Latest news with #Berman
American Military News
a day ago
- Politics
- American Military News
Trump's policy goal in Iran is 'meaningful concessions,' says US security expert Ilan Berman
This article was originally published by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and is reprinted with permission. Ilan Berman is senior vice president of the American Foreign Policy Council and a veteran national-security policy adviser for the Department of Defense, Congress, and US government agencies. He also recently served as head of the team handling the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM) transition on behalf of President Donald Trump's administration, and is a board member of RFE/RL. In a conversation with Hannah Kaviani of RFE/RL's Radio Farda, Berman, a leading expert on the Middle East, spoke about the rapidly evolving situation in Iran and the US role in the conflict five days after Israel's surprise attack opened a new chapter in the confrontation between the two countries. RFE/RL: Did something change in President Trump's mind (since the start of the conflict)? Ilan Berman: I don't think so, at least not yet. The way I see the current US policy is: It is escalating to de-escalate. President Trump, in the past, has made very clear that his optimal end state is for this regime to come to the negotiating table and really make meaningful concessions with regard to its nuclear program. He became increasingly frustrated in recent days because it was clear that the Iranian regime was just playing for time, that they weren't really in good faith negotiating about the nuclear program. They were basically just running out the clock. RFE/RL: But they still had plans to meet on Sunday (June 15), right? Berman: Well, yes, and it's not clear to me whether that was an authentic plan or that was just floated even though the White House knew that the Israelis were going to strike before them. But what I see as being important now is that the president still wants a deal. What Israel has done, at least so far, has really advantaged the possibility that Iran will come to the table and will make meaningful concessions. I think that's still the goal of the Trump administration's policy. But in order for that objective to be reached, Trump has to have a credible threat of escalation, and I would argue that's why you're seeing this significant movement of military assets into the Middle East, because there is another way that this can go if the Iranian regime does not, does not acquiesce and does not return to the negotiating table. I think the president is prepared to assist Israel in attacking Fordow and other sites, but I don't think that's his first preference. RFE/RL: President Trump uses very much the word surrender. Why? Why do you think he's using this term? And what do you think it means to him — this word? Berman: Well, and then obviously it's a loaded word, and I don't think it is surrender the way it's interpreted in the Middle East, which has to do with state honor or familial honor. I think what he's doing is he's very clearly articulating how he sees Iran's current position, because after four or five days of Israel's campaign, the Iranian regime is very much on the back foot militarily. I think President Trump sees this. If the Iranian regime returns to the negotiating table, it's not going to be a negotiation between equals. It's going to be much more about what meaningful concessions Iran can make that he's going to be satisfied with. RFE/RL: There is a lot of talk out there. I think I saw it one of your own pieces as well, the issue of the existence and the fate of Islamic republic as a system as a whole. And there is a lot of talk that, if this is really the end game here or not, I want to see what you think about it. Is regime change on the table? Berman: I don't think so, at least not yet. And I say this advisedly, because I'm a big believer in the fact that the Islamic republic is a corrupt system, and that the Iranian people have made very clear that they want something else, but I don't think that's in the cards right now, at least on the part of Israel and the United States. Israel has made very clear that regime change is not on the table in the current phase of its military campaign, and the Trump administration, at least for now, would much prefer, as I see it, would much prefer a deal with the existing regime than a change of regime. RFE/RL: But what is this regime change? Can we elaborate a bit? Because what does it mean that it's not on the cards? What is regime change in this meaning, like, how would Israel or the US have regime change in mind? Berman: So, there's the sort of the old Iraq model of externally imposed regime change. I don't think either Israel or the United States has any appetite for that. But I think there are things that both countries can do that would advantage or create advantages for opposition forces acting from within. And Israel has done a small number of them already. It has attacked the Basij ( a paramilitary force linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guards) headquarters. It has bombed the Intelligence Ministry. And these things are, I think, intended to create an opening for Iranians to take matters into their own hands. But is there a serious Israeli or American push to support the Iranian opposition and to sort of to encourage them and sustain them if and when they rise up? I don't think we're seeing that yet. RFE/RL: People are asking, observers are asking, how would Iranians take matters in their own hands when they're running for their lives? Berman: That's a fair question. Look, I think the problem that we Westerners have when we think about regime change in Iran is that we really have been unserious about investing in the potential for change within Iran. We talk a lot about regime change, but we haven't really invested in a campaign to expand communications, to create a strike fund, to do all these different things that would allow the Iranian opposition the room to breathe, the room to organize and to mobilize against the regime. That's, I think, a huge problem, and I think that's a necessary prerequisite for Iranians to really feel confident enough to rise up in a sustained fashion.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Our Q&A with ESPN's Chris Berman: Boomer gives us his best golf nicknames
Chris may no longer be broadcasting the U.S Open on ESPN as he did for many years but he's still very present in the world of golf. He's an unofficial ambassador at The Sentry, where he has a home in Kapalua and doesn't mind bragging about the time he won the pro-am with Xander Schauffele as his partner. His other longtime home is in Connecticut and he's been involved with the Travelers Championship, the Tour's annual stop at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell for longer than Sammy Davis Jr. As is custom, Berman will serve as emcee of the trophy ceremony on Sunday. Berman, 70, has extended his contract with ESPN through 2029, which would make him ESPN's first employee to celebrate their 50th anniversary with the company. The 2027 Super Bowl will be the 45th that Berman will have worked for ESPN. Berman joined ESPN on Oct. 1, 1979, and is a six-time National Sportscaster of the Year and a member of several Halls of Fame, including the Sports Broadcasting HOF, the National Sports Media Association HOF and Cable HOF. Golfweek caught up with him earlier this year and shared some of our favorite nicknames he coined, including from the world of baseball: Luis Funky Cold Medina, Bert Be Home Blyeven and Oddibe Young Again McDowell. Golfweek: You're part of the furniture at the Sentry and Travelers Championship. Where does your love of golf stem from? Chris Berman: I never really played when I was young. My dad had a set of clubs in the garage and he maybe played three times a year. He'd rather spend time with his boys. But I always liked it, I always watched the Bing Crosby, the Masters and then the U.S. Open in 1974 at Winged Foot was a big deal. I was a freshman in college, I think, and one of my dad's business associates lived near the third green. I snuck on the course all four days and that kind of got me going a little bit. Seve was my guy. Late in my 20s, when we were all working late at ESPN on weekends, some of us would get together and play at a public course at 10 o'clock on a weekday and then roll into work at 4. GWK: Why do you think golf appeals to athletes from so many sports? CB: I think it's the ultimate challenge because you're testing yourself. The ball is stationary. NFL kickers and hockey players are the best golfers as a group. Maybe because the puck can be stationary and of course in kicking the ball is stationary. Sterling Sharpe worked with us on TV. He never played golf until after he retired. He's like a scratch. But not every great athlete is a good golfer. I think they like the challenge of being able to improve. More: Former U.S. Open host Chris Berman signs extension with ESPN, will reach 50 years GWK: You're beloved for your clever player nicknames but what player got the most upset with the one you coined for him? CB: Nobody really in golf. Let me think of the golf nicknames back when I was on the air every day. We had Ground Control to David Toms. He liked it. He'd smile at it. I think he was more kidding, but Mark Lye was Mark 'Unplayable' Lye. He thought I was making fun of his golf game for about 10 seconds. I said, No, it's a golf term. When Jose-Maria Olazabal first arrived on the scene, we didn't know how to pronounce his last name. We thought it was Oh-loz-uh-ball, and I go, Oh my goodness, it's the greatest golf name ever. Two strokes for a lost ball, you know? And well, it's Oh-lah-thah-bull. I went, shoot, that doesn't work, damn it. Curtis Strange was insert your favorite song. People are Strange, you know, Strange Brew. He liked it because he's a music guy. Joey Sindelar, who I played in the Travelers pro-am with 12-13 times and we became good friends, he was Joey Seven Deadly Sin-delars. When Xander won (the Travelers in 2022), he demanded that I give him a nickname. I had to chew on it. I went Xander Killing Me Schauffele With His Song, which I think is not bad. He and I won the Sentry pro-am, though I can't take too much credit for that. [As emcee at Travelers media day, Berman attempted to coin one for Scottie Scheffler on the spot. 'I'll be better in June, but off the year you had last year, there's no other way to describe it but 'Top Scheffler.' That's OK? Is that all right for now? Is that like a ball mark on the green?' 'That's great. If it's good with you, it's good with me. That's more your forte than mine,' Scheffler said.] For Max Homa, I've used Homa is Where my Heart is or Homa Sweet Homa, which anybody could come up with; they're interchangeable. Sam Burns, you can usually go Third-Degree Burns for Sam, I don't know that I've used it yet. I did use Jon CD-Rahm. I don't think I've gone for the easy one with Jason Day. You know, it's a Beautiful Day or something, as opposed to Glenn 'All' Day, which was not my nickname, but it was very apropos. Adam Scott, I didn't do because it's 'Great, Scott,' that's too easy. Davis Love III was, Might as well face it, you're addicted to Love. You know, a lot of rock and roll ones. [He texted later with two current pros that were top shelf: Patton 'Street Car Named' Kizzire and Sahith It's Not Just the Party, It's Theegala.] None of mine are derogatory. I'll give you a baseball one that he really wasn't that pissed, but a long time ago Kevin Bass, who played for Houston and a lot of other places, an All-Star a few times, he brought it to my attention that he wasn't fond of my nickname. We were at the batting cage and he goes, 'Can I talk to you for a minute, Chris, because you call me Kevin Large-mouth Bass.' I said, 'Yeah, the fish.' He goes, 'I know, but it makes me sound like a complainer. I said, 'OK, that's actually very fair. I certainly had no intention.' He goes, 'I'm sure you didn't, but it makes me sound like I'm a big mouth and pain in the ass in the clubhouse or whatever.' You know, it kind of stunned me for a minute. We were friendly, and just to show you how quote-unquote upset he was, I said, 'Well, how about Kevin Small-mouth Bass?' He goes, 'Perfect. Go with it.' So that was an easy negotiation. GWK: Were you too loud for golf? CB: Oh, hell no. The golfers loved it. Professionally, I've never had more fun in my life. I always covered the U.S. Open with Andy North in the evening, prime time, and that's different. You're trying to bring people in that haven't watched it all day, a lot of casual sports fans. And you know, nobody is for everybody. People complained about Johnny Miller and he forgot more golf than you and I and 100 of our best friends combined would ever know, right? I'll give you an example. In 2010, they shaved the left side by the green at Pebble on 14. Y.E. Yang hit a shot and it just trickled down the left side into that collection area. And so he took a putter, which you and I would probably do, and putted it up the hill, and it got to the top, and it stayed there for a second, and then it rolled right back down like miniature golf, right back to his feet. He stares at it, he's pissed. He goes to the bag and he gets a wedge to chip with from almost the exact same spot. We've all been there. And he chips it up there, pretty good shot until it runs out of steam. It rolls back down to his feet, and you can see the smoke coming out of his ears. But he's looking at his caddie. He's looking at the bag, he's looking at the ball. He's really annoyed. He doesn't even grab a club for a good 30+ seconds. So, I said, 'And now, what, the ball retriever?' I wasn't trying to make fun of him. He hadn't made a move yet for a club. A couple of golf scribes didn't think that was appropriate. Later that night in the Tap Room, Lee Westwood comes over. He said, 'When you said the ball retriever, I fell off my bloody couch laughing.' So there's your answer. I wasn't trying to make fun of him. It was like, we've all been there. But I wasn't trying to be anybody that I wasn't. I was just trying to do the best job. But that's why they have different flavors of ice cream. Not everyone likes vanilla, chocolate or smurf. GWK: What's the course you've never played that you most want to play? CB: I've played Augusta once and St. Andrews once. Seminole is one I'd like to do. I've never played Pine Valley, which is in the northeast, so I should really get there. Pebble Beach is my favorite. That's where God waits for a tee time. I've told them this for a while, but I used to say when I completely retire, I'd like to own the concession and drive the beverage cart at Pebble Beach. That would be fun.
Eater
6 days ago
- Business
- Eater
An Old Hudson Diner Has Been Relaunched by an Exciting Culinary Team
A partner from Hudson's Mel the Bakery has joined forces with the Meat Hook to open Hudson Diner, which debuted on Saturday, June 14, starting with dinner: items like straight-ahead affordable cocktails, a wedge salad, and chicken tenders. It's a takeover of what had been Grazin' Diner (717 Warren Street, at Park Place), a staple of Warren Street that had been around for a decade. The Meat Hook owner, Brent Young, and Mel the Bakery partner, Ashley Berman, picked up the location back in January. Just down the street, a couple of blocks away, is Mel, owned by Berman's life partner, baker Nora Allen, who had relocated the bakery to Hudson by way of Chinatown. It's attached to a Hudson outpost of the Brooklyn butcher shop, the Meat Hook, with a food program Berman oversees. Grazin' Diner was a farm-to-table spot from 2011 to 2024, originally owned by Dan and Susan Gibson and their son Keith. They were also behind Grazin' Angus Acres, a Ghent farm that supplied the diner's meats. Dan died recently, and Keith decided to sell the farm and the diner. Young didn't know any of this when he had reached out to Keith – whose name he knew through his farm contacts – right before the family planned on listing the diner for sale. 'Keith loved that I had agriculture ties to the Hudson Valley,' said Young, about his relationship with upstate farms, 'and Ashley had been coming to the Hudson Valley her whole life,' says Young. 'It was the right place, right time,' says Berman. 'It came together in a lovely way.' Before Grazin', it was a restaurant dating back to the 1940s, called Diamond Street Diner. It was open for years until 2009, when 'then attorney general Andrew Cuomo brought criminal charges against the owner of the diner and Stockport town judge James Funk for stealing bail money from a court bank account.' Berman says she grew up in New Jersey – the country's diner capital. In her youth she spent a lot of time in Columbia County and 'went to all the diners in this area, too,' she says. Young and Berman say they're longtime friends and have been talking about opening a diner together. In driving by what's now the Hudson Diner space, they were like, 'that's the one.' The place is two train cars, so 'the bones were there,' says Young of the 60-seat diner, but 'she just needed a facelift.' The restaurant is starting with dinner service (Wednesday through Sunday from 5 to 10 p.m.) and will expand to lunch in a couple of months. The goal is to open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, seven days a week. One of the restaurant's missions is to be affordable, says Young. They've debuted with items like shrimp cocktail ($16), steak tartare ($18), and chopped liver ($14) for starters. Mains include a chopped steak with a peppercorn sauce with peas and onion rings ($25), a half-Greek chicken with tzatziki and salad ($29), and burgers ($18). There's also a spaghetti pie ($18) on the menu, 'which is kind of like spaghetti Parm that's baked in a pie dish with cheese on top,' one of Berman's family dishes growing up. The menu lists other diner classics like a triple-decker, a patty melt ($18), and a tuna melt ($18) made on breads that come from Mel the Bakery. Four salads include a Greek salad, a wedge, a Caesar, and mixed greens ($12 to $16). Berman is making desserts, including a special cake and pie of the day, such as banana cream pie and a chocolate sheet cake with chocolate frosting. There's also a citrusy Atlantic Beach pie with a Ritz cracker crust. 'Since it's summer we'll do some fruit pies – blueberry, cherry – and we'll always keep ice cream on the menu including rainbow sherbet,' she says. Cocktails like martinis, Manhattans, margaritas, and a Tom Collins are $13. Young opened the Meat Hook with Ben Turley over 15 years ago; Turley split off to work on his own projects (including the opening of Border Town in Greenpoint this fall). Young has been expanding since last year's announcement of its Hudson butcher and its Carroll Gardens location near what had been G. Esposito & Sons pork store for 100 years – to help fill a void left by that closure. James Beard semifinalist for Outstanding Baker, Nora Allen moved Mel the Butcher up north in 2023, at which point Berman, Allen's partner in life, also became a partner in the bakery. They moved into what had been occupied by Breadfolks, a 3,200 square-foot spot with seating for over 30. The Meat Hook later moved into the additional ground-level space in the building. This isn't the first Meat Hook restaurant, with Young and Turley opening what's now Cozy Royale in Williamsburg. The acquisition was also a revival of the old name of the Italian catering hall for 70 years. Their restaurant launched in 2020 during peak outdoor dining, serving a menu that nodded to Appalachian foodways with items like pepperoni rolls and pierogies. Today, Young's menu pivots toward the casual tavern-steakhouse route with shrimp cocktail, spicy meatballs, oysters Rockefeller, rigatoni, and burgers. Before rolling out Cozy Royale, the duo ran the Meat Hook Sandwich Shop, also in Williamsburg, where Young and Berman also worked together. It landed a respectable one-star Pete Wells review from the New York Times . Back then, a one-star wasn't considered a goose-egg; Wells said the chicken sandwich could 'bring your whole day to a dead stop for a few minutes.' The opening of Hudson Diner will soon be followed by another forthcoming diner in the area: Doves Diner, by food stylist and chef, Lauren Stanek, taking over what was West Taghkanic Diner, just outside of Hudson. (Disclosure: Eater has an Eater video series with Young.) See More:
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
California Assembly Advances Bill to Expose Patients to Doctor Substance Abuse, Says Consumer Watchdog
SACRAMENTO, Calif., May 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A bill that will put patients at risk from doctors who continue practicing while abusing drugs or alcohol passed off the floor of the California State Assembly yesterday and moves on to the Senate. AB 408 by Assemblymember Berman and sponsored by the Medical Board of California, would create a secret drug and alcohol "diversion program" where the Board would send doctors who have substance abuse problems, instead of taking disciplinary action. AB 408 does not require disclosure to Medical Board enforcement staff, or consequences, for a doctor in the program that fails a drug test, skips a drug test, or otherwise violates the program. This silence about relapse by doctors who are actively treating patients is not limited to doctors who choose treatment voluntarily, as proponents claim. It applies to doctors sent to the program by the Board who would otherwise have faced discipline, including those found using substances at work, said Consumer Watchdog. "With AB 408 Assemblymembers and the Medical Board prioritize doctors' interests over keeping their patients safe. The bill would eliminate the Medical Board's responsibility to investigate and act if it refers a doctor to treatment and that doctor fails a drug test. That means patients will be harmed by doctors who relapse, just as they were in the last program that was shut down for putting patients at risk," said Consumer Watchdog executive director Carmen Balber. The Medical Board's prior diversion program was abolished after failing five state audits because doctors who entered the program could relapse with no consequences and patients were harmed. To prevent this from happening again, the Legislature passed oversight rules called the "Uniform Standards" and applied them to doctors in diversion programs. AB 408 exempts doctors from the law, eliminating oversight and accountability from the program. Consumer Watchdog has urged preserving those patient protections. Tina Minasian, an advocate for patient rights in California, suffers lifelong injuries inflicted by a substance-abusing surgeon who was a participant in the former confidential physician diversion program. She played a pivotal role in advocating for the closure of the prior failed Diversion Program, and enacting the Uniform Standards so any future program would better protect patients. "I can't believe that eighteen years later I have to take on this fight again on behalf of all Californians," stated Minasian. "We gained too many protections in the past fifteen years to give them up. I lost everything when I was harmed and cannot allow another Californian to endure what I did." The bill would allow doctors to seek treatment to avoid discipline even if they were impaired on the job. For example: A San Francisco doctor suspected of stealing drugs from her hospital was recently arrested after she was found passed out in an operating room shortly after she was scheduled to participate in a toddler's surgery. Under AB 408 the Board could send that doctor into diversion instead of the disciplinary investigation, treatment oversight and consequences for relapse that are all mandatory under current law. The bill does not require reporting of a positive drug test to the Board, so the doctor could continue treating patients while keeping diversion program violations secret and place patients in harm's way. Read Consumer Watchdog's opposition letters on AB 408 here and here. The History of the Medical Board and Physician Diversion The former confidential physician diversion program was subjected to a critical sunset review in 2007 after five failed audits by the state and a critical report from an Enforcement Monitor revealed significant failures in drug testing and oversight. In response, patients stepped forward to share their harrowing stories of harm and loss due to the negligence of doctors in the program. The Medical Board of California recognized the severity of these revelations and terminated the program in 2008. That same year, a pivotal hearing on the diversion program was convened at the state Capitol. The chair of the joint committee announced SB 1441, legislation designed to establish Uniform Standards for Substance-Abusing Health Care Professionals in California. Passed into law in 2008, SB 1441 was a vital step toward rectifying the failures of the previous diversion program. It empowered the Medical Board with essential tools to monitor substance-abusing licensees and enforce meaningful consequences for offending physicians, prioritizing the protection of patients and fostering a culture of accountability among healthcare providers. In 2016, SB 1177 was enacted, which allowed the Medical Board of California to recreate a new physician diversion program that adhered to the Uniform Standards. AB 408 discards those consumer protections and reconfigures any future program in the image of the failed diversion program. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Consumer Watchdog Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Business Wire
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- Business Wire
Hagens Berman: Law Firm Behind Many of the Largest Auto Class Actions Sues GM for Engine Failure Defect in Over 800,000 SUVs and Pickup Trucks
DETROIT--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A class-action lawsuit aimed at General Motors accuses the automaker of bungling one of the largest engine recalls in its history, according to Hagens Berman, and abandoning consumers who own or lease one of more than 877,000 vehicles affected by a defect that causes sudden, catastrophic engine failure. 'GM markets itself as an automaker that advocates for the safety of its customers and their families,' Berman added. 'Now would be a great time for GM to fulfill that promise.' According to the lawsuit filed May 19, 2025, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, the defect occurs with no warning in vehicles equipped with L87 6.2L V8 engines with as little as a thousand miles of use, occurring more often at high speeds. According to the class action, GM has known about the defect for several years but failed to disclose it to affected owners prior to the purchase of their vehicles. If you own a GM-branded vehicle equipped with L87 6.2L V8 engines contact Hagens Berman to find out more about this issue and your consumer rights against GM. Affected model years include 2019-2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, 2019-2024 GMC Sierra 1500, 2021-2024 Chevrolet Tahoe, 2021-2024 Chevrolet Suburban, 2021-2024 GMC Yukon, 2021-2024 GMC Yukon XL, 2021-2024 Cadillac Escalade and 2021-2024 Cadillac Escalade ESV. 'What started as a recall has ballooned into what appears to be the need for full engine replacement for at least 870,000 vehicles,' said Steve Berman, managing partner of Hagens Berman and attorney representing affected owners. 'This defect is serious because it involves sudden catastrophic engine failure with no warning and is more common at high speeds. This spells danger for anyone in or near the car.' 'GM markets itself as an automaker that advocates for the safety of its customers and their families,' Berman added. 'Now would be a great time for GM to fulfill that promise.' According to the lawsuit, GM's L87 6.2L V8 engine connecting rod and/or crankshaft engine components may have manufacturing defects that can lead to engine damage and catastrophic engine failure. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) states in its summary of the defect, '…complainants report a bearing failure that may result in either engine seizure or breaching of the engine block by the connecting rod.' GM dealerships have reportedly informed consumers that there is no guidance for them to fix the defect at the root of the recall, the lawsuit states. The lawsuit seeks compensation for those who purchased the affected vehicles under California and Washington state consumer protection laws including false advertising law, unfair competition law and the California Consumer Legal Remedies Act, as well as the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act. Attorneys say the affected vehicles have significantly suffered in value: 'In addition to rendering the Class Vehicles unsafe to drive, the Bearing Defect significantly reduces the value of the Class Vehicles. And, if GM had disclosed the truth about the Bearing Defect, Plaintiffs would not have purchased their vehicles or would have paid less.' Hagens Berman is a global plaintiffs' rights complex litigation law firm with a tenacious drive for achieving real results for those harmed by corporate negligence and fraud. Since its founding in 1993, the firm's determination has earned it numerous national accolades, awards and titles of 'Most Feared Plaintiff's Firm,' MVPs and Trailblazers of class-action law. More about the law firm and its successes can be found at Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw.
