accused

NEW YORK — Former NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges he profited from rigged poker games and provided sports bettors with non-public information about injuries to stars LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

Jones, a onetime teammate of James, said little during back-to-back arraignments in federal court in Brooklyn, letting his court-appointed lawyer enter not guilty pleas in a pair of cases stemming from last month’s federal takedown of sprawling gambling operations.

Jones, 49, acknowledged he read both indictments and that he understood the charges and his bail conditions, which include his mother and stepfather putting up their Texas home as collateral for a $200,000 bond that will allow him to remain free pending trial.

Jones’ lawyer, Kenneth Montgomery, told a judge that they “may be engaging in plea negotiations.” He is due back in court for a preliminary conference with other defendants on Nov. 24.

Jones was among more than 30 people arrested in the gambling sweep. The others included reputed mobsters and prominent basketball figures, including Portland Trail Blazers head coach and Basketball Hall of Famer Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier.

Sports bettor Marves Fairley also pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges alleging he cashed in on information about injuries to NBA players, including some that prosecutors say Jones provided to him.

Jones, an NBA journeyman, earned more than $20 million playing for 10 teams in 11 seasons from 1999 to 2009. He and James played together in Cleveland from 2005 to 2008 and he served as an unofficial assistant coach for James’ Lakers during the 2022-2023 season.

According to prosecutors, Jones sold or attempted to sell non-public information to bettors that James was injured and wouldn’t be playing in a Feb. 9, 2023, game against the Milwaukee Bucks, texting an unnamed co-conspirator: “Get a big bet on Milwaukee tonight before the information is out.”

James wasn’t listed on the Lakers’ injury report at the time of the text message, but the NBA’s all-time scoring leader was later ruled out of the game because of a lower body jury, according to prosecutors, and the Lakers lost the game 115-106.

On Jan. 15, 2024, prosecutors said, Fairley paid Jones approximately $2,500 for a tip that Davis, the Lakers’ forward and center at the time, would see limited playing time against the Oklahoma City Thunder because of an injury.

Fairley then placed a $100,000 bet on the Thunder to win, prosecutors said, but the tip was wrong. Davis played his usual minutes, scored 27 points and collected 15 rebounds in a 112-105 Lakers win, prompting Fairley to demand a refund of his $2,500 fee, prosecutors said.

Jones, a native of Galveston, Texas, who played college basketball at the University of Houston, is charged in both cases with wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy. As part of his bail agreement, his travel is restricted to parts of Texas and New York City. He was allowed to keep his passport to use as identification for flying until he obtains a REAL ID, which his lawyer said should happen soon.

A hot hand from outside the three-point arc, Jones once proclaimed himself in an interview with Insidehoops.com as “the best shooter in the world.” He played in every regular season game for three consecutive seasons from 2003 to 2006.

After his playing days, he worked as a “shooting consultant” for the Cavaliers and was an assistant coach when the team, led by James, won the NBA championship in 2016.

In the poker scheme, according to prosecutors, Jones was among former NBA players used to lure unwitting players into poker games that were rigged using altered shuffling machines, hidden cameras, special sunglasses and even X-ray equipment built into the table.

According to the indictment, Jones was paid $2,500 for a game in the Hamptons where he was instructed to cheat by paying close attention to others involved in the scheme. His instructor likened those people to James and NBA All-Star Stephen Curry, prosecutors said. When in doubt, Jones was told to fold his hand, prosecutors said.

In response, according to prosecutors, Jones texted: “y’all know I know what I’m doing!!”

The poker scheme often made use of illegal poker games run by New York crime families that required them to share a portion of their proceeds with the Gambino, Genovese and Bonnano crime families, according to prosecutors.

Members of those families, in turn, also helped commit violent acts, including assault, extortion and robbery, to ensure repayment of debts and the continued success of the operation, officials said in court documents.

Sisak writes for the Associated Press.

Nov. 5 (UPI) — Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she has filed a complaint against the man seen in video groping her on a Mexico City street.

“If I don’t report it — besides the fact that it is a crime — then what position are all Mexican women left in?” she asked during a Wednesday press conference.

“If this can happen to the president, what can happen to all the young women in our country?”

Video of the Tuesday incident circulating online shows Sheinbaum speaking to people on a crowded Mexico City street. As she turns to speak with people to her right, a man comes up from behind her left side, puts his arm around her right shoulder and appears to lean in to try to kiss the president on the cheek.

As another man, whom Sheinbaum identified as Juan Jose of her staff, approaches, the suspect’s left hand is seen sliding up the president’s side and appears to grope her before Jose intervenes and moves him away.

Sheinbaum told reporters Wednesday that the man has been arrested.

“I had to go to the Mexico City Attorney General’s Office because it’s a local offense. I filed the complaint, and it turns out this same person later went on to harass other women on the street,” she said.

“First of all, this is something that should never happen in our country. I’m not saying this as the president, but as a woman, and on behalf of all Mexican women: it should not happen.”

She explained they decided to walk from the National Palace to the Ministry of Public Education on Tuesday because the drive would have taken 20 minutes, when by foot it would only take them a quarter of the time.

Many people greeted them en route without problems, until “this totally drunk person approached,” she said.

“That’s when I experienced this incident of harassment. At that moment, I was actually talking with other people, so I didn’t realize right away what was happening,” she said, adding it was only after watching the video that she realized she had been accosted.

“I decided to file a complaint because this is something I experienced as a woman, and it’s something women across our country experience. I’ve lived through this before, back when I wasn’t president, when I was a student, when I was young,” she said.

“Our personal space — no one has the right to violate it,” she continued. “No one. No one should violate our personal space. No man has the right to do so. The only way that’s acceptable is with a woman’s consent.”

The type of harassment the president was the victim of is not a crime in all states, she said, adding that she has called for a review to see where it is a criminal offense.

They are also launching a campaign to encourage women to be respected “in every sense” and to promote that harassment is a crime.

THERE was recently an awkward moment a huge popstar had her microphone the wrong way up.

She was even accused of lip-syncing in an embarrassing on-stage blunder, though some fans have defended her.

Canadian hitmaker Tate McRae, 22, was performing at a recent gig when she crooned into her microphone when it was the wrong way up.

Sparking major lip-syncing accusations, Tate has now been slammed for allegedly miming at her concerts.

Sharing a video of Tate “lip-syncing” on stage, an X account wrote: “Tate McRae caught lipsync during her show.

“Many fans are question if she ever sang live since the beginning of her career.”

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In the video, Tate could be seen dancing a high octane routine.

Flipping her hair backwards and forwards, the superstar rocked out on stage in some very tiny shorts.

Dancing around, Tate then moved her microphone up to her mouth.

Holding the microphone the wrong way up, Tate crooned into the bottom of the handle of the mic.

Tate quickly realised as her backing track played, and turned the mic so it was the right way up.

Ever the professional, the hitmaker then continued with her performance.

Fans have since reacted to the awkward on-stage blunder.

One person penned: “I don’t listen to Tate McRae but she literally started singing when she flipped the mic around, she’s singing over a track.”

Another said: “When she flips the mic around, you can hear her voice. It’s just that a backing track is there. Not lipsyncing.”

A third person added: “As someone who saw her recently in concert, she lip syncs like 80% of the concert because she’s more focused on dancing and theatrics and doesn’t try to hide it.

“The only time she actually sings is when she’s stationary for small periods but there’s always a backtrack no matter.”

While a fourth wrote: “I went to a show. There IS a lot of backing tracks since she dances so much, but she definitely sings live a ton as well. And you can tell when she does.”

And a fifth said: “That’s called a backing track you can clearly hear her singing.”

Tate is known for her hits such a Greedy, You Broke Me First, Sports Car and Revolving Door.

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She often storms stages at music festivals and her own concerts and puts on high energy shows.

Tate is famous for her dance routines and sexy image.

DETROIT — Two men who had acquired high-powered weapons and practiced at gun ranges were scouting LGBTQ+ bars in suburban Detroit for a possible attack, authorities said Monday in filing terrorism-related charges against the pair.

Momed Ali, Majed Mahmoud and co-conspirators were inspired by Islamic State extremism, according to a 72-page criminal complaint unsealed in federal court. Investigators say a minor, identified only as Person 1, was deeply involved in the discussions.

“Our American heroes prevented a terror attack,” U.S. Atty. Gen. Pam Bondi said on X.

The men, described as too young to drink alcohol, had looked at LGBTQ+ bars in Ferndale as a possible attack, according to the complaint.

FBI agents had surveilled the men for weeks, even using a camera on a pole outside a Dearborn house, according to the court filing. Investigators also got access to encrypted chats and other conversations.

FBI Director Kash Patel had announced arrests Friday, but no details were released at the time while agents searched a home in Dearborn and a storage unit in nearby Inkster.

The FBI said the men repeatedly referred to “pumpkins” in their conversations, a reference to a Halloween attack.

Ali and Mahmoud were charged with receiving and transferring guns and ammunition for terrorism. Mahmoud had recently bought more than 1,600 rounds of ammunition that could be used for AR-15-style rifles, and they practiced at gun ranges, the government alleged.

They will appear in court Monday for their initial appearance. Mahmoud’s lawyer, William Swor, declined to comment. Messages seeking comment from Ali’s lawyer, Amir Makled, were not immediately answered.

Over the weekend, Makled seemed to wave off the allegations, saying they were the result of “hysteria” and “fear-mongering.”

It’s the second case since May involving alleged plots in the Detroit area on behalf of the Islamic State. The FBI said it arrested a man who had spent months planning an attack against a U.S. Army site in Warren. Ammar Said has pleaded not guilty and remains in custody.

White writes for the Associated Press.

Country in the South Caucasus has witnessed several serious incidents involving the illicit trade in nuclear materials in recent years.

Three Chinese citizens have been arrested in Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi, while allegedly trying to buy 2kg (4.4lb) of uranium, the State Security Service says.

The suspects planned to transport the nuclear material to China through Russia, the security service said on Saturday in a statement, while also releasing video footage of the detention operation.

Authorities accused a Chinese citizen already in Georgia who was in breach of visa regulations of bringing experts to Georgia to search for uranium throughout the country.

Other members of the criminal group coordinated the operation from China, authorities said. The perpetrators were identified and detained while “negotiating the details of the illegal transaction”, the State Security Service said.

The agency did not specify when the arrests occurred or provide the identities of the suspects.

Members of the group planned to pay $400,000 for the radioactive material, authorities said. They face charges that could see them imprisoned for up to 10 years.

Several serious incidents involving the illicit trade in nuclear materials have occurred in Georgia over recent years. In July, Georgia arrested one Georgian and one Turkish national and charged them with the illegal purchase, possession and disposal of radioactive substances, which the State Security Service said could have been used to make a bomb.

The security of nuclear materials left over from the Soviet era was one of the biggest concerns after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, of which Georgia was a member. After Soviet research institutions shut down, the country became a rich picking ground for smugglers.

In 2019, Georgia said it had detained two people for handling and trying to sell $2.8m of uranium-238.

In 2016, authorities arrested 121 people, including Georgians and Armenians, in two sting operations in the same month and accused them of trying to sell about $203m of uranium-238 and uranium-235.

Oct. 23 (UPI) — The U.S. Anglican archbishop has been accused of sexual misconduct and abuse of power, according to a recently filed complaint.

Stephen Wood, 62, has been accused by a former children’s ministry worker of putting his hand on the back of her head and attempting to kiss her in his office in April 2024. The alleged incident happened two months before Wood ascended to the church’s top post, The Washington Post reported.

The woman, Claire Buxton, also accused Wood of unexpectedly giving her approximately $35,000 from church coffers before he made the alleged advance. Wood, the father of four children, remains the rector of St. Andrew’s Church in Charleston, S.C., and a bishop who oversees more than 40 churches across the southern United States.

Woods stands to be defrocked and forced to resign if his case goes to an ecclesiastical trial.

Woods issued a statement but refused to answer questions about the alleged incident.

“I do not believe these allegations have any merit,” he said in the statement. “I place my faith and trust in the process outlined in our canons to bring clarity and truth in these matters and respectfully decline to comment further at this time.”

In her statement to the Post, Buxton accused Wood of calling her “Claire Bear” in front of other people and offered to send her to a resort for spa treatments and relaxation.

“I was literally trapped in a church that felt like hell,” Buxton told The Post. She said she turned her face to avoid the kiss and immediately told a colleague about the incident.

“He put his hand on the back of my head and tried to turn it up towards him while he slowly brought his face towards my face to kiss me,” she wrote in her affidavit. “I dropped my face down towards his shoulder so he couldn’t. He held for a second and then let go, and I said, ‘Ok, bye,’ and ran out of his office.” The Post reported that at least four other church employees voiced concerns about Wood’s behavior.

The allegations against Wood come as the ecclesiastical trial of another denominational leader, Bishop Stewart Ruch, draws to a close. Ruch oversees a diocese in the Midwest and has been accused by parishioners and clergy of responding slowly to allegations against a lay leader, Mark Rivera, of abuse and grooming.

Rivera has been convicted of felony child sexual abuse. He pleaded guilty to felony sexual assault in a different case. A verdict in Ruch’s ecclesiastical trial is expected later this year.

RAPPER Nelly was accused of taking writer credit on song he didn’t write on his hit albums Country Grammar and Nellyville in a massive $10 million lawsuit. 

The U.S. Sun can exclusively reveal that the Hot In Herre artist was sued in federal court in May after a lawsuit was initially lobbed at him in a local Missouri court in 2024. 

Production company D2 filed an amended complaint against Nelly, 50, in August. 

The suit read “D2 is a production company started in a local community skating rink by twin brothers Darren Stith and David Stith.

“D2 was known for developing producers and talents and giving them an opportunity to further their art and careers.”

The brothers claimed: “They were directly responsible for finding, nurturing, and bringing to the public the music of Nelly and the group known as the ‘St. Lunatics.’”

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St. Lunatics was made up of Nelly, Ali Jones, Torri Harper, Robert Kyjuan Cleveland  and Lavell Webb, aka City Spud.

In the suit, D2 alleged that they had a contract with both Nelly and the St. Lunatics, separately, but that they released the Ride Wit Me rapper from his contract with them in June of 2000, with a $75,000 payment.

D2 claimed that Nelly, in a secret agreement, claimed a writer credit on songs that weren’t written by him, and were actually written with the St. Lunatics, which made it so the artists were able to avoid paying D2 royalties on those songs.

“The Songs, which were included on the Country Grammar and Nellyville albums, sold over twenty million copies.

“D2 was never paid its portion of the revenues that were legally due to D2 under Lunatic Agreements with Harper, Cleveland, and Jones (and then the Publishing Agreement), but went to Nelly instead under the Secret Arrangement,” the suit went on to allege. 

Nelly and the St. Lunatics are being sued by D2 for more than $10,000,000 for breach of contract, fraud, conspiracy and breach of good faith and fair dealing. 

D2 is also suing Nelly specifically for tortious interference, which essentially means the rapper putrposely interfered with D2’s business. 

The suit said the Air Force One’s rapper “intentionally induced, and caused an interruption of D2’s contractual relationship with, and its business expectancy with, Harper, Cleveland, and Jones, by proposing, negotiating, entering into, and implementing the Secret Arrangement.

“Nelly knew or should have known that his actions would interfere with the Lunatic Agreements and cause D2 to lose revenue it was entitled to receive from the Songs pursuant to the Lunatic Agreements, and later, through the Publishing Agreement,” the suit claimed. 

In September, Nelly, along with Cleveland and Harper, attempted to get the suit dismissed. 

The case is ongoing. 

Earlier this week, Nelly’s wife, Ashanti, was seen sporting a bathing suit on a trip to Barbados just after her 45th birthday on October 13.

Nelly was not seen during the outing, though their child, Kareem Kenkaide ‘KK’ Haynes, was with her for the trip.

She and Nelly welcomed their son in July of last year. 

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Recently, Nelly and Ashanti landed their own reality series after splitting up and later reuniting.

The pair dated on and off for 10 years after first getting together in 2003, but thought their 2013 breakup was final.

However, they surprised fans by getting back together a decade later. 

Wasting no time, Nelly and Ashanti tied the knot just three months after making their reunion public. 

The trailer for Nelly & Ashanti: We Belong Together was released ahead of the show’s premiere in June.

Fans quickly took to the comments on the first-look, with one saying, “This is the show I never knew I needed.”

Another wrote: “We’re all rooting for you, Nelly and Ashanti!”

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A third added: “So here for these two being happy and in love.”

The show’s debut came just hours after The Sun exclusively revealed the truth behind rumors that Nelly had cheated on Ashanti.

WASHINGTON — The United States struck another small boat accused of carrying drugs in the waters off Venezuela, killing six people, President Trump said on Tuesday.

Those who died in the strike were aboard the vessel, and no U.S. forces were harmed, Trump said in a social media post. It’s the fifth deadly strike in the Caribbean as Trump’s administration has asserted it’s treating alleged drug traffickers as unlawful combatants who must be met with military force.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the strike Tuesday morning, said Trump, who released a video of it, as he had in the past. Hegseth later shared the video in a post on X.

Trump said the strike was conducted in international waters and “Intelligence” confirmed the vessel was trafficking narcotics, was associated with “narcoterrorist networks” and was on a known drug trafficking route.

The Pentagon did not immediately respond to an email from the Associated Press seeking more information on the latest boat strike.

Frustration with the Trump administration has been growing on Capitol Hill among members of both major political parties. Some Republicans are seeking more information from the White House on the legal justification and details of the strikes. Democrats contend the strikes violate U.S. and international law.

The Senate last week voted on a war powers resolution that would have barred the Trump administration from conducting the strikes unless Congress specifically authorized them, but it failed to pass.

In a memo to Congress that was obtained by The Associated Press, the Trump administration said it had “determined that the United States is in a non-international armed conflict with these designated terrorist organizations” and that Trump directed the Pentagon to “conduct operations against them pursuant to the law of armed conflict.”

The Trump administration has yet to provide underlying evidence to lawmakers proving that the boats targeted by the U.S. military in a series of fatal strikes were in fact carrying narcotics, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the matter who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The strikes followed a buildup of U.S. maritime forces in the Caribbean unlike any seen in recent times.

Last week, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino told military leaders that the U.S. government knows the drug-trafficking accusations used to support the recent actions in the Caribbean are false, with its true intent being to “force a regime change” in the South American country.

He added that the Venezuelan government does not see the deployment of the U.S. warships as a mere “propaganda-like action” and warned of a possible escalation.

“I want to warn the population: We have to prepare ourselves because the irrationality with which the U.S. empire operates is not normal,” Padrino said during the televised gathering. “It’s anti-political, anti-human, warmongering, rude, and vulgar.”

Price and Toropin write for the Associated Press. AP writer Ben Finley contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON — The State Department said Wednesday that it has fired a U.S. diplomat over a romantic relationship he admitted having with a Chinese woman alleged to have ties to the Chinese Communist Party.

The dismissal is believed to be the first of its kind for violating a ban on such relationships that was introduced late last year under the Biden administration.

The Associated Press reported earlier this year that in the waning days of President Biden’s presidency, the State Department imposed a ban on all American government personnel in China, as well as family members and contractors with security clearances, from any romantic or sexual relationships with Chinese citizens.

Tommy Pigott, a State Department spokesman, said in a statement that the diplomat in question was dismissed from the foreign service after President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio reviewed the case and determined that he had “admitted concealing a romantic relationship with a Chinese national with known ties to the Chinese Communist Party.”

“Under Secretary Rubio’s leadership, we will maintain a zero-tolerance policy for any employee who is caught undermining our country’s national security,” Pigott said.

The statement did not identify the diplomat, but he and his girlfriend had been featured in a surreptitiously filmed video posted online by conservative firebrand James O’Keefe.

In Beijing, a Chinese government spokesperson declined to comment on what he said is a domestic U.S. issue. “But I would like to stress that we oppose drawing lines based on ideological difference and maliciously smearing China,” the Foreign Ministry’s Guo Jiakun said at a daily briefing.

Lee writes for the Associated Press. AP writer Ken Moritsugu in Beijing contributed to this report.

Police say 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht was behind fire that destroyed much of the Pacific Palisades neighbourhood.

Authorities in California charged a man with starting a fire that days later erupted into the most destructive blaze in Los Angeles history and destroyed much of the Pacific Palisades neighbourhood, federal law enforcement officials have said.

Authorities accused 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht of lighting a fire on New Year’s Day that was put out initially, but continued to smolder underground before reigniting during high winds, acting US Attorney Bill Essayli said during a news conference on Wednesday.

Rinderknecht fled the scene of the original fire, but returned to the same trail where he’d been earlier to watch it burn, Essayli said. During an interview with investigators, he lied about his location, claiming he was near the bottom of the hiking trail, Essayli said.

He was arrested Tuesday in Florida and was due to appear in court Wednesday. Essayli declined to say how investigators believe Rinderknecht started the January 1 fire.

The blaze, which erupted on January 7, killed 12 people and destroyed more than 6,000 homes and buildings in the Pacific Palisades, a wealthy coastal neighbourhood of LA. The fire ripped through hillside neighbourhoods, destroying mansions with spectacular views of the ocean and downtown Los Angeles.

Investigators determined the fire was intentionally lit, likely by a lighter taken to vegetation or paper, according to a criminal complaint.

Authorities first interviewed Rinderknecht on January 24, according to the criminal complaint. He told them he had been in the area on January 1 and did not see anyone else there at that time.

Investigators excluded other possibilities, including fireworks, lightning and power lines. Authorities also looked into whether a cigarette could have caused the fire, but concluded that was not the cause, the complaint says.

Investigators still haven’t determined the cause of a second blaze called the Eaton Fire, which broke out the same day in the community of Altadena and killed 18 people.

Both fires burned for days, reducing block after block of entire neighbourhoods to grey and black debris.

An outside review released in September found that a lack of resources and outdated policies for sending emergency alerts led to delayed evacuation warnings.

The report commissioned by Los Angeles County supervisors said a series of weaknesses, including “outdated policies, inconsistent practices and communications vulnerabilities”, hampered the county’s response.

Oct. 8 (UPI) — A British spying case against two men collapsed just before going to trial for lack of evidence because the United Kingdom hadn’t labeled China as an “enemy,” the country’s top prosecutor said.

Stephen Parkinson, U.K. director of public prosecutions, said that while there was evidence to prosecute at the time charges were filed, there was a precedent set by another spying case earlier this year that changed the rules of evidence under the Official Secrets Act.

He said that China would have to be labeled a “threat to national security” at the time of the crimes. During that time, the government labeled China an “epoch-defining challenge.”

Christopher Berry, 33, of Oxfordshire, and Christopher Cash, 30, of Whitechapel and London, were charged with official secrets act offenses in April 2024. Cash is a former parliamentary researcher and Berry is a teacher.

Officials alleged that from Dec. 28, 2021, through Feb. 3, 2023, Berry was involved in spying activities for China, including obtaining, collecting, recording and other activities. Cash was accused of spying from Jan. 20, 2022, through Feb. 3, 2023. They both have denied wrongdoing.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the government’s description of China could not change retrospectively and had to be based on the position of the government when the crimes happened.

“Now that’s not a political to and fro, that’s a matter of law. You have to prosecute people on the basis of the circumstances at the time of the alleged offense,” Starmer told reporters. “So all the focus needs to be on the policy of the Tory government in place then.”

At a Conservative party conference, leader Kemi Badenoch said that the Labour party “deliberately collapsed the trial” because “the prime minister wants to suck up to Beijing.”

Starmer’s government has strongly denied these allegations.

“It is extremely disappointing that these individuals will not face trial,” it said. “Any attempt by a foreign power to infiltrate our parliament or democracy is unacceptable.”

The Chinese Embassy in London has called the allegations fabricated and dismissed them as “malicious slander.”

INDIANAPOLIS — Former USC quarterback Mark Sanchez was pepper-sprayed and stabbed multiple times during a late-night altercation with a 69-year-old truck driver in a downtown Indianapolis alley, which resulted in criminal charges against the Fox Sports analyst, according to court records filed Sunday.

Based on hotel video footage of the altercation early Saturday and the driver’s statement to police, an Indianapolis police affidavit alleges that Sanchez, smelling of alcohol, accosted the driver of a box truck that backed into a hotel’s loading docks, leading to a confrontation outside the vehicle that prompted the driver to defensively pull out a knife.

Sanchez was hospitalized with stab wounds to his upper right torso, the affidavit signed by a police detective said. Sanchez remained hospitalized early Sunday, according to police. The truck driver, identified as P.T., had a cut to his left cheek, it said.

Sanchez was in stable condition, Fox Sports said Saturday. There was no immediate update Sunday.

His initial court hearing was set for Tuesday in a Marion County courtroom.

Sanchez stabbed multiple times

As the altercation escalated, the driver feared “‘this guy is trying to kill me’” and pulled his knife as Sanchez came at him, the affidavit said. Sanchez was initially stabbed two or three times, then stabbed again when he went at the driver again, it said.

“The next thing P.T. knew was Mr. Sanchez looked at him with a look of shock, he slowly turned around and Mr. Sanchez took off northbound in the alley,” the document said.

Sanchez was in Indianapolis to call Sunday’s Raiders-Colts game. Instead, he was charged with battery resulting in injury, unauthorized entry of a motor vehicle and public intoxication — all misdemeanors. Police got a warrant to obtain Sanchez’s phone and clothes from the hospital, the document said.

There were no immediate court records indicating whether Sanchez had legal representation yet.

Marion County prosecutor Ryan Mears said Sunday that his office would “follow the facts and the law wherever they lead.”

“What began as a disagreement between a 38-year-old former professional athlete and a 69-year-old man should not have escalated into violence or left anyone seriously injured,” Mears said in a statement.

Fox Sports announcers acknowledge Sanchez’s absence

Sanchez told police at the hospital that all he could remember was grabbing for a window, the court document said. Sanchez said he didn’t know who else was involved or where the altercation happened.

“Friday night in Indianapolis, one of our team members, Mark Sanchez, was involved in an incident that, to be honest, we are still trying to wrap our heads around,” Curt Menefee said Sunday on Fox’s primary NFL pregame show. “At this time, our thoughts and prayers are with Mark and his family and all of those involved.”

Fox Sports play-by-play announcer Chris Myers also acknowledged Sanchez’s absence on Sunday before introducing Sanchez’s replacement, Brady Quinn. Myers said he wanted to send thoughts and prayers to Sanchez and everyone involved in the incident.

Police officers found Sanchez with the stab wounds when they were dispatched to a downtown pub about 12:35 a.m. Saturday. The truck driver was found in the alley.

Details of the confrontation were disclosed in the affidavit, based on video footage and the truck driver’s statement to police.

The video showed a man believed to be Sanchez running in the alley toward the truck, the affidavit said. The driver works for a company that specializes in commercial cooking oil recycling and disposal, and he was performed his work duties, it said.

Sanchez opened the truck door and began talking to the driver, the affidavit said. Sanchez told the driver he couldn’t be at the loading dock and that Sanchez had spoken to the hotel manager, the document said. Sanchez smelled of alcohol and his speech was slurred, the driver told police.

Affidavit says Sanchez threw truck driver to ground

Sanchez followed the driver from side to side of the truck, the court document said. When the driver darted toward the driver’s door, video showed Sanchez “grabbing and throwing” the driver toward a hotel wall, it said. The fight continued against a dumpster and Sanchez threw the driver to the ground, it said.

Sanchez climbed into the truck but got out when told by the driver he wasn’t allowed in, it said. Sanchez repeated that he spoke to a manager and didn’t want the driver to replace fryer oil, the document said. Sanchez tried again to get into the truck and blocked the driver from calling his manager, it said.

Believing he was in danger, the driver grabbed pepper spray from his pocket and sprayed Sanchez’s face, it said. Sanchez wiped his face and advanced toward the driver again, it said.

The driver then pulled his knife and stabbed Sanchez as the ex-quarterback came at him, it said. The driver fell onto pallets on the ground, he told police.

“While P.T. was on the ground, he could only see the feet of Mr. Sanchez coming at him, making P.T. realize that he was in a life-or-death situation,” the affidavit said.

The driver made it to his feet and stabbed Sanchez the last time as Sanchez came at him, it said.

Sanchez had a 10-year NFL career before retiring in 2019. He appeared on ABC and ESPN for two years before joining Fox Sports as a game analyst in 2021. The Long Beach native led Mission Viejo to a 27-1 record as a starting quarterback, winning a Southern Section Division II title in 2004. He later starred at USC from 2006 to 2008, passing for 3,965 yards and 41 touchdowns en route to a Rose Bowl win.

He left college early and was selected by the New York Jets with the fifth pick in the 2009 NFL draft. Sanchez also appeared in games with Philadelphia, Dallas and Washington.

Schreiner and Marot write for the Associated Press.

Oct. 1 (UPI) — A civilian working at a U.S. Navy base in New Jersey is accused of falsely reporting an active shooter to create a “trauma bond” with her co-workers.

Federal court documents indicate Malika Brittingham is accused of sending a text to someone in which she claimed to have heard five or six gunshots and was hiding in a closet with some coworkers at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey on Tuesday morning, WPVI-TV reported.

“This kind of senseless fear-mongering and disruption will not be tolerated,” interim U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Alina Habba said in a social media post on Tuesday, as reported by Military.com.

“After everything this country has gone through, especially in light of current events,” she continued, “I will be sure to bring down the hammer of the law for anyone found guilty of creating unnecessary panic and undermining public trust.”

The landlocked naval base is located about 40 miles northeast of Philadelphia in New Jersey’s Burlington and Ocean counties.

The individual who received the text at about 10:15 a.m. EDT reported it to the naval base and 911.

The base initiated an hour-long lockdown at about 11 a.m. until the “all clear” was sounded shortly before noon.

Brittingham said she sent the text after receiving an emergency notification that announced the lockdown.

Investigators determined her statement was not true based on the timing of the text that she sent versus those of the calls to the base and 911 and the emergency notification being issued, ABC News reported.

Brittingham then admitted to the hoax and told investigators that “she carried out the hoax because she had been ostracized by her co-workers and hoped that her shared experience in response to an active shooter would allow them to ‘trauma bond,'” according to the complaint filed in the U.S. District Court of New Jersey.

Brittingham worked for the Naval Air Warfare Center and was arrested on Tuesday afternoon.

In the past week, Russia has ramped up a diplomacy of intimidation in the Baltic Sea using planes, drones and words aimed at Ukraine’s European allies.

After threats towards Finland earlier in September, Russia violated Estonian airspace on Friday and German airspace on Sunday, days after it had flown two dozen drones into Poland.

Russia’s escalation came ahead of the United Nations General Assembly where it has many sympathisers among the world’s 195 nations, and seemed designed to isolate Europe, Australia and Japan, where support for Ukraine is staunchest.

This diplomatic theatre, during which United States President Trump in a major shift claimed Ukraine could win back its territory, played out against intensifying Russian attacks on Ukraine that resulted in territorial losses for Russia in Ukraine’s east and north.

Russia not invincible

Ukrainian commander in chief Oleksandr Syrskii said on September 21 that his defenders had pushed Russian assault forces back from Dobropillia and Pokrovsk, two towns they have been fighting for intensively in the Donetsk region for a year.

“164.5sq km [64sq miles] have been liberated, and 180.8sq km [70sq miles] cleared of enemy sabotage and reconnaissance groups,” Syrskii said. “Control was restored over seven settlements.”

Syrskii first mentioned Ukrainian advances in this direction on September 7, when he revealed that Ukrainian forces had taken back 51.5sq km (20sq miles) in August.

Presumably, his reference to 164.5sq km referred to gains in August and September, and suggested the Ukrainian forces were picking up speed.

Russia, too, made gains during the week, claiming it seized the villages Muravka in Donetsk, Novoivanovka in Zaporizhia and Berezove in Dnipropetrovsk.

But Ukraine’s ability to take back territory in some of the most hotly contested battlefields belied the Russian claim to be unstoppable.

“We have an old parable, an old rule: wherever a Russian soldier steps, it is ours,” Russian President Vladimir Putin had told the Saint Petersburg International Economic Forum last June.

Russia ‘failed’ in Sumy: Zelenskyy

Russia also retreated from the northern region of Sumy, where it was attempting an incursion after reclaiming its own adjacent region of Kursk from a Ukrainian counteroffensive last March.

This month, Russia redeployed some of its elite paratrooper and marine units from Sumy.

“The Sumy operation has failed. They suffered significant losses, primarily in manpower,” said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a news conference in Kyiv last week. “Today, they have abandoned this direction.”

Despite these retreats, Russia is still making net gains of Ukrainian territory. In August, it captured 499sq km (190sq miles), according to the Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank.

Ukraine is trying to cut off the Russian military’s fuel supply, and has scored some successes in recent days.

Ukrainian long-distance drones hit the Salavat and Volgograd refineries on September 18, said Andriy Kovalenko, the head of Ukraine’s Center for Countering Disinformation.

On Tuesday, Ukraine’s General Staff said their unmanned systems forces and intelligence services hit a fuel mixing station in Samara, “where high- and low-density oil from different sources is being mixed to form the export grade of Urals oil”.

They also hit a compressor station along the “Steel Horse” pipeline in the border region of Bryansk vital to the supply of the Russian army, and two planes at the Kacha military airbase in Crimea.

Russian air defences reportedly downed 150 Ukrainian drones in various parts of the country, 33 of them headed for Moscow.

Meanwhile, Europe prepared a 19th package of sanctions to cut off Russian revenues from energy exports. At Trump’s behest, it included a ban on Russian liquefied natural gas beginning in 2027.

Europe bought more than $8bn worth of Russian LNG last year, and was to ban it in 2028.

Western powers slam Russia’s ‘extremely dangerous provocation’

On Friday, three Russian MiG-31 fighter jets entered Estonian airspace for 12 minutes, the Estonian General Staff said, flying east to west parallel with Estonia’s north coast. Estonia said its transponders were disabled, preventing communication.

Italian F-35s stationed in Estonia scrambled to intercept them.

NATO spokesperson Alison Hart said it was “irresponsible behaviour” and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called it an “extremely dangerous provocation”.

“Russia has violated Estonian airspace four times already this year, which is unacceptable in itself, but today’s violation, during which three fighter jets entered our airspace, is unprecedentedly brazen,” Estonian foreign minister Margus Tsahkna said.

“Russia’s increasingly extensive testing of boundaries and growing aggressiveness must be met with a swift increase in political and economic pressure,” he said.

The Russian jets also made a low pass over the Petrobaltic oil platform in the Baltic Sea, which belongs to Poland.

Russia denied violating Estonian sovereignty. “The flight was conducted in strict accordance with the International Rules for the Use of Airspace, without violating the borders of foreign states,” said the Russian defence ministry.

The incident came nine days after two dozen Russian drones entered Polish airspace and had to be shot down.

“These are not accidental incidents. The Russians will continue trying to spread their aggression, their destabilization, and their interference,” Zelenskyy said on Saturday.

The next day, Germany scrambled two Eurofighters to intercept a Russian aircraft in its Baltic Sea airspace flying without a flight plan or radio contact. Visual contact confirmed it was an Ilyushin II 20-M reconnaissance aircraft.

British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper reprimanded Russia at the UN General Assembly, which kicked off on Monday. “Your reckless actions risk direct armed confrontation between NATO and Russia. Our alliance is defensive but be under no illusion we stand ready to defend NATO’s skies and NATO’s territory,” she said.

On the same day, Poland announced it would shoot down unauthorised aircraft in its airspace.

“We will take the decision to shoot down flying objects when they violate our territory and fly over Poland – there is absolutely no discussion about that,” Prime Minister Donald Tusk told a news conference.

But he cautioned, “When we’re dealing with situations that aren’t entirely clear, such as the recent flight of Russian fighter jets over the Petrobaltic platform – but without any violation, because these aren’t our territorial waters – you really need to think twice before deciding on actions that could trigger a very acute phase of conflict.”

On Tuesday, NATO said it would deploy all means necessary to defend itself.

“Russia should be in no doubt: NATO and Allies will employ, in accordance with international law, all necessary military and non-military tools to defend ourselves and deter all threats from all directions,” the statement said.

Ukraine does not appear to be waiting for NATO. Last week, it announced a joint task force with Poland to coordinate closer cooperation on drone research, training and manufacture.

Zelenskyy on Friday said Ukraine was preparing to export some of its weapons production to create revenue for weapons it still needs.

“We already have certain types of weapons in much larger quantities than we actually need today in Ukraine,” he said. “For example, naval drones that the world counts on and that we have in surplus, as well as antitank weapons and some other types.”

Ukraine would sell to Europe, the US and global partners, Zelenskyy said, but ensure that none of its weapons were re-exported to end up in enemy hands.

THE dad of a missing schoolboy – who vanished 18 years ago – has revealed how cops initially pointed the finger at him before coming up with a bizarre second theory.

Kevin Gosden claims he was told by investigators Andrew, 14, could have become a jihadi fighter and fled the UK due to some books he’d checked out from the library for a school project.

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Andrew vanished without a trace after skipping school and taking a train from his hometown of Doncaster to London on September 14 2007.

Weeks later, detectives were able to track down CCTV showing the teenager in King’s Cross station – but from there the trail has run cold.

In December 2021, two men were arrested on suspicion of kidnap and human trafficking, but police confirmed no further action was being taken in September 2023.

Dad Kevin has told The Sun how in the early weeks of the investigation, officers put the family through “traumatising” questioning in which he claims the finger was pointed at him for possible murder.

“They only wanted to get hold of the station CCTV to prove he wasn’t buried in the back garden,” Kevin said. 

Asked if cops ever directly accused him of killing Andrew, he added: “That was their assumption. They’re really good at inventing stories.”

At one point Kevin and wife Glenys went to a meeting with investigators in which it was proposed their son may have become a jihadi – which refers to armed militant Islamic movements that seek to establish states based on Islamic principles.

Kevin said: “They came up with some really bizarre ideas. 

“He’d taken out some books from the library about Islam and they’d come up with the idea that perhaps he was joining some sort of jihadi group. 

“We had this meeting and got back in the car – we looked at each other and said ‘is that the most ridiculous thing you’ve heard in your life?’ 

“He was doing a school project.” 

Kevin said the jihadi theory was an example of “this horrible spiral, that was entirely unhelpful and non-productive”. 

He said it was extremely frustrating dealing with cops in the early weeks and months of the investigation.

“They’d come up with something insanely unlikely, that it was laughable,” he explained. “It really wasn’t good in 2007, at the beginning.”

He felt such lines of enquiry seemed to be distracting from following more obvious leads and when detectives finally did try to track down CCTV, much of the footage had already been wiped.

Investigators questioned both of Andrew’s parents, and older sister Charlotte prior to releasing the station video, a month after the disappearance.

Describing his own interrogation, Kevin said: “I did get the good cop bad cop routine.” 

He added: “A couple of officers involved were in our house for five minutes, 10 minutes… 

“They turned to us and said ‘how did you discipline him?’ 

“We said ‘we didn’t, we never had problems with him’.” 

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Referring to the family’s treatment, he said: “It’s wrong. I still have no idea what they said to Charlotte. 

“She came back (from police questioning) really shaken and said ‘just don’t ask because what they asked me was disgusting’, so we can guess.”

He continued: “There were too many statistics and assumptions.

“They traumatised all three of us, but just because I’m a man I got the worst of it. 

“It was so off beam and so wrong, that it did end up with a suicide attempt because I just thought we’re never going to find him like this, I just need to be out of the way because clearly they’ve got this idea in their head.

“I know it’s not true but they’re never going to find him if that’s where they’re putting their time and resources.”

Referring to the idea he or anyone else in the family had hurt Andrew, Kevin went on to say: “I said to them more than once, if you find him, you can ask him and he’ll tell you it’s rubbish. 

“You’ve asked my daughter and my wife, the neighbours, his teachers, school friends and you’ll have come across no hint that there was ever a problem.”

‘All we can hope is something comes up’

Andrew, if he’s still alive, would be 32 now. 

Kevin said: “All we can hope is that something comes up and someone volunteers something and remembers something, anonymously if necessary, and gives us something revolutionary.”

The dad-of-two, 59, is currently refurbishing the family home, including repainting Andrew’s old bedroom, which is adorned with photos of the then-schoolboy.

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Kevin said: “It never gets any damn easier… nightmares and flashbacks overnight. I finally get to sleep and I’m like ‘how have I woken up at one in the afternoon?’”

The refurbishment is addressing “all the stuff I haven’t paid notice to for the last 30 years”, he explained. 

Asked if keeping his mind occupied has helped him to process what happened to Andrew, he said: “I don’t know about processing things. It never gets any easier. 

“I’ve never made the mental illness stuff a secret.”

Kevin attempted suicide early in the search for Andrew, saying he was tipped over the edge by cops implying he was involved in his son’s disappearance. 

It never gets any damn easier… nightmares and flashbacks overnight. I finally get to sleep and I’m like ‘how have I woken up at one in the afternoon?

Kevin GosdenMissing Andrew’s dad

“Sadly, I had reached the conclusion that it isn’t going to get any better.”

He left his job at the NHS after Andrew disappeared and was doing part-time cleaning work before being made redundant. 

In November, when he turns 60, Kevin is due a “big payout” from the NHS, having been employed there for 20 years. 

He said keeping himself occupied with any little projects is essential.

“I know an awful amount of people retiring, I can’t,” he admitted. “All of this distracts.

“Since Andrew disappeared, my concentration, memory, all that stuff… mood and anxiety in particular, it paralyses your brain.

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“All of that has been constant so I struggle to think straight. 

“Things like refurbishing, you have to pay enough attention on it to not ruminate on things. I have several little projects on the go.”

He went on to say: “I do most days wake up in a bit of a panic, thinking I need to get this done, I need to get that done. 

“My wife goes, ‘you never sit still’. You propel yourself into doing stuff with far too much anxiety behind it and rush it. That tends to be how it goes. 

“You get the days when depression will kick in and I just can’t do anything. It’s constantly tough.

“Every day it is a struggle. Partly I just keep doing these things, you have to persevere, or I do, just to keep going. As opposed to giving up.”

Sick trolls posting fake updates

Most recently, Kevin and his family have been forced to consult with police over sick clickbait articles falsely claiming that Andrew has been found, or further CCTV footage has been unearthed, and some include falsified statements from his loved ones.

“That’s been causing me a lot of anxiety,” said Kevin. “What I worry about is, you just don’t want to end up going through the same thing Nicola Bulley’s family went through.”

Nicola Bulley was a mum-of-two young children who vanished aged 45 in January 2023 during a dog walk in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire, before her body was found weeks later in the river.

However, the search for the mum saw a media frenzy, with TikTokers and other social influencers flooding the scene and some spreading misinformation online.

Kevin has been alerted to countless possible sightings of Andrew over the years, and at one stage the family had age progression images done showing what he might look like now.

“One of my fears is I could walk past him in the street, if he’s alive,” he said. 

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“He might have grown a beard, he would look so different. You worry you could trip over him in the street and have no idea.”

Asked what he believes became of Andrew, Kevin said he, his wife and daughter have “fluctuated on this for years”.

He continued: “None of us can imagine that the Andrew we knew would not have made some kind of contact at some point because we never fell out, we never argued. 

“It still boils down to we’re still absolutely clueless, but that makes us think he probably isn’t alive but that makes you think how come we’ve never found remains and no one ever saw him or noticed anything. 

“It turns around in your head and you can never come to any definite conclusion, which is the whole problem with ambiguous loss and why the mental health issues never resolved.”

He added: “We try to maintain hope, there’s that little voice in your head that says someone somewhere must know something, surely.”

Kevin said it would be easier, in a sense, if it could be proven either way what happened to his son.

“If we had a bag of bones or something that would be incredibly tough, and obviously would raise a whole lot of other questions as to how we’ve ended up with that,” he said. 

“It’s a double-edged sword, it’s the answer you just don’t want to know. But on the other hand, it feels like knowing would be better than not knowing.”

Andrew went missing at a time before the smart phones craze, the first iPhone was released the same year as his disappearance, and he didn’t even have a mobile.

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Kevin said: “You are going back to the days of a lot less social media and internet. People weren’t carrying around a computer in their pocket the whole time.”

However, he said the fact that it appeared to go “pear-shaped” when trying to retrieve further CCTV at one of Europe’s most heavily surveillanced areas, “is still rather upsetting”.

Kevin said he and his family told investigators, after witnesses came forward, that King’s Cross was unlikely to be Andrew’s final destination as it’s a “transport exchange with links to everywhere”.

But he said the sluggish start meant the golden window of collecting evidence within the first 48 hours was missed.

He said there seemed to be a lack of communication between South Yorkshire Police, with the Met and British Transport Police.

Kevin said: “It’s worth saying that policing is still inconsistent when looking for a missing person, but it is very much improved. 

“I’m pretty sure every police force has a dedicated team for missing persons now. Things are done a lot better now.”

Andrew’s disappearance

Looking back to the time Andrew disappeared, Kevin said it was a Friday and they weren’t certain he’d gone missing until the Monday morning.

The family spoke to train station staff, including a woman who said she’d sold the schoolboy a one-way ticket.

They then trekked down to London and began putting up posters in any places they thought Andrew might have been.

They have relatives in the capital and he had been on trips there before.

“A couple of commuters saw posters we put up and said ‘we sat on the same carriage’ and we established he got to King’s Cross,” Kevin said.

The dad had also rung around Andrew’s friends and local hospitals, and even considered his son may have gone to Whitby, another place he liked.

“Our gut instinct was right,” he continued. “We were saying to police ‘we know he went to King’s Cross, most likely he got a train because he was most familiar with that transport’.

“The point is, it took them 27 days or something to get the CCTV of him walking out of King’s Cross station, which is what we were saying he would probably do from the start.”

But Kevin said he doesn’t believe cops at the time wanted to believe Andrew had simply gone missing, and rather the attention turned to something more sinister involving the family.

He said: “There were potential sightings that sounded quite plausible but the police weren’t following those up. 

“They weren’t liaising with the Met and then it’s six weeks later and they’re saying ‘the CCTV’s been overwritten’, that was frustrating at the time.”

Kevin and Andrew’s other loved ones still have no idea why the schoolboy even decided to skip school and head down south. 

“This is why it was a complete shock to us,” Kevin said. “It never occurred to us that he would go missing at all.

“The whole thing was awful and I can’t remember how many days, weeks it was and when certain events occurred. 

“It was such a blur. You’re in such a state of panic. We were all three of us very traumatised by the fact of the matter that Andrew had disappeared and we had no clue why.”

At the time, there were theories Andrew had perhaps travelled down for a gig or to meet up with friends, and would suddenly turn up.

“He was going to do something that he knew we wouldn’t want him to do – just doing whatever it was,” said Kevin. 

“He maybe thought ‘I can always get to my grandparents or my uncle’s and I’ll face the music later on and they’ll have a chance to calm down.’

“We thought he’d show up somewhere and say ‘I’ve done something foolish and I need a bit of help’. It just never happened,” said Kevin.

Other theories suggested Andrew had been groomed online and had headed down to London where he was trafficked.

Kevin said: “There’s no evidence, not one shred of evidence.”

Instead, he believes it was as simple as Andrew skipped school to do something in London he knew his parents otherwise wouldn’t be happy about, and he came across the wrong people.

“That’s what my gut has always said, really,” Kevin admitted. “We brought both kids up to think for themselves and be independent and they were both extremely capable, more than.

“Andrew was exceptionally gifted academically, so he could be lost in deep thought.

“He was insanely intelligent, but you wouldn’t have put him in the hanging round street corners and being streetwise category.”

He added: “One day, we hope that we’ll find out what happened.”

DCI Andy Knowles, of South Yorkshire Police, who has led the investigation in recent years, told The Sun: “I’m in regular contact with the Gosden family and I’m incredibly grateful for their support as we work together to answer the questions which have remained unanswered for so long. 

“We carefully consider any information received ensuring it is recorded, catalogued and, where there are reasonable lines of enquiry, it is pursued.”

Sept. 20 (UPI) — Sacramento Police officers arrested Anibal Hernandezsantana on Saturday morning for allegedly shooting at the occupied office of a local ABC affiliate.

Hernandezsantana, 64, was arrested on charges that accuse him of assault with a deadly weapon, shooting into an occupied building and negligent discharge of a firearm, KXTV reported.

“Thanks to the diligent work of our responding officers and investigators, the suspect vehicle was identified, leading to a resident in the 5400 block of Carlson Dr.,” the police department posted on X.

Police officers responded to reports of shots fired in the 400 block of Broadway in Sacramento just after 1:30 p.m. PDT on Friday and found evidence of at least three gunshots into a window of the KXTV building.

The FBI assisted the police department in determining a suspect and locating him, according to the Sacramento Police.

They made the arrest at about 6:15 p.m. on Friday, according to KCRA.

Hernandezsantana was booked at the Sacramento County Main Jail near midnight with bail set at $200,000 and was released on Saturday, according to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office.

The motive for the shooting is under investigation, but it occurred within days of ABC announcing it was suspending Jimmy Kimmel Live! over comments that Kimmel made during an opening monologue on Monday regarding the alleged shooter of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

STRICTLY Come Dancing has seen some iconic pairings during its two decades on screen.

Tonight, the class of 2025 will learn who their pro-partners are on the pre-recorded launch show.

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But many will be hoping their Strictly partnerships don’t go the way of these past duos, who didn’t exactly see eye-to-eye, to put it politely.

Here’s a recap of some of the worst Strictly pairings ever.

Fiona Phillips and Brendan Cole

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Former GMTV host Fiona took part in the third series of Strictly back in 2005.

She wasn’t a natural on the dancefloor, and she has claimed pro-partner Brendan Cole made his feelings on that very clear.

In her book, Remember When: My Life With Alzheimer’s, Fiona – who is battling the disease – wrote: “He could also be seen looking at my dancing and saying, ‘Pathetic, it’s not good enough!’

“Then I’m begging him to ‘stop shouting’ and worrying that I look completely ridiculous. There’s a clip where I say to the cameraman that Brendan is looking at me like he’s stepped in something.

“I really don’t remember much of that time now – maybe I blocked it out because all I recall is the sense that it was incredibly traumatic.”

She added that she was on ‘the brink of tears’ most of the time and quickly regretted her decision to sign up.

Johnny Ball and Aliona Vilani

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Legendary TV presenter Johnny, 87, was part of the 2012 series, where he was paired with the previous years winner, Aliona.

Aliona left the early stages of the 10th series due to an injury and Johnny was paired with Iveta Lukošiūtė instead.

Johnny ended up being the first to be booted off the show, but five years later, in 2017, Johnny launched an astonishing attack on his Strictly dance partners, accusing them of fixing it so he got booted off first.

He told The Sun on Sunday: “Aliona fell on a flat floor in flat shoes and said she had broken her leg.

“The next day she flew to the South of France for a pre-arranged weekend with her boyfriend.”

The star was then paired with Iveta – and he claimed that she devised a routine that was too difficult for him.

He said: “When I was knocked out she said, ‘That’s funny, my contract ends on Tuesday’.”

Aliona later took to X to deny his claims, saying: “I am aware that Johnny Ball has made allegations regarding my fractured ankle during 2012 SCD, which I strongly deny.

“I have instructed solicitors and am taking legal action in relation to his allegations.

“It’s therefore not appropriate to comment further at this time.”

Fern Britton and Artem Chigvintsev

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Former This Morning host Fern, 68, has spoken on a number of occasions about her experience on Strictly.

Fern was paired with Artem, 43, in series 10 in 2012 and was the fifth celebrity to be eliminated.

While her run on Strictly wasn’t long, it was tough, with Fern previously telling The Times: “He would look at my feet and just kick me or shove me.”

Artem denied Fern’s claims of him ‘kicking or shoving her’ during tense rehearsals.

He told the Daily Express: “I believe I treated Fern with respect and genuine care and these claims about me are the opposite of everything I believe in and the person I am.

“I cannot imagine what has prompted such statements which come as a shock to me.”

She added in her book, Fern Britton The Older I Get, how her confidence was knocked straightaway with Artem.

Describing the rehearsals as “challenging”, Fern added: “As the weeks went on, I found it increasingly hard to gather up my self-confidence and there were days I was crying before I even got into the rehearsal room.”

Lynda Bellingham and Darren Bennett

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The late actress and Loose Women star Lynda Bellingham signed up for Strictly in 2009.

She was paired with series two champ Darren Bennett, but the duo were voted out on the fourth week.

Following her death in 2014 from cancer, her husband Michael Pattemore claimed in a book that Lynda had “hated” her time on Strictly.

He wrote: “There were two things about Strictly she didn’t like. One was her body image. She always thought she looked fat. I kept saying she didn’t.

“She picked this ruched gold dress and she said it made her look 20 times bigger than what she was.

“And the other thing, she said her partner Darren Bennett was such a miserable git. There was no laughter, no fun.

“All the way through rehearsals she didn’t mind training hard, but it was solid dance. He was just hard work.

“If Lynda had had a partner like Anton du Beke or someone, now they would have had some fun together.”

Danny John-Jules and Amy Dowden

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Back in 2018, Red Dwarf star Danny was paired with pro dancer Amy Dowden.

While the pair produced some great routines, rumours of behind-the-scenes tension were rife.

The Sun revealed at the time that Danny, 65, had received a final warning by show bosses for “bullying” partner Amy.

The actor had reportedly left Amy in tears during training — at one point angrily telling her: “I’m the star, not you.”

When they were voted off in week eight, Danny opted not to take part in their exit interview on spin-off show It Takes Two, leaving Amy to do it on her own.

Strictly Come Dancing starts tonight at 6.20pm on BBC One.

The report comes as the White House pushes to fire fed governor Lisa Cook for a similar reason.

United States Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent agreed to occupy two different houses at the same time as his “principal residence”, an agreement similar to the one US President Donald Trump has called mortgage fraud in his effort to fire Fed Governor Lisa Cook.

The story, first reported by the Bloomberg news service on Wednesday, cites Bessent’s mortgages with lender Bank of America and his pledge in 2007 to primarily occupy homes in New York and Massachusetts.

Mortgage experts told Bloomberg there was no sign of wrongdoing or proof of fraud in Bessent’s home-loan filings and said the issue highlights incongruities found in such documents.

Bank of America did not rely on Bessent’s pledges and never expected him to occupy both homes as his primary residences, Bloomberg reported, citing the mortgage documents.

Representatives for Bessent did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Republican president, who appointed Bessent to the Treasury post, and members of his administration have accused Cook, an appointee of Democratic former President Joe Biden, of committing mortgage fraud, a claim Cook denies.

The White House did not respond to Al Jazeera’s request for comment.

Comparable to Cook

Congress included provisions in the 1913 law that created the Fed to shield the central bank from political interference. Under that law, Fed governors may be removed by a president only “for cause”, though the law does not define the term nor establish procedures for removal. No president has ever removed a Fed governor, and the law has never been tested in court.

Trump has sought to remove Cook for cause, citing the alleged fraud. A US appeals court on Monday declined to allow Trump to fire her. The White House has said it will appeal the decision to the US Supreme Court.

Trump’s Department of Justice also has launched a criminal mortgage fraud probe into Cook, issuing grand jury subpoenas in Georgia and Michigan, the news agency Reuters previously reported.

A loan estimate for an Atlanta home bought by Cook showed that she had declared the property as a “vacation home”, according to a document reviewed by Reuters. The property tax authority in Ann Arbor, Michigan, also said Cook had not broken rules for tax breaks on a home there that had been declared her primary residence.

Bloomberg, in its report on Wednesday, pointed to similar but not identical pledges made by a lawyer on Bessent’s behalf on September 20, 2007, agreeing to make a Bedford Hills, New York, house his “principal residence” over the next year, as well as another house in Provincetown, Massachusetts.

“There are people who think that President Trump is putting undue pressure on the Fed. And there are people like President Trump and myself who think that if a Fed official committed mortgage fraud, that this should be examined, and that they shouldn’t be serving as one of the nation’s leading financial regulators,” Bessent told Fox Business Network in an August 27 interview.

Bessent is not the only one. Close relatives of Bill Pulte – who was appointed by Trump as director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and is the official who has accused Cook of mortgage fraud – have declared the same status on two homes in two different states, public records show.

Mark and Julie Pulte, the father and stepmother have claimed so-called “homestead exemptions” for residences in wealthy neighbourhoods in both Michigan and Florida, Reuters reported earlier, citing public records.

The exemption is meant to give a discount to homeowners on taxes for properties they use as their primary residence.

Sept. 11 (UPI) — The trial is underway for a man accused of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump on his golf course in West Palm Beach, Fla., during the 2024 presidential campaign.

Ryan Routh, who is defending himself in the case, was interrupted by Judge Aileen Cannon minutes into Routh’s opening remarks when he began veering off topic Thursday.

“Modern trials seem to eliminate all that is human,” Routh intoned in his opening statement.

Cannon excused the jury, then chided Routh, directing him to keep his comments relevant to the case. Routh apologized but continued on a tangent, discussing the “history” of human existence.

Canon then told Routh his opening remarks were over.

In court, Secret Service agent Robert Fercano identified Routh as the man hiding behind a shrub-covered fence near the sixth hole of the lush golf course, aiming an AK-style assault weapon at Trump. Fercano was the first government witness to take the stand in the trial.

Prosecuting attorney John Shipley Jr. said during his testimony that Routh “decided to take the choice away from the American people.”

Routh was found with a handwritten note stating his intention to assassinate Trump. Eyewitness accounts, cellphone data and security footage prove the case against Routh beyond a reasonable doubt, Shipley said.

Fercano said he noticed the muzzle of a gun protruding from the shrubbery and called out to Routh, then proceeded to call for law enforcement backup. “Hey, sir!” Fercano said he yelled.

The court then played audio of Fercano discharging his weapon in Routh’s direction and radioing colleagues. “Shots fired! Shots fired! Shots fired!” Fercano yelled. The agent testified that he believed he came within five feet of Routh.

Fercano testified that the barrel of the assault rifle was pointed directly at his face and that he feared Trump’s life was in danger. He said he initially did not think Routh was a threat until he saw the gun muzzle.

During the trial, Fercano presented a Russian-designed SKS semiautomatic weapon officials believe Routh obtained illegally and used in the assassination attempt.

Routh, a 59-year old construction worker, does not have any formal legal training.