U.S. - Houston Stringer

‘The New Edition Way Tour’ to conclude at Toyota Center in Houston

24Oct

By Houston StringerNo Comments

U.S.

‘The New Edition Way Tour’ to conclude at Toyota Center in Houston

HOUSTON, TX, October 24, 2025 – The Black Promoters Collective announced The New Edition Way Tour, a nationwide concert event featuring New Edition, Boyz II Men, and Toni Braxton, set to end its 30-city run at the Toyota Center in Houston on April 4, 2026. NEW EDITION, BOYZ II MEN & TONI BRAXTON JOIN FORCES FOR “THE NEW EDITION WAY TOUR” (Photo Courtesy of BPC) The tour begins January 29, 2026, at the Oakland Arena in California and will travel through major cities including Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, New York, and Boston before its grand finale in Houston. The production will offer fans a 360-degree concert experience celebrating music, legacy, and connection. Tickets go on sale to the public October 31 at 10 a.m. local time through Ticketmaster and participating venue b...

Guatemalan national extradited to U.S. in deadly 2021 tractor-trailer smuggling case that killed more than 50 migrants

24Oct

By Houston StringerNo Comments

Central America, Mexico, U.S.

Guatemalan national extradited to U.S. in deadly 2021 tractor-trailer smuggling case that killed more than 50 migrants

LAREDO, TX – A 41-year-old Guatemalan national has been extradited to the United States to face charges connected to a 2021 tractor-trailer crash that killed more than 50 people and injured over 100 others, many of them Guatemalan nationals and unaccompanied children. According to the Department of Justice, Daniel Zavala Ramos, also known as Dany ZR, was arrested in Boquerón, Guatemala, on Aug. 7, 2025, following a U.S. extradition request. He was surrendered to U.S. authorities on Oct. 21 and is scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Diana Song Quiroga in Laredo. Zavala Ramos is among six individuals charged in connection with the Dec. 9, 2021, crash, including Tomas Quino Canil, 37; Oswaldo Manuel Zavala Quino, 25; Josefa Quino Canil De Zavala, 43; Alberto Marcario Ch...

Pakistani national sentenced to 40 years after smuggling operation that led to deaths of two Navy SEALs

24Oct

By Houston StringerNo Comments

Middle East, U.S.

Pakistani national sentenced to 40 years after smuggling operation that led to deaths of two Navy SEALs

ALEXANDRIA, VA – A Pakistani national has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for his role in an Iranian weapons smuggling operation that resulted in the deaths of two U.S. Navy SEALs. On June 5, 2025, a federal jury convicted Muhammad Pahlawan of conspiring to provide material support to terrorists, aiding Iran’s weapons of mass destruction program, and transporting explosives to the Houthi rebel forces in Yemen. He was also convicted of threatening his crew during the mission. According to court records, on Jan. 11, 2024, U.S. Navy forces operating from the USS Lewis B. Puller, including Navy SEALs and Coast Guard personnel, intercepted Pahlawan’s unflagged dhow off the coast of Somalia. The boarding team discovered Iranian-made ballistic missile components, anti-ship ...

Justice Department announces agreement with University of Virginia over DEI and discrimination policies

24Oct

By Houston StringerNo Comments

U.S.

Justice Department announces agreement with University of Virginia over DEI and discrimination policies

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Justice announced an agreement with the University of Virginia (UVA) to address concerns over diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and ensure compliance with federal civil rights laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, sex, or national origin. Under the agreement, UVA must comply with the Department’s Guidance for Recipients of Federal Funding Regarding Unlawful Discrimination, confirming that it will not engage in racial discrimination in admissions, hiring, or other programs. The university will submit quarterly compliance data to the Department through 2028, with the university’s president required to personally certify adherence. The Department agreed to pause its investigations into UVA’s admissions and other civ...

Virginia man charged with unlawful retention of classified national defense information

24Oct

By Houston StringerNo Comments

U.S.

Virginia man charged with unlawful retention of classified national defense information

VIENNA, VA – Ashley Tellis, 64, a U.S. citizen residing in Vienna, was arrested on Oct. 11 for allegedly unlawfully retaining classified national defense information. Tellis appeared in federal court in the Eastern District of Virginia for a detention hearing. According to the Justice Department, Tellis, a senior advisor at the Department of State and a contractor for the Department of Defense, is accused of removing over 1,000 pages of classified documents from government facilities and storing them in his home. The materials reportedly included documents labeled SECRET and TOP SECRET, recovered from filing cabinets, a home office, and trash bags in his basement. Tellis held a Top Secret clearance with Sensitive Compartmented Information access and had been employed by the Depar...

Puerto Rico mother and daughter indicted on forced labor charges; third defendant charged with misprision of a felony

24Oct

By Houston StringerNo Comments

U.S.

Puerto Rico mother and daughter indicted on forced labor charges; third defendant charged with misprision of a felony

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - The Department of Justice announced a federal grand jury indictment charging Luz Maria Peña Lopez, 55, and her daughter, Tatiana Correa Peña, 36, both of Carolina, with forced labor and conspiracy to commit forced labor. Peña Lopez is also charged with document servitude, and her husband, Enrique Gutierrez Rivera, 54, a municipal police officer in Carolina, is charged with misprision of a felony. All three were arrested Tuesday morning. According to the indictment, Peña Lopez and Correa Peña allegedly used physical beatings, restraint, threats, isolation, denial of hygiene and medical care, and the provision of drugs or unprescribed medication to compel an intellectually disabled adult woman to panhandle, engage in fraudulent and criminal activities, and per...

Ohio man charged with assaulting federal officer during Cleveland standoff

24Oct

By Houston StringerNo Comments

U.S.

Ohio man charged with assaulting federal officer during Cleveland standoff

CLEVELAND, OH – A Cleveland man has been arrested and charged with assaulting a federal officer after allegedly opening fire on U.S. Marshals attempting to execute an arrest warrant. File Photo (August 2025) According to a criminal complaint, on Oct. 15, Larry Leon Dwight Wiley, 55, barricaded himself in his apartment for several hours as members of the Cleveland U.S. Marshals Service sought to take him into custody on a prior federal violation. When officers entered the unit, Wiley allegedly fired multiple shots, striking a deputy U.S. Marshal in the arm with a .380 caliber round. The wounded deputy was transported to a nearby hospital and is expected to recover. Wiley appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jennifer Dowdell Armstrong on Oct. 16 and was ordered to remain in custody...

Former National Security Advisor John Bolton indicted for mishandling classified information

24Oct

By Houston StringerNo Comments

U.S.

Former National Security Advisor John Bolton indicted for mishandling classified information

WASHINGTON, D.C. – A federal grand jury has indicted former National Security Advisor John Bolton, 76, of Bethesda, Maryland, on multiple charges related to the mishandling of classified information. According to the Department of Justice, the indictment includes eight counts of transmission of national defense information (NDI) and ten counts of unlawful retention of NDI. Prosecutors allege that Bolton transmitted top-secret information through personal email and messaging accounts and retained additional classified documents in his residence. Attorney General Pamela Bondi stated, “There is one tier of justice for all Americans. Anyone who abuses a position of power and jeopardizes our national security will be held accountable. No one is above the law.” FBI Director Kash Pat...

Louisiana man arrested for alleged role in Hamas-led October 7 terrorist attack

24Oct

By Houston StringerNo Comments

Middle East, U.S.

Louisiana man arrested for alleged role in Hamas-led October 7 terrorist attack

LAFAYETTE, LA – The Department of Justice announced the arrest of Mahmoud Amin Ya’qub Al-Muhtadi, 33, a native of Gaza currently residing in Lafayette, Louisiana, for his alleged involvement in the Hamas-led terrorist attack against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. According to court documents, Al-Muhtadi is accused of being an operative for the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine’s (DFLP) military wing, known as the National Resistance Brigades. Prosecutors allege that Al-Muhtadi armed himself, recruited others, and entered Israel during the October 7 attack, where his phone was traced near Kibbutz Kfar Aza, one of the communities heavily targeted by Hamas and its affiliates. Al-Muhtadi allegedly falsified information on his U.S. visa application, concealing his connections ...

Trump says federal “surge” of San Francisco crime effort will be paused after mayor’s request

24Oct

By Houston StringerNo Comments

U.S.

Trump says federal “surge” of San Francisco crime effort will be paused after mayor’s request

WASHINGTON D.C. – Former President Donald Trump posted on his social media platform that the federal government had prepared to “surge” into San Francisco to address crime, but agreed to delay the action at the request of Mayor Daniel Lurie. According to Trump, the mayor asked “very nicely” for a chance to turn things around, and Trump said he told the mayor he believed the federal effort could be “faster, stronger, and safer.” In his post, Trump said: “The people of San Francisco have come together on fighting crime … Great people like Jensen Huang, Marc Benioff, and others have called saying that the future of San Francisco is great. They want to give it a ‘shot.’ Therefore, we will not surge San Francisco on Saturday. Stay tuned!”