Americans freed in historic prisoner swap with Russia arrive back on US soil and more top headlines

A federal judge in San Francisco has halted Secretary of State Marco Rubio's plans to downsize the State Department, citing a previous injunction that prohibits such actions without Congressional approval. Despite the administration's claim that Rubio's reorganization is independent of President Trump's directive, Judge Susan Illston ordered the department to seek court clarification before proceeding with any changes. More Context

As the U.S. military prepares for a parade honoring the Army's legacy, transgender service members face career-ending decisions due to a ban imposed by the Trump administration. Cmdr. Emily Shilling, a Navy pilot and lead plaintiff in a lawsuit against the ban, highlights the emotional turmoil among service members torn between their commitment to serve and the pressure to separate under duress. More Context

Four detainees have escaped from the Delaney Hall immigration detention center in Newark, New Jersey, prompting a search by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the FBI, which is offering a $10,000 reward for information on their whereabouts. The men, identified as Franklin Norberto Bautista-Reyes, Joel Enrique Sandoval-Lopez, Joan Sebastian Castaneda-Lozada, and Andres Pineda-Mogollon, are viewed as public safety threats and have raised concerns over conditions at the facility amidst ongoing protests and legal...

A federal judge has recused himself from the case of five former Memphis officers convicted in the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols, just days before their sentencing. The officers, part of the disbanded Scorpion Unit, had previously faced both state and federal charges, leading to significant scrutiny of police practices in Memphis following Nichols' death. More Context

Approximately 60 protesters, including veterans and military families, were arrested outside the U.S. Capitol during a demonstration against President Trump's Army anniversary parade and the deployment of National Guard troops in Los Angeles. Organized by Veterans for Peace, the protest called for reallocating military funding to social services and occurred just before the parade marking the Army's 250th anniversary, coinciding with Trump's birthday. More Context

A federal appeals court has declined to rehear President Trump's challenge to a $5 million civil judgment for battery and defamation against E. Jean Carroll, affirming the jury's 2023 verdict that found Trump liable for assaulting Carroll in the 1990s and later defaming her. Carroll's attorney expressed satisfaction with the decision, emphasizing that Trump's attempts to contest the findings have failed, while he is also appealing a separate $83 million defamation award to her. More...