Tom Holland is best known for playing Peter Parker (aka Spider-Man) in the MCU, though his first on-screen role was way back in 2012 in J.A. Bayona’s disaster drama film The Impossible. He has since diversified into other genres, starring in the likes of Uncharted, The Devil All the Time, and Cherry, working with a variety of different filmmakers and teams. Even with his vast experience, Holland has made a very bold claim about Christopher Nolan‘s The Odyssey, which is sure to add to the hype surrounding the big-budget historical epic.
Timothy Olyphant tapped out of the Hitman franchise after only one movie, after the original gave him something of an existential crisis. After movies like Go and Scream 2, Tim Olyphant seemed destined for stardom. After Olyphant passed on hit movies like The Fast and the Furious, however, it appeared he didn’t have the best instincts for spotting hits.
This was doubly true after the star appeared in back-to-back duds like Stephen King adaptation Dreamcatcher or A Man Apart. Television has been a better medium for Olyphant than the big screen, where he got to work with great material on shows like Deadwood and Justified.
He gave film stardom another spin in the late 2000s, with Olyphant playing the main villain in Live Free or Die Hard and fronting video game adaptation Hitman. The latter was the bigger test for the star, being his first big action solo film.
Hitman grossed over $100 million worldwide (or $166 million, when adjusted for inflation) according to Box Office Mojo, earning over four times its budget. However, it was critically reviled and currently stands at 16% on Rotten Tomatoes, though Roger Ebert liked it a lot; the late, great critic gave the R-rated actioner three stars.
Timothy Olyphant Hated Making Hitman
Agent 47 (Timothy Olyphant) wielding guns in Hitman.
On paper, 2007’s Hitman should have been a major win for Olyphant. Sure, the reviews were rough, but it was a comfortable success both in theaters and on DVD. It also proved that audiences would buy him as an action star. The trouble is, Olyphant hated making Hitman and didn’t want to return for sequels.
There were early signs that Olyphant wasn’t keen on returning, such as a 2009 interview with ComingSoon.net. This saw the actor giving rather unenthusiastic responses when asked if he would be back as Agent 47, stating, “If they want me to do another one, I suppose they could have me, yes.”
The star does go on to say he appreciated the opportunity of Hitman, but in a later Rolling Stone interview, he got real candid. Olyphant only took Hitman after Deadwood was canceled, hated being away from his family in Bulgaria, and having to shave his head every day to complete Agent 47’s signature look.
Timothy Olyphant Took Hitman Purely For The Payday
The Hitman poses with two pistols from the film Hitman.
Olyphant may have seen Hitman as a good opportunity to test out an action role, but it was in no way a passion project. At the time, he was riding high off the success and acclaim of Deadwood, to the point where he bought a nice house following the show’s third season.
As he later recounted to Rolling Stone, he soon learned Deadwood had been canceled. That’s when fate intervened, with Fox offering him both Live Free or Die Hard and Hitman around the same time. Badly in need of cash, Olyphant said yes to both Fox movies despite having no interest in either.
How about the villain of Die Hard?” I said, “Sure.” And they’re like, “Do you want to read the script?” I said, ” I get it. I’m in. I just bought a house. Did you not hear? They just canceled my f***ing show. Yes, I’ll do it.” “What about this video game adaptation?” “Yes to that too. I’m in. I’ve got to make up some TV money.
Olyphant disliked the experience of Hitman to such a degree it made him reassess his career and where he was heading. He specifically recalled the feeling of being on location filming it, and how he needed to work harder to avoid ending up in such a miserable situation.
Find yourself bald in Bulgaria doing some pile of s***, that will get you up a little earlier in the morning and make you work a little harder.
In the aftermath of Hitman, Olyphant still stuck with genre fare, but in better-reviewed projects like A Perfect Getaway and The Crazies remake. Olyphant soon moved on to Justified, with this six-season modern Western reinventing his career and giving him his most iconic character in Marshal Raylan Givens.
Rupert Friend Replaced Olyphant In Hitman: Agent 47
Agent 47 (Rupert Friend) with two pistols in Hitman: Agent 47.
Presumably due to Olyphant’s reluctance, a sequel to Hitman took almost a decade to arrive. Paul Walker was the original actor cast for Hitman: Agent 47, but his tragic death in a car accident in 2013 saw the role fall to Rupert Friend instead.
Agent 47 billed itself as a soft reboot, but in reality, there’s nothing to say it’s not a direct sequel. On the whole, Friend did a better job with the role than Olyphant, feeling closer in spirit to the character from the games while making Agent 47 likable enough to root for.
The sequel felt like a strange mix of the original and a Terminator movie, with 47 tasked with saving a young woman from a near-unstoppable foe. The film was still a success, earning well over double its $35 million budget, but it didn’t feel like a faithful Hitman movie either, nor did it excite audiences enough for another sequel.
Timothy Olyphant Was Right To Quit Hitman
Timothy Olyphant as Raylan Givens staring menacingly in a brightly lit room, in Justified City Primeval.
Olyphant’s career has gone from strength to strength following Hitman, and the star is more in demand than ever. That’s thanks to the career course correction the film inspired, even though he essentially walked away from what could have become a major franchise for him.
In truth, Olyphant was totally right to walk away from Hitman, since he was miscast in the role. The star feels too restrained and awkward as Agent 47, where he has to temper down his natural charisma, while his efforts to look intimidating while wielding a gun never truly convince.
That’s not to say Olyphant is bad in Hitman. He throws himself into the action and manages to wring droplets of emotion out of a very clichéd script. There’s just a sense he’s not comfortable as Agent 47 or knows what emotional register to aim for with the film. With that in mind, exiting the Hitman franchise was best.
Source: Box Office Mojo, Rotten Tomatoes, RogerEbert.com, ComingSoon.net, Rolling Stone
When Kyle Wilkerson was gutting the interior of the new Sid the Cat Auditorium in South Pasadena, he found reminders of the woman who first made it beautiful a hundred years ago.
“Lucile Lloyd was a prominent [Works Progress Administration] muralist; she did work all among the schools in this area,” said concert promoter Wilkerson. “There are photos of her in menswear smoking up in the rafters back in the 1930s. She had a tragic life, and ended up committing suicide. We thought all of the panels she did here were gone.”
Fall Preview 2025
The only guide you need to fall entertainment.
“But then right before Christmas,” he continued, “one of the ceiling panels had started cracking. I looked up and I was like, ‘They’re still there.’ The light was still shining in.”
A few gorgeous floral stencils, small sculptures and a stained glass window remain from Lloyd’s work in the auditorium of the former South Pasadena elementary school, which closed to students in 1979. But she was a muse for the team at Sid the Cat, an independent concert promoter which has put on shows across L.A. for over a decade. It’ll finally have the rambling, meticulously restored historic venue of its dreams opening this fall.
Less than a year after the Eaton fire destroyed Altadena, a nearby neighborhood beloved by generations of musicians, the 500-capacity venue is a sign of new life returning to the area’s arts scene.
“The first thing we thought of when the fires happened was ‘What can we do to help?’ The second was ‘I wish we were open already, because we could have done food drives and shows to raise funds,’” Wilkerson said. “It’s a very fragile little ecosystem that we’re a part of here.”
Sid the Cat promoters Brandon Gonzalez, from left, Sean Newman and Kyle Wilkerson onstage at the Sid the Cat Auditorium in South Pasadena.
(Etienne Laurent / For The Times)
Before the pandemic, Sid the Cat — a team of promoters including Wilkerson, Brandon Gonzalez and Sean Newman — thought they’d found their home venue at the Bootleg Theater on the southern edge of Echo Park and Historic Filipinotown. That nightclub was beloved by locals, but closed in 2021 during the apocalypse that COVID-19 wreaked on independent venues. (The space is now 2220 Arts + Archives).
“We loved the Bootleg, but it was DIY from the beginning,” Gonzalez said. “We did the best we could with the tools and the resources we had.”
They kept a packed calendar of one-off shows at venues like the Highland Park Ebell Club, Zebulon and even the Bob Baker Marionette Theater. Acts like Khruangbin, Bright Eyes, Wet Leg, Jackson Browne and Fiona Apple have played their concerts, but it was exhausting managing and rebuilding new concert setups night after night. “Sometimes I felt like an ice cream shop owner,” Wilkerson said. “I’d go to the artist and be like, ‘What flavor do you want? You want a seated venue? You want this side of town?’ We loved having options, but we really wanted a beautiful-sounding room of our own.”
In 2022, after they scouted an estimated 150 rooms from the deep Westside to the San Gabriel Valley, they found the South Pasadena Elementary School, which was planned for adaptive reuse into a dining and nightlife destination in downtown South Pasadena. (Sid’s neighbors in the space will include Villa’s Tacos, District Brewing Co. and coffeeshop the Boy and the Bear).
Just steps from the A Line, and boasting a breezeway entrance with a detached bar, ample bathrooms and a gigantic outdoor patio and parking lot, the space was unique for its amenities and history, right in the center of a San Gabriel Valley neighborhood already adored by working artists (Phoebe Bridgers, who played many of her early shows for Sid the Cat, grew up nearby).
The physical structure of a former school turned out to be distinctly useful for a venue — artists and road crew will thrill to a washer and dryer in the green room and a truck-loading dock that connects directly to the rear of the stage.
The pathway leading to the Sid the Cat Auditorium from the bar space of the venue in South Pasadena.
(Etienne Laurent / For The Times)
“It has such great bones that we can kind of step away and let it do its thing,” Wilkerson said. “It brings out a different level of artistry to put acts in a unique setting that has character and history. If you do this for as long as us, you hear the horror stories on the road, and a space like this stands out on your tour. It has everything you need in a truly walkable neighborhood.”
The team said they did not take on any investors or partner promoters to fund the venue, and paid for the lease and the construction themselves from a mix of ticketing contracts, savings from show profits and a GoFundMe.
“There’s no financial backers. We’re not trust fund kids and we don’t have a bunch of real estate properties making money that way,” Wilkerson said. “It’s literally every dime we’ve ever worked for, and that’s scary.”
The nerve to risk it all on restoring a historic — and all-ages — venue impressed Shannon Lay, an L.A. singer-songwriter whose projects have frequented Sid the Cat venues over the years.
“Promoters have a really unique role in the music scene. They’re the curators, the trusted source,” Lay said. “I learned the other night that the venue is entirely self-funded and it kind of blew my mind. I figured there had to be an investor of some kind, but it’s these incredible people and the community coming together to make it happen.”
“It’s important for people to consider that shows are sacred, especially in the U.S. where financial support is scarce,” she added. “It’s a labor of love. We become our own safety net, and we make it work because we need it.”
A dusty glass panel with “Sid the Cat” wording and a scribble of a cat at the South Pasadena music venue.
(Etienne Laurent / For The Times)
For musicians and everyone in northeast L.A., the need for a community safety net became terrifyingly clear during the Eaton fire in January. That disaster, along with the Palisades fire, displaced two distinct communities with deep roots in the music industry.
While high-profile fundraisers like FireAid and groups like MusiCares have steered millions to affected communities, all the larger economic forces that are crushing local artists are still compounding. And as violent ICE raids and a battering ram of tense political news wear down many Angelenos, the musicians and audiences that keep a local cultural scene vibrant are wondering if there’s a future for them in L.A.
“It’s hard to convince people to come out of their house and buy a ticket,” Wilkerson said. “Concert tickets have gone up in price, like everything else. We’ve built a community that people trust, but there are nights that bomb, and we wonder why but most of the time it has nothing do with the art. There are other things happening in the world, or the economy’s tanking. It’s a tough question to answer.”
Having a new, beautifully restored venue to perform and congregate in might sway fans’ and artists’ decisions just a bit.
“With the current administration, the fires and then the ICE raids, sometimes I just want to coil up in a ball and just be away,” Gonzalez said. “But we’ve realized a lot of our community want to be together. We posted about the ICE raids and people were like, ‘How can you still do shows?’ Well, we really believe that people can be inspired to make change through the artists that come through the rooms. There’s a lot of power in that and it gives us the will to move forward even though it’s a tough time.”
A sculpture by American artist Lucile Lloyd is at one corner of the Sid the Cat stage.
(Etienne Laurent / For The Times)
While Sid the Cat Auditorium hasn’t set its exact opening date, nor booked its lineup of shows, the team estimates construction is about 85% finished. With the blessing of South Pasadena city government and local neighbors, they’re hopeful they’ll avoid last-minute permit snags or delays, even as costs for construction and labor for a historic building have skyrocketed post-fires and post-tariffs. South Pasadena Mayor Janet Braun said she’s “very excited” about the new venue, calling it “a beautifully renovated historic space with a 21st century sound system and amenities.”
Finding those lost panels from Lloyd was proof enough to believe that, even after tragedy and years of rebuilding, there’s still beauty worth sifting through the ashes for.
“People came out after the fires to our shows and told us, ‘I’m so happy to be out and forget a little bit about what just happened to our city,’” Wilkerson said. “We’re that escape for a lot of people, and they have those four hours where they can get away from all that, enjoy the music and cut loose. It’s such a privilege and we don’t take it for granted.”
A host of new names have been added to the bill for British musician and composer Brian Eno’s Together for Palestine concert, including legendary Bristol band Portishead.
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
Taking place at London’s OVO Arena Wembley on Sept. 17, the event will raise funds for the Choose Love charity, with all proceeds going to support Palestinian organizations providing humanitarian relief such as Taawon, Palestine Children’s Relief Fund and Palestine Medical Relief Service. Tickets are sold out, but official merch is available to purchase here.
The latest additions to the line-up include Celeste and Leigh-Anne, Palestinian artists Saint Levant, and El Far3i, and recent Coldplay tour support Elyanna, as well as actors Amer Hlehel, Benedict Cumberbatch, Charithra Chandran, Guy Pearce, Motaz Malhees and Ramy Youssef. Broadcasters Louis Theroux and Jameela Jamil, as well as Holocaust survivor Stephen Kapos, are also slated to make appearances.
Portishead, meanwhile, will be reuniting after years of inactivity for a pre-recorded performance of their song “Roads.” Speaking about their involvement via a press release, the group said: “We are incredibly honoured to stand in solidarity with Palestine and be part of this crucial event. The genocide must stop.”
Portishead last appeared together publicly in 2022 at a War Child UK benefit concert in Bristol. Otherwise, the band haven’t performed regularly since their last festival run in 2014, and have spent the past decade pursuing different musical and film endeavors, including a solo album from vocalist Beth Gibbons (2024’s Lives Outgrown).
“Together For Palestine will be a moment in history that we look back on and say we stood on the side of humanity, and I am honoured to be involved,” said Jameela Jamil in a statement. “It will be a night of music and hope, standing together with the Palestinian people. Working with Choose Love means the world to me and all the money raised will go to Palestinian-led partners providing life-saving support and humanitarian aid.”
Guy Pearce added: “I feel utterly heartbroken every day witnessing the atrocities inflicted upon the innocent people of Palestine. It’s hard not to feel helpless. Being part of this concert will enable me to share my heart with others who also see the injustice in these horrific crimes. More importantly it enables me to show my support for and to the people of Gaza, and all those subjected to this brutal genocide. Hopefully this concert encourages more people to stand up and speak out.”
They joined a stacked line-up of performers and guests, from Jamie xx, Damon Albarn and PinkPantheress to Bastille, King Krule, Greentea Peng, James Blake and more.
Eno will serve as executive producer for the evening along with production managers Khaled Ziada, Khalid Abdalla and Tracey Seaward. The visuals for the event will be guided by Gazan painter Malak Mattar and directed by theatre-maker Amir Nizar Zuabi.
The hit supernatural comedy Wednesday returns with the Addams Family battling reanimated zombies and other monstrous threats. The trial begins on the docudrama The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox, and it’s not pretty. The Platonic buddies go on an eventful road trip. The rebooted Beavis and Butt-Head returns with more happily mindless antics.
Sophy Holland / Netflix
Wednesday
“Mad scientist, cliché soundtrack: Perfect,” snarks Wednesday Addams (the pitch-perfect Jenna Ortega) during one of the action climaxes as the hit supernatural action comedy returns to close out its second season with four jampacked episodes. Last seen being thrown from a window at the Willow Hill mental asylum, Wednesday awakens on, when else, the Day of the Dead, her favorite holiday. With a reanimated zombie on the loose among other threats to the Addams Family and their allies at Nevermore Academy, Wednesday gets an unwelcome assist from her new spirit guide: the ghost of the late Principal Weems (Gwendoline Christie), one of Wednesday’s sharper critics. Generational conflict between Wednesday, her mother Morticia (Catherine Zeta-Jones) and the imperious Grandmama (Joanna Lumley) add to the campy fun as the school’s gala looms, where new enemies reveal themselves. Also on the busy agenda: a no-longer-secret cameo by Lady Gaga, an unexpected origin story for a beloved character and a Freaky Friday-style incident that reveals Ortega’s range and flair for physical comedy. It’s enough to make a dour Addams crack a smile.
Disney / Andrea Miconi
The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox
The hard knocks continue in the docudrama depicting the legal ordeal of Amanda Knox (Grace Van Patten), the college student accused and now on trial in an Italian kangaroo court for the murder of her roommate. Even when the actual murderer is caught and convicted in a separate fast-track trial, Amanda (aka “Foxy Knoxy” in the tabloid media) faces humiliation and character assassination in court, and in the court of public opinion.
Apple TV+
Platonic
Sylvia (Rose Byrne) takes a road trip with her two best buds, the unattached and unhinged Will (Seth Rogen) and Katie (Carla Gallo), driving to Palm Desert as they all assess the state of their messy lives. Will is heading to a corporate retreat, hoping to patch things up with the boss lady he left at the altar. (His peace offering provides a masterful bit of slapstick comedy.) And while Sylvia brags that her life is “stable and predictable” by comparison, she’s in denial that Charlie (Luke Macfarlane), her steadfast rock of a husband, may be on the verge of a nervous breakdown after his disastrous experience on Jeopardy! (That would be my worst nightmare as well.)
Paramount+ / Courtesy Everett Collection
Mike Judge’s Beavis and Butt-head
After two seasons on Paramount+, Mike Judge‘s rebooted animated comedy is back on basic cable where it belongs. And it rarely gets more basic than the inane antics of these best buds who snort and chortle their way through a perpetual state of arrested development. The new series, featuring two vignettes each week, toggles between episodes featuring the duo as teens and as middle-aged though hardly wiser versions of themselves. In the opener, teen Butt-Head loses his braces and has an epiphany. In the second, older Butt-Head has a heart attack with only Beavis to provide aid and comfort. Good luck with that. Preceded by a new episode of South Park (10/9c), which takes on the hot topic of tariffs when Butters tries to buy a Labubu doll for his girlfriend’s birthday. This show has never felt more essential.
Elizabeth Morris/Prime
Countdown
The title of the quippy action drama’s Season 1 finale is a giveaway: “Your People Are in Danger.” So what else is new for the task force, led by the wry Jensen Ackles and the fierce Jessica Camacho and overseen by a stoic Eric Dane. As they close in on the sniper known as “Todd,” they also realize that he knows who they are, having been lured to a bar where he was waiting to identify them. The series hasn’t been renewed—yet—but that won’t stop a show like this from ending on a major cliffhanger.
INSIDE WEDNESDAY TV:
The Last Wright: Building the Final Home Design of America’s Greatest Architect (8/7c, Magnolia Network): A four-part series depicts the painstaking efforts of mother-daughter duo Debbie and Sarah Dykstra to build a home using plans left behind by legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright before his death in 1959.
Mountain Men (8/7c, History Channel): The 14th season of the reality series about people living off the grid in the Alaskan wilderness welcomes 28-year-old newbies Chance and Soraya Painter, raising two young kids on a remote homestead. Elsewhere, veteran Marty Meierotto guides daughter Noah on her first landing of a bush plane at a caribou camp.
Family Law (8/7c, The CW): Abby’s (Jewel Staite) latest client is a bereaved man whose wish to spread his dead husband’s ashes is blocked by his homophobic sister-in-law.
MasterChef (8/7c, Fox): The semifinal round is a mash-up of two challenges: “Tag Team” and “Keeping Up with Gordon,” as the teams try to make one of Gordon Ramsay‘s classic dishes as quickly as he can, while also taking turns.
Expedition X (9/8c, Discovery): With the release of The Conjuring: Last Rites just days away, Josh Gates‘ associates Heather Amaro and Phil Torres head to Rhode Island to the original “Conjuring House” to confront a new set of malicious spirits.
ON THE STREAM:
Get This In Your Inbox Every Day
Subscribe to our Matt’s Worth Watching newsletter:
Dozens of the world’s leading climate researchers on Tuesday publicly rebuked a hastily assembled report from the Trump administration that questions the severity of global warming — marking one of the strongest repudiations yet of the president’s efforts to downplay climate change.
In a withering 459-page document, more than 85 scientists denounced the Department of Energy‘s July report as biased, error-ridden and unfit for guiding policy.
The report “fails to adequately represent the current scientific understanding of climate change,” they wrote. The authors include veterans in atmospheric science, physics, ecology, forecast modeling and several other fields at universities, think tanks and research institutions in the United States and abroad.
Titled “A Critical Review of Impacts of Greenhouse Gas Emissions on the U.S. Climate,” the report was written by five researchers selected by U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright. It was published after the White House dismissed more than 400 scientists working on the sixth National Climate Assessment and shut down the website that housed the previous assessments.
The Environmental Protection Agency leaned on the Energy Department report in its hotly contested proposal to repeal the endangerment finding, a landmark 2009 determination affirming that planet-warming greenhouse gases pose a threat to human health and the environment. The finding is the basis of many federal climate efforts.
Among its controversial conclusions, the Energy Department report determines that carbon dioxide-induced warming “might be less damaging economically than commonly believed,” and that “aggressive mitigation policies” — such as those designed to curb the use of fossil fuels — “could prove more detrimental than beneficial.”
“The purpose of this report is to restore an open and transparent dialogue around climate science,” department spokesman Ben Dietderich said in a statement to The Times on Tuesday.
But the authors of the rebuttal say the report misrepresents evidence, relies on discredited research and fails to follow the peer review process typically expected of rigorous scientific assessments, among other concerns.
“The more than 85 volunteer expert reviewers found that DOE’s committee of five produced a report that is not scientifically credible,” said Robert Kopp, a distinguished professor in the Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences at Rutgers University and one of the authors of the critical review.
The 500-page review was submitted as a public comment in the Federal Register. More than 2,400 public comments have been submitted about the Energy Department report to date.
The Trump administration has been outspoken in its skepticism of climate change. In March, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the agency’s plans to roll back more than 30 environmental regulations that he said were stifling American energy production and driving up costs for consumers, including the endangerment finding. “We are driving a dagger straight into the heart of the climate change religion,” Zeldin said.
President Trump this year also withdrew the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement and subsequently championed the production of fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal, which have long been understood to contribute to climate change by releasing carbon dioxide that traps heat in the atmosphere. The administration has been halting clean-energy projects that are fully permitted, under contract and under construction.
In response, the scientists said the basic science of the Earth’s climate has been well established through decades of research, including that of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
“The evidence shows that human influence is warming the atmosphere, ocean, and land in a way that is unprecedented for many centuries to millennia,” they wrote. “The evidence that human-caused climate change is changing heat waves, heavy rainfall events, droughts, hurricanes, and wildfires has grown.”
They pointed to several examples of errors and “cherry-picked” information in the federal report, such as a section that argues that climate models have overestimated warming because the U.S. Corn Belt — which makes up less than 1% of the area of the planet — did not warm as projected.
Another section of the report states that U.S. tidal gauge readings reveal “no obvious acceleration” of sea-level rise, but the researchers noted that it selected only five tidal gauges to support that claim, while ignoring a wide body of findings to the contrary.
In his foreword to the report, Wright acknowledged that climate change is real but downplayed its effects, stating that “misguided” policies on the issue have been based on fear, distorted facts and exaggerated and incomplete information. (Wright later said the administration may revise the previously published National Climate Assessments.)
But Kopp, of Rutgers, said that most climate models and projections contain a variety of potential outcomes, including some scenarios where society acts quickly to reduce fossil fuel emissions and limit warming, and others where warming continues to accelerate.
“This report is about emphasizing the uncertainty — things might not be as bad as we think — while ignoring the potential that things could be much worse than we think,” Kopp said.
In fact, climate change has been outpacing many scientific projections, which tend to be conservative, given their reliance on consensus.
The researchers came together after Andrew Dessler, a professor of atmospheric sciences at Texas A&M University, posted about the federal report on the social media site BlueSky, asking whether anyone was considering a coordinated response. What followed was a robust, grassroots effort to review and reply to each section of the report.
“This report makes a mockery of science,” Dessler said in a statement. “It relies on ideas that were rejected long ago, supported by misrepresentations of the body of scientific knowledge, omissions of important facts, arm waving, anecdotes and confirmation bias. This report makes it clear DOE has no interest in engaging with the scientific community.”
The 85 researchers who rebuked the report are far from the only ones concerned about the Energy Department’s findings.
A separate public comment submitted Tuesday by the Union of Concerned Scientists — a nonprofit representing more than 21,000 scientists — decried the department’s report as “deeply flawed” and rife with “anti-science content.”
“It is a staggering affront to the public,” the group wrote in its testimony, “to see such a flawed product put forward as an official U.S. Government document.”
The authors of the federal report began working in early April with a late May deadline, according to their preface. Dietderich, the department spokesman, said agency officials “look forward to reviewing and engaging on substantive comments” after the public comment period ends Tuesday.
Rosé poses in the PUMA x ROSE collaboration. Photo: PUMA
Rosé steps into the spotlight with her first full PUMA collection, and it’s everything fans could dream of. The global ambassador just unveiled PUMA x ROSÉ, a monochromatic drop that feels equal parts sporty, stylish, and personal.
The campaign, shot outdoors in soft, nostalgic light, shows Rosé lounging in wildflower fields and striking poses against green landscapes. The mood? Dreamlike yet fearless. It perfectly matches her vision of “quiet rebellion” and authentic self-expression.
PUMA x ROSE Collaboration
The PUMA collection itself blends oversized streetwear silhouettes with feminine touches, bringing Rosé’s personal style to the forefront. Standouts include a mesh top stamped with a bold “ROSIE” graphic, relaxed track jackets and pants, and a lineup of accessories, such as playful mini duffle bags.
On the footwear side, Rosé reimagines the iconic PUMA Speedcat with pointe-inspired laces on the Speedcat Ballet and sleek statement details on the OG Premium.
“This PUMA x ROSÉ collection is really special to me because it reflects so much of who I am, both on and off stage,” Rosé said. “I wanted it to feel like how I see myself without all the noise, and I think there’s something really powerful in that.”
The one issue that liberals have held onto is that Trump’s DC takeover was only in effect for 30 days, unless he declared an emergency.
Now, Muriel Bowser has issued an executive order for local law enforcement to work with federal officials indefinitely, which means Trump does not have to declare an emergency. She clearly thinks this arrangement is working well.
This is a huge win for Trump but more importantly, a massive win for the people who live and work in the city.
Mayor Muriel Bowser Directs D.C. Police to Coordinate with Federal Law Enforcement Indefinitely
Washington, DC, Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) issued an executive order Tuesday directing the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) to work and cooperate with federal law enforcement officials indefinitely.
A press release from Bowser’s office stated that the mayor’s order “continues the work of the Safe and Beautiful Emergency Operations Center (SBEOC) in managing the District’s response to the Safe and Beautiful Task Force,” which was established by President Donald Trump.
The order from Bowser comes as Trump in early August announced that he was “officially invoking section 740 of the district of Columbia Home Rule Act” and that the MPD would be placed under “direct federal control.” Trump also activated the National Guard.
The SBEOC “will manage the District’s response, coordinate centralized communications, and ensure coordination with federal law enforcement to the maximum extent allowable by law within the District,” according to the press release.
This is amazing.
Today, I issued Mayor’s Order 2025-090 to provide the pathway forward beyond the Presidential emergency.
BREAKING: Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser immediately requires all Metro Police to coordinate with federal officers FOREVER, with no expiration, after President Trump’s takeover was a MAJOR success in lowering crime on a large scale.
The success of Trump’s approach in Washington, DC is going to make it impossible for the left to argue that it should not be applied in other cities with a massive crime problem.
A cancer expert is urging men to not ignore ‘niggly’ health issues, as taking action could save their life. Many people will develop aches and pains as they get older but while the odd ones aren’t usually something to worry about others could be a sign of something more serious.
And with men often being reluctant to see medical help, oncologists are worried life-altering conditions, like cancer, could be getting found too late. According to a recent ONS Health Insight Survey, just 33.5% of men had attempted to make contact with their GP practice for themselves or someone else in their household in the last 28 days. This is compared to 45.8% of women.
Dr Jiri Kubes, radiation oncologist at the Proton Therapy Center, said: “We know men are less likely to book in to see their GP, and these latest figures show this is a continuing trend.” Dr Kubes has now drawn up six signs men should be looking out for and explained what they should do if they spot them.
Back pain
Often dismissed as part of getting old, back pain is one of those niggles that can be ignored. Dr Kubes said: “Back pain is usually musculoskeletal but persistent or deep pain in the lower back or hips requires attention.
“If it’s getting worse or doesn’t improve at home after a few weeks, it’s time to call your GP.”
Persistent fatigue
Another symptom many may link to ageing, but feeling constantly fatigued can be linked to many serious illnesses. “Ongoing fatigue, even after proper rest, could be a subtle sign of many underlying conditions, including cancer, especially if it’s accompanying other symptoms,” Dr Kubes said.
Unintentional weight loss
If you have suddenly started to lose weight and haven’t changed your diet or exercise habits, it’s time to call your GP. Dr Kubes said: “Sudden weight loss with no obvious reason should always be discussed with your doctor.
“It could be down to a number of different reasons, for example stress, but it could also be linked to serious illnesses such as cancer.”
Lumps and bumps
Any changes to your body that are not normal for you should be discussed with a GP as soon as possible. Dr Kubes said: “Any unusual swelling, lumps or bumps anywhere on the body should not be ignored.
“There could be a very innocent explanation, or it could be something serious that needs attention.”
Sore throat
It could be just a cold, but if a painful throat is lingering, it could be something else. “Having a sore throat for longer than three weeks is worthy of a call to your GP,” Dr Kubes said.
“If it’s accompanied by hoarseness or difficulty swallowing then it could be an early sign of throat cancer.”
Urinary changes
Changes to toilet habits can indicate something is wrong. “Changes in urinary flow – whether it’s a weak stream, difficulty starting, or the sensation of incomplete emptying – are symptoms we routinely investigate for urological cancers,” Dr Kubes said.
China’s status as a military superpower was on full display as Beijing marked the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.
Tens of thousands of troops, tanks and armoured vehicles moved through Tiananmen Square on Wednesday, along with a fearsome array of missiles. Fighter jets soared overhead.
“They want to advertise to the world that they’re doing old and new,” military analyst Michael Clarke told Sky News. “So they were showing the enormity of what they’ve got in in traditional terms, but also some of the new things.”
Indeed, the event featured many weapons and equipment that had never been seen in public before.
In this story, Sky News looks at what units and military hardware were on display in the Chinese capital.
Image: Flags flutter as soldiers participate in a military parade to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. Pic: Reuters
Land forces
Huge numbers of soldiers from various wings of China’s armed forces made up the bulk of the parade, marching in perfect lockstep in neat rows.
As well as the traditional elements from the army and navy, the procession also featured newer pieces like the cyberspace unit.
The new unit is in charge of cybersecurity defence measures, the Xinhua state news agency says, and also took part in live-fire drills.
Another new unit was the information support force, which was created in 2024 to build network information systems to support military combat readiness.
Image: Tanks as part of the military parade
Nuclear triad on display for the first time
Also rolling through the square were an array of missiles, including those that form China’s strategic nuclear capability.
For the first time, Beijing unveiled its nuclear triad of air, land and sea-based missiles.
This included the JL-1 air-based long-range missile, JL-3 submarine-launched intercontinental missile, DF-61 land-based intercontinental missile, and the new type DF-31 land-based intercontinental missile.
The weapons are China’s strategic “ace” power to safeguard the country’s sovereignty and nation’s dignity, according to Xinhua.
China is one of four countries known to possess a nuclear triad, along with the US, Russia and India.
Other missiles on display included hypersonic anti-ship missiles that China has previously tested against mockups of US aircraft carriers, such as the Yingji-19, Yingji-17 and Yingji-20.
“These are designed to frighten the United States,” Mr Clarke says, with reference to the Pacific Ocean where US warships patrol from their 7th Fleet headquarters in Japan.
China also put a number of its unmanned weapon systems on display, evidence of the changing nature of modern warfare.
Arguably the most interesting were the so-called ‘robot wolves’.
Image: ‘Robot wolves’ carried on vehicles
There were also underwater drones such as the AJX002, a long, black tube-shaped craft that looks like a narrow submarine with a rear propeller.
The military also showed off unmanned helicopters that are designed to be launched from ships.
Image: Air-defence laser weapons that have been recently developed. Pic: Reuters
Like other militaries, China has also been developing laser weapons to defend against drone attacks – one of which was on display today as well.
As attack drones get more advanced – and numerous – a counter drive to develop cheaper ways of shooting them down is ongoing.
“The one that they kept under wraps was this laser gun,” Mr Clarke said. “It was all under tarpaulin in the rehearsals – and suddenly there it was. It was like a big searchlight on a vehicle.
“Laser guns, despite James Bond films, are not quite as ground-breaking as people think, but there it was: a new laser gun.”
Air force
Beijing has developed a number of advanced aircraft in recent years, and several of them were on display on Wednesday.
Soaring above the parade were China’s two fifth-generation fighter jets, the Chengdu J-20 and Shenyang J-35A.
Image: J-16D, J-20, and J-35A fighter jets fly over Tiananmen Square. Pic: Reuters
Both have stealth capabilities and are designed to try to rival the US air force’s F-35 jet.
China has two of the five fifth-generation fighter jets currently known to operate globally. The others are the American F-35 (also operated by the UK and other allies) and F-22, as well as the Russian Su-57.
China showing off its range – and numbers
“What they’re showing here is that they’ve got a full panoply of weapons systems,” Mr Clarke says, pointing to the various land, sea and air assets.
“Whether they can link them together in combined arms warfare, we don’t know, because they haven’t fought a major war since the 1950s… but on paper it’s extremely impressive.”
He added: “It’s not as big as the American military yet, but it certainly rivals it. And it certainly worries American military planners.”
