US military strikes 3 more alleged drug boats in Eastern Pacific, Caribbean, killing 11: SOUTHCOM
The U.S. military says it hit three more vessels suspected of carrying drugs in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean Sea, killing 11 men. (U.S. Southern Command/X)
(NEW YORK) — The United States military says it hit three more vessels suspected of carrying drugs in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean Sea, killing 11 men.
U.S. Southern Command says in an online post that the vessels were traveling along drug-trafficking routes and “engaged in narco-trafficking.” A video accompanying the strike shows the three separate strikes.
Officials said four men were killed in the strike on the first vessel in the Eastern Pacific, four on the second vessel in the Eastern Pacific and three on the third vessel in the Caribbean.
No U.S. military forces were harmed, according to SOUTHCOM.
According to the government’s count, the U.S. has killed a total of 144 people in the strikes, which are now being led by U.S. Southern Command Gen. Francis Donovan.
Luigi Mangione attends a suppression of evidence hearing in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in Manhattan Criminal Court on December 18, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Shannon Stapleton-Pool/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — Luigi Mangione returns on Friday to Manhattan federal court, where prosecutors have said they would seek the death penalty if he’s convicted of stalking and killing UnitedHealthcare chief executive Brian Thompson on a New York City sidewalk in 2024.
The appearance follows a three-week hearing in state court during which Mangione tried to convince the judge to exclude some of the critical evidence police said they found in his backpack, including writings and the alleged murder weapon.
Prosecutors said in a letter Thursday no such hearing is necessary in the federal case.
“The Government searched the contents of the defendant’s notebook pursuant to a judicially authorized search warrant that expressly covered, among other things, handwritten materials, including notebook entries, contained within the defendant’s backpack,” prosecutor Sean Buckley wrote.
“To the extent that the defendant now seeks to challenge the validity of the Government’s warrant — an argument the defendant similarly did not make in either his moving or reply papers — that argument would also fail on the merits because the warrant, which disclosed the initial search of the defendant’s backpack by the Altoona Police Department, was supported by ample probable cause,” wrote Buckley.
Earlier this week, prosecutors disputed a defense claim that Mangione should not face the death penalty because of a purported conflict of interest by Attorney General Pam Bondi.
The defense said Bondi is continuing to benefit from a 401k established while she worked at the lobbying firm Ballard Partners, which represents UnitedHealthcare.
Prosecutors said Ballard has made no contributions to her retirement plan since her Senate confirmation as attorney general, and argued that she stands to gain nothing from a “capital outcome” in the Mangione case.
“There is simply no factual basis for the assertion that outside corporate interests influenced the Attorney General’s charging decision in any fashion. The defendant’s insinuations otherwise rest on an inaccurate financial narrative,” Buckley wrote.
Mangione, who has pleaded not guilty to federal charges, is also trying to fight the possibility of the death penalty by challenging one of the aggravating factors that makes him eligible.
Paresh Patel, an expert on the federal stalking statute who Mangione has added to his legal team, is expected to argue that stalking is not a crime of violence and, therefore, an improper predicate to making the case death penalty eligible.
Prosecutors say the defense is wrong.
“Volitional conduct by the defendant that simultaneously places the victim in reasonable fear of death or bodily injury and that proximately causes the victim’s death necessarily involves the ‘use, attempted use, or threatened use of physical force against the person or property of another,’ thereby making the offenses charged in Counts Three and Four crimes of violence,” Buckley argued.
Ford Explorer SUVs are parked for sale at a dealership on June 12, 2019, in Glendale, California. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — Ford is recalling up to 119,000 vehicles because the engine block heater could short circuit and cause a fire, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The recall includes certain 2019 and 2024 Ford Explorers and 2016-2018 Ford Focus vehicles, as well as 2013–2019 Ford Escape, 2013–2018 Ford Focus, and 2015–2016 Lincoln MKC vehicles with 2.0L engines, NHTSA noted.
People can determine if their vehicle is included in the recall by entering their Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on the NHTSA website.
“The engine block heater may crack and develop a coolant leak, causing it to short circuit when the block heater is plugged in… An electrical short circuit can increase the risk of a fire,” NHTSA said in its recall documents.
The risk only occurs when the heater is plugged in, the agency said.
Signs of an issue could include coolant spots on the ground, loss of cabin heat, powertrain unit overheating or a warning for a low coolant level, the documents noted. The issue could also cause heat damage to the electrical wiring, which could lead to the smell of smoke, according to NHTSA.
Ford said owners should not plug in the block heater until the remedy is completed. Interim owner notification letters will go out Feb. 9.
“Ford is currently developing a newly designed engine block heater element,” the company said in a statement sent to ABC News. “Once parts are available, Ford will notify customers to visit a dealer for a free replacement.”
It also highlighted “an alternative remedy” for people who would like to disable the vehicle’s block heater.
“For those customers that choose this option, a Ford dealer will remove the block heater element and install a threaded plug free of charge,” it noted in the statement. The heater cord will be stowed for the customer until the redesigned element is available for installation.”
As of Dec. 3, Ford reported to NHTSA they were aware of 12 Ford Escape 2.0L owners alleging fires from this condition. They are not aware of any accidents or injuries related to the issue.
Ohio authorities are searching for a suspect after a dentist and his wife were found murdered inside their home earlier this week.
Columbus Police Patrol officers responded to the home of Spencer Tepe, 37, and Monique Tepe, 39, on Tuesday morning after a welfare check was requested, according to an incident report viewed by ABC News.
When officers arrived, they found the couple suffering from apparent gunshots wounds. Paramedics arrived and the pair were declared dead shortly after, police said.
Spencer Tepe had multiple gunshot wounds while Monique Tepe had at least one gunshot wound to the chest, according to local ABC News affiliate WSYX.
Police did not find obvious signs of forced entry and no firearms were recovered at the home. Currently, the deaths are not believed to be a murder-suicide, WSYX reported.
Two small children were also found in the residence unharmed, according to the incident report.
The welfare check was requested after Spencer Tepe did not show up for work at Athens Dental Deport. The owner, Dr. Mark Valrose, called 911, telling dispatchers Tepe was always on time for work.
“I’m on vacation, but this individual, Spencer, works with me, and he did not show up to work this morning. And we cannot get a hold of him or his family,” Valrose told dispatchers, according to audio of a 911 call reviewed by ABC News. “He’s been reliable, and we cannot get in touch with him, his wife, his family, anybody that lives in that house.”
Police records indicate that authorities were initially contacted at 9:03 a.m. and that an officer responded to the home at 9:22 a.m. but received no answer and left, WSYX reported.
A person called police at 9:58 a.m., reporting that they heard children inside and nobody was answering the door, according to audio reviewed by ABC News.
A third 911 call was placed after the same person reported that they could see Spencer Tepe’s body inside the home and that he appeared dead, according to the audio call.
Columbus Police scanner audio shared by Broadcastify indicates that the 911 caller believed they heard one of the children yelling before calling again to report the body in the house.
The Tepes were married in 2021 and were one month shy of celebrating their five-year anniversary, Spencer Tepe’s brother-in-law, Rob Misleh, told WSYX.
Authorities are asking anyone with information to contact the Columbus Police Homicide Unit at (614) 645-4730 or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at (614) 461-TIPS (8477).
