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USA Today
a day ago
- Politics
- USA Today
Exploring the gulf between Martin Luther King Jr. and Donald Trump in divided nation
Exploring the gulf between Martin Luther King Jr. and Donald Trump in divided nation Show Caption Hide Caption Martin Luther King III on MLK Day: 'We have a lot of work to do' The 2025 inauguration falls on the same day as MLK Day this year. Martin Luther King III reflects on the state of the nation. When news broke that Donald Trump had been the target of an assassination attempt at a campaign rally last summer, Martin Luther King Jr.'s son was among the voices that decried the violence. "Political violence has no place in our society and country," Martin Luther King III wrote in a post on X. "It undermines the foundations of our democracy." 'This is America': For more stories on race and justice in America, sign up for USA TODAY's newsletter The second child of the country's most prominent civil rights icon knows all too well the cost of political violence. When he was 10, his father was murdered on a Tennessee balcony and became part of a group of leaders, activists and Democratic politicians, assassinated in the 1960s. 'If President Kennedy and Medgar Evers and Malcolm X, Dad and Robert Kennedy had lived, we would be on a totally different trajectory,' King said. 'These were people who were all cut down at a very critical time, not just in our nation, but in terms of where they were moving toward.' Last July, Trump sustained an injury when the would-be assassin's bullet grazed his ear. He went on to win the election and resume the presidency. He shared his 2025 Inauguration Day with Martin Luther King Jr., whose life and legacy are celebrated each January with a federal holiday. Yet King has said there is a great gulf between his father and the president. He lamented the country's current trajectory in an interview with USA TODAY. 'By and large, in our nation, there is a goodness, a righteousness, a desire to care about our fellow human being,' King said. 'We're on a course that appears to be temporarily out of kilter. We must, at some point, make a course correction.' 'What can each of us do?' Martin Luther King Jr. often spoke of creating 'the beloved community,' a society in which 'men can live together without fear,' as he wrote in a 1966 essay. Today, his 67-year-old son says building that community is a crucial and ongoing effort. He has a dedicated partner in his wife, Arndrea Waters King, president of the Drum Major Institute, a nonprofit founded by Martin Luther King Jr. in 1961. The pair launched the Realize the Dream initiative last year, a national movement with a goal of inspiring 100 million hours of service by January 2029. King and Waters King, together with brothers Marc and Craig Kielburger, released a book titled 'What is My Legacy?' and an accompanying podcast called 'My Legacy.' The Kings sat for a video interview with USA TODAY on May 19, a follow-up to conversations with the publication in 2024 in the lead up to a contentious presidential election. In August, Waters King told USA TODAY she felt the country was 'frighteningly divided.' Four months into Trump's second term, she said that is still the case. Opinion: Martin Luther King Jr. was murdered 57 years ago. America still needs his wisdom. 'When you think about most immigrants that are frightened, in some cases for children to go to school. Schools, churches, hospitals – those should all be safe places and times,' Waters King said. 'Whenever you start othering people, taking out their humanity, then we're going down a slippery slope.' Amid strife, King said he looks to the example set by his father, who faced threats to his life throughout the years of his political activism. In 1958, during a book signing in New York City, Martin Luther King Jr. was stabbed by Izola Curry, a woman later diagnosed with schizophrenia. 'After he was stabbed,' King said of his father, 'he still came back and advocated for forgiveness, for challenging us to create a better climate.' 'So,' he added, 'I guess what I'm saying is, I'm sure many people are concerned about the potential of political violence. But we need to reflect on, well, what do we do so that political violence does not manifest and come to fruition? What can each of us do?' In the public eye Days into his new term, President Trump signed an executive order calling for government files related to the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy and King Jr. to be released 'without delay.' The King family has objected to the release, saying they want a chance to review files before they become public. JFK files released: Here's what they say about the former president's assassination Descendants of the civil rights icon have declined to speak in interviews, including this recent sit-down with USA TODAY, on their concerns about the files. They have said it is a deeply personal subject. When asked how he feels broadly about the lifelong spotlight that came as a result of his father's prominence, King told USA TODAY, 'It's my life. This is what I know.' 'Certainly, it's always easier to navigate through life without having recognition,' he continued. 'But I'm grateful, really, for the opportunity to foster this amazing legacy that we have. And probably more grateful and thankful that we have a daughter that wants to be engaged, is engaged.' King and Waters King have one daughter, Yolanda Renee King, 17, named after King's late sister. Legacy is the throughline in the Kings' work, as they look past the next four years and even generations ahead. In considering how they hope to be remembered, both said they are steadily building on a foundation set by King's mother and father. 'We all have a legacy. We all have a voice,' Waters King said. 'It's literally about what we do, how we build our lives every day.'
Pink Villa
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Box Office: Lilo and Stitch breaks multiple records as it hits USD 400M plus globally within week of release
In a turn few could have predicted a couple of days ago, Disney's Lilo & Stitch has won the global box office with extraordinary momentum, crossing the USD 400 million mark in less than a week. Domestically, the film has raked in USD 197 million by its sixth day, outpacing the lifetime runs of some Disney reimaginings, including the recently released Snow White. The modernized tale of a Hawaiian girl and her alien dog debuted to a staggering USD 182.6 million over the four-day Memorial Day weekend in North America, with USD 146 million of that coming from the standard three-day weekend frame. Internationally, the film added another USD 178.6 million, launching globally with USD 361.2 million against a production budget of just USD 100 million. Here are a few records it rewrote while putting up the aforementioned performance: Holiday Hit: Largest Memorial Day Opening in History Lilo & Stitch now holds the title for the biggest Memorial Day weekend debut ever in North America, toppling Top Gun: Maverick's previous record of USD 160.5 million. The film outperformed past holiday giants like Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (USD 139.8M), Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (USD 127M), and X-Men: The Last Stand (USD 122.9M), making it the new benchmark for Memorial Day success. Aiding the Biggest Summer Movie Surge Thanks to the combined strength of Lilo & Stitch and the final Mission: Impossible endeavor, this year's Memorial Day weekend delivered the biggest overall haul in summer box office history. Moviegoers pushed total domestic ticket sales to nearly USD 330 million across all titles, edging out the previous USD 306 million high set in 2013 when Fast & Furious 6 and The Hangover Part II led the charge. Second Largest Four-Day Opening for Any U.S. Holiday Among all extended U.S. holiday weekends, Lilo & Stitch now ranks second only to Black Panther, which earned USD 242 million during Presidents' Day weekend in 2018. Its explosive debut surpassed other long weekend records, leaving behind Labor Day's Shang-Chi (USD 94.7M) and Martin Luther King Jr. weekend's Bad Boys for Life (USD 73M). A Top Contender Among Disney's Live-Action Boots The film now holds the third-highest domestic opening among Disney's live-action adaptations. Only The Lion King (USD 192M) and Beauty and the Beast (USD 175M) opened stronger. Lilo & Stitch also became one of just five Disney reboots to start above the USD 100 million mark, joining Alice in Wonderland (USD 116.1M) and The Jungle Book (USD 103.3M). Globally, it has already outpaced underperformers like 2025's Snow White, Alice Through the Looking Glass, and Dumbo. Dominating Latin America's Theatrical Space Lilo & Stitch set a new benchmark for Mouse House remakes across Latin America. It launched with USD 27 million in Mexico, its biggest market in the region, followed by Brazil with USD 12.2 million. The UK led in Europe with USD 17 million. Altogether, its USD 178.6 million international opening ranks among Disney's top four for live-action titles. Monday Magic: One of the Biggest Single-Day Takes Ever On Memorial Day alone, the film pulled in USD 36.6 million domestically, landing itself among the five highest-grossing Mondays in box office history. It follows heavyweights like Black Panther, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and Avengers: Endgame, throwing Top Gun: Maverick out of the top five. The movies had made USD 40.2M, USD 40.1M, USD 37.1M, USD 36.9M, and USD 33.8M, respectively. Among Top PG-Rated Openings of All Time Lilo & Stitch has secured a place on the list of the highest-grossing PG-rated openings ever. It joins blockbusters like The Lion King, Incredibles 2, and Beauty and the Beast. Its USD 146 million three-day debut places it just behind The Super Mario Bros. Movie and ahead of recent hits like Moana 2, Finding Dory, and Frozen II. Reasons Why Lilo & Stitch Appealed to Viewers: Part of what fueled Lilo & Stitch's box office momentum was the fact that it invited audiences from every demographic to cinemas. While typically considered a family film, the majority of its opening weekend audience (an impressive 57 percent) was made up of non-family groups. This speaks volumes about the film's nostalgic pull for Gen Z and young millennials, who grew up loving the original and showed up in large numbers to support the remake and relive their childhood. With incredible staying power and a warm reception from both critics and audiences, Lilo & Stitch is shaping up to be more than just a box office sensation. It may be on the path to becoming Disney's next billion-dollar success story. Disney, notably, desperately needs a boost after suffering massive losses from the aforementioned Snow White live-action remake starring Rachel Zegler and Gal Gadot. It also needs this win because neither Captain America performed favorably before the said film, nor did Thunderbolts, currently playing in theaters underwhelmingly.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
$1.5M donation given to rebuild Clayborn Temple
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A $1.5 million donation has been given to Clayborn Temple to be rebuilt after it was destroyed by fire that was intentionally set. The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund kicked off the fundraising campaign with a $1.5 million grant. A news conference was held marking a month since the Clayborn Temple fire. Fire destroys Clayborn Temple, historic Memphis church with ties to Civil Rights movement 'We have spent a month mourning, it's been a month of tears,' said Anasa Troutman, Founder and Executive Director of Historic Clayborn Team. Clayborn Temple was the launching point for a march for sanitation workers' rights that brought Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to Memphis in 1968. The iconic 'I Am A Man' signs used in the march were printed there. Dr. King planned to march with sanitation workers from Clayborn Temple on April 8, before he was assassinated on April 4 on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel. His wife, Coretta Scott King, led strikers and thousands of supporters in his place. The building dates to 1892, when it was originally Second Presbyterian Church. In 1949, the building was sold to the African Methodist Episcopal church and was renamed Clayborn Temple. Clayborn Temple fire ruled arson; person sought 'Just imagine what this is going to look like when it is complete,' said Martin Luther King II, Civil Rights Activist. 'This is a sacred place for our city, and as we talk about what's next, we want you to know that Memphis is going to be apart– that the city is going to play a role in what's next,' said Mayor Paul Young. People at Clayborn Temple have started design work, and new designs will be made for the remaining portions. 'Memphis is known for its grit and its grind, and because of that spirit, we are going to make Clayborn Temple what it was, make it even better,' said Congressman Steve Cohen. 'We might cry tomorrow, we might cry next week, but today, while we are together, we are going to rejoice in the beauty and the power and the possibility of what remains behind us, Clayborn Temple has been damaged, but it has not been destroyed,' said Troutman. There is a $10,000 reward for any information on the suspect who set the fire. If you have any information, call CrimeStoppers at 901-528-CASH. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Newsweek
23-05-2025
- Health
- Newsweek
Congresswoman: I Remember a World Without Medicaid. We Can't Go Back
Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the interpretation of facts and data. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. I know firsthand the importance of Medicaid—because I remember a time before it existed. My mother was a domestic worker, cleaning homes all her life. She worked tirelessly, regularly pushing through pain, because she was determined to build a better future for my sister and me. Despite working full time, my mother still couldn't afford health insurance and there was no Medicaid for her to fall back on. My sister had sickle-cell disease which, if you don't know, is a rare hereditary disease that can cause excruciating pain. Growing up, I spent many late nights in the ER with my sister as she navigated her debilitating condition. I often think what a difference it would have made to have health insurance. My sister wouldn't have suffered as much if she had access to comprehensive care and treatment. My mother wouldn't have had to work herself to exhaustion to provide for us. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said it best: "Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health is the most shocking and the most inhuman." Government programs like Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP, housing vouchers—they exist to ensure that every American has the foundation they need to build a life of dignity and opportunity. Yet, Republicans are putting these programs on the chopping block to fund their trillion-dollar tax cuts to billionaires. WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 13: Protestors wearing "Hands Off Medicad" shirts line up outside of the Energy And Commerce Committee Markup Of Budget Reconciliation Hearing on May 13, 2025 in Washington, DC. WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 13: Protestors wearing "Hands Off Medicad" shirts line up outside of the Energy And Commerce Committee Markup Of Budget Reconciliation Hearing on May 13, 2025 in Washington, 2.6 million people in my home state of North Carolina rely on services funded by Medicaid—this includes care for veterans with chronic conditions, long-term care in nursing facilities for our elderly, and health care for working people whose jobs don't offer it. I want to share a story from a constituent of mine, Laura Kelly, who works as a wheelchair assistant at Charlotte Douglas International Airport: I've relied on Medicaid for as long as I can remember. When I was five, my aunt took my sister and me after we were placed in foster care. She didn't have much, but she had Medicaid, and it kept her from drowning in medical debt. Years later when I became a mom myself, Medicaid was there for me too. It covered my prenatal care giving my babies a strong start at life. I work full-time at the airport. I take care of elderly passengers, disabled passengers, and unaccompanied minors. I get them where they need to go. I make sure they're safe. But when my shift ends, I go home to a motel room I can barely afford. I've faced eviction more than once. I work every day, and I still can't make ends meet. Last year, I was rushed to the hospital with severe anemia. The costs on the first night alone—before any real treatment—were astronomical. Without Medicaid, I wouldn't have gone. I would have waited. And I might not be here to tell you this story. Or to wake up the next day and care for my daughter, who has epilepsy. Without Medicaid, she can't get her meds. And without them, she won't survive. Programs like Medicaid are not budget-line items that we can cut without consequences. They are the difference between life and death. Medicaid cuts only serve to harm people like Laura, like my sister, like my mother, and like so many of us. Republicans in Congress will try to slash Medicaid without caring about the lives they threaten with their votes. Make no mistake—my colleagues and I will do everything we can to make sure these cuts don't happen. But we need your help. Now is the time to make calls to congressional offices and attend town halls, get involved with advocacy organizations in your community, and let anyone trying to cut Medicaid know that they will hear the voice of the American people—both now and at the ballot box. Alma Adams, Ph.D., a Democrat, is the U.S. Representative from North Carolina's 12th Congressional District. The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.
Asia Times
23-05-2025
- Business
- Asia Times
Taiwan in 2025: a proposal to build peace, not walls
In an increasingly fragmented world, one of the most consequential trilateral relationships remains that among the People's Republic of China, the United States and Taiwan. In a year of political transition in both Taiwan and the United States – and with China facing deep economic and generational shifts – the stakes for regional peace are rising. Yet this is not just about three actors. The strategic future of East Asia – especially for US allies including Japan and South Korea – is closely tied to stability across the Taiwan Strait. A military crisis would not only trigger devastating economic fallout but also fracture the Indo-Pacific order. It is time to think beyond deterrence and toward a framework for peacebuilding. That means rejecting 'Finlandization' – the idea that Taiwan must remain politically neutral or muted in the face of external pressure – and instead embracing a cooperative trilateral structure that empowers Taiwan as a responsible stakeholder, not a geopolitical pawn. In fact, Taiwan is already taking steps to avoid Finlandization. Despite mounting pressure, it has repeatedly emphasized its willingness to engage Beijing in dialogue. It has pursued humanitarian, trade and cultural exchanges as a form of soft diplomacy, even amid growing military tension. The island's vibrant civil society and outward-looking young people – many of whom admire both American values and Chinese heritage – represent an untapped potential for cross-strait healing. Yet efforts at institutionalized peace are stalled. American sociologist Peter B. Evans warned two decades ago that regional frameworks lacked clear objectives, shared visions and strong political support. That remains true today. Domestic politics dominates national agendas. The US and Taiwan are entering turbulent election cycles. China, while projecting strength, is contending with demographic decline and economic uncertainty. Meanwhile, Japan and South Korea are emerging as quiet stabilizers. Tokyo has openly stated that Taiwan's security is linked to Japan's own national interests. Seoul, traditionally cautious, is now recalibrating its regional posture given tensions with North Korea and greater integration into the US Indo-Pacific strategy. Both countries would be drawn into any regional conflict. Their alignment with peace and dialogue gives the trilateral effort broader credibility – and urgency. Martin Luther King Jr. once wrote, 'One of the great liabilities of history is that all too many people fail to remain awake through great periods of social change.' In 2025, we cannot afford to sleepwalk into conflict. This year marks 25 years since Taiwan's first democratic transition – proof that its democracy is not a phase but a core identity. The APEC summit upcoming in November, focused on innovation and inclusive recovery, offers a symbolic chance to reframe Taiwan not as a flashpoint but as a bridge. That's why I propose a bold yet practical initiative: the creation of a PRC-US-ROC Education Foundation – a trilateral intergovernmental platform for cultural and academic exchange. This foundation would: offer government-endorsed scholarships and tuition waivers for students from all three places; facilitate joint research on climate change, AI governance, health crises and social resilience; and sponsor regular forums for youth, academics, and civil society leaders to foster trust and dialogue Rather than treating Taiwan solely as a military liability or ideological flashpoint, this initiative would center the island as a platform for regional innovation and cooperation. Historically, education and cultural exchange have softened hard geopolitical divides. This is not idealism – it is a tested path to mutual understanding. China, for its part, could use such a platform to show that it is serious about peaceful development and benevolent leadership. Reviving the traditional concept of Tianxia wei gong – the idea that the world belongs to all – could offer a powerful counter-narrative to rising fears of Chinese authoritarianism. The US must also do more than deter – it must inspire. That means investing in diplomatic consistency, cultural diplomacy and constructive engagement with both sides of the Strait. At the same time, Taiwan must continue charting its own course, engaging both powers while standing firm on its democratic values. Japan and South Korea could act as regional partners or observers in this education foundation. Their involvement would send a signal: Peace in the Taiwan Strait is not a bilateral or trilateral issue alone, but one of regional and global significance. Their cultural institutions and education ministries are already deeply respected across East Asia – why not put that soft power to work for peace? Most importantly, Taiwan must not be turned into a 21st-century Berlin Wall dividing East and West. Its success as a democracy and technology hub should be seen not as a threat but as a contribution to a more pluralistic Asia. The future of peace in the Taiwan Strait cannot be dictated. It must be built—deliberately, multilaterally, and creatively. If PRC, U.S., and ROC leaderships can think beyond zero-sum logic, they may yet define a shared vision: one that prioritizes education over escalation, empathy over fear, and institutions over instability. Yujing Shentu PhD (yujing@ is an independent scholar and writer focused on digital politics, international political economy and US-China strategic competition. She has a background in policy analysis and economic strategy.
