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Tulsi Gabbard's aunt killed, prominent Samoan author charged with murder

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Tulsi Gabbard's aunt killed, prominent Samoan author charged with murder

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A prominent Samoan author and playright has been charged with murdering the aunt of Tulsi Gabbard, the former Hawaii Democratic Congresswoman, according to multiple reports. 

Papalii Sia Figiel, 57, was arrested Sunday following the death in Samoa of 78-year-old Caroline Sinaviana-Gabbard, a retired former University of Hawaii professor. 

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The victim was stabbed multiple times and beaten with a hammer, local reports said, citing police. Samoa is a country located in the South Pacific Ocean.

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An award-winning author has been charged with murdering the aunt of Tulsi Gabbard, the former Hawaii Democratic Congresswoman, according to multiple reports.  (Facebook, left, and Ethan Miller/Getty Images, right)

The deadly incident took place on May 25 at Figiel’s home in the village of Vaivase-Uta, which is about three miles from the island nation’s capital city of Apia. Figiel’s property also doubles as the local theater, the New Zealand Herald reports. 

An argument had broken out between the pair before the incident turned violent, Samoan Police Commissioner Auapaau Logoitino Filipo said, according to the publication. It is not clear what sparked the argument. 

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The two women were colleagues and friends, and Gabbard was Figiel’s mentor, according to local media reports.

Sinaviana-Gabbard was Tulsi Gabbard’s aunt and sister of Hawaii state Sen. Mike Gabbard. 

Her family says she was the first Samoan to become a full professor in the U.S., and was an accomplished writer, teacher and environmental activist.

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An aerial view of Main Beach Road in Apia, Samoa, 2021 during a lockdown. Apia is about five miles from where Caroline Sinaviana-Gabbard died.  (Chikara Yoshida/Getty Images)

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Mike Gabbard said he was very close to his sister growing up and proud of her accomplishments in life.

“Caroline was my best friend as a teenager,” Mike Gabbard said in a statement to Spectrum News. 

“She helped me considerably during my rebellious stage of adolescence. She got me hooked on reading, so much so that I followed in her footsteps and majored in English at Sonoma State University in California, then returned to our birthplace, American Samoa, where I taught English in high schools and was a faculty member, guidance counselor and dean at the community college for many years.”

“I love her deeply and wish her well as she continues her journey.”

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Samoa is a country located in the South Pacific Ocean. (Google Maps)

Mike Gabbard went on to say that he forgives the person responsible for her death, but hopes justice will be served and that the person “will be punished to the full extent of the law.”

According to Spectrum News, Sinaviana-Gabbard earned undergraduate degrees in English and psychology from Sonoma State University, a masters’ degree in folklore from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Ph.D. in American studies from the University of Hawaii.

She taught Pacific literature at the University of Hawaii for over 20 years before retiring. 

A spokesperson for the lawmaker’s office did not respond to Fox News Digital request for comment. 

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Warsh's path to top Fed job entangled ahead of Senate confirmation hearing

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Warsh's path to top Fed job entangled ahead of Senate confirmation hearing
Former Federal Reserve Governor Kevin Warsh on Tuesday takes the next step to becoming the head of the U.S. central bank with a hearing before the Senate Banking Committee, his confirmation ultimately likely ​but still embroiled in a dispute over a Trump administration criminal probe of Fed Chair Jerome Powell.
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Mexico pyramid shooter who took hostages and killed 1 is identified

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Mexico pyramid shooter who took hostages and killed 1 is identified

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A gunman who fatally shot a Canadian tourist and wounded more than a dozen others atop a historic pyramid in Mexico on Monday has been identified, according to officials.

Authorities identified the gunman as 27-year-old Julio Cesar Jasso, a Mexican national, according to a state official who spoke anonymously because they were not authorized to discuss the case publicly.

Jasso later died by suicide after turning the gun on himself, and security officials found a gun, a knife and ammunition. Authorities said he acted alone, with the State of Mexico government confirming he was the sole assailant on Monday night.

Officials said seven of the victims were struck by gunfire, while others were hurt in the chaos as people scrambled to get down from the pyramids, with some falling during the panic.

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The Pyramid of the Moon and the Pyramid of the Sun are seen along with smaller structures lining the Avenue of the Dead in Teotihuacan, Mexico, on March 19, 2020. A gunman killed a Canadian tourist and injured several others before taking his own life at the popular site, authorities said Monday. (Rebecca Blackwell/AP)

Those hospitalized included tourists from several countries, among them the United States, Colombia, Russia, Brazil and Canada, authorities said. The victims ranged in age from 6 to 61.

Footage circulating in local media appears to show the suspect positioned atop the structure as visitors rushed for safety below, with gunfire echoing across the site.

Police and forensic workers stand on a pyramid after authorities said a gunman opened fire in Teotihuacan, Mexico, Monday, April 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo)

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The Teotihuacan complex, located just outside Mexico City, is one of the country’s most visited archaeological landmarks, drawing millions of international visitors each year to its towering pre-Hispanic structures.

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The shooting took place shortly after 11:30 a.m. when dozens of tourists were at the top of the Pyramid of the Moon.

Security measures at the site have changed in recent years, with routine entry screenings no longer consistently in place, according to a local guide.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum wrote on social media that the shooting would be investigated and that she was in touch with the Canadian Embassy.

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“What happened today in Teotihuacán deeply pains us. I express my most sincere solidarity with the affected individuals and their families,” she wrote.

Anita Anand, Canada’s foreign affairs minister, said on X that as a “result of a horrific act of gun violence, a Canadian was killed and another wounded in Teotihuacán” and that her “thoughts are with their family and loved ones.”

People visit the Pyramid of the Sun in the pre-Hispanic city of Teotihuacan near Mexico City, Mexico, on March 21, 2024, following the spring equinox. (Henry Romero/Reuters)

Later in the evening, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ronald Johnson also expressed “deep concern” and sadness over the deaths and numerous injuries, and said in a post on X that the U.S. is “ready to provide support as needed while Mexican authorities continue their investigation.”

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The National Institute of Anthropology and History said in a statement that the Teotihuacán archaeological site will remain closed until further notice.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Appetite among NATO members to join Iran war ‘very limited’, says Eide

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Appetite among NATO members to join Iran war ‘very limited’, says Eide

Norway has pushed back against criticism from US President Donald Trump over what he described as “zero” European support in the conflict with Iran.

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“NATO is a defensive alliance. It is not an attack alliance,” Norway’s Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide told Euronews’ Europe Today flagship morning show.

Eide said NATO members are focused on safeguarding key global trade routes, including keeping the Strait of Hormuz open. “NATO countries are doing something, but it’s not as a party to a conflict,” he added.

Trump has repeatedly criticised NATO allies for not backing Washington in the Iran conflict. He raised the issue again during a White House meeting earlier this month with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.

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Eide argued that there had been no prior preparation or consensus within the alliance. As a result, there is “very limited appetite” among member states to join the war.

He said that while both the US and Iran may have reasons to end the conflict, “the sides are far apart”, with negotiations hindered by opposing demands.

On Monday, Trump said the United States would maintain its blockade of Iranian ports until Tehran agrees to a peace deal.

Still, Eide pointed to signs of “some progress”, noting the broader global impact of the conflict. “This is not only an issue for the two sides, but it affects the whole world economy,” he said.

Addressing a European diplomatic push to establish a Palestinian state, Eide reiterated support for a two-state solution based on long-standing United Nations principles. However, he acknowledged that such an outcome is “not around the corner”.

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He added that a two-state solution is also in Israel’s interest, describing it as “the only viable solution for real peace in a very troubled region”.

Norway, alongside Spain and Ireland, recognised the State of Palestine in 2024.

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