Cornell University has hired former U.S. Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates to review how the school has responded to allegations of sexual assault.

Cornell announced Tuesday that the examination will broadly assess the university’s policies for preventing and responding to sexual assault.

Yates will also undertake a “detailed review of the University’s response to the allegations involving Jane Doe and members of the Chi Phi fraternity in October 2024, including whether Cornell followed its policies and procedures in responding to the matter.”

Cornell said the review will assess its policies, practices and resources covering the full range of prevention and response. That includes how reports are received and investigated, student support, hearings, disciplinary decisions and appeals, as well as the role and response of campus police. Yates’ team will also examine coordination with outside law enforcement and prosecutors, campus safety reporting, policies governing fraternities, sororities and other student organizations, and the Board’s oversight of these matters.

Anne Meinig Smalling, chair of the Cornell University Special Committee of the Board of Trustees, said Yates would carry out a “rigorous examination” as student protests over the allegations spread across campus this week.

“Sally Yates brings extraordinary experience, independence and judgment to this work… The questions raised by the Jane Doe matter warrant a rigorous examination of Cornell’s response to that case, but our responsibility is broader,” Smalling said. She added that Yates and her team had been asked to evaluate Cornell’s overall approach to preventing and responding to sexual misconduct, identify strengths and weaknesses, and recommend changes aimed at making the university community safer.

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A lawsuit accuses seven former Chi Phi fraternity members of drugging and raping a female Cornell student during a night of drinking, drug use and group sex at the fraternity house in October 2024.

The accuser, identified in court documents as Jane Doe, alleges that the men sexually assaulted her after she arrived intoxicated and was pressured to take ketamine and other substances. The men have denied wrongdoing. Some say the sexual activity was consensual, while others deny taking part. No criminal charges have been filed against the seven men.

Andrew Miltenberg, an attorney representing one of the seven fraternity members named in Jane Doe’s civil lawsuit, said his firm welcomed Cornell’s decision to commission an independent review of the case and its sexual misconduct policies. He added that his experience with Cornell Title IX investigations has generally been positive.

“That said, we have also seen due process problems that have affected respondents, and on at least two occasions we have gone to federal court to try to address those issues,” Miltenberg said. “In this case, we do not agree with the outcome as to Mr. Lopes.”

Miltenberg called an independent examination “appropriate,” pointing to Yates’ “tremendous experience as a prosecutor and investigator.” He said Yates and her team should review the complete record and “follow the facts wherever they lead.”

“There has been a tremendous amount of public discussion and pressure surrounding this case,” he said. “That makes it even more important that the review focus on the evidence and take an honest look at what happened, how Cornell handled it, and whether its policies and procedures were followed… At the end of the day, the facts should speak for themselves.”

The matter has escalated into a political and legal firestorm. New York Attorney General Letitia James said Friday that her office was conducting an “active criminal investigation” after Gov. Kathy Hochul appointed the Office of the Attorney General as special prosecutor. Cornell has separately agreed to retain outside counsel for an independent review of its handling of the allegations.

The controversy centers on sharply conflicting accounts of the night in question, including discrepancies between Doe’s statements in the weeks that followed, the information prosecutors say they received from Cornell police and the explosive allegations outlined in a lawsuit filed nearly two years later.

After delivering a fiery pre-match critique of American arrogance, Canada coach Jesse Marsch was reminded that his side still has ground to make up against its southern rival.

The latest chapter in the United States-Canada soccer rivalry belonged to the Americans, with Orlando City forward Justin Ellis scoring the only goal in a 1-0 USMNT victory.

The result gave Mauricio Pochettino a perfect four wins from four matches, while four players who had yet to earn an international cap found the net during the window.

Ellis, just 19, was among them. The Orlando City striker claimed his second USMNT goal after opening his account on his debut against Peru earlier in the international break.

For Marsch, the defeat was his first since Canada were eliminated by Morocco in the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The Wisconsin-born coach again became a central figure before facing his home country, having made pointed comments about the American mindset and the way it shapes the United States’ reputation around the world.

‘We, as Americans, have been inundated with propaganda since we were young,’ Marsch told The Guardian. ‘We’re the No 1 country in the world, we deserve everything, we dominate everything, No 1 in every aspect of life. 

‘This is the message we’ve received. So, when events unfold and we no longer feel in control of them … we believe we should be treated differently simply because we’re Americans.

‘That is one of the things that infuriates the rest of the world about Americans. And Americans don’t know that if they don’t ever leave the country.’

Whatever truth his remarks may contain, particularly for those who have never started the day by reciting the ‘Pledge of Allegiance’ in an American public school, they do little to dispel the impression that Marsch remains frustrated after being overlooked for the job he wanted.

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Marsch was viewed as the leading candidate to take charge of the USMNT after the 2022 World Cup, only for the federation to choose Gregg Berhalter for a second, ultimately unsuccessful spell. The decision clearly lingered with the former Leeds United manager, who has repeatedly been asked about the direction of US Soccer and whether he might one day be part of it.

Last March, the 52-year-old said he felt ‘devastated and angry’ after being passed over. And when critics labeled the motivational speech he delivered to his Canada players after their World Cup knockout victory over South Africa as ‘performative,’ Marsch told Time that he ‘doesn’t give a s***’ about their opinions.

During that interview, he also volunteered a firm rejection of any future return to the USMNT: ‘Let me make it really clear: I will never coach the US national team. Ever. And that’s no problem. There was the possibility of me at one point, but I’m done with it. I don’t even care anymore.’

Even with those comments suggesting lingering resentment, Marsch insisted at Monday’s pre-match news conference that he has ‘definitely not a grudge’ against the USSF. ‘People want to take it that way, which is fine,’ he said.

Canada were missing several key players, including Cyle Larin, Tajon Buchanan and Alphonso Davies, yet Les Rouges still recorded more shots than their rivals. Their pressure ultimately produced no goals, however, as Nashville SC goalkeeper Brian Schwake kept every attempt out.

The deadlock was broken early when Orlando City fullback Alex Freeman found his club teammate Ellis with a simple cross that required only a simple touch to land in the net. 

Marsch, who expressed his anger throughout the match, blasted his players in the post-game, saying: ‘We can’t just look like a group of hard workers who don’t put it together enough.’

Pochettino called up 13 players who had never been capped before and gave debuts to all of them throughout this window. The last of those players, Cole Campbell, earned his first cap off the bench against Canada.

With Pochettino in the beginning of his second era, the coach was asked if he felt any differently of the new members of his roster.

‘I don’t feel differently, no. I’m worried,’ Pochettino joked. ‘They need to keep being humble in their clubs and they need to be desperate again to earn [the right] to come [to camp].’

The coach added, ‘I think if we keep that mentality, that mindset, I think everything is possible.’ 

Federal prosecutors said Monday that a Denver man was subjected to days of torture after his roommates discovered that he and his father had ties to law enforcement in Venezuela, then carried out a ransom scheme allegedly directed by leaders of the violent Tren de Aragua (TdA) gang.

The victim eventually escaped and walked into a police station, where officers found that one of his fingers had been severed, prosecutors said.

His alleged captors recorded the abuse and sent the footage to his wife while demanding that his relatives in Venezuela pay a ransom.

Darwin Veliz-Gonzalez, Jefferson Balza-Delfin and Yender Enrique Campos-Malave—all Venezuelan nationals—were each sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for the kidnapping and torture, the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announced.

Sentencing for a fourth defendant has been delayed.

“This is what Tren de Aragua was doing in our community,” US Attorney Peter McNeilly said. “Colorado is safer with these violent criminals in federal prison for the next 20 years, and we will continue to pursue every member of Tren de Aragua until there are no more left in our state.”

The victim had rented a room in the Denver house. Prosecutors said his roommates learned that he and his father had worked as police officers in Venezuela and then took him hostage.

The men bound him with rope and held him for several days, giving him little water and no food.

According to prosecutors, the attackers filmed themselves choking him with a rope until he was nearly unconscious. They also repeatedly forced his head into a bucket of water for at least 30 seconds at a time, threatened him with a gun and struck him with a pistol.

The recordings were sent to the victim’s wife as the men sought ransom from his family in Venezuela. Prosecutors said the footage was also shared with international TdA leaders, who were consulted about the kidnapping.

After the family failed to send money, a gang leader reportedly proposed cutting off one of the victim’s fingers to increase the pressure.

The victim overheard the discussion. Balza-Delfin then used pliers to sever his right pinky finger, and the attackers recorded that assault as well.

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Denver police went to the home on South Hazel Court on Oct. 16, 2024, after receiving a welfare call alleging that someone was being held captive there.

Officers carried out a limited visual check but found no one who appeared to be in distress. Prosecutors said the victim remained inside and was too frightened to reveal himself.

Three of the men left the house after police departed, creating an opening for the victim to flee.

The following morning, he walked into a Denver police station and reported the kidnapping and assault. He also showed officers that his finger was missing.

Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas commended the victim for reporting the crime.

“I applaud the victim of this heinous crime, and all victims, regardless of immigration status, for reporting criminal behaviors and helping us arrest those who prey on our community members,” Thomas said.

A federal grand jury has also indicted Brawins Dominique Suarez Villegas, known as “Chino San Vicente,” over his alleged involvement in the kidnapping and torture.

He is also accused of participating in a broader TdA criminal operation involving robbery, extortion, kidnapping, money laundering and drug crimes between May 2024 and approximately March 2025. 

The FBI’s Denver Field Office and Denver police investigated the case, which FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Amanda Koldjeski cited as part of the bureau’s efforts to dismantle the gang.

“The FBI, alongside our local, state, federal, and international partners, is working to disrupt and dismantle TdA through intelligence-driven investigations like this from our Violent Criminal Enterprise Task Force,” Koldjeski said.

A woman allegedly stabbed a young girl after crashing her SUV into a semi-truck and rolling over on a Washington freeway, authorities said. Two soldiers reportedly intervened, tackling the woman and taking away her knife.

The 35-year-old Steilacoom woman allegedly threatened two girls with a knife after the Monday morning collision on southbound Interstate 5 near DuPont, FOX 13 Seattle reported, citing the Washington State Patrol.

A 9-year-old girl sustained multiple broken bones and a stab wound. A 15-year-old girl was also taken to a hospital, though her injuries were not considered serious, according to the outlet.

Witness Nathan Wilkinson told KING 5 that he was driving to work when he encountered the wreck and saw two men wearing military uniforms—reportedly from Joint Base Lewis-McChord—step in.

“There’s people standing around, then all of a sudden there was a flash, and then the two soldiers jumped on a person. … I heard a scream at that time,” Wilkinson told the outlet. “I saw one of the soldiers had a knife in his hand that he had dislodged from the person they tackled.”

Wilkinson said he called 911 while bystanders restrained the woman, KING 5 reported. FOX 13 said two soldiers had stopped to help, and photographs from the scene appeared to show one of them holding a person down.

Investigators said the SUV first hit the left-side barrier, moved toward the right shoulder and then swerved back across the freeway before striking a semi-truck in the middle lane, according to FOX 13.

The SUV then hit the barrier again and overturned. The driver of the semi-truck was not hurt, the outlet reported.

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Officers told KING 5 that the woman had allegedly been driving erratically before the crash.

The woman was initially transported to a hospital for evaluation. FOX 13 reported Monday that authorities were investigating possible charges involving DUI, vehicular assault and first-degree assault.

In an update Tuesday morning, KING 5 reported that the woman had been booked into the Pierce County Jail. She was expected to face two counts of assault, vehicular assault and two counts of reckless endangerment, although it was not immediately clear whether prosecutors had formally filed those charges.

The cause of the crash remained under investigation. Authorities had not specified the woman’s relationship to the two girls.

The names of the two service members were not immediately released.

Wilkinson said he hoped the soldiers would be recognized for intervening.

“They didn’t run away, they didn’t pass, drive on by. They stopped and helped,” he told KING 5.

News Media contacted the Washington State Patrol and Joint Base Lewis-McChord seeking comment.