congressional members, cabinet officials, federal judges, and top law enforcement administrators.

The defendant had become heavily involved in swatting – a hazardous type of cyber harassment that has grown into a significant threat facing public servants throughout the United States political landscape.

Federal prosecutors had sought nearly five years behind bars for Szabo, who entered guilty pleas in June to conspiracy and threatening charges. U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson also ordered three years of supervised release following his incarceration, according to U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s office.

“This administration will not tolerate attacks on the institutions and individuals who serve this country,” Pirro said in a statement.

Starting in 2018 while based in Romania, Szabo established online chat platforms where he and similar-minded individuals engaged in internet harassment activities. His digital operations evolved by late 2020 to include swatting schemes, where participants place false emergency reports designed to trigger heavily armed police responses at victims’ residences. Additional conspirators assisted in placing the fraudulent calls.

“Despite (or because of) the fact that they resulted in far greater harm to the victim and society, these activities offered much more entertainment value to the defendant and his followers, since swatting and bomb threats often resulted in an observable real-world impact,” prosecutors wrote.

Authorities also charged Nemanja Radovanovic of Serbia in connection with Szabo’s case, though that matter remains pending.

A separate Florida case involved another Szabo collaborator. Alan Filion received a four-year sentence in February 2025 at age 18 after admitting guilt for approximately 375 swatting incidents between August 2022 and January 2024. Though Filion was underage during his criminal activities, he entered adult guilty pleas.

Court documents reveal that in December 2023, Szabo advised Radovanovic they should select victims from both major political parties because “we are not on any side.” The following day, Radovanovic and Filion launched a swatting campaign against at least 25 congressional members or their family members, plus dozens of additional state and federal government personnel, according to prosecutors.

“Over and over, police departments and other first responders were hijacked by the defendant and deployed to fictitious emergencies,” prosecutors wrote. “As a result, fewer personnel and resources were available to respond to real emergencies.”

Secret Service agents interviewed Szabo on January 19, 2024, after Romanian law enforcement searched his residence. Officials said he was extradited from Romania to the United States in November 2024.

A Louisiana sheriff is facing serious criminal charges after a state investigation revealed her mismanagement led to a dramatic escape of 10 inmates from a New Orleans detention facility.

Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson was hit with a 30-count indictment Wednesday by a grand jury, facing charges of malfeasance, obstruction of justice, and falsifying public records. While prosecutors say Hutson didn’t directly assist in the escape, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill determined that inadequate jail oversight made the breakout possible.

“While Sheriff Hutson did not personally open the doors of the jail for the escapees, her refusal to comply with basic legal requirements and to take even minimal precautions in the discharge of her duties directly contributed to and enabled the escape,” Murrill said in a statement.

The dramatic escape involved inmates crawling through an opening they created behind a restroom toilet, then climbing over razor wire fencing to freedom. Adding insult to injury, the escapees left behind mocking graffiti reading “To Easy LoL” at the scene. Perhaps most troubling, jail staff failed to discover the missing prisoners for more than seven hours.

Hutson has been ordered to surrender her passport and remain within state boundaries, with bail set at $300,000. The sheriff’s office chief financial officer, Bianka Brown, also faces 20 similar charges in connection with the incident.

Following the breakout, Hutson drew criticism for her delayed notification to law enforcement and for initially suggesting political enemies orchestrated the escape without offering proof. She also pointed to defective door locks and inadequate funding for facility improvements as contributing factors.

The Orleans Parish detention system has struggled with violence, corruption, and operational failures for years, prompting federal supervision beginning in 2013. Despite significant financial investment and a new facility opening in 2015, federal monitors had previously flagged concerns about insufficient staffing, poor oversight, and increasing incidents of “internal escapes” in the years preceding this major breakout.

All escapees were eventually recaptured after an extensive manhunt. Hutson, who lost her bid for reelection, is scheduled to step down from her position Monday.

Neither Hutson nor Brown immediately responded to requests for comment, and court documents did not identify personal attorneys for either defendant.

The massive USS Gerald R. Ford will return to its Virginia home base following an unprecedented deployment lasting more than 300 days, during which the vessel participated in military operations against Iran and the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, according to two U.S. officials who spoke Wednesday.

The enormous aircraft carrier will depart the Middle East within days and arrive at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia by mid-May, said the officials, who requested anonymity when discussing classified military operations. The Washington Post first reported this development.

Last week’s arrival of the USS George H.W. Bush created an unusual situation with three American aircraft carriers stationed in the Middle East simultaneously — a concentration not witnessed since 2003 — as a fragile ceasefire continues in the Iran conflict. The USS Abraham Lincoln has also maintained a presence in the area since January amid rising tensions with Tehran.

Earlier this month, the Ford established a new U.S. military record for the longest deployment since the Vietnam War ended, spending nearly 10 months away from Naval Station Norfolk after departing in June.

The vessel’s 295th day at sea exceeded the previous record for aircraft carrier deployments over the past five decades, surpassing the Lincoln’s 294-day mission in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, based on information gathered by U.S. Naval Institute News, a publication of the nonprofit U.S. Naval Institute.

The Ford’s extended mission has sparked concerns about the effects on military personnel spending prolonged periods away from their families, as well as increased wear on the ship and its systems, particularly after the carrier suffered a fire requiring extensive repairs.

During Wednesday’s House Armed Services Committee hearing, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth addressed questions about the Ford’s lengthy deployment, explaining he had discussed the matter with Navy leadership who acknowledged challenges related to readiness and maintenance.

“Multiple times the operational requirements — whether it was down in Southcom or up to Centcom — demanded additional assets in real time, which through a tough decision-making process led to an extension,” Hegseth stated, referencing U.S. Southern Command’s oversight of Latin America and U.S. Central Command’s Middle East operations.

The Ford initially sailed to the Mediterranean Sea when its deployment began, but was redirected to the Caribbean Sea in October during what became the region’s largest naval presence in decades.

The carrier participated in military actions to apprehend Maduro before encountering additional combat situations as it moved toward the Middle East amid escalating Iranian tensions.

From the Mediterranean Sea, the carrier engaged in initial phases of the Iran conflict before traveling through the Suez Canal and entering the Red Sea in early March.

A fire in the ship’s laundry facilities, however, forced the vessel to reverse course and return to the Mediterranean for repairs, displacing hundreds of sailors from their sleeping quarters.

While the Ford’s 295-day mission sets a post-Vietnam record, it remains shorter than Cold War-era deployments, particularly the decommissioned USS Midway’s 332-day mission spanning 1972 and 1973.

The USS Nimitz crew spent 341 days away from home during 2020 and 2021, though that period included extended quarantine time on U.S. soil designed to limit COVID-19 transmission.

Bereaved families whose relatives perished in last year’s deadly flooding at Camp Mystic urged Texas legislators to prevent the facility from resuming operations during testimony before a state legislative commission.

The all-girls camp’s ownership also appeared before the commission to outline their emergency response protocols and disaster preparedness measures.

The legislative hearing focused on the tragic 2025 flooding incident that claimed multiple lives at the camp facility.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Federal investigators carried out extensive searches across Minnesota this week, seizing documents and evidence as part of a continuing probe into fraudulent activities within publicly funded children’s programs.

The Tuesday operations involved 22 search warrants executed by federal agents, with armed officers visible at multiple childcare facilities throughout the state. The searches represent the most recent chapter in Minnesota’s ongoing battle against widespread fraud within social service programs.

Minnesota has faced numerous interconnected fraud investigations spanning multiple years, with federal prosecutors estimating that potentially billions of dollars in government funding may have been misappropriated.

The state’s fraud problems gained national attention through the Feeding Our Future scandal, a pandemic-era school meal program that federal authorities say resulted in $300 million in fraudulent losses. Since initial charges were filed in 2022, nearly 80 individuals have faced prosecution, with at least 65 convictions secured. Defendants allegedly falsely claimed to have provided millions of meals to children.

Federal prosecutors noted that most defendants in the Feeding Our Future case were of Somali heritage and held U.S. citizenship, though the alleged mastermind, Aimee Bock, is white. Bock received convictions on multiple charges including conspiracy, wire fraud, and bribery, with sentencing scheduled for May 21.

This wasn’t Minnesota’s first encounter with social service fraud. State legislative auditors reported in 2019 that suspected fraud in a single childcare program was costing $100 million or more each year.

President Donald Trump has cited these scandals as grounds for implementing extensive immigration enforcement in Minnesota, initially targeting the state’s substantial Somali population. However, the majority of over 4,000 arrests involved Hispanic individuals, most without criminal histories, despite administration claims of targeting “the worst of the worst.”

Trump characterized Minnesota as “a hub of fraudulent money laundering activity” under Gov. Tim Walz, the 2024 Democratic vice presidential candidate, writing on social media around Thanksgiving: “Somali gangs are terrorizing the people of that great State, and BILLIONS of Dollars are missing. Send them back to where they came from. It’s OVER!”

The administration launched Operation Metro Surge in early December, deploying approximately 3,000 federal officers in what officials called the largest immigration enforcement operation in history. The crackdown triggered widespread protests, with residents attempting to shield immigrants from arrest. Demonstrations intensified following fatal shootings of two individuals by federal officers.

In December, federal prosecutors unveiled a new wave of Medicaid fraud charges involving child nutrition services, housing assistance, and autism support programs. Autism rates are notably elevated within the Somali community for unexplained reasons. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson, who spearheaded the Feeding Our Future prosecutions, estimated that half or more of approximately $18 billion in federal funding distributed through 14 Minnesota programs since 2018 may have been stolen.

“The magnitude cannot be overstated,” Thompson stated before later resigning amid an exodus of career officials protesting Trump administration policies. “What we see in Minnesota is not a handful of bad actors committing crimes. It’s staggering, industrial-scale fraud.”

While frequently referenced, Thompson’s dollar figure represents an estimate, with actual losses alleged in filed cases totaling significantly less.

Conservative influencer Nick Shirley posted an extensive video the day after Christmas alleging that Minneapolis Somali community members operated fraudulent childcare centers to collect federal subsidies. The video gained attention from Trump administration officials and conservative activists, though state inspectors dismissed the claims.

Tuesday’s federal searches involved multiple state and federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security. Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension officers removed boxes from several locations. Democratic state Attorney General Keith Ellison confirmed his office’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit participated in searches at five sites alongside federal law enforcement. The state’s child welfare agency provided supporting information.

The timeline for potential criminal charges remains unclear, as fraud investigations typically require extensive time to complete due to their complexity.

BOSTON — Federal authorities have concluded that the gunman responsible for a deadly shooting at Brown University and the murder of an MIT professor deliberately selected his targets based on deep-seated personal resentments, rather than striking at random.

According to a comprehensive behavioral analysis made public Wednesday, Claudio Neves Valente, a 48-year-old Portuguese citizen and former Brown University student, chose locations and individuals that symbolized what he perceived as personal setbacks, lost chances, and unfair treatment in his life.

The FBI report details how Neves Valente spent years in solitude developing his attack plan before opening fire in an engineering facility on December 13, resulting in two student deaths and nine injuries. He subsequently murdered MIT professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro at the educator’s Brookline, Massachusetts residence two days afterward. Law enforcement discovered Neves Valente’s body at a Salem, New Hampshire storage unit, apparently dead from a self-inflicted gunshot, concluding a manhunt across multiple states.

Federal investigators characterized the perpetrator as someone who lived in extreme isolation for years, frequently changing locations and lacking the typical support networks of family members, friends, or mentors who might have detected concerning behavior and contacted authorities.

Investigators determined that he gradually constructed a worldview centered on personal grievances and feelings of inadequacy, with “little to no opportunity for bystanders to observe and contextualize the significance of his behaviors.”

“He appeared to struggle with how he viewed his life achievements and felt he was considerably marginalized by others,” the FBI wrote in the report. “As his failures outweighed successes, his paranoia increased, compounding his continued inability to thrive and leading to him being mentally unwell and committed to dying.”

Law enforcement officials emphasized that the violence carried symbolic meaning. Both Brown University and Professor Loureiro embodied what the shooter viewed as “his personal failures and injustices he perceived were inflicted by others over time,” according to investigators.

“By attacking them, Neves Valente was likely able to overcome his shame and envy by using violence to punish those communities that he perceived contributed to his downfall,” the FBI said.

However, investigators recognized the limitations of their analysis, acknowledging that only Neves Valente truly understood his complete motivation and that psychological stress factors alone cannot provide a full explanation for the attacks.

Following the shootings, authorities discovered that Neves Valente had created multiple video and audio recordings where he admitted to the crimes, showed no regret, and discussed some of the resentments detailed in the FBI analysis, though he provided no definitive rationale for his actions.

Law enforcement has determined that Neves Valente operated independently and that the incidents had no established links to terrorist activity.

Officials revealed that Neves Valente was enrolled briefly as a doctoral candidate at Brown during the early 2000s but failed to finish his studies, a detail that investigators believe influenced his later perception of the institution. The weapons used in both attacks were purchased legally in Florida several years before the incidents, according to authorities.

These revelations emerge as victims wounded in the shooting initiated legal action this week, claiming the university disregarded previous warnings about the gunman and failed to implement sufficient security measures that might have prevented the tragedy.

LOS ANGELES — Legal authorities in Los Angeles County announced Wednesday that recording artist D4vd fatally attacked 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez with a knife in what they describe as a calculated murder.

The District Attorney’s Office revealed new details in court documents Wednesday, outlining what prosecutors claim is evidence showing the musician’s attempts to destroy the victim’s remains and eliminate proof of the crime.

According to the filing, D4vd, legally known as David Burke, first encountered Rivas Hernandez when she was just 11 years old, initiated an illegal sexual relationship when she turned 13 while he was 18, and murdered her after she threatened to expose their illicit affair.

“Knowing he had to silence the victim before she ruined his music career as she had threatened, very soon after her arrival at his home, defendant stabbed the victim to death multiple times and stood by while she bled out.”

Authorities discovered her decomposing remains inside a Tesla vehicle that had been towed from the Hollywood Hills area last September.

Investigators recovered text communications between Burke and the victim from April 22, 2025 — the final day before her phone went silent and officials believe she was murdered.

“The messages reveal the victim’s jealousy over defendant’s relationships with other women, as defendant led her to believe they had a future together. She became extremely upset and threatened to disclose damaging information about her relationship with defendant to end his career and destroy his life,” the document says.

Court papers allege Burke purchased two chainsaws through online retailers, which he then used to dismember the teenager’s body inside an inflatable swimming pool. Investigators reportedly discovered the girl’s DNA evidence in Burke’s garage, where they believe the dismemberment took place.

“Defendant took horrifying measures to destroy and discard the victim’s body,” prosecutors said in the brief.

The victim’s remains had deteriorated so severely that medical examiners could not identify basic physical characteristics like eye color. At the time of her death, she wore dental braces and had gotten a tattoo reading “Shhh…” on her finger along with Burke’s name, according to official reports. Two fingers were absent from the body, along with portions of her arms and legs.

Until now, prosecutors had not publicly outlined their theory of how Rivas Hernandez died or provided specifics about her connection to the defendant. Medical examination results indicated she died from stab wounds.

Burke has entered a not guilty plea to first-degree murder charges and additional counts. His legal representatives maintain his innocence and deny he caused Rivas Hernandez’s death.

Defense lawyers requested that Superior Court Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo seal the prosecution’s filing during Wednesday’s hearing, but the judge rejected their motion. The attorneys declined to speak with reporters after court proceedings.

A father-daughter team from New Jersey has admitted to orchestrating an elaborate art forgery scheme that fooled some of New York City’s most prestigious auction houses out of at least $2 million.

The case began unraveling just over a year ago when Karolina Bankowska, 26, walked into art dealer Robert Rogal’s private showroom carrying what appeared to be an authentic Andrew Wyeth watercolor. She claimed it was a family heirloom and hoped to sell it through consignment for an estimated $20,000 to $30,000.

“The provenance was a little fuzzy,” Rogal recalled. “But she seemed credible. It wasn’t an obvious counterfeit.”

Federal prosecutors now say that painting was among more than 200 sophisticated fakes that Bankowska and her father, 50-year-old Erwin Bankowski, attempted to sell to unsuspecting buyers. On Tuesday, both Polish citizens entered guilty pleas to fraud charges.

The counterfeit artworks were created by an unidentified accomplice in Poland and included reproductions of lesser-known pieces by renowned artists such as Banksy and Andy Warhol, according to prosecutors. Their biggest payday came from a fake Richard Mayhew painting that sold through DuMouchelles auction house last October for $160,000.

A DuMouchelles spokesperson confirmed cooperation with federal investigators but declined further comment. Other targeted auction houses, including Bonhams, Phillips, Freeman’s and Antique Arena, either refused to comment or did not respond to requests.

The defendants face wire fraud conspiracy charges and additional counts for misrepresenting Native American-produced artwork after forging pieces attributed to Luiseño artist Fritz Scholder. Federal sentencing guidelines call for more than three years imprisonment, plus $1.9 million in restitution payments and potential deportation to Poland.

During Tuesday’s court hearing, Bankowska acknowledged to the judge that her “conduct was wrong and I am guilty.” Her lawyer, Todd Spodek, noted that his client has already placed over $1 million in an escrow account.

Speaking through a Polish translator, Erwin Bankowski also expressed remorse. His defense attorney, Jeffrey Chabrowe, explained that his client had “regrettably made a terrible decision in an effort to support his family.”

Art world experts say this type of fraud is more common than many industry insiders care to acknowledge.

“The only unusual thing about this case is that the forgers got caught,” said Erin Thompson, who teaches art crime at the City University of New York.

“People think of the art world as a genteel place full of cultured people who just want to share the wonder of beautiful art,” she continued. “You should assume there are a lot more fakes out there.”

According to prosecutors, the scheme launched in 2020 when the pair began hiring a Polish artist to produce the fraudulent works. They used vintage paper and created fake gallery stamps, choosing names of defunct galleries where the supposed artists might have realistically displayed their work.

Red flags began appearing by March 2023, when representatives for artist Raimonds Staprans discovered a forged painting called “Triple Boats” being offered at auction. Despite the artist’s representatives contacting the auction house, the piece still sold for $60,000 just days later, prosecutors stated.

Thompson, the art crime expert, spotted additional warning signs. The gallery stamp on the counterfeit Wyeth listed 1976 as the year but used a zoning address format that had been discontinued in 1962.

Ironically, the fake stamp carried the name and address of M. Knoedler & Co., one of New York’s most prestigious galleries until it shuttered in 2011 following its own forgery scandal involving fake works by Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko and other masters.

Rogal ultimately decided against listing the Wyeth painting, partly because the stamp appeared “too clean.” When he contacted Bankowska to retrieve the artwork, she never responded.

On Tuesday, while examining the painting again in his Queens warehouse filled with consigned pieces, Rogal reflected on the experience.

“You try to do a service and provide it correctly,” he said. “Can we be fooled? Absolutely.”

AUSTIN, Texas — Satirical news publication The Onion is making a renewed attempt to acquire conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’ Infowars media empire and convert it into a parody platform.

A Texas judge will decide Thursday whether to greenlight the comedy outlet’s latest acquisition proposal, even as Jones has submitted eleventh-hour appeals in both state and federal courts attempting to block the proceedings. This legal battle stems from ongoing disputes over the more than $1 billion Jones must pay to families of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims after he falsely claimed the 2012 Connecticut tragedy was staged.

This isn’t The Onion’s first attempt to secure the Infowars brand, and the publication is preparing for potential success. The comedy site has already begun marketing Infowars products through its own online store, featuring shirts and bags displaying an Infowars logo modified to include The Onion’s signature symbol replacing the letter ‘o.’

Jones has promised to resist any Onion acquisition. Should the takeover proceed, he plans to maintain his broadcasts through personal social media profiles, new websites, and the numerous radio stations that carry his show. He also intends to continue his merchandise operations, including nutritional supplements and apparel that generate millions annually.

Multiple family members of the 20 children and six staff members murdered at Sandy Hook filed lawsuits against Jones and his business in both Connecticut and Texas courts for defamation and emotional harm after he claimed the massacre was performed by ‘crisis actors’ to promote stricter gun legislation.

Family members provided testimony describing how Jones’ followers sent them death and sexual assault threats, confronted them in person, and bombarded them with hostile social media messages.

Jones maintained there was insufficient evidence connecting him to his followers’ behavior, though he acknowledged under oath that the shooting actually occurred.

Connecticut courts awarded victims’ families more than $1.4 billion in damages against Jones, later reduced by approximately $150 million during the appeals process. Texas courts ordered Jones to pay nearly $50 million in damages, with his Texas appeal still ongoing.

Jones declared bankruptcy in late 2022.

Throughout three decades, Jones promoted numerous conspiracy theories, including claims that the U.S. government orchestrated or allowed the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing and the September 11 attacks.

As his false statements became increasingly extreme, his reach expanded across radio networks, the Infowars website, and social media platforms.

Following his dismissal from an Austin radio station in the mid-1990s, he started broadcasting from his residence using his Infowars website. He purchased the domain name for just $9.

In 2004, his operation consisted of two staff members and a small office. By 2010, Jones employed more than 60 people. By 2024, he operated four Austin studios and a warehouse for his product sales.

Jones claims he has prepared a new Austin studio facility in case he loses Infowars.

Jones’ bankruptcy proceedings included a 2024 auction to sell Infowars’ assets to help satisfy the court judgments, with The Onion selected as the successful bidder. However, the bankruptcy judge rejected that arrangement, pointing to issues with The Onion’s offer and the auction procedures.

The bankruptcy judge subsequently permitted the Sandy Hook families to pursue asset liquidation through state court. Jones has challenged that decision.

The Onion’s current proposal involves a six-month licensing agreement with renewal options while a court-designated receiver works toward eventually selling the assets of Free Speech Systems, Infowars’ parent company. Money from the asset sale would go to the Sandy Hook families.

The Onion would contribute $81,000 monthly to cover building rent for the Infowars studios, utilities, and other operational expenses.

The Onion recently revealed it has recruited staff to operate the redesigned Infowars platforms, including Tim Heidecker from the comedy partnership Tim and Eric, recognized for their Cartoon Network ‘Adult Swim’ programming. Beyond parody content, plans include featuring various comedy formats.

Headquartered in Chicago, The Onion launched in the 1980s and has spent decades satirizing politics and popular culture, frequently targeting Jones in mocking articles. The publication uses ‘America’s Finest News Source’ as its tagline.

Following mass shootings in America, The Onion typically republishes modified versions of one of its most famous recurring satirical pieces: “‘No Way to Prevent This,’ Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens.”

ORLANDO, Fla. — A recently released police report reveals troubling details about the mental state of a man now facing murder charges in the deaths of two University of South Florida doctoral students from Bangladesh.

Family members described a dramatic deterioration in Hisham Abugharbieh’s behavior following his marijuana use, according to documents from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office released Wednesday. The report stems from a May 2023 incident where Abugharbieh struck his brother in the face and kicked his mother in the back.

During that arrest three years ago, Abugharbieh displayed signs of severe mental distress, making statements such as “I am son of Mary” and “I created my brother. I am his god.” Authorities placed him under Florida’s Baker Act, which permits emergency mental health evaluations lasting up to 72 hours.

“HIsham used to be a cool guy, a supportive and helpful eldest son, until he started smoking cannabis, especially medical marijuana,” a relative whose name was redacted wrote in a victim impact statement more than a week after Abugharbieh’s May 2023 arrest. “It turned him mentally ill, with hurtful behavior and anger problems which is affecting the family life. We lost Hisham as a normal family member.”

When questioned by law enforcement during the 2023 incident, Abugharbieh claimed he acted defensively because his brother had threatened him. His family chose not to pursue criminal charges but requested substance abuse treatment instead. He subsequently participated in a first-time offender diversion program.

The 26-year-old now faces two first-degree murder charges in connection with the deaths of the USF students. He remains in custody without bail.

Investigators discovered the body of Abugharbieh’s roommate, Zamil Limon, in a trash bag on the Howard Frankland bridge last Friday. Authorities announced Sunday that another body was recovered from waters near the bridge, though the medical examiner has not officially identified it as Limon’s girlfriend, Nahida Bristy.

Both victims vanished on April 16. Limon was last observed at the off-campus housing complex he shared with Abugharbieh, while Bristy was last seen at a university science facility. Limon pursued studies in geography, environmental science and policy, while Bristy focused on chemical engineering.

Jennifer Spradley, a public defender representing Abugharbieh in Tampa, declined to provide comment when contacted earlier this week.

Virginia’s Department of Wildlife Resources honored its finest conservation officers during an awards ceremony held March 18, recognizing outstanding achievements in law enforcement, public safety, and community service throughout 2025.

2025 CONSERVATION POLICE OFFICER OF THE YEAR

Senior Officer Kevin Webb

Senior Officer Webb earned the top honor through remarkable leadership, training expertise, and investigative excellence during 2025. Webb mentored officers as a Field Training Officer, conducted extensive driver training for DWR and academy personnel, and participated in 11 community outreach programs including youth camps and school presentations.

Webb’s investigative prowess shone in complex cases, including volunteering as lead investigator for a late-night predator hunting fatality outside his assigned area. The intricate case required search warrants, crime scene recreations, and comprehensive interviews, ultimately resulting in felony murder and reckless handling charges. His quick response, evidence preservation, and coordination proved crucial for successful prosecution.

Throughout the year, Webb built substantial cases through thorough investigations. His determination in an antler possession case led to convictions on all 12 charges by disproving fake documentation through database research and social media examination. He filed 18 charges in a major baiting and trespassing case, handled four spring turkey tagging violations, and secured felony charges in separate hunting-related shootings. His work resulted in multiple felony convictions and earned high praise from a Commonwealth’s Attorney.

2025 VIRGINIA BOATING OFFICER OF THE YEAR

Officer First Class B. Tyler Dagliano

Officer First Class Dagliano excelled in boating safety enforcement and officer mentorship throughout 2025. As primary Field Training Officer for two trainees, he balanced teaching responsibilities with aggressive enforcement against impaired and unsafe boaters, recording 30 boating violations and making five primary OUI arrests while assisting with four additional arrests.

His mentorship directly built confidence in newer officers, including guiding a trainee through two OUI arrests during one shift. Dagliano strategically targeted peak boating periods and coordinated joint operations with neighboring areas, extending his enforcement reach to major events like the Lake Anna Glow Party.

Beyond enforcement, Dagliano responded to four boaters-in-distress calls and multiple search and rescue incidents, while investigating two boating incidents including one fatality. His exceptional service earned him Region 1 Operation Dry Water Officer of the Year, the 2025 MADD Award for OUI enforcement, and an Excellence in Police Service certificate for his response to the Reagan National Airport aircraft collision.

2025 SPECIAL OPERATIONS CPO OF THE YEAR

Senior Special Agent Zach Howlett

Special Agent Howlett stepped up when the Special Investigations Unit lost both Marine Fraud & Theft positions, recovering three stolen vessels, two trailers, and identifying $58,000 in marine fraud while recovering $1,725 in taxes and penalties. He sacrificed personal time responding to 10 critical incidents statewide, including multiple fatal hunting and boating incidents.

Howlett showcased advanced investigative techniques, utilizing 43 search warrants, digital forensics, surveillance technology, and social media analysis to solve complex cases. His certification as a Cellebrite Operator and Physical Analyst enhanced his effectiveness. Notably, he coordinated a successful bait boat operation using a covert IP camera that allowed real-time viewing of the theft.

Beyond investigations, Howlett significantly impacted training and outreach. He helped develop and instruct DWR’s first-ever IHEA Academy and led regional hunting incident training. He also enhanced agency visibility through community events and media engagement, including the widely viewed “True Wildlife Crime: The Hollywood Buck Case” video episode, which has garnered over 236,000 views.

2025 COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER OF THE YEAR

Renee Brown

Dispatcher Brown demonstrated exceptional skill and composure during 2025, particularly when safeguarding a Conservation Police Officer who suffered a medical emergency while on duty. As the sole dispatcher present, she simultaneously managed emergency coordination, dispatched medical resources, and maintained full radio and phone operations across multiple channels.

Her performance metrics reflect excellence: thousands of calls for service, extensive CJIS transactions, numerous public tips managed, and zero unverified addresses – crucial for officer safety across Virginia’s varied terrain. Brown maintained perfect attendance and volunteered for additional shifts during high-demand periods. She also serves as Dispatch COOP and Sunshine Coordinator, strengthening continuity planning and team morale.

COLONEL’S LEADERSHIP AWARD

First Sergeant Derrick Kekic

First Sergeant Kekic, who began his DWR career in 2000, returned in 2018 and quickly advanced to District 41 Sergeant in 2021 and First Sergeant for Region IV-A in 2022. His leadership was particularly evident during the January 2025 Reagan National Airport aircraft collision response, where he coordinated DWR operations within a Joint FBI-NTSB command post.

Kekic leads the Region IV Hunting Incident Investigation Team and serves as a peer support member and Internal Affairs investigator while contributing to statewide training initiatives.

OFFICE OF PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS PROFESSIONALISM DECREE

K-9 Sergeant Richard Howald

Sergeant Howald, a Marine Corps veteran who joined DWR in 2005, helped establish the Conservation Police K-9 Program in 2011 and was promoted to K-9 Sergeant in 2022. He designed the entire training curriculum and served as lead instructor, with his expertise extending to West Virginia DNR’s K-9 Program training in 2023 and 2024.

MERITORIOUS SERVICE MEDAL

Senior Officer Justin Chambers

On July 19, 2025, Senior Officer Chambers prevented a suicide attempt under extremely dangerous conditions. He encountered a distressed individual on a bridge above the flooded, fast-moving South Fork of the Shenandoah River. Despite a malfunctioning radio, Chambers remained calm and attempted de-escalation. When the individual began climbing over the railing, Chambers physically intervened, risking his own life to prevent the jump until additional officers arrived.

Additional Awards

Excellence in Police Service awards went to Senior Officer Corey Gardner, Senior Officer Derrick Rickels, Sergeant Matthew Meade, Officer First Class Trace Hughes, and Sergeant Matt Arnold.

Regional Officers of the Year included representatives from all four regions, with Officer First Class B. Tyler Dagliano earning both statewide and Region 1 recognition, while other regions honored officers including Tyler Thompson, Matthew Sandy, Ethan Goodman, Andrew Rohrer, Justin Chambers, and David Rogers for their outstanding service in their respective areas.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A federal jury in Virginia has found a suspected ISIS militant guilty of conspiracy in connection with the devastating 2021 suicide attack at Kabul’s airport that occurred during America’s military exit from Afghanistan.

Mohammad Sharifullah now faces up to two decades behind bars following his conviction on Wednesday for providing support to ISIS-K, the regional branch of the Islamic State. The case gained national attention when former President Donald Trump highlighted it during a congressional address last year. Sharifullah chose not to take the stand during his week-long trial.

The August 26, 2021 bombing claimed the lives of roughly 160 Afghan civilians and 13 American military personnel. The attack happened as U.S. forces were managing evacuation efforts at the airport, when a single bomber set off an explosive device near the facility’s Abbey Gate entrance.

While the Virginia jury found Sharifullah guilty of supporting the terrorist organization, they could not reach a unanimous decision on whether fatalities at the airport directly stemmed from his conspiracy. Had they agreed on that point, Sharifullah could have received a life sentence instead of the current maximum of 20 years.

Sharifullah showed no apparent emotional response when the verdict was read. U.S. District Judge Anthony Trenga has not yet scheduled his sentencing hearing.

Defense lawyer Lauren Rosen contended that government prosecutors lacked concrete evidence connecting her client to the bombing beyond his own statements made during extensive FBI interviews. She suggested Sharifullah may have told agents what he believed they wanted to hear, potentially out of fear of mistreatment while in Pakistani detention before his transfer to the United States.

“The problem was, he didn’t know much about what actually happened that day,” Rosen told jurors during the trial’s closing arguments. “The government has told you nothing about how this attack actually happened.”

Justice Department attorney Ryan White painted Sharifullah as a key figure in orchestrating the Abbey Gate attack and claimed he participated in other ISIS-K operations, including the group’s March 2024 assault on a Moscow concert venue that resulted in approximately 140 deaths.

“The defendant thought nothing of killing,” White said. “For him, it was just another day at the office.”

According to a U.S. Central Command investigation, the Abbey Gate attacker was identified as Abdul Rahman al-Logari, an Islamic State member who had been freed from an Afghan prison by Taliban forces. FBI documents indicate Sharifullah recognized the bomber as someone he had encountered during his own imprisonment.

Congressional testimony from a former Marine revealed that he and colleagues had identified two suspicious individuals on the morning of the attack but were denied authorization to intervene. Despite this, the Central Command investigation determined that the snipers had not actually spotted the real bomber and concluded the attack could not have been prevented.

Last year, a prosecutor working on the Abbey Gate case was dismissed after facing public criticism from a conservative commentator regarding his service during President Joe Biden’s administration. Michael Ben’Ary’s removal was part of a wider effort to replace Justice Department officials considered insufficiently loyal to Trump.

Throughout his recent presidential campaign, Trump frequently criticized Biden’s handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal and held him responsible for the Abbey Gate tragedy.

However, Biden’s administration was implementing a withdrawal agreement and schedule that Trump’s first presidency had negotiated with the Taliban in 2020. A 2022 analysis by a government-appointed investigator found that decisions by both administrations contributed significantly to Afghanistan’s military collapse and the Taliban’s return to power.

Prosecutor White revealed that Sharifullah had told a reporter he wanted to “catch and kill the crusaders” from America for invading his homeland following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

“This case is not complicated,” White said. “The defendant told you everything you need to know.”

Defense attorney Rosen argued that American officials took ISIS claims of responsibility for the airport bombing at face value without proper scrutiny. She proposed that militants from a Taliban faction who were stationed at Abbey Gate might have been involved in the attack.

“You can’t base your verdict on mere conjecture and speculation,” Rosen said. “That’s what the prosecution is asking you to do.”