Trump Administration Leaves Nursing Off Its List Of Professional Degrees

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The Trump Administration's overhaul of government departments hasn't been received well by certain groups ... including nurses, who are no longer considered to have obtained professional degrees.

Here's the deal ... the One Big Beautiful Bill Act includes provisions for eliminating the Grad PLUS program, which helps graduate and professional students cover their expenses, and caps Parent PLUS loans, according to Nurse.org, an industry news and career resources website.

The measures were implemented in an effort to reorganize the Repayment Assistance Plan, which includes caps for annual loans for graduate and professional students.

The Department of Education then decided to change what counts as a professional program -- which meant certain individuals wouldn't qualify for the $200,000 aggregate level for professional students.

Nurse practitioners -- among several other professions, including physical therapists -- are deemed not to have obtained professional degrees.

University of Pennsylvania Dean of Nursing Antonia Villarruel told Newsweek the new status is a "serious blow to the health of our nation."

The American Nurses Association also issued a statement to urge the Department of Education to revise its definition of what counts as a professional degree to include nursing.

Two Adults And Two Children Die In Murder-Suicide

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Two men and two children are dead following what police are calling a murder-suicide confrontation in Tiffin, Ohio -- about 90 miles west of Cleveland.

Officers were called to a residence on reports of screaming and gunshots shortly after 6 PM Wednesday, according to the Tiffin Police Department, where they found the four victims with gunshot wounds.

Police say the mother of the two children -- a 7-year-old and a 7-month-old -- went to the suspect's house earlier to move her things out while the suspect -- identified as Ryan Eagon, her husband -- was believed to have been out of town. Dustin Willey -- the 7-year-old's father -- accompanied the woman to help her move.

The two kids were outside. Police say the unidentified woman and Willey heard the older boy cry out when Eagon unexpectedly arrived at the home.

Police say Eagon had a gun and chased Willey, firing several times ... Eagon then shot both children, and turned the gun on himself. He died at the scene. The woman brought the two kids into the house, where officers and paramedics found her. She was unharmed.

The 7-month-old was also pronounced dead at the scene -- that child's father was not identified. The 7-year-old and Dustin Willey were both hospitalized, where they both died.

The incident remains under investigation.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

Speaker Mike Johnson I Wouldn't Have Used Trump's Words -- But Orders Are Orders!

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Donald Trump's online post threatening U.S. lawmakers for what he calls sedition set off serious alarms Thursday ... but House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson didn't seem overly concerned about the whole situation.

FYI ... six senators and representatives released a video Tuesday encouraging active duty service members to refuse unlawful orders from their superiors.

President Trump was livid about the video, posting on his Truth Social site to describe the elected politicians "seditious" and called for them to be arrested. He reposted someone else's comment calling for the lawmakers to be executed by hanging. He later posted "SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!"

Johnson told reporters Thursday his colleagues shouldn't have encouraged troops to refuse unlawful orders, according to CNN. He called the video "wildly inappropriate."

Johnson admitted he wouldn't have used the same language as Trump did. He said he didn't think the actions of the senators and representatives earned them the death penalty.

House Democrats contacted Capitol Police after the president posted his threats Thursday.

Dolly Parton Misses Ceremony Honoring Dollywood After Doctors Told Her To 'Take It Easy'

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It's no secret Dolly Parton's proud of her work with Dollywood ... but she wasn't able to attend a ceremony honoring the park's achievements earlier this week.

The country music legend was supposed to show up at an event Monday where her theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, was inducted into the the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Hall of Fame ... but she ended up not making it, reports WCNC-TV.

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Dolly addressed her absence Wednesday in a video on Dollywood's official Instagram account, apologizing for not being able to attend.

She said she'd been dealing with unspecified "health challenges" throughout the fall, and her doctors told her to "take it easy" -- which meant skipping the ceremony.

Dolly said she's still feeling great about her park being inducted into the Hall of Fame and thanked the park's team for their hard work.

Dolly's been open about dealing with issues related to her health over the past few months, although she's never specified what she's had to work through.

Still, she shared a video on Instagram in October to let her fans know she is still alive and kicking ... and we really hope she sticks with us for a long, long time!

Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick Allegedly Stole $5 Million From FEMA To Finance Her Campaign

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A Florida Congresswoman's been charged with stealing millions of dollars in federal disaster funds -- and using the cash to foot the bill for her last congressional campaign.

According to a DOJ press release, Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick and her brother, Edwin Cherfilus, worked on a FEMA-funded COVID-19 vaccination staffing contract through their family healthcare company in 2021.

The DOJ says the company received an overpayment of $5 million in FEMA funds and Cherfilus-McCormick and her brother allegedly laundered the cash ... which was used for candidate contributions to her 2021 campaign. She won a special campaign to replace late Representative Alcee Hastings in 2022 with 72 percent of the vote.

The Justice Department said Cherfilus-McCormick and another defendant allegedly funneled cash to various friends and family members who, in turn, donated the money to her campaign. The Congresswoman and her 2021 tax preparer were also charged with conspiring to file a false federal tax return.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi described the use of disaster relief funds for personal gain as a "particularly selfish, cynical crime."

Cherfilus-McCormick's legal team released a statement saying they'll keep fighting to restore the Representative's "good name."

And they better fight hard ... because Cherfilus-McCormick's facing up to 53 years in prison if she's convicted.

House Democrats Hey Trump, Your Comments Are Gonna Get Someone Hurt!

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President Donald Trump's incendiary post threatening politicians with execution by hanging isn't sitting well with House Democrats ... some of whom have reported the Truth Social post to U.S. Capitol Police.

ICYMI ... two U.S. Senators and four Representatives who formerly served in the military or intelligence services released a video Tuesday encouraging active duty service members to refuse illegal orders from the military chain of command.

The video really struck a nerve with Trump, who described the content as "SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL" on Truth Social and reposted a user's comment reading ... "HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD!!" He also posted so-called seditious behavior is "punishable by DEATH!"

The Stone Roses Bassist Gary 'Mani' Mounfield Dead at 63

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Gary "Mani" Mounfield, who established himself as one of alternative rock's premier bassists through his work with The Stone Roses, has died.

The performer's death was announced by his brother Greg in a Facebook post Thursday ... the bassist's sibling wrote he was sharing the post "with the heaviest of hearts." Mounfield's cause of death wasn't revealed in the post.

Mounfield was mourned on X by The Stone Roses frontman Ian Brown and Liam Gallagher of Oasis, who called the bass player his "hero."

Mounfield joined The Stone Roses in 1987 and played on the band's only two albums, "The Stone Roses" and "Second Coming." The band broke up in 1996, reunited in 2011, and remained together until 2017.

Mounfield joined Primal Scream following The Stone Roses' initial breakup, staying with the band until 2011.

Mounfield also collaborated with numerous other artists over the course of his career ... he was a member of the supergroup Freebass, which included The Smiths' bassist Andy Rourke and Joy Division's Peter Hook.

Mounfield is survived by his twin sons, Gene and George. His wife Imelda died in 2023.

Mounfield was 63 years old.

RIP

Jay Leno I Found A Way To Make My Wife 'Comfortable' ... After She Was Diagnosed With Dementia

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Jay Leno's really taken his "in sickness and in health" wedding vow to heart, serving as his wife Mavis' caretaker throughout her battle with dementia.

The former late-night TV talk show host opened up about his spouse's health issues in an interview with Today Thursday, and he was honest about how brutal dementia can be -- specifically citing a three-year period when Mavis woke up every day thinking someone had called to tell her her mother had died.

Jay -- who tied the knot with Mavis in 1980 -- admitted the period was "really tricky" and spoke about other areas of their lives that became restricted by her disease ... including their ability to travel, which they've replaced with watching travel videos on YouTube.

Still, Jay said Mavis -- whose dementia diagnosis was publicly revealed last year -- still recognizes him and hasn't forgotten him, and he said his wife is "extremely comfortable" under his care.

Jay said Mavis is reliant on him for help, which isn't a big deal for him ... he said he enjoys being her caretaker.

The comedian said they've developed a routine ... he picks her up and carries her to their bedroom every night, which Mavis really gets a kick out of.

Oh, and Mavis still tells Jay she loves him, which makes him "melt."

Florida Murder Suspect Was Paid by Victim to Kill Her, Police Say

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A Florida man has been arrested in the murder of a missing British woman who police now say traveled to the U.S. with the intent to pay the man to kill her.

Sonia Exelby's body was found in a shallow grave in Marion County, Florida last month … and now police have arrested a Florida man on kidnapping and murder charges.

According to a Florida Department of Law Enforcement arrest affidavit obtained by TMZ, Exelby arrived at Florida's Gainesville Regional Airport on October 10, where she was picked up by Dwain Hall, police believe.

Exelby met Hall on a fetish site before her trip to the United States. Police believe Exelby was suicidal, and planned to travel to the United States to meet people willing to kill her in a violent manner.

Filipino Influencers Gina Lima And Ivan Ronquillo Die Just One Day Apart

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A pair of influencers formerly in a relationship died just hours apart in the Philippines this week.

Gina Lima was found unresponsive in her condo Monday ... she was brought to a hospital in Quezon City by her ex-boyfriend, Ivan Cezar Ronquillo, where she was pronounced dead on arrival, according to the Manila Standard.

"Tablets and marijuana" were later found in the room where she was discovered by Ronquillo.

The 23-year-old actress and social media star sustained what were described as nonfatal external injuries. Lima's cause of death officially remains undetermined, and toxicology tests were in progress.

Chiefs Heiress Gracie Hunt Turning Point's Halftime Show Doesn't Sound Bad To Me!

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Gracie Hunt's got some strong opinions about the direction the NFL's heading in ... and the league's plans for its 2026 Super Bowl halftime show.

The daughter of Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt appeared on "The Will Cain Show" Tuesday and gave her stamp of approval to the upcoming "alternate" halftime show, which is being organized by Turning Point USA.

FYI ... Bad Bunny was selected as the 2026 Super Bowl halftime show's headliner in September, which provoked outrage in the conservative political world.

Gracie said she was "most definitely" looking forward to the conservative activist group's upcoming show ... and she singled out TPUSA CEO Erika Kirk for praise for "creating a halftime show for America."

Gracie described the youth of America as particularly "impressionable" and said they needed "someone to look up to."

Gracie said her grandfather Lamar Hunt -- who gave the Super Bowl its name -- believed the league shouldn't "rely on cheap appeal" to promote games or big events.

Gracie singled out Jason Aldean and Taylor Swift -- who hasn't exactly had the most warm reception from the NFL's fanbase -- as her picks for future halftime show performers.

Tom Steyer I'm Announcing My Bid For Governor Of California!

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Tom Steyer wants to be the next Governor of California.

The billionaire businessman announced his intention to run in the Golden State's gubernatorial race, which will be decided next year, in a video posted on his X account Wednesday.

Steyer says he'll be focusing primarily on cost-of-living issues, and says politicians in Sacramento are "afraid" of changing the current system.

Karoline Leavitt Telling My Parents My Husband's Age Was Tough ... At First!

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Karoline Leavitt's tackled some tough questions in her time as the White House Press Secretary ... but she says the age gap between her and her husband was the subject of an awkward conversation with her parents.

Leavitt made the admission about her personal life in a recent episode of the "Pod Force One" podcast ... she said telling her parents she was dating a man who is nearly their own age was "challenging" at first.

Leavitt's husband, Nicholas Riccio, is 60 and Karoline is 28 -- that's a 32-year age gap. They got married in January this year ... they welcomed a baby boy, Niko, in July last year.

Leavitt's parents were suspicious about the gap ... although she said they eventually got over it once they started spending time with Riccio.

She said her folks eventually found it "quite easy" to hang out with him.

Leavitt said she and Riccio have a "typical family relationship" with her parents, and said he has "respect" for his in-laws.

Donald Trump Florida Rep Defends 'Piggy' Reporter Insult

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It's no secret President Donald Trump's comments are often abrasive ... and one of his newest jabs was just defended by a supporter in Congress.

FYI ... POTUS responded to reporter Catherine Lucey's question on Air Force One Friday -- "If there's nothing incriminating in the [Jeffrey Epstein] files, sir, why not act?" -- by pointing his finger at her and telling her "Quiet. Quiet, piggy."

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47's remark has been widely criticized ... but predictably, he's still got support from some Republicans, including Florida Representative Maria Elvira Salazar, who defended his comment on Tuesday's episode of "The Lead," according to The Hill.

Salazar told host Jake Tapper ... "President Trump is a very picturesque and difficult and different type of politician. But I always say that I look at his policies and not at his personality."

“No one is perfect. Those who are perfect are in heaven,” Salazar said.

How Girlalala's Career On Social Media Came To An Abrupt End

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Girlalala built up a considerable online following throughout her career as an influencer ... which all came to a sudden end in late 2025.

The social media star, who'd carved out a space for herself within the transgender community of South Florida, was shot to death.

We're going to take a look at how Girlalala made a name for herself as an influencer and check out the circumstances surrounding her death.

How Jamal Khashoggi's Murder Became A Hot-Button Issue

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Jamal Khashoggi became a widely known name in 2018 when he died during a visit to a Saudi consulate in Turkey.

The circumstances of the journalist's death became the subject of controversy, and the reported method of his body's disposal caused an even larger public outcry.

We're going to take a look into Jamal's background and see how his murder was referenced years after it took place -- apparently to the annoyance of a few higher-ups in the government.