The Israel Prison Service (IPS) blocked convicted murderer Marie Pizem, who was found guilty of killing her 4.5-year-old daughter Rose, from marrying a Palestinian prisoner serving a life sentence for murdering an Israeli citizen. Authorities intervened after discovering what they believe was an attempt to forge wedding documents in violation of regulations, partially motivated by a desire to secure conjugal visits.

According to exclusive information obtained by Israel Hayom, officials at Neve Tirza women's prison, where Pizem is incarcerated, and Ayalon prison, where the Palestinian prisoner is held, received a summons letter from the Sharia court in Jaffa two days ago. The letter requested a hearing to verify and approve their marriage.

The horrific murder of young Rose that shocked the nation occurred in 2008. Pizem and Rose's grandfather concealed the murder for three months until Rose's great-grandmother contacted welfare authorities, triggering a police investigation that led to the discovery of Rose's body in a suitcase in Tel Aviv's Yarkon River.

The prisoner Pizem attempted to marry is Dar Atzi Mughad, a Palestinian resident of Beit Liqya who is serving a life sentence for murdering 70-year-old David Bar Kapra in 2015.

IPS regulations do permit prisoners to marry outside prison walls during authorized furlough periods. Prisoners who don't qualify for furlough can request permission to hold a ceremony within the prison facility. However, Israel Hayom has learned that neither Pizem nor Mughad submitted such a request and instead concealed their wedding plans entirely – a direct violation of IPS protocols. Additionally, both are serving life sentences, meaning their transport would require exceptional security measures and special escort arrangements.

The IPS is now investigating suspicions that the document allegedly sent from the court actually contained different names, suggesting the prisoners attempted to forge it. In response, IPS Central District Commander Maj. Gen. Shlomi Sagi has prohibited any further action on the matter and announced that both prisoners will face disciplinary proceedings for their conduct.

"This represents a serious violation of IPS procedures," Sagi said. "As part of maintaining prison governance, we will not tolerate disciplinary violations by inmates, and both will face disciplinary proceedings." Sources within the IPS believe the pair attempted to fabricate their marriage primarily to secure conjugal visiting rights.

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In a decisive legal ruling, the UAE Court of Appeals has unanimously sentenced three Uzbek citizens to death for the November 2024 murder of Chabad emissary Zvi Kogan, while a fourth defendant received life imprisonment followed by deportation. Israeli diplomatic sources have confirmed the sentences, which came after Turkish authorities arrested and extradited the suspects who had fled following what Israel has characterized as an antisemitic terrorist attack.

UAE, "A global model of coexistence and tolerance"

According to the official news agency of the United Arab Emirates, Attorney General Dr. Hamad Saif Al-Shamsi ordered an expedited trial for the four defendants in January 2025, following investigations conducted by the state security apparatus.

The investigation proved that the defendants tracked Kogan, kidnapped and murdered him. The prosecution presented compelling evidence, including detailed confessions from the defendants admitting to the murder and kidnapping, forensic evidence, the victim's autopsy report, murder weapons, and various witness testimonies.

Turkish authorities arrested the three killers shortly after the murder and extradited them to the UAE. In recent days, Israeli officials verified reports about the death sentences, with diplomatic sources confirming this information on Sunday.

The news agency noted that death penalty rulings can be appealed to the Criminal Chamber of the Federal Supreme Court, which will review and rule on any appeals filed. However, the likelihood of a successful appeal in such a case is extremely low. The Attorney General emphasized that the verdict demonstrates the UAE's commitment to combating terrorism according to the highest standards while ensuring guarantees of a fair trial.

He stated that the Emirati justice system deals firmly with any attempt to undermine the country's security and stability. According to him, the United Arab Emirates represents "a global model of coexistence and tolerance," with laws that protect everyone living within its borders, regardless of religious affiliation.

The murder 

Upon their arrest, the three men faced charges for serious offenses carrying a maximum death penalty. Until Sunday, apart from reports on popular social media accounts, there had been no official confirmation of their sentences. Authorities had already anticipated that the UAE would seek the death penalty for the three defendants, Olimpi Tohirovich (28), Mahmoud Jon Abd al-Rahim (28), and Aziz-Bek Kamilovich (33). Officials did not specify their suspected motive for the murder, which Israel characterized as an antisemitic terrorist attack.

The murder occurred on November 21 last year but was only confirmed by Israel three days later. Contact with Kogan was lost on Thursday afternoon, the day of the murder, when he missed scheduled meetings and stopped answering phone calls from his family. Kogan's wife contacted the Chabad security officer, who then alerted Israeli security officials. Subsequently, the Mossad took over the investigation.

Authorities discovered Kogan's body in his car in Al Ain, about 90 miles from Dubai, bearing signs of violence. Investigators found evidence of a struggle inside the vehicle. According to reports, a terrorist cell followed him from the time he left Dubai, then kidnapped him near a grocery store where he worked as a kosher supervisor. The Israeli investigation revealed that the perpetrators were Uzbekistan citizens who fled to Turkey, with intelligence assessments suggesting Iranian involvement in directing the operation. ZAKA personnel transported his body to Israel for burial in Jerusalem.

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Luigi Mangione, the man charged with murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, spent years documenting his struggles with various health conditions and expressing growing frustration with medical providers before the fatal shooting, The Wall Street Journal reported.

In extensive social media posts reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, Mangione detailed his battles with chronic pain, sleep disorders, and cognitive issues, frequently seeking advice from online communities about conditions including brain fog and back pain.

Before his arrest this month, Mangione maintained an active presence on Reddit, where he discussed topics ranging from Pokémon Go to bioinformatics. By 2018, his focus shifted notably to health concerns, particularly posts about irritable bowel syndrome and visual snow, a neurological condition causing visual disturbances.

During his time at the University of Pennsylvania, Mangione frequently wrote about his deteriorating health. He attributed the onset of his cognitive issues to a period of sleep deprivation during fraternity initiation, writing, "I simply wasn't able to recover from a week of disturbed sleep. It's absolutely brutal to have such a life-halting issue."

Despite his health challenges, Mangione achieved academic success, completing both bachelor's and master's degrees in computer science at Penn in 2020 and earning induction into an academic honor society. A former classmate interviewed said he never heard Mangione mention his health struggles.

By early 2022, while living in Hawaii and working remotely as a data engineer, Mangione reported that a surfing accident had worsened his spondylolisthesis, a spinal condition. His posts detailed increasing physical symptoms, including nerve pain and muscle twitching.

Dr. Padma Gulur, a pain medicine specialist at Duke Health who was not involved in Mangione's care, explained that chronic pain can significantly impact both mental health and social connections. "It can be very disruptive," she told The Wall Street Journal.

After undergoing spinal fusion surgery in July 2023, Mangione initially reported positive results. "At day eight I was taking zero pain meds and haven't had a bad day since," he posted in October 2023.

"We live in a capitalist society," Mangione wrote on Reddit in an April post suggesting that people tell doctors they are "unable to work" to get spine surgery approval. "I've found that the medical industry responds to these keywords far more urgently than you describing unbearable pain and how it's impacting your quality of life," he wrote.

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UnitedHealthcare Chief Executive Officer Brian Thompson was fatally shot outside the Hilton hotel in midtown Manhattan on Wednesday morning in what authorities believe was a targeted attack, according to a person familiar with the matter, report CNBC.

Thompson, 50, who led the nation's largest private health insurer, was shot in front of 1335 Avenue of the Americas. Emergency medical services rushed him to Mount Sinai West Hospital with a gunshot wound to the chest, where he was later pronounced dead, according to the New York Police Department (NYPD).

Thompson's wife, Paulette Thompson, said that her husband had received threats related to insurance coverage issues, though she was not aware of specific details. Despite these threats, she said he maintained his regular travel schedule. "I can't really give a thoughtful response right now," she said. "I just found this out and I'm trying to console my children."

The suspect, described as a white male, allegedly used a firearm with a silencer and was wearing a black hoodie, black pants, black sneakers with white trim, and a gray backpack. NYPD is offering up to $10,000 reward to anyone who can give meaningful information regarding the homicide.

The shooting occurred just hours before UnitedHealth Group's scheduled investor day at the Hilton, which was subsequently canceled. Chief Executive Officer Andrew Witty addressed the situation briefly before ending the event.

"I'm afraid that we – some of you may know we're dealing with very serious medical situation with one of our team members," Witty said during the investor day. "And as a result, I'm afraid we're going to have to bring to a close the event today, which I'm sure you'll understand."

Thompson, a resident of Maple Grove, Minnesota, had worked at UnitedHealth for over 20 years, joining in April 2004 after nearly seven years at PwC. He became CEO of UnitedHealthcare in April 2021 after leading the insurance unit's government programs. A graduate of the University of Iowa, where he was valedictorian, Thompson is survived by his wife and two children.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz called the killing "horrifying news and a terrible loss for the business and health care community" in a post on X.

UnitedHealth Group, with its roughly $563 billion market cap, is the largest healthcare conglomerate in the United States by revenue. UnitedHealthcare, under Thompson's leadership, generated more than $281 billion in revenue last year, representing over two-thirds of UnitedHealth Group's annual revenue for 2023.

The company is currently dealing with the aftermath of a February ransomware attack on its subsidiary, Change Healthcare, which compromised the protected health information of at least 100 million people.

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The Friday Prayer Imam of Kazeroun in southern Iran was fatally shot on Friday, as reported by IRNA News, marking the third such killing of the provincial town's top cleric since the Islamic revolution of 1979. Mohammad Sabahi succumbed to his injuries at Namazi Hospital in Shiraz despite medical intervention, Kazeroun's governor Mohammad Ali Bekhrad confirmed to IRNA on Friday evening, the anti-ayatollah outlet Iran International reported Saturday.

Video: Iranian cleric being shot by attacker in Iran's Kazeroun / Credit: Social Media

The shooting occurred after Friday prayers, according to IRNA, which notably avoided characterizing the death as martyrdom – a term typically reserved for deaths with political or religious significance in Iran.

Friday prayer imams, who are appointed by religious authorities under Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei's oversight, hold significant religious and political influence in Iranian communities. Initial reports about the incident were contradictory, with Iranian media first announcing Sabahi's death, then describing his condition as critical. The assailant reportedly took his own life following the attack.

Governor Bekhrad dismissed terrorism as a motive, suggesting to IRNA that personal grievances might have prompted the shooting. He indicated that investigations are ongoing. When news of the shooting emerged, claims on a popular Telegram channel that the attacker was a war veteran were quickly refuted by Mehdi Mazarei, head of Kazeroun's Martyrs Foundation, who warned against spreading misinformation.

Mizan News, affiliated with Iran's judiciary, reported that the assailant had a criminal history rather than military service. According to their report, the individual had previously attempted to attack a judge with explosives two decades ago, suffering self-inflicted injuries, and served six years in prison for bombing incidents in Gachsaran and other offenses, including weapon theft and bribery.

Before his appointment to Kazeroun in November 2019, Sabahi had served as Friday Imam of Kharameh in Fars province for ten years. The town of Kazeroun, with approximately 100,000 residents, has witnessed similar attacks before. In May 2019, Friday Imam Mohammad Khorsand was fatally stabbed after Ramadan prayers. The perpetrator, Hamid Reza Derakhshandeh, was executed within two months. In July 1981, another Friday Imam, Abdolrahim Daneshjou, was shot dead near his home after evening prayers, with state sources attributing the attack to MEK members, now an exiled opposition group in Albania.

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Kenyan police have taken disciplinary measures against eight officers over the escape of 13 detainees, including an alleged serial killer named Collins Jumaisi Khalusha, from Nairobi police cells.

Khalusha, a 33-year-old Kenyan, has allegedly confessed to murdering 42 women, including his wife. His lawyer claimed he was tortured and forced to confess.

The Kenyan authorities described Khalusha as a "psychopathic serial killer" and a "vampire".

He escaped along with other inmates, including Eritrean illegal immigrants, by cutting through wire mesh and scaling the perimeter wall. Police officers who were on duty at the time are suspected of having aided the escape.

Kenyan police launched a "major security operation" to recapture Khalusha.

This incident has put the Kenyan police force under scrutiny, as it is the second high-profile escape from custody in the span of six months.

Khalusha was arrested in July, after bodies of 10 individuals, including 9 women, and body parts were discovered in plastic bags in a quarry in Nairobi's Mukuru area.

Police said the area was searched after relatives of a missing woman were told in a dream where to look for her.

A forensic investigation showed that the victims had no bullet wounds, with one being strangled to death.

The Kenyan police watchdog and human rights agency are investigating the possibility of police involvement in the deaths, as the Kenyan police have faced accusations of impunity and using excessive force, especially in poor neighborhoods.

Sources: The Guardian, Washington Post , LA Times, CNN, Le Monde, New York Post, France 24, Libération, BirGün, Il Messaggero, LatestLY, Tuổi Trẻ, Newser, BeritaSatu, Africaïn.info, Lanka Times, Koha Ditore.

This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.

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The Tel Aviv District Court received an indictment on Sunday against Sigal Itzkovich, 34, for the alleged aggravated murder of her son Liam, approximately 6 years old, in their Herzliya home. The defendant also faces charges of animal cruelty for the violent death of her family dog during the incident, aggravated assault, obstruction of justice, and additional offenses.

Upon learning of the charges, Itzkovich made a startling statement: "I just want to say that our family was abducted by aliens. We endured horrors on their spacecraft. My son was subjected to experiments – it was terrifying and horrific. They invaded our home and our bodies, controlling our actions. My son's blood was not shed in vain. Aliens are among us, walking the Earth disguised as humans."

The indictment alleges that while alone with her son at home, Itzkovich retrieved a kitchen knife, first attacking their dog before approaching her son in the bathtub. She allegedly stabbed him repeatedly across his body. The knife reportedly broke due to the force of the attack, leaving the blade's tip embedded in the child's skull. After the alleged murder, Itzkovich heard the injured dog's cries. Fearing detection by neighbors or passersby, she closed a window shutter and repeatedly stabbed the dog with a knife and an axe until it died.

The defendant then allegedly washed the murder weapon, changed her clothes, and left for the Seven Stars Mall in Herzliya, bloodstained and carrying an axe. En route, she reportedly assaulted a passerby and damaged a car with the axe. Upon reaching the mall, she allegedly attacked a security guard who attempted to disarm her. Prosecutors have requested that Itzkovich remain in custody for the duration of the legal proceedings. Their detention request emphasized the severity of the crime, describing the murder of her 6-and-a-half-year-old son as "merciless and cruel."

During questioning, Itzkovich reportedly confessed to the charges, offering various explanations for her actions. She claimed that she and her family were alien abductees and clones. She also stated that in the days leading up to the incident, extraterrestrial beings and spacecraft had visited their home, and that her actions were part of a test for employment with the Mossad.

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Akili McDowell, a 21-year-old actor known for his roles in "Billions," and "David Makes Man," has been charged with murder in connection with the July 20 shooting death of 20-year-old Cesar Peralta in a Houston apartment complex parking lot.

McDowell was initially booked on August 1 with a theft charge before being charged with murder on August 2. He is being held on a $400,000 bond for the murder charge and a separate bond for allegedly stealing headphones in July 2023.

Charge documents state that McDowell intentionally caused Peralta's death by shooting him with a firearm. He is scheduled to appear in court for both charges in August and October.

According to investigators, a dispute occurred during a drug transaction between McDowell and Peralta, leading to McDowell allegedly shooting Peralta multiple times. Peralta was pronounced dead at the scene.

Witnesses reported seeing the victim in a fight with an unidentified male who fled on foot after the shooting. The investigation into the incident is still ongoing, with authorities seeking information from the public regarding Peralta's death.

McDowell, a Houston native with around 14,000 Instagram followers, has expressed gratitude for his opportunities in the entertainment industry and has spoken about his experiences working with influential personalities.

McDowell starred in the TV series "David Makes Man," where he connected with his character's story of a Black student in a South Florida housing project. He has also appeared in films like "The Waterboyz" and "Criminal Activities," and has two projects in post-production.

McDowell's manager, Jonell Whitt, offered prayers to the victim's family and to McDowell but declined further comment. McDowell's lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comments, while his representative expressed prayers for him and those affected by the tragedy.

In 2019, McDowell spoke with Oprah Winfrey about his starring role in David Makes Man, a series about a young prodigy navigating poverty.

Sources: NYTimes, NYPost, TheDailyBeast, SacBee, DailyMail, WashingtonTimes, Independent, The Sun, La Voz, DailyCaller, TheJasmineBrand, iHeart, Suggest, UNILAD, Sportskeeda, Focus.

This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.

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A 17-year-old boy wearing a COVID mask entered a Taylor Swift-themed dance class for children in Southport, northwest England, and carried out a frenzied knife attack, killing two and critically injuring eleven other children, along with two adults who tried to shield them.

The 17-year-old male suspect from Banks, Lancashire, was arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder, and a knife was recovered. The police believe the attack was not terror-related, and no other suspects are being sought. The motive for the stabbings remains unclear, and investigations are ongoing.

The incident prompted a swift emergency response, with 13 ambulances responding, and 11 people being treated at the scene before being taken to hospitals. Emergency services and locals, including a builder, assisted children and comforted responders.

The British Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, and King Charles III offered condolences to the families. The incident has led to calls for addressing the recent rise in knife crime in Britain, where knives are used in a significant portion of homicides.

Southport is a seaside town known for its beaches and Victorian architecture. The incident site was cordoned off, and flights to Southport were restricted. Southport Football Club and Morecambe FC cancelled a pre-season friendly game out of respect for the victims.

Sources: Washington Post, BBC, AP News, The Guardian, Independent, Sky News, Le Monde, ABC News, New York Post, The Sun, Tagesspiegel, Al Jazeera, Times of India, Liverpool Echo.

This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.

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Julio Foolio, a 26-year-old Jacksonville-based drill rapper with over 950,000 monthly listeners, whose real name was Charles Jones, was fatally shot and killed outside a Holiday Inn in Tampa on his June 23 birthday, while celebrating with his entourage.

The shooting is believed to be a coordinated, gang-related attack by rival gangs Ace's Top Killers (ATK).

Surveillance footage shows the suspects, wearing black clothing and masks, positioning themselves in the hotel car park before opening fire on Foolio's vehicle with semi-automatic rifles and handguns, after tracking and following him and his entourage from location to location.

Multiple suspects, including 18-year-old Sean Gathright, 21-year-olds Alicia Andrews and Isaiah Chance Jr., 27-year-old Davion Murphy and 30-year-old Rashad Murphy, have been arrested or are wanted in connection with the premeditated, gang-related murder of the rapper.

Gathright and the Murphy brothers are accused of being the shooters, while Chance Jr. and Andrews are named as the getaway drivers. The suspects allegedly belonged to the rival Jacksonville gang ATK, which had an ongoing feud with Julio Foolio's "6 Block" gang.

Julio Foolio survived multiple attempts on his life in recent years, according to his social media posts.

Surveillance video from the shooting, showing masked gunmen, was released by the police. Two vehicles were found shot at the scene.

The suspects are facing charges, including premeditated first-degree murder and attempted murder.

They allegedly followed Julio Foolio after he shared his location online multiple times.

Three others were injured in the shooting but survived. Tampa police worked with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and U.S. Marshals on the investigation, which is still ongoing.

Sources: BBC, NY Times, NBC News, USAToday, Newsweek, WTSP, GephardtDaily, Hypefresh, ArcaMax, TheSource, XXL, TheBharatExpressNews, Complex, UPI, HipHopDX, Fox13News, BiloxiNewsEvents

This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.

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