Harvey Weinstein diagnosed with cancer, reports say
Disgraced movie mogul and convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein has been diagnosed with cancer, according to multiple sources. Reports say he has chronic myeloid leukemia, a form of bone marrow cancer, and he’s undergoing treatment at Rikers Island prison in New York where he’s serving a 16-year sentence.
“Craig Rothfeld, Mr. Weinstein’s authorized legal healthcare representative in New York State, expresses profound dismay at the speculation surrounding Mr. Weinstein’s medical condition,” Weinstein’s spokesperson Juda Engelmayer said in a statement provided to Variety. “It is both troubling and unacceptable that such private and confidential health matters have become a subject of public discourse. Out of respect for Mr. Weinstein’s privacy, we will offer no further comment.”
This is just the latest health issue Weinstein has faced behind bars. Last month, he had emergency heart surgery to alleviate a significant amount of fluid in his lungs and heart, and he was hospitalized in July with COVID-19 and double pneumonia.
Harris, Trump look for votes in battlegrounds with 2 weeks to go
With exactly two weeks to go until Election Day, both candidates for president are blitzing the battleground states. And we’ve learned how long student loan repayments for about eight million Americans will remain on hold. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024.
Harris, Trump look for more votes in battlegrounds with 2 weeks to go
With two weeks to go until Election Day, the presidential candidates are crisscrossing the country trying to pick up any undecided voters that remain.
.@Liz_Cheney: Vice President Harris is going to defend our Constitution. We're not always gonna agree, but I know Vice President Harris will always do what she believes is right for this country. She has a sincere heart, and that's why I'm honored to support her pic.twitter.com/lcFD6MGDSF
“So, I think that we are facing a choice in this election; it’s not about party, it’s about right and wrong,” Cheney said. “And I certainly have many Republicans who will say to me, ‘I can’t be public.’ They do worry about a whole range of things including violence, but they’ll do the right thing.”
In Wisconsin, Harris described her opponent former President Donald Trump as “unstable,” referencing comments made by former Trump cabinet members.
“I think it’s very important that we acknowledge — and I have said publicly that Donald Trump is an unserious man,” Harris said, “and the consequences of him ever being President of United States again are brutally serious. Brutally serious.”
Former President Trump visited North Carolina on Monday where he surveyed the damage created by Hurricane Helene and continued his criticism of the Biden administration’s relief efforts.
“The power of nature, nothing you can do about it, but you got to get a little bit better crew and to do a better job than has been done by the White House,” Trump said. “It’s been not good. Not good. I’m here today in western North Carolina to express a simple message to the incredible people of the state: I’m with you and the American people are with you all the way. We’re going to continue to be with you. We’ll see what happens with the election. And we’re, on January 20th, you’re going to have, I think, a new crew coming in to do it properly and help you in a proper manner.”
Trump made two more stops while in North Carolina Monday, holding a rally and speaking at a faith leaders’ event.
On Tuesday, Oct. 22, former President Trump will continue campaigning in North Carolina with a rally in Greensboro, and Vice President Harris will sit down for an interview with NBC News in Washington, D.C.
Blinken in Israel to revive Gaza cease-fire talks after Sinwar death
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Israel once again — his 11th visit to the region since war broke out between Israel and Hamas a little more than a year ago.
On my way to Israel and other stops in the Middle East for intensive discussions about the importance of ending the war in Gaza, returning the hostages to their families, and alleviating the suffering of the Palestinian people. pic.twitter.com/lIaRUo7Ea2
This visit is the first stop on a wider tour of the Middle East in which Blinken is expected to revive talks for a cease-fire in Gaza in the wake of the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
Blinken’s weeklong trip comes as the Middle East braces for Israel’s response to an Iranian missile attack on Tel Aviv earlier this month.
Teen arrested after 2 adults, 3 children killed in shooting at Washington home
Officials with the King County Sheriff’s Office said another teenager who had been injured went to a Seattle hospital. They said that teenager and the teen in custody both live at the home where the shooting happened, but did not know the relationships between those teens and the five people killed.
“I just don’t know the relationships, so I’m going to withhold confirming any relationships, but it does appear to be that this is a family incident,” Deputy Mike Mellis told reporters Monday. “Clearly, a domestic violence incident that involves not only a young man — who’s now in significant trouble — and it involves firearms. Young men and firearms.”
Reports say he has chronic myeloid leukemia, a form of bone marrow cancer, and he’s undergoing treatment at Rikers Island prison in New York where he’s serving a 16-year sentence.
This is just the latest health issue Weinstein has faced behind bars. Last month, he had emergency heart surgery to alleviate a significant amount of fluid in his lungs and heart, and he was hospitalized in July with COVID-19 and double pneumonia.
Student loan payments pause extended for 8 million SAVE plan borrowers
Eight million Americans will be able to continue holding off paying back their student loans for at least another six months, the Department of Education confirmed on Monday.
The Education Department said save enrollees will be placed in an interest-free general forbearance for at least six months pending the outcome of legal challenges to the plan.
Cheapest World Series tickets costing at least $1,000 on secondary market
The Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees have each punched their ticket to the World Series and now if you want a ticket, you’ll need at least $1,000. According to SeatGeek, the cheapest single seat for the Game 1 in LA on Friday, Oct. 25, will cost $1,034.
For Game 2 on Saturday, Oct. 26, also at Dodger Stadium, the least expensive ticket is $1,209.
Games 3 and 4 on Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 28 and 29, head back to the East Coast, with the cheapest tickets for Yankees Stadium costing $1,385 and $1,110, respectively. A possible Game 5 is showing the same as Game 4.
And “if necessary,” Games 6 and 7 would be back in LA, with the cheapest tickets going for around $1,300 or more.
As for the good seats behind home plate at Dodger Stadium, those tickets are going for $1,500 or more.
Harvey Weinstein faces new criminal charges in New York
Disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, who became the face of the #MeToo movement for sex crimes in 2017, is now facing new criminal charges in New York. The new indictment comes after New York’s highest court threw out Weinstein’s 2020 conviction for criminal sexual assault and third-degree rape, citing unfair testimony allowances by the trial judge.
Prosecutors are now seeking to retry Weinstein, with plans to combine new charges with previously brought ones. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office initiated grand jury proceedings to examine up to three additional allegations against Weinstein, some dating back to the mid-2000s.
The grand jury returned the indictment, but the new charges are unknown. The indictment remains sealed while the 72-year-old Weinstein recovers from emergency heart surgery at a Manhattan hospital.
A judge granted Weinstein permission to remain at Bellevue Hospital indefinitely because of ongoing health concerns that require constant monitoring and treatment.
Despite maintaining that all sexual encounters were consensual, Weinstein’s legal troubles have mounted, with convictions in both New York and Los Angeles.
The retrial is tentatively scheduled for November.
Arson attacks disrupt train travel ahead of Paris Olympics opening ceremony
With just hours to go before the Olympics opening ceremony, arson attacks disrupted traffic on France’s high-speed train lines. And following a Supreme Court ruling banning sleeping in public spaces, California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order to remove homeless encampments. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Friday, July 26, 2024.
Arson attacks disrupt train travel ahead of Paris Olympics opening ceremony
Authorities are investigating what’s being called “a malicious attack” on France’s high-speed rail network. According to authorities, arsonists set a series of coordinated fires to disrupt travel just ahead of the Paris Olympics opening ceremony.
It’s already causing delays and is expected to “severely impact” commuters until at least the end of Sunday, July 28. The railway operator said the fires were deliberately set to damage its installations.
This incident is likely to add some apprehension ahead of the much-anticipated Paris Olympic Games.
France has beefed up its security surrounding the world event in unprecedented levels. There will be more than 45,000 police, 10,000 soldiers and 2,000 security agents deployed, as well as several snipers and drones keeping watch from above as the games officially get underway.
Officials: Man pushing burning car into gully started California wildfire
Wildfires are raging in the west and the impact of the wildfire smoke is being felt as far as the East Coast. It’s California’s largest wildfire of the year, dubbed “The Park Fire,” burning north of Sacramento near the city Chico.
Authorities said they know how it started and have a suspect in custody. They said 48-year-old Ronnie Dean Stout II of Chico, California, pushed a burning car into a dry gully just before 3 p.m. local time on Wednesday, July 24. He has been arrested on suspicion of arson.
The Park Fire is larger than the size of the city of Atlanta and is only 3% contained.
It’s also not the only fire consuming the time and energy of firefighters and officials. Hundreds of wildfires are spreading throughout California, Oregon and Canada, forcing thousands of evacuations.
In Oregon, fires have been ablaze for days, burning nearly 1 million acres.
The impact of wildfire smoke across the nation is expected to worsen throughout the weekend.
California governor issues executive order to remove homeless encampments
The order offers guidance on how to remove the encampments in a humane way. It also makes it clear the decision to remove encampments is up to individual cities.
California has the largest unhoused population in the country, with more than 180,000 people experiencing homelessness.
U.S. arrests Mexican drug cartel leaders “El Mayo” and “El Chapo’s” son
U.S. authorities said they’ve arrested a Mexican drug kingpin who’s evaded capture for decades. Federal agents lured Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada across the border into Texas, where they took him into custody.
“El Mayo” is described as the leader of the powerful Sinaloa cartel, which authorities said has been flooding the U.S. with deadly fentanyl.
Joaquin Guzman Lopez, the son of the cartel’s infamous co-founder and former boss Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, was also arrested. “El Chapo” is currently serving a life sentence in a U.S. prison.
Harvey Weinstein hospitalized with COVID-19 and double pneumonia
Former Hollywood movie mogul Harvey Weinstein — who’s been sentenced to 16 years in prison after being found guilty of rape — has been hospitalized. His representative said Weinstein is facing a “myriad of health conditions,” including COVID-19 and double pneumonia.
The 72 year old is currently awaiting retrial in Manhattan on sex crime charges after his conviction was overturned on appeal in April. He is tentatively set to be retried in November.
His rape sentence comes out of a conviction in Los Angeles, but he’s being held in a New York prison while waiting for retrial.
Ohio court rules ‘boneless’ chicken wings can have bones
According to the Ohio State Supreme court, customers who order boneless wings should not expect them to be boneless. The ruling stems from a case brought on by a man who said he developed medical problems after a tiny bone fragment became lodged in his throat after he ate boneless wings at a restaurant in 2016.
He sued the restaurant for negligence and breach of warranty. However, the Ohio justices ruled that the term “boneless wings” actually refers to the cooking style and said in its ruling that it’s “common knowledge that chickens have bones.”
American canoeist Casey Eichfeld looks for gold at historic 4th Olympics
This is the fifth installment in our weeklong series taking a closer look at Team USA members and their sports as the Paris Olympics get underway.
Casey Eichfeld is many things: a husband, father, Olympian and a self-described Disney fanatic.
“We got married at Disney World in Epcot,” he told Straight Arrow News, confirming he and his wife’s Disney devotion.
Straight Arrow News asked him to explain the rules of the sport. He gave a concise explanation:
“Canoe slalom is a series of gates hanging over a whitewater river. Athletes have to navigate those gates and there will be 18 to 25 of them. Fastest time wins. If we touch a gate we incur a 2-second penalty. If we miss a gate, go through it upside down or the wrong direction, we get a 50-second penalty. And that’s really about it.”
But that’s far from it when we’re talking about Eichfeld who will be making history in his sport for most Olympic appearances. He was, in a way, born for canoeing.
“My parents had a boat waiting for me before I was born so I don’t know if I was really given that much choice,” Eichfeld said with a laugh.
So once he started he said everything clicked — a perfect fit like Cinderella’s glass slipper — and he fell in love with the sport.
In 2008, he qualified for his first Olympics in Beijing at 18 years old. It was an experience he called “super surreal,” especially being part of the opening ceremony.
“That’s one of the memories that will stay with me all of my life, particularly my first opening ceremonies,” Eichfeld said. “There’s 550 of us, we’re walking through the tunnel into the bird’s nest and everyone’s chanting ‘USA!’ ‘USA!’ It gives me chills every time I think about it.”
Eichfeld said it’s not just the memories on the water that stick with him. He said he has plenty of other stories to share.
“I have a memory of hanging out at our athlete’s lounge in our village building, chilling out, watching other sports — Michael Phelps walks in,” Eichfeld recalled. “He’s like, ‘Hey are there any Uncrustables left?’ I said, ‘Dude, I got you.’ I took him right to the fridge that had them, had a coffee together, chatted a little bit. “‘It’s cool to see you. I’m not at all starstruck.’”
After placing 7th at the Rio Games in 2016, his highest placement yet, but then not qualifying for Tokyo 2021, Eichfeld contemplated retirement. He was starting a family and wondering if it was time to turn the page on his Olympic quest, but, like Moana, the water called to him.
“I had to make the decision: if I’m going to do this, I’m going to do this,” Eichfeld said. “There’s no messing around with this. If I’m going to take the time to be away from my family, as much as I need to be, then I really need to put the effort in and it paid off.”
At 34 years old, Eichfeld is now the veteran among his Team USA crew. He’s already thinking ahead, not just about his Olympics dreams, but the ones coming true at home, too.
“I’m really happy with my decision [to compete], now I get to make that decision again,” Eichfeld said. “We got a home Olympics coming and we have a baby boy coming at the end of October. So big, big year for me.”
“I like to add big things to my Olympic years. In 2016, my wife and I got married in December and this time, we’re having a baby two months after the Olympics. So why not make it a big year, a really memorable year?”
With his family in Paris motivating him, Eichfeld is looking to bring home the gold this time around and then celebrate in style.
“I want to prove that I belong here and even in my advanced age that I can still throw it down,” Eichfeld said. “So I’m fighting for the podium. I want to be up there. And then when I get home I want to go Disney.”
With closing arguments coming to a close, the criminal trial of former President Donald Trump is headed to the jury. And actor Robert De Niro speaks out against the former president at a campaign event for President Joe Biden. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Wednesday, May 29, 2024.
Trump criminal trial moves to the jury
The criminal trial of former President Donald Trump in New York will go into the hands of the jury Wednesday, May 29, after a day of closing arguments.
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Both sides took their time Tuesday, May 28, in hopes of swaying the 12-person jury. Trump’s attorney Todd Blanche spent three hours on closing arguments, trying to discredit the defense’s star witness, Michael Cohen, describing him as “the human embodiment of reasonable doubt,” “an MVP of liars” and “the greatest liar of all time.”
The prosecution took nearly five hours for its closing arguments, claiming the former president committed “a subversion to democracy” and aiming to prove Trump is guilty of falsifying business records.
Trump has denied any wrongdoing in the case.
This morning, the jury will receive instructions from the judge before beginning deliberations to reach a verdict in the first criminal trial of a former U.S. president.
Robert De Niro speaks at Biden campaign rally outside Trump trial
De Niro, a longtime Democrat who recently voiced an ad for Biden’s campaign, spoke to reporters, criticizing Trump. Trump is the presumptive GOP nominee in the upcoming presidential election.
“When Trump ran in 2016, it was like a joke,” De Niro said. “This buffoon running for president ‘no never could happen.’ We’d forgotten the lessons of history that showed us other clowns who weren’t taken seriously until they became vicious dictators. With Trump, we have a second chance and no one is laughing now.”
De Niro was accompanied by two law enforcement officers who were at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, saying the riot was fueled by lies that the 2020 election was stolen.
Pro-Trump supporters could be heard chanting in the background during the Biden event. In response, the Trump campaign held a press conference soon after, with a spokesperson saying, “Donald Trump’s numbers are rising … the best the Biden campaign can do is roll out washed-up actors.”
Harvey Weinstein to appear in same NY courthouse as Trump trial
Harvey Weinstein is expected to appear before a judge Wednesday, May 29, in the same New York City courthouse as where the Trump trial is taking place. Weinstein is awaiting a retrial on rape charges after his 2020 conviction was overturned.
He was initially convicted of third-degree rape, but that conviction was tossed out in April by New York’s highest court, which ruled that the trial judge unfairly allowed testimony from other women not involved in the case.
Weinstein maintains that any sexual activity was consensual.
The former Hollywood producer had been serving a 23-year sentence in New York. Weinstein was also convicted in Los Angeles in 2022, where he is sentenced to serve 16 years.
The retrial in New York is expected to begin sometime after Labor Day.
Gaza aid deliveries suspended after pier damaged
Aid deliveries to Gaza have been suspended after a U.S.-built temporary pier became damaged by rough seas.
The $320 million pier, operational since May 17, has already faced several issues, including three U.S. service member injuries and four vessels being beached due to heavy seas.
Pentagon officials addressed the necessary repairs on Tuesday, May 28.
“Unfortunately, we had a perfect storm of high sea states and then, as I mentioned, this north African weather system also came in at the same time creating not an optimal environment to operate this JLOTS, this temporary pier,” Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said.
Army engineers are working to repair the pier, and officials hope it will be fully operational in just over a week.
South Africans vote in most competitive election since apartheid
Opinion polls suggest the African National Congress (ANC) may lose its parliamentary majority for the first time in 30 years. Voters are voicing frustration over high unemployment, crime rates, power cuts and corruption.
Lines formed early at various polling stations, including a primary school in Soweto, where President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected to vote.
The ANC, which has dominated elections since 1994 when Nelson Mandela was elected president, might now fall short of a majority, potentially requiring a coalition with smaller parties to govern. Despite these challenges, the ANC is still expected to win the largest share of the vote, likely ensuring a new term for President Ramaphosa.
MLB incorporating Negro League stats into record books
History is being made Wednesday in Major League Baseball as MLB officially incorporates the stats of former Negro League players into its record books.
In 2020, MLB announced it would be “correcting a long oversight” by adding the Negro Leagues. Because of these additions, Hall of Famer Josh Gibson will now become MLB’s new all-time career leader in batting average, surpassing Ty Cobb. Gibson will also surpass Babe Ruth in slugging percentage and and OPS.
“This initiative is focused on ensuring that future generations of fans have access to the statistics and milestones of all those who made the Negro Leagues possible,” baseball commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement.
Police move in on UCLA protesters, call encampment an ‘unlawful gathering’
Officers move in on the campus of UCLA with the Los Angeles Police Department calling the pro-Palestinian encampment an “unlawful gathering.” Arizona lawmakers vote to repeal a Civil War-era abortion ban. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Thursday, May 2, 2024.
Police clash with UCLA protesters, call encampment an ‘unlawful gathering’
Police officers began clearing the pro-Palestinian encampment on the campus of UCLA early Thursday morning. Officers in riot gear could be seen arresting some of the protesters following a standoff overnight.
Chants of “peaceful protest” contrast with images of police clashing with demonstrators at UCLA. Overnight, the LAPD declared the pro-Palestinian encampment on the campus an “unlawful gathering” and ordered the protesters to leave.
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Protesters defied those orders, and police were seen entering the encampment Thursday morning. Reports indicate that officers pulled back shortly after scuffling with some of the protesters before they started to dismantle the barricades.
Those in the encampment were heard chanting, “We’re not leaving!”
UCLA has been broadcasting a message telling the protesters to disperse or face administrative action. The school announced classes would be remote May 2 and May 3.
Due to distress following the violence on Royce Quad & ongoing tension regarding campus demonstrations, UCLA First Thursdays, on May 2, has been canceled. We must all protect the wellbeing of our peers & maintain a safe learning environment. https://t.co/X91FIH8vWKpic.twitter.com/HzT8rIeAfY
Similar scenes are unfolding at other college campuses across the country, with police arresting multiple people Wednesday, including 90 at Dartmouth College and at least 15 at Fordham University.
Arizona Senate votes to repeal 1864 near-total abortion ban
Arizona’s GOP-led Senate has voted to repeal a Civil War-era abortion ban, following a successful vote in the state House. The measure was supported by two Republican senators and all Democrats.
This move comes after the Arizona Supreme Court recently ruled the 1864 ban enforceable, overriding a 15-week abortion restriction enacted in 2022.
The repeal will take effect 90 days after the current legislative session ends.
The repeal bill now heads to Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs for approval. If signed into law, Arizona’s main abortion regulation would be the 2022 statute that bans the procedure after 15 weeks of pregnancy.
Police fatally shoot armed student outside Wisconsin middle school
The reports prompted an immediate lockdown and a safety sweep of Mount Horeb Middle School. Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul, D, reported that no other injuries occurred during the incident.
“Police officers from the Mount Horeb Police Department responded to a report of an individual with a weapon outside the middle school,” Kaul stated. “Police officers responded to that threat and they used deadly force. This incident took place outdoors. The subject in this case never gained entry to the school building during the incident, and the subject was a student in the Mount Horeb School District.”
Kaul was unable to confirm whether any shots were fired by the suspect. He also noted that the investigation is still active and some officers involved will be placed on administrative leave.
The school district superintendent announced that the schools would remain open for those seeking support in the aftermath, with plans to resume classes soon.
NY prosecutors seek a fall retrial for Harvey Weinstein
Prosecutors in New York are planning to retry former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein this fall after an appeals court overturned his 2020 rape conviction last week. During a hearing Wednesday, May 1, the judge did not set an exact date but indicated that he expects the new trial to begin after the Labor Day holiday in September.
Weinstein, who appeared in a wheelchair for his first court appearance since his New York conviction was overturned, had been serving a 23-year sentence. He also faces a 16-year sentence for a rape conviction in California, which his attorneys say they plan to appeal this month.
The New York judge remanded Weinstein back to Bellevue Hospital where the 72-year-old former movie mogul has been receiving treatment since last Friday.
The next hearing in this case is scheduled for May 29.
Reports: Exxon reaches agreement with FTC over $60 billion Pioneer merger
Federal antitrust regulators will not block the largest oil and gas deal in two decades after Exxon agreed to exclude former Pioneer Chief Executive Officer Scott Sheffield from its board of directors, according to multiple reports.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the FTC will allege as soon as this week that Sheffield engaged in collusive activity with OPEC representatives, which could have raised gas prices for Americans.
Once the agreement is filed, the acquisition could close within days, marking the biggest deal for Exxon since it merged with Mobil in the late 1990s.
Walt Disney World to host painting collection by former President George W. Bush
Walt Disney World is set to host an art exhibit featuring dozens of portraits of service members and veterans, all painted by former President George W. Bush.
Harvey Weinstein’s rape conviction overturned, victims could see new trial
The New York Court of Appeals overturned Harvey Weinstein’s rape conviction from 2020 on Thursday, April 25. The decision means there could be a new trial and women who identified as victims of Weinstein could have to testify all over again.
Weinstein has been serving a 23-year sentence convicted of rape and criminal sexual acts.
The trial gained notoriety after The New York Times released a investigation into the movie producer that resulted in a list of more than 100 victims and detailed sexual abuse allegations that sparked the #MeToo movement.
The jury was convinced that Weinstein was guilty. However, the appeals court ruled 4-3 that jurors could have been wrongfully influenced by testimony against Weinstein from women who were not part of the case.
The court also said the judge had allowed for allegations unrelated to the charges in cross examination. The appeals court ruled Weinstein was seen in a “highly prejudicial light.”
“This court has continued a disturbing trend of overturning juries’ guilty verdicts in cases involving sexual violence,” Judge Madeline Singas said in one of the court’s dissenting opinions.
A spokesperson for Weinstein said they were “happily surprised” and “thrilled with the court’s decision.”
Even though Weinstein’s conviction was been overturned, the 72-year-old is not a free man. He was also convicted in California for sex offenses in 2022 where he was sentenced to 16 years in prison.