Author: Olive Metuge
Getty ImagesMoody’s warned in 2023 that the US’ triple-A rating was at riskThe US has lost its last triple-A credit score from a major ratings firm after being downgraded by Moody’s, which cited growing federal debt over the past decade.In lowering the US rating to ‘Aa1’, Moody’s noted that successive US administrations had failed to reverse ballooning deficits and interest costs.A triple-A rating signifies a country’s highest possible credit reliability, and indicates it is considered to be in very good financial health with a strong capacity to repay its debts. Moody’s warned in 2023 the US triple-A rating was at…
One of the most poignant images after Pope Francis’s death was a close-up photograph of his shoes as he lay in his open coffin inside St. Peter’s Basilica. Scuffed, worn and workaday, they were a testament to the Catholic Church he wanted — one that walked out to the margins, served the most vulnerable and rejected clerical trappings.Two weeks later, when Pope Leo XIV stepped onto centre-stage of the Vatican auditorium to address journalists, he too wore simple oxfords — like Francis, foregoing the traditional papal red slippers.But while he may walk in Francis’s shoes, early signs point to a papacy with a style and direction all its own…
The Supreme Court on Thursday revived a lawsuit filed by the mother of a Texas man who was shot and killed during a traffic stop by a police officer on a highway outside Houston. Roberto Felix of the Harris County Constable’s Office pulled Ashtian Barnes, who was Black, over because his girlfriend’s rental car, which he was driving to pick up her daughter from day care, had unpaid tolls. When Barnes began to drive away, with the driver’s door still open, Felix jumped on the running board and fired twice on Barnes, killing him at the scene. Barnes’ mother, Janice…
Home Daily News Prosecution policy allowing consideration… Prosecutors Prosecution policy allowing consideration of race in plea deals leads to DOJ probe By Debra Cassens Weiss May 6, 2025, 8:31 am CDT Harmeet K. Dhillon, nominee to be an assistant attorney general in the Department of Justice, speaks at a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Michael Brochstein/Sipa USA/Sipa via AP Images) A new policy in Hennepin County, Minnesota, that allows prosecutors to consider racial identity in plea deals has led to a probe by the U.S. Department of Justice. The DOJ…
From party brunches to relaxed Sunday feasts…The weekend brunch has long been a staple at resorts across Dubai and Abu Dhabi. But now Ras Al Khaimah is getting in on the action with Saturday and Sunday brunches designed for weekend fun. From all-you-can-eat feasts to set menus by the sea, these are the best brunches in Ras Al Khaimah. SaturdayThe Cove Rotana ResortDelight in Mediterranean-inspired Italian cuisine against the backdrop of the Arabian Gulf at Basilico Mediterranean restaurant at The Cove Rotana Resort. This is casual dining with a warm ambience. Think brown-brick arches, rich wooden furnishings, a vibrant open kitchen, and…
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published. We are pleased to announce the journalists chosen as the 2025 cohort of the ProPublica Investigative Editor Training Program. The program was established in 2023 to expand the ranks of editors with investigative experience in newsrooms across the country and help better reflect the nation as a whole. Nine journalists from across the country will join four ProPublica staffers for this year’s program. This program is funded by the Jonathan Logan Family Foundation, which supports journalism, film and…
Ethiopia’s main opposition party has condemned a ban on its activities, saying it posed a “serious threat” to the 2022 peace deal that ended two years of conflict in the northern Tigray region.The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) has called for the African Union to mediate with the federal government after the electoral agency revoked its legal status as a party.The party, which governs Tigray and dominated the entire country for many years, was on Wednesday banned for failing to hold a general assembly.The decision follows months of political tensions in Tigray and comes ahead of nationwide elections that are…
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Thursday that federal law enforcement is investigating a social media post made by former FBI Director James Comey that she and other Republicans suggest is a call for violence against U.S. President Donald Trump.In an Instagram post, Comey wrote “cool shell formation on my beach walk” under a picture of seashells that appeared to form the shapes for “86 47.”Numerous Trump administration officials, including Noem, said Comey was advocating for the assassination of Trump, the 47th president. “DHS and Secret Service is investigating this threat and will respond appropriately,” Noem wrote on X.Merriam-Webster,…
Today the court will hear arguments in Trump v. CASA and its consolidated cases, plucked from the emergency docket for oral arguments about nationwide injunctions and the president’s executive order on birthright citizenship. Before the arguments get started, Chief Justice John Roberts has some recognition planned for the late Justice David Souter, who died last week at age 85. As things turn out this morning, I will have my own unorthodox and unplanned tribute to Souter, in particular the day in January 1996 when Souter was late to the bench for an oral argument. I am late to court today because of the growing…
Home Daily News Migrants’ temporary legal status remains… Immigration Law Migrants’ temporary legal status remains intact after 1st Circuit denies Trump administration’s stay request By Debra Cassens Weiss May 6, 2025, 9:25 am CDT Migrants granted temporary legal status to remain in the United States through a humanitarian parole program during the Biden administration can’t be kicked out of the country immediately, a federal appeals court decided Monday. (Photo from Shutterstock) Migrants granted temporary legal status to remain in the United States through a humanitarian parole program during the Biden administration can’t be kicked out of the country immediately, a…