Midday Roundup: Boston bombing suspect finally heads to court

On camera. Boston bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev will make his first appearance in federal court this afternoon to be arraigned on charges stemming from the April 15 attack that killed three and wounded more than 200. The hearing will be broadcast, giving viewers the first live look at Tsarnaev since he and his older brother allegedly left pressure cooker bombs near the finish line of the Boston Marathon. Tamerlan Tsarnaev died in a shootout with police four days later. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev led police on an almost 24-hour manhunt and was wounded during the shootout that ended in his capture. He has remained in a prison hospital since then. Prosecutors have charged him with more than 30 counts, including using a weapon of mass destruction.

Immigration reform support. Former President George W. Bush is making headlines again after spending the last five years in semi-seclusion. During a special naturalization ceremony at his library and museum in Dallas on Wednesday, Bush said he hoped lawmakers could reach an agreement on immigration reform. “The laws governing the immigration system aren’t working. The system is broken,” Bush told the crowd. “I don’t intend to get involved in the politics or the specifics of policy, but I do hope there is a positive resolution to the debate. I hope during the debate that we keep a benevolent spirit in mind. We understand the contributions immigrants make to our country.” Bush tried and failed during his second term in office to pass his own immigration reform package but faced stiff opposition from members of his own Republican Party.

iCollusion. A federal judge has ruled that Apple violated antitrust laws by colluding with publishing companies to raise the prices of e-books, an attempt to hurt leading bookseller Amazon.com. After a three-week trial, the judge found Apple liable for civil antitrust violations and is preparing for a trial to determine damages. Apple claims it did nothing wrong in talking with the publishers, five of which already settled with the government. The judge said she had no doubt the publishers conspired to raise the prices of e-books because they feared Amazon’s $9.99 price point for bestsellers would destroy their business model. Apple made the price increase possible by agreeing to sell books on its popular iTunes platform for $12.99. In return, the Cupertino, Calif., company took 30 percent of the profits. The antitrust case is one of the largest the Justice Department has tried in the last 10 years.

Storm watch. Residents in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico are bracing for the arrival of Tropical Storm Chantal later today. Although not strong, the storm is expected to bring heavy rain. Officials in Haiti are warning about potential flooding and landslides, but few people are heeding calls to evacuate. About 279,000 people still live in ramshackle settlements put up after the 2010 earthquake. Even moderate rains can bring misery and death.