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Kraft Heinz, the manufacturer of foods such as Jell-O, Capri Sun and Kool-Aid, announced Tuesday that they will remove artificial dyes from its products sold in the U.S. by the end of 2027. The multinational food company also said it will stop making new products that contain these dyes, effective immediately. Over 200 brands are manufactured by Kraft Heinz, which is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.

Kraft Heinz said that 10% of its products contain the dyes and that it has invested in removing the colors or replacing them with natural colors. Pedro Navio, North America president at Kraft Heinz, said in a statement that the company removed artificial colors, preservatives and flavors from its Kraft Mac & Cheese product in 2016, and that its Heinz tomato ketchup has never had artificial dyes.

Navio’s statement read, in part: “As a food company with a 150+ year heritage, we are continuously evolving our recipes, products, and portfolio to deliver superiority to consumers and customers. The vast majority of our products use natural or no colors, and we’ve been on a journey to reduce our use of FD&C (Food, Drug & Cosmetic) colors across the remainder of our portfolio. … Above all, we are focused on providing nutritious, affordable, and great-tasting food for Americans and this is a privilege we don’t take lightly.”

Kraft Heinz’s announcement comes after U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. unveiled a plan in April to start phasing out eight synthetic food dyes in the American food supply. At a news conference announcing the plan, FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary said health agencies were looking to revoke authorization for two synthetic food colorings and to work with the food industry to eliminate six remaining synthetic dyes used in a variety of food products.

Shortly thereafter, PepsiCo’s CEO said on an earnings call that the company had already begun phasing out artificial colors. In-N-Out also announced in May it was removing artificial food dyes from menu items. Other companies, like Kellogg’s, have previously stated their products are safe for consumption, and they are following federal standards set by the FDA.

The FDA currently allows 36 food color additives, including eight synthetic dyes used heavily in U.S. products (certain states, including California and West Virginia, have enacted bans to restrict their use). Last month, the FDA approved two dyes and expanded approval of a third, meaning it can now be used in a wider range of food products.

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New York City comptroller and Democratic mayoral candidate Brad Lander was arrested by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents at an immigration court Tuesday in the city. The incident occurred after Lander linked arms with a person that authorities were attempting to detain.

Lander’s press secretary Kat Capossela told NBC News in an email that “while escorting a defendant out of immigration court at 26 Federal Plaza, Brad was taken by masked agents and detained by ICE. This is still developing and we are monitoring the situation closely.”

In video taken by NY1 reporter Courtney Gross, Lander is seen in a hallway escorting a man whose case was reportedly dismissed after a hearing. As masked ICE agents approach, Lander locks arms with the man and asks for agents’ badge numbers and to see a warrant for the man’s arrest. Lander states: “Do you have a judicial warrant? I will let go if you have a judicial warrant,” when agents then grab Lander and shove him up against a nearby wall and handcuff him, saying that he was obstructing the proceedings. Lander is seen shouting “You don’t have the authority to arrest U.S. citizens,” before he’s was taken away in an elevator along with several of the masked agents.

DHS told Fox News Digital that Lander is charged with assaulting or impeding a federal officer, with a DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin confirming Lander’s arrest and said that the comptroller was being held for “assaulting law enforcement and impeding a federal officer.” She added “it is wrong that politicians seeking higher office undermine law enforcement safety to get a viral moment.  No one is above the law, and if you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer, you will face consequences.”

Lander was accompanied by his wife, Meg Barnette, who told reporters following his arrest that they were swarmed by federal agents as the comptroller escorted a man through the courthouse hallway after his immigration hearing. This was Lander’s third time observing hearings in recent weeks (per the Associated Press.)

Lander later told reporters that he had not been charged following his arrest: “I’m grateful to hear that the charges are not being brought, but if they are, I’ve got a lawyer. I don’t have to worry about my due process rights,” while comparing his case to that of a man named Edgardo that he met earlier Tuesday who is in ICE detention.  Lander added: “He’s not going to sleep in his bed tonight. So far as I know, he has no lawyer. He has been stripped of his due process rights by a government and a judge that owe him a credible fear hearing before they deport him.”

Lander was elected comptroller in 2021. He is one of several candidates running in the Democratic mayoral primary slated for June 24. Zohran Mamdani, Lander’s rival for mayor who he recently cross-endorsed in the race, immediately called for his release: “NYC Comptroller Brad Lander was just arrested by Trump’s ICE agents because he asked to see a judicial warrant. This is fascism and all New Yorkers must speak in one voice. Release him now.”

Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is also running for NYC mayor, called the incident the “latest example of the extreme thuggery of Trump’s ICE out of control.”  New York Attorney General Letitia James called Lander’s arrest “profoundly unacceptable … arresting Comptroller Lander for the simple act of standing up for immigrants and their civil rights is a shocking abuse of power. No one should face fear and intimidation in a courthouse, and this is a grotesque escalation of tensions. The administration’s rampant targeting of New Yorkers only makes our communities less safe.”

A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office said that federal prosecutors are still investigating the incident.

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Vance Boelter, the 57-year-old suspect in the fatal shooting of a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband, as well as the wounding of another lawmaker and his wife, is facing charges of two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of second-degree attempted murder in connection with the attack. Boelter was taken into custody Sunday night near his Sibley County home following a search that spanned more than 36 hours.

According to a criminal complaint that was formally filed in Hennepin County Court, Boelter is facing six federal charges, including stalking and unlawful killing. The FBI held a press conference on Monday morning to provide additional details stemming from their ongoing investigation, who stated that Boelter also went to the homes of several other elected officials on the night he opened fire on Minnesota Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, and injured Minnesota Sen. John Hoffman and his wife in separate attacks.

Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota Joseph H. Thompson said that Boelter “stalked his victims like prey” and “shot them in cold blood … His crimes are the stuff of nightmares,” as he outlined the “chilling details” of his crime.  Thompson said that after the incident at the Hoffmans’ home, Boelter went to a state representative’s residence in Maple Grove — but that person was away on vacation at the time. He then allegedly went to the home of a state senator in New Hope. After learning about the attack in Champlin, a New Hope police officer went to check on the senator’s residence. The officer noticed a marked squad car — later identified as Boelter’s — parked outside. When the officer tried to speak to Boelter, there was no response, and by the time additional officers arrived, Boelter was gone (the names of the two lawmakers whose homes were allegedly targeted have not been made public by the FBI.) Thompson said Boelter then proceeded to the Hortmans’ home in Brooklyn Park. When officers arrived, they saw Boelter near the entrance. He opened fire on the officers before forcing his way into the home and turning his gun on the Hortmans.

Drew Evans, superintendent with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, explained that if investigators discover additional suspects or individuals who may have assisted Boelter, further charges may be forthcoming. Federal investigators say Boelter carefully researched his targets and kept them under surveillance “for an extensive period of time,” with Thompson saying during the press conference that “this was a political assassination.” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said that her office intends to pursue justice for the victims. The sentence for first-degree murder, if convicted, is life imprisonment without parole: “I want to assure our community and all those who are grieving that we will seek justice and accountability for the victims of these heinous crimes.. It is a frightening time we are living in. Political violence is prevalent. And the way we talk to and about each other has raised the temperature to unfathomable levels. We cannot continue on this way. In times of tragedy and also every day, as we navigate our daily lives, we need to find ways to support one another.”

Police initially responded to a 911 call at a home in Champlin, Minnesota, at about 2:05 a.m. on Saturday. The caller reported a masked intruder (later identified by officials as Boelter) who opened fire after gaining entry. Officers found state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, injured by multiple gunshot wounds. Yvette Hoffman later explained that her husband was shot nine times and she was injured by eight bullets. Security camera footage from the Hoffmans’ home shows a Ford SUV with police-style lighting in the driveway. Boelter, wearing a mask, blue shirt, and a police-style tactical vest, forced his way into their home after identifying himself as a police officer. When the Brooklyn Park Police Department learned about the attack in Champlin, officers rushed to the home of another state representative — later identified as Melissa Hortman — as a precaution. When officers arrived at the Hortmans’ home at roughly 3:35 a.m., Boelter opened fire through a doorway, killing both Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman. Officers exchanged gunfire with Boelter, but he was able to escape.

A subsequent search of Boelter’s vehicle turned up at least three AK-47 assault rifles, a 9mm handgun, and a list of names and addresses of additional elected officials. Police also recovered a ballistic vest, a disassembled 9mm handgun, a mask, and a gold-colored police-style badge. Boelter was the documented purchaser of at least four of the recovered guns, per the criminal complaint.

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The death toll in West Virginia has grown to six after heavy rain triggered catastrophic flash flooding across the state. Two individuals remain missing, according to the governor’s office, and a state of emergency is currently in place.

Deadly rain and catastrophic flooding forced Gov. Patrick Morrisey to declare a state of emergency on Sunday, in addition to calling up the National Guard to support local emergency departments. Morrisey said in his emergency declaration: “As flash floods continue throughout North Central West Virginia, emergency officials are on the scene in Marion County at a partial apartment collapse. State resources are being dispatched to the region immediately. Please — stay off the roads. Do not underestimate the strength and speed of these floods. Pray for our friends and neighbors during this challenging time for our state.”

Severe rainfall started in Wheeling, Triadelphia and Valley Grove on Saturday evening, with roughly 3 to 4 inches falling in a short period of time. Rising waters forced significant flooding along US 40 (National Road), Middle Wheeling Creek, Little Wheeling Creek, and several streams in Ohio County.

On Sunday, a residential building in Fairmont, Marion County, partially collapsed — an incident that prompted officials to declare a state of emergency. Video footage from the scene captured water gushing from the severely damaged structure as first responders rushed in to aid those affected.

Louis Vargo, the director of the Wheeling-Ohio County Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency, said “I’ve never seen anything like this,” with state officials adding that they are working with local emergency responders to locate missing people. Jim Blazier, chief of the Wheeling Fire Department, said that “emergency workers are using drones, dogs and swift-water rescue teams to search for those missing.”

As of Monday, the Wheeling-Ohio County Emergency Management Agency established two water, cleaning supplies, food and clothing distribution sites to help those affected by the flooding. Fortunately, power outages reported Sunday afternoon were mostly restored by Monday morning.

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