Pastor convicted in dispute over sheltering homeless vows to continue his mission

BRYAN, Ohio (AP) — A pastor who turned his Ohio church into an around-the-clock shelter for homeless people has been in a legal fight for more than a year over his ministry. A judge has found Pastor Chris Avell guilty of violating zoning and fire codes in a criminal case. But his battle is not over with city leaders in Bryan, Ohio. His attorneys have vowed to appeal the verdict and continue with a federal lawsuit accusing the city of harassing and humiliating the church and its congregants. The church, called Dad’s Place, remains open to those needing a place to stay.

Washington state woman is arrested in the fatal shooting of a Border Patrol agent

(AP) — The FBI has arrested a 21-year-old Washington state woman in the fatal shooting of a U.S. Border Patrol agent in Vermont during a traffic stop earlier this week. Teresa Youngblut is charged in Monday’s killing of Border Patrol Agent David Maland. The FBI says she and a German man who died in the firefight had been under surveillance for several days. According to an FBI affidavit, Maland stopped Youngblut and Felix Baukholt on Interstate 91 in Coventry because Baukholt appeared to have an expired visa. The FBI says Youngblut fired at Maland and other officers and that Baukholt tried to draw a gun. Authorities say at least one border agent opened fire, but they haven’t said whose bullets hit whom.

State Department freezes new funding for nearly all US aid programs worldwide

WASHINGTON (AP) — The State Department has frozen new funding for almost all U.S. aid programs worldwide, making exceptions to allow humanitarian food programs and military aid to Israel and Egypt to continue. The order was sent Friday in a cable to U.S. embassies worldwide. It prohibits new government spending, which appears to limit programs to running only as long as they have cash on hand. The State Department will conduct a review of which of the thousands of U.S. aid and development programs can continue. Its order spells out the execution of an aid-freezing executive order signed by President Donald Trump on Monday.

Rocker Marilyn Manson won’t be charged after long investigation

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Prosecutors say they won’t charge rocker Marilyn Manson after a years-long investigation into sexual assault and domestic violence allegations. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said Friday to charge the 56-year-old. The investigation began in 2021 after years of public allegations. It’s not clear which of those police and prosecutors looked into, but “Game of Thrones” actor Esmé Bianco says she is among the women they spoke to. Manson’s former fiancée, “Westworld” actor Evan Rachel Wood, said in an Instagram post in 2021 that he abused her for years. Manson has vehemently denied all of the allegations. There was no immediate comment from Manson, Bianco or Wood.