US AND CANADA

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Rex Heuermann has admitted to killing eight women, bringing an end to a decades-long investigation that had left victims’ families without answers for over 30 years.

The 62-year-old architect appeared at Suffolk County Court in New York, where he pleaded guilty to multiple counts of murder, including first-degree and intentional

murder. He also confessed to the killing of Karen Vergata in 1996, despite not previously being charged in that case.

Prosecutors said Heuermann strangled his victims, dismembered some of them, and disposed of their remains in remote locations, including Gilgo Beach on Long Island. Many of the victims were s3x workers, and several bodies were discovered across different locations over the years.

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Former U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi is no longer expected to testify in a congressional deposition tied to the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein, following her removal from office.

The U.S. Department of Justice informed the House Oversight Committee that Bondi will not appear for her scheduled April 14 testimony because she was subpoenaed in her official role, which she no longer holds.

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A top doctor has been found guilty of attempted manslaughter after he tried to push his wife off a cliff in Hawaii while attacking her with a rock.

Anesthesiologist Gerhardt Konig, 47, was convicted Wednesday, April 8, of trying to kill his nuclear engineer wife, Arielle Konig, 37, on March 24, 2025, while on a cliffside hike in Oahu.

As the verdict was read at Oahu First Circuit Court, Gerhardt was visibly distressed while members of the jury confirmed the finding 

Gerhardt slowly bowed his head as his guilty verdict was delivered, appearing to take in the conviction, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

The jury convicted him of a lesser charge based on mental or emotional disturbance after two days of deliberation. 

Gerhardt previously pleaded not guilty to second-degree attempted murde£r charges, claiming he acted in self-defense.

During the three-week trial, prosecutors claimed that Gerhardt pushed Arielle near the edge of the Pali Puka Trail and beat her multiple times with a rock on her birthday. 

Gerhardt's lawyers claimed that Arielle attacked her husband first. They said the incident was a case of 'he said, she said.'

Arielle said she had been trying to repair the couple's marriage after Gerhardt found 'flirty messages' between her and a coworker.

She described the relationship as a three-month-long 'emotional affair' with her coworker.

'I was apologetic,' she testified. 'He was obviously hurt. I was committed to my marriage, to rebuild. It felt like an affair to him. It was an emotional affair to him.' 

Arielle claimed that after her husband wrestled her to the ground, he pulled out a vial and a syringe before attacking her with the rock.

The defense noted that police never found a syringe at the scene or evidence that he tried to inject his wife with any substance.

She told the court that she screamed, 'Please help, he's trying to kill me' as her husband attacked her. 

The attack only ended when two female hikers heard her pleas for help and called 911, the prosecution argued. 

Gerhardt had fled the scene when the two hikers arrived, and allegedly called his son, confessing to attacking his wife and saying he was going to take his own life. 

Arielle testified that she was treated for 'severe scalp lacerations' following the incident and showed picture evidence of her injuries during the trial. 

A physician from Queen's Medical Center, though, claimed she had suffered crushed tissue down to the skull.

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The United States and Iran have agreed to a two-week halt in hostilities following weeks of escalating conflict, with Washington pausing planned strikes on Iranian infrastructure. The announcement came after urgent diplomatic outreach and mounting global concern over the risk of wider war.

A key condition of the agreement is the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil shipments. Iranian officials say passage will be coordinated by their military, allowing vessels to move through the waterway under controlled conditions during the pause.

Pakistan has invited both sides to Islamabad for talks expected later this week, positioning the ceasefire as a short-term measure to create space for negotiations aimed at a broader settlement.

The agreement follows a dramatic shift in tone after warnings of imminent large-scale attacks raised fears of catastrophic consequences. Earlier deadlines and threats gave way to last-minute բանակցations, with both sides presenting the outcome as a strategic win.

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Eligible American men will soon be automatically entered into the nation's military draft database, marking a significant change in how the government prepares for potential national emergencies.

The new policy affects men between the ages of 18 and 26, who previously were required to register themselves with the Selective Service System. Under the updated approach, federal agencies will instead gather existing data to ensure enrollment happens automatically.

The shift stems from provisions included in the latest National Defense Authorization Act, which directed officials to streamline the process. Supporters say the change will improve efficiency, reduce administrative costs and increase compliance rates, which have slightly declined in recent years.

Officials noted that millions of eligible individuals already interact with federal systems, making automatic registration a logical next step. Rather than relying on individuals to meet legal requirements, the responsibility will now rest with the government.

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The US Supreme Court has taken a significant step that could bring an end to the legal case against Steve Bannon, paving the way for his contempt of Congress conviction to be dismissed. The court issued a brief and unsigned order that effectively sends the case back to a lower federal court in Washington DC, where dismissal now appears likely.

Bannon, a longtime ally of Donald Trump, was convicted in 2022 after refusing to comply with subpoenas issued by lawmakers investigating the January 2021 Capitol riot. His refusal to provide testimony and documents led to charges of contempt of Congress, and a jury ultimately found him guilty. The conviction was later upheld by an appeals court, reinforcing the legal consequences of his defiance.

However, the latest move by the Supreme Court changes the trajectory of the case. By citing the pending motion to dismiss the indictment, the justices have effectively nullified the appeals court decision and returned the matter to a lower court for reconsideration. This procedural step signals that the case may soon be formally dismissed.

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Melania Trump has marked a significant legal milestone following the first conviction under the Take It Down Act, legislation she strongly supported to combat online abuse involving explicit imagery.

The development came after James Strahler II, a 37-year-old from Columbus, Ohio, pleaded guilty in a U.S. District Court on April 7 to several cyber-related offences. His charges included harassing at least six adult women through the use of both real and artificially generated explicit images, as well as issuing threats of violence. Authorities confirmed that his actions involved creating and distributing manipulated content designed to intimidate and harm his victims.

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A beloved pizza chain that served Minnesotans for 50 years abruptly shut its doors and filed for bankruptcy.

Gina Maria's Pizza closed the doors of all four locations to the public back in October, leaving hungry customers with lots of questions.

The pizza business owners had nearly $3 million in debts, with only a mere $64,000 in assets, according to a March 26 bankruptcy filing.

Northern Brands Inc, the parent company, has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, which will likely result in the business being liquidated rather than restructured.