Rhode Island

RI senators missed historic moment to block weapons to Israel | Opinion

Published

1 month ago

December 14, 2024

RI senators missed historic moment to block weapons to Israel | Opinion

Allie Trionfetti
| Guest columnist

Allie Trionfetti is a member of the Rhode Island chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace, an American Jewish anti-Zionist advocacy group. She lives in Providence.

On Nov. 20, the U.S. Senate voted against the Joint Resolutions of Disapproval (JRD) — legislation introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders that would have blocked a $20-billion weapons shipment to Israel. For the first time in U.S. history, a weapons shipment to Israel had been challenged. The day after, the International Criminal Court (ICC)issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Much has happened in the weeks since — including Gallant’s welcome at the White House and Israel’s seizure and bombardment of sovereign Syrian land (480 strikes in 48 hours).

All of this is illegal and none of it would be possible without unwavering U.S. military aid and diplomatic cover.

While the JRD did not pass, it garnered considerable Democratic support — but not from our Rhode Island senators. Shamefully, Rhode Island was the only New England state fully opposed to the JRD. Neither Reed nor Whitehouse found it critical to halt weapons sales to a country whose two highest-ranking leaders would face international arrest warrants less than 24 hours later.

In a statement on his nay vote, Whitehouse described Netanyahu’s conduct as having “veered off course.” Israeli military operationshave killed over 44,800 in Gaza, includinghundreds of health and aid workers. Netanyahu’s clear “course” is one of ethnic cleansing, targeting medical, water and sanitation infrastructure necessary for life in Gaza. Whitehouse characterizes Israel as “a country that represents our values in a very dangerous neighborhood,” echoing racist, ethno-nationalistic sentiments that have been a driving force of American imperialism at home and abroad since our country’s inception. In this, Whitehouse is undoubtedly correct that Israel represents our values — but he considers this a point of pride rather than condemnation.

How dare Whitehouse offer this smug, indirect justification of Israel’s genocidal behavior. Israel’s war on Gaza killed more children in its first four months than were killed in four years of global conflict. Anyone who calls this scale of annihilation self-defense is willfully misinformed or deliberately partaking of propaganda. When that privileged ignorance falls among congressional leaders it is a stain of their complicity in these atrocities.

The JRD was an historic intervention to uphold pre-existing federal laws. TheLeahy Law and Section 620I of the Foreign Assistance Act state that the Department of Defense may not provide equipment to any foreign security force that has committed gross human rights violations or prohibits delivery of U.S. humanitarian assistance. Yet, U.S.-supplied bombs have been linked to war crimes in Gaza andLebanon. Reed released a November 2023joint statement with Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., and Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, saying that U.S. military sales to Israel “must adhere (…) to international humanitarian law, the law of armed conflict, and U.S. law.” Van Hollen and Schatz signed on to the JRD to abide by these laws and made good on their words; Reed did not.

Reed and Whitehouse missed an opportunity to be part of an historic shift in U.S. policy. They failed to uphold international and U.S. law and the will of their increasingly disillusioned base. They must now amplify the International Criminal Court arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant. When the court issued an arrest warrant for Russia’s President Vladimir Putin for war crimes in Ukraine, Senator Whitehousejoined a bipartisan group of senators who urged President Biden to support the investigation for the sake of accountability and justice. With Netanyahu, it should be no different. Our senators are running out of opportunities to match their policies with their proclaimed commitment to upholding international and U.S. humanitarian law.

As a member of Jewish Voice for Peace-Rhode Island, a coalition of anti-Zionist Jews and allies, I am firm in my commitment to a full arms embargo against Israel. We are witnessing a genocide thatover 250 international human rights and aid organizations have corroborated in devastating detail. The JRD was not a call for a full arms embargo. It represented a tiny, crucial interruption in a massive flow of weaponry that has killed a population with the largest number of verified deaths among 5- to 9-year-olds. We demand to know how Whitehouse and Reed justify their votes against halting a single arms shipment to a pariah state whose leaders are facing arrests for war crimes and crimes against humanity and who are now seizing and bombing sovereign territory, expanding their horrific death toll and sowing escalatory chaos.

Allie Trionfetti is a member of the Rhode Island chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace, an American Jewish anti-Zionist advocacy group. She lives in Providence.

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Rhode Island

Taylor Swift’s Rhode Island Mansion Is Getting a Billionaire-Worthy Upgrade

Published

7 hours ago

January 14, 2025

Press Room

Taylor Swift’s Rhode Island Mansion Is Getting a Billionaire-Worthy Upgrade

Billionaire status calls for a bigger home and Taylor Swift isn’t wasting any time. The singer’s oceanfront estate in Westerly’s Watch Hill neighborhood—affectionately dubbed Holiday House—is about to become even more impressive with a $1.7 million expansion project. The historic property, once home to the eccentric socialite Rebekah Harkness (whose antics inspired Swift’s song The Last Great American Dynasty) maintains its status as Watch Hill’s most talked-about residence.

WENN//Alamy

An exterior view of Taylor Swift’s 11,000-square-foot Rhode Island home.

The palatial property, which Swift acquired in 2013 for $17.75 million (in cash, reportedly), is already stunning. Perched dramatically on a cliff with 700 feet of private beachfront, the 11,000-square-foot manor currently holds eight bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, and enough fire places (eight, to be exact) to keep every corner cozy during those New England winters.

The property has become legendary for hosting Swift’s star-studded soirées, including her famous “Taymerica” Fourth of July celebrations. Most recently, the mansion and stunning pool area hosted a gathering including Swift’s boyfriend, Travis Kelce, NFL star Patrick Mahomes, and A-List friends like Gigi Hadid and Blake Lively.

WENN//Alamy

The storied mansion is perched on a cliff.

But what’s a coastal kingdom without a proper expansion? According to recently issued building permits—first reported by The Providence Journal—Swift is adding a generously proportioned 16-by-24-foot bedroom suite and additional bathrooms to her already expansive floor plan. The existing kitchen—presumably where she whips up those famous Fourth of July party treats—is also getting a complete makeover. The labor and materials for this latest enhancement are expected to cost $1.7 million, according to the permits.

Eagle-eyed fans have already spotted construction underway, with cranes and wood framing visible at the estate. While Harkness may have filled her swimming pool with Dom Pérignon, Swift’s enhancements are more practical—though equally luxurious.

Julia Cancilla is the engagement editor (and resident witch) at ELLE DECOR, where she manages the brand’s social media presence and covers trends, lifestyle, and culture in the design world. Her eye for emerging styles helps bring the latest in interior design to ELLE Decor’s audience across platforms. Julia built her background at Inked magazine, where she grew their social media audiences by two million, conducted interviews with A-list celebrities, and penned feature articles focusing on pop culture, design, and lifestyle. Over her five years of digital media experience, Julia has written about numerous topics, from fashion to astrology.

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Rhode Island

R.I. Governor McKee’s reelection campaign begins with tonight’s State of the State address – The Boston Globe

Published

14 hours ago

January 14, 2025

Press Room

R.I. Governor McKee’s reelection campaign begins with tonight’s State of the State address – The Boston Globe

In most years, the governor’s State of the State address is only a high-stakes affair for speechwriters and staffers who wish they were characters on “The West Wing.”

But Governor Dan McKee’s big speech tonight is effectively the beginning of his reelection campaign, which means he’ll need to prove that he can course correct on a difficult 2024 and offer a vision that begins to make the case to voters that he should remain in office through 2030.

McKee’s checklist has to include:

⚓ Acknowledging that the Washington Bridge debacle and the cyberattack on RIBridges are not only failures in basic government functions, but are issues he is actively working to fix.

⚓ Finding a way to navigate a sizable – but not catastrophic – projected budget shortfall that has leaders like House Speaker Joe Shekarchi warning that new programs are all but out of the question. McKee has signaled that he’ll propose banning assault-style firearms in his next budget, which wouldn’t cost the state anything and is seen as a winning campaign issue for Democrats.

⚓ Convincing the chattering class that his name will be on the ballot next year, and that he’s not just telling everyone he’s running to avoid lame duck status. All signs point to him running again, but it’s no secret that Shekarchi is keeping an eye on the office, and Helena Foulkes is already running.

One speech isn’t going to change the entire trajectory of Coach McKee’s administration, but if he’s been stuck in a defensive posture for most of the last four years, he can begin to show that he has an offensive game plan, too.

One piece of good news: In a sign that McKee’s luck is turning around, outgoing US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo announced just this morning that the URI Research Foundation and Polaris MEP will receive $3.9 million for workforce development in the ocean technology sector.

One piece of bad news: Senate President Dominick Ruggerio and his leadership team are now calling on McKee to declare a state of emergency to address homelessness, joining a list of lawmakers, advocates, and his rival Foulkes. McKee maintains a declaration won’t help, but he’d be putting his entire agenda at risk by having a public fight with Ruggerio.Tonight’s speech begins at 7 p.m., and you can stream it here, or on every local TV station.

This story first appeared in Rhode Map, our free newsletter about Rhode Island that also contains information about local events, links to interesting stories, and more. If you’d like to receive it via email Monday through Friday, you can sign up here.

Dan McGowan can be reached at dan.mcgowan@globe.com. Follow him @danmcgowan.

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Rhode Island

RI Lottery Powerball, Lucky For Life winning numbers for Jan. 13, 2025

Published

22 hours ago

January 14, 2025

Press Room

The Rhode Island Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Jan. 13, 2025, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from Jan. 13 drawing

04-06-16-39-66, Powerball: 09, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Jan. 13 drawing

13-17-35-41-44, Lucky Ball: 05

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Numbers numbers from Jan. 13 drawing

Midday: 2-6-1-5

Evening: 0-0-1-0

Check Numbers payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Wild Money numbers from Jan. 13 drawing

09-19-28-31-32, Extra: 21

Check Wild Money payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

Prizes less than $600 can be claimed at any Rhode Island Lottery Retailer. Prizes of $600 and above must be claimed at Lottery Headquarters, 1425 Pontiac Ave., Cranston, Rhode Island 02920.
Mega Millions and Powerball jackpot winners can decide on cash or annuity payment within 60 days after becoming entitled to the prize. The annuitized prize shall be paid in 30 graduated annual installments.
Winners of the Lucky for Life top prize of $1,000 a day for life and second prize of $25,000 a year for life can decide to collect the prize for a minimum of 20 years or take a lump sum cash payment.

When are the Rhode Island Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
Lucky for Life: 10:30 p.m. ET daily.
Numbers (Midday): 1:30 p.m. ET daily.
Numbers (Evening): 7:29 p.m. ET daily.
Wild Money: 7:29 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Rhode Island editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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