What To Watch: Sunday https://digitalalabamanews.com/what-to-watch-sunday/
Today’s TV sports schedule is posted online due to The Herald no longer publishing on Sundays.
Sunday, Oct. 16
AUTO RACING
10 a.m.
FS1 — NHRA: Qualifying, Texas Motorplex, Ennis, Texas (Taped)
12:30 p.m.
NBC — FIM MotoGP: The Australian Grand Prix, Philip Island Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne (Taped)
2:30 p.m.
NBC — NASCAR Cup Series: The South Point 400, Playoffs – Round of 8, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas
1 a.m. (Monday)
FS1 — NHRA: The Texas NHRA FallNationals, Texas Motorplex, Ennis, Texas (Taped)
COLLEGE FIELD HOCKEY
12 p.m.
BTN — Iowa at Michigan
4 p.m.
BTN — Rutgers at Maryland
COLLEGE SOCCER (WOMEN’S)
12 p.m.
SECN — Arkansas at Alabama
1 p.m.
ESPNU — Florida at Kentucky
2 p.m.
BTN — Purdue at Indiana
3 p.m.
ESPNU — Baylor at West Virginia
COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL (WOMEN’S)
1 p.m.
ACCN — Virginia Tech at Notre Dame
ESPN — Michigan at Wisconsin
2 p.m.
PAC-12N — Washington St. at Utah
SECN — Auburn at Missouri
3 p.m.
ACCN — Syracuse at North Carolina
6 p.m.
PAC-12N — Stanford at Arizona St.
5 p.m.
ESPNU — Oregon at UCLA
GOLF
3 a.m.
GOLF — LEPGA Tour: The Aramco Team Series, Final Round, Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point, New York (Taped)
7:30 a.m.
GOLF — DP World Tour: The Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucia Masters, Final Round, Valderrama Golf Course, Sotogrande, Spain
2 p.m.
GOLF — PGA Tour Champions: The SAS Championship, Final Round, Prestonwood Country Club, Cary, N.C.
HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL (BOYS)
3 p.m.
ESPN2 — GEICO Top Flight Invite: Showcase Game 1, Las Vegas
5 p.m.
ESPN2 — GEICO Top Flight Invite: Showcase Game 2, Las Vegas
7 p.m.
ESPN2 — GEICO Top Flight Invite: Showcase Game 3, Las Vegas
9 p.m.
ESPN2 — GEICO Top Flight Invite: Championship, Las Vegas
HORSE RACING
1 p.m.
FS1 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races
3:30 p.m.
FS2 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races
MLB BASEBALL
7 p.m.
TBS — A.L. Divisional Series: NY Yankees at Cleveland, Game 4
9 p.m.
FS1 — N.L Divisional Series: San Diego at LA Dodgers, Game 5 (If Necessary)
NFL FOOTBALL
1 p.m.
CBS — Regional Coverage: New England at Cleveland, Jacksonville at Indianapolis, Cincinnati at New Orleans, Baltimore at NY Giants
FOX – Regional Coverage: San Francisco at Atlanta, NY Jets at Green Bay, Minnesota at Miami, Tampa Bay at Pittsburgh
4:05 p.m.
FOX — Regional Coverage: Carolina at LA Rams OR Arizona at Seattle
4:25 p.m.
CBS — Buffalo at Kansas City
8:15 p.m.
NBC — Dallas at Philadelphia
RODEO
5 p.m.
CBSSN — PBR Team Series: The PBR Ridge Rider Days, Day 3, Glendale, Ariz.
SOCCER (MEN’S)
9 a.m.
USA — Premier League: Newcastle United at Manchester United
11:30 a.m.
USA — Premier League: Manchester City at Liverpool
12 p.m.
CBSSN — Serie A: Bologna at Napoli
3 p.m.
ABC — MLS Western Conference Playoff: Salt Lake at Austin FC, First Round
8 p.m.
ESPN — MLS Eastern Conference Playoff: Orlando City SC at CF Montréal, First Round
FS2 — Liga MX Playoff: Toluca at Santos Laguna, Quarterfinal – Leg 2
SOCCER (WOMEN’S)
7 a.m.
CBSSN — FASL: Brighton & Hove Albion at Manchester United
10 p.m.
CBSSN — NWSL Playoff: Chicago at San Diego FC, Quarterfinal
TENNIS
10 a.m.
TENNIS — Florence-ATP, Gijon-ATP, Cluj-Napoca-WTA Finals
7 p.m.
TENNIS — San Diego-WTA Final
5 a.m. (Monday)
TENNIS — Guadalajara-WTA, Stockholm-ATP, Antwerp-ATP, Naples-ATP Early Rounds
6 a.m. (Monday)
TENNIS — Guadalajara-WTA, Stockholm-ATP, Antwerp-ATP, Naples-ATP Early Rounds
Read More…
Abbreviated Pundit Roundup: The Elephant(S) In The Room
Abbreviated Pundit Roundup: The Elephant(S) In The Room https://digitalalabamanews.com/abbreviated-pundit-roundup-the-elephants-in-the-room/
Tom Nichols of The Atlantic knows that many Republicans of the MAGA persuasion will do and/or support anything that Number 45 does or want to do. Here, Mr. Nichols directs his analysis to the indifference of “ordinary Americans.”
For years, I have been wondering when Americans would draw the line on Trump and his minions. We could rehearse the litany of Trump’s awfulness: his vulgarity, his racism, his callous disregard for veterans, his pathetic submissiveness around Vladimir Putin. We could remind ourselves of the attempt to pressure the Ukrainian government that got him impeached (the first time).
None of it seems to matter, because for a large swath of the American public, nothing really matters. And here, I do not mean only the “MAGA Republicans,” loyalists who are already a lost cause. (Trump was tragically prescient when he said that he could shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and they would not abandon him.) Nor do I mean the people who have attached their parasitical careers to their Trumpian host.
No, I mean the ordinary Americans who shrug at a violent insurrection and the near-miss of a coup. As the historian Michael Beschloss said on MSNBC last night after the hearing, Trump “probably wanted to declare martial law.” He also pointed out that the insurrection was a close-run thing, noting that if “Trump and those rioters had been a little bit faster, we might be living in a country of unbelievable darkness and cruelty.”
But who cares? After all, inflation is too high, and gas is still too expensive, and that’s a bigger problem than the overthrow of the government, isn’t it?
Dr. Ibram Kendi has an issue with the mischaracterization of his work by New York Times opinion writer David Brooks.
Biden Calls Testimony Video From Jan 6 Committee Hearing 'Devastating' Other Media News Tasnim News Agency
Biden Calls Testimony, Video From Jan 6 Committee Hearing 'Devastating' – Other Media News – Tasnim News Agency https://digitalalabamanews.com/biden-calls-testimony-video-from-jan-6-committee-hearing-devastating-other-media-news-tasnim-news-agency/
Biden was speaking to reporters during a stop at an ice cream shop in Oregon as he campaigned for Tina Kotek, who is running for governor of the state, Reuters reported.
“I think it’s been devastating,” Biden said when asked about the latest hearing.
“The case has been made, it seems to me, fairly overwhelming.”
Biden said he had been going out of his way not to comment on the proceedings.
“Any more I say about it, you… are going to ask me if I’m trying to influence the attorney general. I’m not. I’ve not spoken with him at all,” Biden said, referring to Attorney General Merrick Garland, whose Justice Department has the authority to pursue criminal charges related to the Capitol attack.
Some of the video footage came from the family of US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi present at the Capitol that day.
One of the clips showed the California Democrat in a call with Republican vice-president Mike Pence.
“When I spoke to him, I said, ‘I’m so afraid for you to be in the Capitol still,'” Pelosi said on Saturday during remarks at a San Francisco community farming event.
Pence responded that the Secret Service thought more attention would be drawn if he and his entourage left the Capitol, Pelosi said.
“Lord knows what might have happened if that entourage went out there,” she added.
The House committee probing the Jan 6, 2021, attack by Donald Trump’s supporters voted unanimously on Thursday to subpoena the former president, a move that could lead to criminal charges if he does not comply.
The hearing followed eight others earlier this year and one in July 2021.
There were no live witnesses on Thursday, but the panel presented videotaped testimony to build a case that Trump’s efforts to overturn his November 2020 presidential election defeat constituted illegal conduct far beyond normal politics.
The committee’s vote on Thursday may have been its last public action before the Nov 8 congressional elections that will determine whether Biden’s Democrats continue to control the House and Senate.
Read More…
EDITORIAL: Jan. 6 Committee Justly Files Trump Subpoena https://digitalalabamanews.com/editorial-jan-6-committee-justly-files-trump-subpoena/
Oct. 16—The final public hearing of the Jan. 6 committee came with a unanimous vote to subpoena ex-President Donald Trump in a remarkable series of events that mark a dark chapter in American history.
The committee, including Republican members Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, made its conclusions after reviewing thousands of documents and interviewing hundreds of witnesses, some loyal to the former president. The testimony, even from loyalists, was damning.
A sitting president violated his oath to protect and uphold the Constitution.
Trump’s closest advisors and family members tried to tell him he lost the election and his actions to stop the vote by inciting a riot were illegal on a number of fronts. They begged him to consider the safety of all in the call to arms on Jan. 6. He ignored those calls.
The investigation now shows Trump’s actions enabled a premediated violent attack on the Capitol from the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys — violent paramilitary groups who had a cache of arms in an Arlington hotel, ready to execute an armed insurrection.
Advisors warned Trump of the serious implications of using the military — as he contemplated — to confiscate voting machines and declare martial law. Testimony shows these actions were narrowly averted. Trump battled verbally and physically with the Secret Service in his effort to go to the Capitol riot where the Secret Service determined it was not safe.
Shocking footage released Thursday from the committee showed leaders, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on cell phones while hiding out from the Capitol riot, urging the Department of Defense and the acting secretary to either come to assist with the riot or tell Trump to call off the insurrectionists. Remarkably, the defense official was hesitant, reluctant and said they didn’t have certain authorities to do anything.
This is what the downfall of a democratic government looks like.
This call for help wasn’t a partisan act. Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell and Sen. Charles Grassley can be seen listening to the phone call. Ultimately, Vice President Mike Pence calls for more security and help and notifies the congressional leaders they can go back to the Capitol to finish the electoral vote certification.
And then they did and saved American democracy. Delaying the vote may have given insurrectionists an opening to violently stop it.
Trump knew people’s lives were in danger. He led the charge to dismantle American Democracy and continued in an unhinged behavioral breakdown. All of this has been testified to under oath before the committee.
If Trump would like to tell his side of the story, the committee is all ears. But he will most likely not appear but rather drag out challenges to the subpoena as long as he can.
The committee’s work can be turned over to the Justice Department for possible criminal prosecution of Trump and associates. The committee made clear it believes democracy is at stake.
“We are obligated to seek answers directly from the man who set this all in motion,” said Cheney, the panel’s vice chairwoman. “And every American is entitled to those answers. So we can act now to protect our republic.”
The committee has laid out the facts in the case of the serious threat to the American democracy. Saving that republic is now up to the American people.
Read More…
Live Updates: Xi Warns Of Dangerous Storms Facing China
Live Updates: Xi Warns Of ‘Dangerous Storms’ Facing China https://digitalalabamanews.com/live-updates-xi-warns-of-dangerous-storms-facing-china/
Xi Jinping Thought is ubiquitous in China, detailed in everything from textbooks to collections of Mr. Xi’s writings, from dedicated research centers to apps for studying his works.
In China, having a political philosophy named after a leader carries enormous significance. For Mr. Xi, it is a core expression of his expanding power. At his speech opening the Communist Party’s congress in Beijing on Sunday, he said that “fully implementing” his thought was a key theme.
During the meeting this week, China’s political elite are expected to further elevate the status of the political doctrine — and by extension, Mr. Xi’s authority.
The party is likely to amend its constitution to change the name of the theory, officially known as Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism With Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.
“‘Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism With Chinese Characteristics for a New Era’ is a crown that’s too heavy to wear,” said David Bandurski, the director of the China Media Project, a research organization. “So, he wants a crown he can actually wear.”
Many analysts expect the phrase to be shortened to Xi Jinping Thought. That would make it a “pithy, direct, powerful signal” of his authority, Mr. Bandurski said.
Mr. Xi already had the full phrase inserted into the party charter in 2017. That put Mr. Xi above his most recent predecessors, Hu Jintao and Jiang Zemin, whose own ideological contributions, while mentioned in the same document, don’t carry their names in the titles. It even vaulted him above Deng Xiaoping, whose eponymous input is labeled a “theory.”
The ideology is more than an empty celebration of Mr. Xi. Xi Jinping Thought is a framework for China’s governance and a guide for what it will do under his continuing leadership.
The goal of Mr. Xi’s ideology is to cement the Communist Party’s role as China’s governing body, with a single strong leader — Mr. Xi himself — at the top, dispensing with the more collective leadership style of his recent predecessors.
Mr. Xi has escalated a crackdown on corruption, a widely popular effort that also helps command cadres’ loyalty to him and ensures that the party, not the public at large, decides who stays in power. He has also reinvigorated Mao’s “mass line,” in which ideas for governance are disseminated through society, with dissenting views silenced and heavy doses of propaganda used to convince the public that China’s policy is correct.
The mass line is how one of Mr. Xi’s signature policies, “zero Covid,” has been advanced in China. It calls for a continuing national campaign to quash the coronavirus through mass testing, strict lockdowns and lengthy quarantines. While rumors about an easing of the policy have circulated, the People’s Daily, the mouthpiece of the party, declared last week that it must persist.
The strength of Mr. Xi’s ideology is also its greatest weakness, Steve Tsang and Olivia Cheung, scholars at the SOAS China Institute, argued in a paper last year. In prioritizing the effectiveness of policymaking and governance, he also reduces flexibility and pragmatism, they said.
“Whether the strong hand of the party-state will deliver the same positive outcome when the going gets tough will depend on Xi getting it right,” they wrote. “So far, Xi has always doubled down when his authority is being challenged. If the same policymaking pattern holds, the rigidity of Xi’s approach is likely to undermine the resilience of the system when adaptability is needed the most.”
Read More…
Super Regional Volleyball Tournament Field Set For AHSAA Teams
Super Regional Volleyball Tournament Field Set For AHSAA Teams https://digitalalabamanews.com/super-regional-volleyball-tournament-field-set-for-ahsaa-teams/
The field for AHSAA super regional volleyball tournaments is set with 208 teams competing for 56 spots in the state championship tournament.
Super regional tournaments begin on Wednesday with the state championship tournament set for Oct. 25-27.
All seven 2021 champions are in the field, but five of the seven are in different classes this season.
Class 7A Spain Park and Class 6A Mountain Brook will try to defend titles, but the other five have changed classes.
Class 5A Bayside Academy (now in Class 6A), Class 4A Westminster Christian (now in Class 5A), Class 3A Trinity (now in Class 4A), Class 2A Addison (now in Class 1A) and Class 1A Donoho (now in Class 2A) are all among the field.
The South Super Regional will be played at Montgomery’s Cramton Bowl Multiplex while North Super Regional action is at Huntsville’s Von Braun Center. There are 104 teams at each site competing in single elimination play in seven classes.
The top four teams from each class at both sites advance to the state championship tournament at the Birmingham Crossplex and Bill Harris Arena.
Class 6A-1A areas 1-8 along with Class 7A areas 1-4 play in Montgomery while 6A-1A areas 9-16 and Class 7A areas 5-8 play in Huntsville.
Predetermined area winners play an area runnerup in all first round matches.
In Class 6A-1A, which has 16 teams per class in each regional, teams that win their first two matches earn a spot in the state championship tournament. Teams from Class 7A, with only eight teams in each regional, need only win a first round match to secure a spot in next week’s championships.
The final two rounds of play, comprised of semifinal winners and losers in each class, determines seeding for the state championship with a regional title match and consolation match.
AHSAA 2022 South Super Regional
Montgomery Cramton Bowl Multi-Plex
CLASS 1A SOUTH
FIRST-ROUND PAIRINGS
(Wednesday, Oct. 19)
Area 1 RU: Houston County (9-12) vs. Area 6 W: University Charter School (21-7), 11:30 a.m.
Area 8 RU: Wadley (18-6) vs. Area 4 W: Calhoun (7-1), 11:30 a.m.
Area 2 RU: Brantley (22-10) vs. Area 5 W: Sweet Water (10-6), 12:45 p.m.
Area 7 RU: Billingsley (10-7) vs. Area 3 W: Leroy (18-6), 12:45 p.m.
Area 3 RU: Fruitdale (8-7) vs. Area 7 Winner: Maplesville (12-4), 12:45 p.m.
Area 5 RU: Southern Choctaw (12-10) vs. Area 2 W: Pleasant Home (15-11), 12:45 p.m.
Area 4 RU: Central-Hayneville (2-9) vs. Area 8 W: Faith Christian (14-25), 12:45 p.m.
Area 6 RU: Keith (9-9) vs. Area 1 W: Kinston (14-13), 12:45 p.m.
Quarterfinals: 6:30 p.m. Wednesday
Semifinals: 2 p.m. Thursday
Third place: 5 p.m. Thursday
Championship: 5 p.m. Thursday
CLASS 2A SOUTH
FIRST-ROUND PAIRINGS
(Thursday, Oct. 20)
Area 1 RU: Chickasaw vs. Area 6 W: Horseshoe Bend, 11:30 a.m.
Area 8 RU: Thorsby (11-8) vs. Area 4 W: G.W. Long (25-9), 11:30 a.m.
Area 2 RU: Samson (18-10) vs. Area 5 W: Pike liberal Arts (13-3), 11:30 a.m.
Area 7 RU: Greene County (3-10) vs. Area 3 W: Washington County (20-3), 11:30 a.m.
Area 3 RU: Clarke County (10-6) vs. Area 7 W: Tuscaloosa Academy (17-8), 11:30 a.m.
Area 5 RU: Highland Home (10-8) vs. Area 2 W: Wicksburg (9-15), 11:30 a.m.
Area 4 RU: Ariton (35-4) vs. Area 8 W: Isabella (23-13), 12:45 p.m.
Area 6 RU: Lanett vs. Area 1 W: Bayshore Christian (17-21), 12:45 p.m.
Quarterfinals: 3:30 p.m. Thursday
Semifinals: 10 a.m. Friday
Third place: 1 p.m. Friday
Championship: 1 p.m. Friday
CLASS 3A SOUTH
FIRST-ROUND PAIRINGS
(Thursday, Oct. 20)
Area 1 RU: Mobile Christian (32-8) vs. Area 6 W: Prattville Christian (32-18), 9 a.m.
Area 8 RU: Saks (3-30) vs. Area 4 W: Thomasville (19-13), 9 a.m.
Area 2 RU: Ashford vs. Area 5 W: Sumter Central (4-5), 9 a.m.
Area 7 RU: Childersburg (8-10) vs. Area 3 W: Opp (11-154), 9 a.m.
Area 3 RU: Straughn (16-13) vs. Area 7 W: Indian Springs (13-7), 9 a.m.
Area 5 RU: Greensboro (3-7) vs. Area 2 W: Houston Academy (20-13), 9 a.m.
Area 4 RU: Excel vs. Area 8 W: Walter Wellborn (25-13), 10:15 a.m.
Area 6 RU: Alabama Christian (14-22) vs. Area 1 W: St. Luke’s (36-12), 10:15 a.m.
Quarterfinals: 2 p.m., 3:30 p.m. Thursday
Semifinals: 10 a.m. Friday
Third place: 1 p.m. Friday
Championship: 1 p.m. Friday
CLASS 4A SOUTH
FIRST-ROUND PAIRINGS
(Wednesday, Oct. 19)
Area 1 RU: Satsuma (20-11) vs. Area 6 W: Montevallo (17-7), 10:15 a.m.
Area 8 RU: Handley (7-15) vs. Area 4 W: LAMP (22-15), 10:15 a.m.
Area 2 RU: Jackson (6-5) vs. Area 5 W: Montgomery Catholic (24-10), 10:15 a.m.
Area 7 RU: Sipsey Valley vs. Area 3 W: Andalusia (32-9), 10:15 a.m.
Area 3 RU: Slocomb (9-13) vs. Area 7 W: American Christian, 11:30 a.m.
Area 5 RU: Trinity Presbyterian (37-8) vs. Area 2 W: T.R. Miller (26-10), 11:30 a.m.
Area 4 RU: Dallas County (8-6) vs. Area 8 W: Munford (29-14), 11:30 a.m.
Area 6 RU: Bibb County (6-5) vs. Area 1 W: Orange Beach (29-9), 11:30 a.m.
Quarterfinals: 5 p.m. Wednesday
Semifinals: 12:45 p.m. Thursday
Third place: 5 p.m. Thursday
Championship: 5 p.m. Thursday
CLASS 5A SOUTH
FIRST-ROUND PAIRINGS
(Wednesday, Oct. 19)
Area 1 RU: Elberta (5-8) vs. Area 6 W: Montgomery Academy (37-6), 9 a.m.
Area 8 RU: Sylacauga (35-15) vs. Area 4 W: Brewbaker Tech, 9 a.m.
Area 2 RU: Citronelle (4-8) vs. Area 5 W: Beauregard (27-8), 9 a.m.
Area 7 RU: Marbury (7-12) vs. Area 3 W: Providence Christian (18-23), 9 a.m.
Area 3 RU: Rehobeth (32-12) vs. Area 7 W: Elmore County (26-12), 9 a.m.
Area 5 RU: Eufaula (17-9) vs. Area 2 W: Faith Academy (24-17), 9 a.m.
Area 4 RU: Charles Henderson vs. Area 8 W: Jemison (25-15), 10:15 a.m.
Area 6 RU: Demopolis (8-15) vs. Area 1 W: Gulf Shores (42-15), 10:15 a.m.
Quarterfinals: 3:30 p.m. Wednesday
Semifinals: 12:45 p.m. Thursday
Third place: 5 p.m. Thursday
Championship: 5 p.m. Thursday
CLASS 6A SOUTH
FIRST-ROUND PAIRINGS
(Wednesday, Oct. 19)
Area 1 RU: Murphy (11-8 vs. Area 6 W: Northridge (34-12), 2 p.m.
Area 8 RU: Briarwood Christian (37-14) vs. Area 4 W: Pike Road (32-10), 2 p.m.
Area 2 RU: Bayside Academy vs. Area 5 W: Benjamin Russell (17-11), 2 p.m.
Area 7 RU: Hueytown (8-11) vs. Area 3 W: Wetumpka (27-13), 2 p.m.
Area 3 RU: Stanhope Elmore (8-5) vs. Area 7 W: McAdory (24-15), 2 p.m.
Area 5 RU: Calera (7-20) vs. Area 2 W: Spanish Fort, 2 p.m.
Area 4 RU: Saint James (23-15) vs. Area 8 W: Pelham (35-15), 3:30 p.m.
Area 6 RU: Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa (30-15) vs. Area 1 W: Saraland (27-19), 3:30 p.m.
Quarterfinals: 6:30 p.m. Wednesday
Semifinals: 2 p.m. Thursday
Third place: 6:30 p.m. Thursday
Friday: 6:30 p.m. Thursday
CLASS 7A SOUTH
FIRST-ROUND PAIRINGS
(Thursday, Oct. 20)
Area 2 RU: Fairhope (19-16) vs. Area 3 W: Enterprise (39-7), 10:15 a.m.
Area 4 RU: Central-Phenix City (14-7) vs. Area 1 W: St. Paul’s (32-12), 10:15 a.m.
Area 1 RU: Baker (18-19) vs. Area 4 W: Auburn (21-13), 10:15 a.m.
Area 3 RU Dothan (18-17) vs. Area 2 W: McGill-Toolen Catholic (45-8), 10:15 a.m.
Semifinals: 10 a.m. Friday
Third place: 1 p.m. Friday
Championship: 1 p.m. Friday
AHSAA 2022 North Super Regional
Huntsville Von Braun Center
CLASS 1A NORTH
FIRST-ROUND PAIRINGS
(Wednesday, Oct. 19)
Area 9 RU: Holy Spirit (10-12) vs. Area 14 W: Phillips (19-19), 11:30 a.m.
Area 16 RU Waterloo (16-26) vs. Area 12 W: Spring Garden (36-13), 11:30 a.m.
Area 10 RU: Ragland (9-17) vs. Area 13 W: Addison (39-10), 12:45 p.m.
Area 15 RU Woodville (19-8) vs. Area 11 W: Marion County, 12:45 p.m.
Area 11 RU: Brilliant vs. Area 15 W: Athens Bible (21-18), 12:45 p.m.
Area 13 RU: Meek (18-21) vs. Area 10 W: Sumiton Christian (17-19), 12:45 p.m.
Area 12 RU: Cedar Bluff (17-21) vs. Area 16 W: Covenant Christian (30-17), 12:45 p.m.
Area 14 RU: Belgreen (14-25) vs. Area 9 W: South Lamar (20-8), 12:45 p.m.
Quarterfinals: 5 p.m. Wednesday
Semifinals: 2 p.m. Thursday
Third place: 5 p.m. Thursday
Championship: 5 p.m. Thursday
CLASS 2A NORTH
FIRST-ROUND PAIRINGS
(Thursday, Oct. 20)
Area 9 RU: Westminster-Oak Mtn (14-19) vs. Area 14 W: Lindsay Lane (20-24), 11:30 a.m.
Area 16 RU: Ider (15-15) vs. Area 12 W: Holly Pond (27-17), 11:30 a.m.
Area 10 RU: Pleasant Valley (37-13) vs. Area 13 W: Sand Rock (33-9), 11:30 a.m.
Area 15 RU: Lexington (29-19) vs. Area 11 W: Lamar County (30-5), 11:30 a.m.
Area 11 RU: Winston County (25-17) vs. Area 15 W: Hatton (40-13), 11:30 a.m.
Area 13 RU: West End (6-16) vs. Area 10 W: Donoho (37-14), 11:30 a.m.
Area 12 RU: Cold Springs (18-25) vs. Area 16 W: Fyffe (19-25), 12:45 p.m.
Area 14 RU: Falkville (11-6) vs. Area 9 W: Altamont (21-15), 12:45 p.m.
Quarterfinals: 3:30 p.m. Thursday
Semifinals: 10 a.m. Friday
Third place: 1 p.m. Friday
Championship: 1 p.m. Friday
CLASS 3A NORTH
FIRST-ROUND PAIRINGS
(Thursday, Oct. 20)
Area 9 RU: Carbon Hill (10-24) vs. Area 14 W: Plainview (58-10), 9 a.m.
Area 16 RU: Clements (16-20) vs. Area 12 W: Danville (55-16), 9 a.m.
Area 10 RU: Piedmont (17-12) vs. Area 13 W: Susan Moore (46-8), 9 a.m.
Area 15 RU: Colbert County (9-22) vs. Area 11 W: Westbrook Christian (35-5), 9 a.m.
Area 11 RU: Glencoe (21-23) vs. Area 15 W: Colbert Heights (24-23), 9 a.m.
Area 13 RU: Brindlee Mountain (13-28) vs. Area 10 W: Ohatchee (39-10), 9 a.m.
Area 12 RU: Vinemont (25-10) vs. Area 16 W: Lauderdale County (30-22), 10:15 a.m.
Area 14 RU: Geraldine (29-15) vs. Area 9 W: Winfield (14-15), 10:15 a.m.
Quarterfinals: 2 p.m. Thursday
Semifinals: 10 a.m. Friday
Third place: 1 p.m. Friday
Championship: 1 p.m. Friday
CLASS 4A NORTH
FIRST-ROUND PAIRINGS
(Wednesday, Oct. 19)
Area 9 RU: Cordova (23-20) vs. Area 14 W: Deshler (40-5),10:15 a.m.
Area 16 RU New Hope vs. Area 12 W: Good Hope (36-13), 10:15 a.m.
Area 10 RU: Jacksonville vs. Area 13 W: Curry, 10:15 a.m.
Area 15 RU West Morgan (38-12) vs. Area 11 W: Cherokee County (30-25), 10:15 a.m.
Area 11 RU: Ashville (22-37) vs. Area 15 W: Priceville 11:30 a.m.
Area 13 RU: Haleyville vs. Area 10 W: ...
Media Release 212- Double Homicide Investigation- 3rd Avenue North | Birmingham Police Department
Media Release 212- Double Homicide Investigation- 3rd Avenue North | Birmingham Police Department https://digitalalabamanews.com/media-release-212-double-homicide-investigation-3rd-avenue-north-birmingham-police-department/
Double Homicide Investigation
The Birmingham Police Department is conducting a double homicide investigation. The incident occurred on Sunday, October 16, 2022.
The victims will be identified upon notification to the next of kin.
At approximately 2 AM, North Precinct officers were dispatched to the 100 Block of 3rd Avenue North on report of a person shot.
Officers arrived on the scene and observed an adult male lying unresponsive on a sidewalk suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. Birmingham Fire and Rescue personnel arrived on the scene and pronounced the victim deceased.
The preliminary investigation suggests the victim was involved in a verbal altercation at a nearby foot truck which escalated into a physical altercation. Shots were then fired and the victim was struck by gunfire.
While officers and detectives were on the scene canvassing the area, a community member alerted our personnel that a 2nd victim was lying unresponsive inside of a van connected to the food truck which was the site of the original altercation.
Officers observed an adult male lying unresponsive inside of a van suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. Birmingham Fire and Rescue personnel arrived on the scene and pronounced the 2nd victim deceased.
NOTE: the second victim was discovered inside of a van which was enclosed and the area was not visible to our officers.
Currently, there is no one in custody.
If there is anyone who has information pertaining to the case, please contact the B.P.D. Homicide Unit @ 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers @ 205-254-7777.
Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers through the Birmingham Police Department’s Mobile App on Android or IOS devices. Updates will be provided as information comes available.
This is Birmingham’s 112th and 113th murder investigation of 2022 including 7 justifiable death investigations.
The Birmingham Police Department adheres to FBI Uniform Crime Reporting guidelines set for all law enforcement agencies across the United States. FBI Uniform Crime Reporting guidelines do not require law enforcement agencies to include justifiable death investigations into the total homicide investigations counts.
**The information is based on a preliminary and ongoing investigation, which continues to evolve as investigators interview witnesses, review physical and electronic records, and analyze forensic evidence. The Department’s understanding of the facts and circumstances may change as additional evidence is collected and analyzed**
Click here to print
Media Release 212- Double Homicide Investigation- 3rd Avenue North
###
Read More…
Cavs Move To Keep Isaac Okoro Through 2023-24 Season
Cavs Move To Keep Isaac Okoro Through 2023-24 Season https://digitalalabamanews.com/cavs-move-to-keep-isaac-okoro-through-2023-24-season/
Sports
Published: Oct. 15, 2022, 11:09 p.m.
Isaac Okoro scores for the Cleveland Cavaliers during an NBA preseason game against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022, in Cleveland.(AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
The Cleveland Cavaliers have exercised their fourth-year option on the contract of swingman Isaac Okoro, the NBA team announced on Saturday.
Okoro joined the Cavs from Auburn as the fifth pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. Cleveland’s decision ties Okoro to the Cavaliers through the 2023-24 NBA season.
Okoro will be paid $8,920,795 for his fourth NBA season after Cleveland’s decision, which the Cavs made 16 days before the deadline to do so. Okoro is scheduled to make $7,040,880 this season.
In his two NBA seasons, Okoro has averaged 9.2 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 31.0 minutes in 134 regular-season games, often while guarding the opponent’s top offensive player.
Okoro has been a starter in all but six of his NBA appearances, but Cleveland’s acquisition of small forward Caris LeVert late in the 2021-22 season and offseason trade for three-time All-Star shooting guard Donovan Mitchell could switch him to a reserve role.
In the Cavaliers’ four preseason games, Okoro averaged 10.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.0 steals and 23.4 minutes.
On Saturday, the Cavaliers also waived former Auburn guard Sharife Cooper.
Cooper played for Atlanta on a two-way contract during the 2021-22 season after the Hawks selected him with the 48th choice in the 2021 NBA Draft. Each NBA team can have two players on two-way contracts, which allows them to be moved between the NBA roster and an NBA G League affiliate without going through waivers.
Last season, Cooper averaged 16.3 points and 6.7 assists in 22 games for the College Park Skyhawks, Atlanta’s G League affiliate. Cooper played in 13 NBA games as a rookie. He had seven points, five rebounds and five assists in 39 minutes for the Hawks in the 2021-22 season.
Atlanta released Cooper on July 25.
Cleveland will tip off its 2022-23 season on the road against the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday night.
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.
Read More…
Trump Media Fired Whistleblower After He Spoke To Washington Post
Trump Media Fired Whistleblower After He Spoke To Washington Post https://digitalalabamanews.com/trump-media-fired-whistleblower-after-he-spoke-to-washington-post/
In This is a photo illustration from Facebook. Truth Social A smartphone shows the logo with a photo taken in the US. President Donald Trump The background is displayed.
Rafael Henrique | Lightrocket | Getty Images
Former President Donald Trump’s A media company fired an executive Thursday After sharing internal documents from a, he resigned. Securities Exchange Commission Whistleblower complaint with The Washington Post And spoke with the newspaper, news outlet reported Saturday.
Will Wilkerson He was a senior vice-president of operations Trump Media TechnologyThe social network is controlled by. Truth SocialHe was one of the original employees.
Wilkerson In 2005, the SEC whistleblower complaint was filed AugustThe company claimed that it relied on “fraudulent misrepresentations … in violation of federal securities laws,” According to PostIt is attempting to go public through an investment vehicle known simply as a special purpose acquisition corporation, or SPAC.
In The article. Wilkerson Strife is also described. Trump MediaTension with the CEO Devin Nunes, who, Republican congressman, was among Trump’s most loyal defenders. Wilkerson Another executive also explained how it was done. Trump His wife pressured him into giving shares in the company. Melania Trump.
A spokesperson for Trump Media The pushed back Post’s Story and promoted Truth Media’s The availability of the Apple App Store, The Google Play Store Samsung’s Galaxy Store. “As Chairman of TMTG, President Trump hired Devin Nunes as CEO to create a culture of compliance and build a world-class team to lead Truth Social,” CNBC was emailed a statement by the spokesperson.
Digital World Acquisition Corp.SPAC, which sought to take the media company public.
CNBC also reached to Wilkerson’s Attorneys for comment.
Trump Media Fired Wilkerson Making “unauthorized disclosures” The PostAccording to the newspaper, One According to the report, one of his lawyers called the firing a retaliation against whistleblowers. There Exist laws that protect whistleblowers
The Report from DWAC as it pushes its shareholders for a vote to delay its planned merge with Trump MediaThe merger was announced in January. DWAC has threatened to liquidate if it fails to complete the merger. This would bring in hundreds of millions of dollars. Trump Media.
DWAC CEO Patrick Orlando Another of his companies directed him to provide DWAC funding for the organization to keep it afloat. December. He It already Four times adjournment of a shareholder meetingHe did not have the support of shareholders to delay the merger.
The Trump Media-DWAC Deal is under investigation by regulators at SEC and prosecutors in Justice Department. Trump Media The SEC was blamed for the delay.
In He also mentioned undisclosed talks between the parties in his article TrumpHis media company’s executives are Orlando Last year, the deal was made public before DWAC went public. Those Talks may have been in violation of SEC rules.
Wilkerson The SEC Investigation Team shared internal logs, photos, memos, and other relevant material. Post. All The materials had been previously given to government investigators. Post Citing Wilkerson’s attorneys.
Trump Media The executive had been suspended following the Miami Herald First reported the SEC complaint Oct. 6. “blatant violation” His non-disclosure agreement was the Post said.
Read The full Washington Post Report here.
– CNBC’s Jack Stebbins This article was contributed by.
Read More…
Tim Ryan For U.S. Senate: Endorsement Editorial https://digitalalabamanews.com/tim-ryan-for-u-s-senate-endorsement-editorial/
This election season’s battle for control of the U.S. Senate that has been raging across the 35 states where Senate seats are up for grabs portends significant, long-range consequences for how this country is governed, as each party tries to break the current 50-50 partisan deadlock.
Nowhere is the contest more intense than in Ohio, where Democrat Tim Ryan and Republican J.D. Vance are locked in a no-holds-barred campaign to replace the retiring two-term Republican Rob Portman in the upper chamber of Congress.
The two candidates could not be more different.
Ryan, 49, is a 10-term congressman who has never lost an election in his political career, with an unbroken string of victories in two different congressional districts serving the Youngstown/Warren area.
Vance, 38, is embroiled in his first foray campaigning for political office, having first come to the public’s attention as the author of the 2016 best-selling memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy.”
There is not much question as to what the state would get from either of the two candidates – Ryan, as a congressman, having voted with Democrats virtually all of the time and Vance having signed on to Donald Trump’s Big Lie and extremist approach to politics after being highly critical of the former president during the 2016 campaign and afterward.
The candidates also differ on one of the key issues certain to come up in the Senate’s next session: whether to abandon the filibuster – the longtime Senate rule that legislation must gain 60% support in order to pass, with Ryan favoring that move and Vance opposing.
But the choice here boils down to what kind of statesman would best represent Ohio in the Senate. In that arena, Ryan is the clear favorite.
During his years in Congress, Ryan has shown himself to be an able collaborator who is willing to work across the aisle, an important quality in a deeply divided Senate. His bipartisan bona fides were affirmed by a recent Georgetown University study, which judged him Ohio’s second most bipartisan U.S. House member, after outgoing U.S. Rep. Anthony Gonzalez of Rocky River.
In his endorsement interview with the editorial board of the Plain Dealer and cleveland.com, Ryan acknowledged his consistent voting with Pelosi, but noted that negotiations and differences of opinion while legislation is being formed are far more important than the final vote. And his having run against Pelosi for House speaker in 2016 and his opposition to her two years later are hardly the acts of a sycophant.
Ryan’s focus on grassroots economic development and emphasis on what he calls “cutting Ohio workers in on the deal,” and the pragmatic grasp he showed in discussing the need to stand firm against the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the potential threat of China doing the same with Taiwan add up to a strong argument for Ryan to replace Portman in the Senate.
Ryan is proud of his fundraising efforts, saying he has 350,000 donors, with 95% of their contributions under $100.
“Nobody owns me,” he told the board. “Not Peter Thiel (a reference to billionaire Thiel’s aggressive fundraising for Vance), not Mitch McConnell, not Chuck Schumer, not Nancy Pelosi.”
Vance, by contrast, has not exhibited the astute judgment necessary to return the Senate to its former status as the world’s greatest deliberative body.
Exhibit No. 1 is Vance’s craven political cowardice in advancing Trump’s Big Lie that Joe Biden is not the legitimately elected president of the United States. That’s disqualifying in itself. But Vance hasn’t stopped there. His accusation that Biden is responsible for the fentanyl epidemic because of his immigration policies is equally irresponsible – and who can forget his initial reaction to the Russian invasion: “I don’t really care what happens to Ukraine one way or another.”
Unfortunately, Vance elected not to appear before our editorial board to explain his indefensible embrace of Trump’s Big Lie or clarify where he stands on Ukraine, abortion restrictions, domestic violence against women or other matters.
With Tim Ryan, voters know what they’ll get and who he is — a steady voice for the working class, a bipartisan collaborator, and someone laser-focused on manufacturing innovation to keep jobs and income in Ohio. That’s why Tim Ryan deserves your vote for U.S. Senate. Early voting in the Nov. 8 election has begun.
On Oct. 12, as part of its endorsement process, the editorial board of The Plain Dealer and cleveland.com held an endorsement interview for the U.S. Senate race in Ohio. U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, the Democratic candidate, participated. The GOP candidate, J.D. Vance, elected not to do so. Listen to audio of this endorsement interview below:
About our editorials: Editorials express the view of the editorial board of cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer — the senior leadership and editorial-writing staff. As is traditional, editorials are unsigned and intended to be seen as the voice of the news organization.
Have something to say about this topic?
* Send a letter to the editor, which will be considered for print publication.
* Email general questions about our editorial board or comments or corrections on this editorial to Elizabeth Sullivan, director of opinion, at esullivan@cleveland.com
Other resources for voters:
League of Women Voters vote411.org voters’ guide.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation.
Read More…
Iran Plans To Send Missiles Drones To Russia For Ukraine War Officials Say
Iran Plans To Send Missiles, Drones To Russia For Ukraine War, Officials Say https://digitalalabamanews.com/iran-plans-to-send-missiles-drones-to-russia-for-ukraine-war-officials-say/
Iran is strengthening its commitment to supply arms for Russia’s assault on Ukraine, according to U.S. and allied security officials, secretly agreeing to send not only attack drones but also what some officials described as the first Iranian-made surface-to-surface missiles intended for use against Ukrainian cities and troop positions.
The increased flow of weapons from Tehran could help offset what Biden administration officials say have been huge losses in Russian military equipment since Moscow invaded in February, and a rapidly dwindling supply of precision-guided munitions of the kind used in last week’s strikes against multiple Ukrainian cities.
Independent news outlets in recent days published photos of the remains of what appear to be Iranian-made drones used in strikes against Ukrainian targets, calling into question Iran’s repeated denials that it has supplied such weapons to its ally Russia. Pentagon officials also publicly confirmed the use of Iranian drones in Russian airstrikes, as well as Ukraine’s success in shooting some of the drones down.
In an apparent sign of Iran’s expanded role as a military supplier to Moscow, Tehran dispatched officials to Russia on Sept. 18 to finalize terms for additional weapons shipments, including two types of Iranian surface-to-surface missiles, according to officials from a U.S.-allied country that closely monitors Iran’s weapons activity.
An intelligence assessment shared in recent days with Ukrainian and U.S. officials contends that Iran’s armaments industry is preparing a first shipment of Fateh-110 and Zolfaghar missiles, two well-known Iranian short-range ballistic missiles capable of striking targets at distances of 300 and 700 kilometers, respectively, two officials briefed on the matter said. If carried out, it would be the first delivery of such missiles to Russia since the start of the war.
The officials spoke on the condition that their names and nationalities not be revealed because of the extreme sensitivities surrounding intelligence-collection efforts.
In August, the same officials identified specific Iranian drones, the Shahed series and the Mohajer-6, that Tehran was beginning to supply to Russia for use in Ukraine. The remains of both types have been recovered, analyzed and photographed by Ukrainian forces in recent weeks. Russia appears to have repainted the weapons and given them Russian names.
The officials briefed on the planned missiles shipment said Iran also is preparing new deliveries of unmanned aerial vehicles for Russia, including “dozens” of additional Mohajer-6s and a larger number of Shahed-136s. The latter, sometimes called “kamikaze” drones because they are designed to crash into their targets, are capable of delivering explosive payloads at distances of up to 1,500 miles. Iranian technical advisers have visited Russian-controlled areas in recent weeks to provide instructions on operating the drones, the officials said.
U.S. intelligence agencies declined to comment on the reports of pending Iranian shipments to Russia. Russian and Iranian officials did not respond to requests for comment on Saturday on reports of Russian-bound Iranian missiles.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said “the Islamic Republic of Iran has not and will not provide any weapon to be used in the war in Ukraine,” according to a Saturday readout of his call with his Portuguese counterpart. “We believe that the arming of each side of the crisis will prolong the war.”
On Oct. 3, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kan’ani repeated Iran’s persistent denials of any involvement with supplying drones to Russia. “The Islamic Republic of Iran considers reports about delivering drones to Russia for use in the Ukraine war ‘baseless’ and does not confirm them,” he said. Kan’ani reasserted Iran’s claim of neutrality in the conflict and stressed the need for the “two sides to solve their problems through political means free from violence.”
The Kyiv government has been briefed on the evidence behind the new intelligence, a Ukrainian official told The Washington Post. Ukraine has separately assessed that the majority of drones recently deployed by Russia in the southern Ukraine are Iranian-made.
Ukraine recently downgraded its diplomatic ties with Tehran in response to the appearance of Iranian-made drones over the battlefield. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last week cited Russia’s recent airstrikes in urging NATO countries to supply his country with advanced air-defense systems.
“We need to protect our sky from the terror of Russia,” Zelensky said Thursday in a speech to the Council of Europe.
Like Iran, Russia has pushed back against Western reports about the shipment of Iranian weapons for its Ukrainian campaign, with Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov deriding such accounts as “bogus.”
But Iranian drones already have made their mark, destroying several Ukrainian tanks and damaging civilian infrastructure in repeated strikes in the past three weeks, Ukrainian officials say. Missiles experts say the arrival of surface-to-surface missiles could give Russia powerful new weapons at time when Kyiv’s forces are reclaiming captured territory across large swaths of southern and eastern Ukraine, successes that are due in part to Western-supplied artillery.
“The progression from drones to surface-to-surface missiles could give the Russians more options and a lot of punch,” said Farzin Nadimi, an expert on Iranian weapons at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, a Washington think tank.
Iran possesses one of the largest and most diverse arsenals of short- and medium-range missiles in the Middle East. While Iranian weapons designers have struggled with reliability problems, the newest versions of the Fateh-110 and Zolfaghar are considered by experts to be both potent and reasonably accurate at relatively short distances, Nadimi said. Some models come with electrooptic guidance systems that allow missile operators to guide them in their final approach to the target.
Iran previously provided the same missiles to proxy militia groups in the Middle East, most notably Houthi fighters in Yemen. Houthi forces have displayed Iranian-designed missiles in military parades and used them in attacks against oil refineries and other civilian targets in neighboring Gulf countries.
Russia already possesses an array of unarmed aerial vehicles, or UAVs, which are used mainly for surveillance and artillery spotting. But Moscow has not invested in large fleets of armed drones of the type that U.S. forces have routinely used in military campaigns in Afghanistan and the Middle East.
Moscow did command a vast arsenal of precision-guided missiles and rockets at the outset of the Ukraine invasion, but U.S. officials say its stockpile has been dramatically reduced over the course of the war, now in its seventh month.
According to a presentation by a senior U.S. intelligence official on Friday, Russia’s growing reliance on countries like Iran and North Korea is evidence of the impact of sanctions and export controls imposed by Western countries in the wake of the Ukraine invasion.
According to the information presented by Deputy Director of National Intelligence Morgan Muir, Russia has lost more than 6,000 pieces of equipment since the start of the war, and was “expending munitions at an unsustainable rate.”
Blocked by sanctions from obtaining Western electronics, Russia is “turning to countries like Iran and North Korea for supplies and equipment,” including drones, artillery munitions and rockets, Muir said, addressing a group of top international finance officials at the Treasury Department.
Muir also noted that Russia’s defense industry depends heavily on imports for material such as microprocessors and optical and thermal imaging technology.
Read More…
A History Lesson For Donald Trump | The Spectator Australia
A History Lesson For Donald Trump | The Spectator Australia https://digitalalabamanews.com/a-history-lesson-for-donald-trump-the-spectator-australia/
Former president Donald Trump gestures to the crowd as he arrives at the podium for a campaign rally at Legacy Sports USA in Mesa, Arizona (Getty)
I take a page from history.
On Thursday, the Committee (you know which one) voted 9-0 to subpoena the former president.
Of course, he might refuse to comply with the subpoena. What then?
Here’s one scenario, per CNN:
“Contempt. The full House, which is controlled by Democrats until at least January, could vote to hold him in contempt of Congress, something it’s done with several other uncooperative witnesses
“Referral. After a contempt of Congress referral, the Justice Department could then prosecute, as it did with Trump’s former aide Steve Bannon and plans to do with his once economic advisor Peter Navarro
“Prosecution. If found guilty, as Bannon was, Trump could theoretically face a minimum of thirty days in jail. Bannon will be sentenced for failing to comply with the House subpoena later this month”
Experts — I mean “experts” — say this this is unlikely but who knows?
The New York Times reported another scenario. The former president, they wrote in a front page story, “declined yesterday to comply with the subpoena served” on behalf of the House Committee. “At a tense and crowded news conference,” they reported, the former president “said his position was based on ‘universally recognized constitutional doctrine.’” He went on to say that “In spite of my personal willingness to cooperate with your committee, I feel constrained by my duty to the to the people of the United States to decline to comply with the subpoena.”
The former president then cited sixteen previous presidents, Democrats as well as Republicans, who had declined to respond to congressional subpoenas. He also, the Times reported, insisted that “if the doctrine of the separation of powers — and the independence of the presidency — was to have ‘any validity at all,’ it must apply equally to a president in office and to one who had left office — assuming the inquiry related to matters connected to his administration.”
According to the Times, he went on to observe that the principle of the separation of powers would fail and “the presidency shrink to a mere arm of the legislative branch — ‘contrary to our fundamental theory of constitutional government’ — if the president should feel during his term that his ‘every act might be subject to an official inquiry and possible distortion for political purposes.’” To this point, he quoted Andrew Jackson who, faced with a similar demand from Congress, said, “For myself, I shall repel all such attempts as an invasion of the principles of justice as well as of the Constitution, and I shall esteem it my sacred duty to the people of the United States to resist them, as I would the establishment of a Spanish Inquisition.”
Constitutional experts were divided in their response to the former president’s refusal to cooperate with the Committee’s subpoena, but the Committee let it be known that it would not act against the former president.
The Committee, by the way, was the House Committee on Un-American Activities — a good name, now that I think of it, for Liz Cheney’s last hurrah on Capitol Hill — and the president was Harry Truman. Donald Trump and his supporters might want to take a page from Truman’s robust response to that earlier example of congressional overreach and disgusting, megalomaniacal insanity on the part of rogue legislators. The Times story from November 13, 1953 has some revelatory details.
The post A history lesson for Donald Trump appeared first on The Spectator World.
Got something to add? Join the discussion and comment below.
Show comments
Read More…
Demand For extreme Safety Presents Its Own Dangersas Kansas Elections Approach Kansas Reflector
Demand For ‘extreme Safety’ Presents Its Own Dangers as Kansas Elections Approach – Kansas Reflector https://digitalalabamanews.com/demand-for-extreme-safety-presents-its-own-dangers-as-kansas-elections-approach-kansas-reflector/
Kansas Reflector welcomes opinion pieces from writers who share our goal of widening the conversation about how public policies affect the day-to-day lives of people throughout our state. Mark McCormick is the former executive director of The Kansas African American Museum and a member of the Kansas African American Affairs Commission.
Political pundits say some November election candidates will once again try to make crime a campaign issue. Crime unfailingly fires up some voters, despite the fact that the people most obsessed with it are probably the safest people on earth.
The United States represents 5% of the world’s population but houses 25% of the world’s prisoners. It’s a stunning irony. The safest people seem preoccupied to the point of neurosis with safety and comfort. If locking people up made us safer, we’d be invincible now.
But demands for extreme safety and comfort — namely from a privileged minority living in wealthy suburbs as well as in cozy rural communities — tend to come at the expense of the majority and remain a luxury we can’t afford.
This is not to say that crime isn’t an issue. It is. It’s just strange that the folks least likely to confront daily violent crime want more police and more jails and harsher penalties while people who live in dangerous communities consistently seek jobs and police accountability.
In Kansas, we have about 6,000 people in county jails, primarily because they don’t have bail money. When you don’t have bail money — to get out of jail, hire a lawyer, and participate in your own defense — you tend to get convicted. Also here in Kansas, we have almost 10,000 people in prison.
But this old “fear of crime” song still manages to pack electoral dancefloors when desperate politicians need to move a crowd.
Nixon pulled this album from its jacket and played it in 1968, promising safe but frightened Americans a return to traditional values and an end to what he called lawlessness following summers of racial unrest from Los Angeles to Detroit to Newark.
Former President Trump played a similar selection at his inauguration portraying the U.S. as crime-ridden, despite the fact that according to FactCheck.org, the nation’s violent crime rate in 2015 was less than half of what it was at its 1991 peak.
Does crime happen? Of course.
But Americans worry disproportionately about crime, in part because news media on the left and the right have irresponsibly prioritized it. Forced to fill news pages, websites and airwaves, news organizations lean into crime coverage, creating a distorted reality for audiences.
Crime also has become a dog whistle for race, a reliable tool to nudge safe but frightened voters to the polls. The constant demands for absolute safety feels like people standing on the shore watching a boat capsize, demanding life preservers while people actually in the water drown.
– Mark McCormick
Crime also has become a dog whistle for race, a reliable tool to nudge safe but frightened voters to the polls. The constant demands for absolute safety feels like people standing on the shore watching a boat capsize, demanding life preservers while people actually in the water drown.
This obsession with extreme safety and comfort has bled into other civic discussions.
We caught glimpses of this during the faux critical race theory debate. Fears from parents that their children might experience discomfort hearing what happened to Black people in this country actually swept some fearmongers into office.
Similar fears drive attempts at book banning.
We see it in the constant attacks on a tiny handful of transgender female athletes. We already have rules governing these aspects of competition.
We see it in voter suppression efforts, where a powerful minority essentially says that they want everything calibrated to their comfort and that just isn’t possible if too many people are allowed to vote.
We see it in cancel culture, too: “You said something I disagree with, so you’re banished.”
Comfort and privilege breed this kind of entitlement. Like bad tippers, they demand lavish courtesies, but offer paltry appreciation if any.
Another perspective on privilege is inequality, and that’s key here. Some people in our society have so much while others have so little. Our brand of cruel, guardrail-free, low-road capitalism creates and depends on such inequality.
One indication that you might have too much is the gnawing and constant sense that some imagined person or group plots to take it away from you.
Perhaps that’s why so many Americans stockpile guns or move into enormous suburban homes behind gates and walls. They stack enormous wealth. They drive giant SUVs. They have so much that any movement toward equity feels like loss.
All this safety and comfort has made people soft. People have lost their sense of proportion. They’ve become what one pundit calls “emotional hemophiliacs.”
All this fear has driven absolutely craven policies that continue to destroy lives, families and communities. Our society’s only hope is to begin backing away from reflexive fear.
Three wise women have offered thoughts on a path forward.
Brene’ Brown said, “you can choose courage, or you can choose comfort, but you cannot choose both.”
Mary Tyler Moore said, “you can’t be brave if you’ve only had wonderful things happen to you.”
Maya Angelou perhaps said it best: “Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can’t be kind, true, merciful, generous or honest.”
So, fear not. It does more harm than good.
Through its opinion section, the Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here.
Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our web site. Please see our republishing guidelines for use of photos and graphics.
Read More…
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She https://digitalalabamanews.com/ghislaine-maxwell-says-she/
Ghislaine Maxwell has said she “feels bad” for Prince Andrew and accepts they can no longer be friends, in her first interview from prison since being convicted of sex trafficking.
Speaking to CBS and Paramount Plus, the 60-year-old said she understood why the Duke of York‘s lawyers had to downplay their friendship.
“I feel so bad for him,” The Sun reports she told the interviewer. “I follow what’s happening to him.”
Following a trial earlier this year, Maxwell was found guilty of luring young girls to massage rooms for disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein to molest, between 1994 and 2004.
Speaking for the first time from prison, she said: “I accept that this friendship could not survive my conviction.
“He is paying such a price for the association. I consider him a dear friend. I care about him.”
The former socialite went on to claim the now infamous photo of her, Andrew and a young Virginia Giuffre (above) is not genuine.
Prince Andrew settled a civil sex assault claim brought by Ms Giuffre earlier this year. He has always denied any wrongdoing.
Speaking about billionaire paedophile Epstein, Maxwell described their relationship as the “greatest regret of my life” and said she would “avoid meeting him” if she could turn back the clock.
Image: Maxwell with Jeffrey Epstein
But she added that “many women can identify” with falling in love with someone they regretted.
Maxwell, who was moved to a low security prison in Florida in July and is appealing her conviction, spoke to the media on two occasions, according to The Sun.
The first interview was carried out at the high security detention centre in New York where she was held after her arrest, and the second in Florida.
Prison documents confirmed she was moved to FCI Tallahassee this summer.
According to a prison consulting firm, inmates are able to do yoga, stage talent shows and watch films.
Relationship with Bill Clinton was ‘special’
Image: Pic: US Department of Justice
Maxwell also spoke about her trial during the interview, saying it had turned her into a “wicked witch Disney character”.
She also described her friendship with former US president Bill Clinton as “special”, adding they had “lots in common”.
Maxwell said that like with Prince Andrew, she accepts they can no longer be associated. But she said she felt “honoured” when former President Donald Trump wished her well ahead of her trial.
Describing how they “mingled in the same circles”, she said his words were a “big boost”.
Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison following her arrest in 2020.
Epstein was found dead in his cell at a federal jail in Manhattan in August 2019 while he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges.
The full interview will be broadcast on ITV, CBS News and Paramount Plus at 6.30pm on 17 October
Read More…
Sports On TV: Sunday, October 16, 2022 https://digitalalabamanews.com/sports-on-tv-sunday-october-16-2022/
(All times Eastern)
Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts
Sunday, October 16
AUTO RACING
10 a.m.
FS1 — NHRA: Qualifying, Texas Motorplex, Ennis, Texas (Taped)
NBC — FIM MotoGP: The Australian Grand Prix, Philip Island Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne (Taped)
NBC — NASCAR Cup Series: The South Point 400, Playoffs – Round of 8, Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas
FS1 — NHRA: The Texas NHRA FallNationals, Texas Motorplex, Ennis, Texas (Taped)
COLLEGE FIELD HOCKEY
12 p.m.
BTN — Iowa at Michigan
BTN — Rutgers at Maryland
COLLEGE SOCCER (WOMEN’S)
12 p.m.
SECN — Arkansas at Alabama
ESPNU — Florida at Kentucky
BTN — Purdue at Indiana
ESPNU — Baylor at West Virginia
COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL (WOMEN’S)
1 p.m.
ACCN — Virginia Tech at Notre Dame
ESPN — Michigan at Wisconsin
PAC-12N — Washington St. at Utah
SECN — Auburn at Missouri
ACCN — Syracuse at North Carolina
PAC-12N — Stanford at Arizona St.
ESPNU — Oregon at UCLA
GOLF — LEPGA Tour: The Aramco Team Series, Final Round, Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point, New York (Taped)
GOLF — DP World Tour: The Estrella Damm N.A. Andalucia Masters, Final Round, Valderrama Golf Course, Sotogrande, Spain
GOLF — PGA Tour Champions: The SAS Championship, Final Round, Prestonwood Country Club, Cary, N.C.
HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL (BOY’S)
3 p.m.
ESPN2 — GEICO Top Flight Invite: TBD, Showcase Game 1, Las Vegas
ESPN2 — GEICO Top Flight Invite: TBD, Showcase Game 2, Las Vegas
ESPN2 — GEICO Top Flight Invite: TBD, Showcase Game 3, Las Vegas
ESPN2 — GEICO Top Flight Invite: TBD, Championship, Las Vegas
FS1 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races
FS2 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races
TBS — A.L. Divisional Series: Houston at Seattle, Game 4 (If Necessary)
FS1 — N.L Divisional Series: Philadelphia at Atlanta, Game 5 (If Necessary)
TBS — A.L. Divisional Series: NY Yankees at Cleveland, Game 4
FS1 — N.L Divisional Series: San Diego at LA Dodgers, Game 5 (If Necessary)
CBS — Regional Coverage: New England at Cleveland, Jacksonville at Indianapolis, Cincinnati at New Orleans, Baltimore at NY Giants
FOX – Regional Coverage: San Francisco at Atlanta, NY Jets at Green Bay, Minnesota at Miami, Tampa Bay at Pittsburgh
FOX — Regional Coverage: Carolina at LA Rams OR Arizona at Seattle
CBS — Buffalo at Kansas City
NBC — Dallas at Philadelphia
CBSSN — PBR Team Series: The PBR Ridge Rider Days, Day 3, Glendale, Ariz.
USA — Premier League: Newcastle United at Manchester United
USA — Premier League: Manchester City at Liverpool
CBSSN — Serie A: Bologna at Napoli
ABC — MLS Western Conference Playoff: Salt Lake at Austin FC, First Round
ESPN — MLS Eastern Conference Playoff: Orlando City SC at CF Montréal, First Round
FS2 — Liga MX Playoff: Toluca at Santos Laguna, Quarterfinal – Leg 2
CBSSN — FASL: Brighton & Hove Albion at Manchester United
CBSSN — NWSL Playoff: Chicago at San Diego FC, Quarterfinal
TENNIS — Florence-ATP, Gijon-ATP, Cluj-Napoca-WTA Finals
TENNIS — San Diego-WTA Final
TENNIS — Guadalajara-WTA, Stockholm-ATP, Antwerp-ATP, Naples-ATP Early Rounds
TENNIS — Guadalajara-WTA, Stockholm-ATP, Antwerp-ATP, Naples-ATP Early Rounds —
« Previous
Read More…
Truth Social Exec Executive Forced Out Of Board After Trump's Request Was Ignored: Report
Truth Social Exec Executive Forced Out Of Board After Trump's Request Was Ignored: Report https://digitalalabamanews.com/truth-social-exec-executive-forced-out-of-board-after-trumps-request-was-ignored-report/
A co-founder of Truth Social’s parent company has been fired from the company’s board of directors after he ignored Donald Trump’s demands to offer some of his stock to Melania Trump, a whistleblower said. Washington Post.
Trump lobbied for a donation to his wife even though he had already taken 90% of the stock in Trump Media and Technology Group (TMTG) in exchange for the use of his name and some other “minor involvement,” the company’s former CEO Will Wilkerson told the newspaper.
The company’s co-founder reportedly evaded the request, telling Trump he would be leaving him with a tax bill he couldn’t pay. “Do what you want to doTrump responded, according to Wilkerson.
The newspaper reported Saturday that he was forced out of the board of directors after five months in what Wilkerson believes is retaliation for his failure to hand over a “small fortune” to Melania Trump.
The incident was one of a series of bomb revelations backed by several documents seen by the newspaper about bitter infighting in Trump’s business, technical errors, questionable financial representations, and what Wilkerson insisted was a violation of securities and exchange rules, according to the newspaper.
Wilkerson File a whistleblower complaint to the Securities and Exchange Commission in August regarding the company. Wilkerson’s lawyer told the newspaper that he is also cooperating with the current Investigations In Trump Media by the Securities and Exchange Commission and federal prosecutors from the Southern District of New York.
Wilkerson was fired from his job on Thursday As Senior Vice President of Operations at TMTG After speaking to The Post.
Trump Media said in a statement in response to several specific questions from the Washington Post regarding Wilkerson’s information that Trump as president of the company appointed former California Republican Congressman Devin Nunes as CEO “to create a culture of compliance and build a global team to lead Truth Social.”
The statement complained that the newspaper “sent us an investigation filled with false and intentionally defamatory statements and other artificial psychological drama.”
It did not specifically address any of the Washington Post’s questions, according to the newspaper.
The new information comes on the heels of a long list of bad news for Trump’s Truth Social Project and the media.
Digital World Acquisition Corp – the special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) that Truth Social needs to bring to the public – was revealed in Securities and Exchange Commission filing Last month, investors already pulled back on commitments of $139 million from the $1 billion the company had previously announced.
More will likely come. Investors, who agreed to put up the funds nearly a year ago, can now give up their commitments because Digital World did not meet its September 20 deadline To merge with Trump Media. This deadline has been extended three months After shareholders refused to accept their offer for a 12-month extension. But investors can still withdraw.
A major web hosting operator in August complained about it social truth They owe about $1.6 million in contractually obligated payments, a claim indicating that funding for the operation is in “A big mess” Fox Business News mentioned.
In another setback, Truth Social’s Trademark application denied In August because its name was very similar to other operations.
Trump insisted last month that he was not interested in any financial problems from the Truth Social because, as he explained, “I’m really richon the social media platform. “I don’t need financing.”
But in the next sentence he asked: “Private company, anyone???” What seemed to be an invitation to investors.
Check out the entire Washington Post story here.
This article originally appeared HuffPost It has been updated.
Related…
Read More…
China's Xi Calls For Military Growth Amid Tension With U.S.
China's Xi Calls For Military Growth Amid Tension With U.S. https://digitalalabamanews.com/chinas-xi-calls-for-military-growth-amid-tension-with-u-s/
BEIJING (AP) — Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Sunday called for faster military development and announced no change in policies that have strained relations with Washington and tightened the ruling Communist Party’s control over society and the economy.
China’s most influential figure in decades spoke as the party opened a congress that was closely watched by companies, governments and the Chinese public for signs of its economic and political direction. It comes amid a painful economic slump and tension with Washington and Asian neighbors over trade, technology and security.
The congress will install leaders for the next five years. Xi, 69, is expected to break with tradition and award himself a third five-year term as the party’s general secretary, entrenching his vision of reasserting its dominance in the economy, society and culture following four decades of market-style liberalization.
Xi called for accelerating military and technology development to propel the “rejuvenation of the Chinese nation” in a televised speech of one hour and 45 minutes to some 2,000 delegates in the cavernous Great Hall of the People.
The party’s military wing, the People’s Liberation Army, needs to “safeguard China’s dignity and core interests,” Xi said, referring to a list of territorial claims and other issues over which Beijing says it is ready to go to war. China has the world’s second-largest defense budget after the United States and is trying to extend its reach by developing ballistic missiles, aircraft carriers and overseas outposts.
“We will work faster to modernize military theory, personnel and weapons,” Xi said in the speech, which was punctuated by brief bursts of applause from the masked delegates. “We will enhance the military’s strategic capabilities.”
Xi cited his government’s severe “zero COVID” strategy, which has shut down major cities and disrupted travel and business, as a success. He gave no indication of a possible change despite public frustration with its rising cost.
The congress will name a party Standing Committee, the ruling inner circle of power. Economic officials aren’t due to be named until China’s ceremonial legislature meets next year. But the party lineup, due to be revealed after the congress ends Saturday, will indicate who is likely to succeed Premier Li Keqiang as the top economic official and take other posts.
Xi is widely expected to promote allies who share his ambition for state-led development. Analysts are watching whether a slump that saw economic growth fall to below half of the official 5.5% annual target might force him to compromise and promote supporters of market-style reform and entrepreneurs who generate wealth and jobs.
Xi on Sunday gave no indication whether he would pursue a third term as leader or when he might step down.
During his decade in power, Xi’s government has pursued an increasingly assertive foreign policy while tightening control at home on information and dissent.
Beijing is feuding with Japan, India and Southeast Asian governments over conflicting claims to the South China and East China Seas and a section of the Himalayas. The United States, Japan, Australia and India formed a strategic group dubbed the Quad in response.
The party has increased the dominance of state-owned industry and poured money into strategic initiatives aimed at nurturing Chinese creators of renewable energy, electric car, computer chip, aerospace and other technologies.
Its tactics have prompted complaints Beijing improperly protects and subsidizes its fledgling creators and led then-President Donald Trump to hike tariffs on Chinese imports in 2019, setting off a trade war that jolted the global economy.
Trump’s successor, Joe Biden, has kept those penalties in place and this month increased restrictions on Chinese access to U.S. chip technology.
The party has tightened control over private sector leaders including e-commerce giant Alibaba Group by launching anti-monopoly, data security and other crackdowns. Under political pressure, they are diverting billions of dollars into chip development and other party initiatives. Their share prices on foreign exchanges have plunged due to uncertainty about their future.
The party has stepped up censorship of media and the internet, increased public surveillance and tightened control over private life through its “social credit” initiative that tracks individuals and punishes infractions ranging from fraud to littering.
Last week, banners criticizing Xi and “zero COVID” were hung from a pedestrian bridge over a major Beijing thoroughfare in a rare protest. Photos of the event were deleted from social media and the popular WeChat message service shut down accounts that forwarded them.
On Sunday, Xi said the party will step up technology development and “ensure security” of its food sources and industrial supply chains.
Xi said the party would build “self-reliance and strength” in technology by improving China’s education system and attracting foreign experts. He said Beijing will launch “major national projects” with “long-term importance” but gave no details.
The president appeared to “double down” on technology self-reliance and “zero COVID” at a time when other countries are easing travel restrictions and rely on more free-flowing supply chains, said Willy Lam, a politics specialist at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Xi was joined on stage by party leaders including his predecessor as general secretary, Hu Jintao, former Premier Wen Jiabao and Song Ping, a 105-year-old party veteran who sponsored Xi’s early career. There was no sign of 96-year-old former President Jiang Zemin, who was party leader until 2002.
The presence of previous leaders shows Xi faces no serious opposition in the top party ranks, said Lam.
“Xi is making it very clear he intends to hold on to power for as long as his health allows him to,” he said.
Xi made no mention of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which Beijing refuses to criticize. Ahead of the February attack, Xi issued a joint statement with Russian President Vladimir Putin saying they had a “no limits” friendship.
Xi defended a crackdown aimed at crushing a pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong, saying the party helped the former British colony “enter a new stage in which it has restored order and is set to thrive.”
Xi’s government also faces criticism over complaints about mass detentions and other abuses against mostly Muslim ethnic minority groups and the jailing of government critics.
Amnesty International warned Sunday that extending Xi’s time in power will be a “disaster for human rights.” In addition to conditions within China, it pointed to Beijing’s efforts to “redefine the very meaning of human rights” in the United Nations.
Xi’s government poses a “threat to rights not just at home, but globally,” the group’s deputy regional director, Hana Young, said in a statement.
Xi said Beijing refuses to renounce the possible use of force against Taiwan, the self-ruled island democracy the Communist Party claims as part of its territory. The two sides split in 1949 after a civil war.
Beijing has stepped up efforts to intimidate Taiwanese by flying fighter jets and bombers near the island. That campaign intensified after Speaker Nancy Pelosi of the House of Representatives in August became the highest-ranked U.S. official to visit Taiwan in a quarter-century.
Unification of the two sides “will be achieved,” Xi said.
Beijing needs to prevent “interference by outside forces,” he said, a reference to foreign politicians the ruling party says are encouraging Taiwan to make its de facto independence permanent, a step the mainland says would lead to war.
“We will continue to strive for peaceful reunification,” Xi said. “But we will never promise to renounce the use of force. And we reserve the option of taking all measures necessary.”
The Taiwanese Cabinet’s Mainland Affairs Council responded by saying the island’s 23 million people had the right to determine their own future and would not accept Beijing’s unilateral demands. China has frozen all contacts with the island since President Tsai Ing-wen’s election to her first term in 2016.
“We firmly call on the Chinese Communist authorities to abandon the imposition of a political framework and the use of military force and coercion,” the council said in a statement.
The ruling party elite agreed in the 1990s to limit the general secretary to two five-year terms in an effort to prevent a repeat of power struggles from earlier decades. That leader also becomes chairman of the commission that controls the PLA, and holds the ceremonial title of national president.
Xi made his intentions clear in 2018 when he had a two-term limit on the presidency removed from China’s constitution. Officials said that allowed Xi to stay if needed to carry out reforms.
The party is widely expected to amend its charter this week to raise Xi’s status as leader after adding his personal ideology, Xi Jinping Thought, in a 2017 amendment. The vague ideology emphasizes reviving the party’s leadership role in a throwback to what Xi regards as its golden age following the 1949 revolution.
The spokesperson for the congress, Sun Yeli, said Saturday the changes would “meet new requirements for advancing the party’s development” but gave no details.
Read More…
MLB Playoffs: Astros Padres Phils Advance Guardians Close
MLB Playoffs: Astros, Padres, Phils Advance, Guardians Close https://digitalalabamanews.com/mlb-playoffs-astros-padres-phils-advance-guardians-close/
1 of 43
New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge follows through on a solo home run, his 62nd of the season, as Texas Rangers catcher Sam Huff, left, and umpire Randy Rosenberg, rear, look on in the first inning of the second baseball game of a doubleheader in Arlington, Texas, Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2022. With the home run, Judge set the AL record for home runs in a season, passing Roger Maris.
Houston Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander (35) throws to a Baltimore Orioles batter during the fifth inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022, in Baltimore.
New York Mets designated hitter Pete Alonso (20) is congratulated by New York Mets Eduardo Escobar (10) after hitting a home run in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Oakland Athletics in Oakland, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022.
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Mookie Betts hits a walk-off single to win a baseball game 3-2 against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Los Angeles, Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022. Freddie Freeman scored.
Seattle Mariners, including Julio Rodriguez, second from left in front, celebrate in the clubhouse after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 2 of a baseball AL wild-card playoff series Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022, in Toronto.
Philadelphia Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber watches his RBI sacrifice fly against the St. Louis Cardinals during the fifth inning in Game 2 of an NL wild-card baseball playoff series Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022, in St. Louis.
Cleveland Guardians catcher Austin Hedges, left, talks with manager Terry Francona, right, during a pitching change in the tenth inning of a wild card baseball playoff game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022, in Cleveland.
Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Nick Castellanos (8) scores against Atlanta Braves catcher Travis d’Arnaud (16) during the third inning in Game 1 of a National League Division Series baseball game, Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022, in Atlanta.
Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (44) celebrates with teammates after his three-run, walkoff home run against the Seattle Mariners during the ninth inning in Game 1 of an American League Division Series baseball game in Houston,Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022.
Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Chris Martin reacts after San Diego Padres’ Ha-Seong Kim flied out to end Game 1 of a baseball NL Division Series Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022, in Los Angeles.
San Diego Padres’ Ha-Seong Kim reacts as he flies out to end Game 1 of a baseball NL Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022, in Los Angeles.
Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez (44) celebrates with teammates after his three-run, walkoff home run against the Seattle Mariners during the ninth inning in Game 1 of an American League Division Series baseball game in Houston,Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022.
Houston Astros pitcher Framber Valdez signs autographs before Game 1 of an American League Division Series baseball game against the Seattle Mariners in Houston, Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022. Valdez and teammate Luis Garcia got hair extensions this season and will show off their unique locks this postseason as Houston tries to reach the World Series for the fourth time in six years.
Cleveland Guardians’ Shane Bieber pitches in the eighth inning of a wild card baseball playoff game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Friday, Oct. 7, 2022, in Cleveland.
New York Yankees pitcher Nestor Cortes throws during the first inning of the team’s baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022, in New York.
San Diego Padres’ Jake Cronenworth celebrates after hitting a solo home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the eighth inning in Game 2 of a baseball NL Division Series, Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022, in Los Angeles.
A goose takes flight over the infield during the eighth inning in Game 2 of a baseball NL Division Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres, Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022, in Los Angeles.
New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge prepares to take batting practice before Game 1 of an American League Division series baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians, Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022, in New York.
New York Yankees center fielder Aaron Judge (99) runs onto the field during player introductions before Game 1 of an American League Division baseball series against the Cleveland Guardians, Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022, in New York.
New York Yankees starting pitcher Nestor Cortes speaks during a news conference ahead of Game 2 of an American League Division series baseball game against the Cleveland Guardians Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022, in New York.
Houston Astros pitcher Framber Valdez signs autographs before Game 1 of an American League Division Series baseball game against the Seattle Mariners in Houston, Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022. Valdez and teammate Luis Garcia got hair extensions this season and will show off their unique locks this postseason as Houston tries to reach the World Series for the fourth time in six years.
Houston Astros pitcher Framber Valdez signs autographs before Game 1 of an American League Division Series baseball game against the Seattle Mariners in Houston, Tuesday, Oct. 11, 2022. Valdez and teammate Luis Garcia got hair extensions this season and will show off their unique locks this postseason as Houston tries to reach the World Series for the fourth time in six years.
A goose takes flight past Los Angeles Dodgers’ Cody Bellinger, left, during the eighth inning in Game 2 of the baseball team’s NL Division Series against the San Diego Padres, Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022, in Los Angeles.
A goose takes flight over the infield during the eighth inning in Game 2 of a baseball NL Division Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres, Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022, in Los Angeles.
San Diego Padres’ Jake Cronenworth connects for a solo home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the eighth inning in Game 2 of a baseball NL Division Series, Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022, in Los Angeles.
San Diego Padres’ Jake Cronenworth watches his solo home run during the eighth inning in Game 2 of the baseball team’s NL Division Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022, in Los Angeles.
Cleveland Guardians manager Terry Francona, right, watches his players workout ahead of Game 2 of an American League Division series baseball game against the New York Yankees Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022, in New York.
San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado, center, leaves the batting cage during a baseball workout Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022, in San Diego. The Padres host the Los Angeles Dodgers for Game 3 of an NL Division Series on Friday.
FILE – Philadelphia Phillies’ Ryan Howard reacts after falling down injured on his way to first base as he makes the last out during the ninth inning of Game 5 of the National League division baseball series against the St. Louis Cardinals, in Philadelphia, Oct. 7, 2011. For 11 years, Howard’s groundout in the season’s final at-bat served as a flashpoint for a franchise that briefly ruled the NL East, only to fall into a chasm of bad baseball and meaningless Septembers. The Philadelphia Phillies are set to play their first home playoff game since 2011.
Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez, center, celebrates with teammates after he hit a two-run home run against the Seattle Mariners during the sixth inning in Game 2 of an American League Division Series baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022.
Cleveland Guardians players workout ahead of Game 2 of an American League Division series baseball game against the New York Yankees Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022, in New York.
Fans reach for Houston Astros Yordan Alvarez’s two-run home run against the Seattle Mariners during the sixth inning in Game 2 of an American League Division Series baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022.
Seattle Mariners first baseman Carlos Santana doubles against the Houston Astros during the sixth inning in Game 2 of an American League Division Series baseball game in Houston, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022.
Atlanta Braves second baseman Vaughn Grissom (18) celebrates a win after the ninth inning in Game 2 of baseball’s National League Division Series between the Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies, Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022, in Atlanta. The Atlanta Braves won 3-0.
San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado watches during the baseball team’s workout Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022, in San Diego. The Padres host the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 3 of an NL Division Series on Friday.
A logo for the baseball playoffs is on the field Friday, Oct. 14, 2022, the day before Game 3 of an AL Division Series between the Houston Astros and the Seattle Mariners in Seattle.
New York Yankees center fielder Aaron Judge reacts after striking out against the Cleveland Guardians during the seventh inning of Game 2 of an American League Division baseball series, Friday, Oct. 14, 2022, in New York.
Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker Jr., center, celebrates with pitcher Hector Neris, left, and pitcher Cristian Javier, right, after defeating the Seattle Mariners in Game 3 of an American League Division Series baseball game Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, in Seattle.
Seattle Mariners fans react after the Houston Astros scored during the 18th inning in Game 3 of an American League Division Series baseball game Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, in Seattle.
Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Rhys Hoskins is doused after a win over the Atlanta Braves in Game 4 of baseball’s National League Division Series, Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, in Philadelphia. The Philadelphia Phillies won, 8-3.
Cleveland Guardians’ Oscar Gonzalez, right, and Josh Naylor, left, celebrate with Amed Rosario, center, after the Guardians defeated the New York Yankees 6-5 in Game 3 of a baseball AL Divisio...
Donald Trump Jr. And Eric Trump Wanted Large Stakes In Their Father's Media Company Even Though They Were Barely Involved Co-Founder Says: 'They Were Coming In And Asking For A Handout'
Donald Trump Jr. And Eric Trump Wanted Large Stakes In Their Father's Media Company Even Though They Were Barely Involved, Co-Founder Says: 'They Were Coming In And Asking For A Handout' https://digitalalabamanews.com/donald-trump-jr-and-eric-trump-wanted-large-stakes-in-their-fathers-media-company-even-though-they-were-barely-involved-co-founder-says-they-were-coming-in-and-asking-for-a-handoutx27-2/
Former President Donald Trump, left, Eric Trump, center, and Donald Trump Jr. watch golfer during the final round of the Bedminster Invitational LIV Golf tournament in Bedminster, N.J., Sunday, July 31, 2022.Seth Wenig/Associated Press
Will Wilkerson, co-founder of Trump’s media company, filed an SEC whistleblower complaint in August.
Wilkerson detailed his allegations to The Washington Post, including some about the Trump family.
Wilkerson told the Post Trump’s adult sons wanted stakes, describing it as “asking for a handout.”
Former President Donald Trump’s two adult sons wanted stakes in their father’s media company even though they were barely involved, according to one of the co-founders of Trump Media & Technology Group.
Will Wilkerson made the allegations about Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump in a story published by The Washington Post on Saturday. The story detailed accusations of infighting and potentially illegal activity at the company made by Wilkerson, who filed a whistleblower complaint to the SEC in August.
“They were coming in and asking for a handout,” Wilkerson said of Donald Jr. and Eric, according to the Post. “They had no bearing in this company … and they were taking equity away from hard-working individuals.”
The Trump Organization did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment.
In a statement provided to Insider, Trump Media & Technology Group blasted the Post’s reporting and touted Truth Social’s successes, such as launching on the Apple and Google app stores and attracting millions of users.
“Ignoring these achievements, the Washington Post published a story rife with knowingly false and defamatory statements and other concocted psychodramas,” the statement said. The statement did not comment directly on specific allegations.
Wilkerson, who served as senior vice president of operations, said he was fired on Thursday after talking to the Post, the outlet reported. Lawyers for Wilkerson did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment, but told the Post he is cooperating with the SEC and New York prosecutors investigating Trump Media.
Wilkerson provided the Post with materials he had given the SEC that he said proved his claims about the company. Among the materials was a log kept by Wilkerson and two other co-founders detailing their daily experiences at the company.
According to the Post, the log showed the three men weighed how to address the Trump family’s involvement in the business. One of the logs noted a person told them that Donald Jr. “needs a bedtime story and some love,” the outlet reported.
Read the original article on Business Insider
Read More…
China's Xi Talks Up Security Reiterates COVID Stance As Congress Opens
China's Xi Talks Up Security, Reiterates COVID Stance As Congress Opens https://digitalalabamanews.com/chinas-xi-talks-up-security-reiterates-covid-stance-as-congress-opens/
BEIJING, Oct 16 (Reuters) – Chinese President Xi Jinping called for accelerating the building of a world-class military while touting the fight against COVID-19 as he kicked off a Communist Party Congress by focussing heavily on security and reiterating policy priorities.
Xi, 69, is widely expected to win a third leadership term at the conclusion of the week-long congress that began on Sunday morning, cementing his place as China’s most powerful ruler since Mao Zedong.
Roughly 2,300 delegates from around the country gathered in the vast Great Hall of the People on the west side of Tiananmen Square amid tight security and under blue skies after several smoggy days in the Chinese capital.
Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com
Xi described the five years since the last party congress as “extremely uncommon and abnormal”, during a speech that lasted less than two hours – far shorter than his nearly three-and-a-half-hour address at the 2017 congress.
“We must strengthen our sense of hardship, adhere to the bottom-line thinking, be prepared for danger in times of peace, prepare for a rainy day, and be ready to withstand major tests of high winds and high waves,” he said.
He mentioned “safety” or “security” 73 times, compared with 55 times in 2017, according to state news agency Xinhua’s transcripts, and said China will strengthen its ability to build a strategic deterrent capability.
By comparison, Xi said “reforms” 16 times in the televised speech, far fewer than the 70 mentions five years ago.
Xi called for strengthening the ability to maintain national security, ensuring food and energy supplies, securing supply chains, improving the ability to deal with disasters and protecting personal information.
The biggest applause came when Xi restated opposition to Taiwan independence.
In his decade in power, Xi has set China on an increasingly authoritarian path that has prioritised security, state control of the economy in the name of “common prosperity”, a more assertive diplomacy, a stronger military and intensifying pressure to seize democratically governed Taiwan.
Analysts generally do not expect significant change in policy direction in a third Xi term.
Alfred Wu, associate professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, said that as China’s economy has slowed, Xi is attempting to shift the basis of legitimacy from economic growth to security.
“His narrative is – China faces many dangers, the country is in a war-like state, figuratively, and he is the saviour. With this narrative, he can get people to unite around him,” he said.
CONTINUITY
Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the opening ceremony of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China October 16, 2022. REUTERS/Thomas Peter
In recent days, China has repeatedly emphasised its commitment to Xi’s zero-COVID strategy, dashing hopes among countless Chinese citizens as well as investors that Beijing might begin exiting anytime soon a policy that has caused widespread frustration and economic damage.
Xi said little about COVID other than to reiterate the validity of a policy that has made China a global outlier as much of the world tries to coexist with the coronavirus, which emerged in central China in late 2019.
“We have adhered to the supremacy of the people and the supremacy of life, adhered to dynamic zero-COVID … and achieved major positive results in the overall prevention and control of the epidemic, and economic and social development,” Xi said.
On the economy, he restated support for the private sector and allowing markets to play a key role, even as China fine-tunes a “socialist economic system” and promotes “common prosperity”.
“We must build a high-level socialist market economic system … unswervingly consolidate and develop the public ownership system, unswervingly encourage and support the development of the private economy, give full play to the decisive role of the market in the allocation of resources, and give better play to the role of the government,” he said.
PARTY POWER
Xi’s power appears undiminished by the tumult of a year that has seen China’s economy slow dramatically, dragged down by the COVID policy’s frequent lockdowns, a crisis in the property sector and the impact of his 2021 crackdown on the once-freewheeling “platform economy”, as well as global headwinds.
China’s relations with the West have deteriorated sharply, worsened by Xi’s support of Russia’s Vladimir Putin.
The son of a Communist Party revolutionary, Xi has reinvigorated a party that had grown deeply corrupt and increasingly irrelevant, expanding its presence across all aspects of China, with Xi officially its “core”.
Xi did away with presidential term limits in 2018, clearing the way for him to break with the precedent of recent decades and rule for a third five-year term, or longer.
“I support the re-election of Xi Jinping to a third term with both hands,” Li Yinjiang, a delegate from Jiangsu province, told Reuters. “He can make our country strong and our people happy.”
The congress is expected to reconfirm Xi as party general secretary, China’s most powerful post, as well as chairman of the Central Military Commission. Xi’s presidency is up for renewal in March at the annual session of China’s parliament.
In the run-up to the congress, the Chinese capital stepped up security and COVID curbs, while steel mills in nearby Hebei province were instructed to cut back on operations to improve air quality, an industry source said.
The day after the congress ends on Saturday, Xi is expected to introduce his new Politburo Standing Committee, a seven-person leadership team. It will include the person who will replace Li Keqiang as premier when Li steps down from that post in March after serving the maximum two terms.
Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com
Reporting by Yew Lun Tian, Ryan Woo, Martin Quin Pollard, Eduardo Baptista, Kevin Yao and Dominique Patton; Writing by Tony Munroe; Editing by William Mallard
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Read More…
China's Xi Calls For Military Growth Amid Tension With US
China's Xi Calls For Military Growth Amid Tension With US https://digitalalabamanews.com/chinas-xi-calls-for-military-growth-amid-tension-with-us/
BEIJING — Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Sunday called for faster military development and announced no change in policies that have strained relations with Washington and tightened the ruling Communist Party’s control over society and the economy.
China’s most influential figure in decades spoke as the party opened a congress that was closely watched by companies, governments and the Chinese public for signs of its economic and political direction. It comes amid a painful economic slump and tension with Washington and Asian neighbors over trade, technology and security.
The congress will install leaders for the next five years. Xi, 69, is expected to break with tradition and award himself a third five-year term as the party’s general secretary, entrenching his vision of reasserting its dominance in the economy, society and culture following four decades of market-style liberalization.
Xi called for accelerating military and technology development to propel the “rejuvenation of the Chinese nation” in a televised speech of one hour and 45 minutes to some 2,000 delegates in the cavernous Great Hall of the People.
The party’s military wing, the People’s Liberation Army, needs to “safeguard China’s dignity and core interests,” Xi said, referring to a list of territorial claims and other issues over which Beijing says it is ready to go to war. The PLA is the world’s second-largest military after the United States and is trying to extend its reach by developing ballistic missiles.
“We will work faster to modernize military theory, personnel and weapons,” Xi said in the speech, which was punctuated by brief bursts of applause from the masked delegates. “We will enhance the military’s strategic capabilities.”
Xi cited his government’s severe “zero COVID” strategy, which has shut down major cities and disrupted travel and business, as a success. He gave no indication of a possible change despite public frustration with its rising cost.
The congress will name a party Standing Committee, the ruling inner circle of power. Economic officials aren’t due to be named until China’s ceremonial legislature meets next year. But the party lineup, due to be revealed after the congress ends Saturday, will indicate who is likely to succeed Premier Li Keqiang as the top economic official and take other posts.
Xi is widely expected to promote allies who share his ambition for state-led development. Analysts are watching whether a slump that saw economic growth fall to below half of the official 5.5% annual target might force him to compromise and promote supporters of market-style reform and entrepreneurs who generate wealth and jobs.
Xi on Sunday gave no indication whether he would pursue a third term as leader or when he might step down.
During his decade in power, Xi’s government has pursued an increasingly assertive foreign policy while tightening control at home on information and dissent.
Beijing is feuding with Japan, India and Southeast Asian governments over conflicting claims to the South China and East China Seas and a section of the Himalayas. The United States, Japan, Australia and India formed a strategic group dubbed the Quad in response.
The party has increased the dominance of state-owned industry and poured money into strategic initiatives aimed at nurturing Chinese creators of renewable energy, electric car, computer chip, aerospace and other technologies.
Its tactics have prompted complaints Beijing improperly protects and subsidizes its fledgling creators and led then-President Donald Trump to hike tariffs on Chinese imports in 2019, setting off a trade war that jolted the global economy.
Trump’s successor, Joe Biden, has kept those penalties in place and this month increased restrictions on Chinese access to U.S. chip technology.
The party has tightened control over private sector leaders including e-commerce giant Alibaba Group by launching anti-monopoly, data security and other crackdowns. Under political pressure, they are diverting billions of dollars into chip development and other party initiatives. Their share prices on foreign exchanges have plunged due to uncertainty about their future.
The party has stepped up censorship of media and the internet, increased public surveillance and tightened control over private life through its “social credit” initiative that tracks individuals and punishes infractions ranging from fraud to littering.
Last week, banners criticizing Xi and “zero COVID” were hung from a pedestrian bridge over a major Beijing thoroughfare in a rare protest. Photos of the event were deleted from social media and the popular WeChat message service shut down accounts that forwarded them.
On Sunday, Xi said the party will step up technology development and “ensure security” of its food sources and industrial supply chains.
Xi said the party would build “self-reliance and strength” in technology by improving China’s education system and attracting foreign experts. He said Beijing will launch “major national projects” with “long-term importance” but gave no details.
The president appeared to “double down” on technology self-reliance and “zero COVID” at a time when other countries are easing travel restrictions and rely on more free-flowing supply chains, said Willy Lam, a politics specialist at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Xi was joined on stage by party leaders including his predecessor as general secretary, Hu Jintao, former Premier Wen Jiabao and Song Ping, a 105-year-old party veteran who sponsored Xi’s early career. There was no sign of 96-year-old former President Jiang Zemin, who was party leader until 2002.
The presence of previous leaders shows Xi faces no serious opposition in the top party ranks, said Lam.
“Xi is making it very clear he intends to hold on to power for as long as his health allows him to,” he said.
Xi made no mention of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which Beijing refuses to criticize. Ahead of the February attack, Xi issued a joint statement with Russian President Vladimir Putin saying they had a “no limits” friendship.
Xi defended a crackdown aimed at crushing a pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong, saying the party helped the former British colony “enter a new stage in which it has restored order and is set to thrive.”
Xi’s government also faces criticism over complaints about mass detentions and other abuses against mostly Muslim ethnic minority groups and the jailing of government critics.
Amnesty International warned Sunday that extending Xi’s time in power will be a “disaster for human rights.” In addition to conditions within China, it pointed to Beijing’s efforts to “redefine the very meaning of human rights” in the United Nations.
Xi’s government poses a “threat to rights not just at home, but globally,” the group’s deputy regional director, Hana Young, said in a statement.
Xi said Beijing refuses to renounce the possible use of force against Taiwan, the self-ruled island democracy the Communist Party claims as part of its territory. The two sides split in 1949 after a civil war.
Beijing has stepped up efforts to intimidate Taiwanese by flying fighter jets and bombers near the island. That campaign intensified after Speaker Nancy Pelosi of the House of Representatives in August became the highest-ranked U.S. official to visit Taiwan in a quarter-century.
Unification of the two sides “will be achieved,” Xi said.
Beijing needs to prevent “interference by outside forces,” he said, a reference to foreign politicians the ruling party says are encouraging Taiwan to make its de facto independence permanent, a step the mainland says would lead to war.
“We will continue to strive for peaceful reunification,” Xi said. “But we will never promise to renounce the use of force. And we reserve the option of taking all measures necessary.”
The ruling party elite agreed in the 1990s to limit the general secretary to two five-year terms in an effort to prevent a repeat of power struggles from earlier decades. That leader also becomes chairman of the commission that controls the party’s military wing, the People’s Liberation Army, and holds the ceremonial title of national president.
Xi made his intentions clear in 2018 when he had a two-term limit on the presidency removed from China’s constitution. Officials said that allowed Xi to stay if needed to carry out reforms.
The party is widely expected to amend its charter this week to raise Xi’s status as leader after adding his personal ideology, Xi Jinping Thought, in a 2017 amendment. The vague ideology emphasizes reviving the party’s leadership role in a throwback to what Xi regards as its golden age following the 1949 revolution.
The spokesperson for the congress, Sun Yeli, said Saturday the changes would “meet new requirements for advancing the party’s development” but gave no details.
Read More…
GoLocalProv | Politics | The Scramble To Seize Senate Control The Sunday Political Brunch October 16 2022
GoLocalProv | Politics | The Scramble To Seize Senate Control – “The Sunday Political Brunch” – October 16, 2022 https://digitalalabamanews.com/golocalprov-politics-the-scramble-to-seize-senate-control-the-sunday-political-brunch-october-16-2022/
Sunday, October 16, 2022
Mark Curtis, MINDSETTER
View Larger +
Herschel Walker, GOP candidate for US Senate in Georgia PHOTO: Campaign
The U.S. Senate is presently tied at 50-50. The Senate President, VP Kamala Harris, is the tiebreaker. We’ve been under this standoff for almost two years but come Election Day, one party will likely emerge with clear-cut control of the upper chamber in Congress. Over the next few weeks, we’ll look at some of the key races on that path. Remember, just one key race could tilt the balance. Let’s “brunch” on that this week.
“The Landscape” – This entire fight for control will be focused on the following ten swing states: Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, Wisconsin, New Hampshire, Arizona, Colorado and North Carolina. Democrats have something of a mathematical advantage, as they are defending fourteen incumbent seats. Republicans are defending twenty-one seats. The more seats to defend, the higher the risk.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE — SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST
“Football Footwork” – You might think the following fact is insignificant, but it is not. In fact, it’s crucial. I grew up and started my career in Wisconsin, so I noticed something last week that others may have missed. In college football, Wisconsin played Northwestern on ESPN, with a nationwide audience. Both schools have tons of alumni from the State of Wisconsin. That might explain why the majority of TV ads during the game were from Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), and his challenger Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes (D-WI). Even ads for Gov. Tony Evers (D) Wisconsin and his Republican challenger Tim Michels ran all game long. Yes, it’s a local game but these races have nationwide implications, so a donor pitch across the country makes sense. I’ve never seen a national football game, so dominated by local political ads. Wow!
“Battleground Ohio”– As mentioned, one of the most competitive Senate races in the nation is in Ohio, a critical presidential swing state. Sen. Rob Portman (R) is retiring. Republicans have held this seat since 1999, when Democrat John Glenn stepped down. The Republican nominee is best-selling “Hillbilly Elegy” author J.D. Vance, who rose from Appalachian poverty and a drug-addicted mother to a degree from Yale Law School. He is facing Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH), a 20-year veteran of Congress, who ran for president in 2020, and even challenged Rep. Nancy Pelosi for Speaker of the House. A recent poll shows 46 percent for Ryan, 45 percent for Vance, and 9 percent undecided. This race could be the election night nailbiter.
“Framing the Issues – The Economy” — As I have been predicting for weeks, Republican U.S. Senate candidates would frame economic news as the biggest issue. With inflation at a 40-year high, Vance says the blame doesn’t stop at the White House door. He accuses his 20-year Member of Congress opponent of guilt by association. Vance said, “Tim Ryan has put on a costume where he pretends to be a reasonable moderate. But in fact — he said he stands up to his own party. The last two Congresses, Tim, you voted for Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden 100%. You consistently toe the party line on every single issue.”
“Framing the Issues – Abortion” – As I have been forecasting for weeks, Democrats would frame abortion as the key issue after the overturn of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that legalized abortion. This became quite obvious in the Ohio U.S. Senate debate this past week. Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH), the nominee for U.S. Senate, said, “I will have a litmus test on Roe v Wade, I’ll have a litmus test on the same-sex marriage, I’ll have a litmus test on birth control. We can’t keep going down this road of taking away rights.” Since the Senate is the only body that gets to vote on Supreme Court nominees, this is the only place where another reversal, of the Roe reversal could take place. Watch for this focus in all other contested Senate races.
“The Las Vegas Gamble” – One of the biggest toss-up Senate races is in Nevada. Incumbent Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D) Nevada is being challenged by Attorney General Adam Laxalt (R-NV). He is the grandson of legendary leader Sen. Paul Laxalt (R-NV), who was one of President Ronald Reagan’s key lieutenants. With a booming Hispanic population, you might think Cortez Masto would have the edge, but the latest CNN poll shows 48 percent for Laxalt, 46 percent for Masto, with 6 percent undecided. This will be a race to watch election night, as late results pour in from the West Coast. This may be the race that seals control of the U.S. Senate.
“Bad News for Democrats” – The last monthly inflation report before the election came out Thursday, showing that the September inflation rate had dropped to 8.2 percent, from 8.3 percent in August. That was down from 8.5 percent in July, and 9.1 percent in June. Yes, it’s dropping marginally, but how do you sell that as “good news?” Overall, it’s the highest inflation in 40 years. No one likes paying more for stuff, especially people who vote. Since Democrats hold the White House, and control of the U.S. Senate and House, this is BAD, BAD news. Frankly, I don’t know how they counter it successfully.
“Bad News for Republicans” – On Thursday, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to get involved in the raid and seizure of classified documents from former President Donald Trump’s estate in Mar-a-Lago, Florida. Then, the Congressional January 6th Riot Committee issued subpoenas for Mr. Trump to give sworn testimony about that day, (which I doubt will ever happen). But the stench of that day could have a backlash in at least some of the hundreds of races where Trump has endorsed candidates in 2022. Either voters will hold their noses out of loyalty, or distance themselves from the culpability of being responsible for the violence. It remains to be seen. But in close races, the Trump “stench,” rather than endorsement, could prove to be a detriment.
Mark Curtis, Ed.D., is Chief Political Reporter for the seven Nexstar Media TV stations serving West Virginia, its five neighboring states and the entire Washington, DC media market. He is also a MINDSETTER contributing political writer and analyst for www.GoLocalProv.com and its affiliates.
Related Articles
Roe Goes South, Biden’s Money Problems & Trump’s Truth Problems – “The Sunday Political Brunch”
The January 6th Probe and the Primary Slog March On – “The Sunday Political Brunch” – June 19, 2022
Honoring Those Who Protect our Political Freedom – “The Sunday Political Brunch” July 3, 2022
Will the Campaign be Abortion v. Inflation?—“The Sunday Political Brunch”—July 10, 2022
Farewell to an American Hero—“The Sunday Political Brunch”—July 17, 2022
Primaries, Guns, and Riots, Oh My! – “The Sunday Political Brunch” June 12, 2022
Reflections on Trump Factor and the Guns Dividing Us – “The Sunday Political Brunch” June 5, 2022
The Political Roller Coaster Ride Begins – “The Sunday Political Brunch” – May 8, 2022
Traveling the Twisting Trump Trail – “The Sunday Political Brunch”—May 15, 2022
The Political Primary Parade is in Full Swing – “The Sunday Political Brunch” May 22, 2022
The Punishing Primary Path Continues – “The Sunday Political Brunch”
Painting with Primary Colors and Potluck Politics – “The Sunday Political Brunch”
Is Trump’s Train Steaming or Derailing – “The Sunday Political Brunch” – July 31, 2022
Primaries End with Calm Before Political Storm – “The Sunday Political Brunch” – September 25, 2022
Election 2022 is a “Soup” Full of Issues – “The Sunday Political Brunch”
“Is it Too Late to Turn the Political Tide?”—The Sunday Political Brunch October 2, 2022
New Restaurant Opens on Federal Hill — Featuring Breakfast and Brunch
A Sprint to the Election Day Finish Line – “The Sunday Political Brunch”
Strategy for Two Months to Go Until Election Day – “The Sunday Political Brunch”
A Labor Day Political Hodge Podge – “The Sunday Political Brunch” – September 4, 2022
Pumping the Political Primary Process – “The Sunday Political Brunch” – August 7, 2022
The 2024 Political Earthquake Hits Two Years Early – “The Sunday Political Brunch”
The Mixed Messages Speeding to the Election Finish Line – “The Sunday Political Brunch”
The Florida Primary Colors—“The Sunday Political Brunch”—August 28, 2022
The Scramble to Seize Senate Control – “The Sunday Political Brunch” – October 16, 2022
Enjoy this post? Share it with others.
Read More…
'SNL' Weekend Update Tackles Kanye Tweets, Meth-Filled Pumpkins, Politician's Sex Tape https://digitalalabamanews.com/snl-weekend-update-tackles-kanye-tweets-meth-filled-pumpkins-politicians-sex-tape/
Toothless Jack-O-Lanterns
Colin Jost and Michael Che also address the latest Jan. 6 Committee hearing, as well as Nancy Pelosi’s wish to “punch out” Trump.
The latest installment in Saturday Night Live‘s “Weekend Update” began with co-anchors Michael Che and Colin Jost addressing this week’s Jan. 6 Committee hearing, as well as former President Donald Trump’s reaction to it in the form of a furious 14-page letter.
“I don’t know if this is a coincidence, but Trump wrote the letter on the same day the FDA confirmed the nation is experiencing a shortage of Adderall,” Jost quipped.
Regarding House Speaker Nancy Pelosi saying she would “punch out” Trump if he came to the Capitol on Jan. 6 and would “go to jail” and “be happy,” Che remarked: “I assume because she owns stock in private prisons.”
The hosts then joked about Kanye West’s recent anti-Semitic tweets and subsequent social media account restrictions.
The rapper’s “anti-Semitic tweets were condemned by the Black Jewish Entertainment Alliance –just say Lenny Kravitz!” exclaimed Che.
Jost followed up by mentioning how Elon Musk tweeted in response, “Talked to ye today & expressed my concerns about his recent tweet, which I think he took to heart.”
“Well that settles it,” Jost said. “If there’s one thing we trust Elon with, it’s successfully reading another human being’s emotional cues.”
Later in the segment, Che highlighted how Manhattan congressional candidate Mike Itkis, who is running on a platform that includes sex positivity, filmed a sex tape with an adult film star.
“I’m going to vote for him because I watched that video and we share a lot of the same positions,” he joked.
Jost wrapped the segment with a Halloween-appropriate story.
“Border officials have discovered $400,000 worth of meth hidden inside pumpkins. They could tell the pumpkins were full of meth because they only had like three teeth left,” he said as a photo of a jack-o-lantern showed on screen.
Read More…
Alabama Mens Tennis Records Ten Wins On Day Three Of ITA Southern Regional Championships University Of Alabama Athletics
Alabama Men’s Tennis Records Ten Wins On Day Three Of ITA Southern Regional Championships – University Of Alabama Athletics https://digitalalabamanews.com/alabama-mens-tennis-records-ten-wins-on-day-three-of-ita-southern-regional-championships-university-of-alabama-athletics/
10/15/2022 11:45:00 PM
The Crimson Tide had two doubles teams advance to the next round on Saturday at the ITA Southern Regional Championships in addition to four players in singles
TUSCALOOSA, Ala.– The Alabama men’s tennis team ended day three with four singles players advancing to the Round of 16 in addition to two doubles teams earning a win during Saturday’s competition at the ITA Southern Regional Championships at the Alabama Tennis Stadium.
Main Draw
Singles Round 64
Roan Jones took on Alabama State’s Jeanne-Grandinot
Jones fell in the first set 6-4, but fought back to go 6-2, 6-4 in the final two sets to advance to the next round
German Samofalov took on UAB’s Michal Lusovsky in a hard-fought battle where Samofalov came out on top 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
Matias Ponce De Leon earned his first collegiate win in singles play over Tulane’s Luka Petrovic as the UA newcomer won in straight sets 6-3, 6-3
Enzo Aguiard and Filip Planinsek both had a bye in the opening round
Singles Round 32
Roan Jones kept his now eight-game winning streak in singles matches alive after beating Mississippi State’s Ewen Lumsden in straight sets 6-3, 7-5
Enzo Aguiard opened the tournament against Mississippi State’s Benito Sanchez Martinez
Aguiard won in mirroring 6-3, 6-3 sets
Filip Planinsek started off his singles run victorious with a win over New Orleans’ Karim Al-Amin
Planinsek fell in the first set 7-6(5) before coming back strong and winning 7-5, 6-0
Matias Ponce De Leon won in mirroring 6-3,6-3 sets
German Samofalov took the first set 6-3 versus Sebastien Collard of South Alabama before falling 6-1, 6-1
Doubles
German Samofalov and Filip Planinsek recorded a win in their tournament debut as they defeated Patrick Lazo and Seth Richey of Mississippi State, 8-6
Enzo Aguiard and Matias Ponce De Leon captured another win on Saturday in doubles
The duo played against Jacksonville State’s Beneyto Sanchez and Agustin Cuellar, taking an 8-6 victory to advance in the tournament
Joao Ferreira and Roan Jones defeated Taras Ignatiuk and Olimjon Nabiev of Southern Miss, 8-6, in a back-and-forth battle
How to Follow
Live results will be provided at RollTide.com
Updates throughout the tournament will be provided on team’s official Twitter account, @AlabamaMTN
Up Next Singles
The Tide will play in the main draw for the tournament, starting at 2 p.m. CT on Sunday
Next In Doubles
Doubles main draw will begin play at 9 a.m. CT Sunday
German Samofalov and Filip Planinsek, continue tournament play against Ronnie Hohmann and George Stoupe of LSU
Joao Ferreira and Roan Jones are set to take on Auburn’s Jan Galka and Alejandro Moreno in the round of 16 of the main draw
Enzo Aguiard and Matias Ponce De Leon are going up against Nemanja Malesevic and Carles Hernandez from Mississippi State
Get all the latest information on the team by following AlabamaMTN on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. General athletic news can also be found at UA_Athletics on Twitter and Instagram and Alabama Athletics on Facebook.
Read More…
Weekend Update: Trump's 14-Page Response To Jan. 6 Subpoena Kanye West's Anti-Semitic Tweets SNL #HD (Video) Social News XYZ
Weekend Update: Trump's 14-Page Response To Jan. 6 Subpoena, Kanye West's Anti-Semitic Tweets – SNL #HD (Video) – Social News XYZ https://digitalalabamanews.com/weekend-update-trumps-14-page-response-to-jan-6-subpoena-kanye-wests-anti-semitic-tweets-snl-hd-video-social-news-xyz/
Posted By: Social News XYZ October 16, 2022
Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che tackle the week’s biggest news, like a newly released video of a phone call between Nancy Pelosi and Mike Pence during the January 6 insurrection.
Saturday Night Live. Stream now on Peacock: https://pck.tv/3uQxh4q
Subscribe to SNL: https://goo.gl/tUsXwM Stream Current Full Episodes: http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live
WATCH PAST SNL SEASONS Google Play – http://bit.ly/SNLGooglePlay iTunes – http://bit.ly/SNLiTunes
SNL ON SOCIAL SNL Instagram: http://instagram.com/nbcsnl SNL Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/snl SNL Twitter: https://twitter.com/nbcsnl SNL TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nbcsnl
GET MORE NBC Like NBC: http://Facebook.com/NBC Follow NBC: http://Twitter.com/NBC NBC Tumblr: http://NBCtv.tumblr.com/ YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/nbc NBC Instagram: http://instagram.com/nbc
#SNL #MeganTheeStallion #SNL48
About SocialNewsXYZ
An Indo-American News website. It covers Gossips, Politics, Movies, Technolgy, and Sports News and Photo Galleries and Live Coverage of Events via Youtube. The website is established in 2015 and is owned by AGK FIRE INC.
Summary
Title
Weekend Update: Trump’s 14-Page Response to Jan. 6 Subpoena, Kanye West’s Anti-Semitic Tweets – SNL #HD (Video)
Description
Weekend Update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che tackle the week’s biggest news, like a newly released video of a phone call between Nancy Pelosi and Mike Pence during the January 6 insurrection. Saturday Night Live. Stream now on Peacock: https://pck.tv/3uQxh4q Subscribe to SNL: https://goo.gl/tUsXwM Stream Current Full Episodes: http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live WATCH PAST SNL SEASONS Google Play – http://bit.ly/SNLGooglePlay iTunes – http://bit.ly/SNLiTunes SNL ON SOCIAL SNL Instagram: http://instagram.com/nbcsnl SNL Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/snl SNL Twitter: https://twitter.com/nbcsnl SNL TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nbcsnl GET MORE NBC Like NBC: http://Facebook.com/NBC Follow NBC: http://Twitter.com/NBC NBC Tumblr: http://NBCtv.tumblr.com/ YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/nbc NBC Instagram: http://instagram.com/nbc #SNL #MeganTheeStallion #SNL48
Read More…
Donald Trump Jr. And Eric Trump Wanted Large Stakes In Their Father's Media Company Even Though They Were Barely Involved Co-Founder Says: 'They Were Coming In And Asking For A Handout'
Donald Trump Jr. And Eric Trump Wanted Large Stakes In Their Father's Media Company Even Though They Were Barely Involved, Co-Founder Says: 'They Were Coming In And Asking For A Handout' https://digitalalabamanews.com/donald-trump-jr-and-eric-trump-wanted-large-stakes-in-their-fathers-media-company-even-though-they-were-barely-involved-co-founder-says-they-were-coming-in-and-asking-for-a-handoutx27/
Former President Donald Trump, left, Eric Trump, center, and Donald Trump Jr. watch golfer during the final round of the Bedminster Invitational LIV Golf tournament in Bedminster, N.J., Sunday, July 31, 2022.Seth Wenig/Associated Press
Will Wilkerson, co-founder of Trump’s media company, filed an SEC whistleblower complaint in August.
Wilkerson detailed his allegations to The Washington Post, including some about the Trump family.
Wilkerson told the Post Trump’s adult sons wanted stakes, describing it as “asking for a handout.”
Former President Donald Trump’s two adult sons wanted stakes in their father’s media company even though they were barely involved, according to one of the co-founders of Trump Media & Technology Group.
Will Wilkerson made the allegations about Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump in a story published by The Washington Post on Saturday. The story detailed accusations of infighting and potentially illegal activity at the company made by Wilkerson, who filed a whistleblower complaint to the SEC in August.
“They were coming in and asking for a handout,” Wilkerson said of Donald Jr. and Eric, according to the Post. “They had no bearing in this company … and they were taking equity away from hard-working individuals.”
The Trump Organization did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment.
In a statement provided to Insider, Trump Media & Technology Group blasted the Post’s reporting and touted Truth Social’s successes, such as launching on the Apple and Google app stores and attracting millions of users.
“Ignoring these achievements, the Washington Post published a story rife with knowingly false and defamatory statements and other concocted psychodramas,” the statement said. The statement did not comment directly on specific allegations.
Wilkerson, who served as senior vice president of operations, said he was fired on Thursday after talking to the Post, the outlet reported. Lawyers for Wilkerson did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment, but told the Post he is cooperating with the SEC and New York prosecutors investigating Trump Media.
Wilkerson provided the Post with materials he had given the SEC that he said proved his claims about the company. Among the materials was a log kept by Wilkerson and two other co-founders detailing their daily experiences at the company.
According to the Post, the log showed the three men weighed how to address the Trump family’s involvement in the business. One of the logs noted a person told them that Donald Jr. “needs a bedtime story and some love,” the outlet reported.
Read the original article on Business Insider
Read More…
