44+ min ago (472+ words) West Virginia National Guard Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, 20, was killed in the shooting, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, was critically wounded. Lakanwal, 29, has been charged with first-degree murder. In Afghanistan, Lakanwal worked in a special Afghan Army unit known as a Zero Unit. The units were backed by the CIA. He entered the United States in 2021 through Operation Allies Welcome, a program that evacuated and resettled tens of thousands of Afghans after the American withdrawal. Many had worked alongside U.S. troops and diplomats. Lakanwal resettled with his wife and their five sons, all under the age of 12, in Bellingham, Washington, but struggled, according to the community member, who shared emails that had been sent to the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, a nonprofit group that provides services to refugees. "Rahmanullah has not been functional as a person, father and provider since March…...

2+ day, 19+ hour ago (1004+ words) President Donald Trump said that one of the two West Virginia National Guard members shot by an Afghan national near the White House had died, calling the suspect, who had worked with the CIA in his native country, a "savage monster." As part of a Thanksgiving call with U.S. troops, Trump announced that he had just learned that Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, had died, while Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24, was "fighting for his life." "She's just passed away," Trump said. "She's no longer with us. She's looking down at us right now. Her parents are with her." The president called Beckstrom an "incredible person, outstanding in every single way." The White House said he spoke to her parents after his remarks. Trump used the announcement to say the shooting was a "terrorist attack" and criticized the Biden administration for enabling Afghans who…...

3+ day, 1+ hour ago (522+ words) Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, said at a Thursday news briefing that the National Guard members shot were Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24. The guard members were hospitalized in critical condition after Wednesday afternoon's shooting. Pirro said that the suspect, 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, drove across the country from Washington state to launch an "ambush-style" attack with a .357 Smith & Wesson revolver. The shooting happened roughly two blocks northwest of the White House near a metro station. At least one of the guard members exchanged gunfire with the shooter, said one law enforcement official who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity. The suspect, who was in custody, was also shot and had wounds that were not believed to be life-threatening. Hearing gunfire, other troops in…...

3+ day, 2+ hour ago (1034+ words) An Afghan national has been accused of shooting two West Virginia National Guard members just blocks from the White House in a brazen act of violence at a time when the presence of troops in the nation's capital and other cities around the country has become a political flashpoint. FBI Director Kash Patel and Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said the guard members were hospitalized in critical condition after Wednesday afternoon's shooting. West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey had walked back his statement Wednesday announcing the troops had died, saying he received "conflicting reports" about their condition. The rare shooting of National Guard members on American soil, on the day before Thanksgiving, comes amid court fights and a broader public policy debate about the Trump administration's use of the military to combat what officials cast as an out-of-control crime problem. The Trump…...

3+ day, 15+ hour ago (591+ words) For decades, Americans have fearlessly and willingly forked over hard-earned cash despite knowing a minute on the lips, forever (or so it would seem)" on the lavatory. Despite these Eric Cartman-esque Stage Four bouts of fecal displeasure, Taco Bell remains one of the top fast food chains in the nation thanks, in large part, to a Marine. Glen Bell was born in Lynwood, California, on Sept. 3, 1923, to Glen and Ruth Johnson Bell. One of six children, the future American restaurateur set off on his own at the age of 16 and, according to his "Taco Titan" biography, "[went] on the bum" and "r[ode] the rails in search of work." That work, or lack thereof, led him to joining the Marine Corps in 1943, rising to the rank of corporal and serving as a cook and food server. Cpl. Bell seemingly learned…...

3+ day, 16+ hour ago (347+ words) A Norwegian Army sniper team took home top honors at an annual event hosted by the U.S. Army Europe and Africa command. A sergeant and lance corporal first class assigned to the Norwegian Army's 1st Armored Battalion outshot 34 other teams from 21 other nations on their way to being named the winners of the command's 2025 European Best Sniper Team Competition, according to a release. Second and third place honors in the event, which was held Nov. 22 in Grafenwoehr, Germany, were awarded to Latvian and Greek sniper teams, respectively. "It's been fun meeting new challengers, going to new ranges, trying new things and being challenged in new ways we haven't been before," the Norwegian lance corporal 1st class said in the release. The team was not individually identified in the report. The competition, organized annually by the 7th Army Training Command in either Grafenwoehr or Hohenfels,…...

3+ day, 22+ hour ago (325+ words) The U.S. Navy has deployed a salvage vessel to comb the depths of the South China Sea for the remnants of a jet and helicopter that crashed last month. A MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter and F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz went down less than an hour apart on Oct. 26. All personnel involved in the crash were recovered safely and in stable condition. The USNS Salvor, "a Safeguard-class salvage ship operated by Military Sealift Command, arrived on location on Nov. 12 to conduct recovery efforts," a statement from the U.S. Seventh Fleet read. "Recovery efforts are still ongoing." The cause or causes of the crashes are still under investigation. At 2:45 p.m. on the day of the crash, the MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter "went down in the waters of the South China Sea while conducting routine operations," the U.S. Pacific…...

3+ day, 23+ hour ago (342+ words) The commanding officer of the Okinawa, Japan-based Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 36 was fired Wednesday, according to a Marine Corps notice. Lt. Col. Calischaran G. James was relieved of his duties by Maj. Gen. Marcus B. Annibale, the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing commanding general, "due to a loss of trust and confidence in his ability to command," the Marine Corps announced. Military services often use "loss of trust and confidence" as a blanket term when dismissing senior leadership. A request for additional information regarding the nature of the dismissal was not yet returned as of press time. "Commanders are held to the highest standards of conduct and must consistently live above reproach," 1st Marine Aircraft Wing spokesman Maj. Joseph Butterfield said in the announcement. "This decision reflects the Marine Corps" dedication to upholding the trust and confidence that are essential for effective leadership." Originally from…...

4+ day, 5+ hour ago (742+ words) ROME " The US Navy is cancelling its Constellation frigate program following months of cost overruns and delays but plans to keep two vessels that are already being built in Wisconsin. "We're reshaping how we build and field the Fleet, working with industry to deliver warfighting advantage, beginning with a strategic shift away from the Constellation-class frigate program," Navy Secretary John C. Phelan said in a post on X. Phelan said that four ships under contract but yet to be built by Fincantieri would now be cancelled. "The navy and our industry partners have reached a comprehensive framework that terminates for the Navy's convenience the last four ships of the class which have not begun construction," he said. "We greatly value the shipbuilders of Michigan and Wisconsin. While work continues on the first two ships those ships remain under review as we work…...

4+ day, 20+ hour ago (483+ words) In the wake of an extended and disruptive government shutdown that multiplied concerns about paycheck and job security, the Army's head of intelligence is issuing a stark warning to soldiers: beware flattering offers on LinkedIn. While Lt. Gen. Anthony Hale's message to the force did not actually mention specific social media platforms by name, he warned specifically of malicious efforts to contact and exploit active-duty soldiers and Army veterans under the pretext of professional networking. The 43-day government shutdown, which led to unpaid furlough status for about 750,000 government employees and drove paycheck uncertainty and work delays for uniformed service members, presents a particular opportunity for enemies to influence frustrated and disaffected Army personnel, Hale indicated. These agents, he wrote, may offer jobs or "easy" money to soldiers and veterans in exchange for white papers or privileged info, "with the intent…...