With Prince Harry reportedly traveling to London early this month on the anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s death, the news of him reuniting with his estranged dad, King Charles III, is circulating in the media. However, sources have claimed that the Duke of Sussex is seemingly not ready to meet his father until a few of his demands are fulfilled.
Prince Harry has set forth 3 conditions before meeting with King Charles, says source
All eyes are now on Prince Harry’s London visit on September 8 for the annual WellChild Awards. It is taking place on the death anniversary of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II. With the visit, many are expecting Harry to reunite with his father, King Charles, for the first time in almost two years. However, palace insiders have told Rob Shuter’s #ShuterScoop that the Duke of Sussex has set forth three conditions before meeting the monarch. In case his demands are not met, their reunion might be in jeopardy.
According to the source, “Harry doesn’t want another trip where he feels unprotected and exposed.” Hence, this time, he wants “iron-clad guarantees — not vague promises.” So, as his first two demands, he has asked for “security and privacy,” which are “non-negotiable.” Harry wants security for his family when he arrives in the United Kingdom. Additionally, it has to be funded by the king. He also does not want any paparazzi around his family during their visit. The press control has to be coordinated by the palace.
But it is the third condition which has apparently baffled the palace courtiers. “Harry insists Meghan must be treated as HRH,” as per the insider. The Duke of Sussex wants his family members to show his wife “the formal respect of bows and curtsies,” despite her stepping down from her royal duties. However, it seems difficult, as for his brother, Prince William, “that’s a hard no.”
Looking at the demand of his youngest son, Charles is reportedly taken aback. “He wants peace and to see his son,” claimed a palace veteran. But “these demands risk blowing open old wounds.” A courtier further added that although Harry is “offering reconciliation,” it comes “at a price. And that price includes the entire royal family bowing to Meghan,” which not everyone is happy about.
One challenge in the field of AI-enabled attacks — which is to say, attacks that didn’t exist or weren’t possible before genAI — is how quickly everything changes. Take AI browsers, for example. This new category of web browser includes Perplexity Comet, Dia (by The Browser Company), Fellou, Opera Neon, Sigma AI Browser, Arc Max, Microsoft Edge Copilot, Brave Leo, Wave Browser Pro, SigmaOS, Opera Aria, Genspark AI Browser, Poly, Quetta Browser, Browserbase, Phew AI Tab, and the upcoming OpenAI browser.
The most agentic is Perplexity’s Comet browser, which clicks links, navigates web pages, fills out forms, manages emails and calendars, books travel and makes purchases, analyzes browsing history, automates multistep workflows, interacts with logged-in services, compares products across websites, unsubscribes from emails, extracts and synthesizes information from multiple sources, manages tabs by opening and closing them, searches and filters through user-executed complex research tasks autonomously, and provides conversational assistance with contextual awareness across all browsing activities.
Security researchers at Guardio Labs demonstrated how simple it has become for criminals to trick AI browsers into committing crimes. When the researchers instructed Comet to buy an Apple Watch, the AI obediently visited a fake Walmart website they had created in 10 seconds using basic web tools. The browser ignored obvious signs of fraud and automatically filled in saved credit card details and shipping information to complete the purchase. In testing, Comet sometimes has refused the transaction or has asked for human approval, but in other cases it has handed over sensitive payment data directly to the scammers.
Turning your house into a smart home is easier — and more useful — than ever. From automating your lights and climate to securing your front door, smart home tech has come a long way in making everyday life more convenient, energy-efficient and secure. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to upgrade your setup, there are plenty of gadgets that work seamlessly together to make your home feel a little more futuristic.
The best smart home gadgets can help you control everything from your light switch to your smart thermostat with a tap on your smartphone or a quick voice control command. Whether you’re setting routines with a motion sensor, managing entry with a smart lock, or keeping an eye on things with a full security system, modern home automation puts you in charge — often with options for remote control when you’re away.
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Best smart home gadgets for 2025: Smart speakers
Photo by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget
Our recommendation for the best smart speaker is the Sonos Era 100. It’s compact enough to fit in most areas in your home, but more importantly, it delivers excellent audio quality that’s superior to a lot of other smart speakers out there. When tuned properly to the acoustics of your room — which requires the iPhone app — the sound is fantastic, with punchy bass and clear highs. Unfortunately, the Android app doesn’t have TruePlay tuning (Sonos has not said whether it’s in the works), but the speakers should still sound admirable. It’s also compatible with a slew of streaming services to play music, including major ones like Spotify and Pandora.
The main benefit that a Sonos speaker brings over the competition is that it’s a gateway to a multi-room audio setup that you can build out over time. It’s also convenient if you plan on building a home theater setup later on, as the Era 100 integrates well with Sonos soundbars.
For those with tighter budgets, there are a handful of smart speakers around $100. We recommend picking up one of the three latest smart speakers from either Google, Amazon or Apple. Out of the three, we think the Echo has the best audio quality. Our colleague Nate Ingraham said its bass is impressive and the mid-range frequencies are pretty powerful. You can also pair two together to get even better stereo sound.
That said, the Nest Audio and HomePod mini are no slouches either. The HomePod mini sounds balanced, while the Nest Audio has pretty good bass tones. Again, it all comes down to which assistant you prefer.
The best Alexa-powered smart display is the Echo Show 8. The Echo Show 5 is a little too small, while the Echo Show 10 and its rotating screen take up too much space. The Echo Show 8, on the other hand, is perfectly sized for a living room and most other rooms in the house. Like other Alexa-powered smart displays, it supports plenty of video streaming services including Amazon Prime, Hulu and Netflix and it comes with a couple of built-in browsers that you can use to surf the web on its touchscreen. Unfortunately, it doesn’t support YouTube, which is a pretty notable omission considering how ubiquitous the service is. As a workaround, you can access it via the aforementioned browsers, but the experience isn’t as smooth as if it were a native app.
You can use the Show 8 to make video calls with any phone or tablet with the Alexa app. Alternatively, it supports Skype, Zoom and Amazon’s own Chime service. Like the Nest Hub Max, the Show 8 also has an optional face-tracking feature that follows your movements around the room during a call.
Our favorite Google-powered smart display is the second-generation Nest Hub. It has a 7-inch screen, which makes it just big enough to fit in most rooms in the house. The size also makes it work well as a digital photo frame. You can set it up to pull in pictures of friends and family from your Google Photos library, and there’s a smart algorithm that automatically uses the best shots while avoiding the blurry ones. As you might expect, you can also use the display to watch YouTube, Netflix and other streaming services.
Plus, a smart display without a camera is great if you want to place it in more intimate places like the bedroom, where you might be more protective of your privacy. If you place it by your bedside, the Nest Hub also has a sensor that can track your sleep patterns, if you opt in.
If you prefer a display with a camera, we recommend splurging on the higher-end Nest Hub Max. Its built-in camera can be used for video calls with Google Duo, Google Meet and Zoom. This smart gadget also has an optional face-tracking feature that lets the camera follow you around during calls. One benefit of the camera is that it gives you the option for Face Match, a feature that automatically recognizes individual members of the house and then displays the information that’s pertinent only to them, like calendar alerts.
Additionally, the camera adds a unique gestures feature that lets you play and pause media simply by holding up your hand to the screen, which is convenient if you need to stop the music without having to shout across the room. The Google Nest Hub Max also has better audio quality than the Hub thanks to its larger speakers.
One of the easiest ways to introduce smart home technology into your home is to swap out your existing light bulbs with smart ones. Smart light bulbs let you control your lighting remotely, either via an app (via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth) or with your voice. They add automation and scheduling to the mix, so you can have them turn on and off at certain times of the day. Some also let you adjust the smart bulb’s brightness and color temperature, or even let you create a custom light scene.
Our favorite smart lighting products come from Philips Hue, and the White and Color Ambiance LED Smart Button Starter Kit is a particularly good entry point as it includes three Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance 60W LED smart bulbs; a Hue hub that lets you control up to 50 lights; and a Smart Button if you want to have the option of turning off the lights without having your phone around.
This kit offers lots of versatility in lighting styles; you can change not just the brightness of the smart light bulb but also the color temperature and experiment with all different shades of the rainbow, decking out your room in whatever light scene you desire. If that seems a little too daring, Philips offers alternatives: The Hue White Ambiance Starter Kit lacks the color option, while the Hue White Starter Kit won’t let you adjust the color temperature.
The main reason we prefer Philips Hue bulbs is that they’re widely supported across smart home ecosystems. Not only can you find them pretty much anywhere, but they’ll work with Google, Amazon and Apple’s HomeKit. Since all the bulbs connect to the Hue hub via the Zigbee protocol (and not your home’s WiFi), it tends to be more reliable and it won’t slow down your home internet connection either.
TP-Link makes a bunch of affordable IoT gadgets and we liked the Kasa Smart WiFi light bulbs enough to name them our favorite budget devices in our smart lights guide. They’re easy to install and remain reliably connected, plus their companion mobile app is clean and easy to use. These are full-color smart bulbs and we like how changing up the color of your lights is as easy as dragging your finger around a color wheel in the app. Of course, you can stick with different temperatures of white light too, adjusting from warm to cool as needed.
You can also set schedules, allowing your lights to turn on and off at specific times throughout the day, and the app’s “usage” section shows you each bulb’s energy use over time, plus an estimate of how much energy you’re saving by using a smart light instead of a regular one. Ultimately, we like how much value these bulbs pack into an attractive price tag — a four-pack typically costs $40, but you can sometimes find it on sale for as low as $30.
Best smart home gadgets for 2025: Security cameras
Blink
Blink’s latest wireless security cameras may be named “outdoor,” but they’re some of the best to use as home security for both the interior and exterior of your home. These battery-powered cameras run on two AA cells, so you can place them anywhere you want, and they have a battery life of around two years before the cells need replacing. Blink Outdoor 4 home security cameras are weather resistant and support night vision, motion detection and two-way audio. You can store clips in the cloud via the Blink Subscription Plan or you can also save events locally to a Sync Module 2 via a USB flash drive (sold separately). Unfortunately, Blink works with Alexa only, which could be a non-starter for some.
If you want a camera specifically for your front door, a doorbell camera makes more sense than a standalone option. We like the latest Arlo Video Doorbell 2K, which is compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon’s Alexa. It delivers high-quality 2K footage along with a 180-degree view so you can see a person from head to toe and it can ring your phone with a video call whenever someone rings the bell. There’s also two-way audio so you can talk to whoever’s at the door.
A highlight of this doorbell is that it comes with a 30-day trial to Arlo’s Secure subscription service, which includes a motion detection feature that can tell the difference between a person, package, vehicle or animal. Senior Editor Devindra Hardawar said that he really appreciated the package alerts when he tested out a previous version of the doorbell; it did a good job of telling him whenever UPS dropped off a box. It’s such a useful feature, in fact, that we recommend keeping the service beyond the trial period.
In addition to the improved 2K video resolution, the latest Arlo Video Doorbell includes an integrated siren, enhanced night vision, an IP65-rated design and the ability to install it wired or wirelessly. There’s also an HD version that’s a bit cheaper (the 2K model typically goes for $130, but you can snag the HD version for only $80) if you want to save some money upfront.
This model is an updated version of the Roomba 694, a previous favorite budget robot vacuum. Not much has changed here aside from a few design tweaks that result in a simplified silhouette and a larger battery. Otherwise, you’re still getting an excellent, entry-level robot vacuum that has powerful suction for the price, smart navigation for more efficient cleaning and app connectivity. iRobot’s app is really easy to use for luddites and the tech savvy alike. And just in case you don’t have access to the app — maybe you left your phone in another room, for example — this Roomba has a couple of on-device buttons for quick controls.
One of the reasons this model cleans so well is that it has a three-stage system that tells it to suck up dirt while also navigating around obstacles. When it encounters an especially filthy area, it focuses in on it, making sure it’s clean before moving on. You can also manually instruct it to clean a specific spot in case you need it. And if you prefer to talk to your robot vacuum cleaner, this Wi-Fi-connected Roomba works well with both Alexa.
The Roomba Combo j9+ has everything we want in a combination robotic vacuum and mop. It offers incredibly powerful suction, deep floor scrubbing and a slew of smarts to avoid obstacles (including cat and dog poop!). It’s a better vacuum than its predecessor, the Roomba Combo j7+, and it also features a new Clean Base that can automatically refill its liquid tank. More than any Roomba before it, the Combo j9+ can make your floors sparkly clean with very little intervention on your part.
While it’s expensive, the Roomba Combo j9+ certainly beats paying for a professional cleaning service. It’s one of the best robotic vacuums and mops for pet owners, especially for its ability to avoid pet waste. In fact, if the j9+ ends up making a poopy mess due to cat or dog droppings, iRobot will send you a replacement unit for free. (That offer only works for the first year, and it only applies to solid waste from cats and dogs, but it’s still a helpful guarantee for pet owners afraid of the havoc that a robo-vac might wreak.)
The Roomba Combo j9+ features home mapping and can accurately map your home far faster than any previous Roomba, and you can also use the iRobot app to specify room borders. You can also create cleaning routines and label objects to help it clean exactly where you’d like. The j9+ works with smart assistants from Amazon and Google as well, so you can just shout out cleaning requests to your smart speaker. While it’s not a completely magical cleaning robot – you’ll still need to clear up your floors to help it run well – it’s certainly the closest we’ve seen yet to the ideal robotic vacuum and mop for whole-home deep cleaning. — Devindra Hardawar, Senior Reporter
Smart plugs are the easiest way to add a bit of connectivity to your home without spending a ton of money. Connect your regular non-smart lamp and voila, it’s internet connected and you didn’t have to spend a fortune. The best one we’ve tried is from TP-Link: the Kasa Smart Plug Mini. Out of all of the smart plugs we tested, this one was the only plug that provided a truly seamless experience from the jump. It was easy to set up, thanks in part to the Kasa mobile app’s clean and intuitive UI, and it supports all of the features you’d expect from a smart plug: timers, schedules, vacation mode and custom scenes. The updated version of the Smart Plug Mini supports HomeKit in addition to Google Home, Amazon Alexa and Samsung SmartThings, so it should fit into any existing smart home ecosystem you have.
TP-Link’s Deco XE75 Wi-Fi 6 router system strikes a good balance of user-friendliness and power. The three-pack contains a trio of unassuming white columns that provide up to 7,200 square feet of Wi-Fi 6 coverage, which should make it enough (and possibly even overkill) for most homes. The system offers try-band speed with a dedicated Wi-Fi 6 band that you can use as either a dedicated backhaul or a network for you to directly connect your Wi-Fi 6 devices. In our testing, we found the setup to be painless and the connection to be stable and reliable. On top of that, the tree-pack is adequately priced, especially compared to some overpriced and overpowered competitors out there.
How to pick the right voice assistant before you buy smart gadgets
While plenty of the best smart home devices are platform agnostic, there are some — smart speakers and smart displays in particular — that require you to choose your voice control assistant. Currently, that means deciding if you’ll use the Google Assistant or Amazon’s Alexa on a regular basis (I’ll address Siri in a moment.)
They’re both compatible with various smart home tech products from light switches and bulbs to robot vacuums, but there are certain devices that work best with either Google or Amazon. Nest products, for example, are more compatible and have more functionality with Google-powered speakers and displays. They can still work with Amazon devices, but certain features might be disabled. The same holds true with Amazon products: They work better if they’re in the same ecosystem.
Amazon Alexa
So how do you choose between Alexa and Google Assistant? It really depends on your personal preferences. Do you listen to Audible, watch Prime Video and tend to do a lot of shopping on Amazon? Then you might lean toward an Alexa-powered home automation setup. Alexa supports a wide range of devices — including smart locks, smart thermostats and motion sensors — and many of its speakers and displays include remote control functionality for lights, plugs and other smart gear.
Google Assistant
If you want a voice assistant that’s great at answering questions, Google Assistant tends to be better than Alexa. Amazon’s helper, on the other hand, currently supports more smart home products. The company’s smart speakers and displays also support the Zigbee smart home protocol, and some devices even have built-in smart home hubs. Both Google and Amazon devices can sync with your calendar, though Google’s tend to work better with Google services. Plus, if you already have an Android smartphone, you might be more comfortable with Google Assistant anyway.
Siri
But what about Siri? Apple’s assistant supports voice control as well, but it doesn’t have as many compatible devices as Google or Amazon. The HomePod mini and the full-sized HomePod are the only Siri-compatible speakers on the market at the moment, too. That said, it’s not too hard to find Apple HomeKit-compatible gear as more third-party companies add support for it, but you currently have a smaller pool of devices to choose from.
Lando Norrishas quickly become one of the most recognizable names in Formula One. Since making his F1 debut with McLaren in 2019, the British driver has built a loyal fan base with his sharp performances and consistent podium finishes. In 2025, Norris has continued to impress with multiple Grand Prix victories—solidifying his place among the sport’s elite. Off the track, his success, family background, and personal life—including his rekindled relationship with model Margarida Corceiro—have only fueled public fascination.
Learn more about Norris, his net worth, and his personal life below.
Who Is Lando Norris?
Norris is a British Formula One driver born on November 13, 1999, in Bristol, England. He currently races for McLaren‑Mercedes.
How Did Lando Norris Get Rich?
Norris comes from substantial family wealth. His father, Adam Norris, co-founded investment firm Hargreaves Lansdown and has been reported to have amassed a fortune estimated around $260 million. Professionally, Norris earns a $20–25 million annual salary from McLaren, supplemented by endorsements and business ventures like his esports brand Quadrant.
What Is Lando Norris’ Net Worth?
Norris has an estimated net worth of $30 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
How Many Grand Prix Races Has Lando Norris Won?
As of early August 2025 he has secured around nine Grand Prix wins (including four in 2024 and five in 2025).
Norris took his first Formula One victory at the 2024 Miami Grand Prix after more than 100 races. In 2025, he added multiple wins, including the British Grand Prix and the Hungarian Grand Prix, where he secured his fifth victory of the season by narrowly holding off teammate Oscar Piastri.
Who Is Lando Norris’ Girlfriend?
Norris has been linked to Corceiro, a Portuguese model and actress known for campaigns like Armani Beauty and roles in Portuguese television dramas. The relationship—initially public in 2023, paused in August 2024, and rekindled in 2025—became visible again when the couple attended the Monaco and Hungarian Grand Prix together. Corceiro was referred to during a live broadcast as Norris’ partner and was seen celebrating his wins, including a podium kiss after the Hungarian GP.
This specifically regards the embassy’s main building, which will be temporarily closed as officials assess ‘the impact of these changes’. The duration of this closure is not yet known, but embassy services in the capital will still be operational.
The Foreign Office’s current online notice states: “On Sunday 31 August security barriers outside the British Embassy in Cairo were removed by the Egyptian authorities. The main Embassy building will be closed while the impact of these changes is reviewed.”
Despite the shutdown, Britons can still obtain emergency consular assistance by dialling 0020 2 2791 6000. Those with pre-arranged appointments should also contact 0020 2 2791 6000 for advice on what to do next.
At present, the Foreign Office does not discourage travel to Cairo, but it does advise against visiting certain areas of Egypt, including:
Eastern part of Ismailiyah Governorate – All but essential travel to the Ismailiyah Governorate east of the Suez Canal is discouraged.
Hala’ib Triangle and Bir Tawil Trapezoid – All but essential travel is discouraged to the Hala’ib Triangle and the Bir Tawil Trapezoid.
Western Desert – All but essential travel to the area west of the Nile Valley and Nile Delta regions, except for several specific areas listed on its website.
Egypt-Libya border – All travel within 20km of the Egypt-Libya border is discouraged, except for the town of El Salloum. Here, all but essential travel is discouraged.
North Sinai – All travel to the North Sinai Governorate is discouraged.
Northern part of South Sinai – All but essential travel to the northern part of the South Sinai Governorate is advised against beyond the St Catherine-Nuweibaa road. However, this excludes coastal areas ‘along the west and east of the peninsula’.
Despite around one million Brits travelling to Egypt annually without incident, it is important to be aware of potential health and safety risks. The Foreign Office notes that while crime rates are ‘generally low’, there is a ‘high threat of terrorist attack globally affecting UK interests and British nationals’.
Its current advice reads: “Terrorist attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreign nationals. Stay aware of your surroundings, keep up to date with local media reports and follow the advice of local authorities. Be vigilant in crowds and large gatherings.”
Before jetting off to Egypt, it is also crucial to ensure you are up-to-date with the necessary vaccinations. The Foreign Office urges travellers to consult Travel Health Pro for the latest health advice at least eight weeks prior to departure.
Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against the Foreign Office’s advice. In an emergency, you could be paying more money for help abroad.
“The legal status and regulation of some medicines prescribed or bought in the UK can be different in other countries,” the Foreign Office also adds. “Some prescribed and over-the-counter medicines may be controlled substances in Egypt. You may need permission from Egypt’s Ministry of Health before you arrive.
“If you do not have prior permission or the required documentation, you will not be allowed to take the medication into Egypt and you may be prosecuted.”
For further information, head to the Foreign Office’s website here.
Prime Video continues to find huge success when playing in the action thriller genre, with the streamer’s latest offering quickly climbing to the top spot both globally and in the United States. While the likes of Alan Ritchson’s Reacher remains the platform’s biggest hit, Prime Video’s newest effort could certainly be a sign of things to come as it develops plans to turn The Terminal List into a Taylor Sheridan-esque universe.
The action outing now dominating streaming is The Terminal List: Dark Wolf, which acts as a prequel and is set before the first series, which landed on Prime Video back in 2022 and is led by Chris Pratt. The Terminal List: Dark Wolf offers everything that fans of the main series could hope for as it centers on a returning Taylor Kitsch as Ben Edwards, tracking his explosive journey from Navy SEAL to CIA agent.
The Terminal List: Dark Wolf is now ranked #1 on Prime Video both globally and in the U.S., with the series leaving the likes of other action-oriented titles such as Butterfly, Countdown, Ballard, and the first season of The Terminal List in the dust. The first three episodes of The Terminal List: Dark Wolf are now streaming exclusively on Prime Video, and you can check out the official synopsis below…
“The Terminal List: Dark Wolf is a prequel series with an origin story that follows Ben Edwards throughout his journey from the Navy SEALs to the clandestine side of CIA Special Operations. The series is an espionage thriller that explores the darker side of warfare and the human cost that comes with it.”
Critics Have Been Won Over by ‘The Terminal List: Dark Wolf’
Prime Video
Where critics are concerned, The Terminal List: Dark Wolf has been far better received than its predecessor, landing a score of 71% to the main series’ divisive 40% on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences, meanwhile, continue to be enamored by the gruff thriller, with Dark Wolf landing a score of 84% against The Terminal List’s 94% on the Popcornmeter.
The divisive response to The Terminal List Season 1 was previously blamed on its lack of “woke stuff” by author and creator Jack Carr. “There’s no ‘woke’ or ‘anti-woke,’ but just because there’s not this ‘woke’ stuff that’s shoved into it, then it’s perceived – by critics, at least – as not promoting their agenda, so they’re going to hate it,” he said.
“Between Season 1 airing and now, it’s been a continuous stream of people coming up to me in the street to just say, “Damn, that show was really cool.” I feel like there’s been this sort of hunger for maybe the past 10 years or so for entertainment that’s driven by people who actually aren’t making it because they’re worried about if someone’s gonna like it. They’re not like, “Okay, what would they like best? What would be the most appropriate thing? What would be the right thing? How do we make this the most commercial thing?” We’re like, “No, we have Navy SEALs, Army Rangers. We’re making a show. We’re making it authentic, and if you don’t like it, it’s just not for you, and that’s okay.”
There are more than four thousand Far Sidecomics, and as such, these are just a sampling of the many legitimate masterpieces produced by Gary Larson that go underappreciated and unacknowledged even by devoted fans of his work. Larson’s vast body of work contains many perfect, or near-perfect cartoons which deserve greater attention.
The Far Side was the product of a grueling, almost non-stop schedule, and as such, not every cartoon Gary Larson published could be a certified classic.
Still, many top-tier Far Side panels have been relegated to relative obscurity, and this list seeks to elevate them to a place of wider recognition for their contribution to Larson’s legacy.
This Early Far Side Quicksand Joke Help To Suck Readers Into Gary Larson’s Comedic World
First Published: August 5, 1980
Far Side, August 5, 1980, a sign painter is consumed by quicksand.
This early Far Side cartoon is often cited as a classic, but even still, it isn’t fully appreciated for how brilliantly it encapsulates Gary Larson’s dynamic sense of humor. The joke is simple, but not without its moving parts, as it depicts a poor sign painter who is sucked underground moments before completing a “Danger Quicksand” sign.
The way the “D” in “sand” juts down abruptly, not even half finished, subtly contains all the action of the panel, revealing how abruptly the “Ace Sign Co.” employee went under. This Far Side comic exemplifies Larson’s sense of tragicomic irony, which was essential to the morbid humor he became synonymous with.
The Far Side’s Greatest Dig At “Garfield” Is A Thoroughly Iconic Cartoon
First Published: December 16, 1983
Far Side, December 16, 1983, a snake ate Garfield.
Gary Larson poked fun at his “competition,” Jim Davis’ legendary comic strip Garfield, repeatedly over the years, but arguably this darkly funny nod to the rival strip is the best. Here, one of The Far Side’s many snakes coils around Garfield’s still-full food bowl, its contented smile and bulging belly making it clear what happened to the acerbic orange tabby.
Again, the virtue of this Far Side cartoon is simplicity. It doesn’t need a caption, because the punchline is obvious from the illustration. The cartoon seems to clearly say “look, my characters can eat Davis’ characters for breakfast,” but in a lighthearted way, as the goofy look on the serpent’s face serves as a wink-and-nod to the audience.
The Far Side Flexes Its Multi-Panel Muscles In This Darkly Funny Take On Fate
First Published: February 8, 1988
Far Side, February 8, 1988, a man name Reuben wakes up, unaware he is going to be hit by a truck with his name on it.
Gary Larson produced many great “split-panel” Far Side cartoons during the comic’s run, but this one is perhaps the most iconic example of the bunch. “Out there, ominously moving towards its destiny,” the caption explains, “was a truck with Reuben’s name on it.” Once more, Larson proves himself a master of tragicomedy.
The top half of the panel shows that there is literally a truck with “Reuben” on the side, while the bottom depicts Reuben, the man, waking up, unaware he’s presumably doomed to be hit by that truck this very day. It is an ambitious Far Side joke, but one that Larson executes deftly, with great comedic success.
The Far Side Explores The Difference Between Men And Women In A Crisis
First Published: May 20, 1988
Far Side, May 20, 1988, a man’s pet alligator eats a woman’s poodle
In this shockingly funny Far Side alligator cartoon, Gary Larson offers a hyperbolic example of how two people can have totally different perspectives on the same interaction. In this case, that is the grisly scene of a man’s pet alligator devouring a woman’s poor poodle, when they happen to cross paths on a walk in the park.
While the woman rightly cries out in anguish, shouting “that thing has got my Gigi,” her male counterpart completely misreads the situation, thinking, “this is such a great way to meet women.” As much as Larson indulged in gender stereotypes in The Far Side’s humor, this is a slam dunk on the trope of the obtuse man.
First Published: June 25, 1988
Far Side, June 25, 1988, ‘the Herringtons’ ink smudge’
Gary Larson occassionally dabbled in metahumor with Far Side jokes that acknowledged their cartoon nature, with this panel standing as seemingly the most underrated example, considering how great it is. As the caption explains, “folks came from miles around to see the Herringtons’ ink smudge,” as part of the cartoon is obscured by a thick black blotch of ink.
“I wonder if they had insurance,” one onlooker wonders aloud, while a young boy reaches out a finger to poke the ink spot, with his mother shouting from the back of the crowd for him to leave it alone. All told, this irreverently self-aware Far Side joke deserves to be acknowledged as a classic.
The Far Side’s Most Memorable Location Is The Setting For An All-Time Great UFO Joke
First Published: October 12, 1990
Far Side, October 12, 1990, a flying saucer abducts palm trees
Ask Far Side fans to name the comic’s most iconic locations, and among those at the top of the list, along with suburban living rooms and front lawns, will be the desert island. Gary Larson loved this trope, which afforded him endless opportunities to tell variants on the same darkly ironic punchline: salvation isn’t coming.
In this case, it seems like it is for one lost individual, when a flying saucer descends from the sky, only it’s not there for him. “Thank God I’m saved,” the man says when he sees the saucer, only for it to beam up the lone palm tree on the island, which is seemingly, in fact, an extraterrestrial itself in need of rescuing.
The Far Side’s Human/Animal Co-Existence Is Pushed To Its Breaking Point In This Hilarious Panel
First Published: November 16, 1990
Far Side, November 16, 1990, a family of howler monkeys torments their neighbors
Here, Gary Larson takes the “annoying neighbor” trope and, in predictably unpredictable Far Side fashion, cranks it up to eleven, by making the neighbors “a family of howler monkeys,” who are shown with their faces pressed up against the window of a human couple’s bedroom. Naturally, they’re doing what they do best: howling.
“And so it went, night after night, year after year,” the caption explains, revealing the full scope of the “hell” the human characters are subject to. The Far Side put many hilarious spins on the idea of humans and animals coexisting, for better or worse, and there is something unique about this one that merits more consideration as an all-time classic.
The Far Side Says The Quiet Part Loud With This Political Lampoon
First Published: January 15, 1992
Far Side, Jaunary 15, 1992, ‘the halls of Clowngress,’ with clowns instead of politicians.
The Far Side was always satirical, and Gary Larson wasn’t afraid to inject subtle bits of social critique when it suited him. Which makes this Far Side clown cartoon noteworthy, because neither its satire or its political point are subtle. Captioned, “in the corridors of Clowngress,” the joke seemingly doesn’t leave much room for debate.
More accurately though, it highlights The Far Side’s true nature as a reflection of pop culture, rather than as just an outlet for Larson’s own ideas. In other words, Larson embodies the general feeling in American society that it keeps electing clowns as leaders, but it turns this bitter conclusion into the source of hilarity, resulting in a classic comic.
The Far Side Reinvents The Story Of Adam And Eve With A Brilliantly Sacriligious Twist
First Published: February 27, 1992
Far Side, February 27, 1992, a mole tricks Adam and Eve into leaving Eden
In this incredible Far Side riff on the Biblical Garden of Eden story, Gary Larson reveals the truth about Adam and Eve’s exile: it wasn’t God’s will, but rather the action of a nefarious mole, using the anachronistic technology of a microphone and a speaker hidden in a tree to banish the humans, admonishing them to “BEGONE…and take all the mole traps with you!“
Broadcasting from underground, the mole admonishes Eve and Adam, mid-bite of the forbidden apples, to “BEGONE…and take all the mole traps with you!” The illustration of this Far Side joke fully lives up to its premise, depicting the mole beneath the surface of the Garden, while the humans, nudity tastefully obscured, look up at “God’s” voice in bewilderment.
The Hunters Become The Hunted In This Out Of This World Far Side Cartoon
First Published: December 22, 1992
Far Side, December 22, 1992, aliens with abducted humans strapped to their flying saucer
Aliens and alien abductions were a familiar Far Side subject, and this panel is a perfect example. Without needing a caption, the illustration tells readers everything they need to know. Aliens abducted human hunters, tying their car to the hood of the flying saucer, but neglecting to consider that their captives need air to breathe.
By this point in the interstellar journey, they’ve been reduced to nothing more than skeletons. Hilariously, the humans themselves have a deer strapped to the hood of their car, in one of Gary Larson’s patented low-key anti-hunting jabs. Overall, this Far Side cartoon is an instant visual classic, one that deserves to be lauded as one of Larson’s best.
Add one more to the number of kids that will have Enrique Iglesias as a personal hero. The singer and his wife, Anna Kournikova, are expecting their fourth child.
They are already parents of 7-year-old twins Lucy and Nicholas and 5-year-old Mary. Iglesias and Kournikova are “overjoyed,” according to Hola! Kournikova is halfway through the pregnancy.
Iglesias, 50, returned to Spain in July to perform at the Granca Live Fest — it was his first show in his native country in six years. He has planned appearances in Mexico, India and Abu Dhabi. In 2024, the pop singer released “FINAL (Vol. 2),” the last installment of his serialized studio album farewell.
While promoting his tour in 2021, Enrique Iglesias and Ricky Martin Live in Concert with special guest Sebastián Yatra on Instagram, the singer said his “FINAL” series “might be” his last album.
“I’m in that moment in my life, that chapter in my life, where I think it’s the right time to put it out and I’ve been thinking about this since 2015,” Iglesias said.
Kournikova, 44, retired from tennis in 2003 because of injuries. In 2011, during the 12th season of NBC’s reality weight-loss competition “The Biggest Loser,” she replaced Jillian Michaels as the trainer for that one season.
The “Hero” singer and the former professional tennis player have been together since 2001. They live a private life in Miami — raising their family away from the spotlight, according to People. The two “love being parents” and spend their time “raising their children,” a source familiar with the couple told People in February.
The Brothers Gallagher played their first show in the New York area since 2008 on Sunday (Aug. 31), and were clearly a little overwhelmed by the experience.
Oasis
Simon Emmett/Press
“Nobody has fans like this. Nobody.”
Whether or not it was technically true, Noel Gallagher’s pre-encore observation about the tens of thousands who packed into East Rutherford, New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on Sunday night (Aug. 31) to see Oasis‘ first gig in the New York area (the entire East Coast, really) since 2008 couldn’t be considered much of an exaggeration. For two months now, Oasis fans new and old have been swarmingmajorcities one at a time at a level rarely seen outside of Taylor Swift and Beyoncé tours, lining the streets with box-logo shirts and bucket hats and impromptu “Don’t Look Back in Anger” singalongs as the Brothers Gallagher ready their next triumphant mini-residency. If other bands have fans on the same level, they certainly aren’t showing out like this in 2025.
And now, Oasis have finally conquered the States, territory that proved at least somewhat resistant to the band upon its first invasion in the mid-’90s. Three decades later, the lads are packing MetLife Stadium with more fans and merch than the woeful Jets and Giants might be able to manage for many weeks in this upcoming NFL season. Given the context, it’s hardly shocking — though also somewhat touching — that even the historically unimpressed Gallaghers couldn’t help but be a little sentimental at the showing, as they were throughout Sunday night’s typically spectacular first of two gigs at the New Jersey venue.
Though surprises were few outside of the occasional mushiness — a well-oiled machine by now, Oasis stuck to the same 23-song setlist it’s played at every show so far on the Live ’25 Tour, albeit with new intro music this time in The Rolling Stones’ psych-era gem “We Love You” — there were plenty of highlights to be had on Sunday. Here were five of the biggest.
Hate the Game, Not the Players
Early in the set, after a soaring “Some Might Say,” Liam put to bed the notion that, despite his band’s somewhat contentious relationship with America, that they lacked affection for the U.S. of A: “No, we like coming here,” he swore. What he didn’t like, he clarified, were the people who told him “You gotta play the game, kids” — presumably when it came to stateside media and radio and promo and such — “or else you’ll be chopped liver.” The brothers’ refusal to follow industry rules may have hurt their American prospects back in the late ’90s, but Sunday night’s sold-out crowd certainly validated their approach in the long term, as Liam testified: “I’m standing here in this beautiful stadium to tell you you don’t have to play the game.”
Sing by Me
“Gonna need your help in the choruses,” Liam tasked the audience when gearing up for the Be Here Now power ballad “Stand By Me,” while also pre-emptively chiding anyone in the stands still worried about not looking cool: “No one’s keeping score here.” If they were, though, it would’ve been point: Liam, as the crowd lifted the singer across the song’s refrains like it was one of the band’s signature hits — somewhat ironic, since in the U.S., it was never even officially released as a single, and thus relatively unlikely as a particular stateside crowdpleaser. Nobody knows the way it’s gonna be, indeed.
A Song for the Lovers
Liam introduced Definitely Maybe peak “Slide Away” as one “for the lovebirds,” before jokingly assuring the crowd that they were safe from any “Coldplay cameras.” Even if there were, couples in the crowd would have likely still been unable to resist getting a little PDA-ish in response to the heart-melting love song — which has become such a highlight of the band’s Live ’25 show that fans were already singing it (along with the climactic “Take me there!” chants) in the bathrooms ahead of the show.
“Don’t Look Back in Anger,” I Heard 60-70,000 of You Say
After kicking off the band’s encore with fan-favorite B-side “The Masterplan,” Noel asked for a show of hands of who had never seen the band before. “You might’ve wondered what it might be like to sing this next song with 60, 70,000 of your fellow Oasis fans,” he teased for those with their hands up. “Well, you’re going to find out what that feeling is like.” Naturally, the band subsequently launched into “Don’t Look Back in Anger” — and there wasn’t a silent throat in the house as Noel let the crowd take both of the song’s first two choruses, ably demonstrating that even the first-timers knew the drill when it came to the lads’ preeminent singalong.
A Fireworks Supernova in the Sky
As the band winded down its stupefyingly loaded encore — with a run of “Anger,” “Wonderwall” and “Champagne Supernova” that still feels almost unsportsmanlike for a show’s closing run — a dazzling display of fireworks lit up the East Rutherford sky. Launched from MetLife’s top level, the fireworks felt like an appropriately momentous capper to a stellar first New York-area stadium outing — one that proved that Oasis had won the game, whether or not they’d ever really played it.
The docuseries that relives manmade and natural disasters ends its first season with survivors relating the horror story of the sinking of the Costa Concordia cruise ship in 2012, which generated worldwide headlines when the vessel sailed too close to an island off the Tuscany coast and struck a rock formation. During the rescue effort, 32 people died, including 27 passengers and five crew members, with a member of the salvage team dying later from injuries. Compounding the tragedy, the Concordia captain, Francesco Schettino, left the ship early, abandoning hundreds of passengers. He would later be found guilty of manslaughter and sent to prison.
VH1
Wild ‘N Out
With improv games including “Let Me Holla” and “Kick ’em Out the Classroom,” the raucous music/comedy series hosted by Nick Cannon resumes its 21st season with back-to-back episodes featuring guests including rapper Jim Jones, American Idol alum Geena Fontanella and R&B group Dru Hill. Stay tuned for performances following the climactic Wildstyle freestyle rap battle.
Food Network
Worst Cooks in America
The cooking competition’s Season 29 season finale is especially poignant, because this was the last season filmed before celebrity chef Anne Burrell‘s untimely passing in June. She and fellow chef Gabe Bertaccini guide the finalists through a Shakespeare-inspired showdown before they embark on the ultimate challenge for kitchen amateurs: preparing a three-course meal worthy of being served in a restaurant.
Prime Video
The Runarounds
Hey, hey, it worked for The Monkees. Why not The Runarounds, a North Carolina rock band formed in 2021 by five local musicians—William Lipton, Axel Ellis, Jeremy Yun, Zendé Murdock and Jesse Golliher—during a casting call for the Netflix hit Outer Banks. Executive producer Jonas Pate liked what he heard, and now the band and its musicians are playing versions of themselves in a dramatic series about young rockers dreaming of success over an eventful summer. “I want to write love songs that change the world,” says one of the Runarounds. We’ll see what happens when Arista Records drops the soundtrack to coincide with the eight-episode series’ binge release.
INSIDE MONDAY TV:
American Ninja Warrior (8/7c, NBC): Following last week’s season finale, it’s the women’s turn, with 16 elite female ninjas navigating the obstacle course in head-to-head races to decide this year’s champion.
Tarzan, the Ape Man (8/7c, Turner Classic Movies): To mark Tarzan author Edgar Rice Burroughs’ 150th birthday, TCM airs the first seven of Johnny Weismuller’s Tarzan films, starting with the 1932 origin story and continuing through 1943’s Tarzan Triumphs.
The Chrisleys: Back to Reality (8/7c, Lifetime): It’s hardly a surprise that reality-TV stars have no shame when it comes to craving the spotlight, but even by the genre’s icky standards, this comeback vehicle for the cloying and corrupt Todd and Julie Chrisley—convicted of bank and wire fraud and tax evasion, later pardoned by the president—marks a new low. Can Dancing With the Stars be far behind?
LEGO Masters Jr. (8/7c, Fox): The teams take on a Harry Potter challenge, building rooms for the Hogwarts Houses that are anything but common.
Ruby & Jodi:A Cult of Sin and Influence (9/8c, Investigation Discovery): A four-part true-crime docuseries, continuing Tuesday, dissects the toxic relationship between former mommy vlogger Ruby Franke and YouTube therapist Jodi Hilebrandt that led to charges of aggravated child abuse of two of Franke’s children.
Driver (10/9c, PBS): A documentary from POV profiles Desiree Wood, a long-haul trucker who leads a workers’-rights movement from the cab of her truck.
Irish Blood (streaming on Acorn TV): After discovering her late father’s hard drive, Fiona (Alicia Silverstone) begins to suspect his death wasn’t a suicide. You think?
Great Kills (streaming on Tubi): The mock-documentary dark comedy starring Steve Stanulis as a Staten Island hitman returns for a second season.
Ms. Rachel (streaming on Netflix): The popular YouTube children’s entertainer is back on the streamer with new episodes.
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