Category: News

In Merriam, Kansas, My Home Contemporary Furniture is more than just a furniture store; it represents the culmination of owner Henrik Svendsen’s lifelong efforts. Svendsen had envisioned the business as a legacy for his children, but plans will change as he prepares to close the store in August due to the impact of tariffs. The escalating trade war initiated by President Trump has significantly increased import costs, making the products sold at Svendsen’s store unaffordable for both him and his customers. “With the tariffs right now, it will be $2,500,” he noted, with potential for even higher costs.

Since the trade war began, Svendsen has incurred around $162,000 in tariffs. This financial burden has led him to the difficult decision to liquidate the store’s assets, as maintaining a low sale price is not sustainable in the current economic climate. Svendsen’s furniture predominantly comes from abroad, with 99% of his inventory imported, half of which is sourced from China. Other products are imported from Mexico, Thailand, and various European countries.

Though he does sell American-made furniture, many components of that furniture still face tariffs due to overseas manufacturing. The closing of the store will also lead to layoffs for Svendsen’s ten employees, including Henning Mikkelsen. Mikkelsen expressed concerns about his uncertain future, stating, “It is scary to not know what the future is going to bring.” He, like many others, is now faced with the challenge of finding new employment while trying to provide for themselves and their families.

In Waunakee, Wisconsin, 18-year-old Molly Schafer, a senior at Waunakee High School, has often been perceived as a loner among her classmates. Many noted that not many students interacted with her, a stark contrast to her more sociable self in elementary and middle school before she developed social anxiety.

Reflecting on this change, Molly expressed a desire to reconnect with her classmates, yearning to be seen and engaged with again. What sets Molly’s approach apart is her proactive response to her isolation.

Rather than feeling sorry for herself or blaming others, she turned to her art to bridge the gap. Every day, she dedicated hours in a loft above her garage to create portraits of the students with whom she once shared a connection.

Over time, these efforts resulted in 44 detailed paintings, each requiring approximately 13 hours to complete, totaling about 600 hours of work. Molly then gifted these portraits to her classmates.

The reaction from her peers has been overwhelmingly positive. Students have praised the time and effort she dedicated to each painting, commenting on the incredible thoughtfulness behind her work.

However, the paintings also sparked feelings of regret among some, who reflected on missed opportunities for connection. “I wish I would have made more relationships with some kids that I didn’t talk with,” one student noted.

Molly’s experience serves as a poignant reminder about the perceptions of friendship and connection. She hopes that both students and adults can learn from her journey, emphasizing that feelings of loneliness may often be misconstrued.

“You can’t go through life thinking that you don’t have friends because they don’t like you,” she said. Molly encourages others to understand that these thoughts can be misleading and that reaching out is essential.

NASA’s Curiosity rover has made a remarkable discovery by capturing the first close-up images of a region on Mars that provides significant insights into the planet’s watery past. Scientists assert that Mars was once home to rivers, lakes, and possibly an ocean, which eventually dried up, leaving behind the arid landscape seen today.

The newly obtained images reveal what NASA describes as “dramatic evidence” of ancient groundwater, showcased in crisscrossing low ridges exhibiting a unique “boxwork pattern” that extends over several miles on a Martian mountain. According to NASA, the bedrock below these ridges likely formed as groundwater seeped through the rock, depositing minerals in cracks and fissures that eventually hardened into a cement-like structure.

From space, these ridges resemble intricate spiderweb patterns, which had only been observed via orbit before this discovery. Ashwin Vasavada, Curiosity’s project scientist, raised questions about the formation of these hardened ridges and their localized presence, indicating a mystery that could lead to further exploration as the rover continues its journey.

Additionally, the ridges contain small fractures filled with calcium sulfate, a finding that had not been recorded in this part of Mount Sharp, the three-mile-high mountain Curiosity is currently exploring. Abigail Fraeman, the rover’s deputy project scientist, expressed surprise at the return of these calcium sulfate veins, noting that they had seemingly vanished as the rover ascended the mountain.

Curiosity landed in Gale Crater in 2012 and has been climbing Mount Sharp since 2014, with its ongoing mission focused on uncovering evidence of environments that could have supported life on Mars. The excitement surrounding these new findings underscores the rover’s vital role in unlocking the planet’s ancient secrets.

Marius Borg Høiby, the eldest son of Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit, has been charged with multiple offenses, including rape, sexual assault, and bodily harm. This comes after a comprehensive investigation that identified a “double-digit” number of alleged victims, as announced by Oslo police on Friday.

Høiby, who is the stepson of Crown Prince Haakon, has faced scrutiny following several arrests in 2024 related to accusations of rape and preliminary charges of bodily harm and criminal damage. During the police inquiry, Høiby has been cooperative.

Evidence collected includes text messages, witness testimonies, and findings from police searches. At 28 years old, Høiby was born from a relationship before Mette-Marit’s marriage to Haakon in 2001.

He has grown up alongside his royal stepsiblings, Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus, but does not hold an official public role in the royal family. His defense attorney, Petar Sekulic, noted that while Høiby once lived with the royal family, he now resides in a separate home nearby.

The specific charges against Høiby include one count of rape involving intercourse and two counts of rape without intercourse, in addition to four cases of sexual assault and two cases of bodily harm. Police attorney Andreas Kruszewski confirmed the involvement of a significant number of victims but maintained confidentiality regarding their identities.

Høiby’s defense has communicated that he takes the accusations seriously, although he denies wrongdoing in many of the cases, particularly those concerning sexual abuse and violence. The royal palace has not yet responded to requests for comment.

Until further legal proceedings occur, Høiby is presumed innocent.

Two men have been charged with murder related to a shooting that occurred during a wedding celebration in southeastern France, resulting in the death of a 27-year-old bride. Prosecutors have indicated that the assailants are linked to a criminal gang. The tragic event took place last Sunday in Goult, a scenic hilltop village, where gunmen opened fire on guests, suggesting a potential connection to drug-related activities. The attack occurred in a parking area outside the village hall, as four masked individuals targeted several attendees, including the newlyweds and the bride’s 13-year-old nephew.

Marseille prosecutor Nicolas Bessone reported that the bride sustained multiple gunshot wounds near her carotid artery, leading to her death. The groom also suffered several upper body injuries, while the nephew sustained a critical lung injury. Additionally, the groom’s sister was shot in the shoulder. During the confrontation, one of the attackers was killed, reportedly from gunfire and being struck by a vehicle.

The remaining three fled the scene, with two captured hours later in a nearby town, while one remains at large. It has been noted that these suspects may be connected to another shooting incident on the same day in Avignon, where one individual was killed and another injured. After spending 96 hours in police custody, the two suspects were brought before a magistrate and charged with murder and attempted murder as members of an organized crime gang. Although the specific motives have not been disclosed, investigators believe the violence may be tied to drug-related disputes, as the groom had a history of involvement in drug and organized crime offenses.

Goult, with a population of just over 1,000, is situated approximately 50 miles north of Marseille, a city that has witnessed a rise in drug-related violence in recent years. The French government has pledged to ramp up efforts against narcotics and drug-related crimes.

On Friday, Japan executed 34-year-old Takahiro Shiraishi, infamously known as the “Twitter killer,” marking the country’s first use of the death penalty since 2022. Shiraishi was convicted of murdering and dismembering nine individuals, primarily women, whom he connected with on the social media platform now known as X. His victims were typically those who had expressed suicidal feelings, with Shiraishi promising to assist them in their plans. Shiraishi’s heinous crimes occurred in 2017, where he lured young women to his home under false pretenses.

Once there, he subjected them to rape before killing them. In one instance, he murdered a boyfriend to eliminate any potential witnesses. Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki described the gruesome method Shiraishi used to dispose of the bodies, which were hidden in coolers and toolboxes, some buried under cat litter. The details of these acts generated widespread horror and concern within society.

Despite his lawyers arguing that Shiraishi’s victims consented to die due to their suicidal states, the court dismissed this defense, labeling his actions as “cunning and cruel.” The judge emphasized that he preyed on vulnerable individuals, trampling on their dignity. The police discovered the crimes while investigating the disappearance of a 23-year-old woman who had tweeted her suicidal thoughts, leading to the grim findings in Shiraishi’s apartment. In Japan, executions are conducted by hanging, and around 100 prisoners await execution.

The system operates with little transparency, as inmates often remain unaware of their fate until the day of the execution. Shiraishi’s execution marked a notable moment under Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, with prior executions dating back to 2022. As debates surrounding the death penalty continue, Japan remains one of the few G7 countries to maintain this practice amid significant public support.

The Supreme Court recently ruled in favor of a group of parents from Maryland who opposed their school district’s decision to eliminate the option for their elementary-aged children to opt out of lessons that included storybooks addressing gender identity and sexual orientation. In a 6-3 ruling in the case of Mahmoud v. Taylor, the court determined that requiring children to participate in these lessons burdens parents’ rights to exercise their religion. Justice Samuel Alito, who wrote the majority opinion, emphasized that the school board’s actions substantially interfered with the religious upbringing of the children. The court’s conservative majority granted the parents a preliminary injunction, allowing them to notify school officials when such storybooks would be used.

Parents will be able to excuse their children from these lessons. Alito noted that the requirement for children to participate without parental notification represents an unacceptable infringement on their religious rights, stating, “We reject this chilling vision of the power of the state to strip away the critical right of parents to guide the religious development of their children.” In dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor articulated concerns regarding the ruling. She argued that exposure to beliefs differing from one’s own does not hinder the free exercise of religion and warned that mandating advance notice and opt-out options could create chaos for public schools.

The case arose amid a broader context of religious rights claims being considered by the Supreme Court, which has leaned more favorably toward plaintiffs in recent years. The Montgomery County School Board had originally allowed opt-outs for students based on religious objections but rescinded this policy in 2023, claiming challenges in managing multiple absences. The decision prompted significant community backlash, leading to legal action from three diverse families who contended that their First Amendment rights were being violated.

In August 2015, former FBI agent Tom Martens and his daughter, Molly Corbett, were involved in the killing of Molly’s husband, Jason Corbett. They asserted that they acted in self-defense, claiming that they bludgeoned him with a baseball bat and a brick paver as he was choking Molly and threatening her life. Investigators collected evidence from Molly and Jason’s bedroom after the incident. Photographs revealed blood spatter on the bedding, raising questions about the circumstances surrounding Jason’s injuries.

A critical piece of evidence was the measured height of the blood spatter on the wall, suggesting that Jason’s head was positioned significantly above the ground when he was struck, indicating he may have been hit while down. According to Tom Martens, he intervened using a baseball bat after noticing his son-in-law allegedly strangling Molly. Investigators learned that he had spent the night at the home and grabbed the aluminum bat—a gift for his grandchildren—upon hearing the commotion upstairs. Molly claimed she used a brick from her nightstand to strike Jason, stating it was intended for a children’s art project.

She reported that Jason was aggressively shouting, “I’m going to kill you,” during the confrontation. Photographic evidence also captured Molly and Tom at the sheriff’s office after the murder. The prosecution highlighted that neither appeared to bear any injuries. Blood spatter on Tom’s shirt and boxers suggested he was close to Jason when the fatal blows were delivered; however, these spots were never tested.

Additionally, Molly was photographed with Jason’s blood on her, and she reported pain from the alleged choke hold he had inflicted, evidenced by a small red mark on her neck.

On June 1, 2025, law enforcement officials clad in protective gear responded to a violent incident at the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder, Colorado. The attack resulted in multiple injuries and is currently being investigated by the FBI as a potential act of terror. Authorities apprehended a shirtless man, suspected to be involved in the attack.

Following the traumatic event, police secured the area around the mall and established a cordon to create an evacuation zone for safety. The scene required the attention of bomb squads due to the severity of the situation, with teams setting up a staging area nearby. Witnesses reported seeing a possible burn scar in front of the old courthouse, which raised further concerns among investigators.

In the aftermath, police blocked access to the Pearl Street Mall and secured the downtown area, ensuring no unauthorized entry occurred while investigations continued. As first responders tended to injured individuals, including one person being carried away on a stretcher, local officials were quick to address the public. Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty and Police Chief Stephen Redfearn held news conferences to provide updates on the ongoing investigation.

Dougherty and Redfearn emphasized the seriousness of the situation and the collaborative efforts between local and federal law enforcement agencies. The impact of this violent incident was felt throughout the community, and the sight of an Israeli flag placed in a planter near the scene underscored a heightened sense of tension and solidarity among some residents. As the investigation unfolds, authorities continue to gather evidence to better understand the events of that day and to ensure the safety of Boulder’s residents.

Brandy and Monica, the dynamic R&B stars renowned for their hit duet “The Boy Is Mine,” have announced their first-ever co-headlining tour, marking an exciting reunion 25 years after their iconic collaboration. The tour, aptly named “The Boy Is Mine,” will encompass 24 cities, kicking off on October 16 in Cincinnati and concluding on December 7 in Houston.

During an appearance on “CBS Mornings,” Brandy expressed that they had been approached about touring together since 1998, but the timing now feels just right. She described the experience as a “dream come true.” Monica referred to their partnership as a “musical marriage,” highlighting the strong communication and relationship they’ve built over the years.

Their 1998 duet solidified their status in music history, holding the record for 13 consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

This achievement placed them alongside legends like Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey. The song saw a resurgence in popularity following their surprise appearance in Ariana Grande’s music video last year, which also earned them a Grammy nomination for their remix collaboration.

Joining Brandy and Monica on tour will be Grammy winner Kelly Rowland, singer-songwriter Muni Long, and 2025 American Idol winner Jamal Roberts. Despite past tensions between the artists, they appear ready to celebrate their music and womanhood.

Monica remarked on the challenges of curating their setlist but emphasized their desire to provide fans with a memorable experience. Tickets for the highly anticipated tour will go on sale at 10 a.m. local time on Friday, with presales starting Thursday using the code BPC.

This tour is set to be a remarkable event for fans of R&B music.