Investigators said Monday that a Michigan man fatally shot his wife and their six children before killing himself, after the family was found dead inside their burning home last week.

Kristopher and Amanda Karolkiewicz and their children, ages 5 to 15, were found Friday after authorities responded to a fire at their home in Grand Haven Township, located along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan.

The Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department said autopsies confirmed that all eight family members died from gunshot wounds, with Kristopher Karolkiewicz dying by suicide. Capt. Jacob Sparks said the investigation determined the deaths were the result of a “murder-suicide.”

“This is an unspeakable tragedy that we may never completely understand why it happened. But we will do our best to find the answers and to honor the memory of those victims,” Sparks said Monday.

Investigators believe the fire was intentionally set in multiple areas of the home after the shootings, though they are still working to determine where it began. The family’s pets also died in the blaze.

Messages seeking comment were sent Monday to the couple’s relatives.

Kris Karolkiewicz was 47; his wife, who went by Mandy, was 39.

The couple met at work at a beverage company in 2008 and began dating that summer, according to a parenting-oriented blog that Mandy Karolkiewicz kept over a decade ago.

Their first child was born on April 25, 2011, which she hailed as “the best day of my life (so far).” Two more sons followed over the next four years, as she shifted from a banking job to a part-time position at a local insurance agency and later stopped working outside the home. The couple was planning to adopt more children at the time.

The blog frequently expressed her Christian faith, her joy in the family and her love and appreciation for her husband and his parenting. “My kids have that actual example of a selfless, Christ-like father,” she wrote in 2015.

Kris Karolkiewicz, too, hailed their life together: “I’m a very lucky guy,” he wrote in a 2019 Facebook post ahead of their 10th anniversary.

Kris Karolkiewicz was a vice president of sales and marketing for the American Heart Association from September 2023 to earlier this month, when his employment ended, an organization spokesperson said. The association did not release further details, saying it does not comment on personnel matters. While with the AHA, he worked remotely for a division responsible for CPR and first aid training and products, it said.

Recently, Mandy Karolkiewicz was a substitute teacher at an elementary school, earning praise for going “above and beyond for students, especially when they’re having a hard day, responding with empathy, patience, and care,” as the local school district put it in a Facebook post in January. A message seeking comment was sent Monday to the Grand Haven Area Public Schools system, which — without identifying anyone — exhorted the public in a post Friday to “avoid speculation” about the deaths.

Although her blog ended in 2016, Mandy Karolkiewicz continued sharing updates on her family and activities in TikTok videos, including clips of a trip to China earlier this month with two of her children.

If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI) or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.

If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.

A massive fire has broken out near the highly classified Area 51 base in Nevada, sparking theories that a secret weapon was recently tested.

The blaze, dubbed the Quail Springs Fire, sparked on Saturday and has since burned through more than 4,400 acres. 

The fire is located in Lincoln County, Nevada, just south of Rachel, burning near Bald Mountain on the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) withdrawn lands.

As of Monday, zero percent of the wildfire is contained as it spreads within the Nevada Test and Training Range, a military training area restricted to the public.

While officials said the fire was started by lightning, online users believe something more sinister is at play. Commenting on a livestream showing the blaze outside of Area 51, many people suggested a secret weapon was to blame.

‘I don’t want to be that guy, but I wonder if they’re testing DEW (Directed Energy Weapons), and this is the result of such,’ one viewer shared, referring to advanced systems that use lasers, high-power microwaves or particle beams to destroy targets.

Another commented, ‘Maybe they tested a new dumb weapon and blew themselves up lol,’ while another suggested the fire was to ‘burn the evidence’ of aliens.

Area 51 has become a cultural phenomenon thanks to decades of conspiracy theories connecting the base to UFOs, aliens and experimental aircraft testing.

Officials noted that no evacuations have been ordered, and no structures are threatened. 

They also said no residences or public spaces are currently threatened.

YouTuber Dreamland Resort captured footage of the fire, showing columns of smoke around Bald Mountain, the highest peak in the Groom Range, located directly inside the restricted military zone of Area 51.

The fire is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Defense, which is listed as the landowner for Area 51 and surrounding regions. 

‘The Quail Springs Fire experienced moderate growth, primarily due to winds, high temperatures, and low relative humidity,’ according to officials with the US Bureau of Land Management (BLM), one of the agencies working to control the blaze. 

‘Firefighters are utilizing a confine and contain strategy, rather than full suppression.’ 

Twenty-six personnel are currently assigned to the fire under the direction of a Type 3 incident commander. 

Because the blaze is burning inside a restricted military training area, crews are working to contain it rather than attempting a direct attack.

Area 51 is a highly classified US Air Force facility located within the Nevada Test and Training Range, approximately 83 miles north-northwest of Las Vegas

The blaze, dubbed the Quail Springs Fire, sparked on Saturday and has since burned through more than 4,400 acres

Firefighters are also protecting specific buildings, infrastructure and other assets at risk.

BLM added that firefighters will continue to monitor the blaze as warm, dry weather and afternoon winds persist through Tuesday. 

Fire activity is expected to intensify each afternoon before easing overnight as temperatures fall and humidity rises.

Isolated thunderstorms could also produce sudden, erratic wind gusts that may rapidly spread the flames. No major change in the weather is currently forecast.

Area 51, established in 1955, remained largely unknown until 1989, when Robert Lazar claimed on TV that he worked at a secret site near Groom Lake, ‘S-4,’ studying alien technology and spacecraft.

As of Monday, zero percent of the wildfire is contained as it spreads within the Nevada Test and Training Range, a military training area restricted to the public

While the remote US Air Force base in Nevada, approximately 83 miles north-northwest of Las Vegas, has kept a tight lid on its activities, the CIA finally lifted the lid in 2013, officially admitting Area 51’s existence.

The agency declassified a more than 400-page report that detailed how testing its secret spy planes ‘accounted for more than one-half of all UFO reports during the late 1950s and most of the 1960s.’

The U-2 spy and A-12 reconnaissance planes were being flown in the shadows of the desert amid the Cold War, but the extreme altitudes sparked fears of an alien invasion.

‘High-altitude testing of the U-2 soon led to an unexpected side effect, a tremendous increase in reports of unidentified flying objects (UFOs),’ the report states.

‘Once U-2s started flying at altitudes above 60,000 feet, air-traffic controllers began receiving increasing numbers of UFO reports.’

However, the CIA report does not mention Area 51’s purpose after 1974.

By ALEXANDER NOLL

Published: 19:11 BST, 27 July 2026 | Updated: 21:17 BST, 27 July 2026

A San Diego boy was severely injured in a cliff-jumping accident on Sunday.

The 17-year-old was recorded leaping off the rock, then hitting its side before falling into the water.

The video shows a large crowd watching the boy as he made contact with the cliff face.

Another person can be seen jumping in to assist him shortly after he entered the water. 

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Emergency services were called to Sunset Cliffs around 4.27pm, officials said.

The teenager was pulled from the water using a technical rescue rig system and taken to hospital at 5.16pm.

Candace Hadley, spokesman for San Diego Fire-Rescue, pointed to the risks of cliff jumping.

‘It’s not only extremely dangerous, but also against the law in San Diego,’ she told the Daily Mail.

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The city’s Municipal Code prohibits jumping or diving into the Pacific Ocean or Mission Bay from natural or human-made points higher than five feet above the water.

A 17-year-old sustained critical injuries after he was recorded jumping from San Diego’s Sunset Cliffs and hitting its side before falling into the water

San Diego lifeguards and firefighters lifted the boy’s body using a technical rope system before taking him to a nearby hospital

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Cliff jumping is highly dangerous and is considered illegal in San Diego

Hadley also mentioned that there are many posted warnings along the coastline and advised visitors to stay away from elevated edges altogether.

‘We really want folks to enjoy our coastline, but we want them to do it safely and to just avoid that,’ she said.

According to a report by OB Rag, from 2005 through 2017, there were 19 deaths and 49 people seriously injured from Sunset Cliffs and its waters. 

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Despite the law and multiple accidents, the location remains a frequent diving spot for locals and visitors. 

‘We see it a lot though, especially during the summer months when folks are out and about,’ Hadley said. 

Although the extent of his injuries is unknown, Hadley added that the teenager was conscious and breathing when he was taken to hospital.

The boy has not been publicly identified at this time.

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Joe Tate (Ned Porteous) is about to put quite a lot of his energy into destroying the wrong person in Emmerdale.

Yesterday, Joe had a seed of doubt planted in his mind by Gabby Thomas (Rosie Bentham). She was wound up after a situation with Billy Fletcher (Jay Kontzle) and Dawn Taylor (Olivia Bromley), and decided to try and get revenge by talking to Joe.

Gabby claimed that Dawn isn’t over Billy, and that Joe should keep an eye on what his partner is doing.

Joe decided against investigating Dawn in today’s episode of the ITV soap, due to getting distracted by someone else.

In the pub, Joe suddenly remembered that he has a brother and approached Noah Dingle (Jack Downham). He said that he misses him, and hopes that they can hang out soon.

Buzzing around his ear like an annoying mosquito was Caleb Miligan (William Ash), who couldn’t resist making a few jibes about how Noah wouldn’t want to spend time with a vile human like Joe.

Friendly reminder that Joe literally stole Caleb’s kidney without him knowing, so the businessman definitely has a free pass when it comes to expressing how he feels about Joe whenever he wants.

A while later, Joe headed to the depot to try and warn Caleb about turning Noah against him.

When he arrived, Joe interrupted a chat between Caleb and Kerry Wyatt (Laura Norton).

As Kerry left, she ended up dropping a load of papers onto the floor. She was in a rush to leave because the documents were linked to her, Caleb and Billy’s ongoing efforts to flog conterfeit goods through the depot.

When Joe returned to Home Farm, he expressed to Graham Foster (Andrew Scarborough) that it was awfully strange for Caleb to simply back off when asked.

Certain that his relative is hiding something, Joe told Graham to find out exactly what it is.

As much as Joe is going to enjoy destroying Caleb if he finds out about the goods scheme, he really should be looking closer to home when it comes to secret keeping.

With Dawn’s feelings for Billy resurfacing, the duo will almost share a kiss this week. Their worries increase when Joe walks in seconds after, and neither of them are quite sure how much he witnessed.

If Joe is so focused on finding out Caleb’s secret, will this give Dawn the opportunity to start seeing Billy again behind his back?

MORE: Emmerdale may have just confirmed another violent death with lifeless body found

MORE: Emmerdale star warns Gabby’s ‘pathological fixation’ will take dark turn

MORE: Two Emmerdale exes share a surprise kiss – and it will lead to serious consequences

Reform UK have reported Green Party leader Zack Polanski to the police, after he shared an Instagram post including a photo of a man wearing a top featuring the name “Nigel” alongside an image of a guillotine.

Polanski accepted a request to collaborate with another account and shared a series of pictures of a Green Party event on Sunday with his 713,000 followers.

One of the images showed a man in a black t-shirt with a large guillotine image and the words “We’re only making plans for Nigel”.

A Green Party spokesperson said: “Once this image was brought to [Zack’s] attention he immediately unshared the post. He unequivocally does not support this type of dangerous message.”

The words “we’re only making plans for Nigel” are the same as a lyric in a 1979 song by band XTC.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage criticised Polanski on X.

Sharing a screenshot of what Polanski had reposted, he said: “If I was to post anything as inciteful then I would expect to be arrested, and so should Polanski.”

The party’s home affairs spokesperson Zia Yusuf said “this is incitement to murder”.

Yusuf claimed the image showed “a photo of man calling for the beheading of Nigel Farage”, which he claimed could be an incitement to murder.

Yusuf confirmed Reform UK had reported the post to police and will also report Polanski to to the monitoring officer at the Greater London Assembly, where the Green leader is an elected member.

“To do this just two weeks after our friend Ann was murdered is staggering,” Yusuf said.

“This is incitement to murder. It should be treated as such by the police.”

Prominent Reform member Widdecombe, 78, was found dead in her home in Haytor, Devon, on 9 July. A man, 28, has been charged with her murder.

Her death reignited a row about the security of political figures in public life, with this year marking the 10th anniversary of the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox and the fifth anniversary of the murder of Conservative MP David Amess.

Following Widdecombe’s death, Polanski called for all party leaders to get extra security.

Asked about Widdecombe’s death at the time, he told BBC Breakfast: “I am worried and I have been worried for a long time.

“I would encourage the government to provide me with extra security, but that is a choice for them.”

Andy Burnham also backed a serious review of MPs’ security earlier this month.

Reform UK’s Treasury spokesman Robert Jenrick had accused the government of a “dereliction of duty” over Farage’s security, after it emerged the party turned down a government-funded security offer last year.

The Home Office said Jenrick’s comments were “categorically untrue”, and that independent security experts, not ministers, held responsibility for deciding MPs’ security.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Monday to clear the way for an executive order from President Donald Trump that could dramatically change mail-in voting.

The emergency appeal comes after an appeals court upheld a ruling blocking the president’s order in nearly half the country ahead of November’s midterm elections.

The Justice Department asked the Supreme Court to allow the proposed changes to move ahead while lawsuits play out.

Trump ordered the government in March to create a “state citizenship list” of eligible voters and deliver mail ballots only to people on that list.

Democratic officials in 23 states and the District of Columbia sued, saying the Constitution gives states and Congress the authority to set election rules, not the president. Attorneys have said Trump’s proposed changes are ripe for abuse and could cause chaos.

A judge in Massachusetts blocked the order for the plaintiff states, and a 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel upheld that ruling over the weekend.

The executive order issued in March calls for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the commissioner of the Social Security Administration to create a federal list of eligible voters. It tells the U.S. Postal Service to deliver mail ballots only to people on that list.

Trump promoted the proposed changes as safeguards to keep non-U.S. citizens from voting. Noncitizen voting has been shown to be rare, and is a felony that can be punishable by deportation.

U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani in Boston, who was nominated by Democratic President Barack Obama, agreed in June to halt implementation for the Nov. 3 elections.

Love It or List It is currently in production in Northern Ireland

A popular Channel 4 property show has made a specific request for people looking to sell their homes in Co Down.

‘Kirstie and Phil’s Love It or List It’ is hosted by property experts Kirstie Allsopp and Phil Spencer.

Each episode features a family struggling with a common dilemma: their home doesn’t work for them anymore and one side of the family is keen to stay and make their current home better, but the other side of the family wants to sell up and move.

With filming for the new series underway, production is currently at the stage with one family where the experts are taking them to view properties on the market.

Production company Raise the Roof Productions is looking for beautiful homes in Holywood and the surrounding areas that are currently on the market, but are also hoping to reach anyone who may be thinking about putting their home on the market in the near future.

Homeowners can reach out to Love It or List It by emailing lioli@raisetheroofproductions.com.

Love It Or List it sees hot Kirstie try to show the family that they can make their current home work by transforming it (Love it).

Meanwhile, Phil will attempt to demonstrate to the family that the best way to move forward is by selling up and buying a new home (List It).

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our What’s On newsletter here

An open day was held on Thursday, July 23, to celebrate the transformation and give residents and invited guests the chance to see the improvements first-hand.

Residents at Drummond Drive Retirement Complex in Wishaw are enjoying a brighter, more welcoming place to call home following the completion of a £1.5 million refurbishment programme.

An open day was held on Thursday, July 23, to celebrate the transformation and give residents and invited guests the chance to see the improvements first-hand.

The extensive refurbishment has modernised both the inside and outside of the complex, creating warm, comfortable spaces that support independent living while making day-to-day life easier for residents.

Designed to be dementia-friendly, the project includes improved wayfinding, new energy-efficient lighting, upgraded handrails, accessible toilets and level access throughout the building and outdoor areas.

Residents also helped shape the project by choosing the colours, finishes and furnishings used throughout the complex.

The refurbished communal lounges provide welcoming spaces where residents can relax and spend time together, while new quiet rooms offer peaceful areas for reading or reflection.

A new on-site hairdressing area, raised planters, improved outdoor seating and dedicated mobility scooter storage all help create an environment that supports wellbeing, independence and community life.

Councillor Michael McPake, NLC Convener of Housing, said: “It’s fantastic to see these improvements complete and, more importantly, to hear directly from residents about the difference they’ve made. The feedback has been incredibly positive.

“The complex now feels brighter, more open and even more welcoming. It’s a place where people can enjoy their independence while feeling part of a supportive community.”

The refurbishment is part of North Lanarkshire Council’s ongoing investment in its housing stock, ensuring homes continue to meet the changing needs of residents both now and in the future.

Stephen Llewellyn, the council’s Depute Chief Executive, added: “Walking around the complex today and speaking with residents has been hugely rewarding.

“They talked about how much lighter, brighter and more homely the building now feels, and how the new communal spaces are already bringing people together.

“This has been a real team effort. I’d like to thank our design team for developing such a thoughtful, resident-focused project, NL Industries for supplying the excellent soft furnishings that have helped create such a warm and welcoming environment, and the dedicated staff at Drummond Drive who provide outstanding care and support to residents every day.

“Their commitment, alongside the investment we’ve made in the building, has created a place that people are genuinely proud to call home.”

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The King’s Fund found life expectancy reached the highest levels ever recorded in 2025, but the gains are not represented equally across the country.

For example, there is a difference of three years between London and the North East, the health charity said, reflecting the greater levels of deprivation seen in northern regions.

The King’s Fund concluded that the Government’s aim to increase healthy life expectancy for everyone in England and halve the gap between the richest and poorest regions looks “unrealistic”.

It said achieving these aims would require improvements in population health on a scale not seen in recent decades.

Life expectancy has consistently been the lowest nationally for almost half of the population of England living in the North (the North East and North West, Yorkshire and The Humber, East and West Midlands), with little or no improvement in the decade before 2023-25.

In contrast, life expectancy increased in London and the South East, the South West and East of England regions, despite London experiencing the sharpest fall in life expectancy during the pandemic.

There were also stark figures when it came to how many years of life people spend in good health.

Overall, healthy life expectancy everywhere is on a downward trend, having fallen by about 2.5 years in the decade to 2022-24.

Figures show that in 2022-24, men living in the least deprived 10% of areas in England could expect to live about a decade longer overall than men in the 10% most deprived areas, and for females the difference was eight years.

(Image: Newsquest)

But the gap in healthy life expectancy was even greater – at two decades.

This means people in the most deprived areas both have shorter lives and spend more of their lives in poor health.

A close examination of people in London compared with those in the North East showed northerners fare particularly badly in areas such as early death from heart disease and cancer, as well as suicide and deaths linked to alcohol and drug misuse.

UK life expectancy is now also lowest of all comparable high-income countries, apart from Germany and the US.

Veena Raleigh, senior fellow at the King’s Fund said: “That people in our Northern and deprived communities have seen little or no improvement in longevity over a decade, in contrast to the health gains in their Southern and more well-off counterparts, is a mark of shame for an affluent country.

“Addressing this inequity in the nation’s health is not just a matter of social justice, it would reduce pressures on the NHS and the high economic costs of ill-health.

“Improving population health and reducing entrenched health inequalities have never been more urgent and yet also more challenging, given the economic constraints facing the country.

“It will require concerted, bold, cross-governmental action to reduce largely preventable illnesses such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes associated with poor diet, drinking and smoking, and tackle the wider determinants driving persistent poor health, especially among northern and deprived communities.

“One of the three ‘radical shifts’ in the Government’s 10 Year Health Plan is from sickness to prevention.

“One year on, and the modest moves on this front fall well short of the bold action needed to improve public health, reduce inequalities and increase people’s lives and the years they spend in good health.”

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “Someone’s postcode should never dictate how long they live, and this Government is determined to tackle the stark inequalities that still exist across Britain.

“We’re already taking action, from allocating GP funding more fairly to delivering pioneering Neighbourhood Health Centres in the areas that need them most.

“But we will now go further in devolving power to local communities, putting decision-making into the hands of those who know their areas best, and driving lasting change across the country.”