Hawaiʻi Island police released this undated photo of Jacob Daniel Baker, 36. (Hawaiʻi Island Police)
(HAWAII) — Police in Hawaii said they’re searching for a 36-year-old man wanted in connection with three homicides within days.
“Over the past 48 hours, our island has experienced three separate homicides in the Puna district, all of which we believe are connected and involve a single suspect,” Hawai’i Island Police Chief Reed Mahuna said at a news conference. Hawai’i Island is also known as the Big Island.
“We have mobilized significant resources and personnel to address this situation swiftly and thoroughly,” the chief said. “Bringing this suspect into custody without anyone further being harmed is the No. 1 priority.”
The suspect is identified as Jacob “Jake” Daniel Baker, of Pāhoa, Hawaii, police said. A gun wasn’t used in any of the homicides, but Baker “should be considered armed and extremely dangerous,” Mahuna said.
The first death was discovered Monday evening, when an officer responded to a home and found a 69-year-old man partially submerged inside a cement pond, police said.
On Tuesday afternoon, officers responded to a home just 400 to 500 feet away from the first victim and found a 79-year-old man dead from apparent blunt force trauma, police said.
On Tuesday night, the third victim — a 69-year-old man — was found dead about 19 miles away from the first two locations, police said.
No motive is known, police said. There’s no known connection between the victims besides the first two living near each other, police added.
“These are a tragic series of events and our thoughts are with those who are grieving,” the chief said.
Police urge anyone who sees Baker to not approach him and to immediately call 911.
Parents and guardians stand at Utumishi Girls Academy following the deadly fire in Nakuru, north of the Kenyan capital Nairobi on May 28, 2026. (Simon Maina/AFP via Getty Images)
(LONDON) — At least 16 students died in an overnight fire at a boarding school for girls in central Kenya, a government minister said Thursday.
Education Minister Julius Ogamba said in a statement posted to X that a “regrettable fire tragedy befell Utumishi Girls Academy in Nakuru County. Most unfortunately, 16 learners lost their lives while several others suffered injuries in the incident.”
The Kenya Police Service said in a statement posted to Facebook that “several other students were injured and are receiving treatment.”
The blaze broke out in a dormitory at the Utumishi Girls Senior School in the town of Gilgil in Kenya’s Nakuru County, police said, around 74 miles from the capital Nairobi.
Search and rescue operations are ongoing, police said. “We are working to account for all students and support affected families during this difficult time,” the service said in its statement.
The fire was reported early Thursday at around 3:30 a.m. local time, according to the Kenya Red Cross, which said its team were supporting the ongoing multi-agency response. “Several students have been evacuated and are receiving treatment in various hospitals,” Kenya Red Cross said.
Ogamba expressed “our heartfelt condolences to the families, friends and relatives of the learners who lost their lives in this sorrowful incident. We wish a quick recovery to those who were injured. We pray that God grants everyone strength and fortitude during this difficult and painful period.”
“Investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing and updates will be provided in due course,” the minister added.
ABC News’ Charlotte Gardiner contributed to this report.
Texas State Rep. James Talarico, who won the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate in the Texas primary election, speaks to ABC News. (ABC News)
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) — Texas state Rep. James Talarico, the Democratic nominee in the pivotal U.S. Senate race in Texas, appeared on Wednesday to walk back some of his past comments on religion that have become a major line of attack in the race against Republican state Attorney General Ken Paxton.
When asked about his comments in 2021 during floor debate in the legislature that “God is non-binary” in an interview on ABC News Live, Talarico replied that “Ken Paxton is clipping my past cringey comments to distract from his career of corruption,” as part of a “playbook” of “distraction and division.”
When pressed on his comments, Talarico replied that they were “meant to be deliberately provocative” and that he believes “you can’t use human categories to define God.” He said that Republicans are seizing on the comments “to try and distract from the corrupt system that Ken Paxton embodies.”
ABC News reached out to Paxton’s campaign for response to Talarico’s comments.
Talarico’s comments along with other statements on transgender rights and immigration were highlighted in Paxton’s first general election ad, which ends with the tagline “Radical Talarico: too low-T for Texas.” “Low-T” is a reference to levels of testosterone that is used to insult men for a lack of masculinity.
Republicans have used transgender rights as a major line of attack, including in the 2024 presidential race. The DNC’s after-action report on the election identified the Trump campaign’s attack ads labeling his opponent, then-Vice President Kamala Harris, as “for they/them” as one of the most effective ads of the cycle.
Democrats think Talarico’s potential to reach beyond the Democratic base and appeal to independents and Republicans disaffected by Paxton’s candidacy could be enough to win the seat and possibly control of the Senate next year.
Paxton faced ethical and personal questions during the primary. He was acquitted in an Republican-driven impeachment trial in 2023. Paxton’s wife filed for divorce last year, citing “biblical grounds.”
Republican leadership, which had encouraged President Donald Trump to back Paxton’s opponent in the primary, Sen. John Cornyn, as more electable in the general election, have begun to coalesce around Paxton as the Republican nominee.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said in a radio appearance Wednesday that Republicans were going “all-in” on Paxton and attacked Talarico as a “far left liberal.”
The Senate Majority PAC, which backed Cornyn in his primary race, has taken down past press releases and ads attacking Paxton and has issued a statement opposing Talarico without mentioning Paxton by name.
Talarico has made explicit overtures to Trump voters and Cornyn voters, who are necessary to win any statewide election in Texas, saying, “There is a lot of disillusionment among the president’s supporters here in Texas, and I’m extending an open hand to those Trump voters. So that they know they have a place in our campaign.”
While Cornyn has not explicitly endorsed Paxton in the election, he has said that he will “support the Republican ticket.”
U.S. President Donald Trump gestures after delivering remarks during a campaign and economic policy event in the Eugene Levy Fieldhouse at SUNY Rockland Community College on May 22, 2026, in Suffern, New York. (Photo by Roberto Schmidt/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump said during a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday that he isn’t concerned about making a deal soon with Iran, adding that he doesn’t “care about the midterms” in what he said he thinks is the regime’s calculation that he has to negotiate a deal before what are expected to be highly-competitive elections in November.
“They thought they were going to out-wait me, you know. ‘We’ll out-wait him. He’s got the midterms.’ I don’t care about the midterms. Look what happened last night, that was a prelude to the midterms. People understand it,” Trump said, likely referencing his endorsed candidate, Ken Paxton, winning the Senate Republican runoff in Texas.
With tensions escalating with Iran and gas prices still up across the country, Trump said he feels no urgency to end the war.
“Mr. President, you’ve said that you’re in no rush to make a deal, but with gas prices that are still high across the country, people are paying more for travel. Does that give you more urgency to make a deal? Why doesn’t it?” ABC News Senior Political Correspondent Rachel Scott asked Trump during the Cabinet meeting.
“Well, I’ll tell you, the primary urgency, I’ve said this, it wasn’t covered properly, but the primary urgency is that we can’t let Iran have a nuclear weapon,” Trump responded.
The president also appeared to issue a new threat against Oman, a key American ally in the Middle East.
Trump said he would not accept a short-term deal that allows Iran and Oman to control the Strait of Hormuz — as reported in Iranian state media, and that the critical shipping lane will be “open to everybody.”
“Oman will behave just like everybody else or we’ll have to blow them up. They understand that,” Trump said.
Trump on Wednesday was asked whether he would consider easing any sanctions on Iran. He said no.
“No, we’re not talking about any easing of sanctions or giving money. No sanctions, no money, no nothing,” Trump said. “We have control of money that they claim is theirs. We’ll keep control of that money. And when they behave properly and when they do what’s right, we’ll let them have their money. But right now, we’re not doing that … One thing is not contingent on the other.”
The comments come after a senior administration official told reporters over the weekend that Iran could be rewarded with a lifting of sanctions and unfreezing of assets in exchange for a deal on its nuclear program.
On the status of negotiations, Trump said on Wednesday he’s “not satisfied” and that Iran is “negotiating on fumes.”
“We’re not satisfied with it, but we will be. We will be. Either that or we’ll have to just finish the job,” Trump said.
(MINNEAPOLIS) — A 26-year-old man was shot multiple times while attending a prayer service in Minnesota, and the suspects are at large, authorities said.
The shooting unfolded just before 10 a.m. Wednesday at the Canterbury Park Expo Center in Shakopee, about 25 miles outside of Minneapolis, the Shakopee Police Department said.
The victim was taken to the Hennepin County Medical Center in unknown condition.
“We are actively working to identify the involved individuals,” police said in a statement. “Anyone with information should contact Shakopee Police Department at 952-445-1411.”
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Health workers wearing protective equipment are disinfected after leaving the isolation area at the General Referral Hospital during the Ebola outbreak response on May 21, 2026, in Mongbwalu, Democratic Republic of Congo. The World Health Organization has declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda a “public health emergency of international concern,” as the death toll and number of confirmed cases continue to rise. (Photo by Michel Lunanga/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — The White House confirmed Wednesday that the U.S. is setting up a health facility in Kenya to receive Americans who are exposed to the Ebola virus while in regions affected by the ongoing outbreak.
According to an administration official, the U.S. will establish what they called a “state-of-the-art facility” in Kenya “through a coordinated effort with the Departments of State, Health and Human Services, and War.”
The news was first reported by The New York Times.
The official said that the purpose and design of the facility would be to “provide access to high-quality care for Americans who would need to quickly get out” of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to quarantine, and argued that it would cut down on the “risks of a lengthy transport back to the U.S.”
“Time is of the essence for Ebola patients, and this facility will enable Americans in the region who contract Ebola to receive lifesaving care as quickly as possible without 12-plus hours of medevac flight time,” the official said.
The official added that the treatment capabilities at the Kenya facility are “expected to be able to care for the full-spectrum of Ebola Virus Disease, including critical care needs,” but added that patients would be evaluated on a case-by-case basis for possible “forward transport” for more advanced care as needed.
The White House did not immediately respond to an ABC News request for additional specifics regarding patients who would be quarantined and treated at the facility.
The president previously invoked his authority under Title 42, barring travel to the U.S. for non-citizens, with specific exceptions, who have visited the DRC, Uganda, or South Sudan within the last 21 days. The order was expanded last week to include U.S. green card holders.
American citizens who have visited those countries are being directed to specific U.S. airports for additional health screening, including Dulles International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston.
The news comes as New York-based International Rescue Committee (IRC) aid organization warned on Tuesday that the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the DRC and neighboring Uganda is now spreading faster than responders can contain it and risks becoming “the deadliest on record” without urgent international action.
“The outbreak is spreading faster than the response, with over 900 suspected cases and at least 223 deaths already reported across DRC and Uganda, including in major transport hubs like Goma and Kampala,” the IRC wrote.
An undated photo of Gilbert Bernal with his wife Maria and grandson Jameson provided by his daughter Geovana who said he died in the chemical tank rupture in Washington state on May 26, 2026. (Courtesy of Geovana Bernal)
Geovana Bernal told ABC News that her father, Gilbert Bernal, died in Tuesday morning’s incident at his workplace, Nippon Dynawave Packaging in Longview, Washington.
At least one person was killed, multiple people suffered critical injuries and nine employees remain missing, officials said. The ongoing recovery efforts are “extremely complex” due to the unstable tank, which contains white liquor, a chemical mixture used in the paper-making process, according to authorities.
Geovana Bernal said in a statement, “There are not enough words to express on how devastated we are right now.”
“My father was the most selfless man I knew. He worked hard to provide for his family and he loved us so much,” she said. “He was going to celebrate his 32nd wedding anniversary with mom in just a couple weeks and he loved my son, his first grandson, so much.”
She said Gilbert Bernal often helped out at his church, “volunteering his time to help repairs or help anyone in need.”
“He was a great man, husband, father, grandfather, son, brother and friend,” Geovana Bernal said. “We are so heartbroken.”
The coroner’s office has not released the identity of the confirmed fatality, but Geovana Bernal said her brother viewed images of her father and confirmed his death after speaking with the coroner’s office.
Former president Joe Biden speaks at an event marking the 12th anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in the East Room at the White House on June 18, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) — Former President Joe Biden filed suit against the Justice Department on Tuesday in an effort to block the release of recordings and transcripts from interviews he gave for his memoir that were central to a special counsel probe regarding his handling of classified materials after his time as vice president.
The lawsuit follows an intervention by Biden in a separate lawsuit brought by the conservative Heritage Foundation over a FOIA request that sought records from the investigation by former special counsel Robert Hur.
The audio recordings and transcripts stem from interviews Biden did with ghostwriter Mark Zwonitzer for his 2017 memoir “Promise Me, Dad: A Year of Hope, Hardship, and Purpose.”
The materials were obtained by the DOJ as part of the special counsel’s probe, which ended in February 2024, finding that Biden “willfully retained and disclosed” classified materials but recommending no criminal charges.
Biden’s lawsuit seeks to further bolster his demands that the materials not be shared with the conservative think tank or congressional Republicans, citing his right to privacy as well as allegations against DOJ that it is acting unlawfully in seeking an avenue to release the records.
“President Biden—like every American—has a right to privacy in personal conversations he had within his own home,” the lawsuit said. “That is particularly true here, where the Department obtained this information through a criminal investigation.”
Biden’s lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., said the DOJ has indicated it will release the audio recordings and transcripts to both the Heritage Foundation and the House Judiciary Committee on June 15 unless a court order blocks the release.
The lawsuit details a frenzied effort and communications between Biden’s counsel and DOJ in recent weeks to walk through potential redactions and other issues surrounding release of the audio and transcripts.
While the DOJ and career attorneys during the Biden administration had taken the position that release of the materials was a clear departure from department norms, Biden’s attorneys said the current DOJ reversed its position without any formal explanation beginning in February.
(NEW YORK) — New guidelines from the American Cancer Society are expanding colon cancer screening options beyond colonoscopies and established stool-based tests.
The recommendations still call for colorectal cancer screening in people at average risk starting at age 45 and continuing through age 75 for those with a life expectancy of 10 more years.
And colonoscopy is still considered the gold standard test.
But for the first time, the updated guidelines now include a blood-based screening test done in a doctor’s office. They also add new stool sample kits and a recently FDA-approved at-home test that looks for blood and different molecular markers in stool samples.
Experts note that offering more choices is critical to address gaps in screening for this highly preventable disease, which is most treatable when caught early.
“Individuals who decline or do not complete [testing] are probably a greater number than are actually appreciated,” Dr. William Dahut, chief scientific officer for the American Cancer Society, told ABC News. “And I think a lot of our data on colorectal screening probably overstates the number of people actually up to date on their screening guidelines.”
As the new guidelines point out, the most effective colorectal cancer screening test is the one people are willing to get. More than 20 million eligible Americans remain unscreened, according to the ACS.
While stool-based tests are reasonable options for most people, the new guidelines stress that the blood tests should be considered a last resort for people unable or unwilling to get any other form of testing because they are less likely to catch issues compared to other types of screening.
People who choose colonoscopy should be tested every 10 years. Other screening tests should be done every one, three, or five years, depending on the specific method selected.
These new guidelines come as colon cancer rates rise in younger adults across the US. ASC statistics show that 1 in 5 new colorectal cancer cases now occur in people younger than 55, up from about 1 in 10 in the mid-1990s.
“This is a disease that historically, we saw in older individuals, so people 50 and over or maybe even 60 and over. And now we are starting to see an inching up of incidents in people who are less than age 50,” Dr. Fola May, associate professor of medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, told ABC News.
She said she hoped that having a range of choices would push more people to get tested.
The ACS likely wants to “make sure that patients understand that these tests can be done at home. So you don’t need to take a day off of work. You don’t need an escort, you don’t need to have an invasive procedure,” May said.
The ACS advised people to work with a trusted healthcare provider to decide which test is best for them.
Dahut stressed that the recommendations apply only to people of average risk without symptoms and with no family or personal history of colorectal cancer. Consumers should check with their insurance provider to see which options their plan covers.
It’s important to be aware of the symptoms and take them seriously, he added.
“So if one has symptoms, blood in their stool, symptoms of obstruction, abdominal pain that’s persistent or change in stool patterns, then they need to have a workup for those symptoms and not have a blood-based test like this or a stool-based test,” he said.
Ari Goldstein, MD, MPH, is a board-certified family physician and preventive medicine resident at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
(LONGVIEW, Wash.) — A chemical tank ruptured at a facility in Washington state, resulting in multiple critical injuries and an unknown number of fatalities, authorities said.
The “hazardous materials incident” was reported Tuesday morning at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging, a pulp and paper mill in Longview, fire authorities said.
A tank containing white liquor ruptured at approximately 7:15 a.m., according to a joint statement from local authorities and Nippon Dynawave Packaging.
Authorities initially referred to the incident as a chemical explosion and then an implosion, before referring to it as a rupture.
“The incident is stable, but is in the recovery phase,” Longview Fire Battalion Chief Mike Gorsuch said during a press briefing Tuesday, calling it “tragic.”
“Recovery efforts remain underway at the facility,” he said.
The number of fatalities is undetermined at this time, Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue Chief Scott Goldstein said during the press briefing.
A number of personnel are missing, Goldstein said, declining to confirm how many.
Nine people at the facility suffered injuries, including chemical burns, and were transported by ambulance to area hospitals, authorities said. The injuries ranged from critical to minor, according to Goldstein.
One firefighter was also injured in the incident and has since been treated and released from a nearby hospital, according to Gorsuch.
Patients with traumatic injuries are being treated at nearby medical facilities, while patients experiencing burns and exposure are being sent to other hospitals around the area, including in Portland, which are considered burn centers, Rick Graves, the spokesperson for Portland Fire and Rescue in Oregon, told ABC News.
PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center in Longview told ABC News it received nine patients from the incident — including one deceased. Six are in fair condition, and two other patients have been transferred, it said.
Legacy Health confirmed to ABC News it is treating patients in the incident, including at the Legacy Oregon Burn Center in Portland, though did not go into further detail.
Information on those killed and injured in the incident is being held pending next-of-kin notifications, authorities said.
The 80,000-gallon tank was about 60% full at the time of the rupture, according to Goldstein. White liquor is a chemical mixture of sodium hydroxide, sodium sulfide and disodium carbonate used in the paper-making process, he said.
The cause of the rupture is unknown at this time, Goldstein said.
“We’re dealing with life safety concerns and incident stabilization at this point,” he said. “That will come in the hours and days to come.”
There is no immediate threat to the public, authorities said.
“The scene remains in the recovery phase as emergency responders continue operations,” the joint statement said. “Responding agencies continue coordinating closely with facility personnel and partner agencies as the investigation and recovery efforts continue.”
Residents were urged to avoid the area amid the active emergency response.
The Nippon facility is located on the Washington-Oregon border near the Columbia River. The kraft pulp and paper mill and liquid packaging plant employs nearly 1,000 people, according to the Washington Department of Ecology.
ABC News’ Trevor Ault and Alyssa Pone contributed to this report.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
