Rex Heuermann pleaded guilty to killing eight women in the Gilgo Beach case and will be sentenced to life in prison. His ex-wife, Asa Ellerup, will not attend the sentencing to respect the victims and their families.
Key Facts
Rex Heuermann admitted to murdering eight women over 17 years and pleaded guilty in April 2024.
He strangled the victims and dismembered some bodies, many of whom were sex workers.
Heuermann’s ex-wife, Asa Ellerup, shares a daughter with him but is not involved in the crimes.
Ellerup chose not to attend the sentencing to keep the focus on the victims and their families.
The investigation used vehicle records and DNA from discarded pizza crusts to link Heuermann to the murders.
Heuermann was arrested in July 2023 after DNA evidence connected him to one of the crime scenes.
The victims include Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Sandra Costilla, and others found near Gilgo Beach, Long Island.
Family members of the victims are expected to be present at the sentencing hearing.
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Joy Behar, a co-host of the TV show "The View" and known for criticizing President Donald Trump, said she does not think Vice President Vance is a bad person. She also mentioned that a possible election between Vice President Vance and California Governor Gavin Newsom in 2028 would be interesting.
Key Facts
Joy Behar co-hosts the TV show "The View."
She has been a strong critic of President Donald Trump.
Behar said she does not believe Vice President Vance is a bad person.
She spoke about a potential 2028 election between Vice President Vance and Governor Gavin Newsom.
Gavin Newsom is the current governor of California and a Democrat.
The conversation suggests interest in future U.S. presidential elections.
Vice President Vance is being considered as a presidential candidate in 2028.
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Phillip Ensler is running for office in Alabama, a state in the southern United States. He is considered different from typical candidates in that region.
Key Facts
Phillip Ensler is a political candidate in Alabama.
Alabama is located in the Deep South of the United States.
Ensler's background or views make him stand out in his area.
The article focuses on his readiness to compete in an election.
Ensler represents a less common type of candidate for Alabama voters.
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A new study shows that many American parents are worried about being able to afford enough food for their children. Rising prices, especially for gas and energy, are making it harder for families to buy food, leading some parents to skip meals or cut back on other essentials.
Key Facts
67% of parents are more concerned about feeding their children now compared to last year, up from 44% in 2024.
51% of surveyed households struggled to afford enough food in the past year.
The study was done by HelloFresh and No Kid Hungry, surveying 2,000 parents of children aged 5 to 18.
87% of parents said the economy is making it harder to afford food.
Rising gas and energy costs contribute to families’ difficulties in feeding themselves.
Inflation rose 4.2% annually as of May 2024, the fastest increase since April 2023.
Many parents are skipping meals or using savings to buy food.
Food insecurity is especially high among lower-income and less educated households.
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Vice President JD Vance said the full details of the Iran deal will be shared by Friday. He stated that the deal is beneficial for the United States and that the Strait of Hormuz will open right away.
Key Facts
Vice President JD Vance appeared on CBS Mornings to talk about the Iran deal.
He said the specific details of the deal have not been released yet but will be by Friday at the latest.
Vance described the deal as good for the American people.
He mentioned that the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route, will open immediately after the deal.
The discussion also touched on the impact of gas prices and national security concerns related to the deal.
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The FBI uncovered a plot by a group of men to attack a UFC event at the White House during President Trump’s 80th birthday celebration. The plan involved using explosive drones to cause chaos and target government officials and others, motivated by anti-government and extremist beliefs.
Key Facts
The plot targeted the UFC Freedom 250 event held near the White House, marking President Trump’s 80th birthday and America’s 250th year.
Five men from Ohio, Missouri, Nebraska, and California were charged in connection with the plot.
The idea was to use drones with explosives to cause a stampede and attack officials and business leaders.
The group communicated through a TikTok group and encrypted chats on the Signal app.
The alleged ringleader was Abraham Hermosillo Alvarez, nicknamed “Shepherd.”
The group held a mix of beliefs, including anti-government sentiment, antisemitism, and ultrareligious views.
Authorities see this as part of a new trend in terrorism combining anti-elite feelings, encrypted coordination, and cheap technology like drones.
The FBI and Department of Homeland Security had identified the UFC event as a symbolic high-profile target, though no credible threat was confirmed until the plot was uncovered.
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Justice Arthur Engoron, who presided over President Donald Trump’s 2023 New York civil fraud trial, faced multiple threats and harassment during and after the trial. Engoron shared his experience of the trial’s intense media attention, the challenges of judicial security, and his reflections on his career in a recent interview.
Key Facts
Justice Arthur Engoron was the judge in President Trump’s New York civil fraud trial in 2023.
On January 11, 2024, Engoron received a credible bomb threat against his home, prompting police action.
Engoron faced antisemitic and homophobic taunts, threatening mail, harassing phone calls, and public insults during and after the trial.
President Trump repeatedly insulted Engoron in and outside the courtroom and targeted the judge’s staff, leading to a court order to protect his law clerk.
Engoron imposed a gag order on Trump to prevent attacks on court staff; this order was used in other Trump criminal cases.
Engoron retired from the New York Supreme Court at the end of 2023 and is now senior counsel at a Manhattan law firm.
The trial brought Engoron national recognition, including thanks from strangers and acknowledgment from Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
Engoron emphasized the importance of judicial security as threats against judges have increased in recent years.
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A former Social Security Administration chief supports raising the tax cap on high earners to help save Social Security from running out of money by 2032. Reports warn that without changes, Social Security will face large cuts in benefits because it plans to spend more than it collects.
Key Facts
The Social Security trust fund is expected to run out of money by 2032, one year earlier than last predicted.
Without changes, benefits could be cut automatically by 22%.
Martin O’Malley, who led the Social Security Administration recently, suggests wealthy Americans should pay more in payroll taxes.
Only 6 percent of Americans earn above the current Social Security tax cap and pay higher taxes.
Social Security faces a $3.8 trillion shortfall over the next decade.
Factors causing the shortfall include lower birth rates, less immigration, an aging population, and tax changes under President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
The worker-to-beneficiary ratio has dropped from over 5-to-1 in 1960 to about 2.9-to-1 today.
The Trump administration focuses on reducing waste and fraud as part of efforts to preserve Social Security and Medicare.
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Retired Justice Arthur Engoron spoke in an interview about his role in the civil fraud trial involving President Donald Trump. He described how the trial made him very well-known for a time and discussed the praise and criticism he received.
Key Facts
Arthur Engoron is a retired judge.
He presided over a civil fraud trial involving President Donald Trump.
The trial brought Engoron significant public attention.
Engoron spoke about both positive and negative reactions to his work on the case.
The interview was conducted by CBS News.
The topic focused on Engoron’s experience during and after the trial.
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The article shares a personal view that socialism, when put into practice, often involves force and harsh actions. The author says their family experienced these negative effects firsthand.
Key Facts
The article argues that socialism requires force and sometimes brutality to work.
The author’s family has direct experience living under socialism.
The author believes the term "democratic socialism" is misleading.
They claim many Democrats misunderstand or misrepresent socialism.
The focus is on the challenges and consequences of socialism in real life.
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President Donald Trump said that former President Barack Obama gave Iran money to make the 2015 nuclear deal happen. Trump mentioned a $1.7 billion payment that was part of a past legal settlement while speaking with the media during a meeting with Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
Key Facts
President Trump accused former President Obama of "bribing" Iran related to the 2015 nuclear deal.
The accusation refers to a $1.7 billion payment linked to resolving an old lawsuit with Iran.
This statement was made during a G7 summit event.
President Trump spoke briefly to the media alongside Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
The 2015 nuclear deal involved Iran agreeing to limit its nuclear program in exchange for lifting some sanctions.
The comment included the use of strong language by President Trump.
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The Justice Department, under President Donald Trump’s administration, is asking a judge to stop a housing reparations program in Evanston, Illinois. The program uses money from cannabis tax sales to help Black residents, but the government says it is unfair and violates the Constitution.
Key Facts
The Evanston city council started a reparations program in 2019 for Black residents.
The program is funded by $10 million from cannabis sales tax revenue.
The program focuses on housing benefits for Black people.
The Justice Department filed a lawsuit to stop the program.
The government argues the program discriminates based on race.
The lawsuit claims the program violates constitutional equality rules.
This is the first local reparations program of its kind in the U.S.
The legal challenge is happening during President Donald Trump’s administration.
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The Department of Labor, led by acting Secretary Keith Sonderling, sent letters to 53 states and territories demanding action to stop fraud and misuse in unemployment insurance programs. The department threatened to cut states’ administrative funds if they do not act, but did not provide clear data to back up claims of fraud in states like California, New York, and Illinois.
Key Facts
The Department of Labor sent letters to all states and territories warning about fraud in unemployment insurance.
They threatened to withhold funds that states use to run unemployment programs if issues are not addressed.
The department named California, New York, and Illinois as having high fraud or improper payments without providing detailed proof.
California owes $20 billion to the federal government from a loan given during the COVID-19 pandemic for unemployment aid.
Improper payments, which are often due to old computer systems, are not the same as fraud. The US average improper payment rate is about 14.9%.
Some Republican-led states like Florida report even higher improper payment rates than the states mentioned.
Experts say states need more help from the federal government, and blame or threats may make the problem worse.
In May 2025, the Department of Labor asked states to return unused funds from the American Rescue Plan, which critics say could disrupt efforts to improve unemployment systems.
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President Donald Trump will hold a press conference before leaving France, where he attended the G7 summit. He is expected to address questions about a 14-point plan to end conflict with Iran, which has received criticism from some of his allies.
Key Facts
President Trump is at the G7 summit in France.
He will hold a press conference before departing.
The press conference will include questions about a memorandum of understanding (MOU) related to ending the Iran conflict.
The MOU is a 14-point plan.
Some of President Trump’s allies are strongly criticizing the plan.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi will appear alongside President Trump at the press conference.
The news focuses on U.S. domestic politics and foreign policy discussions.
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President Donald Trump praised a deal with Iran at the G7 summit, but some Republican members of Congress are unsure about it. They want to see the full details of the agreement before supporting it, as the complete text has not yet been shared with the public.
Key Facts
President Trump spoke positively about the U.S.-Iran deal at the G7 summit.
Some Republicans in Congress are skeptical about the agreement.
The full text of the deal has not been released yet.
Republican lawmakers want to review the agreement before backing it.
The deal’s details are still unclear to many politicians and the public.
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The FBI stopped a planned attack on a UFC event held at the White House. The plan involved using drones with explosives and snipers to target people at the event. The suspect’s mother alerted authorities, which helped prevent the attack.
Key Facts
The FBI foiled a plot to attack a UFC event at the White House.
The attack plan included drones carrying explosives.
Snipers were also part of the alleged attack plan.
The event was scheduled for Sunday.
A suspect’s mother reported him to the authorities.
Court documents describe the details of the plot.
The attack was aimed at specific attendees of the UFC event.
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Vice President Vance said the Trump administration has not yet shared the full text of the agreement made with Iran. This delay is because of delicate diplomatic issues involving Iran and the countries helping with the talks.
Key Facts
Vice President Vance spoke on SiriusXM’s “The Megyn Kelly Show.”
The administration made a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Iran.
The MOU is a preliminary agreement between Washington and Tehran.
The full text of the MOU has not been released yet.
Diplomatic sensitivities are causing the delay in releasing the text.
Other countries are involved in helping mediate the talks.
The Trump administration is handling this process carefully.
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Cameron Hamilton is President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). He is testifying before the Senate Homeland Security Committee amid discussions about the future role of FEMA under this administration.
Key Facts
Cameron Hamilton was briefly the head of FEMA last year before being fired.
He is nominated by President Donald Trump to lead FEMA again.
Hamilton previously defended FEMA when the administration had plans to dismantle it.
The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee held a hearing on his nomination.
Hamilton has no experience as a state or local emergency management director.
He has criticized FEMA publicly in the past.
The Trump administration has recently seemed less focused on getting rid of FEMA.
The confirmation hearing took place at 9 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time.
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More than 72 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home during the Fourth of July holiday. This forecast predicts a record number of people traveling for the holiday season.
Key Facts
Over 72 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more for the Fourth of July holiday.
The travel prediction is a record high for this holiday.
The forecast was reported by AAA, a major American automobile club.
The information highlights increased travel activity during the holiday.
The Fourth of July is a popular time for Americans to visit family, friends, and vacation spots.
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Nearly 3 million homeowners in New York will receive more than $2 billion in property tax relief this year through the state's School Tax Relief (STAR) program. Payments and tax reductions will be distributed from summer into fall, with eligibility mainly based on income and whether the home is the owner's primary residence.
Key Facts
The STAR program offers property tax relief to most New York homeowners earning less than $500,000 a year.
Senior homeowners with incomes below about $110,000 can get larger benefits, up to $1,500.
Most people will receive between $350 and $600 in relief.
Payments may come as direct checks, direct deposits, or reductions on school tax bills.
The total amount paid out statewide exceeds $2 billion.
Payments started in summer and will continue through the fall to match local school tax deadlines.
Homeowners should check their STAR enrollment and keep their payment info updated.
New eligible homeowners who are not enrolled yet can still apply to receive benefits.
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