Author: CNN

New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik tussled with David Banks, chancellor of the New York City Public Schools, after learning that a principal was disciplined — but not fired — after alleged incidents of antisemitism took place at his school.

Stefanik, citing local media reports, said the principal of Hillcrest High School in Queens was given a senior position, working on a team led by the school district’s deputy chancellor.

Banks said he could not confirm the former principal’s current role, but he acknowledged the principal was removed from his job but reassigned elsewhere in the district.

Stefanik also grilled Banks on allegations that students marched in the hallway of Origins High School in Brooklyn chanting “death to Jews.” Banks said an investigation showed no evidence that was chanted in the halls, although he noted what the probe revealed was “deeply troubling,” and a number of students at the school were suspended.

Banks said he couldn’t provide details of what happened at Origins, because the incident was under litigation.

He also noted a principal at another school was disciplined after assigning a teacher to go with a student to an anti-Israel protest. Banks called that action “completely inappropriate” and said both the principal and teacher were disciplined, but not fired.

Editor’s Note: Dashawn Austin and Akeem Artis were sentenced Wednesday after being convicted in April 2024 on charges in the shooting death of 1-year-old Davell Gardner and on other charges, a statement from the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office said. Austin was convicted of second-degree murder and Artis was convicted of first-degree manslaughter for the child’s death. Austin was sentenced to 50 years to life in prison and Artis was sentenced to 40 years, the statement said.

CNN
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Two men were charged Thursday in the connection with the fatal shooting of a 1-year-old boy in New York City last year, according to a news release from the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office.

The baby, identified as Davell Gardner, was killed last July on the sidewalk in front of Brooklyn’s Raymond Bush Playground.

Less than a year after that shooting, Dashawn Austin, 25, and Akeem Artis, 24, were arrested and charged in connection with the shooting and Davell’s death. Both men are members of a local street gang called the Hoolies and the violence was motivated by gang rivalry and retaliation, according to the Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez’s office.

Artis was the driver of a car from which Austin and a second shooter, who was not named, exited and then allegedly fired into a crowd attending a cookout on July 12, 2020, according to the indictment. Four people were shot, including the infant. The other victims, all innocent bystanders, survived.

The men are also two of 18 charged in a 63-count indictment for gang-related activity including multiple counts of murder and weapons charges.

CNN is working to confirm the legal representation for the suspects.

Between May 2018 and September 2020, members of the Hoolies gang are accused of committing four murders and eight non-fatal shootings that involved nine victims, according to a new release from Gonzalez’s office. Seven of the 13 victims were innocent people who were not rivals of the gang, the release said.

“Insidious gang violence as we allege in this case has taken and traumatized far too many lives, including many innocents such as Davell Gardner – a bright and loved baby boy with his whole life ahead of him,” Gonzalez said.

New York City Police Commissioner Dermot Shea says the alleged gang members were willing to kill “without regard for innocent people caught in the crossfire.”

“This violence has to stop and cases like these are only made more solid when NYPD detectives and Assistant District Attorneys work hand-in-glove to build them from the beginning,” Shea said.

Editor’s Note: Sign up for Unlocking the World, CNN Travel’s weekly newsletter. Get the latest news in aviation, food and drink, where to stay and other travel developments.

CNN
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Mention Dalmatia, and Split and Dubrovnik usually spring to mind. But head to the northern stretch of this coastal Croatian region and you’ll find a road a little less traveled.

Croatia’s coast from Zadar to Trogir manages to pack in an astonishing amount of history and culture, as well as mesmerizing landscapes, in under 90 miles (around 144 kilometers).

And that’s just the mainland – there are also dozens of islands scattered along the coast. Many are uninhabited; others are the sort of place to go when you need to get away from it all.

There’s even Kornati National Park, one of Croatia’s most compelling natural spaces, spread over 89 islands. You’ll soon see why getting around by boat is such an appealing option.

The great cities of Zadar and Šibenik take you back in time: Zadar to the Roman period, Šibenik to the time of Croatia’s medieval rulers. Meanwhile, Trogir – whose old town occupies its own little island – is a magical place protected by UNESCO World Heritage status. In between are alluring coastal villages, secluded beaches and an interior wine region.

Zadar and around

Step into the historic center of Croatia’s oldest city – founded by the ancient Liburnian tribe and colonized by the Romans in the first century BCE – and you’ll get an insight into what makes the country’s history such a fascinating one. In just one square within the walled old town you’ll be immersed in centuries of history.

Trg Opatice Čike is centered on the remains of the ancient Roman forum, many of whose stones were used to build the ninth-century St. Donat’s Church beside it. Next to the church is the romanesque cathedral of St. Anastasia.

Opposite, don’t miss the 11th-century bell tower beside St. Mary’s church – a renaissance Benedictine monastery (but with bits of Roman and medieval within). Both St. Mary’s and the baptistery of St. Anastasia were destroyed during Allied bombing in 1943 and had to be rebuilt.

Wander along Zadar’s waterfront and you’re firmly back in the 21st century when you come across two art installations by Nikola Bašić that have become major attractions.

Sit on the gleaming marble steps by the water’s edge and listen to the haunting sounds of the Sea Organ, an underwater set of pipes powered by waves. Just beside it, embedded into the waterfront is its companion piece, “Greeting to the Sun,” lit by blue glass panels that glow at night.

Once you’ve had a leisurely browse of Zadar’s excellent food market a five-minute walk away on ulica Hrvoja Vukčića Hrvatinića, it’s time to hit the beach.

Follow the coast just north of the center and you’ll come to family-friendly Borik and Diklo beaches, while just below the old town are city beaches – Kolovare gets our vote for its lively beach bars. If you’re after a full beach experience, head about four miles south of Kolovare and you’ll reach the village of Bibinje, whose nearly three miles of beaches ends at Croatia’s largest marina.

Before you leave the mainland, make a quick detour about 10 miles (16 kilometers) north of Zadar to the attractive small town of Nin. Its setting is an unusual one: two protective spits of sandy beach curve around the old town, which sits on its own tiny island connected by two bridges.

The surrounding salt flats give a clue to Nin’s importance during the Middle Ages, which you can see for yourself with a visit to the Nin Saltworks.

Take a tour of the museum and discover that little has changed over the past 1,000 years – the salt is still being harvested by hand. Once you’ve explored the old town’s narrow lanes, head to the sandy Queen’s Beach just outside it, and join the locals smearing themselves in the “therapeutic” mud you’ll find in the reeds behind the beach.

The numerous islands scattered off Zadar’s coast are some of Croatia’s most laid back, and many of them are reachable by ferry.

The two closest and easiest to reach – Ugljan and Pašman – are only 25 minutes away by boat and are almost like suburbs of Zadar, albeit suburbs smothered with olive groves, indented with pebbly coves and crisscrossed with hiking and biking trails.

Silba, around three hours or so by ferry from Zadar, is one of the furthest flung, a chilled-out place where cars aren’t allowed and even bikes are banned during the summer months. Its smaller neighbor, Olib, is on the same ferry route and feels even more remote.

Head about two hours west from Zadar by fast ferry and you’ll reach sinuous Dugi Otok, which translates as “long island.” Drive along its coastline to find tiny fishing villages, old Yugoslav military U-boat bunkers, and Veli Rat – the Adriatic’s highest lighthouse at 135 feet.

Climb to the top for views of Dugi Otok’s northern coast and neighboring islands. While you’ll see that most of the island’s beaches are pebbly coves, there’s sand at Sakarun on the west coast, while at the southern tip is the enchanting Telašćica Nature Park, whose 25 coves and six islets are wedged into a claw-shaped landscape of oak forests and olive groves lined with footpaths.

Follow the trail to the inland saltwater Lake Mir, or “peace.” When it’s not high season, it lives up to its name.

Sailors have long known about the joys of weaving through the Kornati National Park, an archipelago of 89 eerily barren but starkly beautiful islands just south of Dugi Otok.

If you want to go off grid, this is the place to do it – there’s no mains water or electricity anywhere on the islands, just rainwater, gas and solar energy. In fact, there’s not even a permanent population, apart from the odd flock of sheep.

Once the season kicks in, some of the islands, including Kornati, Priškera and Levrnaka, come to life. Restaurants and rental cottages open up for the boating crowd, and there’s also a well-equipped marina on Priškera.

There’s little to do but swim, eat, drink, maybe do a little hiking – and repeat. If you don’t have your own boat, join a boat tour from Murter, an island close to the mainland that’s connected by a bridge.

One of Croatia’s greatest cities is curiously overlooked by most tourists, but Šibenik is a must-visit.

Founded in the 11th century CE by Croatians – not Romans or Greeks, like other Dalmatian cities – it’s home to the magnificent UNESCO-listed Cathedral of St. Jakov, a gothic-renaissance marvel, with a frieze of 71 sculpted portraits around the outside.

The Venetians ruled here from 1412 to 1797, and it’s easy to get pleasantly lost in the labyrinth of marble lanes they left in the historic center, but save time to visit three of the city fortresses they built.

The quickest one to reach, St. Michael’s, is less than a 10-minute walk from the waterfront and doubles as an open-air venue for summertime pop concerts with superb views of the Adriatic beyond.

Look out, too, for signs leading you about five minutes south of the fortress to the fragrant Medieval Mediterranean Garden of St. Lawrence’s Monastery. Breathe in the scents of lavender, rosemary and wild herbs as you relax on the garden’s benches.

Šibenik is often used as the jumping-off point for visits inland to Krka National Park, whose waterfalls are at least as impressive as those in the more famous Plitvice Lakes National Park.

Buses leave Šibenik for the riverside town of Skradin 12 miles north, from where you take a boat east along the Krka River past seven stupendous waterfalls. The most famous is Skradinski Buk, with 17 cascades tumbling into each other.

At this point you can disembark and follow the footpath to get a closer look before going deeper into the lush greenery flanking the river. The boat stops at various points, including the thundering Roški Slap waterfall and the Visovac island monastery.

Late spring, early summer and fall are good times to visit, as water levels can drop during the summer months.

Wine lovers can base themselves in the charming town of Primošten, about 18 miles (28 kilometers) south of Šibenik. You’ll be in a prime spot to visit the nearby wineries specializing in the indigenous Babić grape which produces a soft, fruity red wine in a landscape of rolling hills and olive groves – try Matošin or Prgin.

Primošten’s old town is on its own little island connected to the newer town by a causeway. Its stepped alleyways lead up to the 15th-century church St. George and lovely views of the Adriatic. Look out for a little promontory just to the north of the old town, where you’ll see pebbly beaches backed by pine trees.

Tiny Trogir’s walled old town also sits on its own small island, sandwiched between the mainland – where the newer part of the city is – and the sprawling island of Čiovo, whose northern and western coasts are lined with beach resorts. Bridges connecting all three.

Stand in its central square beside the romanesque St. Lawrence’s Cathedral and you’ll instantly see why the old town is on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list.

It’s a delightful jumble of medieval palaces and cobblestone lanes, with squares where restaurants and bars squeeze into small courtyard gardens.

Wander along the Riva waterfront to reach the 15th-century Kamerlengo Fortress, an atmospheric venue for summertime performances of classical and pop concerts.

Mary Novakovich is the author of “My Family and Other Enemies: Life and Travels in Croatia’s Hinterland”

Though their looks weren’t as attention-grabbing as their counterparts on the green carpet, several celebrities made impressions in suits and tuxedos with subtle nods to the night’s garden-centric theme.

Donald Glover, who recently teased new music from his rap alter ego Childish Gambino, looked relaxed in various shades of brown.

Ed Sheeran, attending with Stella McCartney, wore a powder blue suit straight out of an ’80s prom, complete with a casually undone bowtie.

Jack Harlow, on his third trip to the Met Gala, matched his mullet-in-progress with a gray-and-silver suit.

Nicolas Galitzine, who stars opposite Anne Hathaway in Amazon’s romance “The Idea of You,” wore a sharp custom Fendi tuxedo to his first Met Gala.

A blond Adrien Brody accented his otherwise standard black tuxedo with a large silver brooch.

Sebastian Stan looked relatively subdued in a black T-shirt and pants, minus his dashing coat with black sequin appliques.

Director Taika Waititi, accompanying wife Rita Ora to her 10th Met Gala, wore a monochromatic milky brown suit complete with gloves. It looks as though he was dipped in the river at Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory.

An Israeli airstrike in Gaza City killed at least eight people, according to witnesses and Dr. Amjad Ailawa of the Al-Ahli Baptist hospital. 

The doctor also said children were among those killed, and that dozens had also been injured.

Eyewitnesses on the ground told CNN no warning was given by the Israeli military before it struck a four story building in the Al-Daraj neighborhood, in the eastern part of the city.

CNN footage of the aftermath showed the impact on the building, as well as the debris from the explosion all across the road. Shredded fabric and the remains of personal belongings were also seen amid what was left of the apartment.

Some of the deceased children could be seen being carried away, their bodies wrapped and carefully placed atop a donkey cart.

“These are the targets of Israel,” a man, walking alongside the cart said, as he pointed towards the bodies.

CNN has reached out to the Israeli military for comment on this incident but has yet to hear back.

Adult film star Stormy Daniels dished out salacious details of her sexual encounter with former President Donald Trump in 2006 from the witness stand on Tuesday, describing how they met at a celebrity golf tournament and what she says happened when she went to Trump’s Lake Tahoe hotel room.

In a mostly casual and conversational tone, Daniels recounted details from the floors and furniture in Trump’s hotel room to the contents of his toiletry kit in the bathroom. At one point in court, Daniels threw back her arm and lifted her leg in the witness box to re-create the moment she says Trump posed on his hotel bed for her, stripped down to his undergarments.

But some details Daniels described were so explicit that Judge Juan Merchan cut her off at several points. And Trump’s lawyers argued that Daniels had unfairly prejudiced the jury, asking Merchan to declare a mistrial. The judge denied the request but added that some of the details from Daniels were “better left unsaid.”

Here are takeaways from Day 13 of the trial:

Hush money came after “Access Hollywood” tape controversy: Daniels would go on to describe how she stayed touch with Trump, even coming to briefly see him at Trump Tower to talk about the “Celebrity Apprentice” reality show. Daniels said that in 2015 after Trump began running for president, her then-publicist Gina Rodriguez tried to sell her story. But Rodriguez didn’t find much interest until after the “Access Hollywood” tape of Trump was released in October 2016 – eventually leading to the discussions with AMI and then Michael Cohen, who paid Daniels $130,000 not to go public with her case.

Judge denies Trump’s mistrial motion: Trump’s lawyers argued the judge should declare a mistrial after the morning of salacious testimony from Daniels. Trump still vehemently denies the allegations, his attorney Todd Blanche said, arguing there was no way to “un-ring that bell” for jurors who have now heard unfairly prejudicial testimony. Blanche argued that the testimony had nothing to do with the district attorney’s case about falsifying business records.

Defense accuses Daniels of lying for profit: Trump attorney Susan Necheles didn’t take long to challenge Daniels’ story in cross-examination, accusing the adult film actress of hating Trump.

Daniels’ body language was tense and her tone notably shifted as Necheles attempted to dismantle her credibility. Daniels gave short, terse answers to many of her questions, defiantly responding “false” and “no” while disputing Necheles’ assertions that she had made up details in her story or that she was trying to extort Trump.

Read more takeaways from Tuesday’s testimony

The group of protesters who occupied Hamilton Hall on Columbia University’s campus, “crossed a new line,” President Minouche Shafik said in a video message released on X Friday. 

Shafik called the past two weeks on campus “among the most difficult in Columbia’s history.”

“The turmoil and tension, division and disruption have impacted the entire community,” Shafik said in the message, which was just over three minutes long.  

Columbia University students “paid an especially high price,” as a result of the protests, she said. 

The University tried multiple times to come to resolution via dialogue, Shafik said. 

“Academic leaders talked to students for eight days and nights,” she said. “(The) University made a sincere and good offer, but it was not accepted.” 

While many of the protesters on campus were mostly peaceful and “cared deeply,” Shafik said the group that occupied Hamilton Hall “crossed a new line.” 

Shafik called the occupation a “violent act” that affected the safety of students. 

“Every one of us has a role to play in bringing back the values of truth and civil discourse that polarization has severely damaged. Here at Columbia, parallel realities and parallel conversations have walled us off from other perspectives,” Shafik said.

Shafik said she was born in the Middle East “in a Muslim family with many Jewish and Christian friends.” Through her two decades of international work Shafik said she’s realized “people can disagree and still make progress.” 

“The issues that are challenging us, the Palestinian Israeli conflict, antisemitism and anti-Arab and anti-Muslim bias have existed for a long time,” Shafik said. “And Columbia, despite being a remarkable institution, cannot solve them, single handedly.”

Shafik urged students to be an example of a better world, one in which people who disagree “do so civilly.”

Nearly all pro-Palestinian protests rocking college campuses across the US have called for universities to divest from Israel in some form.

What would divestment look like?

Divestment is the opposite of investment.

Many universities have an endowment, which is donated funds generally invested in stocks, bonds and other financial instruments to help the university earn money.

At Columbia, a group of students wants the college to divest its $13.6 billion endowment from any company linked to Israel, including Microsoft and Amazon.

Protesters at other schools, such as Cornell and Yale, want their universities to stop investing in weapons manufacturers.

What are university officials saying?

On Monday, Columbia’s administration reiterated that it would not divest from Israel. Last week, the University of California also said divestment wouldn’t happen.

But some colleges are willing to talk with protesters.

Christina Paxson, president of Brown University, sent a letter to demonstrators saying she would agree to hear a divestment proposal if the school’s encampment were disbanded, according to the student-run newspaper, the Brown Daily Herald.

They’ve been here before.

Columbia students protesting South Africa’s apartheid racial segregation policy in the 1980s called on the school to sever its financial ties with companies doing business in the country.

Columbia eventually voted to sell most of its stock in South Africa-connected companies. Other colleges followed suit.

Read more here.