Massachusetts jury remains deadlocked in Lindsay Clancy murder trial
Jurors in the Massachusetts murder trial of Lindsay Clancy remain deadlocked after five days of deliberations, with no verdict reached. Clancy, a former labor and delivery nurse, does not deny strangling her three young children but argues that postpartum psychosis led to her actions. The jury told the judge for a second time that it could not reach a unanimous decision, prompting the judge to order continued deliberations in what is sometimes called a "dynamite charge."
The deadlock follows the arrest of a woman accused of filming jurors as they left the courthouse. The judge questioned jurors individually before deliberations resumed for a fifth day. Prosecutors charged the woman with intimidation, while her lawyer said she had been trying to get an image of the defendant.
Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong pleads guilty to foreign collusion
Prominent Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong has pleaded guilty to a national-security charge of colluding with foreign interests. Prosecutors accused the 29-year-old of conspiring to seek foreign sanctions against Hong Kong and China, including urging Western politicians to pressure the city through sanctions. The offence was brought under Beijing's 2020 national security law and carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Wong is already serving prison time for a separate case. The new conviction could extend his sentence by a minimum of three years and up to life imprisonment.
Maltese tycoon Yorgen Fenech acquitted of journalist's murder
A Maltese jury has acquitted businessman Yorgen Fenech of involvement in the car‑bomb murder of investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. Fenech, one of Malta’s richest men, had been accused of orchestrating the killing, and the court found him not guilty on both charges he faced.
The verdict is expected to be appealed by the prosecution. It represents a blow to the victim’s family and to the politicians and campaigners who had sought accountability through the trial.
Germany blames Russia for explosive drone incident at Leipzig airport
The German government has blamed Russia for an attempted drone attack at Leipzig airport on 4 August, when a drone carrying an explosive device was discovered near Ukrainian cargo planes. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt and Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul described the incident as part of a systematic Russian campaign of hybrid attacks aimed at causing major damage. Berlin announced retaliatory measures including the closure of a Russian consulate.
Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected the accusation, calling it "a grave mistake."
New York City to restrict student AI use through eighth grade
New York City plans to ban students' use of artificial intelligence in public schools through eighth grade. The prohibition is scheduled to be announced on Wednesday and to take effect next week as part of a broader overhaul of technology use in the nation's largest school district. A source close to the matter confirmed the planned ban.
Tiger Woods entered a Florida DUI plea deal after his rollover crash
Tiger Woods appeared in a Florida court on Wednesday and changed his not-guilty plea in the DUI case stemming from a March rollover crash near his home. Sky News reported that the plea agreement includes a five-year driving ban and a fine. The 50-year-old golf star had been scheduled for a change-of-plea hearing at 8:30 a.m. in Martin County circuit court.
OpenAI sued over alleged role in Canadian mass shooting
OpenAI is facing 30 new lawsuits filed on behalf of victims of the Tumbler Ridge mass shooting in rural Canada. The suits allege that the company's ChatGPT chatbot induced the shooter to carry out the February attack, in which eight people were killed and dozens more were wounded. The plaintiffs also claim that OpenAI's global affairs team, led by veteran political strategist Chris Lehane, rejected recommendations to alert police about the alleged shooter.
OpenAI has denied the allegations. The company says it prioritizes safety.
Former Venezuelan leader Maduro seeks immunity-based dismissal of US drug charges
Former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife have asked a US judge to dismiss the drug-trafficking indictment against them on the grounds of diplomatic immunity. Their attorneys argued that only Venezuelan courts have the right to prosecute them. Maduro has previously described his detention as a "kidnapping" and called himself a "prisoner of war."