Igor Mykhaylovych Lytvynchuk, 38, has been charged with harassing and attempting to harass an endangered Hawaiian monk seal by throwing a large rock at the seal’s head. (U.S. Attorneys Office/District of Hawaii)
(MAUI, Hawaii) — A tourist on vacation in Maui has been arrested and charged for allegedly throwing a large rock at an endangered Hawaiian monk seal, prosecutors announced Wednesday.
Igor Mykhaylovych Lytvynchuk, 38, has been charged with harassing and attempting to harass an endangered Hawaiian monk seal by throwing a large rock at the seal’s head, in violation of the Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii.
Lytvynchuk was filmed walking along the shoreline in the Lahaina area of Maui on May 5, tracking the movements of a Hawaiian monk seal, known as Lani, as she pushed a floating log close to the shoreline, according to prosecutors.
Lytvynchuk then picked up a large rock and threw it directly at Lani’s head, prosecutors said. The rock narrowly missed Lani’s nose, causing her to rear up out of the water, according to prosecutors.
Witnesses told investigators the rock was “the size of a coconut,” according to court documents.
Another witness told investigators the seal “clearly seemed hurt,” but Lytvynchuk did not check on the welfare of the animal before walking away, according to court documents.
Witnesses confronted Lytvynchuk, informing him they had contacted law enforcement. Lytvynchuk allegedly responded that he was “rich enough to pay the fines,” before walking away, prosecutors said.
Witnesses reported that Lani remained “largely immobile for an extended period of time after the incident,” causing concern over her welfare, according to prosecutors.
“The unique and precious wildlife of the Hawaiian Islands are renowned symbols of Hawaii’s special place in the world and its incredible biodiversity. We are committed to protecting our vulnerable wild species, in particular endangered Hawaiian monk seals, like Lani,” U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson said in a statement.
If sentenced, Lytvynchuk could face up to one year in prison for each charge and supervised release, prosecutors said.
Lytvynchuk was arrested on Wednesday and is currently in custody. He is scheduled to appear for an initial hearing on Thursday.
Court records do not list an attorney for Lytvynchuk.
Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks during an event on advancing health care affordability in the Oval Office of the White House, April 23, 2026 in Washington. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — One of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s top public affairs spokespeople resigned from his post over the FDA’s fruit-flavored e-cigarettes authorization and its potential impact on minors, according to a resignation letter to President Donald Trump reviewed by ABC News.
In the letter, Richard Danker, the former assistant secretary for public affairs at the Department of Health and Human Services, accuses senior agency officials in Kennedy’s immediate office of approving e-cigarette flavors that would allegedly expose children to “nicotine addiction, lung damage, and a higher risk of cancer.”
Danker also said the vape authorization “undermines” the department’s recent guidance document related to youth risks of flavored nicotine, according to the letter.
He thanked Trump for the “honor of a lifetime” to serve in both presidential administrations. Danker’s work portfolio includes economic regulatory roles, including a senior advisor position at the Department of Treasury during the first Trump administration. Danker hadn’t worked in healthcare prior to his time at HHS.
The Trump administration’s Make America Healthy Again movement has touted its focus on combatting chronic disease and improving children’s health. In a statement to ABC News, an HHS spokesperson said Kennedy is advancing the MAHA agenda to confront the chronic disease epidemic head-on.
“Political appointees are here to execute that mission with urgency, discipline, and focus,” according to the spokesperson.
“Individuals who lose sight of the mission and the responsibility they were entrusted with are free to move on from the agency. HHS remains fully committed to delivering results for the American people,” the spokesperson said.
Danker provided ABC News with a copy of the resignation letter, but did not provide further comment.
The White House did not immediately respond to ABC News’ requests for comment.
The news comes as former Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary left office after clashing with the White House over pressure from Trump to authorize the flavored vapes, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.
The issue has raised concerns with Makary, pediatrician groups and advocacy organizations about the potential impact on minors, ABC News reported.
The FDA approved four new devices made by Glas, including classic menthol, fresh menthol, gold, and sapphire pods. “Gold” is mango-flavored and “sapphire” is blueberry-flavored.
While the FDA said on its website last week that it continues to prioritize the removal of illicit vapes — including those that target minors — the approval of a flavored vape represents a significant shift for the agency.
Makary told ABC News’ Linsey Davis in July, “There is not an approved vaping product in the United States that has one of these cutie-fruity flavors.”
A view of the dome of the Pennsylvania State Capitol. (Paul Weaver/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
(LEBANON, Pa.) — A Pennsylvania man who allegedly had a “hit list” and threatened to shoot Democratic state legislators in online posts has been charged with making terroristic threats, court records show.
Adam Berryhill, 42, of Lebanon, allegedly made “politically violent posts” on his X account that included a “hit list,” according to Pennsylvania State Police.
“The posts also included a picture of a firearm and made mention of a ‘Memorial Day Operation,'” state police said in an incident report.
Between April 7 and April 22, Berryhill allegedly posted “hit lists” and claimed to “‘start shooting’ multiple elected officials” in posts on X, according to the criminal complaint.
The 20 victims in the case identified by police in the report are all Democratic members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, including House Speaker Joanna McClinton.
The investigation began on April 28, when a state trooper tasked with conducting regular safety and security checks on McClinton “was alerted to several concerning social media posts” involving her and other state legislators made by an X account named “Pennsylvania Militia,” according to the complaint.
One post on April 7 stated, “I’ll approach every legal avenue and when they all fail I start shootings,” and then listed the names of 18 elected officials, according to the complaint.
Five days later, the account posted, “Can’t wait for the Memorial Day operation,” according to the complaint.
“Oh you like posting hit lists? Here’s mine b——,” the account posted on April 22, listing four officials referred to as “gun grabbing communists,” according to the complaint.
“Conservatives need to stop b——- and whining on this platform. The solution I have is war,” the account posted on April 24, according to the complaint. “Learn the law and know when it’s your God given right to kill your authorities.”
That post also referenced Cody Balmer, who committed an arson attack at Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s main residence in Harrisburg last year, according to the complaint.
An earlier post, on March 23, included what is believed to be an original photograph of a gun, “showing [Berryhill’s] possible access to a firearm as a means to carry out the threats,” the complaint stated.
Investigators linked the X account to Berryhill through email records and IP address data, according to the complaint. He was arrested on May 6 and charged with terroristic threats, authorities said.
“The statements made by Berryhill were not isolated or vague, but specific, targeted, and directed toward identifiable public officials, including Joanna McClinton and numerous members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly,” the complaint stated. “These communications included references to ‘hit lists,’ explicit threats of future shootings, and mention of a planned ‘Memorial Day operation,’ indicating premeditation and a potential timeline.”
Berryhill is being held on $250,000 bail. He waived his preliminary hearing, scheduled for Thursday, and his arraignment has been scheduled for June 11.
The Lebanon County Public Defender’s Office said his attorney is not making any statements at this time.
Gov. Shapiro said he has spoken with McClinton and Senate Leader Jay Costa about the threats against members of the state legislature.
“I told them that while these threats of political violence seek to intimidate and silence, my Administration will continue to do everything in our power to keep them safe and ensure their members can continue to make their voices heard as the people’s elected representatives,” Shapiro said in a statement Wednesday.
The leaders of the state legislature condemned the threats.
“These threats are extremely disturbing, not just to the members identified, but to all public figures who are contending with an increasingly hostile environment,” the leaders — McClinton, Costa, Majority Leader Matt Bradford and Republican Leader Jesse Topper — said in a joint statement on Wednesday.
“We condemn any threat against any of our colleagues who are faithfully serving their communities and pledge to support mental health care, intervention, and law enforcement funding that make our state safer,” the statement said.
The governor said that Pennsylvania State Police have implemented a new process to notify state legislators “immediately and directly of any and all threats of violence against them.”
Michael Banks, chief of the US Border Patrol, speaks during a news conference in Nogales, Arizona, US, on Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. (Ash Ponders/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — Michael Banks, the head of U.S. Border Patrol, is stepping down, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott confirmed on Thursday.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
The U.S. Capitol Building dome, on May 12, 2026, in Washington, DC. (Graeme Sloan/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — Senators adopted a resolution by unanimous consent on Thursday to withhold their own pay during government shutdowns.
The legislation, which won’t take effect until after the November 2026 election, instructs the secretary of the Senate to place senators’ paychecks on hold during the duration of any future federal government shutdowns.
Those payments would be released to lawmakers only after the government reopens.
The Senate resolution does not need to be passed by the House or signed by President Donald Trump. While multiple similar House bills have been introduced, it’s unclear if legislation in the lower chamber will pass.
The measure in the Senate was introduced by Republican John Kennedy and advanced in a unanimous 99-0 vote on Wednesday.
“Take your brain with you, because this is about shared sacrifice. This is about putting our money where our mouth is,” Sen. Kennedy said on the Senate floor ahead of Wednesday’s vote.
Kennedy’s resolution comes after federal workers faced a historic 43-day government shutdown late last year caused by a deadlock between parties over Affordable Care Act subsidies.
During that time, approximately 670,000 federal workers were furloughed, 60,000 workers outside the federal government lost their jobs and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients lost out on benefits all while members of Congress continued to get paid — highlighting the disparity of financial pain endured by members of Congress and the people they serve.
Calls for withholding pay from members of Congress continued to grow this year during the record 75-day partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security. Transportation Security Administration agents, Coast Guard members and other department employees went without pay as a stalemate played out on Capitol Hill over immigration enforcement funding and oversight reforms.
A Beechcraft C90 King Air (Marko Hannula/Getty Images)
(RUIDOSO, N.M.) — All four people on board a small medical plane were killed when the flight crashed near Ruidoso, New Mexico, early Thursday, according to a local official.
The Beechcraft King Air 90 had departed from Roswell Air Center and was headed to Sierra Blanca Regional Airport when it crashed around 4 a.m. local time, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
“All four individuals have been confirmed deceased at the scene,” Jason Burns, the manager of Lincoln County, where the Sierra Blanca Regional Airport is located, said at a news conference.
The crash was in a remote, wooded area, according to FlightRadar24. Fire officials, law enforcement and other agencies responded to a fire associated with the crash in the Capitan Mountain area, Burns said.
“Our hearts and prayers go out to the families, loved ones, friends and colleagues of those who lost their lives,” Burns said.
The National Transportation Safety Board and FAA will investigate, the FAA said.
Alex Murdaugh listens to testimony about cellphones during his trial for murder at the Colleton County Courthouse on Feb. 10, 2023, in Walterboro, South Carolina. (Joshua Boucher/The State/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — The lead prosecutor in the Alex Murdaugh trial, Creighton Waters, said that he is “disappointed in the court’s decision” to vacate two murder convictions for Murdaugh, and that he hasn’t ruled out an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Speaking to George Stephanopoulos on “Good Morning America” Thursday morning, Waters said “we disagree” with the decision, but that “we respect the court and respect the process and we’ll continue on as we always do.”
The South Carolina Supreme Court on Wednesday overturned Murdaugh’s 2023 murder convictions in the deaths of his wife and younger son. The court said the court clerk had “improper external influence” on the jury, denying him a fair trial.
Murdaugh’s wife, Margaret “Maggie” Murdaugh, 52, and son, Paul Murdaugh, 22, were found dead from multiple gunshot wounds near the dog kennels at the family’s hunting estate in 2021.
Murdaugh was convicted of murdering them following a six-week trial, with jurors deliberating for nearly three hours before reaching a guilty verdict.
Waters said that an appeal to the Supreme Court is “still on the table,” and that he and his team have 90 days to decide to do that, though he added that “probably our best best is just going to be to tee this thing up again.”
“There is some question among the law as to how do you apply these alleged jury tampering issues,” Waters said. “I think as we look at what’s best long term for this case and what’s best for justice, it’s to retry this case and do so as soon as we can.”
Following Wednesday’s decision, South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson said his office will “aggressively” seek to retry Murdaugh for the murders “as soon as possible” — possibly by the end of this year.
Murdaugh was also convicted on several financial crimes following the murder trial and is serving a 27-year sentence on state charges and a 40-year sentence on federal charges related to those crimes.
“Let me be clear — this decision does not mean Murdaugh will be released,” Wilson said in a statement. “He will remain in prison for his financial crimes. No one is above the law and, as always, we will continue to fight for justice.”
Murdaugh’s lawyers said they “look forward to a new trial conducted consistent with the Constitution.”
Murdaugh has continued to maintain his innocence about the deaths of his wife and son. His defense alleged that jury tampering and evidentiary errors — including the inclusion of his financial crimes — denied him a fair trial.
Murdaugh’s attorneys allege that Colleton County Clerk of Court Mary Rebecca “Becky” Hill tampered with the jury by “advising it not to believe Murdaugh’s testimony and other defense evidence, pressuring it to reach a quick guilty verdict, misrepresenting information to the trial court in an attempt to have the court remove a juror she believed to favor the defense.”
Hill denied these claims but would later resign from her position and pleaded guilty to two counts of misconduct while in office and one count each of obstruction of justice and perjury.
Waters, however, said he planned on being aggressive and was confident he could win in another trial.
“Assuming that we don’t decide to appeal any further, [we] are going to get this thing before a jury as soon as we can,” Waters said.
– ABC News’ Meredith Deliso contributed to this report.
Police did not name the suspect, but said the 31-year-old man surrendered to the Bellevue Police Department on Wednesday and has been booked into the King County Jail for investigation of murder.
The 19-year-old female victim was found stabbed to death in a laundry room in a housing building on campus Sunday night, police said.
UW President Robert J. Jones offered his condolences in a statement on Monday, saying, “There are no words that can express the profound loss of a student.”
Although police did not release a motive, Jones said, “I want to recognize that when violence affects a trans person it can be especially worrying to our LGBTQIA+ community members.”
“Our Division of Student Life is reaching out to students affected and providing support and resources to help them through this very difficult ordeal,” Jones said.
A Beechcraft C90 King Air (Marko Hannula/Getty Images)
(RUIDOSO, N.M.) — A small medical plane with four people on board crashed near Ruidoso, New Mexico, early Thursday, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The Beechcraft King Air 90 had departed from Roswell Air Center and was headed to Sierra Blanca Regional Airport when it crashed around 4 a.m. local time, the FAA said. The crash was in a remote, wooded area, according to FlightRadar24.
Jason Burns, the manager of Lincoln County, where the Sierra Blanca Regional Airport is located, said a fire was reported in the nearby Capitan Mountain area. Burns said emergency personnel, fire officials, law enforcement and other agencies were responding.
The National Transportation Safety Board and FAA will investigate, the FAA said.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
An aerial view of the New York Stock Exchange’s trading floor. Since the installation of the Hybrid Market system in 2007, there has been less traders on the floor due to an increase of electronically done trades and transactions. (xPACIFICA/Gety)
(NEW YORK) — The Dow Jones Industrial Average on Thursday crossed above 50,000, shrugging off a renewed bout of inflation and an apparent impasse in negotiations over the Iran war.
The rise in shares came as President Donald Trump visited Chinese President Xi Jinping in a high-stakes summit between the leaders of the world’s two largest economies.
The Dow climbed 370 points, or 0.7%, while the S&P 500 jumped 0.3% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq increased 0.1%. The Dow first topped 50,000 in February.
A group of corporate executives joined Trump on the trip, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Apple CEO Tim Cook.
After a dramatic welcoming ceremony, Trump sat down with Xi on the first day of a multi-day summit, during which Trump said he’d seek to deepen diplomatic and economic ties.
The trip came at a crucial time for Trump as the war with Iran drove up prices for Americans at home due in large part due to Iran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. China is Iran’s principal oil consumer.
Inflation rose for a second consecutive month as the war continued to send gasoline prices surging in April, government data this week showed.
Annual inflation jumped to its highest level in three years, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Sunny investor attitudes stem from robust corporate earnings, as well as milder economic fallout from the war than some forecasters feared, some analysts previously told ABC News.
Trump, they added, has displayed a willingness to back off of actions if they threaten a severe market reaction, reassuring investors wary of a prolonged conflict.
Despite the disruption, some measures of economic health have proven resilient.
Hiring slowed in April but remained solid, exceeding economists’ expectations, government data last week showed. The unemployment rate held steady at 4.3% in April, a low level by historic standards.
Additionally, the economy grew at an annualized rate of 2% in the first quarter of 2026, marking an acceleration from 0.5% growth recorded in the previous quarter.
ABC News’ Kevin Shalvey and Jon Haworth contributed to this report.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
