BH3, it should be noted, is not supermassive — thus not the most "massive" (in technical terms) in the galaxy. That would be Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way whose mass is about 4 million times that of the sun. BH3, on the other hand, is the most massive in its category of stellar black holes, which were created by the collapse of a star. The discovery promises to let astrophysicists study whether and how this nearby astronomical powerhouse may be pulling in matter from its surroundings.

“No one was expecting to find a high-mass black hole lurking nearby, undetected so far,” lead author Pasquale Panuzzo said in a Tuesday release. Panuzzo is an astronomer at the Observatoire de Paris, part of France's National Centre for Scientific Research, and a member of the collaboration of researchers working with data from the European Space Agency’s Gaia mission. It was in this data pool that the researchers spotted the strange pattern of BH3's companion star. Analyzing the pattern further, they realized the star was wobbling as if something were affecting its orbit. The impact soon became clear — and Gaia collaborators quickly mapped out the edges of their discovery.

"This is the kind of discovery you make once in your research life," Panuzzo said. To verify the findings, Gaia collaborators looked to an array of international astronomy data pools at other ground-based observatories — including the Ultraviolet and Visual Echelle Spectrograph instrument on ESO’s VLT in Chile, the HERMES spectrograph at the Mercator Telescope in Spain, the University of Geneva Observatory, and the SOPHIE high-precision spectrograph at the Observatoire de Haute-Provence in France. 

“We took the exceptional step of publishing this paper based on preliminary data ahead of the forthcoming Gaia release because of the unique nature of the discovery,” said co-author and Gaia collaboration member Elisabetta Caffau from the CNRS Observatoire de Paris. Caffau said an early public release on the data will let astronomers start studying BH3 right away. The team will also release the fuller data set in late 2025 at the earliest. 

Take a recent interaction between actor Hannah Waddingham and a red-carpet photographer at the Olivier Awards in London, for example. The Emmy-winning "Ted Lasso" star, who was hosting the theater awards at the Royal Albert Hall on Sunday for the second year in a row, swiftly upbraided a photographer for allegedly asking her to "show" her leg.

In a video that has since gone viral across the internet, the photographer's comment cannot be heard but Waddhingham's reproach rings loud and clear: “Oh my God, you’d never say that to a man, my friend.”

“Don’t be a d**k, otherwise I’ll move off," the actor, wearing a semi-sheer lilac gown adds, "Don’t say ‘show a little leg’. No.” As Waddingham began to walk away, some members of the surrounding crowd begin to cheer for her. “Have some manners," she says.

Numerous X/Twitter users took to the platform following the clip's circulation to weigh in. 

"Male photographer at Oliver Awards asking Hannah Waddingham to 'show leg' is lecherous stuff," one user wrote. "Men like this need their passes for these events to revoked. Women are not your objects to objectify and command to move as you see fit."

"The one thing we can all agree on is Hannah Waddingham's response to that pap? Right?" wrote another. 

Male photographer at Oliver Awards asking Hannah Waddingham to “show leg” is lecherous stuff. Men like this need their passes for these events to revoked. Women are not your objects to objectify and command to move as you see fit.pic.twitter.com/56DJyWjGf0

— David Challen (@David_Challen) April 15, 2024

Unfortunately, the objectification and sexualization of women — especially by people trying to service their own benefit, such as a slimy photographer trying to elicit a product entirely predicated on the desires of the male gaze — is a tale as old as time. 

Why are we even asking women these questions? Yes, this was a photographer and not a journalist, but surely a comment pertaining to her upcoming projects would have garnered not only a positive reaction but likely a wide-smile and confident pose.

Why is there a longstanding pattern in which women are consistently asked to address their womanhood, in a way that men are not? 

Certainly, a culture steeped in sexism plays a large role. But I'll indulge in a moment of playing devil's advocate. On the one hand, certain dresses — especially at red carpet-events — are structured to be displayed in certain poses. Plunging backless styles, diaphanous, ultra-sheer slips, a là '90s Kate Moss — and lest we forget Angelina Jolie's 2012 Academy Awards outfit of choice: a black velvet Atelier Versace dress with a thigh-high slit that propelled Jolie's right leg into internet stardom and the cultural canon. These styles encapsulate the term "statement piece," for good reason, as they are meant to showcase the beauty and artistry not only of the garment but also of its wearer. 

And yet, even though the "Game of Thrones" alum's dress did have a slit, her comments are still valid. As one X user, ostensibly responding to critics of Waddingham's sharp response, pointed out, it has "absolutely nothing to do with whether your legs can be seen or not."

"It's about the absolute FACT that no one has a right to demand anything of your body. #HannahWaddingham."

While some may make the valid argument that male celebrities often don suits — which are both more modest in style and typically less embellished than awards-worthy dresses — and therefore they aren't asked to expose parts of their anatomy, the dichotomy of what we expect from our female versus male stars is nonetheless stilted.

More than that, perhaps, is the issue underlying the humanity of it all. Feeling emboldened to address people however we please,— especially if it's done in a way that in a way that makes them uncomfortable — is not a collective trait we should continue to emulate. Rather than speaking in a manner that's devoid of inward reflection and critical thinking, a better approach would be to commit ourselves to the old proverbial saying, "Think before you speak."

In a spate of court filings submitted just hours before the midnight deadline, Trump indicated that the bond Knight Specialty Insurance Company secured is backed by his Charles Schwab account, which contains more than $175 million in cash, CNN reports. Knight Specialty can take over the Schwab account, and any risk it assumes is also fully covered by its parent company, a joint memorandum filed by Trump's attorneys said. 

“The DJT Trust granted KSIC a security interest in a Schwab brokerage account, in which the DJT Trust is obligated to maintain no less than $175 million in cash or cash equivalents at all times,” read an affirmation filed in support of the bond by Gregory Serio, a former superintendent of insurance for New York state.

“KSIC also has a standing agreement with its parent company, Knight Insurance Company, Ltd. (‘KIC’), by which KIC reinsures 100% of KSIC’s risk,” added Serio, who is a partner of government consulting firm Park Strategies. “The $175 million bond at issue is adequately secured.”

But Trump's latest set of filings "doesn't address" the concerns with the bond, Gregory Germain, a Syracuse University College of Law professor, told Salon. The notion that the former president's "reimbursement obligation to the insurance company," that he alleges is secured in the account, sufficiently satisfies the bonding requirement is "simply incorrect," he said. 

"The insurance company must have sufficient capitalization and liquidity to immediately pay the bond amount if the judgment is affirmed, and the insurance company they utilized does not have that capacity," Germain explained, noting that Knight Specialty's parent company "appears" to have enough capital to assure payment of the bond. If Knight Insurance was "acting as a co-surety, the court might accept it."

"But instead of addressing the case properly, Trump has made absurd arguments to support the validity of the bond and has demanded sanctions, which is typical of his blustering and attacking way of handling his cases," Germain added. "Unless Trump provides sufficient surety and stops playing games, the Court will and should determine that the bond is insufficient and allow the attorney general to enforce the judgment."

Monday's filings came in response to Attorney General Letitia James challenging the financial ability of Knight Specialty to "justify the surety" earlier this month.

James' office questioned if the company was authorized to underwrite a surety bond in the state and whether it lacked a certificate from the state regulatory body attesting that it's qualified. She gave the company and the former president 10 days to submit filings showing they could financially support the bond. Experts previously told Salon that James could begin the process of seizing Trump's assets if they failed to meet her deadline. 

The company's initial bond filing's missing components and other errors prompted the New York court clerks to order it to refile its bond posting earlier this month, which Knight Specialty did the day after.

The insurer — based in California and registered in Delaware — does not have a license to issue bonds in New York or have the necessary certificate of qualification from the state Department of Financial Services, which Germain notes are required by New York insurance law. Company officials have insisted, however, that they are still authorized to issue the bond. 

Also of concern was Knight Specialty admitting that it only had $138 million in surplus capital in an April 4 filing. New York law prohibits a company from providing a bond to a single borrower that amounts to more than 10 percent of its surplus capital, which would require the company to have $1.75 billion in surplus to cover Trump's bond, experts previously told Salon.

On Monday Knight Specialty said it "independently maintains more than $539 million in assets and $138 million in equity and has access to more than $2 billion in assets and $1 billion in equity, of which nearly $1 billion is cash and marketable securities, pursuant to a reinsurance agreement with its parent company, Knight Insurance Company."

While the company's flurry of late-night filings "appears to move the ball towards assuring the AG that the bond is secure," it also "raises many new questions," former Assistant New York Attorney General Adam Pollock told Salon. 

One arises from the parent company appearing to have "adequate capitalization" without having "authority to do business in New York or to issue surety bonds," Germain pointed out. "The question, I think, is whether that reinsurance would clearly and unconditionally apply and require KIC to pay the bond, and whether the AG would be able to enforce that reinsurance commitment if KSIC was unable to pay," he said.

Another question revolves around the Charles Schwab account Trump pledged to Knight Specialty. "If Trump has $175M free and clear, why not just directly post it and not pay a fee for a surety bond?" former Mueller prosecutor Andrew Weissmann wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

The account holds $175,304,075.95 in cash, according to Trump's lawyers. His eldest son authorized the agreement on behalf of the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust last month, providing the company with a security interest over the brokerage account. 

Something’s fishy here. If Trump has $175M free and clear, why not just directly post it and not pay a fee for a surety bond? And the agreement does not give Knight a lien on the account as collateral and seems to afford Trump a two-day window to dissipate the account. https://t.co/sK7xTEloVC

— Andrew Weissmann (weissmann11 on Threads)🌻 (@AWeissmann_) April 16, 2024

A "simple answer" to the latter question, Pollock said, could be that Trump is "earning interest" on the money, which would screech to a halt should he use it to post his bond. Trump's apparent decision to not put up the money himself "also raises the question of whether the collateral is double-pledged to secure another obligation," he said.

Doing so would make the account "unavailable then as true collateral for the surety bond," Weissmann added. 

I suspect he does not have the Schwab cash account money free and clear (Ie it’s used to secure other debt) and so he can’t post it. And it is also unavailable then as true collateral for the surety bond.

— Andrew Weissmann (weissmann11 on Threads)🌻 (@AWeissmann_) April 16, 2024

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This Schwab account appears to be different from another Schwab account Trump used as collateral when he obtained a $92 million bond through Chubb's Federal Insurance Co. earlier this year to cover the $83.3 million verdict of writer E. Jean Carroll 's defamation lawsuit against him, The Daily Beast notes. 

The former president, Germain said, appears to be "trying to use an incapable insurance company as a front to avoid meeting the statutory requirement," but "it's not going to work."

Presiding Judge Arthur Engoron tentatively scheduled a hearing to hash out the bonding issue for April 22, which Trump's lawyers argued Monday is not needed. Pollock countered, however, that not only is the hearing necessary, it will also need to be "detailed" to effectively "sort out whether this bond actually secures the judgement."

The court, Germain said, will have to determine whether Knight Insurance's reinsurance makes the parent company's capital "immediately available" to Knight Specialty if the $175 million bond has to be paid to ensure "prompt payment."

"The AG has valid reasons for questioning the validity of a bond posted by an out-of-state insurer without a certificate from the Insurance department, and having inadequate capitalization to cover the bond," he added. "I am also somewhat doubtful that a reinsurance policy would so clearly cover a default on a surety bond."

Take for example the white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum), which can be divided into two sub-species that are genetically very similar — but one is relatively thriving while the other is on the brink of extinction.

Scientists using state-of-the-art genetics technology hope to change that — and their recent research published in the journal Evolutionary Applications suggests they might be able to pull it off.

Such a feat would not be unprecedented. The southern white rhinoceroses, which is currently the most abundant rhinoceros species in the world, had been culled down to a population of merely 50 to 200 individuals in the early 20th century. Thanks to rigorous conservation efforts, however, the southern white rhinoceros population had rebounded to roughly 20,000 individuals by 2014 (a surge in poaching around that time has since reduced their population to roughly 18,000).

The southern white rhinoceros' cousin, however, faces a much more dire situation. At the time of this writing, there are only two females from the northern white rhinoceros species that are still alive. Even if there was a male around, it would not matter, since both females are past the age when they can carry a fetus to term. Poaching, poorly managed land use and other human activities have taken a massive toll.

While a few decades ago this would have entirely doomed the species, cutting edge advances in genetics technology may offer them salvation. Dr. Aryn P. Wilder — a conservation scientist at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance — decided to study genetic samples from 12 northern white rhinoceroses that had cytogenetically frozen at the San Diego Zoo. Much to her delight, Wilder found that those dozen samples contain enough genetic diversity that one could resurrect them from functional extinction.

Indeed, not only is there enough diversity to allow rhinoceroses to be reproduced through cloning, but the samples from northern white rhinoceroses are actually more diverse than those of the southern white rhinoceroses. This means that if scientists are able to bring them back, they will be less likely to encounter a genetic bottleneck, in which individual animals are born unhealthy because their parents are too closely related to each other.

Salon spoke with Wilder about this uplifting news, as well as the practical steps that need to be taken next to save northern white rhinoceroses.

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Can you explain how your technology was able to determine that there is enough genetic diversity within these 12 samples to avoid a genetic bottleneck?

We sequenced the genomes of individuals from both species, northern white rhinos and southern white rhinos. When you sequence the genome, you can actually measure the amount of genetic diversity in each of those genomes. And we know that the southern white rhino was able to recover without too much inbreeding. So we used southern white rhinos as a benchmark or metric of a healthy enough population. And so then we asked, "Well, do the cells that we have banked in the frozen zoo, do they have enough genetic diversity to recover in a similar way?"

What we found was that, yes, the northern white rhinos actually have more genetic diversity in their genomes than the southern white rhinos, so we know then that they at least have adequate levels of genetic diversity. The other thing that we wanted to look at was harmful mutations in the genome. So we can actually look at genetic variants in the genome or mutations in the genome, and predict how harmful they might be. If those mutations are in a gene that encodes a protein, we can predict what the protein will look like, and we know that if a mutation causes a change in that protein, it's more likely to be harmful.

We can also look across lots of mammals in other mammal species. If we find that that mutation is very rare or doesn't exist in any other mammal species, and every other mammal species has the same genetic variant, then we would infer that that mutation is actually really important, or that that position is really important in any change to that position and is likely harmful.

Then we counted up all of the mutations in the northern white rhino genome that were harmful and did the same in the southern white rhino, and then modeled over time what those mutations would do in a restored population and whether those harmful mutations would accumulate and cause fitness declines that made the northern white rhino's fitness lower than the southern white rhino.

Then in order to predict what those mutations would do when a northern white rhino population is restored from banked cells in the frozen zoo, we used genomic simulations and we said, "Okay, well if we were to take eight of those individuals from the frozen zoo, clone them and start a population of over 10 generations, what would that look like? What would fitness look like in generation 1, 2, 3 and all the way through generation 10?"

And then we also modeled taking those same eight individuals, starting the population in generation zero, and then every generation after that we introduced one new cell line into — or one new cloned individual back into — the population. Basically modeling this regenerative source of genetic diversity, or this bank of genetic diversity that we have in the frozen zoo, and we found that the populations that had founders reintroduced every generation, they did much better. They didn't suffer any fitness declines like the ones that were just founded once in generation zero and then allowed to to from there over the next 10 generations.

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What are the next steps now that this technology has demonstrated to work? 

What these models have shown is that the source of genetic diversity that we have in these cells is enough to restore a healthy population. But in order to restore a healthy population, we need to be able to use these cell lines and actually clone northern white rhino embryos, or create northern white rhino sperm and eggs that then we can use for in vitro fertilization to make an embryo from there.

We need to implant the embryo into a southern white rhino surrogate mother, and she needs to carry her baby to term, and then critically we need to have a habitat that we can release these rhinos into in the wild. They need to have all of the protections that should have been given to them before their population was reduced to just two females. They need to have protection from poaching. They need to have adequate space and healthy habitats for them to live in. 

Do you have any personal stories of interactions you've had with rhinos through your research?

Well, we do have a herd of southern white rhinos here. I've actually never interacted with the northern white rhino because by the time I started at the zoo, there were only three left. There was a male, but he passed away a few years ago. Now it's just the two left. But from what I've seen of the southern white rhinos, the closely related subspecies, they're a very gentle and sweet species. That's not to say that that in the wild they'll be gentle and sweet with you, but I've seen the moms with their babies, and the babies wallowing in the mud, and they're really a unique species — doing our best to preserve them is really our moral obligation.

I want to emphasize again that these new sorts of cellular technologies are only one tool in the toolbox. We still need to to use all of the traditional conservation methods that we've always used. Like I said before, we still need to protect these species and their habitats. We can't just expect that these methods are sufficient to save a species and to end the extinction crisis. This is just one tool in the toolbox, and the reason we have this tool for this species is because we thought ahead to bank these cells. There are increasing efforts to create these biobanks of living cells so that we can have this genetic material for the future. I think that banking species, even before banking cells from species, even before they suffer these really severe declines, is going to be a really critical resource for the future.

Malcolm LaVergne, who represented Simpson since 2009 until his death, told the Hollywood Reporter that he takes back his comments to the Las Vegas Review-Journal that he would fight to prevent the payout of the $33.5 million awarded to the families of Simpson’s ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ron Goldman after their deaths. 

At the time, LaVergne said he specifically wanted Ron's father Fred Goldman to receive “zero — nothing” of Simpson’s estate. Fred has been battling for justice for his son since the 1997 civil trial verdict. Two years ago, Fred told the publication that he had not received any payments from Simpson. He said the total is raised by 10 percent every year. 

In a conversation with THR, LaVergne walked back his statement, “I can tell you in advance, Fred Goldman’s claim will be accepted. And his claim will be handled in accordance with Nevada law."

“Within an hour of knowing that O.J. died, he started talking s**t. My advocate instinct is, was, ‘Oh, you’re gonna keep s****ing on him even after he’s dead?’” he said. “’Fine, you know? You get nothing.’ And so, those were my remarks then. But I backtracked, and they were pretty harsh remarks. And now I’m going in the other direction.”

In court Tuesday, Trump was reprimanded by Judge Juan Merchan while his lawyer was questioning a potential juror during the selection process. “Trump was audibly saying something and gesturing in front of the jury,” the BBC reported.

“I won’t tolerate that,” Merchan said in court. “I will not have any jurors intimidated in this courtroom. I want to make that crystal clear.”

Merchan advised Trump’s lawyer, Todd Blanche, to make sure his client understood.

After Blanche gave the defendant his required “talking-to,” The New York Times reported that “Trump looks furious.”

Such behavior, going forward, could be incredibly costly for Trump now that he's facing trial over allegations he falsified business records to cover up an alleged affair with an adult film star.

“Unlike in the court of public opinion, where Trump’s bluster and bullying may help win supporters and cause some to cower, when court is in session, the rules of evidence and procedure kick in,” Ryan Brescia, an associate dean at Albany Law School, wrote this week in The Daily Beast. "The same tactics that might give Trump some public relations wins do not really work in court. In fact, they often backfire.”

The name of the restaurant, which means “without light” in Ancient Greek, makes reference to the sublayer of the ocean where light stops penetrating. “This name was chosen both for its literal take – describing the dark ocean where many of our fish come from — and also from the philosophical perspective that acts as a motivator for us,” Hemsley said. “To seek out the unknown in our oceans through dialogue, relationships, and through culinary ingenuity."

This ethos is reflected in the design of the dark, foreboding restaurant space, with arched eves reminiscent of an upturned boat and bathrooms completely decorated with hand-picked driftwood from the short, resulting in a “moody ambience” that Hemsley says “plays into the theatrical impression that one is at the bottom of the ocean.” 

But the ways in which Aphotic is distinct from other fine dining restaurants aren’t just superficial. Hemsley has focused the restaurant’s service, design and dishes towards battling food waste — a prevalent issue in an industry where 85% of unused food is thrown out. 

Many would consider Hemsley a leader in nationwide sustainability efforts as Aphotic is one of only a few restaurants to be awarded a Michelin Green Star, a new designation that was launched in 2020 to recognize restaurants that uphold outstanding eco-friendly culinary practices.

“Chef Peter Hemsley takes full advantage of California's coastal bounty, sourcing exceptional seafood from small sustainable purveyors and utilizing techniques like dry aging and fermentation to maximum effect,” the Michelin Guide writes. “The kitchen’s creativity is displayed in dishes like thinly shaved Monterey abalone with swordfish ‘bacon’ and citrusy dashi broth, as well as a warm bread course paired with a curry-scented hollandaise loaded with sweet Dungeness crab.” 

Hemsley isn’t convinced Aphotic is doing enough yet, saying that receiving the designation doesn’t necessarily sit well with him. "So much of our operation is wasteful beyond our control," he said. 

However, his approach to seafood is uniquely sustainable. Eighty-five percent of seafood consumed in the United States comes from international waters.

“This is due to the market demand for fresh fish, which is flying in the face of local and federal protection of our coastlines,” Hemsley said. “I chose to eschew international fish — even though the quality can be better from Japanese overnight markets that allocate the best fish in the world — because I believe it is a better way to work. "

He continued: "My desire to build a better seafood restaurant came from a legitimate frustration of being a seaboard chef and operator, and not being able to know where my fish was coming from. I made it my business to get to the bottom of this issue, met best practice fishermen along the way, and in the process became the only restaurant in the Bay Area to actively transparent lines of connection to seafood products on our menu."

Hemsley is also a proponent of another particular form of ocean-based sustainability, working with Spotlight, an oil derived from algae. 

“When deprived of light and fed a diet of sucrose in fermentation conditions, this algal strain converts that sucrose into fat, lipids, or algal fat – oil,” he said. 

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The resulting oil has a higher smoke point than grapeseed oil, is immune from the farming-intensive practices of seed oils, which require tons of water and space, and carries similar health stats to plant-based oils. In addition to using Spotlight in the deep fryers , Hemsley is also "currently working on infusing the oil with dried Dulse for a seaweed driven pasta on the next menu," adding that "this dish would sort of be a micro/macro science-driven dish with farmed seaweeds and algae oil as the highlight." 

Furthermore, even the bar team is working with "fat washes in algae oil" for cocktails.

Of course, putting together (and executing) the menu of a fine dining, Michelin-starred restaurant is not a simple task. I inquired about some of the imaginative, standout menu items — like Swordfish bacon, parmesan foam, steamed crab head bun, skate cheek karaage, spot prawn mortadella, and of course the oyster ice cream, which Hemsley estimates about 5 to 10% of guests dislike “even though there is nothing wrong about it.” 

“It's thought provoking and delicious, though admittedly strange,” he said. “We could easily have opted for a fruit-based dessert starter, or the ubiquitous chocolate that everyone likes – but that would not be very true to our mission in food, nor would it be a reason to ‘make a special detour,’ the Michelin statement for a 3-star space." 

He continued: “I challenge myself and [my] team to come up with novel flavors and dishes. This is the hard work of what we are doing beyond the painstaking curation of our fishy ingredients, and managing a busy 1 Michelin starred restaurant. This is what we have earned our reputation for, and what drives people to us.”

Hemsley's intentional, mindful directives and leadership at Aphotic can hopefully reverberate throughout the industry, with products like Spotlight and more sustainability-minded decisions being made daily in the food realm.

Merchan, who is presiding over Trump's criminal trial in Manhattan, actually suggested that the Republican candidate could attend his son's May 17 graduation, provided that the case is on track.

“It really depends on how we’re doing on time and where we are in the trial," Merchan said Monday, as the Associated Press reported.

But Trump did not let the facts get in the way of a rant on TruthSocial, where on Monday evening he bemoaned his “unfair” treatment. In a 172-word complaint, Trump resorted to name-calling and lamented the “fake” and “bogus ‘Biden Case." The former president anchored his outrage by appealing to his followers’ pathos, asking how they would explain the predicament to his 18-year-old son, who is “a GREAT Student at a fantastic school.”

Trump's misleading claims were echoed by his other son, Donald Trump Jr., who likewise stoked right-wing outrage. "Pure evil," the younger Trump posted on X. Eric Trump also chimed in, calling Merchan “truly heartless in not letting a father attend his son’s graduation.”

Like any other criminal defendant, Trump could face arrest should he miss or disrupt the court proceedings, as Merchan reminded him on Monday. The former president is accused of falsifying business records to cover up a hush payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. Daniels alleges that she had an affair with Trump in 2006, a few months after Barron was born to his wife, Melania.

Amid rising frustrations among conservatives with the speaker’s proposed aid package, Massie became the first Republican to openly embrace Greene’s effort to force a vote on Johnson's ouster sometime in the near future.

Other far-right Republicans say they are open to the idea. Pennsylvania Rep. Scott Perry, for example, said he is willing to consider Johnson’s ouster if the supplemental passes by the end of the week. Perry said that, within the GOP ranks, “there’s always an alternative.” 

But many Republicans also fear a repeat of the Kevin McCarthy saga, when another far-right rebellion cost a House Speaker their job.

Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, who has been proposed by some members of the far-right Freedom Caucus as a potential alternative to Johnson, said he does not support ousting the current speaker over his foreign aid package. “We don't need that, no way. We don't want that. We shouldn't go through that again. That's a bad idea,” Jordan said.

“You are not going to get a majority of votes for any new person,” added Rep. Garret Graves, a close ally of former Speaker McCarthy.

Those seeking to remove Johnson will ever better odds come Friday, when the GOP caucus loses Rep. Mike Gallagher to an early retirement, further reducing its narrow majority. At that point, Johnson — who has boasted of support from former President Donald Trump — might have to lean on Democrats to save his job.

During a press conference Tuesday after the GOP conference, Johnson batted down any questions about his ouster, calling the idea that he would resign “an absurd notion.”

Privately, however, Republicans are expressing concern that there will be another embarrassing fight for control over the GOP caucus.

"Folks are very discouraged," one GOP member of Congress told Politico's Olivia Beavers. "We are screwed."

In an interview with the Evening Standard, the former lead singer of the rock band Hole didn't mince words when talking about the multiple Grammy-winning artist, who will release her anticipated 11th studio album "The Tortured Poets Department" on Friday, April 19.

When discussing women at the top of pop music charts and culture, Love said, "Taylor is not important. She might be a safe space for girls, and she’s probably the Madonna of now, but she’s not interesting as an artist."

Swift's representatives did not respond to a request to comment, Variety reported.

Then the singer also blasted Madonna, saying, “I don’t like her and she doesn’t like me. I loved ‘Desperately Seeking Susan,’ but for the city of New York as much as her.”

Additionally, Love criticized Beyoncé, another artist like Swift who continues to smash records while holding a pulse on pop culture. Love praised Beyoncé's new country album “Cowboy Carter” for its significance but not for its actual music.

“I like the idea of Beyoncé doing a country record because it’s about Black women going into spaces where previously only white women have been allowed, not that I like it much,” she said. “As a concept, I love it. I just don’t like her music."

“Meghan finds the name American Riviera Orchard perfect. It feels authentic to her. She can’t wait for the website to launch,” the source added. “She is excited about her latest, personal venture. This is something she’s been wanting to do for a while. She is excited to share her style and things that she loves.”

American Riviera Orchard honors Santa Barbara, the California town where Meghan and Prince Harry currently reside with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. “American Riviera” is a nickname for the Santa Barbara area, while the name of the family’s neighborhood, Montecito, is included below the American Riviera Orchard’s logo.

According to People, Meghan is pursuing trademarks for exclusive rights to sell cosmetic products, home décor, stationery, linens, small kitchen appliances, condiments, yoga equipment, gardening gear, pet accessories and more under the American Riviera Orchard name.

The recent product announcement comes only a few days after Meghan and Harry announced two new TV productions from their Archewell Productions company, in partnership with Netflix. One series, featuring Meghan, will “celebrate the joys of cooking and gardening, entertaining and friendship,” while the other will “provide viewers unprecedented access to the world of professional polo, a sport Harry has played for years."

Per a Wall Street Journal report published Saturday, Amazon’s Wickedly Prime, launched in 2016, sought to compete with Trader Joe’s by replicating the top 200 items sold at the fan-favorite store. Wickedly Prime specifically targets “foodies,” offering Amazon Prime members “a line of seriously tasty food and beverages,” the brand noted in its Instagram bio. A few of its products include coconut toffee roasted cashews, organic seaweed snacks and garlic mustard aioli.

Amazon hired a former senior manager from Trader Joe’s snack foods division, who allegedly was told only after being recruited that her job role was to help create a product line for Wickedly Prime. Data concerning Trader Joe’s store products is not readily accessible, according to the Journal. So in order to acquire that information, an Amazon manager repeatedly tormented the ex-Trader Joe’s employee — who remains unnamed in the report — for six months, demanding she send over store data along with emails and documents she received while working with the grocer. The employee eventually succumbed to the pressure and handed over the data along with all the requested documents to the manager.

The Amazon manager also reportedly hounded the ex-Trader Joe’s employee for data on the margins of each product. When the employee refused, the manager yelled at her, saying, “You have to give us the data!” according to a source who witnessed the interaction and recalled it to the Journal.

The manager and other employees on the team distributed the data they had gathered and brainstormed ways they could use it to their advantage, per the Journal. However, their efforts were cut short after another Amazon employee reported the misuse of Trader Joe’s data to Amazon’s legal department.

“We do not condone the misuse of proprietary confidential information, and thoroughly investigate any reports of employees doing so and take action, which may include termination,” an Amazon spokesperson told Business Insider.

The employees who accessed and used the data were fired, the Journal reported.

Amazon’s recent tussle with Trader Joe’s underscores the severe lengths the corporation will take to compete with major grocery companies. In 2015, Amazon approached several private-label food companies, including TreeHouse Foods, in anticipation of launching its own line of food and household products. The corporation also filed for trademark protection in more than 20 product categories, including milk, coffee, soup, pasta, and water, as well as household products such as razors and cleaners.

Amazon also acquired Whole Foods for $13.7 billion in 2017 and immediately began cutting costs. Enticed by the new low prices, customers from other grocery chains quickly flocked to Whole Foods, according to a report by alternative data intelligence firm Thasos Group, which analyzed mobile phone location data. Specifically, almost 10% of regular Trader Joe’s customers defected to Whole Foods the first week after the Amazon acquisition.

In 2020, Amazon opened its first Amazon Fresh grocery store to the public.

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As for Trader Joe’s, the beloved grocery chain was accused of ripping off smaller food brands, according to a recent investigation from food publication Taste. Such brands also asserted the chain approached them under the guise of doing a deal, only to abandon them, copy their products and claim said products as their own.

Earlier this year, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) — an independent federal agency tasked with protecting the rights of private sector employees — accused Trader Joe’s of “illegally retaliating against workers, firing a union supporter and spreading false information in an effort to chill an organizing campaign,” HuffPost reported. In response, the grocer’s legal team mounted a sweeping defense, arguing that the agency is “unconstitutional.”

Trader Joe’s joins Starbucks as well as Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Amazon, which have all filed legal papers in hopes of shutting down the NLRB for good.

“Mr. Trump appeared to nod off a few times, his mouth going slack and his head drooping onto his chest,” Haberman wrote Monday.

Haberman went onto CNN later on Monday to explain that the fatigue of a courtroom spares no one, including jurors and judges, but she added that if a criminal defendant falls asleep it has to be reported. 

Shortly after her report on his nap was published, Haberman told CNN that Trump glared at her in the courtroom, describing it as a "pretty specific stare" seemingly because he didn’t like that she made his Monday morning siesta public knowledge.  

“I think that having to sit there and be captive while we all report on him is going to be deeply uncomfortable for him because he is somebody who likes to control things,” Haberman said.

On Tuesday, during his second day in a Manhattan court for his hush money trial, Trump appeared to be tired again.

"Trump is periodically leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes, only to shift his weight moments later," NBC News noted in its live coverage. "It is difficult to say whether he has fallen asleep or is resting his eyes."

“I encourage people who get stuck behind the pro-Hamas mobs blocking traffic: take matters into your own hands to get them out of the way,” Cotton wrote Monday evening on X, where he has over 500,000 followers. “It's time to put an end to this nonsense.”

After Cotton's post garnered critical attention, he posted a video the next morning showing a man dragging protesters blocking traffic in San Francisco from the street to the curb, writing: "How it should be done."

As in 2020, Cotton is using the platform available to him to inflame — to pour "gasoline on the fire," as the News Guild of New York, a union representing many Times journalists, phrased it following his Op-Ed.

Amid the war in Gaza and protests over U.S. support for Israel, Cotton is again offering incitement.

The danger is real. While Cotton’s instructions are open to interpretation, there is a history of drivers violently assaulting protesters who block traffic. For example, in 2017, Heather D. Heyer was killed at a rally in Charlottesville, Va., by a white supremacist who intentionally slammed into her while she was in the street.

The motion highlights Trump's posts about potential star witness Michael Cohen. In one of his posts on Truth Social, Trump referred to Cohen and a former prosecutor in the Manhattan district attorney’s office as “thugs.” Judge Juan Merchan said he would hold a hearing to consider the prosecutor’s request on April 24.  

The motion notes that the April 1 gag order imposed on Trump prohibits him from "[m]aking or directing others to make public statements about known or reasonably foreseeable witnesses concerning their potential participation in the investigation or in this criminal proceeding".

Prosecutors working under Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg argue that Trump clearly violated those terms when he attacked not just Cohen, his former personal attorney, but Stormy Daniels, the adult film star who alleges that she had an affair with the former president.

The contempt motion notes that the ban on such attacks is part of "lawful order expressing an unequivocal mandate," which Trump expressly violated.

The prosecutors are seeking $1,000, the maximum financial sanction, for each post that violates the gag order.