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Jessica Ross and Treveon Taylor Sr., whose baby was decapitated during delivery at a Georgia hospital in July 2023, were awarded a multimillion-dollar settlement against Dr. Jackson Gates, the pathologist who performed the infant’s autopsy and shared video footage of it online.

A grand jury awarded the Georgia couple $2.25 million in damages Wednesday, WVLT reported.

How did the couple’s baby die during childbirth?

Ross initially filed the lawsuit in September 2023 in Clayton County against the Southern Regional Medical Center and its staff members. At the time, she and her boyfriend claimed the medical center tried to cover up how their son, Treveon Isaiah Taylor Jr., died in the center’s care, Blavity reported.

According to the couple’s attorneys, then-20-year-old Jessica Ross was delivering a full-term baby boy when complications arose, and the infant later died. When the couple asked to see and hold their child, hospital staff allegedly denied their request, raising suspicions about the medical center’s handling of the birth.

The suit also stated that shoulder dystocia occurred during the delivery, which is when the baby’s shoulder becomes stuck behind the mother’s pelvic bone during childbirth, preventing delivery with standard techniques and requiring additional medical maneuvers, according to the National Library of Medicine.

Ross’ then-physician, Dr. Tracey St. Julian, is listed as a defendant in the suit and accused of “negligently” applying “excessive traction” and failing to follow proper medical practices.

Gates performed a private autopsy on the couple’s son

After some time, the hospital allowed the couple to view the deceased child, who was wrapped tightly in a blanket with his head propped in a way in which they could not tell it was decapitated, according to the family’s spokesperson, per Blavity.

The couple later hired Gates to perform a private autopsy on their infant son, but he uploaded graphic footage of the autopsy to his Instagram account without their permission. According to the lawsuit, Gates’ actions amounted to an invasion of privacy and caused emotional distress to Ross and Taylor, WVLT reported.

Last year, Gates told WANF that he did not identify the baby in the past and that the shared footage was for educational purposes.

“I understand the law. Not to divulge patients’ private confidentiality, any information, including the deceased. So if you notice, I routinely post images to teach the public and inform the public of some of the barbarism going on in medicine,” Gates told the outlet.

‘This young couple trusted him with the remains of their precious baby’

On Wednesday, the couple’s attorney’s shared a statement after the jury’s ruling: “While we are pleased that a jury punished Dr. Jackson Gates for his reprehensible behavior, nothing can ease the pain that the parents, Jessica Ross and Treveon Isaiah Taylor Sr., have experienced in losing their baby boy in such a horrific way,” WVLT reported.

The attorneys continued, “After the decapitation of their baby, Gates poured salt into the couple’s already deep wounds when he betrayed them. This young couple trusted him with the remains of their precious baby. Gates, in turn, repaid this trust by posting horrific images of their child for the world to see.”

They also stated that the jury sent a “powerful message that doctors must always consider the feelings of their patients and in this case their clients.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture‘s Food Safety and Inspection Service has recalled several bologna products produced by Gaiser’s European Style Provisions Inc. The department announced that it has recalled 143,416 pounds of the deli meat product because some of the packages have been mislabeled. Per the USDA, the label doesn’t mention that the product may contain pork, beef or chicken.

What were the recalled bologna products from Gaiser’s?

The USDA states that the recalled products include “Vacuum-packed packages of Family Tree Bologna Veal containing undeclared pork.” Several other products also may contain pork. That includes Plastic-wrapped packages of Babushka’s Recipe Chicken Bologna, Gaisers Bologna Veal, Gaisers Turkey Bologna and Chicken Bologna Kypoyka Paba. Other products that may have chicken or beef include Fancy Bologna and Gaisers Russian Brand Doktorskaya.

Where was Gaiser’s recalled bologna sold?

The recalled bologna products from Gaiser’s was sold at major retail stores nationwide between March 20 and June 20, 2025, according to AllRecipes. Some of the products were weighed, wrapped and labeled in the stores when customers made the purchases, the USDA stated. The Office of Inspector General investigated the product after getting a complaint through its hotline. The investigation determined that some of the products were not labeled correctly.

What are the health effects of the mislabeled bologna products?

The FSIS doesn’t expect any serious health effects from the mislabeled bologna products. The recall is categorized as Class III, meaning the risk of any health impact is minimum. So far, there haven’t been any illnesses reported from the recalled meat. Still, people are advised to avoid consuming any mislabeled products. Restaurants are also urged to throw away any meat that may be mislabeled.

Consumers can call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-674-6854 or email [email protected]. 

The Trump administration is canceling the protected status of Haitians residing in the United States due to danger and turmoil in their home country. The move, seemingly contradicting other recent declarations about the continuing lack of safety in Haiti, means that over 500,000 Haitians could face deportation beginning in September.

Withdrawing Temporary Protected Status for Haiti

The Department of Homeland Security announced on Friday that it was ending Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, for approximately 500,000 Haitians residing in the United States. TPS is a special status granted by the U.S. government to citizens of countries facing acute dangers, such as natural disasters or political turmoil, that make it unsafe to reside in those countries until the crisis has been alleviated. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem has determined that circumstances in Haiti, which has been rocked by political violence and natural disasters in recent years, have improved such that Noem “determined that conditions in Haiti no longer meet the TPS statutory requirements.” With this decision, Haiti’s TPS designation will end on Sept. 2, meaning that Haitians in the country under TPS could potentially be deported if they remain in the United States after that date.

Contradicting past and current assessments of risks in Haiti

This latest move follows a February decision by the Trump administration to remove a temporary legal status that President Joe Biden had granted to the Haitians then in the U.S. because of the dangerous conditions in their home country. The Trump administration’s decision seems to contradict other policies and guidance toward Haiti. The country was one of 12 countries targeted by a new Trump administration travel ban earlier this month, in which the government claimed that Haiti and other nations on the list posed a national security threat. The Trump administration has also maintained the 2024 designation of a “Level 4” travel advisory for Haiti, which recommends that Americans “do not travel to Haiti due to kidnapping, crime, civil unrest, and limited health care.”

Political crisis in Haiti and political manipulation in the U.S.

Haiti was plunged into a political crisis in 2021 with the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. Since then, the political situation in the country has largely deteriorated, with gang violence becoming endemic in areas such as Port-au-Prince. The presence of Haitians in the United States became an issue during the 2024 presidential campaign, as Republicans, including President Donald Trump and JD Vance, began spreading unfounded racist rumors against the Haitian population in Springfield, Ohio, as part of their larger rhetoric against immigration.

With the Trump administration continuing to crack down against both unauthorized and legal immigration, it appears that Haitians are now the latest target of this nativist agenda. The latest move by the government could put hundreds of thousands of people at risk, as Haitians will no longer be able to reside in the United States as a safe haven.

England’s Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, a major summer event featuring top musical acts from the U.K., U.S. and beyond, has become a topic of political controversy over comments made by two acts concerning the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and the British government. The musicians, as well as the BBC network that broadcast their Glastonbury performances live, now face anger from members of the public and British politicians, as well as a potential legal investigation.

‘Death to the IDF’ and ‘‘’F**k Keir Starmer’ chants cause controversy

The most controversial moments from this year’s Glastonbury festival came during the Saturday performance by English rap/punk duo Bob Vylan, who led the crowd in chants of “Free, free Palestine” and “Death, death to the IDF,” referring to the Israeli Defense Forces.

BBC director : “Cut Kneecap, show someone else, use anyone.”BBC editor : “That Vylan guy?”BBC director : “Anyone!”Bob Vylan : [crowd chanting] “Death, Death to the IDF, Death Death to the IDF”🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/7g8zQot15G— Julian Sayarer (@JulianSayarer) June 28, 2025

Who are Bob Vylan as a group?

Bob Vylan is a London-based punk-rap duo made up of vocalist Bobby Vylan and drummer Bobbie Vylan. Known for their raw, politically charged lyrics and high-energy performances, the group blends elements of grime, punk, and hardcore to tackle issues like racism, police brutality, and systemic injustice.

The Glastonbury performances from Bob Vylan and Kneecap

Bob Vylan’s performance followed the Irish rap trio Kneecap. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and other politicians had called for the group to be removed from the lineup due to one of its members facing criminal charges for allegedly expressing support for the terrorist organizations Hamas and Hezbollah, which he denies.During Kneecap’s set, one of the band’s members told the crowd, “The prime minister of your country, not mine, said he didn’t want us to play, so f**k Keir Starmer,” with members of the crowd repeating the expletive toward the Labour Party leader.

After the performances, the Campaign Against Antisemitism announced that it was filing a formal complaint over the “outrageous decision” by the BBC to air the Bob Vylan performance. Local police have also stated they’re investigating whether either of the festival acts committed a crime. Starmer reiterated his opposition to the musicians’ message, saying, “There is no excuse for this kind of appalling hate speech.”

He added, “I said that Kneecap should not be given a platform and that goes for any other performers making threats or inciting violence.”

The prime minister also criticized the BBC for airing the performances, saying, “The BBC needs to explain how these scenes came to be broadcast.”

What festival organizers said

Festival organizers released a statement saying, “With almost 4,000 performances at Glastonbury 2025, there will inevitably be artists and speakers appearing on our stages whose views we do not share, and a performer’s presence here should never be seen as a tacit endorsement of their opinions and beliefs.”

They, however, clarified that they were “appalled” by the anti-IDF comments.

“Their chants very much crossed a line and we are urgently reminding everyone involved in the production of the Festival that there is no place at Glastonbury for antisemitism, hate speech or incitement to violence.”

Glastonbury is a major, 5-day-long music festival held most summers in Pilton, Somerset, England. This year’s lineup included Alanis Morissette, Neil Young, Olivia Rodrigo, Rod Stewart, Charli XCX, Shaboozey and Doechii, among many others. Several other acts referenced Palestine during their performances. Singer CMAT, band the Libertines and footballer Gary Lineker all yelled “Free Palestine” during their appearances, while other acts displayed Palestinian flags or keffiyeh scarves. In the aftermath of the performances and complaints made by the Israeli embassy, British Health Secretary Wes Streeting agreed that the “death” chant was “appalling” but added, “I’d also say to the Israeli embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank.” Streeting criticized Israeli policy, saying, “I think there’s a serious point there by the Israeli embassy I take seriously. I wish they’d take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously.”

It remains to be seen whether the Glastonbury performances will lead to charges against Bob Vylan or additional legal trouble for Kneecap. Deadline reported that United Talent Agency has dropped Bob Vylan. The Trump administration also revoked the group’s United States visas just as they were set to do stateside shows.

The controversy is one of the major stories to come out of this year’s festival, with the harsh words and political debates demonstrating the impact of the war in Gaza and the larger Israeli/Palestinian conflict that continues not only in that region but around the world.

A gang member convicted of delivering the fatal stab in the gruesome killing of 15-year-old Bronx teen, Lesandro “Junior” Guzman-Feliz, died Friday at a New York correctional facility.

PIX 11 reported that Jonaiki Martinez-Estrella, 31, was found dead in his cell at the Coxsackie Correctional Facility around 1:16 p.m., according to the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision website.

A spokesperson for DOCCS confirmed that state coroners and medical examiners will determine Martinez-Estrella’s official cause of death.

In May, Martinez-Estrella was resentenced to 25 years to life in prison for his role in Guzman-Feliz’s death. He was initially convicted of first-degree murder on Oct. 11, 2019, for delivering the fatal stab wound that killed the 15-year-old and was sentenced to life without parole. The Court of Appeals overturned the conviction in March 2023, per PIX 11 and Blavity.

Martinez-Estrella was one of five defendants convicted in the fatal stabbing of Guzman-Feliz on June 20, 2018. Antonio Rodriguez Hernandez Santiago, Jose Muniz, Manuel Rivera and Elvin Garcia were also convicted and remain in prison.

Police initially arrested 13 men in connection with the attack, and all are currently serving their respective prison sentences.

Martinez-Estrella remained in prison on a second-degree murder charge, in addition to conspiracy and gang assault, ABC 7 New York reported.

Lesandro ‘Junior’ Guzman-Feliz’s death explained

The deadly confrontation occurred on June 20, 2018, after Guzman-Feliz was mistakenly identified as a rival gang member seen in a sex tape circulating on social media, allegedly involving the sister of a Trinitarios gang member. He was killed at 11:40 p.m. that night after exiting Cruz and Chiky Grocery, located at 526 E 183rd St. in the Bronx, New York.

Several men from the Dominican gang approached the teen and began stabbing him repeatedly with machetes, which was also captured on surveillance footage. The men later admitted on Facebook that they had killed the wrong person and apologized for what happened.

Since then, Guzman-Feliz’s death has affected not only the Bronx community but all of New York City and nationwide. People rallied on social media with the renowned hashtag #justiceforjunior, hoping that would lead to some relief for the teen’s mom, Leandra Guzman, and his older sister, Genesis Collado-Feliz, who was 19 at the time.

Keeping Junior’s memory alive

In November, Guzman-Feliz was honored in a ceremony outside of the 45th precinct in the Bronx, New York, held by the NYPD, along with family and friends, in celebration of what would have been the teen’s 22nd birthday, Blavity reported. The teen had signed up for the NYPD’s Explorers Program just days before his death.

At the time, his mother shared that she wanted to keep her son’s memory alive and that people wouldn’t forget him.

“My son is not coming back,” Feliz said. “Every day, I miss him more and more.”

“I don’t want people to forget him,” she added.

Americans looking forward to starting their new lives after retirement may need to reconsider, as the latest Social Security retirement age could require them to work longer to maximize their benefits.

The new retirement age will be set at 67 years old starting in 2026, The Independent reported, marking the first time it has reached this level since the agency’s inception 90 years ago.

When was the Social Security Act signed into law?

In 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act into law, establishing an insurance program to provide workers aged 65 and older with steady retirement income, per The Independent.

Is Social Security ending soon?

While some Americans may be anticipating retirement soon, recent reports warn that the main Social Security trust funds could run out of money by 2034, a year earlier than expected, according to the Social Security Board of Trustees’ annual report.

“Trust fund depletion dates are a common way of tracking the status of the trust funds since, if annual income is not sufficient, full scheduled benefits in the law cannot be paid after trust fund reserves are depleted,” the report states.

As Blavity reported, the average retirement age is 65; however, the official retirement age was gradually increased to 67 under the 1983 amendment to the Social Security Act. The agency calculates the retirement age using a person’s birth year.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Social Security retirement age and how your birth year could determine the amount you receive each month.

Social Security retirement benefits by age

Americans can start receiving benefits as early as age 62, although they are permanently reduced. Those born in 1960 or later will have a full retirement age of 67; delaying retirement until age 70 further increases monthly benefits.

The earliest age to claim Social Security benefits is 62, but doing so results in a reduced payout, which is 70% of the full benefit, or about $1,260 per month, according to The Independent.

At age 65, retirees can receive approximately 87% of their full benefit, or $1,560 per month.

Those who retire at the full retirement age of 67 qualify for the full benefit amount of $1,800 per month.

If some wait until 70, the monthly payments increase to around $2,232, or 124% of the base benefit.

During a recent Health Care and Financial Services hearing, California Rep. Lateefah Simon shut down her colleague’s wrong interpretation of a Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. quote.

As a subcommittee of the government department, the area these representatives oversee and help regulate is federal healthcare policies, according to Atlanta Black Star. On June 25, a preceding event called “Sacrificing Excellence for Ideology: The Real Cost of DEI” was held by the group. A video clip of Simon challenging the remarks from some members of Congress who sided with Trump’s denunciation of DEI laws and initiatives nationwide, deeming them an organizational framework with negative impacts on society, is spreading across the internet.

Why did Congresswoman Simon criticize her colleague’s use of Martin Luther King’s quotes?

Republican Virginia Rep. John McGuire was one of the congressmen who supported the Trump Administration’s stance on DEI. During his 4 1/2-minute speech, he explained his views. 

“To me, DEI stands for ‘didn’t earn it,’” McGuire said before saying DEI programming is “disastrous… Marxist, it destroys innovation and motivation.” 

This led McGuire to reference a section from King’s 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech. He asked the panel whether they stood by the activist’s belief that people should be judged by the content of their character and not the color of their skin.

Furious about the lack of education, the recording of Simon’s response showed her addressing the continued tactic by her counterparts of taking King’s words out of context.

“Very few of you have read and studied and have sat in Ebenezer Baptist Church, so I would ask you: You keep Dr. King’s name out of your mouth,” she said.

Additionally, Simon, who is legally blind and made history as California’s first Muslim member of Congress, noted what the hearing revealed from her perspective about the state of American politics under Trump’s leadership as a Black “disabled woman.”

“Today’s hearing says quietly, and actually out loud, who the majority believe is allowed to belong in this country,” she said. “They used Dr. King’s name in deep vein, who has a place in the hierarchy that was never meant to be questioned.”

“It is a bigotry. It is a hypocrisy,” she added. “Republicans, like I said before, will quote Dr. King all day, will bring forth Lincoln and will talk about Frederick Douglass in the same breath that they are gutting civil rights offices in our governments, in the same breath where they seek to ban AP African-American studies that tells the true story of this country.”

Simon received praise in the comments section via Instagram.

“So proud she is my representative!” one person commented.

“THIS!!! TRUTH BE TOLD, QUEEN. 🔥🔥🔥,” someone else wrote.

“SO many strong women coming out blazin I LOVE IT,” another person added.

Beyoncé faced a terrifying mishap during her Cowboy Carter Tour in Houston on Saturday. She was suspended in the air while trying to put on an aerial show for the crowd during the performance of her hit single “16 Carriages.” After she was lifted into the air while sitting in a red Cadillac, Beyoncé was unable to come back down, ABC 13 reported. As Beyoncé noticed that the car was tilting sideways while hovering above the crowd, she said, “Stop, stop, stop.”

A short time later, security rushed to the singer to unbuckle her from the car and bring her back down safely.

What happened after Beyoncé came back down safely at the Houston concert?

Beyoncé continued with the performance after she came back down from the suspended car. She also joked with the crowd after the scary moment.

“I know if I fall, y’all will catch me,” she told the Houston crowd, per ABC 13.

Beyoncé’s company, Parkwood Entertainment, later said in a statement that the interruption happened due to a “technical mishap.”

“Tonight in Houston, at NRG Stadium, a technical mishap caused the flying car, a prop Beyoncé uses to circle the stadium and see her fans up close, to tilt,” the team wrote on its Instagram Story. “She was quickly lowered and no one was injured. The show continued without incident.”

What’s next for Beyoncé?

Beyoncé is set to continue with her 22-show Cowboy Carter tour after performing in Houston on Saturday. Her next stop is at Northwest Stadium in Washington D.C., where she will perform on July 4 and July 7. Beyoncé will then travel to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta for the final two performances of her tour on July 10 and July 11.

Cowboy Carter earned three Grammy Awards in 2025. The album earned the award for Best Country Album and Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “II Most Wanted.” It was also named Album of the Year, making Beyoncé the first Black female artist to earn that award since 1999. Lauryn Hill, who won album of the year for The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, was the previous Black female artist who earned that recognition.

Legendary outfielder Dave Parker, who played 19 seasons in the MLB, has died at age 74. The league announced that Parker, who was scheduled to be inducted into the Hall of Fame this month, died on Saturday after living with Parkinson’s disease for years.

“Dave Parker was a gifted all-around player whose numerous accomplishments led to his upcoming induction in Cooperstown this summer,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement, per Cleveland.com. “We will remember the Cobra forever, especially as his name soon officially joins the legends of our National Pastime.”

What were some of the accolades Dave Parker earned during his career?

Parker, who was named the 1978 National League MVP, earned two World Series championships in his career. He won the first title with the Pirates in 1979, then took another championship with the Oakland Athletics in 1989. The seven-time All-Star also earned multiple National League batting titles, along with three Gold Glove awards and Silver Slugger titles.

Parker added the All-Star Game MVP award to his resume in 1979. He also won the first-ever MLB Home Run Derby in 1985. Parker totaled 2,712 hits in his career with a batting average of .290. His legendary career also includes 339 home runs and 1,493 RBIs.

Parker made history in 1979 when he signed a five-year, $5 million contract. With that deal, Parker became the first MLB player to get paid $1 million a season. After being elected to the Hall of Fame in 2024, Parker will be posthumously inducted along with the Class of 2025 on July 27.

How did Dave Parker get his start in sports?

Parker played football at an early age but decided to focus more on baseball after sustaining a knee injury in high school. The Cincinnati native saw his dream come true when he was selected by the Pirates in the 1970 Draft. Parker later signed with his hometown team, the Cincinnati Reds. He also played for the Athletics, Brewers, Angels and Blue Jays. Parker retired in 1991.

New information in the case of Karmelo Anthony reveals more about the 17-year-old student-athlete accused of stabbing his peer, Austin Metcalf, at a track meet in Frisco, Texas, on April 2.

The new evidence, seen in court documents obtained by NBC 5, states that Anthony did “intentionally and knowingly cause the death of Austin Metcalf, by stabbing Metcalf with a knife, a deadly weapon.”

What happened between Karmelo Anthony and Austin Metcalf at the track meet in Frisco?

The deadly confrontation between the two student-athletes happened when Metcalf’s Memorial High School team attended the track meet in Frisco with Anthony’s Centennial High School. Witnesses said Metcalf first told Anthony to move from Memorial’s pop-up tent. The two teens then got into an argument at Kuykendall Stadium and it ended after Anthony allegedly pulled out a knife from his bag and fatally stabbed Metcalf in the chest.

Police said Anthony confessed to the attack, saying, “I’m not the alleged, I did it.”

“I was protecting myself… he put his hands on me. I told him not too [sic],” Anthony said, according to police.

County District Attorney Greg Willis, who released a recorded message after Anthony was indicted on Tuesday, said his team has been presenting evidence to the grand jury for weeks.

“Today I summarized that evidence and I asked the grand jury to return a first-degree murder indictment against Karmelo Anthony, which they did,” Willis said, per NBC 5. “With this indictment, the case now moves formally into the court system.”

What did surveillance video reveal about the fatal encounter between Karmelo Anthony and Austin Metcalf?

Surveillance footage reviewed by NBC 5 didn’t clearly show the people involved in the fatal encounter at the track meet, but it shows a crowd scattering quickly after somebody in a black suit approached a person with a yellow poncho near a tent. The video shows people around the tent running in all kinds of directions while others in the stadium still didn’t understand what was happening. Some people who appeared to be trainers were also seen running across the field to the tent where the chaos was happening. A police cruiser and an ambulance arrived at the scene a short time later.

NBC 5 stated that the Frisco school district only allowed the media to see the video under strict conditions. Per the outlet, reporters were not allowed to take a copy of the video or record the footage, but they were able to see it with a district representative present. The district also didn’t allow reporters to pause or rewind the footage, NBC 5 reported.

What’s next in the case of Karmelo Anthony?

Anthony’s trial date hasn’t yet been set, but attorneys for both parties are expected to meet Judge John Roach in the next few weeks. While he is now released from jail after posting a $250,000 bond, Anthony is placed on house arrest. The 18-year-old is required to remain under a parent’s supervision or another adult representative at all times.