A major Game of Thrones reunion took place earlier this year, with Conan O’Brien hosting. Actor Sean Bean let the news slip in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, bless him.
He said he had last seen his old co-stars “about four weeks ago in Belfast.”
“Conan O’Brien did this thing,” Bean said. “It was the last episode, so we all got together. It was good!”
HBO has not confirmed any kind of reunion or special, but actor Jason Momoa – another face we haven’t seen since Season 1 – was also spotted in Belfast during the filming of Season 8.
“They decided to get all the characters together for a bit for this big show in Belfast and [O’Brien] kind of hosted the evening,” Bean said. Bean’s Ned Stark was always a fan favorite and the show’s de facto lead in Season 1 – but his inclusion in a reunion after so many seasons makes us wonder which other long-lost souls of Westeros joined in.
“It’s funny with work, you don’t really keep in touch,” Bean said of his separated Stark children and other co-stars. “You do so many types of jobs in that part of the world. It’s just like whenever I see old friends or even old drama school friends, it’s just the same, we pick up where we left off last time.”
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and National Basketball Players Association executive director Michele Roberts are reportedly “struggling to reach an agreement” on ending the one-and-done rule to make 18-year-old players eligible for the NBA draft.
On Saturday, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com reported the NBA is pressing for agents to provide medical information on all potential draft prospects coming out of high school and wants mandatory attendance at the draft combine, with “some level of participation.”
This article will be updated to provide more information on this story as it becomes available.
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THE L.A. TIMES’ MARK Z. BARABAK — a Bay Area-based political correspondent — went on the trail to Miami to interview NANCY PELOSI. Pelosi is crossing the country, trying to whip up support for Democrats. Pelosi said this: “I see myself as a transitional figure … I have things to do. Books to write; places to go; grandchildren, first and foremost, to love.” The L.A. Times story
LET’S GET THIS OUT OF THE WAY FIRST: Nancy Pelosi is the undoubted favorite to be speaker of the House if Democrats take back the majority. The question to most Democratic insiders was: how will she do it? And now a question will be: how does she define transitional?
A TRANSITIONAL SPEAKER — an argument Steny Hoyer has tried to make — would be a way for Pelosi to get to the speakership. People who would’ve otherwise voted against her might recognize that she did, indeed, help get the majority back for Democrats, and could be persuaded to vote for her if it is a short-term proposition.
THERE ARE LOTS OF BENEFITS to Pelosi’s return to the speakership. She has institutional knowledge that no one else has in setting up a majority. She’s been there before. People will ask, though, how long she will want to stay around.
THIS MOVE WOULD also set up a try-out period for would-be members of the Democratic leadership. Democrats will be clawing at each other to prove their mettle — but that could be a healthy process in a Democratic leadership that has been stagnant for years.
NEW AF1 … NBC’S KELLY O’DONNELL (@KellyO): “NEW AIR FORCE ONE ORDERED @realDonaldTrump in Arizona, ‘It’s going to be a new color system: red, white, and blue. And it looks phenomenal. It’s the right color system. And if it looks as good as it does in print and in the models, it’s going to be fantastic.’”
THE LATEST ON KHASHOGGI …
— WAPO’S KEVIN SULLIVAN in Riyadh, LOVEDAY MORRIS in London and TAMER EL-GHOBASHY in Istanbul: “Saudi Arabia fires 5 top officials, arrests 18 Saudis, saying Khashoggi was killed in fight at consulate”: “The Saudi government acknowledged early Saturday that journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, saying he died during a fistfight, but the new account may do little to ease international demands for the kingdom to be held accountable.
“The announcement, which came in a tweet from the Saudi Foreign Ministry, said that an initial investigation by the government’s general prosecutor found that the Saudi journalist had been in discussions with people inside the consulate when a quarrel broke out and escalated to a fatal fistfight. …
“Those fired included Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s adviser Saud al-Qahtani and deputy intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Ahmed al-Assiri. … Ever since he disappeared on Oct. 2 while visiting the mission, Saudi officials have repeatedly said that he left the consulate alive and that they had no information on his whereabouts or fate. … ‘Do you think I can act by myself without taking orders/guidance?’ Qahtani said last year in a tweet that is being widely shared now after the announcement of his firing. ‘I am an employee and a trustworthy executive to the orders of the king and the crown prince.’” WaPo
— WAPO’S SHANE HARRIS: “Saudi claims that Khashoggi died in a ‘brawl’ draw immediate skepticism”: “Claims by the government of Saudi Arabia that Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi died in a physical altercation inside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul drew immediate skepticism and contradicted earlier dueling accounts from Saudi and Turkish officials.
“The Saudi findings, which all but absolved the heir to the throne, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, increased pressure on the Trump administration to mount an independent investigation into Khashoggi’s death.
“CIA officials have listened to an audio recording that Turkish officials say proves the journalist was killed and dismembered by a team of Saudi agents inside the consulate, according to people familiar with the matter. If verified, the recording would make it difficult for the White House to accept the Saudi version that Khashoggi’s death was effectively an accident. A CIA spokeswoman declined to comment. … Current and former U.S. intelligence officials, foreign policy experts and lawmakers were quick to accuse the Saudi government of a whitewash.” WaPo
REACTION … SEN. TIM KAINE (D-VA.) (@timkaine): “The Saudi ‘explanation’ for murdering journalist and Virginia resident Jamal Khashoggi in a consulate—a fistfight gone wrong—is insulting. Since the Trump Administration won’t stand up against atrocity, Congress must.” …
… SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-S.C.) (@LindseyGrahamSC): “To say that I am skeptical of the new Saudi narrative about Mr. Khashoggi is an understatement. … First we were told Mr. Khashoggi supposedly left the consulate and there was blanket denial of any Saudi involvement. Now, a fight breaks out and he’s killed in the consulate, all without knowledge of Crown Prince. … It’s hard to find this latest ‘explanation’ as credible.”
… SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS CHAIRMAN BOB CORKER (R-TENN.) (@SenBobCorker): “The story the Saudis have told about Jamal Khashoggi’s disappearance continues to change with each passing day, so we should not assume their latest story holds water. … They can undergo their own investigation, but the U.S. administration must make its own independent, credible determination of responsibility for Khashoggi’s murder under the Global Magnitsky investigation as required by law.”
— NYT’S BEN HUBBARD in Beirut and DAVID KIRKPATRICK in Istanbul: “Uproar Over Dissident Rattles Saudi Royal Family”: “The one person who could intervene is the king himself, but senior princes have found it nearly impossible to bring their concerns to the 82-year-old monarch, and some doubt he is fully aware of what is happening or willing to change course. … ‘They aren’t a particularly draconian bunch,’ said another longtime associate of the royal family, describing the philosophy of some princes as, ‘We just want to eat burgers and go on foreign holidays.’
“Associates of the royal family say that senior princes don’t have the access to King Salman that they had to previous kings, making it hard to voice concerns. Some princes cannot enter the royal court or the king’s palace unless their names have been placed at the door ahead of time, one member of the royal family complained.
“Otherwise, they see the king at official events where it is considered bad form to raise thorny issues or they visit him at night when he is playing cards, also a bad time for serious talk.” NYT
IT SEEMS INCREASINGLY LIKELY that Congress is going to brawl in December over curbing arms sales to Saudi Arabia.
Good Saturday morning. If you’re a D.C. area jamband fan, this is a big weekend: Phish is at the Hampton Coliseum and Joe Russo’s Almost Dead is at The Anthem.
BIG MONEY … HOUSE MAJORITY PAC raised $14 MILLION in September, including $2.7 million from hedge fund billionaire Jim Simons and a half million from David Geffen (who attended Josh Kushner’s wedding to Karlie Kloss on Thursday — Instapic). SENATE LEADERSHIP FUND got $25 million from Sheldon and Miriam Adelson Sept. 12 and a quarter million from Boeing.
THE PRESIDENT is in Arizona this morning, and he’ll fly to Elko, Nev., for an 11 a.m. rally (2 p.m. East Coast time). He is scheduled to arrive tonight at Andrews at 7:55 p.m. VP MIKE PENCE is going to Richmond to rally for Rep. Dave Brat (R-Va.), Denver Riggleman and Ryan McAdams.
INSIDE THE ROOM … WAPO’S DAVID NAKAMURA, JOSH DAWSEY and NICK MIROFF: “‘Close the whole thing!’: Border tensions boil over as Trump’s frustrations grow”: “In the summer, the president was so upset by the border numbers that he proposed sealing the entire 1,954-mile U.S.-Mexico border, including shuttering legal ports of entry, blocking trade flows and halting tourism and travel, according to the senior administration officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive internal deliberations.
“‘Close the whole thing!’ Trump demanded at one point during an Oval Office meeting, the officials said. He was talked out of it by advisers who highlighted the effect such a measure would have on more than $600 billion in U.S.-Mexico annual trade, as well as the potential damage to bilateral relations, according to the officials.” WaPo
— NYT’S EMILY COCHRANE (@ESCochrane): “I asked President Trump what evidence he had that ‘hardened criminals’ are trying to enter the country. ‘Oh please, please, don’t be a baby,’ was his response.”
DOH! … BURGESS EVERETT and ELANA SCHOR: “Air wars: Hawley flies on lobbyist’s plane after blasting McCaskill”: “Josh Hawley has criticized Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill repeatedly for using a private plane to travel around Missouri. But the Republican Senate hopeful isn’t above taking a ride in a private plane himself.
“Hawley received an in-kind contribution of $5,225 for a charter flight in September on a plane owned by lobbyist Travis Brown and his wife, according to public records. Hawley attended a West Virginia fundraiser on that day, social media posts show, before returning to Springfield, Missouri that night – and posting a Facebook video of him driving into the city for a rally with President Donald Trump the next day.” POLITICO
MANAFORT UPDATE … DARREN SAMUELSOHN and JOSH GERSTEIN: “Manafort in wheelchair, facing ‘significant issues’ with health”: “Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort appeared in federal court in a wheelchair on Friday and his lawyer said he’s dealing with ‘significant issues’ tied to his health because of his confinement at a Northern Virginia jail.
“The attorney, Kevin Downing, didn’t specify what the problem was in open court but a source familiar with the situation later explained the longtime GOP operative who has been confined since mid-June is dealing with an issue related to his diet and has inflammation in his foot. Manafort, 69, was wearing a green prison jumpsuit labeled on the back ‘ALEXANDRIA INMATE’ and no shoe on his right foot during the proceedings.” POLITICO
SCOOP — “U.S. to Tell Russia It Is Leaving Landmark I.N.F. Treaty,” by NYT’s David E. Sanger and William J. Broad: “The Trump administration is preparing to tell Russian leaders next week that it is planning to exit the landmark Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, in part to enable the United States to counter a Chinese arms buildup in the Pacific, according to American officials and foreign diplomats. …
“But the pact has also constrained the United States from deploying new weapons to respond to China’s efforts to cement a dominant position in the Western Pacific and to keep American naval forces at bay. …
“The White House said that no official decision had been made to leave the treaty, known as I.N.F., which at the time of its signing was considered a critical step in defusing Cold War tensions. But in the coming weeks, Mr. Trump is expected to sign off on the decision, which would mark the first time he has scrapped an arms control treaty, the American officials said.” NYT
2018 WATCH — “Alaska Gov. Bill Walker ends campaign for re-election, endorses Mark Begich,” by Anchorage Daily News’ Tegan Hanlon and Annie Zak: “Alaska Gov. Bill Walker announced Friday he is dropping his bid for re-election, and threw support to Democrat Mark Begich over Republican Mike Dunleavy. Walker, elected as an independent, made the surprise announcement at the Alaska Federation of Natives annual convention, three days after former Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott abruptly stepped down from both his office and the re-election campaign over unspecified ‘inappropriate comments’ he made to a woman.” ADN
GOOD EYE – “Some Of Trump’s Judicial Nominees Have Private Twitter Accounts They Aren’t Sharing With The Public,” by BuzzFeed’s Zoe Tillman: “A review of nominees’ social media activity by BuzzFeed News showed inconsistency in what they’re disclosing to committee members in their Senate questionnaires — which are public and posted online — and what they’re not.
“At least six of Trump’s pending and confirmed nominees have locked Twitter accounts. Four of those didn’t list the accounts in their Senate questionnaires; two of the nominees are new and haven’t given their materials to the committee yet. A half dozen other nominees did include Twitter and Facebook accounts in their questionnaires, and produced posts from those accounts for the committee.” BuzzFeed
WAR REPORT — “New details of top U.S. general’s close call in Afghanistan insider attack,” by ABC News Luis Martinez: “The American general and the Afghan officials had moved to an area outside of the governor’s residence to await the arrival of the military helicopter that would transport [Gen. Austin Scott] Miller and his staff … The group was talking among themselves waiting for Miller’s helicopter when … a gunman wearing some type of Afghan security uniform opened fire on them with an automatic weapon. …
“Miller was not in the shooter’s line of fire and was firing at the Afghan officials. The gunman was shot immediately. ‘It was over in seconds,’ said Butler. Miller, like the other U.S. personnel around him, pulled out his handgun, which is standard practice in such a situation.’” ABC News
MEDIAWATCH – “Susan Zirinsky close to clinching top ‘60 Minutes’ job,” by N.Y. Post’s Alexandra Steigrad: “‘48 Hours’ producer Susan Zirinsky has emerged as the front-runner to become the new executive producer of ‘60 Minutes’ at CBS News, sources told The Post. Zirinsky is now the favorite to fill the shoes of veteran producer Jeff Fager, who was fired last month amid accusations of inappropriate conduct and sexual harassment, according to insiders briefed on the situation. An announcement is expected as soon as next week, according to the sources, who asked not to be identified.” NY Post
GREAT WEEKEND LISTEN — “Amb. Scott Brown Plays ‘Dream Police’ in Sydney with Cheap Trick”:4-min. video
CLICKER – “The nation’s cartoonists on the week in politics,” edited by Matt Wuerker — 12 funnies
GREAT WEEKEND READS, curated by Daniel Lippman:
— “The Crisis of Intimacy in the Age of Digital Connectivity,” by Stephen Marche in the LA Review of Books – per ALDaily.com’s description: “The pernicious social dynamics of the internet. We overshare about our personal lives and fail to understand those of others. Narcissism spreads; empathy vanishes.” LA Review
— “Instagram Has a Massive Harassment Problem,” by The Atlantic’s Taylor Lorenz: “The platform has cast itself as the internet’s kindest place. But users argue harassment is rampant, and employees say efforts to stem it aren’t funded well or prioritized.” The Atlantic (h/t Longform.org)
— “Life’s Little Luxury,” by the Weekly Standard’s Joseph Epstein, author of “Charm: The Elusive Enchantment”: “Charm makes the world seem a more enticing place—but it is going the way of chivalry, good manners, and unmotivated kindness.” TWS … $16.48 on Amazon (h/t ALDaily.com)
— “Your Real Biological Clock Is You’re Going to Die,” by Tom Scocca in Hmm Daily – per Longreads.com’s description: “At 47, Tom Scocca realizes most of us are living under the illusion that we have unlimited time, and are free plot out the different phases of our lives to our liking. He crunches some numbers and comes to the conclusion that sooner or later — and who knows which it will be — every one of us is a goner.” Hmm Daily
— “How a Booming City Can Be More Equitable,” by Barry Yeoman in CityLab: “In Durham, North Carolina, abandoned factories are becoming tech hubs and microbreweries. But building a shared commitment to its most vulnerable citizens could be a trickier feat of redevelopment.” CityLab
— “The Great Rikers Island Art Heist,” by James Fanelli in Esquire: “For forty years, an original Salvador Dalí painting went unnoticed inside New York City’s massive jail complex. Then a gang of thieves decided it might be worth something.” Esquire
— “Why You Can’t Stop Looking at Other People’s Screens,” by John Herrman in the NYT: “You’re not a creep, though you are a thief. You’re also a human.” NYT
— “This Melissa McCarthy Story Just Might (Maybe? Possibly?) Cheer You Up,” by Taffy Brodesser-Akner in the NYT Magazine: “The dynamic star is trying to keep comedy alive at a moment when Hollywood — and its audience — can’t seem to crack a smile.” NYT
— “Inside the Mind of a Voyeur,” by Katherine Laidlaw in Toronto Law: “Pete Forde was a good landlord and a great friend, or so his tenants thought. Then they discovered he was filming them in their most private moments. The sinister world of spying for sport.” Toronto Law
— “The FBI of the National Park Service,” by Rachel Monroe in Outside Magazine: “Many people fall to their deaths in national parks every year. But as [EMT Mark] Faherty dug deeper, several things struck him as strange. For instance, how Harold [Henthorn] insisted he’d given his wife CPR, but her lipstick had been unsmudged when he arrived on scene. Faherty asked Harold about his previous marriage. His first wife had died in an accident, Harold said. He was reluctant to talk about it.” Outside (h/t TheBrowser.com)
— “The Prophets of Cryptocurrency Survey the Boom and Bust,” by the New Yorker’s Nick Paumgarten: “Inside the ongoing argument over whether Bitcoin, Ethereum, and the blockchain are transforming the world.” New Yorker
ENGAGED – Rosie Gray, contributing editor for The Atlantic, got engaged to Ben Judah, author of the books “This is London” and “Fragile Empire” and currently working on his third book for Picador. The couple met through mutual friends. On her birthday trip to Scotland last weekend, he proposed on a hike in the Glen Nevis in the Highlands. Instapic… The ring
SPOTTED at former RNC chairman Michael Steele’s 60th birthday party last night at the Santa Monica home of “Seinfeld” producer and writer Peter Mehlman and hosted by Zachary Todd and Saumitra Thakur: Peter Thiel, Ann Coulter, Shawna Thomas, Tim and Kiki Burger, Ret. Col. Terry Virts, Jeffrey Chen, Rick Unger, Jordan Rambis, Jack Bryan, Lina Chen, Kathy Magliato, Jenny Alden, Ziva Cooper, Sophia Parsa, Greg Edwards, Allison Kiang and Stephanie Miller.
BIRTHDAYS: NYT’s Matt Apuzzo is 4-0 … Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) is 54 … Greg Lowman, partner at Sphere Consulting, is 33 … Michelle Malkin is 48 … Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) is 63 … Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) is 46 … former Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, now a member of the LA County Board of Supervisors, is 61 … L.E. Simmons … Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas) is 53 … John Grandy … Kay Foley … WaPo senior editor at large Ann Gerhart … Gil Klein … Evan Zuckerman … Josie Martin … Ellison Barber … Nelson Mullins’ Mick Nardelli (hat tip: Vinoda Basnayake) … Colleen O’Kane … AARP’s Khelan Bhatia … New America’s Clare McCann … Jeffrey Zubricki … Gordon Pennoyer of Chesapeake Energy … Nicole Bunce of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce (h/t David Abrams) … Steve Moffitt, COS for Rep. Steve Russell (R-Okla.) …
… Benjamin Schwarz is 55 … Pablo Manriquez, director of comms at Roll Call … Politico’s Dmitrii Chechetkin and Jason Golomb … Katie Leslie Watkins … Matt Dogali, CEO of the American Distilled Spirits Association … VICE correspondent Caroline Modarressy-Tehrani … Christie Boyden … Anneke Green … Whitney PakPour … Morgan Allen … Roddy Flynn, executive director of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus (h/t Mitchell Rivard) … Stephen Garrison … Sally Stroup … Bart Marchant … Webber Xu … Lamia Rezgui … Justin Hart … Thomas Willard … Taylor Gerlach … Beth Mason … Greg Propper (h/ts Tesresa Vilmain)
THE SHOWS, by @MattMackowiak, filing from Austin:
NBC
“Meet the Press”: Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) … Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) … Anthony Scaramucci. Panel: David Brody, Peggy Noonan, Eugene Robinson and Katy Tur
CNN
“State of the Union”: Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.)… Eric Garcetti. Panel: Pam Bondi, Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.), Rep.Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and Symone Sanders (live from Tampa).
ABC
“This Week”: Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) … Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas) … Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) … Nate Silver … Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Tom Bossert. Panel: Mary Bruce, Alex Castellanos, Kim Strassel and author and Juan Williams
CBS
“Face the Nation”: Pre-empted for NFL football (from London).
Fox
“Fox News Sunday”: Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) … Rep. Martha McSally (R-Ariz.). Panel: Newt Gingrich and Marc Short … Jane Harman and Charles Lane … “Power Player of the Week”: José Andrés
Fox News
“Sunday Morning Futures”: Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) … Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) … John Solomon. Panel: Former Sen. Al D’Amato (D-N.Y.) and David Avella
Fox News
“MediaBuzz”: Emily Jashinsky … Sarah Fisher … Mo Elleithee … Fred Hiatt … Leslie Marshall … Gayle Trotter … Stuart Varney … Susan Ferrechio … David Martosko
CNN
“Inside Politics”: Julie Hirschfeld Davis, Jonathan Martin, Kaitlan Collins and Sahil Kapur
CNN
“Fareed Zakaria GPS”: Panel: Fawaz Gerges, Martin Indyk and Wendy Sherman … Fred Hiatt … Jonathan Weiler
CNN
“Reliable Sources”: Charlotte Alter and Philip Bump … Max Boot … Carl Bernstein … More in Common co-founder Tim Dixon
Univision
“Al Punto”: Justice Sonia Sotomayor … Julian Castro … singer/songwriter Gloria Trevi … transgender activist Brenda del Río … Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) … Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas)
C-SPAN
“The Communicators”: UPenn’s Joseph Turow … “Newsmakers”: Guy Cecil, questioned by Steven Shepard and Ken Vogel … “Q&A”: Joel Richard Paul
MSNBC
“Kasie DC”: Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) … Rep. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M) … Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.) … Harley Rouda … Elizabeth Heng … Phil Rucker … Karine Jean-Pierre… radio host John Phillips … Jo Ling Kent … Leigh Ann Caldwell (live from Los Angeles)
Washington Times
“Mack on Politics” weekly politics podcast with Matt Mackowiak (download on iTunes, Google Play, or Stitcher or listen at MackOnPolitics.com): Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.)
Netflix has canceled Marvel’s Luke Cage ahead of an expected Season 3 order. The decision, Deadline reports, stemmed from creative differences between the creative team and higher-ups at both Netflix and Marvel.
The Luke Cage writers team had just handed over script drafts for the first part of Season 3, which would have been 10 episodes, down from the usual 13 for a Netflix/Marvel show (the quickly canceled Defenders did eight).
This decision comes on the heels of Iron Fist being canceled, but that was without a season currently in development (and Iron Fist, famously, sucks). As Deadline notes, this means the plug could get pulled on Jessica Jones Season 3 or The Punisher Season 2 at any point in development or production, which doesn’t inspire confidence.
Additionally, Disney, which owns Marvel, is launching its own streaming service, though no plans exist yet to resurrect these shows once that platform launches. Perhaps the best outcome of these back-to-back cancellations would be a Daughters of the Dragon series with Iron Fist‘s Colleen Wing (Jessica Henwick) and Luke Cage‘s Misty Knight (Simone Missick), but we realize that’s a lofty dream.
On Friday, Netflix premiered Daredevil Season 3, whose positive reviews hearken back to the early days of the Marvel/Netflix live-action team up when there were fewer characters, shows, and seasons for viewers to keep up with. It sure looks like the end is night for New York’s humble heroes after the last seasons trickle in, but we wouldn’t say no to a final team up before they go.
Washington State head coach Mike Leach went on a tirade against Pac-12 officials stemming from a non-call on a helmet-to-helmet hit against quarterback Gardner Minshew during a Sept. 21 game against USC.
Per Yahoo Sports’ Pete Thamel, Leach sent a series of text messages to conference executives that questioned the Pac-12’s “commitment to player safety and insinuations of favoritism in the league office toward other programs.”
On the play in question, USC linebacker Porter Gustin led with his helmet to hit Minshew after he had already thrown a pass in the fourth quarter.
Leachtold reportersduring his weekly press conference on Sept. 24 he couldn’t comment on the situation without being fined.
“I think you ought to call [general counsel] Woodie Dixon at the Pac-12 offices,” he said. “I’d be happy to comment on it if I were allowed to, but I’m not allowed to. … But since I’m not allowed to, I’d suggest you call Woodie Dixon at the conference office, and I’m sure he’s got a telephone number. I’m sure he’s got an email.”
Speaking to the Associated Press (h/tTheo Lawsonof theSpokesman-Review), Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott stopped short of saying Gustin’s hit should have been called targeting.
“As you know, in any given game there are a lot of close calls, and this was a very, very close one,” Scott said. “No doubt about it.”
Pac-12 Head of Communications Andrew Walker issued a statement to Thamel regarding Leach’s texts:
“While we do not comment on private communications with coaches, if there is ever a serious allegation of any kind from a coach, we follow up and discuss the matter with the relevant university athletic department and provide them with an opportunity to request an inquiry into the matter. No such request has been received from Washington State University.”
Last week,Thamelreported the Pac-12 overhauled its replay review process after it was determined in the same game that Washington State linebacker Logan Tago should have been ejected for targeting USC quarterback JT Daniels, but an independent third party, later identified as Dixon, overruled the replay officials.
Washington State would go on to lose the game 39-36 when Blake Mazza’s 38-yard field-goal attempt was blocked at the end of the same drive that Gustin delivered the hit to Minshew.
A suicide bomber blew himself up in the Afghan capital on Saturday, killing at least 15 people as voting concluded in parliamentary elections that were overshadowed by the threat of attacks and serious organisational problems.
Voting should have been concluded by the time the attacker struck in an area to the north of Kabul, but polling stations were kept open longer than normal to cope with large numbers of people who had been unable to vote.
Ten civilians and five police officers were killed when the bomber tried to enter a polling station and more than 25 were wounded, a senior security official said.
The attack appeared to have been the most serious of a day marked by a series of smaller-scale incidents that caused dozens of casualties across the country.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility.
Taliban armed group has issued a series of statements telling people not to take part in what they consider a foreign-imposed process and warning election centres may be attacked.
Wider election concerns have centred on technical and organisational problems with biometric voter-registration equipment, polling stations not opening on time, missing election materials and delays forcing lengthy waits.
The Independent Election Commission (IEC), the body overseeing the ballot, said voting hours would be extended in some centres to cope with demand and some polling stations, which had not opened at all, would be open on Sunday.
Republican Missouri Senate candidate Josh Hawley received an in-kind contribution of more than $5,225 for a charter flight on a plane owned by a lobbyist and his wife, according to public records. | Jeff Roberson/AP Photo
Missouri’s Senate candidates duke it out over whose flights are more unsavory.
Josh Hawley has criticized Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill repeatedly for using a private plane to travel around Missouri. But the Republican Senate hopeful isn’t above taking a ride in a private plane himself.
Hawley received an in-kind contribution of $5,225 for a charter flight in September on a plane owned by lobbyist Travis Brown and his wife, according to public records. Hawley attended a West Virginia fundraiser on that day, social media posts show, before returning to Springfield, Missouri that night – and posting a Facebook video of him driving into the city for a rally with President Donald Trump the next day.
Story Continued Below
Brown is a registered lobbyist in Missouri, whose clients include the St. Louis Blues hockey team and wealthy businessman Rex Sinquefield, a Hawley donor who’s linked to a state-level effort to permit medical marijuana use. The plane Hawley flew in, a Pilatus PC-12/47, is registered to Brown’s business address, and flight records show it leaving Missouri for West Virginia on Sept. 20 and returning later that night.
Hawley also reported charter plane expenses of $8,732 for a flight in August and three flights in September in campaign finance disclosures. It is unclear who owned those planes or where Hawley went; his campaign declined to provide details about the flights.
Hawley has slammed McCaskill for using her own private plane during the campaign. In particular, he blasted the senator after she flew between stops on two days what she had billed as an RV tour of the state, calling her “out of touch.”
A spokeswoman for Hawley’s campaign, Kelli Ford, said that Hawley’s use of “a single engine propeller plane” for the travel to and from West Virginia is unrelated to his rebuke of McCaskill’s use of her family-owned plane.
“Josh’s criticism of Senator McCaskill’s use of her personal plane is threefold: 1) she secretly flew when she said she was on an RV, 2) she claims ‘normal’ middle class people own private planes, 3) she won’t release her family tax returns so voters can understand how she can afford to own a plane,” Ford said in an email.
But McCaskill campaign spokeswoman Meira Bernstein said that Hawley’s own plane ride shows his insincerity.
“As if Missourians needed more evidence that Hawley is beholden to his billionaire backers. There’s no hypocritical level to which Hawley won’t stoop,” she said.
The private plane used by McCaskill and owned by her husband, Joseph Shepard, is the same model that Hawley used in September, a Pilatus PC-12/47, according to reports dating back to his purchase of the aircraft in 2013. In 2011, facing a controversy that threatened her reelection, McCaskill reimbursed the Treasury Department for more than $88,000 in charter air flights in 2011 and repaid nearly $300,000 in back taxes on an older plane she later sold. Afterward, McCaskill vowed to pay personally for any travel she took on the new plane bought by Shepard’s company.
Even as he took aim at her use of the private plane, Hawley has said he would be fine with the trips if McCaskill would just “own it.” He also haschallenged her to stop using the plane for a month as the two duke it out in one of the midterm’s most hotly contested Senate races.
“I say, ‘Look, I’m driving everywhere, why don’t you drive?’” Hawley said in a July interview. “She can’t do it. She’s totally addicted to her luxury lifestyle. This is the thing, she talks about, ‘Oh, I want to spend all this time on the trail.’ She doesn’t spend that much time on the trail. She flies everywhere.”
Republicans have dubbed McCaskill “Air Claire,” shadowing her at events and waving air traffic control wands. But McCaskill has continued to use her family’s plane during the campaign. The two-term incumbent says most people running for statewide office in Missouri charter planes, as do most senators.
“It’s a way I can contribute to my campaign personally in a way that’s meaningful. It doesn’t take away from our budget for our other things. And it allows us to get more places,” McCaskill said in an interview this July. “I’m not aware of very many candidates for the U.S. Senate or governors in this state that haven’t used a chartered plane.”
Huge 8-inch screen • Extremely lightweight at 197 grams • Waterproof up to 60 mins in 2 meters of water • Backlight changes from blue to yellow during evening
Expensive for an e-reader • Will not fit in your jeans pockets • Ultra-thin screen feels flimsy
The Kobo Forma is an excellent e-reader for anyone who doesn’t mind paying a little extra. It looks outstanding and feels great to hold. But this is a classic case of form over function.
You’re in the market for a new e-reader. It should be as simple as going directly to Amazon and buying the newest Kindle, right?
Not if Kobo has anything to say about it.
Toronto, Canada-based Kobo is launching a brand new e-reader called the Forma that the company hopes will directly compete with Amazon’s wildly popular Kindle e-readers. So can the Kobo Forma hold up against the brand new Kindle Paperwhite, which I recently called “the best available e-reader in terms of value” based on a hands-on with the device? I’ve spent the last two weeks using the Forma, and I have to say it was a surprisingly great experience.
On paper, the Kobo Forma stacks up really well against the Kindle Paperwhite: It’s thinner, includes a similar lighting configuration around the edge of the screen that makes it possible for you to read at night, is equally waterproof (IPX8 rated), and adds the extra bonus of letting users change the lighting color from blue to yellow, making it easier on your eyes in the evening.
But is all of this enough to make it worth purchasing instead of an Amazon Kindle? We’re here to break it down in our latest review. Let’s jump right in.
Exceptional design
The Kobo Forma is easily the nicest e-reader I’ve ever held. The screen is huge, and the battery life is phenomenal.
Image: ZLATA IVLEVA/MASHABLE
No matter how you chalk it up, the Kobo Forma is lovely machine. It looks spectacular, even sitting right next to an Amazon Kindle device. It’s noticeably thinner than my Kindle Voyage at just 0.17 inch, with the exception of the large grip on one side. The grip is where Kobo hides most of the hardware that powers the e-ink display and lights, but it’s sleek enough that it doesn’t hurt the overall look of the device, and even provides a nice handle for long reading sessions.
Another interesting design choice is the inclusion of buttons on along the handle. The buttons are what you use to turn the pages. The top one moves the page backwards, and the bottom one moves the page forward. They aren’t really necessary, though, since the display is a touchscreen, and all of the primary functions can be performed by tapping the screen instead of pushing buttons.
One of the more incredible things about the Forma is that it includes a gyroscope in the handle, enabling the screen to automatically orient itself in the right direction regardless of how you hold it. So you can pretty much grab it off the table however you want, and whether you hold it with the binding on the left, right, or bottom — the screen automatically displays text properly.
Finally, the weight of the device is, frankly, perfect. I wish my Kindle Voyage was more like the Forma. At just 197 grams, it’s exactly the type of lightweight feeling you want from something you expect to hold in your hands for several hours. It’s noticeably lighter than any other e-reader I’ve ever held.
I get it. Not everyone is a fan of e-readers, especially people who grew up building book collections and who may still enjoy filling up all the space on their bookshelves. But for those of us who enjoy reading and love using technology to make life easier, an e-reader is really a must-have.
One of the biggest benefits is that an e-reader lets you carry around your entire book collection. The Kobo Forma comes with 8GB of storage, which is plenty of space for most people to download dozens of their favorite books. You can’t pick from models with extra storage like you can with the Kindle Paperwhite (which maxes out at 32GB), but for a large majority of readers, this really shouldn’t be an issue. How many books do you actually read at one time, anyway?
The Kobo Forma, like most other modern e-readers, has amazing battery life, too. I have been using mine for about two weeks, and have never had to worry about the battery. Kobo doesn’t say specifically how long the battery life is, but it’s safe to say you could read a couple of books on the device without ever having to worry about recharging it. In two weeks, I’ve used about 20 percent of the battery. So it should really be able to last any long flights or backpacking trips — especially if you don’t use the reading light.
Whoa. It can do that?!
Image: ZLATA IVLEVA/MASHABLE
The Forma also has a few neat tricks that just aren’t typical of other readers. For example, one of my favorite tricks this device can do is change orientation based on how it’s being held. This became a major boon because when I’m sitting on my couch, with my feet up, I prefer to hold the handle on the left side. When I’m reading before bed, I usually lean toward my right side and hold my e-reader with the same hand. The benefit of having automatic orientation became immediately apparent upon first use — and made me view my Kindle Voyage in a new, unflattering light. It simply isn’t as comfortable to read while laying down.
The gigantic 8-inch display was also a great upgrade compared to my tiny Kindle Voyage (which has a meager 6-inch display). Looking at a massive screen during reading sessions was a true joy, and made it easier to really immerse myself in the story I was reading. The only downside is that it’s probably a little more difficult to travel with because it’s so large. My Kindle Voyage fits just about anywhere: my back pocket, at the top of my carry-on, and simply in my hand. The Kobo Forma would take slightly more consideration before packing.
Also, I have to say, the lighting on this device is amazing and significantly better than any available Kindle device. The Forma automatically changes the color of the light depending on the time of day, so it’s easier on your eyes, or you can select the color temperature manually by using a slider on the home screen menu.
This may not seem like a big deal, but blue light has been proven to negatively impact people’s sleeping habits. So, if you’re like me, and you’re the type of person who likes to read right before bed, you’ll absolutely appreciate the fact that you can change your Forma to a much warmer yellow light rather than having those piercing blue LEDs shining in your face in the late hours of the evening.
Final chapter
In sum, I absolutely loved my time with the Kobo Forma. It’s easily the best e-reader I’ve ever used. Many of its special attributes seem really small at first, but inevitably make a huge difference in the reading experience.
I loved changing the lighting scheme from blue to a much softer yellow — so much so that it’s been hard going back to my normal Kindle device. I also really enjoyed having extra-large screen real estate. I question whether I’d appreciate it quite as much if I were frequently traveling, but the device is still small enough that it probably wouldn’t make a difference.
My only real complaint, if there is one, is that the build quality could have been a little better. The Kobo Forma is extremely lightweight, so much so that I always felt like I was going to accidentally snap the device in half. I’ve broken e-readers in my bag before, and this one would no doubt have trouble surviving in my rucksack. If you inevitably decide to shell out the hefty $279 for this product, do yourself a favor, and make sure you get a durable case with it.
Kabul, Afghanistan – Afghanistan’s electoral commission said it was extending voting in the country’s parliamentary election to Sunday after several polling stations failed to open.
The extension was due to lack of voter materials at some polling stations or problems with the electronic voter system, the Indepedent Election Commission (IEC) said on Saturday.
Polling stations across the country were supposed to open at 7am (02:30GMT) and close at 4pm (12:30GMT).
“The polling centres that opened later than 7am will remain open until 8pm. The polling sites that remained closed until 1pm, will be opened tomorrow and people can cast their vote tomorrow. No one’s vote will be wasted,” Abdul Badi Sayad, the electoral commission chief, told a press conference in Kabul.
Sayad also said the late arrival of electoral staff at some polling stations added to the delay in voters casting their ballots.
Afghans who had queued since the morning were disappointed.
In Kabul’s Dasht-e-Barchi area, at least three polling centres did not open their doors to voters.
“There was huge amount of people waiting to vote. The polling station was closed. I could not vote so I left.” Muqaraba Meerkhel, a 53-year-old teacher, told Al Jazeera.
“More than 25 percent of the centres we observed were not opened,” Naeem Ayubzada, director of Transparent Election Foundation of Afghanistan (TEFA), told Al Jazeera.
“We also observed technical challenges with 32 percent of the biometric systems not working in 22 percent of the polling centres. Also nine percent of the centres were not equipped with biometric system.” he said.
Zabi Ullah Sadat, deputy spokesman for the electoral commission, told Al Jazeera a total of 244 polling centres did not open.
There are 21,000 voting stations in 5,100 polling centres across the country’s 33 participating provinces.
The election was delayed by a week in the southern province of Kandahar following the killing on Thursday of the its powerful police chief, General Abdul Raziq, in an attack claimed by the Taliban.
Voting will also not take place in Ghazni because of the precarious security situation – the Taliban controls significant parts of the province. There is also an ongoing dispute over how to divide Ghazni’s electoral constituencies to have a more balanced ethnic representation.
Attacks during polling
Meanwhile, several polling stations across the country were targeted by explosions.
In Kabul’s PD15 district, an IED explosion killed one police officer and injured a civilian and a policeman, a spokesman for the city’s police chief told Al Jazeera.
In Kunar province, two women were killed as they were heading to a polling station in Manogi district, said Aziz Ulrahman Sapay, a health official.
Two other people were also killed in Kunduz province, a security source told Al Jazeera.
Two rockets hit near Lashkargah airport in southern Helmand province, Omar Zwak spokesperson for Helmand provincial governor. No casualties were reported.
Security has been a major issue in the run up to voting day.
Since late September, when campaigning officially started, at least 10 candidates have killed and two others abducted.
Ballot counting will begin when voting ends, under the watch of election observers.
The electoral commission has not set a timeline for announcing official results, but preliminary results are expected within a month.
Over the course of one year, an average of 10 million women and men are physically abused by an intimate partner in the U.S.
Domestic violence can take the form of physical, psychological, or economic abuse, and it is a national issue that affects people of all ages and genders, though the majority of victims are women. Survivors do not report abuse for many reasons, including fear of gaslighting. Despite years of progress, domestic violence remains a silent epidemic.
“The first step in supporting survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, sexual harassment, and all forms of violence and discrimination, is to listen to them and believe them,” said Ted Bunch, co-founder and chief development officer of A Call To Men, a violence prevention organization that teaches men and boys to redefine masculinity.
Here are five ways to support survivors this month and beyond:
1. Demand the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act.
The Violence Against Women Act has helped educate law enforcement, provided resources for investigations, and funded programs that support victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. The legislation has arguably contributed to the decline of domestic abuse incidents in recent decades.
On Sept. 30, the Violence Against Women Act was set to expire, but Congress extended it with stopgap funding through December 7. Until then, it’s important to call your representatives and urge them to reauthorize this bill. If you’re not sure what to say, you can use the the script provided by 5calls.org.
Congress has yet to reauthorize the bill because it proposes to ban convicted stalkers or anyone subject to a protection order from buying or owning firearms. It would also close what’s known as “the boyfriend loophole,” a federal exemption that permits unmarried or childless abusers and stalkers to own a gun. Because of these gun-related provisions, the bill has become a partisan issue.
And that brings us to the next point…
2. Advocate for gun control.
U.S. gun laws fail to protect victims in several ways. According to Everytown For Gun Safety, an American woman is fives time more likely to be killed in a domestic violence situation when a gun is present. Thirty-one states allow abusers to skip background checks if they buy guns online or at gun shows. Even though federal law prohibits certain domestic abusers from owning guns, only 15 states require those subject to domestic violence restraining orders to turn in their guns.
March For Our Lives organizers have published a list of demands regarding gun control, one of which tells Congress to close the loopholes in the background check system. You can support their efforts by signing this petition, starting a local chapter, and voting for midterm candidates that believe in common-sense gun policies. You can find such candidates at Gunsensevoter.org, a project of Everytown For Gun Safety Action Fund and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. Don’t forget: Election Day in 2018 is Tuesday, Nov. 6.
3. Challenge traditional ideas of masculinity.
Ted Bunch, of A Call To Men, believes embracing and promoting healthy manhood is essential to preventing all forms of violence and discrimination against women and girls.
“All men have influence and a platform to spur positive social change.”
“To prevent domestic violence, we have to understand how all men are socialized to view women and girls as property, objects, and as having less value than men,” Bunch said.
In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, A Call to Men launched Moving Forward in Solidarity, a five-week campaign that offers practical ways men can act in solidarity with women. Actions include calling out sexist language, demonstrating consent, and modeling healthy, respectful manhood. Whether or not you participate every week, you can help shift society’s understanding of masculinity by sharing the campaign on social media, and now is most certainly the time for men to step up.
“There are so many men afraid to say the wrong thing,” Bunch said. “Don’t let that fear keep you from coming to the table. All men have influence and a platform to spur positive social change.”
Bunch suggests learning more about this cultural shift through Tony Porter’s TED Talk and Man Enough, a web series hosted by Jane the Virgin star Justin Baldoni.
4. Donate to an anti-domestic violence organization.
There are numerous anti-domestic violence organizations to support. Bunch recommends checking out Joyful Heart Foundation, which was founded by Mariska Hargitay. (You might recognize her as Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.)The foundation works to help survivors heal and aims to use education and advocacy to transform the way society responds to violence. You can donate to fund Joyful Heart’s efforts here. You can also spread awareness about the foundation’s #SupportAfterDV campaign, which allows survivors to anonymously share how they were supported by loved ones after their experience.
Financial abuse takes place when an abuser takes control of their victim’s finances. It can include restricting access to bank accounts, ruining their credit, and more. Although it’s deemed an “invisible” form of domestic violence, it occurs in the vast majority of domestic violence cases.
Financial abuse makes it impossible for victims to support themselves or their children, and for this reason, many victims cannot leave abusive relationships. Victims that do leave sometimes return for different reasons, including because they cannot financially support themselves.
Sonya Passi is the founder of FreeFrom, an organization working to break that cycle by helping survivors become financially independent.
“I started FreeFrom to move the domestic violence movement from this crisis-intervention focus to a long-term, survivor-driven healing process,” she told Mashable.
FreeFrom helps survivors win financial compensation, build and repair their credit, and start their own businesses. As an extension of their entrepreneurship program, FreeFrom launched Gifted by FreeFrom, an online store that sells products made by survivors and employs survivors to handle the packaging and shipping.
FreeFrom is also one of nearly 300 domestic violence nonprofits participating in the Allstate Foundation Purple Purse Challenge. The challenge raises funds to support services, such as financial aid and financial empowerment. To learn more about the challenge or the campaign, click here.
By the numbers, there is likely someone in your life who has faced, or is facing, domestic violence. You might not know who that person is, but there are ways you can show support for all survivors. Your advocacy just might help someone you love. It will also help countless women, men, and children you’ll never meet.
If you or someone you know has experienced domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or TTY 1-800-787-3224.
Daily Trends Hunter 
