In his first public hearing, Donald Trump’s nominee for Federal Reserve chair Kevin Warsh faced several rounds of questions about his loyalty to the president as Trump looks to reshape a powerful global economic institution.
Trump has pushed for criminal investigations into current chair Jerome Powell over renovations at the central bank’s home in Washington, D.C., while the president continues to demand lower interest rates even as fuel prices surge with the U.S. war with Iran that has upended global markets. Warsh has denied that his nomination hinged on the president’s demands, but he repeatedly dodged questions from the Senate Banking Committee about Trump’s politicized overhaul of the Fed.
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3:45 p.m. — Kennedy grilled by Republican and Democratic senators over women’s health
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Trump’s Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. came under fire from Democratic lawmakers last week over disparities in Black maternal health that he appeared to dismiss. Today, he’s hearing from Republican and Democratic women over threats to reproductive healthcare and how the administration’s gutting of federal funding has threatened women’s health.
Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr is in the middle of a series of congressional hearings to defend his budget and chaotic year in office (Getty Images)
“The administration’s emphasis on canceling diversity-related grants has resulted in less research aimed at women’s health,” Republican Sen. Susan Collins said during a Senate Appropriations subcommittee hearing. “It is well established that disparities in women’s health exist.”
“You’re right,” Kennedy said. “We have the worst maternal health outcomes of any of the Western countries and Black women are 2.6 times more likely. A college-educated Black woman is two and a half times more likely to die from maternal health mortality than a college-educated white woman.”
Asked if he has talked with officials about screening for mifepristone in wastewater, Kennedy said he wants the government to look for “pharmaceutical drug artifacts” in water.
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He said he has “no plans to do that at the moment” when it comes to screening wastewater to track the use of abortion drugs.
2 p.m. — RFK defends Trump response to measles outbreaks
Kennedy wrapped up the first of two congressional hearings on Tuesday as the nation’s top health official justifies his budget to lawmakers and defends his chaotic year in office.
In front of a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee Tuesday morning, the vaccine skeptic defended the administration’s response to a surge in measles outbreaks within the last year, saying that low vaccination rates predated his time in office. There have been more than 1,700 measles cases in the U.S. so far this year.
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Next, Kennedy will appear before a Senate appropriations subcommittee to review his agency’s budget request, which would slash the agency by 12 percent as lawmakers wrestle with changes to vaccine policy, rising healthcare costs and the loss of thousands of public health employees.
Kevin Warsh, Trump’s nominee to replace Jerome Powell as chairman of the Federal Reserve, faced a first public hearing for the role (Getty Images)
12:35 p.m. — Warsh dodges questions on Trump trying to fire Lisa Cook and Powell
The president’s attempt to fire Fed governor Lisa Cook “would weaken, if not shatter, the independence of the Federal Reserve,” according to Trump-appointed Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
Warsh said it wouldn’t be “appropriate” to weigh in when asked by Sen. Angela Alsobrooks whether he would defend his potential future colleague.
“If I stand for anything it’s that the Fed should stay in its lane,” he told the Senate Banking Committee.
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A legal challenge over Trump’s attempt to remove Cook from the board is pending before the Supreme Court. Warsh said “it’s not appropriate for me to weigh in on that” as he “could be a party to that matter.”
Warsh also avoided answering whether he agrees that the laws requires Powell to remain as chair until his replacement is confirmed.
Powell’s term as chair ends May 15, and his term as a board member ends January 31, 2028..
Warsh has denied that Trump has personally pushed him to lower interest rates when he’s confirmed as Federal Reserve chair despite reports suggesting the command was essential to his nomination (Getty Images)
12:08 p.m. — Warsh denies Trump ever asked him to lower interest rates
“The president never asked me to commit to interest rate cuts,” Warsh said under questioning from Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego. “He didn’t ask for it, he didn’t demand it, he didn’t require it, and nor would I have done so.”
Warsh, a former Morgan Stanley banker who served as a Fed governor during the 2008 financial crisis, would likely be the wealthiest Fed chair if confirmed. According to financial disclosures, his fortune tops more than $100 million, including assets in AI and cryptocurrency.
Warsh told the committee that the Fed’s independence in setting interest rates is “essential” — but before the hearing, Trump told CNBC that he would be disappointed if Warsh doesn’t immediately cut rates.
Trump to read Bible passage one week after posting AI image of himself as Jesus
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The president will virtually participate in the “America Reads the Bible” event Tuesday evening and read a passage from the Old Testament roughly one week after he drew bipartisan ire for posting an AI-generated image of himself as a Jesus Christ-like figure.
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11:40 a.m. — Warren’s questions into Warsh’s alleged Epstein ties follow DOJ files release
Senator Elizabeth Warren’s questions about Warsh’s alleged ties to dead sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were previewed in her letter to Trump’s Federal Reserve chair nominee last month, when she asked for details about the extent of his connections to the wealthy and well-connected abuser.
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Emails sent to or from an account associated with Epstein released as part of the Justice Department’s publication of millions of files stemming from investigations showed that Warsh and his wife were invited to events that Epstein helped organize. It’s unclear whether they attended, and he has not been accused of wrongdoing.
In a series of heated exchanges with Warren, Warsh said he would divest $100 million in investments but refused to answer whether they involved Epstein, China orTrump and his companies.
“Sounds like your fight might not be with me, but with the Office of Government Ethics,” Warsh said.
Senate Banking Committee’s top Democrat Elizabeth Warren grilled Warsh on his assets and loyalty to Trump (Getty)
Warren, testing Warsh’s “independence and courage” against political interference, then asked him point blank whether he believes Trump won the 2020 presidential election.
“Um, we try to keep politics if I’m confirmed out of the Federal Reserve,” he said. “Senator, I believe that this body certified that election many years ago.”
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“That’s not the question I’m asking,” Warren fired back.
Asked if there was anything Warsh disagreed with Trump about, he said he didn’t think he came from “central casting.”
If he did, he would be “older, grayer” and smoking a cigar, he said.
Warren, dismissively, called his answer “cute.”
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“If you don’t answer the questions, you don’t have the courage and you don’t have the independence,” she said.
Republican Sen. Thom Tillis won’t vote to confirm Warsh as Fed chair unless the Justice Department drops a Trump-fueled criminal investigation into Jerome Powell (Reuters)
11:15 a.m. — Key Republican will confirm Warsh if DOJ drops Powell probe
Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, who has put his critical vote supporting Warsh on hold over Justice Department investigations into Powell, blasted DOJ over the probe but signaled he’s more than willing to support his nomination.
“If we put everybody in prison in federal government that had had a budget go over, we’d have to reserve an area roughly the size of Texas for a penal colony,” Tillis said. “The problem that I have here is that we had some U.S. attorney … thinking it would be cute to bring Chair Powell under an investigation just a few months before the position was going to be open.”
He urged DOJ to “get rid of this investigation so I can support your nomination.”
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The only thing he found to be “the least bit odd” about Warsh is that he has “never seen an episode of Seinfeld.”
Pete Hegseth cancels ‘absurd’ flu vaccine requirement for ‘brave warriors’ in military
American service members will no longer be required to get a yearly flu shot under a new Defense Department policy described by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth as an effort to “restore freedom and strength to our joint force.”
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Warren accused Warsh of being a ‘sock puppet’ for Trump and his interests (Getty Images)
10:25 a.m. — Warren says installing Trump’s ‘sock puppet’ is a political tactic to ‘artificially juice the economy before midterms’
Warren, the committee’s top Democrat, warned that the president’s attempt to install a “sock pocket” at the Fed would be an “invitation for corruption and economic catastrophe.”
Trump has presided over “one economic failure after another,” with plummeting consumer sentiment and surging costs on fuel, housing and everyday goods in the wake of his “chaotic tariffs” and the Iran war, she said in her opening remarks.
With a dire economic outlook, Trump has “repeatedly and illegally attempted to take over the Fed” to solve his political problems, including installing a “sock poppet” to “artificially juice the economy” before midterm elections, she said.
“The Senate should not be aiding and abetting Trump’s takeover of the Fed,” said Warren, calling Warsh’s potential confirmation an “invitation for corruption and economic catastrophe.”
Sarah will deliver a handwritten version of the letter to the Prime Minister later on Wednesday
A Co Fermanagh teenager has issued a heartbreaking plea to the Prime Minister of the UK to help her mother, who is battling one of the most prevalent, but insufficiently funded types of cancer.
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Sarah Flanagan, 13, will stand with her mother, Martina Flanagan, 46, from Ballinamallard, alongside 22 women from across the UK, standing in silence at Westminster today, Wednesday, April 22, to symbolise the 22 women diagnosed daily with lobular breast cancer.
Martina’s 13-year-old daughter, Sarah, has penned a letter to the Prime Minister demanding urgent research into a disease that has left her mother in relentless pain and compelled her to give up her teaching career. Sarah will hand-deliver the letter to Downing Street.
Diagnosed last year with stage 4 metastatic lobular breast cancer, Martina’s condition has spread to her lymph nodes and bones. At the time, her three children were just 8, 10 and 11. She now faces the daily uncertainty of living with an incurable illness.
Approximately 8,000 women in the UK are diagnosed with lobular breast cancer annually – representing around one in seven breast cancer cases – making it the second most prevalent form of the disease. Despite this, campaigners argue it receives no dedicated government funding for research.
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13-year-old Sarah Flanagan will deliver a handwritten version of the letter below to the Prime Minister on Wednesday, April 22, where she outlines the need for research into lobular breast cancer and the need for treatments to help her mother and others like her.
Here’s what Sarah had to say:
Dear Prime Minister,
My name is Sarah, I am 13. I live with my Mummy, Daddy and my two younger brothers. They mean a lot to me, I love them very much.
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Last year, after going on holiday, we found out that my mummy had Stage 4 lobular breast cancer. I wasn’t sure how to feel about this, but I was aware that it was very serious. It has affected my entire family in many ways. It has been hard to watch my mummy go from going to her job as a teacher every day with a smile on her face, to not being able to get through a full day without having to go back to bed. My mummy is tired a lot of the time and has pain in her bones. This has been extremely upsetting for us all.
Though my mummy is trying to make a difference. For months, she has been telling me about the Lobular Moon Shot Project, which is based on trying to get money to fund research because lobular breast cancer doesn’t have a specific treatment. This means a lot to me, because I want my mummy to be able to spend more time with my family and for other children not to feel the same uncertainty and stress I felt when I found out my mummy was sick.
Please could you support funding for research into lobular breast cancer? It could save lives, give families more time together and bring hope to people going through the same thing as my mummy.
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Thank you for taking the time out of your day to read my letter.
Six-year-old Quincy gave birth to five healthy lambs on Saturday (April 18), on the Swinton Estate near Masham.
Landowner Mark Cunliffe-Lister said he has “never seen anything like it before” after more than 30 years of lambing experience.
Landowner Mark Cunliffe-Lister with Quincy and five lambs. (Image: Mark Cunliffe-Lister)
Mark, who looks after a flock of 20 sheep, said he was expecting a routine delivery before he quickly realised something unusual was happening.
He said: “Normally we might have the odd triplets, but generally it’s twins or singles. I was keeping an eye on her and thought she had two, which was fine.
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“Then there was a third, and I went back in and came out again and found four. I was thinking, gosh, I’ve never seen that happen.
“Then suddenly she had a fifth one. We really weren’t expecting that to happen at all.
“I’ve worked in lambing when I was younger and seen triplets, but this is the most I’ve ever seen.”
Mark said that despite the “one in a million event”, all five lambs were born safely.
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However, because a ewe would struggle to feed five lambs, three of the newborns were taken to a local farmer where they could be fed, while the other two remaining lambs stayed with the mother.
While multiple births are not uncommon in sheep, four sheep are considered to be a rare occurrence, and quintuplets are considered exceptionally rare with a “one in a million” chance, according to farmers.
The landowner said: “Thankfully all of them are doing really well.
“The ewe is back out with the others, and the lambs are healthy, which is the good news.
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“They’re all growing as they should and are now happily grazing in the field.”
NEW YORK (AP) — Alan Osmond, the eldest member of the chart-topping family act The Osmonds, died Monday after decades with multiple sclerosis. He was 76.
According to a family spokesperson, Alan’s wife, Suzanne Osmond, and their eight sons were with him at his home in Lehi, Utah, at the time of his death. Prior to his passing, Alan used a wheelchair and spent a week in intensive care before returning home Thursday on hospice.
A talented songwriter and performer, Alan Osmond helped write some of the Osmond Brothers’ biggest hits, including “One Bad Apple,” “Crazy Horses” and “Are You Up There?”
Born in Ogden, Utah, on June 22, 1949 and raised in a Mormon household, Alan Osmond’s storied musical career began in the 1950s, when he and his brothers Wayne, Merrill and Jay formed a barbershop quartet. He was the oldest of the performing group and the third oldest of his siblings.
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The brothers worked the state fair circuit in Utah until a visit to Disneyland led to a television debut on “Disney After Dark” in 1962.
The group became regulars on “The Andy Williams Show,” where they made their name and forged their wholesome and peppy image, peaking as a quintet in the early 1970s, as younger brother Donny Osmond became the breakout star. In 1971, the Osmonds tallied nine gold records, surpassing single-year bests by Elvis and the Beatles.
In the mid-to-late 1970s, Alan became a principal producer on ABC’s hit television show “The Donny and Marie Show,” starring his brother and sister.
The original Osmond Brothers — Alan, Wayne, Merrill and Jay — returned to the stage in 1982 as a country group and had a handful of hits, including “I Think About Your Lovin.’” At the time, Alan told The Associated Press he switched from recording rock to country music because it better fit their wholesome image.
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“Country music really is the backbone of America,” he said. “It doesn’t just come and go. And we’re kind of flag-wavers. You find that in the country area, too.”
In 1987, Alan Osmond was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). It caused him to retire from performing with his family.
His brother Wayne Osmond died at the age of 73 in 2025 after having a stroke.
“He is my hero,” Doug Osmond, one of Alan’s sons, told The Associated Press over the phone Tuesday. “I’ve never met anyone more positive in my life. I never once heard him complain, not once. He would say, ‘I may have MS, but MS does not have me.’ That was his motto and he always was worried about everyone else. … Family always took priority and his faith was in everything he did.”
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In terms of his musical accomplishments, Doug recalled witnessing other famous musicians gush over his father. “I saw that with Steven Tyler, I saw that with Brad Paisley. I saw that with Justin Timberlake and Donnie Wahlberg,” he said. “They all knew of his genius and ability.”
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In a statement on social media Tuesday, Donny Osmond called Alan Osmond his “protector” and “guide,” saying he was “the one who quietly carried so much responsibility so the rest of us could shine.”
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Merrill Osmond also paid tribute in a social media post, explaining that he saw his ailing brother two days prior.
“We talked as brothers do, heart to heart. He was struggling, but when I shared a joke or two, he found the strength to chuckle … and then he smiled,” he wrote on Facebook. “I need you to know this … he has not left me. I have felt him. I have felt his quiet encouragement telling me to keep going … to keep building faith … to keep sharing light.”
Alan is survived by his wife, Suzanne; his eight sons, Michael, Nathan, Doug, David, Scott, Jon, Alex, and Tyler; 30 grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; brothers Virl, Tom, Merrill, Jay, Donny and Jimmy; and sister Marie.
Good evening and welcome to Telegraph Sport’s live coverage of Brighton & Hove Albion vs Chelsea from the Amex Stadium.
The pressure continues to build on Chelsea and their manager Liam Rosenior ahead of their match tonight.
Chelsea are coming off the back of a 1-0 defeat at home on Saturday, against a Manchester United side with a makeshift defence.
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That was their fourth consecutive defeat in the Premier League, and their fourth consecutive league game without a goal.
The loss dealt a blow to their already stuttering Champions League hopes, and they begin tonight’s game in sixth place, seven points behind Liverpool in fifth. Missing out on the tournament next season could lead to an unwanted exodus of some of their biggest stars, with Cole Palmer and Enzo Fernandez already linked with moves away from Stamford Bridge.
If Chelsea were to suffer another defeat tonight, there would likely be doubts over whether Rosenior will still be the man in charge of the team for the weekend’s FA Cup semi-final tie against Leeds United.
Brighton, meanwhile, are enjoying some decent form under Fabian Hurzeler. A late 2-2 draw earned in north London against Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend means they are unbeaten in four matches, with five wins coming in their last seven league games.
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Brighton are in ninth place on 47 points, meaning a win for the home side would see them leapfrog Chelsea and climb into sixth spot in the league table.
Robert Sanchez, Marc Cucurella, Moises Caicedo and Joao Pedro all left Brighton over recent years to join Chelsea, so the home side’s fans would likely find the chance to go above them in the table especially satisfying.
In September, Brighton travelled to Chelsea for the reverse fixture, and won 3-1 against a side headed up by Enzo Maresca. He departed at the turn of the year. Could Rosenior be on his way before the season is over?
Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior said his team’s performance was both “indefensible” and “unacceptable” as he faced angry chants from his own supporters for the first time.
The chants began when Chelsea fell 1-0 behind at the Amex Stadium, with the visitors having barely registered an attempt on goal, before they eventually succumbed to a 3-0 defeat on Tuesday night.
It was a worrying display and a further dip in performance given Chelsea did not mount a shot on goal until the 40th minute and were error-prone defensively.
Chelsea extend an unwanted run of five consecutive defeats without scoring, their worst such sequence since 1912.
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Rosenior said: “It was unacceptable in every aspect of the game, unacceptable in our attitude. I keep coming out and defending of the players.
“That’s indefensible, that performance tonight. The manner of the goals we conceded, the amount of duels that we lost, the lack of intensity in the team. Something needs to change drastically right now.
“I think the players as well need to have a look in the mirror for what they put in. You can talk about tactics, tactics come after the basics. Having more courage to play, winning duels, winning headers, tackles, conceding terrible goals. That was an unacceptable performance tonight.”
It played out in front of influential co-owner Behdad Eghbali and the club’s sporting directors on the south coast, where Rosenior began his coaching career.
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As a result, questions will grow over whether the Englishman can continue in the dugout in the long term, with a last chance to save the season to come in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley against Leeds on Sunday.
Seven points behind fifth-placed Liverpool, having played a game more, Chelsea‘s Champions League hopes look in tatters and there are questions about whether the head coach, the players or the fans are on the same page.
Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS) said crews were called to the Pioneer Mill fire on Milltown Street at around 7.15pm, initially deploying eight fire engines and three specialist appliances from across Greater Manchester.
Crews arrived quickly and used jets and turntable ladders to tackle the fire, while residents nearby were urged to avoid the area and keep windows and doors closed due to a large plume of smoke.
Large plumes of smoke were drifting towards Radcliffe town centre (Image: Phil Taylor)
Pictures from the scene showed thick black smoke rising from the derelict building, with multiple fire engines in attendance as crews worked to bring the blaze under control.
Greater Manchester Police also attended and blocked access to the street.
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One officer at the scene said: “We have blocked access points as there could be a potential risk of asbestos.”
An eyewitness said the area around Milltown Street had been completely sealed off, adding: “It is not possible to see the fire from where the police cordon is.”
(Image: Phil Taylor)
They added that four ambulances and two rapid response units were on standby, while a technical rescue unit and a fire truck later left the scene.
Another witness said the fire appeared to be “on its way down” by around 9.20pm and was “not as big as the previous Pioneer Mill fire,” although they reported hearing small explosions, possibly caused by aerosols inside the building.
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(Image: Phil Taylor)
Councillor Ken Simpson, of Radcliffe First, who had been at the scene since around 7.30pm, said there had been long-standing concerns about the building.
He said: “There has been a fire at Pioneer Mill before, but the fire service haven’t released a report on this incident yet.
“There have been major concerns about the building for some time, including breaches of fire regulations. After the previous fire, prohibition notices were issued by Bury Council and the fire service.
“All stock is still inside, and a number of small businesses operate from the structure.
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“From what I can see around 10 to 12 tenants have been affected and are unable to access their units due to the prohibition notice.
“They were hoping the fire service would allow access, but unfortunately that hasn’t happened.
“I’ve spoken to a few tenants this evening, people are really scared about the impact on their businesses.
“Many are small operations, some already affected by a previous fire, and a number are uninsured. It’s going to be very difficult for those affected.
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“The smell of fumes is quite strong, and smoke is drifting into the town centre, staying low to the ground. It’s been windy all day, but that’s dropped off now, so it’s hanging about.
“There are approximately 14 fire engines here, along with two aerial platforms and numerous generators.
(Image: Phil Taylor)
“The building itself has no power or water supply, so crews are generating their own power and pumping water in.
“The pressure doesn’t seem very strong, and they’re using multiple pumps. From where I am, I can’t see visible flames now, but I’m some distance away.
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“My main concern is for the small businesses affected, particularly given ongoing fire safety issues at the site.
“In my view, the building should be closed. This appears to be a long-term issue with a lack of maintenance and oversight by the landlord, with problems going back decades.
“There have been inspections since the last fire, but clearly this incident has still caught everyone out.”
At the height of the incident, witnesses estimated that up to 14 fire engines, two aerial platforms and numerous support units were in attendance.
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By around 10.25pm, witnesses said the fire and smoke had significantly reduced, although some GMFRS crews and police remained at the scene.
Liam Rosenior: “By far. By far. That as unacceptable in every aspect of the game. Unacceptable in attitude. I keep coming out and defending the players, that was indefensible, that performance tonight. The manner of the goals we conceded, the duels that we lost. Something has to change drastically right here, right now.”
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Florida’s attorney general on Tuesday opened a rare criminal investigation into OpenAI’s ChatGPT over whether the artificial intelligence app offered advice to a gunman who killed two people and wounded six others last year at Florida State University.
Attorney General James Uthmeier said that prosecutors had done an initial review of chat logs between ChatGPT and the gunman, Phoenix Ikner, to determine if the AI app aided, abetted or advised the commission of a crime.
Prosecutors believe the chatbot advised Ikner on what type of gun and ammunition to use, whether a gun would be useful at short range, and what time of day and at which location would allow for the most potential victims, Uthmeier said.
“My prosecutors have looked at this, and they’ve told me if it was a person at the other end of that screen, we would be charging them with murder,” Uthmeier said at a news conference in Tampa. “Now, of course, ChatGPT is not a person, but that does not absolve our office and my prosecution team from our duty to investigate whether there is criminal culpability here.”
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Florida’s Office of Statewide Prosecution has subpoenaed OpenAI for records of its policies and training materials regarding threats to harm others, and for its policies on reporting “possible past, present, or future crime,” according to the attorney general’s office.
OpenAI spokeswoman Kate Waters called the FSU shooting a tragedy but said the company had no responsibility. The company proactively shared information with law enforcement and continues to cooperate with investigators, she said Tuesday.
“In this case, ChatGPT provided factual responses to questions with information that could be found broadly across public sources on the internet, and it did not encourage or promote illegal or harmful activity,” Waters said in an email.
Uthmeier conceded that his office was venturing into “uncharted territory” by launching a criminal probe into whether a chatbot contributed to the commission of a crime. His office also has initiated a civil probe, he said.
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Several civil lawsuits have sought damages from AI and tech companies over the influence of chatbots and social media on loved ones’ mental health. Last month, a jury in Los Angeles found both Meta and YouTube liable for harms to children using their services. In New Mexico, a jury determined that Meta knowingly harmed children’s mental health and concealed what it knew about child sexual exploitation on its platforms.
Also last month, a man sued Google for the wrongful death by suicide of his son and product liability claims, the latest in a growing number of legal challenges against AI developers that have drawn attention to the mental health dangers of chatbot companionship.
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Ikner faces two counts of first-degree murder and several counts of attempted first-degree murder in the shooting that terrorized the campus in Florida’s capital city.
Ikner is the stepson of a local sheriff’s deputy, and investigators say he used his stepmother’s former service weapon to carry out the shooting. Prosecutors in the case intend to seek the death penalty.
Uthmeier, a Republican, was named to the position by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, after the GOP governor appointed then-Attorney General Ashley Moody to the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Marco Rubio when he became the secretary of state in President Donald Trump’s second administration.
Uthmeier is running in November to be elected to the position on his own.
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DeSantis has called a special session for the end of the month to consider an “Artificial Intelligence Bill of Rights,” as well as redraw congressional districts.
___
Charles Sheehan in New York contributed to this report.
It was one of those games where you’d love to focus on Brighton’s performance but, at the end of yet another chastening evening it was hard to take the eyes off the Chelsea captain. There was Enzo Fernandez, standing there mostly motionless in front of the away crowd, other than shrugging his shoulders. That he was wearing the armband only two weeks after being dropped from the first team added to the sense of farce, of a club shredded by so many bad decisions.
What was Fernandez actually doing here? What was he thinking? Maybe it was an apt image in its own bizarre way, because you can say this of the entire club right now. “A sad night for the club”, as one Chelsea insider said. Most visibly, there’s just the way they’re playing. What is Liam Rosenior trying to do?
Well, whatever it is, the players aren’t responding. This dismal run has now added up to the club’s worst run since 1912.
(Reuters)
As cameras constantly cut to Behdad Eghbali and the rest of the Chelsea leadership, it was impossible not to wonder whether they were deciding on Rosenior’s future there and then. No one would be surprised if a club statement was imminent.
His defeated post-match Sky interview even felt like one of those exit speeches. Rosenior he spoke about how Chelsea’s performance was “unacceptable” and “indefensible”. He said he was “hurting” and that their display did not “represent this great football club”.
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More words, even if these were conspicuously directed towards the players.
But, by the end, they were also amounting to some form of self-flagellation. Rosenior couldn’t even look up.
Really, though, the focus should stay on that hierarchy. They are responsible for this. They are responsible for turning a social institution into some kind of financial experiment.
They’ve made the common mistake of thinking they are smarter than the norms of a 166-year-old sport and have been shown reality. Maybe it’s a rare football morality play for private equity trying to exploit the sport.
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The Rosenior appointment was really only a logical – or perhaps illogical – conclusion of all this, especially amid the widespread suspicion that he was largely appointed on the basis of being someone the hierarchy could control.
(Reuters)
That might be a little harsh on a forthright young coach, but he’s now in the sorry situation where there’s sympathy for him. It’s got that bad, as was seen with the facial expression after that third Brighton goal. Almost the saddest part is that this has become one of those appointments that has the possibility of destroying a career.
For all the jokes about Rosenior and fair criticism, he did previously enjoy a respect as a promising young coach. Even leading Premier League clubs felt he was very adept at all the pure tactical elements of coaching.
The fundamental issue, however, is that you do need all the other elements of management to actually maximise such qualities. Rosenior has been found wanting there, as there have been constant insider questions about his authority over the squad.
Players have even felt he has “changed” in his short time in charge.
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Brighton added to Liam Rosenior’s woes (Gareth Fuller/PA) (PA Wire)
Again, that shouldn’t be a surprise.
A young coach has been prematurely promoted to what was already one of the most pressured jobs in the game, made more complicated because of the “unique” approach of the ownership.
How can a team culture even be built if there’s constant transfer turnover of young players? Little wonder those like Marc Cucurella and Cole Palmer might be considering their futures.
And despite all of that, Rosenior couldn’t really say no to such a job.
He was already working in the ownership group so would have known the chance probably wouldn’t have come again.
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So here they are, at the end result of multiple bad decisions. Not just a 3-0 at Brighton, but a tailspin.
Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro were among the injured players to watch Chelsea’s defeat at Brighton (PA)
And worse may be to come. Can anyone see them beating Leeds United in the FA Cup semi-final on Sunday?
What would the ownership do? The word from inside is that they don’t have any prospective replacement lined up. Do they have any ideas?
And there’s a key final point. The opposition also represented a fitting image of something that works well, all the more so because this ownership’s one idea was to copy Brighton.
Typically, though, they got that wrong too.
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There’s no point in trying to bring over everything from Brighton if you can’t also bring over their analytics.
That’s what really makes it work, and fortifies the culture.
You could ask how the Chelsea ownership missed all of this but that itself would be to miss the point.
This outcome – a comprehensive 3-0 for a club in the Championship when Chelsea were last English champions – was entirely predictable. It is the result of multiple bad decisions.
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