ReportWire

Blog

  • Cult Classic ‘Twogether’: The Love Story Everyone’s Obsessed With

    OR

    ON-DEMAND

    Twogether is a stunning love story that bursts out of the indie scene to capture your heart with its raw emotion and authenticity. Unlike your typical Hollywood romance, Twogether offers a gritty, real-world narrative featuring characters who think deeply and feel profoundly. This gem, crafted by writer-director Andrew Chiaramonte after nearly a decade of dedication, stars the incredible duo Nick Cassavetes and Brenda Bakke, who bring remarkable depth to their roles.

    Cassavetes shines as John Madler, a passionate and unpredictable Venice-based painter. He’s the kind of guy who leverages his good looks and the enigmatic allure of being an artist to live life on his terms. At a gallery event supporting a Greenpeace-esque cause, he locks eyes with volunteer Allison McKenzie, played by Bakke. The chemistry is instant and electric, leading to a wild night in Vegas that ends with an unexpected marriage.

    Determined to part ways like “mature, intelligent adults”—in Allison’s words—they plan a quick divorce. However, when Allison visits John’s Venice hideaway to finalize the papers, they find themselves in bed once again, resulting in an unplanned pregnancy. They initially agree on an abortion but are ultimately unable to follow through, setting the stage for an intense journey of mutual discovery.

    Chiaramonte masterfully propels the story forward with sharp montages and a keen sense of what to leave out, ensuring the film never drags. We join John and Allison as they navigate their evolving relationship, a strategy that draws us in completely.

    Allison emerges as the film’s standout revelation. Behind her confident exterior lies a woman haunted by a painful past, the neglected daughter of a rigidly conservative Bel-Air family. As John falls for her, she moves in during her pregnancy, but his pride and fierce independence keep him from admitting his true feelings, even to himself.

    At its core, Twogether is about the universal struggles of making choices, setting priorities, and the harsh realities of relationships. It highlights the challenges of responsibility, the pitfalls of immaturity and self-absorption, and the journey toward self-awareness and growth, regardless of age.

    Chiaramonte elicits deeply honest performances from Cassavetes and Bakke, who expose their souls and bodies on screen. If there’s any justice in the world, Twogether will catapult their careers to new heights. The supporting cast is equally strong, with Damian London standing out as the tough-minded art gallery owner.

    Twogether is a heartfelt indie film that wears its emotions proudly and has the potential to break into the mainstream.

    Twogether Cast:
    Nick Cassavetes: John Madler
    Brenda Bakke: Allison McKenzie
    Damian London: Mark Saffron
    Jeremy Piven: Arnie

    Twogether is currently being distributed by Freestyle Digital Media and available to watch for free or on-demand. Writer-director Andrew Chiaramonte. Producers Emett Alston, Chiaramonte. Co-producer Todd Fisher. Cinematographer Eugene Shlugleit. Editors Fisher, Chiaramonte. Costumes Jacqueline Johnson. Music Nigel Holton. Production designer Phil Brandes. Art director Phil Zarling. Sound Kip Gynn. Running time: 2 hours, 2 minutes.

  • “Young & Cursed” The Disturbing Horror Movie is A Cinematic Experience Set to Thrill Audiences in 2024

    “Young & Cursed” The Disturbing Horror Movie is A Cinematic Experience Set to Thrill Audiences in 2024

    ‘Young & Cursed’, a Chiaramonte Films, Inc. production, is a new horror movie / psychological thriller which is set to be released in early 2024.

    LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, November 1, 2023 — Audiences are excited about this new cinematic experience as the talented team of Andrew Chiaramonte and Emmett Alston unites to present their gripping horror / psychological thriller film, “Young & Cursed,” scheduled for release in 2024.

    Beneath the eerie canopy of an impending Blood Moon Lunar Eclipse, “Young & Cursed” unveils a harrowing tale that will grip the souls of horror enthusiasts. The narrative unravels around five young souls from diverse backgrounds, drawn unknowingly to a desolate and enigmatic cabin in the wilderness.

    Maria (Jennifer Rosas), tormented by the ghostly specter that haunts her every waking moment, and Jason (Stevarion Allen), a gifted musician stalked by a nightmarish demonic version of himself, are drawn together by forces beyond their comprehension.

    Trudy (Morgan Franz) harbors her own unspeakable terrors, besieged by a grotesque demon that mercilessly torments her during the dark hours. Tahoma (Reda Fassi-Fihri) finds himself pursued by a evil Skinwalker, while Donny (CJ Malone), a tech prodigy with a conflicted past, grapples with a demonic possession that has finally reached its terrifying zenith.

    Their lives intertwine with that of Kyra (Madison Hubler), a spellbinding enigma residing within the cabin, who appears to be simultaneously oblivious and all-knowing. Within her, lurks one of the most sinister demons to ever haunt mankind, Lilith (Britt Crisp), a malevolent entity that has endured since time’s inception, serving a nefarious purpose that will send shivers down the viewer’s spine.

    Leading the charge in this thrilling cinematic endeavor are the brilliant director and producer duo, Andrew Chiaramonte and Emmett Alston, who have combined their creative prowess and extensive experience to produce, “Young & Cursed”, a movie that will enthrall audiences worldwide.

    When asked about the inspiration behind “Young & Cursed,” Chiaramonte and Alston cited their fascination with the enigmatic Blood Moon, a celestial phenomenon steeped in mystery and superstition. This rare lunar event offered the ideal canvas for weaving a narrative that seamlessly merges elements of horror, suspense, and psychological drama.

    “Young & Cursed” boasts an ensemble cast of exceptional actors who bring their characters to life with unwavering incisive understanding and depth, immersing the audience further into the haunting world of the film.

    More than just a run-of-the-mill thriller, “Young & Cursed” is a meticulously crafted masterpiece that plays with the audience’s emotions, ensuring they remain on the edge of their seats throughout. The film’s atmospheric cinematography by Gary Ahmed, and haunting score by composer Patrick O’Malley, in perfect harmony to create an immersive experience that indelibly impacts the viewers world.

    Months prior to its release, “Young & Cursed” has already generated substantial buzz within the film industry and among eager movie fans. With its unique storyline, impeccable direction, and exceptional performances, the film is poised to become a breakout hit. “Young & Cursed” is an exciting cinematic venture that promises to be a standout addition to the horror thriller genre. With its talented creative team, bewitching plotline, and stellar cast, the film is primed to dominate the box office and capture the hearts of audiences worldwide.

    For more information, please visit the official website of “Young & Cursed” at youngandcursed.com.

    About Chiaramonte Films, Inc.

    Chiaramonte Films, Inc. is a renowned film production company known for delivering captivating and groundbreaking cinematic experiences. With a commitment to pushing creative boundaries, Chiaramonte Films, Inc. has consistently delivered critically acclaimed films that leave a lasting impact on audiences worldwide. For more information, visit chiaramontefilms.com .

  • Man stabbed in Willow Spring; suspect in custody, deputies say

    Thursday, February 26, 2026 9:30PM

    Man arrested in connection to Willow Spring stabbing

    RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — The Wake County Sheriff’s Office arrested a man in connection with a stabbing Thursday morning.

    Deputies responded to the 9300 block of Kennebec Road in Willow Spring at 6:30 a.m., where they found the victim, who was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries.

    Johnny Rodriguez-Gonzalez, 34, was arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury.

    Willow Spring High School was briefly placed on lockdown during the investigation.

    Anyone with information that would assist in the investigation is asked to call WCSO at (919) 856-6911.

    Download the ABC11 News app

    Copyright © 2026 WTVD-TV. All Rights Reserved.

    WTVD

    Source link

  • Yum's of PDX turns ex-girlfriend's most-hated pizza toppings into a best-selling pie

    Yum’s PDX in Southeast Portland is known for its neo-Neopolitan and Sicilian pizzas, made with a 72-hour fermented dough and topped with ingredients like burrata, romano, tomato sauce, fresh garlic, oregano, cupped pepperoni, extra virgin olive oil, basil and hot honey.

    Elizabeth Dinh

    Source link

  • THE YETI Official Trailer (2026)



    First movie trailer for The Yeti starring Jim Cummings, Brittany Allen.

    source

  • IRS broke the law by disclosing confidential information to ICE 42,695 times: Judge

    WASHINGTON — A federal judge said Thursday that the IRS broke the law by disclosing confidential taxpayer information “approximately 42,695 times” to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

    U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly found that the IRS had erroneously shared the taxpayer information of thousands of people with the Department of Homeland Security as part of the agencies’ controversial agreement to share information on immigrants for the purpose of identifying and deporting people illegally in the U.S.

    Her finding was based off a declaration filed earlier this month by Dottie Romo, IRS’ chief risk and control officer, which revealed that the IRS had provided DHS with information on 47,000 of the 1.28 million people that ICE requested — and, in most of those cases, gave ICE additional address information in violation of privacy rules created to protect taxpayer data.

    Kollar-Kotelly said in her Thursday decision that the agency violated IRS Code 6103, one of the strictest confidentiality laws in federal statute, “approximately 42,695 times by disclosing last known taxpayer addresses to ICE.” She called the Romo declaration “a significant development in this case.”

    “The IRS not only failed to ensure that ICE’s request for confidential taxpayer address information met the statutory requirements, but this failure led the IRS to disclose confidential taxpayer addresses to ICE in situations where ICE’s request for that information was patently deficient,” she wrote.

    The government is appealing the case, but the Thursday ruling is significant because Romo’s declaration supports the decision on appeal.

    Nina Olson, founder of the Center for Taxpayer Rights, which has sued the government over the disclosure, says “this confirms what we’ve been saying all along: that the IRS has an unlawful policy that violates the Internal Revenue Code’s protections by releasing these addresses in a way that violates the law’s requirements.”

    Representatives from the IRS and Treasury Department did not respond to Associated Press requests for comment.

    A data-sharing agreement signed last April by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem allows ICE to submit names and addresses of immigrants inside the U.S. illegally to the IRS for cross-verification against tax records. The deal led the then-acting commissioner of the IRS to resign.

    There are several ongoing cases that challenge the IRS-DHS agreement.

    Earlier this week, a three-judge panel for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit declined to issue a preliminary injunction for the immigrants’ rights group, Centro de Trabajadores Unidos, and other nonprofits that are suing the federal government to stop implementation of the agreement.

    In declining the preliminary injunction request, Judge Harry T. Edwards wrote that the nonprofit groups “are unlikely to succeed on the merits of their claim,” since the information the agencies are sharing isn’t covered by the IRS privacy statute.

    Still, two separate court orders have blocked the agencies from massive transfers of taxpayer information and blocked ICE from acting upon any IRS data in its possession. Those preliminary injunctions are still in place.

    Source link

  • Astronomers Wake Up to 800,000 Notifications From Observatory Watching the Night Skies

    The Vera C. Rubin Observatory spent the night staring at the dark cosmos, alerting astronomers of ongoing changes in the skies in real-time.

    The observatory fired off its first wave of notifications from its new alert system on Tuesday night, sending 800,000 alerts to astronomers’ computers around the world. The Alert Production Pipeline, a software developed at the University of Washington, is designed to eventually produce up to 7 million alerts per night, documenting celestial events spotted by Rubin.

    “The scale and speed of the alerts are unprecedented,” Hsin-Fang Chiang, a software developer at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and lead of operations for data processing at the U.S. Data Facility, said in a statement. “After generating hundreds of thousands of test alerts in the last few months, we are now able to say, within minutes, with each image, ‘Here is everything. Go.’”

    You up?

    Nearly two decades in the making, the Rubin Observatory boasts the largest digital camera ever built for astronomy and an ultra-sensitive 28-foot (8.4-meter) primary mirror. The telescope’s alert system notifies astronomers of interesting astronomical events within two minutes of their discovery, allowing them enough time to request follow-up observations for a closer look.

    “By connecting scientists to a vast and continuous stream of information, NSF-DOE Rubin Observatory will make it possible to follow the universe’s events as they unfold, from the explosive to the most faint and fleeting,” Luca Rizzi, a program director for research infrastructure at the National Science Foundation, said in a statement.

    The first batch of notifications included detections of supernovae, variable stars, active galactic nuclei, and newly spotted asteroids in the solar system. Each alert signals something that has changed in a patch of the night skies since Rubin last looked, whether it’s a new source of light, a star that brightened or dimmed, or an object that moved.

    A team of researchers and software developers has been working on the Alert Production Pipeline for the past decade, trying to figure out how to process 10 terabytes of images every night. “Enabling real-time discovery on such a massive data stream has required years of technical innovation in image processing algorithms, databases and data orchestration,” Eric Bellm, an astronomy professor at the University of Washington, who leads the Alert Production Pipeline Group for the Rubin Observatory, said in a statement.

    Skygazing

    The launch of Rubin’s alert system precedes the telescope’s Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), which will launch later this year. During the upcoming 10-year-long survey, Rubin will generate a wide-field snapshot of the southern sky every few nights.

    As the telescope captures views of the cosmos at unprecedented depths, the alerts will keep astronomers in the loop of the treasure trove of discoveries in real time. “Rubin Observatory’s groundbreaking capabilities are revealing untold astrophysical treasures and expanding scientists’ access to the ever-changing cosmos,” Kathy Turner, program manager in the High Energy Physics program in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science, said in a statement.

    The Rubin Observatory, perched atop a mountain in the Chilean Andes, released the first images captured by its 3,200-megapixel camera to the public on June 23, 2025. During its test run, the telescope captured millions of galaxies and stars scattered across the Milky Way, in addition to 2,104 never-before-seen asteroids.

    During the first year of its LSST, Rubin is expected to observe more objects than all other optical observatories combined and flood astronomers’ computers with notifications.

    Passant Rabie

    Source link

  • Google paid startup Form Energy $1B for its massive 100-hour battery | TechCrunch

    Google announced earlier this week that it was building a new data center in Minnesota that would be powered by a mix of wind, solar, and a very unique battery built by startup Form Energy that’s capable of discharging for days on end.

    Now we know the price tag for that feat of electrochemical engineering: about $1 billion, according to The Information.

    Form Energy’s massive iron-air battery is capable of delivering a continuous 300 megawatts of electricity over 100 hours. It works by breathing, in a sense — oxygen pumped into the cells rusts iron, which releases electrons. The battery will work to smooth the flow of electrons from 1.4 gigawatts of wind power and 200 megawatts of solar power.

    The startup has been chipping away at the technology for years, and it has built a factory in West Virginia to produce the batteries. But it hadn’t landed a major customer until this recent deal with Google.

    With a big order on the books, Form Energy CEO Mateo Jaramillo said that his company is in the process of raising a $500 million round. Form has raised $1.4 billion to date, according to PitchBook. The company plans to go public next year.

    Tim De Chant

    Source link

  • Lawmakers Seek Quieter Ads and Less … Free Speech?

    State lawmakers are telling streamers to shhhhhh their ads. Online gamblers are flooding Florida help lines now that sports betting is legal. Some Sunshine State lawmakers want to target people based on their speech. The mighty state of Vermont steps up to help snowbound neighbors.

    As we mention here regularly, Decision Points primarily focuses on national and international news. But we also occasionally deliver a roundup of local, regional or under-the-radar news with a political dimension – something unusual or interesting, or that may illustrate a broader trend.

    Our guiding principle is that the definition of politics includes how a society organizes itself to allocate finite or scarce resources, manage internal disagreements and blunt external threats.

    Here’s this week’s look ‘round.

    Sign Up for U.S. News Decision Points

    Your trusted source for breaking down the latest news from Washington and beyond, delivered weekdays.

    By clicking “Sign Up”, you will receive the latest updates, including emails, from U.S. News & World Report and our trusted partners and sponsors, and you agree to our Terms and Conditions & Privacy Policy.

    Netflix and Chill, Meet Hulu and Hush?

    Federal law stipulates that broadcast, cable and satellite advertisements can’t be louder than the programming they interrupt. Streamers are not subject to the same rules … for now. Via the always amazing Pluribus News, I learned this week that several states are trying to make the same rule apply across the board.

    “The bills in Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia follow the passage of a first-in-the-nation California law last year,” Pluribus reported. “There is also federal legislation.”

    Not a lot is getting through Congress these days, so states are stepping in on a range of policy issues. Streaming ad volume may not seem like an emergency, but it is a quality of life issue.

    Florida Bets on Gambling Help

    Via the Tampa Bay Times, we learn that calls to Florida’s problem gambling help line have more than doubled since the state legalized sports wagers in 2023.

    Last year, more than 2,400 Floridians sought help from the service provided by the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling, 1,400 for help with online gambling, making that the top reason for reaching out.

    In previous years, electronic machines like slots were the main cause of calls, the Tampa Bay Times said.

    • Sports betting is the primary problem, 73% of online gamblers told the council.
    • Callers are getting younger. Two-thirds are under 30, and the number under 21 has soared since sports betting was legalized.
    • “Almost half of those calling about sports betting reported having lost more than $25,000. Nearly 1 in 4 reported losing more than $100,000,” the newspaper said.

    Legalizing betting from basically anywhere, especially on sports, appears to be fueling a boom in gambling. And gambling creates a winner and a loser. Is this a public policy problem yet?

    Targeting Speech in ‘Free’ Florida?

    Via WGCU News comes word of sweeping state legislation that, at least at first blush, would seem to target people for surveillance based on their speech.

    HB 945 aims to create a new counterintelligence and counterterrorism unit inside the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

    What’s raising eyebrows is that the list of potential targets of new surveillance and other law enforcement activity includes people “whose demonstrated actions, views, or opinions are a threat or are inimical to the interests of this state and the United States of America.”

    Actions? OK. “Views or opinions”?

    Green Mighty State

    Permit me a little Vermont pride: My home state, never a stranger to blizzards, has sent snow-clearing equipment and crews to Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

    “Having Vermont come in to help out with their crews is really, really pivotal, and it just shows that we’re able to work across state lines,” said Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee, according to WJAR.

    The state’s Agency of Transportation “sent over 30 pieces of equipment and 33 employees to its neighbor to the south Tuesday to aid with snow removal, according to Greg Smith, the agency’s district transportation administrator for the capital region,” VTDigger reported.

    “The fleet included dump trucks, bucket loaders for scooping snow and, of course, plows,” the outlet said.

    It’s nice to see this kind of interstate cooperation. A blizzard is snow laughing matter.

    The Week in Cartoons Feb. 23-27

    Olivier Knox

    Source link

  • Broxmeyer acquires Lynbrook apartment property for $36M | Long Island Business News

    The Blueprint:
    • An 80-unit apartment building in Lynbrook sold for $36 million to an affiliate of Gary Broxmeyer.
    • The property, Cornerstone at Yorkshire, opened in December 2021 and includes studios, one- and two-bedroom units.
    • Birch Group bought the property in September 2022 for $42.85 million before selling it.
    • Cushman & Wakefield’s Capital Markets team represented the seller and procured the buyer in the transaction.

     

    An 80-unit apartment building in Lynbrook has sold for $36 million. 

    The buyer was not disclosed, though real estate sources say it was an affiliate owned by Gary Broxmeyer. 

    The property, known as Cornerstone at Yorkshire, was first developed by Terwilliger & Bartone Properties and opened in Dec. 2021. The building has 28 studio apartments, 44 one-bedroom and eight two-bedroom rental units on the 1-acre site formerly occupied by the Capri Motel at 5 Freer St. 

    The property was sold in Sept. 2022 to Jersey City, N.J.-based Birch Group for $42.85 million. 

    The Lynbrook rental residences feature oversized windows, energy-efficient stainless-steel appliances, quartz countertops and balconies. Amenities at the Cornerstone at Yorkshire include a fitness center, club room and courtyard. The building also features on-site parking for residents. 

    Niko Nicolaou, Ryan Dowd, David Bernhuat, Daniel Abbondandolo, Joegy Raju, Peter Welch, JP Hohl and Alexandria Ebers of Cushman & Wakefield’s Capital Markets team procured the buyer and represented the seller, Birch Group, in the Lynbrook sales transaction. 

    “This transaction underscores the continued demand for high-quality multifamily assets that have benefited from the regional demand fueled by the limited housing supply throughout the Northeast,” Nicolaou, co-head of Cushman & Wakefield’s Northeast Multifamily Advisory Group, said in a company statement. “Cornerstone Yorkshire offered investors the opportunity to acquire a well-performing property in a high-barrier-to-entry Nassau County submarket with durable renter demand and long-term growth potential. The strong pricing achieved reflects sustained investor appetite for institutional-caliber assets in premier suburban locations.” 

    Abbondandolo added that “the sale highlights the resilience of Long Island’s multifamily market, where limited new development and consistent rental demand continue to support liquidity and capital flows into stabilized assets, like Cornerstone. We are pleased to have delivered a strong outcome for our client in this transaction.” 

    The Birch Group, which has made some major Long Island acquisitions in recent years, has defaulted on some of its debt obligations for those assets. Birch Group bought the 695,000-square-foot office complex on 51 acres at One and Two Jericho Plaza in Jericho for $212 million at the end of 2021 and in Nov. 2020, the company purchased the 348,500-square-foot office complex on 8.64 acres at 1979 Marcus Ave. in Lake Success for $62 million. Both of those properties are currently in receivership, according to real estate industry sources. 

    Broxmeyer, who is also a principal of Melville-based Fairfield Properties, has recently purchased a couple of multifamily assets in Roslyn and Valley Stream. His acquisitions don’t involve Fairfield. 


    David Winzelberg

    Source link

  • Fired for Needing Sleep? Trainee Wins Settlement in Investment Bank Dispute Over Job Accommodation Request

    A sleep specialist says the employee was within her rights to set boundaries with her company, and warns other employers to take notice.

    Kayla Webster

    Source link

  • Jury convicts man for Del Paso Heights murder

    A defendant who shot and killed a man after an argument at a Del Paso Heights convenience store has been convicted of murder.

    Brett Stover

    Source link

  • Russia pounds Ukraine with drones and missiles despite peace talks

    IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.

    • Now Playing

      Russia pounds Ukraine with drones and missiles despite peace talks

      01:10

    • UP NEXT

      Zelenskyy marks four years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

      01:16

    • Several dead after Russian strike hits Ukrainian train

      01:40

    • Russia and Ukraine in ‘last mile’ of peace talks, Zelenskyy says

      01:20

    • Kyiv plunges into darkness amid Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy system

      00:52

    • Russia Strikes Ukraine With Hypersonic Ballistic Missile

      00:35

    • Russia launches deadly attack on Ukraine with new hypersonic missile

      00:51

    • Special Report: Trump meets with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago

      19:04

    • Trump discusses Gaza and Ukraine as Netanyahu arrives at Mar-a-Lago

      03:05

    • Special Report: Trump and Zelenskyy speak after meeting on Ukraine peace deal

      26:22

    • Trump says he is ‘very close’ to final Ukraine-Russia peace deal

      02:45

    • Special Report: Trump praises Zelenskyy in meeting, calling him a brave, hard worker

      05:12

    • Trump says there will be a security agreement before talks with Zelenskyy at Mar-a-Lago

      06:42

    • Trump to Meet With Ukraine’s Zelenskyy at Mar-a-Lago

      02:06

    • Russia stages massive attack on Ukraine ahead of Trump-Zelenskyy meeting

      01:37

    • Trump to meet with Zelenskyy on Sunday

      01:02

    • Russian general killed by bomb under his car in Moscow

      01:52

    • Putin says he is not ‘responsible for loss of life’ as Ukraine war drags on

      03:46

    • Ukraine claims it struck a Russian shadow fleet tanker in Mediterranean Sea

      00:29

    • Putin tells NBC News the ball is in Ukraine’s court to end the war

      01:45

    President Zelenskyy said hundreds of drones and missiles had been used to target Ukrainian infrastructure, with dozens of civilians also wounded, even as delegates meet in Geneva to discuss a possible end to the conflict.Feb. 26, 2026

    • Now Playing

      Russia pounds Ukraine with drones and missiles despite peace talks

      01:10

    • UP NEXT

      Zelenskyy marks four years since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

      01:16

    • Several dead after Russian strike hits Ukrainian train

      01:40

    • Russia and Ukraine in ‘last mile’ of peace talks, Zelenskyy says

      01:20

    • Kyiv plunges into darkness amid Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy system

      00:52

    • Russia Strikes Ukraine With Hypersonic Ballistic Missile

      00:35

    Source link

  • 18-year-old coming off steakhouse shift struck, killed by semi in Melrose Park

    MELROSE PARK, Ill. — An 18-year old, who just got off his shift, was struck and killed last week in Melrose Park by a semi-truck. Hector Banuelos came through asylum from Mexico a year ago because his mother became sick and passed away, according to family. He recently got off his shift at Tom’s Steakhouse, […]

    Andy Koval

    Source link

  • Bridgerton Teases New Lady Whistledown After Shocking Season 4 Finale

    “We thought, what better way to get to create a genuine mystery with Whistledown than to have someone new take it over?” Jess shared with Entertainment Weekly in an interview published Feb. 26. “So Shonda and I have an idea about who Whistledown is and that’s what we’re writing toward.” 

    But if you’re hoping to find out who is taking up the quill, the Netflix series won’t be revealing the identity anytime soon. Although it will be planting a few clues over the next few seasons. 

    “I’ll say it won’t be revealed in season five,” Jess added. “I can say that we’ve already finished writing season five, so beyond that, I can’t say for sure, but we will play with the mystery for a little while.” 

    And as shown in the final episode of season four, Julie Andrews will stay on as the voice of Whistledown, although as Jess explained, the Mary Poppins alum has “as slightly different tone” this time around. 

    “Julie gave us a great performance with just altering her voice just a little bit,” she said. “And that’s a little bit of a hint of the way the new Whistledown is gonna be a little bit different from Penelope’s version of Whistledown.”

    Source link

  • Democrats plan to force Iran war powers vote next week – Los Angeles Weekly Times

    U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffires (D-NY) speaks at a press conference on the government shutdown at the U.S. Capitol on Oct. 8, 2025 in Washington, DC.

    Kevin Dietsch | Getty Images

    Congressional Democrats will force a vote on a war powers resolution relating to Iran next week, Democratic leadership announced Thursday, as President Donald Trump engages in a massive military buildup in the region. The resolution would limit Trump’s ability to conduct military action there.

    Reps. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky., have introduced a measure known as a war powers resolution that would compel the administration to seek congressional approval before engaging in any further activity in Iran. Congress has the sole authority to declare war under the U.S. Constitution, though that authority has been stretched in recent years by the executive branch.

    “As soon as Congress reconvenes next week, we will compel a vote of the full House of Representatives on the bipartisan Khanna-Massie War Powers resolution,” the Democratic leaders led by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said in a statement.

    Read more CNBC politics coverage

    “The Iranian regime is brutal and destabilizing, seen most recently in the killing of thousands of protestors,” the statement read. “However, undertaking a war of choice in the Middle East, without a full understanding of all the attendant risks to our servicemembers and to escalation, is reckless.”

    The war powers resolution would also need to be approved by the Senate if it is passed by the House. But passage from the House is far from a guaranteed outcome as bipartisan lawmakers have recently lined up against the resolution.

    Reps. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., and Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., released a statement last week opposing the measure, citing concerns about Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities.

    “We respect and defend Congress’s constitutional role in matters of war. Oversight and debate are absolutely vital,” the pair wrote. “However, this resolution would restrict the flexibility needed to respond to real and evolving threats and risks, signaling weakness at a dangerous moment.”

    Trump has overseen a massive military buildup in the Middle East and has threatened strikes against Iran. His administration is also negotiating with Tehran over the country’s nuclear program. The two countries held a third round of talks in Geneva on Thursday.

    Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi in a post on X described the day’s negotiations as having made “significant progress.” He said that technical discussions will continue next week in Vienna and that the principals would reconvene “soon after consultation in the respective capitals.”

    The president said during his State of the Union address Tuesday that he prefers to resolve the Iran situation diplomatically but did not take military force off the table.

    “I will never allow the world’s No. 1 sponsor of terror, which they are by far, to have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.

    Source link

  • Who is running to replace Steny Hoyer?

    In total, there are 30 candidates running for the seat.

    WASHINGTON — Rep. Steny Hoyer’s announcement that he will retire after 45 years in Congress has launched an election campaign frenzy inside Maryland’s 5th Congressional District. The district encompasses parts of Prince George’s and Anne Arundel counties, as well as all of Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s counties in Southern Maryland. 

    Considered a solidly Democratic district, the last time a Republican won the 5th District was former Gov. Larry Hogan’s father, Lawrence Hogan, in 1972. 

    The deadline to register to run for Hoyer’s seat expired on Tuesday night. Here is a list of candidates who registered with the Maryland Board of Elections. In total, there are 30 candidates running for the seat. 

    Primary elections for Maryland’s Fifth District will be held on June 23 for both Democrats and Republicans. Early voting in those primaries will be held from June 11 to 18. 

    The 2026 midterm elections will be held on Nov. 3. 

    Democratic candidates: 

    Mark Arness: 

    Having previously run against Hoyer as a Republican, Arness appeared on the Maryland Board of Elections page as a registered Democratic candidate this time around. 

    In 2016, Arness lost to Hoyer in the general election. He garnered less than 30% of the overall vote in the Fifth District, compared to Hoyer’s 67.5%. 

    Baker was Prince George’s County Executive from 2010 to 2018. Since leaving office, Baker suffered a string of Democratic primary election losses. 

    He staged two unsuccessful runs for governor, losing the Democratic nomination to former NAACP CEO Ben Jealous in 2018 and future Gov. Wes Moore in 2022. Baker also unsuccessfully ran for his old seat as Prince George’s County Executive in 2025, losing to Aisha Braveboy. 

    Baker told WUSA9 he’s hoping his time in state and local elected office will set him apart from the dozens looking to represent Maryland’s Fifth District. 

    “Bringing those years of experience to the challenges we face today is the reason I decided to run for this position,” Baker told WUSA9’s Alexis Wainwright. “So I think that’s what it is, it’s about immediately having an impact on people’s lives.” 

     


    Blegay was unanimously selected to serve as an at-large councilmember in December, replacing Calvin Hawkins and elevating her from her previous post representing District 6 in Bowie. She has served as a councilmember since 2022.  

    A Prince George’s County resident of more than 20 years, Blegay is an adjunct professor at the American University Washington College of Law and a former staff attorney for the DC Nurses Association.


    A son of immigrant parents from Ghana, Boafo began his career in politics working as a campaign manager for Hoyer. At 25, he won a seat on the Bowie City Council and later served as vice mayor of Bowie.

    He was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates. While representing Prince George’s County, he has championed the Maryland Phone Free School Act to keep students safe and focused in school. He also introduced the ICE Breaker Act, which would ban ICE agents who joined under the Trump administration from ever serving in the state police force. 

    Hoyer has endorsed Boafo to take over his seat. 

    Reuben Collins:

    Collins has served in Charles County politics for decades. He is currently the president of the Board of County Commissioners for the county, a position he has served in since 2018. Before that, he was the board’s vice president and a member, representing District 3 since 2006. 

    In early February, Collins appeared at a Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Board of Directors meeting to address Maryland, as well as D.C. and Virginia’s responses to the winter storm in January. 



    A former police officer who defended the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, Dunn announced he was running to replace Hoyer in early February. He announced his run in an Instagram video where he compares the President Donald Trump administration officials and their immigration policies to the mentality and disposition of Jan. 6 rioters. 

    Even though Dunn retired from the U.S. Capitol Police force in 2023, the former law enforcement officer has remained a fixture on The Hill, attending political rallies and sitting in on congressional hearings related to the Jan. 6, 2021 attacks.

    Dunn called Trump a “wannabe dictator” while on a Zoom call with WUSA9’s Alexis Wainwright. 

    “All roads lead back to Donald Trump and Congress’ failure to hold him accountable — whether it be tariffs or healthcare,” Dunn said. 

    This election cycle would be Dunn’s second try at a run for Congress. He ran in a 2024 Democratic primary for the nearby third congressional district. Dunn lost that race to Sarah Elfreth, who now serves that seat in the U.S. House.  

    Although Dunn was born and grew up inside the fifth district, the Democratic candidate currently lives outside its boundaries, in Montgomery County. However, Dunn argued that the distinction doesn’t make much of a difference, especially within the context of a mid-decade proposal to redraw Maryland’s congressional map. 

    “These lines that are being drawn do not protect people from Donald Trump,” Dunn said on Wednesday. Dunn added that he would move to the fifth district if elected. He made a similar pledge in 2024. 

    Arthur Ellis 


    The only state senator who has declared a run for Hoyer’s seat, Ellis has represented Maryland’s 28th district since 2019. His district comprises parts of Carroll County. 

    Ellis is a military veteran, having served in the United States Air Force during the 1980s and in the Air Force reserves for another decade afterward. 

    An advocate for Gov. Wes Moore’s push for redistricting in Maryland, Ellis walked off the Maryland Senate floor to protest the efforts to stall a vote on the bill. Moore commended Ellis’ move. 

    Nicole Williams 


    Williams has represented Maryland’s 22nd legislative district in the House of Delegates since 2019, where she serves alongside two other Democratic delegates. Her district includes parts of Prince George’s County.

    On her campaign website, Williams criticized the efforts by the Trump administration to keep the FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C., saying that the president “doesn’t care about following the rule of law.” She said that as a representative, she would fight to move the bureau to Greenbelt.   

    Other Democratic candidates: 

    • Quincy Bareebe from Anne Arundel County  
    • Ellis Colvin, a U.S. Army veteran and PhD from Prince George’s County, who serves as faculty at Capitol Technology University in Laurel. 
    • Elldwnia English from St. Mary’s County
    • Terry Jackson, a U.S. Navy veteran from Prince George’s County
    • Harry Jarin, a volunteer firefighter from Anne Arundel County
    • Walter Kirkland from Anne Arundel County
    • Jerry Lightfoot from Prince George’s County
    • Heather Luper from Prince George’s County 
    • James Anderson Makle from Carroll County 
    • Leigha Messick from Charles County
    • Kenneth Simons from Prince George’s County
    • Alexis Solis from Prince George’s County 
    • Tracy Starr from Anne Arundel County
    • Dave Sundberg from Anne Arundel County 
    • Harold Tolbert from Charles County

    Republican candidates:

    Three Republican candidates have registered to run for the 2026 primary for the Fifth District. 

    Among the GOP group is Michelle Talkington, who ran against Hoyer in the 2024 general election. Talkington lost to Hoyer, garnering 32% of the vote to Hoyer’s nearly 68%. 

    Chris Chaffee, who lost the Republican primary against former Gov. Larry Hogan in his unsuccessful bid for a U.S. Senate seat, will be running against Talkington in the primary for the Fifth District. Bryan DuVal, who staged unsuccessful attempts to win the GOP nominations in the Fifth District in 2022 and 2020, is also running as a Republican this year. 

    Unaffiliated candidates:

    Jonathan Burruss of Charles County and Mildred Hall of Prince George’s County have registered to run outside of the political party primaries and will appear on the general election ballot in November. 

    Source link

  • J.Crew Denim & Everything You’ll Want To Wear With It Is On Sale Now

    Spring is around the corner, which means it’s time to stock up on some pieces you’ll wear all season long. J.Crew just so happens to be having a huge sale on denim and other styles at the current moment, so it’s your lucky day. Right now, you can score up to 40% off denim styles and everything else you might need to go with your jeans through March 2. This includes tops, jackets, sweaters, and much more. I’ve curated a selection of jeans, tops, and jackets worth shopping from this amazing sale below.

    If you’re in the market for some new pieces ahead of spring, there’s no need to break the bank to get them. From gorgeous bootcut jeans styles to wide-leg jean varieties across various washes, there’s some premium J.Crew jeans options that will get you so many compliments. Lastly, don’t sleep on the great tops and jackets on sale as well. If you’re partial to a crisp button-down top, then there’s something for you as well. Keep scrolling to uncover these amazing J.Crew deals today.

    Best J.Crew Jeans On Sale

    Best J.Crew Button-Downs, Sweaters, & Tops On Sale