Cheat Sheet
Top 10 Right Now
1
NBA Star Fined $100K for Anti-Gay Slur During TV Interview
‘VERY APOLOGETIC’
Published 11.17.24 6:20PM EST 
LaMelo Ball of the Charlotte Hornets talks to the media after a game against the Milwaukee Bucks.
LaMelo Ball of the Charlotte Hornets talks to the media after a game against the Milwaukee Bucks. Kent Smith/Kent Smith/NBAE via Getty Images

NBA star LaMelo Ball was fined $100,000 over the weekend after uttering an anti-gay term during a televised post-game interview. The 23-year-old Charlotte Hornets guard was “very apologetic” after the incident, which took place following the team’s nailbiter of a win over the Milwaukee Bucks Saturday night, according to Hornets coach Charles Lee. “As an organization that is obviously not something we condone, our standards and what is required of our players in the environment we create is really important to us,” Lee said. “I spoke to Melo and he’s obviously very apologetic. From what I’ve seen since I’ve been around him, he loves everyone. He’s a joy to have around the facility and it’s not typically how he operates. He and I talked about the seriousness of the situation and how he needs to conduct himself going forward.” Ball was not made available to reporters prior to the Hornets’ game against the Cleveland Cavaliers Sunday night.

Read it at ESPN

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2
Republican Kari Lake Settles Defamation Case With Election Official
THROWING IN THE TOWEL
Published 11.17.24 7:42PM EST 
Arizona Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake speaks at her Election Eve Rally outside the Yavapai County Courthouse on November 4, 2024 in Prescott, Arizona. Lake is running against Arizona Democratic Senate candidate U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ).
Arizona Republican U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake speaks at her Election Eve Rally outside the Yavapai County Courthouse. Mario Tama/Mario Tama/Getty Images

Republican Kari Lake has settled a defamation case filed against her by an Arizona election official she falsely tarred for rigging the state’s 2022 governor race. According to court documents viewed by The Washington Post, the settlement details are confidential. “An agreed upon settlement disposition has been reached as to all parties and claims,” the documents stated, without disclosing further details. The lawsuit was brought on by Stephen Richer, the Maricopa County recorder. Richer told the Post on Sunday that “both sides are satisfied with the result.” Lake just lost the 2024 Arizona Senate race against Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego. In 2022, Lake wouldn’t concede, attempting multiple times to overturn the results—failing each time. “For two years I’ve been sounding the alarm about our broken election system here in Arizona,” she said at the time. “Our election officials failed us miserably. What happened to Arizonians is unforgivable.” Last year, Richer told the Washington Post the attacks took a mental and physical toll on him.

Read it at The Washington Post

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Partner update

This Thoughtful Gift Decodes a Dog’s Breed Mix and Health Risks
PAW-RIGIN STORY
AD BY Embark
Updated 11.04.24 2:02PM EST 
Published 11.03.24 12:00AM EDT 
Happy Dog and Owner Celebrating Christmas Together by Tree With a Dog DNA Test Kit Gift
Embark/Embark

Looking for a memorable gift for a dog parent in your life—or for yourself? Embark’s Dog DNA test offers a unique way to bring owners and their pups closer than ever.

Developed by veterinarians, Embark’s highly accurate Breed ID test offers a comprehensive breakdown of a dog’s breed, family tree (all the way back to their great-grandparents), and geographic origin. It even gives owners the ability to reunite dogs with their canine relatives. According to Embark, 94% of dogs tested have at least one database match that’s as genetically related as human first cousins!

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3

Rare Wildfire in New York Prompts Evacuation Orders for Hundreds of Homes

TERRIFYING
Updated 11.17.24 9:38PM EST 
Published 11.17.24 9:35PM EST 
Firefighters extinguish a wildfire in Greenwood Lake, New York
Hundreds of homes near the New York-New Jersey border were given voluntary evacuation orders due to an ongoing wildfire. BRYAN R. SMITH/AFP via Getty Images

At least 160 homes in New York were given voluntary evacuation orders on Saturday night after windy conditions exacerbated a wildfire and pushed the blaze toward a town near the New York-New Jersey border. The Jennings Creek Fire has burned over 5,200 acres and is approximately 88% contained, a spokesperson for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation told the Daily Beast, but a state of emergency in Orange County, New York was extended again through Monday. The evacuations took place in the communities of Greenwood Lake and Wah-ta-Wah Park, both of which are part of the Orange County town of Warwick. A spokesperson for the DEC said the evacuations were “successful and allowed emergency apparatus and firefighters to operate uninterrupted through the night.” It was not immediately clear how many residents evacuated on Saturday night, or how many returned to their homes on Sunday—although the order remains in place. “Our goal will be to get residents back home by tomorrow and we will evaluate if that can be done safely during our morning briefings,” a Warwick supervisor announced in a social media post on Sunday. The fire has already killed one person earlier this month, an 18-year-old Parks Department employee who was battling the blaze near Greenwood Lake, the New York State Police confirmed.

Read it at CBS News

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4
Trump and Musk Spotted Downing Controversial Drink at UFC Match
SIP UP
Updated 11.17.24 3:16PM EST 
Published 11.17.24 3:05PM EST 
Trump and Elon Musk
Chris Unger/Getty Images

President-elect Donald Trump and Elon Musk were seen drinking Prime hydration beverages at a UFC event at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Saturday. The pair, who have been seen frequently together since Trump’s re-election, were sitting cage-side at the UFC event, brightly-colored Prime in hand. The drink, created by celebrities Logan Paul and KSI, has had exponential success since its inception, featured in major sports competitions and in supermarkets across the globe. However, the company has also had a fair share of controversy. Prime Hydration was initially banned in Norway, according to local media. Another product, Prime Energy, was banned in Denmark and recalled in Canada. Even in the United States, the brand’s products have come under fire, with Majority Leader Chuck Schumer calling on the FDA to investigate its energy drink. The company has also faced multiple lawsuits. Paul has denied many of the claims against the company as it continues its domination in the highly-competitive beverage market.

Read it at Daily Mail

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Partner update

Upgrade Your Room With These High-Quality Reusable Wall Decals
GO BIG OR GO HOME
AD BY Fathead
Published 11.17.24 12:00AM EST 
Wall decal of Spider-Man mid-swing, sticking to a bedroom wall above a headboard.
Fathead/Fathead

Posters are a great way to celebrate your favorite fandom. But if you’re looking for that real “WOW!” factor, nothing beats Fathead. For 17 years, Fathead has been an industry leader in officially licensed graphic wall art across sports and entertainment. You can even create personalized products, making big-head cutouts and life-size wall decals from your own photos.

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Spider-Man: Webslinger Wall Decal
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5
Alec Baldwin Mocked for Unzipped Fly on ‘Saturday Night Live’
ZIP IT
Published 11.17.24 2:04PM EST 
Alec Baldwin
NBC/Saturday Night Live

Alec Baldwin may have sparked laughter—and risked Donald Trump’s fire and fury—with his portrayal of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Saturday’s Saturday Night Live, but that didn’t come without his own mistakes. The actor was ridiculed online after viewers noticed the actor had his fly down during the show’s end-of-episode bow. Some of the online mocking speculated whether the actor was intoxicated, while other armchair quarterbacks yelled at the comedian to gather himself. “Hey @AlecBaldwin learn how to zip your pants!” one fan posted to X. Baldwin spoofed the vaccine-skeptic-turned-cabinet-nominee during Saturday’s Charli XCX-hosted episode, his second appearance on the program this season after he lampooned Fox News' Bret Baier last month.

Read it at X

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6
Florida Newspaper: Matt Gaetz ‘Must Never Become’ Attorney General
'TOOL FOR RETRIBUTION'
Published 11.17.24 4:09PM EST 
Matt Gaetz stands on the stage ahead of the first session of Day 2 of the Republican National Convention.
Matt Gaetz stands on the stage ahead of the first session of Day 2 of the Republican National Convention. Andrew Kelly/Reuters

Matt Gaetz’s hometown newspaper slammed the former Florida congressman, calling upon the Senate to “prevent” his confirmation as attorney general. “Gaetz, who has called for defunding the FBI and other federal law enforcement agencies, should be kept as far as possible from the Justice Department,” the editorial board of South Florida’s Sun Sentinel wrote on Thursday. When announcing the nomination, President-elect Donald Trump claimed Gaetz would “root out systemic corruption” at the DOJ. His decision was met with a flurry of controversy and shock. Gaetz, a fierce Trump ally, was the target of a two-year House Ethics Committee’s investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct, sex trafficking of a minor, and illicit drug use. The Sun Sentinel branded the ex-House representative as a “rogue Florida congressman,” and “provocateur who’s good at delivering rhetorical red meat on the MAGA speaking circuit.” His attorney general nomination, they added, “lays bare the depth of Trump’s contempt for our vital national law enforcement apparatus and his determination to use it as a blunt instrument to seek revenge on his opponents.”

Read it at Newsweek

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7
Biden Approves Ukraine’s Use of Long-Range U.S. Missiles to Strike Inside Russia
GO LONG
Published 11.17.24 3:38PM EST 
A U.S.-made MGM-140 Army tactical missile system (ATACMS).
A U.S.-made MGM-140 Army tactical missile system (ATACMS). John Hamilton/United States Army

President Joe Biden has given Ukraine the go-ahead to use of U.S.-supplied long-range missiles to strike inside Russian territory. Officials told the Washington Post that Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMS, are likely to be first used against Russian and North Korean forces to defend Ukrainian troops operating in Russia’s western Kursk region. Biden reportedly made the decision, which the New York Times reported divided his advisors, in response to Russia’s unexpected decision to bring North Korean troops to the front, hoping it will deter Pyongyang from sending any more forces. Russia is trying to retake sections of Kursk which were seized and secured by Ukrainian forces in August, with a rush of 50,000 forces, including some 10,000 from North Korea. ATACMS can be fitted with cluster munitions and conventional warheads, with a 190 mile range. The White House is trying to rush some $9 billion in aid to Ukraine before president-elect Donald Trump takes office in January. Trump—who called Russian President Vladimir Putin’s order to invade Ukraine “genius” in 2022—has vowed to limit additional support to Kyiv and claims he will end the conflict with Russia, though has offered no details.

Read it at Washington Post

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8
Dwayne Johnson’s $250 Million Flick Flops at Box Office in Opening Weekend
COAL-DESERVING
Updated 11.17.24 4:13PM EST 
Published 11.17.24 3:35PM EST 
Chris Evans, J. K. Simmons, and Dwayne Johnson.
Christoph Soeder/Picture Alliance via Getty

Amazon MGM’s Red One seems primed to live in the red after the $250 million film opened to $34.1 million this weekend, a dismal showing during a quiet theatrical weekend. The film, starring Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans on a quest to rescue a kidnapped Santa Claus, also had a hefty $100 million marketing budget, according to Variety, making any quest toward a profit more a stroll than a sprint. The film still earned millions more than Venom: The Last Dance, which raked in $7.3 million in its third weekend. Theatrical showcases have been few and far between throughout the fall as exhibitioners gear up for the late-autumn tentpoles in Wicked, Gladiator II, and Moana 2, all of which open before the Thanksgiving holiday. “The one-two punch of ‘Wicked’ and ‘Gladiator II’ are poised to deliver, along with “Moana 2,” one of the biggest Thanksgiving periods in box office history,” senior Comscore analyst Paul Dergarabedian told Variety. “And it can’t get here soon enough.”

Read it at Variety

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Partner update

Give Your Baby an Organic & Vitamin-Boosted Start With This
FORMULA FOR SUCCESS
AD BY Organic Baby Food 24
Published 11.16.24 12:00AM EST 
A mother lovingly feeds her baby with a bottle, surrounded by soft natural light and a vase of flowers in the background. The baby is dressed in a pink outfit and looks content, while the mother gently holds the bottle and gazes at her child with affection.
Organic Baby Food 24

Getting a newborn baby off to a healthy start can feel overwhelming. Organic Baby Food 24—an online retailer based in Germany—strives to make this journey easier with its wide array of premium baby formulas that prioritize nutrition and affordability. Baby formulas produced in Europe must adhere to stricter regulations when it comes to ingredients compared to formulas produced in the United States. The end products are packed with essential nutrients, including this highly-rated Dutch Stage 1 Formula from HiPP.

Instead of added sugars and artificial flavors, this whey-based baby formula has iron for cognitive development; vitamins A, C, and D to boost your baby’s immune system; and omega three and six fatty acids for brain and neural cell health. One box gives you enough formula to prepare 44 five-ounce bottles. This particular baby formula is made for infants up to six months old. However, as your baby gets older you can switch to Stage 2 and Stage 3 to ensure their nutritional needs are being met.

Cassy, a HiPP Dutch Stage 1 Customer, saw a night and day difference in her twins after switching formulas. “We struggled for the first 3 months with significant tummy issues, very gassy and upset babies. After we made the switch to HiPP my babies have been so much happier!”

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9
Calvin Klein Model Charged in NYC Stabbing Death
NO BAIL
Published 11.17.24 12:18PM EST 
Male model Dynus Saxon was arraigned in Bronx Criminal Court on Nov. 15, 2024, for a stabbing murder.
Male model Dynus Saxon was arraigned in Bronx Criminal Court on Nov. 15, 2024, for a stabbing murder. Kerry Burke/New York Daily News/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

A model who worked for Calvin Klein and Levi’s has been accused in the stabbing death of a New York City man, the New York Daily News reported. According to Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark’s office, Dynus Saxon, 20, was arraigned in Bronx criminal court Friday in connection with the Nov. 10 murder of 35-year-old Kadeem Grant. Saxon, who has been featured in publications like Vogue Italia and L’Officiel Baltic, did not speak during the proceedings. Police, however, say Grant was found in his Bronx apartment having been stabbed in the chest. He was pronounced dead at the scene, where a knife was reportedly also recovered. Law enforcement did not disclose any other details or a potential motive. On Nov. 11, one day after the killing, Saxon was arrested. According to prosecutors, he was wearing a large bandage on his right hand to cover an injury they say Saxon sustained while repeatedly stabbing Grant. The model has been charged with murder, manslaughter, and criminal possession of a weapon. He will be held without bail until his next court date on Dec. 3.

Read it at New York Daily News

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10
Famed Iowa Pollster Who Got Election Wrong to Leave Profession
END OF AN ERA
Published 11.17.24 9:09AM EST 
Iowa pollster J. Ann Selzer responds to Donald Trump’s attacks during an appearance on MSNBC’s Morning Joe.
MSNBC

J. Ann Selzer, the famous Iowa pollster whose latest state poll got the 2024 presidential election results wildly wrong, will no longer do election polling. Selzer, 68, wrote in a Des Moines Register column that she would pursue “other ventures and opportunities,” though she didn’t outline what those would look like. Selzer conveniently told the paper she would end her run of election polls before her latest poll showed Kamala Harris beating Donald Trump by three points in the Hawkeye State, writing that she informed the Register earlier this year. (Trump won the state by 14 points.) “Would I have liked to make this announcement after a final poll aligned with Election Day results? Of course,” she wrote. “It’s ironic that it’s just the opposite.” Selzer, whose polling methodology has often been regarded as the “gold standard,” said earlier this month she would be “reviewing data” to learn why her presidential prediction was so long.

Read it at Des Moines Register

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