Dust storms in central Arizona on Monday led to flight disruptions at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. The Federal Aviation Administration imposed a temporary flight stoppage due to the weather, affecting thousands of passengers. The storms, including walls of dust known as haboobs, caused power outages for over 40,000 people. (Story URL)
A series of hoax calls reporting active shooters on college campuses across the U.S. have sparked fear among students as the academic year begins. The false reports, some with simulated gunshots, have led to widespread evacuations and lockdowns. Law enforcement agencies have responded to calls at multiple universities, including Iowa State, Kansas State, and the University Of New Hampshire. (Story URL)
The Powerball jackpot for Wednesday night has surged to an estimated $815 million, marking it as the seventh-largest prize ever in the game’s history. The cash value is $368 million. This increase came after no one claimed the $750 million jackpot from Monday’s draw. The $815 million jackpot is only surpassed by six others, with the most valuable being the $2.04 billion draw on Nov. 7, 2022. (Story URL)
The Trump administration is reviving the practice of conducting “neighborhood checks” to vet immigrants seeking U.S. citizenship. These checks involve on-the-ground investigations by officials at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, including interviews with neighbors and coworkers of applicants. The investigations aim to assess applicants’ eligibility for American citizenship. (Story URL)
President Trump expressed his desire for federal prosecutors to seek the death penalty in Washington, D.C. cases, even though the city has banned capital punishment since 1981. Washington has not carried out an execution since 1957, and the Supreme Court nullified the district’s death penalty in 1972. Residents also voted against reinstating it in a 1992 ballot referendum. (Story URL)