Louisiana bill expands first-degree murder charges and death penalty eligibility after mall shooting
A Louisiana bill expanded after a deadly mall shooting would broaden first-degree murder charges and potentially increase death penalty eligibility, and lawmakers cited the attack as justification for toughening the state’s homicide laws. House Bill 102 was originally introduced to create a new crime targeting abuse or neglect that seriously harms elderly or vulnerable people. But the proposal evolved significantly as it moved through the state legislature. Lawmakers added provisions tying the new offense to existing murder laws, meaning a death during such abuse could be charged as murder. SHOOTING AT MARDI GRAS PARADE IN LOUISIANA LEAVES 5 WOUNDED, SUSPECT IN CUSTODY POLICE SAY The most sweeping changes came in the Louisiana Senate, where state Sen. Alan Seabaugh, R-Shreveport, introduced amendments after the April 23 shooting at the Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge. The incident prompted a massive law enforcement response after reports of an active shooter sent shoppers fleeing for safety. Authorities said multiple people opened fire during a dispute between groups inside the mall. The gunfire killed 17-year-old Martha Odom and wounded at least five others, according to officials. Several of those wounded were bystanders caught in the crossfire. SEPARATE SHOOTINGS NEAR NEW ORLEANS PARADE ROUTE LEAVE 2 DEAD, 10 WOUNDED Police said multiple suspects were taken into custody after the shooting, which unfolded in a crowded public area and sparked panic among shoppers and employees. Gov. Jeff Landry said at the time that the violence underscored ongoing concerns about public safety as investigators worked to determine what led to the gunfire. Seabaugh said the amendments were designed to address situations in which individuals fire into crowds and kill unintended victims, according to The Advocate. LOUISIANA CHILD KILLER SPARED BY BIDEN FACES DEATH PENALTY AGAIN AFTER ‘OUTRAGEOUS’ COMMUTATION: DA Under the revised bill, first-degree murder would be expanded to include killings in public places where the offender creates a risk of death or great bodily harm to three or more people. Additional provisions apply to offenders who use guns illegally or commit killings while on bail, probation or parole. The changes also establish a legal presumption that pointing and firing a gun at another person demonstrates intent to kill or inflict great bodily harm. In Louisiana, first-degree murder is a capital offense, meaning defendants can face the death penalty if convicted. The bill must still clear final legislative hurdles before heading to the governor’s desk.
WATCH: California Dems rally around healthcare for illegal immigrants during fiery debate
Every Democrat asked during this week’s California gubernatorial debate said they supported providing healthcare coverage for illegal immigrants, a position they took moments after candidates spent several minutes warning that California’s healthcare system is already too expensive and straining families, businesses and the state budget. “We had a broken immigration system, and now you want to victimize the people who are working here and making the state run,” Democratic candidate and billionaire businessman Tom Steyer said when asked if he supported giving coverage to illegal immigrants after the current California governor, Gavin Newsom, cut it to help reduce the state’s ballooning deficit. Katie Porter, a former California congresswoman and fellow Democratic candidate for California governor, was asked point-blank about the cost concerns related to providing illegal immigrants with free healthcare coverage. ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT HEALTHCARE COSTS IN BLUE STATE TRIGGERS INTENSE BUDGET DEBATE “We can’t afford to have people who are sick, who are making the rest of us sick,” Porter responded to the cost question before her Republican opponent, Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, interjected, “They shouldn’t be here,” leading Porter to pause and give him a look of bewilderment. “When anyone doesn’t have care, the rest of us are at risk when people don’t get vaccinations,” Porter continued. “When they don’t go to the doctor, they wind up in the emergency room. They cause longer lines for the rest of us. They make our health care system — they push it to the brink.” “Immigrants, whether documented or not, work hard. They pay taxes, and sometimes they get injured on the job or their children get sick,” former Biden administration Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said when asked if he supported the measure. NEWSOM SIGNS $2.8B BAILOUT FOR HEALTHCARE PROGRAM OVERRUN BY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS “It would be foolish to tell a family that they don’t have access to the pediatrician or the family doc or not be able to use the community health center where it wouldn’t cost us so much to give them help access to good health care,” Becerra continued. “Instead, what will happen is that child will get so ill that they will have to take that child to the hospital. And what door do they enter? The most expensive door in the health care system? The emergency room door. Why do that and spend so much money when you can do it up front?” The remaining Democratic Party candidates on the stage, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan and former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, were not directly asked whether they supported providing healthcare to illegal immigrants in the state, nor did they indicate their stances during other portions of the debate that discussed healthcare. “The actual way we deal with healthcare in this state is to at least stop spending $20 billion a year on free healthcare for illegal immigrants who shouldn’t even be in the country in the first place,” Republican candidate and former Fox News host Steve Hilton said during debate about how to reform the state’s healthcare system. LAWMAKERS REVEAL WHETHER AMERICANS SHOULD PICK UP THE MEDICAID TAB FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS “When are we going to draw the line at any other crime? It’s illegal. They enter the country illegally, we’re not going to incentivize them to come here to take more of the resources that regular Californians aren’t getting,” Bianco added. Before defending taxpayer-funded healthcare access for illegal immigrants, several of the Democratic candidates were already locked in a fight over who was more committed to government-run healthcare. Steyer said he supports single payer “absolutely,” while Becerra said California should “try to get to a Medicare for all program.” Porter repeatedly pressed Becerra to be more explicit, asking whether he supported “California having its own state-run single-payer system.” But the push for expanded coverage came as candidates also acknowledged the cost problem. Steyer said healthcare is “eating up our budget” and “eating up every single family,” while Villaraigosa warned a state-run single-payer system would carry a roughly $500 billion price tag and require approval from the federal government. “It’s pie in the sky,” Villaraigosa said.
DOJ dangles massive signing bonuses for lawyers ready to fight ‘lawless’ cities far beyond DC
The Department of Justice is offering signing bonuses of up to $25,000 to recruit lawyers across the country to bolster legal battles against what one department official described as “lawless jurisdictions.” New job postings show the high-dollar bonuses are being offered through the DOJ Civil Division components that handle immigration lawsuits and investigations into transgender medical treatments, two of President Donald Trump’s most contentious priorities, and highlight New York City, Raleigh, San Francisco and Dallas. The hiring push comes as the Civil Division, the DOJ’s most expansive division led by Brett Shumate, continues the resource-intensive task of defending White House policies in court as it faces hundreds of lawsuits, while also drawing scrutiny for employee departures and reported recruiting challenges. The new recruitment strategy puts a spotlight on the pressure DOJ is facing to sustain its aggressive legal defense strategy, particularly in blue cities and states that it has accused of undermining federal authority, while also combating narratives that the department is struggling to retain staff. TRUMP ADMIN UNLEASHES CRUCIAL RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGN WITH MASSIVE BONUSES TO BOLSTER ICE RANKS A DOJ official told Fox News Digital the hiring effort is not reflective of any internal strain but rather a way for the department to “look broader by enticing attorneys around the country who may not have considered” working for a D.C.-based federal agency. “The department is expanding resources across the country to combat lawless jurisdictions and nationwide injunctions, and there is a need to attract candidates from those new areas,” the official said, touting that Trump’s signature One Big Beautiful Bill Act gave the DOJ “millions of dollars to hire more attorneys specifically for those efforts.” The offers come as blue states, civil rights groups and Democrats flood courts across the country with lawsuits challenging Trump’s efforts to shrink and unify the executive branch, crack down on illegal immigration, implement tariffs and tighten policies surrounding election security and transgender people and more. Lower court judges have often stymied the administration’s work. The DOJ has chosen on rare occasions to raise the adverse rulings on an emergency basis with the conservative-leaning Supreme Court and won some two dozen cases — which represents a vast majority of the cases — when taking that route. JUDGES V TRUMP: HERE ARE THE KEY COURT BATTLES HALTING THE WHITE HOUSE AGENDA The Civil Division, which is in charge of defending the civil lawsuits against the administration, has also been offering incentives to current lawyers, according to Bloomberg Law. The outlet said the division was offering new biweekly bonuses up to $220 through Thanksgiving because lawyers “keep fleeing” and because the division was “growing more desperate to stave off further departures of valuable legal minds” who are uncomfortable with Trump’s priorities. The DOJ official addressed concerns about an employee exodus in a statement to Fox News Digital, after The Financial Times also reported that more than a quarter of its nearly 13,000 lawyers have quit or been fired since the beginning of last year. JUDGE RESTORES TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S BUYOUT OFFER TO FEDERAL WORKERS The official attributed the departures, in part, to employees taking a “fork in the road” resignation option, which the Trump administration rolled out last year with the stated goal of reducing the size of government. “This has allowed DOJ to run more efficiently and hire new employees who wholeheartedly believe in the work they’re doing,” the official told Fox News Digital. Assistant Attorney General Shumate told Fox News Digital in a statement he was “always looking for talented and qualified attorneys to advance President Trump’s priorities and protect the American people.” “The Civil Division will continue to hire hardworking patriots from across the country and offer appreciation bonuses to our loyal attorneys who remain committed to our mission and upholding the rule of law,” Shumate said.
Dem representative admits to working with Mexico to sneak oil into Cuba, despite blockade
A Democratic lawmaker is drawing backlash after saying she spoke with foreign ambassadors about getting oil to Cuba despite U.S. sanctions, defending the outreach as “literally our right and responsibility.” Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., made the remarks during a recent Seattle briefing following a congressional delegation trip to Cuba, where she discussed the island’s worsening fuel shortages and U.S. policy toward the communist regime. “I was in conversations with the ambassadors from Mexico and some other places … trying to figure out how to get oil there,” Jayapal said during the briefing, calling the situation on the island “a crisis beyond imagination.” REP. JAYAPAL DEFENDS COMMENT CALLING ICE ‘A TERRORIST FORCE,’ SAYS WHITE HOUSE ‘OWES AN APOLOGY’ TO AMERICANS Jayapal said the event was part of a broader briefing on the humanitarian situation in Cuba following her recent visit. “As many of you know, I traveled to Cuba as part of a congressional delegation last month,” she said. “It is part of my role to see how U.S. foreign policy is actually affecting the people in the countries where that policy is being implemented.” PAIR OF DEMOCRAT LAWMAKERS SLAM ‘BLOCKADE OF FUEL’ TO CUBA, ‘ECONOMIC BOMBING’ AFTER VISIT TO ISLAND She said she met with Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel, senior government officials, political dissidents, civil society groups and foreign diplomats during the trip. Video of the remarks circulated widely on X, where users criticized the progressive lawmaker’s comments and raised legal concerns. REP. JAYAPAL SLAMMED FOR TELLING AMERICANS TO ‘THINK ABOUT WHO PICKED’ THEIR FOOD IN ANTI-DEPORTATION REMARKS Conservative accounts amplified the clip, including End Wokeness, which claimed she was “conspiring against the U.S.” and suggested her actions could constitute a federal felony. Libs of TikTok wrote that her actions “seems a little like treason to me.” DEM CONGRESSWOMAN DENIES RHETORIC INCITED ANTI-ICE VIOLENCE, DOUBLES DOWN ON CONDEMNING AGENCY Social media users also pointed to potential legal implications. “Traitor. She should be prosecuted,” wrote “The Charlie Kirk Show” executive producer Andrew Kolvet on X. Those claims are political commentary and have not been independently verified, and no investigation or charges have been publicly announced. Jayapal responded to the backlash in a post on X, writing, “Breaking news: Members of Congress meet with ambassadors of other countries every day. That’s literally our right and responsibility.” Her remarks came as she sharply criticized U.S. sanctions on Cuba, describing them as “economic bombing of the infrastructure.” “It is illegal. It is against the law,” she said. “This is essentially doing the same thing. It is bombing the infrastructure of Cuba with economic sanctions that essentially ensure that the infrastructure collapses.” DEM SENATOR’S EL SALVADOR TRIP MIGHT VIOLATE LAW LIBERALS USED AS PRETEXT FOR MICHAEL FLYNN PROBE: CRITICS The controversy has also prompted discussion of the Logan Act, a rarely used federal law that bars unauthorized individuals from negotiating with foreign governments in disputes involving the United States. Andrew McCarthy, a former federal prosecutor, told Fox News Digital the statute has never resulted in a conviction and has been used only sparingly in U.S. history. “There has never been a conviction under it — in fact, there have only been two indictments, the last one about 174 years ago,” McCarthy said. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT REACHING OUT TO DEMOCRAT LAWMAKERS SEEN IN VIDEO TELLING TROOPS TO ‘REFUSE ILLEGAL ORDERS’ He added that any potential legal exposure would depend on whether a lawmaker took concrete action that violated U.S. sanctions. “There would be no criminal case … unless it can be shown that she took some action that violated, or aided and abetted a violation of, the sanctions,” McCarthy said. FOLLOW US ON X He argued disputes over engagement with foreign governments are more appropriately handled through political accountability rather than criminal law. CHINA’S SPYING IN CUBA SPARKS ALARM ON CAPITOL HILL AFTER FRESH SATELLITE IMAGES SHOW SURVEILLANCE BUILDUP The Trump administration has previously described the Cuban government as a national security concern due to its ties to adversarial countries and actors, including relationships with Iran and alleged links to groups such as Hezbollah. The Cuban government has also faced longstanding criticism over political repression and restrictions on free speech. GET BREAKING NEWS BY EMAIL The island’s economic conditions have contributed to a surge in migration, with hundreds of thousands of Cubans arriving in the United States in recent years. Jayapal, who traveled to Cuba in April with Rep. Jonathan Jackson, D-Ill., has argued U.S. policy is worsening conditions for civilians on the island while also acknowledging concerns with the Cuban government. CUBAN PRESIDENT ADMITS TALKS WITH TRUMP ADMIN AS FUEL BLOCKADE CHOKES DOMESTIC ENERGY SUPPLY AND ECONOMY “I do also have criticisms of the Cuban government … In our meetings, I have always raised those,” she said, referencing issues including political prisoners and limits on dissent. “The Cuban government has sent many signals that this is a new moment for the country,” Jayapal said in a statement following the trip, adding that U.S. restrictions on fuel amount to “cruel collective punishment.” She has called for lifting the U.S. embargo and removing Cuba from the State Sponsor of Terrorism list, while backing legislation to block potential U.S. military action against the country. Fox News Digital has reached out to Jayapal’s office, the White House and the State Department for comment.
Texas water park changes ‘Muslim only event’ after Gov Abbott threatens to pull $530K in state grants
A “Muslim-only event” at a taxpayer-funded Texas water park has been changed to say “all are welcome,” while encouraging guests to dress moderately after criticism and threats by Gov. Greg Abbott to pull public safety grants. A local Islamic group rented out the Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark for its annual Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) “Epic Eid” celebration June 1. A flier for the event originally stated that the gathering was a “Muslim only event” that required a “modest dress code.” Amid the backlash, the organizer of the event, Aminah Knight, said the event was about “creating a space where individuals and families, particularly those who value modest dress and a modest environment, can come together and enjoy a recreational setting comfortably.” The new poster removes “Muslim only event” and now says “Modest dress only” and replaces the phrase “For Muslims only” with “All are welcome.” MUSLIM GROUPS, OTHER LEADERS DEMAND ABBOTT RESCIND CAIR’S ‘TERRORIST’ DESIGNATION: ‘DEFAMATORY’ “In response to feedback, we have updated our materials to clearly reflect that this is a modest dress-only event, centered around a respectful and family-friendly environment,” she wrote in a message on the event website. The event is the third being held at Epic Waters, a city-owned water park funded in part by a voter-approved 0.25% sales tax in the DFW suburb of Grand Prairie. Initially, the event advertised a “Muslim only event” admission policy that featured halal food and a private prayer area. Women are required to dress in “burkinis,” and men are required to wear swim trunks and shirts. Although men and women won’t be separated, the event website states that guests should uphold “Islamic etiquette,” just as they do in other mixed-gender spaces. MUSLIM CIVIL RIGHTS GROUP CAIR SUES TEXAS OVER ABBOTT’S ‘TERRORIST’ DESIGNATION Abbott blasted the event, calling the initial “Muslim only” policy “unconstitutional” and “religious discrimination.” “I signed HB 4211 into law — banning Muslim-only no-go zones in Texas,” he wrote on X. “The City must cancel the event and commit to never allowing something like it again by May 11th, or lose $530,000 in state grants. Let this be a lesson to local officials: Facilities funded by ALL taxpayers are not just for a subset of Texans.” In a letter to Grand Prairie Mayor Ron Jensen, Abbott noted that his Public Safety Office has five active grants with the city and that city leaders agreed to comply with state laws regarding civil rights and discrimination upon accepting the awards. Fox News Digital has reached out to the water park and the city of Grand Prairie.
Minnesota’s eye-popping subsidy payments to nine daycare centers exposed after last week’s fed raids
Minnesota’s Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) paid more than $67 million in public childcare subsidies over the past eight years to nine day care providers, several of which were confirmed to have been raided by federal authorities last week. The figure is based on an investigation of state records by local Minnesota news outlet KSTP, which points out that since there have not been any charges, it is unclear how much of this may be fraud. While an exhaustive list of the daycares raided last week has not been released by authorities, public records can confirm several included programs that receive CCAP subsidies. The investigation of state records found that in the final two years of publicly available data that state payments through the CCAP program to these nine centers more than doubled, growing from around $8 million in 2023 to over $16 million in 2025, while the number of students served remained steady. UNEARTHED SURVEILLANCE EXPOSES HOW PARENTS WERE ALLEGEDLY INVOLVED IN MINNESOTA’S DAYCARE FRAUD SCHEME “I think voters are very frustrated with the entire situation. I don’t think it’s Republican or Democrat — they’re just frustrated,” former state lawmaker, a small business owner and member of the Taxpayer League of Minnesota, Phil Krinkie, told KSTP. “Just last week, Democrats killed a bill to increase oversight and fraud penalties for child care providers receiving high amounts of CCAP funding, like these nine providers,” the Minnesota House Republican Caucus added on X. Federal agents issued 22 search warrants at day care and autism centers in Minnesota last week. Fox News Digital reached out to the FBI, Department of Justice, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Minnesota, and the Department of Health and Human Service’s Association of Children and Families (ACF) to confirm details of the raids, including whether the nine daycares receiving CCAP funds were part of last week’s operations. Only HHS responded, indicating that “ACF does not comment on ongoing litigation.” NEW AUDIT EXPOSES FLAWED SYSTEM CRITICS SAY LET MINNESOTA FRAUD TO SLIP THROUGH CRACKS: ‘DIDN’T ACT FOR YEARS’ Former Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson said the scope of the warrants suggests investigators are looking for evidence that publicly-funded services were actually provided, according to KSTP. “Whether it’s a business, a school, a nonprofit — if something grows that much, you know, makes sense to ask why is it growing that much and how could it grow so fast,” Swanson, who oversaw several Medicaid fraud prosecutions during her time as Attorney General, told KSTP. “These are federally and state-funded programs,” Swanson continued. “The question is, ‘were services billed to the government that weren’t rendered?’” CCAP is a publicly funded program for families who cannot afford childcare administered via Minnesota’s Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), which also provided the data examined by KSTP. Fox News Digital reached out to DCYF for comment and details about the CCAP program but did not hear back in time for publication. DCYF did not give any information to KSTP, either. The local Minnesota news operation had to go to state Rep. Kristin Robbins, chair of the House Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Committee in the Minnesota legislature, after the agency ignored its public records request. Robbins made the same request, but DCYF did provide the records, documents and data in that case, according to KSTP.
Seattle council member touts ‘Black budget,’ calls for Black residents to form ‘most powerful political party’
The Seattle City Council president said she works with two budgets — her district’s and “the Black budget” — and urged Black residents to unite as “the most powerful political party” in Seattle. Joy Hollingsworth, president of the Seattle City Council and representative of District 3, told attendees at the State of Africatown 2026 conference how she has advocated for the “Black budget” to be reflected in the city’s general budget. The public town hall, focused on advancing Seattle’s Black community, was held in late February, but Hollingsworth’s remarks mentioned by Seattle talk show host Jason Rantz. KEY TRUMP AGENCY UNLEASHES PROBE ON BLUE STATE OVER POTENTIAL RACE-BASED MORTGAGE AID: ‘DEI IS DEAD’ “So, I got two budgets every time I go to council member Dan Strauss every year. I have a District 3 budget and then a black budget,” Hollingsworth told the audience. Hollingsworth’s remarks came just days before Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson ordered city agencies to cut their budgets for next year by 5% to 10%. Seattle is facing a projected budget deficit of $140 million for the 2026 fiscal year. During the address, Hollingsworth talked about how she assembled roughly 70 Black residents to testify last year on the city’s budget, dubbing it “Black Budget Day.” “It is important that they see us, that they hear us, that we just don’t show up for certain things that we are down here advocating for us,” Hollingsworth said of Black Budget Day. “There are political parties in Seattle, and I believe that if Black people come together, we can be the most powerful political party in the city of Seattle. We have to coalesce our power.” Rantz invited Hollingsworth on his radio show to explain what she meant by the term “Black budget,” suggesting that whether she meant it as a literal budget or a term used for political branding, it’s still a “problem.” WHITE DEVELOPER SUES BALTIMORE MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL CLAIMING HE WAS FIRED BECAUSE OF HIS RACE “But we’d rightly call out a ‘white budget,’” Rantz wrote. “And it’s worth asking why Hollingsworth doesn’t appear eager to offer other constituencies their own budget. Perhaps she doesn’t care enough about Asians or Latinos?” Rantz said Hollingsworth canceled the interview with his station, but in a statement to Fox News Digital, Hollingsworth said the Black budget refers to “targeted investments and resources directed toward historically impacted communities in Seattle.” “This is about addressing long-standing challenges in public safety, infrastructure, small business support, clean and safe parks, roads and sidewalks and workforce development,” Hollingsworth said. “In Seattle, we need to stay focused on delivering the city basics,” Hollingsworth continued. “That’s what communities across our city are asking for and what they want to see government deliver on every day. We are focused on the fundamentals of local government, safe streets, reliable infrastructure, responsive city services and clean public spaces.” Asked what percentage of Seattle’s $8.9 billion budget should be allocated for the “Black budget,” Hollingsworth said in an email, “8.9 billion dollars. The city’s budget.”
CNN founder Ted Turner dead at 87
Ted Turner, the brash sportsman and entrepreneur whose ambition and instincts led to a media empire that included the groundbreaking news network CNN, has died, CNN reports, citing a press release from Turner Enterprises. He was 87. No cause of his death on Wednesday was given. In September 2018, Turner revealed that he had Lewy body dementia, a degenerative nerve disease. He became a billionaire by taking over his father’s billboard business, buying a television station in the 1970s and parlaying that into what would become a vast, groundbreaking television group. “Ted was an intensely involved and committed leader, intrepid and fearless and always willing to back a hunch and trust his own judgement. He was and always will be the presiding spirit of CNN,” CNN Worldwide CEO Mark Thompson said in a statement. “Ted is the giant on whose shoulders we stand, and we will all take a moment today to recognise him and his impact on our lives and the world.” Turner became one of the most powerful figures in US media and entertainment, his networks specialising in news, sports, reruns and old movies. But he did not stop there. He added the MGM/UA movie studio to his portfolio before making an even bigger move – merging his Turner Broadcasting System with Time Warner in 1996. Turner headed the new company’s cable networks division and was its leading shareholder, but he struggled to fit into a corporate system after decades of running his own show. He eventually lost control of his networks. He made a name for himself with spectacular business deals, his ownership of professional sports clubs, his marriage to actor Jane Fonda, his leadership of a competitive yachting team, and his devotion to charitable and environmental causes. Advertisement “Ted Turner was a bold man, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, and even those who at times strongly disagreed with him respected him,” Brian Kemp, governor of the state of Georgia, where CNN’s main studio is located, said in a social media post. Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in November 1938, Robert Edward “Ted” Turner III went to a military boarding school in Tennessee and then attended Brown University, but was expelled before graduating. Turner took over a faltering family advertising business after his father, despondent over financial problems, committed suicide. Media mogul Ted Turner and his then-wife, actor Jane Fonda, leave the Elysee Palace in Paris on May 18, 1994, after visiting French President Francois Mitterrand [AFP] First 24-hour cable news network After he bought a number of radio stations, Turner’s purchase of a struggling Atlanta station in 1970 was his first move into television. Ten years later, that became the flagship of his nationwide Turner Broadcasting System, the profits from which he used to launch CNN. CNN went on the air in 1980 as the first 24-hour cable news network, gaining traction in the United States and later internationally. The launch came as viewers were shifting from broadcast TV to cable, and CNN became a key news source during the 1990-1991 Gulf War, delivering extensive live coverage via satellite. “Ted Turner created an unstoppable media revolution for the BENEFIT of all humankind,” CNN International Anchor Christiane Amanpour said in a social media post. “Throughout nearly 43 years at CNN, working for Ted and his vision has been the proudest achievement of my lifetime.” Ted Turner addresses the CNN World Report Contributors banquet on May 4, 1995, in Atlanta, Georgia, the US [File: John Bazemore/AP Photo] (AP) CNN’s success inspired the creation of other 24-hour news channels, including Fox News, launched by longtime Turner rival Rupert Murdoch, MSNBC, and many more worldwide. Turner’s television empire expanded beyond CNN to include TBS and TNT for sports and entertainment, Turner Classic Movies, and the Cartoon Network, among others. Turner sold back the Hollywood group MGM/UA five months after buying it, while retaining rights to large portions of its catalogue, including MGM films. Adblock test (Why?)
Four killed in post-election violence in India’s West Bengal
Unrest grips the key eastern state after Modi’s Hindu nationalist BJP wins the state election for the first time. Published On 6 May 20266 May 2026 At least four people have been killed in political unrest after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist party won the state election in West Bengal, police and party officials say. Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept the polls in its first-ever victory in the key eastern state, home to about 100 million people, winning 206 of the 294 assembly seats, according to results announced on Tuesday. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list West Bengal had been ruled by Modi’s fierce critic and adversary, Mamata Banerjee, as chief minister since 2011. Banerjee, leader of the regional All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) party, also lost her seat in the polls and has rejected the results, accusing the federal government of rigging the election. Police said clashes between rival party supporters erupted in the state capital, Kolkata, and other West Bengal districts after the results were announced. The BJP said two party workers were killed, while the TMC said two of their workers were beaten to death. “Two of our workers were killed after results of the elections were announced on Monday,” BJP state leader Samik Bhattacharya told the AFP news agency, insisting that the party stands “for peace”. TMC, in a statement on social media, reported the “brutal murder” of two party workers. “Our party offices were attacked in several areas of the state,” TMC spokesman Narendranath Chakraborty told AFP. “Two of the victims were grassroots political workers.” A senior police officer, who was not authorised to speak to reporters, confirmed four deaths in clashes and said one officer had been shot in the leg. Advertisement The TMC also said its offices were vandalised by alleged BJP workers. Police in Kolkata said a law and order situation arose on Tuesday in parts of Topsia and Tiljala areas, “during which certain miscreants vandalised public property, etc”. Police guard the road leading towards the official residence of outgoing West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata [AFP] After the election results were announced, Banerjee refused to resign as chief minister. Calling the BJP’s win an “an immoral victory,” Banerjee claimed more than “100 seats were looted by the BJP”. According to the Indian constitution, the state’s governor can demand Banerjee’s resignation or wait for her term to expire, after which newly elected politicians would be sworn in and the process of forming a new government would begin. Banerjee’s term is set to end on Thursday. Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India (ECI), which has denied allegations of misconduct, directed West Bengal’s top officials to enforce “zero tolerance” towards any incidents of post-poll violence. “The ECI asked the state administration and security agencies to take all necessary steps to prevent intimidation, reprisals or clashes linked to the electoral outcome,” public broadcaster All India Radio reported. Analysts say the BJP’s victory in the largely Bengali-speaking state is one of its most significant since Modi was first elected prime minister in 2014, expanding its dominance beyond the Hindi-speaking heartland of north and central India. Adblock test (Why?)
Who is Zack Polanski, UK Greens leader and rising political star?
The United Kingdom’s Green Party leader Zack Polanski, a 43-year-old self-styled “eco-populist” presenting himself as a progressive alternative to Keir Starmer’s governing Labour Party, is banking on a political breakthrough in British local elections this week. More than 5,000 council seats will be up for grabs on Thursday as voters in 136 local authorities head to the polls, including in London and other major UK cities. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list According to polling group YouGov, the Green Party appears set to make major gains in the capital and could come first in as many as eight of London’s 32 councils. The party’s ratings have steadily improved since Polanski was elected leader in a landslide victory in September last year. In February, the Green Party won its first-ever parliamentary by-election, taking Gorton and Denton, a constituency in Greater Manchester which had been held by the governing Labour party for nearly a century. Polanski is viewed by political observers in the UK as a media-savvy representative of a green socialist movement which seeks to inspire younger generations for change, along the lines of New York’s Zohran Mamdani. To achieve this, the Green Party has expanded beyond its core environmental mission, experts say. Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London, said that under Polanski’s leadership, the Greens have become “far more left-liberal and pro-Gaza focused than environmentally concerned”. “The reason the party’s poll ratings have increased lies partly in the visibility his considerable communication skills have given them, partly in Israel’s wars on Gaza and Lebanon, and partly in widespread frustration among left-liberal voters at the Starmer government’s hardline rhetoric on immigration,” Bale told Al Jazeera. Advertisement “The Greens have elected a headline-grabbing leader at the same time as they’re facing off against a terribly unpopular PM and government that has disillusioned many of its 2024 voter coalition.” If the polls are accurate, the upcoming local vote could consolidate the Green Party’s position as an alternative to Starmer’s Labour party – traditionally associated with the working class in the UK. Who is Zack Polanski? The Green Party leader grew up as David Paulden in a Jewish community in Salford, Greater Manchester. At the age of 18, he changed his anglicised name to a version of his original family name to recognise his Jewish heritage, he said. He studied drama at Aberystwyth University in Wales and began a career in community theatre, before switching to become a hypnotherapist and mental health counsellor. Polanski, who is openly homosexual and “proudly vegan”, began his political career with the Liberal Democrats, standing for the party as a councillor in north London in 2015 and as a London Assembly candidate in 2016. He joined the Green Party the following year and was elected to the London Assembly in 2021 and as deputy leader of the Green Party in 2022. He was nominated as party leader in September last year, winning the vote with 20,411 votes against 3,705 ballots cast for his rivals Adrian Ramsay and Ellie Chowns, who ran on a joint ticket. What are some of Polanski’s key positions? Following his election as party leader, Polanski promised to “work every single day to deliver environmental, social, racial and economic justice”. He professes a brand of “eco-populism” that links environmental policies with socialist ones, including a wealth tax on billionaires, stronger workers’ rights in cases of unfair dismissal and a 15-pound ($20.41) per hour minimum wage for workers of all ages. In an interview with the podcast The Rest Is Politics, hosted by former Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell and former Conservative leadership contender Rory Stewart in November last year, Polanski argued it was necessary to take back the term “populism”, arguing it should represent those who support the interests of the 99 percent of people rather than the wealthy 1 percent majority. In the UK, as in other Western countries, the term “populism” has become associated with the far-right, driven by concerns over immigration and declining trust in governance as expressed by political parties such as Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage. Going by his definition, Polanski told the podcast, “I am a populist, Farage is not.” Why is the Green Party facing accusations of antisemitism? Polanski has called on Starmer’s government to take action over Israel’s genocide in Gaza. “We have to be clear and say this loud – our government is not just complicit but active participants,” he told crowds of protesters gathered at a march for Palestine in London last year. Advertisement “This is not self-defence [by Israel], this is collective punishment. The UK must immediately end arms sales to Israel, support an urgent and permanent ceasefire, and back a full international investigation into war crimes and crimes against humanity.” But Polanski’s popularity has taken a hit in the run-up to the local elections this week in the wake of a row with the chief of the Metropolitan Police after two Jewish men were stabbed in Golders Green, a residential area of north London with a large Jewish community, on April 29. Both victims suffered serious injuries in the attack, which the Metropolitan Police declared a terrorist incident. Polanski later apologised for sharing an “inaccurate” post on social media in which he criticised police officers for “violently kicking a mentally ill man in the head” during their intervention. He claimed he had found the whole incident “very traumatic, especially as a Jewish person”. Despite his heritage, Polanski and other Green Party candidates have also faced accusations of anti-Semitism over a series of social media posts. One post by Philip Brookes, a Green candidate for Newcastle City Council, described Israel as “a bunch of Polish, Russian, Hungarian terrorists killing Palestinian people for 76 years”. Brookes also published an image of an Israeli flag being torn up to reveal a Nazi swastika flag on his Facebook page, and wrote that it “takes serious effort not to be a tiny bit antisemitic” when considering the situation in Gaza. Mohammed