The Supreme Court ruled Tuesday against AT&T and Verizon in a closely watched dispute over federal penalties tied to the sale of consumers’ real-time location data.

The decision preserves the FCC’s authority to impose financial penalties through its administrative enforcement system.

It is a major victory for federal regulators seeking to police privacy violations in the telecommunications industry.

The case reached the Supreme Court after a split among federal appeals courts

Last year, AT&T persuaded the 5th U. S. Circuit Court of Appeals to throw out an FCC fine, arguing that the agency’s process improperly bypassed a jury.

Verizon, however, lost a similar challenge before the 2nd Circuit, creating conflicting rulings that prompted Supreme Court review.

Justice Clarence Thomas was the lone dissenter, ARSTechnica reported

In an 8-1 decision, the justices sided with the FCC and overturned the 5th Circuit’s ruling. Justice Clarence Thomas was the lone dissenter, ARSTechnica reported.

The ruling strengthens the federal government’s power to impose administrative penalties on companies accused of breaking telecommunications and privacy laws, while reducing a constitutional challenge that could have greatly restricted the enforcement powers of regulatory agencies.

The dispute stemmed from $104 million in FCC fines imposed on AT&T and Verizon in 2024 over allegations that the companies improperly handled customers’ real-time location data, conduct first brought to light in 2018, the outlet noted.

After paying the penalties, both companies challenged the FCC’s enforcement process in federal court, arguing that the agency’s system violated their Seventh Amendment right to a jury trial

Under the FCC framework, companies can pay a fine and seek review through the federal appeals courts rather than having the case initially decided by a jury.

The carriers contended that this process deprived them of a constitutional safeguard guaranteed in civil cases involving substantial financial penalties, ARSTechnica noted further.

Writing for the Court’s majority, Chief Justice John Roberts rejected that argument, concluding that the companies were not denied access to a jury trial because an alternative path remained available to them

According to the Court, the carriers could have refused to pay the fines and forced the government to pursue collection efforts, a process that ultimately could have resulted in a jury trial.

“The FCC’s forfeiture proceedings fit comfortably within” the Supreme Court’s Seventh Amendment precedents, Roberts wrote.

The orders at issue did not settle the carriers’ legal obligations because, stated simply, they did not create an obligation to pay,” he went on

“And the orders did not reflect the ultimate determination of any fact because, before the carriers could have been made to pay, the Government was required to prove its case to a jury,” said the chief justice.

The outcome was foreshadowed during oral arguments, where several justices appeared unconvinced by AT&T’s and Verizon’s constitutional objections and suggested that FCC penalty orders do not become legally binding until a court is asked to enforce them.

Justice Brett Kavanaugh notably suggested that the carriers had already secured an important concession from the government

He noted that federal officials acknowledged FCC penalty orders are not self-executing nonbinding sans a jury trial.

“It seems like you’ve won on the law going forward, one way or the other,” Kavanaugh told the attorney representing the carriers, per ARSTechnica.

John Bergmayer, legal director at advocacy group Public Knowledge, hailed the ruling

“The Supreme Court got this one right,” Bergmayer said in a press release.

“AT&T and Verizon sold access to their customers’ location data, then failed to stop bounty hunters and even a rogue sheriff from using it to track people who had no idea they were being followed,” he added.

The FCC investigated, found the carriers liable, and proposed penalties—which the carriers were always free to challenge in court,” he said, noting further: “This decision keeps the FCC able to do the job Congress gave it.”

BREAKING: Iran just cancelled the MOU & said they will strike Israel. Trump is prepared to respond strongly.

President Trump’s strong approach to national security has always delivered results and protected American interests. The situation with Iran requires clear leadership that prioritizes our allies and deters aggression.

Democrats and previous administrations pursued policies that emboldened adversaries while Trump’s record shows a commitment to peace through strength. The current challenges highlight the importance of firm resolve.

America First means standing with our allies and ensuring our adversaries understand the consequences of their actions. Trump’s leadership in these matters continues to shape a safer world.

The decision rests with strong leadership focused on American security.

Cameron Hamilton, the acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), has been dismissed after publicly opposing proposals to eliminate the agency during congressional testimony. Hamilton’s remarks directly contradicted President Donald Trump’s broader effort to reduce FEMA’s role and shift greater responsibility for disaster response to state governments.

The administration quickly confirmed Hamilton’s removal, announcing that David Richardson, a veteran FEMA official, would serve as interim administrator. The decision highlights the administration’s commitment to advancing its vision of reducing the federal government’s involvement in disaster management, despite concerns raised by emergency response professionals and policy experts.

Hamilton’s dismissal comes amid ongoing debates over FEMA’s future and the federal government’s role in responding to natural disasters and other emergencies. President Trump has repeatedly criticized the agency’s spending practices and operational effectiveness, arguing that state and local governments are often better positioned to manage disaster response efforts without extensive federal oversight.

Supporters of the administration’s approach contend that transferring more authority to states could improve efficiency, reduce costs, and allow for faster, locally tailored responses to emergencies. They argue that state officials are more familiar with regional needs and can deploy resources more effectively.

Critics, however, warn that significantly reducing FEMA’s role could place substantial financial and logistical burdens on states, particularly those with limited resources or those facing large-scale disasters such as hurricanes, wildfires, or major flooding events. They argue that federal coordination remains essential for managing complex emergencies that exceed state capabilities.

Hamilton’s departure also follows other recent controversies within FEMA, including personnel changes related to scrutiny over agency spending decisions. The latest leadership change is expected to intensify the ongoing national debate over the future structure and responsibilities of America’s disaster response system.

Nancy Metayer Bowen, a Florida Democratic politician preparing to run for Congress who also served as the vice chairwoman of the Florida Democratic Party, was found dead in her home. Local police have arrested her husband in connection with her death. Bowen served as the vice mayor and commissioner of Coral Springs. Police conducted a wellness check at her home on Wednesday morning, where they discovered her body, TMZ reported.

Authorities report that Nancy’s husband, Stephen Bowen, is in custody as her death is being investigated as a domestic violence incident. Police have stated that there are no additional suspects involved.

Florida Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D) revealed that Nancy was set to announce her candidacy for Congress, with the Miami Herald noting that the announcement was scheduled for Thursday. According to sources cited by the outlet, Nancy intended to run in the Democratic primary for the seat currently held by Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-Fla.), who has been indicted for allegedly diverting millions of dollars in disaster relief funds to her campaign.

Nancy was elected in 2020 in Coral Springs and was re-elected in 2024. In November 2025, she was appointed to serve a second term as the city’s vice mayor.

A federal grand jury in Miami indicted Cherfilus-McCormick and several co-defendants in December on charges that they stole about $5 million in FEMA disaster-relief funds and funneled the money into her 2021 congressional campaign, the Justice Department announced.

According to the indictment, Cherfilus-McCormick — who represents Florida’s 20th District in Broward and Palm Beach counties — and her brother, Edwin Cherfilus, diverted an overpayment tied to a COVID-19 vaccination-staffing contract awarded to their family’s home-health-care company, Newsweek reported.

Prosecutors allege the money was moved through multiple accounts to conceal its source, with a significant share ultimately directed from the FEMA-funded contract into political contributions.

The indictment also accuses the congresswoman of conspiring with her tax preparer to file a false federal tax return.

The ongoing ethics and criminal investigations continue to overshadow the congresswoman’s already troubled reputation, even prior to this indictment.

If found guilty, she could face a prison sentence of up to 53 years, while her brother could receive up to 35 years, prosecutors said.

Last week, the House Ethics Committee found that the Florida Democrat violated campaign finance laws and other regulations by receiving the federal relief funds and directing a significant portion of that money toward political activities.

An eight-member subcommittee voted early Friday that Cherfilus-McCormick was guilty on 25 of 27 counts related to the case, following a rare public proceeding that lasted more than six hours the previous evening, the New York Post reported on Friday.

“Shortly after the House returns from the April recess, the full Committee will hold a hearing to determine what, if any, sanction would be appropriate for the Committee to recommend,” Ethics Chairman Michael Guest (R-Miss.) and Ranking Member Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.) said in a joint statement.

The subcommittee’s findings could lead to a recommendation that the full House censure or potentially expel Cherfilus-McCormick from Congress. The panel, composed of four Democrats and four Republicans, did not release a detailed vote breakdown. However, members from both parties questioned Cherfilus-McCormick’s defense during the hearing.

Her attorney, William Barzee, sought to delay the proceedings, citing an upcoming federal trial in which she is expected to face charges related to many of the same allegations.

In November 2025, federal prosecutors indicted Cherfilus-McCormick on 15 counts tied to allegations that she misused $5 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency funds to support her congressional campaign, The Post noted.

Prosecutors allege that she used some of the funds for personal expenses, such as purchasing a 3.14-carat yellow diamond ring.

During Thursday’s hearing, Barzee raised concerns that any findings from the Ethics Committee could influence the potential jury pool ahead of the federal trial.

“She’s absolutely innocent. She’s looking forward to being in criminal court to prove her innocence, which I’m confident she’s going to be able to do,” he told the subcommittee members.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt presented a compelling statistic about how accessible President Donald Trump has been just a year into taking office and how little the public ever saw former President Joe Biden during his term.

While speaking at a media event hosted by Axios co-founder Mike Allen, Leavitt highlighted the contrast between President Donald Trump’s accessibility and that of Biden. She also pointed out that many in the media overlooked Biden’s avoidance of the media and his largely “hiding” behavior during his four years in office.

“You have tailed access to the ‘Associated Press,’ which reaches half the world’s population every day. The most definitive photo of President Trump, the fight, fight, fight photo after the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, was made by Evan Vucci, who’s the chief photographer in Washington for the ‘Associated Press.’ Do you worry about history being lost with these new restrictions?” Allen asked Leavitt.

“I don’t view them as restrictions. We view them as opening access to more outlets, more voices, more news, journalists and outlets. We shouldn’t have a few outlets who have a monopoly over the briefing room or over that 13 person press pool that covers the president. And so we’ve actually ensured that more print outlets like Axios have a greater chance of being part of that 13 person press pool,” Leavitt began.

“There are thousands of outlets who have White House press credentials. There are hundreds that actually show up every day and cover the beat. Why should a single outlet have the privilege of being in that 13 person press pool every single day. And so the changes we’ve made have actually created more transparency, more accessibility, and greater access for a broad variety of outlets and a diversity of journalists, which I think is a good thing. And we’ve seen that play out,” Leavitt added.

“I mean, we started this. I think you’re all still getting your news, right? You’re still hearing about what the administration is doing every single day, because we have good journalists who are in that room covering the president every single time,” Leavitt said.

Allen jumped in and asked: “The counter to that is in a White House Correspondents Association’s statement about the White House changes to the position of wire services in the pool. And the statement says the government should not be able to control the independent media that covers it. Do you agree with that statement?”

“Well, I think that a small group of journalists who comprise the board of the White House Correspondents Association should not dictate who gets to go into the Oval Office and who gets to ride on Air Force One. There should be equal access for all outlets,” Leavitt responded.

“And that’s exactly what we’re doing. And if we were trying, by the way, to create positive press for the president, if we were trying to make it easier on him or on the administration, we wouldn’t allow some of these fake news leftist outlets in. But we continue to do that. No one has been restricted. We’ve just given more spots to more outlets and more voices,” she said.

Leavitt concluded, “It’s not about ideology. It’s just about increasing the wide variety of outlets that have access. And we live in a digital age, and we’re recognizing that at the White House. The president ran a nontraditional media campaign, which propelled him back to the highest office in the land. And we felt it was our responsibility to continue that in our coverage at the White House.”

In July, Axios published a story titled “Biden’s media evasion,” revealing that the Democrat held fewer press conferences and media interviews than any of the last seven presidents at the same point in their term. At that time, Biden had conducted only 164, compared to Trump’s 468.

The next lowest were George W. Bush with 248 and Ronald Reagan with 262.

According to preliminary information from the National Institute of Civil Aeronautics (INAC), the aircraft—a Piper PA-31T1 Cheyenne registered as YV1443—took off at approximately 9:52 a.m. local time before experiencing a critical malfunction during its initial climb. Witnesses reported seeing the plane struggle to gain altitude before descending rapidly and striking the ground near the end of the runway. Moments later, a plume of dark smoke rose over the airport as flames engulfed the wreckage

Eyewitnesses described a chilling few seconds that transformed an ordinary morning into tragedy. “It looked like it couldn’t lift,” one observer told local reporters. “Then it tilted to one side and went straight down. The explosion was immediate.”Emergency services, including airport firefighters and paramedics, responded within moments. Despite their efforts to contain the blaze, both pilots were pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities have not released their names, pending notification of their families.

INAC issued an official statement expressing condolences to the victims’ relatives and confirming that Venezuela’s Civil Aviation Accident Investigation Board (JIAAC) has launched a full inquiry to determine what went wrong.Early reports suggest that weather conditions were clear, visibility was good, and no environmental factors appeared to have contributed to the accident. Officials also stated that the aircraft had recently undergone its scheduled maintenance checks and was cleared for flight.Investigators are now examining the plane’s engines, flight instruments, and communication logs with air traffic control to establish the cause. Specialists will analyze whether mechanical failure, a fuel system issue, or human error may have played a role.

Residents living near the airport said they heard unusual engine sounds just before the crash. “It sputtered a few times, almost like it lost power,” one witness recalled. “Then there was silence, and suddenly we saw the flames.”
The Emergency Response

Venezuela Plane Crash: Aircraft Explodes In Fireball After Crash At Paramillo Airport, 2 Killed | VIDEO | Republic World
Authorities praised the airport’s rescue and firefighting teams for their swift and coordinated reaction, which prevented the blaze from spreading to nearby hangars or fuel storage areas. Photographs shared on Venezuelan news outlets showed emergency crews surrounding the charred remains of the aircraft, its fuselage almost completely destroyed.
Officials temporarily closed Paramillo Airport as a safety precaution while debris was cleared from the runway. Investigators have since secured the crash site to preserve evidence.
Aviation Safety Concerns

Venezuela plane crash horror kills 2 as upside-down aircraft explodes in fireball | World | News | Express.co.uk
The accident has once again brought attention to aviation safety at smaller regional airports in Venezuela. Experts note that while the country’s commercial aviation sector follows international oversight standards, private and charter operations often face challenges related to aging fleets and limited resources for maintenance and inspection.
Local aviation analyst Jorge Peña told national media that consistent maintenance and transparent reporting are critical to preventing similar incidents. “Every accident is a warning,” he said. “We must learn from it to make sure those who take to the skies do so as safely as possible.”
INAC officials echoed that sentiment, emphasizing that every investigation aims not only to determine the cause but also to strengthen regulations and training across the aviation sector.
Remembering the Pilots

CEOAfrica :: Plane burst into flames after takeoff crash, leaving 2 dead at airport :: Africa Online News Portal
The identities of the two pilots have not been disclosed publicly, but colleagues described them as experienced aviators who had logged many hours on the Cheyenne aircraft model. Messages of condolence from fellow pilots and aviation enthusiasts began appearing on social media within hours of the tragedy, expressing solidarity with their families and appreciation for the professionalism of Venezuela’s emergency responders.
Paramillo Airport, located in San Cristóbal, Táchira State, serves both civilian and private flights and is known for its mountainous surroundings, which can present challenges during takeoff and landing. However, officials have confirmed that terrain and weather were not contributing factors in this particular event.
The Ongoing Investigation

As of now, investigators from JIAAC continue to analyze flight data, mechanical systems, and witness statements. A preliminary report is expected in the coming weeks, though final conclusions could take several months to complete.
Authorities have requested that the public avoid speculation until official results are released. INAC reiterated its commitment to transparency, stating that lessons learned from this accident will be used to improve aviation safety nationwide.
A Nation in Mourning

Across Venezuela, news of the crash has sparked widespread grief within the aviation community. Flags were lowered at several airports in honor of the fallen pilots, and local news outlets have described the incident as one of the most serious accidents in recent months involving a private aircraft.
For now, the wreckage at Paramillo stands as a somber reminder of the risks faced by pilots each time they take to the air. The investigation aims not only to bring closure to the families of the victims but also to ensure that such tragedies are prevented in the future.
Reflection

While the skies over Paramillo have returned to calm, the memory of this accident will linger. Aviation remains one of the safest modes of transport, yet every crash underscores the importance of vigilance, maintenance, and preparedness.
The loss of two skilled aviators is a heavy blow for Venezuela’s aviation community — and a reminder of both the fragility of flight and the resilience of those who dedicate their lives to it.
Sources

BBC Mundo – “Dos pilotos mueren en accidente aéreo en Venezuela”
El Nacional – “INAC confirma accidente de aeronave en Paramillo”
Aviacionline – “Venezuela: investigación abierta tras accidente en Paramillo”
Reuters – “Aviation Accident in Venezuela Under Investigation”

The annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, an event typically defined by high-stakes political satire and high-society networking among the nation’s elite, descended into absolute chaos on Saturday night.

The incident occurred as the gala was just beginning to toast the Washington press corps, turning the star-studded “nerd prom” into a scene of panic and confusion.

According to police reports and photographic evidence released shortly after the incident, Allen was apprehended in the hotel lobby, shirtless and pinned to the floor by Secret Service agents. He was reportedly armed with a shotgun and multiple knives, having charged toward a security checkpoint in a direct attempt to reach the President’s location.

While the motive remains under investigation, Interim DC Police Chief Jeffrey Carroll confirmed that the suspect appeared to be a “lone actor” and was likely a guest at the hotel, suggesting there was no broader threat to the public following his arrest. The intensity of the confrontation resulted in one Secret Service agent being shot at close range.

President Trump later noted that the agent was struck by a “very powerful gun,” but fortunately survived the encounter without life threatening injuries due to the protection of a bulletproof vest

The President praised the rapid response of law enforcement, stating they did a “fantastic job” and acted “very quickly” in neutralizing the threat before the situation could escalate further inside the crowded ballroom.

At a subsequent press briefing, the President labeled Cole Allen a “sick person” and confirmed that authorities were already in the process of searching the suspect’s residence in California. In the wake of the shooting, President Trump reflected on the atmosphere within the room, describing a surprising sense of togetherness among the journalists and politicians present.

He remarked that the event, which is fundamentally dedicated to freedom of speech, managed to unify the press and both political parties in a way he found “very beautiful

Despite the trauma of the evacuation, the President expressed pride in how the attendees handled the crisis, noting that the sense of unity was a positive takeaway from an otherwise dark night.

Initially, organizers expressed a desire to proceed with the night’s programming

However, by 9:45 p. m.

it was officially announced that the event was canceled

President Trump indicated that he had “fought like hell” to continue the dinner, as he was prepared to deliver a sharp critique of the press corps. Ultimately, the decision was made to reschedule the gala within the next 30 days.

This violent disruption, occurring in the heart of the nation’s capital, marks one of the most significant security breaches at a high-profile political gathering in recent Washington, D. C.

history, prompting an immediate review of safety protocols at the Washington Hilton