Rhode Island in the news: a Rhode Island hospital got DOJ subpoenas tied to transgender patient data amid federal investigations. Rhode Island: tiny state, big headlines. Biog: smallest U.S. state, rock-ribbed New Englander, capital Providence.
Ghana’s Thomas Partey has been denied entry to Canada for the World Cup opener against Panama in Toronto. FIFA says the decision is a host-country immigration matter; Ghana protests and pursues diplomacy while Partey remains eligible for later games in the United States. The case heightens scrutiny of visa rules around major events.
Scottish supporters are converging on Providence, Rhode Island, for Scotland’s World Cup games in the United States. Organizers have arranged affordable transport and lodging as fans navigate record-high World Cup costs, leveraging local partnerships to host events and shuttle groups to the stadium.
Airlines are expanding premium cabins and adding routes to host World Cup cities as bookings rise in June and July. United, Delta and others are boosting capacity with larger aircraft and special routes, while some markets see premium pricing and strategic network adjustments.
Colin Dorgan, a senior at Blackstone Valley Co-op, scored a double overtime goal to win the state Division 2 hockey title, weeks after his family was killed in a targeted shooting at a Pawtucket rink. The shooter, Robert Dorgan, died from a self-inflicted gunshot. The team honored the victims with stitched hearts on their jerseys.
Powell, a college basketball player, pleaded not guilty to charges of domestic violence and threatening behavior in Rhode Island. He was released on a recognizance bond, with restrictions on contact with the victim. The incidents involve an argument, injury, and threats to kill, with police arresting him at gunpoint.
New York is delaying green energy projects and extending Diablo Canyon's operation to 2045 amid rising costs and energy demand. The state is reconsidering its 2019 Climate Act goals, with officials citing economic and reliability concerns. These developments reflect ongoing challenges in balancing climate ambitions with practical energy needs.
Alaska has filed a lawsuit against the state Division of Elections over sharing detailed voter data with the Justice Department. The lawsuit alleges violations of privacy rights and due process, following federal efforts to obtain unredacted voter lists from multiple states. Courts have rejected similar cases across the US today.
The DOJ has sent a request for voting records from Wayne County, Michigan, prompting strong opposition from state officials. The move is part of ongoing efforts to scrutinize election integrity, with Michigan officials accusing the DOJ of attempting to interfere in state elections amid claims of election fraud.
The Justice Department has faced multiple challenges as federal courts have limited or quashed civil subpoenas seeking transgender-care records for minors. NYU Langone has publicly acknowledged receiving a subpoena in a federal criminal probe, while Rhode Island Hospital and other centers face ongoing court battles and class-action suits over patient privacy and access to care.
Lemon and others have had federal civil rights charges dismissed after concerns over grand jury conduct; Lemon has sought release of grand jury transcripts, arguing distrust in the Justice Department’s use of the process.
The former Democratic Unionist Party leader, Jeffrey Donaldson, is standing trial in Newry Crown Court on 18 charges spanning 1985 to 2008, including a rape count. His wife, Eleanor Donaldson, faces separate charges. Both deny the allegations as the case proceeds.
Rising fuel prices and travel costs have prompted Americans to favor nearby getaways over long international trips. Domestic leisure travel is growing modestly while households face cost pressures, with some opting for local beaches, rail journeys, and budget-conscious experiences.
Gas prices have stayed high amid ongoing tensions in the Hormuz Strait and the Iran conflict. Analyses suggest a slow rebound in prices, with travel costs and fuel affecting consumer budgets for the coming months.
NASA has disclosed new details about a weekend meteor over New England that produced a double sonic boom. The natural object, 5 feet wide and elephant-sized, traveled at roughly 42,000 mph, fragmented about 40 miles above the ground, and released energy equivalent to about 230-300 tons of TNT. The meteor likely landed in Cape Cod Bay, with no ground impact confirmed.
TotalEnergies has agreed to withdraw offshore wind leases off New York/North Carolina and invest $1 billion in fossil fuels, a move the Trump administration has been paying to terminate wind projects. Seven states, led by New York, are challenging the deal as unlawful and harmful to jobs and clean energy.
The independent coverage shows federal probes and funding threats target diversity, equity and inclusion programs in schools and universities. The government has begun investigations and new restrictions are reshaping how districts deploy DEI initiatives that address racial inequities.
A federal judge has ruled that Trump-era USCIS restrictions on asylum, work permits, green cards and citizenship were unlawful, restoring standard adjudication and reopening backlogged applications. The decision centers on policies that limited decisions for millions of immigrants from 39 countries, leaving many in legal limbo and denying work authorization.
Pulitzer-winning historian Gordon S. Wood has died at 92 after being struck by a car in a Rhode Island supermarket parking lot. He has shaped modern understandings of the American Revolution, influencing how scholars view slavery, liberty, and the founding era.
A federal judge in Boston has voided the Trump administration's $100,000 fee on H‑1B visa petitions, ruling the payment functions as a tax that Congress did not authorize. The administration has filed a notice of appeal, and parallel lawsuits and appeals are proceeding in other federal courts, leaving the policy's fate to the appeals process.
Honda has issued a recall affecting 880,514 rear-suspension-equipped vehicles across multiple models in the U.S. and elsewhere, citing potential subframe corrosion that could lead to rear-suspension failure. Honda and Acura dealers will inspect and repair or reinforce the rear subframe at no cost, with notices mailing July 7. Separately, Stellantis is recalling over 1.3 million Wrangler/Gladiator models for a wiring harness risk that could cause fires.
JetBlue has announced it is closing its Newark flight attendant base and its LaGuardia tech operations this fall to cut costs, while shifting focus to growing service in Fort Lauderdale. Staff will be offered transfers rather than layoffs, and seasonal Newark–LAX and Newark–LAS routes will be dropped to support expansion in Florida. The move follows Spirit’s collapse and intensifies the carrier’s Florida strategy while maintaining a New York footprint.