Heightened security measures have been enacted by Spain and Morocco at the shared border surrounding Spain’s North African territory, Ceuta. This clampdown comes as social media buzzes with fresh invitations for Moroccan migrants to storm the border once more, reminiscent of a similar occurrence last July which left the city unaided and strained by enormous numbers.

On Friday, soldiers were visibly monitoring both business and government districts across the city while increased policing patrolled Ceuta’s primary thoroughfares, according to a report from Reuters.

Across the border in Morocco, security units clad in black maintained a watchful eye along the Fnideq beaches, historically known as key launch pads for clandestine entries into Ceuta. This area last July was the scene of a massive influx, with over 70,000 individuals arriving in a single wave from Morocco.

This bolstered security response is directly linked to online encouragements for Moroccans to once more converge upon Ceuta and Melilla, another of Spain’s territories in Africa, sparking further border tensions slated for Saturday.

“The Ministry of the Interior has detected, during the last few days, the circulation of anonymous publications and messages on certain social networks inciting the organization of attempts at collective and illegal crossing to the cities of Ceuta and Melilla, practices which carry serious risks to the safety of people and aim to instrumentalize migration issues in acts of incitement, which are criminalized by law,” Morocco’s Ministry of the Interior said in a statement posted to the country’s state-affiliated news website MAP.

Morocco arrested multiple people who circulated the inciting statements, Interior Ministry spokesperson Rachid El Khalfi said.

The Interior Ministry also called on Spain to continue working to return the remaining Moroccan migrants in Ceuta back to the North African country.

Of the more than 72,000 migrants who rushed the border, the vast majority have returned to Morocco, according to statements from Spain and Ceuta’s government. About 5,000 remain, Spain’s Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska told reporters Friday.

Spanish officials have been screening the remaining migrants and have processed roughly 500 asylum seekers’ cases, rejecting the vast majority of them, Reuters reported.

Spain has also installed floating barriers in the waters where migrants had previously swam across.

At least 96 people died during the mass migration event.

News Media contacted the governments of Spain, Morocco and Ceuta for further comment.

A Hawaiian doctor’s conviction for attempting to murder his engineer wife could be overturned after a suspicious text message during jury deliberations accurately foretold the verdict.

Gerhardt Konig, a 47-year-old anesthesiologist, has raised concerns of potential juror tampering following his conviction for attempted manslaughter of his wife, Arielle, in March 2025.

A comment on a Law&Crime YouTube livestream appeared during the trial saying, “I’ve been texting with one of the jurors and they’re going for count 3 attempted manslaughter.”

In April, Konig was found guilty of attempted manslaughter, consistent with the livestream prediction, but acquitted on other charges, including second-degree murder, following an alleged attempt to push Arielle off a cliff over her emotional affair.

Konig’s attorney, Thomas Otake, addressed the First Circuit Court Judge Paul Wong in Oahu, asserting that the text indicates a juror violated the rule prohibiting discussions about the case with outsiders during the trial.

Konig’s defense acknowledged that the ‘full scope’ of what happened remained unknown, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported. But they claimed to have ‘substantial concerns regarding the jury’s exposure to outside influence or extraneous information during deliberations,’ per a court filing reported by CNN.

Konig faces up to 20 years behind bars and was due to be sentenced on August 13. That hearing has been postponed indefinitely while a probe into the juror’s text continues.  

The filing noted that the livestream comment was initially spotted and emailed to prosecutors by someone whose name was redacted, according to the outlet.

‘What caught my attention is that this commenter specifically predicted the verdict – that Konig would be convicted of attempted manslaughter – before it was announced,’ the undisclosed person wrote, per the report.

Prosecutors then told the judge about what happened. However, they insisted that the livestream comment was not grounds for a new trial unless there was actual proof of ‘external influence.’

‘A juror disclosing where the jury stands is certainly problematic, but on its own it does not indicate that the other party influenced that juror in any way,’ Deputy Prosecutor Joel Garner said in the reported filing.

Konig has also argued that he could get a new trial because of what jurors publicly commented after his verdict was delivered.

Jury foreperson Makalapua Atkins told reporters after the trial that ‘the intent to kill is improbable to us, based on the evidence presented.’ according to HawaiiNewsNow.

Atkins said in a sworn statement presenting alongside Konig’s appeal that ‘the jury did not unanimously believe that [he] had an intent to kill his wife,’ CNN reported.

She declined prosecutors’ request to be interviewed by them, according to the legal filings.

Another juror, who was only identified as Juror #3, said that he believed Konig to be ’emotionally unstable’ in an interview with KHON2.

‘I don’t know if he was trying to kill his wife personally,’ the juror told the outlet. ‘I do know that it was the capacity to kill his wife personally. That’s how I felt about it.’

In response to what the jurors have said since Konig’s conviction, his defense argued that ‘conduct that could result in death or has the capacity to kill may be reckless, but it is not necessarily intentional,’ per CNN.

‘Hawaiʻi does not recognize attempted reckless manslaughter,’ the court filing continued.

Konig’s defense also stressed that the jury never convicted Konig of second–degree murder, effectively arguing that a new trial could not return to that charge.

Garner, the Deputy Prosecutor, argued that the foreperson’s comments were an example of ‘exactly the juror sharing their mental processes,’ the Star–Advertiser reported.

He pushed back on Konig’s defense and said that ‘any juror would be pressured knowing their verdict could be attacked, their thought process is not secret.’

Judge Wong set a new hearing for September 11, when the jurors will return to court before a decision is made on a possible new trial.

Prosecutors previously claimed that Konig had planned to kill Arielle during a weekend trip to Honolulu for her birthday because he was upset about her relationship with a married coworker.

He allegedly attempted to push her off a cliff on Oahu’s stunning Pali Puka trial, as well as tried to stab her with a syringe.

Konig then allegedly tried to hit his wife with a rock before being interrupted by two hikers who overheard what was happening.

He testified in court that it was his wife who attacked him first, and that he had acted in self–defense.

Konig told the courtroom that Arielle was having an affair, which he had found out through her WhatsApp account.

Arielle testified that she had an ’emotional affair’ with the coworker that included daylong message exchanges but never turned physical, according to Courthouse News.

She told the court that her husband attacked her and tried to drag her over the cliff’s edge.

In her testimony, Arielle said that Konig attempted to use syringes in his attack, but that she fought her off by biting his forearm and squeezing his testicles.

The anesthesiologist fled the scene afterwards and called his adult son from a previous marriage, Emile.

Emile testified against his father during the case and told the courtroom that his father admitted to trying to kill Arielle.

The Daily Mail has reached out to Otake, Konig’s attorney, and the Honolulu Department of the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, which prosecuted the case, for further comment.

In a tragic incident at Virginia State University early Saturday, five people fell victim to gunfire, with one currently fighting for their life, according to university and VSU Police sources.

“Police were dispatched to the 3300 block of Boisseau Street around 1:28 a.m., where they encountered five individuals outside the residence halls who had been shot,” a representative of the university conveyed to News Media.

“All five have been taken to local hospitals. One remains in critical condition, while the other four are recovering from non-life-threatening injuries,” added the representative.

VSU police noted that the incident unfolded near the student housing area known as the Quad Annexes.

“A shooting occurred in the area of the Quad Annexes involving multiple victims, who were transported to area hospitals,” VSU Police wrote in a statement posted to X.

“Police are on scene and request that you avoid the area,” the statement read. 

The university said earlier on X that the shooting involved “multiple suspects.” No arrests have been announced.

The campus initially went into lockdown, but the lockdown has now been lifted, according to the university official. 

The shooting occurred on the same day that resident halls opened to returning students Friday for the school’s summer 2026 semester, according to the school’s calendar. Classes for the semester will begin on Monday. 

“A significant law enforcement presence remains on campus,” a university official told News Media. 

An investigation into the shooting, led by Chesterfield County Police with assistance from VSU Police, ATF, and the Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, is ongoing, a university official told News Media.

The university is asking anyone with information to contact Chesterfield County Police at 804-748-1251, Crime Solvers at 804-748-0660, or VSU Police at 804-524-5411.

VSU, a state supported HBCU, is located in Ettrick, Virginia — about 25 miles south of Richmond.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

At least there’s comfort in knowing it’s only the preseason.

Tua Tagovailoa’s much-anticipated debut with the Atlanta Falcons hit a rough patch, leaving him disappointed after their 27-7 defeat against the Denver Broncos at home on Friday night.

The former Miami Dolphins quarterback managed to complete just 3 of 5 passes, tallying a mere 22 yards.

“It definitely wasn’t up to our standards,” Tagovailoa admitted after orchestrating two stunted drives that resulted in punts. “What we displayed didn’t reflect the dedication we’ve poured into the first two weeks of training camp. It doesn’t do justice to the efforts of our coaches either.”

“I have to start with myself,” he added. “I must improve.”

Tagovailoa joined Atlanta this offseason after a poor end to his time with the Dolphins and there are plenty of questions about his effectiveness.

He’s competing with Michael Penix Jr. for the starting role in one of the more underwhelming quarterback battles in the sport.

Penix is sidelined at the moment in his return from a torn ACL suffered last November, affording Tagovailoa a chance to grab an early lead in the competition.

He did not do that Friday night.

Tagovailoa harped on the second play of the game, a fumbled snap that put the Falcons in a 3rd-and-15 and ultimately led to a punt.

Atlanta’s second opportunity featured a completion for a first down, but two incompletions and a penalty stalled the drive.

“Both frustrated and disappointed with the way things happened tonight, as we went out there,” Tagovailoa said.

Falcons coach Kevin Stefanski didn’t specifically evaluate Tagovailoa’s performance due to the limited amount of snaps, but noted they could have been better.

He also cited the fumbled snap.

Stefanski is an offensive-minded coach and will be tasked with elevating either Tagovailoa or Penix to be quality starters and afford the Falcons a chance to claim a winnable NFC South.

Tagovailoa is only 28 and once seemed like the Dolphins’ quarterback of the future, but multiple concussions and a dip in production led to Miami parting ways.

After posting career-highs in passing yards and touchdowns in 2023, Tagovailoa threw for less than 3,000 yards in each of the last two years and tossed a career-high 15 interceptions last season.

Tagovailoa is hoping to play in the team’s final two preseason games in hopes of cleaning up the sloppiness.

“With this being preseason, that gives you no excuse to go out there and put a performance like that out there on tape,” Tagovailoa said. “Not satisfied, not happy at all whatsoever. We’ll learn from this.”

In November 2024, a brief moment changed everything for Iranian student Ahoo Daryaei when her hijab slipped off as she ascended the steps of her university.

Distracted by her phone, she didn’t notice the slip until she was confronted by the morality police.

Men shouted at Ms. Daryaei and roughly grabbed her, tearing at her clothes as they tried to drag her to a room used for punishing female students.

Desperate to regain control of the situation, the mother-of-two daringly stripped down to her underwear and defiantly walked back and forth in the university courtyard, shocking her assailants.

Her bold act quickly went viral, capturing widespread attention.

But her small, fearless act of rebellion would cost her dearly.

Iranian authorities at the time said Ms Daryaei was ‘sick’, which they claim prompted her behaviour on the steps of Tehran’s Islamic Azad University. They then placed her in a psychiatric ward. 

But Ms Daryaei maintains she is of sound mind and her labelling was the regime’s attempt to cover-up dissent towards the running of the nation. 

In an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail, her close friend reveals the turmoil Ms Daryaei experienced – and still goes through today. 

‘She was being handled aggressively as they tried to pull her into a room and she was getting really annoyed. She wanted them to get off her, but they wouldn’t leave her clothes alone. So she got so annoyed she started taking them off herself,’ her friend told the Daily Mail. 

‘She took off all her clothes and threw them in front of her, saying: “Well, what are you going to do?” 

‘She felt “if you are going to take them off, I will do it myself. If you’re going to do what I think you are going to do to me in that room, I am going to make [my act of defiance] worth [the punishment I will receive because of it]”.’

Ms Daryaei, who had stripped down to her underwear, sat on a wall within the university’s courtyard before police arrived. She was then hurled into the back of a van. 

In what is believed to be an attempt to further humiliate her, the mother’s head was forced between a female officer’s legs as they drove to the station, causing her to nearly suffocate. 

‘Her head was put between one of the two women’s knees, with her hair hanging all over her face,’ her friend described. 

‘She couldn’t breathe and was held in a position as if they were trying to hurt her. She has two kids and was thinking, “if this woman doesn’t let me go, I will suffocate and my kids will be orphans”.’

As she tried to stay awake, Ms Daryaei ‘bit’ the officer’s hand who ‘opened her knees’ so she could take a breath. 

Ms Daryaei was then ‘sedated’ in the police station. 

‘She started shouting and kicking in protest. They came and tried to inject her with something,’ the friend said. 

‘The first time the needle actually broke, and the second time they managed to inject her, causing her to lose consciousness.’

Ms Daryaei woke up with her hands and feet tied down to a bed in a hospital, unaware of where she was. 

‘She asked to see her family, but doctors weren’t replying. She didn’t know where she was,’ they said. 

‘Every time she was trying to get information, they came and injected her with something else, causing her to fall back to sleep or lose consciousness.

‘At that point, people were interviewing her and asking why she did what she did. 

‘They asked what was in her mind and accused her of trying to leave Iran and seek asylum somewhere else.’ 

This was the moment Ms Daryaei realised the danger she was in, her friend said, as the video gathered millions of views on social media and ignited international uproar. 

This extended to the UK, where a group of Iranian activists protested in London’s Parliament Square wearing underwear and red robes in a nod to the dystopian novel The Handmaid’s Tale. 

Human rights group Amnesty International said Ms Daryaei removed her clothes ‘in protest against abusive enforcement of compulsory veiling by security officials’ and called for her ‘immediate and unconditional release’.  

As condemnation against her treatment increased, so did the Iranian regime’s determination to label Ms Daryaei’s ‘act of defiance’ as a sign of her being ‘mentally unwell’.

In Iran women must cover the neck and head after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. 

Modest clothing is enforced by the specially created morality police, formally known as Gasht-e Ershad, which translates as ‘Guidance Patrol’.

‘Police were then visiting her family, including her kids, and threatening them. They were showing they had power over her,’ her friend said. 

‘They then visited her ex-husband, who was forced to say she had mental issues. 

‘The regime’s plan was, because a video of what happened had gone viral, they had to force her to admit she was ill and this episode was because of her mental issues. 

‘They could force her to say that through her family.’  

With her ex-husband’s ‘confirmation’, Ms Daryaei was untied from her hospital bed and released after 18 days. 

She was told by Iranian authorities ‘she would be watched and her phone would be tapped’, her friend said, while she had to take anti-psychotic medication – and pay for it under her insurance. 

Ms Daryaei’s surveillance, her friend recounted, reached such heights that officials noticed she wasn’t taking the medication after she was ‘walking normally’ – the strength of medication would have made her seem dazed. 

Ms Daryaei is now forced to take monthly injections of flupentixol, a medication used to treat schizophrenia, which are administered by doctors to ensure she is taking it.

‘Her family said it is better for her to have these injections with the label of being mentally ill, rather than being hanged, be put in prison or tortured,’ her friend described. ‘This is the only way forward now.

‘She asked the doctor what would happen if she stopped taking the injections, and they said they would arrest her and put her back into mental hospital, tied up.’ 

Now aged 32, and a textiles student at a separate university, Ms Daryaei is said to reflect on her reason behind the protest in two different lights. 

‘The whole point was, first of all, she didn’t like the way they were pulling her, and the way they were like treating her just over a scarf. This made her think, “Let me do more, so that this is worth all this pulling and making me feel so little and obviously hurt. Let me resist in such a way that is equal to what I am being put through”,’ her friend said. 

‘And after that was obviously the point would have been to show that she’s in control of her own body, her own choices, and that’s what she was trying to kind of show at the end. 

‘Like, “you know what? This is me. This is my body. This is my life. And you know, if I want to walk in a bikini, I’ll walk in a bikini”.’ 

Iranian government spokesman Fatemeh Mohajerani denied at the time both the violent nature of her arrest and any connection of the incident to the Islamic dress code.

‘The issue was actually something else,’ she said, noting that ‘this level of nudity is not accepted anywhere’.