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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.
Jose Enrique Martinez Flores, an alleged high-ranking figure within the notorious Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua (TdA), made his first appearance before a judge in Houston on Friday. This marked a significant milestone as it followed his extradition from Colombia, setting a precedent in the prosecution of cartel leaders.
Martinez Flores, who is also known by the alias “Chuqui,” is believed to have been deeply embedded in the inner workings of TdA, according to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). His extradition is particularly noteworthy as he becomes the first TdA member to be brought to the United States on terrorism-related charges, a move made possible after the gang was classified as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO) in 2025.
Jason Hudson, the FBI Special Agent in Charge in Houston, emphasized the significance of this case during a press briefing on Friday. “This is unprecedented,” Hudson remarked. “With the new administration’s decision in 2025 to label these cartels as foreign terrorist organizations, we have been granted more resources and the ability to target these individuals right in their home countries. This development is crucial.”
Continuing his statement, Hudson highlighted the groundbreaking nature of the charges: “Mr. Martinez Flores is the first TdA member to be charged with providing material support to terrorism and the first to be extradited to the U.S. to face these charges.”
As the legal proceedings unfold, this case represents a pivotal moment in the ongoing battle against international drug cartels and their expansion into terrorist activities. The outcome could set a significant precedent for how such organizations are handled in the future.
Colombian authorities arrested the 24-year-old Martinez Flores in Colombia on March 31 after U.S. authorities issued an arrest warrant for him. He appeared in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Christina A. Bryan Friday morning to face charges of conspiring to provide material support to a terrorist organization and providing material support to a terrorist organization.
17 members of Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang and members of the MS-13 gang, who were deported to El Salvador by the US in San Salvador, El Salvador on March 31, 2025.(El Salvador Press Presidency Office/Anadolu via Getty Images))
Martinez Flores’ indictment alleges his involvement in an international drug distribution conspiracy via the distribution of five kilograms of cocaine or more intended for distribution in the United States. The indictment alleges the proceeds were used to further TdA’s criminal goals.
The Trump administration designated TdA as an FTO on Trump’s first day in office of his second term in a sweeping executive order that also branded all international cartels as FTO.
FBI Director Kash Patel said a high-ranking Tren de Aguaga gang member has been flown to Houston from Colombia to face federal charges.(Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
“Today’s extradition sends a clear message: under President Trump’s leadership, foreign terrorist organizations like Tren de Aragua will be hunted down and brought to justice,” FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement to Fox News Digital.
Six travellers and the crew transporting them home will quarantine at a purpose-built facility in Perth.
They will be looked after by a Commonwealth team that specialises in trauma and infectious disease.
In Western Australia, preparations are in full swing at a quarantine facility as it readies to accommodate four Australians. These individuals are being repatriated from a cruise ship that has been struck by a hantavirus outbreak.
This quarantine center, which has largely remained unused since its establishment at the close of the COVID-19 pandemic, is now bracing for its first significant test. A total of six people, who may have been exposed to the dangerous hantavirus, are scheduled to stay there for a minimum of three weeks.
The outbreak occurred on the Dutch cruise ship, MV Hondius, during an expedition to some of the world’s most isolated islands. Last month, the journey was abruptly halted when the hantavirus, which is transmitted by rodents, resulted in three fatalities and eight infections. This incident has posed a challenge for governments worldwide as they strive to safely bring their citizens home.
While investigations are ongoing to trace the origins of the outbreak, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been working diligently to secure a suitable aircraft for the extensive journey from the Netherlands to Perth. Additionally, they had to find a flight crew willing to adhere to a 42-day quarantine following the mission.
On Wednesday, the federal government announced success in securing a plane, and all necessary clearances and permissions for the trip are currently being finalized.
Once they touch down in Perth, the four Australians plus one permanent resident, a New Zealander, and the flight’s crew will spend their quarantine period at the Bullsbrook Centre for National Resilience, 40km north-east of Perth.
The purpose-built 500-bed quarantine facility was completed in 2022, at the tail end of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is one of three of its kind in the country, equipped with specialised ventilation systems, and designed to ensure food and staff can move safely around the facility without risk of cross-contamination.
Every surface in the centre can be easily disinfected, and there are specialist medical facilities on site.
For the remainder of their quarantine period, the passengers of the MV Hondius will receive 24-hour care and be closely monitored for symptoms of the disease, which has a 30 to 50 per cent mortality rate.
Around the world
The Australian response stands in contrast to other countries’ approaches to the outbreak, where many asymptomatic passengers who were on board the ship are self-isolating at home.
Some 22 affected travellers from the United Kingdom will spend 72 hours in hospital before being sent home to self-isolate for a further 42 days.
Eighteen passengers have returned to the United States, including one travel blogger who has been documenting his time in quarantine.
The Bullsbrook Centre for National Resilience has been called a “white elephant” in Western Australian politics, but public health experts say it’s important to have facilities like it in case they are needed. Source: AAP / Richard Wainwright
Some of them are being screened at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in the city of Omaha, and two are in Atlanta, Georgia.
They will each receive individual care plans, which will require them to either self-isolate or remain at a facility.
In the Netherlands, Canada, Switzerland, and Germany, passengers will self-isolate, while Spain’s travellers will undergo medical quarantine.
In France — where one woman is in a critical condition after being diagnosed with the virus — patients are being placed in “strict isolation”.
The ship’s 38 Filipino crew members will undergo quarantine in the Netherlands.
Purpose-built facility, specialised care
Australian epidemiologist Raina MacIntyre from the University of New South Wales told SBS News it was better to be safe than sorry.
“This is a serious infection with a 30-50 per cent fatality rate, so supervised quarantine is more precautionary. With such a high death rate, it is better not to get it wrong when trying to prevent spread into the community,” she said.
Once they land, the travellers and crew will be looked after by staff from the National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre (NCCTRC), based in Darwin.
“They’re very, very experienced and they’re the most suitable personnel to be sending to manage the quarantine,” she said.
The NCCTRC was established in 2004, following the Bali bombings two years earlier. MacIntyre said the centre had “lots of experience” in managing high-risk, dynamic situations, including infectious disease outbreaks.
UNSW’s Raina MacIntyre said it was better to be cautious when dealing with a disease as dangerous as hantavirus. Credit: Raina MacIntyre
She said the staff would be preparing for the travellers’ arrival.
“Say one of the people in quarantine gets a fever. Those people will have to assess them, test them, do all the things that need to be done to establish whether or not they’ve got the virus — that takes forward planning,” she said.
The public health expert said staff would also be preparing their personal protective equipment.
“I think they’d be upskilling themselves on hantavirus. It’s not something we see in Australia, so clinicians aren’t familiar with how it presents and how to manage it and so on.”
Public health ‘invisible’ when it’s a ‘success’
Costing $400 million, the facility has been referred to as a “white elephant” in Western Australian politics, given it has scarcely been used since it opened four years ago.
The total construction costs of the three centres — located in Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth — were around $1.35 billion.
MacIntyre said this was the wrong way to think about the facility.
She said when public health was “a success”, it was “invisible” because a pandemic was averted or an infectious disease was stopped from spreading in the community.
“In this case, it’s the prevention of the spread of hantavirus in the community. Or it could be bird flu. It could be, you know, another pandemic or Ebola or something else. When it’s successful, you don’t see the effect.”
She said that was why — from a public health perspective — these facilities were important.
“That goes for everything we do for pandemic preparedness, including stockpiling of drugs and vaccines and masks and other things that we might need in an emergency — oxygen, hospital equipment and so on.”
SAVANNAH, Ga. — With fuel prices climbing, Savannah’s tourism officials are closely monitoring the potential impact on the upcoming tourism season and summer activities in the city.
Data from AAA indicates that as of Friday, the average cost for a gallon of gas in Chatham County stood at $4.04, while the national average was higher at $4.52.
Joseph Marinelli, President and CEO of Visit Savannah, noted that the majority of visitors to the city hail from regions within a two to four-hour drive, such as Orlando or Charleston.
While acknowledging the possibility that high gas prices might deter some from driving, Marinelli pointed out that the rising costs of air travel could be an even greater deterrent.
“I believe people are exercising caution,” Marinelli commented. “However, with airline prices soaring, many are reconsidering far-flung trips to the West Coast or Europe, opting instead for destinations closer to home.”
He said Visit Savannah is working hand-in-hand with all hospitality leaders in the area, like trolley tours, hotels and restaurant owners, to promote specials and packages to draw people to the area.
“The estimate is about 28,000 local Savannah Chatham County residents support the jobs here in the area,” said Marinelli. “So, when you do have friends and family visiting, get out and support our local businesses because the people that work in those local businesses are our friends, our neighbors, our relatives. We want to keep them strong throughout the summer.”
He said Visit Savannah’s visitor numbers for January through March were strong, and while they continue to monitor high gas prices, they are optimistic about having a busy summer.
The climactic moment has arrived. A single football match, a 90-minute contest, will have repercussions that extend well beyond Scotland’s borders. This encounter will either leave fans heartbroken or rewrite decades of history.
As the drama unfolds, we could witness the rise of a new ruler clad in maroon or see the continuation of a long-standing emerald dynasty.
In Glasgow, famously known as the Dear Green Place, anticipation builds as a coveted trophy glimmers tantalizingly amidst the fervent crowd, setting the stage for an epic showdown.
Throughout the season, since September, Hearts have dominated the league with impressive consistency. However, Celtic is determined to claim the final victory and make the championship theirs.
In a statement released yesterday, Celtic urged their fans to celebrate responsibly and avoid causing disruptions in Glasgow city center if they clinch the title.
Martin O’Neill is hoping to end his time at Celtic on a high with another title win this weekend
The final outcome may yet be unknown. But what is a cast-iron certainty is that those words will fall on deaf ears should they beat Hearts this afternoon.
Celtic have to be seen to be saying something on the matter, like they are trying to be pro-active and get ahead of it. But they know what’s coming, as do Glasgow City Council. We all do.
Every year, without fail, the Trongate area ends up being wrecked and brought to a standstill as thousands of supporters congregate to celebrate winning the league.
Between them, Celtic and Glasgow City Council have had years to come up with an appropriate solution, only for the same chaos and carnage to erupt.
Yet, here’s the thing. Even if they do end up dancing down the streets and tearing up the city centre once again, Celtic fans shouldn’t lose sight of the bigger picture.
On and off the field, this has been a truly shambolic season. It might well be a fairytale ending for Martin O’Neill, and good luck to the old warrior for that, but it’s been a nightmare campaign for the club as a whole.
Winning the league title may well mask the symptoms momentarily, but it will not cure the wider disease which has spread throughout this institution.
Over these past nine months, the Celtic board have taken aim at pretty much everyone and anyone. At the start, they blamed their own manager in Brendan Rodgers.
After handing in his resignation, Rodgers was eviscerated by the club’s major shareholder Dermot Desmond in an explosive statement.
Celtic have blamed their own fans, the same people who have been taken for mugs and asked to keep pumping money into the club through the sales of stadium tickets and merchandise.
Majority shareholder Dermot Desmond has come in for fierce criticism from the supporters
They openly antagonised their own supporters and insulted their intelligence at an AGM which had to be abandoned due to protests.
They have blamed referees, they have blamed opposition fans, they have blamed the police. The only people they haven’t blamed at any point for this whole mess is themselves.
The lack of self-reflection and self-awareness from Desmond, chief executive Michael Nicholson and interim chairman Brian Wilson has been quite incredible at times.
With O’Neill doing his very best to steer the ship until the end of the season, Celtic are still no further forward with regards to the appointment of a new manager or the wider restructure which is so clearly required.
Even if they do go on to lift the trophy this afternoon, the club remains an absolute basket case behind the scenes.
A fairytale finale for O’Neill must not be used as a convenient shield for those who created all of the mess in the first place.
Celtic remains an institution crippled by complacency, a lack of vision, and a lack of ambition. Nothing that happens today will change any of that.
Ironically, they would almost certainly have the title wrapped up by now had they stuck with O’Neill in the first place rather than ushering him aside for Wilfried Nancy.
In his first match in charge, Nancy lost 2-1 to Hearts at Parkhead back in December. And so ensued the brief and chaotic death spiral over the next 33 days.
That was the day when, beyond the ineptitude of the new manager, the colour of Nancy’s trainers became the talk of the steamie. Just one of many ridiculous episodes over this most incredible and intoxicating of seasons.
The Celtic fans have consistently called for the club’s senior figures to step down this season
The grand ball is now approaching. O’Neill is now wearing a glass slipper rather than green trainers, but even if he were to bow out with a Cinderella finale, no one should be silly enough to view Desmond as the fairy godmother.
Not once but twice this season, Celtic’s chief powerbroker has had to issue an SOS call to a man who is now 74 years of age and who really ought to be happily retired by this point.
It is only the alchemy of O’Neill which has dragged Celtic kicking and screaming through a season where the club has lurched from one disaster to another.
He will be feted as the saviour by supporters if he can drag Celtic over the line this afternoon. And rightly so. He could walk straight outside the stadium and tell the board where he would like his statue to be built.
The emotional bond that exists between O’Neill and Celtic supporters is immense. Only Jock Stein stands above him in the pantheon of the club’s all-time greatest managers.
It is McInnes and Hearts who now stand in his way. Given the injustice of what happened at Fir Park on Wednesday night, Hearts will carry goodwill sentiments and support from far and wide.
Every Scottish football supporter in the land, barring those of a Celtic persuasion, will be cheering Hearts on to make history.
O’Neill, the old lion summoned from the mists of glory past, chases one glorious last hurrah. One last victory which, no matter how raucously it is cheered, should not be a veil to a profoundly shambolic season.
A fairytale for one man does not erase the nightmare for the institution.
Background: Melrose High School on Deadrick Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee (Google Maps). Inset: Jasmine Dunmars (Shelby County Sheriff”s Office).
In a shocking incident at a Tennessee high school, a band meeting turned chaotic when a mother allegedly used her vehicle as a weapon and physically assaulted several children, according to authorities.
Jasmine Dunmars, aged 37, faces serious charges following the altercation, including four counts of aggravated assault, vandalism valued between $2,500 and $10,000, misdemeanor assault, and reckless endangerment. Since May 8, she has been held at the Shelby County Jail with a bond set at $125,000, as indicated by court records.
The incident unfolded on April 21 at Melrose High School in Memphis, Tennessee, where a mother and her three daughters attended a meeting with the school band teachers. Following the conclusion of the meeting, the mother reportedly waited in the parking lot, intending to discuss issues related to bullying involving Dunmars’ child.
According to an affidavit obtained by Law&Crime, the two women exchanged words briefly, but Dunmars was reportedly unwilling to engage in a discussion. She drove away in her 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee, only to return moments later as the other mother was preparing to leave in her 2015 Nissan Pathfinder. Dunmars then allegedly parked in a manner that partially obstructed the other woman’s vehicle.
The defendant got in her 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee and drove away, the court document goes on. However, she “immediately returned” as the other woman was leaving in her own 2015 Nissan Pathfinder. Dunmars “parked in front” of the other woman’s vehicle, “partially blocking her path.”
As Dunmars got out of her SUV to speak to the principal, a fight broke out between her daughter and two of the daughters of the other mother, officers with the Memphis Police Department say. One of the other woman’s daughters “ran to the opposite side of a vehicle from the fight,” but Dunmars allegedly “ran up” to the girl “and began punching her.”
School staff broke up the fight. However, the chaos had not concluded.
Dunmars reportedly got in her SUV again and “turned her wheels” toward the Pathfinder, accelerating and “ramming” the vehicle where another girl inside was trying to exit. This girl “suffered an abrasion” from the impact, authorities said.
But the suspect apparently wasn’t done. According to the affidavit, she then reversed and headed toward the other mother and other students and staff. She “accelerated once more,” attempting to “strike everyone with her vehicle, but all were able to move out of the way.”
Dunmars allegedly “drove through the parking lot, turned around and intentionally struck” the other woman’s vehicle once more. The other mother got in her Pathfinder and left, but Dunmars “continued to chase them,” police said.
Police responded, and Dunmars was identified as the driver “who attempted to run over the citizens.” The other mother and one of her daughters were interviewed about a week later, and they, too, reportedly identified Dunmars as their attacker.
The damage to the Pathfinder was estimated at $7,937. Dunmars was later arrested and booked into jail.
She has a mental evaluation scheduled in court for June 11.
John Travolta made headlines with a fresh style at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival.
The veteran actor was nearly unrecognizable on Friday, sporting a relaxed, cream-colored wool beret and a pair of glasses during the premiere of his first film as a director, “Propeller One-Way Night Coach.”
At 72, Travolta exuded sophistication in a timeless black suit, complemented by a knit vest, crisp white shirt, and tie.
He graced the red carpet alongside his 26-year-old daughter, Ella. Both are stars of the film, with Ella looking stunning in a black dress adorned with diamonds.
Joining them were their young co-star, 11-year-old Clark Shotwell, and Travolta’s co-producer, Jason Berger, as they posed for photos and celebrated their cinematic achievement.
Just before the film’s screening at the Debussy Theater, Travolta was surprised with an honorary Palme d’Or.
“This is beyond the Oscar,” an emotional Travolta — who was nominated for two Best Actor Academy Awards for 1977’s “Saturday Night Fever” and 1994’s “Pulp Fiction” — said as he accepted the award from Cannes director Thierry Frémaux, per Variety.
As the crowd cheered, Travolta continued, “I can’t believe this. This is the last thing I expected.
“You said this would be a special night, but I didn’t think you meant this,” he told Frémaux.
The “Grease” star called the honor “humbling” and thanked Frémaux for the Palme d’Or, which Peter Jackson and Barbra Streisand are also receiving at this year’s festival.
“When I met with you in November, I had no expectation that my film would be accepted,” Travolta told Frémaux. “And when Thierry said it was not only accepted, but it was making history because it would be the first film ever accepted that early, I cried like a baby because I just couldn’t believe it.”
Frémaux revealed that Travolta’s directorial debut, which is based on his own 1997 children’s book, was the first film chosen for Cannes 2026.
He also called Travolta “one of the greatest artists of the 20th and 21st centuries.”
“Propeller One-Way Night Coach” follows a young airplane enthusiast named Jeff (Shotwell) and his mother (Kelly Eviston-Quinnett), who go on a one-way, cross-country journey to Hollywood, according to Variety.
Ella plays a flight attendant in the film.
Travolta welcomed Ella in April 2000 with late wife Kelly Preston, who died of breast cancer at age 57 in 2020.
The couple also welcomed two sons, Ben, 15, and Jett, who tragically passed away at the age of 16 in January 2009 after suffering a seizure during a family vacation to the Bahamas.
Ella has made a name the fashion world, making an appearance on the cover of HardCopy Magazine’s “Fantazia” issue last November.
She made her acting debut in the 2009 Disney comedy film ” Old Dogs,” which starred her parents.
“Propeller One-Way Night Coach” premieres on Apple TV on May 29.
Bonnie Tyler is recovering after an urgent surgical procedure in Europe.
On Wednesday, May 6, her official website shared the news: “We regret to inform that Bonnie has been hospitalized in Faro, Portugal, where she owns a residence, for emergency intestinal surgery.”
Her team assured fans that the 74-year-old singer is on the mend and preparing for her upcoming tour dates.
The update continued: “The surgery was successful, and she is now in recovery. We understand that her family, friends, and fans will be concerned, and we appreciate all your well-wishes for a complete and speedy recovery.”
If you ever feel a little lonely and imagine some fangs sinking into your neck, it’s worth noting that Bonnie Tyler’s iconic hit was originally intended for a vampire-themed musical. Her 1983 smash, “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” not only dominated the charts worldwide but also became a defining soundtrack of its era.
The “Total Eclipse of the Heart” singer’s team didn’t give any more details about her health issue or when she’d be back on the road.
However, Tyler has two more tour stops coming up: a show in Malta on May 22 and one in Germany on May 30. She is also set to perform at festivals and her own solo shows throughout Europe in June, July and August.
According to her website, Tyler will resume touring in October. She will continue her European gigs through December 17, ending with a show in her hometown of Wales, England.
Michael Bolton is detailing his battle with brain cancer. “You’re reaching into your resources and your resolve in a way that you never would have thought,” Bolton, 72, said in an interview with People published on Wednesday, April 30. “Succumbing to the challenge is not an option. You’re really quickly drawn into a duel. I […]
Tyler released her first single, “My! My! Honeycomb,” in 1976. Seven years later, she dropped “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” which went to No. 1 and became her signature song.
The ‘80s icon has released 18 studio albums, with the latest being in 2021: The Best Is Yet to Come.
Tyler, who is married to Robert Sullivan, revealed that same year that music was something she didn’t plan on giving up no matter her age.
Bonnie Tyler.Andrew Matthews – Pool/Getty Images
“I’m doing all right. I’m quite fit for my age, thank God. And I’m never going to retire,” she told The Sun in 2021. “I look at Tom Jones, he’s amazing. His voice is as strong as ever — and he’s got 10 years on me.”
Two years later, Tyler received an Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) honor and gushed about how much she still loves the song that put her on the map.
“Lots of people ask me, ‘Aren’t you fed up of singing it?’ But there is no way. I love it and everybody does; it is a karaoke classic,” she said of “Total Eclipse of the Heart.”
Elton John has battled several health issues throughout his legendary music career, from addiction struggles to a secret cancer battle. “I am a survivor. I’ve survived a lot of things,” he told Variety in a March 2019 interview. “Life is full of pitfalls, even when you’re sober. I can deal with them now because I […]
Tyler also revealed how much the medal meant to her at this point in her career, saying, “I never ever thought I would have something like this. My mother and father would be so proud. To be nominated for a Grammy was wonderful, but to be given an MBE for something I absolutely love doing is a highlight of my career.”
In the years that have followed, Tyler has stayed true to her word about staying busy. She even released new music as recently as this spring.
Her single “Only Love” dropped on March 21 followed by “One World One Home” on April 24. The second single was produced as part of the new documentary Homeless, which began streaming on most major platforms last month.
The largest children’s hospital in the United States has reached a settlement with the state of Texas and the Trump administration over the provision of gender-affirming care for transgender youths, agreeing to a $10 million payment. This development was announced on Friday by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and representatives from the administration.
Located in Houston, Texas Children’s Hospital disclosed in a statement that the settlement was reached to “safeguard our resources from protracted and expensive legal battles.” The hospital, which caters to over one million patients each year, claimed that it had been under investigation by Paxton’s office and the U.S. Department of Justice for three years. During this period, they contended with what they described as an “unjust campaign of misinformation and misrepresentation.”
In 2022, the hospital made public its decision to cease providing gender-affirming hormone treatments for minors. This decision followed a legal opinion from Paxton labeling such care as “child abuse” and directives from Governor Greg Abbott to the state’s child welfare agency to treat reports of this care as potential abuse. By 2023, Texas had enacted a law banning gender-affirming care for minors, joining at least 27 other states with similar restrictions. In a 2025 ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the rights of states to impose such bans.
As part of the settlement, Paxton announced that Texas Children’s Hospital will establish a “detransition clinic” that will offer free services to transgender patients for a period of five years. This clinic aims to “reverse the damage” perceived to have been caused by gender-affirming care. Paxton described this facility as the nation’s first of its kind, although this claim could not be independently verified at the time of the announcement.
“This landmark settlement signifies a fundamental shift away from extreme ‘gender’ ideologies,” Paxton stated, highlighting the significance of the agreement.
Paxton’s office did not release a copy of the agreement, and the statement from Texas Children’s did not discuss its specific terms.
The leader of the LGBTQ rights group Equality Texas said Texas Children’s “has lost its integrity and put politics over patients” and called the settlement “embarrassing.”
“Paxton is blackmailing a hospital system into creating a resource that no one is asking for,” CEO Brad Pritchett said in a statement. “It ignores the actual science and years of data about the overwhelming benefits of gender-affirming care.”
Under Trump, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has moved to use its regulatory power to block gender-affirming care for minors, and the DOJ has demanded access to providers’ records. Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a statement Friday that the DOJ would “use every weapon at its disposal” to stop gender-affirming care for children.
Paxton is running for the U.S. Senate, and he announced the settlement less than two weeks before a May 26 runoff with him locked in a tight race to unseat GOP incumbent Sen. John Cornyn. President Donald Trump — who has aggressively sought to roll back transgender rights — has not publicly endorsed a candidate in the race.
Most major medical groups see access to gender-affirming care as important for people with gender dysphoria. Transgender youth, parents and providers have described it as life-saving for youth who are depressed or suicidal because their gender identities do not match the sex assigned them at birth.
Gender-affirming care may include counseling, medications that block puberty, hormone therapy to produce physical changes or surgeries to transform chests and genitals, although those are rare for minors.
The hospital said it fully cooperated with Paxton’s office and the DOJ, produced more than 5 million documents and did its own internal investigations. All of them showed that it never violated the law, the hospital said.
“These efforts have required significant staff time and financial resources to defend ourselves,” its statement said. “This settlement will allow us to redirect those precious resources to focus on the life-saving care and groundbreaking discoveries of our exceptional clinicians and scientists.”
Paxton said the agreement also requires Texas Children’s to fire — “and never again hire” — five doctors who provided gender-affirming care, agree never to provide such care and to change its bylaws so that any doctor violating the state law automatically loses any privileges at the hospital.
The $10 million payment will go to the state’s Medicaid program. Paxton had accused the hospital of submitting false billings, an allegation it rejected.
Kim Kardashian has significantly influenced the release of a former death row inmate by reportedly covering his $500,000 bail.
Richard Glossip, aged 63, was released from Oklahoma State Penitentiary on Thursday as he prepares for a retrial on charges of first-degree murder, according to Us Weekly.
After spending more than 20 years on death row and facing nine planned execution dates, Glossip endured the experience of receiving a ‘last meal’ on three separate occasions.
Glossip was initially found guilty in connection with the 1997 murder of his former employer, Barry Van Treese, a motel owner in Oklahoma City. Prosecutors alleged that Van Treese was beaten to death with a baseball bat and accused Glossip of orchestrating the murder.
Despite his conviction, Glossip has consistently claimed his innocence. In a significant development in February 2025, the US Supreme Court overturned his conviction and ordered a new trial, citing that prosecutors had permitted testimony from a witness they allegedly knew was false—a decision that Kardashian backed.
Kim Kardashian – pictured on May 4 at the Met Gala – has played a pivotal role in the release of former death row inmate Richard Glossip by reportedly posting his $500,000 bail
Judge Natalie Mai set Glossip’s bail at $500,000 on Thursday, which was ‘immediately’ paid by Kardashian, according to Scott Budnick, a film producer whose credits include the 2009 comedy The Hangover.
Budnick took to Instagram to share photos of Glossip walking out of prison with his wife, Lea Glossip, revealing that Kardashian ‘GRACIOUSLY paid for’ his bail.
‘AFTER 29 YEARS INNOCENT ON OKLAHOMA’S DEATH ROW – RICHARD GLOSSIP WALKED OUT AS A FREE MAN THIS AFTERNOON!!!!’ Budnick wrote in the caption.
‘I’m just thankful for my wife and my attorneys. Just thankful. It’s overwhelming, but it’s amazing at the same time,’ Glossip said.
Glossip was released on the following conditions: he must wear an electronic monitoring device and is forbidden to travel outside Oklahoma, nor can he have contact with any witnesses in the case or consume any drugs or alcohol.
The billionaire reality star, 45, has actively campaigned for Glossip’s release for years, along with actress Susan Sarandon.
In 2023, Kardashian shared a post on X in which she stated that Glossip ‘deserves a full pardon’ and that the state should not ‘execute another man especially for a crime he didn’t commit.’
Prosecutors intend to re-try Glossip for murder but will not seek the death penalty.
Glossip, 63, walked out of Oklahoma State Penitentiary with his wife, Lea Glossip, on Thursday as he awaits a retrial for first-degree murder
‘I’m just thankful for my wife and my attorneys. Just thankful. It’s overwhelming, but it’s amazing at the same time,’ Glossip said
Glossip was found guilty in the 1997 Oklahoma City slaying of his former boss, motel owner Barry Van Treese (left)
The billionaire reality star – seen on May 3 – has actively campaigned for Glossip’s release for years
‘While it was clear to me and to the US Supreme Court that Mr Glossip did not receive a fair trial, I have never proclaimed his innocence,’ Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond said in June 2025.
‘Unlike past prosecutors who allowed a key witness to lie on the stand, my office will make sure Mr Glossip receives a fair trial based on hard facts, solid evidence and truthful testimony.’
Meanwhile, the SKIMS founder, who failed the California bar exam last year, reportedly won’t be trying again this year because she’s just too busy to commit to her studies.
A source told Page Six: ‘Kim has a packed schedule and has been heavily involved in filming and production for several projects so she decided it’s best to skip this round of the bar exam and focus on taking it again when she feels ready.’
In a dramatic turn of events, the retrial of Harvey Weinstein on rape charges in New York concluded with a mistrial on Friday. The jury, unable to reach a unanimous decision in this high-profile #MeToo case, echoes a similar outcome from a previous trial last year.
Despite convictions for other sexual offenses on both the East and West coasts of the United States, Weinstein remains incarcerated. However, the unresolved status of the New York rape charge after three trials leaves the legal battle in a state of uncertainty. As the verdict was announced, Weinstein, now confined to a wheelchair, displayed no visible reaction while being escorted from the courtroom.
This particular trial revolved around accusations from Jessica Mann, a hairstylist and actress, who alleged that Weinstein raped her in 2013. The defense countered, asserting that the encounter was consensual, highlighting the complex dynamics of their relationship at the time, as Mann was significantly younger and Weinstein was married.
Signs of a deadlock became apparent on the third day of jury deliberations. Jurors communicated their inability to reach a consensus, prompting Judge Curtis Farber to encourage further discussion—a common practice in New York when a jury initially reports an impasse.
Looking ahead, a hearing is scheduled for June 24 to determine whether prosecutors plan to pursue a fourth trial. In the aftermath, District Attorney Alvin Bragg expressed his disappointment but reaffirmed his respect for the jury system, leaving the future of the case uncertain.
Bragg said his staff will consult Mann about another trial and also take into account what happens to Weinstein when he’s sentenced in another case.
As an Oscar-winning movie producer and studio boss, Weinstein was one of Hollywood’s most powerful figures and a significant Democratic donor before the long-suppressed sexual harassment and sexual assault allegations against him cascaded into public view in 2017. The revelations galvanized the #MeToo movement ’s demands for accountability for sexual misconduct, made Weinstein a pariah, bankrupted the studio and ultimately led to criminal charges against him in New York and Los Angeles.
He was convicted of some and acquitted of others. Yet Mann’s allegation lingered. Weinstein was convicted of the charge in 2020. Then an appeals court overturned that verdict, and jury deliberations broke down at a 2025 retrial. That paved the way for this year’s retrial.
Weinstein has said he was unfaithful to his then-wife and “acted wrongly, but I never assaulted anyone.”
Mann, now 40, met Weinstein at a Los Angeles party in early 2013, when she hoped to build a handful of acting credits into a big career. He took interest and soon showed that it wasn’t purely professional.
She said his initial, pushy overtures discomfited her, but she acceded to them and decided to develop a relationship with him.
She was staying with a friend at a Manhattan hotel in March 2013 when Weinstein showed up early for a planned breakfast and got a room over her objections, Mann testified. She said she accompanied Weinstein to the room to talk and made it clear she didn’t want sex.
“I said ‘no,’ over and over, and I tried to leave,” she told jurors during five days of intense testimony.
She said that Weinstein blocked her from leaving and grabbed her arms. Scared, she gave up protesting, complied with his demands to undress, and laid on a bed while he went into a bathroom, she told jurors. Then, Mann said, he raped her.
Mann told no one for years about the alleged rape. Nor did she mention it in her introspective, private writing two days later. In a note to herself, she grappled with conflicted feelings about becoming “emotionally attached” in a nonexclusive relationship with a man she didn’t name.
After Weinstein’s new lawyers confronted Mann with the note, she said she hadn’t needed to write down the allegation.
Weinstein didn’t testify. In his lawyers’ telling, Mann was a willing partner in a close, supportive relationship with a show-business insider who opened doors for her, but she turned on him once he became an outcast.
In the months and years after the New York encounter, Mann kept seeing and communicating with Weinstein.
At times, she pulled away to pursue and preserve a relationship with a new boyfriend, according to her emails and testimony. At other times, she turned back to Weinstein, who validated her acting dreams, told her he was proud of her and responded caringly when her father was terminally ill.
“I love u. Anything u need,” Weinstein wrote.
Over the years, he helped Mann land a movie audition — it went nowhere — and a hairstyling job. She asked him for help with such things as a car problem and a club membership, though she declined a package his office tried to send in summer 2013, when she couldn’t make rent. Mann said she understood the envelope contained $1,000 in cash.
In one of her last emails to Weinstein, in February 2017, she wrote: “I love you, always do. But I hate feeling like a booty call.” When he responded by suggesting she was “joking” and should stop using his company email, she said it was a joke and apologized.
Eight months later, she saw the news reports that propelled his downfall and ultimately prompted her to go to police.
Mann never sued Weinstein, but after his 2020 conviction, she filed for and got about $500,000 from a sexual misconduct settlement fund set up during his company’s bankruptcy. The payout was mentioned at last year’s retrial, but the defense didn’t raise it this time after extensive arguments about what could and couldn’t be said.
The Associated Press does not identify people who say they have been sexually assaulted, unless they choose to make their names public, as Mann has done.
