The South Carolina Supreme Court has unanimously overturned Alex Murdaugh's double murder conviction in the 2021 killings of his wife Maggie and son Paul, ordering a new trial. The court ruled that former Colleton County clerk Becky Hill exercised "improper external influences" on jurors, including telling them to "watch his body language." Attorney General Alan Wilson says his office will aggressively seek to retry Murdaugh, who remains in prison for his financial crimes.
The April CPI report shows consumer prices up 3.8% year-over-year, driven by soaring energy costs — gasoline rose 5.4% in a single month. Making matters worse, today's producer price index came in hotter than expected, posting its largest monthly gain since 2022. Core wholesale prices are now up 5.2% annually, signaling that the Iran-war energy shock is bleeding into broader inflation across freight, manufacturing, and services.
Eileen Wang, the former mayor of Arcadia, California, has agreed to plead guilty to acting as an illegal agent of the Chinese government. Federal prosecutors say Wang operated "at the direction and control" of Chinese officials from 2020 through 2022, spreading pro-Beijing messaging without disclosing her foreign ties. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin pointed the finger at Governor Newsom, saying sanctuary-city policies have created an "open-door invitation" for foreign infiltration.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani dropped a record-setting $125 billion budget proposal for fiscal year 2027, which slashes 5,000 police officer positions while pouring $10.2 million into racial equity offices and six-figure diversity jobs. Governor Hochul agreed to send $4 billion in state aid to help plug the city's $5.4 billion budget gap. Mamdani did scrap a proposed property tax hike after fierce pushback.
President Trump touched down at Beijing Capital International Airport today to a red-carpet military welcome, kicking off a historic state visit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump brought a powerhouse CEO delegation aboard Air Force One, including Elon Musk, Tim Cook, Larry Fink, and executives from Goldman Sachs, Boeing, Qualcomm, and others. The summit centers on trade, Taiwan tensions, and a proposed US-China "Board of Trade" to manage commerce in non-sensitive goods.
More than 20 US warships with 200-plus aircraft and 15,000 troops continue enforcing a blockade of Iranian ports, even as a shaky ceasefire holds on paper. The IRGC claims America violated the ceasefire through the blockade; Interior Secretary Burgum fired back that "Iran is now the IRGC." Some 800 tankers remain backed up, the Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed, and JPMorgan warns $5-a-gallon gas in the US "can no longer be dismissed."
President Trump told Fox News he is "seriously considering" making Venezuela a permanent part of the United States, citing its estimated $40 trillion in oil wealth and claiming "Venezuela loves Trump." The remarks follow the US-led removal of Nicolás Maduro earlier this year. Venezuela's interim leader Delcy Rodriguez shot back that Venezuelans "love our independence" and it would never happen. Any such move would require congressional approval and Venezuelan consent.
The Trump administration terminated all 24 members of the National Science Board, the independent body created in 1950 to guide the National Science Foundation. Members received letters stating their positions were "terminated, effective immediately." The move aligns with Trump's executive orders demanding "gold standard science" and purging DEI-driven priorities from federally funded research. Board members typically serve six-year terms spanning multiple administrations.
SpaceX remains on track for an unmanned Starship mission to Mars by the end of 2026, taking advantage of a narrow Earth-Mars alignment window that opens once every two years. The ship will carry Tesla's humanoid Optimus robot as a simulated crew member for the seven-to-nine-month transit. Musk has given the timeline 50-50 odds, noting the mission depends on mastering in-orbit refueling and several other technical firsts.
Le'Veon Moss, a former All-SEC running back at Texas A&M, abruptly retired from the NFL on Tuesday — just four days after signing with the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent. The 23-year-old had battled a torn ACL, MCL, and ankle injuries during his college career. Reports indicate Moss will have to return most or all of his $258,000 in guaranteed money.
