A Florida rapper who murdered his girlfriend and her unborn child has asked the judge to sentence him to death in a handwritten letter filed with the court. 
Billy Adams, also known as Ace NH, shot his 22-year-old girlfriend, Alana Sims, in the back of the head in January 2023 because he did not want to be a father and had plans to pursue another woman, according to prosecutors. It was later determined that the baby was not his. 
Last month, a jury convicted Adams, 28, of first-degree murder in Sims&#8217; death and killing an unborn child by injury to the mother. Jurors recommended life without parole for killing Sims and voted 8-4 to recommend the death penalty for killing the baby.
In a letter to Hillsborough Circuit Judge Mark Wolfe filed on October 12, Adams asked him to follow the jury&#8217;s recommendation and sentence him to death at his next hearing on December 1. &#8220;I don&#8217;t want my lawyers to present any mitigation or arguments at this hearing, and I am asking this court to sentence me to what the jury voted for,&#8221; he wrote, according to <a href="https://www.fox13news.com/news/tampa-rapper-convicted-murder-requests-death-sentence-letter-judge">Fox 13</a>.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t have any issue with the death penalty and I have asked my lawyers to respect my decision when we go to court,&#8221; the letter <a href="https://x.com/TheOfficerTatum/status/2112991036641571061/photo/2">reads</a>.
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Adams&#8217; request does not automatically mean he will receive the death penalty. Before sentencing, the judge will hold a Spencer hearing, at which additional evidence relevant to the sentence can be presented, according to <a href="https://www.courttv.com/news/i-dont-have-an-issue-with-the-death-penalty-rapper-wants-to-be-executed-for-murder-of-girlfriends-unborn-child/">Court TV</a>. The final sentencing decision rests with the judge.
The rapper had been acquitted in a separate double-murder case just three days before he killed Sims and the baby. 
Tampa Police Major Michael Stout said Sims was on her way to a party to celebrate Adams&#8217; acquittal when Adams shot her. At the time, Stout <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/02/09/florida-suspect-billy-adams-accused-of-killing-pregnant-girlfriend-alana-sims/">said</a> Adams admitted to pulling the trigger, though he did not show much remorse.
“I didn’t find him remorseful in watching my detectives do the interview, no,” Stout said, according to Fox 13.

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Rapper Who Killed Pregnant Girlfriend Sends Judge A Death Wish

billy adams

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murder

Meghan Markle has responded to the allegations that her estranged father was in possession of child pornography, after her half-brother revealed this week that he found “hundreds, if not thousands” of child sexual abuse images in their father&#8217;s home. 
Markle said she is “deeply distressed” over the matter, but hopes people now understand why she cut ties with him years ago. 
“I am deeply distressed at the news that has come to light in the last 24 hours, and m​​y thoughts are with any children who may have been harmed,” she said in a <a href="https://people.com/meghan-markle-says-deeply-distressed-responds-to-child-pornography-allegations-against-father-thomas-markle-12188979">statement</a> on Friday.
Markle, 45, added that the &#8220;disturbing allegations&#8221; were the reason she cut off her 82-year-old father, Thomas Markle, before her marriage to Prince Harry. “In 2018, a letter was sent to the Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection. That letter was subsequently shared with me. It made troubling and disturbing allegations against my father, and I was given assurances that these were being investigated,” she wrote.
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Markle said she hopes that &#8220;it can now be understood that, despite certain media publications’ distortion over the years, any distance from my father and my choice to not allow him to have contact with our children was for one reason: to protect them.&#8221;
&#8220;Although the breadth of what has now been uncovered is more sickening than one could ever imagine, my sincerest hope is that justice will be fully served and that the priority remains the safety and protection of innocent children,” she added.
Thomas Markle Jr., the Duchess of Sussex&#8217;s half-brother, told <a href="https://www.the-sun.com/news/17193332/thomas-markle-investigated-probe-stash-child-sex-images/">The Sun</a> on Thursday that he found four boxes with “hundreds, if not thousands” of child pornographic images in his father&#8217;s home in the Philippines. 
“His desktop was full of row-upon-row of thumbnail pictures linking to the most sickening child abuse imaginable,” Thomas Jr. said. “The worst of the worst.”
Thomas Jr. also claimed he found videos of girls younger than 11 years old engaged in sexual acts, including a 15-minute video on his father&#8217;s phone. He said he had no choice but to report his father to the FBI, which confirmed it had received Thomas Jr.’s affidavit and is “set to launch their own probe,” according to The Sun.
His father told the Daily Mail on Friday that he was &#8220;shocked&#8221; and &#8220;hurt&#8221; over the accusations. &#8220;I could never do what I’m being accused of. It’s the worst thing anyone could accuse me of.”
Samantha Markle, Thomas Jr.&#8217;s sister, has continued to defend their father, and told the Daily Mail that her brother’s allegations have “no merit.&#8221;
&#8220;He wants to destroy our dad. Shame on him,” she added.
Thomas Jr. had been caring for his father in recent years after a series of health issues, including a stroke and blood clots, which led to a leg amputation in 2025. He told the Sun that he would never speak to his father again unless he is called to give evidence.

Meghan Markle

Meghan Markle Responds To Shocking Accusations Against Estranged Father

british royal family

child pornography allegations

lifestyle

meghan markle

prince harry

thomas markle

Calley Means, a leading figure in the Make America Healthy Again movement, resigned Thursday, leaving the Trump administration less than two weeks before the midterms following reported frustrations over stalled policy priorities. 
The Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/calley-means-a-top-rfk-jr-adviser-quits-trump-administration-3fc58fa3">reported</a> that Means, a senior adviser to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., &#8220;quit his role on Thursday.&#8221; He told the outlet he would continue to fight for the MAHA agenda. 
The outlet said Means, 41, was “greatly frustrated by White House delays of some of Kennedy’s most popular policy ideas and blamed others in the administration for allowing food companies and special interests to have too much sway,” citing people familiar with the matter. Another person said Means had become &#8220;disillusioned.&#8221;
Means said in a <a href="https://x.com/calleymeans/status/2113320722919559349">statement</a> that he has “tremendous respect” for President Trump and Kennedy, and thanked them for laying out a vision to combat the “dark forces in DC” that profit from sick Americans.
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“More policy and cultural change has happened around these goals in the past 2 years than any time in history — and I know this movement is just getting started,” Means said.  
“It was an honor to advocate for MAHA moms in the administration and steer policies like Dietary Guidelines reform, psychedelic reform, removing soda from SNAP, removing food dyes, GRAS reform, and overhauling government food procurement,” he added.
Means was widely seen as one of MAHA&#8217;s most important allies in the White House. He <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/calley-means-a-top-rfk-jr-adviser-quits-trump-administration-3fc58fa3?st=nQPBYz&amp;reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink">helped</a> revise dietary guidelines and the inverted food pyramid, pushed for more transparency on food ingredients, and helped shape the White House’s executive order on psychedelics and a voluntary phaseout of several petroleum-based food dyes.
His departure follows complaints from MAHA supporters about slow progress on food policy, pesticides, and vaccines. Means reportedly argued with the administration over delays to a federal definition of ultra-processed foods.
Alex Voetberg, a prominent voice in MAHA and host of &#8220;Culture Apothecary,&#8221; said the movement has “suffered a major blow.”
“You should know that Calley is literally the Godfather of the MAHA movement and worked TIRELESSLY to fight for us. We owe him so much thanks,” she <a href="https://x.com/Realalexclark/status/2113323371752562806">said in an X post.</a>
“The reason behind his departure should be setting off alarm bells for everyone who cares about the future of our children’s health,” she added.

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Speaks At Austin Eat Real Food Rally

RFK Jr. Adviser, Top MAHA Ally Quits Trump Admin

calley means

department of health and human services

maha

politics

robert f kennedy jr

trump administration

Dennis West, 71, was found dead in his Florida home in July 2022 during a welfare check. A few weeks later, one of the police officers who discovered his body decided to steal the man&#8217;s identity by forging his signature, paying his taxes, and taking possession of and renovating his home, authorities say.
Brian Louis Sguros, an officer with the Lauderhill Police Department, was arrested Tuesday after he &#8220;created a complex scheme to take control&#8221; of the dead man&#8217;s house, according to the <a href="https://www.sheriff.org/pio/breaking-news/lauderhill-police-officer-arrested-after-bso-bcpa-joint-investigation/">Broward County Sheriff&#8217;s Office</a>. Sguros, 35, was arrested on felony charges of official misconduct, criminal use of a deceased person’s identification, criminal use of personal identification information, offense against a computer user, and unlawful use of a two-way communications device.
Detectives said Sguros “became involved in West’s post-death affairs” and represented himself to the county medical examiner’s office as West&#8217;s friend, though there is no indication he knew him. Sguros said that West, who died of natural causes, had no living family, which was not true.
The investigation also found that Sguros paid the taxes and utilities for the house under West’s name and got approval to renovate West&#8217;s home with the dead man&#8217;s identification by forging his signature on the permit application. Detectives said Sguros used his access to the police database to look up details about West, including inquiries for his date of birth, driver’s license record, and Social Security number.
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The scheme was uncovered after West&#8217;s heirs sold the property to a real estate company. When one of their employees tried to take possession of the house, he was met by Sguros, who handed over the keys before the company’s attorney filed an unlawful detainer action, according to the affidavit.
Sguros then filed a complaint against the company, saying that he found West on duty, cleaned up the house, and invested in the property, but he did not say how he came into possession of the house, according to the affidavit.
According to paperwork Sguros filed in February 2025, he claimed he had been in ownership of the house since August 2022 — a few weeks after West&#8217;s body had been discovered — and <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/officer-impersonates-dead-florida-man-moved-into-home-rcna604844?cid=sm_npd_nn_tw_ma&amp;taid=6ad93cee1cd37f0001721a1b&amp;utm_campaign=trueanthem&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter">said</a> in the affidavit that he spent at least $214,000 of his own money to clean up and repair the property. He demanded that the company reimburse him for the repairs and improvements he said to have made.
In sworn statements, Sguros said he took control of the house to prevent any criminal activity and squatters.
After his arrest, he was placed on administrative leave without pay from the police department, according to <a href="https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/lauderhill-officer-accused-of-taking-over-dead-residents-home-appears-in-court/3875409/">NBC South Florida</a>. The outlet said Sguros appeared in court on Wednesday and was ordered held on a $25,000 bond.

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Cop Responds To Dead Man’s House, Then Makes Himself Right At Home

identity theft

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police misconduct

Prince Harry shared that he is ready to reconcile with the royal family after he and Meghan Markle made a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/prince-harry-and-meghan-markles-con-was-never-going-to-last-forever">shocking return</a> to the United Kingdom in August.
In a GQ <a href="https://www.gq.com/story/prince-harry-one-more-question">interview</a> released Tuesday, Harry, 42, addressed the complicated relationship among him, his father King Charles, and his brother Prince William, whom he reportedly hasn&#8217;t spoken to since Queen Elizabeth&#8217;s funeral in 2022.
When asked whether he grieved the relationships, the Duke of Sussex <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/prince-harry-says-most-important-thing-reconcile-royal-family">said</a>, “Yes, of course.”  
&#8220;I think from a family perspective — again, another massively relatable issue for so many people — sibling disagreements, broken relationships between kids and their parents, kids and one parent. That continues to come up with me the whole time with people that I speak to, so I know how relatable it is,&#8221; Harry said.
&#8220;Some people don&#8217;t want it to work out,&#8221; he added. &#8220;I want it to work out. With everything else that&#8217;s going on in the world, the most important thing is to reconcile — that&#8217;s the key point.&#8221;
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Harry acknowledged that &#8220;scars stick around forever,&#8221; but he hopes to let go of the past.
&#8220;But what your perception is, and what your mindset is to those things that have happened, letting go of the past,&#8221; he said. &#8220;That&#8217;s something that I would encourage everybody to do: If there&#8217;s certain things from the past that are still affecting you every day, that&#8217;s harder to let go of.&#8221;
&#8220;But for me, there&#8217;s enough drama in the world and enough drama in people&#8217;s lives to continue with issues with family,&#8221; Harry added.
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Prince Harry has opened up about strained family relationships in a new interview with GQ magazine, following his recent return to the U.K. with his wife, Meghan, and their two children.
A spokesperson for Harry said his comments about strained family relationships were not intended as a swipe at William or any other member of the royal family.
— CBS News (@CBSNews) <a href="https://x.com/CBSNews/status/2112866783623311856?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Harry’s confession comes after nearly a decade of strained relations, reportedly beginning after he married Markle. In 2020, the couple announced they wanted to &#8220;step back&#8221; from royal duties and relocated to California.
This summer, the couple announced they had moved back to the U.K. with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
Hugo Vickers, a royal biographer, <a href="https://pagesix.com/2026/10/20/royal-family/prince-harry-says-reconciling-with-royals-is-key-but-charles-and-william-see-things-differently-sources/?_gl=1*1l7u8yc*_gcl_au*Mjg1MTk0NTIxLjE3ODc1OTI4MjM.*_ga*MTU0NjI2MDk3MS4xNzg2Mzk4NjI2*_ga_0DZ7LHF5PZ*czE3OTI1ODQ3NzYkbzEwMCRnMSR0MTc5MjU4ODEzMyRqMjYkbDAkaDA.">told</a> Page Six that Harry&#8217;s comments present a &#8220;challenge&#8221; to the royal family.
“Both the King and William have been very clever to say very little. They have not responded publicly, even when Prince Harry said that he wanted to put the past behind them. There is a hell of a lot of past to put behind them,&#8221; he said.
Vickers said the issues should be worked out in private, and that “making public appearances and giving interviews does not make the situation any easier.”
“And even if Harry does not intend his actions to be a challenge, they will inevitably be interpreted that way, and that is unfortunate,” he added.

The Duke And Duchess Of Sussex Visit Nottingham

Prince Harry Makes Painful Admission About His Royal Family Rift

king charles

prince william

world

A woman on a Delta Air Lines flight went viral last week after a fellow passenger accused her of using an earring to &#8220;poke&#8221; him during an armrest dispute. On Sunday, the woman offered her side of the story, saying she resorted to the tactic because he repeatedly encroached on her seat and touched her arm. 
“Met a very passive aggressive passenger on @Delta today. Immediately angry about my using the armrest before takeoff,” a man named Otto, whose account is now private, <a href="https://www.dailymail.com/lifestyle/article-16221371/woman-airplane-traveler-earring-poking-seatmate.html">posted</a> to X. “She installed an earring on her sleeve to poke me. I didn’t mind &#8217;till the turbulence when it stabbed me.”
Otto said she refused to remove the earring and “told me I was taking up too much of my seat &#8217;cause I’m a man.&#8217;”
“This legal? Also, how do people get like this?” he added, saying that he notified the flight attendant, who told him to wait until they arrived at the gate. 
<div id="attachment_1202335" style="width: 261px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1202335" class=" wp-image-1202335" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/10/Untitled-design-1-225x300.png" alt="" width="251" height="335" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/10/Untitled-design-1-225x300.png 225w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/10/Untitled-design-1-432x576.png 432w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/10/Untitled-design-1.png 634w" sizes=" (max-width: 251px) 100vw, 251px" />@Ottosipe on X</div>
The woman, who identified herself as Kadia Tubman, said on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DepKLz5P1r9/?hl=en">social media</a> that the man had been invading her space and that &#8220;sometimes you gotta wear your earring on your sleeve.&#8221;
Tubman said she initially didn’t mind that Otto was using the armrest between them while he was working, but he started taking up more space and crossed the &#8220;armrest boundary.&#8221; She said he kept rubbing against her arm, lifting the armrest, and waking her up.
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She said she asked Otto to move over, and he initially complied before shifting back. Tubman then took out her earring and stuck it through her sleeve.
“At first it didn&#8217;t poke him when he leaned over into my seat. &#8230; When it finally did because he kept moving his arm up &amp; down (and not bc of turbulence like he claimed) he was soo bothered. He immediately took out his phone,&#8221; she wrote on Instagram. 
&#8220;[H]e said i was being passive aggressive. I said yes, i absolutely am. He said my earring was a weapon(!) wanted my name to get his lawyer involved &amp; demanded i remove my earring. When I refused he asked if it was necessary, I said yes, clearly because you finally stopped touching me,&#8221; she added.
Tubman said Otto then moved toward the window into a position &#8220;he could have sat in the whole time.&#8221;
Once she got off the plane and reached the gate, she said Otto walked right past her. &#8220;I said, &#8216;sir, sir.&#8217; He kept walking. I waited for the captain and eventually left,&#8221; she wrote.
Otto said that he “had to get to work and did not want to wait around with the passive aggressor.”
The viral post divided the internet over whose actions were justified.
One person said Tubman&#8217;s tactic was &#8220;next level insane,&#8221; while others called it genius.
&#8220;Her arm is in her lap. If the earring poked you then you’re definitely stretched into her space and are in the wrong,&#8221; one person responded to Otto&#8217;s post.
&#8220;That is not a nice person. I’m sure it’s skirting the line of legality since she did it with the intent to harm, where a simple conversation would suffice,&#8221; another person wrote.

One Day Visit To Berlin

Woman Finds Painful Way To Teach Passenger Next To Her Lesson About Personal Space

airline incident

airlines

social media

viral moment

An Austrian Airlines flight from Tel Aviv to Vienna made an emergency landing Sunday night in Sofia, Bulgaria, after a suspected bomb threat. A post-flight inspection found the plane posed “no danger” and was able to continue on its original route.
The flight, with 51 passengers and six crew members onboard, landed safely at 8:42 p.m., according to a <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/10/19/world-news/austrian-airlines-flight-from-israel-diverted-to-sofia-after-bomb-threat/">statement</a> from the Lufthansa Group, which owns the airline. Bulgaria’s BTA news agency said the flight crew received a bomb threat as the plane approached the Romanian border and was forced to divert to the Bulgarian capital. An Austrian citizen not on the flight <a href="https://www.timesofisrael.com/austrian-air-flight-from-tlv-to-vienna-makes-emergency-landing-due-to-bomb-threat/">reportedly</a> made the threat.
After security cleared the plane that same night, the flight continued to its destination with all passengers aboard. On Monday, the airline <a href="https://www.jpost.com/international/article-912100">confirmed</a> there was “no danger.&#8221;
&#8220;We confirm that there was a threat against flight OS82 on October 18, 2026, from Tel Aviv to Vienna, which made it necessary for the flight to make an intermediate landing in Sofia,” the airline said. &#8220;During the search of the affected aircraft, the passengers, and the crew, no danger was identified.”
The incident comes less than three weeks after an Omani co-pilot <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/oman-banned-flydubai-co-pilot-over-radical-views-before-cockpit-attack">attempted</a> to take over a Flydubai jet carrying 174 people heading to Tel Aviv and crash it into Ben Gurion Airport. 
After the co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain, passengers and crew members managed to overpower the attacker, and two off-duty pilots on board helped land the plane safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/flydubai-terrorist-identified-as-radical-muslim-with-bizarre-practice-in-front-of-women">attempted hijacking</a> prompted questions about how an Omani national came to serve as co-pilot on an Israel-bound flight, given that Oman does not have diplomatic relations with Israel. Later reports revealed the accused terrorist had been banned by Oman Air because of his “radical ideological views,” but was still hired by Flydubai.

Plane Makes Emergency Landing At Barcelona Airport After “bomb Threat”.

Flight From Tel Aviv Forced To Make Emergency Landing After Bomb Threat

Austrian Flight From Tel Aviv To Vienna Makes Emergency Landing After Bomb Threat

austrian airlines

bomb threat

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tel aviv

A former University of Kentucky cheerleader was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Friday after admitting she killed her newborn son and hid his body in a trash bag in her closet.
Laken Snelling, 22, pleaded guilty in Fayette Circuit Court on August 21 to first-degree manslaughter, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and concealing the birth of an infant. The judge imposed 10 years for manslaughter and one year for each remaining charge, with the sentences running concurrently, <a href="https://www.wkyt.com/2026/10/16/former-uk-student-sentenced-following-earlier-guilty-plea/">according</a> to WKYT. 
“I was under a lot of emotional stress and my baby came unexpectedly,” Snelling <a href="https://www.lex18.com/news/covering-kentucky/laken-snelling-sentenced-to-10-years-in-infant-death-case">said</a> during the plea hearing. “And instead of helping him, I ended his life and afterwards I cleaned up and didn’t tell anyone.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Former Kentucky cheerleader has pleaded guilty to killing her newborn baby and stuffing him in a trash bag in her closet, claims she was under &#8220;emotional stress.&#8221;
22-year-old Laken Snelling has admitted to killing her newborn baby by &#8220;depriving him of oxygen.&#8221;
&#8220;I was under a lot of emotional stress and my baby came unexpectedly&#8230; And instead of helping him I ended his life and afterwards I cleaned up and didn’t tell anyone,&#8221; she said in court.
She has pleaded guilty to manslaughter, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence and concealing the birth of an infant.
Will Lindsay Clancy fans raise $1M for her too?
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) <a href="https://x.com/CollinRugg/status/2090838259668853192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Snelling’s roommates discovered the baby in August 2025 after questioning her account of noises they had heard from her room, LEX18 <a href="https://www.lex18.com/news/covering-kentucky/laken-snelling-sentenced-to-10-years-in-infant-death-case">reported</a>, citing court records. They said they heard loud noises around 4 a.m. Later that morning, Snelling said she had passed out,  had not been feeling well, and planned to seek medical attention.
The roommates found the baby wrapped in a towel inside a black trash bag in her closet. Police were called, and Snelling was arrested four days later, according to WKYT.
Her roommates also <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/10/16/us-news/cheerleader-laken-snelling-learns-her-fate-after-killing-newborn-son-found-stuffed-in-trash-bag/">told</a> the 911 operator that they found a “blood-soaked towel on the floor and a plastic bag containing evidence of childbirth.”
The Kentucky Medical Examiner&#8217;s Office determined that the infant was born alive and died from asphyxia by undetermined means. A Fayette County grand jury subsequently indicted Snelling on a first-degree manslaughter charge, LEX19 reported.
Snelling initially pleaded not guilty earlier this year, but later changed her plea and admitted killing her son by depriving him of oxygen.
At Friday&#8217;s sentencing, relatives mourned the future they had hoped to share with the baby, McCoy Cade Hall, the New York Post reported.
One female relative said, &#8220;As a grandparent, you imagine the memories you’ll make with your grandchildren.&#8221; She said she was looking forward to &#8220;first words, kisses, and all the little moments that become lifelong memories.&#8221;
&#8220;You look forward to watching them grow and seeing the person they become,&#8221; she added. “For Cade, those possibilities were taken away before he ever had the chance to experience them.”

Former Kentucky Cheerleader Learns Her Fate For Killing Newborn, Hiding Body In Closet

infant death

kentucky

laken snelling

university of kentucky

Pope Leo XIV is showing “steady improvement” following his recent surgery and lung cancer diagnosis earlier this week, and he even celebrated Mass in the hospital on Friday. 
The 71-year-old pontiff &#8220;underwent blood tests and a chest X-ray this morning, which confirmed the steady improvement in his overall condition,” the Vatican said in a <a href="https://x.com/VaticanNews/status/2111067967941186033/photo/1">statement</a> prepared by the popeʼs personal physician, Luigi Carbone. The surgeon who operated, Stefano Margaritora, added that he will continue with respiratory physiotherapy sessions and that his recovery allows him “to carry out normal daily activities entirely independently.”
New photos released by the Holy See Press Office showed the pontiff celebrating Mass during which he personally distributed Holy Communion in a makeshift chapel room on the 10th floor at Gemelli Hospital in Rome. Members of the hospital’s medical and nursing staff were also in attendance, along with members of the Vatican City State Gendarmerie Corps, according to the <a href="https://www.ewtnnews.com/vatican/vatican-releases-first-photos-of-pope-leo-xiv-following-surgery">Vatican</a>.
<div id="attachment_1200175" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1200175" class="wp-image-1200175 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/10/Untitled-1200-x-675-px-1024x576.png" alt="" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/10/Untitled-1200-x-675-px-1024x576.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/10/Untitled-1200-x-675-px-300x169.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/10/Untitled-1200-x-675-px-768x432.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/10/Untitled-1200-x-675-px.png 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Credit: Vatican Media</div>
“In his homily, the pope thanked all healthcare personnel — doctors, nurses, and nursing assistants — for the work they carry out every day caring for the sick and for those in fragile conditions, and in particular for everything they have done and continue to do for him,” the Holy See Press Office said.
The pope was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pope-leo-diagnosed-with-lung-cancer?author=Andie+Valdes&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Pope+Leo+Diagnosed+With+Lung+Cancer">diagnosed</a> with lung cancer on Tuesday following an operation to remove a “localized” nodule, in which surgeons removed the lower lobe of the pope’s right lung. Examinations after the procedure confirmed the diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, a type of non-small cell lung cancer, which was the suspected result from tests conducted beforehand. The Vatican has not <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/world/pope-leo-xiv/pope-leo-cancer-surgery-hospital-diagnosis-treatment-rcna603413">shared</a> whether the pope will need any further treatment, or if the cancer has spread.
All audiences until October 20 remain canceled, and he is expected to stay in the hospital to recover for one week.
The pope is scheduled to make his first public appearance since the operation on Sunday to pray the Angelus, according to the Vatican. It is unclear whether it will be from the hospital or the Vatican.

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Pope Leo Seen In First Photos Since Surgery And Cancer Diagnosis

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The Pentagon is expanding its counter-drug campaign in Latin America by deploying Army troops whose assignments could include training alongside regional forces and supporting military advisers, The New York Times reported.
U.S. military officials told the newspaper that soldiers assigned to the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, New York, had begun deploying in Panama for jungle training. The initial arrivals belong to a battalion of about 600 soldiers, with training also planned in Colombia and Honduras.  
The U.S. Embassy in Panama challenged reports that 600 troops were deploying to the country. <a href="https://www.riotimesonline.com/us-denies-sending-600-troops-to-panama-2026">According</a> to regional reporting, the embassy said 120 soldiers from the division were participating in a two-week course and would return to their home units afterward.
The accounts leave unresolved how the current training group relates to the broader deployment described by the Times.
Beyond exercises, the newspaper reported that some soldiers could guard American helicopters or assist U.S. Special Operations personnel if they encounter trouble while advising local militaries. Those partner forces conduct raids against suspected drug traffickers. The report does not establish that the newly deployed soldiers will carry out raids themselves.
The division is also expected to send several hundred soldiers to Miami to staff a command overseeing Western Hemisphere operations, according to the Times.
The expanded military presence follows Washington&#8217;s push for regional governments to intensify operations against cartels and cooperate more closely with American forces.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has championed that effort through the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition. At an August gathering in Panama, he <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/12/us/hegseth-trump-anti-cartel-coalition.html">described</a> its motto: &#8220;We do bad things to bad people.&#8221;
The Pentagon has already conducted dozens of strikes over the past year against vessels in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific that it says were transporting drugs.
Gen. Francis L. Donovan, who leads U.S. Southern Command, told The Wall Street Journal last month that land strikes were among the options available as the military seeks to disrupt cartel operations.
&#8220;Do I see land strikes as options? Yes. We want all options at the table,&#8221; Donovan said.
He also described measures that would involve law enforcement and border security rather than military strikes.
&#8220;Those actions might be strikes, arrests, or the takedown of a safe house,&#8221; he added. &#8220;It could even be something as routine as increasing the use of cargo scanners at border checkpoints.&#8221;

US military personnel organize humanitarian aid supplies in Panama

Hundreds Of Troops Head To Latin America To Deal With Drug Traffickers

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The only whiskey distillery in Manhattan abruptly closed this month as a recent poll revealed that nationwide drinking has hit a historic low.
Great Jones Distilling Co., located in lower Manhattan in a 28,000-square-foot building, operated for only five years before the company shut its doors on October 2, citing <a href="https://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2026/10/proximo-closes-nycs-great-jones-distilling/">economic issues</a>. The distillery, owned by Proximo Spirits, the New Jersey-based distributor of Jose Cuervo, provided a restaurant, retail store, speakeasy, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DXJ74VUkXmj/?hl=en">tasting rooms, and tours</a>. 
“After 5 incredible years, Great Jones Distilling Co. Visitor Center is closed until further notice,” the website <a href="https://greatjonesdistillingco.com/">reads</a>. “Great Jones Whiskey will continue to be available for purchase online and in select retailers.”
A spokesman for Proximo told The Spirits Business that the decision came after a “thorough review of the current beverage industry trends, market conditions, and overall company business strategy.”
The distillery&#8217;s $21 million renovation, which lasted six years because of the COVID-19 pandemic and complicated New York regulations, was supposed to <a href="https://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2026/10/proximo-closes-nycs-great-jones-distilling/">create</a> 100 jobs. Now, the 26 current positions will be effectively laid off on December 7.
Great Jones appears to be following a growing trend as America sees the repercussions of its lowest drinking levels since they were first recorded in 1939, an August <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/713534/americans-drinking-remains-record-low.aspx">Gallup poll</a> revealed.
<div id="attachment_1199263" style="width: 791px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1199263" class="wp-image-1199263 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/10/Screenshot-2026-10-15-at-9.58.32-AM-781x576.png" alt="" width="781" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/10/Screenshot-2026-10-15-at-9.58.32-AM-781x576.png 781w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/10/Screenshot-2026-10-15-at-9.58.32-AM-300x221.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/10/Screenshot-2026-10-15-at-9.58.32-AM-768x566.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/10/Screenshot-2026-10-15-at-9.58.32-AM.png 1318w" sizes=" (max-width: 781px) 100vw, 781px" />Credit: Gallup</div>
According to the poll, for the second consecutive year, 54% of adults say they drink any alcohol. Only 13% say they sometimes drink too much, which is a record low in comparison to the 25% of people who said the same in 2016.
The poll also addressed the public&#8217;s growing concern of health risks in drinking. From 2023 to 2025, there was a 14-percentage-point increase in the number of people who say alcohol is harmful to health. In 2026, 51% say moderate drinking is bad for your health.
<div id="attachment_1199249" style="width: 755px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1199249" class="wp-image-1199249 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/10/Screenshot-2026-10-15-at-9.53.31-AM-745x576.png" alt="" width="745" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/10/Screenshot-2026-10-15-at-9.53.31-AM-745x576.png 745w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/10/Screenshot-2026-10-15-at-9.53.31-AM-300x232.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/10/Screenshot-2026-10-15-at-9.53.31-AM-768x594.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/10/Screenshot-2026-10-15-at-9.53.31-AM.png 1262w" sizes=" (max-width: 745px) 100vw, 745px" />Credit: Gallup</div>
In a statistic recorded for the first time, 17% of people, including drinkers and non-drinkers, said they had consumed a nonalcoholic beverage in the past year in place of an alcoholic drink.
Gallup concluded that alcohol consumption has &#8220;changed significantly in recent years as concern about its health effects has grown,&#8221; and that &#8220;fewer Americans are drinking, and those who do appear to be cutting back, including by turning to nonalcoholic drinks.&#8221;
Just this summer, the Republic National Distributing Company of Grand Prairie, Texas — the second-largest wine and spirits distributor — filed for bankruptcy. In 2022, California-based <a href="https://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2022/12/hangar-1-vodka-to-shut-distillery/">Hangar 1 Vodka</a>, also owned by Proximo, closed its distillery and tasting room to meet &#8220;the changing needs of the business.&#8221;
Michael Correra, the executive director of the Metro Package Store Association, said the alcohol industry is going through a &#8220;major reset.&#8221;
“The business is imploding, and I think you’ll see liquor stores close as well because fewer people are drinking,” he added.

First Bite – Chicken + Whiskey

Whiskey Distillery Goes Belly Up As Booze Industry Faces A Nasty Hangover

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Pope Leo XIV has been diagnosed with lung cancer, the Vatican said Tuesday after surgery confirmed the diagnosis.  
The surgeons removed the lower lobe of the pope’s right lung and confirmed &#8220;the diagnosis of &#8216;lung adenocarcinoma,&#8217; as suspected from tests conducted beforehand,&#8221; the Vatican <a href="https://x.com/VaticanNews/status/2110100464096125195" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a statement. 
The pope, who underwent thoracic surgery to remove a localized nodule from his lung, was in the operating room for roughly three hours, while the operation lasted about 90 minutes. The doctors said it was successful and there were no complications, according to the statement.
The Vatican said that the pope awoke normally after the surgery, and after a brief observation period, he returned to his room, where he is expected to need one week for recovery. The surgery was <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/world/pope-leo-xiv/pope-leo-rome-hospital-operation-remove-lung-nodule-rcna603154">led</a> by the hospital&#8217;s chief thoracic surgeon, Dr. Stefano Margaritora.
The announcement follows an earlier statement from the Holy See Press Office saying the operation was &#8220;completed successfully, within the expected timeframe and as planned&#8221; and that further information was to come.
The pope, 71, was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Tuesday morning for the operation, which he first <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pope-leo-to-undergo-surgery?author=Andie+Valdes&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=27&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Pope+Leo+To+Undergo+Surgery">announced</a> his plans to a crowd gathered for the Angelus on Sunday.
“Recently, during some medical tests, doctors discovered a localized nodule in my lung,” the pope said to the gathering at St. Peter’s Square during his noon prayer.
“It was detected at a very early stage and is well localized. The doctors believe it is best to intervene, so, following their advice, I have decided to undergo surgery to have it removed,” he added.

Pope Leo XIV Travels To Africa

Pope Leo Diagnosed With Lung Cancer

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