Author: Karen Givens

Recent court revelations have brought concrete examples to light that conservative observers say undermine trust in institutions and raise real concerns about civil liberties. Legal filings and court testimony have produced documents and sworn statements that are hard to ignore. The material shows patterns of decision making and methods that, when combined, paint a picture of repeated overreach. Conservatives warn this is not abstract; it has practical consequences for ordinary Americans. What emerged from litigation includes internal communications, operational plans, and firsthand accounts that contradict public assurances. Those records suggest agencies and powerful actors sometimes prioritized control over clear legal…

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a law that gives the state’s top law enforcement official the power to designate groups as domestic or foreign terrorist organizations, subject to approval through a required oversight process. Florida just added a clear, enforceable tool to protect communities from organized violent threats. The law puts designation authority in the hands of the state’s top law enforcement official with an oversight step built in, so decisions are not made unilaterally. This is about giving prosecutors and police a legal framework to act decisively when groups cross the line into terrorism. The move reflects a growing…

The White House moved quickly over the Easter weekend to stamp out false chatter that President Donald Trump had been admitted to Walter Reed, after a routine press lid and roughly twelve hours without comment sparked a wave of conspiracy theorizing on X. The flap began when the White House called a press lid around 11 a.m. Eastern on Saturday, and that simple scheduling note turned into a feeding frenzy for some corners of the internet. The president went about twelve hours without speaking to the press, and a chunk of social media filled the silence with medical scare stories.…

This piece looks at a practical device that functions for limited tasks but is not ready for human transport, and it explores where that leaves usability, safety, and realistic expectations. It works at something; just don’t expect it to work when it comes to carrying people from one place to another place. That blunt line captures the gap between what prototypes can demonstrate and what regulators or the public expect from passenger systems. Saying a thing “works” often means it completes a narrow mission, not that it meets the full set of requirements for moving humans. We should keep that…

D.C. police said they arrested eight youths over the weekend after several juveniles began brawling outside of a city-run event for teens in Southwest. The incident sent officers to the scene and prompted an on-the-spot response from city authorities. Local leaders and residents say they want clearer steps to keep teen programs safe. D.C. police said they arrested eight youths over the weekend after several juveniles began brawling outside of a city-run event for teens in Southwest. According to the department, officers were called after reports of a physical confrontation near the event site. Police described the arrests as the…

The Supreme Court’s recent order vacated a May 2024 D.C. Circuit decision that had upheld a 2022 criminal conviction of former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, a move that many see as a signal the Court may reject what Republicans call Democrats’ lawfare tactics. The high court’s action on Monday centered on a May 2024 decision by the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, which had sustained a 2022 criminal conviction of Steve Bannon. By vacating that appeals ruling, the Supreme Court has pulled the rug out from a key legal foundation used to keep the conviction in place. Republicans argue the…

UCLA dominated the final, turning an early edge into a runaway victory that settles as a landmark moment for the program and a statement about balanced, disciplined team play. The scoreboard told a clear story, but the way UCLA got there mattered as much as the final number. Their offense found rhythm, the defense stayed aggressive, and the roster showed depth that left South Carolina scrambling for answers. Fans watching saw a team that executed a complete game on both ends of the floor. “Gabriela Jaquez scored 21 points, Lauren Betts added 16 and UCLA routed South Carolina 79-51 Sunday…

This piece looks at the empty tomb stories, the words the angels spoke, and how those lines have shaped faith, ritual, and community across centuries. The image of an empty tomb is one of the most powerful in religious storytelling, a short scene that has echoed through art, liturgy, and private devotion. People come to the story with different expectations, but the core details remain strikingly consistent across the earliest accounts. That consistency is part of what keeps the moment relevant in churches, classrooms, and family conversations today. Stories about the resurrection moved quickly from local memory into wider practice…

Thousands of Catholic devotees commemorated Good Friday across Latin America with processions and ceremonies re-enacting the crucifixion of Jesus.

This Good Friday, may we all hear the psalm Jesus quoted on the cross with new ears. Let’s look at what that psalm does and why it still matters. Good Friday is a day people return to the same words and images because they hold a weight that won’t lift. The story of the cross is familiar, but the psalm Jesus referenced pulls the scene into sharper focus. Listening to that psalm with fresh attention can change how the story lands in our daily lives. The psalm in question—commonly identified as Psalm 22—moves between raw complaint and stubborn trust. It…