Senator Jon Ossoff called President Donald Trump a "draft-dodging crook president" during a town hall meeting in Georgia. Ossoff spoke alongside Senator Mark Kelly and Gabrielle Giffords while talking to voters.
Key Facts
Senator Jon Ossoff represents Georgia in the U.S. Senate.
Ossoff made the statement during a town hall event with local voters.
He called President Trump a "draft-dodging crook president."
Ossoff shared the stage with Senator Mark Kelly from Arizona.
Gabrielle Giffords, a former Arizona congresswoman, was also present at the event.
The town hall focused on political discussions relevant to voters.
Ossoff and Kelly work together on issues related to Senate Intelligence.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A whistleblower alleges that President Donald Trump’s administration predetermined investigations into anti-Semitism at top universities for political reasons, ignoring normal legal procedures. The Justice Department denies these claims, saying the whistleblower was not involved in the investigations.
Key Facts
A whistleblower claims the Trump administration’s anti-Semitism investigations at Ivy League schools were politically driven and ignored proper procedures.
The whistleblower, Haley Van Erem, worked in the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division but was not part of these university probes, according to DOJ.
Van Erem filed a complaint accusing the task force of targeting professors based on religion and ethnicity and forcing multimillion-dollar settlements without legal proof.
The task force was created by President Trump’s executive order in early 2025 to address anti-Semitism on college campuses amid protests during the Gaza conflict.
The complaint alleges political appointees overruled career investigators and predetermined outcomes to pressure universities financially.
The Justice Department spokesperson stands by the investigations and denies any wrongdoing.
House Judiciary Committee member Jamie Raskin has opened an investigation into the whistleblower’s allegations of political manipulation in these federal probes.
The complaint and investigation focus on possible violations of Title VI, a law that prohibits discrimination in programs receiving federal funding.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Steve Bannon, an adviser to President Donald Trump, urged the administration to declare a national emergency to place immigration agents (ICE) at polling stations during the 2024 midterm elections. Bannon says this would help stop illegal voting and ensure election security, but critics argue it could intimidate voters and block some Americans from voting.
Key Facts
Steve Bannon wants a national emergency declared for election security.
He suggests having an "up-armored ICE presence" at voting sites in November.
Bannon believes this will stop illegal voters from casting ballots.
Critics say this may intimidate voters and prevent legal voters without ID from voting.
President Donald Trump has not confirmed any national emergency plans for the elections.
The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act includes voter ID and mail-in ballot limits but has not passed the Senate.
Election experts say a national emergency cannot force changes to state-run elections.
Democrats, including Senator Chuck Schumer, oppose these efforts and say they will fight attempts that undermine voting rights.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The article explores important American objects that reveal parts of U.S. history over the last 250 years. It invites readers to test their knowledge of 10 notable items connected to American culture and history.
Key Facts
The article discusses objects like apple pie, baseball, and the atomic bomb.
These objects reflect different periods and aspects of American history.
Some items, like the “whites-only” sign, represent historical social issues.
The focus is on things Americans have made, shaped, or owned.
The article is written by Holly Meyer, a member of the Associated Press Global Religion team.
Holly Meyer is based in Nashville, Tennessee.
The article is designed to educate and engage readers about U.S. heritage.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A judge nominated by President Donald Trump, Jeffrey Kuntz, has taken over as the judge in Trump's $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC. The case concerns the BBC’s Panorama programme editing a speech Trump gave before the January 6, 2021, Capitol riots, and the trial is set for February 2027.
Key Facts
Jeffrey Kuntz was nominated by President Trump in April 2024 and confirmed by the Senate last month.
Kuntz replaced Judge Roy Altman, who was previously handling Trump's defamation case against the BBC.
Trump is suing the BBC over edited footage in its Panorama episode that combined parts of his speech from January 6, 2021.
The BBC has apologized for the editing but asked the court to dismiss the case, arguing lack of defamation and court jurisdiction.
The trial is scheduled for February 2027, and President Trump has requested a jury trial.
Kuntz was involved in another defamation case favoring Trump involving the Pulitzer Prize board in 2025.
There were concerns about a conflict of interest because Kuntz was in talks about his federal appointment while ruling on a case involving Trump.
Kuntz stated he followed judicial ethics and was contacted by the White House only after giving his legal opinion.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A woman from Massachusetts was sentenced to more than six years in prison for planning to kill Scott Bessent, the US treasury secretary, using homemade firebombs at the US Capitol in January 2025. She said she was going through a mental health crisis and drug abuse at the time and had no real chance of harming anyone.
Key Facts
Riley English, 26, brought homemade firebombs to the US Capitol intending to kill Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent during his Senate confirmation.
English was experiencing mental health problems and drug abuse when she made the plan.
She was sentenced to six years and one month in prison, with credit for nearly 20 months already served.
No one was hurt, and the firebombs appeared unable to ignite.
Prosecutors recommended a longer sentence of over 10 years, calling the plan an attempted political assassination.
English was inspired by another criminal case and planned attacks on other political figures and a conservative thinktank.
Her defense argued she was traumatized and acting irrationally due to fears for transgender people under President Donald Trump’s second term.
The judge said her chance of success was extremely low and viewed her actions as a cry for help.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Duane "Keffe D" Davis is on trial in Las Vegas for his alleged role in the 1996 drive-by shooting that killed rapper Tupac Shakur. A forensic pathologist testified about the gunshot wounds Tupac suffered, and family members viewed some of the autopsy photos as prosecutors presented evidence.
Key Facts
Duane "Keffe D" Davis is charged with planning the shooting that killed Tupac Shakur in 1996.
Tupac’s family attended the trial; some left when autopsy photos were shown.
Forensic pathologist Dr. Lisa Gavin described three bullet wounds to Tupac’s body, including one that caused a lung collapse.
Tupac spent six days in the hospital before dying from his injuries.
The trial included surveillance video showing a fight at the MGM Grand, involving Davis’ nephew, Orlando "Baby Lane" Anderson, earlier on the day Tupac was shot.
Davis is accused of orchestrating the shooting but is not charged with firing the gun.
If convicted, Davis faces life in prison.
Tupac was riding in a BMW with hip-hop mogul Marion "Suge" Knight when the shooting happened.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The Trump administration wants to restart criminal charges against Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran man who was wrongly deported. A judge had dismissed the case, saying the charges were political retaliation, but the government is appealing that decision.
Key Facts
Kilmar Abrego Garcia was wrongfully deported from the US to El Salvador.
He was held in a detention center in El Salvador known for abuse and alleged torture.
A 2019 immigration judge ruled that Abrego Garcia had a well-founded fear of being targeted in El Salvador.
After the wrongful deportation was admitted, he was brought back to the US.
The Trump administration filed human trafficking charges against him.
US District Judge Waverly Crenshaw called the prosecution an abuse of power and dismissed the charges.
The Justice Department is appealing the judge’s ruling to try to revive the case.
Abrego Garcia wants to be deported to Costa Rica, but the administration wants to send him to Liberia, a country he has no ties to.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A man named Larry Montes attacked a woman and a security guard at a New York synagogue during Shabbat services. He has been charged with federal hate crimes and damaging religious property.
Key Facts
Larry Montes allegedly hit a 63-year-old woman and head-butted a security guard.
He spat at the security guard and damaged property inside Central Synagogue.
Montes was already facing hate crime charges at the state level.
Federal prosecutors charged him with two counts of hate crimes and one count of damaging religious property causing injury.
The woman injured had a cut on her lip and an injured forearm.
A police sergeant working at the synagogue arrested Montes immediately.
The attack happened just after 6 p.m. at the start of Shabbat services.
The incident was recorded and shown on a livestream of the synagogue service.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Senator Elissa Slotkin asked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to confirm that the U.S. military will not be involved in the upcoming midterm elections. She wants assurance that troops will not be sent to voting places or to take control of election materials. The Pentagon said it will reply directly to her request.
Key Facts
Senator Elissa Slotkin wrote to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and General Dan Caine on Tuesday.
Slotkin requested confirmation that the military will stay out of the November midterm elections.
She specifically asked that no troops be sent to polling places or to seize election materials.
Democrats have expressed concerns about possible military interference in the vote.
The Pentagon said it will respond to Slotkin directly, following its usual procedure.
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff had not commented publicly at the time of the report.
The article mentions a related topic of a National Guard deployment extension but does not provide details.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Minnesota’s attorney general has sued Texas’s governor to force the extradition of ICE agent Christian Castro. Castro is charged with shooting a man and lying about the incident during a federal crackdown in Minneapolis, but Texas has not sent him to Minnesota to face these charges.
Key Facts
Christian Castro, an ICE agent, is charged with shooting Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in Minneapolis on January 14.
Castro also faces charges of lying about the shooting to justify his actions.
Minnesota wants Texas Governor Greg Abbott to approve Castro’s extradition so he can face trial.
Texas arrested Castro in May but has not extradited him to Minnesota.
Minnesota officials say Castro might be released soon under Texas law and could flee to Mexico.
Attorney General Keith Ellison sued Governor Abbott and asked a judge to stop Castro’s release.
The shooting happened during “Operation Metro Surge,” a federal crackdown in Minneapolis.
Federal authorities dropped initial charges against the victims and are investigating possible false statements by ICE agents.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Minnesota’s Attorney General Keith Ellison has filed a federal lawsuit against Texas Governor Greg Abbott to force him to send back an ICE agent, Christian Castro, who is charged with assault and lying about a shooting in Minneapolis. Minnesota accuses Governor Abbott of refusing to approve Castro’s extradition despite a court order and a formal request from Minnesota’s governor.
Key Facts
Christian Castro, an ICE agent, is charged with second-degree assault and falsely reporting a crime after shooting a man’s leg in Minneapolis on January 14, 2026.
A Minnesota judge found enough evidence to charge Castro and issued a nationwide arrest warrant.
Texas Rangers arrested Castro in Texas, and a local judge ordered him detained for extradition.
Minnesota requested Castro’s extradition on May 29, but Texas Governor Abbott has not approved it.
Minnesota sues Governor Abbott, claiming his refusal violates federal and Texas laws.
The lawsuit also names Cameron County Sheriff Manuel Trevino for not making Castro available for extradition.
Minnesota seeks a court order to stop the sheriff from releasing Castro.
Texas officials have not publicly responded to the lawsuit.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Jen Psaki, a news anchor, asked Senator Jon Ossoff about a recent comment he made that made fun of President Donald Trump's secret change of planes. Ossoff criticized President Trump for bringing a White House assistant on the new plane while leaving several cabinet members on a different plane.
Key Facts
Jen Psaki is a news anchor on MS NOW.
She questioned Senator Jon Ossoff, a Democrat from Georgia.
Ossoff made a comment last week mocking President Trump.
The comment was about President Trump secretly changing planes.
President Trump brought White House executive assistant Natalie Harp on the new plane.
Multiple cabinet members stayed on a different, decoy plane.
Ossoff criticized President Trump’s decision in his remark.
The discussion happened on Monday.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Ryan Michael English was sentenced to more than six years in prison for planning to assassinate Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. English admitted to the plot to the U.S. Capitol Police after his arrest last year.
Key Facts
Ryan Michael English is 24 years old and from South Deerfield, Massachusetts.
He also uses the name Raleigh Jane English.
He was involved in a plan to assassinate Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
English confessed the assassination plot to the U.S. Capitol Police.
He was sentenced on Tuesday to over six years in prison.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced the sentence.
The arrest happened last year.
The case involved security efforts around a high-ranking U.S. government official.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A Massachusetts woman, Riley English, was sentenced to a little over six years in prison for bringing homemade firebombs to the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to kill Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in January 2025. She claimed she was in a mental health crisis and under drug abuse at the time and had no real chance of carrying out the attack.
Key Facts
Riley English is a 26-year-old transgender woman from South Deerfield, Massachusetts.
She brought homemade firebombs and a knife to the U.S. Capitol intending to kill Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
The attack attempt happened in January 2025, during Bessent’s Senate confirmation.
English said she was influenced by another criminal and was suffering from mental health problems and drug abuse.
Investigators found her Molotov cocktails appeared unable to ignite.
Treasury Secretary Bessent was not at the Capitol when English arrived.
English was sentenced to 6 years and 1 month in prison, with 3 years of supervised release afterward.
The judge gave credit for almost 20 months already spent in custody.
Prosecutors had recommended a 10-year sentence.
English also mentioned plans to target other political figures and conservative groups but changed her focus after reading about Bessent’s confirmation.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Liberia has agreed to accept up to 1,200 deportees from the United States within one year. The first group of 20 deportees is expected to arrive soon as part of a U.S. policy to reduce illegal immigration by sending people to third countries.
Key Facts
Liberia will take in 1,200 deportees from the U.S. within a year.
The first group of 20 deportees will arrive on Thursday.
Deportees include people from Africa, North America, South America, and the Caribbean.
This is part of a policy under President Donald Trump’s administration to discourage illegal migration.
The U.S. has made similar agreements with other African countries.
The program involves deporting people to countries that are not their own.
Thousands of people have been deported under these third-country agreements.
The deals are often secret and part of a wider U.S. immigration crackdown.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Dartmouth Health plans to stop its Tele-ICU and Tele-ED telehealth services that support emergency and intensive care in rural hospitals. This decision will affect several hospitals in Vermont and the surrounding region due to high costs without external funding.
Key Facts
Dartmouth Health will end its Tele-ICU (remote intensive care) and Tele-ED (remote emergency department) services.
These services help rural hospitals by connecting local medical teams with Dartmouth specialists for critical and emergency care.
The services reduce patient death rates, shorten ICU stays, and lower the need for patient transfers to bigger hospitals.
Five Vermont hospitals, including Grace Cottage Hospital and Southwestern Vermont Medical Center, use these telehealth services.
Dartmouth Health says the costs of these programs are too high to sustain without outside financial support.
Tele-ICU and Tele-ED services also help reduce staffing costs and keep patients in local, less expensive hospitals.
Grace Cottage Hospital called the Tele-ED service a valuable partnership for its emergency care.
Dartmouth launched the Tele-ICU service line in 2019 to improve patient safety and reduce staff burnout.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
U.S. Representative Ralph Norman expressed confusion over President Donald Trump’s endorsement of Senator Darline Graham in South Carolina’s Republican Senate runoff. Norman believes his own experience in Congress and alignment with Trump’s priorities make him a stronger candidate to replace the late Senator Lindsey Graham.
Key Facts
Ralph Norman is a U.S. Representative from South Carolina and is running in the Republican Senate runoff.
Senator Darline Graham, who was appointed after her brother Lindsey Graham’s death, is running for the full Senate term.
President Trump endorsed Darline Graham in the runoff election.
Norman disagrees with Trump’s endorsement and says voters have not had enough time to evaluate Graham’s qualifications.
The runoff election is set for August 25, 2026, and the winner will face Democrat Annie Andrews in November.
Norman finished second to Graham in the August 11 special primary where no candidate won a majority.
Norman previously supported Nikki Haley in the 2024 presidential primary but is now a Trump supporter.
Norman also criticized large amounts of campaign spending against him, including from a super PAC aligned with Lindsey Graham supporters.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A man named Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Maine during an operation. A congresswoman said the intended target was Durán Guerrero’s roommate, who had a removal order, while Durán Guerrero himself did not and had a pending asylum case.
Key Facts
Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, 25, a Colombian national, was killed by ICE in Biddeford, Maine, on July 13, 2026.
The person ICE aimed to arrest was Durán Guerrero’s roommate, the owner of the car Durán Guerrero was driving.
Durán Guerrero did not have a final removal order but had an active asylum case and a valid work permit.
Democratic Rep. Chellie Pingree called the shooting a “shocking revelation” contradicting ICE and Homeland Security statements.
ICE says it was targeting a person with a final removal order at a last known address but won’t reveal investigative details.
The Maine Attorney General’s Office is investigating the shooting.
ICE claimed the shooting happened after Durán Guerrero tried to flee and the officer feared for public safety.
The ICE officer involved had a history of violent behavior and mental health issues, raising concerns among lawmakers.
After the shooting, ICE planned to limit vehicle stops, but President Donald Trump opposed this policy change.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Fox News has changed its forecast for the U.S. Senate races in Michigan and Texas to "toss-ups," meaning either party could win. This update comes less than three months before Election Day.
Key Facts
Fox News now rates the Michigan Senate race as a toss-up, moving it from a Democratic lean.
The Texas Senate race was changed from a lean Republican to a toss-up.
The change means both races are now seen as very competitive.
Michigan’s Democratic nominee is Abdul El-Sayed.
The Texas race features a Republican candidate and is no longer considered likely to be an easy win for that party.
Election Day is less than three months away.
Toss-up status means no clear favorite is predicted to win.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
