House panel to question intelligence director about whistleblower

The House Intelligence Committee on Thursday will ask the acting director of national intelligence, Joseph Maguire, about the complaint that ignited a firestorm around President Donald Trump over communications with Ukraine.  A whistleblower filed the complaint Aug. 12 to the inspector general for the intelligence community, Michael Atkinson, who found it credible. But Maguire and the Justice Department initially blocked Atkinson from passing along the complaint along to Congress, as is customary within seven days, because it didn’t involve an intelligence worker or intelligence activity under Maguire’s supervision. The complaint was provided the House and Senate intelligence committees at 4 p.m. Wednesday, on the eve of the hearing. The complaint appears related to Trump’s July 25 call with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky. 

• Trump released a five-page summary of the call Wednesday,which revealed the president asking Zelensky to investigate political rival Joe Biden
• The whistleblower complaint spurred House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to announce that all six committees investigating Trump would do so under the umbrella of a formal impeachment proceeding

Another sentencing in college admissions scandal

The college admissions scandal re-enters the public eye Thursday in Boston federal court when Stephen Semprevivo is scheduled to be sentenced. Semprevivo, a former executive at sales services provider Cydcor, admitted paying $400,000 for his son to be admitted into Georgetown University as a fake tennis recruit. Of the 52 people charged in the blockbuster admissions scandal, 35 are parents. Fifteen have pleaded guilty in deals with prosecutors, while 19, including actress Lori Loughlin, have pleaded not guilty and are preparing for trial. Earlier this month, actress Felicity Huffman was sentenced to 14 days in prison, given a $30,000 fine and 250 hours of community service for paying $15,000 to have someone correct answers on the SAT exam of her oldest daughter, Sophia.  

• ‘Varsity Blues’ college admissions scheme: What Felicity Huffman’s prison sentence means for other parents
• Potential impact: How will Huffman’s sentence affect Loughlin’s case?
• Just the beginning?: Who’s pleaded guilty in the college admissions scandal — and who’s still fighting

World can’t get enough of Harry, Meghan and Archie

As Duchess Meghan and Prince Harry’s tour of southern Africa continues Thursday,  royal watchers are on the lookout for another glimpse of the royal baby. The couple’s 4-month-old, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, attended his first royal engagement Wednesday as the family met retired Archbishop Desmond Tutu in South Africa. Harry and Meghan have separate itineraries Thursday, with him going to Botswana and Meghan and Archie remaining in Cape Town and then traveling to Johannesburg. She is set to start her day at a breakfast in the morning honoring South Africa’s women. 

• Meghan wishes Harry a happy birthday in Instagram photo-collage 
• Ellen talks about her summer visit with the royals 

Reds’ broadcasting legend calls it quits

Marty Brennaman, the voice of the Cincinnati Reds since 1974, will call his last game Thursday when the Reds take on the Milwaukee Brewers. The 77-year-old Brennaman is known for his pull-no-punch descriptions and his “this one belongs to the Reds” tagline. He has called a host of baseball milestones, including Hank Aaron’s 714th homer that tied Babe Ruth, three World Series titles and Pete Rose’s record-setting hit No. 4,192. But he says he won’t be tempted to come back to the microphone. “I truly believe I’m going to be a whole lot less relevant, and that’s good with me,” he said. “I’m fine with that.”

It’s my birthday, too, yeah: ‘Brady Bunch,’ ‘Abbey Road’ hit 50 

Here’s the story … of two pop-culture milestones that come together in turning 50. Yes, Thursday marks five decades of both the Beatles’ “Abbey Road” album and the blended-family TV sitcom “The Brady Bunch.” As grownups, the “Bunch” bunch — three girls, three boys — go back to their roots in HGTV’s “A Very Brady Renovation,” Mondays at 9 p.m. ET/PT. The show follows the gang’s renovation of the L.A. house seen on the five-season run of the vintage series. The Beatles, of course, can’t get back together; it turns out “Abbey Road” marked their swansong. The Fab Four, crossing the aforementioned road on the album’s iconic cover, went out in jamtastic style with tracks including “Come Together,” “Here Comes the Sun” and appropriately, “The End.”

• A special ‘Something’ in a great album: ‘Abbey Road’s’ songs, ranked  
• Marcia, Marcia, Marcia: And Greg, Peter, Bobby, Jan, Cindy, Mike and Carol

Contributing: Associated Press

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