Muslim candidates 2018

One candidate wants to make the Los Angeles Police Department larger than it has ever been. Another envisions a future where America’s second largest city no longer needs police. The others have staked out middle ground. After the tumult of recent years, it should come as no surprise that the race to become Los Angeles’ next mayor has focused largely on issues surrounding crime, public safety and policing. Mass protests after the 2020 murder of George Floyd ignited fierce, ongoing debate about the role LAPD should play in the city and turned renewed scrutiny on long-running concerns about officers’ sometimes heavy-handed tactics. The city, meanwhile, had one of its deadliest years in the past two decades and helped elect a controversial reformer to serve as the county’s top prosecutor. But the candidates for mayor differ on the correct path forward, mirroring a nationwide struggle over how to balance the need to combat rising crime with calls to rethink a status quo in … [Read more...] about From more cops to defund: Candidates for L.A. mayor differ on crime and policing

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has repeatedly drawn the ire of those on the left while being widely praised by those on right as he is viewed as a potential frontrunner for the GOP's presidential nomination in 2024 —making the incumbent a target for Democrats to attempt to unseat in the November midterm election. While Florida has been viewed as a swing state in recent elections, the state has been leaning Republican, with polling and news analysis site FiveThirtyEight assessing that it has a 7.6 percent partisan lean in favor of the GOP. Recent polls show that DeSantis is largely popular, with a majority of Floridians approving of his leadership. At the same time, he has been viewed by many as polarizing, repeatedly drawing substantial backlash from Democrats in the state and on the national stage. It's still undetermined which Democrat will face off against DeSantis on November 8. The two leading candidates are Representative Charlie Crist from the 13th District and … [Read more...] about Democrats’ chances of beating Ron DeSantis in midterm, according to polls

Former President Donald Trump is scheduled to speak at the National Rifle Association ( NRA ) annual meeting in Houston, which is taking place just days after a mass shooting at a school in Uvalde, Texas. Trump confirmed he would be appearing at the NRA Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) Leadership Forum despite the fact that the event was occurring just days after 19 children and two teachers were shot dead at Uvalde's Robb Elementary School. Trump, who got an early endorsement from the NRA before he was nominated as the Republican presidential candidate in 2016, gave mixed signals over his views on gun reform in the U.S. while in the White House During Trump's time as president, the U.S. saw a number of high-profile mass shootings, including a shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida , attacks in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, and in Las Vegas, where a gunman killed 60 people after opening fire at a country music festival, … [Read more...] about What Donald Trump has said about gun control as he heads to NRA convention

Updated | Real estate mogul Donald Trump announced his intent to run for president in the 2016 election on Tuesday morning at a self-named skyscraper in New York City. The 69-year-old reality TV star has flirted with a presidential bid on multiple occasions in the past several decades, before ultimately changing his mind. This election cycle looks different, though. He recently began hiring staff in early voting states, and in March he publicly announced he would form a presidential exploratory committee, which is typically the first step for candidates who want to raise money without the constraints of officially being in the race. The businessman and Celebrity Apprentice host has visited early voting states, including Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. He has been a member of both the Democratic and Republican parties, as well as declared himself an independent. But he endorsed former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney for president in the 2012 election against … [Read more...] about Donald Trump Announces 2016 Presidential Bid

A man with autism is taking Sainsbury ’s to court after the supermarket refused to allow his support cat into one of its shops. Ian Fenn trained his black cat Chloe to help him with his daily life. He said Sainsbury’s decision not to allow the feline into its store had limited his independence. Sainsbury’s said it is working with its environmental team to try to find a way for Mr Fenn and his cat to visit safely. Mr Fenn, a designer from London, was recently diagnosed with autism. He struggles with noisy and busy environments. “I get sensory overload in busy environments and tend to shut down. But with Chloe I can focus on her, he told the BBC. Recommended Seven treated for breathing problems after incident at Sainsbury’s store Two in hospital after shoppers suffer breathing problems at Sainsbury’s supermarket Sainsbury’s sued after banning autistic man’s assistance cat from store “She brings structure to my life, she … [Read more...] about Man with autism taking Sainsbury’s to court after refusing entry to his assistance cat

A group of protesters gathered peacefully Wednesday in front of one of Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump's New York City skyscrapers to protest his comment from January that he "could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody" without losing support from voters. About 40 people from the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and other gun-control advocates gathered outside of the candidate's headquarters for the so called die-in demonstration. On the stretch in front of the building, they briefly laid down and covered themselves in white sheets to represent the 90 Americas who are killed by gun violence each day. Then they stood up and repeatedly chanted, "Ninety a day, no more, no way!" Some held signs that read, "Hey Trump, gun violence is not a joke," "Not one more [gun death]" and "Love Trumps hate." The entire event lasted just 10 minutes, but the participants said they hope Trump hears their message. "We don't think talking about killing people … [Read more...] about Anti-gun protesters stage “die-in” outside of Trump Tower

Of the things Donald Trump has said since he began hinting at a presidential candidacy, the one that most requires challenging is his assertion that people keep asking him to run. Journalists are vigilant defenders of truth when the subject is President Obama's birthplace or OPEC prices. They are credulous when it comes to explaining populist movements. They assume the impetus always comes from the demand side. People are "fed up"! There is an "anti-incumbent sentiment" in the air! Such demand-side sentiments can explain a lot—but not why certain members of the public might wish to be governed by a billionaire yahoo. For that, it is just as important to look at the supply side. Trump's candidacy comes from a sociological fact—the steady rise of plutocracy over the last quarter century—as well as a public sentiment. The truth is not universally enough acknowledged that a man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of political influence. Diversifying one's portfolio to include … [Read more...] about Donald Trump and the Rise of Plutocracy

Salvador Ramos, the teenage gunman who killed 21 people including 19 children on Tuesday at Uvalde's Robb Elementary School, had been arrested four years ago for planning to shoot up a school when he turned 18 years old, Texas Representative Tony Gonzales said. In an interview with Fox News on Friday morning, Gonzales claimed the shooter was arrested when he was 14 "for saying, you know, when I'm a senior in 2022, I am going to shoot up a school." Gonzales' claim has not been confirmed by any official source. Authorities have previously said Ramos had no criminal record and no documented history of mental illness. The Republican congressman said the claim was not "hearsay" but information that he was given "late last night." He did not specify where he got the information from. "Something fell between the cracks between then and now to allow this to happen. We need to shake out all the facts. We need to figure out what happened. Where the holes and we need to make sure it … [Read more...] about Salvador Ramos arrested 4 years ago for planning attack at 18—Texas Rep.

Johnny Depp's high-profile court battle with ex-wife Amber Heard is set to come to an end on Friday, after several weeks of testimonies placed an often uncomfortable spotlight on their tumultuous relationship. Depp, 58, has filed a $50 million lawsuit against Heard, 36, over an op-ed published by The Washington Post in 2018, in which she stated that she was a domestic abuse survivor. Heard did not name Depp in the article, but his lawyers have argued that it was obvious she was referring to the actor. Heard is countersuing for $100 million. As each star took the stand at Virginia's Fairfax County Circuit Court, they made a host of allegations against one another, including drug and alcohol use , explosive confrontations, and even a claim that Heard defecated on the couple's bed. Depp and Heard, whose divorce was finalized in 2017, have also accused one another of domestic abuse . Both have denied the allegations made against them. Since the trial began last month, a … [Read more...] about Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard: What to expect during closing statements

In closing arguments on Friday in the Johnny Depp v. Amber Heard defamation trial, Depp's attorney Camille Vasquez accused Heard of acting in the courtroom, saying it was "the performance of her life." As the trial comes to an end , attorneys have been giving their closing arguments. Depp sued ex-wife Heard for $50 million for defaming him in an op-ed she wrote in 2018, in which she claimed she was a victim of domestic and sexual abuse. Heard has sued Depp for $100 million for nuisance. Depp has continuously denied the accusations of his abuse, making the trial a whirlwind of differing testimonies and witness accounts. On Friday, Vasquez began the court's closing arguments, and she accused Heard of faking her tears on the witness stand. "She came into this courtroom prepared to give the performance of her life, and she gave it," Vasquez said. "Miss Heard's acting coach, Christina Sexton, testified that Miss Heard has difficulty crying when she is acting. You saw it: Miss … [Read more...] about Camille Vasquez calls Amber Heard’s “sobbing without tears” an act