Desmond Milligan

A federal judge on Wednesday rejected the Trump administration’s bid to unseal grand jury materials used to charge disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein with sex trafficking, instead saying the government is the “logical party” to make any sweeping disclosures. The Trump administration sought to make public the secret grand jury proceedings as pressure from the president’s political base mounted to increase transparency about the case, which has long captured the public imagination. U.S. District Judge Richard Berman ruled that there is “clear precedent and sound purpose” for keeping grand jury records under seal, saying the government failed to show the Epstein papers demonstrate any “special circumstance” justifying their release. He also noted that the government is already in possession of vast details about the case. “The information contained in the Epstein grand jury transcripts pales in comparison to the Epstein investigation information and materials in the hands of the Department of Justice,” the judge wrote in a 14-page ruling. Berman said the fact the administration has already undertaken a comprehensive investigation into Epstein’s case and assembled a “trove” of documents, interviews and exhibits is a “significant and compelling reason” to reject its request. Those records “dwarf” the “70 odd pages” of grand jury materials, he said. “The Government is the logical party to make comprehensive disclosure to the public of the Epstein Files,” the judge wrote. “By comparison, the instant grand jury motion appears to be a ‘diversion’ from the breadth and scope of the Epstein files in the Government’s possession.” The Epstein case burst back into public discourse after the Justice Department last month issued a joint memo stating Epstein did not have an incriminating “client list” and confirming his 2019 death was a suicide, enraging MAGA influencers who have for years claimed that the government was concealing the truth. As frustration grew, top Justice Department officials moved to unseal the grand jury materials with redactions to protect victim confidentiality. The government cited abundant public interest in the case as reason to make the documents public, despite the usual secrecy of grand jury proceedings. In letters to the court following the government’s request, several victims and their lawyers said they weren’t adequately considered in the government’s push to make the papers public, questioning the administration’s motives. “I am not sure the highest priority here is the victims, justice for the victims or combatting child exploitation, or at least I do not feel this way,” one of the anonymous victims wrote. Berman said that the government failed to provide the victims with sufficient notice before filing their motions to unseal the grand jury material, calling possible threats to their safety and privacy “another compelling reason not to unseal” the documents. The ruling comes after another federal judge last week refused the Justice Department’s request to unseal grand jury materials used to charge Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime accomplice. U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer wrote in that ruling that the Maxwell grand jury testimony is “far from” a matter of significant historical or public interest. “It consists of garden-variety summary testimony by two law enforcement agents,” Engelmayer wrote. “And the information it contains is already almost entirely a matter of longstanding public record.” Maxwell opposed the unsealing, while representatives for Epstein’s estate did not take a position on the matter. A third judge, U.S. District Judge Robin Rosenberg, denied the Justice Department’s request to unseal grand jury transcripts from a different Epstein probe last month, writing that “the Court’s hands are tied — a point that the government concedes.” The Hill requested comment from the White House. The Justice Department declined to comment. Updated 3:50 p.m. EDT Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. View the full article

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) Texas Republicans could pass critical legislation Wednesday giving them an advantage in next year’s midterms. Right now, Democrats and Republicans are debating a bill allowing the GOP to carve out districts likely to give them five extra congressional seats. Typically, maps are redrawn every decade following the census report, which is why this battle has garnered so much attention. Texas Democrats who fled the state in an attempt to delay the vote are putting up a fight to the very end. “This is unprecedented, and it is wrong,” said Texas State Rep. Chris Turner (D). Texas Democrats slammed Republicans who are likely to advance President Donald Trump’s plan to redraw Texas’ election maps giving Republicans a chance to pick up five more congressional seats in next year’s midterms. “The underlying goal of this plan is straightforward: Improve Republican political performance,” said Texas State Rep. Todd Hunter (R). Ahead of the debate Democrats tried to hold the line. They delayed the vote 15 days by fleeing the state. Since returning they’ve been assigned round the clock police escorts to prevent another escape. Seven Democrats refused and were stuck on the House floor overnight. “We’ll keep doing this tit for tat as long as they’re doing it,” said Texas State Rep. Nicole Collier (D). California Democrats are now stepping in. Governor Gavin Newsom is urging voters in his state to support a ballot measure that could give Democrats five more congressional seats Texas is merely the first state the president is eyeing. The White House is also urging states like Indiana and Missouri to redraw their maps to give Republicans a better shot at maintaining control in Washington. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | DC, Virginia, Maryland News, Weather, Traffic, Sports Live. View the full article

A man approaches the Minnehaha County Treasurer's Office in Sioux Falls on Aug. 20, 2025, the second day on which a power outage shut down access to state records. (John Hult/South Dakota Searchlight) South Dakota’s court system declared a judicial emergency Wednesday in response to an ongoing outage of state websites, data portals and communication systems. Since Tuesday, people in and outside the judicial system have been unable to get court records or court dates, file documents like protection orders, trial motions, civil lawsuits or small claims cases. Public access points like ecourts.sd.us remain inaccessible, and court system employees can’t access records through their own non-public information portals. The court system is also unable to take electronic payments of fines, though a press release from the Unified Judicial System said clerks can take payments in person. The judicial emergency suspends “all deadlines, time schedules, due dates and filing requirements imposed by applicable statutes, rules and court orders” until ordered by the court. Power outages across South Dakota government stymie services statewide The emergency declaration is part of the fallout from a power outage in the state’s data center, which is the term used by the Bureau of Information Technology to describe the hardware scattered across the state and connected through the state’s network. Driver’s license exam stations and self-service kiosks remained inaccessible Wednesday, as did vehicle registration and vehicle licensing, birth and death records and the state’s voter registration database. Law enforcement has been affected, as well. Faulk County Sheriff Kurt Hall said his dispatch was unable to run license plate and warrant checks for deputies doing traffic stops for most of Tuesday. “We couldn’t run plates yesterday, but we can today,” said Hall, whose office polices a county of 2,100 and runs a 32-bed jail. Law enforcement has been affected, as well. Faulk County Sheriff Kurt Hall said his dispatch was unable to run license plate and warrant checks for deputies doing traffic stops for most of Tuesday. Minnehaha County Sheriff Mike Milstead, who oversees the deputies patrolling South Dakota’s most populous county and one of its largest jails, said state system services have been spotty at best and mostly inaccessible. Metro Communications, which dispatches for both the county and the Sioux Falls Police Department, has been able to communicate with law enforcement, even as some state resources have been unavailable. A screen at the Minnehaha County Courthouse that normally displays the daily court calendar sits blank on Aug. 20, 2025, the second day of disruptions to South Dakota’s state network. (John Hult/South Dakota Searchlight)“We couldn’t run plates yesterday, but we can today,” said Hall, whose office polices a county of 2,100 and runs a 32-bed jail.Milstead’s office has relied on its local warrants database for information, but adding warrants to the system has been cumbersome with the state court system down. Deputies have had to hand-deliver court information for warrants, he said, and for orders to release jail inmates from custody. “This is certainly demonstrating how dependent we are on the state network,” Milstead said, adding that he can’t recall an outage that’s lasted as long as this one in the years since his office has been using it. Attorney General Marty Jackley, who oversees the state Division of Criminal Investigation, said Wednesday that his office has also been impacted, as the consumer protection division is unable to process complaints. Jackley’s office also oversees the State Automated Victim Notification System, through which victims or the public can sign up for alerts about court dates, incarceration status or release dates for people accused or convicted of crimes. That SAVIN system wasn’t sending out alerts as of Wednesday. Milstead said “we still have processes in place” to notify victims using the information held on local servers without SAVIN. “That’s kind of a check and balance, not in every case, but in most cases,” Milstead said. “I would call it more of a workaround, but the jail still does victim notification if we have a victim on file.” The Bureau of Information Technology’s spokesperson, Lisa Rahja, said in an email that the state is continuing its work to mitigate the power outage that “affected all state hosted services and some network communications.” She wrote that the state engineer’s office has investigated the “root cause” of the outage, and that “recovery efforts are a top priority.” The power outage wasn’t caused by a cybersecurity breach, she wrote. EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a developing story and may be updated as new information becomes available. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE View the full article

NEED TO KNOWOn June 2, Paityn, Evelyn and Olivia Decker were found dead, days after being reported missing during a planned visitation with their dad, Travis Decker Travis was charged with three counts of first-degree murder and one count of kidnapping On Aug. 19, authorities gave an update on the search for Travis, saying that they've ruled him to be the sole suspect in the case Nearly three months after his daughters' deaths, the manhunt for Travis Decker continues. Authorities have been searching for the Washington dad since June 2025, after his three young daughters — Paityn, Evelyn and Olivia — were found dead on June 2, days after they were reported missing during a "planned visitation" with him. Their deceased bodies were found near their dad's abandoned truck, and subsequent autopsies helped authorities determine that the young girls had died from suffocation. The manner of death was ruled a homicide. After the Decker sisters' deaths were announced, police revealed in a press release that Travis had been charged with three counts of first-degree murder and one count of kidnapping. But nearly three months later, he has yet to be apprehended, though authorities reiterated in a press release on Aug. 19 that he is the "only suspect involved in committing these homicides." "At this time, we do not have any evidence to suggest Travis Decker is either alive or deceased," the press release continued, noting that officials would continue their search efforts. So, who is Travis Decker? Here's everything to know about the Washington dad accused of killing his three daughters. He is an Army veteran who reportedly has shown signs of PTSDWenatchee Police Department Travis Decker.Following in the footsteps of his parents, who were both soldiers, Travis enlisted in the U.S. Army in 2013. Arianna Cozart, the attorney for Travis' ex-wife Whitney, told PEOPLE in June 2025 that Travis "seemed to suffer from PTSD as a result of combat." Travis left the Army and joined the Washington National Guard in 2021, leading his family life to become more difficult, Cozart explained. “His issues seemed to spiral once he was out of what Whitney calls the bumpers of the military that kept him in line," she said. "He tried to get help — he went to the VA, he called the Veterans Crisis Line." Though he struggled with mental health issues and was unable to receive help through veterans' resources, Cozart told ABC News in June 2025 that Travis showed "no red flags" before his daughters' disappearance. "The courts didn't fail these girls. It wasn't the judge and it wasn't Whitney; it was our system," Cozart said. "[Whitney] feels like the system really let Travis down. If somebody would have provided Travis with the help that he needed, those girls would be alive." According to the Wenatchee Police Department, Travis was "homeless and living in his vehicle or at various hotels/motels or at campgrounds in the area" at the time of his daughters' deaths. He divorced his ex-wife in 2022KOMO News/ABC/Youtube Whitney Decker.Travis and Whitney met when he was stationed at the joint army-air force base in Washington and "never spent a day apart after they met," Cozart told ABC News. They wed and welcomed three daughters: Paityn, Olivia and Evelyn. Cozart elaborated to PEOPLE that "his mental health struggles, including his feelings of isolation, paranoia and Borderline Personality Disorder led to the crumbling of their marriage in 2022." Per the affidavit, Whitney spoke to investigators about her relationship with Travis and denied any domestic violence, but did "mention moments of power or control he used." “She provided the examples of randomly leaving or waking her up by screaming at her in the middle of the night," the affidavit stated. "She also said near the end of the marriage he was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder that she believes he currently does not take medications for." He was a "present and active father"GoFundMe Olivia, Paityn and Evelyn Decker.Cozart told PEOPLE in June 2025 that Travis, who later went on to work in construction, was a "present and active father up until the end — still attending the girls’ soccer games, dance, and theater productions." "Although Travis was struggling with his own mental health, he was a good co-parent, always communicating frequently with Whitney up until Friday evening when the girls went missing," she continued. The attorney noted that he was "not a violent man with Whitney or the girls, ever." Travis and his ex-wife had a parenting plan in place after he lost custodyWhitney Decker Paityn, Evelyn and Olivia Decker.Travis lost overnight custody in September 2024, according to court audio obtained by News Nation, which captured him fighting to keep his daughters for overnight visits and swearing he's never done anything to put them at risk. In the audio, he can be heard claiming he regularly took his daughters to paid campsites, but claimed to have "never done anything that was unsafe." In a separate filing viewed by PEOPLE, Whitney claimed that Travis had "neglected his parental duties towards a child" and "has a long-term emotional or physical problem that gets in the way of his ability to parent." According to the parenting order filed in September 2024 and obtained by PEOPLE, the ex-spouses had a parenting plan in place that limited Travis' visitation to eight hours every other weekend and three hours on Fridays. He was also not granted overnight visits, though the schedule was temporary due to the court process, per Whitney's attorney. Travis' daughters were found dead in June 2025 during a visitationWenatchee Police Department Olivia Decker; Evelyn Decker; Paityn Decker.On May 30, Whitney reported her three daughters missing after Travis failed to bring them home that night after a "planned visitation." The next day, the Wenatchee Police Department released an endangered persons alert and said that the young girls were "believed to be missing and unable to return home on their own." The missing persons alert was canceled days later, after officials found the three sisters dead near Travis' abandoned pickup truck at the remote Rock Island Campground in Chelan County on June 2. In a press release, the Wenatchee Police Department shared that Travis was not at the scene, despite authorities locating his car near the campground. Fox 13 Seattle reported that his vehicle was found "with two bloody handprints" nearby where the girls' deceased bodies were located, adding that various personal items were found inside the car, including blankets, food, car seats and a wallet. Autopsies for the Decker sisters were completed on June 6, when authorities announced that the siblings had each died of asphyxiation, and their manner of death was ruled a homicide. Per an affidavit previously obtained by PEOPLE, each girl was found with plastic bags over their heads and at least one was restrained with zip ties. Travis is wanted on charges of first-degree murder and kidnappingChelan County Sheriff's Office Travis Decker.Following the announcement of the girls' deaths, police said in a press release that Travis had been charged with three counts of first-degree murder and one count of kidnapping. For nearly three months, authorities have been searching for Travis, who they've reiterated remains the sole suspect in the killings, citing DNA evidence linking him to the plastic bags and zip ties found with his daughters. While the manhunt continues, a $20,000 reward has been offered by the U.S. Marshals Service for information leading to his arrest. Officials believe he may have fled the country after he allegedly searched "how to relocate to Canada" online, per a U.S. Marshals Service affidavit. Meanwhile, Cozart previously told PEOPLE she thinks Travis likely died by suicide. Authorities are asking anyone who has seen Travis to call 911 immediately and not attempt to approach him. People can also call the CCSO tip line at 509-667-6845 or submit information to the tip line. If you or someone you know needs mental health help, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor. If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages. Read the original article on People View the full article

The Oklahoma State Capitol building is pictured. (Photo by Kyle Phillips/For Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY – Four Republicans and one Democrat have filed paperwork indicating they are running for lieutenant governor. Republican Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell is serving his second term and can’t seek reelection to the post. Republicans seeking the post are State Auditor and Inspector Cindy Byrd, state Sen. Darrell Weaver, state Rep. J.J. Humphrey and political newcomer Victor Flores. Kelly Forbes of Oklahoma City is the sole Democrat thus far to file paperwork with the Oklahoma Ethics Commission indicating an intention to run. Byrd, 52, of Coalgate, wants to focus on promoting tourism and the music industry. She said the lieutenant governor sits on a lot of boards and commissions that drive economic development involving millions of dollars. Her skill set makes her ready to start on the first day, she said. About 80% of every tax dollar is spent on education and health care, but the state ranks at the bottom in outcomes, she said. She wants to do a deep dive into the reasons and assist the next governor on making improvements, she said. Weaver, 63, of Moore, is the former head of the Oklahoma State Bureau of Dangerous Drugs Control, an agency in which held various positions. He and his wife operate Weaver clinics, which provide medical care. Weaver said his relationships in the Capitol and law enforcement and business background make him a good fit for the office. He said his background as a pilot has taught him about all of the opportunities the state has in the aerospace industry. Flores, 47, of Edmond is a small business owner and a partner with a national accounting firm. He would like to improve the relationships between the tribes, state agencies and the executive branch. Flores said he wants to focus on making sure economic development is happening statewide, especially in rural areas. Humphrey, 59, of Lane, is a rancher and retired probation and parole officer. He said the Oklahoma House leadership has shut down his efforts to expose problems at the Oklahoma Department of Corrections and Oklahoma Department of Human Services. “I hope to use the lieutenant governor’s position to make the state aware of these things and expose corruption,” he said. He also wants to improve the state’s educational system and broadband access in rural Oklahoma so businesses can grow. Forbes could not be reached for comment Wednesday. The filing period is April 1-3 at the state Capitol for federal, state, legislative and judicial offices. The primary election is June 16, followed by a Aug. 25, 2026, runoff. The general election is Nov. 3, 2026. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE View the full article

Vice President JD Vance has been in office since January, and already he’s racked up more vacation days than most Americans could dream of in a decade. The man who built his brand railing against “elites” has basically become one — living like the very people he claimed to stand against. His latest trip? A summer holiday in the Cotswolds, the region of England nicknamed “the Hamptons of the UK.” Vance rented a sprawling manor that goes for about $10,000 a week. Between his motorcades clogging tiny country roads and the protests that followed him across the pond, it’s safe to say his family getaway got more press than privacy. But this isn’t an isolated incident. This is vacation No.8 this year. Italy, India, Nantucket, Disneyland, Vermont, Greenland — wherever you can name, he’s been. Some of those vacations he even labeled as “official business,” meaning taxpayers footed the bill. Like in March, when he flew with the second lady to Greenland during the height of Trump’s fixation with the territory. The trip was so poorly received by Greenland’s government that it was cut it short from a multi-day trip to a three hours’ trip. Imagine flying all that way for less time than most people spend at a barbecue. The only thing that came from the trip were some Instagram-ready photos of Vance and his wife in the snow. Then there’s Disneyland, which he shut down for his family. Then there’s a $2,500 Michelin-starred dinner in San Diego. And who could forget his birthday kayak trip, when the military literally raised the level of an Ohio river just to smooth out his paddling conditions. That’s not just elite — that’s emperor-level. The bigger question is: how does he have so much time off? Most Americans can’t even get two consecutive weeks approved without begging their boss. Yet the sitting vice president has managed to disappear almost every month since taking office. For context, Mike Pence barely took personal trips in his first six months. Kamala Harris didn’t take a single personal vacation in hers. Meanwhile, families here at home are being crushed under the weight of rising costs. Groceries, health care, gas — everyday basics are becoming luxuries. And while Americans are forced to “do more with less,” their vice president seems determined to “do less with more.” The optics matter. When you’re the right-hand man to Donald Trump, the guy who wants to convince working-class America that he’s their champion, jet-setting across the globe on lavish retreats doesn’t scream solidarity. It screams out-of-touch. So as the bills pile up and medical benefits shrink because of the “big beautiful bill,” JD Vance may be hard to find. Not in Washington. Not in Ohio. But likely on vacation — again. The message is clear: while everyday Americans are fighting to make ends meet, JD Vance is fighting to make his next reservation. Lindsey Granger is a News Nation contributor and co-host of The Hill’s commentary show “Rising.” This column is an edited transcription of her on-air commentary. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. View the full article

President Trump has changed his tune on the Smithsonian’s depiction of America’s past since he visited the National Museum of African American History in 2017. Following that visit to the newly opened museum, Trump was full of praise. “It’s a new, beautiful Smithsonian museum that serves as a shining example of African Americans’ incredible contributions to our culture, our society and our history,” Trump said months into his first term. “It also tells of the great struggle for freedom and equality that prevailed against the sins of slavery and the injustice of discrimination. The work and love of the people who helped create such a masterpiece is a testament to the legacy of so many leaders,” he added. The president added in the February 2017 remarks that “nothing” was more important than his promise to continue “freedom for African Americans and for every American.” “This tour was a meaningful reminder of why we have to fight bigotry, intolerance and hatred in all of its very ugly forms,” he added. Those comments returned to the spotlight on Tuesday after Trump announced a review of the Smithsonian’s museums for what he called a “woke” lens on American history. “The Smithsonian is OUT OF CONTROL, where everything discussed is how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been — Nothing about Success, nothing about Brightness, nothing about the Future,” the president wrote Tuesday in a Truth Social post. “We are not going to allow this to happen, and I have instructed my attorneys to go through the Museums, and start the exact same process that has been done with Colleges and Universities where tremendous progress has been made,” Trump wrote. “This Country cannot be WOKE, because WOKE IS BROKE.” Trump has declared museum exhibitions must be brought into “alignment” with his objective to “celebrate American exceptionalism, remove divisive or partisan narratives, and restore confidence in our shared cultural institutions.” The Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History removed an exhibit earlier this month referencing Trump’s two impeachments, drawing fire from Democrats. Trump also forced out National Portrait Gallery Director Kim Sajet, the first woman to helm the institution. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) slammed Trump’s latest comments during a Tuesday appearance on CNN. “Is he a publicist for slavery, like a lobbyist on behalf of slavery?” he asked. “It doesn’t make any sense that he would want to erase one of the ugliest things that’s ever happened in America and educate our children, especially about how we make sure it doesn’t happen again.” David Axelrod, a former top adviser to former President Obama, remarked on the notable contrast between first-term and second-term Trump. “I find myself weirdly nostalgic for the @POTUS Trump who once recognized ‘the great struggle for freedom and equality that prevailed against the sins of slavery,’ and the value and importance of enshrining that history at the Smithsonian,” Axelrod wrote on the social platform X. “Now he wants to expunge it.” Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. View the full article

Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met with National Guard troops at Washington’s Union Station on Wednesday, while protesters booed at the two leaders and chanted “free D.C.” Vance told reporters that he had come to pass out a few burgers to the troops and responded to the chants with, “Let’s free Washington, D.C. from lawlessness.” He added that he believed crime statistics were not showing the full scope of crime levels in D.C. White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller was also present during the visit. Officials say about 1,900 troops are being deployed in Washington, with more than half coming from Republican-led states, including Tennessee, South Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi, West Virginia and Ohio. Timely payments for Guard deployed to DC a concern, lawmaker says Earlier Wednesday, an armored vehicle collided with a civilian car a few blocks from the U.S. Capitol, trapping one civilian inside the car who had to be extricated by emergency responders, according to the D.C. fire department. National Guard members do not have law enforcement authorities and are currently unarmed. An official told Military Times that arming Guard members in the nation’s capital is currently under consideration. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said in a press conference Monday afternoon that violent crime has decreased in the city since a rise two years ago. “We’re at a 30-year violent-crime low. We’re not satisfied. We haven’t taken our foot off the gas, and we continue to look for ways to make our city safer,” she said. The Guard was activated last week to support an increased federal law enforcement presence in the nation’s capital after President Donald Trump declared a public safety emergency. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced Wednesday that more than 550 arrests have been made in Washington since the emergency declaration. The decision to activate the Guard in the nation’s capital is not unprecedented, but the move is typically centered around supporting law enforcement during major events such as inaugurations, parades or political gatherings like the NATO summit in Washington last year. When troops are activated to respond to civil disturbances, there is typically a concern that local or state police are being overwhelmed, or might be overwhelmed, by protesters or rioters. The last time the National Guard was activated to respond to a civil disturbance in Washington was on Jan. 6, 2021, when rioters who were protesting the 2020 presidential election results broke into the U.S. Capitol, beat police officers, destroyed government property and threatened elected officials. View the full article

Kilmar Abrego Garcia became the face of the Trump administration’s cruelly incompetent immigration agenda, when the government illegally sent him to El Salvador and resisted remedying its unlawful action — until it finally relented and returned him to the U.S., where it had criminal charges waiting for him. In a new motion, his lawyers say that those criminal charges must be dismissed on the grounds of selective and vindictive prosecution. Writing that Abrego “was charged because he refused to acquiesce in the government’s violation of his due process rights,” his lawyers argued that his criminal case “results from the government’s concerted effort to punish him for having the audacity to fight back, rather than accept a brutal injustice.” Noting that he brought a civil lawsuit for his return while he was “being tortured in El Salvador” earlier this year, they alleged that senior government officials responded by seeking “vengeance” and beginning “a public campaign to punish Mr. Abrego for daring to fight back, culminating in the criminal investigation that led to the charges in this case.” The motion argues that the campaign kicked off with Vice President J.D. Vance falsely calling Abrego “a convicted MS-13 gang member with no legal right to be here,” with other executive branch officials joining the effort to publicly criticize him, including by calling him a terrorist. Abrego pleaded not guilty to the charges of illegally transporting undocumented immigrants. But regardless of whether the government can prove his guilt on those charges beyond a reasonable doubt if the case goes to trial, any reasonable observer can see the vengeful political motivation behind him facing those charges in the first place. Yet, can that reality lead to dismissal of criminal charges? As I noted when Rep. LaMonica McIver, D-N.J., recently filed her own such motion to dismiss charges that she assaulted federal officers at an immigration facility, selective and vindictive prosecution is a high legal bar to clear. Abrego’s lawyers acknowledge this, writing that these motions “are infrequently made and rarely succeed.” But they insist that “if there has ever been a case for dismissal on those grounds, this is that case.” They recalled that the criminal case centers on a 2022 car stop from which Abrego was released without charge. The only thing that changed in the intervening years, they wrote, “was that the government unlawfully renditioned Mr. Abrego to El Salvador, and he challenged that illegal conduct. As a matter of timing, it is clear that it was that lawsuit — and its effects on the government — that prompted the government to reevaluate the 2022 traffic stop and bring this case.” The government will have a chance to respond before the judge overseeing the case in Tennessee weighs in. Before deciding on such motions, judges can order discovery and an evidentiary hearing to assist in their decision. Presumably, the administration doesn’t want a formal public airing focused on its motivations, so expect the Justice Department to argue in its forthcoming response that Abrego’s motion should be denied without a hearing or discovery. The motion comes ahead of Abrego’s potential release from criminal custody on Friday, though the government has signaled its intent to put him back into immigration proceedings, which would move forward in Maryland (where he had been living), separately from the Tennessee criminal case. As for the criminal case, it would be a fitting end for a court to dismiss it based on recognizing the vengeance that’s plain for all to see. And though, as Abrego’s lawyers noted, such motions are rare, there have been at least two recently, the other coming from McIver, whose charges also came in response to scrutiny of the administration’s immigration actions. While we don’t yet know whether these latest motions will succeed, if this vengeful administration continues along a similar trajectory in President Donald Trump’s second term, such motions may no longer be rare. Subscribe to the Deadline: Legal Newsletter for expert analysis on the top legal stories of the week, including updates from the Supreme Court and developments in the Trump administration’s legal cases. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com View the full article

Former President Barack Obama is supporting California’s mid-cycle redistricting effort as a “responsible approach” to Republicans drawing new maps in Texas. Obama praised California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s ballot measure proposal to redraw congressional districts and tilt at least five congressional districts in the state towards Democrats at a fundraiser on Tuesday for the National Democratic Redistricting Committee. “I believe that Governor Newsom’s approach is a responsible approach,” he said, according to excerpts obtained by POLITICO. “I think that approach is a smart, measured approach, designed to address a very particular problem in a very particular moment in time.” California Democrats are expected this week to allow voters to bypass an independent commission established by voters and decide whether to approve the new partisan maps for the next three election cycles in response to the Republican’s move in Texas. Obama’s remarks comes as both parties in California gear up for what is expected to be a hard-fought campaign over the ballot initiative to redraw political boundaries in the state in response to President Donald Trump’s efforts to keep the House in Republican hands in the 2026 midterms. The former president said redrawing the lines is “not my preference,” but that the Democratic-led effort in California is “responsible” in this context. “We cannot unilaterally allow one of the two major parties to rig the game,” he said. “And California is one of the states that has the capacity to offset a large state like Texas.” The Associated Press first reported Obama’s remarks. Obama said he hopes that the NDRC and national Democrats will work to eliminate partisan gerrymandering as a “long-term goal,” but applauded Newsom’s response to the new Texas maps and Trump’s broader campaign to push other red states to draw new, more favorable maps. “Given that Texas is taking direction from a partisan White House that is effectively saying: gerrymander for partisan purposes so we can maintain the House despite our unpopular policies, redistrict right in the middle of a decade between censuses — which is not how the system was designed; I have tremendous respect for how Governor Newsom has approached this,” he said. Newsom thanked Obama for his support in a social media post and promised that California’s redistricting proposal will “neutralize any attempts Donald Trump makes to steal Congressional seats.” View the full article

In news that’s being hailed as a win for religious freedom advocates — but also has major implications for public school parents — the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas issued a preliminary injunction Wednesday halting the state’s enactment of legislation that requires all public school classrooms to display the Ten Commandments. Texas Senate Bill 10 was slated to take effect September 1, but U.S. District Court Judge Fred Biery has temporarily blocked the law, citing the likelihood of it infringing upon the First Amendment’s Establishment and Free Exercise clauses. While the Establishment clause bars the government from forcing a specific religious doctrine on the public, the Free Exercise clause safeguards individuals’ rights to observe their religious faith free of government influence. In Rabbi Nathan v. Alamo Heights Independent School District, Judge Biery ruled that SB 10 could cause students to experience unconstitutional religious coercion and violate their parents’ rights to guide their religious instruction. Displays of the Ten Commandments in classrooms, he stated, “are likely to pressure the child-Plaintiffs into religious observance, meditation on, veneration, and adoption of the State’s favored religious scripture, and into suppressing expression of their own religious or nonreligious background and beliefs while at school.” Rabbi Mara Nathan, the lead plaintiff in the case, said in a statement that, as both a faith leader and public school parent, she welcomed the ruling. “Children’s religious beliefs should be instilled by parents and faith communities, not politicians and public schools,” she said. The plaintiffs in the case are public school parents from Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Unitarian Universalist and nonreligious backgrounds. The American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, the national ACLU, Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the Freedom from Religion Foundation represented the families, with Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP participating as pro bono counsel. “Today’s decision will ensure that Texas families — not politicians or public-school officials — get to decide how and when their children engage with religion,” said Rachel Laser, president and CEO of the nonprofit Americans United for Separation of Church and State, in a statement. “It sends a strong and resounding message across the country that the government respects the religious freedom of every student in our public schools.” Religious freedom advocates have argued that blurring the lines between church-state separation in public schools not only marginalizes students from religious minority groups but may also send harmful messages to girls and students of color. The 10th commandment states, for example: “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” This scripture alone could be viewed as framing women as solely the property of others, no different from livestock, be they wives or servants. The Bible has also been used to justify enslavement, which the final commandment also alludes to — an ideological argument that could cause psychological or emotional harm to students whose ancestors were enslaved. More broadly, biblical scriptures that take aim at fornication and same-sex relations have been criticized for instilling shame in youth and adults who have sex before marriage or are LGBTQ+. “Public schools are not Sunday schools,” said Heather L. Weaver, senior counsel for the ACLU’s Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief, in a statement. “Today’s decision ensures that our clients’ schools will remain spaces where all students, regardless of their faith, feel welcomed and can learn without worrying that they do not live up to the state’s preferred religious beliefs.” Texas is not alone in its failed bid to display the Ten Commandments in all public school classrooms. In November, a federal judge blocked Louisiana’s attempt to blur church-state separation in this way. In June, a group of Maryland parents on the opposite side of the political spectrum emerged victorious when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that they could object to LGBTQ+ picture books in their children’s classrooms on religious grounds. The ruling has sparked fears that parents will cite their religious beliefs to wield more power over the public school curriculum nationwide. The post Texas classrooms won’t have to display the Ten Commandments — for now appeared first on The 19th. News that represents you, in your inbox every weekday. Subscribe to our free, daily newsletter. View the full article

A server resets tables at a Minnesota restaurant earlier this year. (Photo by Ellen Schmidt/Minnesota Reformer) Minnesota’s statewide minimum wage will increase 28 cents to $11.41 per hour on Jan. 1, a 2.5% increase based on the annual rate of inflation. The minimum wage applies to virtually all employees since the Democratic-controlled Legislature eliminated a lower minimum wage for small businesses, workers younger than 18 and workers on J-1 visas in 2024. (As before, tips cannot be counted toward the minimum wage.) Only workers under 20 years old in their first 90 days of training may receive a lower wage of $9.31 per hour starting in 2026. Minneapolis and St. Paul each have higher minimum wages of $15.97 per hour, which will increase with inflation in 2026. Small and micro businesses in St. Paul may pay a lower minimum wage, but the city is phasing in a single minimum wage for all employees by 2028. Minnesota’s minimum wage is higher than most of its neighbors’ (save South Dakota), but it isn’t enough to cover basic living expenses. The cost of living for a childless, working-age adult requires earning $17.68 per hour, according to the state Department of Employment and Economic Development. A household with two children requires two parents earning at least $24.25 per hour. The federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour has remained unchanged since 2009 and is the effective minimum wage in 20 states, including Wisconsin. Minnesota’s minimum wage has been indexed to inflation since 2018 but was limited to annual adjustments of 2.5% until last year when lawmakers raised the threshold to 5% to ensure the lowest paid workers receive larger raises in periods of high inflation. The increase will directly affect a relatively small number of workers. Fewer than 90,000 salaried and hourly jobs out of more than 3.3 million in Minnesota were paid at or below the minimum wage in 2023, according to the state’s latest minimum wage report. Still, a rising minimum wage puts upward pressure on jobs paying just above minimum wage, creating a ripple effect across a larger number of workers. View the full article

Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski with her 5-year-old son in her arms officially launched her bid for lieutenant governor on Wednesday. (Photo by Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner) Secretary of State Sarah Godlewski launched her bid for lieutenant governor on Wednesday — passing on running for governor and becoming the first to enter the field for the position. At the Madison Labor Temple, Godlewski was joined by her 5-year-old son, Hartley, who from the podium shyly told people to vote for his mom, and her parents, who she said gave her advice that has led to her decision to run. “When you see something wrong, you’ve got to stand up and you’ve got to do something is what has guided me my entire life,” Godlewski said. “Whether it is my career where I started in national security to working in local government to supporting small businesses to eventually running the constitutional amendment to save our state treasurer’s office and now serving statewide, to me, this has always come down to one thing, which is how I can make the biggest difference in Wisconsin.” Godlewski has served in her current office since March 2023. She was appointed by Gov. Tony Evers to fill a vacancy left when former-Secretary of State Doug La Follette, who had served in the position since 1983, abruptly stepped down less than three months into his term. The position in Wisconsin has been diminished over the years, in part because Republican lawmakers took away its responsibilities and in part because the office lacked resources, though Godlewski has worked to modernize its operations. Godlewski previously served as state Treasurer from 2019 to 2022, running for the office just a couple of months after leading a successful campaign to urge voters to reject a Republican ballot measure that would have eliminated the position from the state constitution. When she won the election for Treasurer in 2018, she flipped nine counties in Wisconsin that voted for Trump in 2016 — something that she noted Wednesday in making the case for her candidacy. She didn’t run for reelection in 2022 because she ran in the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate that year, withdrawing before the August primary election. If elected, the lieutenant governor’s office would be her third statewide position in Wisconsin. Godlewski said her sisters jokingly asked whether she was going for a record when she told them about her campaign. “All kidding aside, I’m not running for this office because I need another title,” Godlewski said. “I’m running for this office because I want to be a part of the team that’s not only going to win but is actually going to deliver for the state of Wisconsin.” Former Democratic Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton, the first female to hold the office in Wisconsin, and several Democratic state legislators were also at the announcement. Godlewski said she has endorsements from Lawton and 27 of state lawmakers — about 54% of the Democrats in the state Legislature. Former Democratic Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton, the first female to hold the office in Wisconsin, and several Democratic state legislators, including state Rep. Jodi Emerson (D-Eau Claire), at the podium, were also at Sec. of State Sarah Godlewski’s announcement. (Photo by Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner)Rep. Jodi Emerson (D-Eau Claire) called Godlewski “Eau Claire’s favorite daughter,” saying she “knows how to build coalitions and bring people together across communities and even across partisan divides.” “When she sees a problem, she rolls up her sleeves and she digs in and she talks to people who need to get it fixed, from saving the treasurer’s office to revitalizing the treasurer’s office and the Secretary Secretary of State’s office to managing a $1.4 billion dollar trust fund to invest in our communities,” Emerson said — a reference to the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands, which Godlewski has served on both as state treasurer and secretary of state. Godlewski has said she has heard from people across the state who are struggling financially to afford their homes, health care and other expenses. “They’re fed up that workers who are critical to our community, like EMT workers and nurses and teachers, can’t even afford a home in the communities that they serve, while they’re watching these billionaires get tax write-offs for their second and third vacation home,” Godlewski said. “They’re fed up that corporations are cashing in on some of the largest tax breaks in our history, and families are getting the scraps.” She said she wants to help find solutions for those issues, but can’t work on them as secretary of state. Godlewski criticized Republicans and said Wisconsinites deserve better leadership. “In Madison this year alone, we’ve seen how Republicans have had an opportunity to expand Medicaid to 90,000 more Wisconsinites. They said no. Republicans had an opportunity to expand postpartum care for new moms. They said no. The Republicans had an opportunity to invest in our kids’ future by supporting and funding public schools. They said, no. But when it comes to giving tax write-offs for corporations and perks to the well-connected, they said yes, yes, yes,” Godlewski said. “This isn’t leadership. It’s betrayal.” Godlewski told reporters that she decided to run for the number two position over running for governor because she thinks it will be the right fit for her. “We’ve got some major challenges we’ve got to solve in Wisconsin, whether it’s affordable health care to families being priced out of their communities, and I want to be a part of the team that’s going to help solve these problems for Wisconsin,” Godlewski said. In Wisconsin, voters cast votes separately for governor and lieutenant governor during the partisan primary. After the primary, the winners run on the same ticket in November and voters choose them as a pair. Wisconsin’s partisan primary is about a year away and the Democratic field for governor is still taking shape. Godlewski didn’t make any endorsements in the race Tuesday. “We have a really impressive bench in the Democratic party, and so I look forward to seeing who’s going to get in” and to working with whoever is the nominee, Godlewski said. Gov. Tony Evers’ decision not to seek a third term has made the race for governor the first open one in Wisconsin in 16 years and is leading to some other open seats as well, including lieutenant governor and now secretary of state. With Evers not on the ballot, the Wisconsin governor’s race has been rated a toss-up by Sabato’s Crystal Ball. Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez jumped into the race for governor less than 24 hours after Evers announced his retirement. Other Democrats considering a run for governor include Attorney General Josh Kaul, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, state Sen. Kelda Roys (D-Madison) and state Rep. Francesca Hong (D-Madison). Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann and Whitefish Bay manufacturer Bill Berrien are the two announced Republican candidates so far. U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany is also considering a run for the office. Godlewski told reporters Democrats need to listen to people if they’re going to win statewide in 2026. “We’re seeing how folks don’t trust politicians, and it’s because they feel like they’re not hearing us. They’re watching a system that’s working for corporations and not for them, and so, how do we build trust? We’ve got to travel the state, meet them where they are, listen and that’s how we rebuild it,” Godlewski said. She added she recently met a mom in Kenosha, who “literally has two jobs just to support her family” and met another family in the northern parts of the state who “are still drinking bottled water because they have PFAS that are coming out of their faucet.” “These are real big issues, and that’s what I look forward to talking about — things that are keeping Wisconsinites up at night — and actually doing something about it,” Godlewski said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX View the full article

The Indiana Commission for Higher Education is set to vote for its new leader on Aug. 22, and its top pick is Indiana’s Secretary of Education, Katie Jenner. If the vote is approved, Jenner would keep her position as the state-appointed official overseeing Indiana’s entire K-12 education system, while simultaneously heading up the higher education commission. In a news release from the higher education commission, Gov. Mike Braun said the move aligns with his “new vertical structure across state government to streamline operations, increase accountability and transparency, and improve customer service.” He also said having all education under one leader is the "logical next step" that will keep students "top of mind every step of their educational journey." The former higher education commissioner, Chris Lowery, announced in July that he would be stepping down from the role and his official departure will take effect on Oct. 10. He was appointed to the position in 2022 and said during his announcement to step down that a recent “health scare” is what prompted his decision, according to Indiana Capital Chronicle. Lowery will work with Jenner and other commission members to transition her into the role over the next few weeks. The 14-member board for the commission is all appointed by the governor. Jenner was appointed Indiana’s first secretary of education in 2021, after the General Assembly passed a law to change the position from being an elected one to an appointed one. More Higher Ed news: Indiana public colleges cut or merge a fifth of degree programs, more could come She holds a doctorate degree in education from the University of Kentucky and an MBA from Indiana State University. She has also served as Governor Eric Holcomb’s Senior Education Advisor, vice president of K-12 initiatives and statewide partnerships for Ivy Tech Community College and was a teacher in Madison Consolidated Schools. The commission said that some of Jenner’s key areas of focus moving forward will be: Making higher education more affordable and accessible Increasing educational attainment for all Hoosiers Helping more students earn college credits or credentials of value before graduating Support the implementation of the state’s new high school diploma requirements. Ensuring higher education preparation programs are preparing future teachers with evidence-based instructional tools in reading and math. Streamlining higher education degree programs to align with student and industry demand and maximize student outcomes. Jenner’s work on streamlining degrees would follow the move of public state colleges and universities already cutting roughly 400 degree programs ahead of a new state law that is meant to “consolidate” under-enrolled degree programs. Contact IndyStar K-12 education reporter Caroline Beck at 317-618-5807 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter (X): @CarolineB_Indy. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Braun chooses Katie Jenner to lead Indiana's Higher Education commission View the full article

A top-tier Southern California high school has just claimed the No. 1 spot in California, according to the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings of best high schools in the nation.. The highly selective Gretchen Whitney High School in Cerritos also came in at No. 16 nationwide, scoring 99.91/100, with editors noting the variety of honors and Advanced Placement (AP) courses it offers, including computer science, physics, and foreign language. The U.S. News Best High Schools rankings include data on more than 24,000 public high schools in 50 states and the District of Columbia, according to a media release. Nearly 18,000 schools were ranked on six factors based on their performance on state assessments and how well they prepare students for college. U.S. News named BASIS Tucson North in Arizona the best high school and Charter School in the country. "Students and families need data to help them make one of the most important decisions of their academic journey." LaMont Jones, Ed.D., managing editor for education at U.S. News, said. Our Best High Schools rankings provide the insights to help them identify schools that will prepare students for college success." California high schools lead the nation with most high schools rankedMore than any other state, California has the most high schools (1,646) ranked, landing at No. 7 for the most schools in the national top tier. The Golden State has 7% or 115 high schools in the nation's top 5%. Another 14.9% or 245 high schools are in the top 10% and over a third (35.2%) or 580 schools are in the top 25%. Two more high schools in the L.A. Metro area broke into the nation's Top 20Two other high schools in the Los Angeles metro area ranked in the top 20 in the U.S. News National Rankings. The No. 2 school in the state, Oxford Academy in Cypress, landed at No. 19 nationwide, scoring 99.89/100. The school runs an "intensive honors curriculum that requires students to take a minimum of four AP courses to graduate," the editors note, and offers 9th and 10th-grade students an opportunity to supplement their core curriculum with career training. Ranked No. 3 in California and No. 20 in the nation, Science Academy Stem Magnet in North Hollywood scored 99.89/100, with editors noting students' opportunity to take AP courses and exams while touting the school's 100% AP participation rate. Two California metropolitan areas with highest proportion of schools in the top 25%U.S. News highlighted three metropolitan areas with the highest proportions of schools ranked in the top 25% nationally. The Silicon Valley communities of San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara have 59% of schools in the nation's top 25%, and Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim with 51%. The Wisconsin metro area of Milwaukee-Waukesha rounded out the top three. Top 10 High Schools in CaliforniaAccording to U.S. News, the following are the top 10 high schools in California: Whitney High School, Cerritos Oxford Academy, Cypress Science Academy Stem Magnet, North Hollywood Dr. Richard A. Vladovic Harbor Teacher Preparation Academy California Academy of Mathematics and Science, Los Angeles Riverside Stem Academy, Riverside University High School, Fresno Dr. T.J. Owens Gilroy Early College Academy, Gilroy Pacific Collegiate Charter, Santa Cruz Lynbrook High School, San Jose This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: These are California's top ranked high schools, per U.S. News View the full article

The thousands of Ukrainian children abducted since Russia’s invasion began 3½ years ago are once again at the forefront of international discussions as NATO leaders convened to discuss the war. Following Russia’s deadly 2022 invasion, Ukrainian children have been among the war’s chief victims, with Kyiv confirming that there have been at least 19,546 cases of unlawful deportation and forced transfer of Ukrainian children to Russia, Belarus or Russian-occupied territory, by Russian authorities. Some reports have suggested the number of forcibly transported Ukrainian children could be significantly higher, ranging closer to 35,000 abductions, many of whom are feared to have been illegally adopted. A girl waves while sitting in an evacuation bus Sept. 17, 2024, in Pokrovsk, Ukraine.'Just Evil': Top Republican Details Russia's 'Horrific' Mass Abductions Of Ukrainian Children Fox News Digital could not confirm if Nato leaders, who convened on Wednesday for a debriefint by U.S. military leaders, will include how to remedy the immense human rights violations targeting Ukrainian children as they look to establish security guarantees, possibly as soon as this week. But President Donald Trump, who met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday followed by a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and NATO leaders on Monday, said the issue of forcibly deported Ukrainian children "is a subject at the top of all lists." Read On The Fox News App The issue was reignited after first lady Melania Trump sent a letter to Putin, which Trump hand-delivered during his meeting on Friday, in which she said "it is time" to restore children’s "dream of love, possibility and safety from danger." "A simple yet profound concept, Mr. Putin, as I am sure you agree, is that each generation’s descendants begin their lives with a purity — an innocence which stands above geography, government, and ideology," she wrote. The first lady did not specifically mention the war in Ukraine, though her letter, first obtained by Fox News Digital, was championed by Kyiv. Denys Zaporozhchenko, left, meets his children Nikita, Yana and Dayana after the bus delivering them and more than a dozen other children from Russian-held territory arrived in Kyiv March 22, 2023.Ukraine’s 'Underground Railroad' Rescues Abducted Ukrainian Children From Russian Reeducation Camps Zelenskyy appeared to surprise Trump by handing him a letter written by his wife, Olena Zelenska, intended for the first lady. The contents of the second letter have not been disclosed, but Trump noted his wife’s compassion when it comes to the issue of children, a topic Zelenska has also worked to address. "She sees the heartbreak, the parents, the funerals that you see on television, always funerals," Trump said. Some children have been returned to Ukraine incrementally through the help of third-party mediators, like Qatar and the Vatican, though reporting suggests only some 1,500 have been released by Russian authorities. Ukrainian negotiators have been pushing for the return of the Ukrainian children for months as they meet with Russian counterparts in Turkey. While prisoner-of-war swaps have been agreed to, Zelenskyy said Russian officials have refused to hand over any Ukrainian children directly to Kyiv. Thousands of teddy bears and toys representing the thousands of children abducted during the war in Ukraine at the Rond-point Schuman in Brussels Feb. 23, 2023."We cannot reach an agreement with them on the return of the children," Zelenskyy told reporters last week, adding that despite attempts it remains "impossible" without the help of other parties involved. "That is why we wanted to get certain matters settled in this trilateral track — ceasefire, an all-for-all exchange and the return of children," he added. "This is something everyone benefits from. President Trump benefits, the Russians lose nothing, the Ukrainians lose nothing. It’s a fair compromise." Original article source: Ukraine’s stolen children crisis looms large as NATO meets on Russia’s war View the full article

French police are investigating the death of a popular streamer, who died during a nearly 12-day live stream after apparently suffering abusive and humiliating treatment. Raphaël Graven, 46, known online as Jean Pormanove or JP, is one of the biggest streamers in France on the platform Kick and died on Monday. The 46-year-old military veteran had built a following numbering more than a million across different platforms streaming himself playing video games and had often appeared in extreme challenges. He had been collaborating since 2023 with several other streamers, principally Owen Cenazandotti, known as Naruto online, and Safine Hamadi, both of whom took part in his final livestream. Cenazandotti announced his death Monday on Instagram. In the video livestream that appeared to show his death, after he stopped moving, viewers donated money to send messages alerting the sleeping streamers to Pormanove’s condition. The Nice prosecutor’s office told CNN that an investigation has been opened into his death and an autopsy ordered. So far, authorities have not announced any charges related to Pormanove’s death. In dozens of videos from past livestreams reviewed by CNN, Pormanove appears to be the target of jokes, bullying, physical attacks and degrading stunts. Videos from their joint livestreams show Pormanove’s fellow streamers competing to see how long they could throttle him, others show him being shot with paintballs or doused with water. Thanks to donations from subscribers, the group earned money from the livestreams. In Pormanove’s final livestream, a counter at the top of the screen suggested the group had earned some 36,000 euros ($42,000) from the days-long stream. Leaving a markDuring Pormanove’s final livestream, which appeared to run to nearly 300 hours, participants were woken up by the revving of a motorbike in their shared bedroom, or a leafblower. At one point, Pormanove appears to be woken up when a bucket of water is thrown over him. In an interview with CNN affiliate BFMTV, Yassin Sadouni, a lawyer for Cenazandotti, said Pormanove suffered from cardiovascular problems. In one video, Pormanove talked of having to take medication. In another, Cenazandotti purports to read out messages Pormanove sent to his mother in which he complains of being “held prisoner” by his co-streamers. The game “is going too far,” Cenazandotti said his message read, during Pormanove’s last livestream. “I feel like I’m being held prisoner by their sh***y concept,” Cenazandotti said Pormanove wrote. It’s not clear who precisely Pormanove was referring to and in a later clip he tells Cenazandotti, “you know what I’m like when I’m angry” in reference to the messages. In another clip, his mother berates Pormanove over the phone for letting the co-streamers shave off parts of his hair. “Are you proud of your hair? Did you see what he did to you?” she said, “They are treating you like s***.” Sadouni, Cenazandotti’s lawyer, told BFMTV that Pormanove’s mother participated in staged stunts with the streamers. A common theme in discussions with his co-streamers was Pormanove’s wish to marry and have children, a hope that often drew apparently mockery from the streamers. In a video from 2024, Pormanove was asked how he hoped to be remembered when he died. “No wife, no kids. But what a nice guy!” Pormanove said, “Me, what’s on my mind now, it’s to leave a mark.” ‘An absolute horror’Sadouni said Cenazandotti – known by his streamer handle Naruto – had nothing to do with Pormanove’s death and said that the incidents targeting Pormanove were all staged. “My client is ready to be heard and to provide all useful information,” he told CNN affiliate BFMTV Tuesday. Cenazandotti has also filed a complaint with authorities that he is being harassed online since Pormanove’s death, according to Sadouni. CNN has reached out to Pormanove’s mother and Hamadi for comment. Cenazandotti and Hamadi were briefly detained as part of a police investigation into the humiliation of vulnerable people in January 2025, according to CNN affiliate BFMTV. According to the Nice prosecutor, they denied committing any crime and have not been charged with any crime. “The death of Jean Pormanove and the violence he endured are an absolute horror,” French Secretary of State for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Affairs Clara Chappaz said in a post on X Tuesday. “Jean Pormanove was humiliated and mistreated for months live on the Kick platform,” she added. Kick, the streaming platform the streamers used, said that all those involved in the broadcast had been banned “pending the ongoing investigation,” which the site will cooperate with, per a statement to CNN Wednesday. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com View the full article

Thirteen people were arrested on Wednesday for their alleged involvement in the murders of two close aides to Mexico City's mayor three months ago, Mayor Clara Brugada said. Brugada's personal secretary Ximena Guzman and advisor Jose "Pepe" Munoz were gunned down during rush hour on a busy avenue in the Mexican capital on May 20. Among the 13 arrested were "three people who participated directly" in the attack, as well as "others linked to the logistical preparation," Brugada told a press conference. The arrests were made at dawn as part of a joint operation between local and federal authorities as well as the army. Despite the apparent hallmarks of a gang hit, Brugada did not speak about a motive. After the murders, public prosecutor Bertha Alcalde Lujan said it was "a direct attack with a significant degree of planning, and those who carried it out had prior experience." Guzman and Munoz were both members of President Claudia Sheinbaum's Morena party, which also governs Mexico City. Brugada is a close ally of Sheinbaum, who has condemned the attack as "deplorable." While Mexico City has been spared the worst of the country's raging criminal violence, it is not the first high-profile attack targeting public officials in the capital. In June 2020, the city's then security chief Omar Garcia Harfuch survived an attack by heavily armed gunmen who killed two of his bodyguards and a passerby. Garcia Harfuch, who is now Sheinbaum's national security minister, was wounded in the shooting, which he blamed on the powerful drug trafficking group Jalisco New Generation Cartel. sem/axm/dl/acb View the full article

(Reuters) -The chief of staff of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday that work was underway on establishing the military component of security guarantees for Ukraine as part of a settlement of the war with Russia. "Our teams, above all the military, have already begun active work on the military component of security guarantees," Andriy Yermak wrote in English on the X social platform after a meeting of national security advisers from Western countries and NATO. Yermak said Ukraine was also working on a plan with its allies on how to proceed "in case the Russian side continues to prolong the war and disrupt agreements on bilateral and trilateral formats of leaders' meetings." A Western official had earlier told Reuters that a small group of military leaders was continuing discussions in Washington to work out options for security guarantees for Ukraine after the conclusion of a bigger virtual meeting. (Reporting by Ron Popeski and Yuliia Dysa) View the full article

和歌山県庁＝黒川晋史撮影 　和歌山地方最低賃金審議会（廣谷行敏会長）は19日、専門部会を開き、県の最低賃金を65円引き上げ、時給1045円とすることを確認した。初めて時給1000円を超えるが、近畿2府4県で最も低い水準なのは変わらない。【駒木智一】 　厚生労働相の諮問機関、中央最低賃金審議会が4日に示した目安は63円で、県は目安より2円高い上げ幅となる。近畿2府4県で2番目に最低賃金が低い奈良県も65円引き上げるため、差は縮まらない。新たな最低賃金は例年であれば10月上旬に発効されるが、今年は国の議論の遅れなどの影響で11月1日に発効される予定で、それまでは現行の980円が続く。 Advertisement 　県の審議会では当初、引き上げ額で労働者側が70円を、使用者側は29円を主張して隔たりがあったが、徐々に歩み寄って65～64円の攻防となった。一方、発効時期では労働者側が1日も早い発効を目指したのに対し、使用者側が「急激な賃上げが続き、中小企業に準備期間が必要」と、11月以降の発効を主張し、議論が難航した。 　19日の専門部会も、予定を2時間以上超えて協議が続いた。上げ幅では労働者側が求める65円に、発効日では使用者側の求めに近い11月1日とするよう、公益側が労使双方と個別に協議を続けた。協議がまとまらなければ多数決になるところだったが、最終的には全会一致でまとまった。 　ただ、双方に不満は残った。審議会終了後、労働者側の委員の一人は「発効日の遅れは事実上の時給引き下げで大変遺憾だ」と話し、使用者側の委員も「65円を受け入れなければ発効日が早まる恐れがあった。苦渋の決断だ」と述べた。 　21日には近年では異例の7回目の専門部会を開き、政府に要望する付帯決議を議論し、和歌山労働局長への答申を目指す。 View the full article

最低賃金について周知するためのチラシ＝和歌山市で2025年8月19日午後2時32分、釣田祐喜撮影 　初めて時給が1000円超の1045円に引き上がる見通しになった和歌山県の最低賃金。働く現場は時給アップを歓迎する一方、企業経営者からは影響の大きさを心配する声も上がる。 　海南市の野長瀬真由美さん（44）は3年前に大阪から職場を移した当初、「こんなに時給が違うのか」と驚いたという。現在は3歳の長男の育児をしながら、週1、2回看護師として働くが、「最低賃金アップはいいこと。それに合わせて、他の時給や給与がすべて上がっていけばいい」と期待する。 Advertisement 　和歌山市のNPO法人で働くパートスタッフの柳本裕美さん（45）も「物価高騰の中、（息子の）大学の授業料も上がり、最低賃金が上がる動きはありがたい」と歓迎する。同僚の40代女性も「小学5年生の娘に習い事をさせたいと思っていたので賃金が上がれば助かる。遠出の旅行も計画できるし、心の余裕もできる」と話した。 　一方、企業にとって最低賃金が大幅アップとなることは、経営への重荷となることに加え難しい一面も含んでいる。 　県内を中心にレストラン、ホテル業などを展開する「信濃路」の冷水康浩社長（51）は「習熟度によって段階的に時間給や給料が上がるというキャリアパスプランがあり、最低賃金を引き上げるだけにとどまらず影響が大きい」と話す。 　最低賃金が上がるたびに雇用構造やキャリアのあり方も改めて見直す必要が生まれるといい、原材料費の高騰などへの対応に加えて今後の模索が必要となりそうだ。 　和歌山社会経済研究所（和歌山市）は今月下旬から県内2000社に対して行う景気動向調査に、最低賃金への対応を聞く特集アンケートを盛り込むことにした。賃上げが連続して行われる中、最低賃金の引き上げで企業はさらに厳しい状況になると考えられるためという。1～3月期の調査では「今後の賃上げ余力の有無」を聞いた項目で6割以上の企業が「全くない」「あまりない」と回答した。特に製造業では2年前の54・7％から69・8％に上昇している。 　増田浩事務局長は「県内に多い中小企業では価格転嫁も難しく、経費上昇分を吸収できるかが課題となる。また、いわゆる『年収の壁』により従業員の労働時間の調整が必要になるなど、労働力確保面でも影響を受けるはず」と予測する。【加藤敦久】 View the full article

A great vibe shift is underway—and it’s not that one. It’s the one that’s deeply felt in both boardrooms and break rooms, a dramatic change in workplace power. The boss is back in charge in a way that comes down to four simple words: “Because I said so.” It’s the sequel to the Great Resignation, when labor shortages forced business leaders to fork over once-in-a-generation raises and signing bonuses. Welcome to the Great Resentment. This is more than a backlash to DEI or ESG. It’s more than whether a remote or flexible workplace is the most productive. And it’s more than a market correction for a period when wages, and inflation, briefly sent economic historians back to their textbooks about the serial crises of the 1970s. This is about employers clawing power back from labor. It’s about payback—for overreach by workers who forgot who was really in charge. It’s about social class, a reminder that some people are haves and others have-nots. More than anything, it’s about resentment. Putting a lid on wagesDuring the pandemic era, especially between 2021 and mid-2023, companies scrambling to fill roles competed with eye-popping wage bumps. Employees switching jobs regularly saw salary hikes of around 16%, particularly in sectors like hospitality and retail. Job postings advertised unprecedented pay, and workers seized on their newfound leverage, often quitting roles in droves to pursue better offers—a phenomenon that became known as the Great Resignation. But as the dust has settled, the labor pendulum has begun swinging back. With demand cooling and layoffs mounting through 2024, negotiating power is shifting back toward employers. According to a 2023 ZipRecruiter report, nearly half of U.S. companies surveyed admitted to lowering advertised wages for certain roles, justifying the reductions as a reset following the hiring frenzy of prior years. The tightening labor market, marked by fewer job openings and rising unemployment, has left employees with reduced leverage—and bosses with the upper hand. Return-to-office is discipline disguised as policyPerhaps the most visible expression of employer revenge is the sweeping return-to-office (RTO) mandates. What began as a gradual shift in late 2023 has, in 2025, hardened into uncompromising policies. CEOs insist on five-day in-office workweeks; workers who resist face discipline or termination. While some companies cite collaboration and productivity, it really serves a different purpose. Research confirms what many workers suspected: For some employers, RTO is a thinly veiled headcount reduction. Executives know that forcing remote staff back into rigid office settings will prompt resignations, thus shrinking payroll without overt layoffs. This tactic has disproportionately affected employees who thrived under pandemic-era flexibility, and is widely viewed by labor advocates as retribution for years of worker autonomy. Pay cuts and ‘adjustments’: rolling back the clockBeyond RTO, companies are quietly rolling back pandemic-era pay raises. Industries hardest hit by the Great Resignation—hospitality, retail, health care—have begun to freeze wages or implement graduated pay cuts. Perhaps CEOs are lashing out because they aren’t so safe themselves: Turnover in the top job hit a five-year high in 2023 and has stayed escalated since. Employment consultant Challenger, Gray & Christmas dubbed 2025 the start of the “CEO gig economy.” Some firms justify reductions by claiming wage growth exceeded inflation, while others simply cite the need to reset compensation to pre-pandemic norms. The result: Workers hired in the boom now find themselves faced with smaller paychecks for the same jobs, if they’re lucky enough to keep those jobs at all. Employee backlash: revenge quitting on the riseThis “big payback” hasn’t gone unanswered. Discontented workers, especially Gen Z and millennials, are fueling a new trend: “revenge quitting.” Unlike “quiet quitting” or “slow disengagement,” revenge quitting is abrupt and often timed to inflict maximum disruption, such as during critical business periods. There’s also anecdotal evidence of “revenge RTO”: workers acting up in all kinds of small ways to quietly protest the increasingly top-down work environment they have been thrust back into. Reddit’s AntiWork forum has a whole thread documenting (and brainstorming) “subtle acts of resistance.” The boss may have ordered workers back, but they can choose to never answer their phone in the office, over-socializing, or even intentionally burning popcorn in the microwave. In fact, the workplace in the mid-2020s resembles nothing so much as a jungle, with all sorts of different worker fauna, adapted in various ways to dodge the Great Resentment wave. Take the emergence of the “coffee badger,” a worker who swipes their badge to get into the office just long enough to have some face time with colleagues, likely making sure their boss sees them, have a cup of office coffee, and scramble back home. The coffee badger is a millennial species, as mid-career workers have often settled into a groove of years of remote work and they don’t like emerging from their hole as much as Gen Z, who is surprisingly eager for in-person mentorship and old-school office vibes. The CEOs brimming with resentment over loss of status and power may be enjoying their moment of revenge, but they should stay attuned to all the emerging species of office sloths. Resentment, after all, is a two-way street, and it’s a jungle out there. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com View the full article

Questions about President Donald Trump’s health spiked again after he said his desire to bring peace to Ukraine and Russia is driven by the hope it will improve his chances of making it to heaven. Trump, 79, admitted to Fox News on Tuesday that he feels he is “at the bottom of the totem pole” regarding his odds of making it to the promised land, leading many to ponder: Why is the president suddenly so hell-bent on making it to the pearly gates? “I just want to end it,” Trump said of the Russia-Ukraine war. “If I can save 7,000 people a week from getting killed, that’s pretty good. I want to get to heaven if possible. I’m hearing [that] I’m not doing well. I hear I’m at the bottom of the totem pole. If I can get to heaven, this will be one of the reasons.” Trump has invoked religion more often in his second term, including him notably mentioning God repeatedly after announcing the U.S. bombed nuclear facilities in Iran. “I want to just thank everybody, in particular, God,” he said in June. “I want to just say, we love you, God, and we love our great military—protect them. God bless the Middle East, God bless Israel, and God bless America.” A growing rumor for Trump’s turn to the theological—or worry, depending on who you ask—is that the president’s health may be slipping. The Lincoln Project, a Super PAC founded by anti-Trump Republicans, reacted to the president’s remarks about heaven on Tuesday by posting, “His health can’t be right if this is top of mind for him.” That viral post’s comments were filled with theories that Trump’s health may secretly be in decline. “I was thinking the same thing. He’s seemed low-energy lately,” wrote one user. “So maybe he got some bad news.” Another wrote, “He is s--tting his pants about dying. Which tells me he’s dying.” Critics of President Donald Trump, including his former adviser John Bolton, remarked that he appeared “tired” after his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday. / Andrew Harnik/Getty ImagesKelsie Taggart, the media director at the progressive Super PAC American Bridge 21st Century, also questioned whether Trump is dealing with private health struggles. “I feel like we should all be deeply concerned that Trump is having health crises we don’t know about,” she posted on X. “Like, dude has never been afraid of not getting into heaven before...” Reached for comment, a White House spokesperson noted Trump has had a packed schedule as he pushes for peace between Russia and Ukraine. That included him flying 7,000 miles round-trip to and from Alaska on Friday, with Fox News interviews in transit both ways, as well as a day of meetings with European leaders on Monday. President Donald Trump’s cankles were on full display during his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. / Photo Illustration by The Daily Beast/GettyStill, Trump has been showing his age more in the past week. On Aug. 12, he twice said that he was traveling to Russia to meet with its president, Vladimir Putin, despite the meeting scheduled to take place in Alaska. The following day, he referred to the Russian city of St. Petersburg as “Leningrad,” a name that has been retired since 1991. Trump then struggled to walk in a straight line just before greeting Putin on Friday, was described as appearing incredibly “tired” after the summit, and then failed to recognize Finnish President Alexander Stubb—who was seated right in front of him—at the White House on Monday. The White House has not released any information about serious health concerns for Trump. It was announced in July that he suffers from chronic venous insufficiency, but the condition causes blood circulation issues and is not tied to cognitive decline. View the full article

The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. New Balance's 'Comfortable' Fresh Foam Hiking Shoes Are Already $44 Off originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Outdoor enthusiasts, take notice. You can score a good deal right now on a pair of New Balance Fresh Foam X Hierro Hiker Shoes, which the athletic retailer describes as "an easy-wearing, waterproof hiker with grippy treads and cushioned midsole for year-round exploration." Normally $190, New Balance is offering this newer model for 23% off, now down to $146. Sizes range from US men's 7 to 16 and US women's 5 to 13, and wide sizes are also available. The available color, pictured below, is "SHIPYARD with DOCKSIDE and Sea Salt." New Balance Reviews: What Are Customers Saying?These hybrid hikers don't have a ton of buyer reviews quite yet, but the early returns are positive, with an overall rating of 4.8 stars out of 5.0. Here is what a few shoppers have said online: "Great Hiking Shoe. Very comfortable, with great support." "They fit good and look good. Have received multiple compliments wanting to know where I got them." "Very comfortable and good for long hikes on uneven terrain." Fresh Foam X Hierro Hiker Shoes, $146 (Was $190) at New BalanceShop Them!More Product and Shipping DetailsIn addition to its "incredible comfort," New Balance's website highlights that the "GORE-TEX® waterproof fabric protects feet from wind, rain and water without sacrificing breathability." These also offer Toe Protect technology, which helps shield your feet from "rocks, roots and debris" as you soak in the trails. Free shipping is offered on these hiking shoes, but be sure to allow up to 2-5 business days once shipped. Store pickup is available at select locations. Related: Walmart Is Selling the 'Perfect' Grill for Just $15, And Buyers Say It's 'Easy to Assemble' Related: NoBull Is Running a Rare $50 Off Sale on Its 'Indestructible' Sneakers New Balance's 'Comfortable' Fresh Foam Hiking Shoes Are Already $44 Off first appeared on Athlon Sports on Aug 20, 2025 This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 20, 2025, where it first appeared. View the full article

The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. New Balance's 'Comfortable' Fresh Foam Hiking Shoes Are Already $44 Off originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Outdoor enthusiasts, take notice. You can score a good deal right now on a pair of New Balance Fresh Foam X Hierro Hiker Shoes, which the athletic retailer describes as "an easy-wearing, waterproof hiker with grippy treads and cushioned midsole for year-round exploration." Normally $190, New Balance is offering this newer model for 23% off, now down to $146. Sizes range from US men's 7 to 16 and US women's 5 to 13, and wide sizes are also available. The available color, pictured below, is "SHIPYARD with DOCKSIDE and Sea Salt." New Balance Reviews: What Are Customers Saying?These hybrid hikers don't have a ton of buyer reviews quite yet, but the early returns are positive, with an overall rating of 4.8 stars out of 5.0. Here is what a few shoppers have said online: "Great Hiking Shoe. Very comfortable, with great support." "They fit good and look good. Have received multiple compliments wanting to know where I got them." "Very comfortable and good for long hikes on uneven terrain." Fresh Foam X Hierro Hiker Shoes, $146 (Was $190) at New BalanceShop Them!More Product and Shipping DetailsIn addition to its "incredible comfort," New Balance's website highlights that the "GORE-TEX® waterproof fabric protects feet from wind, rain and water without sacrificing breathability." These also offer Toe Protect technology, which helps shield your feet from "rocks, roots and debris" as you soak in the trails. Free shipping is offered on these hiking shoes, but be sure to allow up to 2-5 business days once shipped. Store pickup is available at select locations. Related: Walmart Is Selling the 'Perfect' Grill for Just $15, And Buyers Say It's 'Easy to Assemble' Related: NoBull Is Running a Rare $50 Off Sale on Its 'Indestructible' Sneakers New Balance's 'Comfortable' Fresh Foam Hiking Shoes Are Already $44 Off first appeared on Athlon Sports on Aug 20, 2025 This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 20, 2025, where it first appeared. View the full article