The Southern Poverty Law Center has been indicted on federal fraud charges, accused of defrauding donors by using millions of dollars to secretly pay leaders of hate groups, including the Ku Klux Klan, for inside information. Prosecutors allege the SPLC funded the very extremism it claimed to fight, using funds from a disbanded informant program to pay individuals for intelligence on white supremacist activities. The indictment claims the SPLC made false statements to banks and created fictitious entities to conceal the true purpose of these payments, failing to disclose the informant program’s details to donors. The organization denies the allegations, stating its informant program saved lives and that it will vigorously defend itself.
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New York is suing Coinbase and Gemini, accusing their prediction market platforms of being illegal gambling operations. Attorney General Letitia James’ lawsuit seeks to halt their operations in the state unless they obtain licenses from the Gaming Commission. The suit contends these unregulated platforms expose young people to addictive services without proper safeguards, unlike licensed casinos and sportsbooks which are heavily taxed by the state. This action follows similar arguments from other prediction market companies claiming federal preemption over state regulation.
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Florida’s Attorney General has initiated a criminal investigation into OpenAI, issuing subpoenas for information regarding the company’s handling of user threats of harm. This action stems from the FSU mass shooting, where the alleged gunman communicated with ChatGPT and received advice on firearms. The investigation will explore whether OpenAI or its employees bear accountability for the AI’s responses, which are alleged to have provided significant assistance to the shooter. OpenAI maintains that ChatGPT provided factual responses and did not encourage illegal activity.
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During her tenure at Thomson Reuters, Billie Little became concerned that the company’s investigative tools were being misused by ICE, potentially violating constitutional rights. Alongside colleagues, she voiced these concerns to management, requesting greater transparency regarding ICE contracts. Shortly after these efforts were publicly reported, Little was terminated from her position, prompting her to file a lawsuit alleging wrongful dismissal as a whistleblower. Shareholder groups have also pressured the company for independent evaluations of its human rights impact related to these contracts.
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Three individuals, identified as 46-year-old Lisa Ferguson, 17-year-old Keziah Luker, and 12-year-old Thomas Cordell, were discovered deceased in their Wilmer, Alabama residence. An 18-month-old child was found unharmed at the scene. Authorities reported that all three victims had their hands bound and suffered distinct fatal injuries, suggesting the home was searched by someone looking for something.
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As announced by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the US armed services will no longer require an annual flu vaccination for its members. This policy change, affecting active duty, reserve, and civilian personnel, rescinds a mandate that had been in place for over 80 years. Hegseth stated the previous requirement was “overly broad” and that service members are now free to choose whether to receive the flu vaccine based on their personal beliefs. This decision follows the Pentagon’s earlier rescission of the Covid-19 vaccine mandate.
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In El Salvador, nearly 490 alleged members of the MS-13 gang are currently facing collective trials as part of President Nayib Bukele’s extensive anti-gang crackdown. These trials encompass charges for a staggering 47,000 crimes, including thousands of homicides committed over a decade. The proceedings are notable for involving national and street-level leadership, as well as founders of the gang, and aim to address decades of alleged terror and crime inflicted upon the population. This initiative, while credited with drastically reducing crime rates, has drawn criticism from human rights groups concerned about due process and potential wrongful convictions.
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Palantir published a manifesto on X advocating for American global dominance and suggesting cultural hierarchies, which MPs have decried as a “parody of a RoboCop film” and “supervillain ramblings.” The statement called for the reinstatement of a US military draft and predicted an AI-driven future where autonomous weapons will be a reality, emphasizing that adversaries will not hesitate in their development. This pronouncement, appearing to echo CEO Alex Karp’s previous writings, has intensified scrutiny of the UK’s substantial contracts with Palantir, totaling over £500 million, including a significant deal with the NHS. Critics argue that Palantir’s apparent ideological motivations and vision for state surveillance make it unsuitable for handling sensitive UK public data.
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The crew of the Don Maca fishing vessel described a harrowing ordeal wherein their boat was attacked by drones and subsequently boarded by soldiers from a US-flagged patrol vessel. Following the drone strikes, which injured several crew members and destroyed the boat, the fishermen claim they were detained at gunpoint, their possessions confiscated, and their vessel set ablaze before being transferred to another patrol boat and eventually handed over to Salvadorian authorities. This account raises serious questions regarding the legality of US military operations against alleged drug-trafficking vessels, with no evidence provided to support the claim that the fishing boat was involved in illegal activities. The incident highlights the potential for extrajudicial killings and violations of international law in the ongoing US campaign.
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Connie Palacioz, a World War II-era “Rosie the Riveter” who riveted B-29 Superfortress bombers in Wichita and later dedicated 26 years to volunteering with the restored B-29 DOC aircraft, has passed away at the age of 101. Palacioz began her impactful work at The Boeing Co. in Wichita at 17, contributing to the war effort by working on the B-29 production line from 1943 to 1945. Upon the return of B-29 DOC for restoration in 2000, she became a fervent advocate for the aircraft and the mission of Doc’s Friends, Inc., enthusiastically sharing her own experiences and those of other wartime production workers. Her humble dedication and trailblazing spirit, including her support for civil rights by working alongside a minority coworker, made her a national hero and an inspiration to many.
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John Q. Hosedrinker
Whistleblower Fired After Raising ICE Contract Concerns
During her tenure at Thomson Reuters, Billie Little became concerned that the company’s investigative tools were being misused by ICE, potentially violating constitutional rights. Alongside colleagues, she voiced these concerns to management, requesting greater transparency regarding ICE contracts. Shortly after these efforts were publicly reported, Little was terminated from her position, prompting her to file a lawsuit alleging wrongful dismissal as a whistleblower. Shareholder groups have also pressured the company for independent evaluations of its human rights impact related to these contracts.
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