Feminist icon Gloria Steinem has died at the age of 92. Her foundation announced her passing on Wednesday, marking the loss of a leader who dedicated her life to fighting for women’s equality.
Meanwhile, the high-profile murder trial of US mother Lindsay Clancy collapsed when a judge declared a mistrial. The case, which gripped America, ended with jurors unable to reach a unanimous verdict after seven days of deliberations. Clancy was accused of killing her three young children, but the legal proceedings concluded without a verdict, and her defense team is now considering an appeal.
In weather news, Hurricane Lowell battered western Hawaii, bringing damaging winds and torrential rain that triggered flash flooding and mudslide concerns. Separately, massive hail and heavy rain caused chaos in Toronto, with residents capturing videos of streets overwhelmed within minutes.
On the political front, Zeshan Hamdani, brother of a Muslim police cadet killed in the 9/11 attacks, expressed disappointment regarding calls for New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani to skip 9/11 memorial events due to his religion. Additionally, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick faced scrutiny for falsely claiming that data centers do not consume water, a statement challenged by protesters highlighting resource strains.
Senator Bernie Sanders discussed his proposals with the BBC, including a plan to ban AI superintelligence and establish a sovereign wealth fund where the US would hold a 50% stake in AI companies. In other developments, the US Mint began selling $1 commemorative coins featuring President Donald Trump for the country’s 250th anniversary, and a new helipad construction at the White House has drawn criticism from those concerned about alterations to historic grounds.
Culturally, the Lucas Museum in Los Angeles opened, showcasing over 1,200 works from Star Wars creator George Lucas and his wife, ranging from Star Wars artifacts to pieces by Banksy. Finally, BBC Verify utilized satellite imagery to track a mysterious floating island in Canada’s Williston Lake Reservoir, which vanished and reappeared 20 miles away, puzzling observers worldwide.
The floating island story is wild. Science finally caught up to folklore!
Steinem’s legacy is immense, but that mistrial outcome is baffling. Hope for a retrial or closure.