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Judge expands hold preventing White House from revoking Harvard’s enrollment of international students

A federal judge on Thursday extended a temporary hold preventing the Trump administration from revoking Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students. U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs announced her plan during a court hearing shortly after the administration revealed that it would give the university a 30-day reprieve before canceling its authority to admit students from abroad.

According to the filing, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has requested that Harvard provide sworn affidavits, supporting documents, or other materials to counter the basis for its decertification under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). This federal program permits institutions like Harvard to admit students from abroad. The letter dated May 28 notes that Harvard must address concerns including disciplinary issues involving foreign students and demonstrate that it upholds “a campus environment free from violence and antisemitism.”

The Trump administration rescinded Harvard’s certification to host international students last week; just hours after the decision, U.S. District Judge Allison D. Burroughs issued a temporary restraining order halting the move. The new development follows the administration’s indication that it would grant the university 30 days to contest the decision, as outlined in a letter included in a court filing submitted Wednesday night.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem shared the letter publicly on the social media platform X on Thursday. “Harvard’s unwillingness to cooperate with SEVP oversight is yet another sign of its disregard for the American public and the taxpayer resources it benefits from. We continue to reject Harvard’s ongoing pattern of putting students at risk and promoting anti-American sentiment,” Noem wrote, adding “if it wants to participate in federal programs, the university must fundamentally change.”  Harvard has not issued a public response to the matter.

Judge Burroughs stated that her temporary order would remain active until it could be replaced with a more permanent preliminary injunction. No date was set for when that injunction might be considered. If the administration’s decision is ultimately upheld, international students currently enrolled at Harvard would have to transfer to other institutions to maintain their legal status in the U.S. International students comprise approximately 25% of Harvard’s student population.

The Trump administration is also entangled in a separate legal battle with Harvard over federal research funding. In April, the administration rescinded $2 billion in government research grants awarded to the university, prompting Harvard to file a lawsuit in response.

Harvard President Alan Garber responded to Trump’s comments, saying, “I’m not focused on whether the funds go to trade schools or infrastructure projects. The real question is whether the federal government is receiving sufficient value from its investments in research.”

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White House sources say that Elon Musk remains close with Pres. Trump despite leaving DOGE

According to a senior White House official, Elon Musk remains close to President Trump after stepping away from his role as a “special government employee”.

Musk revealed on Wednesday evening that he was leaving his temporary government post, writing on X: “with my official time as a Special Government Employee wrapping up, I want to thank President Trump for the chance to help cut unnecessary government spending.” He noted that the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, will continue to grow stronger, aiming to make its principles a lasting part of federal operations.

The White House announced back in February that Musk had been designated a “special government employee,” or SGE—a classification that allows individuals to serve in government roles under more flexible ethics guidelines than full-time federal workers. By law, SGEs are permitted to work no more than 130 days in a calendar year. Friday, May 30, marks 130 days since Trump began his second term—coinciding with the start of Musk’s work with DOGE.

Musk hinted during Tesla’s earnings call in April that he would be scaling back his involvement with DOGE in May to prioritize his businesses. He mentioned that he might reduce his government work to one or two days per week, depending on the president’s wishes. Some Tesla shareholders have expressed concern about Musk’s political engagements, fearing they might distract him from running his companies and harm the automaker’s public image.

Despite exiting his formal position, Musk remains close to the president. CBS News reports that sources revealed that “Elon left on very good terms and still has a strong personal relationship with President Trump. This isn’t a departure in the traditional sense—it’s a transition back to the private sector. He’ll still be an ally to the president, and you could call his ongoing involvement that of an adviser.”. Steve Davis, one of Musk’s top aides at DOGE, is also stepping down from his role in the administration.

The source added that while Musk won’t regularly attend Cabinet meetings, his future participation hasn’t been ruled out. During his time with DOGE, Musk oversaw major shakeups across federal agencies, slashing government payrolls and canceling contracts worth billions. Musk has claimed these efforts saved the government approximately $160 billion. Critics, however, pointed out inaccuracies in the figures DOGE provided. One report even suggested the cost of disrupted operations, temporary layoffs, and the need to rehire staff could end up costing the government as much as $135 billion.

Musk’s exit follows his recent interview with “CBS Sunday Morning” in which he criticized the new budget bill – dubbed the “big, beautiful bill” – after being passed by House Republicans. Musk told CBS correspondent David Pogue: “I was honestly let down by the massive spending package. It actually increases the deficit rather than cutting it, which undermines what we’ve been doing at DOGE.”

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Country Daypop

2025 CMA Fest adds additional performers including Carly Pearce, Scotty McCreery and more

The Country Music Association has added additional performers across multiple stages for the four-day CMA Fest, taking place Thursday through Sunday, June 5–8.

The newly-revealed performers include:

  • K. Michelle performing the national anthem on Thursday night at Nissan Stadium. Opening each night at the stadium will be Charles Esten (June 5), Rita Wilson (June 6), Deana Carter (June 7) and Rodney Atkins (June 8).
  • Nissan Stadium will feature special collaborations, with Marcus King joining Brooks & Dunn on Thursday; Carín León joining Cody Johnson on Friday; and Carly Pearce joining Rascal Flatts on Saturday. Scotty McCreery and Dylan Scott will also make special appearances throughout the weekend.
  • CMA is also bringing back its Platform Stage, giving rising stars the chance to perform in between stadium sets: Thursday will showcase Max McNown and Tigirlily Gold; Friday will spotlight Sam Barber and Kameron Marlowe; Saturday will highlight Carter Faith and Tiera Kennedy; and Avery Anna, Kashus Culpepper and Tucker Wetmore will close out the weekend on Sunday.

The newly-announced artists join a star-studded lineup featuring hundreds of country music’s biggest names. The main stage will include performances from Jason Aldean, Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, Brooks & Dunn, Luke Bryan, Jordan Davis, Riley Green, Cody Johnson, Ella Langley, Ashley McBryde, Parker McCollum, Megan Moroney, Rascal Flatts, The Red Clay Strays, Darius Rucker, Shaboozey, Blake Shelton, Zach Top, Keith Urban and Bailey Zimmerman.

In addition, Ascend Amphitheater will host Jake Owen, headlining the “Jake Owen and Friends” show on Friday, June 6. Carter Faith, Max McNown, Lukas Nelson, Wynn Williams and others are also part of that lineup. Wynonna Judd’s “Girls Night Out” show is set for Saturday, June 7. Sara Evans and Madeline Edwards will take the stage, with special appearances by Noah Cyrus, The War And Treaty and more.

CMA Fest will once again be filmed for a national television special, airing on ABC and Hulu this summer.

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

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Jordan Davis to drop new album ‘Learn the Hard Way’ in August

Jordan Davis is gearing up for the release of his upcoming album Learn The Hard Way, arriving August 15. The new project includes Davis’ hit single “I Ain’t Sayin’,” as well as the previously released tracks “Bar None” and “In Case You Missed It.”

Learn The Hard Way follows Davis’ Platinum-certified album Bluebird Days, which spawned a string of chart-topping singles including “What My World Spins Around,” “Tucson Too Late,” “Buy Dirt,” and “Next Thing You Know.”

In addition, Davis’ “Ain’t Enough Road Tour” is set to launch this fall; he previously announced the tour in a video featuring surprise appearances from sports legends Peyton Manning and Jim Nantz, along with his tour companions Mitchell Tenpenny and Vincent Mason.

To preview the album, Davis has unveiled the title track; stream the single ‘Learn the Hard Way’ – HERE.

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See the trailer for ‘Eddington’ starring Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal

Film studio A24 released an official trailer for Eddington, directed by Ari Aster and starring Joaquin Phoenix and Pedro Pascal.

The film’s official synopsis reads: “In May of 2020, a standoff between a small-town sheriff (Joaquin Phoenix) and mayor (Pedro Pascal) sparks a powder keg as neighbor is pitted against neighbor in Eddington, New Mexico.”

The trailer features Phoenix as the sheriff of small town Eddington, N.M., scrolling through Instagram and seeing content about his town’s recent controversies, including the COVID-19 pandemic, a rash of recent murders and protests. The trailer also offers glimpses of co-stars including Austin Butler and Emma Stone. Luke Grimes, Deirdre O’Connell and Micheal Ward also appear in the film.

“Eddington”is set for July 18; see the trailer for  – HERE.

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See Ana de Armas and Keanu Reeves in trailer for ‘Ballerina’

Lionsgate is previewing the ‘John Wick’ spinoff film, Ballerina, starring Ana de Armas. The studio first debuted a 30-sec teaser trailer for the film — the fifth in the John Wick universe — during the 97th Academy Awards ceremony (HERE).

de Armas stars as Eve Macarro, a Russian ballerina-turned-assassin (trained in the traditions of the Ruska Roma) with an eye for vengeance against the men who killed her family — the same character played by Unity Phelan in 2019’s John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum. The trailer shows Eve fighting and shooting various opponents before John Wick (Reeves) approaches her in the night.

From the World of John Wick: Ballerina also stars Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, the late actor Lance Reddick, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Norman Reedus and Ian McShane, and debuts in theaters nationwide starting on June 6th, 2025. See the trailer: HERE.

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Mariah Carey, Snoop Dogg, Jamie Foxx to be honored as BET Ultimate Icons

BET Network have announced that Ultimate Icon Awards will presented to legendary entertainers Mariah Carey, Jamie Foxx, Snoop Dogg and Kirk Franklin at the upcoming BET Awards ceremony, taking place June 9 and hosted by Kevin Hart.

Previous ‘Ultimate Icon Award’ recipients include Janet Jackson, Deborah L. Lee and Tyler Perry. The cable network said in a press release that the ceremony will feature the four recipients of the Ultimate Icon Award for their “decades of groundbreaking contributions to music, entertainment, advocacy and community impact.” Carey, Franklin and Snoop Dogg will also perform during the ceremony.

Kendrick Lamar leads the BET Award nominees with 10, followed by Doechii, Drake, Future and GloRilla with six nominations each. The BET Awards will air live June 9 at 8 p.m. EDT on BET.

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

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Ford recalls more than 1 million vehicles over rearview camera software glitch

Ford Motor Company is issuing a recall for nearly 1.1 million Ford and Lincoln vehicles due to a malfunction involving rearview cameras, which could pose an increased risk of accidents. Ford noted that no injuries linked to the recall have been reported at this time. However, the company did acknowledge receiving one report of a minor accident that resulted in property damage.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the issue involves the rear camera system potentially displaying a blank screen or a frozen image when the vehicle is shifted into reverse. In total, approximately 1,075,299 vehicles are affected.

The NHTSA stated in a May 9 report that “a frozen rear-view camera display image while in reverse can create a false representation of where the vehicle is relative to its surroundings, increasing the risk of a crash … a software malfunction may result in the rearview camera either not displaying at all, freezing, or experiencing delays—particularly when the vehicle is backing up.”

The recall impacts several models, including select versions of the following:

  • 2021–2024 Bronco, F-150, Edge
  • 2023–2024 Escape, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550, F-600
  • 2022–2024 Expedition
  • 2022–2025 Transit
  • 2021–2023 Mustang Mach-E
  • 2024 Ranger and Mustang
  • 2021–2023 Lincoln Nautilus
  • 2022–2024 Lincoln Navigator
  • 2023–2024 Lincoln Corsair

The solution to the problem is a software update for the accessory protocol interface module (APIM); however, this update isn’t expected to be ready until sometime in the third quarter of 2025. The update will be free either in person at a Ford/Lincoln dealership, or remotely through an over-the-air update, according to Ford. Vehicle owners will begin receiving recall notifications by mail starting June 16, 2025; a second letter will be sent once the remedy is available sometime between July and September, recall documents state.

Vehicle owners can reach Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332 and reference recall number 25S49. Additional assistance is available via the NHTSA’s vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 (TTY 888-275-9171) or by visiting www.nhtsa.gov. NHTSA’s number for the recall is 25V-315.

This latest recall follows a significant fine the Detroit automaker faced in late 2023. The NHTSA imposed a $165 million civil penalty on Ford over its handling of a 2020 recall also tied to faulty rearview cameras.  Most recently, Ford recalled roughly 274,000 Lincoln Navigator and Ford Expedition vehicles because of a poorly installed front brake line that could lead to reduced brake function, in another recall dated May 9.

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Reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley released from prison one day after pardon from President Trump

PEOPLE confirmed that reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley were both released from prison on Wednesday, May 28, one day after receiving a full pardon from President Donald Trump. The couple had been serving their sentences in separate prisons since January 2023 of tax evasion and bank fraud the previous year.

Todd, 56, was released from the Federal Prison Camp Pensacola in Florida, with his daughter Savannah Chrisley there to pick him up; and Julie was picked up by their son Grayson Chrisley from Federal Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky.  The couple, who haven’t seen or spoken to each other since entering prison more than two years ago, are expected to be reunited soon.

On Tuesday, President Trump pardoned the Chrisleys, who were serving prison sentences for charges that include bank fraud and tax evasion.  In a call with the couple’s daughter, Savannah Chrisley, Pres. Trump shared the news of her parents’ pardon. A post from spokesperson Margo Martin shows Trump telling Savannah Chisley: “It’s a great thing because your parents are going to be free and clean and I hope we can do it by tomorrow. I don’t know them, but give them my regards and wish them a good life.”  The former president later added that the Chrisleys had been “treated very unfairly.”

Todd and Julie Chrisley were best known for their reality TV show Chrisley Knows Best, which chronicled their affluent lifestyle and family dynamic. Prosecutors accused the Chrisleys of fabricating documents to secure over $30 million in fraudulent loans from banks in the Atlanta area. Todd Chrisley declared bankruptcy and walked away from more than $20 million in outstanding loans, leaving financial institutions in the lurch. Todd was sentenced to 12 years in prison and 16 months of probation, while Julie was ordered to serve seven years in prison and 16 months of probation. They were also ordered to repay $17.8 million in restitution. In the release announcing their prison sentence in 2022, a Justice Department attorney said “their lengthy sentences reflect the magnitude of their criminal scheme and should serve as a warning to others tempted to exploit our nation’s community banking system for unlawful personal gain.”

Daughter Savannah Chrisley, who is a Trump supporter and even spoke at the Republican National Convention in July, celebrated the news in a video she posted to Instagram. Wearing a gold “Make America Great Again” hat, the 27-year-old said: “I have shed so many tears. The president called me personally as I was walking into Sam’s Club and notified me that he was signing pardon paperwork for both my parents. So both my parents are coming home tonight or tomorrow. And I still don’t believe it’s real. The fact that the president called me – I will forever be grateful for President Trump, his administration and everyone along the way.”

Son Grayson Chrisley, 19, also took to Instagram to thank the President for pardoning his parents: “PRAISE GOD!!!! Thank you Mr. President for bringing my family back. TRUMP KNOWS BEST…  When 45/47 says something, he keeps his word.”

Chrisleys’ attorney Alex Little applauded the pardon decision, calling it a long-overdue correction of a serious miscarriage of justice. “This pardon restores two loving parents to their family and community. President Trump saw what we’ve maintained from the outset: that Todd and Julie were unfairly targeted. Their trial was marred by constitutional issues and bias. Their story illustrates why the power to pardon exists. Thanks to President Trump, the Chrisleys now have the chance to heal and move forward.”

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

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News Daypop

Reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley released from prison one day after pardon from President Trump

PEOPLE confirmed that reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley were both released from prison on Wednesday, May 28, one day after receiving a full pardon from President Donald Trump. The couple had been serving their sentences in separate prisons since January 2023 of tax evasion and bank fraud the previous year.

Todd, 56, was released from the Federal Prison Camp Pensacola in Florida, with his daughter Savannah Chrisley there to pick him up; and Julie was picked up by their son Grayson Chrisley from Federal Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky.  The couple, who haven’t seen or spoken to each other since entering prison more than two years ago, are expected to be reunited soon.

On Tuesday, President Trump pardoned the Chrisleys, who were serving prison sentences for charges that include bank fraud and tax evasion.  In a call with the couple’s daughter, Savannah Chrisley, Pres. Trump shared the news of her parents’ pardon. A post from spokesperson Margo Martin shows Trump telling Savannah Chisley: “It’s a great thing because your parents are going to be free and clean and I hope we can do it by tomorrow. I don’t know them, but give them my regards and wish them a good life.”  The former president later added that the Chrisleys had been “treated very unfairly.”

Todd and Julie Chrisley were best known for their reality TV show Chrisley Knows Best, which chronicled their affluent lifestyle and family dynamic. Prosecutors accused the Chrisleys of fabricating documents to secure over $30 million in fraudulent loans from banks in the Atlanta area. Todd Chrisley declared bankruptcy and walked away from more than $20 million in outstanding loans, leaving financial institutions in the lurch. Todd was sentenced to 12 years in prison and 16 months of probation, while Julie was ordered to serve seven years in prison and 16 months of probation. They were also ordered to repay $17.8 million in restitution. In the release announcing their prison sentence in 2022, a Justice Department attorney said “their lengthy sentences reflect the magnitude of their criminal scheme and should serve as a warning to others tempted to exploit our nation’s community banking system for unlawful personal gain.”

Daughter Savannah Chrisley, who is a Trump supporter and even spoke at the Republican National Convention in July, celebrated the news in a video she posted to Instagram. Wearing a gold “Make America Great Again” hat, the 27-year-old said: “I have shed so many tears. The president called me personally as I was walking into Sam’s Club and notified me that he was signing pardon paperwork for both my parents. So both my parents are coming home tonight or tomorrow. And I still don’t believe it’s real. The fact that the president called me – I will forever be grateful for President Trump, his administration and everyone along the way.”

Son Grayson Chrisley, 19, also took to Instagram to thank the President for pardoning his parents: “PRAISE GOD!!!! Thank you Mr. President for bringing my family back. TRUMP KNOWS BEST…  When 45/47 says something, he keeps his word.”

Chrisleys’ attorney Alex Little applauded the pardon decision, calling it a long-overdue correction of a serious miscarriage of justice. “This pardon restores two loving parents to their family and community. President Trump saw what we’ve maintained from the outset: that Todd and Julie were unfairly targeted. Their trial was marred by constitutional issues and bias. Their story illustrates why the power to pardon exists. Thanks to President Trump, the Chrisleys now have the chance to heal and move forward.”

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com