House panel releases 33,000-page trove of Jeffrey Epstein files

House panel releases 33,000-page trove of Jeffrey Epstein files

33,000 pages of Jeffrey Epstein documents released by House panel What to know after Trump says "we're going in" when asked about National Guard troops in Chicago New book looks at intelligence battle between Russia and U.S.

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

September 02, 2025

House panel releases 33,000-page trove of Jeffrey Epstein files

House panel releases 33,000-page trove of Jeffrey Epstein files 33,000 pages of Jeffrey Epstein documents released by House panel What to k...

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The 150-year-old law that governs military's role in local law enforcement

The 150-year-old law that governs military's role in local law enforcement

The Posse Comitatus Act is a nearly 150-year-old federal law that limits the U.S. military's role in enforcing domestic laws. At its core, experts say the law reflects America's long-standing belief that law enforcement should remain in civilian hands, separate from military power. PresidentDonald Trumphas tested the law's limits in the first few months of his second term, as heexpands the footprintof the U.S. military on domestic soil. Here's what to know about the law. Posse Comitatus Act stops military from enforcing US law The criminal statute prohibits military enforcement of domestic law. It also prevents the military from investigating local crimes, overriding local law enforcement or compelling certain behavior. There are key exceptions. Congress can vote to suspend the act, or the president can order it suspended in defense of the Constitution. The Insurrection Act of 1807 allows the president to deploy troops during invasions, rebellions or when local authorities can't maintain order. National Guard members are under state authority and commanded by governors, so they're generally exempt. However, the Posse Comitatus Act applies to National Guard forces when they're "federalized," meaning the president puts them under his control. That's whatDonald Trumpdidin Californiaover the governor's objections. The military is allowed to share intelligence and certain resources if there's an overlap with civilian law enforcement jurisdiction, according to the Library of Congress. There's also an exception for the U.S. Coast Guard, which has some law enforcement responsibilities. Law was enacted after the Reconstruction era The law was enacted in 1878 following the post-Civil War era known as Reconstruction. At that time, segregationist lawmakers didn't want the U.S. military from blocking Jim Crow laws that imposed racial segregation. But the spirit of the law has roots going all the way back to the Revolutionary War, when the nation's founders were scarred by the British monarchy's absolute military control, said William C. Banks, a professor at the Syracuse University College of Law. "We have a tradition in the United States — which is more a norm than a law — that we want law enforcement to be conducted by civilians, not the military," Banks said. Courts have rarely interpreted the Posse Comitatus Act, leaving much of its scope shaped by executive branch policy and military regulations rather than judicial precedent. Steve Vladeck, a law professor at Georgetown University, notes that this lack of legal rulings makes the law unusual. "There is no authoritative precedent on exactly where these lines are, and so that's why over the years the military's own interpretation has been so important," Vladeck said. New tests for the law A federal judge has ruled that the Trump administrationviolated federal lawby sending troops to accompany federal agents onimmigrationraidsin Los Angelesthis summer. The ruling does not require the remaining troops to withdraw. Trump administration attorneys argued the law doesn't apply because the troops were protecting federal officers, not enforcing laws. Trump also sent 800 troops to Washington D.C., sayingwithout substantiationthat they were needed to reduce crime in the "lawless" city. In Washington, a federal district, the president is already in charge of the National Guard and can legally deploy troops for 30 days without congressional approval. Trump has since discussed sending the National Guard to other Democratic-led cities likeChicago, Baltimore and New York. ___ Riddle is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative.Report for Americais a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

September 02, 2025

The 150-year-old law that governs military's role in local law enforcement

The 150-year-old law that governs military's role in local law enforcement The Posse Comitatus Act is a nearly 150-year-old federal law ...

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North Korea's Kim crosses into China to meet Xi, Putin for Beijing military parade

North Korea's Kim crosses into China to meet Xi, Putin for Beijing military parade

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un crossed theChina-North Korea border by train on Tuesday, the country's state news agency reported, heading to Beijing where he will attend a military parade marking the 80th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II. Kim will join Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Chinese capital on Wednesday, the other two leaders having come from a Shanghai Cooperation Organization meeting in Tianjin, where Xi hosted world leaders including Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Kim is accompanied by a delegation including Foreign Minister Choe Son Hui, the Korean Central News Agency reported. Kim, Xi and Putin will gather for the military parade amid Ukrainian and Western concerns over the collaboration of the three nations in bolstering Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, ongoing since February 2022. Putin has sent an invitation to meet with Kim on the sidelines of the military parade, according to Putin's top foreign policy aide. "Our president and Kim Jong Un will be attending the parade and the reception together tomorrow and we believe that their contact at those two events will be continued in the bilateral format," the aide, Yuri Ushakov, told reporters Tuesday. "The invitation has been sent to our Korean friends, so I believe this conversation will take place," he added. MORE: 'They do not surrender': Ukraine commander details fight with North Koreans in Russia Ukrainian and Western governments have accused North Korea of supplying significant amounts of ammunition and troops to support Russia's war, while Kyiv and its NATO backers have identified China as Moscow's prime source of materiel and a vital economic lifeline. Speaking at the SCO meeting on Monday, Putin said the war in Ukraine began with a Western-sponsored "coup" and "attempts by the West" to ""pull Ukraine into NATO." The address echoed long-established false Russian narratives about the pro-Western 2014 Maidan Revolution and the subsequent Russian invasion of Crimea and eastern Ukraine. Moscow built on that round of aggression by launching its full-scale invasion in 2022. Putin said he spoke with Xi on Sunday about the ongoing U.S.-sponsored peace process in Ukraine, which has so far failed to produce a ceasefire or a meeting between the Russian and Ukrainian leaders. Putin and Xi met again on Tuesday morning, according to a readout from the state-run Xinhua news agency. The two leaders signed "more than 20 bilateral cooperation documents," Xinhua reported. Among the documents is a strategic cooperation agreement between Gazprom, the Russian state-owned energy corporation, and the China National Petroleum Corporation, the Kremlin said. A memorandum on the "development of strategic cooperation in peaceful uses of atomic energy," was also signed between Rosatom, the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation, and the China Atomic Energy Authority, the Kremlin said. Memorandums of understanding between Russia and China on space and science research were also signed during the meeting, the Kremlin said. Bilateral relations, Putin said, "have reflected a high degree of strategy and reached the highest level in history," Xinhua reported. Xi, meanwhile, said ties between Beijing and Moscow "have withstood the test of international changes," according to Xinhua. MORE: North Korea test-fires 2 new missiles amid US-South Korea military drills, state media says The Russian president also met with Modi on Monday. India -- along with China -- is a top customer for Russian energy exports, an income stream that Ukraine and its allies say has helped Moscow soften the impact of international sanctions and fund its war. In a post to X, Modi said he had an "excellent meeting" with Putin. "Discussed ways to deepen bilateral cooperation in all sectors, including trade, fertilizers, space, security and culture," he added. "We exchanged views on regional and global developments, including the peaceful resolution of the conflict in Ukraine." The meeting comes shortly after U.S President Donald Trump imposed an additional 25% tariff on all Indian goods -- bringing the total tariff rate to 50% -- related to India's continued purchases of Russian energy exports and military equipment. ABC News' Kate Lee, Tanya Stukalova, Anna Sergeeva, Karson Yiu, Will Gretsky and Ellie Kaufman contributed to this report.

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

September 02, 2025

North Korea's Kim crosses into China to meet Xi, Putin for Beijing military parade

North Korea's Kim crosses into China to meet Xi, Putin for Beijing military parade North Korean leader Kim Jong Un crossed theChina-Nort...

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Is There a “Thursday Murder Club” 2? What to Know About the Book Series Getting a Second Netflix Movie

Is There a "Thursday Murder Club" 2? What to Know About the Book Series Getting a Second Netflix Movie

Giles Keyte/Netflix The movie adaptation ofThe Thursday Murder Clubpremiered Aug. 28 on Netflix The film stars Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley and Celia Imrie as the clue-obsessed quartet While a sequel has not been confirmed, the cast and director have voiced wanting to continueThe Thursday Murder Clubstoryline Will the Thursday Murder Club return to solve more crimes? That's what fans are wondering after the Netflix adaptation ofThe Thursday Murder Clubpremiered on Aug. 28. The film version of the bestselling book byRichard OsmanstarsHelen Mirren,Pierce Brosnan,Ben Kingsleyand Celie Imrie as a clue-obsessed quartet in an English retirement village. As a hobby, the group of amateur detectives investigates cold cases, but they find themselves in the middle of a murder mystery that puts the senior sleuths in real danger. The Thursday Murder Clubbook series has been a literary sensation since the first title debuted in 2020. The novels have sold over 15 million copies worldwide, with a fifth installment,The Impossible Fortune, set to hit shelves on Sept. 30. So will there be a sequel toThe Thursday Murder Club? Here's what to know about the Netflix movie, which may continue with a follow-up film. Giles Keyte/Netflix A sequel toThe Thursday Murder Clubhas not been officially announced, but the movie has performed well on Netflix since its debut on Aug. 28. That same day,The Thursday Murder ClubdethronedKPop Demon Hunters, hitting No. 1 on Netflix's Top 10 Movies in the U.S. It stayed there for three days before moving to the second spot after the premiere of the documentaryUnknown Number: The High School Catfish. Giles Keyte/Netflix While a secondThursday Murder Clubmovie hasn't been confirmed, the cast has been vocal about their desire to return for more mysteries. In an August 2025Radio Timesinterview, when asked if she would be up for returning for anotherThursday Murder Club, Mirren replied, "In a nanosecond." "And it would be the team getting back together, which would be great," she added. "We did have a wonderful time shooting this. So all of us would jump at the chance, quite honestly." Imrie echoed her costar's excitement about continuing the adventures of the Thursday Murder Club. In a joint interview with director Chris Columbus forNews.com.au, Columbus said he would "come back in a second," with Imrie adding, "We all would." "We're superstitious and we don't want to spook things, but that's a testament to how much we all had an unforgettable time, an unforgettable summer," she explained. Courtesy of Netflix Not only does director Columbus want to make a sequel toThe Thursday Murder Club, but if he had his way, he would film the second and third movies back-to-back. "We're about to release on Netflix, so it's all based on how many people watch the film over the first weekend," he told News.com.au. "We will know in about 10 days if we're making a sequel." Columbus continued, "I would prefer to do two and three back-to-back. I would say, 'We're at the castle. Let's spend 100 days and make both films.' " In an interview withFilm Stories, he further teased, "If we're lucky enough, and all signs seem to point in that direction, that we will be shooting a sequel or the next chapter." Giles Keyte/Netflix The Man Who Died Twiceis the second book in theThursday Murder Clubseries. The novel dials up the danger for the group of amateur detectives when an old friend from Elizabeth's (played by Mirren inThe Thursday Murder Clubmovie) spy days comes back from her past. Douglas, her former colleague — who also happens to be her ex-husband — has been accused of stealing millions of dollars' worth of diamonds, and he's on the run. Elizabeth makes it her mission to protect him, which ends up putting her and her friends in the crosshairs of violent mobsters and a vicious murderer. Giles Keyte / Netflix There are four, soon to be five, books in theThursday Murder Clubmysteries. The fifth installment in the series,The Impossible Fortune, will hit shelves on Sept. 30. "It's great to be back with the old gang: more murders, more mysteries, more lemon drizzle cake," author Osman told PEOPLE in April 2025 about the forthcoming title. "The whole thing starts with a wedding, and it's about luck and chance and what life throws at you." The books in theThursday Murder Clubseries are:The Thursday Murder Club(2020),The Man Who Died Twice(2021),The Bullet That Missed(2022),The Last Devil to Die(2023) andThe Impossible Fortune(2025). Netflix The Thursday Murder Clubis available to stream onNetflix. Read the original article onPeople

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

September 02, 2025

Is There a “Thursday Murder Club” 2? What to Know About the Book Series Getting a Second Netflix Movie

Is There a "Thursday Murder Club" 2? What to Know About the Book Series Getting a Second Netflix Movie Giles Keyte/Netflix The mov...

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Tim McGraw honored dad, legendary MLB pitcher Tug McGraw, at Field of Dreams concert

Tim McGraw honored dad, legendary MLB pitcher Tug McGraw, at Field of Dreams concert

Country iconTim McGrawpaid tribute to his famous dadTug McGrawwhile making history. The "Something Like That" singer honored his father – the legendary MLB pitcher who died in 2004 at age 59 – Saturday, Aug. 30, with the first-ever concert at the legendaryField of Dreamsin Dyersville, Iowa. "Would've been my dad's 81st birthday," McGrawshared on Instagram. "I'm going to be looking at the cornfield out there and seeing if Tug and Hank walk out and say hello tonight." The crowd joined McGraw in singing "Happy Birthday" to his dad. The "Hank" McGraw mentioned is his Uncle Hank (Henry Thomas McGraw), Tug's older brother and a former ballplayer himself, who died in July 2024. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tim McGraw (@thetimmcgraw) 'These guys are magicians': Meet thebrothers behind the corn at the 'Field of Dreams' site "This weekend we lost the patriarch of the McGraw family,"Tim McGraw wroteat the time. "Our beloved 'Uncle Hank.' He was just an incredible man." McGraw didn't know Tug was his father until he was 11. Their bond grew later in life, and Tug McGraw spent his final months at his son's Tennessee home with Tim's wife, Faith Hill. Just months after Tug's death, the country star released"Live Like You Were Dying," a song that captured the emotional journey of embracing life – and loss. As Tim McGraw wrote in the lyrics: "I was finally the husband that most the time I wasn't / And I became a friend a friend would like to have / And all of a sudden goin' fishin' wasn't such an imposition / And I went three times that year I lost my dad." The music video ends with Tug's iconic final strike in the 1980 World Series. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tim McGraw (@thetimmcgraw) In a 2021podcast episode with Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey, McGraw recalled recording the song during his dad's battle with brain cancer: "My Uncle Hank was there. … I looked around at the band. I said, 'I think it's time to do this song.' … My uncle collapsed on a couch crying every time we did a pass of it." The Field of Dreams site – built for the 1989 film starring Kevin Costner – is steeped in father-son symbolism. In the movie, Costner's character gets a chance to "have a catch" with his late dad. On Saturday, McGraw got his own version of that moment. "Iowa!! You guys brought it last night!" McGraw posted. "First ever concert @thefieldofdreamsmoviesite and on Tug's birthday too! Hard to top that!!" This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Tim McGraw honors dad Tug McGraw at Field of Dreams concert

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

September 02, 2025

Tim McGraw honored dad, legendary MLB pitcher Tug McGraw, at Field of Dreams concert

Tim McGraw honored dad, legendary MLB pitcher Tug McGraw, at Field of Dreams concert Country iconTim McGrawpaid tribute to his famous dadTug...

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