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Malaysia's jailed ex-PM Najib withdraws appeal on house arrest, local media reports

KUALA LUMPUR, April 27 (Reuters) - Jailed former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has withdrawn his appeal against a court ruling denying his request to ‌serve the remainder of his sentence at home, local media The Edge reported on ‌Monday, citing court documents.

Reuters

Najib was found guilty of a string of graft offences in connection to his ​role in the multibillion-dollar 1MDB scandal.

• Najib has been serving a six-year jail sentence since August 2022 after being convicted of graft and money laundering in one of several cases linked to the alleged theft of billions of dollars from 1Malaysia Development Berhad - a state ‌fund he helped establish in ⁠2009 while he was premier.

• The ex-premier launched a legal bid for home detention after his sentence was halved by a pardons ⁠board decision chaired by Malaysia's former king in 2024.

• Najib insists the board's decision was accompanied by an addendum order issued by the king that allowed him to serve the remainder ​of ​his jail term at home, which he alleges was ignored ​by authorities.

• The Kuala Lumpur High ‌Court denied Najib's house arrest bid on December 22, a decision that Najib subsequently appealed.

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• Najib has since withdrawn the appeal without liberty to file a fresh appeal, with the Court of Appeal acknowledging the withdrawal, The Edge reported on Monday, citing letters from Najib's lawyers and the court, dated April 3 and April 6 respectively.

• Najib's ‌lawyers and the Attorney General's Chambers did not ​immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment.

• The ​withdrawal of his appeal for home ​detention would mark yet another setback for Najib, after he was ‌jailed a further 15 years and fined $2.8 ​billion for abuse of ​power and money laundering in December following the biggest trial yet involving the 1MDB saga.

• Malaysia and U.S. investigators say at least $4.5 billion was stolen from ​the 1MDB state fund, ‌with more than $1 billion allegedly making its way into accounts linked to Najib.

• ​Najib has consistently denied wrongdoing and has apologised for mishandling the scandal.

(Reporting ​by Danial Azhar; Editing by David Stanway)

Malaysia's jailed ex-PM Najib withdraws appeal on house arrest, local media reports

KUALA LUMPUR, April 27 (Reuters) - Jailed former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has withdrawn his appeal against a court ruling d...
How the White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting and response unfolded

Early details on security at White House Correspondents' Dinner prior to shooting 05:59

CBS News

Gunfire at the Washington Hilton Saturday nightabruptly halted the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner. Aman allegedly armed with two firearmsand knives breached a Secret Service checkpoint outside the ballroom. He was stopped by law enforcement before he could reach the dinner where President Trump and 2,600 guests had gathered. A Secret Service officer was hit by a round and protected by a bulletproof vest, authorities said.

Here is a moment-by-moment account of the events, according to authorities and eyewitness accounts. All times are eastern daylight time.

8:34:29 PM: Security checkpoint is breached

8:34:29 PM: Surveillance video shared by the president shows a person barreling at full tilt through a Secret Service metal detector, stunning a half dozen officers. A swarm of officers chase after. Just down a staircase, 2,600 WHCD guests dine on a salad appetizer in the…pic.twitter.com/cI3eVrV8A9

— CBS News (@CBSNews)April 26, 2026

A person barrels at full tilt through a Secret Service metal detector, stunning a half dozen officers nearby. He's sprinting so fast he nearly clips one officer in plainclothes, who draws a sidearm. A swarm of officers chase after him.

The security checkpoint is separated from the 30,000square-foot ballroom by a staircase. About 2,600 people are inside, one floor below, eating an appetizer course of bread and salad.

Security camera video of the breach is posted by Mr. Trump on Truth Social.

8:34:33 PM: Rapid fire of gunshots is heard

8:34:33 PM: A series of gunshots can be heard in the ballroom. On the dais where President Trump is seated, the gunshots are muted, if audible at all. For guests in the back of the venue, the sound and smell of gunpowder are unmistakable.pic.twitter.com/N22nvriLCd

— CBS News (@CBSNews)April 26, 2026

A series of rapid gunshots can be heard in the ballroom. On the dais where President Trump is seated, the gunshots are muted, if audible at all. Some think a member of the waitstaff had dropped serving trays. For guests in the back of the venue, closer to the incident, the sound and smell of gunpowder are unmistakable.

At the time shots were fired, mentalist Oz Pearlman, the entertainer for the evening, can be seen at the head table performing a trick for Mr. Trump, first lady Melania Trump, press secretary Karoline Leavitt and White House Correspondents' Association President Weijia Jiang.

Pearlman later confirms to CBS News he was trying to guess the name of Leavitt's unborn daughter who is due next week.

It takes more than 20 seconds for the president to be whisked off stage by his security detail.

Around 8:34:35 PM: Guests take cover

8:34:35 PM: Guests at the back of the ballroom take cover on the floor and under tables. Some shoot video on their phones of the unfolding scene.pic.twitter.com/gTW6eXvMhE

— CBS News (@CBSNews)April 26, 2026

Guests in the raised seating area at the back of the ballroom begin to take cover on the floor and under tables. Some take out their phones to shoot video of the unfolding scene.

Around 8:34:40 PM: Security rushes in

8:34:40 PM: Security officers rush up the center aisle, climbing over chairs and fanning out across the ballroom to their protectees.pic.twitter.com/f1KfRfKj86

— CBS News (@CBSNews)April 26, 2026

Moments after the shots, security officers rush up the center aisle, climbing over chairs and fanning out to their protectees. Some Cabinet members and members of Congress are crouched under tables.

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8:34:45 PM: Trump is evacuated

8:34:45 PM: Secret Service agents run on stage 12 seconds after shots are fired. VP Vance is quickly escorted offstage. An agent blocks President Trump with his body, but it takes several seconds for POTUS and FLOTUS to take cover. POTUS is escorted offstage 20 seconds after the…pic.twitter.com/jO1JLjRiLb

— CBS News (@CBSNews)April 26, 2026

Secret Service agents run on stage. An agent grabs Vice President Vance – who is still seated at the head table – by the shoulders, and pulls him out of his chair. He is escorted offstage within four seconds, while the president is still on stage.

Across the stage, a Secret Service agent stands in front of Mr. Trump, blocking him from view. Mr. Trump remains seated, the first lady visible next to him, while Pearlman stands behind them holding a paper from his trick.

At the same moment Vance exits the stage, the first lady starts to lower herself to the floor, and four seconds later President Trump starts to get out of his chair after agents yell to "stay down."

Leavitt and others seated at the head table get on the ground. Two Secret Service agents pull Mr. Trump up and start to escort him offstage. After taking several steps, Mr. Trump is lowered to the ground and covered by four agents. Leavitt exits the stage at a crouch. Mr. Trump then stands back up, and he and the first lady are escorted offstage by Secret Service. Mr. Trump exits the stage 20 seconds after Vice President Vance.

8:35:47 PM: Security sweeps continue

8:35:47 PM: Armed law enforcement occupy a stairwell at the rear of the ballroom. An agent shouts: "Is anyone in the kitchen?" Behind swinging doors, kitchen staff are lined up with arms raised as agents with guns drawn clear the area.pic.twitter.com/fY7JeaG3Wk

— CBS News (@CBSNews)April 26, 2026

Law enforcement with guns drawn occupy a stairwell at the rear of the ballroom. An agent shouts: "Is anyone in the kitchen? Is anybody in the kitchen?" Behind a swinging set of doors a nervous kitchen staff is lined up and stands with arms raised as agents, weapons drawn, clear the area.

8:37 PM: Administration officials escorted out

8:37 PM: Security details start removing administration officials from the ballroom as dinner attendees continue to take cover under their tables. Among those escorted out are Treasury Sec. Bessent, Defense Sec. Hegseth, Acting AG Blanche, and House Majority Leader Scalise.pic.twitter.com/wjqzJZReuW

— CBS News (@CBSNews)April 26, 2026

Security details start moving dignitaries from the ballroom.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and acting Attorney General Todd Blanche are escorted out as dinner attendees continue to take cover under their tables. A Capitol Police detail hustles House Majority Leader Steve Scalise through the room.

9:17 PM: Trump posts on social media

9:17 PM: President Trump posts on Truth Social that the shooter has been apprehended and that he “recommended that we ‘LET THE SHOW GO ON’ but, will entirely be guided by Law Enforcement.”pic.twitter.com/OLfrLiCjkN

— CBS News (@CBSNews)April 26, 2026

Mr. Trump posts on Truth Social that the shooter has been apprehended and that he "recommended that we 'LET THE SHOW GO ON' but, will entirely be guided by Law Enforcement." He adds: "Regardless of that decision, the evening will be much different than planned, and we'll just, plain, have to do it again."

9:39:12 PM: "We run to a crisis, not from it"

9:39:12 PM: WHCA President Weijia Jiang returns to the podium to announce that the dinner has been canceled. She adds that President Trump insists the dinner be rescheduled in the next 30 days.pic.twitter.com/abqwTQksUD

— CBS News (@CBSNews)April 26, 2026

Jiang returns to the podium to announce the dinner will not go on as scheduled. She adds that the president insists the dinner be rescheduled in the next 30 days.

"I said earlier tonight that journalism is a public service, because when there is an emergency, we run to the crisis, not away from it," Jiang says to the room full of reporters. "And on a night when we are thinking about the freedoms in the First Amendment, we must also think about how fragile they are."

How the White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting and response unfolded

Early details on security at White House Correspondents' Dinner prior to shooting 05:59 Gunfire at the Washington Hilton Satu...
Cricket fans to be allowed to attend the Pakistan Super League final on May 3

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Spectators will be allowed to attend thePakistan Super Leaguefinal after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved a request from franchise owners, a top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board said on Saturday.

Associated Press A view of the Gaddafi Stadium, where opening cricket match of the Pakistan Super League between Lahore Qalandars and Hyderabad Kingsmen, is taking place without spectators, in Lahore, Pakistan, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary) A paramilitary soldier stands guard to ensure security at outside the Gaddafi Stadium, where opening cricket match of the Pakistan Super League between Lahore Qalandars and Hyderabad Kingsmen is taking place without spectators, in Lahore, Pakistan, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

APTOPIX Pakistan PSL Cricket

PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who is also interior minister in the government, wrote on social media that Sharif has “graciously approved” the presence of fans at the May 3 final in Lahore.

Pakistan’s biggest sports spectacle of the yearstarted behind closed doorslate last month with fans asked to stay home because of soaring fuel prices related to theIran war.

Pakistan’s government had urged people to restrict travel and to work from home because of rising fuel prices and Naqvi had said it wouldn’t be right to have 30,000 fans attending cricket matches every day while the government is asking the public to stay home.

The PCB also reduced the number of PSL venues from six to two as part of austerity measures, but barred spectators from PSL games at Lahore and Karachi.

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Naqvi said while Sharif was inclined to permit fans, the prime minister emphasized that austerity measures are currently in place across Pakistan, with efforts underway to minimize fuel consumption.

Peshawar Zalmi, led by Babar Azam, Multan Sultans and three-time champions Islamabad United have already qualified for next week’s playoffs ahead of the final.

Defending champions Lahore Qalandars, first-timers Hyderabad Kingmen and Karachi Kings are still in the running to secure the fourth playoff spot.

AP cricket:https://apnews.com/hub/cricket

Cricket fans to be allowed to attend the Pakistan Super League final on May 3

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Spectators will be allowed to attend thePakistan Super Leaguefinal after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved a requ...
Why Trump, MAGA and Fetterman say correspondents’ dinner shooting seals the deal for $400M White House ballroom

The president of the United States, his MAGA allies, and even a Senate Democrat pressed the case for his $400 million White House ballroom construction in the hoursafter a shooting at the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinnerleft nearly the entire Cabinet and DC press corpsducking for coverminutes into the event.

The Independent US

For months, the construction of President Donald Trump’s desired White House ballroom has made headlines and even seemed to consume the president’s attention during unrelated events, where Trump will often go on diatribes about the construction process or building plans. A federal judge halted the project earlier this month, while allowing construction of a secure bunker on the White House complex to continued.

Trump had the residence’s iconic East Wing demolished without warning to make room for the structure.

ButSaturday evening’s chaosadded a new twinge of urgency to the president’s statements and elicited a wave of new calls for the event space’s construction on the White House’s grounds from supporters of the president, many of whom had previously ignored or shied away from defending what Democrats call a grift-filled vanity project.

“Whathappened last nightis exactly the reason that our great Military, Secret Service, Law Enforcement and, for different reasons, every President for the last 150 years, have been DEMANDING that a large, safe, and secure Ballroom be built ON THE GROUNDS OF THE WHITE HOUSE,” Trump wrote early Sunday morning in a Truth Social post.

“This event would never have happened with the Militarily Top Secret Ballroom currently under construction at the White House. It cannot be built fast enough! While beautiful, it has every highest level security feature there is plus, there are no rooms sitting on top for unsecured people to pour in, and is inside the gates of the most secure building in the World, The White House,” Trump continued.

President Donald Trump  addressed the press shortly after the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner and made the case for his $400 million ballroom construction (Reuters)

His remarks joined a chorus of other Republicans online who wrote and spoke favorably about the project after the shooting, including Florida Rep. Randy Fine, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, Judicial Watch’s Tom Fitton, “Libs of TikTok” influencer Chaya Raichik, commentator Jack Posobiec and more.

“I don’t want to hear one more f***ing criticism of Trump’s new ballroom at the White House,” wrote Meghan McCain, a conservative former co-host ofThe Viewand an occasional critic of Trump’s.

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The most surprising support for the project, however, came from a Democratic senator. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania was one of a number of members of Congress who attended Saturday evening’s dinner and was seen being escorted out after the shooting and the president’s own departure.

On Sunday, Fetterman, who has been criticized by fellow Democrats for his support of Trump’s war in Iran, wrote that Democrats should “drop the [Trump Derangement Syndrome]” and join Republicans in supporting the construction of the ballroom at the White House for security reasons.

“That venue wasn’t built to accommodate an event with the line of succession for the U.S. government. After witnessing last night, drop the TDS and build the White House ballroom for events exactly like these,” wrote the senator on X.

Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) is escorted through the lobby following the shooting at the annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner Saturday night (Reuters)

Otherstargeted the event itself for criticism, arguing that security was lax and unprepared for the numbers of people attending the event — which was similar to previous years’ gatherings in size.

Security for Saturday’s dinner was managed by the Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies, and guests were required to walk through a metal detector to reach the main area of the venue, locatd in the basement-level event spaces of the Washington Hilton. Sometimes mocked by attendees (in generally good faith), the Hilton has hosted the event for years.

Some claimed that they were not asked to show tickets to enter the event, thoughThe Independentwas asked repeatedly to show a ticket at several security checkpoints throughout the hotel and surrounding blocks of Washington, D.C.

US Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is rushed out by Secret Service after shots were fired (AFP/Getty)

Trump announced plans to construct the ballroom in July of 2025, telling reporters at the time that the structure would cost $200 million and would be funded entirely through private donations. Those costs ballooned to $400 million in the months that followed, and the president’s allies established a nonprofit, the Trust for the National Mall, to funnel donations to the project and allow some donors to retain public anonymity.

Trump has claimed the project is already fully funded, and demolition of the East Wing to prepare for its construction began in October.

The shooting Saturday evening may have the effect of jump-starting the project, as the court order halting progress was issued by a judge who ruled that the project did not qualify as a necessary measure to improve security at the White House, which allows the administration to go around the typical requirements to acquire funding and authorization from Congress.

Why Trump, MAGA and Fetterman say correspondents’ dinner shooting seals the deal for $400M White House ballroom

The president of the United States, his MAGA allies, and even a Senate Democrat pressed the case for his $400 million White House ballr...
Trump expected to appear at White House press gala for first time as president

Donald Trump's expected attendance at Saturday's annualWhite House Correspondents' Association dinnerin Washington for his first time as president will put his administration's often-contentious relationship with the press on full public display.

CBS News

Mr. Trump will be watched closely at the event held by the organization of reporters who cover him and his administration. Past presidents who have attended have generally spoken about the importance of free speech and the First Amendment, adding in some light roasts about individual journalists.

The Republican president did not attend during his first term or the first year of his second. He came as a guest in 2011, sitting in the audience asPresident Barack Obama, a Democrat, made some jokes about the New York real estate developer. Mr. Trump also attended as a private citizen in 2015.

Past dinners have alsofeatured comedianswho poke at presidents. This year, the group opted to hire mentalistOz Pearlmanas the featured entertainment.

Mr. Trump's planned appearance is rekindling a longer running debate about the dinner and events like it — in particular, whether it is poor form for journalists to be seen socializing with the people they cover. The New York Times, for example, stopped attending the dinner more than a decade ago for that reason.

"What was once (a fairly long time ago) a well-intended night of fundraising and camaraderie among professional adversaries is now simply a bad look," wrote Kelly McBride, ethics expert at the Poynter Institute, a journalism think tank.

A contentious relationship

Between berating individual reporters, fighting organizations like the Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Associated Press in court andrestricting press access to the Pentagon, the administration's animus toward journalists has been a fixture of Mr. Trump's second term.

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On the eve of the dinner, nearly 500 retired journalists signed a petition calling on the association "to forcefully demonstrate opposition to President Trump's efforts to trample freedom of the press."

"The White House Correspondents' dinner reinforces the importance of the First Amendment in our democracy," said the WHCA president and CBS News' senior White House correspondentWeijia Jiang. "As we mark America's 250th birthday, our choice to gather as journalists, newsmakers and the president in the same room is a reminder of what a free press means to this country and why it must endure. Not for the media or the president, but for the people who depend on it."

Many reporters who attend, however, consider it a valuable opportunity to get story ideas and establish personal connections with those in government, one that may pay dividends with returned telephone calls in the future.

Some news organizations invite sources as guests

Journalists often invite sources as guests at the dinner. It will be noticed Saturday whether administration officials who have also expressed hostility to the press will attend, and with whom they will be sitting.

The AP has invitedTaylor Budowich, a former White House deputy chief of staff who left last fall for the private sector. The invitation is notable because Budowich, in his role crafting White House communications policy, was a named defendant last year when the AP sued the administration after it reduced its access to the president because the news outlet did not follow Mr. Trump's lead inrenamingthe Gulf of Mexico.

"We maintain professional relationships with people across the political spectrum because we are nonpartisan by design — focused on reporting the facts in the public's interest," AP spokesman Patrick Maks said.

The White House correspondents will also hand out awards for exemplary reporting. That includes some stories that displeased Mr. Trump, suchas onefrom the Journal about a birthday message Trump once sent to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The story led to apresidential lawsuit.

Trump expected to appear at White House press gala for first time as president

Donald Trump's expected attendance at Saturday's annualWhite House Correspondents' Association dinnerin Washington for his ...
Vikings go big on defense in the NFL draft, particularly up front

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — TheMinnesota Vikingsmight not know for some time whether this rookie class will get them back on track with theNFL draft, after recent years have not yielded enough quality depth for the roster and forced them to spend big in free agency.

Associated Press Minnesota Vikings first-round draft pick Caleb Banks talks during an NFL football news conference Friday, April 24, 2026, in Eagan, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) Minnesota Vikings first round draft pick Caleb Banks poses for a photo with Vikings front office members during a press conference Friday, April 24, 2026 in Eagan, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) Minnesota Vikings first round draft pick Caleb Banks, left, and head coach Kevin O'Connell arrive for a press conference Friday, April 24, 2026 in Eagan, Minn. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Vikings Draft Football

Even if the dividends don't immediately pay off for him, defensive coordinator Brian Flores was clearly one of the biggest winners from the weekend.

Starting with Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks in thefirst round, the Vikings as directed by interim general manager Rob Brzezinski wound up with five top-100 picks and used four of them on defensive players.

Cincinnati linebacker Jake Golday, who can play on the edge as well as inside, came in the second round. Iowa State defensive tackle Domonique Orange went in the third round, as did Miami safety Jakobe Thomas.

Then among their four picks on Saturday, the Vikings used a fifth-rounder on Stephen F. Austin cornerback Charles Demmings. Granted, Flores had to part withedge rusher Jonathan Greenardin a cap-relief trade with Philadelphia on Friday that netted two third-round picks. But the emergence of 2024 first-round draft pick Dallas Turner last season made parting with Greenard more palatable.

The upside of bulk and athleticism with Banks and Orange joining budding standout Jalen Redmond on the inside gives the Vikings more confidence they're building an interior that can't be easily bulldozed.

“Brian Flores has talked about it. I’ve talked about it: This is a big man’s game," coach Kevin O'Connell said.

Banks might be bringing a crowd

Banks during his introductory news conference at team headquarters revealed that he has four pets and plans to acquire more — two pythons, a chameleon and a dog. He said he plans to bring them with him to Minnesota, with more snakes, another dog, a tarantula and frogs on his radar for expanding the roster.

His love for animals was developed through an affinity for koala bears. He said he would've even majored in zoology at Florida if the time demands of those course didn't conflict with football practice.

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“Yeah, I'm different," Banks said. “I'm telling you, you'd be surprised.”

A special guest at the Bredeson family gathering

The first pick the Vikings made on Saturday was Michigan's Max Bredeson at 159th overall in the fifth round, targeting a blocking specialist who lined up in several places in the formation in college as a successor to recently retired fullback C.J. Ham.

When Bredeson's video conference call with Minnesota reporters began from his family's home in Hartland, Wisconsin, one of his former Michigan teammates popped on the screen: J.J. McCarthy.

The Vikings quarterback was in the same recruiting class as Bredeson when they joined the Wolverines, and they've remained close friends. They even had the same private quarterback coach as youths, before Bredeson wisely made a position switch. Landing on the same NFL team was quite a

“I'm a Midwest kid, so it's awesome to be in the Midwest,” Bredeson said. “All the time I've spent with anyone in the Vikings organization, it always felt real.”

Playing hot potato with the 198th overall pick

The Vikings selected Wake Forest running back Demond Claiborne in the sixth round on Saturday with a pick that became one of the most popular in the draft. That originally belonged to the Vikings, who first sent it to Houston in 2024 for running back Cam Akers. They reacquired it in a subsequent trade with the Texans, then sent it to San Francisco last year for running back Jordan Mason. The 49ers wound up dealing it to New England. Then the Patriots sent it back to the Vikings on Saturday for one of their seventh-round selections (234th overall) and a sixth-rounder in 2027.

Nine picks in, nine picks out

The Vikings were less active on the trade market than usual, though the Greenard deal was the headline of the weekend. They got a third-rounder from Philadelphia, plus another one in 2027, for Greenard and one of their seventh-rounders. They made a minor move with Carolina in the second round on Friday to drop two spots and upgrade a sixth-rounder to a fifth-rounder. In the end, they made nine selections — the same amount they started with — and got five top-100 picks after starting with four.

AP NFL:https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Vikings go big on defense in the NFL draft, particularly up front

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — TheMinnesota Vikingsmight not know for some time whether this rookie class will get them back on track with theNFL d...
Flesh-eating parasitic fly once eradicated from US now near the border

Cases of aflesh-eating infectionmiles from Texas’ border with Mexico are alarming officials about the return of a parasitic fly that was once eradicated.

USA TODAY

Earlier this week, theU.S. Department of Agriculture reported active casesof New World screwworm in the Mexican state of Nuevo León. In anApril 20 statement, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said one infected calf, about 62 miles from the border, was the northernmost active case from the parasitic New World screwworm fly to date, calling it a “flashing red warning sign.”

Latest available USDA data, as of April 21, showed more recent active cases among cattle in Tamaulipas, a Mexican state bordering Texas. USDA has said there’s no current risk to livestock, pets or people in the United States.American officials have closedsouthern ports of entry to livestock trade.

New World screwworm flies feed on warm-blooded animals and humans to create painful, foul-smelling wounds, according to theU.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They spread when female flies lay eggs in an open wound − sometimes as small as a tick bite − or in an animal's nose, eyes, ears or mouth. Then, eggs hatch maggots that burrow and eat live tissue. After a few days, larvae drop and burrow into soil, later emerging as mature flies.

USDA declared the United Statesfree of indigenous screwworms beginning in 1966, using a technique of sterilizing male flies.North America eradicatedNew World screwworm by the 2000s.

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Cattle are held in a corral before being exported to the United States through the Jeronimo-Santa Teresa border crossing after U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced an agreement with Mexico on the management of the New World screwworm, following a threat to halt Mexican cattle imports due to the outbreak, at the Chihuahua Regional Livestock Union facility, outside Ciudad Juarez, Mexico April 29, 2025.

In the following decades, New World screwworm has steadily returned northward from endemic regions in South America. Parasitic flies have caused outbreaks in Central America and Mexico, which is a primary supplier of cattle to the United States.

ANature studypublished in July said climate change contributes to its re-emergence due to hotter temperatures and changing weather. This creates more favorable conditions for flies to spread in Texas, home to the nation's largest cattle industry, as well as other parts of the southern United States. Economic losses by the return of New World screwworm could run into billions of dollars, the study found.

There have beenisolated cases of people infectedwith New World screwworm who have returned to the United States from international travel. A small outbreak last occurred in2017 in the Florida Keys.

Eduardo Cuevas is based in New York City. Reach him by email atemcuevas1@usatoday.comor on Signal at emcuevas.01.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Flesh-eating New World screwworm moves closer to US in alarming return

Flesh-eating parasitic fly once eradicated from US now near the border

Cases of aflesh-eating infectionmiles from Texas’ border with Mexico are alarming officials about the return of a parasitic fly that wa...

 

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