Category: U.S. News

A federal appeals court has ordered additional review of Alabama’s nitrogen gas execution protocol following concerns it may violate constitutional protections against cruel and unusual punishment.

The appellate court returned a case filed by condemned inmate Jeffery Lee to a lower court for further examination.

The Monday decision represents another development in America’s changing approach to capital punishment. States that maintain the death penalty employ various execution techniques, including lethal injection, electrocution, lethal gas and firing squad.

Here’s an examination of current execution practices and those that have been abandoned:

Twenty-eight states plus the federal government permit lethal injection, where condemned individuals receive fatal drug doses while secured to a gurney, according to the Death Penalty Information Center, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organization.

However, lethal injection faces significant challenges. States frequently encounter difficulty securing required medications, partly because pharmaceutical companies have prohibited their products’ use in executions.

Execution personnel have sometimes struggled to locate appropriate veins, experienced needle blockages or disconnections, and occasionally required multiple drug doses to complete the execution.

These complications have led some states to explore alternative execution approaches. Following a failed execution attempt in 2024, Idaho legislators designated firing squad as the state’s primary execution method.

Lethal injection was initially suggested in New York during the late 1800s, though that state ultimately selected electrocution, according to Fordham Law School Professor Deborah Denno. The feature that attracted death penalty supporters to lethal injection — its clinical appearance — disturbed medical organizations nationwide, Denno explained.

“It’s what people would expect when they walk into a hospital, what you would expect doctors to do who are really concerned that you don’t suffer,” Denno said. “So, you transplant that idea onto a method that’s designed to kill somebody, and that’s a really good marketing tool for the public.”

Six individuals have been executed by firing squad since 1976, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. While firing squad use remains uncommon, support for this method appears increasing in certain areas.

Five states — Idaho, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Utah and South Carolina — have approved firing squad use, while Florida and North Carolina have laws permitting any constitutional execution method when needed. Tennessee allows methods like firing squads if primary approaches are deemed unconstitutional.

The U.S. Justice Department announced in April its adoption of firing squads as an approved execution method as President Donald Trump’s administration seeks to accelerate capital punishment proceedings.

“Not to get political, but there is a strand in our culture that is showing a greater acceptance of the use of violence in this particular context,” said Denno. “In this country’s history, we’ve never had that many states adopt firing squads ever.”

During firing squad executions, condemned individuals are typically secured to a chair and shot through the heart by execution staff positioned up to 25 feet (7.6 meters) away. This method aims to rapidly stop the heart, though it can fail.

Legal representatives for South Carolina death row inmates claim a man executed by firing squad last year remained conscious and likely experienced severe pain for up to a minute because bullets struck Mikal Mahdi lower than intended.

Nine states permit electrocution, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Tennessee. Since 1976, 163 electrocutions have occurred. However, only 19 have taken place since 2000.

This method involves strapping individuals to a chair with electrodes attached to their head and leg before delivering between 500 and 2,000 volts through their body. The most recent electrocution occurred in 2020 in Tennessee.

Texas executed 361 inmates by electrocution from 1924 to 1964, according to the state’s Department of Criminal Justice.

Since 1976, 163 people have died by electrocution, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

Electrocution executions have experienced numerous problems, especially in Florida, where some condemned individuals caught fire or sustained severe burns, Denno noted. Two states, Georgia and Nebraska, have declared electrocution unconstitutional.

Nevertheless, some death row inmates have selected electrocution or firing squad when given choices between those methods and lethal injection. These selections likely reflect concerns about botched lethal injection executions rather than endorsement of alternative methods, Denno explained.

Nitrogen gas has been employed in eight executions nationwide. Seven occurred in Alabama and one in Louisiana.

Additional states authorizing lethal gas include Arizona, Arkansas, California, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma and Wyoming. In lethal gas executions, condemned individuals are typically secured to a chair or gurney in a sealed chamber before it fills with lethal gas. A mask covers the prisoner’s face while nitrogen gas enters, removing oxygen and causing death. Between 1979 and 1999, 11 inmates died using cyanide gas.

In 2024, Alabama resumed this method, becoming the first state to execute Kenneth Eugene Smith using nitrogen gas.

Smith convulsed violently for several minutes during the execution, and a lawsuit filed by another death row inmate argues the process was torturous and “a human experiment that officials botched miserably.”

In a related case, a federal appellate panel on Monday overturned a lower court’s determination that Alabama’s method doesn’t violate the U.S. Constitution’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. The panel returned the lawsuit filed by Lee, a death row inmate, to the lower court judge for additional review.

Lee remains scheduled for nitrogen execution on Thursday, but the lower court judge is expected to consider whether Lee’s proposed alternative of firing squad execution is viable.

Hanging served as the primary execution method worldwide for centuries, Denno said, and this remained unchanged in the U.S. until lawmakers worried it might face court challenges.

Research data on U.S. executions from 1608 to 2002 documented 9,322 people executed by hanging. However, in capital punishment’s modern period, only three individuals in the U.S. have been executed this way, one each in 1993, 1994 and 1996.

“Hangings are really gruesome, and they were also getting increasingly out of control with huge crowds,” said Denno. “That raised a lot of public concern over what this was doing societally, and there was pressure to come up with something more humane. Parallel to all of that, there was concern among some politicians that this could lead to getting rid of the death penalty entirely, so we better come up with something else.”

This same pattern persists today, Denno said.

“States typically change for one of two reasons: One, there’s a series of botches in their particular state and they think the method is going to be constitutionally challenged or it is being constitutionally challenged,” said Denno. “The other reason is that they look at what other states are doing. If you have a bunch of states adopting a new method, and one particular state fears their method may come under challenge, then they’ll switch for that reason.”

The U.S. Navy made history when an unmanned vessel successfully rescued two Army helicopter crew members whose aircraft was downed in the Middle East, marking the first recorded instance of American forces using a robotic ship for personnel recovery operations at sea.

Military officials identified the rescue vessel as a Saronic Corsair, measuring 24 feet (7.3 meters) in length and capable of operating without human crew aboard. This autonomous craft represents part of the Pentagon’s broader initiative to integrate robotic systems with conventional military equipment.

Several important developments highlight America’s expanding sea drone capabilities:

• Revolutionary naval operations: In 2021, the Navy established Task Force 59, headquartered in Bahrain as the service’s inaugural unit focused exclusively on robotic systems. These Corsair vessels began operational deployment in the Middle East during late March.

• Versatile water-based robotics: American forces operate both surface-level unmanned craft and submerged robotic vehicles, providing military leaders with adaptable options based on mission requirements. The most sophisticated underwater systems remain classified. These robotic platforms offer distinct operational advantages while minimizing danger to American personnel.

• Diverse mission capabilities: Naval drones perform surveillance operations, locate underwater explosives, and monitor hostile forces. Military planners are also developing these vessels for direct combat applications. They prove valuable for both standard patrol duties and dangerous operations.

• Economic and tactical benefits: Pentagon leadership views autonomous vessels as an affordable method to extend operational range and accelerate threat response. Naval officials plan widespread deployment involving hundreds, possibly thousands of Corsair units. However, maritime drone technology continues developing and encounters both technical and operational obstacles.

• International combat effectiveness: Although not American-built, Ukraine’s deployment of sea drones against Russia has proven their military value, including destroying naval vessels and reportedly shooting down a helicopter — an extraordinary achievement for unmanned maritime craft.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The trial of a defendant accused of fatally stabbing a Ukrainian refugee aboard a commuter train has been postponed after a federal judge determined the accused cannot proceed due to mental health issues, ruling Tuesday that he must receive medical treatment in an attempt to restore his fitness for trial.

Decarlos Brown Jr., 35, is facing federal charges for causing death on a mass transportation system in connection with the killing of 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska in Charlotte. The charge carries the possibility of capital punishment. A corresponding state case charging Brown with first-degree murder remains suspended while the federal proceedings continue.

Following a request from Brown’s legal team, U.S. District Judge Kenneth D. Bell determined that the defendant lacks the mental capacity to stand trial at this time and directed that he spend as long as four months receiving treatment at a prison medical facility in hopes of restoring his competency.

In court documents filed Tuesday, Brown’s defense team stated their client wanted the judge to know the following: “I would like to tell the court I have a body emergency. Someone has full access to my body and they are controlling me wrongfully. And law enforcement refuses to investigate it. And it requires for an investigation. When describing the technology someone was using I was misdiagnosed with schizophrenia.”

According to his attorneys, Brown is seeking a court directive requiring law enforcement to investigate his claimed body emergency.

A sealed forensic assessment conducted by federal mental health professionals was submitted in the federal case in April. The evaluation concluded that Brown “is presently not competent to stand trial, but that his prognosis for restoration to competency is favorable with appropriate medication therapy,” according to the judge’s written order.

The judge determined that Brown “is suffering from a mental disease or defect that renders him unable to understand the nature and consequences of the proceedings or to assist properly in his defense,” Bell stated in his ruling.

Bell directed that Brown be placed under the custody of the attorney general for medical care and treatment “to determine whether there is a substantial probability” that Brown will be capable of proceeding “in the foreseeable future.”

Following the treatment period, the judge will assess whether Brown’s mental competency has been restored and if the case can proceed, whether additional treatment is necessary, or whether Brown cannot be made competent to stand trial, according to the court order.

NEW YORK (AP) — The destruction of Manhattan’s original Pennsylvania Station in 1963 represented a tragic loss for American architecture, eliminating a magnificent Beaux Arts railway terminal that featured Roman-inspired columns and an expansive central hall that was the city’s largest enclosed space at that time.

Madison Square Garden was built where the station once stood — now housing the NBA’s New York Knicks and NHL’s New York Rangers — while rail passengers were relegated to dark, cramped underground passages created by a far more practical redesign finished in 1968.

“Through Pennsylvania Station one entered the city like a god,” architectural historian Vincent Scully famously observed. “One scuttles in now like a rat.”

However, an ambitious new plan for the Western Hemisphere’s busiest transportation center aims to restore the terminal’s former magnificence. The station first opened in 1910 and today handles Amtrak service, as the national railroad company owns the facility, plus suburban commuter trains and connections to the city’s extensive subway network.

Design images unveiled Monday by Amtrak and Penn Transformation Partners, the planning and construction group selected for the work, show a rectangular stone exterior featuring impressive columns along a majestic entrance.

Travelers would enter a light-filled main hall with towering ceilings reaching over 50 feet in some areas. The design incorporates bronze elements and decorative features, including a relief sculpture of the city’s iconic skyline and a large traditional station timepiece, also crafted in bronze.

A wall near an entrance displays the seal of President Donald Trump, who directed Amtrak to take charge of the project last year following decades of bureaucratic delays and political disputes between transit authorities and competing stakeholders, including James Dolan, the billionaire owner of MSG, the Knicks and the Rangers, who has firmly resisted relocating the venue.

Trump has discussed renaming his native city’s station after himself as part of his efforts to establish his legacy through infrastructure projects, ranging from an expansive new ballroom at the White House to a ceremonial arch at the entrance to the nation’s capital.

Currently, however, the name carved in large letters across the planned main entrance would continue to say “Pennsylvania Station,” according to Monday’s design releases.

“I’m not focused on names at all,” said Andy Byford, whom Amtrak appointed as a special adviser to supervise the reconstruction, when questioned about a possible name change.

“This building has a name, and the name is there,” added Peter Cipriano, one of the lead developers.

The planned design takes inspiration from the elaborate, Beaux-Arts style of Grand Central Terminal, the city’s other primary rail center, plus Art Deco structures like the Empire State Building and Rockefeller Center, according to Vishaan Chakrabarti, one of the project team leaders.

Planners also studied the imposing, federal architectural style of Washington, D.C. government buildings and those constructed by the Works Progress Administration during the Great Depression.

The goal, he explained, is to reestablish Penn Station’s status among the city’s most celebrated landmarks and restore a “sense of public ambition” to one of the country’s essential civic facilities.

“There was this fearless embrace of ornament and decoration that in some ways we’ve lost,” Chakrabarti said. “We want to bring some of that sense of craftsmanship back.”

The reconstruction is expected to require approximately $7 billion to $8 billion, with construction scheduled to start before 2027 ends, officials announced Monday. Penn Station would continue operating during the work as the project moves forward in stages across roughly six years.

Over 600,000 travelers pass through the rail center on typical weekdays, exceeding the combined traffic of the three major international airports serving the greater New York area — John F. Kennedy, LaGuardia and Newark Liberty.

Previous proposals have suggested moving MSG, but Monday’s revealed plans would keep the “World’s Most Famous Arena” in its current location.

An MSG-owned theater constructed directly over the railway tracks would need to be demolished to accommodate the new exterior and main hall.

The development team and MSG owner James Dolan have established a “memorandum of agreement” for this essential component, which influenced the rail company’s decision to select this proposal over three competing bids, Byford noted. Specific contract terms, including compensation, remain undetermined.

“You’ll understand why we wouldn’t want to negotiate that in public,” said Byford.

The project’s next steps involve refining the initial designs and completing the comprehensive federal environmental assessment process, which will help produce more precise cost estimates, Byford explained.

He emphasized that there are no intentions for the government to acquire nearby properties to enlarge the station, as some worried residents have speculated. The project also will not burden commuters financially.

“There will be no fare hike to pay for this project,” Byford said. “It’s not going to happen.”

MCKINNEY, Texas — Final arguments are scheduled to begin Tuesday in the murder trial of a Texas teen accused of killing a 17-year-old track runner during a high school athletic competition in what witnesses described as a rapidly intensifying dispute in the stadium seating area.

The defendant, Karmelo Anthony, who is now 19 years old, chose not to take the stand in his defense regarding the death of Austin Metcalf. The victim’s killing shocked residents of this growing Dallas-area community, where both young men were students at separate schools.

Anthony could receive a life sentence if found guilty.

During the week-long proceedings, defense lawyers worked to persuade the jury that Anthony acted in self-defense while under a canopy used by the track squad from Frisco Memorial High School, where Metcalf was a junior. Multiple schools were participating in the rain-soaked track competition, and testimony revealed that Metcalf and other students had repeatedly asked Anthony to leave the area, creating a situation that continued to intensify.

Those present in the tent during the trial described Anthony as the one who initiated the aggression. The police report states that Anthony warned Metcalf at one point: “Touch me and see what happens.”

Multiple students testified that Metcalf subsequently pushed Anthony, who then drew a blade and stabbed him in the chest.

The prosecution characterized the stabbing as an unwarranted assault rather than legitimate self-defense.

Trial testimony relied extensively on accounts from teenage witnesses who expressed their shock at the violence occurring at a community athletic event. Much of the questioning focused on team dynamics at track competitions and the altercation inside the tent.

One team member testified that Anthony appeared “distraught” following the stabbing. Judge John Roach Jr. ruled that the identities of minor witnesses should remain confidential.

“I was hearing him say, ‘I told him not to touch me,’” the teenager testified.

Vincent Hooper, a local track coach who confronted Anthony, inquired about what had occurred. Anthony responded that he had stabbed someone who had “put his hands on me,” Hooper testified the previous week.

The killing last year attracted significant public attention, partly due to social media activity that framed the incident in racial contexts. Anthony is Black; Metcalf was white.

Following the stabbing, Jeff Metcalf, Austin’s father, criticized those who focused on the teenagers’ races. Prosecutors similarly stated at the trial’s opening that race was irrelevant to the case.

NEW YORK (AP) — Scott Pelley thought he was heading into a routine discussion when CBS News President Tom Cibrowski requested a meeting last Tuesday. The veteran ’60 Minutes’ correspondent had scheduled roughly an hour, expecting to address tensions from his heated exchange the previous day with new supervisor Nick Bilton.

Pelley was surprised to find Bari Weiss, the news division’s editor in chief, present at the meeting. His first thought was positive, he revealed to The New York Times in an extensive podcast conversation. He anticipated being able to pose questions and receive explanations about her dramatic organizational changes from the week before, which included dismissing executive producer Tanya Simon and releasing two correspondents plus other essential staff members.

What never crossed his mind was that he would be terminated after what he describes as a roughly 10-minute meeting. “I just didn’t connect the dots,” he explained.

During an emotionally charged conversation with the Times’ Lulu Garcia-Navarro that aired Sunday, Pelley, who spent 37 years with CBS, presented his perspective on the events. He became visibly emotional multiple times throughout the discussion. He characterized the entire situation as feeling “like your spouse was murdered.”

Here are key points from the interview.

THE CONTEXT: The dramatic personnel changes were announced five days prior to his dismissal, on the preceding Thursday. Weiss replaced Simon with Bilton, a former technology writer at the Times and documentary filmmaker who lacked television broadcast background. While Weiss, who had rapidly become a controversial figure in the field, was anticipated to implement changes, Pelley states that what he terms “Black Thursday” was completely unexpected.

THE STATEMENT: “No one saw the Black Thursday massacre coming. This is our entire senior staff. Tanya Simon, our boss, she’s the first woman ever to be executive producer of ’60 Minutes.’ And she concluded this season with a growth in our audience of nine percent, which is unheard-of in broadcast television.”

THE CONTEXT: The correspondent became emotional repeatedly while discussing the tight bonds among show staff members.

THE STATEMENT: “That’s a family at ’60 Minutes’. My colleagues and I have worked together 10, 20, 30 years. We travel together. We dine together. We go into literal combat together. My former boss and former producer Bill Owens saved my life in a firefight in Iraq. So, Lulu, these bonds are pretty tight, and when somebody wipes out, murders, a large number of your family members, people are hurt, and shocked, in disbelief and just desperate for some explanation. And as you and I sit here today, there still has been none.”

THE CONTEXT: Bilton had sent an introductory message to staff members. Pelley found it offensive.

THE STATEMENT: “It was so insulting … He told us that it wasn’t 1968 anymore, and he helpfully noted that gasoline doesn’t cost 32 cents anymore, and suggested that we had all been frozen in amber in 1968 when the program first went on the air, and that nothing had improved.”

THE CONTEXT: Pelley described a room filled with individuals “who have devoted their lives to ’60 Minutes’” who had received no clarification about the situation. He says they expected Weiss to provide answers. She was absent. Instead, Bilton retrieved his phone and began reading from it.

THE STATEMENT: “Nick makes his way to the front of the room and does something absolutely jaw-dropping to me. He pulls out his phone and begins reading a statement off his phone in a room full of 50 heartbroken people. The callousness, the tone-deafness of that, you could hear the groan in the room. They put out a big spread of bagels like we were all going to feel better. … I felt that somebody had to stand up, not just for the broadcast, but for the people. There are people in that room who go to war zones when they are pregnant.”

THE CONTEXT: The confrontation at the meeting is now public knowledge, with Pelley questioning Bilton’s credentials and accusing Weiss of “murdering” the program, among other remarks. Nevertheless, he didn’t believe his position was in jeopardy.

THE STATEMENT: “Oh gosh, furthest thing from my mind. …Some reporter I turned out to be. I just didn’t connect the dots. I mean, was this meeting (on Monday) contentious? Yes, but ’60 Minutes’ is known for two things: a ticking stopwatch and hard questions.”

THE CONTEXT: Regarding the story about Renee Good and Alex Pretti’s deaths during encounters with federal immigration officials in Minneapolis this year, Pelley claims he and his team independently worked to include instances of protester aggression. However, Weiss requested additional content he says he couldn’t provide. Pelley ultimately refused the modifications and the segment aired as planned.

When asked about the allegation, CBS News stated: “In an email, Bari made four points in the course of editorial back-and-forth. They had no political motivation and were proposed solely to make the piece as strong, fair, and accurate as possible. As is frequently the case in any newsroom that operates with collaboration, not everything she raised made it into the final piece.”

THE STATEMENT: “We get the piece approved by everyone. And about four hours after our deadline, Bari Weiss sends an email to my boss, Tanya Simon. Two of the things in the email include, ‘Can we make the protesters look more violent?’ Now, I’m paraphrasing. I don’t have the quote, but that’s what was communicated to me. And the other thing, Renee Good’s car. You need to describe her as driving toward the officer … This is not what you see on the video.. But that’s how that happened. There was a thumb on the scale for the president’s version of events that I felt was a level of political influence that I had never seen in 37 years at CBS News.”

THE CONTEXT: Pelley reveals he hasn’t communicated with Lesley Stahl, Jon Wertheim and Bill Whitaker, who have announced their decision to remain based on promises of editorial independence. He expresses doubt about the reliability of such guarantees. He also implies that Anderson Cooper, who cited family obligations for not renewing his contract, actually departed due to the new management.

THE STATEMENT: “I haven’t talked to them. …. we have had conversations before this about staying to maintain the principles of the broadcast. If we leave, we can’t help. There have been other times — when Anderson left, when others were fired — that we could have stormed into a meeting and quit, but those very distinguished correspondents and myself did have conversations about this and decided that we were better working on the inside, and that we could influence things for the better. And we did. And it was my intention to stay and do exactly that. … (Now) I would venture to say that trust is broken.”

A federal appeals court has ordered further examination of Alabama’s nitrogen gas execution protocol, questioning whether the method violates constitutional protections against cruel and unusual punishment, according to a Monday ruling.

Alabama became the first state to implement nitrogen gas for capital punishment in 2024. The court’s decision could impact an execution planned for Thursday. The procedure involves placing a mask over the condemned person’s face and administering pure nitrogen instead of breathable air, leading to death by oxygen deprivation.

On Monday evening, a three-judge appeals panel overturned a lower court’s May decision that found the nitrogen protocol constitutional. The case was sent back for further review following a legal challenge brought by Jeffery Lee, a death row inmate set to be executed Thursday at a prison in southern Alabama.

While the panel did not halt Lee’s scheduled execution, they instructed the lower court to examine whether his suggested alternative method of execution by firing squad would be practical.

Federal law requires challengers of execution methods to meet two criteria: demonstrating the method creates substantial risk of additional pain beyond death, and proving a viable alternative exists. The appeals court determined Lee satisfied the first requirement but returned the case to evaluate the second.

The appeals panel expressed specific worries about the nitrogen procedure and the duration before unconsciousness occurs.

“In our view, the overall suffering described by the district court, which lasts for one to three minutes, presents a substantial risk of serious harm over and above death itself,” the panel wrote. “Counting to 60 or 180 seconds is not a quick exercise, and constitutionally speaking, that timeframe is intolerable given the suffering that would likely take place under Alabama’s nitrogen hypoxia protocol.”

The Alabama Attorney General’s Office has not yet responded to the ruling. State officials have consistently defended the method as constitutional.

Critics of the execution method welcomed the court’s decision.

“For the first time a court has acknowledged what I and so many others have seen with our own eyes. Nitrogen executions are a unique form of horror,” said the Rev. Jeff Hood, who served as spiritual adviser during two nitrogen executions.

Eight executions using nitrogen gas have occurred nationwide — seven in Alabama and one in Louisiana. Lee’s legal team contends the method inflicts unnecessary suffering. Alabama’s most recent nitrogen execution required over 30 minutes to complete.

Lee received conviction on two capital murder charges for the deaths of Jimmy Ellis and Elaine Thompson during a pawn shop robbery on Dec. 12, 1998. According to prosecutors, Lee entered Jimmy’s Pawnshop armed with a sawed-off shotgun and fatally shot Ellis, the shop’s owner, and Thompson, an employee.

A jury recommended life imprisonment for Lee by a 7-5 vote. A judge overruled this recommendation and imposed the death sentence. Alabama discontinued judicial override in 2017, preventing judges from overturning jury sentencing decisions in capital cases.

The court’s decision came hours after supporters held a vigil at the Alabama Capitol, asking the governor to commute Lee’s sentence to life imprisonment.

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall opposed the clemency petition.

“The people of Alabama have not forgotten Jimmy and Elaine. I have not forgotten them,” Marshall said. “Anything short of carrying out the sentence imposed by the court falls short of justice for the victims, and that is not what victims of this state deserve.”

Legal counsel for the leader of Wisconsin’s biggest mosque claims their client is being refused essential medical treatment for diabetes and has dropped 30 pounds during the two months he has been held by immigration authorities.

Salah Sarsour, who was born in Palestine and holds legal permanent residency in the United States, was apprehended by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in April. His legal team contends he is being held on unfounded allegations that he poses a foreign policy risk, but they suspect he was really singled out for criticizing Israel and due to a juvenile conviction from Israeli military tribunals.

He maintains a clean criminal history in the U.S., where he has resided for over three decades.

Sarsour suffers from Type 2 diabetes and his glucose levels are not being regularly monitored, creating dangers of organ damage or death without proper treatment, his legal representatives informed a federal judge on Monday. Sarsour remains confined in an Indiana county detention facility while his immigration proceedings continue.

“We had the opportunity to make a direct, urgent appeal to the court about the need for Salah’s release, including being able to report that he has lost a staggering 30 pounds while in detention,” Luna Droubi, an attorney for Sarsour, said in a press release. “The Judge raised questions about the medical care Salah is receiving, and we will continue to press this case.”

Representatives from ICE and the Department of Homeland Security did not provide immediate responses to requests for comment. Legal documents submitted by lawyers representing DHS and ICE appeared to be under seal in the online federal court records, making any official response to the claims made by Sarsour’s legal team unavailable for review.

A joint investigation by KFF Health News and The Associated Press discovered that hundreds of detainees across at least 33 states have initiated federal legal action with comparable claims of medical negligence. These legal cases involve other detainees who report being refused medications or experiencing treatment delays for ailments including cancer, high blood pressure, epilepsy, Parkinson’s, HIV, diabetes, infections, depression and additional conditions.

Sarsour’s legal representatives provided additional information about his confinement circumstances in correspondence sent recently to U.S. District Judge James Patrick Hanlon. They are requesting the judge grant Sarsour’s release while his case proceeds.

“Mr. Sarsour’s health continues to deteriorate,” they wrote. “Though he recently developed severe abdominal pain, he was told by officials in the jail that they could not help him and that he must purchase his own medication. His blood sugar levels are not being consistently checked.”

Sarsour is also facing harassment from detention guards who refused him access to a Quran and who continuously disrupt him during prayer times in accordance with his Muslim faith, his legal team stated. When Sarsour requested an appropriate diet to manage his glucose levels, he was advised to buy BBQ pork rinds from the commissary, despite this food conflicting with his religious convictions and dietary requirements, his lawyers reported.

“Just over two months ago, my dad would have been starting his day as usual by checking in on my grandmother and heading to work,” said Kareem Sarsour, Salah’s son. “We’re not only fighting now for my dad’s legal right to be here, but also for his health — and basic due process guaranteed by his constitutional rights to speak up about injustice.”

A Brooklyn jury has found a young man guilty of manslaughter as a hate crime in connection with the fatal stabbing of O’Shae Sibley, a professional dancer who was attacked while voguing with friends at a gas station.

Twenty-year-old Dmitriy Popov was convicted Monday following a three-week trial in New York State Supreme Court in Brooklyn. Popov, who was 17 when the incident occurred, claimed during testimony that he acted in self-defense when he fatally wounded 28-year-old Sibley in 2023.

According to prosecutors, Popov was motivated by hatred, harassing and mocking Sibley before fatally attacking him when Sibley responded to the harassment.

The jury deliberated for one week before reaching their decision on the first-degree manslaughter conviction. Popov was also found guilty of second-degree menacing, second-degree aggravated harassment and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. However, jurors cleared him of the more severe murder as a hate crime charge, which could have resulted in a life sentence.

In a statement, the district attorney expressed hope that the verdict would provide comfort to Sibley’s loved ones and the broader community as Pride Month begins, emphasizing that hatred has no place in Brooklyn.

The prosecutor noted that Sibley aspired to work as a dancer and choreographer, but his life was tragically ended by someone who “couldn’t stand the sight of O’Shae and his friends just being themselves and living their lives openly as black gay men.”

Defense attorney Mark Pollard announced plans to appeal the decision, calling it “probably bittersweet for both sides.”

“We’re happy he wasn’t guilty of murder but disappointed he wasn’t acquitted on the rest of the charges,” Pollard stated.

The defense lawyer indicated his client could receive between eight and 25 years behind bars for the manslaughter conviction.

Sentencing is set for June 30.

The deadly encounter unfolded on July 29, 2023, when Sibley and his companions stopped at the gas station following a day at the beach. While refueling their vehicle, one member of their group began dancing, which caught the attention of a nearby cluster of young men and teenagers. Members of that group proceeded to taunt and mock the dancers, some of whom were shirtless and wearing swimwear.

Trial evidence included security footage that captured the incident.

The confrontation lasted approximately two minutes before both groups began to separate. Sibley’s party returned to their vehicle while most of the other group went back into the gas station, with the exception of Popov.

Trial testimony revealed that Popov continued shouting insults while filming with his mobile device. Popov denied using any discriminatory language.

The situation escalated when Sibley approached Popov again, moving past someone who attempted to intervene between them. Popov claimed Sibley pursued and struck him in the head. While the security cameras did not capture the fatal moment, Popov testified he used a 5-and-a-half-inch blade against Sibley in what he described as self-defense.

“I was scared that I was going to get hurt,” Popov said during his testimony.

Sibley was a performer with the Philadelphia-based dance company Philadanco and studied with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s Ailey Extension program in New York. He incorporated dance into celebrating his LGBTQ+ identity through works including “Soft: A Love Letter to Black Queer Men,” choreographed by Kemar Jewel.

Approximately 200 people attended Sibley’s funeral service in his native Philadelphia. Various politicians and celebrities, including Beyoncé and Spike Lee, honored him through social media tributes.

Popov, who was born in the United States to parents of Russian heritage, was a high school senior when he was taken into custody.

A massive $4.7 billion international crossing between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario is preparing to welcome traffic in the coming weeks, according to bridge officials who spoke Monday.

The Gordie Howe International Bridge is scheduled to begin operations on June 15, as reported by Detroit-area news organizations on Monday. Bridge authority representatives confirmed the project remains on schedule despite concerns previously raised by U.S. President Donald Trump in February.

An official ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned for later this week, according to a source who spoke with Reuters.

A school district located near Boston has found a creative way to incorporate the World Cup into their educational curriculum, using the international soccer tournament as a learning opportunity for young students.

Elementary school children in the district are discovering various aspects of different nations through the global competition, including exploring the languages spoken in competing countries, studying their traditional foods, and learning about the wildlife native to these regions.

Almost five decades following the death of Elvis Presley, a group of energetic youngsters and teenagers brought excitement to his birthplace of Tupelo, Mississippi, determined to preserve the legendary performer’s memory for future audiences.

The young performers, spanning ages seven through 17 and many dressed in sparkling jumpsuits, performed during the youth tribute artist contest at the Tupelo Elvis Festival held last week.

Unlike many of their contemporaries who might be unfamiliar with Elvis’s music, these dedicated competitors have invested countless hours perfecting the icon’s vocal style, characteristic movements, and distinctive appearance.

The participants emphasize their role as Elvis tribute artists rather than mere impersonators. While impersonators may portray exaggerated versions of Elvis, tribute artists focus on genuine recreation. Many donned authentic outfits made by B&K Enterprises Costume Co., an officially licensed company that reproduces Elvis’s wardrobe for films, stage productions, and television programs.

Tucker Gladden, a 17-year-old from Madison, Mississippi, explained their mission: “We’re not trying to be him. We want to recreate the experience as much as we can for people that maybe didn’t get to see Elvis in their lifetime.”

When discussing their attraction to the deceased musician, many tribute artists pointed to the 2022 “Elvis” film as their initial inspiration. Some discovered distant family connections to Elvis that sparked their interest. Others found motivation in Elvis’s religious beliefs and philanthropic work. Several participants have been performing Elvis songs since age three.

Ayden Maloy, 16, from Logansport, Indiana, found solace in Elvis’s music during personal struggles, leading him to start tribute performances three years ago.

“I just broke down in tears because it healed me,” Maloy shared. “I think Elvis is the healer.”

The afternoon showcase featured spectacular costumes and bold choreography, with audiences joining in by clapping, singing, and moving to the Elvis classics. The competition concluded with RJ Hursey, a 14-year-old from Bloomington, Illinois, claiming victory.

Hursey, whose grandfather passed down his Elvis appreciation, maintains daily practice sessions and conducts research when illness prevents singing. He regularly performs at senior care facilities and dreams of starring in a future Elvis film remake.

“It’s humbling,” Hursey reflected. “It makes you feel good because we know that he died thinking he’d be forgotten, and we’re just so glad he’s still around.”

During their Tupelo visit, the tribute artists explored the Elvis Presley Birthplace, an extensive site featuring his birth home and the church where he first encountered Southern gospel music.

Charles Session, 15, from Morrilton, Arkansas, expressed his emotions about the experience: “It feels so surreal to pay tribute to Elvis in his hometown. I hope that he’s looking down and smiling at all these young performers.”

An immigration detention center in Louisiana has recorded another detainee death, marking the second fatality at the facility in under two months amid ongoing concerns about conditions and medical care.

Mamuka Artmeladze, 43, from Georgia, was discovered unresponsive on June 4 at the Winn Correctional Center located in Winnfield, Louisiana, according to a Sunday announcement from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Officials said facility personnel immediately started life-saving efforts before paramedics transported him to a nearby hospital, where medical staff declared him deceased within an hour of arrival.

ICE has not released further details about the circumstances leading to his death, stating that autopsy results will determine the cause. Artmeladze had spent almost four months at the detention center, which operates under management by the Winn Parish Sheriff’s Office alongside ICE contractor LaSalle Corrections.

The detention center houses over 1,500 male detainees, with Artmeladze among the majority who lacked criminal backgrounds. Immigration officials said he crossed into the United States illegally at an undetermined time, and after Border Patrol agents encountered him in September 2022, he was permitted to stay temporarily under ICE monitoring. Authorities apprehended him in Alabama this past February when officials decided he no longer qualified to remain in the country legally.

This death brings the total number of detainees who have perished in ICE custody to 19 since the start of the year, with two occurring at Winn since April 11. Records obtained by The Associated Press reveal that 49-year-old Alejandro Cabrera Clemente was discovered unresponsive during a routine security inspection on that date, with staff attempting revival efforts before his transport to the same medical facility where Artmeladze later died.

Medical examiners determined that Cabrera, originally from Mexico but recently residing in Tennessee, succumbed to natural causes related to heart disease. Documentation shows he awakened approximately 2½ hours before being found unresponsive, experiencing coughing and breathing difficulties, though he indicated he felt fine and returned to sleep.

A separate ICE investigation into Cabrera’s death noted that fellow detainees alerted nursing personnel to his condition, finding him “with left-sided facial droop” and skin discoloration indicating oxygen deprivation. Medical records show Cabrera received ongoing treatment for elevated blood pressure and additional health issues throughout his detention period.

These fatalities occur as federal oversight agencies intensify examination of whether ICE detention centers are providing inadequate medical attention to detainees and maintaining substandard living environments, allegations that ICE disputes.

The Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General released findings last week from a surprise inspection at Winn, documenting violations across multiple areas including environmental health and safety, food service operations, use-of-force protocols, and medical care standards.

Inspectors documented water seepage through kitchen ventilation systems, ceiling damage with exposed insulation materials in the intake facility, and food products stored at temperatures exceeding safety requirements in freezer units.

Healthcare personnel at Winn failed to maintain current treatment documentation and laboratory test records, creating conditions that could “negatively impact detainee health care and safety,” according to the inspection findings.

The review also identified improper use-of-force incidents, including one officer who applied a prohibited chokehold on a detainee and another officer who punctured a detainee’s thumb with a writing instrument after the individual refused to move his hand from a doorway.

According to the report, ICE accepted nine recommendations for facility improvements at Winn and has already put several corrective measures into practice.

A Houston resident faces federal charges after allegedly sneaking aboard a United Airlines aircraft using fraudulent travel documents, forcing the Los Angeles-bound flight to return to the gate at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, according to court filings.

The 25-year-old suspect was discovered hiding in an aircraft restroom during mid-May as the plane prepared for takeoff, after another traveler alerted cabin crew to suspicious behavior, authorities report.

Last week, prosecutors filed charges against the man for impairing or interrupting operation of critical infrastructure facility. His attorney did not respond to requests for comment Monday.

Airport security footage revealed the suspect initially experienced difficulties with his travel documents at a Transportation Security Administration screening area when he arrived at the Houston airport early May 18, court records show.

After successfully passing through security screening, he attempted to board a different Los Angeles flight but was denied when his pass failed to scan properly, the filing states.

Approximately two hours afterward, the man positioned himself at another departure gate and waited for United staff checking travel documents to become occupied with other tasks, court papers indicate. He then simulated showing his pass, bypassed employees and entered the aircraft, prosecutors allege.

TSA officials confirmed in a statement that the individual initially presented valid travel documentation and completed standard security procedures without carrying any forbidden materials. The agency directed additional inquiries to Houston police and United Airlines. United directed all questions to law enforcement.

After boarding the aircraft, the man searched for available seating before entering a lavatory, where his behavior caught another passenger’s attention who notified flight crew, the complaint states. He provided cabin staff with false identification before officials determined he was not an authorized passenger, court documents reveal.

All travelers were required to exit the aircraft while authorities conducted an explosives inspection, creating a three-hour departure delay, the filing indicates.

A United representative later informed investigators that the man had created a flight reservation, but the booking was terminated due to non-payment, court papers show.

The suspect displayed a confirmation number on his mobile device and what appeared to be legitimate travel documents to Houston police, but a United employee confirmed to authorities the pass was fraudulent and could not have been generated without payment, the complaint concluded.

Reality television personalities Todd and Julie Chrisley have filed a legal malpractice lawsuit against their former defense counsel, claiming inadequate representation resulted in their federal convictions and imprisonment.

The couple faced initial charges in August 2019 and were found guilty by an Atlanta jury in June 2022 on multiple counts including bank fraud and tax evasion. Todd Chrisley received a 12-year federal prison sentence, while Julie Chrisley was given seven years. President Donald Trump granted them pardons last year, leading to their release.

In the complaint filed Friday, the Chrisleys target the law firm Balch & Bingham, stating the firm “held itself out as capable of defending Todd and Julie Chrisley in one of the most consequential federal criminal prosecutions in the country. It was not.”

According to the lawsuit, the lead defense attorney Chris Anulewicz “had no meaningful defense experience,” which the firm either knew or should have recognized. The filing alleges the firm allowed him to handle the case “because the Chrisley name meant money, publicity, and the kind of high-profile notoriety that brings in business.”

The couple is requesting a jury trial and seeking compensatory damages “in excess of $25 million,” plus coverage of legal expenses and attorney fees.

The lawsuit also claims that while representing them, Anulewicz “found time to steer the Chrisleys into a $75,000 investment in his brother-in-law’s startup food truck business — exploiting his position as their attorney to benefit himself and his family while neglecting his duty to them.” Anulewicz has since moved to a different law firm.

Patrick T. O’Connor, representing Balch & Bingham and Anulewicz, stated Monday that he could not provide comment since they have not yet received the lawsuit. However, he indicated “it will be vigorously defended.”

The Chrisleys, currently residing in Tennessee, gained celebrity status through their reality series “Chrisley Knows Best,” which showcased their close family bonds and luxurious lifestyle.

According to prosecutors, before achieving television fame, the Chrisleys and a former business associate provided fraudulent documentation to Atlanta-area banks to secure millions in illegitimate loans. They allegedly used the money for expensive vehicles, high-end clothing, property purchases, and travel, while obtaining additional fraudulent loans to cover previous debts. Todd Chrisley subsequently declared bankruptcy, abandoning over $20 million in loan obligations, prosecutors stated.

The malpractice lawsuit contends that the federal investigation stemmed from an illegal, warrantless search conducted by the Georgia Department of Revenue at a storage facility containing Chrisley belongings. While the judge agreed to suppress physical documents from that search, the lawsuit argues that Anulewicz failed to request suppression of “derivative evidence,” including emails, bank records and financial documents that “formed the core of the government’s case.”

The filing states that federal investigators launched their probe using the seized information, then obtained search warrants for specific documents from the Chrisleys’ email accounts.

“Without that evidence, the government would not have had sufficient evidence to support a conviction,” the lawsuit claims.

A distinguished historian whose scholarship shaped how Americans understand their nation’s founding has died at age 92. Gordon Wood, professor emeritus at Brown University, passed away Sunday following a tragic accident in which he was struck by a vehicle in a supermarket parking lot in East Providence, Rhode Island, according to local police.

Wood authored numerous books and scholarly articles that became essential reading for understanding America’s early independence period. While he never achieved the widespread popularity of historians such as David McCullough and Doris Kearns Goodwin, his research became foundational material for academic discussions about the nation’s formation and revolutionary legacy. Colleagues viewed the white-haired, gentle-appearing Wood as the quintessential scholarly historian, one who prioritized factual evidence over ideological interpretation.

President Barack Obama honored him in 2011 with a National Humanities Medal “for scholarship that provides insight into the founding of the nation and the drafting of the U.S. Constitution.”

However, recent years brought increasing criticism from younger scholars who argued that Wood represented outdated academic approaches that overlooked the experiences of enslaved people, women, and Indigenous populations. John L. Brooke, a history professor at Ohio State University, criticized him for “a distinct avoidance of interpretative paradox and complexity,” while still acknowledging Wood’s “scale and scholarly enterprise.”

Wood’s academic impact began early and endured throughout his career. His debut work, “The Creation of the American Republic,” earned the Bancroft Prize in 1970 and influenced countless students who grappled with Wood’s argument that the Constitution was accidentally revolutionary—a document created by elite leaders that ultimately led to “the destruction of the very social world they had sought to maintain.”

“The Radicalism of the American Revolution” earned him the Pulitzer Prize in 1993, while his comprehensive work “Empire of Liberty” received finalist recognition in 2009.

Wood demonstrated openness to some scholarly developments, particularly embracing Annette Gordon-Reed’s “persuasive contextual case” regarding the relationship between enslaved Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson. In “Empire of Liberty,” which examined the period from 1789 to 1815, he devoted substantial attention to slavery, describing it as a cancer “eating away at the message of liberty and equality.”

However, Wood also fiercely opposed certain contemporary historical interpretations. He became a vocal opponent of The New York Times’ Pulitzer Prize-winning 1619 Project and its assertion—which was later modified—that preserving slavery motivated the American Revolution. He claimed the project promoted feelings of “victimhood” and being “aggrieved,” despite admitting he had not read most of the material. Wood maintained that the founders, including plantation owners like Jefferson and James Madison, incorrectly believed slavery would naturally disappear, and argued that the revolution actually strengthened American abolitionist efforts.

“We all want justice, but not at the expense of truth,” he wrote in 2019, adding the controversial statement, “I don’t know of any colonist who said that they wanted independence in order to preserve their slaves.”

Wood’s connection to history began with his birthplace: Concord, Massachusetts, former home to Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Louisa May Alcott. Despite this historical setting, his love for the subject didn’t emerge until his college years. He found high school history classes tedious, enduring sessions where instructors merely recited from textbooks.

His Latin teacher inspired him to pursue higher education at Tufts University, where he graduated summa cum laude. Wood continued his studies at Harvard University, earning both master’s and doctoral degrees while working under renowned Revolutionary War historian Bernard Bailyn. Bailyn’s groundbreaking “The Ideological Origins of the American Revolution,” which explored the intellectual foundations of independence, provided the foundation for Wood’s “The Creation of the American Republic.”

In his 2011 introduction to “The Idea of America,” Wood reflected on his career and the changing nature of historical scholarship. He acknowledged the founders’ numerous mistakes while cautioning against judging historical figures by contemporary standards—a practice he and others termed “Presentism.”

“The drama, indeed the tragedy of history, comes from our understanding of the tension that existed between the conscious wills and intentions of the participants in the past and the underlying conditions that constrained their actions and shaped their future,” he wrote.

“If the study of history teaches anything, it teaches us the limitations of life. It ought to produce prudence and humility.”

MCKINNEY, Texas — Defense attorneys brought forward additional witnesses Monday in their effort to strengthen self-defense arguments for a teenager accused of fatally stabbing another student at a high school track competition.

The defendant, Karmelo Anthony, age 19, faces murder charges in connection with the death of 17-year-old Austin Metcalf. The incident occurred at a school stadium in Frisco, located in the Dallas metropolitan area, during April 2025.

According to prosecutors, the stabbing constituted an unprovoked assault that arose from a disagreement about Anthony’s presence under Metcalf’s team shelter during inclement weather at the track competition. However, defense counsel maintains that Anthony perceived a threat and believed defensive action was necessary when physical confrontation occurred.

The case has garnered widespread public interest, partly due to social media activity that framed the incident in racial contexts. Anthony, a student at Frisco Centennial High School, is Black, while Metcalf, who attended Frisco Memorial High School, was white.

The prosecution concluded presenting their evidence Saturday in Collin County court. During the previous week, jurors listened to testimony from multiple individuals who witnessed the track meet events, including those who described Anthony as the initial aggressor at the shelter and stated he quickly acknowledged committing the stabbing.

During Monday’s proceedings, a teammate of Anthony’s described him as being “distraught.”

“I was hearing him say, ‘I told him not to touch me,’” the witness testified.

Judge John Roach Jr. has ruled that young witnesses cannot be publicly identified.

Federal authorities announced Monday they have taken action to revoke the citizenship of 17 naturalized Americans who face allegations of various criminal activities, including sexual offenses, fraudulent schemes, and illegal drug trafficking.

The U.S. Justice Department revealed the denaturalization efforts on June 8, targeting individuals who obtained their citizenship through the naturalization process but are now accused of serious criminal conduct.

SRN News has launched a new series called Faith and Freedom to commemorate America’s upcoming 250th anniversary celebration.

The network is presenting this special series as part of recognizing the nation’s milestone birthday. The fifth episode of the series is now available in audio format.

The Gold Alert issued for Robert Ives has been lifted after he was successfully found by authorities.

Officials confirmed that Ives has been located safely, prompting the cancellation of the alert that had been issued to help find him.

A former curator and artist who worked at the Kennedy Center recently shared his perspective on where the renowned venue might be headed in the coming years.

Josef Palermo, who served as both an artist and curator at the cultural institution, discussed his experience there during a conversation with NPR’s Michel Martin. The interview covered Palermo’s time at the Kennedy Center as well as his thoughts on what lies ahead for the venue.

Aviation authorities issued a ground stop order for San Francisco International Airport on Sunday, according to a Federal Aviation Administration advisory that offered no explanation for the flight suspension.

The temporary halt prevents all aircraft departures from the California airport, though officials have not disclosed the reason behind the decision. Airport representatives have not yet responded to requests for information about the situation.

The affected airport serves as a major travel hub, processing more than 54 million passengers in 2025 based on facility records. Major airlines operating from the location include United Airlines, Air Canada, American Airlines and several other carriers.

Earlier this year in March, aviation regulators announced plans to implement new safety measures at the airport that would restrict certain landing operations and result in substantial flight delays.

Entertainment fans have plenty of new content to choose from this week as streaming platforms add fresh movies, television shows, music releases and video games.

Among the notable additions recommended by entertainment journalists: a new season of a popular drama series, a young adult romance show and an environmentally-focused survival game.

The biographical film about Michael Jackson is making its home debut for $24.99 starting June 9 on major platforms including Apple TV, Prime Video and YouTube, even as it continues earning nearly $900 million at movie theaters. The film by Antoine Fuqua features Jaafar Jackson in the lead role and received approval from Jackson’s estate, with estate executors serving as producers. According to film writer Jake Coyle’s review for The Associated Press, the movie “slides a sequin glove over the pop star’s tarnished legacy, shrouding Michael Jackson’s complications with a conventional biopic that, if you cover your ears, sounds great.”

Kate Hudson’s Academy Award-nominated role in “Song Sung Blue” arrives on Netflix starting June 13. Hudson portrays Claire Sardina, part of a Neil Diamond tribute duo from Milwaukee, appearing alongside Hugh Jackman in what Mark Kennedy described in his review as “big-hearted but misguided.”

Following the resolution of the legal dispute between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni regarding the troubled production of “It Ends With Us,” the romantic drama becomes available on Hulu June 9. Kennedy’s review noted the film was “uneven” in trying to “balance the realities of domestic violence inside a rom-com and a female-empowerment movie.”

Abbas Kiarostami’s acclaimed “Where is the Friend’s House” joins Kanopy’s catalog on June 12. Greta Gerwig described it as “a perfect film” during a conversation with The Criterion Channel.

Pop sensation Olivia Rodrigo releases her third studio effort “You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love,” moving away from the four-letter album titles of her previous works “SOUR” and “GUTS.” The collection showcases her evolution as an artist who combines emotional depth with ’80s-influenced guitar sounds, featuring standout tracks like the Cure-inspired “Drop Dead” and “The Cure,” which includes what may be a contender for best bridge of the year.

Festival enthusiasts who prefer staying home can catch Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival streaming on Disney+ and Hulu from Thursday through Friday, featuring performances by The Strokes, Noah Kahan, Skrillex, RÜFÜS DU SOL and other major acts.

Four-time Grammy winner Keith Urban ventures into yacht rock territory with “Flow State,” arriving Friday with 10 cover songs including Bread’s “The Guitar Man” featuring John Mayer and Walter Egan’s “Magnet and Steel” with Little Big Town. The album’s only original composition, “We Go Back” with Michael McDonald, complements the West Coast-influenced collection.

Rapper Rick Ross drops “Set in Stone” Friday, a 19-track release that remains largely under wraps. The preview single “Minks in Miami,” created with French Montana and Max B and sampling Rare Earth’s 1971 classic “I Just Want to Celebrate,” suggests the full album will deliver quality content.

Prime Video expands its young adult programming with “Every Year After,” an eight-episode adaptation of Carley Fortune’s novel launching Wednesday. The series follows Percy (Sadie Soverall) and Sam (Matt Cornett), childhood friends whose romantic relationship ended due to complications before a family tragedy brings them back together, reigniting past emotions.

“Sweet Magnolias” returns for season five on Netflix Thursday, June 11, continuing the story of lifelong friends played by JoAnna Garcia Swisher, Heather Headley and Brooke Elliott as they handle relationships, parenthood and professional challenges in their small South Carolina community.

Gamers can explore “Solarpunk” starting Monday, June 8, a survival title from German developer Cyberwave that emphasizes creating sustainable civilization using renewable energy from sun, wind and water sources. Players build communities on floating sky islands and construct airships for inter-island travel, offering a more peaceful alternative to typical dystopian gaming experiences. The cooperative game launches on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S, Switch 2 and PC platforms.

Basketball fans can experience “NBA The Run” beginning Tuesday, June 9, a 3-on-3 street basketball game from debut developer Play By Play Studios that recreates classic arcade action reminiscent of “NBA Jam.” The game features 32 professional players including Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs and Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks, with courts spanning from New York to Beijing and gameplay including spectacular dunks and potentially flaming basketballs. The title releases on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S and PC.

A federal courtroom in Los Angeles will see the start of an arson trial Monday for a man prosecutors say ignited last year’s catastrophic Palisades Fire, while the affected community continues its difficult recovery and the disaster influences the city’s mayoral contest.

Jonathan Rinderknecht, 29, has entered a not guilty plea to accusations he set off what would become one of California’s most devastating wildfire disasters. Federal prosecutors allege Rinderknecht ignited a blaze on Jan. 1, 2025, which smoldered unnoticed in underground root systems before erupting again on Jan. 7.

The resulting Palisades Fire claimed 12 lives and leveled thousands of residences as flames swept through hillside communities in Pacific Palisades and the city of Malibu. If found guilty on charges including malicious destruction by means of a fire, Rinderknecht could face a minimum five-year prison sentence.

Lead defense attorney Steve Haney has argued that Rinderknecht is being unfairly blamed for the Los Angeles Fire Department’s inability to completely put out the Jan. 1 fire. The jury selection process is anticipated to span several days before opening arguments commence midweek. Court proceedings are expected to continue for approximately two weeks.

Word of the trial has sparked varied responses from Pacific Palisades residents, who have dedicated the past year and a half to navigating insurance disputes and bureaucratic hurdles for construction permits while attempting to restore stability to their lives.

“It drums up all of the emotions over this past year and makes me think about all of the suffering and chaos of all of our neighbors and friends’ lives,” said Meghan Wald, whose home was among the few left standing in her block.

Construction trucks and workers now fill Palisades streets, and burned trees have regained their vibrant green foliage. However, empty lots remain widespread, overgrown with weeds and wildflowers alongside the bare frameworks of former homes. Among more than 450 building projects underway, just 17 residences have received occupancy approval.

Wald and her family have relocated to nearby Brentwood, though she returns weekly to patronize the small number of businesses that have reopened, including her hair salon, her regular CVS pharmacy and the Palisades Garden Cafe, where her children once bought after-school treats.

“It’s great to see the shops that we know and love coming back,” Wald said. “It’s also hard to imagine what it’s going to be like. It will never be the same.”

The wildfire has become a major issue in incumbent Mayor Karen Bass’s reelection campaign as she defends the city’s recovery efforts. Bass was in Ghana as part of a presidential delegation when the flames ignited. One of her challengers, reality TV personality Spencer Pratt, lost his home in the blaze and has made what he calls municipal ineptitude a central campaign message. It’s not yet clear if Pratt won enough votes in the primary to face Bass in November’s runoff election.

Judge Anne Hwang has ruled that the defense can’t introduce evidence or arguments about alleged negligence by the fire department, saying it was irrelevant and could confuse the jury.

Defense attorneys had planned to include testimony from a firefighter that the earlier fire was visibly smoldering when first responders left the scene. That was gathered as part of a civil lawsuit filed by fire victims against the city.

Haney said he also plans to argue that the government lacks solid evidence or witness testimony linking Rinderknecht to the first fire, and that first responders heard fireworks in the vicinity of where the blaze started.

Prosecutors say geolocation data from Rinderknecht’s phone shows that he was in the area of the fire as it rapidly grew, and investigators later seized a Bic barbecue lighter from his car that he admitted to having with him on the trail. They will claim he was upset about a failed relationship as well as thwarted plans for New Year’s Eve, and that he ranted to his Uber passengers that evening about being angry at the world, according to an April 29 pretrial memo filed by the U.S. attorney’s office.

Lena Loh, who opened a skin care clinic in the Palisades three months before the fire, said Rinderknecht’s prosecution gives her no sense of relief. She has been struggling to reopen and is looking to leave because she can’t sustain the business financially anymore.

“I don’t necessarily think putting him on trial is gonna fix anything,” she said. “This is a city issue. The city needed to manage that small speck of fire better.”

NEW YORK, June 7 – Broadway’s most prestigious awards ceremony concluded Sunday evening with “Schmigadoon!” claiming the Tony Award for outstanding musical, while productions addressing social themes swept several major categories.

The television series adaptation “Schmigadoon!” pays homage to classic Broadway musicals through the story of a contemporary couple who find themselves transported into a theatrical fantasy realm.

“Liberation” secured the award for outstanding play, adding to its 2026 Pulitzer Prize recognition. Writer Bess Wohl made history as only the fourth woman to receive the Tony for best play and the first since 2009. The production explores themes from the 1970s women’s liberation movement.

The musical revival category went to “Ragtime,” which defeated “Cats: The Jellicle Ball.” The winning production weaves together narratives of Black, immigrant, and wealthy white characters while examining themes of race, social class, and American opportunity during the early 1900s. Caissie Levy and Joshua Henry earned leading performer awards for their work in the production.

John Lithgow, age 80, received the leading actor award for his performance in “Giant,” where he depicts writer Roald Dahl during the 1980s confronting controversy over statements considered antisemitic. This marked Lithgow’s third Tony victory, with his first coming 53 years earlier for his Broadway debut in “The Changing Room.”

“At every point we had to figure out, ‘Why is this man doing this?’” he told reporters later. “Antisemitism, cruelty of all kinds … these are things that we’re dealing with these days up front and personal … that’s what makes ‘Giant’ so important and such a success.”

Lesley Manville earned the leading actress award for her portrayal of Jocasta in Robert Icke’s modern interpretation of the Sophocles tragedy “Oedipus” reimagined as a political thriller.

Joe Mantello’s production of Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman” won the play revival category, with Mantello also receiving the directing award. Laurie Metcalf captured the supporting actress prize for playing Linda Loman, marking her third Tony win. The cast also features veteran performer Nathan Lane.

The awards ceremony marked the conclusion of Broadway’s most successful financial year, with productions earning $1.91 billion as audiences flocked to both long-running favorites and new offerings.

Pop artist Pink served as host at Radio City Music Hall, opening the show with a Broadway-style version of “Lady Marmalade” featuring cast members from every nominated musical production.

The opening performance included notable moments, with veteran performer Lea Michele singing “We don’t do it for the awards” and trans performer Dylan Mulvaney contributing “Protect the dolls.” Michele, who stars in the revival “Chess,” did not receive a nomination this season.

Zhailon Levingston and Bill Rauch shared the musical directing award for “Cats: The Jellicle Ball,” Andrew Lloyd Webber’s reimagined musical set within New York’s ballroom culture scene.

Shoshana Bean won supporting actress in a musical for “The Lost Boys,” based on the 1987 vampire film about brothers relocating to a California coastal community overrun by vampires. The victory came after Bean’s third nomination.

Ali Louis Bourzgui earned supporting actor in a musical for playing the lead vampire character in the same production. Alden Ehrenreich took supporting actor in a play for “Becky Shaw.”

The evening featured anniversary celebrations for several landmark productions including “Chicago,” “The Book of Mormon,” “A Chorus Line” and “Rent.”

Queen Latifah, who appeared in the 2002 film adaptation of “Chicago,” introduced a Pink-led performance honoring the 30th anniversary of the musical’s ongoing revival.

The original cast of “The Book of Mormon” performed in recognition of its 15th anniversary, while Rachel Zegler sang “What I Did for Love” from “A Chorus Line” for its 50th anniversary celebration. Leslie Odom Jr. performed “Without You” from “Rent,” also marking 30 years, during the memorial tribute segment.

During pre-ceremony awards, Qween Jean won costume design for a musical and Omari Wiles with Arturo Lyons won choreography, both for “Cats: The Jellicle Ball.” According to the show’s publicist, Qween Jean became the first openly transgender person to receive a Tony Award.

A distinguished psychiatrist and author who dedicated his career to understanding children facing hardship has passed away at age 97, according to family members.

Robert Coles, a Harvard University professor who earned a Pulitzer Prize for his work documenting young people’s struggles with poverty and racial segregation, died Thursday at a hospice facility in Lincoln, Massachusetts, his son confirmed to The Associated Press on Sunday.

Coles gained widespread recognition for his research into children’s experiences, especially those navigating difficult social circumstances. His acclaimed five-part “Children of Crisis” series brought him the Pulitzer Prize for general nonfiction in 1973, specifically for the second and third installments.

Writing in a 1965 Washington Post piece, he noted his surprise at what he discovered while studying impoverished children: “I was constantly surprised at the endurance shown by children we would all call poor or, in the current fashion, ‘culturally disadvantaged.’”

“What enabled such children from such families to survive emotionally and educationally ordeals I feel sure many white middle-class boys and girls would find impossible?” he questioned.

His research approach involved building relationships through repeated visits to the same households, often bringing art supplies so young subjects could express their thoughts and feelings through drawings.

The psychiatrist’s contributions earned him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1998 and made him among the initial recipients of a MacArthur Foundation fellowship. A panel of experts later placed “Children of Crisis” at number 44 on their ranking of the 20th century’s top 100 English-language nonfiction works.

Published between 1967 and 1978, the “Children of Crisis” collection began with an examination of how school integration affected young people. The second installment explored the lives of migrant laborers, tenant farmers, and mountain community residents.

Volume three, which he called “The South Goes North,” tracked both Black and white Southern families relocating to Northern cities. The fourth book studied Native American, Alaska Native, and Hispanic children, while the final volume turned attention to wealthy and privileged youth.

Beyond this signature series, Coles authored “Their Eyes Meeting the World,” which interpreted children’s artwork, along with “The Moral Life of Children,” “The Political Life of Children,” and “The Spiritual Life of Children.” He also penned biographical works about psychoanalyst Anna Freud and social activist Dorothy Day.

Though much of his research focused on American children, Coles studied young people internationally throughout his career. His complete bibliography includes over 50 books plus hundreds of scholarly articles and essays.

Not all colleagues viewed his methodology favorably, with some questioning whether his approach qualified as rigorous psychiatric research.

“He’s a very good journalist who talks to kids sensitively and tells stories well,” Harvard professor Lawrence Kohlberg, an expert in moral development, told AP in 1986. “But no psychiatrist would take what he says seriously.”

Coles’ interest in children’s crisis responses began during the early 1960s while working as an Air Force physician in the South. He became particularly fascinated by Ruby Bridges, a 6-year-old who endured intense hostility as the first Black student at a previously segregated New Orleans elementary school.

“She demonstrated moral stamina; she possessed honor, courage,” he reflected in 1986. This admiration led him to write a children’s book titled “The Story of Ruby Bridges” in 1995. Artist Norman Rockwell similarly honored her courage in his 1964 painting “The Problem We All Live With.”

His wife Jane assisted with child interviews throughout his research career.

“At first the children were frightened to death of us — they’d never had white people in their homes before,” Coles explained to People magazine. “But I began to throw away my questions. I threw away my necktie. I began to sit on the floor.”

A 1995 PBS documentary called “Listening to Children: A Moral Journey with Robert Coles” captured his interview techniques and analysis methods, showing him working with diverse American children and studying their artwork.

“A child is an opportunity and a moral challenge. How are we going to do justice to this new life with all its possibilities?” he observed. “If we fail as parents, we are failing also as citizens.”

At Harvard, Coles maintained a long-term position as a research psychiatrist with University Health Services. He became a professor of psychiatry and medical humanities in 1977, then joined the School of Education as a social ethics professor in 1995.

Students flocked to his popular course called the Literature of Social Reflection, nicknamed “Guilt 105,” where he emphasized that “we should look inward and think about the meaning of our life and its purposes,” as he told People magazine in 1990.

A Boston native, Coles completed his undergraduate studies at Harvard in 1950 before earning his medical degree from Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1954. According to a 1972 Time magazine cover story, he chose psychiatry as “the most philosophical of the disciplines” — and because he felt distressed watching children cry during vaccinations.

Despite documenting poverty and hardship, Coles acknowledged his own comfortable lifestyle, telling The New York Times in 1997: “It makes me uncomfortable, seeing the disparities between the world I document and the world I inhabit.”

He was preceded in death by his wife in 1993. The couple had three sons.

Authorities have arrested a suspect following a violent stabbing incident at New York’s Penn Station Sunday evening that left five people wounded.

Emergency medical teams arrived at the scene around 7 p.m. and discovered victims with varying degrees of injuries, according to the city’s fire department. One person sustained serious wounds, while two others suffered moderate injuries and the remaining victims had minor injuries. Medical personnel transported all five victims to Bellevue Hospital for treatment. Officials confirmed the suspect was taken into custody but provided no additional details.

The violent episode took place at one of New York’s most heavily trafficked transportation centers just one day before President Donald Trump is scheduled to attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden, located directly over Penn Station.

Security measures have already been increased throughout the arena and nearby streets in preparation for the presidential appearance, with the Secret Service, New York Police Department and additional agencies planning a significant security presence for the nationally broadcast basketball game.

Officials have not yet revealed whether Sunday’s stabbing will impact security arrangements for Monday evening’s game. The incident happened in a location where millions of travelers, visitors and sports enthusiasts travel through annually. Penn Station is anticipated to see especially heavy crowds before the first NBA Finals contest at the venue since 1999.

Twelve individuals sustained gunshot wounds when violence broke out Saturday during a community festival in Toledo, Ohio, sending attendees diving for safety while others rushed to assist the injured.

Hours following the incident, no arrests had been made, according to Toledo Deputy Police Chief Joe Heffernan. He indicated that it seemed at least two individuals discharged firearms and they were “probably shooting at each other.”

The violence occurred in proximity to the Old West End Festival, a yearly two-day event in Toledo’s historic neighborhood featuring live entertainment, food stands, house tours and retail opportunities.

Sunday’s festival activities were called off. Event organizers stated “it would not be compassionate, responsible or possible to continue.”

“We are heartbroken about those that were injured at the Old West End Festival,” organizers expressed in a public statement.

Heffernan reported that two victims remained in critical condition. Those wounded ranged in age from 14 to 61 years old, with the majority being in their early twenties.

“I am deeply concerned about the situation in Toledo tonight,” Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine stated. “Summer festivals should be safe spaces for families to spend time together without fear of violence.”

Authorities requested that festival attendees share any photographs or video footage they may have captured.

Several clips shared on social platforms depicted people fleeing as gunfire could be heard, along with emergency personnel treating what appeared to be wounded individuals.

Fire Chief Allison Armstrong noted that reaching the hospital proved challenging due to road closures and traffic from departing festival-goers, though emergency crews managed to transport all patients from the location within one hour.

Kevin Berry was seated in the neighborhood arboretum enjoying live performances with companions when he heard several gunshots.

“Everybody hit the deck,” he said.

When Berry raised his head, he observed a firearm being discarded on the ground fewer than 50 feet away from his location. Officers already stationed at the festival for security responded right away.

Berry, who possesses medical experience and is a Navy veteran, moved through the area seeking anyone requiring assistance and observed at least five individuals with gunshot injuries.

“The folks who were hit were spread out around the arboretum area,” he said.

George Kral, the city’s safety director, described the Old West End Festival as among Toledo’s most celebrated events.

“And it’s a shame that something like this had to ruin it,” Kral said.