TUCKER CARLSON and DON LEMON (Wikipedia).

A bit of a tremor rolled through 24-hour cable TV news on Monday when two of the best-known – and controversial – hosts were let go by their networks.

Tucker Carlson, the most-watched star on Fox News, is out, a few days after his employer settled a huge defamation lawsuit that centered in part of Carlson’s broadcasts.

He and other Fox News personalities promoted unsupported theories that Dominion Votings Systems, manufacturer of voting machines, was responsible for widespread voter fraud that “stole” the 2020 presidential election from Donald Trump and sent Joe Biden to the White House.

Also on Monday, CNN announced it was firing Don Lemon, who hosted a morning news show that critics called “divisive.”

His dismissal, according to the Associated Press, came after he remarked that Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, 51, was past her “prime.”

North Dakota’s near-total abortion ban

NORTH DAKOTA has a new abortion law

Doug Burgum, governor of North Dakota, on Monday signed aa strict “near-total” prohibition on abortion.

According to The New York Times, the new law would only allow the termination of a pregnancy resulting from rape or incest in the first six weeks after conception or –without limits – if it was to “prevent the death or a serious health risk” to the mother.

Legal challenges are expected.

Also in the news … It’s official. The Green Bay Packers have agreed to trade star quarterback Aaron Rodgers to the New York Jets in exchange for several draft picks, according to United Press International. Last season, the Packers finished 8-9 and the Jets were 7-10.

Sports: Angels lose, Lakers win

The Los Angeles Angels rallied from a 7-1 deficit against the Oakland A’s Monday night but lost 11-10 in the 10th inning when the visitors scored twice in the top of the inning and the Halos stranded two runners in their half. With the loss, the Angels are 11-12 and in third place in the AL West. Brandon Drury went 3-for-4 with two home runs, four RBIs and three runs scored.

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 117-111 in overtime to take a 3-1 lead in their best-of-seven first round NBA Western Conference series. Game Five will be in Memphis on Wednesday. LeBron James led the Lakers with 22 points and 20 rebounds.

Weather: Closing in on 80

There’s a warming trend ahead of us for the West Orange County area. While Tuesday is forecast to have morning clouds followed by afternoon sun and a daytime high of 73 (57 overnight), the rest of the week should hit 80 or higher. Wednesday through Friday should have a high of 80, rising to 83 on Saturday. Wednesday and Thursday will have partly cloudy skies, turning sunny by Friday.