Right-wing influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate have arrived in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, after departing Romania on a private jet. The dual US and UK nationals were previously banned from leaving Romania following charges including rape and human trafficking, which they deny. Their lawyer declined to disclose future travel plans. (CNN)
A Cleveland school bus carrying 15 students caught fire during its morning route, but the driver’s swift evacuation prevented any injuries. The fire broke out behind a rear wheel, and the driver, praised by the district, credited bus evacuation drills for the smooth and calm evacuation. Another vehicle took the children to school. (NBC News)
A man died in South Carolina after entering a booby-trapped residence, where he was shot. The victim, Jordan Dove, was found at a family member’s vacant house. Officials believe the residence was rigged with a shotgun trap targeted at law enforcement. Charges will be brought against the homeowner, Alfonzo Brown. (ABC News)
Schools and colleges in the U.S. are facing a Friday deadline to end diversity programs under a memo issued by the Trump administration. However, many institutions are not rushing to make changes, seeing the legality as unclear. Some state officials and education leaders have advised against immediate action. (AP)
During the last school year, over 10,000 instances of book bans were reported, affecting 4,218 titles in U.S. schools. More than half of the banned books featured people of color or LGBTQ characters. Experts call the bans a harmful assault on marginalized populations, particularly as another new study found nearly 10% of Americans identify as LGBT. (NBC News)
