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Iconic actor Patrick Stewart dies at age 86

1 week 4 days ago


Iconic movie star Patrick Stewart has died at the age of 86, according to a spokesperson.

Stewart is beloved for his portrayals of Jean-Luc Picard in the "Star Trek" franchise as well as Charles Xavier in the "X-Men" series of movies.

'Playing Jean-Luc for all those years had a real impact on me.'

"He has been held in the warm embrace of family and friends, surrounded by live music, prayer, tears, laughter, and the kind of profound emotion that only he could inspire after a lifetime of devotion to us all," wrote Kelly Bush Novak, his spokesperson. "We will forever cherish the peaceful ease and reflection on his face, an enduring reminder of his invincible grace."

Stewart was well known as a classical actor in his home country of Britain, but he skyrocketed to fame around the globe after being cast in 1987 as the lead in "Star Trek: The Next Generation," which became a lasting hit.

After the award-winning series ended in 1994, Stewart feared being typecast in sci-fi roles but decided to take up the mantle of Professor X in the adaptation of the famed "X-Men" comic books.

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The opportunity led to iconic scenes between Stewart and his longtime friend Ian McKellen, who portrayed the comic-book villain Magneto.

Stewart compared the two characters in an interview in 2017.

"Both of them … I immensely admired for their morality, for their kindness, for their sensitivity, for their compassion," Stewart said. "Even for their intellectual capacities. Playing Jean-Luc for all those years had a real impact on me."

Queen Elizabeth II knighted Stewart in 2010.

He passed away at his home in Los Angeles on Wednesday after a brief battle with Alzheimer’s Disease and Lewy body dementia.

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Carlos Garcia

'This stops now': Feds bust massive 'ghost students' scam in Kenyan community

1 week 4 days ago


"Operation Ghostbusters" is nabbing scammers stealing tens of millions of taxpayer cash — and sending it back to Kenya.

Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald explained the details of "Operation Ghostbusters" in a media briefing Thursday to reporters.

'If you steal American identities, if you steal taxpayer dollars, if you exploit programs meant to help students build their future, we are resolved to find you and prosecute you.'

The operation targeted scammers in the Kenyan community who allegedly stole Americans' identities in order to create "ghost" students and then fraudulently file for financial aid from the federal government.

To express the scale of the fraud involved, McDonald said that one-third of the applications to community colleges were tagged as possible fraud in the state of California.

"These are not isolated errors. This is organized fraud at scale," said McDonald.

Heith Janke, assistant director of the FBI's Criminal Division, said they have identified $32 million in losses but the total could top many tens of millions of dollars.

"This stops now," said Janke. "The FBI, working hand-in-hand with our partners at the Department of Education and Department of Justice, will follow all evidence, track every dollar, and pursue each criminal who seeks to exploit our nation’s systems."

There are over 40 open cases related to the investigation that includes 26 FBI field offices and more than 20 U.S. attorney’s offices.

The operation has led to indictments against five people in New Jersey, Nebraska, and other states. The feds also seized more than $750,000 worth of cryptocurrency with ties to networks in Kenya.

The scammers are using artificial intelligence in order to apply for the financial aid as well as complete school coursework to keep the aid flowing. Some scammers are even creating the "appearance" of fake students in online classrooms so that schools believe a real person is present.

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The investigation linked more than 830,000 student financial aid accounts that were potentially a part of the fraud scam.

McDonald said the charges were "just the beginning" and others are expected.

"If you steal American identities, if you steal taxpayer dollars, if you exploit programs meant to help students build their future, we are resolved to find you and prosecute you," he added.

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Carlos Garcia

'Star Trek,' 'X-Men' Actor Patrick Stewart Dies at 86

1 week 4 days ago
Patrick Stewart, who rose from poverty in England to become an accomplished Shakespearean stage actor and then achieved global stardom as the erudite Capt. Jean-Luc Picard in TV's "Star Trek: The Next Generation" has died at the age of 86.

Labor Dept: Drug Middlemen Must Reveal Fees to Employers

1 week 4 days ago
The Labor Department on Thursday finalized a rule requiring pharmacy benefit managers to disclose their compensation associated with employer health plans, including rebates from drugmakers and prescription-pricing spreads they retain.