Sao Paulo moves to end area known as Crackland as residents scatter and cry foul against police
SAO PAULO — Marcelo Colaiácovo was driving to his bar in Downtown Sao Paulo on a recent May afternoon when he noticed something unusual: the hundreds of drug users that for years roamed around the neighborhood were all gone. He walked around for 10 minutes finding no trace of them. Also gone was the stench of their waste being cleaned by city hall staffers.
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Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Yahoo
Worcester activist critical of city manager faces one-year city hall ban
A Worcester resident and activist has been banned from using city hall for one year, according to a letter from City Manager Eric D. Batista. On May 27, Batista issued a no-trespassing order to David Webb, a Worcester resident who has been a frequent critic of Batista's administration — accusing the city manager and his staff of not being transparent or truthful to the city's residents. The full letter can be read at the end of this story. In his no-trespassing order, Batista writes that Webb has approached employees both inside city hall itself and non-public workspaces in an 'intrusive and aggressive manner.' Webb says he plans to sue the city for this decision but he intends to comply with the order for now — saying that he will be arrested if he does not. The order reads that Webb engaged in behavior towards City Hall employees that Batista deems inappropriate — such as following them with a camera and phone 'inches away from their faces asking them for comments,' and jumping in front of an employee's vehicle, prohibiting them from moving and exiting the garage while 'shouting at them and recording the employee and their vehicle.' Webb pushed back on Batista's claims, saying that he did not record his camera inches from people's faces and said he did not jump in front of a vehicle. I was walking on the sidewalk and the city solicitor was exiting and I started recording — did not jump,' Webb said. Batista also wrote that over the past 12 months, Webb sent 502 emails to the city solicitor, 478 emails to Batista's chief of staff, 370 emails to the city clerk, 209 emails to the deputy city clerk, 1,071 to the public records access officer and 912 emails to the assistant city solicitor. He said that this 'barrage' of emails has made employees feel uneasy and fearful and has severely hindered them from doing their jobs. 'The direct contact, blind copying, and copying of several employees on most matters has become harassment and is severely hindering the ability of city employees to provide efficient services and perform job duties,' Batista wrote. For one year, Webb is barred from being inside City Hall, its offices and in areas next to the building, such as the garage, porticos, entryways, paths of the front and rear plazas and sidewalks, according to the letter. The letter reads that Webb must also send emails to the department's general email that are intended for inquiries. On numerous occasions, Webb has spoken out against both Batista and the city council, whether it's during the public comment period of a city council meeting or, more recently, at Batista's State of the City address, where he continuously shouted over the city manager until four Worcester police officers instructed him to leave. Webb told MassLive he believes the city manager is not transparent and that he is lying to the people of Worcester. 'The city manager serves to manage our image and cash flow rather than functionality as a municipality, and only having part-time representatives means that it's pretty much exclusively landlords, business owners and lawyers rather than the people this city needs to actually serve,' Webb said. Even though he is banned from City Hall, Webb still plans on being involved in Worcester politics. 'I'm going to make a video each afternoon before the council to help people know what's going on and do a Q&A about Worcester politics with people who want to get involved,' he said. 'Those who can't do, teach.' Full letter is below. If you can't read it, click here. Worcester restaurant serving food from Ghana seized by state due to unpaid taxes Worcester father of 4-month-old deported after ICE 'violated his rights,' attorney says Mass. Hidden Gems: Comfy classics and a mystery menu at Peppercorn's Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Bass calls emergency meeting after alleged terror attack on Jewish demonstrators in Colorado
The Brief Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has called an emergency meeting to assess city security after a "terror" attack on Jewish demonstrators in Boulder, Colorado. Eight people were injured when a suspect used a makeshift flamethrower and threw an incendiary device into a crowd marching for the return of Israeli hostages. Suspect Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, has been taken into custody and charged. LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is calling for an emergency meeting at City Hall to assess security across Los Angeles following what authorities describe as a targeted terror attack on Jewish demonstrators in Boulder, Colorado. Eight people were injured when the suspect, identified as Mohamed Sabry Soliman, used a makeshift flamethrower and threw an incendiary device into a crowd. The incident, which injured several elderly participants, has renewed concerns over rising antisemitic violence nationwide. What we know Bass is calling for an emergency meeting at City Hall to evaluate security in Los Angeles. This comes after what is being described as a "terror" attack on Jewish demonstrators in Boulder, Colorado. The demonstrators were participating in a weekly gathering called "Run for Their Lives," which raises awareness for hostages still held in Gaza by Hamas following the October 7, 2023, attacks in Israel. Witnesses said the suspect yelled "Free Palestine" during the attack. According to officials, eight people—four men and four women between the ages of 52 and 88—were hospitalized in Denver for burn injuries. The victims were described as elderly and defenseless, and eyewitnesses reported scenes of panic and trauma at the outdoor mall where the incident occurred. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Boulder, Colorado 'targeted terror attack' injures 6 people: FBI Boulder police took 45-year-old Mohamed Sabry Soliman into custody. Law enforcement officials—including bomb squad teams and K-9 units—shut down several city blocks while searching for additional devices. Authorities now believe the suspect acted alone. According to the Department of Homeland Security, Soliman is an Egyptian national who overstayed his visa and is in the country illegally. He has been booked on charges that include murder in the first degree, although there have been no confirmed reports that any of the victims died. According to Boulder County Jail records, other charges against Soliman include first degree assault and crimes against an at-risk adult over 70. What they're saying Mayor Karen Bass issued a statement Sunday condemning the attack and announcing increased security in Los Angeles: "What happened in Boulder, Colorado today — an especially brutal targeting of elders — is an atrocious affront to the very fabric of our society and our beliefs here in Los Angeles," Bass said. "This was the second terrorist attack against Jews in two weeks — I will be calling an emergency meeting at City Hall regarding safety and security here in Los Angeles immediately after Shavuot." PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Colorado 'terror attack' injures 6 people: FBI "LAPD is conducting extra patrols at houses of worship and community centers throughout L.A. Anti-Semitism will not be tolerated in this city." Timeline Sunday: Demonstrators gathered for a weekly event organized by "Run for Their Lives" in Boulder. Later Sunday: Mayor Bass issued her statement and announced extra LAPD patrols. On May 21, in Washington, D.C., a man armed with a handgun opened fire on a group of people outside of the Lillian & Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum, killing two staff members of the Embassy of Israel. What we don't know It's unclear whether the attack is part of a broader trend of coordinated antisemitic violence or an isolated incident. What's next The emergency meeting at City Hall will take place after the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, which is celebrated from sundown Sunday through sundown Tuesday. Shavuot commemorates the giving of the Torah to Moses and the Israelites at Mount Sinai. The Source Information for this story is from the office of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
Bloomberg
a day ago
- Bloomberg
Matthei Gives Chile Vote Pledges a Reality Check on Fiscal Woes
Faced with an electoral campaign fought on two fronts — against the left and the hard right — Chile's presidential front-runner Evelyn Matthei is trying to mark a difference not through sweeping promises, but by recognizing the cold, hard facts of a weak economy. Yes, they aim to cut the corporate tax rate, but it is going to be gradual, said Cecilia Cifuentes, one of Matthei's economic advisers. And yes, they will boost spending on fighting crime, but there are no El Salvador-style mega-prisons in the works.
