Sen. Mark Kelly's lawyer urges DOJ officials not to seek indictment for a second time over video

An attorney for Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., is urging U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro and Attorney General Pam Bondi not to pursue an indictment for a second time against a group of lawmakers who participated in a video encouraging members of the military to ignore "illegal orders," according to a letter first obtained by NBC News.

The letter, sent Friday from Kelly's attorney Paul Fishman to Bondi and Pirro, warns the Department of Justice against attempting to go to a second grand jury to seek an indictment against the six Democratic lawmakers who participated in the video, saying "that course of action would be a remarkable abuse of the Department's power. There has never been any factual or legal basis for such an investigation or prosecution."

NBC News wasfirst to reportthat the Trump administration had failed to indict the lawmakers on Feb. 10, withno grand jurorsfinding that the Justice Department had reached the low probable cause threshold needed to indict.

The prosecutors attempted to indict Kelly and Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan and Reps. Jason Crow of Colorado, Maggie Goodlander of New Hampshire and Chris Deluzio and Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania.

An attorney for Slotkin alsosent a letter to Pirro and Bondi yesterday, saying, "The grand jury has spoken, loudly, clearly, and unanimously."

"Indeed, continuing to pursue this matter would violate clear ethical duties and Justice Department policy," Preet Bharara wrote in the letter.

The lawmakers have become a target of the Trump administration since they released a video in November telling military members, "You can refuse illegal orders," adding: "Now, more than ever, the American people need you. Don't give up the ship."

President Donald Trump previously accused the Democrats in the video of "SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!" in a post on his social media platform Truth Social. It's not clear what charges the grand jury rejected during the DOJ's first attempt in February.

The letter from Kelly's attorney also cites a recent ruling by a federal judge that blocked the Department of Defense from punishing him for participating in the video as a reason why the Justice Department should not try to seek an indictment against him again.

"This Court has all it needs to conclude that Defendants have trampled on Senator Kelly's First Amendment freedoms and threatened the constitutional liberties of millions of military retirees,"U.S. District Judge Richard Leon wrotein his ruling blocking the Pentagon's attempt to downgrade Kelly's military retirement rank and pay.

Fishman cited the ruling in his letter, saying, "The District Court's reasoning applies with even greater force to the more severe punishment of criminal prosecution."

"Because Senator Kelly's speech is protected by the First Amendment, it cannot be the basis for a criminal charge," Fishman said. "And a grand jury properly instructed on the law could not conceivably conclude otherwise."

byCustos Caelorum

in

February 14, 2026

Sen. Mark Kelly's lawyer urges DOJ officials not to seek indictment for a second time over video

An attorney for Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., is urging U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro and Attorney General Pam Bondi not to pursue an indictment...

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US military reports a series of airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Syria

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military on Saturday reported a series of strikes against Islamic State group targets in Syria in retaliation for the December ambush that killed two U.S. soldiers and one American civilian interpreter.

U.S. Central Command said in a statement that American aircraft had conducted 10 strikes against more than 30 IS targets between Feb. 3 and Thursday, hitting weapons storage facilities and other infrastructure.

At least 50 members of IS have been killed or captured, while more than 100 IS targets have been struck since the United States began its strikes after the Dec. 13 ambush, according to Central Command. That attack killed Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, and Ayad Mansoor Sakat, the civilian interpreter.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Defense Ministry said Thursday that government forcestook control of a basein the east of the country that was run for years by U.S. troops as part of the fight against IS. The Al-Tanf base played a major role after IS declared a caliphate in large parts of Syria and Iraq in 2014.

The U.S. military on Friday completedthe transfer of thousands of IS detaineesfrom Syria to Iraq, where they are expectedto stand trial. The prisoners were sent to Iraq at therequest of Baghdad, in a move welcomed by the U.S.-led coalition that had for years fought against IS.

byCustos Caelorum

in

February 14, 2026

US military reports a series of airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Syria

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military on Saturday reported a series of strikes against Islamic State group targets in Syri...

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British airline bans two 'disruptive' passengers for life after midair brawl

British airline Jet2 announced that it banned two travelers for life after they started brawling on flight bound for Manchester, England, on Thursday, resulting in its diversion.

The flight was traveling from Antalya, Turkey, when the midair fight broke out, according to the airline.

The cause of the brawl was not immediately clear Saturday.

The flight was diverted to Brussels, Belgium's capital city, as a result of the disruption, the airline said.

Jet2, a budget-friendly airline behind last year's viral "Nothing Beats a Jet2 Holiday" jingle, called the behavior of the two passengers "appalling."

"They were both offloaded by police in Brussels and the flight continued to Manchester," the airline said in the statement. "We can confirm that the two disruptive passengers will be banned from flying with us for life, and we will also vigorously pursue them to recover the costs that we incurred as a result of this diversion."

Videos depicting the altercation could be seen circulating online. In one video, two men start exchanging blows before additional passengers get involved. Many could be heard urging the men to stop.

"As a family friendly airline, we take a zero-tolerance approach to disruptive passenger behaviour, and we are very sorry that other customers and our colleagues onboard had to experience this too," the airline said.

byCustos Caelorum

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February 14, 2026

British airline bans two 'disruptive' passengers for life after midair brawl

British airline Jet2 announced that it banned two travelers for life after they started brawling on flight bound for Manchester, England, ...

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McKinnon was part of the cast from 2012 to 2022. Kate McKinnon reveals original idea for her final SNL episode — and it involves a lot of tongue McKinnon was part of the cast from 2012 to 2022. By Raechal Shewfelt :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/RaechalShewfeltauthorphotoc49d3a3b6aa442f588f2bbc0de804e09.jpg) Raechal Shewfelt Raechal Shewfelt is a writer at . She has been working at EW since 2024. Her work has previously appeared on Yahoo and in American Journalism Review and The Shreveport Times. EW's editorial guidelines October 29, 2025 11:47 p.m.

McKinnon was part of the cast from 2012 to 2022.

Kate McKinnon reveals original idea for her final SNL episode — and it involves a lot of tongue

McKinnon was part of the cast from 2012 to 2022.

By Raechal Shewfelt

Raechal Shewfelt

Raechal Shewfelt is a writer at **. She has been working at EW since 2024. Her work has previously appeared on Yahoo and in American *Journalism Review* and *The Shreveport Times*.

EW's editorial guidelines

October 29, 2025 11:47 p.m. ET

Kate McKinnon leaves 'Saturday Night Live' in 2022. Credit:

Will Heath/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty

Kate McKinnon always leaves the audience laughing.

Her original idea of how to do that when she exited *Saturday Night Live *in 2022, after a decade in the show's cast, would have been very tongue-forward if it had aired.

"My pitch was that I did this character Sheila Sovage, the barfly," McKinnon explained to Amy Poehler on Tuesday's episode of the *Good Hang* podcast. "And my pitch was that I would tongue every single person in the cast in a line, and I thought, ultimately, that the alien thing was a little more meaningful and had a better tone. So, we went with that."

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.***

She added, "So everyone narrowly missed sucking my face."

Poehler, who was an *SNL* cast member herself from 2001 to 2008, quipped that it would have been "a goodbye tonguing."

McKinnon told a similar story in August 2022, noting that COVID restrictions helped shut that down.

Instead, she played another of her recurring characters in her final moments in the cast: Colleen Rafferty, a woman who always has a comically bad encounter with aliens she meets; meanwhile, the others being studied, who also came face-to-face with an extraterrestrial being, describe bliss.

This time, Miss Rafferty agreed to go with the aliens permanently. Fans saw her boarding a spaceship and waving goodbye.

Kate McKinnon hosts 'Saturday Night Live' in 2023.

Will Heath/NBC via Getty

"Well, Earth, I love ya," McKinnon said, as she appeared to he holding back tears. "Thanks for letting me stay a while."

When she left *SNL*, McKinnon held the record for the longest a woman had been on the cast.

Looking back, she noted that the experience had been "very emotional," because "it was everything to me, and those people are everything to me."

Known for her impressions of Hillary Clinton, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Kellyanne Conway, and many others, McKinnon was nominated for nine Emmys — two of which she won — during her decade on the show.

Kate McKinnon broke down door with an ax after getting locked out

Kate McKinnon shares how Bobby Moynihan boosted her confidence at 'SNL' audition

When she left, McKinnon said doing so hadn't been an easy decision.

"I thought about it for a very long time, and it was very, very hard," McKinnon told Kelly Ripa on *Live With Kelly and Ryan*. "All I ever wanted to do in my whole life was be on *Saturday Night Live*. So, I did, I loved it, I had the best decade, and then I was just like, my body was tired, and I felt like it was time."

Since leaving the *SNL* cast, McKinnon has returned to host *SNL* and has appeared in movies such as *Barbie* and *The Roses*.**

Watch the full conversation above.**

Original Article on Source

Source: "EW TV"

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Published: November 03, 2025 at 04:57PM on Source: GL MAG

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byCustos Caelorum

in

November 03, 2025

Kate McKinnon reveals original idea for her final SNL episode — and it involves a lot of tongue

McKinnon was part of the cast from 2012 to 2022. Kate McKinnon reveals original idea for her final SNL episode — and i...

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The host also names the show's hottest location ever. Jeff Probst addresses doubling over after calling Survivor 49 challenge The host also names the show's hottest location ever. By Dalton Ross :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/DaltonRossauthorphoto2e15b12006e2438a99fb06db6d682421.jpg) Dalton Ross is a writer and editor with over 25 years experience covering TV and the entertainment industry. Survivor is kind of his thing. EW's editorial guidelines October 30, 2025 7:00 a.m. ET :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/JeffProbstsurvivor1029256d7d3ea4cdec454894029aba1e610b3c.

The host also names the show's hottest location ever.

Jeff Probst addresses doubling over after calling Survivor 49 challenge

The host also names the show's hottest location ever.

By Dalton Ross

Dalton Ross is a writer and editor with over 25 years experience covering TV and the entertainment industry. *Survivor* is kind of his thing.

EW's editorial guidelines

October 30, 2025 7:00 a.m. ET

Jeff Probst hosting 'Survivor 49'. Credit:

We're used to seeing *Survivor* players doubling over or collapsing after an exhausting challenge in intense heat. What we're *not* used to seeing is that sort of activity from the *Survivor* host, but that's exactly what happened this week on *Survivor 49.*

The scene was a day 11 reward challenge, before which the remaining players were redivided into three new tribes. The contestants then had to compete in a physically taxing challenge that involved pushing a heavy cart along a bumpy path, stacking sand bags, climbing ladders, knocking discs off poles, and then finally knocking down four bamboo targets.

But the players were not the only ones running on empty after the contest. Jeff Probst walked to the side after calling the challenge and immediately doubled over with his hands on his knees.

"Jeff, you out of breath, too?" asked Rizo Velovic.

"It's no joke, man," answered Probst.

"Welcome to *Survivor*," Rizo responded, not able to pass up the opportunity of throwing one of Probst's most famous lines back at the host.

***Want to be kept up with all things Survivor? Dig deep and sign up for 's free Survivor Weekly newsletter to have all the latest news, interviews, and commentary sent right to your inbox. ***

Probst was asked about the oppressive heat that led to his post-challenge exhaustion on the latest episode of the *On Fire with Jeff Prosbt* podcast, and the host revealed that the particular spot where they ran that competition was partly to blame.

"The island where that challenge took place is the single hottest spot we ever shoot in Fiji," Probst says on the podcast. "It might be the hottest spot in all of Fiji."

And why is that? "I don't know why," Probst continues. "And I've asked people on our team, and I never get a good answer. And I'm sure there's somebody listening right now saying 'Probst, it's a basic barometric pressure thing.'"

But whatever the reason, the heat is suffocating in that particular challenge field (which is used for various competitions over the course of a season). "It is so dense [in] that one spot. It's like you're in a sauna and someone is pouring more water on the coals. And I'm not exaggerating."

'Survivor 49' cast reveal their secret 'Survivor' crushes (exclusive)

Jeff Probst explains why no season 40 winners were asked back for 'Survivor 50'

It's also a sweltering wake-up call compared to what precedes it. "Here's what happens," explains the host. "You have this amazing boat ride. It's beautiful skies, the wind is blowing your hair back, you feel amazing. And then you step off the boat and walk into this dense forest."

And then it becomes something of a competition among the crew to see who is going to mention it first. "The cliche is, everybody says, 'Man, it's so hot today.' And we all know we say it and we all try *not* to say it. 'I'm not gonna say it today. I'm not gonna complain about the heat. I'm not gonna say anything.' And then you walk in and you go, 'But my God, it's hot! It's so hot again today!'"

While the host and showrunner has talked early and often about how debilitating the heat is this season, his *On Fire* cohost (and *Survivor: Cambodia* winner) Jeremy Collins has faced worse, and he's been able to do the comparison himself.

"I've been to Cambodia," Jeremy reminds Probst on the podcast. "And, to me, Cambodia is the hottest place on Earth. And I've been to Fiji. There's no way it's hotter than Cambodia."

To that, the host agrees. "No, I think Cambodia was the hottest place we've ever shot. You win that."

Check out more from Probst on the latest episode of *On Fire.*

Original Article on Source

Source: "EW TV"

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Source: TV

Published: November 03, 2025 at 04:57PM on Source: GL MAG

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byCustos Caelorum

in

November 03, 2025

Jeff Probst addresses doubling over after calling Survivor 49 challenge

The host also names the show's hottest location ever. Jeff Probst addresses doubling over after calling Survivor 4...

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