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In a stunning move that has sent shockwaves through the public health sector, newly appointed Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has launched an unprecedented shake-up at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), firing nearly half of its famed “disease detectives” on his first day in office. This drastic overhaul, aimed at cutting bureaucratic waste and eliminating conflicts of interest, marks a turning point in U.S. health policy. With backing from President Donald Trump and operational insights from billionaire Elon Musk, Kennedy is spearheading a revolution in government transparency and accountability—one that also threatens...

A suspect seen starting fires with a blow torch in a Los Angeles neighborhood Thursday afternoon is not being charged with arson because a police investigation found “no probable cause.” The man is still being detained on a felony probation violation amid the ongoing investigation, Los Angeles Police Department Assistant Chief Dominic Choi said in a press conference Friday. The arrest comes amid growing speculation that at least some of the LA fires were started by arsonists. The suspect was arrested Thursday night on suspicion of arson near the Kenneth fire, a wildfire that started at about 2:30, Thursday afternoon....

A California man found guilty of lighting UC Berkeley students on fire inside a boba tea shop in 2020 with a blowtorch has been released from custody and will avoid jail time, The Berkeley Scanner reports. Brandon McGlone, 49, was referred to the Veterans Treatment Court and will be participating in a "diversion treatment" program as part of his plea deal, according to Alameda County Superior Court records. Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price, who ran on "racial equity", agreed to the plea deal after reaching an agreement with the public defender's office, the outlet reports. At a court hearing...

HONOLULU, Hawaii (HawaiiNewsNow) - Honolulu police arrested a man Friday night for second-degree attempted murder for allegedly setting a homeless man on fire in Downtown Honolulu. The Honolulu Police Department arrested William Woods in connection to Wednesday’s attack on a homeless man https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2021/05/13/surveillance-images-show-suspect-wanted-setting-homeless-man-fire/ , who was intentionally set on fire. The incident happened early Wednesday, when sources said the 45-year-old suspect used an accelerant and blowtorch to set the victim ablaze while he was sleeping near the See Dai Doo Society Building near Downtown. At last check, the victim was hospitalized in critical condition.

FULL TITLE: Flamin' thirsty! Woman turns can of hairspray into a makeshift BLOWTORCH to burn items in a store - because the owner refused to give her free BEER Police are searching for a woman who made a can of hairspray into a makeshift blowtorch and used it to damage items in a Philadelphia store after the owner refused to give her beer for free. The incident happened at 10.30 a.m. in the Wyncote Beer Deli, West 65th Avenue, Philadelphia on November 20 when the unidentified woman wanted beer, but couldn't buy it because she had no money. Store Owner...

DETROIT (WWJ) - A 23-year-old man has been arraigned on torture and attempted rape charges following an attack on a Detroit woman who he allegedly burned with a blow torch. Roderick Neely was arraigned Saturday and ordered held without bond pending his next court date. Neely also is charged with unlawful imprisonment, assault with intent to maim, assault with intent to do great bodily harm, felon in possession and felony firearm. The charges stem from a incident that happened around 2 a.m. Wednesday in a blighted neighborhood near Plymouth and Meyers on the city’s west side. The 43-year-old victim told...

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- More than two years after the burned body of 12-year-old Jonathan Foster was found, the woman accused of killing him is finally on trial. But the one main question in the case may never be answered. It was a gruesome discovery -- the badly burned body of a 12-year-old boy was found in a ditch in northeast Houston. The woman accused of killing Jonathan Foster is finally on trial for his murder. It's a judge, not a jury, who will decide Mona Nelson's fate. The state gave no motive in the opening statements. And while none is...

A home-owner using a blowtorch to melt ice on his back porch accidentally set fire to his North End triple-decker Monday, officials said. The blaze at 107 Davis St. caused $20,000-$30,000 worth of damage and displaced several residents, Fire Capt. Scott Kruger said Capt. Kruger said the building's owner was trying to melt the snow and ice on the back porch using a large torch hooked up to a 20-pound propane cylinder. He got too close to the building's wood frame and ignited the vinyl siding. The fire quickly spread into the building's uninsulated exterior wall and chased into the...

Craftsman revives old wood with flame By Juliette Rule rep9@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CHEYENNE - As Tony Carr walks through the Depot Center, he tells stories about a piece of local past now erased by his labor. But what he leaves behind is in keeping with the architectural traditions of the late 19th century train station, which has been the subject of intense restoration over the last year. Carr, 45, is a restoration painter, and his contracted task of the last seven months has been to erase the signs of abuse and neglect on wood-framed windows at the...

A man's arm got stuck in the toilet of a commuter train when he tried to fish out his dropped cell phone -- halting his train and sending delays throughout the rail system. Thousands of commuters were delayed and several trains were rerouted while rescue workers tried to pull him out, a Metro-North Railroad spokesman said Thursday. "When this moron's arm went down the crapper, so did our evening commute," said Metro North's Dan Brucker. Edwin Gallart, 41, of the Bronx, dropped his cell phone in the toilet of his Mount Vernon-bound train shortly after it left Grand Central Terminal...