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Today, relatives and friends will say their final goodbyes to the 7-year-old Texas girl, who was fatally shot while riding in a car with her mother and sisters last month.

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a shattered community says final goodbye to 7-year-old jazmine barnes - cnn

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A shattered community says final goodbye to 7-year-old Jazmine Barnes

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The funeral for the Texas second grader, who was fatally shot while riding in a car with her mother and sisters last month, will be held today.

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A U.S. military spokesman confirms that an American airstrike killed an al-Qaida operative accused of involvement in the attack nearly two decades ago on the USS Cole that killed 17 sailors.

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FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports

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WASHINGTON - A U.S. military spokesman confirms that an American airstrike killed an al-Qaida operative accused of involvement in the attack nearly two decades ago on the USS Cole that killed 17 sailors.

The man targeted, Jamal al-Badawi, was wanted for his role in the attack on Oct. 12, 2000.

The spokesman for U.S. Central Command, Navy Capt. William Urban, says the military has confirmed through "a deliberate assessment process" that al-Badawi was killed on Jan. 1 in the strike east of Sanaa, the Yemeni capital.

President Donald Trump tweets that "Our GREAT MILITARY has delivered justice for the heroes lost and wounded in the cowardly attack on the USS Cole."

The Cole was attacked by suicide bombers in an explosives-laden boat while refueling at the Yemeni port of Aden.

Trademark and Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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US confirms death of militant involved in USS Cole bombing

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WASHINGTON - A U.S. military spokesman confirms that an American airstrike killed an al-Qaida operative accused of involvement in the attack nearly two decades ago on the USS Cole that killed 17 sailors. The man targeted, Jamal al-Badawi, was wanted for his role in the attack on Oct. 12, 2000.

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Zoo elephants eat Berlin's leftover Christmas trees

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Zoo elephants eat Berlin's leftover Christmas trees

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Berlin's unwanted Christmas trees have ended their days as a festive snack for zoo elephants and stocking fillers for some of their fellow residents.

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DL Dexter Lawrence has be ineligable to play for the nation championship due drug abuse and inhanced substance.

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Clemson will officially be without Dexter Lawrence in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.

Clemson athletic director Dan Radakovich released a statement Thursday saying that Lawrence, the team's star defensive tackle, along with tight end Braden Galloway and offensive lineman Zach Giella, will not be available to play on Monday night.

The three failed NCAA drug tests ahead of the CFP semifinal game against Notre Dame. Clemson filed appeals on their behalf, but their suspensions were upheld for the Cotton Bowl against the Irish. That put the availability of the three players in serious jeopardy for the title game. And on Thursday, the school confirmed that the Tigers will face the Tide without the three.

"As requested by these student-athletes, Clemson filed notices of appeal with the NCAA. We will continue to work with the three impacted student-athletes and their legal representatives over the coming weeks to prepare the appeals. Neither clemson, Galloway, Giella nor Lawrence anticipate having further comment on this matter until after the appeals have concluded," Radakovich said.

The three players are permitted to attend the game, Clemson said, and will join the team in California "later this week."

The players tested positive for ostarine

Last week, Clemson coach Dabo Swinney told reporters that the three players tested positive for trace levels of ostarine and have no clue how the substance ended up in their systems.

Here is how the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency defines ostarine, which is considered a performance-enhancing substance:

Ostarine is the trademarked name for a Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator (SARM) that is not approved for human use or consumption in the U.S., or in any other country. In recent years, WADA has reported an increasing number of positive tests involving SARMs, and athletes who use these substances most likely obtain them through black market channels.

Research has shown that SARMs like ostarine have fewer androgenic properties, meaning they have less influence on the development and balance of male hormones, including testosterone. While they are not yet approved for human use, SARMs are of interest to the medical community because they might be effective at treating different health conditions without resulting in the negative side effects of steroids.

Swinney told reporters that the substance can be found in some everyday products like hair products or protein. According to the USADA, however, it is only found in "illegal" products and is sometimes put into supplements but omitted from the product's label.

After the initial positive tests, each player submitted a B sample. The B sample for each player also came back positive.

The impact of Dexter Lawrence's absence

While the other two suspended players are reserves, Lawrence has been a key cog on Clemson's star-studded defensive line.

A three-year starter at defensive tackle, Lawrence is one of the best players at his position in the country and is considered a potential first-round NFL draft choice. Even with Lawrence out of the lineup, the Tigers controlled the line of scrimmage against Notre Dame. Albert Huggins, a key part of the defensive line rotation, started in Lawrence's place and will do the same against Alabama.

Lawrence, listed at 350 pounds, is adept at stuffing the run. That's where he will be missed against the Crimson Tide. Notre Dame's Dexter Williams was able to slip through the line for a few nice games on Saturday, but was mostly kept in check. Alabama has three NFL-caliber backs in Damien Harris, Najee Harris and Josh Jacobs. Containing that trio, as well as getting after Heisman runner-up Tua Tagovailoa, will be a tremendous challenge for the Tigers.

More from Yahoo Sports:
* Ticket prices plummet for college football title game
* Steelers' Brown responds to ex-teammate, calls him 'Uncle Tom'
* Soaring TV ratings, streaming viewership an NFL bright spot
* Thamel: How Saban's evolution changed Alabama

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Clemson DL Dexter Lawrence officially ineligible for national championship vs. Alabama

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Clemson will officially be without Dexter Lawrence in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. Clemson athletic director Dan Radakovich released a statement Thursday saying that Lawrence, the team's star defensive tackle, along with tight end Braden Galloway and offensive lineman Zach Giella, will not be available to play on Monday night.

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Ariana Grande is to perform for the next Coachella but many believe no one can top Beyonces Performance

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coachella will never be the same after beyoncé - cnn

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Coachella will never be the same after Beyoncé

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Before Ariana Grande fans mount up, know that none of what is written here is meant to slight her.

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Texas man arrested after allegedly killing 3 young children, shooting woman in the head

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Police arrested a Texas man who allegedly murdered three young children and shot a woman in the head Thursday.

Junaid Mehmood, 27, allegedly killed an infant and two children -- believed to be 2 years old and 5 years old -- at a Texas City apartment complex and left a woman there to die, according to police.

Police discovered the victims at the Pointe Ann Apartments in Texas City, Texas, about 40 miles southeast of Houston, while responding to a welfare concern at around 6:15 p.m., the Texas City Police Department said in a statement.

The children were pronounced dead on the scene and the woman was rushed to a nearby hospital, according to the statement. The department didn't disclose the woman's identity, or her relationship to the children, but said she was in stable condition.

Mehmood was apprehended in Houston after a brief manhunt late Thursday night.

Texas City Police Department

The man called 911 and confessed to dispatchers, "I killed my family," according to Houston ABC station KTRK, before surrendering to authorities.

The children's causes of death has not been released.

Police records indicate that he'd been arrested multiple times, charged with fraud, robbery, assault and drug possession. He was charged with fraud in Galveston County in February 2010 and received five years probation. In 2014, he was charged with family assault and spent 20 days in confinement. After a robbery conviction in 2015 he was sentenced to three years in jail.

It's unclear if Mehmood has obtained an attorney.

ABC News' Gina Sunseri and Kevin Kraus contributed to this story.

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Man arrested after allegedly killing 3 young children, shooting woman in the head

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Police arrested a Texas man who allegedly murdered three young children and shot a woman in the head Thursday. Junaid Mehmood, 27, allegedly killed an infant and two children -- believed to be 2 years old and 5 years old -- at a Texas City apartment complex and left a woman there to die, according...

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Nancy Pelosi has something to say to President Trump about our new class of congress and the extent of their power. Things will never be the same.

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pelosi sends a message to trump as the press covers a 'power shift' - cnn

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Pelosi sends a message to Trump as the press covers a 'power shift'

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Soon after Nancy Pelosi took control of the House, she issued an official invitation to President Trump to deliver the State of the Union on January 29.

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312,000 jobs were added in December of 2018, blowing past the expected rate by over 13,000

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U.S. employers added 312,000 jobs in December, blowing past Wall Street's expectations for an increase of 177,000 jobs, even on the heels of a tumultuous month for the markets that saw the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 post their worst performance since the Great Depression.

The unemployment rate rose to 3.9 percent, while the labor force participation rate also rose slightly to 63.1 percent from 62.9 percent during the month. Average hourly earnings meanwhile rose by 11 cents to $27.48. Over the year, average hourly earnings have increased by a total of 84 cents, or about 3.2 percent.

Jobs numbers come on the heels of a report Thursday from payroll processing firm ADP, which revealed the private sector added 271,000 jobs in December, soaring past analysts' expectations of 178,000 jobs.

Analysts anticipated that unemployment would hold steady at 3.7 percent, the lowest number in nearly 50 years, while forecasting the creation of 177,000 jobs, according to economists polled by Refinitiv (formerly Thomson Reuters).

The stronger-than-expected number comes in the midst of concerns about a softening economy

On Wednesday, after Apple cut its quarterly revenue estimates by billions of dollars, shares of the iPhone maker plummeted. CEO Tim Cook blamed the decline in sales largely on a nearly year-long trade war between the U.S. and China that's rattled both countries' economies.

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US economy added 312,000 jobs in December, blowing past expectations

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U.S. employers added 312,000 jobs in December, blowing past Wall Street's expectations for an increase of 177,000 jobs, even on the heels of a tumultuous month for the markets that saw the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 post their worst performance since the Great Depression.

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Nick Cannon and Usher are getting clowned for their hairstyles

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nick cannon and usher are getting clowned for their hairstyles - cnn

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Nick Cannon and Usher are getting clowned for their hairstyles

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Nick Cannon and Usher have just learned it's not safe out here in these hair streets.

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Top North Korean official defected on a visit to Italy.

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North Korea's top diplomat to Italy, who South Korea's spy agency says has gone into hiding along with his wife, appears to be the latest member of the North's elite to abandon the secretive totalitarian state.

Many of them have expressed frustration over what they described as an oppressive police state in Pyongyang or desires for their families to have new lives in South Korea or the West.

The North, which touts itself as a socialist paradise, is extremely sensitive about defections, especially among its elite, and has previously insisted that they are South Korean or U.S. plots to undermine its government. South Korea has accused the North of killing or attempting to assassinate past defectors.

A look at some of the high-profile defections from North Korea:

___

'JUCHE' ARCHITECT

The late Hwang Jang Yop remains as the highest-ranking North Korean official to defect from the North and seek asylum in South Korea.

Hwang, a former senior member of North Korea's ruling Workers' Party, was the chief architect of the North's governing "juche" ideology of self-reliance and had tutored former North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, the late father of current ruler Kim Jong Un.

Hwang was still one of the country's most powerful officials when he fled during a visit to Beijing. After resettling in South Korea in 1997, Hwang became a vocal critic of the North Korean leadership he had a hand in building, which led to threats and attempts on his life Seoul blamed on Pyongyang.

Hwang, then 87, died in 2010 after suffering a heart attack, months after two North Korean army majors were sentenced to prison in South Korea for plotting to assassinate him.

___

ROYAL FAMILY MEMBER

South Korea blamed the 1997 death of Lee Han-young, a nephew of one of the former wives of Kim Jong Il, on North Korean agents sent on a revenge mission. But police failed to catch the assailants before they allegedly returned to the North.

Lee had defected through Switzerland in 1982, but Seoul kept his arrival secret until 1996, when his mother also fled the North. He was a harsh critic of Pyongyang's government and his dictator uncle.

Lee died of gunshot wounds after being attacked in front of his apartment near Seoul in February 1997. According to his neighbors, Lee after the shooting said, "spy, spy," and held up two fingers, perhaps indicating the number of attackers. Police said a woman purporting to be a magazine reporter called the apartment to ask when Lee would be home before the attack.

__

DIPLOMATS

The disappearance of Jo Song Gil, North Korea's acting ambassador to Italy, could create a publicity headache for North Korean leader Kim Jong Un as he pursues diplomacy with Washington and Seoul and seeks to portray himself as an international statesman.

Some experts believe the North might ignore Jo's possible defection or hold back harsh criticism to avoid highlighting the vulnerabilities of its government amid its diplomatic push.

The last senior North Korean diplomat known to have defected is Thae Yong Ho, a former minister at the North Korean Embassy in London, who fled to South Korea in 2016.

North Korea's state media described Thae as "human scum" after his defection and claimed he was trying to escape punishment for serious crimes. Thae denied the accusation and said he defected because he didn't want his children to live "miserable" lives in the North.

In 1997, North Korean ambassador to Egypt Chang Sung Gil along with his wife defected and was granted asylum in the United States. In a coordinated move, his brother, Chang Sung Ho, defected from a North Korean trade mission in France and was also given asylum to the United States.

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A look at high-profile defections from North Korea

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North Korea's top diplomat to Italy, who South Korea's spy agency says has gone into hiding along with his wife, appears to be the latest member of the North's elite to abandon the secretive totalitarian state.

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World's largest ice and snow festival kicks off in China.

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harbin ice and snow festival 2019: china hosts world's largest - cnn

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World's largest ice and snow festival opens

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If you think cold weather is part of the fun when traveling, then the Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival in northern China is the carnival for you. It's the world's largest festival of its kind.

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The British military is now making ads directly mentioning, "Snowflakes". The British army has been in recruiting troubles with low numbers of new recruits. Video ads have also been created to recruit.

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Ellen in campaigning hard for Kevin Hart to host the Oscars.

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ellen still wants kevin hart to host the oscars - cnn

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Ellen still wants Kevin Hart to host the Oscars

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Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres is campaigning hard for Kevin Hart to take back his spot hosting this year's Oscars.

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This is a little old but my man Joshua William Dun, drummer of Twenty One Pilots and Debby Ryan, actress got engaged. The big clikkies are mad because Debby is a drama queen. There has been drama regarding the show Riverdale every since rapper and YouTuber Elijah Daniel spoke openly about not liking the show. This happened before Christmas. The cast of the show started talking trash on him and people were split. Yesterday, Debby subtweeted about it and since most of the clique are fans of Elijah Daniel, they got angry. Welcome to Twitter. I wish I was engaged to Josh Dun.

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CLOSE

NEW YORK - Actress Debby Ryan and Twenty One Pilots drummer Josh Dun are engaged.

Both Ryan and Dun announced their engagement on social media Saturday. Dun, 30, proposed to Ryan, 25, in a treehouse in New Zealand. Dun posted a photo on Instagram of himself proposing on one knee before a shocked, weeping Ryan. He called her his "dude for life."

In the photos, Ryan, star of the Netflix series "Insatiable," shows off a large diamond ring. Both wore black - she's in a black floral dress, while he's casually dressed in all-black - for the occasion.

"I said yes!" Ryan tweeted, adding, "Well technically said 'no way' twice but I meant yes."

In August, the Sydney Morning Herald described their relationship as on-again, off-again in an interview with Ryan.

"I'm in love and very happy," she told the news outlet. "We've evolved and grown so much in our careers, in the relationship, as people since we first met. It's cool and special to have that support system and we are each other's biggest fans.

"He visited me every month in Atlanta with our puppy while I was making the show."
Contributing: The Associated Press and Kim Willis
Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/people/2018/12/23/debby-ryan-twenty-one-pilots-drummer-josh-dun-engaged/2401507002/

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Debby Ryan and Josh Dun of Twenty One Pilots are engaged! See the photos

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CLOSE NEW YORK - Actress Debby Ryan and Twenty One Pilots drummer Josh Dun are engaged. Both Ryan and Dun announced their engagement on social media Saturday. Dun, 30, proposed to Ryan, 25, in a treehouse in New Zealand. Dun posted a photo on Instagram of himself proposing on one knee before a shocked, weeping Ryan.

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A multi-vehicle crash occurred on Interstate 75 near Florida, causing a large fire and killing at least six people and injuring eight.

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six people killed in florida interstate crash - cnn

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Six people killed in Florida interstate crash

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Six people are dead and eight people have been transported from the scene of a fiery multivehicle crash on Interstate 75 southbound near Gainesville, Florida, according to Alachua County Fire Rescue.

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Authorities say the deadly Florida interstate crash that left at least seven people dead is currently being treated as a homicide and may have involved a van with a group of children heading to Disney World.

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Authorities say the deadly Florida interstate crash that left at least seven people dead is currently being treated as a homicide and may have involved a van with a group of children heading to Disney World.

Two big rigs and two passenger vehicles collided about a mile south of Alachua, near Gainesville on Thursday, sparking a massive fire fed by about 50 gallons of diesel.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Fire Rescue said that "multiple patients" had suffered "critical injuries," but did not specify how many. Authorities initially said six had died but late Thursday night revealed a seventh victim had perished. The condition of the injured people remains unknown.

The authorities are treating the crash as a homicide investigation, though it remains unclear the reasons why.

Alachua County Sheriff's spokesman Art Forgey told the Star-Banner that the agency is still verifying the dispatch records that indicate one of the vehicles carried a group of children to Disney World.

He noted that other vehicles that traveled with the same group weren't involved in the crash.

Some people passing through the interstate described some of the scenes after the crash. Nicole Towarek, a student who was on a holiday trip from Fort Myers to Atlanta, told The Gainesville Sun that the scenes completely changed after the crash, with black smoke billowed and people being laid out near vehicles.

"We kept seeing these little explosions and fire," she said. "The heat, it was insane."

"We kept seeing these little explosions and fire. The heat, it was insane."
- Nicole Towarek

A spokesman for the Florida Highway Patrol told the Associated Press that the top priority at the moment is to verify the deceased victims. It remains unclear if the victims died as a result of the crash or the fire that came after the collision.

"There's going to be families that need to be notified that their loved ones have perished," said Lieutenant Patrick Riordan.
FLORIDA INTERSTATE CRASH KILLS AT LEAST 7, INJURES 7 MORE
Riordan previously told the Sun that some of the fatalities "were in at least one of the passenger vehicles."

The Alachua County Sheriff's Office dispatched earlier a helicopter to look for potential victims in the woods off the highway.

Thursday's crash has been the worst incident on the interstate in Alachua county since January 2012 when 11 people died in a crash.

Following the crash, officials at the time installed cameras, sensors and large electronic signs to prevent crashes like that from ever happening again.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Florida interstate crash victims may include children who were on their way to Disney World, authorities say

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Authorities say the deadly Florida interstate crash that left at least seven people dead is currently being treated as a homicide and may have involved a van with a group of children heading to Disney World.

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Couple celebrating mass shooters arrested over bomb plot theory

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An Ohio couple, who have celebrated mass shootings and wrote to Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof, were indicted in federal court on Thursday after an undercover FBI sting operation over plans to bomb one of their workplaces over environmental concerns.

Elizabeth Lecron and Vincent Armstrong, both 23, were accused of conspiracy to transport or receive an explosive with intent to kill, injure or intimidate any individual, and maliciously damage or destroy by fire or explosive.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
They are also accused of conspiracy to use a destructive device during and in relation to a crime of violence; conspiracy to use firearms during and in relation to a crime of violence; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

Armstrong is facing an additional charge of making false statements to investigators, while Lecron was charged with transporting explosives over state lines, according to the statement by the Department of Justice.

The couple allegedly planned to carry out an "upscale mass murder" at a local bar in Toledo, Ohio, but later said they wanted to damage a livestock farm to set animals free, with Lecron saying she was willing to "sabotage anything that harms the environment," according to the authorities.

Lecron said she was willing to "sabotage anything that harms the environment."
- Department of Justice

After deliberations of the attack target, Lecron settled on attacking her workplace, stating she "definitely want(ed) to make a statement up here" because she thought the business was polluting the river. She revealed to undercover FBI agents that she and her associate began making a pipe bomb.

"According to the allegations in the indictment, this pair obtained firearms and components to make explosives as part of a plot to kill and maim others," said Justin E. Herdman, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.
MORE THAN 40 'GHOST FACE GANGSTERS' WHITE SUPREMACIST GANG MEMBERS INDICTED, DOJ SAYS
The authorities say the charges follow the investigation into the couple that first came became known to them in 2018 after Armstrong made a violent threat while Lecron posted disturbing and hateful content on social media.

The woman, according to the DOJ, celebrated mass murders, including the shooting in African-American South Carolina Church perpetrated by Roof, leaving nine people dead. She also created a Tumblr account called "CharlestonChurchMiracle."

In December, Lecron wrote to Roof in prison and allegedly tried to smuggle Nazi writings to him.

Last year, the couple also made a trip to areas related to the Columbine High School shooting, a shooting that left 15 students and faculty members dead.

Undercover FBI agents reached out to Lecron, who allegedly tried to meet up with other "anarchists" to form a team for the bomb attack, and offered their help.
MISSOURI MAN WHO CARRIED OUT AMTRAK ATTACK FACES TERRORISM CHARGES, FBI SAY
In December, she agreed to buy black powder from the undercover agent - the same month she allegedly bought two pounds of Hodgson Triple Seven Muzzleloading Propellant and 665 screws that all could be used in a pipe bomb.

"So I guess I'll talk to you when the deed is done?" she allegedly told the agent. "I'm very excited ... stick it to him man ... be safe," she later added.

"So I guess I'll talk to you when the deed is done? ... I'm very excited ... stick it to him man ... be safe."
- Elizabeth Lecron

During the search and the arrest of the couple in December, the investigators found AK-47, handguns and other weapons and their ammunition.

"These arrests should send a sobering message to everyone that there is no city, large or small, that is immune to these types of hate-filled attacks," said Toledo Police Chief George Kral.

The couple is facing possible life in prison. Armstrong denied any knowledge of the possible attacks and denied purchasing the equipment for the making of the bomb.

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Couple celebrating mass shooters arrested over bomb plot after FBI sting

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An Ohio couple, who have celebrated mass shootings and wrote to Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof, were indicted in federal court on Thursday after an undercover FBI sting operation over plans to bomb one of their workplaces over environmental concerns.

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Florida interstate crash victims may include children who were on their way to Disney World, authorities say

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Authorities say the deadly Florida interstate crash that left at least seven people dead is currently being treated as a homicide and may have involved a van with a group of children heading to Disney World.

Two big rigs and two passenger vehicles collided about a mile south of Alachua, near Gainesville on Thursday, sparking a massive fire fed by about 50 gallons of diesel.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Fire Rescue said that "multiple patients" had suffered "critical injuries," but did not specify how many. Authorities initially said six had died but late Thursday night revealed a seventh victim had perished. The condition of the injured people remains unknown.

The authorities are treating the crash as a homicide investigation, though it remains unclear the reasons why.

Alachua County Sheriff's spokesman Art Forgey told the Star-Banner that the agency is still verifying the dispatch records that indicate one of the vehicles carried a group of children to Disney World.

He noted that other vehicles that traveled with the same group weren't involved in the crash.

Some people passing through the interstate described some of the scenes after the crash. Nicole Towarek, a student who was on a holiday trip from Fort Myers to Atlanta, told The Gainesville Sun that the scenes completely changed after the crash, with black smoke billowed and people being laid out near vehicles.

"We kept seeing these little explosions and fire," she said. "The heat, it was insane."

"We kept seeing these little explosions and fire. The heat, it was insane."
- Nicole Towarek

A spokesman for the Florida Highway Patrol told the Associated Press that the top priority at the moment is to verify the deceased victims. It remains unclear if the victims died as a result of the crash or the fire that came after the collision.

"There's going to be families that need to be notified that their loved ones have perished," said Lieutenant Patrick Riordan.
FLORIDA INTERSTATE CRASH KILLS AT LEAST 7, INJURES 7 MORE
Riordan previously told the Sun that some of the fatalities "were in at least one of the passenger vehicles."

The Alachua County Sheriff's Office dispatched earlier a helicopter to look for potential victims in the woods off the highway.

Thursday's crash has been the worst incident on the interstate in Alachua county since January 2012 when 11 people died in a crash.

Following the crash, officials at the time installed cameras, sensors and large electronic signs to prevent crashes like that from ever happening again.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Florida interstate crash victims may include children who were on their way to Disney World, authorities say

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Authorities say the deadly Florida interstate crash that left at least seven people dead is currently being treated as a homicide and may have involved a van with a group of children heading to Disney World.

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A massive crash happened in Florida on an interstate road. Reporters say that the crash victims included children who were on their way to Disney World.

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Authorities say the deadly Florida interstate crash that left at least seven people dead is currently being treated as a homicide and may have involved a van with a group of children heading to Disney World.

Two big rigs and two passenger vehicles collided about a mile south of Alachua, near Gainesville on Thursday, sparking a massive fire fed by about 50 gallons of diesel.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Fire Rescue said that "multiple patients" had suffered "critical injuries," but did not specify how many. Authorities initially said six had died but late Thursday night revealed a seventh victim had perished. The condition of the injured people remains unknown.

The authorities are treating the crash as a homicide investigation, though it remains unclear the reasons why.

Alachua County Sheriff's spokesman Art Forgey told the Star-Banner that the agency is still verifying the dispatch records that indicate one of the vehicles carried a group of children to Disney World.

He noted that other vehicles that traveled with the same group weren't involved in the crash.

Some people passing through the interstate described some of the scenes after the crash. Nicole Towarek, a student who was on a holiday trip from Fort Myers to Atlanta, told The Gainesville Sun that the scenes completely changed after the crash, with black smoke billowed and people being laid out near vehicles.

"We kept seeing these little explosions and fire," she said. "The heat, it was insane."

"We kept seeing these little explosions and fire. The heat, it was insane."
- Nicole Towarek

A spokesman for the Florida Highway Patrol told the Associated Press that the top priority at the moment is to verify the deceased victims. It remains unclear if the victims died as a result of the crash or the fire that came after the collision.

"There's going to be families that need to be notified that their loved ones have perished," said Lieutenant Patrick Riordan.
FLORIDA INTERSTATE CRASH KILLS AT LEAST 7, INJURES 7 MORE
Riordan previously told the Sun that some of the fatalities "were in at least one of the passenger vehicles."

The Alachua County Sheriff's Office dispatched earlier a helicopter to look for potential victims in the woods off the highway.

Thursday's crash has been the worst incident on the interstate in Alachua county since January 2012 when 11 people died in a crash.

Following the crash, officials at the time installed cameras, sensors and large electronic signs to prevent crashes like that from ever happening again.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Florida interstate crash victims may include children who were on their way to Disney World, authorities say

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Authorities say the deadly Florida interstate crash that left at least seven people dead is currently being treated as a homicide and may have involved a van with a group of children heading to Disney World.

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A new bill was passed that requires 10 years of tax returns from the President

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As one of their first big-ticket legislative proposals of the new Congress, House Democrats on Friday will unveil a sweeping anti-corruption, campaign finance and ethics reform package that takes aim at long-simmering concerns about President Donald Trump 's possible conflicts of interest between his actions as president and his family business.

The massive proposal, known as " The For the People Act" and designated as "House Resolution 1," also includes dozens of measures from Democrats on ethics and campaign finance reform, voting rights and election security. It would also require presidential and vice presidential candidates to release 10 years' of their personal tax returns and require sitting presidents and vice presidents to do the same.

Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

"It captures all the things the public has wanted to see over the last few years in terms of seeing their voice matter again in Washington on Capitol Hill," said Rep. John Sarbanes, D-Md., the chair of the House Democrats' Democracy Reform Task Force, which helped organize the package.

In addition to the tax returns provision, the bill would also require presidential appointees to recuse themselves from any matters involving the president, a president's spouse or any entities in which they hold a "substantial interest." The measure was derived from a proposal from Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and introduced by Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Mass., in the House, according to a section-by-section summary of the proposal obtained by ABC News.

It would also give the Office of Government Ethics more authority to strictly enforce violations of ethics law, such as the Hatch Act, which prohibits government employees from using official resources for political purposes, a provision repeatedly violated by Trump administration officials, according to the Office of Special Counsel, an independent government investigative agency that is not affiliated with the the Russia investigation being conducted by special counsel Robert Mueller.

A House Democratic aide said the package would also include a nonbinding sense of Congress encouraging presidents and vice presidents to put their assets in a blind trust.

It would also require new spending disclosures for presidential inaugural committees, which comes as Mueller's team has questioned witnesses about millions of dollars in contributions to the Trump inaugural committee.

Xinhua News Agency via Getty Images

While Democrats plan to mark up the legislation in several committees over the coming weeks and send the bill to the Senate by the middle of next month, they're not expecting much from the Republican-led Senate. In December, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., dismissed the effort in remarks during the Wall Street Journal's annual CEO Council.

"That's not going to go anywhere in the Senate," he said.

Still, Sarbanes told ABC News that the package would be important for Democrats to pass heading into two years of divided government, and the next presidential cycle.

"A lot of it is absolutely putting down a marker saying this is the change the public wants to see and anyone standing in the way of that is taking a risk politically," he said. "If Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans aren't going to give it the light of day, we think they're going to have to contend with public opinion on that, which will then translate into electoral results in 2020."

Sarbanes said Democrats would also be willing to separately pass smaller pieces of the package that could receive Republican support in the Senate. An example is the Honest Ads Act, a Senate bill requiring disclosure for online political ads first introduced amid concerns about Russian use of social media advertising to spread disinformation and disrupt the 2016 presidential election.

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New Democratic bill would require 10 years of presidential tax returns

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As one of their first big-ticket legislative proposals of the new Congress, House Democrats on Friday will unveil a sweeping anti-corruption, campaign finance and ethics reform package that takes aim at long-simmering concerns about President Donald Trump 's possible conflicts of interest between his actions as president and his family business.

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Man is arrested after 3 dead children are found in an apartment in Texas

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man is arrested after 3 dead children are found in an apartment  in texas  - cnn

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Man is arrested after 3 dead children are found in an apartment in Texas

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A man was arrested in Houston on Thursday night, hours after a wounded woman and the bodies of three children were discovered inside an apartment, authorities said.

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A man was left paralyzed after a bird flew into his helmet, causing him to crash.

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A young motorcyclist suffered a horror smash when a bird flew into his helmet while he was riding - leaving him paralyzed from the chest down.

Sam Beecroft, 21, was traveling at around 40mph when a pigeon swooped down "from out of nowhere" and hit him on the right side of his head. Sam lost control of his Yamaha bike and swerved off the road into a fence, rendering him unconscious.

The youngster from Morpeth, Northumberland, suffered a broken back in the crash and underwent four months of intensive treatment in hospital. Despite doctors' best efforts, Sam has been left paralyzed and will be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life, although he counts himself lucky to be alive at all.

Recalling the crash he said, "I was on my way to work and all of a sudden a pigeon appeared and smacked the side of my helmet. I lost my balance, swerved straight into a fence and got

knocked out. When I woke up I knew it was serious because I couldn't feel my legs and I'd never felt that even though I'd crashed before."

He added, "that same day at the hospital the doctor told me 'you'll never walk again' My family were crying and I just said 'okay'.

"I think I'm lucky to be alive and it could have been so much worse - I should have died. I was about 8 mm from breaking my neck. It was a freak accident, I've never heard of another motorbike rider being paralyzed after hitting a bird."

The crash happened on the B6524 in Morpeth on 27 August 2017 while a then 20-year-old Sam was on his way to work as a baggage handler at Newcastle Airport. The first person to attend to Sam and dial 999 [emergency] was a female driver, who he had overtaken minutes earlier and who also worked at the airport.

Paramedics from the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) arrived by helicopter and treated Sam at the scene. He was then taken by land ambulance to the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in Newcastle, where it was revealed he had a T3 spinal cord injury.

After two weeks at the RVI Sam went through three months of rehabilitation and physiotherapy at James Cook University Hospital, Middlesborough. Sam is paralyzed from the chest down but does have the use of his arms and hands.

He has paid tribute to the emergency service personnel who treated him, especially the GNAAS paramedics.

Sam said, "there were some dark times and moments where I thought 'what if I had done this differently?'. But there's nothing I can about it now and I just have to get on with my life, I'm lucky to have what I have. The paramedics saved my life, especially the air ambulance guys, who were incredible."

Since December 2017 Sam has been back at home with his dad, Ian, and step mum, Gill. Their house has been modified for wheelchair access and Sam has bought a car that he can drive without the use of his legs.

Less than a year after the accident, Sam was riding motorcycles again and he has been pictured riding at Silverstone Circuit, the home of British motor racing. He also goes to the gym five times a week and plays wheelchair rugby.

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Motorcycle rider paralyzed after bird strike causes accident

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A young motorcyclist suffered a horror smash when a bird flew into his helmet while he was riding - leaving him paralyzed from the chest down. Sam Beecroft, 21, was traveling at around 40mph when a pigeon swooped down "from out of nowhere" and hit him on the right side of his head.

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Stolen baby Jesus returned to Montana Nativity scene with a note: 'This is God'

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A Butte, Mo. couple discovered two notes Thursday from someone pretending to be God after a baby Jesus figurine was stolen from their Nativity scene on New Year's Day.

Jack McCormick said he was relieved to see baby Jesus back in the manger in his snow-filled yard on Thursday, The Montana Standard reported.
GRATEFUL COUPLE SAYS GOD TOLD THEM TO ADOPT HORRIFICALLY ABUSED SIBLINGS
"This is God," a note read. "I took my son back for a trip! I'm returning him now! God Bless!"

The other note asked the family to keep the matter off Facebook.

On Tuesday, after the baby Jesus was stolen, McCormick posted a picture of it on social media that got over 100 shares.

"Someone stole the Christ child from our Nativity Scene," he wrote. "It would mean a great deal to us to have it returned."

The nativity set is more than just a family keepsake. Andrea McCormick said her uncle acquired the figurines from the St. Helena Catholic Church when it was relocated in the late 1960s.

And sadly, it wasn't the first time parts of it had gone missing.
PASTOR GOES VIRAL AFTER EPIC FALL IN FINAL SERMON OF 2018
McCormick's uncle loaned the set to the St. Patrick Catholic Church for some time when some of the figurines were stolen and later found in a nearby alley.

The family is thankful that Mary and Joseph are once again looking down on baby Jesus and not an empty manger.
GROUP SAYS PAINTING OF GROUND ZERO CROSS AT MISSOURI COURTHOUSE IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL
"Andrea's prayers to St. Anthony might have had a little to do with it, too!" Jack McCormick posted on Facebook Thursday.

The McCormicks said they plan to donate the set to a local museum because it's part of Butte history.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Stolen baby Jesus returned to Montana Nativity scene with a note: 'This is God'

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A Butte, Mo. couple discovered two notes Thursday from someone pretending to be God after a baby Jesus figurine was stolen from their Nativity scene on New Year's Day. Jack McCormick said he was relieved to see baby Jesus back in the manger in his snow-filled yard on Thursday, The Montana Standard reported.

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Despite the tweets from Kevin Hart that resurfaced from 2009-2011 discriminating gays, Ellen DeGeneres still wants him to host the Oscars

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ellen still wants kevin hart to host the oscars - cnn

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Ellen still wants Kevin Hart to host the Oscars

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Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres is campaigning hard for Kevin Hart to take back his spot hosting this year's Oscars.