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Saif al-Islam, son of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, has been killed in the west of the North African country.

Sudanese military officials say they’ve broken through a siege by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Kadugli.

Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, son of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, has been killed in Libya, Al Jazeera Arabic reports.

This undated photo released by New Castle County Police, Del., on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, shows William Stevenson. (New Castle County Police via AP) 2026-02-03T18:56:18Z WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) — The first husband of former first lady Jill Biden has been charged with killing his wife at their Delaware home in late December, authorities announced in a news release Tuesday. William Stevenson, 77, of Wilmington was married to Jill Biden from 1970 to 1975. Caroline Harrison, the Delaware Attorney General’s spokesperson, confirmed in a phone call that Stevenson is the former husband of Jill Biden. Stevenson remains in jail after failing to post $500,000 bail after his arrest Monday on first-degree murder charges. He is charged with killing Linda Stevenson, 64, on Dec. 28. Police were called to the home for a reported domestic dispute after 11 p.m. and found a woman unresponsive in the living room, according to a prior news release. Life-saving measures were unsuccessful. She ran a bookkeeping business and was described as a family-oriented mother and grandmother and a Philadelphia Eagles fan, according to her obituary, which does not mention her husband. freestar.queue.push(function () { window.fsAdCount = window.fsAdCount + 1 || 0; let customChannel = '/dynamic_' + fsAdCount; let adList = document.querySelectorAll(".fs-feed-ad") let thisAd = adList[fsAdCount]; let randId = Math.random().toString(36).slice(2); thisAd.id = randId; let thisPlacement = fsAdCount == 0 ? "apnews_story_feed" : "apnews_story_feed_dynamic"; freestar.newAdSlots({ placementName: thisPlacement, slotId: randId }, customChannel); }); Stevenson was charged in a grand jury indictment after a weekslong investigation by detectives in the Delaware Department of Justice. It was not immediately clear if Stevenson has a lawyer. He founded a popular music venue in Newark called the Stone Balloon in the early 1970s. Jill Biden married U.S. Sen. Joe Biden in 1977. He served as U.S. president from January 2021 to January 2025.

Activists are approached by a federal agent brandishing a firearm, for following agent vehicles, on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy) 2026-02-03T18:16:33Z MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Immigration officers with guns drawn arrested some activists who were trailing their vehicles on Tuesday in Minneapolis, a sign that tensions have not eased since the departure last week of a high-profile commander . At least one person who had an anti-ICE message on clothing was handcuffed while face-down on the ground. An Associated Press photographer witnessed the arrests. An activist is detained by federal agents on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy) An activist is detained by federal agents on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy) --> Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. --> Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Federal agents lately have been conducting more targeted immigration arrests at homes and neighborhoods, rather than staging in parking lots. The convoys have been harder to find and less aggressive. Alerts in activist group chats have been more about sightings than immigration-related detainments. freestar.queue.push(function () { window.fsAdCount = window.fsAdCount + 1 || 0; let customChannel = '/dynamic_' + fsAdCount; let adList = document.querySelectorAll(".fs-feed-ad") let thisAd = adList[fsAdCount]; let randId = Math.random().toString(36).slice(2); thisAd.id = randId; let thisPlacement = fsAdCount == 0 ? "apnews_story_feed" : "apnews_story_feed_dynamic"; freestar.newAdSlots({ placementName: thisPlacement, slotId: randId }, customChannel); }); Several cars followed officers through south Minneapolis after there were reports of them knocking at homes. Officers stopped their vehicles and ordered activists to come out of a car at gunpoint. Agents told reporters at the scene to stay back and threatened to use pepper spray. Activists are approached by federal agents for following agent vehicles, on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy) Activists are approached by federal agents for following agent vehicles, on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy) --> Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. --> Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More There was no immediate response to a request for comment from the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. A federal judge last month put limits on how officers treat motorists who are following them but not obstructing their operations. Safely following agents “at an appropriate distance does not, by itself, create reasonable suspicion to justify a vehicle stop,” the judge said. An appeals court, however, set the order aside. US--Immigration Enforcement-Minnesota-Noem At a news conference, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem says she is grateful for the judges order not halting the immigration enforcement surge in Minnesota as a lawsuit proceeds. Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino, who was leading an immigration crackdown in Minneapolis and other big U.S. cities, left town last week, shortly after the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, the second local killing of a U.S. citizen in January. freestar.queue.push(function () { window.fsAdCount = window.fsAdCount + 1 || 0; let customChannel = '/dynamic_' + fsAdCount; let adList = document.querySelectorAll(".fs-feed-ad") let thisAd = adList[fsAdCount]; let randId = Math.random().toString(36).slice(2); thisAd.id = randId; let thisPlacement = fsAdCount == 0 ? "apnews_story_feed" : "apnews_story_feed_dynamic"; freestar.newAdSlots({ placementName: thisPlacement, slotId: randId }, customChannel); }); Trump administration border czar Tom Homan was dispatched to Minnesota instead. He warned that protesters could face consequences if they interfere with officers. An activist is detained by federal agents on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy) An activist is detained by federal agents on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy) --> Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. --> Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More Meanwhile, a man charged with squirting apple cider vinegar on Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar will remain in jail. U.S. Magistrate Judge David Schultz granted a federal prosecutor’s request to deny bond to Anthony Kazmierczak. “We simply cannot have protesters and people — whatever side of the aisle they’re on — running up to representatives who are conducting official business, and holding town halls, and assaulting them,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Bejar said Tuesday. Defense attorney John Fossum said the vinegar posed a low risk to Omar. He said Kazmierczak’s health problems weren’t being properly addressed in jail and that his release would be appropriate. An activist is detained by federal agents on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy) An activist is detained by federal agents on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy) --> Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. --> Share Share Facebook Copy Link copied Print Email X LinkedIn Bluesky Flipboard Pinterest Reddit Read More ___ Raza reported from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. AP reporter Ed White in Detroit contributed. SARAH RAZA Raza covers South Dakota for The Associated Press. She is based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. twitter mailto STEVE KARNOWSKI Karnowski covers politics and government from Minnesota for The Associated Press. He also covers the ongoing fallout from the murder of George Floyd, courts and the environment, among other topics. twitter mailto

Former President Bill Clinton, left, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton listen as Vice President Kamala Harris delivers a eulogy for U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, Aug. 1, 2024, in Houston. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File) 2026-02-03T17:52:33Z WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton finalized an agreement with House Republicans Tuesday to testify in a House investigation into Jeffrey Epstein this month, bowing to the threat of a contempt of Congress vote against them. Hillary Clinton will testify before the House Oversight Committee on Feb. 26 and Bill Clinton will appear on Feb. 27. It will mark the first time that lawmakers have compelled a former president to testify. The arrangement comes after months of negotiating between the two sides as Republicans sought to make the Clintons a focal point in a House committee’s investigation into Epstein, a convicted sex offender who killed himself in a New York jail cell in 2019, and Ghislaine Maxwell, his former girlfriend. “We look forward to now questioning the Clintons as part of our investigation into the horrific crimes of Epstein and Maxwell, to deliver transparency and accountability for the American people and for survivors,” Rep. James Comer, the chair of the House Oversight Committee, said in a statement. freestar.queue.push(function () { window.fsAdCount = window.fsAdCount + 1 || 0; let customChannel = '/dynamic_' + fsAdCount; let adList = document.querySelectorAll(".fs-feed-ad") let thisAd = adList[fsAdCount]; let randId = Math.random().toString(36).slice(2); thisAd.id = randId; let thisPlacement = fsAdCount == 0 ? "apnews_story_feed" : "apnews_story_feed_dynamic"; freestar.newAdSlots({ placementName: thisPlacement, slotId: randId }, customChannel); }); For months, the Clintons resisted subpoenas from the committee, but House Republicans — with support from a few Democrats — had advanced criminal contempt of Congress charges to a potential vote this week. It threatened the Clintons with the potential for substantial fines and even prison time if they had been convicted. Even as the Clintons bowed to that pressure, the negotiating between GOP lawmakers and attorneys for the Clintons was marked by distrust as they wrangled over the details of the deposition. They agreed to have the closed-door depositions transcribed and recorded on video, Comer said. But the belligerence is likely to only grow as Republicans relish the opportunity to grill longtime political foes under oath. Clinton, like a number of other high-powered men , had a well-documented relationship with Epstein in the late 1990s and early 2000s. He has not been accused of wrongdoing in his interactions with the late financier. freestar.queue.push(function () { window.fsAdCount = window.fsAdCount + 1 || 0; let customChannel = '/dynamic_' + fsAdCount; let adList = document.querySelectorAll(".fs-feed-ad") let thisAd = adList[fsAdCount]; let randId = Math.random().toString(36).slice(2); thisAd.id = randId; let thisPlacement = fsAdCount == 0 ? "apnews_story_feed" : "apnews_story_feed_dynamic"; freestar.newAdSlots({ placementName: thisPlacement, slotId: randId }, customChannel); }); Both Clintons have said they had no knowledge that Epstein was sexually abusing underage girls. The Clintons initially argued the subpoenas for their testimony were invalid and offered to submit sworn declarations on their limited knowledge of Epstein’s crimes. But as Comer threatened to proceed with contempt of Congress charges, they began looking for an off-ramp. Both Clintons have remained highly critical of how Comer has handled the Epstein investigation and argue that he is more focused on bringing them in for testimony rather than holding the Trump administration accountable for how it has handled the release of its files on Epstein. Still, the threat of a vote on contempt charges raised the potential for Congress to use one of its most severe punishments against a former president for the first time. Historically, Congress has shown deference to former presidents. None has ever been forced to testify before lawmakers, although a few have voluntarily done so. STEPHEN GROVES Groves covers Congress for The Associated Press. twitter mailto

The coastguard said a pursuit was under way at the time of the collision, near the island of Chios.

The first alleged victim begins giving evidence in Marius Borg Høiby's trial for rape and more than 30 other alleged offences.

The 53-year-old, who was once widely seen as the second most powerful person in Libya, was killed on Tuesday according to Libyan media.

A House Foreign Affairs Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee hearing on Tuesday underscored what lawmakers and witnesses repeatedly described as a "historic" but "narrowing" opportunity to weaken Hezbollah and restore Lebanese state sovereignty , while exposing sharp disagreement over whether current U.S. policy is moving fast or forcefully enough. Opening the hearing, Chairman Mike Lawler, R-NY., said Lebanon is "at a crossroads" following the Nov. 2024 Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire, arguing the moment offers "an unprecedented opportunity" to help Lebanon "break free of the shackles of Iran’s malign influence." He warned, however, that progress has been uneven, saying implementation of the Lebanese Armed Forces’ has been "haphazard at best." The ranking member, Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Calif., struck a more confrontational tone toward the administration, warning that Hezbollah is already rebuilding and that U.S. policy risks squandering the moment. WALTZ HAILS ‘NIGHT-AND-DAY’ MIDDLE EAST SHIFT AS TRUMP’S GAZA PLAN RESHAPES REGION "There is a historic opportunity in Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah and remove its grip on the Lebanese state," he said. "That window of opportunity, however, is narrow. Hezbollah is working hard to rebuild, rearm and to reconstitute itself." He criticized cuts to non-security assistance and faulted comments by a Trump administration envoy who described Hezbollah as "a political party that also has a militant aspect to it," arguing such language "sent the wrong signals" at a critical moment. David Schenker, senior fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, testified that while Hezbollah has been weakened militarily, the pace of disarmament remains slow and obstructed. "The LAF has a presence in the south that it didn’t have prior to November 2024," Schenker said. "But they are not in control. Hezbollah still controls the region." Schenker said the obstacle is no longer capability but political will. "At this point, the question of disarmament is not a matter of capability but of will," he told lawmakers, warning that Hezbollah continues to thrive amid corruption and a cash-based economy. ISRAEL-HEZBOLLAH BORDER TENSIONS RISE AS TERROR GROUP REARMS, RESISTS US-BACKED CEASEFIRE Hanin Ghaddar, senior fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said that even full weapons surrender would not dismantle Hezbollah’s power. "Hezbollah is not sustained by weapons alone," Ghaddar said. "It survives through an economic and political ecosystem that protects cash flows, penetrates state institutions and enables military rebuilding." She warned that Lebanon’s unregulated cash economy has become Hezbollah’s most durable asset. "Weapons can be collected, but money keeps flowing," Ghaddar said. "Disarmament without dismantling the cash economy… will not be durable." TRUMP ADMIN PRESSURES LEBANON TO DISARM HEZBOLLAH AS ENVOY CALLS NATION ‘FAILED STATE’ All three witnesses emphasized U.S. support should be tied to measurable performance such as progress on disarmament of Hezbollah and economic reform. Schenker called for renewed sanctions against corrupt Lebanese officials, saying, "We should be sanctioning leaders right now… who are obstructing reform." Dana Stroul, director of research and senior fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, warned that Washington’s approach remains incomplete. "For the past year, U.S. policy has focused on Hezbollah disarmament, which is critical, but on its own is only a partial strategy," Stroul said. She cautioned that upcoming parliamentary elections could either "strengthen or undermine the anti-Hezbollah government," calling it the "worst-case outcome" if Hezbollah-aligned politicians retain power. Ghaddar said Hezbollah’s weakening has shifted Lebanese public discourse. "The mythology of resistance has shattered," she said. "Peace is no longer taboo." She argued that normalization with Israel would raise the political cost of Hezbollah’s rearmament and help lock in reform. "Without a credible peace horizon, disarmament and economic reform will be temporary. With one, they become structural," Ghaddar said.

Police in the United Kingdom announced a criminal investigation Tuesday into Peter Mandelson, Britain's former ambassador to the United States, after the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) released millions of court documents related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein . Metropolitan Police Cmdr. Ella Marriot in London said following the DOJ documents dump, the Met received "a number of reports" into alleged misconduct in public office, including a referral from the UK government. "I can confirm that the Metropolitan Police has now launched an investigation into a 72-year-old man, a former Government Minister, for misconduct in public office offenses," Marriot wrote in a statement . RESURFACED PHOTO LINKS MAMDANI TO EPSTEIN-CONNECTED PUBLICIST AT NEW YORK CITY EVENT "The Met will continue to assess all relevant information brought to our attention as part of this investigation and won’t be commenting any further at this time," she added. Mandelson resigned Sunday from the governing Labour Party amid allegations he received $75,000 in payments from Epstein and shared sensitive government information after the 2008 financial crisis. HOUSE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE TO SUBPOENA LES WEXNER, 2 OTHERS IN EPSTEIN INVESTIGATION Prime Minister Keir Starmer abruptly fired Mandelson from his ambassadorial position in September following the release of emails between Mandelson and Epstein. Starmer on Monday requested an urgent review of Mandelson’s communications with Epstein while he was in office. The House of Lords announced on Tuesday Mandelson is stepping down. "He will cease to be a member tomorrow," the House of Lords told Fox News Digital. "We have no comment on any possible police investigation." Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while in federal custody. He was awaiting trial on charges including sex trafficking of minors and conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of minors. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Two Swedes were convicted in a Danish court of terrorism and attempted murder for detonating two hand grenades near the Israeli Embassy in Copenhagen in October 2024. The younger of the two men, who is 18 years old, was sentenced to 12 years in prison, while his older accomplice, aged 21, was sentenced to 14 years, according to The Associated Press , which cited Swedish news agency TT. The two men, who have not been identified, were said to be acting on behalf of a criminal gang, the AP reported. The attack occurred on Oct. 2, 2024, when the two threw hand grenades towards the Israeli Embassy in Copenhagen. The grenades detonated on the terrace of a residential building, which was inhabited by a family with children, according to the AP. No one was injured in the blasts. The nearby Jewish school, Carolineskolen, was closed when the attack took place. AMERICANS WARNED BY US EMBASSY IN ISRAEL TO PREPARE FOR ‘CRISES’ AMID IRAN TENSIONS The two men admitted to throwing the grenades, but denied being ideologically motivated, saying they did it for money, the AP reported. IRAN-DIRECTED PLOT TO ASSASSINATE ISRAEL’S AMBASSADOR TO MEXICO THWARTED, OFFICIALS REVEAL The Danish court was reportedly split on whether the two should be convicted of terrorism. Two judges and four jurors concluded that they were guilty, while one judge and two jurors disagreed, according to the AP, which cited TT. At the time of the attack, Israel's war in Gaza had been ongoing for nearly a year following Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, massacre that left 1,200 dead and resulted in the taking of 251 hostages. Throughout the war, Jerusalem faced international scrutiny as world leaders debated whether the Israel Defense Forces' actions in Gaza were excessive. The war ended in October 2025 with a peace deal brokered under the Trump administration. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Peter Mandelson, a prominent British political figure, faces allegations of “misconduct in public office offenses” over his dealings with Jeffrey Epstein.

Everyone seems to have questions about the sprawling scandal, so we talked to a reporter who’s been following the case for years.

The court said it was not the right authority to handle the lawsuit for unpaid rent, and the case should be heard in Iraq, where the family’s ancestors had fled persecution.

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey wants to eliminate the 15-year deadline to prosecute rape in cases where there’s a DNA match. Current Massachusetts law bars rape prosecutions in older cases, even when DNA testing has identified a suspect. An investigation last year by WBUR and ProPublica found that nearly all other states allow more time to charge rapes or similar assaults of adults than Massachusetts. Many of those 47 states extended their deadlines in recent decades as DNA technology helped solve old cases and as evidence mounted that police had failed to fully investigate rapes. The WBUR-ProPublica investigation followed the story of Louise, a woman who had been raped and stabbed after accepting a ride in 2005 from a man who said he recognized her from college, a police report said. Although DNA testing would later connect a man accused of multiple assaults to her case, prosecutors had to drop charges in her attack under Massachusetts’ statute. (WBUR does not identify victims of sexual assault without their permission. We agreed to identify Louise by her middle name.) Healey’s proposal would eliminate the statute of limitations for rape cases when DNA evidence exists. “With technological advances, new evidence is being collected and tested every day, and we need to make sure our judicial system keeps pace,” Healey said in a written statement on Saturday. “I hope this proposal will help survivors who have had to wait far too long for justice, while also improving our ability to hold offenders accountable.” The new language is part of Healey’s budget proposal for the 2027 fiscal year . The provision must pass both chambers of the Legislature. It would take effect for cases in which the statute of limitations has not yet expired and future sexual assaults, but it would not affect older cases. Legislators have tried to pass similar proposals every session since 2011, WBUR found, but those efforts have failed in part because defense attorneys have opposed changes, saying a longer deadline risks violating the rights of the accused. State Rep. Adam Scanlon, who has introduced legislation to create a DNA exception since 2021, said media attention helped push the issue forward again this year. He said Healey’s “bill is really a testament to victims to ensure that folks that are in the same situation never have to go through the process of seeing somebody being able to walk away from an alleged rape when they know — when we know as a society — that DNA evidence connects them to that crime.” That Healey, the state’s former attorney general, is backing the changes gives new hope for victims, said Louise, the woman featured by WBUR as part of its investigation. She was raped and repeatedly stabbed, a police report said. But DNA evidence did not match her assault to a suspect for 17 years. “ There are several of us that have missed out on having justice. We won’t get to have that day when we know that our perpetrators are not going to get us,” Louise said. Prosecutors alleged in 2022 that Louise’s attacker was a serial rapist. DNA from Ivan Cheung, a Boston-area man who worked in the financial services industry at the time of his arrest, also matched a 2006 stabbing and rape, court records show. But that attack was also beyond the state’s statute of limitations by the time the match was made. Cheung has repeatedly maintained his innocence. His attorney did not reply to WBUR’s requests for comment. Louise decided to advocate for survivors like her after Cheung’s prosecution failed. In June, she testified publicly before a state legislative committee in support of Scanlon’s bill. She said she’s glad that the governor heard the voices of her and other survivors. “I have beautiful family members, young women,” Louise said. “I care about all the youth in the community. I want them all safer.” The post Mass. Governor Proposes Eliminating Statute of Limitations for Rape When DNA Evidence Exists appeared first on ProPublica .

The Federal Aviation Administration has issued a sharp warning that rocket launches could “significantly reduce safety” for airplanes, urging pilots to prepare for the possibility that “catastrophic failures” could create dangerous debris fields. The official notice , known as a safety alert for operators, was dated Jan. 8, the same day that ProPublica published an investigation showing how pilots scrambled to avoid debris after two SpaceX Starship megarockets exploded over busy airspace last year. The alert was an acknowledgment that travelers were at risk on those days, when the FAA hastily activated no-fly zones to help air traffic controllers steer planes away from falling rocket parts. In the last two decades, the agency has issued about 245 such safety alerts to the aviation community about issues ranging from runway threats to mechanical problems, but last month’s warning is the first to address the danger to airplanes when rockets launch or reenter Earth’s atmosphere, according to the FAA’s website . SpaceX and other companies have ramped up launches in recent years. Starship, a version of which is supposed to one day land on the moon, has followed a flight path that soars over well-trafficked commercial airways in the Caribbean. The FAA previously told ProPublica that it “limits the number of aircraft exposed to the hazards, making the likelihood of a catastrophic event extremely improbable.” It also said it takes steps to keep pilots informed and planes safe during launches, such as creating the emergency no-fly zones, known as debris response areas. The January alert also pointed to those procedures. “Past events have shown that when a mishap does occur, debris has fallen within or near the DRA, and pilots should exercise extreme caution near these areas,” the notice said. But it warned that debris can fall in places where the FAA doesn’t enact no-fly zones, such as international airspace over oceans without radar coverage, saying pilots need to have “additional situational awareness” to avoid debris fields there. Neither SpaceX nor the FAA has released data showing where debris fell after the Starship explosions last year. SpaceX did not respond to a request for comment. Previously, the company has said that it learns from its mistakes and that each test improves Starship’s reliability. “SpaceX is committed to responsibly using airspace during launches and reentries, prioritizing public safety to protect people on the ground, at sea, and in the air,” it said on X in December. Last year, the FAA granted SpaceX permission to launch Starship as many as 25 times a year from its base in Texas. But, after repeated setbacks, only five of the giant space vehicles lifted off in 2025. In its warning, the FAA urged aircraft operators to “evaluate the impact of space launch and reentry operations on their planned flight routes and take appropriate precautionary measures.” Those should include ensuring they have enough fuel in case air traffic controllers put them in a holding pattern, the agency said. In its investigation, ProPublica found several airplanes began running low on fuel after the January 2025 Starship incident, with at least one declaring an emergency and crossing the no-fly zone to reach an airport. The world’s largest pilots union told the FAA in October that such events call into question whether “a suitable process” is in place to respond to unexpected rocket mishaps. “There is high potential for debris striking an aircraft resulting in devastating loss of the aircraft, flight crew, and passengers,” wrote Steve Jangelis, a pilot and the group’s aviation safety chair. The FAA adjusted its practices over the course of the failed launches last year but still allowed SpaceX to launch more Starship prototypes over the same airspace, adding stress to the already-taxed air traffic control system, ProPublica found. The Wall Street Journal reported in December that an air traffic controller needed to intervene to prevent a collision when at least two aircraft flew too close to each other after one of the explosions. The FAA did not respond to requests for comment for this story. Airlines for America, a trade association for the leading U.S. airlines, said it is “committed to ensuring the safety of all flights especially amid the growing number of space launches.” The association said in a statement that airlines coordinate with both the federal government and commercial space companies to make sure the airspace stays safe. Rep. Nellie Pou of New Jersey, a Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s aviation panel, applauded the FAA for issuing the warning, saying the Trump administration “must protect American travelers from all threats, including space launches and reentry operations.” “Perfect safety demands scrupulous and forward-looking attention to detail from our federal agencies and close coordination with operators,” Pou said. “I am heartened FAA is showing both here.” ProPublica’s Jan. 8 story showed how airplanes had to maneuver quickly to clear wide swaths of airspace after SpaceX Starships blew up over the Caribbean in January and March last year. Read More “We’re Too Close to the Debris” Our analysis of flight tracking data found that in each incident, multiple planes were in the projected debris zones at the time of the explosions and that others likely had to change course to steer clear of falling debris. Pilots reported seeing flaming streaks far above the horizon. Before the third Starship launch last year, in May, the agency settled on a more conservative approach, proactively closing more airspace ahead of time. That mission failed too, with the rocket’s booster exploding over the Gulf and its upper stage blowing up over the Indian Ocean. SpaceX is now seeking FAA approval to add new trajectories as Starship strives to reach orbit. Under the plan, the rocket would fly over land in Florida and Mexico, as well as the airspace of Cuba, Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, likely disrupting hundreds of flights. The company says it’s committed to public safety as it ramps up its launch cadence, saying in a post on X that it “will continue to ensure maximum public safety while also working to integrate Starship more efficiently into the airspace.” The post FAA Warns Airlines About Safety Risks From Rocket Launches, Urges “Extreme Caution” appeared first on ProPublica .

The two federal immigration agents who fired on Minneapolis protester Alex Pretti are identified in government records as Border Patrol agent Jesus Ochoa and Customs and Border Protection officer Raymundo Gutierrez. The records viewed by ProPublica list Ochoa, 43, and Gutierrez, 35, as the shooters during the deadly encounter last weekend that left Pretti dead and ignited massive protests and calls for criminal investigations. Both men were assigned to Operation Metro Surge, an immigration enforcement dragnet launched in December that sent scores of armed and masked agents across the city. CBP, which employs both men, has so far refused to release their names and has disclosed few other facts about the deadly incident, which came days after a different immigration agent shot and killed another Minneapolis protester, a 37-year-old mother of three named Renee Good. Pretti’s killing, and the subsequent secrecy surrounding the agents involved, comes as the country confronts the consequences of President Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration crackdown. The sweeps in cities across the country have been marked by scenes of violence, against immigrants and U.S. citizens, by agents allowed to hide their identities with masks — an almost unheard of practice in law enforcement. As a result, the public has been kept from one of the chief ways it has to hold officers involved in such altercations accountable: their identity. Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers have called for a transparent investigation into the killing of Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care unit nurse working at a Department of Veterans Affairs hospital. “We must have a transparent, independent investigation into the Minnesota shooting, and those responsible—no matter their title—must be held accountable,” Republican Sen. John Curtis of Utah wrote on X on Monday. The agency sent a notice to some members of Congress on Tuesday acknowledging that two agents fired Glock pistols during the altercation that left Pretti dead. That notice does not include the agents’ names. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees CBP, said the agents had been placed on leave after the Jan. 24 shooting. And after a week of protests and calls from lawmakers for a review, the Justice Department said Friday that its Civil Rights Division is investigating the shooting. A DOJ spokesperson did not answer questions, including whether DHS has shared materials, such as body-camera footage, with its investigators. Ochoa is a Border Patrol agent who joined CBP in 2018. Gutierrez joined in 2014 and works for CBP’s Office of Field Operations. He is assigned to a special response team, which conducts high-risk operations like those of police SWAT units. Records show both men are from South Texas. In the aftermath of the shooting, Gregory Bovino, who has orchestrated high-intensity immigration sweeps and arrests in a string of Democratic-led cities since early 2025, was removed from his role as Border Patrol commander at large and reassigned to his former post in El Centro, California. A spokesperson for DHS declined to answer questions about the two agents and referred ProPublica to the FBI. The FBI declined to comment. ProPublica made several attempts to call Ochoa and Gutierrez but neither answered. Ochoa, who goes by Jesse, graduated from the University of Texas-Pan American with a degree in criminal justice, according to his ex-wife, Angelica Ochoa. A longtime resident of the Rio Grande Valley, Ochoa had for years dreamed of working for the Border Patrol and finally landed a job there, she said. By the time the couple split in 2021, he had become a gun enthusiast with about 25 rifles, pistols and shotguns, Angelica Ochoa said. DHS’ disclosure to Congress was drawn from an internal review of the agents’ body-camera footage, which has not been released to the public. State investigators, meanwhile, have accused their federal counterparts of blocking them from investigating the shooting. FBI agents work at the scene of the Pretti shooting. Peter DiCampo/ProPublica “We don’t have any information on the shooters,” a Minneapolis city spokesperson said. A spokesperson for Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said Tuesday that his office also had “not been given the names, and we don’t have any new information on the investigation.” Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee, in a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi Monday , accused the Justice Department of covering up evidence in both Pretti’s and Good’s killings. “DOJ has also blocked prosecutors and agents from cooperating with state law enforcement officials and prevented state officials from accessing evidence,” the letter said. Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, told CNN on Sunday that immigration agents should not be masked. “They should not be anonymous. They should be identifiable. And they have to have rules of engagement that don’t allow them to terrorize and intimidate, harass and assault U.S. citizens and other people,” he said. The notice to Congress said that the shooting happened when Pretti resisted arrest after officers were unable to get him and a female protester out of the street. The CBP officer “attempted to move the woman and Pretti out of the roadway. The woman and Pretti did not move,” the report reads. “CBP personnel attempted to take Pretti into custody. Pretti resisted CBP personnel’s efforts and a struggle ensued.” According to the report, one agent then yelled “He’s got a gun!” multiple times, and two others “discharged” their Glock pistols. In videos widely shared online, Pretti can be seen holding up a phone, documenting the movements of federal agents and officers as they roamed the streets of a popular food and arts district. According to news reports, Pretti was concerned about the increasingly volatile siege of the city by federal agents. In the videos, a masked agent appears to knock a woman to the ground. Pretti comes to her aid, getting between them, at which point the officer deploys pepper spray at his face. Two agents then grab Pretti and pull him to the ground, while more federal personnel pile on. During the struggle, the agents unleash a series of shots — approximately 10 — as onlookers scream. Pretti was armed at the time of the encounter with a legally owned handgun, according to state and federal officials. Some analyses of bystander video appear to show a federal agent taking Pretti’s gun from his hip before the first shots were fired. The agents’ masks and the chaos of the altercation make it difficult to differentiate one from another. Those videos appear to contradict the claims by Bovino and other officials, including DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, that Pretti had come to attack agents. “The agents attempted to disarm the individual, but he violently resisted,” Bovino said in a Jan. 25 news conference. “Fearing for his life and the lives and safety of fellow officers, a Border Patrol agent fired defensive shots.” In the initial aftermath, Stephen Miller, a top Trump aide and a leading force behind the immigration enforcement operations, called Pretti “a would-be assassin.” But Miller changed tack later in the week when he said in a statement that CBP officers “may not have been following” protocol related to confronting bystanders. Additional video has surfaced showing Pretti in another altercation with federal agents 11 days before he was killed. The video shows Pretti yelling at the agents, who get in an SUV and start to drive away. Pretti then kicks out the taillight of the vehicle and the agents, who wore protective masks, jump out and tackle him to the ground.  It is unclear if any of the same agents were involved in both incidents. Lauren Bonds, executive director of the National Police Accountability Project, said that many local and state police departments are “much more transparent” than CBP when officers shoot people. “More and more police departments are choosing to release bodycam footage or dashcam footage within a couple of days.” Gil Kerlikowske, a former CBP commissioner, told ProPublica that it’s difficult to draw conclusions from the chaos in bystander videos. Still, he said, the shooting might have been prevented. Pretti’s attempt to help the woman knocked to the ground could have been seen as interfering with federal law enforcement, he said. But the decision by the officers to immediately use pepper spray created a chaotic scene that likely contributed to Pretti’s death. “The other agent could have said ‘don’t interfere’ or ‘stand back,’” Kerlikowske said. “Rather than move immediately to pepper spray, you can arrest the person.” It’s part of a pattern, he said, of federal officers jumping straight to use of force in situations that could have been de-escalated but instead create danger for both agents and their targets. Pretti’s death, and the federal government’s characterization of the event, sparked immediate protests, spurring thousands of people to go out into frigid conditions in Minneapolis and other American cities. The shooting has also drawn intense criticism from political leaders, including Walz, who has promised his state’s law enforcement will conduct its own criminal investigation. People gather at the location where Pretti was shot. Cengiz Yar/ProPublica The post Two CBP Agents Identified in Alex Pretti Shooting appeared first on ProPublica .

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