Seven elephant seals test positive for bird flu at California beach

Seven elephant seal pupshave tested positive for avian flu atCalifornia's Año Nuevo State Park,after scientists noticed several seals showing abnormal respiratory and neurological signs.

Scientists atUC Santa Cruz,UC Davis, and theU.S. Department of Agriculture's National Veterinary Services Laboratoryconfirmed the outbreak late Tuesday evening, marking thefirst outbreak of HPAI H5N1 in marine mammals in California, according to apress release from UC Davis.

"This is exceptionally rapid detection of an outbreak in free-ranging marine mammals," said Professor Christine Johnson, director of theInstitute for Pandemic Insightsat theUC Davis' Weill School of Veterinary Medicine."We have most likely identified the very first cases here because of coordinated teams that have been on high alert with active surveillance for this disease for some time."

In response to this outbreak, theAño Nuevo State Park has temporarily closedaccess to the elephant seal viewing area for the rest of the season. The park will provide refunds to any tourists who booked a spot to view the seals.

The state park's marine education center, horse barn movie theater, and a portion of the Año Nuevo Point Trail will remain open at this time,according to the park's website.

This is not the first timethe disease has been detected in an elephant seal population; in 2023, southern elephant seals in Argentina were affected by it. The disease decimatedsouthern elephant seals, as hundreds of dead pups appeared along the Patagonian coast of Argentina.

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After the avian flu killed hundreds ofsouthern elephant seals, scientists at UC Santa Cruz and UC Davis increased disease surveillance of the population in North America, out of concern that the disease might spread along the American coastlines.

"Given the catastrophic impacts observed in related species, we were concerned about the possibility of the virus infecting northern elephant seals for the first time, so we ramped up monitoring to detect any early signs of abnormalities," said Roxanne Beltran, a professor in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at UC Santa Cruz.Beltran's lableads UC Santa Cruz's northern elephant seal research program at Año Nuevo.

The avian flu wasfirst reported in Canada in December 2021, after the virus was detected in wild birds in every province and territory. However, UC scientistsbelieve this is the first detection of avianflu among thenorthern elephant sealpopulation.

The risk of the avian flu transmitting to the general public is very low; the disease can spread between animals and people. Scientists recommend avoiding areas with infected animals, not touching live or dead seals, and not allowing pets to approach them.

If a person encounters a sick, injured, or dead marine mammal in California, Oregon, or Washington, call the NOAA Fisheries West Coast Region Stranding Hotline: (866) 767-6114.

Noe Padilla is a Northern California Reporter for USA Today. Contact him atnpadilla@usatodayco.com, follow him on X @1NoePadillaor on Bluesky @noepadilla.bsky.social.Sign up for theTODAY Californian newsletteror follow us on Facebook atTODAY Californian.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Seven elephant seals test positive for bird flu at California beach

byNeo

in Celebrities, Lifestyle, Politics, ShowBiz, Sports

February 25, 2026

Seven elephant seals test positive for bird flu at California beach

Seven elephant seal pupshave tested positive for avian flu atCalifornia's Año Nuevo State Park,after scientists notic...

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Trump policy allowing swift deportations to alternate countries rejected by US judge

By Nate Raymond

U.S. District Judge Murphy Investiture Ceremony in Boston

BOSTON, Feb 25 (Reuters) - A federal judge on Wednesday ruled that the Trump administration had adopted an unlawful policy that allows for the rapid deportation of migrants to countries other than their own without providing them a ‌chance to object and raise concerns for their safety.

U.S. District Judge Brian Murphy in Boston issued a final ruling declaring the ‌U.S. Department of Homeland Security's policy invalid in a case that the administration expects will ultimately be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court.

The policy, which was adopted in ​March 2025 as part of Republican President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown, failed to protect the due process rights of migrants who without notice could be swiftly deported to "an unfamiliar and potentially dangerous country," Murphy said.

Murphy said the administration had argued it would be "fine" for immigration officers under that policy to quickly deport people to so-called third countries they did not come from as long as DHS does not know someone is waiting to kill them upon ‌their arrival.

"It is not fine, nor is it ⁠legal," wrote Murphy, who was appointed by Democratic President Joe Biden.

DECISION ON HOLD PENDING LIKELY APPEAL

The judge set aside the policy and declared that migrants who had been subject to it had a right to meaningful ⁠notice and a chance to raise objections to being deported to third countries. But he paused his ruling from taking effect for 15 days to allow the administration time to pursue an appeal, citing the case's "importance and its unusual history."

He noted the Supreme Court's earlier interventions in the case. The court previously ​lifted ​a preliminary injunction Murphy issued in April protecting the due process rights of ​migrants facing deportation to third countries and later cleared ‌the way for eight men to be sent to South Sudan.

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While it was in effect, that earlier injunction hindered the administration's efforts to send migrants to countries other than their places of origin, including South Sudan, Libya and El Salvador.

A spokesperson for DHS, in a statement, pointed to the Supreme Court's earlier rulings in its favor in the case and said the department was "confident we will be vindicated again."

"DHS must be allowed to execute its lawful authority and remove illegal aliens to a country willing to accept them," the DHS spokesperson said.

Wednesday's ruling came ‌in a class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of migrants facing deportation to countries not ​previously named in their removal orders or identified in their immigration court proceedings.

The policy allows ​migrants to be deported to such countries if immigration authorities ​either have credible diplomatic assurances they will not be persecuted or tortured if sent there, or have given ‌the migrants as little as six hours of notice that ​they are being sent to such ​a place.

Trina Realmuto, a lawyer for the plaintiffs at the National Immigration Litigation Alliance, called Murphy's ruling "a forceful statement from the court that the administration's third-country removal policy is unconstitutional."

"Under the government's policy, people have been forcibly returned to countries where U.S. immigration ​judges have found they will be persecuted or ‌tortured," Realmuto said in a statement.

Department of Justice lawyers had argued the policy satisfied immigration law requirements and due process ​standards and was essential for deporting migrants whose home countries refused them due to crimes they committed.

(Reporting by Nate ​Raymond in Boston, Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi, Nia Williams and Bill Berkrot)

byNeo

in Celebrities, Lifestyle, Politics, ShowBiz, Sports

February 25, 2026

Trump policy allowing swift deportations to alternate countries rejected by US judge

By Nate Raymond U.S. District Judge Murphy Investiture Ceremony in Boston BOSTON, Feb 25 (Reuters) - A feder...

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Online disinformation fueled panic after the killing of Mexico's most powerful drug lord

GUADALAJARA, Mexico (AP) — When roadblocks, explosions and gunshots broke out after thekilling of Mexico's most powerful drug lord, people who rushed to their cellphones for information found social media posts depicting a country in chaos.

TheJalisco New Generation Cartelresponded to themassive Mexican army operationto capture Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes,known as "El Mencho,"on Sunday with an even bigger wave ofretaliatory violencein some 20 states. More than 70 people were killed.

But in addition to real accounts of death and destruction and the warnings from governments for their citizens to shelter in place, the internet was flooded with disinformation — fake videos and images generated byartificial intelligence. They were designed to stoke fear, Mexican officials said.

"We didn't know what was true and what was false," said Victoria Elizabeth Peceril, 31, who was walking with her three children in the now-calm streets of Guadalajara on Wednesday. "We were really scared."

Some posts falsely claimed the president hid and an airport was seized

One fake post purported to show a commercial plane on fire at Guadalajara's international airport. Messages spread that gunmen had seized the airport and tourists had been taken hostage.

The government said there were between 200 and 500 troublesome and inaccurate posts — including up to 30 that have received more than 100,000 views — since Sunday's army operation.

Officials presented data compiled by Tecnologico de Monterrey, a private university, during President Claudia Sheinbaum's daily news briefing Wednesday. It said 35% to 40% of those posts lacked context, at least 25% were misleading, and nearly 25% were manipulated by AI or fabricated.

One post claimed a U.S. agent had strangled Oseguera Cervantes. Another said Sheinbaum was hiding on a naval vessel off Mexico's Pacific coast. Others speculated that Mexico killed Oseguera Cervantes rather than turn him over to the U.S., or tried to tie his killing to the capture of former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, according to the university's report.

The university did not suggest who, or what, was producing the content.

"There was a lot of badly intentioned news Sunday, looking to generate terror," Sheinbaum said a day earlier.

The Jalisco cartel is known for extraordinary violence

Many people in Mexico learn about what is happening in their communities via chat groups on messaging apps or from accounts on the social platform X. In the northern border cities that live in the grip of organized crime, these sometimes read like traffic reports, telling drivers the location of convoys of criminals so they can stay away.

The Jalisco cartel has built a reputation for spectacular acts of violence, including downing a military helicopter and attempting to assassinate Mexico City's police chief, so social media posts proclaiming extraordinary cartel brutality are difficult to doubt.

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"At first, we believed everything," said 28-year-old Nicolás Martín, who lives in Mexico City but had been staying at a resort near Puerto Vallarta when the violence began. He said the images posted online resembled "what you see in movies."

Martín said he was surprised by the quality of posts that circulated early Sunday — including what appeared to be drone footage — supposedly showing explosions and fires in Puerto Vallarta. In the initial moments of chaos, you would expect the images to be less steady, more haphazard, he said.

Organized criminals are becoming tech-savvy

Vanda Felbab-Brown, an expert in organized crime at the Brookings Institution — a Washington-based public policy think tank — it's possible that people tied to the Jalisco cartel were behind at least some of the disinformation.

Among Mexico's organized crime groups, the Jalisco cartel in particular has invested in its online presence.

"The criminals are becoming very tech-savvy," Felbab-Brown said.

"It was impressive to see the level of misinformation," she said, citing the images purporting to show the cartel had taken over the airport in Guadalajara. She said those "impressive and sophisticated" posts are likely generated by AI from chatbots controlled by Jalisco Nueva Generación.

They "certainly added to the aura of chaos and meltdown in Mexico," Felbab-Brown said.

Even though Mexican authorities and the U.S. Embassy tried to knock down some of the false information circulating Sunday, Sarai Olguín, a 22-year-old college student in Guadalajara, said it was difficult to distinguish between fact and fiction.

Friends sent her videos and photos they found online as she and other residents hid inside their homes. She credits the posts in part with keeping people off the streets.

One post warned that "after a certain hour they were going to kill everyone," she said. "In a way it's good, because all of this false news helped take care of people even though they sowed immense fear."

Verza reported from Mexico City. Associated Press fact checker Abril Mulato in Mexico City contributed.

byNeo

in Celebrities, Lifestyle, Politics, ShowBiz, Sports

February 25, 2026

Online disinformation fueled panic after the killing of Mexico's most powerful drug lord

GUADALAJARA, Mexico (AP) — When roadblocks, explosions and gunshots broke out after thekilling of Mexico's most power...

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Singer D4vd under grand jury investigation into teen's death, L.A. court documents say

Singer D4vd is the target of a Los Angeles grand jury investigation into the death of a teenage girl whosedismembered remains were found last year in the trunk of his car, according to court filings.

The filings state a grand jury investigation is currently pending in Los Angeles County involving allegations that D4vd, whose real name isDavid Anthony Burke, "may be involved in the death of a 14-year-old victim" identified as Celeste Rivas Hernandez, who was reported missing from Lake Elsinore, California, in 2024.

The filings state that Hernandez "may have been the victim of foul play."

A Los Angeles Police Department source with direct knowledge of the investigation previously said that thesinger was a suspectin Hernandez's death. He has not been arrested or charged with any crime.

Both of the singer's parents, Colleen and Dawud Burke, were ordered to appear before a Los Angeles grand jury scheduled for Feb. 11, according to court documents. They live in Texas.

His father was asked to appear as a witness in the investigation, the documents state.

Hernandez's remains were found Sept. 8inside the front trunk of the singer's Tesla at a Hollywood tow lot. The manager called officers to report a "strong smell of decay" coming from the vehicle and the presence of flies, the court documents state.

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"Detectives approached the vehicle which was parked on the upper deck of the impound lot and immediately noticed a smell of decaying biological material consistent with a decomposing corpse coming from the front storage compartment of the vehicle," the documents say.

Inside the trunk was a black cadaver bag covered with insects. Officers unzipped the bag and found a decomposed head and torso, according to the documents. A second black bag was also in the trunk, containing additional dismembered body parts.

The car was taken to the tow lot after it was left abandoned on a Los Angeles street. A citizen reported the abandoned vehicle in August.

The documents state that the Department of Transportation marked the vehicle and issued a citation before impounding it. D4vd was on tour at the time the car was impounded, the court documents state.

Following news of Hernandez's death, hecanceled the rest of his U.S. tour.

D4vd's lawyers have not responded to multiple requests for comment. In September, his spokesperson said he was "fully cooperating with authorities." A police source toldNBC Los Angelesthat the singer has not been cooperative.

CORRECTION(Feb. 25, 2026, 6:20 p.m.): A previous version of this article misquoted a section of the grand jury filings regarding the victim's age. The filings say Celeste Rivas Hernandez was 14, not 15.

byNeo

in Celebrities, Lifestyle, Politics, ShowBiz, Sports

February 25, 2026

Singer D4vd under grand jury investigation into teen's death, L.A. court documents say

Singer D4vd is the target of a Los Angeles grand jury investigation into the death of a teenage girl whosedismembered rem...

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The strategy behind the new $1 million reward in the Nancy Guthrie investigation

As the search for Nancy Guthrie stretches into its fourth, desperate week, her family has offered up to a million dollars for information leading to her return.

The staggering reward is, in some ways, a tacit admission that the investigation is entering a new phase as DNA evidence that once seemed promising hits roadblocks, and investigators acknowledge they still do not have a suspect in the kidnapping case.

Even as she said her family is "blowing on the embers of hope" that the 84-year-old will make it safely home, Savannah Guthrie acknowledged a sobering truth:

"We also know that she may be lost. She may already be gone," Guthrie said in her video Tuesday announcing the reward. "But we need to know where she is."

The tragic admission, coming more than a week after Guthrie's last appeal to her mother's captors, sparks questions as to why investigators and the family chose to wait weeks to put forward such a large and enticing reward. CNN spoke to law enforcement experts and analysts about the possible strategy behind the timing of such a compelling offer – and why it could portend a tragic turn in the investigation.

An appeal to the inner circle

In the weeks since Guthrie's disappearance, thousands of tips have poured into the investigation's hotline. But the tide began to ebb in recent days, and the Pima County 911 supervisor told CNN the number of credible tips had begun to slow.

Then, the Guthrie family offered their million-dollar reward.

Since the details of the reward were made public, the FBI told CNN investigators have received more than 750 credible tips – among a total of about 23,000 tips collected since the beginning of the investigation.

And while the number is significantly lower than the thousands of calls the tipline received earlier in the investigation, experts say that could be by design.

"This reward is designed to prompt somebody within the suspect's orbit" to come forward, Jonathan Wackrow, a former Secret Service agent who served under President Obama, said.

"It's not the suspect themselves that the messaging is focused on, it's this broader orbit of associates – potentially friends, family, co-conspirators – really for them to break their silence."

Someone with a personal connection to Guthrie's abductor may not have been tempted by the prior $200,000 reward for information, but the prospect of up to a million-dollar payout could mitigate some of the risk of contacting law enforcement, Wackrow said.

Why now?

A source close to the family told CNN the Guthries were willing to put forward a similar reward earlier in the investigation, but there was concern such a large amount could inundate the call center tasked with sifting through tips.

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There are a number of reasons why law enforcement may have advised the Guthries to wait before making such a large offer, CNN senior law enforcement analyst Josh Campbell said.

"Time is of the essence in a kidnapping case, and bogging down investigators with a mountain of false leads could have slowed their effort as they sorted fact from fiction," he said.

And, he added, early in an investigation, the goal is to open a line of communication with the abductor and bring the case to a fast and safe resolution.

"It can be very counterproductive to simultaneously appeal to the abductor to do the right thing, while at the same time encouraging people who might know the abductor to turn on him with the incentive of a million-dollar reward."

The FBI's crisis negotiators, Campbell said, would have likely been trying to find a balance between enticing people with direct knowledge of the kidnapping to come forward and not angering an abductor and inadvertently causing harm to the victim.

What happens next?

Sources close to both the Guthries and the investigation tell CNN the family has continued to work in lock step with authorities, and the new reward was offered in consultation with law enforcement.

Indeed, Savannah Guthrie's language around the reward appeared to align with how the FBI framed its previous offers – with one key distinction.

In recent weeks, the FBI hasofferedpayouts for information "leading to the location of Nancy Guthrie and/or the arrest and conviction of anyone involved in her disappearance."

But now, after acknowledging that her mother may be "dancing in heaven," Savannah said her family is offering up to a million dollars for "any information that leads to her recovery."

The subtle shift in language indicates the Guthrie family's reward does not hinge on an arrest of Nancy's captors. It may also be a reluctant nod to an even worse tragedy.

"This is shifting to acceptance of a whole variety, or a multitude of outcomes including the fact that (Nancy) may now be deceased and they're looking for closure," Wackrow said, adding he finds it "shocking" that it took weeks to get to this point in such a high-profile investigation.

"Again, (the $1 million reward) is a tactic; I would have expected it to be earlier on in this investigation, not midway through the fourth week."

CNN's Josh Campbell, Elizabeth Hartfield and Brian Stelter contributed to this report

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byNeo

in Celebrities, Lifestyle, Politics, ShowBiz, Sports

February 25, 2026

The strategy behind the new $1 million reward in the Nancy Guthrie investigation

As the search for Nancy Guthrie stretches into its fourth, desperate week, her family has offered up to a million dollars...

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Oliver 'Power' Grant, Wu-Tang Clan's fashion mogul, dead at 52

Oliver "Power" Grant, the close Wu-Tang Clan affiliate who oversaw the group's enormously popular Wu Wear fashion line, has died. He was 52.

Grant's death was confirmed by social media posts from several Wu-Tang members including Method Man,who wrote"Paradise my Brother safe Travels!!" under a post of the two together.

"We couldn't have done it without him," GZAwrote in his own post. "Wu wouldn't have come to fruition without Power. His passing is a profound loss to us all."

The group members' posts did not cite a cause of death. The news was first reported by outlets includingOkayplayerandHot 97.

Grant, a childhood friend of Wu-Tang co-founder RZA's older brother, was a crucial figure in the sprawling New York hip-hop collective's ascent. Though he was not a performing member of the group, he helped raise capital for early recording sessions and structured Wu-Tang's finances and record deals — no small feat for a collective with such a vast archipelago of group and solo projects.

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"We knew that if a brother got a deal for 150k, he could keep the majority of it, but it also would facilitate and help the other brothers," he toldPassion of the Weiss in 2011. "It was part of our core and movement for us to spread the money around and help brothers eat, without a project out. It was like we were trust fund babies."

His work set a precedent for autonomy and creative control as hip-hop became a commercial juggernaut in the '90s.

"Everything that we learned was hard knock life, you figure it out as you go along, and take cues from those that are actively doing things," he said. "I wasn't a rapper, but the thrill of being a part of going and where they went, it was the inspiration for how it ended up that lead us all to going back, soaking up what we'd absorbed and coming back with 'Protect Ya Neck.'"

He was also the driving force behind Wu Wear, the group's wildly popular fashion line that netted tens of millions in revenue and became a fixture of '90s hip-hop iconography. The line was later revamped as Wu-Tang Brand, and relaunched as Wu Wear in 2017. He also had cameos as an actor alongside Method Man in the 1998 hip-hop classic "Belly" and 1999's "Black and White," and served as an executive producer for the group's many LPs.

Get notified when the biggest stories in Hollywood, culture and entertainment go live. Sign up for L.A. Times entertainment alerts.

This story originally appeared inLos Angeles Times.

byNeo

in Celebrities, Lifestyle, Politics, ShowBiz, Sports

February 25, 2026

Oliver 'Power' Grant, Wu-Tang Clan's fashion mogul, dead at 52

Oliver "Power" Grant, the close Wu-Tang Clan affiliate who oversaw the group's enormously popular Wu Wear f...

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Explosion engulfs house in flames, injures mother and child in Massachusetts

BOSTON (AP) — Firefighters in Massachusetts were investigating an explosion Wednesday that left a house engulfed in flames and at least two people injured, authorities said.

Massachussetts House Explosion

Emergency workers responded to the fire at the three-family home about 9:50 a.m., fire officials said. Two injured residents, a 25-year-old mother with severe burns and a 2-year-old child with serious injuries, were transported to hospitals, officials said.

"The situation is now under control, but this was a very serious incident," fire Chief Steven Lavigne said. "The weather conditions present unique challenges, but we plan for these situations."

The home was a total loss and eight residents were displaced, fire officials said. Two adjacent homes were also seriously burned, they said. The city opened a warming center for displaced residents Wednesday.

Taunton Mayor Shaunna O'Connell told reporters on a street lined with piles of snow and emergency vehicles that she didn't immediately know whether those injured were inside the house when it exploded.

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Homes on the street are close together and O'Connell said she thought residents next door had to leave their homes. Nearby residents, including some who live several blocks away, reported hearing a loud noise at the time of explosion.

William James Shivers Jr., who lives nearby, said he responded to the house to help people get out.

"Neighbors helping neighbors, as it should be," Shivers said. "Taunton police and fire are amazing and I'm blessed to be a part of this community."

Jake Wark, a spokesperson for the state Department of Fire Services, said he understood that multiple people were injured. The agency was urging people to avoid the area and to allow emergency personnel access to the scene.

State police fire investigators and the state fire marshal's office were both responding to support Taunton fire authorities to determine the origin and cause of the explosion, Wark said.

Taunton and much of the northeastern U.S. was digging out from amajor snowstormearlier in the week. The storm left more than 2 feet (60 centimeters) of snow in Taunton, which is a city of about 60,000 people about 38 miles (61 kilometers) south of Boston.

byNeo

in Celebrities, Lifestyle, Politics, ShowBiz, Sports

February 25, 2026

Explosion engulfs house in flames, injures mother and child in Massachusetts

BOSTON (AP) — Firefighters in Massachusetts were investigating an explosion Wednesday that left a house engulfed in flame...

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Larry Summers resigning from Harvard over Epstein ties

Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers will resign from his remaining roles at Harvard University over histies to Jeffrey Epstein, the school confirmed to CBS News on Wednesday.

Summers will retire at the end of the academic year but will remain on leave until then, a Harvard spokesperson said in a statement.

Summers stepped back from his public commitments in November after the release of messages between him and the late convicted sex offender. He also resigned from the board of AI companyOpenAIand numerous other positions at such places as Bloomberg News, The New York Times, and the Center for American Progress.

"I have made the difficult decision to retire from my Harvard professorship at the end of this academic year," Summers said in a statement Wednesday. "I will always be grateful to the thousands of students and colleagues I have been privileged to teach and work with since coming to Harvard as a graduate student 50 years ago."

Since 2006, when Summers stepped down as Harvard's president, he held what the university described as one of its most distinguished professorial positions, theCharles W. Eliot University Professor. He was also co-director of the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government at Harvard's Kennedy School.

"Free of formal responsibility, as President Emeritus and a retired professor, I look forward in time to engaging in research, analysis, and commentary on a range of global economic issues," Summers said.

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Summers was Harvard's president from 2001 to 2006 after serving as treasury secretary for then-President Bill Clinton between 1999 and 2001. He was director of the National Economic Council in the Obama administration from 2009 to 2011.

Dozens of messages between Summers and Epstein were among documents from Epstein's estate that were released by the House Oversight Committee in November. Summers has not been accused of wrongdoing, but the emails showed that the two communicated on a regular basis, even after Epstein pleaded guilty to prostitution charges in Florida, but before he was arrested on federal sex trafficking charges in 2019.

Epsteindied by suicideat a federal jail in New York City in 2019. In recent months, the Justice Department has released millions of documents from itsEpstein files. In the U.K., the files have led to the arrest of formerPrince Andrewas well as the country's former ambassador to the U.S.,Peter Mandelson, on suspicion of misconduct in public office. Andrew has denied any wrongdoing in his relationship with Epstein, and Mandelson's law firm Mishcon de Raya said he wants to cooperate with police and clear his name.

Rep. Al Green removed from chamber during State of the Union

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in Celebrities, Lifestyle, Politics, ShowBiz, Sports

February 25, 2026

Larry Summers resigning from Harvard over Epstein ties

Former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers will resign from his remaining roles at Harvard University over histies to Jef...

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Bill Gates admits to affairs, apologizes for Epstein relationship, WSJ reports

Bill Gates "took responsibility for his actions" over ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in a town hall meeting with employees of the Gates Foundation, the group said in a statement.

Gates answered questions at the twice-a-year meeting Feb. 24 on a range of issues, "including the release of the Epstein files," the foundation said. "In the townhall, Bill spoke candidly, addressing several questions in detail, and took responsibility for his actions," the foundation said.

The statement came in response toa Wall Street Journal reportthat said Gates had apologized to staff at the event over his ties to Epstein.

More:Larry Summers, Bill Gates: Fallout from Epstein files is widening

Bill Gates "took responsibility for his actions" over ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in a town hall meeting with employees of the Gates Foundation, the group said in a statement. Photos of Bill Gates were part of the Epstein files that have been released.
Bill Gates and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew, stand in a handout image from the estate of the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, released by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee in Washington, DC, on Dec. 12, 2025.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Bill Gates appears with a woman, whose identity has been obscured, in this image from the Epstein estate released by House Oversight Committee Democrats in Washington, DC, on Dec. 18, 2025.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Bill Gates appears with a woman, whose identity has been obscured, in this image from the Epstein estate released by House Oversight Committee Democrats in Washington, DC, on Dec. 18, 2025.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Bill Gates, right, appears with Jeffrey Epstein's pilot Lawrence Visoski in this undated photo released by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee in Washington, DC, Dec. 12, 2025.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

See photos of Bill Gates from the Epstein files

Bill Gates "took responsibility for his actions"over ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in a town hall meeting with employees of the Gates Foundation, the group said in a statement. Photos of Bill Gates were part of the Epstein files that have been released.Bill Gates and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew, stand in a handout image from the estate of the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, released by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee in Washington, DC, on Dec. 12, 2025.

Documentsreleasedby the Justice Department have indicated Gates and Epstein met repeatedly to discuss expanding the Microsoft founder's philanthropic efforts. The meetings came after Epstein was imprisoned for 13 months, ending in 2009, for a conviction on state charges in Florida of soliciting the prostitution involving a minor. Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while in custody on federal charges that he had sex-trafficked underage girls.

According to the Journal report, Gates told staff it was a huge mistake to spend time with Epstein and bring Gates Foundation executives into meetings with the sex offender. The report cited a recording of Gates' comments in the town hall.

"I apologize to other people who are drawn into this because of the mistake that I made," he said, according to the newspaper.

More:Epstein pulled strings, paid tuition across world for kids of powerful

The Journal added Gates also acknowledged two affairs with Russian women that Epstein later discovered, but he said they did not involve Epstein's victims.

"I did nothing illicit. I saw nothing illicit," Gates told the staff, according to the report.

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Justice Department documents from the criminal investigation of Epstein that have been released publicly include pictures of the Microsoft founder posing with women whose faces are redacted. Gates had said his relationship with Epstein was limited to philanthropy-related discussions and acknowledged it was a mistake to meet with him.

According to The Journal, Gates told the foundation's staff the images were pictures Epstein asked him to take with Epstein's assistants after their meetings.

"To be clear I never spent any time with victims, the women around him," Gates added, according to the report.

Other documents showed Epstein tried tomediate a falling-out between Gates and an adviser, Boris Nikolic, in 2013. Epstein wrote an email to himself saying Gates and his aides were mistreating him despite a friendship so close that Gates once asked for antibiotics to treat a sexually transmitted infection he had contracted from "Russian girls."

His former wife, Melinda French Gates,announced their divorcein 2021 after 27 years of marriage. She left the Gates Foundation in 2024.

"Whatever questions remain there of what I don't – can't even begin to know all of it – those questions are for those people and for even my ex-husband. They need to answer to those things, not me," French Gates said in the Feb. 5 episode ofNPR's "Wild Card" podcast.

The Gates Foundationsaidearlier in February that it did not make any payments to Epstein or employ him at any time.

The billionairecanceled plans to attend India's AI Impact Summithours before his scheduled keynote speech Feb. 19.

The Gates Foundation, chaired by Gates and started by him and his then-wife in 2000, is one of the world's largest funders of global health initiatives.

Contributing: Reuters

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Bill Gates admits to affairs, apologizes for Epstein relationship, WSJ reports

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in Celebrities, Lifestyle, Politics, ShowBiz, Sports

February 25, 2026

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Lauren Chapin, 'Father Knows Best' star, dies at 80

Lauren Chapin, the actress best known for playing the youngest child onthe classic sitcom"Father Knows Best," has died. She was 80.

Chapin, who played Kathy "Kitten" Anderson during the latter half of the 1950s, died Tuesday, Feb. 24, according toa Facebook postfrom her son, Matthew Chapin. He cited cancer as her cause of death.

"After a long hard fought battle over the past 5 years, the time has come. My mother Lauren Chapin passed away from her battle with cancer tonight," he wrote. "I'm at a complete loss for words right now. Please keep my sister and family in your thoughts and prayers as we go through this incredibly tough time."

Chapin, who left acting in her teens, appeared in nearly all of the over 200 episodes that aired of "Father Knows Best," winning five juniorEmmysduring her stint.

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Off the screen, Chapin's life was far from the picture-perfect family fun that defined the sitcoms of the time. The actress said her mother was an alcoholic who abandoned her to live with her father, whom she claims molested her, according toThe Hollywood Reporter.

"Revenge of the Nerds" and "Lizzie McGuire" actor Robert Carradine died Monday, Feb. 23, by suicide after living for two decades with bipolar disorder, his brother Keith Carradine confirmed to Deadline. He was 71. "In a world that can feel so dark, Bobby was always a beacon [of] light to everyone around him," the family said in a statement.

Carradine starred as Bob Younger in "The Long Riders" alongside his actor brothers Keith and David, as Private Zab in "The Big Red One," and dorky underdog Lewis Skolnick in his breakout role, 1984's "Revenge of the Nerds," as well as its three sequels. Two decades later, he would go on to play Sam McGuire, dad to Hilary Duff in Disney Channel's "Lizzie McGuire."

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "Grey's Anatomy" and "Euphoria" star Eric Dane died 10 months after he revealed his ALS diagnosis. He was 53.

Dane's representative, Melissa Bank, confirmed the news in a statement to USA TODAY on Thursday, Feb. 19. "He spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife, and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world," the statement read. "Throughout his journey with ALS, Eric became a passionate advocate for awareness and research, determined to make a difference for others facing the same fight."

Dane was best known for playing the charismatic and flirtatious Dr. Mark Sloan – aka "McSteamy" – on "Grey's Anatomy" from 2006 to 2012. He continued working in Hollywood after he went public with his diagnosis, playing a firefighter with ALS on NBC's "Brilliant Minds," and reprised his role of Cal Jacobs on HBO's "Euphoria" in the upcoming third season, due April 12, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Tom Noonan, the character actor known for roles in "Heat," "Manhunter" and "The Monster Squad," has died at 74, according to a social media post from Fred Dekker, Noonan's "Monster Squad" director.

Noonan became accustomed to playing antagonists on camera after his breakout role in "Manhunter," which was based on Thomas Harris' "Red Dragon," the first of his Hannibal Lecter novels. Noonan also played the main villain, Cain, in 1990's "Robocop 2" and the Ripper in 1993's "Last Action Hero."

Off-screen, Noonan was also a playwright and director who adapted his stage production, "What Happened Was…," into a 1994 indie film costarring Karen Sillas, which received acclaim at the Sundance Film Festival that year.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Frederick Wiseman, the prolific documentary filmmaker behind the controversial 1967 film "Titicut Follies" and 2017's "Ex Libris," has died. He was 96.

The director "passed away peacefully at his home" in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the morning of Feb. 16, a representative for his film distribution company Zipporah Films confirmed to USA TODAY.

Wiseman was well into his 30s when he started his filmmaking career, which kicked off with his directorial debut "Titicut Follies" and continued into his 90s. Wiseman's most recent project was 2023's "Menus-Plaisirs – Les Troisgros."

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Robert Duvall, the Academy Award-winning actor known for his roles in Hollywood classics such as "The Godfather" and "Apocalypse Now," has died at 95.

Duvall died "peacefully" at home on Feb. 15 in Middleburg, Virginia, a representative for the actor confirmed. He was with his wife, Luciana Duvall.

During a seven-decade stage, TV and screen acting career, Duvall disappeared into a stunning range of strong-willed characters, leading to seven Oscar nominations and a best actor win for his role as a down-and-out country singer in 1983's "Tender Mercies."

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Drummer Timothy Very, who performed with the Atlanta indie rock band Manchester Orchestra since 2011, has died, his bandmates shared on social media Feb. 14.

"The entire Manchester Orchestra family has been devastated by the sudden passing of our brother, Timothy Very. The most beloved human being any of us were lucky enough to know in this life. We've all been dreading sharing this news as we are all still in absolute disbelief," the band's post read.

"The only thing that Tim loved more than creating music was being with his family. You'd be pressed to find a more joyful dad. We love you Tim, thank you for loving us. You are a force of positivity that will be a constant presence in the rest of our days.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> James Van Der Beek, the actor known best for embodying those formative, angsty teenage years in "Dawson's Creek" and "Varsity Blues," died on Feb. 11 at age 48 following a battle with colorectal cancer.

"He met his final days with courage, faith and grace," read a post on the actor's official Instagram page. "There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity and the sacredness of time. Those days will come."

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Catherine O'Hara, the legendary actress known for "Home Alone," "Best in Show" and "Schitt's Creek," died on Jan. 30 at the age of 71, O'Hara's manager confirmed to People magazine. A cause of death was not given.

A veteran in the entertainment industry, O'Hara has been one of the most lauded and respected actors of her generation, winner of two career Emmy awards, a Golden Globe and two Actor Awards (formerly Screen Actors Guild Awards). She was nominated for two Emmys at the 2025 ceremony. 

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Chuck Negron, founding member of "One" and "Til the World Ends" rockers Three Dog Night, has died. He was 83.

The singer died Feb. 2 at his home in Los Angeles' Studio City neighborhood from heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease complications, publicist Zach Farnum confirmed to USA TODAY.

Singers Danny Hutton and Cory Wells invited the New York City native to found Three Dog Night in 1967, going on to lead a successful run through the early '70s. Their 21 Billboard Hot 100 top 40 hit singles include "Til the World Ends" and "Joy to the World." But the band is perhaps best known for their covers, popularizing Leo Sayer's "The Show Must Go On," Eric Burdon's "Mama Told Me," "Easy to Be Hard" from the musical "Hair" and Harry Nilsson's "One."

Negron embarked on a solo career, releasing the albums "Am I Still in Your Heart?," "Long Road Back" and the Christmas record "Joy to the World."

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Rafael Pineda, known to countless viewers as the familiar face of Univision 1, has died. He was 88.

Univision 41 announced the news with a story on its website, confirming Pineda died Jan. 25, in Florida.

Pineda anchored WXTV, or Univision 1, in New York for more than 40 years from 1972 to 2013, when he retired. When he left the network, he was the longest-serving news anchor in the New York market and a pioneering Spanish-language voice.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Kim Vō, the celebrity hair colorist behind the blond tresses of stars such as Britney Spears, Katy Perry, Pamela Anderson and Goldie Hawn, has died.

Vō died following a seven-year battle with colorectal cancer that saw him "exceeding all medical expectations," his husband, Adeel Vo-Khan, wrote in a Jan. 24 social media post.

Aside from working with celebrity clients, Vō also appeared on shows like Bravo's "Shear Genius" and the 2022 Paramount+ show "Blowing LA," which featured his flagship salon in West Hollywood, California.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Rob Hirst, the Australian rock drummer best known for cofounding the band Midnight Oil, has died at age 70 following a battle with pancreatic cancer, Hirst's bandmates revealed on social media on Jan. 20. Hirst had been diagnosed in 2023.

The musician released 13 studio albums with Midnight Oil from 1978-2022, including 1987's platinum-selling "Diesel and Dust." He was also a member of the bands Ghostwriters and Backsliders.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Valentino Garavani, Italian fashion designer to the stars, died at 93.

A post shared Jan. 19 on Instagram by his foundation and his own @realmrvalentino account reads, "Our founder, Valentino Garavani, passed away today at his Roman residence, surrounded by his loved ones." His cause of death was not given.

The founder of the eponymous brand Valentino retired from designing in 2008 after a storied career in fashion that included dressing notable figures, such as Jackie Kennedy, Princess Diana, Joan Collins, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Penelope Cruz and Sharon Stone. He also introduced a signature shade of crimson, with a hit of orange, known as "Valentino Red."

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Roger Allers, the Oscar-nominated animated filmmaker who co-directed Disney's 1994 blockbuster hit "The Lion King," died on Jan. 17, the company's CEO announced. He was 76.

Allers died following "a short illness," a Walt Disney Animation Studios spokesperson told The Hollywood Reporter and Animation Magazine. USA TODAY reached out to the studio and his family for additional information.

Disney CEO Bob Iger spoke about Allers' death in a Jan. 18 social media post, calling the director a "creative visionary whose many contributions to Disney will live on for generations to come."

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Scott Adams, the cartoonist who created the long-running "Dilbert" comic strip, has died at 68 after a battle with prostate cancer. Adams shared his cancer diagnosis in May 2025. In 2023, numerous newspapers dropped his comic strip after he made racist comments saying that white people should "get the hell away from Black people."

Adams' ex-wife, Shelly Miles, announced his death during a Jan. 13 livestream. She also read a message from Adams, which he authored at the start of the year. "I had an amazing life," Adams wrote in his New Year's Day letter. "I gave it everything I had. If I got any benefits from my work, I'm asking that you pay it forward as best as you can. That's the legacy I want: be useful. And please know, I loved you all to the very end."

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Bob Weir, a founding member of the Grateful Dead, died on Jan. 10 at age 78. Weir's death was announced in a post on Instagram, which said the cause was "underlying lung issues."

"For over sixty years, Bobby took to the road. A guitarist, vocalist, storyteller, and founding member of the Grateful Dead. Bobby will forever be a guiding force whose unique artistry reshaped American music," the post said. "His work did more than fill rooms with music; it was warm sunlight that filled the soul, building a community, a language, and a feeling of family that generations of fans carry with them."

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Actor T.K. Carter died on Jan. 9 at age 69, representatives confirmed to USA TODAY.

Born Thomas Kent Carter, the actor was known for his roles in films like "The Thing" and TV shows like "Punky Brewster." "T.K. Carter was a consummate professional and a genuine soul whose talent transcended genres," his publicist, Tony Freeman, said. "He brought laughter, truth, and humanity to every role he touched. His legacy will continue to inspire generations of artists and fans alike."

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Grammy-nominated country songwriter Jim McBride, known for cowriting over a dozen Alan Jackson records, including "Chattahoochee," has died. He was 78.

Jackson confirmed McBride's death in an Instagram tribute on Jan. 8.

"Jim and I wrote some of my favorite songs together and I don't know if my career would have ended up quite the same without his help," Jackson wrote, "inspiration, and encouragement in my early years. Thank you Jim, rest in peace." The Nashville Songwriters Hall of Famer is also credited with helping write Conway Twitty's "A Bridge That Just Won't Burn," among other songs.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Hungarian director Béla Tarr, best known for dark dramas such as "Damnation," "Satantango" and "The Turin Horse," died on Jan. 6 following a "long and serious illness," the European Film Academy announced in a tribute to the late filmmaker.

2011's "The Turin Horse," Tarr's final feature film, won best foreign language film at the Palm Springs International Film Festival, as well as the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at the Berlin International Film Festival.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

Passages 2026 – Eric Dane, Robert Carradine, more stars we lost

"Revenge of the Nerds" and "Lizzie McGuire" actor Robert Carradine died Monday, Feb. 23, by suicide after living for two decades with bipolar disorder, his brother Keith Carradine confirmed toDeadline. He was 71. "In a world that can feel so dark, Bobby was always a beacon [of] light to everyone around him," the family said in a statement.Carradine starred as Bob Younger in "The Long Riders" alongside his actor brothers Keith and David, as Private Zab in "The Big Red One," and dorky underdog Lewis Skolnick in his breakout role, 1984's "Revenge of the Nerds," as well as its three sequels. Two decades later, he would go on to play Sam McGuire, dad toHilary Duffin Disney Channel's "Lizzie McGuire."

In later years, she struggled with substance abuse and lost several children due to miscarriage, according to THR. She was married several times, and became entangled after high school with a man who turned her into a call girl and introduced her to heroine, the outlet reported. She got sober in 1970, and became a minister.

"Lauren's life was marked by both triumph and hardship. Like many child stars, she faced personal struggles after early fame. Yet her later years reflected remarkable resilience,"a post to her websitesays. "She embraced faith, shared her testimony openly, and dedicated herself to helping others overcome addiction and adversity."

Chapin's other credits include "A Star is Born" (1954), "The Bob Hope Show" (1954) and "The Ed Sullivan Show" (1958). Her two older brothers, Billy and Michael, were also child actors.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Lauren Chapin dead – 'Father Knows Best' star dies at 80

byNeo

in Celebrities, Lifestyle, Politics, ShowBiz, Sports

February 25, 2026

Lauren Chapin, 'Father Knows Best' star, dies at 80

Lauren Chapin, the actress best known for playing the youngest child onthe classic sitcom"Father Knows Best," h...

Read More