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☆ Gladys Knight, George Clooney, Amy Grant feted at Kennedy Center Honors
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

WASHINGTON — A heartfelt Patti LaBelle praised her lifelong friend Gladys Knight. Matt Damon playfully teased his friend George Clooney — a lot — while Sheryl Crow gave thanks and a heartfelt rendition of “Baby Baby” to her fellow singer Amy Grant during Sunday’s Kennedy Center Honors. Every year the Kennedy Center honors a select group of people for their artistic influences on American culture. 2022 Kennedy Center Honorees, front row from left, Amy Grant, Gladys Knight, George Clooney, Tania León, join, back row from left, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen Jr., The Edge, and Bono for a group photo at the State Department following the Kennedy Center Honors gala dinner, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2022, in Washington. León said during an interview when the honorees were announced that she wasn’t expecting “anything spectacular” when the Kennedy Center initially reached out to her.

The answer is simple, according to more than a dozen Washington insiders, FTX employees, and crypto industry observers who spoke with Insider. I don't think anyone believed that he was going to fund candidates who were, quote unquote, committed to ending pandemics who were also hostile to the crypto industry." Alex Wong/Getty ImagesRebuffed by the SEC, Bankman-Fried turned his attention to Congress. "It's not that he was welcoming regulation," says the senior figure in the crypto industry who attended meetings with Bankman-Fried. But while Bankman-Fried was busy wooing Washington, FTX was about to become Exhibit A in the case for more effective oversight of the crypto industry.

Mount Semeru, which lies around 640 kilometers (400 miles) southeast of the capital Jakarta, began erupting at 2:46 a.m. local time Sunday (2:46 p.m. Pyroclastic flow rolls down the slope of Mount Semeru during an eruption in Lumajang, East Java. Standing at 3,676 meters (12,060 feet), Mount Semeru is the tallest volcano on Java – and one of its most active ones. People take shelter at a community hall in Candipuro village following Mount Semeru's volcanic eruption in Lumajang, East Java on December 4, 2022. Rescue workers monitor the flow of volcanic materials from the eruption of Mount Semeru, in Lumajang, East Java, Indonesia, on December 4, 2022.

☆ France reaches World Cup quarterfinals with 3-1 victory over Poland as Kylian Mbappé breaks Pelé’s record
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Matias Grez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +30 min

CNN —France was made to work hard for its place in the World Cup quarterfinals, overcoming an improved Poland side 3-1 thanks to goals from Olivier Giroud and Kylian Mbappé. That is Mbappé’s fifth goal of Qatar 2022 and already his ninth World Cup goal overall, breaking Pelé’s record of seven World Cup goals scored before the age of 24. They made history Thursday as the first all-female refereeing crew for a men's World Cup match. Issei Kato/Reuters Kylian Mbappé scores his second goal on November 26, leading France to a 2-1 victory over Denmark. Mbappé was one of the leading stars of the team's World Cup triumph four years ago.

☆ USMNT’s youth and talent at Qatar 2022 bodes well for 2026 World Cup
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Issy Ronald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +31 min

The Netherlands knocked the USMNT out of the Qatar World Cup on Saturday. They made history Thursday as the first all-female refereeing crew for a men's World Cup match. Frappert became the first woman to referee a men's World Cup match. It was Morocco's first World Cup win since 1998 — and its third-ever at the tournament. Qatar is the first Islamic country to host a World Cup.

☆ Putin's war in Ukraine looks more and more like a failure. Past Russian leaders haven't survived similar mistakes.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Joy Neumeyer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Instead, Russia's failing war effort has raised doubts about Putin's hold on power. For now, Putin looks secure, but past Russian leaders have suffered at home for blunders abroad. By the following summer, the Germans had taken huge swathes of Russian-controlled territory and a million Russian soldiers were dead. Captured Russian soldiers after the defeat at Tannenberg, in present-day Poland, on August 30, 1914. After an ineffectual troop surge, Gorbachev gave up on trying to improve the situation, and the last Soviet troops left Afghanistan in February 1989.

☆ Japan vs. Croatia: Samurai Blue aiming to reach World Cup quarterfinals for first time
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Aimee Lewis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +31 min

CNN —In a World Cup of surprises, Japan has played a leading role in headline-making shock results. Croatia is a team undefeated in nine of its last 10 World Cup matches. They made history Thursday as the first all-female refereeing crew for a men's World Cup match. Frappert became the first woman to referee a men's World Cup match. It was Morocco's first World Cup win since 1998 — and its third-ever at the tournament.

☆ England cruises past Senegal 3-0 to reach World Cup quarterfinals as Harry Kane makes Three Lions history
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Matias Grez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —England reached the quarterfinals of the World Cup for a second tournament in a row thanks to a comprehensive 3-0 victory over Senegal. Kane’s goal was his 11th for England at a major tournament, the most by any Three Lions player in history. The Lions of Teranga stepped it up once again against England and were undoubtedly the best team of the opening half an hour. Carl Recine/ReutersWith the last kick of the half, England doubled its lead and put one foot into the quarterfinals. The result was put beyond any doubt a little over 10 minutes into the second half, as Saka’s cute finish capped off another wonderful England move.

☆ 'Bloody parcels' containing animal eyes mailed to Ukrainian embassies
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Leila Sackur | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Bloody parcels containing the eyes of animals and explosives have been sent to several Ukrainian embassies and consuls across Europe, officials said late Friday. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko said in a statement on Facebook that embassies in Spain, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland, Croatia and Italy had received packages containing the disembodied eyes of animals. Consulates in Naples, Italy, Krakow, Poland, and the Czech city of Brno had also been targeted, he said. Letter bombs were mailed to six addresses in Spain earlier this week, including the Ukrainian Embassy and the U.S. Embassy, as well as to Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, causing security to be tightened. Farther south, the Ukrainian consul in Naples, Maksym Kovalenko, told the AP that his office received two letters containing fish eyes at around 10:30 a.m. Thursday.

☆ FBI director warns that TikTok could be exploited by China to collect user data for espionage
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

FBI Director Chris Wray said on Friday that he has national security concerns about TikTok, per AP News. Wray warned that China could use TikTok to collect user data for espionage operations, AP News said. He added that China could collect users' data for traditional espionage operations, the news agency reported. TikTok said in June that it started routing American users' data via US-based servers owned by Oracle, per The Verge. However, BuzzFeed News reported that US user data was still being repeatedly accessed from China.

☆ LeBron James passes Magic Johnson on NBA’s career assists list
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Amy Woodyatt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —LeBron James moved past Magic Johnson for sixth place on the NBA’s all-time assists list as the Los Angeles Lakers took a hard earned 133-129 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. James added 28 points in a match where the lakers managed to hold off the Milwaukee Bucks, winning 133-129. James finished the match with 11 assists in total, taking his tally to 10,144. “It means a lot, obviously,” James said, of surpassing Johnson’s assists, according to NBA.com. James is now creeping closer to the title of NBA all-time leading scorer, and is currently 936 career points behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

☆ Yes, the viral ‘Cocaine Bear’ movie is based on a true story (kinda)
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Zoe Sottile | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —If you’ve seen the astonishing trailer for “Cocaine Bear” making the rounds on Twitter, you might have questions about the film’s claim that it is “inspired by true events.” But the story is indeed based on the true story of a bear who overdosed on cocaine in the 1980s. In the film, the bear goes on a cocaine-fueled killing spree after its drug binge. The black bear was found dead near a duffel bag and 40 packages of cocaine, ripped open and scattered over the hillside. It’s unclear from the AP report exactly how much cocaine the bear consumed – but the duffel bag would have originally contained around 88 pounds of the powerful drug. The Kentucky for Kentucky Fun Mall in Lexington claims to have the stuffed remains of the "Cocaine Bear" on display.

The vote came about after California passed a law last year requiring law enforcement departments to seek approval for use of military-style equipment. We live in a time when unthinkable mass violence is becoming more commonplace," San Francisco Police Chief William Scott said in the statement. "We need the option to be able to save lives in the event we have that type of tragedy in our city.”Police Chief William Scott speaks during a news conference in San Francisco in 2019. “We run a very serious risk of misuse by police of a robot to inflict deadly force,” he said. Preston said he hoped that outrage following the first vote in San Francisco would sway more of his fellow board members to vote against the measure Tuesday.

The number of people hospitalized with flu nearly doubled during Thanksgiving week — 19,593 compared to 11,378 people admitted to the hospital the week prior. On Friday, the CDC reported that flu is spreading at high levels in 45 states, even in Southern states and others where the virus has been spreading since October. As of Dec. 2, 77% of pediatric hospital beds nationwide were full, according to Health and Human Services data. There is no data yet to show how protective this year's flu vaccine is against the current strains. Dr. Kavita Patel said that "almost everybody" she's seen test positive for flu at Mary’s Center, a community health center in Maryland, is unvaccinated.

Prosecutors in the Trump Organization tax fraud trial said in their closing arguments Friday that the former president sanctioned what became a sweeping 15-year scheme to compensate top company executives off the books. “Donald Trump is explicitly sanctioning tax fraud. “This whole narrative that Donald Trump is blissfully ignorant is just not real.”Attorneys for the defense objected to the late-trial move by the prosecution, which also mentioned Trump at the beginning of closing arguments on Thursday. The 15-count indictment in the case charges the company and longtime CFO Allen Weisselberg with scheming to defraud, tax fraud and falsifying records. Donald Trump stands next to Allen Weisselberg at a news conference in the lobby of Trump Tower on Jan. 11, 2017.

☆ The University of Florida officially dismisses quarterback Jalen Kitna from team over child sex abuse images charges
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida has formally dismissed quarterback Jalen Kitna from the team following his arrest on charges that police said included an image of a man having sex with a young girl. Kitna was released from jail on an $80,000 bond and ordered to have no unsupervised contact with minors and no internet access. Kitna, 19, returned with his parents, retired NFL quarterback Jon Kitna and wife Jennifer, to Burleson, Texas. The Gainesville Police Department released Kitna’s arrest report Thursday, providing graphic details about the complaints filed against him. The Gators suspended Kitna following his arrest on Wednesday and took the step of dismissing him a day later.

☆ South Carolina Democrats stunned by Biden’s plan to put them first in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Alex-Seitz-Wald-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Alex Seitz-Wald | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Not even Rep. Jim Clyburn, the longtime dean of South Carolina Democrats and a key Biden ally, received an early heads-up. He found out Thursday night in a phone call from the president, according to a South Carolina Democratic official. Gerald Herbert / AP fileFor a red state, South Carolina plays an outsize role in Democratic politics. The South Carolina plan has plenty of detractors, especially from states that were passed over for the prime spot. Instead, South Carolina would go first, followed by New Hampshire and Nevada on the same day, trailed by Georgia and then Michigan.

Khorry Ramey entered the state prison in Bonne Terre, Missouri, on Tuesday morning to visit her father, Kevin Johnson, for a final time. Khorry Ramey with her father, Kevin Johnson, and her son, Kiaus. While she could not be inside the prison, Johnson's witnesses included his spiritual adviser, the Rev. Khorry Ramey and her father, Kevin Johnson. Kevin Johnson at the courthouse in Clayton, Mo., in 2007.

☆ In Hawaii, locals fear impacts of Mauna Loa eruption as lava oozes closer to main highway
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Julianne Mcshane | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

People watch lava from the Mauna Loa volcano on Dec. 1, 2022, near Hilo, Hawaii. If lava does cross the highway, the Hawaii National Guard can help plan for alternatives and try to set up bypass routes, the governor said. Cars wait in traffic along Saddle Road, with occupants waiting to view the Mauna Loa volcano on Thursday. Mauna Loa, which means “Long Mountain,” covers half the island, according to the USGS. It is one of six volcanoes in Hawaii, according to the agency.

☆ Qatar World Cup lays bare environmental cost of a desert tournament
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Armelle De Oliveira | Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Patrick-Smith-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +11 min

But as it hosts the soccer World Cup, controversy is also descending on the tiny Gulf kingdom. “The tournament has been labeled as the first ‘fully carbon neutral FIFA World Cup tournament,’ meaning its overall impact on the planet should be zero,” the letter said. People gather around the official countdown clock showing remaining time until the kick-off of the World Cup on Nov. 11. After winning the right to host the tournament, Qatar pledged to become the first carbon neutral World Cup host. “Events like the World Cup, like the football World Cup or like the Olympics bring joy and happiness to millions of people, sometimes even billions of people, right?” he said.

☆ Ex-convict found with friend's severed head in car after Las Vegas police chase sentenced to at least 18 years in prison
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

An ex-convict who led police on a chase around Las Vegas before officers found the severed head and dismembered body of his friend in a stolen vehicle he was driving was sentenced Thursday to at least 18 years in prison. Eric Holland, following his arrest on Dec. 23, 2021, in Las Vegas. Las Vegas Police Department / AP“I don’t know how to make sense of it,” sobbed Amanda Dawn Potter, who traveled from Portland, Oregon, for Holland’s sentencing. Holland was friends with Miller, 65, who lived on a houseboat at Lake Mead, the Colorado River reservoir about a 30-minute drive from Las Vegas. Las Vegas police said Thursday they had no missing person investigation related to Zhu.

☆ Stephen Colbert and Julia Louis-Dreyfus among distinguished guests gathered for Biden's first state dinner for French President Emmanuel Macron
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Erin Snodgrass | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

The world leaders started the evening by posing for official photos on the North Portico of the White House. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden pose for photos with French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron as they arrive for a State Dinner on the North Portico of the White House in Washington, Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022. AP Photo/Patrick SemanskyPresident Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron to the White House on Thursday evening for the administration's first state dinner since his election. Several high-profile guests began to arrive ahead of the dinner's 8:50 p.m. ET start time, offering a glimpse into the A-list guest list and extravagant affair.

☆ Judge forces GOP officials in Arizona's Cochise County to certify midterm results, ending a high-stakes confrontation
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Sophia Ankel | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Officials in Cochise County, Arizona, voted 2-0 to accept the results of the midterms on Thursday. Their vote came shortly after a judge ordered them to certify the vote. Two officials on the three-member board signed off on the vote, while the third was not present. McGinley then ordered the board to sign off on the vote by that afternoon. It was suggested that Cochise County's refusal to certify its results could cost Republicans a seat in the US House of Representatives.

☆ Debt woes and zero-Covid: China's cities are running out of cash to pay huge bills
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

They spent 11.8 trillion yuan ($1.65 trillion) more than they raised in revenue between January and October, borrowing heavily to do so, according to data from China’s Ministry of Finance. Andy Wong/AP‘Widest in history’For nearly three years, local governments have borne the brunt of enforcing pandemic controls. The weak fiscal position of local governments has been a drag on the country’s overall financial standing. Kevin Frayer/Getty ImagesLow income, high costsWhy are local governments in this parlous state? In May, Beijing told local governments that they had to bear the costs for regular Covid testing in their regions.

☆ House Democrats reviewing Trump's tax returns split into publish-everything and there-are-rules camps with GOP takeover looming
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Warren Rojas | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

After finally scoring Trump's tax records, House Democrats have to figure out what to do with them. "I want them all released," Ways and Means Committee member Bill Pascrell told MSNBC ahead of Neal's group-wide meeting. José Luis Villegas/AP"Democrats' relentless pursuit of President Trump's tax returns is nothing more than a partisan attack against a political opponent that serves no legitimate or legislative purpose," Buchanan wrote in an email to Insider. Ways and Means Committee member Dan Kildee said he was backing Neal's call in this case. And while he acknowledged they were racing against the clock, Kildee said Ways and Means Democrats would rise to the challenge.

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