A woman stripped naked and attacked multiple people at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport earlier this month, leading to her arrest and placement on a mental health hold, authorities confirmed.
Police identified the suspect as Samantha Palma, who allegedly suffered a manic episode and stabbed at least two people with a pencil while also biting a restaurant manager attempting to restrain her.
According to the incident report, Palma used the manager’s own pencil to stab him in the head and face, causing puncture wounds. She also bit his right forearm, breaking the skin and causing immediate bruising.
Police found Palma behind an emergency exit door near Gate D1 of Terminal D with blood on and around her. Witnesses reported she had stabbed someone, and medics later confirmed the blood on her was not her own.
The incident occurred on March 14, though footage of the attack has since circulated on social media, gaining widespread attention.
When officers restrained Palma, she made incoherent statements, claiming she wanted to be with the flowers and was in a forest. She also referred to herself as various Disney princesses, including Ariel and Pocahontas, and at one point called herself Venus.
Authorities stated that Palma admitted to not taking her prescribed medication, though the specific type was redacted from the report.
Investigators later learned Palma had been traveling with her 8-year-old daughter at the time of the incident. She allegedly told officers they arrived at the airport using a car she had manifested.
Despite her erratic behavior, Palma stated she had no intention of harming herself or others, but said she was trying to make herself better and sometimes that hurts.
Along with being placed on a mental health hold, Palma faces charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
KHARTOUM, Sudan — Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan declared, “Khartoum is free” on Wednesday after military forces reclaimed control of the capital’s airport from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Speaking from the presidential palace, which government troops seized on Friday, al-Burhan marked his first return to the site in nearly two years. The military’s recent advances represent a significant shift in the two-year-long conflict between the SAF and RSF.
Earlier on Wednesday, SAF soldiers surrounded key areas near Khartoum airport, forcing RSF fighters to retreat across a bridge. According to military sources, troops also encircled the Jebel Awliya area, south of central Khartoum—the last major RSF stronghold.
“The army secured both sides of the Manshiya Bridge, which crosses the Blue Nile River, leaving the Jebel Awliya Bridge as the only remaining RSF-controlled crossing out of the area,” a military official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
Since April 2023, Sudan’s military has been engaged in a war against the RSF, launching a campaign this week to drive paramilitary forces from central Khartoum.
RSF fighters had occupied Khartoum airport since the conflict began. Witnesses reported that RSF units have been retreating southward toward Jebel Awliya, using bridges to withdraw from the capital to neighboring Omdurman.
Military analysts suggest that while the SAF’s control of Khartoum marks a turning point, the broader conflict is far from over.
“The war is shifting to the western Darfur region and southwest Sudan,” said Al Jazeera’s Hiba Morgan, reporting from Khartoum. “The RSF’s power has been greatly reduced, but the paramilitary group still has forces in other regions.”
Despite the army’s gains, experts caution that the RSF’s retreat does not signify an end to the war.
“The RSF is repositioning itself in West Sudan, particularly in Darfur, where it still controls significant territory,” said Amgad Fareid Eltayeb of Fikra for Studies and Development in Cairo. “The conflict persists, especially with ongoing foreign support, notably from the UAE.”
Elbashir Idris, an independent Sudanese analyst, noted the rapid collapse of RSF forces in Khartoum.
“Videos from residents and former prisoners show people celebrating in the streets after RSF forces withdrew,” he said. “This victory is welcomed by Sudanese who lost their homes in the conflict.”
The war, now nearing its two-year mark, has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced over 12 million people, creating one of the world’s largest hunger and displacement crises.
VILNIUS, Lithuania – Four U.S. soldiers are missing and feared dead after their tracked recovery vehicle vanished during a NATO training exercise near Lithuania’s border with Belarus.
Local media outlets, including TV3.lt and lrytas.lt, reported that the soldiers were found dead in a swamp along with their vehicle. However, Lithuanian and U.S. military officials have yet to confirm their deaths or the exact circumstances of their disappearance.
The Lithuanian Armed Forces reported the soldiers missing on Wednesday afternoon. Helicopters from the Air Force and the State Border Guard Service were deployed to assist in the search effort.
“A possible location of the incident has been identified, and a search and rescue operation is underway,” said Lithuanian military spokesperson Major Gintautas Ciunis.
The U.S. Embassy in Lithuania confirmed the disappearance in a statement on social media, stating that the soldiers—members of the 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division—were engaged in scheduled tactical training at the time of the incident.
It remains unclear when exactly they went missing.
Giedrimas Jeglinskas, chairman of Lithuania’s National Security and Defense Committee, acknowledged the risks of military exercises but emphasized the value of U.S. troops stationed in the region.
“We truly appreciate and are grateful for the U.S. presence here,” Jeglinskas said. “Such events do occur during large-scale joint military exercises, not only among the Americans but also in other armies. The aim is to reduce the likelihood of such incidents, but they are not impossible.”
Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda and Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas confirmed they were receiving updates on the search operation.
The missing soldiers were believed to be inside an M88 Hercules armored recovery vehicle, a heavily armored machine based on the Abrams tank. Weighing up to 63 tons, the vehicle is used for battlefield recovery operations and has also been deployed in Ukraine.
Lithuania, a key NATO member, hosts more than 1,000 American troops on a rotational basis due to its strategic location bordering Russia and Belarus, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Tensions in the region have remained high, particularly following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Wednesday in favor of federal regulations on self-assemble firearm kits, known as “ghost guns,” in a 7-2 decision authored by Justice Neil Gorsuch. The ruling affirms the authority of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to regulate kits that can be easily assembled into untraceable firearms.
Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented.
“The Gun Control Act embraces, and thus permits ATF to regulate, some weapon parts kits and unfinished frames or receivers,” Gorsuch wrote in the majority opinion.
In 2022, the Biden administration implemented a rule requiring ghost gun kits to undergo the same regulatory checks as traditional firearms. This included background checks, age verification, and serialization requirements.
Gun manufacturers and individual firearm owners challenged the rule, arguing that the 1968 Gun Control Act did not apply to weapon parts kits and that the new regulations constituted government overreach.
However, Gorsuch defended the regulation by pointing to the text of the law.
“The [Gun Control Act] authorizes ATF to regulate ‘any weapon (including a starter gun) which will or is designed to or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive,'” Gorsuch wrote.
Comparing self-assembly gun kits to starter guns, he added, “A person without any specialized knowledge can convert a starter gun into a working firearm using everyday tools in less than an hour. And measured against that yardstick, the ‘Buy Build Shoot’ kit can be ‘readily converted’ into a firearm too.”
Justice Thomas, in his dissenting opinion, argued that the ruling misinterprets the law.
“The statutory terms ‘frame’ and ‘receiver’ do not cover the unfinished frames and receivers contained in weapon-parts kits, and weapon-parts kits themselves do not meet the statutory definition of ‘firearm,'” Thomas wrote. “That should end the case. The majority instead blesses the Government’s overreach.”
The ruling marks a victory for gun control advocates as ghost gun recoveries at crime scenes have surged. According to the Justice Department, nearly 19,000 untraceable firearms were recovered in 2021 alone, reflecting a sharp increase in their use.
John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety, praised the decision.
“This Supreme Court decision is great news for everyone but the criminals who have adopted untraceable ghost guns as their weapons of choice,” Feinblatt said. “Ghost guns look like regular guns, shoot like regular guns, and kill like regular guns—so it’s only logical that the Supreme Court just affirmed they can also be regulated like regular guns.”
The court’s opinion acknowledges the challenges ghost guns pose for law enforcement.
“Efforts to trace the ownership of these weapons, the government represents, have proven almost entirely futile,” Gorsuch wrote.
WASHINGTON – The Atlantic on Wednesday released the full Signal chat among senior national security officials, revealing that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared precise details of U.S. airstrikes against Yemen’s Houthis before the attacks occurred. The chat logs show that Hegseth disclosed the exact timings of warplane launches and when bombs would be dropped, all before pilots were airborne.
The revelation comes as intelligence and defense officials struggle to explain how sensitive details—information current and former U.S. officials say would typically be classified—ended up in an unclassified Signal chat that included Atlantic Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg. The White House maintains that no classified information was shared.
The chat notably excluded the acting chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Christopher Grady, the only military representative on the principals committee. Grady is serving in the role after President Donald Trump fired former chairman Gen. CQ Brown Jr. in February.
National Security Adviser Mike Waltz had the authority to decide whether the Joint Chiefs chairman should be included in the discussion, according to a Jan. 20 White House memo. The Pentagon declined to comment, and it remains unclear why the president’s top military adviser was not involved in a discussion on military strikes.
Hegseth, currently traveling in the Indo-Pacific, has refused to confirm whether he posted classified information. When questioned, he dismissed concerns, stating he did not reveal “war plans.” Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and CIA Director John Ratcliffe told the Senate Intelligence Committee that it was Hegseth’s decision to determine whether the information he posted was classified.
The leaked messages contained highly specific operational details, including the timeline of airstrikes and the exact moments bombs would be dropped.
Hegseth’s messages included:
“1215 ET: F-18s LAUNCH (1st strike package)”
“1345: ‘Trigger Based’ F-18 1st Strike Window Starts (Target Terrorist is @ his Known Location so SHOULD BE ON TIME – also, Strike Drones Launch (MQ-9s)”
“1410: More F-18s LAUNCH (2nd strike package)”
“1415: Strike Drones on Target (THIS IS WHEN THE FIRST BOMBS WILL DEFINITELY DROP, pending earlier ‘Trigger Based’ targets)”
Goldberg stated that The Atlantic consulted the White House before publishing the chat logs and was told the administration would prefer the details remain unpublished.
Signal, an encrypted messaging app, is not approved for handling classified information and is vulnerable to cyberattacks. A U.S. official, speaking anonymously, said the Defense Department had warned personnel on March 14 that Russia was attempting to hack Signal. A known vulnerability allows hackers with access to a phone to remotely monitor messages in real time.
The controversy unfolds as White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt faces legal action from The Associated Press, which alleges the administration is retaliating against the news agency over editorial decisions. The White House insists the AP is not adhering to an executive order requiring references to the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America.”
LAS VEGAS – The son of a California woman has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Trump International Hotels, alleging negligence after his mother was fatally injured by a revolving door at Trump Hotel Las Vegas.
The lawsuit, filed in Clark County, Nevada, on March 18, claims Diana Truschke, 78, of the San Francisco Bay Area, was struck from behind by a revolving door that suddenly accelerated as she exited the hotel. The impact allegedly “violently” ejected her, causing her to fall and sustain severe injuries.
According to the lawsuit, Truschke required extensive medical treatment before succumbing to complications from her injuries on Oct. 14, 2024. The complaint asserts that the hotel’s revolving door was in a hazardous condition, not in compliance with safety regulations, and that the hotel failed to address the issue despite being aware it was malfunctioning.
The case was first reported by the *Las Vegas Review-Journal*.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Truschke’s estate and its administrator, her son and sole heir, John Truschke. It seeks damages for medical and funeral expenses, as well as compensation for pain and suffering.
Trump Hotel Las Vegas, a 64-story high-rise on the north end of the Las Vegas Strip, opened in 2008 as a luxury lodging and condominium property. The Trump Organization, which oversees Trump Hotels, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Truschke was a longtime real estate agent in San Mateo County, California.
WASHINGTON – The Trump administration has temporarily paused the finalization of certain green card applications to conduct additional national security screenings, in compliance with an executive order signed by President Donald Trump.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has suspended the processing of some legal permanent residency applications. The action follows Trump’s executive order, “Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats,” signed on Jan. 20, which directs agencies to enhance screening procedures for immigrants, particularly those from regions identified as security risks.
CBS News reported that USCIS has instructed staff to implement additional vetting measures for refugees and asylum seekers applying for green cards. A DHS spokesperson confirmed the agency is “placing a temporary pause on finalizing certain adjustment of status applications pending the completion of additional screening and vetting.” The statement did not specify which applications are affected, the expected duration of the pause, or potential operational impacts on USCIS.
For refugees and asylum seekers, the measure introduces additional scrutiny beyond the extensive vetting process they already undergo before entering the U.S. Laura Collins, director of the Bush Institute-SMU Economic Growth Initiative, emphasized that individuals granted asylum or refugee status have already passed rigorous security screenings.
“There’s a certain amount of documentation you have to provide as a refugee as well as an asylee,” Collins said. “All of these people who are approved for resettlement or to remain in the United States, that’s because the United States government already approved them to be here.”
Refugees and asylum recipients are required to wait at least one year before applying for a green card. Collins noted that it remains unclear how long the additional vetting will take and what impact it may have on processing times.
During Trump’s previous term, USCIS was directed to scrutinize every application meticulously, which slowed processing times and disrupted agency operations. The increased scrutiny also contributed to financial strains, as USCIS is primarily funded through application fees.
“In slowing down those applications, because USCIS is fee-funded, if you’re not processing as many applications, you are not taking in as much money, which means you don’t have the capacity to maintain all the contractors and other staff you have, so you start to shrink the agency,” Collins said.
According to the Migration Policy Institute, federal spending on vetting increased from $53 million in 2016 to $149 million in 2020. That same year, USCIS faced a $1.2 billion budget shortfall due to declining applications and increased enforcement costs.
USCIS had recently made progress in reducing its backlog, cutting pending petitions by 15% in 2023—the first decline in a decade—and by another 11.2% last year. The pause on processing certain applications comes as the agency works to address its workload and maintain financial stability.
Russia has insisted that some Western sanctions must be lifted before implementing a maritime ceasefire with Ukraine.
Just hours after the United States announced separate agreements between Russia and Ukraine to halt strikes in the Black Sea, the Kremlin stated that the ceasefire would only take effect once sanctions on several Russian banks were removed.
Moscow’s demands include lifting sanctions on the state-owned agricultural lender Rosselkhozbank and restoring access to the Swift international payment system.
Overnight, Russian forces launched a drone attack on the Ukrainian port city of Mykolaiv, an assault President Volodymyr Zelensky described as “a clear signal” that Russia does not seek peace.
Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the European Union and its allies cut off several Russian financial institutions from Swift. The move aimed to disrupt Russia’s ability to process payments for its key energy and agricultural exports.
Reversing that decision would require EU approval, a step that remains uncertain given recent European statements of continued support for Kyiv.
On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump suggested that Russia might be stalling efforts to end the war.
“I think Russia wants to see an end to it, but it could be they’re dragging their feet. I’ve seen it over the years,” Trump said in an interview with Newsmax.
The U.S. announced the maritime ceasefire following three days of peace talks in Saudi Arabia. However, both Ukraine and Russia later issued conflicting statements regarding the specifics of the agreement, including when and how it would take effect.
Zelensky maintained that the agreement does not require sanctions relief and should be implemented immediately. He accused Moscow of attempting to manipulate the terms.
Washington said that all parties would continue working toward a “durable and lasting peace” and that the agreement would help reopen a crucial trade corridor.
Ukraine and Russia also agreed to “develop measures” to enforce an existing ban on targeting each other’s energy infrastructure, according to the White House.
The Black Sea, which borders Ukraine, Russia, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, and Georgia, is a vital shipping route. After Russia withdrew from the Black Sea Grain Initiative in 2023, it warned that any vessel heading toward Ukrainian ports could be considered a military target. The decision severely impacted Ukraine’s grain exports.
Russia and Ukraine have reached separate agreements with the United States to halt naval strikes in the Black Sea following negotiations in Saudi Arabia.
Washington stated that all sides committed to working toward “durable and lasting peace” and that the agreement would restore a key shipping route.
Both nations also pledged to “develop measures” to enforce a prior agreement banning attacks on each other’s energy infrastructure, the White House announced.
However, Russia maintained that the ceasefire would not take effect until sanctions against its food and fertilizer trade were lifted.
U.S. officials met separately with Russian and Ukrainian negotiators in Riyadh, attempting to broker a truce. The delegations from Moscow and Kyiv did not engage directly with each other.
Zelensky described the agreement as a positive step but remained cautious about its effectiveness.
“It is too early to say that it will work, but these were the right meetings, the right decisions, the right steps,” Zelensky said at a press conference in Kyiv.
“No one can accuse Ukraine of not moving towards sustainable peace after this,” he added. His remarks followed earlier accusations from Trump that Kyiv was obstructing a potential peace deal.
Shortly after Washington’s announcement, the Kremlin insisted that the ceasefire would not proceed until sanctions were lifted on Russian banks and agricultural exporters.
Moscow’s demands include reconnecting sanctioned Russian banks to the Swift payment system, removing restrictions on Russian-flagged vessels involved in food trade, and lifting bans on agricultural machinery and other goods tied to food production.
The White House did not specify when the agreement would take effect. Asked about the potential for easing sanctions, Trump said, “We’re thinking about all of them right now. We’re looking at them.”
Washington acknowledged in its statement that the U.S. would “help restore Russia’s access to the world market for agricultural and fertilizer exports.”
Zelensky criticized this as a potential weakening of Ukraine’s position, adding that Kyiv would seek additional sanctions on Russia and greater military support from the U.S. if Moscow failed to honor the agreement.
Later in his nightly address, Zelensky accused the Kremlin of lying about the ceasefire’s dependence on sanctions relief.
Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov stated that “third countries” could oversee parts of the agreement but warned that any movement of Russian warships beyond the eastern Black Sea would be considered a violation and a “threat to Ukraine’s national security.”
“In this case, Ukraine will have full right to exercise its right to self-defense,” Umerov said.
A previous agreement allowing safe passage for commercial vessels in the Black Sea was established in 2022 after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Both nations are major grain exporters, and the war initially caused global food prices to soar. The Black Sea Grain Initiative allowed cargo ships to transport grain, sunflower oil, and essential agricultural products safely.
Originally set for 120 days, the agreement was extended multiple times before Russia withdrew in July 2023, claiming that key terms had not been fulfilled.
After the latest round of negotiations, Ukraine and Russia agreed to “develop measures” to enforce a ban on targeting each other’s energy infrastructure.
Russian missile strikes on Ukraine’s energy grid have triggered widespread blackouts, leaving thousands without power and heat during winter.
Repeated attacks on Ukraine’s nuclear power stations have also raised international alarm, with the United Nations atomic watchdog urging restraint.
An initial agreement to halt strikes on energy sites was reached last week in a call between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, within hours of its announcement, both Moscow and Kyiv accused each other of violating the deal.
On Tuesday, Russia claimed that Ukrainian forces continued to attack its energy infrastructure during the peace talks in Riyadh. The Russian Defense Ministry accused Zelensky of being “incapable of sticking to agreements.”
Meanwhile, Russian forces launched a missile strike on the northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy on Monday, injuring more than 100 people.
Ukrainian officials reported that Russia fired 139 drones and a ballistic missile overnight. Kyiv also claimed that an airstrike on military infrastructure in Kursk killed up to 30 Russian troops.
SAINT-DIZIER, France — Two French Air Force Alpha Jets from the Patrouille de France collided mid-air Tuesday afternoon while rehearsing an aerial stunt near Air Base 113, military officials confirmed.
Dramatic footage captured the aircraft performing synchronized maneuvers and emitting smoke trails before colliding. Both jets plummeted to the ground and were completely destroyed.
All three individuals onboard—two pilots and a passenger—ejected before impact. Emergency responders found them conscious, with two transported to a hospital in “relative emergency” condition. The third, suffering from multiple trauma injuries, is being treated by the Army, according to Le Figaro.
French Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu confirmed the accident in a statement on X, formerly Twitter, stating that emergency services have been mobilized and coordination is underway between the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of the Armed Forces.
One of the jets crashed into a silo at the Calin Concrete Company, igniting a fire. The second aircraft reportedly landed in a canal. Firefighters and police responded to the scene, working to contain the blaze. Authorities confirmed that no civilian casualties have been reported.
Witnesses described a loud explosion that shook nearby buildings. A local resident working at a dealership told Puissance Télévision that debris was seen falling from the sky. One of the pilots landed about 50 meters from the location and was immediately attended to by firefighters.
Authorities activated the Sater Plan, France’s emergency response system for downed military or civilian aircraft. An Air Force helicopter was deployed to search for debris.
Saint-Dizier Mayor Quentin Brière visited the crash site and urged residents to remain calm. He commended the professionalism of the pilots, emphasizing that their actions prevented further risk to civilians.
The French Aerobatic Patrol had scheduled air exercises from Monday to Friday, including a nighttime drill on Tuesday. It remains unclear whether training will continue as planned.
France has been using Alpha Jets to train Ukrainian pilots following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The accident raises concerns about aviation safety amid growing military cooperation.
In August 2024, two French pilots died in a mid-air collision involving Rafale fighter jets, marking another rare but tragic incident in France’s military aviation history.
LONDON – A newborn baby has been tragically discovered dead inside a bag outside a church in Notting Hill, West London, prompting an urgent police search for the infant’s mother amid fears she may need medical attention.
The heartbreaking discovery was made just before 1 p.m. today. Metropolitan Police officers and paramedics responded to the scene, where the baby was confirmed deceased. Authorities are now working to determine the baby’s gender and age while launching an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Superintendent Owen Renowden described the case as “extremely sad and shocking,” emphasizing the urgent need to locate the mother.
“This investigation is in the early stages, and our immediate priority is to find the baby’s mother, who we believe may have very recently given birth,” Renowden stated. “If you are the baby’s mother and are reading this, please come forward to police or medical professionals. You must feel very frightened, but please let us help—you are not alone. We are deeply concerned about your well-being, and it is vitally important that you receive medical care and support. You can walk into any hospital or police station for assistance.”
Residents in the area expressed their grief over the shocking discovery.
One local neighbor told *The Sun*, “It’s tragic—absolutely heartbreaking. The police have been out there all day, and forensics teams have been going in and out. I can’t imagine how it must feel for the person who found the baby.”
A churchgoer at All Saints Church added, “This is deeply sad and tragic. We hear about violent crime in London all too often, but something like this is truly shocking. My thoughts are with the mother—she must be in an unimaginable situation.”
Police are urging anyone with information to come forward. Witnesses or those who may have knowledge of the case are encouraged to contact authorities by calling 101 and quoting reference CAD 3431/25March.
