The Pentagon knew there were survivors after a September attack on an alleged drug boat in the Caribbean Sea and the U.S. military still carried out a follow-up strike, according to two people familiar with the matter.
The rationale for the second strike was that it was needed to sink the vessel, according to the people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they werent authorized to discuss it publicly. The Trump administration says all 11 people aboard were killed.
What remains unclear was who ordered the strikes and whether Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was involved, one of the people said. The details are becoming crucial as lawmakers in Congress have launched investigations and are seeking to determine whether the U.S. acted lawfully during its military operations.
The questions are expected to emerge Thursday during a classified congressional briefing with the commander that the Trump administration says ordered the second strike, Adm. Frank Mitch Bradley.
The additional information comes as Hegseth is under growing scrutiny over the departments strikes on alleged drug traffickers in the Caribbean and Pacific, and in particular the early September follow-on strike that reportedly killed survivors. Some legal experts and lawmakers say that strike would have violated peacetime laws and those governing armed conflict.
Hegseth has defended the second strike as emerging in the fog of war, saying during a Cabinet meeting this week at the White House that he didnt see any survivors but also didnt stick around for the rest of the mission.
The defense secretary has also said that Bradley, as the admiral in charge, made the right call in ordering the second hit, which he had complete authority to do.
The Trump administration has said the U.S. is in armed conflict with drug cartels, even though Congress has not approved any authorization for the use of military force in the region.
WATCH: Senators criticize Hegseth over double boat strike
The information about the follow-on strike was not presented to lawmakers during a classified briefing in September, in the days after the incident. It was disclosed later, one of the people said, and the explanation provided by the department has been broadly unsatisfactory to various members of the national security committees in Congress.
In a rare flex of bipartisan oversight, the Armed Services committees in both the House and Senate swiftly announced investigations into the strikes as lawmakers of both parties raise questions.
Bradley is scheduled to appear Thursday in a classified briefing with the panels' two Republican chairmen and two ranking Democratic members.
Could artificial intelligence predict criminal behavior? A company claims its AI tool can flag signs of criminal activity before it takes place.
Telecom company Securus Technologies says it has built an AI model based on years of text, phone and video calls from prison inmates that can detect signs of imminent criminal activity. The tool has been in early use for the last year.
Speaking to MIT Technology Review, Securus president Kevin Elder said the tool can monitor communications in real time and spot "when crimes are being thought about or contemplated."
The company says models could be built for specific state or county applications, such as one that was trained solely on years of calls from inmates in Texas.
The tool is designed to screen communications for suspicious activity and alert human agents who then look more closely at the content.
Securus says it has helped stop human trafficking, smuggling and gang activity, but it did not give specific examples of how AI may have been used in the process and has not said where its AI tools are deployed now.
While prisoners' calls and other communications are often recorded, rights advocates say inmates have not consented to training AI on the data.
Recent regulation has also shifted some costs of AI development onto inmates. In June of 2025, FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr wrote that the agency was pushing back deadlines that would have set new caps on the rates charged for prison communications and allowing more use of AI tools in the space.
"With todays actions, were helping to ensure that communications are more readily available and that important safety and security protocols are maintained. This includes steps that can lead to broader adoption of beneficial public safety tools that include advanced AI and machine learning," Carr wrote.
Serena Williams threw cold water on the idea that she might be preparing to return to tennis, writing on social media Tuesday that she is NOT coming back, after a spokesman for the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) said the 23-time Grand Slam champion had registered with the sport's drug-testing body.
That is the first step that would be required by a player seeking to come out of retirement.
The 44-year-old Williams, one of the greats of the game, has not competed since bidding farewell at the 2022 U.S. Open. At the time, Williams said she didn't want to use the word retiring and instead declared that she was evolving away from tennis.
It was not clear when or where or even if Williams actually will play again, and she later posted: Omg yall I'm NOT coming back. This wildfire is crazy.
Her agent did not immediately return a request for comment.
In a statement emailed to The Associated Press, U.S. Tennis Association spokesman Brendan McIntyre said: We are aware that Serena has filed the necessary paperwork with the International Tennis Integrity Agency to reenter the International Registered Testing Pool. If Serena decides to return and compete at the professional level, together with her fans, we will enthusiastically welcome the return of one of the greatest champions in the history of our sport.
Williams was one of the biggest stars of any sport, a dominant talent on the court and still someone drawing attention away from it. If she were to end up returning to the tour, it would be a significant storyline, of course.
Her decision to place her name back in the testing pool with the ITIA, which oversees anti-doping and anti-corruption efforts, was first reported by Bounces.
She is on the list and back in the testing pool, ITIA spokesman Adrian Bassett wrote to the AP on Tuesday.
Athletes returning to testing need to provide information on their whereabouts details on their location when they are not at an official event and times when they are available to give samples. Someone who retires while they are on the list and later comes back needs to be available for testing for six months before they are allowed to return to competition.
Williams' older sister, Venus, returned to competition this July at age 45 after nearly 1 1/2 years away from the tour; she never had announced her retirement. At the U.S. Open, Venus became the oldest player to play singles at the American Grand Slam tournament since 1981.
When Venus, a seven-time major singles champion, came back at the DC Open, she spoke about wishing Serena would join her back on tour. They claimed 14 Grand Slam doubles titles as a pair.
I keep saying to my team: The only thing that would make this better is if she was here. Like, we always did everything together, so of course I miss her, Venus said at the time when asked about a video on social media that showed Serena swinging a racket. But if she comes back, Im sure shell let yall know.
A condition called "scromiting" a combination of screaming and vomiting is increasingly sending habitual marijuana users to emergency rooms nationwide.
The medical name for this condition is Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome. Patients, including teenagers, arrive at hospitals with severe stomach pain and uncontrollable vomiting episodes.
In a peculiar attempt at self-treatment, patients often take scalding hot showers to find relief from their symptoms.
Emergency room visits for teens with this condition increased more than 10-fold between 2016 and 2023, highlighting the growing prevalence of Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome.
Experts believe the condition may be connected to today's more potent marijuana products, which contain higher concentrations of active compounds than previous generations of cannabis.
Adding to the mystery, not all heavy marijuana users develop Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome.
Medical experts have not yet determined what factors predispose certain individuals to this condition, while others remain unaffected.
FROM THE ARCHIVES: Taking a dive into America's marijuana landscape on 4/20This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
The Pentagon's watchdog found that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth put U.S. personnel and their mission at risk when he used the Signal messaging app to convey sensitive information about a military strike against Houthi militants in Yemen, two people familiar with the findings said Wednesday.
Hegseth, however, has the ability to declassify material and the report did not find he did so improperly, according to one of the people familiar with the report's findings who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the information. CNN first reported the initial findings.
The review by the Pentagon inspector general's office was delivered to lawmakers, who were able to review the report in a classified facility at the Capitol. A partially redacted version of the report was expected to be released publicly later this week.
The findings ramp up the pressure on the former Fox News Channel host after lawmakers had called for the independent inquiry into his use of the commercially available app. Lawmakers also just opened investigations into a news report that a follow-up strike on an alleged drug-smuggling boat in the Caribbean Ocean in September killed survivors after Hegseth issued a verbal order to "kill everybody."
Hegseth defended the strike as emerging in the "fog of war," saying he didn't see any survivors but also "didn't stick around" for the rest of the mission and that the admiral in charge "made the right call" in ordering the second strike. He also did not admit fault following the revelations that he discussed sensitive military plans on Signal, asserting that the information was unclassified.
In a statement about the report, Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said, "The Inspector General review is a TOTAL exoneration of Secretary Hegseth and proves what we knew all along - no classified information was shared. This matter is resolved, and the case is closed."
WATCH: The Atlantic releases transcripts of Signal chat involving Trump officials discussing attack plans
Journalist was added to a chat where sensitive plans were shared
In at least two separate Signal chats, Hegseth provided the exact timings of warplane launches and when bombs would drop before the men and women carrying out those attacks on behalf of the United States were airborne.
Hegseth's use of the app came to light when a journalist, Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic, was inadvertently added to a Signal text chain by then-national security adviser Mike Waltz. It included Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and others, brought together to discuss March 15 military operations against the Iran-backed Houthis.
Hegseth had created another Signal chat with 13 people that included his wife and brother where he shared similar details of the same strike, The Associated Press reported.
Signal is encrypted but is not authorized for carrying classified information and is not part of the Defense Department's secure communications network.
Hegseth has said none of the information shared in the chats was classified. Multiple current and former military officials told the AP there was no way details with that specificity, especially before a strike took place, would have been OK to share on an unsecured device.
Lawmakers had called for inspector general to investigate
The revelations sparked intense scrutiny, with Democratic lawmakers and a small number of Republicans saying Hegseth posting the information to the Signal chats before the military jets had reached their targets potentially put those pilots' lives at risk. They said lower-ranking members of the military would have been fired for such a lapse.
The inspector general opened its investigation into Hegseth at the request of the Republican chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, and the committee's top Democrat, Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island.
Some veterans and military families also raised concerns, citing the strict security protocols they must follow to protect sensitive information.
It all ties back to the campaign against Yemen's Houthis
The Houthi rebels had started launching missile and drone attacks against commercial and military ships in late 2023 in what their leadership had described as an effort to end Israel's offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Their campaign greatly reduced the flow of trade through the Red Sea corridor, which typically sees $1 trillion of goods move through it annually.
The U.S.-led campaign against the Houthis in 2024 turned into the most intense running sea battle the Navy had faced since World War II.
A ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war had begun in January before falling apart in March. The U.S. then launched a broad assault against the Houthis that ended weeks later when Trump said they pledged to stop attacking ships. The latest Gaza ceasefire began in October.
Following the disclosure of Hegseth's Signal chat that included the Atlantic's editor, the magazine released the entire thread in late March. Hegseth had posted multiple details about an impending strike, using military language and laying out when a "strike window" starts, where a "target terrorist" was located, the time elements around the attack and when various weapons and aircraft would be used in the strike. He mentioned that the U.S. was "currently clean" on operational security.
Hegseth told Fox News Channel in April that what he shared over Signal was "informal, unclassified coordinations, for media coordinations and other things."
During a congressional hearing in June, Hegseth was pressed multiple times by lawmakers over whether he shared classified information and if he should face accountability if he did.
Rep. Seth Moulton, a Massachusetts Democrat and Marine veteran, asked Hegseth whether he would hold himself accountable if the inspector general found that he placed classified information on Signal.
Hegseth would not directly say, only noting that he serves "at the pleasure of the president."
University officials told staff at "Nineteen Fifty-Six" and "Alice" magazines they could no longer operate under their current format. The decision follows a July memo from Attorney General Pam Bondi warning against unlawful DEI practices.
Vice President Steven Hood said the magazines were based on demographics and couldn't be supported by the public university.
Editors of both publications argued their magazines were open to all students, not just their target audiences.
The university says it will create a new campus lifestyle magazine that caters to all student identities as a replacement.
Alabama previously shuttered its diversity division after state lawmakers banned DEI programs at public institutions.
WATCH: Federal judge blocks Department of Education's guidance on DEIThis story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
House Democrats investigating convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epsteins crimes have released new, never-before-seen video and images from his private island in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The photos show the exterior of Epsteins compound, surrounding views, and several rooms inside the residence.
These new images are a disturbing look into the world of Jeffrey Epstein and his island," said Ranking Member Robert Garcia.
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In addition to interior photos, the committee also released an image of a phone that appeared to list several names.
The House Oversight Committee has been examining Epstein and his alleged crimes for months. In November, the panel released emails purportedly written by Epstein, including a 2011 message to Ghislaine Maxwell in which Epstein claimed Donald Trump spent hours at my house, adding that Trump was the dog that hasnt barked.
The Oversight Committees investigation is separate from the long-awaited release of Justice Department files on Epstein. Congress passed a law in November requiring the DOJ to disclose the records.
However, the legislation allows the department to redact certain information. Officials are expected to withhold details that could identify victims, material related to child sexual abuse, graphic descriptions, and information that could threaten national security, foreign policy, or ongoing investigations.
View more of the images here:
As part of our continued release of files and documents from the U.S. Virgin Islands, we have added an additional 150+ photos and videos sent to our committee from Epstein Island. https://t.co/GZ7MmynUG5
President Donald Trump has issued a "full and unconditional pardon" to Rep. Henry Cuellar, a Texas Democrat, and his wife, Imelda, wiping out federal bribery and conspiracy charges against them.
Trump announced the decision on Wednesday, claiming the couple had been unfairly targeted by the Biden administration for Cuellars criticism of border policies.
"Sleepy Joe went after the Congressman, and even the Congressmans wonderful wife, Imelda, simply for speaking the TRUTH," Trump stated on Truth Social. "It is unAmerican and, as I previously stated, the Radical Left Democrats are a complete and total threat to Democracy! They will attack, rob, lie, cheat, destroy, and decimate anyone who dares to oppose their Far Left Agenda."
PAST COVERAGE
Federal authorities charged Cuellar and his wife in 2024, alleging they accepted money in exchange for advancing the interests of an energy company controlled by the government of Azerbaijan and a Mexican bank.
Cuellar, who represents Texas 28th Congressional District, has denied the allegations. The Associated Press reports that three others have already pleaded guilty in connection with the case, including a former Cuellar aide, a business consultant, and a director of an energy company linked to Azerbaijan.
Spotify Wrapped is here, the yearly reminder of what we streamed nonstop and what everyone else did, too.
What is Spotify Wrapped?
Since 2016, Spotify Wrapped has been giving users an annual listening report to commemorate the top songs, artists, podcasts and more that they listened to over the course of that year.
And while it's fun to find out what you were listening to over the past year, it can be even more interesting to see what everyone else was loving too. That's why many users share their Spotify Wrapped report on social media to compare listening habits with friends and family.
Where can I find my Spotify Wrapped?
Your personal look at what you streamed during 2025 should appear at the top of the home screen of your Spotify app. But the company reminded users to make sure their app is up-to-date, or it may not pop up.
Bad Bunny Taylor Swift The Weeknd Drake Billie Eilish
Most-streamed songs of 2025 (Global)
Die With A Smile by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars BIRDS OF A FEATHER by Billie Eilish APT. by ROS and Bruno Mars Ordinary by Alex Warren DtMF by Bad Bunny
Most-streamed albums of 2025 (Global)
DeB TiRAR MS FOToS by Bad Bunny KPop Demon Hunters (Soundtrack from the Netflix Film) by KPop Demon Hunters Cast, HUNTR/X, Saja Boys HIT ME HARD AND SOFT by Billie Eilish SOS Deluxe: LANA by SZA Short n Sweet by Sabrina Carpenter
Top podcasts (Global)
The Joe Rogan Experience The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett The Mel Robbins Podcast Call Her Daddy This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von
To see all of Spotify's top streaming lists of 2025, click here.
A raccoon was found passed out in the bathroom of a Virginia ABC Store after breaking in and ransacking shelves, according to Hanover County Animal Protection and Shelter.
Hanover Animal Protection Officer Martin responded to the call and found the raccoon asleep in the bathroom of the store located in Ashland.
Photos shared on social media show multiple broken bottles, alcohol all over the floor of the store and the raccoon sleeping near the toilet.
"Officer Martin safely secured our masked bandit and transported him back to the shelter to sober up before questioning," Hanover Animal Protection said.
The raccoon was released safely back into the wild after a few hours of sleep and showing no signs of injury.
"A big shout-out to Officer Martin for handling this chaotic scene with professionalism and good humor. Just another day in the life at Hanover Animal Protection!"
A spokesperson for the Virginia ABC said the raccoon damaged 14 bottles of spirits worth about $250. No other damage was found, and the store opened after the cleanup.
The Trump administration is pausing immigration applications from individuals in 19 countries, according to a policy memo from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Somalia, Venezuela and Cuba, have been under U.S. travel restrictions since a presidential proclamation in June.
The memo also halts all asylum applications, regardless of nationality, pending a comprehensive review. The move comes days after a National Guard member was killed and another critically wounded in a shooting in Washington, D.C.
On Tuesday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem called for a full travel ban on certain countries after meeting with President Donald Trump.
Noem posted on social media that the United States was not founded for foreign invaders to slaughter our heroes.
She did not specify which countries the ban would apply to.
"I am recommending a full travel ban on every damn country that's been flooding our nation with killers, leeches, and entitlement junkies," she wrote. "Our forefathers built this nation on blood, sweat, and the unyielding love of freedomnot for foreign invaders to slaughter our heroes, suck dry our hard-earned tax dollars, or snatch the benefits owed to AMERICANS. WE DON'T WANT THEM. NOT ONE."
Luigi Mangione watched stoically in court Monday as prosecutors played surveillance videos showing the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson on a New York City sidewalk last year and Mangiones arrest five days later at a McDonald's in Pennsylvania.
The videos, including footage from the restaurant previously unseen by the press or the public, kicked off a hearing on Mangiones fight to bar evidence from his state murder trial, including the gun prosecutors say matches the one used in the Dec. 4, 2024, attack. Thompson was killed as he walked to a Manhattan hotel for his companys annual investor conference.
Mangione, 27, pressed a finger to his lips and a thumb to his chin as he watched footage of two police officers approaching him as he ate breakfast at the McDonalds in Altoona, Pennsylvania, about 230 miles west of Manhattan.
He gripped a pen in his right hand, making a fist at times, as prosecutors played a 911 call from a McDonald's manager relaying concerns from customers that Mangione looked like the suspect in Thompsons killing. The manager said she searched online for photos of the suspect and that as Mangione sat in the restaurant, she could only see his eyebrows because he was wearing a beanie and a medical face mask.
Before he was flown to New York City to face murder charges, Mangione was held under constant watch in an otherwise empty special housing unit at a Pennsylvania state prison.
A correctional officer testified that the prison wanted to keep Mangione away from other inmates and staff who might leak information about him to the media. The officer testified that the facilitys superintendent told him that the prison "did not want an Epstein-style situation, referring to Jeffrey Epsteins suicide at a Manhattan federal jail in 2019.
WATCH | Luigi Mangione reportedly suffered from back pain. What was the condition, and how is it treated?
Among the evidence Mangione's defense team wants excluded are the 9 mm handgun and a notebook in which prosecutors say he described his intent to wack a health insurance executive. Both were found in a backpack Mangione had with him when arrested.
Mangione, the Ivy League-educated scion of a wealthy Maryland family, has pleaded not guilty to state and federal murder charges. The state charges carry the possibility of life in prison, while federal prosecutors are seeking the death penalty. Neither trial has been scheduled. The next hearing in the federal case is scheduled for Jan. 9.
Defense wants to bar the gun and notebook from his trial
After getting state terrorism charges thrown out in September, Mangiones lawyers are zeroing in on what they say was unconstitutional police conduct that threatens his right to a fair trial.
They contend that the Manhattan district attorney's office should be prevented from showing the gun, notebook and other items to jurors because police didn't have a search warrant.
They also want to suppress some of Mangione's statements to police, such as when he allegedly said his name was Mark Rosario, because officers started asking questions before telling him he had a right to remain silent. Prosecutors say Mangione gave the same name while checking into a Manhattan hostel days before the killing.
The defense is also seeking to preclude statements Mangione made to law enforcement from the day of his arrest until he was moved to New York on Dec. 19. The correctional officer, Tomas Rivers, testified that Mangione talked to him about his travels to Asia, including witnessing a gang fight in Thailand, and discussed differences between private and nationalized health care.
At one point, Rivers said, Mangione asked him whether the news media was focused on him as a person or the crime that was committed. He also said Mangione told him he wanted to make a public statement.
Another correctional officer, Matthew Henry, said Mangione blurted out to him that at the time of his arrest, he had a backpack with foreign currency and a 3D-printed pistol. Mangione's lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, was incredulous at Henry's testimony that Mangione might have shared that information, unprompted.
Surveillance video showed a masked gunman shooting Thompson from behind.
Prosecutors say delay, deny and depose were written on the ammunition, mimicking a phrase used to describe how insurers avoid paying claims.
WATCH | How Luigi Mangione went from Ivy League engineer to alleged UnitedHealthcare CEO assassin
Eliminating the gun and notebook would be critical wins for Mangiones defense and major setbacks for prosecutors, depriving them a possible murder weapon and evidence they say points to motive. Prosecutors have quoted extensively from Mangiones writings in court filings, including his alleged praise for the late Unabomber" Theodore Kaczynski.
Among other things, prosecutors say, Mangione mused about rebelling against the deadly, greed fueled health insurance cartel and wrote that killing an industry executive conveys a greedy bastard that had it coming.
An officer searching the backpack found with Mangione was heard in body camera footage saying she was checking to make sure there wasnt a bomb in the bag. His lawyers argue that was an excuse designed to cover up an illegal warrantless search of the backpack.
Laws concerning how police interact with potential suspects before reading them their rights or obtaining search warrants are complex and often disputed in criminal cases.
Federal prosecutors, fighting a similar defense effort in that case, have said in court filings that police were justified in searching the backpack to make sure there were no dangerous items, and that his statements to officers were voluntary and were made before he was under arrest.
Pivotal pretrial hearing could last more than a week
Court officials say the hearing could last more than a week, meaning it would extend through Thursdays anniversary of the killing. Defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo told a judge in an unrelated matter last week that Manhattan prosecutors had indicated they could call more than two dozen witnesses.
Mangione was allowed to wear normal clothing to court instead of a jail uniform. He entered the courtroom Monday in a gray suit and a button-down shirt with a checkered or tattersall pattern. Court officers removed his handcuffs to allow him to take notes.
NYPD Sgt. Chris McLaughlin testified about efforts to disseminate surveillance images of the suspect to news outlets and on social media in the hours and days after the shooting.
To illustrate the breadth of news coverage during the five-day search for the shooter, prosecutors played a surveillance video of the shooting, footage of police divers searching a pond in Central Park and Fox News clips that included images of the suspected shooter distributed by police.
A few dozen Mangione supporters watched the hearing from the back of the courtroom. One wore a green T-shirt that said: Without a warrant, its not a search, its a violation. Another woman held a doll of the Luigi video game character and had a smaller figurine of him clipped to her purse.
The Afghan man accused of shooting two National Guard members blocks from the White House had been unraveling for years, unable to hold a job and flipping between long, lightless stretches of isolation and taking sudden weekslong cross-country drives. Rahmanullah Lakanwal's behavior deteriorated so sharply that a community advocate reached out to a refugee organization for help, fearing he was becoming suicidal.
Emails obtained by The Associated Press reveal mounting warnings about the asylum-seeker whose erratic conduct raised alarms long before the attack that jolted the nation's capital on Wednesday, the eve of Thanksgiving. The previously unreported concerns offer the clearest picture yet of how he was struggling in his new life in the United States.
Even so, when the community member who works with Afghan families in Washington state saw on the news that Lakanwal was named as the suspect in the attack, they said they were stunned, unable to square the violence with the memory of seeing Lakanwal play with his young sons. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity to share undisclosed details while cooperating with the FBI in its investigation.
West Virginia National Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, was killed in the shooting, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, was critically wounded. Lakanwal, 29, has been charged with first-degree murder.
In Afghanistan, Lakanwal worked in a special Afghan Army unit known as a Zero Unit. The units were backed by the CIA. He entered the United States in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, a program that evacuated and resettled tens of thousands of Afghans after the American withdrawal. Many had worked alongside U.S. troops and diplomats.
As investigators work to determine a motive, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Sunday on NBC's Meet the Press that officials believe he was radicalized since hes been here in this country. We do believe it was through connections in his home community and state and were going to continue to talk to those who interacted with him, who were his family members. She offered no additional information to support her statement.
Lakanwal resettled with his wife and their five sons, all under the age of 12, in Bellingham, Washington, but struggled, according to the community member, who shared emails that had been sent to the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, a nonprofit group that provides services to refugees.
"Rahmanullah has not been functional as a person, father and provider since March of last year, 03/2023. He quit his job that month, and his behavior has changed greatly, the person wrote in a January 2024 email.
The emails described a man who was struggling to assimilate, unable to hold a steady job or commit to his English courses while he alternated between periods of dark isolation and reckless travel." Sometimes, he spent weeks in his darkened room, not speaking to anyone, not even his wife or older kids. At one point in 2023, the family faced eviction after months of not paying rent.
The community member, in an interview, spoke of becoming worried that Lakanwal was so depressed that he would end up harming himself. But the community member did not see any indication that Lakanwal would commit violence against another person.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | 2 National Guardsmen shot in Washington, DC, DHS confirms
Lakanwals family members often resorted to sending his toddler sons into his room to bring him the phone or messages because he would not respond to anyone else, one email stated. A couple of times, when his wife left him with the kids for a week to travel to visit relatives, the children would not be bathed, their clothes would not be changed, and they would not eat well. Their school raised concerns about the situation.
But then, there were interim weeks where Lakanwal would try to make amends and do the right things, according to the email, reengaging with the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services as was mandated by the terms of his entry into the U.S.
But that has quickly evolved into manic episodes for one or two weeks at a time, where he will take off in the family car, and drive nonstop," the email outlined. Once, he went to Chicago, and another time, to Arizona.
Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney in the District of Columbia, said this past week that Lakanwal drove across the country from Bellingham, which is about 80 miles (130 kilometers) north of Seattle, to the nation's capital.
In response to the two emails, the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants or USCRI, visited Bellingham a few weeks later in March 2024 and attempted to make contact with Lakanwal and his family, according to the community member, who, after not receiving any updates, was left with the impression that Lakanwal refused their assistance.
A request for comment and clarification from USCRI was not immediately returned.
"President Trump's cardiovascular imaging is perfectly normal," Dr. Sean Barbabella said. "There is no evidence of arterial narrowing impairing blood flow or abnormalities in the heart or major vessels. The heart chambers are normal in size, the vessel walls appear smooth and healthy. There are no signs of inflammation, or clotting."
Barbabella also said the presidents abdominal imaging is perfectly normal.
Trump promised to release the results of his MRI when questioned by reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday. However, he said he had no idea what part of the body was imaged, noting it wasnt his brain.
"It wasnt the brain because I took a cognitive test and I aced it," he said.
Melania Trump on Monday unveiled the White House holiday decorations and her theme is "Home Is Where the Heart Is," her first since she resumed the role of first lady.
Her decor also nods to next year's 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and the founding of the United States of America.
In a change this year because the East Wing was torn down, the official White House Christmas tree, which is always on display in the Blue Room, also honors Gold Star families, those who lost a member during active-duty military service.
That tree typically was in the East Wing and was the first one visitors saw after they entered through those doors, but the building and a covered walkway, or colonnade, connecting it to the White House, were demolished by President Donald Trump in October as part of his plan to erect a large ballroom.
The East Room is decorated in patriotic red, white and blue and national symbols, including golden eagle tree toppers, to highlight the coming America250 national celebration. Trees are also adorned with stars, roses and oak leaves.
A statement issued by the White House said Christmas is a time to celebrate what makes the U.S. exceptional and that, while every home has its own traditions, shared values unite Americans.
"In every community, we are lifted by simple acts of kindness that reflect the enduring American spirit of generosity, patriotism, and gratitude," the statement said. "These moments remind us that the heart of America is strong and that Home Is Where The Heart Is."
The first lady selected every detail of the decor, the White House said. Planning for the holidays starts months in advance.
Public tours of the White House were suspended a few months ago because of the ballroom construction, but they are set to resume Tuesday with an updated route limited to the State Floor, the first lady's office announced in October. The State Floor includes the East Room; the Green, Blue and Red Rooms; the State Dining Room; the Cross Hall; and the Grand Foyer.
Tens of thousands of visitors are expected for holiday tours, receptions and parties this month. Visitors will now enter the White House through the North Portico doors on Pennsylvania Avenue, using a new, semi-permanent walkway and entrance.
The Library and the Vermeil and China Rooms on the Ground Floor were cut from the updated tour route because of the construction.
A small army of volunteer decorators and others helped deck the halls of the Executive Mansion using 75 wreaths, 51 Christmas trees, more than 700 feet of garland, more than 2,000 strands of lights, over 25,000 feet of ribbon, over 2,800 gold stars, more than 10,000 butterflies and 120 pounds of gingerbread.
Most of the work was done after the Trumps decamped to their home in Palm Beach, Florida, on Nov. 25 for the Thanksgiving holiday. They returned to the White House on Sunday.
The official White House Christmas tree in the Blue Room is decorated with gold stars honoring families that have endured the ultimate sacrifice due to military service. The official tree traditionally recognizes each state and territory and this year's tree is decorated with ornaments showcasing the official bird and flower of each.
The Green Room celebrates family fun, featuring portraits of the first and the current presidents, George Washington and Donald Trump, respectively, each made using more than 6,000 Lego puzzle pieces.
Thousands of butterflies decorate the Red Room and its tree in a celebration of young people and tribute to Melania Trump's Fostering the Future initiative , which is part of her Be Best child-focused initiative, to support people who have been in foster care.
The gingerbread White House on display in the State Dining Room shows off the mansion's South Portico and provides a glimpse into the Yellow Oval Room in the private living quarters on the second floor as it is currently decorated.
The first lady's signature Christmas wreaths with red bows adorn the exterior windows of the White House.
During the first Trump administration, Melania Trump was secretly recorded in 2018 as she complained, among other things, about performing traditional first lady duties, such as preparing for Christmas. The tapes were made by Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, a former friend and senior adviser to the first lady, who wrote a book about their relationship and shared the tapes with CNN, which broadcast them.
The Transportation Security Administration will charge passengers $45 for traveling without a Real ID or passport starting Feb. 1, marking a significant increase from the initially announced $18 fee.
The agency has said the fee would help cover costs associated with enhanced screenings, including software and staffing. It would also fund technology used to verify passengers biographic and biometric information.
"This fee ensures the cost to cover verification of an insufficient ID will come from the traveler, not the taxpayer," said Adam Stahl, senior official performing the duties of deputy administrator for the agency. "The security of the traveling public is our top priority, so we urge all travelers to get a REAL ID or other acceptable form of ID as soon as possible to avoid delays and potentially miss flights
Officials said flyers can pay the fee online before arriving at security checkpoints and will receive an email confirmation to present to TSA officers. Passengers who don't pay in advance will be removed from the security line to complete a verification process that could take up to 30 minutes.
According to the TSA, more than 94% of passengers use their REAL ID or other acceptable forms of identification.
Real ID requirements have been in effect since May, requiring travelers to present either a Real ID-compliant driver's license, enhanced driver's license, or acceptable alternative such as a passport for domestic flights.
The WNBA and players union agreed to an extension of the current collective bargaining agreement to Jan. 9 just before their current deadline ran out Sunday night.
Just like the previous extension, both sides have the option to terminate the extension with 48 hours advanced notice.
The two sides had announced a 30-day extension to the original Oct. 31 deadline. That extension was set to expire Sunday night just before midnight. They met over the holiday weekend hoping to come an agreement.
The union proposed the six-week extension after the league had proposed a shorter one.
We expect substantive movement from the league within this window, the union said in a statement.
With nothing urgent on the immediate horizon except for the expansion draft for Portland and Toronto, it would be unlikely that either side would exercise the option to terminate the extension.
Last seasons expansion draft for Golden State was held in December.
Free agency would be the next big thing for both sides to deal. That usually is done in late January. This is an unprecedented offseason with all but two of the leagues veterans free agents. Players signed one-year deals last season knowing there would be huge salary bumps when a new CBA is agreed upon.
The two sides have been sending updated proposals back and forth and met frequently, including Sunday. Salaries and revenue sharing are the two biggest sticking points between the sides. Earlier this month, the league put forth a proposal that would include revenue sharing and have a maximum salary of $1.1 million available to more than one player per team growing each year.
Other things the players are pushing for include expanding retirement benefits, codifying the league's charter flight travel and having a minimum standard for team facilities.
When the previous CBA deal expired in 2019, both sides agreed upon a 60-day extension and a new one was eventually ratified in January 2020.
Children who receive smartphones before age 12 face increased risks of depression, obesity and poor sleep, according to a new study published Monday in the journal Pediatrics.
Researchers analyzed data from more than 10,500 children in the largest long-term study of brain development in the United States. The findings show a clear pattern: the younger children were when they received their first phone, the greater their health risks became.
The study examined 12-year-olds and found that those who got smartphones at a younger age were more likely to experience multiple health complications. The median age for receiving a first smartphone among study participants was 11 years old.
The study's lead author emphasized that parents should consider giving a child a smartphone as something significant for their health, not just a convenience or communication tool.
The research adds to growing concerns among health experts about early smartphone exposure. Many specialists now recommend parents delay giving children phones until they reach older ages.
The connection between early smartphone use and health problems highlights the need for parents to carefully weigh the timing of introducing these devices to their children's lives.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Oxford just dropped its Word of the Year for 2025, and its guaranteed to rile up anyone who insists a word must be, well, one word.
Rage bait took the top spot, beating out aura farming and biohack.
What does Rage bait mean?
The Oxford Dictionary defines rage bait as online content deliberately designed to elicit anger or outrage by being frustrating, provocative, or offensive, typically posted in order to increase traffic to or engagement with a particular web page or social media content.
Is rage bait one or two words?
Rage bait is technically two words, but Oxford says its Word of the Year can be a single word or an expression.
The fact that the word rage bait exists and has seen such a dramatic surge in usage means were increasingly aware of the manipulation tactics we can be drawn into online," said Casper Grathwohl, President of Oxford Languages. "Before, the internet was focused on grabbing our attention by sparking curiosity in exchange for clicks, but now weve seen a dramatic shift to it hijacking and influencing our emotions, and how we respond."
Another word (or number) of the year
Rage bait isnt the only unconventional choice earning year-end recognition. Dictionary.com selected 67 as its word of the year.
67, pronounced six-seven, is described as a meme, slang or an inside joke that can be used in multiple contexts and does not have a precise definition.
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