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We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
In collaboration with the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream, The Post is highlighting stories from U.S. citizens about their visions of the American Dream as we approach 2026. Among these voices is Earvin “Magic” Johnson, the legendary basketball player and influential entrepreneur. A top draft pick for the Los Angeles Lakers in 1979, Johnson boasts an illustrious career with five NBA championships and 12 All-Star appearances. Beyond the court, he has become a successful businessman and a prominent advocate for HIV and AIDS awareness.
To me, the American Dream is about ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to enjoy its benefits.
I’m deeply aware of the challenges faced by those living in inner cities and urban areas across America who feel left behind, regardless of their race or background.
Growing up in poverty, I understood early on the power of education and hard work. Recognizing my talent in basketball, I dedicated myself to perfecting my skills, which opened doors to new opportunities.
My parents instilled in me the values that shaped who I am today. Like my father, I’m driven by a strong work ethic; he tirelessly worked two jobs to provide for our family of six sisters and three brothers. From my mother, I inherited a passion for helping others and making the world a better place.
I excelled at basketball, but also, I was smart enough to really be concerned with my education. And, last but not least, to meet people. I wasn’t afraid of going up to those who were really successful and asking them to be a mentor or to give me advice on achieving the American dream.
I rolled my sleeves up and I went to work. And I worked very, very hard. And that, to me, is what the American dream is all about. It is educating yourself to get a good job. And then, also, blessing not only your own family but other people.
Giving back is at the top of my list of things to do every single year: 125 kids on scholarship. [The Magic Johnson Foundation has] built 18 technology centers around the country. I built housing and hospitals in Africa through different organizations and also gave medicine to care for those who were living with HIV and AIDS. We’ve given over $10 million to different HIV and AIDS organizations throughout America.
That’s the American dream to me: helping others besides yourself.
The American Dream Video Project showcases real stories that illuminate pathways to opportunity. Featured at the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream (MCAAD), this series is part of the Center’s celebration of America’s 250th anniversary. MCAAD is Washington, DC’s newest cultural institution, offering interactive exhibits and stories about achieving the American Dream. For more information, visit mcaad.org.
Concerned about a weakening core after hitting 50? Try these six standing exercises that are more effective than machines for strengthening your abs.
Having strong abs beyond the age of 50 can significantly enhance your mobility, improve your posture, and provide better support throughout your daily activities. Your core engages when carrying groceries, stabilizes you while walking, aids in rotation when reaching across your body, and supports your lower back during lifting or bending. Therefore, incorporating standing ab exercises into your routine is a smart approach, as they require your core to engage while your body moves.
While gym machines can add resistance, standing exercises integrate your abs into natural movement patterns. These exercises involve bracing, carrying, rotating, resisting rotation, and managing your posture under load. These are essential skills that translate directly into everyday actions, whether it’s climbing stairs, loading a car, or maintaining balance with shifting weight.
In my approach to coaching core training, I emphasize exercises that make your abs feel functional rather than just fatigued. A well-designed standing core exercise should encourage controlled breathing, strong posture, and tension across your ribs, hips, and midsection. By incorporating dumbbells, kettlebells, or resistance bands, you can create an effective core workout without relying on machines.
When I coach core training, I like exercises that make the abs feel useful, not just tired. A good-standing core move should help you breathe with control, maintain a strong posture, and keep tension through your ribs, hips, and midsection. Add dumbbells, kettlebells, or bands, and you can build a solid core session without sitting down at a machine.
The six exercises below train your abs from several angles while keeping your feet on the floor. You’ll use carries, presses, chops, marches, and side bends to build stronger abs, obliques, hips, shoulders, and grip. Keep the movements smooth, use a load you can control, and make your midsection work from the first rep to the last.
Goblet Hold March
Goblet hold marches train your abs, hip flexors, glutes, and shoulders while your core keeps your torso tall. Holding a dumbbell or kettlebell at your chest gives your midsection an instant job because it has to brace as one knee lifts. This builds core strength in a standing position, which carries over well to walking, stairs, and stepping over objects. Move slowly enough to stay balanced and let your abs keep your ribs and hips stacked.
Muscles Trained: Abs, hip flexors, glutes, shoulders, core.
How to Do It:
Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart.
Hold a dumbbell or kettlebell at your chest.
Brace your core and keep your shoulders relaxed.
Lift one knee toward your waist.
Lower your foot with control.
Alternate sides in a steady rhythm.
Recommended Sets and Reps: Perform 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps per leg. Rest for 45 seconds between each set.
Best Variations: Bodyweight marches, suitcase marches, overhead marches.
Form Tip: Stay tall and keep the weight close to your chest.
Band Pallof Press
The band Pallof press trains your abs and obliques to resist rotation. As you press the band away from your chest, the tension tries to pull your torso sideways, and your core has to keep your body square. That makes the Pallof press a strong standing ab exercise because it builds midsection strength while maintaining proper posture. This type of core control helps with carrying uneven loads, turning, reaching, and staying steady during daily movement.
Form Tip: Keep your ribs down and resist the band pulling you sideways.
Suitcase Carry
Suitcase carries train your abs and obliques by loading one side of your body at a time. A dumbbell or kettlebell in one hand asks your core to keep your shoulders and hips level while you walk. That steady bracing makes carries one of the most practical ab exercises after 50. You’re strengthening your midsection while also training your grip, posture, shoulders, hips, and walking control.
Recommended Sets and Reps: Perform 3 carries of 30 to 45 seconds per side. Rest for 45 to 60 seconds between carries.
Best Variations: Lighter suitcase carries, heavier suitcase carries, suitcase marches.
Form Tip: Walk tall and keep your shoulders stacked over your hips.
Standing Band Woodchop
Standing band woodchops train your abs and obliques through rotation while your hips and shoulders move together. The band provides steady resistance to your core as you pull it across your body, and your midsection controls the path from start to finish. This exercise helps build rotational strength, which supports reaching, turning, lifting, and athletic movements such as golf and tennis. Keep the motion smooth and let your torso guide the band instead of swinging your arms.
Anchor a resistance band at shoulder height or slightly above.
Stand sideways to the anchor point with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Hold the band with both hands near one shoulder.
Brace your core and pull the band diagonally across your body.
Finish with your hands near the opposite hip.
Return to the starting position with control and switch sides after your reps.
Recommended Sets and Reps: Perform 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps per side. Rest for 45 seconds between each set.
Best Variations: Low-to-high woodchops, high-to-low woodchops, shorter-range woodchops.
Form Tip: Rotate through your hips and torso together.
Farmer Carry
Farmer carries train your abs, upper back, grip, shoulders, and glutes while your whole body works to stay tall under load. Holding weights in both hands gives your core a strong bracing challenge with every step. This exercise builds the type of ab strength you use when carrying bags, walking with a load, or maintaining strong posture throughout a long day. Use weights that feel challenging yet allow smooth, steady walking.
Set the weights down with control when the carry ends.
Recommended Sets and Reps: Perform 3 carries of 30 to 45 seconds. Rest for 60 seconds between each carry.
Best Variations: Lighter farmer carries, heavier farmer carries, trap bar carries.
Form Tip: Keep your steps controlled and your posture tall.
Dumbbell Side Bend
Dumbbell side bends train your obliques while your abs help control the movement. The key is to move slowly and keep the range clean. Your side body lowers and lifts the weight while your torso stays aligned. This exercise works well when you use a controlled tempo, pause briefly at the bottom, and return to standing through your obliques.
Muscles Trained: Obliques, abs, grip.
How to Do It:
Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart.
Hold one dumbbell at your side.
Brace your core and keep your shoulders level.
Lower the dumbbell down your thigh with control.
Use your obliques to return to standing tall.
Complete all reps, then switch sides.
Recommended Sets and Reps: Perform 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps per side. Rest for 45 seconds between each set.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e
Best Variations: Lighter side bends, slower side bends, suitcase holds.
Form Tip: Move straight side to side and keep your torso controlled.
How to Build Stronger Abs After 50
Shutterstock
Standing ab exercises work best when you treat them like strength training. Brace before each rep, control the weight, and maintain strong posture from start to finish. These moves train your abs through marching, carrying, rotating, resisting rotation, and bending, which gives your core more ways to get stronger.
Start with posture: Stand tall, set your ribs over your hips, and brace lightly before each rep. A strong setup helps your abs do their job.
Use carries often: Suitcase carries and farmer carries build practical core strength while training your grip, shoulders, and upper back.
Control every rotation: Woodchops and Pallof presses work best when your abs guide the movement. Smooth reps keep tension in the right places.
Pick the right load: Use weights and bands that challenge you while still allowing clean movement. Good control makes each set more effective.
Train both sides evenly: Carries, side bends, woodchops, and Pallof presses give each side focused work. Balanced strength helps your core feel steadier.
Strong abs after 50 should help your whole body move better. Build your routine around standing core work, keep the reps clean, and let your midsection get stronger in the positions you use every day.
GA great-grandmother killed in unprovoked Atlanta train stabbing
A 66-year-old great-grandmother lost her life in a senseless stabbing incident aboard an Atlanta train, resulting in federal charges against John Elijah Matthews. Her grieving daughter is left seeking answers and is calling for improved transit security measures. Bruce Levell, the former chairman of MARTA operations, has raised alarms over safety on the city’s busiest transit network, noting the issues posed by homeless individuals using trains as a refuge.
This tragedy, alongside other violent incidents on public transit in three major U.S. cities, has heightened commuter fears and triggered public outcry over the justice system’s handling of repeat offenders.
Recent cases include a shooting on Atlanta’s MARTA, stabbings at New York City’s Penn Station, and another stabbing on Charlotte’s Lynx Blue Line.
Highlighted here are three recent public transit attacks involving alleged repeat offenders, which have intensified calls for stricter measures to safeguard commuters.
Among these incidents, Anthony Tyrone Gresham, aged 42, who has a history of multiple felony convictions, is accused of opening fire at Atlanta’s MARTA Midtown station. The shooting, which occurred on Friday, June 5, left a 17-year-old wounded before Gresham fled the scene.
Anthony Tyrone Gresham, 42, of Lithia Springs, was charged by criminal complaint on June 8 with committing an act of violence with intent to cause serious bodily injury on a mass transportation system, possession of ammunition by a convicted felon and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Federal prosecutors allege Gresham opened fire on a MARTA train at the Midtown Station on June 5, wounding a teenager before fleeing the scene.(Douglas County Sheriff’s Office)
Authorities say that Gresham allegedly walked up to the train car where the teen sat, pulled a handgun out of his bag and fired three times toward the victim.
The teenager was struck in his left hand and leg and medics took the teen to a nearby hospital.
Gresham, authorities said, ran from the station before law enforcement could apprehend him. The escape sparked a multi-agency manhunt that ended two days later when officers captured him in Douglasville.
Federal authorities charged Gresham with committing an act of violence with intent to cause serious bodily injury on a mass transportation system. He also faces federal charges for possession of ammunition by a convicted felon and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
Margaret Swan was killed in what officials described as an unprovoked attack.(MARTA/ @secduffy/X / Fulton County Sheriff’s Office)
The shooting came amid heightened scrutiny of MARTA safety following a separate fatal stabbing on the transit system days earlier of 66-year-old Margaret Swan, a great-grandmother.
In that separate attack, John Elijah Matthews, 25, a homeless man from Decatur, Georgia, was charged in a federal criminal complaint with committing an act of violence using a dangerous weapon with intent to cause death on a mass transportation system, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.
He is also charged locally with felony murder, according to Fulton County records.
An Amtrak police officer stands near the scene of a stabbing in Penn Station on June 7, 2026 in New York City. Five people were injured in a stabbing incident at Penn Station on Sunday evening, according to the FDNY. The attack occurred shortly after 7 p.m. on the NJ Transit concourse. One victim sustained serious injuries, two suffered moderate injuries, and the remaining two were treated for minor injuries.(Adam Gray/Getty Images)
Hector Deleon, 51, was identified as the suspect in a stabbing and slashing spree inside Penn Station’s New Jersey Transit concourse in New York City on Sunday, June 7.
The random attack happened shortly after 7 p.m. on the NJ Transit concourse inside Penn Station and sent commuters scrambling. The stabbing spree in the busy Manhattan commuter hub left five people bloodied, with one seriously injured, officials said.
Deleon had at least seven prior arrests, including a 2022 case in which he was accused of slashing a man in the neck. He was later sentenced to two years’ probation with conditions including mental health treatment.
Victim Henry Obadiah criticized liberal soft-on-crime policies after being stabbed in Penn Station by a career criminal. In an interview with Fox & Friends, Obadiah recalled the stabbing which left him with a large slash on his cheek and lip.
“I’m heading toward the exit to 7th Avenue, and I’m walking, you know, toward the escalator, and I see these two guys kind of scuffling a little bit. I didn’t think anything of it,” Obadiah said.
“Walking toward the escalator, and I locked eyes with this crazy madman, and he just looked at me, and he had this rage in his eyes, and he went whack. Cracked me right in the mouth. And my first reaction was, ‘I’m gonna go after this guy. I want to kill him.’ But then this guy behind me goes, ‘he’s got a knife. he’s got a knife.’”
Decarlos Brown Jr., 35, is accused of fatally stabbing Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee, aboard Charlotte’s Lynx Blue Line on Aug. 22, 2025.
Federal prosecutors said Zarutska sat in front of Brown before he allegedly pulled out a knife and stabbed her from behind. Brown has been charged federally with violence against a mass transportation system resulting in death, a charge that could carry life in prison or the death penalty if he is convicted.
Brown had a history of violent crime, including assaults and robberies, and had also been diagnosed with schizophrenia. Yet he was still free and walking the streets.
A mugshot of Decarlos Brown is shown alongside surveillance footage of him on light rail trains in Charlotte.(Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office; CATS)
On Tuesday, the repeat offender was deemed incompetent to stand trial in his federal case following a mental evaluation. This followed a previous May hearing for his state charges where the judge had ruled Brown incompetent to stand trial.
Brown is expected to be committed to a special facility under the direction of the U.S. attorney general for treatment aimed at restoring competency. If he is later found competent, the federal case could resume.
“Let me be clear, he will be in custody that whole time. Mr. Brown is in federal custody now and will remain in federal custody until trial,” Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, said following the hearing. “For us, our number one goal here is justice for Iryna Zarutska and Iryna Zarutska’s family. That’s what’s on the top of our minds and our hearts every day.”
Brown could face the death penalty if the federal case proceeds. However, a defendant who is found incompetent cannot be tried or executed while incompetent.
An Oregon woman is facing attempted murder charges following allegations that she attempted to poison her young children, according to reports.
Chardonnay Benavidez and her two children pose for a photo (Courtesy Nicole Osborne)
Chardonnay Marie Benavidez, aged 32, made a distressing 911 call on Saturday evening from her residence in Keizer, claiming that she and her children were experiencing intermittent unconsciousness. The call was made around 8:20 p.m.
Upon arrival, law enforcement officers discovered Benavidez along with her 2-year-old twins and a 4-year-old child in the living room. In addition, they found a concerning setup in the attached garage: a vehicle with a hose connected from its exhaust pipe into the vehicle’s interior.
Benavidez allegedly confessed to the dispatchers that she had attempted to end their lives, including her own, through carbon monoxide poisoning. All were subsequently taken to the Salem Hospital Emergency Department for treatment and were medically cleared by the following day.
After her release from medical care, Benavidez underwent evaluation by psychiatric professionals and was held by a physician. She was later transferred to the Marion County Correctional Facility, where she now faces three counts of first-degree attempted murder.
The three children were released to their father, Antonio Benavidez. They were divorced in 2024, and he said he was shocked when he got the call.
Antonio Benavidez (KOIN)
“She was such a great f—— mother,” he said in an exclusive interview with Nexstar’s KOIN. “I went to the hospital. They wouldn’t let me in. They wouldn’t give me no information. I ended up getting detained because I was like, ‘Dude, those are my kids back there, I’m f-cking going in.’”
Antonio said he only knew his ex had tried to harm herself in the beginning and was surprised to learn the kids were involved. He said she had made comments indicating she may have been struggling, but never said anything about the kids.
“She said it a few times, but I mean, you know, we all do,” he said.
Chardonnay Marie Benavidez in court on Monday, June 8 (KOIN).
After the children were released, Antonio said he went back to the house to get them clothes. But when he arrived, he noticed their belongings were all gone.
“The house is stripped,” he said. “She donated everything.”
Now, he said he’s just trying to keep everything normal for the kids.
“They don’t really know what’s going on, which is good,” he said.
During her first court appearance on Monday, prosecutors said Benavidez told the kids they would have a sleepover in the car, including popcorn.
She later reportedly told law enforcement that she had been planning it for a week and considered multiple options. A gun was also found inside the vehicle.
If you or someone you know is in a mental health crisis, help is available 24/7 by calling or texting 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or calling 911 in an emergency.
CENTRAL ILLINOIS (WCIA) – Excitement is in the air as two local teams from the WCIA coverage area have clinched spots in the IHSA baseball state finals.
Tuesday witnessed a flurry of Super-Sectional games across Illinois after inclement weather led to multiple postponements on Monday.
In Class 2A, St. Joseph-Ogden secured a commanding 9-0 victory over Williamsville, booking their ticket to the state semifinals. The clash between the Spartans and the Bullets took place on the Lincoln Land campus in Springfield. Meanwhile, at the same venue, Routt Catholic from Jacksonville emerged victorious against Nokomis with an 8-5 win, progressing to the 1A semifinals.
In another 1A showdown in Bloomington, Armstrong-Potomac faced a tough match against Tremont, resulting in a 9-1 defeat.
The eagerly anticipated 1A and 2A state baseball tournaments will be hosted at Illinois Field on the University of Illinois campus in Champaign.
Semifinals are Friday, June 12, followed by championship games and third place contests on Saturday.
SJO will play Ottawa-Marquette at 7 p.m. on Friday. Routt Catholic will play Tremont at 10 a.m.
Machine Gun Kelly’s extensive body art has come with a significant cost to his health.
The 36-year-old pop-punk artist, whose real name is Colson Baker, recently opened up about the severe illness he experienced due to his dramatic ‘dark mode’ tattoo. This tattoo, which spans the entire upper half of his body, is a massive blackout piece.
Back in February 2024, the father of two first unveiled the all-black chest piece as he shared a striking Instagram photo captioned: ‘For spiritual purposes only.’
The tattoo features solid black ink covering much of his upper torso, but remnants of his original tattoos are still visible through strategically placed panels along his arms and a cross design across his chest.
MGK shared that his tattoo artist had initially advised him that the extensive work would take two years to complete. However, he chose to ignore this advice and rushed the process into just two months, resulting in adverse health effects.
In a recent interview with Billboard Canada, the former partner of Megan Fox revealed, “After the first week, we hit my lymph nodes around my armpits and shoulders, and I got really sick.”
Machine Gun Kelly has detailed the serious illness he endured as a side effect of his massive blackout or ‘dark mode’ tattoo which covers the entire upper half of his body
‘My skin was turning yellow. I wasn’t able to sleep. I stopped being able to move certain parts of my upper body.’
Despite the health hell he was put through, the Home rapper said that he got through it and came out of recovery ‘extremely inspired.’
He explained: ‘Not just because of what I had done, but because of what I had to overcome.’
MGK also explained that he began the process as he was thinking about his recent project which was a mixtape in collaboration with Wiz Khalifa titled Blog Era Boyz which was released last month.
He said: ‘I was looking for a change that wasn’t just a sound wave. It had to be something physical.’
The rapper said that after the transformation he wasn’t able to recognize himself when he looked in the mirror.
MGK said: ‘I saw death and drugs in all these patterns that I was literally writing on my body.
‘There were happy tattoos, sad tattoos, holy tattoos, hellish tattoos. It was like my bipolarity was screaming off my skin.’
Back in February 2024, the father of two first unveiled the all-black chest piece as he shared a striking Instagram photo captioned: ‘For spiritual purposes only’
MGK seen alongside now ex Megan Fox before getting his blackout tattoo in 2023
At the time that he got the tattoo, MGK linked the extreme tattoo to a turbulent period in his life in his emotionally charged track Don’t Let Me Go.
A month after showing off his wild ink, he welcomed daughter Saga in March 2025 with now ex Fox.
Kelly and Fox, 40 welcomed their baby girl in March, just four months after their relationship reportedly ended in November 2024 following claims the actress discovered he had been communicating with other women.
Despite the breakup, a source revealed in late 2025 that Fox has been impressed by ‘how he’s stepped up for both her and the baby,’ fueling whispers that the former fiancés could be finding their way back to each other.
When he revealed the blackout tattoo, MGK also noted that the new ink required ’44 needles’ in an Instagram Story.
His tattoo artist Roxx told TMZ that the rock star engaged in a ‘spiritual consultation’ before diving into the process.
During this session, MGK conveyed to her that his existing tattoos no longer resonated with his current mindset, calling them ‘chaotic’.
The procedure seemed to be quite a formidable task, and Roxx mentioned that MGK was the ‘toughest client she’s ever had’.
Kelly and Fox, 40, welcomed their baby girl in March, just four months after their relationship reportedly ended in November 2024 following claims the actress discovered he had been communicating with other women; (pictured 2021)
She also said the process started in mid-December 2023, with MGK consistently visiting her private L.A. studio four days a week for thirteen six-hour sessions.
Roxx took to her own Instagram to share a different photo of her jaw-dropping work on MGK.
Echoing her remarks to the outlet, she captioned it, ‘Made some art with @machinegunkelly Never met a tougher one.’
MGK replied in the comment section, writing, ‘thanks for the joy and the pain.’
In a significant legal development, a federal judge has permanently prohibited the state of Alabama from executing death row inmate Jeffrey Lee using nitrogen gas. This decision was based on the grounds that such an execution method contravenes the US Constitution’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment.
US District Judge Emily C. Marks delivered this ruling on Tuesday, just hours after an appeals court overturned her earlier decision which had deemed the controversial method constitutional. Consequently, the state is now barred from using nitrogen gas to carry out the execution of 49-year-old Jeffrey Lee, who was initially slated for execution on Thursday.
The ruling followed the appeals court’s conclusion that the nitrogen gas method posed “a substantial risk of serious harm.” A panel of three judges from the 11th US Circuit Court of Appeals highlighted that the estimated three minutes it might take for an inmate to lose consciousness was an “intolerable” period, considering the likely suffering under Alabama’s nitrogen hypoxia protocol.
In her ruling, Judge Marks noted that the state could resort to an alternative execution method preferred by Lee, which is a firing squad. This decision aligns with the legal requirement that inmates contesting execution methods must propose an alternative.
Judge Marks stated, “Therefore, Lee has shown by a preponderance of the evidence that the protocol constitutes cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the Eighth Amendment.” This underscores the constitutional safeguard against inhumane treatment, further shaping the discourse on execution methods in the United States.
Marks’ order blocks only the state from executing Lee by nitrogen gas. The state has two other authorized execution methods: lethal injection and the electric chair. She said Lee is “not entitled to an injunction barring the state from executing him using one of those methods.”
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall’s office is appealing the decision, according to a new court filing. Alabama officials have maintained that the method is constitutional.
The issue appears likely bound for the US Supreme Court, which has never ruled a state’s execution method to be unconstitutional.
“Were Alabama to adopt firing squad as a method of execution, that method would likely be challenged as well. Indeed, there is likely no method — no matter how humane — that would be immune to constitutional challenge. But the Constitution does not guarantee a painless death, and human life cannot be purposefully extinguished without some risk of pain. The Court, the condemned, and the State must all confront that sobering reality,” Marks wrote in her ruling.
Alabama began using nitrogen gas for executions in January 2024, when convicted killer Kenneth Eugene Smith became the first person in the country to be executed using that method.
The execution method, which involves strapping a respirator onto the inmate’s face and replacing breathable air with pure nitrogen gas, causing death by lack of oxygen, has been criticized by opponents as inhumane and torturous.
“Three minutes of conscious suffocation is torturous. If that doesn’t violate the constitution, let alone international law, nothing would,” Bernard Harcourt, a professor at Columbia University Law School and who represents one of several other Alabama inmates challenging the method as unconstitutional, told The Associated Press.
Nitrogen has been used in eight executions in the US, with seven of them in Alabama and one in Louisiana. Lee was set to become the ninth person executed with nitrogen before Marks’ order.
Opponents of the death penalty and critics of the controversial execution method praised Marks’ ruling on Tuesday.
“I pray that we are witnessing the collapse of this horrific method nationwide,” said the Rev. Jeff Hood, who served as spiritual adviser at two nitrogen executions.
Lee is being held at Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore for his conviction of two counts of capital murder for killing Jimmy Ellis and Elaine Thompson while robbing a pawnshop on Dec. 12, 1998. Prosecutors said Lee entered Jimmy’s Pawnshop with a sawed-off shotgun and shot Ellis, who was the owner of the store, and Thompson, an employee at the business.
A jury voted 7-5 that Lee should be sentenced to life imprisonment, but a judge overrode that recommendation and sentenced him to death.
Alabama later ended the ability of a judge to disregard a jury’s sentencing decision in death penalty cases.
In a historic gesture to commemorate the United States’ 250th anniversary, Catholic bishops from around the country will gather this Thursday to consecrate the nation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
This religious ceremony, which is part of the bishops’ spring assembly in Orlando, Florida, is rooted in a longstanding Catholic tradition that celebrates Jesus’ selfless love for humanity. Many Catholics extend this devotion by dedicating their homes and workplaces to the Sacred Heart.
However, the devotion isn’t without its complexities. In various contexts, it has been linked to Catholic nationalism, while in others, it serves as a counterbalance to the worship of the state.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops plans to leverage the consecration event to advocate for a commitment to God, the nation, and those in need, according to Archbishop Alexander Sample of Portland, Oregon, who leads the bishops’ committee on religious liberty.
“As we express our gratitude for the blessings bestowed upon our nation, our dedication to the Sacred Heart compels us to consider ways to nurture truth, justice, and charity in American society,” Sample emphasized in a promotional video for the event.
Other countries dedicated to the Sacred Heart
This would be the first time U.S. Catholic leaders have held such a service, though it’s not unprecedented.
Bishops in several other countries in Europe and Latin America have dedicated their lands to the Sacred Heart, sometimes with the participation of political leaders. The practice began in Ecuador in 1874. Most of these ceremonies took place in countries with majority-Catholic populations, unlike the U.S.
Pope Leo XIII — the most recent namesake of the current pontiff — consecrated the whole world to the Sacred Heart in 1899.
Devotion to the Sacred Heart has been promoted by multiple popes. The late Pope Francis highlighted the Sacred Heart as an inspiration for service and justice. Pope Leo XIV urged an audience to turn “to the Sacred Heart, model of true humanity.”
The devotion also has been politically controversial in some countries. It has been invoked in support of a blend of Catholicism and nationalism.
The landmark Basilica of Sacre-Coeur (Sacred Heart) in Paris has long been perceived as a symbol of Catholic resistance to secularism amid France’s revolutionary turbulence.
More recently, a French film titled “Sacre Coeur” tells the story of a 17th century French nun’s visions that gave rise to the modern devotion.
The docudrama drew large crowds in France last year despite criticism from some secular and Catholic sources. One group of progressive Catholics, writing in the publication La Croix, lamented the film was being used “to further a political agenda obsessed with reaffirming France’s Christian identity.”
The movie began being distributed in American theaters Tuesday.
Separately, a Catholic group launched a billboard campaign this month promoting June as the official month of the Sacred Heart. A Republican candidate for Florida governor, James Fishback, officially consecrated his campaign to the Sacred Heart.
There is precedent for a devotional expression to take on controversial political overtones, even if it’s neutral and spiritual on its own.
The phrase “Christ is king” has increasingly been proclaimed in U.S. political settings, at times used in connection with Christian nationalist proclamations or even anti-Zionist or antisemitic claims.
A long history of devotion to a ‘king with a heart’
Catholic scholar Robert Fastiggi, who has researched the long history of the devotion to the Sacred Heart, said the U.S. bishops’ consecration service should be seen as a unifying step in a polarizing time.
It counters any effort to idolize the state — instead promoting Jesus as “a king with a heart,” he said.
“There’s such polarization or infelicitous language even coming from the president of the United States, threatening violence and annihilation on a whole civilization,” Fastiggi said in an interview. “Pope Leo was correct in saying this is unacceptable.”
Consecrating to the Sacred Heart, Fastiggi said, is “reminding ourselves we’re answerable to the law of God and of love.”
A visionary nun and a pope’s healing
The devotion to the Sacred Heart has ancient roots, but it began taking its modern shape in the 17th century, Fastiggi wrote in the academic journal Religions in 2025.
That’s when a French nun, St. Margaret Mary Alacoque, reported visions of Jesus revealing “the marvels of His love and the inexplicable secrets of His Sacred Heart.”
Numerous religious orders and fraternal organizations formed to spread this devotion. Parishes and schools took the name Sacred Heart.
A 19th century German nun, Blessed Marie of the Divine Heart, urged then-Pope Leo XIII to consecrate the entire world to the Sacred Heart. She foretold that he would be healed of a dangerous disease.
Leo XIII obliged, reporting the healing in an encyclical that promoted the devotion.
Today, many Catholic homes, businesses and churches feature images of Jesus with his Sacred Heart exposed, often accompanied by flames, a cross and a crown of thorns to symbolize suffering love. The devotion is often combined with veneration of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
With 42 percent of precincts reporting, Decision Desk HQ has declared Democrat Graham Platner the winner of the Maine primary for the U.S. Senate. Platner dominated the race, securing 75 percent of the votes. Governor Janet Mills, who had halted her Senate campaign as Platner gained momentum in polls and endorsements, still managed to capture 20 percent of the vote. Meanwhile, the third Democratic contender, David Costello, received 7 percent.
According to RedState, Platner’s campaign has faced intense scrutiny and controversy from the start. As noted by our Senior Editor Joe Cunningham:
Despite significant challenges and controversies surrounding his campaign, Platner has held onto key endorsements from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna (CA-17). These figures have remained steadfast in their support, even as some prominent Democrats, such as Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), have urged the party to reconsider their backing and rally behind another candidate.
In his victory speech, Platner expressed deep gratitude to his supporters in Maine, vowing to represent their interests as he moves forward in his quest to unseat Republican Susan Collins in the U.S. Senate.
Editor’s Note: The outcome of the 2026 Midterms will be crucial in determining the future of President Trump’s America First agenda. It is vital for Republicans to retain control of both houses of Congress.
The column runs through the full scandal file. There is the chest tattoo bearing a Nazi Totenkopf symbol that Platner claims he did not know was a Nazi symbol until the fall of 2025, by which point he was already running for Senate. There are the sexually explicit texts sent to as many as a dozen women after his 2023 marriage, his Kik profile still active when reporters found it. There is the New York Times report on former girlfriends who described volatile relationships, including Lyndsey Fifield, who said Platner “twisted her arm behind her back, shoved her into a bedroom and held the door closed from the other side so she couldn’t get out.”
Add the years of sexist and racist Reddit posts and the exaggerated working-class background, and you have a candidate whose entire biography is under active revision.
Despite these crater-sized and landmine-filled potholes in his candidacy, Platner has maintained the endorsement of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Democrat Congressman Ro Khanna (CA-17). They have been Platner’s staunchest defenders, even after other key Democrats, like Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA), have encouraged the party to cut its losses and back another candidate.
Platner was effusive in his thanks to his supporters in Maine for having his back, and he promised to have theirs as he goes forward in the race to win the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Republican Susan Collins.
Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.
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GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Authorities apprehended 46-year-old Handy Roman Ford Jr. yesterday, accusing him of selling crack cocaine to a confidential informant earlier this year in February.
In February 2026, an officer from the Gainesville Police Department collaborated with the Gainesville Alachua County Drug Task Force to orchestrate a controlled purchase. A confidential informant bought roughly 10 grams of crack cocaine from Ford at a parking lot located at the intersection of NW 13th Street and NW 39th Avenue. It is alleged that Ford set up the deal through a phone call.
Ford is now facing charges of selling a controlled substance and unlawful use of a communication device. He reportedly works as a delivery driver for DoorDash and Uber Eats. His criminal record includes nine felony convictions, two of which are violent, alongside 13 misdemeanor convictions, with two violent offenses. Ford has served four prison terms, with his most recent release in 2019. Judge Susan Miller-Jones has set his bail at $150,000.
News articles regarding arrests are informed by reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges mentioned are sourced from arrest reports and court records, serving as accusations only. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
