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Disney Names Smith Streaming Chairman, Earley TV President — 2dDisney named Adam Smith chairman of Direct-to-Consumer for Disney Entertainment, to oversee Disney+ and Hulu including product, engineering, adtech and analytics, while Joe Earley becomes President of Disney Entertainment Television Franchise and Content Strategy to lead TV franchises and international originals. The moves follow a broader leadership overhaul at Disney Entertainment aimed at strengthening its direct-to-consumer and content strategy.

Maya Lindstrom Joe Earley's focus on franchises and international shows might finally give Disney TV a clearer direction instead of scattered projects.

Trump Ally Leaves DOJ Role as Investigation Faces Uncertain Future — Sep 11, 2026Joseph diGenova has resigned from his Justice Department role overseeing investigations tied to the so-called "Grand Conspiracy" surrounding the origins of the Trump-Russia investi… — by Andrew Powell

Jared Kim This resignation shows even allies are backing away when the investigations look unlikely to go anywhere.

Mark Harmon returns full time as Gibbs in NCIS: Origins season 3 — Sep 8, 2026Mark Harmon returns as Gibbs full-time for NCIS: Origins Season 3, with his present-day Alaska retirement interrupted as he tackles a case that links to his Camp Pendleton days and the timeline diverges between past and present. The season centers on the Camp Pendleton team, Randy’s fate, and Gibbs’s evolving relationship with Lala, while Austin Stowell portrays the younger Gibbs and the ensemble dynamics drive the prequel forward.

Despite global ban, suspected mercury skin products stay on Amazon and Temu — 3dA Reuters investigation found that more than 20 banned mercury-containing skin-bleaching products remain for sale on third-party marketplaces like Amazon, Temu, and TikTok Shop across multiple countries despite the Minamata Convention, with sellers concealing origins and relisting under new names. Health authorities warn there is no safe level of mercury exposure and enforcement gaps persist, highlighting the need for stronger regulatory coordination to curb these products’ rapid, cheap skin-lightening effects.

Searchlight Announces The Family Stone Sequel With Returning Cast — Sep 12, 2026Searchlight Pictures announced a sequel to The Family Stone titled The Families Stone, reuniting most of the original cast 20 years after the first film, with Diane Keaton no longer involved following her death. Tom Bezucha returns to write and direct, production is set in New York this fall, and the story centers on the Stone family as the father brings the woman he’s fallen for to meet them.

Jared Kim Diane Keaton's absence is a real loss for this sequel, but the rest of the family dynamics in New York should still make for a solid follow-up.

Chesney Announces 2027 Original Vibe Room Tour — Sep 12, 2026Kenny Chesney’s 2027 stadium tour is being teased across eight venues with a “Vibe Room” invitation, signaling a major return next year; an official announcement is expected on Sept. 15 and a NBC Today Show performance on Sept. 17. The rollout follows his Las Vegas Sphere residencies and includes hints of possible co‑headliners while promoting his new album Silver Sands Marina.

Victor Miller, Original Friday the 13th Screenwriter, Dies at 86 — Sep 2, 2026Victor Miller, the screenwriter of the 1980 horror classic Friday the 13th who created Jason Voorhees, has died at 86 in Alameda, California, with his passing announced by his son. He also had a long career in daytime television, earning three Daytime Emmys for All My Children and writing for multiple soaps, while later engaging in a rights dispute over his original script.

Blue Origin secures $700M NASA deal to build Mars communications network by 2028 — Sep 2, 2026NASA awarded Blue Origin a contract worth up to about $700 million to design, build, and operate a high-performance Mars telecommunications network, delivering a DTN-enabled relay orbiter by end-2028 and achieving operational status around Mars by 2030 to relay science data, imagery, navigation, and mission communications for future missions. The award marks NASA’s shift toward commercially operated interplanetary communications infrastructure and aligns with the Artemis program’s Moon-to-Mars ambitions, even as Blue Origin continues lunar contracts and recovers from a recent launchpad setback.

Sam Okafor for a Mars orbiter is ambitious given they're still sorting out New Glenn's launchpad issues.

Pastor's new book asks what 'God-breathed' really means for the Bible — Sep 1, 2026Rev. Dennis Chip McCullough chronicles the perilous history of translating the Bible, from William Tyndale's execution to centuries of controversy over scriptural authority, arguing for the original, God-breathed nature of Scripture. The piece distinguishes between the English Bible's familiar terms and their original Hebrew and Greek meanings, highlighting how translation politics shaped what readers find in modern Bibles.

Sam Okafor The Hebrew and Greek nuance stuff is fascinating but I worry books like this can just become another way to argue whose interpretation is the correct one.

Iraq fires commander after confirming drones targeting Saudi pipeline launched from its soil — Sep 11, 2026Iraq’s Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi dismissed a Maysan province operations commander after investigations confirmed drone attacks on Saudi Arabia originated from Iraqi territory, and ordered the formation of an investigative council. Saudi Arabia reported the East-West Pipeline was attacked by drones launched from Iraq, and while it did not retaliate, the incident underscores rising regional tensions amid the broader US-Israel-Iran conflict.

Rachel Meyers Iraq must get serious about controlling its territory or these drone incidents will keep pulling the region into bigger conflicts.

CDC Declares Largest Recorded Cyclospora Outbreak Over — Sep 11, 2026Health officials declared the largest multistate cyclosporiasis outbreak tied to iceberg lettuce over, with thousands of illnesses across about 20 states, hospitalizations in the hundreds and two deaths, as the recalled lettuce from Mexico was removed from the supply and investigations into the outbreak’s origin continue. TheFDA and CDC said there is no longer a current risk but will pursue further probes into how contamination occurred and which sources remain under review, including broader questions about produce contamination and supply chains.

Dana Whitfield This proves washing produce at home does nothing when the problem happens way earlier in the chain.

Mbappé Says Viral Dictator Memes Show Lack of Political Awareness — Sep 11, 2026Kylian Mbappé addressed the viral memes depicting him in military dictator imagery, saying the trend is partly funny but also highlights a lack of political and human awareness given the harm caused by dictators. He referenced possible origins—including his influence at PSG/Real Madrid and a 2024 kebab-shop lawsuit—and clarified the Mobutu nickname as social-media humor, with the discussion surfacing ahead of Ballon d'Or 2026 coverage.

Dana Whitfield The nickname probably just comes from his commanding style at PSG and that lawsuit, not any real politics.

Alan Jackson Releases Live Version of 9/11 Anthem From Farewell Concert — Sep 10, 2026Alan Jackson marks the 25th anniversary of 9/11 by releasing a newly recorded live version of “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)” from his final Nashville farewell concert, underscoring the song’s enduring role in national reflection. The release, tied to his career-spanning farewell performance and a forthcoming live album, follows the track’s origins after 9/11 and its sustained resonance with audiences and radio alike.

Five classic hits from the 1970s and 80s hide surprising origin stories — Sep 6, 2026The articles profile the enduring appeal and origin stories of iconic 1970s and 1980s songs across rock and country, from Jethro Tull’s Wond’ring Aloud coming together in a hotel room during touring to Kansas’s Point of Know Return driven by a signature riff, and Frampton’s Do You Feel Like We Do evolving into a live centerpiece on Frampton Comes Alive!, alongside Janie Fricke’s 1983 hit Tell Me a Lie and America’s Sister Golden Hair as standout soft-rock and country-pop staples. Together, they highlight how serendipitous moments, inventive arrangements, and touring-era creativity helped these tracks achieve lasting cultural impact.

Brazil Probes Flávio Bolsonaro Over Money Laundering — Sep 11, 2026Brazilian senator Flávio Bolsonaro is under investigation for alleged corruption and money laundering tied to the failed Banco Master and the financing of a film about his father, Jair Bolsonaro, with authorities unsealing documents earlier this year; Bolsonaro maintains the financing was legal as the election race against Lula da Silva remains tight. The probe, opened in July by Justice Mendonça at the request of the police, involves scrutiny of funding sources and transfers, including connections to a U.S. fund, as prosecutors seek details on the origins of the money behind the project.

Marcus Bell Flávio needs to fully disclose the film funding sources, as any ties to a failed bank like Master demand real transparency from a sitting senator.