Almost every forest bird species in Hawaii is spreading avian malaria, posing an increasing threat to wildlife in the popular honeymoon destination, according to a new study published in Nature Communications.

The research revealed a potential explanation for why the disease shows up almost everywhere mosquitoes are found on the Hawaiian Islands.

Scientists from the University of Hawaii at Mānoa and the University of California analyzed blood samples from over 4,000 birds across 64 sites across the state, a press release revealed.

POTENTIALLY SEVERE MOSQUITO-BORNE VIRUS SURGES IN US ABOVE NORMAL LEVELS

Next, they conducted feeding trials where they allowed mosquitoes to feed on infected birds, and tracked whether those insects spread the disease at various temperatures.

The team found that both native and “introduced” species of forest birds can infect mosquitoes when the insects feed on them. Even when the birds have only small amounts of the parasites, they can carry the disease for months or years.

“Avian malaria has taken a devastating toll on Hawaii’s native forest birds, and this study shows why the disease has been so difficult to contain,” Christa M. Seidl, who conducted the research as part of her PhD at the University of California, Santa Cruz, stated in the release.

“When so many bird species can quietly sustain transmission, it narrows the options for protecting native birds and makes mosquito control not just helpful, but essential,” she added.

FIRST-EVER HUMAN CASE OF RARE BIRD FLU STRAIN CONFIRMED IN WESTERN US

In many ecosystems, a disease continues circulating even if only a handful of animal species are spreading it, but this study found that avian malaria appears to spread more broadly across many bird species.

Mosquitoes, which are not native to Hawaii, could increase the forest birds’ risk of extinction, says the National Park Service. The ʻakikiki, a Hawaiian bird native to Kauai, is now considered extinct in the wild due to the disease.

While avian malaria is from the same family of protozoa that causes malaria in humans, the bird-specific strains cannot be transmitted to people, according to the National Audubon Society.

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Even when avian malaria isn’t fatal to birds, it can shorten their telomeres, an element of DNA that influences lifespan, the above source states.

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In addition to affecting the infected birds, the altered DNA can be passed onto chicks, creating a new generation of birds with shorter lifespans.

The researchers noted a few caveats with the study. First, they primarily used lab-controlled canaries to determine transmission for different parasite levels, which may not be an exact match for every wild bird species.

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They also faced technical hurdles in measuring exactly how much malaria-carrying saliva a mosquito produces at various temperatures, though their models largely account for this, the study stated.

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Finally, as researchers can’t realistically track every mosquito bite in the wild, they used infection patterns as an indirect way to estimate insects’ feeding preferences. If a species is infected more often, that suggests mosquitoes are biting them more frequently.

New Jersey tech boss Paul Caneiro was found guilty Friday of killing his brother and his brother’s family before setting their home on fire. 

Caneiro, 59, was found guilty on four counts of murder, two counts of aggravated arson and two weapons counts in the 2018 killing of his brother, Keith Caneiro, 50; Keith’s wife, Jennifer, 45; and their two young children. 

A Monmouth County jury handed down the verdict after five hours of deliberation. 

NANNY LOVE TRIANGLE MURDERS TRIAL PITS DUELING STORIES OF MASTERMIND BEHIND CASE ‘OUT OF A TV MOVIE’: EXPERT

Keith and Paul Caneiro were partners at a technology firm in Asbury Park called Square One. 

Caneiro killed his relatives over a soured business relationship with his brother, prosecutors alleged. 

Keith Caneiro discovered that his brother was stealing money from their businesses and from him personally. After the killings, Paul Caneiro then set their mansion on fire and his own home in an attempt to cover it up, authorities said.

Caneiro set fire to his own home in Ocean Township, allegedly using gasoline to set the structure ablaze while his wife and two daughters were inside. No one was hurt in that fire.

BROTHER OF TECH CEO KILLED WITH FAMILY AT BURNING MANSION ACCUSED OF TRYING TO TORCH HIS OWN HOME WITH KIN INSIDE

Paul Caneiro had sneaked up on his brother’s family while they slept in the middle of the night, then set both fires to make it appear the entire family was being targeted, the Asbury Park Press and NJ.com reported.

Defense attorneys told the jury investigators failed to investigate anyone else for the crime, including a third Caneiro brother.

They suggested that two people reportedly seen at Keith Caneiro’s home shortly before police and emergency responders arrived may have been involved in the killings. 

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Paul Caneiro now faces a potential life term when he’s sentenced May 12.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

The overstuffed white binders appeared a few moments before Attorney General Pam Bondi exited her motorcade, and strode through the horseshoe entrance of the Rayburn House Office Building.

Roll Call photographer Tom Williams and I stood in the hallway, negotiating our positions for Bondi’s entrance. Williams would position himself on the far side. I slid to the wall nearest the horseshoe entrance. Ali Vitali of MS NOW and Jay O’Brien of ABC worked the sidewall.

A coterie of Bondi’s aides appeared. One bogged down by the massive binders.

BONDI HEARING DEVOLVES INTO CHAOS OF SHOUTS AS AG ACCUSES TOP DEMOCRATS OF ‘THEATRICS’

“Let her get into the room,” instructed the aide.

I politely reminded the aide that the corridor was an open hallway on Capitol Hill. It wasn’t closed off by the U.S. Capitol Police. So, tossing questions at the Attorney General was fair game.

And, thus began another dance between reporters, security details, the U.S. Capitol Police, aides and Cabinet members when they appear for major Congressional hearings.

At the time, we had no clue what was in the binders. But you couldn’t ignore the sheer size of them.

It’s not uncommon for aides to haul in briefing books for a principal when they testify. However, no one has seen binders like this since Kinko’s was still in business.

The contents of what the binders contained was about to play a central role in Bondi’s testimony to the House Judiciary Committee.

But the first charge of the morning was to query Bondi. There was so much going on. All of which were subjects that the Attorney General could address.

Speaking of files…

Bondi wasn’t there to testify about the Epstein files, per se. But Democrats – and one Republican – would make the Justice Department’s release of partially redacted documents the focus of the hearing. So there was plenty to ask Bondi about that.

DOJ’S EPSTEIN DISCLOSURE DRAWS FIRE FOR WEBSITE GLITCHES, MISSING DOCUMENTS, REDACTIONS

However, there were overnight developments from Arizona. Authorities detained a person near the Mexico border in connection with the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie. What Bondi might know about the FBI’s role in this was worth a question. 

Then, there was a cryptic alert that officials were shutting off the airport in El Paso to all air traffic for ten days. Was there a threat of terrorism? Something about cartels? Finally, a story broke overnight that the Justice Department sought to indict six Democratic lawmakers for their video telling service members they didn’t have to comply with unlawful orders. A District of Columbia grand jury refused to indict any of them.

So the press corps waited for Bondi and her security detail to breeze through the door. We’d have about a minute to pepper her with questions as she walked from the horseshoe entrance to a back anteroom.

Reporters must be strategic with such brief “walk-and-talks.” Rapid, Gatling gun-like questions. Succinct. Straight to the point. And agile enough to skip to the next line of inquiry if the figure arriving on Capitol Hill doesn’t answer or gives a brief response.

In another universe, I may have started with Epstein. But the Nancy Guthrie story has consumed the nation for weeks now. There was a development overnight. Nearly every story on the planet always occupies a lane somewhere on Capitol Hill. The Nancy Guthrie saga was no exception.

I had positioned myself on the inside track as we walked down the hall. Able to sidle up close to Bondi as she moved through the building.

“Madam Attorney General, any comment about the investigation of Guthrie? Any update on that right now?” I began, getting to Bondi first.

“Yeah, I can’t talk about that now. Praying for Savannah and her family,” replied Bondi.

Check. Moving on.

“What happened in El Paso? Why did they close off El Paso? Is that something you don’t know about? Or you just can’t comment?” I asked.

“I cant discuss it,” responded Bondi.

EPSTEIN FILES EXPLODE OPEN AS DOJ DETAILS DISCOVERY OF POWERFUL FIGURES AND MORE THAN 1,200 VICTIMS

Then, the main event.

“And what about the Epstein files? A lot of members have been upset that some of these files have not been fully unredacted. What do you say to that?” I inquired.

“We’re going to discuss that today,” answered Bondi.

I backed off to allow my colleagues a chance to pose questions.

“But why was certain information redacted that’s against the nature of the law? Why was certain information redacted that’s against the law?” asked Vitali.

No response.

So I tagged back in, returning to the initial lines of questioning.

“Did you get any updates overnight on the Guthrie investigation? Were they keeping you informed overnight on that? And when did you first find out about the El Paso situation? When did you first hear about the El Paso situation, Madam Attorney General?”

Bondi was silent.

The scrum processed down the hall, camera operators and reporters bumping all over one another, edging backwards. A semi-blob of security personnel slightly shielded Bondi.

But the end was near. The throng approached the backdoor to the Judiciary Committee. Bondi would soon turn right and disappear inside.

Just enough time for one final topic.

“What about the attempt to prosecute the six lawmakers? Any comment on that failed grand jury indictment?” I hollered.

“I’ll refer that to U.S. Attorney Pirro,” replied Bondi, referring to U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeannine Pirro, who tried to indict the six.

HOW PAM BONDI AND THE DEMOCRATS TURNED A HEARING INTO HYSTERIA, RIGHT IN FRONT OF JEFFREY EPSTEIN’S VICTIMS

“Do you know why that went wrong?” I asked.

But that was it. The shot clock expired.

Bondi ignored the question, turning right with her security detail and retreating into the anteroom.

When he hosted Meet the Press on NBC, late host Tim Russert would sometimes boast that they had the Vice President or Secretary of State “for the whole hour.”

The exchanges with Bondi were a fraction of that, consuming a meager one minute and three seconds. From 9:42:03 am et until 9:43:06 am et. There was efficient questioning. And Bondi fielded the questions. But there wasn’t a lot which advanced any of the stories. Still, it’s important to pose the questions and get the exchanges on camera. That made it a productive exercise. Sometimes the Capitol press corps never even sees the big witnesses arrive. Or if we do, they don’t even respond to questions.

The group of aides ducked into the Judiciary Committee suite, one aide lugging the ginormous binders like a stack of Christmas presents.

These binders were about to become the most famous folios in American politics since former Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT) proclaimed he had “binders full of women” during a 2012 debate with President Obama.

The hearing would start a few moments later, carried live on multiple TV networks. The purpose of the binders soon became clear. Each binder contained dossiers on every single Democrat on the Judiciary Committee. Bondi would turn to a specific section in each binder, mining for barbs to lob back at Democrats on the dais. Sometimes about their voting history. Sometimes about a law enforcement or immigration issue in their district. Bondi frequently lashed Democrats – and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) – with ad hominem attacks. She derided Massie as a “failed politician.” She called Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), the top Democrat on the panel “a washed-up, loser lawyer.”

Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) tried to bait Bondi, asking her to “give me your best” bit of opposition research. The Florida Democrat would then grade what Bondi’s staff concocted.

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The hearing devolved into five hours of shouting, screaming and mayhem. One of the most chaotic, cacophonous hearings in recent memory. The spectacle spoke volumes.

All of which could fill a stack of overstuffed binders.

Goyal said that Rahul Gandhi is following the instructions of some Congress workers, who are pretending to be farmer leaders, whereas this is a completely artificial and baseless conversation. Now I bring out the truth of Rahul Gandhi’s false claims and expose him and his friends who are misleading our innocent, hardworking farmers. The minister further said, Modi government has completely protected the interests of farmers in the India-US trade agreement. When I say complete security has been done, I am saying it on record and with full responsibility.

#WATCH | Union Minister Piyush Goyal says, “Mr Rahul Gandhi has once again rolled out a stage-managed, most artificial & fake narrative. This time, he is shooting from the shoulders of a few Congress Party activists, who are pretending to be farmer leaders – in a completely… pic.twitter.com/nTQ3yVVHQC

— ANI (@ANI) February 13, 2026

He said, we have protected the interests of all farmers and this is an agreement that will benefit our farmers, fishermen, hardworking youth, MSMEs, startups. Rahul Gandhi, today you have been completely exposed as a pretender and a liar, a persistent spreader of baseless allegations and fabricated stories.

What did Rahul Gandhi say?
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of betraying the farmers of India. He said that the interim trade agreement between India and America is a direct threat to the livelihood of farmers.

Rae Bareli MP wrote, Narendra Surrender Modi has betrayed the farmers of India and the farmers have understood it. This is not just a trade agreement. This is a direct attack on the livelihood of our food providers. The Congress leader said that this concern was clearly visible in the meeting held with representatives of farmers’ organizations in Parliament. His concerns were clearly revealed in the meeting with representatives of farmer organizations in Parliament today, he wrote. Struggling with inflation, rising costs and MSP uncertainty, farmers are no longer prepared to face foreign crops, which come with huge subsidies and mechanical strength.

Former CNN host Don Lemon remains defiant after he pleaded not guilty to charges related to the viral protest takeover of a Minnesota church last month. 

“This isn’t just about me. This is about all journalists, especially here in the United States,” Lemon said outside the courthouse Friday. 

“For more than 30 years I’ve been a journalist, and the power and protection of the First Amendment has been the underpinning of my work,” Lemon told reporters. “The events before my arrest and what’s happened since show that people are finally realizing what this administration is all about. The process is the punishment with them.”

“And like all of you here in Minnesota, the great people of Minnesota, I will not be intimidated. I will not back down. I will fight these baseless charges and I will not be silenced,” he added. 

DON LEMON FORMALLY ARRAIGNED, PLEADS NOT GUILTY ON CHARGES STEMMING FROM VIRAL MINNESOTA CHURCH STORMING

Lemon, who last month livestreamed anti-ICE agitators storming St. Paul’s Cities Church under the suspicion that its pastor had collaborated with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), was charged with conspiracy to deprive religious freedom rights and a violation of the FACE Act. Prosecutors did not seek to detain Lemon.

Lemon was arraigned alongside far-left agitators including William Kelly and Nekima Levy Armstrong, who have been accused of helping organize the church takeover. All five people arraigned on Friday pleaded not guilty. 

DON LEMON’S LENGTHY HISTORY OF ANTI-ICE RHETORIC

Lemon has insisted he was working as a journalist and was not part of the group that harassed churchgoers. He is represented by Abbe Lowell, who previously represented Hunter Biden, and Joe Thompson, who was the lead prosecutor who helped uncover the massive $250 million Feeding Our Future food fraud case tied to the state’s Somali community. Thompson resigned from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in January. 

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While documenting the hostile invasion of the church, Lemon called it a “clandestine mission.”

“You have to be willing to go into places and disrupt and make people uncomfortable. That’s what this country is about,” Lemon said.

Agitators disrupted the religious service and “intimidated, harassed, oppressed, and terrorized the parishioners, including young children, and caused the service to be cut short,” according to a federal affidavit. 

Churchgoers told law enforcement that members of their parish attempted to retrieve their children from a childcare area located downstairs, but the agitators were blocking the stairs, and the parents were unable to get to their children. One churchgoer later expressed fear that the agitators may have guns underneath their jackets and noted that aisles were blocked, making it difficult to leave. 

The FACE Act makes it a federal crime, with potentially steep fines and jail time, to use or threaten to use force to “injure, intimidate, or interfere” with a person seeking reproductive health services, or with a person lawfully trying to exercise the First Amendment right of religious freedom at a place of religious worship. It also prohibits intentional property damage to a facility providing reproductive health services or a place of religious worship.

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Lemon, who was fired by CNN in 2023 and then went the independent route, has seen his profile grow since the arrest, including an appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and a surge in his subscribers.

Fox News’ Brian Flood contributed to this report.