DOJ sues Minnesota over college tuition benefits for undocumented immigrants

The United States Department of Justice is suing Minnesota over state laws which offer some undocumented immigrants access to lower in-state college tuition. The government is also challenging a new state program which offers some students free tuition.

Members of the federal government are arguing these state laws “unconstitutionally discriminate” against other U.S. citizens and from other states who aren’t given the same benefits.

Most recently, state lawmakers passed the North Star Promise Program, which launched just last fall and provides state funding to cover any unpaid tuition and college fees for students from families making less than $80,000 a year. The amount of money a student receives is based on whatever costs aren’t already covered by other grants and scholarships.

Fans go wild for NBA Draft star Dylan Harper's mom as she upstages her son with ESPN appearance

Dylan Harper was the No 2 pick on NBA Draft night in New York but his mom immediately stole the show after he was picked by the San Antonio Spurs.

Harper and his mother, Maria Pizarro, spoke to the ESPN cameras moments after the Rutgers man, 19, was picked to join Victor Wembanyama in Texas.

'His flat-out love for the game, his determination, hard work and humility, day in and day out,' a visibly emotional Maria told ESPN when asked about what had led her son to the NBA.

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What if Trump's strategy is actually brilliant and works??

Trump says Iran-Israel ceasefire in effect after accusing both sides of violating it

President Trump said Tuesday that a ceasefire between Israel and Iran was "in effect," and it appeared to be holding on Tuesday afternoon after 12 days of deadly conflict between the Middle East's arch rivals.

Earlier in the morning, Mr. Trump voiced frustration with both countries and accused them of violating the agreement he had announced just hours earlier. Israel accused Iran of breaching the agreement minutes after it was intended to take effect, and said it would "respond forcefully."

But after a last-minute intervention by Mr. Trump — including a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu — the bombardments appeared to cease.

LIV Golf hires Bud Light’s woke ex-marketing exec Alissa Heinerscheid after transgender marketing campaign cratered brand

Looks like the Saudis shopped the Bud Light fire sale.

The disgraced former marketing executive who tanked Bud Light’s brand has landed a new job at LIV Golf, in an unlikely pairing between a corporate woke warrior and the controversial Saudi-backed sports league.

LIV is staying mum about its decision to hire former Anheuser-Busch VP Alissa Heinerscheid, who has been working at the league in a “Team Business Operations” role since September, according to her LinkedIn page.

Buss family to sell Lakers to Mark Walter for $10B valuation

The Buss family is entering into an agreement to sell majority ownership of the Los Angeles Lakers to Mark Walter for a franchise valuation of approximately $10 billion, sources told ESPN on Wednesday, the highest ever for a U.S. professional sports franchise.

The Buss family will keep a minority share of the team, just over 15%, for a period of time, a source said.

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We get to know our new friend Michael Burt second generation owner of We Are Nuts.

Why one political group should really embrace the holiday of Juneteenth.

Juneteenth, officially Juneteenth National Independence Day, is a federal holiday in the United States. It is celebrated annually on June 19 to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States. The holiday's name, first used in the 1890s, is a portmanteau of the words June and nineteenth, referring to June 19, 1865, the day when Major General Gordon Granger ordered the final enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation in Texas at the end of the American Civil War.

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Vance Boelter’s 90 minutes of terror: 4 lawmakers’ homes, 2 shot and 2 killed

There are chilling new details about Vance Boelter’s attack on Minnesota lawmakers and their families. A new timeline of events reveals the 57-year-old tried to do even more damage. Federal prosecutors say he stopped at the homes of four lawmakers early Saturday morning with the intent to kill them.

Investigators believe Boelter had been meticulously planning this attack for months.

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The LA riots perfectly symbolize everything that is currently wrong with this country.

The images of cars set ablaze, protesters tossing rocks at police and officers firing nonlethal rounds and tear gas at protesters hearkens back to the last time a president sent the National Guard to respond to violence on Los Angeles streets.

But the unrest during several days of protests over immigration enforcement is far different in scale from the 1992 riots that followed the acquittal of white police officers who were videotaped beating Black motorist Rodney King.

President George H.W. Bush used the Insurrection Act to call in the National Guard after requests from Mayor Tom Bradley and Gov. Pete Wilson. After the current protests began Friday over Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids, President Donald Trump ordered the deployment of 4,100 National Guard troops and 700 Marines despite strident opposition from Mayor Karen Bass and Gov. Gavin Newsom.

University of Minnesota set to close Les Bolstad golf course

The University of Minnesota announced last week plans to close the Les Bolstad golf course in Falcon Heights.

"We recognize this course holds generations of memories for our community," the statement from the University of Minnesota reads. "This decision reflects careful consideration and was made in light of today’s challenging financial environment. As a public university, we have a responsibility to ensure that our land and resources are aligned with our core mission: supporting students, advancing research, and serving the state of Minnesota."

"The golf course does not generate funding needed for the extensive repairs and upkeep that would ensure its ongoing viability," the university adds. "The University is in a constrained economic environment and must ensure every investment is core to our mission. In unpredictable times, it’s more important than ever to be clear about who we are and strategic in how we deploy resources."

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What exactly the feud between Donald Trump and Elon Musk is really about.

Trump says Elon Musk will face 'very serious consequences' if he funds Democratic candidates

President Donald Trump on Saturday said there would be “serious consequences” if tech mogul Elon Musk funds Democratic candidates to run against Republicans who vote in favor of the GOP’s sweeping budget bill.

“If he does, he’ll have to pay the consequences for that,” Trump told NBC News in a phone interview, but declined to share what those consequences would be.

“He’ll have to pay very serious consequences if he does that,” he added.

The president also said he has no desire to repair his relationship with Musk after a feud between the two men erupted into public view earlier this week.

“No,” Trump said when asked if he had any wish to do so.

Asked if he thought his relationship with the Tesla and SpaceX CEO was over, Trump said, “I would assume so, yeah.”

Trump’s comments were the most extensive since he and Musk exchanged threats and attacks on X and Truth Social earlier this week. He added that he thought the Republican Party was more unified than ever after the two men fell out in front of the world.

Trump said he has no plans to speak with Musk anytime soon. “I’m too busy doing other things,” he said, adding, “I have no intention of speaking to him.”

Trump also accused Musk of being “disrespectful to the office of the President.”

“I think it’s a very bad thing, because he’s very disrespectful. You could not disrespect the office of the President,” he added.

Musk on Thursday launched a barrage of posts on X against the president, including a now-deleted post highlighting the onetime links between the president and the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

“That’s called ‘old news,’ that’s been old news, that has been talked about for years,” Trump said on Saturday. “Even Epstein’s lawyer said I had nothing to do with it. It’s old news.”

In the days leading up to their public falling out, Musk had been critical of a GOP-led spending bill that the House passed last month.

In the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump responded to Musk’s criticisms, telling reporters, “I’m very disappointed because Elon knew the inner workings of this bill. I’m very disappointed in Elon. I’ve helped Elon a lot.”

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The embarrassment that has become High School graduation ceremonies.

Wayzata graduation shooting suspect faces stiffer sentence after prosecutor filing

The Hennepin County Attorney's Office will seek an enhanced sentence against the man suspected of shooting two people following the Wayzata High School graduation ceremony at Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis.

Hamza Abdirashid Said, 20, of Coon Rapids, is charged with first-degree assault, second-degree assault, and possessing/operating a machine gun in connection to the May 30 shooting.

The Hennepin County Attorney's Office filed a "notice of intent to seek an upward sentencing departure" in the shooting that injured two people outside the Wayzata High School graduation ceremony at Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis.

This means prosecutors will seek a legal penalty that goes beyond the state's typical sentencing guidelines.

The filing states that the victims in the shooting "were particularly vulnerable based on the location of the incident on a university campus," adding that "the Victims were particularly vulnerable based on the large scale of attendees at the public event, besides the intended Victim there were numerous people present besides the intended victims and Defendant created greater-than-normal danger to the safety of these other people."

The document states that the "sentencing departure issues should be decided by the trial jury." The maximum sentence for first-degree assault in Minnesota is 20 years.

Trans pitcher hits 2 doubles, throws another complete game to send team to Minnesota state championship

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ÉCLAIRCISSEMENT: Texas Teen Wins 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee

Faizan Zaki, a 13-year-old from Allen, Texas, clinched the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee on Thursday, correctly spelling “éclaircissement” to claim the title and over $50,000 in cash and prizes in a dramatic final round.

Zaki, last year’s runner-up, triumphed over eight finalists in the centennial Scripps National Spelling Bee, hosted at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center near Washington, D.C. The contest began with 243 spellers aged 11 to 14, narrowed to Zaki, Sarv Dharavane, 11, and Sarvadnya Kadam, 14. All three misspelled words in one round, forcing a tense additional round.

“I can’t remember the last time we’ve seen this kind of late-round drama here at the spelling bee,” Paul Loeffler, the Bee’s TV analyst, said, per CBS News.

In the 21st round, Zaki faced Kadam and spelled “éclaircissement,” a noun meaning a clearing up of something obscure. He pumped his fists and collapsed to the floor in excitement after finishing the word.

“I’m really happy,” Zaki said afterward. Earlier, he faltered on the spelling of “commelina” but was reinstated after collective missteps by his fellow finalists.

Grief tech: redefining death in the age of AI

Few experiences are as profoundly impactful as losing a loved one. The void left behind can seem insurmountable, leaving us yearning for just a little bit more time with those we miss. This deeply human desire is fueling the rise of grief tech, which promises to forever change how we preserve the memory of those who are no longer alive.

• There is a growing number of grief tech start-ups that allow people to have virtual conversations with AI chatbots of their deceased loved ones.
• While some believe grief tech could help people find closure, there are also concerns that it could have a negative impact on their mental health.
• “There is evidence from multiple studies that proximity seeking [behaviours aimed at restoring a closeness with the person who died] is actually linked with poorer mental health outcomes,” explains Dr Kirsten Smith, clinical research fellow at the University of Oxford.
• “Who gets to decide what ‘helping people grieve’ means?” asks psychotherapist and grief consultant Megan Devine.
• “People have always engaged in various kinds of rituals where things are done with the belongings of the deceased, where certain kinds of possessions are preserved,” remarks Dr Elaine Kasket, bereavement lead at the Digital Legacy Association. “This could be seen as a technological version of these analogue, physical rituals.”

One thing is certain: as AI continues to evolve, so too will our approach to death and remembrance. The challenge lies in harnessing this technology thoughtfully, ensuring that we do not commit further harm in our efforts to help. By extension, we cannot lose sight of our humanity in our pursuit of digital immortality.

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