A fox in Wimberley tested positive for rabies after it reportedly bit a pedestrian last week, according to the Hays County Sheriff’s Office.
Cassie Ventura reveals how much Diddy paid to settle lawsuit
Diddy trial: Cassie outlines sexual, physical abuse from the stand
Ex-girlfriend of Sean Combs, Cassie, was on the stand for the third day of the trial, describing Combs’ physical, sexual and psychological abuse.
Months after Sean “Diddy” Combs’ team first alluded to a “substantial eight-figure settlement” in Cassie Ventura Fine’s 2023 lawsuit against him, her testimony has revealed the amount Combs agreed to pay as she dismissed the legal action a day later.
Toward the end of her second day of testimony in Combs’ sex-crimes trial on May 14, Ventura Fine shared the settlement amounted to a $20 million payout. The 38-year-old, who is pregnant with her third child, said the settlement was paid by Combs, 55, and his companies.
The revelation came as she delved into the years following her and Combs’ 2018 breakup, revealing she was involved in writing a book about her experiences while they were dating.
She wanted Combs to read it so he would understand what she went through in their decadelong relationship, she told the court. So she reached out to Combs through her lawyer and asked him to read the draft and offer her compensation.
Ventura Fine said she’d put a $30 million price tag on him acquiring the rights to her book, as this was an amount she thought would affect him. But after he allegedly failed to respond, she sued him in November 2023, alleging he had trafficked, sexually assaulted and physically abused her.
The two came to agreement by the next day and announced Ventura Fine would dismiss the lawsuit following an unspecified settlement.
“I have decided to resolve this matter amicably on terms that I have some level of control. I want to thank my family, fans and lawyers for their unwavering support,” Ventura Fine said in a Nov. 17 statement shared by her lawyer, Douglas Wigdor.
“We have decided to resolve this matter amicably. I wish Cassie and her family all the best,” Combs said in his own statement that same day. “Love.”
What did Cassie say in her lawsuit?
On Nov. 16, 2023, Ventura Fine alleged in a bombshell lawsuit filed in New York federal court that Combs had trafficked, sexually assaulted and physically abused her.
Ventura Fine, better known by the stage name Cassie, is the hitmaker behind the song “Me & U,” which dominated the Billboard charts in the early aughts.
In May 2024, a 2016 hotel surveillance video exclusively shared by CNN showed Combs kicking, hitting and dragging Cassie – actions that were first described in her legal complaint. Days later, Combs issued a video apology, saying he took “full responsibility for my actions in that video.”
Combs’ team has claimed Ventura Fine’s legal action kicked off a federal investigation into the Bad Boy Records founder’s alleged behavior, which included a raid of his homes in Los Angeles and Miami in March 2024. Since Ventura Fine’s suit, Combs has faced a barrage of civil lawsuits – many of them from unnamed accusers – alleging sexual assault, abuse and trafficking dating back to the 1990s. Combs denies all misconduct claims.
His team has repeatedly stated that “no matter how many lawsuits are filed, it won’t change the fact that Mr. Combs has never sexually assaulted or sex trafficked anyone — man or woman, adult or minor.”
Following a months-long federal investigation, Combs was arrested on Sept. 16 on charges of racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Combs’ criminal trial in New York City is expected to last an estimated eight weeks.
Contributing: Aysha Bagchi, USA TODAY
‘Hey, Cortana’ becomes ‘Hey, Copilot’ in Windows 11
Stop us if you’ve heard this before: You can now talk to your PC’s built-in AI.
A few years ago, you’d use the term, “Hey, Cortana” in Windows 10. But in Windows 11, Cortana has been replaced with Windows Copilot, and you can now interact with Copilot by saying “Hey, Copilot” instead.
Microsoft is testing the new feature within the Windows Insider program. If your PC is unlocked, and you’ve configured it to accept the “Hey Copilot” wake words, you can now interact with Copilot verbally. The Copilot UI will launch as a small microphone icon. Tapping the “X” next to it closes the conversation.
Here’s how to configure “Hey Copilot” according to Microsoft:
- Open Copilot
- Tap your avatar in the bottom left corner
- Tap Settings
- Scroll down to Voice mode
- Toggle “Listen for ‘Hey, Copilot’ to start a conversation” on or off. It is off by default.
The user interface looks virtually identical to the way in which you interact with Copilot Vision, which is now set up to test as well. I tried going hands-on with Copilot Vision a short time back. While the concept is sound (and even works quite well in a few apps!), it still needs some fine-tuning in terms of recognition.
However, Microsoft announced this week that you can now interact with more than one app within Copilot Vision. Even better, Copilot Vision now provides the visual indicator that it previously lacked. You can enable it by asking Copilot Vision to “show me how.”
Jaguar Land Rover says it has no plans to build cars in the US
UK-based carmaker Jaguar Land Rover has said it does not intend to produce vehicles in the US, as President Donald Trump’s tariffs impact the motor industry.
“Following articles based on comments made by the JLR CEO in the full year earnings media call, we can confirm we have no plans to build cars in the US,” a spokesperson told the BBC.
Jaguar, which has no factories in the US, paused shipments to the country in April after Trump’s first tariff announcements, before resuming exports to the country this month.
This week, the firm joined a growing list of companies to hold back on giving profit forecasts, as Trump’s unpredictable trade policies continue to impact businesses around the world.
On Trump’s self-declared ‘Liberation Day’ in early April he announced that the UK would be subject to 10% tariffs on all the the goods it exports to the US. More stringent measures were later applied to cars, steel and aluminium.
But last week, the US agreed to allow some steel and aluminium into the country tariff-free, and reduced the levies on a set number of British cars.
A blanket 10% tariffs on imports from countries around the world still applies to most UK goods entering the US.
Rival luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz, and Chrysler-owner Stellantis have also held back on giving forecasts, while Ford said the US levies will cost it about $1.5bn (£1.13bn) this year.
Outside the motor industry, top executives at well-known firms have warned recently about the impact that tariffs are having on their companies and the wider economy.
Last month, technology giant Intel, footwear maker Skechers and consumer goods firm Procter & Gamble either cut their profit forecasts or withdrew them, citing economic uncertainty.
Meanwhile, sportswear giant Adidas warned import taxes imposed by Trump will lead to higher prices in the US for popular trainers including the Gazelle and Samba.
This month, Barbie maker Mattel said it will put up the prices of some of its toys in the US as tariffs increase its costs.
Fox possibly infected with rabies on the loose near North Carolina country club
Video captured on a California Bureau of Land Management trail camera in March shows a family of kit foxes, a rare and endangered species of fox, running around near the Carrizo Plain National Monument.
MOUNT AIRY, N.C. – Officials are warning residents of Mount Airy, North Carolina, to be aware of a fox that may pose a danger to their families, including their pets.
Multiple reports from Sunday state the animal was seen around the White Pines Country Club area and has shown “aggressive behavior,” according to the Surry County Sheriff’s Office.
Given this behavior, officials have urged locals to make sure their pets, specifically their dogs, cats and ferrets aged 4 months or older, are up-to-date on their rabies vaccinations in case they are exposed to the fox.
FILE: Red fox in North Carolina.
(North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission / FOX Weather)
Officials noted this is in accordance with the North Carolina General Statue 130A-185.
They added that multiple people have been exposed to the animal.
Residents are strongly advised to be careful and to immediately report any wildlife that they see acting aggressively or unusually to Animal Control, which is currently investigating and attempting to locate the fox.
FILE: Gray fox in North Carolina.
(North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission)
The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission said all mammals are capable of contracting rabies. In the state, the most common carriers of the disease are foxes, raccoons, skunks and bats, while deer, coyotes, bobcats and other species have been known to carry the disease, as well.
HOW TO WATCH FOX WEATHER
Rabies can be transmitted to people and pets when saliva or brain tissue from a rabid animal makes contact through scratches, abrasions, open wounds or mucous membranes, officials said.
Southern California couple charged with torture of 6 foster children
VICTORVILLE, Calif. — Three members of a Southern California family were charged Wednesday with torturing six foster children between the ages of 4 and 16 over a span of years, prosecutors said.
Kenneth Michael Key and Tina Marie Key, both 60, and their 23-year-old daughter Katlynn Marresa Key were arrested this week in Victorville, according to the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office.
It wasn’t immediately known if they have lawyers. Messages were sent to the county public defender’s office asking if its attorneys are representing the defendants.
The investigation began Feb. 13 when authorities received a tip from a child abuse hotline, said sheriff’s spokesperson Mara Rodriguez. The children were immediately removed from the home, Rodriguez said.
Prosecutors say the Keys subjected all six children to years of physical, emotional and mental abuse.
“The abuse included daily beatings, strangulation to the point of unconsciousness, and punishments of withholding food and water from the children for a period of days,” the District Attorney’s office said in a statement.
All three defendants are charged with torture and child abuse. They are being held in lieu of $1 million bail each.
Authorities haven’t said how the alleged abuse went on for years without being detected. Messages were left for San Bernardino County Children and Family Services, which oversees the foster family programs.
The investigation was reminiscent of the case of David and Louise Turpin, the California couple who pleaded guilty in 2019 to torture and years of abuse that included shackling some of their 13 children to beds and starving them to the point they stopped growing.
5/14: CBS Evening News – CBS News
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Missouri lawmakers approve referendum to repeal abortion-rights amendment
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Six months after Missouri voters approved an abortion-rights amendment, Republican state lawmakers on Wednesday approved a new referendum that would seek the amendment’s repeal and instead ban most abortions with exceptions for rape an incest.
The newly proposed constitutional amendment would go back to voters in November 2026, or sooner, if Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe calls a special election before then.
Republican senators used a series of rare procedural moves to cut off discussion by opposing Democrats before passing the proposed abortion-rights revision by a 21-11 vote. The measure passed the Republican-led House last month.
Immediately after the vote, protestors erupted with chants of “Stop the ban!” and were ushered out of the Senate chamber.
The Senate then blocked further Democratic debate and gave final approval to a separate measure repealing provisions of a voter-approved law guaranteeing paid sick leave for workers and cost-of-living increases to the minimum wage. That measure does not go back to the ballot. It will instead become law when signed by Kehoe, who has expressed his support for it.
After taking the sweeping votes, the Senate effectively ended its annual legislative session — two days ahead of a constitutional deadline to wrap up work.
Democrats were outraged by the legislative actions and vowed to retaliate by slowing down any Senate work next year.
“Our rights are under attack,” Democratic state Sen. Brian Williams said during debate. He accused Republicans of “trying to overturn the will of the voters.”
Republicans contend they are simply giving voters a second chance on abortion — and are confident they will change their minds because of the new rape and incest exceptions.
“Abortion is the greatest tragedy in the world right now,” Republican state Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman said while explaining her efforts to repeal the abortion-rights amendment. If someone’s fine with “taking the life of an innocent, then probably you can justify whatever you want.”
Some GOP lawmakers said they needed to repeal the paid sick leave requirement, which kicked in May 1, because it’s adding costs that threaten the financial viability of small businesses. Republicans had been negotiating with Democrats over an alternative to exempt only the smallest businesses before scrapping that and opting for the full repeal.
Missouri lawmakers have a history of altering voter-approved policies. They previously tried to block funding for a voter-approved Medicaid expansion and authored changes to voter-approved measures regulating dog breeders and legislative redistricting.
Missouri’s abortion policies have swung dramatically in recent years.
When the U.S. Supreme Court ended a nationwide right to abortion by overturning Roe v. Wade in 2022, it triggered a Missouri law to take effect banning most abortions. But abortion-rights activists gathered initiative petition signatures to reverse that.
Last November, Missouri voters narrowly approved a constitutional amendment guaranteeing a right to abortion until fetal viability, generally considered sometime past 21 weeks of pregnancy. The amendment also allows later abortions to protect the life or health of pregnant women and creates a “fundamental right to reproductive freedom” that includes birth control, prenatal and postpartum care and “respectful birthing conditions.”
A limited number of surgical abortions have since occurred in Missouri, but medication abortions remain on hold while Planned Parenthood wrangles with the state over abortion regulations.
The new measure seeks to repeal the abortion-rights amendment and instead allow abortions only for a medical emergency or fetal anomaly, or in cases of rape or incest up to 12 weeks of pregnancy. It also would prohibit gender transition surgeries, hormone treatments and puberty blockers for minors, which already are barred under state law.
Polling indicates “that most voters are opposed to most abortions in Missouri but do want to allow for abortions with limited exceptions,” said Sam Lee, director of Campaign Life Missouri.
The ballot title that voters will see doesn’t explicitly mention repealing Amendment 3. Instead, it says the new measure would “ensure women’s safety during abortions, ensure parental consent for minors” and “allow abortions for medical emergencies, fetal anomalies, rape, and incest.” It also states that it will “protect children from gender transition,” among other provisions.
Democratic state Sen. Tracy McCreery called the measure “an attempt to mislead and lie to the voters,” echoing similar accusations that Republicans had made against the original Amendment 3.
An abortion-rights coalition that includes Planned Parenthood affiliates, the American Civil Liberties Union and others planned a rally Thursday at the Missouri Capitol and vowed a vigorous campaign against the measure.
“Abortion rights won in this state six months ago, and mark my words: Missourians will protect reproductive freedom again,” said Emily Wales, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes.
Moderate Republicans call for fixes to energy tax credit cuts in House GOP megabill
More than a dozen House Republicans want changes to the Ways and Means Committee’s Inflation Reduction Act rollbacks.