Category: U.S. News

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Motorists traveling through East Tennessee encountered an unusual traffic delay Friday when a commercial truck hauling approximately one million bees overturned on Interstate 40.

The accident forced officials to temporarily close the exit ramp from eastbound I-40 to Henley Street in Knoxville as the massive swarm escaped from the damaged vehicle. Mark Nagi, a regional spokesperson for the Tennessee Department of Transportation, confirmed no one was hurt in the incident.

“The ramp from I-40 East to Henley Street is back open but the truck is destroyed and the bees are… well… buzzing. Unless you are dressed in this outfit please stay in your vehicles in this area,” Nagi wrote in a social media post, accompanied by a photograph showing someone wearing protective beekeeping equipment.

By Friday evening, Nagi announced that specialized workers had successfully relocated all the bees from the crash site and the damaged truck had been towed away.

The unusual incident sparked numerous bee-related jokes and wordplay across social media platforms.

“So, this is the buzz around town?” wrote U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett on social media. “This stuff just writes itself.”

Transportation officials in Virginia also chimed in, referencing a similar 2018 incident on Interstate 495 where bees escaped from a crashed truck, prompting authorities at the time to advise drivers to “Please roll up your windows.”

A decades-old murder case involving the disappearance of a young boy is heading toward its third trial after a New York judge refused to throw out charges against the accused killer.

Pedro Hernandez, 65, will face trial again for the abduction and murder of 6-year-old Etan Patz, who vanished while walking to his school bus in 1979. The defendant has remained in custody since authorities arrested him in 2012, and he’s scheduled to return to court in June for a status hearing. Officials have not announced when the trial will begin.

The little boy disappeared during a short two-block journey to catch his school bus on the first morning his mother allowed him to make the trip alone. Etan’s case gained national attention as one of the earliest missing children featured on milk cartons, and the date he went missing, May 25, later became National Missing Children’s Day.

Judge Michele Rodney rejected defense arguments that prosecutors took too long to bring charges against Hernandez and that extensive media attention over the years would prevent him from receiving a fair trial.

“The court will carefully work, together with the parties, to ensure that jurors are selected who promise to be fair and to consider only the evidence and the law, despite what they have learned about the case from the media,” Rodney wrote.

Neither Hernandez’s defense team nor prosecutors provided statements following the judge’s decision.

At the time of Etan’s disappearance, Hernandez worked as a 19-year-old employee at a neighborhood convenience store, but he didn’t emerge as a suspect until 2012. Investigators received information that Hernandez had previously told acquaintances he had killed a child or young person in New York.

Following seven hours of police questioning and before being informed of his Miranda rights, Hernandez admitted to strangling Etan in the store’s basement after luring him inside with the promise of a soda. After being read his rights, Hernandez repeated his confession on camera, telling investigators: “Something just took over me.”

Defense attorneys have argued that Hernandez’s statements represent the delusions of someone with mental illness and intellectual disabilities who became confused and tormented by a widely publicized crime that occurred near his workplace.

The legal proceedings have stretched across multiple years and trials. Hernandez’s first trial in 2015 concluded without a verdict when jurors couldn’t reach agreement, while a second trial in 2017 resulted in a conviction. However, a federal appeals court later reversed that guilty verdict, ruling that the trial judge improperly handled a jury inquiry about evaluating Hernandez’s confessions.

Manhattan prosecutors have committed to pursuing the case again while simultaneously asking the U.S. Supreme Court to reinstate Hernandez’s conviction. The Supreme Court has not indicated whether it will review the case.

A former New York City police sergeant convicted of manslaughter will remain free while challenging his conviction in the death of a man who crashed his scooter after being struck by a thrown picnic cooler, an appeals court judge decided Friday.

Judge Saliann Scarpulla of the state’s Appellate Division granted the release of Erik Duran one week after he received a sentence of three to nine years behind bars for the 2023 death of 30-year-old Eric Duprey. The lower court had immediately jailed Duran following his sentencing.

Scarpulla set Duran’s release conditions at $300,000 in cash or bond and required him to give up his passport to his attorneys, who must hold it throughout the appeals process.

Vincent Vallelong, president of the Sergeants Benevolent Association representing Duran, called the decision “This is a major win for Erik and his family and for law enforcement officers around the country.”

However, Jon Roberts, representing Duprey’s family, expressed disappointment with the ruling, stating they were “deeply disappointed” by Scarpulla’s decision.

“While we respect the appellate process, this outcome reopens painful wounds for a family that has already endured an immense loss,” Roberts said. “Our focus remains on seeking accountability and ensuring that the seriousness of what occurred is never diminished.”

The 38-year-old Duran, who is married with three children, became the first former NYPD officer in at least twenty years to receive a prison sentence for a death that occurred while on duty. During sentencing proceedings, defense attorney Andrew Quinn noted that Duran will forever be remembered as “the cooler cop.”

Defense lawyer Arthur Aidala petitioned the Appellate Division after Judge Guy Mitchell denied bail following sentencing. Duran had been held at New York City’s Rikers Island jail complex for the past week.

According to Aidala, the appellate court’s decision to free Duran indicates the panel recognizes “legitimate appellate issues in Sgt Duran’s case” and confirms “he is not a flight risk nor a danger to the community.”

The incident occurred during a drug enforcement operation on August 23, 2023, when Duran was working with a narcotics unit conducting a “buy-and-bust” operation in the Bronx. According to police reports, Duprey had sold drugs to an undercover officer before attempting to escape on his scooter.

During his February trial testimony, Duran claimed he threw the ice-filled cooler at Duprey to protect fellow officers from harm.

The cooler hit Duprey, causing him to lose control of his scooter and collide with a tree before hitting the ground. Without wearing protective headgear, Duprey suffered fatal head trauma and died almost immediately, prosecutors stated.

The case has sparked intense debate between police reform advocates, who have dubbed Duran the “cooler killer,” and law enforcement supporters who argue that imprisoning him discourages officers from making necessary quick decisions in dangerous situations.

This week, the New York Islanders hockey team displayed a message on their arena’s video board encouraging fans to contribute to Duran’s legal defense fund. The display featured a QR code and messaging from the Sergeants Benevolent Association asking supporters to join “the fight for justice.”

Vallelong explained that the fundraising effort developed after a New York Post contact informed him the Islanders “wanted to do something” for Duran. The team also committed to donating 25% of their 50/50 raffle earnings to support Duran, the union reported.

Roberts criticized the Islanders’ involvement, saying the family was “deeply troubled” by the team’s decision to “align themselves, even symbolically, with efforts that appear to support Sgt. Duran’s legal defense.”

“This was not a neutral act,” Roberts said. “It sends a message — intended or not — that risks undermining public confidence in a fair legal process and deepens the pain of a family still grieving.”

Federal authorities say a former University of Alabama football player orchestrated an elaborate disguise scheme to steal the identities of NFL athletes and secure millions in fraudulent loans.

According to a criminal complaint filed by Atlanta federal prosecutors, Luther Davis donned wigs and makeup to pose as professional football players during video conference calls with lenders. In one instance during early 2024, Davis allegedly used cosmetics and a hairpiece while calling from an upscale Atlanta-area hotel to secure a $4 million loan.

The charging documents reveal Davis successfully deceived investors into believing they were lending money to legitimate NFL players. Federal officials say Davis continued the deception through March and July, using different disguises including wigs and a do-rag-style head covering to impersonate two additional professional athletes during separate video calls.

Prosecutors have not disclosed exactly how the disguises enabled Davis to convincingly portray the three different players, and the complaint identifies the NFL athletes only by their initials.

Both Davis and alleged co-conspirator CJ Evins face charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. While both entered not guilty pleas in March, court documents show they are scheduled to change their pleas to guilty during an April 27 hearing.

Attempts to reach Davis’s lawyer Gabe Banks and Evins’s attorney Benjamin Alper for comment were unsuccessful.

The charging documents state that none of the impersonated NFL players had given Davis and Evins permission to obtain loans in their names. Beyond the video call disguises, prosecutors allege Davis created counterfeit driver’s licenses using photographs of the players found on the internet.

The fraudulent operation netted approximately $20 million through at least 13 bogus loans, which the defendants allegedly spent on real estate purchases, jewelry, and vehicles, according to federal authorities.

Davis was part of Alabama’s 2010 national championship team during his time with the Crimson Tide.

A UPS freight aircraft was forced to execute an emergency maneuver at Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport early Tuesday morning when a smaller aircraft unexpectedly entered the runway during its landing approach.

Air traffic control urgently shouted “Skylab 25, stop!” to the smaller aircraft before immediately directing the UPS jet to execute a go-around procedure, preventing what could have been a catastrophic collision at the major shipping hub. Audio recordings of the incident were made available through LiveATC.net.

The near-miss occurred at approximately 12:10 a.m. on Tuesday, with no injuries reported from either aircraft.

Following the cargo jet’s successful evasive action, the controller questioned “Skylab 25, what are you doing?”

The pilot of the small plane replied “Skylab 25, yeah, sorry about that.”

Federal Aviation Administration officials have launched an investigation into the incident.

This close call adds to a concerning pattern of similar aviation incidents occurring nationwide. Just days earlier, a Frontier Airlines aircraft nearly struck two ground vehicles that crossed its path while taxiing at Los Angeles International Airport. Another incident this week in Charlotte, North Carolina involved an American Airlines pilot who had to apply emergency brakes when a truck crossed a taxiway.

The Louisville airport was also the site of a tragic UPS crash last November, when a cargo plane went down after an engine separated during takeoff, resulting in 14 fatalities. The National Transportation Safety Board announced Thursday it will conduct investigative hearings beginning May 19 to examine the causes of that deadly accident.

Last month at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, an Air Canada aircraft collided with a fire truck that had received clearance to cross the runway just seconds before the plane’s landing, killing both pilots and injuring dozens of passengers.

The dental community and patients are honoring the memory of Dr. Cerina Fairfax, a dedicated mother and compassionate dentist who authorities say was fatally shot by her estranged husband, former Virginia Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax.

Authorities discovered both bodies in their Annandale, Virginia home early Thursday morning in what police believe was a murder-suicide. Investigators say Justin Fairfax shot his wife before turning the gun on himself. The couple was in the midst of divorce proceedings, and a judge had ordered Justin Fairfax to vacate the residence by month’s end.

Dr. Cerina Fairfax, age 49, operated a successful family dental practice in Fairfax, Virginia. Her professional profile described her as someone who enjoyed reading, traveling, yoga, trail running with her Vizsla dogs, and “spend time with her wonderful family.”

Virginia Representative Jennifer McClellan, who became acquainted with Fairfax during her husband’s political career, said the couple’s two teenage children were “the people she cherished most.”

“Cerina Fairfax was a loving and dedicated mother and the rock at the center of her large family,” McClellan stated.

Patient and friend Terron Sims II described her as a gentle and compassionate person whose dental work went beyond mere profession.

“It was an expression of love and compassion,” Sims told WUSA-TV. “It was her way of service to others.”

In 2015, the Virginia Commonwealth School of Dentistry honored Dr. Fairfax as the Outstanding Graduate of the Last Decade. Interim Dean Dr. Jeffrey Johnson expressed how deeply her death has affected those who knew her.

“As a clinician and alumna, Dr. Fairfax embodied the ideals of our profession — dedication to her patients, commitment to growth, and a deep sense of purpose in her work each day,” Johnson stated. “I know she was a mentor, role model, and friend to many in our school.”

State dental community leaders also commended her achievements and patient care.

“In addition to being a beloved practitioner in her community, Dr. Fairfax loved giving back through volunteer work and contributions to local charities focused on helping those in need,” stated Ryan Dunn, CEO of the Virginia Dental Association. “As we remember Dr. Fairfax, we honor the impact she made and the connections she helped build within the VDA and her community.”

The couple first met as Duke University students and wed in 2006.

Justin Fairfax lost his bid for the Democratic attorney general nomination in 2013 but secured the lieutenant governor position in 2017. His political career derailed when two women publicly accused him of sexual assault from years before his marriage to Cerina. He completed his term in 2022 after an unsuccessful gubernatorial campaign.

Court documents show Cerina Fairfax filed that they had been separated for almost two years. However, they continued sharing the family home with their children, who police confirmed were present during the incident.

The divorce judge had mandated that Justin Fairfax relocate by April’s end, noting “it is clear tensions in the Fairfax home have been extremely high for an extended period of time.”

If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline is available by calling or texting 988. Online chat is also available at 988lifeline.org.

MEDIA, Pa. — While Judy Prichard McCleary holds faith that her family members’ spirits have moved on to heaven, she can’t shake the distress of learning that their final resting place was violated by a grave robber who targeted their family mausoleum.

McCleary discovered that five out of nine burial chambers in her family’s crypt were broken into, with the body of her great-great-great aunt among the stolen remains in a shocking crime spree that involved more than 100 bodies taken from Pennsylvania burial grounds.

“I believe their souls are in heaven. I still think it’s disruptive,” McCleary stated following Friday’s court proceeding where 34-year-old Jonathan Gerlach chose not to contest an evidentiary hearing. Gerlach faces approximately two dozen burglary charges plus numerous additional counts after investigators say he removed human remains from burial sites across multiple counties.

The disturbing case has drawn widespread media attention due to its shocking nature. While McCleary understands law enforcement has pressing matters involving the living, she and family members present at Friday’s hearing emphasized that crimes against the deceased still cause real harm to survivors. She’s pushing for legislative action to prevent online sales of human body parts, which authorities believe may have motivated these crimes.

“To be able to sell body parts on the internet, just appalls me. I think it should be stopped,” she stated.

Law enforcement took Gerlach into custody in January close to Mount Moriah Cemetery on Philadelphia’s outskirts. Officers reported seeing skeletal remains and skulls visible in his vehicle’s rear seat, which led to searches of his residence and a storage facility in Ephrata. Investigators discovered over 100 human skulls, preserved hands and feet, and other human remains.

Authorities also found personal items they believe came from the graves, including jewelry and a medical pacemaker that remained connected to human remains. Gerlach’s formal arraignment is scheduled for June 3, though his attorney declined comment and indicated his client likely won’t attend.

During Friday’s hearing, Gerlach remained jailed and appeared wearing glasses with his hair in a tight bun and a large neck tattoo, responding courteously to standard judicial questions.

Police arrested him in January as he returned to his vehicle from Mount Moriah Cemetery carrying a crowbar. Investigators found preserved remains of two young children, three skulls, and additional bones inside a burlap sack. Gerlach admitted to taking approximately 30 sets of human remains and guided investigators to the burial sites he had targeted, according to authorities.

Mount Moriah Cemetery, established in 1855, spans 160 acres along the Philadelphia-Yeadon border and contains roughly 150,000 burial sites.

The Prichard family built their mausoleum in the early 1900s under the direction of McCleary’s great-great-grandfather, Jonathan Prichard, an Irish immigrant who established a grocery business. Family stories claim he created the first paper bag, though no official patent exists to verify this family legend.

Before his own death, Prichard relocated the remains of two children who had died previously into the mausoleum, where he and other family members would eventually be laid to rest.

“It just made me sick to my stomach that anybody would want to do that,” McCleary said regarding the crimes. “I think the man needs help.”

NEW YORK — A woman accused of stealing a purse found herself in an unusual pursuit Wednesday morning when a mounted police officer and his horse tracked her down through Manhattan’s busy streets.

The chase started after a victim contacted police to report the theft late Wednesday morning. An unnamed officer on horseback immediately began pursuing the suspect in a dramatic scene recorded by both the officer’s body camera and a television news team that was coincidentally filming nearby for another assignment.

During the pursuit, the mounted officer shouted commands for the suspect to halt, but she continued fleeing while claiming she hadn’t stolen any purse. The unusual chase wound through sidewalks, underneath construction scaffolding, around parked vehicles, and across city streets until a bystander helped stop the woman, allowing the officer to make the arrest.

Police charged the woman with larceny and giving false information to authorities. Records show she previously served prison time for a murder conviction stemming from the fatal shooting of a taxi driver in April 2000, and she remains under lifetime parole supervision.

Officials reported no one sustained injuries during the incident.

WASHINGTON – Federal aviation officials were inundated with job seekers this week, as Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced Friday that the Federal Aviation Administration collected 6,000 applications for air traffic control positions within a 12-hour period.

The massive response highlights significant interest in aviation careers as the agency works to fill critical staffing needs in control towers and approach facilities across the nation.

An elderly French woman who was held in U.S. immigration detention for months has arrived back in France, according to that country’s top diplomat.

Marie-Thérèse Ross, 85, was taken into custody by immigration officials in Alabama this past April after her 90-day visitor visa expired, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced her return during a Friday press conference in Montpellier. “She returned to France this morning, this is a satisfaction for us,” Barrot stated.

While declining to discuss specifics of Ross’s situation, Barrot criticized immigration enforcement tactics, saying certain ICE procedures don’t meet French expectations and are “not acceptable to us.” The minister referenced “violence that raised our concerns” but provided no additional details.

Ross had been housed at a federal immigration detention center in Louisiana during her months-long detention.

Her case represents part of the current administration’s broader immigration crackdown, which has expanded to include military families and veteran spouses who previously received more lenient treatment under prior policies.

Marriage records from Calhoun County show Ross wed Alabama resident William Ross last April. According to his family’s obituary, William Ross served as a U.S. Army captain before his death this past January.

Worcester County’s Fire Training Center will be hosting an emergency services training event on Friday, May 1st, 2026.

The event, designated as “Emergency Services – Katy,” is scheduled to run from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM at the Fire Training Center facility.

The training session was posted on April 17th, 2026, giving emergency services personnel advance notice of the upcoming event.

Further details about the specific nature of the training or the role of “Katy” in the emergency services event have not been disclosed at this time.

The age-old controversy over allowing cameras in courtrooms has resurfaced in a Utah murder case, echoing debates that have raged since the infamous Lindbergh baby kidnapping trial and O.J. Simpson’s murder prosecution. Tyler Robinson’s upcoming trial for the shooting death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk has attorneys on both sides arguing whether cameras should be permitted.

Defense lawyers for Robinson are pushing to keep cameras out of the Utah courtroom, expressing concern that sensationalized media coverage could create widespread prejudice against their client. Robinson faces charges in connection with last September’s fatal shooting of Kirk, who was struck in the neck while addressing thousands on a college campus.

On the opposite side, prosecutors are advocating for camera access, arguing that transparency could help combat conspiracy theories and misleading information that has circulated since the shooting occurred.

“Transparency serves as a corrective to misinformation,” Utah County prosecutors stated in their court filing supporting camera access. No trial date has been scheduled yet.

The presence of cameras in American courtrooms dates back well before the 1935 New Jersey trial of the man accused of kidnapping and murdering aviator Charles Lindbergh’s infant son. Historical photos show Al Capone’s associates covering their faces with hats during his trial, and in 1932, a German photographer disguised a camera in a fake arm sling to secretly photograph Supreme Court justices.

Bruno Richard Hauptmann’s trial for the Lindbergh baby’s murder became what was then called the “trial of the century,” marking the beginning of criminal proceedings as public spectacle. The courtroom was packed with hundreds of journalists and numerous photographers, whose constant flash photography disrupted witnesses and who reportedly stood on tables to capture images.

After Hauptmann’s conviction and execution, the chaotic nature of that trial led to new judicial ethics standards that banned cameras from courtrooms for many years.

The ongoing tension between those advocating for transparency and defense attorneys seeking to protect their clients from damaging publicity has continued to fuel this debate.

In 1962, a Texas judge permitted news outlets to film the trial of notorious swindler Billie Sol Estes. The case had gained national attention after Estes was charged with defrauding a federal agricultural subsidy program, creating a political scandal during John F. Kennedy’s presidency. Despite defense objections about potential jury bias, the judge allowed cameras and promised to prevent the media from turning his courtroom into a spectacle.

Court records later described the courtroom as overrun with “a mass of wires, television cameras, microphones and photographers,” with live radio and television broadcasts of the proceedings.

After Estes was found guilty, the Supreme Court heard his appeal and determined that the excessive publicity violated his constitutional right to a fair trial. The justices reversed his conviction while criticizing “the evil of televised trials.”

“To permit this powerful medium to use the trial process itself to influence the opinions of vast numbers of people, before a verdict of guilt or innocence has been rendered, would be entirely foreign to our system of justice,” the justices wrote.

This decision aligned with existing federal court policies prohibiting cameras.

However, less than ten years later, the Supreme Court reached a different conclusion in a case involving two Florida police officers charged with restaurant burglary. In an 8-0 decision, justices ruled that states could permit cameras during criminal trials, stating there was no “empirical data” proving that broadcast media presence automatically creates negative effects in courtrooms.

Following this ruling, cameras became increasingly common in state and local courts nationwide. Notable televised cases included the murder trials of serial killers Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer, the prosecution of Los Angeles police officers for beating Rodney King, and Jodi Arias’s trial for killing her former boyfriend.

However, limitations persist, and judges generally maintain significant authority over which portions of cases can be broadcast and who may be filmed or photographed.

Donald Trump’s 2024 hush money trial and conviction occurred without cameras due to New York state laws severely limiting video coverage, forcing media outlets to rely on courtroom sketch artists.

The most widely viewed televised trial remains O.J. Simpson’s 1995 prosecution for the deaths of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. This case also earned the “trial of the century” label and holds the Guinness World Record as the “most viewed trial,” averaging 5.5 million daily viewers. Simpson was ultimately acquitted.

The extensive coverage of every detail raised questions about potential jury bias and whether attorneys and the judge modified their behavior knowing they were being watched nationwide.

“People were talking about how the judge and the attorneys were playing to the cameras as much as they were playing to the jury,” explained Cornell Law School professor Valerie Hans.

A Minnesota family has shared their extraordinary memories of knowing Prince long before he became a worldwide music sensation – when he was simply their neighborhood babysitter.

Through the StoryCorps oral history project, the family recalled their unique connection to the legendary artist during his formative years. Living in the same Minnesota community as Prince, they experienced a side of the future superstar that few people ever witnessed.

The family’s recollections offer a rare glimpse into Prince’s life before fame, showing him in the humble role of caring for neighborhood children rather than commanding stadium audiences around the globe.

SALT LAKE CITY — Defense attorneys for Tyler Robinson, the defendant charged with murdering conservative activist Charlie Kirk, are requesting that a judge prohibit cameras from courtroom proceedings, claiming that televised coverage is compromising their client’s constitutional right to an impartial trial.

Robinson is scheduled to appear in court Friday as his legal team argues that prejudicial media reporting is influencing prospective jurors in the aggravated murder prosecution.

The defense pointed to multiple instances of problematic coverage, including a New York Post article that allegedly implied Robinson admitted guilt during a December 11 courtroom exchange with his lawyers at his initial appearance following formal charges. While the discussion between Robinson and his counsel was not audible, the publication relied on what it called “lip reading analysis” to claim Robinson stated, “I think about the shooting daily.”

“The predominant purpose being served by the live stream coverage has not been the educational reporting of the court proceedings, but rather advertising profit, sensationalism, political agendas, and, most prominently, the vilification of Mr. Robinson,” his attorneys wrote in their request to bar cameras.

The state plans to pursue capital punishment against Robinson if he is found guilty in the September 10 fatal shooting of Kirk, who was speaking before thousands of attendees at Utah Valley University in Orem. Robinson, who celebrated his 23rd birthday Thursday, has yet to formally respond to the charges.

Sensationalized reporting has affected the case from multiple angles. On March 30, the U.K.’s Daily Mail published a headline claiming the fatal bullet “did NOT match” the weapon allegedly used by Robinson. This report stemmed from inconclusive preliminary ballistics findings and sparked theories about potential innocence. Federal investigators continue conducting additional forensic examinations, court filings show.

News organizations, state prosecutors, and Kirk’s surviving spouse, Erika Kirk, support maintaining camera access in the courtroom. They contend that transparency represents the most effective method to combat the false information and conspiracy theories that worry Robinson’s defense counsel.

However, media livestreaming has already frustrated Judge Tony Graf on multiple occasions.

At the December proceeding, Graf temporarily halted the video feed and directed camera repositioning after footage revealed the defendant’s restraints, violating established courtroom protocols.

A January hearing was similarly disrupted when Robinson’s lawyers complained that close-up livestreamed images of their client by a regional television outlet could generate additional lip-reading speculation. This also breached Graf’s conduct guidelines. The judge instructed camera personnel to avoid filming Robinson for the session’s duration.

Mike Judd, representing a media coalition that includes The Associated Press in fighting for continued access, noted that Graf has concentrated on courtroom rule compliance rather than external media commentary.

“The court can do all of that in order to try to control what gets fed into that media ecosystem,” Judd said. “You reduce the likelihood of somebody publishing things that you think may be of potentially biasing concern later on.”

Camera and livestreaming protocols differ across states, with Utah among those granting judicial discretion over camera permissions. Federal courts typically ban cameras entirely.

“There’s Supreme Court precedent that says courts generally need to be open to the public, but that’s not an absolute right,” said University of Utah law professor Teneille Brown. “Even if they allow public access, that does not equal a right to broadcast or record.”

Robinson’s legal team seeks to postpone his May preliminary hearing, where prosecutors must demonstrate sufficient evidence to advance to trial.

State attorneys report that DNA matching Robinson’s profile was discovered on the weapon’s trigger mechanism, the discharged shell casing, two unused cartridges, and a towel that wrapped the rifle. Defense counsel emphasizes that forensic analyses show multiple individuals’ DNA on certain evidence, requiring more sophisticated evaluation.

According to prosecutors, Robinson allegedly sent text messages to a romantic partner stating he targeted Kirk because he “had enough of his hatred.”

Just months before The Beatles would captivate America and launch the British Invasion, a young George Harrison made a quiet visit to his sister’s home in Benton, Illinois in September 1963.

During that low-key trip, the future rock legend experienced small-town America in ways he’d never be able to again. Harrison went camping, played music with local bands, tried his first root beer served by roller-skating waitresses, browsed record shops, and purchased a guitar before returning to England.

Merely four months later, Harrison would appear alongside his bandmates on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” watched by 73 million Americans as The Beatles made their historic U.S. television debut and forever changed popular music and American culture.

The five-bedroom brick bungalow on McCann Street where Harrison and his brother Peter stayed during that visit is now listed for sale at $105,000 in the southern Illinois town of 6,700 residents, located 100 miles southeast of St. Louis.

Beatles enthusiasts have reason for concern about the property’s preservation. Back in 1995, the home at 113 McCann Street faced demolition until preservationists, including Harrison’s sister Louise Harrison Caldwell who had relocated in the late 1960s, intervened to rescue it.

Benton, previously known for conducting Illinois’ final public execution in 1928, was established around the area’s abundant coal deposits. Louise Caldwell had settled there when her mining engineer husband found work in what was then a booming industry.

The residence they selected was constructed in 1935, featuring a brick front and spacious front porch.

During the mid-1990s, a state agency acquired the property from a later owner with intentions to demolish it for parking space. Beatles expert and author Robert Bartel from Springfield notified media outlets and devoted fans about the demolition threat.

Local business people bought back the house from the state and established the Hard Day’s Nite Bed and Breakfast, displaying the sofa where Harrison had played guitar along with extensive Beatles collectibles, many contributed by Bartel.

The themed lodging closed its doors in 2010. Since then, Benton resident Grady Adams has managed it as standard rental apartments but now seeks to sell. Brian Calcaterra, who directs economic development for Benton, proposed creating city regulations to prevent future demolition, though Mayor Lee Messersmith indicated the city council hasn’t addressed this issue.

“Of course, if it doesn’t get demo’d, I would prefer that,” Adams said.

Questions remain about whether sufficient interest or motivation exists to restore the McCann Street property to its Beatles-themed status.

Author Jim Kirkpatrick from Creal Springs, who wrote “Before He Was Fab” about Harrison’s visit and has movie rights optioned for the book, reports having promising discussions with at least one potential buyer.

However, Robert Rea, a Benton business owner and historian who participated in the 1995 rescue effort, believes the enthusiasm has diminished.

“When we did this (in 1995), the world went crazy because they thought, ‘George is going to come, he’s going to save the house,’” Rea said. “And I’m just being honest with you, maybe I’m missing it or something, but that momentum is not here.”

Harrison’s Illinois journey likely represented his final experience with anonymity. He camped in Shawnee National Forest and performed with a well-known local band at a nearby VFW hall. The group’s bandleader brought him to a drive-in where car hops on roller skates served him his first taste of root beer.

At a record shop on Benton’s town square, Harrison purchased multiple vinyl albums, including James Ray’s R&B track “I’ve Got My Mind Set on You,” which Harrison would later cover for a number-one hit in 1987.

Harrison also acquired a Rickenbacker 425 guitar similar to bandmate John Lennon’s instrument. He used this guitar one month later during The Beatles’ recording of “I Want to Hold Your Hand.” The guitar eventually sold at auction in 2014 for $675,000.

During his stay, Harrison and Caldwell visited WFRX radio, where 17-year-old Marcia Schafer Raubach hosted a Saturday teen show. Harrison presented her with a copy of “She Loves You,” explaining it had just topped British charts.

Raubach conducted an on-air interview with Harrison, marking the first American radio interview with any Beatle, and played the record, which she still possesses. She noted the song sounded distinct from popular American jukebox music of the time, though it failed to impress her listeners.

Despite his longer hairstyle in an era of crew cuts, Raubach remembered Harrison, wearing a pressed white shirt, jeans and sandals, as “very clean cut, he was personable and mannerly and they call him the ‘quiet Beatle’ — well, he was.”

“If I had known what they were going to become, I would have handled that differently,” Raubach, now 79, said. “It’s still amazing that he even came here and that I met him. I think he really liked Southern Illinois.”

Harrison never made another trip to Benton, passing away in 2001 at age 58. Caldwell died in 2023 at 91.

Criminal charges have been filed against a federal immigration enforcement officer in Minnesota following allegations that he threatened two motorists with his firearm during a February highway incident in Minneapolis.

Gregory Donnell Morgan, age 35, who works for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, faces two counts of second-degree assault stemming from the confrontation along a Twin Cities area highway. Authorities have issued a nationwide arrest warrant for Morgan.

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced the charges Thursday, noting she believes these represent the first criminal charges filed against an ICE officer in Minnesota related to the Trump administration’s enhanced immigration enforcement efforts this year.

According to prosecutors, the incident occurred when Morgan was attempting to navigate around slower-moving traffic. The alleged victims’ car “briefly moved into the shoulder to slow him down,” prompting Morgan to accelerate and pull up next to their vehicle.

Court documents state that Morgan then “opened his (vehicle’s) window, and pointed his duty weapon directly at both victims in the other vehicle while continuing to drive illegally on the shoulder.”

In the criminal complaint, prosecutors noted that Morgan claimed “he feared for his safety and the safety of others” when he drew his weapon.

Neither ICE nor the Department of Homeland Security provided responses to requests for comment regarding the charges.

The incident comes amid ongoing controversy surrounding ICE operations under President Trump’s immigration policies. Trump has defended the agency’s enhanced enforcement as essential for controlling illegal immigration, enhancing national security, and combating fraud.

However, civil rights organizations argue the intensified crackdown has infringed upon constitutional protections including free speech and due process, while fostering a hostile environment for minority communities.

ICE enforcement activities have sparked demonstrations in affected cities, with protests spreading nationally after the January fatal shootings of two American citizens in Minnesota — Alex Pretti and Renee Good.

Critics also contend the administration has exploited individual fraud cases to target entire communities, while questioning the administration’s commitment to fighting corruption given presidential pardons granted to individuals with fraud convictions.

Los Angeles authorities have taken into custody David Burke, the 21-year-old recording artist who performs under the stage name D4vd, charging him with the killing of teenager Celeste Rivas, according to police officials Thursday.

The 14-year-old victim, who lived in a community roughly 70 miles southeast of Los Angeles, had been missing for approximately 18 months before her decomposed body was located in September 2025. Investigators found her remains inside the front storage compartment of a vehicle that belonged to Burke, which had sat abandoned in a Hollywood Hills area for several weeks before being removed to a towing facility where employees noticed a strange smell.

Burke rose to prominence in 2022 when music he created using his mobile phone for Fortnite gaming content became popular on TikTok. His track “Romantic Homicide” became a breakout success, leading to a recording contract with Darkroom/Interscope Records, the same label that represents artist Billie Eilish.

Media outlets began connecting Burke to the case shortly after Rivas’s body was discovered, though law enforcement officials said they were pursuing a thorough investigation and waited until now to file formal charges.

“Detectives from Los Angeles Police Department, Robbery‑Homicide Division have arrested David Burke, a 21‑year‑old resident of Los Angeles, for the murder of Celeste Rivas,” Los Angeles police said in a statement on X.

Authorities are holding Burke without the possibility of posting bond, and prosecutors will review his case beginning Monday, according to the police announcement.

Burke’s legal representative, Blair Berk, has not yet provided a response to requests for comment. Berk has generally avoided making public statements about the case. Before the arrest occurred, Berk maintained that no evidence had been made public that would connect her client to any criminal activity and stressed his constitutional protections while the investigation remained ongoing.

Transportation officials have mandated that Chicago O’Hare International Airport slash approximately 300 daily flights during its busiest summer periods in a bid to combat chronic delays, authorities announced Thursday.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy emphasized passenger reliability in his announcement, stating: “If you book a ticket, we want you and your family to have the certainty that you’ll fly without endless delays and cancellations.”

The Chicago hub processes more air traffic than any other airport in the United States and recorded among the nation’s poorest on-time performance statistics in the previous year.

Peak summer operations had been scheduled to reach more than 3,080 daily flights, marking a 14.9% jump from last summer’s numbers, according to Transportation Department and Federal Aviation Administration data. These increases coincide with ongoing runway construction that has forced taxiway closures.

Federal authorities noted in their preliminary directive that both American Airlines and United Airlines had announced expansion strategies at O’Hare that threatened to create substantial delays during the summer months while overwhelming the facility’s operational capacity.

Duffy characterized the proposed schedule as unworkable, stating it would have surpassed the airport’s capabilities. The new restrictions cap daily operations at 2,708 flights maximum, which still exceeds last summer’s peak of 2,680 flights. He indicated this adjustment “will reduce delays and make this busy summer travel season a little easier.”

Days with traditionally lower passenger volumes will see fewer required cancellations since airlines had scheduled reduced service to begin with. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday typically see lighter flight loads compared to other weekdays.

The operational restrictions become effective May 17 and continue through October 24.

Carriers must now analyze the directive to determine which specific flights require cancellation before contacting affected passengers.

American Airlines expressed support for the federal action, stating the FAA’s directive will enhance dependability and minimize delays for travelers using O’Hare during summer months.

“We are grateful to Secretary Duffy, Administrator Bedford, and their leadership teams for acting swiftly to ensure that Chicagoans and all consumers continue to benefit from sensible competition and to help minimize flight disruptions during the busy summer season,” American said in a statement.

United Airlines indicated appreciation for what it called “a solution that makes sense for everyone who cares about O’Hare’s success.”

Both carriers plan to examine the order alongside their current schedules to identify where reductions will occur before notifying impacted travelers.

A defendant in the disappearance of a Native American grandmother whose case brought national focus to crimes against Indigenous people admitted guilt to robbery charges Thursday as part of a revised plea deal with federal prosecutors.

Preston Henry Tolth, 26, faces up to five years in federal prison under the new agreement terms, though he would receive credit for the three years he has already spent behind bars.

During Thursday’s court proceedings in Phoenix, U.S. District Judge Douglas Rayes questioned Tolth about whether he was admitting guilt because he actually committed the crime.

“Yes, your honor,” Tolth responded.

Ella Mae Begay was 62 years old when she disappeared in 2021 from Sweetwater, Arizona, a town in the northern region of the Navajo Nation. She had been known for spending time with family members and creating handwoven rugs that she would sell to local trading posts.

The following year, Begay’s niece Seraphine Warren made a cross-country journey on foot from the Navajo Nation to the nation’s capital to bring attention to her aunt’s case and the alarming rates of violence and disappearances affecting Native American communities. The case has gained widespread media coverage and become a rallying point for tribal officials and advocates demanding increased law enforcement resources and better coordination between tribal and federal investigators.

Authorities with the Navajo Nation police department identified Tolth as a person of interest shortly after Begay went missing. Tolth’s father had been in a romantic relationship with Begay’s sister at the time.

According to the plea agreement terms, Tolth admitted to forcibly taking Begay’s pickup truck, repeatedly hitting her in the face, and abandoning her alongside a road before driving off with the vehicle. He later exchanged the truck for cash and methamphetamine.

Judge Rayes has set a May date to examine the updated plea agreement, which would shield Tolth from potential murder or manslaughter prosecution related to Begay’s disappearance.

Begay’s relatives say federal prosecutors developed the agreement without consulting them and contrary to their desires.

Gerald Begay, the missing woman’s son, paused his construction work in Denver to participate in Thursday’s hearing via telephone. He told The Associated Press he intends to appear at the upcoming court session to urge the judge to dismiss the plea deal and pursue a trial instead.

“The prosecutors aren’t thinking about our rights or what we need as a family,” he stated.

Lennea Montandon, a representative for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the district of Arizona, said in a written response that the office has followed federal victims’ rights laws throughout Tolth’s prosecution and will continue doing so. Tolth’s court-appointed attorney refused to discuss the revised agreement.

During a 2021 FBI questioning session, Tolth admitted to assaulting Begay during an angry outburst and leaving her to die. However, Judge Rayes significantly damaged the prosecution’s case by determining that confession could not be used as evidence, ruling that the FBI agent had improperly pressured Tolth into giving up his right to stay silent. Court documents show prosecutors acknowledged this ruling substantially weakened their case.

Earlier this month, Rayes took the unusual step of rejecting a previous agreement that would have freed Tolth after serving three years in exchange for a guilty plea. The judge made this decision after hearing emotional testimony from Begay’s family members, who argued Tolth should not be released without revealing the location of her body.

“Accountability is not time served,” Begay’s niece Seraphine Warren had told the judge. “It’s about truth, and we still don’t have the truth.”

HARTFORD, Conn. — Security personnel quickly detained a man Thursday morning after he entered Aetna’s corporate headquarters in Hartford while carrying an AR-style pistol concealed in a backpack, according to local authorities.

The individual was apprehended by building security within three minutes of entering the facility, shortly after 10 a.m., and was held until Hartford police officers responded to the scene, according to a Hartford police spokesperson.

Police Lt. Aaron Boisvert stated that investigators have not yet determined the individual’s intentions. Authorities have not disclosed the suspect’s identity or detailed what criminal charges may be filed. The individual was transported to Hartford police headquarters following the arrest.

CVS Health, the Rhode Island-based parent corporation of Aetna, issued a brief response regarding the incident but did not provide additional details when contacted for further comment.

“Earlier today, a suspicious person attempted to enter our office, was apprehended immediately by our security team and taken into custody by local police,” the statement said.

This detention occurs during a period of heightened security awareness for healthcare industry leadership, particularly following the December 2024 murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City. Luigi Mangione, an Ivy League graduate from a wealthy Maryland family, has pleaded not guilty to state and federal charges connected to the killing. He has become a cause célèbre for people upset with the health insurance industry.

CVS Health announced in February that it would eliminate more than 300 remote positions that were managed from the Aetna headquarters location.

A Venezuelan physician serving an underserved community in South Texas found herself in immigration detention this week, unable to join her husband for a crucial asylum hearing they had awaited for more than a decade.

Dr. Rubeliz Bolivar, 33, was taken into custody by Border Patrol agents at McAllen International Airport on Saturday as she prepared to fly to California with the couple’s 5-year-old American-born daughter. Her husband, Milenko Faria, proceeded alone with his asylum interview at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services offices near Los Angeles on Thursday, marking Bolivar’s sixth day in federal custody.

The emergency room physician had been working at a McAllen hospital since June 2025 as part of her medical residency program in the Rio Grande Valley, an area officially classified as medically underserved.

Bolivar’s detention represents the second arrest of a Venezuelan doctor in the region within a week. Dr. Ezequiel Veliz was apprehended at a Border Patrol checkpoint in South Texas on April 6, though his attorney Victor Badell successfully secured his release Thursday after posting an $8,000 bond following approximately ten days in custody.

These arrests reflect the current administration’s strict immigration enforcement policies. After an enforcement operation in Minnesota in January that resulted in two U.S. citizen deaths, the Department of Homeland Security has shifted toward less conspicuous detention actions.

“She was always focused on the community, and when she was accepted, it was an immense joy,” Faria, 36, told The Associated Press during a phone interview. “We have never done anything outside the law. We have done everything by following the steps in accordance with the law to obtain permanent residency.”

According to Faria, his wife entered the United States on a tourist visa in 2016 following her graduation from medical school in Venezuela. Before her authorized stay period ended, she was included in her husband’s asylum petition. The couple is also pursuing permanent residency through a skilled worker application sponsored by Faria’s California employer, where he has worked as an information systems technician since 2019.

Both individuals had been protected under Temporary Protected Status for Venezuela, which safeguarded over 600,000 Venezuelans from deportation. The Trump administration eliminated these protections for Venezuela, Haiti, Syria, Afghanistan, Nicaragua and other nations, though this decision faces ongoing federal court challenges.

Department of Homeland Security officials justified Bolivar’s arrest by citing her illegal presence in the country.

“She has overstayed her visa since 2017, nearly a decade, and had no legal status,” stated DHS spokesperson Lauren Bis.

Immigration attorney Jodi Goodwin, practicing in South Texas, identified a policy shift around September or October 2025 regarding travel by individuals with pending USCIS applications.

“It just became a very apparent trend where anyone that had some kind of application pending with USCIS, whether it was an adjustment of status or asylum, anything like that, they were going to be arrested,” Goodwin explained.

The couple had lived together in Santa Maria, California, until Bolivar relocated to Texas for her medical residency in summer 2025. Faria made bimonthly visits to see his wife and daughter, with Saturday marking Bolivar’s first attempt to travel since beginning her Texas residency.

Border Protection officers detained Bolivar before she could complete airport security screening, requesting identification documents. She presented her Real ID-compliant driver’s license and valid work authorization extending through 2030.

Despite explaining her pending green card adjustment and the purpose of her California trip for the asylum interview, officers detained her after questioning her nationality and demanding proof of permanent legal residency, according to Faria, who received text updates from his wife during the arrest.

Their 5-year-old daughter, an American citizen, was also taken into custody before being released to her grandfather 19 hours later. The child is now in California with her father.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement assumed custody of Bolivar on Sunday, and she remains held at El Valle Detention Facility in Texas.

Faria reported that his wife has repeatedly requested explanations for her detention but has received no responses from authorities.

The other detained Venezuelan physician, Ezequiel Veliz, arrived in the United States in 2018 on a tourist visa with plans to practice medicine. Friend Hector Ruiz characterized him as a compassionate doctor who cares for his cats and demonstrates dedication to his profession.

Veliz transitioned his immigration status from student to physician at a Rio Grande Valley hospital while working under TPS protection. The suspension of protected status immediately impacted his two-year residency program.

“He was one year and four months into that. He couldn’t continue working legally. He had to stop,” said his attorney Badell.

Veliz was awaiting a hospital-sponsored visa when Border Patrol detained him at a checkpoint while traveling to Houston with his husband on April 6.

CASCADE LOCKS, Ore. (AP) — Genetic testing has confirmed that human remains discovered inside a submerged vehicle in the Columbia River belong to an Oregon family who disappeared nearly 67 years ago during a Christmas outing, officials announced Thursday.

Oregon’s state medical examiner has positively identified the remains as Kenneth Martin, his wife Barbara Martin, and their daughter Barbie, according to the Hood River County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators have closed the case after finding no indication of criminal activity.

A diver who had spent years searching for the missing family located their Ford station wagon in the river during 2024. Recovery teams extracted portions of the vehicle from the water the next year.

The Martin family disappeared in December 1958 during what was supposed to be a holiday trip to gather Christmas decorations. While the bodies of two other family children were recovered months following their disappearance, the remaining three family members were never found.

The mystery captivated the nation and sparked theories about possible criminal involvement, with authorities offering a $1,000 reward for tips.

“Where do you search if you’ve already searched every place logic and fragmentary clues would suggest?” an Associated Press report questioned in 1959, months following the family’s vanishing.

Recovery teams could only retrieve the vehicle’s frame and certain attached parts due to how extensively sediment had buried the car over the decades, sheriff’s officials explained. Examination of these components confirmed the vehicle belonged to the Martin family.

The same diver discovered human remains in 2025, which were subsequently transferred to state medical examiners.

Forensic experts extracted genetic material from the remains and created DNA profiles that were matched against samples from Martin family relatives, enabling positive identification, authorities reported.

Officials at the Fulton County detention facility in Georgia have deployed specialized drone technology to prevent contraband from reaching incarcerated individuals. The aerial surveillance system is designed to stop unauthorized deliveries of prohibited materials to the jail population.

The drone equipment comes from Flock, a technology firm that has faced questions regarding the extent of its surveillance operations and monitoring capabilities.

AUSTIN, Texas — A Colombian national who served as a Drug Enforcement Administration informant for over two decades escaped prison time this week despite admitting he never paid taxes on almost $4 million in government payments.

Andres Zapata, 48, received a sentence of time served Wednesday in an Austin federal court after agreeing to assist in an extensive corruption probe that has ensnared multiple DEA agents, according to two sources familiar with the ongoing investigation who spoke anonymously to the Associated Press.

Authorities extradited Zapata from Colombia last year, where he had maintained close ties with José Irizarry, a disgraced former DEA agent now serving 12 years in prison for stealing millions from money laundering operations to bankroll lavish trips, high-end vehicles and wild parties.

Court documents reveal the DEA compensated Zapata $3.8 million between 2015 and 2020 for his services as a confidential source. The professional money launderer entered a guilty plea last July to one count of tax evasion. While DEA policy requires informants to declare such payments to the Internal Revenue Service, prosecutions for non-compliance are uncommon.

Neither the Justice Department’s criminal division, which handled the prosecution, nor the DEA provided statements when contacted for comment.

Defense attorney Don Bailey contended during the sentencing that pursuing someone who endangered his life assisting American law enforcement against dangerous cartels for a violation he was unaware of committing was unprecedented.

Bailey explained that Zapata and similar informants “don’t get 1099s or W-9s,” referencing standard tax forms for independent contractors. “You don’t know what you owe. You sign a piece of paper for money. You don’t get receipts.”

During the proceedings, Zapata expressed his desire to rebuild his life after spending more than a year in harsh conditions at a Medellin-area detention facility while awaiting extradition.

“I’ve learned my lesson,” Zapata stated, according to court transcripts.

U.S. District Judge David Ezra praised Zapata’s cooperation with federal authorities during the hearing. The judge rejected an Associated Press motion to make sentencing documents public. Along with the time-served ruling, Ezra mandated Zapata pay $1.2 million in restitution to cover the government’s tax losses.

DEA internal documents obtained by the AP reveal Zapata’s recruitment as an informant began in 1998, when the agency enlisted the former vacuum cleaner salesman after his brother-in-law faced drug trafficking charges.

Throughout the following twenty years, he emerged as one of the agency’s most productive sources, facilitating undercover cash collections and supporting investigations spanning from Peru to Los Angeles, accumulating over $4.6 million in DEA payments.

However, Zapata provided more than intelligence gathering services.

Using his DEA assignment as cover, the dual Colombian-American citizen traveled internationally with agents and Miami-based prosecutors in what Irizarry characterized as a “world debauchery tour” that violated strict regulations against inappropriate relationships with informants.

A confidential WhatsApp group chat used by agents to document their international escapades reveals Zapata’s involvement in arranging prostitutes and assisting what Irizarry dubbed “Team America” in avoiding consequences. During a 2018 Madrid assignment, Zapata was present when an agent was temporarily held and accused of sexual assault while drinking.

Irizarry informed investigators that Zapata shared portions of his informant payments as kickbacks. He described one incident where Zapata arrived at his Colombian residence carrying $40,000 in cash, which Irizarry used to buy his wife a Tiffany ring.

Zapata allegedly also facilitated payments that Irizarry acknowledged receiving from Diego Marin, Colombia’s “Contraband Czar” — a former DEA informant apprehended in Spain in 2024 during a Colombian corruption investigation. Video footage obtained by the AP shows Marin and Zapata celebrating with agents at a Madrid establishment.

Court documents reveal that Jay Bryant, one of three defendants accused in the 2002 murder of Run-DMC’s Jam Master Jay, is preparing to enter a guilty plea, marking what would be the first courtroom confession of involvement in the hip-hop legend’s death.

Following his 2023 indictment, Bryant initially entered a not guilty plea to murder charges. However, recent correspondence between his defense attorney and federal prosecutors indicates ongoing negotiations for a plea deal.

Thursday’s court filing showed Bryant’s intention to modify his plea, though details about specific charges he may admit to or potential sentencing remain undisclosed. No scheduling has been announced for the plea change, and prosecutors have not provided comment. Bryant’s legal representative has not yet responded to inquiries.

Legal experts note that such notices don’t guarantee finality, as defendants retain the right to withdraw from plea agreements even during court proceedings.

Should Bryant proceed with the guilty plea, it would add both resolution and additional complexity to an already intricate case. His co-defendants Karl Jordan Jr. and Ronald Washington faced jury trial, resulting in convictions that were later overturned for Jordan by a judge. Bryant’s case has remained distinct from the others.

Authorities indicted Bryant nearly three years after his co-defendants when investigators allegedly discovered his DNA on headwear found at the recording studio where the shooting occurred. The victim, born Jason Mizell, served as the DJ for Run-DMC and helped create the distinctive beats and scratches that brought rap music into mainstream popularity during the 1980s. The group’s notable tracks included “It’s Tricky” and their collaboration with Aerosmith on “Walk This Way.”

When investigators allegedly connected Bryant’s DNA to evidence, prosecutors had already established their theory that Jordan and Washington targeted Mizell due to disputes over a botched narcotics transaction. Trial testimony and prosecutor statements indicated that Jordan fired the fatal shots while Washington prevented escape by blocking the entrance and commanding one of Mizell’s associates to lie down. Both defendants maintained their innocence throughout proceedings.

The relationships between the parties varied significantly. Jordan was Mizell’s grandson, while Washington had maintained a friendship with the DJ since childhood. Bryant, however, appeared to have minimal or no direct relationship with the rap icon. Trial testimony suggested Bryant shared mutual acquaintances with Jordan and Washington, but evidence of any personal interaction with Mizell remained unclear.

Following the alleged DNA discovery, prosecutors theorized that Bryant entered the studio facility and unlocked a rear emergency exit, allowing Washington and Jordan to bypass the building’s security system and launch their surprise attack on the DJ.

Conflicting accounts emerged when Bryant’s uncle testified that his nephew confessed to shooting Mizell in self-defense when the musician allegedly reached for a weapon. However, no additional witnesses confirmed Bryant’s presence in the studio during the incident, and prosecutors disputed the uncle’s version of events despite calling him as their own witness. Instead, they proposed that Bryant had contact with the hat before Jordan or Washington transported it into the studio and left it behind.

Court documents indicate that neither Washington’s nor Jordan’s DNA appeared on the recovered headwear.

Michael Hueston, representing Jordan, contended that the charges against Bryant created reasonable doubt regarding his client’s guilt. Jordan’s conviction was subsequently reversed due to separate legal issues.

Bryant, currently 52 years old, was already in federal custody on narcotics and weapons violations when charged in Mizell’s death. He has since entered guilty pleas in the drug and firearm matter and awaits sentencing in that case.

NEW YORK (AP) — The search for the next 007 is gaining momentum in Hollywood.

Director Denis Villeneuve has been attached to helm the upcoming James Bond film for nearly twelve months, marking the franchise’s first installment following Daniel Craig’s departure from the iconic role. Producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman came aboard the project in March 2025. The major question remaining: Which actor will don the famous tuxedo?

The selection process represents a significant shift, as it’s the first time the Broccoli family won’t oversee casting decisions after transferring creative authority to Amazon MGM last year. Despite the typical secrecy surrounding the process, widespread conjecture continues about Craig’s successor.

Betting establishments currently favor several contenders, including Callum Turner, Jacob Elordi, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson. However, entertainment analysts suggest this presents an opportunity to explore unconventional possibilities, given that this marks the first new Bond casting in over twenty years.

Some industry observers are proposing unexpected alternatives, ranging from highly unlikely to surprisingly feasible options.

One suggestion involves Steve Buscemi taking on the spy role, which proponents argue would generate unprecedented audience interest and instantly become a must-see film. They note that if leadership roles can transcend traditional expectations, so too could this legendary character.

Another unconventional proposal features Sandra Hüller, whose versatility spans serious dramatic work in films like “The Zone of Interest” and “Anatomy of a Fall” to comedic performances in “Project Hail Mary” and “Toni Erdmann.” Supporters argue she possesses the compelling, dangerous sophistication that defines Bond, while potentially delivering memorable musical sequences.

Hugh Laurie emerges as another candidate, with advocates noting that while studios reportedly seek a younger actor, an older Bond could offer fresh storytelling opportunities. The 60-something performer has experience in espionage entertainment through “The Night Manager,” demonstrated crisis management skills in “House,” and combines comedic talent with sophisticated style.

Tony Hale also receives mention, with supporters drawing connections between his diverse roles and the potential for an unexpected Bond interpretation.

Dominic West, age 56, represents a more traditional choice, having previously auditioned when Craig was selected. Proponents highlight his charismatic appeal and roguish charm as qualities reminiscent of Sean Connery, plus his prior spy work in “Johnny English Reborn” and association with law enforcement through “The Wire.”

The most serious consideration goes to Aaron Pierre, the 31-year-old British performer, whom many view as an exceptionally suitable candidate. His sophisticated presence and natural charisma, particularly evident in “Rebel Ridge,” position him as an ideal choice for the legendary character, with many believing he possesses all necessary qualities for the role.

Ranch dressing claims the title as America’s most popular salad dressing, surpassing Italian varieties in sales during the final years of the 20th century.

While it continues to enhance lettuce salads, ranch has expanded far beyond its original purpose. The creamy condiment now rivals ketchup and other sauces, serving as a dip for hot wings, fried pickles, and even pizza — a pairing that sparks heated debates.

The versatile sauce has become deeply embedded in American food culture, appearing everywhere from grocery shelves to restaurant menus. Entire cookbooks celebrate the flavor, and at least one restaurant has built its identity around it.

Ranch generates strong reactions — both positive and negative. Food writers have dubbed it the “Great American Condiment” while others dismiss it as “extravagant and trashy.” Nick Higgins, an executive with Hidden Valley Ranch’s parent company, says the product taps into American nostalgia and cultivates devoted fans.

The company welcomes the passionate discussions their product generates. “We love it,” Higgins said. “It’s one of the things we can debate as people and it’s OK.”

The condiment’s rise to prominence reflects classic American entrepreneurship and ingenuity.

“What started out almost as a lark became a multimillion-dollar industry,” creator Steve Henson told the Los Angeles Times about his famous recipe and Hidden Valley Ranch, the mail-order company he established in the 1950s before selling to Clorox two decades later.

Henson initially prepared his blend of herbs, spices, buttermilk and mayonnaise for fellow plumbing contractors in Alaska. The mixture became so popular with visitors at Hidden Valley, the California dude ranch he operated with his wife, that he began marketing it as a do-it-yourself dry seasoning packet. Clorox eventually produced a ready-made bottled version, prompting competitors including Ken’s, Kraft Foods and Wish-Bone to create their own versions.

Debbie Wilson Potts remains a devoted fan. Her family operates Cold Spring Tavern in California, which became the first establishment beyond Henson’s ranch to offer the dressing. Her deceased aunt, who was acquainted with Henson, once described her initial experience: “It took off in my mouth like a freight train.”

The popularity spread nationwide. Food historian Paul Freedman includes ranch dressing in his book “American Cuisine and How It Got This Way” alongside sushi, arugula and other culinary trends from the 1980s — the same era that introduced Cool Ranch Doritos. After four decades of widespread appeal, Freedman believes ranch has secured its permanent place in American cuisine.

The round snout. The tiny black nose. Those button eyes and pair of soft, circular ears. What makes the teddy bear so irresistible to children that it has remained their faithful companion for more than 100 years?

This iconic American plaything began in 1902 when Morris and Rose Michtom, who owned a candy shop in Brooklyn and were Jewish immigrants, crafted the first version using fabric remnants and sawdust filling.

“Nothing says childhood better than a teddy bear,” explains Michael Kimmel, who wrote “Playmakers: The Jewish Entrepreneurs Who Created the Toy Industry in America” and happens to be Morris Michtom’s great-great-nephew. “It’s an utterly genderless toy. It is embraced by both boys and girls.”

The beloved bear’s creation story traces back to earlier that same year when President Theodore Roosevelt declined to kill a restrained black bear while on a hunting expedition. Political cartoonist Clifford Berryman illustrated Roosevelt’s compassionate choice, and this drawing sparked the Michtoms’ creativity. They designed a cuddly toy they named “Teddy’s Bear” in honor of the president’s popular nickname.

This marked the beginning of a cultural phenomenon.

Following initial sales success, the Michtoms found themselves flooded with additional requests. Imitators quickly appeared in the marketplace. According to Kimmel, the teddy bear represented the first stuffed plaything that wasn’t either a cloth or ceramic doll. It offered affordability, comfort, and child-appropriate sizing. Interestingly, some religious leaders expressed concern that these playful plush toys might somehow harm young girls and diminish their maternal instincts.

Through the years, the teddy bear achieved legendary status. Elvis Presley sang about wanting to be someone’s “lovin’ teddy bear.” One of the original Michtom-made bears holds a prestigious spot in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Additionally, calling someone a “teddy bear” has evolved into describing a person as gentle and affectionate.

Kimmel observes: “There are people who, when they finally move out of the house and go to college or get married, that’s the one thing that they just can’t part with because it connects them to that innocent childhood.”

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon announced that American military forces launched a fatal attack on a boat in the Pacific Ocean Wednesday, resulting in the deaths of three individuals suspected of drug trafficking activities.

According to a statement from U.S. Southern Command posted on social media, no American service members were injured during the operation.

This incident represents another in a string of similar military actions that have occurred over recent days, as the Trump administration maintains its aggressive campaign against drug cartels operating in international waters. Military officials report that these operations have resulted in at least 178 fatalities since the initiative launched in early September, occurring months prior to the January military operation that led to the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

In its official statement, Southern Command characterized Wednesday’s action as a “lethal kinetic strike on a vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization.” Military officials indicated the targeted boat was traveling through “known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific.”

The military’s announcement did not specify which terrorist organization was involved, nor did it identify the three individuals who were killed in the strike or provide a more exact location where the incident occurred. Additionally, officials did not present evidence supporting their claims regarding the victims’ involvement in drug trafficking operations.

A widespread failure of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite system last August left U.S. Navy personnel conducting unmanned vessel trials with two dozen autonomous boats stranded off California’s coastline, according to internal military documents obtained by Reuters.

The global disruption of Elon Musk’s satellite constellation affected millions of users worldwide and forced Navy operators to suspend their drone testing for nearly an hour when communications were severed. The trials involved autonomous vessels designed to strengthen American military capabilities in potential conflicts with China.

Internal Navy records reveal this was among multiple testing interruptions caused by Starlink connectivity problems, preventing military personnel from maintaining contact with their unmanned maritime platforms.

SpaceX is preparing for what could become the largest initial public offering in history this summer, with the company valued at approximately $2 trillion. The aerospace firm has established itself as the world’s premier space enterprise by becoming essential to U.S. government operations through satellite communications, rocket launches, and military artificial intelligence systems.

The company’s Starlink service has become integral to vital defense programs ranging from autonomous vehicles to missile detection systems, operating nearly 10,000 satellites in low-Earth orbit. This massive network provides the military with communications infrastructure designed to withstand attacks from hostile nations.

However, the Navy’s technical difficulties with Starlink during drone operations, previously unreported, underscore the potential dangers of the Pentagon’s increasing dependence on SpaceX technologies.

“If there was no Starlink, the U.S. government wouldn’t have access to a global constellation of low earth orbit communications,” said Clayton Swope, a deputy director of the Aerospace Security Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Pentagon officials declined to address questions regarding the drone testing or SpaceX’s naval partnerships. Kirsten Davies, the Pentagon’s chief information officer, stated the “Department leverages multiple, robust, resilient systems for its broad network.”

Neither the Navy nor SpaceX provided responses to inquiries about these incidents.

While Amazon.com announced an $11.6 billion deal this week to purchase satellite manufacturer Globalstar, SpaceX maintains its dominant position in low-Earth orbit communications technology.

SpaceX has established virtual dominance in space launches while providing satellite connectivity through Starlink and its defense-oriented Starshield network, generating billions in revenue. The U.S. Space Force announced last month it had transferred its upcoming GPS satellite launch to a SpaceX rocket for the fourth consecutive time, citing technical problems with the Vulcan rocket developed by United Launch Alliance, a partnership between Boeing and Lockheed Martin.

Democratic members of Congress have cautioned the Pentagon about the dangers of depending heavily on a single corporation controlled by the world’s wealthiest individual for essential national security functions. The Defense Department’s recent conflicts with AI company Anthropic demonstrated how over-reliance on one technology provider can create operational vulnerabilities.

Reuters previously reported that Musk abruptly disabled Starlink access for Ukrainian forces attempting to reclaim territory from Russian troops, damaging international confidence in the tech billionaire.

In Taiwan, SpaceX received criticism for allegedly denying satellite communications to American military personnel stationed there, “possibly in breach of SpaceX’s contractual obligations with the U.S. government,” according to a 2024 correspondence from former Representative Mike Gallagher to Musk, as reported by Forbes. SpaceX rejected these allegations in a social media post.

Reuters was unable to verify whether SpaceX has subsequently restored Starlink services for U.S. military personnel in Taiwan. Both the Pentagon and SpaceX remained silent on Taiwan-related questions.

“As a matter of operational security, we do not comment on or discuss plans, operations capabilities or effects,” a Pentagon spokesperson stated.

SpaceX’s Starlink broadband service has become fundamental to Pentagon drone operations, enabling connectivity for small unmanned maritime vessels resembling high-speed boats without passenger seating. These include models manufactured by Maryland-based BlackSea and Austin, Texas-based Saronic.

During Navy testing in California in April 2025 involving unmanned boats and aerial drones, military personnel documented Starlink’s inability to maintain stable network connectivity due to excessive data demands from operating multiple systems simultaneously, according to a Navy safety assessment reviewed by Reuters.

“Starlink reliance exposed limitations under multiple-vehicle load,” the assessment noted. The document also identified problems with radio equipment from Silvus and networking systems from Viasat.

In the weeks before August’s global Starlink failure, another round of Navy trials experienced disruptions from sporadic connectivity problems with the Starlink network, according to Navy documentation reviewed by Reuters. The specific reasons for these network failures remained unclear.

Despite these technical challenges, the advantages of Starlink’s affordable and readily available commercial service outweigh the risks of potential outages affecting future military missions, according to Bryan Clark, an autonomous warfare specialist at the Hudson Institute. “You accept those vulnerabilities because of the benefits you get from the ubiquity it provides,” he explained.

The vision of American unity has woven through the nation’s story since its founding – appearing in the Declaration’s promise that “All men are created equal,” the Constitution’s opening “We the people,” and the Pledge’s commitment to remain “indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

This aspiration lives in the country’s very name – the UNITED States – and appears on currency through the Latin phrase E Pluribus Unum, meaning “out of many, one.”

Yet this pursuit has proven both inspiring and elusive, achieving remarkable progress while falling short of its promises, remaining a cherished American principle even as citizens past and present have found it difficult to live up to.

What has happened to the concept of American unity across more than two centuries? What significance does it hold today, especially during divisive times? As one expert puts it, “It’s a question that every society has to answer.”

From the nation’s birth, the founders recognized that unity would be essential for their new experiment, where authority would flow not from kings and monarchs as in Europe but rather, as the Declaration states, from “the consent of the governed.”

“It is of infinite moment that you should properly estimate the immense value of your national union to your collective and individual happiness; that you should cherish a cordial, habitual, and immovable attachment to it … indignantly frowning upon the first dawning of every attempt to alienate any portion of our country from the rest,” George Washington declared while leaving the presidency after two terms.

During those early years, as the nation formed from 13 separate colonies, the meaning of unity remained far from clear.

While the founders proclaimed lofty principles, they simultaneously restricted participation, determining who possessed rights and freedom and who did not. Centuries later, understanding unity’s true meaning continues to challenge Americans. Should that Latin motto represent a fusion of diverse viewpoints creating something greater than individual parts, or does it demand conformity – that unity requires sameness?

Regardless of interpretation, aspirations require more than good intentions to become reality – much like New Year’s resolutions that fade without dedication and sustained effort.

Just as personal lives consist of daily moments between major milestones, a nation’s character develops through everyday experiences, not singular events alone.

While unity has remained among America’s core ideals, the lived experience across 2½ centuries has revealed that this constructed nation never contained just ONE America where everyone enjoyed identical circumstances or equal access to power and wealth.

Such equality did not exist at the country’s founding, and it certainly does not exist today.

“I think the United State has had a more volatile history in terms of how it deals with questions of inclusion and exclusion, how it draws the line and polices the line of who’s in and who’s out,” says Daniel Immerwahr, a professor of history at Northwestern University.

“It’s a question that every society has to answer … who’s on the inside, who’s on the outside,” he explains. “I would say that what’s interesting about the United States in this regard is how changeable and nonobvious some of the answers to those questions are.”

Sometimes these divisions have been straightforward – geographic differences between rural and urban areas, plains versus mountains, or climate variations from heat to snow, wildfires to flooding. Other divisions have been cultural – people from different ancestral countries, newcomers versus multi-generational families, various languages, different Christian denominations or entirely different faiths. Economic disparities have always created different living experiences for rich and poor.

However, some differences have constituted genuine tragedies – enslaved Africans and their American-born children, forced to labor under brutal conditions for white owners’ benefit. Even after slavery ended, they faced discrimination and violence under legally sanctioned racism that persisted into the 20th century and continues to resonate today.

Indigenous tribes saw their populations devastated by death and disease as American expansion moved westward and settlers coveted tribal lands. Their cultures were systematically destroyed across generations as the government attempted to force “unity” through harsh assimilation policies.

Various communities have been excluded from opportunities based on gender, sexual orientation, or other characteristics.

Yet persistent movements across different eras have worked to extend opportunities – voting rights, economic advancement, educational access – from some Americans to all. This progress came gradually through protest movements, legal challenges, and appeals to those same founding ideals of unity and equality.

“It provided a language for the groups that were challenging these exclusions to draw on … invoking the ideals of the Revolution and the Declaration and saying, ‘Look, this is what the nation is supposed to be about,’” says Eileen Cheng, a professor of history at Sarah Lawrence College. “They could challenge the system and yet claim that they were being the true Americans.”

However, ideals can remain somewhat abstract concepts.

What does national unity actually mean? Must unity equal uniformity? Using satirist Terry Pratchett’s reference, should people be on the same side, or can they be on “different sides that happen to be side by side”? Is unity even beneficial within a vibrant democracy?

Looking globally and historically reveals no single answer. Some countries have designated official languages while others recognize multiple languages, and some, like the United States, have never officially chosen any. Nations have sometimes established official religions. Different countries maintain varying standards and procedures for granting citizenship to newcomers.

“There are always tensions between the unity and the separateness,” said Paul Wachtel, a psychology professor at the City College of New York. “There’s no society that is just one or just the other … what’s really most essential is that we learn how to negotiate those tensions.”

America confronted this challenge early on. Today’s Constitution represents the second attempt at governmental structure. The first framework, the Articles of Confederation, maintained weaker federal authority while strengthening individual states. This arrangement quickly proved inadequate for the new nation – demonstrating that insufficient unity was ineffective – leading to the Constitution’s creation.

Many European nations have navigated these negotiations within the context of centuries-old histories, established geographic boundaries, and existing governmental systems that influenced their chosen directions. From the founders’ viewpoint, the United States represented something entirely new.

“What it is to be of the United States is to adhere to a set of principles rather than to have a certain kind of lineage,” Immerwahr explains. “Sometimes that makes the United States remarkably open, and then sometimes that gets the leaders of the United States in all kinds of weird contradictions as they try to explain why they’re doing some forms of inclusion and not others.”

America’s track record in managing these tensions shows decidedly mixed results, with conditions shifting over time.

Consider immigration patterns. Some periods have witnessed seemingly endless streams of newcomers arriving on American shores, while other eras have seen much of the world excluded. In politics, the idea of different factions represented by competing parties was initially despised by some, even as it became fundamental to political culture. Groups once marginalized have later gained acceptance, and sometimes the reverse has occurred.

“What have we learned over the last 250 years is that things change,” says Cindy Kam, professor of political science at Vanderbilt University. “We are inclined to be social animals, but what those groups are is culturally constructed. So political elites, social elites, cultural elites, they do that work in identifying what the groups are, who is part of ‘us’ and who is a part of the ‘other.’”

These questions remain far from resolved. Recent decades’ demographic, technological, and economic transformations have made unity discussions more pressing than ever. Americans currently live amid widespread polarization, facing serious – sometimes alarming – questions about the nation’s future. This situation may actually resemble the country’s early years more than people recognize.

“This polarization, people talk about it like it’s a new thing. But I think it’s really a return back to the way that we were at the beginning of the country,” Cheng observes. “It’s not like this kind of linear development where we’re growing more and more accepting of difference. I think it’s up and down.”

A British immigrant with a history of criminal charges faces murder accusations following a violent rampage that claimed two lives across multiple Atlanta-area communities early Monday morning.

Olaolukitan Adon Abel, 26, who obtained American citizenship in 2022, stands accused of fatally shooting two women and leaving a homeless man fighting for his life in what authorities describe as connected attacks spanning three suburban locations.

The violence unfolded over several hours beginning around 1 a.m. in Decatur, where an unidentified woman was discovered with gunshot injuries near a local restaurant. Despite being rushed to medical care, she succumbed to her wounds, according to DeKalb County Police Chief Gregory Padrick.

Approximately 12 miles away in Brookhaven, a 49-year-old homeless individual sleeping outside a grocery store became the second target, suffering multiple gunshot wounds. Brookhaven Police Chief Brandon Gurley confirmed the man remains hospitalized in critical condition, with his identity withheld pending family notification.

The final and most distant attack occurred in Panthersville, more than 10 miles from the initial incident. Lauren Bullis, a 49-year-old Department of Homeland Security employee, was discovered around 7 a.m. with both gunshot and stab wounds while walking her dog. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin condemned the violence as “acts of pure evil” while questioning how Abel received citizenship during the Biden administration despite his criminal background.

Bullis dedicated her career to the DHS Office of Inspector General, working as both an auditor and innovation team leader. The department honored her memory on social media, noting she “brought a genuine sense of care to her colleagues each day.”

“Her warmth and generosity touched everyone surrounding her,” Bullis’s family shared in a statement, describing her passion for running, reading and travel.

Denver-based DHS auditor Ashley Toillion remembered her colleague as “the nicest, sweetest, most encouraging person I’ve ever met.”

Military documentation reveals Abel joined the Navy in 2020, completing service with the Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron in Coronado, California. As a petty officer, he earned a Navy “E” Ribbon recognizing exceptional battle readiness performance.

However, Abel’s service record includes troubling incidents. California court documents show he admitted guilt in October 2024 to attacking two police officers with a deadly weapon and assaulting another individual while stationed in Coronado.

Current charges against Abel include malice murder, aggravated assault and firearms violations. He declined to appear at Tuesday’s initial court hearing, with his assigned public defender not responding to requests for comment.

Secretary Mullin revealed Abel’s criminal history extends beyond the military incidents, including a sexual battery conviction. Georgia court records indicate someone matching Abel’s name and birth date pleaded guilty to four misdemeanor sexual battery counts in Chatham County last June.

Questions remain about whether Abel’s criminal record predated his 2022 citizenship approval, as federal law typically prohibits individuals with violent crime convictions from obtaining naturalization.

Investigators believe at least one victim was selected randomly, though they continue examining potential motives behind the coordinated attacks across the three communities.

WASHINGTON – American military forces carried out an attack against a boat in the Eastern Pacific Ocean on Wednesday that resulted in three deaths, according to military officials.

The U.S. Southern Command claimed the targeted vessel was being used by what they called “Designated Terrorist Organizations,” though they did not specify which groups were involved.

Military officials reported that no American service members were injured during the operation and characterized the three people who died as “male narco-terrorists,” but provided no additional information about the incident.

A federal jury in Miami has ordered Carnival Cruise Line to pay $300,000 in damages to a passenger who sustained serious injuries after cruise staff allegedly provided her with excessive amounts of alcohol before a devastating fall.

The jury ruled in favor of Diana Sanders, a 45-year-old registered nurse from Vacaville, California, concluding that Carnival acted negligently when serving the passenger.

Court records show that on January 5, 2024, Sanders was aboard the Carnival Radiance when crew members served her no fewer than 14 tequila shots during an eight-hour period from late afternoon until nearly midnight. Shortly after 11:45 p.m., Sanders fell down stairs, resulting in a concussion, potential brain trauma, spinal injuries, tailbone damage, and extensive bruising.

Sanders’ legal representative, Spencer Aronfeld, emphasized the significance of the David-versus-Goliath legal battle in a written statement. “Taking on a corporate giant like Carnival is a massive undertaking, and I have enormous respect for my client’s resilience throughout this 18-month litigation,” Aronfeld said in an email. “This case highlights the inherent dangers of all-inclusive drink packages, which encourage excessive consumption and pressure underpaid servers to prioritize tips over safety.”

The attorney revealed that jurors reviewed evidence showing a suspicious 30-minute gap in security footage covering the period from when Sanders departed the ship’s casino bar until crew members discovered her unconscious in a restricted crew area.

Carnival Corporation issued a response indicating the company disputes the jury’s decision and intends to challenge the outcome through requests for a new trial and appellate proceedings.

This verdict comes as the cruise industry faces additional scrutiny over alcohol service policies. A separate ongoing lawsuit targets Royal Caribbean, where a passenger’s fiancée alleges the cruise line bears responsibility for his death after serving him 33 alcoholic beverages and subsequently using excessive force during a physical altercation with crew members.

Two young men from the Philadelphia area have denied federal terrorism charges in connection with an alleged bomb plot targeting New York City’s mayor’s residence.

Emir Balat, age 18, and Ibrahim Kayumi, age 19, appeared in Manhattan federal court Wednesday where they entered not guilty pleas to the charges against them.

Federal prosecutors allege the pair traveled from Philadelphia to New York City with the intention of attacking participants at an anti-Islam rally held March 7th outside Gracie Mansion. The demonstration was organized by Jake Lang, a far-right activist who has criticized Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the city’s first Muslim mayor.

According to the government’s case, both defendants are charged with attempting to support a foreign terrorist organization and deploying weapons of mass destruction.

Court documents indicate Balat and Kayumi hurled two improvised explosive devices filled with TATP explosive material and metal fragments at the protest site, though the jar-shaped bombs never exploded. Authorities detained both suspects immediately after the incident, and no injuries occurred. The mayor and his spouse were away from the residence during the attack.

Federal investigators say the defendants later admitted to police that ISIS ideology motivated their actions. Prosecutors also revealed that dashboard camera footage from their vehicle captured the pair discussing plans to kill up to 60 individuals in order to “start terror.”

Defense counsel for Balat refused to provide statements following Wednesday’s court session. Legal representatives for Kayumi have not yet responded to requests for comment. Both defendants are scheduled to return to court on June 16th.

Arizona’s biggest electric company has reached a $7 million agreement to stop disconnecting power for unpaid bills whenever temperatures reach 95 degrees or higher, state Attorney General Kris Mayes announced Wednesday. The settlement follows legal action sparked partly by the 2024 death of an elderly woman whose electricity was cut off during extreme heat.

Arizona Public Service previously had a policy preventing shutoffs for nonpayment from June 1 through October 15. Under the new settlement terms, the utility will pay $2.7 million into a state consumer protection fund and allocate another $3.4 million toward enhancing a program that allows customers to name family or friends as emergency contacts for shutoff notices.

The legal case stemmed from concerns over disconnection policies during dangerous heat conditions, including the death of 82-year-old Katherine Korman at her Sun City West residence. Korman’s electricity was terminated in mid-May 2024 due to unpaid bills on a day when local temperatures soared to approximately 99 degrees. She was discovered dead six days following the power disconnection.

“No Arizonan should be at risk because they cannot afford their electric bill,” Mayes said in a statement. “This settlement ensures that APS will no longer disconnect power based on the date on the calendar alone – if temperatures are dangerous, the power stays on.”

The utility company did not admit fault in the settlement and stated it already complied with or surpassed state regulations regarding disconnection procedures and customer notifications. “Our entire team at APS prioritizes customer safety and cares deeply about the well-being of our customers and community,” the utility said.

Maricopa County, home to Phoenix, recorded 430 heat-related fatalities last year, down from 608 in 2024 and 645 in 2023. Officials announced the county’s first confirmed heat-related death of 2026 last week.

French diplomatic officials are urging the United States Department of Homeland Security to free an elderly French woman who remains in immigration detention after being arrested in Alabama earlier this month.

Immigration enforcement officers took Marie-Therese Ross, 86, into custody on April 1 following the expiration of her 90-day visitor visa, federal authorities confirmed. The French widow is currently housed at an immigration detention center in Louisiana.

The case represents part of the broader immigration enforcement efforts under the current administration’s deportation policies, which have included detention of military family members who previously may have received more lenient treatment under prior guidelines.

France’s Consul General in New Orleans, Rodolphe Sambou, confirmed to reporters that his government has “fully mobilized” efforts to secure her freedom. The diplomat has made two personal visits to see Ross during her detention.

“Given her age, we really want her to get out of this situation as soon as possible,” Sambou stated. “We want to get her out of jail.”

The consul general explained that he maintains regular contact with Ross’s relatives and French diplomatic personnel in Washington, D.C., Atlanta and Paris as part of coordinated efforts to arrange her release while ensuring she receives adequate meals and medical attention. French officials have also reached out directly to the Department of Homeland Security.

Sambou chose not to discuss specifics regarding her immigration status or other case details.

County marriage documentation reveals that Ross wed William Ross, an Alabama resident, in April of the previous year. According to his family’s published obituary, William Ross passed away this past January after serving as a captain in the United States Army.

An attorney handling a separate legal issue for Ross has not yet responded to inquiries for comment. Family members have also not replied to requests for statements.

AUSTIN, Texas — A security guard who worked at Camp Mystic during last year’s devastating flood testified Wednesday that issuing an early evacuation directive could have prevented the tragic loss of life.

Glenn Juenke, who assisted in relocating several girls to a two-story structure before becoming stranded in a cabin, also rescued a group of campers by directing them to flee to elevated terrain as floodwaters surged.

His testimony concluded a three-day court proceeding in a legal dispute between camp management seeking to reopen the all-girls Christian facility this summer and families of victims who perished in the July 4th flooding that devastated the Guadalupe River area during early morning hours.

Juenke, testifying on behalf of the camp operators, stated that his choice to direct campers to climb a hillside on foot as waters rose was his own initiative, not instructions from camp leadership or officials.

He could not remember camp management ever conducting emergency evacuation training for campers, counselors and staff members.

The facility’s reopening plans have infuriated families of the deceased girls, and the camp’s operating license remains under examination by state health officials. Last month, a judge mandated the camp preserve damaged sections as evidence for ongoing litigation. That decision is being challenged.

The proceedings have revealed the most comprehensive account from camp officials about the flood events, including opportunities missed to prepare for the weather emergency and delayed evacuation choices.

Recounting the powerful storm that struck the facility, Juenke described initially joining camp directors Dick and Edward Eastland in transporting some girls from their sleeping quarters. However, Juenke later left his vehicle when rising water made driving impossible.

Walking on foot, Juenke commanded a group of young campers to seek higher elevation. He returned to another cabin where he soon found himself trapped in waist-high water. Storage containers were thrown about by the current before being swept away.

Juenke instructed the girls in the cabin to climb onto air mattresses, where they remained floating for multiple hours.

“It was a long night. We were getting bitten by fire ants. There were spiders … The girls did everything I told them to do,” Juenke stated. No girls in that particular cabin lost their lives.

Juenke said they emerged at daybreak. He then reconnected with Catie Eastland, a camp director, near the two-story recreation facility where approximately one hundred girls had survived the flooding.

“I said y’all could have had a million different evacuation plans, nothing would have worked,” Juenke testified.

Attorneys representing the families have focused on the absence of a comprehensive evacuation strategy and the failure to issue cabin evacuation orders. A brief emergency notice displayed in cabins, which had received state approval just two days prior, instructed campers to remain in their quarters until staff provided further direction.

The disaster claimed 25 campers and two teenage counselors. Camp co-owner Dick Eastland also perished.

“You can blame it on Mother Nature or God Almighty, but if anyone had used the speakers or walkie talkie and told them to leave before 3 (am), they would’ve survived,” said Brad Beckworth, representing the family of Cile Steward, 8, the only camper whose remains have not been found.

Juenke stood by his actions and those of staff members that evening.

“We did everything we could do in the time that we had,” Juenke said.

A man from Atlanta faces murder charges following a deadly rampage that spanned several hours and multiple locations, claiming the lives of two women and critically injuring a third victim. The violence has captured federal attention after officials confirmed one victim worked for the Department of Homeland Security.

The federal employee, identified as Lauren Bullis, was fatally shot and stabbed while walking her dog early Monday morning. Her death, along with the shooting of two other victims that same day, prompted Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to release a public statement questioning how the suspect, 26-year-old Olaolukitan Adon Abel from the United Kingdom, obtained American citizenship in 2022 during the Biden presidency.

“These acts of pure evil have devastated our Department and my prayers are with the families of the victims,” Mullin stated on social media, detailing the suspect’s alleged criminal background without clarifying whether those incidents occurred before his citizenship was approved.

Police believe at least the male victim was chosen completely at random, while investigators continue examining whether the two female victims were also selected arbitrarily.

The violence began around 1 a.m. Monday when the first victim was discovered with multiple bullet wounds near a Decatur-area restaurant, according to DeKalb County Police Chief Gregory Padrick during a press briefing. Despite being rushed to a medical facility, she succumbed to her injuries. Officials have not released her identity.

Approximately one hour later in Brookhaven, a suburban community roughly 12 miles northwest of the initial incident, a 49-year-old homeless individual sleeping outside a grocery store suffered multiple gunshot wounds, Brookhaven Police Chief Brandon Gurley reported. The victim, whose identity remains undisclosed, continues fighting for his life in the hospital.

“It is apparent to us that it was a completely random attack on a member of our unhoused community,” Gurley explained.

The final assault occurred shortly before 7 a.m. in Panthersville, more than 10 miles from the second location, where responding officers discovered a woman suffering from both gunshot and knife wounds, Padrick confirmed. The victim, Bullis, was pronounced dead at the location. Brookhaven investigators later established connections between all three violent incidents, Gurley noted.

Bullis’s relatives honored her memory in a public statement, describing her as “selfless, kind and compassionate.”

“She deeply loved her family and found joy in running, reading and traveling,” the family expressed. “Her warmth and generosity touched everyone surrounding her.”

Law enforcement apprehended Adon Abel later Monday during a vehicle stop in Troup County, which shares a border with Alabama. Criminal charges against him include two malice murder counts, aggravated assault, and weapons violations, according to court documentation.

Adon Abel declined to appear at his initial court hearing Tuesday. No legal representative is currently listed in court files who could comment on his case.

Mullin, who assumed leadership of DHS last month following Kristi Noem’s dismissal, revealed in his statement that Adon Abel possesses a criminal history including a sexual battery conviction, though he did not specify the conviction date. Digital court records indicate someone named Adon Olaolukitan, sharing the same birthdate as Adon Abel, entered guilty pleas last June in Chatham County, Georgia, to four misdemeanor sexual battery charges.

The secretary emphasized that since President Donald Trump’s administration began, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, operating under DHS oversight, has strengthened efforts to prevent individuals with criminal backgrounds from obtaining citizenship. However, the United States has historically prohibited most violent felons from achieving citizenship status, and officials have not immediately clarified whether Adon Abel possessed any disqualifying criminal record prior to his 2022 citizenship approval.

DHS officials have not yet responded to requests for additional information.

NEW YORK — Federal authorities have arrested the man behind New York City’s infamous annual Santa-themed bar crawl, accusing him of pocketing most of the money that was supposed to go to charity.

Stefan Pildes, 50, from Hewitt, New Jersey, faces wire fraud charges after investigators say he kept the majority of $2.7 million collected through SantaCon events between 2019 and 2024. He appeared in Manhattan federal court Wednesday where the charges were made public.

The December tradition brings more than 25,000 people dressed as Santa Claus to Manhattan streets for a ticketed bar-hopping event that many city residents consider a nuisance due to the disruption it causes.

Prosecutors allege Pildes diverted over half the annual proceeds to a company he owned, using the funds to upgrade a lakefront home in New Jersey and pay for concert tickets, expensive trips to Hawaii and Las Vegas, high-end dining, and a luxury car.

The indictment reveals that despite claiming he received no payment from organizing the events, Pildes spent substantial amounts on personal expenses.

“No producer received income from this event, this is a charity event,” investigators say Pildes wrote in a March 2023 email to a potential venue.

“Instead of donating the millions of dollars he raised, he ran his own con game,” stated U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton.

Court documents show Pildes served as president of Participatory Safety Inc., the nonprofit organization that ran SantaCon, and had complete control over its operations.

The event began as “Santarchy” in San Francisco in 1994, originally designed to criticize holiday commercialism. Over the years, it evolved from its anti-establishment roots into what organizers now describe as “a charitable, non-political, nonsensical Santa Claus convention.”

According to federal charges, Pildes approached bars and restaurants asking them to participate and contribute between 10% and 25% of their food and drink sales to his charitable organization.

An attorney for Pildes could not immediately be reached for comment on the allegations.