CNN
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At a town hall in South Carolina, veteran congressman Jim Clyburn emphasized that Democrats are limited in what they can do in the minority in Congress, urging attendees to speak out and vote to help tip the scales and the balance of power.

The friendly crowd peppered long-serving Democratic lawmaker with questions about taxes, Social Security, tariffs and the Constitution – with concerns about how the Trump administration is handling all of those issues and more.

“It’s obvious the Trump administration has no use for the Constitution whatsoever,” one attendee said, asking Clyburn about the Trump administration’s immigration efforts and suggesting he feared US-born citizens could be next. “What can Congress do to put a stop to this nonsense coming out of the White House?”

Clyburn gave a lengthy response, including reading out the 14th Amendment and emphasizing the importance of hosting congressional town halls and speaking to voters across the country.

The congressman then asked the crowd to pray that the US “will not allow itself to go the way of Germany in the 1930s.”

“All we can do is share with you what we’re doing and ask for your prayers that this country will not allow itself to go the way of Germany in the 1930s when people stood by,” he said.

After reading out the famous “First They Came” quote from German Lutheran pastor Martin Niemöller, the congressman said, “we remember what happened to the Jews,” referencing the six million Jewish people who were murdered in the Holocaust by Hitler’s Nazi regime during World War II.

“So, we’re going to have to speak out. We’ve got to break our silence. And this is not about Democrats and Republicans. My parents were Republicans. My mother and father were Republicans. I love them. I don’t hate Republicans. I do hate liars,” he said prompting cheers from the crowd.

Asked by CNN after the town hall if he is truly afraid the country is sliding into autocracy, Clyburn said, “I absolutely am. There’s no question about that.”

The congressman reflected on his history of civil rights activism and his fears over the current political climate.

“I told the members of the Congressional Black Caucus, I think it was three weeks ago, I said to them, ‘when I was sitting in the Orangeburg County jail, the Richland County jail back in the sixties, I never feared.”

“I knew that I would be found guilty, I knew that I would get a sentence. But I also knew that if this gets to the US Supreme Court, I would be exonerated. Not today, not today. This Supreme Court, I don’t think would exonerate me for wanting to get out off the back of the bus. For wanting to be able to walk into a Five and Dime store and spend my money at a lunch counter.”

“These kinds of things, those indignities we suffered back in the Sixties I think we would be found guilty today for standing up against them. And I think the Supreme Court, this Supreme Court would sustain that.”

A number of Democratic lawmakers have faced contentious exchanges and criticism that their party and its leaders are not doing enough to stand up to President Trump at recent town halls. But the town hall with Clyburn did not feature disruptions or an unruly crowd.

The congressman said at the outset of the event that he would not talk over anyone or yell and hoped that everyone would display good manners.

CNN’s Sylvie Kirsch contributed.

CNN
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A restaurant chain has apologized after sparking outrage when it cut down an oak tree in London that was believed to be up to 500 years old.

Described by British conservation charity the Woodland Trust as “one of London’s largest and most significant ancient trees,” the huge oak was located outside a branch of Toby Carvery, a popular restaurant chain known for its roast dinners, in Whitewebbs Park in the borough of Enfield.

The tree’s remains, surrounded by its severed branches, were discovered by council workers on April 3. Enfield Council owns the land the tree was located on, and it is leased to Toby Carvery.

The owner of Toby Carvery, Mitchells & Butlers, said the chain was advised by contractors to cut the tree as it “caused a potential health and safety risk.”

With a girth of 6.1 meters (20 feet), the tree ranked in the top 100 of London’s 600,000 oak trees for size, according to the Woodland Trust.

“I am outraged that the leaseholder has cut down this beautiful ancient oak tree without seeking any permissions or advice from Enfield Council,” said Ergin Erbil, the leader of Enfield Council, in a statement Wednesday. “We have evidence that this tree was alive and starting to grow new spring leaves when this action was taken.”

He said the council believes the action has “broken the terms of the lease which requires Toby Carvery to maintain and protect the existing landscape.”

“The tree was the oldest one on site and cutting it down seems to be a clear breach of this condition. This tree would have been home to countless wildlife, fungi, and pollinators. This tree is a part of our ecological and cultural heritage,” he added.

The council said it is considering legal action.

According to the council, when experts inspected the oak in December, it was deemed “healthy” and “posed no risk” to the neighboring carpark and its users. An emergency tree preservation order has been imposed on the base of the stump, the Woodland Trust said.

A spokesperson for Mitchells & Butlers said in a statement to CNN that the felling of the tree was “an important action to protect our employees and guests as well as the wider general public.”

“We took necessary measures to ensure any legal requirements were met,” it added.

Phil Urban, the chain’s CEO, later apologized for “all the anger and upset that this incident has caused.”

“Clearly the felling of a beautiful old tree is a very emotive subject and is not something that any of us would undertake lightly,” said Urban in a letter addressing the incident. “We cannot undo what has been done,” he said, adding: “We need to tighten our protocols.”

Benny Hawksbee, who lives in Enfield and is a member of the Guardians of Whitewebbs group, said in the Woodland Trust statement that people want “answers.”

“The tree belonged to Enfield and to our national heritage. I am devastated,” said Hawksbee.

Jon Stokes, director of trees, science and research at the Tree Council, said in the trust’s statement that ancient oaks can live up to 1,000 years.

Despite the damage, council leader Erbil said the oak “shows clear signs of life,” adding: “We will also do everything we can to help the tree regrow.”

The Metropolitan Police Service told CNN in a statement Thursday that it was treating the felling as a civil matter and has closed its investigation.

This is not the first time that the felling of a tree has sparked outrage in the United Kingdom.

Last year, a famous sycamore tree in northern England that featured in the 1991 blockbuster film “Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves” was cut down in what authorities at the time labeled an “act of vandalism.” Meanwhile, in 2021 there was a mysterious spate of tree felling in southern England that saw dozens cut down in the dead of night.

CNN
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Editor’s Note: This story contains minor spoilers for the upcoming season of “Emily in Paris.”

“Emily in Paris” looks to be saying au revoir – or ciao – to one cast member that has been part of the Netflix series since the beginning.

Camille Razat, who plays Emily’s (Lily Collins) frenemy of the same first name, does not appear to be returning for Season 5, according to a cast announcement published on Netflix’s Tudum on Thursday. Razat has been a series regular for the past four seasons playing Gabriel’s (Lucas Bravo) on-again-off-again romantic partner.

CNN reached out to a representative for Netflix for comment on Razat’s future with the franchise, as well as representatives for Razat.

Among the cast members who are returning are Collins, Bravo, Ashley Park, Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu and Lucien Laviscount. Emily’s new Italian love interest Marcello, played by Eugenio Franceschini, will also be back.

Bravo’s return to the series comes after the actor previously spoke out about his displeasure with his character’s arc, telling IndieWire in an interview last year that he was questioning if he wanted “to be part of Season 5.”

Netflix also announced on Thursday that the series will start production on Season 5 in May, filming in Rome before heading back to Paris later this summer.

Season 4 ended with Emily being tasked with opening up a Roman branch of Agence Grateau.

Of course, her love interest Marcello will be part of that story, further complicating her already complex romantic relationship with Gabriel as they work toward his restaurant earning a Michelin star.

“Marcello is a whole other adventure that we want for Emily because we ultimately want Emily to be able to have a better work/life balance,” star Collins told Tudum. “We want to have Emily be able to smile without condition. We want to see her beyond her vacay mode. And he comes at that perfect time.”

A release date for Season 5 has not yet been announced.