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The Independent
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Scripps National Spelling Bee guide: How to watch, who the notable spellers are, rules and prizes
The best young spellers in the English language are set to compete at the Scripps National Spelling Bee, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. The first bee was held in 1925, when the Louisville Courier-Journal invited other newspapers to host spelling bees and send their champions to Washington. The bee is now held just outside the nation's capital, at a convention center on the banks of the Potomac River in Oxon Hill, Maryland. It starts Tuesday and concludes Thursday night. This will be the 97th bee; it was canceled from 1943 to 1945 because of World War II and again in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year's champion will be the 110th, because the bee ended in a two-way tie several times and an eight-way tie in 2019. How can I watch the Scripps National Spelling Bee? The bee is broadcast and streamed on channels and platforms owned by Scripps, a Cincinnati-based media company. — Tuesday, May 27: Preliminary rounds streamed on Bounce XL, Grit Xtra, Laff More and from 8 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. EDT. — Wednesday, May 28: Quarterfinals streamed on Bounce XL, Grit Xtra, Laff More and from 8 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Semifinals streamed on Bounce XL, Grit Xtra, Laff More and from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. Semifinals broadcast on ION on tape-delay from 8-10 p.m. — Thursday, May 29: Finals broadcast on ION from 8-10 p.m. Who is competing at the Scripps National Spelling Bee? The bee features 243 spellers, with at least one from each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia; as well as spellers from U.S. territories Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands; and from Canada, the Bahamas, Germany, Ghana, Kuwait and Nigeria. Faizan Zaki, last year's runner-up, is back after losing to Bruhat Soma in a lightning-round tiebreaker known as a 'spell-off.' He's a 13-year-old seventh-grader from Allen, Texas. If he falls short again, he would have one more year of eligibility. He has won several online bees that top spellers compete in as preparation, including the Words of Wisdom Spelling Bee and the South Asian Spelling Bee. Other possible contenders: — Aishwarya Kallakuri, a 14-year-old eighth-grader from Concord, North Carolina, and winner of the SpellPundit National Spelling Bee. — Avinav Prem Anand, a 14-year-old eighth-grader from Columbus, Ohio, who finished second to Faizan in the Words of Wisdom bee. — Vedanth Raju, a 12-year-old seventh-grader from Aurora, Colorado, and the younger brother of 2022 runner-up Vikram Raju. What are the rules of the Scripps National Spelling Bee? Spellers qualify by advancing through regional bees hosted by sponsors around the country. In order to compete, spellers must not have advanced beyond the eighth grade or be older than 15. Spellers must get through two preliminary rounds, quizzing them on words from a list provided in advance: one spelling round and one multiple-choice vocabulary round. Those who make it through the preliminaries sit for a written spelling and vocabulary test, with the top 100 or so finishers advancing to the quarterfinals. The words for the test, and for all subsequent rounds, are taken from the Merriam-Webster Unabridged dictionary. Throughout the quarterfinals and semifinals, spellers are eliminated at the microphone through oral spelling or vocabulary questions. About a dozen spellers advance to the finals. When only two spellers remain, Scripps has the option to use a lightning-round tiebreaker known as a 'spell-off' to determine the champion. However, Scripps has taken away the requirement that the spell-off begin at a specific time, giving bee judges more discretion to let the competition play out. What are the prizes for the Scripps National Spelling Bee champion? The winner receives a custom trophy and more than $50,000 in cash and prizes. Here are the prize payouts: — First place: $52,500 in cash, reference works from Encyclopedia Britannica and Merriam-Webster, and a $1,000 contribution to a school of the champion's choice. — Second place: $25,000. — Third place: $15,000. — Fourth place: $10,000. — Fifth place: $5,000. — Sixth place: $2,500. — All other finalists: $2,000. Stories of note — National Spelling Bee winners reflect on how it changed their lives — Scripps National Spelling Bee tweaks its rules to make 'spell-off' tiebreaker less likely — Bruhat Soma wins the National Spelling Bee after a slow night concludes with a sudden tiebreaker — National Spelling Bee reflects the economic success and cultural impact of immigrants from India — Exclusive secrets of the National Spelling Bee: Picking the words to identify a champion ___ Ben Nuckols has covered the Scripps National Spelling Bee since 2012. Follow his work here.
Associated Press
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Scripps National Spelling Bee guide: How to watch, who the notable spellers are, rules and prizes
The best young spellers in the English language are set to compete at the Scripps National Spelling Bee, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. The first bee was held in 1925, when the Louisville Courier-Journal invited other newspapers to host spelling bees and send their champions to Washington. The bee is now held just outside the nation's capital, at a convention center on the banks of the Potomac River in Oxon Hill, Maryland. It starts Tuesday and concludes Thursday night. This will be the 97th bee; it was canceled from 1943 to 1945 because of World War II and again in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year's champion will be the 110th, because the bee ended in a two-way tie several times and an eight-way tie in 2019. How can I watch the Scripps National Spelling Bee? The bee is broadcast and streamed on channels and platforms owned by Scripps, a Cincinnati-based media company. — Tuesday, May 27: Preliminary rounds streamed on Bounce XL, Grit Xtra, Laff More and from 8 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. EDT. — Wednesday, May 28: Quarterfinals streamed on Bounce XL, Grit Xtra, Laff More and from 8 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Semifinals streamed on Bounce XL, Grit Xtra, Laff More and from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. Semifinals broadcast on ION on tape-delay from 8-10 p.m. — Thursday, May 29: Finals broadcast on ION from 8-10 p.m. Who is competing at the Scripps National Spelling Bee? The bee features 243 spellers, with at least one from each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia; as well as spellers from U.S. territories Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands; and from Canada, the Bahamas, Germany, Ghana, Kuwait and Nigeria. Faizan Zaki, last year's runner-up, is back after losing to Bruhat Soma in a lightning-round tiebreaker known as a 'spell-off.' He's a 13-year-old seventh-grader from Allen, Texas. If he falls short again, he would have one more year of eligibility. He has won several online bees that top spellers compete in as preparation, including the Words of Wisdom Spelling Bee and the South Asian Spelling Bee. Other possible contenders: — Aishwarya Kallakuri, a 14-year-old eighth-grader from Concord, North Carolina, and winner of the SpellPundit National Spelling Bee. — Avinav Prem Anand, a 14-year-old eighth-grader from Columbus, Ohio, who finished second to Faizan in the Words of Wisdom bee. — Vedanth Raju, a 12-year-old seventh-grader from Aurora, Colorado, and the younger brother of 2022 runner-up Vikram Raju. What are the rules of the Scripps National Spelling Bee? Spellers qualify by advancing through regional bees hosted by sponsors around the country. In order to compete, spellers must not have advanced beyond the eighth grade or be older than 15. Spellers must get through two preliminary rounds, quizzing them on words from a list provided in advance: one spelling round and one multiple-choice vocabulary round. Those who make it through the preliminaries sit for a written spelling and vocabulary test, with the top 100 or so finishers advancing to the quarterfinals. The words for the test, and for all subsequent rounds, are taken from the Merriam-Webster Unabridged dictionary. Throughout the quarterfinals and semifinals, spellers are eliminated at the microphone through oral spelling or vocabulary questions. About a dozen spellers advance to the finals. When only two spellers remain, Scripps has the option to use a lightning-round tiebreaker known as a 'spell-off' to determine the champion. However, Scripps has taken away the requirement that the spell-off begin at a specific time, giving bee judges more discretion to let the competition play out. What are the prizes for the Scripps National Spelling Bee champion? The winner receives a custom trophy and more than $50,000 in cash and prizes. Here are the prize payouts: — First place: $52,500 in cash, reference works from Encyclopedia Britannica and Merriam-Webster, and a $1,000 contribution to a school of the champion's choice. — Second place: $25,000. — Third place: $15,000. — Fourth place: $10,000. — Fifth place: $5,000. — Sixth place: $2,500. — All other finalists: $2,000. Stories of note — National Spelling Bee winners reflect on how it changed their lives — Scripps National Spelling Bee tweaks its rules to make 'spell-off' tiebreaker less likely — Bruhat Soma wins the National Spelling Bee after a slow night concludes with a sudden tiebreaker — National Spelling Bee reflects the economic success and cultural impact of immigrants from India — Exclusive secrets of the National Spelling Bee: Picking the words to identify a champion ___ Ben Nuckols has covered the Scripps National Spelling Bee since 2012. Follow his work here.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Public hearing set on proposed toll bridge rate hike
CUMBERLAND — Local residents will be able to comment on an application by the Historic Oldtown Bridge Preservation to increase its toll rates and charges during a virtual hearing scheduled for Wednesday. The hearing begins at 7 p.m. before Public Utility Law Judge Christine L. Burke. In July 2024, the bridge operator requested an increase to the toll rate for passenger vehicles from $1.50 to $2.50, as well as increases for other types of vehicles. The bridge is the only privately owned toll bridge operating in Maryland and provides a low-water crossing over the Potomac River between Oldtown and Green Spring, West Virginia. Those who would like to speak at the hearing must sign up by Tuesday through the Calendly app on the commission's website, Under 'Featured Topics' on the right side of the webpage, click on 'Public Comment Hearing Sign Up,' then 'Case 9712 and the hearing date and time. Click 'Next,' enter name and email and click 'Schedule Event.' Once the sign-up process is complete, registrants will receive a Zoom link. Otherwise, the hearing can be watched on the PULJ Division's YouTube channel, Written comments can be sent electronically through the commission's online portal, or by mail. Comments sent by mail should be addressed to: Jamie Bergin, Chief Clerk, Maryland Public Service Commission, William Donald Schaefer Tower, 6 St. Paul St., 16th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202. All comments should reference Case No. 9712.
Zawya
23-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Wealthy foreign crypto investors descend on President Trump's golf club for $148mln meme coin dinner
STERLING, Virginia: Buyers of President Donald Trump's meme coin converged from around the globe on Thursday for an exclusive dinner at his private country club, overlooking the Potomac River, just outside the nation's capital. With guests filing into the event, and President Trump arriving by Marine One helicopter, more than a hundred protesters at the Trump National Golf Club crowded along the edge of the parking lot along the street. Signs included, 'America is not for sale,' 'stop crypto corruption," and 'release the guest list." Among those in attendance is China-born crypto entrepreneur and billionaire Justin Sun, who posted a video of himself, underscored by triumphant music, entering the ballroom and dressed in a tux. Sun won first place in the dinner contest with his $18.5 million wallet, and is also the largest publicly known investor and an adviser to World Liberty Financial, the Trump family's crypto platform, which has made them hundreds of millions of dollars. On Wednesday, Sun also posted a video of himself visiting the Executive Office Building, part of the White House complex. In February, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission paused its 2023 fraud case against Sun, citing public interest. Sun declined to comment but posted on X that he is "grateful for the invitation." The SEC declined to comment. In total, investors spent an estimated $148 million on the $TRUMP meme coin to secure their seats at the dinner, with the top-25 holders spending more than $111 million, according to crypto intelligence firm Inca Digital. These top holders will enjoy a private VIP reception with Trump, and the four largest investors will also receive a limited edition Trump Tourbillon watch that sells for $100,000. A company controlled by the Trump family and a second firm together hold 80% of the remaining supply of $TRUMP coins, and have so far earned $320.19 million in fees, including at least $1.35 million after the dinner announcement, according to blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis. More than half of the 220 holders at the black-tie event are likely based outside the United States, according to blockchain analysis. In response to criticisms about Trump using his office to enrich himself from the meme coin, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said Thursday: "All of the president's assets are in a blind trust, which is managed by his children. And I would argue, one of the many reasons that the American people re-elected this president back to this office is because he was a very successful businessman before giving it up to publicly serve our country." She also said that, "The president is attending it in his personal time. It is not a White House dinner. It's not taking place here at the White House." The Trump Organization did not respond to requests for comment. Vincent Liu, chief investment officer of Taiwan-based crypto market maker Kronos Research, said he had hopes of networking with other top holders and even possibly meeting the president. 'That kind of access is rare, and it represents how digital assets are entering the mainstream.' PRIVATE COCKTAIL RECEPTION Sheldon Zia, founder of the Cayman Islands-based crypto exchange BitMart, posted on X that, as a top-25 holder, he was heading to not just the dinner but also to a private VIP cocktail reception before the dinner and a private VIP tour the following day. An initial announcement said the 25 VIPs–the majority of their identities so far unknown–would tour the White House. That detail has since been deleted from the $TRUMP meme website ( There are also domestic Trump supporters such as Vincent Deriu, a 27-year-old New York consultant who said he already owns 'many' Trump-branded watches, 'a few pairs of' Trump sneakers, and 'more than 50' Trump NFTs. Deriu will join the dinner on Thursday, for $116,000. Senior Democratic members of the House and Senate held a press conference earlier Thursday to highlight what they describe as Trump's corrupt crypto practices and to push for legislation that would ban such activities. 'Donald Trump's dinner is an orgy of corruption,' said Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren. Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy noted the anonymity of attendees. 'Reportedly, there's going to be a guy there tonight called Ogle,' Murphy said. 'That's it. That's all we know about this guy. He wears a mask all the time." When reached for comment by Reuters, Ogle, a crypto security specialist, said that he uses a pseudonym and appears in video interviews with his face obscured by a bandana and sunglasses to protect himself because of safety concerns related to his pro bono work, in which he says he has helped victims of crypto criminals recover more than half a billion dollars. Ogle said Murphy's accusations were "misplaced." "My motive for attending this dinner is very straightforward," said Ogle, who also serves as an advisor to Trump's cryptocurrency platform, World Liberty Financial. "I'm curious by nature, I believe it will be an historic moment, and I'm fortunate to have the opportunity to go." Ogle came in at number 22 in the contest, and holds a total of $3.6 million worth of the $TRUMP coin. Democratic lawmakers have introduced a flurry of bills aimed at ending the ability of presidents and members of Congress to own or oversee businesses that issue or promote crypto products. Given that Republicans have majority control of both the U.S. House and Senate, the Democratic Party has limited ability to pass legislation and call for public hearings or formal investigations. Of all of the Trump family's cascade of new crypto ventures – which now include a crypto exchange, a stablecoin, a bitcoin mining operation and digital asset ETFs – the meme coin has sparked particularly strident criticism from Democratic lawmakers and government watchdog groups, who have decried it as 'a race to the bottom for presidential grifting.' Now, even some Trump allies are starting to weigh in, with Republican Senator Cynthia Lummis, a robust and staunch crypto industry advocate, saying the dinner gives her 'pause.' Since the $TRUMP meme coin launched in January, the profits have favored big investors: more than 60 large wallets have profited close to $1.5 billion, with $48 million in profits occurring after Trump posted about the contest on social media, according to reviews by Inca Digital and crypto analytics tracker Bubblemaps, as of May 8. Meanwhile, about 600,000 other smaller wallets have lost $3.87 billion so far, with $117 million of the losses occurring after the dinner announcement. The event was set to cap off with an after-party, called "Meme The Night," thrown by a Singapore-based meme-coin engagement company MemeCore. MemeCore's co-founder, who goes by the name Ice, traversed the planet to attend the dinner after spending more than $16 million to come in second place. (Additional reporting by Tom Wilson in London; Editing by Tom Lasseter, Muralikumar Anantharaman and Diane Craft)
Malay Mail
23-05-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Wealthy foreign crypto investors descend on Trump's golf club for US$148m $TRUMP meme coin dinner, raising concerns over foreign influence in US politics
Top-25 meme coin holders to enjoy private VIP reception with Trump Democratic lawmakers demand attendee names, citing foreign influence concerns Profits favour big investors, smaller wallets face significant losses STERLING (Virginia), May 23 — Buyers of President Donald Trump's meme coin converged from around the globe yesterday for an exclusive dinner at his private country club, overlooking the Potomac River, just outside the nation's capital. With guests filing into the event, and President Trump arriving by Marine One helicopter, more than a hundred protesters at the Trump National Golf Club crowded along the edge of the parking lot along the street. Signs included, 'America is not for sale,' 'stop crypto corruption,' and 'release the guest list.' Among those in attendance is China-born crypto entrepreneur and billionaire Justin Sun, who posted a video of himself, underscored by triumphant music, entering the ballroom and dressed in a tux. Sun won first place in the dinner contest with his US$18.5 million wallet, and is also the largest publicly known investor and an adviser to World Liberty Financial, the Trump family's crypto platform, which has made them hundreds of millions of dollars. On Wednesday, Sun also posted a video of himself visiting the Executive Office Building, part of the White House complex. In February, the US Securities and Exchange Commission paused its 2023 fraud case against Sun, citing public interest. Sun declined to comment but posted on X that he is 'grateful for the invitation.' The SEC declined to comment. In total, investors spent an estimated US$148 million on the $TRUMP meme coin to secure their seats at the dinner, with the top-25 holders spending more than US$111 million (RM473 million), according to crypto intelligence firm Inca Digital. These top holders will enjoy a private VIP reception with Trump, and the four largest investors will also receive a limited edition Trump Tourbillon watch that sells for US$100,000. A company controlled by the Trump family and a second firm together hold 80 per cent of the remaining supply of coins, and have so far earned US$320.19 million in fees, including at least US$1.35 million after the dinner announcement, according to blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis. More than half of the 220 holders at the black-tie event are likely based outside the United States, according to blockchain analysis. In response to criticisms about Trump using his office to enrich himself from the meme coin, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said yesterday: 'All of the president's assets are in a blind trust, which is managed by his children. And I would argue, one of the many reasons that the American people re-elected this president back to this office is because he was a very successful businessman before giving it up to publicly serve our country.' She also said that, 'The president is attending it in his personal time. It is not a White House dinner. It's not taking place here at the White House.' The Trump Organisation did not respond to requests for comment. Vincent Liu, chief investment officer of Taiwan-based crypto market maker Kronos Research, said he had hopes of networking with other top holders and even possibly meeting the president. 'That kind of access is rare, and it represents how digital assets are entering the mainstream.' Demonstrators shout outside Trump National Golf Course in Sterling, Virginia, on May 22, 2025. US President Donald Trump is attending a private dinner at his club for the top 220 buyers of his memecoin $TRUMP. — AFP pic Private cocktail reception Sheldon Zia, founder of the Cayman Islands-based crypto exchange BitMart, posted on X that, as a top-25 holder, he was heading to not just the dinner but also to a private VIP cocktail reception before the dinner and a private VIP tour the following day. An initial announcement said the 25 VIPs-the majority of their identities so far unknown-would tour the White House. That detail has since been deleted from the $TRUMP meme website ( There are also domestic Trump supporters such as Vincent Deriu, a 27-year-old New York consultant who said he already owns 'many' Trump-branded watches, 'a few pairs of' Trump sneakers, and 'more than 50' Trump NFTs. Deriu will join the dinner yesterday, for US$116,000. Senior Democratic members of the House and Senate held a press conference earlier yesterday to highlight what they describe as Trump's corrupt crypto practices and to push for legislation that would ban such activities. 'Donald Trump's dinner is an orgy of corruption,' said Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren. Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy noted the anonymity of attendees. 'Reportedly, there's going to be a guy there tonight called Ogle,' Murphy said. 'That's it. That's all we know about this guy. He wears a mask all the time.' When reached for comment by Reuters, Ogle, a crypto security specialist, said that he uses a pseudonym and appears in video interviews with his face obscured by a bandana and sunglasses to protect himself because of safety concerns related to his pro bono work, in which he says he has helped victims of crypto criminals recover more than half a billion dollars. Ogle said Murphy's accusations were 'misplaced.' 'My motive for attending this dinner is very straightforward,' said Ogle, who also serves as an advisor to Trump's cryptocurrency platform, World Liberty Financial. 'I'm curious by nature, I believe it will be an historic moment, and I'm fortunate to have the opportunity to go.' Ogle came in at number 22 in the contest, and holds a total of US$3.6 million worth of the $TRUMP coin. Democratic lawmakers have introduced a flurry of bills aimed at ending the ability of presidents and members of Congress to own or oversee businesses that issue or promote crypto products. Given that Republicans have majority control of both the US House and Senate, the Democratic Party has limited ability to pass legislation and call for public hearings or formal investigations. A placard against US President Donald Trump is seen outside Trump National Golf Course in Sterling, Virginia, on May 22, 2025. US President Donald Trump is attending a private dinner at his club for the top 220 buyers of his memecoin $TRUMP. — AFP pic Of all of the Trump family's cascade of new crypto ventures — which now include a crypto exchange, a stablecoin, a bitcoin mining operation and digital asset ETFs — the meme coin has sparked particularly strident criticism from Democratic lawmakers and government watchdog groups, who have decried it as 'a race to the bottom for presidential grifting.' Now, even some Trump allies are starting to weigh in, with Republican Senator Cynthia Lummis, a robust and staunch crypto industry advocate, saying the dinner gives her 'pause.' Since the $TRUMP meme coin launched in January, the profits have favoured big investors: more than 60 large wallets have profited close to US$1.5 billion, with US$48 million in profits occurring after Trump posted about the contest on social media, according to reviews by Inca Digital and crypto analytics tracker Bubblemaps, as of May 8. Meanwhile, about 600,000 other smaller wallets have lost US$3.87 billion so far, with US$117 million of the losses occurring after the dinner announcement. The event was set to cap off with an after-party, called 'Meme The Night,' thrown by a Singapore-based meme-coin engagement company MemeCore. MemeCore's co-founder, who goes by the name Ice, traversed the planet to attend the dinner after spending more than US$16 million to come in second place. — Reuters
