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Mike Pinder, Moody Blues Founding Keyboardist, Dead At 82

Mike Pinder, the last surviving original member of psychedelic rock of 1960s/70s prog rock band the Moody Blues has died at 82. The pioneering keyboardist/singer credited with helping to introduce the mellotron into the rock arena passed away on Wednesday (April 24) at his home in Northern California of undisclosed causes. -snip- Born in Erdington, Birmingham England on Dec. 27, 1941, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Pinder co-founded the group in May 1964 with multi-instrumentalist/singer Ray Thom ...

riversedge

Alito complains 'special' Trump shouldn't be 'subject to criminal laws like anybody else'

David Edwards April 25, 2024 12:14PM ET U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito complained Thursday about the concept that a "special" former officeholder like Donald Trump could be expected to be "subject to the criminal laws just like anybody else." Alito made the remarks to special counsel attorney Michael Dreeben during oral arguments in Trump's presidential immunity appeal to the high court. Trump's attorneys had argued the former president could not be charged w ...

question everything

Gaza-based militants attack Israeli forces preparing for US pier

Gaza-based militants launched mortar rounds on Wednesday at Israeli forces making preparations for the U.S.-led effort to establish a new maritime aid route for Gaza, according to three U.S. officials. No American equipment was damaged as the U.S.-led project — which will establish a pier a few miles offshore as well as a causeway anchored to the beach to expand access to humanitarian aid — is not yet complete, said one of the officials. All were granted anonymity to discuss sensitive plans. B ...

BumRushDaShow

US VP Harris Hosts Kim Kardashian to Discuss Criminal Justice Reform

April 25, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris hosted reality-television star Kim Kardashian at the White House on Thursday to discuss criminal justice reform, after the Biden administration granted clemency to people convicted of nonviolent drug offenses. On Wednesday, President Joe Biden granted clemency to 16 people, pardoning 11 of them and commuting the sentences of the other five. Four of the recipients joined Thursday's event. Harris is focused ...

former9thward

USC cancels main commencement ceremony as campus is roiled by protests

The University of Southern California canceled its main commencement ceremony, citing new safety measures put in place in the days since the Los Angeles school has been rocked by student-led protests against the war in Gaza. The university announced the cancellation of the May 10 main-stage ceremony Thursday, one day after more than 90 students were arrested on campus. USC is among the dozens of colleges and universities to have protests unfold on campus just weeks before commencement; several ...

malaise

Mark Meadows, Rudy Giuliani and Arizona 'fake electors' charged with state crimes

(NBC News) A state grand jury in Arizona on Wednesday indicted Trump aides including Rudy Giuliani, Mark Meadows and Boris Epshteyn, as well as so-called "fake electors" who backed then-President Donald Trump in 2020, after a sprawling investigation into the alleged efforts to overturn Joe Biden’s win in the presidential election in the state. Trump is described as “Unindicted Coconspirator 1” in the indictment, which includes charges of conspiracy, fraud and forgery. Also among those charged in Arizona is Kelli Ward, who served as chair of the Arizona GOP during the 2020 election and the immediate aftermath.

Tom of Temecula

'Missing in action': Analyst sees Trump's 'family man' defense killed by Melania's absence

(Raw Story) The failure of Melania Trump to make an appearance at the Manhattan courtroom where her husband Donald is facing 34 felony counts related to paying off an adult film star is hurting his defense in multiple ways. That's a claim made by analyst Amanda Marcotte in her column for Salon, where she said that the former first lady's absence is likely crippling a line of defense his lawyers would like to use to gain some sympathy from jurors.

BumRushDaShow

Johnson: Republicans 'don't have a functioning majority' in the House

(The Hill) Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) joined Jesse Watters Wednesday to discuss the massive foreign aid package that recently passed both chambers, and the difficulties Republicans have faced getting immigration-related reforms passed with a Democratic Senate and President Biden in office. Watters pushed back on the Speaker, saying Republican representatives are frustrated because while they hold a majority in the House, they aren’t getting what they want, which is increased border security measures. “Well, that’s not true. We don’t have a functioning majority,” Johnson countered. “When you can only lose one vote, if one person has a different idea, we don’t.”

RandySF

Democratic Donations Surge

(Political Wire) Democratic donors gave a total of $151 million to House and Senate races through the ActBlue fundraising platform in the first quarter of 2024,” Punchbowl News reports. “The ActBlue data reveals an increase from the same point four years ago, indicating growing Democratic grassroots support as the 2024 election season heats up.”

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Alabama lawmakers advance bill that could lead to prosecution of librarians

44 min ago - April 25, 2024, 7:56 PM MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Alabama lawmakers on Thursday advanced legislation that could see librarians prosecuted under the state's obscenity law for providing “harmful” materials to minors, the latest in a wave of bills i ... (ABC News/AP)

The Onion Is Sold by G/O Media

4 hrs ago - G/O Media announced on Thursday that it had sold The Onion, a satirical news site, to a group of digital media veterans. The Onion, which started in 1988 in Wisconsin as a weekly satirical newspaper and later became a website, is known for its parodi ... (NY Times)

The defense began cross-examination of Pecker. Here's a recap of some of the top lines

5 hrs ago - The defense started its cross-examination of David Pecker, the former publisher of the National Enquirer. Trump attorney Emil Bove tried to argue that Pecker’s work helping Donald Trump during the 2016 election was nothing new or out of the ordi ... (CNN)

Federal judge temporarily blocks confusing Montana voter registration law

9 hrs ago - April 25, 2024, 5:30 PM HELENA, Mont. -- A federal judge has temporarily blocked a Montana law that appeared to require people to cancel any previous voter registrations before signing up to vote in the state, or risk facing felony charges. U.S. Dist ... (ABC News/AP)

17 states challenge federal rules entitling workers to accommodations for abortion

9 hrs ago - Updated 7:00 PM EDT, April 25, 2024 LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Republican attorneys general from 17 states filed a lawsuit Thursday challenging new federal rules entitling workers to time off and other accommodations for abortions, calling the rul ... (AP)

Prosecutor to appeal against Texas woman's acquittal over voting error

9 hrs ago - Thu 25 Apr 2024 15.37 EDT A Texas prosecutor will appeal against a court ruling tossing out a five-year prison sentence for a woman who unintentionally tried to vote while ineligible in the 2016 election, an unexpected move that continues one of the ... (The Guardian)

US VP Harris Hosts Kim Kardashian to Discuss Criminal Justice Reform

10 hrs ago - April 25, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris hosted reality-television star Kim Kardashian at the White House on Thursday to discuss criminal justice reform, after the Biden administration granted clemency to ... (US News and World Report/Reuters)

Exclusive: Biden opens first field office in Florida

11 hrs ago - 6 hours ago President Biden's campaign is opening a field office in Hillsborough County to mobilize voters in a region where Republicans are gaining ground. Why it matters: This is Biden's first field office in Florida and a sign that he is serious a ... (Axios)

Alito complains 'special' Trump shouldn't be 'subject to criminal laws like anybody else'

11 hrs ago - David Edwards April 25, 2024 12:14PM ET U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito complained Thursday about the concept that a "special" former officeholder like Donald Trump could be expected to be "subject to the criminal laws just like anybody els ... (raw story)

Gaza-based militants attack Israeli forces preparing for US pier

11 hrs ago - Gaza-based militants launched mortar rounds on Wednesday at Israeli forces making preparations for the U.S.-led effort to establish a new maritime aid route for Gaza, according to three U.S. officials. No American equipment was damaged as the U.S.-le ... (Politico)

USC cancels main commencement ceremony as campus is roiled by protests

12 hrs ago - The University of Southern California canceled its main commencement ceremony, citing new safety measures put in place in the days since the Los Angeles school has been rocked by student-led protests against the war in Gaza. The university announced ... (Washington Post)

DOJ rebuffs GOP's second demand for Biden-Hur audio recordings

12 hrs ago - 04/25/24 3:46 PM ET The Justice Department on Thursday for a second time declined to turn over audio recordings of President Biden’s interview with special counsel Robert Hur, rejecting claims from GOP impeachment investigators that the recordin ... (The Hill)

Tesla driver in Seattle-area crash that killed motorcyclist told police he was using Autopilot

12 hrs ago - Tesla driver in Seattle-area crash that killed motorcyclist told police he was using Autopilot Authorities said they have not yet independently verified whether Autopilot was in use at the time of the crash. By: AP via Scripps NewsPosted at 8:41 AM, ... (Associated Press, via Scripps News and KTVQ)

Mike Pinder, Moody Blues Founding Keyboardist, Dead At 82

13 hrs ago - Mike Pinder, the last surviving original member of psychedelic rock of 1960s/70s prog rock band the Moody Blues has died at 82. The pioneering keyboardist/singer credited with helping to introduce the mellotron into the rock arena passed away on Wedn ... (Billboard)

"Wreak havoc": Text messages suggest a top Wisconsin Republican tried to suppress Black vote

13 hrs ago - Published April 25, 2024 11:59AM (EDT) Wisconsin GOP operative Carlton Huffman is blowing the whistle on what he claims was an effort to suppress Black votes ahead of the 2020 election. While unproven confessions from a disgraced figure accused of s ... (Salon)

Supreme Court seems poised to allow Trump's D.C. trial, but not soon

13 hrs ago - Supreme Court seems poised to allow Trump's D.C. trial, but not soon Updated just now April 25, 2024 at 3:16 p.m. EDT The Supreme Court appeared poised to reject Donald Trump's sweeping claim that he is immune from prosecution on charges of trying to ... (Washington Post)

Boeing problems lead Southwest to drop service to four airports

14 hrs ago - Southwest Airlines announced Thursday it will stop serving four airports due to delays in the delivery of jets from Boeing that the aircraft manufacturer had promised until its cutback in production earlier this year. The four airports are Bellingham ... (CNN)

Trump lawyer makes admission under questioning from Justice Coney Barrett

14 hrs ago - Justice Coney Barrett pressed Trump lawyer D. John Sauer during Supreme Court arguments on the distinction between official and personal acts alleged in the charges. ... (CNN)

Judge upholds $83m E Jean Carroll defamation verdict against Trump

14 hrs ago - Thu 25 Apr 2024 14.32 EDT A federal judge on Thursday upheld the verdict and award of more than $83m to the writer E Jean Carroll in a defamation case against Donald Trump after he called her a liar for accusing him of sexually assaulting her. Judge ... (The Guardian)

FTC awarding more than $5M in refunds to Ring customers over privacy settlement

14 hrs ago - 04/25/24 1:18 PM ET The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) began distributing over $5 million in refunds to Amazon Ring customers on Tuesday, enforcing a settlement with the tech giant over claims that Ring failed to protect consumer privacy. The FTC cla ... (The Hill)