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Today — 21 May 2025Main stream

BYU football player Jake Retzlaff accused of 2023 sexual assault in lawsuit

A lawsuit filed by a Utah woman accused BYU football player Jake Retzlaff of a sexual assault at his home in Novemeber 2023, The Salt Lake Tribune reported.

The woman, listed in the filing as Jane Doe A.G., says she reported her allegations to police. 

The accuser said she and Retzlaff initially made contact via social media.

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Retzlaff is being sued for alleged battery, assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress. According to the lawsuit, the woman is seeking punitive damages from the BYU quarterback.

NFL HALL OF FAMER SHANNON SHARPE ACCUSED OF SEXUAL ASSAULT, BATTERY IN $50 MILLION LAWSUIT

As of Wednesday, Retzlaff does not face any criminal charges. Mark Baute, Retzlaff's attorney, issued a statement saying the BYU quarterback is "factually innocent."

Baute also described his client as a "nice young man."

Retzlaff made the move from California to Utah in 2023 when he transferred to BYU. He led the Cougars to an 11-2 record last season. 

He is BYU's first known Jewish starting quarterback. The university is operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

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Dyson’s new superskinny stick vac is as thin as its hair dryer

21 May 2025 at 19:01
A person holding and standing next to the Dyson PencilVac against a white background.
Dyson’s new skinny PencilVac looks like a broom. | Image: Dyson

Dyson has announced what it’s claiming is the “world’s slimmest vacuum cleaner.” At first glance, its new PencilVac looks like a broom rather than a vacuum because the battery, motor, and electronics are all integrated into a thin handle that’s just 38mm in diameter — the same thickness as Dyson’s Supersonic r hair dryer. It weighs in at just under four pounds and is powered by the company’s smallest and fastest vacuum motor yet.

The PencilVac is designed to be a replacement for the slim Dyson Omni-glide, which launched in 2021 with a cleaning head that used two spinning brushes so it could suck up dust and dirt in multiple directions. The new PencilVac is not only slimmer and lighter than the Omni-glide, it uses four spinning brush bars that Dyson calls Fluffycones.

A close-up of the Dyson PencilVac sucking up hair.

As the name implies, the Fluffycones each feature a conical design that causes long hairs to slide down to the narrow end of each brush and fall off so they can be sucked up instead of getting tangled up around the brushes. The Fluffycones slightly protrude at the sides for better edge cleaning, and are paired with green LED lights (instead of the lasers that Dyson’s other vacuums use) that illuminate dust and debris so you can see when floors have been properly cleaned.

A close-up of the Dyson PencilVac lying very close to the floor.

Other innovations Dyson is introducing with the PencilVac include a motor that’s just 28mm in diameter but spins at 140,000RPM to generate 55AW of suction, and a new two-stage dust filtration system that prevents clogging and performance loss as the vac fills up. Given its size, the PencilVac has a smaller dust bin than Dyson’s other cleaners, but uses a new design that compresses dust as it’s removed from the airflow to help maximize how much dirt the bin can hold.

A close-up of the Dyson PencilVac’s included magnetic charging dock.

The PencilVac magnetically connects to a floor dock for charging and storage, and features a small LCD screen that shows the cleaning mode and an estimate of how long before the battery dies. It’s also Dyson’s first vacuum to connect to the MyDyson mobile app, which offers access to additional settings, alerts for when the filter needs to be cleaned, and step-by-step maintenance instructions.

The vacuum’s slim design does come with some trade-offs when compared to the company’s larger models. Its cleaning head is designed for use on hard floors, not carpeting, and while it can be swapped with alternate attachments like a furniture and crevice tool, it doesn’t convert to a shorter handheld vac. Runtime is also limited to just 30 minutes of cleaning at its lowest power setting, but its battery is swappable and Dyson will sell additional ones to extend how long you can clean.

Dyson hasn’t revealed pricing details yet, and while the PencilVac will launch in Japan later this year, it won’t be available in the US until 2026.

Microsoft blocks emails that contain ‘Palestine’ after employee protests

21 May 2025 at 18:52

Microsoft employees have discovered that any emails they send with the terms "Palestine" or "Gaza" are getting temporarily blocked from being sent to recipients inside and outside the company. The No Azure for Apartheid (NOAA) protest group reports that "dozens of Microsoft workers" have been unable to send emails with the words "'Palestine," "Gaza," and "Genocide" in email subject lines or in the body of a message.

"Words like 'Israel' or 'P4lestine' do not trigger such a block," say NOAA organizers. "NOAA believes this is an attempt by Microsoft to silence worker free speech and is a censorship enacted by Microsoft leadership to discriminate against Palestinian workers and their allies."

Microsoft confirmed to The Verge that it has implemented some form of email changes to reduce "politically focused emails" inside the company.

"Emailing large numbers of employees about any topic not related to work is not appropriate. We have an established forum for employees who have opted in to political issues," says Microsoft spokesperson Frank Shaw in a statement to The Verge. "Over the past couple of days, a number of politically focused emails have been sent to tens of thousands of e …

Read the full story at The Verge.

Trump floats taking Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac public as deficit fears grow

21 May 2025 at 19:01
trump in Oval Office
President Donald Trump said he was considering taking Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac public.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

  • Trump said he's considering taking Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac public.
  • The move would privatize the mortgage giants, which have been under government control since 2008.
  • Critics have said privatizing the companies could increase mortgage rates.

President Donald Trump said Wednesday he was "giving very serious consideration" to taking Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac public and would make a decision soon.

"Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are doing very well, throwing off a lot of CASH, and the time would seem to be right," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.

The president said he would speak to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, and the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, William Pulte, as well as others, regarding the decision.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Taking Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac public would mean removing the mortgage giants from the government conservatorship they have been under since 2008 and privatizing them.

Previous attempts, including under Trump's first term, have been made to remove the companies from the government's control. Critics say the move could lead to higher mortgage rates.

During his confirmation hearing in January, Bessent said that "no conservatorship should be indefinite. However, any actions pursued should be carefully designed and executed." He also told Bloomberg in February that the decision to release the firms would depend on the impact it would have on mortgage rates.

Pulte, who heads the agency that oversees Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, told CNN in March that privatizing the companies was not a top priority.

"Fannie and Freddie shouldn't be in conservatorship forever," Pulte said. "But it's critical to ensure any discussion about exiting conservatorship needs not only to ensure safety and soundness but how it would affect mortgage rates."

BI previously reported that shares in the firms have increased dramatically this year and could soar even further if the conservatorship ends. Analysts at Pimco said re-privatizing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could be good for shareholders but could lead to increased costs for borrowers.

Trump's comments on taking Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac public come as fears over the federal deficit continue to grow. The president is pushing major legislation through Congress that would add trillions to the deficit.

Bankers have estimated that the government could make hundreds of billions by selling its shares in the companies, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Read the original article on Business Insider

'Duck Dynasty' Cast: Where Are They Now?

21 May 2025 at 13:10

The Robertson family became household names thanks to A&E, and they’ve stayed on fans’ minds ever since their series ended.

Duck Dynasty gave viewers an inside look at the lives of the Louisiana natives and their business, Duck Commander. The hit reality show premiered in March 2012 and ended in March 2017 after 11 seasons.

The series followed patriarch Phil Robertson, his wife, Kay Robertson, his brother Si Robertson and Phil’s sons Willie Robertson, Jep Robertson and Jase Robertson. Willie and his family — including wife Korie Robertson, daughter Sadie Robertson and son John Luke Robertson — took center stage throughout the show’s run, which featured appearances from the family’s many relatives.

Willie and Korie reflected on the phenomenon in March 2017. “The Robertson family has always been very open with their lives. Good and bad,” he told Us Weekly exclusively at the time. “When you’re vulnerable and say, ‘Hey, this is what we’re going through,’ that resonates.”

He added: “We try to protect everybody and not get caught in something embarrassing, though. There was one time Si was picking his nose and producers thought it was funny. We were like, ‘No, take that out.’”

Scroll through to see where the Robertsons are now that their reality show has ended:

© A&E

© A&E; Cindy Ord/Getty Images

The CEO of his family’s company reopened his restaurant, Willie’s Duck Diner, in West Monroe, Louisiana, in September 2017. Loyal fans of the show will remember that Willie is unapologetic about his religious views, and this eatery was no different. The restaurant proudly boasted passages from the Bible and was described as a place “where saying grace is encouraged.” (The diner closed in 2019.) The father of six — who shares John Luke, Sadie, Will, Bella, Rowdy and Rebecca with wife Korie — also announced in July 2018 that Duck Commander would be hosting tours on Sundays. Willie starred in Buck Commander on the Outdoor Channel until September 2019. In 2021, Willie appeared on season 6 of The Masked Singer as the Mallard. Willie returned for Duck Dynasty: The Revival in 2025.

© A&E; Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

Uncle Si was long considered the breakout star of Duck Dynasty — and he also made appearances on other shows, including Last Man Standing and Buck Commander. Si’s personality earned him his own short-lived spinoff called Going Si-Ral, where he watched viral videos and shared his commentary. Si joined daughters-in-law Marsha Robertson and Bridgette Tatum in their band, Uncle Si & The Sicotics. He also regularly appeared on Fox and Friends until 2019. Si returned for Duck Dynasty: The Revival in 2025.

© A&E; Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Jep’s loyal following earned him a spinoff called Jep & Jessica: Growing the Dynasty, which followed the TV personality and his wife, Jessica, raising their children, Lily, Merrit, Priscilla, River and Jules. The series, which ran from 2016 to 2017, also showed the couple — married since 2001 — describing their struggles with their pot-pie-themed food truck. In January 2018, the Robertsons opened a new food truck called Jep’s Southern Roots at Supernatural star Jensen Ackles’ Family Business Beer Company in Dripping Springs, Texas. The family later moved to Austin and launched a YouTube channel to support their business. Korie exclusively told Us in 2025 that Jep is “sprinkled in” to the Duck Dynasty: The Revival series.

© A&E; Ethan Miller/Getty Images

The COO of Duck Commander was easily recognizable thanks to his long and unruly beard, which he shaved off in September 2017 for his daughter Mia’s charity to help raise awareness for cleft lips and palates. In May 2014, Jase and wife Missy — who also share sons Reed and Cole — opened up to Us about their daughter’s struggle. “It changed my perspective,” he said at the time, recalling Mia’s birth. “I thought, here I am, worried about what she’s going to look like, while the doctors aren’t even sure she can breathe on her own. From that moment on, I stopped being so superficial.” More recently, Jase and Missy visited Israel, and he starred in Unashamed with brother Alan Robertson. In 2025, Korie exclusively told Us that Jase is “sprinkled in” to the Duck Dynasty: The Revival series.

© A&E; Scott Olson/Getty Images

The professional hunter made waves — and was subsequently suspended — over controversial comments he made in 2013 during an interview with GQ. When asked what he believed to be sinful, he answered, “Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there.” Since the end of Duck Dynasty, Phil became more involved with politics by publicly endorsing candidates. In October 2017, it was announced that he would be getting his own show, In the Woods With Phil, where he planned “on rejecting ‘political correctness.’” Phil also hosts the “Unashamed With Phil Robertson” podcast. The family confirmed in December 2024 that Phil is in the “early stages” of Alzheimer’s.

© A&E; Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic

The mother of five released a parenting book called Strong and Kind: Raising Kids of Character in June 2017. She also writes The Essentials Blog on daughter Sadie’s website. Korie returned for Duck Dynasty: The Revival in 2025.

© A&E; Denise Truscello/WireImage

Miss Kay opened an eatery in West Monroe, where she offers her famous pies alongside other treats, including gelato and lunch. Kay returned for Duck Dynasty: The Revival in 2025.

© A&E; Jared C. Tilton/NASCAR via Getty Images

The blogger has stayed busy with her own jewelry line since Duck Dynasty ended. She also wrote a series of Princess in Camo books with daughter Mia. She and Jase run a bed and breakfast and event venue called Logtown Plantation in Louisiana.

© A&E; David Livingston/Getty Images

Sadie, who grew up in front of viewers’ eyes, is no longer a kid — she’s a bestselling author, Dancing With the Stars alum and speaker for Live Original. She also founded One Squad, a millennial-driven organization that helps inspire young people to come together to make an impact, and hosts the “WHOA That’s Good” podcast. Sadie returned for Duck Dynasty: The Revival in 2025.
She married Christian Huff in November 2019. The duo welcomed daughter Honey in May 2021. In November 2022, the couple revealed that they were expecting their second child. Daughter Haven was born in May 2023. The pair revealed in February 2025 that they are expecting their third baby.

© A&E; Adam Taylor/Getty Images

After writing a book called Young and Beardless: The Search for God, Purpose and a Meaningful Life in 2016, Willie and Korie’s oldest son documented his travels with wife Mary Kate McEacharn — whom he wed in 2015 — on Instagram and became the director of Camp Ch-Yo-Ca. The couple welcomed son John in October 2019. A daughter named Ella followed in April 2021. He returned for Duck Dynasty: The Revival in 2025.

Jason Kelce’s Daughter Adorably Crashes Podcast From Her Timeout

21 May 2025 at 13:04

Jason Kelce’s daughter Bennett “Bennie” Kelce respects the rules of timeout, and the two-year-old does not want to wade into any football conversation while she serves her punishment.

Bennie, who Jason shares with wife Kylie Kelce, made a brief appearance on NFL star’s “New Heights” podcast on Wednesday, May 21, which he hosts with his brother, Travis Kelce.

The hilarious moment came as Jason, 37, and Travis, 35, were discussing proposed rule changes in the NFL, including banning the “tush push” and a change to playoff seeding.

“Bennie’s in timeout right now,” Jason said before addressing his daughter. “Bennie, are you OK? You don’t like the rule change either? You think the division winner should keep their home game, right? Yeah, I think she thinks that.”

Jason Kelce Shares His Favorite Part of Being a Parent: 'It's Fantastic'

“She might be the smartest two-year-old ever if she agrees with this,” Travis jokingly replied.

“She’s probably better at deciding all this stuff than everybody else deciding it,” Jason added. “Bennie, what do you think about the tush push? Should the Eagles be allowed to do the tush push?”

“I’m in timeout,” Bennie reminded her dad.

But even her dad wasn’t about to let her use that to evade the tough questions.

“You’re in timeout? Should the NFL be in timeout for proposing the tush push?” he asked. “No? OK, you’re not being any fun right now.”

Jason and Kylie Kelce's Candid Quotes About Parenting Through the Years

It turns out the NFL, without Bennie’s help, elected not to ban the tush push — a play popularized by Jason’s former team, the Philadelphia Eagles, in which teammates push the quarterback forward through the opposing team’s defense.

Jason, for his part, has expressed his support for the play.

Jason Kelces Daughter Adorably Crashes Podcast From Her Timeout
Courtesy of Kylie Kelce/Instagram

“I get why certain teams want to ban it for competitive reasons. I get why some people think that it’s potentially unsafe. I think optically it looks unsafe,” he said on the April 4 episode of “New Heights.” “For me personally, I never felt like there’s that much more of a risk of injuring somebody on the play and I don’t think there’s any statistics to back that up.”

In addition to Bennie, Jason and Kylie also share daughters Wyatt, 5, Elliotte, 4, and newborn Finn, 1 month.

Though Bennie isn’t ready to weigh in on football rules herself, she’s not exactly known for keeping her opinions private. When Kylie announced she was pregnant with Finn, she shared a photo of the three girls wearing sweaters that said “big sister.” While Wyatt looked nervous and Elliote was all smiles, Bennie appeared to be sobbing.

“I feel like we captured a very accurate representation of how each of the girls feel about getting another sister. At least Ellie, mom and dad are on the same page! 🤷‍♀️” Kylie captioned the pic.

© Courtesy of Kylie Kelce/Instagram

Republicans rename $1000-per-baby MAGA Accounts to "Trump Accounts" in tax bill

21 May 2025 at 18:59

House Republicans made a last-minute change to the $1,000-per-baby MAGA Accounts in their sweeping tax bill: Calling them "Trump Accounts" instead.

Why it matters: It's the latest in a series of attempts by congressional Republicans to display their loyalty to the president through legislation — and the one that is most likely to be signed into law.


Driving the news: House Republicans tucked the renaming into an 11th-hour amendment to their "One, Big Beautiful Bill" — a hulking fiscal package to extend the Trump tax cuts and cut $1.5 trillion in spending.

  • House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is moving to hold a vote on the package as early as early Thursday morning after GOP hardliners softened their opposition on Wednesday.
  • The Trump Accounts would seed $1,000 for every American baby born starting in 2026. The original name — MAGA — stood for "money account for growth and advancement."

The other side: Democrats railed against the late-stage change at a Rules Committee hearing on the amendment.

  • "You all would be screaming bloody murder if we named savings accounts after Barack Obama," said Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.).
  • Said Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-Pa.): "Why don't we call it the Trump Diaper Savings? It could be TDS, because I think the only way you end up with a stupid name like this is if you have TDS."

WATCH: Axios interviews Lutnick, Sen. Shaheen, CIA official Michael Ellis and more

21 May 2025 at 13:49

Tune into Axios' event looking at the evolving trade landscape's ripple effect on the global economy, the optimism of business investors, and AI's increasing role in building supply chain resilience.

Featured speakers include Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, 26th Sec. of the Army Dan Driscoll, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Rep. John Moolenaar (R-Mich.), deputy dir. of the CIA Michael Ellis & Bayer CEO Bill Anderson.

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