Before Thanksgiving 2023, Thomas Crooks' online life was fairly routine for a 20-year-old. He'd scroll through social media, listen to music on Spotify, visit news sites and peruse Reddit.
But a plan for mass violence was brewing, and in order for it to succeed, Crooks had to compartmentalize his life. It was something he was already comfortable doing from a childhood in which he let few people get close.
Friends knew little about his home and tight-knit family. They were rarely invited over to the Crooks home to play or, as they got older, hang out. In late 2023, he pivoted to keeping a new set of secrets -- building homemade improvised explosive devices in his bedroom and planning an assassination, while pursuing a career in engineering.
On July 13, 2024, Crooks would take aim at a rally for President Trump in the small town of Butler, Pennsylvania, firing from a rooftop eight shots that came within inches of dramatically altering the course of American history. He left no manifesto, no explanation for why he tried to kill the former and future president. In the year since the shooting, investigators and those who knew him have been trying to piece together what led him to climb that roof in Butler, with frustratingly few answers.
This CBS News investigation provides the most comprehensive portrait yet published of the insular young student. It draws from interviews with more than two dozen friends, professors, law enforcement officials and others, as well as open records requests to half a dozen agencies and a review of thousands of documents.
The young man who died in the assassination attempt crafted a furtive double life in the months leading up to the attack, unbeknownst to the people closest to him.
he "nice" boy who "kept to himself"
Crooks was born in 2003 and lived his entire life in a suburban home purchased by his parents before he and his older sister came along, tucked along a leafy street in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, just outside Pittsburgh. Growing up, Crooks loved Legos, his cat, building and creating model airplanes, watching the Pittsburgh Steelers and cooking with family.
His parents were both social workers, and took pride in their work and family. In 2008, his father, Matthew, filled out an online registry for a family coat of arms, writing that he hoped to pass down to his young children a sense of family unity and instill in them the virtues of generosity, sincerity, hope, joy and service to the country.
Crooks and his mother, who is visually impaired, often prepared dinner together. During holidays, everyone helped out. "For Thanksgiving, me and my dad will cook turkey and mashed potatoes together. At Christmas, me and my mom will bake dozens of cookies together, and on New Year's Eve, my mom and I will bake the pork and the sauerkraut together," Crooks said in a video he recorded for a college class.
In kindergarten, Crooks met Tristan Radcliffe. They ate lunch together frequently throughout most of elementary, middle and high school, and kept in touch after they both enrolled at the same college.
"I've known Tom, like, all of my life," Radcliffe said. "He was cool. You know, he was kind of just Tom to me."
There were many things about Crooks that stayed familiar and consistent through the years: his tight jeans, his tidy shirts and his bespectacled smooth face beneath neatly parted hair. But there was plenty, Radcliffe said, that he never knew about his friend, even though they saw each other nearly every day.
He was never invited to Crooks' home, and Crooks rarely talked about his family. Radcliffe said Crooks was a "nice" boy who "kept to himself." Crooks' neighbors said the family didn't interact much with folks on their block, and the children rarely had visitors.
Radcliffe wasn't bothered by it. To him, Crooks seemed like he had more on his mind.
"He always seemed like he focused on his work more, you know, like he came off smart," Radcliffe said.
Crooks' grades and test scores supported that. Crooks scored 1530 on his SAT exam, putting him in the 99th percentile nationally. He enrolled in the Community College of Allegheny County in 2022, and told an adviser he was saving money before pursuing a four-year engineering program.
As the tight quarters and crowded classrooms of high school gave way to the sprawl and remote coursework of commuter college, Crooks' social connections largely evaporated, allowing his secret life to go largely unnoticed.
A star student walking two paths
A diligent college student, Crooks routinely contacted professors to make sure his grades remained high.
His teachers were impressed with his work, often lauding his effort and dedication. One emailed to compliment Crooks for "getting such an early start" on a project. Another wrote to thank him for his contributions to class all semester.
Crooks stood out among his peers, according to former engineering professor Patricia Thompson.
"I thought he was a star student. He had his head on straight and he was on a path [to] success," Thompson said.
She recalled showing other professors in her department one of Crooks' projects which exceeded her expectations. He designed and 3D-printed a unique chessboard, engineered for players with visual impairments.
For many others contacted by CBS News, Crooks did not leave a lasting impression. Several former students said they did not realize he had been in the same class. Even some who had emailed and worked on projects with Crooks said they couldn't recall interacting with him.
For one assignment, Crooks was called upon to record a speech in front of an audience of five adults. He emailed his professor seeking to be excused from that requirement.
"I currently only live with my Mom and Dad. There are no other adults in my house and I have one sister who lives nearby that could potentially come over to be part of this audience," Crooks wrote. "I do not have access to any other adults."
In the summer of 2023, Crooks bought a rifle from his dad for $500 and signed up for a membership at a local shooting range. He became a regular at Clairton Sportsmen's Club, about nine miles from his home, signing in to use the rifle range more than 40 times in the last 11 months of his life, records show. Around that time, records obtained by CBS News show he started using encryption services that masked some of his internet use, mixing those with more typical visits to sites like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and X.
His habits started to rapidly shift that fall. To his professors, he still appeared focused on getting straight A's and preparing to apply to the engineering programs at the University of Pittsburgh and Robert Morris University. But his online activity suggests his attention was elsewhere. He began to more frequently use an encrypted email service called Mailfence and a virtual private network called Mullvad. Both would shield his online life from anyone who might pry.
An analysis by CBS News of Crooks' internet routines shows he developed an increasing interest in news, explosives and ammo, and secrecy. The records include nearly a year of Crooks' activity on his college's wireless internet network. They show hundreds of visits to websites ranging from his academic email account and discussion boards, to his bank, news sites, gaming platforms, social media, weapons blogs and Steelers fan sites.
Logs of Crooks' on-campus internet activity, which CBS News obtained through a public records request, indicate that in the last months of his life, he became increasingly rigid about secrecy, shrouding his activities through encrypted services.
Two particular days -- Dec. 6, 2023, and Jan. 24, 2024 -- stand out. On Dec. 6, 2023, Crooks checked various news sites and the White House website's archives from Mr. Trump's first administration, followed by visits to firearms websites. The following month, on Jan. 24, Crooks showed the single largest number of internet requests in the logs, at 1,364. He started to consistently use the VPN after that day.
On some days, he left little trace of his activity, choosing instead to first turn on Mullvad. Virtual private networks, known as VPNs, route a user's web traffic through encrypted tunnels, hiding their activity from prying eyes, such as a college's web tracking security software. While Crooks was using Mullvad, his browsing history was effectively sealed off.
Mullvad CEO Jan Jonsson told CBS News that the VPN service used by Crooks was designed to "provide anonymity, censorship circumvention and surveillance protection."
"This sadly also means that if somebody abuses the service for nefarious purposes, we cannot block that individual user and unfortunately can't provide any additional information about them," Jonsson said.
In December 2023, a month before Crooks' final semester started, his life began to split in two. He was focused on his college applications, and at the same time fixated on mass violence. One day, he emailed himself to review his personal statement for his application; on another, he emailed customer service to complain that the explosive fuel he ordered had not yet shipped. Investigators later concluded he would have been able to engineer bombs in his bedroom without his parents knowing.
Around this time, some in Crooks' life did notice erratic behavior.
Crooks' father told investigators that, in retrospect, he spotted signs of his son's declining mental health, according to excerpts of a Pennsylvania State Police report. Those excerpts were first made public in December by a House of Representatives task force on the attempted assassination.
"Crooks' father explained that within the last year he observed several instances of his son dancing in his bedroom throughout the night," a Pennsylvania investigator wrote. "He would occasionally see Crooks talking to himself with his hands moving, which he expressed as uncommon and had become more prevalent after he had finished his last semester."
Radcliffe noticed similar changes when he bumped into Crooks on campus.
"He would always move his legs around a lot, and he would kind of talk pretty fast," Radcliffe recalled.
Crooks graduated from community college in May 2024. On June 14, less than a month before the assassination attempt, he sent one last email from his community college account.
It was to the registrar. Crooks wanted to know when he'd receive his diploma.
Searching for the opening he needed
In the month before July 13, Crooks turned his attention to the presidential campaign, researching the candidates online more than 60 times, including searches on July 5 for "DNC convention" and "when is the RNC in 2024," according to the FBI. He visited the Butler Farm Show grounds in person on July 7, and searched for "butler farm show photos," according to investigators. He also researched AGR International, a company with buildings adjacent to the grounds.
The day before the attack, July 12, Crooks made one last visit to the rifle range.
On the morning of the attack, Crooks drove to the Butler Farm Show grounds, and stayed for a little more than an hour before driving home.
Investigators said that at about 1:30 p.m., Crooks got his rifle from the house. It was the gun he had purchased from his dad the year before. Crooks' father told investigators he believed his son was going to the range.
In addition to the rifle, Crooks put a drone and two homemade bombs in his trunk, along with remote transmitters capable of detonating them from more than 1,000 feet away. He left a partially assembled explosive device in his bedroom.
Crooks went to a store near his home and bought ammunition, according to investigators, and then returned to the Butler Farm Show grounds. As Trump supporters lined up to enter the highly publicized rally in the height of the presidential campaign, Crooks took a drone out of his car and flew it over the rally site for nearly 12 minutes, beginning at 3:51 p.m., potentially using the drone's cameras to view the podium where Mr. Trump would soon speak.
Three local police officers first noticed Crooks around 5 p.m. One officer, a sniper, said Crooks "stood out." Crooks was alone, the officers noted, and he wasn't paying attention to the campaign festivities.
"He was walking around the grassy area between AGR and the secondary fence line, kept looking up, looking at the building. One point that is what raised my suspicion is he was looking directly at the window I was positioned at," the sniper told investigators. The AGR building was approximately 150 yards from where Mr. Trump was speaking.
Local officers began keeping tabs on Crooks. One saw him using a rangefinder and snapped photos of him. At 5:39 p.m., one officer suggested notifying the Secret Service about the suspicious young man.
A Pennsylvania State Police sergeant later told investigators that he alerted Secret Service personnel to the suspicious person. Congressional task force investigators said there's no indication that message reached Secret Service personnel on the stage or in charge of security.
Just after 6 p.m., an officer saw Crooks near a picnic table, and watched him grab a backpack before he "took off running," one local officer told investigators. Officers began to leave their posts to look for Crooks, who had seemingly disappeared between two buildings.
Butler County District Attorney Richard Goldinger said in an interview with CBS News that poor planning and communication gave Crooks the opportunity he had been seeking.
"Local police weren't apprised of the Secret Service's security plan until the afternoon of the shooting," Goldinger said. "It was never specified to local law enforcement that they were assigned to secure the area where Crooks was able to climb onto the building."
Secret Service deputy director Matt Quinn said the agency tasked with protecting Mr. Trump bears responsibility for what happened next.
"I would ask Americans to understand that it was an organizational failure within the Secret Service, and we are laser focused on making sure that it never happens again," Quinn said.
At 6:02 p.m., Mr. Trump took the stage. Crooks ascended to the rooftop three minutes later. Panicked bystanders began calling the police.
At 6:11 p.m., moments before Crooks opened fire, a Butler detective decided to pursue Crooks on the roof. He later described to congressional investigators the look on Crooks' face as the detective began to pull himself up.
"I see Crooks facing downrange towards the stage, but his eyes are back at me as I'm coming up. And I would say, like, his facial expression was surprised. His eyes were very big, like, what are you doing up here?" the local detective said.
Crooks turned his gun toward the detective, who fell backwards and immediately radioed that the suspect was armed. The message never made it to the security detail for Mr. Trump.
A few seconds later, Crooks fired eight shots, killing firefighter Corey Comperatore, injuring Mr. Trump and two others. A Secret Service sniper returned fire, hitting Crooks in the face and killing him.
"The shooter is down. He's down hard," a local police officer radioed. Mr. Trump was swarmed by Secret Service agents trying to remove him from the stage.
"Wait," Mr. Trump said, before he stood, raised his fist and yelled to the crowd, "Fight! Fight! Fight!"
Unanswered questions remain
Law enforcement soon descended on Bethel Park, tracing Crooks via the gun he purchased from his father. By 10:45 p.m., covert surveillance of the Crooks home was in place, but just 11 minutes later, his father called 911. He said he was worried because his son had not returned after saying much earlier in the day he was going to the local gun club. When agents knocked on his door, Matthew Crooks asked, "Is it true?" He said someone from CNN had called and said his son "shot Trump."
Investigators questioned him and Crooks' mother. They fanned out across Bethel Park, Butler and Pittsburgh, interviewing Radcliffe and Thompson -- seemingly anyone who had ever interacted with Crooks. They checked with the local library, and learned Crooks didn't have a library card. A grand jury subpoenaed his online activity and coursework from college, the same material later reviewed by CBS News.
Investigators visited the gun club, the store where Crooks bought ammo and one where he purchased a ladder that day. They scoured videos from before, during and after the campaign rally, as well as local and federal law enforcement communications.
Details emerged about Crooks' planning. But nearly a year later, many unanswered questions about his motivation remain. Crooks left no known written explanation. His political leanings remain unclear. Was the Butler rally just a convenient option for a young man planning mass violence, or was he committed to shooting Mr. Trump? Did he have a plan for his bombs? Did he understand he was on a suicide mission?
Already isolated before the shooting, Crooks' parents are now rarely seen outside during daylight hours. A neighbor said there are only a few clues to suggest the family even still resides at the home. Another neighbor described the Crooks family's presence on their street as "ghostlike."
Crooks' parents did not respond to interview requests. Their attorney declined to speak on their behalf.
A postal employee said the mailbox is always empty when he delivers each day's mail. He and the neighbors speculated that the couple leave their home under the cover of darkness. Their house, which now has multiple security cameras, is blurred on Google Maps, an option homeowners concerned about privacy can request from the search giant.
Mary Crooks submitted her resignation from the job she's held for nearly three decades in December. The resignation letter, first reported by The New York Times, alludes to the shooting as the reason for her departure.
"Certain circumstances have left me with no other option than to vacate a position I have been proud to hold for the past 27 years," she wrote. She and her husband let their social work licenses expire in February.
thers in Crooks' life are still haunted by their connection to him.
Thompson compiled Crooks' discussion responses and projects from her class into one document. She studied it, looking for answers.
"Why would this kid who had his whole future, you know, laid out for him, [a] positive future -- why would he do something like this?" she asked.
Radcliffe recalls seeing Crooks' image from Butler blanketed across the airwaves the day of the shooting. The kempt scrawny kid replaced by a man whose wispy hair ran to his shoulders, a faint goatee over a t-shirt for a gun enthusiast's YouTube channel.
"I'm still in disbelief about the whole thing to be honest. Because it really just doesn't make sense. It just doesn't make any sense whatsoever," Radcliffe said.
Ever since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Moscow has engaged in nuclear threats, implying that challenging a nuclear power like Russia could have dire consequences. Today, President Putin claimed that Russia wouldn’t need to use nuclear weapons to achieve victory in Ukraine. This statement came during a panel discussion at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, often referred to as 'Russia’s Davos.'
Putin's interviewer was Sergei Karaganov, a hawkish Russian foreign policy expert who last year called for a pre-emptive nuclear strike. Today, Karaganov suggested using a “nuclear pistol” to threaten the West over Ukraine. Although Putin’s language was less extreme, he did not rule out changes to Russia’s nuclear doctrine. He stated, “This doctrine is a living tool and we are carefully watching what is happening in the world around us and do not exclude making changes to this doctrine. This is also related to the testing of nuclear weapons.”
Putin warned European countries supporting Ukraine that Russia has “many more [tactical nuclear weapons] than there are on the European continent, even if the United States brings theirs over.” He added, “Europe does not have a developed [early warning system]. In this sense they are more or less defenceless.” Tactical nuclear weapons are smaller warheads designed to destroy targets without widespread radioactive fallout.
This week in St. Petersburg has been surreal. On one hand, an international economic forum has been taking place, signaling that Russia is open for business. On the other hand, Russia is in its third year of war in Ukraine and is the most heavily sanctioned country in the world. Tensions between Russia and the West are high.
Earlier this week, at a meeting with international news agency chiefs in St. Petersburg, Putin suggested that Russia might supply advanced conventional long-range weapons to others to strike Western targets. This was in response to NATO allies allowing Ukraine to strike Russian territory with Western-supplied weapons. He repeated this idea again today, saying, “We are not supplying those weapons yet, but we reserve the right to do so to those states or legal entities which are under certain pressure, including military pressure, from the countries that supply weapons to Ukraine and encourage their use on Russian territory.” He did not provide details or names.
Vladimir Solovyov, a prominent Russian state TV host, commented on the possibility of Russia deploying missiles to other parts of the world, saying, “Wherever we think it is necessary, we’re definitely going to put them. As President Putin made clear, we’ll investigate this question.”
In the West, some view this as mere sabre-rattling. Solovyov responded, “It’s always a bluff. Until the time when it is not. You can keep thinking that Russia is bluffing and then, one day, there is no more Great Britain to laugh at. Don’t you ever try to push the Russian bear thinking that ‘Oh, it’s a kitten, we can play with it.’”
CEOs from Europe and America used to attend the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, but not anymore. This year, delegations from Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and South America were present. Russia is using this event to show that despite Western sanctions, there are many countries willing to do business with Russia.
In St. Petersburg, we learned that Vladimir Putin is increasingly confident and determined not to back down. He appears to believe that in the current standoff between Russia and the West, the West will blink first. On Friday, he again threatened to send weapons to Western adversaries without naming specific countries or groups. This threat follows the U.S. giving Ukraine permission to strike within a limited area of Russia with American-made weapons.
Putin reaffirmed his readiness to use nuclear weapons if he perceives a threat to Russian sovereignty, even though he said the current threat level does not warrant such use under Moscow’s nuclear doctrine. However, he noted that this could change.
Russia's saber-rattling has intensified amid new U.S. aid packages to Ukraine and the recent permission for Ukraine to strike Russian targets. Russia has also sent three navy ships and a nuclear-powered submarine to Cuba for an official visit next week, according to the Cuban armed forces. U.S. officials expect the two countries to engage in exercises involving both Russian aircraft and combat naval vessels near the United States, the first such exercise in five years.
A devastating Israeli airstrike on Rafah, Gaza, has claimed the lives of 22 people, including an infant and a toddler, according to hospital officials. The victims were brought to Abu Youssef Al Najjar hospital, where grief-stricken family members gathered to bid their final farewells.
The attack occurred overnight into Monday, striking a civilian area and leaving a trail of destruction. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed in a statement that their fighter jets targeted "terror targets" within a civilian area in southern Gaza, but CNN cannot independently verify these claims.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as "unexpected" and "targeting women and children." Mahmoud Abu Taha, who lost his 1-year-old nephew, lamented, "We were sitting in our homes, not doing anything... most of the people that were killed were displaced... they were women and children."
The victims included a 5-day-old boy, Ghaith Abu Rayya, and his 33-year-old father, Ramy. Another family, the Abu Taha family, lost 10 relatives in the airstrike. The death toll in the Gaza Strip has risen to at least 34,454 since the conflict began 205 days ago.
The tragedy has sparked pleas for peace and an end to the violence. One family member called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to stop the war, saying, "We want to live. We want peace. Enough Arab bloodshed." The incident has added to the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with civilians bearing the brunt of the conflict. As the situation continues to unfold, the international community remains concerned about the escalating violence and its devastating impact on innocent lives.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged to carry out a military operation in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, regardless of whether there is an agreement with Hamas for a cease-fire and release of hostages held in Gaza. Netanyahu's office quoted him as saying, "The idea that we will stop the war before achieving all of its goals is out of the question. We will enter Rafah and we will eliminate Hamas' battalions there — with a deal or without a deal, to achieve the total victory."
Netanyahu has emphasized the necessity for Israeli forces to enter Rafah to fully defeat Hamas, which carried out an attack on Israel in October that killed 1,200 people. Hamas also took about 250 hostages during the attack, and it is believed to still be holding about 100, along with the remains of 30 or more hostages who have either been killed or otherwise died in the ensuing months.
More than half of Gaza's population is sheltering in Rafah, located along the border between Gaza and Egypt. Many Palestinians fled to Rafah to escape Israeli attacks, and the United Nations has warned of a potential humanitarian disaster if Israel conducts a major ground offensive in the city.
The White House announced on Monday that U.S. President Joe Biden has pledged to work with Egypt and Qatar to ensure the implementation of a proposed cease-fire between Israel and Hamas. In phone calls with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Biden urged the leaders to do all they can to push for the release of hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza.
A White House statement described the hostage release as "the only obstacle to an immediate ceasefire and relief for the people of Gaza." The United States, Egypt, and Qatar have been involved in months of talks aimed at halting the war. A proposal now under consideration includes a cease-fire lasting about six weeks, the release of hostages held by Hamas, the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, and an increase in humanitarian aid for Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
Hamas officials met with representatives from Egypt and Qatar in Cairo on Monday to discuss the proposal. The talks come as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is visiting the region to discuss the situation with officials in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Israel.
Israel's counteroffensive in Gaza has killed more than 34,500 people, about two-thirds of them women and children, according to the Gaza health ministry. The ongoing conflict has resulted in a catastrophic humanitarian crisis, with civilians bearing the brunt of the violence. As the situation continues to unfold, the international community remains concerned about the escalating violence and its devastating impact on innocent lives.
In a recent escalation, an uneasy alliance of Arab states aided in defending Israel from Iran. Iran's retaliatory attack was thwarted over the weekend with assistance from the United States and its Middle Eastern allies. The Biden administration praised the coalition's efforts for averting a regional war.
However, analysts suggest that an Israeli response could strain the informal coalition comprising Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates. These countries have recently cooperated against Iran, but their alliance may be fragile. After Iran's barrage of more than 300 missiles and drones, which caused limited damage, many were shot down by American, British, Israeli, and Jordanian forces. National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby described the operation as "an extraordinary military success," highlighting Israel's regional isolation.
Jordan's council of ministers reported that its armed forces intercepted 'flying objects' breaching its airspace. However, there was no public boasting from America's partners in the Middle East, where acknowledgment of the weekend's events was muted.
Jordan, the only Arab state sharing a border with Israel and the only one participating in the air operation to destroy the drones, finds itself in a critical position. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates shared intelligence with the U.S. about Iranian plans, safeguarding their airspace.
Both Gulf monarchies are heavily reliant on Western states. Saudi Arabia "wants a U.S. security pact," according to Tahani Mustafa, a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group. Jordan's participation in the operation shows its reliance on American and Israeli support, despite being critical of Israel's military campaign in Gaza.
The ball is now in Israel's court. Were Israel to launch a tit-for-tat strike on Iran, it would risk further alienating public opinion among its hard-won Middle East partners.
Israel fended off the attack with the help of allies, with the Israeli Defense Forces claiming that roughly 99% of the attack had been thwarted by their forces and allies. The U.S., France, Jordan, and the United Kingdom also played roles in intercepting the attack.
Israel itself has sophisticated air defenses, including the Iron Dome and David's Sling. The Arrow Missile Defense System is capable of intercepting missiles fired from close to 1,500 miles away. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country's forces had been preparing for the possibility of a direct attack from Iran.
The Biden administration advised Israel against a strike against Iran while affirming U.S. support for the longtime ally.
Thirty years ago, Rwanda descended into a horrifying abyss. The systematic slaughter of Tutsis by Hutu extremists, a dark chapter known as the Rwandan genocide, claimed an estimated 800,000 lives. Now, researchers are sifting through the wreckage, seeking not just to understand the tragedy, but to prevent similar atrocities from ever happening again.
Their work takes them to places like Ntarama, a church turned mass grave, a stark reminder of the barbarity unleashed. Here, researchers confront the physical scars alongside the invisible ones – the enduring trauma etched onto the souls of survivors.
A Deluge of Violence, Rooted in Colonial Seeds
The genocide wasn't a sudden eruption. Colonial Belgium had sown the seeds of discord decades earlier, dividing Rwandans into Hutu and Tutsi categories. These distinctions, fueled by pseudoscience and economic disparity, festered into ethnic animosity. When violence finally erupted in 1994, it was a horrifying storm, fueled by hate speech and state-sanctioned brutality.
Beyond the Headlines: The Enduring Toll
Researchers delve far deeper than the headlines. They study the mental health crisis that continues to grip Rwanda. They explore the possibility of intergenerational trauma, where the horror experienced by parents casts a long shadow on their children.
One scientist, Léon Mutesa, is investigating the potential for epigenetic changes – modifications to DNA – caused by the trauma. His work is controversial, but it raises a chilling possibility: could the psychological scars be passed down through generations?
Elevating Local Voices: A Call for Inclusivity
Early research was dominated by Western scholars. Now, a crucial shift is underway. Programs like the Aegis Trust's Research, Policy and Higher Education initiative are empowering Rwandan researchers to tell their own stories.
This is more than just about perspective. Rwandan scholars possess a unique cultural understanding, allowing them to delve into nuances missed by outsiders. Their work not only enriches the historical record, but also informs policy decisions aimed at healing and reconciliation.
The Search for Answers: A Global Challenge
The Rwandan genocide wasn't an isolated event. Researchers are drawing parallels with atrocities past and present, from the Holocaust to conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo. By identifying common threads – the dehumanization of victims, the use of propaganda, the involvement of the state – they hope to build a theory of genocide, a framework for recognizing and preventing future tragedies.
This work is far from easy. Researchers grapple with the ethical considerations of interviewing survivors. They face the limitations of historical records and the ever-present risk of political sensitivities. Yet, they persist, driven by the hope that their insights can make a difference.
A Beacon of Hope: Remembering and Moving Forward
Rwanda's journey of healing is far from over. But amidst the pain, there are glimmers of hope. The annual commemorations, while a time of profound sadness, also offer survivors a chance to connect and share their stories. Mental health services are gradually improving, offering some solace to those burdened by trauma.
The world cannot afford to forget Rwanda. By studying its horrors, we gain a deeper understanding of the darkest aspects of humanity. But more importantly, we discover the resilience of the human spirit, the will to rebuild and move forward, even in the face of unimaginable suffering.
Source
President Joe Biden announced on Thursday that his administration will forgive approximately $6 billion in student loans for 78,000 public service workers. This relief is part of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program, which is designed for employees of government agencies or nonprofit organizations such as teachers, nurses, and social workers.
This announcement brings the total loan forgiveness under the Biden administration to $144 billion for approximately 4 million borrowers. Just a month ago, Biden announced $1.2 billion in loan forgiveness for 150,000 borrowers eligible for a special benefit in the new affordable repayment plan developed by his administration.
Many borrowers have expressed that student debt has hindered their ability to achieve milestones such as homeownership and starting families. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona emphasized that the Biden-Harris administration is committed to fixing logistical issues and expanding opportunities for more Americans.
Before Biden took office, only 7,000 borrowers had all their student debt relieved under the PSLF program, leading to criticisms that the program and the student loan system were broken. Since then, over 871,000 borrowers enrolled in PSLF have had their loan debt canceled.
Public service workers selected for relief can expect to receive emails next week informing them of this development. Additionally, about 380,000 other PSLF borrowers who are not yet eligible for forgiveness will receive emails notifying them that they will qualify for cancellation within one or two years if they remain employed in public service jobs.
President Biden has reiterated his commitment to addressing the student debt crisis, which now exceeds $1.7 trillion, and the soaring costs of higher education. His administration has increased the maximum amount of the Pell grant to $7,395 during the 2023-24 school year and proposed a further 10% increase earlier this month.
While campaigning for president, Biden vowed to address the challenges posed by student debt. Despite the Supreme Court striking down the administration's plan for sweeping debt forgiveness, the Biden administration has implemented incremental relief measures to provide targeted relief to subsets of borrowers.
Criminal gangs, wielding more power than Haiti's state security forces, have launched violent attacks on prisons and the airport serving Port-au-Prince, the country's capital. This has led to the closure of businesses and schools, forcing an estimated 15,000 people from their homes. The situation has escalated to a point where the U.N.'s top human rights official has deemed it "beyond untenable," with over 1,190 people killed since the start of 2024 alone. Efforts to send international help have so far been unsuccessful.
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk has urgently called for the deployment of a multinational security force to support Haiti's struggling police and military, citing the lack of a realistic alternative to protect lives.
Recent developments include a surge in violence on Feb. 29, as Prime Minister Ariel Henry traveled to Kenya to seek U.N.-backed support against the gangs. Upon his absence, prominent gang leader Jimmy "Barbecue" Cherizier announced the alliance of his group, G9, with other gangs to pressure Henry to resign.
Finance Minister Patrick Boivert, acting as Haiti's prime minister in Henry's absence, declared a state of emergency on March 3, imposing an evening curfew to regain control of the situation. Despite mounting pressure, Henry has not been able to return to Haiti, landing instead in Puerto Rico after being denied entry to the Dominican Republic.
Haiti's long-standing instability stems from government corruption and violent political unrest. The nation has faced challenges exacerbated by powerful earthquakes in 2010 and 2021, which claimed thousands of lives and crippled infrastructure. The current crisis intensified in 2021 with the assassination of then-Prime Minister Jovenel Moïse, leading to Henry's appointment amidst economic and political turmoil.
Gangs in Haiti, estimated at 200 with 23 main factions in Port-au-Prince, have expanded their control to about 80% of the capital. They have grown more powerful due to smuggled firearms and ransom payments, surpassing the state's weakening authority. Recent reports indicate the gangs' acquisition of high-caliber weapons has transformed the country's violence landscape, posing significant challenges to security forces.
The situation in Haiti remains critical, with urgent international intervention needed to address the escalating violence and instability.
The United States vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution which aimed to establish an immediate cease-fire in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. The resolution, backed by Arab nations and supported by a majority of Security Council members, faced strong opposition from the U.S., citing concerns about its potential impact on negotiations for the release of hostages held in Israel.
This marks the third time the U.S. has used its veto power to block a resolution calling for a cease-fire in Gaza, highlighting its steadfast support for Israel amid growing international pressure. The vote in the Security Council saw 13 members in favor of the resolution, with the United Kingdom abstaining.
Algeria's U.N. ambassador condemned the U.S. veto, stating that it implies an endorsement of the violence inflicted upon Palestinians. Meanwhile, U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield defended the decision, expressing the need for a resolution that would support ongoing negotiations for a temporary humanitarian cease-fire linked to the release of hostages.
The proposed U.S. resolution marks a departure from previous stances, as it includes the term "cease-fire" and emphasizes the release of hostages as a condition for the temporary halt in hostilities. However, its potential adoption remains uncertain, with Russia and China expected to challenge it.
The situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, with reports of increasing civilian casualties and urgent humanitarian needs. Aid organizations have criticized the U.S. for obstructing efforts to achieve a cease-fire, emphasizing the critical importance of immediate assistance for the suffering population.
Despite diplomatic efforts, the conflict shows no signs of abating, with Israel's military ordering evacuations in Gaza City amid ongoing violence. The World Food Program has suspended deliveries in certain areas due to safety concerns, highlighting the dire humanitarian situation faced by Gaza's population.
The U.S. veto has sparked widespread condemnation, with critics accusing Washington of prioritizing political interests over humanitarian concerns. As the conflict persists, calls for an end to the fighting and increased humanitarian support for Gaza continue to grow louder on the international stage.
An appeals court in Chile has ruled that the investigation into the death of Nobel laureate Pablo Neruda, days after the country's 1973 military coup, should be reopened. The court stated that new steps could help clarify what killed the poet, who was best known for his love poems and accumulated dozens of prizes, including the 1971 Nobel Prize for Literature.
The ruling comes after a request by Neruda's nephew, Rodolfo Reyes, to reopen the case and investigate causes other than cancer, which was listed on his death certificate. Reyes cited forensic experts from Canada, Denmark, and Chile who found evidence suggesting Neruda was poisoned. According to Reyes, forensic tests indicated a presence of "a great quantity of Cloristridium botulinum, which is incompatible with human life," a toxin that can cause nervous system paralysis and death.
The official position has long been that Neruda died of complications from prostate cancer, but his driver has argued for decades that he was poisoned. Previous international forensic experts rejected the official cause of death as cachexia, or weakness and wasting of the body due to chronic illness, but they did not determine what did kill Neruda.
The appeals court in Santiago unanimously revoked a judge's resolution from December that rejected the request to reopen the case. The new procedures include a calligraphic analysis of the death certificate, a meta-analysis of test results from foreign agencies, and subpoenas for statements from Chile's documentation project and an expert on Clostridium botulinum.
Neruda, a Communist Party member and friend of Chile's President Salvador Allende, planned to go into exile in Mexico, where he would have been an influential voice against the dictatorship of Gen. Augusto Pinochet. However, he died a day before his planned departure, on September 23, 1973, in a clinic in Santiago. Suspicions that the dictatorship had a hand in his death have persisted, and Neruda's body was exhumed in 2013 for further investigation.
Chile's government stated in 2015 that it was "highly probable that a third party" was responsible for Neruda's death. In 2017, authorities reported the discovery of fragments of Clostridium botulinum bacteria in his skeletal remains and teeth. Neruda was reburied in his favorite home overlooking the Pacific Coast, but questions surrounding his death continue to linger, prompting the recent ruling to reopen the investigation.
In a historic decision, Estonia has become the first central European nation, as well as the first ex-Soviet country, to legalize same-sex marriage. The Estonian parliament approved amendments to its Family Law Act on Tuesday, allowing marriages between any two individuals, regardless of their sex, effective from January 1, 2024.
The newly passed legislation not only legalizes same-sex marriages but also permits same-sex couples to adopt children. Prior to this amendment, unmarried couples in Estonia were not eligible for adoption.
Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas expressed her pride in the decision, stating that it does not take anything away from anyone but grants something important to many. She sees it as a testament to Estonian society's caring and respectful nature towards one another.
A recent survey by the Estonian Human Rights Centre showed that over half of Estonians, 53%, support marriage equality. This move places Estonia among 30 other countries that have legalized gay marriage, as reported by the Pew Research Center. Andorra, another European nation, had also legalized same-sex marriage earlier this year.
Previously, Estonia recognized same-sex relationships through the Registered Partnership Act, which provided certain rights related to health, assets, and decision-making for partners. With the new amendment, individuals in registered partnerships will have the option to convert their status to marriage easily.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken joined the worldwide celebrations, congratulating Estonia on its progressive legislation and expressing the United States' support for LGBTQI+ communities everywhere.
This landmark decision marks a significant step towards ensuring equal rights for all Estonians and reflects the country's commitment to fostering an inclusive and respectful society.