U.S. and world news for June 3

Boulder attack investigated as an act of terrorism

The FBI is investigating the fiery attack in Boulder, Colorado, as “an act of terrorism.” A group of people were attending “Run for Their Lives,” a weekly Jewish community event to support the hostages taken by Hamas during the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel, when a shirtless man started using a “makeshift flamethrower” and throwing Molotov cocktails at them. The suspect, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, who yelled “Free Palestine!” during the attack, was arrested and charged with a federal hate crime as well as several state crimes, including 16 counts of attempted first-degree murder. He’s being held on $10 million bail. At least 12 people were injured in the antisemitic assault, which Soliman told authorities he’d been planning for a year.

U.N. turns spotlight on Sudan civil war.

The U.N. has described the civil war in Sudan as “the most devastating humanitarian and displacement crisis in the world.” Since April 2023, two of the country’s most powerful generals — Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who leads the Sudanese Armed Forces, and former ally Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces — have engaged in a bloody feud over control of the country, and civilians have paid the price. The death toll is still unknown. More than 14 million people have had to flee their homes and now suffer from a lack of shelter, food, running water, medical supplies and electricity. While the army has recently wrested control of Khartoum from the militia, more than two years of war have left the capital in ruin, with many civilians struggling with dehydration, disease and malnutrition.

Trump’s FEMA head ignorant of hurricane season

Two weeks ago, the Department of Homeland Security replaced several veteran FEMA leaders with a half-dozen of its own officials, even though they had limited experience managing natural disasters. They are serving under the agency’s new acting administrator, David Richardson, who is also a Homeland Security official with no prior experience in disaster relief. CNN reports that yesterday Richardson stunned FEMA staff when he admitted he was previously unaware the U.S. had a hurricane season. While some staffers interpreted the remark as a joke, others said it raised concerns about Richardson’s ability to lead the agency during such a critical time. This year’s hurricane season, which started on June 1, is expected to be a busy one, with 13 to 19 named storms forecasted. Three to five of those storms may grow to major hurricanes of Category 3 or stronger.

Supreme Court leaves gun control laws in place

The Supreme Court has declined to hear two Second Amendment challenges, which means both laws will remain in place. One of the appeals dealt with Maryland’s law banning certain semi-automatic weapons, such as AR- and AK-style rifles. The law was enacted after the deadly 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut. The Supreme Court also declined to hear a challenge to Rhode Island’s ban on high-capacity gun magazines. Conservative Justices Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas dissented from the court’s decision not to hear the cases.

Massachusetts Governor joins chorus protesting ICE arrest of high school student

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey has demanded answers from the Trump Administration’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following its arrest of a Milford, Massachusetts, high school student. Marceio Gomes, a junior at Milford High School was arrested by ICE agents, put into chains and taken to a prison. Gomes is an honors student, participates in high school sports and has no criminal record. Hundreds of people have joined protests in Milford. Healey said she’s disturbed and outraged at what ICE has done. THz student was arrested after ICE agents stopped the car in which he was going to an early morning volleyball practice at the school.

OECD sees economic growth slowing

In a report released today, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says global economic prospects are weakening largely due to Donald Trump’s trade wars, with substantial barriers to trade, tighter financial conditions, diminishing confidence and heightened policy uncertainty projected to have adverse impacts on economic growth. OECD projects global economic growth slowing from 3.3% in 2024 to 2.9% in both 2025 and 2026. Gross Domestic Product growth in the U. S. is projected to decline from 2.8% in 2024 to 1.6% in 2025 and 1.5% in 2026. OECD also says higher tariffs are expected to push up inflation.