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Lufthansa Flight Left Without Pilot for 10 Minutes After First Officer Collapses Mid-Flight

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MADRID — A Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt to Seville flew without a conscious pilot for a terrifying 10 minutes after the first officer collapsed alone in the cockpit, according to a newly released investigation by Spanish aviation authorities.

The dramatic mid-air emergency occurred in February 2024 but came to light this week following the release of the final report by Spain’s Civil Aviation Accident and Incident Investigation Commission (CIAIAC). The incident unfolded aboard an Airbus A321 carrying more than 200 passengers as it cruised through Spanish airspace, about 30 minutes from its scheduled destination.

According to the report, the flight had been uneventful until the captain left the cockpit for a brief restroom break. The first officer had shown no signs of distress at the time, and the two had just discussed weather conditions and aircraft operations minutes earlier.

But during the captain’s absence, the first officer lost consciousness, leaving the plane without an active pilot at the controls.

Upon returning, the captain found himself locked out of the cockpit and made multiple attempts to re-enter using the standard security code. Simultaneously, a flight attendant attempted to reach the unresponsive first officer via the intercom. As the situation escalated, the captain initiated emergency override procedures to force entry.

Just before the override timer expired, the first officer briefly regained consciousness and managed to unlock the door manually. However, he appeared “pale, sweating, and moving erratically,” according to the report. The captain resumed control of the aircraft and quickly diverted the flight to Madrid—the nearest suitable airport.

A physician who happened to be a passenger onboard assisted the cabin crew in administering first aid to the incapacitated co-pilot. Upon landing, the first officer was rushed to a hospital in the Spanish capital.

Investigators later confirmed that the first officer suffered a “sudden and severe incapacitation” due to a seizure associated with an undiagnosed neurological disorder. According to Spain’s aviation authority, the condition is extremely difficult to detect unless symptoms are actively present during a medical exam or have occurred previously—neither of which had applied in this case.

The CIAIAC has since urged the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to issue a notice to airlines highlighting the incident and reviewing health screening protocols for flight crew members.

Lufthansa has yet to publicly respond to media inquiries regarding the report’s findings.

The Lufthansa scare adds to a growing list of high-profile aviation incidents across Europe. In a separate event this week, a Ryanair flight from Porto to Belgium was forced to land at Charleroi Airport after a bomb threat was reported. Police evacuated 170 passengers from the aircraft while investigating the potential threat.

These recent events have reignited concerns about aviation safety, crew health monitoring, and emergency preparedness aboard commercial flights.

Republicans Block Trump’s Tax-Cut Bill in House Committee Despite President’s Unity Plea

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WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s sweeping tax-cut proposal hit a roadblock Friday after five Republicans on the House Budget Committee joined Democrats in rejecting the measure, despite a high-profile appeal from Trump for party unity.

The vote marked the first major legislative setback for Trump in a Congress dominated by Republicans, who have largely rubber-stamped his agenda since retaking control following last November’s elections. The failed procedural vote threatens to delay a full House floor vote scheduled for next week, and it exposes deep fractures within the GOP over fiscal priorities.

“Republicans must UNITE behind our tax cut plan,” Trump wrote on social media ahead of the vote. “We don’t need ‘GRANDSTANDERS’ in the Republican Party. STOP TALKING, AND GET IT DONE!”

But his call went unheeded. Five Republican members — Reps. Chip Roy (Texas), Ralph Norman (S.C.), Andrew Clyde (Ga.), Josh Brecheen (Okla.), and Lloyd Smucker (Pa.) — broke ranks and joined all 16 Democrats on the committee in opposing the measure, citing concerns over ballooning deficits and insufficient spending cuts.

The proposed legislation, which would extend and expand tax cuts enacted during Trump’s first term, is estimated to cost $3.72 trillion over the next decade, according to the bipartisan Joint Committee on Taxation. It includes provisions aimed at reducing taxes on tips and overtime pay, a feature Republicans argue would benefit working-class Americans. However, critics say the bill is heavily tilted toward the wealthy.

House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) opened the session by urging colleagues to deliver on what he described as a voter mandate to restore economic growth and fiscal sanity.

“They want common sense policies. And they want from all of us a commitment to putting America and Americans first,” Arrington said. “Let’s give the people what they voted for.”

But hardline fiscal conservatives balked at what they saw as a lack of structural reform.

“We are writing checks we cannot cash, and our children are going to pay the price,” Rep. Chip Roy told the committee. “So I am a ‘no’ on this bill unless serious reforms are made.”

At the heart of the Republican revolt were demands for deeper reductions to Medicaid — the public healthcare program for low-income Americans — and a full repeal of green energy tax incentives introduced by Democrats. Hardline Republicans have also called for more aggressive spending caps and immediate implementation of Medicaid work requirements, which are currently scheduled to begin in 2029 under the bill.

Moderate Republicans, however, objected to such deep cuts. Some, particularly those from Democratic-led states, pushed to raise the federal cap on state and local tax (SALT) deductions, which were limited under Trump’s 2017 tax law and have long been a political sore spot for lawmakers from high-tax states like New York, California, and New Jersey.

These conflicting demands have left House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) scrambling to forge a compromise that can unite the GOP’s divided factions. Discussions are ongoing, and several Republicans have signaled they are open to backing a revised version of the bill if key concessions are made.

Democrats roundly condemned the legislation, framing it as a giveaway to billionaires that would slash health coverage for millions of Americans. Citing nonpartisan congressional projections, Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.), the committee’s top Democrat, warned that proposed Medicaid cuts could result in 8.6 million people losing coverage.

“No previous law or event in modern history has triggered this level of healthcare loss — not even the Great Depression,” Boyle said.

The Republican tax-cut package would also scale back federal subsidies for health insurance plans offered through the Affordable Care Act, further fueling Democratic opposition. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) called the bill “morally bankrupt and fiscally irresponsible.”

Despite the failed committee vote, many lawmakers view the setback as temporary. GOP leaders still expect to bring a revised bill to the House floor, but any new version will require delicate negotiations to bridge the widening gap between moderates and hardliners.

Meanwhile, Trump remains insistent on swift action. His campaign has touted the tax cuts as essential to revitalizing the economy and securing the support of working-class voters heading into the 2026 midterms.

For now, however, the fate of Trump’s marquee tax legislation hangs in limbo, caught between competing Republican priorities and rising fiscal anxieties over the nation’s $36.2 trillion debt.

Russia-Ukraine Peace Talks in Turkey Collapse After Less Than Two Hours, No Sign of Progress

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ISTANBUL — The first face-to-face peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine in more than three years ended abruptly on Friday after less than two hours, with Ukrainian officials dismissing Russia’s demands as unrealistic and counterproductive, underscoring the deep divide between the warring nations as Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II drags on.

Hosted in Istanbul’s Dolmabahçe Palace, the talks marked the first direct encounter between delegations from Moscow and Kyiv since March 2022 — one month after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Despite the symbolic significance of the meeting, expectations for tangible progress were low and quickly dashed.

A senior Ukrainian official told Reuters that Russia’s demands were “non-starters,” characterizing them as “detached from reality” and dramatically overreaching compared to previous discussions. According to the source, Moscow insisted that Ukraine withdraw from portions of its own sovereign territory in exchange for a potential ceasefire — a proposition Kyiv outright rejected.

“There was nothing constructive in the Russian proposals,” the Ukrainian official said on condition of anonymity. “Their conditions are unacceptable and would effectively reward aggression.”

Russia did not issue any immediate public comment following the meeting.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy reiterated Kyiv’s firm position, calling for a “full, unconditional and honest ceasefire” as a prerequisite for meaningful diplomacy. Speaking ahead of the meeting, he emphasized that continued Russian intransigence should prompt stronger international sanctions targeting Russia’s energy exports and banking sector.

The talks came just one day after U.S. President Donald Trump concluded a diplomatic tour of the Middle East, during which he expressed skepticism about any potential breakthrough in Istanbul without a personal meeting between himself and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“There will be no movement until I sit down with Putin,” Trump stated, further dimming already faint hopes for progress.

At the meeting’s outset, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan attempted to frame the moment as a crossroads. “There are two paths ahead of us,” he told the delegates. “One leads to peace, the other to further destruction. It is up to the parties to decide their course.”

The composition of the delegations offered a stark visual contrast: the Russian negotiators arrived in business suits, while several members of the Ukrainian team wore camouflage military uniforms — a reminder of the ongoing war’s toll and the frontline realities faced by Ukraine.

There was no announcement on whether additional talks would follow.

Although it was Putin who proposed renewed direct talks, he declined to attend in person and instead dispatched a delegation of mid-level officials. Ukraine responded in kind, appointing negotiators of similar rank. The absence of high-level leadership fueled further skepticism about the seriousness of the engagement.

“Based on the makeup of the teams, we didn’t expect much,” said U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio before the talks began. “I hope I’m wrong. I hope they surprise us with a breakthrough. But that’s not how it looks.”

Just minutes before the Istanbul meeting began, air raid sirens sounded in the Ukrainian city of Dnipro, followed by reports of explosions — a grim backdrop that reinforced the continued violence on the ground.

Russia’s military announced it had captured another village in eastern Ukraine as part of its grinding offensive. Moscow insists the current talks are a continuation of the negotiations held in Istanbul in 2022, though those talks collapsed when Russia demanded significant cuts to Ukraine’s military capabilities.

Zelenskiy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, dismissed attempts by Russia to revive terms from those earlier failed discussions. “The situation is entirely different now, and we won’t return to the framework of a time when we were still reeling from the initial invasion,” he said.

Despite Ukraine regaining some ground over the past two years, Russian forces still occupy nearly 20% of Ukrainian territory. Putin remains firm on key demands, including Kyiv’s recognition of Russian control over annexed regions, a formal abandonment of NATO aspirations, and a declaration of Ukrainian neutrality.

Ukraine has categorically rejected those terms, viewing them as tantamount to surrender. Instead, Kyiv is pushing for international security guarantees — particularly from the United States — to safeguard its sovereignty and prevent future aggression.

With no roadmap for further negotiations and the conflict continuing to claim lives daily, the breakdown of Friday’s talks in Istanbul marked another missed opportunity to end the war through diplomacy.

Chris Brown Ordered Held in UK Over London Nightclub Assault, Faces Grievous Bodily Harm Charge

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MANCHESTER, England — Grammy-winning singer Chris Brown has been ordered held in custody by a British court after being charged with grievous bodily harm in connection with a violent 2023 assault on a music producer at a nightclub in London’s upscale Mayfair district.

The 36-year-old American artist appeared at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on Friday after being arrested early Thursday morning at the Lowry Hotel, where he was staying while in the country. Brown, who was touring the U.K. at the time of the incident, allegedly attacked producer Abe Diaw inside the exclusive Tape London nightclub on February 19, 2023.

Prosecutor Hannah Nicholls described the attack as “extremely serious,” telling the court that Brown struck Diaw multiple times in the head with a bottle before chasing, punching, and kicking him in full view of nightclub patrons. The assault, she said, was captured on security camera footage and left the victim hospitalized.

Wearing sweatpants and a black T-shirt, with his hair dyed platinum blond, Brown spoke only to confirm his name, birth date, and address during the brief hearing. He did not enter a plea. Court officials confirmed that the singer’s case has now been transferred to Southwark Crown Court in London, where he is scheduled to appear on June 13.

No immediate comment was offered by Brown’s representatives when contacted by The Associated Press.

The Sun newspaper first reported Brown’s arrest and the allegations, noting that the music producer, Diaw, claimed to have suffered severe injuries following what he described as an unprovoked attack. According to the report, Brown was in the U.K. for a series of performances when the incident occurred.

Police from London’s Metropolitan Police force reportedly traveled to Manchester after learning of Brown’s presence in the country and took him into custody Thursday morning.

Brown, also known by his nickname “Breezy,” first rose to stardom as a teenager in 2005 and has since built a chart-topping career with hit songs including “Run It,” “Kiss Kiss,” and “Without You.” He has received multiple accolades, including two Grammy Awards for Best R&B Album — one in 2011 for F.A.M.E. and another earlier this year for 11:11 (Deluxe).

The charges come just weeks before the scheduled launch of Brown’s international tour, which features artists Jhene Aiko, Summer Walker, and Bryson Tiller. The tour is set to begin in Europe next month before heading to North America in July. It remains unclear how the legal proceedings in the U.K. will affect his travel and performance schedule.

Brown’s latest legal trouble marks another chapter in a history of high-profile run-ins with the law. While he has maintained a loyal fan base and steady commercial success, past incidents — including his 2009 felony assault conviction involving then-girlfriend Rihanna — have continued to shadow his career.

If convicted of the current charge, Brown faces significant legal consequences under British law. The charge of causing grievous bodily harm can carry a lengthy prison sentence depending on the severity of the injuries and intent of the attacker.

As of Friday, the court has remanded Brown into custody pending his next hearing.

54 Killed in Israeli Airstrikes on Khan Younis as Gaza Death Toll Surges Past 53,000

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KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — At least 54 Palestinians were killed in a series of overnight Israeli airstrikes on the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, hospital officials reported Thursday, marking the second straight night of intense bombardment across the besieged enclave. Additional strikes in northern Gaza brought the total death toll over the past 24 hours to 82, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

The deadly escalation comes as President Donald Trump tours Gulf nations during his Middle East visit, notably excluding Israel from his itinerary. Hopes that his trip might facilitate a ceasefire or unlock renewed humanitarian access to Gaza have yet to materialize, while Israel’s blockade of the territory enters its third month.

An Associated Press journalist counted at least 10 airstrikes across Khan Younis overnight. Nasser Hospital confirmed that 54 bodies had been received, many so severely injured they were difficult to identify. Among the dead was Hasan Samour, a journalist with Al Araby TV, who was killed alongside 11 members of his family.

In northern Gaza, an airstrike in Jabaliya struck a compound containing a mosque and a small medical clinic, killing 13 people, according to the Hamas-run Civil Defense agency. Wednesday night’s air assault had already left at least 70 dead, including nearly two dozen children.

In Nasser Hospital, scenes of heartbreak unfolded as families mourned loved ones. Safaa Al-Najjar, covered in blood, cried over the bodies of her infant sons—1½-year-old Motaz and 6-week-old Moaz Al-Bayyok—who were killed in the overnight attacks. Five of her other children were wounded, and her husband remained in intensive care.

“I gave them dinner and put them to sleep like always,” she said through tears. “What is their fault? What is their fault?” Outside, mourners performed prayers beside rows of white body bags before loading the dead onto trucks for burial.

The strikes came just days after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to intensify the military campaign to eliminate Hamas, the militant group that governs Gaza. “We are days away from entering Gaza with great strength to complete the mission — to destroy Hamas,” Netanyahu said in remarks released by his office.

Human Rights Watch condemned the escalation Thursday, warning that Israel’s plan to seize Gaza and forcibly displace hundreds of thousands of residents was “inching closer to extermination.” The organization called on the international community to intervene.

The war was triggered by Hamas’ October 7, 2023, cross-border attack into southern Israel, which left 1,200 Israelis dead and led to the capture of roughly 250 hostages. Israel’s ongoing offensive has now killed more than 53,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not differentiate between combatants and civilians. At least 3,000 people have been killed since Israel resumed attacks after breaking a ceasefire on March 18.

The ministry said Thursday that a total of 53,010 Palestinians have been killed since the war began, with 119,998 others wounded. Of the hostages still held by Hamas, 58 remain unaccounted for, with only 23 believed to be alive, Israeli authorities said.

The conflict has also crippled Gaza’s already fragile healthcare system. The Health Ministry confirmed Thursday that the European Hospital in Khan Younis — Gaza’s only cancer treatment facility — is now out of service due to Israeli strikes that severely damaged infrastructure and cut off access roads.

The Israeli military acknowledged conducting two strikes on the hospital Tuesday, alleging it was targeting a Hamas command center located underneath. Six people were killed in the attack.

Hospital director Dr. Imad al-Hout said around 200 patients were inside the hospital during the strikes. All were evacuated, with the last 90 transferred to other facilities, including Nasser Hospital, on Wednesday. Officials are now working to coordinate repairs, but with ongoing bombardment and a humanitarian crisis deepening, prospects remain grim.

American Basketball Player Arrested in Indonesia for Alleged Drug Smuggling

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JAKARTA, Indonesia — An American basketball player has been arrested in Indonesia for allegedly attempting to smuggle illegal drugs into the country, authorities announced Thursday, highlighting the country’s uncompromising stance on narcotics violations.

Jarred Dwayne Shaw, a 34-year-old athlete from Dallas, Texas, who has played in the Indonesian Basketball League since 2022, was taken into custody on May 7 after police raided his apartment in Tangerang regency, near Jakarta. The arrest followed a tip from airport customs officials who had flagged a suspicious package shipped to Shaw from Thailand.

According to Soekarno-Hatta Airport Police Chief Ronald Sipayung, the raid uncovered 132 pieces of cannabis-infused candy, totaling 869 grams (30.6 ounces) of illegal cannabinoids. Indonesia considers cannabis a Category 1 narcotic, and if convicted, Shaw could face a life sentence or the death penalty under the nation’s stringent anti-drug laws.

“Investigations are still ongoing to uncover the international drug network behind this case and prevent further distribution,” Sipayung said.

A video circulating on social media appears to show the moment of Shaw’s arrest, with the athlete wearing a black T-shirt and shorts, struggling against officers while shouting, “Help… help!” He made no public statement during his official presentation to the press, where he appeared in an orange detainee uniform and wore a face mask with his hands bound.

Shaw, who most recently played for the Tangerang Hawks, allegedly told police during interrogation that he intended to share the cannabis candy with fellow basketball players. He had signed with the club in 2023 and was a well-known figure in the league.

His arrest sparked immediate disciplinary action. The Tangerang Hawks terminated his contract, citing a breach of terms. “We deeply regret what has happened,” said team manager Tikky Suwantikno. “His actions are unacceptable and violate both team and league policies.”

The Indonesian Basketball League followed by issuing Shaw a lifetime ban. “We don’t tolerate players, administrators or anyone involved in drug activities. There is no room for drug users in basketball,” said league chair Budisatrio Djiwandono.

Indonesia is widely recognized for its uncompromising drug enforcement. Despite some of the harshest drug laws in the world, including capital punishment, the country remains a major hub for smuggling, according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Authorities say international drug syndicates often target Indonesia’s large youth population.

As of this year, more than 530 people are on death row in Indonesia, most of them for drug-related offenses. This includes 96 foreign nationals. The country’s most recent executions occurred in 2016, involving three foreigners and one Indonesian citizen.

Shaw’s case has underscored the high risks foreigners face when violating Indonesia’s drug laws, particularly as Thailand — where the cannabis candy originated — decriminalized marijuana in late 2024. While legal there, cannabis remains strictly prohibited in Indonesia, and even minor infractions can carry severe consequences.

Israeli Woman on Way to Give Birth Killed in West Bank Shooting

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JERUSALEM — A pregnant Israeli woman was killed in a shooting attack in the occupied West Bank late Wednesday while en route to a hospital to give birth. The fatal assault, which took the life of 37-year-old Tzeela Gez and seriously injured her unborn child, has once again inflamed tensions across the region and sparked fears of retaliatory violence.

Gez, a therapist and mother of three from the settlement of Bruchin, was traveling with her husband Hananel when their vehicle came under fire. The couple was driving through a winding road in the northern West Bank when a Palestinian gunman opened fire, fatally striking Gez. Doctors managed to deliver her baby, who remains in serious but stable condition.

The assailant fled the scene, prompting a manhunt by Israeli security forces. Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, Israel’s military chief of staff, vowed to track down those responsible. “We will use all the tools at our disposal and reach the murderers to hold them accountable,” Zamir said during a visit to the area on Thursday. The military responded by sealing off several nearby Palestinian villages and setting up checkpoints, which significantly slowed Palestinian traffic.

Photos released by the military show a bullet hole through the passenger side of the windshield and blood smeared on a rear door. Soldiers combed through the brush lining the roadside after the attack, searching for the gunman.

The militant group Hamas praised the shooting as a “heroic” act, though it did not claim responsibility. The killing comes amid a broader Israeli military campaign in the West Bank that has intensified since the October 7 Hamas assault on southern Israel. That conflict, centered in Gaza, has spilled over into the West Bank, with hundreds of Palestinians killed in near-daily Israeli raids targeting militant networks. Many of the dead, according to human rights groups, were civilians or bystanders.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a staunch supporter of the settler movement, called for a hardline response. “Just as we are flattening Rafah, Khan Younis and Gaza, we must flatten the nests of terror in Judea and Samaria,” he wrote on X, using the biblical names for the West Bank.

The attack on Gez has raised concerns of reprisal violence by radical Jewish settlers, who have previously responded to Palestinian attacks by storming villages, setting fires, and damaging property with little accountability. Such vigilante actions are rarely prosecuted, and Palestinians are often left without compensation or official recourse.

Tzeela Gez was remembered by neighbors as a devoted mother and compassionate professional. “She was all mother. A mother in her essence,” said Meital Ben Yosef, head of the Bruchin local council. “A couple of parents were driving to the happiest moment that a parent can experience, and the wife is killed on the way. It’s a horrific incident.”

Israel has long described its West Bank crackdown as essential to national security, particularly in the wake of escalating threats linked to Hamas and alleged Iranian influence. On Thursday, Israeli forces killed five suspected militants in a separate raid that was not directly connected to the attack on Gez. Hamas praised the slain men as “resistance heroes.”

The West Bank remains a flashpoint in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Since its occupation by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war, more than 500,000 Israeli settlers have moved into over 130 settlements across the territory. While Israel considers the West Bank part of its historical homeland, much of the international community views the settlements as illegal under international law and a major obstacle to a future Palestinian state.

As both sides brace for more violence, the killing of a mother en route to deliver her child underscores the tragic toll of a conflict that has endured for generations — with no end in sight.

Elderly Man Sentenced to Life for Brutal 1982 Rape and Murder of California Teen Karen Stitt

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SAN JOSE, Calif. — More than four decades after the savage rape and murder of 15-year-old Karen Stitt shocked the community of Sunnyvale, California, her killer has finally been brought to justice. Gary Ramirez, now 78, was sentenced to life in prison Monday for the 1982 crime, bringing a painful chapter to a close for Stitt’s loved ones and the city haunted by her death.

Ramirez, a resident of Maui, Hawaii, was identified in 2022 through advanced DNA technology. He pleaded no contest earlier this year to charges stemming from the sexual assault and stabbing of the teen, who was attacked while walking alone to a bus stop after visiting her boyfriend. Ramirez received a sentence of life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after 25 years, though given his age, he is expected to die behind bars.

Karen Stitt’s case had remained unsolved for decades, despite exhaustive efforts by local authorities. It wasn’t until 2021 that a breakthrough came when a detective received a tip linking the crime to one of four brothers from Fresno. Investigators used forensic genealogy to identify Ramirez as the likely source of DNA evidence collected from Stitt’s body and the crime scene. In April 2022, a match was confirmed, and Ramirez was arrested.

On the night of September 2, 1982, Stitt took a bus from Palo Alto to Sunnyvale to visit her boyfriend. She left his house around midnight, intending to return home alone. Her boyfriend, afraid of getting into trouble for staying out late, didn’t accompany her. The next morning, a truck driver discovered Stitt’s body in bushes near a cinderblock wall by the bus stop. She had been sexually assaulted and stabbed 59 times. Blood stains on the wall and other biological evidence pointed to the brutality of the crime.

Ramirez remained unidentified for years, while Karen’s boyfriend was ruled out as a suspect in 2000 after DNA testing excluded him. The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office praised the decades of dedication by investigators with the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety, calling it the work of “a continuous line of detectives putting their hearts and souls into solving an infamous crime.”

At Monday’s sentencing, friends and relatives of Karen Stitt gathered in court to honor her memory and voice their enduring pain. According to prosecutors, the family expressed “continued grief and anger about this terrible crime,” emphasizing that “she has never been forgotten.”

Stitt’s murder was one of California’s most haunting unsolved crimes, a reminder of the vulnerability of young women and the enduring trauma inflicted by sexual violence. With the sentencing of Ramirez, law enforcement and Stitt’s family finally received the long-awaited closure they had pursued for over 40 years.

Cassie Says Jealous Diddy Flew Into Violent Rage After Reading Kid Cudi Texts, Threatened to Blow Up Rapper’s Car

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NEW YORK — Cassie Ventura took the stand for a second consecutive day in Manhattan federal court on Wednesday, delivering searing testimony about her decade-long relationship with Sean “Diddy” Combs. In vivid detail, the 38-year-old singer described the music mogul’s extreme jealousy and violent reaction after discovering her romantic involvement with fellow artist Kid Cudi—an episode she said culminated in threats, physical abuse, and ultimately, the explosion of Cudi’s car.

The courtroom sat in stunned silence as Cassie recounted the moment in 2011 when Diddy uncovered text messages between her and Kid Cudi following one of the so-called “Freak Off” sex encounters Combs allegedly orchestrated. According to her, the hip-hop tycoon flew into a rage after searching her phone, grabbing a wine bottle opener and lunging at her in a violent outburst.

“His eyes blacked out, super angry,” she said. “He told me he was going to release videos and that he was going to hurt Scott [Kid Cudi] and me.”

Fearing for her safety, Cassie said she used a burner phone to call Cudi, who picked her up. Shortly after, she ended the relationship with the rapper, citing Diddy’s chilling threat: “He said he’d hurt both of us,” Cassie testified. “If I stayed, we’d both be hurt. If I didn’t, we wouldn’t.”

According to her 2023 lawsuit, which was settled for $20 million just one day after filing, Diddy later made good on at least part of that threat—allegedly orchestrating the explosion of Kid Cudi’s car. While Cudi himself has since confirmed the vehicle incident, the court heard chilling details of the exchange between the two men. Cassie said when Cudi confronted Diddy about the destroyed car, Diddy coldly replied, “What vehicle?”—signaling, she implied, his calculated involvement.

Supporting her account, jurors were shown disturbing photos of Cassie with large, dark bruises on her back and legs. She said those injuries were the result of Diddy physically assaulting her after discovering her relationship with Kid Cudi. “He kicked me in my back,” she testified. “I fell to the floor and left. I had bruises in other places too. That one stood out because he kicked me with the bottom of his foot.”

The image, taken by Cassie’s mother in December 2011, was used to illustrate the brutal aftermath of the incident. Cassie admitted she lied to her family, claiming it was the first time she had been hit. “I couldn’t hurt her like that,” she said. “It’s terrifying, constantly being bruised up by someone who says they love you.”

Cassie’s testimony expanded beyond the violent fallout of her connection with Kid Cudi. She detailed a decade of abuse, control, and humiliation at the hands of Combs, whom she accused of coercing her into hundreds of “Freak Offs” with male sex workers. “Impossible to know [how many],” she said. “Hundreds.”

During those sessions, she said Diddy micromanaged every detail—demanding she lather her body in baby oil, using up to ten bottles per encounter to achieve the “glistening” look he desired. Cassie stated the mogul would direct the activities while watching, controlling her through fear and manipulation.

Combs’ defense team has acknowledged instances of domestic violence but categorically denies the more severe charges of sex trafficking and racketeering. His attorneys argue that the prosecution is targeting him over his sexual lifestyle, not criminal behavior.

Even after their split in 2018, Cassie said the abuse didn’t end. In 2019, Diddy allegedly sent her a series of threatening messages demanding money and referencing incriminating materials in her possession. “You have too many iPads full of skeletons,” one message read.

Cassie replied, “Do you want me to tell the truth? It’s way deeper than iPads.”

She said she had once asked Diddy to purchase the rights to her memoir for $30 million—an offer he ignored. “I wanted to be compensated for the time, the pain, the many years of fixing my life,” she told the jury.

Her voice trembling, Cassie revealed she suffered a mental health crisis in early 2023 that pushed her to the brink of suicide. “I couldn’t take the pain anymore,” she said through tears. “I tried to walk out the front door into traffic, but my husband stopped me.”

She attributed her psychological collapse to undiagnosed PTSD, caused by years of trauma during her time with Combs. Cassie shared that she experienced blackouts and sleepwalking episodes prior to ending the relationship. “My body was telling me to chill out,” she said.

Jurors were visibly shaken as they viewed still images from videos documenting the “Freak Offs.” While these visuals were shielded from public view, their impact was clear—eliciting gasps, grimaces, and stunned silence from the jury box.

With additional witnesses scheduled to testify under pseudonyms like “Jane” and “Mia,” court officials say multiple individuals are undergoing emotional breakdowns in preparation for reliving the most traumatic experiences of their lives.

One attorney described the testimony to come as recounting “the worst things to ever happen” to his client—stories she had planned to “take to her grave.”

Ex-National Guard Soldier Arrested in ISIS-Inspired Plot Targeting U.S. Military Base in Michigan

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DETROIT — A 19-year-old former Michigan Army National Guard soldier has been arrested and charged in an alleged ISIS-inspired terror plot to carry out a mass shooting at a U.S. military installation in Warren, Michigan, federal authorities said Tuesday.

Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said, who served in the Michigan National Guard from 2022 until his discharge in December 2024, was taken into custody near the U.S. Army’s Tank-Automotive & Armaments Command (TACOM) after allegedly planning to attack the site using armor-piercing ammunition and homemade explosives.

Federal prosecutors say Said called the attack a “dream” in communications with undercover FBI agents, who had posed as ISIS operatives over several months. The plot was disrupted just hours before its scheduled execution on the morning of May 13.

According to the criminal complaint filed in federal court, Said first began speaking with undercover agents in June 2024, while he was still enlisted. He expressed a desire to wage jihad against the United States, telling agents he was “fed up with this country” and sought either “victory or martyrdom.”

In October, Said outlined a plan to launch an assault on the Detroit Armory, saying that targeting Americans domestically would have greater impact than fighting abroad. “Over here [in the United States], it’s like, it’s a dream,” he told agents.

Over the following months, he reportedly provided tactical support, including armor-piercing ammunition and high-capacity magazines. He also instructed agents on how to create Molotov cocktails and conducted drone surveillance of the facility to map out entry points and patrol schedules.

“For us, whether they’re armed or not, it’s shoot-to-kill,” Said allegedly stated while planning the attack, which he scheduled for 10 a.m. on May 13.

Dressed in black, Said arrived with an undercover agent at the planned scene, launched his drone for reconnaissance, and was immediately arrested by federal law enforcement.

“This is a reprehensible crime,” said U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon Jr. in a Department of Justice press release. “Anyone working with a foreign terrorist organization like ISIS to commit violence against Americans will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”

Sue J. Bai, head of the DOJ’s National Security Division, credited “the tireless efforts of law enforcement” with foiling the attack before any lives were lost. She emphasized the department’s commitment to protecting U.S. service members and civilians from terrorism.

Said now faces federal charges of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and distributing information on destructive devices—charges that each carry up to 20 years in prison.

Brig. Gen. Rhett R. Cox, commander of the Army Counterintelligence Command, described the arrest as a “sobering reminder” of the threat posed by insider actors.

“Our special agents and FBI partners worked relentlessly to investigate and apprehend this individual,” Cox said. “We urge all Soldiers to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity, as the safety of our Army and nation depends on our collective efforts.”

The arrest highlights growing concerns over homegrown violent extremism and radicalization within U.S. institutions, particularly in the wake of ISIS propaganda targeting disaffected youth and military veterans.

Said remains in federal custody and is awaiting arraignment. If convicted, he could face decades behind bars.

the-sun.com

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