YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, Calif. (BN24) — A 29-year-old Google software engineer was killed in a freak accident at Yosemite National Park after being struck by a falling branch from a giant sequoia tree, authorities and witnesses said.
Angela Lin was hiking with her boyfriend and two friends on July 19 along the Tuolumne Grove trail, a popular path known for its towering sequoias, when the incident occurred. According to Lin’s boyfriend, David Hua, the group heard a sharp cracking sound from above, followed by the sudden fall of several large branches.
“One big branch struck Angela, and then there were a bunch of smaller ones directly behind me,” Hua told SFGate. He said he immediately called 911 and performed CPR until a park ranger arrived, but Lin showed no signs of life.
Paramedics arrived on the scene, but Lin was never transported from the trail. Emergency responders later told Hua that the impact of the falling branch had likely killed her instantly.
“It was just unimaginable that something like this could occur,” Hua said. “On such a popular trail, too.”
The area where the accident happened—Tuolumne Grove—was closed to visitors for nearly a week following Lin’s death. Yosemite National Park officials confirmed the incident is still under investigation.
Scott Gediman, Yosemite’s public affairs officer, told SFGate that further details were not yet available, and Lin’s family has reportedly expressed frustration with the lack of updates from park authorities.
“We are seeking more information from the park service regarding this incident,” Hua said. “Especially around trail safety, maintenance, and awareness of problematic trees on popular trails, and future prevention of similar incidents.”
Online, bystanders and tourists who witnessed the tragic event have shared their own distress, with one person posting to Reddit to seek information about what happened.
“I am a tourist, but was on the scene of an extremely tragic freak accident in the area trying to provide [aid], and it has been haunting me,” the user wrote. “It hits so so hard because they were doing nothing wrong or careless… Life can be so cruel.”
Lin, who previously worked at Salesforce, had spent about six years in the tech industry. She was remembered by her loved ones for her intellect, energy, and love for nature.
UYO, Nigeria (BN24) — The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested seven Chinese nationals and four Nigerians for allegedly engaging in illegal mining of ilmenite, also known as black sand, in Eastern Obolo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale confirmed the arrests in a statement issued Monday, noting that operatives from the Uyo Zonal Directorate apprehended the suspects on July 24 at Emem-Asuk village, where they were reportedly expanding their operations to a second site.
“The suspects were caught setting up equipment at a new location after already mining ilmenite at their initial site,” Oyewale said.
The Chinese nationals in custody are Yang Chaobao, 32; Zhong Dun Yi, 33; Cheng Jiang, 35; Zhong Dun Long, 37; Pan Peiming, 33; Lai Yiping, 37; and Zhu Lekun, 35. Their Nigerian counterparts include David Israel, 18; Jonah Bartholomew Jim, 24; Samuel Samuel Timothy, 20; and Comfort Gabriel Ajaga, 23, who served as a translator.
Ajaga, the only female among the group, claimed her role was limited to language interpretation. “I am a student studying Chinese language at a Learning Centre in Anambra State and I only work with them as a translator,” she said.
The EFCC has stated that the suspects will face charges following the conclusion of ongoing investigations.
Ilmenite, a titanium-iron oxide mineral, is often sought after in industrial applications and is regulated under Nigeria’s mining laws. The EFCC continues to intensify crackdowns on illegal mining operations nationwide.
DUTSE, Nigeria (BN24) — Four young girls have died and five others are missing after a boat carrying 17 passengers capsized in Jigawa State’s Taura Local Government Area, authorities said Tuesday.
The incident occurred around 5 p.m. on Sunday in Zangon Maje village, according to a statement by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). The victims, mostly girls aged between 10 and 13, were traveling by canoe from Digawa village in Jahun LGA to Zangon Maje when the vessel overturned mid-journey.
“Preliminary reports confirmed that out of the 17 passengers onboard, seven were rescued alive, four dead bodies have been recovered, while five persons remain missing,” said NSCDC spokesperson ACSC Badruddeen Tijjani.
Of the 17 passengers, 16 were female—a detail that Tijjani noted underscores the “devastating impact of this incident on young lives.”
Rescue operations are ongoing, led by NSCDC personnel in collaboration with local divers and community volunteers. The cause of the accident has not yet been determined, and an investigation is underway to clarify the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
Tijjani said the agency is committed to ensuring safety across the state’s waterways and pledged that additional measures would be implemented to prevent similar accidents in the future.
NSCDC State Commandant Bala Bawa expressed deep condolences to the families of the victims and the communities of Digawa and Zangon Maje. He also praised the swift response of rescue teams and volunteers, adding that further updates would follow as the investigation and search efforts continue.
LONDON (BN24) — Portugal international Joao Felix has left Chelsea to join Cristiano Ronaldo at Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr in a deal that could reach £43.7 million (€50 million), the Premier League side confirmed Tuesday.
The move includes an initial transfer fee of £26.2 million (€30 million), with a further £17.5 million (€20 million) in performance-based add-ons. The 25-year-old forward had been in talks with his former club, Benfica, about a possible return. But Al Nassr hijacked the deal, finalizing terms as part of their efforts to bolster the squad after extending Ronaldo’s contract.
Felix had rejoined Chelsea permanently from Atletico Madrid last summer in a £46.3 million transfer, following a half-season loan at Stamford Bridge in 2023. During the 2024–25 season, he made 20 appearances across all competitions for Chelsea and scored seven goals.
Despite struggling to cement a regular role during either of his stints at the club, Chelsea have nearly recouped their investment. In February, the club also earned a £5 million loan fee when Felix joined AC Milan, where he added three goals in 19 appearances.
This summer, Chelsea have raised £135.7 million from player sales, reducing their net spend in the transfer window to £82.3 million.
Al Nassr’s acquisition of Felix underscores the Saudi club’s ambitions to challenge for the league title, building a high-profile squad around Ronaldo with significant financial backing.
LOS ANGELES (BN24) — The University of California, Los Angeles, has agreed to pay $6.13 million to settle a civil rights lawsuit filed by three Jewish students and a Jewish professor who claimed the university failed to protect them from harassment and physical obstruction during pro-Palestinian protests on campus in 2024.
The settlement, announced Tuesday, resolves legal claims that UCLA allowed demonstrators protesting Israel’s war in Gaza to block access to classrooms and other campus facilities, violating the plaintiffs’ constitutional rights. It also follows a landmark preliminary injunction issued last year — the first court ruling of its kind against a U.S. university over its response to anti-Israel demonstrations.
Although UCLA had argued it was not responsible for protesters’ actions, U.S. District Judge Mark Scarsi rejected that defense, finding the university acted with “deliberate indifference.” The judge ordered UCLA to implement measures protecting Jewish students’ rights to freely access campus spaces. The broader University of California system has since adopted new protest guidelines for all campuses.
The unrest reached a boiling point in spring 2024 when pro-Palestinian encampments were met with violent confrontations from counterprotesters. One night of chaos left over a dozen people injured after hours of fighting, during which law enforcement was slow to intervene. The following day, police arrested more than 200 demonstrators who refused to disband the encampment.
In March 2025, the Trump administration joined the lawsuit, adding political weight to growing national concerns about antisemitism on college campuses. The administration also launched civil rights investigations into multiple universities, including Columbia, UC Berkeley, Northwestern, and the University of Minnesota. Just last week, Columbia University agreed to pay $200 million in a separate settlement with the federal government, which is now positioning financial penalties as a standard element of compliance agreements.
The U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division announced Tuesday that its investigation had found UCLA in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon stated UCLA “failed to take timely and appropriate action in response to credible claims of harm and hostility on its campus.”
As part of the settlement, UCLA must guarantee that Jewish students, staff, and faculty have equal access to all campus programs, services, and spaces. The financial agreement will cover damages and legal fees, with additional funds directed to eight Jewish organizations.
UCLA has said it remains committed to improving campus safety but did not respond to requests for comment regarding the settlement or the Justice Department’s findings.
Meanwhile, the legal battle is not over for the university. A separate lawsuit filed by 35 pro-Palestinian students, faculty, journalists, and activists alleges UCLA failed to protect their rights during the demonstrations. At least 15 demonstrators were injured during the 2024 protests, and the university’s response drew condemnation from Muslim students, advocacy groups, and political leaders alike.
Across U.S. campuses, tensions continue to escalate over Israel’s war in Gaza, with students from both Jewish and Muslim communities demanding protection of their rights and greater accountability from their institutions.
MINNA, Nigeria (BN24) — Authorities in Nigeria’s Niger State have dismantled a suspected international human trafficking syndicate, arresting, 10 people and rescuing 36 victims from across West Africa, police confirmed Tuesday.
The operation, carried out on July 18 in Minna, the state capital, was based on intelligence about suspicious activities in the 123 Quarters area of the city. According to Niger State Police Command spokesperson SP Wasiu Abiodun, the syndicate allegedly posed as travel agents while facilitating illegal cross-border movements and extorting their victims.
Of the 10 suspects taken into custody, nine are nationals from neighboring West African countries, with most reportedly fluent only in French. One Nigerian accomplice, identified as Hashimu Dauda Kolo, is believed to have provided accommodation and logistical support for the group in Minna.
“The syndicate specialized in trafficking unsuspecting individuals under false pretenses to different destinations,” Abiodun said in an official statement. “They were discovered with 36 victims from Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea—all without proper documentation.”
The suspects were identified as Sokou Doumbia, Thiarno Balbe, Usman Doumbia, Musa Konate, Lamine Watara, Racine Diouf, Adamu Zarbu, Alhassan Konde, Dango Aminatu, and Hashimu Dauda Kolo.
During police interrogation, the rescued victims initially claimed they had come to Nigeria for online business opportunities. However, officials believe they were deceived and trafficked under exploitative conditions.
All suspects and victims have been transferred to Interpol for further investigation and coordinated international action, police said.
Human trafficking remains a critical issue across West Africa, where porous borders and economic hardship have left vulnerable populations susceptible to exploitation. Nigerian authorities have ramped up efforts in recent years to identify trafficking networks and cooperate with international agencies to curb the illegal trade.
WASHINGTON (BN24) — A Republican-led congressional committee has formally rejected Ghislaine Maxwell’s request for immunity in exchange for her testimony about the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, deepening a politically charged clash over long-standing questions surrounding Epstein’s network and its alleged ties to powerful figures, including President Donald Trump.
Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence in a Florida prison for her 2021 conviction in New York for aiding Epstein in the sexual abuse of underage girls, had been subpoenaed by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee to testify in a closed-door deposition scheduled for Aug. 11 in Tallahassee.
Her legal team requested that she be granted formal immunity from further prosecution before testifying. In a letter to Rep. James Comer, the panel’s chairman, attorney David Markus said Maxwell “cannot risk further criminal exposure in a politically charged environment without formal immunity.”
But a spokesperson for the committee said Tuesday the panel would not entertain the request. “The Oversight Committee will respond to Ms. Maxwell’s attorney soon, but it will not consider granting congressional immunity for her testimony,” the statement read.
Maxwell’s lawyers also sought several additional conditions, including advance access to the committee’s questions and a request that the deposition take place somewhere other than prison. They added that she would be willing to speak publicly if granted clemency.
Maxwell is appealing her conviction to the U.S. Supreme Court. Meanwhile, Trump has said he is not considering granting her a presidential pardon.
The latest congressional activity comes as scrutiny intensifies over Trump’s past association with Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial in New York on federal sex trafficking charges. Though Trump socialized with Epstein during the 1990s and early 2000s, he has maintained that he cut off ties long before Epstein’s arrest and death.
Calls for greater transparency have grown louder in recent weeks after the Justice Department said it would not release additional documents from its investigation. This decision has fueled renewed demands from both Democratic lawmakers and Trump supporters, who have pressed for the release of unsealed records.
Senate Democrats have also ramped up their inquiries. Sens. Dick Durbin and Sheldon Whitehouse on Tuesday sent a letter to the Justice Department requesting a transcript of a recent discussion between a department official and Maxwell. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer urged the FBI to assess the national security risks posed by the Epstein files falling into the hands of foreign adversaries.
“Could our adversaries use that information to blackmail someone like the president or other senior leaders in government?” Schumer asked.
Despite the political firestorm, the House Oversight Committee appears determined to press forward with its efforts to hear from Maxwell without offering the legal protections she seeks.
LONDON (BN24) — The United Kingdom has warned it will formally recognize a Palestinian state in September unless Israel takes immediate action to ease the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and agrees to a ceasefire in its ongoing war with Hamas. The ultimatum, issued Tuesday by Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government, comes amid mounting evidence of mass starvation and a soaring death toll in the besieged enclave.
The threat to recognize Palestinian statehood — following a similar declaration from France — triggered a sharp rebuke from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who accused the UK of “rewarding Hamas’s monstrous terrorism and punishing its victims.”
Starmer’s remarks were made shortly after the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a global food crisis monitor, warned that Gaza is on the brink of a formal famine declaration. According to the IPC, conditions in most of Gaza now meet the technical threshold for famine, including widespread food insecurity, malnutrition, and rising death rates.
Palestinian authorities said on Tuesday that the confirmed death toll in Gaza has surpassed 60,000 since Israel launched its military campaign in October 2023 following a deadly cross-border assault by Hamas. The war, which has flattened much of the Gaza Strip and spread instability across the Middle East, is now the deadliest conflict involving Israel since its founding in 1948.
Starmer told his Cabinet that unless Israel takes “substantive steps” to relieve the crisis — including ending its military campaign, halting annexation plans in the West Bank, and committing to a genuine peace process — the UK will recognize Palestinian statehood at the United Nations General Assembly in September.
“This recognition would be a symbolic gesture of support for a two-state solution,” a spokesperson said, noting that it would not immediately alter Israel’s control over Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, Gaza, and the West Bank.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the announcement, calling it “bold,” while Israeli officials warned it would embolden Hamas and threaten Western democracies. “A jihadist state on Israel’s border TODAY will threaten Britain TOMORROW,” Netanyahu wrote on X.
U.S. President Donald Trump, who met with Starmer in Scotland on Monday, initially said he “did not mind” if the UK recognized a Palestinian state but changed tone aboard Air Force One Tuesday. “I don’t think Hamas should be rewarded,” Trump said, signaling no shift in his administration’s refusal to back Palestinian statehood.
Despite Israeli claims that thousands of aid trucks have entered Gaza in recent weeks, humanitarian agencies report that food supplies remain critically low. The U.N. World Food Programme said Tuesday it is still being denied adequate access to distribute sufficient aid, despite Israel’s announcement of “humanitarian pauses” in its military operations.
“Mounting evidence shows that widespread starvation, malnutrition and disease are driving a rise in hunger-related deaths,” the IPC said, warning that famine conditions are likely already present.
Gaza’s Health Ministry said 147 people, including 88 children, have died from starvation in recent weeks. Horrific images of emaciated children have sparked global outrage and prompted Trump to promise the establishment of emergency food centers.
Israel has denied allegations of using starvation as a weapon of war. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar acknowledged that conditions in Gaza are “tough” but insisted that reports of mass starvation are exaggerated or false.
Overnight Israeli airstrikes killed at least 30 Palestinians in the Nuseirat refugee camp, according to Gaza health officials. Al-Awda Hospital reported that the dead included 14 women and 12 children. Separately, Israeli troops opened fire on crowds waiting for aid along the Salahudeen Road, killing 13 people and injuring dozens, hospital staff said.
Since Israel began ground operations in Gaza last October, 454 Israeli soldiers have been killed. The total Palestinian toll, which does not distinguish between civilians and fighters, continues to rise — and thousands more are feared buried under rubble, according to Palestinian officials.
Aid agencies say airdrops — one of the few remaining means of reaching some parts of Gaza — are largely ineffective and symbolic. Israel and the United States have accused Hamas of stealing aid, a charge Hamas denies. The U.N. says it has seen no significant evidence of aid diversion and accuses Israel of weaponizing access.
As the humanitarian and political pressure intensifies, Britain’s move to recognize a Palestinian state could further isolate Israel on the world stage — and potentially shift the diplomatic landscape of the Middle East conflict.
WASHINGTON (BN24) — Ghislaine Maxwell, the jailed former confidante of Jeffrey Epstein, is willing to testify before Congress about her role in the disgraced financier’s sex-trafficking operation — but only under strict conditions, including a full grant of immunity from future prosecution, her lawyers said Tuesday.
In a letter to Rep. James Comer, chair of the House Oversight Committee, Maxwell’s attorneys outlined their terms for cooperation, requesting immunity, advance notice of any questions, and a delay in scheduling the interview until after the U.S. Supreme Court decides whether to hear her appeal. Maxwell is currently serving a 20-year sentence for conspiring with Epstein to sexually abuse underage girls.
The Oversight Committee quickly rebuffed the proposal. In a brief statement, a spokesperson said the panel “will respond to Ms. Maxwell’s attorney soon, but it will not consider granting congressional immunity for her testimony.”
Maxwell’s attorneys, however, insist she is prepared to “share the truth” and “dispel the many misconceptions and misstatements that have plagued this case,” so long as she is protected from any additional criminal liability stemming from her testimony.
The letter comes amid a renewed surge of public and political interest in the Epstein case, following the Justice Department’s July announcement that it would not release additional documents related to the investigation. The decision triggered widespread backlash among online activists, conspiracy theorists, and many within President Donald Trump’s base, who have long alleged a cover-up involving high-profile individuals.
Trump administration officials have since sought to reassert their commitment to transparency. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche interviewed Maxwell over two days last week at a Florida courthouse, and the Justice Department has supported efforts to unseal grand jury materials related to the Epstein case.
Maxwell’s lawyers initially considered invoking her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination but said she may be open to cooperation if legal safeguards are in place — including either immunity or a presidential pardon.
The latter is unlikely but not impossible. Maxwell’s legal team noted that President Trump has acknowledged he holds the power to issue a pardon but has not been asked to do so. They say she would testify “openly and honestly, in public” if granted clemency.
Separately, Maxwell continues to petition the U.S. Supreme Court to review her conviction, arguing she was denied a fair trial. The Court has not yet announced whether it will take up the case.
GUAYAQUIL, Ecuador (BN24) — At least 17 people were killed and 11 others wounded when gunmen opened fire at a bar in the town of El Empalme, Ecuadorian authorities said Monday, marking one of the deadliest mass shootings in the country’s recent history as drug-related violence surges.
The attack unfolded Sunday night in El Empalme, located roughly 100 miles (160 kilometers) north of the port city of Guayaquil in coastal Guayas province—an epicenter of Ecuador’s intensifying struggle with organized crime. The attorney general’s office confirmed the death toll and said it had recovered more than 40 pieces of ballistic evidence from the scene.
Graphic images circulated by local media showed bodies sprawled across the bar floor, some covered with white sheets, while police and forensic teams worked through the night.
The motive behind the attack has not yet been confirmed, but authorities suspect the involvement of rival criminal groups vying for control over lucrative drug trafficking corridors in the region. Guayas province has become a flashpoint in Ecuador’s broader security crisis, fueled by transnational narco-networks and local gangs.
President Daniel Noboa declared an “internal armed conflict” in early 2024 in an attempt to combat the spiraling violence, deploying military forces and enacting emergency security measures. While the government reported a 15% drop in violent deaths by the end of last year, new figures from the interior ministry show a sharp reversal: homicides have surged by 47% in the first half of 2025, reaching 4,619.
Despite the increased militarization and crackdowns, attacks like Sunday’s massacre underscore the persistent reach of armed criminal networks and the mounting challenge facing Ecuador’s security forces.
Last month, the National Assembly passed a constitutional reform expanding the government’s legal authority to combat criminal organizations, including measures to dismantle their operational and financial infrastructure.
Residents of El Empalme, a farming community once far removed from Ecuador’s narco-violence, expressed fear and disbelief in the aftermath of the shooting. The attack has rattled the town, which has seen an uptick in gang activity over the past year.
Authorities have not announced any arrests and have urged witnesses to come forward. The investigation remains ongoing.
