The Justice Department is asking a secret court to deport Nazira Haji Zada, an Afghan woman living in Texas, for allegedly supporting a terrorist plot linked to the Islamic State. This is the first case heard by a special court created 30 years ago to handle sensitive national security deportations.
Key Facts
Nazira Haji Zada, 47, from Fort Worth, Texas, faces deportation over alleged ties to a foiled ISIS-inspired attack planned for the 2024 Election Day.
She has not been publicly charged with terrorism crimes and has no known criminal record.
Her son and son-in-law pleaded guilty last year to buying guns and ammunition for the planned attack.
The Justice Department claims Zada supported and helped radicalize her family with ISIS ideology.
The special Alien Terrorist Removal Court was created in 1996 and has never been used before this case.
This court deals with cases involving classified information that cannot be made public for security reasons.
Defendants in this court cannot see the classified evidence or challenge how it was gathered.
The court’s judges also serve on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and are appointed by the Supreme Court Chief Justice.
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Dr. Anthony Fauci, former head of a key U.S. health institute, refused to answer questions at a Senate hearing about COVID-19’s origins, citing his constitutional right not to incriminate himself. The hearing focused on allegations related to U.S.-funded research in China and whether Fauci misled Congress, claims he denies.
Key Facts
Dr. Fauci led the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) for 38 years and advised seven U.S. presidents.
He became a public figure during the COVID-19 pandemic for guiding health policies.
Republican Senator Rand Paul accused Fauci of misleading Congress about U.S. funding for risky virus research in Wuhan, China.
Fauci was granted a preemptive pardon by President Joe Biden in 2025 but Republicans say it does not cover alleged crimes after that date.
Fauci’s lawyers advised him not to testify to avoid legal risks.
Fauci kept detailed diaries during the pandemic documenting his work and conversations.
Senator Paul released over 1,100 pages of Fauci’s diary before the hearing.
Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment more than 100 times and did not answer questions at the hearing.
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Heavy rains and thunderstorms caused sudden and dangerous floods in parts of New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Videos captured the flooding and the damage it caused in these areas.
Key Facts
The flooding occurred in the Northeastern United States.
New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania were affected.
The floods were caused by heavy rains and thunderstorms.
The floods happened suddenly, known as flash floods.
Videos showed the flooding’s impact and some did not have sound.
The flooding created hazardous conditions in the affected areas.
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Dr. Anthony Fauci, former chief medical adviser, refused to answer questions at a Senate hearing about his role during the Covid pandemic by invoking his right against self-incrimination. The Senate committee plans to vote on holding Fauci in contempt of Congress for his refusal to testify.
Key Facts
Fauci invoked the Fifth Amendment over 100 times, which means he chose not to answer questions to avoid self-incrimination.
Senator Rand Paul, chairman of the Senate committee, said there may be a vote to hold Fauci in criminal contempt of Congress.
A contempt vote would need 60 Senate votes to pass and be sent to prosecutors for possible charges.
President Joe Biden previously pardoned Fauci for actions between 2014 and 2025, but this may not cover all issues raised in the hearing.
Fauci was questioned about his pandemic guidance and whether Covid came from a lab in Wuhan, China.
Senator Rand Paul and others have accused Fauci of hiding facts about Covid’s origin, though Fauci denies wrongdoing.
Some Democrats defended Fauci, claiming the hearing was an attempt to trap him.
President Trump repeated his claim that Covid came from the Wuhan lab and criticized Fauci for protecting China’s interests.
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Queensland MP Llew O’Brien praised Australian sprinter Lachlan Kennedy for winning a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games. O’Brien highlighted that Kennedy is a White Australian and broke the national 100m sprint record, while also recognizing the achievements of athletes from all backgrounds.
Key Facts
Lachlan Kennedy won a silver medal in the 100 meters at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Kennedy set a new Australian 100m record with a time of 9.85 seconds.
Queensland MP Llew O’Brien posted on social media, saying “White Men Can Sprint!” to celebrate Kennedy’s achievement.
O’Brien said his comment was not meant to lessen the success of Black athletes in sprinting.
Opposition leader Angus Taylor said he supports all Australian athletes, regardless of background.
Kennedy finished second behind Emmanuel Eseme from Cameroon, who set a Games record with 9.83 seconds.
O’Brien has a history of political independence, including past leadership challenges and a brief party split.
O’Brien confirmed he plans to remain a member of the Nationals party for now.
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A recent Fox News poll shows former Democratic Governor Roy Cooper leading Republican Michael Whatley by 9 points in the North Carolina Senate race. Democrats appear more motivated to vote than Republicans, which could impact this important election that may influence control of the U.S. Senate.
Key Facts
Roy Cooper has 53% support, Michael Whatley has 44% in the new poll.
51% of Democrats are extremely interested in voting, compared to 42% of Republicans.
58% of Democrats say they are extremely motivated to vote, versus 50% of Republicans.
Cooper’s lead grows to 15 points among voters who are very interested in the election.
Among independents, Cooper leads 60% to 34%.
Cooper’s favorability rating is 54%, Whatley’s is 40%, but Whatley’s unfavorable rating is higher.
The North Carolina Senate race is important for deciding control of the U.S. Senate.
Republicans currently hold a slim Senate majority of 53-45 (excluding two independents).
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Victoria’s new premier, Ben Carroll, has not ruled out redirecting money planned for the Suburban Rail Loop to other projects. He said his government will invest funds where they provide the most value for Victorians and may review the costly rail project, including contracts already signed.
Key Facts
Ben Carroll became Victoria’s premier and is considering changes to the Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) project.
The SRL is a 90km public transport project with about $6 billion in federal funding and $11.8 billion from the state.
Construction is underway, with tunnel-boring machines already working in Burwood.
Carroll has not made final decisions but is open to reviewing and possibly redirecting funds to other projects.
Carroll spoke to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese but did not discuss changes to federal funding.
The SRL was first promised by former premier Daniel Andrews and later supported by Jacinta Allan.
The project has faced criticism for its cost, business case, and overall value.
An independent report suggested cancelling the project could improve the budget by $21 billion over 10 years but would cost $1.8 billion in contract fees.
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Howard University unenrolled more than 500 new students for missing tuition and financial aid deadlines but later re-enrolled over 200 of them after reviewing their cases. The university's interim president explained the decisions were made to help students avoid financial problems that could stop them from finishing their degrees.
Key Facts
Howard University unenrolled more than 500 incoming first-year students for missing payment deadlines.
Over 200 students have been re-enrolled after providing required documents or payments.
The university reviewed all 502 unenrollment cases and made final decisions.
Housing availability was not a reason for unenrollment since all affected students had housing assigned.
The university wants to prevent students from starting school with debt that could cause them to drop out.
Some students said they did not get clear communication from the university about deadlines and enrollment status.
The interim president said over 2,200 students followed the rules and met deadlines.
The university plans to improve communication with students to avoid confusion in the future.
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President Donald Trump said that recent Supreme Court decisions against his emergency tariffs and limits on birthright citizenship have cost the United States a huge amount of money. He expressed this opinion on the social media platform Truth Social.
Key Facts
President Trump criticized the Supreme Court for decisions against his policies.
The court struck down his emergency tariffs, which are taxes on imported goods.
The court also rejected his order to restrict birthright citizenship, which grants citizenship to anyone born in the country.
Trump claimed these rulings cost the U.S. “trillions and trillions” of dollars.
He expressed his views in a post on Truth Social.
The article does not give details on how the cost was calculated or other reactions to the rulings.
The discussion involves U.S. legal and immigration policy.
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The U.S. government is using a special court that has been inactive for 30 years to try to deport an Afghan woman living in Texas. She is accused of supporting a terrorist plan inspired by ISIS involving her family members who were convicted for a plot during the 2024 U.S. Election Day.
Key Facts
The woman’s name is Nazira Haji Zada, and she lives in Fort Worth, Texas.
She is accused of supporting her relatives’ ISIS-inspired terrorist plot in the U.S.
Her son and son-in-law were convicted for terrorist-related crimes linked to the 2024 Election Day plot.
The son is sentenced to 15 years and agreed to be deported after prison.
The son-in-law worked as a security guard for a U.S. military base in Afghanistan and pleaded guilty to supporting ISIS.
The Alien Terrorist Removal Court was created in 1996 but never used until now.
This court handles cases of people the government calls “alien terrorists” and is made up of five federal judges.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said terrorists have no place in the United States and explained why the government is seeking deportation.
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In October 2020, Dr. Anthony Fauci gave an interview about the COVID-19 pandemic. The interview was conducted by Dr. Jon LaPook and shared through 60 Minutes and CBS News.
Key Facts
The interview took place in October 2020.
Dr. Anthony Fauci discussed the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr. Jon LaPook conducted the interview.
The program was part of the 60 Minutes series.
The interview was made available by CBS News.
At the time, the U.S. was facing challenges related to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Dr. Fauci is a key medical expert on infectious diseases in the U.S.
The interview addressed public health concerns during the pandemic.
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Federal Labor MP Luke Gosling was arrested by Northern Territory police in connection with an alleged assault on the Northern Territory’s administrator, David Connolly. The incident reportedly happened at a cultural festival in Darwin earlier this month, and investigations are ongoing.
Key Facts
Luke Gosling is the federal Labor member for Solomon.
He was arrested by Northern Territory Police over an alleged assault on David Connolly, the NT administrator.
The incident allegedly took place at a cultural festival in Darwin.
Investigations started last week, and Gosling was arrested Thursday morning.
As of the arrest, Gosling had not been formally charged.
Gosling has denied any involvement in an altercation with Connolly.
Both Gosling’s and Connolly’s offices have not commented on the matter.
Gosling is currently in police custody.
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President Donald Trump has expressed support for selling F-35 fighter jets to Turkiye despite objections from Israel. The sale is currently blocked by US laws because Turkiye bought Russian air defense systems.
Key Facts
President Trump supports selling F-35 jets to Turkiye.
Israel opposes the sale, saying it would hurt its military position in the region.
US laws block the sale because Turkiye bought Russian S-400 defense systems.
The F-35 is a highly advanced fighter jet used by the US and its allies.
Turkiye’s purchase of Russian systems caused security concerns for the US and its partners.
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President Donald Trump gave a primetime speech claiming new documents prove widespread voter fraud and foreign interference in the 2020 election. However, a review of these documents shows no proof of fraud or that China or any other country manipulated the vote.
Key Facts
President Trump presented a collection of documents during a speech to support his claims of election fraud.
The documents included declassified reports, investigation files, intelligence analyses, and correspondence.
Many pages were heavily redacted, making it hard to understand their findings clearly.
The documents showed no evidence of China or any other foreign entity interfering in the 2020 election.
Intelligence assessments about China’s efforts were known before and did not show direct election tampering.
China denied any involvement in trying to influence U.S. elections and called the claims false.
The documents also discussed data on American voters but provided no proof of its misuse to affect the election outcome.
Experts and election officials said the released papers did not reveal any new or controversial information about election security.
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Experts say babies and young children need special care during hot weather because their bodies handle heat differently than adults. Parents should watch for signs of heat illness, keep kids hydrated with small, frequent feedings, avoid the hottest times of day, and never leave children alone in cars.
Key Facts
Babies sweat less and have a faster metabolism, so they get hot more quickly than adults.
Children’s body shape causes them to absorb more heat from the environment.
Signs of heat illness include no tears when crying, fewer wet diapers, fatigue, flushed skin, and irritability.
Parents should dress children in loose, light-colored clothes and use sunscreen.
Water-rich fruits like watermelon and strawberries help keep children hydrated.
Avoid covering strollers with blankets as this traps heat; use a canopy for shade instead.
Never leave children alone in cars, even with windows open or in the shade, because temperatures can rise fast.
In 2025, 31 children died from heat stroke in cars in the U.S., according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
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Senator Lindsey Graham died unexpectedly from a tear in his aorta caused by artery hardening, according to preliminary medical findings. False claims and conspiracy theories about his death circulated on social media, but no evidence supports criminal involvement.
Key Facts
Lindsey Graham, a Republican senator from South Carolina, died suddenly at age 71.
Preliminary findings show he had an aortic dissection, a tear in the inner wall of his aorta.
The aortic tear was linked to the hardening of his arteries.
An official cause of death will be confirmed after further tests, including toxicology.
Social media falsely accused foreign countries like Russia, Iran, Ukraine, and Israel of involvement.
Some posts wrongly questioned how Graham could have died in Washington after recent travel to Ukraine.
The FBI is helping local authorities with investigations but found no signs of foul play.
Graham was a strong supporter of President Donald Trump on foreign policy and was involved in international sanctions and conflicts.
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The U.S. military launched airstrikes against Iran on Wednesday night. This action was in response to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard firing five missiles at a U.S. base in Jordan the previous day.
Key Facts
The U.S. military conducted airstrikes on Iran at 8 p.m. Wednesday.
These strikes were a response to attacks by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The IRGC fired five missiles targeting U.S. forces in Jordan on Tuesday evening.
The U.S. Central Command reported the timing of the airstrikes.
The U.S. actions were described as retaliation for the missile attacks.
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President Donald Trump said his administration is thinking about adding more rules to control artificial intelligence (AI) after recent hacking incidents involving AI tools. He stressed the importance of leading in AI while being careful not to fall behind China, which currently has fewer restrictions on AI technology.
Key Facts
President Trump announced consideration of stronger controls on AI technology.
This signals a shift from the administration’s previous hands-off approach to AI.
OpenAI admitted that its AI tools were involved in at least two hacking incidents.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman acknowledged that other breaches might have happened.
The US government acted to block the public release of a risky AI model by Anthropic, a rival of OpenAI.
A White House memo accused Chinese AI companies of stealing US AI technology, accusations denied by China.
US officials, including the Treasury Secretary, warned that Chinese AI firms could face sanctions.
The FCC banned the import of new foreign-made humanoid robots amid security concerns.
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Two people were killed and several others injured in a shooting at a Seattle food festival. Police say the bullets that killed the victims did not come from the gun fired by a 15-year-old suspect arrested at the scene, and the shooting is believed to involve gang violence.
Key Facts
A 15-year-old was arrested at the scene of the shooting after firing an untraceable "ghost gun."
Ballistics tests show the fatal bullets did not match the teen’s gun.
Police found evidence that at least four guns were fired during the incident.
A 19-year-old suspect was killed at the scene.
Police are still trying to identify others involved and who fired the fatal shots.
Four other bystanders, including a two-year-old boy, were hurt in the shooting.
The 15-year-old is charged with serious assault and illegal gun possession.
Prosecutors want the teen's case to be moved to adult court, where penalties are harsher.
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Todd Blanche’s confirmation as attorney general is delayed because Republican Senator John Cornyn wants a written agreement to end a Justice Department fund designed to prevent political misuse before he will vote yes. Cornyn also wants changes to a deal that protects President Trump and his family from certain tax audits.
Key Facts
The Senate Judiciary Committee postponed a vote on Todd Blanche’s attorney general nomination.
Senator John Cornyn blocks the nomination until the Justice Department agrees in writing to end the "anti-weaponization fund."
The fund was created to pay people who say they were politically targeted but faced strong opposition and is now considered dead.
Cornyn also demands clearer limits on a deal that stops audits of President Trump and his family’s prior tax returns.
The Justice Department sent proposals to address Cornyn’s requests but he says they do not fully meet his concerns.
Blanche, currently acting attorney general, says the fund never started and no money was spent.
President Trump suggested Cornyn opposes Blanche because Trump didn’t endorse Cornyn in a primary race, but Cornyn denied this.
Another Republican senator, Thom Tillis, shares Cornyn’s concerns but is more hopeful about reaching an agreement.
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