A Washington state man was arrested Monday on a first-degree arson charge in connection with the Old Trails Fire, one of several wildfires that have destroyed hundreds of structures and forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate the Spokane area, authorities said. Aaron F. Farinacci, 37, was taken into custody after Spokane County Sheriff’s Office detectives and Washington Department of Natural Resources investigators developed probable cause to arrest him, according to the sheriff’s office. Citizen tips and information from Airway Heights police officers and Spokane County sheriff’s deputies who responded to the initial call and conducted evacuations helped lead investigators to Farinacci, the sheriff’s office said. Authorities described Farinacci as a convicted felon from Arizona but said they had found no documented criminal history involving fires. Investigators have not connected Farinacci to the two other major blazes burning in the area, the Autumn Lane and Fairview fires...

A Pennsylvania school bus aide was arrested after he allegedly inappropriately touched a 14-year-old girl with special needs and appeared to take photographs and videos of her with his cellphone, according to police. Ali Khan, 62, was charged with endangering the welfare of a child, corruption of minors, indecent assault and related offenses, the Bensalem Township Police Department said. Khan was being held at the Bucks County Correctional Facility after failing to post 10% of his $500,000 bail. The girl’s parents contacted police on Thursday, July 30, to report that their daughter had allegedly been inappropriately touched by a bus aide earlier that day, according to investigators. HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELOR PLEADS GUILTY TO MULTIPLE SEX CRIMES INVOLVING TEEN SHE WAS MEANT TO HELP Police said their investigation determined that Khan allegedly touched the Bensalem High School student multiple times on Wednesday, July 29, and Thursday, July 30, while she was riding a bus to the school’s ex...

This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, contact the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Lindsay Clancy’s attorney sought to blunt prosecutors’ portrayal of the Massachusetts mother as organized and calculating, pressing a hospital psychiatrist to acknowledge that a person can communicate, make plans and carry them out while experiencing psychosis . "People can communicate and plan and act on plans even if they’re in the middle of a psychosis, right?" defense attorney Kevin Reddington asked Dr. Sejal Shah Monday. HEATED LINDSAY CLANCY COURTROOM EXCHANGE OVER 911 CALL, CRIME SCENE PHOTOS SETS STAGE FOR MOM’S MURDER TRIAL "Yes," Shah replied. Reddington then asked whether someone must be "drooling and stumbling and unable to walk and talk" to be psychotic. Shah said no and agreed that a person in psychosis can still communicate with others. Clancy is charged in the deaths of Cora, 5, Da...

Five months into the Iran war, America is winning almost every battle. The harder question is whether we are winning the war. No one should minimize what the U.S. military has accomplished. American air and naval power have inflicted extraordinary damage on Iran's military infrastructure. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has lost command centers, missile launchers, drone facilities, air defenses, coastal installations, logistics hubs, and key personnel . Our servicemen and women have once again demonstrated unmatched professionalism, precision, and courage. Those are genuine tactical successes. I'VE STUDIED MILITARY STRATEGY. TRUMP NOW FACES IRAN'S OLDEST BATTLEFIELD TRICK But military history teaches a hard lesson: tactical success does not necessarily produce strategic success. That distinction matters because the strategic center of gravity in this conflict is shifting. In the opening weeks, the focus was rightly on degrading Iran's military and nuclear capabil...

A new California law is expanding the state’s use of DNA technology in missing persons investigations, giving authorities another tool to identify unknown people and revisit unresolved cases. Gov. Gavin Newsom , a Democrat, signed the measure into law last month, loosening restrictions on California’s Missing Persons DNA Program. The program had previously been limited to identifying deceased individuals. Under the expanded law, its database may also be used to identify unknown people who are alive, allowing state forensic resources to assist in a wider range of investigations. MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING PARTNER ARRESTED IN MEXICO NEARLY TWO YEARS AFTER FLEEING WITH THEIR TWO CHILDREN The program supports coroners, medical examiners and law enforcement agencies seeking to identify missing or unknown individuals across California. "Any missing person case — adult, child, MMIP, or otherwise — is one too many. No family should know the prolonged uncertainty of waiting for answers, and t...

NASA opened its first major new wind tunnel in more than 40 years Friday, marking a milestone for future aviation and space-exploration research. The Flight Dynamics Research Facility, located at the agency’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, will serve as a testing ground for future aircraft and space missions. "The opening of the Flight Dynamics Research Facility represents a significant advancement for NASA and for the nation," said Dr. Trina Dyal, NASA Langley center director. "By bringing modernized testing capabilities under one roof, we are enabling transformative research that will ensure the United States remains at the forefront of aeronautics and exploration." NASA AT 68: AMERICA MUST LEAD ON THE MOON, MARS AND BEYOND — OR CHINA WILL Built through a partnership with the US General Services Administration, the more advanced and efficient tunnel replaces two facilities that had operated for more than 80 years. NASA CHIEF CONFIRMS AGENCY HAS UNE...

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche moved closer to Senate confirmation Sunday after formally rescinding a controversial $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization fund" and narrowing tax protections included in President Donald Trump’s IRS settlement. A spokeswoman for Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, confirmed an agreement had been reached after Cornyn and Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., held up Blanche’s nomination. The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote on the nomination Tuesday. "My team and I have met with committee members and Senators over the past several weeks and addressed any concerns or outstanding questions," Blanche said in a statement on Sunday. "We have enjoyed good faith discussions, and as a result issue the following order and update with regard to the May IRS settlement. The Department always welcomes and appreciates productive engagement with all members of Congress," he added. Blanche’s order formally rescinded the May 18 directive establish...