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ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A diver who helped recover bodies from adeadly collisionbetween a boat carrying migrants and a Greek coast guard vessel said Friday that most of the 15 people who died had suffered severe head injuries, as questions mounted over the circumstances of the incident.

A search and rescue operation was still underway Friday for potentially missing people three days after the collision off the coast of the eastern Aegean island of Chios. Fifteen people were killed and 26 injured,including 11 childrenand two coast guard officers. The total number of people on board the small speedboat remains unclear.

The large number of casualties has led to questions over how the collision occurred. Judicial authorities have launched an official inquiry.

Evaggelos Kirithras, a diver who participated in the recovery of the bodies that night, told The Associated Press that when he arrived on the scene, he saw 12 bodies lying inside a semisubmerged inflatable speedboat. The vessel had not capsized, he said.

"Most of them had head injuries. I can't describe how bad the head injuries were," Kirithras said, comparing the injuries to the impact of hitting a wall. The diver said he has participated in other rescue and recovery operations with the coast guard in the past, "but this was the first time I've seen such force."

A report prepared by four coroners who examined the bodies indicated they had suffered severe injuries, Greek media said. The report has not been made public.

The exact circumstances of the collision remain unclear. In an initial statement, the coast guard said its patrol boat had come across the speedboat making its way toward Chios without navigation lights. It said the speedboat ignored sound and light signals to stop, and suddenly changed direction, colliding with the patrol boat and capsizing.

Photos released by the coast guard showed signs of abrasion on the patrol boat's right side. The coast guard's account couldn't be independently verified.

"The pursuit, the collision, the injuries testify to a very violent incident," said Kostas Arvanitis, a left-wing member of the European Parliament, demanding the publication of any footage from cameras on board the patrol vessel.

But authorities have said the camera on board had not been recording at the time.

Speaking in parliament Friday, Maritime Affairs Minister Vassilis Kikilias, under whose jurisdiction the coast guard lies, said the decision to not switch on the camera had been taken by the vessel's captain because the migrant boat was already nearby and the long-range thermal imaging camera would not have worked properly.

"As I have been informed… the (camera's) function is infrared and long-distance, so even if it had been switched on, it would not have had clear recordings of the collision event," Kikilias said, and repeated that any judicial and administrative investigation into the incident was welcome.

All but one of the surviving passengers on board the roughly 8-meter (26-foot) speedboat have been identified as Afghans, while one Moroccan national among the injured has been arrested on suspicion of migrant smuggling.

Greece is a major entry point into the European Union for people fleeing conflict and poverty in the Middle East, Africa and Asia.Fatal accidents are a common occurrence. Many undertake the short but often perilous crossing from the Turkish coast to nearby Greek islands in the eastern Aegean. But increased patrols and allegations ofpushbacks— summary deportations without allowing for asylum applications — by Greek authorities have reduced crossing attempts.

Kantouris reported from Thessaloniki, Greece

More than five dozen winter adventurers had an experience recently that likely wasn't on their agenda.

A gondola malfunction left nearly 70 skiers stuck in midair for hours at aNew Yorkski resort. The incident occurred Wednesday morning at Gore Mountain in North Creek.

Resort officialssaid the gondola stopped due to a mechanical alignment issue that triggered a safety sensor — bringing the lift to an automatic stop, Olympic Regional Development Authority and Gore Mountain said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

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A standard evacuation was immediately launched — with trained mountain operations and ski patrol teams assisting passengers.

Some 67 guests were riding in roughly 20 cabins at the time.

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ll were returned to the ground without injuries, the department noted.

The call for assistance was made shortly after 9 a.m. The evacuation was completed before 2 p.m., leaving skiers stranded for nearly five hours, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation said in a statement shared with Fox News Digital.

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The gondola returned to normal operations Thursday morning, Gore Mountain said.

"Thanks to the hard work of our crew, the Northwoods Gondola has been repaired, all safety checks completed, and the lift returned to service this morning," the resort said.

"We are grateful to our guests for their patience and cooperation."

Officials said some of the responding forest rangers had completed gondola evacuation training at Gore Mountain last fall, helping crews safely carry out the rescue.

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"Safety remains our top priority, and our teams are fully trained and experienced in managing situations like this," Olympic Regional Development Authority said.

The incident also drew attention online, with some users onsocial mediareacting to the evacuation as it unfolded.

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One user emphasized that he or she had no issues with keeping plans for skiing at Gore Mountain following the incident, though the person mentioned avoiding the gondola.

Others commented on the experience of being stranded at some height, noting that gondola cabins may feelsafer than open chairliftsin similar situations.

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"Had it been a chair lift, that would have beenvery cold," one user commented.

Gore Mountain in New York is one of the "most popular alpine skiing and snowboarding destinations in the Adirondacks, with an even mix of trails across levels and plenty of gorgeous glades, including the longest gladed trail in the Northeast," according to theVisit the Adirondackswebsite.

"Winter activities include downhill, cross-country skiing,snowboarding and snowshoeing. Special events range from non-competitive family-oriented fun to regional and Northeastern ski races."

The site also notes that "Gore has an incredible gondola ride that warms guests while offering stunning views of the snowy slopes before it's time to zip down again."

Original article source:Nearly 70 skiers stranded in midair for hours after gondola malfunctions at popular resort

LONDON —Keir Starmeris facing what could be the most precarious moment of his time as Britain's prime minister, as the global scandal surroundingJeffrey Epsteinenvelops his government.

Weakened by record-low approval ratings, policy U-turns and cost-of-living pressures, and with support bleeding to far-right challengers, Starmer's leadership was already under heavy strain, but analysts say the latest revelations could further undermine his authority and raise serious questions about his judgment.

Peter Mandelson, a longtime political grandee, is facing a police investigation over his ties to the late Epstein, including allegations he shared sensitive information with the convicted sex offender while serving as a Cabinet minister nearly two decades ago.

Starmer said last week that he knew about Mandelson's relationship with Epstein when he nominated him as ambassador to the United States in December 2024, but that Mandelson had "lied repeatedly" about the extent of his past contact with the disgraced financier.

Starmer apologized to victims for "believing Mandelson's lies" and said the former minister had "betrayed our country" in his dealings with Epstein.

Police searched Mandelson's two homes on Friday. The searches were "related to an ongoing investigation into misconduct in public office offences," a Metropolitan Police statement said. No arrests were made, and in line with British policing convention, Mandelson was not named in the statement.

The scandal has turned up the pressure on Starmer as the controversy unsettles his party and threatens to shatter his already fragile promise of a steady, scandal-free government. A little over 18 months since hisLabour government won a landslide victory, analysts say Starmer is now fighting for his political future.

"It seems yet another example of Starmer's lack of political judgment and poor decision-making," Peter Dorey, a professor of politics at Cardiff University, told NBC News. "His most serious yet."

Conservative opposition leader Kemi Badenochhas called Starmer's position "untenable," while the centrist Liberal Democrats have called for a confidence vote to test the support of Starmer's Labour lawmakers, some of whom have questioned whether he can remain in office.

A small number of Labour MPs, largely existing critics of Starmer, have called on him to go. Neil Duncan-Jordan told the BBC on Friday that a "reset" requires "changing who's in charge," while Rachael Maskell told the broadcaster it was "inevitable" he would have to quit.

Mandelson was dismissedas the U.K.'s ambassador to the United States in September after revelations about his friendship with Epstein emerged. Last Sunday, he stepped down from the party afterthe latest release of filesby the U.S. Department of Justice.

But documents continue to reveal the full extent of Mandelson's relationship with Epstein, showing a man who lobbied his own government while alerting Epstein to key upcoming decisions.

"Trying hard to amend," Mandelson, then serving as the business secretary, wrote to Epstein in December 2009 about a planned tax on bankers' bonuses, according to the released documents. "Treasury digging in but I am on [the] case."

He also appears to have leaked an internal economics briefing about assets the government believed it could sell. Mandelson forwarded it to Epstein with the added line: "Interesting note that's gone to the PM."

Mandelson has previously deniedknowledge of Epstein's crimesand denied any wrongdoing connected to him. In a statement last week he repeated an apology "to the women and girls whose voices should have been heard long before now." His representatives did not respond to a request for further comment.

Starmer has promised to release files relating to Mandelson's appointment as U.S. ambassador, which he says will prove Mandelson lied about the full extent of his friendship with Epstein when he was being vetted for the role.

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But critics say Starmer's decision to push on with Mandelson's appointment, with even partial knowledge about his relationship with Epstein, raises serious questions about his decision-making.

"Either Starmer failed to have Mandelson fully 'vetted' before appointing him, or Starmer knew of Mandelson's former association with Epstein, but appointed him anyway," said Dorey. "Either would constitute a serious error of judgment by Starmer."

The saga has proved particularly bruising given Starmer's promise of steady, scandal-free government after numerous corruption scandals dogged the previous Conservative government.

The prime minister "was chosen by his party and by voters because he supposedly personified probity and competence," said Tim Bale, a professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London. "After this, he can't even claim those qualities."

Mandelson was a controversial figure before his appointment as ambassador, having twice resigned from government during the last Labour administration over breaches of the ministerial code and accusations of financial misconduct.

Despite that, Mandelson was chosen for the U.K.'s most high-profile diplomatic role following Donald Trump's election in part because of "his background and his relationships with very rich people," Jamie Gaskarth, a professor of foreign policy and international relations at the Open University, told NBC News.

"It paid off initially with the friendly relations between Starmer and President Trump," he added, "but in the long term, those kind of character issues have come back to haunt him."

Olivia O'Sullivan, the U.K. director in the World Programme at Chatham House, a London-based think tank, echoed Gaskarth's comments, noting that Starmer's government had appointed somebody "they thought could handle that universe" in Mandelson.

"That has ended up kind of backfiring, really, in their faces," she added.

Despite the bruising scandal, Starmer is unlikely to be toppled immediately, according to experts, with his main potential successors all facing difficulties that may hinder a leadership challenge.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting isfacing scrutinyover his own past ties to Mandelson, while Starmer'sformer deputy Angela Rayneris still the subject of an investigation into her tax affairs. Manchester's popular Labour Mayor Andy Burnham was recently denied the opportunity to run for Parliament, making it impossible for him to challenge Starmer.

"A lot of the obvious replacements for Starmer find themselves in quite tricky positions," said Andrew Barclay, a politics lecturer at the University of Sheffield. This contributes to a "false sense of security" for the prime minister, he added.

With local elections looming in May, where Labour is widely expected to perform poorly, Starmer's possible rivals may not be keen to trigger an immediate leadership contest.

"There are several kinds of structural things that are keeping him in place right now," added Barclay, "but whether that will save his premiership in the long term, I am incredibly doubtful."

Dorey at Cardiff University agreed, saying "a lack of better alternatives" would keep him safe for now.

"Starmer is likely to remain as Labour leader and prime minister for the foreseeable future — but with his political authority and credibility seriously weakened," he said.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Attorneys for the federal government have until next Thursday to reach an agreement with human rights lawyers who are seeking to ensure the right to counsel for people detained at anImmigration and Customs Enforcementfacility in Minnesota, a judge said Friday.

Advocates said people held at the facility on the edge of Minneapolis who face possible deportation are denied adequate access to lawyers, including in-person meetings. Attorney Jeffrey Dubner said detainees are allowed to make phone calls, but ICE personnel are typically nearby.

U.S. District Judge Nancy Brasel told Justice Department attorney Christina Parascandola that there seemed to be a "very wide factual disconnect" between what the human rights lawyers allege and the government's claims of adequate access at what ICE depicts as only a temporary holding facility.

Parascandola said people detained at the facility have access to counsel and unmonitored phone calls at any time and for as long as they need. She conceded she had never been there.

Brasel called her argument "a tough sell," noting there was far more evidence in the case record to back up the plaintiffs' claims than the government's assurances.

"The gap here is so enormous I don't know how you're going to close it," the judge said.

Rather than ruling on the spot, Brasel told both sides to keep meeting with a retired judge who's mediating and who has helped narrow some of the gaps already. She noted at the start of the hearing that both sides agreed that "some degree of reasonable access" to legal counsel is constitutionally necessary but that they differed on the details of what that should look like.

If the sides don't reach at least a partial agreement by 5 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, the judge said she'll issue her order then. She didn't specify which way she'd rule.

A member of Congress decries conditions at detention center

The facility is part of the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, which is a center of ICE operations and has been the scene of frequent protests.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Kelly Morrison, of Minnesota, said in a statement Friday that conditions at the detention center continue to be poor. The physician said she learned in her visit Thursday night that the facility has no protocols in place to prevent the spread of measles to Minnesota from Texas. At least two cases were reported at a major ICE detention center in Texas this week.

Some Minnesota detaineesincluding families with childrenhave been sent to the Texas facility, and some have returned to Minnesota after courts intervened, including5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramosand his father.

"It's abundantly clear that Whipple is not at all equipped to handle what the Trump Administration is doing with their cruel and chaotic 'Operation Metro Surge,'" Morrison said in a statement. "I am stunned by the inability or unwillingness of the federal agents to answer some of the most basic questions about their operations and protocols."

Even though afederal judge ruled Mondaythat members of Congress have the right to make unannounced visits to ICE facilities, Morrison said in a statement that agents attempted to deny her entry for nearly a half-hour and demanded that she leave before eventually letting her in.

On herfirst attemptlast month, Morrison and fellow Minnesota Democratic Reps. Ilhan Omar and Angie Craig were turned away.

After she was able to enter the facility last weekend, Morrison said no real medical care was being offered to people held there.

Craig and Democratic Rep. Betty McCollum said they were turned away despite the court order when they tried to visit the facility overnight.

"We have heard countless reports that detainees are being held in unlivable conditions at Whipple," the two representatives said in a statement. "We have every reason to believe that this administration is once again lying through their teeth and trying to hide what we all know to be true -- that they are ignoring due process and treating immigrants as political pawns, not people."

Man charged with fel ony for wrecking anti-ICE sculpture

A supporter of the immigration crackdown who posted a video on social media of himself kicking down an anti-ICE sculpture outside the Minnesota state Capitol in St. Paul was released from jail Friday after being charged with a felony count of damage to property.

Lt. Mike Lee, a spokesperson for the Minnesota State Patrol, said Capitol Security observed Jake Lang, 30, of Lake Worth, Florida, damaging the display Thursday afternoon. He was arrested a short distance away. The ice sculpture spelled out "Prosecute ICE."

At his first court appearance, Lang was released pending trial but ordered to stay at least three blocks away from the Capitol. Court records don't list an attorney who could comment on his behalf.

Lang wasdrowned out by a large crowdlast month when he attempted to hold a small rally in Minneapolis in support of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. Lang was previously charged with assaulting an officer and other crimes before receiving clemency as part of President Donald Trump's sweeping intervention on behalf of Jan. 6 defendants last year.

A federal judge ruled Friday to temporarily block the Trump administration from suspending federal disbursements for the Gateway Tunnel Project.

Construction on the project was expected to end Friday night without court intervention. Judge Jeannette Vargas has also asked for both parties to submit additional information on the issue within the next few days.

The tunnel is being constructed under the Hudson River to connect New York and New Jersey. The pause in building would have resulted in the immediate loss of nearly 1,000 jobs,according to a press release from the project, and an extended pause could put about 11,000 construction jobs at risk.

The administrationhalted fundingfor the $16 billion project when the government shut down last fall. But despite the shutdown ending in November and government funding packages passing this week, the administration has not released the funds.

The administration asked Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., for the Dulles International Airport in Washington and Penn Station in New Yorkto be named after President Donald Trumpin exchange for releasing the funds needed to build the tunnel, multiple sources told NBC News Thursday.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement said the judge's ruling "affirmed" that the Trump administration's funding freeze "is likely to be found unlawful."

"This ruling is a victory for the thousands of union workers who will build Gateway and the hundreds of thousands of riders who rely on it every day," Hochul said.

New York Attorney General Letitia James called the ruling a "victory for workers and commuters in New York and New Jersey," adding that the funding freeze "threatened to derail a project our entire region depends on."

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The $16.1 billion project includes a new railway tunnel under the Hudson River that would link New York and New Jersey. The administration's freeze came after the project already underwent years of delays and other problems. It was revitalized in 2024 after President Joe Biden's administration said it would provide an additional $6.9 billion in funding.

"Suspending the funding for this monumental project based on the President's desire to punish political rivals violates the Administrative Procedure Act many times over. In this Complaint, Plaintiffs New Jersey and New York ask the Court to stay, vacate, declare unlawful, and enjoin the September 30 decision to suspend federal funding for the Project," the states said in their complaint.

The states alleged that the funding has been halted "because President Trump is engaged in political retribution."

New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill also celebrated the ruling, writing in a statement that "President Trump's arbitrary and politically motivated decision to freeze this funding is plainly illegal."

Jennifer Davenport, acting attorney general of New Jersey, said in her own statement that halting construction would "cause grave harm to New Jersey and New York."

"The Trump Administration must drop this campaign of political retribution immediately and must allow work on this vital infrastructure project to continue," Davenport said.

White House budget director Russell Vought said at the time of the funding freeze that he was stopping funding for infrastructure projects to "ensure" it wasn't used "on unconstitutional DEI principles."

Both New Jersey and New Yorkhave suedto force the administration to release the funds, which had already been appropriated.

It sounds like theLos Angeles Lakersmay have caught a break with Luka Dončić and his latest injury.

The NBA's leading scorersuffered a hamstring injuryon Thursday, Feb. 5 that forced him out of the team's 119-115 victory over thePhiladelphia 76ers.

The injury happened during the second quarter, with 3:30 left to play. Philadelphia threw a double team at Dončić, which prompted him to turn the ball over on a bad pass. Immediately after the turnover, Dončić appeared to favor the back of his left leg and went straight to the locker room.

Dončić did not have a notable limp, but broadcast cameras caught him expressing visible frustration as he went into the locker room.

Dončić did not come out onto the floor with his teammates at the start of the second half, and the Lakers ruled him out with left leg soreness.

Here's everything you need to know about Luka Dončić's injury.

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Luka Dončić injury update

On Friday, Feb. 6, ESPN reportedthat there's initial optimism that Dončić's hamstring injury is not a significant one, though he's expected to be doubtful to play in Los Angeles' game Saturday, Feb. 7 against the Golden State Warriors.

The Lakers are not required to submit an official injury report until later Friday evening, so an official designation will be available then.

"Too early to say if it's an injury," Lakers coach JJ Redick told reporters Thursday after the game. "(Dončić) had a sore hamstring."

Luka Dončić stats

Dončić is averaging 32.8 points per game, which leads all NBA players, adding 8.6 assists and 7.8 rebounds per game. Dončić has appeared in 42 games.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Luka Dončić injury update: Latest on Lakers star's hamstring

The New York Yankees and first baseman Paul Goldschmidt are in agreement on a one-year extension to keep the veteran first baseman in the Bronx, according to multiple reports on Friday.

Contract details are currently unknown. Goldschmidt signed a one-year, $12 million deal with New York last offseason to be its starting first basement, but saw utilityman Ben Rice begin to split starts later in the campaign that even ran into the postseason.

Goldschmidt, 38, played his first season in the American League last season for the Yankees after 14 accomplished years between the Arizona Diamondbacks and St. Louis Cardinals. He was the 2022 National League MVP for St. Louis and he earned seven All-Star berths, three Gold Gloves and five Silver Sluggers.

Goldschmidt finished the 2025 season with a .274 batting average, 10 homers, 45 RBIs and 134 hits, numbers that has been slowly declining since his 2022 NL MVP season.

Over 2,074 career games, Goldschmidt has tallied 372 home runs and 1,232 RBIs.

--Field Level Media