Take the Greater Boston news quiz: April 4, 2025

Richard Gerald Jordan, Mississippi's longest-serving death row inmate, is scheduled for execution on Wednesday for the 1976 kidnapping and murder of Edwina Marter during a ransom scheme. Despite his claims of PTSD from Vietnam affecting his actions, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected his clemency petition, and family members of the victim express a desire for justice, emphasizing the heinous nature of his crime. Explain It To Me Like I'm 5: Mississippi's longest-serving death row inmate,...

One of the notable figures from the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency, Edward Coristine, known as “Big Balls,” has departed from his position, amidst a series of resignations linked to DOGE. His youth and prior controversies, including being fired for leaking secrets, drew criticism, and he hinted at future plans on social media after leaving the General Services Administration. Explain It To Me Like I'm 5: Edward Coristine, a young and controversial staff member...

The son of Narciso Barranco, a 48-year-old undocumented immigrant, is contesting government claims that his father attacked agents with a weed trimmer during his arrest in Santa Ana, California. Alejandro Barranco, a Marine veteran, criticized the use of excessive force by Customs and Border Patrol, describing his father's treatment as inhumane and expressing concerns about his conditions in detention. Explain It To Me Like I'm 5: A Marine veteran is defending his father, who was...

An 18-year-old man, Noah Battaglia, has been arrested for the double homicide of his family members, a 51-year-old man and a 19-year-old man, following a domestic argument in Elk Grove, California. The police responded to the scene early Monday morning, and Battaglia was apprehended two hours later in South Sacramento, facing two counts of homicide as the investigation continues. Explain It To Me Like I'm 5: An 18-year-old man named Noah is in trouble because...

The Trump administration has announced the repeal of the "Roadless Rule," which has protected 58 million acres of national forests from road construction and logging since 2001, a move criticized by environmental advocates as opening federal lands to significant damage. Critics argue that this repeal prioritizes private industry over environmental protections, potentially increasing wildfire risks and harming public resources. Explain It To Me Like I'm 5: The Trump administration plans to remove protections from 58...

Both the prosecution and defense have concluded their cases in the sex-trafficking trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs, who faces serious charges including racketeering and sex trafficking, but a key alleged victim, “Gina,” did not testify despite being mentioned extensively. Prosecutors argue that her absence is significant, while the defense claims her testimony could undermine their case, asserting that she is not a victim. Explain It To Me Like I'm 5: Both Sean “Diddy” Combs' trial...