Rex Heuermann, a 63-year-old architect from Manhattan, will be sentenced for killing eight women over more than 30 years in the Gilgo Beach area of New York. He pleaded guilty to these murders and faces multiple life sentences, while the victims’ families are set to speak in court.
Key Facts
Rex Heuermann admitted killing eight women, mostly young sex workers, between 1993 and 2010.
He faces three consecutive life sentences plus 100 years to life for the murders.
Victims’ families will give two impact statements each during the sentencing hearing.
The crimes were uncovered starting in 2011, with bodies found along Long Island’s south shore.
Heuermann was identified through DNA evidence, cellphone records, and a distinctive green pickup truck.
His ex-wife and daughter are not expected to attend the sentencing.
Victims’ attorney Gloria Allred will represent several families in court.
The case involved months of investigation before Heuermann’s arrest in 2023.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The article discusses how voting rights in the U.S. have been restricted over time, especially affecting minority voters. It highlights President Donald Trump's efforts to implement stronger voting rules and voting district maps that critics say reduce Democratic votes.
Key Facts
In 1982, the author fought a case about unfair elections in Georgia where Black voters were often outvoted due to the way elections were held.
The Supreme Court changed rules to require proof that a law's main purpose was discrimination before it could be challenged.
Congress amended the Voting Rights Act to stop election methods that led to discrimination, even if it was not the main purpose.
John Roberts, once a lawyer who opposed these amendments, is now Chief Justice and has helped roll back voting protections.
Laws have been passed restricting voting hours, early voting, and ballot delivery, mostly affecting minority voters who tend to vote Democratic.
Similar voter restrictions have happened in Republican-controlled northern states, reducing minority turnout.
President Trump is pushing for stricter voting rules like requiring proof of citizenship, despite little evidence of voter fraud among non-citizens.
Trump supports aggressive redrawing of voting districts (gerrymandering) to favor Republican candidates.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Janeese Lewis George is leading the Democratic primary for mayor of Washington, D.C., and is expected to win the general election. If elected, she would become the first democratic socialist mayor in D.C., representing a growing movement of democratic socialists in U.S. local politics.
Key Facts
Janeese Lewis George has about 53% of the vote in the D.C. Democratic mayoral primary, leading her nearest rival by over 16 percentage points.
D.C. is heavily Democratic, making her expected general election win likely.
Lewis George would be the first democratic socialist mayor in Washington, D.C.
Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) has increased its influence in U.S. politics, with members elected in major cities and Congress.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is another DSA member recently elected to lead a major city.
The DSA supports policies like single-payer healthcare and the Green New Deal, aiming for more democratic control of the economy.
Lewis George will have to manage the relationship with President Donald Trump, who has challenged D.C.’s autonomy.
D.C. voted overwhelmingly against President Trump in the 2024 election, with less than 7% support.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Boxer Floyd Mayweather faces two felony charges in Las Vegas for allegedly writing a bad cheque to buy a watch. The charges include theft and passing a cheque without enough money, both related to a $200,000 cheque he wrote to a luxury resale store.
Key Facts
Mayweather is charged with theft of $100,000 or more and passing a bad cheque of $1,200 or more.
The alleged incident happened in December 2024 when Mayweather wrote a $200,000 cheque with insufficient funds.
Mayweather was not present at his initial court hearing but was represented by a lawyer.
If convicted, he could face 1 to 20 years in prison and fines up to $15,000 for theft, plus additional penalties for fraud.
Mayweather faces other legal issues, including a lawsuit over unpaid rent and disputes with jewellers.
He also filed a lawsuit against his former business manager for an alleged fraud scheme.
Mayweather, 49, announced a return to competitive boxing in summer 2024.
He is a former five-division world champion with a perfect professional record of 50-0.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
President Donald Trump spent $14 million to repaint the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool blue as part of a beautification effort. However, shortly after the work finished, algae turned the water green, leading to jokes by late-night TV hosts Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon.
Key Facts
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool received a $14 million makeover ordered by President Trump.
The pool was repainted in a color described as "American flag blue."
Shortly after completion, algae caused the pool water to turn green.
National Park Service workers used hydrogen peroxide to try to fix the algae problem.
The pool update is part of a project ahead of the United States' 250th anniversary.
Late-night hosts Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon made jokes about the pool turning green.
Jimmy Kimmel called the color change "Mexican flag green."
The viewing audience booed during the jokes on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Ohio has started to restrict or take away commercial driving licenses (CDLs) from about 1,200 foreign-born truck drivers because their documents no longer meet new federal rules. This is part of a larger national effort that includes stricter rules about which drivers can get or keep these licenses, focusing on road safety and proper immigration status.
Key Facts
Ohio is reviewing about 5,000 commercial driver's licenses as part of a federal audit.
Around 1,200 drivers in Ohio have had their licenses downgraded due to not meeting new federal requirements.
New federal rules, started in 2025 and finalized in 2026, limit CDLs for non-permanent residents to certain visa types like H-2A, H-2B, and E-2.
The U.S. Department of Transportation conducted a nationwide audit finding some states had issued licenses to ineligible drivers or allowed expired licenses.
Other states like Oregon, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Washington, Texas, and California have paused or restricted issuing or renewing non-domiciled CDLs.
Texas added English proficiency checks for commercial driver applicants as part of stricter enforcement.
These changes aim to improve roadway safety and ensure drivers have proper legal status to work in the U.S.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
State Senator Aisha Wahab won the special primary election for California’s 14th Congressional District to fill the seat left by Eric Swalwell. If no candidate gets more than 50% of the vote in the general election, the top two candidates will face each other in a runoff on August 18, 2026.
Key Facts
Aisha Wahab advanced in the special primary election for California’s 14th Congressional District.
The seat was vacated by Eric Swalwell, who resigned in April 2024.
Swalwell resigned after denying multiple accusations of sexual misconduct.
The district mostly favors the Democratic Party and covers parts of the San Francisco Bay Area’s East Bay region.
Other main candidates include Democrat Melissa Hernandez and Republicans Wendy Huang and Dena Maldonado.
If a candidate gets more than 50% of votes in the general election, they win the seat outright.
If no candidate achieves a majority, the top two will compete in a runoff election on August 18, 2026.
Wahab and Hernandez previously finished first and second in the June 2 primary for the next congressional term, securing a Democratic hold on the seat through the next term starting in 2027.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The UK government will issue a full apology to people affected by forced adoptions that happened between 1949 and 1976. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson confirmed the planned apology, calling this period shameful and saying those affected deserve to be recognized.
Key Facts
Between 1949 and 1976, about 185,000 babies were taken from unmarried mothers in England and Wales and put up for adoption.
Many pregnant women were sent to mother and baby homes run by religious groups to give birth.
Charities and local authorities helped fund these homes and find families to adopt the babies.
The Welsh and Scottish governments have already apologized for forced adoption practices.
The Catholic Church in England and Wales apologized for its role in 2016.
Countries like Ireland and Australia not only apologized but also offered financial compensation to affected mothers.
A UK government report in 2022 recommended a formal apology to women unfairly pressured into adoption.
The previous UK government expressed regret but did not issue a formal apology because it did not see the state as directly responsible.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A Florida couple, Steven Mills and Tiffany Score, discovered they were given the wrong embryo after their baby did not look like them genetically. They reached a custody agreement to keep the child, Shea, while recognizing she should also be legally connected to her biological parents.
Key Facts
Mills and Score used the Fertility Center of Orlando for in-vitro fertilization (IVF).
Their baby, born in December 2025, appeared to be of a different race, leading to genetic testing.
Tests showed Shea is not biologically related to Mills or Score.
The couple sued the clinic to identify the biological parents and check for other embryo mix-ups.
The clinic has since closed and faced other legal issues, including a case involving a surrogate pregnancy.
Mills and Score said they have a strong emotional bond with Shea and will remain her parents.
The custody agreement details between the couples remain private.
The couple still has questions about the status of their other stored embryos.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Some people convicted of attacking police during the January 6 events are using a special federal law called the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) to try to get money from the government. The Justice Department can decide whether to pay these claims, which come from a special fund controlled by Congress, and many of these people have received pardons from President Trump.
Key Facts
The Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) lets people sue the government for money if they believe they were wronged.
January 6 defendants who attacked officers are using the FTCA to seek millions in compensation.
The Justice Department has full control over settling these claims.
The money would come from the judgment fund, a government money pool approved by Congress.
All claimants in these cases were pardoned by President Trump.
The Trump administration stopped its earlier "anti-weaponization fund" after criticism from lawmakers.
Some lawyers say the FTCA provides a clearer legal path for compensation than the earlier fund idea.
Notable people, including Michael Flynn and Carter Page, have already settled FTCA claims with the government for $1.25 million each.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Some U.S. cities are seeing a rise in a movement called "sewer socialism," which focuses on expanding government services like affordable housing, child care, and public transportation. This movement is inspired by early 1900s policies and is gaining support among younger politicians and voters who want more public investments to help with cost-of-living issues.
Key Facts
Sewer socialism is a political approach that supports public programs for the common good, like affordable housing and public transit.
Politicians in cities like New York, Seattle, and Washington D.C. are promoting these ideas.
The movement dates back to early 1900s Milwaukee, where public sewer systems and housing projects were built by the government.
Many Americans, especially younger voters, have a more positive view of socialism compared to capitalism.
The movement revives New Deal-style public investments that were reduced in the 1970s and 1990s.
Some past policies reduced public housing funding or limited welfare benefits, shifting more responsibility to the private market.
The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) now has over 110,000 members and has helped elect around 172 candidates since 2018.
It is still uncertain whether sewer socialism will grow beyond liberal-leaning cities.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Republicans are focusing on Graham Platner, a Democrat, as a key opponent in their effort to keep control of the Senate. Platner, a progressive who is a combat veteran and oyster farmer, won the Democratic primary in Maine and is challenging Senator Susan Collins.
Key Facts
Graham Platner is a Democrat running for U.S. Senate in Maine.
He is a progressive candidate with a background as a combat veteran.
Platner also works as an oyster farmer.
He won the Democratic primary in Maine easily.
Senator Susan Collins is the Republican incumbent he aims to defeat.
Republicans view Platner as a major threat in the upcoming midterm elections.
This race is important for control of the U.S. Senate.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche faces challenges in getting confirmed by the Senate for the permanent position. Several Republican senators have expressed doubts about his trustworthiness and whether he can act independently from President Donald Trump.
Key Facts
Todd Blanche currently serves as the Acting Attorney General.
He is seeking Senate approval to become the permanent Attorney General.
Over 20 Republican senators criticized him in a recent private meeting.
Concerns focus on whether Blanche can be independent from President Trump.
The Senate confirmation process is expected to be difficult for Blanche.
Senate Republicans openly questioned his credibility during discussions.
The Attorney General leads the Justice Department and enforces U.S. laws.
The confirmation requires a majority vote in the Senate to finalize.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
Republican senators are working quietly to limit President Donald Trump’s authority to move U.S. troops out of Europe. The Senate Armed Services Committee is preparing legislation to make it harder for the White House to withdraw soldiers from NATO missions without Congress’s approval.
Key Facts
Some Republican lawmakers want more control over U.S. military decisions in Europe.
The focus is on President Trump’s ability to remove troops stationed there.
The Senate Armed Services Committee is leading the effort to introduce new rules.
These changes would require the president to get permission from Congress before moving troops.
The move aims to keep the U.S. committed to NATO, a military alliance with European countries.
The White House has indicated plans to reduce troops in Europe.
Congress wants to be involved in big decisions about American military presence overseas.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
California Governor Gavin Newsom is using a Justice Department investigation linked to President Donald Trump to boost his national political standing. Instead of being hurt by the probe, Newsom views it as a chance to gain attention as a possible Democratic candidate for president in 2028.
Key Facts
The Department of Justice is conducting an investigation involving President Donald Trump.
Governor Gavin Newsom is from California and a member of the Democratic Party.
Newsom is seen as a potential Democratic candidate for the 2028 presidential election.
The investigation could have challenged Newsom politically but instead is helping him.
Newsom is embracing the confrontation with President Trump to raise his profile nationally.
This situation is giving Newsom a new opportunity in his political career.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A recent AP-NORC poll shows that most Americans believe important freedoms like voting rights, free speech, and religious freedom are central to American identity but feel these rights are currently at risk. About two-thirds of people think voting rights are threatened, and many also see dangers to free speech and gun rights.
Key Facts
Around 90% of Americans say the right to vote is very important to the country’s identity.
About 90% also view freedom of speech as highly important to the nation.
Approximately 80% consider freedom of religion a core American value.
Around 60% say the right to keep and bear arms is important to national identity.
Two-thirds believe voting rights face some level of threat, with one-third seeing a major threat.
Nearly half say freedom of speech is under a major threat.
About 30% view gun rights and religious freedom as facing a major threat.
The poll was conducted before a recent Supreme Court decision that limited part of the Voting Rights Act.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
In Georgia’s primary runoffs, voters supported President Donald Trump’s pick for U.S. Senate but rejected his choice for governor. Among Democrats, the primaries highlight a split between progressive and moderate candidates as the party prepares for the midterm elections.
Key Facts
Georgia held primary runoff elections that are important ahead of the midterms.
Republicans in Georgia backed President Trump’s preferred Senate candidate.
Voters did not support President Trump’s choice for governor in the same elections.
President Trump’s endorsements remain influential in strongly Republican states like Georgia.
Democratic primaries show a divide between progressive and moderate candidates.
This primary season is seen as important for shaping strategies ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.
The article provides political updates specific to U.S. domestic elections.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has updated its National Detention Standards for 2026. The changes remove previous rules requiring detainees to be paid for work, increase federal control over detention facility operations, and add new policies on language services, mental health, and religious meal preparations.
Key Facts
ICE eliminated the rule that required detainees who work to receive at least $1 per day.
The updated standards require detention facilities to accept all detainees assigned by ICE, limiting refusal by private contractors.
Language services must be provided free of charge to detainees who do not speak English well.
Facilities are now required to offer kosher and halal meals prepared on-site if certified.
New mental health rules shorten evaluations from seven days to fewer days and add protections for detainees with serious mental illness in segregation.
Private contractors like GEO Group face lawsuits for paying detainees very low wages for work done inside detention centers.
The Supreme Court allowed a lawsuit against GEO Group over detainee pay to proceed.
The updated standards allow limited use of artificial intelligence tools for language interpretation in noncritical situations.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
A candidate supported by President Donald Trump, Mike Collins, won the Republican primary runoff in Georgia. He will run against Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff in the November midterm election for the U.S. Senate.
Key Facts
Mike Collins, endorsed by President Trump, defeated Derek Dooley in Georgia’s Republican primary runoff.
Collins is a U.S. House member since 2023 and a former trucking executive.
Collins has denied the 2020 election results and defended the January 6 rioters.
Jon Ossoff has been Georgia’s U.S. Senator since 2021 and will face Collins in the November election.
For governor, Republican Rick Jackson won the primary to face Democrat Keisha Lance Bottoms.
The Republican Senate narrowly failed to pass a resolution to end hostilities with Iran.
The Justice Department charged five men accused of planning an attack at a White House UFC event.
President Trump criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the G7 summit.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
President Trump is delaying the nomination of Jay Clayton to lead the U.S. intelligence community. He wants Congress to pass a voter ID law before approving a key intelligence surveillance program.
Key Facts
President Trump announced the delay while at the Group of Seven summit in France.
Jay Clayton was nominated to be director of national intelligence after Bill Pulte, the acting director, faced criticism for lack of experience.
Democrats opposed renewing an important surveillance program until Pulte's nomination was withdrawn.
President Trump accused Democrats of breaking a deal to renew the surveillance program after Clayton’s nomination.
Trump wants to keep Bill Pulte as acting director until Clayton’s replacement as U.S. attorney is confirmed.
Trump linked approval of the surveillance program (called FISA) to passing a voter ID bill he calls the "Save America Act."
The Republican-controlled Congress has not passed the voter ID bill because it lacks enough support, especially from Democrats.
Jay Clayton is currently U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and was formerly head of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Read the Original
Want the full story? Tap a source to open the original
article.
