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Right-wing conservatives push to shut down the last active Jan. 6 prosecution
There's just one active federal prosecution still tied to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, the case of the man accused of planting two pipe bombs at the Republican National Committee and the Democratic National Committee. And some of MAGA's most fervent supporters want to shut it down.Some conservative figures accuse the Trump administration of framing Brian Cole Jr., who was arrested almost five years after the unexploded devices were placed. Cole, as NBC News first reported, told the FBI that he believed the 2020 election had been stolen after false accusations fueled by President Donald Trump and his supporters.Cole has pleaded not guilty, and a trial is set for February. The FBI said he confessed after his arrest, but his legal team has noted that he was diagnosed with autism and is expected to seek to have the confession tossed based on his disability or argue he was coerced.The prosecution has opened a rift between the Trump administration and some prominent right-wing conservatives who are seeking to undermine the case by spreading discredited theories about who was to blame. They contend the bombs were placed by "deep state" actors to distract from the police response and make Jan. 6 seem more violent.Right-wing activists have appeared in court to support Cole, and former Jan. 6 defendants are backing him online.Trump pardoned Jan. 6 defendants as one of his first acts in office, and as a result, the Justice Department shut down ongoing investigations into the rioters who beat and bloodied law enforcement and caused an estimated $2.7 billion in costs.Legally, federal prosecutors pushed forward with the pipe bomb case because the devices were placed the night before the attack and therefore the crime wasn't covered under Trump's mass Jan. 6 pardon. The devices were viable but didn't explode, law enforcement said.Culturally, it's been a right-wing talking point for years. In a 2024 podcast, Dan Bongino said he had "zero doubt" the bombs were an inside job. When Bongino became the FBI's deputy director, he pushed the stalled investigation forward. During the announcement of Cole's arrest, then-Attorney General Pam Bondi credited him with helping crack the case.Bongino, who left the bureau in January, has not directly addressed how — or whether — his opinions on the "inside job" theory have changed. After the December arrest, he told Fox News commentator Sean Hannity in an interview: "I was paid in the past, Sean, for my opinions, that's clear, and one day I will be back in that space — but that's not what I'm paid for now." U.S. & World Capitol Riot Mar 17 Man charged with planting pipe bombs before Jan. 6 riot argues Trump's mass pardons apply to him Crime and Courts Dec 30, 2025 D.C. pipe bomb suspect Brian Cole diagnosed with autism, attorneys say in motion for release Washington DC Dec 28, 2025 D.C. pipe bomb suspect disliked both political parties and felt violence would be justified, prosecutors say Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., publicly posted a photo of officials — including Bondi, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, FBI Director Kash Patel and Bongino — at the news conference announcing Cole's arrest and said they were "complicit" in a conspiracy."The evidence is mounting," Massie said on social media. "All of the people who took credit at the podium upon the arrest of Brian Cole Jr. are complicit, either through negligence or malfeasance. Mr. Cole is not the J5/J6 pipe bomber, and the identity of the actual perpetrator is being obscured. Bookmark it."Before Cole was arrested, the FBI questioned Shauni Kerkhoff, a former Capitol Police officer who was suggested as a possible suspect by reporters for The Blaze, a right-wing website founded by Glenn Beck, based upon a "gait analysis."The story was co-written by former Jan. 6 defendant Steve Baker, who pleaded guilty in November 2024 to four misdemeanors but was never sentenced.Kerkhoff, who had testified in the first Jan. 6 trial, against an armed pro-Trump rioter named Guy Reffitt, was also named in a Blaze story that accused the Capitol Police of using excessive force.Her lawyers say the FBI told her they were investigating "online chatter" — a reference to The Blaze's reporting — and subjected her to "a search of her home by caravan of armed agents, a bomb-disposal truck, and a helicopter, followed by a three-hour polygraph interrogation," before she was eventually cleared.Kerkhoff, who now works campus security for the CIA, is not a suspect and has not been charged with a crime.The Justice Department has said the former Capitol Police officer has "become the target of a malicious online conspiracy," and that while the FBI investigated her, it found the claims to be "baseless" and its investigation "yielded zero evidence connecting Kerkhoff in any way to the construction, transportation, or planting of the pipe bombs."Among the "extensive evidence of Kerkhoff's innocence," it says, is her alibi backed by evidence that she was at her home in Falls Church, Virginia, when the pipe bombs were placed on Jan. 5.The Blaze retracted its story on Dec. 4, the day of the news conference announcing the charges against Cole. The site wrote that while it stood by the sources, in light of the arrest, "we consider the values of fairness and accuracy to require retraction of this article." In the News Capitol Riot Dec 5, 2025 Pipe bomb suspect told FBI he believed 2020 election conspiracy theories Crime and Courts Dec 4, 2025 What we know about Brian Cole Jr., suspect in the January 2021 pipe bomb case Washington DC Dec 4, 2025 FBI descends on D.C. pipe bomb suspect's Virginia home almost 5 years after Jan. 6 siege In April, Kerkhoff sued Blaze Media alleging defamation, saying it "manufactured" the story to fit a "theory they had already decided to report." The reporters, Kerkhoff's attorneys wrote, "built their reporting careers on a single, unshakeable premise: that January 6, 2021 was a 'deep state' 'inside job.'" Instead of investigating with an open mind, the attorneys wrote, the reporters "tried to confirm what they had already decided was true."Her life "remains irrevocably altered: she was placed under FBI scrutiny that will follow her for the rest of her career, has lost friendships and professional opportunities, lives in fear for her physical safety, and has postponed her wedding — all because Blaze Media chose to manufacture a story rather than report the truth," her attorneys wrote in court papers this week in the lawsuit, which is ongoing.The Blaze's legal team has said that its stories didn't directly identify Kerkhoff as the pipe bomber and that the story "went through multiple rounds of editorial review, including legal review and even review by Blaze Media executives."Lawyers noted that Blaze Media terminated Baker and that his co-author resigned shortly thereafter, and that the publication is not responsible for any additional statements they've made. A message sent to The Blaze's attorneys wasn't immediately returned.Baker said in an interview with NBC News that he first noticed Kerkhoff when he was reviewing video from the Capitol attack. Baker had accused the government of riling up the crowd on Jan. 6, and he had been looking through publicly available video to find people carrying backpacks that might contain an "agitation weapon," he said in an interview with NBC News."It's essentially a directed energy weapon that can either make you extremely agitated and behave in untoward ways, or it can debilitate you," Baker said, referring to unusual crowd control tactics law enforcement has used in the past.He said he remains convinced that Cole is not the suspect. He believes the charges against Cole are part of a government cover-up, and that the government itself played some role with the pipe bombs.Kyle Seraphin, one of the special agents who performed surveillance in the case, has since left the FBI after a falling-out with Patel and now hosts a podcast. He said in an interview that he doesn't believe the FBI's accusations that Cole placed the bombs and that he expects a jury to acquit him."There's no way that a D.C. jury convicts this guy," Seraphin said.Some of the attorneys representing Cole are also representing Baker and his co-author in the defamation lawsuit Kerkhoff filed. The government suggested during a hearing this month that it could pose a conflict.Meanwhile, Cole's parents have given interviews saying the government is framing their son, including to former Fox News host Tucker Carlson — who downplayed Jan. 6 and fed a false narrative about the attack before his departure from the network — as well as Cara Castronuova, a former trainer on "The Biggest Loser" who is now a White House correspondent for a conservative outlet run by MyPillow founder Mike Lindell, a 2020 election denier.Enrique Tarrio, the head of the far-right Proud Boys, who was convicted of seditious conspiracy and serving a sentence of 22 years in federal prison until it was commuted by Trump, recently came out to support Cole, returning to the federal courthouse where he was tried.Tarrio said in an interview after the hearing that he considers Cole a part of the Jan. 6 community."I think they should drop the case," Tarrio said. "He's a J6er."Tarrio, who wore a "Brian Cole Did Nothing Wrong" T-shirt to the courthouse, said the Cole case undermines the judicial branch."If you don't have confidence in the system," he said, "you get events like Jan. 6."
Critics warn Trump's lower fuel economy standards come at high environmental cost
The Trump administration on Monday released new fuel economy standards that relax regulatory requirements for automakers to control pollution from gasoline-powered cars and light trucks. The new rules were released shortly after President Donald Trump rejected an Iranian proposal to open the Strait of Hormuz, sending oil prices soaring.The change furthers Trump's promise to revoke policies that encouraged or created incentives for the production of electric vehicles and ultimately, will expose Americans to more planet-warming pollution from vehicles.Mileage standards, known as Corporate Average Fuel Economy, or CAFE, requirements, have been implemented since the 1970s energy crisis, and set out how far new vehicles need to travel on a gallon of gasoline. Over time, automakers have gradually improved their vehicles' average efficiency.The Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimated that the finalized standards would correspond to a combined industry fleetwide average of roughly 34.9 miles per gallon for passenger cars and light trucks in the 2031 model year. That’s up from 30.1 miles per gallon for model year 2024, but down from a projected 50.4 miles per gallon in 2031 under rules put in place by the Biden administration. "Thanks to President Trump's leadership, we have finally ended the illegal mandate that forced automakers to produce more expensive electric vehicles that American families didn't want," Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said in a statement touting vehicle affordability.NHTSA had projected last December that the new standards would hover at roughly 34.5 miles per gallon. The news comes amid ongoing tensions as the war in Iran persists, with Trump refusing a deal with Iran to open the Strait as recently as Saturday, impacting the world’s oil supply. Environmental groups concerned over the rollbackNews of the revised standards immediately drew rebukes from environmentalists.The DOT said Monday that the rule would cut yearly oil consumption in 2050 by about 1.3 billion barrels as compared to yearly oil consumption in 2024. But when the 2024 standards went into effect, NHTSA estimated they would save 14 billion gallons of gasoline from being burned by 2050. The agency also said that while new fuel-efficient vehicles cost more up front, savings on gasoline over the lifetime of the car or truck would more than make up for that.Environmental groups estimate now, without stricter standards, cars could produce 22,111 more tons of carbon dioxide per year than under the Biden-era rules in 2035. The rule also translates to an extra 90 tons a year of deadly soot particles and 4,870 additional tons a year of smog components such as nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds emitted into the air in coming years, experts say.Transportation already accounts for much of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions that warm the planet; 28% as of the last estimate in 2022.It "ignores the feasibility of clean technology and the millions of fuel-efficient cars already on the road," Dan Becker, director of the Center for Biological Diversity's Safe Climate Transport Campaign, said of the rule. U.S. & World climate change Sep 25 Nepal's leader, at UN, says recent floods serve as a 'warning to the world' about climate change weather Sep 10 Scientists say August was Earth's hottest month ever measured climate change Sep 2 Earth set to exceed global warming threshold, UN report warns. What happens now? Since taking office, Trump has also pulled back auto tailpipe emissions rules, repealed fines for automakers that do not meet federal mileage standards and terminated consumer credits of up to $7,500 for EV purchases.The president has repeatedly pledged to end what he falsely calls an EV "mandate," referring incorrectly to former President Joe Biden's target that half of all new vehicle sales be electric by 2030. No federal policy has mandated auto companies to sell EVs.According to data from Cox Automotive, EVs accounted for 5.7% of total new-vehicle sales in August, down from 7.4% for all of 2025.Katherine García, director of the Sierra Club's Clean Transportation for All campaign, vowed the environmental group would fight the rule."Less fuel-efficient cars mean more gas burned, spending more at the pump, and dirtier air in our communities," Garcia wrote in a statement.The state of the industryAutomakers and industry groups have said the new rules will increase Americans' access to the full range of gasoline vehicles they need and can afford."NHTSA made the right call to better align fuel economy standards with the law and current market conditions," John Bozzella, president and CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, which represents the domestic auto industry, said in a statement. He said the previous standards “effectively required a switchover to electric vehicles that was out of step with market realities and customer demand. Today's final rule is an appropriate course correction.”"What the industry needs is long-term regulatory stability that includes balanced, durable and achievable fuel economy standards that continue to reduce emissions and improve fuel economy," Bozzella added. "This is the formula for preserving consumer vehicle choice and keeping the U.S. auto industry globally competitive." In the News Tesla Jan 2 Tesla loses title as world's biggest electric vehicle maker as sales fall renewable energy Dec 16, 2025 16 states sue Trump administration again over billions in withheld electric vehicle charging funds Autos May 26 Ferrari's first electric vehicle met with market skepticism A spokesperson for Ford Motor Company, maker of the top-selling pickup truck, the F-150, said: "We appreciate Secretary Duffy and the Administration's work to align regulations with market realities. As we evaluate the final rule's full impact on our business, we'll continue working with the Administration to build a strong American auto industry."A General Motors spokesperson said in a statement the company supports the goals of the rule "and its intention to better align fuel economy standards with market realities."Stellantis also welcomed the changes. "These standards will allow us to offer our customers the freedom to choose from a range of vehicles and powertrains that meet their needs, from brands they love and trust," a Stellantis spokesperson said in a statement. Trump wrote on his Truth Social media account Saturday that the less stringent mileage requirements would "take the waste out of building cars in America" and save families "thousands on a new, beautiful and safe car," while boosting auto production in the U.S.The DOT reiterated on Monday that the changes will cut the average cost of a new vehicle by $1,300, and save Americans $138 billion over the next five years.Americans, however, are spending more on gas as Washington's war with Iran disrupts the global flow of fuel; gasoline prices averaged $4.47 on Monday, according to the AAA motor club, up from $3.13 a year ago. The rising cost of oil weighed on U.S. stocks to start the week."Trump is tanking sensible mile per gallon standards at the worst possible time for consumers, who are getting hit with sky-high prices at the pump," the Center for Biological Diversity’s Becker said. "Consumers will pay the price for these reckless rollbacks while Trump's Big Oil and Big Auto buddies reap the short-term profits."Experts have also said that less stringent rules do not necessarily translate to more consumer purchases of new vehicles that may have more safety features. The average new car in America sold for $50,089 in August, crossing over the $50,000 line for the first time since last December, according to Kelley Blue Book data.___Anne D’Innocenzio reported from New York City. Matthew Daly contributed from Washington.
UK security forces were aware of RAF Fairford suspected bomb plot, hints defence secretary
Wes Streeting indicates farmer who alerted police and said security forces had 'dropped the ball' only 'had a partial picture' UK security services were aware in advance about a group of men arrested in connection to a bomb plot against an RAF base used by the US military, Wes Streeting, the defence secretary, has indicated.Five men were arrested on terrorism charges after armed officers found explosives in three vans parked minutes from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, which hosts US air force missions against Iran. Continue reading...
'No basic public safety, expressing solidarity no solution': SC pulls up system amid rising rape cases in Delhi
The Supreme Court has proactively recognized the alarming surge in rape incidents within Delhi-NCR, accusing law enforcement and public administration of systemic failures in ensuring safety. Drawing comparisons to the infamous 2012 Nirbhaya case, the court expressed dissatisfaction with the advancements in law enforcement. In light of a recent gang-rape, it demanded greater accountability and tangible actions from authorities to enhance public safety and restore faith in institutional responses.
U.S., China release $60 billion product lists for tariff cuts after Trump-Xi meeting
The United States and China on Monday released reciprocal lists of nonsensitive products worth about $30 billion each that will see tariff cuts, from American hair products to Chinese toys, in a deal expected to help bolster bilateral trade.The details came days after Chinese President Xi Jinping met with President Donald Trump in Washington in his first state visit to the U.S. since 2015. The U.S. had already reduced tariffs against China after Trump's tariffs reached as high as 145% at one point last year, as tensions between the two countries eased.China's commerce ministry said in a statement the agreement will help strengthen trade cooperation.Most country-specific tariffs practically eradicatedThe lists included 1,619 items of U.S. goods entering China, ranging from agricultural commodities, hair and personal care products to timber and medical equipment. Coal from the U.S. will also be included.For Chinese goods exported to the U.S., 77 categories were covered, including fireworks, tableware, toys like dolls and puzzles, glass and wooden Christmas ornaments and soccer balls.Tariff rates on over 90% of the products would be subject to "most-favored-nation" levels, the Chinese commerce ministry said, meaning that country-specific tariffs will effectively be eliminated. Most-favored-nation rates are the standard tariffs applied under World Trade Organization rules, but they can differ from item to item and are often in the single digits.U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said in a separate statement the product lists focused on "nonsensitive goods on each side that could benefit from more favorable tariff treatment." The deal could help secure market access for U.S. farmers, manufacturers, businesses and workers, while benefiting American consumers with imports from China including household goods and toys, Greer said.Both countries said they agreed the list may be adjusted later as needed, but amendments were likely to be no more than on an annual basis.The Chinese commerce ministry said the two countries agreed to further cooperate in the agricultural sector, forming a group under the Board of Trade established in May to optimize bilateral trade.Sectors of strategic importance for both countries, such as chips, electric vehicles and batteries, were not covered under the agreement.A potential boost to U.S.-China bilateral trade"This is a positive outcome for these affected products compared to a smaller tariff cut, and could lead to a more significant boost to bilateral trade," said Lynn Song, chief economist for Greater China at ING Bank.The lowered tariffs could be a win for U.S. consumer brands, added Jacob Cooke, CEO of WPIC Marketing + Technologies based in Beijing, as some of the products covered by China’s list of U.S. imports included fast-growing categories like hair care, personal care products and infant formula.With the U.S. list for Chinese products focused more on consumer goods, it could help lower U.S. inflation while also allowing Chinese firms to export more of their overcapacity, said Gary Ng, a senior economist at French bank Natixis.Some experts said, however, the economic impact at $30 billion each way may be limited overall.U.S. exports to China were roughly $68 billion through the first seven months of this year, while Chinese exports to the U.S. were at around $270 billion for the first eight months, said Prashant Bhayani, chief investment officer for Asia at BNP Paribas Wealth Management.A $30 billion deal each way will be "more meaningful" for U.S. exports to China in terms of percentage share, he said.Even after the deal, the overall average U.S. tariff rate on China is estimated to only drop from around 22% to roughly 20.5% and remain significantly higher than the roughly 11% before Trump's return to the White House early last year, said Leah Fahy, a senior China economist at Capital Economics in a research report.Notably, U.S. soybeans were not included in the list of agricultural commodities, she added.China’s trade surplus expected to remain elevatedWhile the deal did not cover sensitive strategic goods, some analysts believe U.S.-China trade will likely continue to recover for the rest of the year after steep U.S. tariffs on Chinese products last year hit bilateral trade.The U.S. and China last week also reached a two-month extension of the broader trade truce that was set to expire Nov. 10 to January.China's trade surplus, which reached a record $1.2 trillion last year, will likely remain elevated. By August, it stood at about $800 billion, putting this year's surplus "on pace to exceed the 2025 record," according to Ecaterina Bigos, a senior market strategist with BNP Paribas Asset Management.The U.S. is also investigating China among 16 trading partners in its Section 301 probe on excess industrial capacity and could impose additional tariffs on China when the investigation concludes.However, with more meetings set between Trump and Xi, including at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Shenzhen in November and at the Group of 20 summit in Florida in December, Song at ING said he would not expect a major flare-up of trade tensions before year-end.Exporters welcome the tariff dealSome Chinese exporters welcomed the tariff deal announcements."This is positive news," said Richard Chan of Golden Arts Gifts & Decor, which manufactures Christmas decorations in southern China and supplies to countries including the U.S. "The economy in both the U.S. and China is not really good, and the two sides should help each other more."However, because most of this year's Christmas goods are already being shipped ahead of the peak holiday season, the tariff reductions may have limited effect for them at least for now.This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.
Taylor Swift debuts 'Patient Zero' music video at VMAs - WATCH
Taylor Swift premiered her new music video, 'Patient Zero', at the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards. She received the inaugural Artist Director Honors for her contributions to music video artistry. Dakota Johnson presented the award, acknowledging Swift's remarkable accomplishments in this field over two decades. Swift thanked her fans and collaborators during her acceptance speech for their support throughout her career.
Men arrested near U.S.-run air base are bailed as U.K. police probe link to Iran
Five young British men arrested on explosives and terror charges near a U.S.-operated air force base in England were released on bail Monday, and counterterror detectives said they were investigating "multiple lines of inquiry," including whether there is a link to Iran.The men were detained early Sunday after three vans were spotted in the countryside near RAF Fairford, a U.K.-owned base that has been used by American bombers during decades of conflicts in the Middle East, including this year’s war with Iran.Investigators haven’t concluded whether the incident was state-backed. They are investigating a possible link to Iran, Russia or non-state militant groups. RAF Fairford has also been the focus of protests by anti-war campaigners.The five suspects, who haven’t been named, were initially held over suspected explosives offenses, and later also arrested on suspicion of preparing an act of terrorism. Police said the men are all British nationals from London and in their 20s. Britain’s national news agency, PA, reported without citing sources that police had not found viable explosives. Announcing that the suspects had been bailed, the head of U.K. Counter Terrorism Policing, Laurence Taylor, said that the suspects face stringent conditions and "absolutely remain under investigation.”Taylor said lines of inquiry include that the suspected offenses were committed by “proxies or individuals, either knowingly or unknowingly, working on behalf of a foreign state."Iran denied involvement. The Iranian Embassy in London said that it "categorically rejects and strongly condemns the recent unfounded and malicious speculations" about the incident.Residents were evacuated from 85 homes in the village of Whelford near the base on Sunday, and army bomb-disposal experts used a robot to examine three white vans. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said Monday afternoon that "thanks to the excellent work of the army's explosive ordnance disposal team," the scene was now safe and residents could go home.Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he would chair a meeting of the government's COBRA emergency committee later Monday "to make sure we have the full picture."The arrests came after reports of suspicious vehiclesU.S. President Donald Trump said the suspects had been detained following cooperation between the U.S. and Britain, and had been "under view" for some time. Police, however, said the arrests were triggered by a late-night call about "suspicious vehicles" near the base.A local farmer said she called police after seeing three oddly parked vans as she drove home late Saturday night, and that nearby she came across "a large group of men," some with their faces covered. She said they scattered when they saw her vehicle.She declined to be identified to protect her identity because she was describing what she saw as potential security lapses.British Defense Secretary Wes Streeting said the farmer "did exactly the right thing" by calling police but only had "a partial view" of the operation.The arrests came at a time of heightened tensions around the threat from hostile states, with British intelligence services saying Russia and Iran have both used proxies to commit crimes on U.K. soil. In March, officials said the number of national security cases involving activity by hostile states, including Iran, increased by 50% in the six months to December 2025.Iran has been linked to a series of attacks in EuropeBritain didn’t join the U.S. and Israel in the Iran war, which began on Feb. 28, and initially denied Trump's request to use bases in the U.K. to strike Iran. But then Prime Minister Keir Starmer agreed in March to let the U.S. use bases in Britain for what he called "defensive" operations against Iran's missiles and their launch sites following Iranian attacks on U.K. interests and Britain's allies in the Gulf.American B-1 and B-52 bombers have taken off from Fairford, 100 miles (160 kilometers) west of London, for operations during the Iran conflict.Iran has said that it considers any base used to attack its territory a legitimate target. British security officials say proxies linked to Iran have been behind a string of arsons and other attacks in the U.K. and other countries, many of them targeting the Jewish community and intended to sow fear. They have previously warned that Tehran could expand its targets in the U.K. if conflicts in the Middle East continue. Several people also have been charged with plotting to commit arson in the U.K. on behalf of Russia-linked groups.U.K. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said Monday that the incident is a "reminder of the threats our country faces."Miliband met Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi at the United Nations in New York last week and told him that "Britain will not tolerate intimidation, threats or hostile activity on U.K. soil," according to a U.K. readout of the conversation.U.S. Air Force says personnel remain vigilantThe U.S. Air Force said that its personnel based at RAF Fairford "remain vigilant," but "for operational security reasons we will not discuss specific force protection measures."The U.S. Embassy in London has warned Americans in Britain to be cautious and mindful of their personal security.Trump said that authorities had the suspects "under view for a long time and we got them.""It was an amazing job. We had them under investigation. They were looking to do big damage to our fort. And working with the British worked out great," he told reporters in Chicago on Sunday.___Jill Lawless reported from Liverpool, England. Ben Finley in Washington contributed to this report.
Prosecutor reopens probe into alleged Cornell gang rape after accuser files lawsuit
A New York prosecutor has reopened an investigation into gang rape allegations at a Cornell University fraternity in response to a lawsuit filed by a woman who says she was sexually assaulted in 2024 by seven students after being plied with alcohol and drugs.Tompkins County District Attorney Matthew Van Houten said Monday that his office will present evidence to a grand jury as he faces questions from the public about why there were no criminal prosecutions in the case.The woman, identified only by a pseudonym in the lawsuit, filed the complaint Sept. 16, saying she was sexually assaulted at the Chi Phi fraternity house on the Ivy League campus in October 2024 after being pressured into snorting ketamine, smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol. She became completely incapacitated while frat members were sexually assaulting her, the lawsuit alleges.The lawsuit, the reopening of the investigation and Cornell's response have sparked a flood of commentary on social media. Many people have criticized the school and the district attorney's office in their posts, while some have expressed doubt about the lawsuit's allegations. Some posted photos of the seven fraternity members.The accuser is suing the men, the Chi Phi fraternity, the university, an Ithaca bar and others, seeking undisclosed damages. Her attorney did not immediately respond Monday to messages seeking comment on the prosecutor's decision.The woman went to campus police at the time, but Van Houten said the accuser did not make any claims of being gang-raped or drugged in her initial sworn statement to authorities. The prosecutor also said he was never contacted by the woman’s attorney about her statement or about reconsidering the decision not to prosecute, but he reached out to the attorney recently."Seeking justice sometimes requires us to reconsider or reopen cases when we are provided with additional evidence," Van Houten said in a statement. "I have been asked by the community to revisit the decision whether to pursue criminal charges against the seven fraternity members. I have already begun that process, starting with our conversation with Jane Doe and her attorneys."Cornell responds to criticism about its handling of the allegationsThe university said in a statement that it supports the decision to reopen the investigation. The school said it conducted its own investigation and issued sanctions, including expelling some students and suspending others. It also said the on-campus Chi Phi chapter was closed in 2024 and remains barred from campus.School officials on Monday declined to release more information on the sanctions, including how many students were expelled and suspended. Cornell said last week that federal privacy law barred it from disclosing specific information on individual students."Any suggestion that the university did not impose consequential punishments for those involved is false," the university said. "A continuation of the false narrative that there were minimal consequences in this case is irresponsible, will make survivors feel less safe and supported, and will perpetuate the underreporting of sexual assault."The national chapter of Chi Phi did not return phone and email messages Monday.The school said it conducted an internal disciplinary investigation in 2024. It said a panel of trained faculty and staff heard evidence over multiple days, and both the woman and the people accused had the opportunity to testify and present evidence.Lawsuit alleges student was sexually assaulted during a night of celebratingThe woman’s complaint accuses the university of not preventing the alleged assaults and failing to properly address sexual violence on campus. It includes a photo that it says shows a group chat between frat members discussing the night’s events.The woman, who was a 20-year-old Cornell student at the time and a sorority member, went to campus police about three weeks later, according to the lawsuit. The fraternity and seven of its members were placed on temporary suspension that same day, the lawsuit said.The complaint said the seven were given "the opportunity to mitigate their conduct by submitting essays to Cornell.”Cornell said "none of the individuals charged were offered the opportunity to write essays as a sole consequence of their involvement,” noting the expulsions and suspensions.Over the weekend, New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez condemned what she called a "culture of rape" that is protected at elite institutions."When I read what happened at Cornell, those men posted in a group chat. That means it was normal to them. That means it was acceptable to them. This is a culture," she said Sunday at a forum packed with young people near Cornell's campus."And what we must do is understand that we cannot protect those spaces any more."School says it has taken additional action to address sexual violenceCornell said a school task force on campus sexual assault, formed in 2025, made recommendations earlier this year, several of which have been implemented while others are in development.The task force report said a 2025 school survey showed 35% of undergraduate women and 8% of undergraduate men reported experiencing sexual assault during their time at Cornell.Since the lawsuit was filed, the prosecutor said, his office has been flooded with phone calls, voicemails and emails about the case from people seeking answers and others making insults and threats."The community outrage stemming from the incomplete news and social media coverage requires that I provide an answer to why the investigation resulted in a lack of criminal charges," Van Houten said in a statement.Eeshaan Chaudhuri, a Cornell senior and president of the student government, said there needs to be a fresh look at the university's initial investigation and why the district attorney’s office did not do more.There also needs to be an examination of the culture at the fraternity, he said."This issue poses more of a broader question, not just at Cornell," he said. "Obviously, these things can't be fixed overnight."If you or someone you know is a victim of sexual assault, free, confidential help is available through the National Sexual Violence Resources Center and the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-4673.
Questions remain over Iran's link to alleged RAF Fairford bomb plot
Tehran has been trying to step up attacks on targets in the west but its track record has been mixedInvestigators may be some way from determining exactly what led five men with three vans to a village just outside RAF Fairford in the small hours of Sunday – but the fact they have all been released on bail without immediate charge suggests they are not deemed to pose a serious and violent threat.In a moment where wider geopolitical tensions mean external threats are perceived to be close, the question of whether Iran had a hand in the alleged plot remains open. Nonetheless, the bailing of the men is a mercifully lower-key development in an investigation that appeared of the utmost gravity. Continue reading...
CBC's 'Hockey Night in Canada' to return this season with PWHL games
The network says the first women's game to be featured will be a Dec. 5 matchup between the Montreal Victoire and PWHL Hamilton.
On TV
Futurama — 14x10: "Final Ending: The Last Conclusion" (Hulu)
Fry and his brother sneak into a PG-13 movie as kids... with shocking consequences for the future.
New Music

No new drops today. Go rediscover something in your old playlists.

In theaters

No new releases hitting theaters today. Your popcorn can wait.

Launching today

Nothing launching today. Every rocket is staying grounded and behaving.

Useless Fact

Warren Beatty and Shirley McLaine are brother and sister.

The loonie
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Today In History
351 — Constantius II Defeats Usurper Magnentius at Battle of Mursa
Roman Emperor Constantius II defeated the usurper Magnentius in the Battle of Mursa, the bloodiest battle of the 4th century
2016 — Shimon Peres, Israeli Statesman, Dies at 93
Polish-born Israeli statesman Shimon Peres—who served as prime minister (1984–86 and 1995–96) and president (2007–14) of Israel and shared the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1994 for helping to negotiate the Oslo Accords (the historic Israeli-PLO peace agreement of 1993)—died in Ramat Gan
2008 — SpaceX Launches Falcon 1, First Private Orbital Rocket
Space X successfully launched Falcon 1, becoming the first privately owned company to send a liquid-fueled rocket into orbit
2003 — Althea Gibson, First African American Wimbledon Champion
Althea Gibson, the first African American to win singles titles at the French Open (1956), Wimbledon (1957–58), and the U.S. Open (1957–58), died at age 76. Gibson was a trailblazer who paved the way for greater diversity and inclusion in tennis.
1958 — Madagascar gains autonomy from France in 1958
Madagascar voted for autonomy within the French Community
1920 — Chicago White Sox Players Indicted for 1919 World Series Fix
In 1920, eight members of the Chicago White Sox baseball team were indicted by a grand jury on charges that they had intentionally lost the 1919 World Series to the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for a bribe, in what became known as the Black Sox Scandal. This was one of the biggest scandals in the history of professional sports.
1911 — Italy Declares War on Ottoman Empire over Libya
Using the pretext of infringement of Italian interests in the Turkish provinces of Tripolitana and Cyrenaica (Libya), the Italian government issued an ultimatum to Turkey and declared war the next day. history of war quiz
1781 — Siege of Yorktown Leads to British Surrender
The Siege of Yorktown began, eventually leading on October 19 to the British surrender by General Lord Cornwallis and the end of the American Revolution. How much do you know about the American Revolution? Architect of the Capitol
1542 — California “discovered”
Explorer Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo, known as the "discoverer" of California, landed this day in 1542 near what is now San Diego and became the first European to set foot on the west coast of what would become the United States
1066 — William the Conqueror Invades England
William, duke of Normandy, landed in southeastern England, thus beginning the Norman Conquest, which resulted in his becoming king. kings of England quiz

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