Category: ESTA News

The remains of a female employee who went missing nearly a year ago at Los Alamos National Laboratory have been found in a wooded area, with a gun beside her. (Illustration/PIXABAY) In recent years, the United States has seen a series of mysterious deaths or disappearances of military, nuclear, and aerospace scientists.

Among them, a female employee of the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, which conducts nuclear weapons-related research, was found dead in a forest after disappearing for nearly a year. A handgun was also found next to her body. The cause of death is still under investigation, and the White House and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) will join forces to investigate.

According to NBC, 53-year-old Melissa Casias and her husband worked at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The husband recalled that his wife disappeared after driving him to work on June 26, 2025, saying she had to go to another part of the laboratory. On the day of the incident, witnesses said that Cassias was walking east along the state road, and a cell phone that had been restored to factory settings was left at her home.

After her disappearance, the police did not rule out the possibility of murder, but she may have chosen to disappear for her own reasons. On May 28th of this year, human remains were discovered in the Carson National Forest in New Mexico and reported to the police. After comparison, they were confirmed on May 30th to be those of the missing Cassias. A handgun was found beside him. The location of the body was approximately 6 miles (9.65 kilometers) from his home.

The forensic pathologist and police will subsequently investigate the exact cause of death. It is reported that in recent years, 11 military, nuclear energy, and aerospace scientists in the United States have died or gone missing under mysterious circumstances. Cassias is one of them, and the White House and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) will join forces to investigate.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was visiting India, said in New Delhi on the 23rd that Iran could have accepted a peace agreement as early as that day, bringing an end to the Middle East war that has been raging since the end of February.

Rubio traveled to India after the NATO foreign ministers’ meeting in Sweden. He said on the 23rd, “It is possible that we can have important announcements, whether it is later today, tomorrow (the 24th), or in a few days.”

Regarding the negotiations between the US and Iran, Rubio said twice that “some progress has been made”; he also said, “As I speak to you (the media) right now, some progress is also being made.” Rubio indicated that he hoped for “good news,” which might or might not come on the 23rd. Rubio reiterated that the United States demands Iran fully open the Strait of Hormuz and hand over its highly enriched uranium. Rubio emphasized that US President Trump “has always preferred” to resolve issues through diplomatic means such as negotiation, and “that’s what we’re working on right now.”

In addition, Pakistan, the main mediator in the US-Iran negotiations, sent its Army Chief of Staff Munir, whom Trump greatly admires, to Tehran to meet with Iranian Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf, Foreign Minister Arachne, and President Pezeszczuk. Munir left Tehran on the 23rd. Reuters reported on the 23rd, citing Pakistani military sources, that negotiations had reached a final understanding between the US and Iran in the past 24 hours, achieving “encouraging and inspiring” progress.

A storage tank containing hazardous chemicals used in the manufacture of plastic parts in Southern California leaked on the 22nd, prompting an evacuation order for approximately 40,000 people. Authorities are working urgently to prevent the tank from exploding.

The Associated Press reports that the storage tank is located at the GKN Aerospace plastics factory in Garden Grove, Orange County. The Orange County Fire Department stated that the tank contained approximately 22,700 to 26,500 liters of methyl methacrylate and began releasing vapors into the air on the 21st due to overheating.

Park City Fire Chief Craig Covey stated on the 22nd that the storage tank may have ruptured and malfunctioned, causing chemicals to leak onto the ground and potentially even explode. He said, “This thing will eventually fail, and we don’t know when it will happen.” He added, “We are doing our best to determine the timing or try to prevent it from happening.”

Garden City, located about 61 kilometers south of downtown Los Angeles, is known for its vibrant Vietnamese community and is one of the cities with the largest Vietnamese population in the United States. It is less than 1.6 kilometers from the two Disney theme parks. The Disney parks were not included in the evacuation plan on the 22nd. Authorities say there have been no reports of casualties so far, but residents of Garden City have been ordered to evacuate as the leak could not be stopped overnight.

The evacuation zone was expanded on the 22nd to parts of five other cities in Orange County, including Cypress, Stanton, Anaheim, Buena Park and Westminster. In an update on the evening of the 22nd, Covey stated that authorities are currently able to maintain the temperature of the storage tank, allowing more time to study how to handle the situation.

Rescue workers have also used sandbags to create a containment barrier to prevent the highly volatile, toxic, and flammable chemicals in the storage tank from leaking into drainage systems, streams, or nearby sea areas.

This is a murder case that has sent chills down the spines of the international student community and the entire neighborhood. “What would happen if you put a person in a black garbage bag and threw it in the trash?” A 26-year-old man in Florida asked ChatGPT this question four days before committing a murder. Four days later, his roommate’s body was discovered, wrapped in several layers of black industrial waste bags, and dumped on the cross-sea bridge.

Another missing female doctoral student remains at large. The incident occurred in Tampa, Florida. Both victims were Bangladeshi international students and doctoral students at the University of South Florida (USF). Zamil Limon, 27, majoring in Geography and Environmental Policy, and Nahida Bristy, 27, a PhD in Chemical Engineering, are a couple. The murder suspect is Hisham Abugharbieh, 26, who was Limon’s roommate. The court documents released by the police are full of details. On April 7th, Abu Gabi bought a roll of tape from Amazon.

On April 11th, he placed an order for a batch of garbage bags and lighter fluid. On April 13, he opened ChatGPT and asked the question he started with. The AI replied, “That sounds dangerous.” He followed up, “So how will they find out?”

On April 15, the day before the two disappeared, he asked a series of dangerous questions: “Can a car’s VIN code be changed?”, “Can I fire a gun at home without a license?” Early on April 17, another search result appeared: “Will cars parked in Hillsborough River State Park be checked?” That night, his phone’s location was pinpointed precisely to the bridge where the body was later dumped.

On Friday, April 24, a passerby discovered Lemon’s body near the Howard Frankland Bridge across Tampa Bay. The forensic doctor’s description was restrained, yet every word sent shivers down one’s spine: the body was stuffed into several layers of black industrial waste bags, already highly decomposed, covered in knife and laceration wounds. The cause of death was “multiple sharp force injuries,” classified as homicide.

Police recovered human remains from the St. Petersburg side of Tampa Bay. The remains have been handed over to the Pinellas County Medical Examiner’s Office for identification. Police have made it clear: she was most likely murdered, and the case was handled in the same manner as her boyfriend’s. Her brother wrote on social media that his sister “is no longer here,” and that she was always smiling and had a cheerful personality.

Police stormed into the shared apartment with a search warrant. Using fluorescent brighteners, bloodstains could be seen running from the entrance hall to the kitchen, then into the hallway, and finally to Abu Gabi’s bedroom.

Even more disturbingly, there were two clear bloodstains on the bedroom floor, roughly the size of a human body. Downstairs in the garbage compactor, police found Bristy’s pink phone case, Limon’s wallet, and glasses.

Under Abu Gabi’s bed were three rolls of heavy black garbage bags, the same as the ones used to wrap Limon’s body, and the duct tape was in his bathroom. He was at his parents’ house on the day of his arrest. Police confronted him for a while outside a residence in Lutz, and when he was finally put into a police car, he was only wrapped in a towel.

The charges are long: two counts of premeditated murder (with a deadly weapon), unlawful disposal of a body, failure to report a death, tampering with evidence, unlawful detention, and domestic violence assault. He is currently denied bail. Police have not yet released the motive. One detail is quite intriguing: Bristy’s USF student ID and credit card were found in Lemon’s bedroom. She had gone to her boyfriend’s place on the evening of April 16, and the two of them never came out again. Abu Gabi himself also had multiple wounds on his legs, and court documents say he repeatedly changed his testimony in the face of electronic evidence.

Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister described the case in one word: “deeply disturbing.” The USF campus is in an uproar; this is the ending for a doctoral couple studying abroad. As for the man who chatted with the AI about “how to dispose of the body,” his next court appearance is scheduled.

According to reports from multiple media outlets, including KTLA in Los Angeles, a super mansion in Bel-Air, near Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, was recently listed for $400 million, becoming the most expensive home on the market in the United States and setting a new record for the highest-priced residential listing in the world, attracting widespread attention. Located at 11201 Chalon Road, in Bel Air, a prestigious upscale neighborhood in Los Angeles, this residence is known as the “crown jewel of Los Angeles.”

Based on current asking prices, its total value far exceeds other top-tier luxury homes in the United States, including a $300 million mountain mansion in Aspen, Colorado, and a $237 million waterfront home in Key Biscayne, Florida. The Wall Street Journal points out that this property significantly outprices its competitors.

According to Homes.com, Jack Harris and Michael Fahimian, the listing brokers at The Beverly Hills Estates, indicate that this mansion is now the most expensive residential listing on the open market globally. The report further points out that if the final sale price of the mansion is close to the current asking price, it could break the record for a residential property transaction in the United States. The current record for the highest sale price in the United States is approximately $240 million, which was achieved by a luxury apartment sold in New York City in 2019. According to the property listing, the complex spans approximately 70,000 square feet (about 6,500 square meters) on about 8 acres of hillside land.

Comprising multiple buildings, the overall layout includes 39 bedrooms and 59 bathrooms, a truly exceptional scale. The mansion features both a main residence and separate guest villas, with a design concept that combines high-end banquets with everyday living needs, suitable for both large social events and private residences. Completed in 2018, the mansion took nearly a decade to build. This super-mansion boasts a rare, flat, elevated location in the Los Angeles mountains, offering unobstructed views overlooking the Bel-Air Country Club and extending to the downtown Los Angeles skyline and the Pacific coastline, making it a truly iconic property.

In terms of architectural design and development, the project was designed by renowned architect Peter Marino and constructed and developed by developer Peter McCoy. The agent stated that the residence’s site is located on an extremely rare, large tract of flat land in the Los Angeles mountains, making it highly scarce and collectible in the high-end real estate market.

According to KTLA 5, this listing is seen as a sign of the continued heating up of the Los Angeles mega-luxury home market. Against the backdrop of undiminished demand for top-tier real estate from high-net-worth individuals worldwide, flagship residences combining location, scale, and design are becoming a focus of international market attention.

Industry experts generally believe that a successful sale of this property will further raise the price ceiling of the US ultra-luxury residential market.

Trump is constantly on a winning streak; his ego is inflated to the sky. In April, Trump posted an AI image of himself on real social media, which looked exactly like God.

Unexpectedly, this stirred up a hornet’s nest, with his own MAGA die-hard supporters exploding in anger and denouncing him for blasphemy. In the picture, Trump, dressed in a white robe and a red shawl, is performing a ritual on a patient lying in a hospital bed, with his hands radiating holy light. He is surrounded by soldiers, nurses, and onlookers, who look on with piety, as if they are surrounded by stars.

The background features the American flag, the Statue of Liberty, the White House, U.S. military personnel, bald eagles, and fighter jets—all the iconic images that could be used were added. In the early stages of the conflict with Iran, a group of pastors from across the United States gathered at the White House to bless and pray for Trump. Trump was surrounded by several people with their hands on him, chanting prayers. It seems Trump felt he lacked power, so this time he transformed himself into God.

Former Trump ally, Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, used strong language, calling the image “not just blasphemous, it’s antichrist.” Right-wing influencer Riley Gaines directly criticized him:

“Why? I really don’t understand why he would post this. Whether it was intentional or unintentional, two things are certain: first, humility is good for him; second, God is not to be blasphemized.”

Conservative commentator Michael Knowles said Trump should delete the image immediately. Trump ordered McDonald’s delivery from the White House. A DoorDash delivery woman brought the food to his door, and he personally opened the door to pick it up.

This was, of course, a pre-arranged scenario, with a group of reporters waiting outside to take photos. Trump, carrying a bag of McDonald’s in each hand, explained his picture, saying that he was depicted as a doctor and not comparing himself to God. “That wasn’t a metaphor,” he said. “I posted that picture because I thought it represented me as a doctor, and it was related to the Red Cross, which we support.” Only fake news media could distort this story like that.

“That picture was meant to express that I am a doctor who can make people better—and I do make people better.” That amazing picture has quietly disappeared from his account. It seems the pressure was indeed too much for him; he’s had to resort to TACO. This is not the first time he has been forced to delete a post due to public outrage. Previously, he shared a video comparing the Obamas to monkeys, which also drew widespread condemnation and forced him to remove it.

Around the time of the “God picture” controversy, Trump also exchanged barbs with the new Pope Leo XIV. The trigger was the Pope’s repeated public condemnations of the US-led war against Iran and his calls for a ceasefire and dialogue. Although no name was named, it was obvious that it was referring to Trump. Trump then posted on social media, angrily denouncing the Pope for being “weak in dealing with crime” and having “terrible foreign policy,” adding insult to injury: “If I weren’t the President of the United States, he wouldn’t be the Pope either.” When responding to reporters en route to Algeria, the Pope spoke calmly but firmly.

“I don’t want to argue with him… but I will continue to speak out against war and promote peace and dialogue.” “Too many people are suffering in the world today, and too many innocent lives are being lost. Someone has to stand up and say: there is a better way.”

Trump has publicly stated that he is not a “fan” of the Pope, saying, “I think he’s doing a bad job.” A growing number of people in the MAGA community are demanding that he apologize to the Pope, and Trump’s response remains unchanged: I did nothing wrong, so I can’t apologize.

President Trump handed a $100 cash tip to a DoorDash delivery driver at the White House. The driver had delivered two bags of McDonald’s meals to the West Wing and was then led into the Oval Office.

The delivery woman was identified by the company as Sharon Simmons. She delivered Trump’s favorite fast-food meal to the US president from the colonnade outside the West Wing of the White House. “This doesn’t look like it was planned in advance,” Trump joked, using the opportunity to promote his “ticket tax exemption” policy, which comes just two days before the 2025 tax filing deadline for most Americans.

“Eliminating the tip tax is a very special thing, very special,” Trump said. When asked if he would give a generous tip, Trump reached into his pocket, took out a $100 bill, and handed it to the other person. “Yes,” Simmons replied.

That day, Simmons wore a red T-shirt that read “Grandma DoorDash” and told Trump that the meal she delivered was “your favorite.” The White House said the meals included cheeseburgers and fries, adding that the food was then personally delivered by the president to the West Wing for staff to enjoy. Trump has previously stated publicly that his preferred McDonald’s items include Fish Fillet, Big Mac, fries, and chocolate milkshake.

During his 2024 presidential campaign, Trump briefly worked as a “fries’ man” and drive-thru at a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania, drawing attention. In addition, during his first term, he provided meals for the Clemson University football team, including McDonald’s, Wendy’s, and Burger King.

Simmons, a grandmother of 10 from Arkansas, said she earned about $11,000 in delivery tips last year to help support her family. Since joining DoorDash in 2022, she has completed more than 14,000 deliveries. After delivering the food, Trump also invited Simmons to visit the Oval Office.

Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” would exempt individuals earning less than $150,000 annually from income tax up to $25,000 in tips, but these tips would still be subject to payroll tax. The bill also provides tax deductions for overtime pay in 2025.

A 15-year-old student died Monday morning after shooting a teacher at a Texas high school, authorities said. County Sheriff’s Office stated that an unidentified male student shot a female teacher in Bulverde.

Authorities did not specify how the shooter died, only stating that he was pronounced dead at the scene. The school was quickly placed on lockdown following the incident. Police said the campus was evacuated and all other students and staff were safe. The school was locked down at approximately 8:34 a.m., while classes were scheduled to begin at 8:55 a.m.

Students present reported that the gunshots came from a classroom on the second floor of the building, followed by screams, and school staff quickly evacuated students to classrooms for safety. After the situation was brought under control, the students were transferred to a nearby middle school and picked up by their parents.

Police emphasized that there is no longer any ongoing threat, but the specific details and motives of the incident are still under investigation, and no further details have been released. The school is a small college preparatory high school with approximately 260 students, focusing on STEAM education.

This incident has once again drawn attention to the issue of school shootings in the United States.

A family in the United States unearthed human bones while digging for shellfish on a California beach in 2022. After extensive testing, DNA analysis has revealed that the bones belonged to a 59-year-old banker who had disappeared in 1999, shocking investigators.

The CBS report states that the family living in California was digging for shellfish at Salmon Creek State Beach in 2022 when they accidentally unearthed a human skeleton. Because their identity could not be confirmed at the time, they named it “Salmon Creek Unknown.”

The family’s DNA analysis has now confirmed that the bones belong to Walter Kinney, a 59-year-old banker who had disappeared in 1999. After years of DNA comparison by the “DNA Doe Project,” the remains have finally been confirmed to belong to a banker named Walter Kinney who disappeared in 1999.

Kinney was last seen on August 10, 1999, living in Santa Rosa, Northern California, not far from the Salmon Creek State Beach where the remains were found. The “DNA Doe Project” revealed that no other remains were found on the beach.

Genetic pedigree experts conducted forensic examinations during the investigation, ultimately successfully tracing Kinney’s relatives and linking the remains to his disappearance. Genetic pedigree is a highly advanced forensic technique that primarily uses DNA testing and family relationships to help solve cold cases, often involving long-term missing persons.

Federal immigration authorities appear set to expand large-scale immigration enforcement again after a period of stagnation.

Related industries are on edge, particularly as workplace raids targeting various businesses such as factories, farms, and logistics centers are expected to be significantly intensified. According to the Christian Science Monitor (CSM), this move is interpreted as a signal that the Donald Trump administration intends to fully implement a so-called “Phase 2 Mass Deportation Policy,” which expands enforcement targets from undocumented immigrants with criminal records to all immigrants with unstable immigration status. Tom Horman, the White House Border Affairs Director, officially formalized the policy of strengthening workplace-based enforcement in a recent interview, stating, “Workplace raids will be conducted much more frequently than before.”

Immigration hardliners argue that a much broader scope of enforcement than before is necessary to achieve large-scale deportation goals, specifically targeting visa holders who have overstayed or immigrants under deportation orders. The policy advisory group “Mass Deportation Coalition” recently proposed a target of deporting at least one million people annually in a report.

They are strongly urging for expanded enforcement, stating that “everyone residing illegally in the United States should be subject to deportation.” While opinions on this hardline enforcement policy are divided within the political sphere, the White House has reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining a tough stance, stating that “there is no change in the fundamental direction of immigration enforcement policy.”

Experts predict that if expanded workplace raids become a reality, direct impacts on various immigrant communities, including Korean Americans, will be inevitable. As enforcement is likely to concentrate on sectors with a high proportion of immigrant labor, such as restaurants, construction, logistics, and manufacturing, both workers and employers are required to exercise extreme caution regarding immigration status and compliance with employment regulations. Furthermore, if this measure is applied in practice, some businesses will likely need to strengthen employee verification procedures and pay closer attention to the management of internal documents and records.

Additionally, sharing enforcement information and securing legal support networks are expected to emerge as increasingly critical tasks within immigrant communities.