We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
Phyna has responded to criticism over undergoing a BBL months after her sister’s death, describing Nigerians as hypocritical and insisting she has already grieved in her own way.
She dismissed claims involving Aliko Dangote and appeared to throw shade at VeryDarkMan, stressing that people cannot dictate how she chooses to move on.
Reality TV personality Phyna has fiercely defended herself against online critics who have condemned her choice to undergo a Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) procedure just months after her sister’s tragic passing.
In a passionate response, Phyna confronted what she described as the hypocrisy of Nigerians, arguing that many are quick to pass judgment without considering her personal mourning journey.
“Nigerians are hypocrites. Many miserable people are criticizing me for having a BBL a few months after my sister’s death. I have already mourned my sister, and she will always hold a special place in my heart,” Phyna stated.
She also tackled rumors suggesting she received a staggering ₦1 billion from renowned billionaire Aliko Dangote, firmly denying any truth to these allegations.
“Your gossip mongers claim Dangote gave me ₦1 billion, which is completely untrue,” she remarked.
Phyna also appeared to take a swipe at social media critic VeryDarkMan, while defending her decision to move on with her life.
“The people who even gave birth to my sister moved on the next day and you expect me not to move on?” she said.
“Nigerians are hypocrites. A lot of miserable people are dragging for doing B/B/L few months after my sister’s d3@7h. I have already grieved my sister and she will always remain in my heart. Your prick s#ck3r said Dangote gave me ₦1 billion that I didn’t collect. The people who… pic.twitter.com/L5t9mah2i2
@vlog_Mill Now that she said it clear that good parents doesn’t exist in her family or bloodline , can we all agree , not everyone has a lovely parents
@Youngpappi__ She don use her late sister money do BBL. Nothing wey she wan tell me.
@Seunkazeem92152 True talk why she go join them do BBL
@Akcent055 Poor girl wey like to dey brag 😂😆
@tonyezalmon She’s referring to her parents as people wey born am… very disgusting individual
@LilyjoeBae I Dey wait make VDM set camera 📷 😭😭🤭🤭
@Ubeeeff Omor
@PImirhe Na person still born this one too oh
@sarahs_update I knew her Parents moved on so quickly. On her Bio she wrote Orphan. Make una free her O.
@ambitiousghuy That means the sister useless be that if una fit move on like that
@face_xoff Number one miserable person for this country dey call others miserable 😂😂😂😂 phyna you like projecting a lot but I understand. This is time for you to be healing and not time for you to come online and be lying to yourself.
@ChinazaAwadike This one had to drag her parents to comeback at banger boys and girls☹️ Chukwu napu ekwensu ike nye Phyna😟
Names carry significant weight, often serving as a fundamental part of our identity and influencing our interactions with the world. Tune into the Insight episode titled “What’s In A Name” on Tuesday, April 14, at 8:30 PM on SBS or stream it on SBS On Demand, to explore this intriguing question: “Would a rose by any other name smell as sweet?”
When Yu Hung’s family relocated from Taiwan to Australia at the age of four, her parents advised her to adopt an English name to better assimilate and avoid becoming a target of bullying, as she was among the few Asian students at her school.
Now at 30, Yu reflects on how this decision backfired, as her “old-fashioned” English name made her stand out even more in her largely white Brisbane community.
“Judy isn’t a name you’d typically associate with young children,” Yu shared with Insight.
“It became another indicator of my difference and a sign of not fully blending in.”
Yu when she was five years old. Source: Supplied
Yu started school in the early 2000s and dreaded every time the roll was called in class because her English name was not used officially.
“You get to the point where … I know that my name’s coming up and the teacher — especially if it was a substitute teacher — would have that ‘ethnic pause’,” Yu said.
“Where they’d get to [my Mandarin name] — and they can’t pronounce it.”
Yu said she would have to remind the teacher to use her English name.
“And I say, ‘Oh, it’s me, and I’m called Judy’. I was doing that a lot for the benefit of other people,” she said.
However Yu is unsure if she would have preferred using her Mandarin name, due to her last name Hung sharing the same spelling as a slang reference in English to genitalia.
“… I get a lot of phallic jokes,” Yu said.
“I don’t know if my childhood would have been very different if I had stuck with Yu Hung.”
‘Thought that life would be so much easier’
Juna Xu’s grandfather created her first name from a Chinese character, and like Yu, she was teased for the phonetic similarity between unrelated English words and her full name.
“So that can translate to ‘tuna zoo’, or smelly fish living at a zoo,” Juna told Insight.
“When these things are said to you over and over again, it really chipped away at my confidence.”
Juna grew up hating her name. Source: Supplied
Juna, 30, wanted to work in the media industry, particularly broadcast journalism, but felt discouraged seeing mostly Anglo people with non-Asian names on TV when she was a young girl.
“And so, the hopes of ever achieving that dream … just seemed like a far cry,” she said.
Juna says she thought having a different name would make her life much easier.
“Being Asian and having a name that everyone made fun of just made me feel really different to everyone,” she said.
“I would spend nights lying awake thinking about how I was going to change my name to Jane, or my middle name Jessica.”
Pronounced discrimination in recruitment
Juna’s concern about the link between her name and job opportunities is not unfounded.
A 2023 Monash University study of 12,000 job applications found that applicants with non-English-sounding names were less likely to receive an interview than candidates with English names.
Candidates with non-English-sounding names received 45 per cent fewer callbacks, and this increased to 57 per cent for leadership positions.
Source: SBS
“The findings provide support for the existence of pronounced discrimination in the recruitment of leadership positions,” study co-author and Monash University economics professor Andreas Liebbrandt said.
Leibbrandt, whose research focuses on the economic science of diversity and inclusion, said that given the study’s results, it’s not surprising some people change or anglicise their names when migrating to Australia.
“…. It’s common for [people from Chinese ethnicities] to use a Western first name in order to avoid discrimination,” he said.
Leibbrandt was also involved with a study published in 2024 that was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, when there were a lot fewer jobs available and being advertised.
He said the study observed: “that during the pandemic, this difference between ethnic and ‘white’ names almost completely vanishes in terms of callback rates”.
The professor was surprised by the results that found having a culturally diverse name was no longer a hurdle to getting a callback for a leadership position in Australia during the pandemic.
“… We relate this to the ‘glass cliff’ theory, where in uncertain economic times, organisations are much more willing to risk who they employ and are much more willing to switch things up a little bit — and that these two motivations correlate with ethnicity.”
‘Insisting that I be seen for who I am’
Similarly to Yu, Minoli Wijetunga, whose full name is Liyanamohottilage Minoli Sakunika Wijetunga, has experienced difficulties because of her name, but has never changed it.
“I’m Sinhalese, and in my culture a lot of people have a lineage name at the beginning and a family name at the end,” she said.
Born in Sri Lanka, she says that having a name that doesn’t follow a Western naming convention has required her to develop workarounds, as it is often too long for official forms and databases.
“My GP has a note saying for all Medicare purposes, just issue the invoice to me, and I’ll make the claim myself,” Minoli said.
“It’s a lot of … putting thought into processes and always knowing that ‘oh, this is going to be a thing, and I need to prepare for it’.”
Minoli’s full name, Liyanamohottilage Minoli Sakunika Wijetunga, is 40 letters long, which she says has caused some difficulties to her everyday life in Australia. Source: SBS
Minoli has felt that people from Western countries sometimes romanticise her lineage name when they read it and it’s often mistaken for a first name.
“They will try to say Liyanamohottilage and if they make a mistake, I would say: ‘Oh, it’s fine, you can say Minoli, you can call me Minoli. That’s my name.’”
She says people still insist that she teach them how to pronounce it, and that they would say it sounded musical or pretty.
“It just feels weird; a whole production when I just want you to call me by the name I want you to call me in Australia.”
Despite the inconveniences, Minoli says she wouldn’t change her name.
“Understanding the histories and trajectories behind what we consider as the norm, I don’t think I would feel true to myself if I were to change my name,” she said.
“Keeping my whole name is my way of insisting that I be seen for who I am …”
An unlikely networking tool
For Juna, she turned people’s misspellings of her name into a professional networking opportunity.
After becoming a digital journalist, she continued to receive emails addressed to “June, Juno, Junie…” and would post screenshots of the mistakes to her Instagram story.
“It became kind of my personal brand that the media industry would associate me with,” Juna said.
“I wouldn’t have been able to make all these connections in the media industry if it wasn’t because of a weird name.”
Juna says she ended up making industry connections through her name being constantly misspelled. Source: Supplied
Juna says she has grown to love her name and, with the meaning “emperor’s stamp made out of jade” her grandfather ascribed to it, sees it as paying respect to her immigrant parents.
“All of this hardship and sacrifice they’ve had to make to bring me up is what my name symbolises to me … And I wouldn’t trade it for any other name in the world.”
‘I don’t prefer that name’
Similarly to Juna, Yu eventually decided to embrace her birth name and stopped going by Judy when she started university, too tired of constantly explaining why her birth name was different.
“I just thought it was just easier in my life to go by Yu. Yu is something that I can defend because this person exists,” she said.
“That’s legally who I am on paper, on my passport, on my bank cards.”
Yu now believes she shouldn’t have to change her name to make it easier for others.
“Whether that is bureaucracy — going through the legal system and adding a name — or having to always ask people to call me by a different preferred name,” Yu said.
“At the end of the day, I don’t prefer that name. You prefer that name because you can’t pronounce my name.”
The court recently heard shocking revelations surrounding a man’s death, where his mother allegedly played a sinister role by slipping prescription drugs into his fruit smoothie. This comes after it was revealed that he had struggled with drug use in the years before his tragic demise.
Maree Mavis Crabtree is alleged to have killed her 26-year-old son Jonathan with an overdose of painkillers on July 19, 2017 in the family’s home north of the Gold Coast before making a $125,000 insurance claim.
The 59-year-old woman faces serious charges, including the attempted murder of her son earlier in the same year as his death.
Maree Crabtree, pictured here leaving the Supreme Court in Brisbane on February 7, 2024, has been accused of killing her 26-year-old son Jonathan with an overdose of painkillers on July 19, 2017 (AAP)
Last week, the defense lawyer representing Crabtree presented an argument that suggested Jonathan may have accidentally or intentionally overdosed on his medication.
In today’s proceedings at the Brisbane Supreme Court, testimony was provided by Rebekah Millard, who was in a relationship with Jonathan for 18 months, beginning in 2012.
Defense barrister Angus Edwards questioned Millard, asking, “About eight months into your relationship, did he experience a drug overdose?”
Millard said Jonathan always had the prescription drug tramadol but never mentioned another painkiller called oxycodone.
The jury previously heard a pathologist determined the cause of Jonathan’s death was an excessive amount of the drug oxycodone in his bloodstream.
Edwards asked if Jonathan said he had taken the overdose as he “could not handle it anymore”.
Jonathan Crabtree was a “troubled man” with abusive behaviours who used drugs and had been charged with robbing a chemist, the jury heard. (Supplied)
Millard said she could not recall but agreed she had told a previous court hearing that Jonathan gave that explanation.
She agreed Jonathan had wild mood swings and always threatened to kill himself.
“When around friends he was the happy-go-lucky Jonathan but when it was just us it was a different story,” she said.
Jonathan was a “troubled man” with abusive behaviours who had been charged with robbing a chemist, the jury heard.
A car crash in 2015 had left him with permanent injuries requiring physical care.
Crabtree lived in a house with Jonathan and his sister Tara.
Crabtree had said before Jonathan’s death that he was “eating her out of house and home” and had the “brain capacity of a six-year-old,” the Crabtrees’ neighbour Vicki Inglis testified today.
“Jonathan had ownership of the house and she could not get him out of there,” Inglis said Crabtree had told her during conversations between the car crash and his death.
Inglis was the latest of multiple witnesses to testify that Crabtree talked about giving Jonathan drugs.
“Marie said ‘I should put something in one of his syringes?’”crown prosecutor Caroline Marco asked.
“Yes. On a number of occasions over a number of months,” Inglis said.
Crabtree made the remarks while talking about seeing Jonathan shooting up drugs in his bedroom, the jury heard.
“Did she say the reason to put something in his syringe was to harm him or do him some harm?” Edwards asked.
The trial is due to run for another four weeks before Justice Martin Burns and hear from dozens more witnesses.
The national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline remained steady at $4.125 on Monday, as reported by AAA, mirroring Sunday’s average.
WASHINGTON — Despite growing concerns about the future of a pivotal oil trade route due to tensions with Iran, gas prices held firm from Sunday to Monday.
AAA reported that the national average for regular unleaded gasoline remained at $4.125 on Monday. This stability follows a slight decline from Saturday’s average of $4.135 and Friday’s $4.153, indicating a 3-cent drop over the weekend.
Nevertheless, current prices are still considerably higher than those earlier this year and the previous year, with gasoline costing about 92 cents less at this time last year.
The slight decrease in prices coincides with a ceasefire agreement with Iran, which had previously led to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical corridor for approximately 20 percent of the world’s crude oil. However, traders face uncertainty as the U.S. Central Command has announced a blockade of ships entering or leaving the strategic strait, set to commence at 10 a.m. Eastern on Monday.
Gas prices remained elevated across the country, with every state averaging at least $3.443 per gallon. The highest prices continue to be on the West Coast, led by California at $5.900, followed by Hawaii at $5.649 and Washington at $5.391.
Meanwhile, the lowest prices are in the central U.S., including Oklahoma at $3.443, Kansas at $3.490 and North Dakota at $3.608.
Diesel prices dropped by about 1 cent Monday compared with Sunday. The average cost of a gallon of diesel on Monday was $5.652, compared to $5.663 on Sunday and $5.683 on Friday, marking another 3-cent drop over the weekend. Despite the decrease, diesel costs remain near record highs, continuing to put pressure on transportation and supply chains.
Why might prices differ from one gas station to the next?
Although the national average passed $4 a gallon, the price that drivers pay varies widely by state, city and station.
Taxes alone can create large gaps. California’s gas taxes and fees totaled about 71 cents per gallon last year, compared with roughly 9 cents in Alaska.
Distance from refineries, the type of retailer, the volume the location goes through, and whether there are other fuel options nearby also play a role.
Gas stations near competitors may choose to price gasoline competitively on large outdoor signs to attract drivers, hoping they’ll come inside and buy higher-margin items, said Neal Walters, a partner focused on energy at the global management consulting firm Kearney.
“It’s one of the only retail locations where you don’t have to go into the store to find out what you’re paying,” Walters said.
Why are gas and diesel prices elevated?
Prices began to rise sharply after the U.S. and Israeli attack on Iran on Feb. 28, which led to escalating tensions and military conflicts across the Middle East, where a large majority of global oil is sourced and distributed.
While not the sole factor for rising costs, volatile trade routes and other uncertainties in production have led to higher prices of crude oil, which is refined to make diesel, gasoline and jet fuel.
Crude oil has surpassed $100 per barrel several times in recent weeks, driving higher fuel costs. Rising diesel and jet fuel prices are also expected to increase transportation and air travel costs, potentially pushing up prices for goods across supply chains.
Highest average gas prices ever?
The record for the highest average price of a regular gallon of gas was set on June 14, 2022, with a national average of just over $5 during the early months of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The highest recorded average gallon of diesel, $5.816, came just five days later on June 19, 2022.
AUGUSTA, Ga. — Mt. Vernon Baptist Church is set to host a health forum focused on colorectal cancer, aiming to boost awareness and promote the benefits of early detection.
Bernice Bogan, a representative from the church’s health care ministry, emphasized that this initiative is part of an ongoing mission to tackle significant health issues impacting the community.
“Colorectal cancer affects Black Americans at rates 40% higher than other racial groups,” Bogan highlighted.
The forum is open to the entire community and is particularly crucial for younger individuals, as there’s an increasing trend of cases emerging at a younger age.
“We welcome everyone, regardless of age,” Bogan added. “It’s vital, as there have been cases where individuals in their thirties have succumbed to colorectal cancer.”
The forum will feature Dr. Ronald Brown Sr., who will discuss prevention, warning signs, and treatment options. Bogan says the goal is to help people recognize symptoms early and seek care without delay.
“If you have symptoms, don’t wait on the physical,” she said. “Go and get checked immediately.”
Mt. Vernon Baptist Church says it continues to expand its health ministry efforts beyond cancer awareness, including future community health events and blood drives.
The colorectal cancer health forum will be held Wednesday, April 15, at 6 p.m. at Mt. Vernon Baptist Church, 1930 Olive Road in Augusta.
The vibrant Boneyard Arts Festival is a celebration that unites artists, businesses, and organizations throughout Champaign County, showcasing an impressive array of local talent. From captivating paintings and digital art to unique graphic clothing, the festival highlights the creativity that thrives in the community.
“I don’t think a lot of people know that we have so many great creative people here,” shared local artist Jose Vazquez, emphasizing the hidden artistic potential in the area.
A devoted Justin Bieber fan has shed light on the mixed reactions from the crowd during the pop star’s much-anticipated headline performance at Coachella in California.
The event, humorously nicknamed ‘Bieberchella,’ highlighted the excitement surrounding the Canadian artist’s return to the stage and marked his debut as a headliner at the iconic Indio desert festival.
However, Bieber’s minimalist approach, which involved him performing in a casual hoodie while browsing through his old hits on YouTube, didn’t sit well with everyone. Many attendees expressed disappointment, particularly over the unconventional presentation and an emphasis on his newer music.
British influencer and self-proclaimed Belieber, Jack Remmington, was among those in attendance who voiced their thoughts. Remmington criticized Bieber’s apparent focus on engaging with his audience at home rather than those physically present.
During a notable segment of the show, Bieber perched on a stool with his laptop, revisiting old videos and monitoring the livestream to gauge which tracks fans were requesting.
He then sang along to a medley of blink-and-miss it snippets of his most beloved songs like Baby, Favorite Girl, Beauty and a Beat, Never Say Never and Confident, a move which divided fans.
Posting from the festival on Sunday, Jack told his Instagram followers: ‘My main takeaway is not even a Bieber thing, it’s more indicative of the industry nowadays, which is that festival performers are increasingly not prioritising the live audience who have bought tickets to see the artist.’
A Justin Bieber fan has revealed what the Coachella crowd really thought of the star’s headline set at the California festival
The famous festival was dubbed ‘Bieberchella’ but the star’s stripped back set, which saw him perform in a hoodie whilst surfing YouTube for his old hits, left many fans underwhelmed
‘They’re prioritising people who are live streaming at home, which to me is an issue.’
Jack insisted that he even saw fans walking out of the show. ‘A lot of the discourse I am seeing is from people online saying ‘yeah this was great’. I’m telling you in the audience, people were leaving in their droves, it did not translate,’ continued Jack.
‘The camera work, and the performance felt very much catered to people at home which is not what you buy tickets for the live experience to experience.’
Jack pointed out that for him, and for many other fans who had most likely watched Sabrina Carpenter’s high energy Friday night headline slot, the bar was high.
Referencing Beyonce, who performed a seminal 2019 Coachella headline show, and other female popstar’s staging and meticulously-choreographed sets, Jack said that in contrast Justin’s show ‘whether is was unrehearsed or not, felt unrehearsed and sloppy.’
‘I know his vibe has changed, his music has changed… I just have a certain level of expectation with regard to performer, excellence, charisma and for me it just wasn’t there.’
Justin has appeared as a surprise guest artist four times at the festival in support of Ariana Grande, Chance the Rapper, Daniel Caesar and Tems.
For his debut at the top of the bill he was reportedly paid $10million.
Fans who were actually there have now spoken out, with British influencer and self-confessed Belieber Jack Remmington criticising the singer’s focus on his at-home audience
He opened the show with 11 songs from his 2025 Swag and Swag II albums after making a low-key entrance onto a vast, empty stage in his pink hoodie.
Fans watching in their millions on the YouTube livestream flooded the channel with comments, anxiously debating that ‘this is way too chill for a headliner show’ whilst others noted that members of the crowd looked ‘bored.’
The opening reportedly saw unimpressed audience members checking out early, with one tweet reading: ‘I kid you not thousands of people are leaving Justin’s set because it’s so boring #bieberchella #flop’.
Another echoed Remmington’s commentary, pointing out: ‘Justin Bieber, is your ”show” just putting on music from a laptop? This isn’t a concert anymore, it’s a lack of respect for the audience. Stop normalising it; women are demanded to deliver production, choreography etc… but men get applause for the bare minimum.’
After an acoustic segment, Justin threw a bone of fan service to the crowd by performing a medley of his old hits, and it was this middle segment which seemed to win back the fans.
Jack pointed out that for him, and for many other fans who had most likely watched Sabrina Carpenter’s high energy Friday night headline slot, the bar was high
Vogue’s Christian Allaire decided that ‘it gave the fans what they wanted, in a way that felt cheeky and unserious, which was simply perfect. This was how all of us original Beliebers first experienced him, surfing YouTube videos in barely 360p—the concept just worked.’
Bieber played a private, invite-only concert around a week before his Coachella set to warm up for the festival at the The Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles.
It marked his first full-length live set in nearly four years, after performing brief shows at the Grammys and a Super Bowl event earlier in 2026.
During his music hiatus following the cancellation of his 2022 world tour, Bieber popped up at several low-key events as a surprise guest but this marked the beginning of his big comeback.
He is set to headline again at Coachella weekend two but the star seems determined to maintain his current level of work and prioritise family life with his wife Hailey and son Jack, admitting last year that the prospect of touring again felt ‘super daunting’
‘I’m putting on a hell of a show for you guys for Coachella, getting ready, and getting inspired,’ he told fans on Twitch.
HOUSTON (AP) — Humanity has been treated to unprecedented sights: the distant far side of the moon in detail, a solar eclipse casting its shadow across the lunar surface, and an all-time record for the furthest distance traveled from Earth. These awe-inspiring achievements were brought to us by NASA’s triumphant return to lunar exploration with the Artemis II mission.
With the resounding success of Artemis II, the global community is abuzz with anticipation, eager to see what NASA will unveil next. How can one possibly surpass the milestones already achieved?
Addressing the world, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman captured the excitement of the moment at a celebratory event in Houston. “To people all around the world who look up and dream about what is possible, the long wait is over,” he declared. Isaacman proudly introduced the pioneering crew of Artemis II: Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canada’s own Jeremy Hansen.
In this image provided by NASA, The Artemis II crew, clockwise from left, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, Commander Reid Wiseman, and Pilot Victor Glover, take time out for a group hug inside the Orion spacecraft on their way home on Wednesday, April 7, 2026. (NASA via AP)
In this image provided by NASA, the Artemis II crew photographed a bright portion of the Moon on April 6, 2026. (NASA via AP)
In this image provided by NASA, The Artemis II crew captured this view of an Earthset on Monday, April 6, 2026, as they flew around the Moon. (NASA via AP)
Having safely returned to Houston with their loved ones, these first lunar voyagers in over fifty years set the stage for future endeavors. NASA’s focus now shifts to the eagerly anticipated Artemis III mission.
“The next mission’s right around the corner,” remarked Rick Henfling, the entry flight director, reflecting on the successful splashdown of the crew in the Pacific Ocean on Friday. The world watches with bated breath as NASA prepares to take the next giant leap in its lunar journey.
In a mission recently added to the docket for next year, Artemis III’s yet-to-be -named astronauts will practice docking their Orion capsule with a lunar lander or two in orbit around Earth. Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin are racing to have their company’s lander ready first.
Musk’s Starship and Bezos’ Blue Moon are vying for the all-important Artemis IV moon landing in 2028. Two astronauts will aim for the south polar region, the preferred location for Isaacman’s envisioned $20 billion to $30 billion moon base. Vast amounts of ice are almost certainly hidden in permanently shadowed craters there — ice that could provide water and rocket fuel.
The docking mechanism for Artemis III’s close-to-home trial run is already at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center. The latest model Starship is close to launching on a test flight from South Texas, and a scaled-down version of Blue Moon will attempt a lunar landing later this year.
NASA promises to announce the Artemis III crew “soon.” Like 1969’s Apollo 9, Artemis III aims to reduce risk for the moon landings that follow.
Apollo 9 astronaut Rusty Schweickart loved flying the lunar module in low-Earth orbit — “a test pilot’s dream.” But there’s no question, he noted, that “the real astronauts” at least in the public’s mind were the ones who walked on the moon.
Wiseman and his crew put their passion and feelings on full display as they flew around the moon and back, choking up over lost loved ones as well as those left behind on Earth.
During the their nearly 10-day journey, they tearfully requested that a fresh, bright lunar crater be named after Wiseman’s late wife, Carroll, who died of cancer in 2020. They also openly shared their love for one another and Planet Earth, an exquisite yet delicate oasis in the black void that they said needs better care.
Artemis II included the first woman, the first person of color and the first non-U.S. citizen to fly to the moon.
“Wonderful communicators, almost poets,” Isaacman said from the recovery ship while awaiting their return.
Apollo’s manly, all-business moon crews of the 1960s and 1970s certainly did not do group hugs.
For those old enough to remember Apollo, Artemis — Apollo’s twin sister in Greek mythology — couldn’t come fast enough.
Author Andy Chaikin said he felt like Rip Van Winkle awakening from a nearly 54-year nap. His 1994 biography “A Man on the Moon” led to the HBO miniseries “From the Earth to the Moon.”
“It’s amazing how far we’ve come and how different this experience is from back then,” Chaikin said from Johnson Space Center late last week.
The hardest part, according to NASA Associate Administrator Amit Kshatriya, is becoming so close to the crews and their families and then blasting them to the moon. He anxiously monitored Friday’s reentry alongside the astronauts’ spouses and children.
“You know what’s at stake,” Kshatriya confided afterward. “It’s going to take risk to explore, but you have to make sure you find the right line between being paralyzed by it and being able to manage it.”
Calling it “mission complete” only after being reunited with his two daughters, Wiseman issued a rallying cry to the rows of blue-flight-suited astronauts at Saturday’s celebration.
“It is time to go and be ready,” he said, pointing at them, “because it takes courage. It takes determination, and you all are freaking going and we are going to be standing there supporting you every single step of the way in every possible way possible.”
Eric Swalwell has announced the suspension of his campaign for California governor following allegations of sexual assault.
The Democratic congressman decided to withdraw from the race after 50 former staff members joined a growing number of politicians urging him to step down and exit the gubernatorial contest.
“I am suspending my campaign for Governor,” Swalwell declared in a statement on X.
He expressed remorse to his family, staff, friends, and supporters, saying, “I am deeply sorry for mistakes in judgment I’ve made in my past.”
Swalwell also addressed the allegations, stating, “I will fight the serious, false allegations that have been made — but that’s my fight, not a campaign’s.”
The congressman did not say whether he intends to keep his position on Capital Hill.
The bombshell move comes after a woman who worked for two years for Swalwell claimed she had sexual encounters with him while he was her boss.
She alleged that the married Swalwell raped her twice when she was too intoxicated to consent in 2019 and 2024. She was one of four women to make allegations against the aspiring governor.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office announced that an investigation has been launched into Swalwell following the allegations. The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office in California also told the Los Angeles Times on Saturday that it is evaluating ‘whether any alleged criminal conduct occurred’ in the Bay Area.
Swalwell dropped out of the race after 50 former members of his staff joined a growing chorus calling for him to resign from his position in Congress and drop out of the governor’s race
The congressman did not say whether he intends to keep his position on Capital Hill.
Swalwell addressed wife Brittany Watts in the video, saying that he apologizes to her
Swalwell issued a video denying the women’s claims on Friday, calling the reports ‘flat false.’
Swalwell also addressed wife Brittany Watts in the video, saying that he apologizes to her ‘deeply for putting her in this position.’
He also suggested a conspiracy, pointing out that they were released ‘on the eve of’ the June 2 primary, in which he claimed to be ‘the frontrunner,’ though Real Clear Politics’ average shows him trailing Republican Steve Hilton in the primary.
The allegations began with claims from a former staffer who alleged she was raped by Swalwell when she was too intoxicated to consent.
She told CNN that in April 2024, after a night of heavy drinking in New York City, she woke up to Swalwell having sex with her in his hotel bed.
‘I was pushing him off of me, saying no,’ she said, adding that it happened after she stopped working in his office. ‘He didn’t stop.’
At least four women have now accused the Congressman of sexual misconduct, including the former staffer.
Another of the alleged victims, Ally Sammarco, went on the record with CNN and alleged that the gubernatorial candidate sent her unsolicited nude messages.
The DC-based political content creator messaged Swalwell in 2021 in hopes of discussing politics.
One accuser Ally Sammarco went on the record with CNN. Her husband, Adam Parkhomenko, has supported her via social media
Sammarco claimed that Swalwell set her unsolicited nude photos and ‘became very inappropriate’ over text
The 28-year-old said the congressman ‘became very inappropriate, like saying about how hot he thought I was, insinuating we should get together and hook up.’
‘I thought I was the only one that had this experience with him,’ she told NBC.
‘These people have authority, and they’re abusing it. I want to validate what these women are saying, and I feel like he needs a public reckoning in some way, or he’s just going to continue doing this.’
She was supported by her husband, Adam Parkhomenko, who took aim at Swalwell following his video denial.
Several Swalwell supporters have since renounced their endorsements of him and implored him to drop his bid to replace Gavin Newsom. Among the most high-profile voices was Speaker Emerita Pelosi.
Democratic leadership, including Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark and Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar also issued a statement calling for an investigation into the allegations as House ethics rule bar members from having sex with subordinates.
Republican Representative Anna Paulina Luna, of Florida, has also announced plans to force a House vote to expel Swalwell, a motion supported by some Democrats.
Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi called on Eric Swalwell to drop out of the race to replace Gavin Newsom after a former staffer accused him of sexual assault which he denies
According to a spokesperson for Pelosi, she called for the ‘extremely sensitive allegations’ to be ‘appropriately investigated.’
‘The young woman who has made serious allegations against Congressman Swalwell must be respected and heard,’ she said.
Bracing for allegations to surface, his Democratic opponents had already started attacking the congressman, suggesting he’s a hypocrite for slamming men like Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, whose confirmation was nearly derailed by sexual misconduct allegations.
Others have withdrawn their endorsements and support of Swalwell just months ahead of the gubernatorial primary in June, including multiple senators.
Then on Sunday, 50 former members of Swalwell’s staff called on him to resign from his position in the House, calling the allegations against him ‘serious [and] credible’ and saying they ‘demand accountability.’
‘The people of California’s 14th Congressional District and the people of this country deserve representation from someone whose conduct reflects the values of public service,’ the former staff members said in a joint statement.
‘Remaining in either role while these allegations hang unresolved is an insult to every person who has ever worked for him, reported to him or placed their trust in him.’
The staffers then addressed their co-worker who first came forward with the allegations.
‘To our colleague: you are not alone. We see you. We stand with you. We are deeply sorry that we did not know what you were enduring and we carry the weight of that with us.
‘Your bravery in speaking out has given voice to what many victims have feared to say and we are grateful for your courage,’ they continued.
‘We are appalled by his actions and stand firmly with you and every victim who has come forward.
‘Justice is not optional,’ they concluded. ‘Accountability is not negotiable. We will not be silent.’
The curtain has finally fallen on the gripping saga of DTF St. Louis, and with it, the long-awaited revelations that have kept us on the edge of our seats since the first episode.
**Spoilers ahead for DTF St. Louis Episode 7, “No One’s Normal. It Just Looks That Way From Across the Street,” now available on HBO Max**
In just a few short weeks, we’ve become deeply invested in the complex dynamics of Floyd Smernitch, played by David Harbour, alongside Jason Bateman’s Clark Forrest and Linda Cardellini’s Carol Love-Smernitch. This intriguing love triangle and its convoluted relationships have drawn us in, making the impending departure bittersweet. However, the finale has gifted us with the answers we craved, unveiling the mystery of how Floyd ended up lifeless at the Kevin Kline Community Pool in St. Louis.
Speculation has run wild: Did Linda orchestrate her husband’s demise for an insurance payout, manipulating Clark into complicity? Did Clark, harboring deeper feelings for Floyd, act out of unrequited love? Or was it Tiger Tiger, portrayed by Chris Perfetti, who backed out of a plan with Floyd but had his own hidden agenda? The truth is now out in the open.
Here’s a comprehensive look at the conclusion of DTF St. Louis, revealing Floyd’s killer and the curious circumstances surrounding his unfortunate mishap.
Photo: HBO
What Happened To Floyd’s Penis?
Week after week, we’ve been subjected to bits and pieces of the story about how Floyd’s penis got bent out of shape and how his Peyronie’s Disease came about. In the end, it’s actually quite simple: it was Richard.
As Floyd and Clark are having one of their now-signature heart-to-hearts, Clark asks Floyd point-blank how his penis got its curve in the first place, which is when he goes into yet another soliloquy about what happened after he passed on the high-paying job in Chicago. As he explains it, after seeing an ASL class in progress, Floyd knew in that moment what his purpose in life was, which made Carol unhappy.
Earlier in the episode, we learned that Carol’s sealed record comes from having attempted to shoplift toilet paper rolls for her family, which confirms that Cardellini’s whole character is motivated by the idea of stability and chasing after it. It makes sense then that upon learning her husband would not be going for a lucrative job in Chicago that would treat them well, he would be dedicating himself to ASL and making the small bucks. This, of course, caused her to cry, which Floyd says was unintentional.
Richard (Arlan Ruf), Linda’s son from her previous relationship, did not know the context of why Floyd had made his mom cry, and — having behavioral and psychological issues — came into their room in the middle of the night to confront Floyd. How did he do that? Oh, just by breaking his penis with a baseball bat.
In the end, the journey to get to Floyd telling Clark about how his broken penis came about ended up being more intriguing that the story about the actual event itself. It also provides decent insight as to who Floyd is at his core and how he wound up dead at a pool named after Kevin Kline.
Who Killed Floyd Smernitch?
After all that, no one technically killed Floyd Smernitch; let’s back up a bit. Heading into the DTF St. Louis finale, we knew that despite Tiger Tiger — who we later come to find out is just some random guy named Kevin — calling off the early morning meeting with Floyd, Harbour’s character still showed up at the pool.
Well, after being let off the hook by the police in Floyd’s murder investigation, Clark admits that he was at the pool that morning when Floyd died. He had told Floyd to still go and do something for himself, and then decided to show up and meet him to try and lift his spirits. During that time, the two talked and danced in their underwear, just hanging out like besties do… that’s sarcasm, hopefully that’s obvious. What they didn’t know was that Richard — who had one of the bikes that Floyd and Clark had grown accustomed to riding — had witnessed everything and was confused by what he was watching (samesies, honestly).
Photo: HBO
Earlier that evening, after his emotional episode, Richard had gone onto Floyd’s laptop and discovered his messages with Tiger Tiger, arranging the meetup for 4 a.m. on November 9. That’s what prompted him to ride the bike to the pool, something the detectives discovered after realizing there were two different bikes on the road that night. After Clark left the pool, Richard went to confront Floyd, only seeing him through the window as he called him a “fat asshole” and told him that no one loves him.
Before Richard could fully leave the pool, Floyd signed to him that he loved him — which Richard misinterpreted as “rock on” — and then Floyd opted to take his own life by downing the entire Bloody Mary drink, which had an unhealthy dose of amphezyne, the prescription drug that Clark had gotten for him as doctors wouldn’t prescribe it to him. His final moments see him depressingly reopening the magazine containing his Indiana Jones-inspired pics and scratching out the face out of disgust. Sadly, it was confusion and misunderstanding that led to Clark downing the amphezyne and nearly getting Clark locked up for life.
What an ending.
DTF St. Louis is now streaming on HBO Max.
If you’re new to HBO Max, you can sign up for as low as $10.99/month with ads, but an ad-free subscription will cost $18.49/month.
If you want to stream even more and save a few bucks a month while you’re at it, we recommend subscribing to one of the discounted Disney+ Bundles with Hulu and HBO Max. With ads, the bundle costs $19.99/month and without ads, $32.99/month.
