KHARTOUM (Reuters) -Residents of Sudan's capital reported air strikes overnight and sporadic gun battles on Tuesday amid what they said

The Los Angeles County sheriff says video footage of a deputy violently throwing a woman to the ground while she filmed a man being handcuffed in a grocery store parking lot is “disturbing."

Florida education officials on Wednesday unanimously approved harsher penalties against state college employees who violate a new law barring them and students from using restrooms or changing facilities for a gender other than the one assigned at birth.

Ohio voters have approved a ballot proposal legalizing recreational marijuana

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell has repeatedly said he is “fine” since he froze up midsentence during a press conference on Wednesday

According to the prosecution, Bradford is accused of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and having weapons in his possession while a felon

A 19-year-old Michigan man accused of threatening a mass attack on a synagogue will make his second appearance in court this week after the FBI arrested him on Friday and discovered a cache of weapons at his home. Seann Patrick Pietila, of Pickford on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, was charged with one count of interstate communication of threats after posting antisemitic content on social media, prosecutors said. He appeared in court on Friday and a detention hearing is scheduled for Thursday. According to prosecutors, Mr Pietila seemed inspired by mass shootings that included the 15 March 2019 mosque attacks in Christchurch, New Zealand which left 51 dead and 40 injured, The Detroit News reported. Court documents outlined how authorities found makeshift plans for Mr Pietila’s own event on the tragedy’s five year anniversary – 15 March 2024 – possibly targeting the Shaarey Zedek congregation in East Lansing, according to the AP. “The investigation began with a tip earlier this week that someone was making threats on Instagram to commit a mass killing, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court,” the AP reported. Officials said that a note was found in Pietila’s phone mentioning Shaarey Zedek and the date of 15 March 2024, the Lansing State Journal reported. The note continued: “Me and Limey, Equipment: hand-made pipe bombs, molotovs, Two Stag-15s, 12 guage shotgun and two back up Glock 18s AND a Akm full auto conversion,” the paper reported. On the same day the teenager was arrested, another man was found guilty by a federal jury of attacking.a synagogue 350 miles away in Pittsburgh in 2018. Robert Bowers was found guilty on all 63 counts he faced, which included hate crimes resulting in death and the obstruction of the free exercise of religion resulting in death. The ruling came more than four years after he killed 11 people during the Tree of Life synagogue attack. On 18 October 2018, Bowers walked into the synagogue with an AR-15 and other guns and began firing at the congregants. The attack would become the worst anti-Semitic attack in US history. In addition to the 11 people he killed, Bowers injured seven people, including five police officers who engaged him in a shootout. In Michigan, Rabbi Amy Bigman of Shaarey Zedek told The Detroit News the synagogue had notified its congregation of 220 families after learning on Friday afternoon about the Pietila investigation from FBI agents, and that an arrest had been made and that person had been charged, the AP reported. “We wanted our congregation to know that federal, state and local authorities are aware of the situation that didn’t happen because our law enforcement was on top of things, which we are thankful for,” Bigman said. If convicted, Mr Pietila faces up to five years in federal prison. The Independent has reached out to his lawyer. US Attorney Mark Totten said on Friday that Mr Pietila was “alleged to have communicated with others on social media and “evinced a neo-Nazi ideology, antisemitism, glorification of past mass shooters, and a desire and intent to mimic past mass shooters or mass casualty events,” according to the State Journal. Mr Totten said he was “incredibly grateful to the FBI for their swift action to identify and arrest Pietila,” the AP reported. “Antisemitic threats and violence against our Jewish communities — or any other group for that matter — will not be tolerated in the Western District of Michigan,” he said. “Today and every day, we take all credible threats seriously.” Read More Synagogue shooter found guilty in deadliest attack on Jewish community in US history Synagogue massacre survivor cried 'Mommy' as her 97-year-old mother was shot and killed by her side Rabbi recounts fear and heroism during deadliest antisemitic attack in US history US weighs in on Roger Waters antisemitism debate, says artist has long history of denigrating Jews Kanye West sparks controversy after serving sushi on nude women during 46th birthday party

Former Vice President Mike Pence will officially launch his long-expected campaign for the Republican nomination for president in Iowa next week

“Cult mom” Lori Vallow was confronted by her victims’ sobbing family members at her sentencing hearing where they branded her a “monster” and described her 1,841-day “cruel campaign of terror”. The 50-year-old convicted killer appeared in Fremont County Courthouse in Idaho on Monday morning to be sentenced for the murders of her two youngest children Tylee Ryan, 16, and Joshua “JJ” Vallow, 7, and conspiracy to murder her new husband Chad Daybell’s first wife Tammy Daybell. Sitting slouched cross-legged at the defence table, Vallow kept her head down and refused to look her victims’ devastated family members in the eyes as they gave heartwrenching impact statements to the court. JJ’s grandmother Kay Woodcock broke down in tears as she told Vallow she will “never understand” how she – who once appeared to be a loving mother – could have murdered the son she “chose” to adopt. “The deplorable woman that chose to be his mother, the woman who five years earlier made the conscious decision to stand in front of a judge and swore to provide for, care, love and protect him,” she sobbed. “Lori always showed her deepest appreciation that we gave her the greatest gift ever, being JJ,” she said. “That same mother murdered [her son]... and I will never understand it.” Ms Woodcock is JJ’s biological grandmother and the sister of Vallow’s fourth husband Charles Vallow. She told the court how when JJ was born, he spent time in the NICU and was born with drugs in his system because his parents struggled with substance abuse. She described her joy as she and her husband Larry Woodcock took in JJ as their own son. They “loved every minute of raising him”, she said, describing it “as priceless”. But, around a year later, Vallow and Charles Vallow adopted the little boy. Sobbing, Ms Woodcock said that they all believed that would be best for JJ – who had autism – so he could grow up with younger, more energetic parents who had greater access to the resources he needed. Describing Vallow as a caring mother to JJ, Ms Woodcock said it was even more “mind-blowing” that the woman who “chose to be his mother” could a few years later be the same person to murder him. “I knew it was the best thing for him. I knew she [Lori] would always be 1000 percent involved in his care... that is part of why this is so hard – how could someone [do this]... it’s mind-blowing and I will never understand it,” she said. Ms Woodcock went on to speak of 16-year-old Tylee and how close the teenager was to her younger brother. “It warmed our hearts seeing her and JJ together,” she said. “The love they had for each other is evident in the last photo they have with each other,” she added, referring to the final photo of Tylee alive – an image of her taken on a trip to Yellowstone National Park with Cox, Vallow and JJ. Ms Woodcock began her statement by reeling off a list of numbers and said they are “more than numbers”. “Today marks 1,481 days that have been filled with terror,” she said. “One was the day that my brother was murdered.” In August 2019, Charles Vallow was shot dead by Vallow’s brother Alex Cox at her home in Arizona. Vallow is currently awaiting trial on charges of conspiracy to murder for Charles’ killing. “This was the beginning of her cruel campaign of terror,” said Ms Woodcock. Ms Woodcock said that Vallow’s killing spree “all began with greed” for a $1m life insurance policy in the event of Charles Vallow’s death. She said she would have given her the money if she could only have just let JJ and Tylee live. “I would have given her the money. She could have let JJ and Tylee live and have $1m,” she said. “She could have been free to be Chad’s mistress and foot the bill with money from spilled blood. JJ and Tylee could have lived with us and had wonderful lives.” Following Charles Vallow’s murder, she said that she was fearful for JJ’s safety but that – legally – she had no rights to step in and take him into her care. When JJ and Tylee then went missing, she described “319 days” of “pure hell” where she feared the worst – only for it to be realised when their remains were found in Mr Daybell’s yard. “Nothing can describe the pure hell of not knowing where the children were,” she said. “319 days from the last day we were allowed to be able to Facetime with JJ and the day we knew the children had been found, in Chad Daybell’s backyard, buried like animals.” Vallow’s only surviving child Colby Ryan said in a statement read by prosecutors how he had lost so much as a result of his mother’s actions. “I’ve watched everything crumble and shredded to pieces,” he said, speaking about all the things that Tylee and JJ will now never experience after their lives were cut short. Tammy’s sister Samantha Gwilliam also took the stand to deliver an emotional victim impact statement where she dismissed Vallow’s doomsday cult beliefs that she and Mr Daybell are “exalted” beings and that their victims were “zombies” or “dark spirits”. “You are a liar, an adultress and a murderer,” she told her. “I am not a dark person or a zombie. For me and my family to be presented that way is unacceptable,” she said. “Everyone knows what liars you are. They now know what horrible things you have done. “You are not an exalted being. There is no huge event that is going to save you. No angels are coming to rescue you.” Instead, she said that Vallow will now spend her life behind bars. Ms Gwilliam also read out a statement from her father Ronald Douglas who spoke of “the eternal ramifications” of Vallow’s actions on their family. As well as taking away Tammy, Vallow’s actions had also torn apart the family that they still have left. Following Tammy’s murder and the chilling revelations that came out over the past three years, Tammy’s mother’s health deteriorated significantly and she passed away. Beyond that, Mr Douglas said that the family had also lost their relationship with Tammy and Mr Daybell’s five children – who he said have believed their father’s lies. In her victim impact statement, Tammy’s aunt Vicki Hoban slammed Vallow’s “shameful” conduct during the murder trial, calling her out for “smirking, smiling, giggling, talking” – something that was “extremely disrespectful to watch”. She said it was time for Tammy’s story, and not Vallow’s. “Tammy was beloved. There will be a huge void in our life. This is Tammy’s story. She was a mom, a grandma, a niece, a friend, a librarian,” she said. “More than a librarian, she was a teacher. Her last days went to preparing a bookfair for underserved children.” The night she was killed, she said she imagines Tammy went to bed with “no idea what the plan was for that night”. “Unbeknownst to her, Lori had already killed two of her children. Tammy was already on her list of obstacles,” she said. “Instead ofa good night’s sleep, Tammy was brutally executed in her own bed. She was taken from us by murdering thieves.” Vallow is facing a maximum sentence of life in prison after the death penalty was taken off the table ahead of trial. Vallow was found guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and grand theft over the deaths of her daughter Tylee Ryan, 16, and son Joshua “JJ” Vallow, 7, back in May. She was also found guilty of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder in the death of Mr Daybell’s first wife Tammy, 49. Judge Steven Boyce ruled last month that only victims’ immediate family members would be permitted to speak at the sentencing hearing, ruling out some loved ones who hoped to have their say in court. Vallow will also have the opportunity to speak before the court – something she declined to do at her trial. Judge Boyce said that a pre-sentence assessment was carried out, producing a 430-page report to inform his sentencing decision. However, he said that Vallow refused to participate in the assessment. Her sentencing comes almost three years after JJ and Tylee vanished without a trace in September 2019 – sparking fears for their safety from desperate family members all the while Vallow refused to say where they were. One month later, Tammy – an otherwise healthy 49-year-old – also died suddenly. Her death was initially ruled natural causes. This bizarre spate of disappearances and death came just months after Vallow’s fourth husband Charles Vallow was shot dead by Vallow’s brother Alex Cox in Arizona in July 2019. With Vallow’s children and both of their spouses then out of the way, she and Mr Daybell embarked on a new life together – flying to Hawaii to get married in a fairytale wedding on the beach. But, with months passing since the last signs of life of Vallow’s children, concerns continued to grow, prompting authorities to exhume Tammy’s body. A subsequent autopsy revealed that she had died by asphyxiation. In June 2020 – nine months after they were last seen alive – Tylee and JJ’s remains were found buried on the grounds of Mr Daybell’s property in Rexburg, Idaho. JJ, who had autism, had been smothered with a plastic bag taped over his face, his little body still dressed in a pair of red pyjamas. Tylee’s cause of death meanwhile has been impossible to establish as the teenager’s dismembered, charred bones and body parts were found scattered in the ground on Mr Daybell’s pet cemetery. Jurors in Ada County Court in Boise, Idaho, took almost seven hours to find Vallow guilty on all charges over the three murders after a grueling six-week trial where the panel heard harrowing details about the doomsday cult mom’s path of deadly destruction and were shown graphic images of the murdered children’s remains. The state called over 60 witnesses to lay out its case that Vallow was motivated by both her cult beliefs but also lust for Mr Daybell and financial greed when she conspired with him and her brother Cox to kill the three victims. In a bombshell move, Vallow’s attorneys declined to present any defence case or call any witnesses and the “cult mom” chose not to take the stand to give her side of the story. Vallow’s legal troubles and the chilling case are far from over. Following her sentencing, she is expected to be extradited to Arizona where she is awaiting trial on charges of conspiracy to murder her fourth husband Charles Vallow and the attempted murder of her niece’s husband Brandon Boudreaux. Meanwhile, Mr Daybell is still awaiting trial for the murders of JJ, Tylee and Tammy – with a scheduled trial start date set for 1 April 2024. But, the third person accused of being a co-conspirator in the case won’t ever have his day in court. On 11 December 2019 – hours after Tammy’s body was exhumed – Cox died suddenly at the age of 51. His death was ruled natural causes, with indications of a blood clot wedged in the arteries of his lungs. However the overdose drug Narcan was also found in his system. Read More Lori Vallow sentencing – live: ‘Cult mom’ faces life in prison for murders of children and Chad Daybell’s wife Did a doomsday cult really drive Lori Vallow to murder her children? A doomsday cult, murders and children buried in a pet cemetery: The twisted case of Lori Vallow

The effects of fentanyl are considered the cause of death for Adam Rich, the child actor known as “America’s little brother” for his role on the hit family dramedy “Eight is Enough.”

The US government is on the hook to investors for more than $25 trillion as it ramps up

By Rich McKay Disbarred South Carolina lawyer Richard "Alex" Murdaugh, already convicted of murdering his wife and son,