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Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Mayor Karen Bass Calls Emergency Meeting in Response to Attack on Jewish Demonstrators in Colorado
Mayor Karen Bass Calls Emergency Meeting in Response to Attack on Jewish Demonstrators in Colorado originally appeared on L.A. Mag. Mayor Karen Bass called an emergency meeting following the antisemitic terror attack in Boulder, Colorado on Sunday. LAPD is conducting extra patrols at houses of worship and community centers throughout Los Angeles, according to Bass' statement.'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 wrote. 'This was the second terrorist attack against Jews in two weeks.' Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, burned at least eight victims, four women and four men with ages ranging from 52 to 88, according to the F.B.I. The suspect used a 'makeshift flamethrower' in a 'targeted act of violence,' according to an F.B.I targeted a peaceful demonstration called Run for Their Lives held to bring awareness for the Israeli hostages kidnapped by Hamas during the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks. He screamed 'Free Palestine' during the attack, according to event is currently advertised on its website as family-friendly and not a 'protest.' The organization describes itself as 'non-violent and does not focus on the traumatic events that occurred during the hostages' captivity. Our events are meant to be quiet and peaceful.'The F.B.I wrote that they are investigating the attacks as a 'targeted act of terrorism.'Bass will hold the emergency meeting at City Hall, focusing on safety and security in L.A. immediately after the Jewish holiday of Shavuot which ends June 3.'Anti-Semitism will not be tolerated in this city,' Bass wrote in her statement. This story was originally reported by L.A. Mag on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Times
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Late Night Is Concerned About (the Truth Behind) Biden's Health
Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown of the previous night's highlights that lets you sleep — and lets us get paid to watch comedy. Here are the 50 best movies on Netflix right now. Our Sympathies, but … The news that former President Joseph R. Biden Jr. had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer naturally spurred late-night discussion on Monday. On 'The Daily Show,' Jon Stewart mocked those professing sympathy for Biden while at the same time using his condition to score political points. 'They used to say it's not the crime, it's the cover-up, but it's starting to feel like politics is all cover-up,' Stewart said. The Punchiest Punchlines (Games We Play Edition) The Bits Worth Watching John Oliver dissected the ways in which President Trump shapes coverage of his presidency, including using lawsuits and the F.C.C. as leverage, on Sunday's 'Last Week Tonight.' What We're Excited About on Tuesday Night Amid conspiracy theories circling about his photo of seashells appearing to be a threat against the president, the former F.B.I director James Comey will surely set the record straight on 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.' Also, Check This Out Now that the 50th season of 'Saturday Night Live' is at an end, here are its most memorable moments, from political satire to straight-up silliness. Domingo!
New York Times
04-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Another Reason People Fear the Government
Why do Americans have such deep distrust of their government? It's a simple question with a complex answer, but here's part of the reason: All too often, the government wrongfully inflicts profound harm on American citizens and then leaves them with no recourse. It violates the law and leaves its victims with no way to be made whole. Let me give you two recent examples, both taken from Supreme Court cases that were argued this term and have not yet been decided. In the predawn hours of Oct. 18, 2017, an F.B.I. SWAT team detonated a flash-bang grenade at a home at 3756 Denville Trace in Atlanta. A team of federal agents rushed in. The family inside was terrified. Hilliard Toi Cliatt lived there with his partner, Curtrina Martin, and her 7-year-old son, Gabe. They had no idea who had entered their house. Cliatt tried to protect Martin by grabbing her and hiding in a closet. Martin screamed, 'I need to get my son.' The agents pulled Cliatt and Martin out of the closet, holding them at gunpoint as Martin fell to the floor, half-naked. When they asked Cliatt his address, 'All the noise just ended.' He told them: 3756 Denville Trace. But it turned out they were supposed to be at 3741 Landau Lane, an entirely different house down the block. The agents left, raided the correct house and then returned to apologize. The lead agent gave the family his business card and left the family, according to their Supreme Court petition, in 'stunned disbelief.' Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
New York Times
02-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Trump Proposes $163 Billion in Cuts Across Government in New Budget
President Trump on Friday proposed slashing $163 billion in federal spending next fiscal year, a drastic retrenchment in the role and reach of government that, if enacted, would eliminate a vast set of climate, education, health and housing programs, including some that benefit the poor. Issuing his first budget proposal since returning to office, Mr. Trump sketched out a dim view of Washington. His blueprint depicted many core government functions as woke, weaponized, wasteful or radical, as the president looked to justify his request that Congress chop domestic spending to its lowest level in the modern era. Record-Low Funding for Domestic Programs President Trump's budget proposes shrinking nondefense funding to its lowest level since the 1960s, when these records began. Nondefense discretionary funding 4% of G.D.P. 3% Trump proposal 2% 1% 1986 1996 2006 2016 2026 Nondefense discretionary funding 4% of G.D.P. 3% Trump proposal 2% 1% 1986 1996 2006 2016 2026 Note: Amounts are base funding (nonemergency). This category includes everything Congress must authorize each year, but not 'mandatory spending' on benefits like Social Security or Medicare. Source: Analysis of budget data by Bobby Kogan, Center for American Progress By Alicia Parlapiano Mr. Trump proposed cutting funding for some federal law enforcement, including the F.B.I. He called on lawmakers to slash money meant to police tax evasion at the Internal Revenue Service. He recommended striking billions in funds that help finance clean water projects. And the president reserved some of his deepest cuts for education, health and science, including the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which would see their budgets cut by around half. Democrats immediately rebuked Mr. Trump for his proposal. Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Senate minority leader, called it 'heartless' and an 'all-out assault on hardworking Americans.' Even some Republicans took issue with Mr. Trump's budget, although others, like Speaker Mike Johnson, endorsed the blueprint. Mr. Trump also asked Congress to reduce, if not eliminate, billions of dollars in federal aid to help the poorest Americans. For one, the White House called for reconfiguring federal programs that provide rental assistance to low-income families, cutting aid by more than $26 billion next fiscal year. And the administration proposed the termination of a federal initiative, backed by some Republicans, that aids needy families in paying their monthly heating bills. Proposed Budget Change by Agency The budget proposes redistributing the $163 billion in cuts to a handful of agencies, including defense and homeland security. Discretionary funding change, 2025-26 BILLIONS PCT. State and International Programs –$49.1 –84% National Science Foundation –$4.9 –56% Environmental Protection Agency –$4.9 –54% Housing and Urban Development –$33.5 –44% Labor –$4.7 –35% Small Business Administration –$0.3 –33% Interior –$5.1 –30% Health and Human Services –$33.2 –26% NASA –$6.0 –24% Treasury –$2.7 –19% Agriculture –$5.0 –18% Commerce –$1.7 –17% Education –$12.0 –15% Justice –$2.8 –8% Social Security Administration No change Energy +$1.3 +3% Veterans Affairs +$5.4 +4% Transportation +$1.5 +6% Defense +$113.3 +13% Homeland Security +$42.3 +65% Discretionary funding change, 2025-26 BILLIONS PERCENTAGE CHANGE State and International Programs –$49.1 –84% National Science Foundation –$4.9 –56% Environmental Protection Agency –$4.9 –54% Housing and Urban Development –$33.5 –44% Labor –$4.7 –35% Small Business Administration –$0.3 –33% Interior –$5.1 –30% Health and Human Services –$33.2 –26% NASA –$6.0 –24% Treasury –$2.7 –19% Agriculture –$5.0 –18% Commerce –$1.7 –17% Education –$12.0 –15% Justice –$2.8 –8% Social Security Administration No change Energy +$1.3 +3% Veterans Affairs +$5.4 +4% Transportation +$1.5 +6% Defense +$113.3 +13% Homeland Security +$42.3 +65% Note: Amounts are base funding (nonemergency) and include changes the administration is anticipating from the reconciliation process. They do not include offsets or the V.A. Toxic Exposures Fund. Source: Analysis of budget data by Bobby Kogan, Center for American Progress By Alicia Parlapiano Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
New York Times
01-05-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Judge Rejects Efforts to Free F.B.I. Informant Who Lied About Hunter Biden
A federal judge on Wednesday rejected a bid by the Justice Department to free a former F.B.I. informant who had pleaded guilty to lying about Hunter Biden and evading his taxes, saying that nothing about the facts of the case had changed and the man might still flee if released. The longtime informant, Alexander Smirnov, pleaded guilty in December in exchange for a six-year prison sentence, admitting that he had lied to the government when he claimed to have information about a multimillion-dollar bribery scheme involving President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and his son Hunter. Before Mr. Smirnov was charged and eventually admitted his guilt, Republican lawmakers had promoted his false claims about the Bidens in their push to try to impeach President Biden. During the 2024 presidential campaign, Mr. Smirnov's allegations were also amplified by the Trump supporter Kash Patel, who is now the director of the F.B.I. Then, in an abrupt reversal this month, the Justice Department that had sent Mr. Smirnov to prison filed court papers seeking to have him released early, saying it was taking a second look at the case. That request was filed under instructions from senior Justice Department officials in Washington, according to people familiar with the decision who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe internal discussions. In Los Angeles on Wednesday, a U.S. District Court judge, Otis D. Wright II, rejected that request, saying neither prosecutors nor Mr. Smirnov's lawyers had presented any evidence that Mr. Smirnov was any less of a flight risk than when he was arrested. The judge also pushed back on what he said were inaccurate claims by the lawyers about the precise terms of his plea deal. The parties in the case, the judge wrote, 'present no new facts in their papers that would alter the court's conclusion that Smirnov is a flight risk, let alone provide 'clear and convincing evidence' that he is not one.' The Smirnov case was an offshoot of the federal investigation into Hunter Biden, and the plea deal was negotiated by David C. Weiss, the special counsel who led the inquiry and then stepped down in January. During the Biden administration, the Justice Department argued against the release of Mr. Smirnov, who had been arrested at the Las Vegas airport after returning to the United States from overseas. In the department's filing earlier this month, prosecutors said that 'clear and convincing evidence for defendant's nonviolent offenses of conviction shows that defendant is not likely to flee or pose a danger to the safety of any other person.' The judge's order said that the government's new argument was unconvincing, writing that 'the fact remains that Smirnov has been convicted and sentenced to 72 months in prison, providing ample incentive to flee.'
