TV News LIES

The 1974 Carnation Revolution in Portugal that overthrew the country's dictatorship and led to independence for its African colonies was sparked off by the airing of Portugal's Eurovision entry for that year, E depois do adeus ("And After the Farewell"), by Paulo de Carvalho.

In 2009, authorities in Azerbaijan interrogated 43 people after they voted for Armenia's entry in the contest that year, while Ukraine and Russia regularly jibed at each other over the latter's invasion until Russia was expelled in 2022.

But arguably the biggest political controversy in the contest has been around Israel's participation since the beginning of the genocide in Gaza in October 2023.

"For me, this is first and foremost about the devastating humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and the enormous loss of civilian lives," Emmelie de Forest, winner of the 2013 Eurovision song contest, told Middle East Eye.

"But it’s also about what it means when cultural institutions try to completely separate themselves from political reality. I don’t think music exists outside the world around us."

More...

The Hungarian Parliament held its inaugural session on Saturday, May 9, ushering in a new political era as the Tisza party, led by Péter Magyar, officially took control of the legislature and formed a new government., 444 reported.

The session saw the Tisza party exercise its new absolute majority to elect Ágnes Forsthoffer as the Speaker of Parliament. In her first act in the role, Forsthoffer ordered the European Union flag to be re-displayed on the parliament building – an ornament that had been removed by the previous administration 12 years ago.

Following the confirmation of his 16-ministry cabinet, Péter Magyar took the oath of office and delivered his first address as Prime Minister. He stated that his administration had received a mandate from the Hungarian people to “open a new chapter” and lead the country into a “freer, more humane, and more hopeful era.”

“We promise to ensure that what unites us is stronger than what divides us,” Magyar told the assembly. Outside the parliament, the central square was reported to be packed with thousands of citizens who gathered to mark the end of the “Orbán era.”

More...

Across the country, wildland firefighters are staring down what could be one of the most severe fire seasons in recent history.

Among those figuring out how to prepare is the U.S. Wildland Fire Service, a brand new agency created by the Trump administration.

"We're dry and we're expecting the pace to pick up significantly here any time," said the recently appointed head of that service, Brian Fennessy, in an interview with NPR's All Things Considered host Emily Feng.

The agency is a product of an ongoing White House effort to combine all the parts of the federal government that fight fires.

More...

The supreme court will soon rule on Hamm v Smith, an Alabama death penalty case that could significantly increase the number of people with intellectual disability who are executed. In this case, Alabama is fighting to execute a man named Joseph Smith. Smith’s five IQ scores – 72, 74, 74, 75 and 78 – all fall around the bottom fifth percentile of the population.

Based on these IQ tests, which measure learning, reasoning and problem-solving, and Smith’s adaptive behaviors, which include the social and practical skills that Smith uses to navigate everyday life, a federal court determined that Smith is intellectually disabled. Because the supreme court held in its landmark 2002 Atkins ruling that executing anyone with an intellectual disability violates the constitution, Alabama cannot execute Smith.

But Alabama disagreed with this decision, even though empirical standards put the IQ threshold for intellectual disability between 70 and 75. Yes, Alabama wants to execute Smith. But the case could also create a new, dangerous protocol: when a capital defendant has taken multiple IQ tests, any score above 70 could close the door an intellectual disability claim.

More...

A suspected boat explosion at a Miami sandbar sent at least 11 people to the hospital on Saturday with some suffering from burns and traumatic injuries, according to Juan Arias, the Miami Dade fire rescue battalion chief.

First responders received reports roughly around 12.45pm of a possible boat explosion on the water, Arias told WPEC 12.

It is unclear what caused the blast, which occurred onboard a charter boat with about 14 people, according to NBC 6 South Florida.

The Florida fish and wildlife conservation commission is investigating the incident, according to the Associated Press.

The Haulover Sandbar beckons hundreds of spring breakers and other vacation-oriented visitors every year. Located in shallow waters, the sandbar has been a boating mecca. Kayakers also regularly descend upon the strip.

More...

Bobby Cox, the folksy manager of the Atlanta Braves whose teams ruled the National League during the 1990s and gave the city its first major title as well as World Series trips that fell short, died Saturday. He was 84.

Cox died in Marietta, Georgia, according to the Atlanta Braves. He had a stroke in 2019 and heart issues that complicated his recovery.

“Bobby was the best manager to ever wear a Braves uniform. He led our team to 14 straight division titles, five National League pennants, and the unforgettable World Series title in 1995. His Braves managerial legacy will never be matched,” the Braves said in a statement.

Cox took over a last-place team in June 1990 and led the Braves to a worst-to-first finish in 1991, losing the World Series to the Minnesota Twins in seven games. That was the start of what was to become a record 14 consecutive division titles, a feat no professional team in any sport had accomplished.

More...

The Trump administration has launched a legal attack on the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), raising questions about the future of other nonprofits at odds with the president.

The center pleaded not guilty Thursday in an unusual case, one that accuses the SPLC of turning its back on its very mission: using a now-defunct informant program to funnel money to the hate groups like the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) it spent decades fighting.

It’s a claim the SPLC strongly denies — one it says is “not even supported by or contained in the indictment itself.” It also has accused prosecutors of misleading the grand jury to gain an indictment.

Rep. Jamie Raskin (Md.), the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, sees the prosecution as a new wave in a long line of cases targeting civil society, an effort he said began with law firms and universities.

More...

More than 100 people have fallen ill with norovirus on a cruise ship that left Florida last week and is set to return soon, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The Caribbean Princess cruise ship left from Port Everglades on April 28 and will be returning to Port Canaveral in Brevard County on May 11, according to Cruise Mapper.

As of Thursday, May 7, there were 102 passengers and 13 crew members on the ship who reported being ill, the CDC said. Those affected by the latest norovirus outbreak have showed the typical symptoms of diarrhea and vomiting.

The virus, which is highly contagious, is the leading cause of foodborne illness in the United States, according to the health agency. Officials said it spreads quickly from sick people and through contaminated food, water or surfaces.

More...