New York State Attorney General Letitia James pleaded not guilty to bank fraud and false statements charges, which followed public calls for her prosecution from Donald Trump. The indictment alleges James falsely claimed she would use a Virginia home as a secondary residence to obtain favorable loan terms, while actually using it as an investment property. However, the charges were filed by Trump-appointed U.S. attorney Lindsey Halligan over the objections of career prosecutors, who cited insufficient evidence and a lack of material profit by James. James is expected to move to dismiss the indictment, alleging Halligan’s improper appointment and asserting the case should be thrown out as a result.
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A staff member at Meadowridge Academy in Massachusetts, Amy Morrell, tragically died after allegedly being kicked in the chest by a 14-year-old student while attempting to prevent the student from leaving the dormitory. Morrell, 53, collapsed and later died at a hospital despite receiving CPR. The incident has raised questions about the student’s placement within the school and the potential for violence. The 14-year-old student is facing charges of assault and battery causing serious injury.
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A Baltimore County high school student was wrongly accused of carrying a firearm after an AI-powered gun detection system misidentified a bag of Doritos as a weapon. Police were alerted and responded to the scene, detaining and searching the student, ultimately finding no weapon. The incident highlights the potential for error in AI-driven security systems, prompting concern and calls for support for the students involved. School officials have since issued a statement acknowledging the upset caused and offering counseling services.
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Following the assassination of right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk, a pro-MAGA website, “Expose Charlie’s Murderers,” launched, promising a database to expose Kirk’s critics. The site amassed over $30,000 in cryptocurrency across six wallets before disappearing and resurfacing briefly as “Charlie Kirk Data Foundation.” While boasting thousands of submissions, only a few dozen entries were published, and targets subsequently reported receiving threats and workplace complaints. Ultimately, the project was shut down, leaving donors furious and officials cautioning against vigilante actions while the investigation into Kirk’s death is ongoing.
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An Alabama man, Anthony Boyd, was executed by nitrogen gas on Thursday for his role in the 1993 murder of Gregory Huguley. Boyd, who maintained his innocence, was convicted of setting Huguley on fire over a $200 drug debt. The execution process appeared to take longer than previous nitrogen gas executions, drawing criticism from Boyd’s spiritual advisor and sparking conflicting accounts from officials. The U.S. Supreme Court denied a stay of execution and a request for an alternative method, though Justice Sotomayor dissented, citing concerns about the method’s constitutionality.
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A Washington D.C. resident is suing local police officers, a member of the Ohio National Guard, and the District of Columbia after being detained while protesting the Trump administration’s deployment of National Guard troops. The plaintiff, Sam O’Hara, was playing Darth Vader’s theme song from Star Wars while following a National Guard patrol, actions he shared on TikTok. The lawsuit alleges that his First and Fourth Amendment rights were violated and that the arrest constituted false arrest, imprisonment, and battery. O’Hara seeks compensatory damages, claiming the actions of the military and law enforcement were unconstitutional.
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Iceland has confirmed the presence of mosquitoes for the first time in its history. The Natural Science Institute of Iceland identified three Culiseta annulata mosquitoes, likely transported by freight. This discovery is attributed to a warming climate and increased international travel, which have also led to the appearance of other new insect species. Although these mosquitoes bite, they are not known to carry infections in the areas where they are commonly found.
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According to authorities, Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat player Terry Rozier were arrested Thursday along with over 30 others in connection to two criminal cases. These cases allege schemes to generate millions of dollars through rigged sports bets and poker games involving Mafia families. Billups was charged with conspiring to fix high-stakes card games, while Rozier was accused of a separate scheme using confidential information to create fraudulent bets. Former NBA assistant coach Damon Jones was also arrested and is charged with participating in both schemes.
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Following the theft of the French crown jewels from the Louvre, a museum dedicated to Denis Diderot in Langres, France, was also targeted. Approximately 2,000 gold and silver coins, valued at around €90,000, were stolen from a display case at the Maison des Lumières. These coins, dating from 1790 to 1840, belonged to the city’s private collection and were discovered in 2011. This incident adds to a series of recent museum heists across France, including the theft of gold nuggets from the Natural History Museum and porcelain from the national porcelain museum.
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Federal authorities announced charges against Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups, Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier, and dozens of others Thursday as part of a wide-ranging investigation into illegal sports gambling and poker rigging schemes allegedly backed by the Mafia. The investigation, dubbed “Operation Nothing But Bet” and “Operation Royal Flush,” revealed that Rozier was involved in an insider sports betting scheme, while Billups was implicated in a plot to rig underground poker games. The schemes involved the use of high-tech cheating gadgets and the exploitation of confidential information to allegedly defraud participants. The NBA has placed Rozier and Billups on immediate leave as they address these allegations.
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John Q. Hosedrinker