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  • ‘Saturday Night Live’ taps comedian-actor Bill Burr and Charli XCX as hosts for after the election

    ‘Saturday Night Live’ taps comedian-actor Bill Burr and Charli XCX as hosts for after the election

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    Comedian-actor Bill Burr will host the first post-election “Saturday Night Live” with musical guest guitarist, producer and vocalist Mk.gee. Charli XCX is also coming up.Burr, on tour with his “Bill Burr Live” show and who will join Kieran Culkin and Bob Odenkirk on Broadway this spring on a revival of “Glengarry Glen Ross,” makes his second appearance as host on Nov. 9.Charli XCX will do double duty on Nov. 16 in her first appearance as “SNL” host and third appearance as musical guest. She’s fresh off the hit album “Brat” and two connected albums.Mk.gee will perform as a musical guest for the first time. He is currently on a world tour prompting his debut album, “Two Star & The Dream Police.”SNL returns Nov. 2 with already announced host John Mulaney and musical guest Chappell Roan.The 50th season has featured Maya Rudolph as Vice President Kamala Harris, James Austin Johnson as former President Donald Trump, Dana Carvey as President Joe Biden, Andy Samberg as second gentleman Doug Emhoff and Jim Gaffigan as Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

    Comedian-actor Bill Burr will host the first post-election “Saturday Night Live” with musical guest guitarist, producer and vocalist Mk.gee. Charli XCX is also coming up.

    Burr, on tour with his “Bill Burr Live” show and who will join Kieran Culkin and Bob Odenkirk on Broadway this spring on a revival of “Glengarry Glen Ross,” makes his second appearance as host on Nov. 9.

    Charli XCX will do double duty on Nov. 16 in her first appearance as “SNL” host and third appearance as musical guest. She’s fresh off the hit album “Brat” and two connected albums.

    Mk.gee will perform as a musical guest for the first time. He is currently on a world tour prompting his debut album, “Two Star & The Dream Police.”

    SNL returns Nov. 2 with already announced host John Mulaney and musical guest Chappell Roan.

    The 50th season has featured Maya Rudolph as Vice President Kamala Harris, James Austin Johnson as former President Donald Trump, Dana Carvey as President Joe Biden, Andy Samberg as second gentleman Doug Emhoff and Jim Gaffigan as Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

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  • ‘Bob’s Burgers’ actor sentenced to 1 year in prison for role in Capitol riot

    ‘Bob’s Burgers’ actor sentenced to 1 year in prison for role in Capitol riot

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    An actor known for his roles in the television comedies “Bob’s Burgers” and “Arrested Development” was sentenced on Monday to one year in prison for his part in a mob’s attack on the U.S. Capitol nearly four years ago.Jay Johnston, 56, of Los Angeles, joined other rioters in a “heave ho” push against police officers guarding a tunnel entrance to the Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot. Johnston also cracked jokes and interacted with other rioters as he used a cellphone to record the violence around him, prosecutors said.Johnston expressed regret that he “made it more difficult for the police to do their job” on Jan. 6. He said he never would have guessed that a riot would erupt that day.”That was because of my own ignorance, I believe,” he told U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols. “If I had been more political, I could have seen that coming, perhaps.”The judge, who sentenced Johnston to one year and one day of imprisonment, allowed him to remain free after the hearing and report to prison at a date to be determined. Nichols said he recognizes that Johnston will miss out on caring for his 13-year-old autistic daughter while he is behind bars.”But his conduct on January 6th was quite problematic. Reprehensible, really,” the judge said.Johnston pleaded guilty in July to interfering with police officers during a civil disorder, a felony punishable by a maximum prison sentence of five years.Prosecutors recommended an 18-month prison sentence for Johnston. Their sentencing memo includes a photograph of a smiling Johnston dressed as Jacob Chansley, the spear-carrying Capitol rioter known as the “QAnon Shaman,” at a Halloween party roughly two years after the siege.”He thinks his participation in one of the most serious crimes against our democracy is a joke,” prosecutors wrote.Johnston played pizzeria owner Jimmy Pesto Sr. in “Bob’s Burgers,” a police officer in “Arrested Development” and a street-brawling newsman in the movie “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.” Johnston also appeared on “Mr. Show with Bob and David,” an HBO sketch comedy series that starred Bob Odenkirk and David Cross.Johnston, a Chicago native, moved to Los Angeles in 1993 to pursue an acting career. After the riot, Johnston was fired by the creator of “Bob’s Burgers,” lost a role in a movie based on the show and has “essentially been blacklisted” in Hollywood, said defense attorney Stanley Woodward.”Instead, Mr. Johnston has worked as a handyman for the last two years — an obvious far cry from his actual expertise and livelihood in film and television,” Woodward wrote.Woodward accused the government of exaggerating Johnston’s riot participation “because he is an acclaimed Hollywood actor.”Johnston attended then-President Donald Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally near the White House on Jan. 6 before he marched to the Capitol. He used a metal bike rack to scale a stone wall to reach the Capitol’s West Plaza before making his way to the mouth of a tunnel entrance that police were guarding on the Lower West Terrace.”When he was under the archway, he turned and waved to other rioters, beckoning them to join him in fighting the police,” prosecutors wrote.Entering the tunnel, Johnston helped other rioters flush chemical irritants out of their eyes. Another rioter gave him a stolen police shield, which he handed up closer to the police line. Johnston then joined other rioters in a “heave ho” push against police in the tunnel, a collective effort that crushed an officer against a door frame, prosecutors said.Johnston recorded himself cracking a joke as rioters pushed an orange ladder toward police in the tunnel, saying, “We’re going to get those light bulbs fixed!”A day after the riot, in a text message to an acquaintance, Johnston acknowledged being at the Capitol on Jan. 6.”The news has presented it as an attack. It actually wasn’t. Thought it kind of turned into that. It was a mess,” Johnston wrote.FBI agents seized Johnston’s cellphone when they searched his California home in June 2021.More than 1,500 people have been charged with Capitol riot-related federal crimes. Over 1,000 rioters have been convicted and sentenced. Roughly 650 of them received prison time ranging from a few days to 22 years.

    An actor known for his roles in the television comedies “Bob’s Burgers” and “Arrested Development” was sentenced on Monday to one year in prison for his part in a mob’s attack on the U.S. Capitol nearly four years ago.

    Jay Johnston, 56, of Los Angeles, joined other rioters in a “heave ho” push against police officers guarding a tunnel entrance to the Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot. Johnston also cracked jokes and interacted with other rioters as he used a cellphone to record the violence around him, prosecutors said.

    Johnston expressed regret that he “made it more difficult for the police to do their job” on Jan. 6. He said he never would have guessed that a riot would erupt that day.

    “That was because of my own ignorance, I believe,” he told U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols. “If I had been more political, I could have seen that coming, perhaps.”

    The judge, who sentenced Johnston to one year and one day of imprisonment, allowed him to remain free after the hearing and report to prison at a date to be determined. Nichols said he recognizes that Johnston will miss out on caring for his 13-year-old autistic daughter while he is behind bars.

    “But his conduct on January 6th was quite problematic. Reprehensible, really,” the judge said.

    Johnston pleaded guilty in July to interfering with police officers during a civil disorder, a felony punishable by a maximum prison sentence of five years.

    Prosecutors recommended an 18-month prison sentence for Johnston. Their sentencing memo includes a photograph of a smiling Johnston dressed as Jacob Chansley, the spear-carrying Capitol rioter known as the “QAnon Shaman,” at a Halloween party roughly two years after the siege.

    “He thinks his participation in one of the most serious crimes against our democracy is a joke,” prosecutors wrote.

    Johnston played pizzeria owner Jimmy Pesto Sr. in “Bob’s Burgers,” a police officer in “Arrested Development” and a street-brawling newsman in the movie “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.” Johnston also appeared on “Mr. Show with Bob and David,” an HBO sketch comedy series that starred Bob Odenkirk and David Cross.

    Johnston, a Chicago native, moved to Los Angeles in 1993 to pursue an acting career. After the riot, Johnston was fired by the creator of “Bob’s Burgers,” lost a role in a movie based on the show and has “essentially been blacklisted” in Hollywood, said defense attorney Stanley Woodward.

    “Instead, Mr. Johnston has worked as a handyman for the last two years — an obvious far cry from his actual expertise and livelihood in film and television,” Woodward wrote.

    Woodward accused the government of exaggerating Johnston’s riot participation “because he is an acclaimed Hollywood actor.”

    Johnston attended then-President Donald Trump’s “Stop the Steal” rally near the White House on Jan. 6 before he marched to the Capitol. He used a metal bike rack to scale a stone wall to reach the Capitol’s West Plaza before making his way to the mouth of a tunnel entrance that police were guarding on the Lower West Terrace.

    “When he was under the archway, he turned and waved to other rioters, beckoning them to join him in fighting the police,” prosecutors wrote.

    Entering the tunnel, Johnston helped other rioters flush chemical irritants out of their eyes. Another rioter gave him a stolen police shield, which he handed up closer to the police line. Johnston then joined other rioters in a “heave ho” push against police in the tunnel, a collective effort that crushed an officer against a door frame, prosecutors said.

    Johnston recorded himself cracking a joke as rioters pushed an orange ladder toward police in the tunnel, saying, “We’re going to get those light bulbs fixed!”

    A day after the riot, in a text message to an acquaintance, Johnston acknowledged being at the Capitol on Jan. 6.

    “The news has presented it as an attack. It actually wasn’t. Thought it kind of turned into that. It was a mess,” Johnston wrote.

    FBI agents seized Johnston’s cellphone when they searched his California home in June 2021.

    More than 1,500 people have been charged with Capitol riot-related federal crimes. Over 1,000 rioters have been convicted and sentenced. Roughly 650 of them received prison time ranging from a few days to 22 years.

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  • Volunteer found file with information regarding Delphi double murder after case went cold

    Volunteer found file with information regarding Delphi double murder after case went cold

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    For five years after two teenage girls were killed and their bodies left along an Indiana trail, Richard Allen’s name sat unnoticed in a box with thousands of other tips about the mystery, until it was rediscovered by chance.Stashed in a box of tips from the public, Allen’s note said he saw three girls as he walked along the Monon High Bridge Trail between 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. on February 13, 2017.In September 2022, as volunteer receptionist Kathy Shank filed the tip in an online database, she realized the time Allen said he was on the trail matched the time the girls were thought to have gone missing, according to CNN affiliate WLFI.Shank submitted the tip to the detective in charge of the investigation because she thought it was worth looking into, she testified last week at Allen’s trial for the murders of Abigail “Abby” Williams, 13, and Liberty “Libby” German, 14, in Delphi, Indiana.Carroll County Sheriff Tony Liggett said despite the tip, Allen “got lost in the cracks,” according to CNN affiliate WLFI. The suspect never left the small town, working at a local CVS pharmacy until he was arrested.The revelation about the tip box is one of many facts surfacing in what is known as the Delphi murder case. Many details of the case, including how exactly the girls died, have remained unknown to the public for years. In December 2022, a judge issued a gag order to stop attorneys, law enforcement officials, court personnel, the coroner and the girls’ relatives from making public comments on the case.But with the trial underway, more of the story is beginning to come to light. Here’s what we’ve learned about the case in the first full week of the trial.Both girls were killed by cuts to the neckA pathologist who performed the girls’ autopsies testified both had wounds on their necks, which seemed to be from a serrated edge, though he could not determine exactly what or how many instruments were used to make the cuts, according to CNN affiliate WLFI.Abby had one seven-inch-long wound on the side of her neck, pathologist Roland Kohr testified. Libby had four or five wounds on her neck and the three main blood vessels in her neck were cut, according to WLFI.Fourteen images from the girls’ autopsies were shown in court, WLFI reported. Family members cried and other members of the audience were visibly shaken, according to CNN affiliate WRTV.Libby would have bled to death from her wounds within five to 10 minutes, Kohr testified, according to WRTV.Neither of the victims’ bodies showed any signs of sexual assault or defensive wounds, Kohr said, according to WRTV.While Abby’s body was discovered fully clothed – in Libby’s clothes – Libby was discovered nude, Kohr testified, according to WRTV. Abby’s T-shirt, jeans and jacket were discovered in the nearby river, the station reported.More than 50 photos of the crime scene were shown in court, sparking emotional reactions, WRTV reported.Unspent bullet ties Allen to crime scene, prosecutors sayProsecutors have worked to link Allen to the crime scene with an unspent bullet found between the girls’ bodies investigators said came from Allen’s gun.Former Indiana State Police Firearm Examiner Melissa Oberg testified the .40 caliber round found between the bodies matched a pistol seized from Allen’s home, according to CNN affiliate WTHR. She explained she matched the cartridge to the pistol through the “quality and quantity of marks” on the cartridge.The defense has sought to cast doubt on the bullet evidence, questioning why more images were not taken of the cartridge and suggesting the bullet could have come from a law enforcement officer’s weapon, according to CNN affiliate WRTV.The pistol is one of several weapons found in Allen’s home in 2022, prosecutors said. Police also discovered multiple knives and ammunition within his home, according to WLFI. He was arrested shortly after authorities said they determined the unspent round matched his handgun.The defense, meanwhile, has raised questions about the absence of DNA evidence linking Allen to the killings. Asked if any DNA evidence taken from the swab of Libby’s wrists was matched to Allen, Indiana State Police investigator Brian Olehy said no, according to CNN affiliate WTHR.’Bridge Guy’ video played in fullThe trial has also seen the screening of a video captured on Libby’s cell phone. Authorities had previously only released a screenshot from the “Bridge Guy” video, which shows a man in a blue jacket and jeans walking on the Monon High Bridge, as well as a short audio clip with a man’s muffled voice saying, “Down the hill.”Authorities have long held they believe the man shown in the video, dubbed “Bridge Guy,” to be the person responsible for the girls’ deaths.The 43-second video shown in court, enhanced by investigator Jeremy Chapman, seems to show Libby recording the trail before turning the camera to record Abby. Then “Bridge Guy” comes into view, according to CNN affiliate WNDU. Libby can be heard telling Abby “the trail ends here, we have to go down,” on the video, WNDU reported.One witness, Sarah Carbaugh, testified driving back from the Monon High Bridge Trail on February 13, 2017, she saw a man who looked “muddy, bloody, and unfriendly,” whom she identified as the man on the bridge shown in the video, according to CNN affiliate WLFI.Defense calls again for ‘Odinism’ theoryAlthough the trial has revealed a wealth of new information surrounding the case, one aspect remains unclear: the motive behind the gruesome crime.The victims’ bodies were found partially covered with sticks, Indiana State Police investigator Brian Olehy testified on October 22, according to CNN affiliate WTHR.Olehy suggested the sticks may have been used in “an attempt at concealment” but the victims’ bodies were not fully covered.The defense, meanwhile, is hoping to use the placement of the sticks as evidence of their theory the girls were killed not by Allen, but rather in a ritualistic murder, perhaps as part of Odinism, a branch of Norse paganism with a far-right strain.Allen’s defense attorneys filed a new motion on October 23, arguing for their alternate killer theory to be allowed in court, according to CNN affiliate WTHR. In the motion, the attorneys argue, “the sticks on the girls appear to be arranged in a pattern/arrangement.” The judge previously blocked a similar effort to allow the Odinism theory in court.

    CNN —

    For five years after two teenage girls were killed and their bodies left along an Indiana trail, Richard Allen’s name sat unnoticed in a box with thousands of other tips about the mystery, until it was rediscovered by chance.

    Stashed in a box of tips from the public, Allen’s note said he saw three girls as he walked along the Monon High Bridge Trail between 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. on February 13, 2017.

    In September 2022, as volunteer receptionist Kathy Shank filed the tip in an online database, she realized the time Allen said he was on the trail matched the time the girls were thought to have gone missing, according to CNN affiliate WLFI.

    Shank submitted the tip to the detective in charge of the investigation because she thought it was worth looking into, she testified last week at Allen’s trial for the murders of Abigail “Abby” Williams, 13, and Liberty “Libby” German, 14, in Delphi, Indiana.

    Carroll County Sheriff Tony Liggett said despite the tip, Allen “got lost in the cracks,” according to CNN affiliate WLFI. The suspect never left the small town, working at a local CVS pharmacy until he was arrested.

    The revelation about the tip box is one of many facts surfacing in what is known as the Delphi murder case. Many details of the case, including how exactly the girls died, have remained unknown to the public for years. In December 2022, a judge issued a gag order to stop attorneys, law enforcement officials, court personnel, the coroner and the girls’ relatives from making public comments on the case.

    But with the trial underway, more of the story is beginning to come to light. Here’s what we’ve learned about the case in the first full week of the trial.

    Both girls were killed by cuts to the neck

    A pathologist who performed the girls’ autopsies testified both had wounds on their necks, which seemed to be from a serrated edge, though he could not determine exactly what or how many instruments were used to make the cuts, according to CNN affiliate WLFI.

    Abby had one seven-inch-long wound on the side of her neck, pathologist Roland Kohr testified. Libby had four or five wounds on her neck and the three main blood vessels in her neck were cut, according to WLFI.

    Fourteen images from the girls’ autopsies were shown in court, WLFI reported. Family members cried and other members of the audience were visibly shaken, according to CNN affiliate WRTV.

    Libby would have bled to death from her wounds within five to 10 minutes, Kohr testified, according to WRTV.

    Neither of the victims’ bodies showed any signs of sexual assault or defensive wounds, Kohr said, according to WRTV.

    While Abby’s body was discovered fully clothed – in Libby’s clothes – Libby was discovered nude, Kohr testified, according to WRTV. Abby’s T-shirt, jeans and jacket were discovered in the nearby river, the station reported.

    More than 50 photos of the crime scene were shown in court, sparking emotional reactions, WRTV reported.

    Unspent bullet ties Allen to crime scene, prosecutors say

    Prosecutors have worked to link Allen to the crime scene with an unspent bullet found between the girls’ bodies investigators said came from Allen’s gun.

    Former Indiana State Police Firearm Examiner Melissa Oberg testified the .40 caliber round found between the bodies matched a pistol seized from Allen’s home, according to CNN affiliate WTHR. She explained she matched the cartridge to the pistol through the “quality and quantity of marks” on the cartridge.

    The defense has sought to cast doubt on the bullet evidence, questioning why more images were not taken of the cartridge and suggesting the bullet could have come from a law enforcement officer’s weapon, according to CNN affiliate WRTV.

    The pistol is one of several weapons found in Allen’s home in 2022, prosecutors said. Police also discovered multiple knives and ammunition within his home, according to WLFI. He was arrested shortly after authorities said they determined the unspent round matched his handgun.

    The defense, meanwhile, has raised questions about the absence of DNA evidence linking Allen to the killings. Asked if any DNA evidence taken from the swab of Libby’s wrists was matched to Allen, Indiana State Police investigator Brian Olehy said no, according to CNN affiliate WTHR.

    ‘Bridge Guy’ video played in full

    The trial has also seen the screening of a video captured on Libby’s cell phone. Authorities had previously only released a screenshot from the “Bridge Guy” video, which shows a man in a blue jacket and jeans walking on the Monon High Bridge, as well as a short audio clip with a man’s muffled voice saying, “Down the hill.”

    Authorities have long held they believe the man shown in the video, dubbed “Bridge Guy,” to be the person responsible for the girls’ deaths.

    The 43-second video shown in court, enhanced by investigator Jeremy Chapman, seems to show Libby recording the trail before turning the camera to record Abby. Then “Bridge Guy” comes into view, according to CNN affiliate WNDU. Libby can be heard telling Abby “the trail ends here, we have to go down,” on the video, WNDU reported.

    One witness, Sarah Carbaugh, testified driving back from the Monon High Bridge Trail on February 13, 2017, she saw a man who looked “muddy, bloody, and unfriendly,” whom she identified as the man on the bridge shown in the video, according to CNN affiliate WLFI.

    Defense calls again for ‘Odinism’ theory

    Although the trial has revealed a wealth of new information surrounding the case, one aspect remains unclear: the motive behind the gruesome crime.

    The victims’ bodies were found partially covered with sticks, Indiana State Police investigator Brian Olehy testified on October 22, according to CNN affiliate WTHR.

    Olehy suggested the sticks may have been used in “an attempt at concealment” but the victims’ bodies were not fully covered.

    The defense, meanwhile, is hoping to use the placement of the sticks as evidence of their theory the girls were killed not by Allen, but rather in a ritualistic murder, perhaps as part of Odinism, a branch of Norse paganism with a far-right strain.

    Allen’s defense attorneys filed a new motion on October 23, arguing for their alternate killer theory to be allowed in court, according to CNN affiliate WTHR. In the motion, the attorneys argue, “the sticks on the girls appear to be arranged in a pattern/arrangement.” The judge previously blocked a similar effort to allow the Odinism theory in court.

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  • This Halloween, be safe when trick-or-treating by watching for cars

    This Halloween, be safe when trick-or-treating by watching for cars

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    The scariest things lurking around the corner on Halloween aren’t monsters or ghosts.According to doctors, it’s cars. Halloween is one of the deadliest days of the year for pedestrians, especially for kids.”There’s a lot of focus on the risks of candy that might be a little misplaced,” said Britney Lombard, an injury prevention manager at Children’s Hospital Colorado. But one thing experts are sure of, she said, is an increase in child pedestrian fatalities on Halloween.”There are a lot of things that they can do to mitigate those risks,” she said.Here are some tips to make sure Halloween is safe and fun for everyone — from cars to costumes.Walk defensivelyAn easy way to keep yourself and your kids out of harm’s way on Halloween is being aware of your surroundings, Lombard said.That goes for drivers and pedestrians.”We see a lot of distracted drivers who are on their phones, and we see a lot of distracted pedestrians who may have headphones in or (are) on their phone,” she said.Kids under the age of 12 generally should be with adults when trick-or-treating. Older kids who are out by themselves should be aware of the rules of the road and practice being responsible pedestrians, she said. That includes staying off phones, making eye contact with drivers before crossing the road and using crosswalks and sidewalks.Lombard also urged people to drive the speed limit, don’t drink and drive and pay close attention to the road — especially at night.”There are going to be a lot of children out when it gets dark, and there is limited visibility,” she said.Backing out of driveways can be particularly dangerous on Halloween with kids running from house to house. Lombard recommends rolling down your window to listen for children, as well as checking for them in all mirrors and reversing slowly.Costume tipsCostumes can be fun and creative, but experts say they should also be safe.Make sure costumes fit well, and avoid tripping hazards like capes or bulky get-ups that aren’t safe for car seats.If your child’s costume includes a mask, make sure it fits well and they can see with it on. When in doubt, Lombard said, opt for face paint.Wearing bright, reflective costumes is a good idea, too — try adding glow sticks or reflective tape.Also consider non-flammable costumes, said Dr. Nicholas Algu, a pediatrician at Louisiana’s Ochsner Health. On the other side, if you decorate outside for Halloween, avoid long cords and open fire — just in case.”A lot of kids are walking around, and there are going to be flames, candles, things like that,” he said. “It’s really easy to have an accident.”Carve pumpkins safelyJack o’ lanterns are practically synonymous with Halloween, but carving them can be dangerous.To avoid accidents, Algu said to make sure the pumpkin is completely dry, use a marker to draw cut-outs beforehand and leave the carving to adults.”You can get the kids to scoop up pumpkin seeds instead,” he said. “That way, they feel like they’re helping and doing a lot of stuff, but it’s safer for them.”You can also forgo the carving entirely and attach things to the gourd to give your pumpkin some personality.Be careful with candy and strangersSure, there are myths about doctored candy hurting people on Halloween.But more importantly, Algu said, parents should consider telling their kids to avoid eating their stash until they get home in the case of any emergencies — like gooey, sticky or chunky candy that could cause young kids to choke.And even though the call for candy might be strong, Halloween isn’t the night to explore new parts of town.Algu recommends avoiding going inside homes, and sticking to houses with their lights on and places you know.Even in familiar neighborhoods, it’s likely you’ll meet strangers — that’s why it’s important to stay with your group, he said, and use common sense to avoid sticky situations.

    The scariest things lurking around the corner on Halloween aren’t monsters or ghosts.

    According to doctors, it’s cars. Halloween is one of the deadliest days of the year for pedestrians, especially for kids.

    “There’s a lot of focus on the risks of candy that might be a little misplaced,” said Britney Lombard, an injury prevention manager at Children’s Hospital Colorado. But one thing experts are sure of, she said, is an increase in child pedestrian fatalities on Halloween.

    “There are a lot of things that they can do to mitigate those risks,” she said.

    Here are some tips to make sure Halloween is safe and fun for everyone — from cars to costumes.

    Walk defensively

    An easy way to keep yourself and your kids out of harm’s way on Halloween is being aware of your surroundings, Lombard said.

    That goes for drivers and pedestrians.

    “We see a lot of distracted drivers who are on their phones, and we see a lot of distracted pedestrians who may have headphones in or (are) on their phone,” she said.

    Kids under the age of 12 generally should be with adults when trick-or-treating. Older kids who are out by themselves should be aware of the rules of the road and practice being responsible pedestrians, she said. That includes staying off phones, making eye contact with drivers before crossing the road and using crosswalks and sidewalks.

    Lombard also urged people to drive the speed limit, don’t drink and drive and pay close attention to the road — especially at night.

    “There are going to be a lot of children out when it gets dark, and there is limited visibility,” she said.

    Backing out of driveways can be particularly dangerous on Halloween with kids running from house to house. Lombard recommends rolling down your window to listen for children, as well as checking for them in all mirrors and reversing slowly.

    Costume tips

    Costumes can be fun and creative, but experts say they should also be safe.

    Make sure costumes fit well, and avoid tripping hazards like capes or bulky get-ups that aren’t safe for car seats.

    If your child’s costume includes a mask, make sure it fits well and they can see with it on. When in doubt, Lombard said, opt for face paint.

    Wearing bright, reflective costumes is a good idea, too — try adding glow sticks or reflective tape.

    Also consider non-flammable costumes, said Dr. Nicholas Algu, a pediatrician at Louisiana’s Ochsner Health. On the other side, if you decorate outside for Halloween, avoid long cords and open fire — just in case.

    “A lot of kids are walking around, and there are going to be flames, candles, things like that,” he said. “It’s really easy to have an accident.”

    Carve pumpkins safely

    Jack o’ lanterns are practically synonymous with Halloween, but carving them can be dangerous.

    To avoid accidents, Algu said to make sure the pumpkin is completely dry, use a marker to draw cut-outs beforehand and leave the carving to adults.

    “You can get the kids to scoop up pumpkin seeds instead,” he said. “That way, they feel like they’re helping and doing a lot of stuff, but it’s safer for them.”

    You can also forgo the carving entirely and attach things to the gourd to give your pumpkin some personality.

    Be careful with candy and strangers

    Sure, there are myths about doctored candy hurting people on Halloween.

    But more importantly, Algu said, parents should consider telling their kids to avoid eating their stash until they get home in the case of any emergencies — like gooey, sticky or chunky candy that could cause young kids to choke.

    And even though the call for candy might be strong, Halloween isn’t the night to explore new parts of town.

    Algu recommends avoiding going inside homes, and sticking to houses with their lights on and places you know.

    Even in familiar neighborhoods, it’s likely you’ll meet strangers — that’s why it’s important to stay with your group, he said, and use common sense to avoid sticky situations.

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  • Woman wedged upside down between rocks for 7 hours after trying to retrieve her phone

    Woman wedged upside down between rocks for 7 hours after trying to retrieve her phone

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    A woman who tried to retrieve her lost phone from between boulders in Australia’s Hunter Valley became stuck upside down for seven hours before she was rescued earlier this month.Just the bare soles of the woman’s feet can be seen in photos of the incident posted on social media Monday by the New South Wales (NSW) Ambulance service.The woman had been walking with friends on a private property in Laguna, a country town in the Hunter Valley about 75 miles from Sydney, when she dropped her phone.Somehow, as she tried to retrieve it, she slipped face-first into a nearly 10-foot crevice between two large boulders.Her friends tried for an hour to free her, according to the NSW Ambulance service, but eventually gave up and called for help.NSW Police said emergency services were called at 9:30 a.m. on Oct. 12 about a 23-year-old woman who had become trapped while attempting to retrieve a cellphone.For the next seven hours, police, ambulance, fire and volunteer rescue crews tried to free her, police said in a statement.Several heavy boulders were removed to create a safe access point, then rescuers built a frame to perform what was becoming a very delicate operation, they added.”With both feet now accessible, the team faced the challenge of navigating the patient out through a tight ‘S’ bend over the course of an hour,” NSW Ambulance shared in a post on Facebook.A winch was used to move a 1,100-pound boulder to free the woman, and she was finally released at around 4:30 p.m. the same day.Miraculously, she escaped with only minor scratches and bruising.Peter Watts, NSW Ambulance specialist rescue paramedic, said he’d never seen anything like it.”In my 10 years as a rescue paramedic I had never encountered a job quite like this, it was challenging but incredibly rewarding,” Watts said. “Every agency had a role, and we all worked incredibly well together to achieve a good outcome for the patient.”The woman, whose name has not been made public, was taken to the hospital for observation. Her phone, however, remains trapped between the rocks.

    CNN —

    A woman who tried to retrieve her lost phone from between boulders in Australia’s Hunter Valley became stuck upside down for seven hours before she was rescued earlier this month.

    Just the bare soles of the woman’s feet can be seen in photos of the incident posted on social media Monday by the New South Wales (NSW) Ambulance service.

    The woman had been walking with friends on a private property in Laguna, a country town in the Hunter Valley about 75 miles from Sydney, when she dropped her phone.

    Somehow, as she tried to retrieve it, she slipped face-first into a nearly 10-foot crevice between two large boulders.

    Her friends tried for an hour to free her, according to the NSW Ambulance service, but eventually gave up and called for help.

    NSW Police said emergency services were called at 9:30 a.m. on Oct. 12 about a 23-year-old woman who had become trapped while attempting to retrieve a cellphone.

    For the next seven hours, police, ambulance, fire and volunteer rescue crews tried to free her, police said in a statement.

    Several heavy boulders were removed to create a safe access point, then rescuers built a frame to perform what was becoming a very delicate operation, they added.

    “With both feet now accessible, the team faced the challenge of navigating the patient out through a tight ‘S’ bend over the course of an hour,” NSW Ambulance shared in a post on Facebook.

    A winch was used to move a 1,100-pound boulder to free the woman, and she was finally released at around 4:30 p.m. the same day.

    Miraculously, she escaped with only minor scratches and bruising.

    Peter Watts, NSW Ambulance specialist rescue paramedic, said he’d never seen anything like it.

    “In my 10 years as a rescue paramedic I had never encountered a job quite like this, it was challenging but incredibly rewarding,” Watts said. “Every agency had a role, and we all worked incredibly well together to achieve a good outcome for the patient.”

    The woman, whose name has not been made public, was taken to the hospital for observation. Her phone, however, remains trapped between the rocks.

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  • ‘Game of Thrones’ dragon-forged Iron Throne fetches nearly $1.5 million at auction

    ‘Game of Thrones’ dragon-forged Iron Throne fetches nearly $1.5 million at auction

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    “Game of Thrones” fans came out in droves to bid on hundreds of costumes, props and other items from the series in an auction that raked in over $21 million.From Thursday through Saturday, the Heritage Auctions event in Dallas featured over 900 lots including suits of armor, swords and weapons, jewelry and several other items of significance from the HBO series.The top-dollar item was the very thing the characters in the series vied for throughout its eight-season run: the Iron Throne. After a six-minute bidding war, the throne sold for $1.49 million.The replica was made of plastic and molded from the original screen-used version, then finished off with metallic paint and jewel embellishments. In the series, the throne was forged with dragon breath that melted the swords of a thousand vanquished challengers and became a symbol of the struggle for power throughout the show’s run.Heritage Auctions said in a statement Sunday that the event brought in $21.1 million from more than 4,500 bidders. The auction marked Heritage’s second-best entertainment event, just shy of the record set by a Debbie Reynolds sale it held in 2011.Heritage Executive Vice President Joe Maddalena said in a statement he knew the auction would resonate.”These are extraordinary treasures made by Emmy-winning costume designers and prop makers, who worked tirelessly to adapt George R.R. Martin’s wonderful novels,” Maddalena said. “People wanted a piece of that ‘Game of Thrones’ magic.”Beyond the coveted Iron Throne, over 30 other lots commanded six-figure price tags.Jon Snow’s signature sword, Longclaw, wielded onscreen by Kit Harington, sold for $400,000 and his night’s watch ensemble, featuring a heavy cape, went for $337,500. Both items kicked off prolonged bidding wars.Starting bids ranged from $500 to $20,000, but several items went for thousands of dollars more. Such was the case for several cloaks and dresses worn by Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen and Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister. A gray suede ensemble worn by Daenerys sold for $112,500, exactly $100,000 over its starting bid, and the red velvet dress Cersei wears in her final appearance on the show went for $137,500, which was $122,500 over its starting bid.Suits of armor also proved popular, especially when they included sought-after weapons. Jaime Lannister’s black-leather armor ensemble fetched $275,000 and his Kingsguard armor — including his iconic Oathkeeper longsword — went for $212,500. Queensguard armor worn by the character Gregor ‘The Mountain’ Clegane sold for $212,500.In an interview when the auction was announced in September, Jay Roewe, HBO’s senior vice president of global incentives and production planning, said the sale speaks to the series’ staying power five years after its finale.”‘Game of Thrones’ was a zeitgeist moment in our culture. It was a zeitgeist moment in high-end television. It was a zeitgeist moment in terms of HBO,” he said. “It’s impacted the culture.”

    “Game of Thrones” fans came out in droves to bid on hundreds of costumes, props and other items from the series in an auction that raked in over $21 million.

    From Thursday through Saturday, the Heritage Auctions event in Dallas featured over 900 lots including suits of armor, swords and weapons, jewelry and several other items of significance from the HBO series.

    The top-dollar item was the very thing the characters in the series vied for throughout its eight-season run: the Iron Throne. After a six-minute bidding war, the throne sold for $1.49 million.

    The replica was made of plastic and molded from the original screen-used version, then finished off with metallic paint and jewel embellishments. In the series, the throne was forged with dragon breath that melted the swords of a thousand vanquished challengers and became a symbol of the struggle for power throughout the show’s run.

    Heritage Auctions said in a statement Sunday that the event brought in $21.1 million from more than 4,500 bidders. The auction marked Heritage’s second-best entertainment event, just shy of the record set by a Debbie Reynolds sale it held in 2011.

    Heritage Executive Vice President Joe Maddalena said in a statement he knew the auction would resonate.

    “These are extraordinary treasures made by Emmy-winning costume designers and prop makers, who worked tirelessly to adapt George R.R. Martin’s wonderful novels,” Maddalena said. “People wanted a piece of that ‘Game of Thrones’ magic.”

    Beyond the coveted Iron Throne, over 30 other lots commanded six-figure price tags.

    Jon Snow’s signature sword, Longclaw, wielded onscreen by Kit Harington, sold for $400,000 and his night’s watch ensemble, featuring a heavy cape, went for $337,500. Both items kicked off prolonged bidding wars.

    Starting bids ranged from $500 to $20,000, but several items went for thousands of dollars more. Such was the case for several cloaks and dresses worn by Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen and Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister. A gray suede ensemble worn by Daenerys sold for $112,500, exactly $100,000 over its starting bid, and the red velvet dress Cersei wears in her final appearance on the show went for $137,500, which was $122,500 over its starting bid.

    Suits of armor also proved popular, especially when they included sought-after weapons. Jaime Lannister’s black-leather armor ensemble fetched $275,000 and his Kingsguard armor — including his iconic Oathkeeper longsword — went for $212,500. Queensguard armor worn by the character Gregor ‘The Mountain’ Clegane sold for $212,500.

    In an interview when the auction was announced in September, Jay Roewe, HBO’s senior vice president of global incentives and production planning, said the sale speaks to the series’ staying power five years after its finale.

    “‘Game of Thrones’ was a zeitgeist moment in our culture. It was a zeitgeist moment in high-end television. It was a zeitgeist moment in terms of HBO,” he said. “It’s impacted the culture.”

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  • ‘Game of Thrones’ dragon-forged Iron Throne fetches nearly $1.5 million at auction

    ‘Game of Thrones’ dragon-forged Iron Throne fetches nearly $1.5 million at auction

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    “Game of Thrones” fans came out in droves to bid on hundreds of costumes, props and other items from the series in an auction that raked in over $21 million.From Thursday through Saturday, the Heritage Auctions event in Dallas featured over 900 lots including suits of armor, swords and weapons, jewelry and several other items of significance from the HBO series.The top-dollar item was the very thing the characters in the series vied for throughout its eight-season run: the Iron Throne. After a six-minute bidding war, the throne sold for $1.49 million.The replica was made of plastic and molded from the original screen-used version, then finished off with metallic paint and jewel embellishments. In the series, the throne was forged with dragon breath that melted the swords of a thousand vanquished challengers and became a symbol of the struggle for power throughout the show’s run.Heritage Auctions said in a statement Sunday that the event brought in $21.1 million from more than 4,500 bidders. The auction marked Heritage’s second-best entertainment event, just shy of the record set by a Debbie Reynolds sale it held in 2011.Heritage Executive Vice President Joe Maddalena said in a statement he knew the auction would resonate.”These are extraordinary treasures made by Emmy-winning costume designers and prop makers, who worked tirelessly to adapt George R.R. Martin’s wonderful novels,” Maddalena said. “People wanted a piece of that ‘Game of Thrones’ magic.”Beyond the coveted Iron Throne, over 30 other lots commanded six-figure price tags.Jon Snow’s signature sword, Longclaw, wielded onscreen by Kit Harington, sold for $400,000 and his night’s watch ensemble, featuring a heavy cape, went for $337,500. Both items kicked off prolonged bidding wars.Starting bids ranged from $500 to $20,000, but several items went for thousands of dollars more. Such was the case for several cloaks and dresses worn by Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen and Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister. A gray suede ensemble worn by Daenerys sold for $112,500, exactly $100,000 over its starting bid, and the red velvet dress Cersei wears in her final appearance on the show went for $137,500, which was $122,500 over its starting bid.Suits of armor also proved popular, especially when they included sought-after weapons. Jaime Lannister’s black-leather armor ensemble fetched $275,000 and his Kingsguard armor — including his iconic Oathkeeper longsword — went for $212,500. Queensguard armor worn by the character Gregor ‘The Mountain’ Clegane sold for $212,500.In an interview when the auction was announced in September, Jay Roewe, HBO’s senior vice president of global incentives and production planning, said the sale speaks to the series’ staying power five years after its finale.”‘Game of Thrones’ was a zeitgeist moment in our culture. It was a zeitgeist moment in high-end television. It was a zeitgeist moment in terms of HBO,” he said. “It’s impacted the culture.”

    “Game of Thrones” fans came out in droves to bid on hundreds of costumes, props and other items from the series in an auction that raked in over $21 million.

    From Thursday through Saturday, the Heritage Auctions event in Dallas featured over 900 lots including suits of armor, swords and weapons, jewelry and several other items of significance from the HBO series.

    The top-dollar item was the very thing the characters in the series vied for throughout its eight-season run: the Iron Throne. After a six-minute bidding war, the throne sold for $1.49 million.

    The replica was made of plastic and molded from the original screen-used version, then finished off with metallic paint and jewel embellishments. In the series, the throne was forged with dragon breath that melted the swords of a thousand vanquished challengers and became a symbol of the struggle for power throughout the show’s run.

    Heritage Auctions said in a statement Sunday that the event brought in $21.1 million from more than 4,500 bidders. The auction marked Heritage’s second-best entertainment event, just shy of the record set by a Debbie Reynolds sale it held in 2011.

    Heritage Executive Vice President Joe Maddalena said in a statement he knew the auction would resonate.

    “These are extraordinary treasures made by Emmy-winning costume designers and prop makers, who worked tirelessly to adapt George R.R. Martin’s wonderful novels,” Maddalena said. “People wanted a piece of that ‘Game of Thrones’ magic.”

    Beyond the coveted Iron Throne, over 30 other lots commanded six-figure price tags.

    Jon Snow’s signature sword, Longclaw, wielded onscreen by Kit Harington, sold for $400,000 and his night’s watch ensemble, featuring a heavy cape, went for $337,500. Both items kicked off prolonged bidding wars.

    Starting bids ranged from $500 to $20,000, but several items went for thousands of dollars more. Such was the case for several cloaks and dresses worn by Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen and Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister. A gray suede ensemble worn by Daenerys sold for $112,500, exactly $100,000 over its starting bid, and the red velvet dress Cersei wears in her final appearance on the show went for $137,500, which was $122,500 over its starting bid.

    Suits of armor also proved popular, especially when they included sought-after weapons. Jaime Lannister’s black-leather armor ensemble fetched $275,000 and his Kingsguard armor — including his iconic Oathkeeper longsword — went for $212,500. Queensguard armor worn by the character Gregor ‘The Mountain’ Clegane sold for $212,500.

    In an interview when the auction was announced in September, Jay Roewe, HBO’s senior vice president of global incentives and production planning, said the sale speaks to the series’ staying power five years after its finale.

    “‘Game of Thrones’ was a zeitgeist moment in our culture. It was a zeitgeist moment in high-end television. It was a zeitgeist moment in terms of HBO,” he said. “It’s impacted the culture.”

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  • Boeing strike has already cost the company and workers $5 billion, new analysis shows

    Boeing strike has already cost the company and workers $5 billion, new analysis shows

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    30,000 Boeing workers are now on strike on Thursday, International Association of Machinists and aerospace workers at Boeing voted by 95% to reject *** new contract negotiated by union leadership and Boeing management. And by 96% to authorize *** strike. According to business insider, these workers represent about 20% of the company’s employees. According to USA today, the proposed contract had included *** 25% wage increase over four years. Workers had demanded 40% as well as other benefits. The company was un to provide including an annual bonus. I am President John Holden told CNN last month that the dispute is really about what has happened to our members by the leadership of the company for close to 20 years. Here’s Holden speaking on Thursday while there were many important things that were in this offer, it didn’t make up, it didn’t bridge the gap for 16 years from 2008 and going through two extensions and the threats of job loss, you know, stagnated wages, cost shift on health care and many other issues. Boeing has of course, recently been embroiled in scandals over safety concerns. Provisioner Natalie Anderson connected those issues to management’s relationship with its employees. It just feels like they’re trying to put *** little bit of pressure on us and that’s just not the way you want to act towards your employees. If you really want us to work for you and build *** quality plane business insider quoted *** Boeing statement issued Friday saying we remain committed to resetting our relationship with our employees and the union and we are ready to get back to the table to reach *** new agreement.

    Boeing strike has already cost the company and workers $5 billion, new analysis shows

    Sunday marks one month since members of the International Association of Machinists began their strike against Boeing. The cost: nearly $5 billion, according to a new analysis by Anderson Economic Group, shared exclusively with CNN.That multi-billion-dollar tab highlights the difficulties facing the aircraft maker, once a byword for American quality. Instead, it has faced a string of bad news in recent years, from fatal crashes to increased regulatory scrutiny to the strike by 33,000 workers that started on September 13 that ground operations to a near halt.Boeing’s workers and shareholders make up the bulk of the strike losses, at $3.7 billion, the new analysis shows. Not a single plane has been worked on at the company’s production facility in Everett, Washington, since the IAM members walked off the job, triggering the first strike at the company in 16 years.”Suppliers, Seattle-area businesses, and Boeing customers are paying part of the price,” said Patrick Anderson, CEO of Anderson Economic Group. “Our week-by-week estimates now include significantly larger losses to other businesses in the Seattle area, as well as losses to customers that rely on Boeing’s service and parts.”Losses to Boeing’s suppliers total $900 million in the first four weeks, while non-Boeing Seattle workers impacted by the strike have seen losses of $102 million. Boeing’s customers — the airlines — are also feeling the financial pain, with $285 million in losses to Boeing customers worldwide.”The costs to Boeing and its shareholders are growing as the company burns through its cash and may need to borrow or issue stock to keep its operations going through the strike and what may be a difficult recovery,” said Anderson.Boeing announced on Friday it will be laying off 10% of its workforce — about 17,000 employees — over the next several months.”Our business is in a difficult position, and it is hard to overstate the challenges we face together,” Kelly Ortberg, CEO of Boeing, said Friday in an email to employees.Prior to Ortberg coming on as CEO in August, Boeing pleaded guilty to defrauding the FAA — after it failed to disclose a system upgrade to its 737 Max fleet which resulted in a design flaw — causing two 737 Max planes to crash, one each in 2018 and 2019. The plea deal with the Department of Justice resulted in fines to the company of nearly $1 billion. A judge is now reviewing the plea deal.Talks between Boeing and the striking IAM workers broke off last week after two days of federally mediated negotiating. “Unfortunately, the union did not seriously consider our proposals,” Stephanie Pope, president and CEO of Boeing’s commercial airplane division, said Monday evening in a memo to employees. Pope called the union’s demands “non-negotiable.”Despite the two sides being far apart on nearly every issue, John Holden, IAM president of District 751, told CNN on Thursday there is a “deal to be had.””I don’t know what the end result’s going to be, but there’s a lot of things on the table,” Holden told CNN. “There are negotiations to be had and there is an agreement to be made, and you better spend the time at the table to reach it in order to resolve it.”Holden says he is very confident in the strength of the strike fund — money paid out to members every week they are on strike — to support members as long as it takes to reach a “reasonable” deal. But he understands the impact this will have on the economy.”It’ll impact the GDP for the year. It’ll impact the aerospace supply chain and production going forward. The longer this goes, the harder it is to restart production and get up to speed,” he said.

    CNN —

    Sunday marks one month since members of the International Association of Machinists began their strike against Boeing. The cost: nearly $5 billion, according to a new analysis by Anderson Economic Group, shared exclusively with CNN.

    That multi-billion-dollar tab highlights the difficulties facing the aircraft maker, once a byword for American quality. Instead, it has faced a string of bad news in recent years, from fatal crashes to increased regulatory scrutiny to the strike by 33,000 workers that started on September 13 that ground operations to a near halt.

    Boeing’s workers and shareholders make up the bulk of the strike losses, at $3.7 billion, the new analysis shows. Not a single plane has been worked on at the company’s production facility in Everett, Washington, since the IAM members walked off the job, triggering the first strike at the company in 16 years.

    “Suppliers, Seattle-area businesses, and Boeing customers are paying part of the price,” said Patrick Anderson, CEO of Anderson Economic Group. “Our week-by-week estimates now include significantly larger losses to other businesses in the Seattle area, as well as losses to customers that rely on Boeing’s service and parts.”

    Losses to Boeing’s suppliers total $900 million in the first four weeks, while non-Boeing Seattle workers impacted by the strike have seen losses of $102 million. Boeing’s customers — the airlines — are also feeling the financial pain, with $285 million in losses to Boeing customers worldwide.

    “The costs to Boeing and its shareholders are growing as the company burns through its cash and may need to borrow or issue stock to keep its operations going through the strike and what may be a difficult recovery,” said Anderson.

    Boeing announced on Friday it will be laying off 10% of its workforce — about 17,000 employees — over the next several months.

    “Our business is in a difficult position, and it is hard to overstate the challenges we face together,” Kelly Ortberg, CEO of Boeing, said Friday in an email to employees.

    Prior to Ortberg coming on as CEO in August, Boeing pleaded guilty to defrauding the FAA — after it failed to disclose a system upgrade to its 737 Max fleet which resulted in a design flaw — causing two 737 Max planes to crash, one each in 2018 and 2019. The plea deal with the Department of Justice resulted in fines to the company of nearly $1 billion. A judge is now reviewing the plea deal.

    Talks between Boeing and the striking IAM workers broke off last week after two days of federally mediated negotiating. “Unfortunately, the union did not seriously consider our proposals,” Stephanie Pope, president and CEO of Boeing’s commercial airplane division, said Monday evening in a memo to employees. Pope called the union’s demands “non-negotiable.”

    Despite the two sides being far apart on nearly every issue, John Holden, IAM president of District 751, told CNN on Thursday there is a “deal to be had.”

    “I don’t know what the end result’s going to be, but there’s a lot of things on the table,” Holden told CNN. “There are negotiations to be had and there is an agreement to be made, and you better spend the time at the table to reach it in order to resolve it.”

    Holden says he is very confident in the strength of the strike fund — money paid out to members every week they are on strike — to support members as long as it takes to reach a “reasonable” deal. But he understands the impact this will have on the economy.

    “It’ll impact the GDP for the year. It’ll impact the aerospace supply chain and production going forward. The longer this goes, the harder it is to restart production and get up to speed,” he said.

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  • Watch: Florida sheriff’s office rescues 14-year-old boy from Hurricane Milton floodwaters

    Watch: Florida sheriff’s office rescues 14-year-old boy from Hurricane Milton floodwaters

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    The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office in Florida rescued a 14-year-old boy who was submerged in floodwaters and floating on debris following Hurricane Milton.Video captured the moment deputies found the 14-year-old boy wading in the floodwaters. Deputies were able to pull the boy from the water and onto their boat. It is currently unknown exactly where the boy was and why he was alone in the floodwaters. It is also unknown what condition the boy is in or how long he was waiting for help.

    The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office in Florida rescued a 14-year-old boy who was submerged in floodwaters and floating on debris following Hurricane Milton.

    Video captured the moment deputies found the 14-year-old boy wading in the floodwaters.

    Deputies were able to pull the boy from the water and onto their boat.

    It is currently unknown exactly where the boy was and why he was alone in the floodwaters.

    It is also unknown what condition the boy is in or how long he was waiting for help.

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  • Madonna remembers her brother Christopher Ciccone in moving tribute

    Madonna remembers her brother Christopher Ciccone in moving tribute

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    Madonna is mourning the loss of her younger brother.Christopher Ciccone, a designer, dancer and artist, died “peacefully” on Friday, according to a statement from Ciccone’s family provided to CNN by his representative Brad Taylor. He was 63.The superstar paid tribute to Ciccone in a post on her Instagram page on Sunday, calling him “the closest human to me for so long.”Their bond, she wrote, “grew out of an understanding that we were different and society was going to give us a hard time for not following the status quo.”The “Vogue” singer recalled how the art of dance symbolically “saved” both herself and Ciccone, describing it as the “superglue that held us together” and the reason why they both moved to New York City early on in her career.”My brother was right by my side,” she continued. “We soared the highest heights together. And floundered in the lowest lows. Somehow, we always found each other again and We held hands and we kept dancing.”Ciccone served as Madonna’s creative consultant as her career exploded, serving as the artistic director for her 1990 Blond Ambition world tour, which was chronicled in the 1991 music documentary “Truth or Dare.”He also choreographed in the music video for her 1982 song “Everybody” and directed the “Peace Train” music video for Dolly Parton in 1997. In 2008, Ciccone released his memoir titled “Life with My Sister Madonna,” where he detailed their at-times turbulent relationship.Later, Ciccone had worked as an interior designer and footwear designer.”The last few years have not been easy,” Madonna candidly wrote in her tribute on Sunday. “We did not speak for sometime but when my brother got sick, we found our way back to each other.”According to his family’s statement, Ciccone died “surrounded by love” following a battle with cancer.”I’m glad he’s not suffering anymore. There will never be anyone like him. I know he’s dancing somewhere,” Madonna wrote.Ciccone is survived by his father Silvio Ciccone, his siblings, nieces, nephews, cousins and husband Ray Thacker.

    CNN —

    Madonna is mourning the loss of her younger brother.

    Christopher Ciccone, a designer, dancer and artist, died “peacefully” on Friday, according to a statement from Ciccone’s family provided to CNN by his representative Brad Taylor. He was 63.

    The superstar paid tribute to Ciccone in a post on her Instagram page on Sunday, calling him “the closest human to me for so long.”

    Their bond, she wrote, “grew out of an understanding that we were different and society was going to give us a hard time for not following the status quo.”

    The “Vogue” singer recalled how the art of dance symbolically “saved” both herself and Ciccone, describing it as the “superglue that held us together” and the reason why they both moved to New York City early on in her career.

    “My brother was right by my side,” she continued. “We soared the highest heights together. And floundered in the lowest lows. Somehow, we always found each other again and We held hands and we kept dancing.”

    Ciccone served as Madonna’s creative consultant as her career exploded, serving as the artistic director for her 1990 Blond Ambition world tour, which was chronicled in the 1991 music documentary “Truth or Dare.”

    He also choreographed in the music video for her 1982 song “Everybody” and directed the “Peace Train” music video for Dolly Parton in 1997. In 2008, Ciccone released his memoir titled “Life with My Sister Madonna,” where he detailed their at-times turbulent relationship.

    Later, Ciccone had worked as an interior designer and footwear designer.

    “The last few years have not been easy,” Madonna candidly wrote in her tribute on Sunday. “We did not speak for sometime but when my brother got sick, we found our way back to each other.”

    According to his family’s statement, Ciccone died “surrounded by love” following a battle with cancer.

    “I’m glad he’s not suffering anymore. There will never be anyone like him. I know he’s dancing somewhere,” Madonna wrote.

    Ciccone is survived by his father Silvio Ciccone, his siblings, nieces, nephews, cousins and husband Ray Thacker.

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  • Kris Kristofferson, singer-songwriter and actor, dies at 88

    Kris Kristofferson, singer-songwriter and actor, dies at 88

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    Kris Kristofferson, a Rhodes scholar with a deft writing style and rough charisma who became a country music superstar and A-list Hollywood actor, has died.Video above: Remembering those we’ve lost in 2024Kristofferson died at his home in Maui, Hawaii on Saturday, family spokeswoman Ebie McFarland said in an email. He was 88.McFarland said Kristofferson died peacefully, surrounded by his family. No cause was given. He was 88.Starting in the late 1960s, the Brownsville, Texas native wrote such classics standards as “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down,” “Help Me Make it Through the Night,” “For the Good Times” and “Me and Bobby McGee.” Kristofferson was a singer himself, but many of his songs were best known as performed by others, whether Ray Price crooning “For the Good Times” or Janis Joplin belting out “Me and Bobby McGee.”He also starred opposite Ellen Burstyn in director Martin Scorsese’s 1974 film “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore,” starred opposite Barbra Streisand in the 1976 “A Star Is Born,” and acted alongside Wesley Snipes in Marvel’s “Blade” in 1998.Kristofferson, who could recite William Blake from memory, wove intricate folk music lyrics about loneliness and tender romance into popular country music. With his long hair and bell-bottomed slacks and counterculture songs influenced by Bob Dylan, he represented a new breed of country songwriters along with such peers as Willie Nelson, John Prine and Tom T. Hall.”There’s no better songwriter alive than Kris Kristofferson,” Nelson said during a November 2009 award ceremony for Kristofferson held by BMI. “Everything he writes is a standard and we’re all just going to have to live with that.”As an actor, he played the leading man opposite Barbara Streisand and Ellen Burstyn, but also had a fondness for shoot-out Westerns and cowboy dramas.He was a Golden Gloves boxer and football player in college, received a master’s degree in English from Merton College at the University of Oxford in England and turned down an appointment to teach at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, to pursue songwriting in Nashville. Hoping to break into the industry, he worked as a part-time janitor at Columbia Records’ Music Row studio in 1966 when Dylan recorded tracks for the seminal “Blonde on Blonde” double album.At times, the legend of Kristofferson was larger than real life. Cash liked to tell a mostly exaggerated story of how Kristofferson, a former U.S. Army pilot, landed a helicopter on Cash’s lawn to give him a tape of “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down” with a beer in one hand. Over the years in interviews, Kristofferson said with all respect to Cash, while he did land a helicopter at Cash’s house, the Man in Black wasn’t even home at the time, the demo tape was a song that no one ever actually cut and he certainly couldn’t fly a helicopter holding a beer.In a 2006 interview with The Associated Press, he said he might not have had a career without Cash.”Shaking his hand when I was still in the Army backstage at the Grand Ole Opry was the moment I’d decided I’d come back,” Kristofferson said. “It was electric. He kind of took me under his wing before he cut any of my songs. He cut my first record that was record of the year. He put me on stage the first time.”One of his most recorded songs, “Me and Bobby McGee,” was written based on a recommendation from Monument Records founder Fred Foster. Foster had a song title in his head called “Me and Bobby McKee,” named after a female secretary in his building. Kristofferson said in an interview in the magazine, “Performing Songwriter,” that he was inspired to write the lyrics about a man and woman on the road together after watching the Frederico Fellini film, “La Strada.”Joplin, who had a close relationship with Kristofferson, changed the lyrics to make Bobby McGee a man and cut her version just days before she died in 1970 from a drug overdose. The recording became a posthumous No. 1 hit for Joplin.Hits that Kristofferson recorded include “Why Me,” “Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I’ll Ever Do),” “Watch Closely Now,” “Desperados Waiting for a Train,” “A Song I’d Like to Sing” and “Jesus Was a Capricorn.”In 1973, he married fellow songwriter Rita Coolidge and together they had a successful duet career that earned them two Grammy awards. They divorced in 1980.He retired from performing and recording in 2021, making only occasional guest appearances on stage.

    Kris Kristofferson, a Rhodes scholar with a deft writing style and rough charisma who became a country music superstar and A-list Hollywood actor, has died.

    Video above: Remembering those we’ve lost in 2024

    Kristofferson died at his home in Maui, Hawaii on Saturday, family spokeswoman Ebie McFarland said in an email. He was 88.

    McFarland said Kristofferson died peacefully, surrounded by his family. No cause was given. He was 88.

    Starting in the late 1960s, the Brownsville, Texas native wrote such classics standards as “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down,” “Help Me Make it Through the Night,” “For the Good Times” and “Me and Bobby McGee.” Kristofferson was a singer himself, but many of his songs were best known as performed by others, whether Ray Price crooning “For the Good Times” or Janis Joplin belting out “Me and Bobby McGee.”

    He also starred opposite Ellen Burstyn in director Martin Scorsese’s 1974 film “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore,” starred opposite Barbra Streisand in the 1976 “A Star Is Born,” and acted alongside Wesley Snipes in Marvel’s “Blade” in 1998.

    Kristofferson, who could recite William Blake from memory, wove intricate folk music lyrics about loneliness and tender romance into popular country music. With his long hair and bell-bottomed slacks and counterculture songs influenced by Bob Dylan, he represented a new breed of country songwriters along with such peers as Willie Nelson, John Prine and Tom T. Hall.

    “There’s no better songwriter alive than Kris Kristofferson,” Nelson said during a November 2009 award ceremony for Kristofferson held by BMI. “Everything he writes is a standard and we’re all just going to have to live with that.”

    As an actor, he played the leading man opposite Barbara Streisand and Ellen Burstyn, but also had a fondness for shoot-out Westerns and cowboy dramas.

    He was a Golden Gloves boxer and football player in college, received a master’s degree in English from Merton College at the University of Oxford in England and turned down an appointment to teach at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, to pursue songwriting in Nashville. Hoping to break into the industry, he worked as a part-time janitor at Columbia Records’ Music Row studio in 1966 when Dylan recorded tracks for the seminal “Blonde on Blonde” double album.

    At times, the legend of Kristofferson was larger than real life. Cash liked to tell a mostly exaggerated story of how Kristofferson, a former U.S. Army pilot, landed a helicopter on Cash’s lawn to give him a tape of “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down” with a beer in one hand. Over the years in interviews, Kristofferson said with all respect to Cash, while he did land a helicopter at Cash’s house, the Man in Black wasn’t even home at the time, the demo tape was a song that no one ever actually cut and he certainly couldn’t fly a helicopter holding a beer.

    In a 2006 interview with The Associated Press, he said he might not have had a career without Cash.

    “Shaking his hand when I was still in the Army backstage at the Grand Ole Opry was the moment I’d decided I’d come back,” Kristofferson said. “It was electric. He kind of took me under his wing before he cut any of my songs. He cut my first record that was record of the year. He put me on stage the first time.”

    One of his most recorded songs, “Me and Bobby McGee,” was written based on a recommendation from Monument Records founder Fred Foster. Foster had a song title in his head called “Me and Bobby McKee,” named after a female secretary in his building. Kristofferson said in an interview in the magazine, “Performing Songwriter,” that he was inspired to write the lyrics about a man and woman on the road together after watching the Frederico Fellini film, “La Strada.”

    Joplin, who had a close relationship with Kristofferson, changed the lyrics to make Bobby McGee a man and cut her version just days before she died in 1970 from a drug overdose. The recording became a posthumous No. 1 hit for Joplin.

    Hits that Kristofferson recorded include “Why Me,” “Loving Her Was Easier (Than Anything I’ll Ever Do),” “Watch Closely Now,” “Desperados Waiting for a Train,” “A Song I’d Like to Sing” and “Jesus Was a Capricorn.”

    In 1973, he married fellow songwriter Rita Coolidge and together they had a successful duet career that earned them two Grammy awards. They divorced in 1980.

    He retired from performing and recording in 2021, making only occasional guest appearances on stage.

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  • US to hand over pest inspections of Mexican avocados to Mexico and California growers aren’t happy

    US to hand over pest inspections of Mexican avocados to Mexico and California growers aren’t happy

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    California avocado growers are fuming this week about a U.S. decision to hand over pest inspections of Mexican orchards to the Mexican government.Inspectors hired by the U.S. Department of Agriculture have been guarding against imports of avocados infected with insects and diseases since 1997, but they have also been threatened in Mexico for refusing to certify deceptive shipments in recent years.Threats and violence against inspectors have caused the U.S. to suspend inspections in the past, and California growers question whether Mexico’s own inspectors would be better equipped to withstand such pressure.”This action reverses the long-established inspection process designed to prevent invasions of known pests in Mexico that would devastate our industry,” the California Avocado Commission wrote in an open letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack on Monday.At present, inspectors work for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, known as APHIS. Because the United States also grows avocados, U.S. inspectors observe orchards and packing houses in Mexico to ensure exported avocados don’t carry pests that could hurt U.S. crops.”It is well known that their physical presence greatly reduces the opportunity of others to game the system,” the avocado commission wrote. “What assurances can APHIS provide us that its unilateral reversal of the process will be equal to or better than what has protected us?”The letter added, “We are looking for specifics as to why you have concluded that substituting APHIS inspectors with Mexican government inspectors is in our best interest.”The decision was announced last week in a short statement by Mexico’s Agriculture Department, which claimed that “with this agreement, the U.S. health safety agency is recognizing the commitment of Mexican growers, who in more than 27 years have not had any sanitary problems in exports.”The idea that there have been no problems is far from the truth.In 2022, inspections were halted after one of the U.S. inspectors was threatened in the western state of Michoacan, where growers are routinely subject to extortion by drug cartels. Only the states of Michoacan and Jalisco are certified to export avocados to the United States.The U.S. Department of Agriculture said at the time that the inspector had received a threat “against him and his family.”The inspector had “questioned the integrity of a certain shipment, and refused to certify it based on concrete issues,” according to the USDA statement. Some packers in Mexico buy avocados from other, non-certified states, and try to pass them off as being from Michoacan.Sources at the time said the 2022 threat involved a grower demanding the inspector certify more avocados than his orchard was physically capable of producing, suggesting that at least some had been smuggled in from elsewhere.And in June, two USDA employees were assaulted and temporarily held by assailants in Michoacan. That led the U.S. to suspend inspections in Mexico’s biggest avocado-producing state.The U.S. Department of Agriculture did not immediately respond to questions about why the decision was made, or whether it was related to the threats.Mexico currently supplies about 80% of U.S. imports of the fruit. Growers in the U.S. can’t supply the country’s whole demand, nor provide fruit year-round.

    California avocado growers are fuming this week about a U.S. decision to hand over pest inspections of Mexican orchards to the Mexican government.

    Inspectors hired by the U.S. Department of Agriculture have been guarding against imports of avocados infected with insects and diseases since 1997, but they have also been threatened in Mexico for refusing to certify deceptive shipments in recent years.

    Threats and violence against inspectors have caused the U.S. to suspend inspections in the past, and California growers question whether Mexico’s own inspectors would be better equipped to withstand such pressure.

    “This action reverses the long-established inspection process designed to prevent invasions of known pests in Mexico that would devastate our industry,” the California Avocado Commission wrote in an open letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack on Monday.

    At present, inspectors work for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, known as APHIS. Because the United States also grows avocados, U.S. inspectors observe orchards and packing houses in Mexico to ensure exported avocados don’t carry pests that could hurt U.S. crops.

    “It is well known that their physical presence greatly reduces the opportunity of others to game the system,” the avocado commission wrote. “What assurances can APHIS provide us that its unilateral reversal of the process will be equal to or better than what has protected us?”

    The letter added, “We are looking for specifics as to why you have concluded that substituting APHIS inspectors with Mexican government inspectors is in our best interest.”

    The decision was announced last week in a short statement by Mexico’s Agriculture Department, which claimed that “with this agreement, the U.S. health safety agency is recognizing the commitment of Mexican growers, who in more than 27 years have not had any sanitary problems in exports.”

    The idea that there have been no problems is far from the truth.

    In 2022, inspections were halted after one of the U.S. inspectors was threatened in the western state of Michoacan, where growers are routinely subject to extortion by drug cartels. Only the states of Michoacan and Jalisco are certified to export avocados to the United States.

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture said at the time that the inspector had received a threat “against him and his family.”

    The inspector had “questioned the integrity of a certain shipment, and refused to certify it based on concrete issues,” according to the USDA statement. Some packers in Mexico buy avocados from other, non-certified states, and try to pass them off as being from Michoacan.

    Sources at the time said the 2022 threat involved a grower demanding the inspector certify more avocados than his orchard was physically capable of producing, suggesting that at least some had been smuggled in from elsewhere.

    And in June, two USDA employees were assaulted and temporarily held by assailants in Michoacan. That led the U.S. to suspend inspections in Mexico’s biggest avocado-producing state.

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture did not immediately respond to questions about why the decision was made, or whether it was related to the threats.

    Mexico currently supplies about 80% of U.S. imports of the fruit. Growers in the U.S. can’t supply the country’s whole demand, nor provide fruit year-round.

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  • Phone records show suspect in apparent attempted assassination of Trump was near golf course for 12 hours

    Phone records show suspect in apparent attempted assassination of Trump was near golf course for 12 hours

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    The man suspected in an apparent assassination attempt targeting former President Donald Trump camped outside a golf course with food and a rifle for nearly 12 hours, lying in wait for the former president before a Secret Service agent thwarted the potential attack and opened fire, according to court documents filed Monday. Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, faces charges of possessing a firearm despite a prior felony conviction and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. He did not fire any shots. Additional and more serious charges are possible as the investigation continues and prosecutors seek an indictment from a grand jury.Routh appeared briefly in federal court in West Palm Beach, kickstarting a criminal case in the final weeks of a presidential race already touched by violence and upheaval. Though no one was injured, the episode marked the second attempt on Trump’s life in as many months, raising fresh questions about the security afforded to him during a time of amped-up political rhetoric. It prompted Republican allies and even some Democrats to demand to know how a would-be shooter could get so close.Routh was arrested Sunday afternoon after authorities spotted a firearm poking out of shrubbery on the West Palm Beach golf course where Trump was playing. He was spotted by a Secret Service agent assigned to Trump’s security detail who opened fire. Routh sped away before being captured by law enforcement in a neighboring county, the authorities said.Body camera footage posted Monday on Facebook by the Martin County sheriff’s office showed Routh’s arrest. The video shows him walking backward with his hands over his head on the side of a road before being handcuffed and led away by law enforcement.Video below: Bodycam video shows Ryan Routh’s apprehensionUnderscoring the level of planning involved, Routh is believed to have been positioned at the tree line of the golf course from about 1:59 a.m. to 1:31 p.m. Sunday, according to an FBI affidavit that cites cellphone data. A digital camera, a loaded SKS-style rifle with a scope and a plastic bag containing food were recovered from the area where Routh had been standing, according to the affidavit.Coming just weeks after a July shooting at a Pennsylvania campaign rally in which Trump was wounded by a gunman’s bullet, the latest assassination attempt accelerated concerns that violence continues to infect American presidential politics. Both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump’s challenger in the November election, denounced the thwarted attack, with Harris saying in a post on X: “I am glad he is safe. Violence has no place in America.”“We will work tirelessly to ensure accountability, and we will bring every available resource to bear in this investigation,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.Authorities did not immediately reveal any new details about Routh’s background or allege a particular motive in charging documents. But his large online footprint suggests a man of evolving political viewpoints, culminating in an apparent disdain for Trump and intense outrage at global events concerning China and especially Ukraine.“You are free to assassinate Trump,” Routh wrote of Iran in an apparently self-published 2023 book titled “Ukraine’s Unwinnable War,” which described the former president as a “fool” and “buffoon” for both the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riots and the “tremendous blunder” of leaving the Iran nuclear deal.Routh wrote that he once voted for Trump and must take part of the blame for the “child that we elected for our next president that ended up being brainless.”He also tried to recruit fighters for Ukraine to defend itself against Russia, and he had a website seeking to raise money and recruit volunteers to fight for Kyiv.Voter records show he registered as an unaffiliated voter in North Carolina in 2012, most recently voting in person during the state’s Democratic primary in March.Routh also made 19 small donations totaling $140 since 2019 to ActBlue, a political action committee that supports Democratic candidates, according to federal campaign finance records.One of the two counts he faces alleges that he illegally possessed his gun in spite of multiple felony convictions, including two charges of possessing stolen goods in 2002 in North Carolina. The other charge alleges that the serial number was obliterated and unreadable to the naked eye, in violation of federal law. Routh was the subject of a previously closed 2019 tip to the FBI that alleged that he was a felon in possession of a firearm, said Jeffrey Veltri, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Miami’s field office.The FBI interviewed the tipster, who did not verify the initial information, Veltri said. The FBI passed that information to local law enforcement in Honolulu on behalf of the FBI.Authorities are pursing search warrants for the suspect’s cellphones, electronics and a vehicle, Veltri said. They are also interviewing witnesses on the scene, as well as family members and former colleagues.Routh was ordered held after prosecutors argued that he was a flight risk, with additional hearings set for later this month.He spoke in a soft voice as he answered perfunctory questions from a federal magistrate, saying that he was working and making around $3,000 a month, but has zero savings. Routh said that he has no real estate or assets, aside from two trucks worth about $1,000, both located in Hawaii. He also said that he has a 25-year-old son, whom he sometimes supports.The arrest focused fresh attention on the challenges of protecting Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, not only during campaign events but also when he is off the trail, often at his own clubs and properties.Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, one of Trump’s rivals in the GOP primary, said his state will conduct its own investigation into how Routh was able to get so close.Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw noted at a briefing that because Trump is no longer in office, security protocols around the course had loosened.“He’s not the sitting president. If he was, we would have had this entire golf course surrounded. But because he’s not, his security is limited to the areas that the Secret Service deems possible,” he told reporters.On July 13, a bullet grazed Trump’s ear after a 20-year-old gunman was able to gain access to an unsecured roof during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

    WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. —

    The man suspected in an apparent assassination attempt targeting former President Donald Trump camped outside a golf course with food and a rifle for nearly 12 hours, lying in wait for the former president before a Secret Service agent thwarted the potential attack and opened fire, according to court documents filed Monday.

    Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, faces charges of possessing a firearm despite a prior felony conviction and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. He did not fire any shots. Additional and more serious charges are possible as the investigation continues and prosecutors seek an indictment from a grand jury.

    Routh appeared briefly in federal court in West Palm Beach, kickstarting a criminal case in the final weeks of a presidential race already touched by violence and upheaval. Though no one was injured, the episode marked the second attempt on Trump’s life in as many months, raising fresh questions about the security afforded to him during a time of amped-up political rhetoric. It prompted Republican allies and even some Democrats to demand to know how a would-be shooter could get so close.

    Routh was arrested Sunday afternoon after authorities spotted a firearm poking out of shrubbery on the West Palm Beach golf course where Trump was playing. He was spotted by a Secret Service agent assigned to Trump’s security detail who opened fire. Routh sped away before being captured by law enforcement in a neighboring county, the authorities said.

    Body camera footage posted Monday on Facebook by the Martin County sheriff’s office showed Routh’s arrest. The video shows him walking backward with his hands over his head on the side of a road before being handcuffed and led away by law enforcement.

    Video below: Bodycam video shows Ryan Routh’s apprehension

    Underscoring the level of planning involved, Routh is believed to have been positioned at the tree line of the golf course from about 1:59 a.m. to 1:31 p.m. Sunday, according to an FBI affidavit that cites cellphone data. A digital camera, a loaded SKS-style rifle with a scope and a plastic bag containing food were recovered from the area where Routh had been standing, according to the affidavit.

    Coming just weeks after a July shooting at a Pennsylvania campaign rally in which Trump was wounded by a gunman’s bullet, the latest assassination attempt accelerated concerns that violence continues to infect American presidential politics. Both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump’s challenger in the November election, denounced the thwarted attack, with Harris saying in a post on X: “I am glad he is safe. Violence has no place in America.”

    “We will work tirelessly to ensure accountability, and we will bring every available resource to bear in this investigation,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.

    Authorities did not immediately reveal any new details about Routh’s background or allege a particular motive in charging documents. But his large online footprint suggests a man of evolving political viewpoints, culminating in an apparent disdain for Trump and intense outrage at global events concerning China and especially Ukraine.

    “You are free to assassinate Trump,” Routh wrote of Iran in an apparently self-published 2023 book titled “Ukraine’s Unwinnable War,” which described the former president as a “fool” and “buffoon” for both the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riots and the “tremendous blunder” of leaving the Iran nuclear deal.

    AP Photo/Stephany Matat

    Photos that show an AK-47 rifle, a backpack and a Go-Pro camera on a fence outside Trump International Golf Club taken after an apparent assassination attempt of Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump, are displayed during a news conference at the Palm Beach County Main Library, Sunday. Sept. 15, 2024, in West Palm Beach, Fla.

    Routh wrote that he once voted for Trump and must take part of the blame for the “child that we elected for our next president that ended up being brainless.”

    He also tried to recruit fighters for Ukraine to defend itself against Russia, and he had a website seeking to raise money and recruit volunteers to fight for Kyiv.

    Voter records show he registered as an unaffiliated voter in North Carolina in 2012, most recently voting in person during the state’s Democratic primary in March.

    Routh also made 19 small donations totaling $140 since 2019 to ActBlue, a political action committee that supports Democratic candidates, according to federal campaign finance records.

    One of the two counts he faces alleges that he illegally possessed his gun in spite of multiple felony convictions, including two charges of possessing stolen goods in 2002 in North Carolina. The other charge alleges that the serial number was obliterated and unreadable to the naked eye, in violation of federal law.

    This photo provided by the Martin County Sheriff's Office shows Sheriff's vehicles surrounding an SUV on the northbound I-95 in Martin County on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024.

    Martin County Sheriff’s Office

    This photo provided by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office shows Sheriff’s vehicles surrounding an SUV on the northbound I-95 in Martin County on Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024. 

    Routh was the subject of a previously closed 2019 tip to the FBI that alleged that he was a felon in possession of a firearm, said Jeffrey Veltri, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Miami’s field office.

    The FBI interviewed the tipster, who did not verify the initial information, Veltri said. The FBI passed that information to local law enforcement in Honolulu on behalf of the FBI.

    Authorities are pursing search warrants for the suspect’s cellphones, electronics and a vehicle, Veltri said. They are also interviewing witnesses on the scene, as well as family members and former colleagues.

    Routh was ordered held after prosecutors argued that he was a flight risk, with additional hearings set for later this month.

    He spoke in a soft voice as he answered perfunctory questions from a federal magistrate, saying that he was working and making around $3,000 a month, but has zero savings. Routh said that he has no real estate or assets, aside from two trucks worth about $1,000, both located in Hawaii. He also said that he has a 25-year-old son, whom he sometimes supports.

    Ryan Wesley Routh

    Martin County Sheriff’s Office

    Ryan Wesley Routh

    The arrest focused fresh attention on the challenges of protecting Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, not only during campaign events but also when he is off the trail, often at his own clubs and properties.

    Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, one of Trump’s rivals in the GOP primary, said his state will conduct its own investigation into how Routh was able to get so close.

    Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw noted at a briefing that because Trump is no longer in office, security protocols around the course had loosened.

    “He’s not the sitting president. If he was, we would have had this entire golf course surrounded. But because he’s not, his security is limited to the areas that the Secret Service deems possible,” he told reporters.

    On July 13, a bullet grazed Trump’s ear after a 20-year-old gunman was able to gain access to an unsecured roof during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

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  • Trump is safe after Secret Service opened fire at suspected person with firearm near his golf club

    Trump is safe after Secret Service opened fire at suspected person with firearm near his golf club

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    A man with an AK-style rifle pushed the firearm’s muzzle through the perimeter of Donald Trump’s West Palm Beach, Florida golf course Sunday as the Republican presidential candidate was playing a round, prompting U.S. Secret Service to open fire, according to three law enforcement officials. The former president is safe and unharmed.The person dropped the weapon and fled in an SUV, and was later apprehended in a neighboring county, the officials said. The officials were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.An AK-style firearm was recovered at the scene near Trump’s golf course, two of the officials said. And no injuries were reported.The incident was the latest jarring moment in a campaign year marked by unprecedented upheaval. It occurred roughly two months after Trump was shot during an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania, and a bullet grazed his ear. Only a week later, President Joe Biden withdrew from the race.The golf course was partially shut down for Trump as he played, and agents were a few holes ahead of him when they noticed the person with the firearm, the officials said. There are several areas around the perimeter of the property where golfers are visible from the fence line. Secret Service agents and officers in golf carts and on ATVs generally secure the area several holes ahead and behind Trump when he golfs. Agents also usually bring an armored vehicle onto the course to quickly shelter Trump should a threat arise.Trump had returned to Florida this weekend from a West Coast swing that included a Friday night rally in Las Vegas and a Utah fundraiser. Trump often spends the morning playing golf, before having lunch at the Trump International Golf Club West Palm Beach, one of three he owns in the state.He has had a stepped-up security footprint since the assassination attempt in July. When he has been at Trump Tower in New York, a lineup of dump trucks have parked in a wall outside the building. And at outdoor rallies, he now speaks from behind an enclosure of bulletproof glass.The White House said President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, had both been briefed and would be kept updated on the investigation. The White House added they were “relieved” to know Trump is safe.Harris, in a statement said she was “glad” Trump was safe, adding that “violence has no place in America.”In an X post, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C, one of Trump’s top congressional allies, said he had spoken with Trump after the incident and that Trump was in “good spirits” and was “one of the strongest people I’ve ever known.The Martin County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post on Sunday that it has stopped the vehicle on northbound Interstate 95 and taken a suspect into custody who is believed to be connected to the shooting.The sheriff’s office said it made the stop after authorities in neighboring Palm Beach County put out a “be on the lookout” alert.Attorney General Merrick Garland has been briefed on the situation and is receiving regular updates about it, a Justice Department spokeswoman said.The post by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office indicated the suspect was apprehended near Palm City, Florida, about a 45-mile drive north of Trump’s golf course. Northbound lanes of I-95 were shut down, the sheriff’s office said.A message sent to campaign officials seeking information on the security status and location of Ohio Sen. JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, was not immediately returned.Max Egusquiza, of Palm Beach, described the emergency response outside Trump’s West Palm Beach golf course.“From what I saw 5 black unmarked SUVs blocked in a grey Mercedes in front of the golf course. There were about 20 or more cop cars flying from nearby streets,” he said.Trump is supposed to speak about cryptocurrency live Monday night on the social media site X for the launch of his sons’ crypto platform. He’s expected to do that from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. The former president is scheduled to return to the campaign trail on Tuesday for a town hall in Flint, Michigan with his former press secretary, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, followed by a campaign rally in New York on Long Island on Wednesday.At the end of the week, he’s scheduled to attend and address the Israeli-American Council National Summit in Washington, D.C. and on Saturday hold a rally in Wilmington, North Carolina.

    A man with an AK-style rifle pushed the firearm’s muzzle through the perimeter of Donald Trump’s West Palm Beach, Florida golf course Sunday as the Republican presidential candidate was playing a round, prompting U.S. Secret Service to open fire, according to three law enforcement officials. The former president is safe and unharmed.

    The person dropped the weapon and fled in an SUV, and was later apprehended in a neighboring county, the officials said. The officials were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

    An AK-style firearm was recovered at the scene near Trump’s golf course, two of the officials said. And no injuries were reported.

    Martin County Sheriff’s Office

    The incident was the latest jarring moment in a campaign year marked by unprecedented upheaval. It occurred roughly two months after Trump was shot during an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania, and a bullet grazed his ear. Only a week later, President Joe Biden withdrew from the race.

    The golf course was partially shut down for Trump as he played, and agents were a few holes ahead of him when they noticed the person with the firearm, the officials said. There are several areas around the perimeter of the property where golfers are visible from the fence line. Secret Service agents and officers in golf carts and on ATVs generally secure the area several holes ahead and behind Trump when he golfs. Agents also usually bring an armored vehicle onto the course to quickly shelter Trump should a threat arise.

    Trump had returned to Florida this weekend from a West Coast swing that included a Friday night rally in Las Vegas and a Utah fundraiser. Trump often spends the morning playing golf, before having lunch at the Trump International Golf Club West Palm Beach, one of three he owns in the state.

    He has had a stepped-up security footprint since the assassination attempt in July. When he has been at Trump Tower in New York, a lineup of dump trucks have parked in a wall outside the building. And at outdoor rallies, he now speaks from behind an enclosure of bulletproof glass.

    The White House said President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, had both been briefed and would be kept updated on the investigation. The White House added they were “relieved” to know Trump is safe.

    Harris, in a statement said she was “glad” Trump was safe, adding that “violence has no place in America.”

    In an X post, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C, one of Trump’s top congressional allies, said he had spoken with Trump after the incident and that Trump was in “good spirits” and was “one of the strongest people I’ve ever known.

    The Martin County Sheriff’s Office said in a Facebook post on Sunday that it has stopped the vehicle on northbound Interstate 95 and taken a suspect into custody who is believed to be connected to the shooting.

    The sheriff’s office said it made the stop after authorities in neighboring Palm Beach County put out a “be on the lookout” alert.

    Attorney General Merrick Garland has been briefed on the situation and is receiving regular updates about it, a Justice Department spokeswoman said.

    The post by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office indicated the suspect was apprehended near Palm City, Florida, about a 45-mile drive north of Trump’s golf course. Northbound lanes of I-95 were shut down, the sheriff’s office said.

    A message sent to campaign officials seeking information on the security status and location of Ohio Sen. JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, was not immediately returned.

    Max Egusquiza, of Palm Beach, described the emergency response outside Trump’s West Palm Beach golf course.

    “From what I saw 5 black unmarked SUVs blocked in a grey Mercedes in front of the golf course. There were about 20 or more cop cars flying from nearby streets,” he said.

    Trump is supposed to speak about cryptocurrency live Monday night on the social media site X for the launch of his sons’ crypto platform. He’s expected to do that from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. The former president is scheduled to return to the campaign trail on Tuesday for a town hall in Flint, Michigan with his former press secretary, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, followed by a campaign rally in New York on Long Island on Wednesday.

    At the end of the week, he’s scheduled to attend and address the Israeli-American Council National Summit in Washington, D.C. and on Saturday hold a rally in Wilmington, North Carolina.

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  • Kidney disease medication found to reduce risk of cardiovascular death in certain heart failure patients

    Kidney disease medication found to reduce risk of cardiovascular death in certain heart failure patients

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    CHRISTOPHER SALAS WCVB NEWSCENTER FIVE. ALL RIGHT. THERE IS A NEW STUDY THAT SHOWS THE MAIN INGREDIENT IN OZEMPIC AND WEGOVY, WHICH ALREADY HELP WITH DIABETES AND WEIGHT LOSS. MAY DRACUT RADICALLY CUT THE RISKS FROM CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE. WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT THIS HERE. TO TALK MORE ABOUT IT IS DOCTOR TODD ELLERIN. OF COURSE, WITH SOUTH SHORE HEALTH. IT’S SO INTERESTING BECAUSE IN SOME CASES IT’S THESE THESE DRUGS GET A BAD RAP BECAUSE PEOPLE GET SICK AND BUT YOU’RE A DOCTOR, YOU SEE THEM IN A TOTALLY DIFFERENT LIGHT. THIS RESEARCH SHOWS THAT. AND I’M GOING TO TRY TO GET THE RIGHT NAME. RIGHT. IS IT SEMAGLUTIDE? THAT’S EXACTLY OKAY. IT’S THE MAIN INGREDIENT IN THOSE DRUGS. AND IT HAD A 24% LOWER RISK OF MAJOR KIDNEY DISEASE ISSUES. UM, PEOPLE WHO ARE IN DIALYSIS, WHO ARE ON DIALYSIS OR THEY NEED A KIDNEY TRANSPLANT. THAT’S SIGNIFICANT. THIS IS REALLY SIGNIFICANT. MARIA WHAT WE’RE SEEING IS NOT JUST WE’VE ALREADY SEEN THESE DRUGS, SEMAGLUTIDE DECREASE, THIS DIABETES DECREASE WEIGHT LOSS. YOU KNOW, SIGNIFICANT WEIGHT LOSS ALSO HEART FAILURE DEATH FROM THIS. BUT IN THIS STUDY, LARGE STUDY 3500 PATIENTS INTERNATIONAL RANDOMIZED HALF WERE GIVEN AN INJECTION OF OZEMPIC ONE MILLIGRAM ONCE A WEEK. THE OTHER PLACEBO. AND WHAT THEY SHOWED WAS THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN NOT ONLY KIDNEY DISEASE AND KIDNEY FAILURE, BUT ALSO CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND DEATH. DEATH FROM ALL CAUSES. IT’S A BIG DEAL, BUT YOU NEED TO HAVE A PRESCRIPTION FOR THIS. SO TRUE. AND YOU NEED TO HAVE THESE ISSUES TO GET THAT PRESCRIPTION CORRECT. IN THIS STUDY. THESE WERE ALL PATIENTS WITH TYPE TWO DIABETES OKAY. AND CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE. SO YOU HAD TO HAVE BOTH FOR THIS STUDY. ALL RIGHT. SO THIS IS THE LATEST STUDY TO TO TALK ABOUT THIS ADDED BENEFIT FROM THE DRUGS. IT’S NEW. THEY’RE NEW. YOU HAVE TO ADMIT THAT THEY’RE NEW. SO HOW DO WE KNOW ABOUT LONG TERM EFFECTS. LOOK I THINK THEY’RE NEW BUT THEY’RE STILL WE’VE SEEN THIS OVER YEARS AND WE’VE SEEN MULTIPLE DRUGS FROM DIFFERENT CLASSES. AND AND WHAT WE’RE SEEING IS GI SIDE EFFECTS ARE THE MOST COMMON. AND THEN THERE ARE OTHER RARE SIDE EFFECTS. BUT REALLY THE BENEFITS ARE JUST SIGNAL SHIRLEY OUTSTRIPPING THE RISKS. THAT’S SO INTERESTING. IT IS. WE HAVE WE HAVE TO POINT OUT, BY THE WAY, THIS TRIAL WAS FUNDED BY NOVO NORDISK. THAT’S THE COMPANY THAT MAKES OZEMPIC. SO WE ALWAYS HAVE TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE. SHOULD THAT CHANGE HOW WE LOOK AT THESE RESULTS? I DON’T THINK SO. AND Y YOU HEARD ME SAY BEFORE, IT’S NOT JUST THIS PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY WITH SEMAGLUTIDE, BUT THERE’S OTHER COMPANIES LIKE ELI LILLY HAS ANOTHER APPETITE. AND WE’RE SEEING THE SAME BENEFITS AGAIN. AND AGAIN. DIFFERENT COMPANIES, NOT JUST IN DIABETICS, BUT IN PATIENTS WHO ARE OBESE. WE’RE SEEING DECREASES IN HEART FAILURE, HEART ATTACKS, STROKES. AND REMEMBER SOMETHING THIS GLP AGONISTS RIGHT. THESE RECEPTORS ARE NOT JUST ON THE HEART AND THE KIDNEY AND THE PANCREAS, BUT WE’RE ALSO SEEING IT IN THE BRAIN. SO YOU CAN IMAGINE STUDIES ARE ALSO GOING TO BE DONE IN ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE. ADDICTION. WE HAVE TO WAIT TO SEE. BUT SO FAR VERY PROMISING. WOW. SO INTERESTING. WE’VE RUN OUT OF TIME. BUT I’D LOVE TO EXPLORE MORE BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE TAKING THIS AND AND THEY’RE IN THE OFF MARKET AND THEY SHOULDN’T BE TAKING IT. THAT’S A DIFFERENT STORY, RIGHT? AND THAT’S A DIFFERENT STORY THAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT THESE HEALTH BENEFITS WITH A DOCTOR. SO VERY INTERESTING. ENJO

    Kidney disease medication found to reduce risk of cardiovascular death in certain heart failure patients in new study

    A medication that is currently used for chronic kidney disease in patients with type 2 diabetes has been found to reduce the risk of worsening heart failure and cardiovascular death in certain people with heart failure, according to a new study.Video above: Can Ozempic, Wegovy cut chronic kidney disease risk?The medication, finerenone, could be an effective therapy in people with heart failure who have mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction, suggests the study, published Sunday in the New England Journal of Medicine.”People don’t realize this, but if you’re hospitalized for heart failure, you have a life expectancy that can be worse than most cancers, and so we have been desperately looking for therapies that can lower that risk,” said Dr. Scott Solomon, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and the Edward D. Frohlich Distinguished Chair at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, who was a trial principal investigator in the study.”We’ve made enormous strides in the field of heart failure in the last 20 to 25 years, but mostly that’s been in the type of heart failure called heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, when the heart doesn’t pump very well,” Solomon said. But when it comes to heart failure with mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction, few therapies are available.”That’s the reason that we did this trial,” he said. “There’s still a huge unmet need in this population.”Ejection fraction refers to the percentage of blood the heart pumps out with each beat. When someone has heart failure with mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction, their heart could be pumping normally, or somewhat normally, but still be showing signs or symptoms of heart failure. More than 6 million people in the United States are living with heart failure, and it’s estimated that nearly half of all patients with heart failure have a mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction.The new study “highlights the importance of this type of heart failure, which is only growing as our population ages,” Solomon said.Heart failure with mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction often can be managed with medications called sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 or SGLT2 inhibitors, which help lower blood sugar. But the new study suggests that finerenone “could potentially be a second pillar of therapy in patients with heart failure with mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction,” Solomon said.Finerenone, sold under the brand names Kerendia and Firialta, was approved in 2021 by the US Food and Drug Administration to reduce the risk of serious complications in certain adults with chronic kidney disease associated with type 2 diabetes.In order for the drug to get FDA approval for use in these people with heart failure, Bayer, the pharmaceutical company behind finerenone, would need to apply to the agency for an expanded indication.The new study, funded by Bayer, included more than 6,000 people 40 and older in 37 countries who had heart failure and mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction.Between September 2020 and January 2023, the patients were separated into two groups; 3,003 were provided a daily dose of finerenone, and 2,998 were given a placebo.The international team of researchers found that there were 1,024 heart failure events among people in the placebo group, compared with 842 events in the finerenone group.Additionally, 8.7% of the participants in the placebo group died from cardiovascular causes during the course of the study, compared with 8.1% of the finerenone group, the data showed.”The reduction in morbidity and mortality that we see will translate to years of life free of heart failure events in these patients,” said Solomon, who presented the study findings Sunday at the European Society of Cardiology conference in London.Finerenone is a type of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist, or MRA. These drugs work by blocking the receptor for the hormone aldosterone. Aldosterone makes the kidneys hold on to salt and water, which can raise your blood pressure. When the drug blocks the receptor, the kidneys release excess water and salt from the blood, which can also affect potassium levels, but the drug prevents the loss of potassium. It’s important to keep potassium at certain levels because too much in the blood can damage the heart, and low levels can affect certain functions in the body.The researchers found that people taking finerenone showed a higher risk of hyperkalemia, or having too much potassium in the blood. But very few of them – 0.5% of patients in the finerenone group and 0.2% in the placebo group – were hospitalized for hyperkalemia.”Any drug that works in this way, the mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, will raise potassium in the blood,” Solomon said. “This is a very well-established and known side effect, but these drugs reduce the risk of low potassium, which also places patients at risk.”Bayer previously released top line results from this study in early August. In that announcement, Dr. Christian Rommel, head of research and development at Bayer’s Pharmaceuticals Division, said the company is “eager to bring finerenone to eligible patients as soon as possible.”A separate paper, published Sunday in The Lancet, reviewed four clinical trials on MRAs in heart failure and found “significant reductions” in heart failure hospitalizations among heart failure patients.The meta-analysis showed that steroidal MRAs reduced the risk of cardiovascular death or heart failure hospitalization in patients with heart failure who had reduced ejection fraction, and nonsteroidal MRAs reduced this risk in people with heart failure who had mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction. Finerenone, a nonsteroidal MRA, was among the drugs in the trials.If the FDA expands the use of finerenone as a heart failure therapy, cardiologist Dr. Michelle Bloom said, she would think about it as an option for her patients with mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction.”I would certainly consider using finerenone,” Bloom, heart failure cardiologist and system director of the Cardio-Oncology Program at NYU Langone Health in New York, said in an email.”However, I think the question is what the benefit of finerenone will be over the more traditional MRAs such as spironolactone and eplerenone. This remains to be answered,” she said.Overall, heart failure patients with preserved ejection fraction “have historically been difficult to treat and manage,” Dr. Jayne Morgan, an Atlanta-based cardiologist and vice president for medical affairs at the heart health company Hello Heart, said in an email.The new study “certainly provides support for additive therapy with finerenone. However certainly more data is needed, including independent data not financed by the sponsor,” Morgan said. “Further, we’d like to see more Blacks and minorities enrolled to truly make the data relevant to all sufferers.”In the study, the researchers noted that few Black patients were enrolled.Still, the study findings give “reason for cautious optimism,” Morgan said.

    CNN —

    A medication that is currently used for chronic kidney disease in patients with type 2 diabetes has been found to reduce the risk of worsening heart failure and cardiovascular death in certain people with heart failure, according to a new study.

    Video above: Can Ozempic, Wegovy cut chronic kidney disease risk?

    The medication, finerenone, could be an effective therapy in people with heart failure who have mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction, suggests the study, published Sunday in the New England Journal of Medicine.

    “People don’t realize this, but if you’re hospitalized for heart failure, you have a life expectancy that can be worse than most cancers, and so we have been desperately looking for therapies that can lower that risk,” said Dr. Scott Solomon, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and the Edward D. Frohlich Distinguished Chair at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, who was a trial principal investigator in the study.

    “We’ve made enormous strides in the field of heart failure in the last 20 to 25 years, but mostly that’s been in the type of heart failure called heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, when the heart doesn’t pump very well,” Solomon said. But when it comes to heart failure with mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction, few therapies are available.

    “That’s the reason that we did this trial,” he said. “There’s still a huge unmet need in this population.”

    Ejection fraction refers to the percentage of blood the heart pumps out with each beat. When someone has heart failure with mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction, their heart could be pumping normally, or somewhat normally, but still be showing signs or symptoms of heart failure. More than 6 million people in the United States are living with heart failure, and it’s estimated that nearly half of all patients with heart failure have a mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction.

    The new study “highlights the importance of this type of heart failure, which is only growing as our population ages,” Solomon said.

    Heart failure with mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction often can be managed with medications called sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 or SGLT2 inhibitors, which help lower blood sugar. But the new study suggests that finerenone “could potentially be a second pillar of therapy in patients with heart failure with mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction,” Solomon said.

    Finerenone, sold under the brand names Kerendia and Firialta, was approved in 2021 by the US Food and Drug Administration to reduce the risk of serious complications in certain adults with chronic kidney disease associated with type 2 diabetes.

    In order for the drug to get FDA approval for use in these people with heart failure, Bayer, the pharmaceutical company behind finerenone, would need to apply to the agency for an expanded indication.

    The new study, funded by Bayer, included more than 6,000 people 40 and older in 37 countries who had heart failure and mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction.

    Between September 2020 and January 2023, the patients were separated into two groups; 3,003 were provided a daily dose of finerenone, and 2,998 were given a placebo.

    The international team of researchers found that there were 1,024 heart failure events among people in the placebo group, compared with 842 events in the finerenone group.

    Additionally, 8.7% of the participants in the placebo group died from cardiovascular causes during the course of the study, compared with 8.1% of the finerenone group, the data showed.

    “The reduction in morbidity and mortality that we see will translate to years of life free of heart failure events in these patients,” said Solomon, who presented the study findings Sunday at the European Society of Cardiology conference in London.

    Finerenone is a type of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist, or MRA. These drugs work by blocking the receptor for the hormone aldosterone. Aldosterone makes the kidneys hold on to salt and water, which can raise your blood pressure. When the drug blocks the receptor, the kidneys release excess water and salt from the blood, which can also affect potassium levels, but the drug prevents the loss of potassium. It’s important to keep potassium at certain levels because too much in the blood can damage the heart, and low levels can affect certain functions in the body.

    The researchers found that people taking finerenone showed a higher risk of hyperkalemia, or having too much potassium in the blood. But very few of them – 0.5% of patients in the finerenone group and 0.2% in the placebo group – were hospitalized for hyperkalemia.

    “Any drug that works in this way, the mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, will raise potassium in the blood,” Solomon said. “This is a very well-established and known side effect, but these drugs reduce the risk of low potassium, which also places patients at risk.”

    Bayer previously released top line results from this study in early August. In that announcement, Dr. Christian Rommel, head of research and development at Bayer’s Pharmaceuticals Division, said the company is “eager to bring finerenone to eligible patients as soon as possible.”

    A separate paper, published Sunday in The Lancet, reviewed four clinical trials on MRAs in heart failure and found “significant reductions” in heart failure hospitalizations among heart failure patients.

    The meta-analysis showed that steroidal MRAs reduced the risk of cardiovascular death or heart failure hospitalization in patients with heart failure who had reduced ejection fraction, and nonsteroidal MRAs reduced this risk in people with heart failure who had mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction. Finerenone, a nonsteroidal MRA, was among the drugs in the trials.

    If the FDA expands the use of finerenone as a heart failure therapy, cardiologist Dr. Michelle Bloom said, she would think about it as an option for her patients with mildly reduced or preserved ejection fraction.

    “I would certainly consider using finerenone,” Bloom, heart failure cardiologist and system director of the Cardio-Oncology Program at NYU Langone Health in New York, said in an email.

    “However, I think the question is what the benefit of finerenone will be over the more traditional MRAs such as spironolactone and eplerenone. This remains to be answered,” she said.

    Overall, heart failure patients with preserved ejection fraction “have historically been difficult to treat and manage,” Dr. Jayne Morgan, an Atlanta-based cardiologist and vice president for medical affairs at the heart health company Hello Heart, said in an email.

    The new study “certainly provides support for additive therapy with finerenone. However certainly more data is needed, including independent data not financed by the sponsor,” Morgan said. “Further, we’d like to see more Blacks and minorities enrolled to truly make the data relevant to all sufferers.”

    In the study, the researchers noted that few Black patients were enrolled.

    Still, the study findings give “reason for cautious optimism,” Morgan said.

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  • ABBA tells Trump campaign to stop using their music

    ABBA tells Trump campaign to stop using their music

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    ABBA is requesting that former President Donald Trump stop using their music for his presidential campaign, after the group became aware of unauthorized use of its songs at a recent rally.A representative for ABBA told CNN that the Trump campaign did not request or obtain permission from the group or its label, Universal Music.In a statement to CNN, a representative for the band said: “ABBA has recently discovered the unauthorized use of their music and videos at a Trump event through videos that appeared online. As a result, ABBA and its representative has promptly requested the removal and deletion of such content. No request has been received; therefore, no permission or license has been granted.”A Trump official told CNN: “The campaign had a license to play ABBA music through our agreement with BMI and ASCAP.”BMI and ASCAP are Performance Rights Organizations based in the U.S. For a political campaign to play music at a rally, a license from a Performance Rights Organization (PRO) is required. Even with a PRO license, artists and songwriters have various rights of approval, depending how a song is used in a rally, according to legal experts.Attorney Heidy Vaquerano, a Los Angeles-based partner at the law firm Fox Rothschild who specializes in music, explained to CNN that if a song is used with video images, it could require an additional license.”The campaign would need to reach out to the respective songwriters of the musical composition through their publisher and the artist’s record label for permission. The publisher, in turn, would go to the artist for their approval for the use,” Vaquerano told CNN.ABBA joins a growing list of artists who have spoken out against Trump using their music for campaign purposes.The rock band Foo Fighters said they did not authorize the Trump campaign to use their song “My Hero,” which was played at a rally in Arizona.Trump’s campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung told CNN they did “have a license to play the song.” A representative for Foo Fighters told CNN the band was not asked permission by the Trump campaign.The feud between Trump and Foo Fighters highlights a now-familiar tension between some musicians and the campaign, which despite obtaining certain licenses are faced with artists who do not want their music being aligned with Trump’s politics.More artists speak outRocker Jack White has also condemned the Trump campaign for using his music in a social media video.On Thursday, Trump’s Deputy Director of Communications Margo Martin posted a video on X of the former president boarding a plane that was set to The White Stripes’ hit song “Seven Nation Army.”White wrote a strongly-worded post on his Instagram that read in part: “Don’t even think about using my music.” He said he intended to file a lawsuit.The video was removed from Martin’s X account shortly after White’s post.CNN has reached out to the Trump campaign and representatives for White for comment.This is not the first time the Trump campaign has pulled down a social media video, after a star objected and threatened legal action.Earlier this month, Cheung posted a video of Trump on X that was set to Beyoncé’s song “Freedom.” Beyoncé’s label reportedly threatened the Trump campaign with a cease and desist for the social media video. It was shortly taken down after. (CNN has reached out to a representative for Beyoncé.)CNN previously reported that Beyoncé gave her sign-off to Kamala Harris to use “Freedom” as her official campaign song.At a Trump rally in Montana earlier in August, Celine Dion’s song and video for “My Heart Will Go On” was played, prompting her team to speak out. “In no way is this use authorized, and Celine Dion does not endorse this or any similar use,” the singer’s team said in a statement.The estate of soul singer Isaac Hayes filed a copyright infringement suit against Trump for using the soul artist’s songs at rallies, so far becoming the only musician to take legal action against the campaign. A hearing on the matter is set for next week.Trump has been using music from artists who don’t support him for years.During his 2016 and 2020 campaigns, musicians including Bruce Springsteen, Rihanna, Phil Collins, Neil Young, Pharrell, Rolling Stones, Adele, Guns N’ Roses and the estates of the Beatles and Prince all spoke out against Trump for using their music.

    ABBA is requesting that former President Donald Trump stop using their music for his presidential campaign, after the group became aware of unauthorized use of its songs at a recent rally.

    A representative for ABBA told CNN that the Trump campaign did not request or obtain permission from the group or its label, Universal Music.

    In a statement to CNN, a representative for the band said: “ABBA has recently discovered the unauthorized use of their music and videos at a Trump event through videos that appeared online. As a result, ABBA and its representative has promptly requested the removal and deletion of such content. No request has been received; therefore, no permission or license has been granted.”

    A Trump official told CNN: “The campaign had a license to play ABBA music through our agreement with BMI and ASCAP.”

    BMI and ASCAP are Performance Rights Organizations based in the U.S. For a political campaign to play music at a rally, a license from a Performance Rights Organization (PRO) is required. Even with a PRO license, artists and songwriters have various rights of approval, depending how a song is used in a rally, according to legal experts.

    Attorney Heidy Vaquerano, a Los Angeles-based partner at the law firm Fox Rothschild who specializes in music, explained to CNN that if a song is used with video images, it could require an additional license.

    “The campaign would need to reach out to the respective songwriters of the musical composition through their publisher and the artist’s record label for permission. The publisher, in turn, would go to the artist for their approval for the use,” Vaquerano told CNN.

    ABBA joins a growing list of artists who have spoken out against Trump using their music for campaign purposes.

    The rock band Foo Fighters said they did not authorize the Trump campaign to use their song “My Hero,” which was played at a rally in Arizona.

    Trump’s campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung told CNN they did “have a license to play the song.” A representative for Foo Fighters told CNN the band was not asked permission by the Trump campaign.

    The feud between Trump and Foo Fighters highlights a now-familiar tension between some musicians and the campaign, which despite obtaining certain licenses are faced with artists who do not want their music being aligned with Trump’s politics.

    More artists speak out

    Rocker Jack White has also condemned the Trump campaign for using his music in a social media video.

    On Thursday, Trump’s Deputy Director of Communications Margo Martin posted a video on X of the former president boarding a plane that was set to The White Stripes’ hit song “Seven Nation Army.”

    White wrote a strongly-worded post on his Instagram that read in part: “Don’t even think about using my music.” He said he intended to file a lawsuit.

    The video was removed from Martin’s X account shortly after White’s post.

    CNN has reached out to the Trump campaign and representatives for White for comment.

    This is not the first time the Trump campaign has pulled down a social media video, after a star objected and threatened legal action.

    Earlier this month, Cheung posted a video of Trump on X that was set to Beyoncé’s song “Freedom.” Beyoncé’s label reportedly threatened the Trump campaign with a cease and desist for the social media video. It was shortly taken down after. (CNN has reached out to a representative for Beyoncé.)

    CNN previously reported that Beyoncé gave her sign-off to Kamala Harris to use “Freedom” as her official campaign song.

    At a Trump rally in Montana earlier in August, Celine Dion’s song and video for “My Heart Will Go On” was played, prompting her team to speak out. “In no way is this use authorized, and Celine Dion does not endorse this or any similar use,” the singer’s team said in a statement.

    The estate of soul singer Isaac Hayes filed a copyright infringement suit against Trump for using the soul artist’s songs at rallies, so far becoming the only musician to take legal action against the campaign. A hearing on the matter is set for next week.

    Trump has been using music from artists who don’t support him for years.

    During his 2016 and 2020 campaigns, musicians including Bruce Springsteen, Rihanna, Phil Collins, Neil Young, Pharrell, Rolling Stones, Adele, Guns N’ Roses and the estates of the Beatles and Prince all spoke out against Trump for using their music.

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  • Can Beyoncé, Celine Dion and Foo Fighters stop Trump from using their music? It’s complicated

    Can Beyoncé, Celine Dion and Foo Fighters stop Trump from using their music? It’s complicated

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    The day after President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race and endorsed Kamala Harris to become the Democratic presidential nominee, CNN reported that Beyoncé had given her sign-off for the Vice President to use “Freedom” as her official campaign song. So, it was a seemingly antagonistic choice when the Republican nominee’s campaign played the same Beyoncé song as the backdrop of a recent social media video to showcase former President Donald Trump.From Celine Dion and Foo Fighters to Bruce Springsteen and Prince’s estate numerous artists over the years have objected to the use of their music by the Trump campaign. But depending on how and where their music is used, musicians may have grounds to take action beyond rebuking, according to legal experts.In Beyoncé’s case, it wasn’t just a social media post. The Trump campaign has also used her music during at least one rally this summer, even though Beyoncé endorsed the Biden-Harris ticket in 2020 and is a longtime Democratic supporter.Her song “Texas Hold ‘Em” from the album “Cowboy Carter” was played at a Trump event on July 31 at the New Holland Arena in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, according to a video of the rally viewed by CNN.Beyoncé’s representatives did not respond to CNN’s requests for comment. But last week, Rolling Stone reported her label threatened to send a cease-and-desist to the Trump campaign after they had used “Freedom” in the social media video, which was posted by Trump’s campaign spokesperson, Steven Cheung.Shortly after Beyoncé’s team reportedly threatened legal action, the video was taken down.In a statement to CNN, Cheung said he used “Freedom” to provoke the opposing party.”The purpose of the post just proved the point that Democrats are all about banning things, including freedom. They fell for it hook, line, and sinker,” Cheung said.Music licensing and approvalLicensing music and obtaining rights and clearances is an expensive, complicated and litigious business. Movie studios regularly pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to obtain the rights to a single song, while brands can pay millions to repeat a tune in commercials to help sell a product.Political campaigns are no exception.”A license is required for any use of music whether in a venue, convention, online via YouTube or social media platform,” attorney Heidy Vaquerano, a Los Angeles-based partner at the law firm Fox Rothschild who specializes in music, told CNN.Even if a license is obtained, artists may still be able to object to the use of their music by political campaigns.Just days ago, Foo Fighters said they did not authorize the Trump campaign to use their song “My Hero,” which was played at a rally in Arizona where Trump was joined by Robert Kennedy Jr., shortly after he endorsed the former president. A representative for Foo Fighters told CNN the band was not asked permission by the Trump campaign, and said any royalties received “as a result of this use will be donated to the Harris/Walz campaign.”Trump’s spokesperson, Cheung, told CNN, “We have a license to play the song.”But the band’s representative reiterated, “Foo Fighters were not asked permission, and if they were they would not have granted it.”There are some legal protections for artists around the use of their name, image or likeness. Even with a public performance license to play a song at a rally, the Trump campaign could be in violation of an artist’s publicity rights or a “false endorsement, where use of an artist’s work implies artist supports the candidate,” Vacquerano said.In order for a political campaign to use an artist’s song on social media, the campaign would have to reach out to songwriters, the publisher and the artist’s label for approval, she added.When Trump ran in 2016 and 2020, Rihanna, Phil Collins, Neil Young, Pharrell, Rolling Stones, Adele, Guns N’ Roses and the estate of the Beatles all spoke out about Trump using their music. That pattern has continued this election cycle.Earlier this month, Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” was played at a Trump rally in Bozeman, Montana, along with a video of the star singing on the big screen. After videos surfaced on social media, the singer’s team spoke out.”In no way is this use authorized, and Celine Dion does not endorse this or any similar use…And really, THAT song?” her team posted on X.The estate of Isaac Hayes took things a step further, filing a copyright infringement suit against Trump for using the soul artist’s songs at rallies, also naming the Trump campaign, the Republican National Committee and the National Rifle Association among the defendants.In the complaint, Hayes’ estate said Trump began using Hayes’ material as “outro” music at campaign events in 2020 and have continued to use his music in 2024, as seen in one of Trump’s recent posts on Truth Social in which Hayes’ song “Hold On, I’m Comin’” can be heard playing at a rally.According to court documents obtained by CNN, attorneys for the estate claim that the campaign has not “obtained a valid public performance license,” and are asking for “compensatory damages for the unauthorized use” of Hayes’ music. Hayes’ estate was granted an emergency hearing on the matter in federal court on September 3.”See you in court,” Hayes’ son posted on X.Trump has not publicly commented on the matter.Vaquerano believes that the Hayes estate has a viable case.”If the campaign did not obtain the necessary licenses,” the attorney said, “Then each use of the music constitutes a new infringing use and the respective copyright owners would be entitled to statutory damages and actual damages for loss of sales, licensing, revenue or other provable financial loss caused by the use of the music in the Trump campaign.”Trump is known to be selective about music. Sources with first-hand knowledge told CNN that Trump chooses some of his rally songs himself. At his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, he’ll pick out the patio playlist on an iPad set up for guests at his dinners, according to these sources.Back on the stump, Trump may be well-served to stick with music by artists who have endorsed him, like Kid Rock.CNN’s Kristen Holmes contributed to this report.

    CNN —

    The day after President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race and endorsed Kamala Harris to become the Democratic presidential nominee, CNN reported that Beyoncé had given her sign-off for the Vice President to use “Freedom” as her official campaign song. So, it was a seemingly antagonistic choice when the Republican nominee’s campaign played the same Beyoncé song as the backdrop of a recent social media video to showcase former President Donald Trump.

    From Celine Dion and Foo Fighters to Bruce Springsteen and Prince’s estate numerous artists over the years have objected to the use of their music by the Trump campaign. But depending on how and where their music is used, musicians may have grounds to take action beyond rebuking, according to legal experts.

    In Beyoncé’s case, it wasn’t just a social media post. The Trump campaign has also used her music during at least one rally this summer, even though Beyoncé endorsed the Biden-Harris ticket in 2020 and is a longtime Democratic supporter.

    Her song “Texas Hold ‘Em” from the album “Cowboy Carter” was played at a Trump event on July 31 at the New Holland Arena in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, according to a video of the rally viewed by CNN.

    Beyoncé’s representatives did not respond to CNN’s requests for comment. But last week, Rolling Stone reported her label threatened to send a cease-and-desist to the Trump campaign after they had used “Freedom” in the social media video, which was posted by Trump’s campaign spokesperson, Steven Cheung.

    Shortly after Beyoncé’s team reportedly threatened legal action, the video was taken down.

    In a statement to CNN, Cheung said he used “Freedom” to provoke the opposing party.

    “The purpose of the post just proved the point that Democrats are all about banning things, including freedom. They fell for it hook, line, and sinker,” Cheung said.

    Music licensing and approval

    Licensing music and obtaining rights and clearances is an expensive, complicated and litigious business. Movie studios regularly pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to obtain the rights to a single song, while brands can pay millions to repeat a tune in commercials to help sell a product.

    Political campaigns are no exception.

    “A license is required for any use of music whether in a venue, convention, online via YouTube or social media platform,” attorney Heidy Vaquerano, a Los Angeles-based partner at the law firm Fox Rothschild who specializes in music, told CNN.

    Even if a license is obtained, artists may still be able to object to the use of their music by political campaigns.

    Just days ago, Foo Fighters said they did not authorize the Trump campaign to use their song “My Hero,” which was played at a rally in Arizona where Trump was joined by Robert Kennedy Jr., shortly after he endorsed the former president. A representative for Foo Fighters told CNN the band was not asked permission by the Trump campaign, and said any royalties received “as a result of this use will be donated to the Harris/Walz campaign.”

    Trump’s spokesperson, Cheung, told CNN, “We have a license to play the song.”

    But the band’s representative reiterated, “Foo Fighters were not asked permission, and if they were they would not have granted it.”

    There are some legal protections for artists around the use of their name, image or likeness. Even with a public performance license to play a song at a rally, the Trump campaign could be in violation of an artist’s publicity rights or a “false endorsement, where use of an artist’s work implies [an] artist supports the candidate,” Vacquerano said.

    In order for a political campaign to use an artist’s song on social media, the campaign would have to reach out to songwriters, the publisher and the artist’s label for approval, she added.

    When Trump ran in 2016 and 2020, Rihanna, Phil Collins, Neil Young, Pharrell, Rolling Stones, Adele, Guns N’ Roses and the estate of the Beatles all spoke out about Trump using their music. That pattern has continued this election cycle.

    Earlier this month, Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On” was played at a Trump rally in Bozeman, Montana, along with a video of the star singing on the big screen. After videos surfaced on social media, the singer’s team spoke out.

    “In no way is this use authorized, and Celine Dion does not endorse this or any similar use…And really, THAT song?” her team posted on X.

    The estate of Isaac Hayes took things a step further, filing a copyright infringement suit against Trump for using the soul artist’s songs at rallies, also naming the Trump campaign, the Republican National Committee and the National Rifle Association among the defendants.

    In the complaint, Hayes’ estate said Trump began using Hayes’ material as “outro” music at campaign events in 2020 and have continued to use his music in 2024, as seen in one of Trump’s recent posts on Truth Social in which Hayes’ song “Hold On, I’m Comin’” can be heard playing at a rally.

    According to court documents obtained by CNN, attorneys for the estate claim that the campaign has not “obtained a valid public performance license,” and are asking for “compensatory damages for the unauthorized use” of Hayes’ music. Hayes’ estate was granted an emergency hearing on the matter in federal court on September 3.

    “See you in court,” Hayes’ son posted on X.

    Trump has not publicly commented on the matter.

    Vaquerano believes that the Hayes estate has a viable case.

    “If the campaign did not obtain the necessary licenses,” the attorney said, “Then each use of the music constitutes a new infringing use and the respective copyright owners would be entitled to statutory damages and actual damages for loss of sales, licensing, revenue or other provable financial loss caused by the use of the music in the Trump campaign.”

    Trump is known to be selective about music. Sources with first-hand knowledge told CNN that Trump chooses some of his rally songs himself. At his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, he’ll pick out the patio playlist on an iPad set up for guests at his dinners, according to these sources.

    Back on the stump, Trump may be well-served to stick with music by artists who have endorsed him, like Kid Rock.

    CNN’s Kristen Holmes contributed to this report.

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  • Los Angeles Chargers players rescued by Dallas fire department after getting stranded in a hotel elevator

    Los Angeles Chargers players rescued by Dallas fire department after getting stranded in a hotel elevator

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    Several Los Angeles Chargers players and staff got stuck in a hotel elevator on Friday and had to be rescued by the Dallas Fire Department, the team announced later that day.When Dallas Fire-Rescue arrived on the scene, they helped everyone escape from the “inoperable elevator … through its ceiling panel and into an adjacent elevator,” the Chargers said in a statement posted on their social media platforms.”The Los Angeles Chargers thank Dallas Fire-Rescue for their quick response, professionalism and substantial efforts in ensuring everyone’s safety,” they added.Videos posted on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, by a local reporter showed several fire engines with their lights still flashing, parked outside One Main Place in Dallas – a 33-story building skyscraper that contains a Westin Hotel as well as other facilities.An elevator technician initially attempted to repair the elevator, Dallas Fire-Rescue told CNN affiliate WFAA, before the fire department deployed its Urban Search and Rescue team.WFAA added that a total of 15 people were stuck in the elevator in a “blind shaft” somewhere between the third and 15th floors of the hotel.On Saturday, the Los Angeles Chargers traveled to Dallas for their preseason finale against the Dallas Cowboys.

    CNN —

    Several Los Angeles Chargers players and staff got stuck in a hotel elevator on Friday and had to be rescued by the Dallas Fire Department, the team announced later that day.

    When Dallas Fire-Rescue arrived on the scene, they helped everyone escape from the “inoperable elevator … through its ceiling panel and into an adjacent elevator,” the Chargers said in a statement posted on their social media platforms.

    “The Los Angeles Chargers thank Dallas Fire-Rescue for their quick response, professionalism and substantial efforts in ensuring everyone’s safety,” they added.

    Videos posted on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, by a local reporter showed several fire engines with their lights still flashing, parked outside One Main Place in Dallas – a 33-story building skyscraper that contains a Westin Hotel as well as other facilities.

    An elevator technician initially attempted to repair the elevator, Dallas Fire-Rescue told CNN affiliate WFAA, before the fire department deployed its Urban Search and Rescue team.

    WFAA added that a total of 15 people were stuck in the elevator in a “blind shaft” somewhere between the third and 15th floors of the hotel.

    On Saturday, the Los Angeles Chargers traveled to Dallas for their preseason finale against the Dallas Cowboys.

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  • Australian Olympic chief condemns ‘bullying’ online petition attacking Raygun’s breaking credentials

    Australian Olympic chief condemns ‘bullying’ online petition attacking Raygun’s breaking credentials

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    The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) has condemned an anonymous online petition concerning Rachael Gunn – the viral breaker known as Raygun – saying it contains falsehoods about how she was selected to compete at the Paris Games.Gunn, a 36-year-old university lecturer from Sydney, failed to register a point in her battles against USA’s Logistx, France’s Syssy and Lithuania’s Nicka, losing 18-0 on each occasion. Meanwhile, her performance ignited widespread social media commentary and critique.In a statement on Thursday, the AOC’s Chief Executive Officer Matt Carroll criticized the “vexatious, misleading and bullying” petition that “contains numerous falsehoods designed to engender hatred against an athlete who was selected in the Australian Olympic Team through a transparent and independent qualification event and nomination process.”The petition, published on Sunday and addressed to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the AOC, was posted to Change.org. It alleges – without evidence – that Gunn “manipulated” the selection process, “raising serious questions about the fairness and integrity of the process.”It also alleges that Gunn’s husband could have been part of the selection panel and calls for Gunn and Australia’s Olympic chef de mission Anna Meares to apologize for “misleading the Australian public and attempting to gaslight the public and undermining the efforts of genuine athletes.”Gunn said in an Instagram video that she didn’t realize her performance would “open the door to so much hate, which has frankly been pretty devastating.”She added: “I really appreciate the positivity and I’m glad I was able to bring some joy into your lives – that’s what I hoped.”Carroll said the AOC has written to Change.org demanding that the petition be immediately withdrawn.”The AOC is particularly offended by the affront to our Chef de Mission, Anna Meares,” said Carroll. “The Australian Team Chef de Mission played no role in the qualification events nor the nomination of athletes to the AOC Selection Committee, of which the Chef and I are members.”It is disgraceful that these falsehoods concocted by an anonymous person can be published in this way. It amounts to bullying and harassment and is defamatory,” his statement added.”The petition has stirred up public hatred without any factual basis. It’s appalling. No athlete who has represented their country at the Olympic Games should be treated in this way and we are supporting Dr Gunn and Anna Meares at this time.”CNN has contacted Change.org for further comment.Gunn added in her Instagram video statement: “I’d really like to ask the press to please stop harassing my family, my friends, the Australian breaking community and the broader street dance community.”Everyone has been through a lot as a result of this, so I ask you to please respect their privacy.”

    CNN —

    The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) has condemned an anonymous online petition concerning Rachael Gunn – the viral breaker known as Raygun – saying it contains falsehoods about how she was selected to compete at the Paris Games.

    Gunn, a 36-year-old university lecturer from Sydney, failed to register a point in her battles against USA’s Logistx, France’s Syssy and Lithuania’s Nicka, losing 18-0 on each occasion. Meanwhile, her performance ignited widespread social media commentary and critique.

    In a statement on Thursday, the AOC’s Chief Executive Officer Matt Carroll criticized the “vexatious, misleading and bullying” petition that “contains numerous falsehoods designed to engender hatred against an athlete who was selected in the Australian Olympic Team through a transparent and independent qualification event and nomination process.”

    The petition, published on Sunday and addressed to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the AOC, was posted to Change.org. It alleges – without evidence – that Gunn “manipulated” the selection process, “raising serious questions about the fairness and integrity of the process.”

    It also alleges that Gunn’s husband could have been part of the selection panel and calls for Gunn and Australia’s Olympic chef de mission Anna Meares to apologize for “misleading the Australian public and attempting to gaslight the public and undermining the efforts of genuine athletes.”

    Gunn said in an Instagram video that she didn’t realize her performance would “open the door to so much hate, which has frankly been pretty devastating.”

    She added: “I really appreciate the positivity and I’m glad I was able to bring some joy into your lives – that’s what I hoped.”

    Carroll said the AOC has written to Change.org demanding that the petition be immediately withdrawn.

    “The AOC is particularly offended by the affront to our Chef de Mission, Anna Meares,” said Carroll. “The Australian Team Chef de Mission played no role in the qualification events nor the nomination of athletes to the AOC Selection Committee, of which the Chef and I are members.

    “It is disgraceful that these falsehoods concocted by an anonymous person can be published in this way. It amounts to bullying and harassment and is defamatory,” his statement added.

    “The petition has stirred up public hatred without any factual basis. It’s appalling. No athlete who has represented their country at the Olympic Games should be treated in this way and we are supporting Dr Gunn and Anna Meares at this time.”

    CNN has contacted Change.org for further comment.

    Gunn added in her Instagram video statement: “I’d really like to ask the press to please stop harassing my family, my friends, the Australian breaking community and the broader street dance community.

    “Everyone has been through a lot as a result of this, so I ask you to please respect their privacy.”

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  • Tom Cruise performs crazy stunt jump from stadium roof during Olympics closing ceremony

    Tom Cruise performs crazy stunt jump from stadium roof during Olympics closing ceremony

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    The Olympic Games are about to go Hollywood, and Tom Cruise just gave everyone a taste of what it’s going to be like.During Sunday’s closing ceremony, the “Mission: Impossible” star performed a daredevil stunt jump from the top of the Stade de France.As the spotlight found Cruise on the roof, he was lowered down to the arena floor on a cable. He then made his way through the athletes to the stage, shaking hands and taking selfies along the way, including one very enthusiastic embrace from a female athlete.That wasn’t all.As part of the Hollywood handoff to Los Angeles, who will host the Games in 2028, Cruise took the Olympic flag, fixed it to a motorcycle and drove out of the stadium through a crowd of athletes. In a bit of movie magic, Cruise was next seen in an apparent pre-taped segment riding through Paris until he reached a plane that defied space and time to reach Los Angeles.As the camera zoomed out, Cruise was seen at the Hollywood sign, where the Olympic rings replaced the double “o”s in the word Hollywood.Yes, all of that really happened.Cruise is, of course, known for his love of stunt work.The actor famously has put his body on the line for many films, especially the multibillion-dollar “Mission” franchise, in which he plays spy Ethan Hunt. An eighth installment is expected in 2025.”It’s not that I don’t get scared,” the actor told CNN last year. “It’s that I don’t mind being scared.”

    CNN —

    The Olympic Games are about to go Hollywood, and Tom Cruise just gave everyone a taste of what it’s going to be like.

    During Sunday’s closing ceremony, the “Mission: Impossible” star performed a daredevil stunt jump from the top of the Stade de France.

    As the spotlight found Cruise on the roof, he was lowered down to the arena floor on a cable. He then made his way through the athletes to the stage, shaking hands and taking selfies along the way, including one very enthusiastic embrace from a female athlete.

    That wasn’t all.

    As part of the Hollywood handoff to Los Angeles, who will host the Games in 2028, Cruise took the Olympic flag, fixed it to a motorcycle and drove out of the stadium through a crowd of athletes.

    In a bit of movie magic, Cruise was next seen in an apparent pre-taped segment riding through Paris until he reached a plane that defied space and time to reach Los Angeles.

    As the camera zoomed out, Cruise was seen at the Hollywood sign, where the Olympic rings replaced the double “o”s in the word Hollywood.

    Yes, all of that really happened.

    Cruise is, of course, known for his love of stunt work.

    The actor famously has put his body on the line for many films, especially the multibillion-dollar “Mission” franchise, in which he plays spy Ethan Hunt. An eighth installment is expected in 2025.

    “It’s not that I don’t get scared,” the actor told CNN last year. “It’s that I don’t mind being scared.”

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