Italian women fight back against websites sharing unauthorized photos with obscene language

Italian women fight back against websites sharing unauthorized photos with obscene language

ROME (AP) — Italian women, from ordinary workers and housewives to top politicians, are fighting back against a proliferation of websites displaying their photos without their consent, often accompanied by obscene language. Their efforts gained national prominence when activists earlier this summer denounced a Facebook page dubbed "Mia Moglie" (My Wife), where men posted unauthorized photos of their spouses and succeeded in getting it taken down. Now, another more prolific site has emerged that exposes prominent women, including Premier Giorgia Meloni and other female politicians, to obscene and explicit comments. Some posts idealize violence against women. The site, which takes its name from slang for female genitalia, has been around for at least two decades. But it only drew national attention after a left-wing member of the European Parliament, Alessandra Moretti, formally lodged a complaint with police after finding her photo displayed without her permission. "They have been stealing photos and clips from TV shows I've appeared on for years, then altering them and feeding them to thousands of users," Moretti said. Moretti said the site and others operate "with impunity" even though previous complaints have been filed against them. "This type of site, which incites rape and violence, must be shut down and banned,'' she said. The forum displays unauthorized photos and videos of hundreds of public figures, along with unsuspecting actresses, influencers and ordinary women. The unauthorized images are often lifted from TV or social media profiles. It currently counts 200,000 users and displays pictures identified by names or certain themes. It includes a page dedicated to influencers and TV journalists, along with national and local politicians, such as the leader of the center-left Democratic Party Elly Schlein. The earlier forum, "Mia Moglie," had around 32,000 members before it was shut down last week by Meta, which owns Facebook. Meta said it acted against the site "for violating our adult sexual exploitation policies.″ Feminist author and activist Carolina Capria, among those who have denounced the group, shared several screenshots of the often obscene and violent exchange of opinions about what users would do to the women depicted. Some men said their wives had agreed to their images being posted, but no female comments were visible on the site. "Women have always been the arena on which men challenge each other and measure their virility," Capria wrote. "It's a game in which women are merely a commodity that adds value to the man who possesses them." Italy has been struggling with how to prevent and address gender-based violence, as femicides — the killing of women because of their gender — has emerged as a systemic problem deeply rooted in Italy's patriarchal culture. A series of violent incidents has reignited national debate over how to confront these crimes. The Meloni government approved a draft law in March that for the first time introduces the legal definition of femicide into the country's criminal law and punishes it with life imprisonment. The bill still needs final approval in the lower house to become law. While the center-left opposition welcomed the move, it stressed that the new law only tackles the criminal aspect of the problem, while leaving economic, educational and cultural sources of misogyny unaddressed.

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August 28, 2025

Italian women fight back against websites sharing unauthorized photos with obscene language

Italian women fight back against websites sharing unauthorized photos with obscene language ROME (AP) — Italian women, from ordinary workers...

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In Chicago, locals prepare for Trump's possible deployment of National Guard

In Chicago, locals prepare for Trump's possible deployment of National Guard

By Emily Schmall, Bianca Flowers and Heather Schlitz CHICAGO (Reuters) -When U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to flood Chicago with National Guard troops and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents earlier this month, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker said the president lacked the legal authority. But privately, Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson began discussing what they could do to shield Chicago from a federal deployment like those underway in two other Democrat-run cities with Black mayors, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. Their conclusion: not much. As Trump has amped up the threat of a federal deployment in the nation's third-largest city in recent days, public officials and community organizers said they are doing what they can to get ready, however. The offices of Pritzker and Johnson are closely coordinating. The state's attorney general, Kwame Raoul, said on Monday he was developing a legal strategy to execute if troops arrived. Immigrant advocates are stepping up legal training. While some locals have expressed support for Trump's decision, many in the heavily Democratic-voting city are appalled. Some community group leaders who work in Chicago neighborhoods most affected by violent crime said the presence of National Guard troops could undermine efforts to build trust. So would the appearance of cooperation between Chicago police officers and ICE, Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling said. At a press conference on Thursday, Snelling said that officers would not assist with federal law enforcement, but would not interfere with it either. "We know people are living in fear," he said, "and working with ICE, it does nothing to help those relationships and in fact, it hurts. We're not going to ask for anyone's immigration status, we don't care. We're going to continue to stand up for the people in our city to make sure that they're safe." On Monday, Pritzker spoke on the riverfront in downtown Chicago, flanked by Johnson and the state's most powerful Democrats. "Mr. President, do not come to Chicago. You are neither wanted here nor needed here," he said. CHICAGO CRIME Trump has justified his decision by painting a bleak picture of crime in Chicago, calling it a "disaster." Illinois Republicans have echoed that description, and are increasingly speaking up in support of Trump's pledged intervention. Families "need leaders who will finally make Chicago safe," state Senator Neil Anderson said in a statement to Reuters. Chicago has long had a reputation as a city with an elevated crime rate, particularly around gun violence. There have been 1,229 shootings so far this year, including a high-profile drive-by shooting in July targeting a rap artist. However, the city has made marked progress since the end of the pandemic, according to Chicago crime data. Fatal shootings fell 36% from January 1 through August 25 compared to the same period a year ago. Its July homicide rate of 1.66 per 100,000 residents ranks it below Washington, New Orleans, Kansas City and Little Rock, Arkansas, among other cities. The falling crime trend mirrors other U.S. cities, reflecting the impact of hundreds of millions of federal dollars allocated in recent years for teachers, police and social workers – the people likely to influence at-risk youth most vulnerable to gun violence, said John Roman, a senior fellow at the research organization NORC at the University of Chicago. Some of those funds, including $158 million in grants for violence prevention programs across the U.S., were cut in April as part of the Trump administration's reshaping of government. The federal funding cuts demonstrate that Trump's pledge to tackle crime in Chicago is "performative" and not his actual goal, said Arne Duncan, former President Barack Obama's Secretary of Education and founder of community violence prevention nonprofit Chicago CRED. Sending the National Guard, Duncan said, "harkens back to Klan patrols -- that's the imagery he wants and it's incredibly disturbing. He wants these military clashes with civilians." The perception among outsiders and even many Chicagoans is that safety remains a serious issue. In a NORC survey this spring of city residents, about half said they felt unsafe in their neighborhoods at night. Joleen Reese, an unemployed mother of four on Chicago's South Side, said she feels "relatively safe," but takes care to keep her children in at night. She said that deploying federal troops was "not called for," and that she would prefer that Trump focus on job creation. But Mike Wyatt, an IT worker in Chicago's Loop, said he would welcome assistance addressing homelessness and empty storefronts downtown. "We need some help," he said. SANCTUARY CITY Trump has also singled out Chicago because of its so-called sanctuary city status for immigrants. From 2022, waves of migrants began arriving to Chicago from the border, mostly on buses sent by officials in Texas and other southern states. By last summer, the city had placed about 46,000 migrants in shelters. South Side resident Danielle Carter-Walters, a spokesperson for the pro-Trump group Chicago Flips Red, testified at a U.S. House of Representatives committee hearing in April that Chicago was "drowning with the consequences" of its sanctuary city status. That spurred Trump to say that Black Chicagoans had told him, "come to Chicago, please." The potential deployment of troops and ICE agents has sparked a wave of trepidation among immigrants, with even permanent residents and citizens with Latino heritage fearing a mistaken detention, said Eréndira Rendón, vice president of Immigrant Justice at The Resurrection Project. This week, the group was scrambling to train its immigration lawyers in deportation litigation methods, and to hire more. "We're preparing for an escalation in enforcement and scare tactics," she said.    The National Guard has been sent to Chicago before, but that involved coordination with local officials. Although Trump has indicated that he does not need to receive any formal request, his power to send in troops is limited under U.S. law, and his actions in Los Angeles earlier this summer are still being litigated. There are no restrictions on the deployment of federal law enforcement officers such as ICE agents, however. City and state lawyers will likely argue that deploying the National Guard to Chicago would violate the U.S. Constitution and a 19th century law that bars the military from civil law enforcement, said University of Chicago law professor Craig Futterman. "A fundamental legal principle is we don't turn our military on its own citizens," Futterman said. Denise Poloyac, a board member for the Chicago chapter of protest organization Indivisible, said that a large federal presence would be met with nonviolent protest. Such a move by Trump, she said, would be a sign of growing authoritarianism intended to spark fear among Chicagoans. "We're not going to let that happen," she said. (Reporting by Emily Schmall, Bianca Flowers and Heather Schlitz in Chicago. Additional reporting by Christopher Walljasper in Chicago. Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)

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August 28, 2025

In Chicago, locals prepare for Trump's possible deployment of National Guard

In Chicago, locals prepare for Trump's possible deployment of National Guard By Emily Schmall, Bianca Flowers and Heather Schlitz CHICAG...

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What to Know About Minneapolis Shooter Robin Westman

What to Know About Minneapolis Shooter Robin Westman

Robin Westman, 23, was identified by police as the suspect behind the shooting at a Catholic school in Minneapolis on Wednesday that lefttwo children dead and 17 others injured. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara said Westman had opened fire at the Annunciation Catholic School from the outside, shooting through the windows of the affiliated church. The victims were attending a morning Mass when Westman began firing. Westman was later found dead with a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound behind the church. While an investigation is underway, preliminary details paint Westman as someone with an inclination towards violence, mainly through videos linked to them which were scheduled for publishing on YouTube. Officials have taken the videos down and are reviewing them to determine possible motives for the shooting. FBI Director Kash Patelpostedon X that the agency is investigating the shooting as "an act of domestic terrorism and hate crime targeting Catholics." Here's what we know so far about Westman. According to theMinnesota Star Tribune, Westman was one of three children of Mary Grace and James Allen Westman, who divorced in 2013 after 25 years of marriage. A since-deleted Facebook post from August 2021 said Mary Grace was retiring as a parish secretary of the church, with the post thanking her for her "wonderful hospitality, friendship and compassion." Westman attended the Annunciation Catholic School and graduated from eighth grade in 2017. TheStar TribuneandCNNreported that in the school's 2017 yearbook, Westman quoted French EDM band Daft Punk: "Work it. Make it. Do it. Makes us. Harder. Better. Faster. Stronger." The yearbook also indicated that Westman intended to attend Powell Leadership Academy in Minneapolis, one of many schools operated by Minnesota Transitions Charter School. An official from Minnesota Transitions Charter School confirmed to theStar Tribunethat Westman attended one of its schools briefly before transferring to the all-boys school, Saint Thomas Academy, in Twin Cities suburb Mendota Heights. Former Kentucky state representative Bob Heleringertoldthe Associated Press that he is Westman's uncle, though he claimed he "barely knew" Westman. "They [Westman's family] never lived in Louisville. They lived in Minnesota," Heleringer said in a phone interview with the AP. "He was my nephew, and I wish he had shot me instead of innocent schoolchildren." Minneapolis Police Chief O'Hara said Westman had no prior criminal history. A search of Westman's birth name in state court records showed some traffic citations in September 2021. TheStar Tribunealso reported that Westman was an employee at Rise medical cannabis dispensaries. Westman's co-worker, speaking to theStar Tribune, said the suspect worked as a personal care specialist interacting with patients in Minnesota's medical cannabis program. Westman reportedly stopped working at an Eagan dispensary on Aug. 16 and had been previously disciplined for tardiness and absenteeism. A spokesperson for Green Thumb Industries, the parent company, confirmed Westman's employment for a few months earlier this year, though the suspect left the firm before the shooting. The firm told theStar Tribuneit will cooperate with the investigation. Westman's attack appeared to have been calculated and premeditated, as backed by YouTube videos released on the day of the incident. The videos, now taken down, appeared on a channel under "Robin W." One video, which ran for more than 10 minutes, included a handwritten "manifesto" addressed to family and friends. In the video, the unseen cameraperson says, "I'm sorry to my family … that's the only people I'm sorry to." The clip also pans to an image of Jesus on a target. Another video, which ran for almost 20 minutes, showed two notebooks with handwritten texts that also appear to be Cyrillic. Near the end of the video, the unseen cameraperson flips the notebook to a page containing a diagram of the church and stabs the diagram with a knife. TheNew York Posttranscribed parts of the journal. One page reportedly reads: "I am feeling good about Annunciation. It seems like a good combo of easy attack form and devastating tragedy and I want to do more research. I have concerns about finding a large enough group. I want to avoid any parents, but pre and post school drop off." Another page reportedly reads: "Maybe I could attack an event at the on-site church … think attacking a large group of kids coming in from recess is my best plan. … Then from there I can go inside and kill, going for as long as I can." O'Hara, in a press conference, confirmed that Westman "recently" purchased their guns—a rifle, a shotgun, and a pistol—legally. TheStar Tribunereported that a passage in the notebooks referenced how "shockingly easy" it was to buy a gun from a pawnshop. Federal officials haveidentifiedWestman as transgender. Westman was born as "Robert Paul Westman" on June 17, 2002, according to court documents TIME reviewed. Westman's mother applied for their name to be changed to "Robin M Westman" in 2019 in Dakota County, and a court granted the change in 2020. According to the court document, Westman, a minor at the time, "identifies as a female and wants her name to reflect that identification." But atranslationof part of Westman's notebooks by theNew York Post's Diana Nerozzi offered a more complicated view of Westman's sexual and gender identity: "I don't want to dress girly all the time but I guess sometimes I really like it. I know I am not a woman but I definitely don't feel like a man." Condemnation of transgender identity has been on the rise under President Trump, and many conservative and far-right personalities have latched onto Westman's transgender identity as a springboard for more attacks. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R, Ga.)postedon X, "If they are willing to destroy themselves and how God made them then they are willing to destroy others and we saw that happen today." Right-wing influencer and conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer went as far assuggestingthat "parents need to start coming together to advocate for trans kids to not be allowed to attend classes in public schools." Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, a Democrat, however, quicklypushed back againstany attempts to use the shooting as a means to demonize the transgender community, saying anyone who is doing so has "lost their sense of common humanity." The videos also hinted at Westman's fascination with mass shooters. In one, the unseen cameraperson showed guns and weapons on a mattress with the names of at least 10 mass killers, including but not limited to the Sandy Hook shooter from 2012; the shooter at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh in 2018; and the mosque shooter in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 2019. Also seen in the videos was a sticker of German band KMFDM, which has been cited by perpetrators of previousmass shootings, including the Columbine High School massacre in 1999, though the band has repeatedly emphasized that it stands against violence. In the 10-minute video, the person narrating claimed that they had met pro-gun YouTube personality and Texas congressional candidate Brandon Herrera last year at the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show in Las Vegas. The narrator said they had a "brief conversation" with Herrera. "Brandon Herrera for President," they added. After the shooting, Herrera denounced links to the shooter,postingon X: "I will not, nor will I ever say the name of the gutless coward who decided to take the lives of innocent people in Minneapolis today. My heart goes out to the family of those affected, but to the shooter, I have one thing to say in response. F-ck you. Burn in hell." In a separatepost, Herrera added: "I don't remember this individual at all, nor does anyone I was there with." Herrera said that he was willing to cooperate with law enforcement and answer any questions. A spokesperson for NSSF, which owns and operates SHOT Show, toldFox Newsthat Westman's name has not appeared among any of the show's registered attendees last year or any of the years before. The videos also alluded to a mishmash of views Westman appeared to have held. In the 10-minute video, the camera panned over what appeared to be guns, ammunition, and loaded magazines. Words were inscribed on the magazines, including "Where is your God?," "Kill Donald Trump," and "For the Children." Some of the inscriptions appeared to be in Cyrillic. I've been seeing people pick & choose which phrases to show that were written on the Minneapolis shooter, depending on the narrative they are trying to formulate.Here is a complete list of every(122) phrase written on the weapons and magazines, and their (likely) meaning:pic.twitter.com/3uQqm83lpt — Tal Hagin (@talhagin)August 27, 2025 Clips that focused on Westman's apparent arsenal not only included names of mass shooters but also showed phrases that had antisemitic undertones. A smoke grenade had the words "Jew Gas" written on it and the pro-Holocaust slogan "6 million wasn't enough." Another notebook displayed a "Defend Equality" sign with an LGBTQ flag. In an interview with local networkKSTP-TV,Josefina Sanchez, a classmate of Westman in the seventh grade, said that a younger Westman would put up a hand and say, "Praise Hitler." Threats to kill Trump also appeared a few times on Westman's gear. Trump, in a Truth Socialpost, said the White House will "continue to monitor" the situation. Westman's four-page "manifesto" posted on YouTube begins with: "I don't expect forgiveness and I don't expect any apology I have to hold much weight, but to my family and those close to me, I do apologize for the effects my actions will have on your lives." Further along in the manifesto, Westman wrote: "I have wanted this for so long. I am not well. I am not right. I am a sad person, haunted by these thoughts that do not go away. I know this is wrong, but I can't seem to stop myself. I am severely depressed and have been suicidal for years. Only recently have I lost all hope and decided to perform my final action against this world." Contact usatletters@time.com.

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August 28, 2025

What to Know About Minneapolis Shooter Robin Westman

What to Know About Minneapolis Shooter Robin Westman Robin Westman, 23, was identified by police as the suspect behind the shooting at a Cat...

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Kid Cudi Reveals the Message Daughter Vada, 15, Texted Him that Made Him Emotional: 'I Almost Cried' (Exclusive)

Kid Cudi Reveals the Message Daughter Vada, 15, Texted Him that Made Him Emotional: 'I Almost Cried' (Exclusive)

Kevin Mazur/Getty Kid Cudi is opening up to PEOPLE about fatherhood — and why his daughter Vada called him the "best dad ever" The multi-hyphenate, who just released his powerful memoirCUDI, revealed that he "almost cried" after getting a text from his daughter earlier this month "She's my best friend, my homie, my ride or die. She's all those things," he says Kid Cudiis the "best dad ever," at least according to his No. 1 supporter — hisdaughter Vada. The multi-platinum rapper, 41, revealed to PEOPLE while discussing fatherhood and his new book,Cudi: The Memoir,that a recent text from his 15-year-old "best friend" and "ride or die" left him emotional earlier this month. "She literally texted me the other day, because I sent her a clip from when I was talking about her in my CBS interview, and she was like, 'You're the best dad ever,' " Cudi says, referring to hisrecent sit-down onCBS Mornings. "It was just like... I remember the first time she said that to me, I was like, 'Word.' I was so weak. I almost cried." "I was like, 'Yo, she said, I'm the best dad ever. Holy shit. Out of all the dads? Oh, man," Cudi adds of Vada. "You know what I mean? She's my best friend, my homie, my ride or die. She's all those things." Theo Wargo/Getty Cudi, who welcomed Vada from a previous relationship, adds that before becoming a father in 2010, he wishes he had known there would be "nothing to worry about." "I was really worried because of the circumstances. I wasn't raising Vada 24/7. I only saw her a couple times throughout the year, and I always felt that our relationship wouldn't be strong because I'm not with her 24/7. But that was one of the first things I thought that was really the wrong way to think about things," Cudi says. "Of course, my daughter is going to want to have a relationship with me, and our relationship is going to be cool." Cudi's relationship with Vada is now more than cool. The father-daughter duo have much in common — including their love of gaming, horror movies and even similar fashion senses, as Vada and Cudi's niece Zuri will occasionally "shop" his closet. "I remember when she was like 3 or 5, I got her a Nintendo 3DS with some Mario games," Cudi says. "And so I've been trying to implement these things, and she really is into the horror movies. She doesn't get scared. She watches them even without me." Still, Cudi is getting used to a few of his daughter's interests. "She plays games that are a little bit more advanced for me now. I can't f--- with Fortnite," he jokes, after writing in his memoir that he grew up on the Sega Game Gear and Sonic the Hedgehog titles as a kid. "It just seems really intense, and there's some 12-year-old kid from Massachusetts that's like a f------ beast that plays that game all day, every day in the summers. And I [have to] just hang with those 12-year-old kids on there." Cudi also gets candid about fatherhood in his new memoir, which arrives alongside his 11th studio album,Free,and has since become a New York Times Bestseller. The book details the rapper's early life in Cleveland, meteoric rise to stardom in the late '00s, groundbreaking collaborations and life now as a loving father and husband who continues to build upon his legacy of vulnerability in hip-hop, fashion and beyond. "I hope it gives [fans] some hope that you do come out on the other side and into the light and God puts us through things because he wants to teach us something," Cudi says of the book. "It's always a lesson in there, always. Even if it doesn't seem like it could be possible, because in the moment, everything just seems like all is lost, you know what I mean? But if you really think about it, everything happens for a reason." Cudi: The Memoiris out now via Simon & Schuster, andFreeis now available via Wicked Awesome and Republic Records. For more on Kid Cudi, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands everywhere Friday. Read the original article onPeople

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August 28, 2025

Kid Cudi Reveals the Message Daughter Vada, 15, Texted Him that Made Him Emotional: 'I Almost Cried' (Exclusive)

Kid Cudi Reveals the Message Daughter Vada, 15, Texted Him that Made Him Emotional: 'I Almost Cried' (Exclusive) Kevin Mazur/Getty K...

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Anne Hathaway Takes Tumble on Broken Heel While Filming “The Devil Wears Prada 2 ”

Anne Hathaway Takes Tumble on Broken Heel While Filming "The Devil Wears Prada 2 "

Robert O'Neil/ BACKGRID Anne Hathaway took a tumble down the steps on the set ofThe Devil Wears Prada 2 She appeared to fall after the heel of her shoe broke The Devil Wears Prada2 is expected to hit theaters on May 1, 2026 The fashion world is still rocky forAnne Hathaway's character inThe Devil Wears Prada 2. Hathaway, 42, took a tumble down a stoop when the heel of her shoe appeared to break off. Photos from the set show the Academy Award-winning actress wearing a knee-length black pleated skirt, a sheer plaid top layered over a black tank and tall black silver-studded strappy heels. She recovered quickly from the fall, holding up half of a bagel in her hand and smiling. "I'm fine!" she told onlookers. She rose from the fall and hugged crew members, moving on with the shoot. It is unclear if the fall was scripted or not. The 2006 movie was adapted from formerVogueassistant Lauren Weisberger's book of the same name. Weisberger worked for formerVogueEditor-in-ChiefAnna Wintour, who recently stepped down from her positionat the magazine after 37 years. Hathaway reprises her role as Andy Sachs in the sequel. The original movie saw the recent college grad in the high-intensity world of fashion and global media. She juggles her humble past with a bright future while working as an assistant to Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep), with the help of a new friend andRunwayart director, Nigel (Stanley Tucci). Robert O'Neil/ BACKGRID Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Hathway, Streep, 76,Emily Blunt, and Tucci, 64, will reprise their roles for the sequel.Lucy Liu,Justin Theroux,B.J. Novak,Pauline Chalamet,Simone Ashley,Kenneth Branagh, comedian Caleb Hearon and Broadway stars Helen J. Shen and Conrad Ricamora are all joining the cast. Robert O'Neil/ BACKGRID Blunt, 42, was seen on set in July, sporting both her character Emily Charlton's signature red locks and a new bleach-blonde bob with a shadow root on the N.Y.C. set. The Devil Wears Prada2 is expected to hit theaters on May 1, 2026. Read the original article onPeople

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August 28, 2025

Anne Hathaway Takes Tumble on Broken Heel While Filming “The Devil Wears Prada 2 ”

Anne Hathaway Takes Tumble on Broken Heel While Filming "The Devil Wears Prada 2 " Robert O'Neil/ BACKGRID Anne Hathaway took ...

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Dispatcher shakes it off after announcing Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's engagement over scanner

Dispatcher shakes it off after announcing Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's engagement over scanner

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Police dispatcher Julia Jordan accidentally added a dash of celebrity gossip to her public service this week when she shared "Taylor Swiftis engaged" over a hot microphone. That appears to be how officers in the Lansing, Michigan, area learned about the superstar singer's betrothal toKansas City Chiefsstar tight endTravis Kelce. The official announcement, made in a five-photo joint post on Instagram, marks the fairytale culmination of a courtshipthat for two yearsand has thrilled and fascinated millions around the world. Joyful chaos ensued nationwide, with oddsmakers taking bets on when and where the celebrity couple will wed. Swifties, the pop star'senormous and ardent fan base, can even wager on the flavor of the wedding cake. Kansas City-based tax preparer H&R Block sent out a light-hearted email to staff, telling them they could head home early to check social media feeds and debate potential wedding playlists. "Celebrate love. Speculate about the dress. Argue whether the reception will be held in KC or a castle in Europe," theemail said. Matthew Pittman, an associate professor at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, hastily organized a skit before his social media class began Tuesday, pretending to cancel a test because of the engagement. "I can't focus. You all can't focus. Class is canceled, get outta here," Pittman told the students. Video shows the students grabbing backpacks and rushing for the door. By the end of class, the video had around 50,000 views and by dinner around 1 million. It was so convincing that some news outlets mistakenly reported that Pittman actually did call off class because of the engagement. He had to reassure a higher up at the university that he hadn't. "This is going to be like a royal wedding," said Pittman, who has dozens of Swift's songs on his running and workout playlist. "We don't have a real king or queen or prince or princess, but we have this now. This is the joyous, happy love story. A lot of people need it." Jordan, the Ingham County, Michigan, dispatcher, said the last big event that she watched with coworkers was Price Harry and Meghan Markle's 2018 nuptials. Now she thinks they might watch Swift andTravis Kelce's wedding together, especially after what happened. After the first scanner flub, an officer informed her, "You had an open mic there," and then deadpanned, "That's great news about Taylor Swift." Jordan tried to fix the problem, but laughter erupted when she continued: "Dispatch. I'm clear. Yeah. Aren't you happy about Taylor Swift?" Jordan had been eagerly awaiting the news from the singer, whose hit song "Shake It Off" spoke to her. "We do a hard job, lots of dark things, so it's kind of nice to be able to laugh a little," she said. Officers played along with the scanner mishap, one asking, "Well, give us some more gossip, at least." "It's a big ring," Jordan said. "Best hot mic ever," an officer declared. Jordan has been ribbed ever since. "I had one ask me when I was planning to retire, and I said not soon enough."

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August 28, 2025

Dispatcher shakes it off after announcing Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's engagement over scanner

Dispatcher shakes it off after announcing Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's engagement over scanner KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Police dispatc...

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FBI investigates Minneapolis school shooting as anti-Catholic hate crime

FBI investigates Minneapolis school shooting as anti-Catholic hate crime

A shooting at a school in Minneapolis that left two children dead and 17 others injured is being investigated as an anti-Catholic hate crime, the FBI says. "The FBI is investigating this shooting as an act of domestic terrorism and hate crime targeting Catholics," FBI Director Kash Patel said in a post on X. The two children, aged eight and 10, were killed when an attacker opened fire through the windows of the city's Annunciation Church on Wednesday morning as children were celebrating Mass. The attacker, who died at the scene of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, was later named by police as 23-year-old Robin Westman. Authorities have not yet released a suspected motive for the attack. A constant stream of mourners arrived at the scene on Wednesday night, some leaving flowers. There was a sense of shock and anger that this had happened at the start of a church Mass ushering in the new school term. Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, was among those who paid tribute to the young victims, saying he was "profoundly saddened" by the attack. Police Chief Brian O'Hara told reporters: "This was a deliberate act of violence against innocent children and other people worshipping." "The sheer cruelty and cowardice of firing into a church full of children is absolutely incomprehensible," he said. What we know about the shooting 'My friend got hit in the back': Witnesses describe terror of shooting Police began receiving calls of a shooting just before 08:00 local time (13:00 GMT) on Wednesday. The attacker approached the side of the church, which also houses a school, and fired dozens of shots through the windows using three firearms - a rifle, a shotgun and a pistol. Police also found a smoke bomb at the scene. Officials are investigating if the suspect shot inside the building or if all the shots came from outside the church, noting that no casings from bullets were found inside. One neighbour, Patrick Scallen, told the BBC he ran towards the shooting after hearing the gunfire and saw three children fleeing the church, one of them a girl with a head wound. "She kept saying 'Please hold my hand, don't leave me' and I said I wasn't going anywhere." A 10-year-old boy who survived the attack told CBS affiliate WCCO that his friend saved him from bullets by lying on top of him. "I was like two seats away from the stained glass window," he said. "My friend, Victor, saved me though, because he laid on top of me, but he got hit." "My friend got hit in the back, he went to the hospital... I was super scared for him but I think now he's okay," he said. The Annunciation Church, located in a residential area of southern Minneapolis, teaches students aged between 5 and 14. The attacker's mother, Mary Grace Westman, previously worked at the school, according to a school newsletter from 2016. A post on Facebook says she retired from the role in 2021. Police found a note that Westman scheduled to publish online at the time of the shooting. Investigators have since deleted the post. Westman's name was legally changed from Robert to Robin in 2020, Minnesota court records show. In the application the judge wrote: "Minor child identifies as a female and wants her name to reflect that identification." Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey pushed back against hatred directed towards the transgender community in the wake of the attack. In their own updates, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Westman was a "man, claiming to be transgender", and in his post on X, Patel referred to Westman as "a male". Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said President Donald Trump and his team had expressed their "deep condolences" and offered assistance. He said the situation was "all too common - not just in Minnesota, but across the country", adding that he hoped no community or school ever had to go through a day like this. Trump later said the US flag would be flown at half-mast at the White House as a show of respect to the victims.

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August 28, 2025

FBI investigates Minneapolis school shooting as anti-Catholic hate crime

FBI investigates Minneapolis school shooting as anti-Catholic hate crime A shooting at a school in Minneapolis that left two children dead a...

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F-35 pilot held 50-minute airborne conference call with engineers before fighter jet crashed in Alaska

F-35 pilot held 50-minute airborne conference call with engineers before fighter jet crashed in Alaska

A US Air Force F-35 pilot spent 50 minutes on an airborne conference call with Lockheed Martin engineers trying to solve a problem with his fighter jet before he ejected and the planeplunged to the groundin Alaska earlier this year, an accident report released this week says. The January 28 crash at Eielson Air Force Base in Fairbanks was recorded ina videothat showed the aircraft dropping straight down and exploding in a fireball. The pilot ejected safely, suffering only minor injuries, but the $200 million fighter jet was destroyed. An Air Force investigation blamed the crash on ice in the hydraulic lines in the nose and main landing gears of the F-35, which prevented them from deploying properly. According to the report, after takeoff the pilot tried to retract the landing gear, but it would not do so completely. When lowering it again, it would not center, locking on an angle to the left. Attempts to fix the landing gear caused the fighter jet to think it was on the ground, ultimately leading to the crash. After going through system checklists in an attempt to remedy the problem, the pilot got on a conference call with engineers from the plane's manufacturer, Lockheed Martin, as the plane flew near the air base. Five engineers participated in the call, including a senior software engineer, a flight safety engineer and three specialists in landing gear systems, the report said. The pilot then tried two "touch and go" landings, where the plane briefly lands, to try to straighten out the jammed nose gear, the report said. But those attempts failed to recenter the nose wheel and resulted in both the left and right main landing gears freezing up and not being able to extend fully to attempt an actual landing. At that point, the F-35's sensors indicated it was on the ground and the jet's computer systems transitioned to "automated ground-operation mode," the report said. This caused the fighter jet to become "uncontrollable" because it was "operat(ing) as though it was on the ground when flying," forcing the pilot to eject. An inspection of the aircraft's wreckage found that about one-third of the fluid in the hydraulic systems in both the nose and right main landing gears was water, when there should have been none. The investigation found a similar hydraulic icing problem in another F-35 at the same base during a flight nine days after the crash, but that aircraft was able to land without incident. The report notes Lockheed Martin had issued guidance on the problem the F-35's sensors had in extreme cold weather in a maintenance newsletter in April 2024, about nine months before the crash. The problem could make it "difficult for the pilot to maintain control of the aircraft," the guidance said. The temperature at the time of the crash was -1 degree Fahrenheit, the report said. It said if the conference call participants had referenced the 2024 maintenance newsletter, "they likely would have advised a planned full stop landing or a controlled ejection instead of a second touch-and-go" that eventually led to the conditions that caused the crash, the report said. Lockheed Martin referred questions about the findings to the Air Force. The Air Force's Accident Investigation Board concluded that "crew decision-making including those on the in-flight conference call," lack of "oversight for the hazardous material program," which oversees storage and distribution of the hydraulic fluid, and not properly following aircraft hydraulics servicing procedures, all contributed to the crash. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

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August 28, 2025

F-35 pilot held 50-minute airborne conference call with engineers before fighter jet crashed in Alaska

F-35 pilot held 50-minute airborne conference call with engineers before fighter jet crashed in Alaska A US Air Force F-35 pilot spent 50 mi...

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Climate-driven wildfires are reversing clean air progress, new report says

Climate-driven wildfires are reversing clean air progress, new report says

Canada'sworst wildfire season on recordtarnished the country'sair qualityand had similar effects on pollution inparts of the United States, according to a new report. University of Chicago researchers on Thursday released their annualAir Quality Life Index, a situational update on air pollution and how it impacts life expectancy. The AQLI report said particulate pollution "remained the greatest external threat to human life expectancy," comparing the impact to smoking. Researchers from the university's Energy Policy Institute analyzed pollution data collected throughout 2023 and compared it with previous years. Michael Greenstone, a professor at the University of Chicago who created the AQLI, told CBS News his team focused on airborne particulate matter — small particles that are able to invade and wreak havoc on the body more easily than larger ones. The data is taken from satellite readings that refresh each year and can take time to process, which is why the latest figures date back a couple of years, Greenstone said. While global pollution only rose slightly between 2022 and 2023, the report's authors found that updated levels remained almost five times higher thanthe limit recommendedby the World Health Organization to protect public safety. Local changes in air quality varied from one country to the next. The differences were particularly stark in the U.S. and Canada, where airborne particulate concentrationsincreased more than anywhere else. "Evidence of a link between climate change, wildfire smoke, and rising particulate pollution has been increasing over the past two decades," the authors wrote in their report, citing a recent study that found human-caused climate change "increased the likelihood of autumn wind-driven extreme wildfire events, especially in the Western U.S." Extreme wildfires, particularly forest fires, have become larger, more common and more intense since the beginning of this century,according to NASA. The Canadian wildfires caused particulate concentrations in Canada to soar to levels not seen since 1998, according to the AQLI. In the U.S., the wildfires drove up pollution to levels not seen since 2011 — a 20% uptick from the levels recorded in 2022. Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma and Mississippi were markedly affected, with pockets of those states replacing 20 counties in California as the most polluted nationwide. Out of 3,137 American counties, the number of locations with pollution levels above thenational U.S. standardrose to 308 in 2023, up from just 12 in 2022, according to the report. Forty-eight of the counties were in Ohio, 41 were in Wisconsin, 31 were in Pennsylvania, 26 were in Indiana and 19 were in Illinois, with the remaining 143 spread across the rest of the country. In Canada, the researchers said that 50% of residents in 2023 breathed air that contained particulates in amounts exceeding theirnational air quality standard. That was a sharp turnaround in the country's progress in pursuit of cleaner air, which had resulted in particulate levels falling below the national standard in previous years, said the report's authors, noting that particulate levels in Canada's most polluted regions were roughly equal to those of Bolivia and Honduras, two countries that face are known to face challenges addressing air quality and pollution. The Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia and the Northwest Territories experienced the country's worst pollution, according to the report. That reflected some of the locations ofdestructive wildfiresthat collectivelyburned more than 71,000 acres of landfrom the East to West Coasts.Smoke from those blazespermeated the atmosphere over Canada and the U.S., creating hazy, and at times, orange, skies while health posing threats to people with certain conditions. Wildfiresscorching Canada this summerhave again given rise to serious air quality concerns, for Canadians and Americans alike. "It's correct to think of this air pollution from the wildfires as, kind of, the ghost of fossil fuels past," Greenstone told CBS News. He said that the U.S. hasover the last half-centurymade "enormous progress" toward blocking particulates generated through the burning of fossil fuels, like oil and gas, from entering the air. The AQLI credited the implementation of theClean Air Actfor reducing particulate concentrations by over 60% since 1970, which it says added 1.4 years to the life expectancy of American residents. But the devices used to block particulates do not prevent carbon dioxide from infiltrating the atmosphere, driving up temperatures and increasing both the incidence and the severity of wildfires, Greenstone added. When trees burn in a fire, more particulates are produced and released again. "The point we're trying to make is that CO2 that's released when we use fossil fuels, both historically and today, it stays up in the atmosphere for centuries, and it raises temperatures, and it will continue to for centuries," Greenstone said. "What we're seeing is an important consequence of that, which is, it's going to increase the incidence of wildfires going forward. And those wildfires are causing us to breathe air that is going to cause us to lead shorter and sicker lives." Minneapolis Catholic school shooter identified Extreme weather slams the West with dust storms and wildfires Cracker Barrel scrapping new logo, returning to old one after backlash

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August 28, 2025

Climate-driven wildfires are reversing clean air progress, new report says

Climate-driven wildfires are reversing clean air progress, new report says Canada'sworst wildfire season on recordtarnished the country...

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Prince Harry to Attend Special Event in London on Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's Death

Prince Harry to Attend Special Event in London on Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's Death

Chris Jackson/Getty Prince Harry has confirmed he will be in London for the annual WellChild Awards on Sept. 8 The awards ceremony is taking place on the third anniversary of the death of his beloved grandmother Queen Elizabeth The Duke of Sussex, 40, says he feels "privileged" to be at the awards once again Prince Harryis heading back to the U.K. for a special event on a poignant date. The Duke of Sussex has confirmed that he will attend the annual WellChild Awards on Sept. 8 -- the thirdanniversary of the deathof his beloved grandmotherQueen Elizabeth II.  for young people living with complex health challenges The awards ceremony celebrates the incredible courage and achievements of seriously ill children and it is an event that Harry, 40, regularly attends. He has been patron of the charity since 2007 and it is one of the few causes Harry has kept sincestepping backfrom his role as a full-working member of the royal family in January 2020. When he is in the U.K., it is unknown if Harry will visit with his fatherKing Charles, who he has not seen in person since Feb. 2024 soon after Charles, 76, revealed he was beingtreated for an undisclosed cancer. When Harry returned to the U.K. in May 2024 to mark the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games and that September for last year's WellChild Awards, he did not see his father amid a deep estrangement, made worse by a legal battle Harry wasfighting over the removalof his official security in the U.K. He also returned to London in April this year to attend court amid the appeal to restore his security, a battle which he ultimately ended uplosing. Relations are strained, too, with his brotherPrince WilliamandKate Middleton. Chris Jackson/Getty Harry has made no secret of his desire for a reunion with his family, tellingBBC Newsin May that he "would love reconciliation with my family. There's no point in continuing to fight anymore." In astatementon theWellChild websiteconfirming his attendance, Harry said on Thursday, Aug. 28, "I am always privileged to attend the WellChild Awards and meet the incredible children, families and professionals who inspire us all with their strength and spirit." "For 20 years these Awards have highlighted the courage of young people living with complex health needs and shone a light on the devoted caregivers – family and professionals - who support them every step of the way. Their stories remind us of the power of compassion, connection and community," he continued. Yui Mok/PA Images via Getty The WellChild Awards highlight the resilience of young people facing serious health challenges and the dedication of those who care for them, from parents to nurses. Harry usually presents an award and makes a speech. He also spends meaningful time connecting with the courageous children, their families and the dedicated caregivers who support them. WellChild chief executive, Matt James, added, "Across the UK, more and more families are caring for children with serious and complex medical needs. Behind each winner's story is a network of extraordinary people who go above and beyond every single day." Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage?Sign up for our free Royals newsletterto get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! Before last year's ceremony, James told PEOPLE, "With the awards, we try to shine a light on a group of really inspiring young people and carers who are often unseen and unrecognized," "Having Prince Harry, the WellChild patron, with us not only allows us to provide them with a night they will never forget, but also provides a powerful platform to tell their stories and show the world what it's like when caring for a child with complex medical needs," he continued. James added, "It allows us to both create a magical experience for our winners, but also provides us with a platform to tell their important stories." Harry was expected to attend the annual awards evening in September 2022 with his wifeMeghan Marklebut cancelled as he and other members of the royal family rushed to Balmoral Castle, Scotland, to be with the Queen. Hopes were raised for a rapprochement between Harry and his father in Julywhen aides of Harry and the King met for the first timein London. But he also said to the BBC that he understood feelings ran deep over claims made in his memoir,Spare, released in January 2023. "Of course, some members of my family will never forgive me for writing a book. Of course, they will never forgive me for … lots of things," Harry he said. Read the original article onPeople

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August 28, 2025

Prince Harry to Attend Special Event in London on Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's Death

Prince Harry to Attend Special Event in London on Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's Death Chris Jackson/Getty Prince Harry has confirmed ...

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Etsy witches, demon-hunting pop stars, monster keychains and more: Understanding the supernatural vibe shift

Etsy witches, demon-hunting pop stars, monster keychains and more: Understanding the supernatural vibe shift

People arepaying witches on the online marketplace Etsyto cast spells and cleanse them spiritually. It's trendy to carry aroundtiny monsters called Labubus on keychains, like amulets. Jennifer Aniston is rumored to be dating ahunky hypnotist. Two of thebiggest moviesof the year areabout demons. There's something weird about this moment in 2025. Call it a spiritual awakening of sorts. Thanks to algorithms that intuit our habits and create tiny worlds for us according to our interests, culture feels more fragmented and individualized than ever. The standout trends popping up on social media, though unrelated, have a supernatural undercurrent. But there's no one unifying song of summer or name for the season as there has been in years past. I'd like to propose a name for the ethereal, otherworldly vibe shift that seems to be taking place: Mystical Magical. Leave it to budding pop starBenson Boone, singer of one of 2025's most inescapable hits, to have his hand in the matter. You can hear him belting out these two words, "Mystical Magical," in a song of the same name, which went viral on TikTok. The tune is reminiscent of the chorus to Olivia Newton-John's "Physical," an earworm that begins as a somewhat annoying riff and morphs into a song that sticks in your brain. I don't think it's a coincidence, given the unusual spirituality of the year. I'm not the only person noticing culture has been getting a little more woo-woo lately. Hila Harary, founder of trend forecasting company Tectonic Shift, keeps an eye out for shifts in the zeitgeist and their impact on our lives. She tells Yahoo that the desire for otherworldly escapism has been building since the pandemic, when "COVID-19 unleashed anxiety levels unseen in our lifetime." It's only gotten worse as war, inflation and climate threats increase. "Our mental limits are constantly tested, driving a desperate search for escape, and that's where this 'magical' moment lives," Harary says. "As anxieties mount, people turn to magical narratives, rituals and mystical products — such as witches on Etsy, hypnotists and meme songs — because magic offers a sense of control and relief in a chaotic world." This shift to magical thinking is written in the cosmos too. Charly King, an astrologer and reader for the podcastThe Horoscope Vault,tells Yahoo the vibe shift coincides with Neptune's movement into Aries in March 2025. It'll be there for the next 14 years. She explains that Neptune symbolizes movies and spirituality, among other things. Aries symbolizes individuality. Together, this movement correlates with "a surge in individualized spirituality, also seen more publicly on screens and in the lives of others, as everyone becomes more open and confident with wearing their spiritual experiences for all to see," King says. It may not be a coincidence, then, that demons are so dominant in the movies that are exceedingly popular right now.KPop Demon Huntersconquered the domestic box officein the waning weeks of summer after topping theBillboard chartswith its soundtrack and becoming Netflix'smost-watched film of all time. The biggest movie of the year at the global box office isNe Zha II, an animated Chinese movie about a demon sprite who battles monsters. Both heavily involve the supernatural, suggesting that there's a growing acceptance of — and enthusiasm for — otherworldly narratives in pop culture. Public acceptance of the mystical is all around us — not just on our screens. There are tarot cards in Whole Foods and pentagrams at the mall. WitchTok blew up during the pandemic, leading to a cultural familiarity with witchcraft that may just make way for a mainstream breakthrough, Jason Myers, a witch priest, tells Yahoo. Over the course of her 50 years in the spiritual world, Kelle Sparta, a shaman, tells Yahoo that she's seen a number of awakenings happening. A massive one came in 2020, when "forced hermitage" around the world forced people to face their own "inner dissatisfaction." They turn to magic and spirituality to feel safe, forging connections online. "The rise of social media — especially TikTok — has allowed those who have awakened to share their message more freely, and this is bringing more and more to the edge of awakening and beyond," Sparta says. "People are running away from the current reality in search of something more palatable [and] more attractive." The challenge now is that people must do the inner work to truly become spiritual — not just hiring witches on Etsy or carrying around talismans like Labubus, Sparta says. Seemingly frivolous passions were all the rage during other major cultural shifts throughout history, according to Judy Ann Nock, a witchcraft expert who has written several bestselling books. She tells Yahoo that crystal collecting, seances and terrariums were popular in the Victorian period, for instance, which coincided with the Industrial Revolution. "It is easy to understand how, when faced with rapid change coupled with wealth inequality, people will naturally turn to the eternal in a quiet, almost unconscious rebellion against the manmade, mass-manufactured and disposable," Nock says. "We tend to grasp for the signs of permanence during times of uncertainty. We look to the stars, the oceans and the wisdom of plants and trees." I wanted to experience mysticism myself, so I spoke with someone who could give me insight into the spirit realm. I chose Jen Billock, a "cheese witch" who practices the ancient art of tyromancy — telling people's fortunes through cheese — primarily because I thought it would be funny. To be fair, that's why she got into it too. It's a serious craft, but she's aware of its kookiness. It's perfect for these unusual times. Over Zoom, Billock looks closely at the photos of freshly-bought cheese I sent her a few hours ago: The orangey chipotle Gouda represents my present, and the off-white hunk of provolone represents the future. She examines it for blobs that could be interpreted as messages about my life in the same way other witches use divination to interpret tea leaves, and dubs one hunk a "great cheese" because "there's a lot going on." "You have a little witch in your cheese," Billock tells me, inspecting my present through the Gouda. There's a tiny darkened patch on the rind that she highlights with her cursor while presenting my cheese photo on her screen. "Here's a long nose and the hat. It's a very stereotypical witch, but that's OK." She explains that the splotch means I'm connected to the witchier, more mystical side of life, which then connects me to the world at large. That, in turn, means it's a good thing that I'm connecting trends and writing about spirituality. I can't argue with that. I might not be all-in on cheese magic, but I'm incredibly charmed by the prospect of finding messages in the mundane that lead to introspection, be it Benson Boone music or Labubus or Gouda. Kooky or not, there's an otherworldly charm to embracing the mystical side of this season of life.

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August 28, 2025

Etsy witches, demon-hunting pop stars, monster keychains and more: Understanding the supernatural vibe shift

Etsy witches, demon-hunting pop stars, monster keychains and more: Understanding the supernatural vibe shift People arepaying witches on the...

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Christopher Meloni Let Daughter Sophia Throw ‘Demo’ Party ‘Rave’ to Destroy Their Luxury N.Y.C. Apartment

Christopher Meloni Let Daughter Sophia Throw 'Demo' Party 'Rave' to Destroy Their Luxury N.Y.C. Apartment

Cindy Ord/NBCUniversal/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Christopher Meloni's daughter found a creative way to help renovate their family's home The longtimeLaw & Order: Special Victims Unitactor shares two children with his wife, Sherman Williams "I still love her," the television star joked of his feelings toward his eldest after her house party Christopher Meloni's daughter helped with the remodeling of his New York apartment home in a very unconventional way. In a new interview withArchitectural Digest, the longtimeLaw & Order: Organized Crimeactor andfather of two, 64, told the outlet that when his luxury, two-level West Village property needed a redo, his eldest had the perfect solution. While giving a tour of the intricately decorated abode in a clip shared toYouTube, Meloni showed off his daughter's "wing" of the home. "We did that intentionally to kind of entice her to hang out with us for just a little bit longer before she goes," he said of 24-year-old Sophia Eva Pietra Meloni, whom he shares with his wifeSherman Williams. The couple, who have been married since 1995,are also parents toson Dante Amadeo Meloni, 21. "It's the same daughter who came up with the great idea about having a demo party," he said, explaining, "We had to gut the entire apartment, both floors." He reiterated that it was a "great idea" by Sophia that since "space is kind of rare" in New York and "difficult to find," she would make due with what her family had by making remodeling fun. Meloni referred to Sophia's solution as "a party with a few friends over," as footage from a wild house party with loud music, a large crowd and projection screen images on the wall cut into hisADinterview. "Turned into a rave," he said as the camera was back on him. According to the actor, it also included "spray painting cans" and "guys hanging off of my balconies." Architectural Digest/Youtube Graffiti on the home's interior walls could be seen in the clip. Despite her "great idea," Meloni playfully admitted, "I still love her." Sophia postedabout the 2021 party on Instagram, including detailed pictures of the graffiti and the video seen in her dad'sADinterview. "Fun is fun until someone's parent has to power wash some A-holes graffiti 'tag' off the side of a balcony," Meloni commented on his daughter's post at the time. With or without ragers at his New York property, the home features wraparound terraces and 360-degree city views. Both floors boast 2,500 square feet of space with the top level offering an expansive living, dining, and kitchen area, with a media room, primary suite and dressing rooms, perAD. After following a grand staircase downstairs, Sophia and Dante's bedroom suites are on the first level, as well as Meloni's office and gym, and Williams's painting studio. Williams is an artist and designer who put her special touch on the property, including "Jewel tones and things to make you feel alive instead of putting you to sleep." "We're very happy here. I'm satisfied this is the last home we'll ever move to," Meloni toldADof the family's home. Read the original article onPeople

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August 28, 2025

Christopher Meloni Let Daughter Sophia Throw ‘Demo’ Party ‘Rave’ to Destroy Their Luxury N.Y.C. Apartment

Christopher Meloni Let Daughter Sophia Throw 'Demo' Party 'Rave' to Destroy Their Luxury N.Y.C. Apartment Cindy Ord/NBCUnive...

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Hundreds of UN staff pressure rights chief to call Gaza a genocide, letter shows

Hundreds of UN staff pressure rights chief to call Gaza a genocide, letter shows

By Emma Farge GENEVA (Reuters) -Hundreds of U.N. staff at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Volker Turk have asked him to explicitly describe the Gaza war as an unfolding genocide, according to a letter seen by Reuters. The letter sent on Wednesday said the staff consider that the legal criteria for genocide in the nearly two-year Israel-Hamas war in Gaza have been met, citing the scale, scope and nature of violations documented there. "OHCHR has a strong legal and moral responsibility to denounce acts of genocide," said the letter signed by the Staff Committee on behalf of over 500 employees. "Failing to denounce an unfolding genocide undermines the credibility of the U.N. and the human rights system itself," it added. It cited the international body's perceived moral failure for not doing more to stop the 1994 Rwanda genocide that killed more than 1 million people. There was no immediate response from the Israeli Foreign Ministry. Israel has previously rejected accusations of genocide in Gaza, citing its right to self-defence following the deadly October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that killed 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures. The subsequent war in Gaza has killed almost 63,000 people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, while a global hunger monitor says part of it is suffering from famine. Some rights groups like Amnesty International have already accused Israel of committing genocide and an independent U.N. expert Francesca Albanese has also used the term, but not the United Nations itself. U.N. officials have in the past said that it is up to international courts to determine genocide. In 2023, South Africa brought a genocide case against Israel's actions in Gaza to the International Court of Justice but the case has not yet been heard on its merits yet – a process that can take years. 'SHAKEN TO THE CORE' "The situation in Gaza has shaken us all to our core," said OHCHR spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani, citing difficult circumstances faced by the office as it tries to document facts and raise the alarm. "There have been and will continue to be discussions internally on how to move forward," she said in reference to the letter. Turk, who has repeatedly condemned Israel's actions in Gaza and warned of the increasing risk of atrocity crimes, said the letter raised important concerns. "I know we all share a feeling of moral indignation at the horrors we are witnessing, as well as frustration in the face of the international community's inability to bring this situation to an end," he said in a copy of his response seen by Reuters, calling for employees to "remain united as an Office in the face of such adversity". (Reporting by Emma Farge; Additional reporting by Alexander Cornwell in Jerusalem; Editing by Sharon Singleton)

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August 28, 2025

Hundreds of UN staff pressure rights chief to call Gaza a genocide, letter shows

Hundreds of UN staff pressure rights chief to call Gaza a genocide, letter shows By Emma Farge GENEVA (Reuters) -Hundreds of U.N. staff at t...

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Teachers, children became heroes 'within seconds' after shooter opened fire

Teachers, children became heroes 'within seconds' after shooter opened fire

As the bullets flew into a Minneapolis church during a Mass inan inhumance crime, it was the best of humanity that shone through. Teachers and some of the older children scrambled to protect the youngest and most vulnerable, according toAnnunciation Catholic School Principal Matthew DeBoer. His voice quavered with emotion as he spoke at a news conference aboutthe shootingthat killed two students, or "two angels" as DeBoer put it, and wounded 17 others at Annunciation Church in Minneapolis. "Our teachers were heroes," he said. "Children were ducked down. Adults were protecting children. Older children were protecting younger children, and ... it could have been significantly worse without their heroic action." Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey also praised the actions of teachers and faculty at the news conference. "The way that they acted during severe threat and danger was nothing short of heroic," he said. "This is a tragic and horrible event that should never occur and it would have been all the more tragic and horrible had they not stepped in, at times put themselves in danger to protect others ... It could have been far worse." Two children were killed Wednesday and at least 17 people were injured when a gunman fired through the windows of a Minneapolis Catholic church toward young people worshipping at a Mass, authorities said.Families reunite outside the police barricades after a shooting at Annunciation Church, which is also home to a an elementary school, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, August 27, 2025. 'We feel the pain':Catholics grieve in wake of deadly attack during Mass In amessage to the communitylater in the day, DeBoer specified how some of the teachers were able to save the lives of students. "You need to know that within seconds, our heroic staff moved students under the pews," he said, adding that police responded quickly and "evacuated all of our children and staff to safety in a matter of minutes." For those killed and wounded, he said: "Please lift up these families and these children in prayer and surround them and each other with your love during this difficult time." Brave actionshave previously saved countless lives during mass shootings in the U.S. They're committed by everyday people and first responders alike, and often at great risk to their own lives. At the Route 91 Harvest Festival shooting in Las Vegas that killed 58 people in 2017,a 29-year-old Marine veteran from San Diegonamed Taylor Winston found a truck with the keys in it and loaded it with victims who had serious injuries, saving potentially dozens of lives, according toCBS This Morning. During the shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, that killed 49 people in 2016, a 24-year-old bouncer namedImran Yousufsprang into action when he saw people frozen in terror next to a closed door. Putting his life on the line, he opened the door, allowing up to 70 people to reach safety. Amanda Lee Myers is a senior crime reporter for USA TODAY. Follow her on X at @amandaleeusat. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Teachers, children were heroes during Minneapolis church shooting

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August 28, 2025

Teachers, children became heroes 'within seconds' after shooter opened fire

Teachers, children became heroes 'within seconds' after shooter opened fire As the bullets flew into a Minneapolis church during a M...

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North Korea's Kim Jong Un to join Putin at China military parade

North Korea's Kim Jong Un to join Putin at China military parade

North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un will attend a military parade in Beijing next week alongside Russia's Vladimir Putin, China has said, in what will be a landmark visit. This is Kim's first multilateral international meeting, making the event a diplomatic win for China's Xi Jinping who has been pushing for a new Beijing-led world order. It allows Xi to signal his influence – although limited – on both Putin and Kim at a time when Washington is attempting to make a deal with Moscow to end the war in Ukraine. US President Donald Trump is not attending but said earlier this week that he wanted to meet Kim, whose growing nuclear arsenal and support for Russia have rattled the West. China's "Victory Day" parade will mark the 80th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War Two and the end of the conflict. Putin and Kim will be among 26 other heads of state who are expected to attend the parade. This is the first time a North Korean leader has attended a Chinese military parade since 1959. China is likely to display its latest weaponry, including hundreds of aircraft, tanks and anti-drone systems. This will be the first time its military's new force structure is being fully showcased in a parade. The highly choreographed event will see tens of thousands of military personnel march in formation through the historic Tiananmen Square, with troops from 45 of the so-called echelons of China's military as well as war veterans. The 70-minute parade, which will be surveyed by Xi, is expected to be closely watched by analysts and western powers. In a press conference given by China's foreign ministry on Thursday, Beijing - one of Pyongyang's closest allies – praised its neighbour for their decades-long "traditional friendship" and said the two countries will continue to collaborate on "regional peace and stability". Kim's attendance is an upgrade from China's last Victory Day parade in 2015, when Pyongyang sent one of its top officials, Choe Ryong-hae. The North Korean leader rarely travels abroad. His recent contact with world leaders has been limited to Vladmir Putin, who he's met twice since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Now this international pariah has the opportunity to appear on an international stage – while also strengthening his ties with China. Kim generally likes to balance his relationship between Moscow and Beijing – so he's not too reliant on either – but he hasn't seen the Chinese leader for six years. This year's event will be significant because it means Xi can walk into any summit with Trump with more confidence, having been fully briefed by both leaders. Next week's meeting is also weeks before a possible visit by Trump to Asia, which the White House has hinted at but not confirmed. It has, however, said the US President is open to meeting Xi to finalise a tariffs deal, among other things. It's been six years since Kim visited Beijing - he last attended an event to mark the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries in 2019. He also visited Beijing three times in 2018, a particularly busy year for international trips given his reluctance to travel abroad. Most Western leaders are not expected to attend the parade, due to their opposition to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which has driven the sanctions against Putin's regime. Beijing, however, has not criticised Putin's war and has been accused by the US and its allies of even aiding it - which it denies. Kim, on the other hand, has supplied both weapons and troops to the Russian invasion. The list of leaders attending the parade also reflects China's rise and its changing relationship with the world. The Indonesia president and Malaysian prime minister will be there, which is further proof of Beijing's concerted efforts to ramp up ties with neighbouring South East Asia. Others like Singapore are sending lower- level representatives. Myanmar's military ruler Min Aung Hliang, an international pariah who is hugely dependent on Chinese trade and aid, will also be attending. There will be fewer European Union officials, with just one EU leader attending - Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico - while Bulgaria and Hungary will send representatives. In contrast, Czech President Milos Zeman attended the 2015 parade, while Poland, France, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, and the UK sent parliamentary speakers or government envoys to the parade. Additional reporting by Ian Tang from BBC Monitoring Xi shows Trump who holds the cards by hosting Kim and Putin South Korea's charm offensive and other takeaways from Trump meeting Kim Jong Un is China's ally - but has become the 'comrade from hell'

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August 28, 2025

North Korea's Kim Jong Un to join Putin at China military parade

North Korea's Kim Jong Un to join Putin at China military parade North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un will attend a military parade in B...

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Today’s NYT ‘Strands’ Hints, Spangram and Answers for Thursday, August 28

Today's NYT 'Strands' Hints, Spangram and Answers for Thursday, August 28

Move over, Wordle,Connectionsand Mini Crossword—there's a new NYT word game in town! The New York Times's recent game, "Strands," is becoming more and more popular as another daily activity fans can find on the NYT website and app. With daily themes and "spangrams" to discover, this is the latest addicting game to cross off your to-do list before a new one pops up 24 hours later. We'll cover exactly how to play Strands, hints for today's spangram and all of the answers for Strands #543 on Thursday, August 28. Related:16 Games Like Wordle To Give You Your Word Game Fix More Than Once Every 24 Hours According to the New York Times, here's exactly how to play Strands: Find theme words to fill the board. Theme words stay highlighted in blue when found. Drag or tap letters to create words. If tapping, double tap the last letter to submit. Theme words fill the board entirely. No theme words overlap. Find the "spangram." The spangram describes the puzzle's theme and touches two opposite sides of the board. It may be two words. The spangram highlights in yellow when found. An example spangram with corresponding theme words: PEAR, FRUIT, BANANA, APPLE, etc. Need a hint? Find non-theme words to get hints. For every three non-theme words you find, you earn a hint. Hints show the letters of a theme word. If there is already an active hint on the board, a hint will show that word's letter order. Related:300 Trivia Questions and Answers to Jumpstart Your Fun Game Night A hint for today's Strands game is: Blah blah blah... Warning: Spoilers ahead!In today's puzzle, there aresixtheme words to find (including the spangram). Here are the first two letters for each word: GA VE VO TA LO CH(SPANGRAM) Today's spangram is mostly horizontal.Related:The 26 Funniest NYT Connections Game Memes You'll Appreciate if You Do This Daily Word Puzzle Today's spangram answer on Today's NYT 'Strands' Hints, Spangram and Answers for Thursday, August 28, 2025, isCHATTERBOX. GABBY VERBOSE VOLUBLE TALKATIVE LOQUACIOUS SPANGRAM:CHATTERBOX Related: Fans of This Popular Daily Puzzle are Livid Over This One Big Change: 'The Last Straw for Me' This story was originally reported byParadeon Aug 28, 2025, where it first appeared in theLifesection. Add Parade as aPreferred Source by clicking here.

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August 28, 2025

Today’s NYT ‘Strands’ Hints, Spangram and Answers for Thursday, August 28

Today's NYT 'Strands' Hints, Spangram and Answers for Thursday, August 28 Move over, Wordle,Connectionsand Mini Crossword—there...

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NYT Connections Sports Edition Today: Hints and Answers for Thursday, August 28, 2025

NYT Connections Sports Edition Today: Hints and Answers for Thursday, August 28, 2025

Get excited—there's another New York Times game to add to your daily routine! Those of us word game addicts who alreadyWordle,Connections,Strandsand theMini Crosswordnow have Connections Sports Edition to add to the mix.So, if you're looking for some hints and answers for today's Connections Sports Edition on Thursday, August 28, 2025, you've come to the right place. 🎬SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬 Connections Sports Edition is just like the regular Connections word puzzle, in that it's a game that resets at 12 a.m. EST each day and has 16 different words listed. It's up to you to figure out each group of four words that belong to a certain category, with four categories in total. This new version is sports-specific, however, as a partnership between The New York Times and The Athletic. As the NYT site instructs, for Connections Sports Edition, you "group sports terms that share a common thread." Related:The 26 Funniest NYT Connections Game Memes You'll Appreciate if You Do This Daily Word Puzzle Here are some hints about the four categories to help you figure out the word groupings. Yellow:Hoops errors. Green:Get the mic. Blue:Tennis triumphs. Purple:A note to follow so. OK, time for a second hint…we'll give you the actual categories now. Spoilers below! Yellow:Basketball violations. Green:Roles on a broadcast team. Blue:Last four US Open women's singles winners. Purple:Preceded by "LA." If you're looking for the answers, no worries—we've got them below. So, don't scroll any further if you don't want to see the solutions!The answers to today's Connections Sports Edition #339 are coming up next.Related:15 Fun Games Like Connections to Play Every Day BASKETBALL VIOLATIONS:BACKCOURT, DOUBLE-DRIBBLE, GOALTEND, TRAVEL ROLES ON A BROADCAST TEAM:COLOR, PLAY-BY-PLAY, SIDELINE, STUDIO LAST FOUR US OPEN WOMEN'S SINGLES WINNERS:GAUFF, RADUCANU, SABALENKA, SWIATEK PRECEDED BY "LA":CLIPPERS, COLISEUM, GALAXY, LIGA Don't worry if you didn't get them this time—we've all been there. Up next,catch up on the answers to recent Wordle puzzles. Related: Aldi's Super-Handy $15 Kitchen Find Will Be the Best Money You'll Spend All Week This story was originally reported byParadeon Aug 28, 2025, where it first appeared in theLifesection. Add Parade as aPreferred Source by clicking here.

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August 28, 2025

NYT Connections Sports Edition Today: Hints and Answers for Thursday, August 28, 2025

NYT Connections Sports Edition Today: Hints and Answers for Thursday, August 28, 2025 Get excited—there's another New York Times game to...

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As ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ Toxic Fandom Explodes Online, Prime Video Tells Fans to Stop Bullying Cast: Start ‘Acting Normal’

As 'The Summer I Turned Pretty' Toxic Fandom Explodes Online, Prime Video Tells Fans to Stop Bullying Cast: Start 'Acting Normal'

Ahead of Wednesday's release of the eighth episode of the third and final season of "The Summer I Turned Pretty," Amazon told fans that they need to calm down. The streamer Prime Video released a statement asserting to the Jenny Han-created YA romance series' audience that it was disappointed in recent bullying behavior on social media that targeted "The Summer I Turned Pretty" cast members. More from Variety 'Fallout' Season 2 Sets December Premiere; First Look Photos Show the Ghoul in New Vegas 'Joseph of Egypt' Series Greenlit at Amazon, Main Cast Set With Adam Hashmi in Lead Role 'The Summer I Turned Pretty' Boss Jenny Han on Directing Conrad's POV, Rescheduling Iconic Peaches Scene Three Times and Dissecting Fan Theories "The show isn't real but the people playing the characters are," the official "The Summer I Turned Pretty TikTok account wrote in a captionaccompanying a video graphicthat read: "The Summer We Started Acting Normal Online." The warning came on the heels of insults hurled at several stars, and even public death threats made at Gavin Casalegno, who plays Jeremiah Fisher, one of two brothers (the other being Conrad Fisher, played by Christopher Briney) who has been vying for the affections of Belly Conklin (played by Lola Tung) over the show's three-season run. With the release of Episode 8, Season 3, titled "Last Kiss," on Wednesday, the show has three more episodes to go before it concludes. Sources close to production tellVarietythe Tuesday warning was issued as the show approaches its finale and fans become more vocal. As the weekly release has progressed, producers have see more opportunity for toxic behavior online, where most users feel they can hurl anonymous, overly harsh criticisms. It should also be noted that, in addition to the bullying of Casalegno for his role as Belly's love interest Jeremiah, several fans have seemingly targeted him for his alleged conservative political beliefs, including social media posts the actor has liked. This is not the first time Amazon's warned "The Summer I Turned Pretty" fans against harassing the show's cast — and other fans — online,as an initial statementwas released by the show before the third and final season premiered its first two episodes July 16. PSA for the Summer community 🚨pic.twitter.com/qTm8IlIFsN — The Summer I Turned Pretty (@thesummeritp)July 14, 2025 Following the Season 3 premiere, Amazon TV chief Vernon Sanders explained toVarietythat the message felt necessary after the streamer "had similar situations in the past with adaptations." (The most notable instance of this was the racially charged comments made about "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power" stars when that show was first released in 2022.) "We've had similar situations in the past with adaptations, where there is a fanbase out there that I think can get rowdy, and it sometimes can blur the line between characters and actors or overstep," Sanders said. "And so we really appreciate them and appreciate their passion, but we're trying to be more proactive about setting expectations of what we want to encourage and maybe what we find not appropriate. And I think our creators and our cast really appreciate us taking the proactive stance there." In summer 2025, toxic fandoms have been the rule, not the exception. The cast members of Peacock's reality hit "Love Island USA" have faced a tsunami of online hatred. Contestant Cierra Ortega, who was ousted from the show after past racist social media posts were exposed, said that the show's viewershad called ICE on her family. Another contestant, Olandria Carthen,toldVarietyabout her experience seeing a meme of herself as George Floyd. "It's disgusting, to say the least," Carthen said. "I was even getting death threats. My family was getting death threats. It shouldn't be like that at all." Kate Aurthur contributed to this story. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Netflix in September 2025 Best Early Labor Day Deals on Samsung, Bose, Criterion Collection and More Sign up forVariety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us onFacebook,Twitter, andInstagram.

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August 27, 2025

As ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ Toxic Fandom Explodes Online, Prime Video Tells Fans to Stop Bullying Cast: Start ‘Acting Normal’

As 'The Summer I Turned Pretty' Toxic Fandom Explodes Online, Prime Video Tells Fans to Stop Bullying Cast: Start 'Acting Normal...

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Perez Hilton is going to court to fight Blake Lively’s subpoena, claiming he should be protected as a journalist

Perez Hilton is going to court to fight Blake Lively's subpoena, claiming he should be protected as a journalist

Perez Hilton is challenging a subpoena issued by Blake Lively's legal team in her ongoing lawsuit against Justin Baldoni, her director and costar in the 2024 filmIt Ends With Us. Yahoo spoke to the celebrity blogger this week ahead of the Thursday hearing where he hopes the court will quash the subpoena, arguing that it will compel him to reveal his sources and other confidential information in Lively's quest to prove Baldoni ran a smear campaign against her. Lively is accusing Baldoni of sexual harassment andlaunching a smear campaign against herafter she raised concerns on set — allegationsa New York Times exposérevealed in December 2024. Baldoni has denied the claims and accused Lively, as well as her husband, Ryan Reynolds, of attempting to take over his film. Since then, the internet has taken sides — and Lively has faced intense backlash from Baldoni's supporters, many of whom allege she's lying about experiencing sexual harassment. Lively claims the criticism is part of a Baldoni-led smear campaign, while Baldoni's camp says the backlash is organic. Hilton is one of the many creators making content that portrays Lively in a negative light. In August, Lively filed court documents accusing Hilton of creatingmore than 500 disparaging articles and posts about herwithout reaching out to her representatives for her side of the story. Hilton oftenrefers to Lively by derogatory nicknames, including "Litigious Lively" and "Blackface Blake," the latter a reference to aprior scandal theGossip Girlalum has been associated with. Hilton wassubpoenaedalongside right-wing internet personality Candace Owens and Andy Signore of Popcorned Planet — all of whom have portrayed Lively negatively in their coverage. YouTube has also been subpoenaed separately, a spokesperson for Lively confirmed to Yahoo. Hilton told Yahoo that he initially made a positive video about Lively before reading more into the case and changing his mind. These subpoenas seek contracts, messages and other materials that could reveal if Baldoni's team was providing information, payment, or direction to these creators. Hilton, a longtime celebrity blogger whose real name is Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr., told Yahoo that he believes the subpoena is "payback" for his negative coverage. Hilton argues that, as a journalist, he should not be required to disclose his sources, which he says the subpoena would require him to do. On Thursday, a Las Vegas court will hear his case. Instead of using his longtime lawyer Bryan Freedman — who happens to be representing Baldoni in the case against Lively, — to represent him in court, Hilton is representing himself to save what he said would be more than $50,000 in legal fees. Hilton told Yahoo over the phone that he believesNevada state laws, andother legal precedentshould protect him from having to comply with the subpoena as a journalist. There is no federal law protecting journalists from cooperating with subpoenas, but many state and federal courts have recognized some version of so-calledreporter's privilege,which is the view that the First Amendment should, in certain limited circumstances, protect journalists from being forced to reveal confidential sources and other reporting materials in court.According to the Reporter's Committee for Freedom of the Press, courts have historically allowed certain individuals to opt out of testifying in court if they can make the case that the demand for all evidence available would conflict with societal interests. In addition to his view that he should be protected as a journalist from having to produce documents for this case, Hilton insisted that he was never involved in an alleged smear campaign against Lively. "I was not part of any retaliatory smear campaign," Hilton said. "I was not told by anyone to write negative stories about her. I was not paid by anyone to write negative stories about her. I was not promised any favors or anything in exchange." A spokesperson for Lively told Yahoo News of the subpoena: "Subpoenas are not accusations of wrongdoing. They are tools for gathering admissible evidence in federal court. There is no silencing of content creators, they are obviously making their views known." The statement continued: "This is a sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit against Justin Baldoni and a number of other Wayfarer defendants and we are simply seeking information to aid in our fact gathering." This month, a judge unsealed text messages from Baldoni's team, which alleged Wayfarer Studiospaid social media specialist Jed Wallace $90,000across three months in 2024 for "creation of social fan engagement to go back and forth with any negative accounts, helping to change narrative and stay on track." Lively's team claims this fee was to stoke backlash against the actress at Baldoni's request, however Wallace, who is now suing Lively for defamation, stated he was merely hired to track Baldoni's social media at the time.

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August 27, 2025

Perez Hilton is going to court to fight Blake Lively’s subpoena, claiming he should be protected as a journalist

Perez Hilton is going to court to fight Blake Lively's subpoena, claiming he should be protected as a journalist Perez Hilton is challen...

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‘Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy’ Drops Creepy Trailer and First Look Photos (TV News Roundup)

'Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy' Drops Creepy Trailer and First Look Photos (TV News Roundup)

The new crime drama series, "Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy" has released its first full trailer. The series about the notorious serial killer will premiere on Peacock with all eight episodes on Oct. 16th. It stars Michael Chernus ("Severance"), Gabriel Luna ("The Last of Us"), James Badge Dale ("Savant," "1923"), Michael Angarano ("Oppenheimer"), Chris Sullivan ("This is Us") and Marin Ireland ("The Irishman"). More from Variety John Wayne Gacy Limited Series 'Devil in Disguise' Casts Gabriel Luna, James Badge Dale, Michael Angarano, Chris Sullivan, Marin Ireland The series revolves around, according to its official description, "the heartbreaking stories of Gacy's victims and the immense grief and trauma that their families endured. It also highlights the systemic failures, missed opportunities and societal prejudices that allowed his crimes to go unnoticed for so long." Patrick Macmanus executive produces the series as well as Noah Oppenheim ("The Maze Runner," "Jackie"), Sarah Bremner and Liz Cole ("John Wayne Gacy: Devil in Disguise," "The Thing About Pam") for NBC News Studios, Ashley Michel Hoban ("Dr. Death," "The Girl From Plainville"), Ahmadu Garba (Dr. Death," "Halo") and Kelly Funke for Littleton Road Productions. Macmanus also directs alongside Larysa Kondracki, Ashley Michel Hoban, Maggie Kiley and Bille Woodruff. Check out the first look images and official trailer of "Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy" below. Prime Video has released first look images for its new thriller series, "Harlan Coben's Lazarus," premiering on Oct. 22 with all six episodes of the season. Based on an original story idea and written by Harlan Coben and Danny Brocklehurst, "Harlan Coben's Lazarus" follows "Joel Lazarus (Sam Claflin), who returns home after his father, Dr. Jonathan Lazarus (Bill Nighy), dies by suicide and begins to have disturbing experiences that can't be explained. He quickly becomes entangled in a series of cold-case murders as he grapples with the mystery of his father's death and his sister's murder 25 years ago," according to its synopsis. Other cast members include Alexandra Roach as Jenna Lazarus, David Fynn as Seth McGovern, Karla Crome as Bella Catton and Kate Ashfield as Detective Alison Brown. Coben and Brocklehurst also executive produce the series alongside Nicola Shindler ("Nolly," "It's A Sin") and Richard Fee ("Fool Me Once," "The Stranger") for Quay Street Productions, part of ITV Studios and Sam Claflin. Wayne Che Yip ("Rings of Power," "Utopia") will direct episodes one and two and will also serve as executive producer. Additionally, Matt Strevens ("Doctor Who," "Capital") will produce. The series is produced by Amazon MGM Studios and Quay Street Productions in association with Final Twist Productions. Check out the first look images of "Harlan Coben's Lazarus" below. * Apple TV+ has released the first trailer for "The Savant," the new political thriller series starring and executive produced by Jessica Chastain. The trailer shows Chastain's character moving to a new home with her family and targeting extremists as an online sleuth. Based on the true story published in Andrea Stanley's 2019 Cosmopolitan article "Is It Possible to Stop a Mass Shooting Before It Happens?," "The Savant" is about an unseen guardian protecting Americans from the country's most violent conspirators. Alongside Chastain, the series also stars Nnamdi Asomugha, Cole Doman, Jordana Spiro, Trinity Lee Shirley, Toussaint Francois Battiste, and guest stars Pablo Schreiber. Kelly Carmichael, Melissa James Gibson, Matthew Heineman, David Levine and Garrett Kemble join Chastain as executive producers. The eight-part series will premiere its first two episodes globally on Apple TV+ on Friday, Sept. 26. Subsequent episodes will release every Friday thereafter through Nov. 9. Watch the trailer here: * Apple TV+ will release a new animated series, "The Sisters Grimm" on Friday, Oct. 3. Based on the bestselling fantasy adventure books of the same name by Michael Buckley, "The Sisters Grimm" follows two orphaned sisters living in a town full of fantastical figures good and bad, who they must navigate to protect themselves and uncover the secrets of their parents. Developed by showrunner Amy Higgins of Disney's "Star vs. the Forces of Evil," "The Sisters Grimm" boasts a voice cast of Ariel Winter, Leah Newman, Laraine Newman, Abubakar Salim, Billy Harris and Harry Trevaldwyn. Producer Erica Rothschild and studio Titmouse provide the animation for "The Sisters Grimm" and executive producers include Higgins, Buckley, Elliot Blake, Philip Alberstat, Steven Amato, Theresa Park, Chris Prynoski, Shannon Prynoski, Ben Kalina and Antonio Canobbio. The series will run for six episodes and premiere globally on Apple TV+. Jessie Abbott has been named VP of Creative Affairs at A+E Studios, where she will report directly to Tana Jamieson, co-head and executive vice president of Creative Affairs. Abbott joins A+E Studios after departing Kapital Entertainment, where she served as VP of current and development. During her 10-year stint at the entertainment company, she oversaw shows such as "Black Cake" (Hulu), "Shining Vale" (STARZ), "Women of the Movement" (ABC), "Pivoting" (FOX), "A Million Little Things" (ABC), "The Unicorn" (CBS) and "Tell Me a Story" (CBS All Access). Before becoming VP at Kapital Entertainment, she began her career as an assistant in the television literary department at The Gersh. "Jessie's track record of championing distinctive voices and delivering compelling, high-quality programming speaks for itself," Tana Jamieson, co-head and EVP, Creative Affairs, A+E Studios, said. "Her ability to nurture projects from inception to premiere, coupled with her deep industry relationships, will be an invaluable asset to our growing slate. We are thrilled to welcome her to the team." Camryn Manheim, Tyler Posey, Jamie Chung, Noah Reid, and Sara Canning have been announced as guest stars for Season 2 of "Murder in a Small Town," set to premiere on Sept. 23 on Fox. Manheim will play Jocelyn Tait, who is described as "a working-class matriarch who has lived her life in the shadow of a family feud and comes to Gibsons for a 'Romeo and Juliet'-style wedding." Posey will play the role of Ryan, said to be "a former party boy turned holistic health aficionado." Chung plays Lanni Soo, "a career-driven and straight-forward deputy prosecuting attorney general who approaches Alberg with an intriguing case." Canning plays Mackenzie Rankin, "a woman who is organizing and planning a memorial gathering for the death of her younger sister." Reid will reprise his role as Tommy Cummins, "the unassuming art teacher behind bars." "Murder in a Small Town" follows Karl Alberg (Rossif Sutherland), who recently moved to the coastal town of Gibsons to be the new police chief. As Alberg learns that this gentle paradise has more than its share of secrets, he calls upon his skills to solve murders that continue to wash up on the town's shore. While solving mysteries, Alberg's deepening relationship with the town librarian Cassandra Lee (Kristin Kreuk) is challenged as her career and community involvement take her in new directions. Season 2 will explore the town as Karl's jurisdiction expands as he investigates crimes such as a body found at a local wedding between members of two feuding families, a double kidnapping, and dealing with a pop star who retreated to Gibsons for a quiet vacation, only to be followed by a stalker. Sports entertainment platform, DAZN, has acquired live rights to a wide range of U.S. college football and basketball content through a multi-year sublicensing agreement with ESPN. Fans across selected territories in Europe and the MENA region will be able to enjoy up to 25 college football games per week during the 2025 regular season exclusively on DAZN, including games from the SEC, ACC and Big 12. "DAZN is committed to bringing the best possible entertainment experience and a comprehensive portfolio of thrilling U.S. college football and basketball content to fans in selected territories in Europe and MENA," Shay Segev, DAZN Group CEO, said in a statement. He continued, "Working with ESPN, this agreement allows DAZN to expand its global offering of premium North American sports properties, extending beyond NFL Game Pass and NHL.TV. It also means DAZN can broaden access to exciting U.S. sports content and support top-tier leagues in growing their international fanbases." DAZN will also feature all college football playoffs and the National Championship, as well as the College Gameday pregame show every Saturday, along with all other major bowl games and a range of on-demand football content. Additionally, DAZN will broadcast approximately 20 games per week across men's and women's basketball and 63 March Madness games across both the Men's and Women's tournaments, including the entirety of the Elite 8, Final 4 and National Championships. The offer will be available to DAZN users in selected territories in Europe and MENA, free-to-view for a limited time. Pharrell Williams, Karol G, John Legend, Teddy Swims and more artists are set to perform live in Vatican City at St. Peter's Square, which will stream live exclusively on Disney+, Hulu and ABC News Live beginning Sept. 13. The concert marks the closing of the third World Meeting on Human Fraternity and the celebration of the 2025 Jubilee Year. The celebration will also be open to the public in Rome. Co-directed by Williams and Andrea Bocelli, the event will also feature musical performances from Voices of Fire Gospel Choir, Maestro Andrea Bocelli, Clipse, Jelly Roll, Angélique Kidjo, international choristers and other musicians. An aerial drone and light show by Nova Sky Stories, featuring imagery inspired by the Sistine Chapel, will also take place. Additionally, world leaders will share their reflections during the show. COZI TV has acquired the digital broadcast rights for the family sitcom comedy series "George Lopez." "George Lopez" will debut on COZI TV with a special 16-hour Labor Day marathon on Sept. 1 from 8 a.m. to 12 a.m. EST, beginning with the first episode of the six-season series. "'Georgia Lopez'" embodies everything we value in comedy programming – relatable stories, unforgettable characters, and timeless humor – and the show continues to resonate with longtime audiences and new viewers alike," Diane Petzke, VP of Programming and Partnerships, NBC Universal Local, said. "We are pleased to add this legendary series to COZI TV's already fantastic lineup of hilarious sitcoms." The sitcom is the latest addition to COZI TV's comedy lineup. It will air from 10 p.m. to 12 a.m. EST, and during afternoons from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. EST. Created by Lopez, Bruce Helford and Robert Borden, the ensemble cast features Constance Marie, Masiela Lusha, Luis Armand Garcia, Valente Rodriguez and Belita Moreno. Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Netflix in September 2025 Best Early Labor Day Deals on Samsung, Bose, Criterion Collection and More Sign up forVariety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us onFacebook,Twitter, andInstagram.

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August 27, 2025

‘Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy’ Drops Creepy Trailer and First Look Photos (TV News Roundup)

'Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy' Drops Creepy Trailer and First Look Photos (TV News Roundup) The new crime drama series, "...

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