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We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
Two siblings from Ohio, who falsely claimed to be royalty from the Middle East, faced sentencing on Tuesday for orchestrating a series of fraudulent activities amounting to approximately $21 million. These scams were allegedly executed with assistance from a former aide to the mayor of East Cleveland.
Zubair and Muzzammil Al Zubair, aged around 42 and 31, received prison sentences of 24 and 23 years, respectively, as reported by Cleveland media.
U.S. District Judge Donald Nugent commented on the case, stating, “You stole a significant amount of money, deceived individuals, and tarnished East Cleveland’s reputation. Your ostentatious behavior included driving a Rolls Royce and flying on private jets.”
Michael Smedley, the 56-year-old chief of staff who accepted bribes to facilitate the brothers’ fraudulent operations from 2020 to 2023, was sentenced to more than eight years in prison, according to the report.
A shopper navigates the Mall of Emirates in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Friday, December 27, 2019. (Photo by Christopher Pike/Bloomberg)
Authorities said the brothers built a façade of extreme wealth and elite connections, with Zubair falsely claiming to be married to a United Arab Emirates princess, and Muzzammil claiming to be a hedge fund manager based solely on watching YouTube videos.
Their lavish lifestyle ultimately included private jets, luxury watches, a fleet of high-end vehicles, dozens of firearms and even a custom-made, gold-plated AK-47-style rifle.
They also chartered private jets for domestic and international shopping trips to destinations such as Aspen, Miami, London, Bucharest and Madrid, according to federal officials.
Prosecutors said that over the years, the brothers carried out multiple schemes to steal money and property from victims, including Zubair’s former girlfriend, from the UAE, who lost $737,000, the outlet Cleveland reported.
A Rolls Royce vehicle drives down Rodeo Blvd. in Beverly Hills on October 19, 2006.(Richard Hartog/Los Angeles Times)
Another major scheme involved the brothers allegedly bilking a Chinese investor out of nearly $18 million by falsely claiming they owned an industrial complex and would bring a cryptocurrency business to the site, the outlet said.
To facilitate their crimes, prosecutors said the pair corrupted Smedley with expensive gifts and meals, cash payments, Cleveland Browns suite tickets, prized Japanese wagyu beef, cigars, upscale dining and promises of future employment.
In exchange, prosecutors said Smedley abused his city position to assist the brothers. He was accused of attempting to secure state funding for their businesses, providing official city letterhead, issuing them police credentials, and formally appointing Zubair as an “International Economic Advisor” for East Cleveland.
Seats onboard a Dassault Falcon 6X business jet on display on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026.(SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg)
Following a two-week trial, all three men were convicted by a federal jury of conspiracy to commit bribery involving programs receiving federal funds, conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and Hobbs Act conspiracy.
The brothers were additionally convicted of multiple counts of wire fraud, money laundering, and theft of government funds.
Zubair was additionally convicted of willful failure to file tax returns.
Bonny Chu is a Digital Production Assistant at Fox News Digital.
Renowned nightlife impresario Richie Akiva, famed for orchestrating one of the Met Gala’s most sought-after after-parties, encountered a last-minute hiccup when his initial co-hosts, Madonna and Sabrina Carpenter, opted to organize their own event.
Adding to the challenge, Akiva’s usual venue, Casa Cipriani, was no longer an option, leaving him scrambling for a new location.
Despite these setbacks, he spectacularly succeeded in assembling the most talked-about party of the evening, featuring a true fashion icon, and did so in a mere 24 hours.
By Saturday, just two days before the fashion world’s grandest event, the outlook was uncertain. However, in a remarkable turn of events, Akiva secured the legendary Kate Moss as the night’s host and shifted the celebration, aptly named “The Afters,” to the vibrant downtown burlesque venue, The Box.
Insiders say the entire soirée came together in just a day, with one source telling us Moss and Akiva are friends who had been casually chatting when the idea came up.
Moss, 52, didn’t just lend her name, she also brought daughter Lila, 23, along for the night, which didn’t really heat up until around 4 a.m.
“Next year I am definitely going to prepare in a much longer time and lock everything in officially way earlier,” Akiva told us. “And I am going to do something invitation only.”
Adding, “I was super grateful and happy. I love Kate.”
Elie Tahari stepped in as sponsor.
This is Akiva’s 12th Met Gala after party.
Teyana Taylor was also a host of the bash. She had been on board since the initial planning stages.
Despite being announced late, the party still drew a stacked crowd, including Blackpink’s Lisa and Jennie and editor Edward Enninful.
Diplo hit the decks for a packed room that included Ty Dolla $ign, Evan Ross, Selah Marley, and Stefon Diggs. At one point, we’re told barely clad burlesque dancers had to be moved aside so guests could actually see the famed DJ.
One insider tells us Diplo was “flirting” with the dancers, while another insists, “the burlesque girls were flirting with him.”
DJ Kaytranada also spun, while Busta Rhymes grabbed the mic for an impromptu performance. Singer Leon Thomas performed as well.
“The party went amazing,” Akiva said.
As Page Six previously reported, Akiva had been in talks with Madonna and Carpenter to host. Both have attended his parties before, but this year, Madonna decided she “wanted to do something smaller,” Akiva told us.
Madonna’s rep told us, “She was never confirmed for any party.” Carpenter’s camp didn’t get back to us.
Carpenter and Madonna, who just released the duet “Bring Your Love” from Madge’s upcoming “Confessions II” album, wound up hosting their own party at Zero Bond, which is owned by Akiva’s former Butter Group business partner Scott Sartiano.
In 2018, four years after he had sold his shares in the Butter Group, Sartiano sued Akiva for $15 million, alleging Akiva had lied to him — claiming 1OAK and Up & Down were money pits and convincing Sartiano to let Akiva buy him out with a series of low-ball payments. The suit was dismissed last January, Page Six reported.
The pair had a falling out and have not spoken in years we’re told.
Lauren Sánchez Bezos shed two pounds in preparation for the Met Gala, thanks to a rigorous “Fireman Workout.”
Lauren Sánchez Bezos made a statement with her nod to a historical controversy.
For the 2026 Met Gala themed “Fashion Is Art,” the former broadcaster collaborated with Schiaparelli designer Daniel Roseberry to create an ensemble inspired by John Singer Sargent’s infamous 1883 painting “Madame X.” The artwork caused a stir by depicting socialite Madame Pierre Gautreau with a jeweled strap slipping off her shoulder, prompting Sargent to later adjust the painting to show the strap in place.
This particular element resonated with Sánchez Bezos, who shared with Vogue her fascination with how “a seemingly small detail, like the fallen jeweled strap, once evoked such a strong public outcry.”
“Standing before it now, you see a striking woman. To me, the painting illustrates how fashion and cultural norms evolve,” she explained at 56. “Today, a strap is just that, but when Sargent painted ‘Madame X,’ it was seen as scandalous.”
Just days after claims that NFL star Stefon Diggs assaulted her, his former personal chef was seen in a video enjoying herself, dancing, and laughing at a colleague’s home. This footage was presented at the conclusion of the trial.
Jamila Adams, who served as Diggs’ live-in chef at his mansion in Massachusetts, sought refuge at the home of her coworker, Xi Charles, for a week following the alleged incident.
The video, recorded by Natalia “Tally” Moses, the final witness in the two-day trial, was shown to jurors just hours before Diggs was found not guilty of the charges.
“We were just having fun in Xi’s room, playing music and dancing,” Moses explained during her testimony.
The brief clip shows Adams moving rhythmically to the music playing on the television, as her friends chuckled and joined in the lighthearted moment.
Moses admitted that Adams’ behavior at the time didn’t align with her claims surrounding the purported attack.
Prosecutor Drew Virtue noted that Adams didn’t share the allegations with anyone in Diggs’ circle because of how much they relied on his good graces—fiscally and personally.
“[Diggs] was a sometimes lover, boss, landlord, athlete, celebrity, financially powerful, surrounded by people who were all on his payroll and who liked him. Her behavior does make sense,” Virtue said.
Charles, who Adams stayed with for a week after the alleged assault, was employed as Diggs’ hairdresser.
Virtue, too, admitted that Adams wasn’t the “perfect witness,” in part because of her “complicated” relationship with Diggs, but said that didn’t mean “you should throw away everything she said.”
Meanwhile, Diggs’ lawyer, Andrew Kettlewell, said the prosecution’s whole case relied on Adams’ word and was moot otherwise.
When Adams took the stand on Monday, she cried while testifying that Diggs allegedly slapped her “with an open hand” and choked her at his home on Dec. 2, 2025.
The day of the purported attack, Adams said that she texted Diggs from her bedroom in his house about how she was upset he wasn’t taking her to Miami for the Art Basel expo, even though she had been planning to coordinate outfits with Diggs’ girlfriend Cardi B.
“What was all that s–t you was talking?” Adams recounted Diggs asking before he allegedly smacked her.
“He took his arm and he came around my neck with his elbow … and he began to choke me,” she said through tears.
Adams worked for Diggs from July through December 2025, making $2,000 a week.
She claimed that she and Diggs had a sexual relationship before he hired her.
Three weeks ahead of the trial, Adams’ lawyer may have demanded $5.5 million from Diggs, but she dodged all inquiries relating to the purproted payout.
Diggs pleaded not guilty and was acquitted on Tuesday afternoon.
He faced up to five years in prison on the strangulation charge and two-and-a-half years in jail for misdemeanor assault.
A portion of a sexual assault lawsuit against Aerosmith’s frontman, Steven Tyler, is set to proceed to trial in Los Angeles County Superior Court, with an anticipated start date in August.
The 78-year-old rock legend has previously denied allegations that he groomed and sexually assaulted a 16-year-old girl in the 1970s. The woman, who has publicly identified herself as Julia Misley, claims misconduct during that period.
While the judge has dismissed most allegations related to the three-year relationship across various states, the case will focus on a single incident alleged to have occurred in 1974 in a hot tub at a California hotel. This decision was detailed in a court order reviewed by the Daily Mail.
“This is a tremendous win for Steven Tyler,” stated Tyler’s attorney, David Long-Daniels, in a comment to the Daily Mail. “The court has dismissed with prejudice 99.9% of the claims against Mr. Tyler in this case.”
“The court has permitted only one incident from over 50 years ago, out of a three-year relationship, to remain,” Long-Daniels continued. “We are eager to present our case at trial on August 31.”
A judge on April 28 had previously noted Massachusetts’ statute of limitations in dismissing a significant chunk of the case, as that was where the rock singer resided with Misley (who was then known as Julia Holcomb) in the three-year timeframe they were linked.
A fraction of a sexual assault case brought against Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler is slated to move forward to trial in Los Angeles County Superior Court, with a tentative August start date. Pictured in LA in 2024
The relationship moving out of Massachusetts into other states, as Tyler toured the nation with Aerosmith, allowed for a part of the case to remain under California’s Child Victims Act.
Misley said in her initial 2022 court filing in Southern California that the Janie’s Got a Gun singer ‘used his role, status, and power as a well-known musician and rock star’ to take advantage of her sexually, according to legal documents reviewed by the Los Angeles Times.
In the civil legal filing, Misley originally accused the Dream On singer of sexual assault and battery, as well as intentional infliction of emotional distress, linked back to when she was a teenager in the 1970s.
Misley filed the lawsuit days ahead of a December 31, 2022 deadline to fall under the umbrella of California’s Child Victims Act.
The legislation paused the statute of limitations for people to report sexual abuse crimes committed against them when they were underage.
Misley said in her legal complaint that she and Tyler initially crossed paths at a 1973 Aerosmith concert, when he was around 25-years-old and she was 16.
Sources close to Tyler told the Daily Mail that Misley’s ‘memory of what happened on that single night 50-plus years ago is demonstrably inaccurate.’
They added, ‘The remaining allegation relates to one night in California, and we look forward to trying that one issue.’
The Jaded singer was pictured performing in Philadelphia in September of 2023
The Massachusetts native pictured in the UK in 1978
The Love in an Elevator artist was pictured at a March 31 event in LA
The following year, Tyler was granted guardianship of her, and she began traveling with him, Misley said in her court filing.
Misley said in a previous complaint that after Tyler persuaded her mother to grant him a guardianship of her at the age of 16, she was ‘powerless to resist’ the singer, who had ‘power, fame and substantial financial ability.’
Sources close to Tyler pushed back on that notion to the Daily Mail, saying that ‘it’s been widely established that Steven … had a consenting, loving relationship for many years’ with Misley.
Tyler said in his 2011 book Does the Noise in My Head Bother You? that he nearly ‘took a teen bride’ in his past, according to the court filing.
The rock staple said in the memoir, ‘She was 16, she knew how to nasty … with my bad self being twenty-six and she barely old enough to drive and sexy as hell, I just fell madly in love with her.’
He wrote that ‘her parents fell in love with me, signed a paper over for me to have custody, so I wouldn’t get arrested if I took her out of state.’
Misley said in her initial legal filing that she became pregnant by Tyler in 1975, and that he persuaded her to have an abortion based on faulty information in regards to the potential health of the unborn child.
Following the abortion, Misley said she moved back home, wed and embraced religion.
Misley’s lawyer Jeff Anderson told The Los Angeles Times that the looming trial ‘reflects years of resilience and courage by Ms. Misley, driven by an unwavering pursuit of truth and justice,’ adding, ‘It is time for justice and for Tyler to be held accountable by a jury.’
Are you over 60 and still focusing solely on ab workouts? Consider these five alternative exercises that offer more comprehensive benefits.
As we age, our fitness routines should reflect our daily movements. After 60, maintaining muscle strength is crucial for stability, ease of movement, and handling everyday tasks effortlessly. This means emphasizing exercises that engage multiple muscle groups rather than focusing exclusively on isolated movements.
While ab exercises have their benefits, they don’t challenge your body in the same way as compound movements. Performing a few sets of crunches might make your abs burn, but they don’t translate as effectively into real-world functionality. Exercises that incorporate your legs, upper body, and core simultaneously demand more effort, activate more muscles, and offer a more substantial training impact.
In my experience as a coach, I’ve observed that progress accelerates when individuals embrace these comprehensive exercises. When your body is required to stabilize, balance, and exert force all at once, it undergoes more holistic adaptation. This results in feeling stronger, more stable, and better equipped for various activities.
From my coaching experience, progress picks up when people shift toward these types of movements. When your body has to stabilize, balance, and generate force simultaneously, it adapts more fully. You start to feel stronger, more stable, and more capable across the board.
Consistency ties it all together. These exercises are simple, repeatable, and easy to build into your week. Keep your reps controlled, stay consistent, and you’ll notice changes in both how your body looks and how it moves.
Push-Ups
Push-ups train your chest, shoulders, and triceps while forcing your core to hold your entire body in position. Keep a straight line from head to heels and your midsection has to brace the whole time, not just for a few reps. That’s where this pulls ahead of most ab work. Your core stabilizes as you move, just as it does when you push yourself up, regain your balance, or brace during daily tasks. Over time, that kind of strength carries over in a way crunches don’t.
Muscles Trained: Chest, shoulders, triceps, core
How to Do It:
Place your hands on the floor under your shoulders.
Step your feet back into a plank position.
Brace your core and keep your body in a straight line.
Lower your chest toward the floor by bending your elbows.
Press through your hands to return to the starting position.
Recommended Sets and Reps: Perform 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps. Rest for 60 seconds between each set.
Best Variations: Incline push-ups, knee push-ups, slower tempo reps
Form Tip: Keep your elbows angled slightly back and your core tight.
Lunges
Lunges train your legs while your core works to keep you balanced and upright with each step. As you move forward and lower down, your midsection has to brace to control your position and keep you steady. This is a different demand than lying on your back doing ab work. You’re standing, shifting your weight, and controlling your body through space, which is exactly how you move during the day. As you get older, that ability to stay balanced and controlled matters more, and lunges directly train it.
Push through your front foot to return to standing.
Alternate legs with each rep.
Recommended Sets and Reps: Perform 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps per leg. Rest for 60 seconds between each set.
Best Variations: Reverse lunges, shorter step lunges, assisted lunges
Form Tip: Keep your torso upright and your weight through your front heel.
Deadlifts
Deadlifts train your hips and back while your core braces to protect your spine as you move. As you hinge forward, your midsection has to stay tight to keep your back from rounding, and when you stand up, your glutes finish the job. This is where the real-world carryover shows up. Picking something up, setting it down, or even just bending forward all rely on this pattern. Your core is doing more than contracting; it’s supporting and protecting you, which goes beyond what isolated ab work can offer.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and a weight in front of you.
Hinge at your hips and grab the weight.
Brace your core and keep your back flat.
Drive your hips forward to lift the weight.
Lower the weight back down with control.
Recommended Sets and Reps: Perform 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps. Rest for 60 seconds between each set.
Best Variations: Dumbbell deadlifts, trap bar deadlifts, lighter tempo reps
Form Tip: Keep the weight close to your body and move through your hips.
Dumbbell Rows
Rows build your upper back while your core works to keep your torso steady as you pull. As you lift the weight, your midsection has to brace to stop your body from rotating or shifting. That kind of stability matters more than people think. It shows up when you carry something on one side, pull an object toward you, or need to stay balanced under load. Compared to basic ab work, this trains your core in a way that actually transfers into daily movement.
Muscles Trained: Upper back, lats, biceps, core
How to Do It:
Hold a dumbbell in one hand.
Hinge forward with your opposite hand supported on a bench, box, or chair.
Let the weight hang toward the floor.
Pull the dumbbell toward your torso.
Lower it back down with control.
Recommended Sets and Reps: Perform 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps per side. Rest for 60 seconds between each set.
Best Variations: Two-arm rows, slower tempo rows, supported rows
Form Tip: Keep your torso steady and pull your elbow back.
Goblet Squats
Goblet squats bring your legs and core together in one movement. Holding the weight in front forces your midsection to stay engaged so your torso doesn’t tip forward as you lower down. As you stand back up, your legs drive the movement while your core keeps everything in position. This mirrors how you sit, stand, and lift throughout the day. When that pattern feels stronger and more controlled, it carries over into just about everything you do, which is where this kind of training stands out.
Muscles Trained: Quadriceps, glutes, core
How to Do It:
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell at your chest.
Brace your core and keep your chest up.
Lower into a squat by bending your hips and knees.
Drive through your heels to return to standing.
Recommended Sets and Reps: Perform 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps. Rest for 60 seconds between each set.
Best Variations: Heavier goblet squats, tempo squats, pause squats
Form Tip: Keep the weight close to your chest and stay tall.
What Actually Drives Body Changes After 60
Shutterstock
This is where most people either start seeing changes or feel stuck doing the same thing. The exercises matter, but how you perform them and how often you come back to them matter more. These movements work because they engage more of your body at once, creating a greater demand and a stronger response. Keep things simple, stay consistent, and focus on how each rep feels instead of just getting through it.
Brace your core on every rep: Set your midsection before you move and keep it engaged throughout. This helps transfer force between your upper and lower body and keeps your positioning solid.
Slow your tempo down: Take control of the lowering phase and avoid rushing the way up. More time under tension gives your muscles a reason to adapt.
Stay consistent across the week: Aim for a few sessions spread out over the week. Regular exposure beats occasional hard efforts when it comes to building strength and muscle.
Use a weight that challenges you: Pick a load that makes the last few reps feel like work while still allowing you to stay in control. If it feels too easy, it probably is.
Keep moving outside of workouts: Daily movement supports everything you’re doing here. Walking, staying active, and avoiding long stretches of sitting all add up over time.
The Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion has heard from Jewish Australians about their experiences.
The inquiry has heard that many Jewish Australians feel the need to hide their identity in public.
The normalization of antisemitism and the subsequent silence in response to attacks on their community have left Jewish Australians feeling deeply disheartened, as revealed during a recent inquiry. This was highlighted during the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion’s second day of public hearings, where evidence was presented on the increasing daily harassment of Jews, particularly in the wake of the October 7, 2023, assault on Israel by Hamas.
Nir Golan shared an incident where he fell victim to such hostility while wearing his kippah, a traditional Jewish head covering. While on Sydney’s Oxford Street during a bustling weekday afternoon, he recounted being confronted and verbally assaulted by a man.
The aggressor hurled racial insults like “dirty Jew,” mimicked Nazi salutes, and gestured as if holding a gun to Golan’s head. The distressing encounter unfolded over a brief minute or two, as Golan relayed to the inquiry.
In a disheartening twist, only one individual—a tourist from the United States—stepped in to help, and was unfortunately attacked themselves during the attempt, according to Golan.
Only one person, an American tourist, attempted to intervene and was assaulted in the process, Golan said.
“It was in broad daylight, there were many people around,” he said.
After the man left, Golan said he broke down, started shaking uncontrollably and crying.
“No one came to aid, no one came to help, no one came to do anything,” he said.
The incident was reported to police but Golan said he was told a lack of CCTV footage meant there was little they could do.
He still wears his kippah, but now covers it up with a baseball cap.
Many other instances of antisemitism reported to the inquiry were described as “casual”, often including references to Jewish stereotypes.
Casual anti-Semitic incidents may seem minor compared to physical violence, but they painted a broader picture of how prevalent the beliefs were, Lea Levy said.
On one occasion, a colleague told her a company owned by South African Jews didn’t want to purchase an asset because they were “stingy”.
Other experiences pertained to Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, which followed the Hamas attack, and Jewish Australians being called “baby killers” and “genocide lovers”.
Afraid to wear Star of David in public
Businessman Peter Halasz says for the first time since the holocaust, he was afraid to be recognised as Jewish in public after the attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7.
Halasz was born in Budapest a month after the start of World War II, but would survive and make it to Australia, going on to found swimwear giant Seafolly with his wife and fellow Jewish refugee Yvonne Halasz.
“What is happening in Australia today is not a faint echo of a distant past,” Halasz said.
Forced into hiding during the Nazi occupation of Hungary, Halasz’s mother risked everything on 15 December, 1944, when she went to visit her father for his birthday at a separate apartment hideout.
”She kissed me goodbye and that was the last time I saw her. I was five years old,” Halasz said.
While Halasz’s mother was visiting her parents, the Hungarian Nazis raided the building, took all the Jews down to the banks of the Danube River and shot them.
Growing up in an environment where being Jewish was something to be hidden, Halasz said coming to Australia was the first time he felt comfortable being openly Jewish.
But he was not prepared for the way in which the country changed after the October 7 attacks, with Jewish businesses and schools targeted and the community feeling under threat.
“I found myself, for the first time since childhood, afraid to wear my Star of David in public,” he said.
“I found myself for the first time since I fled Hungary feeling that my identity was something I should hide.”
Mr Halasz was far from alone in feeling afraid of the future should antisemitism continue.
The commission’s initial hearing block will run until May 15.
Police stop takeover of ATVs, dirt bikes on Bay Bridge
The Oakland Police Department effectively utilized drone technology in a significant operation that resulted in multiple arrests and the confiscation of numerous vehicles following an audacious takeover of the Bay Bridge on May 3, 2026.
During a news conference on Monday, the department detailed the success of their operation, which culminated in the arrest of nine individuals and the seizure of 77 ATVs and dirt bikes. The crackdown came after officers strategically set up a blockade to quell the chaos that had disrupted traffic on the iconic California bridge.
Footage captured by police drones vividly documented the scene, showcasing bikers recklessly maneuvering through the bridge lanes before encountering a blockade of police vehicles. The video also captured a dramatic moment where officers attempted to rescue an individual who had leaped into the water in a bid to escape capture.
This decisive action not only halted the mayhem but effectively demonstrated the department’s commitment to maintaining order and safety on the Bay Bridge, a crucial transportation artery.
Police seized dozens of ATVs and dirt bikes during the operation.(Oakland Police Department)
In a news conference, Oakland Police Chief James Beere said the joint effort allowed for officers to trap bikers riding on the bridge.
Dozens of bikers and ATV riders swarmed the Bay Bridge in California.(Oakland Police Department)
OPD said in a statement in part, “On Sunday, more than 100 OPD officers worked alongside regional partners to safely coordinate arrests and vehicle seizures.”
This recent slew of arrests is not the first time the city has had to deal with illegal takeovers.
Nine people were arrested in the investigation.(Oakland Police Department)
San Francisco Police Chief Derek Luth said during the news conference that the takeovers have become a regional problem.
He said his agency, alongside California Highway Patrol, seized 85 bikes when bikers tried to take over the bridge back in March.
San Francisco police and Oakland police teamed up in the investigation.(Oakland Police Department)
Additionally, last year SFPD seized more than 140 vehicles in relation to takeovers.
“There are going to be more arrests. If you made it away yesterday [Sunday] just expect a knock at your door, and if it warrants and it’s legally just, you’ll be arrested as well,” Beere said.
A teenager from Alabama embarked on a critical journey to Los Angeles to receive life-saving treatment for his stage four bone cancer, following intervention from the Trump administration.
Fifteen-year-old Will Roberts had turned to social media, particularly his mother’s Facebook page, on April 22 to seek assistance. In his heartfelt message, he reached out to President Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., hoping for their support.
“I’ve been battling osteosarcoma, a highly aggressive and challenging bone cancer, for the past 16 months,” Will expressed in the video. He implored anyone with ties to the White House to step in and offer aid.
He went on to explain, “My chemotherapy treatments haven’t been effective, and I’ve been grappling with this since January 2025. Unfortunately, not much has been successful,” revealing that his mother had been looking into an experimental medication.
“We’ve exhausted nearly all available options and are approaching a critical point. I’m in dire need of assistance,” he added, underscoring the urgency of his situation.
An Alabama oil tycoon and real estate developer, Ric Myers, saw the message and forwarded it to Trump, AL.com reported.
It then spread across the administration — from First Lady Melania Trump to Kennedy to Dr. Mehmet Oz, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Oz put the family in touch with the Sarcoma Oncology Center in Santa Monica, which offers “innovative clinical trials and experimental treatments to offer hope for those facing hard-to-treat cancers.”
Will made an appointment and flew across the count for treatment, thanking his backers for helping get him to the Golden State.
“Man, y’all care so much for me to get this drug and I appreciate it so much,” the teen said in a video posted to Facebook.
He’s expected to receive three 30-minute treatment sessions per week as he aims to overcome his cancer.
But the medical costs are enormous. The treatments will cost the family $500,000, the Daily Mail reported, and they’ve already spent $100,000 on travel expenses and other medical expenses alone.
The family launched a GoFundMe campaign, which had raised more than $661,000 of its $750,000 goal as of Tuesday afternoon.
Will’s mother expressed gratitude on Monday to the people who helped the family along the way.
“We didn’t come to California for comfort. We came for a chance but what we’ve found here… between the people, the doors that have opened, and the peace we’ve felt walking through them that it’s been so much more than that,” she said.
“And if there’s one thing I know for sure today…We are exactly where we are supposed to be and I have hope,” she added.
The tragic case of Athena Strand’s abduction and murder has reached a grim conclusion with the sentencing of her killer. Tanner Horner, a FedEx delivery driver, has been sentenced to death after a jury found him guilty of the heinous crimes against the young girl.
Horner, 34, committed the unforgivable act in November 2022 when he was delivering packages to Athena’s home in Paradise, Texas. During his delivery route, he kidnapped the seven-year-old, placing her in his truck and sealing her fate. Despite her desperate fight for survival, Athena’s life was cruelly taken by Horner.
In a turn of events just before his trial was set to commence, Horner admitted to his actions by pleading guilty to charges of capital murder and aggravated kidnapping on April 7.
The jury, composed of an equal number of men and women, deliberated for nearly three hours before reaching their decision that Horner should face the death penalty for his shocking crimes.
The jury, which was made up of an even split between men and women, took two hours and 50 minutes to deliberate on whether Horner deserved to die.
Horner was emotionless as the execution sentence was announced on Tuesday.
After the decision was handed down, Athena’s uncle Elijah Strand faced her killer directly, saying: ‘I want you to know that you are nothing. You are a footnote in Athena’s story.
‘Her name will forever be remembered. Her name will forever be celebrated and everyone will forget you.’
Horner, 34, will be put on death row for murdering and kidnapping seven-year-old Athena Strand (pictured). It took the jury just under three hours to decide on the sentence
Horner had been delivering a box of Barbies that were due to be Strand’s Christmas present when he took the youngster, strangled her and dumped her body in a creek. The two are pictured in his FedEx truck following the kidnapping
Tanner Horner pleaded guilty to the horrendous crime, just before his trial was going to begin. He is pictured on Tuesday, before he found out that he would be sentenced to die
He added that words couldn’t capture the devastation caused to every person who loved Athena when Horner robbed them of their trust in the world, forever changing who they are as a family.
‘Athena was more than a headline. She was laughter, curiosity, kindness,’ Strand said. ‘And she had dreams that she will never get to chase. Birthdays that she will never celebrate in a life she’ll never get to live because of his actions. Our family has been left with an emptiness that can never be filled.
‘We are left to carry grief that never fades. We are left with questions that will still never have answers. And we are left trying to honor the beautiful little girl whose life was taken in the most senseless and horrific way.’
In the closing arguments on Tuesday, Wise County District Attorney James Stainton called seven-year-old Athena a ‘warrior’ for withstanding the traumatic ordeal before her untimely death in the back of the FedEx van.
The DA showed the jury the shoes Horner was wearing on the day of the murder – dropping them onto a table in front of the people who were in charge of determining the killer’s sentence.
Stainton said: ‘This is what it took [pointing at shoes] to beat the life out of her.’
‘If you want mercy, if you want someone to consider giving you life in prison when you gave no life to her, when you gave no mercy here,’ he added.
He said that Horner was the reason why Texas still has the death penalty and ‘proof why there is evil in society and we can never turn back.’
The killer will now be moved to the Allan B. Polunsky Unit in West Livingston, Texas – where inmates on death row are held. His execution date has not yet been set.
Jurors, some of whom were sobbing in court, had to listen to excerpts from more than an hour of video and audio that captured Athena’s final moments.
Previous evidence showed that Horner called Athena ‘sweetie’ and tried to make small talk by asking her age, where she goes to school, her teacher’s name and whether her teacher was nice when he put her inside his abduction van.
Harrowing audio revealed after the trial showed Athena questioning her kidnapper: ‘Is this your house?’ Horner replied: ‘No, I don’t live around here’.
‘Where are we going? What are you doing?’ the little girl asked a few moments later. Horner answered: ‘We are going to hang out for a while.’
The killer then ordered the child to remove her shirt and shushed her when she questioned why. She started to cry and asked for her mother.
Pictured: Horner’s reaction as he was taken out of the court room after receiving the death penalty on Tuesday for the murder of the seven-year-old
Strand was snatched by Horner as he dropped off a package containing a Christmas gift for the youngster – a box of Barbie dolls
The box of Barbies that Athena was supposed to receive on Christmas
Tanner Horner during questioning by investigators following the murder of Athena Strand
Wise County District Attorney James Stainton holds the shoes Tanner Horner wore when he killed Athena Strand
‘Are you a kidnapper?’ Athena asked through her tears and pleas to go home. ‘Why are you doing this?’
Horner replied: ‘Because you are pretty. You know that?’
Strand’s body was found around nine miles away from her home, two days later.
Jurors also had to listen to heart-wrenching testimony from both of Strand’s parents during the trial, which was fast tracked to the sentencing phase after Horner pleaded guilty.
Medical examiner Dr Jessica Dwyer ruled Athena died because of blunt force injuries with smothering and strangulation.
The medical examiner’s report said Athena’s body did not show signs of sexual trauma.
But Jacqueline Ferrara, a former forensic analyst with the Texas Department of Public Safety, testified at Horner’s trial that male DNA had been found on swabs from Athena’s rape kit.
Horner initially told authorities that he accidentally hit Athena with his van and then strangled her in a panic.
Prosecutors called that an ‘absolute lie’ and said Athena was not hurt before he abducted her, with footage showing Athena conscious and seemingly physically unharmed inside the truck.
An arrest warrant said Horner took investigators from the Wise County Sheriff’s Office to where he had left Athena’s body.
Horner also told investigators that an alter ego of his, Zero, ‘kind of took over’ after he failed to calm Athena down.
