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Fox fired ‘uncontrollable’ host Tucker Carlson, who badmouthed bosses


Fox News, in announcing Monday that it’s parted ways with Tucker Carlson, is losing a host who brought in millions of viewers but proved too much to handle even for corporate chiefs Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch.

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Lawyers for Dominion Voting Systems Inc. uncovered evidence that Carlson insulted his management, colleagues and guests.

A still unresolved suit by former Fox producer Abby Grossberg accuses the popular host of misogyny and contributing to a hostile workplace. After Fox agreed to settle Dominion’s defamation case for a record $787.5 million, the Murdochs decided it was time to say goodbye to their star.

Lachlan Murdoch, Fox Corp.’s chief executive officer, and Suzanne Scott, who heads Fox News, made the decision Friday night to let Carlson go, according to a person familiar with the situation.

“He was uncontrollable,” said Angelo Carusone, president of Media Matters for America, a nonprofit group critical of the network. “At some point you get just too big for your britches.”

Efforts to reach Carlson were unsuccessful.

His departure leaves a big hole for Fox News to fill. Fox Corp. shares closed almost 3 percent lower Monday, a reflection of how much he meant to the business.

Other networks have already begun courting Carlson, who was paid more than $10 million a year. He’ll likely be a thorn in Fox’s side, criticizing the channel publicly, much as he did privately.

Chris Ruddy, CEO of the Newsmax TV network, said he “would be interested in having a conversation with Carlson now that he’s left Fox. The network’s decision “did not make sense given the viewers he draws.

“I think it opens the door to a lot of Fox people checking out Newsmax,” Ruddy said in an interview.

One America News Network, another conservative channel, also wants to meet with Carlson. “Maybe Fox News’ loss could be OANN’s gain,” the company said on Twitter.

Carlson’s termination came as a surprise to employees of Fox News, which as late as Monday morning were promoting an interview with presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy scheduled for that night.

Carlson himself had no advance warning of the move, said the person familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified discussing internal deliberations. He signed off his program Friday night with: “We’ll see you Monday.”

Gone along with Carlson is his producer, Justin Wells. Dan Bongino, another controversial Fox News host, departed last week after failing to sign a new contract with the network. His situation was unrelated to Carlson’s.

Smug, opinionated, always at the center of controversy, Carlson was the most popular host on cable TV. In what turned out to be his second-to-last week on the air, Tucker Carlson Tonight accounted for four of the 10 most-watched broadcasts in prime time, according to Nielsen data. The only programs with more viewers: the NBA playoffs.

Yet he continued to land Fox in hot water, from promoting claims on the air that the 2020 presidential election was rigged, even as he privately called guests like Trump lawyer Sidney Powell, who promoted the conspiracy theory, a liar, to hosting Patriot Purge, a three-part series on the Fox Nation service that painted a sympathetic portrait of the Jan. 6 rioters.

Carlson also gave airtime to the theory that Ray Epps, a Trump supporter who protested in Washington after the election, was actually a plant from the federal government who helped instigate the Jan. 6 riot to make Trump supporters look bad. Epps recently told 60 Minutes that Carlson was “obsessed with him.”

Emails and other communications uncovered in the Dominion case and Grossberg’s suit showed Carlson using derogatory language about Powell and accusing colleagues of “destroying our credibility” for rightly calling Arizona for Biden. He told fellow host Sean Hannity “please get her fired” after Fox News reporter Jacqui Heinrich said on the air there was no evidence that any election system changed votes.

Read more:

Top Fox News host Tucker Carlson’s exit erases $507 mln in value

Fox News and Tucker Carlson part ways after Fox settles Dominion lawsuit

Fox settles Dominion defamation lawsuit, avoids trial

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Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meets with CEOs of leading Norwegian companies

H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has met with a group of CEOs from leading Norwegian companies, as part of their participation in the UAE-Norway Investment Forum, held alongside his official visit to the Kingdom of Norway.

During the meeting, H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed underscored the UAE leadership’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with its international partners.

He highlighted that investment in innovation and knowledge is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development, noting that enhancing collaboration with Norwegian companies across key sectors will open new avenues for mutual economic growth between the two countries.

The UAE-Norway Investment Forum, taking place in Oslo, aimed to highlight available investment opportunities and strengthen trade relations between the UAE and Norway, fostering shared interests and supporting innovation and knowledge-based economic visions.

-wam

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At the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS inaugurates 10th global office, releases four books

As part of its Asian research tour, partnership with Aletihad News Center, and
primary sponsorship of the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS
Research & Advisory inaugurated its office in Jakarta, marking its 10th location
worldwide. It also released four books in Indonesian.
The inauguration event was attended by ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, and
Jordan to Indonesia, chairpersons of the UAE and Indonesian Publishers’
Associations, the Director of TRENDS’ Jakarta office, and a group of researchers
and academics.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS
Research & Advisory, stated that TRENDS’ international offices—set to reach 15
by the end of 2024—aim to enhance the Center’s research efforts and deepen its
role in disseminating knowledge, thus serving as a global knowledge bridge.
He emphasized, “At TRENDS, we believe in the importance of cooperation
between think tanks and prioritize this endeavor. We believe the TRENDS office in
Jakarta will enhance the exchange of knowledge and ideas between think tanks in
Asia and the Middle East, opening new horizons for collaboration in various
fields.”

Four books in Indonesian
As part of the Jakarta office’s inaugural activities, four books were released in
Indonesian, including the 11th and 12th books of the Muslim Brotherhood
Encyclopedia and Global Trends in AI and Automation and the Future of
Competition between Man and Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision.

Hostility to Arab states
The 11th book of the Muslim Brotherhood Encyclopedia, The Concept of the State
According to the Muslim Brotherhood, highlights its hostile stance toward Arab
states since its inception. The group views them as an obstacle to its ascent to
power. It opposed the modern principles upon which these states were built,
considering them incompatible with the group’s unique interpretation of Islam,
which it claimed to embody exclusively.

Exclusion of nonconformists
The 12th book, The Muslim Brotherhood: Rejection of Tolerance and Exclusion of
Nonconformists, examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s stance towards
nonconformists, individuals, and entities. The book reveals the group’s binary view
of the world, categorizing others as allies or adversaries. It ties these relationships
to the Brotherhood’s internal power struggles and self-serving interests.

Global Trends in AI
The third book, Global Trends in AI, explores significant developments in AI and
its impact on various aspects of life, including the economy, society, and
governance. It also offers a comprehensive analysis of technological advancements
in AI, its applications across sectors, the ethical and social challenges it presents,
and its future trajectory.

Automation

The fourth book, Automation and the Future of Competition between Man and
Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision, addresses the growing challenges
faced by the human workforce in the face of widespread automation and AI
applications. The book concludes that while automation presents a significant
challenge to the labor market, it simultaneously creates new opportunities. It
emphasizes the importance of preparing for this shift through skills development,
continuous education, and adopting economic and social policies that support the
workforce.

Prominent pavilion and active presence
The TRENDS’ pavilion at the Indonesia International Book Fair has attracted
numerous visitors, including academic researchers and officials, such as the
ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Turkey. Additionally,
chairpersons of Arab and Indonesian publishers’ associations, authors, publishers,
and students visited the pavilion. All were impressed with and praised TRENDS’ diverse, valuable publications. They also commended TRENDS’ active
international presence and ability to address global developments with rigorous
analytical research.
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali honored the esteemed guests, including
ambassadors of the UAE and Bahrain to Indonesia, Wedha Startesti Yudha,
Chairperson of the Indonesia International Book Fair Committee, Arys Hilman
Nugraha, Chairman of the Indonesian Publishers Association, and others,
presenting them with TRENDS’ publications and commemorative shields.
Additionally, he awarded TRENDS’ Research Medal to Ni Made Ayu Martini
Indonesian Deputy Minister of Marketing, Tourism and Creative Economy
It is worth noting that during its current Asian research tour, TRENDS announced
the launch of the TRENDS Research Medal, awarded to individuals who make
significant contributions to the development of scientific research and promote collaboration with TRENDS in strengthening a culture of research across various fields.

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US determined to prevent full-scale war in Middle East, Joe Biden tells UNGA79

US President Joe Biden highlighted the US Administration’s determination to prevent a wider war that engulfs the entire Middle East region, noting that a diplomatic solution “remains the only path to lasting security to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes on the border safely”.

In remarks he made today before the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), the US President said, “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,” adding that a diplomatic solution is still possible.

He also touched on “the rise of violence against innocent Palestinians on the West Bank”, and the need to “set the conditions for a better future”, which he said featured “a two-state solution, where the world — where Israel enjoys security and peace and full recognition and normalised relations with all its neighbours, where Palestinians live in security, dignity, and self-determination in a state of their own”.

President Biden underscored the ceasefire and hostage deal put forth by Qatar and Egypt, which the UN Security Council endorsed. He said, “Now is the time for the parties to finalise its terms, bring the hostages home,” adding that this would help ease the suffering in Gaza, and end the war.

-WAM

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