An Arizona murderer was sentenced to life plus 10 years in prison on May 27 after killing a second person only 16 days after he was released in 2020, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Arizona.Clifton Nez Hamalowa, 47, was convicted of shooting the victim in the head multiple times, killing Richard Olds in front of his young child on reservation land belonging to the Gila River Indian Community. According to the release, Hamalowa and his siblings "attempted to conceal his crimes by disposing of the victims car and dumping his body in a remote area of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian reservation," the release said.TEXAS EXECUTES MAN 20 YEARS AFTER HE STRANGLED, STABBED A YOUNG MOTHER TO DEATHHamalowa and his sister were also accused of intimidating witnesses to prevent them from reporting.Hamalowa was found guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit assault resulting in serious bodily injury, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault resulting in serious bodily injury, and discharging a firearm during, in relation to, and in furtherance of a crime of violence.ARIZONA PRISONER SERVING 16 LIFE SENTENCES ACCUSED OF KILLING 3 FELLOW INMATESAccording to the sentencing notice, Hamalowa is a career offender who stabbed his mother in 1991 with a butcher knife and stabbed and killed a man in 1999. It was also noted that he stabbed a fellow inmate while serving his first sentence."Hamalowas brother, Thomas Leon Hamalowa, pleaded guilty to accessory-after-the-fact to murder and was sentenced to 108 months in prison on October 23, 2023. Hamalowas sister, Devonne Beth Hamalowa, pleaded guilty to accesory-after-the-fact to murder and was sentenced to 84 months in prison on April 1, 2024," the release stated.

Every politician operates with a certain degree of shamelessness. Its practically in the job description.As they try to navigate in howling political winds, they regularly have to justify changing their positions. Maybe the countrys mood has shifted. Maybe its a matter of party loyalty. Maybe theyre bowing to pressure from big donors.And maybe theyre being hypocritical because something they opposed during the Biden administration is now perfectly fine in the Trump administration.WE ARE STILL NOT GETTING THE STRAIGHT STORY ABOUT ALLEGED BIDEN DECLINE: KURTZWhatever the circumstances, its shameless to offer an explanation that everyone knows is garbage.And they have to do it with a straight face. They cant very well say, Donald Trump is going to make sure Im primaried if I dont go along on this one. So they offer the transparently bogus explanation.That, you could argue, is the nature of politics. You need to have some flexibility, some wiggle room.In one of my two interviews with President Trump last year, he tried to explain why he had totally flipped on TikTok. After all, he had spent his first term trying to ban the Chinese-owned company on national security grounds, only to be blocked by the courts. Now, suddenly, he had done a 180 and was trying to save the app, despite a congressional ban.Trump told me he changed his mind because outlawing TikTok would help Facebook, which he considered a greater threat.I didnt buy it. He had concluded that TikTok was incredibly popular, especially with younger people, and wanted to position himself as its savior. This, of course, was before Mark Zuckerberg began cozying up to Trump, such as by making a million-dollar donation to his inaugural.Trump may have the biggest shameless gene of them alland thats part of why hes successful.TRUMP RATTLED BY 'NASTY' 'TACO' QUESTION FROM REPORTERHe doesnt get hung up on what he said the day before or an hour before. He can go from expressing sympathy for Joe Bidens prostate cancer diagnosis to saying he doesnt feel sorry for Biden at all. He can go from blaming the Ukraine war impasse on Volodomyr Zelenskyy to finally condemning Vladimir Putin to calling it Bidens war.Ross Douthat has a smart take on this in his New York Times column:"The willingness to swerve and backpedal and contradict himself is a big part of what keeps the president viable, and the promise of chickening out is part of Trumps implicit pitch to swing voters reassuring them that anything extreme is also provisional, that hes always testing limits (on policy, on power) but also generally willing to pull back."So MAGA voters trust Trump to go pretty farbut not too far?That brings them into John Kerry territory: "I actually did vote for the $87 billion before I voted against it," referring to military aid to our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Republican ads immediately portrayed the 2004 presidential nominee as a flip-flopper. Kerry later allowed that he had been "inarticulate."Its useful to think about flipping the script. In the media furor over Trumps spate of pardons, the president gave one to the leader of a violent Chicago gang, Larry Hoover, a drug dealer whos been serving six consecutive life sentences for killing a man.Largely symbolic? Sure, because Hoover will remain in prison on state charges. Doesnt matter.If Biden had done that, conservative voters would have gone haywire. How dare he side with a murderer? Does Biden have no regard for human life? The man who was killed doesnt get a second chance.DEMOCRATS ABANDON TRADITION AS 2028 PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFULS OPENLY DECLARE WHITE HOUSE AMBITIONSThe MAGA-driven story would have been on television every 10 minutes. With Trump, it was a blip, barely a story at all.Naturally, Bidens hands arent exactly clean on the pardon front. He repeatedly promised not to pardon Hunter, then did exactly that after the election. It was a blatant lie and a big story.The other day Trump got angry when a CNBC reporter asked him about his TACO nickname, Trump Always Chickens Out, based on the chatter on Wall Street. He called the question "nasty," this from the king of bestowing derogatory nicknames (see Joe, Sleepy).Poultry metaphor aside, the president does frequently delay draconian tariffs, conduct quick negotiations and declare victory. His supporters like that because the markets usually shoot up, though the turmoil clearly shakes up the global economy.One reason Trump gets away with all this is that the Democrats dont have a national spokesman. Tim Walz, the VP flop, toying with running for president? People like Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer arent breaking through. AOC gets some good jabs in on social media, but shes not even a member of the leadership.You also have to credit Trumps political skills. He doesnt have the slightest fear of being shameless.

More than 200 people who took California's bar exam in February will have their scores changed from "fail" to "pass" after a California Bar committee approved new scoring adjustments.The grading change affected 230 test takers in the State Bar of California's latest attempt to mitigate the fallout of its disastrous February test, which was plagued with technical and logistical problems. That exam prompted several lawsuits, including at least two filed by test takers and one filed by the state bar against the company that administered the exam.With the changes approved on Friday, the exam's overall pass rate jumped from 56% to 63%, nearly double the state's historical average of 35%.SAN FRANCISCO SCHOOL DISTRICT DITCHES PROPOSED 'GRADING FOR EQUITY' STRATEGY AFTER BACKLASH FROM COMMUNITYApplicants who nearly passed and received a second read on their written questions will be given the higher of two scores for each question, as opposed to the average of the first and second-read scores that the Bar had initially done.Test takers will be notified this week if the adjustments gave them passing scores. This change, unlike many other remedies, does not require approval from the state Supreme Court, the Bar told Bloomberg Law.Applicants for the July exam will automatically be withdrawn if the Bar determines they passed the February test, the Bar said.The scoring changes are the latest in a series of remedies Bar leaders are approving for thousands of applicants whose legal careers were impacted by the exam that crashed on test day.After approval from the state Supreme Court, the state bar has already implemented a lower raw passing score and "imputed" scores for test takers who failed to complete significant portions of the two-day exam.The Committee of Bar Examiners will soon ask the state Supreme Court to also approve a scoring method that could increase some scores on the performance portion of their exams using statistical analysis, according to Bloomberg Law.The state Supreme Court was also asked to consider a proposal to allow all February applicants including those who withdrew before the exam to practice law provisionally under an attorneys supervision.The February exam was the debut of California's hybrid remote and in-person test without the components of the national bar exam the state has used for decades. The change aimed to save as much as $3.8 million annually, but resolving all its issues for the July exam is now expected to add nearly $6 million in costs.COLLEGE DROPOUTS CELEBRATE AT UNCONVENTIONAL 'GRADUATION' CEREMONY IN SAN FRANCISCOSome state Bar trustees have expressed discomfort with some of the exam's proposed remedies and the higher pass rate, pointing to the bar's duty to protect the public from unqualified lawyers.The Bar said it faced the difficult task of finding "fair solutions" that maintained the exam's integrity. The Bar "would never take any steps to detract from its public protection mission," it said in a statement.Fox News Digital has reached out to the State Bar of California.Reuters contributed to this report.

Millions of South Korean voters are casting their ballots on Tuesday for a new president in a snap election following the ouster of former President Yoon Suk Yeol.Yoon, a conservative, faces trial on rebellion charges over his short-lived martial law declaration in December.Pre-election surveys suggested Lee Jae-myung, Yoons liberal archrival, appeared poised to coast to victory due to public frustration over the conservatives in the wake of Yoons martial law decree.The main conservative candidate, Kim Moon Soo, has struggled to win over moderate swing voters, as his People Power Party grapples with internal feuding over how to view Yoons actions.SOUTH KOREA FACES HIGH-STAKES ELECTION; FEARS OVER CHINA, NORTH KOREA, US TIES SHAPE VOTER CONCERNSOver the past six months, large crowds of people rallied in the streets to either protest against Yoon or come to his support.The winner of the election will immediately be sworn in as president on Wednesday for a single, full five-year term without the typical two-month transition period. The new president will face significant challenges, including a slowing economy, U.S. President Donald Trumps tariffs and North Koreas nuclear threats.Voting began at 6 a.m. at more than 14,000 polling stations nationwide. Polls will close at 8 p.m., and observers say a winner could be declared as early as midnight.SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT REMOVED FROM OFFICE FOUR MONTHS AFTER DECLARING MARTIAL LAWAs of 2 p.m. local time, more than 13 million people had cast their ballots. Roughly 15 million also voted during last weeks two-day early voting period, meaning voter turnout stood at 65.5%. South Korea has 44.4 million eligible voters.On Tuesday, Lee, whose Democratic Party led the legislative effort to oust Yoon, urged voters to "deliver a stern and resolute judgement" against the conservatives over Yoon's martial law declaration.In one of his final campaign speeches on Monday, Lee argued that a victory by Kim would represent "the return of the rebellion forces, the destruction of democracy and the deprival of peoples human rights." He also vowed to revitalize the economy, reduce inequality and ease national divisions.Kim, a former labor minister under Yoon, warned that a win by Lee would allow him to hold excessive power, launch political retaliation against opponents and legislate laws to protect him from various legal troubles, as his party already has control of parliament.Lee "is now trying to seize all power in South Korea and establish a Hitler-like dictatorship," Kim said at a rally in the southeastern city of Busan.The Associated Press contributed to this report.

50 Cent voiced concerns after President Donald Trump was asked if he'd consider a pardon for the rapper's longtime rival, Sean "Diddy" Combs.One day after Todd and Julie Chrisley were released from federal prisons on a presidential pardon, a potential order for the disgraced music mogul was called into question.In response to a question by Fox News reporter Peter Doocy about his previous friendship with Diddy and whether he would consider a pardon for the producer, Trump indicated that he would consider "if I think somebody was mistreated."50 Cent, whose full name is Curtis Jackson, took to social media with his own thoughts about the possible pardon and continued his long-running feud with the "Last Night" rapper.DIDDY ACCUSER SUES HARVEY WEINSTEIN FOR SEXUAL ASSAULTOn Friday, Trump floated the possibility of issuing a presidential pardon to Diddy, saying "it's not a popularity contest" and "I would certainly look at the facts" if asked.In a federal indictment unsealed on Sept. 17, Combs was charged with racketeering conspiracy (RICO); sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion; and transportation to engage in prostitution. If found guilty, he faces a minimum of 15 years behind bars or a maximum sentence of life in prison.He has maintained his innocence throughout the ongoing trial in which witnesses have testified to alleged rape, sexual assault, severe physical abuse, forced labor and drug trafficking.WHITNEY HOUSTON, MIKE MYERS NAME-DROPPED IN DIDDY'S HIGH-PROFILE SEX TRAFFICKING TRIALThe president said that so far "nobodys asked" for any such pardon for Diddy: "I know people are thinking about it. I know that they're thinking about it. I think people have been very close to asking.""First of all, I'd look at what's happening, and I haven't been watching it too closely, although it's certainly getting a lot of coverage," Trump said. "I haven't seen him. I haven't spoken to him in years," he went on, adding that Diddy "used to really like me a lot, but I think when I ran for politics that relationship busted up."Trump, who was photographed at various public events with Diddy in the late 1990s and the 2000s, said that though he never had a falling out with Diddy per se, after entering politics he would "read some little bit nasty statements in the paper all of a sudden."WATCH ON FOX NATION: WHAT DIDDY DO?"It's different," he said. "You become a much different person when you run for politics, and you do what's right. I could do other things, and I'm sure he'd like me, and I'm sure other people would like me, but it wouldn't be as good for our country."Trump continued, "As we said, our country is doing really well because of what we're doing, so it's not a popularity contest, so I dont know. I would certainly look at the facts. If I think somebody was mistreated, whether they like me or don't like me, it wouldn't have any impact on me."50 Cent told the president on social media that his former friend, Diddy, has voiced negative opinions about Trump."Im going to reach out so he knows how I feel about this guy," 50 Cent said, per Us Weekly.Days later, 50 Cent shared a screenshot of an article with the headline, "50 Cent Plans to Nuke Diddy's Chances at a Pardon."LIKE WHAT YOURE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS"I didn't say nuke anything," the "Candy Shop" rapper wrote. "I simply said I will make sure Trump is aware."He continued his words against Diddy and shared a video of the "Victory" rapper talking about the rise of the Black Political Party with the caption, "See Trump dont like sh-- like this buddy, you run your mouth to (sic) much."In another post, 50 Cent shared a video of Diddy saying, "White men like Trump need to be banished." He captioned the video, "Welp can't ask him for help then buddy, LOL."50 Cent's feud with Diddy dates back years. He told the Hollywood Reporter that Jennifer Lopez encouraged Diddy to work with 50 Cent and that he helped ghostwrite Diddy's "Let's Get It" in 2001.In 2006, the "In da Club" musician released a diss track titled "The Bomb" in which he accused Diddy of having an influence on the 1997 murder of late rapper Notorious B.I.G."Who shot Biggie Smalls? We dont get em / They gonna kill us all ... Man, Puffy know who hit that n----," he sang.50 Cent told the outlet that he found it weird when Diddy once asked to take him shopping: "Im just like, 'Naw, Im not f---ing with this weird energy or weird s---,' coming off the way he was just moving. From that, I wasnt comfortable around him."In a 2018 appearance on "The Breakfast Club," Diddy claimed 50 Cent actually loved him."You all can't see that he loves me? You really think that's hate? You know he loves me," Diddy said."Me and him could be friends, but he doesnt want to be my friend. I want to be his friend so I could teach him everything I know so he could become a better money-getter, since Im the No. 1 money-getter in the world."CLICK HERE TO GET THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTERWhen Diddy's homes were raided as part of the federal investigation, 50 Cent took to X with screenshots from television coverage."Now it's not Diddy do it, it's Diddy done," he wrote. "They don't come like that unless they got a case."Months later, a video obtained and released by CNN showed Diddy kicking Cassie Ventura in the hallway during a 2016 stay at the Intercontinental Hotel in Los Angeles.WATCH: SEAN DIDDY COMBS ASSAULTS CASSIE VENTURA IN 2016 HOTEL INCIDENT"First, he denied that it even happened, and then the tape comes out. So that means everything that n---a says is a lie," Jackson told the Hollywood Reporter of the 2016 assault video."When someone watches that, if they have a daughter, and they can imagine her being under those circumstances, that s--- is crazy. Like, they let him get away with it. With all the influence and power you have, the person youre with is supposed to want to be a part of your life, not be forced."Following the "I'll Be Missing You" rapper's September arrest, 50 Cent set out to produce a docuseries with Netflix about Diddy's downfall.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP"This is a story with significant human impact. It is a complex narrative spanning decades, not just the headlines or clips seen so far," 50 Cent told Variety. "We remain steadfast in our commitment to give a voice to the voiceless and to present authentic and nuanced perspectives. While the allegations are disturbing, we urge all to remember that Sean Combs story is not the full story of hip-hop and its culture. We aim to ensure that individual actions do not overshadow the cultures broader contributions."Last week, Trump pardoned the Chrisleys among others.The Chrisley family lawyer previously told Fox News Digital that "this case would have never happened if the Chrisleys were not prominent conservatives in the South," adding that once the Chrisleys appeared on TV "the tune changed."Todd and Julie were convicted of conspiring to defraud community banks out of more than $30 million in fraudulent loans, as well as tax evasion, and sentenced to 12 years and seven years, respectively. Their sentences were later reduced.Fox News Digital has contacted 50 Cent and Diddy's team as well as the White House for comment.Fox News Digital's Peter Pinedo contributed to this report.

As travelers embark on their summer trips this year, experts are weighing in on whether people should take the extra precaution of protecting their luggage by locking it up.Travel expert Francesca Page of New York told Fox News Digital that bags and checked bags have always been an issue."Over the years, travel security has tightened for good reason," said Page.AIRLINE PASSENGER SPARKS HEATED DEBATE ABOUT 'RARELY ENFORCED' BAGGAGE POLICY ON FLIGHT"People are not only concerned that their bags will go missing, but also that the bags are not secure or even securely handled," she added.Page said there's also the risk of airport theft.A massive 45.1 million Americans were predicted to travel at least 50 miles from their homes over Memorial Day weekend with 3.61 million Americans flying totheir destination, according to AAA.In addition, a 2025 summer travel survey from Deloitte has reported that 53% of Americans plan to take leisure vacations this summer, a rise from the 48% reported in 2024.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTERGary Leff, a Texas-based travel industry expert and author of the blog "View From the Wing," told Fox News Digital he wouldn't pack anything worth locking in checked bags."Therisk of an airline mishandling your bags is far greater than the risk of theft," said Leff.For more Lifestyle articles, visit foxnews.com/lifestyleHe added, "Losing luggage is just as bad as having it stolen and a TSA-approved lock won't stop another passenger from taking your bag at the carousel upon arrival."The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) estimates that approximately 90,000 to 100,000 items are left behind at checkpoints each month."There isn't much downside to locking your bag until, of course, you lose the key or forget the combination," said Leff.

The Egyptian-born illegal immigrant suspected of firebombing a pro-Israel rally in Boulder, Colorado, on Sunday afternoon has the hallmark signs of a lone-wolf terrorist, adding to a worrying trend of solo attacks.Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, is accused of using homemade incendiary devices to light eight people on fire as they gathered to advocate for the return of Israeli hostages in Hamas captivity in a daytime attack at Boulder's Pearl Street Mall. Videos depict a shirtless man, allegedly Soliman, standing menacingly and holding two more devices after the initial attack as bystanders filmed him. Authorities eventually swarmed the scene, and he surrendered."From a behavioral and psychological profiling perspective, this suggests impulsive extremism or a desire for martyrdom rather than escape or survival," Jason Pack, a retired FBI supervisory special agent, told Fox News Digital.SUSPECT IN BOULDER TERROR ATTACK DETERMINED TO BE EGYPTIAN MAN IN US ILLEGALLY: FBIAt one point during the attack, Soliman reportedly yelled, "Free Palestine.""These traits [are] often associated with ideologically driven lone actors. This kind of attacker typically operates without a support network but may be influenced by online propaganda or perceived injustices," he said. "The erratic behavior, crude weaponry and politically charged language point to a disorganized, emotionally unstable individual whose radicalization, if confirmed, could place the case within the growing trend of unpredictable, lone-wolf-style domestic attacks."An arrest affidavit describing Soliman's interview with local law enforcement upon his arrest also suggests amateurishness.BOULDER TERROR ATTACK SUSPECT SAID HE WANTED TO KILL 'ALL ZIONIST PEOPLE,' USED MOLOTOV COCKTAILS: FEDS"During the interview, SOLIMAN stated that he researched on YouTube how to make Molotov Cocktails, purchased the ingredients to do so, and constructed them," according to the affidavit. "He traveled to Boulder, Colorado in his vehicle with the Molotov cocktails and threw two of the cocktails at individuals participating in a pro-Israel gathering. He also stated that he picked up gas at a gas station on the way to Boulder."The affidavit also said he left an iPhone and journal with messages to his family at his Colorado Springs home."In my years with the FBI, I've seen cases just like this. Its rare, but not unheard of, for someone to act out violently in support of a cause, especially when that person feels isolated, powerless or desperate," Pack said. "Based on what we know, based on the information we know now, Soliman appears to fit the profile of a lone actor ... someone with a grievance who may have felt unheard and decided to lash out."ALLEGED BOULDER TERRORIST OVERSTAYED VISA, GRANTED WORK PERMIT BY BIDEN ADMINISTRATIONPack noted that authorities will also assess Soliman's mental health.Soliman also reportedly told investigators he wanted to "kill all Zionist people and wished they were all dead" and that "he would do it again.""This kind of violence shakes communities, and its not something law enforcement takes lightly," said Pack. "One man with homemade firebombs injured nearly a dozen people. Thats why police around the country will be taking a second look at security plans for similar events, especially ones tied to Israel, Gaza or other politically charged issues."Soliman has been charged with attempted first-degree murder, crimes against at-risk adults/elderly, assault, criminal attempt to commit class 1 and class 2 felonies, and use of explosives or incendiary devices during a felony.The FBI described his actions as a "targeted terror attack.""These kinds of lone-wolf attacks are tough to predict, but theyre not impossible to stop. The key is sharing intel, watching for behavioral warning signs and not ignoring threats when they surface," Pack said.The pro-Israel advocates gathered on Sunday for a Run for Their Lives event, a run/walk to raise awareness about Israeli hostages still in Hamas captivity. The victims ranged in age from 52 to 88, and one of them was in critical condition.Soliman first arrived in the United States on a non-immigrant visa in August 2022. That visa expired in February 2023, but he remained in the country. He received a work permit from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in March 2023 that was valid through March of this year. He once again overstayed his visa and was in the country illegally during Sunday's attack.

A naturalized U.S. citizen who pleaded guilty to receiving military training from the Islamic State in Syria was sentenced on Monday to 10 years in federal prison.Lirim Sylejmani, 49, who was born in Kosovo and moved to Chicago about 25 years ago, engaged in at least one battle against U.S.-led coalition forces after he entered Syria a decade ago, according to prosecutors.U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras in Washington, D.C., handed down Sylejmani's prison sentence, which will be followed by a lifetime of supervised release.Sylejmani pleaded guilty in December to one count of receiving military training from a foreign terrorist organization.FEDERAL JUDGE ISSUES $20M VERDICT AGAINST SYRIA FOR TORTURE OF US CITIZEN TAKEN CAPTIVE IN 2019"This defendant will spend a decade in prison thinking about the betrayal to this country," wrote the interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, also a former Fox News host."Anyone thinking that ISIS is the answer to their questions, best think again," she continued. "We will go to any lengths to root out subversive individuals who want to overthrow the government and harm its citizens."In November 2015, Sylejmani and his family flew to Turkey before crossing the border into Syria, where he received training with other ISIS recruits until February 2019, when he was captured with his family by Syrian forces in Baghouz, Syria, according to prosecutors.SYRIA GRANTED SANCTIONS WAIVER BY TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO ENCOURAGE REBUILDINGHis military training included instruction on how to assemble and fire an AK-47 rifle, as well as how to use a PK Machine gun, M-16 rifle and grenades.Sylejmani was also once injured in a battle with Syrian forces in June 2016.Prosecutors said Sylejmani, who adopted the name Abu Sulayman al-Kosovi, pledged "bayat," or allegiance, to ISIS leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi and to the ISIS organization in front of an Iraqi ISIS member.He was transferred to the U.S. in September 2020 to face criminal charges in Washington, D.C."The conduct is far more than a single, impulsive act. He chose to jeopardize the safety of his family by bringing them to a war-torn country to join and take up arms for ISIS," prosecutors wrote.Sylejmani's attorneys claim he is not a "committed jihadist" and does not espouse violence."He is guilt-ridden for his actions and the harm he has visited on his family, who remain detained in a refugee camp in Syria living under terrible conditions," his lawyers wrote. "He wishes only to complete his time and find his wife and children, so he can live an average law-abiding life with them."

CNN parted ways with its chief national security correspondent, Alex Marquardt, Monday and many of his now-former colleagues say it's "obviously" tied to the network's costly defamation trial earlier this year."Obviously, the court case is a core reason why, that is obvious," one CNN insider told Fox News Digital.Marquardt was at the center of a defamation case brought against him and CNN in January by U.S. Navy veteran Zachary Young. A Florida jury found that CNN defamed Young and ruled that he could seek punitive damages as a result of a November 2021 report by Marquardt. The report branded Young as a shady profiteer who exploited "desperate Afghans" trying to flee Afghanistan during the Biden administration's chaotic military withdrawal from the Taliban-run country, implying Young was operating on a "black market."ALEX MARQUARDT OUT AT CNN AFTER EIGHT YEARS; REPORTER WAS AS THE CENTER OF COSTLY DEFAMATION TRIALThe jury had initially awarded Young $5 million in financial and emotional damages before Young and CNN reached an undisclosed settlement, suggesting the network gave Young significantly more money. The jury foreman later told Fox News Digital they were prepared to make CNN pay "somewhere in the neighborhood of $50 million to $100 million" in punitive damages.CNN DEFAMATION TRIAL: LOSING CASE EXPECTED BUT STILL A BAD BRUISE FOR THE NETWORK, INSIDER SAYS"He has not done anything else that is wrong. So if he was terminated, that has to be a core reason why. It's just the logical thing," the CNN staffer said.Despite the certainty among CNN staff that Marquardt's departure was directly linked to Young's settlement, they remained puzzled by the timing since it came nearly five months after the trial.The first staffer said, "I'm not sure how much strategizing is going into things these days."It seemed like Marquardt was in good standing with CNN even after the trial as he continued making regular on-air appearances, most recently last Tuesday. He even served as a fill-in anchor on Memorial Day."Alex is on our air because he is an experienced, veteran reporter with valuableinsights on the news," a CNN spokesperson told Fox News Digital in late January after the trial.But according to the Status newsletter, Marquardt's dismissal was the result of a "post-settlement ethics compliance review" launched by CNN earlier this year in which he and others involved in the defamatory report were interviewed. Marquardt was informed about the network's decision on Friday, citing "unspecified editorial differences."The bar for proving defamation in court is historically high as many lawsuits are either dismissed or result in a settlement before going to trial. Young's lawsuit against CNN was a rare instance where a jury did find the network liable for defamation, yet a settlement was later reached. Perhaps it was because of the damning evidence Young's legal team gathered during discovery, much of it involving Marquardt himself."[W]e gonna nail this Zachary Young mf---er," Marquardt told a colleague in a 2021 message exchange before finishing the report. That comment was repeatedly referenced by Young's attorneys throughout the trial."I always thought he was a professional. But those internal messages left CNN with no other choice," a second CNN staffer told Fox News Digital.CNN'S ALEX MARQUARDT HESITANT TO ADMIT HE MADE MONEY COVERING WAR ZONES: I DONT GO THERE TO GET PAID'The second CNN staffer insisted, "It's hard in my mind not to make a connection" between Marquardt's abrupt exit and the defamation trial. "He was a chief correspondent. A chief. There was no send off. Nothing like that at all. It all went into the quiet goodnight," the second CNN insider said. "He was a great reporter in the field, really good in war zones. That's what makes it a shame."Marquardt was vague about his sudden exit from CNN, posting on X, "Some personal news: Im leaving CNN after 8 terrific years. Tough to say goodbye but its been an honor to work among the very best in the business.Profound thank you to my comrades on the National Security team & the phenomenal teammates Ive worked with in the US and abroad."CNN declined to comment, citing a policy not to discuss "personnel matters." The network did not respond to additional requests for comment. Marquardt did not respond to requests for comment.In a post-trial interview, Young said he hadn't forgiven Marquardt, calling him out for remaining defiant on the witness stand at the trial."We've given Mr. Marquardt plenty of opportunities during deposition and then again at trial to apologize. And, you know, the answer was no," Young told Fox News Digital. "He still stands behind his work. He's very proud of what he did. His hit piece on me to destroy my life.""He's not my biggest fan," Young added.On the witness stand, Marquardt insisted his report was not a "hit piece" on Young and that he was proud of his work."I wasn't looking to take anyone down. I didn't take anyone down,"Marquardt testified.CNN DEFAMATION TRIAL: PLAINTIFF ACCUSES NETWORK OF FAKING CRITICAL PHONE CALL FOR THEATERCNN issued an on-air apology in March 2022 after Young threatened to take legal action. But throughout the trial, Marquardt and several CNN staffers testified they didnt feel the apology was necessary. CNN senior vice president Adam Levine admitted to the jurors that the apology was merely a legal decision."Alex Marquardt had put in an email, I'm going to nail this Zachary Young.' At that point it seemed as though he had put a target on Mr. Young's back, and he was not going to let up until he reached his goal It was obvious to the entire jury that he was out to get him," jury foreman Katy Svitenko told Fox News Digital in February.That was the moment Svitenko decided it was defamation with malice."The jury pretty much agreed those emails among the CNN employees were pretty bad. And not just one, it was several, at various levels throughout the corporation," she said.Fox News' Brian Flood contributed to this report.

A naturalized U.S. citizen who pleaded guilty to receiving military training from the Islamic State in Syria was sentenced on Monday to 10 years in federal prison.Lirim Sylejmani, 49, who was born in Kosovo and moved to Chicago about 25 years ago, engaged in at least one battle against U.S.-led coalition forces after he entered Syria a decade ago, according to prosecutors.U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras in Washington, D.C., handed down Sylejmani's prison sentence, which will be followed by a lifetime of supervised release.Sylejmani pleaded guilty in December to one count of receiving military training from a foreign terrorist organization.FEDERAL JUDGE ISSUES $20M VERDICT AGAINST SYRIA FOR TORTURE OF US CITIZEN TAKEN CAPTIVE IN 2019"This defendant will spend a decade in prison thinking about the betrayal to this country," wrote the interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, also a former Fox News host."Anyone thinking that ISIS is the answer to their questions, best think again," she continued. "We will go to any lengths to root out subversive individuals who want to overthrow the government and harm its citizens."In November 2015, Sylejmani and his family flew to Turkey before crossing the border into Syria, where he received training with other ISIS recruits until February 2019, when he was captured with his family by Syrian forces in Baghouz, Syria, according to prosecutors.SYRIA GRANTED SANCTIONS WAIVER BY TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO ENCOURAGE REBUILDINGHis military training included instruction on how to assemble and fire an AK-47 rifle, as well as how to use a PK Machine gun, M-16 rifle and grenades.Sylejmani was also once injured in a battle with Syrian forces in June 2016.Prosecutors said Sylejmani, who adopted the name Abu Sulayman al-Kosovi, pledged "bayat," or allegiance, to ISIS leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi and to the ISIS organization in front of an Iraqi ISIS member.He was transferred to the U.S. in September 2020 to face criminal charges in Washington, D.C."The conduct is far more than a single, impulsive act. He chose to jeopardize the safety of his family by bringing them to a war-torn country to join and take up arms for ISIS," prosecutors wrote.Sylejmani's attorneys claim he is not a "committed jihadist" and does not espouse violence."He is guilt-ridden for his actions and the harm he has visited on his family, who remain detained in a refugee camp in Syria living under terrible conditions," his lawyers wrote. "He wishes only to complete his time and find his wife and children, so he can live an average law-abiding life with them."