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Avoid these 5 traditional IRA mistakes when saving for retirement

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An IRA is one of the most popular ways to save money for retirement, but simple mistakes can cost you.

There are many benefits associated with traditional individual retirement accounts (IRAs). With tax benefits, the IRA offers impressive investment options. Plus, the IRA is flexible and allows you To contribute to catch up once you reach the age of 50. TWith compound interest returns from Hanks, the IRA could dramatically grow the value given enough time.

As of mid-2024, 44% of households reported having at least one IRA; One of the most popular ways to save money for retirement.

However, like any other investment vehicle, the IRA requires investors to follow certain rules, and mistakes can be costly. Here are five of the most common IRA mistakes and ways to avoid them:

1. Failure to understand contribution limits

Most of the time you can contribute to a traditional IRA 2025 is $7,000. For those over 50, catch-up contributions increase to $8,000. If your annual contribution exceeds that limit, you will be charged a 6% penalty for the annual excess remaining in your account.

So imagine you accidentally donated $1,000 this year and didn’t notice the mistake in two years. So this year, they’re owing a 6% penalty and 6% have an extra $1,000 next year.

Automating contributions is one of the surest ways to prevent penalties. For example, if you plan to donate $7,000, you can automate monthly transfers from your bank account to your IRA after ending January ($583.33 x 12 = $6,999.96).

2. There is no deadline for donation

You have a tax filing deadline (usually April 15th) where you need to make the IRA contribution you want to count in the previous tax year. Waiting until the very end will reduce the time to generate returns due to contributions, making it easier to miss deadlines.

Let’s say you want to donate $7,000 in 2025, but wait until April 15, 2026 to complete it. Instead, you could split $7,000 into monthly installments (as above) or make one temporary contribution early in the year. This approach will give your invested funds more time in the market and make sure you don’t miss a chance deadline.

3. Failed to follow IRA rollover rules

Instead of rolling your 401(k) to another 401(k) with your new company, when you quit your job, you decided to roll it over to your IRA. There are two ways you can achieve this without paying income taxes or penalties.

  1. Directly forward: Ask your current plan provider to send your checks directly to your new IRA plan provider.
  2. Create an indirect rollover: With an indirect rollover, current plan providers are responsible for reducing checks and placing those checks on a new IRA. There are 60 days to re-record the full amount to avoid taxes and penalties.

You can avoid rollover mistakes by asking your current plan provider to send it directly to your new account, or by paying attention to the calendar if you want to do it yourself.

4. Incompetent early withdrawal

59 Withdrawal from the traditional IRA before reaching 1/2 years old is considered “early”. There are exceptions (such as experiencing an individual or family emergency, having children), but most of the time There is a 10% penalty for withdrawal You will immediately borrow taxes on the money that was withdrawn.

Building an emergency savings account with enough money to cover three to six months’ worth of expenses is a good way to avoid early withdrawals.

5. I don’t know when I’ll take the minimum distribution I need

Once you reach a certain age (depending on the year you were born), you must obtain the minimum distribution (RMD) required by December 31st each year. Otherwise you could end up with a 25% penalty for the amount you need to take. For example, if you need to withdraw $20,000, your penalty could be up to $5,000.

The easiest way to avoid penalties is to set up an automatic drawer. Determine how often you want to withdraw funds and how often you can adjust the automation as needed. For example, if the best way to budget is to withdraw a portion of your RMD total every month, you can set it up like that. These are also options if quarterly or annual withdrawals work best.

The good news about IRA mistakes is how easily they avoid once they know what to be careful about. The goal is to keep every penny you worked so hard, with no need to pay unnecessary penalties.

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“Cincinnati WKRP” star dies at 79

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Actress Roni Anderson, best known for her role in the TV sitcom “WKRP in Cincinnati” in the 1970s and ’80s, passed away at the age of 79.

Anderson, who played receptionist Jennifer Marlowe in a CBS comedy about staff at Ohio AM radio stations, passed away on noon Sunday in Los Angeles following “a sudden, long-term illness.”

She was surrounded by her family. In a statement he wrote:

Anderson won two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress for her performance as Marlowe during her four-year run of “WKRP.”

She was the ex-wife of movie star Burt Reynolds.

This is a developing story.

Netanyahu asks the Red Cross to help Gaza hostages to warn their families against the “expanding war.”

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hamas of not wanting a ceasefire contract and called for the international Red Cross to bring food and medical care to hostages held in Gaza.

Tens of thousands of protesters joined the rally in Tel Aviv on Saturday evening – some carrying placards read as “Stop the war” and “No one left” – they called for Netanyahu to launch a deal to release Israeli hostages still held in Gaza.

Last week, a video released by extremist groups Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad showed hostages Eviyata David and Rom Braslavsky in visibly vulnerable states.

On Sunday, Israel’s International Red Cross (ICRC) and the occupying territory said it was “applauseful” by video, urging that “the dire situation must end.”

Several world leaders also denounced videos of Israeli hostages, French President Emmanuel Macron described them as “unbearable,” while German Prime Minister Friedrich Merz said “it shows Hamas has no role in Gaza’s future.”

Netanyahu’s office said on Sunday that the prime minister spoke to Julian Lelison, head of the Red Cross delegation in the region, demanding “involvement in the immediate provision of food and medical care to hostages.”

The office also repeated Netanyahu’s denial this week that starvation is spreading in enclaves despite an unresolved Food Security Agency warning that a “worst-scene hunger scenario” is unfolding in Gaza.

Hamas says he is ready to “actively deal with” the Red Cross’s demands to deliver food and medicine to hostages, but only on the condition that humanitarian corridors are open in Gaza.

The terrorist group claims that the hostage debilitating state reflects the worsened state of the strip. However, other hostages released in the past appeared similarly gay and frail at release, explaining malnutrition in captivity.

Abu Obeida, a spokesman for the Al-Kassam Brigade, Hamas military division, said this weekend that the group would not intentionally starve hostages, and would eat the same food as Hamas fighters and Gaza’s population generals. “They will not receive any special privileges in the crimes of starvation and siege,” he added.

Izat al-Rashik, a member of Hamas Politburo, described the image as “a critical response to everyone who denied the existence of Gaza hunger.”

Stills from a propaganda video released by Palestinian Islamic Jihad on Thursday, July 31st shows Israeli hostage Rom Braslavsky.

The World Health Organization warned last week that deaths related to Gaza malnutrition were spiked in July, the latest indication of an worsening hunger crisis. The agency said the rate of malnutrition in Enclave reached “amazing levels,” with over 5,000 children, less than five, were seen in outpatient treatment for malnutrition in the first two weeks of July.

Gazan also faces fatal dangers when trying to gather help from distribution sites where violent clashes can erupt. On Sunday, a shooting incident near an aid scene in northern Gaza killed at least 13 people and left dozens of injuries, according to Gaza Emergency and Medical Services.

Allowing access to the Red Cross is a shift for Hamas, previously opposed access to hostages by humanitarian groups. The ICRC, which only promoted the release of previous hostages during the war, said in March it emphasized that it was “very disappointing” and not because of no attempt to visit previous hostages.

The recent ceasefire talks have brought little fruit to mind when Israeli-US negotiators reminiscent of last month’s negotiations. Steve Witkoff, the US Special Envoys group at the time, criticising Hamas for its poor adjustments and “the lack of desire to reach a ceasefire,” and said the US would consider “alternative options.”

On Sunday, Netanyahu cited the latest images of Hamas prisoners as evidence of malicious intent. “When I see this, I know exactly what Hamas wants. They don’t want a deal. They want to break us with these horrible videos.

Israeli leaders are now “seeking the release of hostages through Hamas’ military defeat,” Israeli officials told CNN on Sunday.

“We’re talking with Americans. There’s a growing understanding that Hamas is not interested in dealing,” the official added that Netanyahu would like to combine hostage release.

As Israel’s war in Gaza was crushed, it faced an increase in resistance from the Israeli masses, increasing frustration with the fate of the remaining hostages.

More than 70% of Israelis supported negotiations with Hamas to end the battle and to withdraw Israeli people in exchange for the release of the remaining hostages, according to a vote released by the Israeli Institute for Democracy during the March ceasefire. Fifty hostages remain in Gaza, of which at least 20 are believed to be alive.

Hostage families have repeatedly urged Netanyahu to sign a contract, warning that the Red Cross aid alone is not enough and that further expansion of the fighting in Gaza could put the lives of the remaining hostages at risk.

“Netanyahu is preparing all the biggest deceptions. The repeated claims to release hostages through military victory are lies and fraud,” the Israeli Hostages and Missing Family Forum said in a statement Sunday.

The group also denounced Hamas, saying, “We cannot hide the fact that we deal with evil terrorist groups that have had innocent people under impossible conditions for more than 660 days.”

Hamas publicly claims he is still committed to hostage release talks, but only if Gaza conditions first improve. The group recently stopped engaging in discussions about ceasefires and hostage releases. Two sources familiar with the issue told CNN last week.

“It is essential to significantly improve the catastrophic humanitarian situation and get written responses from our enemies regarding our response,” Bass Naim, a senior political officer at Hamas, also told CNN.

“This is a condition for us to return to negotiations.”

Christie likens Trump to a “bad kid” after his job firing

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Trump’s economic advisers have defended the firing of U.S. Labor Statistics Commissioner Erica Mantelfer elsewhere on television.

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WASHINGTON – Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has called for President Donald Trump to fire “irresponsible” as Director of Labor Statistics, comparing his response to a weaker number of jobs than planned to “awful child behavior.”

Trump’s allies appeared on ABC News and said the fire was a classic Trump.

“If you receive news that he doesn’t like, he needs to be held responsible because he is not responsible for himself. This is the behavior of a displeased child. You give me bad news and I’ll fire the messenger.”

Trump ordered the removal of U.S. Labor Statistics Commissioner Erica Mantelfer on August 1 after the Labor Bureau said the US economy added 73,000 jobs in July. The Bureau of Labor Statistics also revised the total with a total of 258,000 jobs in May and June.

The president has denounced Mentarfer, a 20-year federal veteran appointed by Biden for politically driven data manipulation. He provided no evidence of the charges.

Trump said she will replace her with “more capable and qualified” in the true social post that she announces her layoffs. “These important figures must be fair and accurate. They cannot be manipulated for political purposes.”

He wrote in another post:

Christie summoned eight years as governor of New Jersey, and in his experience he said, “It would be almost impossible for anyone to try to incorporate these numbers.”

“All she’s doing is a conduit of information,” he said. “So, he is irresponsible from a factual standpoint, but also shows how he manages it.”

The White House defends the firing of Director of Labor Statistics

Trump’s economic adviser has defended the president’s decision elsewhere on television, and Kevin Hassett, chairman of the National Economic Council, has argued about NBC News that the station needs a “fresh eye.”

“There were a lot of patterns that people could wonder about, and I think the most important thing people know is that data is trustworthy, and that people get to the bottom of why these revisions are so unreliable.

Trump also in a post on August 3rd that Mantelfer did the same thing just before the 2024 presidential election,” insisting that former President Joe Biden’s employment numbers had been inflated and subsequently revised.

“I won the election anyway, she readjusted the numbers down, called it a mistake, and did almost a million people’s jobs. Scam!” he insisted.

Revisions to monthly estimates are common, with the Labor Bureau in December 2024 saying 15,000 jobs were generated in November more than the original estimate. BLS said 7,000 jobs were created in October than expected.

Trump appeared to refer to the BLS announcement made in August 2024, three months before the election. This has resulted in an agency reducing estimates by 818,000 for employment created between April 2023 and March 2024. This was the biggest downgrade in 15 years.

In an interview with CBS News about “Face the Nation,” US trade representative Jamieson Greer, who did not repeat Trump’s claim that the data was “equipped,” but claimed that there was “a major fluctuation in work numbers” in last year’s presidential election.

“And it sounds like the president has real concern,” he said in an interview that he recorded on August 1.

Contribution: Joey Garrison

Congress has a rare six months thanks to these moments

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In just over six months, the council witnessed a vigil, a very long vote, a fiery character.

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“I say it again – I’m tired of making history. (a) I just want a regular parliament,” said House Speaker of the r -louisiana, Mike Johnson.

His comments to reporters in early July came when the House finished voting for more than seven hours. It was then the longest in the history of the Chamber of Commerce (a milestone hit after the Chamber of Commerce had already broken records a week ago).

Of course, the increasingly partisan, combative, and sometimes chaotic vibe had infiltrated modern Congress before Johnson or his Senate counterpart, the majority leader, John Tune, took Gaebel.

But more than six months later, the 119th Congress has seen its share of unusual or unprecedented moments, from extremely long votes to all-night sessions.

Let’s take a look at some of the notable moments of “normal” kickoff on the 119th.

“Everything by yourself”

This year’s House members first surpassed the longest House vote record, deliberating on July 2nd of President Donald Trump’s so-called “Big Beautiful Building.”

Voting was held for 7 hours and 23 minutes.

Council members enter and exit the room, mostly gathering from the floor for trade and discussion. But someone, as a rule, had to oversee the room.

The lucky representative was Arkansas Steve Womack.

Womack, a Republican, had a job to dist the floor at 11:45am and stayed at Days until the evening.

“He’s said to be extremely boring,” NBC’s Melanie Zanona posted at the time.

Meanwhile, Tom Cole, chairman of the House Budget Committee, R-Oklahoma, had his own way of killing time.

“Five,” Cole said when reporters asked him about 5pm and asked how many cigars he had so far that day.

“Is that a lot or a little?” One reporter followed up.

“It certainly isn’t that much,” Cole replied.

The Senate burns midnight oil. a lot.

And while the senators have many time-consuming achievements to boast about, there has been an effort to be praised.

The Upper Chamber kicked off in July by barely breaking through the longest “voting” record set in 2008, the longest “llama.”

Earlier this summer, Democrats were responsible for most of 45 proposals to amend Trump’s sweeping tax, spending and policy bills.

That was one revision than what the senators had voted for for hours almost 20 years ago.

The Chamber of Commerce has had three cases so far this year: “Voting – Lama.”

Often, they mean overnight sessions that stretch for more than a few dozen hours.

The early July series was a rare daylight incident, but began just after 9am on Monday and continued the following day just after noon.

Long days, short fuse

After being elected to the majority leader by her colleagues, Thune has promised more work days for the government, which accuses many Americans of being allergic to their jobs.

That mainly meant adding Fridays to the work calendar (though coming on these Fridays was about 50-50).

Recently, there have been talks about abandoning the typical summer holidays of a Senator and instead staying in town, cultivating the agenda in his backlog.

Some of the council correspondents who had worked throughout the session up until now were less certain about the idea.

“The Senate really, really needs a break,” wrote Igor Bovich of the HuffPost online.

However, after Saturday’s slow August 2nd, lawmakers finally called it and fled the capital for their hometown state.

Both the House and Senate are scheduled to return to town on September 2nd.

And with the deadline to keep government funding coming to an end of the month and debate over continuing Jeffrey Epstein’s case file, the overall tension is still simmering, with Johnson and the rest of legislative departments not going to see “normal Congress” any time soon.

I didn’t see nature until I went to Moab. This is why.

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  • Moab, Utah offers a desert landscape of red rocks like Mars, carved over millions of years.
  • Arch and Canyonland National Park are iconic destinations within Moab and showcase unique rock formations.
  • Visitors can enjoy a variety of outdoor activities, including hiking, rafting, cycling, off-road jeep and rock climbing.

Experience America is a five-part series that introduces destinations and experiences that have often been overlooked in the backyard.

MOAB, Utah – When you’re hiking Red Rock Dessert in Moab, you just feel like you’re trekking across the surface of Mars.

The delicately balanced rocks appear to be able to fall at any moment, but the rock spires protrude into the sky like natural skyscrapers. The arches bend over the sky like sandstone rainbows. Everything is soaked in warm shades of clay, sandstone and Siena.

As far as we can see, the Colorado Plateau offers visitors an exploratory otherworldly geography carved for millions of years by ancient oceans, structural uplifts and erosion.

The Moab landscape, including the famous Arches National Park and the lesser known Canyonlands National Park, is iconic because it is a home of these rock formations, but witnessing their scales in person is a completely different experience than seeing them in photographs.

“(The scenery) makes you feel incredibly adored and strange. You feel like you’re on another planet, right?” said Michelle Beebe, my guide to the Moab Basecamp tour with the brave travel agency Wildland Trekking. The energy here is spectacular and every time you come back here it’s like something that comes to your body. ”

Surrounded by such impressive nature, it is the perfect escape for travelers to need a break from everyday life, and Moab has a choice of a variety of outdoor adventures.

Choose your adventure

Moab offers easy access to desert exploration near Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park, two of Utah’s five mighty national parks. (Others include Zion National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, and Bryce Canyon National Park.)

The arch is more famous among the two parks, with over 2,000 stone arches in the other rock formations that cover the highlights in one but long day. As Utah’s largest national park, Canyonlands National Park is divided into three districts: the Sky Island, Needle and Maze. With each district having such a clear geography, it is worth spending time here to dedicate at least a day.

Travelers can choose from a variety of outdoor activities depending on the adrenaline rush they are looking for. There are hiking on the Colorado River, white water rafting, cycling and off-road jeeping. There, a four-wheeled jeep conquer rocky, steep terrain. Moab is also a paradise for rock climbers, where brave climbers and canyons can rise up the fins and plateaus, allowing you to climb with professional guides from costumes such as the area’s oldest Moab Cliff and Canyon.

Hiker’s heaven

One of the best ways to experience Moab is to be one of many hiking trails. This was my exploration style and several hikes that I have overcome different landscapes while taking in different views. Here are some of my favourites:

  • Elephant Hill in the Needle District of Canyonlands National Park: On the longest hike, near six miles of my trip, Elephant Hill went through slot canyons and past mushroom-shaped rocks, and even took a giant rock with the name, shaped like an elephant body. The highlights were layered shades of red, brown and sunburn, reaching the end to overlook seemingly countless rock spires.
  • Fisher Towers: At BLM Land, Fisher Towers personally raised me close to three giant towers (the climber’s favorite) on a roughly five miles of trail. This trail was caught up along the canyon and along the ledges, looking up at the tower, I felt incredibly small.
  • Delicate Arches of Arches National Park: There is a reason why this is the most famous arch in the park. The 46-foot-high rock structure lies on the edge of the cliff against the Colorado Plateau. The hike is about 3 miles and leaning towards some steep drop-offs and slicklock.

camp

There are plenty of accommodation in downtown Moab, but they claim that camping is one of the best ways to get fully immersed in the desert. I stayed at the Land Management Bureau’s Big Bend Bend Recreation Site. It is set up along the Colorado River and provides easy access to other trails such as Arches National Park and Fisher Towers. However, you can also camp in person at Arches National Park or Canyonlands National Park. You must book the site in advance during the peak season from spring to fall.

How to get there

Canyonlands Regional Airport (CNY) is the closest commercial airport to Moab, about a 20-minute drive to the town centre. Although major airlines do not serve CNY, you can make short flights with the contour airlines of American Airlines’ regional airlines at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) and Denver International Airport (DEN).

There is no ride share that works with Moab, so if you need to ride from the airport to the hotel, you will need to book transportation in advance. I took the Moab Express shuttle and it was a simple drop off to Door Door.

Scenes from my time at Moab stand out in my memory, simply because I have never been surrounded by such powerful natural formations or landscapes. I may not yet consider myself a desert rat, but I certainly see the charm.

The reporters of this story received access to the event from a brave trip. USA Today maintains editing control over its content.

India accused of funding Russian war in Ukraine by top Trump aides

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Stephen Miller of Fox News: Trump said “It is unacceptable that India will continue this war by purchasing oil from Russia.”

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WASHINGTON – In an interview with Fox News broadcast on August 3, President Donald Trump accused Ukraine of effectively funding Russian wars from Moscow in Ukraine after the US leaders put pressure on New Delhi to stop buying Russian oil, then bought oil from Moscow.

“What he (Trump) said very clearly is that India will not be able to continue funding this war by purchasing oil from Russia,” said Stephen Miller, deputy chief of staff at the White House and one of Trump’s most influential aides.

Miller’s criticism was one of the most powerful by the Trump administration about one of the major US partners in the Indo-Pacific.

“You’ll be shocked to learn that India is basically linked to China when purchasing Russian oil, which is an incredible fact,” Miller told Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures.

The Indian Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. An Indian government source told Reuters on August 2 that New Delhi will continue to buy oil from Moscow despite the US threat.

The 25% tariff on Indian products came into effect on August 1st, as a result of the purchase of military equipment and energy from Russia. Trump also threatened 100% tariffs on US imports from countries purchasing Russian oil unless Moscow reaches a massive peace deal with Ukraine.

Miller eased criticism by paying attention to Trump’s relationship with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Powerball wins 8/2/2025: Jackpot $410 million

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The Powerball jackpot rose to $426 million on Monday, August 4, as no one won the Top Award on Saturday, August 2nd.

There were four Powerball Jackpot winners in 2025, but the most recent Californian was awarded the $204.5 million award on May 31st.

The Oregon lucky player has his first Powerball ticket to win the 2025 Jackpot, winning $328.5 million on January 18th. The second jackpot winner won all six Powerball numbers on March 29th, winning $527 million. The winner of Kentucky’s third jackpot was awarded the $167.3 million award on April 26th.

Check the following to see how many wins you have in your Powerball drawing on Saturday.

Powerball win count on 8/2/2025

Number of wins for Saturday, August 2nd: 6-18-34-35-36 And Gold Megaball: 2

To win a lottery number is as follows: Jackpocke is the official digital lottery delivery company of the USA Today Network.

Has anyone won the Powerball?

The winner of the Powerball Jackpot on Saturday, August 2nd is not depicted.

To find the full list of previous Powerball winners, Click on the link to the lottery website.

When will the next Powerball picture be?

The following drawings will take place on Monday, August 4th, just after 11pm ET.

How to play Powerball

To play Powerball you will need to buy a ticket for $2. This can be done in a variety of places, including local convenience stores, gas stations, and even grocery stores. In some states, Powerball tickets can be purchased online.

Once you have your ticket, you will need to select six numbers. Five of these are white balls with numbers 1 to 69. Red Powerball ranges from 1 to 26. People can also add “Power Play” for $1.

The “Power Play” multiplier can be multiplied by 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, or 10x on the prize.

If you feel unlucky or want your computer to do your job, the “quick pick” option is available. Here, the computer-generated numbers are printed on the Powerball ticket. To win a jackpot, players must match all five white balls with any order and Red Powerball.

The Powerball painting takes place on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturday nights. If no one wins the jackpot, the prize money will continue to be engraved.

Where to buy lottery tickets

Tickets can be purchased directly at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.

You can also order tickets online Jack Pocket, the official digital lottery delivery company of the USA Today NetworkThese US and territories include Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Maine, Maine, Maine, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington, DC, and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app lets you select lottery games and numbers, order, look at tickets, and collect all your winnings using your mobile phone or home computer.

Jack Pocket is the official digital lottery delivery company of the USA Today Network. Gannett may earn revenue from viewer referrals to Jackpocket Services. Must be over 18 in AZ, 21+, and 19+ in NE. It is not affiliated with the state lottery. Gambling issues? Call 1-877-8-Hope-Ny or Text Hopeny (467369) (NY). 1-800-327-5050 (MA); 1-877-mylimit (or); 1-800-981-0023 (PR); 1-800-Gambler (all other). visit jacketpocket.com/tos In perfect conditions.

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA Today. Contact him at fernando.cervantes @gannett.com and follow him at x @fern_cerv_.

Trump rejects God Sharramagnu Tar after interview with Lara Trump

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President Donald Trump responded to God Charlamagne Tar on Sunday, August 3rd, calling him “Sliezebag” after radio hosts proposed to use traditional Republicans’ competitive interests to Jeffrey Epstein’s files to take over the GOP again.

Charlamagne Tha God, whose real name is Leonard McElby, is co-host on the popular radio show The Breakfast Club, and has over 4 million listeners per week.

The response from Trump comes just days after former Vice President Kamala Harris said he would not run for California governor, McKelby came to the 2028 presidential candidate as much as possible.

“I think traditional conservatives are trying to get the Republican Party back,” McKelby said in an interview with the president’s stepdaughter on her Fox news program “My Views with Lara Trump.” “I think this Epstein is a way for traditional conservatives to get their party back. I really do that.”

“I think they know this is a problem that hit the base,” he said. It refers to a dishonorable investor who committed suicide in August 2019.

In a true social post, Trump praised his stepdaughter, calling her “surprisingly talented” and called the show a “big reputation success.”

The president then called McKelvey “Sleezebag” and discounted his intelligence.

“He’s an IQ individual and doesn’t know what words are coming from his mouth, he doesn’t know anything about me or what I did,” Trump wrote. “Just ending five wars, including 31 years of blood bathing between the Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, killing seven million people there, and there was no end in sight.”

Trump continued to argue in the post that McKelby had no idea about countless other topics, including India and Pakistan, Iran, the border and the economy.

What is the name of God Charlamagne?

Born in Charleston South Carolina, God Charlemagne’s real name is Leonardra Ley McKelby.

Who is the God of Charlamagne?

Charlamange Tha God, 47, is an American television and radio host and presenter.

He is the co-host of the nationally syndicated radio show The Breakfast Club, which describes a variety of topics such as pop culture, celebrity gossip and politics. The podcast is reported by IheartMedia and the Black Effect Podcast Network, which have been downloaded more than a billion times since early June.

McKelvey is also co-host of the podcast Brillation Idiots and has written two books, Black Privilege and Shook One.

According to his website, McKelvey is scheduled to be inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in October.

Who is Lara Trump?

Lara Trump, 42, is married to the second son of the president, Eric Trump.

The host of Fox News is also co-chair of the Republican National Committee.

The president’s daughter-in-law was Trump’s first choice for the US Senate seat in North Carolina, where she was born. However, late last month, she opted out and approved Republican National Committee Chairman and former North Carolina GOP Chairman Michael Whatley.

Trump also backed Whatley for the slot in a social media post in late July.

What did Trump say about God Charmange Ta?

In his true media post, the president questioned why McElby is “allowed to use the word “god” when describing himself.”

“Can anyone imagine a turmoil if I used that nickname?” Trump wrote in the post.

The White House previously shared a photo of the president who dressed the Pope on its official social media page, causing both Outrush and Glee.

The photo was posted a few days after Pope Francis passed away on Easter at the age of 88 this year.

Contributions: Philip Bailey and Sudicsha Kochi

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter at USA Today. Contact her at nalund @usatoday.com and follow her at x @nataliealund.

Alex Padilla supports California’s constituency against Texas Republicans

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California Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla said his party should be willing to fight fire and fire in light of Texas’ potentially controversial gerrymandering schemes.

“If Republicans were confident in their policy agenda, they would be eager to defend it in November next year and defend it in the ballot box,” Padilla said in an August 3 interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

“But they know they’re in trouble,” he continued. “And they’re trying to equip the system.”

The California Senator was referring to President Donald Trump’s proposal for a new map of the state legislative district of the Republican Texas after urging him to find a way to flip up to five seats in next year’s midterm elections.

“A very simple redraw, we’ll pick up five seats,” Trump told reporters on July 15.

Padilla asked Trump to request Texas Republicans during his term that Georgia’s top officials “find 11,780 votes” to help him “get 11,780 votes” to help him get to the top of the 2020 election.

It is rare for new census data to be rezoned in the mid-10 years, rather than every decade after collection. And pushbacks from Democrats across the country are widespread.

Blue State leaders are threatening severe reactions, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom. (Newsom faces the challenges of a bipartisan constituency committee that oversees California’s maps, unlike Texas, where lawmakers direct boundaries.)

Some California Democrats warn that the rezoning arms race could erode trust with voters.

In response to these concerns, Padilla told NBC that she believes it is appropriate for a Democratic-controlled state to assess its options.

“The ideal scenario is for Texas to stop. They don’t need to do this. They shouldn’t do this. But if they move forward and bring Trump to his five extra Republicans… it’s simply too expensive for Democrats to not respond.

Padilla also addressed recent comments from his fellow Democrats on his politics and American democracy. This includes the party’s appeal to Senator Corey Booker to “have a backbone.”

“It’s time for us to fight, and it’s time for us to draw a line,” Booker said on July 29th from the Senate floor.

Asked whether Booker’s rebellious approach is the right attitude for Democrats under the Trump administration, Padilla said, “Look, I think the extreme way this administration is doing itself is asking for ways to push back on a higher profile way.”

After she announced she would not run for California governor in 2026, former vice president Kamala Harris appeared on CBS’s “The Late Show” with Stephen Colbert.

In an interview on July 31, Harris told Colbert:

Padilla agreed with some in Harris’ take, saying, “I think the system is obsessive.”

“The Democrats are doing our part to get up and push back,” he added.

What Leo XIV Mega Youth Gathering tells us about his Pope

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Rome enveloped the equivalent of the Catholic forest. That heading act: The new American Pope.

Hundreds of thousands of young people have descended into eternal cities throughout the week for festivals of faith, music and religious services, singing groups of teens and young adults from around the world, waving flags on the ancient streets of Rome, camping in the enormous warehouses on the outskirts of the city.

After a helicopter descending on Saturday evening, Pope Leo XIV greeted the excited sea of pilgrims with waves and blessings.

After a prayer vigil held in a vast area in Rome’s Torvergata district, the crowd slept under the stars and woke up early Sunday morning as Leo returned to celebrate the Mass.

For Leo, who mails in less than 100 days, the youth mega meeting marks his pope’s first test of whether he can connect with the younger generations of the church. The Vatican estimates that more than one million young people have been found to be Sunday’s Mass, which has become the biggest event in his Holy See.

Crowds will be present at Sunday Mass led by Pope Leo in Rome on August 3rd.

Leo’s predecessor, Pope Francis, hit many young people, travelled back and forth with a large crowd, and put aside pre-prepared speeches that he asked difficult questions from them about losing faith, abortion and sexual abuse.

Leo has a different style than Francis. The Chicago-born Pope frequently maintains his set texts and leaps against the Vatican, seeking help in ways his more destructive predecessors often avoided.

Nevertheless, the Pope was able to demonstrate his ability to connect with young people through his quiet charisma and credibility, and had a gentle leadership, communicating less through dramatic actions and salty speeches.

At a youth event in Rome, part of the Catholic Church’s Jubilee celebration, Leo embraces the enthusiasm of the youth, but secures a moment of quiet reflection. On Saturday evening, the crowd went silent, and Leo kneeled down to the main altar, leading them into a quiet era of prayer.

It’s still early for Leo’s Pope. He has shown determination to continue the reforms that Francis began, but he is still growing into the role. Leo is known for his orderly style, and people close to him say he is likely to listen and analyze months before he makes any major HR appointments or other important decisions.

Pope Leo leads Mass in Torvergata, Rome during the Youth Jubilee on August 3rd.

As an Augustine’s monk, his spirituality is contemplative, and is on display on Saturday, in his relatively youthful Pope era at the age of 69, when he carried a large wooden cross up the stairs to the main altar – he doesn’t have to hurry. The key question is how he manages Romaculia, the central government of the Vatican church. Francis often detoured and sometimes criticized him strongly. Leo shows that he wants to work with the agency, but he needs to avoid being controlled by it.

Some Vatican observers say he still needs to find his voice and take advantage of his linguistic benefits better.

“You can understand that he wants to speak Italian, just as the Pope is a Bishop of Rome. “But if he wants to reach his target audience, he must speak English.”

During the youth celebration, Leo used his language better and switched between Spanish, English and Italian. On Tuesday evening, he electrified the crowd that went wild when Leo made a surprise appearance after a welcome mass.

“You are the light of the world!” he told them, cheering loudly in English.

The long-term trends indicate a sharp decline in young people’s involvement and identification in mainstream religions in Western countries.

Youth Catholic

However, the Catholic Church could fall into that trend, and in recent research that has sparked interest among ZEN Z, during the youth jamboree, Leo greeted the iPhones sea at St. Peter’s Cathedral and met social media influencers called “digital missionaries” who connect with new audiences.

One of them, former craft beer brewer Jose de Urquidi, told CNN he was “like a missionary” of the past, learning new languages and habits.

“It’s a really cool experience to connect with people of your age from different places around the world who are going through the same thing and want to experience the same thing,” 17-year-old Milena Solano, who traveled from the US, told CNN.

“Some people find it strange to be religious, and I think we’ll meet people who don’t think it’s that exhilarating.

Francis was skimming through the newspaper, and Leo was the first Pope to write his own emails wearing an Apple Watch. He is more conscious than his online news predecessor or the world of social media.

“You know, today there is an algorithm that tells us what we see, what we need to think about, who our friends should be. And our relationships become confused and sometimes unsettling,” he told the youngster on Saturday.

At a point of uncertainty – political and other – many young people want Leo to become the voice of a marginalized person.

Young people hold hands during an outdoor mass in Rome on August 3rd as part of the youth jubilee.

“I really love him to pray for my family and all the immigrants and refugees in our country, just for peace, evacuation and security for them,” said 17-year-old Victoria Aguirre, from her hometown in Chicago.

And as 18-year-old Damien Hernandez from New Mexico was waiting for the Pope to arrive, he said it was important for Leo to emphasize that he would welcome immigrants.

Some American pilgrims in Rome had a special affinity for the Pope who spoke their language and culture. After Leo spoke to the crowd in English before Mass on Sunday morning, some of the crowd chanted “Viva Ilpapa.” And after he was handed a slice of Aurelio’s Chicago Deep Dish Pizza in St. Peter’s Square, the bishop seemed pleased.

Before his election, the Pope frequently visited one of his restaurants in Homewood, Illinois.

As Pope, Leo can no longer go out for a quiet slice.

He went to one of the world’s most famous people in the world in a few hours due to the relative obscurity of the Rome-based cardinal.

While most political leaders like to have a big impact in the first 100 days, Leo seems happy to listen, analyze and wait.

This strategy can, in the long run, give him more authority within the Church, promote reform, and loom as a moral voice at the world stage.

“We’re with the young people in Gaza and with the young people in Ukrainian,” Leo said at the end of Sunday Mass.

As the young people were preparing to go home, he said to them: “My young brothers and sisters, you are a sign that another world is possible.”

Alessandro Gentile, Witek Rzepczak, and Clara Schönthaler contributed the report.

Israeli far-right minister prays at Jerusalem’s most sensitive holy place, violating a decades-old agreement

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The far-right Israeli pastor sparked rage on Sunday after leading a group of prayer worshippers in Jerusalem’s most sensitive holy site, despite a decades-old agreement that forbids Jews from worshiping there.

The Itamar Ben Gwyr state, convicted of supporting terrorism in Israel and incited anti-Arab racism in Israel, is a compound of the Al-Aqsa Mosque known to Jews as a mountain of temples, commemorates Tisha Bhav, Jewish Day of Mourning. At Tisha Bhav, the Jews mark the destruction of two ancient temples that once stood on the land.

While there he “conquered” Gaza in his country and “encouraged” the Palestinians to leave the enclave.

The complex is the sacred place in Judaism that Jews face in prayer. It is also the third most sacred place in Islam.

Anyone can visit the site, but according to an understanding known as the “Status Agreement” that has existed since Israel captured the old city of Jerusalem from Jordan in 1967, only Muslims are allowed to pray there.

Ben Gvir has visited the complex many times before, including his previous Tisha B’av Memorial. Before he led the congregation in prayer there.

The Palestinian Ministry of Religion quickly denounced Ben Gwil, calling him an “extremist” and said he “blatantly ignores the feelings of Muslims not only Palestinians, but around the world.”

Islamic holy sites are subject to “daily violations by settlers who are operating under the protection of right-wing governments who are actively working to seize control of both Islamic and Christian holy sites through clear and systematic plans,” the ministry said in a statement.

Jordan and Saudi Arabia, which manage the holy sites, also condemned Ben Gwil’s actions. Jordan’s Foreign Ministry described the incident as “a blatant violation of international law and international humanitarian law, an unacceptable provocation and a condemned escalation.”

Hamas called the move “a tomb and an escalating crime against the mosque.”

The worshippers prayed at the compound of Tisha Bhav, Jewish Day of Mourning.

The Palestinians want East Jerusalem, where the compounds are located, as the capital of the future state. Most of the international community considers the eastern sector of the city to be under Israeli occupation.

Later on Sunday, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement that “policies to maintain the status quo at Temple Mount remain unchanged.”

In the past, the PMO has emphasized that policies regarding the site will be decided by the Israeli government and its prime minister, not by the individual.

While on the site on Sunday, Ben Gwil prayed “for the full victory in the war of Israel and the safe return of all hostages,” his office said.

“The message must be sent from here, to conquer the entire Gaza Strip, declare all sovereignty over Gaza, eliminate all Hamas members, and encourage voluntary immigration,” the minister said in a video recorded in the compound. “Only this way we can regain hostages and win the war.”

Earlier this week, Ben Gwyr was declared a persona non-grata from the Netherlands, who incited violence against Palestinians, insisted on expanding illegal settlements and reportedly “seek for ethnic cleansing in the Gaza Strip,” wrote Dutch Foreign Minister Kaspar Berdkamp.

This came after Israeli Finance Minister Bezarel Smotrich after Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway and the UK imposed sanctions on him in June.

US envoys tell Israeli hostage families they are aiming to end the Gaza war

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Trump made the conflict a major priority in his administration, but negotiations have waned.

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Jerusalem, August 2 – President Donald Trump’s Middle Eastern envoy told the families of hostages detained by the Palestinian extremist group Hamas on August 2 that he is working with the Israeli government in a plan to effectively end the war in Gaza.

Trump made the conflict a major priority in his administration, but negotiations have waned. Steve Witkov is visiting Israel as the government faces pressure on the worsening humanitarian situation of the enclave.

In a recording of the meeting reviewed by Reuters, Witkov hears:

The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding his remarks.

Witkov also said Hamas was ready to disarm to end the war, but the group repeatedly said they would not abandon their weapons.

In response, Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2007 but has been militarily abused by Israel in the war, said he would not abandon “armed resistance” unless a “independent, fully sovereign Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.”

The indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel aimed to ensure a 60-day ceasefire in the Gaza War, aiming for a contract for half-release hostages that ended in deadlock last week.

On August 2, Hamas released his second video in two days of Israeli hostage Ivaiatar David. Among them, David is skeletally thin and is shown by digging holes.

“They are on the brink of absolute death,” David’s brother Elay said at a rally supporting hostages in Tel Aviv.

“In the current unimaginable state, they may only have days left to live.”

“The world cannot remain silent in the face of difficult images, which are the result of intentional sadistic abuse of hostages, including starvation,” said Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar.

Witkov met the prime minister on Thursday as Benjamin Netanyahu’s government arrived in Israel in the face of global protests against the devastation in Gaza and the growing starvation among 2.2 million people.

Later, Israeli officials said the understanding between Israel and Washington has made it clear that all hostages should be released from plans to free some of the hostages, disarm Hamas and denounce the Gaza Strip.

Gaza’s hunger during ceasefire

On Tuesday, Qatar and Egypt, which are mediating ceasefire efforts, approved a declaration by France and Saudi Arabia, excluding measures aimed at a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestine conflict. As part of this, they said Hamas must hand over that arm to the Palestinian authority supporting the West.

The Gaza crisis has also urged a series of Western countries that announce that they may recognize the Palestinian state.

On Friday, Witkov visited the US aid mission in southern Gaza. The United Nations partially condemned the fatal situation in the enclave, saying it had tried to get food and other assistance from people there.

Dozens of people have died of malnutrition since Israel cut off all supplies to the enclave for about three months from March to May, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. On Saturday, he said he recorded seven more deaths from Friday, including children.

Israel has condemned Hamas for its suffering in Gaza and says it is taking measures to help reach its population, including suspending daytime fighting in some regions and announcing protection routes for aid convoys.

The UN agency says food air withdrawal is insufficient and Israel must provide far more assistance on the land and make access to it quick and easy.

Israeli figures show that the Gaza War began when Hamas killed more than 1,200 people and took 251 hostages on October 7, 2023 in an attack on southern Israel. Israeli attacks have killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, according to health officials in Gaza.

Israeli officials say 50 hostages are currently surviving in Gaza, with only 20 of them being believed to be alive.

Decades later, we still shine a light on our relationship

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“Are you enjoying?” Russell Crowe’s Maximus yelled at the Colosseum crowd in the 2000 film “The Gladiator.” But for decades, Kiscam has been raising other questions to our sports fans and concert attendees. you Isn’t it entertainment? ”

Whether it’s a light-hearted distraction or a comic relief, the ubiquitous arena and stadium are as American as the Apple Pie.

Live competition and performances offer us a massive collaborative experience, but they also offer the opportunity to make memories – with the help of Kisscam, become part of our own entertainment. As the camera focuses on a variety of targets, at several consecutive moments, fans watch with curiosity, anticipation, excitement, and even fear of self-consciousness.

“These events are epic, nostalgic and some narcissistic,” says Adam Resnick, founder of Los Angeles-based 15-second Fame, who allows the app to showcase on Indian Venue videoboards like the KISS Cam, which allows him to download and share footage as a digital sorvenir.

The origins of kisscam are frustrating and misty, but Restnic and others agree that it exploded into the sports scene in the 1980s, when sports franchises began to introduce increasingly large-scale color video screens at ballparks and stadiums. Filling up the breaks in action and designed to be set to a normally cheesy pop ballad, Kiss Cam was a major innovation that shifted focus from courts and fields to the stands.

This feature is a slam dunk, and the camera roving eye picks a random pair of people in the stand that are real couples or may not. There’s some fun there. The reaction is broadcast on the venue’s giant video board: as they kiss, the crowd draws playful, playful jeers and laughter.

“We love love,” said Pepper Schwartz, professor emeritus of sociology at Washington University in Seattle. When the couple was mandated, she said, “it’s a pleasant feeling that moves from one person to another and makes us optimistic.”

Joseph Darrowski, an assistant professor of English at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, is an inexpensive entertainment designed to make it easy to check your audience.

“The energy of live crowds is very important, and kisscams help prevent it from dying,” said Darowski, co-author of Survivor: A History of Cultural Affairs. “Sports events aren’t just the game being played, it’s the entire entertainment experience.”

Additional plays are generally a bonus – at least for the audience. But as the now-infamous July 16 incident at the Cold Play concert held at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, shows, it’s not always the case for high-profile individuals.

When the reaction tells the story

It was a shot that aired all over the world – footage of a couple Tiktok at a Cold Play concert caught along the way.

“They’re either cheating or very shy,” Coldplay singer Chris Martin said after watching the video from the stage. The July 16 incident video on Gillette Stadium has received over 129 million views on Tiktok alone.

Schwartz said the virus moment and its professional and personal fallouts have spurred responses from entertainment and appeal to those involved in similar situations, from shödenfrod and relief. But it would not have unfolded the way it did without a kiss cam.

If the couple seen on screen had seen it as “this is no big deal,” they could have saved themselves from the despair of the world,” Schwartz said. “But they took a second instinct that was to get away. It was funny.”

“It was vanilla and could have been a fleeting moment,” agreed Restnick. “But their reaction told the story.”

This episode shows how Kisscam has occasionally caused embarrassment and controversy since his debut. In addition to potential infidelity, their use in the past has been accused of putting pressure on unwilling participants to participate, and has not been embarrassed by promoting homophobia by showing same-sex couples for laughs.

It also demonstrated the dangers of baring private issues in public spaces in the age of kiss cams, smartphones and social media.

“There was no expectation of privacy at public events. Today, the ubiquitous nature of cameras makes it ridiculous for everyone to take that position,” says Resnick.

More often, however, Kisscam offers people attending live events the opportunity to win cameos in their own experiences, claiming some or all of the 15-second fame that has been predicted for all of us. According to Resnick, the power of those moments lies in their organic nature.

“Authenticity cannot be performed in real time,” he said. “It resonates with the social era.”

Kiss Cams Accepting “Critical Metrics”

The evolution of Kiss Cam is not without stumbling.

In 2015, Syracuse University discontinued its kiss-cam feature after a letter to a local newspaper cited a pair of nasty instances in a soccer team match against Wake Forest. Steve Port of Manlius, New York, wrote that he twice featured a young woman who expressed his desire to participate but was forced by a male counterpart or surrounding student anyway.

Meanwhile, it’s been decades since some major league sports franchises were accused of using KISS cams to enjoy other teams to promote homophobia. In such cases, after featured a series of smoothing male and female couples, the kiss-cam segment ended with focusing on two rival players, or fans, on the home team.

As a fan of the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars, he complained after such a segment to team owner Shahid Khan in 2013. First up is, “Are you hilarious, right? No, and the message is clear. Jaguars are heterosexual and approved.

A year ago, Major League Baseball Oakland A pitcher Brandon McCarthy had similarly criticised practice after a game against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim.

“They placed two guys on ‘kiss cam’ tonight,” McCarthy posted on a social platform now known as X.

McCarthy (now sports director at Phoenix Rising FC, the USL Championship) later told the San Francisco Chronicle:

In time, the franchise tried to be more inclusive. In 2015, MLB’s New York Mets told the Huffington Post that they would no longer feature opposing players in the Kiss Come segment. That same year, the Dodgers included a gay couple in kiss cam.

“They’re part of the New York University system,” said Stephanie Bonvist, an aide professor of women and gender studies at Hunter College and Brooklyn College, which are part of the New York University system.

In early 2017, AD Council’s “Love Has No Labels” campaign created a commercial featuring KISS cam footage from that year’s NFL Pro Bowl in Orlando, Florida.

“Kisscam has been part of sports culture for years,” read the opening text, but the game continued, “it became part of something bigger.”

The images showed a pair of individuals outlined by the heart as they were broadcast on a huge screen at Camp World Stadium. A friend was introduced. Similarly, there were same-sex and interracial couples.

The camera then zoomed in on two women on the stands, one of whom was wearing a shirt reading “Orlando Survivor.” They turned and kissed them at the joy of the crowd.

Still, Bonvissuto said it’s still rare to see LGBTQ couples featured on Kiss Cams beyond the Pride Night event. While warning she hadn’t seen statistics on such representations, she said the footage she saw was primarily white, characterized by a lively, seemingly scientist individual.

“Kisscams act as a way to rule out certain people,” she said. “They are very important when thinking about expression. They are the people we see and not.”

“Socially Accepted” Voyeur

But for the most part, Kiss Cams offers harmless fun for highlights, a stream of Fodder, and gives you a glimpse into the relationships of everyone from fellow citizens to celebrities and former US presidents.

According to Darowski of BYU, Kiss Cams, combined with “a traditionally taboo socially acceptable and safe voyage form,” offers viewers the constant thrill of knowing they are on screen.

The estimated reliability of the couple’s raw, unrehearsed response is also important, he said.

“A lot of our entertainment is highly mediated, edited and packaged for our consumption,” he said.

Thanks to the creative mindset of some sports teams, it doesn’t always play as planned. Many couples share a kiss that pleases the crowd. Others, not that much. Some people caught between their peers are stomped on by the adjacent fans of Huff and Peck instead, but the youthful pair trying to lock their lips are thwarted by the adult chaperone.

Whether it is staged or not is not that important. Both the fans and the audience enjoy the moments that are in the spotlight.

Resnick, 15 seconds of fame, recalled the moment in June 2024 after the Dallas Mavericks lost in Game 5 of the NBA Finals. Arena Camera was zero fans who were crying at the outcome.

Although that wasn’t part of the kiss cam’s traits, “The moment he saw himself in the jumbotron, he smiled and kissed the girl with him,” Restnick said. “That’s all we need to know what those 15 seconds mean to the fans.”

White House Retreat from IVF Coverage Power of Attorney despite campaign pledge

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WASHINGTON – The White House has no current plans to require insurance coverage for in vitro fertilization, despite President Donald Trump’s campaign promise to expand access to fertility treatments, the Washington Post reported Saturday.

Trump signed an executive order earlier this year, directing the government to expand access to IVFs and reduce the costs of general fertility treatments.

White House officials say expanding IVF access remains a priority, but legal restrictions prevent the mandatory compensation without Congressional approval, and no bill is currently planned, the Post reports.

Authorities did not immediately respond to USA Today’s request for comment.

Contributed by Francesca Chambers

In Europe, asylum seekers will be sent to offshore centres in confusion after a top court ruling

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Rome

European countries, who want to reflect the controversial practice of sending asylum seekers rescued at sea to deportation centres overseas, have handled set-folds with European top coats.

On Friday, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that while Italy still uses the centre, the centres operating in the Albanian cities of Shengin and Gaeder, can be sent there, must be more scrutiny to ensure that asylum seekers are not sent to their country’s dangerous situations.

The court said that the country of origin could only be considered “safe” after being “object to effective judicial review,” and that the country must clearly be safe and secure for all populations, including vulnerable or marginalized groups.

The ECJ ruling almost certainly affects new EU asylum restrictions. It is expected to come into effect in June next year and is designed to allow member states to create their own “safe” country lists to speed up and outsource the asylum process.

The EU’s own list intended to be a guide includes Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Kosovo, Morocco and Tunisia.

“The proposed list of EU’s ‘safe countries of origin’ is considered a specific country, with fewer than 20% of applicants deeming international protection in the EU,” Amnesty International said in a July statement. “However, the fact that up to 20% of those applying for international protection from these countries are perceived as refugees indicates that these places are actually not safe for everyone,” he added.

The ECJ’s ruling was based on two Bangladeshi asylum seekers who were detained in Albania but argued that it was not safe to return to Bangladesh, as several European countries have expressed interest in developing their own deportation schemes, such as the Italian-Albanian partnership.

The partnership is viewed by millions of euro investments and “return hubs” in detention centres and “return hubs” in non-EU countries as potential blueprints for success in some countries, but a recent study by the University of Bali found that the Italian scheme has so far costing over 742 million euros.

Drone View shows one of the Italian immigration detention centres in Gaeder, Albania on July 31, 2025.

In this study, the scheme was called “the most costly, inhumane, and useless means in the history of Italian migration policy.”

Still, President Ursula von der Leyen of the European Commission and then President Charles Michel of the Council of Europe praised Italy’s 2023 landmark agreement, and in May 2024 the EU established a series of reforms designed to streamline European approaches to managing immigration and asylum, particularly those from so-called “safe” countries.

Calling it “fair but solid,” the agreement sets out a wide range of reforms designed to ease the burden of the nation that has historically taken out of the 27 EU member states.

It remains to be seen whether this ECJ ruling will discourage the development of the detention hub.

Italian far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni criticized the court’s decision for “to combat mass illegal immigration and undermine policies to protect borders.”

“This is a development that should be relevant to everyone, including political forces who jog over the verdict, as it further reduces the already limited scope for governments and Congress to regulate and manage migration,” she said.

Meanwhile, in Italian detention centres in Albania, the lives of almost 12 people in a country considered safe, including Egypt and Bangladesh, are balanced.

Great deals, National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day 2025 Free Meal

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National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day is back. That means anyone with sweet teeth is lucky as several brands offer deals on Monday, August 4th.

Chocolate chip cookies rank desserts that frequently go to as the most popular dishes of the second quarter of 2025, and retain a special place in people’s hearts and stomachs, as further evidenced by Yougov’s most popular culinary survey, which beats nachos, lasagna and more.

With the invention of chocolate chip cookies dating back to about a century, it’s no wonder desserts have their own days. What you need to know about National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day is what it happened and includes some deals that will help you satisfy your cravings.

What is the origin of chocolate chip cookies?

Chef Ruth Wakefield, who ran Tollhouse Inn with her husband in Whitman, Massachusetts, is believed to have invented chocolate chip cookies in 1937 when he cut out a semi-sweet chocolate bar into bits and added it to butterdropped cookies. She published cookie recipes in 1938, and Nestle began to promote the recipes with its packaging and company ads.

Wakefield is credited, but there is evidence that there was chocolate chip cookies in the 1870s. In her 2017 book, “Bravetart: Iconic American Desserts,” author and pastry chef Stella Parks explains how she discovered chocolate chip cookies that were promoted in supermarket ads in the early 1930s, and a recipe for “chocolate jumble” cookies, made with “chocolate jumble” cookies dating back to 1877.

Still, Wakefield “is very impressive that it has been popularising and developing recipes that are still in use in 100 years,” Parks told the Gastropod Podcast, hosted on Food News Site Eater in April 2022.

No matter who created them, chocolate chip cookies stay here. This will show you some great deals for National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day.

Insomnia Cookies

Insomnia Cookies will offer free chocolate chunk cookies for purchases from August 1st to August 4th, according to a post from the company on Instagram.

Sweet Addison

Sweet Addison’s celebrates National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day by using code Sweet15 until the weekend to offer 15% off sitewide.

Tate’s Bake Shop

The Austin, Texas-based company celebrates National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day by using Code Cookies30 at checkout to get 30% off all Chocolate Chip Products on TatesBakeshop.com (no minimum order value).

Double Tree by Hilton: National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day Free Bee

Anyone who stops in one of the Hilton Hotel’s 400 DoubleTrees on August 4th can get a free “Free Signature, Warm Chocolate Chip Cookies” or an allergy-friendly version.

Cookies and dreams

According to AARP, Cookies & Dreams announced that it will sell chocolate chip cookies for $2 on August 4th, $2 in-store and online.

Jonathan Limehouse covers USA Today’s broken and trending news. Contact him at jlimehouse@gannett.com.

Will rural America give up on Trump? These activists think so.

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Rural organisers say Medicaid and Snap Cut could help Democrats win rural votes in 2026. Republicans say: Don’t expect that.

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Dom Holmes, 28, learned the important thing by organizing a decade-long progressive in rural Pennsylvania. You have to sit down and listen to them.

In recent weeks, when he stopped listening, he listened to the tax and spending bill passed by the Republican-led Congress in July.

“People are particularly concerned about how it will affect them at a local level,” he said. They are particularly “furious,” he said, about food stamps and Medicaid cuts and possible damage to rural hospitals. “People should know what the impact is, not immediately, but what is on them, and they should know who has had that impact on their community.

His message resonates with local organizers across the country about GOP’s groundbreaking legislation cuts and when it comes to talking to rural voters who voted for them.

Rural Democrats are seeing the implementation of the GOP Tax and Expenditure Act, coupled with other changes from the Trump administration that they directly hurt rural communities as moments Democrats can use to rebuild the Maga nation’s brand for a decade.

And while National Democrats have their own plans to walk into these communities, locals say they know these places and their neighbors best. They don’t sit around. I hope that the national group will dive.

“I’m a country Democrat. We really don’t have a tendency to wait. There’s already a lot going on,” said Matt Hildres, executive director of RuraleRganizing.org. “Energy is already happening on the ground.”

“The complaints about Republicans are obvious.”

Republicans now have four vacant seats and control the House with a voting margin of 219 to 212. Democrats will need to win four seats next year to take over the Senate. By controlling either chamber of commerce, Democrats can freeze many of President Donald Trump’s policy proposals for their term.

The parties hope that the new spending law and how voters think about it will become one of the biggest issues of the medium-term campaign.

Frustration has risen in rural America and there is an ambition to be identified as a Democrat who has not seen in years, several progressive, democratic organising groups told USA Today. It’s important to build relationships and set up stories, they said.

“The complaints about Republicans are obvious,” Hildres said. “Maybe we’ll never win a voter in Maga — we’ll probably never do that — but there are a lot of independents just looking at this and saying, ‘Man, this isn’t what I voted for’. ”

Hilldres’ group is already open in Congressional battlefield districts in Iowa, Ohio and Pennsylvania, and focuses on getting people to talk about Medicaid.

“Our entire strategy is built around the locals, just the idea that local messengers are the most effective,” he said. “We need to rebuild our democratic footprint from scratch, starting with localizing democratic brands, starting with these voices.”

The frustration he hears from the rural community is about how the number of changes brought about by the Trump administration is being hit at once.

The rural economy is more likely to rely on a single industry with strong connections to federal funds such as agriculture, university and healthcare. All of this has changed over the past eight months. They have seen the freeze on farm subsidies and the end of public land revenue and clean energy subsidies.

“We put tariffs on top of Medicaid cuts, put snaps on top and we put the country service that’s being refunded over everything else, but that’s just not sustainable,” Hildres said. “It’s everything at once, and honestly, I don’t think anyone in the White House recognizes that.”

National Democrats and Republicans are busy during Congress summer holidays

The Democratic National Committee has been investing in rural voters for months, including sign ads near local hospitals that are likely to close due to the law, and has donated $22,500 a month to Democrats in the Red State and City Hall in Republican districts.

“Donald Trump is disastrous for our rural community, and the DNC will continue to show rural voters exactly how Trump and the Republicans have betrayed them every time,” DNC Deputy Director Libby Schneider said in a statement.

Republicans are spending breaks talking about tax and spending laws, fighting Democrats’ attempts to set a story of tax cuts for the rich that hurt the poor and middle classes.

“Democrats have locked their image into snobby, contacted, and fixed their image as indifferent to the everyday struggles of Americans. They have abandoned rural America by voting for tax cuts, border security, and small businesses. While Democrats recycle fears and slogans, Republicans are offering real results for working families.”

The NRCC memo, which houses Republicans obtained through politics, told members “the best defense is a good crime,” saying “it is an important opportunity to define how this law can help all voters and help push back the fears of Democrats.”

Republican voters support work requirements and emphasize the removal of ineligible recipients from the scope of Medicaid insurance, but the five-page memo does not explain how Congressional GOP members will deal with the bill’s expected hits to rural hospitals.

Building on the momentum of protest

Stephanie Porta, campaign manager for the Battleground Alliance PAC, said progressive rural supporters should take advantage of the protests attended by millions of Americans this spring and summer in rural towns as well as in large cities.

Her organization, a coalition of over 30 national labor, community and advocacy group, pledged $50 million in 2026 to turn over more than 35 vulnerable Republican-owned districts.

They want to build protests and rely on local organizers to coordinate their education campaigns with the district.

“They put together their plans based on what their district looks like, what council members did to ensure that the public is educated and conscious, and what council members know that the public is unhappy with what they have done,” she said.

They are already planning backpack giveaways when school starts, welcome home parties at the airport for members of Congress and have made a canvas to inform voters about the impact of the bill.

“There’s a protest, and the next step after the protest is to build great momentum to reach even more people,” Porta said.

The proposed cut is “motivation for people to speak up.”

Lily Franklin drives between the houses for 10 minutes as he knocks on the door in the Appalachian area, which runs to represent the Virginia home. She says people are worried about rural healthcare access and the future of Medicaid.

“There are a lot of hospitals in this area that are under threat. People are already driving from an hour to an hour and a half to seek care,” she said. “All of these proposed cuts will disproportionately hit southwest Virginia.

When she knocks on the door, she spends most of her time listening, she said. She grew up in the area and her family was there for generations.

“They’re not showing up for them and seeing where they are, so half of the fight is talking to voters at their doors, listening to them and listening to them,” she said. “People just want to hear.”

Despite running for state legislative sessions, people want to talk about how worried they are about rural healthcare access and the future of Medicaid, she said.

They are also concerned about other aspects of the new law, such as reducing food benefits and energy assistance.

Franklin surpassed both President Joe Biden in 2020 and Vice President Harris in 2024. She lost her bid to represent primarily rural areas, including Blacksburg and Virginia Tech, with just 183 votes.

Franklin said several national groups contacted the 2025 campaign. She said Democrats can’t accept their message and expect it to resonate in every district.

“We often tried to come up with a message that was hypertested somewhere in the lab, but realistically, people just want to hear it. That’s the secret source,” she said.

Breast cancer treatment, symptoms, menopause: A story about a young woman

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Alexis Klimpl felt itchy. So, like everyone else, she hurt it. But her fingers curled around something else. A huge lump on her right breast.

About a year ago, the 25-year-old was lying in bed with his boyfriend and shot him immediately. Her face fell. “What?” he asked naively. “There’s a clump in my boobs literally,” she said. They felt it – maybe it’s a bone? It was difficult. However, if it was a bone, could you move around in a circle? Was it a cyst? A benign lump? or …

breast cancer. It’s probably breast cancer. 24 years old. Diagnosis affecting more than 300,000 women each year in the United States, killing more than 40,000 women each year.

Klimpl is one of 300,000 people and is one of the women under the age of 40 who have been diagnosed with breast cancer in recent years. However, she is also one of the four million survivors currently living in the United States.

Breast cancer treatment and side effects including menopause

Klimpl lives in San Diego but is originally from Hawaii. She is peaceful underwater and loves to surf. Her planned beach trip to Indonesia was scheduled for several days after first feeling the chunks. As the trip was planned, money was spent and she pushed her against her. The lump has grown and grown.

After she returned, the diagnosis confirmed it. Her doctors struggled to try and reassure her and explain it to be extremely rare. “She kept looking at my mom more than I did, as if she was a patient,” Climp says.

“That’s still relatively rare,” says Dr. Eric Weiner, director of the Yale Cancer Center for Young Breast Cancer, but “but that’s going up at all, and of course, we don’t understand the cause, so it’s not for screening because we don’t understand the cause.” Only mammography for young women under the age of 40 may not be that effective because the breast tissue is dense.

But why is multiple cancers on the rise in young people? No one knows for sure. “The increased incidence of breast cancer and early onset are likely to be serious concern and multifactorial,” said Dr. Carmen Calfa, breast oncologist and co-director of the medical care at the Survival Cancer Program at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of the Miami Health System. “We need to understand all risk factors (including genetics) and make every effort to correct any modifiable factors.”

After being diagnosed, Klimpl collapsed in the patient room. She had already experienced enough grief after losing her father to bile duct cancer in 2017.

But Klimpl was not a terminal. She had triple-positive breast cancer. In other words, tumor cells contained a large number of estrogen, progesterone, and HER2 receptors. This type of cancer received hormone therapy and was only stage 2. It’s not the oldest, but not the worst.

Consultations continued with plastic surgeons, radiologists and oncologists. Freezing eggs was a priority as chemotherapy could undermine fertility and the possibility of natural birth. She laments the process – an injection intended to grow your ovaries to produce more eggs. You look pregnant, the mood rattles your brain, emotional sacrifice. After inhaling blood, it thrusts, thrusts, or draws blood.

Next came Cheotherapy (Taxotere and Carboplatin) and hormonal medications (Herceptin and Perjeta) and cold capping to try to preserve the hair. Nausea consumed her during treatment.

“I’m already nauseous, and this nausea was like the type that went through your bones and veins.

Bad rashes also dotted her face, which drained her self-esteem. She was isolated and upset to protect her immune system. He added: “I couldn’t be in the water and I was a bit lost.”

The drug is certainly toxic, but it’s incredible considering how it was decades ago. “We now consider breast cancer to be a family of diseases and we can name different types of breast cancer, all of which are undergoing very different treatments,” Weiner says. “So our treatments are much more targeted and much more sophisticated.”

It’s better to have more options than fewer options. “It’s good for patients because the knowledge we gained over 30 years is really important,” says Dr. Naoto T. Ueno, director of the University of Hawaii Cancer Center.

She followed a surgery to remove her tumor and lymph nodes, followed by a double mastectomy. She didn’t have BRCA or any other breast cancer genes, but she was craving certainty. Now she is taking hormone blockers that are likely to have experienced menopause for the next decade. For a 25-year-old, there is a lack of resources.

“Menopause has side effects such as bone pain, hair loss and mood swings,” she says. “So they’re all pretty easy to manage, but that’s exactly what comes with it.” Anyone who is worried about menopause symptoms after breast cancer can check out the American Cancer Society tips.

Klimpl’s body will return to normal once it stops the hormone blocker and can become pregnant if you choose. “I don’t know if I can carry my baby until I try it,” she says.

She found connections with others on social media in a similar situation, and it encourages her to speak up. But for now, more than anything, she’s excited to surf.

Breast Cancer Tips: “If you feel a lump, don’t ignore it.”

Those worried about breast cancer should talk to their healthcare providers, look for reputable information from sources like the American Cancer Society, and consider taking breast cancer risk assessment tools.

Kalfa is happy that Klimpl seeks care. “If you feel a lump, don’t ignore it,” she says. “If someone says, ‘You’re too young to get breast cancer,’ don’t stop until your concern (and) symptoms have been fully and thoroughly evaluated. ”

Also, “For patients with stage 1 or 2 or 3 stage breast cancer, the goal of treatment is for them to reach cancer-free conditions and hopefully they won’t hear from that cancer again,” says Winner. “Depending on the various prognostic characteristics, some people know that there is a low or less risk of breast cancer recurrence.”

And “Even women with advanced cancer can live with excellent quality of life over the years due to ongoing research and development,” adds Dr. Dawn Hirschman, associate director of the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center at Columbia University.

Klimpl recently visited Hawaii just before he began chemotherapy, and went for his first swim in the ocean. Full-sake moment for her. Warm water on her skin, warm water in her hair, let go of the worries. The sadness overwhelmed her.

“One of the things that made me feel like I was getting close to my dad was surfing and being in the water,” she says.

A week or so later, Goosebumps overwhelmed her body when she finally surfed again in San Diego. The sun came out after the clouds had been covering the sky for weeks. “Interesting timing,” she says. “Maybe my dad was shining?”

The EU almost triples the admission fee for visitors.

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This week’s trip summary: the world’s first passenger plane, the forgotten but beautiful Bauhaus Airport, and the luxurious death trap, a rising travel admission fee.

The essential travel accessory Dujour is a big fat wallet.

You’ve probably heard of the US introducing a new $250 “visa integrity fee” for international visitors.

The European Union has also been busy with travel fees and has recently raised its upcoming European Travel Information and License System (ETIAS) fees to between 7-20 euros (approximately $23).

This fee applies to non-EU citizens from visa-free countries. That means the United States, the UK, Canada, Japan, etc. This is planned to start operation by the second half of 2026.

The Commission is attributable to this significant increase, increasing inflation, additional operating costs and matching other travel approval programs, such as the US ESTAS ($21 price tag) and the UK ETAS.

The UK hiked the cost of an electronic travel authorization (ETA) in April, going from 10 pounds to 16 pounds (around $21).

Making permanent moves in other countries proved the change that these Americans needed.

Retired US veteran Christopher Boris struggled to deal with rising cost of living, so in 2024 he and his wife, Maria Jesus, moved from Maryland to Brazil.

“I couldn’t afford to buy American dreams,” Boris tells CNN. “But here, it’s not about making money. It’s establishing other factors like friendship.”

New York native Janet Brother moved from California to Mexico nearly 20 years ago. As a single mother of three “paid salary,” she says she always felt that she was “not enough.”

She started a magazine business and obtained a permanent resident visa. “I feel like I was successful here,” she tells CNN. “I gave myself a wonderful life.”

When Nashville’s woman Linder Leaming visited in 1994, she was blown away by the beauty of the Kingdom of Bhutan. “I wanted to spend the rest of my life here,” she tells CNN. Three years later, she made the move and has since found love and happiness in the Himalayas. “Moving to Bhutan taught me to live with all my heart,” she says.

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See what it was like to fly on the world’s first passenger jet

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The De Havilland DH106 1a Comet was the world’s first passenger jet. It was a high level of luxury from the 1950s, but also a death strap with a fatal design flaw. Now it’s coming back to life. Read the incredible story here.

Shortly before the comet was sky, a 20-minute flight between Hong Kong and Macau was a record-breaking alternative. The world’s first airplane hijacking took place in 1948 on a Miss Macau seaplane. goal? He steals passengers and holds them for ransom.

Finally, aviation fans passing through Budapest can help narrow it down with a visit to Budasols, a beautiful but forgotten Bauhaus airport, a capsule of the aviation era. It has been operating continuously since 1937, and is used by hobby pilots, private planes and helicopters on the grassy airfield.

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China is “standing” on escalator etiquette

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China is telling 1.4 billion people to abandon the near-universal practice of “standing on the right and walking left” of the escalator. Instead, authorities are offering what they say as a safer and better alternative. Will the experiment catch up elsewhere? Watch the video and see what you think.

Comfortable walking shoes are always needed when you hit the streets of the city. According to experts at Podiatristists and Shoe, CNN partners make the most of the guides found in CNN’s product reviews and recommendations guides.

It’s not just countries that charge new fees for entry.

Fed-Up Italian farmers have set up mountain turnstyles to request access to Instagram hotspots.

This former Soviet state is one of the most isolated countries in the world.

Now it shows a sign that more tourists are ready.

New nude.

Read our 21st century guide to undressing.

Are you swimming at work?

See how Swiss residents switch commutes.