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Business - Carroll Broadcasting Inc.

Angus Mordant/Bloomberg via Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Southwest Airlines famously allows passengers to select their own seats upon boarding, but the low fare carrier could be changing course.Earlier this week, after the Dallas-based carrier reported a $231 million net loss from the first quarter of 2024, CEO Bob Jordan commented on the "disappointing" results and said they are "evaluating options to enhance our Customer Experience" which he said includes "onboard seating.""We are focused on controlling what we can control and have already taken swift action to address our financial underperformance and adjust for revised aircraft delivery expectations," he continued.On a webcast recording of the earnings call, Jordan said, "It's been several years since we last studied this in-depth, and customer preference and expectations change over time."Jordan later spoke about the potentially massive shift to its open seating cabins as a means to drive up revenue, CNBC first reported."We’re looking into new initiatives, things like the way we seat and board our aircraft," Jordan told CNBC.While Southwest offers priority boarding groups for an additional fee, the company's all-Boeing 737 fleet of single economy class aircraft is known by consumers and among airline competitors for its simplistic and affordable experience.Southwest did not respond to ABC News' request for additional comment and pointed to the quarterly earnings report.Related TopicsCopyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Dallas , Texas , United-states , Bob-jordan , Southwest-airlines , Boeing , Country- , Ichigan , Adio , Awas- , Kjc

National - Carroll Broadcasting Inc.

Alex Kent/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Student protesters critical of the Israeli government's military actions in Gaza have continued to face accusations of antisemitism, as politicians from across the ideological spectrum react to the widening demonstrations on college campuses.But many of the student groups behind the protests – including Jewish activists voicing their support for a cease-fire in Gaza – said that individuals making inflammatory remarks do not represent their groups or their values concerning the war in Gaza."At universities across the nation, our movement is united in valuing every human life," read a statement from Columbia University Apartheid Divest, one of the groups involved in the protests. "As a diverse group united by love and justice, we demand our voices be heard against the mass slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza."Some Jewish students have long warned against conflating antisemitism with views critical of Israel's government and blanket portrayals of all protesters as antisemitic."It is unacceptable for school administration and politicians ... to co-opt our shared identity to silence Palestinian, Muslim, Arab, and Jewish students," said MIT Jews for Ceasefire, Harvard Jews for Palestine, and University of Pennsylvania Chavurah in a December 2023 statement to Congress. "These actions only serve to obfuscate real cases of antisemitism and put Jewish students at even greater risk."College students tackle the debateTensions have been high on college campuses since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7, when Hamas terrorists invaded Israel in an unprecedented surprise attack. The Israeli military then began its ongoing bombardment of the Gaza Strip.Since Oct. 7, Israeli forces have killed at least 34,183 people and injured 77,143 others in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health.In Israel, at least 1,700 people have been killed and 8,700 others injured by Hamas or other Palestinian militants, according to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.Students nationwide have been camping out on their college and university campuses, calling for their schools to divest funding from Israeli military operations amid the humanitarian crisis and rising death toll in Gaza.The college protests have been largely peaceful, officials say, though hundreds of students and faculty have been arrested at campuses across the country, primarily for trespassing. School administrators across the country have also said that some instances of violence have largely been connected to unaffiliated non-students.Incidents go viralSeveral antisemitic incidents in or near protests have trended online – including a photo that appears to show an individual holding up a sign that states "Al-Qassam's Next Target," referring to a military wing of Hamas, pointing toward people holding Israeli flags on Columbia University's campus on April 20. It remains unclear who the person is and whether they are a student.Another video trending on social media appears to show another person shouting "We are Hamas" as a man draped in an Israeli flag walks outside the Columbia University campus on April 17."We will not be a city of lawlessness, and those professional agitators seeking to seize the ongoing conflict in the Middle East to sow chaos and division in our city will not succeed," New York City Mayor Eric Adams said.At Cal Poly Tech, administrators say that "hateful graffiti" has been painted on university property, but did not elaborate in their statement on what the graffiti entailed."The University condemns in the strongest terms all forms of hatred, bigotry, and violence," the school's April 24 statement read. "Anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, hatred, and bigotry in all forms have no place at Cal Poly Humboldt. The University is actively offering support to all students and has been in touch with local Jewish community leaders.President Joe Biden, House Speaker Mike Johnson and others have denounced alleged instances of hate amid ongoing debate around the Israel-Hamas war."Even in recent days, we've seen harassment and calls for violence against Jews," Biden said earlier this week in a statement. "This blatant Antisemitism is reprehensible and dangerous – and it has absolutely no place on college campuses, or anywhere in our country."Students share concernsIn a March U.S. House committee hearing, other Jewish students and groups said that the intensifying debate regarding the Israel-Hamas war has created a "climate of hatred and fear," and highlighted alleged antisemitic harassment and intimidation since the start of the war.One student told the committee that she has had slurs like "F--- you, Jew," shouted at her since the war began on Oct. 7."This is the reality as a Jewish student who wears the Star of David," Yasmeen Ohebsion, of Tulane University, said at the hearing.Jewish students in support of pro-Palestinian efforts have said they've also experienced antisemitism from those who disagree with their position."Jewish supporters of Israel at MIT have called me an antisemite, Hamas, a self-hating Jew, and have told me that I am 'not a real Jew' and that 'God made a mistake by having you born a Jew'," read one testimonial submitted to Congress.Higher education institutions have come under scrutiny for how they've handled the unrest from all sides -- with Jewish, Muslim and Arab students alike calling out their respective administrations for allegedly failing to protect students with identities tied to the conflict overseas."I also want to be clear that we will not tolerate intimidating, harassing, or discriminatory behavior," said Columbia President Minouch Shafik, who has been the center of criticism for some students and politicians alike, in an April 23 statement.She said her administration is working to identify protesters who have violated policies against discrimination and harassment: "The right to protest is essential and protected at Columbia, but harassment and discrimination is antithetical to our values and an affront to our commitment to be a community of mutual respect and kindness."Authorities and civil rights groups across the country have noted a rise in incidents targeting Jewish, Arab, and Muslim communities."The situation on campus has become utterly and categorically untenable for an educational institution that has the responsibility of ensuring its students have a productive academic environment conducive to continued learning," said Students Supporting Israel's Columbia University chapter in an online statement about recent protests.Amid the intensifying debate, some Jewish students say there should also be room for a conscious effort to reject and unlearn normalized antisemitism across the political spectrum."There have been both beautiful moments of solidarity for Palestinian liberation and moments of real distress for Jewish students," said Columbia Jews for Ceasefire in an online statement.The student group said it is the "utmost importance" for the focus to be on the crisis in Gaza, but the group will "continue to call out and condemn antisemitism where we see it because all identity-based hatred is at odds with liberation."Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week condemned protesters critical of Israeli policy. "What's happening in America's college campuses is horrific. Antisemitic mobs have taken over leading universities," Netanyahu said. "They call for the annihilation of Israel. They attack Jewish students. They attack Jewish faculty."Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who is Jewish, responded to Netanyahu in a statement Thursday night, saying, in part, "It is not antisemitic or pro-Hamas to point out that in a little over six months your extremist government has killed 34,000 Palestinians and wounded more than 77,000 – seventy percent of whom are women and children. It is not antisemitic to point out that your bombing has completely destroyed mor

Gaza , Israel-general- , Israel , Vermont , United-states , New-york , Columbia-university , Gaza-strip , America , Israeli , Palestinian , Minouch-shafik

Entertainment - Carroll Broadcasting Inc.

'The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring' - New Line/WireImagePeter Jackson's Oscar-winning epic The Lord of the Rings trilogy is returning to theaters for three days in June.The extended and remastered cuts of 2001's The Fellowship of the Ring, 2002's The Two Towers and the finale, 2003's The Return of the King, will screen starting June 8 thanks to a collaboration between Warner Bros. Pictures and Fathom Events at participating chains, including Cinemark, AMC and Regal.The acclaimed adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's beloved sword and sorcery books begins with Fellowship on June 8, followed by The Two Towers on June 9 and The Return of the King on June 10.Check out Fathom Events for details.The movies made a combined $3 billion in theaters. The Return of the King won 11 Academy Awards out of 11 nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director for Jackson, tying Ben-Hur and Titanic for the most Oscars won by a single film.Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Warner-bros , Two-towers , Fathom-events , Best-picture , Best-director , Country- , Ichigan , Adio , Awas- , Kjc , 04-7

Country Music News - Carroll Broadcasting Inc.

Josh Turner is "Heatin' Things Up" with the lead track from his forthcoming new album, due out later this year. Of his newly released song, Josh says, "This song was kind of in the same vein as [multi-Platinum hit] 'Your Man,' but musically, it’s just very interesting. I went to the studio to track the song and when the first pass was over, [bassist] Glenn Worf said, 'My God, that first note felt like you just had a load of gravel dumped on you!' I can’t wait to see how fans react to that live."Mickey Guyton has released her new song, "Scary Love," and announced her upcoming headlining tour, CMT ON TOUR Presents Mickey Guyton. The track, which Mickey co-wrote, was inspired by motherhood and her 3-year-old son, Grayson. Tickets to Mickey's 22-city trek go on sale May 3 at 10 a.m. local time at mickeyguyton.com.Anne Wilson has announced her The REBEL Tour. The 28-city tour kicks off September 12 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and will wrap November 17 in Salem, Oregon. "I'm so excited to hit the road this fall on The REBEL Tour! We're going to be playing some amazing venues all across the country and it feels like a dream come true!" Anne shares. Tickets are on sale now at annewilsonofficial.com.Terri Clark's duet version of "Now That I Found You" with Ben Rector is out now. It previews Terri's forthcoming star-studded duets album, Terri Clark: Take Two, due out May 31.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Oregon , United-states , Salem , Oklahoma , Anne-wilson , Glenn-worf , Mickey-guyton , Ben-rector , Terri-clark , Thati-found , Take-two

Politics - Carroll Broadcasting Inc.

aimintang/Getty Images(AUGUSTA, Maine) -- Democratic leaders in Maine are threatening to eliminate the state's split-vote system for allocating Electoral College delegates if Nebraska Republicans move forward with their plan to do the same.The two states are the only ones in the country to allocate some delegates proportionally by congressional district, which in 2020 allowed President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump to each secure one delegate in states that were otherwise won by the other – Biden in Nebraska and Trump in Maine.But in early April, Trump, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen and other prominent Republicans endorsed a legislative measure that would change Nebraska's allocation of Electoral College votes to a Trump-favorable, winner-take-all system. The state currently awards one vote for each of the state's three congressional districts and then two for the overall winner of the state.Now, Democratic leaders in Maine, the only other state in the nation that awards electoral votes by congressional district, are indicating they'd make a similar change -- effectively negating any advantage Trump would gain under the proposed reform in Nebraska."If Nebraska's Republican Governor and Republican-controlled Legislature were to change their electoral system this late in the cycle in order to unfairly award Donald Trump an additional electoral vote, I think the Maine Legislature would be compelled to act in order to restore fairness to our country's electoral system," House Majority Leader Maureen Terry, a Democrat, said in a statement on Friday. "It is my hope and the hope of my colleagues in Maine that the Nebraska Republican Party decides not to make this desperate and ill-fated attempt to sway the 2024 election."Earlier this month, Nebraska Republicans failed to whip the necessary 33 votes to break a filibuster in its unicameral Senate despite a nationwide pressure campaign from far-right conservative radio host and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk. As a result, the proposal failed to advance before the end of the legislative session, effectively killing the bill.But last week, Pillen -- who has already signaled he will call a special legislative session on property tax reform -- said in a speech that he would not hesitate to call a special session for "other unfinished business," which he said included reforming Nebraska to a winner-take-all system, with the key caveat that he would only do so if legislators had the votes.So far, no special session has been officially called.Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Nebraska , United-states , Maine , Charlie-kirk , Donald-trump , Joe-biden , Jim-pillen , Maureen-terry , Maine-legislature , Nebraska-republican-party , Electoral-college , Nebraska-republicans

National - Carroll Broadcasting Inc.

Andy Cross/Getty Images(AURORA, Colo.) -- Former paramedic Jeremy Cooper has been sentenced to a four-year probationary sentence Friday after being found guilty of criminally negligent homicide in the final case connected to Elijah McClain's 2019 death.Prosecutors accused the Aurora, Colorado, paramedic and his co-defendant Peter Cichuniec of administering an excessive amount of ketamine to sedate the 23-year-old McClain after an encounter with police on August 24, 2019. According to department policy, administering ketamine to sedate a suspect is intended "to minimize time struggling."The paramedics were accused of improperly assessing McClain medically before and after administering the dose of ketamine.Both men were found guilty of criminally negligent homicide in December. Cichuniec and Cooper were both acquitted of assault in the second degree with intent to cause bodily injury causing serious bodily injury. Cooper was found not guilty of assault in the second-degree unlawful administration of drugs.Both had pleaded not guilty to their charges.As part of his sentence, Cooper will serve 14 months in a work release program and complete 100 hours of "useful public service, " according to Judge Mark Warner.Cooper's mother, Sheneen McClain, held back tears as she read an impact statement before the sentencing. She said Cooper "followed the crowd of cowards," and did not show any remorse for his actions."I have already experienced so much and I am sure I still have much more to endure for my son," she said.Cichuniec was sentenced to five years in prison with a three-year period of parole for assault in the second-degree unlawful administration of drugs and criminally negligent homicide.He received one year on the criminally negligent homicide conviction that will run concurrent to the five years for the assault conviction. The sentence for his offenses was reportedly expected to be between 5-and 16 years behind bars.The death of the young Black man in an encounter with white police officers became another rallying cry for police reform in the wake of George Floyd's 2020 death.McClain's deathThe 23-year-old was confronted by police while walking home from a convenience store after a 911 caller told authorities they had seen someone "sketchy" in the area.McClain was unarmed and wearing a ski mask at the time. His family says he had anemia, a blood condition that can make people feel cold more easily.When officers arrived on the scene, they told McClain they had a right to stop him because he was "being suspicious."In police body camera footage, McClain can be heard telling police he was going home, and that "I have a right to go where I am going."Officer Nathan Woodyard placed McClain in a carotid hold and he and the other two officers on the scene moved McClain by force to the grass and restrained him.When EMTs Cooper and Cichuniec arrived, McClain was given a shot of 500 milligrams of ketamine to sedate him and he was loaded into an ambulance where he had a heart attack, according to investigators.McClain's cause of death, which was previously listed as "undetermined," was listed in an amended autopsy report as "complications of ketamine administration following forcible restraint." The manner of death remained listed as "undetermined" as it was in the initial report.McClain weighed 143 pounds, but was given a higher dose of ketamine than recommended for someone his size and overdosed, according to Adams County coroner's office pathologist Stephen Cina.Cichuniec and Cooper diagnosed McClain with "excited delirium," after approximately two minutes on the scene, according to the indictment.Excited delirium is characterized by the FBI as a "potentially deadly medical condition involving psychotic behavior, elevated temperature, and an extreme fight-or-flight response by the nervous system."State attorney Shannon Stevenson explained to the jury during the paramedics' trial that the only time paramedics are allowed to administer ketamine is if the patient is suffering from excited delirium and is a danger to themselves and others.The prosecution argued that Cichuniec and Cooper failed to give McClain adequate medical assessments before administering the ketamine when they arrived at the scene. Prosecutors also criticized the paramedics for waiting 6 minutes before checking McClain for a pulse after administering the ketamine."They intentionally injected Elijah McClain, who was laying on the ground, barely moving, struggling to breathe, with an overdose of ketamine without following a single step of their training and protocols," Stevenson said during Cichuniec and Cooper's trial. "They conducted no assessment. They didn't speak a word to Elijah. They didn't put a finger on him. And then they overdosed him with 150% of the dose someone his size should have gotten. And then they failed to even check on him until this pulse was gone. They knew better."Cooper's defense attorney argued there is a lack of protocol for the situation these paramedics found themselves in, citing the aggravated police presence, the way paramedics say they had to estimate McClain's weight with police on top of him, the way to determine who had authority at the scene, and the protocols to accurately assess if a patient is suffering from excited delirium.McClain died on Aug. 30, 2019, three days after doctors pronounced him brain dead and he was removed from life support, officials said.Former police officer Randy Roedema was found guilty of criminally negligent homicide and assault in the third degree in McClain's death. He was sentenced to over one year in the county jail in January.Two other officers, Jason Rosenblatt and Woodyard, were found not guilty on charges of reckless manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide. Rosenblatt was also acquitted on charges of assault in the second degree.Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Adams-county , Colorado , United-states , Jason-rosenblatt , Sheneen-mcclain , Shannon-stevenson , Andy-cross-getty , Mark-warner , Peter-cichuniec , Stephen-cina , Elijah-mcclain , George-floyd

Entertainment - Carroll Broadcasting Inc.

Disney/Scott KirklandRyan Gosling apparently hasn't let his pipes cool down since his "I'm Just Ken" Oscar night showstopper. In a new spot promoting The Fall Guy, the Academy Award nominee goes for an eventful ride with members of his upcoming action-comedy's stunt team.The film was directed by stuntman-turned-blockbuster director David Leitch, who calls Ryan to talk through the shots in the promo spot. Gosling learns they're shooting "like a Carpool Karaoke kind of thing" as he drives around in a green street racer."No singing," Leitch advises. Just pick up the stuntmen Logan Holladay, Ben Jenkin and Troy Brown.But Ryan ignores that direction and starts blasting Journey's classic track “Any Way You Want It" — and because stuntmen are stuntmen, their pickups are anything but ordinary.Holladay is first, insisting he drives — after popping a wheelie on a motorcycle.As the pair drift around what's likely Universal's back lot, Gosling spots Jenkin; Holladay hits him with the car, carries him on the hood for a spell, then stops short, sending the performer rolling onto the pavement."You can't just get in the car, can you?" Gosling asks a crumpled Jenkin. "Where's the fun in that?!" Jenkin asks as he hops in.The trio all take turns singing Journey, with Jenkin from the back seat giving Steve Perry a run for his money.Then they stop for Brown, who free-falls from the top of a building to meet them, explaining he's too claustrophobic to take an elevator.Leitch then calls them out, saying they need to reshoot, as they "don't have the rights" to the song. "Any way you want it," Ryan replies.The Fall Guy, also starring Emily Blunt, opens May 3.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Disney-scott-kirkland , Ryan-gosling , Steve-perry , Ben-jenkin , Emily-blunt , Ken-oscar , David-leitch , Logan-holladay , Troy-brown , Academy-award , Fall-guy , Carpool-karaoke

National - Carroll Broadcasting Inc.

Oliver Helbig/Getty Images(DETROIT) -- The owner of a suburban Detroit business was charged with involuntary manslaughter after a building storing thousands of cans of nitrous oxide and butane exploded last month and a teenager was killed by flying debris, officials said.Noor Noel Kestou, 31, of Commerce, Michigan, was taken into custody on Saturday at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City after authorities learned he had a one-way ticket to Hong Kong, police said. He was arraigned on Thursday in Macomb County, Michigan, and pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter, online court records show.The fire and series of explosions occurred on March 4 at a warehouse in Clinton Township that was improperly storing canisters of butane and nitrous oxide, officials said.Goo Smoke Shop/Select Distributors Wholesale Warehouse, a vaping products supplier, had recently received a semi-load of butane containers, over half of which was still at the facility at the time of the fire, officials said. More than 100,000 vape pens containing lithium batteries and pallets of nitrous and lighter fluid were also in the building, officials said.The blast sent debris flying up to a half-mile in each direction, officials said. Turner Lee Salter, 19, was struck in the head and killed by a nitrous oxide canister about a quarter mile away from the fiery explosion, according to fire officials.Fire crews spent over a week monitoring the site for "sporadic explosions, pop-up fires and continual smoke," Clinton Township Police Capt. Anthony Coppola said at a press briefing Friday."This was like nothing any of us had ever seen and hope to encounter again," Coppola said.Involuntary manslaughter is the highest charge possible at this point in the investigation based on the evidence presented, according to Macomb County prosecutor Peter Lucido. The felony carries a maximum sentence of 15 years if convicted. More charges are possible, Lucido said.Kestou had been cooperative in the investigation into the fire and explosion, officials said. As the owner of the business, he was the suspect from the beginning of the investigation, Lucido said. Detectives got an alert that he was planning to leave the country and a warrant was issued for his arrest, Lucido said."We don't know what his ultimate goal was," Lucido said at Friday's press briefing. "Was it to stay out of the country with a wife and child here?"His bond was set at $500,000 cash/surety only, which he has since posted. His bond conditions include that he must wear a GPS tether, surrender his passport, not leave the state and have no weapons, officials said. His next court hearing has been scheduled for May 7.ABC News has reached out to Kestou's attorney for comment.The fire is believed to have started in the southwest corner of the building and the cause remains under investigation, Clinton Township Fire Chief Tim Duncan told reporters Friday. At this time, investigators "cannot exclude human involvement in this fire," he said.Federal authorities are also involved in the investigation, Duncan said.ABC News' Emily Shapiro contributed to this report.Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Macomb-county , Michigan , United-states , Macomb , Hong-kong , New-york , Tim-duncan , Noor-noel-kestou , Oliver-helbig-getty , Anthony-coppola , Peter-lucido , Turner-lee-salter

National - Carroll Broadcasting Inc.

SimpleImages/Getty Images(NEW YORK) -- Former President Donald Trump is on trial in New York City, where he is facing felony charges related to a 2016 hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. It marks the first time in history that a former U.S. president has been tried on criminal charges.Trump last April pleaded not guilty to a 34-count indictment charging him with falsifying business records to hide the reimbursement of a hush money payment his then-attorney Michael Cohen made to Daniels in order to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election.Apr 26, 5:13 PMTrump, leaving court, says prosecutors have 'no case'Following a brief huddle with his attorney Todd Blanche and adviser Boris Epshteyn, former President Trump departed the courtroom at the conclusion of the second week of his criminal trial.In remarks to reporters, he reiterated that there is "no case."Court is off on Monday, so the proceedings will resume Tuesday morning.-ABC News' Kelsey Walsh and Mike PappanoApr 26, 4:08 PMFarro says Cohen became his banking client in 2015Gary Farro, formerly a senior managing director at First Republic Bank, testified that he first met Michael Cohen when Cohen became a banking client of his in 2015, after one of Farro's colleagues left the bank.Asked why Cohen was assigned to him, Farro cited his "ability to handle individuals who might be a little challenging.""Frankly, I didn't find him that difficult," Farro remarked.First Republic Bank had a branch across the street from Trump Tower, where Cohen worked. Farro said Cohen frequently visited the bank and eagerly told him that he worked for Trump."He was a lawyer or is a lawyer. I am not sure," Farro said about Cohen, who was disbarred in 2019.Prosecutors are now walking through First Republic Bank's policies for retaining documents. Prosecutors plan to use Farro as a custodial witness to authenticate records that will be used as evidence.Apr 26, 3:53 PMProsecution calls Gary Farro as next witnessFollowing the conclusion of Rhona Graff's testimony, prosecutors called Gary Farro as their next witness.Farro currently works at Flagstar Bank. He said he is testifying voluntarily, though he said he received a subpoena prior to his testimony.Apr 26, 3:42 PMTrump greets longtime assistant after she steps off standFormer President Trump appeared to have a visible reaction when the DA's office called his longtime executive assistant to the stand, and he craned his chin up as she stepped up. He half-smiled, almost sadly.When exhibits were put on the screen during Graff's brief testimony, Trump leaned entirely forward toward the monitor on his table, squinting to see the documents.When Trump's attorney said to Graff, "You don't want to be here, do you?" Graff responded, "That's correct." Trump attorney Todd Blanche laughed, but Trump did not.At the end of Graff's testimony, when she got off the stand and made her way past Trump, he did something he hasn't done yet: He stood up from his seat to greet her, appearing to try to shake her hand.Apr 26, 3:28 PMGraff says Daniels was possibly in Trump Tower for 'The Apprentice'After longtime Trump assistant Rhona Graff testified that she vaguely recalled seeing Stormy Daniels on in the reception area on the 26th floor of Trump Tower, defense attorney Trump sought to reframe Graff's testimony as innocuous -- suggesting to Graff that Daniels was spotted in Trump Tower because she was being considered for a role on Trump's TV show, "The Apprentice."Graff, from the witness stand, confirmed that she was aware through "office chatter" that Daniels was being considered for the show. She said that Trump was frequently on the hunt for "celebrities who were colorful, or interesting" to "bring new juice to the show."As part of those musings, Graff said she became aware that Daniels was being considered."I vaguely recall hearing him say that she may be one of the interesting people who could be on the show," Graff testified.Apr 26, 3:06 PMGraff says Trump's contact entries included McDougal, DanielsDonald Trump kept contact information for two women who alleged they had sexual relationships with him, his longtime executive assistant testified Friday as the trial's second witness.After former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker concluded his historic testimony as the first witness in the first criminal trial of a former president, Graff, entered the courtroom with a cane. Trump turned to see her as she entered, but the two did not appear to make eye contact.Graff's testimony appeared to be a pick-me-up for jurors, who had been listening to the same voice on the witness stand for the better part of four days.Graff worked for the Trump Organization for 34 years, beginning in October 1987, and testified that she was responsible for keeping Trump's contacts and calendars. Graff said those contacts included Karen McDougal and Stormy DanielsGraff testified that she created the contact entry for Karen McDougal that included two addresses, a cell phone number, and an email address.Under questioning from prosecutor Susan Hoffinger, Graff testified she had also entered a contact for Stormy Daniels."It contains her mobile phone number," Graff said. "I have a vague recollection of seeing her in the reception area on the 26th floor."Graff said she also knew Daniels was a porn star.Apr 26, 2:51 PMProsecutors call longtime Trump assistant Rhona GraffProsecutors have called Donald Trump's longtime executive assistant Rhona Graff as their next witness.Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker stepped down from the witness stand after a brief re-cross examination.Apr 26, 2:44 PMPecker explains alerting Cohen to Stormy Daniels storyFormer National Enquirer publisher David Pecker retook his seat on the witness stand after lunch, and the jury appeared engaged when prosecutor Josh Steinglass asked Pecker to explain things directly to them. Pecker slightly turned to face the jury when answering.After the defense, during cross-examination, tried to suggest Pecker didn't want to get involved in the Stormy Daniels story for business and reputational reasons, Steinglass asked him to clarify."I said to Michael Cohen that after paying for the doorman story and the Karen McDougal story I wasn't going to pay anything further and I wasn't a bank," Pecker testified. "I told (editor) Dylan Howard there is no possible way that I would buy the story for $120,000 and that I didn't want anything to do with a porn star."Steinglass asked Pecker, "Why did you reach out to Michael Cohen" about Daniels' claim of a sexual liaison with Trump?"Based on our original agreement, any stories regarding Mr. Trump that could be embarrassing, I would call Michael Cohen right away," Pecker said."You weren't going to print it? You weren't going to pay for it?" Steinglass asked."Correct," Pecker responded."But you were still going to fulfill your obligation to tell Michael Cohen about it? So the campaign could squash it?" asked Steinglass."Yes," Pecker responded.Apr 26, 2:03 PMTrump falsely claims his supporters are prevented from gatheringAs he has previously, former President Trump complained on social media this morning that his supporters were being kept from gathering outside the courthouse -- even though that's not the case."Security is that of Fort Knox, all so that MAGA will not be able to attend this trial," Trump posted before he entered the courtroom.But a small group of his supporters demonstrated this morning undisturbed in the designated protest area in the park outside the courthouse, where they've gathered each day of the trial this week.-ABC News' Brian HartmanApr 26, 1:30 PMPecker reaffirms catch-and-kill was to benefit TrumpFormer National Enquirer publisher David Pecker reiterated the basic terms of the catch-and-kill arrangement during his redirect examination, though he acknowledged he did not use the words "catch-and-kill" during his A

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Getty Images - STOCK(LONDON) -- Days of torrential rain have triggered widespread flooding across parts of Kenya, turning roads into raging rivers and claiming dozens of lives.Half of Kenya's 47 counties have been affected by the flooding, which has killed at least 32 people and displaced more than 40,000 others from their homes, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which cited the Kenya Red Cross Society.The ongoing El Nino, a warming of the equatorial Pacific Ocean that increases wind shear over the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, has brought higher-than-average seasonal rainfall to East Africa. The heavy rain began in Kenya in March during the start of the country's so-called long rains season and worsened over the past week, according to the Kenya Meteorological Department.The Kenya Red Cross said its staff have rescued at least 188 people since the onset of the long rains, which typically last from March through May. Nearly 8,000 acres of land remain submerged and almost 5,000 livestock deaths have been reported.The Kenyan capital of Nairobi has been particularly hard hit, with over 31,000 people displaced from their homes, mostly informal settlements that have poor and blocked drainage systems, according to OCHA. Nairobi County's senator, Edwin Sifuna, posted a video on social media showing flooded homes with people stranded on the rooftops."The situation in Nairobi has escalated to extreme levels," Sifuna wrote in the post on Wednesday. "The County Government for all its efforts is clearly overwhelmed. We need all national emergency services mobilized to save lives."The cabinet secretary for the Kenyan Ministry of Interior, Kithure Kindiki, said in a statement on Thursday that the federal government has "stepped up" its "multi-agency response" by coordinating search and rescue operations, ensuring the evacuation of those at risk and mobilizing support for the displaced."The public is urged to cooperate with safety, health, risk, emergency, and communication teams dispatched to monitor, report, and oversee help to those who may be in distress," Kindiki added.Earlier this week, the Kenya Red Cross said it deployed drones that spotted a child who was alone and trapped by floodwaters in Machakos County. The organization alerted Kenya's National Police Service, whose officers rescued the young boy via helicopter and then reunited him with this family.The relentless downpours and flash flooding have also impacted transportation nationwide. Kenya Railways suspended commuter train services on Wednesday, while the Kenya Urban Roads Authority partially closed several major roads in Nairobi.More heavy rainfall is in the forecast over the coming days for parts of the country, including Nairobi, according to the Kenya Meteorological Department. During a press briefing on Thursday, Kenyan Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua urged people in lower areas to move to higher ground in anticipation of the "above normal" rainfall.Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

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