February 11, 2026 9:27 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — The sudden and surprising airspace closure over El Paso, Texas, stemmed from the Pentagon’s plans to test a laser for use in shooting down drones used by Mexican drug cartels. That’s according to three people familiar with the situation who were granted anonymity to share sensitive details. And two of those people say that caused friction with the Federal Aviation Administration, which wanted to ensure commercial air safety and the two agencies sought to coordinate. Administration officials haven’t immediately responded to that explanation. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy had said earlier that the response to an incursion by Mexican cartel drones had prompted the airspace closure.
February 11, 2026 3:17 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General Pam Bondi launched into a wide-ranging, passionate defense of President Donald Trump, repeatedly shouting at Democrats during a combative hearing in which she postured herself as the Republican’s chief protector. Bondi’s remarks came at a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Wednesday as she tried to turn the page from persistent criticism of the Justice Department’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files. The hearing quickly devolved into a partisan brawl, with Bondi repeatedly lobbing insults at Democrats while insisting she was not “going to get in the gutter” with them.
February 11, 2026 2:26 am
A man who pretended to help an elderly woman and then stole her car pleaded guilty in a plea court hearing. James Sickles, 30 formerly of Clarksville, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of robbery of a motor vehicle. Aggravated and simple assault charges along with other robbery and theft charges were dropped. According to police, Sickles approached an elderly woman in front of the Liberty Tower Highrise in California asking if she needed help getting out of her car. Instead of helping her, he pushed her down and stole her car. Sickles received a 2-4 year sentence in state prison as a result of the plea, he must also pay $6400 in restitution to the victim.
February 11, 2026 2:46 am
An investigation is underway into a fiery wrong-way crash early Tuesday morning that shut down eastbound I-70 in Westmoreland County for nearly 11 hours. The crash, which involved multiple commercial vehicles and an SUV, happened around 12:45 a.m. in Hempfield Township. State Police say 80-year-old Daniel Oliver drove several miles in the wrong direction on I-70, crashing into three tractor-trailers. Firefighters said that the semi that caught fire was hauling produce while another truck spilled fuel onto the interstate. Troopers say Oliver and the driver of the first tractor-trailer were taken to the hospital. The extent of their injuries is currently unknown. The other two drivers were treated at the scene.
February 11, 2026 4:53 am
RIO RICO, Ariz. (AP) — A report by the New York Times Wednesday morning says a person detained for questioning in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie has been released. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement Tuesday night that deputies detained someone during a traffic stop south of Tucson. The department later said a location in Rio Rico, about an hour’s drive from Tucson, was being searched. The news was another potential break in a case that has gripped the nation for more than a week. It came hours after the FBI released surveillance images of a masked person with a handgun holster outside Guthrie’s front door the night she vanished. It wasn’t clear if the person being questioned is the same person captured on surveillance video.
February 11, 2026 4:54 am
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Police have identified the suspect in a school shooting in Canada as an 18-year-old who had prior mental health calls to her home. Authorities shared Jesse Van Rootselaar’s name at a news conference Wednesday, a day after seven people were killed at a school in remote British Columbia and two others were killed at a nearby home in one of the country’s deadliest mass shootings. Royal Canadian Mounted Police Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald said Van Rootselaar, who was found dead, had a history of mental health contact with police, and that the suspect’s mother and stepbrother were also found dead
February 10, 2026 4:57 am
ATLANTA (AP) — The FBI relied on years-old claims of fraud, many of them thoroughly investigated, to obtain a search warrant to seize ballots from election offices in Fulton County, Georgia. That’s according to an affidavit unsealed Tuesday that shows the investigation began with a referral from an administration official who tried to help President Donald Trump overturn his 2020 election loss. The affidavit provides the first public justification for an FBI search last month that targeted a county that Trump and allies have long seen as central to their false claim that the 2020 election was stolen. Audits, state officials, courts and Trump’s own former attorney general have all rejected the idea of widespread problems that could have altered the outcome.
February 11, 2026 4:58 am
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Gov. Tim Walz says the federal immigration crackdown in Minnesota could end soon. He spoke with top Trump administration officials, including border czar Tom Homan and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles. Walz said Tuesday that he anticipates hearing more from the administration soon about the operation’s future. Walz emphasized a “trust but verify” approach, as the situation could change. Walz also hopes for cooperation on joint investigations into the shooting deaths of two Minnesotans by federal officers. The crackdown has impacted local businesses, with employees and customers staying away out of fear.
February 10, 2026 4:56 am
Investigators say one immigration official abused his girlfriend for years. Another admitted he sexually abused a woman in his custody. A third is charged with taking bribes. A review by The Associated Press found at least two dozen U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement employees and contractors have been charged with crimes since 2020. The wrongdoing includes patterns of physical and sexual abuse and corruption. Most cases happened before Congress gave ICE $75 billion last year to hire more agents and detain more people, but experts say these kinds of crimes could accelerate. A spokesperson says ICE takes allegations of misconduct “extremely seriously” and thoroughly vets new applicants.
February 11, 2026 3:09 pm
NEW YORK (AP) — James Van Der Beek, best known as Dawson on “Dawson’s Creek,” has died at 48, according to a statement on his Instagram. The post on Wednesday says he died earlier that day. Van Der Beek shared in 2024 that he was receiving treatment for colorectal cancer. He was best known for “Dawson’s Creek,” which ran from 1998 to 2003. He also appeared in “Varsity Blues” and later leaned into jokes about his own image. He is survived by his wife, Kimberly, and six children.
