Biden's student loan forgiveness plan, the aftermath of the Trump org CFO case, and more top news from this week

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The last of three men convicted of hijacking a school bus full of California children for an attempted $5 million ransom in 1976 — in what a prosecutor called "the largest mass kidnapping in U.S. history" — is being released by the state's parole board.

Gov. Gavin Newsom asked the board to reconsider its decision to parole Frederick Woods, 70, on Tuesday. Two board members recommended his release in March when previous panels had denied him parole 17 times. But the board affirmed that decision.

Keep scrolling for a collection of photos from the scene of the 1976 hijacking

Woods and his two accomplices, brothers Richard and James Schoenfeld, were from wealthy San Francisco Bay Area families when they kidnapped 26 children and their bus driver near Chowchilla. The town is about 125 miles (201 kilometers) southeast of San Francisco.

The three buried the children, ages 5 to 14, along with their bus driver in an old moving van east of San Francisco with little ventilation, light, water, food or bathroom supplies. The victims were able to dig their way out more than a day later.

Newsom said Woods "continued to engage in financial related-misconduct in prison," using a contraband cellphone to offer advice on running a Christmas tree farm, a gold mining business and a car dealership. The governor couldn't block Woods' release because he's not convicted of murder, and could only urge the parole board to take a closer look.

Woods' behavior "continues to demonstrate that he is about the money," Madera County District Attorney Sally Moreno said in opposing his parole.

Moreno said after the decision that she was angry and frustrated "because justice has been mocked in Madera County," and she fears for the state of society "if you can kidnap a busload of school children, abandon them buried alive and still get out of prison after committing that crime and spending your time in prison flouting the law."

Woods wasn't eligible to attend in person on Tuesday. But he said during his parole hearing in March that he felt he needed money to have acceptance from his parents and "was selfish and immature at that time," while his more recent violations were to benefit the trust fund left him by his late parents.

"I didn't need the money. I wanted the money," Woods said of the ransom attempt.

His attorney, Dominique Banos, said Wednesday that the parole board recognized that Woods "has shown a change in character for the good" and "remains a low risk, and once released from prison he poses no danger or threat to the community."

Three former inmates who served time with Woods urged parole officials to free him, while four victims or their relatives said Woods' misbehavior in prison shows he still views himself as privileged. Several of Woods' victims have previously supported his release.

Lynda Carrejo Labendeira, who was 10 at the time, recalled how the children struggled to escape as a flashlight and candles flick;ered out while "the makeshift, dungeonous coffin was caving in."

"I don't get to choose the random flashbacks every time I see a van similar to the one that we were transported in," she told the board.

"Insomnia keeps me up all hours of the night," she said. "I don't sleep so that I don't have to have any nightmares at all."

Jennifer Brown Hyde, who was 9 at the time, recalled "the lifetime effects of being buried alive and being driven around in a van for 11 hours with no food, water or a bathroom in over 100-degree weather."

"His mind is still evil and he is out to get what he wants," she told the board. "I want him to serve life in prison, just as I served a lifetime of dealing with the PTSD due to his sense of entitlement."

She said Wednesday that her family is disappointed, but it is "time to close this chapter and continue living the blessed life I have been given." She praised her fellow hostages as "true survivors and not victims."

An appeals court ordered Richard Schoenfeld released in 2012, and then-Gov. Jerry Brown paroled James Schoenfeld in 2015.

Newsom acknowledged that Woods is eligible for consideration both because he was just 24 when he committed the crime and because he is elderly now. He said Woods, who once studied policing at a community college, has also taken steps to improve himself in prison.

The governor's late father, state Judge William Newsom, was on an appellate panel in 1980 that reduced the men's life sentences to give them a chance at parole. He pushed for their release in 2011, after he retired, noting that no one was seriously physically injured during the kidnapping.

Photos: Scenes from the 1976 school bus hijacking in Chowchilla

School Bus Hijacking

School Bus Hijacking

School Bus Hijacking

Chowchilla School Bus Kidnapping

School Bus Hijacking

School Bus Hijacking

Chowchilla School Bus Kidnapping

Chowchilla School Bus Kidnapping

Darla Daniels

Frank Ray Jr.

Frances Williams, Lisa Barletta

School Bus Hijacking

Richard Schoenfeld

Sam Barletta, Pam Barletta

Sam Barletta

Tom Houchins, Ed Bates

Gary Lockman, Larry Shannon

Chowchilla School Bus Kidnapping

A Maryland couple has sued a local real estate appraiser and an online mortgage loan provider, alleging that the housing appraisal they received was unfairly low due to their race, in violation of the Fair Housing Act, after a second appraisal returned a result nearly $300,000 higher.

Nathan Connolly and Shani Mott filed suit against 20/20 Valuations LLC, its owner Shane Lanham, and loanDepot.com on Monday, alleging the defendants 20/20 Valuations LLC and its owner "discriminated against Plaintiffs by dramatically undervaluing their home in an appraisal because of Plaintiffs' race and their home's location adjacent to a Black census block, notwithstanding that it is also located within Homeland, an affluent, mostly white neighborhood," and loanDepot.com discriminated against them by relying on that appraisal in denying their refinance loan.

According to the complaint, Connolly and Mott are Black professors at Johns Hopkins University who applied to loanDepot.com to refinance the mortgage on their four-bedroom home in Homeland, Maryland, a predominantly White Baltimore neighborhood.

Lanham's company, 20/20 Valuations, performed the appraisal for loanDepot and returned a valuation that was more than $75,000 below the conservative estimate of valuation which loanDepot had given the couple, according to the lawsuit. LoanDepot denied the couple the mortgage refinance because of the low valuation, according to the complaint.

"Plaintiffs were shocked at the appraisal and recognized that the low valuation was because of racial discrimination. They told this to their loanDepot loan officer and challenged the appraisal in a detailed letter," the suit reads.

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Gabriel Diaz, an attorney for the couple, told CNN the lawsuit represents his clients' point of view.

Connolly and Mott later re-applied with another lender, and "whitewashed" their home, according to the lawsuit. This included removing photos of their Black family from the home, and having a White colleague present the property to the appraiser. The suit claims this valuation came back at $750,000, more than a quarter of a million dollars higher than 20/20 Valuations' appraisal of $472,000.

According to the lawsuit, Lanham allegedly used an appraisal method where he compared the couple's home to properties in a majority-Black local area, instead of the rest of Homeland.

"Defendant Lanham's decision to geographically limit the area from which he selected comparable sales reflected his belief that, because of their race, Dr. Connolly and Dr. Mott did not belong in Homeland, an attractive and predominantly white neighborhood, and that a home with Black homeowners located adjacent to a predominantly Black area is worth less than if it were in the whiter areas that he deemed 'the heart' of Homeland," the lawsuit alleges.

CNN has reached out to Lanham for comment.

Jonathan Fine, VP of Public Relations with loanDepot told CNN the company "strongly" opposes housing discrimination.

"While appraisals are performed independently by outside expert appraisal firms, all participants in the home finance process must work to find ways to contribute to eradicating bias," Fine said.

The couple allege that Lanham's "dramatically lower valuation reflected his beliefs that a Black family did not genuinely belong in Homeland and could not be the owners of a higher valued home."

"Lanham violated professional standards to devalue Plaintiffs' home because of these racist beliefs. Defendant loanDepot relied on Lanham's appraisal despite being informed that it was infected by discrimination and stopped answering or returning Plaintiffs calls once they challenged the appraisal on that basis," the suit states.

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The couple is seeking damages and relief from Lanham, 20/20 Valuations LLC, and loanDepot for violations of the Fair Housing Act, the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, the Civil Rights Act of 1866, and Maryland Fair Housing Laws, according to the complaint.

The couple's lawsuit is the latest example of the difficulties and discrimination some Black homeowners say they face.

Last year, a Black California couple filed a lawsuit in federal court in San Francisco, arguing that racial discrimination played a role in the low valuation of their home.

Tenisha Tate-Austin and her husband became suspicious when the Northern California home they spent years renovating was valued by an appraiser far lower than they expected. When they asked for a second opinion, a White friend pretended to own their home and they removed all artwork and photos that could show that it belonged to a Black family. The new appraisal for their home in Marin County was more than $1.4 million and nearly half a million dollars higher than the previous estimate, they told CNN at the time. Earlier this year, the Department of Justice filed a statement of interest in the case, which is still pending.

And in Indiana last year, when Carlette Duffy concealed that she was Black, she told CNN her home's appraised value more than doubled.

Home appraisals fall within the scope of fair housing and fair lending laws. More than 50 years after the passage of the Fair Housing Act, the racial homeownership gap is wider than ever. In 2021, for example, the Black homeownership rate was 44% while the White homeownership rate reached 74% according to the Census Bureau.

Homeownership is the primary contributor to multi-generational wealth building for Black and Brown households, according to research highlighted in a report from the National Association of Realtors (NARS).

But bias in home valuations limits the ability of Black and Brown families to see equitable financial returns associated with homeownership, the NARS report said.

"The goal with the lawsuit is to get a measure of justice for [Connolly and Mott] and what they experienced in the form of monetary compensation, but I think relatedly there is the question of education," Diaz told CNN.

"I think that this is an issue that is not properly understood, not widely understood. Hopefully, the case will allow people to understand and appreciate and also change the anger so that this doesn't happen to people going forward," Diaz said.

Kohl's can't seem to catch a break, and it may have only itself to blame.

The department store chain on Thursday presented a dour outlook for 2022, saying it expects full-year sales to fall 5% to 6% compared to a year ago and blaming high inflation for preventing shoppers — specifically its middle-income consumers — from spending more at its stores. The company also reported a drop in sales and profit for the quarter ended July 30.

Kohl's shares fell more than 7% Thursday.

But the economy isn't its only problem. Kohl's, similar to other large chains including Target and Walmart, is stuck with a lot of excess inventory that it can't clear out. The chain's inventory in the quarter was 48% above where it stood at the same time last year.

"We have adjusted our plans, implementing actions to reduce inventory and lower expenses to account for a softer demand outlook," Kohl's CEO Michelle Gass said in a statement.

Unsteady course

With more than 1,100 US stores and around $19 billion in annual sales, Kohl's is the largest department store chain in the United States. But the company has struggled to find a path forward for itself.

Kohl's floated and then withdrew the idea of selling itself to Franchise Group (FRG), a holding company that owns The Vitamin Shoppe and other retail brands.

The retailer is trying a variety of tactics to stay relevant, especially to younger consumers. It recently partnered with popular cosmetics brand Sephora to open mini-Sephora stores its locations. Kohl's said the move has helped it acquire a million new customers since last August who are younger, more diverse and shop more frequently than the average consumer.

And last week, the retailer announced it was rolling out a self pickup option at all of its stores for online orders within a two-hour window.

But all of these efforts, although necessary for Kohl's, can't fully camouflage the chain's most basic problem, said Neil Saunders, retail analyst and managing director at GlobalData Retail.

"In our view, the main source of Kohl's woes are internal. Most notably, the company has lost the plot in terms of merchandising and range planning and appears to be taking a seemingly random approach to buying. The result is a jumble of disjointed product in stores, which is exacerbated by a very serious deterioration in shopkeeping standards," Saunders said in a note Thursday.

"It used to be the case that while a little uninspiring, Kohl's was disciplined and neat in its presentation. Over the past year that has all gone out of the window," Saunders said. "In this kind of economic environment, consumers will quickly abandon purchases and stores that require too much effort for too little reward."

Katherine Miklosik, who lives in the Toronto area, said she has shopped at the department store chain for decades, and is such a dedicated Kohl's fan that whenever she travels to the United States, she carries her Kohl's card and Kohl's discount coupons with her.

"I usually spend several hundred dollars in store each trip," she said. "As a cross border shopper, I enjoy getting clothes in the US that are different from stores here. [Kohl's] sales are amazing and until recently there was such a great variety of options for clothing, purses, housewares and seasonal decor."

But her last trip, on Aug. 13, to a Kohl's in Watertown, NY, was a disappointment. Miklosik said she left the store "in a near panic attack from the jumbled mess and chaos."

"On this visit I spent $12.10 on a reusable shopping bag with the Kohl's logo, and two stuffed animals with proceeds going to the Kohl's Cares Foundation," she said. "I even told the cashier that I was so overwhelmed that I had to leave, and that maybe I'd try again the next day. I did not."

What the 10 largest retailers pay their workers

What are retailers like Walmart, Amazon, and Target paying their employees?

#10. Walmart Inc.

#9. Target Corp.

#8. Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc.

#7. The Kroger Co.

#6. The Home Depot Inc.

#5. Amazon.com Inc.

#4. CVS Health Corp.

#3. Costco Wholesale Corp.

#2. United Parcel Service Inc. (UPS)

#1. Apple Inc.

NEW YORK (AP) — A top executive at former President Donald Trump's family business pleaded guilty Thursday to evading taxes in a deal that could potentially make him a star witness against the company at a fall trial.

Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg pleaded guilty to all 15 of the charges he faced in the case.

In a low, somewhat hoarse voice, he admitted taking in over $1.7 million worth of untaxed perks -- including school tuition for his grandchildren, free rent for a Manhattan apartment and lease payments for a luxury car -- and explicitly keeping some of the plums off the books.

Judge Juan Manuel Merchan agreed to sentence Weisselberg to five months' incarceration at New York City's Rikers Island jail complex, although he will be eligible for release much earlier if he behaves well behind bars. The judge said Weisselberg will have to pay nearly $2 million in taxes, penalties and interest.

The plea bargain also requires Weisselberg to testify truthfully as a prosecution witness when the Trump Organization goes on trial in October on related charges. The company is accused of helping Weisselberg and other executives avoid income taxes by failing to accurately report their full compensation to the government. Trump himself is not charged in the case.

Weisselberg said nothing as he left court, offering no reply when a journalist asked him whether he had any message for Trump.

Weisselberg's lawyer Nicholas Gravante Jr. said his client pleaded guilty "to put an end to this case and the years-long legal and personal nightmares it has caused for him and his family."

"We are glad to have this behind him," the lawyer added.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement that Weisselberg's plea "directly implicates the Trump Organization in a wide range of criminal activity and requires Weisselberg to provide invaluable testimony in the upcoming trial against the corporation."

"We look forward to proving our case in court against the Trump Organization," he added.

Testimony by Weisselberg could potentially weaken the Trump Organization's defense. If convicted, the company could face fines or potentially be placed on probation and be forced to change certain business practices.

Weisselberg, 75, is the only person to face criminal charges so far in the Manhattan district attorney's long-running investigation of the company's business practices.

Seen as one of Trump's most loyal business associates, Weisselberg was arrested in July 2021. His lawyers have argued the Democrat-led district attorney's office was punishing him because he wouldn't offer information that would damage Trump.

The district attorney has also been investigating whether Trump or his company lied to banks or the government about the value of its properties to obtain loans or reduce tax bills.

Then-District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., who started the investigation, last year directed his deputies to present evidence to a grand jury and seek an indictment of Trump, according to former prosecutor Mark Pomerantz, who previously led the probe.

But after Vance left office, his successor, Bragg, allowed the grand jury to disband without charges. Both prosecutors are Democrats. Bragg has said the investigation is continuing.

The Trump Organization is not involved in Weisselberg's expected guilty plea Thursday and is scheduled to be tried in the alleged compensation scheme in October.

Prosecutors alleged that the company gave untaxed fringe benefits to senior executives, including Weisselberg, for 15 years. Weisselberg alone was accused of defrauding the federal government, state and city out of more than $900,000 in unpaid taxes and undeserved tax refunds.

Under state law, punishment for the most serious charge against Weisselberg, grand larceny, could carry a penalty as high as 15 years in prison. But the charge carries no mandatory minimum, and most first-time offenders in tax-related cases never end up behind bars.

The tax fraud charges against the Trump Organization are punishable by a fine of double the amount of unpaid taxes, or $250,000, whichever is larger.

Trump has not been charged in the criminal probe. The Republican has decried the New York investigations as a "political witch hunt" and has said his company's actions were standard practice in the real estate business and in no way a crime.

Last week, Trump sat for a deposition in New York Attorney General Letitia James' parallel civil investigation into allegations that Trump's company misled lenders and tax authorities about asset values. Trump invoked his Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination more than 400 times.

Photos: Donald Trump through the years

Talking politics

With Melania

'How to Get Rich'

On the course

At Doral

Sarazen Cup

With Serena

USS Iowa

Debating Jeb Bush

In Biloxi

Campaign rally

Winning South Carolina

She's with him

Signing autographs

Another debate

Waving to supporters

In Arizona

The Trump family

At the convention

The nominee

The ticket

Showing her support

In Mexico

Debating Clinton

Casting his vote

Election Night

In the Oval Office

Mitt Romney

The inauguration

Thumbs up

Taking the oath

Waving goodbye

Armed Forces Ball

James Comey

Trump to lay out his agenda to Congress

Thanking school children

Medal of Honor recipients

Justice Anthony Kennedy swears in Neil Gorsuch

Easter Egg Roll

Super Bowl champs

Little Sisters of the Poor

Russian foreign minister, ambassador

At the Western Wall

Meeting the pope

Wreath-laying ceremony in Arlington

National champs

Congressional shooting

At the White House

Congressional Picnic

Go, Cubs, go

Departing the White House

USS Gerald R. Ford joins the Navy

The eclipse

9/11 anniversary

Trump addresses world leaders at U.N. General Assembly

Las Vegas shooting

Trump visits Puerto Rico

Trump meets Kissinger

With Trudeau

Medal of Honor

Happy Halloween

National Christmas Tree Lighting

Celebrating GOP tax plan

March for Life

State of the Union

School shootings

State dinner

With Olympians

Greeting a guest

Freed Americans

Historic summit

With Kim Kardashian West

In Washington

Trump North Carolina

Debating Joe Biden

Election Night 2020

Jan. 6

Leaving the White House

The injured Little League player who fractured his skull after falling from his bunk bed on Monday continues to face challenges in his recovery, including swelling which may block his vision.

Doctors told the parents swelling in 12-year-old Easton "Tank" Oliverson's face has increased, according to an Instagram account set up to provide updates on his recovery.

Keep scrolling for a photo gallery of Easton's little brother filling in for him at the Little League World Series

"The swelling in his face has gone up, and the doctors have told his parents that it will get worse," the post reads. "This has limited Easton's ability to see, creating a unique challenge for him. While we have seen a countless amount of miracles in Easton's journey (and still are), he is still going to have hard moments like today."

"Through it all, he still makes sure to tell everyone he talks to that he loves them. Instead of complaining, he chooses to express his love. That's truly the kind of kid that Easton is, which is why we know he will come out of this with so much strength. Please keep praying for our buddy. We love you all!!"

The post also said Oliverson, dressed in his Mountain Region gear, was able to watch Friday's game between his team and Tennessee's Nolensville Little League from his hospital room.

"This was a very emotional afternoon for him," the post stated.

Oliverson suffered a fractured skull after falling from a bunk bed at the players' dormitory in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, early Monday morning. His team, Utah's Snow Canyon Little League, earned a trip to Williamsport after winning a regional championship in California.

The young athlete was airlifted to a children's hospital in critical condition. His father told CNN he was "fighting for his life," with doctors saying he was just 30 minutes from death. He underwent surgery and was placed in a medically induced coma.

In the days since, Oliverson has made impressive strides toward recovery, as documented on the "miraclesfortank" Instagram account. By Wednesday, he was no longer sedated, and on Thursday, he moved out of an intensive care unit and was able to feed himself.

A separate Instagram post on Saturday afternoon said doctors have been in contact with Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City to set up "travel plans" and hope to have Oliverson back in Utah by Tuesday of next week.

Along with the post, the family shared a video of Oliverson saying, "Hey, this is Easton. Thank you for the prayers." He also added he is starting to feel better.

"We are so happy about this update, and can't wait to have our boy a little closer to home," the post said on Saturday afternoon.

The Little Leaguer has received an outpouring of support from around the nation. On Saturday, Kevin Cash, the manager of the Major League Baseball's Tampa Bay Rays, sent a heartfelt message to Oliverson.

"We've been keeping up with your progress and just want to let you know that you have fans that you have never met in Florida who are really rooting for you," Cash said in an Instagram video posted to @miraclesfortank. "I remember how excited I was to have a chance to play in the Little League World Series. There's something about baseball that brings people together. It's like an extended family."

"We're here for each other to celebrate the wins and we encourage each other during challenging times. Tank, we are sending positive thoughts and well-wishes to you and the Snow Canyon Little League ... Let's do this for Tank."

The post thanked the Rays for the message. "Thank you to the @raysbaseball for sending over this heartfelt message. The support means the world and more for Easton and his family!"

Photos: Injured Little Leaguer's little brother takes his place at World Series

WASHINGTON (AP) — Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert who became a household name — and the subject of partisan attacks — during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced Monday he will depart the federal government in December after more than five decades of service.

Keep scrolling for photos of Fauci's career through the years

Fauci, who serves as President Joe Biden's chief medical adviser, has been the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and chief of the NIAID Laboratory of Immunoregulation. He was a leader in the federal response to HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases even before the coronavirus hit.

"I will be leaving these positions in December of this year to pursue the next chapter of my career," Fauci said in a statement, calling those roles "the honor of a lifetime."

Fauci became the face of the government response to COVID-19 as it hit in early 2020, with frequent appearances on television news and at daily press conferences with White House officials, including then-President Donald Trump. But as the pandemic deepened, Fauci fell out of favor with Trump and his officials when his urgings of continued public caution clashed with the former president's desire to return to normalcy and to promote unproven therapies for the virus.

Fauci found himself marginalized by the Trump administration, increasingly kept out of major decisions about the federal response, but he continued to speak out publicly in media interviews, advocating social distancing and face coverings in public settings before the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines.

He was also the subject of political attacks and death threats and was granted a security detail for his protection.

When Biden won the White House, he asked Fauci to stay on in his administration in an elevated capacity. The president praised Fauci in a statement, saying, "Whether you've met him personally or not, he has touched all Americans' lives with his work. I extend my deepest thanks for his public service. The United States of America is stronger, more resilient, and healthier because of him."

Fauci said despite retiring from federal service he planned to continue working. "I want to use what I have learned as NIAID Director to continue to advance science and public health and to inspire and mentor the next generation of scientific leaders as they help prepare the world to face future infectious disease threats," he said.

Photos: Dr. Fauci through the years

AP Explains: Trump Organization CFO pleads guilty

NEW YORK (AP) — The numbers guy did the math: Allen Weisselberg — a longtime loyal lieutenant to Donald Trump — could have gotten years in prison if he went to trial and failed to beat tax evasion allegations.

But if he agreed to testify in an upcoming trial of the former president's company, he would probably serve no more than 100 days.

Weisselberg, 75, took the deal Thursday, pleading guilty to 15 counts, including tax fraud and larceny.

Now he's potentially going to be the star witness against the Trump Organization in a trial over what prosecutors say was a "sweeping and audacious" scheme by the company to help top executives, including Weisselberg, avoid taxes on perks like luxury cars and rent-free apartments.

Here are the basics of the case and what Weisselberg's decision to plead guilty means for Donald Trump and his family business:

Q&A: What's next for the Trump Organization?

What were Allen Weisselberg and the Trump Organization accused of doing?

Is Allen Weisselberg still the chief financial officer of the Trump Organization?

Why did Allen Weisselberg decide to take a plea deal?

What are the terms of Allen Weisselberg's plea deal?

Will the Trump Organization also take a plea deal?

What does the Trump organization actually do?

What does this mean for Donald Trump?

CHERRY HILL, N.J. (AP) — Gary Busey has been charged with sexual offenses at a New Jersey fan convention this month.

The 78-year-old Malibu, California, resident was charged Friday with two counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual contact, one count of attempted criminal sexual contact and one count of harassment, Cherry Hill police said Saturday.

The charges stem from offenses at the annual Monster Mania Convention at the Doubletree Hotel on Aug. 12-14 in Cherry Hill, a Philadelphia suburb, police said.

The actor was scheduled as a featured guest for all three days of the event.

Police did not identify the suspect as the actor, giving an age and hometown that matched those of the actor. An email was sent to them seeking confirmation of the identification and other details.

It wasn't immediately clear if the suspect had an attorney, and a representative for the actor didn't immediately return a message seeking comment Saturday.

Busey is widely known as a character actor, largely in supporting roles, though he came to attention and was nominated for an Oscar for best actor for playing the title role in the 1978 film "The Buddy Holly Story."

***

15 actors who were extras before they were famous

15 actors who were extras before they were famous

Javier Bardem

Viola Davis

Leonardo DiCaprio

Robert Downey Jr.

Cuba Gooding Jr.

Taraji P. Henson

Samuel L. Jackson

Lucy Liu

Eva Longoria

Eva Mendes

Marilyn Monroe

Brad Pitt

Kristen Stewart

Benicio del Toro

Renée Zellweger

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Wednesday is set to announce his long-delayed move to forgive up to $10,000 in federal student loans for many Americans and extend a pause on payments to January, according to three people familiar with the plan.

Biden has faced pressure from liberals to provide broader relief to hard-hit borrowers, and from moderates and Republicans questioning the fairness of any widespread forgiveness. The delay in Biden’s decision has only heightened the anticipation for what his own aides acknowledge represents a political no-win situation. The people spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss Biden's intended announcement ahead of time.

The precise details of Biden’s plan, which will include an income cap limiting the forgiveness to only those earning less than $125,000 a year, were being kept to an unusually small circle within the Biden administration and were still not finalized on the eve of the announcement.

Down-to-the-wire decision-making has been a hallmark of the Biden White House, but the particular delay on student loans reflects the vexing challenge confronting him in fulfilling a key campaign promise.

The plan would likely eliminate student debt entirely for millions of Americans and wipe away at least half for millions more.

Read more about it here:

SANDUSKY, Ohio — Cedar Point has a long list of guidelines for people who go on the amusement park’s many rides. Refraining from sexual intercourse while on the ride would seem to be a given.

Apparently not. A man and woman, both 32 years old, were arrested Sunday on charges of public indecency after witnesses say they saw the couple having sex while on the Giant Wheel, the park’s 145-foot tall Ferris wheel.

Sandusky police were called to the park just after 8:30 p.m. Sunday, according to a police report. Four females, including two juveniles, told police they saw the couple having sex in the one of the ride’s cabins above them.

The couple initially denied they had sex during the ride, with the woman, a resident of Miamisburg, Ohio, telling police she was wearing shorts under her dress and that she had dropped a pack of cigarettes. She said she had bent over to pick up the pack and that her boyfriend had helped her.

However, the witnesses told police that it was clear the couple were partially nude and were engaging in sex. They also said the couple knew the females could see them but laughed and did not stop. One of the witnesses told police she was “shaken” by the incident and called it “traumatizing,” according to the police report.

Despite the witnesses, the male suspect, of Ruskin, Florida, continued to deny the couple had engaged in sex. After being told two of the witnesses were juvenile girls, the couple admitted to having intercourse on the ride and were arrested, the report says.

Both the man and woman appeared Monday in Sandusky Municipal Court and posted bond, according to court records. The public indecency charges are first-degree misdemeanors.

The 5 scariest roller coaster drops around the world

The big drop

Roller coaster fans savor every second of the ride, but there's something really special about that big drop.

Advances in technology, design and engineering over the decades have allowed amusement parks to offer ever taller, faster and steeper coasters (with loops and other kinds of inversions as well). These big hills are getting ever more thrilling and frightening -- and that's really the point, isn't it?

People will travel hundreds and thousands of miles to get their coaster fix, so you need to select a ride that delivers.

So what makes for a memorable, scary drop on a coaster?

"For me, it's the height and steepness of the drops," says roller coaster fan Patrick Lindich, who has had his own YouTube channel, CoasterFanatics, since 2016. "Standing on ground level looking up at those giant lift hills almost touching the clouds -- what's more impressive than that?

"The surrounding environment around the drop has a lot to do with it as well. Anything from tall trees to a lake or river around the drop. It all adds to the experience and makes the drop even more thrilling and scary."

Just in time for National Roller Coaster Day (Friday, August 16) in the US, here are five roller coasters around the world with some of the scariest, most impressive drops you'll find. Lindich also makes some suggestions of other thrilling coasters that didn't make the Top 5 but still provide excitement overload.

Some of these coasters are fairly new arrivals to the scene while others are older favorites that have stood the test of time:

Takabisha

Location: Fuji-Q Highland park; Fujiyoshida, Japan

Year it opened: 2011

Highest point: 43 meters (141 feet)

Length of drop hill with 121 degree angle: 43 meters (141 feet)

Top speed: 100km/h (62 mph)

Length of the entire ride: 1004 meters (3,294 feet)

One interesting feature of Takabisha is its most amazing drop comes not at the start of the ride but in the middle. And its drop isn't just steep or straight down. It comes at 121 degree angle.

"Although I haven't been on this one yet, it is definitely a bucket list coaster for me," says Lindich.

"The drop on these beyond-vertical drop coasters is hard to explain. You kind of feel like you will get ejected out of your seat as you go beyond vertical during your descent. It's funny because it just feels so wrong but so right at the same time. Very unique and unforgettable drop for sure."

Bonus on clear days: A gorgeous view of Mount Fuji.

Millennium Force

Location: Cedar Point; Sandusky, Ohio

Year it opened: 2000

Highest point: 310 feet (95 meters)

Length of drop hill: 300 feet (91 meter) with an 80-degree angle

Top speed: 93 mph (150kph)

Length of the entire ride: 6,595 feet (2,010 meters). That's a mile and quarter long.

Along with its oh-so-high first hill, the stunning view of Lake Erie helps set long-time favorite Millennium Force apart.

"Millennium is currently my favorite steel coaster and has a very memorable drop," Lindich says.

"Many people say that they can see Canada on the other side of Lake Erie from the top of this massive hill. The best part is that the hill is right next to the lake.

"As the train dives down, it gives you the illusion that you will drop right into the lake. ... It is truly one of my favorite drops on any roller coaster I've ever experienced. This ride has been ranked in the Top 5 steel coasters in the world since its opening in 2000 and is no doubt a must ride!"

SheiKra

Location: Busch Gardens Tampa Bay; Tampa, Florida

Year it opened: 2005

Highest point: 200 feet (61 meters)

Length of drop hill: 150 feet (46 meters) at 90 degrees

Top speed: Up to 70 mph (113 kph)

Length of the entire ride: 3,188 feet (972 meters) — more than half a mile.

Emerging from the humid grounds of Gulf Coast Florida, this dive coaster engineered by Bolliger & Mabillard does well on the fear factor.

"The seats give a very open feeling and are floorless, which allow your feet to dangle," Lindich says. "Once you crest the lift hill, the train slowly starts to creep forward with the use of its holding brake. The train then stops for a few seconds forcing the riders in front to look straight down. This is often the time you hear people scream like crazy."

Lindich says you get a fantastic view of the park as well as the trees and the walkway below.

"The brake releases and the train dives straight down past all the trees and right next to the walkway and station. ... Overall, one of the best drops in the world for sure."

Wildfire

Location: Kolmården Wildlife Park; Kolmården, Sweden

Year it opened: 2016

Highest point: 57 meters (187 feet)

Length of drop hill: 49 meters (160 feet)

Top speed: 115 kph (71 mph)

Length of the entire ride: 1,265 meters (4,150 feet)

Wildfire is the only wooden coaster in our Top 5 list. It has quite the view at the top and enough time up there to take in the scenery while building anticipation for what's to come. Its hair-raising plunge, taking riders underneath other parts of the track, makes it particularly memorable.

Lindich says it's extremely high on his bucket list.

"I have been on similar coasters by the same company such as Outlaw Run at Silver Dollar City and Lightning Rod at Dollywood. They all offer a nice little pop of airtime at the top and give great views of the surrounding forest areas," Lindich says. "I would imagine Wildfire is just like the coasters I mentioned, which are fast, intense and unforgettable."

Yukon Striker

Location: Canada's Wonderland; Vaughan, Ontario

Year it opened: 2019

Highest point: 68 meters (223 feet)

Length of drop hill: 75 meters (245 feet). Coaster goes 90 degrees into underwater tunnel

Top speed: 129 kph (80 mph)

Length of the entire ride: 1,105 meters (3,625 feet)

This dive coaster's claim to fame is a straight drop that goes right into an underground tunnel surrounded by water.

Another cool feature that Lindich notes: "There is even another coaster at the bottom that wraps around the tunnel called Vortex.

"This ride offers excellent views of the park and the ground below during its drop. ... It looks to be the best drop out of all the dive coasters built so far."

Other great hills 'n' thrills

Any scariest/best of roller coaster list is going to leave out some truly fantastic rides. Lindich has some other favorites he suggests:

— Phantom's Revenge (Kennywood; West Mifflin, Pennsylvania). "The second drop on this amazing coaster dives right into a valley and directly underneath another coaster called Thunderbolt at the bottom. This drop is like no other in the world."

— Top Thrill Dragster (Cedar Point; Sandusky, Ohio). "This coaster is such an adrenaline rush. I love putting my hands in the air going through the spiral as the train dives down."

— Iron Rattler (Six Flags Fiesta Texas; San Antonio). "This ride has a massive lift hill that dives right off a quarry wall for a truly unforgettable experience."

— The Beast (Kings Island; Mason, Ohio). "This one is underrated. The second drop ... gradually banks to the left and then enters into a massive double helix that is surrounded by tunnels at the bottom. This coaster is legendary, and this drop is my favorite part."

— Time Traveler (Silver Dollar City; near Branson, Missouri). "I love this drop because it has spinning trains that drop you straight down out of the station backwards. There is nothing else like it here in the U.S., and it makes me laugh like a little kid again every time I ride it."

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When Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24 in an unprovoked act of aggression, many expected a quick victory.

Six months later, the largest military conflict in Europe since World War II has turned into a grinding war of attrition. The Russian offensive has largely bogged down as Ukrainian forces increasingly target key facilities far behind the front lines, including in Russia-occupied Crimea.

A look at where things stand:

A BOTCHED BLITZ

When Putin declared the start of the "special military operation," he urged Ukraine's military to turn against the government in Kyiv, reflecting the Kremlin's belief that the population would broadly welcome the invaders. Some of the Russian troops coming in from Moscow's ally of Belarus, just 200 kilometers (about 125 miles) north of the capital, reportedly brought their parade uniforms with them in preparation for a quick triumph.

Those hopes were quickly shattered by fierce Ukrainian resistance, backed by Western-supplied weapons systems to the government of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Airborne troops sent to seize airfields around Kyiv suffered heavy losses and armored convoys stretching along the main highway leading to the capital were pummeled by Ukrainian artillery and scouts.

Despite numerous attacks on Ukrainian air bases and air defense assets, the Russian air force has failed to win full control of the skies and suffered heavy losses, limiting its ability to support ground forces.

One month into the war, Moscow pulled its troops back from areas near Kyiv, Kharkiv, Chernihiv and other major cities in a tacit acknowledgment of the blitz's failure.

***

SHIFTING BATTLEGROUNDS

The Kremlin then shifted its focus to the Donbas, Ukraine's eastern industrial heartland, where Moscow-backed separatists had been fighting government troops since 2014 following Russia's annexation of the Crimean Peninsula.

Relying on their massive edge in artillery, Russian forces inched forward in ferocious battles that devastated the region. The strategic port of Mariupol on the Sea of Azov that became a symbol of Ukrainian resistance fell in May after a nearly three-month siege that reduced the city to ruins.

More than 2,400 Mariupol defenders who holed up at the giant Azovstal steel mill later surrendered and were taken prisoner. At least 53 of them died last month in an explosion at a prison in eastern Ukraine that Moscow and Kyiv blamed on each other.

The Russians have taken control of the entire Luhansk region, one of two provinces that make up the Donbas, and also seized just over half of the second, Donetsk.

Russia currently occupies about 20% of Ukraine's territory.

"Putin will try to bite one piece of Ukrainian territory after another to strengthen his negotiating stand," said Mykola Sunhurovskyi, a military analyst with the Kyiv-based Razumkov Center think-tank. "His message to Ukraine is: If you don't sit down for talks now, things will get worse and we will take even more of your territory and kill even more of your people. He's trying to raise not only external but also internal pressure on the Ukrainian government."

The Donbas offensive has slowed as Moscow was forced to relocate some of its troops to Russia-occupied areas in the south to fend off a potential Ukrainian counteroffensive.

Russian troops seized the Kherson region, north of Crimea, and part of the neighboring Zaporizhzhia region early in the conflict. It has installed pro-Moscow administrations there, introduced its currency, handed out Russian passports and launched preparations for referendums to pave the way for their annexation.

But Ukrainian forces recently reclaimed some ground, striking bridges and targeting munitions depots. Meanwhile, both sides have traded accusations of shelling the Russia-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe's largest, raising fears of an atomic disaster.

"Ukraine has forced Russia to conduct a massive redeployment of forces and spread them all along the front line, from Kharkiv to Kherson," said Ukrainian military expert Oleh Zhdanov. "It's very hard to stretch them along such a big distance."

Although Kyiv doesn't have enough weapons to launch a big counteroffensive, "time plays in Ukraine's favor," he said. "The longer the pause lasts, the more weapons Ukraine will receive from its allies."

***

UKRAINIAN SUCCESSES

Western weapons, including U.S. HIMARS multiple rocket launchers, have boosted Ukraine's military's capability, allowing it to target Russian munitions depots, bridges and other key facilities with precision and impunity.

In a major symbolic victory in April, the flagship of Russia's Black Sea Fleet, the Moskva missile cruiser, exploded and sank while on patrol after reportedly being hit by a Ukrainian missile. That dealt a heavy blow to Russia's pride and forced it to limit naval operations.

Another big win for Ukraine came when Russian troops pulled back from strategic Snake Island, located on shipping lanes near Odesa, following relentless Ukrainian attacks. The retreat reduced the threat of a seaborne Russian attack on Odesa, helping pave the way for a deal to resume Ukrainian grain exports.

Russia suffered a new blow this month when a series of explosions at an airbase and munitions depot in Crimea. While Kyiv stopped short of taking credit for the blasts, there was no doubt about Ukrainian involvement. The Russians acknowledged that sabotage was behind one blast and alleged unsafe handling of munitions caused another — an explanation ridiculed by Ukraine.

The explosions, which were followed by drone attacks, underlined the vulnerability of Crimea, which holds symbolic value for Russia and is key to sustaining its operations in the south. They demonstrated that Ukrainian forces are capable of striking far behind the front line, and Ukrainian officials warn that the 19-kilometer (12-mile) Crimean bridge, the longest in Europe, could be the next target.

***

LIVES LOST AND DISRUPTED

Both Russia and Ukraine mostly focus on the casualties they inflict on each other, avoiding mention of their own losses.

But Ukraine's military chief, Gen. Valerii Zaluzhnyi, said Monday that nearly 9,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed in action.

The Russian Defense Ministry last reported its casualties on March 25, one month into the war, when it said 1,351 soldiers had been killed and 3,825 were wounded.

Western estimates of Russian dead have ranged from more than 15,000 to over 20,000 — more than the Soviet Union lost during its 10-year war in Afghanistan.

The Pentagon said last week that between 70,000 to 80,000 Russian troops have been killed or wounded in action — losses that have eroded Moscow's capability to conduct big offensives.

The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights has recorded over 5,500 civilian deaths in the war, but noted the actual numbers could be significantly higher.

The invasion has created the largest postwar refugee crisis in Europe. The U.N. refugee agency says a third of Ukrainians have fled their homes, with more than 6.6 million displaced within the country and over 6.6 million more across the continent.

***

WHAT'S NEXT?

The war's outcome will depend on the ability of Russia and Ukraine to muster additional resources.

While Ukraine has conducted a mobilization and declared a goal to form a 1 million-member military, Russia has continued to rely on a limited contingent of volunteers, an approach reflecting Kremlin fears that a mass mobilization could fuel discontent and destabilize the country.

Moscow has opted for interim steps, trying to encourage people to sign contracts with the military, increasingly engaging private contractors such as the Wagner Group, and even rounding up some prisoners for service — half-measures unable to meet the needs for any big offensives.

"Unless Russia mobilizes its population and mobilizes its industry, it cannot bring to bear the weight of people and industry in order to create a much bigger, more effective force, and therefore, it will have to consider how it hangs on to what it has already taken," retired British Gen. Richard Barrons said.

Ukraine also lacks resources for any quick reclamation of its territory, with Barrons estimating it could take well into next year to amass a force capable of driving the Russians out.

"It can only do it if the West provides political will, money at about $5 to 6 billion a month, weapons like long-range artillery, the ammunition that supports that artillery and then enables the logistics and medical support that allows Ukraine to build a million-strong army," said Barrons, co-chair of the consulting group Universal Defence & Security Solutions.

He said the West should be prepared to continue supporting Ukraine for a long time, despite soaring energy prices and other economic challenges stemming from sanctions imposed on Russia.

Abandoning Ukraine, he said, would send a message "to Russia and China and everybody else that the West does not have the stomach to stand up for its friends or even its own interests."

WARNING: The following photo gallery contains graphic images.

Photos: 6 months of war in Ukraine