Flock’s new privacy reforms do little to quell outrage among vandals targeting its traffic surveillance cameras. Navy could scrap plan to name aircraft carrier after heroic sailor — and dedicate it to Trump instead. And how Prince Harry’s return could affect his feud with his brother.
Here’s what to know today.
Flock’s privacy reforms aren’t enough for camera vandals
One man spent a night in an Arizona jail after backing his truck into a Flock camera. In Minneapolis, another has gone viral for videos of himself dismantling the equipment with bolt cutters. Both are part of a growing wave of activist vandalism targeting the traffic surveillance technology.
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NBC News identified 50 areas across the country where Flock cameras have been damaged, spray-painted, smashed or cut down since 2024. CEO Garrett Langley recently announced reforms in response to privacy concerns — but those targeting the cameras aren’t buying them.
“The changes are bulls—,” said one person charged with vandalism, who described the reforms as “a strategic retreat” to avoid further blowback.
The destruction has fueled debate over how best to push back against the technology. But some experts say that as long as the cameras remain in place, they will continue to be a target.
Navy discusses renaming aircraft carrier after Trump as USS Lincoln heads home
Navy leadership is discussing renaming an aircraft carrier after President Donald Trump instead of a heroic Black service member, according to two U.S. officials.
The ship is set to be named the USS Doris Miller, honoring the enlisted sailor who shot down at least one Japanese plane and helped carry wounded Americans to safety during the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Meanwhile, the USS Abraham Lincoln is on its way home following an extended nine-month deployment, a U.S. official told NBC News. It’s expected to arrive in San Diego in a few weeks.
A replacement carrier, the USS George Washington, is already in the Middle East to begin a deployment, according to Central Command.
Can Prince Harry’s return heal his rift with his brother?
The strained relationship between Prince Harry and his brother William is no secret. Harry’s 2023 memoir detailed a physical altercation between the pair, and he has also said they are no longer on speaking terms.
But whether Harry’s move back to the UK leads to a public reconciliation remains to be seen. Some royal watchers aren’t convinced it will.
“William’s anger has in no sense diminished and my bet is it will only be fueled,” said one royal historian and author. “I’m not sure where the brothers go from here.”
Another question is whether Harry and Meghan want to return as working royals. One commentator said “William’s blessing” would be crucial, given that he is heir to the throne.
Anxiety about the economy drives undecided voters in two key Senate races
Concerns about high costs are weighing heavily on undecided voters in Iowa and Georgia, two states that will be central to the fight for the Senate.
NBC News observed a focus group of 12 people, nine of whom voted for Trump in 2024. Most said they feel more anxious about the economy now than when he returned to office, and that the president isn’t focused enough on the issue.
“Nothing has gotten better as far as the cost of living,” said one undecided voter.
Still, only half of the participants said their views of Trump would factor into their midterm votes. Democrats shouldn’t assume that frustration with the president will translate into wins in November, one of the focus group’s leaders said.
Here’s what else voters mentioned.
More election news:
- Democratic state Sen. Aisha Wahab has won the special election in California’s 14th District, NBC News projects, and will serve out the remaining months of former Rep. Eric Swalwell’s term. The FBI searched Swalwell’s home in connection with an investigation into sexual misconduct allegations.
Staff Pick: Advocates raise concerns about misuse after ICE announces electric shock gloves
I had never heard of electric shock gloves until immigration authorities announced plans for ICE officers to use them on people they deem noncompliant during street arrests or inside detention centers.
The announcement raised even more questions: How do these devices work? How painful are they? How will ICE regulate their use? In seeking answers, I found a broader pattern of ICE officers misusing other law enforcement tools, including rubber bullets, stun guns, pepper spray and firearms — sometimes with harmful, even deadly, consequences.
Homeland Security told me they see electric shock gloves as “de-escalation” devices that can help curb their officers’ use of excessive force. According to the manufacturer, the gloves pose “no immediate threat or significant health risk” when used properly and within legal limits. But based on ICE’s track record, civil rights advocates said they worry the gloves will become just another weapon for officers to potentially misuse and cause harm.
— Nicole Acevedo, digital news reporter
Read All About It
- A charter plane crashed at a remote radar site in Alaska, killing all eight people on board, the U.S. military said.
- Neutrogena has responded to a mounting backlash over its alleged treatment of its former ambassador Hayden Panettiere.
- A woman accused of plotting an ISIS-inspired attack on the New York Capitol has been charged by the FBI.
- Police issued an arrest warrant for a 22-year-old man they say chased a woman in a creepy Chucky-style mask.
- A 16-year-old girl was criminally charged after she ran on a field and tackled a middle school football player mid-game, which was captured on video.
NBC Selected: Online Shopping, Simplified
Schlepping is the throughline this week. NBC Selected’s editors tested the viral Bogg Bag against four competitor beach bags to figure out which was the strongest (and most functional), and they were shocked by the results. Editors also tested some of the most popular rolling totes and carts to find the ones worth your money.
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