Category: U.S. News

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — U.S. military aircraft responded Thursday to intercept five Russian planes flying in international waters off Alaska’s western coastline, though defense officials emphasized Friday that the encounter was routine and non-threatening.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command reported detecting and monitoring two Russian Tu-95 bombers, two Su-35 fighter jets, and one A-50 surveillance aircraft operating in the vicinity of the Bering Strait on Thursday.

NORAD deployed two F-16 fighters, two F-35 stealth jets, one E-3 surveillance plane, and four KC-135 aerial refueling aircraft to meet, identify, and accompany the Russian planes until they left the region, the command announced in an official statement.

According to NORAD’s release, “The Russian military aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace.” The statement emphasized that such encounters “occurs regularly and is not seen as a threat.”

The Russian planes were flying within the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone, located near the Bering Strait — a narrow waterway approximately 50 miles wide that divides the Pacific and Arctic oceans.

These identification zones extend beyond national airspace boundaries into international territory. Though considered international airspace, all aircraft must announce their identity when entering these zones for national security purposes, NORAD explained.

The defense command employs satellite technology, ground-based radar systems, airborne detection equipment, and aircraft to monitor and track aerial activity in the region.

While NORAD maintains its primary headquarters at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado, the organization operates its Alaska mission from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson located in Anchorage.

Authorities in Las Vegas are treating Thursday’s vehicle crash into an electrical substation as an act of terrorism, officials announced during a Friday press briefing.

Sheriff Kevin McMahill of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department assured residents that no continuing danger exists to the community following the incident.

Emergency dispatchers received a report at 10 a.m. Thursday about a vehicle that had crashed through security barriers at the electrical facility in Boulder City, situated roughly 25 miles southeast of Las Vegas, McMahill explained.

The vehicle’s operator was identified as 23-year-old Dawson Maloney of Albany, New York, who had been reported as a missing person and took his own life with a firearm, the sheriff stated.

Before the incident occurred, Maloney had contacted relatives, discussing intentions of self-harm and stating he planned to carry out an action that would make him newsworthy. In communications with his mother, he described himself using terrorist terminology, police revealed.

Investigators discovered explosive devices and numerous publications “related to extremist ideologies” inside Maloney’s hotel accommodation, McMahill reported. The materials covered various radical viewpoints including right-wing and left-wing extremism, environmental extremism, white supremacist beliefs, and anti-government philosophies.

“These findings significantly elevate the seriousness of this incident,” McMahill stated.

Records show Maloney was enrolled as a student at Albany Law School in the class of 2027. He had also achieved honors recognition during multiple terms at Siena University in New York.

Law enforcement recovered two shotguns, a pistol resembling an assault rifle, and flamethrowers from his rented vehicle, McMahill noted. Maloney was dressed in what officers characterized as “soft-body armor.”

A search of an Albany residence yielded a 3D printing device and various firearm components necessary for weapon assembly. Maloney had traveled by rental car from Albany to Boulder City, according to Christopher Delzano, the FBI’s Las Vegas special agent-in-charge.

Boulder City is a historical community that houses the Hoover Dam, recognized as one of America’s remarkable civil engineering achievements. The dam supplies water to millions of residents and produces approximately 4 billion kilowatt-hours of hydroelectric energy annually for Nevada, Arizona and California.

The targeted electrical substation belongs to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. The installation operates in coordination with Hoover Dam and transmits electricity to the Los Angeles metropolitan area, McMahill explained. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power confirmed to The Associated Press that it is monitoring the situation, with no operational impacts or service interruptions reported.

Boulder City Police Chief Timothy Shea confirmed that investigators found no evidence of significant damage to essential infrastructure and no utility service disruptions occurred.

A comparable event took place in 2023 when an individual drove a vehicle through barriers at a solar energy installation in the desert northeast of Las Vegas, igniting the car. The solar facility provided power to Las Vegas Strip gambling establishments. That perpetrator was deemed mentally incompetent for trial. The attack followed multiple incidents and arrests involving electrical substations across Washington, Oregon and North Carolina, raising federal concerns about electricity transmission network security.

“We are heartbroken to hear of the tragic passing of one of our law students, Dawson Maloney, in an off-campus incident,” said Tom Torello, director of communications and marketing at Albany Law School, in a statement.

American military officials announced Friday through a social media post that they conducted a strike against a boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean, resulting in the deaths of three individuals.

The military disclosed the fatal operation on X, characterizing the incident as part of an ongoing series of similar actions in the region.

WASHINGTON — Internal government documents reveal that a federal immigration officer shot and killed a U.S. citizen during a nighttime traffic encounter in Texas last year, an incident that federal authorities never announced to the public.

Ruben Ray Martinez, 23, died in what appears to be the first of at least six fatal shootings involving federal officers during the current administration’s immigration enforcement efforts. The Department of Homeland Security stated Friday that the March incident on South Padre Island happened after Martinez deliberately hit an agent with his vehicle.

The fatal encounter involved officers from Homeland Security Investigations who were working alongside local police during an immigration operation, according to internal records secured by American Oversight, a Washington-based government accountability organization.

These documents came to light through a Freedom of Information Act legal challenge that produced heavily censored Immigration and Customs Enforcement files.

While local news organizations covered Martinez’s death on March 15, 2025, neither federal nor state officials revealed that HSI agents were involved in the shooting. DHS explained Friday that the victim “intentionally ran over a Homeland Security Investigation special agent,” prompting another officer to fire “defensive shots to protect himself, his fellow agents, and the general public.”

The agency declined to explain why no official statement or media notification was issued about the officer-involved shooting during the past 11 months.

Rachel Reyes, Martinez’s mother, explained that her son had recently turned 23 when he traveled with his closest friend from San Antonio to the coast for a birthday celebration. South Padre Island serves as a popular spring break destination on the Gulf Coast near the Mexican border, drawing thousands of young visitors each March.

Martinez held a job at an Amazon distribution center, enjoyed gaming, and spent time with friends. His mother emphasized he had no previous encounters with police.

“He was a typical young guy,” Reyes shared with The Associated Press. “He never really got a chance to go out and experience things. It was his first time getting to go out of town. He was a nice guy, humble guy. And he wasn’t a violent person at all.”

An internal ICE incident summary within the released documents indicates that HSI officers were helping South Padre Island police manage traffic flow around a multi-injury car crash scene just after midnight.

A blue Ford sedan carrying Martinez and a passenger approached the officers, who commanded the driver to halt. The document doesn’t specify their reasoning. While Martinez initially ignored the orders, he did eventually bring the vehicle to a stop.

Officers then encircled the car and demanded the occupants exit, but Martinez “accelerated forward” and struck an HSI agent “who wound up on the hood of the vehicle,” the summary states. A supervising HSI agent positioned beside the car then discharged his weapon several times through the open driver’s window, causing the vehicle to stop.

Emergency medical personnel already present at the crash site immediately administered aid, and Martinez was transported by ambulance to a Brownsville area hospital where doctors declared him deceased. The passenger, also an American citizen, was arrested.

The HSI officer reportedly struck by the vehicle received treatment for a knee injury at a local hospital before being discharged.

All names of the HSI agents and the two vehicle occupants were blacked out in the ICE summary, though Reyes confirmed her son was the deceased driver. She said he sustained three gunshot wounds.

The document indicates Texas Rangers responded to investigate and assumed primary responsibility for the shooting inquiry.

Reyes said she discovered approximately one week after the incident that a federal agent, not local police, had shot her son. A Rangers investigator contacted her and allegedly stated that video evidence contradicted the federal agents’ version of events. DHS did not immediately address Friday’s inquiry about claims of contradictory video footage.

The investigator informed her that the state’s investigation concluded in October and the case would go before a grand jury for possible criminal charges.

The Texas Department of Public Safety, which oversees the Rangers, confirmed Friday that the shooting investigation remains “active” and refused to provide additional details.

Cameron County District Attorney Luis V. Saenz, whose Democratic-held office has jurisdiction over South Padre Island, did not return Friday messages. South Padre Island Police Chief Claudine O’Carroll also failed to respond to comment requests.

Family legal representatives said Friday they have worked throughout the past year seeking accountability and transparency.

“It is critical that there is a full and fair investigation into why HSI was present at the scene of a traffic collision and why a federal officer shot and killed a U.S. citizen as he was trying to comply with instructions from the local law enforcement officers directing traffic,” attorneys Charles M. Stam and Alex Stamm stated.

The ICE summary indicates the HSI agents worked for a maritime border security task force normally focused on fighting international criminal networks at shipping ports. During the past year, officers from various federal agencies have been reassigned to prioritize immigration operations.

In January, ICE officer Jonathan Ross killed Renee Good, a 37-year-old Minneapolis mother, while she sat in her SUV. Administration officials initially characterized Good as a “domestic terrorist” who attempted to ram officers before multiple videos surfaced that questioned the government’s account.

Similar to the Good incident, police training specialists questioned why a federal officer apparently positioned himself in Martinez’s vehicle path.

“You don’t stand in front of the car, you don’t put yourself in harm’s way,” said Geoffrey Alpert, a University of South Carolina police use-of-force expert. He noted there’s never justification for such positioning, “because you don’t know whether this person is going to flee, and if he flees, you could be dead.”

Alpert said investigators will likely examine available body camera footage or other recordings to determine how quickly Martinez moved the vehicle forward, whether he simply released the brake or pressed hard on the accelerator.

Martinez’s mother said she couldn’t believe he would deliberately attack a law enforcement officer.

“They didn’t give him a chance,” Reyes said. “It’s so excessive. They could have done anything else besides that. It’s like they shoot first and ask questions later.”

WASHINGTON – Federal transportation officials announced Friday they will implement new regulations mandating that commercial truck driver examinations be conducted exclusively in English, while also pledging to crack down on illegitimate driver training programs.

The U.S. Transportation Department revealed plans to eliminate the self-certification process for commercial truck driving schools following the discovery of hundreds of training programs that failed to comply with federal standards. The current administration has implemented multiple measures to address issues related to foreign commercial drivers with limited English proficiency.

Federal aviation safety oversight of United Airlines’ maintenance operations faces significant challenges due to staffing shortages, workforce turnover, and inappropriate reliance on remote inspections rather than in-person reviews, a government audit revealed Friday.

The Transportation Department’s inspector general determined that the Federal Aviation Administration doesn’t have adequate personnel or workforce planning strategies to properly monitor United’s extensive aircraft fleet. Similar oversight deficiencies have been identified at other major carriers including American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and Allegiant Air in previous government reviews.

While the FAA chose not to provide direct comments on the audit findings to The Associated Press, the agency referenced a response letter included in the report. The correspondence indicated the FAA accepted most audit recommendations and planned to implement corrective measures by year’s end.

“FAA will implement a more systemic approach to strengthen inspector capacity and will take other measures to ensure that staffing levels remain sufficient to meet surveillance requirements,” the letter said.

Key audit recommendations include reassessing staffing policies, conducting independent surveys of inspector workloads and workplace environment, and enhancing training for accessing United’s safety information systems. The report noted that current data access limitations prevent inspectors from properly analyzing maintenance concerns and safety patterns.

United Airlines responded to AP inquiries by emphasizing its collaborative relationship with federal regulators and its internal safety oversight programs.

“United has long advocated in favor of providing the FAA with the resources it needs for its important work,” the carrier said.

The inspector general conducted this review from May 2024 through December 2025, during a period marked by several maintenance-related incidents involving United aircraft.

Audit findings revealed that FAA personnel sometimes performed “virtual” inspections when lacking staff or travel funding, despite agency requirements to delay reviews that cannot be completed in person. Remote inspections pose safety concerns because inspectors might overlook or incorrectly assess maintenance deficiencies, according to the report.

“Inspectors we spoke with stated that their front-line managers instructed them to perform inspections virtually rather than postponing inspections,” the report said.

Persistent staffing gaps at FAA offices responsible for United oversight have led to reduced inspection frequency, limited monitoring of maintenance activities, and significant loss of experienced personnel and expertise.

Recent United incidents include a March 2024 emergency evacuation after a plane veered off a Houston runway following landing. The following day, another United aircraft lost a tire during San Francisco takeoff but successfully diverted to Los Angeles.

Most recently, in December 2025, a United flight experienced engine problems during departure from Dulles International Airport but returned safely to the terminal.

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — A former police chief who suddenly stepped down from his position in January has surrendered to authorities on charges of stealing $85,000 from his own department’s accounts.

Karl Jacobson, who previously led the New Haven Police Department, voluntarily turned himself in Friday on an outstanding warrant. A judge set his bond at $150,000, and he was subsequently released, according to state prosecutors. The charges include two counts of larceny involving the defrauding of a public community.

“An allegation of embezzlement by a police official is a serious matter and potentially undermines public confidence in the criminal justice system,” Chief State’s Attorney Patrick J. Griffin said in a statement.

Defense attorney Gregory Cerritelli, representing Jacobson, stated he was not yet prepared to address the specific accusations but emphasized that “an arrest is not evidence of guilt and allegations are not proof.”

“This is the beginning of a very long process,” he said in an emailed statement. “I urge everyone to keep an open mind and avoid a rush to judgment.”

New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker revealed last month during Jacobson’s retirement announcement that the ex-chief had confessed to taking money from a municipal account designated for compensating confidential informants who assist police in solving cases.

According to Elicker, Jacobson admitted to using the funds for personal expenses after three of his deputy chiefs confronted him about financial discrepancies.

The mayor described the allegations as “shocking” and a “betrayal of public trust.”

Jacobson led the police force for three years in the Connecticut city, which houses Yale University and ranks among the state’s most populous municipalities.

State prosecutors announced Friday that New Haven officials first reported the embezzlement claims on January 5, triggering a Connecticut State Police investigation. The inquiry uncovered that $81,500 had gone missing or been misused from the New Haven Police Department Narcotic Enforcement Fund during the period from January 1, 2024, through January 5, 2026. This fund provides payments to confidential sources who assist in drug-related investigations.

“The defendant had access to money in that fund,” prosecutors stated in their announcement, noting that banking records revealed checks connected to the fund had been deposited into Jacobson’s personal banking account.

Additionally, two checks worth a combined $4,000 were taken from the New Haven Police Activity League Fund on December 23 and 24, 2025. Prosecutors confirmed both payments ended up in Jacobson’s personal account. Investigators determined no other department personnel were implicated in the scheme.

Before becoming chief, Jacobson had worked with the New Haven department for 15 years. His law enforcement career also included nine years with the East Providence Police Department in Rhode Island.

Young students at a Georgia elementary school are struggling to cope after losing a beloved teacher in a tragic accident involving an immigration enforcement chase.

Linda Davis, age 52, died Monday morning when her vehicle was struck by a pickup truck driven by a man attempting to escape from federal immigration agents. The fatal collision occurred less than half a mile from Herman W. Hesse K-8 School in Savannah, where Davis worked with kindergarten and first-grade students who have special needs.

School principal Alonna McMullen described the heartbreaking task of informing the young children about their teacher’s death.

“It was extremely difficult to tell 5 and 6 year olds that the teacher they loved and cherished will not be returning to see them,” McMullen explained. “To see the looks on their faces, it broke my heart.”

The crash site has become an impromptu memorial, with a cross fashioned from red roses and flower arrangements placed in the roadway median. A handwritten message reads: “Rest In Peace & Power, Dr. Davis.”

Davis had joined the school staff in September, arriving after the academic year had already started. Despite her brief tenure, she quickly won over colleagues and students with her positive attitude and commitment to helping children with special educational requirements succeed.

“Even the most difficult students, she knew how to make them shine,” McMullen told reporters.

The educator had been working in Savannah-area schools since 2022. Beyond her professional life, Davis was caring for four children of her own and serving as guardian to another child, according to her sister Felicia Jackson.

Jackson described the profound impact of losing her sister in a social media tribute.

“The preventable, sudden, and violent loss of her presence and love has created a vacuum of compounded grief so vast it feels as though it fills the Mariana Trench,” Jackson wrote.

Standing nearly six feet tall, Davis brought joy to her household, Jackson recalled, noting how her sister enjoyed performing Disney melodies and musical theater numbers with her children at full volume.

“That was Linda: fully alive, engaged, and loving,” Jackson wrote.

The incident has prompted questions from local officials about federal immigration enforcement methods during the current administration’s intensified deportation efforts.

Savannah Mayor Van Johnson and Chester Ellis, who chairs the Chatham County Board of Commissioners, have raised concerns about whether the pursuit that led to Davis’s death was warranted.

Lindsay Williams, a spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement, confirmed that the fleeing driver had no prior criminal record but was residing in the country without legal authorization.

School security footage from Monday morning captured a red pickup truck racing past the campus, followed moments later by two law enforcement vehicles with emergency lights activated.

Police have identified the truck’s driver as 38-year-old Oscar Vasquez Lopez, who sustained minor injuries in the crash. He remains in custody facing charges that include vehicular homicide and operating a vehicle without proper licensing.

According to Williams, ICE agents had stopped Lopez to carry out a deportation order issued by an immigration judge in 2024. Lopez fled when officers approached his vehicle, the agency reported. ICE stated that Lopez struck Davis’s car after making a U-turn and running through a red traffic signal.

Don Plummer, representing the Georgia Public Defender Council, which has assigned an attorney to Lopez’s case, emphasized that his client maintains the presumption of innocence.

“He is presumed innocent, and the court process will determine the outcome,” Plummer stated.

Meanwhile, students in Davis’s special education classes are creating artwork depicting their teacher as a way to process their grief, while school staff members have prepared memorial banners to display during Thursday evening’s basketball game.

SODA SPRINGS, Calif. — Recovery teams are preparing to restart operations Friday to retrieve the remains of eight individuals who perished in a devastating Sierra Nevada avalanche, along with searching for one person still unaccounted for. Harsh weather conditions have prevented safe access to the remote location for several days.

Among those who lost their lives, six were part of a tight-knit circle of friends who were seasoned backcountry skiing enthusiasts with extensive knowledge of mountain wilderness areas, according to statements from their families on Thursday. The remaining three fatalities were professional mountain guides.

“We are devastated beyond words,” family members expressed in a prepared statement delivered through a representative. The statement described the women as mothers, spouses, and companions who “connected through the love of the outdoors” and were properly equipped with avalanche safety gear for wilderness travel.

The six friends have been named as Carrie Atkin, Liz Clabaugh, Danielle Keatley, Kate Morse, Caroline Sekar and Kate Vitt. They resided across various locations including the San Francisco Bay region, Idaho, and near Lake Tahoe. Their families have requested privacy during this difficult time.

Officials have not yet disclosed the identities of the other casualties.

Two members from the friend group managed to survive the incident and were successfully rescued alongside four additional individuals, including one guide.

The Sierra Avalanche Center reported that avalanche alerts were scheduled to end early Friday morning, with forecasters predicting drier and more temperate conditions for the upcoming weekend.

This tragedy marks the most fatal avalanche incident in the United States since 1981, when eleven mountaineers died on Washington state’s Mount Rainier.

The group of 15 skiers launched their planned three-day excursion on Sunday, coinciding with escalating storm alerts. By Tuesday morning, officials were warning that avalanche conditions were imminent.

Investigators from local law enforcement and a state workplace safety regulatory agency are now examining what information the guides and their tour operator possessed regarding the warnings and their decision to continue the expedition.

Experts in avalanche safety note that backcountry skiers commonly venture out during avalanche watches or even active warnings.

Blackbird Mountain Guides, the company organizing the trip, stated that their guides possessed proper training and certification in backcountry skiing and held instructor credentials with the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education. Company founder Zeb Blais explained in a statement that field guides “are in communication with senior guides at our base, to discuss conditions and routing based upon conditions.”

California Governor Gavin Newsom revealed that some of his wife’s “old family friends” were among the expedition members. The Newsoms maintain a residence in Marin County, home to several trip participants. His office declined to provide additional details.

“These were some experienced guides that were out there, and that’s what’s even more concerning and disturbing,” Newsom commented during Thursday’s press conference.

According to The New York Times, Sekar and Clabaugh were siblings, as confirmed by their brother McAlister Clabaugh. Sekar was a San Francisco resident and mother of two children, while Liz Clabaugh was employed with St. Luke’s Health System in Boise, Idaho, based on her professional profile.

Vitt also lived in San Francisco and had previous employment with SiriusXM and Pandora, according to her professional background. The Kentfield School District informed families Wednesday that her two sons “are safe and are with their father, Geoff, as they navigate this profound loss,” The New York Times reported.

Atkin resided with her spouse and two children and had worked as a corporate executive and competed as a Division I Track & Field athlete, according to information on her leadership coaching website.

Several group members had connections to the prestigious Sugar Bowl Academy, an exclusive boarding and day institution for competitive skiing and snowboarding athletes, which has produced numerous Olympic competitors.

Placer County Sheriff Wayne Woo disclosed that one victim was married to a member of the region’s backcountry search and rescue organization.

American and Canadian defense officials dispatched fighter jets Thursday after spotting Russian military aircraft near Alaskan airspace, according to the North American Aerospace Defense Command.

Defense officials identified five Russian aircraft operating within Alaska’s Air Defense Identification Zone, including two Tu-95 bombers, two Su-35 fighter jets, and one A-50 surveillance plane, NORAD announced in an official statement.

In response to the Russian presence, military commanders deployed eight American aircraft to monitor the situation: two F-16 fighters, two F-35 stealth jets, one E-3 surveillance aircraft, and four KC-135 refueling tankers, according to the joint U.S.-Canadian defense organization.

Officials emphasized that the Russian military planes never violated American or Canadian territorial airspace, remaining within international boundaries throughout the encounter. The U.S. aircraft accompanied the Russian planes until they exited Alaska’s defense identification zone, NORAD reported.

During World War II, approximately 4,000 Black soldiers endured brutal conditions to carve the first roadway connecting Alaska to the continental United States through unforgiving wilderness terrain.

These segregated troops faced discrimination while their efforts ultimately contributed to changes in military policies regarding racial integration. Alaska recognized their service by dedicating a bridge in their honor along the famous Alaska Highway’s terminus.

Eight decades have passed, and the deteriorating structure requires replacement. Rather than demolishing the entire bridge, Alaska officials plan to preserve two of its nine sections as a redesigned monument while offering the remaining portions to interested parties.

The 1,885-foot structure crossing the Gerstle River near Delta Junction, positioned roughly 100 miles south of Fairbanks at the Alaska Highway’s endpoint, will undergo complete replacement by the state.

Alaska is offering seven bridge sections at no cost to government entities or private organizations willing to preserve their historical significance and maintain public access.

Two end sections of the original structure, which received the Black Veterans Memorial Bridge designation in 1993, will remain as a permanent tribute to the approximately 4,000 Black servicemen who constructed the initial wooden crossing during the Alaska Highway’s completion.

These preserved segments will keep the memorial bridge name, while the replacement Gerstle River Bridge may unofficially adopt the memorial designation pending legislative approval. The existing bridge will stay operational until the new structure opens in 2031.

Former Delta Junction mayor and historical society member Mary Leith expressed satisfaction that historical elements will survive, though she advocates for proper signage and a roadside viewing area where visitors can access the preserved structure.

“I would hope that if they’re going to save it, then they save it properly,” she said.

According to state transportation department spokesperson Angelica Stabs, the memorial bridge signage will remain and both preserved sections will be viewable from the replacement bridge, but barriers will prevent climbing or vandalism. No viewing area is currently planned.

The replacement bridge will run parallel to the existing structure on its eastern side, maintaining approximately 50 feet of separation, Stabs explained.

The original supply route construction involved 11,000 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers troops working under racial segregation policies. Beyond conquering challenging landscape, soldiers battled mosquito swarms, swampy ground, frozen earth, and temperature extremes from 90 degrees Fahrenheit to negative 70 degrees.

“Though conditions were harsh for all, they were nearly unbearable for black soldiers. From the Deep South, most of these soldiers had never encountered anything approaching the severe conditions of the far north. Moreover, since black troops were not typically permitted to use heavy machinery, they made do with picks, shovels, and axes. In addition, they were prohibited from entering towns and were confined to wilderness assignments,” according to a historical account by the National Park Service.

Black soldiers working southward completed their section in just over eight months, connecting with white troops advancing northward to finish the 1,500-mile gravel roadway, originally named the Alcan Highway, stretching from Dawson Creek, British Columbia, to Delta Junction on October 25, 1942.

“In light of their impressive performance, many of the black soldiers who worked on the Alcan were subsequently decorated and sometimes deployed in combat. Indeed, the U.S. Army eventually became the first government agency to integrate in 1948, a move that is largely credited in part to the laudable work of the soldiers who built the Alcan,” the National Park Service says.

Alaska remained a territory at the time, with officials long seeking such a connection to the continental United States. Disputes over routing and necessity caused construction delays.

Pearl Harbor attacks in Hawaii and Dutch Harbor in Alaska, combined with Japanese occupation of Alaska’s Kiska and Attu islands, created urgent need for the roadway since ocean shipping routes to the West Coast faced potential threats.

Black servicemen near Delta Junction completed a temporary river crossing in 1942, with contractors finishing the steel structure two years afterward.

Alaska’s transportation department will accept proposals through March 6 for the seven available sections, with applicants not required to take all pieces. Officials will review all submissions, including requests for individual sections intended for uses like public park creek crossings.

Selected recipients must follow specific guidelines including prohibiting vehicle access, covering removal and transportation costs plus lead remediation, and preserving historically significant characteristics.

The estate of convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein has reached an agreement to pay up to $35 million in a new settlement with victims, according to federal court documents filed Thursday.

The law firm Boies Schiller Flexner, which represents multiple Epstein victims, disclosed the settlement agreement in court papers submitted to a Manhattan federal court.

The proposed settlement would resolve a lawsuit filed in 2024 targeting Darren Indyke, Epstein’s former personal attorney, and Richard Kahn, his former accountant. Both men currently serve as co-executors of Epstein’s estate and were accused of helping facilitate his sex trafficking operations involving young women and teenage girls.

This latest agreement adds to the substantial payouts already made by Epstein’s estate. Previously, a victim compensation fund distributed $121 million to survivors, while an additional $49 million was paid through separate settlement agreements.

Daniel H. Weiner, the attorney representing Indyke and Kahn, emphasized that his clients denied any wrongdoing in the settlement announcement.

“Because they did nothing wrong, the co-executors were prepared to fight the claims against them through to trial, but agreed to mediate and settle this lawsuit in order to achieve finality as to any potential claims against the Epstein Estate,” Weiner stated in an email.

According to Weiner, neither Indyke nor Kahn “made any admission or concession of misconduct” in reaching this agreement.

Weiner noted the settlement creates “a confidential avenue for financial relief” for Epstein victims who haven’t previously settled claims with the estate.

Epstein was found dead in his New York jail cell in August 2019, with authorities ruling his death a suicide.

The 2024 legal action brought by Boies Schiller Flexner alleged that Indyke and Kahn assisted Epstein in establishing an intricate network of business entities and financial accounts. This system allegedly allowed him to conceal his criminal activities and compensate both victims and recruiters, while the two advisers were “richly compensated” for their services.

The Boies law firm has previously secured significant victories for Epstein victims, including $365 million in combined settlements from JPMorgan Chase and Deutsche Bank. Those financial institutions were accused of overlooking warning signs about Epstein’s activities despite his status as a profitable client.

The current settlement requires judicial approval before taking effect.

Television actor Eric Dane, beloved for his portrayal of Dr. Mark Sloan on the long-running medical drama Grey’s Anatomy, has passed away at the age of 53 following his fight against ALS, his family announced Thursday.

Dane spent a decade and a half bringing the charismatic plastic surgeon known as “McSteamy” to life on the popular series. More recently, he appeared in the HBO drama Euphoria and had planned to continue filming the show’s upcoming third season despite his health challenges.

According to statements released to People magazine and other outlets, Dane’s family shared: “Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS.”

The family continued: “He spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife, and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world.”

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly called ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a devastating neurological condition that gradually destroys the connection between the brain and muscles. The disease takes its alternate name from the legendary Yankees first baseman who succumbed to it in 1941 when he was just 37 years old.

Dane’s family noted his commitment to helping others facing the same illness: “Throughout his journey with ALS, Eric became a passionate advocate for awareness and research, determined to make a difference for others facing the same fight.”

The actor had been married to fellow performer Rebecca Gayheart, with whom he shared two daughters. Though the couple separated in 2018 following 14 years of marriage, reports indicate that Gayheart moved to withdraw her divorce filing last March, shortly before Dane made his diagnosis public.

Born Eric William Dane in San Francisco on November 9, 1972, he was the elder of two sons born to an architect father and stay-at-home mother. His entertainment career began with a small part on The Wonder Years in 1993, but his breakthrough came in 2005 when he joined Grey’s Anatomy. His film work included roles in popular movies such as Marley & Me and X-Men: The Last Stand.

West Virginia’s attorney general has launched legal action against tech giant Apple, alleging the company’s iCloud storage service has become a major conduit for sharing child sexual abuse material.

Republican Attorney General JB McCuskey filed the groundbreaking lawsuit Thursday, marking what his office calls the first government case of its kind targeting Apple’s data storage platform for facilitating the spread of such illegal content.

The legal action centers on accusations that Apple chose to protect user privacy at the expense of child safety. McCuskey’s office referenced internal Apple communications, including a 2020 text message from the company’s former anti-fraud chief describing iCloud as “the greatest platform for distributing child porn” due to Apple’s policy decisions.

“These images are a permanent record of a child’s trauma, and that child is revictimized every time the material is shared or viewed,” McCuskey stated. “This conduct is despicable, and Apple’s inaction is inexcusable.”

The Mason County Circuit Court filing demands monetary damages and court orders compelling Apple to deploy stronger detection systems and redesign products with enhanced safety features.

Apple’s approach differs significantly from competitors like Google and Microsoft, which routinely scan uploaded content against databases of known abuse material maintained by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and similar organizations.

Before 2022, Apple avoided comprehensive scanning of iCloud uploads while keeping data accessible to law enforcement through warrants. The company had planned full encryption that would block police access, but scrapped those plans following FBI objections about hampering criminal investigations.

Apple announced NeuralHash technology in August 2021, designed to identify abuse material on users’ devices before upload while preserving privacy. However, security experts raised concerns about false positives, and privacy advocates worried about potential government surveillance expansion.

Following widespread criticism, Apple postponed NeuralHash deployment in September 2021 and ultimately canceled the program in December 2022. That same month, the company introduced optional end-to-end encryption for iCloud storage.

West Virginia officials criticized NeuralHash as inadequate compared to existing tools and easily circumvented. They argue Apple continues storing and syncing data without proactive abuse detection, enabling continued circulation of illegal images.

Apple did implement Communication Safety features that blur inappropriate content on children’s devices, though it abandoned broader iCloud scanning efforts.

The disparity in reporting numbers highlights the issue: Apple submitted 267 abuse reports to federal authorities in 2023, while Google reported 1.47 million cases and Meta filed 30.6 million reports.

This lawsuit parallels a proposed class action filed in California federal court by abuse victims depicted in such material. Apple has moved to dismiss that case, citing Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which typically shields internet companies from liability over user-generated content.

Apple has previously denied similar allegations and maintains it has not engaged in wrongdoing related to these claims.

Recovery operations for skiers who perished in the most fatal U.S. avalanche in nearly five decades continues to face delays due to what rescue specialists describe as a fundamental principle: never become a casualty yourself.

Ongoing storms continued to batter California’s isolated Sierra Nevada mountains on Thursday, creating conditions for additional avalanches in the wilderness area where officials confirmed eight fatalities and one person remains unaccounted for following Tuesday’s tragic incident. Six individuals from the group managed to survive.

Search teams confronted identical dangers that claimed the lives of the backcountry enthusiasts and expert guides, who were participating in an activity with natural hazards made worse by multiple feet of fresh snowfall. Recovery operations were scheduled to continue on Friday.

Winter backcountry enthusiasts, including skiers, snowboarders, snowmobilers and climbers, depend on avalanche predictions to assess potential dangers. However, conditions can change rapidly due to unpredictable mountain weather patterns.

To enhance forecasting information or when predictions aren’t available, seasoned skiers and guides will create snow pits to evaluate stability. They may also seek safer terrain, including gentler slopes or areas protected from known avalanche paths.

While snow accumulated from this week’s storm system affecting the Sierra Mountains, the 15-person skiing party caught in Tuesday’s slide was completing their final day of an extended backcountry expedition and traveling toward the exit point.

“It was, quite likely, very necessary for them to leave the backcountry so their hazard wasn’t increased further,” said Anthony Pavlantos of Utah-based Prival USA, who makes avalanche safety equipment and runs mountain safety programs.

“What’s really hard to say is like ‘why were they moving?’ You can’t ever start placing blame on events like this because we can all be there.”

It’s common for people to enter backcountry areas for skiing or snowboarding during periods of elevated risk: Dangerous weather systems also bring abundant fresh powder that many winter sports enthusiasts seek.

Since fatal incidents occur infrequently, those who take risks usually emerge unharmed, according to Dale Atkins, who has participated in mountain rescues and avalanche prediction and study in Colorado for fifty years.

“It’s not about not going; it’s about where and when you go,” Atkins said.

However, Atkins noted that emerging from backcountry adventures without injury can lead to overconfidence in an activity where chance – or insufficient luck – also influences outcomes.

“It’s really easy to be fooled by the snow and avalanches,” he said. “We keep going out even in the worst of storms because that’s what we did last time, and then our luck runs out.”

Generally, the greatest opportunity for avalanche burial survival involves self-rescue or assistance from fellow travelers. This is because slides frequently happen in isolated locations.

Rescue personnel required six hours to reach Tuesday’s avalanche victims after receiving the initial emergency call. In contrast, survival probability for someone buried for one hour drops to approximately 10 percent, Atkins explained.

The California survivors discovered three victims while waiting for professional rescue teams. Officials have not provided comprehensive details about locating the remaining casualties.

Debris from significant avalanches like California’s fatal slide spreads across vast areas, complicating efforts to determine where someone might end up if caught and pulled underground.

Initial search efforts focus on identifying clues like gloves or ski equipment that might indicate a victim’s position, explained Anthony Stevens, chief adviser for Teton County, Wyoming’s search and rescue unit, which serves Grand Teton National Park.

Guided skiing groups typically carry transceivers, called avalanche beacons, which transmit signals indicating their locations. These devices can also detect other signals, showing direction and estimated distance to victims.

When electronic methods fail, rescue teams form lines and use extended, thin poles to probe snow hoping to locate buried individuals, said Ethan Greene, director of the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.

Speed remains critical throughout rescue operations, and discovered victims must be excavated quickly. Average burial depth measures approximately one meter, or slightly more than three feet, Atkins stated. Because avalanche snow and ice become heavily compressed, extracting someone from that depth requires moving at least one ton of material, he added.

Long-term burial survival remains extremely rare. Atkins recalled two individuals who survived 22 and 24-hour burials respectively after a 1990s Washington state avalanche. A third group member did not survive.

“It’s very unusual for a rescue team to find a buried person alive. But it happens, and that gives us hope,” he said.

BOISE, Idaho — Law enforcement officials in Idaho launched a manhunt Thursday for an individual who hijacked an ambulance from a medical facility and deliberately crashed it into a building containing Department of Homeland Security offices.

The perpetrator covered the stolen emergency vehicle with flammable liquid before ramming it into the structure late Wednesday night, according to Meridian Police Chief Tracy Basterrechea. He declined to specify what type of accelerant was used on both the interior and exterior of the ambulance.

“It appears the suspect was unable to ignite the accelerant before being scared off by responding agencies,” Basterrechea stated.

The dramatic incident unfolded around 11:10 p.m. Wednesday in Meridian, a suburb outside Boise, law enforcement reported.

According to Basterrechea, the individual commandeered the ambulance from St. Luke’s hospital property and maneuvered it northward across a parking area. The suspect then obtained gasoline containers that had been hidden in nearby landscaping, the chief explained.

Television footage revealed destroyed glass entrance doors at the office complex.

St. Luke’s Health System owns the targeted structure, which sits within a larger commercial development called The Portico, adjacent to the medical center. Additional businesses operating in Portico North include SelectHealth Inc., St. Luke’s Home Health and Hospice, and Quest Diagnostics.

The medical facility has drawn public backlash for renting office space to the Department of Homeland Security during President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement initiatives.

“There has been a lot of rhetoric” surrounding the leasing arrangement, Basterrechea noted, emphasizing that “comments on social media such as ‘property damage isn’t violence’ is absolutely false.”

The police chief characterized the episode as “a serious criminal act.”

“This was absolutely an act of violence, and if the suspect had not been interrupted, there is no doubt this building would have been burned, putting the lives of first responders and others at risk,” Basterrechea declared.

The Meridian Police Department is spearheading the investigation while collaborating with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Homeland Security, and additional agencies.

Nevada County Sheriff’s officials announced Thursday they are examining whether criminal negligence may have contributed to a devastating avalanche that claimed the lives of at least eight people during a guided backcountry skiing expedition in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains.

Law enforcement emphasized that the investigation remains in its early phases, with no specific individuals yet targeted for potential charges. The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office stated in a written release: “in addition to the coroner’s death investigations, the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office is also conducting a parallel investigation into whether criminal negligence was involved.”

Officials cautioned that determining whether charges are appropriate is premature at this stage. The Nevada County District Attorney’s Office, which would make any charging decisions, has refused to provide comment on the matter.

The deadly slide occurred Tuesday when a massive avalanche, roughly the size of a football field, engulfed a group of skiers during their final day of a three-day wilderness expedition led by Blackbird Mountain Guides. Nine people are believed to have perished in what represents the most fatal U.S. avalanche in nearly half a century.

The skiing party consisted of 15 individuals, including four professional guides from Blackbird. The group was making their way back to a trailhead through heavy snowfall when disaster struck. Three of the company’s guides were among the fatalities.

Rescue teams successfully extracted six survivors from the remote Castle Peak region near Truckee, California, located roughly 10 miles northwest of Lake Tahoe.

Blackbird Mountain Guides, established in 2020 and specializing in guided skiing expeditions, alpine climbing adventures, and avalanche safety training, has not responded to requests for comment.

Company founder Zeb Blais issued a statement late Wednesday expressing grief over the tragedy. He emphasized that all guides participating in the trip possessed extensive backcountry skiing expertise, with each serving as an instructor for the Colorado-based American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education.

“There is still a lot we’re learning about what happened,” Blais stated. “It’s too soon to draw conclusions, but investigations are underway.”

Blais continued: “We ask that people following this tragedy refrain from speculating. We don’t have all the answers yet, and it may be some time before we do.”

Prior to the incident, avalanche warning centers had issued alerts about extremely hazardous conditions following a major winter storm that deposited substantial snowfall on mountains that had experienced minimal snow accumulation in preceding months. Specialists cautioned that the fragile foundation of existing snow would likely fail under the weight of the newly fallen heavy, compact snow layer, creating elevated avalanche danger.

The Blackbird expedition, comprising nine women and six men, had been lodging at the Frog Lake Backcountry Huts near Donner Summit northwest of Truckee, situated at approximately 7,500 feet above sea level. Beyond California operations, Blackbird conducts backcountry tours in Washington state and British Columbia, along with other skiing locations.

Frank Carus, who directs the Bridger-Teton National Forest Avalanche Center in Wyoming and formerly worked as a backcountry ski guide, advised against premature conclusions about responsibility until investigation results are available.

“The main thing here is not to rush to judgment,” Carus explained, noting his experience investigating fatal avalanches and describing such inquiries as extremely complex processes requiring several weeks to complete. “The worst thing to do is to blame or shame before the facts are known.”

Carus praised the training credentials of the Blackbird Mountain guides involved in the fatal avalanche, calling their preparation the industry’s highest standard.

“These were people tested on their ability to manage clients in the terrain and manage exposure risk,” Carus noted.

The surviving skiers created an emergency shelter using tarpaulin materials following the avalanche and utilized emergency beacons and text messages to relay their position to rescue personnel.

A legendary Philadelphia mosaic artist who transformed the city’s landscape with glittering mirror installations has passed away at age 86.

Isaiah Zagar died Thursday at his residence due to heart failure and Parkinson’s disease complications, according to an announcement from Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, the nonprofit organization he established.

The Philadelphia native had returned to his hometown alongside his wife Julia in 1968 following their service with the Peace Corps in Peru. Throughout the following decades, Zagar produced hundreds of public mosaic installations, with many concentrated along Philadelphia’s vibrant South Street area where the couple made their home.

“He loved South Street, the city of Philadelphia, and the community fostered here with all of his heart,” stated Emily Smith, the nonprofit’s executive director.

Zagar’s artistic technique involved incorporating shattered glass, ceramic tiles, mirrors, and various salvaged materials to decorate building facades, walls, and narrow passages throughout the city. The foundation described his work as leaving “an everlasting mark on our city.” His signature installation, the immersive Magic Gardens located on South Street, attracts thousands of annual visitors.

Urban development posed challenges to preserving some of his creations, notably a massive mosaic covering The Painted Bride Art Center building in the Old City district, which Zagar developed during the 1990s. Following extensive legal battles, demolition commenced in December, though preservation efforts are underway to save portions of Zagar’s artwork.

“While Isaiah lived with ups and downs of mental health struggles, and later with Parkinson’s Disease, he endlessly turned to his art-making to not only express himself, but as a tool to survive,” Smith explained.

Zagar leaves behind his wife, whom he regarded as his creative inspiration and collaborator, along with two sons. One son, Jeremiah Zagar, is a filmmaker who created the 2008 documentary “In A Dream” chronicling his father’s artistic journey.

A federal judge has mandated an independent authority take control of healthcare services within Arizona’s prison system following more than a decade of legal battles over substandard medical treatment.

U.S. District Judge Roslyn Silver issued the ruling Thursday, establishing what’s known as a receivership after determining that Arizona failed to address constitutional violations in prisoner healthcare that resulted in avoidable deaths and unnecessary suffering.

In her decision, Silver stated that Arizona has failed to achieve meaningful compliance with court-mandated reforms and constitutional requirements throughout nearly 14 years of legal proceedings. She wrote that continuing the current approach “would be nothing short of judicial indulgence of deeply entrenched unconstitutional conduct.”

The judge emphasized that inmates continue to face “an intolerable grave and immediate threat of continuing harm and suffering because the systemic deficiencies pervade the administration of health care.”

Both the state and prisoner advocacy attorneys now have 60 days to present potential candidates who could oversee medical and mental health services across the prison system. The corrections department has not yet responded to requests for comment following the order.

David Fathi, an attorney representing the inmates, praised the decision’s potential impact. “This decision means that an independent authority will be able to implement the systemic changes necessary to ensure that medical and mental health care meets constitutional standards,” Fathi said. “This is a life-saving intervention, and it brings hope that the preventable suffering and deaths that have haunted Arizona’s prison system for over a decade can finally end.”

Prisoner advocates argued for this more aggressive intervention, claiming Arizona has shown minimal progress since Silver’s 2022 ruling and that the healthcare system remains fundamentally flawed, putting inmates requiring medical attention at continued risk.

Arizona’s prison healthcare system, serving approximately 25,000 inmates across state-operated facilities, has faced sustained criticism for more than ten years regarding inadequate and negligent care practices.

The state committed to reforming medical and mental health services through a 2014 settlement agreement but was subsequently accused of breaking numerous commitments. This resulted in $2.5 million in contempt penalties and Silver’s eventual cancellation of the settlement after determining that prison officials demonstrated minimal commitment to implementing required changes.

Following the failed settlement, Silver ruled against Arizona in a 2022 trial and issued an injunction demanding corrections officials remedy the constitutional violations.

While prisoner attorneys contend the state lacks proper leadership to achieve compliance within a reasonable timeframe, corrections officials maintain they have significantly reformed the prison healthcare system over the past two years through expanded treatment access, increased staffing levels, and new medical housing facilities.

Prison officials argue that opposing attorneys refuse to recognize their achievements and “focus on the reputation and circumstances of the past rather than recognizing or even supporting the good work of the present.” Department lawyers insist agency leadership has operated in good faith regarding court directives.

Prisoner attorneys previously requested a similar takeover in September 2019, but Silver declined at that time, stating she would reconsider if the state demonstrated bad faith or failed to comply with court-ordered reforms. Federal judges have implemented comparable receiverships in other states, including California in 2005, where a judge assumed control of the prison medical system after finding that approximately one inmate died weekly from medical negligence or malpractice.

This legal action does not encompass the nearly 10,000 individuals housed in private prisons under state contracts.

NEW ORLEANS — Hollywood actor Shia LaBeouf is facing battery charges following a violent altercation at a New Orleans establishment during Fat Tuesday celebrations, where authorities say he attacked several patrons while shouting anti-gay slurs.

According to a police incident report obtained through public records, the 39-year-old actor grew increasingly hostile throughout the evening at the Royal Street Inn & R Bar, located near the famous French Quarter, where he punched several individuals.

Local performer Jeffrey Damnit, identified in official documents as Jeffrey Klein, confirmed he was among those targeted in LaBeouf’s alleged rampage.

“He hit me, he connected a few times with punches, he pushed me a few times,” Damnit told reporters.

The entertainer described how LaBeouf “just got nuts” while attempting to provoke confrontations and threatening to physically harm him and other patrons. Damnit explained that earlier in the evening, LaBeouf had shoved him from behind while screaming homophobic epithets and making death threats.

Wearing cosmetics and lipstick at the time, Damnit believes his appearance triggered LaBeouf’s violent behavior.

“That’s just somehow something that set him off, angered him and gave him a direction for his anger,” Damnit explained. “This guy wants me to be dead because I wear makeup. It’s a screwed up thing.”

Surveillance footage captured a bare-chested LaBeouf pushing one victim to the floor and punching another person in the face, “causing his nose to possibly dislocate,” the police documentation reveals.

Despite attempts by Damnit and other bar patrons to restrain LaBeouf and convince him to depart, he refused to leave and escalated his aggressive behavior, according to witness accounts and official reports.

Officers responded to the scene at approximately 12:45 a.m. during the height of the city’s renowned Fat Tuesday festivities.

Additional footage captured by Damnit and provided to news outlets shows LaBeouf appearing to mouth homophobic slurs while being taken into custody. The police report confirms he continued using such language throughout his arrest.

“These f–––––s put me in jail,” LaBeouf stated, before informing officers of his Catholic faith, according to the documentation.

“I didn’t shove nobody, I never touched nobody,” LaBeouf can be heard telling New Orleans officers in Damnit’s recorded video.

LaBeouf’s representatives have not responded to requests for comment. In the early morning hours of February 18, LaBeouf posted “Free me” on his social media account.

A New Orleans magistrate released LaBeouf from jail on Tuesday without requiring bail, confirmed Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office spokesman Gary Scheets. The actor is charged with two counts of simple battery.

Subsequent video footage shows LaBeouf celebrating in the French Quarter, apparently displaying his jail release documentation while dancing.

Damnit, who belongs to the Screen Actors Guild–American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, expressed concern that pursuing charges against LaBeouf might negatively impact his entertainment career.

This incident adds to LaBeouf’s growing list of legal issues. Following a 2017 New York arrest for public intoxication and disorderly behavior that was broadcast live online, he was mandated to complete rehabilitation treatment.

Later in 2017, while filming “The Peanut Butter Falcon” in Georgia, he faced another arrest for public drunkenness and accusations of disorderly conduct and obstruction, resulting in probation.

Los Angeles authorities charged him with misdemeanor battery and petty theft in 2020.

That same year, British singer and actress FKA Twigs, legally named Tahliah Barnett, filed a lawsuit claiming LaBeouf subjected her to physical and emotional abuse during their romantic relationship. The case was resolved through settlement in July.

Barnett alleged that LaBeouf maintained a pattern of intimidation and degradation, including slamming her against a vehicle, attempting to choke her, and deliberately transmitting a sexually transmitted infection.

Following the lawsuit’s filing, LaBeouf issued a public apology. However, in a 2021 legal response, he disputed the allegations and denied responsibility for any harm or damages Barnett claimed to have suffered.

The performer initially rose to prominence as a young actor on Disney Channel’s “Even Stevens” before transitioning to adult roles. His most recognizable performances include starring in 2007’s “Transformers” and 2008’s “Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull.”

LaBeouf and actress Mia Goth welcomed a daughter in 2022.

New Mexico’s top prosecutor has launched a fresh criminal investigation into activities at Jeffrey Epstein’s former ranch, citing newly released federal documents that contain previously undisclosed information about the late financier’s alleged crimes.

Attorney General Raul Torrez announced Thursday that his office would reopen the state’s criminal probe into Epstein’s Zorro Ranch, located approximately 30 miles south of Santa Fe. The decision comes after the U.S. Justice Department released millions of Epstein-related documents on January 30, revealing new details about three decades of alleged criminal activity in New Mexico.

The previous attorney general, Democrat Hector Balderas, had shuttered the state investigation in 2019 to prevent interference with ongoing federal cases. The renewed scrutiny of Epstein’s activities has created political challenges for President Donald Trump, a Republican.

“Revelations outlined in the previously sealed FBI files warrant further examination,” stated Lauren Rodriguez, a spokesperson for the New Mexico Department of Justice.

This criminal investigation runs parallel to a separate legislative inquiry that began just two days earlier. New Mexico’s Democratic-controlled legislature established what lawmakers describe as the first thorough investigation into alleged crimes at the ranch, creating a committee to hear testimony at the statehouse.

Rodriguez explained that state prosecutors and special agents will request complete, unredacted access to the Justice Department’s Epstein case files and will coordinate with the legislative committee’s investigation.

The criminal probe will focus on “collection and preservation of any relevant evidence that remains available,” Rodriguez added.

Neither the U.S. Justice Department nor the FBI provided immediate responses to requests for comment.

Epstein died by suicide in a New York detention facility in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.

The Zorro Ranch property was purchased in 2023 by Texas businessman and politician Don Huffines from Epstein’s estate. A representative for Huffines confirmed that law enforcement has not yet contacted the current owners about accessing the property, but pledged “full and complete cooperation” if such requests are made.

Huffines announced on social media Monday his intention to convert the ranch into a Christian retreat center.

The New Mexico Department of Justice revealed Wednesday that investigators are examining a particularly disturbing claim from the newly released federal documents: allegations that Epstein directed the burial of two foreign girls’ bodies in hills surrounding the Zorro Ranch property.

A Franklin County judge handed down four consecutive life sentences Thursday to a Columbus woman who admitted to fatally poisoning four men with fentanyl while attempting to rob them.

Rebecca Auborn, 36, received the maximum penalty after entering guilty pleas to charges stemming from a deadly scheme where she would arrange sexual encounters with victims before administering lethal drug doses. The sentences allow for potential parole consideration after 60 years.

Prosecutors brought the case against Auborn in 2023, alleging she systematically targeted men for robbery by using fatal fentanyl overdoses. While she initially maintained her innocence, Auborn changed her plea to guilty in late 2023.

Each life sentence carries eligibility for parole after 15 years, according to the Franklin County court. Additionally, Auborn entered a guilty plea for felonious assault related to an attempted overdose of a fifth victim, Ohio Attorney General David Yost announced Thursday.

“This sentence reflects the defendant’s disregard for life and the callousness not only to kill, but to do it repeatedly,” Yost said. “My heart goes out to the families who lost a loved one — I pray that this measure of justice brings them closure and peace.”

According to Yost, the Central Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force launched their investigation after receiving tips about a sex worker who was drugging clients to steal from them. Authorities indicate the criminal activity occurred throughout 2022 and 2023.

New Mexico’s top prosecutor has revived a criminal probe into suspected illegal activities at Jeffrey Epstein’s former ranch property, citing newly disclosed federal documents.

State Attorney General Raúl Torrez announced the decision Thursday following his office’s review of materials recently made public by the U.S. Department of Justice.

While New Mexico prosecutors had shuttered their original investigation in 2019 following a request from federal authorities in New York, state officials now say “revelations outlined in the previously sealed FBI files warrant further examination.”

The state justice department indicated that investigators and prosecutors will pursue immediate access to complete, uncensored federal case materials and plan to collaborate with additional law enforcement agencies and a newly formed legislative truth commission examining ranch activities.

“As with any potential criminal matter, we will follow the facts wherever they lead, carefully evaluate jurisdictional considerations, and take appropriate investigative action, including the collection and preservation of any relevant evidence that remains available,” the New Mexico Department of Justice said in a statement.

Earlier this week, New Mexico’s truth commission held its inaugural session. The bipartisan four-member group of state representatives has been tasked with probing claims that the property may have enabled sexual abuse and human trafficking.

State legislators also expressed interest in understanding why Epstein failed to register as a sex offender following his 2008 guilty plea for soliciting prostitution from a minor, and whether public officials engaged in corrupt practices.

Epstein acquired the expansive Zorro Ranch property in 1993 from former Democratic Governor Bruce King, subsequently constructing a 26,700-square-foot mansion on a hilltop complete with its own airstrip.

The estate was purchased from Epstein’s creditors in 2023 by the family of Don Huffines, a Texas Republican seeking the state comptroller position. Huffines announced on social media platform X that the property has been rechristened San Rafael Ranch, named for a healing saint, and will serve as a Christian retreat center for his family.

The family of a Jeffrey Epstein victim is expressing hope that recent developments signal the beginning of justice for those connected to the late sex offender’s network of associates.

Sky Roberts, brother of Virginia Giuffre who died by suicide last April, told reporters he views the Thursday arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor as a pivotal moment in seeking accountability.

“This is where the house of cards starts falling,” Sky Roberts stated during an interview alongside his wife Amanda Roberts.

British authorities arrested King Charles’ brother on Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office, stemming from allegations he provided confidential government documents to Epstein. Mountbatten-Windsor was subsequently released from custody.

The Roberts family is pressing the U.S. Justice Department to pursue additional individuals they believe participated in Epstein’s criminal activities as millions of documents related to the case become public.

The document releases are creating significant political and business disruptions as new information emerges about the disgraced financier’s wide-ranging social network. The situation continues to present challenges for President Donald Trump, who had previously raised questions about Epstein and his connections before returning to office.

Back in 2022, the royal family member resolved a civil case filed in America by Giuffre, who alleged sexual abuse occurred when she was underage at locations connected to Epstein or his associates.

The current criminal investigation is separate from and unrelated to previous sexual misconduct allegations.

The late Queen Elizabeth’s second son has consistently denied any criminal behavior regarding Epstein and has expressed regret about their association.

Polling data from Reuters/Ipsos indicates Americans largely see the Epstein matter as evidence that wealthy, influential people escape consequences and believe government officials are concealing information about Epstein’s client base.

“We are trailing too far behind in justice, especially when we are sitting on the mountains of information that we have,” Amanda Roberts explained. “The world is looking at us to do the right thing here.”

Epstein received immunity in 2008 after pleading guilty to Florida state prostitution charges, serving just 13 months behind bars. Federal authorities arrested him again in July 2019 on sex trafficking charges involving numerous minors. He died in his Manhattan jail cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial, with officials ruling his death a suicide.

Amanda Roberts described learning about Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest as bringing “a mixed bag of emotions.”

“Initially we were … vindicated and screaming, at one point at 3 a.m. And then it just hits you – that gut punch of the fact that she’s not here to see this, that we’re not able to call her and tell her how astronomically proud we are of her.”

ATLANTA — District Attorney Fani Willis’ office is defending a decades-old murder conviction against former Black Panther leader H. Rap Brown while simultaneously condemning serious misconduct that occurred during the original prosecution.

In a Wednesday court filing, Georgia prosecutors maintained that recent DNA analysis continues to support Brown’s guilt in the fatal shooting of sheriff’s deputies in 2000. Brown, who later changed his name to Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin, was convicted of killing Deputy Ricky Kinchen and wounding Deputy Aldranon English outside his Atlanta residence.

However, the same filing delivered harsh criticism of the case’s original lead prosecutor, Robert McBurney, who now serves as a Fulton County superior court judge. McBurney has presided over several nationally significant cases, including overseeing the special grand jury in Willis’ investigation that led to charges against Donald Trump and others regarding alleged attempts to overturn Georgia’s 2020 election results.

Willis’ team described McBurney’s trial conduct as “the most egregious” problem in the case, stating he “crossed the line from aggressive advocacy into misconduct that undermined the core principles of justice.”

The filing detailed how McBurney violated Al-Amin’s constitutional rights during closing arguments by presenting a chart titled “Questions for the defendant” and making comments designed to highlight that Al-Amin chose not to testify. When Al-Amin remained seated for religious reasons as the jury entered, McBurney told jurors, “Don’t stand for him.”

“These were not minor oversights; they reflected a troubling pattern of behavior that prioritized winning over truth, and conviction over justice,” prosecutors wrote.

The filing also revealed misconduct by FBI Special Agent James Campbell, who allegedly approached the handcuffed Al-Amin after his arrest, kicked and spat on him, and declared, “This is what we do to cop killers.” Defense lawyers have long claimed Campbell planted the weapons used in the shooting at Al-Amin’s arrest location.

According to the filing, Campbell had previously been transferred to Atlanta after shooting an unarmed Muslim man in the back of the head, with that victim’s supporters also accusing Campbell of planting evidence.

Despite acknowledging these serious issues, prosecutors argue that modern DNA testing strengthens the case against Al-Amin. While DNA tests excluded Al-Amin from genetic material found on both weapons, his DNA was discovered on a leather belt wrapped around one of the guns.

“This case had a trifecta of issues which undermined the process and the public’s confidence in justice,” the filing stated.

Al-Amin died in prison last November, but his family seeks a hearing to clear his reputation. Their attorney, Mawuli Davis, said, “His legacy is still at the center of this.”

Willis’ office indicated it would not oppose a comprehensive review of the case, potentially allowing for public reexamination of a prosecution that has long divided civil rights advocates and law enforcement officials.

The incident occurred on March 16, 2000, when deputies Kinchen and English arrived in Atlanta’s West End neighborhood to serve a warrant on Al-Amin for failing to appear in court on charges of driving a stolen vehicle and impersonating an officer. English testified that Al-Amin opened fire with an assault rifle when they attempted the arrest, then used a handgun to shoot the wounded Kinchen three times as he lay in the street.

Al-Amin was captured four days later in White Hall, Alabama, where he had helped establish a Muslim community.

As a 1960s activist, Al-Amin had famously declared that violence was “as American as cherry pie” and that Black Americans would use force if necessary to combat oppression. He later converted to Islam during a prison term and relocated to Atlanta in the 1970s, where he became a prominent imam and leader of the National Ummah, one of the country’s largest Black Muslim organizations.

McBurney did not respond to requests for comment, and contact information for Campbell could not be located.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — What Michael Black initially mistook for the sound of balloons popping at a hockey game quickly turned into a nightmare when he realized gunshots were echoing through the Rhode Island arena. While crowds fled in panic, Black shouted for his wife to “run, run” before making a split-second decision to charge toward the gunman.

Black succeeded in jamming his left hand into the chamber of Robert Dorgan’s weapon, temporarily disabling it before attempting to wrestle the shooter to the ground. However, Dorgan, who had a background in bodybuilding, lifted Black off his feet until two additional Good Samaritans arrived to help overpower the attacker. Video footage captured one person placing Dorgan in a chokehold.

The gunman collapsed with Black on top of him, but the confrontation ended tragically when Dorgan produced a second firearm and shot himself while making eye contact with Black. Throughout the entire encounter, Black said Dorgan remained completely silent.

“The first thought was the safety of my wife. And the second thought was, because the bullets were coming out, was to focus in on the gun,” Black explained. “Get the gun and then subdue the shooter.”

Pawtucket authorities identified the gunman as Robert Dorgan, who also used the names Roberta Esposito and Roberta Dorgano. The Monday evening attack claimed the lives of Dorgan’s former spouse Rhonda Dorgan and their grown son Aidan Dorgan.

Three additional victims suffered injuries in the shooting: Rhonda’s parents Linda and Gerald Dorgan, along with family friend Thomas Geruso. All three remained hospitalized in critical condition as of Wednesday.

According to Pawtucket police, the group of “courageous citizens” who intervened in the attack “undoubtedly prevented further injury and increased the chances of survival for the injured.” Besides Black, Robert Rattenni and Ryan Cordeiro received recognition for subduing the gunman. Additionally, Chris Librizzi and Glenn Narodowy, both former Rhode Island firefighters and EMTs, along with nurse Maryann Rattenni, administered emergency medical care immediately following the shooting.

“I look at it as being fortunate, saddened tremendously in the loss, but fortunate that a small group of people could make a difference,” Black shared during a virtual interview Thursday while visiting colleges in South Carolina with his son.

While investigators have not officially addressed questions about Dorgan’s gender identity, calling such matters irrelevant to their case, divorce documents from 2020 reveal that gender identity issues contributed to the end of Dorgan’s nearly three-decade marriage. Dorgan’s social media presence indicated transgender identity and alignment with far-right political views.

Black described watching Dorgan move deliberately through the seating area, intent on harming more people. While restraining the shooter’s head with his knee, Black observed that Dorgan carried extra ammunition magazines containing “quite a few bullets.”

After Dorgan’s death, witnesses shifted their focus to helping the five shooting victims bleeding among the bleachers. Law enforcement arrived within minutes, and Black, nursing his wounded hand, was led to the parking area where he found his wife waiting.

“My wife saw me and she ran underneath the yellow tape, kind of grabbed me from behind, and we gave a big hug,” Black recalled. “She said, ‘I heard you helped with the shooter. And she says, what’s all the blood? I said, ‘I got my hand caught in the gun.’ And then she said, ‘Honey, I don’t know whether I should be proud of you, but I’m pissed off at you for putting yourself in that situation.’”

While receiving medical treatment at the hospital, a nurse praised Black as a hero — recognition that has been extended to all three men who intervened. Black struggled with accepting that designation.

“I said I don’t feel like I’m a hero right now,” Black reflected. “I looked up and I was feeling for the family. So I started getting some tears in my eyes. And then she got tears in her eyes, too. It was just a moment of decompression at that point.”

NEW YORK — A jury began deliberations Thursday to determine the fate of Randy Santos, who fatally attacked four homeless individuals while they slept on Manhattan streets, with his defense team conceding he carried out the violence but maintaining his severe mental illness should exempt him from criminal liability.

The jury’s initial request Thursday focused on revisiting portions of testimony from a defense mental health expert, specifically questioning whether Santos comprehended the moral implications of his violent acts.

The 31-year-old Santos was taken into custody clutching a blood-covered metal pipe following his October 2019 attack spree. The tragic incident highlighted New York City’s ongoing challenges in supporting and safeguarding its homeless community, which had grown to unprecedented numbers.

Santos himself was without housing, similar to several of his victims. The four deceased men — Chuen Kok, Anthony Manson, Florencio Moran and Nazario Vásquez Villegas — were between 39 and 83 years old. Santos faces murder charges for their deaths, plus attempted murder and assault counts related to attacks on other individuals in the days leading up to the Chinatown violence.

Medical professionals had diagnosed Santos with schizophrenia, and his legal team maintains he genuinely believed auditory hallucinations commanded him to kill 40 people or face death himself.

Defense counsel Arnold Levine argued during Wednesday’s closing statements that while Santos may have understood potential legal consequences, his condition prevented him from grasping the moral wrongness of his actions. This moral component could support an insanity verdict if jurors accept that mental illness caused this impairment.

“The only explanation was Randy’s psychosis. … It’s the only thing that explains what happened,” Levine told the panel, stating that “psychosis replaced Randy’s moral judgment.”

The prosecution contends Santos recognized both the illegality and immorality of his attacks. Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Alfred Peterson highlighted Wednesday that Santos occasionally watched for potential witnesses and later told a psychiatrist in 2024: “I know it’s not a good action.”

“Despite his illness, he was able to make a determination that what he was doing was wrong,” Peterson stated during his closing remarks.

Santos, who was born in the Dominican Republic and follows proceedings through a Spanish interpreter, remained largely expressionless during the attorneys’ final arguments. He briefly moved his hands near his face when Levine described how his delusions had previously led him to attack his own grandfather years before the Chinatown murders.

Should jurors reject the insanity claim and find Santos guilty, he faces potential life imprisonment. However, if they determine he was not mentally responsible, he could face indefinite psychiatric commitment as determined by medical professionals and the court.

A tragic avalanche has claimed eight lives in the backcountry terrain northwest of Lake Tahoe, authorities report. The deadly slide struck a group of backcountry skiers in the mountainous region.

Search and rescue operations continue for one person who remains unaccounted for and is believed to have perished in the avalanche. However, hazardous weather and terrain conditions are hampering efforts to locate the missing individual.

The incident highlights the ongoing dangers facing winter recreation enthusiasts in mountainous backcountry areas, where avalanche risks can be severe.

Artists across the country are picking up their sketchbooks and heading to city streets, finding extraordinary beauty in ordinary urban landscapes through a growing movement known as urban sketching.

These community-minded artists gather in groups to capture cityscapes, architecture, and street scenes with watercolors, pens, and other traditional art supplies. The movement encourages people to document their immediate surroundings while fostering a greater connection to their urban environment.

According to participants, the practice of creating artwork together in metropolitan settings provides them with an opportunity to document specific moments in time while developing a heightened awareness of the cities they encounter daily.

The collaborative nature of urban sketching creates a unique social experience where artists of varying skill levels come together to interpret their shared environment through individual artistic perspectives. These gatherings often take place at recognizable landmarks, busy intersections, parks, and other public spaces that define a city’s character.

The movement emphasizes the importance of drawing on location rather than from photographs, encouraging artists to spend extended time observing and interpreting their surroundings in real-time.

When tragedy struck Barbara Alvarez’s family in 2017, she found herself navigating uncharted territory as a newly widowed mother. Her husband’s death came at a particularly challenging time – just as their daughter Monica Dreesen was preparing to begin her college journey.

The timing couldn’t have been more difficult. Alvarez was dealing with her own grief while trying to support her daughter through a major life transition. The responsibilities of helping Monica settle into college life felt overwhelming for someone adjusting to life as a single parent.

During this vulnerable period, an unexpected source of support emerged. A stranger recognized Alvarez’s struggle and offered assistance that would prove invaluable. This individual’s intervention came at exactly the right moment, providing the help Alvarez needed to find her footing as a single mother.

The assistance this good Samaritan provided helped Alvarez discover inner strength she didn’t know she possessed. With this support, she was able to be present for her daughter during the crucial college transition period, despite dealing with her own profound loss.

The story highlights how acts of kindness from unexpected sources can make all the difference during life’s most challenging moments. For Alvarez and her daughter, this stranger’s willingness to help became a turning point in their journey through grief and adjustment to their new reality.

Detectives investigating the vanishing of Nancy Guthrie are exploring the possibility of utilizing DNA genealogy databases, the same approach that cracked high-profile cases including a string of California murders spanning decades and the brutal killings of four Idaho university students.

This approach shows promise: When unidentified DNA samples can be linked to individuals — including distant family members — within public genealogy databases, investigators gain valuable leads that could potentially identify a suspect in Guthrie’s Arizona abduction.

“It’s a fantastic tool,” explained Ruth Ballard, a California-based geneticist who focuses on DNA analysis and has provided expert testimony in hundreds of legal proceedings. “If it’s a good quality sample and they’re able to get a profile, they could find a hit on that fairly quickly.”

Officials with the Pima County Sheriff’s Department in Arizona confirmed that DNA samples gathered during their investigation have yielded no matches within CODIS, the national criminal database containing genetic profiles from individuals with criminal convictions and, in certain states, those arrested for specific offenses.

“Investigators are currently looking into additional investigative genetic genealogy options for DNA evidence to check for matches. CODIS is one option of many databases that are available,” the sheriff’s department announced Tuesday.

Department officials revealed Wednesday that biological material from Guthrie’s residence in the Tucson area is undergoing testing, with DNA profiles currently at a laboratory for examination.

Nancy Guthrie, whose daughter Savannah Guthrie co-hosts NBC’s “Today” show, vanished from her residence on February 1st. Federal investigators reported that gloves discovered approximately 2 miles away seemed to correspond with those seen on a masked individual captured by a doorbell camera.

Major genealogy platforms including Ancestry, 23andMe and MyHeritage indicate they will respond to judicial orders requesting data access. GEDmatch, another genealogy service, maintains a policy requiring users to specifically consent to law enforcement access of their information. The Associated Press contacted these companies Wednesday evening to inquire about any involvement in the Guthrie case.

GEDmatch played a crucial role in identifying the notorious Golden State Killer. Law enforcement used crime scene DNA to locate a distant family member and construct a family lineage that ultimately led to Joseph DeAngelo Jr. He admitted guilt in 2020 to 13 murders and numerous sexual assaults throughout California during the 1970s and 1980s.

In the Idaho case, genetic material from a knife cover helped investigators focus on Bryan Kohberger in connection with the 2022 deaths of four University of Idaho students. Detectives employed genealogy websites to develop family connections and collected discarded items from Kohberger’s family residence in Pennsylvania to establish a link. Kohberger entered a guilty plea and received a life sentence.

Ballard noted that the origin and condition of DNA samples in police possession can influence success rates when searching genealogy platforms.

“It does require a much better sample than CODIS searching does,” she explained.

Additional obstacles may arise as well.

“There are a lot of unknowns when you go into these databases,” Ballard observed. “The databases are not equal in terms of ethnic distribution. It’s comparatively easier to find a Caucasian because more have uploaded their data and there are more family trees to mine.”

TRUCKEE, Calif. — A devastating avalanche in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains has claimed eight lives and left one person missing after striking a group of experienced backcountry skiers attempting to return home following days of harsh winter conditions.

The deadly slide occurred Tuesday as 15 skiers departed from remote mountain cabins at high elevation, making their way back toward the trailhead. The incident represents the most fatal avalanche in the United States in nearly five decades.

Recovery efforts for the victims’ remains have been delayed as avalanche warnings remain active through early Thursday, with officials waiting for the dangerous storm system to pass. Authorities have not yet disclosed the identities of those who perished.

The skiing party had strong connections to Lake Tahoe’s mountain recreation scene, particularly the prestigious Sugar Bowl Academy. The institution released a statement Wednesday evening expressing grief over losing individuals with “strong connections to Sugar Bowl, Donner Summit and the backcountry community.”

The academy did not specify the exact relationship between the victims, who ranged from 30 to 55 years old, and the school that provides alpine and backcountry skiing training along with education for aspiring young athletes.

“We are an incredibly close and connected community,” Sugar Bowl Academy executive director Stephen McMahon was quoted as saying in the statement. “This tragedy has affected each and every one of us.”

Among the group were four professional guides from Blackbird Mountain Guides, a company specializing in mountaineering expeditions and backcountry skiing adventures throughout the western United States and abroad. One guide survived the disaster.

The three-day excursion, which started Sunday, was designed for skiers with intermediate to advanced abilities, according to information on the outfitter’s website.

Blackbird Mountain Guides announced Wednesday evening that it has initiated a comprehensive investigation and suspended all field activities through the weekend at minimum while focusing on assisting the families of those affected.

The company’s guides possessed training and certification in backcountry skiing techniques and served as instructors with the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education.

During expeditions, guides “are in communication with senior guides at our base, to discuss conditions and routing based upon conditions,” founder Zeb Blais explained in the company’s statement.

“We don’t have all the answers yet, and it may be some time before we do,” the company stated. “In the meantime, please keep those impacted in your hearts.”

Mill Valley Mayor Max Perrey, representing the Marin County community located approximately 14 miles north of San Francisco, verified that several group members were women from his city. He declined to share additional information via email to The Associated Press but indicated more details would be made available later.

The Sierra Avalanche Center had issued an avalanche watch Sunday morning, which was upgraded to a warning by 5 a.m. Tuesday, signaling that avalanche conditions were anticipated. It remains unclear whether the guides received notification of this escalation before beginning their descent.

Officials described a tragic scene as survivors searched through snow for their missing companions and endured a six-hour wait for rescue teams to reach them amid blizzard conditions. The survivors located three bodies, according to Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon.

All skiers carried emergency beacons capable of transmitting location signals to rescue personnel, and at least one guide managed to send text messages for help. However, it’s uncertain whether the group used avalanche airbags, which are inflatable safety devices designed to keep skiers closer to the snow surface during slides, noted Sheriff’s Captain Russell “Rusty” Greene.

One survivor remained in hospital care as of Wednesday, Sheriff Moon reported.

The region has received between 3 and 6 feet of fresh snowfall since Sunday, accompanied by below-freezing temperatures and powerful winds reaching gale force.

This avalanche stands as the most deadly in the United States since 1981, when 11 mountain climbers lost their lives on Washington state’s Mount Rainier. It also marks the second fatal avalanche near Castle Peak this year, following the death of a snowmobile rider in January. Avalanches typically claim 25 to 30 lives annually across the country, according to National Avalanche Center data.

The location near Donner Summit where the skiing expedition occurred ranks among the snowiest regions in the Western Hemisphere and remained off-limits to public access until recent years. The summit bears the name of the notorious Donner Party, pioneer travelers who became stranded there during the winter of 1846-1847 and resorted to cannibalism for survival.

Four men wrongly implicated in a notorious 1991 Texas murder case are seeking official recognition of their innocence from a judge on Thursday, including one individual who was originally sentenced to death for the brutal slayings of four teenage girls at an Austin yogurt shop.

State District Judge Dayna Blazey will hear arguments for a formal innocence declaration that would bring closure to the men, their families, and a community that remained haunted by the unsolved crime for more than three decades.

Last year, investigators working cold cases revealed they had identified the actual perpetrator as someone who died during a police confrontation in Missouri back in 1999.

Two of the four original defendants, Michael Scott and Forrest Welborn, plan to attend Thursday’s proceedings. Robert Springsteen, who faced execution after his initial conviction and remained on death row for years, will not be present. Maurice Pierce passed away in 2010.

Travis County District Attorney José Garza emphasized the significance of the moment when announcing the hearing, stating: “It has been over twenty-five years since the four men wrongfully accused have been waiting for the criminal justice system to clear their names.”

An official “actual innocence” determination would enable the men and their relatives to pursue monetary compensation for the time they spent incarcerated.

The victims were Amy Ayers, 13; Eliza Thomas, 17; and sisters Jennifer and Sarah Harbison, ages 17 and 15. All four were restrained, silenced with gags, and executed with gunshots to their heads at the “I Can’t Believe It’s Yogurt” shop where two held jobs. The perpetrator then ignited the building.

Law enforcement pursued countless tips and investigated multiple bogus admissions of guilt before taking the four men into custody in late 1999.

Courts convicted Springsteen and Scott primarily on confessions both men claimed police had forced from them through coercion. Appeals courts reversed both verdicts during the mid-2000s.

Authorities charged Welborn but never brought him to trial after two separate grand juries declined to issue indictments. Pierce remained behind bars for three years until prosecutors dropped the charges and freed him.

Officials planned to retry Springsteen and Scott, but a judge dismissed all charges in 2009 after advanced DNA testing unavailable in 1991 identified genetic material from an unknown male suspect.

The investigation stalled until 2025, when an HBO documentary series examining the unsolved murders brought renewed public interest to the case.

Authorities announced in September that fresh evidence analysis and reexamination of existing materials identified Robert Eugene Brashers as the killer.

Beginning in 2018, law enforcement had used sophisticated DNA technology to connect Brashers to the strangulation murder of a South Carolina woman in 1990, the sexual assault of a 14-year-old Tennessee girl in 1997, and the shooting deaths of a mother and daughter in Missouri in 1998.

The Austin connection emerged when DNA material collected from beneath Ayers’ fingernail matched Brashers’ genetic profile from the 1990 South Carolina homicide.

Austin detectives also discovered that officers had arrested Brashers at a border checkpoint near El Paso just two days following the yogurt shop killings. His stolen vehicle contained a handgun matching the same caliber used to kill one of the Austin victims.

Investigators noted striking parallels between the yogurt shop crime and Brashers’ other offenses: victims were restrained using their own garments, subjected to sexual assault, and several crime scenes were deliberately set ablaze.

Brashers took his own life in 1999 during an extended police standoff at a motel in Kennett, Missouri.

HONOLULU (AP) — Mason Aiona’s day begins with unwelcome sounds long before dawn breaks over his Hawaiian residence.

However, the 74-year-old retiree says the 3 a.m. rooster calls aren’t his biggest concern. Instead, he spends his days constantly chasing off feral chickens that create holes throughout his property, enduring nonstop noise and wing-beating, and confronting individuals who provide food to these wild birds at a nearby park.

“It’s a big problem,” he said of the roosters, hens and chicks waddling around on the narrow road between his Honolulu house and the city park. “And they’re multiplying.”

Municipalities throughout Hawaii have struggled with widespread fowl populations for numerous years. Honolulu has invested thousands in trapping efforts with minimal success. State legislators are now evaluating potential remedies — including proposals allowing citizens to eliminate wild chickens, classify them as a “controllable pest” on Honolulu public property, and impose penalties on those feeding or abandoning them in parks.

However, what troubles some residents serves as a cultural emblem for others, a tension that has emerged in Miami and additional cities hosting wild chicken populations.

Kealoha Pisciotta, who practices Hawaiian culture and advocates for animals, opposes eliminating feral chickens merely due to inconvenience. Many current chickens trace their lineage to those transported to the islands by original Polynesian travelers, she explained.

“The moa is very significant,” she said, using the Hawaiian word for chicken. “They were on our voyaging, came with us.”

The Hawaiian Humane Society opposes letting residents kill the chickens “as a means of population control unless all other strategies have been exhausted.”

Democratic Representative Scot Matayoshi, who serves the Honolulu suburb of Kaneohe, explained he began developing chicken management legislation after learning from a local elementary educator that the birds were intimidating students.

“The children were afraid of them, and they would kind of more aggressively go after the children for food,” Matayoshi said.

Representative Jackson Sayama explained he proposed the chicken elimination legislation due to currently restricted removal options. The lethal approach would remain up to individual property owners.

“If you want to go old-school, just break the chicken’s neck, that’s perfectly fine,” said the Democrat who represents part of Honolulu. “There’s many different ways you can do it.”

Previous chicken elimination proposals have been unsuccessful over the years, Matayoshi noted. Chicken reproductive control was one concept considered during his neighborhood board tenure.

“I think there are people who are taking it more seriously now,” he said.

Aiona has resided for over three decades in a valley close to downtown Honolulu in his wife Leona’s childhood home. Wild chickens didn’t appear in their area until approximately ten years ago, the couple reported. The bird population expanded significantly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

He witnessed someone remove a chicken from their vehicle, abandon it in the park, and depart, he recalled.

When chickens initially appeared near his residence, he captured one manually and placed it in a plastic garbage container, then transported it to a park close to the airport. “I took off the cover, tipped it over and the chicken ran right out,” he said. “I said … ‘Don’t come back again.’”

However, he soon recognized the labor-intensive approach was pointless.

He personally has no interest in eliminating chickens, preferring someone collect them for relocation to a countryside farm. A municipal trapping initiative costs too much, he noted.

The city employs a pest management company for chicken trapping services. Property owners pay $375 for week-long service, plus $50 for cage rental and $10 per chicken for disposal.

The program captured over 1,300 chickens during the previous year, according to Honolulu Department of Customer Services spokesperson Harold Nedd, who noted the department experienced a 51% rise in feral chicken complaints in 2025.

Wild chickens don’t provide an economical meal option. The meat is more difficult to chew than commercially raised poultry, and these feral birds may carry diseases.

One of Aiona’s neighbors uses a leaf blower to drive them away. “I have a blower, too, but mine is electric,” Aiona said. “It can only go so far with the cord.”

Aiona has grown weary of spending his retirement years instructing park visitors to stop providing food to the chickens. While he doesn’t suggest anyone consume them, he welcomes anyone interested in taking one.

“No charge,” he said.

New Mexico state authorities announced Wednesday they are examining disturbing allegations that the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein directed the burial of two foreign girls near his secluded ranch property.

The claims surfaced in recently disclosed federal documents, prompting the New Mexico Department of Justice to seek complete, unredacted versions of the materials from federal officials.

“We are actively investigating this allegation and are conducting a broader review in light of the latest release from the U.S. Department of Justice,” stated Lauren Rodriguez, spokesperson for the New Mexico Department of Justice, in response to media inquiries about the case.

Federal authorities have not yet responded to requests for comment, and the FBI has declined to provide statements regarding the matter.

Just one day prior, New Mexico’s state legislature initiated its first thorough examination of claims that Epstein sexually victimized girls and women at the Zorro Ranch, located 30 miles south of Santa Fe, spanning over twenty years.

The disturbing allegations originated from a partially censored 2019 email that was included in the most recent batch of Epstein-related documents released by federal justice officials. The message was sent several months following Epstein’s death to Eddy Aragon, a New Mexico radio personality who had previously discussed the Zorro Ranch on his show.

The email’s author, who identified themselves as a former ranch worker, demanded payment of one bitcoin in exchange for videos allegedly taken from Epstein’s residence showing the financier engaging in sexual acts with minors.

During a telephone conversation, Aragon confirmed he considered the email credible and immediately shared it with the FBI. He indicated he never received payment from or maintained further communication with the sender, though he recently attempted to respond but found the email address was no longer active.

According to the censored email sent to Aragon, two foreign girls had been interred on Epstein’s instructions “somewhere in the hills outside the Zorro” and that both had perished “by strangulation during rough, fetish sex.”

A 2021 FBI document, also part of the recent file disclosure, confirmed Aragon visited an FBI facility to report the email, which proposed seven videos documenting sexual abuse and the burial location of two foreign girls at Zorro Ranch in return for one bitcoin.

A review of additional documents within the Justice Department’s releases revealed no other mentions of these specific allegations or investigators’ assessment of the claims.

Federal justice officials cautioned last year that some disclosed files from their Epstein investigation “contain untrue and sensationalist claims,” noting they include anonymous allegations that investigators could not verify, or in certain instances determined to be fabricated.

New Mexico State Land Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard revealed Wednesday that her office discovered the censored email while reviewing the latest Epstein document release.

In a February 10 correspondence to federal justice officials and accompanying statement, Garcia Richard urged both federal and state authorities to thoroughly examine allegations of criminal activity on Epstein’s ranch and surrounding state property.

Epstein had leased approximately 1,243 acres of state land surrounding the ranch in 1993. Garcia Richard terminated these leases in September 2019 after determining Epstein failed to use the property for ranching or farming purposes, instead utilizing it as a privacy barrier around his ranch.

Epstein died in a New York detention facility in August 2019. Officials determined his death was suicide.

Former Victoria’s Secret CEO Leslie Wexner appeared before congressional investigators Wednesday, acknowledging he once set foot on Jeffrey Epstein’s private island while maintaining he knew nothing about the convicted sex offender’s illegal activities.

The 88-year-old retail magnate testified that he terminated his relationship with Epstein approximately 20 years ago and has faced no criminal allegations himself.

Recent document releases by the Justice Department have revealed extensive connections between Epstein and numerous high-profile individuals, spanning both before and after his 2008 guilty plea on prostitution-related charges involving a minor. Epstein died by suicide in a New York jail cell in 2019.

“And, let me be crystal clear: I never witnessed nor had any knowledge of Epstein’s criminal activity. I was never a participant nor co-conspirator in any of Epstein’s illegal activities,” Wexner stated in his written congressional testimony.

Congressional investigators questioned Wexner for six hours during the closed-door session.

The L Brands founder brought Epstein on as his financial advisor during the 1980s. Wexner has claimed Epstein misappropriated his funds for unauthorized property and merchandise purchases, leading him to end their association around 2007 when criminal charges first emerged against Epstein.

“To my enormous embarrassment and regret I, like many others, was duped by a world-class con man. I cannot undo that part of my personal history even as I regret ever having met him,” he stated.

Democratic Representative Robert Garcia, serving as the ranking member on the House oversight committee, declared that “there was no single person that was more involved in providing Jeffrey Epstein with the financial support to commit his crimes than Les Wexner.”

Regarding his island visit, Wexner described stopping there briefly with his family during a boat cruise, spending only “a few hours” one morning shortly after Epstein acquired the property.

Wexner maintained that Epstein embezzled “vast sums” from his family’s wealth. “Once I learned of his abusive conduct and theft from my family, I never spoke with Epstein again,” he concluded.

TRUCKEE, Calif. — Search and rescue teams have recovered eight bodies from a catastrophic avalanche near Lake Tahoe, with one skier still unaccounted for in what officials are calling the nation’s most deadly avalanche disaster in nearly 50 years.

The tragedy unfolded with devastating speed, according to authorities.

“Someone saw the avalanche, yelled ‘Avalanche!’ and it overtook them rather quickly,” said Capt. Russell “Rusty” Greene, of the Nevada County sheriff’s office.

Rescue teams pulled six survivors from the snow approximately six hours after the avalanche struck Tuesday morning. The group had been wrapping up a three-day backcountry skiing expedition in Northern California’s Sierra Nevada mountains during a powerful winter storm. Four professional guides were part of the group, with three of them presumed dead. The skiing party consisted of both men and women ranging in age from 30 to 55.

Nevada County Sheriff Shannan Moon indicated investigators will examine why the expedition continued despite weather warnings issued Sunday. At 6:49 a.m. that morning, the Sierra Avalanche Center had issued an avalanche watch, signaling that significant avalanches were probable within the following 24 to 48 hours.

Before the deadly slide occurred, officials upgraded the watch to a warning status, indicating avalanches were anticipated. It remains uncertain whether the guides received notification of this escalation before departing the backcountry area.

With one individual still missing, the operation has transitioned from rescue efforts to body recovery, Moon explained.

Officials are delaying the release of victims’ identities to allow families time to process the tragedy. “They’re still reeling,” Moon said. “I could not imagine what they’re going through.”

The deceased were discovered in close proximity to each other, Greene reported. Recovery teams have been unable to retrieve the victims due to hazardous mountain conditions.

Between three and six feet of snow has accumulated since Sunday. The region has also experienced below-freezing temperatures and powerful winds. The Sierra Avalanche Center warned that additional avalanche risks persisted Wednesday, leaving the snowpack dangerous and unpredictable in terrain characterized by steep, rocky cliffs.

Emergency beacons and cell phones guided rescue teams through treacherous conditions

Rescue personnel reached the survivors shortly before nightfall Tuesday.

All skiers carried emergency beacons capable of transmitting location signals to rescuers, and at least one guide managed to send text messages. However, it’s unclear whether they had avalanche airbags – inflatable safety devices designed to keep skiers closer to the snow surface, Greene noted.

While awaiting rescue, the survivors constructed emergency shelter using their gear to protect against sub-freezing temperatures. During their wait, they discovered three additional fatalities, Moon said.

Rescue teams utilized a snowcat vehicle to approach within two miles of the survivors, then carefully skied the remaining distance to avoid triggering additional avalanches, the sheriff explained.

One rescued individual remained hospitalized Wednesday, Moon confirmed.

The location near Donner Summit ranks among the snowiest regions in the Western Hemisphere and was restricted to public access until recently. The area typically receives nearly 35 feet of annual snowfall, according to the Truckee Donner Land Trust, which operates a series of mountain huts near Frog Lake where the group had been staying.

This avalanche represents the most fatal in the United States since 1981, when 11 mountaineers perished on Mount Rainier in Washington state. The National Avalanche Center reports that 25 to 30 people typically die in avalanches across the U.S. each winter.

This marks the second deadly avalanche near California’s Castle Peak this year, following a January incident that killed a snowmobiler.

Group was departing wilderness area when avalanche occurred

Greene said authorities learned of the avalanche through Blackbird Mountain Guides, the company organizing the trip, and emergency beacon alerts. The sheriff’s department confirmed Tuesday evening that 15 backcountry skiers participated in the expedition, not 16 as initially reported. One participant had withdrawn from the trip at the last moment, Moon said.

The group was completing their final day of the backcountry adventure after spending two nights in mountain huts, according to Steve Reynaud, an avalanche forecaster with the Sierra Avalanche Center.

Accessing the winter huts requires several hours of travel and demands advanced backcountry expertise, avalanche education, and specialized safety gear. Blackbird Mountain Guides marketed the tour for intermediate-to-expert level skiers.

The Donner Summit area remained closed for nearly 100 years before the Truckee Donner Land Trust and partner organizations reopened it in 2020. Donner Summit takes its name from the tragic Donner Party, a group of 19th-century settlers who turned to cannibalism after becoming stranded during the harsh winter of 1846-1847.

When asked about her thoughts as emergency personnel and volunteers responded to the scene, Moon said she hoped they would reach the location safely. Once they arrived, she said she was “immediately thinking of the folks that didn’t make it, and knowing our mission now is to get them home.”

A bizarre legal case involving one of Manhattan’s most recognizable hotels has concluded with a fraud conviction after a man’s elaborate scheme to claim ownership of the entire building.

Mickey Barreto admitted guilt to fraud charges this Wednesday, bringing closure to an unusual case that began when he exploited little-known tenant protections to secure free housing at the New Yorker Hotel for several years.

According to Barreto’s account, he and his partner paid $200 for a single night’s stay at the famous Art Deco hotel in 2018. The building houses over 1,000 rooms and stands as one of Manhattan’s most photographed landmarks. Following his overnight stay, Barreto demanded a formal lease agreement, arguing that city housing regulations for single-room occupancy buildings constructed prior to 1969 entitled him to tenant rights.

When hotel management rejected his lease request, Barreto pursued the matter through housing court proceedings. The hotel’s failure to send legal representation to a crucial court hearing resulted in Barreto being granted “possession” of his room.

However, prosecutors from Manhattan revealed that Barreto’s actions escalated significantly beyond securing his room. They alleged he committed fraud against the state by creating and uploading falsified ownership documents to an official city website, purporting to transfer the entire hotel property to himself.

The New Yorker Hotel is currently under the ownership of the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity, an organization established in South Korea by the late Rev. Sun Myung Moon, who declared himself a messiah. The religious organization did not provide a response to media inquiries.

Following his fraudulent ownership claim, Barreto allegedly attempted to collect rental payments from hotel guests and instructed the hotel’s financial institution to transfer all accounts under his control, according to prosecution statements.

Barreto’s occupancy ended in 2024 when he was removed from the property and subsequently faced multiple felony fraud charges. Court proceedings were delayed after he was determined mentally unfit for trial and required psychiatric care.

The resolution of his case includes a six-month jail term, which Barreto has already completed, plus five years of supervised probation, as confirmed by a representative from the Manhattan district attorney’s office.

Brian Hutchinson, representing Barreto in the case, has not yet responded to requests for comment.

In previous statements to the Associated Press, Barreto defended his actions, claiming the judge’s decision to grant him room “possession” effectively transferred the entire building since it had never been legally subdivided into separate units.

“I never intended to commit any fraud. I don’t believe I ever committed any fraud,” Barreto stated previously. “And I never made a penny out of this.”

Operations at Newark Liberty International Airport faced delays Wednesday evening when a JetBlue aircraft experienced mechanical problems during departure and had to make an emergency return.

JetBlue Flight 543, an Airbus A320 destined for West Palm Beach, Florida, encountered engine trouble shortly after takeoff around 5:55 p.m. Eastern Time. The flight crew detected smoke in the cockpit and made the decision to head back to Newark immediately.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, all passengers and crew members safely exited the aircraft on a taxiway using emergency evacuation slides. Airport officials confirmed that no one sustained injuries during the incident.

The emergency situation prompted the FAA to temporarily halt some incoming flights to Newark while crews responded to the scene. Federal investigators will now examine what caused the engine malfunction on the Florida-bound flight.

Norman Francis, an education advocate and civil rights trailblazer who spearheaded New Orleans’ recovery following Hurricane Katrina, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 94.

Throughout Louisiana, community leaders, activists, and residents paid tribute to Francis and his remarkable legacy of service.

“The nation is better and richer for his having lived among us,” stated Reynold Verret, Xavier University’s current president, in a Wednesday announcement confirming Francis’ passing.

Following Hurricane Katrina’s devastation, Francis assumed leadership of the Louisiana Recovery Authority, the organization responsible for managing the massive, multi-billion-dollar reconstruction initiative.

Mitch Landrieu, who previously served as New Orleans mayor, described how Francis “stood in the breach” during the post-Katrina period. Landrieu, who held the lieutenant governor position when the 2005 hurricane destroyed much of New Orleans, frequently sought Francis’ guidance during challenging times.

“The most defining part of his character is that he treats every human being with dignity and respect,” Landrieu wrote on X Wednesday.

Francis gained widespread recognition during his 47-year tenure as head of Xavier University in New Orleans, America’s sole predominantly Black Catholic institution of higher learning, starting in 1968.

Under his leadership, student enrollment increased by more than 100%, the university’s endowment grew substantially, and the physical campus underwent significant expansion. The institution earned national acclaim for preparing African American students for careers in medicine and graduating professionals in science fields including biology, chemistry, physics, and pharmacy.

When Hurricane Katrina flooded portions of Xavier’s campus with 8 feet of water, Francis made a commitment that the institution would rebuild and reopen.

Several civil rights organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union, recognized Francis among America’s most distinguished university leaders. President George W. Bush presented him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2006.

“Dr. Francis was more than an administrator. He was an institution builder, a civil rights champion, and a man of quiet generosity,” Louisiana Congressman Troy Carter wrote on social media. “He believed education was the pathway to justice. He believed lifting one student could lift an entire family.”

Born in Lafayette, Louisiana, to a barber, Francis graduated from Xavier with his undergraduate degree in 1952. He broke racial barriers by becoming Loyola University law school’s first Black student, completing his legal education in 1955.

After serving two years in military service, Francis joined the U.S. Attorney General’s office to assist with integrating federal government departments.

Despite his professional achievements, racial segregation still prevented him from entering many New Orleans establishments through their main entrances.

“Some people say to me, ‘My God! How did you take that?’” Francis recalled during a 2008 Associated Press interview. “Well, you took that because you had to believe that one day, the words that your parents said to you ‘You’re good enough to be president of the United States’ yes, we held onto that.”

Francis began his long career at Xavier in 1957 as Dean of Men, launching what would become nearly five decades of service to the university.

His wife Blanche passed away in 2015. Together, they raised six children and had several grandchildren.

A tragic avalanche near California’s Lake Tahoe has claimed the lives of eight backcountry skiers, with search efforts continuing for one person who remains unaccounted for, officials report.

According to authorities, the deadly snowslide also trapped six additional skiers who were successfully rescued alive. The incident has prompted an extensive search and rescue operation in the backcountry area.

The Nevada County Sheriff’s Office has deployed rescue teams to the Soda Springs area as part of the ongoing recovery efforts. Images from the scene show rescue personnel working in challenging mountain conditions.

This devastating incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by outdoor enthusiasts venturing into backcountry terrain during winter months, particularly in areas prone to avalanche activity near the popular Lake Tahoe region.

Authorities have confirmed the deaths of eight skiers who were caught in a deadly avalanche at Castle Peak in the Sierra Nevada mountains near Lake Tahoe.

The tragic incident occurred in the backcountry skiing area, where avalanche conditions can quickly turn dangerous for outdoor enthusiasts. Emergency responders worked to recover the victims from the slide zone.

The Castle Peak avalanche represents one of the deadliest skiing accidents in the region, underscoring the serious risks that backcountry skiers face in mountainous terrain during winter conditions.

Following Wednesday’s confirmation that eight backcountry skiers perished and one person remains unaccounted for in an avalanche near Lake Tahoe, officials report this Northern California Sierra Nevada incident ranks among America’s most fatal snow disasters. The tragedy prompts a review of other catastrophic avalanches throughout U.S. history:

The nation’s deadliest snow disaster occurred when an enormous snow wall engulfed two Great Northern passenger trains, plunging them into a canyon and claiming 96 lives. The trains had been stranded on the railway for multiple days due to severe weather conditions, though some passengers who had walked to nearby towns were spared from the disaster.

During the height of the Klondike Gold Rush, a sequence of snow slides in April 1898 became the era’s most devastating tragedy, taking approximately 65 lives along the Chilkoot Trail.

Mount Rainier witnessed the nation’s most fatal climbing disaster when a tremendous ice avalanche struck the Ingraham Glacier, claiming the lives of ten climbers and their guide.

The community of Twin Lakes, located near Independence Pass, suffered a devastating blow when an avalanche destroyed multiple residences, resulting in seven fatalities that included five young children.

Alpine Meadows Ski Resort near Lake Tahoe experienced tragedy when an avalanche struck the facility, claiming seven lives, including four staff members who had stayed despite the resort’s closure due to hazardous conditions. Remarkably, a 22-year-old chairlift operator survived and was found five days later by a specially trained rescue dog in the ski chalet debris.

The leader of California’s troubled high-speed rail project has stepped away from his position temporarily after facing domestic violence allegations that led to his arrest earlier this month.

Ian Choudri, who heads the California High-Speed Rail Authority as CEO, was taken into custody on February 4th in Folsom, a city near Sacramento, confirmed police Lieutenant Lou Wright. Authorities have not released further information about the incident.

No charges were filed against Choudri, and prosecutors did not require him to make a court appearance, according to his attorney Allen Sawyer. Choudri has decided to take several days off from his leadership role, his lawyer indicated.

“While my client appreciates that this legal matter has been thoroughly evaluated, his family needs time to privately process and heal,” Sawyer stated. “He remains committed to his work, and this short absence will also give the board space to independently review the conclusions of the legal process.”

Neither the prosecutor’s office, the rail authority, nor California’s transportation department provided responses to requests for comment.

News of Choudri’s arrest became public this week when Sacramento television station KCRA first broke the story.

The rail authority brought Choudri on board in 2024, drawing from his experience with European high-speed rail networks. His mission has been to breathe new life into what ranks as the country’s most ambitious infrastructure undertaking, which has been plagued by soaring expenses and lost federal support during the previous Trump presidency.

The ambitious project aims to link San Francisco and Los Angeles by high-speed rail.

In previous interviews with The Associated Press, Choudri expressed his desire to join the effort to “completely turn it around” and secure stable financing. His strategy has involved seeking private sector partnerships to help fund the massive undertaking.

Last year, Governor Gavin Newsom and California legislators committed to providing $1 billion each year through 2045 for the project, funded through the state’s cap-and-trade program designed to cut emissions from major polluters.

When California voters initially backed $10 billion in bonds in 2008, they were told this would cover roughly one-third of the expected costs and that trains would be operating by 2020. More than four years beyond that target date, officials now estimate the project could require over $120 billion to complete.

DENVER — Five people have lost their lives following a devastating series of crashes on a Colorado interstate where more than 30 vehicles, including seven big rigs, collided after powerful winds created a blinding dust storm, state officials confirmed Wednesday.

Colorado State Patrol initially reported four fatalities and 29 injuries from Tuesday’s accidents on Interstate 25 near Pueblo. However, one additional person succumbed to their injuries at the hospital, bringing the death toll to five.

The catastrophic chain of events began around 10 a.m. Tuesday when fierce winds swept across drought-stricken farmland adjacent to the highway, creating what Major Brian Lyons of the Colorado State Patrol described as a “brown out” condition.

“Visibility was next to nothing,” Lyons explained.

The National Weather Service recorded wind speeds reaching approximately 70 mph in the area Tuesday morning. Dramatic footage captured by a motorist trapped in the aftermath shows massive clouds of dust rolling across the highway, with damaged vehicles gradually becoming visible through the thick, dusty haze.

Hospital staff treated the wounded for injuries ranging from minor to life-threatening, Lyons reported. While accidents occurred on both sides of the interstate, the northbound collision resulted in the fatalities, whereas the southbound incident caused only vehicle damage, patrol officials noted.

Among the vehicles involved was a pickup truck towing a livestock trailer containing 30 sheep and one goat, according to the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region, which responded to assist with the animals. Some livestock became trapped inside the damaged trailer while others escaped and roamed free until humane society workers could safely capture them. Four sheep sustained injuries too severe for recovery, the organization reported.

The investigation into the crashes, which occurred approximately two miles from Pueblo, remains ongoing. While poor visibility will be examined as a primary factor, other contributing elements may also be considered, stated Trooper Sherri Mendez, a patrol spokesperson.

The same powerful wind system that struck eastern Colorado Tuesday, combined with unusually warm temperatures and extremely dry conditions, also fueled wildfires across the region and caused flight delays at Denver International Airport. Similar dangerous wind and drought conditions continued Wednesday, maintaining elevated fire risks throughout the area.

GLOUCESTER, Mass. — Search teams are utilizing advanced underwater technology in their ongoing effort to locate a commercial fishing vessel that went down in Atlantic waters last month, claiming the lives of all seven people on board. However, harsh winter conditions continue to hamper recovery operations.

The Lily Jean, measuring 72 feet in length, was heading back to harbor during the early morning hours of January 30 for equipment repairs when the vessel sank in icy waters near the historic Massachusetts fishing community of Gloucester. Several agencies are now working in partnership to find the vessel’s remains and possibly retrieve the bodies of those who perished, authorities announced Wednesday. The collaborative effort includes the U.S. Coast Guard, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Massachusetts Environmental Police.

Recovery operations face significant challenges as the Lily Jean rests in waters exceeding 300 feet in depth under extremely harsh winter conditions. Environmental police teams have deployed side-scan sonar equipment to collect information and identify unusual objects on the seafloor, according to officials. Plans also include sending a remotely operated underwater vehicle to capture images and footage, though rough sea conditions have prevented this step so far.

Massachusetts Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr, a Republican representing Gloucester, promised that officials would keep the mourning community informed of developments.

“One of the most haunting things about grief or loss at sea is the not knowing,” Tarr said during a news conference on Wednesday. “Answering those questions requires a tremendous amount of effort.”

The Coast Guard initially began search and rescue operations after receiving a distress signal from the boat approximately 25 miles off Cape Ann. Recovery teams discovered scattered debris in the area where the alert originated, along with one body and an unoccupied life raft, Coast Guard officials reported. The search operation was called off the next day, and the local community has since come together to support the victims’ families.

Gloucester holds the distinction of being America’s oldest seaport and maintains a reputation for its tight-knit fishing industry. The community gained national attention through “The Perfect Storm” book and film, which drew inspiration from the FV Andrea Gail that disappeared at sea in 1991.

Coast Guard representatives have released the names of those who died when the Lily Jean sank: captain Accursio “Gus” Sanfilippo and crew members Paul Beal Sr., Paul Beal Jr., John Rousanidis, Freeman Short and Sean Therrien. Jada Samitt, a fisheries observer working for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, was also on board.

Ricky Beal, whose brother Paul Beal Sr. was among the victims, expressed hope during Wednesday’s press conference that the investigation would help families understand the tragedy. He also urged people following the case to avoid sharing unverified information.

“As of now, hopefully in the future, the investigation will give us some light on what happened. But as of now, only God knows what happened that fateful morning,” Beal said.

The Lily Jean and its crew, led by Sanfilippo, appeared in a 2012 History Channel episode of “Nor’Easter Men.” The program portrayed Sanfilippo as a fifth-generation commercial fisherman operating out of Gloucester in the Georges Bank area. The show documented the crew working through dangerous weather for extended periods, sometimes spending up to 10 days at sea harvesting haddock, lobster and flounder.

Federal transportation officials are ordering the closure of over 550 commercial driving schools nationwide after discovering serious safety violations that put the public at risk, according to an announcement made Wednesday.

The schools, which train future truck and bus drivers, were found to have hired instructors without proper qualifications, skipped essential student testing, and committed other critical safety infractions during federal inspections.

This action represents the Transportation Department’s ongoing campaign to enhance trucking industry safety standards. Unlike previous efforts last fall that targeted up to 7,500 schools including many already-closed facilities, this current initiative specifically addresses active schools with major deficiencies identified during 1,426 inspection visits.

Federal officials have intensified their scrutiny of states issuing commercial driver’s licenses to unqualified immigrants following a deadly August crash in Florida. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated that an unauthorized truck driver performed an illegal U-turn, resulting in three fatalities. Additional fatal incidents, including a recent Indiana crash that claimed four lives, have heightened these safety concerns.

According to Duffy, 448 schools failed to satisfy fundamental safety requirements. Inspectors documented problems including unqualified teaching staff, inadequate student skill assessments, insufficient hazardous materials training, and inappropriate training equipment. An additional 109 schools voluntarily withdrew from the official registry upon learning of planned inspections.

“American families should have confidence that our school bus and truck drivers are following every letter of the law and that starts with receiving proper training before getting behind the wheel,” Duffy said.

The targeted schools are predominantly smaller operations, including several programs operated by school districts. Larger, well-established schools were typically excluded from this enforcement action. Currently, 97 additional schools remain under investigation for compliance violations.

Industry observers point to a fundamental issue within the trucking sector: schools and companies can essentially approve their own operations when applying for certification, with questionable practices potentially going undetected until later Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration audits.

The number of students affected by these school closures remains unclear. However, the industry currently has excess driver capacity due to a 10% decline in shipping volumes since 2022 amid economic uncertainty, though many trucking companies continue struggling to recruit well-qualified drivers with clean driving records.

Beyond threatening to revoke federal funding from states with inadequate commercial driver’s license programs, the Trump Administration has emphasized enforcing English proficiency requirements for truck drivers. California stands as the sole state to lose funding thus far, with $160 million in federal support being withheld.