Latest from Almourassel
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
There's virtually no chance Laura Loomer gets the special counsel she's asking for
Sorry, Laura Loomer. It is extraordinarily unlikely that President Donald Trump's Justice Department will heed the far-right commentator's call to appoint a special counsel to manage the Jeffrey Epstein files for reasons both practical and political: Doing so would require a reversal of such gargantuan proportions that it seems almost impossible to imagine. Every member of the DOJ's upper ranks — Attorney General Pam Bondi, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, soon-to-be Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward and top DOJ official Emil Bove — has forcefully argued that independent special counsels defy the Constitution. In fact, they helped develop the argument that crushed one of special counsel Jack Smith's criminal cases against Trump last year. Trump himself spent years attacking the existence of special counsels — prosecutors appointed by the Justice Department to handle certain politically explosive cases. And he celebrated U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon's ruling last year endorsing his argument. But it was Blanche, Woodward and Bove who refined the legal underpinnings of that argumentas criminal defense attorneys in Smith's investigation into the presence of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago after Trump's first term. Bondi, at the time, worked for the pro-Trump America First Policy Institute and signed a brief echoing the president's position. Now, they would need to abandon their arguments entirely. Loomer, an increasingly influential Trump adviser, has spearheaded calls for a special counsel to oversee the handling of files connected to the investigation of Epstein, the disgraced financier who was convicted of sex crimes and suspected of trafficking minors before he died by suicide in jail in 2019. Bondi in February told Fox News that a 'client list' with high-profile names associated with Epstein's crimes was 'sitting on my desk right now to review.' Then, when Bondi and her DOJ leadership opted against making the case files public — despite years of hype and promises to expose the purportedly salacious details within them — Loomer began calling for Bondi to be fired and for a special counsel to take over the handling of the Epstein case. But the basis for a special counsel appointment in this case is unclear. DOJ regulations require that they be appointed to run active criminal investigations— which the Epstein case is not — and only when the Justice Department or administration has a conflict of interest connected to the matter. There's been no suggestion that Trump's DOJ leaders are conflicted, even if his allies have quarreled with their handling of it. On Wednesday, when asked if he was considering a special counsel, Trump said he had 'nothing to do with' the decision — effectively leaving the call to Bondi. Then today, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump 'would not recommend' that DOJ appoint a 'special prosecutor' in the Epstein saga. The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. And special counsels, while maintaining a veneer of independence, nevertheless report to Justice Department leaders about major decisions and would, in this case, still operate under Bondi's supervision. In fact, the thrust of Bondi's argument in the Florida case was that Smith's claim of independent authority was inherently unconstitutional. 'Trump spent several years arguing that appointing a special counsel from outside DOJ was unconstitutional,' said Josh Blackman, a legal expert from South Texas College of Law Houston, who participated in the argument against Smith's appointment before Cannon. 'It is possible to designate a U.S. attorney to investigate. But that special counsel would still be supervised by Bondi. I'm not sure what would be gained.' Bondi would also have the ultimate say in whether any report from a special counsel is made public. Of course, precedent and consistency have not always dissuaded Trump from adopting politically convenient positions. But Trump has long distrusted special counsels and the independence they exercise, which can lead them down investigative paths that are not always predictable. In 2017, Trump's own Justice Department appointed former FBI Director Robert Mueller to probe the 2016 Trump campaign's links to Russia, an investigation that dogged him for two years and led to several prosecutions of close advisers. In 2020, Trump privately endorsed the appointment of attorney Sidney Powell as special counsel to investigate his false claims of election fraud, part of his campaign to cling to power despite losing at the polls. But resistance from senior White House aides scuttled the appointment. And in 2022, President Joe Biden's attorney general, Merrick Garland, appointed Smith, a veteran prosecutor, to probe Trump's effort to subvert the 2020 election, as well as his alleged concealment of classified documents. Both probes led to federal criminal charges — the first ever against a former president — that were dropped after Trump won a second term.
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fantasy football - Top-12 RB rankings for dynasty
Yahoo Sports fantasy analysts Matt Harmon and Justin Boone run through the top dozen running an impact for Fantasy entering dynasty this summer. Hear the full conversation on the 'Yahoo Fantasy Forecast' podcast - and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen. View more Video Transcript Justin, we're gonna quickly rank these guys, uh for dynasty here. I think we'll be in agreement that Ashton Gentry's #1, Amarian Hampton, based on what you said earlier, I'm guessing is gonna be your #2. How do we order the rest of these guys? The third running back is Trayvon Henderson. Henderson's pretty straightforward, right? I love the game-breaking speed. I love the pass-catching ability, and like I said earlier, I think he is going to thrive as a pass catcher in that offense. That's where he's gonna make his hay. Next, and we have to put a huge asterisk next to this one. It is still Quinshaw Judkins. He is the guy with the talent who would be my #2 back in. Although, personally right now, probably just taking him off my draft board entirely and not drafting him anywhere. Then RJ Harvey, I think like we talked about, he might have a slower start, but eventually he will take over and he's going to be a pretty good back for fantasy. Caleb Johnson, I just think he's a great value compared to the other running backs above him. Not going to be the guy that's gonna win you your league, but could come in, and in the spots I've taken him, I'm looking at him as like an RB3 or a flex on my teams. The next guy for me, like we said, it's two together, it's Scattibo, and it's Tin. Scattibo, I think there's a chance he could take that job. I don't necessarily think that's gonna happen. I think it's gonna end up being a committee. And then Tootin, he is such an explosive player. That's a backfield, again, another one that's kind of looking for that guy to step up. And then it's actually Jerquez Hunter on the Rams, and he's a guy who is very explosive. He brings something that I think the other backs in that Rams backfield don't. Then we go to Jayden Blue, like I said, not sure he's ever going to be the lead back, but certainly, you know, intriguing this year. Could he end up carving out a role? I think he will. I think it's just gonna be a committee there though. After that, we're gonna go to Dylan Sampson, and we talked about him. I guess we could put an asterisk next to his name as well because depending what happens with Judkins, Samson could really vault up this list a few spots. Then I'm gonna go to Berard Smith on the Chiefs, and now we're getting into an area where I don't think he's ever going to be the lead back, but it really sounds like Andy Reid has a plan for him, wants to use him in the passing game. so we could see Brochard Smith give us some value this year. If it does happen, it's not gonna be as an RB1 or probably even an RB2. It's gonna be more of a flex play, but where you get him, if he returns flex value this year, that is gonna be great. Close
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Peter Bart: With YouTube Soaring, PBS Fading And Film Struggling, Critics As We Know Them Might Be An Endangered Species
The three news stories ran back to back last week but only one stirred much attention. One story warned that both NPR and PBS are facing a dire squeeze, even extinction, due to funding cutbacks. A second disclosed new data revealing YouTube's more dominant share of TV viewership (are Emmys next?). The third revealed that the New York Times was about to replace four of its most prominent culture critics. The critics story might have received further attention in a more alert pop culture but it was essentially buried, suggesting that some Times readers felt there wasn't anything worth criticizing. More from Deadline Senate Votes To Cut Federal Funding To Public Broadcasting; 'Against The Will Of The American People,' PBS CEO Says New York Times To Reassign Music, TV And Theater Critics As Part Of Effort To Bring 'Different Perspectives' To Coverage Senate Starts "Vote-A-Rama" As It Heads For Final Roll Call On Rescinding Federal Funding For PBS, NPR And Public Media Stations The formidable climb of YouTube in audience and influence has indeed startled the pop culture universe. Even Netflix's content factory is now licensing the very YouTube creators whom audiences once disdained as amateurs. YouTube and Netflix together account for 20% of TV viewing – news that would seemingly rivet advertiser attention. But AI is disrupting major ad agencies, causing them to slash jobs and shift marketing strategy. In film, meanwhile, the expanding ambitions of Silicon Valley giants like Apple and Amazon threaten to challenge the slates of legacy studios. Investors have seemingly taken notice: Brands delivering the most future action among investors may not be for content at all, but rather for celebrity brands like Rihanna or Wiz Khalifa and his mushroom-growing kit. The media has belatedly taken notice: Overall, the term 'critic' itself seems outdated amid the post-Trumpian cultural chaos. That may have been what the Times concluded in 're-assigning' its gurus covering theater, TV, pop music or even classical music. Film critics were not affected perhaps because, as one Times veteran said, 'there's no space for what they cover anyway.' In eras past, the re-assignment of a Bosley Crowther in film or a Frank Rich in theater would have prompted a cataclysm from the readership. In his memoir, Crowther admitted he was haunted by the financial impact of his reviews; a high-profile studio movie would be doomed by a negative Times review. Rich's theater critiques so consistently obliterated Broadway ticket sales that they prompted threats of advertising boycotts. The public battle of playwright David Hare against Rich inspired a Variety headline declaring 'Ruffled Hare Airs Rich Bitch.' Sime Silverman, who started Variety in 1905, hired street-tough critics to round out his critical fraternity. A burly one-time bartender named Jack Pulaski covered 'legit' (as Variety called theater) and a circus performer names Al Greason handled film. The various critics hated Tobacco Road but oddly liked Birth of a Nation. The most widely read tyrant among film critics was Pauline Kael, who even briefly tried her hand at development in Hollywood. She admitted that the critical sensibility did not translate to box office. Sensibilities are also being challenged by the problems looming at PBS and NPR, threatened by a combination of Trumpian defunding and fading local support. Were Congress to reduce funding for public radio alone, up to 1,000 local member stations reportedly would face closure. NPR receives only 2% of its funding directly from the federal government, but PBS gets 15%. Congress may imminently end public support for the Corporation of Public Broadcasting, which distributes money to NPR and PBS. So will the Times replace its culture critics and where will they come from? Will their reviews take the form of podcasts or appear on more exotic platforms? Further, instead of focusing on theater or concerts, will Times critics review YouTube stars like Michelle Khare, the daredevil who emulates Houdini or tries Tom Cruise-like airplane stunts. Survival in pop culture itself has become a stunt, they might argue. Best of Deadline The Movies That Have Made More Than $1 Billion At The Global Box Office Everything We Know About 'Stranger Things' Season 5 So Far 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
An uncontrolled wildfire sends a cloud of smoke over Spain's capital
Spain Madrid Wildfire MADRID (AP) — An uncontrolled wildfire burned outside Madrid on Thursday, sending a giant cloud of smoke over the Spanish capital. The fire broke out in the town of Mentrida in central Spain's Castile-La Mancha region about 50 kilometers (30 miles) southwest of the capital. Local authorities urged residents to stay home and close their windows. Spanish authorities said the blaze had burned around 3,000 hectares (roughly 7,400 acres) by the late evening. Firefighters deployed on the ground and in the air were working to extinguish the fire that began around 3 pm. Wind blew the smoke over Madrid, where in the afternoon skies turned orange and thick with smoke. Large parts of Spain are under heat and fire warnings, with temperatures on Thursday reaching 37 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit) in Madrid. Europe is the world's fastest-warming continent, with temperatures increasing at twice the speed as the global average since the 1980s, according to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service. Scientists warn that climate change is exacerbating the frequency and intensity of heat and dryness, which makes places more vulnerable to wildfires.
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Vancouver Canucks Trade Dakota Joshua To The Toronto Maple Leafs
The Vancouver Canucks have traded forward Dakota Joshua to the Toronto Maple Leafs for a fourth-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft. Joshua had just completed the first year of his new four-year contract, which carries an AAV of $3.25 million. With the addition of a fourth-round pick, Vancouver now has eight selections in both the 2027 and 2028 drafts.
