Month: June 2026

Hawkish voices in Israel have accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of holding back on bombing Beirut, to appease the Trump Administration and ensure his own political survival. Nida Ibrahim explains.

Rebecca Bennett has won a high-stakes Democratic Party primary in the US state of New Jersey, setting up a contest against Republican Tom Kean Jr, backed by President Donald Trump, for one of the most competitive seats in the upcoming midterm elections.

Bennett, a former US Navy helicopter pilot, defeated three Democratic rivals in New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District, securing about 47.2 percent of the vote, according to projected results on Tuesday.

Her nearest competitor, Tina Shah, received 20.2 percent.

Kean and Bennett will now square off in November for a seat that has changed party hands twice within the past eight years and ranks as a key target for Democrats hoping to capture the House of Representatives.

Independent analysts rate the contest as a toss-up.

The race has attracted heightened attention because of Kean’s prolonged absence from Congress.

The Republican incumbent has missed more than 100 House votes since early March due to an undisclosed illness.

Despite his absence, Kean ran unopposed in the Republican primary with Trump’s backing.

Kean said on Tuesday that he remained focused on his recovery and expected to return to in-person work within weeks.

Hours before polls closed, Kean released a statement promising greater transparency about his health while suggesting his return to in-person work could take longer than previously anticipated.

On May 21, he said he expected to be back within “a couple of weeks”.

“Right now, I am focused on my recovery and, under the advice of healthcare professionals, I will transition from virtual to in-person work within a matter of weeks,” Kean had said.

Bennett targets cost of living, Kean’s absence

At an election night gathering in Somerville, New Jersey, Bennett sharply criticised Kean’s record and absence from Washington.

“You are failing us, and you do not deserve to represent us in Washington,” she told supporters, calling the congressman a “coward”.

Bennett built her campaign around her military service and economic issues, arguing that higher grocery and gasoline prices during the US-Israel war on Iran, combined with Trump’s tariffs, were squeezing working families.

Democrats have increasingly focused on the conflict’s economic impact, with higher energy costs contributing to inflation and broader cost-of-living pressures across the country.

The 7th Congressional District, which includes suburban communities, farm towns and Trump’s golf club in Bedminster, has emerged as one of New Jersey’s key battlegrounds.

The seat has changed hands repeatedly in recent election cycles, with Democrat Tom Malinowski defeating Republican Leonard Lance in 2018 before Kean unseated Malinowski in 2022.

Bennett’s victory over Tina Shah, Brian Varela and Michael Roth now sets up a high-stakes general election contest in a district both parties consider crucial to their House ambitions.

Kean, 57, is the scion of a storied New Jersey political family.

His father, Thomas Kean, served two terms as governor and later chaired the 9/11 Commission, a panel set up in 2002 to investigate the circumstances surrounding the September 11, 2001, attacks in the US. He is also a descendant of William Livingston, New Jersey’s first governor.

The Republican congressman will also enter the race with the backing of Trump, who reiterated his support on the eve of the primary, despite Kean’s prolonged absence from Washington.

“Tom Kean has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election,” Trump wrote on social media, adding: “HE WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!”

Voters in the district have ousted incumbents in recent midterm elections, making the race one of the most competitive House contests in New Jersey.

Elsewhere in New Jersey, Analilia Mejia won the Democratic nomination in the 11th Congressional District, while LaMonica McIver secured the Democratic nomination in the 10th Congressional District.

Death in Paradise fans have a while to wait for the next series, but luckily there are three cosy crime dramas that can fill the void

These three brilliant dramas should fill the gap nicely.

Death in Paradise face face a bit of a wait until the next instalment from Saint Marie, but there are a few “cosy” crime programmes that can take its place in the meantime.

The most recent series of the BBC crime staple – starring Don Gilet as DI Mervin Wilson, who investigates various murders on a fictional Caribbean island – concluded in March.

The 16th series isn’t expected to air until early 2027, while the Christmas special remains months away, reports the Express.

Fortunately, there are a few crime programmes to bridge the gap for Death in Paradise fans. We have a look at some of the best ones to delve into during June.

A Taste For Murder

A Taste For Murder premiered in April, following widowed Metropolitan police detective DCI Joe Mottram, portrayed by Warren Brown, who travels to Capri with his daughter Angelica (Beau Gadsdon) as they process their bereavement.

During their stay, he starts getting involved in solving local crimes, including the death of a British holidaymaker and the questionable fate of someone who’d been making a routine dive.

It’s proven tremendously popular with audiences, with some declaring it superior to Death in Paradise.

One viewer posted on X: “Death in Paradise meets Whitstable Pearl meets Recipes for Love and Murder and I’m absolutely here for it.” Another viewer remarked: “If you like light-ish murder mysteries then give it a try. Similar theme to Death in Paradise but I think it’s much better. Gorgeous scenery/food & a better cast imo. It’s entertaining, and it flies by.”

A Taste For Murder is available on ITVX.

You’re Killing Me

Mystery drama You’re Killing Me launched on Acorn TV in May.

Situated in a picturesque New England town, the series follows novelist Allie (Brooke Shields), who joins forces with podcaster Andi (Amalia Williamson) to track down the killer of a friend.

One viewer left a comment on IMDb describing it as a “perfect mystery series”, while another remarked: “You’re Killing Me may find its place in the cosy mystery pantheon.”

Someone else commented: “At first glance, it seems like a reincarnation of Murder She Wrote. Writer, New England location and murders! It rapidly became its own show. Brooke Shields is absolutely hysterical in this. I never saw her movies or series so I didn’t know why to expect but I was instantly pleased. The support cast is enjoyable as well. Kudos to the writers for some clever dialogue.”

The Brokenwood Mysteries

New Zealand-based programme The Brokenwood Mysteries is currently on screens as the crime drama’s 12th season airs.

The series is set in the seemingly tranquil town of Brokenwood, which is “slowly being riddled with murders” and Detective Mike Shepherd (Neill Rea) must solve them.

The series can be found on U&DRAMA and Channel 4, with the official synopsis describing it as a show “about a detective who arrives on assignment in a small town where memories – and animosities – run deep”.

Fans have labelled it “outstanding”, with one viewer declaring: “I look forward to future episodes of this refreshing NZ ‘whodunnit’, which for me rates better than Midsomer, definitely better than Death in Paradise, but perhaps not quite as good as Lewis, Frost, or the Swedish version of Wallander.”

Death in Paradise is available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

Buoyed by a new Congressional map favoring their party, California Democrats were eyeing Tuesday’s primary elections as a critical first step toward flipping a handful of House seats and taking back power in Washington.

Results from California’s massive and slow-moving election process were not immediately clear late Tuesday, as polls closed and mail ballots continued to be processed and counted. Still, Democrats were bullish about their chances of advancing candidates to November’s general election in all five districts that were redrawn in their favor as a result of last year’s Proposition 50 ballot measure.

“The path to winning back the House starts with voting in the June 2nd primary,” the California Democratic Party posted online Monday.

Meanwhile, California Republican Party Chairwoman Corrin Rankin urged Republican voters to make their own voices heard too.

“Like President Trump said, we need to make it too big to rig,” Rankin said on “The Benny Show.” “We need to swamp the vote.”

One of the most closely watched races was in the redrawn 22nd Congressional District in the Central Valley, where incumbent Rep. David Valadao (R-Hanford) is facing challenges from moderate Assemblymember Jasmeet Kaur Bains (D-Delano) and progressive college professor Randy Villegas.

Another closely watched race was in the redrawn 48th Congressional District in San Diego and Riverside counties, where Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Bonsall) decided to retire rather than run for reelection, and where Republican San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond — who is endorsed by Trump — is running against a pack of Democrats.

Prop. 50 — which Californians passed with nearly 65% of the vote a year ago — was California Democrats’ response to Texas Republicans redrawing their state’s Congressional maps in the GOP’s favor, at President Trump’s behest. It was also the only major Democratic counterpunch in the wider mid-decade redistricting brawl that has spread across the country in the last year.

Experts expect the redistricting battle to deliver a net gain of a handful or more House seats to Republicans. But Democrats could gain even more ground given Trump’s lousy approval ratings and the long history of midterm election losses for the president’s party.

Combined, those factors make the battle for control of the House incredibly close, which in turn makes the five seats up for grabs in California pivotal — and potentially decisive.

Tuesday’s primaries won’t determine if any of those five seats will indeed flip parties in November. However, the primaries will define those head-to-head races to come and better inform the odds of Democrats toppling Republican incumbents, experts said.

In addition to flipping the seats currently held by Valadao and Issa, Democrats are hoping to pick up three additional seats.

In the 1st Congressional District — which after Prop. 50 lost rural reaches of northeast California and picked up liberal North Bay communities — various candidates were vying for the seat long held by the late Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Richvale), who died in January. They include Democratic state Sen. Mike McGuire and Republican Assemblymember James Gallagher, who is endorsed by Trump.

Voters from the existing district are also voting in a special election Tuesday to fill the remainder of LaMalfa’s term.

In the 3rd Congressional District, which lost an eastern rural stretch along Nevada and now holds more tightly to the Sacramento suburbs, Rep. Ami Bera (D-Elk Grove) — who currently represents a different district — is running to remain in Congress in a new seat.

Meanwhile, the 3rd Congressional District’s incumbent, Rep. Kevin Kiley (I-Rocklin), is seeking to do the opposite. He quit the Republican Party, became an independent and is now running for Bera’s current seat in Congressional District 6, which includes the city of Sacramento and Placer County suburbs.

In the 41st Congressional District, which became more liberal after Prop. 50 by losing voters in Riverside County and gaining them in Los Angeles County, a slate of candidates — including Rep. Linda Sánchez (D-Whittier), who currently represents a different district — are running to replace Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Corona). Calvert, a 17-term incumbent, decided to run in the neighboring 40th Congressional District instead.

In the 40th Congressional District, which covers a swath of inland Orange County and portions of San Bernardino and Riverside counties, incumbent Rep. Young Kim (R-Anaheim Hills) is now going head-to-head with Calvert, while also facing several Democratic challengers.

Other districts that were not part of the Prop. 50 shuffle are also attracting attention.

In the 11th Congressional District in San Francisco, several Democratic candidates are vying to replace Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco), the retiring former House Speaker, including state Sen. Scott Wiener; tech millionaire and Democratic political operative Saikat Chakrabarti; and Connie Chan, a member of the San Francisco board of supervisors who Pelosi endorsed.

Democrats are also closely watching several races where younger Democrats and progressives are challenging older incumbent Democrats, and where newer Democratic incumbents are seeking to hold onto their seats in relatively competitive districts.

Jared Grindlinger is not ready to say goodbye to his friends at Huntington Beach High. The likely first-round draft pick didn’t have to play for the Oilers in the Southern California Division I regional playoffs, let alone pitch. But he did both to help Huntington Beach knock off San Diego Open Division champion Patrick Henry 10-3 on Tuesday.

Grindlinger went four for four, including a home run, and finished with three RBIs. He also struck out five in three innings on the mound. Dane Cunningham had a three-run home run. Huntington Beach advances to play the winner of Wednesday’s game between Corona and Chula Vista Eastlake on Thursday.

Cathedral Catholic 4, St. John Bosco 2: The impressive two-year run of St. John Bosco’s baseball team has come to an end. The Braves had the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the seventh but couldn’t push across any runs and were eliminated in a first-round Division I game. They won the Southern Section Division 1 title the last two seasons and the regional title last season.

La Mirada 7, Liberty 6: A three-run seventh inning helped the Matadores enjoy their bus ride home from Bakersfield. The big hit was a three-run home run by Justin Torres. La Mirada will face Cathedral Catholic on Thursday in the semifinals.

Arroyo Grande 4, Loyola 3: An RBI single in the eighth inning by Colton Gotchal pushed Arroyo Grande to victory over top-seeded Loyola in Division 2. Jack Murray had a home run and two RBIs for Loyola.

Newport Harbor 2, Madison 0: Gavin Guy threw the shutout with seven strikeouts.

South El Monte 3, Brentwood 2: South El Monte went on the road and pulled off the upset of Division 6 champion Brentwood. Anthony Mata had an RBI single and Gabriel Canchola limited the Eagles to four hits while striking out nine in six innings.

Westview 7, Carson 1: Leadoff hitter Eli Irvine had three hits for the winners.

North Torrance 2, Bell 0: Seth Narasaki and Joey Banuelos combined for the shutout.

Verdugo Hills 11, Rolling Hills Prep 2: Cutlor Fannon finished with three hits and three RBIs for the Dons.

Mexico and Canada have backed extending the USMCA trade agreement for another 16 years as negotiations over its future continue. The proposal comes amid an ongoing trade dispute with the United States.

Opposition leader and dozens of other defendants handed lengthy prison terms for ‘forming a terrorist alliance’.

A Tunisian court has handed down sentences ranging from 10 years to life imprisonment against opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi and dozens of other defendants in the so-called “secret apparatus” case involving the Ennahdha party.

The Tunis Court of First Instance on Tuesday sentenced Ghannouchi, the leader of Ennahdha and a former parliamentary speaker, to life in prison plus 30 years on terrorism-related charges, reported Tunis Afrique Presse, Tunisia’s official news agency.

Eleven other defendants, including Ali Laarayedh, an adviser to former Tunisian Prime Minister Ali Laarayedh, were handed life sentences in addition to prison terms of up to 96 years, Tunis Afrique Presse reported.

Thirteen others were handed prison terms of between 10 and 48 years, according to the news agency.

The court found Ghannouchi and the other defendants guilty of “forming a terrorist alliance” and other crimes, including “placing skills and expertise at the disposal of a terrorist alliance and of persons linked to terrorist crimes”, according to Tunis Afrique Presse.

The court ordered all defendants to be placed under administrative monitoring for five years.

Authorities opened the case against Ghannouchi and his co-defendants in early 2022 following a complaint by the public prosecutor’s office and lawyers for the families of leftist politicians Chokri Belaid and Mohamed Brahmi, vocal Ennahdha critics who were assassinated in 2013.

Lawyers representing Belaid and Brahmi’s families accused what they called Ennahda’s “secret apparatus” of involvement in the assassinations, as well as “conducting espionage and infiltrating state institutions”.

Ennahdha denied the allegations, describing them as “politically motivated”.

The public prosecutor’s office at the Ariana Court of First Instance initially took up the case, before handing it over to the judicial counterterrorism unit in 2023.

In April, Ennahdha said Ghannouchi had been urgently transferred from prison to hospital after a sharp deterioration in his health and called for his immediate release.

The opposition National Salvation Front also called for Ghannouchi’s release, citing his deteriorating health.

Tunisian security forces arrested Ghannouchi at his home during a Ramadan gathering in 2023, before a court of first instance ordered his imprisonment on charges of making statements that “incite chaos and disobedience”.

On April 15, a court sentenced Ghannouchi and three other Ennahdha leaders to 20 years in prison in what came to be known as the “Ramadan soirée case”.

Tunisian authorities have denied accusations that Ghannouchi and the other detainees are being held on political grounds.

Nick Pasqual, an actor who appeared in “How I Met Your Mother,” has been sentenced to 32 years to life for the attempted murder of his estranged girlfriend, L.A.-based makeup artist Allie Shehorn.

Following a jury trial, Pasqual was also convicted of counts of injuring a spouse or partner, first-degree burglary and rape, according to court documents. During the trial, Shehorn had visible scars on her hands and neck when she testified, per ABC.

The incident occurred in May 2024, when Pasqual repeatedly stabbed Shehorn in her Shadow Hills home. Prosecutors said that the actor broke into Shehorn’s home just before 4:30 a.m. on May 23, attacked her with a knife and fled California.

Days before the attack, Shehorn had filed a restraining order against Pasqual, detailing acts of sexual and physical assault. While the judge approved the order, it was unclear whether Pasqual had been served prior to the stabbing.

Christine White, Shehorn’s friend and roommate, discovered the makeup artist lying in a pool of blood and called emergency services. Friends believe Shehorn was stabbed more than 20 times. Following the attack, Shehorn underwent emergency surgery and spent days in intensive care.

Pasqual was ultimately stopped by authorities at a border checkpoint in Sierra Blanca, Texas, and extradited to Los Angeles.

The former couple met on the set of Zack Snyder’s film “Rebel Moon,” where Pasqual worked as a background actor and Shehorn worked as a makeup artist.

Last week, Shehorn sued the actor for sexual battery, assault and negligence, among other counts, according to a lawsuit submitted in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

The 17-page complaint echoes details about the May 2024 stabbing that led to Pasqual’s arrest two years ago and his attempted murder conviction.

Staff writer Alexandra Del Rosario and former staff writer Nathan Solis contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON  — The Supreme Court ruled Tuesday night that Alabama Republican leaders may redraw their congressional voting districts to oust a Black Democrat and elect a white Republican.

The court’s conservatives, who ruled for Louisiana Republicans in a redistricting dispute, extended that decision to Alabama. The three liberals dissented.

The decision clears the way for the governor and state lawmakers to redraw their congressional voting map with six districts that favor Republicans and one that favors a Democrat.

“Weeks ago, I warned that vacating the District Court’s injunction in these cases would ‘unleash chaos and … confuse voters,’ ” Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote in dissent. “Yet just as Alabama doubled down on racial discrimination, the Court today doubles down on chaos. Because I choose to defend the rule of law and the right of all Alabamians to participate equally in democracy, I respectfully dissent.”

The justices granted an emergency appeal that was backed by the Trump administration and set aside the decision of a three-judge panel in Alabama.

The court in a brief opinion said the three judges should not have blocked Alabama’s new map.

“While federal courts should not impose changes close to an election, states are free to decide for themselves whether last-minute changes to an election are in their best interests,” the court said.

Alabama’s emergency appeal went to Justice Clarence Thomas, who referred it to the full court.

Those three judges, two of them Trump appointees, ruled that Alabama’s state lawmakers discriminated against Black voters, who made up a near majority in the center of the state.

Three years ago, the Supreme Court agreed.

In a 5-4 decision written by Chief Justice John Roberts, the justices upheld the creation of a second district in the center of the state where Black voters had a near majority.

The result then was an Alabama state voting map that favored five Republicans and two Democrats for the House of Representatives.

But last month, in the wake of the Louisiana decision, Alabama’s lawmakers went back to court, arguing that the state may return to the voting map with only a single Black majority district.

In his appeal to the Supreme Court, Alabama’s Atty. Gen. Steven Marshall argued that the high court’s decision in favor of Louisiana “vindicates Alabama position on the lawfulness” of its earlier voting map. He said the state should not be penalized for “refusing to intentionally discriminate” to favor Black voters.

The court’s decision has cleared the way for Republican-led states in the South to flip congressional districts in Louisiana, Tennessee, Florida and now Alabama.

Aston Villa do not plan to sell Morgan Rogers amid interest in the attacking midfielder, Barcelona remain keen on signing Marcus Rashford from Manchester United and Real Madrid hold talks with Inter Milan right-back Denzel Dumfries.

Aston Villa are aware of interest in attacking midfielder Morgan Rogers from a number of clubs, including Arsenal, but have no intention of selling the 23-year-old England international. (Telegraph – subscription required), external

Eintracht Frankfurt’s Germany full-back Nathaniel Brown, 22, is the subject of interest from Bayern Munich and Arsenal. (The Athletic – subscription required), external

Manchester City and Chelsea are interested in Juventus’ wing-back Andrea Cambiaso, 26, with Barcelona also monitoring the Italy international’s situation. (Gazzetta dello Sport – in Italian), external

Liverpool and Paris St-Germain might both want RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande but the German club are calm about the situation as they believe the 19-year-old will not only stay with them for another year but also sign a new improved contract. (Sky Sports Germany), external

Barcelona boss Hansi Flick, sporting director Deco and president Joan Laporta remain keen to sign Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford on a permanent basis amid interest from Bayern Munich, Newcastle, Tottenham and Aston Villa in the 28-year-old England international. (The I), external

Juventus are looking at a move for 27-year-old Bournemouth and Netherlands forward Justin Kluivert as an alternative to Real Madrid’s 26-year-old Morocco ineternational Brahim Diaz. (Gazzetta dello Sport – in Italian), external

Manchester United have scouted Juventus and France defender Pierre Kalulu and the Turin club might be forced to sell the 25-year-old to balance the books after failing to qualify for the Champions League. (Corriere dello Sport – in Italian), external

Portugal midfielder Mateus Fernandes, 21, has been cleared to leave West Ham after contact from Manchester United and Arsenal, while Liverpool and Paris St-Germain are also monitoring developments. (Teamtalk), external

Aston Villa, Atletico Madrid and Borussia Dortmund are interested in Club Brugge’s German striker Nicolo Tresoldi, 21, after a prolific season in Belgium. (The Athletic – subscription required), external

Real Madrid have held talks with Inter Milan defender Denzel Dumfries, who has a £21.6m release clause, as they view the 30-year-old Dutch international as their top target to strengthen at right-back. (Athletic), external

June 2 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s consumer price growth topped 3% in May for the first time in 26 months as a prolonged Middle East war drove up global oil prices, raising concerns that high inflation could continue through the second half of the year.

The consumer price index stood at 119.92 in May, with 2020 set as the base year of 100, up 3.1% from a year earlier, according to consumer price data released Tuesday by the National Data Agency. It was the first increase of 3% or more since March 2024.

Industrial products rose 4.2% from a year earlier, while service prices increased 2.8%. Petroleum prices showed the sharpest increase, jumping 24.2%, the largest gain in three years and 10 months since July 2022, when the Russia-Ukraine war was at its height.

Gasoline prices rose 23.1%, diesel prices climbed 33.3% and kerosene prices increased 21.7%.

Among services, international airfares, which are directly affected by fuel costs, rose 33.5%, while overseas group tour fees increased 26.3%.

The living price index, which tracks frequently purchased items with a high share of household spending, rose 3.3% from a year earlier, showing a worsening burden felt by consumers.

Lee Doo-won, an official in charge of economic trend statistics at the data agency, said petroleum prices rose more sharply because of higher international oil prices caused by the Middle East war.

“International airfares and prices for travel and lodging-related items rose sharply as fuel surcharges linked to global oil prices increased and the number of peak-season days, including holidays, grew,” Lee said.

The government said it will work to reduce price uncertainty by stabilizing petroleum prices.

A Finance Ministry official said the government’s petroleum price cap and fuel tax cut reduced the May consumer price increase by 0.6 percentage point.

“We will make every effort to stabilize prices felt by households through petroleum price stabilization measures and a task force on livelihood prices,” the official said.

Experts said inflation led by higher global oil prices is likely to continue in the second half.

“Although the United States and Iran have announced plans to discuss reopening the Strait of Hormuz, the high oil price trend is likely to continue in the second half even if the war ends, given the destruction of local oil facilities,” said Jeong Se-eun, an economics professor at Chungnam National University.

“For South Korea, which imports all of its oil, oil prices affect overall inflation. There is also concern that abnormal weather forecast for this summer could raise agricultural prices,” Jeong said.

“With no notable downward factor in the second half, inflation is expected to stay around 3%,” she added.

Park Jin, a professor at the Korea Development Institute School of Public Policy and Management, said prices are determined by market supply and demand.

“On the supply side, there are inflation concerns caused by unstable oil prices. On the demand side, there are price-increase factors such as a strong domestic stock market,” Park said. “Preemptive steps, including consideration of an interest rate hike, are needed.”

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260602010000704

The US military says it carried out ‘self-defence’ strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island after Iran earlier launched missiles and drones at US bases in Kuwait and Bahrain. Despite the exchange, the US says the US-Iran ceasefire remains in effect.

Scott Pelley, a signature on-air talent for “60 Minutes,” was ousted from CBS News a day after he blasted the division’s top management over the firing of the program’s executive producer and two correspondents.

“We have parted ways with Scott Pelley,” the newly installed executive producer Nick Bilton said in a message sent to staff Tuesday.

The network announced Pelley’s departure after a meeting with top CBS News management late Tuesday, where the veteran correspondent continued to ask for answers on why “60 Minutes” executive producer Tanya Simon and correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi and Cecila Vega were let go last week, according to people familiar with the discussions who were not authorized to speak publicly. Editor in Chief Bari Weiss would not address the matter at the meeting.

Pelley’s departure follows a contentious “60 Minutes” staff meeting on Monday where he accused Weiss of “murdering” the country’s most-watched news program.

Pelley also raised doubts over the credentials of Bilton, the former New York Times journalist and documentary filmmaker named last week to run the venerable newsmagazine, citing his lack of experience in TV news.

Bilton was named to replace Simon on Thursday, an unexpected move that also came with the firings of the correspondents. The moves were made by Weiss, who has targeted the prestigious program for changes since she arrived at the network in the fall.

Bilton attempted to defend Weiss, who was not at the meeting, and asserted that CBS News management was committed to guiding “60 Minutes” into the digital future.

“She is murdering ‘60 Minutes,’” Pelley said of Weiss at the meeting held at the program’s Manhattan headquarters. “She does not love this place. She was brought in to kill it, and she’s been doing exactly that.”

Pelley’s stunning remarks at the meeting were applauded by his colleagues. But veterans in the division — who were shocked by the confrontation— took it as a sign that he was ready to leave the program.

Pelley is the fourth correspondent to depart “60 Minutes” since Weiss joined CBS News. Anderson Cooper, who also anchors at CNN, chose not to sign a new deal, citing family reasons, although many insiders said he was not comfortable with the direction of CBS News. Alfonsi and Vega were severed last week.

Those vacancies mean “60 Minutes” will have to line up new talent quickly to fill the correspondent roles. Production on segments for the 2026-27 season is already underway.

Pelley, 68, started his career at CBS News in 1989. He covered the Gulf War for the network, traveling in Iraq and Kuwait. He later became chief White House correspondent during Bill Clinton’s turbulent second term.

Pelley became a correspondent for “60 Minutes II,” a midweek edition of the program that ran from 1999 to 2005. After the program was canceled, Pelley moved to the Sunday flagship edition.

The fate of “60 Minutes” — which saw a 9% audience increase and massive spikes in viewing across social media platforms this past season — has been an ongoing saga since President Trump sued the program over the editing of an interview with his 2024 opponent former Vice President Kamala Harris.

The suit was settled just ahead of the Federal Communications Commission clearing the way for the takeover of Paramount by David Ellison’s Skydance Media.

Ellison acquired Weiss’ digital start-up the Free Press, which established itself as a voice critical of so-called woke politics. She was given a mandate to move CBS News to the political center, which created a perception that her role is to placate the Trump White House as Paramount seeks regulatory approval to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery.

WASHINGTON — Democratic Rep. Jimmy Gomez of Los Angeles is reportedly under investigation by the House Ethics Committee over sexual misconduct allegations.

The investigation came after the New York Post reported in April that the 51-year-old, five-term congressman had been spotted kissing a much younger congressional staffer from a different office in 2023.

According to CNN, which on Tuesday first reported news of the investigation, the congressional committee learned of other allegations of sexual misconduct as it investigated the report of Gomez’s 2023 conduct with the staffer.

Gomez was friends with former California Rep. Eric Swalwell, who earlier this year resigned from Congress and suspended his California gubernatorial campaign after multiple women accused him of sexual assault. Gomez had been a co-chair of Swalwell’s campaign.

The 2023 incident with Gomez and a younger staffer reportedly occurred at a party hosted by Swalwell, according to the New York Post. Gomez’s office denied the report at the time.

Another lawmaker, Texas Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales, also resigned from Congress in April in the wake of allegations of sexual misconduct with a former staffer who later committed suicide.

Both Swalwell and Gonzales were under investigation by the ethics committee before they resigned, but those investigations ended when they left office as the committee only has jurisdiction to investigate sitting members.

Gomez’s office didn’t respond to multiple requests for comment, but, in a statement to CNN, Gomez said he would cooperate with the ethics investigation. While he acknowledged making “personal mistakes” outside his marriage and apologized to his family, he said his actions didn’t violate House ethics rules.

“Years ago, I made personal mistakes outside my marriage that have caused real pain to my wife and family. Although my actions were consensual in nature and haven’t violated the law or House ethics rules, that doesn’t diminish the impact that these mistakes have made on those I care about the most,” Gomez said.

The House Ethics Committee declined to comment on the reported investigation.

Gomez is married to Mary Hodge, a past top aide to former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. The couple have a son whom Gomez wore in a baby carrier during the lengthy House speaker election in 2023. That same year, Gomez founded the Congressional Dads Caucus, which has advocated for expanded child tax credits and other parent-friendly legislation.

The disclosure of the congressional investigation comes as Gomez faces a campaign challenge from Angela Gonzales-Torres, a Pasadena City College counselor with the backing of the progressive Justice Democrats.

Gonzales-Torres has criticized Gomez for receiving the backing of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, though Gomez has at times taken political stances at odds with the group.

After news of the ethics investigation broke, Gonzales-Torres wrote on the social media platform X, “I take political corruption seriously … I also take very seriously what appears to be a culture in Congress in which men abuse women.

“If @RepJimmyGomez has nothing to hide, he should have no concern. But if there was any criminal behavior that he witnessed, participated in, or helped conceal, we will find out and we will help ensure accountability and justice.”

Gomez was first elected to Congress in a 2017 special election to succeed Xavier Becerra, who is now running for governor and has seen the biggest boost in support following Swalwell’s departure from the race in April.

Gomez previously served in the state assembly from 2012 to 2017 and was political director for the United Nurses Assn. of California before that.

Manchester United have agreed a £35m (40.5m euros) deal with Italian side Atalanta for Brazil midfielder Ederson.

The 26-year-old will sign a four-year deal at United, with the option to extend it by a further 12 months.

Ederson is still to have a medical, with sources saying the transfer should be completed in early July before United’s return to pre-season training begins.

He will become the club’s first signing since Michael Carrick was appointed permanent head coach last month.

The deal will also be subject to £3.9m (€4.5m) in additional payments.

It is the first of what could be up to three central midfield additions to Carrick’s squad this summer.

United are prioritising that area of the field, which has been weakened by the exit of Ederson’s compatriot Casemiro, 34, whose contract expires at the end of the month.

Ederson, who has three internaional caps, was named in Brazil’s 55-man expanded World Cup squad but missed out on manager Carlo Ancelotti’s final selection.

United are also keen on West Ham’s Mateus Fernandes, although the relegated London outfit are looking for a substantial profit on the Portugal midfeidler who cost them in excess of £40m when he joined from Southampton last summer.

United also covet England’s Elliot Anderson, although the Nottingham Forest player would prefer to join Manchester City.

In addition to strengthening their midfield, United are also looking to bring in a left-sided player, with Newcastle’s Lewis Hall among the players on their radar, and striking support for Benjamin Sesko.

They are also still to decide on the precise make-up of their goalkeeping team, which could include Radek Vitek, who enjoyed a superb campaign on loan at Bristol City, where he won all their player of the year prizes.

The 22-year-old Czech told BBC Sport in April he is open minded about the future but wants to play regularly, suggesting he will not return to Old Trafford as back-up to Senne Lammens.

It is understood former first-choice Andre Onana has been told he can find another club, although it is not clear how easily the Cameroon international’s wage demands will be met given he will benefit in an increase from United qualifying for next season’s Champions League.

Ederson, 26, has proved adaptable across a number of central midfield roles for Atalanta, scoring 16 goals in 180 games for the Serie A outfit in all competitions.

Driven by minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, United have revamped their data analysis operation under Michael Sansoni and the former high-ranking Mercedes Formula One has had significant involvement in identifying the right targets, working alongside director of football Jason Wilcox.

Carrick confirmed he had been involved in recruitment meetings from the point he was named as Ruben Amorim’s temporary successor in January.

The image of the “fighter” often brings to mind a man, but women have always been present on and around the battlefield – in rebellion, defence and offence alike. Their contributions have shaped wars in ways history rarely records, and are often simplified or fetishised in popular narratives.

Around the world, women make up a far greater share of rebellions than of national armies. So what are the motivations, struggles and circumstances that drive women to take up arms and how significant is their impact on how battles are fought?

Join Ali Rae in Episode Four of All Hail the Military – a five-part series that reveals the systems, power and hidden complicities that sustain global militarism – and the profound impact it has on us all.

SINGER Junior Andre, the son of Katie Price and Peter Andre, has hit back at nepo baby critics and insisted he “doesn’t want handouts” after getting a job on the London Underground.

Junior revealed earlier this year during an episode of ITV‘s The Princess Diaries that he secretly worked nights for TFL to help fund his music career.

The 20-year-old opened up on his “hard” reality in a candid conversation with his sister.

He worked through the nights, full time, while he sorted out “differences” with his record label.

Now, in a new interview alongside his girlfriend, Jasmine, Junior has shut down trolls, making it clear that he’s paving his own way in the industry.

Junior said: “My dad was brought up very strict, so regardless of anything he says, ‘You’ve got to work son.’

Read more on Junior Andre

PETE’S FAN CLUB

Princess & Junior Andre support dad Peter – as Katie Price searches for Lee

PRICE CUT

Junior Andre reveals mum Katie Price ‘crushed his dreams’ of being a footballer

“As much as he’s there for me, and my mum is there for me, I don’t want handouts. I need to learn life the proper way.

“So when things get hard, instead of sitting there doing nothing I was like, ‘I need to do what I’ve got to do.’ I threw myself in the deep end, but I never gave up on my dream.”

He continued: “It made me [the job] understand the value of money and grafting. People say, ‘You’ve never done a hard days work in your life,’ and I’m like ‘I have!”

Elsewhere in the chat, Junior and Jasmine, who have been together for two years, confessed their future plans as a couple.

Reality TV star Junior said: “I get scared if I think about kids, marriage, because we’re not there. There’s so much more we want to do before we think about that stuff.”

Jasmine added: “We’re on the same page in that they’re such big things. Having a child – that’s a full human!”

“We’ll know when the time is right,” added Junior.

Junior used to work for TFL, “grafting, lifting heavy metals, cutting, filing, painting,” so he could fund his music career.

Princess, 18, gushed over her brother saying: “So proud of Junior, his last two singles went in at number one , but while he was sorting differences out with his label he went to work through the nights and work a full time job so he was fully self sufficient.

“Which I’m super proud of.”

Junior has previously told fans that despite his parents celebrity status, he doesn’t want to live of them.

His dad, Peter, is a huge pop star, topping the UK charts in the mid-90s with his tunes “Mysterious Girl” and “Flava.”

And Junior’s mum, Katie, also shot to fame in the 90s but as a glamour model using the alter ego Jordan.

BOSTON — A federal judge on Tuesday heard from voting rights groups and a coalition of two dozen states that want the courts to halt President Trump’s executive order seeking to create a federal voter list and limit who can receive a mail ballot.

The plaintiffs argued in two lawsuits that Trump’s order should be found unconstitutional because the states and Congress, not the president, have the power to set election rules. They also told the court that the move imposes a costly burden on state election officials to comply and would spread fear about the possibility of prosecution.

“This is going to be a sea change in the way that some states administer their ballots,” said Michael Cohen, who was part of a team representing California, adding that “it will be difficult to overstate the disruption that this will cause.”

Trump’s executive order, the second one aimed at elections during his second term, comes as he continues to raise the specter of widespread voting by noncitizens as a reason to change election rules. But states already have detailed processes aimed at keeping their voter rolls accurate, and voting by noncitizens has been shown to be rare. It also is a felony that can be punishable by deportation.

His latest order is being challenged through multiple lawsuits, including two filed in U.S. District Court in Boston.

The American Civil Liberties Union, which represented the League of Women Voters in one of the two Boston cases, has called the order “a dangerous attempt to disenfranchise eligible voters nationwide.” The group said the order transforms “the U.S. Postal Service from a neutral mail carrier to an arbiter of who may cast a ballot by mail.”

“This case challenges an extraordinary and abusive assertion of executive power over the administration of federal elections,” the organization said in its complaint.

The hearing comes less than a week after another judge declined to halt the order. U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols, a Trump appointee in Washington, agreed with the Trump administration’s contention that it was too early to block the order because it has yet to be implemented.

The administration, in its motions to dismiss the lawsuits, argued that the plaintiffs lack standing to bring their claims. They also argued the motions are premature and that plaintiffs lack the legal basis to bring their Administrative Procedure Act claim, which governs how federal agencies develop and issue regulations.

Stephen Pezzi, a lawyer for the Trump administration, said the harms the plaintiffs referred to were subjective, since much can change with the voting list before it is finalized. He also said no one would be prosecuted for violating the executive order.

Missouri Solicitor Gen. Lou Capozzi, speaking for the states supporting the list, argued it was too early to say how his state might use the list, but that it was “unlikely” any voter would be removed this year from the voter rolls because of it.

“We are not exactly sure how we would use it,” Capozzi said, adding that “we don’t want this process to be strangled in the crib, so to speak.”

U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani took the requests for motions to halt the order, along with motions to dismiss the cases under advisement.

During oral arguments, Talwani expressed concerns about whether the federal system envisioned under the executive order could be ready for the upcoming midterm elections and about the risks posed to election workers who rely on a state list that differs from the federal one. She also raised doubts about the reliability of a federal list — noting, for example, women who changed their names after getting married or someone who has moved from state to state might be missed.

“Isn’t there a reasonable fear and concern on behalf of voters that they will be precluded?” Talwani asked.

Trump issued the order in March after a bill he supported to overhaul voting stalled in Congress. The order would have had the federal government create a list of eligible voters and then directed the postal service to deliver mail ballots only to those on the list. Election officials argued that it was ripe for abuse and could cause chaos, and the postal union has objected to the idea of mail carriers policing ballots.

The postal service has published a proposed rule required by Trump’s executive order in the Federal Register. Among other things, the rule would not apply to primary elections or overseas ballots.

Since his 2020 presidential election loss to Democrat Joe Biden, Trump has groundlessly claimed mail voting is rife with fraud and has launched a federal investigation into that year’s vote, even though repeated audits and investigations, including ones run by Republicans, found it was free of widespread fraud. Trump also has said he wants to “take over” election administration in Democratic areas.

Casey writes for the Associated Press.

Charlotte Edwards says there was never any doubt around Heather Knight’s place in England’s World Cup side as the former captain returned to form in a series-clinching win in the third T20 against India.

Knight, 35, made a magnificent unbeaten 70 as England emphatically chased 181 to win the series 2-1, after she had endured a lean start to the summer.

In the five preceding T20s against New Zealand and India, Knight’s strike-rate had been the main cause for concern as she made scores of 19 (17), 25 (23), 18 (22), 21 (24) and 18 (14).

But under pressure in the series decider, Knight, who became England women’s most-capped cricketer last month, was at her fluent best with 10 fours in a 42-ball knock.

“It’s been quite interesting listening to some of the press this week,” head coach Edwards told BBC Sport.

“I think the more that people have been writing her off, the more I just knew she was going to put in a performance like this.

“I spoke to her after her record game [at Chelmsford] about her character and how that is one of her biggest attributes, and we saw that in abundance tonight.

“It was really lovely for her to have that performance going into the World Cup, but there were no doubts in our dressing room about Heather.”

Knight added 137 for the fourth wicket in a flawless stand with Alice Capsey, who made 81 off 43. The pair toyed with India’s wilting bowlers throughout, with Knight reverse-sweeping and scoring cannily behind square while Capsey struck beautifully straight down the ground.

It is easy to forget Capsey is still only 21 years old, having burst on to the English cricket scene as a teenager, and it was a knock that has surely cemented her place in Edwards’ starting XI for the World Cup opener against Sri Lanka on 12 June.

Edwards said it was the best she had seen Capsey play, and praised her work ethic over the winter.

“To play the way she did from that position [38-3], I couldn’t be prouder,” Edwards added.

“We spoke to her at the start of the winter about the areas we wanted her to work on and she has worked so, so hard. Now she’s bearing the fruits of that and there’s nothing more satisfying than to win a game of cricket for England in that manner.”