White House war promo videos marry action movies, sports and video games to real-life combat footage
Through its social media feed, the White House has sent out a series of pumped-up videos that mix real Iran war explosions with movie action heroes, video game footage and sports heroes. That's led some critics, including an official with the U.S. Catholic Church, to accuse the administration of trivializing a real-life conflict. One of the posts describes its video as “JUSTICE THE AMERICAN WAY.” Two actors, Ben Stiller of the movie “Tropic Thunder” and Steve Downes, who portrays the protagonist Master Chief in the video game Halo, said they hadn’t given permission for the depiction of their characters and demanded that they be removed.
Tommy DeCarlo, who became longtime singer of Boston after a Myspace tribute, dies at 60
Tommy DeCarlo, who sang with the band Boston for nearly 20 years after posting a Myspace tribute to the band’s original singer, has died at 60. On Monday, DeCarlo’s children said he died after months of battling brain cancer. Boston’s original singer, Brad Delp, died in 2007. DeCarlo worked at a Home Depot in North Carolina at the time. He recorded a tribute song to Delp and Boston covers and posted them on Myspace. Founding Boston guitarist Tom Scholz invited him to sing at a tribute show and then asked him to join the group. DeCarlo toured with Boston for nearly 20 years.
Multiple gunshots fired near Rihanna’s LA home and a woman is taken into custody
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Multiple gunshots were fired at the Los Angeles home of Rihanna and police have taken a woman into custody. That's according to the Los Angeles Police Department and local news reports. Police say there were no injuries following the Sunday shooting. It's not clear if Rihanna was home at the time. Police say they took a 35-year-old woman into custody. The law enforcement officials did not identify the residents of the home. Emails seeking information were sent to Rihanna’s publicist and manager. Local news outlets say Rihanna lives in the home. Property records show it is owned by a trust run by someone linked to her foundation.
Margot Robbie, Oprah watch Blazy transform Chanel with color and craft
PARIS (AP) — Chanel’s Matthieu Blazy is still building. Six months into his tenure at the Parisian stalwart, the designer staged his second ready-to-wear collection at Paris Fashion Week Monday, where brightly colored cranes rose from a holographic floor — a deliberate signal that the construction is ongoing. For Parisians who have spent years staring at the real thing above Notre-Dame cathedral, the set was perhaps less dreamy than intended. The audience inside the Grand Palais suggested the foundations are solid: Margot Robbie, Oprah, Jennie, Kylie Minogue, Lily-Rose Depp, Teyana Taylor and Olivia Dean all turned up to watch the next floor go on.
Justice Department and Live Nation reach settlement over illegal monopoly case
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department says it's reached a settlement in its antitrust lawsuit against Ticketmaster and its parent company, California-based Live Nation Entertainment that will benefit consumers by letting competitors play a role in ticket sales and force Live Nation to give up control of 13 amphitheaters. Some states, though, are not joining the deal and say they'll continue a trial in New York federal court. The case alleged there was an illegal monopoly over live events in America. The settlement announcement angered a judge who said he was kept out of the loop. The government has said Live Nation's monopoly costs consumers. Live Nation has maintained that artists and teams set prices and decide how tickets are sold.
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Q&A: Activists, 'sister-friends' Gloria Steinem and Leymah Gbowee channel their bond into a new book
They call themselves “sister-friends.” Now, two celebrated women’s rights activists from different parts of the globe, Gloria Steinem and Nobel laureate Leymah Gbowee, have turned their unique bond into a children's book. “Rise, Girl, Rise: Our Sister-Friend Journey. Together for All” is a joint biography and a call to action for a new generation. Illustrated by Kah Yangni, the colorful book draws upon a friendship of over 20 years between Steinem and Gbowee, the Nobel Peace Prize winner from Liberia. It traces their childhoods on separate continents, and their paths to activism as adults. In interviews, the authors say that despite the title, the book is for boys, too.
Paris Hilton launches recovery fund for women business owners after disasters
Paris Hilton has launched a new national fund to help women-owned small businesses recover after disasters. On Monday, she donated $350,000 to start the Back in Business Recovery Fund. GoFundMe.org added $100,000 at the launch. Hilton says she expanded her effort after supporting women entrepreneurs hit by the 2025 Los Angeles fires. Those grants helped many owners reopen and keep paying staff. A women’s business center says most of those businesses still operate. The new fund plans to give flexible grants through local women’s business centers. Hilton also released a YouTube series to spotlight survivors.
Simon & Schuster names former Amazon executive Greg Greeley as CEO, succeeding Jonathan Karp
NEW YORK (AP) — Simon & Schuster has named a former Amazon.com executive as its new CEO. The publisher announced Monday that Greg Greeley’s appointment is effectively immediately. The 62-year-old Greeley succeeds Jonathan Karp, who announced last year that he was stepping down. Greeley has a background in business and investment. He spent nearly 20 years at Amazon, where his positions included vice president of Amazon Prime. Greeley will be running Simon & Schuster at a time of rapid change in the industry, with publishers, authors and agents debating the role of AI in the future of books.
Pixar’s ‘Hoppers’ bounds to No. 1 as Warner Bros.' ‘The Bride!’ is on life support
Disney and Pixar’s new film “Hoppers” is leading the North American box office with a strong debut, while Warner Bros.’ “The Bride!” is stumbling. Studio estimates on Sunday show “Hoppers” made $46 million in its first weekend domestically and $88 million globally after adding in international receipts. In the same weekend, “The Bride!” opened with about $7.3 million in North America and a total of $13.6 million globally, despite a big production budget. “Hoppers” is a boost for original Pixar movies after “Elio” failed to connect with audiences. Reviews and audience scores also favor “Hoppers.” Meanwhile “The Bride!” is collecting mixed reactions from audiences and critics.
Director Mendonça Filho of 'The Secret Agent' reflects on memory and success of Brazilian cinema
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Brazilian thriller “The Secret Agent” has grabbed Oscars attention with nominations for best international film and best picture. On Sunday, it will compete at the Academy Awards in Los Angeles, one year after another Brazilian film won the same international prize. Director Kleber Mendonça Filho links this moment to public funding that supports diverse Brazilian filmmaking. The story is set in Recife in 1977 under military rule. Wagner Moura plays a man who hides under a false identity. He searches records for his mother and fears fading from his son’s memory. The film mixes danger, humor, and deep nostalgia.

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