Categories
Selected Articles

US intelligence official: It is unclear who succeeded Al-Qaeda leader

The succession of Al-Qaeda leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri, who was believed to have been killed in a US raid last year, remains unclear, a US intelligence official said on Tuesday, according to Reuters.

US President Joe Biden confirmed last August that Al-Zawahiri had been killed in a US air strike in Afghanistan.

Biden said he authorized the strike on “clear and convincing evidence” of Al-Zawahiri”s location, and added that none of Al-Zawahiri”s family members were hurt and there were no civilian casualties.

Reports said that Al-Zawahiri was killed by two missiles fired from a drone in the skies over his Kabul home.

The Taliban later claimed it has not found the body of al-Zawahiri and is continuing its investigations into the matter.

“The question for Al-Qaeda, that it has not answered for itself, is who follows (Zawahiri),” Christine Abizaid, director of the US National Counterterrorism Center, said on Tuesday in an event organized by the Washington Institute when asked about Al-Qaeda’s “center of gravity” after Zawahiri’s death.

Al-Qaeda has not named a successor, though Saif al-Adel, a mysterious, low-key former Egyptian special forces officer who is a high-ranking member of Al-Qaeda, is seen by experts as the top contender. The United States is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to his arrest.

Abizaid also said that Americans must remain vigilant about overseas-based extremist organizations such as Al-Qaeda and Islamic State.

“The online environment is where most of the radicalization is occurring,” she said, according to Reuters.

Lone actors remained a key threat for the United States, Abizaid said, adding they could be inspired by overseas extremist groups or be driven by racially and ethnically motivated violent domestic extremism.

Categories
Selected Articles

Rent price spiral shows some sign of slowing but apartments in hot demand, latest data shows theguardian.com/australia-news…

Rent price spiral shows some sign of slowing but apartments in hot demand, latest data shows theguardian.com/australia-news…
Categories
Audio Sources - Full Text Articles

“Fabelmans,“ “Banshees“ win top awards as Hollywood embraces Golden Globes

2023-01-11T04:33:00Z

Steven Spielberg’s “The Fabelmans” and dark comedy “The Banshees of Inisherin” landed the top movie awards at the Golden Globes on Tuesday as Hollywood returned to a show that had been knocked off television by scandal.

“The Fabelmans,” a coming-of-age story based on Spielberg’s teen years, was named best movie drama at the star-studded ceremony. “Banshees of Inisherin,” the story of feuding friends on an Irish island, won best movie musical or comedy.

The awards are likely to give both movies a boost on the road to the Academy Awards in March.

Celebrities and broadcaster NBC abandoned the 2022 Globes because of ethical lapses at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), the group that hands out the awards.

A larger, more diverse membership and other changes by the HFPA persuaded many of the biggest movie and TV stars to support this year’s ceremony, which provides publicity for winners and nominees and often boosts their chances at the Oscars.

The show unfolded largely as it had in years past, except for a biting monologue from comedian and host Jerrod Carmichael who opened the show joking, “I’m here because I’m black.”

“One day you’re making mint tea at home. The next day you’re invited to be the Black face of an embattled white organization,” he said at the ceremony, which was broadcast live on Comcast Corp’s (CMCSA.O) NBC network and streamed on Peacock.

Roughly 200 journalists and others from the international film industry voted on this year’s Globes. Among those voters, nearly 52% are racially and ethnically diverse, including 10% who are Black, according to the HFPA.

(This story has been refiled to restore a dropped word in the headline)

Related Galleries:

Steven Spielberg accepts the award for Best Director for “The Fabelmans” during the National Board of Review Awards Gala in New York City, New York, U.S., January 8, 2023. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly

Best Actor, Musical or Comedy, Colin Farrell, The Banshees of Inisherin holds an award on stage at the 80th Annual Golden Globe Awards® at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, CA, U.S., on Tuesday, January 10, 2023. Earl Gibson for the HFPA/© HFPA/Handout via REUTERS.

Michelle Yeoh poses with her award for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy Motion Picture for “Everything Everywhere All at Once” at the 80th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., January 10, 2023. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

Austin Butler poses with his award for Best Actor in a Drama Motion Picture for “Elvis” at the 80th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., January 10, 2023. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

Angela Bassett poses with her award for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture for “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” at the 80th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., January 10, 2023. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

Ke Huy Quan poses with his award for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture for “Everything Everywhere All at Once” at the 80th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., January 10, 2023. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

Quinta Brunson attends the 80th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., January 10, 2023. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni REFILE – CORRECTING ID – HP1EJ1B00UZ1R

Jennifer Coolidge attends the 80th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., January 10, 2023. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni – HP1EJ1B01H727

Austin Butler attends the 80th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., January 10, 2023. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni – HP1EJ1B02Z42B

Li Jun Li attends the 80th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., January 10, 2023. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni – HP1EJ1A1S6Q06

Angela Bassett attends the 80th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., January 10, 2023. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

The Annual Golden Globe Awards ceremony will be held on Tuesday in Beverly Hills, California, U.S. Photo taken on December 12, 2022. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

Actor Zoe Saldana arrives at the world premiere of ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ in London, Britain December 6, 2022. REUTERS/Toby Melville

Director James Cameron and his wife Suzy Amis Cameron arrive at the world premiere of ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ in London, Britain December 6, 2022. REUTERS/Toby Melville

Actor Austin Butler poses backstage after receiving the Breakthrough Performance Award at the 34th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards gala in Palm Springs, California, U.S., January 5, 2023. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni

Cast member and producer Tom Cruise speaks during a news conference to promote the film ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ at a hotel in Seoul, South Korea, June 20, 2022. REUTERS/Heo Ran
Categories
Audio Sources - Full Text Articles

Numbers drawn for new Mega Millions $1.1 billion jackpot

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Players, check your tickets. The numbers have been drawn for the latest Mega Millions jackpot, which now stands at an estimated $1.1 billion.

The numbers drawn late Tuesday night were: 7, 13, 14, 15, 18 and gold Mega Ball 9.

The grand prize is now the third-largest in U.S. history after 24 straight drawings without a winner, which has allowed the prize to repeatedly roll over.

Mega Millions normally requires a few hours before announcing whether or not there has been a grand prize winner.

The game’s long odds of 1 in 302.6 million are designed to create massive jackpots drawing more players.

The $1.1 billion jackpot would be paid out through an annuity over 29 years. Players who prefer money up front can opt for the cash payout that currently stands at an estimated $568.7 million, though more than a third of that would typically go to federal and possibly state taxes.

The only Mega Millions jackpots larger than the estimated $1.1 billion opportunity Tuesday have been the $1.53 billion won in South Carolina in 2018 and $1.33 billion winning ticket in Illinois in July, Mega Millions said.

Mega Millions is played in 45 states as well as in Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.