Southeast
Students from war-torn countries find safe haven in the US, compete in a national rocketry competition
On a humid cloudy day an hour outside the nation’s capital in The Plains, Virginia, teams of middle school students reached for the stars by competing in the American Rocketry Challenge, the world’s largest student rocket building competition.
The contest is sponsored by the Defense Department, NASA, the Federal Aviation Administration and top U.S. defense contractors.
A total of 922 teams from all over the country applied, but only the top 100 teams were chosen to travel to Virginia to compete. The objective for each team was to build a rocket and launch it as high as possible while carrying an egg and landing without the egg breaking.
NASA ASTRONAUTS ‘STUCK’ IN SPACE AFTER YEARS OF COMMERCIAL STUMBLES: 6 FACTS TO CATCH YOU UP
One team from Francis Hammond Middle School in Alexandria, Virginia, had already overcome the odds before stepping onto the field to launch their rocket. The group of students was not born in the United States. Their families fled their homes in Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Ethiopia, Turkey and Ukraine. Their teachers recruited them to join the school’s rocketry club in part to help them learn English and adjust to life in America.
Artem, 12, came to the U.S. from Ukraine with his mother after Russia invaded in February 2024. Artem was scared by the snipers and tanks outside their apartment building. Now, while his countrymen use artillery and drones to fight the Russian military, Artem is designing rockets. Artem loves using his creativity and has found a home in his school’s art department. He helped design the team’s rocket.
Yosra and her little brother. Yosra tells Fox News she wants to be a lawyer and work for the U.S. government when she grows up. (Yosra’s family)
“When we needed to put the motor in, the motor didn’t fit, so we needed to make the space bigger. I was doing all that,” Artem told Fox News.
Farhan, 13, fled Afghanistan with his father, mother, grandfather and sister three years ago during the chaotic U.S. withdrawal when the Taliban took control. Now, he is focused on studying physics and wants to be a pilot.
“I’m really happy that we made it all the way to here. I’m proud of us and my team. We accomplished a lot,” Farhan said in an interview.
What he did not talk about was his journey to get to the United States.
MISSOURI DEPUTIES PULL OVER VEHICLE RESEMBLING A UFO: ‘OUT OF THIS WORLD’
Farhan’s father worked with the U.S. government for years before the country fell to the Taliban and asked not to be named to protect his family still in Afghanistan. Fearing for his family’s safety, he scrambled to get Farhan’s family to the airport.
It involved a two-day journey on foot in the scorching heat and being repeatedly beaten by the Taliban. When they reached Abbey Gate, a U.S. Marine on the perimeter watching the crowd recognized Farhan’s father, having worked with him before. The Marine ushered his family into the airport. They were greeted warmly by a young female Marine who just days later was killed in the Abbey Gate bombing along with 12 U.S. service members.
Farhan’s family made it to safety on a U.S. military plane and eventually were brought to the United States. Now, Farhan says, when he grows up, he wants to be a pilot.
Farhan and his family on board a U.S. military plane leaving Kabul (Fox was asked to blur the faces of Farhan’s family to protect their identity). (Farhan’s family )
“Our country had been taken over, and it wasn’t safe anymore. So we had to move,” Farhan said.
Yosra is another student on the team whose family also fled Afghanistan in August 2021. She wants to be a lawyer and work for the U.S. government when she grows up. But, right now, she loves building rockets, something the Taliban would never have allowed if she had stayed in Afghanistan.
“It feels like I’m free. Like I could do, like I could get anywhere I want. … I wouldn’t be able to dare even speak English if I was there. I mean, not even go to school. So, like, it feels nice. I feel proud,” Yosra said.
NASA PREDICTS ‘ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME EVENT’ THIS SUMMER – 5 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
On Aug. 27, Babur left Afghanistan with his family when he was just 10 years old. His father worked as an interpreter for the U.S. military, which is how the family was able to come to the United States. Babur loves studying science and space. He said he wants to work in the aerospace industry when he grows up.
“I’m thankful because I’m independent, and I have a lot of opportunities to do here. Programs like right now, rocketry club,” Babur said.
On hand to observe the students’ successful launch was NASA astronaut Woody Hoburg, who represented his Pittsburgh high school at the same competition in 2003. Hoburg has spent 186 days in space and just returned last September from piloting the SpaceX mission to the International Space Station.
Babur and his father are pictured outside Francis Hammond Middle School. (Babur’s family)
“I’m really passionate about students being able to get their hands dirty and build things, experiment, maybe fail once in a while, find out that flights don’t go perfectly,” Hoburg told Fox News.
After launching 847 feet in the air, the team’s rocket landed in a bush on descent. Anxious to see whether their egg had survived, the students sprinted to the bush in an effort to get it out. After arguing among themselves, they decided to wait impatiently as a competition official came to remove the rocket and its parachute from the bush.
The egg survived, and the students came in 50th place.
Even though they didn’t win, Farhan is proud of what his team accomplished. He said he wants to continue to make his family proud.
CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“We’re going to make our country and them proud,” Farhan said. “We’re going to pay back everything they did for us.”
Read the full article from Here
Southeast
ICE arrests New Orleans police recruit with deportation order who was issued firearm by department
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested a New Orleans Police Department recruit from Cameroon who was issued a firearm despite an active deportation order, just one week before he was set to graduate from the police academy.
ICE said in a press release Tuesday that 46-year-old Larry Temah was arrested Jan. 28 and remains in ICE custody.
The New Orleans Police Department recruited Temah and issued him a firearm despite federal law prohibiting illegal aliens from possessing firearms, according to ICE.
Temah entered the U.S. legally in 2015 on a visitor visa and was granted conditional residency the following year after marrying a U.S. citizen, ICE said.
BOSTON POLICE IGNORED 100% OF ICE DETAINER REQUESTS IN 2025, CITING SANCTUARY LAW
Larry Temah, a NOPD recruit, was detained by ICE, according to officials. (Department of Homeland Security)
In 2022, his application for permanent residency was denied due to fraud.
Temah was ordered to appear in immigration court three times but failed to appear, resulting in an immigration judge ordering him removed from the country in absentia, ICE said.
BORDER PATROL CHIEF URGES ILLINOIS TO FOLLOW LOUISIANA BLUEPRINT AS THREATS AGAINST AGENTS SURGE
ICE arrested a New Orleans police recruit from Cameroon who was issued a firearm despite an active deportation order, prompting a dispute with city officials. (Octavio Jones/Reuters)
ICE also said Temah did not have valid work authorization and remains in custody pending removal proceedings.
“This illegal alien from Cameroon, Larry Temah, is not only breaking the law with every step he takes in this country illegally, but the New Orleans Police Department hired him and issued him a firearm — what kind of law enforcement department gives criminal illegal aliens guns and badges?” Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said. “It’s a felony for illegal aliens to possess a firearm.”
LOUISIANA INTENSIFIES IMMIGRATION CRACKDOWN AS BORDER CHIEF WARNS FAR-LEFT RHETORIC ENDANGERS AGENTS
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin blasted NOPD for issuing a firearm to an illegal immigrant, saying it violates federal law. (Charly Triballeau/ AFP via Getty Images)
McLaughlin said ICE is restoring law and order under President Trump and Secretary Noem and accused sanctuary cities such as New Orleans of protecting illegal aliens at the expense of American citizens.
A spokesperson for the New Orleans Police Department disputed ICE’s claims, calling them misleading.
“The New Orleans Police Department verified Mr. Temah’s employment eligibility through ICE’s E-Verify system prior to hiring and was never notified of any ICE detainer,” the spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “New Orleans is not a sanctuary city, and NOPD does not control jail operations or detainer decisions, which fall under the Sheriff’s Office.”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
“Any claim that NOPD knowingly violated the law is false,” the spokesperson added.
Read the full article from Here
Southeast
Accused US killer captured in Mexico after monthslong international manhunt for recycling bin murder
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
A man accused of killing a Florida man and leaving his body inside a recycling bin has been arrested and extradited from Mexico, ending a months-long international manhunt, Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office officials announced.
Alfredo Carballo Gonzalez, 32, was taken into custody by Mexican authorities on Jan. 27 and extradited to Miami, where homicide detectives arrested him the following day, the sheriff’s office said Thursday. Carballo Gonzalez’s immigration status was not immediately shared. Fox News Digital has reached out to ICE for details.
The arrest caps an investigation into the killing of Daylon Fleitas Gonzalez, who disappeared in early August 2025 after meeting with Carballo Gonzalez in Medley, Florida.
CALIFORNIA MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING WIFE AND FLEEING WITH KIDS NABBED IN SOUTH AMERICA
Murder suspect Alfredo Carballo Gonzalez, left, was arrested in Mexico and extradited to Miami-Dade after allegedly killing Daylon Fleitas Gonzalez and fleeing the country. His girlfriend, Ariely Alvarez Cabrera, was also charged in the case. (Miami-Dade County )
Detectives said the two met on Aug. 3 near Northwest 106th Street and 95th Avenue, where Carballo Gonzalez entered the victim’s truck and an alleged altercation occurred.
According to WTVJ, citing court docs, Fleitas was meeting with Carballo Gonzalez to receive $10,000 that Carballo Gonzalez owed him.
According to investigators, Carballo Gonzalez was then seen placing a recycling bin into the bed of the truck and driving away. A second vehicle followed and was later identified as being driven by Ariely Alvarez Cabrera, Carballo Gonzalez’s girlfriend.
FBI DIRECTOR KASH PATEL HAILS TRANSFER OF MOST WANTED FUGITIVE ALEJANDRO ROSALES CASTILLO AFTER MEXICO ARREST
Alfredo Carballo Gonzalez allegedly killed Daylon Fleitas Gonzalez during a money dispute, then fled the country with his girlfriend, Ariely Alvarez Cabrera, and 5-month-old baby. (Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office)
Five days later, on Aug. 8, the department said that homicide detectives located the victim’s truck with multiple items of “evidentiary value” inside.
SEND US A TIP HERE
During a canvass of the area, detectives found the recycling bin that had been transported in the truck, and Fleitas Gonzalez was found dead inside. Authorities allege that Carballo Gonzalez and Alvarez Cabrera fled with their 5-month-old baby.
A flyer following the alleged homicide by Alfredo Carballo Gonzalez. (Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Department)
Authorities did not say how or when Alvarez Cabrera and Carballo Gonzalez made their way to Mexico.
Jail records show Carballo Gonzalez is facing charges of second-degree murder and tampering with physical evidence. Cabrera is also facing a charge of tampering with physical evidence, as well as a charge of accessory after the fact.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Officials said that the baby was recovered safely and returned to Florida. Fox News Digital has reached out to Alvarez Cabrera’s attorney, Bijan Sebastian Parwaresch, for comment.
Read the full article from Here
Southeast
Illegal immigrant convicted in Laken Riley murder pushes for new trial as judge delays ruling
Laken Riley’s convicted killer seeks new trial
Jose Ibarra’s new legal team claims errors during the original proceedings justify a new trial. Judge Patrick Haggard, who presided over the original case and handed down the maximum sentence, will hear the motion in Georgia.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
The illegal immigrant convicted of murdering nursing student Laken Riley sought a new trial Friday, with a judge declining to rule after hearing arguments.
Jose Ibarra, who is serving life in prison without the possibility of parole, appeared in Athens-Clarke County Superior Court, where Judge Patrick Haggard heard arguments from Ibarra’s post-conviction attorneys and declined to rule from the bench.
Haggard ordered both sides to submit supplementary briefs and responses by Monday, March 2, before he decides whether a new trial is warranted.
During the hearing, Haggard said a court-ordered mental evaluation reviewed by the court found Ibarra was competent at the time of the crime and during his 2024 trial, rejecting a central argument raised by the defense.
VULNERABLE DEM’S SUPPORT FOR ALEX PRETTI COLLIDES WITH LAKEN RILEY ACT ANNIVERSARY
Laken Riley poses for a photo posted to Facebook. Riley, a nursing student at the University of Georgia, was found dead near a lake on campus on Feb. 22, 2024. (Laken Riley/Facebook)
The defense called Dr. Ruth Ballard, an expert in forensic serology and forensic DNA, whose testimony focused on physical evidence collected during the investigation and previously presented to the jury. Defense attorneys sought to cast doubt on evidence linking Ibarra to Riley’s murder and suggested alternative explanations for her death.
Ballard testified that a pair of bloodstained gloves recovered near Ibarra’s home contained mostly Laken Riley’s DNA, along with DNA from at least one other unidentified individual, but did not contain Ibarra’s DNA. She also testified that no male DNA was found on Riley’s sexual assault evidence kit.
On cross-examination, Prosecutor Sheila Ross challenged the defense’s suggestion that Ibarra’s older brother, Diego, could have committed the crime. Ballard confirmed that Y-STR testing showed the DNA found under Riley’s fingernails belonged to either Jose Ibarra or his brother Argenis, and that TRULEO testing identified the DNA as Jose Ibarra’s, excluding both Argenis and Diego.
Ballard also agreed that a victim fighting off her attacker and scratching him would likely have the attacker’s DNA under her fingernails. She testified that her conclusions were limited to forensic serology and DNA analysis, and did not take into account trace evidence, fingerprint evidence, or video evidence.
Jose Ibarra, accused of killing a Georgia nursing student, listens through an interpreter during his trial at Athens-Clarke County Superior Court, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in Athens, Ga. (Hyosub Shin/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP, Pool)
Ibarra was found guilty on all 10 counts in November 2024 for the Feb. 22, 2024, killing of Riley, 22, who was attacked while running on the University of Georgia campus. Prosecutors said Riley died during a violent struggle with Ibarra.
Riley was a student at Augusta University’s College of Nursing, which also maintains a campus in Athens, about 70 miles east of Atlanta.
Ibarra’s legal team has already obtained a mental evaluation as part of the appeals process, claiming he was not competent to stand trial. Friday’s hearing focused on whether alleged errors during the original proceedings justify a new trial.
LAKEN RILEY’S SISTER SAYS FAMILY HAS ‘HOPE’ AFTER TRUMP IMMIGRATION CHANGES: ‘STILL A LOT TO BE DONE’
Allyson Phillips, left, mother of Laken Riley, a Georgia nursing student killed earlier this year, reacts as John Phillips, stepfather of Laken Riley, comforts her during Jose Ibarra’s trial at Athens-Clarke County Superior Court, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, in Athens, Ga. (Hyosub Shin/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP, Pool)
Federal immigration authorities previously said Ibarra entered the United States illegally in 2022 and was allowed to remain in the country while his immigration case was pending.
Riley’s murder became a central issue during President Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, highlighting concerns about illegal immigration and violent crime. Last year, Trump signed the Laken Riley Act into law, which requires the detention of unauthorized immigrants accused of violent crimes or theft.
Ibarra is currently serving a life sentence without parole in a Georgia state prison.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Fox News’ Samanatha Daigle contributed to this report.
Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.
Read the full article from Here
Tuberculosis outbreak reported at Catholic high school in Bay Area. Cases statewide are climbing
Alijah Arenas leads USC to win over Indiana, but Chad Baker-Mazara is injured
How Israel destroyed Gaza’s health system ‘deliberately and methodically’
Nevada judge frees convicted MS-13 killer despite government warnings about public safety
Potential Walz successor unleashes on state’s sanctuary policies: ‘The rule of law matters’
Florida High School Football Rankings: Top 25 teams – Oct. 21
Cleary's 21 help Le Moyne down Central Connecticut State 69-64 in OT
How old is Bo Nix? What to know about Oregon quarterback ahead of 2024 NFL Draft
99th annual Pony Swim held in Virginia
Indiana Members Credit Union announced as new anchor tenant at Bottleworks District
How Israel destroyed Gaza’s health system ‘deliberately and methodically’
Video: NASA Delays Artemis II Rocket Launch Until at Least March
Trump unveils new rendering of sprawling White House ballroom project
Exclusive: Digital euro faces political deadlock in Brussels
NASA delays the launch of Artemis II lunar mission by at least a month
-
Indiana2 days ago13-year-old rider dies following incident at northwest Indiana BMX park
-
Massachusetts3 days agoTV star fisherman, crew all presumed dead after boat sinks off Massachusetts coast
-
Tennessee4 days agoUPDATE: Ohio woman charged in shooting death of West TN deputy
-
Pennsylvania1 week agoRare ‘avalanche’ blocks Pennsylvania road during major snowstorm
-
Movie Reviews1 week agoVikram Prabhu’s Sirai Telugu Dubbed OTT Movie Review and Rating
-
Indiana2 days ago13-year-old boy dies in BMX accident, officials, Steel Wheels BMX says
-
Culture1 week agoTry This Quiz on Oscar-Winning Adaptations of Popular Books
-
Austin, TX5 days ago
TEA is on board with almost all of Austin ISD’s turnaround plans
