What to know about Fort Knox’s gold depository
President Donald Trump says Elon Musk will be looking at Fort Knox, the legendary depository in Kentucky for American gold reserves, to make sure the gold is still there. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says there is an audit every year and that “all the gold is present and accounted for.” The United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox has stored precious metal bullion reserves for the United States since 1937 and has become synonymous for secure and well protected. Along with protecting gold reserves, Fort Knox is currently also used as the Army’s human resources command center, and it hosts the Army’s largest annual training event each summer.
Former Colorado sheriff’s deputy convicted of homicide in shooting death of man in crisis
A former Colorado sheriff’s deputy was convicted of criminally negligent homicide Thursday in the shooting death of a 22-year-old man in distress who called 911 for help after his car got stuck in a small mountain community. Jurors stopped short of finding former Clear Creek County Deputy Andrew Buen guilty of the more serious charge of second-degree murder in the June 2022 death of Christian Glass, which drew national attention and led to changes in how officers are trained to respond to people in mental health crises under a $19 million settlement with his family. The jury had the option to convict Buen on the lesser charge of homicide, which carries a sentence of up to three years in prison. As the verdict was read, Buen stood with his head bowed, flanked by his attorneys. He was later taken to jail, where he will stay until he is sentenced April 14.
Israel identifies remains of child hostages but says another body from Hamas was not their mother
The Israeli military said Friday it had positively identified the remains of two young hostages but another body released by Hamas under a ceasefire deal was not the boys’ mother as the militant group had promised. The revelation was a shocking twist in the saga surrounding the Bibas family, who have become global symbols of the plight of Israeli hostages held by Hamas, and threw the future of the fragile ceasefire into question. “This is a violation of utmost severity by the Hamas terrorist organization,” the army said in a statement.
Ukrainians rally around their president after Trump seeks to denigrate him
Days before the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukrainians are as somber and tense as they were right before Moscow launched the war. Only now, they aren’t just worried about their longtime enemy. Ukraine’s stunning new threat comes from its once staunchest ally, the United States, whose support appears to be fading as President Donald Trump parrots the propaganda of Russian President Vladimir Putin while pledging to stop the fighting between the two countries.
European troops, US support are part of an emerging plan for Ukraine. But it faces many hurdles
As the U.S. and Russia push ahead – so far without Ukraine at the table – on talks to end the war, political and military leaders in Europe are fleshing out details of a plan for European forces to help ensure Moscow does not attack again. After months of quiet discussions, the proposal has become increasingly public. It will likely be on the agenda when British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron, two major backers of the idea, visit Washington on separate days next week for talks with President Donald Trump.
When the pope is sick, Italians always gossip about who comes next — even before ‘Conclave’
The pope looms so large in everyday Italian life that there are lots of expressions that make light of even a dark event like his death. “A pope dies, they make another,” goes one, suggesting how life goes on. “Every death of a pope …” starts another, indicating a rare occurrence. But the one most frequently heard when a pope is actually sick is perhaps the darkest: “The pope is fine until he’s dead.”
US aid freeze puts HIV-positive orphans in Kenya at risk as medical supplies dwindle
Two-year-old Evans was brought to the Nyumbani Children’s Home in Nairobi, Kenya a year ago, suffering from HIV and tuberculosis. With no family to care for him, Evans was referred to the orphanage by a health center after he stopped responding to medical treatment. Nyumbani Children’s Home is the reason Evans is still alive. But political decisions made thousands of miles (kilometers) away might spell the end of his short life. Nyumbani provides him and around 100 other children with antiretroviral medication, which they have been receiving from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Kenyan government.
UK accuses Russia of planning to interfere in upcoming Central African Republic elections
The United Kingdom accused Russia on Thursday of planning to interfere in upcoming elections in the Central African Republic and the U.S. alleged that Moscow was seeking to steal the gold and diamond-rich country’s resources. Russia’s deputy United Nations ambassador Anna Evstigneeva responded by telling the U.N. Security Council, “It is surprising that our U.S. and U.K. colleagues continue whipping the dead horse of their campaign to smear the Russian Federation.”
Bodies released by Hamas include some of the oldest and youngest hostages
The bodies of some of the oldest and youngest hostages taken to Gaza at the start of the Israel-Hamas war were released Thursday, bringing the total closer to the 33 supposed to be freed under the ceasefire that started last month. The plight of Ariel and Kfir Bibas, who were 4 years old and 9 months old, captivated Israelis since they were taken during Hamas’ deadly attack on Oct. 7, 2023. Israel confirmed the identities of the boys’ remains and those of Oded Lifshitz, who was 83 when he was abducted, but said another body presumed to be that of the boys’ mother did not match her or any other hostage.
Trump administration ends extension of Haiti's temporary protected status
The Trump administration on Thursday canceled an extension of Temporary Protected Status for Haitians, the latest move by the president targeting the form of immigration relief for people coming from countries facing political upheaval and natural disasters. In June, amid the island's violent domestic turmoil, the Biden administration announced the temporary immigration protection was extended for Haitians until February 2026.