Inside high-stakes prisoner swap that freed 10 Americans
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NBC News
6 hours ago
- NBC News
Sectarian violence erupts in Syria despite U.S.-backed ceasefire
A U.S.-backed ceasefire appeared to be holding in Syria on Sunday, after deadly violence rocked the region, when hundreds of people were killed in the city of Suwayda. The violence marks the biggest challenge yet to the new government in Damascus that toppled Bashar al-Assad in December. NBC News' Molly Hunter reports.
NBC News
7 hours ago
- NBC News
MAGA bots split over Jeffrey Epstein, and a driver is shot after intentionally plowing into a crowd: Weekend Rundown
A previously unreported network of hundreds of X accounts is using artificial intelligence to automatically reply to conservatives with positive messages about Trump administration officials, researchers say. But with the MAGA movement split over the administration's handling of files involving deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the accounts' messaging has broken, offering contradictory statements on the issue and revealing the AI-fueled nature of the accounts. The network, tracked for NBC News by both the social media analytics company Alethea and researchers at Clemson University, consists of more than 400 identified bot accounts, though the number could be far larger, the researchers say. Its accounts offer consistent praise for key Trump figures, particularly support for Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. As often is the case with bot accounts, those viewed by NBC News tended to have only a few dozen followers, and their posts rarely get many views. But a large audience does not appear to be the point. Their effectiveness, if they have any, is in the hope that they contribute to a partisan echo chamber, and that en masse they can 'massage perceptions,' said Darren Linvill, the director of Clemson University's Media Forensics Hub, which studies online disinformation campaigns. 'They're not really there to get engagement. They're there to just be occasionally seen in those replies,' Linvill told NBC News. What comes next in the Epstein saga: The Justice Department said unsealing grand jury transcripts related to Epstein's case is necessary given 'longstanding and legitimate' public interest in the case, but the move could create legal and ethical challenges. Politics in brief Across the aisle: The last vestige of the decades-old bipartisan funding process is at risk of dying, as the Republican-led Congress shifts to a partisan approach and party-line votes. What happens in Vegas? When it comes to President Donald Trump's 'big, beautiful bill,' few places could be impacted more significantly than Nevada — one of the country's most closely divided swing states. Rebrand demand: The president wants Washington's football franchise and Cleveland's baseball team to revert to their former names, both of which were changed amid national discussions about institutions and teams dropping logos and names considered racist. Driver shot after he police say he intentionally plowed into crowd outside L.A. nightclub A man was dragged from his car by enraged bystanders and shot after he plowed a vehicle into a crowd outside a nightclub in Los Angeles, leaving seven people critically injured and at least 23 others hurt, police say. Videos showed the moments after the car rammed into the busy street early Saturday morning. Multiple people could be seen bloodied and on the ground, some screaming. Others could be seen running away from the scene. A woman who had blood running down one of her legs said she couldn't feel either of them. The incident appears to have been intentional, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Two law enforcement sources familiar with the situation said the suspect was kicked out of the venue for being intoxicated and disruptive. Police said they arrested the driver, Fernando Ramirez, 29, who was charged with assault with a deadly weapon. He is currently hospitalized and has not been booked into jail, the LAPD said. Forget twisters. These storm chasers are after a sneakier hazard: Hail. A team of about 70 researchers, armed with high-tech sensors and specially outfitted vehicles, set out across the nation this spring and summer to chase dozens of thunderstorms, hoping to unravel the remaining mysteries of how hail forms, whether hail storms are getting bigger in a warming climate and how to prevent damage. The federally funded project, known as ICECHIP, is the first comprehensive field study of hail in four decades. It's meant to fill in critical gaps in hail forecasting capabilities: connecting a storm's complex, internal dynamics to the amount and the size of hail it will produce. That data could help modelers develop better predictors of storm damage, as well as aid in developing building materials, like roofing, that can stand up to hailstones. Caffeine pouches take off among teens The use of caffeine pouches among teens is still relatively rare, but some experts and educators have concerns that that could soon change as teen-friendly marketing spreads on social media, with some explicitly promoting the product to students. The pillow-shaped pouches, which can contain more than 200 milligrams of caffeine, are placed between the lip and gums to quickly deliver a hands-free hit of caffeine. Caffeine pouch startup Wip and its competitors are pitching them as a convenient, portable and affordable alternative to caffeinated drinks. Rob van Dam, a professor of exercise and nutrition sciences at George Washington University's Milken Institute School of Public Health, voiced concerns about the potency of some pouches on the market, particularly for consumers who are not used to them. 'It may be a bit different than coffee,' he said. 'It may hit faster, and you may overdose, in a way, more quickly.' Scottie Scheffler wins the Open to move one step closer to a Grand Slam Scottie Scheffler won his first British Open title, now giving him three of golf's four majors. Scheffler, who closed with a 3-under 68 for a four-shot victory, already won the PGA Championship by five shots this year. He won the Masters last year by four shots and the Masters in 2022 by three shots. This is the second straight year a player has won two majors, after Xander Schauffele won the PGA Championship and British Open last year. 'I don't think we thought the golfing world would see someone as dominant as Tiger come through so soon, and here's Scottie sort of taking that throne of dominance,' said Schauffele, who tied for seventh. Notable quote The children have always held me together. They're still holding me together. A loose network of first responders, volunteers and good Samaritans have fanned out across Kerr County to help reunite Texans with the cherished belongings, family heirlooms and everyday household knickknacks that were swept away when floods ripped through the region over Fourth of July weekend, killing more than 130 people. In case you missed it Data company Astronomer said its CEO has resigned, days after a 'kiss cam' at a Coldplay concert in Massachusetts showed a man and a woman embracing each other before running off and becoming one of the most viral moments of the year. Pope Leo XIV spoke of his 'deep sorrow' and called for an end to the 'barbarity of war' in the wake of the shelling of the Holy Family Church, the only Catholic church in Gaza. The nation's largest wildfire this year has burned over 95,740 acres, fire officials in central Oregon said, as ground crews made progress to partially contain a blaze that could still intensify to become a so-called megafire. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv has sent Moscow an offer to hold another round of peace talks, and that he wanted to speed up negotiations for a ceasefire. A boat carrying tourists capsized during a sudden thunderstorm in Vietnam during a sightseeing excursion, killing 37 people, state media reported. The players warmed up for Saturday night's WNBA All-Star Game in shirts that read 'Pay us what you owe us,' a demonstration that comes after the players and the league failed to reach a new collective bargaining agreement. Katy Perry nearly fell on top of audience members while performing midair at a concert in San Francisco, after a fake giant butterfly she was riding above the crowd
The Sun
9 hours ago
- The Sun
I'll send depraved monsters like Ian Huntley to hellhole jails in El Salvador if Reform is elected, reveals Nigel Farage
TWISTED criminals like child-killer Ian Huntley would be sent to jails in El Salvador to serve their sentences under a Reform UK government. Party leader Nigel Farage is today set to unveil plans to rent prison space overseas — including in Central America — to cage Britain's most depraved murderers and paedophiles. 3 3 The proposed scheme would see more than 10,000 serious offenders locked up in 'partner' nations — with a Reform source yesterday confirming: 'We would consider multiple partners including El Salvador.' And Mr Farage told The Sun: 'For too long, Labour and the Tories have sent the message that crime in Britain carries little to no consequence. Reform will change that. "If you're a criminal, we are putting you on notice. In 2029 you have a choice to make: be a law-abiding citizen or face serious justice.' In Westminster, Mr Farage will outline proposals to lease overseas cells, providing a cost-effective solution at a time when our jails are nearing breaking point. The plan would make use of so-called dynamic prisons — which focus on adapting traditional options to become more flexible in their location and management. According to Ministry of Justice data, the average annual cost of housing a prisoner in England and Wales was £51,724 as of April 2024. Last month, the prison population rose to a staggering 87,334 — just 2,239 short of full capacity. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood faced criticism earlier this month over recommendations that could allow thugs, thieves, and drug-dealers to avoid crown court. Offenders may dodge a criminal record and instead be sentenced to do unpaid work or get rehabilitation, it is proposed. Sentences could also be slashed by 40 per cent — up from a third now — for early guilty pleas. Moment deported Tren de Aragua gang inmates scream and rattle cells at US officials in notorious El Salvador mega-prison That's in addition to thousands of early prisoner releases both last year and this to try to stop a meltdown in the prison system. Reform MP Sarah Pochin, a former magistrate, told The Sun yesterday: 'The cost to the British taxpayer of prison places is currently estimated at over £50,000 per year and rising. 'By sending our most serious offenders to overseas jails, we greatly reduce this cost and at the same time they experience a tougher prison environment and lose privileges such as family visits which quite frankly they don't deserve.' Supporters say the move would curb the ability of sick monsters — including Soham double child-killer Huntley — to torment the families of their victims from behind bars. Last week, The Sun revealed Huntley had sparked outrage by donning a Manchester United-style No10 shirt — a chilling and offensive reference to ones worn by ten-year-olds Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman on the day he murdered them in 2002. Now 51, Huntley is serving a life sentence at HMP Frankland, Co Durham, where a source said: 'He's been seen strutting about in the shirt as if it's funny. It is vile.' We told yesterday how jail bosses had now confiscated the shirt. Sending lags abroad to complete their time behind bars is catching on in Scandinavia. Denmark has signed a ten-year deal with Kosovo to lease 300 cells in a refurbished prison near the city of Gjilan. The agreement is worth around £13million per year, with an extra £4.3million in one-off refurbishment costs, totalling approximately £173million over the decade. The initiative is aimed at easing overcrowding in Danish jails, which have operated at capacity for years. Under the plan, only foreign nationals set to be deported post-sentence will be relocated to Kosovo. For too long, Labour and the Tories have sent the message that crime in Britain carries little to no consequence. Reform will change that Nigel Farage But Reform insists that its blueprint will include Britain's most dangerous criminals. Deport offenders The party has already vowed to deport all international offenders. Denmark says its programme is both economical and effective, helping to address staff shortages and easing the strain on local prisons. Supporters say it also sends a firm message to foreign offenders: commit a crime here, and you won't be in for an easy ride. Elsewhere in Europe, Belgium is eyeing a similar deal with Kosovo, while the Netherlands plans to send up to 500 foreign inmates to Estonia from next year. Sweden is studying the legal feasibility of exporting both Swedish and foreign prisoners, and Austria has also expressed interest in following Denmark's lead. And in March, President Donald Trump deported more than 200 Venezuelans held in the US to a mega-prison in El Salvador. But Labour has blasted Mr Farage's overseas prison places plan as 'pie in the sky'. A Government source told The Sun: 'This is more fantasy thinking from Farage, who has once again dreamed up a policy that just doesn't add up. 'While he peddles pie in the sky schemes, this Government is building prisons right here in Britain with 2,400 new cells opened as part of the biggest jail expansion in over a century.'
