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The public naming of Jay-Z as the mysterious celebrity accused in an anonymous civil lawsuit of raping a 13-year-old girl with Sean “Diddy” Combs came after weeks of behind-the-scenes battling between the star’s lawyer and the Texas attorney representing the woman. Since Combs was charged by federal prosecutors in a salacious sex trafficking probe, numerous civil lawsuits have been filed from people claiming they were victimized by the entertainer. There have also been suggestions that other big names will be swept into the scandal. But the Jay-Z case offers a window into the machinations and big money behind such cases that could be a preview of the potential fallout involving other civil litigation that’s been filed against Combs. In October, Jay-Z received a demand letter from Texas-based attorney Tony Buzbee making allegations of misconduct and suggesting a meeting. Legal experts said such letters are a common way to begin settlement discussions. But this letter included picture of a ticking clock and Jay-Z came out swinging. The music mogul responded by filing his own anonymous lawsuit against the attorney in Los Angeles. On Sunday, Jay-Z’s name was made public as the celebrity in the suit, and he responded by blasting Buzbee on social media as a “deplorable human” and an “ambulance chaser in a cheap suit.” Jay-Z has denied any wrongdoing, calling the claims “idiotic.” Buzbee told The Times on Monday that he “won’t be deterred or intimidated,” but wouldn’t commit to whether other celebrities might be named. Jay-Z’s attorney, Alex Spiro, on Monday sent a letter to a judge in the case asking to either dismiss the allegations against his client or disclose the accuser’s identity. Federal prosecutors have not named any co-conspirators. However, they have repeatedly emphasized their investigation remains ongoing. In a sprawling indictment unsealed earlier this year, they allege Combs for decades used his empire to coerce his victims into sex in gatherings known as “freak-offs.” Combs, who has denied any wrongdoing, was arrested in September after nearly a year of investigation by federal authorities. Jay-Z has not been charged with any crimes and it is unclear whether federal authorities are pursuing this allegation. Legal experts said it’s hard to assess the claims without knowing more about the evidence the plaintiffs have and how Jay-Z and any other celebrities ultimately named can rebut the allegations. “I think [Buzbee] knew there was going to be a fight,” added Laurie L. Levenson, a professor at Loyola Law School. “By the time he names them, he better have all of his witnesses, all of the evidence in order because the minute that the name goes out the fight really escalates.” The war between Jay-Z and Buzbee began in October when the attorney filed a lawsuit in New York on behalf of a woman, identified only as Jane Doe, who says she was 13 when she was raped by Combs and an anonymous male celebrity at a party after the MTV Video Music Awards in 2000. The woman, who had been outside Radio City Music Hall in New York City on Sept. 7, 2000, trying to talk her way into the awards ceremony, was invited to an after-party hosted by Combs. A driver took her to a large white house with a gated U-shaped driveway and, once inside, she was told to sign a nondisclosure agreement, the suit says. A luxurious party was unfolding inside. Waitstaff carried trays of drinks, loud music blasted throughout the house and partygoers were snorting cocaine and using marijuana, according to the lawsuit. After finishing one drink — a concoction of orange juice, cranberry juice and something bitter — she says she began to feel lightheaded and found an empty bedroom to rest. Combs walked into the room with two celebrities, a man and a woman. He approached her “with a crazed look in his eyes, grabbed her and said ‘You are ready to party!’” the lawsuit states. The lawsuit alleges the male celebrity — identified Sunday by Buzbee as Jay-Z— raped the girl, while Combs and an unidentified female celebrity allegedly watched. Combs then raped the girl as the other two celebrities watched, according to the lawsuit. Before filing the lawsuit, Buzbee wrote Jay-Z a demand letter in which he accused the celebrity of raping “multiple minors, both male and female, who had been drugged at parties hosted by Combs,” according to a lawsuit filed by Jay-Z. The lawyer said that if Jay-Z did not agree to a confidential mediation then he would “take a different course,” according to a lawsuit. Jay-Z responded by filing his own anonymous lawsuit against the attorney last month alleging the lawyer tried to extort a payout in return for not identifying him as a sexual abuser tied to Combs. Attorneys representing Jay-Z said the demand letters included “wildly false horrific allegations.” Buzbee fired back by amending his October civil complaint on Sunday to add Jay-Z, whose given name is Shawn Carter, as a defendant. Jay-Z’s attorney then sent a memo to the judge asking her to either dismiss the case or disclose the accuser’s identity. “Mr. Carter deserves to know the identity of the person who is effectively accusing him — in sensationalized, publicity-hunting fashion — of criminal conduct, demanding massive financial compensation, and tarnishing a reputation earned over decades,” Spiro wrote in the memo. David Ring, a lawyer who has represented victims of sexual assault in high-profile civil cases including against Harvey Weinstein, said it’s not unusual for attorneys to send letters as a way to negotiate with a defendant before filing a case. “Jay-Z here called the lawyer’s bluff and so the victim’s attorney named him in the court filing,” Ring said. Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor, said Buzbee either tried to leverage his belief that Jay-Z would want to keep the allegations private or his client didn’t want to be the first person to accuse such a high profile public figure. “This is why I don’t like demand letters in these types of cases and prefer to immediately file a lawsuit. Don’t bark if you’re not going to bite,” Rahmani said. Still, Rahmani said celebrities with connections to Combs are likely on edge. “If I were a celebrity who attended one of Diddy’s ‘freak-offs,’ I would ... have my lawyer on speed dial,” Rahmani said. In a statement issued Sunday by Roc Nation, Jay-Z’s entertainment company, he addressed Buzbee directly saying that the attorney had “made a terrible error in judgment thinking that all celebrities are the same.” “I’m not from your world. I’m a young man who made it out of the project of Brooklyn. We don’t play these types of games. We have very strict codes and honor. We protect children, you seem to exploit people for personal gain,” he wrote. Buzbee responded on Instagram by posting a picture of himself in the Marines, saying that despite what he called a “coordinated and aggressive” effort to intimidate and harass him by people following him and his family, and contacting his clients and former employees, he won’t be backing down. “I also won’t allow anyone to scare my clients into silence,” he wrote. “Sunlight is the best disinfectant and I am quite certain the sun is coming.”�Hٌ9�。

NoneReactions to Florida Representative Susan Valdes' switch over to Republican Party varyThe Syro-Malabar Church has said that the suspension of a young priest, who allegedly slighted the vicar of Mar Sleeva Forane Church, Manjapra, in front of a large gathering of the faithful during a Mass recently is in keeping with the Church laws and slammed the protest against the suspension calling it “orchestrated”. “A group of priests, with the support of anti-Church forces are protesting against the official Church action. But the faithful will reject the protest,” said Father Antony Vadakkekara, spokesman for the Church here on Saturday (November 30). “It is common practice that those who err are corrected through punitive action. It is, therefore, important that the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese is spared more shaming in public through uncalled protests. The priests and organisations involved in the protest must turn back from their course of action,” said Father Vadakkekara. The spokesman also said that when priests, who were bound by the vow of obedience were breaching discipline. They not only plunge their souls into peril but also set a bad example for the faithful. The official Church statement came in the wake of a call by the rebel group of priests in the archdiocese for public protest against the suspension of the priest. There would be public protest if the “unjust” suspension was not withdrawn, said Father Jose Vailikodath, spokesman for Athiroopatha Samrakshana Samithi, the rebel group. The statement claimed that Father Jeff Pozheliparambil, assistant vicar of the Manjapra Forane, was suspended without even being issued a show-cause notice. If the suspension is not withdrawn by December 3, the priests’ group and the lay people would come out in protest against apostolic administrator Bosco Puthur and the archdiocesan curia, it said. Father Sebastian Thalian, convenor of the rebel priests’ forum, said the apostolic administrator and the curia had become laughing stocks through their actions. Published - November 30, 2024 07:35 pm IST Copy link Email Facebook Twitter Telegram LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Kochi / Kerala / religion and belief

AP News Summary at 4:33 p.m. ESTHow Trump's tariffs on Mexico could push up the price of Modelo (and tequila)

Gabriel mimics Gyokeres in cheeky goal celebration in Arsenal win over Sporting in Champions League

Conservatives worry Congress won't have 'spine' for spending overhaul after DOGE meetingsHere are the billionaires stocking Trump’s next administrationJERUSALEM (AP) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office says Security Cabinet has approved ceasefire deal with Hezbollah.

Austin Butler is going from Oscar buzz to a literal buzz. The Elvis star sported a fresh buzz cut as he stepped out for the 2024 SFFILM Awards in San Francisco Dec. 9, where he posed for photos alongside Dune director Denis Villeneuve . Austin coupled the new ‘do with some light facial stubble as he donned a black suit with wide lapels and matching tie. Days before the red carpet appearance, Austin, 33, casually debuted his newly-sheared look during a getaway to Mexico in photos shared on social media by local tourist destination Xieltun. “We had the honor of welcoming two great film talents to Xieltun: actor Austin Butler and acclaimed director Darren Aronofsky ,” the company wrote in an Instagram post Dec. 4 via Spanish translation. “Thank you for visiting us and being part of this unique experience in connection with nature and the spirit of our sacred land!” It’s not the first time the Zoey 101 alum has gone for ultra-short hair and has even gone bald before. In fact, Austin ditched his hair and his eyebrows for his role as antagonist Feyd-Rautha in Dune: Part Two , which was released earlier this year. The actor also dyed his natural sandy blonde hair to a jet black tone for his portrayal of Elvis Presley in the 2022 biopic, which earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor the following year. He immersed himself so deeply into the critically-acclaimed role that he had to seek help ditching Elvis’ accent afterwards. “I had a dialect coach just to help me not sound like Elvis,” Austin told Stephen Colbert during an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in January . “It was a whole thing.” The Masters of the Air star went on to describe how returning to his own intonation was about more than just the way he sounded. “I was just trying to remember who I was,” he explained. “I was trying to remember what I liked to do. All I thought about was Elvis for three years.” To see more celebs who’ve revealed head-turning hair transformations, keep reading. Hailey Bieber The model debuted lighter locks in September 2024, a month after giving birth to her and Justin Bieber 's first baby, son Jack Blues Bieber . Lily Collins The Emily in Paris star debuted her dramatic transformation at the world premiere of her new horror movie, MAXXXINE , in June 2024. "Changing my hair always brings out different sides of my personality and I love playing around," Lily told Vogue . "This cut and color feels bolder and yet somehow lighter. And completely more me —right now." Katie Holmes While attending Chanel's Tribeca Film Festival Artists dinner in June 2024, Katie debuted a subtle, yet striking transformation of rich caramel balayage highlights that were blended throughout her brunette tresses. Kylie Jenner The Kardashians star debuted a platinum blonde look and a bob haircut after rocking waist-length strands for quite some time. "Did someone say they missed king kylie," Kylie teased in the caption of her June 8 Instagram post , to which her sister Khloe Kardashian cheekily replied, "I did! I did!!!!!!" Lisa Rinna The former Bravo star debuted a platinum blonde look during 2024 Paris Fashion Week Haute Couture. Priyanka Chopra The Heads of State star debuted a drastic haircut—a shoulder-grazing bob—while attending a Bulgari event in Rome i May 2024. Jessica Biel In May 2024, the actress chopped her hair into a bob that many fans on social media said reminded them of one of the looks she sported as Mary Camden on the '90s series 7th Heaven . Megan Fox The Transformers actress returned to her dark brown tresses and debuted a sassy bob in May 2024, a month after she dyed her hair blue to enter what she dubbed her " Jedi era ." Dannielynn Birkhead At age 17, the daughter of the late Anna Nicole Smith debuted a new lob hairstyle overnight during 2024 Kentucky Derby weekend, which she attended with dad Larry Birkhead . Demi Lovato The singer debuted a lighter, shorter 'do in April 2024. Kelly Osbourne The Fashion Police alum debuted a blonde bombshell hair transformation May 8. Kim Kardashian Back to blonde: Kim debuted a new platinum 'do in April 2024. Rihanna The Fenty Beauty founder debuted a bright blonde hair transformation April 17 while celebrating her latest Fenty x Puma collection in London. Delilah Belle Hamlin The model debuted a bleach blonde pixie cut at the FRAME event April 4. Megan Fox The Jennifer's Body star traded in her bubblegum pink tresses for a baby blue bob, which she debuted April 2. Zendaya Less than a month afer chopping her hair into a long bob, Zendaya debuted a honey blonde transformation at the Challengers premiere March 26. Elle Fanning The Great star ushered in spring with a fresh cut, as she debuted a long bob March 25. Rachel McAdams The Mean Girls alum swapped out her signature blonde hair for a dark brunette transformation on March 18. Bre Tiesi The Selling Sunset star looked completely unrecognizable after debuting a dramatic blonde transformation March 16. Kelly Osbourne The Fashion Police alum ditched her signature purple hair after six years, tinting it an icy silver in March 2024. Zendaya The Dune actress debuted a shoulder-grazing bob at Essence 's Black Women in Hollywood Awards March 7. Sydney Sweeney The Anyone But You star made a showstopping appearance at Miu Miu's fall/winter 2024-2025 show during Paris Fashion Week. For the March 5 event, she unveiled a dramatic long bob haircut. Zoey Deutch To prepare for her upcoming role as Jean Seberg, the 29-year-old debuted a bleached blonde pixie cut. Anne Hathaway The Princess Diaries alum unveiled fringe bangs at the 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards. Selena Gomez The star debuted a bangin' new style at the premiere of her friend Nicola Peltz Beckham 's film Lola in February 2024. Jennifer Lopez The "On the Floor" singer made a dramatic hair change, as she debuted a chin-grazing bob cut at Schiaparelli's haute couture spring/summer 2024 show on Jan. 22. Gypsy Rose Blanchard In January 2024, a month after her prison release, the now-influencer shared a pic of herself sporting a shorter 'do. Kylie Jenner Kylie Jenner traded in her dark locks for a pink 'do in January 2024. Julianne Hough In January 2024, the Dancing With the Stars personality shared a video of herself cutting her own hair. "Out with the old energy," she wrote, "and in with the new." Kate Beckinsale The Underworld actress took the plunge and went full blonde, while also debuting a short bob haircut.

DALLAS — After losing Juan Soto’s generational bat to the Mets , the Yankees chose to fortify a strength. The pennant-winning team has agreed to an eight-year, $218 million contract with longtime Braves starter Max Fried, according to multiple reports. The deal is the largest guarantee in baseball history for a southpaw and the fourth-largest contract for a pitcher in baseball history. Fried’s pact also includes a no-trade clause, but no opt-outs or deferrals, per the New York Post’s Joel Sherman. Sherman added that the Rangers and rival Red Sox were also late contenders for Fried. Fried’s average annual value of $27.25 million is slightly higher than that of new teammate and fellow lefty Carlos Rodón, who signed a six-year, $162 million contract with the Yankees before the 2023 season. With Gerrit Cole serving as the Yankees’ ace, Fried gives the Yankees a better No. 2 after eight seasons in Atlanta. The 30-year-old has a 3.07 ERA for his career. Fried has also been fairly durable, pitching full seasons in five of the last six years. Still, the Yankees are making a large commitment for a pitcher who has logged 180 innings just once in his career. Last season, Fried went 11-10 with a 3.25 ERA and 166 strikeouts over 29 starts and 174.1 innings for Atlanta while making his second All-Star team. A soft contact pitcher with a high groundball rate, Fried uses a seven-pitch arsenal that features a four-seamer, curveball, sinker, changeup, sweeper, slider and cutter. In addition to a strong regular season track record, Fried brings championship experience to the Yankees, as he won a World Series with the Braves in 2021. However, he has a 5.10 ERA over 20 postseason games, including 12 starts. A large Yankees contingent, including Brian Cashman, Aaron Boone and Matt Blake, first Zoomed with Fried last week . Meanwhile, special assistant Omar Minaya surely offered some insight, as he was the Padres’ senior vice president of baseball operations when they drafted Fried seventh overall in 2012. With Fried on board, the Yankees are improving a rotation that wasn’t all that weak for them in 2024. On Monday, Cashman suggested that the team could double down on strengths after Soto’s bat defected to Flushing. “Obviously, we just lost a big offensive force, but we also have guys that are certainly capable and quality and impactful,” Cashman said. “So, how can I add to that? Is it run prevention? Is it run creation? Is it a little bit of both? How it all adds up together, it’s all yet to be determined.” With Cole, Fried, Rodón, Clarke Schmidt, Luis Gil, Nestor Cortes and Marcus Stroman all on hand, the Yankees can now deal from an area of strength. The Yankees would love to get out of Stroman’s contract after he struggled in the second half and didn’t pitch in the postseason, but they’d have to sweeten any deal he’s involved in. Stroman is owed $18.5 million in 2025 and can make the same money in 2026 if he totals 140 innings next year. Cortes could be a more attractive trade chip, though the lefty suffered a late-season flexor strain before returning for the World Series. With the rotation reinforced, the Yankees now have questions at second or third — Jazz Chisholm Jr. can play both — first base and in the outfield. They also have some openings in their bullpen.President-elect Donald Trump has promised swift immigration action during his second term in office. He has repeatedly pledged to seal the U.S.-Mexico border and implement a mass deportation program targeting millions of people who are in the U.S. illegally. On Dec. 8, in a wide-ranging interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Trump suggested he is considering deporting entire families, including children who are U.S. citizens with undocumented parents. “I don’t want to be breaking up families, so the only way you don’t break up the family is you keep them together and you have to send them all back,” Trump said, echoing remarks his border czar Tom Homan made in October. Multiple people on social media claim the president cannot legally deport U.S. citizens because doing so would be unconstitutional. Recent online search trends show many people online are wondering if this is true. THE QUESTION Is it unconstitutional to deport U.S. citizens? THE SOURCES 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution Afroyim v. Rusk Michelle Mittelstadt , director of communications and public affairs for the Migration Policy Institute Allen Orr, Jr., J.D. , an immigration attorney and founder of Orr Immigration Law Firm P.C. Jean Lantz Reisz, J.D. , co-director of the USC Immigration Clinic, and clinical associate professor of law at the USC Gould School of Law Maureen Sweeney, J.D. , law school professor and director of the Chacón Center for Immigrant Justice at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law Scott D. Pollock & Associates, P.C , an immigration law firm in Chicago, Illinois THE ANSWER Yes, deporting U.S. citizens is a violation of the U.S. Constitution. Sign up for the VERIFY Fast Facts daily Newsletter! WHAT WE FOUND The president cannot deport U.S. citizens, including those with undocumented parents, because doing so would be unconstitutional, according to immigration law experts. The U.S. Constitution protects natural-born citizens from being deported by the government. But citizens may choose to renounce their citizenship voluntarily. “It is unconstitutional to deport U.S. citizens,” said Michelle Mittelstadt, a spokesperson for the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute. U.S. citizenship through birth, which is known as “birthright citizenship,” comes via the 14th Amendment , which was ratified after the Civil War to secure citizenship for newly freed Black Americans. It was later, after multiple court challenges, used to guarantee citizenship to all babies born on U.S. soil regardless of the citizenship of their parents. Section 1 of the 14th Amendment reads: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” Trump has repeatedly said he would attempt to end birthright citizenship through executive action in his second term. However, we previously found that the president cannot end birthright citizenship by executive order because it would also violate the Constitution. Amending the Constitution would require congressional action and ratification by three-quarters of the states. Law experts agree that any executive order by Trump or any president to terminate birthright citizenship would likely be subjected to legal and judicial challenges. On Dec. 8, immigration attorney Allen Orr Jr. wrote on X that a president cannot deport U.S. citizens because “U.S. citizenship cannot be revoked arbitrarily” under the 14th Amendment. Orr added that in 1967, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a landmark case known as Afroyim v. Rusk “that the government cannot involuntarily strip a citizen of their citizenship, meaning a person can only lose their citizenship if they voluntarily relinquish it.” Jean Reisz, a law professor and the co-director of the USC Immigration Clinic, told VERIFY it is unclear if Trump actually plans to forcefully deport U.S. citizens with undocumented parents, which she agrees he cannot legally do because it would be unlawful. “It seems to me Trump is addressing a situation that often occurs in mixed-status families with young U.S. citizen or LPR [legal permanent resident] children, and/or spouses where a noncitizen family member is going to be deported and the family must decide whether they will go with the noncitizen to the country to where the noncitizen is being deported and start a life there, or stay in the U.S. and be separated from the noncitizen,” Reisz explained. VERIFY reached out to the Trump transition team for clarification but did not hear back before publication. Although deporting U.S. citizens is unconstitutional, it has happened illegally in the past, according to Mittelstadt and Maureen Sweeney, the director of the Chacón Center for Immigrant Justice at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. “U.S. citizens have been deported, unlawfully, during prior instances of significant deportations, including during local ‘repatriation drives’ that took place around the U.S. during the Great Depression and during ‘Operation Wetback ’ in the Eisenhower administration,” Mittelstadt said. “These deportations were illegal then, as they would be now,” Sweeney noted. The Associated Press contributed to this report . Related Articles No, the president cannot end birthright citizenship by executive order Yes, Trump will have the authority to pardon Jan. 6 rioters What we can VERIFY about Trump’s plan to use the military to support mass deportations The VERIFY team works to separate fact from fiction so that you can understand what is true and false. Please consider subscribing to our daily newsletter , text alerts and our YouTube channel . You can also follow us on Snapchat , Instagram , Facebook and TikTok . Learn More » Follow Us YouTube Snapchat Instagram Facebook TikTok Want something VERIFIED? Text: 202-410-8808

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Rudy Giuliani draws rebuke for a courtroom outburst accusing judge in assets case of being unfairBoxing legend Floyd Mayweather is 'attacked by mob' while out shopping in London's jewellery quarter - before being bundled into blacked-out 4x4 by guards By DAN WOODLAND Published: 16:59 EST, 10 December 2024 | Updated: 17:53 EST, 10 December 2024 e-mail 81 View comments Boxing legend Floyd Mayweather has reportedly been attacked by a mob while shopping in central London . The former world champion found himself in trouble after a large crowd descended on him and his entourage while visiting a jewellery store in Hatton Garden. Mayweather, who was wearing a green jacket and camo trousers, appeared visibly distressed as he was escorted through the street by his security. Members of the mob, allegedly of around 30 people, could be heard taunting the billionaire as his bodyguards tried to bungle him into a blacked-out 4x4. The world champion was eventually ushered into the car before it sped off down the street, leaving some of his security staff behind. Videos of the incident, posted earlier today, show the 47-year-old shouting back at the crowd before his escape. Another shows him walking out of a store surrounded by his entourage as members of the public watch on. A source close to Mayweather told The Sun that floyd was 'not touched' during the incident, although one witness claimed the boxer 'took a few hits'. Boxing legend Floyd Mayweather, seen wearing a green jacket and camo trousers, appeared visibly distressed as he was reportedly attacked by a mob while shopping in London Videos of the incident, posted earlier today, show the 47-year-old shouting back at a crowd in Hatton Garden before he was bundled into a 4x4 The former world champion (pictured in 2014) found himself in trouble after a large crowd descended on him and his entourage while visiting a jewellery store in Hatton Garden The source said Mayweather was out shopping when he was asked about whether he supported Israel. He then said he was 'proud to support the Jews', which provoked someone into taking a swing at him, the source added. They continued: 'Then someone took a swing at him because of that. It looked very targeted. 'Floyd took a few hits during it, but his security was trying to push people back. 'I couldn't really see Floyd trying to throw any punches back. His guards were just trying to get distance between him and them.' Videos posted to X also claimed the boxer had caused anger over his comments about Israel. One person posted a video of the incident with the caption: 'Floyd Mayweather chased out of Hatton Gardens in London. The public are angry over his comments and support for Israel.' The source close to Mayweather also told The Sun members of the crowd 'used racial slurs' towards him. Floyd had to be held back by his security team as they tried to usher him into the car He was eventually ushered into the car before it sped off down the street, leaving some of his security staff behind Floyd Mayweather (centre) poses with his belts after beating Marcos Maidana in 2014 Floyd Mayweather, (centre) after dedicating a fleet of ambucycles he donated to emergency services in Ramle, Israel In March Floyd jetted off to Israel to show his support for the country amid the ongoing war with Hamas. When the conflict with Hamas first began last year, Mayweather pledged his allegiance to Israel on social media, insisting he 'stands with' the country. He wrote: 'I stand with Israel against the Hamas terrorists. Hamas do not represent the people of Palestine but are a terrorist group that are attacking innocent lives! 'I stand for all humans and wish for the safe return of all Americans and Israelis and any human that were kidnapped as hostages during these horrific war crimes. 'This is not a time for politics. This is a time for safety first and foremost. 'God Bless America. God Bless Israel. God Bless Human Kind!' Floyd Mayweather Israel Hamas London Share or comment on this article: Boxing legend Floyd Mayweather is 'attacked by mob' while out shopping in London's jewellery quarter - before being bundled into blacked-out 4x4 by guards e-mail Add comment

Here are the billionaires stocking Trump’s next administrationWASHINGTON — Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee highlighted Tuesday the costs and human toll of President-elect Donald Trump’s stated plans to deport all undocumented immigrants, while Republicans sought to limit some of those concerns. Chair Richard J. Durbin, D-Ill., said in his opening remarks the estimated 13 million undocumented immigrants in the United States fill every sector of American society. “It was an undocumented worker who was watching your grandchild this morning at the daycare center, an undocumented worker who walked carefully with your mother back to her room after breakfast, so she didn’t fall down,” Durbin said. “It was an undocumented worker with that leaf blower in your front yard over the weekend.” Democrats held the hearing as a kind of last stand for their views on immigration in the waning days of their majority in the Senate. They invited among their witnesses one of the undocumented immigrants known as Dreamers, who were brought to the U.S. as children and raised and educated here, yet face uncertain futures. Foday Turay, an assistant district attorney at the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, said during his opening statement the mass deportations currently planned would be devastating if they include immigrants like him. “Mass deportation hurts all of us, our family, our community and our society,” Turay said. “We owe it to ourselves and to our country to reject mass deportation and look for a solution for Dreamers whose lives have become deeply rooted in the country and strengthen our borders.” Durbin referenced a recent interview Trump gave on “Meet the Press,” when he said he’d be open to a legislative solution for the Dreamers, as among the “positive things” coming from the president-elect. “He really challenged us on the Democratic side to work with him when he came to the Dreamers,” Durbin said. “I accept the challenge. Name the time and place, Mr. President. I’ll be there.” Republicans on the committee, for their part, signaled an openness to working with Democrats on the solution for the Dreamers, although it appears it would have to be a component of a larger immigration scheme. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., suggested he’d be open to solution that would include them: “As to the Dreamers, hopefully we can find a solution to that problem.” “I think President Trump is pretty clear about DACA, but what do we tell the kids who’ve been brought here in the last year who are 7 years old?” Graham added. “Do you ever break this chain? So I’m hoping, Mr. Chairman, that once we regain control of our border and try to shut down the poisoning of America, we can have a logical, fractional discussion about Dreamers and others.” “But until we control that border, until we get control of the crime coming into this country, into the poison of America, that discussion cannot happen,” Graham said. Graham said Republicans are preparing a “transformative” border security funding bill, which by some reported estimates may total as much as $85 billion. Republicans at the hearing seemed to downplay the scope of the deportation effort, making the case that immigrants convicted of crimes should be a priority for removal, as well as undocumented immigrants who had received their final deportation orders after having their cases adjudicated in immigration court. The senators heard one estimate that the cost of Trump’s deportation plan could be as high as an annual cost of $88 billion, for the hiring and infrastructure needed to deport 1 million people a year, and a mass deportation campaign would lead to a loss in total GDP of 4.2 to 6.8 percent at minimum, as much as the Great Recession. Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, delivered those numbers to the committee as part of his testimony urging Congress to advance legislation creating pathways to citizenship instead of mass deportation. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said he is “part of a group of people here who ... believes there should be a path for Dreamers,” but that advocates such as Reichlin-Melnick were personally responsible for the failure of Congress to enact protections. “You cause people to go into their corners and get nothing done,” Tillis said. “That is why Chair Durbin has not been able to fulfill the promise on Dreamers every single year he’s tried for the last 20 because people like you make it impossible to have a — let me finish, and then I’ll let you speak, as long as the chair wants to — have a rational discussion about it, because if we don’t secure the border, I can’t get a path to citizenship for the DACA population.” Tillis’ time expired and he exited the committee hearing before Reichlin-Melnick had a chance to respond. After the hearing, Reichlin-Melnick said among the things he would like to say in response to Tillis was the importance of finding a solution that enables a “rising tide to lift all boats.” “If the choice is rupture the social fabric by deporting 13 million people or work to build greater prosperity, that’s what we should be doing,” Reichlin-Melnick said. Some Democrats on the committee made comments seeking common ground, asserting the 2013 immigration reform measure or the bipartisan border bill currently pending before Congress would be good starting points. Neither have any serious prospects with Republicans in control of the White House and Congress. The bipartisan border bill has been declared dead even by its supporters. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., brought up the bipartisan legislation, which was supported by Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., as a legislative solution for immigration that should be revisited. “Hopefully that can be at least a starting point for discussing it, even though it didn’t go anywhere last year,” Klobuchar said. Klobuchar pointed to proposals on “path to citizenship for Dreamers, on doing something for the temporary status people, on looking at people who have not committed crimes and what we can do to make sure our workforce is strong, I think there is a path here and I’m just continuing to focus on where we can go.” ©2024 CQ-Roll Call, Inc., All Rights Reserved. Visit cqrollcall.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.