“This is a pivotal moment for the trajectory of our state’s criminal justice system,” the Republican governor said, as she signed legislation for a plan that will use $400 million of Alabama’s allotted COVID-19 relief to help fund the construction of several new prisons. “Let me be clear, while more reform of the system can and does need to be addressed in the future—and I am committed to that as are many legislators—today’s bill signing on the construction part of this issue is a major step forward,” Ivey added....

Whatever happens in the Senate trial, the Department of Justice should appoint a special counsel to investigate and eventually prosecute Trump criminally. A Senate conviction would shame Trump for inciting the violent riot at the Capitol that killed five people. Insurrectionists threatened the lives of members of Congress, attempting to stop them from carrying out their constitutional duty to certify the election. A conviction would also warn current and future government officials against similar transgressions and, most importantly, clear the way for the Senate to vote to exclude Trump from holding any future federal office....

On June 11, Parton called the royal environment a “toxic waste heap” and said “jealous” royals treated Meghan and Harry “like outcasts” a week earlier at the couple’s first official royal outing together in Britain since moving to the U.S. in 2020. Last Saturday, Parton tweeted a screengrab of a Showbiz CheatSheet article about those remarks on Twitter, writing: “Yes, I said it and I think more people should speak out when they see phony people in high places thinking their snooty behavior is ok....

Anyone expecting a major announcement was disappointed. "I do not intend this discuss this matter publicly," Martin said. "This is the right way to handle the situation." He then left. MORE: Additional details | Tucker: Takeaway from Incognito interview Martin, the offensive tackle whose departure erupted into a bullying scandal that tainted pro football, was in New York. His first stop Friday was a meeting with Ted Wells, an attorney chosen by the NFL to get to the bottom of what happened between the players and within the Dolphins organization....

In the video posted to YouTube by xmierx, a lone great white shark can be seen swimming off Plettenberg Bay—a coastal town on South Africa’s Garden Route in the Western Cape province. Dolphins can be seen swimming towards the shark before circling it and at times getting incredibly close to it, though it does not appear agitated or irritated by their behavior. Dolphins and sharks both live in the waters off the Western Cape but usually avoid each other....

But how do the Dolphins make sure to secure their spot in the conference tournament? Here’s a look at their playoff or non-playoff fate tied to the three different ways they can finish in the final two weeks: MORE: Projecting the NFL’s playoff seeds, matchups 1. Dolphins go 2-0 to finish 11-5 The Dolphins finish the season on the road, at the Bills (11-4). Buffalo, having wrapped up the AFC East title in Week 15, might be in position to rest players in Week 17 if it gets locked into the No....

The actual date Dwyer received his green card hadn’t carried very much significance until now, because the fifth anniversary of that date will move him a step closer to potentially realizing his dream of playing international soccer. Dax McCarty focusing on U.S. opportunity “On Feb. 14 it marks five years of me having my green card, so I will be eligible for citizenship on that date, and then paperwork is sitting on the side waiting to be sent on that day — and then we’ll see how quickly the process goes from there,” Dwyer said Tuesday, laying out the timeline for his potential securing of American citizenship....

From the Herald: MORE: LeBron James gets emotional during ‘Fresh Prince’ rerun | Michael Jordan misspells Barack Obama’s name As Larry Bird stories go, that’s pretty par for the course. The Celtics great was an insane competitor and a legendary trash talker to even the best players of the day. “I was like, ‘Whoa.’ Then we were getting ready for the tip and he says to me, ‘You don’t belong in this league, Homes....

He was 57. He died in his sleep overnight Saturday into Sunday at his hotel after attending Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, his wife, Alissa, said. Banks, who served as Sporting News’ Vikings correspondent during his time at the Minneapolis Star Tribune, had only recently been hired by the Review-Journal to cover the Raiders and NFL. “I have written obits for two brothers and two beloved dogs. It’s always painful....

The CCP has a long history of huabing, or creating imaginary paintings of cakes, that can only be looked at, not eaten. This report offers more of the same. According to the report, the CCP’s decades-long goal of “moderate prosperity” has been achieved now that the annual average income nationwide has reached 32,189RMB, the equivalent of about $5,000. Not mentioned in the white paper are statistics recently cited by prime minister Li Keqiang, the nation’s second in command, indicating that some 600 million people in China earn less than 1,000RMB (about $156) a month, and a total of 900 million earn less than 2,000RMB (about $313) a month....

A Kellen Moore broken ankle means Dallas is left with rookie Dak Prescott and second-year undrafted free agent Jameill Showers behind fragile starter Tony Romo. Everybody knows that’s not ideal … everybody but Jones, apparently. “I’m really more encouraged after this about holding our pat hand on a veteran quarterback than before,” Jones told ESPN on Sunday. “If we continue to see this kind of improvement and see this kind of instinctive (play) and really look very comfortable, if we can see this that will give us some running room out there....

Scientists are reporting this evening that an analysis of hydrogen and oxygen isotopes in human hair reveals where a person drank water, which will allow investigators to figure out if a suspect was in the vicinity of a crime—and also to track past movements of unidentified murder victims. The new technique analyzes isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen, forms of the elements that have an extra neutron in its atomic nucleus....

When I first came to the States, it took two years before I could speak English fluently. By the time I started middle school, I realized that most of my fellow students had never met many kids like me before. They had this idea, probably from TV and movies, that all Asians are smart. It’s true that some are. I know many smart people. But what about those Asians who aren’t so smart?...

And if it is indeed the end, it was a fitting finale. Iniesta had produced an exhibition in attacking football, gliding past rivals, linking up with pinpoint passes and even scoring an excellent goal. He always did save them for the big occasion, after all. After spending the final few minutes on the bench following his substitution, he was then back to lift the trophy, his 31st for Barcelona and a 34th in total....

The former president is slated to close out the event in Dallas on Saturday but NPR’s Ashley Lopez spoke to some attendees who suggested Trump might be “too disruptive” to be the Republican candidate in two years’ time. He has repeatedly hinted that he will mount a third presidential bid and recent polling shows Trump remains the preferred choice among potential GOP primary voters. George Breen of Pennsylvania told Lopez that Trump was “difficult....

Masthead ads—placed at the top of the front page—will be shown to the platform’s billions of users in the days leading up to the November 3 vote, Bloomberg reported. Financial details of the deal remain unknown, but the publication said the ads are expected to run nationwide. YouTube, which is owned by Google, has more than two billion users and claims to reach more U.S. citizens in the 18-35 demographic than any TV network....

The winning candidate will succeed former U.S. Rep. Steve Stivers, who resigned in May to lead the Ohio Chamber of Commerce. Trump’s selection for the GOP-leaning 15th Congressional District race is Mike Carey, who was described by Trump’s Save America PAC release to “be a courageous fighter for the people and our economy, is strong on the Border, and tough on Crime.” Though Trump won Ohio twice by wide margins, Carey faces at least nine other contenders for the position, some of whom have received support from strong former Trump allies or other organizations....

On Monday, the House Select Committee investigating the January 6, 2021, attack on Congress referred Trump to the Justice Department, recommending he face criminal charges including conspiracy to defraud the United States, assisting an insurrection, and obstructing an official proceeding of Congress. The committee also said Trump could be guilty of seditious conspiracy, the charge for which two members of the far-right Oath Keepers militia were convicted last month....

A victory for the president is priced at 9-1, implying a 9 percent chance of re-election, Betfair said. Joe Biden has odds of 1-10, implying a 91 chance of taking the White House. In four of the five crucial states yet to declare a winner, Betfair is offering lengthening odds for a Trump victory. While bookmakers’ prices do not always correlate with the political reality on the ground, such short odds for the Democratic challenger suggest many believe the momentum is now with Biden....

According to an analysis from CNN, Trump has taken questions from members of the media on just two public occasions since the presidential race seven weeks ago. He’s also done only one on-camera interview during that period, which was with Fox News host Brian Kilmeade. The first time the president answered questions from reporters was on Thanksgiving, according to CNN. Speaking to the White House press pool, Trump continued to air out his grievances about the 2020 election process and doubled down on many baseless allegations of fraud....