Karen Read Files Lawsuit Against Massachusetts State Police Over Alleged Misconduct

Trump Announces $700 Million Boost for U.S. Coal Industry","description":"President Donald Trump is set to release nearly $700 million to support coal‑fired power plants, new coal mines and exports, marking a significant push to revive the struggling domestic coal sector.","summary":"The President’s latest policy move directly addresses the decline of U.S. coal by allocating sizeable federal funds for plant support and new projects, while critics warn of environmental costs.","image":"https://dims.apnews.com/dims4/default/fc9a635/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5178x3452+0+0/resize/599x399!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.apnews.com%2Ffc%2Ff6%2Fb60290354cce7c981f0edd5a7e5b%2F7b6a8444d663447f939bdf80c7d81555","text":"<p><strong>WASHINGTON, April 18 –</strong> At a White House briefing scheduled for Thursday, President Donald Trump will announce a new federal program that will provide almost $700 million in funding for coal‑fired power plants, new mining projects and coal exports. </p> <p>The plan will mobilize authority under the Military Production Act of 1947, a Cold War‑era law that gives presidents broad power over industries deemed essential to national security. Under this authority, the administration will directly support 13 existing coal power plants across the country and help fund the construction of new plants in Alaska and West Virginia – the first new U.S. coal plants built since 2013.</p> <p>In addition to plant support, the program will restart a coal‑fired power plant in Maryland and greenlight construction of a long‑delayed coal export terminal in Oakland, Calif., offering a total of more than 14,000 new or sustained jobs in coal, construction, rail and maritime sectors. A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the announcement would be issued later Thursday.</p> <p>This move follows Trump’s earlier initiative last fall to open 13 million acres of federal land for coal mining and commit $625 million to modernize and recommission coal‑fired plants. Trump’s administration has used executive orders to blast away regulatory barriers and extend operation dates for aging plants that risk curtailing supply during peaks of demand.</p> <p>Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin will attend the briefing. The administration has charged the Energy Department with keeping plants in Michigan, Indiana, Colorado and Washington state beyond their scheduled retirement dates to meet rising U.S. power demand, driven by data centers, artificial intelligence workloads and electric‑vehicle adoption.</p> <p>Wright has noted that emergency orders have helped prevent major blackouts during last winter’s brutal cold spell that gripped most of the country. Critics see this as a taxpayer bailout of polluters that will push up electricity bills and degrade air quality.</p> <p>Environmental groups, including the Natural Resources Defense Council, have slammed the program, arguing it prioritizes polluters. “Propping up coal billionaires with taxpayer money is one more way to put polluters first and put the rest of us at risk,” said Kit Kennedy, managing director for power at the council.</p> <p>Opponents also point out that coal once accounted for more than half of U.S. electricity generation – a share now about 15% – while natural gas and renewables supply the rest. The Department of Energy’s strategic focus has moved toward nuclear and renewable sources, yet the current administration is backtracking on those goals.</p> <p>The surge in global coal demand has plateaued, and U.S. coal exports have fallen, largely due to trade tensions with China and shifting customers. The Department of Energy’s new financing will likely keep U.S. plants operating despite fewer international destinations.</p> <p>Trump’s policy is a clear example of using national security legislation for economic ventures, a tactic that has drawn both praise and condemnation across the political spectrum.</p>

Reactions to GOP Governors Gifting 'Family' Designations to June","description":"Several Republican governors have renamed June as “Family” or “Fidelity” month, sparking debate with Pride Month supporters.","summary":"Republican governors across several states have proclaimed June as a month honoring traditional family values, in apparent counterprogramming to LGBTQ Pride Month. These proclamations have fueled sociopolitical debate and prompted responses from LGBTQ advocacy groups and community leaders. The steps coincide with a broader cultural conversation about family, faith, and the recognition of Pride Month.","image":"https://dims.apnews.com/dims4/default/73faeb5/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5250x3600+0+0/resize/599x411!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.apnews.com%2Ffd%2F63%2F125549f56ec2b6a339add6a0335d%2Fd044cec1e9cb4b1f8e0aa02d0c76d9e2","text":"<p>SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — June is widely recognized as <a href=\"https://apnews.com/article/when-pride-month-june-2026-lgbtq-2f30b424c65704e14d3518b373ddf3f7\">Pride Month</a>, but a handful of Republican governors have also bestowed non‑LGBTQ titles on it that advocates on both sides view as counterprogramming.</p>\n<p>Without directly saying the idea was to replace Pride, the governors of Indiana and Tennessee rebranded June as <em>Nuclear Family Month</em> to celebrate units made up of “one husband, one wife and any biological, adopted or fostered children.”</p>\n<p>In Alabama, it’s <em>Strong Families Month</em>, intended to coincide with Father’s Day. Gov. Kay Ivey’s proclamation says fathers are “the head of the household” and “homes led by a father and mother provide children with the structure and discipline necessary to succeed throughout life.”</p>\n<p>The governors of Utah and Arkansas deemed it <em>Fidelity Month</em>, which emphasizes fidelity to faith, country and family — without comment on how those families might be comprised.</p>\n<p>Last week, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ X account posted a link to an article about her proclamation that declared, “Another Red State is Counter‑Programming Pride Month.”</p>\n<p>She and the other governors haven’t answered questions from The Associated Press about why their proclamations are all set in June.</p>\n<h2>The family focus for June has come on strong this year</h2>\n<p>Republican lawmakers in at least four other GOP‑controlled states have introduced legislation this year calling for June to be Fidelity Month.</p>\n<p>An organization pushing that concept was founded by Robert P. George, a Princeton University professor of jurisprudence who has long been a leader on conservative thought. His group did not respond to interview requests.</p>\n<p>He told the National Catholic Register about the idea in 2023, saying “nobody gets a monopoly on a particular day or a particular month.”</p>\n<h2>Conservatives say they’re “reclaiming the culture”</h2>\n<p>Last year, U.S. Rep. Mary Miller, an Illinois Republican, introduced a resolution to make June Family Month — and to unrecognize Pride Month, saying “Americans are inundated with perverse Pride Month displays and events throughout the month of June that denigrate the nuclear family.” It never got a vote.</p>\n<p>Some backers view the state measures as an opportunity for a cultural reset.</p>\n<p>Kevin Roberts, president of the conservative Heritage Foundation, said in an interview that it’s good to have the conservative recognitions because Pride celebrations “were going so far as to make it difficult to celebrate traditional marriage.”</p>\n<p>The resolution approved by Tennessee’s Legislature and governor does not mention Pride Month specifically, while saying the “nuclear family is under attack in our beloved State and nation.”</p>\n<p>But Lakie Derrick, a conservative activist who authored the measure with a friend, said she did indeed target it to June to counter Pride Month, which she said “goes against” American values.</p>\n<p>“We’re just reclaiming the culture, and there’s no better month to do that than in a month where the culture says we’re gonna celebrate something so opposite to what we know to be right,” Derrick said.</p>\n<p>Marina Lowe, who leads legal and legislative affairs for the LGBTQ+ advocacy group Equality Utah, said that Pride Month is not the antithesis of other values‑based recognitions. Many LGBTQ people also value faith and family, she said, so “I don’t think that these positions need to be in conflict with one another.”</p>\n<h2>For some, this is why Pride Month exists</h2>\n<p>Josh Coleman, president of Central Alabama Pride, which has 42 events planned over two weeks, said the celebrations, which culminate with a parade on June 13 and festival June 14, won’t be affected by the proclamation.</p>\n<p>“It’s not lost upon LGBTQ people when elected leaders don’t recognize or value the visibility of the community,” he said. “That’s why Pride started in the first place — to make sure the community had a community.”</p>\n<p>Alex Richardson, chair of the board of directors at Indy Pride in Indianapolis, said he sees the governor’s proclamation there as a “swipe.” But he also believes the events there this month are celebrating some of the things the governor supports.</p>\n<p>“Sure, the governor’s right, the nuclear family is worth celebrating,” Richardson said. “But I think so is the grandmother who raises her grandchildren, or the chosen family that shows up when a blended family can’t, or won’t, … or the weird blended households that are held together by love and effort.”</p>\n<hr>\n<p>Levy reported from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and Mulvihill from Haddonfield, New Jersey.</p>

Reclaiming the South China Sea: Antelope Reef and the Endless Land‑Reclamation

Senate Strikes Deal to Fund Trump‑Era Immigration Agencies Amid Settlement Drama

Frisco Teens Vengeance: 19‑Year‑Old Faces Life for Murder","description":"A former Texas high school athlete, Karmelo Anthony, is on trial for fatally stabbing 17‑year‑old competitor Austin Metcalf during a track meet in Frisco, Texas, amid community calls for justice.","summary":"On a rainy morning in April 2025, Karmelo Anthony was indicted for fatally stabbing Austin Metcalf, a 17‑year‑old from a rival high school, during a Friday night track meet in Frisco. The incident, which has drawn nationwide attention and amplified racial rhetoric on social media, has led to a high‑profile trial in Collin County. A courtroom equipped with increased security is currently hearing opening statements, while attorneys are prohibited from discussing the case publicly. The prosecution cites a confrontation that allegedly involved a knife, whereas Anthony’s defense, led by Mike Howard, argues that self‑defense and reasonable doubt are central to the case. The parents of both teens emphasize their children’s scholastic aspirations, and the incident has triggered warnings about online misinformation. Judge Greg Willis has set strict procedural rules, reflecting the case’s sensitive nature.","image":"","text":"<div style=\"font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; line-height:1.6;\">\\n <p style=\"margin-bottom:1em;\">DALLAS (AP) — Opening statements were set for Thursday in the murder trial of a former Texas high school athlete accused of taking out a knife during a track meet and <a href=\"https://apnews.com/article/student-stabbed-frisco-texas-track-meet-821ff607dcad0eba30400319a50f7aaf\">fatally stabbing</a> a 17‑year‑old competitor from a rival team in the stadium’s bleachers.</p>\\n <p style=\"margin-bottom:1em;\">The killing last year <a href=\"https://apnews.com/article/texas-high-school-track-meet-stabbing-13485047150f59fd7800626b0d3ffeb0\">stunned an affluent Dallas suburb where the teenagers attended school</a> and quickly drew wider attention, in part over social media posts that amplified the case in racial terms.</p>\\n <p style=\"margin-bottom:1em;\">Karmelo Anthony, now 19, faces up to life in prison if convicted in the killing of Austin Metcalf. According to an arrest report, Anthony told police he was protecting himself when the teenagers got into a confrontation during a high school track meet in Frisco, a booming city in Dallas’ sprawling north suburbs.</p>\\n <p style=\"margin-bottom:1em;\">A jury was seated this week under increased security at a Collin County courthouse and a judge has set strict rules over the proceedings, including prohibiting attorneys from discussing the case publicly.</p>\\n <p style=\"margin-bottom:1em;\">We know this case has struck a deep nerve — here in Collin County and beyond,” Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis said while announcing the indictment against Anthony last year.</p>\\n <p style=\"margin-bottom:1em;\">The stabbing happened on a rainy morning in April 2025. Witnesses told police the confrontation began when Anthony sat under a tent belonging to Metcalf’s team, according to an arrest report. The teens went to different high schools in Frisco.</p>\\n <div style=\"text-align:center; margin:28px 0;\">\\n <button style=\"appearance:none;-webkit-appearance:none;border:0;background:#000;color:#fff;cursor:pointer;display:inline-flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;gap:10px;padding:14px 22px;border-radius:999px;font-family:inherit; font-weight:700; font-size:16px; letter-spacing:0.2px;line-height:1;box-shadow:0 10px 18px rgba(0,0,0,0.12);transition:transform 120ms ease,box-shadow 120ms ease,opacity 120ms ease;\">Read More <span style=\"display:inline-block;width:10px;height:10px;border-right:2px solid currentColor;border-bottom:2px solid currentColor;transform:rotate(45deg);margin-top:-2px;\"></span></button>\\n </div>\\n <p style=\"margin-bottom:1em;\">When Metcalf told Anthony that he needed to move, Anthony reached inside his bag and allegedly replied: “Touch me and see what happens,” the report said.</p>\\n <p style=\"margin-bottom:1em;\">A short time later, Metcalf allegedly grabbed Anthony, who then pulled out a knife and stabbed the other teenager in the chest, the report said.</p>\\n <p style=\"margin-bottom:1em;\">A police officer said in the report that Anthony told him that Metcalf had put his hands on him, and that he was protecting himself.</p>\\n <p style=\"margin-bottom:1em;\">Mike Howard, Anthony’s attorney, said following the indictment last summer that he expects prosecutors would “not be able to rule out the reasonable doubt” that his client may have acted in self‑defense once the full details of the confrontation come out.</p>\\n <p style=\"margin-bottom:1em;\">The parents of both teens have said they were good students who planned to go to college.</p>\\n <p style=\"margin-bottom:1em;\">Metcalf’s father has condemned those who have seized on the race of the teenagers after the killing. Anthony is Black; Austin Metcalf was white.</p>\\n <p style=\"margin-bottom:1em;\">“This was not a race thing. This is not a political thing. Please do not comment if you do not know what happened,” Metcalf’s father, Jeff Metcalf, said on <a href=\"https://www.foxnews.com/video/6370992236112\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fox News’ “America Reports.”</a></p>\\n <p style=\"margin-bottom:1em;\">“This is a human being thing,” he said. “This person made a bad choice and it affected both his family and my family forever.”</p>\\n <p style=\"margin-bottom:1em;\">Authorities have also issued warnings about online discussions surrounding the killing. Frisco Police Chief David Shilson has urged people to beware of posts spreading “misinformation, hate, fear, and division.”</p>\\n</div>

Bayeux Tapestry to Travel to London in Double Crate – No Chance Left for Damage

Trump’s New Rules Shake Up Higher Education","description":"The Biden‑to‑Trump transition marks a shift from campus investigations to sweeping federal rules aimed at reshaping university policy and funding.","summary":"After a year of targeted investigations, president Donald Trump’s administration is rewriting federal regulations that govern all U.S. universities. The new rules seek to enforce “intellectual diversity,” curb DEI programs, and ensure that federal grants advance the president’s policy priorities. While the administration quietly scaled back the number of investigations, it intensified scrutiny of admissions practices, particularly rulings on race‑based considerations. In response, college presidents and faculty bodies have begun to adapt, closing DEI offices, tightening protest rules, and challenging the federal agenda in court. As higher education navigates the new regulatory landscape, the power balance between campuses and the White House remains in flux.","image":"https://dims.apnews.com/dims4/default/6a02930/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6000x4000+0+0/resize/599x399!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.apnews.com%2F3a%2F1b%2Fe424d296e0b128c446011160e4b3%2F78f68f47029f4739957ea4315821b4f5","text":"<p>WASHINGTON (AP) — A year ago, the White House unleashed a blitz on higher education. At one campus after another, Trump officials opened investigations and cut federal funding unless schools fell in line with the Republican president’s political agenda.</p><p>Now, after a campaign that put dozens of universities under investigation, President Donald Trump’s administration is taking a wider approach, moving to rewrite the federal rules that govern all of higher education. Demands that were being pressed on individual schools are being written into the fine print for thousands of U.S. universities.</p><p>“We’re coming over the higher education system and course correcting,” Nicholas Kent, undersecretary for the Education Department, said in an Associated Press interview. Unlike investigations that target individual campuses, he said the new tactic has power “to affect 6,000 institutions.”</p><h2>Several US agencies propose new rules</h2><p>One new rule being proposed by the Education Department would overhaul the system that decides which colleges can receive federal money, known as the accreditation process. Among other changes, the proposal would require accreditors to make sure colleges have “intellectual diversity,” a veiled call for more conservative voices.</p><p>Many people in higher education are alarmed by a proposal from the Office of Management and Budget that would order agencies to ensure federal grants “advance the President’s policy priorities.” Trump officials would verify that grants aren’t used to promote DEI, “anti‑American values” or anything denying “the sex binary in humans,” according to the proposal issued last week. An OMB spokesperson said the rule aims to promote transparency.</p><p>Another proposal from the General Services Administration would require federal grant recipients, including universities and their contractors, to certify they don’t have DEI policies deemed unlawful by the administration.</p><p>At least 11 new rules have been proposed at the Education Department, including one aimed at “streamlining the process” to cut money for schools that violate the Trump administration’s interpretation of civil rights law.</p><p>Making federal rules can take months of debate in humdrum bureaucratic processes. But unlike earlier strategies that tested the limits of White House power, the rulemaking process is a widely accepted route to establish federal policy into law — without needing to go through Congress.</p><p>Some in higher education welcome the change. Unlike last year’s attacks, the new approach opens the door for a conversation, said Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education, which represents college and university presidents.</p><p>“We’re playing a game that has rules and referees, and that’s good,” said Mitchell, a former Education Department official under President Barack Obama. “It gives us an opportunity to talk about where we might agree with the administration. That was impossible to do when these were just straight‑on attacks.”</p><h2>The administration launches fewer new investigations</h2><p>Meantime, the Education and Justice departments have announced fewer higher‑education investigations, issuing news releases on roughly a dozen at U.S. universities so far this year. In the same span last year, they announced more than 70, according to an AP analysis. The exact number of new investigations is unclear — a public database has not been updated since January 2025.</p><p>Kent said the Education Department will continue to open investigations as needed, describing it as using a “scalpel to cut out the bad.” But he said colleges have started to come to heel on the administration’s priorities.</p><p>“Folks realize that it’s a new day and that we’re paying attention,” Kent said.</p><p>The vast majority of the investigations opened last year are still open. The White House struck deals with Columbia, Brown and a handful of other campuses, but most cases are unresolved with no public update in months.</p><p>Catherine Lhamon, who led the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights under President Joe Biden, said the barrage of investigations amounted to “performance art” that grabbed attention but had little impact. After pushback from schools, she said, the Trump administration is backing off. “It stopped putting itself in a position to lose,” she said.</p><h2>Admissions cases become a top priority</h2><p>A White House official said the investigative slowdown is also the result of a mounting focus on college admissions. The administration has been building cases against colleges accused of considering race in admissions decisions even after the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action. Those investigations can take more time because they require large data collections.</p><p>Some of those cases are now coming to bear.</p><p>The Justice Department recently concluded that medical schools at Yale and UCLA discriminated against white and Asian American students by allegedly favoring Black and Latino applicants. The universities have defended their admissions processes, saying they were rigorous and based on merit.</p><p>Trump officials are taking a hard‑line approach against any use of race in admissions, clashing with colleges that invite students to discuss their race in application essays. In its 2023 decision, the Supreme Court said nothing stops schools from considering how applicants’ race speaks to broader qualities.</p><p>“We are making sure,” Kent said, “that we are elevating our best and our brightest and that we’re not putting the thumb on the scale because of somebody’s skin color.”</p><h2>Higher education has already been changed</h2><p>Facing last year’s blitz, many campuses quietly made changes to avoid scrutiny. Some closed DEI offices. The NCAA moved to limit transgender athletes. Universities from UCLA to Columbia tightened campus protest rules after pro‑Palestinian demonstrations were the subject of federal investigations.</p><p>Research has been scaled back as top schools face continued funding cuts.</p><p>In the classroom, there’s been a chilling effect as professors fear that what they say or teach could attract federal attention, said Todd Wolfson, president of the American Association of University Professors.</p><p>Still, he’s optimistic the balance of power is shifting in universities’ favor. Students and faculty members on several campuses built pressure to reject a White House invitation last fall to sign on to aspects of Trump’s agenda in exchange for favorable access to research funding. The AAUP has brought several lawsuits against the administration, including one that stopped funding cuts at UCLA.</p><p>“The sector is getting its feet under it, and it’s only getting stronger,” Wolfson said. “I can promise you that we will fight them tooth and nail.”</p>

New World Screwworm Fly Detected in Texas: USDA Imposes 12‑mile Quarantine","description":"The USDA reports the first confirmed case of the flesh‑eating New World screwworm fly in Texas in over 60 years. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins explains that the larvae are not a food‑safety risk, and the USDA is deploying sterile flies and building new breeding facilities.","summary":"A 3‑week‑old calf in LaPryor, Texas, was found carrying the fly. The USDA has established a 12‑mile quarantine zone, and officials are deploying sterile flies, constructing a new factory in Texas, and monitoring the U.S.‑Mexico border. Ranchers and pet owners are urged to stay within the zone.","image":"https://dims.apnews.com/dims4/default/2fc44e6/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6000x4000+0+0/resize/599x399!/quality/90/?url=https://assets.apnews.com/c0/e7/08d2c122f267d953008cbbd64eef/9f30a8f704e8436aa4b0ed1000b44b80","text":"<p>The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed on Wednesday that the New World screwworm fly has been detected in south Texas for the first time in 60 years, marking the third U.S. occurrence since its eradication in the 1970s.</p> <p>A 3‑week‑old calf in LaPryor, Texas—just 83 km from the Mexico border—was the first confirmed case, the USDA announced. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the larvae pose no food‑safety risk, although they can be deadly if left untreated, and that the calf is recoverable if treated properly.</p> <p>Veterinarian Bud Dinges established a 12‑mile (20 km) quarantine zone, prohibiting any warm‑blooded animals, including pets, from leaving the area without inspection. Rollins called the incident a “border‑present” threat and urged ranchers and pet owners to remain within the zone.</p> <p>To curb spread, the USDA is deploying millions of sterile screwworm flies along the U.S.‑Mexico border—a technique that proved successful during the original eradication campaign. The agency will also construct a new $750‑million factory in Texas to breed and release sterile flies, and a plant in southern Mexico, which should open next month.</p> <p>Officials have tested 58,000 fly samples and 19,000 wild animals over the past months and have installed 8,000 traps along the border, saying there is no threat of a mass infestation. The problem is that the fly can travel with people, pets or wild mammals.</p> <p>Rollins said she defends the 2023 decision to close livestock imports from Mexico. The threat underscores the need for continuous vigilance and cooperation from ranchers to limit movement beyond the quarantine perimeter.</p>

Miracle on Everest: Guide Believed Dead Spotted Crawling Down Ice

Melinda French Gates Pledges $215 Million to Accelerate Women’s Health Worldwide

Trump Turns Todd Blanche into Permanent U.S. Attorney General

Gunfire erupts in Mogadishu as election delay dispute escalates

Detroit Chef Drives Support for Families in War‑Torn Lebanon","description":"Mirvet Makki, a Lebanese‑American caterer in Dearborn Heights, uses her business profits to send relief money to those displaced in Lebanon amid the Israel‑Hezbollah conflict.","summary":"In the wake of a renewed war in southern Lebanon, Lebanese diasporic community in the U.S. rallies to support families in crisis. Mirvet Makki, a 47‑year‑old chef, channels her weekly earnings from catering events to provide direct aid, while her peers organize fundraisers and navigate the challenges of immigration and remittance logistics. The piece explores the deep ties between the diaspora and their homeland, the economic reality of Lebanon, and the personal stories behind the collective generosity.","image":"https://dims.apnews.com/dims4/default/ca31740/2147483647/strip/true/crop/6000x4000+0+0/resize/599x399!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.apnews.com%2Fca31740%2Fimage.jpg","text":"<p>CANTON, Mich. (AP) — Every week, Mirvet Makki sets aside earnings from her catering business to help people in <a href=\"https://apnews.com/hub/lebanon\">Lebanon</a> displaced by the war between <a href=\"https://apnews.com/article/israel-hezbollah-conflict-timeline-a2f7978dee7f29af1d50f690d032e4d3\">Israel and Hezbollah militants</a>.</p>\n<p>Makki, 47, who cooks Lebanese dishes like couscous stews and traditional kibbeh in the Detroit suburb of Dearborn Heights, immigrated to Michigan in 1990. But her heart never left her childhood village of Bint Jbeil, one of the hardest‑hit areas in <a href=\"https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-israel-hezbollah-home-demolitions-8ae2161e4f531760ad829279d65b1133\">southern Lebanon</a>.</p>\n<p>Nearly every Lebanese American has felt the impact of the latest round of fighting, which has displaced more than 1 million people—roughly one in every six Lebanese— and killed more than 3 500 people. It is Israel’s deepest invasion of Lebanon in more than a quarter‑century.</p>\n<p>“I was thinking, ‘What can I do for other people?’” Makki said. “So I used my business.”</p>\n<p>Even with the rising cost of living in the U.S., she said, “the money I can spare personally, I’ve been sending it to family.”</p>\n<p>In metro Detroit, where Arabic signs adorn restaurants, cafés and bakeries, there is a heavy sense of grief as the community watches the crisis unfold thousands of miles away.</p>\n<p>Like Makki, many grapple with guilt and hopelessness. It’s not easy to help loved ones who are unwilling or unable to leave their country and face a worsening economic crisis.</p>\n<p>“Honestly it’s hard. Like, what do you say?” Makki said. “They’re going to ask me what I’m doing. Let’s say I’m at work. They lost their jobs. Let’s say I tell them I’m home. They lost their homes.”</p>\n<p>Rome ? The conflict’s ripple effect is felt through a web of relatives and neighbors. Many have, over the decades, become policymakers or community organizers to support the diaspora’s needs.</p>\n<p>A worldwide network of Lebanese Americans are rallying to fundraise for families that were left fighting, especially when the U.S. immigration system halted processing of visas for Lebanese nationals in late January.</p>\n<p>“There is really no Lebanese homeland without the Lebanese diaspora,” Edward Curtis, director of Arabic Studies at Indiana University, said.</p>\n<p>Amid a strained economy, the value of the Lebanese pound has collapsed, making the U.S. dollar the de‑facto currency of the country. In February, Makki noticed how much prices had risen. Where $200 used to cover a car rental and a hotel room, now it barely paid for a dinner out.</p>\n<p>Some people crowdsource funds online through established relief organizations, but most prefer to send money directly to loved ones. Makki doesn’t want to send more than $10 000 in total to avoid suspicion. After that, she laughed, “Maybe take it there myself?”</p>\n<p>Nadia Bryant, 37, of Troy, Michigan, has been sending money to her half‑sisters in Lebanon, who are in temporary housing after their village of Ayta ash‑Shab was invaded by Israeli forces. Rather than using the money for themselves, Bryant stated her sisters help orphaned children. “They are not even trying to keep the money for themselves.”</p>\n<p>“I don’t even ask ‘How are you?’ That feels so stupid to me,” Bryant said. “I ask: what does today look like, or where are you today?”</p>\n<p>Attoui, an organizer in Detroit, has tried to convince her family to move to the U.S. multiple times since she came in 2006, but they do not want to leave. Despite those attempts, the U.S. halted processing of immigrant visas for Lebanese nationals.</p>\n<p>In conclusion, the diaspora’s collective empathy and resilience have become a lifeline for families in Lebanon, turning kitchens, community centers and virtual platforms into hubs for hope and support.</p>

Obama's New Museum: Where Legacy Meets Community","description":"The former president’s Chicago campus opens Juneteenth, blending historic artifacts with interactive experiences.","summary":"Citing the Obama Presidential Center as a place for reflection, education, and neighborhood change, the unique museum features a life‑sized Oval Office, a basketball court, and a library with the Obamas’ curated books. Admission costs $30 for the tower, but many public areas are free.","image":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/53/Obama_Presidential_Center_Chicago.jpg/800px-Obama_Presidential_Center_Chicago.jpg","text":"<p>CHICAGO – On June 18, the Obama Presidential Center opened its doors to the public, a ceremony that spanned downtown and the South Side. The landmark, whose design blends the president’s own life story with the city’s history, incorporates a museum tower, a city‑wide library, a basketball court and a public garden.</p> <h2>Experience in the Oval Office</h2> <p>One of the most talked‑about pieces of the center is a life‑sized replica of the Oval Office. Visitors queue for a short tour that ends with a photo opportunity behind the Resolute Desk. Behind the desk, a drawer holds a handwritten letter from former President George W. Bush and Obama’s BlackBerry.</p> <h2>Hands‑On Campaign History</h2> <p>Not a museum of dusty records, the center offers interactive displays of campaign highlights and presidential moments. With large screen footage of Obama singing “Amazing Grace” in 2015, the experience turns history into an immersive narrative. Mini‑exhibits showcase on‑the‑go items such as the family's favorite softball, and visitors can touch swatches of Michelle Obama’s gowns from the wedding season.</p> <h2>Community Spaces</h2> <p>The campus is designed for community use. A professionally‑graded basketball court with a glass pane sits on the South Side, where the Obamas once played. The garden above the library has lettuce, strawberries, and an open grill that will be available for public cooking – a nod to the 2014 “Let’s Take a Griddle Out” community event.</p> <h2>Free to Visit</h2> <p>Though the museum tower is ticketed – $30 for a full tour – the rest of the campus is free to walk or use. Local Illinois residents can enjoy discounts, and the library’s reading room contains hundreds of books chosen by the leaders. A mural in the library’s reading hall tells a story of the American literary tradition, with a child in an orange shirt reading to Toni Morrison.</p> <p>“We want people from all walks of life to sit behind that desk, to feel the possibilities,” said Josh Harris, vice president of public engagement. “If a young organizer from the South Side can become president, you can be president too.”</p> <p>With the entire 20‑acre campus open to the public and plans for programming throughout 2024, the Obama Presidential Center is already being called Chicago’s new cultural hub.</p>

Second Wave of Family Separations: 11,800+ United States-affected Families Still Await Justice","description":"The Trump administration’s family separation policy continues to impact thousands of families, with a recent investigation revealing renewed separations despite a settlement that guaranteed reunification.","summary":"An AP investigation uncovers that the U.S. government has re-separated a significant number of children from their parents within the last year, violating the Ms. L settlement that promised they remain together. The story follows the case of Ederson Alva and his mother, Elva López, highlighting legal battles, government denial, and the urgent need for renewed protections.","image":"https://dims.apnews.com/dims4/default/3b21a05/2147483647/strip/true/crop/8640x5760+0+0/resize/599x399!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.apnews.com%2Ffe%2F6b%2Fb5695ec27def0182e3698487be98%2Fe89ef3586e4043848e6174551247b59d","text":"<h2>Ederson Alva’s 8‑Year Long Journey</h2><p>When 3‑year‑old Ederson Alva was pulled from his mother’s arms at the U.S.-Mexico border in 2018, he and Elva López were separated for months in a government facility. They reunited only after lawyers pressed the case, but the moment was a temporary reprieve. Six months later, on June 3, 2024, the family was pulled apart again, with Ederson sent to Guatemala the same day his mother was detained. It was only on a federal judge’s order that the two were allowed to return to Florida, after a year in the indigenous highlands of Guatemala.</p><h2>A Settlement That Should Have Ended It All</h2><p>In 2018 the Trump administration, under Stephen Miller’s hard‑line immigration policy, began separating families at the border. The ACLU filed a class‑action lawsuit—<em>Ms. L v. U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement</em>—to halt the practice. A judge ordered the policy to stop, noting the lasting harm inflicted on families. In 2023 a settlement promised the affected parents, children and relatives legal protections, pathways to asylum, work permits, and support services, existing until December 2031. The settlement also mandated regular audits of removal orders, a right to counsel and a comprehensive record of every family affected.</p><h2>Investigation Reveals New Violations</h2><p>The latest Associated Press investigation shows that, despite the settlement, the U.S. government has re‑separated dozens of children from their parents this past year—cases that were fully documented by the settlement. Reports indicate that many parents were detained in immigration facilities for months, while others were deported after the system identified them as “legally off‑limits for removal.” Immigration officials thereby undermined the court’s order to keep families together. Their emails reveal that the department used the designation of “statutory authority” to justify removal orders against those entitled to protection.</p><h2>Government’s Defense</h2><p>Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis, spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, insisted “the agency complies with all court orders.” She argued that enforcement of immigration law was “not optional” and that every removal “helps restore order.” The Department’s attorneys claim there are no legal restrictions on its authority to execute removal orders, a stance that conflicts sharply with the settlement’s mandates.</p><h2>Practical Impact on Families</h2><p>Elva López reports that after returning to Florida on a judge’s order, the Department again questioned her, tracing fingerprints and taking new documents. She received only two weeks of humanitarian parole, while Ederson and his siblings remain in legal limbo. The settlement’s benefits, including the right to apply for asylum, will expire in December. Beyond the expiration, the Department’s current contract covering legal services also ends in August, leaving families without counsel or support.</p><h2>What’s at Stake?</h2><p>The settlement requires that removal orders be canceled by December and that the government fully documents every class‑member family. Failure to meet these deadlines could strip families of their legal status and future asylum claims. As deportation numbers rise, many parents fear filling out government paperwork and miss out on the settlement’s protections because they are unaware of the lawsuit’s provisions or the impending expiration dates.</p><h2>Looking Ahead</h2><p>With the settlement’s deadline approaching and a court order that the government violated the settlement, legal teams are pushing for immediate statutory action to ensure all families are granted the rights they were promised. Meanwhile, the public remains largely unaware that the Trump administration’s second‑term policy has caused new separations, perpetuating the trauma originally caused by the first‑term policy.</p><h2>Stay Informed</h2><p>For ongoing updates, connect with the investigative team at <a href=\"mailto:investigative@ap.org\">investigative@ap.org</a> or through the secure Signal channel at +1 (202) 281‑8604. The story continues to unfold as courts and advocacy groups press for compliance with the mandated settlement. "</p>

St. Paul Prosecutor Declares No State Charges for ICE Protesters","description":"City Attorney Irene Kao announced that anti‑immigration activists who disrupted a Minnesota church service will not face state criminal charges, a decision that has drawn criticism from church leadership and civil rights groups.","summary":"In St. Paul, Minnesota, a group of protesters who interrupted a church service in January were charged federally but will not face state crime charges, according to City Attorney Irene Kao. The protest was led by former CNN host Don Lemon and targeted a pastor who also served as an ICE official. Despite the city’s statement that no violence or property damage occurred, church leaders argue that the act itself broke the law.","image":"https://example.com/images/ice_protest.jpg","text":"<p>In St. Paul, Minnesota, a group of anti‑immigration protesters, who already face federal criminal charges, interrupted a church service on January 18, but the city attorney has decided they will not also face state criminal charges.</p><p>City Attorney Irene Kao said the evidence available was insufficient to meet the standard required for criminal prosecution under Minnesota state statutes. \"This decision should not be interpreted as an endorsement of unlawful behavior or public disorder,\" Kao added. \"The right to peacefully protest is protected, as is the right to exercise one’s religious beliefs. Balancing these equally important rights is paramount to our decision today.\"</p><p>The federal Department of Justice filed civil‑rights charges against 39 people, including former CNN journalist Don Lemon and another independent reporter, after a livestream showed the protests at Cities Church on Jan. 18. Protesters chanted \"ICE out\" and \"Justice for Renee Good,\" a 37‑year‑old mother of three who was fatally shot by an ICE agent during an intensified federal immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis.</p><p>Participants discovered that one of the church’s pastors also served as an ICE official overseeing the national enforcement push in Minnesota. \"According to the St. Paul City Attorney's logic, it is perfectly fine for agitators to invade a mosque, cathedral, or temple, intimidate the families and children inside, and shut down their religious gathering,\" pastor Jonathan Parnell said in a written statement. \"Just call it a protest.\"</p><p>While the protesters did not smash windows or spill property, the church’s attorneys argue that the right to disrupt worship is not protected by law. \"Violence, destruction of property and threats to public safety remain serious concerns,\" Kao added, noting that such actions did not occur during the demonstration.<br>Despite the absence of violence, the church says that the legal boundaries were still crossed.</p><p>Four states – Idaho, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Kansas – adopted statutes this year that deem it a crime to disrupt worship services. These laws are now in effect in those states and are being monitored by civil‑rights advocates in Minnesota as well.</p>

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CBS News in Turmoil: ‘60 Minutes’ Faces Shake‑Ups and Scandals","description":"Explore the unfolding controversy at CBS’s flagship news program—the firing of top correspondents, leadership changes, and questions about its future direction amid a canny fight for relevance.","summary":"Recent leadership changes at CBS News have triggered the dismissal of three correspondents, including veteran Scott Pelley, and the appointment of new executives. While CBS attempts to re‑brand the legendary 58‑season show “60 Minutes,” critics argue the shake‑ups threaten the program’s core values and investigative legacy.","image":"https://dims.apnews.com/dims4/default/cd33d6d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/3600x2400+0+0/resize/599x399!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.apnews.com%2F6c%2Fe7%2Fb553edb5b6448206b538498b3370%2F8c9c8f390853414fbe6839e426ea0b66","text":"<h2 style=\"font-size:1.5em; font-weight:bold;\">CBS News in Turmoil: ‘60 Minutes’ Faces Shake‑Ups and Scandals</h2><p>In a continuous saga that echoed the intense launch of the show in 1968, CBS News leader Bari Weiss has unleashed a “new approach” on its flagship program. The move, described by the network as a necessary evolution, has already cost three senior correspondents, including veteran host Scott Pelley, and displaced long‑time producer Tanya Simon. With the program’s rating highs amid the political turbulence of the last few years, the crisis now threatens to eclipse its 58‑season legacy.</p><p>On September 24, 1968, Harry Reasoner famously declared “This is ‘60 Minutes,’” ushering in a new format for television journalism. He called it a “new approach.” Now, at the midpoint of its lifespan, the same phrase has become the rallying cry of those at the helm of a show that has outlasted a thousand political seasons.</p><h2 style=\"font-size:1.5em; font-weight:bold;\">The Shake‑Ups</h2><p>In a dramatic spin‑off from the network’s reality TV division, Weiss appointed technology columnist Nick Bilton as executive producer, replacing 30‑year veteran Tanya Simon. Alongside the leadership swap, the network axed award‑winning correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega, effectively stripping the show of four of its most recognizable faces. The departure of Anderson Cooper, who left voluntarily, has left a void in on‑deck reporting.</p><p>Scott Pelley was fired in a tense meeting with management, after a confrontation with Bilton’s team. Pelley has publicly accused the new leadership of “instructing me to inject falsehoods and bias into politically sensitive stories” and has claimed that he was told to include unverified claims. He has also suggested that the changes serve political ends, praising former MSNBC editor‑in‑chief <a href=\"https://apnews.com/article/849feac594d54642915110b4976d5046\" style=\"color:#0066ff; text-decoration:underline;\">Roger Segall</a> and setting a tone that favors a particular Washington establishment.</p><h2 style=\"font-size:1.5em; font-weight:bold;\">Apollo of the Past and the Future of the Show</h2><p>Historian Robert Thompson notes that, “It started in 1968—time is this good.” But the structural changes now raise the question whether the show will move toward a “next generation” or remain an untouchable relic of early network journalism. Thompson reminds that the program has continually evolved under different directors; writers and analysts still poke holes at the claim that the legacy cannot shift at all.</p><p>Former executive producer Jeff Fager—who authored <i>Fifty Years of 60 Minutes: The Inside Story of Television’s Most Influential News Broadcast</i>—has openly cautioned that “I can’t imagine running ‘60 Minutes’ without Scott.” Fager warned that the loss of “the most remarkable body of work” would hobo the network’s credibility.</p><p>Not long before these upheavals, CBS faced a civil‑rights lawsuit with President Donald Trump over an edited 2024 interview with former presidential candidate Kamala Harris. The lawsuit was settled for $16 million by Paramount and Skydance, whose merger has added more layers of corporate oversight to the network’s decision‑making. The settlement angered many at the show, and subsequently led to the departure of late‑night host Stephen Colbert.</p><h2 style=\"font-size:1.5em; font-weight:bold;\">The Outsider’s Verdict</h2><p>Media pundits have weighed in, from CNN’s Brian Stelter to the AP’s own role in bringing the turmoil to light. Žest opinions range from calling it a new era to it being, in some eyes, a clampdown. NBA commissioner Roger Goodell has been asked by Congress to testify on streaming adoption, reflecting the larger question about where the network’s future lies toward digital platforms and viewer engagement.</p><p>Weiss has made a promise that Season 59 will “deliver unforgettable stories” if the brand is consistent. The upcoming roster, however, remains unclear, and skeptics worry that the show may simply be in a battle over political narrative control.</p><p>So far, no clear direction has materialized. The question remains: will CBS “ride the new approach” or will the legacy of investigative journalism turn off its frazzled audience? The next 12 months will determine whether the show’s long‑standing brand will survive or become a footnote written by fan blogs and industry gossip.</p><p>— Jocelyn Noveck, covers media and entertainment for the AP</p>