Category: Security

A man has been charged with assault and battery following a fight in the air traffic control tower at Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C.

The scuffle occurred at the troubled travel hub on March 27, airport police confirmed Tuesday to CBS News. The incident was described as a fight between employees, but no additional information about the circumstances that led to the altercation was given.

Air traffic controller Damon Gaines, 39, has been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration.

The D.C. airport has been the sight of several crashes and near-misses in 2025, including a January midair collision between an American Airlines plane and an Army Black Hawk helicopter that killed 67 people.

On Friday, warning bells went off in the cockpit of a Delta Airlines plane when it came dangerously close to an Air Force jet. On Saturday, a kite struck a United plane on its approach to land.

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Over 100 people were injured after a gas pipeline explosion caused a massive fireball near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Tuesday.

According to The Associated Press, Petronas, a national oil company, confirmed that the massive fire in Malaysia was caused by one of the company’s gas pipelines at roughly 8:10 a.m. on Tuesday. The outlet noted that the company confirmed the pipeline responsible for the devastating fireball was later isolated by officials. Disaster management officials also noted that the fire would eventually be suppressed by shutting off the gas valves.

The Associated Press reported that the flames from the fireball reached 20 stories high on Tuesday before firefighters were able to start suppressing the fire.

According to The Straits Times, Selangor fire officials confirmed that over 100 individuals were injured in Tuesday’s fire. Selangor Deputy Police Chief Mohamad Zaini Abu Hassan said roughly 60 of the individuals injured in Tuesday’s fire were hospitalized, according to the outlet. Selangor fire officials also confirmed that the fireball damaged 190 houses and 148 cars in the community.

The Straits Times reported that firefighters were able to extinguish the fire at 3:45 p.m. on Tuesday and were working to extinguish fires that spread to surrounding homes in the community.

READ MORE: Videos: Plane crash sparks major house fire in Minnesota

The Straits Times reported that many residents in Puchong, which is located near the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia’s Selangor state, were celebrating the Muslim holiday of Hari Raya Aidilfitri on Tuesday and were forced to evacuate from the area.

Nizam Mohamad Asnizam, a Malaysian resident who lived close to the fire, said, “When I woke up, I saw the fire raging, with an extraordinary sound. I have never experienced a fire with this kind of sound. The sound was terrifying. It felt like a jet engine was next to me.”

“Stepping on the floor was like stepping on a hot wok,” the Malaysian resident added. “The heat was like putting your head in an oven. It felt like I was burning.”

A video shared on YouTube shows the enormous fireball caused by the gas pipe explosion in Malaysia on Tuesday.

This article was originally published by Radio Free Asia and is reprinted with permission.

Philippine authorities announced the arrests of six Chinese nationals and a Filipino suspected of spying on U.S. and Philippine navy vessels at the entrance of the strategically located Subic Bay.

The arrests of the Chinese suspects, who officials said were posing as fishermen, brought to 12 the number of Chinese citizens taken into custody in the Philippines this year for alleged espionage. The cases have unfolded against the backdrop of heightened tensions between Manila and Beijing in the contested South China Sea.

The seven suspects were arrested on March 19 after Philippine military intelligence alerted the National Bureau of Investigation about “foreign nationals suspected of carrying out covert intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations” around Grande Island at the entrance of Subic Bay, the NBI said in a statement Wednesday.

The six Chinese “were closely monitored for engaging in deemed suspicious activities, involving a collection of sensitive data” affecting national defense, the bureau said. A Filipino national, who was acting as their security guard, was also arrested.

“Counter-intelligence efforts disclosed that these individuals were occupying the island under the guise of recreational fishers, frequently lingering at the wharves until the wee hours,” NBI director Jaime Santiago said.

“However, multiple witnesses reported that the group was utilizing drones in the guise of transporting fishing bait – conducting surveillance on naval assets, including those from local forces and allied nations, passing through Grande Island,” he said.

Located at the mouth of Subic Bay, Grande Island was once an artillery training ground for American forces. From 1901 to 1992, Subic Bay was home to the largest U.S. naval base outside of America.

The Chinese nationals were identified as He Peng, Xu Xining, Ye Tianwu, Ye Xiaocan, Dick Ang and Su Anlong. The Filipino suspect was identified as Melvin Aguillon.

The Chinese embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to BenarNews requests for comment. China’s foreign ministry had not yet reacted to the arrests.

A witness told the NBI that the men were “operating a drone, in the guise of a fishing game, conducting their usual ISR operations towards Subic Bay,” on March 18, the bureau said, referring to “intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.”

The bureau said it seized “photographs and documents of Philippine and U.S. Naval assets,” as well as electronic gadgets containing surveillance photos and videos.

Because of Grande Island’s strategic location, it allowed “the group to monitor naval assets entering and exiting Subic Bay during maritime patrols or joint naval exercises in the West Philippine Sea,” Santiago said, using the Philippine name for South China Sea waters within Manila’s exclusive economic zone.

Further NBI investigation showed that one of the arrested men, Ye Tianwu-also known as Qui Feng or Quing Feng-had an outstanding arrest warrant issued by a local court in Tarlac province for alleged violations of the country’s securities code.

In January, the NBI arrested six Chinese nationals accused of spying.

One of them was Deng Yuanqing, a software engineer, who allegedly used spy equipment as he drove around critical sites in Manila between December and January. The other five Chinese nationals were arrested in separate operations in the same month.

Authorities said they had been seen frequenting areas in Palawan, another island facing the South China Sea, and collecting intelligence about Philippine Navy activities there.

Subic Bay, about 50 miles northwest of Manila on Luzon island, is considered strategically important because it opens onto the South China Sea and is close to the contested Scarborough Shoal.

The shoal, located within the Philippines’ EEZ, has been under China’s de facto control since 2012.

In recent years, rival territorial claimants Manila and Beijing have faced off in high-stakes confrontations in the shoal and other disputed areas of the South China Sea, a potentially mineral-rich waterway and crucial corridor for international shipping.

Slingshot Aerospace confirmed on Wednesday that the U.S. Air Force’s AFWERX program has contracted with the space data analytics company to “fingerprint” satellites orbiting the Earth by using artificial intelligence and photometric data.

In a Wednesday press release, Slingshot announced it had been “selected by AFWERX to support its Rapid Analysis of Photometric Tracks for space Object identification and behavior Recognition program.”

“Under RAPTOR, Slingshot will use machine learning to track, analyze and report on behaviors of objects in low Earth orbit,” Slingshot Aerospace stated. “Initially RAPTOR will be used to track and maintain custody of space objects of interest to U.S. Space Command, enabling timely reporting on events that could indicate an imminent satellite maneuver or mission change.”

According to the press release, Slingshot Aerospace’s RAPTOR program will be part of AFWERZ’s Small Business Innovation Research’s phase two program. The company noted that it currently has a catalog of roughly 14,500 “active spacecraft and debris” through its “globally deployed network of optical sensors.”

Slingshot Aerospace claimed in its press release that its censors generate over 4.5 million photometric observations every night. The company said that analyzing the photometric observations and the “light curves” recorded by the sensors allows it to “create a unique digital fingerprint” for each object detected. Slingshot Aerospace added that the “digital fingerprint” can then be used by the company’s Agatha AI model to “identify changes like shifts in an object’s orientation in space or its photometric signature.”

READ MORE: Videos: Stranded astronauts to return to Earth after SpaceX crew arrives at ISS

Wednesday’s press release noted that the U.S. military can use the RAPTOR program to track satellites and other objects of interest, detect anomalies and unexpected satellite movements, and identify new satellites that are launched into orbit.

“Protecting our national interests demands the utmost focus on maintaining dominance and situational awareness in the space domain,” Slingshot Aerospace CEO Tim Solms said. “The Department of Defense must achieve comprehensive visibility and intelligence on covert and adversarial activities in space. RAPTOR delivers unparalleled awareness to safeguard critical assets, strengthen mission readiness, and uphold the security of our nation and its allies.”

 In Wednesday’s press release, Dr. Dylan Kesler, Slingshot Aerospace’s vice president of data science, said that creating a “comprehensive fingerprint database” for objects in Earth’s orbit” allows the company to “precisely identify an object’s nature and infer its potential mission objectives.”

Kesler added, “By applying machine learning across our network, we can identify unexpected behavior and use those insights to support our partners’ defense missions.”

Chef Andre Rush’s skills in the kitchen have taken him all the way to the White House where he has cooked under the nation’s past four presidential administrations.

“I still honestly go over right now for Making America Healthy Again (MAHA), which is something that is a near and dear passion to my heart, just like being here with Mott College with the kids,” he said.

Rush is bringing his culinary experience to Michigan this week for Mott Community College Culinary Arts Institute’s Distinguished Chef Series.

The upcoming series, “Hands that Feed the Future: Celebrating the Next Generation of Chef with Chef Andre Rush,” will take place in downtown Flint on Wednesday, April 2, and Thursday, April 3.

The two-day series will consist of various dining experiences and cooking demonstrations.

Related: Celebrity chef brings muscle, flavor to Michigan for two days of dining and cooking demos

Regardless of what he’s serving at the White House on a given day, Rush said he makes every meal his favorite one.

“Everybody’s different, so I got to put my best foot forward anytime I put down a meal,” he said.

Rush’s mother introduced him to the culinary arts when he was a young boy growing up in southern Mississippi, and he continued to pursue his passion for cooking after enlisting in the U.S. Army.

“I always loved cooking,” Rush said. “I did do cooking in the Army for a very long time. I kind of double dipped with being a cook in the military, and then I went off to do other things.”

In addition to his cooking, the award-winning Olympic chef has found fame through a photo showcasing his 24-inch biceps that went viral on social media.

Rush uses his platform to advocate for mental health, fitness, and military service. He is also a best-selling author and motivational speaker.

“I go to all the fitness expos,” Rush said. “I train with them, and I teach them the values of healthy move, healthy food, healthy lifestyle, healthy living.”

In addition to preparing meals, he does a fair share of eating himself, consuming anywhere from 2,000 to 6,000 calories a day to keep up with his large, muscular frame.

“I do eat all the time,” Rush said. “I’m an endurance trainer, so I burn it off very fast. I’m in the air all the time, I’m working all the time.

“But food is my passion, also, my love language.”

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The U.S. military on Tuesday identified three of the four soldiers from Georgia’s Fort Stewart who were found dead this week after they were reported missing during a training mission in Lithuania.

They are Sgt. Jose Duenez Jr., 25, of Joliet, Illinois; Sgt. Edvin F. Franco, 25, of Glendale, California; and Pfc. Dante D. Taitano, 21, of Dededo, Guam.

All three were M1 Abrams tank system maintainers and were part of the 1st Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division stationed at Fort Stewart near Georgia’s coast. The military has not yet identified the fourth soldier, who was found deceased Tuesday.

They were reported missing on March 25. The four were operating an M88A2 Hercules armored vehicle and were on their way to bring back another military vehicle near Pabradė, a city in eastern Lithuania. The M88A2 was discovered later submerged in a bog and encased in mud. It was pulled out Monday.

“This loss is simply devastating,” said Maj. Gen. Christopher Norrie, the 3rd Infantry Division commanding general. “These men were honored soldiers of the Marne Division. We are wrapping our arms around the families and loved ones of our soldiers during (this) incredibly difficult time.”

Duenez previously served with the 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, Kansas. He deployed to Poland in 2021 and Germany in 2022. His awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, Army Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Army Good Conduct Medal and National Defense Service Medal.

“As both a leader and a soldier, he set an example every day — always the first to arrive and the last to leave, greeting every challenge with a smile and a readiness to support anyone who required assistance,” said Capt. Madyson Wellens, a troop commander with Duenez’s regiment. “He was the definition of a silent professional.”

Duenez’s mother-in-law set up a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for his family.

“Sadly, my daughter lost her husband,” Miriam Quiroz of Chicago wrote in Spanish on the fundraising website. “An exemplary man and the love of her life. He left behind an 18-month-old baby. Please, I ask you to help us with whatever your heart tells you during these very difficult times for my daughter. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. A soldier who gave his life for his country.”

Franco served in the army for more than six years. He deployed to Korea in 2020 and Germany in 2022. His awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, Army Achievement Medal with oak leaf cluster, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

“His infectious smile and genuine joy in being with his team were matched only by the tenacity and drive. He never asked more of his soldiers than he was willing to give himself — a true testament to his character,” Wellens said. “More than an exceptional leader and soldier, Edvin was a friend whose influence touched so many.”

From childhood, Franco dreamed of “being somebody,” gaining valuable skills and starting a family, his father, Edvin Rene Franco, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution last week. Between him and his two siblings, Franco was the first to get married and buy a house. Five months ago, Franco and his wife welcomed a son.

A GoFundMe campaign has been set up for the Franco and Duenez families, and another for all four families.

Taitano’s awards include the Army Commendation Medal. This was his first deployment.

“Pfc. Dante Taitano will always be remembered as the spark of the team. He wore a smile on his face no matter the environment or task and constantly brought the team together with his charisma and laughter,” said Cpt. Matthew Lund, a troop commander with the regiment.

A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to support his family in Guam.

“He was deeply committed to serving his country and was admired for his courage, kindness, and unwavering dedication,” the GoFundMe site says.

About 3,500 soldiers from the same brigade deployed in January 2025 across Poland and the Baltic region for a nine-month rotation. Their deployment is part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, which supports NATO allies in Europe. This is the brigade’s second rotation to Europe since 2022.

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Nearly 100 people turned out in the cold and wind at the Vietnam Memorial at the corner of Stacy Boulevard and Hough Avenue on Saturday to mark National Vietnam Veterans’ Day and the 50th commemorative anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War.

According to the program, the gathering included a welcome by Cape Ann Veterans Services Director Vionette “Vee” Chipperini, a Pledge of Allegiance led by Mike Cody and Herb White, and a blessing by Ron Arabian.

Attendees also heard a greeting by Mayor Greg Verga, a Vietnam-era history by Joanne Curcuru and “Remembering Our Own” biographies read by Ruth Pino.

Gold Star families laid a wreath at the memorial and attendees observed a moment of silence and heard “Taps” played by Jim Dalpiaz.

“This year’s ceremony welcomed Gold Star Families, inviting them to help lay a wreath in honor of their loved one’s memory,” Chipperini said in an email. “Barbara Kitchenmaster, sister of 1st Lt. Thomas J. Burke, laid the wreath in memory of her late brother, killed in action.”

A veterans breakfast followed the ceremony with about 100 people at the Captain Lester S. Wass American Legion Post 3 on Washington Street. The breakfast was catered by the Sons of the American Legion. CATA’s Gloucester Trolley offered transportation services to and from the service to the legion post.

“The Vietnam Committee, in collaboration with the Cape Ann Veterans’ Center, would like to express our gratitude to everyone who attended the National Vietnam Day Ceremony,” wrote Curcuru on the Gloucester Things Facebook page. “Once again, you all demonstrated your courage and resilience by braving the cold and windy weather.” The ceremony can be watched on 1623 Studios’ YouTube site.

Memorial Day services on Monday, May 26, will honor seven surviving spouses impacted by the detriments of Agent Orange, Chipperini said in an email.

The tactical herbicide was used by the military to control vegetation during the Vietnam War, with exposure to it posing long-term health problems for veterans.

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Retired Air Force Lieutenant General Dan Caine, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be the nation’s highest-ranking military officer, acknowledged Tuesday that “I’m an unconventional nominee.”

But “these are unconventional times,” Caine told the Senate Armed Services Committee at his confirmation hearing to serve as chairman of the Joint Chiefs. He’s never led a military combatant command or large division and has never led a military branch.

Trump picked Caine, approvingly citing his “Razin” call sign, after abruptly firing General Charles Q Brown as the highest-ranking military officer partway through his term.

“No sir,” Caine said when asked whether he’d ever worn a “Make America Great Again” hat, or any other partisan gear. Trump has been quoted as recounting that Caine donned a “MAGA” hat and told the president “I’ll kill for you, sir” during a meeting in Iraq in 2018.

“I think the president actually was talking about somebody else,” Caine said, as a transcript of the comments appears to indicate.

Citing pending inquiries, Caine did his best to sidestep questions on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sharing details of an imminent attack on Houthis in Yemen in an unsecured chat with other administration officials.

“We should always preserve the element of surprise” and “never put our warfighters in harm’s way,”Caine said. “I have always communicated proper information in the proper channels.”

Caine, 56, is a former F-16 pilot and served on a special operations task force in Iraq combating Islamic State. He last served as the CIA’s associate director for military affairs — a liaison between the spy agency and military leaders.

He previously worked as the principal staff assistant and adviser to the secretary of defense for all programs protected under special access controls, more commonly known as “black programs,” according to his official biography.

Despite generally friendly questioning by senators of both parties, Democratic Mazie Hirono of Hawaii said Caine shouldn’t be sitting before them. She said Trump improperly fired Brown because he wants “yes men and women with fealty to him rather than the American people.”

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A congressional staff member assisting Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) was arrested on Monday evening for carrying a pistol at the U.S. Capitol without a license after bypassing security with Booker ahead of the Democrat senator’s 25-hour speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate.

In a Tuesday statement to The Hill, the U.S. Capitol Police said, “Yesterday afternoon a Member of Congress led an IDed staff member around security screening at the Hart Senate Office Building. Later that evening, outside the Senate Galleries, the IDed staff member — who is a retired law enforcement officer — told our officers he was armed.” 

The U.S. Capitol Police identified the congressional staff member as Kevin A. Batts, a 59-year-old resident of New Jersey. The U.S. Capitol Police told The Hill that Batts was arrested for “Carrying a Pistol Without a License.”

“All weapons are prohibited from Capitol Grounds, even if you are a retired law enforcement officer, or have a permit to carry in another state or the District of Columbia,” the U.S. Capitol Police added.

READ MORE: Pic: Democrat staffer arrested for bringing ammo into US Capitol office

Following Monday’s incident involving Booker’s staff member, Jeff Giertz, a Booker spokesperson, told Fox News, “Sen. Booker’s office employs a retired Newark police detective as a New Jersey-based driver who often accompanies him to events. We are working to better understand the circumstances around this.”

NOTUS reported that Batts was arrested at roughly 6:29 p.m. on Monday evening prior to Booker’s speech on the floor of the Senate, which started approximately 30 minutes after his staff member’s arrest.

According to CNN, Booker’s office confirmed that the Democrat senator spoke for 25 hours and 5 minutes on the floor of the Senate in protest against President Donald Trump’s administration. The New Jersey Democrat’s speech broke the previous record for the longest Senate floor speech in modern American history.

Prior to the start of his speech on Monday evening, Booker tweeted, “I’ve taken the Senate floor and will speak for as long as I’m physically able to lift the voices of Americans who are being harmed and not being heard in this moment of crisis.”

A $7.5 million project began Monday to replace a 72-year-old bridge over the New York State Thruway near Syracuse.

The Townline Road bridge, which carries 12,400 vehicles daily, will be replaced with a new span featuring increased vertical clearances to limit bridge strikes. Other safety improvements include new drainage, guiderail, a pedestrian crosswalk and snow fence.

Tioga Construction Company, a Herkimer-based firm, was awarded the contract for the project. Construction, which is weather dependent, is expected to be completed this fall.

“As construction season begins, New York is investing in infrastructure projects to replace and rehabilitate bridges on our roadways which will enhance safety for motorists for decades to come,” Gov. Kathy Hochul said. “This bridge replacement project in central New York will improve travel and connectivity in the community, and strengthen our transportation network.”

The bridge, which is in the towns of DeWitt and Salina, was built in 1953 — a year before the Thruway opened to motorists.

While the bridge is closed, there will be a 3.8-mile detour for motorists. The north side of Townline Road will be closed at Vincent Drive. Traffic will be detoured on East Molloy Road.

On the south side, Townline Road will be closed at Factory Avenue and eastbound traffic will be detoured south to Military Circle. Northbound traffic will be detoured to Factory Avenue.

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