This weekend promises a thrill-packed lineup with exciting new releases hitting various streaming platforms. Netflix thrills viewers with fresh episodes of the fan-favorite series Outer Banks, marking its season finale. Meanwhile, Conan O’Brien takes audiences on a global adventure through his engaging HBO Max series, Conan O’Brien Must Go. Over on Hulu, one of the year’s standout films, The Christophers, is now available for streaming, captivating audiences with its intriguing narrative.

If you’re overwhelmed by the influx of choices and unsure of what to stream, Decider is your dependable guide to the must-see releases and their respective streaming homes this weekend.

New Movies & Shows To Stream This Weekend: Outer Banks, Conan O’Brien Must Go, The Christophers + More

This week, Netflix bids farewell to the Pogues as Outer Banks returns for its fifth and concluding season. HBO Max welcomes back the entertaining journey of Conan O’Brien Must Go, the travel series we all adore. Additionally, Hulu offers a cinematic treat with Steven Soderbergh’s exceptional drama The Christophers, starring renowned actors Michaela Coel and Ian McKellen, whose performances anchor the captivating storyline.

New on Netflix August 20: Outer Banks (Season 5)

This week marks a poignant conclusion as Outer Banks unveils its fifth and final season. The story resumes with the Pogues reeling from the tragic loss of JJ, portrayed by Rudy Pankow, who was shockingly killed by his father in Morocco during the climax of the previous season. Driven by a thirst for vengeance, they embark on a perilous mission to retrieve a stolen artifact believed to possess the power to resurrect the deceased. Fans can dive into all ten episodes of this gripping finale, available since Thursday.

In Conan O’Brien Must Go, the comedian and talk show host brings his absurd, irreverent humor on a trip around the world. Each episode focuses on O’Brien as he visits a new country, in this season, they’re the Netherlands, the Philippines, Morocco and India, and showing up, sometimes iunnanounced, on the doorstep of his fans. A new episode will arrive every Friday for the next four weeks.

The Christophers is the latest film from director Steven Soderbergh, and it’s one of two great films starring Michaela Coel that are now streaming this week, and both happen to share similar themes. In The Christophers, which just came out on Hulu, Coel stars as an art restorer who is hired by the children of a famous artist, Julian Sklar (Ian McKellen) to complete (er, forge) a series of Sklar’s works called The Christophers, as the artist himself refuses to finish them. The chemistry between Coel and McKellen is electric as they verbally spar, first as adversaries and then eventually as equals with mutual respect for each other. Coel shares a similar contentious artistic connection with Anne Hathaway in Mother Mary, which also arrives this week to HBO Max. Double feature time!

Full List of New Movies and Shows on Streaming This Weekend:

The options above only scratch the surface, so you know that this weekend’s full lineup will have amazing options for what to watch this weekend! For the full breakdown of the best movies and shows to stream now, or if you’re still undecided on what to stream this weekend, then check out the complete list below:

New on Netflix – Full List

Released Thursday, August 20

Blood Sacrifice (SE) *NETFLIX SERIES

Chompoo: Lost & Forgotten (TH) *NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY

Outer Banks: Season 5 *NETFLIX SERIES

S&X (JP) *NETFLIX SERIES

Released Friday, August 21

Facing El Chapo (MX) *NETFLIX FILM

Released Sunday, August 23

Talamasca: The Secret Order: Season 1

New on Prime Video – Full List

Released Thursday, August 20

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: The Wolf in Winter (2026) *Prime Video Original Movie

WNBA on Prime (2026) *Prime Video Live Sports

Yankees on Prime (2026) *Prime Video Live Sports

Released Friday, August 21

Back to the 90s (2026) *Prime Video Original Movie

Good Fortune (2025)

NWSL on Prime (2026) *Prime Video Live Sports

Released Saturday, August 22

WNBA on Prime (2026) *Prime Video Live Sports

New on Hulu – Full List

Released Thursday, August 20

Biography: WWE Legends: Complete Seasons 1,2 and 4

Invisible Monsters: Serial Killers In America: Complete Season 1

LION: Complete Season 1 (National Geographic)

Released Saturday, August 22

9/11: Reunited: Complete Season 1 (National Geographic)

All of Us Strangers (2023)

Elevation (2024)

My 600-lb Life: Where Are They Now?: Complete Seasons 3-4

MythBusters: Complete Seasons 6-7

The Christophers (2025)

Released Sunday, August 23

Beast Mode (2020)

New on HBO Max – Full List

Released Thursday, August 20

ER: Caught On Camera, Season 1 (TLC)

Expedition X, Season 12 (Discovery) 

Released Friday, August 21

Conan O’Brien Must Go, Season 3 (HBO Original)

Mother Mary (A24) 

Released August 22

Abbott Elementary, Season 5 

New on Disney+ – Full List

Released Thursday, August 20

Hulu Throwbacks Podcast – New Episode | High School Musical

LION – Premiere – All Episodes Streaming

PGA TOUR – BMW Championship (ESPN) – TBD

Project Runway (Season 22) – New Episode @ 10 pm PT

Released Friday, August 21

Banana Ball – Coconuts vs. Bananas (ESPN2) – 8 pm ET

Flex X Cop (Season 2) – New Episode

LEGO Disney Princess: Magical Mayhem – Premiere – All Episodes Streaming

Released Saturday, August 22

9/11 Reunited – Premiere – All Episodes Streaming

Banana Ball – Coconuts vs. Bananas (ESPN2) – 8 pm ET

Big City Greens (Season 5) – Five-Episode Premiere

Flex X Cop (Season 2) – New Episode

Locker Diaries: Descendants: Shorts (Season 1) – New Episodes

New on Apple TV – Full List

Released Friday, August 21

The Dynasty: UCONN Huskies

Stillwater (Season 5)

New on Starz – Full List

Released Friday, August 21

Fightland: Season 1 – Episode 4

New on Paramount+ with Showtime – Full List

Released Saturday, August 22

The Harvest*

The Run For A Million** (CBS Special)

Released Sunday, August 23 

The Cured*

New on Peacock – Full List

Released Thursday, August 20

The Valley, Season 3 – Reunion Part 3 (Bravo)

We Are Pat

Released Friday, August 21

She Dances

The 355*

What Else Is Streaming New This August?

What you see above is just a portion of the new movies and shows you can watch this month if you’ve got more than one streaming service subscription. We update our guides to the new releases on the most popular streaming platforms every month, so you can stay on top of the freshest titles to watch. Here are full lists, schedules, and reviews for everything streaming:

Liz Kocan is a pop culture writer living in Massachusetts. Her biggest claim to fame is the time she won on the game show Chain Reaction.

Dubbed the “freedom flight” reversal by many, the surprising decision by Harry and Meghan to make their way back to Britain signals another complex phase for the British monarchy.

While the official statements sweetly note that the King is naturally pleased to have the opportunity for more private family time with the Sussexes, behind closed doors, there’s undoubtedly a mix of steely apprehension and diplomatic smiles within royal circles.

Repairing familial bonds from across the Atlantic is one thing, but managing the dynamics when the entire Sussex family appears unexpectedly with a cheerful “howdy Grandpa!” in their home turf, especially given the current fragility of family ties, is an entirely different challenge.

The news, strategically released by Team Sussex to select sympathetic journalists worldwide, has ignited countless discussions, with a surge of online criticism aimed at King Charles. Some accuse him of enabling his younger son’s return at the expense of his rightful successor.

Public opinion is divided, with some viewing him as feeble and easily influenced, while intriguingly, others see him as covertly collaborating with the Sussexes.

It has sparked distasteful speculation about King Charles’s health and whether Harry has taken a decision to ‘shore up’ his position before it is too late. 

For the record, although gruelling at times, doctors have been delighted at the progress of his cancer treatment, which has been drastically scaled back and is currently being administered on a precautionary basis.

Sources have scoffed at renewed claims that the King’s right-hand man, Sir Clive Alderton, is leaving as private secretary to the King and Queen because of his opposition to any reunion – calling it ‘another mad conspiracy theory’.

Indeed, I can reveal that Sir Clive was actually integral to last month’s meeting between Harry and his father, despite being the victim of so much of the prince’s ire in recent years.

And yet it seems quite remarkable, does it not, that Harry brought his family to meet with his father for the first time in four years at Highgrove in early July and never thought even to mention that this plan was even on his radar?

But that, my sources insist, is the truth of it. Not once was the issue raised or discussed, they say. And the move has now been presented to the sovereign as a fait accompli.

It seems even stranger if what another source has told me is true: that Meghan privately visited two potential schools in the Cotswolds region for Archie and Lilibet during their visit here – and they had already earmarked a potential home belonging to a celebrity (for the record, I have not been able to independently verify either of these claims).

So while Harry has made no secret of his desire to spend more time in the UK moving forwards, it’s fair to say that this week’s news that a wholesale return to his country of birth will happen within days – a place which, not so long ago, he was arguing was too dangerous to bring his family to at all – has come as a huge shock to the wider royal household.

Reactions range from the amused (downright hilarity at the claim that Harry and Meghan have just proved their ‘half in/ half out’ model of monarchy can work… ‘surely their return is proof that it hasn’t!’), to the fearful.

Buckingham Palace declined to comment on the Sussexes’ announcement, and there was an equally deafening silence from Kensington Palace.

Indeed, sources have long made clear the Waleses have no interest in engaging with anything Harry and Meghan do or say.

Meanwhile, there is a concern that back in the UK and in such close proximity to working members of the Royal Family, every move by the Sussexes will be dissected for the slightest hint of a return to official roles and provide a constant distraction to the real working royals’ public labours. 

For the avoidance of doubt, sources insist, the couple will not be undertaking any royal duties. The King, they say, is absolutely adamant on this.

His only interest is protecting and prioritising what’s right for the monarchy and, particularly, what is right for his relationship with the Prince of Wales, says a friend.

The Waleses are working royals and future monarchs. Harry and Meghan are not. And William’s feelings must and will be respected, I am told.

Needless to say, the Prince of Wales – currently holidaying with his family and the King at Balmoral – has no desire whatsoever to reconcile will his brother, as it stands. And few can blame him.

Other family members have long memories when it comes to Harry’s behaviour, particularly the disrespect they feel he showed to the late Queen and her husband, Prince Philip, in their latter years. And they may well be reluctant to play happy families again.

There are others in royal circles with personal experience of dealing with the Sussexes who say they just can’t shake the feeling ‘there is more to this than we know’. ‘There always is with them,’ one sighed.

There is also concern among some over the couple setting up some sort of ‘rival court’ to Buckingham and Kensington Palaces. 

Since quitting royal duties, Harry, in particular, has become increasingly strident in his public announcements, even attacking US President Donald Trump just days before the monarch’s high-profile State Visit to the US earlier this year.

It is one thing for him to do this from the other side of the Atlantic when he has an arm’s-length relationship with his father, but quite another to take such pot shots from the bosom of the family again, with the potential for damaging diplomatic fall-out.

Yet the Palace believes people will understand that while Charles is a king and a sovereign, he is also a father and a grandfather, and it is possible for him to clearly delineate between the two.

A friend insists: ‘The King welcomes the opportunity to see more of his family but beyond that, his stance could not be more clear [when it comes to their public roles]. Nothing has changed.’

The difficulty, however, is that many fear – and would firmly object to – their closer proximity to the monarchy being used either as a backdoor entry by the Sussexes to public life, or as a way of burnishing their commercial credentials.

It is a tightrope the King and senior officials have no choice now but to tread.

On Thursday, Liberia marked a significant diplomatic collaboration with the United States, welcoming the country’s inaugural deportation flight loaded with foreign nationals. This initiative is part of a broader agreement, allowing up to 1,200 individuals to be relocated to Liberia over the coming year.

Initially, Liberia anticipated receiving 20 deportees. However, the majority of those on the plane were nationals hailing from Latin American countries such as Venezuela, Cuba, and Colombia, according to a statement from Liberia’s Information Minister Jerolinmek Piah to Reuters.

These individuals were deported to Liberia as a protective measure. Many were previously deemed at risk of facing torture or other forms of abuse if returned to their homelands, according to Liberian authorities. The nation, known for its tradition of offering refuge to the displaced, views the agreement as an extension of its humanitarian mission.

Migrants arriving in Liberia will have the liberty to leave the country if they wish or pursue formal asylum. They will also be offered assistance from the International Organization for Migration and the United Nations refugee agency, as reported by Reuters.

According to Reuters, the plane departed from Louisiana and stopped in Senegal before landing in Monrovia at 12:45 p.m. local time.

In a statement Tuesday, Liberia highlighted its history of accepting people “seeking refuge from political and other crises” and said it will not repatriate anyone until legal proceedings are complete.

“The Government of the Republic of Liberia agrees not to return any person transferred to Liberia by the Government of the United States of America to their home country or country of former habitual residence until a final decision has been made regarding any pending protection claims,” officials said.

“The Government wants to emphasize that those being brought to Liberia are not criminals and are not being prosecuted in any manner under United States or Liberian law. They are being received as guests of the Republic of Liberia,” officials said.

DHS TOUTS MILLIONS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT DEPARTURES AS BORDER CROSSINGS DROP 94% UNDER TRUMP

Liberia said it is not demanding compensation under the deal but will receive “support to help manage the program and strengthen its migration system more broadly.”

Reuters said the U.S. awarded Liberia $5 million this year for “migration management activities.”

Liberia’s agreement to accept up to 1,200 deportees makes it one of the largest such deals on the African continent.

The U.S. also reached agreements with several other African countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, Ghana and Sierra Leone, Reuters said.

A historic townhouse in the West Village, venerable at 189 years old, continues to captivate visitors with its storied past. This charming home has played host to an illustrious array of residents including the composer of “The Stars and Stripes Forever,” a Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist, and the celebrity duo Travis Scott and Kylie Jenner. It even served as the backdrop for a notorious mob-run poker incident.

Now, the celebrated red-brick Georgian residence at 80 Washington Place embarks on a new journey as the venue for this year’s prestigious Kips Bay Decorator Show House. Recognized since 1973 as a leading event in high-end design circles, the showcase has raised over $33 million for the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club, echoing its influence in both philanthropy and upscale interior design.

This historic property is being reimagined by an elite group of 22 designers, including Carrier and Company, Peter Dunham, TORREY, Marmol Radziner, Ten Plus Three, and Nicole Fisher Interiors. Together, they are transforming it into a dazzling modern masterpiece, a creative sanctuary that will be open to the public for a month beginning on September 16.

Nazira Handal, director of special events and corporate partnerships at Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club, expressed her excitement for the project. “When we saw 80 Washington Place, we were immediately struck by its immense potential,” she said. “This beautiful historic townhouse is full of character with its six levels, terraces, a wellness floor, and a rooftop overlooking Washington Square Park. Our designers were thrilled to take on the challenge of reimagining such a diverse and interesting array of spaces.”

The townhouse was recently listed on the market for a striking $21 million, though it was withdrawn from listings in June, keeping its next chapter eagerly anticipated.

It’s slated to go back on the market once the showcase ends, listing broker Melissa Olson, of Douglas Elliman, told Gimme Shelter. 

“It’s currently a construction site, filled with designers running around and lots of plywood. But it’s going to be amazing,” Olson said, adding that when the home returns to market, it will be at a new, still-to-be-determined price. 

While the exact designs are currently under wraps, they will include upgrades to the kitchen and bathrooms, she said.

“Some of the top designers in the world are making it amazing. It benefits everyone, including Kips Bay,” Olson said. 

The current owners purchased the six-story spread for $17 million in cash in 2024 after it had lingered on and off the market for 12 years. It originally asked $31.5 million back in 2012. 

The owners, who wish to remain anonymous, then listed the home for $22.5 million a few weeks after the poker bust last year — and around eight months after they bought it. 

“They didn’t buy it as an investment, but their plans changed,” Olson said.

The six-bedroom home is around 8,700 square feet, and comes with six baths and three powder rooms. It also features four landscaped terraces totaling 1,566 square feet. 

Reimagined after an architectural restoration, the home is now a mix of historic brick, original stone, glass, steel and wood.

The townhouse’s past lives “make for great cocktail conversation,” Olson said.

The home’s glossy present is far from its reality just a few years ago, when neighbors were calling 311, and the ritzy residence was the site of multiple mob-linked assaults, according to an unsealed 2025 federal indictment and related court filings. 

From 2021 to 2023, the townhouse was allegedly the site of rigged poker games backed by the Gambino and Genovese crime families, with the Bonanno family sharing in the proceeds after the game merged with one of its operations in 2023. The games were fronted by NBA stars and coach Chauncey Billups to lure victims, according to the accusations that broke last year. 

Two assaults happened at the home, according to federal prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York. In November 2022, Bonanno associates allegedly assaulted a gambler over an unpaid debt — and around a year later, two mobsters armed with a gun and a baton allegedly stormed the home and assaulted the game’s organizer. 

The home’s history includes ownership in 1919 by the American composer and band leader John Philip Sousa. It later became a boarding house, where one of its tenants was the Pulitzer Prize winning novelist Willa Cather. In 2021, Scott was renting the townhouse while Jenner, then pregnant with their second child, was mainly residing in LA with their daughter Stormi — although she was spotted staying at the townhouse with Scott during the time he rented it. The now-former couple had no involvement in the alleged poker scandal.

History aside, details inside the six-floor townhouse include a skylight that floods all floors with light — down to the basement media lounge.

A garden floor features a foyer that opens to a chef’s kitchen, along with a double-height great room with a gas fireplace and floor-to-ceiling glass doors leading to a garden made for indoor-outdoor living and entertaining.

Two guest suites take up the third floor, while the entire fourth floor is devoted to a primary bedroom with a fireplace, a private terrace, a spa-like bath and a walk-in dressing room. 

The fifth floor is for wellness, including a home gym, a glass-enclosed sauna and a terrace.

The crown jewel is the roof deck, with a grill, a bar, a dining area, a lounge — and views from Washington from Square Park to One World Trade Center and the downtown city skyline. 

Speculation is swirling around a possible return to the screen for the Duchess of Sussex, as insiders report that she might embrace an acting opportunity upon relocating back to the UK.

Before marrying into royalty, Meghan Markle made her mark as Rachel Zane on the hit American series “Suits,” captivating audiences with her portrayal of a clever attorney for seven memorable seasons.

However, following her final episode in 2018 and subsequent entrance into royal life, the duchess, now 45, put her acting journey on hold, having stepped away from new roles since.

According to entertainment insiders speaking with Australia’s News.com.au, Meghan has been approached for a part in a still-secretive project slated to unfold on British soil.

Although those in Meghan’s inner circle haven’t confirmed these claims to BBC News, the buzz adds another layer to the reasons behind the couple’s planned return to the UK later this month.

Meghan also has a small part in the upcoming US film Close Personal Friends, making a cameo appearance as herself alongside Lily Collins and Brie Larson.

The betting firm Ladbrokes was today offering 80/1 odds on Meghan appearing on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!, 100/1 on EastEnders and 150/1 on Coronation Street.

Before meeting Harry, the duchess had roles in CSI: Miami, sci-fi show Fringe and movies such as Get Him To The Greek, Remember Me and Horrible Bosses. She was also a ‘briefcase girl’ – a model holding a suitcase of cash – on Deal Or No Deal. 

But nearly a decade ago, Meghan confirmed in a joint interview with Harry following their engagement in 2017 that she was happy to pause her acting career.

She said at the time: ‘What’s been really exciting, as we talk about this as the transition out of my career is that the causes that have been very important to me, I can focus even more energy on. 

‘You realise that as you have access, or a voice that people are willing to listen to, [it comes with] a lot of responsibility, which I take seriously.

‘I don’t see it as giving anything up. I just see it as a change. It’s a new chapter. And keep in mind I’ve been working on my show for seven years. We were very fortunate to have that sort of longevity on a series.

‘For me, once we hit the 100-episode marker, I thought, I have ticked this box and I feel really proud of the work we’ve done there and now it’s time to work as a team with [Harry].’

The Sussexes have not yet commented on their reasons for moving back to Britain, but the duchess will continue to run her lifestyle brand As Ever from their new base.

While Meghan has not had an acting role in nearly a decade, she has appeared in several Netflix series as part of the couple’s $100million deal in 2020 which was then watered down to a ‘first-look’ arrangement last year.

These shows included two seasons of her lifestyle show ‘With Love, Meghan’, which was widely panned by critics, and the controversial ‘Harry & Meghan’ documentary, which featured a range of accusations against the Royal Family.

She also appeared as a guest judge on MasterChef Australia last month, after filming the episode in Melbourne in April during a four-day tour of the country with Harry.

Upon their return to the UK, the couple are to live in a non-royal residence outside of London – having already enrolled Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet in British schools.

Decisions about whether taxpayers will foot the bill for their security remain unanswered. Prime Minister Andy Burnham would not be drawn on the security arrangements, saying yesterday that the funding for it was a ‘private matter’.

Harry and Meghan’s decision to relocate to the UK was only relayed to the King on Sunday, three days before the news went public on Wednesday night.

The Sussexes decamped to California more than six years ago amid the turbulent Megxit crisis, which was followed by ongoing family fallouts and a barrage of accusations fired at the Prince and Princess of Wales and the King and Queen Camilla.

The King is said to be glad to be able to spend more time with the Sussex family, but remains adamant they will not be working royals, and there is no half-in, half-out option.

Archie and Lili are expected to start at their new schools in early September, and the Sussexes are keeping their homes in California and Portugal.

The Prince and Princess of Wales have not reacted publicly to the news. William – the future king – is estranged from his brother following Harry’s controversial claims about the royal family in the wake of Megxit.

A spokesman for the duke and duchess has been contacted for comment today. 

Prosecutors revealed on Thursday that crucial evidence concerning Karmelo Anthony’s supposed history with knives and violence was deliberately withheld from the jury that ultimately convicted him of murder. This disclosure comes as Anthony seeks to secure a retrial.

During Anthony’s hearing for a new trial, lead prosecutor Bill Wirske brought to light allegations about Anthony’s behavior. According to Wirske, on the morning of the stabbing incident, Anthony’s ex-girlfriend approached his school authorities, expressing fear of him.

Wirske further mentioned that the prosecution had in its possession text messages and other documents they believed demonstrated Anthony’s fascination with violence and knife use. Interestingly, none of these materials made it to the courtroom during the original murder trial.

The prosecutor explained that Anthony’s initial defense team had formed a verbal agreement with the state to exclude any character evidence related to Anthony and others, specifically Austin Metcalf and his brother, Hunter, from being introduced in court.

Anthony’s new legal team disputes that account, arguing prosecutors did not honor the agreement and that the dispute affected Anthony’s decision whether to testify.

Anthony’s attorneys argued that jurors never heard material they say could have supported his self-defense claim. They pointed to school records, social-media posts and videos alleging prior aggressive behavior by Austin Metcalf and his twin brother.

The defense cited alleged racist language, prior fights and disciplinary incidents, arguing Anthony knew the brothers could be aggressive.

The material was not presented to the original jury, and the court has not made findings on the allegations.

Retired District Judge Michael Chitty is hearing Anthony’s motion for a new trial Thursday, after Judge Sid Harle removed Judge John Roach from Anthony’s remaining trial-court proceedings Wednesday.

Harle found that a reasonable outside observer could question whether Roach appeared impartial after Roach said in a post-trial television interview that the jury “got it right” and defended several of his trial decisions.

Roach’s removal is a significant win for Anthony’s new legal team, but it does not erase his conviction or sentence. The far more consequential question is whether Chitty will grant Anthony a new trial.

Metcalf’s father, Jeff Metcalf, said Roach’s removal did not change his view of the case because it did not alter the evidence that led to Anthony’s conviction.

“It’s just one step in a long journey,” Metcalf said Wednesday on “The Will Cain Show.” “It doesn’t really change the facts.”

Anthony, 19, was convicted in June of murdering 17-year-old Metcalf, who he fatally stabbed during an altercation at a Frisco track meet. A Collin County jury sentenced Anthony to 35 years in prison.

Before Thursday’s hearing, an estimated 75 to 100 people gathered outside the courtroom, with some raising their fists as lead defense attorney Russell Wilson arrived. One man wore a Black Panther uniform.

Members of the Anthony and Metcalf families sat on opposite sides of the courtroom. Metcalf’s father greeted Wirske before the hearing, and Anthony entered in a navy suit and tie with his wrists shackled.

Criminal appellate lawyer Brett Ordiway said motions to remove a judge are difficult and uncommon, but a motion for a new trial is a much steeper legal climb.

“Granting that motion wipes out the conviction and the sentence altogether and gives Karmelo Anthony a new trial,” Ordiway told News Media. “It is very, very difficult to win these motions in any case, and I would be surprised if they were successful here.”

Anthony’s attorneys argued Roach could not fairly consider the new-trial request because his public comments addressed the same issues they raise in their motion, including courtroom access.

The motion argues Anthony’s trial was not open enough to the public. Cameras were barred from the courtroom and only 27 seats were available for members of the public.

The new-trial motion also challenges the jury instructions, arguing they limited jurors’ ability to fully consider Anthony’s claim of self-defense.

During Thursday’s hearing, Wilson said the defense would present more than 40 exhibits and at least 12 witnesses. He argued that the access restrictions amounted to an unconstitutional courtroom closure and that Roach made critical decisions outside the formal court record.

Wirske countered that Anthony’s trial lawyers consented to the security and courtroom-access decisions now challenged by the new defense team. He said the parties relied on paper filings and off-the-record discussions because of threats, doxxing and efforts to disrupt the high-profile case.

Mike Howard, Anthony’s former lead attorney, testified that the lawyers and Judge John Roach held more than a dozen off-the-record meetings before trial. Howard said Anthony was not present for those discussions and that no pretrial motions were formally filed because the parties used what he described as an “old-school” system of filing materials directly with Roach.

Howard said the defense discussed waiving some public-trial access because of security concerns, but that no Sixth Amendment waiver was made on the record. He testified that the decision not to use an overflow room was tied to technology concerns, not a specific security threat.

Howard testified that the defense understood its oral agreement with the state to allow Anthony to testify, provided the testimony stayed focused on the confrontation under the tent.

But Howard said that changed on the final day of trial, when prosecutors told the defense that the agreement did not cover a testifying Anthony and argued that the defense had already opened the door to character evidence. Howard testified that the dispute led to a heated break in the proceedings and forced the defense to reconsider whether Anthony should take the stand.

Howard said Roach told the lawyers he did not see a legal way to enforce their agreement. The former defense attorney testified that the uncertainty over what prosecutors could raise on cross-examination affected Anthony’s decision not to testify.

Chitty’s timeline is unusually short. Anthony was sentenced June 9, and Texas rules require a judge to rule on a motion for a new trial within 75 days of sentencing. That deadline falls Monday.

“If the judge does not grant the motion by Monday, then by operation of law, the motion will be denied,” Ordiway said.

If Chitty grants the motion, Anthony’s existing conviction and sentence would be set aside. Ordiway said the case would effectively return to the point before Anthony was convicted and sentenced, allowing Anthony to pursue another jury trial or negotiate a plea agreement.

If the motion is denied, Anthony’s legal fight will continue on direct appeal, a process that differs sharply from the fast-moving new-trial request.

A direct appeal is decided by a three-judge panel of the Texas Fifth Court of Appeals in Dallas and can take a year or longer, Ordiway said. Appeals generally focus on legal errors raised and decided in the trial court, while a motion for a new trial gives the trial court an opportunity to correct alleged errors soon after a conviction.

Anthony filed both the recusal motion and his request for a new trial on July 7. Roach referred the recusal request for assignment to another judge under Texas procedure.

News Media has reached out to Anthony’s defense team for comment.

If you’re losing sleep over a looming financial disaster tied to the nation’s rising debt, it’s probably time to redirect your stress elsewhere.

Admittedly, America did brush past some alarming financial benchmarks this week that hardly inspire confidence: the country’s debt soared to an eye-watering $40 trillion, and interest rates climbed to heights unseen in over twenty years.

Currently, 30-year bond interest rates have surged above 5%, with the 10-year bonds ominously approaching that same precarious 5% threshold.

At first glance, these debt dynamics seem dire. The US continues its spending spree, and with neither Democrats nor Republicans keen on addressing entitlement reforms, investors are demanding higher interest rates, or “risk premiums,” to offset the government’s spending tendencies.

The elevated yields hint that inflation might be readying for a leap as well. Bonds, often viewed as stable long-term income sources, are particularly vulnerable as inflation erodes their principal value.

The Iran war is stoking higher gas prices; Trump’s tariff schemes don’t help. As one top bond investor told me “Given what’s going on, (the spike in yield) underestimates” the problem.

The doom and gloom scenario is that the US is facing a debt crisis, one that will spur crippling interest-rate hikes and a massive sell-off in stocks.

But sources tell me that’s unlikely.

For the record, I’m no fan of deficits, particularly ones that run more than 100% of GDP. In theory, there’s only so much capital to go around. The people with the money — foreign investors (a k a the Chinese), hedge funds, US pensions — can’t keep buying our debt forever.

And Uncle Sam now competes with Open AI, Anthropic and every tech company involved in the AI rollout for financing. There are other places to park your money.

Meanwhile, who wants the Chinese to own so much of our debt and have the ability to press the sell button and send rates soaring?

On the other hand, it’s exactly because of AI and those investment options that our economy is humming along. The United States is still an innovator.

Plus I’m not convinced — and neither are my market sources, people like my “Risk and Return” podcast partner Bob Sloan of S3 Partners — that long yields are historically high.

They may be the highest since 2007. But go back a bit further, say to 2002, and both the 10 year and 30 year were trading in the same range.

And yet, the debt at the time was just $6.41 trillion; we basically had a balanced budget. Our debt-to-GDP ratio was half of what it is today, around 57%. So bond yields then weren’t an indicator of economic disaster.

The Chinese could sell all their holdings of US treasuries, but they bought them for a reason: The dollar is still the world’s reserve currency. Selling them would cause massive losses, not just their holdings, but to world-wide markets, hurting Chinese export-driven economy.

The government needs to make smarter choices, that’s certain. In the meantime, though, don’t panic. A $40 trillion debt is nothing to crow about. But at the end of the day, it’s a figure, not a harbinger.