Latest news with #absences
USA Today
15-07-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
ICE agents wielding guns tried to intimidate my church. We will not bow in fear.
When ICE agents descend on our neighborhoods, when fear spreads like wildfire, people of faith must be the living water that quenches it. As a pastor, I consider the church not just a place of worship, but a sacred home − somewhere families gather to find comfort, courage and communion. For generations, our pews have held the laughter of children, the tears of grief and joy, and the prayers of the faithful. Last month, the sanctity of our space was shattered. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents entered the parking lot of Downey Memorial Christian Church to take a man who was walking through our property. The agents were armed, masked and aggressive. They tried to intimidate clergy and staff − people whose only armor is their faith and moral convictions. In that moment, our sacred space became a site of state-sanctioned fear and violence. This is not isolated. It is part of a widening campaign. Opinion: I'm the daughter of Haitian immigrants. Trump's cruelty is personal. ICE raids keep fearful worshipers out of church Archbishop Alberto Rojas of San Bernardino, the spiritual shepherd of more than a million Catholics, recently excused parishioners from their obligation to attend Mass. Why? Because fear of ICE raids has become so pervasive that even worship cannot feel safe. These are not abstract fears. They are grounded in the reality our congregation and other houses of worship face. Again and again, President Donald Trump's administration has traded compassion for cruelty and mercy for militarization. With the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which increases funding for ICE and expands its power to conduct raids, the message is clear: no space is sacred. But let me be just as clear: our faith commands a different path. Our faith in action is God's relentless love for the most vulnerable. It is the Gospel. Good news to those who need it most. Opinion: LA isn't burning. ICE has terrorized many into an ominous silence. In our churches, the pews tell a story. A child who no longer attends Sunday school. A mother too afraid to drive to choir practice. An elder who used to bring food to the potluck, now missing without a word. These absences are not by choice. They are the result of a system that treats our immigrant siblings as threats rather than neighbors. Human beings, beloved by God and protected by our Constitution, have been swept up without due process, without notice, without dignity. They are detained in inhumane conditions and, in many cases, deprived of their basic human rights. Churches will combat fear with faith Yet, in the face of fear, we do not fold. We are people of faith. And faith, in its truest form, is not passive. It does not retreat when challenged. It stands up. It reaches out. That is why, even now, clergy across California are organizing vigils, demanding action from corporations and elected officials, and showing up in courtrooms and communities to shield those targeted by unjust raids. Because our role is not just to comfort, but to confront injustice. To be clear, this is not about politics. It is about principle. It is about our shared humanity. It is about choosing solidarity over silence. It is about protecting the sacred right to gather, to pray, to belong. When ICE agents descend on our neighborhoods, when fear spreads like wildfire, people of faith must be the living water that quenches it. We may pray in different tongues. We may wear different vestments. But we are united by a common calling to love without exception, to protect without hesitation and to proclaim the dignity of every human soul. The government may have power, but we have people. People of faith, standing together, are more powerful than any raid, any bill or any administration bent on fear. We will not be moved. We will not be silent. And we will not let our communities be terrorized. Our faith began in occupied lands. It was born under an empire. And it reminds us still: when the powerful knock down our doors, we meet them, not with fear, but with courage, conviction and the radical love of community. Rev. Tanya Lopez is the senior minister at Downey Memorial Church in Downey, California.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
How will Mauricio Pochettino's USMNT line up versus Turkiye?
The United States men's national team begins a summer of intrigue and opportunity on Saturday when dangerous Turkiye hit Connecticut for a terrific test. This was going to be the first summer where a higher-powered USMNT competed in the Gold Cup after using a second-choice, MLS-heavy team for the past few iterations of that tournament, and that's still part-true. Advertisement MORE — USMNT roster | USMNT schedule, results But Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, Gio Reyna, and Antonee Robinson are out of the team due to either Club World Cup commitments or rest, so Mauricio Pochettino has what let's call a 1.5-choice team that will see mainstays on the pitch with some new faces. Also out? Ricardo Pepi, Josh Sargent, Joe Scally, Cameron Carter-Vickers, and now the injured Folarin Balogun. The situation made more fascinating by the tests provided by Turkiye and Switzerland, who will also face Club World Cup absences but are two of the best nations on a USMNT schedule outside of a Copa America or World Cup. The Swiss are ranked 20 by FIFA and 24 by ELO, while Turkiye are 27 and 18 under the same metrics. Advertisement Pochettino's full-strength men will still be tested by Japan and South Korea amongst others prior to the 2026 World Cup on home soil next summer, so Pochettino will have plenty of chances to measure his best. That makes these matches against Turkiye and the Swiss even more fun for fans of experimentation — Pochettino has little to lose over the next month (at least until the Gold Cup knockouts). Which absent USMNT stars could lose ground this summer? Christian Pulisic and Antonee Robinson are safe as the Yanks' two best players, and there's almost nothing that could happen over the next month-and-a-half that could cost the AC Milan and Fulham stars their place as a nailed-on World Cup starter under Pochettino. Frankly the remaining quartet named above — Musah, McKennie, Weah, and Reyna — are also largely safe at least in terms of their spots at the core of a squad, but only Weah truly feels like a surefire, no-doubt starter. McKennie would seem safe, but what if the midfield looks better with someone more traditional filling a role? Musah is also a versatile player with no clear home. Advertisement Reyna is also in an awful spot, as he's put little on film this season. He's almost always in the Borussia Dortmund team but almost never on the field. He needs a move for both his club and country careers. How will USMNT line up vs Turkiye? And what's Pochettino's summer Best XI? Matt Turner is almost certainly in goal now that Zack Steffen has suffered a knee injury and is out through the Gold Cup. The center back duo will be two of Tim Ream, Chris Richards, and Mark McKenzie, with Sergino Dest almost certainly getting run at fullback following a long injury absence. But will he be left- or right-sided? Max Arfsten is an attack-minded left-sided player while Alex Freeman and Nathan Harriel would be right back fits. Richards and Ream have also played out wide. Advertisement There's competition in the middle of the pitch, where Tyler Adams and Johnny Cardoso are front-runners to play quite a bit. There are plenty of familiar faces in the group — Luca de la Torre, Brenden Aaronson, Malik Tillman — and a who's who of "who's next" including Jack McGlynn, Diego Luna, Paxten Aaronson, Quinn Sullivan, and MLS star Sebastian Berhalter, son of the previous USMNT head coach. Up top the chance is massive with Folarin Balogun pulling out through injury and Josh Sargent also outside the squad. This is center forward central, and recent camps hero Patrick Agyemang will be challenged by Coventry City's Haji Wright, Vancouver's Brian White, and Koln 20-year-old Damion Downs. That last group is the trickiest to project, as Pochettino is familiar with Agyemang and the Charlotte youngster is in great league form. White is burying goals in MLS, Downs did the same in and Wright in England's Championship. Wright also has a history of big goals with the USMNT, so we'll nudge him forward here even though he hasn't been a regular Pochettino selection. Let's assume that Pochettino is ready to test iron vs iron and challenge Turkiye with his best, most-experienced team. This would seem the look: Matt Turner Sergino Dest — Chris Richards — Tim Ream — Max Arfsten Tyler Adams — Johnny Cardoso Brenden Aaronson — Malik Tillman — Diego Luna Haji Wright
NBC Sports
05-06-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
How will Mauricio Pochettino's USMNT line up versus Turkiye?
The United States men's national team begins a summer of intrigue and opportunity on Saturday when dangerous Turkiye hit Connecticut for a terrific test. This was going to be the first summer where a higher-powered USMNT competed in the Gold Cup after using a second-choice, MLS-heavy team for the past few iterations of that tournament, and that's still part-true. MORE — USMNT roster | USMNT schedule, results But Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, Gio Reyna, and Antonee Robinson are out of the team due to either Club World Cup commitments or rest, so Mauricio Pochettino has what let's call a 1.5-choice team that will see mainstays on the pitch with some new faces. Also out? Ricardo Pepi, Josh Sargent, Joe Scally, Cameron Carter-Vickers, and now the injured Folarin Balogun. The situation made more fascinating by the tests provided by Turkiye and Switzerland, who will also face Club World Cup absences but are two of the best nations on a USMNT schedule outside of a Copa America or World Cup. The Swiss are ranked 20 by FIFA and 24 by ELO, while Turkiye are 27 and 18 under the same metrics. Pochettino's full-strength men will still be tested by Japan and South Korea amongst others prior to the 2026 World Cup on home soil next summer, so Pochettino will have plenty of chances to measure his best. That makes these matches against Turkiye and the Swiss even more fun for fans of experimentation — Pochettino has little to lose over the next month (at least until the Gold Cup knockouts). Which absent USMNT stars could lose ground this summer? Christian Pulisic and Antonee Robinson are safe as the Yanks' two best players, and there's almost nothing that could happen over the next month-and-a-half that could cost the AC Milan and Fulham stars their place as a nailed-on World Cup starter under Pochettino. Frankly the remaining quartet named above — Musah, McKennie, Weah, and Reyna — are also largely safe at least in terms of their spots at the core of a squad, but only Weah truly feels like a surefire, no-doubt starter. McKennie would seem safe, but what if the midfield looks better with someone more traditional filling a role? Musah is also a versatile player with no clear home. Reyna is also in an awful spot, as he's put little on film this season. He's almost always in the Borussia Dortmund team but almost never on the field. He needs a move for both his club and country careers. How will USMNT line up vs Turkiye? And what's Pochettino's summer Best XI? Matt Turner is almost certainly in goal now that Zack Steffen has suffered a knee injury and is out through the Gold Cup. The center back duo will be two of Tim Ream, Chris Richards, and Mark McKenzie, with Sergino Dest almost certainly getting run at fullback following a long injury absence. But will he be left- or right-sided? Max Arfsten is an attack-minded left-sided player while Alex Freeman and Nathan Harriel would be right back fits. Richards and Ream have also played out wide. There's competition in the middle of the pitch, where Tyler Adams and Johnny Cardoso are front-runners to play quite a bit. There are plenty of familiar faces in the group — Luca de la Torre, Brenden Aaronson, Malik Tillman — and a who's who of 'who's next' including Jack McGlynn, Diego Luna, Paxten Aaronson, Quinn Sullivan, and MLS star Sebastian Berhalter, son of the previous USMNT head coach. Up top the chance is massive with Folarin Balogun pulling out through injury and Josh Sargent also outside the squad. This is center forward central, and recent camps hero Patrick Agyemang will be challenged by Coventry City's Haji Wright, Vancouver's Brian White, and Koln 20-year-old Damion Downs. That last group is the trickiest to project, as Pochettino is familiar with Agyemang and the Charlotte youngster is in great league form. White is burying goals in MLS, Downs did the same in and Wright in England's Championship. Wright also has a history of big goals with the USMNT, so we'll nudge him forward here even though he hasn't been a regular Pochettino selection. Let's assume that Pochettino is ready to test iron vs iron and challenge Turkiye with his best, most-experienced team. This would seem the look: Matt Turner Sergino Dest — Chris Richards — Tim Ream — Max Arfsten Tyler Adams — Johnny Cardoso Brenden Aaronson — Malik Tillman — Diego Luna Haji Wright
CBS News
02-06-2025
- Business
- CBS News
What key GOP senators want to change in Trump's House-passed "one big beautiful bill"
Washington — The Senate this week is taking up the massive budget package containing President Trump's second-term agenda, a measure that squeaked through the House with a one-vote margin, solely with Republican votes. Its path through the Senate seems destined to be similarly narrow, with the package almost certain to be revised, since parts of it are opposed by a handful of GOP senators critical to its passage. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, recently ventured to the other side of the U.S. Capitol to remind Republican senators "that we are one team" and pleaded with them to keep the bill substantially intact. "I encouraged them to make as few modifications as possible, remembering that I have a very delicate balance on our very diverse Republican caucus over in the House," Johnson said in an interview with "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan." Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a South Dakota Republican, acknowledged that balance, but told reporters "the Senate will have its imprint" on the bill. He can afford three "no" votes from Republicans if all Democrats vote to block its passage in the Senate, and there are no absences. GOP Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky has already indicated he opposes the bill because it will "explode the debt." Including interest, the House bill would increase the debt by $3.1 trillion, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. Similar to the House, in the Senate, there are Republicans who think there's not enough cost cutting, while others argue some provisions are too draconian. These are the key sticking points as the legislation moves to the Senate: Medicaid changes Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Josh Hawley of Missouri are among the Republicans who have expressed concern about some of the changes to Medicaid, a government program that provides health care to low-income Americans as well as those with disabilities. And the trio of senators supported an amendment to the budget resolution earlier this year that would have removed the language instructing the committee overseeing Medicaid to make $880 billion in cuts. That amendment failed. The House-passed legislation includes new work requirements that would apply to childless Medicaid recipients without disabilities between the ages of 19 and 64. It also requires states to conduct more frequent eligibility checks on Medicaid recipients to root out waste, fraud and abuse, and it would penalize states that provide state-funded health care to undocumented immigrants. The bill also seeks to lower federal costs by freezing states' provider taxes at current rates and prohibiting them from establishing new provider taxes, among other changes. While these Senate Republicans have generally been supportive of the work requirements, some have warned that they will not support the bill if it includes any cuts to Medicaid benefits. In a New York Times opinion piece published earlier this month, Hawley called "slashing health insurance for the working poor" both "morally wrong and politically suicidal." A handful of senators have also warned of the impact of freezing provider taxes at current levels, since states use the taxes to help fund their share of Medicaid costs, although Murkowski has expressed support for this. Hawley said he's concerned about the impact on rural hospitals, while also voicing opposition to new copay requirements for beneficiaries. "I don't like the idea of decreasing funding for rural hospitals. I'm worried that the House bill goes way too far in that regard," Hawley said in a CNN interview. "I also don't like what is basically a hidden tax on working poor people who are trying to get health care. I mean, this whole idea of we're going to charge them now additional copays in order to access healthcare — I have to say, that just sounds like a tax to me." Deeper spending cuts Meanwhile, a number of fiscal hawks have balked at the bill's spending cuts or even threatened to oppose the measure without securing deeper cuts, echoing the frustration expressed on the other side of the Capitol by members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus throughout negotiations on the package. Sen. Ron Johnson, a Wisconsin Republican, said the package's aim to cut $1.5 trillion "isn't squat, quite honestly." And Sen. Rick Scott, a Florida Republican, has also rebuffed the cuts, saying the amount is "not going to do it." "Their bill would not pass in the Senate, and I think there's plenty of us that would vote against it," Scott told reporters earlier this month, adding that the upper chamber should go through every line in the budget to find savings. Sen. Roger Marshall, a Kansas Republican, said "the job of the Senate is to try to increase the cuts in spending," calling the House cuts a "great start" while urging the Senate to hit $2 trillion. And Sen. Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican, told the network that he believes "the Senate is going to cut spending more than the House." "We're going to see the Senate be more fiscally conservative," Cruz added. Rolling back IRA clean energy tax credits The House-passed bill would also roll back some of the clean energy tax credits under the Biden-era climate and health care law, including an earlier phasing out of a tax break for clean energy vehicles. But the provisions could face opposition in the upper chamber. Last month, Murkowksi, along with GOP Sens. John Curtis of Utah, Jerry Moran of Kansas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, penned a letter to the Senate majority leader to "emphasize the importance of maintaining a stable and predictable tax framework to promote domestic energy development." "While we support fiscal responsibility and prudent efforts to streamline the tax code, we caution against the full-scale repeal of current credits, which could lead to significant disruptions for the American people and weaken our position as a global energy leader," the group wrote. Tillis told reporters after the House passed the bill that the Senate needs to "look at the specifics" of revising the clean energy tax credits, saying "we've got to make sure the businesses who believe the government was setting this as a priority don't have a lot of stranded costs." At the same time, other Senate Republicans, like Johnson, have called for eliminating the clean energy tax credits, setting up a possible clash within the conference. State and local tax deduction Among the provisions that spurred extensive debate in the House was one allowing residents to deduct more in state and local taxes on their federal returns, known as SALT. Divisions over an increase to the SALT cap threatened to sink the package in the days leading up to its passage in the lower chamber as a handful of blue-state Republicans fought for a higher cap, ultimately settling for $40,000, an increase from $10,000. In the Senate, the deduction is not an issue, since none of the blue states have Republican senators. Accordingly, a number of Senate Republicans have indicated that they oppose its inclusion in the bill. "Eliminate it," Johnson, the Wisconsin senator, told reporters of the SALT cap increase. Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota told The Hill that the cap could potentially be cut in half once the Senate makes its changes. But the House speaker said he warned senators that changing the provision would not only risk getting it through the lower chamber again, but also the Republican majority. "In the House, we do have a number of members who are elected in places like New York and California and New Jersey, and they have to provide some relief to their constituents," the Louisiana Republican told "Face the Nation." "Those are what we call our majority makers. Those are the people who are elected in the toughest districts and help us have the numbers to keep the majority in the House, and so, this is political reality." Debt ceiling Fiscal hawks are also unhappy with the inclusion of a provision raising the debt ceiling by trillions of dollars. The House-passed bill includes a $4 trillion debt ceiling hike, while the Senate's budget blueprint contained a $5 trillion increase. The debate comes as Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told congressional leaders earlier this month that the federal government could be unable to pay its bills as soon as August if Congress doesn't act. Paul has been the most vocal in opposing an increase to the debt limit. The Kentucky Republican has said "there's nothing fiscally conservative about expanding the debt ceiling more than we've ever done it before." Paul said he could be convinced to support the package if the debt ceiling provision is removed and voted on separately. Instead, Paul has proposed a short-term increase of $500 billion, raising the debt ceiling for a matter of months, which he said would allow conservatives to verify that spending cuts have actually been implemented before approving a further hike. "If I vote for the $5 trillion debt, who's left in Washington that cares about the debt?" Paul said Sunday on "Face the Nation." "The GOP will own the debt once they vote for this." Paul's Senate colleague, Johnson, also backs splitting the package into multiple parts, as well as a smaller, short-term extension. Food stamps The package also cuts billions in federal dollars from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP or food stamps. The change will require states to cover a share of the costs to provide benefits that help low-income individuals and families pay for groceries. Currently, the program is fully funded by the federal government, although states take on some of the cost to administer it. Beginning in 2028, states will have to chip in for the program as well. "That's something that I heard some members voice concern about," Sen. John Boozman, an Arkansas Republican, said before Memorial Day. "So, we'll need to address that." and contributed to this report.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fiorentina decimated by injury and disciplinary crisis for Bologna game
Fiorentina risk seeing their campaign fall apart completely, as the squad could be decimated for Sunday's showdown with Bologna. It kicks off at the Stadio Artemio Franchi on Sunday at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT, 20.45 CET). Palladino troubled by absences FLORENCE, ITALY – APRIL 27: Head coach Raffaele Palladino manager of ACF Fiorentina looks on during the Serie A match between Fiorentina and Empoli at Stadio Artemio Franchi on April 27, 2025 in Florence, Italy. (Photo by) It has been a rough week for the Viola, who crashed out of the Conference League semi-final in extra time to Real Betis, then lost to Venezia in Serie A to slide down to ninth place. Advertisement Now coach Raffaele Palladino is preparing to go head-to-head with Bologna, but has few real options to choose from. Fiorentina choices severely limited Albert Gudmundsson and Moise Kean during Fiorentina-Milan EPA-EFE/CLAUDIO GIOVANNINI The Disciplinary Commission is behind many of their problems, as Michael Folorunsho, Lucas Beltran and Nicolò Zaniolo are all suspended. Moise Kean, Albert Gudmundsson and Danilo Cataldi are still not training with the squad today, which makes it very difficult to see them fit enough to start this weekend. It is potentially disastrous, as Amir Richardson and Andrea Colpani might have to be used as makeshift forwards.
