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Long Island school superintendent plows into Harley Davidson in drunk-driving crash: cops

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An outgoing Long Island school district superintendent was busted for drunk driving after critically injuring a motorcyclist in a weekend smash-up, authorities said.

Dr. Michael Hynes, 53 – the Superintendent of Schools for the Port Washington Union Free School District – left 63-year-old Alberto Fernandez with serious injuries in the collision just after 9 p.m. Sunday in Sayville, Suffolk County Police said.

Hynes was driving his Honda Civic north on Railroad Avenue when he tried to turn left onto Depot Street and slammed into Fernandez, who was heading south on a Harley-Davidson, authorities said.
Dr. Michael Hynes, 53 – the Superintendent of Schools for the Port Washington Union Free School District -- was busted for driving while intoxicated after a late Sunday crash that seriously injured a motorcyclist, cops said.

Fernandez, of Sayville, was taken to South Shore University Hospital in Bay Shore for treatment of serious injuries, cops said.

Meanwhile, Hynes – who “had bloodshot glassy eyes, slurred speech and was unsteady on his feet” — was slapped with a misdemeanor driving while intoxicated charge, according to cops and a criminal complaint.

The arrest marked the first such offense for Hynes, who was released on his own recognizance during his Monday arraignment at First District Court in Central Islip.
Instersection of Railroad Ave and Depot Street is seen in a streetview.

In a statement issued to families, the district said that Dr. Christopher Shields will immediately take over the role of acting superintendent “to ensure stability and continuity in our district during this time.”

“We are committed to keeping you informed and will share updates as soon as more details become available,” the statement said.

Hynes was already set to resign from his post, effective Dec. 13, Port Washington News reported.

“An opportunity has presented itself, which is something I have never experienced so far in public education,” Hynes told the outlet earlier this month, without detailing his new endeavor.

“This experience, I believe, will be good for me and my family.”

Hynes is a Fulbright Specialist who also serves as an associate professor of education and leadership at Long Island University and Stony Brook University, according to his online biography.

He was featured in the full-length documentary “Chasing Childhood” and also authored the book, “Staying Grounded: 12 Principles for Transforming School Leader Effectiveness.”

North Korean hackers use disguised apps to target Macs with hidden malware

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Macs are safer than Windows PCs, but they’re not foolproof. Hackers occasionally find ways to infect Apple devices, and in most cases, we’re the ones who allow it. Since infiltrating Apple’s App Store is difficult, hackers trick people into downloading apps from third-party stores or random websites.

These apps look legitimate but are actually tools for infecting devices with malicious software. A recent incident highlights this issue, with North Korean hackers targeting Macs by hiding malware in seemingly harmless macOS apps.

North Korean hackers use disguised apps to target Macs with hidden malware

How does the malware work?

Recent discoveries by Jamf Threat Labs have unveiled a sneaky form of malware targeting macOS computers. While it may sound technical, understanding the basics of how this malware operates can help you stay safe online.

This malware hides in seemingly harmless applications, such as a game called Minesweeper and a note-taking app referred to as a Notepad. These apps function as expected, but behind the scenes, they run malicious programs that could allow hackers to take control of your computer.

The apps use a technology called Flutter, a tool often used to create apps that work on multiple devices like phones and computers. Flutter makes it easier for app developers to design their software, but its unique structure also helps hackers hide their malicious code, making it harder for experts to detect.

Once installed, the malware connects to a remote server (think of it as a command center for hackers) to receive instructions. These instructions could include running commands on your computer without your knowledge. One trick this malware uses is running AppleScripts, a type of script built for macOS systems, which can quietly execute commands to steal your data or even control your device.

Even scarier, some versions of this malware had been signed and approved by Apple’s security system before experts caught on. This means the hackers were testing how far they could push their schemes without raising suspicion.

North Korean hackers use disguised apps to target Macs with hidden malware

The North Korea connection

This malware isn’t just a random act of cybercrime, it has ties to tactics and techniques often associated with North Korean hackers. Experts have identified similarities between this malware and previous attacks linked to North Korea, including the use of certain coding methods and domains that the country’s cyber teams are known to exploit.

North Korea has a history of using cyberattacks to fund its operations or disrupt systems worldwide, often targeting financial systems or vulnerable individuals. In this case, the malware seems to be in the testing phase, potentially laying the groundwork for a larger attack in the future.

The apps containing the malware were designed to look harmless. These tactics suggest a focus on tricking people through social engineering, a method North Korean hackers have used in the past.

By embedding the malware within apps that appear useful or fun, the attackers can increase the chances of someone downloading and using the infected software. While this particular malware has not yet been linked to active attacks, its connection to North Korea’s cyber playbook is a strong indicator of potential risks ahead.

North Korean hackers use disguised apps to target Macs with hidden malware

5 tips to protect yourself from Mac malware

1) Use reliable antivirus software: A strong antivirus program is your first line of defense against malicious links and malware that could steal your private information. Avoid clicking on random links, especially in emails or messages that claim to be urgent or demand updates. The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware, potentially accessing your private information, is to have antivirus software installed on all your devices. It can also warn you about phishing emails and ransomware scams, helping to keep your personal data and digital assets safe. Get my picks for the best 2024 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.

2) Be careful with downloads and links: Only download apps from trusted sources like the Mac App Store or official websites of known developers. Hackers often disguise malware as legitimate updates or harmless apps.

3) Keep your software up to date: Regular updates for macOS and installed apps are essential because they patch security flaws. Apple frequently rolls out updates to address vulnerabilities, so enabling automatic updates ensures you stay protected without the hassle of manually checking for them.

4) Use strong, unique passwords: A strong password can help keep your Mac safe from unauthorized access. Avoid reusing passwords across different accounts. A password manager can be incredibly helpful here—it generates and stores complex passwords for you, making them difficult for hackers to crack.

It also keeps track of all your passwords in one place and automatically fills them in when you log into accounts, so you don’t have to remember them yourself. By reducing the number of passwords you need to recall, you’re less likely to reuse them, which lowers the risk of security breaches. Get more details about my best expert-reviewed Password Managers of 2024 here.

5) Enable two-factor authentication (2FA): Activate 2FA for key accounts like your Apple ID, email, and financial services. This adds a second layer of security, making it much harder for attackers to access your accounts—even if they have your password.

key takeaway

I’ve noticed a significant rise in malware hiding in seemingly harmless apps, whether it’s related to Mac, Windows, Android, or even iPhones. It just shows that no device is completely safe, not even one made by Apple. Hackers, including those backed by North Korea, are constantly finding new ways to trick users into downloading malicious software. These attacks often fly under the radar because they look like regular, safe apps. With these threats becoming more sophisticated, it’s more important than ever to stay aware of the risks and be cautious about what you download and click on.

Flight passenger ignites debate after posting photo of traveler’s coat thrown over seat

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An airline passenger took to social media sharing a photo of a fellow traveler’s jacket that was hung over a seat, sparking a discussion on Reddit.

The user wrote, “Nope. I keep waiting for seat D to show up and shut this down.”

The photo shows a green winter coat draped over the back of the aisle seat with the seat behind it empty.

On the sub-Reddit forum titled “r/delta,” users debated the passenger’s manners, after he or she left the jacket hanging over the seat.

plane jackets in overhead

“I don’t understand the lack of awareness,” commented a user.

Another said, “It’s not awareness that’s lacking, it’s caring,” adding, “They are simply banking on nobody saying anything.”

“I hate it SO MUCH. There is literally space in the open overhead bins,” added another.

One addressed the situation saying, “I would politely tell them to move it.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the Reddit poster for comment.

plane

“Not everything has to be a big deal lol,” replied another.

On Redditor said, “They can’t even take off with the coat up there like that.”

Some users made jokes about what the Reddit user should do to the jacket.

“Oops, my coke spilled,” said one.

Another added, “Oh nice, a bag to throw up in.”

flight attendant

“Aw man…I spilled my coffee,” said one comment.

Another said, “They are getting that jacket back…after I have gone through the pockets and dipped a sleeve in my wine.”

The flight passenger who sparked the Reddit chain updated followers on the situation once the person sitting in the empty seat behind the jacket arrived.

“He did just ask the FA [flight attendant] to ask the person to move the coat so he handled that well,” read the update.

flight attendant

On Delta’s website, the airline lists guidelines for passengers’ personal items.

“These items are free to carry on your flight, in addition to your usual carry-on items. Flight attendants can assist you with larger items, like strollers,” says the site.

“A jacket and/or umbrella” is listed under the items a flight crew can assist with.

 

Chuck Woolery, original ‘Wheel of Fortune’ host, dead at 83

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Legendary game show host Chuck Woolery, who helped found “Wheel of Fortune” before moving on to such shows as “The Dating Game,” died Saturday. He was 83.

The television icon passed away after experiencing breathing trouble at his home in Texas, Woolery’s friend and podcast co-host Mark Young told TMZ.

“It is with a broken heart that I tell you that my dear brother @chuckwoolery has just passed away. Life will not be the same without him, RIP brother,”  Young wrote on X.

Legendary game show host Chuck Woolery, who the first host of “Wheel of Fortune,” died Saturday. He was 83.

Born in Ashland, Kentucky, on March 6, 1941, Woolery would go on to serve two years in the US Navy on board the USS Enterprise.

After exiting the military, Woolery would attend Morehead State University to study economics and sociology. But he soon dropped out to pursue loftier dreams.

A multi-talented man, Woolery started his entertainment career as a musician. He played in a folk band, The Bordermen, and the psychedelic-pop group Avant-Garde, before writing several commercial jingles, and even a handful of country music ballads.

With the Avant-Garde, Woolery scored a Billboard Top 40 song with “Naturally Stoned,” in 1968.

Woolery went on to record five records with Columbia and two more with RCA.

Turning to acting, Woolery would appear in several television shows before landing his breakthrough gig in 1975 as the host of “Wheel of Fortune.”

Chuck Woolery attends the WE Tv presents Woolery secured that gig on the advice of legendary TV icon Merv Griffin, who saw Chuck perform on the “Tonight Show.”

He held that gig until 1981, when Pat Sajak took over.

Woolery would later host shows like “Love Connection,” “Scrabble,” “Lingo,” a revival of “The Dating Game,” and most recently “80s Quiz Show.”

Woolery was an outspoken political conservative, supporter of the Republican party, and a major First Amendment activist.

Woolery and co-host Susan Stafford during a shoot of 'Wheel of Fortune' in 1975.The TV legend was known for regularly entering the conversational fray with people online.

He was even once controversially retweeted by then President Trump for a post about COVID-19.

“The most outrageous lies are the ones about Covid 19. Everyone is lying,” he wrote in 2020 on what is now X. “The CDC, Media, Democrats, our Doctors, not all but most, that we are told to trust. I think it’s all about the election and keeping the economy from coming back, which is about the election. I’m sick of it.”He later deleted his account on the social media site — though he would get his opinions across on his right-leaning syndicated radio commentary show, “Save Us Chuck Woolery.”

He also had a  podcast with Young called “Blunt Force Truth,” which tackled topics such as the “Woke Takeover in American Corporations”  and “Kamala Harris Presidency Nightmares.”

The television icon passed away after experiencing breathing trouble at his home in Texas, Woolery’s friend and podcast co-host Mark Young told TMZ.He was married four times and was the father of five children.

Woolery is survived by his wife Kim and his children, Katherine, Melissa, Michael and Sean. He also had a son Chad who died in a motorcycle accident in 1986.

Jason Aldean’s wife blames ‘wokeness’ for Billboard 100 greatest country artists of all time list snub

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Country music star Jason Aldean‘s wife, Brittany Aldean, is blaming “woke” politics for why her husband was left off Billboard Magazine’s “100 Greatest Country Artists of All Time” list this week.Billboard published its staff-selected list this week of the 100 best country artists spanning over the past 100 years. The list drew criticism on social media from some country music fans, who complained about the magazine including artists who have left country music, like Maren Morris, but snubbing Aldean, who has sold over 20 million albums and had over two dozen #1 singles over his career.

“Despite holding the crown as the reigning ACM Artist of the Decade with 28 number one hits in his back pocket, Jason Aldean was somehow not listed as one of Billboard’s 100 Greatest Country Artists of All-Time,” social media account, the Country Music Wire, reported.

Aldean’s wife Brittany shared the social media post to her Instagram stories and suggested Billboard didn’t like her husband’s conservative political beliefs.

“Remember when I said it’s been a journey standing up for what we believe in??” she wrote.

Jason Aldean‘s wife blamed “This is a prime example of Jason being left out of things in the industry.”[Billboard] your wokeness obviously overrides your ability to give credit where it’s due, and it’s sad,” her post continued.

The “Try That in a Small Town” singer and his wife have been outspoken supporters of President-elect Donald Trump over the years, and were spotted sitting next to Trump on the fourth night of the Republican National Convention this past July.

The singer is known to be a supporter of president-elect Donald Trump.

Aldean was spotted sitting next to Trump during the Republican National Convention.
Two of Aldean’s bandmates, bassist Tully Kennedy and guitarist Kurt Allison, also suggested the magazine’s snub was influenced by politics.

“It ain’t always easy standing up for what you believe in,” Kennedy wrote in an Instagram post. “I don’t know whats funnier @billboard .. How ridiculous this makes you look or the fact that you think it would bother us. Thx for making that chip on our shoulder just a little bit bigger. Proud to make this music and be on that stage with ya every night @jasonaldean .. love ya brother.”

“What a joke @billboard — but not surprising considering the source,” Allison posted.

Jason Aldean also responded in a comment under Allison’s post.

“This shouldn’t come as a shock. And people ask if we still have a chip on our shoulder and feel like we have something to prove???” he posted with a laughing emoji. “Hell yea we do and this is a prime example why!! We’ll just keep hammerin and do what we do. Same as we always have,” he posted with a fist bump emoji.

Aldean's wife suggested Billboard didn't like her husband's conservative political beliefs.Billboard did not return Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

The magazine’s editors explained in the article that commercial success was not the only factor that influenced their choices.

“While commercial success was a factor, artistry, longevity and enduring influence counted just as much. Because it’s too early to gauge the long-term impact of many of the newer acts yet, the list leans largely on artists whose place in country music history is already secure,” the article said.

The Aldeans said recently that they do not regret their vocal support for Trump, despite the backlash they’ve faced over the years.

“We’ve taken a lot of heat from the entertainment industry and the media for our support of @realDonaldTrump,” Jason Aldean wrote in a November 5 social media post. 

Aldean has 28 number one singles and 18 billion streams, according to his Spotify page.“As a father and an American citizen, I want to see our country get back to its values and principles that made us great to begin with. Vote so our kids can have a safe and secure future. I proudly voted for Trump and encourage everyone to et out today and VOTE!! IT MATTERS,” he wrote with the hashtag, #Noregrets. 

Brittany Aldean posted a similar message to her followers on the same day.

“Even after all the media bashing, business deals lost, relationship changes, being left out of music industry events and multiple attempts to vilify our character – I wouldn’t change a thing,” she wrote on a Nov. 5 Instagram post.

Max Verstappen wins 4th straight F1 world championship as George Russell wins Las Vegas Grand Prix

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LAS VEGAS – Saturday night was all right for Max Verstappen.

The Red Bull racer finished in fifth place at the Las Vegas Grand Prix and it was enough to capture his fourth consecutive Formula 1 World Championship

He needed to finish ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris to pick up the title win and did just that. Norris was in sixth place.

Max Verstappen drives past Paris

It was far from the easiest weekend for Verstappen. Red Bull made a mistake adjusting his rear wing and data showed his vehicle was running slower than Mercedes drivers George Russell and Lewis Hamilton on the straightaways. While Russell captured the pole, Verstappen was able to get enough out of the car to start in fifth. He only needed to score three more points than Norris to clinch the world championship. Norris qualified sixth.

Mercedes was clearly quicker. Russell won the race. It was his second win of the season. Hamilton finished right behind him while Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz picked up a podium spot in third place.

George Russell wins in Vegas

Verstappen tied Sebastian Vettel, Juan Manuel Fangio and Hamilton with four consecutive titles. Michael Schumacher won five straight from 2000 to 2004.

Schumacher and Hamilton each have the most world titles with seven in total. Fangio has five and Verstappen is tied with Vettel and Alain Prost with four.

Max Verstappen talks to reporters

Las Vegas Grand Prix racers had to battle a weekend of cold weather and the wind. Drivers were slipping and sliding all over the place through the first three practices. But picked up the pace in qualifying with the only mistake coming from Franco Colapinto, who suffered a crash in Q2. 

Aside from Pierre Gasly’s disappointing night on Saturday, the race was run clean.

The F1 schedule still has two races on its docket, the Qatar Grand Prix and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with the constructors’ championship up for grabs.

Ferrari drivers Sainz and Charles Leclerc finished third and fourth, with McLaren’s Norris and Oscar Piastri finishing sixth and seventh.

Max Verstappen in Sphere

McLaren entered the weekend 36 points ahead of Ferrari in the constructors’ standings. After the Las Vegas result, McLaren will be up 24 points going into Qatar (608 points to Ferrari’s 584).

 

Patrick Mahomes fined $14,000 for ‘violent gesture’ while celebrating touchdown: report

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The National Football League has been cracking down on celebrations that may look like guns – but Patrick Mahomes apparently missed the memo.

The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback was one of the latest to use his arms in the fashion to celebrate a touchdown, and it affected his wallet.

The NFL Network reports that Mahomes was fined over $14,000 for what the league is calling a “violent gesture.”

Patrick Mahomes vs Bills

Many players have been hit with penalties and fines because they would use the celebration, albeit innocently, on first downs.

Last month, the league had grown “concerned” about the amount of “gun-related” celebrations, causing them to come up with stricter penalties for it.

According to Spotrac, the NFL has handed out 17 fines for “obscene gestures” this season – there were no such fines in 2023.

Patrick Mahomes fends off tackled

“[The rule] has been in the books for years, and it hasn’t really surfaced… haven’t really noticed it that much until this year,” one league executive said to CBS Sports last month. “Now it’s almost an epidemic of them.”

“We don’t think it’s appropriate.… It sends the wrong message,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell added at the time.

Mahomes was fined $50,000 last year for “verbally abusing” an official. 

The fine is an insult to injury for Mahomes, as his Chiefs suffered their first loss of the season after winning their first nine games.

Patrick Mahomes throws

Their schedule gets easier on Sunday, as they visit Carolina to face the Panthers.

 

Mike Tyson offered six figures to show off rear end following viral moment ahead of Jake Paul fight

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Viewers of last week’s Jake Paul-Mike Tyson fight were treated to an added bonus ahead of the bout.

After Tyson wrapped up an interview in his locker room, he turned around, and a zoomed-out camera showed that he was wearing chaps without covering his rear end.

Tyson was reported to make $20 million from the fight alone, but now, he can cash in even more because of the viral look.

Mike Tyson lands a left

Tyson apparently has two offers on the table, both for six figures, to show off his butt yet again.

Adult film site CamSoda is said to have offered $250,000 to Tyson to show off his rear end for an hour on a live stream.

“I understand this offer may be a far cry from what you just raked in from the fight, but let’s face it – maybe it’s time to hang up the glove. I think this offer is the perfect way to still get in front of people and perform in a different, less strenuous way,” CamSoda vice president Daryn Parker said, via Hot New Hip Hop. “Plus, you don’t have to worry about anyone biting or going after your ears.”

A Las Vegas strip club is also said to have offered Tyson $125,000 to show up in chaps and a banana hammock.

Mike Tyson throws a punch

“We’ve been in the business of entertaining and pushing boundaries for years, and we think Mike Tyson’s playful side is exactly what our Cowboy Christmas Party needs,” Larry Flynn’s Huster general manager Brittany Rose told TMZ.

“We know he’s not afraid to have some fun, and we’re offering him the opportunity to do so with a hefty sum,” Rose added, “Plus, we think it’ll be a night to remember for everyone in attendance.”

Tyson lost to Paul by unanimous decision, and despite running out of gas early at 58 years old, it was not a decision he regretted one bit.

Jake Paul wins

“I didn’t prove nothing to anybody, only to myself,” he said after the bout.

It was the seventh loss of Tyson’s career opposite 50 victories – Paul improved to 11-1.

 

Trump border czar Tom Homan to visit Texas this week: ‘The right guy in charge’

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President-elect Donald Trump’s border enforcer Tom Homan is heading to Texas to prepare for his crackdown on illegal crossings.Lone Star State Gov. Greg Abbott said Homan will inspect the Texas-Mexico border with him during a visit later this week.

He praised Homan as “the right guy in charge” to secure the border and deport illegal migrants.

Former Acting Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Thomas Homan speaks during the third day of the 2024 Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 17, 2024. Days after he survived an assassination attempt Donald Trump won formal nomination as the Republican presidential candidate and picked Ohio US Senator J.D. Vance for running mate. (Photo by Kamil Krzaczynski / AFP) (Photo by KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

“There’s a tall task for President Trump to find, to locate these people and then to deport them or to jail them,” Abbott said Sunday on the “Cats Roundtable” 770 “WABC radio.

“We’ve got the right guy in charge of it. His name is Tom Homan. He’s going to be the border czar. I’ve already begun to work with him. He’s going to be joining me in Texas this coming week.” 

Abbott, who has clashed with the outgoing Biden administration over its dangerously lax border policies and refusal to cooperate with Texas on a crackdown, said he is thrilled to now have a willing partner to jointly address the crisis.

“We’ve had people who were antagonistic to Texas securing the border. Now we have allies. It’s going to be Texas working collaboratively with the Trump administration,” Abbott said.

“For one, we’re going to secure the border. For another, we’re going to have to remove from our country all these dangerous criminals to restore peace and safety in our communities.”

The governor said that arresting and deporting members of the Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua will be a top priority for both the Trump administration and Texas.

A reader says, thanks to state GOP leaders like Gov. Greg Abbott, the Republican party has become extremist. (Credit: Jay Janner/American-Statesman/File)“You’ve seen these outbreaks of the Tren de Aragua gang members here in New York. We have the Tren de Aragua members in Texas also. … We have to stop the murders by the people who Biden allowed into the country illegally,” Abbott said.

Texas has declared Tren de Aragua a terrorist organization.

Homan has said that deporting the gang members is part of his mission.

He got choked up during a recent interview discussing the murder of Laken Riley by illegal migrant and Tren member Jose Ibarra and said he should have never set foot in the country.

“We’re using law enforcement at the federal, state and local level to go after them more than any other state in America,” Abbott said Sunday. “We’ve made hundreds of arrests already. If you’re a member of Tren de Aragua in Texas, you’re going to be arrested. You’re going to be jailed.”

Texas, a border state, has been ground zero for grappling with illegal crossings for decades.

But when the crossings spiraled out of control two years ago, Abbott began putting thousands of migrants on buses to New York City and other urban centers in blue states to spread the burden of dealing with the crisis. It turned out to be a brilliant political strategy despite the criticism, forcing Democratic mayors including the Big Apple’s Eric Adams to publicly pressure and criticize Biden over the problem.

This small group led by a one armed smuggler are seen crossing the Rio Grande River in Eagle Pass, TX. A mother with 3 kids from Venezuela explained that the CB1 program in Mexico City hadnât been working correctly so took the decision to enter the US illegally. Further downstream a group numbering about 150 were detained by waiting border patrol.
Texas authorities last week added more buoy barriers across sections of the Rio Grande to try to thwart illegal crossings after the Biden administration unsuccessfully sued the state over the floating barricades.

Abbott said Sunday that even more buoys, fencing and walls will be used to deter crossings.

Homan told The Post last week how he will use the military, too, to aid in the deportations of illegal migrants.

Homan, who served as the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement during Trump’s first term, said he will employ servicemen to perform “non-enforcement” duties such as providing transportation to free up more ICE agents to do field work.

He said he’s ready to do battle with sanctuary cities and states such as New York that prevent local law enforcement officers from communicating with the feds on the basis of immigration status.

The incoming border enforcer said harboring illegal migrants is a felony.

“Don’t cross that line,” he said.

Israeli locksmith murdered in Memphis after being lured out on a job

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An Israeli national working as a locksmith in Memphis, Tennessee, was gunned down and robbed after being lured out to a job last week — raising fears of possible terrorism among the local Jewish community just days after an Israeli rabbi mysteriously disappeared in the United Arab Emirates.Aviv Broek, 21, was killed in the 2300 block of Hernando Road in Memphis, police told The Post. 

Broek arrived at the client’s address for work, but when he became unreachable for two hours, a friend went out to look for him and found him shot outside of his car, Israel National News reported.
Aviv Broek, 21, was killed in the 2300 block of Hernando Road in Memphis, police told The Post. 

The attacker stole his work equipment and left him to die at the scene, the outlet reported.

Authorities are investigating the murder and said there is no indication it was a hate crime, but they are pursuing all leads.

Memphis police are still attempting to locate possible suspects, and no arrests had been made in connection to the murder as of Sunday morning, police said.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry stated it was aware of the murder and that the details of the case are still being examined.
Memphis police are still attempting to locate possible suspects, and no arrests had been made in connection to the murder as of Sunday morning, police said.

Broek’s relatives are now working to return his body to Israel to be buried.

A GoFundMe set up to help Broek’s family fund his funeral said the 21-year-old had a “kind heart and a bright future.”

The fundraiser had received over $50,000 in donations as of Sunday afternoon.

News of Broek’s killing comes after Israel announced it was investigating the disappearance of an Israeli-Moldovan rabbi in the United Arab Emirates, with security officials fearing he was kidnapped or murdered by an Iran-linked terror cell.

GOP Sen. Markwayne Mullin hits back at ‘dangerous’ claims by Democrats about Trump pick being a Russian asset

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Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) fired back at what he described as “dangerous” and false accusations by a senate colleague about President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for Director of National Intelligence being a Russian asset.In an interview on CNN Sunday, Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) harked back to DNI-designate Tulsi Gabbard’s 2017 meeting with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad and coziness with Russia, implying she might be “compromised.”

“I think by going to Syria and basically backing this brutal dictator there — I mean, Russian-controlled media called her a Russian asset. So I do think that we have a real deep concern whether or not she’s a compromised person,” Duckworth told CNN’s “State of the Union” Sunday earlier in the program.

“Frankly … the U.S. intelligence community has identified her as having troubling relationships with America’s foes. And so my worry is that she couldn’t pass a background check.”

Duckworth, 56, who sits on both the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Foreign Relations, added that “I worry that she will not have America’s best interests at heart.”

Tulsi Gabbard
Mullin, 47, who had stressed he has “respect” for Duckworth, an Iraq war veteran who lost both her legs in battle, leaped to Gabbard’s defense and insisted there was no “file on her.”“For her to say ridiculous and outright dangerous words like that is wrong. You have got to keep in mind that Tulsi Gabbard is still a lieutenant colonel in the United States Army,” the Oklahoma senator said on the program.

“She is a true patriot of the United States, and there’s no reason why the Democrats are going after her, other than the fact they’re upset that she left their woke party,” he went on.

Tammy DuckworthTrump, 78, had announced Gabbard, 43, as his pick to serve as DNI, a position created in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to ensure coordination between the US’ 18 intelligence agencies.

Gabbard was registered as a Democrat until 2022 and changed her party affiliation to Republican earlier this year. She’s accused Democrats of falling prey to war hawks.

She vied unsuccessfully in the 2020 Democratic presidential primary and has made a name for herself over her staunch opposition to interventionist foreign policy.

In 2017, while serving as a congresswoman from Hawaii, Gabbard publicly conveyed skepticism to allegations from the US that Assad deployed chemical weapons in Khan Shaykhun.

Earlier that year, she revealed that she met with the ruthless Syrian dictator as part of a “fact-finding” mission.

Gabbard has also been critical of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, accusing him of authoritarianism for his wartime policies as Kyiv struggles to fend off Russian invaders.

Markwayne MullinNotably, his neighbor, Russian leader Vladimir Putin, has been accused of ordering assassination attempts against numerous dissidents.

The former Hawaii rep’s nomination has even made some Republicans uneasy, especially luminaries on foreign policy and more moderate members of the Senate GOP conference.

“We will have lots of questions. She met with Bashar Assad. We will want to know what the purpose was and what the direction for that was as a member of Congress,” Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) told “State of the Union” on Sunday.

“We will want to get a chance to talk about past comments that she’s made and get them into full context.”

Markwayne MullinDuckworth also underscored the lack of intelligence experience on Gabbard’s resume.

“When she was in Iraq, she was a medical records clerk E4, below the rank of sergeant,” she said. “I don’t know of any intelligence work that she has done.”

Trump has been keen on filling up his next administration with disrupters who will shake up the status quo.

To get confirmed, Gabbard will need approval from the Senate, unless Trump attempts to bypass the upper chamber and pursue a recess appointment.

A mysterious orb caught on video zooming over NYC is just latest Big Apple ‘UFO’ — here are some famous cases

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There’s more than one type of skyscraper above Manhattan.The mysterious orb caught on video zooming over the Hudson River is just the latest “UFO” incident in the Big Apple, even though the densely populated borough filled with high-rise buildings seems like an unusual setting for brushes with the unknown.

A controversial alleged Stuytown alien abduction case has been the subject of a recent documentary on Netflix while there have been dozens of reports in the last year, including a dramatic close-call recently detailed by the Pentagon.

A mysterious orb-like object was caught on camera moving over the Hudson River.

Manhattan Alien Abduction: 35 years later

One of the most famous — or infamous — alleged close encounters in the city is now the subject of “The Manhattan Alien Abduction” on Netflix, with Linda Napolitano’s claims the subject of as much attention as they were doubt.

Napolitano, then 41, lived with her husband and two sons in an apartment near the Brooklyn Bridge at the time of the alleged abduction 35 years ago.

The native New Yorker said that on the night of Nov. 30, 1989 she was lifted out through her apartment wall in a beam of light, soared above the East River into the sky over Manhattan, and into a clam-like alien spaceship that appeared to contain volcanic fire.

Napolitano shared her story with Budd Hopkins, a ufologist who was in the midst of documenting a case study centered around what he believed to be a credible individual.

Manhattan resident Linda Napolitano claimed she was abducted by aliens in 1989.The alleged abductee’s hypnotic regression in the days after the event is shown in the docuseries.

“Oh I feel like electricity just went through me,” Napolitano says in one exchange with her eyes closed and Hopkins leaning over her, head in his hand.

“There’s someone in the room,” the allegedly hypnotized Napolitano says in the footage.

Napolitano's alleged alien encounter was featured in the Netflix documentary series “The Manhattan Alien Abduction.”

She then describes being lifted through her solid door, floated in the air in her nightgown, and drawn into a fiery clam.

Interview footage, both contemporary and from the early 90s, show witness accounts of varying credibility and veracity. Many critics later poked holes in her claims.

The Mysterious ‘Near Miss’

A commercial plane had a “near miss” with a cylindrical object off the coast of New York that has yet to be identified or explained, according to Congressional testimony from Pentagon representatives from the All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office.

An airline crew reported to the Federal Aviation Administration that their commercial plane — from an unnamed airline — had a “near miss with a ‘cylindrical object’ while over the Atlantic Ocean.”

This undated encounter was just one of more than 20 reports made over the past year that have stumped AARO investigators, with agency director Jon Kosloski describing them as “true anomalies.”

Kosloski revealed to a congressional oversight committee that the agency received 757 reports of sightings from May 1, 2023 and June 1 of this year.

The “close call” off the coast of New York is considered one of 21 anomalous cases that require further investigation, according to the agency.

John Lennon’s close encounter

“Imagine” that: John Lennon reported seeing a UFO in New York on Aug. 23, 1974.

The famed singer-songwriter said in an interview after the event that he had seen an unique aircraft zooming around the East River from his apartment.

“Up there, I saw a UFO,” Lennon said to an interviewer, pointing to his penthouse apartment that overlooks the water.

“And it went down the river, turned right at the United Nations, turned left, and turned down the river.

John Lennon claimed to have seen a UFO in New York City in 1974.“It wasn’t a helicopter, and it wasn’t a balloon, and it was so near,” Lennon said, animatedly to the interviewer.

Lennon described the craft as being “silent” and “dark.” He said it was round, black or gray in the middle, with blinking lights that looked like “light bulbs” circumscribed on the sides, and was completed with a red light on its top.

Lennon tried to take photos of the craft — none of which came out legibly — and even called the cops, who said they had received other calls about an object flying through the sky, according to The New Daily.

Lennon also commemorated the occurrence in the liner notes of his album “Walls and Bridges,” writing, “On the 23rd Aug. 1974 at 9 o’clock I saw a U.F.O.”

Latest mystery

Earlier this week, a local news station aired video that incidentally showed a mysterious orb appearing to zoom down the Hudson River.

The blue orb was caught on camera during a helicopter news report.A local report on congestion pricing aired a random four-second clip of the lower Manhattan skyline, the Hudson River and parts of New Jersey.

In that clip, a mysterious blue orb can be seen apparently zooming down the Hudson River and past the camera.

Avi Loeb, a theoretical physicist, cosmologist and Harvard professor, believes the apparent orb is a trick of the lights.

“This is most likely an optical artifact from the helicopter glass in front of the camera, namely a bright spot from the reflection of sunlight as the camera gradually changes its orientation relative to the sun and the ground,” Loeb tells The Post.

Others believe that it was a physical object merely affected by the speed of the helicopter and the angle of the camera.

Trump’s attorney general should fire all DOJ employees who investigated former prez, Sen. Schmitt argues

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After getting sworn into office, President-elect Donald Trump should embark on an effort to fire staffers at the Justice Department who worked on criminal cases against him, Sen. Eric Schmitt argued.The Missouri Republican who previously served as his state’s attorney general, contended that DOJ staffers who worked on the cases against Trump were embarking on an effort to undercut the will of the voters.

“And anybody part of this, this effort to keep President Trump off the ballot and to throw him in jail for the rest of his life because they didn’t like his politics, and who continue to cast him as a ‘threat to democracy,’ was wrong, and so we’ll see where that goes,” Schmitt told NBC’s “Meet the Press” Sunday.

Special counsel Jack Smith oversaw the DOJ’s two indictments against Trump, including the 40-count Mar-a-Lago document case and the four-count 2020 election subversion case.

The indictment for alleged hoarding of classified documents was thrown out by a Florida judge and the 2020 election subversion case was revived from a hiatus shortly before the Nov. 5 election. Following Trump’s victory, the 2020 case was put on pause again.

Eric Schmitt

Now, Smith is reportedly planning to wind down both cases and step down before Trump roars back into the White House.

“[The indictments] all fell apart under the weight of the law. And so I do think there needs to be accountability. I think that getting it back to crime-fighting is important, but there has to be accountability for these kinds of abuses,” Schmitt contended.

As president, Trump will theoretically be allowed to tell the DOJ to stand down on the charges against him, which is why his legal team’s strategy was widely seen as an effort to delay as much as possible.

In addition to Smith’s indictments against Trump, there are two indictments — the 34-count hush money case and the 10-count 2020 Georgia election tampering case — that are at the state level, and therefore beyond Trump’s reach as president.

Jack SmithSentencing in the hush money case, on which Trump was found guilty, has been delayed indefinitely and the judge is weighing whether to toss it entirely. Meanwhile, the Georgia case is in limbo but in limbo pending a challenge against Fulton County district attorney Fani Willis. A state appeals court canceled oral arguments in that case until further notice.

Trump, 78, has mused about targeting individuals such as Smith for “election interference” and ” prosecutorial misconduct.”

“WHEN I WIN, those people that CHEATED will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the Law, which will include long term prison sentences. Please beware that this legal exposure extends to Lawyers, Political Operatives, Donors, Illegal Voters, & Corrupt Election Officials,” he posted on Truth Social back in September.

Initially, Trump had tapped former firebrand Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) as his pick to helm the Justice Department. But after consternation over the sex trafficking allegations against him — that he’s denied — it became clear Gaetz lacked the votes in the Senate, prompting him to drop out.

Donald TrumpThe incoming president then announced that he would nominate former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi as his attorney general instead.

Schmitt, whose name was tossed around in the rumor mill for AG, affirmed that he’d back Bondi.

“I intend to help Pam Bondi get the votes. I know her well. She’s a friend. I’ve come to respect Pam Bondi. She was a great attorney general in Florida. This is a home run by President Trump,” he said.

During his 2024 campaign, Trump had occasionally told voters he would be their “retribution.” Now that he’s won, Trump has indicated that making the country succeed will be his retribution.

“And while many others are calling for meetings, I am not looking for retribution, grandstanding or to destroy people who treated me very unfairly, or even badly beyond comprehension,” Trump told Fox News.

“I am always looking to give a second and even third chance, but never willing to give a fourth chance — that is where I hold the line.”

‘Never-Trumpers,’ liberal media were living in ‘blue bubble’ before Trump’s victory, says veteran journalist

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Veteran political analyst and best-selling author Mark Halperin told “The Brian Kilmeade Show” that he warned liberals and “Never Trump” Republicans that Trump was likely to defeat VP Kamala Harris.Halperin reacted to the mainstream media, including MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough and Mika Brezezinski, preparing to cover a second Trump presidency. 

MARK HALPERIN: I really pleaded with everyone I knew who was a Never Trumper, someone with Trump Derangement Syndrome or super opposed to Donald Trump. I said he’s going to get 47% of the vote and he might get 50. But the difference between 47 and 50 is, you know, several million Americans. You have to respect the fact that tens of millions of people are going to vote for him. And you have to be prepared for that. And some people listened to me, but most of them didn’t. There’s something about Donald Trump that sets them off. Now, he brings a lot of it on himself through his behavior, through his rhetoric, through his conduct. But it goes beyond that. And, of course, it’s particularly exacerbated by what I call the dominant media, which creates this fantasy world of Joe Biden doesn’t have an acuity problem. Kamala Harris should be given the nomination without any question. The open border is not an issue that people really care about. All these things, the prosecutions of Donald Trump, the attempts to keep him off the ballot. The attempts to keep Bobby Kennedy off the ballot. All of these things, the failure of the president and the vice president to express outrage at the murder of American citizens by people in the country illegally. All these things add up to a blue bubble that they just can’t see. 

Former President Donald Trump speaking at election night event in West Palm Beach, Florida, pointing towards the camera

Mark Halperin,I see this all the time. I’ll say to a Trump supporter, why does the left not like Donald Trump? And they can explain it very easily. … And some of them feel the same way, but they still think he’d be a better president than Kamala Harris. But most people on the left, if you say, why do people like Donald Trump? They’re paralyzed. They can’t answer the question. And the litany you and I just did together is a big part of the explanation, not the whole thing, but it’s a big part of it. And they just, for some reason, can’t appreciate that tens of millions of their fellow countrymen and women feel differently than they do. 

“Cowardice,” one MSNBC employee reacted to Fox News Digital. “Doing exactly what [anti-Trump historian] Tim Snyder warns on our air not to do: obey in advance. It’s disgusting but frankly unsurprising.”

The source said MSNBC’s rank and file are now “largely disdainful” of the network’s morning stars, saying it “feels like they are just opportunistic.”

Others have taken to social media to voice their objections. MSNBC contributor Jennifer Rubin called it “disgusting” on Bluesky, the X-like social media site growing in popularity with progressives. MSNBC host Katie Phang offered an indirect swipe, posting on X, “Normalizing Trump is a bad idea. Period.”

Not-so-jolly woman, 62, charged with slugging spectator at Santa Claus parade for blocking her view: police

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She just made the naughty list.A 62-year-old woman didn’t seem to be in the Christmas spirit when she slugged another spectator enjoying the festivities at an annual family Santa Claus parade in Canada, police said.

The woman reportedly became irate when the victim blocked her view of the procession.

“The female got into a dispute with a fellow parade-goer who allegedly obstructed her family’s view of the parade,” the St. Thomas Police Service said in a press release. “The suspect struck the victim in the face, knocking them to the ground.”
Assault at Santa Claus parade.

The Saturday evening incident in St. Thomas — 115 miles northeast of Detroit and 120 miles southwest of Toronto — landed that holiday slugger in handcuffs, according to police.

The woman, whose name was not released, was charged and cut loose pending a future court date.

The 38th annual parade, which this year had a theme of “Christmas at the Circus,” kicked off at 6 p.m. on Saturday and is sponsored by the Optimist Club of St. Thomas, the group’s website said.
Santa Claus parade

The family friendly event carried on after the unfortunate scuffle.

The St. Thomas police department did not immediately respond to a request for more information.

Rural counties in California, Illinois push to secede from blue states to separate from liberal-run cities after Trump’s win: ‘So flipping excited’

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They’ve had enough.A movement in a myriad of rural counties across deep blue states such as Illinois and California to split off and form new states appears to be gaining some steam in the wake of the Nov. 5 election.

Conservative residents of the rural regions are taking note of their peers fleeing to lower-taxed and less-regulated red states but they are ready to stay put — pining for a divorce with the urban sectors of their state.

A group dubbed the New Illinois State has drafted a new constitution and championed plans to “Leave Illinois Without Moving.” On Election Day, seven rural counties in Illinois voted to contemplate splitting off from the state.

Donald Trump

“There’s a lot of people in Chicago, and I think that they make a lot of decisions that affect people downstate,” Phil Gioja, from Iroquois County, told the Wall Street Journal.

“It’s just sending a message that, ‘Hey, you know, there’s people that would like to be part of the conversation, and often aren’t.’”

In Iroquois County, about 73% of voters backed the idea of banding together with other counties in Illinois, except Cook County, which encompasses Chicago and forming a new state. Chicago is home to about 40% of Illinois’ population.

J. B. PritzkerWhile Gioja doesn’t anticipate a separation soon, some backers of a rural divorce think that an opening will come.

“We always believed that our best opportunity to negotiate our way out of Illinois was when Illinois was approaching that financial cliff — it’s been on a path toward it for years,” G.H. Merritt, who chairs New Illinois State told the outlet.

Out in California, a similar movement has taken root as well. The New California State organization hopes to splinter off the counties outside the Bay Area, Sacramento and Los Angeles.

“I’m so flipping excited,” Paul Preston, who founded New California State, told the Wall Street Journal.

Preston bashed the Golden State to the outlet as a “one-party communist state, and technically, they have seceded from the Union already.”

But his and other like-minded movements face an uphill battle. To win statehood, they would need the green light from state legislatures — difficult to lock down from the states where they’d like to splinter off.

Hawaii was the last state formally added to the US. There have been efforts by Puerto Rico and Washington DC to attain statehood, but none of them have garnered much steam.

Gavin NewsomFollowing the Nov. 5 election, California Gov. Gavin Newsom has visited red counties and told voters: “Message received.”

“I don’t care who you voted for. I care about Trump supporters, I care about Robert Kennedy Jr supporters, I care about Tucker Carlson supporters, I care about Charlie Kirk supporters, I care about Ben Shapiro supporters, I care about all people,” Newsom said during one of his stops.

Out in Oregon, the Greater Idaho movement is hoping to reconfigure state lines so that rural counties past the Cascade mountain range can join their conservative-run neighbor Idaho.

“The State of Oregon has said we’re not going to talk about it and are basically holding people in Eastern Oregon captive against our wishes,” Matt McCaw, executive director of Greater Idaho, told the outlet.

A similar movement had taken place in three Maryland counties — Garrett, Allegany and Washington — which asked to join West Virginia and got support from Gov. Jim Justice (R) back in 2021. None of those counties have moved over.

Donald TrumpThe urban-rural divide has long had ripple effects in domestic politics. President-elect Donald Trump enjoyed a major advantage over Vice President Kamala Harris in rural areas.

Trump, 78, also managed to chip away at the Democrats’ long-held grip on urban centers, dramatically reducing the margins in traditionally blue states relative to the 2020 election.

Throughout his campaign, the 45th and soon-to-be 47th president assailed liberal-run cities, claiming that they were overtaxed, rife with crime and falling apart.

Donald Trump

NYC shutters 2 more migrant shelters, including one that housed 400 families, due to ‘resettlement efforts’

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Two more city migrant shelters have closed up shop as the flood of asylum-seekers into the Big Apple continues to plummet.More than 400 families were being sheltered at the 19-story, 506-unit complex at 1760 Third Ave. at East 97th Street, once a massive dormitory for CUNY Hunter and Baruch College students and other education entities.

Meanwhile, the El Rancho hotel at 37-01 White Plains Road in The Bronx had served 15 families.

Two additional city migrant shelters have closed due to the number of asylyum-seekers entering New York declining.
The former CUNY dormitory on Third Avenue sheltered 400 families at one point.
  1. Both ceased operating as migrant shelters last week, city officials said.
  2. A representative from El Rancho said the hotel, which is now empty, will start renovations to prepare for reopening again as a commercial hotel.
  3. It is unclear what the former CUNY dorm, now in private hands, might be used for.
  4. More than 500 new migrants entered the city’s care from Nov. 11-17, but over 1,100 migrants left the system at the same time.

The El Rancho hotel in the Bronx stopped operating as a shelter last week.Those figures are in sharp contrast to the situation in January, when roughly 4,000 new migrant arrivals were flooding the city on a weekly basis.

Earlier this month, two other hotels serving migrants stopped operating as emergency shelters: the 23-room Hotel Merit in Times Square and the 73-room Quality Inn JFK Airport.

That’s a total of four shelters that have closed as the flow of migrants has significantly slowed.

“New York City is leading the nation in response to the migrant and asylum seeker humanitarian crisis, providing shelter to thousands of people in our care across the five boroughs,” a rep for Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement to The Post.

The Quality Inn JFK Airport stopped operating as a shelter earlier this month.

“Thanks to our resettlement efforts, intensive case management, and national-leading Asylum Application Help Center, we continue to make strides in consolidating and streamlining our migrant shelter operations allowing us to focus more on helping those in our care move on to their next steps.”

Adams previously committed to closing all 10 of the city’s migrant shelters upstate in Albany, Dutchess, Erie, Orange, and Westchester counties next month.

The city also plans to close Randall’s Island’s massive migrant encampment in February after dramatically cutting back the number of migrants sheltered there.

The number of hotels and facilities needed for city migrant shelters could drop even more dramatically early next year when President-elect Donald Trump and his border czar Tom Homan take office, having promised an aggressive crackdown on crossings as well as deportations of illegal migrants.

Still, the Adams administration said it plans to continue the use of hotels as emergency shelters for the foreseeable future.

New York City has indicated it is seeking 14,000 hotel rooms to shelter migrants through 2025 — as housing costs for the asylum-seekers for the past three years is set to surpass $2.3 billion.

About 150 hotels are currently sheltering migrants, and total spending on migrant services in the Big Apple will hit $6.1 billion, according to city data.

But city officials are expected to lower projected costs in updated budget reports, given the substantial reduction of migrants being cared via housing, food and other costs.

Civil Air Patrol plane crash in Colorado kills 2, injures 1

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DENVER — A Civil Air Patrol plane crash in Colorado has killed the aircraft’s pilot and an aerial photographer, authorities say.The crash that occurred in Larimer County on Saturday killed pilot Susan Wolber and aerial photographer Jay Rhoten, according to a statement released by the office of Gov. Jared Polis.

The aircraft was on a routine training mission at the time of the crash. The co-pilot, Randall Settergren, was injured and was airlifted to a medical facility via helicopter by the Colorado Army National Guard.

The scene of a Civil Air Patrol plane crash in Colorado that killed two people on Nov. 24, 2024.
Pilot Susan Wolber and aerial photographer Jay Rhoten died in the plane crash.

“The State of Colorado is grateful for their commitment to service and it will not be forgotten. I also want to thank the first responders who assisted with the rescue and recovery efforts,” Polis said on the social media platform X.

The Civil Air Patrol, the official auxiliary of the US Air Force, is a nonprofit organization with 60,000 members nationwide, operating a fleet of 550 aircraft.

It performs continental US inland search and rescue missions and is credited by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center with saving an average of 70 lives annually.

The plane's co-pilot Randall Settergren was injured and airlifted to a hospital.Its unpaid professionals also perform homeland security, disaster relief and drug interdiction missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies.

Illegal migrant charged with town’s first ‘stranger rape’ in 12 years — just days after he was released from jail

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An illegal Honduran migrant has been charged with raping a woman on a popular hiking trail outside Washington, DC just days after he was released from jail on another sex crime charge — and it’s the first sexual assault of that kind in the town for more than a decade, according to authorities.“This is the only stranger rape that we have had in the town in my more than 12 years as chief of police,” said Herndon, Virginia, police chief Maggie DeBoard in a press conference Tuesday.

Portrait of Denis Humberto Navarette Romero, a man with long hair and beard, accused of multiple attacks and assaults in Herndon, VA.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin slammed local officials for allowing the serial sex pest to be released back into the community — instead of being turned over to ICE and deported.

“I am heartsick for this victim and outraged that local Fairfax County officials recklessly release violent illegal immigrants who should have been prosecuted and deported,” the Republican told The Post.

“This is a dereliction of their most basic duty to keep people safe. Prioritizing violent illegal immigrants over the safety of Fairfax residents is unacceptable,” he continued — adding that Virginia is not a sanctuary state.

Officers arrested 31-year-old Denis Humberto Navarette Romero Monday on charges of intent to defile and rape.

The suspect is a Honduran national residing in the US illegally, and his rap sheet dates back years, Herndon police say.

Romero was released from jail just four days prior to his arrest Monday at the Washington and Old Dominion Trail about 25 miles west of the capital.

He was freed on Nov. 14 after serving just half his 50-day indecent exposure sentence due to “good behavior,” authorities said.

The victim, who cops say didn’t know her attacker before the assault, was on the busy walking trail when he allegedly grabbed her arm, forced her to the ground and raped her just before 9 p.m. Monday.

After a bystander called for help, cops arrived to the scene and arrested Romero within minutes.

DeBoard, the police chief, told reporters Romero has a history of sexual assaults in town and the surrounding area.

Police Chief Maggie Deboard in her uniform“What is disturbing is the number of times this individual has been arrested and released,” she told reporters. “He has continued to reoffend and his behavior has escalated to a rape in a very public area.”

Romero’s sex crime spree started in 2018, when Herndon PD received a report that the perv fondled a 14-year-old. That triggered a Fairfax County sex crimes investigation, which uncovered that he’d also exposed himself to a 10-year-old and 13-year-old the year prior, per police records obtained by the Washington Post.

But the victims’ parents were loath to talk with police, and the investigation closed with no charges.

His first arrest came four years later, when he choked a Herndon cop responding to another one of his deviant acts — this time, smacking a woman’s behind at a local restaurant.

Herndon police charged him with felony assault on a law enforcement officer, but the Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney downgraded the charge to a misdemeanor assault in exchange for a guilty plea.

His most recent stint in the slammer was due to an Oct. 19 indecent exposure incident.

The victim, Jennifer Pugh, spoke to Fox 5 DC about his obscene exhibition, which prompted her to file a police report.

Portrait of Jennifer Pugh wearing large hoop earrings“He kept coming trying to grab my dog. Then he was trying to come after me he was saying stuff. He didn’t speak English and then all of a sudden he started pulling his stuff out,” Pugh told the local outlet. “I said ‘there’s Ring cameras all around, you know’ and he didn’t care.” 

The pest is now being held at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center as he awaits a preliminary hearing.

Police records show that inconsistent spellings of the suspect’s name in his string of arrests have complicated their efforts to piece together his extensive criminal past. At least three versions of the name have been traced back to the FBI number and fingerprints of the suspect cops arrested Monday, the Washington Post reported.

The Fairfax County Sheriff’s office says it notifies ICE each time they arrest an undocumented individual, but the department’s lawyer told The Washington Post that of the four times Romero has been in their custody they never received a detainer or warrant from the agency.

DeBoard lamented the failure of the justice system and the fear this stokes in the community in a local interview.

“It’s frustrating because I tell the community you should feel safe here and I do believe they are safe here, I truly do, but when you have cases like this, I look at this and see some part of the system… if it was all working together, if there was a way to make it work, this never would have happened,” the chief said, adding that no single party to the process is to blame.

Gov. Youngkin said the silver lining is that the policies that allowed Navarette Romero to run amok in the community won’t fly come 2025.

“When President Trump takes office, the political posturing will end and localities will cooperate with ICE to protect Virginians,” Youngkin said.

Thanksgiving travel disruptions forecast from coast to coast this week for nearly 80 million people

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The holiday season is in full swing, and the FOX Forecast Center is continuing to monitor the Thanksgiving week weather forecast just as tens of millions of people across the US begin to travel and gather with friends and family.A majority of Americans from coast to coast should arrive at their Thanksgiving destinations without too many issues. However, that forecast changes for the end of the week just as people prepare to head home after the festivities.

Nearly 80 million people are expected to travel 50 miles or more this Thanksgiving, with peak travel days falling on the Tuesday and Wednesday before the holiday and the Sunday afterward.

West Coast braces for more rain, mountain snow ahead of Thanksgiving

The deadly, multiday atmospheric river event that slammed portions of the West last week has come to an end. But the FOX Forecast Center is continuing to track the last of a series of low-pressure systems approaching the West Coast that will bring more rain and snow to the region at the start of the busy Thanksgiving travel week.

Snow is expected to be confined to the higher elevations in the Cascades and Sierra Nevada, so travelers are being urged to take precautions and take it slow when driving through the mountain passes across the region.

Nearly 80 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles for Thanksgiving this year.

This graphic shows the best and worst days to travel for Thanksgiving in the West.In the lower elevations, it’s going to be all rain. The FOX Forecast Center says nearly the entire stretch of the Interstate 5 corridor from California through Oregon and Washington is looking dreary as we kick off the week, but weather conditions will gradually improve each day.

Forecasters believe the highest rain totals will be found across Central California, with some places potentially picking up 5 inches of rain or more. Flash flooding doesn’t appear to be a major issue at this time, but travelers will likely see some disruptions on the roads and at airports such as Salt Lake City (SLC), Las Vegas (LAS), Los Angeles (LAX) and San Francisco (SFO).

The system should then exit into the Rockies, where some questions remain about how it will evolve. The storm could strengthen into a new low, increasing the chances of rain and snow for a large swath of the Rockies.

This graphic shows the forecast rain and snow totals across the West through Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024Cities like Salt Lake City, Las Vegas and Denver are all likely to see some form of precipitation by Wednesday. The snow that falls in the mountains will likely be measured in feet, while the lower-elevation snow totals and impact will be largely dependent on the exact track of the storm.

As of Sunday, the FOX Forecast Center doesn’t expect major impacts in Denver.

Winter storm to impact Thanksgiving travel in Northeast

A storm system will also move out of the Plains starting Sunday and quickly move into the Great Lakes region as we start the new week.

The FOX Forecast Center said that, unlike previous systems, this one isn’t expected to be as strong.

This graphic shows the forecast snow totals through Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024.The colder air will be kept farther north, which will limit the snow chances to the Great Lakes region. The Upper Peninsula of Michigan will likely see the highest snow totals as lake-effect snow cranks up.

Cities like Chicago and Milwaukee will largely avoid the snow, but the wind could begin to crank up as the system pushes out of the region, leading to some delays at airports and on the roads.

The low will continue to strengthen as it moves into the Northeast later this week, with rain breaking out on Tuesday that could slow travel times for those traveling before Thanksgiving.

These graphics show the setup for a significant winter storm that could slow post-Thanksgiving travel for tens of millions of people in the East.Some snow is likely along Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, but rain will be the bigger impact.

Rain is expected to impact travel along the Interstate 95 corridor on the East Coast, and due to low visibility and increasing winds, all major airports are likely to see disruptions.

A cold front is also expected to sweep across the Southeast, which will bring a line of rain and thunderstorms to the region into Wednesday morning. No severe weather is expected, but periods of rain could lead to delays in Atlanta and Charlotte, North Carolina.

Frigid temperatures to invade US after Thanksgiving

A bigger, more powerful winter storm is expected to then sweep into the Northeast and New England on Thanksgiving Day and last through the weekend. This storm will likely have a bigger impact on travel as people start their journeys home after Thanksgiving.

This graphic shows the computer model comparisons showing a winter storm in the Northeast that could slow post-Thanksgiving travel.More rain is expected along the I-95 corridor, but there are growing concerns that heavy snow could blast interior areas of the region.

Blast The FOX Forecast Center expects some of the coldest air of the season to invade the US from Canada in the days after Thanksgiving and into the start of December.

Below-average temperatures are expected across a large swath of the US, with parts of the northern Plains expected to plunge maybe as far as -10 degrees.

Millionaire hides $2M in treasures across US — then leaves mysterious clues on how to find them

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More than $2 million in hidden treasure is up for grabs after an entrepreneur hid five chests full of loot and valuables across the United States — and left a book full of clues to help hunters find them.Jon Collins-Black — who made a fortune in Bitcoin investing — spent the last few years assembling a cache of valuable items ranging from shipwreck-salvaged gold doubloons to rare Pokémon cards, all for the purpose of stashing them in secret locations for treasure hunters to unearth.

Collins-Black has paired the journey with a book of clues, “There’s Treasure Inside,” which is filled with puzzles and maps, and all the clues needed to discover the location of the treasure chests.

A selection of some of the gilded treasure stashed across the country in five chests, according to Collins-Black

“You don’t have to be a genius to solve the clues. There’s no grand cypher. If you have curiosity, imagination, and the willingness to try something new, you can find the treasures that I’ve hidden,” Collins-Black said.

Items secreted away in the chests were designed to appeal to a wide range of audiences, with the likes of sports-trading cards — like Michael Jordan’s 1986 rookie card — hidden in some, while gold and historical artifacts are inside others.

Some items include a diamond and sapphire brooch owned by Jacqueline Onassis, a fourth century BCE gold Greek laurel, a coin designed and minted by Pablo Picasso, and a rare specimen of lunar rock.

Among the treasure is also a single Bitcoin — which is currently worth nearly $100,000, and could well increase in price by the time its chest is found.

Jon Collins-Black made a fortune investing in BitCoin, and devised his treasure hunt during the pandemic lockdownNone of the chests are located in a dangerous location, Collins-Black has advised, and all are somewhere in the open — not buried.

Each is also within 3 miles of a public road, he’s said, while none are located on private property.

“I created this treasure hunt because I live for adventure,” Collins-Black said of the project, which he devised during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown.

“I hope to ignite that same sense of wonder and curiosity in everyone who joins this journey,” he added, according to WKRC.

The treasure Black-Collins spent years gathering ranges from historical artifacts, to memorabilia, and to bitcoinsCollins-Black is not the first eccentric millionaire to stash away a chest full of treasure and leave behind a riddle of clues.

Around 2010, New Mexico art dealer Forrest Fenn hid a chest of gold and jewels said to be worth about $2 million somewhere in the Rocky Mountains, and released a poem filled with clues that led to its location.

For a decade it remained undisturbed — and at least five people died searching for it — until Fenn suddenly announced it had been found in June 2020.

But Fenn never revealed the name of the finder, and his own death months later left many wondering whether the treasure had ever really been found after all.

Scientists study ‘very rare’ frozen remains of 35,000-year-old saber-toothed cub

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A mummified saber-toothed cub of a catlike animal dating back 35,000 years was left almost perfectly preserved in Siberia’s permafrost.

The remains had been found back in 2020, northeast of Yakutia, Russia. Research regarding the study of the cub was published in the journal Scientific Reports on November 14, 2024. 

The discovery of frozen remains from the Late Pleistocene period is “very rare,” according to the published research, though most discovered in Russia lie in the Indigirka River basin, the authors note. 

Skeleton of mummified cub

The mummified cub remained well-preserved, frozen in time for thousands of years. The frozen nature of this find left it in impressive condition, even still containing fur. 

“The mummy body is covered with short, thick, soft, dark brown fur with hair about 20–30 mm long,” the authors wrote in the published research, also pointing out that the fur that was located on the back and neck of the cub was longer than the hair that was found on the legs. 

The head of the mummy was also left well-preserved, down to its chest, front arms and paws. 

The study of this find wasn’t just a unique opportunity for scientists, it also provided first-of-its kind research.  

“For the first time in the history of paleontology, the appearance of an extinct mammal that has no analogues in the modern fauna has been studied,” the authors of the study explained. 

Heads of three-week-old cubs

The scientists determined that the cub had died at about three weeks old. It was identified by the authors of the study as belonging to the species Homotherium latidens and had many differentiations from a modern lion cub of a similar age. 

The shape of the muzzle displayed by the mummified cub, which had a large mouth and small ears, plus a “massive” neck, long forelimbs and a darker colored coat, were all among key differences from today’s modern lion cubs that scientists observed. 

Scientists also worked in their research to find out how the extinct species was able to survive through frigid temperatures.  

Large contributors to their survival were the shape of the large paws and absence of carpal pads. Scientists believe these elements helped them get through the snow.

In recent years, there have been other ancient animals found in Siberian permafrost. 

Skull of cub

For example, in 2021, a mummified wolf was discovered that dated back over 44,000 years, Live Science reported in June 2024. 

 

NFL great Brett Favre opens up about living with Parkinson’s disease: ‘I feel like a board’

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Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre announced in September that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, and in an interview this week he opened up about the challenges of living with the disease and his hope for the future. 

The former Green Bay Packers great spoke with TMZ Sports about his health and the benefit of having been diagnosed in the very early stages of the disease. 

Brett Favre enters the chambers

“Overall, I feel – I can’t complain. It’s one of those things that I’m learning a lot about Parkinson’s, and my Parkinson’s was caught very early, very early.” 

He continued, “It’s very early in the disease and the hope is something on the horizon comes out that can stop the progression.” 

Favre, 55, revealed the news of his shocking health diagnosis during his testimony at a congressional hearing on federal welfare reform. 

“Sadly, I also lost an investment in a company that I believed was developing a breakthrough concussion drug I thought would help others,” he said at the time. “I’m sure you’ll understand, while it’s too late for me, because I’ve recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s, this is also a cause dear to my heart.”

Favre, 55, revealed the news of his shocking health diagnosis during his testimony at a congressional hearing on federal welfare reform. 

Favre considers himself fortunate because of the early detection, but he still experiences difficult symptoms.

“I don’t shake very bad, the medication – when I’m on it, you would never know. But I don’t want to keep taking medication for the next 30, 40 years if I live that long. But it is what it is. 

“Most of the time, I’m good. With my Parkinson’s the main side effect is rigidity and stiffness. I have a little bit of shaking, not much, but rigidity and stiffness. When I wake up in the morning, I feel like a board. I don’t need any help because of football to be any stiffer.” 

Brett Favre NFL

“All things considered, I’m a very blessed man,” he added. 

Favre said on a radio show in 2022 that he estimates he may have experienced “thousands” of concussions in his two decades in the NFL. The causes of the disease are unknown, and it is unclear whether his football career and head injuries of the years are connected. 

According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, scientists believe that the disease is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors, and those environmental factors “may include head injuries, pesticide exposure or area of residence.”

 

360-pound NYC library worker ‘traumatized,’ sues for $4.6 million over too-small desk

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This library job wasn’t good for his circulation.

A 6-foot-2, 360-pound New York Public Library employee claims he’s been “traumatized” by being forced to work at a desk that is too small — and wants $4.6 million to make up for it.

William Martin’s page-turning tale began in October 2021 when he was told to work at the first-floor service desk at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library on Fifth Avenue in Midtown.

The welcome desk features a staggered countertop with a roughly 12-inch drop, and was “crampy,” the library information assistant groused in a Brooklyn Federal Court lawsuit.

the service desk at the stavros Niarchos foundation Library
a smiling headshot of william martin

“All I sought was just a service desk with the appropriate accommodation given my physical attributes,” he said in the legal filing accusing his superiors of discrimination and harassment.

His union eventually intervened, helping Martin get assigned to different service desks within the library.

But nearly two years later, he found himself in a bind again.

In June 2023 a new assistant director, was allegedly not on the same page as Martin, ordering him back to work at the cramped first-floor desk, according to court documents.

Things only got worse after he complained and got a lawyer involved.

The director allegedly “dramatically increased” how often she assigned Martin to the small desk, which was “detrimental to his health and safety,” Martin said in the legal filing. It was the director’s “way to bully William and intimidate him, showing him ‘who is the boss.’”

A few months later, Martin was “falsely accused” of sleeping on the job, and later suspended — prompting him to ask for a transfer and seek medical leave for anxiety and depression, the suit claims.

A large man, identified as William Martin, standing uncomfortably at a small service desk in the New York Public Library, Stavros Niarchos Foundation branch, asserting a discrimination lawsuitMartin, who once ran a sports blog called “300lbsofsportsknowledge,” claims his “mental health has been damaged to such extent that . . . he would tremble just at the thought of going back to work,” he said in the lawsuit.

Martin is asking a judge to force the library to approve a leave, along with a hefty sum.

The case is “without merit,” a spokesperson for the New York Public Library said, adding, “We take employee accommodations and concerns with utmost seriousness, and are dedicated to treating our staff across the Library with fairness and respect.”

the service desk at the stavros Niarchos foundation Library
a smiling headshot of william martin
A large man, identified as William Martin, standing uncomfortably at a small service desk in the New York Public Library, Stavros Niarchos Foundation branch, asserting a discrimination lawsuit

Aaron Rodgers interested in playing in 2025 but not with Jets: report

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The honeymoon is officially over. 

The New York Jets’ tumultuous season has led to a massive overhaul that saw owner Woody Johnson fire head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas in a span of just a few weeks, and, according to a report, the quarterback position could be next on the chopping block. 

Aaron Rodgers celebrates

The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported Saturday that tensions between Johnson and Aaron Rodgers have boiled over this season, which began with Super Bowl aspirations. 

Sources told the NFL insider that Johnson has lost confidence in Rodgers’ ability to end the Jets 14-season playoff drought, and while no decisions have been made, Rodgers “could be placed on injured reserve or possibly benched over the next few weeks.” 

Sources around the league even speculated the four-time league MVP could be cut before the season ends. 

But the feeling is reportedly mutual. 

Johnson and Rodgers on field

Russini reported that the relationship between Johnson and Rodgers has been strained for months, and, according to sources with the team and around the league, the former Green Bay Packers star wants to play next season, just not with the Jets. 

The report follows an earlier report from the publication that indicated Johnson’s desire to bench Rodgers after the team’s Week 4 loss to the Denver Broncos. According to sources, Johnson was talked out of the move, but, after another loss, the decision to fire Saleh was made. 

Hoping to restart the offense, offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett was then stripped of play-calling duties just a few days later in favor of passing game coordinator Todd Downing. Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, the team’s one bright spot at the time, was also promoted to interim head coach. 

Aaron Rodgers walks off

Despite the changes, the Jets went 1-5 after Saleh’s exit and sit at third in the AFC East with a 3-8 record heading into their bye week. Douglas was fired this week after the team’s latest loss, and the Jets appear further away from a playoff push than ever before. 

 

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