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Hegseth creates
religious office
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is launching an office of religious affairs at the Pentagon. He announced Wednesday that the office will provide "first-class religious support" and report directly to him.
Hegseth, who often infuses his evangelical Christianity into his leadership, says the office will advocate for military chaplains and religious support. One critic, Rachel Laser from Americans United for Separation of Church, argues that the new initiative will elevate Christianity in military policy.
The Pentagon says the new office will not compel religious participation or favor any particular faith. The leader of the new office has not been named, but it will coordinate spiritual resources for military families.
Rep. Rivera
sentenced
MIAMI (AP) -- A former Miami congressman has been sentenced to ten years in prison for a secret $50 million lobbying campaign for Venezuela during President Donald Trump’s first term.
Republican David Rivera, a longtime friend of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, has been jailed since being found guilty in May of failing to register as a foreign agent and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The details of his work for Nicolás Maduro’s Venezuelan government that came out during the trial highlighted Miami’s role as a hub for foreign influence campaigns targeting U.S. policy toward Latin America. Rubio testified that he had no idea it was going on and that he felt betrayed.
Footage shows
Mangione’s arrest
NEW YORK (AP) -- Police bodycam footage shows officers arresting Luigi Mangione at a Pennsylvania McDonald’s in connection with the shooting death of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
The footage that was released Friday captures officers identifying Mangione and finding a gun cartridge in his belongings. Mangione was arrested on Dec. 9, 2024, five days after Thompson was killed in Manhattan.
A judge unsealed the recordings after CNN petitioned for their release. Mangione pleaded guilty to federal stalking charges in August and faces life in prison. He also faces murder charges in New York, though those proceedings are postponed.
Congo death
toll rises
BUNIA, Congo (AP) -- Congo’s Ebola outbreak has resulted in over 4,000 deaths, with authorities struggling to contain the virus. The Health Ministry reported Thursday that 4,018 people have died, nearly half of the 8,300 confirmed cases.
The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, began in May and is the fastest-growing in history. Health workers in Bunia protested unpaid wages, further complicating containment efforts. A U.N. official noted that a key transit center was burned, displacing 19,000 people.