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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Octavio Jones/Getty Images
President-elect Donald Trump is considering replacing his pick for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, according to The Wall Street Journal. Citing sources familiar with the matter, the outlet reports growing concerns among Republican senators over allegations made against Hegseth, including accusations of binge drinking and sexual assault. Sources also told The Wall Street Journal that Trump’s allies believe Hegseth won’t be able to survive further controversy, noting that the next 48 hours would be crucial in determining his role in the Pentagon. DeSantis was reportedly on an earlier list for potential defense secretary candidates, but Trump ultimately chose Hegseth. However, as allegations continue to mount against Hegseth, sources shared that Trump is now considering DeSantis, as well as a few other choices on the initial list. If Hegseth’s nomination is rescinded, Trump could select DeSantis or another replacement, the sources added. Meanwhile, CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins reported Tuesday that Hegseth plans to sit for an interview on Fox News Wednesday.
Fox News Medical Commentator Kelly Powers Dies at 45
Fox News medical contributor Dr. Kelly Powers, a podiatric surgeon and Fox News medical contributor, died on Sunday at the age of 45. Instagram
Dr. Kelly Powers, a podiatric surgeon who often shared her expertise on Fox News, died Sunday following a battle with brain cancer. She was 45. A regular guest on Fox News and Fox Business Network, Powers survived heart failure—symptoms of which she experienced on air while covering that very topic. “It’s crazy–I went into heart failure while doing a report on Fox Business–live–on heart health and talking about the subtle signs that women often miss. You can’t make this up,” she told Preferred Health Magazine after she had also faced a bout with glioblastoma, which was detected in 2020. After several surgeries, Powers underwent chemotherapy and radiation, and eventually recovered. During that time, she became pregnant and had a son, now 3. That cancer returned this year, however. “She was a brave and beautiful soul who could make friends anywhere she went,” an obituary reads. “Kelly had a love for people and she was dedicated to helping others.” Powers leaves behind her husband, Steven Doll, and son Bennett.
Try a Relaxing THC Holiday Cocktail Recipe With No AlcoholAD BY Cycling Frog
Cycling Frog
Not everyone wants to be a tipsy elf during the holidays. Increasingly, people are searching for alcohol alternatives that have relaxing benefits with fewer negative effects. That’s the intention behind Cycling Frog’s THC Seltzers. They are made with cannabis extracts for a lighter buzz than marijuana products normally offer. That makes them ideal for both experienced users and newcomers to enjoy. This season, they come in three holiday flavors, each only 60 calories with 0% alcohol.
The star of the season is the Cran Razz THC Seltzer (6-Pack), which offers 10 mg. of THC per can. That is double the amount of the other seltzers making it a great option for people with cannabis experience.
An industry favorite, the Black Currant THC Seltzer, (6-Pack) received a gold medal at the 2024 LA Spirits “High Spirits” Awards. This flavor is sweet and tart with 5 mg. of THC per can.
Wild Cherry THC Seltzer (6-Pack) was crafted for the holiday season. It also contains 5 mg. of THC per can with sour cherry and pear flavors.
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Barry Keoghan and Sabrina Carpenter Taking a ‘Break’: Report
Barry Keoghan and Sabrina Carpenter, seen here at the 2024 Met Gala, have reportedly broken up. Kevin Mazur/MG24/Getty Images for The Met Museum/
Barry Keoghan and Sabrina Carpenter have broken up, sources told People magazine, calling it quits after dating for roughly one year. “They are both young and career-focused, so they’ve decided to take a break,” a source told the magazine. Keoghan, the 32-year-old Oscar-nominated Irish actor who starred in Saltburn, reportedly began dating Carpenter, 25, late in 2023. The couple were not photographed together at a major event until the Vanity Fair Oscars Party in March. They showed up separately to walk the red carpet at this year’s Met Gala, but eventually did pose for photos together before entering the A-list event in New York City. Keoghan spent the year supporting Carpenter as her star rose rapidly following the release of “Espresso.” He was spotted in the audience filming her set at Coachella, and even starred opposite Carpenter in the music video for “Please Please Please,” the second single from her then-highly anticipated album Short n’ Sweet.
Vatican Boots Texas Nuns After Reverend Mother’s Alleged Affair With Priest
Nuns pray before the start of a Mass at the Vatican. Anadolu/Riccardo De Luca/Anadolu via Getty Images
A group of Catholic nuns in Texas were expelled from the church on Monday, after a protracted legal battle with authorities over accusations that their reverend mother engaged in an online affair with an out-of-state priest. The Vatican issued an order suppressing the Discalced Carmelite Monastery of Arlington and declaring all Masses and sacraments performed by the Texas nuns “illicit,” according to a statement published by Bishop Michael F. Olson of the Diocese of Fort Worth. “The women who continue to occupy the premises in Arlington are no longer nuns because they have been declared ipso facto dismissed from the Order of Discalced Carmelites for reasons of their notorious defection from the Catholic faith,” Olson wrote—even though the nuns still publicly self-identify as such. The conflict between the nuns and the Diocese began in 2023 when Olson launched an investigation into Rev. Mother Teresa Gerlach—which eventually concluded that she carried out an affair with a priest over email and video chat. Gerlach confessed to the online relationship, according to a transcript published by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram in June of that year. Attorneys for the nuns have long argued that Olson’s investigation and legal actions against them are part of a scheme to evict the nuns from their 72-acre monastery in Arlington—a claim that Olson refuted in his statement on Monday. Ownership of the monastery was transferred to a nonprofit organization earlier this year, CBS News reported.
HP’s Premium Photo Printer Is $70 Off for a Limited Time
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It’s not every day that you can score a deal on a high-quality printer at a lower cost. Investing in a quality printer for your home or office is a game-changer, and while it’s not the most fun purchase, it’ll pay for itself in a couple of months. Fortunately, you don’t have to pay full price for a solid printer, thanks to HP’s current sale. Right now, you can score the HP Envy Inspire 7955e, the brand’s premium at-home photo printer for $70 off. If you’re looking for a solid holiday gift that they’ll actually use, the deluxe multi-purpose printer is a great choice—especially for photographers and anyone who works from home.
The all-in-one printer is also designed with HP’s Wolf Essential Security system to keep your information secure and keep hackers out. Plus, unlike other printers that require you to get your hands dirty to replenish the ink, this one offers a 15-second mess-free ink refill experience with bottles that can be plugged into the tank. Say goodbye to messes and hello to your new printer. Best of all? For a limited time, score three months of Instant Ink with HP+.
Missing Grandmother Looking for Her Cat Believed to Have Fallen in Sinkhole
SEARCH AND RESCUE MISSION
Pollard is believed to have fallen into the sinkhole while searching for her cat. Pennsylvania State Police
A Pennsylvania grandmother who was last seen looking for her cat has gone missing and is believed to have fallen into a sinkhole, local authorities said. Elizabeth Pollard was reported missing by a family member a little before 1 a.m. on Tuesday, Trooper Steve Limani said at a press conference, per ABC News. She was last seen at around 5 p.m. on Monday when she had gone out to look for her cat. Pollard’s vehicle was located at around 3 a.m. on Tuesday with her 5-year-old granddaughter inside, alone. “At that point in time we realized this could be a very bad situation,” Limani said. Upon searching for Pollard in the nearby area, troopers found a sinkhole the “size of a manhole” 15 to 20 feet away from her vehicle. Limani explained all evidence so far points to Pollard being stuck in the sinkhole, with a search-and-rescue mission currently underway in Unity Township. Emergency responders, local firefighters, a technical rescue team, and the state’s Bureau of Mine Safety have been called to the scene to excavate the sinkhole, which is believed to be linked to an abandoned coal mine. “We’re doing everything we can, and no one is giving up,” Limani added. “It’s heartbreaking for her family and everyone here. But we’re not stopping. We’re all hoping for a miracle.”
‘Wicked’ Porn Link Mishap Lands Mattel in Hot Water
Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande attend the European Premiere of “Wicked: Part One” at The Royal Festival Hall on November 18, 2024 in London, England. Dave Benett/Max Cisotti/Dave Benett/WireImage
Mattel is facing a lawsuit after mistakenly printing a link to a pornography site on the packaging for their special-edition Wicked dolls. According to court documents obtained by TMZ, a South Carolina resident is launching a class action lawsuit against the toy company, alleging that Mattel didn’t offer “any refund for consumers who had already purchased the dolls” and that she and her daughter suffered “emotional distress” from the incident. The plaintiff reportedly purchased a Wicked toy for her daughter who visited the website printed on the toy’s package. “To her absolute shock the website, ‘Wicked.com,’ had nothing to do with the Wicked Doll. Rather, Wicked.com pasted scenes of pornographic advertisements across her phone screen,” the lawsuit read. “These scenes were hardcore full on nude pornographic images depicting actual intercourse.” The daughter “immediately showed her mother the photographs and both were horrified by what they saw.” “If plaintiff had been aware of such an inappropriate defect in the product, she would not have purchased it,” the suit continued. When the misprint was spotted last month, Mattel swiftly pulled the boxes from shelves and released a statement apologizing for the “unfortunate error.”
‘Black Swan’ Ballerina Learns Fate After Shooting Husband Dead
Defendant Ashley Benefield glances back after the jury retired to deliberate during her trial, Monday, July 29, 2024, at the Manatee County Judicial Center in Bradenton, Fla. Benefield is on trial for the 2020 shooting death of her husband. Tiffany Tompkins/The Bradenton Herald via AP
Former ballerina Ashley Benefield was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the death of her husband on Tuesday, following a case that became known as the “Black Swan” murder. Benefield was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 20 years in prison with credit for time served, followed by 10 years of probation. The case garnered national attention, with some comparing Benefield to the protagonist of the 2010 film Black Swan. Benefield shot her estranged husband, Doug, in 2020 during an argument in what she claims was self defense. Benefield, now 32, and her husband, who was 58 at the time of his death, first met when Benefield was 24, 48 Hours reported. They married after knowing each other for less than two weeks, but the marriage was fraught. Benefield accused her husband of poisoning his first wife, who died nine months before they met, and now poisoning her. The claims were investigated and no charges were filed. The couple had a child together in 2018, but Benefield allegedly kept the baby from her husband until a judge intervened. Benefield’s lawyer said that she had been plotting to leave her husband at the time of the shooting, but worried that he had “gotten wind” of the plans.
Mystery Disease Sweeps Congo Leaving 143 DeadMedical experts have been dispatched to Congo where a mysterious flu-like illness has left up to 143 people dead, the Associated Press reported Tuesday. The deaths were recorded over a two week period in the Panzi health zone of Kwango province. The deputy provincial governor, Rémy Saki, told The Associated Press up to 143 people had already died with fears that number could rise. Symptoms of the mystery illness include fever, headache, cough and anemia, said provincial health minister Apollinaire Yumba. “A team of epidemiological experts is expected in the region to take samples and identify the problem,” Saki added. The World Heath Organization is currently on the ground collecting samples and investigating the illness, the AP reported. Congo is still dealing with the mpox epidemic, with an estimated 47,000 cases and 1,000 deaths in the country, according to WHO.
Save 50% Off MasterClass Subscriptions for Last-Minute Holiday Gifting
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Right now, you can score up to 50 percent off on MasterClass subscriptions just in time for last-minute holiday gifting. Honestly, whether you waited until the last minute or not, you’ll be gifting the dad in your life with intelligent, cultured content and giving them the opportunity to learn something new from someone famous.
Secret Service Agent Fires Shots Near Janet Yellen’s Home
A Secret Service agent discharged their gun near Janet Yellen’s home in Washington, D.C. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
A Secret Service agent assigned to protect Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen fired shots at a group of people who were trying to break into cars on her street in Washington, D.C., according to CNBC. Yellen was not a target of the incident and she was not harmed, the agency said. It also suggested that there was no reason to think that the agent, who confronted the group after observing their behavior, struck any of the suspects before they were able to flee in a car. The incident took place early Tuesday morning, around 1:30 a.m., near Yellen’s home in the northwest part of the city, CNBC reported. The incident mirrors one that happened last year, when a Secret Service agent on Naomi Biden’s detail fired their weapon at a group breaking into a government vehicle in D.C. but struck no one. The agency said that the incident near Yellen’s home will be investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the city’s local police. Yellen has not responded to a request for comment by the Daily Beast.
Demi Moore Reveals Moment She Thought Her Career Was ‘Over’
Mike Coppola/Getty Images for The Gotham Film & Media Institute
Demi Moore once wondered whether her career was “complete,” she revealed on a new episode The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast. “I really did hit a point where I started to wonder, not like, ‘Is this over?’ But, ‘Is this actually complete?’” she told interviewer Scott Feinberg. Moore, who rose to fame in the ’80s and ’90s, was at one point Hollywood’s highest paid actress, known for roles in St. Elmo’s Fire, Ghost, A Few Good Men, and Striptease, among many others, which solidified her as a sex symbol. But as she took a step back from acting following a string of critically-panned films and a divorce from Bruce Willis, Moore said her acting opportunities started to shrink when she returned to the industry five years older. “I looked too good to play older, and was not young enough to play the others,” she said on the podcast. “I didn’t quite know where I fit or where I belonged,” she explained, which prompted her to wonder, “Have I done what I was supposed to do in this?‘“ The past year has answered Moore’s question with a resounding ”no,“ as her new role in acclaimed thriller The Substance, has prompted a career resurgence—and Oscar buzz—for the movie star at the age of 62.
