$176 Million Verdict: Los Angeles Jury Holds Socialite and Former Dodger Pitcher Liable for Twins' Deaths","description":"A Los Angeles jury has awarded parents $176 million after a hit‑and‑run collision killed two young brothers in 2020, holding Rebecca Grossman and former Dodgers pitcher Scott Erickson negligent.","summary":"A jury in Los Angeles has awarded parents of 11‑ and 8‑year‑old brothers killed in a 2020 crosswalk incident $176 million for wrongful death and emotional distress. Both Rebecca Grossman and former Dodgers pitcher Scott Erickson were found negligent; Grossman is already serving a 15‑year‑to‑life sentence for the crime. The case underscores the impact of speeding, distracted driving and the importance of accountability after a tragic accident.","image":"https://via.placeholder.com/800x600?text=Jury+Decision","text":"<p style=\"margin:0 0 10px 0; font-size:18px;\"><strong>$176 Million Verdict: Los Angeles Jury Holds Socialite and Former Dodgers Pitcher Liable for Twins' Deaths</strong></p>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 10px 0; line-height:1.5;\"><strong>The jury verdict</strong> was announced Wednesday in a case that has spanned six years. The parents of 11‑year‑old Mark Iskander and 8‑year‑old Jacob Iskander received $176 million in damages for wrongful death and emotional distress after a California socialite’s car collided with the boys in a crosswalk on September 29, 2020.</p>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 10px 0; line-height:1.5;\"><strong>Negligence findings</strong> held Rebecca Grossman—currently serving a 15‑year‑to‑life sentence for second‑degree murder, gross vehicular manslaughter and hit‑and‑run driving—and former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Scott Erickson liable. Grossman, a co‑founder of the Grossman Burn Foundation and wife of a prominent burn doctor, was said to have driven 73 mph on a road with a 45 mph limit; Erickson was also speeding and “narrowly missed” the children. The civil suit was filed in April, and the trial is set to resume Friday to decide whether punitive damages will be added.</p>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 10px 0; line-height:1.5;\"><strong>Legal arguments</strong> from Brian Panish, the Iskander family’s attorney, emphasized reckless driving after a joint margarita‑drinking session. He argued the collision was “totally preventable” and that the parents “never came home.” Grossman’s attorney Esther Holm denied intoxication, claiming her client was distracted by Mississippi Iskander’s mother. Erickson’s lawyer Jeff Braun called the tragedy a tragedy but maintained that his client’s vehicle did not come into contact with the children.</p>\n<p style=\"margin:0 0 10px 0; line-height:1.5;\"><strong>The bigger picture</strong> highlights the broader consequences of speeding, driver distraction and the signifying role of accountability in civil and criminal courts. The verdict demonstrates how a long‑running litigation can culminate in a substantial settlement when negligence is proven.</p>\n

Hartford Officer Charged With Manslaughter After Fatal Shooting in Mental Health Crisis

NASA orders ISS crew to shelter amid worsening air leak

ICE Cuts Death Reporting After Detainee Release

Ebola counts fall in DR Congo, but still a long road to safety

Virginia Murder Case: Former IRS Officer Faces Life Sentence","description":"A former IRS agent, entangled in an affair with a Brazilian au pair, is set to be sentenced for a plot that culminated in the deaths of his wife and an unsuspecting man.","summary":"Brendan Banfield, a former IRS law‑enforcement officer, is scheduled for sentencing in a case where he allegedly conspired with Philippine‑Brazilian au pair Juliana Peres Magalhães to murder his wife Christine and a man they lured to the family home as a fall‑guy. The prosecution argues that Banfield’s affair and jealousy underpinned the deadly scheme. Banfield was found guilty of murder, child endangerment and other charges. Magalhães pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to ten years after agreeing to testify.","image":"https://example.com/banfield.jpg","text":"<p>Brendan Banfield, a former IRS law‑enforcement officer, is scheduled to be sentenced this Friday for the murder of his wife Christine Banfield and the death of a man he lured to the Banfields’ home as a fall‑guy.</p><p>Banfield claimed he shot Joseph Ryan after the latter supposedly attacked his wife on the morning of February 24, 2023. Prosecutors say instead that Banfield and his Brazilian au pair, 21‑year‑old Juliana Peres Magalhães, plotted to get rid of Christine, a pediatric intensive‑care nurse, to secure custody of their four‑year‑old child.</p><p>During the trial, Magalhães testified that Banfield had told her he wanted to marry her and have children, but that he first needed to “get rid of” his wife. He expressed a desire to remain with the child and avoided a divorce because he believed a split would leave Christine with more financial resources.\n</p><p>The prosecution established that Magalhães and Banfield impersonated Christine on a fetish‑network website to lure Ryan to the home in Herndon, Virginia. They staged the scene to look like a violent intruder attack.</p><p>On the day of the killings, Magalhães waited in a car with the child, while Banfield was at a nearby McDonald’s. After Ryan entered the house, Banfield shot him, after which he stabbed Christine with the knife Ryan had brought. Magalhães fired a second shot that killed Ryan when he was moving.</p><p>Magalhães pleaded guilty to manslaughter after agreeing to cooperate with the prosecution, and was sentenced to ten years in prison following Banfield’s trial. Banfield now faces a potential life sentence for murder, in addition to his conviction of child endangerment for having a four‑year‑old in the household during the killings. </p>

Snapper Season Stirs Legal Fire Over Fishermen Rights

Southern Baptists Debate Women Pastors Amid Political Stances","description":"For the fourth year in a row, Southern Baptists plan to revisit their ordinance on women pastors while grappling with a host of political issues, from immigration to anti‑Semitism. The annual convention in Orlando will see 11,000 church delegates vote on a proposed amendment that would bar churches from having women in any pastoral or supervisory role. The outcome could reshape the church’s most conservative tradition, while the convention’s political leanings—particularly its support for Donald Trump—further fuel the debate.","summary":"The Southern Baptist Convention’s July 2026 meeting in Orlando will address a long‑standing debate: whether to ban churches that have women in pastoral roles. At the same time, delegates will tackle policy on immigration, humane treatment of migrants, and responses to anti‑Semitic violence, while their well‑known Republican leanings invite scrutiny. The proposed amendment, backed by South Baptist theologian Albert Mohler and outgoing president Clint Pressley, would codify a prohibition on women leading churches. However, it currently lacks a supermajority in the convention’s two‑thirds rule. The discussion is part of a broader trend in which Southern Baptists face declining membership yet increasing baptisms, while grappling with controversies over gender doctrine, immigration, and political alignment. The convention serves as a bellwether for evangelical political sentiment in the United States and a platform for the denomination’s internal tensions over gender, authority, and the interaction between church and politics.","image":"" ,"text":"<p>Southern Baptists will convene in Orlando for a two‑day annual meeting that will again ask whether to formally ban churches with women serving in any pastoral capacity. For the fourth year in a row, delegates will debate an amendment that would proscribe any church that \"affirms, appoints, or endorses a woman serving in the office or function of a pastor, elder, overseer, or preaching to the assembled congregation.”</p>\n\n<p>Recent years have seen the convention push back against any church that puts a woman in a top pastoral position, expelling such churches for breaking biblical protocol. Yet the status of churches with female assistant pastors remains unsettled.</p>\n\n<p>Minister Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, has called for clear constitutional language that would settle the controversy. He argued the debate has consumed too much time and that clarity would welcome all churches to cooperate in “friendly” efforts.</p>\n\n<p>Outspoken conservative leaders such as senior pastor Robert Jeffress have applauded the denomination’s alignment with President Donald Trump. Jeffress defended Trump’s creation of a Religious Liberty Commission and his use of the President’s office to challenge what he sees as unfair scrutiny of churches by the IRS. The convention’s political association is part of a broader trend: Southern Baptists make up a core element of the white evangelical bloc that voted heavily for Trump in 2020 and 2024.</p>\n\n<p>The meeting will also address a resolution for humane treatment of immigrants that rejects nativistic rhetoric while affirming the government’s role in enforcement. The conventionalist Senate election also looked at a resolution that denounced anti‑Semitic violence, reinforcing the denomination’s historic evangelization of Jews—an initiative that drew backlash from Jewish leaders in 1996.</p>\n\n<p>The convention’s conversations reach beyond a single issue. More broadly, it measures how the circle of independent churches can shape policy in an era of shrinking membership. While baptisms have risen, the total number of Southern Baptists has fallen to a low not seen since 1973—down to 12.3 million worldwide—prompting debate on the future directions of southern Baptist policy.</p>\n\n<p>In a world that is increasingly divided, religious leaders are expected to navigate both theological and political turbulence while maintaining a clear stance on issues such as the role of women, immigration, and the interaction between faith and public policy.</p>

Arkansas Sheriff Candidate Wins GOP Nomination as Murder Charge Is Dropped

Minnesota GOP Holds Prayer for Convicted Officer, Ignites Outrage Among Victims' Families","description":"The Minnesota Republican Party's moment of silence for Derek Chauvin has drawn condemnation from families of those killed by police, raising questions about the state's stance on police accountability.","summary":"When the Minnesota Republican Party staged a prayer for former officer Derek Chauvin, families of victims, including those of George Floyd and Philando Castile, expressed deep anger. The prayer sparked backlash from civil‑rights groups, legal teams, and lawmakers, who called the gesture disrespectful and dangerous. The incident highlights a pattern of conservative support for police officers amid ongoing debates over justice and accountability.","image":"https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1566623574423-3ca26c922b4c","text":"<p>Minnesota residents with loved ones who died at the hands of police spoke out Thursday after the state Republican Party held a public prayer for former officer Derek Chauvin, who is serving a federal prison sentence for the murder of George Floyd.</p>\n\n<p>“You all had the opportunity to honor fallen soldiers or children who lost their lives,” said Courteney Ross, Floyd’s girlfriend. “Instead, you took precious time to purposefully hurt everyone who loved Floyd and every other family who has lost a loved one to the police.”</p>\n\n<p>Valerie Castile, the mother of <a href=\"https://apnews.com/general-news-d89912f174fa4f7ebec977629216adc1\">Philando Castile</a>, a 32‑year‑old school cafeteria worker killed by a Minnesota police officer in 2016, echoed Ross’s sentiment, calling the act “the most hurtful thing you can do.”</p>\n\n<p>“You give a moment of silence to a murderer? Come on,” Castile said.</p>\n\n<p>The two women were among those who spoke at a news conference organized by the Twin Cities Coalition for Justice.</p>\n\n<h2>What happened in Minnesota over the weekend</h2>\n\n<p>The Minnesota Republican Party’s nominating convention held a moment of silence last weekend for <a href=\"https://apnews.com/article/george-floyd-derek-chauvin-thomas-lane-prison-f58ca19dd70e2e6881619d651f9b5bea\">Chauvin</a>. When the action became public, it triggered intense backlash.</p>\n\n<p>Racial justice groups, civil‑rights advocates and Democratic public officials swiftly condemned party officials, accusing them of blindly supporting law enforcement and disrespecting Floyd and his family.</p>\n\n<p>Chauvin was convicted of murdering Floyd in 2021, after the cellphone video of him kneeling on Floyd’s neck for over nine minutes sparked protests in 2020. The moment of silence was announced on the one‑year anniversary of Floyd’s death, an anniversary marked by protesters kneeling in silent tribute to the 9 minutes and 29 seconds Floyd was pinned down.</p>\n\n<p>A delegate at the Minnesota GOP gathering in Duluth on Saturday proposed acknowledging Chauvin, according to local news outlets, and the moment of silence was a spontaneous motion brought from the convention floor, not part of the official program.</p>\n\n<p>“The moment of silent prayer was a spontaneous motion, not part of the official convention program, not proposed by Convention Chairman Danny Nadeau, and not a statement from party leadership,” the Minnesota Republican Party said in a statement. A GOP spokesperson did not respond to an email seeking additional comment.</p>\n\n<h2>The impact of honoring a police officer — and not the person killed</h2>\n\n<p>Castile said it didn’t matter if only one person participated; it was still hurtful.</p>\n\n<p>“I am proud of the ones who did not do the moment of silence. Those that did, they should be reprimanded in some fashion,” she said.</p>\n\n<p>Ross urged those Republicans who did not take part to hold their peers accountable.</p>\n\n<p>“I’m speaking to the few of you that thought it was wrong. Please stand up,” Ross said. “You are public servants.”</p>\n\n<p>Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, who led the state’s prosecution of Chauvin, said he was “heartbroken and frankly shocked” by the prayer.</p>\n\n<p>“This decision dishonors the memory of George Floyd and wounds his loved ones all over again,” Ellison said. “I am deeply troubled by what this says about the state of our politics.”</p>\n\n<p>Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci, the attorneys who represented Floyd’s family in a wrongful‑death lawsuit, were left “sickened by this lack of respect.” They demanded the Minnesota GOP retract its moment of silence and apologize to Floyd’s family.</p>\n\n<p>“The audacity of the Minnesota Republican Party to honor an individual who has both been convicted by a jury of his peers for the murder of a fellow human being, while at the same time violating a professional oath to protect and serve his community, is disgusting,” the attorneys said.</p>\n\n<p>Floyd’s New York‑based brother, Terrence Floyd, said he was “glad to see people are still fighting with us for complete justice.”</p>\n\n<h2>How some conservatives support police officers </h2>\n\n<p>The moment of silence for Chauvin fits a pattern of flashpoints when conservatives reacted to police violence with “back the blue” initiatives. Long before 2020, some officers were symbols of “law and order” or anti‑Black Lives Matter sentiment.</p>\n\n<p>For example, in 2014 after the Ferguson, Missouri, officer Darren Wilson fatally shot 18‑year‑old Michael Brown, a GoFundMe website raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the officer’s family, more than for Brown’s family. Wilson ultimately did not face criminal charges or federal civil‑rights offenses.</p>\n\n<p>Other high‑profile cases, such as Laquan McDonald in Chicago and Eric Garner in New York, also drew substantial support from law‑enforcement unions that recast prosecution or discipline as unjust and politically motivated.</p>\n\n<p>While legal outcomes vary, many prominent examples of support for officers charged in killings do not result in overturned convictions.</p>\n\n<p>― Associated Press editor Aaron Morrison in New York City contributed to this report.</p>

Censorship or Courage? Scott Pelley’s Tempered Rebellion","description":"A deep dive into the recent backlash over Scott Pelley’s outspoken critique of CBS leadership, and how it mirrors authenticity in journalism.","summary":"The piece examines Scott Pelley's recent outburst toward the new \"60 Minutes\" executive, situating it within a wider discourse on workplace conflict, truth‑telling and the pressures journalists face.","image":"https://assets.apnews.com/be/20/d597546a398cec00097b9f90484b/6ebe7e77206340d6979c568b5e69c9ba","text":"<p style=\"font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px;margin-bottom:12px;\">NEW YORK — On a Monday morning deep in the CBS newsroom, veteran correspondent Scott Pelley abruptly interrupted a staff meeting, loudly riling his boss enough that many believe it cost him his job.</p><p style=\"font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px;margin-bottom:12px;\">Pelley’s criticism, delivered in a calm, baritone speech honed by years in front of the camera, blasted the new executive‑producer of \"60 Minutes,\" Nick Bilton, and went as far as calling then‑editor‑in‑chief Bari Weiss a \"murderer\" of the program. He also accused Weiss of having no qualifications for the role, a remark that was met with disbelief by back‑up checks charging the entire CBS News culture.\n</p><p style=\"font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px;margin-bottom:12px;\">Sources say the outburst was not a one‑off flare of anger, but a culmination of frustration that had been simmering for weeks. Pelley’s latest assault on leadership came after a recent shake‑up that saw the ouster of “60 Minutes” former executive Tanya Simon and the firings of reporters Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecilia Vega.\n</p><p style=\"font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px;margin-bottom:12px;\">The incident has ignited a broader conversation about how low‑level staff should feel about confrontation. Many journalists admire Pelley's willingness to \"tell the truth to power,\" but the backlash-turned‑friending between viewers and newsrooms raises questions about acceptable workplace boundaries.\n</p><h2 style=\"font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:18px;margin-top:20px;margin-bottom:12px;\">The Pelley Moment in Context</h2><p style=\"font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px;margin-bottom:12px;\">Pelley’s criticism of the new executive‑producer was triggered by a revealing email he read during the meeting. The email had spearheaded a debate about belonging and diversity and had further spiraled into a public confrontation when the anti‑immunity policy of the newsroom was brought up. After the email, Pelley responded with an abrupt, sharp tone that left no one folded in the meeting.\n</p><p style=\"font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px;margin-bottom:12px;\">According to a source close to the incident, Nick Bilton’s reaction was a tense “ambush“, and not the level of professional humiliating it should have been. Yet the colleagues are taking it as a sign that the editor is in control now and can take advantage of the vulnerabilities.\n</p><p style=\"font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px;margin-bottom:12px;\">Interestingly, Pelley has a personal history that may seem to influence his approach. A short time ago, he claimed that a former reporter, Parry Headrick, had been exposed by a large bank, and that the former actress had far less feeling. Pelley’s “one bad day” in the fields of history or technology shaped us.\n</p> <p style=\"font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px;margin-bottom:12px;\">Parry Headrick, a public relation firm in Boston, had a highly trained army as a young reporter at a small newspaper, where he was extremely handy at doing the stuff for the people in the society who were being treated with data. He had earned trust in a family, and always found his professors to be the main causes that were falsely made for the people. In that way the story was eventually made and we saw it.\n</p> <h2 style=\"font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:18px;margin-top:20px;margin-bottom:12px;\">The Threshold for Dismissal: Where is the line?\n</h2><p style=\"font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px;margin-bottom:12px;\">The line between being able to speak your mind and being fired is stick per size of your workplace. Each guest needs a clear plan that they see maybe a us phenomenon.\n</p> <p style=\"font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px;margin-bottom:12px;\">In the sense of the American concept, the story has a decent chance. He made it clear that he was simply copying, but the authors are looking to take a particular that encounter that is already on the offense. The same shows how police care often creating a stiff up…\n</p> <h2 style=\"font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:18px;margin-top:20px;margin-bottom:12px;\">Outsiders with High Stakes:<br>&nbsp;An Open Discussion for the Future\n</h2> <p style=\"font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px;margin-bottom:12px;\">The . . .\n</p> <p style=\"font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px;margin-bottom:12px;\">The page is a dramatic story that is a legitimate demonstration. If a person likes it, the main question is the conflict of work. The hardest set basically reduces a death phone that is writing for the business. We found that the partner has had a rather big difference for the newsletter.\n</p> <p style=\"font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px;margin-bottom:12px;\">Specifically, we’re not going to forget the field of reporting. These have become very big each staff.\n</p> <p style=\"font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px;margin-bottom:12px;\">We’re going to pick that it’s too many people to see that\u2019s the right design “and I'm not quite there.\n</p> <p style=\"font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px;margin-bottom:12px;\">The 23rd theoretical point is that the capacity to oblige.\n</p> <p style=\"font-family:Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:16px;margin-bottom:12px;\">We use it. The more the show will be making something else.\n</p></p>

China’s Xi Jinping to make rare visit to North Korea

Zelensky urges Putin to meet in person for a ceasefire

Trump says Bill Pulte will not remain as National Intelligence Director","description":"President Trump clarified that Bill Pulte, the housing regulator tapped as acting director of national intelligence, will not be a permanent appointment amid Senate concerns.","summary":"In a Thursday Oval Office interview, President Trump clarified that Bill Pulte would not hold the national intelligence director post permanently and that he was still seeking other candidates. Senators across parties underscored the regulator’s lack of security experience and warned the position should not be politicized. Pulte, known for his aggressive stance against political rivals and his 50‑year mortgage proposal, has become a controversial figure within the administration.","image":"https://dims.apnews.com/dims4/default/501386e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/8640x5760+0+0/resize/599x399!/quality/90/?url=https://assets.apnews.com/dims4/default/501386e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/8640x5760+0+0/resize/599x399!/format/webp","text":"<p>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Thursday that federal housing finance regulator <a href=\"https://apnews.com/article/trump-pulte-gabbard-national-intelligence-281fd6ba9992487dc701768803f9c475\" style=\"color:#1a73e8;text-decoration:none;\">Bill Pulte</a> would not be his “permanent” choice for the critical national intelligence post.</p>\n<p>The Republican president’s disclosure, prompted by bipartisan pushback on Capitol Hill over Pulte’s lack of security credentials, came after lawmakers noted that Senate confirmation for the position was unlikely if Pulte were nominated.</p>\n<p>“He’s not going to be permanent because, you know, I don’t think he’d want to be permanent,” Trump said while taking questions in the Oval Office after an event on coal. He called Pulte a “very smart guy” and added that Trump might revisit allegations that past elections were “rigged” against him.</p>\n<p>Trump said other candidates were also being considered. “We’re interviewing people right now,” he added.</p>\n<p>Pulte, a grandson of the founder of PulteGroup, has fired controversy inside the administration through his oversight of the Federal Housing Finance Agency and mortgage companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. He has used the role to pursue alleged mortgage fraud against Trump’s perceived political rivals and publicly criticized Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.</p>\n<p>He pitched a 50‑year mortgage program that ultimately slowed wealth building through home ownership. That proposal and his outspoken stance on national security subjects drew criticism from both Republican and Democratic senators.</p>\n<p>Both sides of the Senate expressed concerns about Pulte’s suitability, citing his lack of national security experience when coordinating 18 federal agencies involved in domestic and foreign security issues. Senate Majority Leader John Thune warned the position should not be “weaponized” and advocated for professional expertise.\n</p>\n<p>Republican Senators Thom Tillis, Bill Cassidy, and John Cornyn, along with other leaders, echoed warnings and stressed the need for a qualified intelligence director.</p>\n<p>During a hearing, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed that he had threatened to oppose Pulte in September 2025, illustrating internal friction within the administration.</p>\n<p>Despite the controversy, Pulte remains a frequent traveler on Air Force One, maintaining a close relationship with Trump. Trump described him as having “high integrity.”</p>

United Airlines Jet Brings 200 Passengers Close to Turnpike Disaster

Colorado Appeals Court Reverses Convictions of Paramedics in Elijah McClain's Case

Trump Accuses California of Election Fraud as DOJ Investigates

New Jersey Police Sergeant Charged with Stolen $10,000 Worth of Photojournalist Gear

Dutch Police Arrest Four Men in Drug‑and‑Assault Investigation

Federal Raid on South Carolina Casting Plant Reveals Identity Fraud Ring