NEW YORK CITY, New York: A former New York City Fire Department chief has been sentenced to nearly two years in federal prison for taking bribes to speed up fire safety inspections.
Brian Cordasco, who led the Bureau of Fire Prevention, admitted to accepting tens of thousands of dollars in bribes. Along with his prison time, he must serve two years of supervised release, pay a
EAST PALESTINE, Ohio: Norfolk Southern wants two other companies to help pay for the $600 million settlement it agreed to after a major train derailment in 2023 near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border. The derailment released toxic chemicals into the air, forcing evacuations.
The railroad has taken legal action against GATX, which owned the railcar that failed, and OxyVinyls, the chemical manufacturer, claiming they a
BISHOP, California: A fast-growing wildfire in California's Eastern Sierra region has burned 1,000 acres and forced people to leave their homes in several areas, officials said on March 30.
The fire, called the Silver Fire, started around 2:11 p.m. near Highway 6 and Silver Canyon Road in Inyo County. Firefighters have not yet been able to contain any part of it.
Evacuation orders were given for several p
WASHINGTON, D.C.: A U.S. passenger plane getting ready to take off and a military jet coming in were told to change course to avoid a possible crash, officials said.
Delta Air Lines Flight 2983 was permitted to take off from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Friday at about 3:15 p.m. At the same time, four U.S. Air Force T-38 Talon jets were approaching, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said.
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Radio Free Asia, a key voice in press freedom across the continent for nearly three decades, is now warning it may go dark by the end of April without emergency court action.
The nonprofit news outlet, known for delivering independent journalism in some of Asia's most repressive environments, announced late last week that it would be forced to shut down entirely unless the courts block the Trum
BROOKLYN PARK, Minnesota: At least one person died when a small plane crashed into a house in a Minneapolis suburb on Saturday, a city official said. The aircraft was flying from Iowa to Minnesota.
The people living in the house were not hurt, but the home was destroyed, said Brooklyn Park spokesperson Risikat Adesaogun.
It is not yet clear how many people were on board the single-engine SOCATA TBM7, acco
WASHINGTON, D.C.: This week, President Donald Trump ordered the removal of what he called "improper, divisive, or anti-American ideology" from the Smithsonian Institution, which oversees major U.S. museums and cultural sites.
In an executive order, Trump directed Vice President JD Vance to carry out the changes. The order also instructs the Interior Department to restore federal parks, monuments, and memorials t
WASHINGTON, D.C.: The University of Michigan, known for its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, announced this week that it is closing its DEI office.
The decision follows executive orders from President Donald Trump and a warning from the U.S. Department of Education.
Since taking office on January 20, Trump has issued orders to end DEI p
AUSTIN, Texas: A federal judge criticized Texas for keeping prisoners in hot prisons without air conditioning but did not order an immediate fix before summer.
The case is one of the most significant lawsuits in the U.S. regarding the protection of prisoners from extreme heat.
Judge Robert Pitman said Texas must take action because the prison conditions are unconstitutional. His ruling could influence sim
WASHINGTON, D.C.: The Trump administration has ordered two intelligence agencies to use their spy satellites to monitor the U.S.-Mexico border as part of a crackdown on illegal immigration and drug cartels.
The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) and the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), both part of the Department of Defense, oversee these satellites and analyze images for the Pentagon. Their invo
WASHINGTON, D.C.: U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a significant restructuring of federal health agencies this week, including cutting 10,000 jobs and centralizing certain functions of the FDA, CDC, and other agencies under his control.
The job cuts include:
- 3,500 positions at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- 2,400 at the Cen
ANDONG, South Korea: Wildfires in South Korea have doubled in size in just one day, making them the country's worst fire disaster. At least 28 people have died, and historic temples have been destroyed.
The largest fire, which started in Uiseong County, has burned over 38,000 hectares (93,900 acres)—the biggest wildfire in South Korea's history. Strong winds and dry cond
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Boeing is now heading to trial this summer, after a U.S. judge unexpectedly set a date in the criminal fraud case tied to the company's handling of its 737 MAX aircraft.
The move comes amid ongoing criticism over a prior plea deal that victim families have strongly opposed.
U.S. District Judge Reed O'Connor scheduled the trial for June 23 in Fort Worth, Texas, advancing the Department of
RALEIGH/COLUMBIA: Dry weather, strong winds, and fallen trees from Hurricane Helene have sparked wildfires in North Carolina and South Carolina, prompting evacuation orders this week.
Many people are still recovering from the hurricane that hit in September, making it even harder to fight the fires, said Bo Dossett from the North Carolina Forest Service. The downed trees from
GENEVA,.Switzerland - The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has expressed profound outrage following the deaths of eight medics from the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) who were killed while on duty in Gaza.The medics had been missing since March 23 after coming under heavy fire in the Al-Hashashin area of Rafah.Their bodies were recovered on Sunday after access to the area