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MALAKOFF, Texas (AP) — Some school districts in the U.S. dropped plans for class pictures after widespread social media posts linked a billionaire with ties toJeffrey Epsteinto the photography giant Lifetouch, which on Friday called the claims "completely false."

The disruption to school picture plans in Texas and elsewhere began after online posts linked Lifetouch, which photographs millions of students each year, to the investment fund manager Apollo Global Management. Apollo's former CEO is billionaire investor Leon Black, who met regularly with Epstein and was advised by Epstein on financial matters.

Black led the company in 2019, when funds managed by Apollo bought Lifetouch's parent company, Shutterfly. The $2.7 billion deal closed in September 2019 — a month after Epstein's death by suicide behind bars as he awaited trial over allegations from federal prosecutors that he sexually abused and trafficked dozens of girls.

Both Lifetouch and Apollo noted that timeline in statements Friday, two days after Lifetouch CEO Ken Murphy said in an Instagram post that neither Black nor any of Apollo's directors or investors ever had any access to Lifetouch photos.

"No Lifetouch executives have ever had any relationship or contact with Epstein and we have never shared student images with any third party, including Apollo," Lifetouch said in its statement Friday. "Apollo and its funds also have no role in Lifetouch's daily operations and have no access to student images."

The canceled school pictures are another ripple effect over the release of millions of files from the Epstein investigation, including documents showing Epstein's regular contacts with CEOs, journalists, scientists and prominent politicians long after a 2008 conviction on sex crimes charges.

In the small Texas town of Malakoff, the local school district canceled a student picture day after several parents told the district they weren't comfortable with Lifetouch photographing their children, spokesperson Katherine Smith said in a statement e-mailed Friday. Several other schools and districts in Texas also canceled or changed plans, as well as a charter school in Arizona, according to Facebook announcements posted by the schools.

"We decided our students and families would be best served by keeping all of our pictures in-house for the rest of this year, and we are looking at all of our options for the 2026-2027 school year," Smith said.

Parents concerned about Lifetouch included MaKallie Gann, whose children attend schools in Howe, about 60 miles (97 kilometers) north of Dallas. She said she was worried about how much information Lifetouch collects on students.

"Whenever you order the pictures, it has their name. It has the age, of course. It has their grade, their teacher, the school that they're in," she said.

No evidence of Epstein or anyone in his orbit seeing Lifetouch photos has emerged from news organizations' review ofthousands of documents released this monthby the U.S. Department of Justice, though there are at least 1.7 million records.

The review shows Black's name appeared 8,200 times, though that figure likely includes some duplicate records.Black stepped downas Apollo's CEO in March 2021, saying he wanted to focus on his family, health, and "many other interests."

That was two months after a committee of the company's boardissued a reportconcluding that Epstein had advised Black personally on estate planning, tax issues, charitable giving and running his "family office," but provided no services to Apollo or invested in no Apollo funds.

The report also said the review — which Black requested — found "no evidence" that he was involved with Epstein's alleged criminal activities "in any way" or "at any time." ___

Hanna reported from Topeka, Kansas. Also contributing was Associated Press writer Jack Dura in Bismarck, North Dakota.

A day after the US announced it took the unusual step of shuttering it's Drug Enforcement Administration office in the Dominican Republic — a key site in the agency's effort to combatdrug traffickingin the Caribbean — a top agent there was charged with running a visa fraud scheme.

US Ambassador Leah F. Campos announced on social media Thursday that she had closed the DEA's office, writing "It is a disgusting and disgraceful violation of public trust to use one's official capacity for personal gain."

"I will not tolerate even the perception of corruption anywhere in the Embassy I lead," Campos added.

The Justice Department announced Friday the charges against supervisory special agent Meliton Cordero, who the DOJ said in a press release was assigned to the US Embassy in the Dominican Republic for six years. Cordero was arrested Thursday.

Cordero is charged with conspiracy to commit bribery and visa fraud, according to the Justice Department. Prosecutors didn't ask that he be detained, but he was ordered to surrender his passport.

Prosecutors say Cordero accepted thousands of dollars in exchange for assisting foreign nationals with securing nonimmigrant visas that would allow them to visit the US for a temporary period.

"During his assignment at the U.S. Embassy in the Dominican Republic, Cordero expedited at least 119 visa applications, at least one of which is alleged to have been fraudulent, often coaching individuals in preparation for their visa interview with U.S. Consular Officers," the Justice Department said.

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Charging documents against Cordero have not yet been unsealed in court records.

The US ambassador made the extraordinary move to shut down the DEA's office in the Dominican Republic in recent days, in response to the corruption probe,

The decision could hamper US anti-narcotics efforts in the region, which the Trump administration has cited as a high priority.

The office is a major base of operations for monitoring and cutting off traffickers using the Caribbean as a route to traffic cocaine from South America to Europe and the US.

The Dominican government has allowed the Defense Department to use its military facilities as part of a broader effort that includes military strikes on purported trafficking boats in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean.

"The temporary closure of the DEA office in Santo Domingo is to allow time for an investigation internal to this Embassy. The Dominican Republic remains a critical partner in our work to combat narco-terrorism throughout the region," the US embassy in the Dominican Republic said in a statement on X. "That work will continue at the same robust pace between the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo and our Dominican partners even as our internal investigation ensues."

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A gynecologist at Ohio State University whose name appeared in the Epstein files as having received thousands of dollars in payments from the convicted sex offender for consulting work is being investigated by the university, an official there confirmed Friday.

Dr. Mark Landon is cooperating with the investigation, Serena Smith, a spokesperson for OSU's Wexner Medical Center, said in an email.

Landon "has stated he had no knowledge of any criminal activities and his consulting work did not involve any patient care," Smith said.

"We continue to review the situation and have received no information to date that contradicts Dr. Landon's statement," Smith said.

Landon, who chairs OSU's Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and specializes in high-risk pregnancies, released a statement on Monday after his name was found in the files.

"I did not provide any clinical care for Jeffrey Epstein or any of his victims," it said. "I was a paid consultant for the New York Strategy Group regarding potential biotech investments from 2001 to 2005. I had no knowledge of any criminal activities; I find them reprehensible and I feel terrible for Epstein's victims."

The New York Strategy Group was Epstein's money management firm, records show.

Landon's consulting work for Epstein's firm was before the financier was branded a registered sex offender in 2008, following a conviction in Florida for procuring a child for prostitution and soliciting a prostitute.

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In the files, the doctor's name appears in a 2006 email written to Epstein by Darren Indyke, an attorney who worked for him.

"Are we still paying Mark Landon?" it began.

Indyke wrote that "Landon's agreement requires quarterly payments of $30k to be made to Landon on the 15th of January, April, July and October."

"The previous payment made to Landon was for $25,000 and not $30,000. The contract is terminable at will on 15 days' prior notice. Is NYSG to make payment to Landon by January 15th and if so for $25K or $30K? Please advise."

"75 per year," Epstein responded.

The email did not specify what work Landon was paid for.

There are also multiple FedEx receipts in the files for packages sent to Landon at the Wexner Medical Center between 2001 and 2004. They do not indicate what was sent in the packages.

NBC News has reached out to Indyke for comment.

CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — Turns out, the Philadelphia Phillies were ale-ing last year.

Deciding their relationship ruptured when Nick Castellanos angrily brought a beer into the dugout after he was pulled from a game, the Phillies released the outfielder even though they owe him $20 million for the final season of a$100 million, five-year contract.

Draught was an issue in a season that extended the team's title drought.

In afour-page handwritten letter posted Thursday, Castellanos admitted he broke a team rule by bringing a Presidente beer into the dugout last June "after being taken out of a close ball game in front of my friends and family." Phillies manager Rob Thomson made the move for defense with a 3-1 eighth-inning lead during a 5-2 win at Miami on June 16.

"I'm proud of him because he owned up to what he did and, hey, we all make mistakes," Thomson said Friday. "Nick had helped us out in a lot of ways here. He's had some big hits and big plays and helped us win a lot ballgames. So I do, I wish him all the best."

During a season that ended with a Division Series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, Castellanos hit .250 — his lowest in a non-shortened season — with 17 homers and 72 RBIs.

Any team can sign Castellanos for the $780,000 major league minimum. Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski had decided Castellanos wouldn't report to the team for spring training — the 33-year-old did not have a locker assigned and two photos of him in the corridor of player images already had been removed.

"A lot of times when a good player has their role change with the club, it can cause some friction, and his role changed last year from where it was," Dombrowski said. "I mean you played every single day for a lot years in a row, and so sometimes that can contribute to it. Sometimes then people have debates between themselves where they're not all on the same page. But when you put all that together, sometimes you just need to make sure that you have a change of scenery."

Castellanos' minus-12 outs above average — how many outs they gain defensively over the average fielder at their position, according to MLB Statcast — tied the New York Mets' Juan Soto and the Los Angeles Angels' Jo Adell for 108th and last among 110 qualified outfielders.

Castellanos was removed for Johan Rojas, who took over in center as Brandon Marsh moved from center to left and Max Kepler from left to right.

"I then sat right next to Rob and let him know that too much Slack in some areas and too tight of restrictions in others and not (conducive) to us winning," Castellanos wrote. "Shoutout to my teammates and Howie (Phillies special assistant Howie Kendrick) for taking the beer out of my hands before I could take a sip.

Castellanos said he "aired out our differences" after the game during a meeting with Thomson and Dombrowski.

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"The conversation ended with me apologizing for letting my emotions get the best of me," Castellanos wrote.

Castellanos was benched the next day for whatThomson said then was "an inappropriate comment."Castellanos wrote the Phillies told him not to divulge details to reporters.

"I was surprised that a lot of people didn't see what was taking place at the time," Dombrowski said.

Thomson doesn't regret the messy details didn't become public at the time.

"I thought it was appropriate what we did," he said.

Castellanos appeared in 75 of the team's final 90 regular season games and hit .133 with three RBIs in the four-game Division Series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. His production decline led to the decision as much as the beer beef.

"That wasn't the final or determining factor, because if that was, we would have done that at that particular time," Dombrowski said.

Philadelphia secured a replacement in December, agreeing to a$10 million, one-year contract with Adolis García.

Reporting for the new season and hoping to win Philadelphia's first title since 2008, Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber wished Castellanos the best.

"We've had a lot of really good memories here over the last four years and he's had some really big moments with us," Schwarber said. "Hopefully wherever he goes next, he's able to keep going out there and keep doing his thing and keep having those big moments."

AP MLB:https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

The NFL selected Tiger Woods' sports business venture, TMRW Sports, as its operational partner for a professional flag football league that is in development, according to a report by Sportico.

Sources told the publication that TMRW Sports beat out about a dozen competitors in a bid process. NFL owners voted in December to authorize the search for a partner and invest up to $32 million to support the creation of the new league.

TMRW Sports confirmed its interest in flag football to Sportico but would not comment on discussions with the NFL.

"We've made a tremendous amount of progress in one year, and the league is moving forward," an NFL spokesperson told Sportico while declining further comment.

Woods co-founded TMRW, the group behind the TGL indoor golf league, in 2022 with fellow golf star Rory McIlroy and media executive Mike McCarley. Backers with ties to the NFL include Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank, Minnesota Vikings owner Mark Wilf and Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen.

The NFL has embraced flag football by making it the cornerstone event of the revamped Pro Bowl Games and allowing players to compete in the sport's Olympic debut at Los Angeles in 2028.

"Today's vote represents a critical step in establishing flag football as a premier global sport," NFL executive Troy Vincent Sr. said in December when owners green-lit the new pro league.

"We are developing the infrastructure to accelerate the game's growth to new heights by creating a clear pathway for aspiring athletes to progress from youth and high school programs through college and now to the professional level. We look forward to forming a partnership to bring this vision to life and deliver a world-class professional flag football experience for elite athletes and fans alike."

--Field Level Media

PHOENIX —Los Angeles Dodgersreliever Alex Vesia slowly walked over, took a deep breath Friday, wiped his eyes, and stared at his cell phone.

For the first time since he and hiswife Kayla lost their newborn daughter, Sterling Sol, on Oct. 26, days after being born, he stood in front of a crowd of reporters and spoke for six minutes. He stopped and caught his breath several times, frequently touching his heart He didn't take any questions, and instead asked for privacy as he and his wife continue to heal.

"The lessons we've learned from this is that life can change in an instant," Vesia said. "For us, 10 minutes is all it took. Sterling Sol was the most beautiful girl in the world. We got to hold her, change her diaper, read to her and love her. Our time together was far too short … I was not prepared to not bring my baby girl home, but we're carrying her with us every day.

"Kayla and I will keep those precious moments and memories to ourselves. I hope that anyone listening can empathize and respect our wishes for privacy as we continue to heal and as we navigate the ups and downs of a baseball season."

"We are beyond grateful to be a part of this organization and this family," Vesia said. "So many of you have stepped up and have been there for us in a big way over the past few months, and has meant the world to both Kayla and I."

He spoke about the healing process including the grief counseling he and his wife have begun six weeks ago, the strength and support the Dodgers organization has given them, theToronto Blue Jays' heartfelt gesture during the World Series, and the outpouring of love from all over the the world, including the Los Angeles Rams sending an autographed jersey to them that he plans to frame.

Vesia, who stayed with Kayla and left the team during the World Series, still watched every pitch of all seven games, and was overwhelmed with emotion by seeing that every pitcher in the Blue Jays' bullpen was wearing his No. 57, his jersey number, on their caps in support.

"They are a first-class organization," Vesia said. "Kayla and I just want to say thank you to them. When Kayla and I were watching the World Series, we noticed that there was 51 on Louis Varland's hat. I immediately texted Gus Varland, his brother, and I asked him if I was seeing that correctly. He texted me back right away, and he said, 'the Varlands love you, dude, the whole Toronto bullpen has it too. It's bigger than baseball. We love y'all.'

"Kayla and I, we were very emotional. We were super overwhelmed ... the baseball community, the relationships that you make along the way, it showed that was much bigger than baseball. The outpouring of love and support Kayla I've had over the past few months, few months, has been unmatched.

"We're both grateful to not only Dodger nation, but the fans worldwide. My DMs are basically broken on Instagram from all the love and support that we've had, I've tried to read all the comments and everything because it's meant the world really."

While it was difficult for Vesia to leave the team, he knew that his wife and family needed him much more, and watching the World Series together began the healing process.

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"For us, in so many ways, that was a light in our darkness,'' said Vesia, who returned to his Arizona home after the World Series. "I immediately got back into the gym. I started my throwing program. Having something to look forward to has helped me. The gym has been my mental clarity.

"Being around the guys again, preparing for spring training, it's been really nice. I've gotten a lot of love so far in the clubhouse, being able to laugh and joke around. It's been really nice for me."

When Dodgers manager Dave Roberts saw Vesia on Thursday for the first time since the tragedy, he hugged him, and they talked for 30 minutes.

"There's not a whole lot [to say],'' Roberts said. "You're just sort of there to help support. That's something they've got to process themselves. … It's one of those things you can't even imagine. I can't think of anything worse.

"But I do think that getting back to what he loves to do and play baseball, that's something that's therapeutic for him."

Therapy has also been a huge benefit, Vesia says, for him and his wife, strongly recommending counseling to anyone enduring tragedy.

"It hasn't been easy, but talking to someone, it has made a difference," Vesia said. "For those out there who've lost a child or are fighting through any struggle, if you can take anything from this, please seek help. Talk to somebody. It's definitely helped.

"Don't be afraid to speak up. Your mental health matters. I've learned that what happened, what has happened to us, has also happened to so many families. Realizing that has deepened our empathy and our gratitude for this community, the baseball community, is extremely strong. …

"It's been hard, but we're doing okay."

Vesia nodded, looked ahead and then slowly walked back to the Dodgers clubhouse, knowing that his baby girl will never be forgotten, praying and Kayla will one day find comfort and peace.

MLB spring training 2026: Sunshine good and vibes in Arizona and Florida

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Alex Vesia back with Dodgers after newborn baby death

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A judge declared a mistrial Friday in the case of five current and former Stanford University students charged after pro-Palestinian protests in 2024, when they barricaded themselves inside the university president and provost executive offices.

Thetrial in Santa Clara Countywas a rare instance of demonstrators facing felony charges from protests over the Israel-Hamas war that roiled campuses across the country. The two sides argued over free speech, lawful dissent and crime during the three-week proceedings.

The jury voted 9 to 3 to convict on a felony charge of vandalism and 8 to 4 to convict on a felony charge of conspiracy to trespass. After deliberating for five days, jurors said they could not reach a verdict.

Judge Hanley Chew asked each one if more time deliberating would help break the impasse, and all answered, "No."

"It appears that this jury is hopelessly deadlocked, and I'm now declaring a mistrial in counts one and two," Chen said. He then dismissed the jurors.

Demonstrators barricaded themselves inside the offices forseveral hours on June 5, 2024, the last day of spring classes at the university.

Prosecutors said the defendants spray-painted the building, broke windows and furniture, disabled security cameras and splattered a red liquid described as fake blood on items throughout the offices.

Defense attorneys said the protest was protected speech and there was insufficient evidence of an intent to damage the property. They also said the students wore protective gear and barricaded the offices out of fear of being injured by police and campus security.

If convicted, the defendants would have faced up to three years in prison and been obligated to pay restitution of over $300,000.

Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen said he would pursue a new trial.

"This case is about a group of people who destroyed someone else's property and caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage," Rosen said in a statement. "That is against the law and that is why we will retry the case."

As the mistrial was announced, the students, some wearing kaffiyehs, sat on a bench in the courtroom and did not show a visible reaction.

"The District Attorney's Office had Stanford University supporting them and other multibillion-dollar institutions behind them, and even then the district attorney was unable to convict us," Germán González, who was a sophomore at Stanford when he was arrested, told The Associated Press by phone later. "No matter what happens, we will continue to fight tooth and nail for as long as possible, because at the end of the day, this is for Palestine."

Authorities initially arrested and charged 12 people in the case, but one pleaded no contest under an agreement that allows some young people to have their cases dismissed and records sealed if they successfully complete probation.

He testified for the prosecution, leading to a grand juryindictment of the others in Octoberof the others. Six of those accepted pretrial plea deals or diversion programs, and the remaining five pleaded not guilty and sought a jury trial.

Protests sprung up oncampuses across the countryover the Israel-Hamas conflict, with students setting up camps and demanding their universitiesstop doing businesswith Israel or companies that support its war effortsagainst Hamas.

About 3,200 people were arrested in 2024 nationwide. While some colleges ended demonstrations bystriking dealswith students or simply waited them out, others called in police. Most criminal charges were ultimately dismissed.

This story has been updated to correct the jury counts on the two charges.