U.S. and world news for May 21

Trump’s budget would cut Medicare as well as Medicaid

The budget legislation that Donald Trump has been pressuring House Republicans to approve would cut Medicare by $490 billion in addition to the estimated $800 billion cuts in Medicaid, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO). There also likely would be cuts to Obamacare. The CBO says that the cuts would be triggered by a process called sequestration that automatically forces cuts when the budget deficit goes up. Trump had campaigned on a pledge not to cut Medicare or Medicaid. The Republican budget legislation also keeps SALT, the cap on deductibility of state and local taxes on federal income tax returns. Trump had promised during the campaign to eliminate the SALT cap, which went into effect during his first term. House Speaker Mike Johnson was hoping to bring the budget legislation up for a floor vote today.

UK imposes sanctions in wake of continued Israeli attacks on Gaza

The United Kingdom followed through on its threat to take “concrete actions” if Israel doesn’t stop its military offensive in Gaza and continues to block humanitarian aid from entering the enclave. On Tuesday, the UK paused trade negotiations with Israel and sanctioned West Bank settlers. British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said that while the UK backed Israel’s right to defend itself after the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, the conflict in Gaza was “entering a dark new phase.” With the European Union’s foreign policy chief describing the situation in Gaza as “catastrophic,” the EU also announced plans to review its relationship with Israel. According to the UN, on top of the military offensive, Israel’s monthslong blockade of aid has left one in five people in Gaza facing starvation.

Kristi Noem exposes her ignorance about habeas corpus

What is habeas corpus? That was the question put to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem during a Senate committee hearing on Tuesday. Her answer: “Well, habeas corpus is a constitutional right that the president has to be able to remove people from this country, and suspend their right to – ” That answer was incorrect, and New Hampshire Sen. Maggie Hassan interrupted Noem to say so. In Article I, Section 9 — which deals with the Legislative branch — the Constitution says: “The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in Cases of Rebellion or Invasion the public Safety may require it.” As President Donald Trump has tried to speed up deportations, immigrants have filed habeas petitions alleging unlawful detention and requesting a court determination. Now, the administration is looking for ways to suspend that right. “If not for that protection, the government could simply arrest people, including American citizens, and hold them indefinitely for no reason,” Hassan said. “Habeas corpus is the foundational right that separates free societies like America from police states like North Korea.”

Trump’s $175 billion missile defense system could cost $500 billon

President Trump is pushing for “Golden Dome,” a new missile defense system, to be deployed within the next three years. Trump says the project is similar to Israel’s Iron Dome. On Tuesday, Trump announced that the system would cost about $175 billion, of which $25 billion would be allocated from his domestic policy bill. However, the Congressional Budget Office has estimated the US would have to spend more than $500 billion over the course of 20 years to develop a viable Golden Dome. One military expert told CNN he believes creating the missile defense system may be possible in seven to 10 years, but even then, it would have severe limitations.

Death toll climbs from severe weather

The death toll from the latest round of violent weather has climbed to 28 since Friday: 19 in Kentucky, seven in Missouri and two in Virginia. In addition to strong winds, heavy rain and large hail, more than 100 tornadoes were reported in Arkansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas, leaving behind damaged homes and businesses as well as downed trees and power lines. According to the National Weather Service, severe weather and flash flooding are possible in the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic regions today. Flood watches have also been issued for areas of Maryland and Pennsylvania due to heavy to excessive rainfall.

Medical centers hit by ransomware attack

A ransomware attack on a network of 14 medical centers in Ohio has triggered a “system-wide technology outage.” Kettering Health, which employs more than 1,800 doctors, said the cyberattack had disrupted its call center and caused the cancellation of elective inpatient and outpatient procedures. However, emergency rooms and clinics were still open. Ransomware locks computer systems until the victim accedes to the hacker’s extortion demands. The US health care sector reported more than 440 ransomware attacks and data breaches to the FBI last year, the highest tally of all critical infrastructure sectors.