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Washington Post writer roasts his own outlet for passing on Samuel Alito flag story

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Washington Post writer roasts his own outlet for passing on Samuel Alito flag story


Media critic Erik Wemple bashed The Washington Post, his employer, for giving The New York Times an opportunity to break the story about an upside-down American flag flown in Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito’s front yard. 

Alito said his wife was responsible for flying the flag in that position amid a dispute with a neighbor who put up a “f— Trump” sign about 50 feet away from a children’s bus stop. Though the Times broke the story and tied upside-down flags to connect the Jan. 6 riots, the Post passed on the scoop over three years ago. 

“The Post … sat back and watched the New York Times nail down a precious exclusive whose epicenter is a leisurely drive from its K Street newsroom,” Wemple wrote in an op-ed Wednesday. He called it a “black eye” for his paper and criticized the Post for “inaction.”

ALITO SAYS WIFE DISPLAYED UPSIDE-DOWN FLAG AFTER ARGUMENT WITH INSULTING NEIGHBOR

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Erik Wemple bashed The Washington Post for giving The New York Times an opportunity to take a story from his outlet about the Alito flag story. (Getty Images)

Wemple pointed out that no one from the paper appeared to have reached out to Emily Baden, the neighbor who got into an argument with the Alitos, “until after the Times’s May 16 story was published.”

“All signs point to a failure of The Post to publish something about this fracas, whatever its focus or takeaway,” Wemple wrote. 

Cameron Barr, the Post’s managing editor when it first had the scoop, said he regretted not publishing the story. Barr also said the neighborhood dispute would have involved the Post’s Metro section, but Wemple wrote that he found no evidence that Metro was consulted.

“When I asked Martin Baron, who served as executive editor at the time, about how things proceeded, he responded, ‘I don’t know how things proceeded. I never knew about any of those discussions. I only learned about them when The Post inquired about the story.’”

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“Against that backdrop, the Times’s flag scoop — and The Post’s breakdown — became a big story,” Wemple continued. “The episode has left The Post in the position of having to play second fiddle on a story that it should have owned from the start.” 

DEMS IN HOT SEAT FOR ALLEGED ETHICS VIOLATIONS OVER ALITO RECUSAL DEMANDS

Wemple argued that the “Alitos received deference to which they were not entitled,” explaining that the Alitos’ neighbor, Emily Baden, said the Alito family’s explanation of the neighborhood argument was “absolutely ridiculous and everybody knows it.”  (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Wemple also argued that the “Alitos received deference to which they were not entitled.” He wrote that Baden called the Alito family’s explanation of the neighborhood argument “absolutely ridiculous and everybody knows it.” 

The Washington Post did not respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital. 

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Fox News’ Shannon Bream and Greg Norman contributed to this report. 



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Iran warns Washington it will retaliate against any attack

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Iran warns Washington it will retaliate against any attack


DUBAI, Jan 11 (Reuters) – Iran warned President Donald Trump on Sunday that any U.S. attack would lead to Tehran striking back against Israel and regional U.S. military bases as “legitimate targets”, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf told parliament.

Israel is on high alert for the possibility of a U.S. intervention to support a nationwide protest movement in Iran, sources said.

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Reporting by Dubai Newsroom; Editing by William Mallard

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Washington National Opera cuts ties with the Kennedy Center after longstanding partnership | CNN Politics

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Washington National Opera cuts ties with the Kennedy Center after longstanding partnership | CNN Politics


The Washington National Opera on Friday announced it is parting ways with the Kennedy Center after more than a decade with the arts institution.

“Today, the Washington National Opera announced its decision to seek an amicable early termination of its affiliation agreement with the Kennedy Center and resume operations as a fully independent nonprofit entity,” the opera said in a statement.

The decoupling marks another high-profile withdrawal since President Donald Trump and his newly installed board of trustees instituted broad thematic and cosmetic changes to the building, including renaming the facility “The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.”

The opera said it plans to “reduce its spring season and relocate performances to new venues.”

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A source familiar with the dynamic told CNN the decision to part ways was made by the opera’s board and its leadership, and that the decision was not mutual.

A spokesperson for the Kennedy Center said in a statement, “After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to part ways with the WNO due to a financially challenging relationship. We believe this represents the best path forward for both organizations and enables us to make responsible choices that support the financial stability and long-term future of the Trump Kennedy Center.”

Kennedy Center president Richard Grenell, who was appointed by Trump’s hand-picked board, said on X, “Having an exclusive relationship has been extremely expensive and limiting in choice and variety.”

Grenell added, “Having an exclusive Opera was just not financially smart. And our patrons clearly wanted a refresh.”

Since taking the reins at the center, Grenell has cut existing staff, hired political allies and mandated a “break-even policy” for every performance.

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The opera said the new policy was a factor in its decision to leave the center.

“The Center’s new business model requires productions to be fully funded in advance—a requirement incompatible with opera operations,” the opera said.

Francesca Zambello, the opera’s artistic director, said she is “deeply saddened to leave The Kennedy Center.”

“In the coming years, as we explore new venues and new ways of performing, WNO remains committed to its mission and artistic vision,” she said.

The New York Times first reported the opera’s departure.

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Founded in 1956 as the “Opera Society of Washington,” the group has performed across the district, taking permanent residency in the Kennedy Center in 2011.

The performing arts center has been hit with a string of abrupt cancellations from artists in recent weeks including the jazz group The Cookers and New York City-based dance company Doug Varone and Dancers who canceled their performances after Trump’s name was added to the center – a living memorial for assassinated President John F. Kennedy.

The American College Theater Festival voted to suspend its relationship with the Kennedy Center, calling the affiliation “no longer viable” and citing concerns over a misalignment of the group’s values.

American banjo player Béla Fleck withdrew his upcoming performance with the National Symphony Orchestra, saying that performing at the center has become “charged and political.”

The Brentano String Quartet, who canceled their February 1 performance at the Kennedy Center, said they will “regretfully forego performing there.”

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CNN has reached out to the Kennedy Center on the additional cancellations.

The opera said, “The Board and management of the company wish the Center well in its own future endeavors.”

CNN’s Betsy Klein and Nicky Robertson contributed to this report.



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Andre Washington’s 20 points help Eastern Illinois take down Tennessee Tech 71-61

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Andre Washington’s 20 points help Eastern Illinois take down Tennessee Tech 71-61


CHARLESTON, Ill. (AP) — Andre Washington had 20 points in Eastern Illinois’ 71-61 victory over Tennessee Tech on Thursday.

Washington shot 8 for 13, including 4 for 6 from beyond the arc for the Panthers (5-10, 2-3 Ohio Valley Conference). Meechie White added 13 points and four steals. Kooper Jacobi finished with 11 points and added seven rebounds.

The Golden Eagles (6-10, 1-4) were led in scoring by Jah’Kim Payne, who finished with 11 points. Tennessee Tech also got 10 points from Mekhi Turner.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.



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