picks

Oct. 23 (UPI) — American Airlines announced Thursday it is onboarding a new commercial chief as the air carrier seeks to match its rivals.

Company officials revealed Nathaniel Pieper will be American Airlines’ next chief commercial officer effective Nov. 3.

“Nat is a world-class, results-oriented leader who has achieved tremendous success throughout his entire career,” said American CEO Robert Isom, adding that Pieper was “well-versed in the airline business, having led teams across multiple” different airline conglomerates.

Pieper, 56, currently sits as CEO of the Oneworld alliance in a collaborative that includes a number of airlines, including American and British Airways. His prior experience included high-level positions in finance, networks and fleet strategy.

“Nat’s experience and expertise, coupled with his recent work with us leading oneworld, make him incredibly well-suited to lead our Commercial team moving forward,” added Isom in a statement.

Pieper, who will report directly to Isom, replaced Vasu Raju after a corporate business-travel strategy failed its goal and ignited fierce pushback from travel industry leaders.

“He is exactly the kind of leader we want at American — collaborative and a great people leader with a relentless focus on delivering results while keeping an eye to the future,” Isom said in a staff note seen by CNBC.

Pieper joined American after time at Northwest Airlines, Delta and Alaska Airlines after entering the industry in the late 1990s.

He will oversee, among other departments, American’s commercial business strategy, loyalty program, network planning and revenue and sales departments.

Over the summer the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a partnership proposal between American and JetBlue in the northeast United States.

Meanwhile, American Airline officials added in a release Steve Johnson will return as the airline’s chief strategy officer.

Wales’ players were crestfallen at the final whistle, glazed looks in their eyes as it dawned on them that a huge opportunity had slipped through their grasp.

Belgium’s goalless draw with North Macedonia on Friday had opened the door for Wales, who needed to win their remaining three games to finish top of Group J and qualify automatically for the World Cup.

But they fell at the first hurdle, outgunned by Belgium in another chaotic shootout after losing 4-3 in Brussels in June.

Again, Wales’ bold approach – to press and to pour forward at every opportunity – left them exposed defensively, and once again they were ruthlessly punished by Jeremy Doku, Kevin De Bruyne and the rest.

On reflection, did Bellamy feel his side were just a little too open?

“We felt the best way of being able to combat this team was to have the ball,” he answered. “And we created a lot of chances, but we felt that was the way of being able to beat this team because we needed to win.

“It was as simple as that, and you could see even towards the end, we opened up more. We lost a bit of control in the game. But I always believe the way you can stop the opposition from scoring is by having the ball.

“But that transition moment, with Jeremy, it’s so fearful every time you have the ball that if it turns over, this kid, he’s just that.

“I’ve experienced it. I had him on my team [at Anderlecht], and I knew how dangerous he was, but going against him… We knew there were going to be difficult moments in that game.”

This has been a bruising window for Bellamy, whose decision to take on England in a friendly at Wembley last Thursday was met with a mixture of scepticism, bemusement and outright criticism.

The outcome, a chastening 3-0 defeat, intensified the fans’ discontent, though they were willing to keep an open mind if it helped Wales beat Belgium.

Supporters will be less forgiving now Wales have lost – making it 12 goals conceded in five games – and seen their hopes of qualifying automatically go up in smoke.

But nothing will deter Bellamy, unshakeable in his beliefs.

“I’ve seen a lot today that makes me feel we can get close to these. We can get close. We need to keep improving,” he said.

“But I told you at the start when I was going to do this. I’m going to press, and I won’t sit back. I know that goes against some people, but this is who I am.

“And today, I’ve seen a team with flaws because I have them. A team that wants to do something, because I want to. I’m grateful for that.”

Los Angeles Times NFL writer Sam Farmer examines the matchups and makes his predictions for Week 5 of the NFL season.

All lines and over/under numbers are according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

Last week, Farmer posted a 12-4 (.750) record. Through the first three weeks of the season, he is 44-20 (.688).

Using point spreads with the scores Farmer predicted, his record against the spread in Week 4 would have been 9-7 (.563). For the season, his record against the spread is 33-31 (.516).

All times are Pacific and TV reflects broadcasts in the Los Angeles area. The Falcons, Bears, Packers and Steelers are off this week.

SUN Racing’s Monday picks are below.

Back a horse by clicking their odds below.

LONGSHOT

DUMFRIES (5.20 Thirsk)

He has a good record here and is a fair 4lb higher than when winning at Beverley two starts ago.

EACH-WAY THIEF

SIR DAVID (4.20 Thirsk)

He landed his first win in battling style at Carlisle last time and is capable of following up with Paul Mulrennan taking over.

DAY OF GRACE (4.50 Thirsk)

She has been sent north by William Haggas for her handicap debut after showing promise on her three maidens so far. 

FREE BETS – GET THE BEST SIGN UP DEALS AND RACING OFFERS

Commercial content notice: Taking one of the offers featured in this article may result in a payment to The Sun. You should be aware brands pay fees to appear in the highest placements on the page. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org.

Remember to gamble responsibly

A responsible gambler is someone who:

• Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
• Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
• Never chases their losses
• Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
• Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
• Gamble Aware – www.gambleaware.org

Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.

I have a suggestion: Treat yourself to a beautiful meal, right now, at one of the Los Angeles restaurants where the chefs really invest in seasonal produce. There is nothing, anywhere, like the high-ripe flavors and rainbow pigments of California fruits and vegetables at the close of summer. We know this, but the knowing hits different when the produce is freshly considered by our finest culinary minds.

It’s an excellent time for a spontaneous indulgence. Late August and through September is shoulder season for finer-dining in L.A. Vacations are done, kids are back in school, we settle in at work and home before the holiday blur. Reservations are often easier to score. Many of our favorite dining rooms could use our presence. The ingredients are so urgent, I’d nudge you even to show up solo at a restaurant’s bar and savor just a plate or two of summer’s final splendors.

Where to taste the end of summer in L.A.

The cooking at Rustic Canyon, guided by chef de cuisine Elijah DeLeon, is particularly exciting at this annual juncture, when the greatness of the raw product is a given and the deeper pleasure comes from the savvy, daily-changing flavor combinations. His weaving of spells began with a plate of halved greengage plums from Andy’s Orchard — a fruit Lucas Peterson once rightly dubbed the “Holy Grail of stone fruit” — filled with a cherry paste cleverly mimicking the Mexican candy Chamoy.

Charcoal-grilled Jimmy Nardello peppers were paired with hunks of white peach and dusted with fennel pollen, a garnish that can sometimes seem precious and innocuous but here added the right offsetting licorice nip. White cheddar blanketed a spread of earthy-sweet corn kernels and snipped shishito peppers, a feel-good riff that fell somewhere between Midwestern creamed corn and Korean corn cheese. Tiny Sungold tomatoes rolled like marbles around nearly translucent sea bass, crowned for contrast with an oversize round of orange-ish butter flecked with herbs and Calabrian chiles.

Jimmy Nardello peppers and white peaches at an August meal at Rustic Canyon in Santa Monica.

(Bill Addison / Los Angeles Times)

A meaty pork chop arrived with thin ribbons of zucchini that had been glossed in mustard vinaigrette. The effect was more of a glow than a zap, lifting the pork with gentle acid while allowing the vegetable to also shine. So light-handed, so summery.

DeLeon’s menu moves at warp speed during these heady months; I see figs and purslane currently adorn the pork chop this week, and the variety of snacking plums are speckled Mirabelles.

More summer-themed suggestions

For dining inspiration, here’s a rundown of some other spectacular summertime dishes I’ve had in the last month. They’re going fast, agriculturally speaking. Acorn squash and apples have their own joys, but nothing beats the moment we’re in.

Yess has opened for lunch service, and the menu includes Junya Yamasaki’s famed “monk’s chirashi.” A recent version, splayed over rice, modeled peaches, plums, cucumbers, peas still dangling from their pods and handsomely veiny shiso leaves.

A summertime version of “monk’s chirashi” at Yess in the Arts District.

(Bill Addison / Los Angeles Times)

I’ve written plenty lately about the glories of the vegetable cooking at RVR in Venice. Go straight for the peaches and purple daikon stung with tosazu (vinegar-based dressing smoky with katsuobushi) and aromatic accents of pickled Fresno chiles, ginger and crushed Marcona almond.

It isn’t summer without at least one cracker-thin bar pie at Quarter Sheets (available Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday, for dine-in only) scattered with Jimmy Nardellos and sausage.

Two perennial favorites for savory-leaning stone fruit salads: The beauty at Kismet fragrant with lemon balm and dressed in turmeric-whey vinaigrette that adds intriguing color and weight, and the tomato and stone fruit salad at Majordomo splashed with a perfectly balanced sherry vinaigrette and flecked with shiso.

Dunsmoor’s summer menu straddles the influence of parallel agrarian regions: California and the American South. A simple platter of sliced duck ham and fleshy Honeyloupe melon from Weiser Farms brought the theme home early in the meal.

Smoked moulard duck ham with Weiser Farms Honeyloupe melon at Dunsmoor

(Bill Addison / Los Angeles Times)

Camélia in the Arts District is operating at the height of its powers. A late summer dinner: a fluffy salad of greens with slices of yellow peach and hidden walnuts, generously covered in shaved Comté and tensed with calamansi vinaigrette, followed by soft-shell crab tempura over a fresh sauce vierge made with bright, chewy-soft Sungolds. I’m a cheese freak, so a Comté tart with bruléed figs for dessert didn’t feel redundant.

Speaking of stunning salads: They never disappoint at A.O.C. in West Hollywood. Case in point: tender arugula arranged with cherries and nectarines, an ash-ripened goat cheese called Linedeline with the scent of mushrooms and, to drive home the intensity, a garlicky, pesto-like aillade bright green with pistachios.

Birdie G’s, one of the sister Santa Monica restaurants to Rustic Canyon where Jeremy Fox can frequently be seen on the path, has brought back its incredible relish tray featuring five-onion dip. Look for the shimmery sprigs of ice plant among the spectrum of geometric carved vegetables.

Birdie G’s relish plate, pictured in 2019. It’s always changing.

(Mariah Tauger / Los Angeles Times)

When do I know summer is over? When Nicole Rucker and her team stop baking pies with stone fruits at Fat & Flour. I just checked with Rucker, and the last of the peaches are touch and go. Fall might be here sooner than I’m willing to admit.

Food Bowl tickets

VIP tickets (allowing early entry) to The Times’ Food Bowl Night Market, presented by Square, are already sold out for the Saturday-night session taking place Oct. 11 at City Market Social House in downtown L.A. Friday-night VIP tickets are still available, but going fast. More than 40 restaurants are participating, including Holbox, Baroo, the Brothers Sushi, OyBar, Heritage Barbecue, Crudo e Nudo, Hummingbird Ceviche House, Rossoblu, Perilla L.A., Evil Cooks, Villa’s Tacos, Holy Basil and Luv2Eat Thai Bistro. Check lafoodbowl.com for tickets and info.

Also …

• This week I review 88 Club, the Beverly Hills fine-dining Chinese restaurant that’s the latest project from star chef Mei Lin and restaurateur Francis Miranda. I love the shrimp toast hands-down, and there’s plenty else to think through.
• Anyone else want to disappear into a big, nap-inducing pile of flapjacks this weekend? Khushbu Shah powered through diners, cafes and brunch stalwarts to name her 11 favorite plates of pancakes in L.A.
• Stephanie Breijo has news of the latest sushi sensation: Kiyoshi Kimura, a prolific sushi restaurateur in Japan known as the “Tuna King,” has debuted his first U.S. restaurant, Sushi Zanmai, in Koreatown.
• Jenn Harris singles out the best sourdough in the known universe. It’s made in Orange County, and it’s purple.
• Some uplifting news from Suhauna Hussain: A new owner aims to reopen the Original Pantry, the iconic eatery in downtown Los Angeles that closed earlier this year, by New Year’s Eve. His goal is also to re-employ the staff of 25 who had been laid off.
• As we head into the best time for oysters, Ari Kolender of Found Oyster and Queen’s Raw Bar & Grill shows us the right way to shuck them.

TORONTO — Welcome to a special daily edition of the Envelope at TIFF, a newsletter collecting the latest developments out of Canada’s annual film showcase. Sign up here to get it in your inbox.

Our photo gallery’s latest includes Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Richard Linklater and more.

But click through for our video interviews, including Mark Olsen’s sit-down with Sydney Sweeney and the crew of her boxing movie “Christy,” which required a total transformation.

Sydney Sweeney in “Christy,” a portrait of boxing champ Christy Martin, having its world premiere at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival.

(Allie Fredericks / TIFF)

Here’s a taste of their exchange:

Sydney, people are already really talking about the physical transformation you make in the movie, the training that you did. What was it about the role that made it seem like you wanted to make that kind of commitment?

Sydney Sweeney: I mean, I couldn’t let Christy down, and I also love transforming for characters. That’s the whole reason of being an actor, is to be something different from yourself and to challenge ourselves.

So I had like two months of training. I built gyms in my house and I had a boxing trainer, I had a weight trainer, I had a nutritionist and would work out and train every single day.

And it was amazing. I loved it. Being able to completely lose yourself for somebody else and then have that person there next to your side. It was transformative.

Katy O’Brian, co-star: It was exhausting watching her do it.

Ben Foster, co-star: And in tribute to Syd, we’d shoot a 12-hour day that was dense, we’ll say, that would be a gentle word. She would then go train and choreograph the fights that she would do back-to-back after, one after another.

Sweeney: I’d be put in the middle of a ring and I’d have like nine girls and they would just drill me with all the different fights, one after the other for like two hours after we would wrap.

Because I really wanted the choreography to match the exact fights that she had in real life. So we would watch all the footage from her fights and memorize all the combinations and then implement those into the fight.

So everything you see were her actual fights. And so I’d wrap, I would do that for two hours, and then I would weight train.

David, there is something very unflinching about the movie. Why was it that you wanted to tell Christy’s story in a way that wasn’t afraid to explore these really dark and disturbing moments in her life?

David Michôd, director: In a way, the dark and disturbing was what made me want to make the movie. I had a clear sense that in this really wild and colorful story of a ’90s boxing pioneer was actually, underneath, it was a very important story to tell about how these coercive control relationships function.

And trying to wrap my brain around what keeps them functioning over, in this case, 20 years. And I knew that where Christy’s story went, it was harrowing.

And what the challenge for me then as a filmmaker was just to go, how do I do this being very conscious of not wanting to step into a world of representations of violence against women and all that kind of stuff, but not shying away from the horror that is very much there and is very palpable.

I could see a big sprawling movie that would start almost as a kind of conventional underdog pioneering sports movie and then morph into something that was deeply moving and important.

Sydney, Ben, what was it like for the two of you performing some of those darker scenes in the film and how did you keep some sense of humanity between the two of you?

Sweeney: There were so many conversations around a lot of those moments, and both Ben and I, we don’t like to rehearse and we kind of just want to feel it. And I think we both became very connected to who we were portraying and —

Foster: Listening.

Sweeney: We just listened

Foster: And Dave created a space where we could do that. And we would block it, we did a lot of talk privately, and then we would come in and jam and nudge. But the truth is Dave is quality control and would fine-tune moments.

The day’s buzziest premieres

‘EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert’

Elvis Presley performing live, as seen in Baz Luhrmann’s archival concert movie “EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert.”

(TIFF)

How deep did Baz Lurhmann go researching his 2022 movie “Elvis”? Forty stories. That’s the depth of the Kansas salt mine where Warner Bros. had stored 59 hours of unseen recordings from Elvis Presley’s seven-year stint in Las Vegas.

Lurhmann studied it for his Oscar-nominated biopic, which mourned Presley as an artist in a cage and wondered who the curious, music-loving boy from Tupelo might have become if Col. Parker had let him, say, visit an ashram with the Beatles.

This time, the “Moulin Rouge!” director has said that he wants to use found footage to “let Elvis sing and tell his story” — as in, Lurhmann’s own spectacular sensibilities will cede center stage to Presley himself, who can still wow a crowd even during a late-career moment when his own fans feared he had more jumpsuits than ambition.

I’ll definitely be at the premiere to pay my respects to the King. — Amy Nicholson

‘Hamnet’

Jessie Buckley, center, in director Chloé Zhao’s “Hamnet.”

(Agata Grzybowska / Focus Features)

You’re going to be hearing a lot of Oscar buzz in the coming months about various movies, along with people insisting that — seriously — this is the one you need to see. “Hamnet” is, far and away, that film, for three specific reasons.

First, Paul Mescal has now done three masterful turns, between this, “Aftersun” and “All of Us Strangers” confirming what a truly special talent he is. Mescal and the “Hamnet” crew came through our TIFF studio.

Clockwise from right: Paul Mescal, Noah Jupe, Jacobi Jupe, director Chloé Zhao, Jessie Buckley and Emily Watson, photographed in the Los Angeles Times Studios at RBC House during the Toronto International Film Festival.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

Second, I needed director Chloé Zhao to rebound after the mess that was “Eternals” to the confidence she displayed on “Nomadland” — and she’s done exactly that. Read our Telluride interview with her.

Finally, Jessie Buckley has uncorked one of the year’s most impressive turns: a grief-stricken plunge that elevates her to the level of Casey Affleck in “Manchester by the Sea.” Do not be surprised if, like Affleck, she goes all the way. — Joshua Rothkopf

TORONTO — Welcome to a special daily edition of the Envelope at TIFF, a newsletter collecting the latest developments out of Canada’s annual film showcase. Sign up here to get it in your inbox.

Have you seen the images from our photo gallery? Staff photographer Christina House and her crew are truly capturing the best of the fest.

There are wonderful shots up now, including Elle Fanning, Ethan Hawke, Channing Tatum and more, but this link will be updated periodically with others.

Expect Cillian Murphy, the cast of Rian Johnson’s ‘Wake Up Dead Man,’ Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, Cillian Murphy and more surprises!

The day’s buzziest premieres

‘Good Fortune’

Aziz Ansari, left, and Keanu Reeves in the movie “Good Fortune.”

(Eddy Chen/Lionsgate/Eddy Chen / Lionsgate)

A low-level guardian angel righting a wrong feels like the set-up to a classic comedy. But amid a premise motivated by income inequality, there’s a distinctly current edge to “Good Fortune,” the debut feature of writer-director-star Aziz Ansari.

A struggling film editor who makes ends meet as a food delivery driver, Arj (Ansari) is at the end of his rope when said angel Gabriel (Keanu Reeves) switches his life with Jeff (Seth Rogen), a wealthy, self-important tech investor.

Except, instead of realizing things are tough all over, Arj decides he likes Jeff’s life better and doesn’t want to switch back. Which is only the beginning of the complications for these three lost souls.

Looking for hope in an out-of-balance world while laced with a righteously indignant anger (and set against distinctly L.A. locations), “Good Fortune” is social satire with a big heart. — Mark Olsen

‘Canceled: The Paula Deen Story’

Paula Deen in the documentary “Canceled: The Paula Deen Story.”

(TIFF)

Hungry for a brisk, witty documentary that’s as easy to enjoy as a plate of hot biscuits? Filmmaker Billy Corben analyzes the tabloid feeding frenzy that chewed up celebrity TV chef Paula Deen when she admitted to using a racial slur.

Going in, I only knew two things about Deen: the 2013 scandal and her staunch devotion to butter. Her full story is fascinating, especially buttressed by contemporary interviews with Deen and her two sons, Bobby and Jamie, who all specialize in Southern-fried zingers: “It came on like a snowball full of chainsaws,” says Jamie of the media blitz.

A complex schematic of the cancelation machine, “Canceled” argues that Deen was punished double that summer because Trayvon Martin’s killer wasn’t punished at all. The great archival footage makes you get why audiences once loved Deen — and it’s evident how much her family and friends still do, even if Corben greases her mea culpa to the point that you feel a little queasy. — Amy Nicholson

‘Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery’

Josh O’Connor, left, and Daniel Craig in Rian Johnson’s movie “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery,” having its world premiere as part of the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival.

(Netflix)

One of the real pleasures of the witty, surprising films made by writer-director Rian Johnson starring Daniel Craig as Southern gentleman detective Benoit Blanc is that, within the confines of the murder mystery, they could take place just about anywhere: a patriarch’s creaky mansion, a billionaire’s private island and now a small town’s historic church.

Or at least that’s the best we know from the scant details made public about the new “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” ahead of its TIFF world premiere tonight. Craig returns as Blanc but joining the cast this time are Josh O’Connor, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Kerry Washington, Jeremy Renner, Daryl McCormack, Cailee Spaeny, Thomas Haden Church, Andrew Scott and Glenn Close.

The festival has been a good luck charm so far, with the previous two “Knives Out” movies premiering at TIFF in the same theater, day and time slot and both going on to Oscar nominations for their screenplays. — Mark Olsen

They couldn’t stop talking, even before the cameras for ‘Poetic License’ were rolling

Andrew Barth Feldman, left, Cooper Hoffman and Leslie Mann in “Poetic License,” having its world premiere as part of the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival.

(TIFF)

Mark Olsen has a fun interview with the banter-ific Andrew Barth Feldman and Cooper Hoffman, costars of Maude Apatow’s new movie “Poetic Licence.” They were friends before they shot the film and their verbal mutual affection — honed to a crazy degree of anticipation — is something to behold. They’ve raised bromance to an art form.

His apocalyptic art film ‘Sirât’ dances in the face of oblivion. That’s why people love it

Director Oliver Laxe, photographed in the Los Angeles Times Studios at RBC House during the Toronto International Film Festival.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

Director Oliver Laxe has made a truly unique art film about a restless group of ravers who drive out in the the desert on the eve of what could be the end of the world. Since its debut at Cannes, “Sirât” is acquiring superfans — critics and audiences alike — wherever it plays. On the occasion of his first TIFF screening, Laxe spoke to me about his commitment to risk.

The administration of United States President Donald Trump is expected to install Jim O’Neill as acting head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), replacing a director who clashed with the White House over policies that defy scientific evidence.

News outlets, including The Washington Post and The Associated Press, reported O’Neill’s selection after Trump officials said they removed CDC Director Susan Monarez.

O’Neill is currently deputy to Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Sources close to Monarez have told news agencies that she butted heads with Kennedy over questions of misinformation and vaccine policy.

“She said that there were two things she would never do in the job. One was anything that was deemed illegal, and the second was anything that she felt flew in the face of science, and she said she was asked to do both of those,” Richard Besser, former acting director of the CDC, told reporters.

Several high-level CDC officials resigned from their positions in solidarity with Monarez and in defiance of what they depicted as the undermining of scientific expertise as a basis of public health policy.

Monarez said that she refused to “rubber-stamp unscientific, reckless directives and fire dedicated health experts”. She had been in her job for less than a month.

Kennedy, a prominent anti-vaccination activist before joining the Trump administration, has moved to reshape the agency and expel advisers who do not align with his views.

He purged a vaccine advisory board of its members in June, moving to replace them with individuals who share views closer to his own.

Speaking on the TV programme Fox and Friends on Thursday, Kennedy portrayed the CDC as an institute in dire need of reform.

“The  CDC has problems,” Kennedy said, accusing the centres of spreading COVID-19 “misinformation” after it advised mask wearing and social distancing.

While he did not mention Monarez by name, he argued the CDC’s culture was due for a change.

“ I cannot comment on personnel issues, but the agency is in trouble, and we need to fix it, and we are fixing it. And it may be that some people should not be working there any more,” he said.

“We need strong leadership that will go in there and that will be able to execute on President Trump’s broad ambitions.”

At Thursday’s White House news briefing, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt echoed the sentiment that the CDC director had to be loyal to Trump’s agenda.

“Her lawyer’s statement made it abundantly clear themselves that she was not aligned with the president’s mission to make America healthy again,” Leavitt said.

She also offered a White House account of how Monarez was allegedly fired.

“The secretary [Kennedy] asked her to resign. She said she would, and then she said she wouldn’t. So the president fired her, which he has every right to do,” Leavitt said. “It was President Trump who was overwhelmingly re-elected on November 5th. This woman has never received a vote in her life.”

But scientists and doctors who worked closely with Monarez said recent changes at the CDC undermined the agency’s mission to protect the public from health threats.

One top CDC leader who resigned this week, Demetre Daskalakis, warned that the agency’s new direction under Trump portended real risks to public health.

“I’m a doctor. I took the Hippocratic oath that said, ‘First, do no harm.’ I believe harm is going to happen, and so I can’t be a part of it,” said Daskalakis, the former director for the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.

Tensions had been especially high within the agency over the last several weeks, after a gunman who blamed COVID-19 vaccines for his health issues attacked the CDC headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia.

That shooting left one police officer dead, and the suspect took his own life.

Kennedy himself has baselessly called the COVID-19 vaccine the “deadliest vaccine ever made”.

After the shooting, representatives for the CDC’s workers denounced Kennedy for contributing to public distrust of the health agency.

“This tragedy was not random, and it compounds months of mistreatment, neglect, and vilification that CDC staff have endured,” a union representing CDC employees, AFGE Local 2883, said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the group Fired But Fighting, composed of laid-off employees, condemned Kennedy for “his continuous lies about science and vaccine safety, which have fueled a climate of hostility and mistrust”.

As the CDC continues to winnow down its workforce, employees also issued an open letter to Kennedy, accusing him of “terminating critical CDC workers in a destroy-first-and-ask-questions-later manner”.

After all the transfer portal trackers and the Lincoln Riley Finebaum rants and the landscape-altering, paradigm-shifting changes to the sport, it’s finally game week here at the Times of Troy.

We’re at the doorstep of a new USC football season, which means there’s no better time to subscribe to this newsletter and ensure you get the best USC analysis — not to mention TV recs, Big Ten betting picks, Midwest travel tips and more — delivered to your inbox every Monday morning.

For this week, it’s time for the Times of Troy to get down to business. We’ve told you what the best-case scenario would look like for Lincoln Riley and the Trojans this season. We’ve told you the worst case. So now, let’s talk about how we actually think this season will unfold at USC.

Aug. 30 vs. Missouri State: USC was supposed to welcome Lane Kiffin back to the Coliseum in this one. Instead, they get a team playing in its first game as a Football Bowl Subdivision team. Missouri State had just six winning seasons in this century at the FCS level. Its record over the last five years (26-31) is the worst of any team making the FBS transition ever. The Bears have a quarterback with some potential in Jacob Clark, but that won’t be nearly enough.

Prediction: USC wins, 52-10

Sept. 6 vs. Georgia Southern: Clay Helton’s return to the Coliseum could be an uncomfortable affair, if only because Georgia Southern might actually be one of the best teams in the Sun Belt Conference. At the very least, they return a lot of experience on both sides of the ball. That shouldn’t trip up a team with the talent of USC. But don’t be surprised if the Trojans come out tight. A big mistake from USC makes things interesting before the defense clamps down in the second half.

Prediction: USC wins, 33-20

Sept. 13 at Purdue: It’s tough to know what to expect from a team that brought in 54 (!!) transfers, but I’ve seen enough of Purdue in recent years to not expect all that much. Barry Odom worked magic at Nevada Las Vegas, but it won’t be nearly that simple in West Lafayette, with a Big Ten schedule ahead. For USC, this is as smooth of a Big Ten road opener as they could hope for. It should be noted the Trojans did lose a game like this — to Maryland — a year ago. This time, USC takes the opportunity to prove it can push down the gas pedal late.

Prediction: USC wins, 38-13

Sept. 20 vs. Michigan State: Entering this game at 3-0 is essential because the road gets much rockier from here. If quarterback Aidan Chiles can make the leap in his second year with Jonathan Smith, the Spartans could make this interesting. But this is still a Spartan offense that ranked 123rd of 134 teams in points per game last season. They won’t be that bad in 2025, but this early in the season, I don’t see the Spartans keeping up. Especially with USC’s defense eager to make a statement.

Prediction: USC wins, 30-17

Sept. 27 at Illinois: I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say the direction of USC’s entire season could be determined in Champaign, Ill., in late September. A win could catapult the Trojans into playoff contention. A loss could start a monthlong slide. They’re not the only ones with a lot on the line here, though. Illinois has its own playoff ambitions. Plus, the Illini return 18 starters, including quarterback Luke Altmyer, who’s already one of the best in the conference. I toiled over picking this game, but ultimately couldn’t get USC’s struggles on the road last season out of my head.

Prediction: USC loses, 24-23

Oct. 11 vs. Michigan: We know that Michigan will have a top-tier defense, but on offense, so much rides on a relative unknown, albeit one with a rocket right arm. True freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood looks the part of a Vince Young clone, but will he be able to handle a hostile atmosphere and keep his composure? Michigan will have already faced Oklahoma (at home) and Nebraska (in Lincoln) by this point, so this isn’t Underwood’s first rodeo on the road. The Coliseum will be rocking, and USC will be eager to avenge last season’s loss. But the Trojans offensive line will struggle to stay intact. And in a grind-it-out kind of game, I favor Michigan and its defensive front.

Prediction: USC loses, 28-24

Oct. 18 at Notre Dame: After back-to-back difficult defeats, USC travels to South Bend for arguably the toughest game of its season. We don’t know yet what to expect out of C.J. Carr and the Notre Dame passing attack, but that’s pretty much where the questions stop. The Irish have the best run game USC will face all season, led by Heisman candidate Jeremiyah Love, and probably the best overall defense, too. Unless Jayden Maiava has a star turn or USC’s defense creates turnovers, it could be a long trip for the Trojans.

Prediction: USC loses, 27-17

Nov. 1 at Nebraska: The bye comes at a critical time here for USC, having lost three in a row. In this scenario, we might be talking about whether or not Riley should continue with Maiava at quarterback. But traveling to Lincoln is no walk in the park. The Huskers have one of the more hostile environments in the Big Ten and could be primed for a leap this season. That said, I do think USC will exorcise its road demons somewhere on this schedule. The calls for five-star freshman Husan Longstreet might have gotten pretty loud by this point, but Maiava comes up big while the Trojans’ backs are against the wall.

Prediction: USC wins, 34-31

Nov. 7 vs. Northwestern: The short week after an emotional win leaves USC primed for a letdown, and the Wildcats should be improved with a passable quarterback in Southern Methodist transfer Preston Stone now under center. But the gap between these two teams is just too significant for Northwestern to bridge on the road. USC’s defense dominates, and Maiava continues to roll.

Prediction: USC wins, 41-16

Nov. 15 vs. Iowa: I think Iowa will surprise people this season, now that it finally has a quarterback in Mark Gronowski capable of slinging it. Kirk Ferentz will always have the Hawkeyes playing good defense, and they could make life difficult on Maiava and USC’s passing attack if the Trojans get behind. It’s just the sort of game where Riley’s coaching and in-game management will play a critical role. So, too, will D’Anton Lynn’s defensive prowess. I think his group comes up big in this one, giving Lynn another showcase for NFL teams looking for their next coordinator.

Prediction: USC wins, 24-17

Nov. 22 at Oregon: After so much roster turnover and with a new quarterback at the helm, Oregon is a big question mark to me. Between the two of USC’s toughest road tilts — Notre Dame being the other — this game feels more winnable to me. That said, I have a tough time envisioning USC heading into Autzen in late November. We just haven’t seen Riley’s teams win games like this yet. New Oregon running back Makhi Hughes will continue his surge as one of the Big Ten’s best backs, and the Ducks defensive front, led by Matayo Uiagalelei, will give USC’s offensive line fits.

Prediction: USC loses, 38-31

Nov. 29 vs. UCLA: Count me as someone who doesn’t buy the sudden hype for a Bruins offense led by Nico Iamaleava. For one, the weapons around Iamaleava aren’t nearly of the caliber as they were last season at Tennessee. UCLA’s defense was able to keep Maiava in check last season, but that was a full year ago. USC has a big day with its downfield offense, and the Trojans take the crosstown rivalry for the third time in four years.

Prediction: USC wins, 42-24

Official Times of Troy record prediction: 8-4

It’s only right, I guess, that after suggesting USC could go anywhere from 6-6 to 10-2, I end up settling right in the middle. USC’s defense is going to take a step forward this season — I feel confident about that much. But there are still too many questions on offense, namely along the offensive line, for me to trust the Trojans to beat teams like Illinois, Nebraska, Notre Dame or Oregon on the road. It’s up to Maiava to make me eat my words.

Matt Leinart led USC to the national title in 2004.

(Los Angeles Times)

—With DJ Wingfield not suiting up this fall, the starting offensive line that makes the most sense to me … has Tobias Raymond at left guard, and Justin Tauanuu at right tackle. Riley has harped for years about having his best five linemen, regardless of position, playing up front. Tauanuu has more pedigree and experience, both in practice and in games, than Micah Banuelos. Plus, when Redmond was being recruited, USC told him they saw him as a future NFL interior lineman. The bigger question may be at center, where Kilian O’Connor has kept even with transfer J’Onre Reed all camp.

—Count receivers Tanook Hines and Corey Simms as freshmen who could contribute. Ja’Kobi Lane and Makai Lemon will get the lion’s share of targets this season, but beyond them, the receiver room is wide open. Prince Strachan will presumably start the season on the outside opposite of Lane, while Zacharyus Williams and Jay Fair will factor in on a rotational basis. But before season’s end, don’t be surprised if either of these two works their way into a role.

—USC will once again pick its captains weekly. Most fans I’ve talked to didn’t love this setup last season, but Riley thinks it gives players an incentive to prove themselves every week. I think the real answer is probably that it doesn’t impact much at all. Players know who the team leaders are, whether they’re announced as captains or not.

—The SEC is finally adopting a nine-game league schedule. Which the Big Ten has been pushing for, publicly and privately. But while the Big Ten got what it wants in this case — and what’s best for college football, I might add — the SEC wouldn’t make this move for equity’s sake. My guess is that this compromise eventually leads the Big Ten to accept the SEC’s preferred model for the College Football Playoff. The Big Ten has held out to this point on a system with four automatic qualifiers for themselves and the SEC, the rest of the power conferences, including the SEC, want a format with five conference champions and 11 at-large bids.

—Auburn has decided to claim the 2004 national title for itself. L-O-L. The record books may say that USC vacated the 2004 national title. But let’s set aside that technicality for a moment to marvel at the audacity of claiming a championship more than two decades after the fact. And not just that, but claiming a championship that rightfully belongs to one of the greatest college football teams of the 21st century. That Trojans team set out to “leave no doubt” during that season after sharing the title in 2003, and they proceeded to go wire to wire at No. 1 in the AP poll, beating their opponents by an average net margin of 25 points per game. No one doubted who was the champion then, and no one doubts it now. No matter what the NCAA or Auburn happens to claim.

In case you missed it

Q&A: Former USC star Todd Marinovich says it was cathartic to finally write his own story

Carson Palmer embracing the challenges and joys of coaching high school football

Top USC receiver Ja’Kobi Lane cleared to play after breaking his foot during offseason

Judge’s ruling effectively blocks two players from competing for USC and UCLA this season

What I’m watching this week

Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne in “Platonic.”

(Paul Sarkis / Apple TV+)

Seth Rogen has been on an absolute heater lately — “The Studio” is probably my favorite show of 2025 to date — and his role in “Platonic” is just another feather in his cap. I could watch Rogen and Rose Byrne banter for hours on end, which is pretty much the premise of this Apple comedy about two platonic forty-something friends grappling with their lives. What we’ve seen of the second season so far is letting other members of the cast cook, too, which is always a great sign for where a comedy is headed.

Until next time …

That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at [email protected], and follow me on X at @Ryan_Kartje. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.

United States President Donald Trump has unveiled his slate of picks for the Kennedy Center Honors, an annual awards show designed to honour actors, musicians, designers and creative professionals who have dedicated their lives to the performing arts.

On Wednesday, Trump appeared on stage at the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, one of the premier stages in Washington, DC, in a show of power over the national cultural institution.

“We’ll make it better than it ever was, frankly,” he said of the awards show. “ It’ll be something that people are going to be very proud of.”

This year’s five honourees include disco singer Gloria Gaynor, country music performer George Strait, the rock band Kiss, British comedian Michael Crawford and actor Sylvester Stallone, star of the classic films Rocky and Rambo.

Trump, a former reality TV star, also revealed that he would host the award show himself. In his opening remarks, he suggested his allies strong-armed him into taking the hosting gig.

“I’ve been asked to host. I said, ‘I’m the president of the United States. Are you fools asking me to do that?’” Trump said. “ So I have agreed to host. Do you believe what I have to do?”

Wednesday’s announcement was Trump’s latest foray into the arts, as he seeks to reshape the US’s cultural institutions to reflect his agenda.

Exerting power over the Kennedy Center

During Trump’s first term, from 2017 to 2021, the Republican leader never attended the Kennedy Center Honors, breaking with a longtime presidential tradition.

Since the ceremony’s beginnings in 1978, presidents have been regular attendees, except in rare cases, including Cold War-era negotiations and the 1979 Iran hostage crisis.

But since returning to the White House for a second term in January, Trump has not only sought to make his presence known at the Kennedy Center, but he has also sought to wield power over its programming.

On February 7, Trump announced he would purge the Kennedy Center’s governing board and declared his intention to lead the institution as its chair.

“I have decided to immediately terminate multiple individuals from the Board of Trustees, including the Chairman, who do not share our Vision for a Golden Age in Arts and Culture,” Trump wrote at the time. “We will soon announce a new Board, with an amazing Chairman, DONALD J. TRUMP!”

By February 12, the new Kennedy Center board had made good on its promise to elect Trump as chair.

Since then, Trump has expanded his reach into the country’s arts and culture spheres. On Tuesday, for instance, his administration revealed it would undertake an “internal review” of several Smithsonian museums, to “ensure alignment with the President’s directive to celebrate American exceptionalism”.

Trump also teased his new vision for the Kennedy Center Honors — and appeared to troll critics who expressed outrage over Republican proposals to rename the performing arts centre after the Republican leader.

“GREAT Nominees for the TRUMP/KENNEDY CENTER, whoops, I mean, KENNEDY CENTER, AWARDS,” Trump wrote on social media in the lead-up to Wednesday’s announcement.

He pledged the revamped award show would reflect “the absolute TOP LEVEL of luxury, glamour, and entertainment”.

A crackdown on crime in the capital

The Kennedy Center Honors is expected to air on the TV channel CBS in December, and it broadcasts from its eponymous theatre.

In Wednesday’s speech, Trump tied the upcoming ceremony to his broader campaign to crack down on crime in Washington, DC.

“ In the coming months, we’ll fully renovate the dated and, really, the entire infrastructure of the building and make the Kennedy Center a crown jewel of American arts and culture once again,” he said.

“ We have the right location, and soon we will be a crime-free area.”

Earlier this week, Trump invoked the capital’s Home Rule Act to take control of the local police force, and he deployed members of the National Guard to patrol the city’s streets, despite the fact that violent crime in the city was at a 30-year low.

Trump, however, has denied the legitimacy of those statistics, a claim he made again at the Kennedy Center on Wednesday.

“ You’re gonna see a big change in Washington crime stats very soon — not the stats that they gave because they turned out to be a total fraud. The real stats,” he said.

Trump also faces legal limitations to his efforts: The capital’s police can only be federalised for a period of 30 days, barring congressional action.

When asked about that limit at Wednesday’s news conference, Trump indicated he would seek to retain control of Washington’s police for the long term.

“ If it’s a national emergency, we can do it without Congress,” Trump said, though he added that he would introduce a crime bill that would allow him to extend his control over the local police.

“ We’re going to do this very quickly, but we’re going to want extensions. I don’t want to call a national emergency. If I have to, I will, but I think the Republicans in Congress will approve this pretty much unanimously.”

Trump ‘very involved’ in honouree selection

The Republican leader also hinted at a potential political bent to the reimagined Kennedy Center Honors.

He has previously denounced the Kennedy Center’s programming, pledging to nix artistic productions like drag shows and book classic Broadway hits instead.

In response, over the past year, the touring production of the hit Broadway musical Hamilton cancelled its scheduled stop at the Kennedy Center, as did comedian Issa Rae and the opera Fellow Travelers.

Performers in a touring production of Les Miserables also boycotted performances at the Kennedy Center to protest Trump’s changes.

Still, Trump doubled down on the programming changes, saying his ratings success on the reality TV show The Apprentice testified to his arts-industry smarts.

“I shouldn’t make this political because they made the Academy Awards political and they went down the tubes,” Trump said on Wednesday.

“They’ll say, ‘Trump made it political,’ but I think, if we make it our kind of political, we’ll go up, OK? Let’s see if I’m right about that.”

He also confirmed that he had played a large role in selecting this year’s Kennedy Center honourees.

“I would say I was about 98-percent involved. No, they all went through me,” Trump explained, adding that he turned down “plenty” of candidates, including “a couple of wokesters”.

Looking ahead, Trump said the Kennedy Center would feature heavily in his plans to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the country’s founding in 2026.

“I’m going to be president for the Olympics. I’ll be president for the World Cup. And the 250th is going to be maybe more exciting than both,” Trump said. “It’s a great celebration of our country. We’re going to be using this building for a lot of the celebration.”

CHICAGO — During Donald Trump’s campaign for president last year, he sought to ease the concerns of voters alarmed that the Supreme Court he helped shape during his first term had overturned the constitutional right to abortion, saying that he did not oppose abortion but thought the issue should be decided by individual states.

More than six months into Trump’s second term in the White House, a review by the Associated Press shows that several of his nominees to the federal courts have revealed antiabortion views, been associated with antiabortion groups or defended abortion restrictions.

Several have helped defend their state’s abortion restrictions in court, and some have been involved in cases with national impact, including on access to medication abortion.

The nominees, with lifetime appointments, would be in position to roll back abortion rights long after Trump leaves the White House.

Trump’s shifting positions

Trump has repeatedly shifted his messaging on abortion, often giving contradictory or vague answers.

In the years before the 2024 campaign, Trump had voiced support for a federal ban on abortion on or after 20 weeks in pregnancy and said he might support a national ban around 15 weeks. He later settled on messaging that decisions about abortion access should be left to the states.

Throughout his campaign, Trump has alternated between taking credit for appointing the Supreme Court justices who helped overturn Roe vs. Wade and striking a more neutral tone. That’s been an effort to navigate the political divide between his base of antiabortion supporters and the broader public, which largely supports access to abortion.

Nominees’ views

One Trump nominee called abortion a “barbaric practice,” while another referred to himself as a “zealot” for the antiabortion movement. A nominee from Tennessee said abortion deserves special scrutiny because “this is the only medical procedure that terminates a life.”

One from Missouri spread misinformation about medication abortion, including that it “starves the baby to death in the womb” in a lawsuit aiming to challenge the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the abortion pill mifepristone.

Legal experts and abortion rights advocates warn of a methodical remaking of the federal courts in a way that could pose enduring threats to abortion access nationwide.

Bernadette Meyler, a professor of constitutional law at Stanford University, said judicial appointments “are a way of federally shaping the abortion question without going through Congress or making a big, explicit statement.”

“It’s a way to cover up a little bit what is happening in the abortion sphere compared to legislation or executive orders that may be more visible, dramatic and spark more backlash,” she said.

White House’s position

Harrison Fields, a White House spokesperson, said that “every nominee of the President represents his promises to the American people and aligns with the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark ruling.”

“The Democrats’ extreme position on abortion was rejected in November in favor of President Trump’s commonsense approach, which allows states to decide, supports the sanctity of human life, and prevents taxpayer funding of abortion,” Fields said in a statement to the AP.

Trump focused primarily on the economy and immigration during his 2024 campaign, the issues that surveys showed were the most important topics for voters.

Views across the abortion divide

Antiabortion advocates say it’s premature to determine whether the nominees will support their objectives, but they’re hopeful based on the names put forth so far.

“We look forward to four more years of nominees cut from that mold,” said Katie Glenn Daniel, director of legal affairs for the national antiabortion organization SBA Pro-Life America.

Abortion-rights advocates said Trump is embedding abortion opponents into the judiciary one judge at a time.

“This just feeds into this larger strategy where Trump has gotten away with distancing himself from abortion, saying he’s going to leave it to the states, while simultaneously appointing antiabortion extremists at all levels of government,” said Mini Timmaraju, president of the national abortion rights organization Reproductive Freedom for All, formerly known as NARAL Pro-Choice America,

Fernando writes for the Associated Press.

TOTTENHAM star Son Heung-min was cradled like a baby by a 7ft 2in former MMA star at an open training session earlier today.

The South Korean superstar and his team-mates took part in the session at the home of Anyang FC in Seoul.

6

6

Play Dream Team now!

Play The Sun Dream Team ahead of the 2025/26 season

After training, Son was joined pitchside by Korean ex-MMA fighter Choi Hong-man.

The enormous wrestler competed in MMA between 2006 and 2016, and even fought arguably the greatest heavyweight of all time Fedor Emelianenko.

During the interaction, Choi picked Son up and began cradling him.

The Tottenham captain, not exactly small at 6ft, was in fits of giggles while being picked up, even sheepishly covering his face.

Spurs will take on Newcastle in front of 66,000 fans at Seoul World Cup Stadium, home of the South Korean national team, tomorrow.

The match is likely to be Son’s last for Tottenham, after he announced that he will be leaving the club after 10 years earlier today.

Sitting alongside manager Thomas Frank, Son began an emotional press conference by saying: “I’ve decided to leave the club in the summer.

“And respectfully, the club is helping me with my decision.

BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK

6

6

“So I just want to share this information before we start the press conference.”

On how he came to the decision, Son added: “It was the most difficult decision of my football career.

“I’ve been here ten years at a beautiful club with beautiful fans and having such amazing memories.

“And after all that, it was so hard to make this decision. But as I said, I feel like I need a new environment and to push myself.

“And to get more of me, I feel like I need a little bit of change. Ten years is a lot of time when you’re thinking about it.

He added: “I came to London as a kid. 23-years-old, a very young age, [and] a young boy came to London who even didn’t speak English.

“And [I’m] leaving this club as a grown man. This is a very, very proud moment.

“So I just wanna say thank you to all of the Spurs fans that gave me so much love.

“I felt like it was my home. But yeah, it was, it was one of the toughest decisions I’ve ever made.”

A MODERN DAY LEGEND

Son signed for Tottenham from Bayer Leverkusen in 2015 aged 23 in a deal worth around £22million.

The popular forward went on to score 173 goals in 454 appearances for the North Londoners, placing him fourth on the club’s all-time list of goalscorers.

Son was appointed club captain by former boss Ange Postecoglou in 2023.

The Tottenham legend went on to lift the Europa League trophy in May, as the club ended its 17-year drought.

On the timing of his White Hart Lane exit, Son said: “The goodbye is always also in a good timing. But I think it’s the right time to make this decision.

“I hope that everybody understands my decision and I hope that everybody respects that.”

Son has been strongly linked with a move to MLS side LAFC.

The switch would see him reunite with his predecessor as Spurs captain Hugo Lloris.

6

6

NPR is receiving a highly symbolic financial boost days before Congress is expected to vote on the fate of federal funding that supports the news and culture nonprofit.

Ann Philbin, former director and current director emeritus of the Hammer Museum at UCLA, has been named this year’s Getty Prize recipient. The honor comes with a $500,000 grant for a nonprofit of the winner’s choice, and Philbin has selected NPR and its Los Angeles member stations, KCRW and LAist.

The prize is considered the Getty’s highest honor and recognizes what the institution calls “cultural leaders whose work expands human understanding and appreciation of arts and culture.” Previous awardees include Frank Gehry, Mark Bradford, Ed Ruscha, Yo-Yo Ma and Thelma Golden.

“I wanted to shine a light on one of the most pressing issues of our day,” Philbin said in a phone interview. “And that’s freedom of speech and freedom of the press.”

Philbin said she requested that half of the Getty grant go to NPR and the other half to be split between KCRW and LAist.

“Those two radio stations for me — and I think for so many Angelenos who spend so much time in their cars — are constant companions,” Philbin said. “We listen to them all the time, and they’re precious to us. To even think about the fact that they might not exist is unbearable.”

NPR Chief Executive Katherine Maher in May filed a lawsuit against President Trump after he issued an executive order directing the Corp. for Public Broadcasting to freeze all funding to NPR and PBS. She said Philbin’s decision to split the donation between NPR and its local affiliates showed a level of understanding about the interdependency of the local and national radio platforms not often mirrored in the national conversation.

“It is an extraordinary gift at an extraordinary time with real, material impact for the stations,” Maher said.

Congress has until the end of the week to vote on a White House proposal known as the rescission bill that would claw back $9 billion in foreign aid and more than $500 million per year in federal funding already approved for the Corp. for Public Broadcasting, which funnels financial support to NPR and PBS as well as local public radio and TV stations across the country.

Trump has been adamant that his allies vote in favor of the rescission package, writing on Truth Social last week that he will withhold support and endorsements from any Republican who doesn’t vote in its favor. He called the Corp. for Public Broadcasting, NPR and PBS “a monstrosity.”

The proposed cuts to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting would total $1.1 billion over the next two years. Federal funding accounts for about 15% of PBS’ budget and 1% of NPR’s budget, according to NPR, but local stations would be the hardest hit and some may not survive, Maher said. If they vanished, she added, they would take with them the kind of hyper-local, community-based reporting that helps forge and maintain a sense of place, identity and purpose, particularly in rural communities.

“That impact is something that is hard to conceptualize, even when you are a member of Congress who represents some of these communities,” Maher said. “Because you spend so much time living with one foot in the world of places like Washington, D.C., and very little time in the areas of the country where broadband services are not reliable or easily available, and cellphone service is not necessarily consistent and universal.”

Philbin noted that NPR’s mission statement is to create a more informed public and to celebrate the diversity of the human experience, and that those values are being challenged by a storm of misinformation.

The Getty Prize was founded in 2013 as the Getty Medal. It was initially given to several individuals each year, but last year it transformed into its current incarnation, honoring a single person who chooses the “pay-it-forward” grant recipient.

Last year’s honoree was Mark Bradford, who chose to steer the grant money to the Arts for Healing and Justice Network, which brings arts programming to minors in the juvenile justice system.

Bullish sentiment has returned to the crypto market in the past 24 hours. With Donald Trump announcing a ceasefire in the Middle East, as well as the United States Federal Reserve retracting its “reputational risk” scrutiny, which had previously blocked banking access for crypto firms, crypto prices are surging.

Bitcoin has gained 3% today, Ethereum is up 6%, XRP 8%, and Solana 7%. However, as seasoned investors are well aware, the biggest gains often come from under-the-radar low-cap altcoins.

Pick the right one, and there is an opportunity for life-changing wealth. It’s not uncommon for projects to yield 1,000x gains in a bull market. Let’s explore 5 top picks that could prove to be the best cryptos to buy now.

BTC Bull Token

BTC Bull Token is the new Bitcoin-themed meme coin with a twist: it’ll be the first-ever cryptocurrency to pay its holders real Bitcoin rewards.

The project will track Bitcoin’s price and run airdrops at key milestones. The first will be when it reaches $150,000, and there will be another at $200,000. There will also be a $BTCBULL airdrop when the price reaches $250,000.

It’s no secret that meme coins can yield huge returns in bullish periods. Some even form cult-like communities that insist on not selling. But what if a community was incentivized not to sell with real Bitcoin rewards?

It’s never been done before, so we don’t know the outcome, but there may be no willing sellers, and then incoming demand would drive the price up significantly.

BTC Bull Token is currently undergoing a presale and has raised $7.3 million to date, showing incredible investor appeal.

However, the presale will end in six days, and then $BTCBULL will list on exchanges. It’s at that point that the price could explode. Visit BTC Bull Token.

Snorter

Snorter is the new meme coin trading bot that could help its users find the next 10x-1,000x trade. But as the platform’s native token, it might just be $SNORT itself that yields the biggest gains.

It’s like the investment adage that those who sold picks and shovels made more than those who mined for the gold themselves during the US gold rush era.

That said, Snorter offers powerful features that help its users identify profitable trades. Automated token sniping, copy trading, dynamic stop-losses, rug-pull detection, and advanced charting are all available.

The project is built on Telegram and supports Solana, Ethereum, BSC, Polygon, and Base – all the top chains for meme coin opportunities.

Currently, the project is in the early stages of its presale, having raised $1.2 million to date. The combination of a powerful use case and early stage could well send Snorter to up to 1,000x higher this year. Visit Snorter.

Useless Coin

Bonk.fun is a direct competitor to Pump.fun. Currently, Fartcoin is the top meme coin to emerge on Pump.fun, having reached a market cap of over $2 billion at its peak. Meanwhile, Useless Coin is worth just $120 million.

If the bull market continues and Bonk.fun surpasses Pump.fun’s adoption due to its ties to Bonk, we could well see its top meme coin (Useless Coin) surpass Pump.fun’s top meme coin.

CreatorBid

Bitcoin Hyper

What happens when Bitcoin’s security meets Solana’s speed and programmability? You get Bitcoin Hyper – the Bitcoin layer 2 blockchain built using the Solana Virtual Machine.

It’s fast and supports smart contracts like Solana. It’s even interoperable with Solana and Ethereum tokens and apps. Yet, it reports transactions back to Bitcoin for finality, providing users with the same security and permanence as if they had transacted directly on the Bitcoin layer 1 chain.

Something else is that the project currently offers huge staking rewards at 498%. However, these rewards will decrease as the staking pool grows.

Bitcoin Hyper is currently undergoing a presale and has raised $1.5 million in under three weeks, showing massive early momentum.

As the word spreads about its promising use case, there is every chance that the $HYPER price will explode. Visit Bitcoin Hyper.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not provide financial advice. Cryptocurrencies are highly volatile, and the market can be unpredictable. Always perform thorough research before making any cryptocurrency-related decisions.

The Ducks traded Trevor Zegras to the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday, ending the exciting forward’s inconsistent half-decade in Orange County.

The Ducks get forward Ryan Poehling and the 45th overall pick in the upcoming draft that initially belonged to Columbus, along with a fourth-round pick next season.

Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said he dealt away the Ducks’ charismatic former leading scorer in part because Zegras no longer fit the Ducks’ roster as they attempt to end their seven-year playoff drought.

“You start imagining lines and how you want certain players to complement each other,” Verbeek said. “We started looking at that scenario, so ultimately we made the decision to move Trevor because of that.”

Zegras is a natural center who wants to be a playmaker in the middle, but rising stars Leo Carlsson and Mason McTavish have earned those spots on Anaheim’s top two lines, which has forced Zegras to play left wing or to center a depth line. The Ducks also recently acquired longtime Rangers forward Chris Kreider, who works out with Zegras in the summer, to play left wing on one of their top two lines.

“I think he’ll be given that opportunity in Philadelphia to play center,” Verbeek said. “He’s more creative in the middle of the ice and (not) having to play from the wing. We’re fortunate that there’s Leo and there’s Mason, (but) Trevor has to kind of get pushed to the wing, and that probably doesn’t suit his best attributes.”

Verbeek also acknowledged the financial realities of the deal. Zegras will be a restricted free agent next summer, when the Ducks also will need to re-sign Carlsson, promising forward Cutter Gauthier and talented young defensemen Jackson LaCombe, Pavel Mintyukov and Olen Zellweger.

The big, speedy Poehling will become a key contributor on the Ducks’ awful special teams, Verbeek predicted. Poehling was one of the Flyers’ top penalty-killing forwards last season while scoring 31 points — just one fewer than Zegras.

Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek speaks to reporters during a news conference in June 2023.

(Ashley Landis / Associated Press)

Verbeek still realizes his decision will rankle some Ducks supporters who won’t be happy to lose the most interesting player on a few terrible Anaheim teams in recent years. Zegras remained a fan favorite at Honda Center throughout his tenure with the Ducks, who hired coach Joel Quenneville last month with the stated goal to return to the playoffs next spring.

Zegras was the Ducks’ first-round pick in 2019, and he had two 60-point seasons early in his NHL career. He finished as the runner-up to Detroit’s Moritz Seider in 2022 for the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie.

Zegras also became well known outside Anaheim for his proficiency with the Michigan goal, in which a player lifts the puck with his stick blade and wraps it into the net from behind.

But the 24-year-old Zegras struggled with injuries and consistency for the past two seasons, scoring just 47 points in 88 combined games. He had 12 goals and 20 assists in 57 games last season, increasing his production at midseason after a slow start and a 22-game absence with a knee injury.

Zegras’ commitment to defense was also widely questioned in Anaheim, although he appeared to make significant strides on that end of the ice last season.

Zegras has been a frequent topic of loud trade rumors for the past two seasons, although Verbeek claimed Monday that “there was never really anything talked about in the past as far as Trevor.”

The Flyers made another major deal with the Ducks in January 2024, with GM Danny Briere sending the disgruntled Gauthier to Anaheim for defenseman Jamie Drysdale, Zegras’ longtime friend. Both Zegras and Drysdale were drafted in the first round by the Ducks before Verbeek took over the front office.

Gauthier had a strong rookie season for the Ducks with 20 goals and 24 assists, while Drysdale scored 20 points with a minus-32 rating last season for the Flyers.

Philadelphia also has a new coach for the upcoming season with the hiring of Rick Tocchet.

Poehling had 12 goals and 19 assists in 68 games as a depth forward for Philadelphia last season. After starting his career in Montreal and getting traded to Pittsburgh for the 2022-23 season, he signed with the Flyers as a free agent and produced the best two offensive seasons of his career.

Beacham writes for the Associated Press.

Phoenix Suns All-Star forward Kevin Durant will join his fifth NBA team after being traded to the Houston Rockets.

The Houston Rockets are acquiring 15-time All-Star forward Kevin Durant from the Phoenix Suns in exchange for guard Jalen Green and forward Dillon Brooks as well as the number 10 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and five second-round picks, ESPN reported on Sunday.

The trade can be completed when the new league year for the US National Basketball Association (NBA) begins on July 6. At that point, Durant will be eligible to sign a two-year extension worth up to $122m.

Durant has one season left on his current deal and is set to earn $54.7m in 2025-26.

Durant will join a Rockets team that finished the regular season as the second seed in the Western Conference. The star forward will join All-Star Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson and Fred VanVleet, among others, in Houston.

Durant, who turns 37 in September, played in 62 games with the Suns in 2024-25. He averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.2 blocks, not far off of his career averages. He also shot 43.0 percent from three-point range.

Selected to the All-NBA first team six times, Durant has appeared in 1,123 games with the Seattle SuperSonics/Oklahoma City Thunder (2007-16), Golden State Warriors (2016-19), Brooklyn Nets (2020-23) and Suns. He has career averages of 27.2 points, 7.0 rebounds. 4.4 assists and 1.1 blocks, shooting 39 percent from long distance.

Green, 23, averaged 21.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists while starting in all 82 games this season. He now ventures to Phoenix to join All-Star Devin Booker in a potent backcourt.

He has contributed 20.1 points, 4.3 boards and 3.4 assists in 307 games since being selected by the Rockets with the second overall pick of the 2021 NBA Draft.

Brooks, 29, averaged 14.0 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 75 games this season.

He has contributed 14.2 points, 3.2 boards and 2.0 assists in 492 games with the Memphis Grizzlies (2017-23) and Rockets. He was selected by Houston in the second round of the 2017 NBA Draft.