alleged

Italian cricket is in crisis days after the country’s T20 World Cup debut, as it emerged that a senior national governing body official has been investigated over a sexual assault allegation.

Federazione Cricket Italiana (FCRI) women’s cricket co-ordinator Prabath Ekneligoda, 57, was the subject of a criminal investigation relating to a claim he inappropriately touched a member of the Azzurri women’s national team.

Multiple members of the Italy board are said to have resigned over this case and other governance issues, BBC Sport has been told.

The sexual assault allegation was made to police in Rome in March last year by a player who has represented the national team.

The player, whose identity is protected for legal reasons, alleged that the sexual assault occurred during a massage on a knee injury at a training session, and she had been scared to report the incident because she feared it would cost her a spot in the team.

An investigation was concluded by a Rome prosecutor in November 2025 and Ekneligoda was interviewed by police the following month.

A decision is now set to be made on whether there is sufficient evidence to bring it to trial. Ekneligoda’s lawyer said his client denies the allegations, that there are ulterior motives to the allegations, and that a witness supports his version of events.

FCRI said in a statement to BBC Sport it “noted proceedings are currently under way before the federal prosecutor’s office” and will “co-operate with the relevant authorities”.

“The Italian Cricket Federation reiterates that its conduct is guided by principles of fairness, transparency and the protection of its registered members, as well as by the ethical and civic standards that underpin the sporting system,” added the statement.

“The federation therefore defers to the competent judicial authorities for any determinations arising from the matter.”

Ekneligoda, who is originally from Sri Lanka, was suspended from his role with the FCRI in November but has remained a visible presence on the Italian cricket scene.

He is the partner of FCRI president Maria Lorena Haz Paz and accompanied her to India for the men’s T20 World Cup.

BBC Sport has seen evidence that Ekneligoda attended Italy’s matches wearing official accreditation and was permitted to sit with the rest of the FCRI party.

Ekneligoda was also seen at various events laid on for Italy’s cricket delegation, including a reception at the Italian consulate in Kolkata for officials, players and coaching staff.

The FCRI, its president Haz Paz, and safeguarding officers, had full knowledge of the seriousness of the claims made against Ekneligoda before the World Cup.

Last weekend, Il Messaggero, external and Corriere della Sera, external reported the allegations in the Italian media for the first time.

As of Monday, Ekneligoda was still listed as the women’s cricket coordinator on the FCRI website.

Sources have told BBC Sport that some members of the FCRI’s board have resigned over the matter, and other governance issues, which has placed Haz Paz’s position under greater scrutiny.

Senior officials in Italian cricket fear potential reputational damage, and the possibility of legal cases, will hamper opportunities to capitalise on their debut T20 World Cup appearance and grow the game further in the country.

Haz Paz was appointed president of the Italian cricket federation in February 2025 until 2028.

Italy’s debut at the T20 World Cup, and the stories of some of their players, had captured the imagination of the cricket world.

The Azzurri failed to make the Super 8 stage but beat Nepal in Mumbai and gave England a scare in Kolkata in their Group C fixtures.

Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni has received a provisional one-match suspension after Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr reported alleged racist abuse during last week’s Champions League meeting.

Vinicius told referee Francois Letexier that he had been racially abused by the Argentina winger during the first leg of their Champions League knockout phase play-off tie in Lisbon last Tuesday.

Uefa announced the provisional ban on Monday following the appointment of an ethics and disciplinary inspector to investigate the incident.

The European governing body said further punishment could be handed out once the investigation is completed.

Prestianni has denied racially abusing the Brazilian.

Real Madrid and Benfica meet for the second leg in the Spanish capital on Wednesday (20:00 GMT).

Last week’s first leg was halted for 10 minutes after Vinicius alerted on-field official Letexier to the second-half incident, before he and his team-mates temporarily left the pitch.

It came after Vinicus, 25, scored a stunning goal and then received a yellow card for his celebrations in front of the Benfica supporters.

Benfica manager Jose Mourinho, who is suspended for the second leg following his sending off later in the match, was criticised for his post-match comments after saying he believed that Vinicius had celebrated disrespectfully.

Because of his ban, Mourinho will not speak to the media before the match – but Benfica have the option of making the assistant coach available instead.

Feb. 18 (Asia Today) — An alleged financial link between a National Intelligence Service employee and a graduate student accused of sending a drone to North Korea has fueled questions about oversight and accountability within South Korea’s intelligence community, an Asia Today columnist wrote Tuesday.

The case surfaced last month when authorities disclosed that a man in his 30s had allegedly sent an unmanned aerial vehicle to North Korea. Initial investigations focused on possible involvement by the Army Intelligence Command.

However, political and intelligence sources cited in the column questioned why the National Intelligence Service, widely regarded as the control tower of South Korea’s intelligence apparatus, was not initially central to the probe.

The controversy deepened when investigators said an NIS Grade 8 employee had engaged in financial transactions with the graduate student. A joint military-police task force reportedly applied charges including general treason, a serious offense involving harm to national military interests or aiding an enemy state.

The NIS said the matter involved “a personal financial transaction by an administrative department employee” and denied any organizational link to North Korea-related operations. The agency argued that without proof of institutional involvement, the actions of an individual cannot be attributed to the entire organization.

The columnist wrote that regardless of whether the agency was formally involved, sustained contact and financial dealings between an intelligence officer and a suspect in a North Korea-related case raise concerns that go beyond individual misconduct.

The commentary also questioned whether internal control systems functioned properly and whether warning signs were missed. It noted that less than two years have passed since a separate intelligence leak involving a civilian employee at the military intelligence service.

The writer argued that the issue ultimately points to the broader condition of South Korea’s intelligence oversight system and called for a thorough investigation to address public doubts.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260218010005525

Feb. 17 (UPI) — Human rights experts from the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner expressed concern about the possible link between Guatemala’s attorney general, Consuelo Porras, and alleged illegal adoptions of disappeared Indigenous children.

According to investigators, led by Special Rapporteur Margaret Satterthwaite, the adoptions would have occurred between 1968 and 1996 during Guatemala’s armed conflict — a period marked by human rights violations that particularly affected Indigenous communities.

The allegations refer particularly to 1982, when Porras headed the Elisa Martínez Temporary Home and allegedly acted as the “legal guardian” of minors who were later placed in irregular international adoptions.

“We are particularly concerned that a prompt, thorough, independent and impartial investigation has not been carried out into the alleged involvement of certain state authorities in these processes and that the mothers affected by these illegal adoptions have apparently received neither recognition nor adequate reparations,” the U.N. experts said in a statement.

The Elisa Martínez Home operated as a center under the Directorate of Child and Family Welfare with the authority to oversee national and international adoptions.

Once children entered the home, the director or person in charge became their legal guardian, allowing them to process adoption proceedings in Guatemala and abroad under the adoption regulations in force at the time, Prensa Libre reported.

The controversy arose as Porras sought to become a magistrate of the Constitutional Court, the country’s highest court, once her term at the Public Ministry ends in May.

According to analysts, the attorney general was seeking refuge in the high court to obtain the protection granted by immunity, and submitted her candidacy to the Superior University Council of the University of San Carlos of Guatemala, digital outlet LaHora.gt reported.

However, after the report was made public, the university excluded her from the list of candidates for the court, determining that she did not meet the requirements of suitability and integrity.

The Public Ministry reacted strongly to the U.N. report. In an official statement, it described the allegations as “spurious, malicious and biased,” arguing they are based on unverified information intended to interfere in the country’s sovereign processes.

In a post on X, Porras rejected the accusations against her as “false and politically instrumentalized.” She said they lack evidentiary support and “are completely malicious, and far from protecting human rights, they violate and distort them.”

Porras’ defense maintains that her role at the Elisa Martínez Temporary Home was administrative and that she had no legal authority over the final destination of the minors. The attorney general also announced she is weighing legal action against the U.N. experts, arguing that her presumption of innocence has been violated.

While the experts insist on the need for independent and thorough investigations, Porras maintains that she is facing “international political persecution” aimed at weakening her position at the head of the Public Ministry.

Consuelo Porras was appointed in 2018 and ratified in 2022 as attorney general and head of Guatemala’s Public Ministry. Although her mandate is focused on criminal prosecution, her tenure has been internationally questioned and sanctioned by more than 40 countries, including the United States and the European Union, over allegations of corruption and undermining democracy.

Porras has been accused of using the justice system as a political weapon to protect corruption networks and pursue independent prosecutors, judges and journalists, triggering repeated citizen protests that demand her resignation.

After the election of President Bernardo Arévalo in 2023, the Public Ministry under Porras initiated a series of legal actions to attempt to annul the election results and cancel the ruling party, Semilla.

Since Arévalo took office, the relationship between him and Porras has been marked by constant confrontation.

Arévalo has sought legal mechanisms and legislative reforms to remove her, while Porras has refused to attend Cabinet summonses and has kept multiple investigations open against the president’s inner circle, generating institutional paralysis and a deep political crisis in the country.

Shia LaBeouf’s Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans allegedly took a violent turn Tuesday morning, landing him in the hospital and facing charges of battery.

The New Orleans Police Department confirmed that officers arrested the “Megalopolis” and “Honey Boy” actor, 39, at 12:45 a.m. in the city’s famed French Quarter. He was charged with two counts of simple battery for allegedly assaulting two men.

A representative for the “Transformers” star did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Police arrived at a business on the 1400 block of Royal Street, responding to a reported assault, officials said. The two men alleged they were assaulted by LaBeouf. The former “Even Stevens” child star was “causing a disturbance” at the business, prompting staff to remove him from the premises, police said. LaBeouf allegedly struck one of the victims and “used his closed fists on the victim several times.”

Police say LaBeouf left the business but returned “acting even more aggressive.” According to the incident report, an unspecified number of people tried to subdue LaBeouf and eventually let him go “in hope that he would leave.” Instead, he allegedly began assaulting the same man as before, hitting his upper body with closed fists. The actor is accused of punching the second man in the nose.

Investigators say people held LaBeouf down again until officials arrived. The actor was transported and treated for unknown injuries and was arrested and charged upon his release. TMZ published bystander video of multiple men standing over LaBeouf as he lies shirtless on a street. The video shows one man punching LaBeouf as he tries to get to his feet. Other bystanders can be heard telling both the man hitting and LaBeouf to “chill.” The video ends with two men holding LaBeouf down.

TMZ also published video of LaBeouf sitting shirtless in the trunk of a police vehicle and video of LaBeouf walking through the French Quarter on Monday.

Los Angeles native LaBeouf has a history of violent and disorderly behavior that shadowed his efforts to move past his Disney Channel days in the early aughts. Following his comeback in the form of filmmaker Alma Har’el’s “Honey Boy,” LaBeouf was sued in 2020 by his ex-girlfriend, musician FKA twigs, for assault, sexual battery and emotional abuse. The lawsuit also alleged LaBeouf abused another former girlfriend. He denied her allegations.

“I am not in the position to defend any of my actions. I owe these women the opportunity to air their statements publicly and accept accountability for those things I have done,” he told the New York Times amid the lawsuit.

The exes settled the lawsuit 2025.

LaBeouf is married to Mia Goth, the horror star known for films including “Frankenstein,” “Infinity Pool” and Ti West’s “X” trilogy.

Feb. 13 (UPI) — A grand jury on Friday indicted Terrell Storey for murder and on 58 other charges after allegedly causing the deaths of two troopers when their police helicopter crashed in Flagstaff, Ariz.

Storey, 50, faces two counts of first-degree felony murder and 58 other felony charges in the Coconino County Superior Court arising from the deaths of Department of Public Safety trooper and paramedic Hunter Bennett and DPS helicopter pilot Robert Skankey.

“Our hearts remain with the families of Hunter Bennett and Robert Skankey, and with all the families impacted by this incident,” Coconino County attorney Ammon Barker said in a prepared statement.

“We are committed to pursuing this case with the diligence and care it requires,” Barker added.

Storey is accused of using a rifle to shoot at the helicopter while he jumped from rooftop to rooftop and exchanged gunfire with local police.

Skankey and Bennett died when their police helicopter crashed while assisting Flagstaff police in responding to an active shooter on the night of Feb. 4.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board were investigating the cause of the crash and a fire that broke out after the helicopter struck the ground.

Storey also faces charges related to several other alleged victims, including 25 police officers and the residents of several homes in a neighborhood that is located north of Route 66 and between Thompson Road and Mark Lane.

The incident started at about 8:30 p.m. MST and continued for 2 hours before Storey was shot and arrested.

The defense ministry said Friday it has relieved Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Kang Dong-gil from duty over his alleged involvement in former President Yoon Suk Yeol’s botched martial law bid in late 2024.

The move came a day after the ministry took a similar action against Ground Operations Commander Gen. Joo Sung-un over suspicions of martial law involvement, marking the second such suspension of a four-star general appointed under President Lee Jae Myung’s administration.

“The defense ministry excluded the chief of naval operations as of Friday as allegations in relation to the insurrection case have been identified,” ministry spokesperson Chung Binna said in a briefing.

Kang, who served as chief of the directorate of military support at the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the time of the martial law imposition, was among the seven top-brass officers appointed as four-star generals in September last year.

The allegations involving Kang and Joo were not previously verified ahead of their appointment, a ministry official said, acknowledging limitations in the procedure amid efforts to fill the leadership vacuum caused by the martial law bid.

The official said the ministry continues to firmly carry out measures to determine the circumstances surrounding the martial law imposition, regardless of the ranks of personnel involved.

The deputy chief of the Navy will serve as acting Navy chief following Friday’s decision, the ministry said, adding disciplinary action will be considered for Kang.

On Thursday, the ministry said it has identified around 180 personnel as having been involved in the martial law imposition following a monthslong probe into about 860 general-level and field-grade officers.

It also concluded that some 1,600 personnel across the military affiliated with the Army, counterintelligence command, special operations command and Defense Intelligence Command were found to have been mobilized on the night of the martial law imposition.

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Feb. 10 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s military-police joint investigation task force has conducted search-and-seizure operations at the National Intelligence Service and the Army Intelligence Command as part of a widening probe into allegations that drones were sent into North Korea with possible involvement by intelligence officials.

The task force said it executed warrants at 18 locations, including intelligence agencies, as well as the homes and offices of civilian suspects. Investigators are examining whether intelligence personnel contacted the alleged main perpetrator and provided cash payments related to the drone activities.

The NIS has denied any institutional involvement, saying there was no government-level direction. However, critics argue that the scale and nature of the alleged operation make it difficult to believe it occurred without awareness within the intelligence community.

According to the task force, three active-duty officers – a major and a captain from the Army Intelligence Command and a captain from a separate military unit – have been booked on suspicion of violating the Aviation Safety Act and other charges. Three civilians accused of launching drones toward North Korea from border areas have also been additionally charged under the Criminal Act with general offenses against the state.

Earlier, investigators booked three civilians, including the head of a drone manufacturing company, a company executive responsible for North Korea-related operations and a graduate student who claimed to have flown drones into the North. During the investigation, authorities identified evidence suggesting that one NIS employee and three active-duty military personnel contacted the graduate student and provided several million won in cash described as activity expenses.

The Army Intelligence Command said the civilian was recruited as a collaborator to assist intelligence-gathering activities, not to carry out drone operations. The NIS said the employee involved had never held a position allowing access to agency funds and had not used intelligence budgets.

Investigators and analysts, however, question whether a civilian could independently carry out drone infiltration activities targeting North Korea. Given the suspect’s repeated contact with intelligence officers, some observers say it is likely the incident was at least known within intelligence circles.

A source familiar with intelligence operations said it was premature to draw firm conclusions but noted that, given the nature of the alleged activity, it is difficult to rule out prior awareness or information sharing within the intelligence system. The NIS holds authority over budget oversight and operational audits of domestic intelligence bodies, raising further questions about internal controls.

The case has also reignited criticism of South Korea’s intelligence agencies as highly closed organizations, with tightly compartmentalized budgets and operations. Some analysts argue that such structures could allow activities inconsistent with the government’s stated North Korea policy to be carried out without effective civilian oversight.

“Operations of this scale are structurally difficult for a single agency to carry out alone,” another source said. “Given the command and budgetary framework, it is hard to understand how this could have proceeded without passing through the NIS.”

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260210010003810

Feb. 7 (UPI) — Several fires damaged Italy’s northern rail line on the first day of the Winter Olympic Games in what investigators are calling acts of sabotage by arsonists.

Local authorities said three separate fires damaged railroad infrastructure and disrupted travel along the Bologna and Venice rail lines, causing travel delays of up to 2.5 hours on Saturday morning.

Rail service to Venice also was disrupted, and another fire was reported along tracks leading to the coastal city of Pesaro.

Italian railway officials ruled out any technical problems or accidents as the cause of the fires and damage and are treating them as deliberate acts of sabotage.

Investigators found an explosive device and severed cables, which officials for Italy’s Ministry of Transport described as “serious sabotage” that is similar to damage done to French rail lines during the Paris Summer Olympics in 2024.

“These actions of unprecedented seriousness do not in any way tarnish Italy’s image in the world, an image that the Games will make even more compelling and positive,” Matteo Salvini, deputy prime minister and transport minister, told the BBC.

No one has claimed responsibility for the damage that briefly stopped rail service on Bologna’s high-speed line, which was running again by the afternoon.

The rail line is among several that enable spectators to visit various events that are held in an area spanning hundreds of miles in northern Italy’s Alps and Dolomite mountains.

Transportation and anti-terrorism law enforcement teams also are investigating the matter.

Feb. 7 (UPI) — Investigators arrested four suspects, including the alleged mastermind, in Friday’s mosque bombing that killed 31 and injured 169 in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Among the suspects is an Afghan national thought to be the bombing’s mastermind, Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi told media.

The four suspects killed a counterterrorism officer and wounded three others during raids on their respective locations, Naqvi said.

The bombing happened during Friday prayers at a Shiite mosque in the Tarlai area of Islamabad, and the Islamic State claimed responsibility.

A suicide bomber entered the mosque and detonated an explosives-laden vest while the mosque was full of worshipers, The New York Times reported.

Pakistani officials on Friday said the suicide bomber was not from Afghanistan but had traveled to the country several times.

The attack is the deadliest carried out in Pakistan’s capital city in more than 10 years, and large crowds gathered in Islamabad on Saturday as mourners began preparing for funerals.

Naqvi claimed India funded those who carried out the attack, but India’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the accusation “baseless” and condemned the attack.

Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif on Friday said the Afghan government might have had a role in the bombing.

Officials in Afghanistan said the accusation lacks “credible evidence” and called it “regrettable.”

A November attack in Islamabad killed 12 and injured 27, and Friday’s attack happened after a series of attacks in Balochistan killed 58 during several days of violence.

The separatist Balochistan Liberation Army claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Pakistani forces killed an estimated 200 BLA militants in retaliatory raids.

Feb. 6 (Asia Today) — President Lee Jae-myung reaffirmed a zero-tolerance stance on stock manipulation Thursday, warning that those who undermine market order face severe consequences, as authorities intensify an investigation into alleged front-running by journalists.

Lee posted the message on X after sharing a report that investigators searched the headquarters of Korea Economic Daily, writing that stock manipulation leads to “total ruin.” His remark was widely interpreted as a warning against unfair trading practices as the government’s joint crackdown gains momentum.

Financial authorities said the joint task force raided the newspaper’s Seoul office Wednesday. Five reporters are suspected of front-running – allegedly obtaining market-moving information in advance, purchasing shares, publishing related articles and then selling the stock after prices rose to secure profits.

Front-running is prohibited under South Korea’s Capital Markets Act and is classified as a fraudulent trading practice when information obtained through reporting or other nonpublic means is used for personal gain. Authorities said they are reviewing seized materials to determine whether criminal charges apply.

Lee’s comments align with his repeated warnings in recent weeks. Last month, after the KOSPI index surpassed the 4,700 level for the first time, he cautioned that stock manipulation would bring irreversible consequences, pledging to foster a “healthy capital market.”

At the time, Lee also shared news that the joint task force would expand from one team to two and urged investors to “invest properly.” The move followed his directive to strengthen enforcement by introducing multiple response teams. The Financial Services Commission, the Financial Supervisory Service and the Korea Exchange later agreed to reorganize and expand their market surveillance units.

In a policy briefing last December, Lee cited distrust in market transparency as a key factor behind the chronic undervaluation of South Korean equities and called for tougher enforcement to ensure that illegal trading is met with decisive punishment. He also ordered an expansion of enforcement personnel after learning that fewer than 40 staff members were handling stock manipulation cases at the time.

Thursday’s message was seen as reinforcing the administration’s principle that market abuses will be dealt with strictly and without exception, regardless of the individuals or institutions involved, signaling heightened scrutiny as stock prices continue to rise.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260206010002371

Feb. 4 (UPI) — Savannah Guthrie, a Today show co-host, and her two siblings said Wednesday night that they are “willing to talk” to the person who may have taken their 84-year-old mother, as authorities search for a suspect.

In a video posted on Instagram, Savannah, reading a prepared statement flanked by her two siblings, Annie and Camron, said they are aware of a ransom letter sent to media outlets, but they need proof that the person has their mother, Nancy.

“We need to know without a doubt that she is alive and that you have her. We want to hear from you, and we are ready to listen,” she said. “Please reach out to us.”

Savannah thanked the public for its support and prayers, describing her mother as “a kind, faithful, loyal and fiercely loving woman of goodness and light” who has “grandchildren who adore her and cover her in kisses.”

She said her mother’s “health, her heart, is fragile” and she lives in “constant pain,” requiring medicine that she now doesn’t have.

Speaking directly to Nancy, Savannah said that people are looking for her and will not rest until “we are together again.”

“We love you, Mom,” she said.

President Donald Trump, in a statement published after the video from the Guthries went public, said on his Truth Social platform that he spoke with Savannah and told her “I am directing ALL Federal Law Enforcement to be at the family’s, and Local Law Enforcement’s, complete disposal IMMEDIATELY.”

“We are deploying all resources to get her mother home safely,” the president said. “The prayers of our Nation are with her and her family.”

Law enforcement officials in Arizona said earlier Wednesday that they have not identified a suspect as they enter the fourth day of the search for Nancy.

In a statement posted to X, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said investigators also haven’t identified any people of interest in the case. Officials believe Nancy was kidnapped from her Tucson-area home in the early hours of Sunday. She was last seen around 9:45 p.m. MST Saturday and was reported missing after she failed to attend church the next day.

“Detectives continue to speak with anyone who may have had contact with Mrs. Guthrie,” Nanos said in the statement.

“Detectives are working closely with the Guthrie family. While we appreciate the public’s concern, the sharing of unverified accusations or false information is irresponsible and does not assist the investigation.”

NBC News reported that the FBI joined about 100 detectives from the Pima County Sheriff’s Office in the search for Nancy. Trump earlier committed to sending additional federal agents to participate in the investigation.

Federal officials were assisting by analyzing cellphone data and cell towers in the area. Investigators said there was a technical problem with the surveillance cameras at Nancy’s home and they were trying to determine if neighbors had any footage of her abduction on their cameras.

Three media outlets reported they received ransom notes asking for millions of dollars in cryptocurrency for Nancy’s safe return. TMZ said the note it received mentioned a specific item damaged at the woman’s home. KOLD-TV in Tucson said it forwarded the email it received to the sheriff’s office and KGUN-TV, also in Tucson, said the note it received threatened to kill Nancy.

The sheriff’s department said it was aware of the alleged ransom notes and that it’s investigating their validity.

Nanos said that while Nancy does have difficulties with mobility — making it unlikely she wandered off by herself — she does not have any mental or memory issues that may explain her disappearance.

Investigators said Nancy has a pacemaker that last connected to her iPhone around 2 a.m. Sunday. The phone was left behind at her home, CNN reported.

Savannah issued a statement thanking supporters.

“Thank you for lifting your prayers with ours for our beloved mom, our dearest Nancy, a woman of deep conviction, a good and faithful servant,” she said. “Raise your prayers with us and believe with us that she will be lifted by them in this very moment.”

Feb. 3 (UPI) — A federal judge denied bail for Anthony Kazmierczak, who is accused of disrupting a town hall by Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., in Minneapolis on Jan. 27 by spraying her with water and vinegar.

U.S. District Court of Minnesota Magistrate Judge David Schultz on Tuesday denied a motion by Kazmierczak, 55, to be released from custody while his case is active.

He is charged with assaulting and interfering with a member of Congress when he approached Omar, 43, while she stood at a lectern and used a plastic syringe to spray her midsection with what later was determined to be a mixture of apple cider vinegar and water.

He could be sentenced to a year in prison if he is convicted.

Kazmierczak interrupted Omar after she called for Homeland Security Sec. Kristi Noem to resign and accused the congresswoman of “splitting Minnesotans apart.”

Omar’s security staff tackled Kazmierczak and kept him detained until local police arrived to arrest him.

An FBI affidavit indicates that Kazmierczak has a history of making threatening comments toward Omar and years ago allegedly suggested “somebody should kill her.”

He also has been arrested many times during the past 40 years and was convicted in 1989 on a felony charge for vehicle theft.

Omar was born in Somalia and spent part of her childhood in a refugee camp in Kenya before her family migrated to the United States in the 1990s.

The congresswoman is a central figure in allegations of widespread fraud among the Somali community in Minneapolis and other parts of Minnesota.

President Donald Trump has accused Omar of profiting from the fraud and suggested that she have her citizenship status revoked.

He also wants Omar to be jailed and deported for alleged fraud after she recently reported her family has up to $30 million in assets, despite reporting a much lower amount two years ago.

On Tuesday, the president on social media posted a photo of U.S. forces striking ISIS and Somali leaders in a cave in Somalia in February 2025.

He prefaced the photo with the question: “Was Ilhan Omar there to protect her corrupt ‘homeland?'”

Omar also is a prominent opponent of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection efforts to remove “undocumented migrants” from the United States.

Omar became a U.S. citizen in 2000 and is the first Somali-American to be elected to Congress.

Jan. 27 (UPI) — Meta, Snap, TikTok and YouTube will face accusers in a series of lawsuits alleging that they intentionally design their platforms to be addictive.

The trials begin in Los Angeles Superior Court Tuesday, filed by a group of parents, teens and school districts. Once teens are addicted to the platforms, plaintiffs allege, they suffer from depression, self-harm, eating disorders and more. There are about 1,600 plaintiffs involving 350 families and 250 school districts.

“The fact that a social media company is going to have to stand trial before a jury … is unprecedented,” Matthew Bergman, founder of the Social Media Victims Law Center and an attorney in the cases, said in a press conference.

The first case involves a 19-year-old identified as KGM and her mother, Karen Glenn. They are suing TikTok, Meta and YouTube because they say the companies created addictive features that damaged her mental health and led to self-harm and suicidal ideation. Snap was also a defendant in the case, but it settled the case last week.

Her case’s outcome could help determine the outcomes of more than 1,000 injury cases against the companies. The case is expected to last several weeks.

The thousands of cases against these tech giants have been lumped together in a judicial council coordination proceeding, which allows California cases to collaborate and streamline pre-trial hearings.

The plaintiffs want financial damages as well as injunctions that would force the companies to change the design of their platforms and create industry-wide safety standards.

Top company executives are expected to testify, including Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg, Snap CEO Evan Spiegel, Instagram’s Adam Mosseri and more. Experts in online harm are also expected to testify.

“For parents whose children have been exploited, groomed, or died because of big tech platforms, the next six weeks are the first step toward accountability after years of being ignored by these companies,” Sarah Gardner, CEO of the Heat Initiative, which advocates for child safety online, told CNN. “These are the tobacco trials of our generation, and for the first time, families across the country will hear directly from big tech CEOs about how they intentionally designed their products to addict our kids.”

KGM alleges in court documents that on Instagram she was bullied and sextorted, which is when someone threatens to share explicit images of the victim unless they send money or more photos.

For two weeks, KGM’s friends and family had to ask other Instagram users to report the people targeting her before Meta would do something about it, court documents said.

“Defendants’ knowing and deliberate product design, marketing, distribution, programming and operational decision and conduct caused serious emotional and mental harms to K.G.M. and her family,” the suit said. “Those harms include, but are not limited to, dangerous dependency on their products, anxiety, depression, self-harm, and body dysmorphia.”

Tech companies and their CEOs reject the allegation that social media harms teens’ mental health. They argue that it offers a connection with friends and entertainment. They also lean on Section 230, a federal law that protects them from liability over content posted by users.