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Emily Michot/Miami Herald/TNS

Epstein Island's billionaire owner is battling zealous voyeurs

Current News / News & Features /

The latest reports from “Little St. Jeff’s,” the notorious Caribbean hideaway of Jeffrey Epstein, are startling.

One recent visitor was allegedly hog-tied naked. Would-be interlopers on jet skis have been chased away. Another, apparently, was bound with duct tape and assaulted in the presence of police officers.

Epstein has been dead for...Read more

Pedro Portal/El Nuevo Herald/TNS

Miami influencer Alex Otaola faces defamation lawsuit involving minor accuser

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MIAMI — A lawsuit filed in Miami-Dade court accuses Cuban American influencer and former Miami-Dade Republican mayoral candidate Alexander Otaola of helping publicly expose and defame a minor who had accused one of Otaola’s political allies of unlawful sexual conduct.

The 35-page complaint, filed by Ronaldo Mosqueda Toledo, claims Otaola ...Read more

Amanda McCoy/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/TNS

Feds digging at Texas home of missing 6-year-old Noel Rodriguez-Alvarez

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FORT WORTH, Texas — Federal agents on Tuesday were searching the former Everman home of Cindy Rodriguez-Singh, the mother of missing 6-year-old Noel Rodriguez-Alvarez.

FBI agents were seen using excavators to dig up the yard of the property in the 3700 block of Wisteria Drive, and they had multiple canopies set up, according to helicopter ...Read more

Pedro Portal/El Nuevo Herald/TNS

Built for MAGA appeal, Alligator Alcatraz leaves Gov. Ron DeSantis with big political bill

Current News / News & Features /

Gov. Ron DeSantis rolled out the state-run immigrant detention center dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz” last July with all the spectacle of a presidential campaign stop.

But less than a year after its launch, the controversial detention center is winding down operations. State officials have notified private contractors that the facility will ...Read more

Stephen M. Katz/The Virginian-Pilot/TNS

Virginia Gov. Spanberger will veto collective bargaining bill, state senator says

Current News / News & Features /

NORFOLK, Va. — Gov. Abigail Spanberger intends to veto legislation that would allow public sector employees to collectively bargain. That’s according to state Sen. Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, who sponsored the bill in the state Senate.

Virginia has had a long-standing ban on allowing public employees to organize and collectively negotiate ...Read more

The Detroit News/The Detroit News/TNS

Planned Parenthood asks Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for $5 million to bridge funding gap

Current News / News & Features /

LANSING, Mich. — Planned Parenthood of Michigan is asking Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to use her executive authority to provide a one-time $5 million allocation to its health centers amid a federal funding crunch.

Because of an influx of changes to Medicaid and Title X dollars, the abortion provider is "facing a critical funding gap that...Read more

JOHAN ORDONEZ/AFP/Getty Images North America/TNS

Bahamas voters return Davis to power in historic win, reject NBA star Rick Fox

Current News / News & Features /

Voters in The Bahamas have handed Prime Minister Philip Davis and his Progressive Liberal Party a historic second consecutive five-year term in office, while delivering crushing defeats to the country’s national security minister, a former prime minister running as an independent and a one-time NBA champion.

Unofficial results from Tuesday’...Read more

U.S. District Court/TNS/TNS

Neo-Nazi leader gets 15 years for NYC plot to poison minority and Jewish children

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NEW YORK — A neo-Nazi leader who went by the nickname “Commander Butcher” and inspired a school shooting with his “Haters Handbook” manifesto got 15 years in prison Wednesday for a sick plan to poison minority and Jewish children in New York City.

Michail Chkhikvishvili, 22, who led an international, racially motivated extremist group...Read more

Kai Uyehara/The Seattle Times/TNS

Turning Point USA postpones University of Washington event following death of transgender woman

Current News / News & Features /

SEATTLE — Turning Point USA postponed an event at the University of Washington featuring a speaker opposing gender-affirming care for minors after community outcry following the killing of a transgender student in student housing.

A 19-year-old female student was found in the laundry room of her off-campus apartment around 10:10 p.m. by ...Read more

Paul Kitagaki Jr./The Sacramento Bee/TNS

Former Newsom, Becerra aide Dana Williamson may plead guilty in corruption case

Current News / News & Features /

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A former top aide to Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra is set to return to court Thursday for a hearing that might include an agreement to plead guilty to corruption and tax charges, court documents show.

Dana Williamson, who served as chief of staff for Newsom from 2022 to ...Read more

Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel/TNS

Florida suspends sloth imports amid Sloth World debacle

Current News / News & Features /

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission on Wednesday suspended most sloth imports to the state for 60 days, a victory for lawmakers and conservationists seeking to secure a permanent ban following the deaths of dozens of the animals acquired for a scrapped Orlando attraction.

“Florida making this decision will ...Read more

Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office/TNS

Mayor Zohran Mamdani aims to streamline process to lease, build affordable housing in NYC

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NEW YORK — Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on Wednesday a slate of changes aimed at at expediting the construction and leasing process for affordable housing.

The package includes measures that would shorten the application window for affordable housing lotteries, from 60 days to 21 days, and speed up the screening process for prospective ...Read more

MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images North America/TNS

Warsh confirmed to lead Federal Reserve

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WASHINGTON — The Senate confirmed Kevin Warsh on Wednesday to become chairman of the Federal Reserve for a four-year term.

The 54-45 vote concludes the process two days before Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s term ends. The Senate confirmed Warsh on Tuesday to a 14-year term on the board, effective as of Feb. 1, 2026. He fills a board position ...Read more

Eduardo Munoz/Pool/Getty Images North America/TNS

Harvey Weinstein complains of chest pains as jury gets rape case against disgraced producer

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NEW YORK — Harvey Weinstein took a turn for the worse Wednesday, complaining of chest pains as a Manhattan jury began deliberating whether he was guilty of raping actress Jessica Mann at a Midtown hotel.

“I’m advised he’s having chest pains and not feeling well,” Justice Curtis Farber told spectators shortly after 3 p.m., about four ...Read more

Tracy Glantz/The State/TNS

Alex Murdaugh murder convictions overturned by South Carolina Supreme Court

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COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Supreme Court has unanimously ruled to overturn the 2023 double murder conviction of disgraced attorney Alex Murdaugh.

In its 27-page, 5-0 ruling Wednesday, the South Carolina Supreme Court said the actions of former Colleton County Court Clerk Rebecca “Becky” Hill denied “Murdaugh his right to a fair...Read more

Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel/TNS

Medical incident may be cause of Delta worker's fatal crash at Orlando airport

Current News / News & Features /

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Delta Airlines employee killed last week at Orlando International Airport may have suffered a “medical event” that led to his fatal crash, according to a new medical examiner’s report.

Daniel Maldonado, 49, of Auburndale, was killed Thursday while driving a tug, a vehicle used to tow planes, that crashed into a jet ...Read more

Filippo Monteforte/AFP/Getty Images North America/TNS

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson to meet with Pope Leo XIV during Vatican visit

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CHICAGO — Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson will meet Pope Leo XIV during a visit to the Vatican at the end of this month, his office announced Wednesday.

The trip will take place from May 26 to 30 and include stops in Rome and Vatican City, according to a statement from the mayor’s press office that highlighted Johnson and Leo’s shared ties ...Read more

ANGELA WEISS/AFP/Getty Images North America/TNS

Case of shooting at Rihanna's home clouded by concerns over accused woman's mental health

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LOS ANGELES — The Florida woman who allegedly raked Rihanna’s West L.A. home with rifle fire earlier this year may be mentally unfit to stand trial, her attorney said in court Wednesday.

Deputy Public Defender Derek Dillman “expressed a doubt” that his client, 35-year-old speech pathologist Ivanna Ortiz, was competent to stand trial on ...Read more

Tiffany Tompkins/Bradenton Herald/TNS

'Trump' and 'DeSantis' graffiti among vandalism at historic Florida cemetery

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Broken headstones, damaged graves and spray-painted graffiti now mark a historic Florida cemetery after vandals targeted the site, according to investigators.

The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office is investigating vandalism at Old Memphis Cemetery in Palmetto, where deputies say 17 grave sites were damaged with broken and knocked-down ...Read more

Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times/TNS

Drug counselor who sold Matthew Perry fatal dose of ketamine handed prison sentence

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LOS ANGELES — A former producer and drug counselor who distributed the ketamine that killed Matthew Perry was sentenced Wednesday to two years in prison.

Erik Fleming, 56, pleaded guilty in August 2024 to conspiracy to distribute ketamine and distribution of ketamine resulting in death.

Prosecutors had asked for a two-and-a-half-year prison ...Read more