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DHS Reverses Stance: Bold Illegal Migrant Voting Allegations Withdrawn

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The Department of Homeland Security recently stirred controversy with assertions that Nevada’s voter registration system included thousands of noncitizen voters. Although this notion was echoed by Donald Trump last month, emerging details suggest it may be unfounded.

In a high-profile address from the White House on July 16, Trump alleged that nationwide, voter rolls were tainted with hundreds of thousands of noncitizens.

Following his statement, the White House unveiled documentation referencing the Department of Homeland Security’s discovery of approximately 278,000 noncitizens supposedly ‘registered to vote in federal elections’ across the United States.

These documents, shared on the official White House website, estimated that around 16,000 noncitizens might have been registered within Nevada’s electoral framework.

Nevertheless, Nevada state officials have countered these allegations, and recent revelations from the New York Times show that DHS has pinpointed only 185 ‘potential’ noncitizen voters in Nevada’s records, casting doubt on the much larger claims previously circulated.

The disclosure from the department came during a private meeting between DHS officials and Nevada officials last week.

The discrepancy could open the president to claims that he presented incorrect data, which could anger Trump. 

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

President Donald Trump announced in a July 16 speech that DHS had identified approximately 278,000 noncitizen voters who are registered to vote

President Donald Trump announced in a July 16 speech that DHS had identified approximately 278,000 noncitizen voters who are registered to vote 

However, Nevada officials are pushing back on that claim, and DHS has only identified 185 'potential' noncitizen voters in the state's system, according to the New York Times

However, Nevada officials are pushing back on that claim, and DHS has only identified 185 ‘potential’ noncitizen voters in the state’s system, according to the New York Times

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin has threatened local election officials with jail time if they don't cooperate with the administration's efforts to change voting policies

DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin has threatened local election officials with jail time if they don’t cooperate with the administration’s efforts to change voting policies 

‘The 185 are the individuals that had gone through manual review,’ a DHS spokesperson told the Daily Mail. 

‘The list shared with Nevada also included 6,218 other individuals with the highest number of matching attributes. This was at the request of [Nevada]. They wanted to start with a subset less than the 15,903.’

The spokesperson claimed the insinuation that their numbers were incorrect as ‘false.’ 

During the virtual meeting between DHS and Nevada officials, department staffers said that the 16,000 figure touted by the White House was ‘the ceiling’ of potential noncitizen voters, according to a recording obtained by the Times. 

Federal officials relayed in emails to their counterparts in Nevada that 14,000 names still need further review, according to an email reviewed by the Times. 

The list of noncitizen voters DHS shared with Nevada is reportedly incomplete and does not include names.

In response, Nevada officials have requested additional information from DHS. 

Nevada’s Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar, a Democrat, claims that the numbers provided from DHS are ‘preliminary.’

‘There is not high enough confidence to be able to share the full data set with Nevada officials,’ Aguilar said in a recent statement.

Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar, a Democrat, said in a statement: 'DHS representatives informed our office that the numbers that were provided to the public are preliminary and that there is not high enough confidence to be able to share the full data set with Nevada officials'

Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar, a Democrat, said in a statement: ‘DHS representatives informed our office that the numbers that were provided to the public are preliminary and that there is not high enough confidence to be able to share the full data set with Nevada officials’

‘The Secretary of State’s office will not risk disenfranchising eligible voters and ripping away their constitutional right to vote without the highest confidence of their ineligibility,’ he continued. 

The inconsistent numbers open up questions about the remaining nearly 260,000 noncitizens that DHS has claimed are registered to vote in federal elections. 

In addition to Nevada, DHS published a review stating that ‘there may be as many as’ 190,832 noncitizens registered to vote in California, 35,152 in New Jersey and 14,576 in Pennsylvania.

‘To reveal just how vulnerable our elections continue to be, we are releasing the results of a stunning investigation by the Department of Homeland Security,’ Trump said during his July 16 White House address. 

‘According to the DHS review, state voter rolls and public records, they identified approximately 278,000 non-citizens who are registered to vote in federal elections.’

The White House has claimed that there could be many more noncitizens who are registered to vote but that Democratic-led states have refused to share their voter files. 

While Nevada has a Republican governor, its Democratic secretary of state, who is responsible for voting, has combatted DHS’s claims.

Discover Paulina Porizkova’s Secret to Radiant Eyes with This Transformative Lifting Serum

In a unique twist for her wedding day, she draped herself not just in fashion, but in beauty rituals.

Paulina Porizkova, now enjoying newlywed bliss, unveiled her detailed nighttime skincare regimen on Instagram, revealing a dedication that started six months prior to her Italian July wedding.

The supermodel consistently relies on Estée Lauder products, with a special fondness for the Advanced Night Repair Eye Lift + Sculpt Eye Cream, which she enthusiastically praises.

“I promise, it delivers noticeable results,” she extolled, as she meticulously showcased her beauty routine.


Designed to tackle the evident signs of aging, the Eye Lift + Sculpt Eye Cream works to enhance eyelid firmness and ease the fine lines from daily expressions like smiling. It’s no wonder thousands of Nordstrom users give it a glowing five-star rating.

Made with peptides, hyaluronic acid and proprietary ingredients that act as surface fillers, it plumps fine lines and wrinkles while hydrating skin.

Fans also include fellow Estée Lauder model Carolyn Murphy, who commented on Porizkova’s post, calling the ANR line “the best.”

Paulina Porizkova said she got “really religious” about skin care before her wedding. paulinaporizkova/Instagram

One glowing review says that the amazing “soft and non-greasy” cream “is surely smoothing out my wrinkles; I can really see the results.”

The Estée Lauder brand ambassador has grown a 1.5 million social media following with her healthy takes on aging, even launching a podcast with her now-husband Jeff Greenstein, called “Twenty Good Summers,” where they discuss navigating life’s third chapter.

Scroll on to shop more of her nightly skin care routine for an ageless glow.


Why Trust Page Six Style Shopping

This article was written by Erica Radol, Page Six Commerce Reporter. From identifying the top anti-aging skincare secrets the stars trust to dishing on the latest fashion collabs to finding a great deal on all of the above, Erica has a knack for reporting on – and even testing – Hollywood’s bestselling fashion and beauty products. Before joining Page Six in 2025, she wrote about entertainment, lifestyle and shopping trends for Us Weekly, The Daily Beast, Entertainment Tonight, Well+Good and Hearst.


Karmelo Anthony Seeks New Trial Amid Dispute Over Unwritten Agreement

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On Friday, Karmelo Anthony’s efforts to overturn his murder conviction will proceed in McKinney, Texas. This development follows allegations by his former attorney regarding an unwritten agreement that reportedly prevented Anthony from testifying on his behalf.

The case is now under the scrutiny of retired District Judge Michael Chitty, who will consider Anthony’s plea for a retrial. This shift in judicial oversight comes after Judge Sid Harle decided to remove Judge Roach from the case earlier in the week.

Judge Harle concluded that an unbiased observer might doubt Judge Roach’s impartiality, particularly after Roach publicly declared that the jury’s decision was correct and supported several of his own trial rulings.

Anthony, aged 19, was found guilty in June for the murder of Austin Metcalf, a 17-year-old. Prosecutors argued that Anthony stabbed Metcalf to death during a confrontation at a Frisco track meet. His conviction resulted in a 35-year prison sentence handed down by a Collin County jury.

Karmelo Anthony

Karmelo Anthony is pictured after being transferred to the custody of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. He was transported to his unit of assignment at the Pack Unit near Navasota. (Texas Department of Criminal Justice)

At the center of the new-trial hearing is an oral agreement between Anthony’s original defense team and prosecutors to keep potentially damaging character evidence about both sides from the jury.

Former lead defense attorney Mike Howard testified Thursday that he understood the agreement to allow Anthony to testify if his testimony remained focused on the confrontation under the tent at the track meet.

Howard said that changed on the final day of trial, when prosecutors told the defense the agreement would not apply if Anthony took the stand and that the defense had already opened the door to character evidence.

Austin Metcalf stabbing victim

Austin Metcalf, 17, was stabbed to death at a Texas track meet. (Jeff Metcalf)

He said the dispute led to a heated break in the proceedings and made Anthony unwilling to take the stand.

Under cross-examination, Howard acknowledged the lawyers never expressly agreed on whether a testifying defendant was covered by the arrangement. He said he could not say whether prosecutors acted in bad faith.

Lead prosecutor Bill Wirske said the agreement was mutual and that the parties were aligned on the need to keep character evidence out of the trial. Wirske said the state did not believe the agreement applied to Anthony’s testimony.

Wirske said the agreement kept jurors from hearing allegations involving Anthony’s history with knives and violence. Anthony’s new legal team has argued it also excluded school records, social-media posts and videos that they say could have supported his self-defense claim by showing prior aggressive behavior by Metcalf and his twin brother, Hunter Metcalf.

Austin Metcalf, killed at track meet in Texas

File photo of Austin Metcalf, a junior at Memorial High School in Frisco, who was stabbed in the chest allegedly by 17-year-old Karmelo Anthony, a student-athlete from Frisco Centennial High School. (Courtesy Jeff Metcalf)

The court has not made findings on those allegations.

Anthony’s motion also argues that courtroom-access restrictions violated his Sixth Amendment right to a public trial and that jury instructions limited jurors’ ability to consider his self-defense claim.

Howard testified that the lawyers and Roach held more than a dozen off-the-record meetings before trial. He said no pretrial motions were formally filed because the parties used what he described as an “old-school” system of filing materials directly with Roach.

Judge John Roach presides over the Karmelo Anthony murder trial in a courtroom sketch

Judge John Roach is depicted in a courtroom sketch during the Karmelo Anthony murder trial. (Pat Lopez)

Howard also said the defense discussed waiving some public-trial access because of security concerns, but that no Sixth Amendment waiver was made on the record. He testified that the decision not to use an overflow room was tied to technology concerns, not a specific security threat.

Former defense attorney Toby Shook is expected to testify Friday. It was not immediately clear how many additional witnesses Anthony’s lawyers planned to call.

Chitty must rule on the motion by Monday under Texas rules. If he does not grant it by then, the motion will be denied by operation of law and Anthony’s direct appeal will continue.

News Media has reached out to Anthony’s defense team for comment.

Ravens Players Subtly Critique John Harbaugh Following Recent Dismissal

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There are those who are still cheering over John Harbaugh’s departure from the Ravens.

Veteran receiver Rashod Bateman and offensive lineman Ronnie Stanley have openly critiqued Harbaugh, offering high praise for the approach of new head coach Jesse Minter.

“From our head coach to the offensive coordinator and even down to the receivers coach, there’s a strong emphasis on details and the finer points,” Bateman remarked on Thursday. “This wasn’t something that defined us in the past.”

Stanley echoed this sentiment, telling The Athletic, “[Minter] truly appreciates the finer details.”

While these comments aren’t exactly explosive, they do offer a glimpse into the differing coaching philosophies.

But for coaches, it’s certainly a blow to be considered as lacking when it comes to being detail-oriented — and hearing it come from a multiple-time All-Pro left tackle carries weight.

Not stressing details can be viewed as a lack of preparation, which is quite the dig against a coach.

Bateman certainly had the more pointed comments of the two, and it certainly makes it seem that he welcomed the coaching change.

He previously expressed some frustration with Baltimore’s coaching staff in 2023, with the former first-rounder venting about playing to player’s strengths and calling out finger pointing.

Bateman said Thursday he could “definitely benefit” from the coaching change.

“Wherever these coaches and staff put me,” he said, “I think this team is bound for success.”

There had been some rumblings about a split being needed in Baltimore with Harbaugh after 18 seasons, which included one Super Bowl win in 12 playoff appearances.

NFL Network reported after the Ravens fired Harbaugh following a Week 17 loss to the Steelers that cost them a playoff spot that “simply Harbaugh lost the locker room.”

There had also been rumblings of a rift with star quarterback Lamar Jackson.

Minter, the former Chargers defensive coordinator, replaced Harbaugh, and one big storyline of the season will be whether he can guide Jackson to an elusive Super Bowl appearance.

Harbaugh, meanwhile, has been welcomed like a king to New York, although expectations are far lower and Super Bowl contention is not realistic for at least one more year.

Rob Reiner’s Kids Hatch Ingenious Payback Plan Against Brother Nick

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Nick Reiner is rapidly approaching his trial date, facing charges of allegedly murdering his renowned Hollywood parents. In a bid to fund his legal defense, he is scrambling to access his $1.63 million trust fund, but his efforts are being thwarted by his siblings, according to Daily Mail sources.

Jake and Romy Reiner have joined forces to prevent Nick from depleting his inheritance to cover legal fees.

“It’s not about whether they care for him or not; it’s about setting boundaries on what someone can take from you,” a close family friend of the Reiners revealed to the Daily Mail.

The friend added, “They find the idea of the inheritance being used for Nick’s defense unbearable. They are determined to stop it if they can.”

Now 32, Nick has entered a plea of not guilty to charges of murdering his parents. Prosecutors allege he fatally stabbed his father, acclaimed director Rob Reiner, aged 78, and his mother, photographer-producer Michele, 70, within the confines of their Brentwood residence on December 14.

His legal team filed a probate petition in June to give Nick access to his trust fund, claiming his siblings backed out of an initial verbal agreement to pay for his legal defense. 

During a Monday hearing in a downtown LA courtroom, Nick’s attorney, Anita Wu, said there have been multiple delays to resolving Nick’s petition. 

‘The trust is being consumed and depleted by attorneys’ fees with all of this delay and work,’ Wu said, arguing that attorneys for the trust are spending Nick’s money to keep him from accessing it. 

Nick Reiner was indicted on two counts of murder with the special circumstance allegations of multiple murders, murder by means of lying in wait and use of a deadly weapon. He has pleaded not guilty

Nick Reiner was indicted on two counts of murder with the special circumstance allegations of multiple murders, murder by means of lying in wait and use of a deadly weapon. He has pleaded not guilty

The Reiner family, with siblings Jake (center), Romy and Nick, pictured together in 2014

The Reiner family, with siblings Jake (center), Romy and Nick, pictured together in 2014

Rob and Michelle were discovered dead in their home in California in December 2025

Rob and Michelle were discovered dead in their home in California in December 2025

Jake, 34, and Romy, 28, have not responded to Nick’s petition, which Wu claimed has caused even more delays. 

‘More than $200,000 has been spent to try to block my client’s petition by hiring attorneys to fight the same petition. The clock is running out on his defense. This is something that cannot continue to wait,’ she claimed.

Wu argued Nick should have received the first payment from the trust, which was set up in 1993 by Rob and Michele, two years ago when Nick turned 30.

Attorneys who represent the trust, however, have filed an opposition to Nick’s petition, citing a California law known as the ‘Slayer Statute,’ which says a person cannot be paid the funds if they killed the person who established the trust.

The judge set the next hearing on the trust petition matter for October 23. In the meantime, Nick is scheduled to appear back in criminal court for a pretrial conference on September 15.

Nick is facing two counts of murder with the special circumstance allegations of multiple murders, murder by means of lying in wait and use of a deadly weapon. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Sources close to the Reiner family told the Daily Mail that while Jake and Romy have not written off their troubled brother entirely, they have drawn hard lines in the sand.

‘I wouldn’t say [they] abandoned him for good. I’d say that they are setting boundaries that are appropriate for their healing, and Nick is not a part of their healing,’ the family friend said.

Sources told the Daily Mail that Romy (left) and Jake (right) continue to distance themselves from their trouble brother Nick (center) as he fights for access to his trust fund money, which he wants to use for his defense

Sources told the Daily Mail that Romy (left) and Jake (right) continue to distance themselves from their trouble brother Nick (center) as he fights for access to his trust fund money, which he wants to use for his defense

The deaths of Rob and Michele rocked Hollywood. They were found with their throats slit in their $13.5 million Brentwood mansion (above) in December

The deaths of Rob and Michele rocked Hollywood. They were found with their throats slit in their $13.5 million Brentwood mansion (above) in December

Another family source said Jake and Romy are remaining firm on cutting off their brother from access to the trust.

‘Their parents never turned their backs on their kids and were the best parents,’ the source said.

‘[Rob and Michele] would do anything for their kids but Romy and Jake, who are extremely close and similar, are not budging about helping their brother access the trust. And who would blame them?’

The Daily Mail understands that Tracy, the trio’s older half-sister, was also OK with Nick being cut off from his inheritance.

‘You know people usually fight about money when parents die, but there has been no issues between Tracy, Romy and Jake,’ another source told the Daily Mail.

‘Tracy got a lot of her mom’s money, so she’s doing well. She wanted more sentimental items, not money.’

Tracy, 61, who is Rob’s adopted daughter from a previous marriage with actress-director Penny Marshall, is remaining supportive of Jake and Romy’s decision to cut Nick off from his trust fund.

The Daily Mail has reached out to representatives for Romy, Jake and Tracy for comment. 

Nick was set to receive the entire $1.63 million trust when he turned 35, according to his petition. He was allowed to access $558,000 when he turned 30, but he decided not to touch that money, his lawyers said in the court document.

Alan Jackson (center) appeared alongside Nick Reiner's probate attorney Anita Wu, who said there have been multiple delays on his petition to access his trust. Jackson has said he wants to rejoin Nick's defense team

Alan Jackson (center) appeared alongside Nick Reiner’s probate attorney Anita Wu, who said there have been multiple delays on his petition to access his trust. Jackson has said he wants to rejoin Nick’s defense team

Lawyers representing a fiduciary, Jodi Montgomery, who is overseeing the trust, said in an August 11 court filing that the outcome of Nick’s upcoming trial ‘will determine who is entitled to the Trust Estate, and an interim distribution would be irreversible.’

‘The disputed property is therefore ‘reasonably in dispute,’ and the governing framework supports the Trustee’s decision to preserve it rather than pay it out.’

On Monday, Wu said Montgomery had agreed to fund $300 for Nick’s commissary and past legal bills when defense attorney Alan Jackson was representing him.

Jackson, a high-profile attorney who has represented Karen Read, Kevin Spacey and Harvey Weinstein, had previously represented Nick before dropping out as his counsel in January, citing ‘circumstances beyond our control.’

Jackson, who stood next to Wu during Monday’s hearing, said he would rejoin Nick’s defense team if the trust issue could be resolved.

The attorney told reporters that Nick’s access to the funds is ‘time sensitive.’

‘He’s made a determination that he wants to be able to use his funds that are in his trust account to decide on his criminal counsel,’ Jackson said. ‘When he is allowed to do that, he will be able to defend himself in the way the Constitution he should and can defend himself.

‘That’s why this litigation is going forward. It’s about Nick Reiner’s money and I think today was an example of the trustee simply obstructing and not allowing Nick immediate access to funds to which he is entitled to.’

Jury Awards Millions to Ex-College Player in NY Times Defamation

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Tuscaloosa, Ala. — In a remarkable legal decision on Thursday, an Alabama jury awarded a staggering $9.25 million to a former college basketball player. This came after The New York Times was found guilty of defaming him by erroneously reporting his presence at a deadly shooting incident in Tuscaloosa.

The player at the center of the controversy, Kai Spears, once a member of the University of Alabama men’s basketball team, launched a lawsuit against the Times in 2023. The lawsuit challenged a report that incorrectly claimed Spears was a passenger in a vehicle tied to the fatal shooting. The article relied on information from a source who had requested anonymity to divulge what was described as sensitive information.

Subsequent to the publication, the Times acknowledged this significant mistake by issuing an editor’s note and promptly amending the article.

NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament - Final Four - Practice

Kai Spears, of the Alabama Crimson Tide, during a practice session at State Farm Stadium in April 2024 in Glendale, Arizona.

Christian Petersen / Getty Images

After an intense nine-day trial held in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, the eight-member jury reached their decision. Matt Glover, representing Spears, expressed satisfaction with the outcome, emphasizing his belief that “this verdict will enhance the standards of journalism nationwide.”

In response to the loss in court, The New York Times is currently considering its legal recourse, as indicated by spokesperson Charlie Stadtlander.

“We’re disappointed the jury found The Times liable for an honest mistake,” Stadtlander said in a statement Thursday. “We thank the jury for its service, but believe the verdict and award of damages are contrary to law and not supported by the evidence.”

Three other basketball players from the school were present at the January 2023 shooting, which killed a 23-year-old mother. In the lawsuit, Spears claimed the inaccurate reporting had caused him emotional distress and forever linked him with a murder.

CBSSports.com noted that, after the story appeared, Spears took to social media and called the report of his appearance at the scene “100% inaccurate.” 

“I have one thing to say — the report in the New York Times was 100% inaccurate and the writer had complete disregard for the truth,” Spears said. “I am trying to process and cope with these false statements that somehow have been published and then seen by so many. So thankful to Alabama Athletics for refuting it on my behalf.

“More than anything, I remain completely heartbroken by the tragic death that occurred that night.”    

A Times article reporting on the verdict Thursday said the newspaper “had not lost a defamation lawsuit brought in the United States over one of its articles in more than 50 years.”

The article says Alabama law caps jury awards in certain cases and so the damages in this one will be adjusted downward by more than $2 million.

CCTV Footage Reveals Trio Suspects in Fatal Shooting of Tucson Police Recruit Carlos Ramirez

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The Pima County Sheriff’s Department has launched an urgent search for three men tied to a tragic Tuesday morning incident. This shooting claimed the life of a Tucson police recruit and left his fiancé, a corrections officer, wounded and in the hospital.

According to authorities, an arrest warrant has been issued for Alex James Barnett, aged 33, who is among the trio of suspects. As of Friday morning, the identities of the other two suspects have not been released to the public.

Thursday night brought the release of surveillance footage capturing two men dressed in black. The video shows one individual at a gas station located at 5405 West Valencia Road at around 5:20 a.m. on Wednesday. Another clip places a suspect in a parking area near South Palo Verde Road and East 33rd Street at around 10:50 a.m.

A split image shows a still frame taken from surveillance video of an unidentified male suspect on the left and wanted 33-year-old Alex James Barnett on the right

A composite image provided by the Pima County Sheriff’s Department displays a surveillance video still of an unidentified male suspect, alongside a photo of 33-year-old Alex James Barnett. These visuals were shared as part of an active manhunt in Tucson, Arizona, following the killing of a 23-year-old local police recruit and the wounding of his corrections officer fiancé. (Pima County Sheriff’s Department)

The hunt has also led authorities to discover a gray Acura MDX SUV, which was abandoned and subsequently recovered by police on Thursday, according to official reports.

One of the unidentified men appears to have tattoos on his arms and legs. He had short, dark hair and a short beard. The person seen dropping off the Acura was pictured only in grainy video and appeared to be wearing a shirt without sleeves.

A three-way split showing a man in black clothes with tattoos and short dark hair who is being sought in connection with a Tucson-area murder

Still images taken from surveillance video at a Shell gas station at 5405 West Valencia Road in Pima County, Arizona, around 5:20 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 19. This is shortly before deputies responded to a 911 call nearby and found a Tucson police recruit dead and his fiancee, a Pima County corrections officer, suffering from a gunshot wound. She was hospitalized in stable condition. This unidentified man is one of three suspects deputies are looking for. (Pima County Sheriff’s Department)

The murder victim has been identified as 23-year-old Carlos Ramirez, who was due to graduate from the police academy on Aug. 27 and previously worked as a corrections officer for the sheriff’s department.

His fiancee, also 23, was taken to a hospital in stable condition. Authorities did not immediately release her name.

An unidentified man walks away from the abandoned suspect vehicle eyed in a shooting that left a Tucson police recruit dead and his correction officer fiancee hospitalized Wednesday morning.

Pima County investigators are looking to identify this man seen walking away from the suspect vehicle around 10:50 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026. (Pima County Sheriff’s Department)

“The Tucson Police Department is deeply saddened by the passing of Carlos Ramirez, a member of Basic Recruit Class 26-1,” a spokesperson told News Media. “Carlos was fatally shot early this morning. His fiancée was also injured and is currently receiving medical care. Our thoughts are with Carlos’s family and loved ones, his fiancée, and his classmates, instructors, and academy staff during this difficult time.”

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos previously said the suspects were wearing all black clothing and ski masks at the time of the shooting — which happened around 6 a.m. Wednesday.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos and Tucson Police Chief Monico Prieto speak with reporters

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos and Tucson Police Chief Monico Prieto deliver a news briefing after a double shooting killed a Tucson police recruit and sent a Pima County corrections officer to the hospital on Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2026. The victims shared a child and multiple suspects were at large, authorities said. (Pima County Sheriff’s Department)

It happened at Ramirez’s home in the 7700 block of South Enchanted Spring Drive, about 17 miles southwest of Tucson.

Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or 520-88-CRIME.

Heartwrenching Battle: Australian-Born Irene Fights Bureaucracy to Return Home

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In the cozy confines of Steven Law’s Northcote residence in Melbourne, an array of family photo albums sprawls across the dining table, each offering a rare window into a less-spoken family history.

One particular sepia-toned image captivates Steven, prompting him to reach for a magnifying glass to scrutinize the details more closely.

The photograph features a woman adorned with a grand hat and a scarf elegantly wrapped around her shoulders—Steven’s grandmother, Irene Law, just as he remembers her.

“Irene was an elegant lady, articulate and immaculately dressed. That’s how she was known to us,” Steven shared with SBS Chinese.

Years after her passing, her visage now appears on walls across Australia, part of artist Peter Drew’s Aussie poster series—spotlighting an often-overlooked chapter of her life, and sparking conversations on the true essence of Australian identity.

The Aussie ‘paradox’

When Steven’s sister Christina Law discovered that her grandmother would feature in Drew’s poster collection, she was moved to tears.

“I was really overwhelmed and quite teary when I saw that nanna had been included in this series,” Christina told SBS Chinese.

The posters feature archival photographs, sourced from the National Archives of Australia (NAA) of people who applied for certificates exempting them from the dictation test.

Under the Immigration Restriction Act 1901, one of the laws that formed part of what is now known as the White Australia policy, the dictation test could be administered at an officer’s discretion to people seeking entry to Australia.

It required a person to write a 50-word passage in a European language dictated by an immigration officer. After 1905, the officer could choose “any prescribed language”, making it possible to administer the test in a language the person did not understand.

People who failed were declared a “prohibited immigrant” and refused entry or , in some circumstances, deported.

The exemption certificates were designed to allow eligible non-European residents who had lived in Australia to leave temporarily and return within a set timeframe without being subjected to the dictation test.

A purple Certificate Exempting from Dictation Test form includes scrawling cursive handwriting and features photographs of a woman wearing a dress, with her hair in an updo, looking to the front and side-on.

It’s been more than a decade since Drew debuted the poster series in 2016.

The posters have since sparked mixed reactions, including graffiti, counter-posters and attempts to tear them down.

In recent months, videos of the artworks being defaced and altered to include different messages about identity have also circulated on social media.

“Someone has vandalised my old posters, so I’ve got some new ones, and I’m going to fix them up,” Drew told SBS Chinese while standing on Morphett Street in Adelaide’s central business district.

He’s equipped with a canvas rucksack full of supplies and replaces the graffitied artworks with the ease of someone who has installed thousands of posters over the years.

A man wearing a fluorescent orange shirt holds a broom, bucket and bag with a spotlight shining on him. On the brick wall behind him, there a posters of people and the text 'AUSSIE'.

Asked whether the “Aussie” label on his posters is a question or statement, Drew said there’s no simple answer.

“In some ways, the posters have a double meaning because the first way to read it is that the person in the poster is Aussie, and that’s a celebration of them being Australian,” he said.

“But in another way, the poster is also saying that the White Australia policy is Aussie, and that’s something that we don’t celebrate. So, there is a paradox because those two things are conflicting with each other.”

For Steven and Christina, the posters illuminate a chapter of their family’s history that remained largely shrouded in secrecy.

‘We knew nothing’

In 1900, Irene (then known as Lucy Maud Lem Cue) was born in South Wangaratta in north-east Victoria.

Her biological mother was born in New Zealand and had British ancestry. Her father, Lem Cue, was of Chinese descent and died when Irene was two years old. She was then adopted by another Chinese-European family and raised in Melbourne.

At the age of 18, Irene travelled to Hong Kong with her adoptive father, who hoped to recruit workers for his furniture manufacturing business and expand his commercial interests in China.

In March 1921, she returned to Australia and obtained a Certificate Exemption from Dictation Test (CEDT) before travelling back to Hong Kong.

Irene would eventually marry and raise children — mostly on her own, after her husband’s death.

In the 1970s, Irene returned permanently to Melbourne, where she remained until she died at age 80.

Despite her overseas travels, Irene was born in Australia and therefore considered a British subject by birth (Australian citizenship was later introduced in 1949). That legal status, however, did not necessarily protect people of Chinese and other non-European backgrounds from immigration restrictions.

But historian Michael Williams believes people of Chinese ancestry were “overwhelmingly” targeted by Australian immigration officials during this period.

“Legally, yes, they were definitely Australians. But socially, it was a bit more problematic,” Williams told SBS Chinese.

“If they grew up looking Chinese, then they would not have been considered Australian. The White Australia policy pretty much identified an Australian as being a white person.”

A man wearing a red jumper with a white beard sits on a chair inside his home. There is a colourful bookcase behind him and potted plants.

When Steven discovered that his grandmother’s records had been preserved by the NAA, he felt a “stronger” connection to his family’s past but admits he also felt angry.

“Irene never spoke to us about the difficulties she had. We knew nothing about that until after she passed away.

“We were a bit angry in a way, that these people were Australians; they were Australian-born, yet they needed these documents in order to return to the country.”

The White Australia policy and its legacy

According to the NAA, only a “small number” of people were granted CEDTs. Those exemptions could allow non-European residents to travel overseas and return to Australia, while those who were not exempted could face exclusion.

The dictation test was administered 1,359 times before 1909, with only 52 people granted entry, according to the NAA. After 1909, no migrants required to sit the test passed.

Williams said he has seen examples of dictation tests in which immigration officers targeted people from multicultural backgrounds who understood English.

“If you happened to speak English, they would test you in Greek or Estonian at one stage … and as a result of failing the test … you were [considered living] illegally in Australia and could be put in jail.”

The dictation test was abolished in 1958, but elements of the White Australia policy remained in place for years afterwards. The final remnants of the policy were removed in 1973, while the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 subsequently made racial discrimination unlawful in areas covered by the legislation.

Christina said she learnt about the mechanisms of the White Australia policy at school, but for a long time, did not realise how this history personally impacted her.

“I see now that it relates to me. I mean that was why we were the only Asian family in the school because no other Asians were allowed into the country at the time.”

A brother and sister stand outside a grey-clad home holding a large, framed poster of a woman with the text 'Aussie'. They have their arms wrapped around each other and look off into the distance.

Steven also remembers questioning his Australian identity at a young age.

“People called us names, we were teased, and we often felt isolated,” he said.

Now 66, Steven said he feels “richer” because of his Chinese ancestry and cultural traditions passed down through generations.

His experience reflects a broader shift in the makeup of Australian society. About 731,500 people born in China lived in Australia in June 2025, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

The 2021 Census recorded more than 1.39 million people with Chinese ancestry, making it one of the largest overseas-born ancestry communities in the country.

When people from multicultural backgrounds walk the streets and spot Drew’s brightly coloured posters, he hopes they are reminded that Australian identity “has room for them”.

“It’s not such a rigid thing that is set in the past and static, not evolving. It’s actually … much stronger … than that.”

Steven also believes the artworks continue to send a powerful reminder that people, no matter their background, are “welcome here, no matter where they’re from”.

“[Irene] was Aussie, just as much as we are. Just as much as the other people in the posters.”

This story was produced in collaboration with SBS Chinese.


Mother Admits to Newborn’s Tragic Death and Disposal

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Laken Snelling, a former University of Kentucky cheerleader, admitted guilt on Friday morning to manslaughter charges regarding the tragic death of her newborn son. The young mother was accused of placing her deceased child in a trash bag.

At 22, Snelling originally faced charges including abuse of a corpse, tampering with evidence, and concealing the birth of her baby. She had pleaded not guilty to these allegations back in April of last year.

The incident came to light on August 27, 2025, when Lexington police arrived at an off-campus residence. Snelling’s college roommates had made the grim discovery: the newborn was found unresponsive in a black plastic bag stored in a closet.

Following the investigation, the Kentucky Medical Examiner’s Office revealed that the infant had been born alive but died from asphyxia by unclear causes. This led to a grand jury’s indictment of Snelling on first-degree manslaughter charges in March.

During an interview with authorities, Snelling initially told them that her baby had fallen to the floor after birth. She stated she believed at the time that the child was not “breathing or alive.”

However, her story soon changed, claiming instead she had passed out “on top of the baby” and woke up to find him “turning blue and purple.”

In court this week, Snelling finally admitted to “ending” the baby’s life “instead of helping him” and copped to putting the infant in a plastic bag, WKYT reported.

Prosecutors have recommended a 10-year prison term for manslaughter, and one year each for abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence and concealing the birth of an infant.

New England Woman Sentenced for Morgue Crimes Involving Creepy Doll

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In a bizarre and chilling case, a Massachusetts woman, known for taking a selfie with an unsettling doll, has been sentenced to prison for her involvement in trafficking human remains stolen from the morgue of Harvard Medical School.

The woman, Katrina Maclean, aged 47, received a 24-month prison sentence on Tuesday. Her sentencing follows her admission of guilt in a macabre operation led by Cedric Lodge, a former morgue manager, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

Maclean’s guilty plea to the charge of interstate transport of stolen goods was recorded in December last year, as the court documents, accessed by the Daily Mail, reveal.

During investigations, the mother of two confessed to storing and selling human body parts through her business, known as Kat’s Creepy Creations, the indictment detailed.

Prosecutors allege that she obtained these body parts from Lodge, who during the years 2018 to 2022, illicitly extracted organs and other body parts from cadavers intended for medical research, diverting them before their scheduled cremations.

Lodge transported the remains from the medical school in Boston to his home in New Hampshire, where he and his wife, Denise Lodge, would then sell them to clients like Maclean, according to prosecutors.

He even allowed Maclean and other buyers to visit the Harvard Medical School morgue to examine the cadavers and select remains for purchase, the indictment said.

Lodge was sentenced to eight years in prison last year for stealing and selling body parts ‘as if they were baubles.’

Katrina Maclean poses with an eerie doll. Maclean, 47, was the owner of Kat's Creepy Creations, a shop in Peabody, Massachusetts that specialized in dolls, oddities and bone art

Katrina Maclean poses with an eerie doll. Maclean, 47, was the owner of Kat’s Creepy Creations, a shop in Peabody, Massachusetts that specialized in dolls, oddities and bone art

Maclean was sentenced to 24 months in prison on Tuesday after admitting her role in a ghoulish scheme that involved trafficking human remains from Harvard Medical School

Maclean was sentenced to 24 months in prison on Tuesday after admitting her role in a ghoulish scheme that involved trafficking human remains from Harvard Medical School

Maclean agreed to purchase two dissected faces from Lodge for $600 in October 2020, the indictment said.

The pair made sale arrangements on the phone and via social media, then met at the Harvard Medical School morgue to conduct the transaction, prosecutors said.

In July 2021, Maclean shipped human skin from Massachusetts to a man in Pennsylvania whom she wanted to ‘tan the skin to create leather,’ the indictment said.

She paid the man with more human skin instead of money, according to court documents. 

Kat’s Creepy Creations, which was known to sell dolls, oddities and bone art, was raided by the FBI in March 2023, months before she and the other defendants were charged in the case.

Seven others, including the Lodges, have been imprisoned after previously entering guilty pleas in connection to the human remains scheme.

Maclean’s attorney Edward Rymsza, in a statement to the Daily Mail on Thursday, described her sentence as ‘unreasonably harsh.’

‘We were incredibly disappointed with the sentence imposed. Ms Maclean accepted full responsibility for her actions in this case,’ he said. 

‘The sentence imposed was unnecessarily harsh and excessive. An appeal has already been filed.’

Maclean pleaded guilty to a charge of interstate transport of stolen goods last December

Maclean pleaded guilty to a charge of interstate transport of stolen goods last December

Prosecutors say Maclean purchased the remains from former morgue manager Cedric Lodge

Prosecutors say Maclean purchased the remains from former morgue manager Cedric Lodge

Lodge his wife, Denise Lodge, (pictured) were sentenced to 96 months and 12 months in prison, respectively, for their roles in the scheme

Lodge his wife, Denise Lodge, (pictured) were sentenced to 96 months and 12 months in prison, respectively, for their roles in the scheme

Harvard Medical School this week agreed to pay $53 million to settle class action lawsuits by relatives of body donors whose remains were trafficked in the scheme.

The lawsuits were brought by 47 relatives of people whose remains were potentially mishandled and sold. The remains were donated for research and education. 

Harvard has said it cannot determine precisely which donors’ remains Lodge stole. 

After he was charged in 2023, the school said it reviewed information from federal investigators along with records showing when donors’ remains were sent for cremation and when Lodge was on campus to determine which donors may have been affected. 

The settlement covers relatives or designees of people who donated their remains to Harvard Medical School between January 1, 2018, and March 31, 2023. 

Harvard Medical School Deans George Q Daley and Bernard S Chang announced the development in a letter to the community on Tuesday, calling the actions of Lodge ‘despicable, abhorrent, and a flagrant betrayal of our values as a medical community.’

In their letter, Daley and Chang said Lodge’s actions ‘do not reflect the reverence we hold for the altruistic individuals who selflessly donate their bodies’ to the school’s Anatomical Gift Program.

‘We reaffirm our deep sorrow and empathy for the families of donors who may have been impacted,’ they said.

Harvard Medical School (file photo) this week agreed to pay $53 million to settle class action lawsuits by relatives of body donors whose remains were trafficked in the scheme

Harvard Medical School (file photo) this week agreed to pay $53 million to settle class action lawsuits by relatives of body donors whose remains were trafficked in the scheme

In addition to the payments, Harvard Medical School agreed to provide families with a statement condemning Lodge’s actions and summarizing improvements made to the Anatomical Gift Program. 

The school also plans to establish an annual financial aid scholarship for medical students beginning in the 2027-28 academic year to honor anatomical donors.

Harvard said it has enacted recommendations from a panel of outside experts appointed in 2023 to review the program after Lodge was charged.

Pending court approval, Harvard said that two class action settlement funds totaling $53 million will be established to resolve the lawsuits. 

The Daily Mail has approached Harvard Medical School and attorneys for Maclean and the Lodges for comment.