Lady Gaga Bomb Suspect Was Deported from US Last Month
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
A recently deported migrant from the United States has been identified as the suspected terrorist behind a plot to attack Lady Gaga's record-breaking concert in Brazil, authorities said on Tuesday.
Luis da Silva, 44, allegedly planned to livestream the attack and detonate explosives near the stage during Lady Gaga's free show on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, which drew a crowd of 2.5 million on Saturday night, Felipe Curi, a spokesperson for the Rio de Janeiro Civil Police Department told the New York Post.
"He said that the singer was a Satanist and that he was going to perform a Satanist ritual too, killing a child during the show," Curi told reporters.
This is a developing news story and will be updated as more information is available.
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Newsweek
20 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Pastor Norman Hutchins, American Gospel Star, Dies Aged 62
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Pastor and gospel singer Norman Hutchins has died at the age of 62, his family said. Hutchins died at home in California on Friday after a long battle with diabetes and kidney failure, according to gospel radio station Praise 102.5. Who Is Norman Hutchins? Born in Dover, Delaware, Hutchins began preaching at just 8 years old and was ordained by age 12. He launched his solo music career in 1992 with Sparrow Records and went on to release 10 albums across Sparrow, JDI, and IR Records—seven of which charted on Billboard's Gospel Albums chart. But his music career took off after signing with JDI Records in 1999, producing hits such as "Nobody But You," "Battlefield," and "Spontaneous Praise, Vol. 1." He went on to become one of the gospel's most-inspirational voices. Hutchins earned multiple Dove, Stellar, and Grammy nominations, with signature songs like "Jesus I Love You" and "God's Got a Blessing" becoming gospel staples. In addition to his music, Hutchins was a pastor and founder of Frontline Ministries in Dover. He also served as minister of music at the West Angeles Church of God in Christ in Los Angeles. He held a master's degree in biblical counseling and a doctorate in church administration. Hutchins faced serious health challenges over the years, including temporary blindness and kidney failure caused by diabetes. In 2014, he revealed to Path MEGAzine that his wife had donated a kidney for him. A portrait of Norman Hutchins. A portrait of Norman Hutchins. Norman Hutchins via Facebook. Following his death, tributes have poured in from across the gospel music community, honoring his enduring legacy as a gospel icon and minister. The Alliance of Gospel Music Professionals remembered Hutchins as "a voice that stirred our souls and a heart that truly worshipped," saying that his music and ministry will "continue to inspire generations." A joint statement from Hutchins' family, IR Record Label, and HD Global Media Group described him as a "gospel giant" and a "beacon of faith" whose award-winning songs like "God's Got a Blessing" and "Emmanuel" brought hope and healing to countless lives. They expressed gratitude for the love and support received and asked for continued prayers as they mourn his loss and celebrate a life "well-lived in service to God." His wife, Karen Hutchins, called him "my greatest source of inspiration," highlighting the deep love and faith they shared, and expressing comfort in the knowledge that his legacy will live on. New Life Community Church, which had scheduled a book signing and live performance with Hutchins, announced the event's cancellation and called him "a vessel of hope and inspiration to many across the world," offering prayers and condolences to his family and ministry team. GSSL Radio praised Hutchins as a "gospel trailblazer" and "faithful servant" whose songs and spirit became part of the "soundtrack of our faith." They encouraged his supporters to take comfort in knowing he "fought a good fight, finished the course, and kept the faith." Hutchins is survived by his wife and three children. What People Are Saying The Alliance of Gospel Music Professionals said in a statement on Instagram: "The Alliance of Gospel Music Professionals mourns the passing of the incomparable Norman Hutchins—a voice that stirred our souls and a heart that truly worshipped. His songs lifted countless lives and his legacy will forever echo in the halls of gospel music. We honor his ministry, his message, and the music that will continue to inspire generations." A joint Facebook statement from Hutchins' family, IR Record Label and HD Global Media Group, said: "It is with profound sadness and with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of multi award-winning gospel artist, Bishop Dr. Norman E. Hutchins, Sr., a gospel giant who went home to be with the Lord on Thursday, June 5, 2025. Bishop Norman Hutchins, Sr. was a cherished gospel artist, a beacon of faith, and a powerful voice whose music touched countless lives with messages of hope, love, and salvation. "Bishop Norman Hutchins, Sr. leaves behind an extraordinary legacy, having inspired generations through his soul-stirring albums, award-winning songs like God's Got a Blessing, Emmanuel, God Is Able, etc., and his dedicated ministry with Frontline West Ministries. His unwavering commitment to sharing the Gospel through music brought light to many, and their testimony of faith will continue to resonate in hearts around the world. "We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of love and support from fans, friends, and the gospel community during this time. We ask for your continued prayers for Bishop Norman Hutchins' family, loved ones, and all those touched by his music as we mourn this great loss and celebrate a life well-lived in service to God. "May we find comfort in knowing that Bishop Norman Hutchins is now resting in the presence of our Savior, singing praises forevermore. Rest well, Dr. Hutchins." His wife, Karen Hutchins, said in a statement: "Norman was not only my husband and partner in ministry but my greatest source of inspiration. His faith, strength, and love touched every soul he met. Though my heart is heavy, I am comforted knowing his legacy of hope and healing will continue to shine through the lives he changed." New Life Community Church said on Facebook: "It is with profound sadness that we share the news of the passing of Bishop Dr. Norman Hutchins earlier today. His family has given us permission to post this notice. "In light of this heartbreaking news, the Book Signing and Live Musical Performance scheduled for Thursday, June 12, at 7 p.m. at New Life Community Church has been canceled. "Our hearts are heavy as we mourn this tremendous loss. Dr. Hutchins was not only a gifted artist and man of God, but a vessel of hope and inspiration to many across the world. "We extend our condolences to his family, loved ones, and ministry team, and we are praying for them during this difficult time. May God's peace and comfort surround all who were touched by his music and ministry. Please join us in honoring his memory and keeping his family uplifted in prayer." GSSL Radio said in a statement on Facebook: "It is with profound sorrow that GSSL Radio extends our heartfelt condolences on the passing of Bishop Norman Hutchins—a beloved worship leader, gospel trailblazer, and faithful servant whose music and ministry left an indelible mark on the world. From anthems like "God's Got a Blessing" to his unwavering commitment to excellence in ministry, Bishop Hutchins was a vessel of healing, hope, and Holy Ghost power whose voice helped shape the soundtrack of our faith. "To his loving family, devoted church, and all who cherished him—we stand with you in prayer. May the peace of God comfort you in this time of loss, and may you find strength in knowing that Bishop Hutchins has received his crown of righteousness. He fought a good fight, finished the course, and kept the faith. His legacy lives on through every note sung, every soul reached, and every life changed."
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
New '1984' Foreword Includes Warning About 'Problematic' Characters
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The 75th anniversary edition of George Orwell's novel 1984, which coined the term "thoughtcrime" to describe the act of having thoughts that question the ruling party's ideology, has become an ironic lightning rod in debates over alleged trigger warnings and the role of historical context in classic literature. The introduction to the new edition, endorsed by Orwell's estate and written by the American author Dolen Perkins-Valdezm, is at the center of the storm, drawing fire from conservative commentators as well as public intellectuals, and prompting a wide spectrum of reaction from academics who study Orwell's work. Perkins-Valdez opens the introduction with a self-reflective exercise: imagining what it would be like to read 1984 for the first time today. She writes that "a sliver of connection can be difficult for someone like me to find in a novel that does not speak much to race and ethnicity," noting the complete absence of Black characters. She also describes her pause at the protagonist Winston Smith's "despicable" misogyny, but ultimately chooses to continue reading, writing: "I know the difference between a flawed character and a flawed story." "I'm enjoying the novel on its own terms, not as a classic but as a good story; that is, until Winston reveals himself to be a problematic character," she writes. "For example, we learn of him: 'He disliked nearly all women, and especially the young and pretty ones.' Whoa, wait a minute, Orwell." That framing was enough to provoke sharp critique from novelist and essayist Walter Kirn on the podcast America This Week, co-hosted with journalist Matt Taibbi. Kirn characterized the foreword as a kind of ideological overreach. "Thank you for your trigger warning for 1984," he said. "It is the most 1984ish thing I've ever f***ing read." In which you will learn that the current leading paperback version of 1984, its official Orwell-estate-approved 75th anniversary edition, includes a 1984-ish trigger-warning introduction calling the novel's hero "problematic" because of his "misogyny." I am not making this up. — Walter Kirn (@walterkirn) June 2, 2025 Later in the episode, which debuted on June 1, Kirn blasted what he saw as an imposed "permission structure" by publishers and academic elites. "It's a sort of Ministry of Truthism," he said, referring to the Ministry of Truth that features prominently in the dystopian novel. "They're giving you a little guidebook to say, 'Here's how you're supposed to feel when you read this.'" Conservative commentator such as Ed Morrissey described the foreword as part of "an attempt to rob [Orwell's work] of meaning by denigrating it as 'problematic.'" Morrissey argued that trigger warnings on literary classics serve to "distract readers at the start from its purpose with red herrings over issues of taste." But not all responses aligned with that view. Academic Rebuttal Peter Brian Rose-Barry, a philosophy professor at Saginaw Valley State University and author of George Orwell: The Ethics of Equality, disputed the entire premise. "There just isn't [a trigger warning]," he told Newsweek in an email after examining the edition. "She never accuses Orwell of thoughtcrime. She never calls for censorship or cancelling Orwell." In Rose-Barry's view, the foreword is neither invasive nor ideological, but reflective. "Perkins-Valdez suggests in her introduction that 'love and artistic beauty can act as healing forces in a totalitarian state,'" he noted. "Now, I find that deeply suspect... but I'd use this introduction to generate a discussion in my class." Taibbi and Kirn, by contrast, took issue with that exact line during the podcast. "Love heals? In 1984?" Taibbi asked. "The whole thing ends with Winston broken, saying he loves Big Brother," the symbol of the totalitarian state at the heart of the book. Kirn laughed and added, "It's the kind of revisionist uplift you get from a book club discussion after someone just watched The Handmaid's Tale." Photographs of Eric Blair, whose pen name was George Orwell, from his Metropolitan Police file, c.1940. Photographs of Eric Blair, whose pen name was George Orwell, from his Metropolitan Police file, c.1940. The National Archives UK Perkins-Valdez, a Black writer, Harvard graduate and professor of literature at American University, also noted the novel's lack of racial representation: "That sliver of connection can be difficult for someone like me to find in a novel that does not speak much to race and ethnicity at all." Kirn responded to that sentiment on the show by pointing out that Orwell was writing about midcentury Britain: "When Orwell wrote the book, Black people made up maybe one percent of the population. It's like expecting white characters in every Nigerian novel." Richard Keeble, former chair of the Orwell Society, argued that critiques of Orwell's treatment of race and gender have long been part of academic discourse. "Questioning Orwell's representation of Blacks in 1984 can usefully lead us to consider the evolution of his ideas on race generally," he told Newsweek. "Yet Orwell struggled throughout his life, and not with complete success, to exorcise what Edward Said called 'Orientalism.'" Keeble added, "Trigger warnings and interpretative forewords... join the rich firmament of Orwellian scholarship—being themselves open to critique and analysis." Cultural Overreach The 75th anniversary edition of George Orwell's 1984 has become a lightning rod in debates over alleged wokeness, censorship and the role of historical context in reading classic literature. The 75th anniversary edition of George Orwell's 1984 has become a lightning rod in debates over alleged wokeness, censorship and the role of historical context in reading classic literature. Newsweek / Penguin Random House While critics like Kirn view Perkins-Valdez's new foreword as a symptom of virtue signaling run amok, others see it as part of a long-standing literary dialogue. Laura Beers, a historian at American University and author of Orwell's Ghosts: Wisdom and Warnings for the Twenty-First Century, acknowledged that such reactions reflect deeper political divides. But she defended the legitimacy of approaching Orwell through modern ethical and social lenses. "What makes 1984 such a great novel is that it was written to transcend a specific historical context," she told Newsweek. "Although it has frequently been appropriated by the right as a critique of 'socialism,' it was never meant to be solely a critique of Stalin's Russia." Dolen Perkins-Valdez. Dolen Perkins-Valdez. Courtesy American University "Rather," she added, "it was a commentary on how absolute power corrupts absolutely, and the risk to all societies, including democracies like Britain and the United States, of the unchecked concentration of power." Beers also addressed the role of interpretive material in shaping the reading experience. "Obviously, yes, in that 'interpretive forewords' give a reader an initial context in which to situate the texts that they are reading," she said. "That said, such forewords are more often a reflection on the attitudes and biases of their own time." While the foreword has prompted the familiar battle lines playing out across the Trump-era culture wars, Beers sees the conversation itself as in keeping with Orwell's legacy. "By attempting to place Orwell's work in conversation with changing values and historical understandings in the decades since he was writing," she said, "scholars like Perkins-Valdez are exercising the very freedom to express uncomfortable and difficult opinions that Orwell explicitly championed."
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
Donald Trump Reacts to 'Epstein Files' Claim by Elon Musk
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Donald Trump has reacted after Tesla CEO Elon Musk claimed the president's name appears in the files related to Jeffrey Epstein, the late financier and convicted sex offender. Musk wrote in a post Thursday on X, formerly Twitter: "Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!" He added: "Mark this post for the future. The truth will come out." Why It Matters There has been a high-profile fallout between Trump and Musk, who have engaged in a bitter public dispute. The feud began when Musk expressed criticism of Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act, labeling it "outrageous" and "pork-filled." Trump later said he was "disappointed" in Musk's negativity toward the budget reconciliation bill, which now sits with the Senate. Since then, the feud has escalated, with Musk claiming Trump is named in the Epstein files. Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary, has called the CEO's claim "an unfortunate episode." From left: Donald Trump attends a meeting at the White House in Washington, D.C., June 5, 2025; and Elon Musk looks on in the Oval Office there, May 30, 2025. From left: Donald Trump attends a meeting at the White House in Washington, D.C., June 5, 2025; and Elon Musk looks on in the Oval Office there, May 30, 2025. AP What To Know On Friday, Trump shared a post on Truth Social written by Epstein's former lawyer David Schoen on X, which claimed that his client "had no information to hurt President Trump." "I was hired to lead Jeffrey Epstein's defense as his criminal lawyer 9 days before he died. He sought my advice for months before that. I can say authoritatively, unequivocally, and definitively that he had no information to hurt President Trump. I specifically asked him!" Schoen wrote. He briefly represented Epstein shortly before the financier's death in 2019. Thousands of pages of records that named people with ties to Epstein, who died while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges in 2019, have been released over the years. But there is no evidence to suggest Trump is mentioned in any unreleased files related to Epstein. And while the president is mentioned in some of the previously released court documents on Epstein, he has not been accused of wrongdoing. Meanwhile, Musk's claim taps into suspicions among conspiracy theorists and online sleuths that incriminating and sensitive files that the government possesses about Epstein's case have yet to be released. Trump has promised to release more government files related to Epstein, a move that gained attention after Attorney General Pam Bondi teased new disclosures earlier this year—though most released materials were already public. Trump and Epstein were previously acquaintances, with the Republican once calling the financier a "terrific guy." However, Trump later said the pair had a falling out about 15 years before Epstein's 2019 arrest. The president's name appears in flight logs for the disgraced man's private jet, mostly documenting trips in the 1990s between Palm Beach and New York. Epstein's former pilot testified that Trump and other public figures flew on the plane, but said he never witnessed any sexual misconduct on board. Trump has not been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein or his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted of sex trafficking. One Epstein accuser, Johanna Sjoberg, mentioned being with Epstein at Trump's Atlantic City casino in 2016 testimony, but did not say she met Trump or allege misconduct. A Trump spokesperson told Newsweek in January 2024 that claims about Trump's connection to Epstein had been "thoroughly debunked" by the release of related documents. What People Are Saying White House press secretary Karolina Leavitt told Newsweek on Thursday: "This is an unfortunate episode from Elon, who is unhappy with the One Big Beautiful Bill because it does not include the policies he wanted. The President is focused on passing this historic piece of legislation and making our country great again." President Donald Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Thursday: "Elon was 'wearing thin,' I asked him to leave, I took away his EV Mandate that forced everyone to buy Electric Cars that nobody else wanted (that he knew for months I was going to do!), and he just went CRAZY!" The Democrats account on X wrote in a post alongside a picture of Trump with Epstein: "What is Trump hiding? Release the Epstein files." What Happens Next The Trump administration is expected to face growing pressure over the delayed release of additional files related to Epstein. After releasing an initial batch of documents in February, the administration pledged that more would follow. Bondi addressed concerns about the delay, saying the FBI is still reviewing a substantial volume of evidence. Democratic Representatives Stephen Lynch and Robert Garcia have demanded answers. In a letter first reported by Axios, they urged Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel to "immediately clarify" whether recent claims made by Elon Musk about the case are accurate. Lynch and Garcia are also seeking a detailed timeline for the Justice Department's declassification and public release of all remaining Epstein documents. The lawmakers asked for an explanation of why no new records have been released since February, what role Trump is playing in the review process, and a list of personnel involved. They also requested clarification on why previously released documents contained "significant redactions."
