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.
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.
While Robert De Niro’s net worth reportedly stands at a staggering $500 million, the legendary actor has experienced his share of financial turbulence over the years. Known for iconic roles like that in “Taxi Driver,” De Niro faced a significant financial hiccup in 2015 when he was suddenly confronted with a $6.4 million tax lien from the IRS. According to his representative, the tax notices had mistakenly been sent to an old, unoccupied commercial address. Once made aware of the situation, De Niro swiftly resolved the issue by personally delivering a check for the full amount to the IRS, as reported by E! News.
Eugene Gologursky/Getty Images
Despite his wealth, De Niro found himself financially stretched during the COVID-19 pandemic, which heavily impacted his investments in the hospitality sector. The actor, who is a co-founder of the luxury Nobu restaurant chain and The Greenwich Hotel, witnessed firsthand the economic strain as these ventures struggled amid global lockdowns. According to Page Six, Nobu alone reported losses nearing $5 million. De Niro, facing a $500,000 capital call, had to rely on a business associate for funds, as he didn’t have the necessary cash on hand.
These financial strains came to light partly due to De Niro’s contentious divorce from his second wife, Grace Hightower. The couple’s legal battles unveiled details of their extravagant lifestyle, including disputes over Hightower’s credit card limit, which De Niro attempted to reduce from $100,000 to $50,000 per month. Hightower’s legal team resisted this change, arguing for adherence to their prior agreement, while De Niro’s lawyers contended that his income had decreased since the agreement was made. They revealed that the actor was spending more than he was earning, with projections indicating he would be fortunate to make $7.5 million in 2020.
The legal wrangling resulted in a partial victory for De Niro, who was permitted to reduce Hightower’s credit card limit but was still required to provide an additional $75,000 for her summer housing. By April 2021, De Niro’s legal representatives argued that his financial commitments to Hightower were forcing him to continue working at an intense pace, despite his age. “Mr. De Niro is 77 years old, and while he loves his craft, he should not be forced to work at this prodigious pace because he has to,” his attorney stated in court, as reported by Page Six.
Robert De Niro’s divorce cost him big bucks
Daniele Venturelli/Getty Images
Robert De Niro’s messy divorce from his second wife, Grace Hightower, was a rather expensive endeavor. According to Page Six, De Niro and Hightower fiercely fought over money during their divorce proceedings. One point of contention was Hightower’s objection to the actor lowering her $100,000 credit card limit to $50,000 a month. While her legal team fought to secure her the previously-agreed limit, De Niro’s legal squad claimed he wasn’t making as much money as when they’d struck the deal. They also claimed that, despite his net worth, the “Heist” star had been spending more money than he was making. “His accounts and business manager … says that the best case for Mr. De Niro, if everything starts to turn around this year, … he is going to be lucky if he makes $7.5 million this year,” said his lawyer in 2020 (via Page Six).
Ultimately, this legal maneuver worked — at least partially. While the judge allowed for him to slash Hightower’s credit card limit, he was still on the hook for an additional $75,000 so she could secure summer housing. But that was far from the end of things. By April 2021, the aging star’s legal team was claiming that his ongoing financial obligations to Hightower were forcing him to work. “Mr. De Niro is 77 years old, and while he loves his craft, he should not be forced to work at this prodigious pace because he has to,” said his attorney in court (via Page Six).
However, things were looking up slightly for De Niro by October 2021, when a judge ruled that Hightower wouldn’t be getting awarded half of his $500,000,000 fortune. But he’ll still be paying her $1 million a year in alimony for the rest of his days.
Hassan Harissi sets off to work at a clinic in southern Lebanon each day, leaving his children behind with a heavy heart, fully aware that each mission he undertakes could either save lives or end in disaster.
As a pediatrician affiliated with Doctors Without Borders, Harissi has been active in a mobile clinic since January. He navigates through neighborhoods ravaged by airstrikes, providing medical care while constantly worrying about his family’s safety.
His family faced a harrowing experience when an Israeli airstrike landed perilously close to their location, forcing them to flee. This marked their second displacement after initially leaving their home in southern Lebanon’s suburbs in September 2024.
“Many of us are working despite being displaced ourselves, having had to abandon our homes and loved ones with minimal warning,” Harissi shares with SBS News.
The recent surge in hostilities between Israel and the Iran-supported militant group Hezbollah has thrown vast areas of Lebanon into continuous turmoil. Frequent airstrikes and evacuation directives have drastically altered everyday life for civilians.
Hassan Harissi, a paediatrician with Doctors Without Borders, has been working from a mobile clinic in south Lebanon since January. Source: Supplied / Doctors Without Borders
Since early March, the strikes have intensified across southern Lebanon and Beirut’s southern suburbs, killing more than 1,000 people, according to the Lebanese health ministry, and forcing nearly 1.3 million people from their homes.
Evacuation orders from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have covered large swathes of territory, creating a humanitarian crisis compounded by damaged infrastructure and overwhelmed services.
“Some colleagues are treating patients all day while not knowing whether their own home is still standing, or whether family members are in danger,” Harissi says.
The strain extends beyond the emotional. Delivering care itself has become dangerous.
“Israeli airstrikes, especially ones targeting civilian infrastructure such as roads and bridges, make movement unsafe or more complex, limiting our ability to reach people, run activities consistently, or transport supplies,” Harissi says.
Nine paramedics were killed on Saturday (local time), according to the World Health Organization (WHO), taking the number of health workers killed in March to 51.
It said the nine paramedics were killed while they were working in five Lebanese villages. It did not say who was responsible for the deaths.
“March has been the second most deadly month for health workers in Lebanon since WHO started monitoring attacks on health care in the country in October 2023,” WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Sunday on X.
“Health workers are protected under international humanitarian law and should never be targeted.”
The conflict has also disrupted Lebanon’s already fragile healthcare system. According to the WHO, as of late March, five hospitals and 49 primary healthcare centres have shut down following the strikes and IDF’s evacuation orders, leaving communities with severely reduced access to care.
While every journey to a patient carries risk, Eliane Abou-Mrad says she embraced that danger as part and parcel of a life she chose years ago.
In 2013, she decided to volunteer as a paramedic with the Lebanese Red Cross. Inspired by her parents, who were also paramedics, she saw it as a calling grounded in service.
“These are our values. How beautiful it is to give someone something without expecting anything in return? The only thing you would want in return is blessings,” she tells SBS News.
But the war has reshaped what that service looks like.
“Before the war, I worked all day, and at night it was for my family. But now, during the war, I am in the centre 24 hours a day. All day we’re just waiting for a mission for us to go out to,” she says.
Eliane Abou-Mrad started volunteering as a paramedic with the Lebanese Red Cross in 2013. Source: Supplied / Lebanese Red Cross
When those calls come, they are often devastating.
“There are so many children becoming casualties. It’s a good feeling [working as a paramedic], but on the other hand, maybe it’s not fear, but there’s a lot of anxiety. A single incident can change everything,” she says.
And like Harissi, she says the fear does not end when the shift does.
“You’re always anxious over your family, anxious over where we’re going next. Sometimes you’re feeling at ease. Sometimes you’re not feeling at ease.”
Fear and duty in Lebanon’s’ red zone’
Abou-Mrad says medical teams operating near the southern Lebanese border with Israel face constant danger and bureaucratic barriers.
To work in the so-called ‘red zone’ — areas under the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) — paramedics and doctors must secure clearances from the IDF through UNIFIL coordination.
A map of Lebanon’s southern areas where medical workers require IDF clearance to respond to emergency calls. Source: SBS News
Sometimes those clearances never come.
“It’s such an ugly feeling knowing there are people you cannot help,” Abou-Mrad says.
“When I put myself in their position, I think, is there no-one who can help me?”
With IDF evacuation orders now covering nearly 14 per cent of Lebanon, according to the Norwegian Refugee Council, humanitarian agencies say many families are effectively trapped.
Some cannot leave due to socioeconomic or medical vulnerabilities, including disability, while others choose to remain, unwilling to leave their homes, land and communities.
Dr Luna Hammad, a medical coordinator with Doctors Without Borders, says the burden often falls on medical staff.
“Hospital staff in Nabatieh [a city in south Lebanon], who decided to continue working there, have no choice but to shelter inside the hospital,” she tells SBS News
“They have been enduring this for weeks, with very little rest, carrying the weight of constant pressure and fear while hospitals continue to receive mass casualty events.”
The danger is very real.
On 9 March, two paramedics responded to a call in Tyre, in the ‘red zone’, after an airstrike in Majdal Zoun. Among them was Youssef Assaf, a Lebanese Red Cross ambulance volunteer.
While helping evacuate the wounded, Assaf sustained critical injuries when a strike hit the area. He later succumbed to his wounds.
Youssef Assaf, a Lebanese Red Cross ambulance volunteer, died in an airstrike in Tyre in Lebanon’s south on 9 March. Source: AAP / Mohammed Zaatari
While the Lebanese Red Cross did not attribute responsibility, the health ministry said it was an Israeli airstrike that hit their ambulance.
Kristine Beckerle, deputy regional director for the Middle East and North Africa at Amnesty International, said medical workers and hospitals are protected under international law and deliberately targeting them could constitute a war crime.
“Israel is deploying the same deadly playbook it used in 2024 in Lebanon to kill dozens of health workers and devastate healthcare services,” she said last week.
Amid the destruction and loss, medical staff continue their work.
“At the end of the day, you’re helping people that are hurting,” Abou-Mrad says.
A displaced baby sleeps inside a tent at a parking lot in Beirut’s waterfront area. Source: AFP / Ibrahim Amro
“There are times when you really get affected, especially when people around you are really injured and crying. We’re all human and we have emotions. It’s very difficult but you have to stay strong in front of them and for them.
“But there are times when you say, where am I supposed to start? Where am I supposed to be besides right now? There are times that do not leave your mind, ever.”
Georges Kettaneh, secretary-general of the Lebanese Red Cross, says, as of 19 March, more than 292,000 families have been displaced across Lebanon.
“It’s not only about internally displaced people, and the host community. We have also the Syrian refugees here. We have the Palestinians,” he tells SBS News, speaking from his office in Beirut.
“What about the protection of the medical staff, of the volunteers of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, of the hospitals and others?”
Georges Kettaneh, secretary general of the Lebanese Red Cross, says, as of 19 March, more than 292,000 families have been displaced across Lebanon. Source: AFP / Mahmoud Zayyat
Kettaneh first began volunteering as a paramedic when he was a teenager, shaping his perspective on how the profession has evolved over four decades.
“I started as a volunteer. I was 14 years old, I was a paramedic. It’s become a lot more difficult. We have had to be more prepared because there’s so much more responsibility now, a lot of trust in the community, locally and nationally, but there’s also so much more need for protection from danger.”
Beyond the scale of displacement, Kettaneh emphasises the compounding humanitarian pressures, not only on those forced to flee, but also on the systems and people trying to support them.
Georges Kettaneh, secretary-general of the Lebanese Red Cross, says losing volunteers is the most challenging part of his job. Source: Supplied / Lebanese Red Cross
Kettaneh’s tone shifts as he describes the most difficult part of his job: losing volunteers.
“When I lose young volunteers who are taking a risk to save lives and they have their families and their parents, and we are losing them, I think of their children,” he says.
‘The Gaza policy’
As the conflict escalates, questions are growing over the protection of healthcare facilities and workers under international law.
Earlier this week, Israeli defence minister Israel Katz announced plans for his country’s military to take control of a “security zone” in southern Lebanon, from the Israeli border to the Litani River.
The plan mirrors Israel’s strategy in Rafah and Beit Hanoun — two cities in Gaza razed to the ground by Israeli airstrikes, which remain under Israeli military control.
Israeli defence minister Israel Katz has announced plans for his country’s military to take control of a “security zone” in southern Lebanon. Source: AFP / Aggelos Nakkas
Israel has said its military operations are aimed at countering Hezbollah and securing its northern border. Some analysts have raised concerns about the impact of such strategies on civilian infrastructure and healthcare systems.
Srinjoy Bose, associate professor of international relations at the University of NSW, says healthcare facilities in Lebanon are being targeted as an extension of the “Gaza policy”.
“Why commit medicide? It is to systematically degrade the infrastructure that supports life. It is a part and parcel of the broader crime of genocide. If you take away that, it helps realise the broader ambition of extinguishing life,” he tells SBS News.
The term ‘medicide’ appeared in a statement by United Nations Special Rapporteurs Tlaleng Mofokeng and Francesca Albanese in August last year, describing the deliberate targeting of healthcare workers and systems in Gaza.
Earlier this month, Israeli ministry spokesperson Avichay Adraee said in a statement on X that ambulances and medical facilities were being used by Hezbollah for military purposes.
The Israeli army made the same accusation in 2024, but it has not provided any evidence for its claims. The Lebanese health ministry, meanwhile, has denied the accusation, calling it an attempt to provide “justification for war crimes”.
“If that was true, they could make a case for targeting that infrastructure,” Bose says.
“But, and I must make this clear, there is no evidence to show that Hezbollah is using medical infrastructure as a cover for their activities.”
Bose warns that the “normalisation of violations” of international law could have far-reaching consequences beyond the current conflict.
“If the world is incapable or unwilling to enforce compliance [with international law], it will also lead to an erosion of public trust in healthcare facilities, as being safe spaces for vulnerable groups and peoples seeking protection and care.”
Despite the risks, displacement, and ongoing conflict, the sense of duty remains strong for those on the ground.
“Lebanon is my country,” Abou-Mrad says.
Lebanon is everything. I can’t be away from it. I won’t leave it, I won’t neglect it. It’s impossible.
“I love working in this role, despite the war and displacement and everything. We’re continuing.”
Eddie Murphy, born on April 3, 1961, is celebrated as an American comedian, actor, and singer who initially made waves as a stand-up performer before cementing his place in cinematic history. Widely acknowledged as one of the greatest comedians of all time, Murphy’s career is adorned with a multitude of accolades that highlight his versatility and talent.
Throughout his illustrious career, Murphy has been recognized with prestigious awards, including a Golden Globe, a Grammy, and an Emmy. He has also earned nominations for an Academy Award and a BAFTA Award. In acknowledgment of his influential contributions to comedy, he received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2015. Further honoring his legacy, he was bestowed with the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2023 and the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2026.
Murphy’s popularity soared when he received his first Primetime Emmy Award in 2020 for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series, following his memorable hosting of Saturday Night Live. His films have been box office powerhouses, grossing over $3.8 billion in the U.S. and Canada, and more than $6.7 billion worldwide, adjusted for inflation. This achievement made him the sixth-highest-grossing actor in America by 2015.
Beyond his acting career, Murphy ventured into music. His studio albums include “How Could It Be” (1985), “So Happy” (1989), and “Love’s Alright” (1993). He’s also known for his 1985 hit single “Party All the Time,” which climbed to the second spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Actor Eddie Murphy Biography
Born Edward Regan Murphy in Brooklyn, New York City, he was raised in the Bushwick neighborhood. His mother, Lillian Murphy (née Laney, later Murphy Lynch), worked as a telephone operator. His father, Charles Edward Murphy, who was a transit police officer, amateur actor, and comedian, met a tragic end in 1969. Despite these early challenges, Murphy’s resilience and talent allowed him to rise to remarkable heights in the entertainment industry.
Murphy and his older brother Charlie (1959-2017) spent a year in foster care after their single mother fell ill. In interviews, Murphy has indicated that his time in foster care inspired his sense of humour. He and his brother were raised in Roosevelt, New York, by his mother and stepfather, Vernon Lynch, an ice cream factory foreman.
Career
Murphy’s comedy was mostly personal, observant, and at times bawdy. He’s also a skilled impersonator.
Murphy began practicing stand-up comedy in New York City as a youngster and joined the Saturday Night Live cast at the age of 19 in 1980. He immediately became the show’s top performer, producing famous characters including Mister Robinson (a satire on children’s show presenter Mister Rogers), convict-poet Tyrone Green, and a very grumpy version of the animated clay character Gumby.
Murphy’s debut picture, 48 Hours (1982), was a huge success. He followed up with three additional movie office hits: Trading Places (1983), Beverly Hills Cop (1984), and The Golden Child (1986). He departed Saturday Night Live in 1984 to pursue his film and stand-up career.
In addition to sequels to 48 Hours and Beverly Hills Cop, Murphy demonstrated his flexibility in Eddie Murphy Raw (1987), which chronicled two of his live performances, and the comedy Coming to America (1988), in which he portrayed four different roles.
He released numerous comedy albums in the 1980s and had a modest pop music hit with the tune “Party All the Time” in 1985.
He created, directed, and performed in Harlem Nights (1989), which was both critically and commercially unsuccessful. Following a string of flops in the early 1990s, Murphy rebounded with The Nutty Professor (1996) and Dr. Dolittle (1998), both revised adaptations of previous films.
He has had success in animated family films, supplying the voice of Mushu in Mulan (1998) and Donkey in the Shrek trilogy (2001, 2004, 2007, and 2010. Murphy received his first Academy Award nomination in 2007 for best supporting actor for his role in Dreamgirls (2006).
His subsequent films were Imagine That (2009), Tower Heist (2011), A Thousand Words (2012), and Mr. Church (2016). In the 2019 film Dolemite Is My Name, he plays comedian and actor Rudy Ray Moore, a blaxploitation celebrity from the 1970s.
Murphy returned to Saturday Night Live after a 35-year hiatus in 2019, and his performance as host earned him an Emmy Award (2020) for guest performer in a comedy series. He later appeared in the sequel (2021) to Coming to America. In 2024, he played a Detroit investigator in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.
Murphy was honoured with the Mark Twain Prize for American Humour from the Kennedy Center in 2015. He received the Cecil B. DeMille Award (a Golden Globe for lifetime achievement) in 2023.
Eddie Murphy Movies
48 Hrs. (1982)
Trading Places (1983)
Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
The Golden Child (1986)
Beverly Hills Cop II (1987)
Eddie Murphy: Raw (1987)
Coming to America (1988)
Harlem Nights (1989)
Another 48 Hrs. (1990)
Boomerang (1992)
The Distinguished Gentleman (1992)
Beverly Hills Cop III (1994)
Vampire in Brooklyn (1995)
The Nutty Professor (1996)
Mulan (1998)
Dr. Dolittle (1998)
Bowfinger (1999)
The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000)
Shrek (2001)
Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001)
The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002)
Daddy Day Care (2003)
The Haunted Mansion (2003)
Shrek 2 (2004)
Dreamgirls (2006)
Norbit (2007)
Shrek the Third (2007)
Meet Dave (2008)
Imagine That (2009)
Shrek Forever After (2010)
Tower Heist (2011)
A Thousand Words (2012)
Mr. Church (2016)
Dolemite Is My Name (2019)
Coming 2 America (2021)
You People (2023)
Candy Cane Lane (2023)
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (2024)
The Pickup (2025)
Shrek 5 (2027)
Eddie Murphy Wife
Murphy had two kids at the end of the 1980s: Eric (born July 10, 1989), with then-girlfriend Paulette McNeely, and Christian (born November 29, 1990), with then-girlfriend Tamara Hood.
Murphy established a long-term love connection with Nicole Mitchell after meeting her in 1988 at an NAACP Image Awards ceremony. They lived together for nearly two years before marrying on March 18, 1993, in the Plaza Hotel’s Grand Ballroom in New York City.
Murphy and Mitchell share five children: Bria (born November 18, 1989), Myles Mitchell (born November 7, 1992), Shayne Audra (born October 10, 1994), Zola Ivy (born December 24, 1999), and Bella Zahra (born January 29, 2002). Mitchell filed for divorce in August 2005, citing “irreconcilable differences”. The Divorce was finalized on April 17, 2006.
Following his divorce from Mitchell in 2006, Murphy began seeing former Spice Girl Melanie Brown, who fell pregnant and claimed the child as Murphy’s.
Murphy gave birth to his daughter Izzy Oona on May 3, 2016, with Australian model Paige Butcher, whom he had been dating since 2012. Murphy and Butcher also have a son named Max Charles, who was born on November 30, 2018. They became engaged to marry in September 2018.
Their son’s middle name honours Murphy’s late brother, Charlie, who died of leukaemia in 2017. In July 2024, they married in a secret ceremony in Anguilla.
Murphy’s son Eric married Jasmine Lawrence, the daughter of fellow entertainer Martin Lawrence, in May of 2025.
Eddie Murphy Net Worth
Eddie Murphy’s net worth is expected to reach about $200 million by 2026. He made his money as an actor, comedian, and producer, with major earnings from films such as “Beverly Hills Cop” and the “Shrek” trilogy.
Throughout his career, he has made at least $420 million from various projects, including a recent $70 million Netflix agreement for comedy specials.
A former air traffic controller from the Washington, D.C. area has raised concerns about the systemic issues that were present when an American Airlines plane collided with a Black Hawk helicopter last year.
The tragic incident occurred on January 29, 2025, in the skies above Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, resulting in the deaths of all 67 passengers on board the plane after it collided mid-air with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter.
Emily Hanoka, who ended her shift just hours before the accident, has come forward to discuss the longstanding issues at the busy airport that she had observed well before the crash.
“There were clear cracks in the system, obvious gaps,” Hanoka stated during an interview with Sharyn Alfonsi on 60 Minutes, which aired on Sunday night.
“Frontline controllers have been sounding the alarm for years, saying, ‘This isn’t safe. This can’t go on. Please make changes.’ Unfortunately, those warnings went unheeded,” she revealed.
In a report released earlier this year, the National Transportation Safety Board confirmed that between 2021 to 2024, 85 near mid-air collisions between helicopters and commercial planes at the airport were reported to the FAA.
60 Minutes also obtained records that show that just one day before the fatal collision, two separate passenger jets had to take sudden action to avoid colliding with Army helicopters.
‘The warning signs were all there,’ Hanoka said. ‘Controllers formed local safety councils and every time that a controller made these safety reports, another controller was compiling data to back up the recommendation. And many recommendations were made and they never went too far.’
Emily Hanoka, a former air traffic controller at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, spoke out about the ‘cracks in the system’ that existed before a fatal crash last year
An American Airlines flight collided with a Black Hawk helicopter mid-air over Reagan National Airport last year
Part of the problem, Hanoka said, is that Reagan National Airport is owned by the federal government – and Congress decides how many flights can take off from the airport each day.
Since 2000, lawmakers added at least 50 flights a day to the airport’s roster and approved another 10 in 2024.
Reagan National Airport now transports 25 million passengers each year, 10 million more than its intended capacity.
‘Some hours are overloaded, to the point where it’s over the capacity that the airport can handle,’ Hanoka said, adding that there was ‘definitely pressure to get planes out.
‘I you do not move planes, you will get gridlock at the airport,’ she explained.
Making matters even more complicated, airspace is restricted over the White House, the US Capitol and other government buildings, funneling planes and helicopters into the same narrow corridor over the Potomac River.
There are also only three short runways at Reagan that all interconnect, with the airport’s Runway 1 ranking as the busiest in the country, with more than 800 flights a day, or roughly one every minute.
To meet the demand, Hanoka said air traffic controllers relied on what they called ‘squeeze play,’ which she said is ‘dependent on an aircraft rolling, an aircraft slowing and you know it’s gonna be a very close operation.’
Hanoka revealed how there are only three short runways at the airport, which all interconnect
Airspace is restricted over the White House, the US Capitol and other government buildings, funneling planes and helicopters into the same narrow corridor over the Potomac River
That is not a common practice at other airports, she noted.
‘So you’ll get new controllers come in, so they’ve transferred from other facilities and they’ll look at the operation and say, “Absolutely not,”‘ Hanoka said.
‘And they’ll withdraw from training. And that, when I was there was about 50 percent… About half of the people that walked in the building to train would say “Absolutely not.”‘
More than one year after the fatal collision, nearly one-third of controller positions at the airport remain unfilled.
‘It was surprising, walking into that work environment, how close aircraft were,’ she said. ‘This is what has to happen, in order to make this airspace work.
‘And it did work,’ she noted. ‘It worked until it didn’t.’
In January, the NTSB determined that the mid-air crash was preventable as it cited ‘systemic failures,’ including ignored warning signs about the risks and a ‘helicopter route’ that was designed so poorly that in some parts of the sky, it allowed for just ’75 feet of vertical separation’ between helicopters and passenger jets.
The crash marked the deadliest commercial aviation accident in the US in almost 25 years
All 67 passengers onboard the American Airlines flight were killed
The night of the crash, which became the deadliest commercial aviation accident in the US in almost 25 years, investigators said the Black Hawk crew was relying solely on ‘visual separation’ – looking out the window to avoid nearby passenger jets.
The Black Hawk was then flying 78 feet higher than it should have been as the Army pilots turned off a system that would have broadcast the helicopter’s location more clearly.
The pilots had decided not to use anti-collision technology known as Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast, or ADS-B, on its Black Hawk helicopter, which could have prevented the collision in accordance with a Federal Aviation Administration memorandum that allowed it to be turned off.
The NTSB also presented ‘major discrepancies’ in the helicopter’s altitude readouts that could have led the soldiers on board to believe they were flying lower over the Potomac River than they actually were, reports CNN.
The agency further noted that the American Airlines flight made a left turn to line up with the runway at Ronald Reagan Airport, which put it on a collision course with the helicopter approaching from its right.
An animation showing the view from inside the jet’s cockpit, meanwhile, showed pilots were dealing with dark skies and landing with the help of night-vision, while air traffic controllers failed to warn them they were on course to hit the helicopter.
The chopper then appeared suddenly to the left of the plane’s windshield, hitting the jet in a flash and without offering any time for the pilots to swerve out of the way.
The wreckage from the American Airlines flight is seen being pulled from the water
Following the crash, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) made a number of changes to ensure helicopters and planes no longer share the airspace above Ronald Reagan Airport in Washington DC.
Those changes were then made permanent by the NTSB in January.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
After a seven-month evasion from authorities, the families of two police officers allegedly killed by Dezi Freeman last year have finally received closure.
Freeman allegedly killed the officers “in cold blood” in Porepunkah, Victoria last August.
The fugitive had sparked a nationwide manhunt when he disappeared into bushland, a dramatic chase that concluded this morning.
Dezi Freeman was reportedly shot dead in Victoria’s north-east this morning. (Polly Hanning/Supplied)
While Freeman’s death marks the end of the pursuit, the repercussions of the Porepunkah shooting and its impact continue to resonate.
“This development does not erase the trauma, restore the futures that were cruelly taken, nor alleviate the widespread fear and grief this tragic event has caused among police and the broader community,” a spokesperson from the Police Association Victoria stated.
Families of the officers, Thompson and De Waart-Hottart, were the first to be informed that Freeman was reportedly shot dead by police earlier today.
Porepunkah shooting victims Vadim de Waart-Hottart and Neal Thompson. (9News)
A self-declared “sovereign citizen”, Freeman referred to police in court as “frigging Nazis”, “Gestapo” and “terrorist thugs”, a court judgement shows.
On other occasions he tried to place a magistrate and several police officers “under arrest” in court.
Nothing could have prepared police for what unfolded on the morning of August 26.
Officers arrived at the Rayner Track property where Freeman was living to execute a search warrant on behalf of the Wangaratta Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Team.
Freeman had run-ins with police years before the fatal shooting at Porepunkah. (Nine)
Police returned fire but Freeman was able to escape on foot and was seen fleeing into the bush.
So began a manhunt for the alleged cop-killer, who managed to evade hundreds of police, specialist officers, volunteers and dogs for months.
Tensions were high the immediate aftermath of the shooting.
Roadblocks were set up on the edge of town and police worked through the night in the hopes of capturing Freeman, who was believed to be armed.
Porepunkah is a remote town surrounded by bushland in Victoria’s north-east. (9News)
Freeman’s partner, Amalia, and children presented themselves to local police for questioning. Amalia was later arrested.
Days turned into weeks. Weeks became months.
But as the New Year rolled in, he remained at large.
Updates were few and far between.
The manhunt for Dezi Freeman dragged on for months after the shooting rocked the nation. (Victoria Police)
“We are currently exploring three scenarios: the first is that Freeman is dead, either by self-harm or misadventure,” Victoria Police Detective Inspector Adam Tilley said in February.
“The second [theory] is he has been able to escape the area and is being harboured by a person or people.
“And a third scenario we are exploring is that he has left the area and is on the run unassisted and he has not been located.”
Freeman was reportedly found hiding out in a shipping container on a remote Victorian property. (Nine)
Little did the rest of Australia know, Freeman was very much alive.
He was reportedly hiding out in a makeshift caravan-cross-shipping container on a rural property in Thologolong, located in Victoria’s north east.
That’s where police found and attempted to negotiate with the fugitive, sparking a three-hour standoff this morning.
Freeman emerged from the caravan bunker wrapped in a blanket and armed with a gun he had stolen from one of the slain police officers, 9News understands.
It is believed he opened fire at officers.
The Thologolong property where Dezi Freeman was reportedly shot dead. (Nine)
Police believe multiple officers opened fire at Freeman, who was fatally shot.
News of his death sent shockwaves around the country, making headlines on every news site in the nation.
It’s unclear how long Freeman had been hiding in the shipping container, and how police finally found him after so many months.
Those details will emerge in time.
Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush said in a press conference that it’s likely other individuals aided Freeman in evading police for so long.
“I am sure some assisted him in getting away from Porepunkah to where he is located,” Bush said.
He added that anyone “complicit” in Freeman’s hiding would face charges.
Bush also suggested that the public may never know if anyone collects the $1 million reward for information leading to Freeman’s arrest.
“Anything in relation to any reward or anything else about the investigation will be kept confidential,” he said.
He said today’s shooting was “justified” and the conclusion of the police operation will give closure to those affected by the Porepunkah shooting.
Police reportedly used a bearcat to ram the shipping container where Freeman was located. (Nine)
But for the police officers and families devastated by Freeman’s actions on August 26, this moment – though it has been a long time coming – is not the end.
“Closure isn’t the right word,” a Police Association Victoria spokesperson said earlier today.
“This represents a step forward for our members, for the families of our fallen members and for the community.”
NEVER MISS A STORY:Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.
TAMPA, Fla (WFLA) — NASA is gearing up for a groundbreaking mission that will see astronauts return to the moon’s orbit for the first time in over 50 years.
Distinct from the legendary Apollo missions, Artemis II will not involve a lunar landing. Instead, four astronauts will orbit the moon, providing NASA with an opportunity to test crucial navigation, procedures, systems, and technologies essential for future lunar expeditions.
At their base on Merritt Island, astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen are in the final stages of preparation for this momentous journey.
“Things are certainly starting to feel real here at the Cape,” remarked Koch.
The last time NASA ventured to the moon was with Apollo 17, which launched in December 1972.
Nearly 54 years later, the four astronauts are set to continue that legacy.
Shawn Quinn, NASA’s Exploration Ground Systems manager, said the team is ready for the challenges ahead.
“At this point, we can safely say the crew is ready, the rockets ready, spaceships ready, ground systems are ready, and we only need to have the weather cooperate on Thursday, and we’re ready to go,” Quinn said.
Jeremy Hansen said the mission will offer a unique view of the moon’s surface.
“Specifically, the different colors or just different shades, variations in the albedo of the moon, they’re very interesting, we look at it from different angles and different lighting,” Hansen said.
But Hansen said the journey will also carry a human and cultural element.
“Listening to other people’s perspectives on the moon and how different cultures look at the moon and when we go back honoring just how humanity we all share this same moon in the in the sky, but honoring humans around the world and how they revere the moon that’s really important to us,” he said.
The crew says the mission’s ultimate goal is to make future Artemis missions smoother for astronauts who will walk on the lunar surface.
“Our motto from day one has been Help Artemis three, succeed,” said Wiseman.
“Even though this mission is not going to the surface, we are starting some of the processes that we think are going to help them be successful physically, emotionally and mentally in getting ready for service work,” Glover said.
NASA has set a target for liftoff on Wednesday. The four astronauts are scheduled to launch no earlier than 6:24 p.m. EDT, weather permitting.
In a powerful show of unity, thousands gathered in Downtown Salt Lake City to participate in one of 18 “No Kings” protests held across Utah on Saturday. The demonstration was part of a broader global movement, with over 3,200 similar events planned worldwide.
Upon arrival, the scene was vibrant and charged with energy as approximately 8,000 participants, according to the Utah Highway Patrol, marched toward the Utah State Capitol. This substantial turnout was just one part of the global wave of activism taking place that day.
Standing on the Capitol steps, Jeanetta Williams, President of the Salt Lake Branch of the NAACP, addressed the crowd with a powerful message. “We are here today to make a profound and unmistakable statement,” she declared. “We have no kings, we answer to no throne, this is a democracy.”
Williams emphasized the ongoing struggle that the NAACP has championed for generations, urging the U.S. to fulfill its promise of protecting citizens’ rights. “Let me be very clear,” she continued, “nobody gave us these rights; we fought for them. And we are not about to let them take those away from us.”
“Let me be very clear, nobody gave us these rights; we fought for them,” Williams said. “And we are not about to let them take those away from us.”
“Let us be loud and undeniable,” Williams added. “No ICE,” no SAVE Act, and no kings.”
Williams was just one of the civil rights activists who spoke out, raising their voices to the ears of United States leaders at the Salt Lake City rally.
Saturday’s set of demonstrations, dubbed “No Kings 3.0,” included 18 rallies across Utah and over 3,200 worldwide, all with speakers advocating for checks and balances. Several speakers emphasized their rejection of what they say is “authoritarian leadership” and the idea that no one should hold unchecked power, especially the president.
The Salt Lake City rally began at 2 p.m. in Washington Square Park, where Utah Highway Patrol says an estimated 8,000 people gathered on the block.
They then chanted in harmony and marched several blocks to the Capitol, where they rallied. Hundreds of flags could be seen rising above the protesters’ heads as they walked the over 1.3-mile trek.
ABC4 spoke with several protesters as they settled in on the Capitol steps, all with similar goals.
Aubrey, one of the protesters, told ABC4 that she attended the rally in support of people who may not feel brave enough to stand up for what they believe in. “We don’t stand for wrongdoing here in our state, and we hope our leaders hear our voices.”
Protesters were ecstatic about the number of people who showed up to support their cause: rallying against President Donald Trump’s administration.
“It’s time that we all woke up, joined together, and stop focusing on party politics and get our country back,” exclaimed Rochelle Bradfield, another protestor. “That’s why I am here, and I’m so grateful for this opportunity.”
Trent Romijn told ABC4 that he believes “it’s a callout to the democrats to remember that it’s the people who will vote you out if you do not come up with something that reflects our ideas and our future for America.”
This week, landmark jury decisions against Meta and YouTube have sent a clear message to major technology companies, as they become the first to be held accountable for the influence of social media on young users.
In the midst of Congressional inaction on regulating these platforms for the safety of children, these legal outcomes could provide a new impetus for advocacy and lawsuits focused on protecting minors online, according to experts in law and technology.
Allison Fitzpatrick, a partner at the law firm Davis+Gilbert specializing in advertising and marketing, remarked on Wednesday, “These verdicts serve as a crucial alert to social media companies that merely maintaining the current state of affairs is no longer enough. Concrete actions are required to ensure the online protection of children and teenagers, especially on social media.”
The decisions in California and New Mexico follow persistent efforts by child safety advocates and parents, who have actively campaigned on Capitol Hill for laws that would hold tech giants accountable for threats posed by their platforms to young users.
In California, the jury found that both Meta and YouTube were negligent in the way they designed or operated their platforms, leading to a mandate for the companies to jointly compensate the plaintiffs with $6 million.
The case, brought by a 20-year-old named K.G.M., consolidated thousands of lawsuits brought by individuals, school districts and states against multiple social media companies. Lawyers said K.G.M. became addicted to the platforms, prompting or worsening mental health issues.
A day earlier, a jury in New Mexico found Meta liable for compromising children’s safety online and violating the state’s Unfair Practices Act, which prohibits unfair, deceptive and misleading business ventures across the state. The jury awarded $375 million in damages.
The future of kids’ online safety
The verdicts do not require Meta or Google to immediately change their platforms’ design or operations, but advocates hope they will push social media companies to rethink the platforms’ more addictive qualities that keep children on screens for hours.
“This is not about that content, but really about the way that these platforms are using these addictive design features to engage kids and teens for longer on the platform,” Holly Grosshans, senior counsel for tech policy at the kids safety nonprofit Common Sense Media, told The Hill on Thursday.
In 2025, Common Sense Media found children ages 8 and younger spend an average of two and a half hours a day with screen media. By age 2, 40 percent of children have their own tablet.
The damages are just a fraction of Meta and YouTube’s revenue, but Fitzpatrick predicted the threat of future verdicts and multiplied damages could be enough to spark change at the companies.
“I don’t think it’s coming from goodwill or best practices, I think there is a real threat of thousands more lawsuits coming after,” Fitzpatrick added.
Others are hopeful this could send social media companies “back to the drawing board.”
“[What] I would want to see is a place like Meta have a public transparency platform where it’s clear that they are taking in knowledge insights from diverse people and then inputting it into the new design of platforms,” so the public “knows what they’re experiencing, what they’re getting into,“ said Desmond Patton, founding director of SAFELab at the University of Pennsylvania, which researches how youth of color can navigate violence on social media.
Is this Big Tech’s ‘Big Tobacco’ moment?
Critics of Big Tech were quick to compare the moment to the legal fight tobacco companies faced in the 1990s over the addictive and detrimental health effects of nicotine. That battle resulted in a $206 billion settlement and sweeping changes to the marketing for smoking.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), who has pushed for the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) in Congress for years and was involved with the state lawsuits against Big Tobacco, said he is “struck by similarities to winning legal strategies against Big Tech.”
“History rhymes, even if it doesn’t repeat exactly, with behemoth corporate bullies held accountable for abuses & lies caused foreseeable death & injury to consumers,” Blumenthal wrote in a thread on the social platform X on Thursday. “Both, despite ongoing distortion & deception, have been brought to justice by courageous survivors, their families and advocates.”
Google and Meta both said they plan to appeal California’s case.
José Castañeda, a Google spokesperson, said, “This case misunderstands YouTube, which is a responsibly built streaming platform, not a social media site.”
A Meta spokesperson told The Hill the company “respectfully disagrees” with the verdict and will appeal, adding, “Reducing something as complex as teen mental health to a single cause risks leaving the many, broader issues teens face today unaddressed and overlooks the fact that many teens rely on digital communities to connect and find belonging.”
Meta has rolled out a series of features over the years intended to protect kids, including “teen accounts” with more privacy for users younger than 18.
Section 230 debate continues
Tech firms have typically avoided liability thanks to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which largely protects them from being held legally responsible for third-party or user content. This 1996 provision was written ahead of the creation of most social media, and tech watchdog groups argue it should be updated to reflect the new online ecosystem.
The verdicts are some of the first to get past this shield, with experts predicting a “watershed moment” for similar claims.
Fitzpatrick said both cases are based not on content but the design and operation features, which made it easier for lawyers to get around Section 230 and other free speech arguments that typically arise with online content.
Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle have introduced legislation to sunset Section 230, though priorities around reforming the law have historically differed, and no bills have made it across the finish line.
For some tech observers, this week’s verdicts are raising questions about what this means for the future of Section 230 and the downstream impact the rulings could have on small and midsize tech companies.
“There are a lot of concerns that this could open the floodgates of litigation, not only to large tech platforms, but to smaller and midsized platforms,” said Jennifer Huddleston, a senior fellow in technology policy at the libertarian think tank Cato Institute.
“Even if those platforms ultimately are vindicated that they did everything right with their product, they have the right safety features … if we start to [see] hundreds or thousands of cases, that litigation could get particularly costly and really hurt their ability to potentially compete in the market,” Huddleston added, suggesting the verdicts could undermine the “competitive nature” of Section 230.
Huddleston noted litigation against social media companies varies in type, though legal outcomes “inevitably interact.” New Mexico dealt with state law enforcement, while California was private, for product liability and negligent design.
Eyes on Congress
As juries are moving on the issue, eyes also turn to Congress, which has tried and failed to pass most related legislation.
Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle who have longed to see a reckoning against Big Tech applauded the verdicts, though it is unclear whether this will lead to progress on their bills.
Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) used the ruling to call on the House to pass the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy and Protection Act (COPPA 2.0), which passed unanimously through the Senate in March. The legislation would make it so companies cannot collect personal information on those under the age of 17 and bans targeted advertising to children.
“Big Tech is finally facing the consequences for its actions,” Markey said in a statement. “Congress must do its part to impose real guardrails on these platforms.”
Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) called on her colleagues to advance KOSA out of a Senate committee, a bill that would require companies to limit addictive features and give parents tools to monitor and control their children’s social media experience.
While these cases could renew a push among lawmakers, some predict Big Tech companies will not back down so easily.
“I think the social media companies will fight that very hard, and it’s a question of whether there are tons of lawsuits and whether they can pile up in favor of the plaintiffs and whether these organizations and certain people that are out there championing this cause can push our legislators and other government authorities to do more,” said Barry R. Davis, a physician and author of “The Preventioneers.”
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — Gabriel Debru is no ordinary first-year student.
“The crowd’s reaction to him is immediate,” remarked Illinois head coach Brad Dancer. “You can tell he’s truly exceptional.”
At 20 years old, the French tennis player transitioned from professional circuits to the collegiate arena in the U.S., a decision influenced by a wrist fracture he endured last January.
“Recovering was tough; re-learning movement was a challenge,” Debru shared. “It’s been a long journey back, and I’m incredibly proud and thrilled to be here, competing alongside my teammates.”
Debru currently holds the 28th spot in the ITA college singles rankings and is recognized as the third-highest-ranked freshman nationwide, making a significant impact on the Illini team, following in the footsteps of his brother Mathis, who spent three seasons under Brad Dancer’s guidance.
Along with a big frame, the French phenom is known for bringing the juice to practice and games.
“He provides an energy and a spark every single day,” Dancer said. “For a lot of our fans around here that remember Zeke Clarke, I say he’s a 6’5” Zeke Clarke with a serve. “He’s like just got the same combustible energy all the time.”
“I always had that because with my brother, when we were playing against each other, it was always a battle,” Debru said. “I was always losing, but I was just trying to fight.” “We were screaming at each other.” “That’s how you build confidence between each other, that’s how you get tougher between each other.” “I think it’s just learning how to play with pressure and playing for more than you, your family, making them proud, and keeping the team proud of you.”
Debru says his career at the junior level, including a singles title at the 2022 Roland-Garros Junior Championships, prepared him to shine for the Orange and Blue.
“I think it’s just learning how to play with pressure and playing for more than you, your family, making them proud, and making the team proud of you,” Debru said. “I think that’s something very important that we all learn.”
Episode five of Marshals, titled “Lost Girls,” finally injects some much-needed energy into the series, particularly for Kayce Dutton and his team of marshals known as Team Jock Up. This episode is part of a two-part storyline, promising to maintain this newfound vigor. Unlike previous episodes that seemed to unsuccessfully mimic Yellowstone, this one finds its own voice, drawing on past television influences through the character of Monica, whose presence seems to offer guidance to the Dutton men.
Throughout the series, Monica’s mustang has been a recurring symbol. The strong and untamed horse has been breaking free from the corral fences at East Camp since the series’ inception. Kayce, despite his attempts to manage the horse calmly, finds its wild nature a poignant reminder of what was lost with Monica’s passing. The mustang, once only ridden by Monica, embodies the grief and unresolved emotions Kayce struggles with. When Tate Dutton injures himself trying to bond with the horse, Kayce suggests it’s time for the animal to start anew. Tate accuses his father of trying to erase the past rather than confront the pain, highlighting the emotional turmoil within the family.
However, if Kayce hadn’t set out with the horse trailer to find a buyer in Wyoming, the family wouldn’t have encountered Haley, a girl from Tate’s school on the Black Rock Reservation. Haley appears unexpectedly at a truck stop, seeming distracted and out of sorts. Upon returning to headquarters, Kayce discovers that Haley had been missing from the reservation for four months. Her disappearance is part of a troubling pattern that former tribal police officer Miles had been investigating. Due to limited resources and a lack of interest from higher authorities, many of these cases remain unsolved.
Despite the pressing need for unity, the Jock Up team is once again divided. Kayce and Miles head to the reservation, while Calvin, Belle, and Cruz are tasked with guarding a problematic federal witness. They find themselves babysitting a witness enjoying room service, all while questioning why they’re stuck in this role when they could be addressing the critical issue of missing girls.
On the reservation, Kayce learns Monica was a passionate advocate for the missing girls, and he vows to the mothers that he will help find their daughters. His familiarity with the area proves invaluable, as he recognizes the fishing spot where the girls were last seen. Kayce puts aside his federal duties, symbolically tossing his marshal badge into the glove compartment. “I’m not a marshal—I’m a dad looking for his son’s friend,” he declares, prepared to tackle anyone obstructing his mission.
That guy gives up the name of his trafficker boss, and with the team full again, they search arrest records and license plate readers to locate the ringleader, who’s been moving the kidnapped Indian girls through truck stops using a broken-down old RV. Kayce also extends his little badge-less extrajudicial sojourn. Instead of arresting the tackle box goon, he delivers him to an ally. “You preyed on the rez,” Mo says as they stuff the guy in a trunk. “Now the rez is gonna prey on you.”
Once they had a target, Miles was gung-ho to get after the traffickers and locate the missing Broken Rock girls. But when Kayce actually saw Haley during an ensuing truck stop search, he had to let her go. She told him her captors would kill the other girls if she fled. Which makes sense in that moment, but Miles is still hugely pissed at Kayce. They had a chance to deliver on the hope they brought to the parents on the rez. But the girls remain just as missing as they ever were.
Maybe not for long. Another traffic camera search, and this time, the RV is located, hauling ass down a highway not far from marshals HQ. The team gears up, heads out, and soon has a visual. And though Calvin orders him to stay back, Miles, keyed-up, accelerates the marshals’ SUV til they’re alongside the traffickers. Firing AR-15s from truck windows at 55 miles-per-hour, while the innocents you’re trying to rescue could be inside, seems ill-advised.
Nevertheless, the momentum of this episode of Marshals has finally brought Team Jock Up together. After they deploy spike strips to stop the RV its doors fly open and the kidnappers come out firing. And while Calvin smokes the driver, Kayce, Miles, and Cruz advance on the passenger side door. With all the bad guys down, they enter the vehicle. “Kayce! Sit-rep!” But the camper is otherwise empty. The lost girls will stay lost for now. “We missed ‘em,” a frustrated Kayce says into his radio, and the look his teammate gives him is the coldest one on the planet. Miles might be more mad at Kayce than Monica’s mustang will ever be.
To Be Continued.
Kayce Taykes for Marshals Episode 5 (“Lost Girls”):
Sheridan-O-Verse easter egg! “I’m gonna call Travis, see if he can find a home for this bronc.” The “Travis” Kayce is talking about is of course Travis Wheatley, horseman extraordinaire and a character played in Yellowstone by Sheridan himself. Remember Bella Hadid rocking a cowboy hat as Travis’s girlfriend?
Cruz mentions that she rents her place in Bozeman “for a quarter of what I paid in Washington, DC.” Notably, in real life, the Montana mountain town saw rental rates skyrocket during and after the pandemic, as digital nomads and people moving from the coasts – like Deputy US Marshal Andrea Cruz – took all the available real estate.
Ash Santos also keeps injecting life into her character with cool Cruz line reads. So the trafficker they’re after is a “fully formed POS,” and the nickname she first put on Kayce has immediately stuck. Cruz, deadpan, ‘cause it isn’t: “Treading lightly is Cowboy’s specialty.”
Johnny Loftus (@johnnyloftus.bsky.social) is a Chicago-based writer. A veteran of the alternative weekly trenches, his work has also appeared in Entertainment Weekly, Pitchfork, The All Music Guide, and The Village Voice.
