Aurelia Butler

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    Defying Johnson, Graham and Senate G.O.P. Push Their Own Budget Plan

    For days, Speaker Mike Johnson had called and texted Senator Lindsey Graham, imploring him to wait for the House to take the lead in the legislative drive to enact President Trump’s sweeping tax, budget and immigration agenda.When the three men converged in New Orleans on Sunday in the president’s suite at the Super Bowl, Mr. Graham shut him down in person.“I’m a huge fan, and nothing would please me more than one big, beautiful bill passing the House,” Mr. Graham recounted telling the speaker, a Louisiana Republican. But, he said, the Senate would press ahead with its own bill, adding, “We are living on borrowed time.”Senate Republicans have waited for weeks for their House colleagues to resolve their differences and agree to a budget blueprint that could unlock the party’s push to pass a vast fiscal package with only a simple majority vote. But House Republicans have remained divided over major issues, including how deeply to cut federal programs to pay for the bill, and have blown past several self-imposed deadlines.Enter Mr. Graham, the fast-talking fourth-term Republican senator from South Carolina and the chairman of the Senate Budget Committee.A loyal Trump ally who has long relished the opportunity to be in the middle of the action, Mr. Graham has made it clear in recent days that he has no intention of waiting for the House. Instead, Mr. Graham has advanced a budget plan that his committee is set to take up on Wednesday that would increase spending for the military and border security measures. He has promised that another bill extending the 2017 tax cuts will come later.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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    Canned Tuna Sold at Trader Joe’s and Costco Is Recalled Over Botulism Risks

    Tuna sold in 26 states and in Washington, D.C., was recalled over concerns that it may have been contaminated. The stores affected include Trader Joe’s, Genova, Van Camp’s and H-E-B.Canned tuna sold at grocery stores in 26 states and in Washington, D.C., was recalled because of botulism risks, the Food and Drug Administration and Tri-Union Seafoods said on Friday.The F.D.A. said that Tri-Union Seafoods had voluntarily recalled the tuna “out of an abundance of caution” after being notified of potential issues with the product seal. The “easy open” pull tab on some products, including those sold at Trader Joe’s and Costco, was defective, meaning that the tuna could have been contaminated with clostridium botulinum, a potentially fatal form of food poisoning.Here’s what to know.Which brands are affected and where?Here’s a list of all products affected.Products include:Trader Joe’s-label canned tuna in Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Wisconsin and Washington, D.C.Genova 7 oz. canned tuna from Costco in Florida and Georgia.Genova 5 oz. canned tuna from Harris Teeter, Publix, H-E-B, Kroger, Safeway, Walmart and independent retailers in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, New Jersey, Tennessee and Texas.Genova brand tuna sold in Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, New Jersey, Tennessee and Texas is affected by the recall.John Lamparski/Getty Images for NYCWFFWhat should you do if you have the recalled cans?Throw them out. Even if the product does not look or smell spoiled, you should dispose of it. Contact the store where you purchased the tuna or Tri-Union Seafoods for a coupon for a replacement product at support@thaiunionhelp.zendesk.com or 833-374-0171.The recall does not affect other Tri-Union Seafoods products.Has anyone gotten sick?No. There have not been any illnesses associated with the recalled products.What is botulism?Botulism is an illness caused by a toxin that attacks the body’s nerves, paralyzes muscles and causes difficulty breathing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It can be fatal.Most outbreaks stem from homemade products, rather than from commercially manufactured ones. Improperly home-canned or fermented food can provide the right conditions for spores to grow and make botulinum toxin. If in doubt about whether home-canned food is safe to eat, you should throw it out rather than taste it, the C.D.C. says.Signs of contamination include containers that are leaking or damaged, or that spurt liquid or foam when opened. Other signs of contamination include discoloration, mold or bad odor from the food. The C.D.C. recommends refrigerating canned or pickled foods after opening them.How common are botulism outbreaks?Outbreaks are rare but can be life-threatening. In 2023, a woman in France died and at least a dozen other people became ill with botulism after eating homemade sardine preserves at an organic wine bar in central Bordeaux. In 2019, U.S. health departments reported 21 cases of food-borne botulism to the C.D.C.Jonathan Wolfe More

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    Best in Show

    Would you want to enter your pet in a contest?At the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show this week, over 2,500 canine contestants tried to measure up to a set of exacting breed standards and competed for the coveted best in show award. Did you watch? What do you think of the winner, Monty, a dignified giant schnauzer, who beat out a whippet, a Skye terrier and the fan-favorite German shepherd for top honors?Have you ever thought about entering your own pet into a similar competition? Why or why not? If so, which talents, abilities or skills — such as agility, obedience or adorability — would you want to showcase? Do you think your pet would enjoy all the primping, pampering and attention that often goes with competing? How would you feel if your pet won? What about if they didn’t?Tell us in the comments, and then look at these behind the scenes photos to learn more about what it takes to compete for best in show at Westminster.Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print. Find more Picture Prompts here. More

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    Digital Estate Planning: How to Prepare Your Social Media Accounts

    When planning your estate, leave instructions for handling your online accounts, data and other electronic affairs.How do you want your social media pages, smartphone photos and computer files handled after you die? While property and money distribution are usually at the top of the estate-planning list, don’t forget to leave instructions regarding your digital accounts and assets — so your survivors are left with more than just random bits and pixels from your online presence.Here’s a short guide to getting your digital material in order, as well as advice for dealing with the accounts of those who departed without leaving directions.Create a Digital DirectiveA law known as the Revised Uniform Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act, enacted by most states, gives a chosen representative (like your estate’s executor) the authority to manage your electronic affairs. For specific instructions, create a document stipulating how you want your online accounts and all digital content handled when you die or become incapacitated, and keep it with your other estate papers.Giving access to your account user names and passwords will greatly help your representative, but proceed carefully. You will need a safe place to list the credentials for all your financial institutions, as well as for any e-commerce stores, insurance policies, online storage, email, social media platforms, cable and wireless carriers, medical apps, and media subscriptions.The 1Password app can hold all kinds of confidential information.1PasswordOne way to encrypt and store this sensitive information is to enter it all into a password-manager app. Wirecutter, the product review site owned by The New York Times, recommends 1Password ($3 a month for an individual plan, $5 a month for the shared family plan) or Bitwarden (free, with in-app upgrades). Apple and Google have their own free apps, which save and store passwords on devices running their software.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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    Why Doesn’t My Son’s Adviser Understand That Boys Will Be Boys?

    A father objects to his son’s punishment after a rowdy “tickle fight” in a darkened room, but an adviser isn’t budging on the decision to bar the boy from a future activity.In December, my son attended a religious retreat away from home. When some of the high school boys were in a room alone with girls, the boys got overexcited, turned off the lights and yelled “Tickle fight!” One of the girls was touched on the shoulder, but nothing remotely sexual happened. The adviser to the group has barred the boys involved from the next retreat. But I think it’s important for them to attend and discuss what happened rather than suffer an exclusionary punishment. Excluding the boys will only make things worse for the girl: Everyone knows she is the reason the boys won’t be there. I think it would be better to have the girl explain to the boys (with adult support) why their behavior was wrong. But I can’t convince the adviser. Thoughts?DADI think your love for your son is impeding your judgment. When children are at home, their parents are the arbiters of appropriate discipline. But when they go off with youth groups, for instance, those organizations assume responsibility for the welfare of all attendees. My first job was as a teacher at a Swiss boarding school. And chaperoning mixed groups of teenagers overnight was the worst: I was often the lone adult charged with preventing a dozen wily students from drinking, having sex or sneaking off at night.So, if the retreat organizer has decided to exclude the boys who made trouble on the last trip to send a strong message about inappropriate behavior (or because of limited resources for supervision), I find that reasonable. And I disagree with much of your position: You fail to acknowledge that the episode may have been frightening for some girls, even if nothing sexual happened. You are incorrect in stating that the girl is “the reason” for the boys’ punishment; the boys’ behavior is. And no girl is responsible for explaining to teenage boys why unwanted touching is wrong. That is your job!It sounds as if you have already made your pitch to the organization and it was rejected. So, rather than clinging to a minimizing “boys will be boys” argument, I suggest that you sit your son down to discuss the contours of appropriate behavior and the seriousness of unwanted touching.Miguel PorlanBefore ‘I Do,’ Try ‘I’ll Allow It’My partner and I plan to be married soon. I am child-free; he has five children from his previous marriage. He is close with all of them and has several grandchildren, ranging in age from 6 months to 21 years old. Both of my previous weddings were adult-only (17 and up), and I feel strongly about doing that again for our wedding and reception. But this would exclude some of my partner’s grandchildren, and he feels this would be insulting to his children. Advice?We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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    NYT Crossword Answers for Feb. 12, 2025

    Extra, extra fun awaits you in Philip Koski’s crossword.Jump to: Today’s Theme | Tricky CluesWEDNESDAY PUZZLE — Do you ever feel as though a crossword puzzle is speaking directly to you? That was my experience while solving today’s puzzle, constructed by Philip Koski. Some of it is just too relatable: I can’t be the only one, for instance, who winced in recognition at 65-Across. But the theme itself struck me as uncannily tailored to my interests, and I expect that anyone who works in media or journalism will feel similarly spoken to.This is an especially chewy Wednesday otherwise, with ample room for barely noticeable mistakes (some of which I made and have reviewed for your convenience in the Tricky Clues section below). Shall we read it and weep together?Today’s ThemeYou’ve no doubt found out [where some journalism is located] (60A/63A) through your own online reading habits: BEHIND A PAYWALL. This phrase also reveals a key to interpreting the ends of 20-, 30- and 44-Across in relation to the shaded squares.First, let’s review the entries in question: [The] is a DEFINITE ARTICLE (20A) — or the definite article, as it’s the only one we have in English. It is not to be confused with “the genuine article,” which is just a nice thing to say. But I digress: One who [Talks frankly] (30A) SPEAKS ONE’S PIECE, and [Success against all odds] is known as a CINDERELLA STORY (44A).The shaded squares, once filled, spell WAGE and SALARY. And they represent a literal wall of pay-related words, behind which we find ARTICLE, PIECE and STORY — i.e., news items. You might have also seen Mr. Koski’s extra wink at 26A with [Cover story?], which refers not to front-page news but to a FIB.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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    California’s FAIR Plan Gets $1 Billion Bailout After L.A. Fires

    The move will likely lead to higher costs for households across the state, and may push more insurers to leave, intensifying a home insurance crisis.California’s home insurance plan of last resort, designed for people who can’t get coverage on the private market, does not have enough money to pay claims from the Los Angeles wildfires and is getting an infusion of cash from regular insurers.State regulators said Tuesday that they will allow the program, known as the FAIR Plan, to collect $1 billion from private insurance companies doing business in California to pay its claims. That is likely to drive up insurance costs for homeowners across the state.The situation marks a perilous new stage for California’s home insurance market, which had already been reeling from wildfires made more frequent and intense by climate change. Facing growing losses, major insurers like State Farm were already pulling back from the state, making it harder for homeowners to find coverage.Now the pressure to leave will be even greater.The $1 billion assessment is the largest since the FAIR Plan was created in 1968, and the first time since the 1994 Northridge earthquake near Los Angeles that the FAIR Plan has faced claims it can’t pay on its own. The fee will be divided among insurers based on their market share, as required by state law.“The number one priority right now is that the FAIR Plan pay out its claims,” Ricardo Lara, California’s insurance commissioner, said in an interview. “The FAIR Plan, the way we’ve set it up, is doing what it’s supposed to.”As of 2023, the state’s largest insurers by market share were State Farm, Farmers Insurance Group and CSAA Insurance, according to data from AM Best, a company that rates the financial strength of insurers. Other major insurers in the top 10 included Liberty Mutual, Allstate and Travelers.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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    Trump Curtails Anti-Corruption Efforts, as Aides Seek End to Eric Adams Case

    Two nearly simultaneous moves by the Trump administration on Monday signaled a new and far more transactional approach to the Justice Department’s handling of corruption cases.In the evening, President Trump signed an executive order halting investigations and prosecutions of corporate corruption in foreign countries, arguing such cases hurt the United States’ competitive edge. “It’s going to mean a lot more business for America,” he said of his decision to pause enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977.Around the same time, a top Justice Department official directed federal prosecutors in Manhattan to drop bribery charges against Mayor Eric Adams of New York. The stated justification for the demand had nothing to do with the evidence in the case and focused instead on politics.The actions on Monday stunned current and former prosecutors and investigators who said the department was abandoning a tradition of holding public officials, corporate executives and others accountable for corruption in favor of an approach built on political or economic expedience.That same day, Mr. Trump pardoned Rod R. Blagojevich, the former Democratic governor of Illinois who was convicted in 2011 of essentially trying to sell a Senate seat that was vacated by President Barack Obama. Mr. Trump had previously commuted Mr. Blagojevich’s sentence.Trump administration officials have also ordered the shutdown of an initiative to seize assets owned by foreign kleptocrats, dialed back scrutiny of foreign influence efforts aimed at the United States and replaced the top career Justice Department official handling corruption cases.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More