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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Elton John has achieved EGOT status. The famed British singer-pianist secured an Emmy Award on Monday night for best variety special (live) for “Elton John Live: Farewell from Dodger Stadium,” a three-hour concert documentary that streamed on Disney +. John said he was “incredibly humbled” for joining the elite group of EGOT winners who have won Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards. David Furnish, John's husband and a producer on the concert special, said John was overjoyed Monday night about winning his first-ever Emmy, and he “screamed out loud." We woke him up in the middle of the night,” Furnish said while holding John’s award backstage.

Persons: — Elton John, “ Elton John, John, ”, Oscar, Tony, ” John, Tim Rice’s Aida ”, King ”, Viola Davis, Whoopi Goldberg, Jennifer Hudson, John Legend, David, “, He’s, he’s, Brandi Carlile, Rihanna, Chris Rock Organizations: ANGELES, Dodger, Disney, Dua Lipa, Apple Music Locations: British, ”, Los Angeles

☆ Aaron Rodgers is off ESPN’s ‘Pat McAfee Show’ for the season after ugly remarks about Jimmy Kimmel, conspiracy theories
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Aaron Rodgers is done as a guest on Pat McAfee’s ESPN show for the remainder of the NFL season. “So ‘Aaron Rodgers Tuesday,’ season four, is done,” McAfee told his audience. The way it ended, it got real loud.”A person familiar with the matter told CNN that the decision to end Rodgers’ regular Tuesday appearances was due to his recent behavior, not the conclusion of the regular NFL season. During the previous two NFL seasons, Rodgers appeared on McAfee’s program as late as March. Rodgers’ remark about Kimmel prompted backlash not only because it was unproven and laced with innuendo but because McAfee permitted him to make the remarks on ESPN.

Persons: CNN — Aaron Rodgers, Pat McAfee’s, McAfee, ‘ Aaron Rodgers, ” McAfee, Rodgers, Jimmy Kimmel, Jeffrey Epstein, Kimmel, Disney . Kimmel, ”, Rodgers ’, Bob Iger, it’s, “, I’ve, Aaron Rodgers, he’ll, We’ve Organizations: CNN, Pat McAfee’s ESPN, NFL, New York Jets, ESPN, ABC, Disney

The world also said goodbye to former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who died Nov. 29. Political Cartoons View All 1277 ImagesAnother political figure who died this year was former U.S. first lady Rosalynn Carter, who died Nov. 19. Among the entertainers who left the world this year was singer Tina Turner, who died May 24. Here is a roll call of some influential figures who died in 2023 (cause of death cited for younger people, if available):___JANUARY___Fred White, 67. A Hall of Fame forward who helped the Chicago Blackhawks win the 1961 Stanley Cup Final.

Persons: Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, Prigozhin, Vladimir Putin’s, Henry Kissinger, Rosalynn Carter, Jimmy Carter, Silvio Berlusconi, Dianne Feinstein, James Buckley, James Abourezk, Nigel Lawson, Pervez Musharraf, Sandra Day O’Connor, Li Keqiang, Martti Ahtisaari, United Nations Bill Richardson, Gov, Sheila Oliver, Theodoros Pangalos, Tina Turner, Ike Turner, Suzanne Somers, Matthew Perry, Raquel Welch, Richard Belzer, Chaim Topol, Jacklyn Zeman, Lance Reddick, Alan Arkin, Paul Reubens, David McCallum, Richard Roundtree, Tom Sizemore, Jimmy Buffett, Sinéad O’Connor, Rita Lee Jones, Burt Bacharach, David Crosby, Fito Olivares, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Astrud Gilberto, Coco Lee, Tony Bennett, Harry Belafonte, Cormac McCarthy, William Friedkin, Bob Barker, Jerry Springer, Louise Glück, Jeff Beck, Mary Quant, Kaija Saariaho, Lloyd Morrisett, Fred White, Maurice, Verdine White, Ken Block, Walter Cunningham, Fay Weldon, ” Jan, Russell Pearce, Charles Simic, Lynette “ Diamond ” Hardaway, Donald Trump, Diamond, Constantine, Jan, Tatjana Patitz, George Michael’s, Lisa Marie Presley, Elvis Presley, Robbie Knievel, Evel Knievel, Ray Cordeiro, Elmo, Cookie, Gina Lollobrigida, Chris Ford, Crosby, Stills, Nash, Young, Cindy Williams, Shirley, “ Laverne, Billy Packer, Sylvia Syms, Alex ”, Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield, “ Papa, Rollin ’ Stone, Tom Verlaine, Patti Smith, Bobby Hull, Paco Rabanne, Harry Whittington, Dick Cheney, Hsing Yun, ”, San Jose ”, Carlos Saura, Spain’s, Hugh Hudson, Oscar, “ Greystroke, Hans Modrow, David Jude Jolicoeur, Huey “, ” Smith, Little Richard, Lloyd Price, “, Leiji Matsumoto, Yamato ”, Tim McCarver, Stella Stevens, Jerry Lewis’s, John Munch, Ahmed Qureia, Betty Boothroyd, Ricou Browning, Gill, Gérard Latortue, Fontaine, Barbara Everitt Bryant, Ryan ”, Kenzaburo Oe, Judy Heumann, Gary Rossington, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Georgina Beyer, Traute Lafrenz, Rose, Peterson Zah, Tevye, Robert Blake, Jiang Yanyong, Bud Grant, Dick Fosbury, Pat Schroeder, Gloria Bosman, Jacqueline Gold, Britain’s Ann Summers, John Wick ”, John Jenrette, Juana La, Willis Reed, Darcelle, Paul O’Grady, Lily Savage, Emperor ”, Hedda Kleinfeld Schachter, Margaret Thatcher, Ben Ferencz, Nuremberg, Elisabeth Kopp, Michael Lerner, Jack Lipnick, “ Barton Fink, Bugsy Calhoun, Anne Perry, Thomas Pitt, William Monk, Al Jaffee, magazine’s, Charles Stanley, Richard Riordan, Todd Haimes, Tony Awards, Barry Humphries, Tony, Dame Edna Everage, Len Goodman, Carolyn Bryant Donham, Emmett Till, LeRoy “ Lee ” Carhart, Larry “, ___ Gordon Lightfoot, Tori Bowie, Vida, Grace Bumbry, Rock ”, Ovelha, Denny Crum, Heather Armstrong, Bobbie Spencer, Rolf Harris, Kenneth Anger, Doyle Brunson, Jim Brown, Timothy Keller, Andy Rourke, Ray Stevenson, Thor ”, Ed Ames, George Maharis, Carroll Cooley, Miranda, John Beasley, Kaija, George Winston, Ipanema ”, Robert Hanssen, Richard Snyder, Simon & Schuster, Françoise Gilot, Pablo Picasso —, Pat Robertson, Theodore “ Ted ” Kaczynski, Roger Payne, Treat Williams, Glenda Jackson, Daniel Ellsberg, Richard Nixon, Big, George Frazier, Lee Sarokin, Rubin “, ” Carter, Winnie Ewing, Sheldon Harnick, Jerry Bock, “ Fiorello, John Goodenough, Peg Yorkin, Sue Johanson, Yan Mingfu, John Berylson, James Lewis, poisonings, Mikala Jones, André Watts, Jane Birkin, Kevin Mitnick, San Francisco ”, Frank Sinatra, Lady Gaga, Hugh “ Sonny ” Carter Jr, Jimmy, Randy Meisner, Herman, Angus Cloud, Fezco, ” O’Neill, ___, Mark Margolis, Hector Salamanca, Saul, Sixto Rodriguez, flamed, Robbie Robertson, Tom Jones, Magoo, Timbaland, Aaliyah, Missy Elliott, Clarence Avant, Quincy Jones, Bill Withers, Ada Deer, Jerry Moss, Herb Alpert, Alpert, Michael Parkinson, Muhammad Ali, Miss Piggy, Jiri Cerny, Betty Tyson, Richard Nixon’s, John Warnock, Ron Cephas Jones, Howard Hubbard, Samuel “ Joe ” Wurzelbacher, Joe, Barack Obama, Gil Brandt, Tom Landry, Tex Schramm, Bill Richardson, Steve Harwell, Shabtai Shavit, Jordan, Ian Wilmut, Dolly, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Roy Kidd, Eno Ichikawa, Michael McGrath, Fernando Botero, Giorgio Napolitano, Matteo Messina Denaro, Michael Gambon, Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter ”, Mankombu Sambasivan, Saad Eddin Ibrahim, Hosni Mubarak, Tim Wakefield, Dick Butkus, Michael Chiarello, Michael Chiarello ”, Masters, Burt Young, Paulie, Sylvester Stallone, Hughes Van Ellis, Kevin Phillips, Louise Meriwether, Mark Goddard, Major Don West, Rudolph Isley, Isley, unblinking, Piper Laurie, Chrissy Snow, Bobby Charlton, Bishan Bedi, Richard Moll, Xi Jinping, Wu Zunyou, Chandler Bing, Ken Mattingly, Bob Knight, Frank Borman, Steve Norton, Don Walsh, Mariana Trench, Terry R, Taylor, Daisaku Ikeda, Herbie Hancock, Bobby Ussery, George “ Funky ” Brown, Joanna ”, Marty Krofft, Pufnstuf, Donny, Marie ”, Terry Venables, Tim Dorsey, Serge A, Frances Sternhagen, ” “, Charlie Munger, Warren Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway, Gerald Ford, Shane MacGowan, Bernard McGhee Organizations: Wagner Group, Russian, White House, U.S, Supreme, United Nations, Greek Foreign, Republican, Hong, Boston Celtics, NBA, NBC, CBS, Television, Fame, Chicago Blackhawks, ”, New, of Fame, Louis Cardinals, “, Palestinian, Israel, South Dakota Democrat, Arab, Arab American U.S, Britain’s, Commons, . Census Bureau, Alabama ”, Zealand, Navajo, Minnesota Vikings, People, Playboy, Capitol, Juana La Cubana, New York Knicks, Guinness, World Records, Hollywood, Treasury, Southern Baptist Convention, Los Angeles, Roundabout Theatre Company, Air Force, Harlem Globetrotters, Janeiro Games, baseball’s, Germany’s Bayreuth, NCAA, Hall of Famer, Redeemer Presbyterian Church, Legion, Ames, Phoenix, FBI, Simon &, Christian Broadcasting Network, Republican Party, Christian Coalition, Harvard, Feminist Majority Foundation, “ Little, Communist Party, Millwall, New York Philharmonic, San, Brigade, Wing, Eagles, HBO, of Indian Affairs, M, Police, Carpenters, Adobe Systems, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Dallas Cowboys, escapist, Democratic, Zulu, Eastern, AA, Broadway, Communist, U.S . Senate, Red Sox, Yankees, Boston, Chicago Bears, Major, Isley Brothers, New York Times, Manchester United, India, Indiana, Nevada — Resorts, Atlantic City —, Navy, Associated Press, Soka Gakkai, Kentucky Derby, Kool, The, European, Barcelona, Tottenham, City Locations: Russia, Ukraine, Bakhmut, Russian, U.S, Finnish, New Mexico, New Jersey, British, Greece, American, Hong Kong, Italian, America, New York, Spanish, catwalks, Texas, Taiwan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, San, New Orleans, Rosebud, Arab American, Haiti, “, African, Brooklyn, London, Los, Mississippi, United States, Rivers, Georgia, Savannah, Louisville, New York City, Irish, HBO’s “ Rome, Brazilian, Ipanema, Moscow, Virginia, Montana, Vietnam, Canada, Asia, Chicago, Hawaii, France, South Africa, Wisconsin, Los Angeles, Czech, Eastern Kentucky, Colombian, ”, California, Tulsa, Finland, China, Nevada, Atlantic City, Florida, Berkshire

☆ Israel-Hamas War U.S. Pushes Israel and Hamas to Restart Talks
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Andrés R. Martínez | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

Israel has since resumed its attacks on Hamas, and Mr. Kirby urged it to avoid civilian casualties, while crediting its forces with making efforts to do so. “He’s so naïve; I mean I just lost all confidence in this guy,” Mr. Graham said. “Secretary Austin is telling Israel things that are impossible to achieve.”Mr. Graham said his solution to the hostage impasse would be to threaten Iran, the sponsor of Hamas. “I would go to Iran and say listen, you need to tell Hamas to let these hostages go,” he said. “Qatar has said that Hamas is still at the table,” she said, referring to the Persian Gulf emirate that has served as the intermediary for the talks.

Persons: Israel, “, John F, ”, Kirby, Osama Hamdan, There’s, Biden, Biden’s, Lindsey Graham, Lloyd J, Austin III, Austin, ” Mr, Graham, Mr, Al Qaeda, Pramila Jayapal, Jayapal, ” Hwaida Saad Organizations: Kirby, White House National Security Council, Press, Hamas, Republican, West Bank, CNN’s, Union, “ Locations: Gaza, Jerusalem, U.S, Lebanon, Israel, South Carolina, CNN’s “ State, Iraq, Al, we’d, Iran, Washington, United States, Qatar, Persian, “ Israel

The U.S. government is making an intense effort to persuade Israel and Hamas to resume negotiations so they can once again pause hostilities and exchange more prisoners for hostages, a White House spokesman said on Sunday. Israel has since resumed its assault on Hamas, and Mr. Kirby urged it to avoid civilian casualties, while crediting its forces with making efforts to do so. “He’s so naïve; I mean I just lost all confidence in this guy,” Mr. Graham said. “I would go to Iran and say listen, you need to tell Hamas to let these hostages go,” he said. “We should have conditions on military aid in the same way that we do for every other country.”While the White House blamed Hamas for the breakdown in hostage talks, Ms. Jayapal faulted Israel.

Persons: Israel, “, John F, ”, Kirby, There’s, Biden, Biden’s, Lindsey Graham, Lloyd J, Austin III, Austin, ” Mr, Graham, Mr, Al Qaeda, Pramila Jayapal, Jayapal Organizations: Kirby, White House National Security Council, Press, Hamas, Republican, West Bank, CNN’s, Union, “ Locations: Gaza, Israel, South Carolina, CNN’s “ State, Iraq, Al, we’d, Iran, Washington, United States, Qatar, Persian, “ Israel

☆ After deception and drama, George Santos faces expulsion from Congress
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Gregory Krieg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The authors of the subcommittee’s submission, in perhaps their most admirable achievement, summarized Santos’ grand political deception in a single sentence. (Santos’ first treasurer, Nancy Marks, resigned before pleading guilty to a conspiracy fraud charge and implicating Santos in a scheme to hoodwink donors.) Not coincidentally, all five swing-district Republican freshmen are expected to vote for Santos’ removal on Friday. In comments to reporters on Thursday, Santos promised more drama before he leaves town. “I’m going to be the first member of Congress expelled without any of those parameters.”On that point at least, Santos is telling the truth.

Persons: George Santos ’, Michael Guest, Santos, He’s, America’s, Santos ’, Mary Magdalene, United States Congress ”, “ Santos, ”, “, Goldman Sachs, Robert Zimmerman, might’ve, Santos –, Elise Stefanik, machers –, Stefanik, Anthony D’Esposito, Nick LaLota, Mike Lawler, Brandon Williams, Marc Molinaro, Thomas Datwyler, Nancy Marks, ” “, ” Santos, Marks, Mike Johnson, “ I’m Organizations: CNN, New York Republican Rep, Republican, GOP House, United States Congress, Baruch College, Business Administration, New York University, Citi Group, Democratic, Congressional District, New York Times, Empire State Democrats, Democrats, GOP, New York, Washington and New York, Battleground, ”, Republicans, Confederate Locations: Mississippi, Business, New York, Washington and New, Long, New York City, Battleground New York, Santos, Washington

☆ ‘The Golden Bachelor’ Hands Out His Final Rose
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Callie Holtermann | More About Callie Holtermann | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

The debut season of “The Golden Bachelor,” ABC’s dating show featuring contestants 60 and older, concluded on Thursday night with its lead, Gerry Turner, a 72-year-old retiree and pickleball enthusiast from Indiana, proposing to Theresa Nist, 70, a financial services professional from Shrewsbury, N.J.“I know how sometimes it feels like the whole world thinks that love is only for the young,” Ms. Nist said moments before accepting his proposal. “And quite honestly, at the age of 70, I was beginning to feel that myself.”Meeting Mr. Turner changed that, she said. “I feel that for us, life isn’t over. The best is yet to come.”Mr. Turner and Ms. Nist announced during the finale that they planned to marry on Jan. 4 in a televised ceremony. “At our age, we don’t have a lot of time to waste,” he said.

Persons: ”, Gerry Turner, Theresa Nist, Turner, “, Mr Organizations: Nist Locations: Indiana, Shrewsbury, N.J

Until the embittered end, Henry Kissinger was one of the trusted few of a distrusting Richard Nixon. Political Cartoons View All 1273 Images“No doubt my vanity was piqued,” Kissinger later wrote of his expanding influence during Watergate. Two years later, Saigon fell to the communists, leaving a bitter taste among former U.S. allies who blamed Nixon, Kissinger and Congress for abandoning them. “The emigration of Jews from the Soviet Union is not an objective of American foreign policy,” Kissinger tells Nixon. And so they did — the Quaker-born Nixon, the Jewish-born Kissinger, on the floor, Nixon in tears about the unfairness of his fate.

Persons: Henry Kissinger, Richard Nixon, Kissinger, Nixon, Gerald Ford, ” Kissinger, ” Ford, “, ”, Donald Trump’s, Trump, ” —, —, — Kissinger, Robert Dallek, Walter Isaacson, David Frost, Isaacson, scrawled, Susan Mary Alsop, Stanley Kutler, “ Henry Kissinger, Jeffrey Kimball, starlets, Kissinger squired, Jill St, John, Shirley MacLaine, Marlo Thomas, Candice Bergen, Liv Ullmann, ” Nixon, H.R, Haldeman, Henry, It’s, Nancy Maginnes, Nelson Rockefeller, Gallup, Le Duc Tho, Tho, Walter, ” Walter, “ Kissinger, Ford, you’ve, ” “, ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, Kissinger demurred, Chile’s, Eisenhower, Augusto Pinochet, Pinochet, ” Peter Kornbluh, ” Heinz Alfred Kissinger, Heinz, Joe DiMaggio ”, Kennedy, Johnson, he’d “, William Rogers, Melvin Laird, Townsend Hoopes, deflating, ” Isaacson, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan’s, diplomat’s Kissinger, George W, Bush, Long, didn’t, Bush “, Anneliese Fleischer, Elizabeth, David, extol Nixon, ” ___, Barry Schweid Organizations: WASHINGTON, Republican, Democratic, “ PBS, ”, National Security Council, State Department, Vietnam, Nixon, Hollywood, Playboy, Newsweek, America, Columbia University, Senate Armed Services Committee, White, Washington Post, New York Times, Yankee, Army, Harvard, Weapons, Rogers, Defense, Manhattan, New York Giants, Lincoln, diplomat’s Kissinger Associates, GOP Locations: U.S, Vietnam, China, Nazi Germany, Southeast Asia, Latin America, United States, Saigon, Soviet Union, White, Cambodia, South Vietnam, Khmer Rouge, Soviet, America, Chile, London, Pinochet, Bavarian, Fuerth, Manhattan, Germany, Pakistan, Beijing, Iraq, Afghanistan, American

☆ After year of ‘fixing things,’ Bob Iger tells Disney employees his plans to reshape the company for the future
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Iger has had nothing short of a full plate since retaking the throne of the Magic Kingdom last year. He’s been tasked with repositioning ESPN in a direct-to-consumer future, reversing the company’s faltering creative engine (e.g. In short, it’s been a demanding 12 months for the legendary Disney chief — something Iger was not shy about. But it is still unclear what Iger would like to do with some of the company’s declining television assets, namely ABC. “I’ve been through some difficult times and faced a lot of adversity as a company,” Iger told Disney employees, “and I know that each time we get through it.”

Persons: Bob Iger, Iger, David Muir, He’s, it’s, ” “, ” Iger, “, I’ve, he’s, Will, Muir, ”, Dana Walden, ” Walden, Jimmy Pitaro, Mickey Mouse, ” Pitaro, Pitaro Organizations: CNN, New Amsterdam Theatre, Disney, “, ABC, Magic, ESPN, Marvel Studios, Hulu, Hollywood, Walt Disney Company, ABC News, Disney Entertainment Locations: New York City, —, Israel

The late crush of holiday travelers is picking up steam, with about 2.7 million people expected to board flights on Wednesday and millions more planning to drive to Thanksgiving celebrations. The Transportation Security Administration predicts that it will screen 2.7 million passengers Wednesday and a record 2.9 million on Sunday, the biggest day for return trips. AAA says the nationwide average for gas was down to $3.29 a gallon on Tuesday, compared with $3.66 a year ago. Air travelers will enjoy lower prices too. Even so, the high cost of rent, food, health care and other expenses were weighing on people's travel plans.

Persons: Pete Buttigieg, TSA's, David Pekoske, ABC’s, ”, “, Airfares, Hopper, Jason McQueary, ’ ”, McQueary, Erin Hooley Organizations: Southwest Airlines, Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Federal Aviation Administration, New, Transportation, FAA, Transportation Security Administration, America, AAA, Drivers, Chicago O’Hare, _________ Associated Press Locations: United States, New York City, East Coast, snowplows, Denver, Chicago, Byron , Illinois

WOODSIDE, Calif. (AP) — President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping greeted each other with a warm handshake Wednesday as they met on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperative conference. The two leaders last spoke a year ago, and since then, already fraught ties between the nations have been further strained. Biden and Xi were speaking behind closed doors at the Filoli Historic House and Garden, which features a Georgian revival-style mansion and a formal, English Renaissance-style garden. The pair opened their face-to-face meeting in the San Francisco Bay area with a solid handshake. The two leaders made the comments Wednesday after shaking hands in their first face-to-face meeting in more than a year.

Persons: Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Xi, Biden, Michael Douglas, Bourn, Roth, David Fincher’s, Douglas, ’ “ I’m, ”, “, haven’t, ” Biden, ” Xi, they’re, Wednesday's, Aamer Madhani Organizations: Pacific Economic Cooperative, APEC, Biden, Trust for Historic, Biden Biden, U.S, Moscone Center, Tibet, CCP, Chinese Communist Party, White, Xi, Associated Press Locations: WOODSIDE, Calif, Asia, East, Europe, Taiwan, China, Francisco, Woodside , California, San Francisco, United States, San Francisco Bay, Hong Kong, “ Tibet, Bali

☆ Israel-Hamas War Israel May Oversee Gaza for ‘Indefinite Period’ After War, Netanyahu Says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Victoria Kim | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Comments by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel appeared to confirm that Israel is preparing to play at least some role in controlling Gaza for a time after fighting ends. Israel will need to oversee the security of the Gaza Strip “for an indefinite period” once the war with Hamas is over, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an interview with ABC News that aired on Monday. Asked who should govern Gaza when the war ends, Mr. Netanyahu responded that he thought Israel would “have the overall security responsibility” over the territory indefinitely. Mr. Netanyahu did not elaborate in the ABC interview on what “overall security responsibility” over Gaza would entail but said, “Those who don’t want to continue the way of Hamas” should be in charge. Israeli officials have publicly said it is premature to discuss governance for Gaza and that they are focused on immediate military objectives.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, Netanyahu, “, “ We’ve, ABC’s David Muir, Netanyahu’s, Biden, Antony J, Blinken, ”, it’s, ” Livia Albeck, Ripka Organizations: ABC News, Hamas, Mr, ABC, Military Locations: Israel, Gaza, Tel Aviv, United States

☆ Virginia elections: Youngkin looks to prove that non-MAGA politics can be a winning Republican strategy
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Jake Tapper | Arit John | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Glenn Youngkin isn’t on the ballot this year, but his push for a new conservative direction for the Republican Party is. The discipline extended beyond the 10 candidates Youngkin endorsed in competitive primaries, so as to keep distractions at bay. Virginia Democrats, who would normally use such a post to put the entire GOP in an awkward position, did not apparently even notice. Still, there isn’t a lot of evidence that the Virginia Democratic Party sees Youngkin as any sort of liability for the GOP — he isn’t featured negatively in any of their ads, for example. “What we have found out over the last two years is that that vest-wearing, affable, basketball playing dad is really a MAGA Extremist,” said Virginia Democratic Party Chair Susan Swecker.

Persons: Glenn Youngkin isn’t, MAGA, He’s, Youngkin –, aren’t, that’s, Donald Trump, ”, “, Youngkin, “ I’ve, Joe Biden, ” Youngkin, ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, Youngkin’s, Mark J, Rozell, Roe, Wade, ” Rozell, Taylor Keeney, Bob McDonnell, Thomas Peterffy, Sen, Siobhan Dunnavant, Dunnavant, Del, Tara Durant, Matt Strickland, Emily Brewer, Hermie Sadler, Durant, Juan Pablo Segura, Jason Ballard, John McGuire, Bryce Reeves, Bill Woolf, Buddy Fowler, John, Lee Peters, Mike Dillender, McGuire, Reeves, Ballard, Daniel Squadron, Tim Kaine, Mark Warner, he’s, Susan Swecker Organizations: CNN, Virginia Gov, Republican Party, Democratic, Democrat, Republican, GOP, Privately, Trump, Commonwealth, Virginia Democrats, Schar School of Policy, Government, George Mason University . Virginia, Republican Gov, PAC, OB, Covid, NASCAR, Heritage Festival, Heritage Indian, The States, States Project, Democratic National Committee, Democrats, Republicans, Virginia Democratic Party, Virginia Democratic Locations: Virginia, Fredericksburg, “, Richmond, Chantilly, Sens

Tuesday’s legislative elections in Virginia will provide key tests for both parties’ messaging ahead of 2024, as well as the state’s GOP governor. “I think they’re the most important elections in America because these issues that are so important to Virginians are also the ones that are going to be so important to Americans next year,” Virginia GOP Gov. The battles for the state House of Delegates, which Republicans control, and the state Senate, which Democrats control, could come down to a handful of districts. And they’ll test Youngkin’s own political power as he’s brushed off questions about his presidential ambitions. Ambassador Nikki Haley’s paid private speeches, noting that she did not keep records of what she said to the groups.

Persons: “, Glenn Youngkin, ABC’s, NBC’s Gary Grumbach, Katherine Koretski, Sen, Siobhan Dunnavant, Democrat Schuyler Van, Youngkin, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, NBC’s Gabe Gutierrez, Julia Jester, Megan Lebowitz, ’, Biden, Alex Seitz, Wald, Ron DeSantis, ”, NBC’s Matt Dixon, Jonathan Allen, Ali Vitali, Nikki Haley’s, Peter Nicholas, Carol E, Lee, South Carolina Sen, Tim Scott’s, Robert F, Kennedy, Jr, Brandy Zadrozny, He’s, Peter Meijer, who’s, Brandon Presley, Tate Reeves Organizations: GOP, Virginians, ”, ” Virginia GOP Gov, Delegates, District, Democrat, NBC News, Democratic, Biden, Israel, Hamas, Democrats, Republican National Committee, New York Times, Florida Republican Party, Florida GOP Gov, Florida GOP, South, Public Service, GOP Gov Locations: Virginia, America, ” Virginia, Democrat Schuyler Van Valkenburg, Youngkin, Michigan, Florida, South Carolina, Black, Michigan’s, Mississippi

☆ Opinion | ‘MAGA Mike Johnson’ and Our Broken Christian Politics
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-05 | by ( David French | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

There are two moments from Mike Johnson’s early days as speaker of the House that almost perfectly encapsulate the broken way that so many Republican evangelicals approach politics. But before she could finish, Johnson’s Republican colleagues started to shout her down. What does Mike Johnson think about any issue under the sun?’ I said, ‘Well, go pick up a Bible off your shelf and read it.’ That’s my worldview.”That quote is less illuminating than many people think. Mike Johnson and I have such similar religious convictions that we once worked together at the same Christian law firm. Yet we’ve taken very different political paths.

Persons: Mike Johnson’s, Johnson, ABC’s Rachel Scott, Johnson’s, ”, Florida Republican Matt Gaetz, “ MAGA Mike Johnson, Sean Hannity, “, ‘, Mike Johnson Organizations: Florida Republican, Fox News, Trump

☆ News outlets take a more critical stance towards Israel Defense Forces as civilian deaths mount in Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —News organizations are assuming a more aggressive posture toward Israel Defense Forces as it escalates its military operations in the Gaza Strip. The more critical stance has been particularly pronounced over the last 24 hours, following two blasts at the densely populated Jabalya refugee camp in northern Gaza, which was established in 1948 when Palestinians fled what is now the current state of Israel. The IDF said it was responsible for both blasts, having targeted a senior Hamas commander and dozens of other militants. In the hours since, IDF representatives have been grilled for answers by ABC’s Ian Pannell, MSNBC’s Symone Sanders, and CNN’s Dana Bash. Meanwhile, Bash asked Major Doron Spielman twice if the IDF could provide evidence supporting its claims that a senior Hamas leader was killed.

Persons: —, Wolf Blitzer, Richard Hecht, ABC’s Ian Pannell, MSNBC’s Symone Sanders, CNN’s Dana Bash, Pannell, Jonathan Conricus, “, ” Pannell, Bash, Major Doron Spielman, Spielman, ” “ Organizations: CNN —, Israel Defense Forces, United Nations, Human Locations: Gaza, Israel

The witnesses painted a portrait of Mr. Bankman-Fried, 31, as a controlling boss who directed them to commit fraud. She was apprehensive about the move, she said, because she knew that would mean borrowing $1 billion in FTX customer funds for the transaction. “That’s OK, I think this is really important, we have to get it done,” Mr. Bankman-Fried told Ms. Ellison, according to her testimony. At Mr. Bankman-Fried’s urging, Mr. Sun said, he ran through a few theoretical options to justify the borrowing and spending of FTX customer money. But Mr. Sun, who testified after securing an agreement that prosecutors would not pursue charges against him, said he had once again told Mr. Bankman-Fried that none of those options were supported “by the facts.” Mr. Bankman-Fried responded by saying “something like, ‘Got it,’” Mr. Sun testified.

Persons: Sam Bankman, Fried, Bankman, Caroline Ellison —, Adam Yedidia, Mr, Yedidia, FTX, ” Caroline Ellison Ms, Ellison, Ms, Gary Wang Mr, Wang, ”, coder, Nishad Singh Mr, Singh, Gabe, Gabe Bankman, ” Mr, Prosecutors, Barbara Fried, Nishad Singh, Sun, ’ Organizations: Alameda Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford, Mr, Prosecutors, America Locations: Bahamas, Alameda, Binance, Pandemics

The witnesses have painted a portrait of Mr. Bankman-Fried, 31, as a controlling boss who directed them to commit fraud. “That’s OK, I think this is really important, we have to get it done,” Mr. Bankman-Fried told Ms. Ellison, according to her testimony. At Mr. Bankman-Fried’s urging, Mr. Sun said, he ran through a few theoretical options to justify the borrowing and spending of FTX customer money. But Mr. Sun, who testified after securing an agreement that prosecutors would not pursue charges against him, said he had once again told Mr. Bankman-Fried that none of those options were supported “by the facts.” Mr. Bankman-Fried responded by saying “something like, ‘Got it,’” Mr. Sun testified. Prosecutors then played a clip from an interview that Mr. Bankman-Fried gave ABC’s “Good Morning America” days before FTX filed for bankruptcy in November.

The witnesses have painted a portrait of Mr. Bankman-Fried, 31, as a controlling boss who directed them to commit fraud. She was apprehensive about the move, she said, because she knew that would mean borrowing $1 billion in FTX customer funds for the transaction. “That’s OK, I think this is really important, we have to get it done,” Mr. Bankman-Fried told Ms. Ellison, according to her testimony. At Mr. Bankman-Fried’s urging, Mr. Sun said, he ran through a few theoretical options to justify the borrowing and spending of FTX customer money. Prosecutors then played a clip from an interview that Mr. Bankman-Fried gave ABC’s “Good Morning America” days before FTX filed for bankruptcy in November.

☆ Intelligence shows Iranian-backed militias are ready to ramp up their attacks against US forces in the Middle East
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Natasha Bertrand Katie Bo Lillis Zachary Cohen Jennifer Hansler | Natasha Bertrand | Katie Bo Lillis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —The US has intelligence that Iranian-backed militia groups are planning to ramp up attacks against US forces in the Middle East, as Iran seeks to capitalize on the backlash in the region to US support for Israel, according to multiple US officials. The militia groups have already launched multiple drone attacks on US forces in Iraq and Syria. But the US now has specific intelligence that those same groups could escalate even further as the war between Israel and Hamas continues. Officials said that at this point, Iran appears to be encouraging the groups rather than explicitly directing them. In the case of the recent drone attacks on bases housing US forces, “Iran is certainly more culpable than in the case of the Hamas attack in Israel,” said another person familiar with the intelligence.

Persons: John Kirby, ”, Kirby, “, Matthew Miller, they’re, ” “ It’s, Defense Lloyd Austin, Naledi, Hossein Amir, Abdollahian, ” Abdollahian, ” Austin Organizations: CNN, Israel, Officials, National Security, Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, Quds Force, State, State Department, ISIS, Defense, Pentagon, US Navy, Iran’s Locations: Iran, Iraq, Syria, Israel, Tehran, Qatar, Iranian, Yemen, East

☆ Sec. Austin said US is 'concerned about potential escalation'
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-22 | by ( Aileen Graef | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said Sunday the US is “concerned about potential escalation” in the Middle East a day after announcing the deployment of additional military assets to the region. “We’re concerned about potential escalation. Both the THAAD and Patriots systems are air defense systems designed to shoot down short, medium and intermediate ballistic missiles. Last week, a US Navy warship operating in the Middle East intercepted multiple projectiles near the coast of Yemen fired by Iranian-backed Houthi militants, who are engaged in an ongoing conflict in the country. These steps will bolster regional deterrence efforts, increase force protection for U.S. forces in the region, and assist in the defense of Israel,” Austin said in a statement.

Persons: Defense Lloyd Austin, “ We’re, ”, Austin, Biden, ” Austin, Yoav Gallant, “, Israel, Jon Organizations: CNN, Defense, Sunday, Area Defense, Patriots, US Navy, East, ABC Locations: East, Israel, Iran, Syria, Yemen, Iranian, Iraq, Gaza

Suzanne Somers, the effervescent blonde actor known for playing Chrissy Snow on the television show “Three’s Company” and who became an entrepreneur and New York Times best-selling author, has died. Somers faced some backlash for her reliance on what she’s described as a chemical-free and organic lifestyle to combat the cancers. On “Three’s Company,” she was the ditzy blonde opposite John Ritter and Joyce DeWitt in the roommate comedy. “The show’s response was, ‘Who do you think you are?’” Somers told People in 2020. Somers did reconcile with Ritter before his death, and then with DeWitt on her online talk show.

Persons: Suzanne Somers, Chrissy Snow, ”, Somers, Couri Hay, Alan Hamel, Bruce, “, ‘, Oprah Winfrey, she’d, Bruce Somers, Hamel, Steve McQueen, “ Bullitt, George Lucas’s, Richard Dreyfuss’s, Lucas, ” Somers, John Ritter, Joyce DeWitt, would’ve, Ritter, ‘ John Ritter, DeWitt, ” Hamel Organizations: New York Times, American Cancer Society, Thunderbird, Rockford, “ Three’s, ABC, CBS News, People Magazine Locations: Palm Springs , California, San Bruno , California, ”, Vegas

☆ Hamas and Iran are longtime allies. Did Tehran help with its attack on Israel?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( Nadeen Ebrahim | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

It’s something that we’re going to keep looking at closely.”Yet Iran’s evolving relationship with Hamas and its Palestinian militant partners, the Islamic Jihad, is well documented. Israel says Iran supports Hamas to the tune of some $100 million dollars a year. (Much of the Western world and some Arab countries consider Hezbollah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad to be terrorist groups.) Therefore Iran is an asset for Hamas and Hamas is an asset for Iran,” Michael said. In April, Hamas’ senior political leader Ismail Haniyeh visited the Lebanese capital for meetings with Nasrallah.

Persons: Jon, ABC’s, Jihad –, Bashar al, Assad, Israel, Hezbollah –, Kobi Michael, ” Michael, Saleh Al, Ziad al, General Hassan Nasrallah, Ismail Haniyeh, Nasrallah, Haniyeh, Marwan Naamani, “ Christian, ”, Khaled Elgindy, ” Elgindy Organizations: CNN, United Nations, –, US State Department, Hezbollah, Palestinian, Islamic, Tel, for National Security Studies, Israel Defense Forces, Hamas, Gaza, ”, United Arab, Revolutionary Guards, East Institute, Palestinian Affairs, Lebanese Locations: Israel, Iran, Tehran, United States, Jihad, Gaza, Tel Aviv, Beirut, Lebanon, Lebanese, Sidon, Jerusalem, Hamas, Islam, Syria, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Yemen, Palestine

The famous line etched Al Michaels, the commentator for the historic moment, into sporting folklore. Over an extensive broadcasting career, Michaels became of one of the premiere voices in US sports, covering 11 Super Bowls, eight World Series, three Stanley Cup Finals, two NBA Finals and nine Olympics. He spent 20 years fronting ABC’s Monday Night Football broadcast, becoming known for his partnership with Hall of Fame coach and broadcaster John Madden. Subsequently, Michaels has become the lead commentator for Amazon’s coverage of Thursday Night Football to remain the voice of many big-time NFL highlights. I feel very lucky.”Michaels is seen on the sidelines before a Thursday Night Football game between the Seattle Seahawks and the San Francisco 49ers on December 15, 2022.

Persons: Soviet Union –, Al Michaels, “, ” Michaels, Michaels, CNN’s Chris Wallace, I’m, Steve Fenn, ’ ” Michael, Vin Scully, Hall, John Madden, “ John, Madden, John, Cris Collinsworth, he’s, Jerry Rice, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Wayne Gretzky – Michaels, there’s, I’ve, ”, “ Somebody, ’ I’ve, Marcio Jose Sanchez, He’s, ‘, –, Chris Wallace, Max Organizations: CNN, Soviet, NBA, Ebbets, Major League Baseball, Brooklyn Dodgers, Sweden, ABC, Getty, Ebbets Field, ”, Arizona State University, Los Angeles Lakers, Hawaii Islanders, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Football, Hall of Fame, Sunday, Cincinnati Bengals, NFL, NBC, Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers, Fame Locations: Soviet Union, Brooklyn, Lake Placid, Los Angeles

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