Singer/actress Sofia Carson and 14-time Oscar nominee Diane Warren performed Warren’s Best Original Song nominee “Applause” from the anthology film Tell It Like a Woman, at the 95th Academy Awards Sunday night.
Wearing a sparkling white gown with a silver netting detail, Carson sang the female empowerment song as Warren accompanied her on a white piano. A string section and an all-female chorus, along with dramatic lighting, created an impactful performance.
In the middle of the song, Carson stopped singing and spoke to the audience, saying, “To each and every single woman in this room, and to all the women in this world, give yourself some applause!”
If Warren wins the Oscar, it’ll be her first-ever win, and it’ll come within the same 12 months that she won the Academy’s honorary Governors Award Oscar — the first songwriter ever to do so.
Jamie Lee Curtis won Best Supporting Actress Sunday night at the 95th Academy Awards.
The 64-year-old actress earned the accolade for her role as Deirdre Beaubeirdre in the critically acclaimed movie Everything Everywhere All at Once.
Curtis wasted no time making note of the many people it took to get her to this point.
“I know it looks like I’m standing up here by myself but I am not, I am hundreds of people. I’m hundreds of people,” she began.
The actress went on to thank her team, family, and her supporters, stating, “To all of the people who have supported the genre movies that I’ve made for all these years, the thousands and hundreds of thousands of people, we just won an Oscar together!”
As she became visibly emotional and choked back tears, Curtis concluded, “And my mother and my father were both nominated for Oscars in different categories — I just won an Oscar.”
Fellow nominees for the Best Supporting Actress were Angela Bassett for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,Hong Chau for The Whale,Kerry Condon for The Banshees of Inisherin and Stephanie Hsu for Everything Everywhere All at Once.
Ke Huy Quan continued his winning ways at Sunday night’s Oscars, nabbing Best Supporting Actor for his role of Waymond Wang in Everything Everywhere All At Once.
“My journey started on a boat. I spent a year in a refugee camp and somehow I ended up here on Hollywood’s biggest stage,” Quan tearfully shared in his acceptance speech. “They say stories like this only happen in the movies I cannot believe it’s happening to me. This, this is the American dream.”
After thanking members of his family, including his wife who he said “month after month, year after year for 20 years told me that one day my time will come.” He added, “Dreams are something you have to believe in. I almost gave up on mine. To all of you out there, please keep your dreams alive.”
The win comes after Quan, who got his big screen debut playing Short Round in 1984’s Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, already took home the Golden Globe and SAG Award for the role.
With his win, Quan became the first Vietnam-born actor to win the Oscar for an acting performance. He’s also now the first actor to win an Oscar for portraying a Mandarin Chinese and Cantonese-speaking character.
Host Jimmy Kimmel brought the funny with his opening monologue to kick off the 95th Annual Academy Awards Sunday night.
Before getting to the winners, Kimmel opened up the show parachuting down from the ceiling like a scene out of one of the night’s nominated films Top Gun: Maverick.
The late night talk show host wasted no time getting to his jokes, poking fun at the latest weight loss craze that seems to be sweeping Hollywood — Ozempic, an injectable prescription drug.
“Everybody looks so great,” he began. “When I look around this room, I can’t help but wonder, is Ozempic right for me?”
Kimmel also made a few lighthearted jokes aimed at some of the A-list nominees and attendees including Nicole Kidman, who is featured in a preview at AMC theaters before films play on the big screen.
“I am happy to see that Nicole Kidman has finally been released from that abandoned AMC — where she has been held captive for most two full years now,” he said. “Good to have you back, Nicole. And thank you for encouraging people who were already at the movie theater to go to the movie theater. “
Austin Butler, a first-time nominee, also got a shout-out, with Kimmel making note of Butler’s Elvis accent that seems to be sticking around. “He was so convincing as Elvis, still is,” he joked.
He also addressed last year’s slap between Will Smith and Chris Rock, stating that “the Academy has a crisis team in place.”
“If anything unpredictable or violent happens during the ceremony, just do what you did last year. Nothing. Sit there and do absolutely nothing,” he advised. “Maybe even give the assailant a hug.”
(WASHINGTON) — As the aviation system is facing questions after at least six “close call” incidents between airplanes since December, National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy acknowledged risks while voicing confidence in the system.
“We are still the safest aviation system in the world,” Homendy told ABC “This Week” anchor Martha Raddatz on Sunday. “There are clearly risks that we need to evaluate, and this is why the NTSB is investigating several incidents so it doesn’t become something more catastrophic.”
One of these incidents involved a United Airlines 777 aircraft apparently taking a nosedive after departing from Hawaii. The plane carrying hundreds of passengers from Maui to San Francisco went down to 775 feet above the Pacific Ocean before pilots could regain control. A formal investigation was not opened until two months later, as United reportedly did not report the incident to NTSB because they believed there was no need to as there were no passenger injuries or damage to the aircraft.
“Should that criteria be changed?” Raddatz pressed.
“The criteria for accidents and incidents is something that we will look at and constantly review,” Homendy responded. “We didn’t have a full investigation of it because it occurred on the same day as another very turbulent event in Hawaii. But it is something that we are investigating.”
Raddatz asked whether the aviation system is being pushed “too hard” following the immense toll the COVID-19 pandemic took on the industry.
“I think it’s a difficult time for the aviation industry,” Homendy responded. “I think, you know, we saw a lot of layoffs. We saw a lot of employees retire, we have new employees coming on that are being trained. We have drones coming online, air taxis, so it’s a difficult time and it’s really a transitional time for the aviation industry.”
Homendy assured Raddatz that the National Transportation Safety Board is “very concerned” about these incidents, emphasizing the overall progress of aviation over the last several decades.
“Can you confirm that these incidents, these very close calls are on the rise?” Raddatz asked.
“They are on the rise,” Homendy answered, adding that “the FAA needs to take action.”
Data from the Federal Aviation Administration shows the number of overall runway incidents at U.S. airports has increased, but the number of most serious close calls at U.S. airports has decreased over the last two decades.
The NTSB chief also addressed concerns over railroad safety, particularly in the wake of the February train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.
Homendy on Sunday said the agency is not satisfied with new safety goals outlined by Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw.
“They are not robust enough,” Homendy told Raddatz. “I think we’ll be looking at more recommendations as part of our investigation.”
Shaw testified in front of Congress this week as the town of East Palestine is still reeling from a toxic spill in early February. That and other incidents raised questions about overall transportation safety.
(WASHINGTON) — Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., pumped the breaks on a potential bailout of Silicon Valley Bank after it collapsed last week in the largest bank failure since 2008, pointing towards the possibility of an acquisition.
“Let’s see what happens today,” Warner, a member of the Senate Banking Committee, told “This Week” co-anchor Martha Raddatz. “I’ve got a lot of faith that the overall system is quite strong.”
He added that he wants to make sure the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation “moves as aggressively as possible.”
SVB’s struggles came to a head Thursday when depositors rushed to withdraw their money over concerns about the bank’s health. By Friday, regulators seized the bank’s assets, making it the largest bank to fail since Washington Mutual about 15 years ago.
SVB mostly served technology workers and startups including some of Silicon Valley’s biggest names, such as Roku.
While the biggest banks like JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America are on more stable financial footing, Warner said it was still best to find a way to quickly mitigate the fallout of SVB’s collapse.
“I know I’ve been in conversations with the regulators, the administration, the Fed; the best outcome will be can they find a buyer for this SVB bank today before the markets open in Asia later in the day. That would be the best making sure that depositors — remember that shareholders in the bank are going to lose their money, let’s be clear about that — but the depositors can be taken care of. And the best outcome will be an acquisition of SVB,” he said.
Still, Warner said he was concerned that people with deposits in mid-sized banks over the $250,000 insurance limit could move that money into larger banks, warning, “what we don’t want to see is further consolidation.”
Administration officials have cast doubts on a bailout as a possible solution.
“Let me be clear that during the financial crisis, there were investors and owners of systemic large banks that were bailed out, and we’re certainly not looking. And the reforms that have been put in place means that we’re not going to do that again. But we are concerned about depositors and are focused on trying to meet their needs,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on CBS’ “Face the Nation” Sunday.
Raddatz pressed Warner on a 2018 vote he took rolling back banking regulations, including those on banks the size of SVB, that were put in place after the 2008 financial crisis.
“I think it put in place an appropriate level of regulation on mid-sized banks,” Warner said of his 2018 vote, adding that he believed that “these mid-sized banks needed some regulatory relief.”
Raddatz also asked Warner, the chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, if TikTok should be banned in the U.S. over concerns about its Chinese-based parent company and data security.
Warner on Tuesday introduced a bill that would allow the White House to regulate foreign-owned apps, including TikTok — a bill that quickly drew the support of bipartisan senators and the Biden administration.
“Absolutely,” Warner said. “Literally, 100 million Americans are on TikTok an average of 90 minutes a day. That data is residing in China, no matter what TikTok says. And the truth is, TikTok can be used as a propaganda mechanism for the Communist Party of China. That, I believe, is a national security concern.”
(WASHINGTON) — House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner, R-Ohio, on Sunday said he thinks there is “significant evidence” COVID originated in a lab.
A new assessment from the Department of Energy concluded with “low confidence” that the virus that led to the COVID-19 pandemic originated in a Wuhan, China, lab despite previous suggestions it was more likely transmitted from an animal.
“I think there’s significant evidence that lends itself to that. And I still do,” Turner told ABC’s “This Week” co-anchor Martha Raddatz. “That’s why you just saw unanimously — both the Senate and the House — pass legislation demanding that the administration declassify the intelligence the Intelligence Committee has with respect to COVID-19.”
Turner also alleged that Dr. Anthony Fauci, the former longtime director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, was working to fund the Wuhan lab and had reason to contradict the theory.
Fauci frequently appeared alongside Donald Trump in the former president’s daily COVID-19 briefings at the White House. He also served as Biden’s chief medical adviser.
Turner said he was frustrated to see Fauci’s television appearances, accusing him of giving guidance that contradicted intelligence the chair saw firsthand.
“We voted to say, ‘Show the American people they’re not getting the straight answer from Dr. Fauci or from this administration, they need to be able to see for themselves what has occurred,'” Turner said. “And I understand that Dr. Fauci has a reason to say that there was not a lab leak because he was actively working to fund the lab and move on.”
“I think Dr. Fauci would dispute that,” Raddatz said.
Turner continued to allege funds controlled by Fauci ended up at the lab, arguing that intelligence would help Americans get a straight answer.
Fauci has repeatedly denied Republican lawmakers’ accusations regarding lab funding and bias, calling them “ludicrous” earlier this week and “preposterous” in 2021.
“Our view is show the American public the intelligence,” Turner said. “And then you, Martha, you can have the intelligence in front of you. And the next time Dr. Fauci is on you can say, ‘Hey, but the intelligence actually says X,’ you can challenge him.”
Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines on Wednesday said in a Senate Intelligence Committee testimony: “It is absolutely accurate the intelligence community does not know exactly where, when, or how COVID-19 virus was transmitted initially, and basically components have coalesced around two alternative theories. These scenarios are it emerged naturally from human contact with infected animals, or it was a laboratory accident.”
MORE: Blinken describes confronting China about balloon, warns against support for Russia
Turner also discussed what he characterized as a growing threat from China. He said the military threat is very clear to members of the committee he chairs, citing China’s ongoing buildup of its nuclear arsenal, espionage developments and U.S. telecommunications breaches through use of the popular TikTok app.
“They’re tripling their size of their nuclear weapons pointed at the United States. They’re expanding their shipbuilding. They are absolutely emerging as a military threat to the United States. I think we need to respond and respond very strongly,” Turner said.
He called for stronger action from the Biden administration as multiple lawmakers in Congress introduced bills to restrict or outright ban the app TikTok, criticizing the president as “afraid to provoke” China.
China recently helped orchestrate a groundbreaking agreement between two Middle Eastern countries, U.S. ally Saudi Arabia and Iran, often a U.S. adversary. Raddatz pointed to China’s pivotal role in the deal, which did not involve assistance from American leaders.
Turner said the deal reflected Biden’s past reluctance to act on Saudi Arabia’s military concerns and the “harsh words” the president directed at the country when he first took office.
Saudi Arabia faced heavy criticism in recent years over human rights and the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who had been critical of Saudi rulers. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was alleged to have ordered Khashoggi’s assassination.
“They subject Saudi Arabia to a significant amount of criticism and were slow to react and respond to the military needs of Saudi Arabia. So it’s not unexpected that they might look elsewhere for support,” Turner told Raddatz.
Turner said it was disappointing and unexpected, though, that Saudi Arabia turned to Iran.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
(CINCINNATI) — As “Cocaine Bear” is currently in theaters, a “Cocaine Cat” found in a Cincinnati neighborhood with cocaine in its system was released from animal care and is recovering at the Cincinnati Zoo.
The serval named Amiry, is an exotic cat native to Africa. Servals can grow to three times the size of an ordinary cat, weighing in at 20-40 pounds.
It is illegal to own servals in Ohio, said Ray Anderson, a spokesperson with Cincinnati Animal CARE.
The CAC, Hamilton County’s animal control services provider, said the dog wardens were alerted to reports of a leopard spotted in a tree in Oakley on Jan. 28.
Once they found Amiry, they brought him over to their facility, where the staff at the CAC were treating his broken leg and called in a big cat expert whose specialty was to handle animals of bigger sizes and various species.
“Our initial thought was the cat was a hybrid F1 Savannah, which is legal to own in Ohio, but our expert was pretty certain Amiry was a serval, which are illegal,” said Anderson.
Anderson said he was surprised and in awe of Amiry at first glance.
“This was the first exotic cat I saw,” Anderson told ABC News. “I was thinking what a gorgeous animal and unique cat, definitely something you don’t see every day.”
After the CAC conducted its DNA test to confirm Amiry was a serval, they also performed a toxicology test. They confirmed he was positive for cocaine exposure.
Amiry’s care lasted 36 hours at the CAC before he transferred to the Cincinnati Zoo, where there are more resources to care for Amiry’s full rehabilitation.
As of this week, Amiry is now part of the Cat Ambassador Program at the Cincinnati Zoo.
“Amiry is young and very curious,” said the lead trainer of the Cincinnati Zoo’s Cat Ambassador Program, Linda Castañeda, in a statement to ABC News. “He is exploring his new space and eating well, both great signs of progress. The CAP team is very excited to have him in our care. We are working on building trust and increasing his comfort as he adjusts to his new home.”
Members of the CAP team will keep an eye on his progress before allowing him to run, jump, and engage in other activities that might impair healing. They are concentrating on helping him acclimate to a new environment and his new care team.
Anderson said the investigation of Amiry’s surprise appearance in Cincinnati remains open and ongoing. Anderson added that the Hamilton County dog wardens are not pursuing charges and that the Ohio Department of Agriculture is also investigating.
Anderson said it was a memorable experience and hopes Amiry recovers 100 percent.
“We’re extremely proud of the work done in this case by the dog wardens and medical staff and are immensely appreciative to the Cincinnati Zoo for getting Amiry the care he needs.”
(SAN DIEGO) — At least eight people have died after two boats capsized near San Diego’s Black Beach, according to emergency officials.
The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department began receiving calls about the two panga fishing boats at about 11:30 p.m. Saturday, according to the San Diego Fire Department.
It is unclear what caused the boats to capsize, but fog, surf, and pitch-black conditions likely contributed, James Gartland, chief of the city of San Diego’s Lifeguard Division, told reporters during a press conference Sunday.
Authorities received a 911 call from a person reporting she was on a panga boat with 15 people that made it to the shore at Blacks Beach and that another panga with eight people had capsized and victims were in the water, fire officials said in a statement to ABC News.
Authorities used the phone’s GPS to get the location of the boats. When lifeguards and emergency crews arrived, they found two overturned boats and bodies in the water, officials said.
The first lifeguards on the scene found seven dead bodies. An additional body was found by CBP Air and Marine Operations officers, the fire department said.
One panga made it to shore with about eight people on board, Capt. James Spitler, sector commander of the Coast Guard San Diego, told reporters. The second panga then overturned with 15 people on board near Torrey Pines City Beach, Spitler said.
The victims were all adults, but it is unclear which boat they were on, Gartland said.
Gartland described the accident as “one of the worst maritime smuggling tragedies” in California.
Southern California has seen a 771% increase in human trafficking in the region since 2023, Spitler said.
The person who initially called 911 spoke Spanish, but the nationalities of the victims are unknown, Gartland said.
The rescue effort turned into a recovery overnight, which was complicated by foggy and misty conditions, first responders said.
“We did the best we could to recover people from the water and find survivors and the lifeguards,” Gartland said.
Lifeguards are still in recovery mode, Gartland said.
(NEW YORK) — Michael Cohen is expected to testify Monday before a grand jury in New York that is hearing evidence of former President Donald Trump’s alleged role in a hush payment to Stormy Daniels, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.
Cohen, Trump’s former personal lawyer, paid $130,000 to the adult film star in the closing days of the 2016 campaign to keep her quiet about an affair she claimed to have had with Trump. Trump has denied the affair.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s office has been investigating whether Trump falsified business records when the Trump Organization allegedly reimbursed Cohen and then booked the reimbursement to Cohen as a legal expense. In recent weeks former Trump advisers Hope Hicks, Kellyanne Conway and several other witnesses have testified.
Cohen served prison time after he pleaded guilty to federal charges that included campaign finance violations related to the hush payment. Charging documents said Cohen acted at the behest of “Individual 1,” who he has identified as Trump.
The district attorney’s office recently informed Trump of his right to testify before the grand jury, sources have previously told ABC News. New York law requires so-called “cross notice” so potential defendants are afforded a chance to tell the grand jury their side of the story but the invitation is typically only extended if prosecutors are planning to move forward with an indictment.
It is not known whether Trump will appear. His lawyers have recently gone into the district attorney’s office to meet with prosecutors, according to sources.
A spokeswoman for the office declined to comment.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has previously won the tax fraud convictions of Trump’s company and its former finance chief, Allen Weisselberg, but Trump himself has never been charged with a crime. The Trump Organization said it would appeal the conviction.
Trump has dismissed the investigation as a witch hunt and has insisted he did “absolutely nothing wrong.” His spokesman has called the possibility of an indictment in New York “simply insane.”
Trump is also awaiting charging decisions from two other entities: the district attorney in Fulton County, Georgia, is investigating efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results on the state and a special counsel appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland is investigating Trump’s role in the Jan. 6 attack at the U.S. Capitol and his handling of classified material.
