Jose Ibarra, the illegal immigrant convicted of murdering 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley, secured a major court victory last Thursday when a judge ordered a mental evaluation that could lead to a new trial. Ibarra, 27, was found guilty in November on 10 charges, including murder, kidnapping, and aggravated assault with intent to rape Riley, who he murdered after she went jogging at the University of Georgia in Athens. According to court documents, Ibarra’s defense attorneys claimed he “lacks the mental capacity to understand the nature and object and proceedings” and is “suffering from congenital deficiency which could render the client incapable of preparing a defense and standing trial,” per the New York Post. Judge Patrick Haggard ordered a “prompt evaluation” to determine if Ibarra was fit to stand trial last year and whether he can assist with his current appeal. “The mental competence of [Ibarra] has been called into question, and this court has found it appropriate for an evaluation to be conducted at the public expense,” the order reads. Prosecutor Sheila Ross noted in court filings that there was no evidence during the trial suggesting Ibarra wasn’t mentally competent, though she didn’t oppose the evaluation and instead left the decision up to the Judge. Ibarra, a member of the violent Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, waived his right to a jury trial, and Judge Haggard sentenced the illegal immigrant to life in prison without parole. Ibarra had illegally entered the United States during the Biden administration’s border crisis, having been detained in El Paso, Texas, in September 2022, but was released after approximately one day. Riley’s brutal murder shocked the University of Georgia campus and garnered national attention amid heated debates about immigration enforcement. In January, President Donald Trump signed into law the “Laken Riley Act,” which requires federal officials to arrest non-U.S. nationals accused of violent and theft-related crimes in the United States. Ibarra had been previously arrested for other offenses, but he was released in New York before federal authorities could issue a detainer. The mental evaluation is set to take place either at the Georgia Department of Corrections or at a designated hospital facility. No timeline has been established for when the evaluation results might be available or how quickly the court will rule on potential next steps. If the mental evaluation finds Ibarra was not competent during his original trial, his defense team could petition for a retrial, potentially setting aside his life sentence and reopening wounds for Riley’s family and community.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt set the record straight on Monday after multiple media outlets had blamed President Donald Trump’s administration for what they claimed was a lack of necessary staffing at the National Weather Service (NWS). Multiple reports have circulated — in the wake of devastating flash flooding in central Texas — suggesting that Trump’s efforts to shrink the size of the federal government through the Department Of Government Efficiency (DOGE) had led to a shortage of key staffers in the Texas NWS offices responsible for warning the local population in the event of a flood. Leavitt pushed back, saying that the offices in question were, in fact, fully staffed. WATCH: .@PressSec dispels the fake news around National Weather Service staffing in the wake of the weekend’s devastating Texas flooding: “The San Angelo office was fully staffed with 12 forecast meteorologists … The San Antonio office was operating with 11 forecasters.” pic.twitter.com/sk5rPG1Tv1 — Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) July 7, 2025 “Are there concerns within the White House or from the president himself that the cuts that happened under Musk while he was advising DOGE, including the National Weather Service?” one reporter asked. “I think I’ve already addressed that … and what I can tell you is that these offices were fully staffed,” Leavitt explained. “The San Angelo office was fully staffed with 12 forecast meteorologists, there were no vacancies. The San Antonio office was operating with 11 forecasters, and … the union themselves said that there was adequate staffing, so I think those words speak for themselves, and the numbers speak for themselves.” “This was a once-in-a-century flash flood, a tragic natural disaster, and the administration is doing all that we can on the ground to help these families during this time of need,” she added. President Donald Trump told reporters on Sunday that he planned to visit the flood-ravaged state in the near future, but wanted to wait until his presence would not be a hindrance to relief efforts.

On Monday, shortly Planned Parenthood sued the Trump administration over President Trump’s “big, beautiful” budget bill defunding the abortion giant, a leftist Massachusetts federal judge appointed by former President Barack Obama blocked the provision in the bill. The budget bill freezes Medicaid funding for Planned Parenthood for one year. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani approved the request by Planned Parenthood to stop the Medicaid funding cuts to Planned Parenthood that were part of the bill, issuing a temporary restraining order. “Defendants, their agents, employees, appointees, successors, and anyone acting in concert or participation with Defendants are hereby enjoined from enforcing, retroactively enforcing, or otherwise applying the provisions of Section 71113 of “An Act to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of H. Con. Res. 14,” against Planned Parenthood Federation of America and its members; Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts; and Planned Parenthood of Utah,” Talwani wrote, adding: Defendants, their agents, employees, appointees, successors, and anyone acting in concert or participation with Defendants shall take all steps necessary to ensure that Medicaid funding continues to be disbursed in the customary manner and timeframes to Planned Parenthood Federation of America and its members; Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts; and Planned Parenthood of Utah. The temporary restraining order is in effect for two weeks. “Talwani’s ruling still allows the administration to enforce the provision against other providers, but Planned Parenthood says it comprises almost the entirety of the impacted entities,” The Hill noted. In 2024, Planned Parenthood’s annual report acknowledged the organization had performed a mind-numbing 392,715 abortions between Oct. 1, 2021, and Sept. 30, 2022. That represented a 5% increase over the year before, when 374,155 abortions were performed. Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court in June 2022. “The document says that locations in states ‘where abortion is protected’ saw a 700% increase in demand,” the Catholic News Agency reported. “The report also said that Planned Parenthood helped to refer and coordinate travel for over 33,000 abortions.” In late June, the Supreme Court ruled that lower courts do not have the unilateral authority to block President Trump’s agenda. Justice Amy Coney Barrett, who wrote the opinion for the majority, stated, “federal courts do not exercise general oversight of the Executive Branch; they resolve cases and controversies consistent with the authority Congress has given them.”

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In a groundbreaking blend of biotechnology and sustainability, researchers at the University of Edinburgh have figured out how to turn plastic bottle waste into paracetamol (also known as acetaminophen), one of the world’s most widely used painkillers. Their innovative method transforms discarded PET (polyethylene terephthalate), the plastic commonly used in drink bottles and food packaging, into a valuable pharmaceutical, all with the help of genetically engineered E. coli bacteria. This dual-purpose solution doesn’t just address the ever-growing issue of plastic pollution; it also provides a cleaner, more sustainable route to producing an essential medicine. As the research team has shown, the process takes less than 24 hours, operates at room temperature, and emits no carbon, making it an efficient and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional drug production methods. The news comes at an especially fitting time: July is recognized as Plastic Free July, a movement that encourages people to reduce their reliance on single-use plastics. This scientific breakthrough highlights how innovation at the molecular level can complement everyday actions in the effort to reduce plastic waste and build a circular economy. A living lab for plastic conversion The process begins by chemically treating PET waste and introducing it to specially reprogrammed E. coli. The bacteria get to work breaking the plastic down into terephthalic acid, a compound that serves as a key building block for the conversion process. Inside the modified E. coli, that compound undergoes a transformation known as the Lossen rearrangement, a chemical reaction that results in the creation of para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA). Notably, PABA is not just an intermediate step in the conversion, it also helps sustain the bacteria’s growth. From there, additional engineered metabolic pathways in the bacteria convert PABA into paracetamol. Remarkably, this streamlined process converts roughly 90 percent of the plastic-derived terephthalic acid into usable paracetamol. The study’s findings, recently published in Nature Chemistry, demonstrate not only the technical feasibility of the method but also its potential scalability if further research and refinement continue to show promising results. A promising future for sustainable pharmaceuticals While the method isn’t ready for commercial deployment just yet, the team is optimistic. “We are bringing in exceptional companies like AstraZeneca to work with Stephen and others at the University to translate these cutting-edge discoveries into world-changing innovations,” said Ian Hatch, head of consultancy at Edinburgh Innovations, the university’s commercialization office. For now, the innovation marks a hopeful step toward a circular future where the plastic waste cluttering our landfills and oceans could one day help relieve human pain. It’s an elegant example of how science can tackle two major problems at once: plastic pollution and the carbon-intensive nature of pharmaceutical manufacturing. Source study: Nature Chemistry—A biocompatible Lossen rearrangement in Escherichia coliThe post Turning plastic into pain relief: scientists transform PET waste into paracetamol first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Summer vacation presents an excellent opportunity for children to disconnect from their digital gadgets and participate in stimulating screen-free activities… But anyone with kids these days will know that getting them to embrace this chance is quite the challenge. Parents can help their children transition from screen time to playtime by implementing effective tactics that promote creativity, physical activity, and real-world connections. Here are ten practical ways to give your kids a wonderful screen-free summer the old-fashioned way. 1. Establish clear screen time limits. Setting rigorous screen time limitations is key. Determine an appropriate amount of screen time per week and communicate it clearly to your children. For example, you might allow an hour of screen time on Sunday mornings or 15 minutes in the evening while dinner is being prepared. Consistency is critical—follow the rules to avoid endless negotiations and arguments. By setting clear limits, you let kids know what you expect of them and give them more freedom to choose alternative activities. 2. Confiscate the devices. Sometimes the greatest method to limit screen time is to eliminate the temptation entirely. Turn off iPads, phones, and extra laptops and store them out of sight. Unplug the television or, if necessary, cancel your cable subscription. By removing screens from the surroundings, children will be encouraged to seek out other forms of entertainment and creativity. 3. Get kids cooking Assign daily or weekly recipes to children to encourage them to help prepare meals. Cooking may be fun-time but it could also be a learning moment, allowing kids to hone their chopping, cooking, and baking skills. This will keep them occupied while also providing them with excellent prepared meals and a sense of achievement. 4. Sign up for lessons. Investigate local camps and classes that can keep your child’s time productive. Swimming, art lessons, tennis, and sports camps all offer scheduled activities and opportunities for socialization. During the summer, many communities offer a range of programs to ensure that there is something for every child’s interest. 5. Create a reading routine. Visit the library on a regular basis to replenish your children’s reading materials. Allowing youngsters to choose their own books fosters enthusiasm for reading. Create a warm reading nook in your home, whether it’s a hammock on the porch or a comfy area in the living room. Encouraging a love of reading not only provides a screen-free activity but also benefits cognitive development. 6. Have a kid swap with friends. Coordinate with other parents to swap children for playdates. For example, one day per week, all of the children can spend time at your house and another at a friend’s house. This alleviates the stress on each parent while keeping children amused with fresh playmates and circumstances. Establish safe travel routes for older children so they can visit friends’ houses alone. 7. Set a daily minimum for outdoor time. Set a minimum amount of outdoor time per day, whether it’s one hour or four. Crafting and reading, as well as sports and environment exploration, are all examples of outdoor activities. The idea is to make it a habit to spend time outside, take in fresh air, and move their bodies. 8. Incorporate microadventures. Microadventures are brief, impromptu excursions that fit into an average day. Plan an early-morning trek and breakfast picnic, or a weeknight camping trip with a bonfire and s’mores. These small but engaging activities break up the routine and create unforgettable experiences without requiring long periods. 9. Assign household chores. Doing jobs around the house should be added to your kids’ daily routines. Older children can assist with duties such as dishwashing, hanging clothes, vacuuming, and recycling. Outdoor tasks such as weeding the garden, watering plants, and mowing the lawn keep children engaged and busy. Plus, contributing to household maintenance instills responsibility and time management. 10. Create a challenge. Encourage children to take on a summer task, such as learning to ride a unicycle, perfecting skateboard tricks, or constructing a treehouse. These tasks offer a sense of purpose. Other projects might include opening a home bakery or lemonade stand, practicing chess, or making a DVD about their summer exploits. Challenges keep children engaged, teach them practical skills, and provide a sense of accomplishment. By putting these methods into practice, children will be able to limit screen time and participate in more engaging and useful activities. Parents can help their children have a healthy and satisfying summer by setting clear limits, providing alternatives, and encouraging creativity and physical activity. This digital detox not only minimizes screen time but also develops skills and memories that will benefit youngsters long after the summer is over.The post 10 effective ways to get kids off screens this summer first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

'We welcome the DOJ’s confirmation'

'We're a country bound together by a patriotism'

Remember the sales pitch for ranked choice voting? Sure, it’s more complicated, excludes voters, and delays results. But it’ll be worth it because ranked choice voting is supposed to help moderate, consensus candidates. So much for that. Marxist extremist Zohran Mamdani is now the Democrat nominee for New York City mayor, with 43.5 percent of the vote. Well, sort of. […]

We all love a good meal. But, usually, we don’t think a whole lot about the food we eat, such as where it came from, how it was created if it’s processed food, other uses for the food product, or cool fun facts that are simply shocking. Let’s take a look at 25 strange but... The post 20+ Crazy Food Facts That Will Throw Everything You Know About Food Out The Window appeared first on Shareably.