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  • Too Many Mistakes: Atlanta Falcons start 2025 season with 23-20 loss to Tampa Bay Bucs

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    The American Flag on full display moments before kickoff during the Atlanta Falcons season opener at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    The Falcons lost the home and season opener 23-20 on Sunday. Atlanta kicker Young Koo missed a field goal that could have tied the game.

    Mistakes will cost you everything in the National Football League. Three roughing the passer penalties, a pair of missed field goal, a missed extra point attempt, they all mattered during this game.

    “We have to find a way to win next week,” Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said after the game.

    “We have to keep going, it’s just one game,” Leonard Floyd said in the locker room after the game.

    The biggest play will go down as the touchdown pass from Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield to receiver Emeka Egbuka that made the score 23-20. But it was the roughing the passer penalty from the Falcons that helped extend the Bucs’s drive.

    Minutes earlier, the score was 17-13 in favor of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The game clock read 3:33 in the fourth quarter. Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix, Jr. (27-42 for 298 yards, a touchdown pass and run) ran for the goal line and was short of scoring a touchdown. He was however past the first down marker. The Buccaneers had two roughing the passer penalties called on them during the drive.

    The biggest play of the game came courtesy of the feet of Penix, Jr., because Atlanta’s fresh set of downs lead to another Penix, Jr. run, this time for a one-yard touchdown with 2:17 left to play. The touchdown put Atlanta ahead 20-17 following the extra point by kicker Younghoe Koo.

    Back on defense, the Falcons put pressure on Mayfield (17-32 for 167 yards) late in the game, but not enough to keep him from throwing three touchdown passes.

    The video montages featuring former Falcons Andre Rison, Ray Buchanan, and Roddy White, Freddie the Falcon bungee jumping from the rafters, a smoke-filled entrance to the field, and a loud roar from a crowd of re than 70,000 when starting quarterback Michael Penix, Jr.’s name was announced. The Falcons season opener had it all.

    The Atlanta Falcons opened the 2025 season at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 7. Their opponent, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, have won the NFC South division crown time after time, and this game was an opportunity for Atlanta to set the tone for the next 17 weeks.

    Under current head coach Raheem Morris, the Falcons have had success against the Buccaneers and head coach Todd Bowles. Atlanta swept Tampa last season, winning on the road by five points, and winning at home by six points.

    The Falcons put together a one-minute and 46-second offensive drive to open the game. The big play came on a Penix, Jr. screen pass to running back Bijan Robinson for a long run and score. Robinson caught two passes during the abbreviated drive.

    Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    Tampa’s first score, a 48-yard field goal from kicker Chase McLaughlin, came eight minutes after they began their third drive at the tailed of the first quarter. By the time the score was 7-3 in favor of the Falcons, it was midway through the second quarter.

    The Buccaneers took their first lead of the game at 10-7 when quarterback Baker Mayfield found perennial Pro Bowl receiver Mike Evans over the outstretched hands of Falcons rookie safety Xavier Watts for a touchdown at the seven-minute mark of the second quarter.

    The Falcons tied the game at 10 on a 41-yard field goal from kicker extraordinaire Younghoe Koo. That subsequent Falcons offensive drive included a fourth and one that was completed by running back Tyler Allgeier. The Falcons offense rushed for only 27 yards during there first half.

    The second half began with a Tampa Bay drive dow to the Atlanta 26 yard line. The Bucs and McLaughlin attempted a 44-yard field goal that missed the mark and kept the score tied at 10.

    A 53-yard punt return and 20-yard scramble by Mayfield gave Tampa Bay the kind of field position deep in Falcons territory that usually leads to a touchdown. And it did. A few plays later, Mayfield found running back Bucky Irving on a screen for a touchdown a 17-10 advantage with seven minutes to play in the third quarter.

    The Falcons offense found a way back into the scoring column, adding three more points on a 36-yard field goal from Koo. The 11-play drive included receptions by Kyle Pitts, Ray-Ray McCloud III, Drake London, and the team;’s leading receiver at that moment of the game, Robinson (5 receptions for 94 yards). On one play, Robinson took a Penix pass 23 yards to get into the team into field goal possession.

    Down 17-13 with less than 10 minutes to play in the fourth quarter, the Falcons

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  • The Good, The Bad, & The Braves: Bullpen blows, Mariners hits 5 HRs, Braves lose 10-2

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    Hurston Waldrep (above) made his sixth career start on Saturday night. It was his third career start at Truist Park. Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves

    The Atlanta Braves lost 10-2 to the Seattle Mariners tonight.

    Atlanta Braves rookie starter Hurston Waldrep made his sixth career start on Saturday night against the Seattle Mariners. He would leave the game without a victory, but his stellar performance allowed the game to remain close.

    Waldrep was done for the night after throwing 91 pitches through five innings. During his time on the mound he continued his strong play, striking out five Mariners, walking five more, and only giving up the two earned runs on the first inning home run.

    Following the game, Braves manager Brian Snitker was complimentary of Waldrep despite the outcome.

    “Pretty impressive for a young guy not to cave in,” Snitker said about the first inning of the game. “I really like what I have seen of him. he’s really handled adversity.”

    Waldrep is 4-0 with 1.33 ERA in six starts this season.

    On Friday night, the sellout crowd at Truist Park got an opportunity to watch a pitching masterclass by Chris Sale. Sale finished the game having pitched 6.2 and only gave up four hits and an earned run, while striking out nine Mariners. He was lights out from start to finish.

    On Saturday night, the Braves bullpen, however, did not pitch well tonight. Not even close.

    Plenty of young Atlanta Braves fans made their way into the stadium over the weekend. There were a combined 71,000 fans in attendance for the games at Truist Park on Friday and Saturday. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Braves

    The fireworks got started early on as Waldrep, one of the future stars for this franchise, gave up two early runs on a home run by Mariners centerfielder Julio Rodriguez. The fastball that went over the left field fence came on an 0-2 count. Waldrep, a native of Cairo, Georgia, would settle down through the next three innings, only giving up a double to Seattle right fielder Victor Robles in the fourth inning.

    The first run of the game for Atlanta would come in the same inning on a solo home run by Matt Olson. The home run was the 22nd home run of the season for Olson and a team high. With Ozzie Albies on third base, Michael Harris II came to the plate with two outs and swung at the first pitch from Seattle’s starter, Bryce Miller. The results of that at-bat were similar to the four Harris II took on Friday night, it resulted in an out and no RBI.

    Seattle left fielder Randy Arozarena started the fifth inning with a walk by Waldrep and proceeded to steal his second base of the night. Arozarena had two walks and the two steals during his first three at-bats. The Mariners failed to score between the second and fifth innings, and a large part of that was the defense behind Waldrep. Ha-Seong Kim, playing at shortstop, snagged a hard hot ball up the middle from Seattle first baseman Josh Naylor and threw him out to end the inning.

    Ronald Acuna, Jr. came to the plate in the sixth inning with Baldwin and Kim on base, one out in the books, and the Braves down 2-1. Miller had already thrown 87 pitches for Seattle, and this was the first inning of the game in which he had given up more than one hit. Baldwin and Kim reached base on consecutive singles. Acuna, Jr. walked and Harris II hit a deep sac fly to center field which allowed Baldwin to score and tie the game at two.

    With Arozarena back on second base for the third time in the game, Rodriguez hit his second home run of the game to put Seattle back in front 4-2. It was his third multi-home run game of the season. Eugenio Suarez followed Rodriguez with a solo home run to left. Both home runs came courtesy of Daysbel Hernandez pitches. That ended the night for Hernandez and brought Hayden Harris out of the Braves bullpen in relief with two outs and Atlanta behind 5-2. Harris gave up a single to J.P. Crawford that brought in another Seattle run before the inning was over.

    Major League Baseball’s leader in home runs, Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, managed to go 0-4 with a walk and Seattle still scored six runs through eight innings. Raleigh hit his 52nd home run of the year in the ninth inning to put Seattle ahead 10-2. Braves reliever John Brebbia, who came on in the eighth inning, gave up a three-run home run down the right field line to Josh Naylor along with the home run to Raleigh. The mariners hit five combined home runs on Saturday night.

    Drake Baldwin (above) bats in the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Truist Park on May 15, 2025. Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves

    Still Leading the Pack:

    Braves rookie catcher Drake Baldwin is racing towards the National League Rookie of the Year award. Baldwin is hitting .283 with 64 RBI and 15 home runs. Though he has only won National League Rookie of the Month once, Baldwin has played a large role in the Braves’ offense this season. His defense behind the plate has also been a plus for a Braves team with very little to celebrate this season. On Saturday night against Seattle, he got a base hit in the sixth inning that started a rally.

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    Donnell Suggs

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  • Texas governor signs new Republican-friendly redistricting bill

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    Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Friday signed a redistricting law that could strengthen Republican influence in Washington, a move that could tilt upcoming congressional elections in the party’s favour.

    “Texas is now more red in the United States Congress,” Abbott said in a video on X, referring to the state’s Republican lean. In his post, he added that the move “ensures fairer representation in Congress.”

    The legislation redraws congressional boundaries to give the Republican Party an advantage in the House of Representatives, where each member represents a single district. Republicans currently hold narrow majorities in both chambers of Congress.

    The process, known as gerrymandering, involves drawing districts to concentrate a party’s own voters while splitting the opposition, allowing the party to win more seats even without a majority of votes.

    Redistricting is normally based on the decennial census, but the new law bypasses this requirement. All 435 seats in the US House of Representatives are up for election in November 2026.

    Texas, one of the nation’s most populous states, currently sends 38 representatives to the House, second only to California. Small shifts in district lines can therefore change the balance of power.

    Republicans hope the redistricting could deliver up to five additional house seats. California, led by Democrats, has already signalled plans to review its own redistricting, potentially challenging the Republican’s efforts.

    Hours after Abbott’s move, Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe announced on X that he is convening a special legislative session to redraw congressional districts in the Republican-led state.

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  • The Good, The Bad, & The Braves: Michael Harris II stays hot, Braves defeat White Sox, 11-10 in a thriller

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    Atlanta Braves center fielder Michael Harris II (above) is hitting over .400 in his last 30 games. Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images

    With Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson (a pair of singles and doubles during the game) on third base and two outs in the first inning, Michael Harris II (1-4 with two RBI) stepped to the plate and hit a two-strike, two-run home run to give the Braves the lead. A night earlier, Harris was 4-4 with a home run. He was pinch-run for in the eighth inning and missed an opportunity to bat with the bases loaded and the Braves down by four runs. Harris didn’t waste any time getting those lost RBIs back. The home run gave him 16 for the season and 68 RBI, second on the team behind Olson’s 72.

    Michael Harris II might be in the midst of the best second half in the history of The Atlanta Braves franchise. Heck, the Boston Braves, Milwaukee Braves are included in that hyperbole as well.

    When Harris came up to bat during the series against the Chicago White Sox earlier this week, the rounds of applause were typical of a star player playing on another level. In the third inning on Tuesday, with Ronald Acuna, Jr., on second base following a walk and stolen base, Harris didn’t get a hit. He did, however, advance the runner to third base with a ground ball up the middle that Lenyn Sosa threw to first. 

    In the past 30 games, including all three games against the White Sox, Harris is batting over .400 with 10 home runs and 24 RBI. Harris is also slugging over .770 and has an on base percentage just over .420. 

    During his 12-game hitting streak, Harris is batting closer to .500 and has seemed to take full advantage of the amount of baserunners he has seen while batting in the cleanup, fifth and sixth spots in the lineup.

    When Harris wasn’t helping the team with his bat on Tuesday, he used his glove. A pair of catches in the night inning helped Atlanta secure the victory. Braves manager Brian Snitker was complimentary of Harris after the game.

    “He never takes a play off on defense,” said Snitker. “Michael has been the hottest player on the planet for a while.”

    Jurickson Profar has been playing just as well of late. His two-run home run off White Sox starter Shane Smith in the fourth inning gave Atlanta a 4-3 lead. Profar homered in three consecutive games, something he has done twice this season.

    Bryce Elder (above) started Tuesday’s game against the Chicago White Sox. Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves

    The last time Elder started, the Braves defeated the New York York Mets 4-3. Elder pitched one of his best games of the season, going seven innings with six strikeout, two walks, while only giving up two earned runs.

    Last night the White Sox hitters lit up Braves pitching, in particular Spencer Strider. On Tuesday night against Elder, the White Sox found a way to score eight runs through five innings following RBI singles from White Sox first baseman Miguel Vargas and Sosa, and a bases clearing double by Luis Robert, Jr. All three players had multi-hit games on Monday night and continued their strong run of play. Elder (4.2 innings, eight earned runs) was knocked out of the game and replaced by Connor Seabold.

    White Sox catcher Kyle Teel hit a two-run home run off Seabold down the right field line to give Chicago a 10-4 lead. Acuna, Jr.made the score10-5 with an RBI single in the seventh, Drake Baldwin walked with the bases loaded to make it 10-6, and Ozzie Albies hit a single to drive in two more runs, cutting the Chicago advantage to 10-8. A fielder choice would allow another run to score, so the braves were down 10-9. The inning would end with Vidal Brujan getting picked off at first base.

    Baldwin drive in a pair off runs in the eighth inning to put Atlanta ahead 11-10. Braves reliever Raisel Iglesias came on in the ninth and earned the save.

    There’s still time for the Braves to play spoiler and ruin the playoff chances for the Mets, Chicago Cubs, and Houston Astros.

    What’s Next: The Braves will host the White Sox in the third game of this series and have Thursday, August 21, off before hosting the New York Mets in a three-game weekend series. Wednesday’s first pitch is scheduled for a 7:15 p.m.

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    Donnell Suggs

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  • The Good, The Bad, & The Braves: Blame 13-9 loss on Strider and Snitker

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    Spencer Strider (above) pitched 3.1 innings against the visiting Chicago White Sox and was responsible for six runs during his time on the mound Monday night. Photo by Kevin D. Liles/Atlanta Braves

    The Atlanta Braves returned home from having won series in New York and Cleveland to lose the first game of a three-game series against the Chicago White Sox. The loss was credited to the evening’s starter, Spencer Strider, but it also has to belong to Braves manager Brian Snitker.

    Let’s start with Snitherm, who made the perplexing decision to pinch-run for the hottest hitter in Major League Baseball, Michael Harris after he started the eighth inning with a single. That hit was Harris’s fourth of the game in four at-bats. Snitker took Harris out of the game, presumably to give him a rest, and the Braves managed to bat around the lineup so long that Harris’s spot came up with the bases loaded and Atlanta in need of runs. Eli White, Harris’s replacement struck out.

    That strike out effectively ended the game while simultaneously ending Atlanta’s best chance at cutting the White Sox lead or tying the game.

    Now about Strider.

    The game began with Strider (now 5-11 overall) digging himself out of ditches. Strider gave up a single to the first batter he faced, Mike Tauchman, on the first pitch he threw (fastball). The White Sox failed to score with a runner on third and two outs as Lenyn Sosa flew out to Jurickson Profar in left field.

    Atlanta Braves pitcher Spencer Strider (above) started Monday night’s game against the Chicago White Sox. he only managed to strike out two White Sox before being taken out of the game in the fourth inning. Photo by Donnell Suggs/The Atlanta Voice

    There were more White Sox runners on first and second in the second inning when Strider got out of trouble again. This time he got Chicago second baseman Chase Meidroth to hit into a 4-6-3 double play to end the inning.

    Strider’s luck ran out in the third inning when Chicago left fielder Brooks Baldwin took him deep for a solo home run to left center to give the White Sox a 1-0 lead. A sliding catch near the Braves dugout helped end the inning with another Chicago runner on base.

    Things got worse when Luis Robert, Jr. (13 home runs and 49 RBI) hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning to put Chicago ahead 3-0. Strider had thrown 55 pitches before pitching coach Rick Kunitz came out to talk to him.

    By the end off his time on the mound, Strider had thrown 68 pitches, given up five hits during the fourth inning, and four earned runs. Austin Cox came on to relieve him with one out and runners on second and third base. Strider only managed to strike out two White Sox before being taken out of the game in the fourth inning.

    Chicago was ahead 7-0 through four innings. Atlanta had an opportunity to cut into the White Sox lead when a single and a double from Profar and Matt Olson gave Ronald Acuna, Jr. something to shoot for. He grounded out to second while driving in Profar from third base for Atlanta’s first run of the game. Drake Baldwin flew out to center with Olson on third to end the inning.

    During the game, Michael Harris II continued his hot run of play, hitting a pit of singles in his first two plate appearances, and a two-run home run in the sixth inning. With a single in the second inning, Harris extended his 11-game hit streak. Over the last seven games, Harris was hitting .438 with a .438 on-base percentage and a .759 slugging percentage. His 15 home runs are third on the team behind Marcell Ozuna (20) and Olson (19).

    Cox (58 pitches, three earned runs) was pitching strong in relief, holding Chicago scoreless during the fifth inning before giving up a two-out 3-run home run to White Sox first baseman Lenyn Sosa in the sixth inning.

    Harris’s home run was only the second extra-base hit for Atlanta through five innings before Profar hit a two-run home run down the right field line in the sixth inning to make the score 10-5.

    Daysbel Hernandez started the seventh inning and immediately gone up a solo home run on his first pitch to White Six shortstop Kyle Teel, who already had two hots in the game. Hernandez gave up another RBI single before he got Sosa to ground out to end the inning.

    Fun Fact: The White Sox and the Braves had only played 24 times before Monday night’s game. The White Sox now lead the all-time series 13-12.

    What’s Next: The Braves and White Sox will play again on Tuesday and Wednesday before the New York Mets return to Truist Park for a three-game weekend series. The White Sox games have a scheduled 7:15 p.m. first pitch.

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    Donnell Suggs

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  • MAGA Jokes and Mega Outrage With Roy Wood Jr.

    MAGA Jokes and Mega Outrage With Roy Wood Jr.

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    Van and Rachel react to Donald Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally (6:28) before comedian Roy Wood Jr. joins to dig into controversial jokes by Tony Hinchcliffe and the art of political comedy (19:42). Then, a breakdown of Lil Durk’s arrest on a murder-for-hire charge (49:43), and Shaq gives advice to Angel Reese on making the WNBA sexier (1:11:16). Plus, Dwyane Wade’s statue has a face that’s not his (1:23:22).

    Hosts: Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay
    Producers: Donnie Beacham Jr. and Ashleigh Smith

    Subscribe: Spotify / Apple Podcasts / Stitcher

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  • A Look Inside Cairo’s Contemporary Art Scene

    A Look Inside Cairo’s Contemporary Art Scene

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    An installation mounted by Culturvator / Art D’Egypte, founded by Nadine Abdel Ghaffar (left). Culturvator / Art D’Egypte

    Egypt’s capital, Cairo, is best known for its grand ancient monuments and bustling bazaars. The contemporary art of Egypt, and Cairo in particular, seems most likely to generate buzz when contextualized via a historical lens. See, for example, artist JR’s 2021 illusory artwork that made it appear a giant hand was supporting the Great Pyramid of Giza as its crown hovered over the base for an exhibition that also featured the work of Ai-Da, Alexander Ponomarev and Lorenzo Quinn.

    However, the sprawling city also has an artistic heritage spanning centuries that is the foundation upon which Cairo’s contemporary art scene is built. As iconic cultural centers have been threatened and even UNESCO sites partially demolished to make way for new infrastructures as the city expands, the relentless push for modernization has left artists and artisans fearful as to what the cultural landscape will look like in five, ten or twenty years. Amid this uncertainty, it’s important for travelers looking for art experiences to understand the significance of the spaces that bind artistry and culture, honing in on both Cairo’s history and present as a living canvas for the arts.

    SEE ALSO: “Paris 1874” Shows the Early Impressionists Reaching for New Ways of Seeing

    Beyond the Museum of Modern Egyptian Art, the contemporary art scene is alive and well in this ancient city. There are organizations like the Culturvator / Art D’Egypte art consultancy, which attracts local and international artists and art lovers by staging regular exhibitions of contemporary art, including in the ongoing series, “Forever is Now.” Hosted annually at the pyramids, its recent exhibitions have included the work of many artists from around the world, including JR (with the aforementioned hand), American artist Gisela Colón and Egyptian artist Moataz Nasr. Beyond “Forever is Now,” the consultancy curates several shows and projects at historical locations in the greater Cairo region and abroad, pairing contemporary artwork with historical architecture.

    There are also plenty of contemporary art galleries in Cairo, many of which are in Zamalek on Gezira island in the Nile. Some, like Arcade, are associated with community art schools and aim to amplify the talents of young Egyptian artists. Others, like Gypsum, host solo and group exhibitions designed to entice an international audience, while galleries like Ubuntu showcase the work of artists from Egypt and abroad. Other must-visit art institutions and galleries in Cairo include:

    Darb 1718

    Darb 1718. AHH

    Founded by artist and activist Moataz Nasr in 2008, the non-profit contemporary art and cultural center is located in the Fustat neighborhood of Old Cairo. Since its inception, Darb 1718 has become a prime example of the art community’s struggle for survival.

    The pivotal center, known for curating and hosting national and international artwork and several artist workshops, faced a significant setback earlier this year when its main building was demolished “without any prior notice” to make way for a highway expansion. Over a hundred artworks were destroyed, yet the center remains open, continuing to host workshops for the community, from cyanotype printing to acrylic pouring.

    SafarKhan Art Gallery

    SafarKhan Art Gallery, one of the first to open in Cairo’s artsy Zamalek district, has been representing emerging and established artists from the Middle East and North Africa since 1968, when Roxanne Petridis created a space that would eventually become a hub for the avant-garde in the region but opened as a shop selling Islamic artifacts. Today, the gallery is owned by Sherwet Shafei and it bills itself as the “original home of modern Egyptian art.” SafarKhan is especially known for championing Egyptian modernists like Mahmoud Saïd and Hamed Nada, as well as contemporary talents such as Mohamed Abla and Omar El-Nagdi.

    The Salah Taher Gallery at the Cairo Opera House

    The Cairo Opera House has become a cultural fixture not only in Egypt but also the Middle East. The funds for the location were initially gifted from Japan after a visit from the former president of Egypt. Since its opening in 1988, it has become a treasured arts and cultural hub, hosting opera, ballet, theater, and art exhibitions.

    Recently, the Salah Taher Gallery at the Cairo Opera House hosted the exhibition “Mariam,” which featured over fifty paintings by award-winning artist, Mariam Waguih, Egypt’s first Fine Arts student with Down Syndrome.

    TINTERA

    TINTERA. Faouzi Massrali

    TINTERA, a photographic art consultancy with a gallery space in Zamalek and offices in London, specializes in both contemporary and historical photography, focusing on images that capture the region. Their mission is to raise awareness of Egypt’s photography through preservation, research and exhibitions.

    The space was initially created because Egypt, one of the most photographed countries of the 19th and 20th Centuries, lacked a dedicated photography institution or museum. The gallery, featuring the works of acclaimed artists including Ahmad Abdalla, Ibrahim Ahmed and Nermine Hammam, ultimately aims to bridge the gap between the history, present and future of photography in Egypt.

    Mashrabia Gallery of Contemporary Art

    Mashrabia Gallery. Courtesy Mashrabia Gallery

    Located in Downtown Cairo, Mashrabia Gallery is the oldest privately owned contemporary arts gallery in the city. Since its opening in 1990, it has become a key figure in cultivating opportunities for both new and established artists, with an emphasis on promoting arts accessibility.

    The owner and curator, Stefania Angarano, has stated that Mashrabia was born from a desire to create a connection between Egypt and the West. Since its opening, the institution has worked to promote artists both in Egypt and abroad, sharing often powerful politically and socially-charged stories through its exhibitions and events.

    Zamalek Art Gallery

    Founded more than two decades ago, Zamalek Art Gallery is focused squarely on promoting the work of modern and contemporary Egyptian artists and artists from around the Middle East with connections to Egypt. It is especially noted for its support of artists such as Mohamed Abla, Zeinab Al Sageny and Georges Fikry Ibrahim. Spacious galleries let Zamalek mount two exhibitions at a time—one with an established artist and one with an up-and-comer—and under the leadership of Naheda Khouri, this gallery brings its artists’ work to fairs and partners with several luxury hotels in the region to curate the collections on display.

     

    A Look Inside Cairo’s Contemporary Art Scene

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    Costa B. Pappas

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  • Edgar Bronfman Jr. withdraws offer for Paramount, allowing Skydance merger to go ahead

    Edgar Bronfman Jr. withdraws offer for Paramount, allowing Skydance merger to go ahead

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    NEW YORK (AP) — The merger between entertainment giant Paramount and media company Skydance is set to go ahead after Edgar Bronfman Jr. withdrew a competing offer.

    Bronfman, executive chairman of streaming service Fubo, told Paramount’s special committee of directors Monday night that he would not proceed with his bid.

    “While there may have been differences, we believe that everyone involved in the sale process is united in the belief that Paramount’s best days are ahead,” he said.

    Bronfman, the former chairman and CEO of Warner Music, had intitially offered $4.3 billion for Shari Redstone’s National Amusements, the controlling shareholder of Paramount, according to multiple media reports. He then upped that bid to $6 billion.

    Paramount agreed last month to a merger deal with Skydance that will inject desperately needed cash into a legacy studio that has struggled to adapt to a shifting entertainment landscape.

    Since then, during what’s known as a “go shop” period, a special committee of Paramount’s board had reached out to more than 50 third parties to determine whether they were interested in making offers. The go shop period was extended for Bronfman, but has now closed.

    Image

    Shari Redstone’s National Amusements has owned more than three-quarters of Paramount’s Class A voting shares through the estate of her late father, Sumner Redstone. She had battled to maintain control of the company that owns CBS, which is behind blockbuster films such as “Top Gun” and “The Godfather.”

    The deal signals the rise of a new power player, Skydance founder David Ellison, the son of billionaire Larry Ellison, who founded the software company Oracle.

    Skydance, based in Santa Monica, California, has helped produce some major Paramount hits in recent years, including Tom Cruise films like “Top Gun: Maverick” and installments of the “Mission Impossible” series.

    The proposed combined company of Paramount and Skydance is valued at around $28 billion. The deal is expected to close in September 2025, pending regulatory approval.

    Paramount, founded in 1914 as a distributor, is one of Hollywood’s oldest studios and has had a hand in releasing numerous films — from “Sunset Boulevard” and “The Godfather,” to “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “Titanic.”

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  • For Artist JR, Carrying the Paris Olympic Flame into the Louvre Was an Emotional Experience

    For Artist JR, Carrying the Paris Olympic Flame into the Louvre Was an Emotional Experience

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    JR, the French photographer and street artist, and Sandra Laoura, a French skier, hold the Olympic Flame on July 14. Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images

    The Paris Olympics don’t kick off until July 26, but the iconic Olympic Torch is already in town. The Flame arrived in Paris on Bastille Day (July 14), borne by 2016 gold medalist Col. Thibaut Vallette, and was integrated into France’s National Day celebrations. The torch, carried by a motley assortment of bearers that included World Cup winner Thierry Henry, K-Pop icon Jin and garbage collector and environmentalist Ludovic Franceschet, made its way through iconic locations in Paris, including some of the city’s most important cultural spots, including the Louvre. Notably, the torchbearer who carried the Flame into the museum was the French artist JR, known for his large-scale public installations that engage communities with some of the most pressing social issues through a powerful blend of photography, street art and social activism.

    We reached out to the artist to ask what he was feeling in that special moment. “I have a lot of memories with the Louvre, a lot of special ones,” JR told Observer. “I had the chance to exhibit there twice… This is also where I learned of the death of Agnes Varda in 2019 while I was pasting the giant collage on the square. We had filmed part of our film inside the Louvre with Agnes. Going back there and carrying this torch, taking it from the pyramid to the inside, was a very special memory for me, with a lot of emotion behind it.”

    JR holding the Olympic torch at the LouvreJR holding the Olympic torch at the Louvre
    JR says his return to the Louvre was an emotional one. Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images

    The artist’s relationship with the Louvre runs deep, stemming from his memorable, monumental intervention of 2016, in which he covered the Pritzker Prize-winning architect I. M. Pei’s glass pyramid with a gigantic black-and-white photographic collage that made it appear to disappear. Then, in 2019, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Louvre Pyramid, JR created another massive optical illusion, The Secret of the Great Pyramid, making the same pyramid emerge from inside a deep crater apparently excavated in the surrounding ground. True to JR’s style, the artwork was created with the help of collective action by thousands of local volunteers and was ephemeral and temporary: visitors were invited to walk over the collage, gradually destroying it, symbolizing the impermanence of art. By the end of the weekend, the piece was almost entirely worn away and then removed, leaving just great pictures as its memory.

    SEE ALSO: Paris Olympics Winners Will Take Home a Piece of the Eiffel Tower

    JR is also no stranger to working with the Olympic Games, having installed another of his large-scale projects for the 2016 Olympics in Rio De Janeiro. There, with The Chronicles of Rio, the French artist embarked on one of his most ambitious projects of community recording and awareness, collecting a series of portraits of Rio’s inhabitants to shed light on the everyday lives and stories of people from various neighborhoods, particularly those from underrepresented areas. These portraits were then transformed into enormous posters and displayed in locations around the city.

    Image of the art installation JR made on the pyramid of the Louvre covering it with a collage and optic illusion of a crater. Image of the art installation JR made on the pyramid of the Louvre covering it with a collage and optic illusion of a crater.
    JR, The Secret of the Great Pyramid (2019). Courtesy the artist

    The history of the Olympic Flame

    The tradition of the Olympic Torch is rooted in customs established in Ancient Greece: at the ancient Olympic Games, a sacred flame burned at the altar of Hestia, the goddess of the hearth, in Olympia, as a symbol of purity, the endeavor for perfection and the struggle for victory. The tradition was restored in modern times at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, with the Flame lit in Olympia and carried to Berlin through a relay of runners, symbolizing the link between the ancient and modern Games. Since then, torchbearers have carried the Flame at every Olympic Games on a journey from Greece to the host city, with thousands of participants from diverse backgrounds traversing countries and continents in an action symbolizing peace and unity.

    For Artist JR, Carrying the Paris Olympic Flame into the Louvre Was an Emotional Experience

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    Elisa Carollo

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  • America’s Black mayors gather in Atlanta for annual AAMA conference

    America’s Black mayors gather in Atlanta for annual AAMA conference

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    Miramar, Florida Mayor Wayne Messam (above, center) was one of several mayors that spoke to the media during the opening press conference of the African American Mayors Association conference in Atlanta on April 24, 2024. Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice

    The mayor of Tracy, California, looked around the grand ballroom inside the Omni Atlanta Hotel and smiled. She was 2,200 miles away from the city she is leading, but felt right at home at the same time. “I love the connectivity,” said Nancy Young.

    The first Black mayor and female mayor in the history of the northern California city of just under 100,000 residents, Young is no stranger to Atlanta, her son attended Morehouse College some years back, so she knew she was definitely returning to Atlanta for this special occasion. “And I have been talking to other mayors in California about coming to the conference too,” she said. 

    Asked what she is looking to accomplish while she is in town and among dozens of other Black mayors from cities both big (Atlanta, New York City, Memphis, and St. Louis, to name a few) and small (Palmetto, Georgia, Miramar, Florida, and Earle, Arkansas, pop. 1,800) Young said she wanted to learn more about how to get larger businesses to connect with and invest in smaller businesses. Tracy, located in San Joaquin County, is 60 miles east of major tech hub San Francisco and 60 miles west of agribusiness and food manufacturing giant Sacramento. Tracy’s population is just under 6% Black, according to the most recent U.S. Census data.

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    Donnell Suggs

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  • Samuel Alito Fast Facts | CNN

    Samuel Alito Fast Facts | CNN

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    Here’s a look at the life of US Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito.

    Birth date: April 1, 1950

    Birth place: Trenton, New Jersey

    Birth name: Samuel Anthony Alito Jr.

    Father: Samuel Alito, a teacher

    Mother: Rose (Fradusco) Alito, a teacher

    Marriage: Martha-Ann (Bomgardner) Alito (1985-present)

    Children: Philip and Laura

    Education: Princeton University, A.B., 1972; Yale University, J.D., 1975

    Nicknamed “Scalito” as his views resemble those of the late conservative Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.

    Argued 12 cases before the Supreme Court, the first in 1982.

    1976-1977 – Law clerk to Leonard I. Garth, judge of the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

    1977-1981 – Assistant US attorney for the District of New Jersey.

    1981-1985 – Assistant to the US solicitor general.

    1985-1987 – Deputy assistant to the US attorney general.

    1987-1990 – Named by President Ronald Reagan as the US attorney for the District of New Jersey.

    February 20, 1990 – Nominated by President George H.W. Bush to the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

    April 27, 1990 – Confirmed unanimously by the Senate on a voice vote.

    April 30, 1990-2006 – Judge of the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Newark, New Jersey.

    1991 – Is the only dissenting voice in a Third Circuit ruling striking down a Pennsylvania law that required women to notify their husbands if they planned to get an abortion.

    1993 – Agrees with the majority that an Iranian woman seeking asylum could establish eligibility by showing that she has an abhorrence with her country’s “gender specific laws and repressive social norms,” or because of a belief in feminism or membership in a feminist group.

    1999 – Writes the opinion in a case that says a Christmas display on city property does not violate separation of church and state doctrines because it included a large plastic Santa Claus as well as a Menorah and a banner hailing diversity.

    2001 – Agrees with the majority that strikes down a public school district’s anti-harassment policy, saying the policy – which included non-vulgar, non-school-sponsored speech – violated the First Amendment.

    October 31, 2005 – President George W. Bush nominates Alito to be Justice Sandra Day O’Connor’s replacement on the Supreme Court.

    January 31, 2006 – Alito is confirmed as an associate justice to the Supreme Court. The US Senate votes 58-42. He is immediately sworn in by Chief Justice John Roberts.

    February 1, 2006 – Sworn in as a Supreme Court justice a second time in a ceremony at the White House.

    May 29, 2007 – In a 5-4 ruling, the court dismisses a pay discrimination lawsuit, with Alito writing for the majority. The original suit was filed by a female worker, Lilly Ledbetter against her employer, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. She claimed that she was underpaid due to gender discrimination. In the opinion, Alito writes that Ledbetter filed the claim after the federally-mandated 180-day time window, concluding that the “filing deadline protects employers from the burden of defending claims arising from employment decisions long past.”

    January 28, 2010 – During a State of the Union address by President Barack Obama, Alito is seen mouthing the words “not true” in response to the president’s criticism of the court’s 5-4 ruling on Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, which removed long-established legal limits on campaign spending by corporations and unions.

    March 2, 2011 – Alito is the sole dissenter in the free speech case involving Westboro Baptist Church. In an 8-1 decision, the court rules that the First Amendment allows the church to carry out anti-gay protests, even at military funerals. Westboro had been sued by the family of a fallen Marine whose funeral was disrupted by church protesters. In his dissent, Alito writes, “Our profound national commitment to free and open debate is not a license for the vicious verbal assault that occurred in this case.”

    June 25, 2013 – Writes the majority opinion in Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl where the question is, can an unwed non-custodial parent block an adoption using the Federal Indian Child Welfare Act. The court ruled, 5-4, in favor of the adoptive parents ruling that the ICWA did not apply when the parent had never had physical or legal custody of the child.

    June 30, 2014 – Writes the majority opinion in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, with the court ruling 5-4 that family-owned corporations can be exempt from a federal mandate requiring the inclusion of contraception coverage in employee health plans based on religious objections.

    June 27, 2018 – The court issues a 5-4 ruling striking down an Illinois law requiring non-union public sector workers to pay fees for collective bargaining. The opinion, written by Alito, reads, “It is hard to estimate how many billions of dollars have been taken from nonmembers and transferred to public sector unions in violation of the First Amendment. Those unconstitutional exactions cannot be allowed to continue indefinitely.”

    February 1, 2019 – Alito temporarily blocks a Louisiana abortion law from going into effect, filing an order that says the justices need more time to review the filings in the case against a measure restricting access to clinics.

    November 25, 2019 – Writes the sole dissent in the court’s denial of National Review’s defamation suit petition. Climate scientist Michael Mann sued the conservative magazine in 2012 after two columnists wrote about his work and the “Hockey Stick” curve graph illustrating the rise in average global temperatures, accusing him of “misconduct” and data “manipulation.” Alito writes that the case brings up First Amendment concerns “that go to the very heart of the constitutional guarantee of freedom of speech and freedom of the press: the protection afforded to journalists and others who use harsh language in criticizing opposing advocacy on one of the most important public issues of the day. If the Court is serious about protecting freedom of expression, we should grant review.”

    June 24, 2022 – The Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, holding that there is no longer a federal constitutional right to an abortion. In his majority opinion, Alito says “Roe was egregiously wrong from the start.”

    November 28, 2022 – In a letter, the Supreme Court legal counsel says there is no evidence that Alito violated ethics standards, in response to questions from congressional Democrats about allegations that Alito revealed the outcome of a 2014 decision before it was released.

    July 28, 2023 – Alito agrees to temporarily freeze a lower court order that bars the US government from regulating so-called ghost guns – untraceable homemade weapons – as firearms under federal law.

    October 6, 2023 – Alito freezes a lower court ruling that blocked the Biden administration from regulating so-called ghost guns.

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  • The Best Mario Games, According To You

    The Best Mario Games, According To You

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    Nintendo / LongplayArchive

    “Definitely Mario Galaxy, and not just because it’s the picture. It felt like such a huge improvement over Sunshine (which I liked well enough when it came out but really does not hold up). The orchestral music, new characters, motion controls, a genuine story, and levels that all felt very different. (64 and Sunshine involve repeating levels over and over and over again to get all the stars/shines; Galaxy gives you a different path almost every time through the world.)” – sxp151

    “Galaxy 1 just hit a sweet spot for me. Like all the things you listed – the music is phenomenal (one of my favorite video game soundtracks), some of the best use of Wii motion controls, the gravity physics were mindblowing, it had an incredible reward/progression system, and overall it was just fun and addictive in a way few others have matched for me (even other Marios). One of the only games that I’ve gone out of my way to do everything, pitting myself up against its toughest challenges.

    Plus, the story is surprisingly melancholy, which just gives a great mood to the whole experience. One of my all-time favorites.” – AmaltheaElanor

    “Galaxy 2. Some might argue that it ‘doesn’t have enough moves,’ as if a deep moveset is what put Mario on the map. Some might argue it’s ‘too slow’ as if going speed is the ultimate benchmark of quality by which games are to be judged.

    No, what made Mario Mario is neither of those things. What made him is straightforward, crisp movement in impeccably designed levels. Sure, he can’t do a divekick or midair kick or whatever it might be, but crispness of movement is about elegance and the balance between freedom & commitment, not just filling space with new ways to change trajectory for no reason than to fill space. What’s more, he’s doing all of this elegant movement in the hands-down best level design the medium of video games has ever seen. Developed enough to build upon ideas, yet still with enough awareness to know when to move on, these spaces are creativity incarnate. They stretch the bounds of what is possible, take only the best ideas from that thinking, and pares it down to platformer par excellence. It’s hard to not keep comparing it more favorably to other games in the series, so “best level design in the business” will have to do the heavy lifting for now. And with the best level design, you have the best Mario game. Full stop.” – Jakisthe

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    Kenneth Shepard

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  • Andrew Young Fast Facts | CNN

    Andrew Young Fast Facts | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    Here is a look at the life of civil rights activist and former ambassador Andrew Young.

    Birth date: March 12, 1932

    Birth place: New Orleans, Louisiana

    Birth name: Andrew Jackson Young Jr.

    Father: Andrew Jackson Young, a dentist

    Mother: Daisy (Fuller) Young, a teacher

    Marriages: Carolyn (McClain) Young (April 15, 1996-present); Jean (Childs) Young (June 7, 1954-September 16, 1994, her death)

    Children: with Jean (Childs) Young: Andrea, Lisa, Paula, Andrew III

    Education: Attended Dillard University, 1947-1948; Howard University, B.S., Biology, 1951; Hartford Theological Seminary, B.D., 1955

    Began working with the National Council of Churches on voter registration and voter education projects. Young also started working with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at this time.

    Helped draft both the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

    Made a speech in the House of Representatives supporting President Richard Nixon’s choice of Gerald Ford as vice president. Is the only African American who voted for Ford’s confirmation.

    Quote regarding his role as UN ambassador, “There is a sense in which the United States Ambassador speaks to the United States, as well as for the United States. I have always seen my role as a thermostat, rather than a thermometer. So I’m going to be actively working…for my own concerns. I have always had people advise me on what to say, but never on what not to say.”

    1955 – Is ordained a minister in the United Church of Christ.

    mid-1950s – Pastor to several churches in Alabama and Georgia.

    1960 – Wins the Peabody Broadcasting and Film Commission Institutional Award for Radio -Television Education given to the National Council of Churches of Christ for the programs “Look Up and Live,” “Frontiers of Faith,” “Pilgrimage” and “Talk-back.”

    1961 – Moves to Atlanta and joins the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC).

    May 3, 1963 – Organizes the anti-segregation march in Birmingham, Alabama, where demonstrators are hosed and set upon by dogs by order of Police Commissioner Eugene “Bull” Connor.

    1964 – Becomes the executive director of SCLC.

    July-August 1966 – Race riots in predominantly white neighborhoods on Chicago’s Southwest Side have Dr. King, Young, SCLC and the Coordinating Council of Community Organizations (CCCO) demonstrating to end housing discrimination.

    April 1968 – Becomes the executive vice president of SCLC after the death of Dr. King.

    August 1969 – Changes SCLC’s focus from integration and anti-segregation activities to voter registration and political activities.

    1970 – Resigns from the SCLC to run for a seat in the US House of Representatives from Georgia’s 5th congressional district. He loses by more than 20,000 votes.

    1972 – Second run for Georgia’s 5th congressional district seat. Redistricting changes the population distribution somewhat and Young wins by 7,694 votes.

    1974 – Wins reelection by 72% of the vote.

    1976 – Wins reelection by 80% of the vote.

    December 16, 1976 – President-elect Jimmy Carter nominates Young as ambassador to the United Nations.

    January 30, 1977 – Is sworn-in as the first African American and 14th US ambassador to the United Nations by Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall.

    August 15, 1979 – Resigns his UN ambassadorship over controversy stemming from an unauthorized July meeting with PLO representatives.

    1979 – Establishes the consulting firm Young Ideas.

    1981 – President Carter presents Young with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

    October 27, 1981 – Wins Atlanta mayoral race with 65,798 votes (55.1%) beating Georgia Congressman Sidney Marcus with 53,549 votes (44.8%).

    January 5, 1982-January 2, 1990 – Mayor of Atlanta.

    October 8, 1985 – Wins reelection with 81% of the vote. In contrast to the 1981 election where 61% of the registered voters turned out, only 32% turn out for this election.

    1990 – Becomes chairman of the Atlanta Organizing Committee to bring the 1996 Summer Olympics to Atlanta.

    February 5, 1990 – Announces plans to run for Georgia governor.

    August 7, 1990 – Loses the runoff for Georgia Democratic gubernatorial nomination to Lt. Governor Zell Miller.

    September 18, 1990 – The IOC announces Atlanta as host of the 1996 Summer Olympics.

    1996 – Co-founds GoodWorks International, a consulting firm advising on responsible business development in Africa and the Caribbean.

    1998 – Serves on the US Commission on National Security in the 21st Century established by President Bill Clinton.

    2000-2001 – President of the National Council of Churches.

    2007 – Writes and produces documentary “Rwanda Rising.”

    2008 – “Andrew Young Presents,” the documentary series which Young writes and produces premieres.

    February 25, 2011 – Receives a special lifetime achievement Emmy Award, the Trustee Award.

    March 9, 2013 – The Democratic Party of Georgia presents Young with the John Lewis Lifetime Achievement Award.

    August 28, 2013 – The sons of Martin Luther King Jr., Dexter King and Martin Luther King III, sue to remove Young from the board of the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change. At issue is Young’s use of images of their father in a documentary produced by Young.

    May 11, 2015 – Young is taken to the hospital in Atlanta as a precaution after a cement truck overturns on his car. He is released the same day.

    May 6, 2018 – Young is taken to the hospital after becoming ill in Nashville, with what he later says was a staph infection. After a few days, he is transferred to Atlanta where he spends several days at Emory University Hospital before being released.

    October 8, 2020 – Greenwood Bank announces it has raised more than $3 million in seed funding. Young cofounded the bank with Michael “Killer Mike” Render, rapper and activist, and Ryan Glover, founder of Bounce TV network. It is inspired by the former Greenwood District of Tulsa, Oklahoma, a Black business community destroyed during the 1921 Tulsa race massacre. The business, which is owned, managed and operated by Black and Latino people, is expected to launch mid-2021.

    October 19, 2023 – Is promoted to the rank of Officer of the Legion of Honor, France’s highest honor, for “his outstanding contributions to human rights and equality.” Young received the rank of Knight in 1984.

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  • Here are 5 ways to do good on MLK Day | CNN

    Here are 5 ways to do good on MLK Day | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    January 15 is Martin Luther King Day. But any day is a great time to do good for the community. Dr. King’s holiday celebrates the civil rights leader’s life by encouraging public service. Here are a few creative ways people of all ages can help the world around them in honor of Dr. King.

    The Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change (The King Center) is once again offering up lessons plans for grades K-12 as part of their global “Teach-In.” The lesson plans include resources and activities exploring the work, teachings and philosophies of Dr. King and his wife, Coretta Scott King. The King Center’s theme for this year’s holiday is “Cultivating a Beloved Community Mindset to Transform Unjust Systems.”

    Kelisha B. Graves, the King Center’s Chief Research, Education, and Programs Officer, says the lessons will help “translate the overarching theme into concrete examples and demonstrations that students can absorb.”

    “One of the things that Mrs. King used to always talk about was being your best self and that’s the essence of all of the learning content that we produce through the King Center, helping to encourage students to be their best selves,” Graves told CNN.

    The lesson plans include English and language arts activities, character building objectives and even ways to help students identify and interrupt injustices. Graves says that last year over 700,000 students in 22 countries accessed the lessons plans and they are hoping to continue to spread Dr. King’s and Mrs. King’s philosophies across the globe.

    MLK Day is a national day of service; “a day on, not a day off.” Tim Adkins, of Hands On Atlanta, hopes for an uptick of in-person volunteers compared to the last few Covid-affected years.

    “This year’s days of service really allows for people to get back and do what they’ve done for years and that is to go on site and actually be able to do something physically with their hands.”

    Hands On Atlanta is partnering with the King Center and many others on a number of volunteer community projects, but there will be ways to get involved in almost every major city. AmeriCorps has a searchable database of MLK Day volunteer opportunities available around the country. Simply put in your zip code and click on the “MLK Day” box to find the projects available in your area.

    If you’re looking for something to do from your home, help rewrite history. The Smithsonian Institution and Library of Congress are both looking for volunteers to digitally transcribe historical documents. The projects range from African American history and women’s suffrage to the personal letters and journals of historical figures. The digital transcriptions will help make the documents more widely available to the public and more accessible by people with vision impairments.

    If volunteering is not an option this year, consider donating to organizations working year-round to support the social justice Dr. King dedicated his life to.

    The Equal Justice Initiative works to end mass incarceration, excessive punishment, and racial inequality. The organization provides legal representation and promotes criminal justice reform. It is also heavily involved in public education about racial injustice in America. In 2018, EJI opened the National Memorial for Peace and Justice and the Legacy Museum in Montgomery, Alabama. The Museum and the Memorial will both be open on Monday and offering free admission.

    The National Urban League has been fighting for African Americans and others for more than 100 years. The organization advances civil rights and economic empowerment by providing education, job training and community development.

    Volunteers pitch in during a Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service project on Monday, Jan. 17, 2022 near Olympia, Washington.

    If time is an issue, much like digitally transcribing historical documents, there are plenty of altruistic apps and websites available that allow anyone to volunteer and help others any time they can. “On-demand volunteering” apps and websites are available to help those with vision impairments, those who need help with language translation or those looking for career or mentoring advice.

    Tim Adkins from Hands on Atlanta believes volunteering is a way you can better your community and yourself at the same time.

    “I’m a pretty strong believer that volunteering is a potential solution to a lot of mental health issues that have sprawled over the last couple of years,” Adkins said. “I don’t really think it matters what you do as long as you get out there and the intention is, for lack of better phrase, to go do something good.”

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  • Martin Luther King Jr. Day Fast Facts | CNN

    Martin Luther King Jr. Day Fast Facts | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    Here’s a look at Martin Luther King Jr. Day, a federal holiday that falls on the third Monday in January.

    January 15, 2024 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

    King’s actual birthday was on January 15.

    April 8, 1968 – Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) introduces legislation for a federal holiday to commemorate King, just four days after his assassination.

    January 15, 1969 – The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Center in Atlanta sponsors and observes the first annual celebration of King’s birthday.

    April 1971 – The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) presents to Congress petitions containing three million signatures in support of the holiday. Congress does not act.

    1973 – Illinois is the first state to adopt Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a state holiday.

    November 4, 1978 – The National Council of Churches urges Congress to enact the holiday.

    1979 – Coretta Scott King speaks before Congress and joint hearings of Congress in a campaign to pass a holiday bill. A petition for the bill receives 300,000 signatures, and President Jimmy Carter supports passage of a bill.

    November 1979 – The House fails to pass Conyers’ King Holiday bill by five votes.

    1982 – Coretta Scott King and Stevie Wonder bring the speaker of the House, Tip O’Neill, petitions with more than six million signatures in favor of a holiday.

    1983 – Congress passes and President Ronald Reagan signs legislation creating Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a national holiday. Senators Jesse Helms (R-NC) and Gordon Humphrey (R-NH) attempt to block the bill’s passing.

    January 20, 1986 – First national celebration of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday takes place.

    January 16, 1989 – The King holiday is legal in 44 states.

    1994 – Coretta Scott King goes before Congress and quotes King from his 1968 sermon, “The Drum Major Instinct,” in which he said, “Everybody can be great because everybody can serve.” She requests that the holiday be an official national day of humanitarian service.

    1994 – Congress designates the holiday as a national day of service through the Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Holiday and Service Act.

    1999 – New Hampshire becomes the last state to adopt a holiday honoring King.

    January 17, 2011 – Marks the 25th anniversary of the holiday.

    December 15, 2021 – The family of King calls for “no celebration” of MLK Day without the passage of voting rights legislation.

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  • Trump gag order in fraud case reinstated by New York appeals court

    Trump gag order in fraud case reinstated by New York appeals court

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    Former U.S. President Donald Trump attends trial in a civil fraud case that state Attorney General Letitia James brought against him, his adult sons, the Trump Organization and others, in New York City, Oct. 3, 2023.

    Eduardo Munoz | Reuters

    A New York appeals court Thursday reinstated a gag order on Donald Trump in the former president’s $250 million civil business fraud trial.

    The order bars Trump from making public statements about the staff of Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron, who is presiding over the ongoing trial.

    Engoron had imposed the gag order on Trump after Trump repeatedly targeted the judge’s principal law clerk, Allison Greenfield.

    Engoron later imposed a similar gag order on Trump’s attorneys, barring them from making any public statements about confidential communications between the judge and his staff. The gag orders on Trump’s attorneys were also reinstated Thursday.

    Engoron has said his chambers have been “inundated” with threats and harassment against him and his staff during the trial. An official who monitors threats for the New York Court System’s Department of Public Safety told the appeals court in a sworn statement that Trump’s comments about Greenfield have prompted “hundreds” of threatening messages, many of which were antisemitic.

    In its ruling Thursday, a four-judge appellate panel lifted a temporary suspension of the gag orders on Trump and his attorneys that was put in place while Trump appealed the speech restrictions.

    The gag orders are now likely to stay in place for the remainder of the trial, which is expected to last until mid-January.

    Engoron acknowledged the ruling in court and informed the parties in the case that he intends to “enforce the gag orders rigorously and vigorously.”

    Trump attorney Christopher Kise said the appeals court’s ruling marked a “tragic day for the rule of law” in a statement to NBC News.

    “Hard to imagine a more unfair process and hard to believe this is happening in America,” Kise said, claiming the ruling prevents Trump from publicly explaining why he believes his trial is unfair.

    The appellate ruling came three days after Trump’s attorneys urged the appeals court not to reimpose the gag orders, arguing that they unconstitutionally blocked Trump from accusing Engoron and Greenfield of political bias.

    Engoron has found Trump in violation of his gag order twice, imposing a total of $15,000 in fines on the former president since the fraud trial began in early October.

    The narrow order does not block Trump from attacking Engoron or New York Attorney General Letitia James, who brought the case accusing him and his co-defendants of falsely inflating Trump’s assets for financial gain.

    Trump has repeatedly attacked both of them, casting the judge as a Trump “hater” and decrying the case as a “witch hunt.”

    On Wednesday, Trump sent at least six separate Truth Social posts targeting Engoron’s wife, accusing her of criticizing Trump and commenting on the trial on X, formerly Twitter.

    Engoron’s wife told Newsweek earlier this month that she does not have an account on X and has not posted any anti-Trump messages. After the gag orders were reinstated, Office of Court Administration spokesman Al Baker said that the judge’s wife “has sent no social media posts regarding the former president.”

    “They are not hers,” Baker said in a statement, NBC reported.

    Trump sent at least three additional posts Thursday claiming that Engoron’s wife sent anti-Trump social media messages.

    Read more CNBC politics coverage

    Engoron has already found Trump, his two adult sons, the Trump Organization and its top executives liable for fraudulently misstating the values of real estate properties and other assets. The trial will determine penalties and resolve other claims of wrongdoing in James’ suit.

    In addition to seeking around $250 million in damages, James wants to permanently bar Trump Sr., Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump from running a New York business.

    Engoron on Thursday morning extended the scheduled end of the trial from mid-December. He set closing arguments for Jan. 11 after Trump’s lawyers asked for more time to prepare.

    The defense is expected to call Trump back to the stand as its final witness on Dec. 11. Engoron plans to issue a verdict in the case a few weeks after the trial ends.

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  • Trump mistrial request denied in $250 million New York fraud case

    Trump mistrial request denied in $250 million New York fraud case

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    A New York judge on Friday denied a request by former President Donald Trump and his co-defendants for a mistrial in the $250 million civil business fraud case against them.

    Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron said the arguments for a mistrial were “utterly without merit” as he declined to sign the defendants’ bid for a motion to throw out the case.

    The ruling came two days after attorneys for Trump Sr., Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, the Trump Organization and its top executives argued that the case had been undermined by political bias.

    The defense lawyers claimed that Engoron and his principal law clerk have “tainted these proceedings” and that “only the grant of a mistrial can salvage what is left of the rule of law.”

    But Engoron in Friday’s ruling disputed each allegation of bias, and made clear that he intends to preside over the case until its conclusion.

    “As expected, today the Court refused to take responsibility for its failure to preside over this case in an impartial and unbiased manner,” Trump’s attorney Alina Habba said in a statement. “We, however, remain undeterred and will continue to fight for our clients’ right to a fair trial.”

    The lawsuit, brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, accuses the defendants of fraudulently inflating the values of Trump’s real estate properties and other assets for years in order to obtain tax benefits, better loan terms and other financial perks.

    In addition to seeking $250 million in damages, James wants to permanently bar Trump and his two adult sons from running a New York business.

    Engoron has already found the defendants liable for fraud and ordered the cancellation of their New York business certificates. The trial, which is being conducted without a jury, will determine penalties and resolve James’ other claims of wrongdoing by Trump and his co-defendants.

    An appeals court has temporarily paused the process of dissolving Trump’s business entities.

    In Friday’s ruling, Engoron went through all of the defendants’ arguments for a mistrial and explained why each was “without merit.”

    The defense lawyers had pointed to articles that Engoron had linked to in his alumni newsletter, claiming they created an appearance of impropriety because they were related to the fraud case.

    Engoron responded that he “neither wrote nor contributed to any of the articles on which defendants focus, and no reasonable reader could possibly think otherwise.”

    He also shrugged off claims that he and his clerk are “co-judging,” writing, “my rulings are mine, and mine alone.”

    The clerk has become such a target of criticism that Engoron has imposed gag orders barring both Trump and his lawyers from making comments about her. Trump has already violated the narrow gag order twice, receiving a total of $15,000 in fines.

    A New York appeals judge on Thursday temporarily suspended those gag orders, citing the “constitutional and statutory rights at issue.”

    In their bid for a mistrial, the defense lawyers had also that the clerk’s presence in the case damages its integrity because of contributions she made to Democratic groups, including some that are supporting the attorney general.

    They had also accused the clerk of making contributions over the $500 limit that applies to members of a New York judge’s staff.

    But Engoron said Trump’s lawyers were ignoring that the clerk is a candidate for judicial office, and therefore is not bound by the $500 limit when contributing to her own campaign or buying tickets to political functions.

    Engoron said it was “nonsensical” to assume that the clerk’s attendance at events sponsored by political organizations suggests that she, and by proxy the judge himself, must therefore agree with the views of those groups.

    “And in any event, they are a red herring, as my Principal Law Clerk does not make rulings or issue orders — I do,” Engoron wrote.

    He noted that the attorney general’s office has called for a full briefing schedule on the mistrial motion. But “in good conscience, I cannot sign a proposed order to show cause that is utterly without merit, and upon which subsequent briefing would therefore be futile.”

    The trial, which began last month, is expected to last until late December. Trump, a leading Republican presidential candidate, faces four pending criminal cases in addition to the fraud case and other civil matters.

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  • Academy Awards Fast Facts | CNN

    Academy Awards Fast Facts | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    Here is some background information about the Academy Awards, also known as the “Oscars.”

    March 10, 2024 – The 96th Annual Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place, with Jimmy Kimmel hosting.

    March 12, 2023 – The 95th Annual Academy Awards ceremony takes place, with Jimmy Kimmel hosting.

    Best Picture

    “Everything Everywhere All at Once”

    Actor in a Leading Role

    Brendan Fraser, “The Whale”

    Actress in a Leading Role

    Michelle Yeoh, “Everything Everywhere All at Once”

    Actor in a Supporting Role

    Ke Huy Quan, “Everything Everywhere All at Once”

    Actress in a Supporting Role

    Jamie Lee Curtis, “Everything Everywhere All at Once”

    Director

    Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan, “Everything Everywhere All at Once”

    The full list of winners

    Best Picture
    “CODA”

    Actor in a Leading Role
    Will Smith, “King Richard”

    Actress in a Leading Role
    Jessica Chastain, “The Eyes of Tammy Faye”

    Actress in a Supporting Role
    Ariana DeBose, “West Side Story”

    Actor in a Supporting Role
    Troy Kotsur, “CODA”

    Director
    Jane Campion, “The Power of the Dog”

    The full list of winners

    PricewaterhouseCoopers accounting firm has tallied the ballots since 1934. Newspaper headlines announced the winners before the ceremony until 1941, when the sealed envelope system was put in place. Prior to a PwC envelope mix-up in 2017, when an error was made during the award announcement for Best Picture, only two partners from the firm knew the results until the envelopes were opened. After 2017, new procedures were adopted, which include adding a third balloting partner to also memorize the list of winners. The third partner sits with Oscar producers in the control room while the other two balloting partners are posted on opposite sides of the stage. Additionally, the PwC partners are prohibited from using cellphones and social media backstage during the show.

    Walt Disney is the most honored person in Oscar history. He received 59 nominations and 26 competitive awards throughout his career.

    Composer John Williams is the most nominated living person – 52 nominations (including five wins).

    Meryl Streep is the most nominated performer in Academy history with 21 nominations.

    Jack Nicholson is the most nominated male performer in Academy history with 12 nominations.

    Katharine Hepburn had the most Oscar wins for a performer, with four.

    Daniel Day-Lewis is the only person to have three Best Actor Oscars.

    Tatum O’Neal is the youngest person to ever win a competitive Oscar at 10 years, 148 days old.

    Only three films have won Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Writing: in 1934, “It Happened One Night”; in 1975, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”; and in 1991, “The Silence of the Lambs.”

    No one film has ever taken home all six top prizes, Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress.

    Scientific and Technical Awards are given out in a separate ceremony for methods, discoveries or inventions that contribute to the arts and sciences of motion pictures.

    May 16, 1929 – The first Academy Awards are held in the Blossom Room at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. Tickets cost $5.

    1929 – The first Best Picture award goes to “Wings.”

    1929 – The first statuette ever presented is to Emil Jannings, for his Best Actor performance in “The Last Command.”

    1937 – The first presentation of the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award is given to Darryl F. Zanuck.

    1938 – Due to extensive flooding in Los Angeles, the ceremony is delayed for one week.

    March 19, 1953 – First televised ceremony is from the Pantages Theater in Hollywood.

    1966 – The awards are first broadcast in color.

    1968 – Due to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., the ceremony is moved forward two days as the original date is the day of King’s funeral.

    1976-present – ABC broadcasts the Oscars.

    1981 – Due to the assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan, the ceremony is postponed 24 hours.

    2001 – The Best Animated Feature Film category is added.

    June 23, 2009 – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announces that beginning in 2010, 10 films will receive nominations in the Best Picture category, instead of five.

    June 26, 2009 – The Academy announces that beginning in 2010, new rules governing the Best Song category may eliminate that category in any given year. Also, the Irving G. Thalberg and Jean Hersholt honorary awards will be given at a separate ceremony in November.

    June 14, 2011 – The Academy announces new rules governing the Best Picture category, the number of movies nominated may vary from 5 – 10 in any given year and will not be known until the nominees are announced. The new rule goes into effect in 2012.

    November 9, 2011 – Eddie Murphy drops out as host of the Oscars in February 2012, one day after producer Brett Ratner quits the show, because of a remark he made that was considered homophobic.

    January 18, 2016 – Following criticism two years in a row about the lack of diversity with Oscar nominees, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, the president of the Academy, issues a statement saying that “in the coming days and weeks we will conduct a review of our membership recruitment in order to bring about much-needed diversity in our 2016 class and beyond.”

    January 24, 2017 – The romantic musical, “La La Land,” picks up 14 Oscar nominations, tying the record held by “All About Eve” and “Titanic.” After complaints in 2016 about a lack of diversity, six Black actors receive nominations for their performances, a record.

    February 26, 2017 – Following the moment “La La Land” is mistakenly announced as best picture, “Moonlight” becomes the first film with an all-Black cast to win the Academy Award for best picture. Additionally, Mahershala Ali is the first Muslim actor to win best supporting actor.

    August 8, 2018 – In a letter to members, the Academy announces that it is adding a new category in 2019 for outstanding achievement in popular film. The letter doesn’t specify the criteria for a “popular” film.

    September 6, 2018 – The Academy announces that it is rethinking the decision to add a popular film category. Academy CEO Dawn Hudson says in a statement, “There has been a wide range of reactions to the introduction of a new award, and we recognize the need for further discussion with our members.”

    December 6, 2018 – Kevin Hart steps down from hosting the Oscars after past homophobic tweets surface.

    February 5, 2019 – ABC confirms that the Academy Awards will be hostless. This will be the first time in 30 years that the ceremony will be without a host.

    February 9, 2020 – “Parasite” becomes the first non-English film to win an Oscar for Best Picture. It is also the first film to win both Best International Feature and Best Picture.

    February 9, 2020 – The 92nd Academy Awards draws an average of 23.6 million views, the lowest ratings in the show’s history.

    June 15, 2020 – For the first time in 40 years, the Academy postpones the 93rd Oscars. The last time the Oscars were postponed was in 1981, when the ceremony was delayed 24 hours because of an assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan. In addition to the delay, the Academy agrees to extend the eligibility window for films, which usually corresponds to the calendar year. For the 2021 Oscars, the new window will be extended until February 28, 2021.

    September 8, 2020 – The Academy announces that movies must meet certain criteria in terms of representation in order to be eligible for the Academy Award for best picture beginning in 2024. Introduced under an initiative called Aperture 2025, the organization says the goal is to “encourage equitable representation on and off screen in order to better reflect the diversity of the movie-going audience.”

    April 25, 2021 – Yuh-jung Youn is named best supporting actress for her role in “Minari” and becomes the first Korean actress to win an Oscar. Chloe Zhao is named best director for “Nomadland” and becomes the first woman of color and the first woman of Asian descent to earn the award. She is also only the second woman to win.

    May 27, 2021 – The Academy announces that the 2022 Academy Awards ceremony will be held in March 2022, a month later than originally scheduled.

    March 27, 2022 – Will Smith slaps Chris Rock on the face after Rock makes a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head while presenting the award for best documentary. Smith then says “Keep my wife’s name out of your f***ing mouth!” twice. Censors muted the verbal part of the exchange for viewers at home in the United States.

    March 12, 2023 – Michelle Yeoh is named best actress for her role in “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” becoming the first woman of Asian descent to win the award.

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  • Ivanka Trump testifies in $250 million civil fraud trial after ex-president’s angry appearance

    Ivanka Trump testifies in $250 million civil fraud trial after ex-president’s angry appearance

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    Ivanka Trump arrives for the civil fraud trial of her father former President Donald Trump at New York State Supreme Court on November 08, 2023 in New York City.

    Michael M. Santiago | Getty Images

    Ivanka Trump, the eldest daughter of former President Donald Trump, testified Wednesday in the $250 million civil fraud trial that threatens her family’s business empire.

    Ivanka, who had tried in vain to avoid the witness stand, was asked about her involvement with loans for Trump Organization properties that feature in New York Attorney General Letitia James’ case. James accuses Trump Sr., Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump and others of falsely inflating asset values to get tax benefits and other financial perks.

    Ivanka testified that she knew little about the financial statements at the heart of the AG’s case, and that she had no role in preparing them.

    “I had no involvement” in Donald Trump’s statements of financial condition and “don’t know about the valuations that were taken into account,” she said.

    In addition to seeking a remarkable quarter of a billion dollars in damages, James wants the court to permanently bar the ex-president and his sons from running a business in New York.

    “Ivanka Trump was cordial. She was disciplined. She was controlled. And she was very courteous, but her testimony raises some questions with regards to its credibility,” James said after leaving Manhattan Supreme Court later Wednesday.

    “The reality is that based on the evidence, the documentary evidence, she clearly was involved in negotiating and securing loans favorable loans for the benefit of the Trump Organization, for Mr. Trump, and her brothers, and for herself,” James said.

    “At the end of the day, this case is about fraudulent statements of financial condition that she benefited from.”

    New York State Attorney General Letitia James speaks to the press as she arrives for the Trump Organization civil fraud trial and testimony by Ivanka Trump, daughter of former US President Donald Trump, at the New York State Supreme Court in New York City on November 8, 2023.

    Timothy A. Clary | Afp | Getty Images

    Ivanka Trump was originally listed as a co-defendant, but she was dismissed from the case in June after a New York appeals court found that the claims against her fell outside a statute of limitations.

    Judge Arthur Engoron, who will deliver verdicts in the no-jury trial, has already found the defendants liable for fraudulently misstating the values of real estate properties and other assets on key financial forms. His pretrial ruling ordered the cancellation of their New York business certificates, though that order is on hold while the trial proceeds.

    The trial itself will determine how much the defendants will be ordered to pay in damages or other penalties. The judge will also evaluate six other claims in James’ lawsuit that have yet to be resolved.

    Ivanka Trump was an executive vice president for development and acquisitions at the Trump Organization until 2017, when she joined her father’s presidential administration as a senior advisor. She “negotiated and secured financing” for company properties and “directed all areas of the company’s real estate and hotel management platform,” according to James’ lawsuit.

    During her testimony, Ivanka was asked about loans for the Old Post Office building — the former site of Trump’s Washington, D.C., hotel — and the Trump Doral property, both of which she is credited with having negotiated.

    The former Trump International Hotel at the Old Post Office Building is seen on May 12, 2022 in Washington, DC. The Trump family completed the hotel’s sale Wednesday and the hotel will reopen as a Waldorf Astoria.

    Kevin Dietsch | Getty Images

    She also fielded questions about her penthouse apartment and her father’s introduction to the personal wealth management team at Deutsche Bank.

    She frequently testified that she could not recall details about the documents that were presented to her in court.

    Ivanka’s testimony follows that of her father on Monday, who angrily lashed out at James, Engoron and his other self-perceived “haters” from the witness stand.

    Trump also repeatedly argued that a disclaimer notice on his annual statements of financial condition provided him with total protection against legal liability if the figures were inaccurate.

    “That’s why we have a disclaimer clause in case there is a mistake,” Trump said. “There is a disclaimer clause, where you don’t have to get sued by the attorney general of New York.”

    But the judge, Engoron, has already rejected Trump’s interpretation of liability.

    Read more CNBC politics coverage

    The clause “does not say what defendants say it says, does not rise to the level of an enforceable disclaimer, and cannot be used to insulate fraud as to facts peculiarly within defendants’ knowledge,” Engoron wrote in his pretrial ruling on Sept. 26.

    Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, who took over the Trump Organization as executive vice presidents after their father became president in 2017, were called to the stand last week. Both testified that they relied largely on the company accountants to prepare the annual financial statements and approve valuations.

    Engoron on Oct. 27 ordered Ivanka Trump to comply with subpoenas for her testimony without any limitations.

    Former U.S. President Donald Trump’s son and co-defendant, Eric Trump, testifies during the Trump Organization civil fraud trial in New York State Supreme Court in the Manhattan borough of New York City, U.S., November 2, 2023 in this courtroom sketch.

    Jane Rosenberg | Reuters

    Ivanka Trump appealed, and asked a New York appeals court to temporarily pause Engoron’s order. Her attorney argued that Ivanka, who lives in Florida, is “beyond the jurisdiction” of the New York court and would suffer “irreparable harm” if forced to testify.

    The attorney also asserted that Ivanka Trump, who has three children, would face “undue hardship” if she has to appear “in the middle of a school week.”

    Some legal experts swiftly chimed in to deride that argument as a poor excuse to avoid a court summons — especially for Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner, whose combined net worth has been estimated to exceed $1 billion and can likely afford adequate child care.

    Clarification: This story has been updated to clarify that Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner’s combined net worth has been estimated to exceed $1 billion.

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  • Trump may seek to pause $250 million New York business fraud trial

    Trump may seek to pause $250 million New York business fraud trial

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    Former President Donald Trump sits in the courtroom for the third day of his civil fraud trial in New York, Oct. 4, 2023.

    Angela Weiss | AFP | Getty Images

    Lawyers for Donald Trump may ask a New York appeals court to pause his ongoing $250 million business fraud trial and stay a judge’s order that could gut the former president’s company, lawyers said Thursday afternoon.

    Trump’s attorney Christopher Kise told Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron that as of Thursday he plans to seek a stay of the trial Engoron is presiding over, as well as a stay of the judge’s order related to dissolving Trump corporate entities.

    But Kise said he did not want to reveal the scope of the appeal planned for Friday morning, upsetting a lawyer from the New York Attorney General’s Office.

    The Attorney General’s lawyer, Andrew Amer, told Engoron that his office is entitled to 24-hour advance notice of such an appeal.

    CNBC Politics

    Read more of CNBC’s politics coverage:

    Attorney General Letitia James in a lawsuit alleges that Trump, his adult sons, the Trump Organization, and company executives misstated the values of real estate properties to get better loan terms and tax advantages, grossly exaggerating Trump’s net worth as disclosed on financial statements.

    The trial is dealing with six remaining claims in that suit.

    Engoron last month issued a summary judgment finding that James had proven her top claim, that the defendants engaged in business fraud.

    As part of that finding, which Trump’s lawyers are expected to ask an appeals court to block Friday, Engoron canceled business certificates held by the defendants.

    Engoron in that ruling also ordered the appointment of an independent receiver to manage the dissolution of the canceled business entities.

    On Thursday, the judge issued a series of orders to the defendants which appeared to begin clearing the way for a sell-off of the businesses.

    Engoron also ordered the defendants to give an independent monitor for the Trump Organization notice of “the creation of a new entity to hold or acquire the assets” of the to-be-dissolved businesses.

    Trump was present in court for the first 2½ days of the trial, which began Monday.

    He left in the middle of proceedings Wednesday, after complaining that he was being taken away from his Republican presidential primary campaign because he was “stuck” in court.

    Trump was not required to attend the trial on those days. But he may have to testify at some point in the trial, which is set to last until late December.

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