In our news wrap Friday, the Coast Guard will again classify swastikas and nooses as hate symbols, backing off a change to call those emblems “potentially divisive,” gunmen kidnapped students from a Catholic school in Nigeria, the Department of Transportation released a new crash test dummy that more closely resembles the female body and Mexico’s Fátima Bosch Fernández was crowned Miss Universe.
Amna Nawaz:
Turning to the day’s other headlines: In an about-face, the U.S. Coast Guard will again classify swastikas and nooses as hate symbols. That was the official stance for the past few years, until earlier this month, when officials issued a draft policy document calling those emblems potentially divisive.
That policy was due to take effect in December. But after news reports surfaced about the change, the Coast Guard issued a new memorandum, saying — quote — “These symbols reflect hateful and prohibited conduct that undermines unit cohesion.” The latest Coast Guard policy appears to take effect immediately.
In North Dakota, abortion is once again illegal after the state Supreme Court failed to reach the required majority to find a ban on the practice unconstitutional. The state’s only abortion provider left in 2022 and then challenged North Dakota’s abortion laws that same year.
A legal saga ensued, with the Republican-led legislature revising the state’s laws to ban abortion outright. With today’s decision, North Dakota once again joins 12 other states with near-total abortion bans.
In Ohio, a police officer was acquitted of all charges in the killing of Ta’Kiya Young, a pregnant Black woman.
Man:
We the jury, upon our oaths and law and evidence in this case, find the defendant not guilty of murder.
Amna Nawaz:
A jury found Connor Grubb not guilty on charges of murder, involuntary manslaughter, and felonious assault in the death of the 21-year-old. Grubb and another officer had responded to a call in August of 2023 after Young was accused of shoplifting.
Bodycam footage shows Young declining to come out of her car before it rolled toward Grubb and he fired. Ta’Kiya Young’s family denies she stole anything and plans to continue a civil suit against the local township and police chief.
Turning overseas, in Nigeria, officials say gunmen kidnapped students and staff from a Catholic school this morning in the second such attack this week. The Christian Association of Nigeria says more than 200 schoolchildren and a dozen teachers were abducted in Niger State. It’s not clear who the attackers were.
But this follows a similar incident on Monday in which 25 girls were abducted. At least 1,500 students have been kidnapped in the region since 2014, when Boko Haram extremists kidnapped 276 schoolgirls.
An Indian fighter jet crashed during an air show in Dubai today, killing the pilot, who was the only person on board. Spectators captured the moment the plane plummeted to the ground and burst into a giant fireball. It happened on the last day of the largest aviation showcase in the Middle East.
It’s the second known crash of the lightweight Tejas aircraft, which is built by a state-owned company and is a staple in India’s air force. Indian officials say they’re investigating the cause of the crash.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened his Security Cabinet today to discuss the recent spike of Israeli settler violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. Netanyahu is facing pressure from the Trump administration amid concerns the attacks could jeopardize the fragile cease-fire in Gaza.
The meeting took place as Palestinians in the West Bank village of Huwara blamed settlers for setting a massive blaze overnight at a scrapyard. The owner of the site surveyed the damage today and said he’s committed to staying.
Mohammad Dalal, West Bank Resident (through interpreter):
This car repair field is mine, and it’s my source of income to raise my kids. These settlers are causing destruction everywhere here, in our lands everywhere. Where can we go? We want to remain steadfast on our land no matter what.
Amna Nawaz:
Israel’s military says it had reports that Israelis did indeed set the fire and that police are investigating.
Back in this country, the Department of Transportation released a new crash test dummy that more closely resembles the female body. The new dummy is aimed at making cars safer for women, who are 73 percent more likely to be injured in a head-on crash and 17 percent more likely to be killed.
The current standard crash test dummy was developed in 1978 and is modeled on a 5’9″ man weighing about 170 pounds. There is currently a female version, but it’s basically just a smaller version of the male one. Today’s update likely won’t be used in new car safety testing until 2027, at the earliest.
On Wall Street today, stocks swung higher to end an otherwise tumultuous week. The Dow Jones industrial average jumped nearly 500 points on the day. The Nasdaq rose almost 200 points. The S&P 500 also ended the week on a positive note.
And Mexico’s Fatima Bosch has been crowned Miss Universe 2025, a dramatic win in a competition marred by controversy. Bosch is the fourth Mexican woman to be crowned, but her victory was seen as vindication. Two weeks ago, she and other contestants walked out in protest after the competition’s co-owner berated her during a livestreamed event. He later apologized.
Mexico’s first woman president, Claudia Sheinbaum, praised Bosch’s victory back home, saying — quote — “Women are prettier when we speak and we participate.”
