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☆ ‘Blockout 2024’ Wants to Send Celebrities to the ‘Digital Guillotine’
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-17 | by ( Elizabeth Paton | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

As protests over the war in Gaza unfolded blocks away, last week’s Met Gala was largely devoid of political statements on the red carpet. At least, it is on TikTok, the social media platform that was a sponsor of the Met event. Blockout 2024, also referred to as Operation Blockout or Celebrity Block Party, targets high-profile figures who participants feel are not using their profiles and platforms to speak out about the Israel-Hamas war and wider humanitarian crises. The criticism began on May 6. when Haley Kalil (@haleyybaylee on social media), an influencer who was a host on E! News before the event, posted a TikTok video of herself wearing a lavish 18th-century-style floral gown and headdress with audio from Sofia Coppola’s 2006 film “Marie Antoinette,” in which Kirsten Dunst proclaims, “Let them eat cake!”

Persons: Blockout, Haley Kalil, Sofia Coppola’s, Marie Antoinette, ”, Kirsten Dunst, “ Organizations: Sofia Locations: Gaza, Israel

Gazan journalists told CNN they are haunted by their colleagues’ deaths, as they balance the emotional labor of covering the war with trying to protect their families. Israel launched a military assault on Gaza on October 7 after the militant group Hamas, which governs Gaza, killed at least 1,200 people in Israel and abducted more than 250 others. After nearly seven months of war, Abu Dagga told CNN that she, too, wants to leave. The photojournalist for Turkish state broadcaster TRT told CNN he had been traveling through the neighborhood, after being displaced from the local refugee camp. We hope that God will bring him back to us safely.”Whether they report from within the enclave, or elsewhere, Palestinian journalists told CNN they could not turn away from the horrors unfolding in Gaza.

Persons: CNN —, ” Dr, Mahmoud Abu Nujaila, Médecins, Israel, Wael Al, ”, Mariam Abu Dagga, ” Al, Hamza Al, “, Abu Dagga, ’, Heath, ” Mariam Abu Dagga, Khan Younis, Mohammad Ahmed, Shrapnel, Ahmed, Nobody, ” Ahmed, Adnan, what’s, ” Mohammad Ahmed, Ibrahim Dahman, Rasha, – Zeid, Khalil, ” Dahman, Dahman, Sheikh Radwan, ” Ibrahim Dahman, Saeed Al, Taweel, Alaa Abu Mohsen, Al, Saeed, ” Mohsen, Mahmud Hams, Saba, ‘ Saeed, ’ ”, Jaafrawi, Nidal, Haitham Abdelwahed, Wahidi, Erez, Beit, Mohammed Soboh, Arafat Barbakh, Fadi Wael Abdel Karim Al, ’ ” Fadi, Fadi Organizations: CNN, Awda, Protect Journalists, Independent, AFP, Getty, ”, Press, Borders, Israel Defense Forces, IDF, Hamas, Ministry of Health, United, United Arab Emirates, TRT, Al, Wafa, Saba Al, Amnesty International, Amnesty, Reuters, Cross Locations: Jabalya, Gaza, Israel, Rafah, ” Al Jazeera's Gaza, Palestine, United Arab, Khan, Egypt, Turkish, Gaza City, Sheikh Radwan, Wadi Gaza, Giza, Cairo, Sheikh, Phoenix, AFP, Israeli

☆ ‘Heart-breaking’: Refugees once detained offshore by Australia warn the UK government not to push through its Rwanda policy
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( Antoinette Radford | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

The policy enjoys bipartisan political support in Australia, with both the coalition and Labor governments backing offshore detention. And on face value, the UK’s proposed offshore detention policy follows a similar model to that of Australia. Australia’s own offshore detention policy has been heavily criticized and fraught with controversy – but still seems to exert considerable appeal for some UK politicians. Another difference between two nations stems from the fact Australia does not have a human rights charter, Tubakovic said. She notes that the UK is still bound by human rights obligations, particularly as a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights.

Persons: CNN — “, Behrouz Boochani, “, ”, Boochani, Mostafa Azimitabar –, –, ” Azimitabar, Rwanda Bill, Dan Kitwood, Rishi Sunak, Tony Abbott, Jonas Gratzer, Alexander Downer, Downer, Tamara Tubakovic, “ It’s, Tubakovic, David Gray, ” Tubakovic Organizations: CNN, Kurd, European, of Human, Australia’s Department of Home Affairs, Labor, Refugee Council of Australia, ‘, Conservative, English Channel, UK Border Force, University of Melbourne, University of Oxford, Human Rights, of Human Rights, UN, Reuters Locations: New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Iran, Indonesia, Australia, Nauru, Manus, Melbourne, United Kingdom, Rwanda, England, Britain, British, France, Sydney

☆ ‘Peasants vs. Marie Antoinette’: What the Premier League does with its billions of dollars is riling 72 other soccer clubs
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Ben Morse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

DisparityThanks to its multi-billion-dollar TV deals, the Premier League is often celebrated as a UK Inc. success story. Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC/Getty ImagesBy targeting talents from lower-league academies, Premier League clubs don’t have to pay inflated transfer fees. The mooted introduction of an independent regulator comes against the backdrop of some Premier League clubs falling foul of the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR). Earlier this month, Everton were handed a further two-point deduction for allegedly breaching Premier League financial rules. Relegated from the Premier League in 2023, Leicester denies any wrongdoing and opened legal proceedings against the Premier League and the EFL, but could face a points deduction if found guilty.

Persons: Abu, –, Kieran Maguire, Marie Antoinette ”, Marie Antoinette, – James McConnell –, Gabriele Biancheri, James McConnell, Bobby Clark, Andrew Powell, Caroline Dinenage, Maguire, Richard Masters, ” Maguire, ”, “, ” Masters, Phil Noble, we’ve, It’s, Mike Egerton, they’ve Organizations: CNN —, Manchester City, League, Reading FC –, Reading, English Football League, CNN, British, Premier League, Inc, Sunderland, Manchester United, Cardiff City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Liverpool FC, Getty, Premier League clubs, Culture , Media, Sport Committee, Premier League clubs “, Premier League’s, ” CNN, The Times, European Super League, National League, Everton, Nottingham Forest, Manchester City –, Reuters, Nottingham, “ Premier League, Leicester City, Leicester Locations: Istanbul, Manchester, Abu Dhabi, France, Europe, England’s, Britain's

☆ Eleanor Coppola, artist and matriarch of filmmaking dynasty, dead at 87
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-13 | by ( Dan Heching | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Eleanor Coppola, award-winning film documentarian, artist, writer and wife of Francis Ford Coppola, has died. Eleanor and Francis Ford Coppola were married for 61 years, with Eleanor accompanying her husband on many of his film shoots throughout his illustrious career. In addition to her pursuits in filmmaking, Eleanor Coppola was an accomplished artist and writer. Her children Roman Coppola (writer and producer on several Wes Anderson films) and Sofia Coppola (“The Virgin Suicides,” “Lost in Translation”) are both successful filmmakers. Shortly before her death, Eleanor Coppola completed her third book, a memoir.

Persons: Eleanor Coppola, documentarian, Francis Ford Coppola, Francis Ford, Nesma Youssef, Eleanor, Francis Ford Coppola’s, Youssef, Sofia Coppola’s, Marie Antoinette, ”, Roman Coppola, Sofia Coppola, Ron Galella, Diane Lane, “, Wes Anderson, Nicolas Cage, Talia Shire, Jason Schwartzman, Coppola Organizations: CNN, America, Tribeca Film, Deauville American Film Locations: Rutherford , California, Beverly Hills , California, France, Hollywood

☆ Live updates: James and Jennifer Crumbley, parents of Michigan school shooter, sentencing
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Antoinette Radford | Maureen Chowdhury | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Judge Cheryl Matthews speaks in court during the Crumbleys sentencing hearing on Tuesday. Pool/WDIVThe judge presiding over the sentencing of James and Jennifer Crumbley said the decision should be a deterrent to try to stop school shootings in the future. "Opportunity knocked over and over again, louder and louder, and was ignored," Judge Cheryl Matthews said. “These convictions confirm repeated acts or lack of acts that could have halted an oncoming runaway train," she added. She said she is "aware of my job in this situation” and promised not to be “swayed by public opinion” when handing down the sentencing decision.

Persons: Cheryl Matthews, James, Jennifer Crumbley, ”, Matthews, “ Organizations: Opportunity

“I sit here today to express my deepest sorrows for the families of Hana, Tate, Madisyn, Justin and to all those affected on November 30, 2021,” Jennifer Crumbley said. The parents failed to properly secure the firearm, as James Crumbley hid it in their bedroom but did not use any locking device, the prosecution argued. By contrast, James Crumbley did not testify in his trial, and his attorney argued he simply didn’t know about his son’s plans or mental issues. Still, Jennifer Crumbley was convicted of four counts of involuntary manslaughter in early February, and James Crumbley was convicted of the same counts in March. My actions were that of any other parent,” James Crumbley wrote.

Persons: James, Jennifer Crumbley, Cheryl Matthews, “, ” Matthews, James Crumbley, Jennifer Crumbley “, Tate, Madisyn, Justin, ” Jennifer Crumbley, ” “, Ethan, Nicole Beausoleil, Madisyn Baldwin, ” Beausoleil, Ethan don’t, ’, ‘, Justin Shilling’s, Craig, Craig Shilling, Justin Shilling, Bill Pugliano, ”, Justin’s, Jill Soave, ” Reina St, Juliana, Hana, Karen McDonald, ” McDonald, McDonald, Crumbley, remorseful, James Crumbley’s, Ethan Crumbley, Sig, St, Tate Myre, Jennifer, “ I’ve, ” James Crumbley, Celina Tebor, Nicki Brown, Antoinette Radford, Maureen Chowdhury Organizations: CNN, Oakland, Opportunity, Prosecutors, Oxford High School Locations: Oxford , Michigan, Detroit, Oakland, Hana, Oakland County

Strange animal behaviors have been observed at the Fort Worth Zoo during totality, according to researchers stationed in Texas. One of the most bizarre animal observations reported during the 2017 total solar eclipse was of giraffes at other facilities gathering in a herd and beginning to gallop. The giraffes did not gallop this year at the Fort Worth Zoo, but they did huddle together and attempt to enter their nighttime enclosures. The most “dramatic reaction” at Fort Worth Zoo came from the primates. “Right at totality, all of the (gorillas) got up from all quarters of the exhibit and walked directly to where they're supposed to be let in (at night),” Hartstone-Rose told CNN.

Persons: Dr, Adam Hartstone, Rose, ” Hartstone Organizations: Fort Worth, Fort Worth Zoo, North Carolina State University, CNN Locations: Texas, Raleigh, Fort

☆ Will Beyoncé announce the Cowboy Carter' tour? Fans think she may be hitting the road again soon.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-04 | by ( Callie Ahlgrim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The Renaissance World Tour wrapped last October in Kansas City. So it would stand to reason — financially and thematically — that Beyoncé would plan another tour leg for "Cowboy Carter." He celebrated the release of "Cowboy Carter" on X, writing, "This tour bout to B' Incredible!" pic.twitter.com/KNHQOuqFI9 — COWBOY CARTER TOUR (@CowboyCarterWT) March 31, 2024However, the six-month turnaround since Beyoncé's last concert does cast suspicion on these theories. Thanks to "Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé," we know the Renaissance World Tour took four years to ideate and execute.

Persons: Beyoncé, Carter, —, Cowboy Carter, Tina Knowles, Lawson, Instagram, Knowles, KNHQOuqFI9, CARTER, she's, Gtg7f2jvSG — Antoinette “, ” Childs, @Beyonce, …, GPhRrW1GiF — Nicolas Organizations: Service, Texas Locations: Kansas City, @TheFancyFriend

☆ Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain complete star-studded Women’s Champions League semifinals lineup
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-29 | by ( Matias Grez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain both reached the semifinals of the Women’s Champions League with dominant performances to set up two thrilling clashes in the last four. “Tonight was a good example of what my team are,” Barcelona head coach Jonatan Giráldez added. However, the French side stamped its authority on the match in the opening stages and deservedly broke the deadlock after 27 minutes thanks to Chawinga’s unerring left-footed finish off the post. PSG will rightly feel confident going into the semifinal against European powerhouse Lyon, with the team currently on a 22-match unbeaten run and 11-game winning streak at home. Thibault Camus/AP“It was a good game, there are many reasons to be satisfied,” PSG head coach Jocelyn Prêcheur said, per UEFA.

Persons: Germain, Ballon, Aitana Bonmatí, Fridolina Rolfö, Patricia Guijarro, Barça, Lyon, Tabitha Chawinga, Korbin Albert, Marie, Antoinette Katoto, Bonmatí, Barça hasn’t, Tomine Svendheim, Guijarro, Caroline Graham Hansen, Fridolina, Albert Gea, ”, Jonatan Giráldez, deservedly, Chawinga’s unerring, Albert, Katoto, Thibault Camus, Jocelyn Prêcheur, it’s, “ Organizations: CNN —, Paris Saint, Women’s, League, Norwegian, Brann, Chelsea, PSG, Women’s Champions League, Lyon, Rolfö, Reuters, UEFA, ”, ” Barcelona, ” PSG, European, Parc des Princes Locations: CNN — Barcelona, Paris, Thursday’s, Norway, Barcelona, ” Barcelona, Parc des

☆ Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse reverberates around the world
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-29 | by ( Ray Sanchez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +16 min

StreamTimeLive StreamTimeLive StreamTimeLiveAround the same time, numerous audible alarms were recorded on the ship’s bridge audio. The Dali container vessel after striking the Francis Scott Key Bridge. “Once you get here, I’ll go grab the workers on the Key Bridge and then stop the outer loop,” an officer said. When the Key Bridge was built decades ago, container ships were a fraction of the size and weight they are today. Miguel Luna, a native of El Salvador, was also working on the Key Bridge.

Persons: Francis Scott Key, ”, Jayme Krause, Nick Mosby, “ I’ve, Andy Middleton, Middleton, Dali, Marcel Muise, Scott Cowan, Baltimore –, Clay Diamond, Muise, Wes Moore, Diamond, ” Diamond, Al Drago, we’ve, “, Cowan, Jim Watson, Starr Smith, ’ ” Smith, Smith, ” Smith, ” John Zimmerman, They’re ‘, Maynor Yassir Suazo Sandoval, Miguel Luna, Dorlian Castillo Cabrera, Pima Castillo, Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, Castillo, Alejandro Hernandez, Carlos Hernandez, Carlos Hernandez’s, Jazmin Alvarez, Hernández, Isabel Franco, Jose Mynor Lopez, Franco, Lilly Ordonez, Lopez, ” Rafael Laveaga, Holly Yan, Maria Santana, Melissa Alonso, Allison Gordon, Emma Tucker, Tina Burnside, Alex Stambaugh, Abel Alvarado, Aditi Sangal, Danny Freeman, Caroll Alvarado, Amy Simonson, Mary Kay Mallonee, Yahya Abou, Sabrina Souza, AnneClaire Stapleton, Antoinette Radford, Dakin Andone, Curt Devine, Casey Tolan, Isabelle Chapman, Elizabeth Wolfe, Lauren Mascarenhas, Elise Hammond, Gloria Pazmino, Alex Medeiros Organizations: CNN, Evening Sun, Bethlehem Steel, Eiffel, American, Maryland State Police, Sea Catholic, Walmart, National Transportation Safety, Chesapeake Bay, Longshoremen’s Association, Maryland Transportation Authority, American Pilots Association, ”, ” Maryland Gov, Bloomberg, Getty Images Transportation Authority, US Coast Guard, “ Dispatch, Police, Getty, Maryland, CASA, Brawner Builders, Univision, Authorities, Mexican Embassy Locations: Maryland, Fort McHenry, Sparrows Point, Baltimore, Patapsco, Port of Baltimore, India, Singapore, Baltimoreans, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Yemen, Red, Dali, MarineTraffic, ” Maryland, There’s, AFP, Middleton, Honduras, El Salvador, Mexico, Guatemala, Santa Bárbara, America, Dundalk, he’s, Mexican, Michoacan, Washington’s

People line up at a makeshift memorial outside Crocus City Hall near Moscow on March 24. Maxim Shemetov/ReutersAll four suspects in the Crocus City concert hall attack case have been remanded into pre-trial detention until May 22, the Moscow City Court said via Telegram. The names of the four accused in the case are Dalerdzhon Mirzoyev, Saidakrami Rachabalizoda, Shamsidin Fariduni and Mukhammadsobir Faizov, Moscow City Courts announced via Telegram. All four are from Tajikistan, a former Soviet republic, and had been in Russia on either temporary or expired visas. The attack also came barely a week after Putin secured his fifth presidential term.

Persons: Maxim Shemetov, Saidakrami, Shamsidin, Mukhammadsobir Faizov, Putin Organizations: Reuters, Telegram Locations: Crocus, Moscow, Crocus City, Tajikistan, Soviet, Russia

☆ Live updates: House to vote on TikTok ban bill
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Antoinette Radford | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNNSummer Lucille, a content creator with over 1.4 million followers on her @JuicyBodyGoddess TikTok account, said how lawmakers vote for the bill that could ban TikTok in the US would directly influence who she casts her ballot for in November. So I will have to say this will highly influence who I vote for," she said in an interview on CNN. The bill would prohibit TikTok from US app stores unless the social media platform — used by roughly 170 million Americans — is spun off from its China-linked company, ByteDance. When asked how her business would change if TikTok were owned by an American entity instead of a Chinese company, Lucille responded:"I believe it would change the dynamics of TikTok. We will be limited to what we can say and limited what we can do, which is against the American way."

Persons: Lucille Organizations: CNN, Apple, Google Locations: China

The sun rises through the North Portico of the White House in Washington, DC, on March 11. Jim Watson/AFP/Getty ImagesWhite House officials are planning a real-time, rapid-response and fact-checking operation for Robert Hur’s testimony on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, according to a White House official. Hur’s highly anticipated appearance comes weeks after he released a controversial report on his investigation into Biden’s handling of classified materials. The White House has pushed back forcefully on Hur’s report, both in its substance and its motivation. “We are preparing to make clear yet again that the conclusion of the investigation was that there was no case here,” the White House official said.

Persons: Jim Watson, Robert Hur’s, Hur’s, Hur, Biden, ”, Beau, “ Organizations: White, Getty, Capitol, White House Locations: Portico, Washington ,, AFP

Stacey Van Gronigen, right, and Kim Brand, center, speak with CNN's Jeff Zeleny. CNNNorth Carolina, one of 15 states holding Republican contests Tuesday, is emerging as an early general election battleground. In the waning days of the primary, conversations with Nikki Haley voters offer important lessons – perhaps less so for her own candidacy than for Donald Trump, Joe Biden or even a third-party candidate. When asked what Brand will do in November if Haley doesn't win the primary, she replied: "Cry." Meanwhile, Gronigen — a two-time Trump voter — said she would vote for Trump again, if Haley was not successful.

Persons: Stacey Van Gronigen, Kim Brand, CNN's Jeff Zeleny, Nikki Haley, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Haley, Brand, Haley doesn't, Gronigen, — Organizations: CNN, Trump Locations: CNN North Carolina, Charlotte

A five-member majority from the court said in Monday's ruling that Congress would need to pass an enforcement mechanism before states could remove federal candidates from the ballot based on the 14th Amendment’s “insurrectionist ban.” Four members of the court – the three liberals, plus Justice Amy Coney Barrett – disagreed. "The relevant provision is Section 5, which enables Congress, subject of course to judicial review, to pass 'appropriate legislation' to 'enforce' the Fourteenth Amendment.”Some more context: This finding from the majority revolves around whether the insurrectionist ban is “self-executing,” which would mean that its ratification in 1868 is enough for election officials or courts to enforce it against Trump or any other candidate. Historically, that is what happened to thousands of Confederates during Reconstruction, according to testimony at the Colorado disqualification trial from a leading constitutional scholar. Trump argued that the Colorado courts got it wrong when they concluded that Congress doesn’t need to pass a resolution disqualifying him from office for the ban to be enforced against him. One of the dissenting Colorado justices embraced Trump’s theory that the provision isn’t self-executing, citing a ruling from the 1869 “Griffin’s Case,” which Trump heavily leaned on in his Supreme Court appeal.

Persons: “, Amy Coney Barrett –, United States …, Trump Organizations: United, Congress, Trump Locations: United States, Colorado

☆ Kellogg's faces a backlash after encouraging cash-strapped shoppers to eat cereal for dinner: 'What the hell kind of dystopian hellscape is this?'
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-27 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Kellogg's is advertising cereal for dinner as an alternative for people struggling with food prices. WK Kellogg CEO Gary Pilnick told CNN last week that the messaging was "landing really well" with customers. Cereal prices shot up 13% in 2022Grocery prices soared during the pandemic as supply-chain chaos pushed up costs for producers. Advertisement"The cereal category has always been quite affordable, and it tends to be a great destination when consumers are under pressure," Pilnick told CNN. Pilnick told CNN last week that more than a quarter of cereal consumption is outside breakfast.

Persons: aren't, WK Kellogg, Gary Pilnick's, Pilnick's, —, Gary Pilnick, Marie Antoinette, Marianne Williamson, Pilnick, Sadie Garcia, Kellogg Organizations: Service, CNN, YouTube, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Heart Association, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Graham

Maxym Marusenko/NurPhoto/Getty ImagesA Russian helicopter pilot Maxim Kuzminov who defected to Ukraine in a dramatic operation is dead, Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence Directorate (GUR) tells CNN. A source at Ukraine’s GUR confirmed to CNN the body was that of Kuzminov, but would not comment on how he had died. Spanish Civil Guard officers investigate the garage where the body of Russian pilot Maxim Kuzminov was found in Villajoyosa, Spain, on February 13. Some context: Last September, CNN reported on how the Russian pilot flew his Mi8 combat helicopter across the border – in an operation directed by Ukraine’s GUR. In an interview, carried out under the auspices of the GUR, Kuzminov explained how he planned his defection and why he did it, telling reporters he was opposed to the war.

Persons: Butenko, Andrew Carey, Al Goodman, Maxim Kuzminov, Maxym, Ukraine’s GUR, Rafa Arjones, Dmitry Peskov, Sergey Naryshkin, Kuzminov Organizations: Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence, CNN, Spanish Civil Guard, Ukraine’s, Civil Guard, Reuters, Foreign, RIA Novosti, Mi8 Locations: CNN’s, Kyiv, Madrid, Russian, Ukraine, Spain, Villajoyosa, Informacion, Russia, Moscow

☆ Live updates: Russia advances in Ukraine as Navalny's family demand answers
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Christian Edwards | Antoinette Radford | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Yulia Navalnaya, wife of late Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny, attends the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, on February 16. Kai Pfaffenbach/ReutersYulia Navalnaya said Monday that the Russian authorities are hiding her husband's body and “lying pathetically,” while waiting for traces of poisoning to disappear. A CNN and Bellingcat investigation later uncovered that a Russian intelligence service squad planted the poison on his underwear. Navalny returned to Russia in 2021 after being treated in Germany for Novichok poisoning. Even today, no country outside of Russia is known to have developed the substance.

Persons: Yulia Navalnaya, Alexey Navalny, Kai Pfaffenbach, Reuters Yulia Navalnaya, Vladimir, Putin’s, Navalny, ” Organizations: Reuters, CNN Locations: Munich, Germany, Russian, Russia, Soviet Union, Soviet

Taylor Swift has arrived at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas to cheer on the Kansas City Chiefs and beau Travis Kelce in tonight's Super Bowl. The NFL and CBS, which is airing tonight's game, shared video of the music mega-star arriving and chatting with rapper Ice Spice and actor Blake Lively. Swift fans were concerned if the multi-Grammy award winning artist would make it to the big game given her tight touring schedule. Swift played the Tokyo Dome in the Japanese capital from February 7 to 10, leaving her little time — given the long-haul flight and large time difference — to get back for the Super Bowl at Allegiant Stadium. The Japanese Embassy put out a statement last week to ease the concerns of fans.

Persons: Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, Spice, Blake Lively, Scott, Andrea, Swift, “, Chris Lau Organizations: Kansas City Chiefs, NFL, CBS, Tokyo, Super, Allegiant Locations: Las Vegas, Tokyo

☆ Usher’s path to the Super Bowl: How the ‘hearthrob of R&B’ evolved over a 30-year career
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-10 | by ( Antoinette Radford | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Now, some 30 years later, the R&B singer will perform in his first Super Bowl halftime show. “He is one of the greatest displays of showmanship that we have ever seen,” Nicolas-Tyrell Scott, a London-based music critic, told CNN. His debut album — “Usher,” released in 1994 — barely caught the media’s attention. Musician Usher (aka Usher Raymond IV) records vocals for the song "U Will Know" on July 26, 1994 in New York City. “He is the heartthrob of R&B,” Scott said.

Persons: CNN — Usher, Usher, ” Nicolas, Tyrell Scott, Usher didn’t, “ Usher, ”, —, Usher Raymond IV, Al Pereira, Michael Ochs, Lil Jon, Ludacris, –, Nicki Minaj, Raymond, Raymond ”, will.i.am, ” Scott, There’s, ” Usher, Gareth Cattermole, Scott, “ Organizations: CNN, Super, “, Michael Ochs Archives, Billboard, O2 Arena, YouTube, Las, Morning Locations: London, New York City, England, Las Vegas

☆ How a Dior bag shook South Korean politics
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Yoonjung Seo | Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

Seoul, South Korea CNN —South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is months out from a crucial election seen as a barometer of his mid-term popularity, but surveys show he has a big problem – the latest scandal surrounding his wife. “But with the Dior bag, there is this powerful visual evidence.”South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife, Kim Keon Hee, attend an Independence Movement Day event in Seoul on March 1, 2023. The channel also provided Choi with the wristwatch and the Dior bag, according to the pastor. By appearing to not reject the bag, Kim gave ammunition to critics who have long accused her of using her position for personal gain. In a Gallup Korea survey last month, 56% of respondents said Kim should apologize for allegedly receiving the Dior bag.

Persons: Yoon Suk Yeol, Kim Keon Hee, Yoon, Kim, Dior, “, ”, Cho Hee, Jung Yeon, Choi Jae, Choi, Yoon Suk, ” Yoon, Shin Pyeong, ’, Cho, it’s, Hongik University Choi, Kim Yun, Park, hye, Patrick van Katwijk, Marie Antoinette, Han Dong, Han, he’d, Leon Neal, ” Kim, ” Kim Yun, Kyung Hee University “ She’s, Deutsch, Kim’s Organizations: South Korea CNN — South, CNN, Hongik University, “, Getty, of, KBS, Kyung Hee University . South, Gallup Korea, Gallup, Power Party, Democratic Party, PPP, South, Kyung Hee University, Kookmin University, Deutsch Motors, BMW Locations: Seoul, South Korea, American, of Seoul, North Korea, Pyongyang, Netherlands, Gallup Korea, Bali , Indonesia, Korea

☆ Opinion: Stuck in traffic, I wonder if this European city’s car-free vision is working
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( David A. Andelman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

The fact is that gas cars aren’t being weaponized on most of the continent the way they are in America. I’m all in favor of the commendable end to gas cars that Europe has now embraced – a decade or more hence. Of course, that’s only one corner of what’s happened to Paris traffic under the Hidalgo regime. The same toxic, planet-warming emissions are being generated, especially with all that idling in place in endless traffic jams. Perhaps a couple of decades from now when all those gas guzzling cars will be gone entirely?

Persons: David A, That’s, “, Giuseppe Sala, hasn’t, van, Laurent Nunez, ”, King Louis XVI, Marie Antoinette, Anne Hidalgo, Hidalgo, Joe Biden, Eric Adams Organizations: CNN, French Legion of, The New York Times, CBS News, European Union, Sunday, ”, Concorde, Olympic, Seine, Maison de Radio, Notre Dame, US Locations: Europe, Asia, Paris, America, Milan, Italy’s, Swedish, Stockholm, Vienna, Pontevedra, Spain, –, dribs, Hidalgo, ”, Seine, Taxis, New York

Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times/Getty ImagesNearly two million Californians are expected to be in the path of heavy rainfall and severe weather in the coming days, officials say. More than 8,500 members of multiple agencies have been mobilized to respond to any emergencies, the director of California's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), Nancy Ward, said Saturday. This includes members of the National Guard, Cal OES, Cal Fire and more. Parts of the central and southern coastline of the state are expected to see the most significant amounts of rain and flooding, according to Eric Schoening with the National Weather Service. Gavin Newsom has activated the State Operations Center, which will be open 24 hours a day, according to Ward.

Persons: Genaro Molina, Cal OES, Nancy Ward, Ward, Eric Schoening, ” Schoening, Gavin Newsom Organizations: Los Angeles Times, California's, Emergency Services, Cal, National Guard, Cal Fire, National Weather Service, NWS, California Gov, State Operations Center Locations: Long Beach , California, Angeles, San Diego, Ward

☆ The First Lady and the Dior Pouch: A Political Crisis Grips South Korea
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Choe Sang-Hun | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Then came a much more personal scandal: spy cam footage that showed his wife accepting a $2,200 Dior pouch as a gift. The video of Ms. Kim, which emerged late last year, has caused a rift between Mr. Yoon and one of his most trusted lieutenants. It has roiled his political party — one senior member called on Ms. Kim to apologize and compared her to Marie Antoinette. For nearly two years, Ms. Kim has challenged how this deeply patriarchal society views the role of the presidential spouse. She has talked about Mr. Yoon’s devotion to her, saying in 2022 that he had vowed to cook for her and “kept that promise for the past decade.”

Persons: Yoon Suk, Kim Keon Hee, Kim, Yoon, Marie Antoinette, “, ” Locations: South Korea, United States, Japan

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