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Why prosecution will ‘filet’ Donald Trump in hush-money trial None - Donald Trump's first criminal trial is set to begin Monday. Tim O’Brien, the man who wrote the book on the former president, joins The Weekend to preview the historic trial as Trump takes aim at his ex-attorney Michael Cohen and judges despite a gag order.April 14, 2024
Iran’s attack on Israel ‘needs to be viewed as an escalation': Full Rep. Turner interview None - Biden campaign doesn’t plan to talk about Trump’s hush money trial
How Israel responds to Iran will be ‘up to them,’ says NSC spokesperson John Kirby: Full interview None - Biden ‘will do everything in his power’ to codify Roe despite challenges in the Senate, says Whitmer 00:59
Israel foils Iranian aerial attack None - An aerial assault launched against Israel by Iran has resulted in almost no damage. NBC News' Richard Engel reports that hundreds of drones and missiles launched by Iran were intercepted before reaching Israeli air space.April 14, 2024
Can homeless people be fined for sleeping outside? A rural Oregon city asks the US Supreme Court None - The rural city of Grants Pass in southern Oregon has become the unlikely face of the nation’s homelessness crisis as its case over anti-camping laws goes to the U.S. Supreme Court Can homeless people be fined for sleeping outside? A rural Oregon city asks the US Supreme Court GRANTS PASS, Oregon -- A pickleball game in this leafy Oregon community was suddenly interrupted one rainy weekend morning by the arrival of an ambulance. Paramedics rushed through the park toward a tent, one of dozens illegally erected by the town's hundreds of homeless people, then play resumed as though nothing had happened. Mere feet away, volunteers helped dismantle tents to move an 80-year-old man and a woman blind in one eye, who risked being fined for staying too long. In the distance, a group of boys climbed on a jungle gym. The scenes were emblematic of the crisis gripping the small, Oregon mountain town of Grants Pass, where a fierce fight over park space has become a battleground for a much larger, national debate on homelessness that has reached the U.S. Supreme Court. The town's case, set to be heard April 22, has broad implications for how not only Grants Pass, but communities nationwide address homelessness, including whether they can fine or jail people for camping in public. It has made the town of 40,000 the unlikely face of the nation’s homelessness crisis, and further fueled the debate over how to deal with it. “I certainly wish this wasn’t what my town was known for,” Mayor Sara Bristol told The Associated Press last month. "It’s not the reason why I became mayor. And yet it has dominated every single thing that I’ve done for the last 3 1/2 years.” Officials across the political spectrum — from Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom in California, which has nearly 30% of the nation’s homeless population, to a group of 22 conservative-led states — have filed briefs in the case, saying lower court rulings have hamstrung their ability to deal with encampments. Like many Western communities, Grants Pass has struggled for years with a burgeoning homeless population. A decade ago, City Council members discussed how to make it “uncomfortable enough ... in our city so they will want to move on down the road.” From 2013 to 2018, the city said it issued 500 citations for camping or sleeping in public, including in vehicles, with fines that could reach hundreds of dollars. But a 2018 decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals changed the calculus. The court, whose jurisdiction includes nine Western states, held that while communities are allowed to prohibit tents in public spaces, it violated the Eighth Amendment's ban on cruel and unusual punishment to give people criminal citations for sleeping outside when they had no place else to go. Four years later, in a case challenging restrictions in Grants Pass, the court expanded that ruling, holding that civil citations also can be unconstitutional. Civil rights groups and attorneys for the homeless residents who challenged the restrictions in 2018 insist people shouldn't be punished for lacking housing. Officials throughout the West have overstated the impact of the court decisions to distract from their own failings, they argued. “For years, political leaders have chosen to tolerate encampments as an alternative to meaningfully addressing the western region’s severe housing shortage,” the attorneys wrote. “It is easier to blame the courts than to take responsibility for finding a solution.” In Grants Pass, the town’s parks, many lining the picturesque Rogue River, are at the heart of the debate. Cherished for their open spaces, picnic tables, playgrounds and sports fields, they host everything from annual boat-racing festivals and vintage car shows to Easter egg hunts and summer concerts. They’re also the sites of encampments blighted by illegal drug use and crime, including a shooting at a park last year that left one person dead. Tents cluster along riverbanks, next to tennis courts and jungle gyms, with tarps shielding belongings from the rain. When the sun comes out, clothes and blankets are strung across tree branches to dry. Used needles litter the ground. Grants Pass has just one overnight shelter for adults, the Gospel Rescue Mission. It has 138 beds, but rules including attendance at daily Christian services, no alcohol, drugs or smoking and no pets mean many won't stay there. Cassy Leach, a nurse, leads a volunteer group providing food, medical care and other basic goods to the town's hundreds of homeless people. They help relocate their tents to comply with city rules. At one park last month, she checked on a man who burned his leg after falling on a torch lighter during a fentanyl overdose and brought him naloxone, the opioid overdose reversal medication. In another, she distributed cans of beans, peas and Chef Boyardee mini ravioli from a pickup truck. “Love, hope, community and a safety net is really as important as a shower and water,” Leach said. Dre Buetow, 48, from northern California, has been living in his car for three years after a bone cancer diagnosis and $450,000 in medical bills. The illness and treatment kept him from returning to his old tree-trimming job, he said. Laura Gutowski’s husband died from a pulmonary embolism and she suddenly found herself, in her 50s, with no income. They didn’t have life insurance or savings and, within a month, she was sleeping outside in the city she grew up in. “I used to love camping,” she said through tears. “And now I can’t stand it anymore.” Volunteers like Leach came to her rescue. “They’re angels,” she said. But some residents want to limit aid because of the trash left behind after encampment moves or food handouts. The City Council proposed requiring outreach groups to register with the city. The mayor vetoed it, laying bare the discord gripping Grants Pass. Before the council attempted, unsuccessfully, to override the veto last month, a self-proclaimed “park watch” group rallied outside City Hall with signs reading, “Parks are for kids.” Drivers in passing cars honked their support. The group regularly posts images of trash, tents and homeless people on social media. On Sundays, they set up camp chairs in what they say is a bid to reclaim park space. Brock Spurgeon says he used to take his grandkids to parks that were so full it was hard to find an available picnic table. Now, open drug use and discarded needles have scared families away, he said. “That was taken away from us when the campers started using the parks,” he said. Still, Spurgeon said his own brother died while homeless in a nearby city, and his son is living in the parks as he struggles with addiction. Once, he said, he realized with shock that the homeless person covered with blankets that he stepped past to enter a grocery store was his son. “I miss my son every night, and I hold my breath that he won’t OD in the park,” Spurgeon said. Mayor Bristol and advocates have sought to open a shelter with fewer rules, or a designated area for homeless people to camp. But charged debates emerged over where that would be and who would pay for it. While support for a designated campground appears to be growing, the problem remains: Many homeless people in Grants Pass have nowhere else to live. And some advocates fear a return of strict anti-camping enforcement will push people to the forest outside town, farther from help. Even if the Supreme Court overturns the 9th Circuit's decisions, Bristol said, "we still have 200 people who have to go somewhere.” "We have to accept that homelessness is a reality in America,” she said.
Divisive? Not for moviegoers. ‘Civil War’ declares victory at box office. None - Alex Garland’s provocative “ Civil War ” didn’t only ignite the discourse. The film also inspired audiences to go to the cinemas this weekend where it surpassed expectations and earned $25.7 million in ticket sales in North America, according to studio estimates Sunday. It’s the biggest R-rated opening of the year to date and a record for A24, the studio behind films like “Everything Everywhere All At Once” and “The Iron Claw.” “Civil War” also unseated “ Godzilla x Kong ” from its perch atop the box office. The titan movie from Warner Bros. had held the No. 1 spot for the past two weekends. “Civil War,” starring Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura and Cailee Spaeny as front-line journalists in the near future covering a devastating conflict in the U.S. and trying to make their way to Washington, D.C. The story, written by Garland, who is also the mind behind “Ex Machina” and “Annihilation,” imagines a U.S. in which California and Texas have united against a president who has disbanded the FBI and given himself a third term. Though entirely fictional, “Civil War” has been inspiring debates since the first trailer that have extended beyond the musings of film critics and traditional reviews. This weekend, The New York Times ran two opinion pieces related to the movie, one by Stephen Marche and another by Michelle Goldberg. There were also pieces on CNN and Politico. Going into the weekend, projections pegged the film to debut in the $15 to $24 million range. The studio said “Civil War” overperformed in markets “from LA to El Paso.” The data analytics company EntTelligence reported that the film has attracted over 1.7 million patrons this weekend and that the top three markets were Los Angeles, New York and Dallas. “The title alone is enough to spark a conversation in a year where the political discourse is top of mind,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. “And they couldn’t have picked a better date. This movie is perfectly timed in a month that is very quiet.” The film opened on 3,838 screens in the U.S. and Canada, including IMAX. It’s the most expensive movie that the studio has ever made, with a production budget of $50 million, which does not account for millions spent on marketing and promotion. IMAX showings of “Civil War,” which was playing on 400 of the large format screens, accounted for $4.2 million, or 16.5% of the domestic total. Reviews have been largely positive. It’s currently at 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, with a 77% audience score. Its CinemaScore was a B-, which has sometimes indicated that word of mouth might not be strong going forward. But that might not be the case with “Civil War,” which doesn’t have a tremendous amount of competition over the next few weeks until “The Fall Guy” opens on May 3. “You have to take all the metrics together, including the competitive landscape,” Dergarabedian said. But it is a notable win for the studio, which doesn't always open films nationwide out of the gates. Before “Civil War,” A24’s biggest debut was the Ari Aster horror “Hereditary,” which opened to $13.6 million in 2018. “This isn’t destined to be a $200 million global blockbuster. But it’s a very high-profile win for A24,” Dergarabedian said. “They’re a studio that pushes the envelope. They’re a brand associated with a certain level of quality and filmmaking expertise, pushing boundaries and taking risks. It’s well-earned over the years.” Second place went to “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” which earned $15.5 million in its third weekend to bring its running domestic total to nearly $158 million. Another “Empire” movie, Sony’s “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” took third place in its fourth weekend with $5.8 million. It’s now at $160 million worldwide. Rounding out the top five was Universal and DreamWorks’ “Kung Fu Panda 4,” in fourth with $5.5 million in weekend six, and “Dune: Part Two” with $4.3 million in its seventh weekend. “Dune 2” has now earned $272 million domestically. This weekend also saw the box office year-to-date comparisons take a big hit. Last year, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” brought in over $92 million in its second weekend in theaters. On the same weekend in 2023, the top 10 accounted for over $142 million, compared to this year's $68.4 million. The year to date is back down to 16% after seeing some recovery with the success of “Dune: Part Two.” “The box office has been a seesaw,” Dergarabedian said. “But we all knew this was going to be a rough month for comps because of ‘Mario.’” Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday. 1. “Civil War,” $25.7 million. 2. “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” $15.5 million. 3. “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” $5.8 million. 4. “Kung Fu Panda 4,” $5.5 million. 5. “Dune: Part Two,” $4.3 million. 6. “Monkey Man,” $4.1 million. 7. “The First Omen,” $3.8 million. 8. “The Long Game," $1.4 million. 9. “Shrek 2," $1.4 million. 10. “SUGA - Agust D Tour ‘D-DAY’ The Movie,” $990,881.
Germany's Scholz arrives in China on a visit marked by trade tensions and Ukraine conflict None - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has arrived in China on a visit focused on the increasingly tense economic relationship between the sides and differences over Russia's invasion of Ukraine BEIJING -- German Chancellor Olaf Scholz arrived in China on Sunday on a visit focused on the increasingly tense economic relationship between the sides and differences over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Scholz's first destination was the industrial hub of Chongqing, where he and his delegation of ministers and business leaders were to visit a partially German-funded company and other sites in the vast city, which is a production base for China’s auto and other industries. Scholz is also scheduled to visit the financial hub of Shanghai during his three-day visit, before traveling to the capital, Beijing, to meet with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang. German companies such as BMW and Volkswagen are highly reliant on the Chinese market, but Beijing's support for Russia creates frictions with the West. Germany's economy has benefited from China's demand for investment and manufactured items from cars to chemicals, but those ties have frayed amid increasing competition from Chinese companies and tightened regulations. Political interference has also been blamed for a sharp drop in foreign investment. German companies have argued they face unfair market barriers in China and the government has pushed for a policy of “de-risking” to reduce reliance on the Chinese market and suppliers. Despite that, China remained Germany's top trading partner for the eighth straight year in 2023, with 254.1 billion euros ($271 billion) in goods and services exchanged between the sides, slightly more than what Germany traded with the U.S. but a 15.5% contraction from the year before. German exports to China totaled 97.3 billion euros ($104 billion), according to Germany's Federal Statistical Office, although figures have varied depending on exchange rate fluctuations and rounding of numbers. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV showed Scholz descending from his plane in Chonqing and leaving in a motorcade, but did not carry any comments made to the welcoming delegation. Prior to his arrival, Scholz posted on social platform X that he had discussed the “massive” Russian air attacks on civilian energy infrastructure with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday, and declared that Berlin will “stand unbreakably by Ukraine’s side.” China has refused to criticize Russian aggression. It has maintained trade relations with President Vladimir Putin’s government and aligned its foreign policy with Moscow in opposition to the U.S.-led liberal political order, while touting its authoritarian one-party system as a superior alternative. After visiting a hydrogen motor production facility run by German firm Bosch, Scholz toured the city with young architects and was to go on a boat cruise on the famed Yangtze River, one of two mighty waterways that partly surround the city perched on overlooking cliffs. Following a visit Monday to Shanghai, Scholz will fly to Beijing and meet with Xi Tuesday at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse before being received with military honors by Li at the Great Hall of the People, the seat of the ceremonial legislature in the heart of the Chinese capital. Further visits and meetings will follow before he departs late Wednesday night. This is Scholz’s second trip to China since he became chancellor in late 2021. His previous visit was in November 2022 and essentially was a one-day trip because of the strict COVID restrictions still in place at the time. It is his first visit since the German government last year presented its China strategy, which met with criticism from Beijing. Premier Li and a delegation of senior officials visited Berlin in June. ___ Associated Press reporter Geir Moulson contributed to this report from Berlin.
India's Modi vows to boost social spending, make country into a manufacturing hub ahead of election None - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to boost social spending, develop infrastructure and make India a global manufacturing hub as companies shift away from China NEW DELHI -- Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday vowed to boost social spending, develop infrastructure and make India into a global manufacturing hub as companies shift away from China, as he unveiled his Hindu nationalist party’s election strategy. Modi hopes to return to power for a third five-year term. He and other leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party unveiled their promises in the world’s largest democracy days before the start of a multi-phase general election. Modi promised to expand social programs introduced during his party’s 10-year rule, including millions of free homes for the poor, along with health care, cooking gas and free grain. His government has been paying 6,000 rupees ($73) a year to poor farmers. He said his government’s policies have pulled 250 million people out of poverty since he came to power in 2014. India is the world’s most populous country with over 1.4 billion people. The BJP's president, J.P. Nadda, said less than 1% of Indian people now live in extreme poverty. India holds its elections on different days in different parts of the country, stretching over weeks. Voting for the country’s parliament will begin on April 19 and run until June 1, and results will be announced on June 4. Most polls have predicted a victory for Modi and the BJP. But the opposition Congress Party argues that Modi has undermined India’s democracy and favored the interests of the rich. Modi has been campaigning extensively across the country, promising to expand India's economy to $5 trillion by 2027 from around $3.7 trillion. He also promises to put India on track to become a developed country by 2047, when the country celebrates 100 years of independence from British colonialists. On Sunday, he said his party would develop India as a hub for the pharmaceutical, energy, semiconductor and tourism industries. He also said India will modernize its infrastructure, including its railways, airways, and waterways. And he said he will seek to increase jobs for young people and access to cheap loans for young entrepreneurs. Modi is broadly popular in India, where he’s considered a champion of the country’s Hindu majority and has overseen rapid economic growth. But critics say another term for the BJP could undermine India’s status as a secular, democratic nation, saying its 10 years in power have brought attacks by Hindu nationalists against the country’s minorities, particularly Muslims, and a shrinking space for dissent and free media.
Israel is quiet on next steps against Iran -- and on which partners helped shoot down missiles None - Israeli leaders are crediting an international military coalition with thwarting Iran’s direct attack and calling the coordinated response a starting point for a “strategic alliance” of regional opposition to Tehran Israel is quiet on next steps against Iran -- and on which partners helped shoot down missiles TEL AVIV, Israel -- Israeli leaders on Sunday credited an international military coalition with helping thwart a direct Iranian attack involving hundreds of drones and missiles, calling the coordinated response a starting point for a “strategic alliance” of regional opposition to Tehran. But Israel’s War Cabinet met without making a decision on next steps, an official said, as a nervous world waited for any sign of further escalation of the former shadow war. The military coalition, led by the United States, Britain and France and appearing to include a number of Middle Eastern countries, gave Israel support at a time when it finds itself isolated over its war against Hamas in Gaza. The coalition also could serve as a model for regional relations when that war ends. “This was the first time that such a coalition worked together against the threat of Iran and its proxies in the Middle East,” said the Israeli military spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari. One unknown is which of Israel’s neighbors participated in the shooting down of the vast majority of about 350 drones and missiles Iran launched. Israeli military officials and a key War Cabinet member noted additional “partners” without naming them. When pressed, White House national security spokesman John Kirby would not name them either. But one appeared to be Jordan, which described its action as self-defense. “There was an assessment that there was a real danger of Iranian marches and missiles falling on Jordan, and the armed forces dealt with this danger. And if this danger came from Israel, Jordan would take the same action," Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman al-Safadi said in an interview on Al-Mamlaka state television. U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with Jordan’s King Abdullah on Sunday. The U.S. has long tried to forge a regionwide alliance against Iran as a way of integrating Israel and boosting ties with the Arab world. The effort has included the 2020 Abraham Accords, which established diplomatic relations between Israel and four Arab countries, and having Israel in the U.S. military's Central Command, which oversees operations in the Middle East and works closely with the armies of moderate Arab states. The U.S. had been working to establish full relations between Israel and regional heavyweight Saudi Arabia before the Oct. 7 Hamas attack sparked Israel's war in Gaza. The war, which has claimed over 33,700 Palestinian lives, has frozen those efforts due to widespread outrage across the Arab world. But it appears that some behind-the-scenes cooperation has continued, and the White House has held out hopes of forging Israel-Saudi ties as part of a postwar plan. Just ahead of Iran's attack, the commander of CENTCOM, Gen. Erik Kurilla, visited Israel to map out a strategy. Israel's military chief, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, on Sunday thanked CENTCOM for the joint defensive effort. Both Jordan and Saudi Arabia are under the CENTCOM umbrella. While neither acknowledged involvement in intercepting Iran's launches, the Israeli military released a map showing missiles traveling through the airspace of both nations. “Arab countries came to the aid of Israel in stopping the attack because they understand that regional organizing is required against Iran, otherwise they will be next in line,” Amos Yadlin, a former head of Israel’s military intelligence, wrote on X, formerly Twitter. Israel's defense minister, Yoav Gallant, said he had spoken with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and that the cooperation “highlighted the opportunity to establish an international coalition and strategic alliance to counter the threat posed by Iran.” The White House signaled that it hopes to build on the partnerships and urged Israel to think twice before striking Iran. U.S. officials said Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Washington would not participate in any offensive action against Iran. Israel's War Cabinet met late Sunday to discuss a possible response, but an Israeli official familiar with the talks said no decisions had been made. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was discussing confidential deliberations. Asked about plans for retaliation, Hagari declined to comment directly. “We are at high readiness in all fronts,” he said. “We will build a regional coalition and collect the price from Iran, in the way and at the time that suits us,” said a key War Cabinet member, Benny Gantz. Iran launched the attack in response to a strike widely blamed on Israel that hit an Iranian consular building in Syria this month and killed two Iranian generals. By Sunday morning, Iran said the attack was over, and Israel reopened its airspace. Iran’s president, Ebrahim Raisi, claimed Iran had taught Israel a lesson and warned that “any new adventures against the interests of the Iranian nation would be met with a heavier and regretful response from the Islamic Republic of Iran.” The foes have been engaged in a shadow war for years, but Sunday’s assault was the first time Iran launched a direct military assault on Israel, despite decades of enmity dating back to the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. Iran said it targeted Israeli facilities involved in the Damascus strike, and that it told the White House early Sunday that the operation would be “minimalistic.” But U.S. officials said Iran’s intent was to “destroy and cause casualties” and that if successful, the strikes would have caused an “uncontrollable” escalation. At one point, at least 100 ballistic missiles were in the air with just minutes of flight time to Israel, the officials said. Israel said more than 99% of what Iran fired was intercepted, with just a few missiles getting through. An Israeli airbase sustained minor damage. Israel has over the years established — often with the help of the U.S. — a multilayered air-defense network that includes systems capable of intercepting a variety of threats, including long-range missiles, cruise missiles, drones and short-range rockets. That system, along with collaboration with the U.S. and others, helped thwart what could have been a far more devastating assault at a time when Israel is already deeply engaged in Gaza as well as low-level fighting on its northern border with Lebanon's Hezbollah militia. Both Hamas and Hezbollah are backed by Iran. While thwarting the Iranian onslaught could help restore Israel’s image after the Hamas attack in October, what the Middle East’s best-equipped army does next will be closely watched in the region and in Western capitals — especially as Israel seeks to develop the coalition it praised Sunday. In Washington, Biden pledged to convene allies to develop a unified response. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. would hold talks with allies. After an urgent meeting, the Group of Seven countries unanimously condemned Iran's attack and said they stood ready to take “further measures.” Israel and Iran have been on a collision course throughout Israel’s war in Gaza. In the Oct. 7 attack, militants from Hamas and Islamic Jihad, also backed by Iran, killed 1,200 people in Israel and kidnapped 250 others. Israel's offensive in Gaza has killed over 33,000 people, according to local health officials. Hamas welcomed Iran's attack, saying it was “a natural right and a deserved response” to the strike in Syria. It urged the Iran-backed groups in the region to continue to support Hamas in the war. Hezbollah also welcomed the attack. Almost immediately after the war in Gaza erupted, Hezbollah began attacking Israel’s northern border. The two sides have been involved in daily exchanges of fire, while Iranian-backed groups in Iraq, Syria and Yemen have launched rockets and missiles toward Israel. ___ Federman reported from Jerusalem. Associated Press writers Zeke Miller and Michelle L. Price in Washington; Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran; Samy Magdy in Cairo; Omar Akour in Amman, Jordan; and Giada Zampano in Rome contributed to this report.
Olympic track uniforms spark online debate None - U.S. track and field athletes have around four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics PARIS -- U.S. track and field athletes have around four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who argue they don't need the internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain's Abigail Irozuru, who wondered on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in this team kit?!?” Answer: Yes. USA Track and Field said uniform maker Nike consulted with several athletes while designing the uniforms, which were unveiled in Paris earlier this week. Among those taking part in the rollout were world champion sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson and Olympic gold medalist Athing Mu, who wore versions of the uniform that covered more than the kit that grabbed so much attention. Nike responded to a request for comment from The Associated Press by sending a statement quoting executive John Hoke as saying the company worked “directly with athletes throughout every stage of the design process." USATF seconded that, saying “athlete options and choices were the driving force for USATF in the planning process with Nike.” Katie Moon, the defending Olympic champion in the pole vault who is sponsored by Nike, offered the most impassioned defense of the company on social media. She began her post by saying the leotard shown on the mannequin “was concerning, and warranted the response it received.” But she said the women had at least 20 different combinations of uniforms to compete in, and can also choose the styles made for men. “When you attack the buns and crop top saying something along the lines of it's ‘sexist' (which if that was our only choice, it would be), even if it’s with the best of intentions, you're ultimately attacking our decision as women to wear it," she said. Nike previously found itself at the center of another uniform debate. Several Major League Baseball players complained about the fit of the new Nike Vapor Premier during spring training. Nike has been designing MLB uniforms since 2020 and Fanatics has been manufacturing them since 2017, but this marked the first year for the Nike Vapor Premier jerseys. ___ AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games
Nearing 50 Supreme Court arguments in, lawyer Lisa Blatt keeps winning None - No woman has appeared more often before the Supreme Court than Lisa Blatt, who'll make her 50th argument this month WASHINGTON -- No woman has appeared more often before the Supreme Court than Lisa Blatt, who will make her 50th argument this month. No lawyer, male or female, has done it with quite the same mix of humor, passion and style. And her win-loss record isn't bad, either: 40-6, with two cases yet to be decided. She elicits laughs and the occasional sharp response from the justices, who seem to enjoy Blatt's presentations as much as they respect her legal acumen. When Blatt joked that Justice Samuel Alito was being her “enforcer” with a friendly question in a case about a claimed retaliatory arrest that was argued last month, the justice said, “I’m not trying to be your enforcer by any means. ... You don’t need one, by any means.” The Supreme Court's guide for lawyers who are arguing before the justices essentially warns against trying to emulate Blatt. “Attempts at humor usually fall flat. The same is true of attempts at familiarity,” the guide advises. “Avoid emotional oration and loud, impassioned pleas. A well-reasoned and logical presentation without resort to histrionics is easier for listeners to comprehend.” She can be strikingly informal, in one case referring to the highest court in the land as “you guys.” She is often blunt, once telling Justice Elena Kagan that her question was factually and fundamentally wrong. She has resorted to the personal, in one case where she felt her Harvard-educated opponent was being condescending. “I didn’t go to a fancy law school, but I’m very confident in my representation of the case law,” the University of Texas graduate said. “Texas is a fine law school,” Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said, just as the arguments were ending and before the court handed Blatt a unanimous win. Blatt also can be hyperbolic, cautioning last year that a decision against her client, a Turkish bank, would be “borderline, you know, cataclysmic." A ruling that recognized a large swath of Oklahoma as tribal land would have “earth-shattering” consequences, she said in 2018. The justices risked causing “madness, confusion, and chaos” if they ruled for a high school student who was suspended from the cheerleading squad over a vulgar social media post. Clients keep hiring her and the court keeps agreeing to hear her cases, said Paul Clement, Blatt's friend and onetime boss at the Justice Department. “She just has this kind of inimitable style, and she’s very confident in her own style and the justices love it,” said Clement, who has argued more than 100 times at the Supreme Court. Only a dozen active lawyers who have made as many as 50 arguments. Blatt, 59, makes no apologies. “Oral argument is like truth serum. Under the stress of their questioning, you can’t become someone you aren’t,” she said in an email. “I do think I am very direct but at bottom, my style reflects the fact that I want to win and the Court to step into the shoes of the party I am representing.” She heads the Supreme Court and appellate practice at the Williams and Connolly law firm, where her husband also is a partner. They have two children in law school. Blatt has argued just over half her high court cases in private practice, the rest as a Justice Department lawyer. When she made her first appearance at the court in December 1996 at the age of 31, there were two women on the court, Justices Sandra Day O’Connor and Ginsburg. Blatt had been a clerk for Ginsburg on the federal appeals court in Washington. Today, four of the nine justices are women, a record. The percentage of women who argue before them is lower, though the number has jumped markedly this term. Since October, just over one-third of the arguments were made by women, compared with under one-quarter of arguments the year before. Blatt is one of only a handful of women in private practice who regularly argue at the Supreme Court and she has called out the lack of diversity. Last term, two women in her firm argued three cases between them and her onetime partner Charles McCloud is one of the few Black men who have argued at the court in recent years. McCloud now works for the Justice Department. She also courted controversy in 2018, when as a self-described “liberal Democrat and feminist,” Blatt publicly backed Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court. She called him “the best choice that liberals could reasonably hope for” at a time when Republicans controlled the Senate and the White House. Blatt testified before college professor Christine Blasey Ford came forward with the explosive allegation that Kavanaugh had sexually assaulted her while they were in high school. Kavanaugh has denied any misconduct. Opponents of Kavanaugh’s confirmation complained that Blatt spoke up because she often represents wealthy clients at the Supreme Court. In a tweet at the time, Brian Fallon, then with the progressive judicial reform group Demand Justice, wrote that Blatt puts “corporate interests ahead of progressive causes.” Corporate clients are an important part of Blatt's business and include Google, Atlantic Richfield Co., Bank of America and Starbucks. She is representing the coffee chain in what will be her 50th argument in a dispute with the National Labor Relations Board over efforts by workers to unionize at a store in Memphis, Tennessee. On Monday, Blatt is representing James Snyder, the former mayor of Portage, Indiana, who is appealing his bribery conviction. Other clients include Lynn Goldsmith, the photographer who won a copyright fight involving an Andy Warhol image of the singer Prince, and state and local government officials. The case she argued last month that prompted the “enforcer” exchange with Alito involved a city council member in the San Antonio suburb of Castle Hills, Texas, who contends she was arrested on a trumped-up charge because she spoke up against the mayor and his allies. Blatt, representing the mayor, said it would be easy to get away with crimes if the court rules against the mayor. “I mean, I really would advise every criminal to put a, you know, political bumper sticker on their car,” she said, to laughter.
‘It’s catastrophic’: Italian restaurants in London struggle to find staff post-Brexit None - Emanuela Reccia has lived in London for almost a decade. She was a teenager when she left her home city of Naples to become a waitress in the UK, bringing her expertise and love of Italian cuisine to the capital. But the 27-year-old, like thousands of other Italians working in the UK hospitality industry, now feels she has no option but to leave and return to Europe after the latest round of post-Brexit rules. The new Brexit-driven regulations, which came into effect last week, raised the minimum salary threshold for a skilled work visa from £26,000 to £38,700, far more than many restaurant employees earn. The average wage for waiting staff in London in 2024 is £28,000, according to recruitment site Glassdoor. Last week, the Italian press lamented the end of a rite of passage for young Italians, who would no longer be able to get visas to work as waiters in London. In the daily newspaper Corriere della Sera, Antonio Polito wrote: “A young Italian with initiative, the will to work and curiosity could once say ‘I’ll go to London’.” Reccia, who works at Ciao Bella, a restaurant in Bloomsbury that has been open since 1983, said: “In this country we are very stressed now and under pressure. Before Brexit … we were free. “If I leave, I’m going to miss it a lot. When I’m away from Italy I miss my family, but London became my second home and I bought a house here. For me, it’s very hard to leave.” skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Observed Free weekly newsletter Analysis and opinion on the week's news, culture and stories brought to you by the best Observer writers Enter your email address Sign up Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy . We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion View image in fullscreen Authentic Italian places ‘need cooks and waiters that understand the food and the wine’ says the owner of Ciao Bella. Photograph: Caiaimage/Chris Ryan/Getty Images/iStockphoto Reccia’s husband has already moved to Spain to pursue job opportunities because the couple are finding UK living costs too high. Plaxy Locatelli, who runs Locanda Locatelli in Marylebone, central London, with her husband, Michelin-starred chef Giorgio Locatelli, said that before Brexit they had never had any problems finding Italian chefs and waiting staff. In recent years, however, she has noticed a downturn in the availability of Italian staff. “It has been an absolute disaster,” she said. “We’ve been open for 22 years and held on to many of the same staff for a long time. They’re now feeling it’s not worth it in the UK and are deciding to leave after all this time.” Reccia’s boss, Ciao Bella’s owner, Patrizia Pollano, took over the restaurant with her late husband in 1999. She said she had never faced such a shortage of Italian staff in 25 years: “I have staff who have been with me for eight years but now they want to leave.” She added that even if they earn good wages, they are finding the cost of living in the UK too high. “I completely understand that. If they go, I don’t know how long I can carry on [with the business].” Pollano has offered her staff higher wages in the hope of encouraging them to stay. And although she does hire non-Italian staff, she expects them to know about Italian food and culture. “When running an Italian restaurant, you need to have cooks and waiters who understand the food and the wine,” she said. “This is an authentic Italian place: the customers expect it to have an Italian atmosphere and vibe.” Locatelli agrees: “Food is important in the Italian lifestyle. Young Italian people come to the UK to work in cafes and restaurants, and see it as a real art. It’s more than a job – it’s a career. People come to the restaurant for the Italian food and have commented that it’s strange to not have as many Italian staff as would be expected any more. This is catastrophic for the industry.”
‘We’ve been taken for granted for too long’: equal pay strikes by women spread across Scotland None - Hundreds of women have gone on strike in Scotland as three more councils face claims over equal pay. Almost 500 workers walked out of their council roles in Falkirk, Renfrewshire and West Dunbartonshire in protest at a pay grading system which they say is outdated and pays women less than comparable male-dominated jobs. Their action follows a strike by more than 8,000 female carers, caterers and cleaners in Glasgow, in 2018, which resulted in a payout of around £500m from Glasgow council, a bill it is yet to settle fully. It was the biggest equal pay strike in history in the UK. Workers in similar jobs in Dundee, Perth and Kinross, Angus, Fife and Moray are now in ongoing disputes over equal pay. The GMB union, which represents many of the women bringing claims, said local authorities across Scotland risk being bankrupted. GMB Scotland secretary Louise Gilmour said Scotland’s councils were approaching equal pay claims “like the Titanic approaching the iceberg”. “Councillors have their heads in the sand and executives have their fingers in their ears, but these equal pay claims will come, will be won and will need to be settled. View image in fullscreen A rally in Glasgow in 2018, following a strike by over 8,000 female council workers which resulted in a payout of around £500m. Photograph: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images “We know local authorities are struggling to make ends meet and we know why. But to suggest women workers are somehow making things worse by asking for money they are owed … is as dishonest as it is disgraceful.” In England, Birmingham city council last year said it was unable to balance its books due, in part, to equal pay claims. The GMB has ongoing equal pay disputes with a number of other councils including Coventry and Cumberland. Gilmour called on the Scottish government to create a new specialist body to settle equal pay claims nationwide and enforce payments. Fiona O’Brien, a home carer in Renfrewshire since 2016 and a GMB rep, said she took strike action “as a last resort because enough is enough”. “For a long time, we’ve been told: ‘you’ll never go on strike, you care too much, you’ll never stand up for yourselves’,” she said. “But we’ve had enough now – we’ve been taken for granted for too long.” She said her role is different to what was advertised and more complex than the grade it is paid at, including administering medications, caring for people with dementia and mental illness, using specialist equipment and physically moving people with restricted mobility. “It’s been inspirational to see us all coming together and standing up for what’s right and fair,” she said. “This could potentially change the road for a lot of people working in care and could also bring more people into the sector.” skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to Observed Free weekly newsletter Analysis and opinion on the week's news, culture and stories brought to you by the best Observer writers Enter your email address Sign up Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy . We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion In the event of a successful equal pay claim, higher pay grades could be retrospectively applied, allowing workers to claim up to five years of back pay and costing councils millions of pounds, the GMB said. The union said it expects to see pay reviews in at least a dozen more Scottish local authorities. A spokesperson for Falkirk Health and Social Care Partnership said: “Falkirk council is committed to upholding equal pay, and continues to engage with GMB. We will seek to minimise disruption for those in need of our care and support at home services.” A spokesperson for West Dunbartonshire council said: “We are committed to fair pay for home carers and, following a thorough and robust job evaluation process, the pay of a typical home carer has recently risen by at least £2,500 per annum through regrading of the role.” A Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership spokesperson said: “Negotiations between the Health and Social Care Partnership with all trade unions continue. A further offer was presented to all three trade unions, and Unison and Unite have paused industrial action as they consider this renewed offer. Unfortunately, GMB is continuing with industrial action following a consultative ballot with its members.” Renfrewshire council did not respond to the Observer’s request for comment.
Flying With Dogs or Cats? These Are Airlines’ Pet Policies None - Flying with a pet can be expensive and confusing, with fees, weight limits, carrier size rules and the need to make sure there’s no loud barking (or meowing) on board. Recently, American Airlines relaxed its pet policy to allow passengers to bring a carry-on bag in addition to a pet in a carrier, and more private flight options have been emerging in recent years for pet owners who can afford them. Still, flying with large or medium-size dogs can be tricky, and many travelers are wary of leaving a pet in the plane’s cargo hold. For those traveling on the major carriers with their pets as carry-ons, here’s what to know about each major domestic airline’s policy.
John Kirby: What Iran did was truly unprecedented None - Vaughn Hillyard: We're looking at potentially weeks for jury selection
Trump team's 'first attack point' should be 'credibility' of witnesses in hush money trial None - Trump team's 'first attack point' should be 'credibility' of witnesses in hush money trial Jury selection for former President Trump's hush money case begins today in a Manhattan courtroom. This is the first criminal trial of a former U.S. president. Our legal panel provides more insight and legal analysis on the historic trial.April 15, 2024
'Put up or shut up time' for Judge Merchan: Prosecutors argue Trump violated gag order None - The prosecution in former President Trump's hush money trial want him to be fined for his social media posts, saying they violated the gag order issued by Judge Merchan. MSNBC legal analyst Catherine Christian and MSNBC contributor Chuck Rosenberg weigh in.April 15, 2024
Trump calls hush money trial a ‘scam’ at end of first day None - 'Dinks' explained: The lifestyle of families with two incomes and no kids
Jury selection begins in Trump hush money criminal trial None - Former President Trump is in court in New York as jury selection begins in the hush money criminal trial against him. NBC News' Yasmin Vossoughian reports on what Trump had to say to reporters as he arrived at the courthouse.April 15, 2024
EU releases blocked funds of $6.7 billion to Poland as part of its post-pandemic recovery package None - The European Union has disbursed about $6.7 billion to Poland as a part of the 27-nation bloc’s post-pandemic recovery fund, the biggest single transfer ever to the country EU releases blocked funds of $6.7 billion to Poland as part of its post-pandemic recovery package WARSAW, Poland -- WARSAW, Poland (AP) — The European Union disbursed 6.3 billion euros (about $6.7 billion) to Poland as a part of the 27-nation bloc's post-pandemic recovery fund, the biggest single transfer ever to the country, a government minister said Monday. Poland's former national conservative governmen t, voted out of power in October, made changes to the judiciary which the EU said violated democratic checks and balances, and so decided to block the money. The European Commission had said at the time Poland must meet certain “milestones” to guarantee the independence of the judiciary to get the funds. Brussels emphasized that an independent judiciary is vital to respecting hte EU's democratic norms, while some also argue that independent courts boost investors' confidence in the country's ability to adjudicate commercial disputes. Katarzyna Pełczyńska-Nałęcz, Poland's minister of funds and regional policy, hailed the move while stressing that the value of EU membership goes beyond money. “Being in the EU pays off, but the EU is not only about money, which our predecessors forgot,” she tweeted. “We are united by values: democracy, equal opportunities, rule of law, civil liberties!” Poland’s pro-European coalition of three center-left parties led by current Prime Minister Donald Tusk won parliamentary elections and took over in December. It succeeded the nationalist Law and Justice party that had ruled for eight years and introduced changes to the justice system, reproductive rights and the media that put Poland on a collision course with the EU. The Commission announced in February that it would start releasing funds, confident in promises by the pro-EU Tusk to restore democratic norms. The fund, known as the Recovery and Resilience Facility, was set up in 2020 and approved a 672.5 billion euro ($815 billion) recovery package a year later to help member nations recover more quickly from the coronavirus pandemic. Poland is set to receive 25.3 billion euros (about $26.9 billion) in grants and 34.5 billion euros (nearly $36.7 billion) in loans as part of a post-COVID-19 pandemic recovery plan. A commission's spokesperson said Monday Poland is expected to request a total of 23 billion euros ($24.5 billion) this year.