INS MAG

The teenage daughter of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made her first known visit to a sacred family mausoleum, a step that experts saybolstered her status as her father's potential heir.

The visit, which occurred on New Year's Day on Thursday, even sparked speculation that the girl,reportedly named Kim Ju Ae and aged about 13, could be named a high-level official at the upcoming ruling Workers' Party congress.

Images carried by North Korea's state media on Friday showed Kim Ju Ae standing in the front row with her parents and deeply bowing at Pyongyang's Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in Pyongyang, where the embalmed bodies of her late grandfather and great-grandfather are on display.

The palace is "a place that symbolizes legitimacy of the North Korean regime" and her visit there ahead of the Workers' Party congress is a politically orchestrated move, said Cheong Seong-Chang, deputy head of the private Sejong Institute in South Korea.

Kim Jong Un, 41, is the third generation of his family to rule North Korea since the country's foundation in 1948. He often marks key state anniversaries by visiting the Kumsusan palace and paying respect to his father Kim Jong Il and grandfather Kim Il Sung.

Cheong predicted that Kim Jong Un could give his daughter the first secretary post at the Workers' Party, the party's No. 2 job, at the congress.

Other experts say she is too young to accept such a high-profile post and might be provided with lower-level jobs.

The congress, the first of its kind in five years, is meant to establish new priorities in state policies and reshuffle officials. North Korea hasn't said when it will hold it, but South Korea's spy agency said it will likely be held either in January or February.

Since first appearing in state media in November 2022, Kim Ju Ae has accompanied her father at a slew of events including military parades and missile launches.

In September, Kim Ju Ae took her on his visit to Beijing.During New Years' Day celebrations this week, she kissed her father on the cheek, showing their closeness.

In January 2024, South Korea's spy agency said it viewed Kim Ju Ae as her father's likely heir. Some outside experts disagree with that assessment, citing Kim Jong Un's relatively young age and the extremely male-dominated nature of North Korea's power hierarchy.

An off-duty Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer allegedly shot and killed an armed man outside of the federal agent's Los Angeles apartment complex, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

The shooting occurred late New Year's Eve in the Northridge neighborhood, DHS said. ICE is under the supervision of DHS.

The off-duty ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations officer was in his apartment "when he heard what he suspected were multiple gunshots" at approximately 10:45 p.m. local time Wednesday, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.

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As the suspected gunfire grew louder, the officer went outside with his ICE-authorized firearm and encountered a man "armed with what appeared to be a long rifle" upon rounding the corner of a building in the apartment complex, according to McLaughlin.

After the ICE officer identified himself as law enforcement, the individual allegedly pointed his firearm at the officer and did not put it down when ordered, McLaughlin noted.

"When the subject refused to comply, the officer fired defensively with his service weapon at the subject to disarm him," McLaughlin said. "The subject fired at least three rounds at the officer."

The ICE officer then went back to his apartment to retrieve his ICE-issued body armor "to better protect himself against rifle rounds" and reported the shooting to the Los Angeles Police Department, according to McLaughlin.

When LAPD officers arrived, they found the shot individual, who was pronounced dead at the scene, McLaughlin noted. The ICE officer was uninjured, she said.

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Sources said it appears that the man had no connection to the ICE officer before the shooting.

ICE's Office of Professional Responsibility is coordinating with the LAPD in the ongoing investigation, McLaughlin said.

The LAPD confirmed it responded to a call of shots fired involving a federal agent, but did not release any additional details.

Authorities have not released the names of the ICE officer or deceased man.

A search is underway in Alabama for a 4-year-old boy who has been missing since Wednesday morning, and whose father has been arrested on a separate explosives-related charge.

Johnathan Everett Boley was last seen at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday near Highway 195, in a wooded and rural area of Jasper, Alabama, according to theAlabama Law Enforcement Agency. Jasper is a small city located about 40 miles northwest of Birmingham.

He is described as white with blond hair and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing a yellow Mickey Mouse shirt, black pants and Paw Patrol shoes.

The Walker County Sheriff's Office received a call about the missing child around 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sheriff Nick Smith told reporters Thursday.

Smith said it was reported to authorities that Johnathan was with his 6-year-old brother and their dog when he disappeared. It was not immediately clear where his older brother is.

Law enforcement searched Johnathan's home and launched an air and ground search using helicopters with thermal detection and canines that went until 3 a.m. and resumed later Thursday morning, Smith said.

Explosives-related charge

Smith told reporters that explosive devices were found on the child's father's property during the search and law enforcement had to "take care" of the devices before they could execute a thorough search warrant.

The father was arrested on an explosives-related charge, Smith said. He said the charge had "nothing to do" with the search for Johnathan, but "it is still a factor that is hindering our search," Smith said.

Smith described the father, whom he did not name, as being formerly in the military.

It's not clear why explosives were at the home.

"Neighbors have said they've been hearing explosions for weeks now. They didn't really know where it was coming from. The morning before the [missing person] report came in, one of the neighbors reported that they heard an explosion about 4 a.m. that morning, they just didn't know where it came from. Can't say that that's in any kind of connection to the missing child," Smith said.

Johnathan's parents are separated, and the child's mother moved to Florida last year. As part of the custody agreement the father was given five days a year for visitation, Smith said.

The mother went to Alabama from Florida on Wednesday evening and is cooperating with authorities, according to the sheriff. The father was interviewed by the FBI on Wednesday, he said.

The search

The area where Johnathan was reported missing is heavily wooded and rural.

Smith said there isn't any indication the child is in the woods, but they continue to search the area.

"We've got no thermal, no imagery from the helicopter and drones," he explained.

Smith also noted that the dog Johnathan was last with is still missing.

"Talking to one of the neighbors, that dog showed up pretty much every day on their game cameras at their corn feeder. The last time that he has the dog on his camera was on the 26th, the afternoon of the 26th," the sheriff said.

At least eight potential explosive devices were found across the street from the father's home in a wooded area, halting the volunteer search effort, Smith said.

The devices were later cleared as not explosive, and volunteers can recommence helping with the search at 7 a.m. Friday, he said.

Smith commended the support in the search saying 126 first responders from multiple nearby agencies and 161 volunteers helped cover over 500 acres on Thursday alone.

College football's version of free agency has changed the sport, and there have been changes to the transfer portal itself this winter.

The portal period now runs from Jan. 2-16, with an extra five-day window (Jan. 20-24) for teams playing in the national championship. Thespring portal window in April is no longera part of the schedule, so January is the only open window for teams to add via the portal in 2026.

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Here's a look at who is expected to be on the move in the ACC this winter (players have either announced intention to transfer or it's been reported they will enter portal):

Note: Players who enter portal can return to their respective schools.

Boston College

• TE Stevie Amar

• LB Jason Hewlett

• TE Ty Lockwood

• QB Dylan Lonegran

• CB Ashton McShane

• RB Turbo Richard

• DL Sterling Sanders

• S Omar Thornton

• QB Devin Brown

• EDGE TJ Bush

• QB EJ Caminong

• LB Luke Ferrelli

• LB Buom Jock

• LB Curlee Thomas

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Clemson

• RB Keith Adams Jr.

• LB Jamal Anderson

• DB Khalil Barnes

• LB Dee Crayton

• ATH Marquise Henderson

• CB Shelton Lewis

Duke

• TE Vance Bolyard

• CB Vontae Floyd

• RB Peyton Jones

• S Kenzy Paul

• DT Terry Simmons

• OL Jack Small

• S Maliki Wright

Florida State

• S Ashlynd Barker

• DB Cai Bates

• WR Jayvan Boggs

• DL Tyeland Coleman

• RB Kam Davis

• TE Luke Douglas

• DL Jamorie Flagg

• WR Camdon Frier

• QB Brock Glenn

• LB Omar Graham

• DT L A Jessie Harrold

• OL Tye Hylton

• OL Manasse Itete

• DL Jayson Jenkins

• DE Jaden Jones

• DB Edwin Joseph

• RB Jaylin Lucas

• OT Mario Nash Jr.

• LB Jayden Parrish

• TE Randy Pittman Jr.

• DB Ja'Bril Rawls

• RB Gavin Sawchuk

• OL Lucas Simmons

• WR Willy Suarez

• DB Smoke White

Georgia Tech

• QB Aaron Philo

Louisville

• QB Deuce Adams

• QB Brady Allen

• RB Shaun Boykins Jr.

• RB Isaac Brown

• EDGE AJ Green

• TE Nate Kurisky

• DB Daeh McCullough

• RB Duke Watson

Miami

• WR Ny Carr

• WR Ray Ray Joseph

• WR Chance Robinson

• DL Daylen Russell

• TE Brock Schott

• DL Donta Simpson

• S Markeith Williams

NC State

• WR Terrell Anderson

• LB Elijah Groves

• WR Noah Rogers

• RB Hollywood Smothers

• EDGE Justin Terrell

• WR Christian Zachary

North Carolina

• QB Bryce Baker

• WR Paul Billups

• OT William Boone

• CB Khalil Conley

• WR Chris Culliver

• WR Javarius Green

• OL Trevyon Green

• LB Khmori House

• WR Aziah Johnson

• TE Jake Johnson

• QB Max Johnson

• OT Miles McVay

• OL Jani Norwood

• WR Jason Robinson

• TE Yasir Smith

• LB Tyler Thompson

• WR Kenedy Uzoma

• CB Ty White

• DB Malcolm Ziglar

Pittsburgh

• S Jesse Anderson

• LB Rasheem Biles

• WR Zion Fowler

• RB Juelz Goff

• QB Eli Holstein

• DL Omari Abor

• LB Kyle Ferm

• OL King Large

• EDGE DJ Warner

Stanford

• OT Jack Leyrer

• WR Myles Libman

• WR Jason Thompson

Syracuse

• WR Johntay Cook

• WR Darrell Gill

• LB James Heard

• EDGE Derek McDonald

• S Kaylib Singleton

• QB Jakhari Williams

• RB Yasin Willis

Virginia

• EDGE Mekhi Buchanan

• WR Suderian Harrison

• CB Ja'son Prevard

• CB Dre Walker

• OL Tyshawn Wyatt

Virginia Tech

• EDGE Keyshawn Burgos

• LB James Djonkam

• DB Christian Ellis

• WR Tucker Holloway

• CB Dante Lovett Jr. (Memphis)

• QB Garret Rangel

• LB Michael Short

• QB Pop Watson

Wake Forest

• WR Chris Barnes

• RB Tate Carney

• EDGE Cole Funderburk

• WR Ben Grice

• DL Mateen Ibirogba

• TE Harry Lodge

• WR Micah Mays

• QB Elijiah Oehlke

• OT Nathan Pahanich

• WR Elijah Reid

• WR Reginald Vick

When does college football transfer portal open?

The portal period now runs from Jan. 2-16, with an extra five-day window (Jan. 20-24) for teams playing in the national championship. Thespring portal window in April is no longera part of the schedule, so January is the only open window for teams to add via the portal in 2026.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:ACC football transfer portal tracker: Updates for players on move

Just when it seemed theNew England Patriotswere riding the perfect, storybook wave of momentum toward their return to theNFL playoffs, stuff hits the fan.

Look at Stefon Diggs. Accused of smacking his former chef and trying to choke her during an alleged Dec. 2 incident as a beef over apparent back pay escalated. Really? The go-to receiver is facing a felony charge for strangulation or suffocation.

Consider Christian Barmore. Accused of throwing the mother of his 2-year-old child to the floor and issuing threats during an alleged Aug. 8 argument that stemmed from disagreements about the room temperature and that she was making food. Seriously? The 315-pound defensive tackle is facing a misdemeanor charge of domestic assault and battery.

Two key players, two rounds of allegations that they committed heinous crimes surfaced on back-to-back days this week. Bad timing. Bad optics. The NFL had enough regular season-finale plotlines to set up Week 18, but as 2025 transitioned to 2026, thePatriotshave another version of in-with-the-new drama.

At this point, as Patriots coach Mike Vrabel insisted, they are allegations. Attorneys representing both players have flatly denied the accusations.

"We've made a statement, we've taken the allegations very seriously, and what comes of that, I think then we'll have another discussion," Vrabel said during a midweek news conference. "But I don't think we have to jump to any sort of conclusions right now and let the process take its toll."

Of course, Vrabel has a vested interest in keeping the players on the field. This isn't to question the coach's integrity. Trumped-up allegations happen. Yet it sure sounds like the Patriots might have jumped to some conclusions.

In their Tuesday statement, the team said, "We support Stefon."

In the Wednesday statement, the team indicated that it was aware of the incident involving Barmore shortly after it occurred. Yet apparently, the team reached the conclusion that whatever happened wasn't serious enough to remove a key player from the lineup.

Which reminds me: In 1996, the Patriots renounced their rights to fifth-round defensive tackle Christian Peter a week after drafting him because Myra Kraft, wife of the team owner, learned of Peter's history of violence against women and insisted as much while backlash from women's groups mounted. Early in Robert Kraft's ownership, it set a tone for the Patriots standards.

That was a long time ago. Myra, bless her, passed in 2011.

Then again, as Vrabel maintains, these are allegations. It's just that the nature of the allegations are disturbing enough to raise red flags. Yet unlikethe assault on a fan by Pittsburgh Steelers receiver DK Metcalfthat was captured on video andresulted in a two-game suspension, it's difficult to assess when there's no apparent evidence (at least in Diggs' case).

You might think Roger Goodell – no stranger to managing sticky fallout from domestic violence cases – would step right in and take the players off the field and put them on the Commissioner's exempt list while the legal process plays out.

Indeed, that's a possibility – just not this week, with the worst-to-first Patriots (13-3) hosting theMiami Dolphinson Sunday.

According to the fine print of the NFL's personal conduct policy, a player can be placed on the exempt list, which amounts to a paid leave of absence, when formal charges for a felony or violent crime are forwarded with a grand jury indictment, charges by a prosecutor or an arraignment in a criminal court.

Diggs is scheduled to be arraigned Jan. 23 – two days before the AFC title game.

Barmore has an arraignment date of Feb. 3 – five days before Super Bowl 60.

Of course, there's no guarantee the Patriots will advance to the AFC Championship Game or the franchise's first Super Bowl since the Tom Brady era. But the way things have gone this season, you can't call it a pipe dream.

Vrabel returned to jolt New England to prominence ASAP, illustrating just how impactful the right coach in the right situation can be. New England was 4-13 inJerod Mayo's only campaignas Bill Belichick's successor in 2024. Now the Patriots have a chance to seize the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs. And while Drake Maye has blossomed into an MVP candidate in his second season – with Diggs assisting that effort with big plays and big leadership – the Patriots snapped Buffalo's streak of five consecutive AFC East titles.

None of that, however, should matter when weighing the status of Diggs and Barmore.

And no, Goodell doesn't have to wait on the arraignment dates to make a call. There's also fine print in that same personal conduct policy that stipulates a player can be placed on the exempt list on a limited, temporary basis to allow time for the league to conduct a preliminary investigation of an alleged crime of violence.

So, what's happening with that feature of the policy in these cases?

In the allegations against Barmore, first reported by Boston-area television station WCVB, the police report includes photographs the woman provided of her bruises. And the Patriots were aware of the incident back in August? Hmmm.

The team apparently had no qualms about putting him on the field. It makes you wonder what type of evidence is needed – an elevator video, maybe – to have some domestic violence cases hit home.

"Again, allegations," Vrabel said, "and we want to make sure that the court – that those ongoing court proceedings – and once those are satisfied, then we'll come to whatever decision that we have to make."

It's a decision that goes far beyond the Patriots. Sure, there are nuances.

In the allegations against Diggs, there are no photographs of bruises. No third-party witnesses. It seems to be a classic case of he-said, she-said. Does it matter that the apparent victim didn't alert police until Dec. 16 – two weeks after the incident – and didn't decide to press charges until Dec. 23?

Sometimes, it takes a while for victims to come forward. And in this case, there are discussions about a potential monetary settlement.

In the meantime, Vrabel insists the fresh revelations are not a distraction for his team.

Yeah, right. No, it shouldn't interfere with game-planning and practices. Yet the timing of this is less than ideal for the Patriots, with the playoffs looming. And there's still some level of energy expended on this by the participants and others inside the organization. So, distraction or not, it's not exactly business as usual – at least not for everyone.

Said Vrabel, "It's things we have to handle, and every day there's distractions, some are smaller than others."

It's just that this developing issue has the potential of growing into a much bigger distraction for the Patriots – complete with bad optics.

Contact Jarrett Bell atjbell@usatoday.comor follow on X:@JarrettBell

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Patriots' handling of Stefon Diggs, Christian Barmore raises concerns

With 2026 now officially underway, thecollege football seasonis nearly at its end. But before we wrap things up in the Bowl Subdivision with next week'sCollege Football Playoff semifinalsand the subsequent title game, we have one more full day of bowl games to enjoy.

If it's big-name programs you want, Friday's lineup might not appeal to you. But the slate does feature a couple of squads inthe US LBM Coaches Poll, as well as some of the nation's premier academic institutions. One of the prime-time contests will hopefully live up to our placement in the bowl rankings – several of which, we freely admit, were wildly off the mark. Here are the Friday bowl offerings.

Armed Forces Bowl: Texas State vs. Rice

Time/TV:1 p.m. ET, ESPN in Fort Worth, Texas.

Why watch:The last full day of the bowl season kicks off with a pair of Lone Star State squads without much shared history. These same two teams did, however, square off in the First Responder Bowl two years ago, with theBobcatstaking a 45-21 decision. The 2025 campaign wasn't a huge success for either program, but both should enjoy this opportunity. Unfortunately, Owls starting QB Chase Jenkins and backup Drew Devillier have announced plans to transfer, meaning either Lucas Scheerhorn or Patrick Crayton Jr., both little-used freshmen, will be pressed into service. The Bobcats should have most of their primary contributors, including QB Brad Jackson and WRs Beau Sparks and Chris Dawn.

Why it could disappoint:Texas State generates a ton of long scoring plays, and the Owls tend to give them up. That certainly looks ominous from a competitive standpoint.

Best of bowl season: Mascots, trophies, celebrations, Gatorade baths

Liberty Bowl: No. 25 Navy vs. Cincinnati

Time/TV:4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN in Memphis, Tenn.

Why watch:With a double-digit win season and the Commander in Chief's Trophy secured, the Midshipmen have one more goal to attain, a Top 25 ranking to finish the campaign. The Bearcats briefly cracked the poll themselves this fall before closing the year on a four-game skid. Cincinnati QB Brendan Sorsby is in the portal, so the start will go to Brady Lichtenberg, who has attempted just six passes but completed four of them. Navy QB Blake Horvath will look to close out his outstanding career on a high note, with help as usual from RB Alex Tecza and SB Eli Heidenreich.

Why it could disappoint:It shouldn't. Even with most of its regular lineup, Navy doesn't usually win with wide margins but by executing better in the details. Expect a close one here.

Duke's Mayo Bowl: Wake Forest vs. Mississippi State

Time/TV:8 p.m. ET, ESPN in Charlotte, N.C.

Why watch:Year one in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, under Jake Dickert unquestionably exceeded expectations. TheDemon Deaconsnow look to close out the year by giving their new head coach a mayo bath. TheBulldogsmanaged just one victory in SEC play but were within a score on a couple other occasions. Wake QB Robby Ashford wasn't always an accurate passer but usually got the ball where it needed to go. He will be without draft-bound RB Demond Claiborne and breakout WR Chris Barnes who is in the portal. The Mississippi State offense will be in the hands of freshman Kamario Taylor, who didn't have much luck in his Egg Bowl start against Ole Miss but does have some speedy weapons at his disposal.

Why it could disappoint:Wake's most significant strides this fall were on the defensive side, which was demonstrably not the case for the Bulldogs. Miss State could win a shootout, so it might behoove the Deacons to moderate the tempo.

Holiday Bowl: No. 20 Arizona vs. SMU

Time/TV:8 p.m. ET, Fox in San Diego.

Why watch:The non-playoff bowl calendar closes in – usually – sunny San Diego, where the Wildcats and Mustangs could put on an offensive show. Both teams should have most of their top producers participating. Arizona QB Noah Fifita threw for 2,963 yards and 26 TDs, with WR Kris Hutson serving as primary target and RB Ismail Mahdi leading the ground game. SMU counters with QB Kevin Jennings, who also has 26 scoring tosses but twice as many picks with 10 on the season. He spreads the ball well, but TE Matthew Hibner is a valuable weapon in the red zone.

Why it could disappoint:We hope this one delivers the goods, but both teams have opportunistic defenses that thrive on takeaways. It might get away if those occur early, as happened to SMU in last year's playoff appearance.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:College football bowl games today schedule features four matchups

A dog stranded on an island in South Carolina's Waccamaw River was successfully rescued by first responders Tuesday afternoon, and has since been reunited with its owner.

Horry County Fire Rescue (HCFR) crews were dispatched to the Chris Anderson Landing off East Highway 9 in the Longs community after receiving reports of a dog in distress, alone on a river island.

The rescue operation involved boat crews from HCFR Station 40 (Hickory Grove) working alongside environmental officers from the Horry County Police Department. The team successfully reached the island, secured the dog with a leash, and transported the animal safely back to shore.

"The very agreeable dog was happy to be saved," HCFR officials reported on social media.