Susan Rice to Step Down: Susan Rice Resigns from White House Role

Susan Rice, who served as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, has resigned from her role in the White House. Rice had assisted the Biden administration in expanding the Affordable Care Act, getting his Inflation Reduction Act passed, and pushing for gun control legislation.

Her resignation comes as the White House faces controversy over its handling of migrant children who crossed the Southern border.

In a statement announcing Rice’s departure, President Joe Biden praised her as a history-making public servant, citing her unique role as both National Security Advisor and Domestic Policy Advisor. He also praised her for her leadership, urgency, tenacity, bias towards action, and results, as well as for her integrity, humility, and humor.

Rice’s resignation leaves a significant gap in the White House’s top ranks, as it prepares for a likely re-election campaign and a showdown with congressional Republicans over raising the debt limit. According to four people with knowledge of the deliberations, Neera Tanden, a senior adviser and Biden’s staff secretary, is among those being considered to replace Rice. However, a top White House official has stated that no replacement has been identified yet.

Judy Farrell, ‘MASH’ Actress, Dies at 83

Judy Farrell, known for her role as Nurse Able on the hit television series “MASH,” passed away on Sunday morning after spending nine days in the hospital following a stroke. Farrell’s son, Michael Farrell, confirmed the news to The Times.

Fellow “MASH” actress Loretta Swit, who played Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan, expressed her condolences to Entertainment Weekly, saying, “Judy was a most beautiful woman — inside and out. We grew up together. She was family. This has been a painful loss, but we will always have the beauty of her memory. Rest in peace, Nurse Able.”

Farrell appeared in eight episodes of “MASH,” which aired from 1972 to 1983 and followed the lives of doctors and support staff at the fictional 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital during the Korean War. The show remains a beloved classic and is considered one of the highest-rated television series of all time, earning critical acclaim and a devoted fan base. With her passing, Farrell leaves behind a legacy of excellent television work and fond memories for fans and colleagues alike.

Biggest Black Hole Discovered: Enormous Black Hole 30 Billion Times Larger Than Sun

Scientists have made a remarkable discovery of an enormous black hole that is 30 billion times larger than our sun, located in the depths of the universe, hundreds of millions of light-years away.

According to a study published on Wednesday in the peer-reviewed journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, this ultra-massive black hole may be one of the largest black holes ever to have been discovered.

James Nightingale, a study author from Durham University’s Department of Physics, said, “Even as an astronomer, I find it hard to comprehend how big this thing is.” This black hole may remain one of the largest holes ever detected because physicists believe that black holes can’t grow much larger than that.

The discovery is an exciting one, and Nightingale said, “This particular black hole, which is roughly 30 billion times the mass of our sun, is one of the biggest ever detected and on the upper limit of how large we believe black holes can theoretically become, so it is an extremely exciting discovery.

Minnesota Attorney General leads state’s case against Juul Labs over unlawful targeting of kids

Juul Labs faced accusations from Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison on Tuesday, who personally opened the state’s case against the e-cigarette maker. Ellison accused Juul of using attractive flavors, clever ads, and slick products to hook children on nicotine, seeking over $100 million in damages.

Minnesota claims that Juul targeted young people to get a new generation addicted to nicotine, reversing the state’s work to decrease youth smoking rates. Juul has faced numerous lawsuits, with most settling outside of court.

However, Minnesota won a landmark $7.1 billion settlement with the tobacco industry in 1998 and added Altria, which formerly owned a minority stake in Juul, as a co-defendant in 2020. Juul’s attorney, David Bernick, claimed that Juul’s purpose was to convert adult smokers to a less-dangerous product, not to attract kids.

He argued that e-cigarettes are somewhere in between safe and deadly and that Juul did nothing to intentionally drive youth demand. Bernick promised jurors an “intense and interesting” trial.

Taylor Swift Fans Sue Ticketmaster Over Chaotic Eras Tour Ticket Sales, Fans Take Ticketmaster To Court

In Los Angeles on Monday, fans of Taylor Swift attended a court hearing to confront Ticketmaster over its mishandling of online sales for the pop star’s latest tour. The ticketing giant and its parent company, Live Nation, are facing a lawsuit from Swifties across the United States filed in December, alleging “unlawful conduct” during the tour’s chaotic ticket sale.

The plaintiffs claim that Ticketmaster violated antitrust laws, among other allegations. Today’s hearing focused on procedural arguments and class action status. While the defense did not request class action, they reserved the right to do so. The plaintiffs are seeking a minimum of $2,500 in damages each from Ticketmaster. However, lead plaintiff Julie Barfuss of Salt Lake City stated that the case is about providing everyday fans with better opportunities to see their favorite performers.

Barfuss recounted her own struggle to obtain tickets, having attempted to purchase them 41 times on the first day of the sale, only to be repeatedly kicked out of the queue and confronted with errors. She then spent several more hours on the second day, finally managing to get through, only to find that the tickets she wanted were priced at $1,400.

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