Posted: Jun 30, 2026 / 11:13 AM CDT

Updated: Jun 30, 2026 / 11:13 AM CDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is poised to delve into a pivotal decision regarding the Second Amendment as it prepares to evaluate the legality of banning semiautomatic rifles, commonly referred to as assault weapons, in the United States.

On Tuesday, the justices announced their intention to examine appeals urging the court to invalidate restrictions on AR-15 and similar semiautomatic guns in regions such as the Chicago area and the state of Connecticut.

Legislation akin to these bans exists in roughly a dozen states across the nation, affecting key urban centers like New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. While a national prohibition on assault weapons lapsed in 2004, largely due to Congress’s inaction, Democratic lawmakers have been advocating for its reinstatement amid recurring incidents of mass shootings. Consequently, individual states continue to implement their own regulations.

The cases are the latest high-profile disputes over guns to reach the court since its conservative majority handed down a landmark ruling in 2022 that expanded Second Amendment rights and spawned challenges to firearm laws around the country.

The case is expected to be heard in the fall.

A Minneapolis legislator has announced her intention to take a sudden break due to the detrimental impact of the city’s issues on her mental well-being.

On Monday, City Council Member Aisha Chughtai, aged 28, informed her supporters that she will be stepping back for the next month to participate in an intensive outpatient program aimed at addressing clinical depression and anxiety.

Notably, Chughtai is the third lawmaker in Minneapolis in just one week to publicly disclose similar mental health challenges, following Ward 12’s Aurin Chowdhury.

In her statement, the representative of Ward 10 in south Minneapolis reflected on how the past year presented ‘unique difficulties impacting everyone within our communities.’

Chughtai highlighted the turbulence of a ‘high-stakes’ election along with the distressing occurrences of mass shootings and federal intervention.

‘Like 23 percent of American adults, I also work every day to manage my mental health. I have ignored my own need for more help for too long,’ the lawmaker wrote.

‘I love representing the people of this Ward. It’s the greatest honor of my life. And that’s why I feel obligated to do so to the best of my abilities,’ she continued. 

‘Because of the current state of my mental health, I fear falling short of that obligation. That’s why I’m briefly stepping back.’

Chughtai made history in Minneapolis after she was elected in 2021, marking the council’s first Muslim woman and the youngest person ever appointed. 

She said she would miss one council meeting on July 16 during her leave, and in her absence her office is set to remain open, the outlet reported. 

‘I fully expect to return energized and ready to give more than ever for the people of Ward 10 and everyone in the city,’ she said of her return. 

‘Everyone deserves to feel that they have the space, resources, and support to care for their own basic health, and that includes mental health. 

‘I want to thank everyone who has shown me grace and support across my tenure on the Council, including my colleagues. I wanted to be honest, and fully transparent, with all of you about my absence, because you deserve nothing less.

‘I know that when I return, I’ll be back stronger, ready to form deeper partnerships, and ready to fight even harder for our neighbors.’

Chughtai represents neighborhoods within Ward 10, including Whittier, Lowry Hill East, East Bde Maka Ska, South Uptown and East Harriet. 

The lawmaker received many messages of support from constituents, and was also encouraged by colleagues and friends.

Minneapolis Ward 2 Representative Robin Wonsley, 34, said Chughtai ‘works tirelessly serving her constituents, keeping our neighbors safe and fighting for our values.’

‘I’m proud of my colleague and friend for taking a step away to care for her mental health,’ Wonsley wrote on social media. 

‘Aisha embodies what leadership looks like. Too many people struggle with their mental health in silence. I hope Aisha’s courage helps someone else along the way.’

She concluded her supportive message by sending Chughtai ‘best wishes during her leave,’ and added: ‘I look forward to continuing to fight alongside her for a more equitable Minneapolis when she returns.’

Hennepin County Commissioner of District 2 Irene Fernando also bolstered her colleague and said residents of the city have ‘endured and persevered through so much’ in the last year. 

‘Just as we care for our neighbors, we must prioritize care for ourselves,’ Fernando said. 

‘Councilmember Aisha Chughtai is a dedicated public servant and dear friend. She’s governed with compassion, care, and courage for the people. What Aisha’s doing takes courage: she shared her truth of needing time to care for mental health – and I support her wholeheartedly.’

Fernando added that ‘everyone deserves the space, resources and support to care for their health,’ and concluded her message: ‘We love you, Aisha, go take care of yourself – see you soon.’

Ward 9’s Jason Chavez thanked Chughtai for her ‘bravery in normalizing mental health support’ in a message of support on social media, and wrote: ‘We love you and can’t wait to keep fighting the good fight with you for years to come.’

Chowdhury, 29, said she was proud of her colleague’s announcement following her own last week, where she revealed her struggle with PTSD and acute stress disorder. 

‘Last week, I shared on my newsletter the diagnosis I received in the past months for PTSD and acute stress disorder – as a result of the impact of being frontline to all that has transpired from the federal occupation by ICE on our city, gun violence, and loss,’ Chowdhury wrote. 

‘Public service is something we love, and the impacts unfortunately can come at a personal cost. I’m on my own healing journey and I thank my loved ones, community, and constituents who have been a great support.’

‘There are many lessons from this season of life, but one that has remained at the front of my mind is that life is too short, and we deserve to live fully and be happy. It is done in responsibility to our constituents and frankly we owe it to ourselves,’ Chowdury wrote. 

‘It is okay to make the effort to create that for oneself; it is also what makes the hard work of making a better world possible. Healing isn’t linear; it can be painful, and we are each worthy of it.’

Another former employee of the Minneapolis council offices revealed how, eight years ago, she took a similar leave of absence ‘only to be let go just a couple weeks later.’

‘I was afraid that would happen because I was encouraged to resign over taking a leave for my health and I contacted an attorney prior. Unfortunately once it actually happened I was so rushed to figure out new income and get healthcare for my ongoing mental health treatment that I didn’t have the emotional bandwidth for detailing everything for the lawsuit, and it’s one of my biggest regrets,’ Laura Dorle wrote on social media. 

Dorle said she commends Chughtai for her ‘openness about a very difficult experience that far too many people feel forced to stay silent.’

Chughtai also received plenty of support from her constituents on social media. 

‘We all need support to live our best lives. As someone who deals with their own mental health often, I want to thank you for being so open about something often kept private,’ one user wrote. 

‘Thank you for being open and honest with us. You are showing people that these struggles are real and pervasive. We shouldn’t suffer in silence with our mental health struggles,’ another said. ‘Take the time you need for yourself to get better. You’ve done so much for the city and the movement.’

‘I have nothing but the utmost respect and admiration for you, both for being so open and so dedicated to your work for the people of Minneapolis,’ a third wrote. 

Another comment read: ‘Good for you! I feel this so much. I recently hit that wall hard. I have hit it many times before but oh my… I finally had to say out loud.. “I just can’t.” So weird and freeing to say it out loud. I also am doing what I need to do to get back… “I can.” The very best of wishes to your mental health.’

The Daily Mail reached out to the Minneapolis City Council and Chughtai for comment.  

After relocating to Florida, Peta Murgatroyd and Maks Chmerkovskiy have put their Los Angeles rental property on the market, asking for a monthly rate of $18,000.

As reported by apartments.com, the spacious 4,300-square-foot abode that these “Dancing With the Stars” veterans called home for two years boasts four bedrooms and five bathrooms.

This “Napa-inspired” home, crafted by a celebrated builder and designer, showcases exquisite details such as stunning herringbone oak flooring, solid Alder wood doors, and elegant oak ceilings and entryways. It also includes distinctive raw-finished fixtures made from hand-forged bronze and brass, complemented by natural grasses.

The lower level of the residence features 10-foot high ceilings that grace the living room, dining area, family room, ensuite, and a powder room, enhancing the spacious feel.

In the beautifully designed kitchen, you’ll find unstained cherry wood cabinets, a marble-topped island, and a discreet “secret pantry” complete with an additional refrigerator and ample storage space.

The second floor of the dwelling has three bedrooms with walk-in closets, a second laundry room and a primary bedroom that features a huge closet, a fireplace, a balcony and a spacious bathroom that includes a soaking tub, a double vanity, a steam shower and a Toto toilet.

Three French doors lead to the sprawling backyard, which includes a rectangular-shaped pool, turf yard, a covered patio with a built-in BBQ grill and a speaker system for entertaining.

The listing comes after Chmerkovskiy, 46, and Murgatroyd, 39, revealed they made the heartbreaking decision to move to Florida with their kids: Shai, 9, Rio, 3, and Milan, 1.

Taking to Instagram Monday, the couple shared a snippet from their vlog, which showed them crying in a car with their moving boxes in the backseat.

“There are tears you don’t expect, goodbyes that hit harder than you imagined and moments where you wonder if you’re making the right decision,” they captioned the post.

“But sometimes you have to leave what’s comfortable to find what’s meant for you.”

The pro dancers said they made “the best decision” for their family.

“Our boys are so happy, our hearts are full, and we’re incredibly grateful for this new chapter,” they wrote. “Goodbye LA. Hello Florida. 🌴❤️.”

Chmerkovskiy and Murgatroyd tied the knot in 2017.

They welcomed their first child, son Shai, in January 2017, their second son, Rio, in June 2023 and their third son, Milan, in July 2024.

NEW YORK — Pop sensation Taylor Swift is set to wed three-time Super Bowl champion Travis Kelce in a spectacular event that will unfold over several days. This high-profile wedding will involve road closures, a dedicated police presence, and security measures funded by taxpayers, as shared by an insider familiar with the plans.

The New York Police Department is gearing up to secure an entire city block near Madison Square Garden, right in the vibrant center of Manhattan.

The insider explained that the wedding will be a multi-day affair, featuring setup, celebrations, and teardown activities, with an anticipated attendance of 1,000 guests. While this is considered a modest number for the venue’s capacity and the stature of the couple, the police categorize many attendees as “high profile” and “VIP.”

Despite the secrecy surrounding the guest list, it has been anticipated that massive crowds and paparazzi will congregate outside the venue, as noted by the source.

Guests have reportedly received individual watermarked invitations in an effort to discourage leaks, TMZ reported previously. There has even been a mystery surrounding the wedding’s location for weeks.

About 100 people were invited to a rehearsal dinner that will also take place at the Garden an evening before the big day, the source said.

New York authorities will shut down West 31st Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues all day on July 3 — less restrictive than the shutdowns for the NBA Finals, which the New York Knicks won earlier this month. Those closures extended for multiple blocks surrounding MSG.

On the wedding day, guests will arrive at a secure reception tent as the cocktail hour kicks off, so they can enter away from prying eyes.

The ceremony is scheduled for the evening with the reception running into the early morning of July 4, according to the source, and reports suggest there will be A-list performances along the way.

Roughly 10 blocks to the north, revelers will be ringing in the United States’ 250th birthday in Times Square, according to the organizers of America 250 — with a ball dropping eight times, marking midnight in every time zone where the country has territory.

The days-long festivities have been sponsored and approved by New York City’s Street Activity Permit Office, which is part of the Mayor’s Office of Citywide Event Coordination and Management.

The NYPD is expected to provide taxpayer-funded security and traffic control.

The New York Post’s Page Six has reported that the wedding bash will feature performances from Stevie Nicks and Tim McGraw and be “bigger than the Met Gala.”

The annual Metropolitan Museum of Art fundraiser generates tens of millions of dollars for the organization and also receives security assistance from the NYPD and New York City’s Sanitation Department.

In a photo obtained by News Media Monday, a large truck was seen backing into a loading bay at the MSG, where workers took out large items concealed by black plastic sheets.

The NYPD did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The venue falls within the NYPD’s Patrol Borough Manhattan South, whose commanding officer was reassigned last week amid an internal affairs corruption probe.

In a significant rebuke, the Supreme Court thwarted President Donald Trump’s initiative to abolish birthright citizenship, dealing a substantial setback to the administration’s radical demographic ambitions for the nation.

Through a pivotal 6-3 ruling, the Justices declared the President’s efforts to terminate birthright citizenship as overtly unconstitutional and unacceptable.

This essential right, solidified by the 14th Amendment and ratified in 1868 to ensure the citizenship of freed slaves, has since applied to anyone born in the United States or its territories.

Each year, approximately 150,000 children born in the US to non-citizens are affected by this provision.

This decision marks a considerable defeat for Trump, adding to a series of critical judgments by the Supreme Court against his policies, including the voiding of his extensive tariffs and the prevention of his attempt to remove Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserve’s board of governors.

Trump first tried to end birthright citizenship by executive order on Inauguration Day 2025 – a move subsequently struck down by lower courts as unconstitutional.

‘Citizenship, then and now,’ conservative Chief Justice John Roberts said, writing for the majority, ‘was the right to have rights… to freely participate in our political community.’

‘The Framers of the Fourteenth Amendment extended that promise to ”every free-born person in this land,’ Roberts added. ‘We keep that promise today.’

Roberts was joined by Trump-appointed Amy Coney Barrett and liberal Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson in the majority. 

Conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh joined the majority in part but dissented in part. 

The stakes in the case were momentous, and put Supreme Court precedent on a collision course with the expansion of executive power. 

The President made history in April by becoming the first sitting president to attend Supreme Court oral arguments in person – a sign of how important the case was to him.

But as he stared down the Justices in the face, including those he appointed himself, they expressed skepticism.

Trump’s case hinged on narrowly interpreting the 14th Amendment’s Citizenship clause: ‘All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens.’ 

The President’s legal team argued that the children were not ‘subject to the jurisdiction’ of the US when they were born. 

They claimed that ‘subject to the jurisdiction’ means full allegiance to the US, and parents unlawfully in the US do not qualify, and neither should their children.

Opponents argued that a ruling in Trump’s favor would have upended long-held notions of citizenship, and would yield immediate, operational consequences for infants born in the US, putting the impetus on Congress, and the administration, to immediately clarify the status of the newborns.

After Trump signed the citizenship executive action in February 2025, the directive was immediately challenged by states and civil rights groups, including the ACLU. The order has never taken full effect. 

The case, Trump v Barbara, pitted Trump’s order against a group of affected families nationwide, backed by the ACLU and other groups. These groups contend that the 14th Amendment guarantees citizenship to anyone born on US soil, and has been read that way for more than a century – and upheld in laws passed by Congress in the decades since.

Many of the Justices seemed skeptical of the Trump administration’s arguments during the April 1 oral arguments. 

In what proved to be a telling exchange, Chief Justice John Roberts told US Solicitor General John Sauer at the outset of oral arguments that he viewed a key argument from the Trump administration as ‘quirky.’

Roberts noted he was having a hard time making sense of the Trump administration’s legal position on the 14th Amendment’s exceptions to birthright citizenship, citing exceptions the administration listed, including children of ambassadors, children born on warships, and other very limited groups.

‘I’m not quite sure how you can get to that big group from such tiny and sort of idiosyncratic examples,’ Roberts noted.

‘We’re in a new world now,’ Sauer told Roberts.

‘It’s a new world,’ Roberts said in response, ‘but it’s the same Constitution.’

Trump’s own nominees— Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Brett Kavanaugh, and Neil Gorsuch— also appeared skeptical of the administration’s arguments in April.

Justice Kavanaugh cited the passage of the 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), noting that it essentially mirrors the text of the 14th Amendment and text of the 1898 case.

‘One might have expected Congress to use a different phrase if it wanted to try to disagree with [precedent set in] on what the scope of birthright citizenship, or the scope of citizenship, should be,’ Kavanaugh said.

‘I am not seeing the relevance as a legal constitutional interpretative matter,’ Kavanaugh finally told Sauer, after a brief back-and-forth.

WASHINGTON — In a landmark decision on Tuesday, the Supreme Court nullified restrictions on the amount political parties can coordinate spending with congressional and presidential candidates. This move overturns a federal election law that has been in place for over half a century.

Spearheaded by a Republican-initiated lawsuit involving Vice President JD Vance, the court’s conservative justices formed the majority that struck down these legislative limits on political fundraising. This decision follows in the footsteps of the 2010 Citizens United ruling, which allowed unrestricted independent spending in federal elections.

The original spending caps were instituted to prevent substantial donors from bypassing limits on personal contributions to candidates, expecting their donations would instead bolster the party’s efforts specifically for those candidates.

In a previous ruling back in 2001, the Supreme Court supported these spending restrictions.

In 2022, Republican campaign committees representing House and Senate candidates filed a lawsuit in Ohio, joined by then-Senator JD Vance and then-Representative Steve Chabot.

After President Donald Trump took office for his second term, the Federal Election Commission dropped its defense of the law and joined with Republicans in urging that it be overturned.

SEE ALSO: Supreme Court upholds state laws banning transgender girls, women from athletic teams

NEW YORK — A leaked security memo, reviewed by News Media, reveals that pop music icon Taylor Swift is set to marry NFL star and three-time Super Bowl champion Travis Kelce in an extravagant event that will stretch over several days. The celebration is expected to bring about street closures, cater to hundreds of VIP guests, and require special law enforcement arrangements along with security funded by taxpayer dollars.

Dated June 29, the document indicates that the NYPD plans to cordon off a block near Madison Square Garden, right in the bustling heart of Manhattan.

The memo outlines a multi-day schedule featuring event preparations, celebrations, and clean-up activities. Approximately 1,000 attendees are anticipated, which, while a modest number by the venue’s standards and the couple’s immense popularity, is noted by law enforcement as including a significant number of “high profile” and “VIP” individuals.

Both Swift and Kelce have kept information about the guest list under wraps. According to the memo, authorities are preparing for the influx of fans and media that is expected to gather outside the event venue.

Guests have reportedly received individual watermarked invitations in an effort to discourage leaks, TMZ reported previously. There has even been a mystery surrounding the wedding’s location for weeks.

About 100 people were invited to a rehearsal dinner that will also take place at the Garden an evening before the big day, according to the memo.

New York authorities will shut down West 31st Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues all day on July 3, according to the memo — less restrictive than the shutdowns for the NBA Finals, which the New York Knicks won earlier this month. Those closures extended for multiple blocks surrounding MSG.

On the wedding day, guests will arrive at a secure reception tent as the cocktail hour kicks off, so they can enter away from prying eyes.

The ceremony is scheduled for the evening with the reception running into the early morning of July 4, according to the memo, and reports suggest there will be A-list performances along the way.

Roughly 10 blocks to the north, revelers will be ringing in the United States’ 250th birthday in Times Square, according to the organizers of America 250 — with a ball dropping eight times, marking midnight in every time zone where the country has territory.

The days-long festivities have been sponsored and approved by New York City’s Street Activity Permit Office, which is part of the Mayor’s Office of Citywide Event Coordination and Management.

The NYPD is expected to provide taxpayer-funded security and traffic control.

The New York Post’s Page Six has reported that the wedding bash will feature performances from Stevie Nicks and Tim McGraw and be “bigger than the Met Gala.”

The annual Metropolitan Museum of Art fundraiser generates tens of millions of dollars for the organization and also receives security assistance from the NYPD and New York City’s Sanitation Department.

In a photo obtained by News Media Monday, a large truck was seen backing into a loading bay at the MSG, where workers took out large items concealed by black plastic sheets.

The NYPD did not immediately respond to requests for comment or address the memo’s authenticity.

The venue falls within the NYPD’s Patrol Borough Manhattan South, whose commanding officer was reassigned last week amid an internal affairs corruption probe.

As a massive heatwave threatens to scorch over 30 states with extreme temperatures and oppressive humidity, thousands of air conditioners in the United States are being recalled.

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued an urgent advisory for consumers to immediately cease the use of over 13,000 Amana window and through-the-wall air conditioning units due to a significant fire hazard.

According to Amana, these defective models were distributed across the country and were bought between April and December 2025, mainly through dealers or direct sales, with prices ranging between $850 and $1,500.

The specific through-the-wall air conditioners at risk are identified by model numbers PBH113J35AA, PBH093J35AA, PBH073J35AA, PBE123J35AA, or PBE093J35AA, and users are advised to halt their use without delay.

Amana is advising customers to reach out to its parent company, Daikin Comfort Technologies, to obtain a complete refund for the malfunctioning units.

As for the air conditioning window units, anyone with the model numbers AH183J35AA, AH123J35AA, AH093J35AA, AE183J35AA, AE123J35AA and AE093J35AA is at risk of their units starting a fire and should pull the AC at once.

The model and serial numbers of the affected air conditioners are found on the front bottom of the base pan, which is visible when the plastic covering is removed. 

According to CPSC, the problem stems from a heating element that can stay on and energized even when the air conditioner is supposed to be off. This can lead to the unit overheating, melting its plastic components and starting a fire.

So far, Daikin Comfort Technologies has received one report of the heating element melting the AC’s plastic covering.

However, no injuries have been reported due to the recalled units.

Amana said in a statement: ‘Consumers will be required to provide their contact information, cut the product’s cord, and then upload a photo of the product’s serial number and cut cord in order to receive a full refund of the unit.’

Anyone with the affected units is urged to call 855-812-8989 during the company’s business hours of 9am to 6pm ET, Monday through Friday, or visit the Amana recall page.

‘Recalled units have a model number beginning with PB, AH, or AE. The serial number is under the bar code that is under the model number,’ the company added.

An additional 53 air conditioners were sold to consumers in Canada and have been recalled as well.

Between 2017 and 2019, CPSC estimated that air conditioners were involved in 1,400 fires throughout the US each year.

The recall will likely impact many Americans bracing for the first major heatwave of the 2026 summer season, with high heat and humidity triggering extreme health warnings from the National Weather Service. 

A heat dome works like a lid of high pressure. It builds overhead, trapping hot air at the surface level, suppressing clouds and intensifying sunlight.

Meteorologists have called this particular summer event a ‘mega’ or ‘double heat dome’ because two separate high-pressure systems, one over the Southwest and another being influenced by the subtropical Atlantic, have merged into one massive dome over the US.

Temperatures are expected to start rising today and peak at dangerously high levels by Thursday, with states from New York to Kansas preparing for the heat index to surpass 105 degrees Fahrenheit this week.

AccuWeather meteorologist Matt Benz warned in a statement: ‘While temperatures during the day will be dangerous, the lack of any relief from the heat and humidity at night can be especially stifling and even deadly, especially for those who don’t have air conditioning.’ 

High heat index values can lead to heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion or heat stroke within minutes of exposure.

Since humid air is already full of moisture, sweat evaporates much more slowly. That means your body cannot cool down well and it feels hotter than the actual thermometer says.

Elderly adults, children, those with chronic health issues, and those without air conditioning are expected to be at the greatest risk during the widespread humidity-induced heatwave.

Heat exhaustion often starts with heavy sweating, fatigue, developing cool, pale, clammy skin and a fast, weak pulse, muscle cramps, dizziness, nausea and headaches.

As for heat stroke, which is far more deadly and can develop within 15 minutes in extreme conditions, the first symptoms are often a throbbing headache, confusion, slurred speech, nausea, dizziness, and a fever above 103°F.