Elton John concluded his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, the highest-grossing tour of all time, with a show in Stockholm, Sweden on Saturday night. Coldplay dropped in via video to show their appreciation for the singer, and John expressed his gratitude for the support he has received throughout the tour. He is now looking forward to spending time with his family after five years and 333 concerts.
News Mash
Elon Musk's popular private jet tracking account, ElonJet, has moved to Mark Zuckerberg's Twitter-rival Threads after being suspended from Twitter last year. The account had amassed over 200,000 followers on Twitter before it was suspended, and its operator has not commented on the reason for the suspension. It remains to be seen if the account will be as popular on Threads, but the move is a reminder of the power of social media and the influence of tech billionaires.
Pope Francis has announced the selection of 13 new cardinals from countries around the world, including Italy, Spain, Japan, India, and Brazil. Archbishop Victor Manuel Fernandez from La Plata, Argentina will lead the Holy See's powerful office for ensuring doctrinal orthodoxy and overseeing processing of allegations of sexual abuse against clergy worldwide. The ceremony to formally install the new cardinals will take place in the Vatican on September 30th.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen recently visited Beijing to discuss setting relations between the U.S. and China on a "surer footing". Yellen noted that the two countries have significant disagreements, but the Biden administration does not see the relationship as a zero-sum game. She said that the two countries must communicate their disagreements clearly and work together to address shared global challenges, while considering curbs on U.S. investment in China. Yellen urged the two countries to find common ground and build trust through dialogue and cooperation.
Six people were killed in a tragic plane crash in Southern California on Saturday morning. The crash occurred near the French Valley Airport in Murrieta and sparked a small brush fire. The NTSB has launched an investigation into the cause of the crash, with poor visibility due to fog potentially being a factor. The identities of the six people on board the plane have not yet been released.
The Republican Party of Iowa announced Saturday that the state's presidential nominating caucuses will be held on January 15, 2024, the federal holiday honoring Martin Luther King Jr. White House candidates have been campaigning in Iowa since last winter, and the Iowa caucuses will kick off the Republican selection process for a nominee. The Iowa GOP is looking forward to hosting a historic caucus and is hopeful that the party will be successful in defeating Joe Biden in the 2024 election.
A federal appeals court has temporarily reversed a lower court ruling that found Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming care for transgender youth unconstitutional, allowing the state to enforce the ban for now. The decision has been met with criticism from LGBTQ+ advocates, who argue that the ban is unconstitutional and puts transgender youth at risk of harm. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has said it will continue to fight the ban in court, and advocates will continue to fight for the rights of transgender youth to access the gender-affirming care they need.
Megan Rapinoe, a 38-year-old American soccer star and member of the U.S. Women's National Team, announced her retirement from professional soccer at the end of the current NWSL season. She will make her final appearance in the Women's World Cup this summer and is looking to help the USWNT win its third consecutive World Cup title. Rapinoe is an icon in the world of women's soccer, having won two World Cup titles, two Olympic gold medals, and the 2019 Ballon d'Or award for the best female soccer player in the world.