Connect with us

Published

on

A five-year-old boy was “incinerated” when a pressurised oxygen chamber exploded at a medical facility in the US state of Michigan.

Four people have been charged over the child’s death at the Oxford Centre in Detroit, Michigan’s attorney general has said.

Thomas Cooper, from Michigan, was pronounced dead at the scene, while his mother, who was standing next to the chamber, suffered injuries to her arms when it exploded on 31 January.

“A single spark it appears ignited into a fully involved fire that claimed Thomas’s life within seconds,” attorney general Dana Nessel said at a news conference on Tuesday.

“Fires inside a hyperbaric chamber are considered a terminal event. Every such fire is almost certainly fatal and this is why many procedures and essential safety practices have been developed to keep a fire from ever occurring.”

The centre’s founder and chief executive, Tamela Peterson, has been charged with second-degree murder, according to online court records.

Facility manager Gary Marken, 65, safety manager Gary Mosteller, 64, and the hyperbaric chamber’s operator that day, Aleta Moffitt, 60, have also been charged.

Marken and Mosteller are charged with second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter.

Moffitt is charged with involuntary manslaughter and intentionally placing false medical information on a medical records chart.

Raymond Cassar, Marken’s attorney, said the second-degree murder charge comes as “a total shock” to him and his client.

“For fairness, he is presumed innocent,” Mr Cassar said.

“This was a tragic accident and our thoughts and our prayers go out to the family of this little boy.

“I want to remind everyone that this was an accident, not an intentional act. We’re going to have to leave this up to the experts to find out what was the cause of this.”

Read more from Sky News:
Who were the targets of Russian spy ring dubbed ‘the Minions’?
Members of Maradona’s medical team go on trial for homicide

Sky News’ US partner network NBC News reported that according to the family’s lawyer, the boy had received multiple sessions of hyperbaric therapy for sleep apnea and ADHD.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared hyperbaric chambers to be marketed as safe and effective for a list of 13 disorders, including severe burns, decompression sickness and non-healing wounds.

But the list does not include many of the other disorders advertised by the Oxford Centre – including sleep apnea and ADHD.

The FDA also recommends that consumers only use hyperbaric centres that are inspected and accredited by the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society.

The Oxford Centre does not appear on the society’s February 2025 list of accredited facilities.

Continue Reading

US

Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani rushed to hospital after being injured in car crash

Published

on

By

Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani rushed to hospital after being injured in car crash

Rudy Giuliani has been hospitalised following a car crash in New Hampshire, a spokesperson for the former New York City mayor said.

Mr Giuliani suffered “a fractured thoracic vertebrae, multiple lacerations and contusions, as well as injuries to his left arm and lower leg” when his vehicle was struck from behind while driving on a highway near Manchester on Saturday evening, according to Michael Ragusa, Mr Giuliani’s head of security.

“He sustained injuries but is in good spirits and recovering tremendously,” Mr Ragusa said in a statement on X, adding: “This was not a targeted attack.”

Mr Giuliani was in a rental car and “no one knew it was him”, according to Mr Ragusa.

His head of security said the 81-year-old had been “flagged down by a woman who was the victim of a domestic violence incident” and contacted police on her behalf. The crash shortly after was “random and unrelated” to the domestic violence incident, Mr Ragusa said.

Rudy Giuliani attended Donald Trump's inauguration ceremony in January. Pic: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/Pool via Reuters
Image:
Rudy Giuliani attended Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony in January. Pic: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/Pool via Reuters

Mr Giuliani, who worked as an attorney for Donald Trump in his failed efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election, is expected to be released from hospital in a few days.

His son, Andrew Giuliani, thanked people for reaching out after hearing about his father’s accident, writing on X: “Your prayers mean the world.”

More on Rudy Giuliani

“As a son, I can tell you that I’m honored to have a Dad that I can call the toughest SOB I’ve ever seen,” he added.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow us on WhatsApp and subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.

Continue Reading

US

US blocks Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and 80 other officials from United Nations’ annual meeting in New York

Published

on

By

US blocks Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and 80 other officials from United Nations' annual meeting in New York

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and 80 other officials have been blocked from attending September’s annual meeting of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

US secretary of state Marco Rubio has revoked the US visas of delegates from the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), and denied others from applying for one.

It is the latest step by Donald Trump’s administration to target Palestinians with visa restrictions, and follows the suspension of a programme to allow injured children from Gaza to receive treatment in the US.

Mahmoud Abbas addressed the general assembly in 2024, but is barred from next month's meeting. Pic: Reuters
Image:
Mahmoud Abbas addressed the general assembly in 2024, but is barred from next month’s meeting. Pic: Reuters

“It is in our national security interests to hold the PLO and PA accountable for not complying with their commitments, and for undermining the prospects for peace,” a statement from the US State Department said.

It added that, to be considered partners for peace, both groups “must consistently repudiate terrorism, and end incitement to terrorism in education, as required by US law and as promised by the PLO”.

Offensive will cause ‘intolerable deaths’

Several US allies, including France, Malta, and Australia have announced plans to recognise Palestine as a state at September’s United Nations General Assembly. Canada and the UK will too, unless Israel meets certain conditions.

More on Mahmoud Abbas

Israel declared Gaza’s largest city a dangerous combat zone on Friday.

The army launched a planned offensive that has drawn international condemnation.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Thick smoke rises from Gaza City after Israeli strikes

Foreign ministers from Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, Slovenia and Spain released a joint statement saying the military operations in Gaza City will cause “intolerable deaths of innocent Palestinian civilians”.

Gaza latest: Israel’s Gaza City offensive condemned

Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are sheltering in Gaza City while enduring famine.

An Israeli armoured vehicle in northern Gaza on Friday. Pic: AP
Image:
An Israeli armoured vehicle in northern Gaza on Friday. Pic: AP

Palestinians ride a truck carrying humanitarian aid in Gaza City. Pic: AP
Image:
Palestinians ride a truck carrying humanitarian aid in Gaza City. Pic: AP

The Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations (UN), Riyad Mansour, said Mr Abbas had planned to lead the delegation to the UN meetings and was expected to address the general assembly at the general debate, which begins on 23 September.

He was also expected to attend a high-level meeting co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia on 22 September about a two-state solution, a broad idea involving Israel coexisting with an independent Palestinian state.

The State of Palestine is an observer member of the UN, meaning it can speak at meetings but not vote on resolutions.

The State of Palestine cannot vote on UN resolutions. Pic: AP
Image:
The State of Palestine cannot vote on UN resolutions. Pic: AP

US decision ‘contravenes international law’

The Palestinian Authority “expressed its deep regret and astonishment” at the visa decision, calling it “a violation of US commitments” as the host of the UN, and claiming it “contravenes international law”.

UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the world body would be seeking clarification in the “hope that this will be resolved”.

Hundreds of diplomats left when Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu began speaking at the general assembly in 2024. Pic: Reuters
Image:
Hundreds of diplomats left when Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu began speaking at the general assembly in 2024. Pic: Reuters

The State Department said that the Palestinian Authority’s mission to the UN, comprising officials who are permanently based there, would not be included in the restrictions.

Under a 1947 UN agreement, the US is generally required to allow access for foreign diplomats to the UN in New York.

But Washington has said it can deny visas for security, extremism and foreign policy reasons.

Read more from Sky News:
Analysis: Israel is killing a lot of journalists
Hospitals ‘overwhelmed’ by malnutrition cases
Tony Blair meets Trump over Gaza

Follow The World
Follow The World

Listen to The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim every Wednesday

Tap to follow

The death toll in Gaza has now risen to 63,025, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants.

It also reported five more malnutrition-related deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number during the war to 322, with 121 of them children.

Continue Reading

US

Donald Trump revokes Secret Service protection for former vice president Kamala Harris

Published

on

By

Donald Trump revokes Secret Service protection for former vice president Kamala Harris

US President Donald Trump has revoked Secret Service protection for former vice president and 2024 Democratic rival Kamala Harris.

A senior adviser to Harris, Kirsten Allen, confirmed the decision. “The vice president is grateful to the United States Secret Service for their professionalism, dedication, and unwavering commitment to safety,” said the adviser.

Typically, vice presidents receive a six-month security detail from the Secret Service after they leave office, although it had been extended to 18 months for Harris, according to officials.

Initially, then-president Joe Biden extended her security arrangements to one year, or January 2026, according to reports.

However, a Secret Service official told Sky News’ US partner, NBC, that Biden subsequently signed an executive memorandum in January increasing the then vice-president’s protection period even further, to 18 months.

Former US presidents receive Secret Service protection for life.

Read more from Sky News:
Ed Davey has written to King to explain Trump dinner boycott
Thai prime minister sacked for ethics violation

More from US

Harris, who lost the 2024 presidential election to Mr Trump, is due to start a book tour for her memoir, “107 Days”, shortly.

She was the Democratic nominee for 107 days after Biden exited the race in the weeks following a challenging debate against Trump.

Mr Trump has also ended federal security protection for others, including former national security adviser John Bolton. Last week, FBI agents raided Bolton’s Maryland home.

In March, the president ended protection for Joe Biden’s children – Hunter and Ashley Biden.

Harris has not ruled out a possible presidential run in 2028. She announced in July that she would not run for governor of California in 2026.

Continue Reading

Trending