Recently covered

FBI captures $547M Medicare fraud fugitive

Khalid Ahmed Satary, accused of orchestrating a $547 million Medicare fraud scheme through diagnostic laboratories across multiple states, was captured overseas and returned to the United States, marking the third arrest from the FBI’s Most Wanted Fraudsters list in five weeks. Prosecutors say the operation leveraged telemarketing, patient recruiters, and illegal kickbacks to push expensive, medically unnecessary cancer genetic tests billed to Medicare from 2016 to 2019, and Satary was indicted in 2019 on multiple health care and fraud charges.

7 sources

Photo: Jeffrey Beall / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

ESPN New York Cuts Bart Scott

Bart Scott was fired from ESPN New York as part of a broader round of layoffs tied to ESPN’s NFL Network acquisition, with Chris Carlin remaining in the timeslot as plans for a replacement partner remain unsettled. The moves come amid ESPN’s restructuring of its local daytime lineup, reflecting ongoing integration of NFL assets and uncertainty about future staff arrangements after years of partnerships and on-air roles for Scott.

5 sources

Photo: LittleT889 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Primm Valley Casino to reopen under Terrible’s leadership

Terrible’s Gaming is reopening the Primm Valley Casino on July 22 at noon after taking over operations on July 5, restoring 422 gaming machines, 250 rooms, a William Hill sportsbook, a sports bar and 24/7 quick-bites, with resort fees waived and previously earned rewards matched alongside new promotions and upcoming dining options. The move follows Affinity Gaming’s earlier plan to close the site, preserving hundreds of jobs and marking a revival for Primm after a period of uncertainty.

5 sources

Photo: Roary the Tiger / Wikimedia Commons (CC0)

New Jersey: 6,600 Noncitizens Registered to Vote

A software error at the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission caused about 6,600 non-citizens to be added to the state’s voter rolls between June 2023 and June 2024, with fewer than 400 of them ultimately voting; officials say they are removing those erroneously registered and have launched an independent investigation into the vendor IDEMIA. Gov. Mikie Sherrill framed the incident as a voter-registration integrity issue amid ongoing scrutiny from President Donald Trump, calling for transparency and accountability while noting the issue predates her tenure.

22 sources

Photo: United States Congress / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

Johnson backs ban on lawmakers dating Hill staff

House Speaker Mike Johnson backs expanding the prohibition on romantic or sexual relationships between lawmakers and Capitol Hill staff as part of broader efforts to tighten House workplace rules amid ongoing misconduct scandals. A bipartisan task force is weighing a broader package of recommendations, including a potential ban on relationships with staff outside a member’s office, citing power imbalances and the need for rules similar to corporate America.

8 sources

Photo: John Robert McPherson / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

One Killed in Wrong-Way 405 Crash Hawthorne

A deadly wrong-way crash on the 405 Freeway near Hawthorne left one person dead, damaged multiple vehicles, and shut down the northbound side for about four hours early Tuesday as a southbound driver reportedly traveled in northbound lanes and a vehicle caught fire. Authorities say the driver’s identity and motives are under investigation, with initial reports of the number of involved vehicles and exact circumstances varying as investigators piece together what happened.

6 sources

Photo: Karl_Ravech_with_West_Point_Cadets.jpg: Mike Strasser, Pointer View derivative work: Delaywaves talk • contribs / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

ESPN Layoffs Hit Karl Ravech in Bristol

ESPN is conducting another round of layoffs, with Karl Ravech reportedly exiting after a long ESPN tenure as a Baseball Tonight host and Sunday Night Baseball lead announcer, following the earlier dismissal of NFL analyst Ryan Clark. The sweeping cuts come amid ESPN’s baseball rights reshuffle and broader integration with the NFL Network, with multiple outlets confirming Ravech’s departure.

12 sources

Photo: Giles Laurent / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Two Greek American Tourists Stabbed Near Acropolis Museum

Two American tourists were stabbed near the Acropolis in Athens, with police detaining the attacker and the victims receiving hospital treatment for injuries described as minor to serious; authorities indicated the suspect may have had mental health issues, and police emphasized such attacks are rare in Greece. The incident unfolded near the Acropolis Museum and drew multiple media outlets addressing ongoing developments.

12 sources

Photo: Cramerwiki / Wikimedia Commons (CC0)

Rodgers Heads to Final Season Amid Family Reconciliation

Aaron Rodgers, now with the Pittsburgh Steelers, has posted photos suggesting a reconciliation with his parents Ed and Darla and his brother Luke after more than a decade of estrangement, though one relative has been notably absent in some reports. The posts describe “Another bonding week” and come amid years of public discussion about Rodgers’ family rift and reflections in his documentary, with reports noting prior friction tied to ex-girlfriend Olivia Munn and the couple’s ongoing efforts to heal the family ties.

19 sources

Photo: MarcelX42 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Kalitta 777 tail strikes CVG runway; FAA investigates

A Kalitta Air Boeing 777-300ER operating Flight 264 scraped its tail on the runway during a go-around at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport after arriving from Brussels; the aircraft landed safely, was taken out of service for inspection, and will be moved to Kalitta’s Michigan maintenance facility as the FAA investigates, with no injuries reported.

5 sources

Photo: Terabass / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Bus arson in Times Square during Knicks celebration

Jonathan Strahs, 30, was arrested and charged with federal arson for allegedly setting a charter bus ablaze in Times Square amid chaotic Knicks championship celebrations; the bus was part of a World Cup shuttle convoy, and a multi-agency investigation led to the arrest after reviewing surveillance footage. FDNY, NYPD, and ATF described the incident as dangerous to bystanders and responders, with authorities coordinating for the safety of New Yorkers.

5 sources

Photo: U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Robert Cloys / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

ESPN Fires Ryan Clark Amid Broad Layoffs

ESPN has cut ties with former Steelers safety and current analyst Ryan Clark as part of a wave of layoffs ahead of its first Super Bowl coverage, signaling significant staffing shifts at the network. Clark, one of ESPN's highest-paid on-air talents at about $2 million per year and a regular on First Take and The Pivot, joined ESPN in 2015 and had been central to NFL coverage and Super Bowl plans.

35 sources

Photo: United States District Court for the Northern District of California / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

Anthropic $1.5 Billion Copyright Settlement Approved

A San Francisco federal judge approved a $1.5 billion settlement with authors over Anthropic's use of pirated books to train Claude, marking the largest U.S. copyright settlement and covering roughly 480,000 works at about $3,000 per title. The deal ends the case but leaves questions about outputs, requires destruction of pirated files, and drew objections from some authors who say it may not fully compensate or preclude further claims.

11 sources

DOJ alleges UC San Diego med school bias

The Justice Department finds that UC San Diego School of Medicine used race-based methods in admissions, including a shadow application process and race proxies, to preferentially admit Black and Hispanic applicants, violating Title VI and the 2023 Students for Fair Admissions ruling. The agency plans to monitor compliance, pursue settlements where violations are found, and notes this aligns with ongoing federal scrutiny of diversity policies in higher education during the current administration.

8 sources