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Former Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil detained in ICE facility in Louisiana

Mahmoud , an activist who led pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia University, will remain in an ICE detention facility in Louisiana after his first court hearing on Wednesday.  Khalili is fighting potential deportation by the Trump administration after federal authorities took him into custody Saturday at his campus apartment, and sent him to a detention center in Jena, La. His deportation was temporarily stopped Monday by a federal judge ahead of Wednesday’s hearing.

DOJ attorney Brandon Waterman told a court that Khalil, 30, is not in immediate danger of deportation while the immigration proceedings take place.  Khalil’s attorneys said they have been unable to have privileged communications with him since he was taken into custody, however, Judge Jesse Furman said he would grant a request by Khalil’s lawyers allowing them to have privileged phone calls with Khalil on Wednesday and Thursday to prepare for future court appearances after his lawyers expressed dissatisfaction over access to their client.

Khalil has been accused of making supportive statements for Hamas, but has not been publicly accused of providing material backing to the Iran-backed terror syndicate. His attorneys say he’s being punished for exercising his protected speech, and filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus that alleges his arrest and ICE detention, based on Khalil’s perceived free speech and activism, violates the Due Process Clause and the First Amendment.

Khalil, a Palestinian refugee raised in Syria, is married to an American citizen who is eight months pregnant, and is a green card and student visa holder. n December, he graduated with a masters degree from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. He was the lead student negotiator of an encampment at the Manhattan campus in 2024 when Columbia was the center of nationwide student protests held against Israel’s war in Gaza, which ultimately lead to the resignation of Columbia president Nemat “Minouche” Shafik after months of protests that disrupted campus.

Ramzi Kassem, an attorney for Khalil, said: “he was taken by U.S. government agents in retaliation, essentially, for exercising his First Amendment rights, for speaking up in defense of Palestinians in Gaza and beyond, for being critical of the US government and of the Israeli government.”

The Trump administration announced last week that it was revoking $400 million in federal grants to Columbia University, alleging it failed to fight anti-Semitism on its campus. Later in a social media post, President Trump said that Khalil’s arrest was the “first arrest of many to come” and that his administration will “find, apprehend, and deport” those considered “terrorist sympathizers.”

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Canada announces U.S. $21B in retaliatory tariffs on U.S. as global trade war escalates

On Wednesday, Canada announced $21 billion in new retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods, in response to President Donald Trump’s new 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum.

Trump’s 25% tariff increase on all steel and aluminum imports officially took effect on Wednesday, the latest move in the administration’s plans to reshape global trade norms in favor of U.S. manufacturing. (Canada is the biggest foreign supplier of steel and aluminum to the U.S.).

Canadian Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc said: “Today, I am announcing that the government of Canada, following a dollar-for-dollar approach, will be imposing, as of 12:01 a.m. tomorrow, March 13, 2025, 25% reciprocal tariffs on an additional $29.8 billion of imports from the United States. This includes steel products worth $12.6 billion and aluminum products worth $3 billion as well as additional imported U.S. goods worth $14.2 billion. The list of additional products affected by counter-tariffs includes computers, sports equipment, and cast iron products as examples. We will not stand idly by while our iconic steel and aluminum industries are being unfairly targeted/”

The latest action from Trump also prompted retaliation from the European Commission, which announced shortly after Trump’s tariffs took effect that it would impose counter tariffs on the equivalent of $28 billion worth of U.S. goods –, including beef, motorcycles and whiskey alongside American-made steel and aluminum — starting next month.  The Commission said in a statement: “we regret the unjustified US 25% tariff on steel and aluminium imports. The EU will protect its consumers and businesses. We are launching swift, proportionate countermeasures worth up to ($28 billion), matching the economic impact of the US tariffs.”

The countries most affected by the tariffs are Canada, Brazil; Mexico; and South Korea, which all have enjoyed some level of exemptions or quotas. Most U.S.-Canada trade remains duty-free under the USMCA trade deal that Trump signed in 2020.

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Country Daypop

Willie Nelson’s 2025 Luck Reunion lineup includes Chaparelle, Charley Crockett and more

The lineup for Willie Nelson’s 13th annual Luck Reunion festival was revealed, set to return to Nelson’s ranch in Luck, Texas on March 13. The country music fest will feature over 40 acts, surprise special guests, artisan markets and culinary experiences with renowned chefs from across the nation.

The 13th edition of Luck Reunion’s music lineup will include Willie Nelson and Family, Shane Smith, Charley Crockett, Preservation Hall Jazz Band and Taj Mahal. There will also be a tribute to Kris Kristofferson by Chaparelle and friends.

Matt Bizer, CEO and Founder of Luck Presents: “We are beyond excited to welcome our Luck Family back home to Willie’s backyard for another incredible year with this ever more important community. Community is the theme, and this year’s event is something we are really proud of. We are welcoming back many long-time Luck Family members, some new artists we cannot stop listening to, and more than one surprise guest!”

For more information, head to luckpresents.com.

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Trisha Yearwood announces new album, seven-city tour

Trisha Yearwood has announced her next album as well as a new tour, sharing in a social media post: “I’m so excited to share BIG news with you! I’ve been busy writing and in the studio and I’m too excited about the new music .. this spring, I’m hitting the road for a special seven-city tour celebrating my upcoming new album. I’ll be sharing stories, and songs I’ve written with you.”

Described as a “songwriter album,” Trisha’s new LP is slated to drop later this year. Yearwood co-wrote each of the album’s ten tracks, co-produced with audio engineer/producer/writer/musician Chad Carlson. The set includes “Put It In a Song,” which Yearwood released last year and performed during the 2024 CMT Music Awards. A press release says the song’s lyrics deal with an important question when in a relationship — “Will you be an obstacle in someone’s journey, or will you encourage them to rise?”

Yearwood will support the album with a seven-city tour, starting on April 30th in Austin, Texas. Additional stops include San Antonio; Grand Prairie, Texas; Stillwater, Oklahoma; New York City, Glenside, Pennsylvania; and Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

For tour info, visit: TrishaYearwood.com/tour

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CBS orders ‘Blue Bloods’ spinoff series ‘Boston Blue’ starring Donnie Wahlberg

CBS announced a series order for a new drama from the “Blue Bloods Universe” starring series vet Donnie Wahlberg.

Wahlberg‘s character of Danny Reagan will return in a new city on the spinoff series ‘Boston Blue’ (working title) for the 2025-2026 broadcast season. The drama has been given a straight-to-series order, and will follow Danny as he takes up a new position in the Boston police department. Once there, he’s paired with detective Lena Peters, the oldest daughter from a prominent family in law enforcement.

“Boston Blue” is produced by CBS Studios in association with Jerry Bruckheimer Television. Brandon Sonnier and Brandon Margolis will showrun and executive produce the upcoming series alongside Jerry Bruckheimer and KristieAnne Reed of JBTV as well as Wahlberg.

Per Deadline, this series was not conceived as a Blue Bloods spin-off; rather, Sonnier and Margolis had developed a series that would follow a family of cops in Boston whose eldest daughter is partnered with a new transfer from LAPD (with the NYPD’s Danny being that transfer).

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Matt Damon to portray Odysseus in Christopher Nolan’s reimagining of ‘The Odyssey’

Matt Damon will be playing the lead role of Odysseus in Christopher Nolan‘s forthcoming movie version of Homer’s The Odyssey. Nolan will direct the movie based on the Homer epic poem, written nearly 3,000 years ago.

Nolan also wrote the script for The Odyssey, which was described by Universal Pictures as “a mythic action epic shot across the world using brand new IMAX film technology.” Damon is joined in the film by Tom Holland, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Anne Hathaway, Charlize Theron, Benny Safdie, Jon Bernthal, Elliot Page, Himesh Patel, Bill Irwin, Samantha Morton and Mia Goth.

Variety reports that parts of the movie will film in Italy, with Universal sharing a first-look photo of Damon in character with the caption: ‘Matt Damon is Odysseus. A film by Christopher Nolan, #TheOdysseyMovie is in theaters July 17, 2026.’

Homer’s epic poem tells of King Odysseus’ perilous 10-year journey home to Ithaca after the Trojan War. As Odysseus makes his way back, he’s forced to contend with interruptions from the gods and other mythical creatures. Meanwhile, his wife and son have to contend with suitors seeking to replace him.

Nolan’s The Odyssey is set to hit theaters on July 17, 2026. Production is expected to begin later this month.

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Ukraine agrees to U.S.-led immediate 30-day ceasefire with Russia

Following peace talks in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, officials for Ukraine and the United States have proposed a 30-day cease-fire and await a response from Russia. The agreement came after more than eight hours of negotiations between Ukrainian officials and a U.S. delegation led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio in  Jeddah.

Representatives of the two nations said in a joint statement on Tuesday released by the State Department: “Ukraine expressed readiness to accept the U.S. proposal to enact an immediate, interim 30-day ceasefire, which can be extended by mutual agreement of the parties, and which is subject to acceptance and concurrent implementation by the Russian Federation. The United States will communicate to Russia that Russian reciprocity is the key to achieving peace.”

The U.S. and Ukrainian delegations said the interim, month-long cease-fire “can be extended by mutual agreement of the parties, and that the United States will communicate to Russia that Russian reciprocity is the key to achieving peace.”  The two delegations “also discussed the importance of humanitarian relief efforts as part of the peace process, particularly during the above-mentioned ceasefire, including the exchange of prisoners of war, the release of civilian detainees, and the return of forcibly transferred Ukrainian children.”

Rubio said: “Today, we made an offer that the Ukrainians have accepted, which is to enter into a cease-fire and into immediate negotiations to end this conflict in a way that’s enduring and sustainable and accounts for their interests, their security, their ability to prosper as a nation. And hopefully we’ll take this offer now to the Russians, and we hope that they’ll say yes, that they’ll say yes to peace. The ball is now in their court. The president’s objective here is, number one, above everything else, he wants the war to end, and I think today Ukraine has taken a concrete step in that regard. We hope the Russians will reciprocate.”

Rubio led the U.S. delegation to Saudi Arabia, supported by Witkoff and national security adviser Mike Waltz. Zelenskyy was visiting Saudi Arabia at the time of the talks, but did not participate. A senior Ukrainian official said ahead of the talks that Kyiv was ready to make a peace deal with Russia.  Andriy Yermak, Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, said his delegation’s central message was that “Ukrainians want peace,” and that Ukraine was “ready to go to work toward that goal  It is very important, because we want that never, this aggression, [is] never repeated in the future again. Of course, it’s very important. But now we think it’s necessary to discuss, [with] the most importance, how to start this process.”

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President Trump threatens to double tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum to 50%

President Donald Trump announced retaliatory tariffs against Canada on Tuesday, saying he will double the tariffs imposed on steel and aluminum by an additional 25%, bringing the total duties to 50%.

Trump said in a Truth Social post on Tuesday morning: “Based on Ontario, Canada, placing a 25% Tariff on “Electricity” coming into the United States, I have instructed my Secretary of Commerce to add an ADDITIONAL 25% Tariff, to 50%, on all STEEL and ALUMINUM COMING INTO THE UNITED STATES FROM CANADA, ONE OF THE HIGHEST TARIFFING NATIONS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD .. This will go into effect TOMORROW MORNING, March 12th”

The President also called on Canada to drop tariffs on various U.S. dairy products, and said he will be declaring a “national emergency on electricity” in the areas affected by Canada’s electricity surcharge. New York, Minnesota and Michigan, which border Canada, were targeted by Ontario’s surcharge. Ontario Premier Doug Ford warned after Trump’s announcement that Canada would shut off its supply of electricity to the United States if the trade war continues to escalate.

According to CNBC, Canada is the largest exporter of steel and aluminum to the United States. It exported 6.6 million net tons of steel and 3.5 million tons of aluminum to the United States in 2024. Brazil exported 4.5 million tons of steel to the United States.

Meanwhile,  newly appointed Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney called Trump’s threats “an attack on Canadian workers, families, and businesses. My government will ensure our response has maximum impact in the U.S. and minimal impact here in Canada, while supporting the workers impacted.”  Carney said Canadian tariffs on U.S. goods would remain in place “until the Americans show us respect and make credible, reliable commitments to free and fair trade.”

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Country Daypop

Miranda Lambert shares video for ‘Run’

Miranda Lambert has shared the official music video for her latest single “Run,” directed by Kate Rentz and written by Miranda herself.

Lambert says of the track: “I wasn’t ever ready to perform it until now. That’s what songs are for, and you may not be ready at that one time to sing about something really raw. But then it can come back around,” adding that the song is “an admission of error too. It’s an apology, but it’s also a resolve.”

The video for ‘Run’ was filmed at Don Donnelly’s D Spur Ranch & Riding Stables in Gold Canyon, Arizona, with Lambert’s horse, Cool, appearing in the visual. Said Lambert: “There is always a sense of freedom when you’re on the back of a horse with the wind in your hair, so it felt really significant to have Cool with me in this video. I love horses because they’re a way to run to something–or away if you need to. I started riding when I turned 30 and wanted to try more things that scared me. Now horses are such a passion of mine and mounted shooting is a brand-new way to push myself and to chase that feeling of being bravely true to yourself, which is exactly what this song is about.”

See the video for ‘Run’ – HERE.

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Country Daypop

Old Dominion to launch 2025 ‘How Good is That – World Tour’

Old Dominion will embark on the How Good Is That – World Tour, with ERNEST and newcomer Redferrin joining as support.

The extensive trek will kick off June 5 in Charleston, South Carolina, and include stops in Jacksonville, Greensboro, Oklahoma City, Lake Tahoe and more. They will also hit European and U.K. cities including as Copenhagen, Oslo, Hamburg, London and Manchester before wrapping in Glasgow, Scotland, on Oct. 31.

Frontman Matthew Ramsey said:  “If there’s one thing we learned from our summers playing shows and festivals, it’s that you can create one really great party by bringing people with you who share your energy, commitment to the fans and desire to really have fun on that stage. Everybody we’re bringing with us knows how to have a great time up there, and they share our love for the people who love our music. I can’t wait to get these evenings started.”

For a full list of dates, ticket information and to join the band’s ‘Odies’ fan club, visit weareolddominion.com.

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