1. Anya Taylor-Joy leads epic 'Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga' trailer

What a lovely day! Warner Bros. has dropped the first trailer for "Furiosa," the long-awaited "Mad Max: Fury Road" prequel starring Anya Taylor-Joy. Set 15 years before the events of "Fury Road," the film follows Furiosa as she tries to find her way home after being taken from her family. Taylor-Joy takes over the title role from Charlize Theron, and the trailer revealed the movie's full title is "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga." Chris Hemsworth plays the villain, a warlord named Dementus, and he's unrecognizable under a mustache, beard and prosthetic nose. "The question is, do you have it in you to make it epic?" his character asks, speaking in an Australian accent. George Miller returned to direct the film. The trailer was mostly well received, although some fans complained the visuals don't look quite as impressive as "Fury Road." Will this be the second time a director named George is knocked for making a prequel with too much CGI? Warner Bros. Pictures

2. Felicity Huffman felt she 'had to break the law' in college admissions scandal

Felicity Huffman is ready to talk about it. The "Desperate Housewives" star has given her first interview about her role in the college admissions scandal. "It felt like I had to give my daughter a chance at a future," she told KABC, "which meant I had to break the law." Huffman served 11 days in prison after paying $15,000 to have her daughter's SAT results falsified. Though she now feels "undying shame," the actress recalled thinking at the time that she would "be a bad mother" if she didn't get involved in the "criminal scheme," fearing her daughter wouldn't get into the colleges she wanted to. Huffman apologized to "the academic community" and those who "work really hard to get to where they're going legitimately." She has joined the board of directors of a nonprofit organization called A New Way of Life, which helps formerly incarcerated women, as she said she wants to use her "pain" to "bring something good." KABC

3. Jussie Smollett loses appeal of conviction in hate crime hoax case

Jussie Smollett may soon be headed back to jail. The "Empire" star has lost an appeal of his conviction on disorderly conduct charges after he allegedly lied to police about being the victim of a hate crime that he orchestrated himself. Charges against Smollett were initially dropped in 2019, but he was later indicted again after a special prosecutor re-examined the case. He was subsequently found guilty and sentenced to 150 days in jail. Smollett's attorneys appealed the conviction, arguing the actor being charged again was an example of double jeopardy. But the Illinois Appellate Court has now dismissed this, with Judge David R. Navarro saying "the state was not barred from reprosecuting Smollett," according to The New York Times. Smollett, who maintains his innocence, had only served six days before being released pending an appeal. His spokesperson told The Associated Press that his team is "preparing to escalate this matter to the [Illinois] Supreme Court." The New York Times, The Associated Press

4. Taylor Swift's publicist blasts claims of secret Joe Alwyn marriage

Look what Deuxmoi made her do. Taylor Swift's publicist, Tree Paine, has issued a rare public statement slamming false claims about the singer. Specifically, she spoke out on X, formerly Twitter, against the celebrity gossip Instagram account Deuxmoi, which has repeatedly claimed that Swift secretly married her ex-boyfriend Joe Alwyn. "She DID have a ceremony in either 2020 or 2021 in the UK and it was described to me as a 'marriage' by more than one person," a recent Deuxmoi post insisted. "It was NEVER made legal." Although no reputable sources have backed this up, Deuxmoi declared that "I will die on this hill." But according to Paine, the allegation is totally false. "Enough is enough with these fabricated lies about Taylor from Deuxmoi," Paine wrote. "There was NEVER a marriage or ceremony of ANY kind. This is an insane thing to post. It's time for you to be held accountable for the pain and trauma you cause with posts like these." Tree is bringing the Paine. X

5. Is 'Thanksgiving' the next great horror franchise?

Get ready for leftovers, as a sequel to Eli Roth's holiday slasher "Thanksgiving" is on the way. "[We're] going back for seconds," the director announced on Instagram. Based on a fake trailer made for 2007's "Grindhouse," "Thanksgiving" stars Patrick Dempsey and Addison Rae and sees a masked killer slice up residents of a Massachusetts town on Thanksgiving. Somewhat surprisingly, it received largely positive reviews from critics. Roth said he and screenwriter Jeff Rendell are "going to take a year off so we can really, really write a great script," meaning "Thanksgiving 2" will hit theaters sometime in 2025 — "probably around Thanksgiving," he quipped. The first movie has been compared to "Scream," and the sequel announcement comes as "Scream" itself implodes, with stars exiting the series left and right over controversial Instagram posts, scheduling conflicts and battles over pay. But it's worth noting the company that makes "Scream," Spyglass, produced "Thanksgiving," so don't be shocked if the sequel has no turkey due to a salary dispute. Instagram

Alec Baldwin isn't off the hook in the "Rust" shooting just yet. 

Prosecutors are set to bring the actor's case before a New Mexico grand jury, which will determine whether he should again be charged in connection with the fatal 2021 shooting on the set of the movie "Rust." The news was first reported by NBC News. 

"After extensive investigation over the past several months, additional facts have come to light that we believe show Mr. Baldwin has criminal culpability in the death of Halyna Hutchins and the shooting of Joel Souza," special prosecutors Kari Morrissey and Jason Lewis said. 

An involuntary manslaughter charge against Baldwin was previously dropped in April. At the time, Morrissey and Lewis said that "new facts were revealed that demand further investigation and forensic analysis" ahead of a preliminary hearing. However, they stressed that this decision did not "absolve Mr. Baldwin of criminal culpability and charges may be refiled," adding that their "follow-up investigation will remain active and on-going." Baldwin was holding a prop gun on the set of "Rust" in 2021 when it went off, fatally striking cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza.

Attorneys for Baldwin, Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro, said it's "unfortunate that a terrible tragedy has been turned into this misguided prosecution," adding that they "will answer any charges in court." The actor has denied pulling the trigger of the gun that killed Hutchins. In August, though, a forensic report conducted by experts hired by the state of New Mexico determined "the trigger had to be pulled or depressed sufficiently to release the fully cocked or retracted hammer of the evidence revolver."

In an emailed statement to The Week, former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani, president of West Coast Trial Lawyers, said it "would be surprising" if prosecutors are unable to secure an indictment of Baldwin. 

"It's always easier to secure an indictment from a grand jury because there are no defense lawyers, no experts, it's just a one-sided presentation by prosecutors," Rahmani said. "And grand juries almost always return indictments. Prosecutors are pretty much going all-in on the fact that Baldwin pulled the trigger, and frankly it's their best argument."

Rahmani also explained double jeopardy does not apply because prosecutors previously dismissed the case without prejudice. "Rust" armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed has also been charged with involuntary manslaughter and evidence tampering. Her trial is scheduled for 2024. 

Relatives of a Viennese cabaret artist murdered by the Nazis in 1941 have won a 20-year battle for the restitution of part of his prized art collection. Fritz Grünbaum, who died at Dachau, owned dozens of works by Egon Schiele, along with many more by other artists, all of which his wife was forced to hand over after his arrest in 1938; she died in a camp in 1942. Labelled "degenerate", the Schieles were sold to fund the Nazi Party; and seven of them wound up in public museums and private collections in the US. Following a lengthy legal process, these were finally returned to Grünbaum's heirs last week, at a ceremony in New York. The works will now be sold, to fund performing arts scholarships in Grünbaum's name.

Ice House to become circus training centre

A 19th century thatched ice house, built on the quay in Great Yarmouth when the town was a thriving centre of the local fishing industry, is to be restored with the aid of a £2m National Lottery grant, and turned into a training centre for circus arts. The transformation of the Grade II building, which was used to keep fish cool before they were sent to Billingsgate Market in London, is part of a wider project to reinvent Great Yarmouth as a capital of circus and street arts.

Dunkirk shipwreck search

More than 800 ships, ranging from small pleasure boats to huge destroyers, helped rescue the British troops stranded at Dunkirk in May-June 1940; 305 never came home. Now, as part of a joint Anglo-French initiative, marine archaeologists are going to search for the wrecks of the boats lost during Operation Dynamo, visit them, and map them. The project is expected to result in some extraordinary photographs and footage for the Dunkirk War Museum; divers will also take measures to make sure the ships are not leaking pollutants into the sea.

Two of the four Americans kidnapped last week in Mexico were found dead Tuesday.

The other two were rescued outside Matamoros, the border town where they were attacked and abducted just after crossing the border from Brownsville, Texas, in a minivan, USA Today and The Associated Press report. A Mexican military convoy returned the survivors to the United States.

Relatives said the four — Latavia "Tay" McGee, Eric James Williams, Shaeed Woodard, and Zindell Brown, all of South Carolina — went to Matamoros because McGee planned to get a tummy tuck from a cosmetic surgeon there, per the AP.

McGee was unharmed. Williams survived with a leg wound. Mexican authorities said the group was hit by gunfire from local drug cartel factions. A Mexican bystander was killed by a stray bullet.

R. Kelly is set to serve more time in prison after being convicted in his second federal trial.

A judge sentenced the disgraced R&B singer to 20 years in prison on Thursday after a Chicago jury found him guilty of sex crimes last year. But the judge also ruled that Kelly can serve nearly that entire sentence concurrently with his prior 30-year sentence, meaning he is only getting an additional year behind bars on top of that.

Kelly was convicted in September 2022 in Chicago on three counts of child pornography and three counts of enticement. This came after a trial in which four women who accused Kelly of sexual abuse testified, including one who said she was abused by the singer on camera when she was 14. This tape was central to Kelly's prior 2008 trial, which ended in his acquittal on child pornography charges. The woman did not testify in the earlier trial.

A Brooklyn jury previously convicted Kelly on racketeering and sex trafficking charges in 2021, and he was sentenced to 30 years in prison, which he is now serving. Prosecutors had wanted Kelly to serve 25 additional years after the Chicago conviction, arguing that "the only way to ensure Kelly does not reoffend is to impose a sentence that will keep him in prison for the rest of his life."

But Kelly's lawyer, Jennifer Bonjean, said in a court filing that even just with the 30-year sentence, the 56-year-old would "have to defy all statistical odds to make it out of prison alive."

Alec Baldwin is set to be criminally charged in connection with the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of his film Rust in 2021.

New Mexico First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies announced Thursday that her office will file two involuntary manslaughter charges against the actor by the end of this month. The film's armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, is also being charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter.

Hutchins was killed on the set of Rust after a prop gun Baldwin was holding accidentally went off, fatally striking the cinematographer. Baldwin has denied responsibility for her death, maintaining he did not pull the trigger of the gun and was told it was empty before it was handed to him.

The film's assistant director, Dave Halls, has reached a plea agreement on the charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon, under which he will receive a suspended sentence and six months of probation, prosecutors said.

"If any one of these three people — Alec Baldwin, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed or David Halls — had done their job, Halyna Hutchins would be alive today," special prosecutor Andrea Reeb said. "It's that simple. The evidence clearly shows a pattern of criminal disregard for safety on the Rust film set. In New Mexico, there is no room for film sets that don't take our state's commitment to gun safety and public safety seriously."

The involuntary manslaughter charges Baldwin is facing carry a maximum sentence of 18 months in jail. But the second charge of involuntary manslaughter in the commission of a lawful act, which "requires proof that there was more than simple negligence involved," includes a firearm enhancement, and prosecutors noted this "makes the crime punishable by a mandatory five years in jail."

Russian strikes hit Kyiv on Monday, killing at least five people and injuring 12 in an apparent retaliation for a weekend explosion on a bridge connecting Russia to annexed Ukrainian territory in Crimea, The Washington Post and The Associated Press report.

The explosions were the first in months in Ukraine's capital; Russian strikes also hit Kharkiv in the northeast, Lviv in the west, and Zaporizhzhia and Dnipro in central Ukraine, per the Post. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the strikes and accused the Kremlin of trying to wipe Ukrainians "off the face of the earth."

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday called the attack on the bridge a "terrorist act" by Ukrainian special services. One of Zelensky's advisers called Putin's claim of victimhood "too cynical even for Russia."

Investigators suspect the son of the man accused in two of the four recent murders of Muslim men in New Mexico could have been involved in the crimes, according to documents filed by prosecutors last week and reported on by NBC News.

Prosecutors said cellphone tower data indicated that suspect Muhammad Syed and one of his sons, Shaheen Syed (also known as Maiwand), were in the area where Naeem Hussain was killed on Aug. 5, and had "short and frequent communications" before and after that murder. Authorities are still investigating that case and the Nov. 7 slaying of Mohammad Ahmadi, 62.

Nobody has been charged in those cases — Muhammad Syed has been charged in the murders of two other men, Muhammad Afzaal Hussain and Aftab Hussein.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has been suspended for six games after facing more than two dozen allegations of sexual misconduct.

Watson was suspended on Monday for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy following a ruling by disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson, The Associated Press reports. The former federal judge, who was appointed by the NFL and the NFL Players Association, conducted a three-day hearing into the matter in June and recommended a six-game suspension.

Since 2021, Watson has been accused of sexual harassment and assault by massage therapists, and he faced a total of 24 sexual misconduct lawsuits. He has denied the allegations and has not been criminally charged after two grand juries declined to indict him. The quarterback has reportedly settled 23 out of the 24 lawsuits.

Though Watson has been suspended for six games, he will not face a fine, ESPN reports. The suspension would mean Watson could return to play with the Browns by Oct. 23, depending on whether the ruling is appealed, according to The New York Times.

The NFL Players Association said in advance of the decision that it would not appeal. "A former federal judge — appointed jointly by the NFLPA and NFL — held a full and fair hearing, has read thousands of pages of investigative documents and reviewed arguments from both sides impartially," the union said, adding that it "will stand by her ruling and we call on the NFL to do the same."

The Supreme Court has ended its term with two more highly significant decisions.

In the first ruling announced on Thursday, the Supreme Court in a 6-3 decision curbed the Environmental Protection Agency's ability to limit greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, NBC News reports. The majority ruled that the Clean Air Act did not grant the EPA the authority "to devise emissions caps based on the generation shifting approach the agency took in the Clean Power Plan," per Axios.

The decision was a major blow to the Biden administration, which earlier this year announced a goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030. Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan wrote in a dissent that the decision "deprives EPA of the power needed — and the power granted — to curb the emission of greenhouse gases."

In a separate ruling, though, the Supreme Court did hand the Biden administration a win. In a 5-4 decision, the court ruled the administration doesn't have to continue the "Remain in Mexico" immigration policy from the Trump administration, which required asylum seekers to remain in Mexico while awaiting their claims to be heard. The majority opinion was written by Chief Justice John Roberts, who said that "Congress conferred contiguous-territory return authority in expressly discretionary terms," and he was joined by conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

The FBI has arrested Michigan Republican gubernatorial candidate Ryan Kelley on several misdemeanor charges related to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, The Daily Beast reports. The arrest came after a Thursday morning raid on Kelley's home.

An FBI spokesperson confirmed to The Daily Beast that Kelley, a 40-year-old real estate agent, was taken from his home around 9:30 a.m. on Thursday. The federal agents used a search warrant, per The Detroit Free Press.

Kelley was apparently at the Capitol during the riot on Jan. 6, though he "never confirmed" he went inside the building "and has denied doing anything illegal," writes the Detroit Free Press. That said, he is described in federal court records as an "active participant in the riot," having allegedly climbed onto portions of the building and yelled and gestured to participants, The Detroit News summarizes.

He is one of five GOP candidates in the primary for Michigan governor, after five others were disqualified "for submitting fraudulent nominating petition signatures," adds The Detroit News.

Aside from his alleged involvement in the Capitol riot, Kelley has also in the past reportedly made waves for butting heads with Black Lives Matter protesters in the summer of 2020, and defending a statue of a Confederate soldier in an Allendale township garden's Civil War memorial, writes The Detroit Free Press.

The gunman believed responsible for a shooting at a Tulsa, Oklahoma, medical center Wednesday night specifically targeted and subsequently killed the doctor who performed his back surgery last month, police said Thursday. The gunman also shot and killed three others before dying from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The shooter, identified by Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin as 45-year-old Michael Louis, had called the clinic repeatedly to complain of back pain, for which he blamed his surgeon, Dr. Preston Phillips. Dr. Stephanie Husen, receptionist Amanda Glenn, and patient William Love were also killed.

Franklin said Louis was carrying a letter showing he both intended to target Phillips and believed him responsible for his continued discomfort post-surgery. Authorities also said Louis had recently purchased the guns used in the shooting, including the AR-15 style rifle he bought just hours before.

The Wednesday attack arrives on the heels of two other high-profile massacres: a supermarket shooting in Buffalo, New York that left 10 dead, and an elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas that killed 21, including 19 children.

In response to the unrelenting violence, President Biden is scheduled to call for legislative action in a speech Thursday evening.

A grand jury on Wednesday charged the white 18-year-old accused of killing 10 Black people at a Buffalo supermarket with domestic terrorism motivated by hate and 10 counts of first-degree murder, among other charges.

The domestic terrorism charge alleges that suspected gunman 18-year-old Payton Gendron was motivated by his victims' perceived race, and carries the possibility of life without parole. The 25-count indictment also contains murder charges for each of those killed.

The arraignment is scheduled for Thursday in Erie County Court. Previously, Gendron had been charged with first-degree murder. He has pleaded not guilty. Federal officials are also looking into charging Gendron with hate crimes.

On May 14, a gunman carrying an AR-15 opened fire inside a grocery store in a predominantly Black neighborhood of Buffalo, New York. Among those killed in the attack were the store security guard and a church deacon. Three others were injured.

A federal judge on Wednesday accepted a plea deal from former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who last year was found guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter in the death of George Floyd, The Washington Post reports.

The plea deal will sentence Chauvin to between 20 and 25 years in prison for violating Floyd's civil rights, per the Post. The ex-cop is already serving a 22.5-year sentence (which he is appealing) for Floyd's 2020 murder, which sparked mass racial justice protests nationwide.

Chauvin late last year pleaded guilty to one count of violating Floyd's civil rights, admitting "he willfully deprived Floyd of his right to be free from unreasonable seizure, including unreasonable force by a police officer," writes The Associated Press. He had initially pleaded not guilty.

The former officer could have faced life in prison on the federal court, notes AP. Prosecutors said they would recommend Chauvin serve his state and federal sentences concurrently.

Rapper A$AP Rocky has been arrested at the airport after an investigation into a 2021 shooting.

Rocky, whose real name is Rakim Mayers, was detained Wednesday at the Los Angeles International Airport after flying in from Barbados, where he had been vacationing with his girlfriend, Rihanna. The news was first reported by NBC News and confirmed by the Los Angeles Police Department.

The LAPD said Rocky allegedly fired a handgun at a victim on Nov. 6 following an argument, and he was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon. The alleged victim, an acquaintance of Rocky's, sustained a "minor injury from the incident and later sought his medical treatment," while Rocky and two other men fled on foot, officials said.

Police are now serving a search warrant at Rocky's home and "using a battering ram" to get through his front gate, TMZ reported.

Rocky was previously arrested in Sweden and charged with assault in 2019 in connection with a street brawl. He was convicted and received a suspended prison sentence. Rocky said he acted in self-defense, and then-President Trump pushed for his release, saying the rapper was "being followed and harassed by troublemakers."

Rocky is currently dating Rihanna, and in January, she announced they're expecting their first child together.

The man initially identified as a "person of interest" in Tuesday's Brooklyn subway attack is now officially a suspect in the investigation, NBC News reports, citing New York City police and the mayor's office.

Police first classified Frank R. James, 62, as a person of interest on Tuesday evening, hours after the disturbing rush-hour shooting in Brooklyn's Sunset Park neighborhood. Keys left at the scene were found to belong to a U-Haul van James had rented out of Philadelphia.

"Yes [James] is, he is a suspect, based on the briefing from my law enforcement officials," New York Mayor Eric Adams said Wednesday, per Bloomberg. "He has now been upgraded to a suspect."

On Tuesday morning, a gunman riding the subway detonated multiple smoke canisters before firing at least 33 bullets from inside a train car traveling through Brooklyn. At least 23 people were injured, 10 with gunshot wounds. None of the victims sustained life-threatening injuries, police have said.

Authorities are now offering a $50,000 reward to find the at-large James, who they've noted has addresses in both Wisconsin and Philadelphia.

Later Tuesday, President Biden applauded the first responders and civilians who "jumped into action" during the attack, and vowed investigators would not drop the case until "we find the perpetrator."

The Supreme Court has reinstated the death sentence for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the man convicted in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.

In a 6-3 decision released Friday, the Supreme Court reimposed Tsarnaev's death sentence, rejecting arguments that the judge in his trial should not have excluded evidence pertaining to a prior crime and that there wasn't sufficient questioning of jurors, NBC News reports.

The 1st Circuit Court of Appeals overturned Tsarnaev's death sentence in 2020, saying the district court "abused its discretion during jury selection by declining to ask every prospective juror what he learned from the media about the case," the Supreme Court's decision explains. The appeals court also said evidence that Tsarnaev's brother, Tamerlan, may have committed three murders in Waltham two years before the bombing should have been allowed to be introduced in the case by the defense.

But Supreme Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that Tsarnaev did receive "a fair trial before an impartial jury." The Supreme Court's liberal justices Stephen Breyer, Elena Kagan, and Sonia Sotomayor dissented.

"The reasons the District Court gave do not justify excluding the Waltham murder evidence, and it was an abuse of discretion to do so," Breyer wrote, adding this evidence "supported Dzhokhar's theory that Tamerlan's violent and radicalizing influence induced all of the actions Dzhokhar took in connection with the Boston Marathon bombings," so it "may have led some jurors to conclude that Tamerlan's influence was so pervasive that Dzhokhar did not deserve to die."

The Biden administration's Justice Department had urged the Supreme Court to uphold Tsarnaev's death sentence, despite Attorney General Merrick Garland's moratorium on federal executions.

Former Minnesota police officer Kim Potter has received a two-year sentence for the killing of Daunte Wright.

Judge Regina Chu during a hearing on Friday announced a 24-month sentence for Potter, 16 months of which she will serve in prison and the rest she will serve on supervised release.

Potter was found guilty in December on charges of first-degree and second-degree manslaughter after she fatally shot Wright, a 20-year-old Black man, during a traffic stop in April 2021. She says she mistook her gun for a taser. Prosecutors argued Potter should be sentenced to seven years, while Potter's legal team argued she should receive probation, according to The New York Times.

The judge called this "one of the saddest cases I've had in my 20 years on the bench," saying that Potter "made a tragic error" that she is "extremely remorseful" about. She also said her sentencing decision was "extremely difficult" but that she took into account that Potter "does not present a danger of future crimes."

Members of Wright's family, including his mother, delivered emotional remarks during the sentencing hearing. "I'll never be able to forgive you," Katie Wright told Potter. Potter also spoke, tearfully telling the family she was "so sorry that I brought the death of your son, father, brother, uncle, grandson, nephew … My heart is broken for all of you."

After the sentencing, Wright's mother, Katie, slammed the judge's decision, saying the family is "very disappointed in the outcome."

"Yes we got a conviction, and we thank everybody for that," she said. "But again, this isn't okay. This is the problem with our justice system today. White women tears trumps justice."

Wright's father, Arbuey, also expressed disappointment, saying, "This lady got a slap on the wrist, and we're still every night sitting around crying, waiting for my son to come home."

The U.K.'s Prince Andrew, second son of Queen Elizabeth II, has settled a lawsuit concerning sexual assault claims brought against him by Virginia Giuffre, Bloomberg reports.

Giuffre had accused the prince of "raping her when she was a teenage victim of Andrew's friend, the notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein," The New York Times writes. Andrew has repeatedly denied the allegations.

The amount upon which the two parties settled is confidential, but the British royal will also make a "substantial donation" to Giuffre's charity supporting victim's rights, per a joint statement attached to the court filing.

"Prince Andrew has never intended to malign Ms. Giuffre's character, and he accepts that she has suffered both as an established victim of abuse and as a result of unfair public attacks," read the statement, which also commends Giuffre for her "bravery," a characterization that "contrasts sharply" with the way Andrew's lawyers described her previously, notes the Times.

The settlement arrives just weeks before Andrew was to sit for a deposition, scheduled for March 10.

In January, after a judge allowed the case against him to proceed, the prince was stripped of his military titles and royal charities and was to no longer go by "His Royal Highness" or take on any public duties.

Legislation banning forced arbitration in sexual harassment and assault cases is heading to President Biden's desk.

The Senate on Thursday passed the Ending Forced Arbitration Act, which prevents companies from forcing harassment and assault claims into arbitration, with bipartisan support, Axios and NBC News report. The House of Representatives passed the bill earlier this week.

"This is among the largest workplace reforms, certainly in our lifetimes," Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) told NBC News.

The White House has said it supports the bill, as current law allowing employers to require arbitration in misconduct cases "silences victims of abuse by forcing them into a confidential dispute forum without the right to appeal."

The law was championed by former Fox News host Gretchen Carlson, who sued former Fox News CEO Roger Ailes for sexual harassment but has said she was prevented from speaking about the details of her case due to a nondisclosure agreement. Gillibrand told Axios that Carlson "sat down with Lindsey [Graham] to tell him about her experience at Fox News, and I think that was something very important to him." Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) was among the Republicans who supported the bill.

After the bill passed the House, Carlson said she was "thrilled" it received bipartisan support.

Carlson previously wrote in a USA Today column in 2021, "More than 60 million Americans are under the thumb of forced arbitration in their employment agreements, and over a third of American workers are bound by NDAs. They cannot tell their own truths; they cannot tell their own stories. It's time to remove the muzzles, not just to make people safer but to also create more productive, positive businesses."

Some experts were bracing for a disappointing January jobs report — but it ended up significantly beating expectations.

The Labor Department said Friday the U.S. economy added 467,000 jobs in January as the unemployment rate increased slightly to 4.0 percent.

This number was much higher than expected, as economists were expecting about 150,000 jobs to be added, CNBC reports. The better-than-expected report came despite the recent surge in Omicron COVID-19 cases in the United States.

In fact, Axios wrote ahead of the report's release that a "negative number would hardly be shocking," and the White House was reportedly bracing for a disappointing report. "The peak of Omicron cases coincided with when the payroll data was being collected," Biden Council of Economic Advisers member Jared Bernstein previously warned CNN, while Glassdoor senior economist Daniel Zhao wrote in a preview, "The job market is likely to slow dramatically as the impacts of Omicron are fully felt."

But the January report showed that the "jobs market is tremendously strong," CNN business correspondent Christine Romans said Friday, while economist Jason Furman suggested the numbers indicate "the economy no longer cares" about COVID-19. "People returned to the workforce," Furman wrote. "The economy added jobs. Wages rose. You would barely know it happened from the economic data."

Zhao also wrote Friday that the report "signals that the job market recovery is plowing forward, despite Omicron headwinds."

President Biden has announced the leader of ISIS has been killed during a U.S. raid in Syria.

Biden said in a statement Thursday that U.S. military forces undertook a counterterrorism operation early Thursday, and "thanks to the skill and bravery of our armed forces, we have taken off the battlefield Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi — the leader of ISIS." Biden added that "all Americans have returned safely from the operation."

The announcement comes after The New York Times previously reported that U.S. Special Operations raided a two-story house in Syria, pursuing a "high value" target. "The mission was successful," Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said. "There were no U.S. casualties. More information will be provided as it becomes available." Thirteen people, including four women and six children, were reportedly killed, according to The Associated Press.

The Times reported that there was a "long, tense standoff" and a "major battle erupted" involving rocket-propelled grenades. "The size, scope, and duration of the battle suggested that the target of the raid was likely a senior Qaeda figure," the Times reported. "The fact that the United States risked sending in commandos, and not just launching airstrikes, also suggested the focus of the raid was a senior figure." Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurayshi has been leader of ISIS since 2019, when previous leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi died during a U.S. raid.

Biden is scheduled to deliver remarks from the White House about the raid on Thursday morning.

Activision Blizzard, the famed video game company that has been grappling with allegations of sexual harassment, is set to be acquired by Microsoft.

Microsoft confirmed Tuesday it will acquire the publisher behind hit games like World of Warcraft, Call of Duty, and Overwatch in a deal valued at $68.7 billion. Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick will continue in his role at the head of the company, the announcement said.

The acquisition comes after Activision Blizzard was hit with a bombshell lawsuit by the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing last year, which alleged the company created a "breeding ground for harassment and discrimination." According to the lawsuit, female employees "almost universally confirmed" that working for Activision Blizzard "was akin to working in a frat house, which invariably involved male employees drinking and subjecting female employees to sexual harassment with no repercussion."

Activision Blizzard denied the lawsuit's claims, but in July, current and former employees criticized the company's response, which they said "creates a company atmosphere that disbelieves victims." In November, The Wall Street Journal reported that Kotick knew about sexual misconduct allegations at the company for years. Activision Blizzard has fired or pushed out over three dozen employees since July, according to the Journal.

Microsoft said Tuesday the acquisition of Activision Blizzard will help ​​bolster the portfolio of games offered on Game Pass, the Netflix-like subscription service that has become a major priority for the company. In 2020, Microsoft announced it would acquire Bethesda, the company behind the hit Fallout and The Elder Scrolls games, for $7.5 billion in what was at the time its largest video game purchase ever.

Microsoft noted that after the Activision Blizzard deal closes, it will "become the world's third-largest gaming company by revenue" after Tencent and Sony. Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer said, "We're looking forward to extending our culture of proactive inclusion to the great teams across Activision Blizzard."

Kim Potter, the former Minnesota police officer who shot and killed 20-year-old Daunte Wright after she says she mistook her gun for a Taser, has been found guilty on manslaughter charges.

A Minneapolis jury found Potter guilty Thursday on charges of first-degree and second-degree manslaughter in the killing of Wright, a Black man, in April 2021. Potter fatally shot Wright during a traffic stop. She says she thought her gun was a Taser, and video showed her shouting "Taser" and saying "Holy s--t. I just shot him."

Potter testified in her defense during the trial, saying she was "very distraught" after the shooting and "didn't want to hurt anybody." Prosecutors said the case was about "an officer who knew she could kill someone if she got it wrong but failed to make sure she got it right," per NPR, and attorneys for Wright's family said the "argument that she mistook her firearm for her Taser is simply beyond comprehension and a damning indictment of both her and the Brooklyn Center Police Department's practices and training protocols."

According to The New York Times, the maximum sentence on the most serious charge is 15 years. Potter's conviction comes after former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted this year in the murder of George Floyd, and he was sentenced to more than 20 years in prison. Potter is scheduled to be sentenced in February.

The Food and Drug Administration has officially authorized the first antiviral pill to treat COVID-19 in the United States.

The FDA announced Wednesday it has approved Paxlovid, an oral antiviral COVID-19 treatment from Pfizer, for emergency use to treat mild-to-moderate COVID-19 for patients at "at high risk for progression to severe" COVID-19.

"Today's authorization introduces the first treatment for COVID-19 that is in the form of a pill that is taken orally — a major step forward in the fight against this global pandemic," said Dr. Patrizia Cavazzoni, director of the FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. "This authorization provides a new tool to combat COVID-19 at a crucial time in the pandemic as new variants emerge and promises to make antiviral treatment more accessible to patients who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19."

Pfizer previously announced that the antiviral pill in a trial reduced the risk of hospitalization or death among high-risk COVID-19 patients by 89 percent when it was given within three days of symptoms first emerging. "It is a game changer," Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla told ABC News. "But at the same time, I want to emphasize that no one should use the existence of the pill as an excuse to avoid vaccination." The FDA in its Wednesday announcement also noted that the pill "is not a substitute for vaccination."

Another COVID-19 pill could soon be authorized by the FDA, as well, as Bloomberg reported that an antiviral pill from Merck could receive approval this week.

Pfizer has announced that new data confirm its antiviral pill is effective at reducing the risk of hospitalization or death from COVID-19.

The company said Tuesday final trial results confirmed the antiviral pill reduced the risk of hospitalization or death for high-risk COVID-19 patients by 89 percent when given within three days of symptoms developing. This confirmed earlier data from a clinical trial. Pfizer executive Annaliesa Anderson previously told The New York Times that those results were "really beyond our wildest dreams."

Additionally, the company said Tuesday that the pill worked against the new Omicron variant of COVID-19 in lab studies, according to The New York Times.

"This underscores the treatment candidate's potential to save the lives of patients around the world," Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said.

Pfizer said this new data has been shared with the FDA as part of its Emergency Use Authorization submission, and Bourla told ABC News that the pill could be authorized in the United States by the end of the year or early 2022. "It is a game changer," Bourla also told ABC. "But at the same time, I want to emphasize that no one should use the existence of the pill as an excuse to avoid vaccination."

An FDA advisory panel previously recommended emergency authorization be granted to a COVID-19 pill from Merck. According to CNN, the FDA hasn't yet set a date for when its advisory committee will consider Pfizer's treatment.

Disgraced USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar's sexual abuse victims have reached a $380 million settlement.

The settlement for more than 500 gymnasts was revealed Monday during bankruptcy proceedings for USA Gymnastics, according to The New York Times. Simone Biles, McKayla Maroney, and Aly Raisman are among the gymnasts who will be compensated under the settlement, which was "among the largest ever recorded for victims of sex abuse," The Wall Street Journal reports.

"No amount of money will ever repair the damage that has been done and what these women have been through," former gymnast Rachael Denhollander told the Times. "But at some point, the negotiations have to end because these women need help — and they need it right now."

USA Gymnastics filed for bankruptcy in 2018 while facing lawsuits from Nassar's sexual abuse victims. Board of directors chair Kathryn Carson said at the time that the organization owed it to survivors to "resolve, fully and finally, claims based on the horrific acts of the past and, through this process, seek to expedite resolution and help them move forward." According to the Times, insurers for USA Gymnastics and the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee will pay most of the $380 million, though the USOPC will also pay $34 million of its own money.

News of the settlement comes after victims of Nassar's delivered testimony about the case to Congress in September, with Biles calling out "an entire system that enabled and perpetrated his abuse" and saying, "We have been failed, and we deserve answers."

The parents of the Oxford High School student charged in connection with this week's deadly shooting have now also been hit with charges.

Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald announced in a news conference Friday that the parents of alleged gunman Ethan Crumbley, 15, are both being charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter following the Tuesday shooting that left four people dead.

"While the shooter was the one who entered the high school and pulled the trigger, there are other individuals who contributed to the events on Nov. 30, and it's my intention to hold them accountable as well," she said.

Officials said James Crumbley, Ethan's father, purchased the gun used in the shooting, which Ethan's mother, Jennifer Crumbley, reportedly described as Ethan's Christmas present.

McDonald said that the morning of the shooting, Ethan Crumbley's teacher found a note on his desk containing disturbing imagery, including drawings of a gun, a bullet, and a person who had been shot, with the words "the thoughts won't stop, help me" and "blood everywhere." According to McDonald, Ethan Crumbley's parents were summoned to school, shown the drawings, and told to get their son into counseling within 48 hours, but they "resisted the idea" of him leaving school. They ultimately left without him as he returned to class and "failed to ask their son if he had his gun with him or where his gun was located, and failed to inspect his backpack for the presence of the gun, which he had with him," McDonald said.

McDonald said she hopes the charges send a message that "gun owners have a responsibility" and that "when they fail to uphold that responsibility, there are serious and criminal consequences." The step was unusual, as Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence policy director Allison Anderman told The New York Times, "I can't think of a high-profile mass shooting where the parents were prosecuted."

Two roadside bombs exploded on a road in Damascus during morning rush hour on Wednesday, destroying a bus carrying Syrian troops and leaving 14 people dead and others wounded, Syrian state TV said. A third bomb was reportedly found and defused. "It is a cowardly act," Damascus police commander Maj. Gen. Hussein Jumaa told state TV. Nobody has claimed responsibility for the bombing, a rare attack inside Damascus.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces now control most of Syria, after help from Russia and Iran, and a pullout of U.S. forces, allowed Assad to decimate groups of rebels and nearby civilians. The conflict, sparked by a brutal government crackdown on protesters in 2011, has left more than 350,000 Syrians dead, while five million refugees fled the country.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is reportedly in the hospital after experiencing abdominal pains and chronic hiccups.

The Brazilian president was hospitalized "to identify the cause of chronic hiccups," Reuters reported. He reportedly had been experiencing abdominal pains early on Wednesday, according to local media reports. Items on his agenda, including a Supreme Court visit, have been canceled, per Bloomberg.

Bolsonaro underwent surgery in 2018 after he was stabbed while campaigning, and according to Bloomberg, he has been expected to undergo a procedure due to a hernia. He has had "stubborn cough" during appearances in recent months and has also had hiccups that have raised health concerns, Reuters notes. Bolsonaro recovered from COVID-19 last year.

A statement from Bolsonaro's office said he would remain under observation for between 24 and 48 hours but that he's "feeling good and doing well."

Bill Cosby is set to leave prison after a court overturned his sexual assault conviction.

Cosby, who was sentenced to between three and 10 years in prison after being convicted of sexually assaulting Andrea Constand in 2004, had his sentence overturned by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Wednesday, and NBC News' Craig Melvin reports that he "will be out of prison in hours."

The court concluded that an agreement Cosby had with a previous prosecutor prevented him from being charged, according to The Associated Press. Cosby's team had appealed his conviction and argued that the "presumption of innocence just didn't exist for him" because of testimony from five "prior bad acts" witnesses.

Cosby previously lost an appeal of his conviction in 2019, with Variety writing at the time that an appeals court said "no written non-prosecution agreement exists," and that the previous prosecutor, Bruce Castor, "did not have the power to unilaterally immunize Cosby in any case."

Miami-Dade officials said on Thursday afternoon that 102 people have been accounted for after the earlier collapse of a condo tower in Surfside, Florida. At least 99 people are still missing, and rescue teams are working through the rubble of the 12-story building, reports CNN.

The tower partially collapsed early Thursday morning, and search crews said they have heard sound coming from the rubble. During a press conference in the afternoon, Fire Rescue Assistant Chief Ray Jadallah said rescuers had reported a possible "banging" sound, but "we haven't heard any voices coming from the pile." At least two people are currently hospitalized with injuries from the collapse. The Washington Post reports at least one person is confirmed dead, while at least 10 others are confirmed injured.

The Surfside building "was starting a critical inspection process. What went wrong?," asked the Miami Herald. The tower was built in 1981, meaning it was due for its regular recertification process this year. "It's not clear what stage the review process had reached and whether anything had been flagged" as an issue, writes the Herald. Sources said surrounding construction, proximity to the ocean, and possible structural corrosion could all contribute, though "building collapses are exceedingly rare and usually involve a 'perfect storm' of multiple factors."

It will likely take some time, possibly months, to determine what caused the collapse. Read more at the Miami Herald.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison's office is set to lead the prosecution of Kim Potter, the former police officer charged with fatally shooting Daunte Wright.

Ellison announced Friday his office is taking on the case at the request of Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman, with the Minnesota attorney general saying he is not doing so "lightly," Axios reports. This comes after Washington County Attorney Pete Orput returned the case to Freeman's office, according to The Associated Press.

"Daunte Wright's death was a tragedy," Ellison said. "He should not have died on the day that he did. He should not have died the way that he did."

Potter was charged with second-degree manslaughter after fatally shooting Wright, a 20-year-old Black man, during a traffic stop in April. The Brooklyn Center Police Department said Potter apparently intended to use her Taser but fired her gun instead, and video showed Potter saying, "Holy s---. I just shot him."

Wright's shooting sparked protests amid the murder trial of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who was ultimately convicted of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter in the killing of George Floyd. Ellison's office led the prosecution of Chauvin, which Axios notes resulted in a "rare conviction of a police officer."

"I promise the Wright family and all Minnesotans that I will handle this prosecution responsibly and consistent with the law, and that I will be guided by the values of accountability and transparency," Ellison said Friday. "No one, however, should expect this case will be easy to prosecute. History shows that this case, like all cases of officer-involved deaths by deadly force, will be difficult."

Prosecutors will seek the death penalty for Robert Aaron Long, the suspect in March's shooting at three Atlanta-area spas, CNN reports.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis filed a notice Tuesday indicating she will seek the death penalty and enhanced hate crimes charges for Long, according to the report. Eight people were killed in the shootings, six of whom were women of Asian descent.

In the filing, Willis said that Long allegedly "targeted some of the victims because they were of Asian descent," The New York Times writes. This case will be the "first test" of a Georgia hate crimes law passed last year, under which suspects can face enhanced penalties if victims were targeted for their race, gender, or sexual orientation, CNN notes. The Cherokee County Sheriff's office said in March that Long claimed to investigators "the crimes were not racially motivated."

Long has reportedly been indicted on 19 counts, including four charges of felony murder.

A Chicago police watchdog group released body camera footage on Thursday that showed an officer fatally shooting 13-year-old Adam Toledo.

Last month, a Chicago police officer chased Toledo down an alley after responding to a call of shots fired, and saw what appeared to be a gun in his hand, reports NBC News. After the officer yelled "police, stop," Toledo turned and raised his hands, neither of which appeared to be holding a weapon, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. Less than one second later, footage made public by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability shows, the officer, identified as Eric Stillman, shot Toledo in the chest. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The teen's family, who viewed the video before it was made public, said it was "extremely difficult and heartbreaking for everyone present" to watch. John Catanzara, president of the Fraternal Order of Police, said the officer was justified because Toledo "still turned with a gun in his hand."

Before the footage was released, Stillman had reported that Toledo "did not follow verbal commands, fled, posed an imminent threat, used force likely to cause death or great bodily harm, and that he was armed with a semi-automatic pistol," reports BuzzFeed News, writing that some of those claims "do not appear to be borne out by the body worn video."

Prosecutors previously said Toledo turned toward the officer with a gun in his hand, but shortly before the video was released, the Cook County State's Attorney's Office said the attorney who asserted that "failed to fully inform himself before speaking in court," per BuzzFeed.

Toledo's death has already sparked protests in Chicago, and Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Thursday urged calm as COPA completes further investigation. Stillman has been placed on administrative duties for 30 days.

Read more at the Chicago Sun-Times and BuzzFeed News.

No charges will be brought in the fatal shooting of Ashli Babbitt during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, the Justice Department announced.

The DOJ said Wednesday that the Capitol Police officer who fatally shot Babbitt during the riot will not face charges, as an investigation determined "there is insufficient evidence to support a criminal prosecution."

Babbitt was a part of the mob that stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6 as Congress was meeting to certify President Biden's election win. Rioters tried to break through a set of glass doors that officers had barricaded outside of the Speaker's Lobby, and when Babbitt tried to climb through one of the doors, she was shot once in her left shoulder by a Capitol Police officer, according to the DOJ. Babbitt died from her injuries after being taken to Washington Hospital Center.

Prosecutors said there was not evidence establishing that the officer "did not reasonably believe that it was necessary to do so in self-defense or in defense of the Members of Congress and others evacuating the House Chamber," and prosecutors announced the closing of the investigation while "acknowledging the tragic loss of life and offering condolences to Ms. Babbitt's family."

According to The Washington Post, given the circumstances of the shooting and the "high bar" necessary to meet to establish that an officer in such a case "willfully" used more force than necessary, this outcome "was not unexpected" by experts.

Kim Potter, the white Minnesota police officer who shot and killed 20-year-old Daunte Wright, has reportedly been arrested and will be charged with second-degree manslaughter.

The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension confirmed to the The New York Times that Potter was taken into custody on Wednesday morning, and Washington County prosecutor Pete Orput told the Times the complaint will be filed later in the day.

This comes after Potter resigned on Tuesday after she fatally shot Wright, a Black man, during a traffic stop in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota. Tim Gannon, the Brooklyn Center Police chief who has since announced his resignation, said that Potter appeared to have had the "intention to deploy" her Taser, but "instead shot Mr. Wright with a single bullet."

Police also released video of the incident, which showed Potter shouting "Taser" and saying, "Holy s---. I just shot him." Wright's killing has sparked three nights of protests around police headquarters in Brooklyn Center.

According to the Star Tribune, the charge Potter is facing carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

Former NFL player Phillip Adams has reportedly been identified as the suspect in a deadly shooting in South Carolina.

The former NFL star allegedly shot and killed five people in South Carolina and died by suicide on Thursday, The Associated Press reported, citing a source briefed on the investigation.

A prominent doctor, Dr. Robert Lesslie, was killed in the shooting, as was his wife and their two grandchildren and a man who was working at the home, officials said. A sixth person was also reportedly hospitalized with gunshot wounds. According to The Daily Beast, the shooting took place on Wednesday at Lesslie's home outside of Rock Hill, South Carolina, and the suspect was found following an eight-hour manhunt.

Adams, who had reportedly been treated by the doctor, played for six teams over five seasons in the NFL, including the New York Jets and the Atlanta Falcons. York County Sheriff’s Office's spokesperson Trent Faris told AP that Lesslie was "one of those people that everybody knows" in Rock Hill.

"It is impossible to imagine the grief that the extended Lesslie family must be feeling, including and especially their adult children," Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) said Thursday. "Please join me in lifting them up in prayers, and wrapping them in the same love and support they've shown many of us over the years."

Lady Gaga is reportedly offering a reward of $500,000 for the return of her two French bulldogs after they were stolen and her dog walker was shot.

The pop star's dog walker was shot on Wednesday night while walking her three bulldogs in Hollywood, "and the gunman made off with two of the dogs," Koji and Gustav, TMZ reports.

Gaga's dog walker was reportedly taken to a hospital and is expected to make a full recovery, while the third dog has been recovered, the report says.

Police say that a "male suspect took the two bulldogs from the victim, used a semi-automatic handgun and fled the scene in a white sedan," CNN reports. Gaga, who TMZ says is in Rome working on a movie, is reportedly offering a reward of half a million dollars for the return of the dogs and asking anyone who might have them to email KojiandGustav@gmail.com. It reportedly isn't clear if the suspect specifically targeted Lady Gaga's dogs.

"French bulldogs are in demand and expensive," TMZ writes, "so our sources say it's possible the gunman did not know the dogs were owned by Lady Gaga."

Tiger Woods has been hospitalized after sustaining injuries in a car accident.

The legendary golfer was involved in a "single vehicle roll-over traffic collision" on Tuesday, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said. The vehicle sustained "major damage," and Woods was extracted from the wreck by firefighters and paramedics with the "Jaws of Life," according to the department.

Woods, who was the vehicle's only occupant, was taken to a local hospital for his injuries, officials said. TMZ notes he was in the area for the Genesis Invitational golf tournament.

According to CNN, the Los Angeles County Fire Department described his injuries as "moderate to critical." Woods' agent told Golf Digest he "suffered multiple leg injuries" in the accident and "is currently in surgery." The agent added, "We thank you for your privacy and support." Brendan Morrow

Michigan is preparing to charge former Republican Gov. Rick Snyder and other former officials over the Flint, Michigan, water crisis, The Associated Press reports.

Snyder was governor when the majority-Black city was moved to an untreated, lead-contaminated water source. Snyder, his former health department director Nick Lyon, and other members of the Snyder administration were told they would soon face unspecified charges, two people with knowledge of the planned prosecution told AP.

In 2014, state-appointed officials moved Flint's water source to the Flint River to save money as a new pipeline was built to Lake Huron. The water wasn't treated for contamination from the old, corroding pipes the water ran through, yet state regulators signed off on the move anyway. Bacteria in the river water was meanwhile attributed to an outbreak of Legionnaire's disease in the city of 100,000 people, leading to at least 12 deaths. Snyder and Lyon didn't acknowledge the outbreak until 2016, though Lyon admitted he knew of the Legionnaire's cases earlier.

Lyon was charged in 2018 with involuntary manslaughter over allegations he didn't warn the public about the dangerous water source. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel (D) dropped those charges against Lyon and other officials in 2019. The attorney general's office did not acknowledge the reported charges but told AP it would "share more as soon as we're in a position to do so."

A Chicago man has been arrested after allegedly threatening violence at the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois announced Tuesday that 45-year-old Louis Capriotti was arrested and is facing a federal charge of "transmitting a threat in interstate commerce."

Capriotti, officials said, allegedly left a voicemail for a U.S. House member on Dec. 29 saying that those who "think that Joe Biden is going to put his hand on the Bible and walk into that [expletive] White House" on Jan. 20 are "sadly [expletive] mistaken" and threatening, "We will surround the [expletive] White House and we will kill any [expletive] Democrat that steps on the [expletive] lawn."

"Our office takes the security of our public servants very seriously," U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois John Lausch said. "Individuals who cross the line of free speech by making unlawful threats will be held accountable."

The news comes after last week's deadly pro-Trump riot at the Capitol building, which occurred as lawmakers met to certify Biden's win. The riot, The Wall Street Journal reports, has prompted officials to step up security for Biden's inauguration, and a House Democratic aide told the Journal there are plans for the "largest perimeter ever established around the Capitol" to be erected.

The arrest also comes as CBS News' Ben Tracy reports Capitol Police briefed lawmakers "on a plot by militia members to surround the White House to protect President Trump, kill Democrats at the Capitol, and surround the Supreme Court."

The FBI has reportedly warned that armed protests are being planned at every state capitol following last week's deadly riot in Washington, D.C.

An internal FBI bulletin says that "armed protests are being planned at all 50 state capitols" and at the U.S. Capitol from Jan. 16 through "at least" Jan. 20, the day of President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration, ABC News reported on Monday.

Additionally, the FBI has reportedly received information about a group "planning to 'storm' government offices in every state" on the day of the inauguration and calling for "'storming' state, local and federal government courthouses and administrative buildings" should President Trump be removed from office before Jan. 20, ABC writes.

"The FBI received information about an identified armed group intending to travel to Washington, D.C. on 16 January," the FBI bulletin reportedly says. "They have warned that if Congress attempts to remove POTUS via the 25th Amendment, a huge uprising will occur."

News of the FBI memo was confirmed by NBC News, which wrote that it "doesn't mean that law enforcement agencies expect violent mass protests or confrontations in every state," and NBC quoted an FBI spokesperson in Boston as saying that "the FBI Boston Division is not in possession of any intelligence indicating any planned, armed protests at the four state capitals in our area of responsibility" from Jan. 17 through the 20th.

This comes less than a week after a mob of Trump supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol building in a deadly riot, which has prompted Democrats to pursue impeaching Trump a second time for "incitement of insurrection." On Monday, The Washington Post reports, defense officials said that up to 15,000 National Guard members could be deployed for Biden's inauguration on Jan. 20.

Twitter "permanently suspended" President Trump's personal account on Friday, citing "the risk of further incitement of violence."

The decision follows Twitter's temporary, 12-hour ban on the president's account on Wednesday, resulting from the president's "severe" violations of the company's civil integrity policy. Twitter warned at the time that if Trump violated the company's civic integrity or violent threats policies again, it would "result in permanent suspension." Facebook took similar steps this week, blocking Trump from using his account until "the peaceful transfer of power is complete."

On Friday, Trump sent two tweets: One read, "The 75,000,000 great American Patriots who voted for me, AMERICA FIRST, and MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, will have a GIANT VOICE long into the future. They will not be disrespected or treated unfairly in any way, shape or form!!!" The next stated that "to all of those who have asked, I will not be going to the Inauguration on January 20th."

Here's the explanation from Twitter:

Twitter said his tweets violated policy by providing "further indication that President Trump does not plan to facilitate an 'orderly transition' and instead that he plans to continue to support, empower, and shield those who believe he won the election."

His account has already vanished from the website. Jeva Lange

A large blast that shook downtown Nashville early Christmas morning wasn't an accident, Nashville police sayk. "The explosion was significant, as you can see," and "the police department, its federal partners — the FBI and ATF — are conducting a large-scale investigation to this point," said Metro Nashville Police Department spokesman Don Aaron. "We do believe that the explosion was an intentional act." Three people were injured in the explosion, but none critically, he added.

Police said they had responded to reports of a suspicious vehicle parked downtown at just before 6 a.m., but they had reason to call in the bomb squad, and the vehicle exploded as the unit was en route to the scene. About 20 buildings were damaged in the blast, Nashville Mayor John Cooper said. "It looks like a bomb went off," he said, and authorities will give an update Saturday morning. In the meantime, the downtown area will be "sealed off," Cooper said. "One more event in Nashville's 2020."

President-elect Joe Biden's son Hunter is under federal investigation for his "tax affairs," he revealed on Wednesday.

In a statement released by the president-elect's transition team, Hunter Biden said the U.S. Attorney's Office in Delaware on Tuesday advised his legal counsel "that they are investigating my tax affairs."

"I take this matter very seriously but I am confident that a professional and objective review of these matters will demonstrate that I handled my affairs legally and appropriately, including with the benefit of professional tax advisors," Hunter Biden said.

A statement from the Biden-Harris transition also said the president-elect is "deeply proud of his son, who has fought through difficult challenges, including the vicious personal attacks of recent months, only to emerge stronger."

Further details about the federal investigation weren't provided in the statement. But CNN reports that investigators "have been examining multiple financial issues, including whether Hunter Biden and associates violated tax and money laundering laws in business dealings in foreign countries, principally China." CNN also reports the investigation "began as early as 2018."