The Department of Education has opened an investigation into Harvard University's admissions process following a complaint from advocacy groups alleging that the school's use of legacy admissions violates federal civil rights law. The complaint accuses Harvard of giving preferential treatment to applicants with familial ties to wealthy donors and alumni, and if the Office for Civil Rights finds Harvard in violation of Title VI, the school could be required to make changes to its admissions process. The investigation is the latest development in the legal battle over U.S. college admissions and could have far-reaching implications for the admissions process at Harvard and other universities.
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Lawyers for Civil Rights is challenging Harvard University's legacy admissions policy, alleging that it discriminates against students of color. The suit claims that the policy violates the Civil Rights Act and gives an unfair boost to mostly white children of alumni. The case is a response to the Supreme Court's decision to end affirmative action in college admissions, and could have a significant impact on the admissions process at Harvard and other universities.
Five people aboard a submersible that went missing during a voyage to the Titanic wreckage have been confirmed dead by the U.S. Coast Guard and OceanGate, the company that operated the vessel. Debris found on the sea floor indicated a "catastrophic implosion" of the vessel, and the Coast Guard is now focusing on recovering the remains of the passengers and pilot. The cause of the accident is still under investigation.
U.S. Coast Guard Launches Search and Rescue Mission for Missing Submarine Exploring Titanic Wreckage
U.S. Coast Guard Launches Search and Rescue Mission for Missing Submarine Exploring Titanic Wreckage
The U.S. Coast Guard in Boston is conducting a search and rescue mission for a submarine that went missing in the North Atlantic while exploring the wreckage of the Titanic. OceanGate Expeditions, the company that owns the submarine, is exploring all options to bring the crew back safely. The Coast Guard is working to bring the crew back safely, though it is not clear how many people were on board or who was operating it.
Four individuals have been charged in connection with a nationwide network of stolen human remains, including Cedric and Denise Lodge, Katrina MacLean, and Joshua Taylor. They are accused of conspiring with Jeremy Pauley to purchase and sell human remains for a profit. If convicted, they could face up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, with the investigation still ongoing.
Two Massachusetts residents, Ali Jaafar (63) and his son Yousef Jaafar (29), have been sentenced to federal prison for their involvement in a massive lottery fraud scheme. The Jaafars were part of a "ten-percenting" operation that involved cashing in 14,000 winning lottery tickets over a roughly 10-year period and then lying on their tax returns to cheat the IRS out of about $6 million. Ali Jaafar was sentenced to five years in prison and Yousef Jaafar was sentenced to three years in prison, with their third son Mohamed Jaafar receiving two years of probation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston said that the sentences should serve as a warning to those who engage in similar schemes.
Abdelaziz and Wilson, two parents from Las Vegas, have had their fraud convictions overturned by a federal appeals court on Wednesday. The pair were found guilty in 2021 of paying bribes to get their kids into elite universities as part of the “Operation Varsity Blues” scandal. The appeals court ruling is a major victory for the two parents, and could have implications for other parents who were charged in the scandal. It remains to be seen how the ruling will affect the college admissions process going forward.
Bradley Rein, 53, has been charged with second-degree murder and 22 counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon after crashing his SUV into an Apple store in Hingham, Massachusetts, killing one man and injuring nearly two dozen other people. Rein was travelling at 60 mph in the seconds before the crash and had not applied his brakes. He is being held without bail and faces up to life in prison if convicted.