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Today — 23 December 2024Main stream

Fall of Assad, rise of Trump: Why 2024 was a very bad year for Iran

23 December 2024 at 01:00

The fall of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad was the crescendo of a remarkably bad year for the Iranian regime. 

The Islamic Republic suffered major blows in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria, diminishing the power of its so-called Axis of Resistance. Its currency officially became the lowest valued in the world and when Israel decimated its proxy forces, the U.S. elected a president whom Iran so despises that it spent years trying to assassinate him. 

Here’s a look back at blows suffered by Ayatollah Ali Khameini and his regime over the past year: 

In April, Israel bombed the Iranian embassy in Syria, prompting Iran to strike back with more than 300 drones and missiles aimed into Israel. But Israel worked with the U.S., Jordan and Saudi Arabia to shoot down nearly every missile and drone. 

The late Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi was killed in a helicopter crash while visiting a remote area. Iran has blamed the crash on dense fog. Raisi was a protégé and potential successor of Iran’s supreme leader, Khameini. 

While Iran inaugurated a new president this summer, Israel infiltrated to take out Hamas commander Ismail Haniyeh while he was visiting Tehran for the inauguration. While Haniyeh was staying in a VIP government guest house, Israel detonated a remote-controlled bomb. 

TRUMP TANGLES WITH REPORTER ON IRAN PRE-EMPTIVE STRIKE: 'IS THAT A SERIOUS QUESTION?'

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) took out Hamas head Yahya Sinwar after encountering him on a routine patrol in the Gaza city of Rafah. Sinwar was the mastermind behind the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel and was one of the most wanted men of the war. 

Hamas has lost thousands of fighters and much of its leadership ranks to Israel’s attacks and is nowhere near the threatening force on Israel’s borders Iran hoped it would be. 

Iran’s currency tanked to an all-time low upon news of the Trump election, and the expectation that he might bring back a "maximum pressure" policy. 

The Iranian rial is down 46% this year, making it officially the least-valuable currency in the world.

Iran has long vowed revenge for Trump approving the 2019 killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani – and U.S. intelligence revealed Tehran plots to kill the president-elect. 

After the Trump administration pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal in 2018, it imposed harsh sanctions on the regime to stop its funding of proxies abroad, banning U.S. citizens from trading with Iran or handling Iranian money. 

It also punished entities in other countries that did business with Iran, by cutting them off from the dollar. 

TENSIONS BETWEEN ISRAEL AND TURKEY ESCALATE OVER SYRIA: 'IT’S TIME TO PAY ATTENTION'

President Joe Biden often waived enforcement of such sanctions, keen to bring Tehran back to the negotiating table to prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons and fearful of driving up global oil prices. 

Iran gained access to more than $10 billion through a State Department sanctions waiver that allowed Iraq to continue buying energy from Iran, which the Biden administration argues is necessary to keep lights on in Baghdad.  

In the fall, Israel reoriented much of its efforts toward pummeling Hezbollah after a series of cross-border attacks from the Lebanese militant group. Israel targeted Hezbollah’s leadership and detonated hundreds of pagers the group had been using to communicate. At the end of November, Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire where it and Israel must both end their armed presences in southern Lebanon. 

Both sides have claimed the other has broken the fragile truce, but it has ostensibly held for weeks.  

Syrian rebels sent Iran's Quds forces, an extension of the Revolutionary Guard Corps, running as they captured Damascus and pushed out President Bashar al-Assad. Iran's forces had been in Syria propping up Assad since civil war broke out in 2011, but had been diminished since the outbreak of war elsewhere in the Middle East. 

Syria's new government is set to be run by Sunni Muslims, hostile to Iran's Shiite government. And Iran lost a key supply line through Syria it had used to arm Hezbollah in its fight against Israel. 

Six household appliances that have taken heat from Biden's crackdown on regulations

23 December 2024 at 01:00

The Biden administration has made tightening efficiency standards for household appliances a target as he's built out his climate agenda over the past four years. 

"Making common household appliances more efficient is one of the most effective ways to slash energy costs and cut harmful carbon emissions," Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, who has spearheaded efforts to push households to adopt green energy alternatives, said in a statement. 

However, energy experts and manufacturers have warned that the Biden administration's regulations would lead to more expensive household appliances that are far less effective than current models.

"What these mandates – what these standards do is enforce a level of efficiency that doesn't make sense," said Ben Lieberman, a senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute. "And they compromise product quality. We've already seen this to an extent with the cost of clothes washer standards." 

The Department of Energy (DOE) introduced a final rule in February imposing stricter energy standards for residential clothes washers (RCWs), such as washing machines and clothes dryers. 

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Under the regulations, certain less-efficient models of washers and dryers would be barred from being sold, according to DOE. 

The department projected that the energy standards would collectively save American households $2.2 billion per year on utility bills while reducing nearly 71 million metric tons of "dangerous carbon dioxide emissions" over the next three decades. 

However, the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers argued that DOE's washing machine regulations "would have a disproportionate, negative impact on low-income households" by eliminating cheaper appliances from the market. 

"Despite misleading claims to the contrary, these proposals are intended for nothing more than promoting innovation and keeping money in the pockets of Americans everywhere without sacrificing the reliability and performance that consumers expect and rely on," a spokesperson for the Department of Energy told Fox News Digital. "As evidenced in the Department’s testing and analysis, the proposed standards would not reduce product performance or negatively impact cleaning ability or cycle time."

In 2023, the EPA finalized a rule to accelerate a transition to more advanced refrigeration and cooling technologies that don't use hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and proposed a second rule to manage HFCs in existing products. HFCs are chemicals common in household appliances, such as refrigeration, heating, and air conditioning units. 

The rule, set to go into effect in 2025, aims to phase out HFCs to achieve an 85% reduction by 2036.

But manufacturers reportedly privately predicted that the regulation would increase prices up to 20%, according to the Competitive Enterprise Institute.

In February 2023, the DOE issued a proposal to target gas-powered stovetops, which was set to take effect in 2027 and affect 50% of current gas stove models. 

Under the 2023 proposal, DOE would have banned the future sale of gas stoves that consume more than 1,204 thousand kBtu per year. 

Restaurant owners have fumed over potential gas stove ban regulations.

"The majority of New York City restaurants use gas. It’s the most common stove in a high-volume kitchen," Peter Petti, executive chef at Upper East Side restaurant, Sojourn, told the New York Post. "Gas lets us do our job efficiently."

After facing pushback from Republicans and consumer advocacy groups, the DOE issued its final regulations, which will impact 3% of gas stove models, rather than the initial 50%.

The Biden administration doubled efficiency standards for light bulbs, requiring manufacturers to raise the levels for common light bulbs from 45 lumens per watt to more than 120 lumens per watt, a nearly 170% increase. Only LED bulbs will be able to comply with the standards, not compact fluorescent bulbs.

The DOE suggested that the regulations will slash greenhouse gas pollution by cutting 70 million metric tons of carbon dioxide over the next three decades.

When it takes effect in 2028, the rule will knock most currently available LEDs off the market and increase the average price of the remaining ones from $2.98 to an estimated $5.68, an increase of $2.70 per bulb, according to Lieberman.

Results from a Residential Energy Consumption Survey indicate that fewer than half of households reported using LEDs as their primary or exclusive lighting source.

The DOE implemented efficiency regulations to prohibit new non-condensing gas furnaces by 2028, by requiring that non-weatherized gas furnaces achieve an annual fuel utilization efficiency of 95%.

The American Gas Association, American Public Gas Association, National Propane Gas Association and manufacturer Thermo Products filed a lawsuit against DOE, claiming that costs could increase for 30% of senior-only households, 26% of low-income households and 27% of small business consumers if the regulation were to go into effect.

"Yesterday, the Biden administration finalized a rule that would effectively ban natural gas furnaces and other gas furnaces that are found in more than half of U.S. households," AGA Vice President of Energy Markets, Analysis, and Standards Richard Meyer told The National Desk in a statement. "In five years, around Christmas 2028, if you have to replace your gas furnace, you may be saddled with hundreds if not thousands of dollars of additional costs to upgrade that equipment to comply with this rule."

The Biden administration amended its energy conservation standards, putting into effect stricter energy standards for ceiling fans.

According to an analysis from the DOE, the new rules would save households about $39 over the lifespan of the new energy-efficient fan, Fox Business previously reported.

The regulation faced backlash from the House Small Business Committee, which claimed in a letter to the DOE secretary that it could put between 10% and 30% of small business ceiling fan manufacturers out of business.

Biden's appliance regulations could soon be in jeopardy, as President-elect Donald Trump is expected to overturn much of the current administration's climate agenda when he assumes the presidency in 2025.

Fox News' Matteo Cina contributed to this report.

Singer Michelle Williams Pokes Fun at Actress Michelle Williams Fan Mail Mix Up

22 December 2024 at 17:17
Singer Michelle Williams.

Singer Michelle Williams is used to sharing her name — even poking fun at it sometimes.

The Broadway star, 45, posted via Instagram Story on Sunday, December 22, showing a case where someone confused her for the actress Michelle Williams.

The former Destiny’s Child member, currently starring in the musical adaptation of the 1992 film Death Becomes Her on Broadway, posted a photo of letters she got, alongside some photos — of the wrong Michelle Williams.

“Fan Mail😂🥴,” she captioned the picture, which showed a letter addressed to Ms. Williams, with two photos of The Greatest Showman actress, 44.

She then posted again on her Instagram story, “I found out that when she was on Broadway in Cabaret, she had also gotten mail with my pictures too! That makes me happy!😂❤

How Celebs With Similar Names Feel About Being Confused for Each Other

This isn’t the first time that the “Say Yes” singer commented on fans confusing her with the actress of the same name.

Michelle Williams Singer IG Story Screenshot Dec 22

After the actress Williams got an Emmy in 2019 for her role as Gwen Verdon in Fosse/Verdon, singer Williams said she received multiple comments from confused fans.

“How come when y’all are tagging and congratulating a person, do y’all see that I’m black?” said the singer via an Instagram Live. “When you go to my profile, you search for the ‘Michelle Williams,’ I am black. OK? I ain’t mixed with nothing; I ain’t mixed with Persian, Russian, I am black.”

During her Emmy speech, the actress Williams spoke out about equal pay in the industry, which singer Williams said she received online criticism for.

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“I am trying to figure out, ‘Why in the world am I getting cursed out in my comments for Michelle Williams’ speech?’ which I thought was her truth. I thought it was awesome,” she said. “I thought she was factual — I could be wrong. But yeah, I just told this woman a few minutes ago on my Instagram, I was like, ‘I’m so sorry that my namesake upset you, but can’t you see that I’m black?’”

33rd Annual Gotham Awards
Actress Michelle Williams.

The “Lose My Breath” singer made it clear that she did support The Fablemans actress’ speech.

“She was beautiful. She was brilliant. Honey, she played Gwen Verdon to a T. She was awesome,” she said. “Now get it right, and stop cussing me out.”

The Venom actress has also commented on their name mix ups before. In an interview with Huffpost published in 2018, the actress commented on the fact that Google’s search function would show her photo when someone searched “destiny’s child five members.”

“It gets me one step closer to Beyoncé, so I’m pretty good with it,” the actress said at the time. “Now I’ll have an ice breaker if I ever get to meet Beyoncé. I’ll talk to her about the old days of Destiny’s Child. So thank you because I’ll obviously be tongue-tied if and when that ever happens, and now I’ll know exactly what to say.”

Blake Lively’s Brother-in-Law Bart Johnson Defends Her Amid Lawsuit

22 December 2024 at 16:57
Blake Lively’s Brother-in-Law Bart Johnson Defends Her Amid Lawsuit
Bart Johnson, Blake Lively and Robyn Lively.

Blake Lively’s brother-in-law Bart Johnson is coming to her defense after she sued It Ends With Us costar and director Justin Baldoni.

“Her complaints were filed during the filming. On record. Long before the public conflict. The cast unfollowed him for a reason,” Johnson, 54, alleged in the comments section of The New York TimesInstagram on Saturday, December 21. “Read this article before spiting [sic] ignorance.”

“His PR team was stellar. Gross and disgusting but highly effective,” Johnson continued. “Read the article, their text message exchanges and his PR campaign strategy to bury her by any means necessary. No one is with out [sic] faults. But the public got played.”

Johnson claimed that “of course mistakes were made” and pointed to Lively’s many responsibilities, including being a mom of four to her and husband Ryan Reynolds’ children.

Blake Lively’s Brother-in-Law Defends Her Amid ‘It Ends With Us’ Drama

“But just IMAGINE being a stay at home mom raising 4 kids, married to the busiest man in Hollywood and at the same time being a girl boss running multiple companies while writing, producing, running non profits and working 16+ hour days from home so you can be with your kids,” he wrote. “Launching 2 new businesses you been working on / developing for many years (launch scheduled by distributors, not you, btw) all while getting attacked by a VERY expensive PR smear campaign because you filed a sexual harassment claim for the very film you have to go out and promote with just the right tone or you get cooked!?”

Johnson noted that it looks like Lively, 37, is “doing a hell of a job to me and trying to do good things for the right reasons.”

“But yeah let’s post from our couch how much we hate her for making mistakes,” he continued. “That makes sense. I mean, she’s been rude in these interviews that magically played on repeat. I saw it. None of us have ever been wrong or mean. Never. We should discount decades of good for those few bad moments. Glad the microscope isn’t on me every day of my life.”

In another comment, Johnson clarified what he meant by a “girl boss,” explaining the term “means a woman that is kicking a$$ as an entrepreneur and/or business owner in what has been previously dominated by men, and showing they are every bit as capable and qualified if not more so in that space. She’s my hero as is any woman charging it like this. You’re free to define it as you wish, but that’s on you.”

Robyn Lively Reacts to Sister Blake Lively’s Lawsuit Against Justin Baldoni

Johnson’s comments came one day after Lively filed a lawsuit against Baldoni. In the lawsuit, which was obtained by Us Weekly after it was reported by TMZ and The New York Times, Lively accused Baldoni of launching a “social manipulation” campaign against her to “destroy” her reputation. (Baldoni’s lawyer called the accusations “completely false” in a statement to Us.)

Johnson’s wife, Robyn Lively, supported her sister via social media on Saturday. “FINALLY justice for my sister @blakelively,” Robyn, 52, wrote via Instagram Story, sharing screenshots of a New York Times article about Blake’s lawsuit.

Johnson previously came to Blake’s defense after fans began speculating that there was tension between the It Ends With Us costars she was seen promoting the film with some of her costars — while Baldoni didn’t join for interviews or press opportunities.

In the comments section of Johnson’s August Instagram post, a user critiqued Blake for “promoting happiness in a domestic violence setting without any regard for any victims.”

Breaking Down Blake Lively’s Accusations Against Justin Baldoni

“Ellen I’m really sorry you feel that way. I’m sure you have a huge heart and want the best. I can promise you the truth has not come out yet. Blake worked harder on this film than anything I’ve seen her do my entire life,” he wrote at the time. “Because it meant so much to her. The message is in the book. And in the movie. Not in short clips / interviews. She is the reason the message / this movie/ is getting out.”

Johnson also acknowledged that nobody is perfect. “Were mistakes made? Yes. I make mistakes in life,” he wrote. “But they aren’t under a microscope. Anyway, I respect your views. I got nothing but love for you. ❤.”

After the response, the user thanked Johnson for his “lovely comment.” Johnson replied, “Thanks for that kind response Ellen to that Ellen. Means a lot. ❤❤ The truth hasn’t come out yet. It’s going to.”

Rachel Recchia Shuts Down Blake Moynes Dating Rumors — Again

22 December 2024 at 16:38
Rachel Recchia on Blake Moynes Dating Rumors
Rachel Recchia, Blake Moynes

Former Bachelorette Rachel Recchia is squashing romance rumors between her and Blake Moynes — again.

After “Almost Famous” cohost Trista Sutter said she will “always ship” the pair, Rachel, 28, admitted that people “always do.”

“He is like one of my best friends,” Rachel said on the Saturday, December 21, episode of the podcast. “We are so different. We have such different types.”

Rachel explained that Blake, 34, has a “wider range” of a type, while she prefers a “more feminine guy era.”

The Bachelorette’s Rachel Recchia Addresses Blake Moynes Dating Rumors

“Blake says I have to stop doing that. He’s like, ‘That’s why you can’t find a boyfriend,’” Rachel said. “[He’s like], ‘You need, like, a manly guy.’ I’m like, ‘I have not been looking for that so I’m trying to keep an open mind.’”

Rachel noted that she’s been dipping her toe back in the dating pool, but had no updates to share about her love life at the moment. “When I can, I will let you know,” she said. “I have been dating a little. There will be something to report, but not currently.”

In August, Rachel shut down speculation that she and Blake were more than friends after she was spotted supporting him at the 17th annual Oceana Seachange Summer Party with Nautica in Laguna Beach, California.

“We went to an event together. Everyone wants us to be a couple so bad,” she said on an episode of the “Almost Famous” podcast at the time. “I feel like we always address the rumor over and over again. We’re still not a couple. We’re friends.”

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Despite cohost Ashley Iaconetti noting that the duo “look really cute together,” Rachel said they hadn’t locked lips once. “He’s my most solid guy friend. I go to him for everything,” she explained. “Who would I go to then if we had that weird kiss, and then things got awkward?”

After not finding The One on previous seasons of the franchise, Rachel and Blake were both contestants on season 9 of Bachelor in Paradise in 2023. The twosome decided to exit the show in week 4 when they didn’t find a romantic connection on the beaches of Mexico.

“We went to Paradise together. We’ve been friends and have done trips for over a year,” Rachel explained of their friendship. “If it was meant to be, I think it would have happened.”

Prior to the romance rumors with Blake, Rachel ended her and Gabby Windey’s season 19 of The Bachelorette engaged to Tino Franco but the twosome split after it was revealed he kissed someone during a rough patch in their relationship. Blake, for his part, was engaged to Katie Thurston in 2021 but they broke up months later.

Rachel Recchia Got DM from Contestant Who ‘Rejected’ Her Bachelorette Rose

22 December 2024 at 16:05
Rachel Recchia Got a DM from 1 of the Guys Who Rejected Her Rose on ‘The Bachelorette’
Rachel Recchia

Years after her season of The Bachelorette with Gabby Windey, Rachel Recchia had a former flame slide into her DMs.

“I got a DM from one of these guys who rejected my rose,” Rachel, 28, said on the Saturday, December 21, episode of the “Almost Famous” podcast, noting that she received the message about a month ago. “He unsent the message, but I have a screenshot.”

While questioning why the contestant would send the DM, Rachel said, “If you’re going to send a message like that, which he’s also kind of apologizing in a way, say it with your full chest.”

“He starts off, ‘Yo. What’s up Rachel, so random, I know. I was literally just thinking about my time at the Bach house and all the regrets I have from not seeing things through. I definitely had to reach out because it’s something on my mind, and is something I’ve thought about for a couple years. What could’ve been and how fun things could have/be,’” she read. “‘So I’m just reaching out to see if you’d be down to chill and grab a drink or two and vibe out.’”

Rachel Recchia Reacts to Fan Recreating Her and Tino's Breakup

Rachel explained that she thinks the contestant is thinking about how he “totally lost the experience” of the show.

“I’m like, ‘You didn’t even give me a shot and so I will not be giving you a shot now,’” she said. “But you know what, we could have been something.”

Rachel explained that the former suitor, who follows her on Instagram, “chose to go home” during week 2 even though she “wanted him there.”

“I feel bad reading it, but you get me,” Rachel told cohost and former Bachelorette Trista Sutter. “That’s crazy.”

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While recalling her time as the lead with Gabby, 33, Rachel explained that the contestants split up between the two women.

“The boys, from what I gathered, didn’t know that once you didn’t get a rose from one, you didn’t get it from the other one,” Rachel said. “So, one guy said, ‘No,’ to my rose because he thought he could get Gabby’s, which, fair, and then it just tumbled.”

Rachel called this rose ceremony “the most humiliating night” of her life. “Your confidence is already like, ‘Do these guys like me?’ I’m so nervous, I’m doing this for the first time,” she said. “To have people be like, ‘I would rather go home than even date you,’ … it was horrible.”

From Rachel’s perspective, the men “really want to have power.” She added, “They’re so used to being the one to be the pursuer and it’s when it’s in our hands, I feel like it takes their masculinity away. When they feel like, ‘Oh, I’m not your front runner, I’m just going to leave because I don’t want you to reject me,’”

Rachel ultimately ended up accepting a proposal from Tino Franco on season 19 of the ABC series, but the pair called it quits when it was revealed he had kissed another woman during a rough patch in their relationship.

Kourtney Kardashian Jokes Khloe Was 'Star' of the Show in Throwback Video

22 December 2024 at 15:59
Kourtney Kardashian Jokes Khloe Was Star of the Show in Throwback Video of Sisters Singing
Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian

The Kardashian sisters were always meant to be stars.

Kourtney Kardashian shared a cute throwback video via Instagram on Sunday, December 22, of her and her sisters, Khloe and Kim, dressed up and performing along to the song “I Think We’re Alone Now” by ‘80s singer Tiffany.

“I think we all know who the real star is here and it rhymes with snowy,” Kourtney, 45, wrote in the caption, referring to her younger sister, Khloe, 40.

While the sweet home video shows a young Kim, 44, and Kourtney shyly singing along on each side, the real star of the video is toddler Khloe, who is singing along center stage with sunglasses and attitude.

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“IKONIK,” Khloe commented on her sister’s post. The trio wore gold metallic outfits with puffy sleeves in the throwback clip,, seemingly a choice made by their famous mother, Kris Jenner.

“I seriously should’ve been a Stylist,” commented Jenner, 69, on the video. “Look at these outfits some of my best work 🤩.”

Jenner and her daughters still seem to see eye-to-eye on fashion, so much so that she and Khloe accidentally wore matching outfits to a recent holiday party.

Each wore the same outfit of boots, with a tailored mini dress from Kylie Jenner’s brand Khy. The big difference is that Jenner wore the outfit in white, while her daughter sported the same look in all black.

The Kardashian-Jenner Family: Get to Know the Next Generation

 

Khloe posted a video of their mother-daughter twinning via her Instagram on Friday, December 20. In the post, the two played out a scene from their previous reality TV show Keeping Up With The Kardashians.

“It’s just not cool that you copy me,” lip synced Khloe over the sound from the original clip, where Kourtney accuses Jenner of wearing something too similar. “I go to lengths to try to get things that not everybody has.”

“OK, well, you can’t return those,” Kris mimed in return.

Khloe made it clear in the caption that the twin-cident was unintentional. “We didn’t plan this…We just showed up at the same holiday party like this 💚🎄♥ in our @khy.”

Kris Jenner Teams Up With Daughter Kylie in Winter-Chic New Khy Ad

Kourtney seemed to find the outfit mishap funny as well, commenting “never cool to copy,” on her sister’s post.

This isn’t Jenner’s first time supporting Kylie’s foray into the fashion world. For her daughter’s newest collection, Khy X Entire studios, which officially launched on December 12, Kris lent her modeling skills as the face of the new collection.

“ME BY KYLIE FOR KHY!!!” the momager posted in a caption via Instagram on December 9. “So happy to be a part of @khy new collection in collaboration with @entire_studios, and shot by @kyliejenner!”

Blake Lively Interviewer Denies Being Part of Alleged Smear Campaign

22 December 2024 at 15:16
Journalist Clarifies She Wasnt Part of Blake Lively Smear Campaign
Kjersti Flaa and Journalist Clarifies She Wasnt Part of

Kjersti Flaa, the journalist who previously said an interview with Blake Lively made her want to “quit” her job, has denied being part of an alleged smear campaign against the actress.

“OK, so I have to say something because now I see that things are starting to snowball and people start thinking that I had anything to do with the smear campaign against Blake Lively, that was orchestrated allegedly by Justin Baldoni and his team,” Flaa said via Instagram on Saturday, December 21, adding that she had read through the lawsuit and the alleged “dirty work” going on behind-the-scenes. “I just wanted to say I had nothing to do with it.”

Flaa said she was “shocked” and “appalled” by the text messages between Baldoni’s PR team that were included in the lawsuit filed by Lively, 37, on Friday, December 20.

“I would never take part in anything like that,” she said. “That’s such an insult to me.”

Journalist Calls Timing of Resharing Blake Lively Interview a 'Coincidence'

Flaa said she doesn’t want “to be a part of this,” noting that she shared a video from a previous interview with Lively and “that’s it.”

“Just wanted to put it out there,” Flaa captioned her Instagram post. “I have nothing to do with Justin Baldoni and his smear campaign against Blake Lively that was reported on by The New York Times today. There are conspiracy theories out there accusing me of being paid by his PR team to help with their smear campaign. None of this is true.”

News broke on Saturday that Lively sued It Ends With Us costar and director Baldoni, 40, for sexual harassment. In the lawsuit, which was obtained by Us Weekly after it was reported by TMZ and The New York Times, Lively accused Baldoni of launching a “social manipulation” campaign against her to “destroy” her reputation.

Flaa released a lengthier statement via YouTube on Saturday, explaining that she “would never accept money to jeopardize my integrity as a journalist.”

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“I see how people are trying to make a connection here that I have been working with Justin Baldoni’s PR company because it’s just too much of a coincidence that my video was posted at that time,” she said, explaining that she “had a bad experience with Blake Lively” and decided to post the video after watching It Ends With Us.

In August, Flaa released a clip of Lively and Parker Posey from the 2016 Café Society press tour titled: “The Blake Lively interview that made me want to quit my job.” In the clip, tensions grew between Flaa and Lively after the journalist congratulated the actress on her “little bump” and inquired about period costumes in the film.

“When my video came out, it added fuel to the fire against Blake Lively,” Flaa said, claiming that she had “no idea what was going on” on the set of It Ends With Us.

Blake Lively Claims Justin Baldoni Texted About Ruining Her Reputation

Flaa noted that she “never defended” Baldoni. “I don’t know him,” she said. “I never met him. Actually, I didn’t know he existed until It Ends With Us. So I have no sympathy towards any of these people that are involved.”

While pointing out specific text messages between Baldoni’s PR team in Lively’s lawsuit, Flaa calls the exchange “kind of disgusting.”

“The thing is, I don’t want anything to do with it,” she said. “I know nothing about Justin Baldoni. I know nothing about his PR team. And I definitely would never work with a PR team under any circumstances to put hate out there on the internet against someone, or to smear someone. I would never ever do that.”

Christmas Movies That Aren't Technically Christmas Movies

22 December 2024 at 14:15

Move over, Home Alone! There’s no shortage of films to watch over the Christmas season, but there are more movies to add to the queue beyond It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street or A Christmas Story.

Die Hard is the quintessential film that wasn’t considered a Christmas classic at first. However, some fans count the 1988 thriller among their favorite holiday flicks.

In the film, New York City cop John McClane (Bruce Willis) reunites with his estranged wife (Bonnie Bedelia) in Los Angeles at her office’s Christmas Eve party. John must rescue the employees after a gang of terrorists take them hostage.

Die Hard director John McTiernan might not have intended for the action film to become a Christmas classic. Author Larry Taylor detailed McTiernan’s initial intentions for the movie in his book John McTiernan: Rise and Fall of An Action Movie Icon.

“He didn’t consciously make it a Christmas movie, but he made sure to weave certain elements of it into the tapestry of the film,” Taylor explained. “It would keep the holiday season right behind the action, and it would help alleviate some of the stress of the intense action.”

Scroll down to see more Christmas movies that aren’t technically Christmas movies.

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New York City cop John McClane (Willis) travels to Los Angeles to visit his estranged wife at her company's holiday office party on Christmas Eve. However, hijinks ensue when a group of criminals take the guests hostage, and John is forced to save the day.

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A group of struggling artists in New York City battle love, capitalism and the AIDS epidemic in the early '90s. The film — which is based on the Tony-Award winning musical — starts on Christmas Eve and wraps on the holiday one year later.

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Tim Burton reimagines Gotham City in the Batman sequel, which follows Bruce Wayne (Michael Keaton) as he tries to prevent Oswald Cobblepot (Danny DeVito) from killing Gotham's first-born sons. Bruce also finds himself falling for Selina Kyle (Michelle Pfeiffer) amid the background of Christmastime.
 

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Billy Peltzer (Zach Galligan) receives a small, furry creature from his father as a Christmas present. When he fails to follow the rules for taking care of it, Billy's new pet wreaks havoc on his town on Christmas Eve.

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Suicidal cop Martin Riggs (Gibson) is partnered up with reluctant detective Roger Murtagh (Glover) during the holiday season. The buddy-cop film follows the duo as they uncover a massive drug-trafficking ring and form an unexpected bond.

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The popular film franchise features numerous Christmas scenes, but Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is arguably the most festive one with the Yule Ball.

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The 2004 comedy follows Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) throughout the entire school year as she infiltrates the popular girl clique. At the Winter Talent Show, Cady saves the Plastics' "Jingle Bell Rock" dance routine by singing the holiday tune after their boom box gets kicked off stage.

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Joe Fox (Tom Hanks), the owner of a corporate bookstore, begins an unexpected online romance with his rival and small bookstore owner, Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan). Although most of the movie takes place the rest of the year, some of the most poignant scenes are set against a Christmas backdrop.

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The 1997 crime film follows a group of LAPD officers in 1953 as they attempt to solve a murder at a Los Angeles coffee shop. The three protagonists — Detective Lieutenant Exley (Guy Pearce), Officer White (Russell Crowe) and Sergeant Vincennes (Kevin Spacey) — all have their own motives for uncovering the case, which kicks off on Christmas Eve.

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Executive Louis Winthorpe III (Dan Aykroyd) and hustler Billy Ray Valentine (Eddie Murphy) switch places around Christmas as part of a bet to see how each man will handle their new circumstances. The 1983 comedy features Aykroyd in a dirty Santa Claus suit for a portion of the film.

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The Stanley Kubrick-directed erotic thriller begins with Bill Harford (Tom Cruise) and his wife Alice (Nicole Kidman) attending a Christmas party where other guests flirt with them. After learning that Alice once considered having an affair, Bill finds himself invading a masked orgy of an unnamed secret society.

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After single mom Samantha Caine (Geena Davis) suffers a concussion during the holidays, she begins to have unexplained violent memories. Samantha hires private detective Mitch Hennessey (Samuel L. Jackson) to look into her past and learns she's a government assassin.

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This 2021 movie is technically a rom-com, but since it's set at Christmastime, there are plenty of scenes filled with stealthy holiday cheer. Based on the novel of the same name by Sally Thorne, the film follows assistants Lucy (Lucy Hale) and Joshua (Austin Stowell) as they compete for the same job at the publishing house where they both work. Their animosity, however, starts to fade once they get to know one another — especially after they attend a picturesque winter wedding together.

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Based on Patricia Highsmith's novel The Price of Salt, this 2015 period drama tells the story of Carol Aird (Cate Blanchett) and Therese Belivet (Rooney Mara), who begin an affair after meeting at a department store during the Christmas season. Set in 1952, their romance is made all the more complicated by the fact that Carol is in the midst of a messy divorce from her husband, Harge (Kyle Chandler), who's threatening to take their daughter away.

Michael Jackson’s Son Prince Shares Pressure of ‘Big Shoes to Fill’

22 December 2024 at 14:07
Prince Jackson Rare Interview
Prince Jackson

Michael Jackson’s son Prince Jackson got candid about the legacy of his dad in a rare interview.

“I come from a very rich family history, and those are some big shoes to fill,” Prince, 27, told Associated Press on Thursday, December 19. “I don’t know if I ever could. But I wear it with … it’s like a badge of honor.”

Prince noted that he and his siblings — sister Paris Jackson, 26, and brother Bigi Jackson, 22 — have held onto a piece of their late father in various ways.

“My siblings and I, we each kind of got a piece of him in different ways,” Prince said. “For me, it’s that philanthropic kind of giving back, and that’s where I’m really passionate about. I just hope the work that we do makes him proud.”

Inside Michael Jackson's Kids' Lives 15 Years After His Death

Prince honored his father through cofounding the nonprofit Heal Los Angeles in 2016 while a student at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. Ahead of the holidays, Prince hosted an event at a Mattel toy store on Tuesday allowing kids to load up on toys to take home.

“It warms my heart when we see the kids smile at the end of the day,” he said. “So, it’s really fun.”

Prince Jackson Rare Interview

Michael welcomed Prince and Paris with ex-wife Debbie Rowe, whom he was married to from 1996 to 1999. Son Bibi arrived via surrogate in 2002.

While reflecting on Michael’s legacy following the 15th anniversary of his death, a source exclusively told Us Weekly that the “King of Pop” would be proud of where his kids are today. (Michael died at the age of 50 in 2009.)

Michael Jackson's Kids: Where Are They Now?

“Some people could let nepotism get to their heads, but they are the complete opposite of that,” the insider said, while a separate source noted that Prince “loves riding motorcycles and his charity work.”

While Prince has been dating college sweetheart Molly Schirmang for over seven years, he doesn’t have plans to tie the knot anytime soon.

“Molly doesn’t care about Prince’s fame or who his family is,” a third insider said in April, noting that Schirmang gets along well with Paris and Bigi. “They want the same things out of life and are taking each day as it comes.”

While balancing his relationship with Schirmang, Prince also has a close bond with his younger siblings.

“They are each other’s best friends and all stick together,” the second source said. “Michael would be so happy.”

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