Cheng Charlie' Saephan, who was born in Laos and immigrated in 1994, wants to provide for his family and find a good doctor'It was about eight years after a cancer diagnosis when Cheng Charlie" Saephan, his wife and their friends bought a batch of lottery tickets at a north-east Oregon convenience store in early April.They ended up winning the eighth-largest jackpot in US lottery history, officials revealed Monday, when Saephan appeared at a news conference and wondered how much time he had left to enjoy the windfall he is splitting with two of his loved ones. Continue reading...
Eight law-enforcement officers were shot, four fatally, during a shootout outside of a home in North Carolina in the US. Police said the officers were serving a warrant to an individual wanted for possessing a firearm, who was also killed, when the shooting began
University says move is to ensure safety on campus' after talks to reach compromise failColumbia University's pro-Palestinian protesters ignored an ultimatum on Monday to abandon their encampment or risk suspension. The university said it started suspensions early on Monday evening.We have begun suspending students as part of this next phase of our efforts to ensure safety on our campus," the university said in an update on its website. Once disciplinary action is initiated, adjudication is handled by several different units within the university based on the nature of the offense." Continue reading...
Republican governor says on social media no encampments will be allowed' as videos show police using pepper sprayProtesters who returned to the University of Texas at Austin on Monday were greeted by dozens of law enforcement officers, many in riot gear. At least 43 protesters were arrested as police and campus security used pepper spray and flash-bang charges on the crowd.The Republican governor, Greg Abbott, on social media reposted video of troopers arriving on the 50,000-student campus. No encampments will be allowed. Instead, arrests are being made," Abbott posted. Continue reading...
Protesters arrested in city's historic French Quarter as witnesses allege officers used indiscriminate' force to clear protestPolice arrested a dozen pro-Palestine protesters in New Orleans' historic French Quarter, as efforts to set up an encampment in the city's center were suppressed by local law-enforcement officers.Officers used batons and tasers on protesters who had congregated in Jackson Square Park, according to eyewitnesses and video reviewed by the Guardian. Three people received treatment in hospital as a result, according to two sources in direct contact with arrestees. Continue reading...
T-Mobile, Verizon, Sprint and AT&T say they will appeal against excessive' fines meted out by US regulatorThe Federal Communications Commission on Monday fined the largest US wireless carriers nearly $200m for illegally sharing access to customers' location information.The FCC is finalizing fines first proposed in February 2020, including $80m for T-Mobile; $12m for Sprint, which T-Mobile has since acquired; $57m for AT&T, and nearly $47m for Verizon. Continue reading...
A driver has filmed several zebras running from a sheriff's car in Washington state. Local media has reported that the animals escaped from a trailer on Sunday night while being transported to Montana
Relations have been frosty between the Florida governor and the former president since the Republican presidential primary beganDonald Trump claimed to have the full and enthusiastic support" of Ron DeSantis after the two men met on Sunday for a golf course breakfast in an apparent attempt to thaw their relationship after the Republican primary.I am very happy to have the full and enthusiastic support of Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida," Trump posted to his Truth Social platform on Monday afternoon. Continue reading...
The vice-president returned to the city, pressing the case to Black voters that the Biden administration has been there for themKamala Harris once again visited Atlanta to tout investments made by the Biden administration in minority and underserved communities, highlighting $158m in infrastructure spending on a project to build a cap over Atlanta's most traveled highway, the Downtown Connector.The vice-president's appearance is the continuation of a full court press in Georgia to solidify support among Democrats - and specifically Black Democrats - for the administration. Continue reading...
Prosecutors say they will not retry case after judge declared mistrial last week when jurors unable to reach unanimous verdictProsecutors said on Monday they will not retry an Arizona rancher whose trial in the fatal shooting of a Mexican man on his property ended last week with a deadlocked jury.The jurors in the trial of George Alan Kelly were unable to reach a unanimous decision on a verdict after more than two days of deliberation. The Santa Cruz county superior court judge Thomas Fink declared a mistrial on 22 April. Continue reading...
Bakish's departure confirmed as Paramount continues talks with Skydance Media over proposed tie-upThe boss of Paramount Global, the media empire behind CBS, MTV and Channel 5, is leaving with immediate effect as its owners scramble to finalize a blockbuster merger.Bob Bakish's exit from the firm was confirmed on Tuesday as Paramount continues negotiations with Skydance Media, a production company, regarding a tie-up. Continue reading...
by Léonie Chao-Fong (now) and Chris Stein (earlier) on (#6ME59)
Pro-Palestinian protesters joined by Columbia faculty after 2pm ET ultimatum to leave or face suspension passesLast week, Joe Biden vowed to take another stab at convincing Congress to pass legislation that would allow him to tighten immigration policy and deter new migrants from entering the United States.But Politico reports that nothing significant appears to be in the works - a consequences of the opposition from Donald Trump and his Republican allies in Congress that would likely kill any compromise reached on the highly divisive issue:Talks around resuscitating the bipartisan border compromise that senators struck in February have been nonexistent in Washington. And despite the president's proclamation, administration officials and immigration policy experts both say it's highly unlikely any legislative momentum for border security materializes between now and November.They pulled a rabbit out of a hat on Ukraine, but there's no chance they're getting anything out of Mike Johnson's House on border security," said an immigration advocate familiar with the White House's thinking, granted anonymity to discuss private conversations with administration officials. They've known that since December, when they realized they had to count votes in the House. There's no chance of legislation on this, and they know that. It's rhetorical posturing."In the short term, the two leaders ordered their national security teams to work together to immediately implement concrete measures to significantly reduce irregular border crossings while protecting human rights. President Biden and President Lopez Obrador also pledged to advance initiatives to address the root causes of migration throughout the Western Hemisphere, noting that increasing shared prosperity and security will be of critical importance in effectively addressing the migration challenge over the longer term. Continue reading...
Waffles and caviar for breakfast, fish and chips for dinner. The Guardian's reviewer digests a social week in WashingtonThe annual White House correspondents' dinner in Washington is ostensibly about the dinner poking fun at the president. But like the Oscars, or the Met Gala, it's also about the parties.But how to decide which parties to attend and which ones to skip? Every day of the White House correspondents' dinner weekend is now inundated with competing events.The rules were as follows: two food options were chosen at random at each party, and given a score out of 10 based on taste and execution. The parties reviewed were cocktail parties only; sit-down dinners were not included. Where the primary reviewer could not attend, a secondary reviewer sent notes. The final list was submitted to a three-judge appeals panel" made up of longtime MSNBC contributors, though the ranking could only be overturned in the event of plain error by the reviewer. The rankings were not overturned.Events not reviewed: Washington Women in Journalism awards ceremony, White House Foreign Press-Meridien party, WME-Puck party, Washingtonian/embassy of Qatar soiree, Politics and Inclusion dinner, Washington AI Network-TGI Friday lunch, Substack New Media party. Continue reading...
by Martin Pengelly in Washington and Ramon Antonio Va on (#6MEER)
South Dakota governor's account of family dog Cricket killing neighbor's chickens may be an offence, according to state lawKristi Noem, the South Dakota governor and Republican vice-presidential hopeful, may have committed a class two misdemeanor offence when her fated dog Cricket, a 14-month-old wirehair pointer Noem deemed untrainable" for hunting pheasant, killed a neighbor's chickens.Under South Dakota law, any person owning, keeping, or harboring a dog that chases, worries, injures, or kills any poultry or domestic animal is guilty of a class two misdemeanor and is liable for damages to the owner thereof for any injury caused by the dog to any such poultry or animal." Continue reading...
Students called on the school to cut ties with the weapons manufacturer, which donated $150,000 this yearA university in Portland, Oregon will pause" accepting donations from Boeing after students called on the school to cut ties with the manufacturer amid the war in Gaza.In addition to setting up an encampment on campus, students also addressed a letter to Ann Cudd, the president of Portland State University (PSU), demanding the university cut ties with Boeing. Continue reading...
Three of the striped African mammals recaptured but one remains at large after escaping from trailer en route to MontanaThree zebras were successfully recaptured by state police and rodeo professionals after wandering on to a major interstate in Washington state, though one remains on the lam.On Sunday, four zebras escaped from their trailer while being transported to Montana via Interstate 90, the Seattle Times reported. Continue reading...
The Israeli prime minister has good reason to worry, and the defenses he has offered so far are unlikely to help himThe Israeli government believes that the international criminal court (ICC) in The Hague is about to file war crimes charges against Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior Israeli officials. We can't know for sure - the ICC has kept its plans close to the vest - but the Israeli prime minister has good reason to worry, and the defenses he has offered so far are unlikely to help him.The ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan's most likely target is Netanyahu's starvation strategy for Palestinian civilians in Gaza. Because the Israeli government has refused to let ICC staff enter Gaza, it will take time for Khan to complete the detailed investigation required to demonstrate other possible Israeli war crimes, such as indiscriminately bombing civilian areas and firing on military targets with foreseeably disproportionate civilian consequences. But the facts surrounding Israel's obstruction of humanitarian aid are readily available. Continue reading...
Anyone who thinks far-right congresswoman will drop plan to remove Mike Johnson is simply out of their mind', aide saysAnyone who thinks Marjorie Taylor Greene will drop her threat to force the removal of the Republican US House speaker, Mike Johnson, is high, drunk, or simply out of their mind", a senior aide to the far-right Georgia congresswoman said.That's absurd," her deputy chief of staff Nick Dyer told Politico, adding that Greene was not going to tell the press" her plans for activating the motion to vacate she filed more than a month ago. Continue reading...
Galena survived six days of travel with no food or water before being discovered in relatively good shape by Amazon employeeIn the famous Schrodinger's cat hypothesis, a cat in a box is both alive and dead until someone looks inside - and in the case of one mischievous cat from Utah discovered inside an Amazon return package, it was very much alive.The cat, Galena, survived being shipped all the way from Lehi, Utah, across the US to California after sneaking into the package. Galena, six, an indoor-only cat, traveled more than 500 miles in a 3-by-3ft shipping container, according to NBC. Continue reading...
Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, who are five and four, have a trip planned to southern California as part of partnership between US and ChinaA pair of giant pandas will soon make the journey from China to the US, where they will be cared for at the San Diego zoo as part of an ongoing conservation partnership between the two nations, officials said on Monday.The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance said its caretakers recently visited China to meet the giant pandas, Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, ahead of their planned trip to southern California. An exact date for the handoff has not been set. Continue reading...
Prosecutors say the seven stole more than $40m from a program meant to provide meals to children in MinnesotaOpening statements are expected on Monday in the fraud trial of seven people charged in what federal prosecutors have called a massive scheme to exploit lax rules during the Covid-19 pandemic and steal from a program meant to provide meals to children in Minnesota.The seven will be the first of 70 defendants to go on trial in the alleged scam. Eighteen others have already pleaded guilty. Continue reading...
The Indian PM may still be in a strong position; but incendiary, anti-Muslim rhetoric shows that all may not be going to planWhen Narendra Modi ran for prime minister for the first time in 2014, his overriding aim was to convince voters that he was a different man - no longer the chief minister of the western state of Gujarat, where, under his watch, more than 1,000 people were massacred in a communal pogrom in 2002. (A British government report found Modi directly responsible" for not stopping the killing of Muslims; he has always denied culpability and was cleared of all charges by the supreme court.) Modi was going to be the man who would transform India by ushering in vikas, or economic development, for everyone.His record as prime minister in the past decade belies that. Now the mask has fallen completely. In a recent campaign rally in Rajasthan, Modi made an exceptionally incendiary speech in which he claimed that his predecessor, Manmohan Singh, had declared that Muslims had the first claim" to the nation's resources. This was distortion and exaggeration. The reference was to a speech that Singh had made in 2006 about India's development priorities. Continue reading...
Thousands of demonstrators including students and non-students showed up Sunday on campus for four different protestsSkirmishes broke out at the University of California, Los Angeles on Sunday as pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli protesters rallied on campus where a Palestinian solidarity encampment was set up earlier this week.On Sunday, thousands of demonstrators including students and outside members from the wider Los Angeles community showed up on campus, with many waving Palestinian and Israeli flags as others chanted into microphones. Continue reading...
Forecasters predict more extreme weather on US horizon, including one of the most active hurricane seasons on record. Plus, have open marriages gone mainstream?
Governor Ron DeSantis's challenging of a continuous eligibility' rule has booted over 22,000 children off insurance since JanuaryFlorida is continuing to callously" strip healthcare coverage from thousands of children in lower-income households in defiance of a new federal law intended to protect them.Since 1 January, more than 22,500 children have been disenrolled from Florida KidCare, its version of the Children's Health Insurance Program (Chip) that is jointly subsidized by states and the US government for families with earnings just above the threshold for Medicaid. Continue reading...
Dan Osborn is challenging incumbent Deb Fischer in a long shot' bid to prove the state still has an independent spirit'Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Arizona, Georgia and Nevada - these are the swing states most pundits expect will decide the 2024 election. No one has deep red Nebraska on that list. But a 48-year-old pipefitter and union organizer from Omaha is hoping to change that.Three years ago, Dan Osborn led the Nebraska leg of a US-wide strike against cereal giant Kellogg's as the company pushed for concessions in a new union contract despite posting record profits during the Covid-19 pandemic. Continue reading...
Crowds jeered as police arrested pro-Palestine students and forcibly removed tents set up on the campus at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg. Protests have been sweeping college campuses across the US after an attempt by police officers to clear a pro-Palestine encampment at Columbia University, resulting in the arrest of more than 100 students. At George Washington University, students gathered for a third day, calling for the institution to divest from Israel. Protesters broke police barricades as officers attempted to make arrests Continue reading...
There is some truth to the popular protest slogan: They tried to bury us, but they didn't know we were seeds'University students across the US have been protesting since 7 October 2023 with vigils, rallies and marches asking for a ceasefire in Gaza and for their universities to divest from Israel. While some of these protests led to heated fights about foreign policy, the most prominent events have involved university presidents' abysmal congressional testimony. This week's arrests of more than 100 Columbia students reinvigorated the student movement and now it's kicking off everywhere.As a sociologist of social movements, I study how movements select and shift tactics to elicit a response from their opponents. Over the next few weeks, we will see dozens of other university encampments spring up because activists have found a tactic that gets the administration's attention at a critical time: during finals and commencement. Continue reading...
We are entwined and must be liberated together. We must work to end the war and bring safety and security to both peoplesKarl Marx's father, Heinrich, converted from Judaism to Protestantism in 1817 - later converting his eight children - because had he not done so, he would not have been allowed to practice law in Prussia. He wasn't alone in having to change or disguise his Judaism so that he could earn a living. There was practically no other way for Jews living in Europe in the 19th century to be part of the business class without renouncing their religion.This practice actually harkened back for eons, at least two millennia to be precise, as Jews in Europe found other ways to live, always squeezed out of mainstream society, and especially so with emerging nation states (in contrast to when the Habsburg empire controlled much of Europe, where many Jews resided, and was more hospitable to Jews). Even farther back, during the Spanish Inquisition that began in the 1400s, at least 600,000 Jews either fled or hid their identities in response to new royal edicts. Russian-controlled Jewry was forced to settle in what became known as the pale of settlement", today's Ukraine, but still this didn't save them from state-sponsored pogroms and ostracism. These are just some historic examples about why Zionism evolved.The State of Israel will be open to the immigration of Jews from all countries of their dispersion; will promote the development of the country for the benefit of all its inhabitants; will be based on the precepts of liberty, justice, and peace taught by the Hebrew Prophets; will uphold the full social and political equality of all its citizens, without distinction of race, creed, or sex; will guarantee full freedom of conscience, worship, education, and culture; will safeguard the sanctity and inviolability of the shrines and Holy Places of all religions; and will dedicate itself to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.Jo-Ann Mort is co-author of Our Hearts Invented a Place: Can Kibbutzim Survive in Today's Israel? She writes frequently about Israel for US, UK and Israeli publications Continue reading...
I love the idea that the countryside is full of happy young people in Gore-Tex, finding community in beautiful placesOf all the weird gen Z behaviours Ihave read about, this latest trend may be the most surprising: they are rambling. Yup, sturdy boots, waterproofs and Kendal mint cake (it's vegan!). What next? Alfred Wainwright memes? Plastic map pouches as summer's hottest gorpcore accessory?I have some experience of this: my younger son has gone on two serious hiking trips in the past year. Who are you?" I whispered, baffled, at his retreating, cagoule-clad back, from the comfort of my sofa. I enjoy a modest country walk as much as the next middle-aged person, but wild horses couldn't have dragged me up a hill in my teens or 20s. (OK, possibly a very strong wild horse could have.) Continue reading...
Legendary journalist makes remarks in advance of release of Netflix documentary about his life and workDan Rather said his dismissal from CBS News nearly two decades earlier of course ... was the lowest point" of his legendary journalism career as he returned to his former employer's airwaves for the first time Sunday.I gave CBS News everything I had," the 92-year-old newsman said. They had smarter, better, more talented people, but they didn't have anybody who worked harder than I did."The Associated Press contributed reporting Continue reading...
Time will tell who got the best haul of players in Detroit, there were promising signs from the Bears, Vikings and SteelersChicago Bears. Anyone with an internet connection could have drafted Southern California quarterback Caleb Williams with the first pick. But Williams' arrival is a victory unto itself for the Bears, who have been in the QB wilderness for decades. Chicago fans will expect Williams to be the team's best quarterback ever, and it won't even be so unreasonable of them given his sublime talent and the team's barren history at the position. General manager Ryan Poles has also done well to surround Williams with one of the best groups of receivers in football. Poles traded for Los Angeles Chargers star Keenan Allen earlier this year, and he then used the ninth pick to add Washington's Rome Odunze to a fold that already included the talented and productive DJ Moore. Maybe the Bears won't win big in 2024, but they should be more fun to watch than they have been. And for the first time in ages, there's a foundation in place upon which the club could build a Super Bowl team. Continue reading...
Yes, I revelled in the thrill of film-making, yet a fear of failure nagged at me. Behind it lay a truth I'd been ignoringFor just over a decade I lived on the edge of danger, leaping from cliffs, jumping out of the back of trains and even being set on fire. I was a television and film stunt performer. Think Tom Cruise without the credits, in sky-high heels and hotpants. Every job was a calculated risk, and every performance felt like a dance with death. My job demanded the spirit of a daredevil and the agility of an acrobat with the presence of an actor, tasked with bringing the heart-pounding thrills of Hollywood to life. But as my star rose and opportunities knocked on my door, I made a decision to step back, leaving behind bewildered friends and colleagues who couldn't understand why I was abruptly extinguishing my own flame.While I revelled in the thrill of physical activity and globetrotting adventures, there was always a nagging sense of impostor syndrome gnawing at me. Despite my prowess in executing stunts, I felt like a fraud when it came to the craft of acting. I could execute flips, wield knives and brave fire-burns, but put a script in front of me and I faltered. No matter how much I trained or rehearsed, the moment the camera rolled my lines vanished, leaving me stranded in a sea of self-doubt. Whenever I found myself in a situation where I had to deliver lines, my anxiety would intensify. I would feel my breathing becoming rapid and shallow, making it difficult to focus. As I attempted to say the words, the buzzing of the room would overwhelm me and despite being in the spotlight, all I could see was darkness. It was a disorienting experience, and it further exacerbated my feelings of self-doubt and insecurity about my acting abilities.Janine Parkinson is a writer and former stunt performer Continue reading...
At least four people were killed after a series of tornadoes struck Oklahoma on Saturday, amid a weekend of extreme weather that left dozens injured and a trail of destruction across the US midwest. Local authorities confirmed that a four-month-old infant was among the two people dead in Holdenville - one of the hardest hit towns in Oklahoma - where about 20 tornadoes hit
Changpeng Zhao pleaded guilty to money laundering chargesChangpeng Zhao, the founder of the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, will be sentenced on Tuesday after pleading guilty to money laundering charges, with US prosecutors seeking three years in prison for the tech tycoon.Zhao, 47, stepped down as chief executive of Binance in November after admitting to breaking US anti-money laundering laws. Last month, another fallen cryptocurrency mogul, Sam Bankman-Fried, whose FTX exchange collapsed in 2022, received a 25-year sentence for committing fraud and conspiracy to launder money. Continue reading...
Near-zero growth has crushed living standards, sending voters to populist demagogues. But they have no solutions to offerBy the time of the European parliament elections in June, this year's rightward ebb in European politics will have turned into a tidal wave. Ultra-nationalist demagogues and populist-nationalists are now leading the polls in Italy, the Netherlands, France, Austria, Hungary and Slovakia, and running second in Germany and Sweden. There are two hard-right groupings in the European parliament - Identity and Democracy and European Conservatives and Reformists. Between them, they could secure as much as 25% of the June vote. But even more ominously, in almost every part of Europe including Britain, these factions are forcing the hand of the traditional centre-right parties - which, one by one, are capitulating to ever more extreme anti-immigration, anti-trade and anti-environment positions.The rightward shift is, of course, a western and not just European phenomenon, with Trump 2.0 advocating a far more aggressive protectionist and nationalist agenda than Trump 1.0. But Europe stands out from the US in one important respect. While the US economy roars forward - even if the average American voter does not feel the full benefits - Europe, and especially its industrial engine-room, Germany, continues to suffer from near-zero growth and stagnation in terms of living standards. And having lived through a decade of consistently low growth, the continent is now divided between an optimistic but declining minority, who still hold to the expectation that a rising tide lifts all boats, and the growing and more pessimistic majority who now see life as a zero-sum game.Gordon Brown was UK prime minister from 2007 to 2010 Continue reading...
South Dakota governor says she understands why some people are upset' about story of shooting family puppy but points to state lawKristi Noem, the South Dakota governor and Republican vice-presidential hopeful, on Sunday again defended killing a family dog and goat on her farm, two days after the Guardian revealed how she describes those actions in a forthcoming book.I can understand why some people are upset about a 20-year-old story of Cricket, one of the working dogs at our ranch, in my upcoming book - No Going Back," Noem wrote on Twitter/X. Continue reading...
Governor issues state of emergency for 12 counties as authorities confirm a four-month-old baby was among the dead in HoldenvilleAt least four people, including a baby, were killed after a series of tornadoes struck Oklahoma on Saturday, amid a weekend of extreme weather that left dozens injured and a trail of destruction across the midwest.Local authorities confirmed that a four-month-old infant was among the two people dead in Holdenville - one of the hardest hit towns in Oklahoma, located 80 miles south-east of Oklahoma City - where about 20 tornadoes hit late Saturday, leveling buildings and ripping off roofs. The victims have not been named, but at least four others were injured as the tornado left a path of devastation through the town of around 6,000 people. Continue reading...
Senate minority leader says he is not advocating anything at this level' and that issue is too divisive among lawmakers for consensusAsked whether he supports a federal abortion ban, US Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell said Sunday that he is not advocating anything at this level".The Republican, during remarks in a new interview published by NBC's Meet the Press, stopped short of saying whether or not he supported a 15-week federal ban on abortion with exceptions, but he instead portrayed the issue as a practical matter" that was too divisive among federal lawmakers to result in a consensus among them. Continue reading...
The 6ft7in athlete, who played in the eighth tier of English rugby for hometown club Basingstoke, has been picked by Buffalo Bills from the NFL's international player pathway programme as an offensive lineman. Clayton was selected with the 221st overall pick in the seventh round despite having never played a game in the sport but recorded his 40-yard dash in 4.79sec during the draft combine, which the Bills said was faster than all offensive lineman have recorded over the past 10 years. 'It's time to represent and show the rest of the world exactly why UK athletes should play in the NFL," said the 23-year-old
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