Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has emphasized that his country controls its own security and is not a U.S. protectorate. He made these remarks as he prepared to discuss Gaza's ceasefire with U.S. Vice President JD Vance. Netanyahu's comments seem aimed at easing concerns about an international security force in Gaza. Vance acknowledged challenges in achieving peace but expressed optimism. Meanwhile, the Israeli government announced that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will visit Israel on Friday. The ceasefire agreement includes returning the remains of hostages, with 15 already returned and 13 still in Gaza.
A court in Manchester has opened and adjourned an inquest into the death of former boxing champion Ricky Hatton. Hatton died last month at 46. He was found unresponsive at his home on September 14 by his manager, Paul Speak. Speak was there to take Hatton to the airport for a planned comeback fight in Dubai. The court heard the provisional cause of death is hanging. Hatton was last seen by his family on September 12. Fans lined the streets for his funeral last week. Hatton was a two-weight world champion and had been open about his mental health struggles.
A man who scaled a security fence in the middle of the night and set fire to the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion has pleaded guilty to attempted murder and other charges. Cody Balmer entered the plea Tuesday for the attack in April that caused millions of dollars of damage to the state-owned building in Harrisburg. Gov. Josh Shapiro and members of his family were inside and had to be evacuated. No one was injured, but authorities say the 38-year-old Balmer told them he planned to beat the governor with a small sledgehammer if he encountered him. Balmer’s family has said he has a history of mental health problems.
A federal judge has ordered a man charged in California’s deadly Palisades Fire to remain jailed amid concerns about his mental health. A prosecutor said Jonathan Rinderknecht had traits of an arsonist and his family had worried about his declining mental state. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Lyons said during Thursday's hearing that Rinderknecht was a flight risk because he had family in France and spoke French. Rinderknecht was arrested Tuesday but was first interviewed by authorities Jan. 24. Investigators said that during the intervening months they worked to rule out anything else that might have started the fire that killed 12 people.
Joan Kennedy has died. The first wife of the late Sen. Edward Kennedy died Wednesday at the age of 89. She endured the assassinations of two brothers-in-law and stood by her husband through the Chappaquiddick scandal as well as through his failed 1980 run for president. The couple divorced in 1982. She worked for the mentally challenged and other causes but also struggled with mental health issues and alcoholism herself for much of her life, including several drunk driving arrests. Her son Patrick Kennedy praised her as a classically trained pianist and advocate for addiction recovery who helped break stigma and inspired others to seek help.
Joan Kennedy, ex-wife of late Sen. Edward Kennedy and mental health advocate who endured tragedy and scandal, dies at 89.
North Carolina’s Democratic governor has signed into law a criminal justice measure pushed by the Republican-controlled legislature in response to the stabbing death of a Ukrainian refugee on a Charlotte train. While Gov. Josh Stein criticized portions of the bill on Friday, his signature still affirms in law reforms sought by GOP politicians and their allies. The bill had received bipartisan support in the state House. The new law bars cashless bail for certain violent crimes and limits magistrates’ discretion in pretrial release decisions. The bill authors also seek to restart executions in North Carolina, where capital punishment has not been carried out since 2006.
The family of a man who died after being restrained in an Ohio county jail says they've reached a $7 million settlement with the county and are pushing officials there to prevent something like it from happening again. A lawyer for the family of Christian Black, who died March 26, said Tuesday that Montgomery County has taken responsibility and officials there have indicated they would take steps, such as adding inpatient beds for people in need of mental health help. But attorney Michael Wright also says that Black’s family wants to see more, such as jail officers charged and convicted in Black's death.
A decorated Marine veteran charged with carrying out a mass shooting on a North Carolina bar remains held without bail following an initial court appearance. Nigel Edge is charged with murder and other counts after authorities said he fired an assault rifle from a boat Saturday evening, killing three and injuring five at the American Fish Company in Southport. Police say he told officers that he was injured in combat and suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder. In court Monday, Edge requested a court-appointed attorney. His next hearing is scheduled for October 13.
In a letter to staff, UofL Health Peace Hospital CEO Aundrea Lewis said she was taking time off for herself, her family and her own mental health.