Also, Dave Matthews and John Mayer will join the FireAid lineup and perform together for the first time.
Live Nation said additional artists will be added to the FireAid lineup in the coming days. Organizers said the event will raise money for “rebuilding communities devastated by wildfires and supporting efforts to prevent future fire disasters in Southern California.”
FireAid will be held in two venues: the Intuit Dome and the Forum in Inglewood, California. Tickets for the concert go on sale Wednesday, Jan. 22.
FireAid will also be livestreamed across various platforms including Apple TV, Max, Netflix, Paramount+, SiriusXM, Spotify and YouTube. It will also air in select AMC theaters.
Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostage release deal reached: Netanyahu
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the Israeli government would vote on the ceasefire deal with Hamas that calls for a pause in fighting and the release of hostages. And the clock ticks toward TikTok possibly going dark this weekend. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Friday, Jan. 17, 2025.
Ceasefire deal reached with Hamas to release hostages: Netanyahu
A ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas will soon finally come to fruition. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said early Friday morning, Jan. 17, that Israel reached an agreement with Hamas to return Israeli hostages, including Americans held in the Gaza Strip.
Talks of a deal hit a snag Thursday, Jan. 16, when Netanyahu said Hamas tried to reverse parts of the agreement.
Israel’s security cabinet is now set to meet Friday to discuss the ceasefire and hostage release deal. A wider cabinet vote to approve the deal is expected on Saturday, Jan. 18.
The deal would see a pause in fighting in Gaza and the phased release of Hamas hostages and Palestinian prisoners. If approved, it would take effect Sunday, Jan. 19.
This development comes as huge blasts from southern Israel could be seen over the Gaza skyline early Friday morning.
On Thursday, Israeli air strikes killed at least 72 people in the territory, according to Gaza’s health ministry. Israel’s military said it hit approximately 50 militant targets across the Gaza Strip over the past day, including weapons storage facilities and rocket launch sites.
This is not unprecedented in past conflicts. Both sides have stepped up military operations in the final hours before the ceasefire as a show of strength.
Los Angeles residents told not to return home as landslides pose new threat
A new threat looms in fire-ravaged Southern California: landslides. Authorities said leveled structures no longer hold the earth in place in some parts of the hillside and water from fire hoses and broken pipes has saturated the ground, creating a dangerous situation.
Los Angeles officials urged residents forced to evacuate by the deadly wildfires over the past week not to return home yet. They’re urging the evacuees to wait at least another week to return — whether their home was destroyed or spared — so emergency responders can remove toxic waste from incinerated neighborhoods and cut off potentially dangerous electricity and gas lines.
The Environmental Protection Agency needs to remove hazardous materials from damaged and destroyed homes before debris can be hauled away and utilities are fully restored.
The deadly fires claimed the lives of at least 27 people and more than 82,000 are still under evacuation orders.
The Palisades and Eaton fires continue to burn with no end in sight. They’ve scorched a combined area of about 60 square miles and destroyed thousands of homes.
As of CalFire’s latest update, the Palisade Fire remains 22% contained while the Eaton Fire is now 55% contained — up from 45% on Thursday.
Biden admin signals it won’t enforce TikTok ban
As a reported 170 million users wait with bated breath, a Supreme Court decision on whether to uphold a U.S. ban on the popular social media app TikTok is expected anytime now. That ban is set to take effect this Sunday.
However, the Biden administration is now signaling it will not immediately enforce the ban, instead leaving it up to the Trump administration which starts Monday, Jan. 20, with President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.
Trump already asked the Supreme Court to delay the ban. The Washington Post also reported this week he’s considering an executive order to suspend the ban’s enforcement.
Even if neither administration takes action to enforce the ban, TikTok can still decide to voluntarily shut down when the deadline hits Sunday. However, TikTok is not required to go dark — it’s the app stores and internet hosting services that could be on the hook if they keep providing TikTok to Americans.
The Justice Department has said that TikTok is a national security risk because the app could lead to the Chinese government accessing vast amounts of personal data from Americans.
Confirmation hearing for Gov. Noem, Trump’s DHS secretary pick, to begin Friday
In just three days, President-elect Donald Trump will take the oath of office and become the nation’s 47th president. As Inauguration Day approaches, confirmation hearings continue in Washington for Trump’s cabinet picks.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security, will appear before the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Friday, Jan. 17. The hearing was originally scheduled for earlier in the week but was pushed back.
If confirmed by the Senate, Noem would oversee a department with at least 250,000 employees and multiple agencies, including Customs Border and Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Secret Service, the Federal Emergency Management, the Transportation Security Administration and the Coast Guard.
SpaceX Starship explodes shortly after 7th launch
The latest test flight from Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starship rocket did not go according to plan Thursday night. SpaceX said the world’s largest rocket exploded shortly after taking off from Texas for its seventh launch.
FireAid lineup includes Billie Eilish, Green Day, Jelly Roll, Lady Gaga
FireAid, the Live Nation concert benefiting the victims of the California wildfires, will take place on Jan. 30 and the lineup has now been released.
Billie Eilish; Earth, Wind & Fire; Green Day; Jelly Roll; Joni Mitchell; Lady Gaga and Stevie Sicks are among the entertainers committed to performing. Also, Dave Matthews and John Mayer will perform together for the first time.
Live Nation said additional artists will be announced in the coming days. Organizers said the event will raise money for “rebuilding communities devastated by wildfires and supporting efforts to prevent future fire disasters in Southern California.”
FireAid will be held in two venues: the Intuit Dome and the Forum in Inglewood, California. Tickets for the concert go on sale Wednesday, Jan. 22.
FireAid will also be livestreamed across various platforms including Apple TV, Max, Netflix, Paramount+, SiriusXM, Spotify and YouTube. It will also air in select AMC theaters.
South Korean investigators suspend efforts to detain impeached president after standoff
The FBI unveils more information about the man who drove a truck into a New Orleans crowd on New Year’s Day, killing more than a dozen. And multiple reports indicate President Joe Biden could make a big decision on the proposed takeover of U.S. Steel. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Friday, Jan. 3, 2025.
South Korean investigators suspend efforts to detain impeached president after standoff
After an hours-long standoff, South Korean investigators suspended efforts to arrest impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol. The standoff between South Korea’s anti-corruption agency and the presidential security service lasted nearly six hours at Yoon’s presidential residence Friday, Jan. 3.
The agency called off its agents due to concerns for their safety after the presidential security service and Yoon’s supporters blocked them from entering Yoon’s residence.
Yoon, a former prosecutor, defied investigators’ attempts to question him for weeks in connection with the short-lived period of martial law he imposed at the beginning of December.
A Seoul court issued a warrant for Yoon’s detention Tuesday, Dec. 31, but enforcing it is complicated. Yoon’s lawyers, who filed a challenge to the warrant Thursday, Jan. 2, said it could not be implemented at his residence due to a law that protects locations potentially linked to military secrets from search without the consent of the person in charge.
The anti-corruption agency said it would discuss the next steps but did not immediately say whether it would make another attempt to detain Yoon. The warrant for his detention is valid for one week.
New Orleans attack investigation continues as city hosts Sugar Bowl
The FBI now believes the suspect in a deadly New Orleans truck attack on New Year’s Day likely acted alone. The agency said Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S. Army veteran, killed 15 people and injured dozens more early Wednesday, Jan 1, after driving into a crowd on Bourbon Street in the city’s French Quarter.
The agency called the attack “a deliberate act of terror,” and said Jabbar was “100 percent inspired” by the radical Islamic terror group ISIS.
The FBI concluded this after conducting hundreds of interviews, reviewing phone calls, social media accounts and electronic devices connected to the suspect.
Investigators said there appears to be no “definitive link” between the New Orleans attack and the explosion outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas at this time.
Law enforcement investigating the Tesla Cybertruck explosion in Las Vegas identified the man who carried out the attack as Matthew Alan Livelsberger on Thursday, Jan. 2.
Livelsberger was an active-duty U.S. Army Green Beret. He was reportedly on leave at the time of the attack.
Authorities identified Livelsberger’s burned body by matching his tattoos.
Back in New Orleans, life started to return to normal Thursday as the city hosted the Sugar Bowl at the Superdome. Plus, visitors were once again allowed back into the French Quarter.
Notre Dame went head-to-head with the Georgia Bulldogs and came out on top. With Notre Dame’s victory, the college football playoff semifinals are now set.
The Fighting Irish will face Penn State in the Orange Bowl next Thursday, Jan. 9. Texas will meet Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 10.
The two winners will play in the National Championship game on Monday, Jan. 20. It will be the first championship game since the NCAA went to a 12-team playoff format.
2 dead, 19 hurt after small plane crashes into California building
Two people are dead and 19 more injured after a small plane crashed into a furniture manufacturing building in southern California on Thursday.
The people who died were believed to have been on the plane while those injured were among the 200 or so people inside the building. Paramedics transported 11 people to the hospital and treated eight others at the scene.
The crash occurred about half a mile from the Fullerton Municipal Airport. Investigators are working to learn what led up to the incident.
Biden to block Nippon Steel’s bid to take over US Steel: Reports
President Joe Biden decided to block Nippon Steel’s bid to purchase U.S. Steel due to national security risks, according to multiple reports. Biden is expected to announce his decision as early as Friday, reports said.
Senior advisers warned Biden that the U.S. rejecting the Japanese corporation’s $14.9 billion offer could damage relations between the two countries.
Biden’s decision comes after the interagency Committee on Foreign Investment could not conclude the risks of Nippon’s offer, leaving the decision up to the White House.
While U.S. Steel shareholders backed the takeover, the proposed deal faced opposition from union members and politicians.
President-elect Donald Trump, who a group of American steelworkers backed during his campaign, also vowed to block the deal when he takes office later this month.
Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel indicated they would take legal action if the federal government blocked the deal.
119th Congress begins Friday with GOP taking control of House and Senate
The 119th Congress starts Friday with Republicans in full control of the House and Senate for the first time since 2019. The new term, which lasts two years, begins when House members are sworn in.
Despite narrowly hanging on to the GOP majority 219-215, Rep. Mike Johnson’s speakership hangs in the balance. At least one Republican said he would not back Johnson and others expressed concerns about his leadership.
Johnson received a major boost this week when Trump publicly backed Johnson.
In the Senate, Republicans will officially take the reins after flipping the majority in the November election. The new Senate Majority Leader will be Sen. John Thune of South Dakota.
Golden Globes kick off award season this Sunday
Hollywood’s award season officially kicks off Sunday, Jan. 5, with the Golden Globes.
Nominees include Timothée Chalamet, Ariana Grande, Selena Gomez and Angelina Jolie.
Movies looking to win big include “A Complete Unknown,” “Emilia Perez,” “Wicked” and “The Brutalist.”
“The Bear,” “Shogun,” “Nobody Wants This” and “Only Murders in the Building” are among the television series looking to take home trophies.
Comedian Nikki Glaser, who hosted the Tom Brady roast, will lead the award ceremony. This year, the Golden Globes will air live on CBS and stream on Paramount+.
Suspect charged with murder in killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO
The man accused of gunning down the CEO of UnitedHealthcare on a New York City sidewalk is charged with murder. And the Biden administration levels allegations of war crimes against two Syrians who were high-raking members of the now ousted regime. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024.
Suspect charged with murder in killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO
After nearly a week of searching, the manhunt for the suspected gunman who shot and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a New York City hotel last week is over. Police said they located the 26-year-old suspect inside a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, about 300 miles from New York on Monday, Dec. 9.
The New York City Police Department filed first-degree murder charges against Luigi Mangione, according to court documents released Monday night. Mangione also faces charges of possession of a loaded firearm, possession of a forged driver’s license, and criminal possession of a weapon.
Mangione is described as a former high school valedictorian and a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, who grew up in Maryland but has also had past addresses in California and Hawaii.
Mangione was taken into custody in Altoona after authorities said a McDonald’s employee recognized him as the person of interest seen in images related to Thompson’s shooting death.
When police arrived on the scene, they questioned Mangione. According to court documents, Mangione “started to shake” when asked if he’d recently been in New York City. Authorities said at first, he lied about his identity.
So proud of @NYPDMTN Detectives, and our Major Case and Homicide Squads, who worked around-the-clock on the homicide investigation in Midtown. I joined them last night to thank them for their dedication. No doubt, their work was instrumental to identifying the person of interest… pic.twitter.com/jAFA7JDcHd
Court documents show he was carrying a black 3-D printed pistol with a silencer. The NYPD said the “ghost gun” found on him was consistent with the one used in the murder. Ghost guns do not have serial numbers.
Police said Mangione also had on him a fake ID, matching the one used by the suspect at a New York City hostel before the shooting, and a three-page written note.
“That document is currently in the possession of the Altoona Police Department as part of their investigation but just from briefly speaking with them, we don’t think that there’s any specific threats to other people mentioned in that document, but it does seem that he has some ill will toward corporate America,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joe Kenney said.
Multiple reports Tuesday morning, Dec. 10, claimed those writings included the phrases “these parasites had it coming” and it “had to be done.”
During a press conference Monday evening, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) spoke of how the killing has led to some people online sharing their frustrations and anger over the healthcare system but emphasized that Mangione is not a martyr.
“In some dark corners, this killer’s being hailed as a hero,” Shapiro said. “Hear me on this: he is no hero. The real hero in this story is the person who called 911 at McDonald’s this [Monday] morning. The real heroes every day in our society are the women and men who put on uniforms like these and go out in our communities to keep us safe. This killer is not a hero. He should not be hailed.”
Mangione will remain in custody in Pennsylvania pending his extradition to New York, which is expected to take place later this week.
Jury finds former US Marine not guilty in NYC chokehold death trial
Tensions remain high in New York after a jury acquitted U.S. Marine veteran Daniel Penny of all charges on Monday, including criminally negligent homicide, in the chokehold death of a schizophrenic man, whose behavior had some people on the New York subway testifying they feared for their lives.
The caught-on-camera deadly incident from May 2023 saw Penny put Jordan Neely in a chokehold from behind after Neely walked up and down the F train saying “somebody is going to die today”.
Prosecutors said the chokehold lasted too long, was reckless, and resulted in the 30-year-old homeless man’s death. The defense brought an expert in to show Neely was under the influence of the synthetic marijuana drug K2, arguing he died from drug use and a previous medical condition.
Outside the Manhattan courthouse Tuesday, fights broke out as protesters and counter-protesters clashed. After the verdict Neely’s father stated, “There is no justice.”
US charges 2 former Syrian officials with war crimes
The United States has charged two former high-ranking Syrian intelligence officials with war crimes. The DOJ said during Bashar al-Assad’s regime, Jamil Hassan and Abdul Salam Mahmoud oversaw operations of a detention facility where Americans and civilians who had been deemed enemies of the state were tortured.
In other developments in the Middle East, the U.S. has also sent a special envoy to Beirut, Lebanon to find out what happened to Austin Tice. Tice is an American journalist who vanished in Syria 12 years ago.
"We have heard from sources that have been vetted by the U.S. government that Austin is alive." Austin Tice has been missing in Syria for 12 years. Today his brother & sister tell me "every day is a day that Austin should be released and a day that Austin could be released." pic.twitter.com/o08OgOFKEm
On Sunday, Dec. 8, President Joe Biden said he believes Tice is still alive and his administration is committed to bringing him home. Syria has publicly denied holding Tice.
Meanwhile, Israel has launched a large-scale attack on Syria, striking what it called strategic military sites after the fall of the al-Assad government. It also expanded its presence into the Golan Heights, a buffer zone along the country’s border with Syria.
Israel claimed the move is temporary and aimed at ensuring nearby areas are not exposed to any potential security threats, but Iran has appealed to the United Nations Security Council, saying the expansion is a “flagrant violation” of U.N. charter, breaking a 50-year cease-fire agreement.
Hegseth looks to shore up Senate support on Capitol Hill
President-elect Donald Trump’s pick for defense secretary is back on Capitol Hill this week. He’s looking to shore up support from Senate Republicans.
Pete Hegseth met with Senators Joni Ernst and Lindsey Graham on Monday. Both had expressed concerns over allegations against Hegseth of sexual misconduct, financial mismanagement of veterans’ charities and excessive drinking.
Hegseth denies a lot of it and says he is changed man. He served in the Army in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Lord & Taylor to relaunch as online discount luxury retailer
Another department store chain is set to make an internet comeback. Lord & Taylor is set to relaunch in 2025 as a discount luxury e-commerce platform offering designer goods and Lord & Taylor-branded products, according to its new owner.
Regal Brands Global acquired the Lord & Taylor intellectual property in September after its previous owner, Saadia Group — which had re-launched the chain as an e-commerce website in 2021 — ceased operations.
Regal Brands reportedly aims to position Lord & Taylor products to compete with other high-end retailers such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom.
‘Emilia Perez’ receives most Golden Globe nominations
Plot twist: Billionaire media exec submits $4.3B bid for Paramount, reports say
Like any good TV show or movie, the saga of the sale of Paramount has a last-second plot twist. According to reports, billionaire media mogul Edgar Bronfman Jr., the former head of Warner Music Group, has submitted a bid of $4.3 billion to take control of Paramount Global — the parent company of CBS, MTV, and Paramount Pictures.
Last month, Skydance Media entered a deal to purchase the conglomerate for $8 billion, but that deal came with a catch: a 45-day window where Paramount could field other offers. Bronfman entered the fray just as that deadline was about to expire on Wednesday, Aug. 21.
Paramount now has the option to extend that period. If it does, that would be a sign Paramount is seriously thinking about Bronfman’s offer.
Bronfman’s bid was submitted to a committee that was established to look over potential offers. It is expected to review this latest one on Wednesday.
Bronfman was the CEO of Warner Music Group from 2004-2012. He currently serves as the executive chairman of FuboTV, the sports streaming provider that just declared in a victory in court. z
A federal judge sided with FuboTV in its antitrust case against Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery over the launch of their sports service Venu. The three media giants said they plan to appeal the decision.
Biden highlights his legacy, passes torch to Harris in DNC address
In a speech lasting nearly an hour on the first night of the Democratic National Convention (DNC), President Joe Biden defended his record as he passed the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris. And protesters took to the streets outside the DNC calling for an end to the war in Gaza. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Aug. 20, 2024.
Biden highlights his legacy, passes torch to Harris in DNC address
Former President Barack Obama is slated to be among the speakers on night two of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Tuesday, Aug. 20, as the party gears up for Vice President Kamala Harris to officially accept the nomination for president.
Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, were in the building Monday night, Aug. 19 for the first night. The vice president gave a surprise speech on the stage thanking President Joe Biden for his “historic leadership.” She then spoke of unity within the party.
“People from every corner of our country and every walk of life are here, united by our shared vision for the future of our country, and this November, we will come together and declare with one voice, as one people, we are moving forward,” Harris said.
And while the convention is largely focused on Harris, the first night was centered on President Biden as the party paid tribute to his decades-long political career. The crowd chanted in support of the president, giving him a 4-minute standing ovation before his speech. Biden took a moment to thank his supporters before reiterating his endorsement of Harris.
“I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my career, but I gave my best to you,” the president said. “For 50 years, like many of you, I have given my heart and soul to our nation … It’s been the honor of my lifetime to serve as your president.”
First lady Dr. Jill Biden and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also spoke on the first night of the DNC.
“I wish my mother and Kamala’s mother could see us,” Clinton said. “This is our time, America. This is when we stand up. This is when we break through!”
Harris and Walz will both be back on the campaign trail in Wisconsin Tuesday, Aug. 20. That’s also where the Republican vice presidential pick Ohio Sen. JD Vance will be as former President Donald Trump continues his blitz across battleground states. Trump was in Pennsylvania Monday, Aug. 19, and will hold a rally in Michigan Tuesday afternoon.
Protesters attempt to breach barricade at DNC
While the Democratic Party rallied in unison inside Chicago’s United Center, it was a different story on the outside. Protesters broke through a fence set up by police near the site of the DNC as thousands took to the streets to protest the war in Gaza.
As the larger group marched, a few dozen broke away and tore down pieces of the security fence. They chanted “end the occupation now” and then “the whole world is watching!” just as anti-Vietnam war protesters did during the 1968 convention in Chicago when police clashed with protesters on live television.
On Monday, Aug. 19, police in riot gear formed a wall and arrested at least four people. Large protests are expected to continue over the next several days outside the DNC.
U.S. government says Iran was behind Trump campaign hack
A joint statement on Monday from the FBI, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said the breach was part of Iran’s plans to interfere with the 2024 presidential election.
The FBI briefed former President Trump on their preliminary findings after news organizations reported receiving documents believed to have come from an account belonging to a senior Trump campaign official. Those turned out to be from a hacker.
Vice President Harris’ campaign said hackers were unsuccessful in their attempts against the Biden-Harris campaign.
Israel says bodies of 6 hostages retrieved in overnight operation
Israel said it has recovered the bodies of six hostages taken by Hamas during the Oct. 7 terror attack. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and Israel’s security agency said in a joint statement Tuesday the bodies were retrieved during an overnight military operation in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said “hearts are aching over the terrible loss” and thanked those involved in the recovery efforts.
This comes as Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Israel has accepted a proposal to bridge differences that are preventing a temporary cease-fire and the release of an unknown number of hostages. Now the U.S. and other world leaders helping to mediate the negotiation talks are urging Hamas to accept the proposal.
On Tuesday, Aug. 20, Blinken will be leaving Israel and traveling to Egypt and Qatar, where Hamas has a political office.
It’s unclear if Hamas will sign off on the deal, as one of their stipulations has been a permanent truce, not just a temporary pause in fighting.
The high-stakes talks come as fears rise that the war could escalate into a bigger regional conflict, potentially by an attack on Israel led by Iran and its proxy groups.
Santos pleads guilty to federal charges, faces 6 years in prison
Former New York Congressman George Santos has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. He’s agreed to pay more than $370,000 in restitution and could spend at least six years in prison for stealing from donors and using campaign contributions to pay for personal expenses.
The plea comes as his federal fraud case — which led to the Republican’s expulsion from Congress — was just weeks away from going to trial.
He’s now set to be sentenced in February.
Former head of Warner Music submits $4.3B bid for Paramount
Like any good TV show or movie, the saga of the sale of Paramount has a last-second plot twist. According to reports, billionaire media mogul Edgar Bronfman Jr., the former head of Warner Music Group, has submitted an offer of $4.3 billion to take control of Paramount Global — the parent company of CBS, MTV and Paramount Pictures.
Last month, Skydance Media entered a deal to purchase the conglomerate for $8 billion, but that deal came with a catch: a 45-day window where Paramount could field other offers. Bronfman entered the fray just as that deadline was about to expire on Wednesday, Aug. 21.
Now Paramount has the option to extend that period. If it does, that would be a sign Paramount is seriously thinking about Bronfman’s offer.
Trump agrees to ABC News debate with Harris, proposes 2 more
The debate is on. Former President Donald Trump has agreed to the ABC News debate with Vice President Kamala Harris and proposed two more. And bodycam footage has been released showing the police response to the assassination attempt during the former president’s rally in July. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Friday, Aug. 9, 2024.
Trump agrees to ABC News debate with Harris, proposes 2 more debates
Former President Donald Trump has recommitted to a debate with Vice President Kamala Harris after initially requesting a change of time and place given the change at the top of the Democratic ticket. Trump made the announcement during a news conference held at his Mar-a-Lago estate on Thursday, Aug. 8.
ABC News has confirmed Trump and Harris have agreed to debate on Sept. 10, setting up what is likely to be a high-stakes showdown in an already contentious election season.
His decision to debate on ABC marks a notable change of heart given it was just five days ago he announced the agreement with ABC was terminated. Trump originally suggested he would only debate if Harris appeared on Fox News on Sept. 4.
Trump is requesting Harris accept two additional debate proposals; one would be held on Fox and the other on NBC.
When asked by reporters if he will still do the ABC debate even if Harris turns down the idea of multiple debates, Trump said he didn’t know how that’s going to work and reiterated the need for multiple debates with a new Democratic presidential nominee.
As we saw in June, presidential debates have high stakes. President Joe Biden’s performance at his debate with Trump set in motion calls for his withdrawal and the eventual end to his re-election campaign.
The ABC debate was originally slated to be the second and final debate between Biden and Trump.
Harris released a statement saying she’s glad Trump committed to meeting her on stage.
Harris will be in Arizona for a campaign rally on Friday, Aug. 9. Trump will be in Montana for a rally of his own and fundraiser event.
Bodycam video released of police response to Trump assassination attempt
It’s been nearly a month since the assassination attempt on former President Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania. Within that month, questions have been swirling leading to multiple investigations and hearings on Capitol Hill and a change in leadership at the Secret Service.
Now, there is new information directly through the lens of Butler police bodycam. It shows officers responding to the reports of a threat on top of the unsecured building where the shooter propped himself up to take aim.
In newly released body camera video, there is footage of the moments leading up to the shooting, but it’s the audio in the immediate aftermath of the shooting that is providing further confirmation of a major security lapse.
The incident left one rally goer dead and Trump shot in the ear in a near-fatal hit.
The public search for accountability has led to agencies across local, state, and federal levels to finger-point and shift the blame. There are still several ongoing investigations into how it happened in the first place and how to prevent it from happening again.
U.S., Egypt, Qatar call for renewed Israel-Hamas ceasefire discussions
The U.S., Egypt and Qatar are calling for Israel and Hamas to resume cease-fire talks, calling them “urgent.” Fears are growing over a widening Middle East war following high-profile assassinations of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders. The U.S., Egypt and Qatar have been mediating cease-fire discussions since they began.
They want the talks to take place in either Doha or Cairo next Thursday, Aug. 15.
Early Friday, Aug. 9, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated Israel will take part in those discussions. Hamas’ newly chosen leader has not indicated if the terror group is willing to join.
Columbia University COO’s home vandalized with antisemitic imagery; 3 top admins resign over antisemitic texts
Inverted triangles, which have been used by Hamas to identify Israeli targets and Nazis to tag prisoners during the Holocaust, were painted on the entranceway to Cas Holloway’s apartment building.
Columbia confirmed the resignations of the school’s dean of undergraduate student life, associate dean for student and family support, and vice dean and chief administrative officer after it came to light they exchanged antisemitic messages during an on-campus event about Jewish life at the school.
Paramount laying off 15% of U.S. workforce
Media conglomerate Paramount is laying off 15% of its U.S. workforce. The layoffs, which will impact around 2,000 staffers, are part of Paramount’s bid to cut $500 million in annual costs ahead of its merger with SkyDance Media.
Paramount says it also plans to write down $6 billion worth of its cable television networks.
Steph Curry leads Team USA to rally past Serbia; Noah Lyles wins bronze in 200-meter after testing positive for COVID
The U.S added to its Olympic medal count on Thursday, Aug. 9. Team USA now has a total of 103 medals so far as the Paris games wind down.
The men’s basketball team will be hoping to bring home gold against host France in the final. Steph Curry, Kevin Durant and LeBron James led the team to a come-from-behind victory over Serbia on Thursday after being down 17 points, winning 95 to 91.
On the track, it was not the result American sprinter Noah Lyles was hoping for in the men’s 200-meter final. Lyles, who won his first Olympic gold on Sunday, Aug. 4, in the 100-meter, finished third this time behind Letsile Tebogo of Botswana and USA teammate Kenny Bednarek.
Lyles was taken away in a wheelchair after crossing the finish line. It was later revealed he had been diagnosed with COVID-19 two days earlier.
The USA track and field organization said it followed all Olympic protocols to allow Lyles to compete.
The track star said he is proud of himself to have been able to still win a bronze medal. He posted on Instagram, “It is not the Olympics I dreamed of, but it has left me with so much joy in my heart.”
Student protesters take over Columbia building after deadline passes
Student protesters took over a building on the campus of Columbia University. And four law enforcement officers were killed while serving a warrant in Charlotte, North Carolina. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Tuesday, April 30, 2024.
Student protesters take over Hamilton Hall after Columbia’s deadline passes
Student demonstrators at Columbia University protesting the war in Gaza broke into a campus building and occupied Hamilton Hall, just hours after the university’s deadline passed for students to clear their pro-Palestinian encampment. The university sent an email to all students advising them to avoid campus.
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A student protest group confirmed its members have “reclaimed” Hamilton Hall, barricading themselves inside. Students took over the same building occupied during a Vietnam protest in 1968 and hung up a banner reading “Hind’s Hall,” in reference to a 6-year-old Palestinian girl killed in Gaza.
Images from the scene show the maintenance crew confronting the protesters inside the building and students forming a human chain blocking the entrance. The New York Police Department said its officers were stationed near the campus but not on the grounds.
The student protesters said they will remain at Hamilton Hall until the university meets their demands, including withdrawing funds for Israeli institutions.
Columbia President Minouche Shafik issued a statement telling protesters to “voluntarily disperse,” saying the encampment has created an “unwelcoming environment for many” of the school’s Jewish students and faculty.
Protesters are seeking the university to divest from Israel, something Shafik said the school will not do. However, in her statement, she said Columbia has offered to develop an expedited timeline for the university to review new divestment proposals from students and has offered to make investments in health and education in Gaza.
Now in its second week, the pro-Palestinian protests at Columbia are just one of several occurring at college campuses across the country. On Monday, April 29, arrests were made at encampments at the University of Texas and the University of Florida.
Meanwhile, Northwestern University announced it had reached an agreement with students to continue protests that comply with university rules and policies.
Four officers killed serving warrant during shootout at Charlotte home
Four law enforcement officers were killed Monday, April 29, in a shootout at a home in Charlotte, North Carolina. Those killed included a deputy U.S. marshal, two members of the North Carolina Department of Corrections and an officer with the Charlotte Police Department.
Authorities came under fire while trying to serve a warrant to a convicted felon for possessing a firearm.
Police said the armed suspect was shot dead after leaving the home. A second person also opened fire on the officers.
The police chief said many questions still need to be answered about what unfolded.
“Today’s an absolute tragic day for the city of Charlotte and for the profession of law enforcement,” Chief Johnny Jennings of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said. “Today we lost some heroes who are out to simply keep our community safe.”
After the three-hour standoff came to an end, a woman and a 17-year-old male were found inside the home and taken in for questioning.
Three Charlotte police officers and a member of the Marshal Service Fugitive Task Force were also wounded in the incident.
FCC fines major wireless carriers nearly $200M for sharing data
A 2020 investigation revealed that the carriers had been distributing users’ geolocation details to third parties, including to prisons. T-Mobile and Sprint merged after the investigation began.
Today, we fined the nation’s largest wireless carriers for illegally sharing access to customers’ location information without consent & without taking reasonable measures to protect that information against unauthorized disclosure. https://t.co/bv65Fr6Dbl
Despite promising to end these practices in 2018, the FCC said the companies took more than a year to actually stop them.
In a statement, AT&T argued that the order is unjustified and lacks legal and factual basis. The company claimed it was unfairly blamed for another company’s violations and that its efforts to rectify the issue were overlooked.
T-Mobile stated that it stopped sharing data with location-based services through third-party aggregators over five years ago. The carrier emphasized its commitment to protecting customer data but called the FCC’s decision incorrect and the fine excessive.
A Verizon spokesperson expressed the company’s dedication to customer privacy, noting that they terminated the offending party, ended the program, and took steps to prevent similar incidents.
An investigation by our Enforcement Bureau found that carriers sold access to location data to third parties without customer consent and continued to do so without reasonable safeguards despite warning from the FCC.
This regulation, part of the 2021 infrastructure law, aims to save at least 360 lives and prevent 24,000 injuries annually. The decision follows a rise in traffic fatalities post-COVID-19 lockdowns, despite a recent 3.6% drop in road deaths in 2023.
Carmakers claimed that NHTSA rules requiring cars with automatic brakes to completely avoid contact with objects or people at high speeds were impractical.
We have a crisis of roadway deaths in this country—and today we’re taking a major step toward addressing this with our new rule on automatic emergency braking. pic.twitter.com/NRS8WJeA6o
— Secretary Pete Buttigieg (@SecretaryPete) April 30, 2024
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg stated that the automatic braking mandate “will save hundreds of lives.”
The new rule also sets performance standards for these systems, requiring them to detect pedestrians in both daylight and at night, and to function effectively at speeds up to 90 mph.
With talks of a merger gaining traction, media giant Paramount has announced Bob Bakish is stepping down as the company’s CEO. In his absence, three Paramount executives will form a committee called “The Office of the CEO” to lead the company.
This committee consists of the presidents of CBS, Paramount Media Networks and Paramount Pictures. Bakish has been with the company for nearly three decades in roles including CEO of Viacom. He will remain with Paramount until October, working as a senior adviser.
U.S. Soccer announced Monday, April 29, the end of its joint bid with the Mexican Football Federation to host the 2027 soccer tournament, despite being one of three finalists as FIFA’s decision is just weeks away.
Instead, the groups will focus their efforts to secure the 2031 Women’s World Cup, saying the two countries will take lessons learned as they prepare to host the 2026 Men’s World Cup along with Canada.
In addition, the U.S. will also host the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
This now leaves two remaining bids for the 2027 Women’s World Cup — one from Brazil and a joint bid from Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands.
SAG-AFTRA accuses CBS News of seizing files of fired journalist
SAG-AFTRA is accusing CBS News of violating the First Amendment rights of a laid-off investigative journalist. Earlier this month, CBS News’ parent company, Paramount, handed pink slips to 800 employees. Catherine Herridge, a senior investigative correspondent, was one of those employees.
Herridge had been covering stories for CBS News related to investigations involving President Joe Biden and his family. Most recently, she covered the House impeachment inquiry into President Biden and his son Hunter Biden’s laptop and criminal charges.
However, SAG-AFTRA is accusing the news organization of seizing Herridge’s reporter notes and research from her office, including confidential information.
“It is completely inappropriate for an employer to lay off a reporter and take the very unusual step of retaining and searching the reporter’s files, inclusive of confidential source identification and information,” SAG-AFTRA said in a statement. “From a First Amendment standpoint, a media corporation with a commitment to journalism calling a reporter’s research and confidential source reporting ‘proprietary information’ is both shocking and absurd.”
Herridge has not publicly commented on the situation. However, she did repost SAG-AFTRA’s statement on X.
Jonathan Turley, a former legal analyst for CBS News, first broke the story in an opinion piece for The Hill.
“The timing of Herridge’s termination immediately raised suspicions in Washington,” Turley wrote. “She was pursuing stories that were unwelcomed by the Biden White House and many Democratic powerhouses.”
The New York Post also reported that “Herridge had encountered roadblocks from higher-ups over her Hunter Biden coverage and had also clashed with CBS News President Ingrid-Ciprian Matthews.”
It is unusual for a news company to seize a former journalist’s files. SAG-AFTRA said the action is “a serious break with traditional practices which supports the immediate return of reporting materials.”
CBS News denies the allegations.
“Catherine’s personal belongings were delivered to her home one week ago, and we are prepared to pack up the rest of her files immediately on her behalf – with her representative present as she requested,” a spokesperson for the company said in a statement. “We are awaiting a response from Catherine and/or her representative to do so. We have respected her request to not go through the files, and out of our concern for confidential sources, the office she occupied has remained secure since her departure.”
SAG-AFTRA said it is hopeful the situation will be resolved shortly.
Reports: Warner Bros., Paramount in talks about potential merger
According to multiple reports, Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount are in talks of a potential merger. As first reported by Axios, sources say the CEOs of the two companies met over lunch on Tuesday, Dec. 19, at Paramount’s New York City headquarters for several hours, where they discussed the possible deal. The merger between the two media giants would mean combining their streaming services, Max and Paramount+, to compete better with Netflix and Disney+.
Warner Bros.’ Max currently has 95 million subscribers, and Paramount streaming service Paramount+ has 63 million subscribers. A merger between the two media conglomerates would give them a better chance to compete with the more popular streaming services Disney+, with 105 million subscribers, and Netflix, with 247 million subscribers.
“The mere reality of two major players being driven by mutual challenges and competitive forces to entertain a merger is an indication that collaborations, mergers and acquisitions at all levels may be needed to survive today’s market pressures,” Erickson said.
Paramount would bring its TV assets like CBS and Nickelodeon to join WBD’s operations, which include CNN and HBO. On the movie front, Warner Bros. Pictures has the DC Universe and Lord of the Ring film franchises. Paramount’s properties include Mission Impossible and Star Trek.
The deal could mean WBD buying Paramount or its parent company, National Amusements. Sources said both options are on the table.