• King Charles III is expected to be crowned June 3 at Westminster Abbey, U.K. officials said. Speaking on condition of anonymity before a public announcement, the government officials said plans are converging on that Saturday near the start of the summer. Buckingham Palace declined to comment. The coronation, almost 70 years to the day after his mother was crowned, will form the centerpiece of days of celebration marking the beginning of Charles' reign. He acceded to the throne and was named king last month following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. By June he'll be 74, making him the oldest person to be crowned in British history. It's been widely reported that the coronation will be a smaller, more modest version of previous ceremonies, with space for representatives of different faiths and community groups in line with modern Britain's diversity. Charles will be crowned alongside his wife, the Queen Consort, Camilla. When Elizabeth II was crowned in 1953, more than 8,000 guests from 129 nations traveled to London, with temporary platforms erected to seat the guests, including every member of the British aristocracy. Safety restrictions mean that nowadays the church can hold only about 2,000, providing a headache for planners. The ceremony is rich in tradition. The king is seated on a throne known as Edward's Chair, holding the sovereign's scepter and rod representing his constitutional control of the nation, along with the sovereign's orb representing the Christian world. After being anointed with oil, blessed and consecrated by senior clergy, Charles will have the crown of St Edward placed on his head. It's made of solid gold and has more than 400 gemstones, including rubies, garnets and sapphires.
• A U.S. immigration judge has cleared the way for fake German heiress Anna Sorokin to be released from detention to home confinement while she fights deportation. She must post $10,000 bond, provide a residential address where she'll stay for the duration of her immigration case and refrain from social media posting, Manhattan Immigration Judge Charles Conroy said Wednesday. Sorokin, 31, has been in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody since March 2021, after spending more than three years behind bars for swindling banks, hotels and friends to bankroll a posh lifestyle. Immigration authorities say she has overstayed her visa and must be returned to Germany. Sorokin's attorney, Duncan Levin, said they are "extremely gratified" by the decision. "The judge rightfully recognized that Anna is not a danger to the community," Levin said. "While there are still a few hurdles to jump through on her release conditions, Anna is thrilled to be getting out so she can focus on appealing her wrongful conviction." Sorokin's scheme inspired the Netflix series "Inventing Anna."
Anna Sorokin appears for her trial in Manhattan Supreme Court, April 24, 2019. (Jefferson Siegel/The New York Times)