Here's what's happening across the United States and around the world today.
No word on IS hostages
TOKYO (AP) — Neither Japanese nor Jordanian officials have heard from militants who are threatening to kill a Japanese journalist and Jordanian military pilot.
A day ago, the Islamic State group is believed to have delivered an audio message demanding the release of an Iraqi woman convicted of carrying out bombing attacks in Jordan.
Jordan had said it was willing to trade the woman for the pilot.
APNewsBreak: Suspected terrorist brother of no-fly-list man
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — A former Virginia taxi driver has been added to the FBI list of most-wanted terrorists.
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Stories that affect your life across the U.S. and around the world.
Authorities say 29-year-old Liban Haji Mohamed was a recruiter for the al-Shabab terror group in Somalia.
Mohamed is a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Somalia.
Judge to hear arguments on constitutionality of no fly list
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — A judge is scheduled to hear arguments today on the constitutionality of the government's no fly list in a case now embroiled with allegations of terrorism against a one-time northern Virginia resident.
For four years, the government has tried unsuccessfully to get a judge to toss out a lawsuit filed by Gulet Mohamed of Alexandria. He says he was unfairly placed on the no-fly list.
The government will again ask that the case be dismissed, arguing in part that defending the lawsuit would require it to divulge state secrets.
The case took a twist Thursday when the FBI announced that Mohamed's brother Liban has been placed on the bureau's list of most wanted terrorists.
Gulet Mohamed's lawyer says the timing of that announcement is meant to influence the judge.
Taliban claim Kabul attack that killed 3 Americans, 1 Afghan
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The Taliban are claiming responsibility for an attack at the Kabul airport in which a gunman shot and killed three American contractors and one Afghan man.
U.S. and Afghan officials say the shooting happened Thursday at the North Kabul International Airport complex. That section is military.
The Afghan official says the Taliban fighter had infiltrated the ranks of Afghan forces to stage the attack and wore an Afghan police uniform.
Chad air force bombs Boko Haram out of Nigerian border town
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AP) — Witnesses say warplanes and ground troops from Chad have bombed Boko Haram (BOH'-koh hah-RAHM') fighters out of a Nigerian border town the Islamic extremists have held for three months.
It's the first such action since Chad last week sent hundreds of troops into neighboring Cameroon to fight the Nigerian insurgents.
One displaced resident sahs he watched thick smoke billow over the town of Malumfatori and Nigeria's border with Cameroon as Chadian fighter jets pursued fleeing fighters.
He says Chad's forces recaptured his hometown on Thursday. A Nigerian soldier, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press, confirms he witnessed the victory.
Suge Knight turns himself in
COMPTON, Calif. (AP) — Authorities say Death Row Records founder Marion "Suge" Knight has turned himself in in connection with a hit-and-run incident that left one man dead and another injured.
The rap mogul's attorney said earlier that Knight ran over and killed a friend and injured another man on Thursday as he fled attackers.
Authorities said Knight was a person of interest in the incident, which was being investigated as a homicide.
In a brief statement released early today, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said Knight was at the West Hollywood station with his attorney and is being interviewed by homicide detectives.
Aaron Hernandez murder trial begins
FALL RIVER, Mass. (AP) — Jurors in Fall River, Massachusetts, are expected to hear more testimony Friday in the case against the former New England Patriots standout Aaron Hernandez, who's charged with the shooting death of semipro football player Odin (OH'-dihn) Lloyd in 2013.
On Thursday, prosecutors told the jury that Hernandez's DNA was found on a marijuana cigarette found near Lloyd's body.
And they say Hernandez's DNA also was on a shell casing from a bullet found under the driver's seat of the rental car Lloyd was seen getting into.
South Africa grants parole to apartheid death squad leader
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South Africa's government says Eugene de Kock, a death squad leader for the apartheid state, has been granted parole after two decades in jail.
Justice Minister Michael Masutha says the time and place of de Kock's release would not be made public.
Last year, Masutha declined de Kock's parole appeal, saying that the families of de Kock's victims had not been consulted. The death squad targeted suspected opponents of white rule.
Some doctors won't see patients with anti-vaccine views
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Some doctors are refusing to see children whose parents won't get them vaccinated against the measles.
At least 98 cases of the measles have been reported in an outbreak linked to Disneyland in Southern California.
Many of those infected were not vaccinated.
Los Angeles pediatrician Dr. Charles Goodman says, "Parents who choose not to give measles shots, they're not just putting their kids at risk, but they're also putting other kids at risk — especially kids in my waiting room."
Federal prosecutors drop 2 dozen stash house sting charges
CHICAGO (AP) — Prosecutors in Chicago this month have quietly dropped dozens of serious narcotics conspiracy charges stemming from stings involving fictional drug stash houses.
U.S. Attorney Zachary Fardon's office dropped the charges for 27 out of the 33 suspects who were arrested for allegedly attempting to steal drugs from stash houses that never existed.
Critics of the federal law enforcement technique say it amounts to entrapment and shows racial bias against minorities.
Filings dropping the charges offer no explanation. Neither does the prosecutor's office. An office spokesman declined comment when asked if the same charges will be dropped against the remaining defendants.
Katharine Tinto teaches law in New York. She says it's rare for U.S. attorneys to drop the same charges in separate cases. She says it suggests Chicago has reservations about the stings.
LAPD criticized for event featuring ex-Mexican Mafia leader
LOS ANGELES (AP) — LAPD Chief Charlie Beck says "Mistakes were made" when an x-Mexican Mafia leader serving life in prison for murder was invited to speak at a gathering of police chiefs and business leaders.
Rene "Boxer" Enriquez gave a PowerPoint presentation Wednesday and spoke about how he was instrumental in building a transnational criminal enterprise that held influence over tens of thousands of violent gang members.
Attendees were provided refreshments and a book about Enriquez's life and rise to power.
Balloon crew surpasses distance record; Mexico landing next
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Two pilots in a helium-filled balloon have surpassed one record and are trying to set another.
On Thursday, American Troy Bradley and his Russian colleague (Leonid Tiukhtyaev) surpassed the 5,209-mile distance record for human flight in a gas balloon.
Their next milestone is a 1978 duration record of 137 hours, 5 minutes and 50 seconds in the air in a traditional gas balloon, which they're expected to surpass this morning.
They hope to land Saturday somewhere on the peninsula of Baja California.
That's what's happening. Read more stories to jump start your day in our special Breakfast Buzz section.
