Karoline Leavitt, the former Trump administration press secretary who spent much of her time chastising and denigrating the journalists who asked her questions, is joining one of the outlets that made some of the queries.
Leavitt will join Fox News Channel as a contributor, the network said Monday. Leavitt follows a well-trod path that has been walked on previously by people like Kayleigh McEnany, a former press secretary who also works for the Fox Corp.-backed media outlet, and Larry Kudrow, a former financial official who is a prominent host at Fox Business Network.
More from Variety
Billy Bush to Join Fox News as Contributor
Maria Bartiromo Out at Fox News, Fox Business

#former

Umberto Pizzi, who has died aged 88, was a paparazzo who documented Italy's Dolce Vita era, specialising in candid shots of the actors, television personalities, politicians and ***** orted hangers-on who made up the emerging class of nouveau riche.
Pizzi himself spurned the term "paparazzi", which he thought conveyed an attitude of hostility towards photojournalists. He preferred to think of his role as a kind of modern-day Petronius, documenting the spectacles and excesses of the era through its best-known personalities. He photographed stars of Italian cinema such as Marcello Mastroianni and Vittorio Gassman, as well as Hollywood golden couple Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.
In the 1970s and 1980s he ventured into the realms of Italian culture, politics and the global aristocracy. He photographed John Paul Getty III during his time in Rome and trod on bullets on his way to the scene where the former prime minister Aldo Moro was kidnapped in 1978. His archive, comprising around two million images, spanned two republics and more than 60 years of history, from economic boom to the season of protest, through to the modern era of mass communication.
The film-maker Tinto Brass pictured by Pizzi with the actress Sandra Milo, 1987 - UMBERTO PIZZI DA/Fotogramma
From the early 2000s he worked for the web publication Dagospia, which became notorious for its section headed "Cafonal": roughly, the uncouth, ostentatious rich. One Pizzi image that encapsulated the new era showed a table of important people stuffing themselves with food. Another was of Northern League and Forza Italia members dousing a reclining woman with champagne during a birthday party.

#dolce #vita #petronius

The United States warned Saturday that hostilities between Saudi Arabia and Iran-backed Houthis could "escalate rapidly" after a missile attack targeted Riyadh for the first time since the Yemen conflict resumed.
US President Donald Trump cut short a weekend at Camp David, a secluded presidential complex in rural Maryland, to return unexpectedly to the White House on Saturday.
The White House gave no explanation for the early return, which comes as a new threshold was crossed in the conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis, who control a large part of Yemen and are fighting government forces backed by a coalition led by Riyadh.
Loud explosions rang out twice on Saturday in the Saudi capital, where AFP journalists saw a fuel tank bearing the logo of oil giant Aramco on fire near the airport.
"This military conflict has the potential to escalate rapidly," the US State Department warned, adding American citizens outside the Middle East should "seriously reconsider travel to and through the region".

#saturday #arabia #riyadh #white

NEW YORK (AP) — Two major news networks were denied access to the White House on Saturday morning, with reporters from CNN and MS NOW both going live to report they'd been barred following a ban imposed by President Donald Trump.
The actions escalated Trump's long-running efforts to restrict news coverage by journalists he finds objectionable, and is the latest test of First Amendment protections in the United States. Trump said Friday he would ban both organizations and also Politico, because of their coverage — which he called "fake news."
CNN issued a statement saying it stood behind its reporters. "We will not be deflected from our duty to hold the government and other public bodies to account," it said. The statement was shown on the air before senior White House reporter Betsy Klein began to report on her ban.
MS NOW also said in a statement that it stands behind its journalists.
"The White House belongs to the American people and the decisions made inside are funded by our tax dollars," the network said in a statement Saturday. "MS NOW intends to take any and all steps necessary to defend our First Amendment rights and the essential role of independent journalism in our democracy."

#reporters

NBC4's helicopter was one of several news aircraft flying over the scene of a deadly bus crash in Chatsworth Tuesday evening at sunset.
It's common for multiple news choppers to arrive at the scene of breaking news, beaming live images for newscasts and streaming.
But around 7 p.m., something went horribly wrong and in a matter of seconds the NBC4 chopper dropped out of the sky, crashing into shipping containers and vehicles outside a warehouse a few blocks away, bursting into flames. Two station journalists, reporter Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw, were killed along with a bystander on the ground.
Federal investigators are now trying to figure out what went wrong. The Times interviewed several experts, who reviewed recordings of the chopper's final moments. They offered insights into the helicopter itself, its movements that afternoon and what is known about how its mechanics work.
Here's what they had to say:

#went #wrong #tuesday #nbc4

It was a night of devastation in Chatsworth that began with a deadly Metro bus collision and ended with the fiery crash of an NBC4 helicopter covering the news that left two journalists and, on the ground, a bystander dead.
Tuesday's scene was a mixture of confusion and chaos, with first responders fanned out across two catastrophes and television news teams desperately trying to find out whether their journalists were safe. The crashes claimed the lives of five people and left others with various degrees of injury.
Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration were trying Wednesday to determine exactly what caused the news helicopter, a Eurocopter AS350 B2, to go down.
NTSB Investigator Fabian Salazar said officials are searching through the wreckage, combing through maintenance logbooks, security footage, weather reports and witness interviews, and reviewing the pilot's training to figure out what went wrong.
But the most critical information so far has been audio captured from the helicopter during a live broadcast of reporter Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw's final moments before it crashed.

#journalists #nbc4

JERUSALEM, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that a new documentary film which alleges that mass civilian deaths were routinely built into targeting ‌decisions in Gaza was part of a wave of global incitement against Jews.
"NAZA", directed ‌by Israeli journalists Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, won the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival on Saturday and received a 25-minute standing ovation when it was screened on Thursday.
The film takes its **** le from an Israeli military term for expected "collateral casualties" and is built around anonymous interviews with intelligence officers and soldiers involved in the war.
"It's shocking. We are fighting global antisemitic incitement and when it comes from ‌within us it is intolerable," Netanyahu ⁠said in a video posted on Telegram. "And now two Israeli directors portraying the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) as war criminals receive applause at the Venice festival."
Netanyahu's ⁠comments followed a statement from the Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir, who said the film constituted an attack on the state of Israel.

#global

The energy outside Cipriani, in Lower Manhattan, across from the Charging Bull statue on Broadway, seemed conspicuously suspended in a different time. It was as if crossing the threshold into the Financial District sent me back a decade, to the genesis of this current generation's cultural aesthetic—to the lines at VFiles, the SoHo clothing store whose Howard St. storefront once served as epicenter of the nascent fusion of the worlds of streetwear, hip-hop, and high fashion. All of this was because Kai Cenat, the popular Twitch streamer and content creator, was making his runway debut. The fashion show for his brand Vivet's first collection drew a crowd of the current generation's innovators, giving a reminiscent feeling to the last time a popular figure came crashing through the gates of mainstream fashion.
In attendance that night were popular streamers like Jasontheween, Rakai, and Duke Dennis, alongside more traditional celebrity names: Jaden Smith, Luka Sabbat, Lauryn Hill (!). Popular fashion podcasters and journalists from the New York Times filtered through the crowd as well. It reminded me of the pre-pandemic days of fashion week pop-ups in the shadow of Ye's YZY Szn launches, when the crowds outside seemed as consequential as whoever had a seat inside. Social media had given a generation of streetwear obsessives and aspiring artists a way to build their own audiences, and fashion was beginning to accommodate them. At Cipriani, the streamers had brought another audience into the room.
More from Rolling Stone
Big Sean and Kanye West Reunite After Feud With Surprise Appearance in Chicago
Drake Turns Kick Stream Into a 20-v-1 Dating Show, Warns Rap Rivals His 'Pen Isn't Dry'

#outside #seemed #time #streetwear

SOFIA, Sept 12 (Reuters) - Bulgaria is investigating the cause of a fire at a weapons storage facility operated by EMCO, including the possibility of sabotage and a link to a previous blaze at ‌another of the company's facilities in August, the interior minister said.
No injuries were reported in the fire, ‌which broke out near the village of Tsareva Livada and lit up the night sky, according to videos broadcast locally. The incident came weeks after an explosion and fire at another EMCO weapons depot in western Bulgaria.
Interior Minister Ivan Demerdzhiev told journalists on Saturday that the fire was under control and that an investigation was underway.
"We will review previous cases in which similar fires occurred in the warehouses of this company, as well as at other companies, in order to look for a possible connection or a ‌similar pattern," he said.
"We are not ruling ⁠out outside interference."

#previous

As summer starts to wane, some football fans might celebrate the re-start of club football. Some might even celebrate the new, elongated international break.
And then there are those who eagerly await the Ballon D'or ceremony.
Gifted to whoever wins the popularity vote is voted the best player over the past season by journalists and footballers alike, the Ballon D'o is a prized award that many dream to win. Among those players is Bayern Munich's #9 , Harry Kane. His extraordinary 73-goal season, along with him winning the DFL Supercup, the German Bundesliga and the DFB Pokal, sees him up there among the top candidates to win the award. This sees England's captain filled with pride:
"I'm proud to be nominated with my team-mates. We won all three **** les in Germany and fell just short in the Champions League," Kane said (as captured by iMiaSanMia). "But it's out of my hands and down to the voters. It was a special season personally, but all I can do is focus on this season now."
The ceremony takes place on Monday, October 26. Let us see if Harry Kane can win the award.

#sees

Real Madrid, fresh off the back of Tuesday's victory over Inter Milan in the Champions League, are back in La Liga action on Saturday, as Jose Mourinho's side host Rayo Vallecano in a local derby at the Bernabeu. However, it is not the only major sporting event in Madrid this weekend, with the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix taking place at the Madring circuit for the first time.
The city of Madrid has been eagerly awaiting this moment ever since it has announced that the Formula 1 would be switching from Barcelona to the Spanish capital. There is a lot of excitement, although Real Madrid themselves are far from enthused about the event, which will be taking place in close proximity to their Valdebebas training ground.
In the build-up to a match day, Real Madrid would ordinarily be training in front of the media, before Mourinho hosts his press conference at Valdebebas. However, this will not happen on Friday, with MD reporting that enforced changes have been made due to the Spanish Grand Prix taking place this weekend.
Real Madrid have already had to deal with noise from the Madring circuit as a result of testing being done in the lead-up to this weekend's Formula 1 Grand Prix, and they will have to withstand it again on Friday. However, the first 15 minutes of the session will be held behind closed doors, which is the first change that has been enforced upon the club.
The biggest change to the club's pre-matchday plans affects Mourinho. Rather than speaking to the media at Valdebebas, his press conference will now take place in the Bernabeu's press room, which is far from ideal for him and the journalists in attendance, although this adjustment has been considered necessary due to the fact that noise from the Madring circuit would have a major effect on the presser.

#formula #spanish #grand

This Tuesday, the 30 nominees for the 2026 Ballon d'Or will be revealed.
And on Monday evening, some journalists started sharing a few insider tidbits. The most WTF of them: the presence of Sadio Mané and Julián Quiñones among the 30 nominees, as reported by independent journalist SamC_reports.
Pretty far-fetched stuff...
On Monday evening in Spain, Getafe were held to a 1-1 draw by Celta Vigo on matchday four of La Liga.
But the match was mainly marked by the incredible record achieved by Getafe goalkeeper David Soria.

#Monday

Sunderland's success in recent years can be attributed to many factors, but I'd argue that one of the main drivers of our success has been the fuel provided by doubt.
Time after time, year after year, game after game, Sunderland are written off. Sometimes by our own supporters, yes, but mostly by people in the media, pundits, journalists and other notable figures in the game.
And perhaps, in some strange way, we should be grateful for it.
Because there is something about being underestimated that seems to bring out the very best in this football club.
We've had plenty of credit for how we've operated in that time too, but following the end of last season – where we managed to achieve the unthinkable with a seventh-place finish in our first year back in the top flight – there's definitely been an undercurrent that Sunderland were a little bit lucky to end up where we did.

#time #year #recent #years

Sign up for the Connecticut Briefing from CT Insider. Get the biggest headlines of the day from our network of journalists around the state.
This article originally published at Your guide to the Griswold high school football team ahead of the 2026 season.

#sign #connecticut #network

SALISBURY - A race car driver was involved in a crash at Lime Rock Park Friday afternoon, Connecticut State Police said.
The motorsport racing track has been hosting its 44th annual Historic Festival since Thursday. The crash prompted a request for a Life Star helicopter response, police said.
According to the festival's schedule, practice was taking place at the time of the reported crash.
A spokesperson for the track could not be reached Friday afternoon.
Sign up for the Connecticut Briefing from CT Insider. Get the biggest headlines of the day from our network of journalists around the state.

#connecticut #state #police #track

ISTANBUL (AP) — Turkey is not backing away from the West as it seeks deeper ties with the East, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday as he headed back from a Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.
The conference in Kyrgyzstan saw Erdogan hold a one-on-one meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at which they discussed further nuclear cooperation.
In comments made to journalists aboard the presidential plane, Erdogan reiterated Turkey's goal of becoming a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, or SCO, whose ten current members include Russia, China, India and Iran.
"I would also like to particularly emphasize that Turkey's membership perspective in the organization does not mean a break from a bloc or turning our backs on the West," the president said.
Turning to the war in Ukraine, during which Ankara has maintained friendly relations with both Moscow and Kyiv, Erdogan said it was his and Putin's "expectation … that the war between Russia and Ukraine ends peacefully as soon as possible."

#istanbul

Caitlin Clark remains at the center of an intense national debate regarding the league's Most Valuable Player award. While attention recently shifted toward Team USA during the international break, the awards race continues generating massive online discussion. Las Vegas forward A'ja Wilson remains the leading candidate, but the Indiana point guard has gathered tremendous public support. However, one passionate supporter recently took his advocacy to extreme lengths.
WNBA reporter Khristina Williams publicly called out former collegiate basketball player John O'Maley for harassing her inbox. The media personality revealed that the executive repeatedly flooded her email with detailed statistical breakdowns supporting the star rookie. Williams requested that he cease sending messages after receiving five separate emails within a single two-hour window.
She directly addressed the relentless email campaign on her public timeline to set firm boundaries. Williams wrote, "Pleeeease stop sending me emails, John!!!" She later clarified her frustration by adding, "I deleted the tweet. But seriously, stop! I received five emails in a two-hour span today, and multiple emails last month."
Traditional sports fans always value objective media evaluations over relentless personal lobbying. True hoops purists recognize that voters must evaluate the entire season without outside pressure. Harassing sports journalists' inboxes distorts legitimate award conversations and creates unnecessary friction. Respecting professional boundaries remains essential for everyone involved in sports media.
O'Maley is a West Point graduate who previously played collegiate basketball under legendary coach Bob Knight. The corporate executive built an extensive, source-linked comparison arguing that the Indiana guard deserves first-place MVP votes. He noted her impressive scoring efficiency, high usage rate, and transformative impact on the franchise's overall offensive output.

#emails #Media #sports #john

Malick Fofana's chaotic move to Sunderland was "a really difficult story to cover", says BBC Senior football correspondent Sami Mokbel.
The Black Cats eventually beat Crystal Palace to the signing of the 21-year-old forward from Lyon in a deal worth £30m, after previous interest from ****** nal.
"It was really a dramatic day and definitely one of the narratives of Deadline Day for sure," Mokbel told BBC Radio Newcastle.
"With the flip-flopping, as a journalist I must say it was a really treacherous story to cover because obviously you never want to put false information out into the public domain and as journalists and correspondents we all have responsibilities to be as close to the truth and to be as accurate as possible.
"But, we were accurate at the time of when we were reporting that Sunderland had agreed the deal and it looked like he was going there. Then obviously the Crystal Palace thing emerged and immediately those original stories about Sunderland - you're slightly concerned about have I gone too early with the story?

#really #story #mokbel #crystal

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Treasury Department is preventing certain journalists from covering a finance meeting among the world's most powerful countries, the latest example of how President Donald Trump's administration has restricted media access.
Individual reporters from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg News were not granted credentials to the Group of 20 finance ministers' meeting in Asheville, North Carolina, the Times reported.
The Treasury has not explained the decision. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told The ****** ociated Press in an interview Sunday that "it has nothing to do with point of view."
The reporters who've been denied access include the Times' Alan Rappeport, who has been covering such meetings and the Treasury Department since 2017. However, another reporter for the Times, Berlin bureau chief Jim Tankersley, is allowed to attend.
The Times said in a statement that denying American journalists access to an event in the U.S. is "not just another disturbing effort by the administration to undermine independent journalism, but a blatant attempt to evade public scrutiny."

#access #journalists #reporters

BATAM, Indonesia (AP) — The U.S. aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln sailed past Singapore early on Sunday as it headed home after a grueling deployment in the Middle East. It's expected to stop in Thailand for a port visit.
Associated Press journalists on the Indonesian island of Batam, across the Singapore Strait, spotted the massive vessel as it transited waters near Singapore just after 1 a.m. local time.
The Lincoln, one of the U.S. Navy's largest warships, was supporting the U.S. war against Iran. Its deployment included a record-setting uninterrupted time at sea of more than 250 days. Concerns have grown about the Lincoln's lengthy deployment following reports of deteriorating mental health among the crew and shortages of supplies including food and hygiene products.
Thai officials have said the Lincoln will stop in Thailand for rest and recovery before returning to its U.S. base.

#lincoln #Singapore #deployment #abraham

California's "monumental problem" with rampant fraud is about to get significantly worse, according to Republican state ******* emblyman Carl DeMaio, after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill that he warns will crack down on people investigating scammers.
Officially ******* led "Privacy for immigration support services providers," the new law creates privacy protections for immigration support service providers, employees and volunteers, including shielding their addresses and imposing penalties on those who publish their images on social media. DeMaio told Fox News Digital the bill amounts to criminalizing investigative journalism and works to "silence citizen journalists and shield taxpayer-funded organizations from public scrutiny."
"What does the Stop Nick Shirley Act do? It basically makes it illegal for a citizen journalist to document fraud of taxpayer money and post that on the internet in the form of an internet video," he said.
Newsom signed the bill into law last week, and it is set to take effect Oct. 1. DeMaio told Fox News Digital that he and a "coalition of civil liberty protectors" are prepared to file a lawsuit challenging the law.
Dems Ripped For 'Stop Nick Shirley Act' That Could 'Shield' Fraud And Abuse In California

#newsom #digital #nick #shirley

Rafael Leao is flying out to Istanbul to undergo his medical tests with Galatasaray: 'Thanks for everything, ' he said before leaving. ' I've felt at home since day one.'
Portuguese winger Leao is ready to join Galatasaray. Last night, he was at San Siro for Milan's 2-0 loss against Venezia, but was not available and spoke to journalists after the final whistle.
JAKARTA, INDONESIA – AUGUST 08: Rafael Leao of AC Milan shoots against Moises Caicedo of Chelsea FC during the pre-season friendly between Chelsea FC and AC Milan at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium on August 08, 2026 in Jakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Peksi Cahyo/Getty Images)
A few hours later, he packed his luggage and prepared for his trip to Turkey, where he'll join Galatasaray on a permanent deal exceeding €45m.
"I wanted to be on the field, say goodbye to the fans and feel their energy, but it wasn't possible," he told reporters.

#galatasaray

NUUK, Greenland (AP) — Two reports investigating the forcible contraception of thousands of Indigenous women and girls in Greenland by Danish health authorities for decades were split over whether the practice constituted genocide.
The Greenlandic government, which commissioned the inquiry, released the reports Friday but, when pressed by journalists during a news conference, would not say whether its leaders concluded whether a genocide had occurred. The government told the authors to use the definition under the United Nations' 1948 genocide convention, which includes "imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group."
The reports come as U.S. President Donald Trump pushes to control the Arctic island, which is a self-governing territory of Denmark. The leaders of Greenland and Denmark say the island is not for sale and only Greenlanders can decide their fate.
Known as the "spiral case, " the revelations have rocked both Denmark and Greenland. More than 350 Greenlandic Indigenous women and girls, including some 12 years old and younger, previously came forward to investigators and reported that they were forcibly given contraception by Danish health authorities. Denmark says more than 4,000 women and girls — reportedly half the fertile women in Greenland at the time — received IUDs between the 1960s and mid-1970s.
The Inuit victims, many of them teenagers at the time, said they were either fitted with intrauterine contraceptive devices, known as IUDs or coils, or given a hormonal birth control injection. They were not told details about the procedure, or did not give their consent.

#denmark #women #Genocide

Chair Kevin Warsh gave his first keynote address as chair of the Federal Reserve.
He spoke about forgoing forward guidance, AI optimism, and guiding principles for monetary policy.
Warsh wants the Fed to more closely follow real-time data sources and the private sector.
Kevin Warsh told us more about his big plans for the Federal Reserve.
The newly minted chair gave his first keynote address at the Jackson Hole Economic Symposium on Friday morning to a group of investors, economists, and journalists.

#chair #kevin #reserve #address

Master list: CT high school football previews for 2026
Sign up for the Connecticut Briefing from CT Insider. Get the biggest headlines of the day from our network of journalists around the state.
This article originally published at Stonington high school football preview 2026: What you need to know about the Bears..

#high #sign #briefing #bears

Last week, Stephen A. Smith was given the "Thumbs Down" award from the National **** ociation of Black Journalists for his 'lack of accountability' and for 'disparaging black women.' Smith briefly defended himself in a post on X. After 11 days of silence, he took to YouTube to address the matter fully on his channel, Stephen A's Straight Shooter Media.
In the episode, Smith discusses why he waited so long to respond, why the comments from his fellow community were so disappointing, and why "disagreement should never automatically be labeled as disparagement."
"I am a human; I do have a heart; I do have a soul. I know what black women mean to me; I know what black women have always meant to me, and to hear such a flagrantly disrespectful accusation levied in my direction definitely, definitely hurt. But it gave me an opportunity to see how things unfold…and I cant put into words my level of disappointment," Smith said.
"As I said on the airwaves last Monday…you disagree with me, cool…we are in the conflict business…but when disagreement is allowed to be defined as disparagement, we got a problem, especially when journalists don't even have the courage to point out the distinction."
Smith shared an exchange he had with his daughters as they attempted to console him during his 11-day hiatus.

#black #women #stephen

By Alexandra Alper
WASHINGTON, Aug 25 (Reuters) - Republican and Democratic lawmakers on Tuesday called on the Trump administration to bar American citizens and businesses ‌from supporting Chinese and Russian civilian intelligence and security agencies.
Congress approved a ‌law in 2018 banning Americans from providing support to foreign military intelligence agencies but leaving the door open to such aid for similar civilian-led organizations. In 2019, Reuters revealed the United Arab Emirates had hired over a dozen former U.S. intelligence operatives to hack dissidents, journalists, and Americans, shining a spotlight on the issue.
Rules implementing a 2022 congressional measure ‌to bolster controls have not ⁠yet been finalized, leaving "glaring loopholes that harm U.S. national security and foreign policy interests," Democratic Senator Ron Wyden and Republican John ⁠Cornyn wrote in a letter addressed to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
"Foreign intelligence agencies in many countries can still legally hire consultants in the United States and buy advanced U.S. surveillance, cyber, and artificial intelligence technology, for use in their intelligence operations to target Americans, and ‌operate against American national security and foreign policy interests," the senators wrote in the letter dated Tuesday.

#intelligence #foreign #americans #tuesday

Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane was voted 2026 German footballer of the year by an ***** ociation of sports journalists on Sunday, finishing ahead of teammate Michael Olise.
The England captain won the award after a stellar year, winning the Bundesliga and German Cup while Bayern also reached the Champions League semi-finals.
Kane scored 61 goals for the club last season in all competitions.
Bayern boss Vincent Kompany was named coach of the year, while their women's captain Giulia Gwinn won the award for best female player.
The 695 members of the German sports journalists ***** ociation vote on the award, with Bundesliga players or German footballers playing abroad eligible for the honour.

#bayern #year #bundesliga

When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped back in 2020, their feelings about the British media were central to that decision. The couple had just launched legal action against three major newspaper groups and had described in one statement "a British tabloid press that wages campaigns against individuals with no thought to the consequences." In their announcement about leaving, they devoted a lengthy and detailed explanation to how and why they were breaking free from the press rota system that covers working royals.
In the intervening six years, their strength of feeling has prevailed. "We all know what the British press can be like and it was destroying my mental health. I was like, this is toxic," Harry told James Corden in 2021. Meghan claimed in her 2022 interview with The Cut magazine that she would never be able to do school runs without being photographed in the UK. Harry's memoir Spare cemented the media as the real villain in his life. And in his most recent court case against the Mail newspapers, which he lost, Harry took to the stand and said, "They have made my wife's life an absolute misery, my Lord."
Yet, in the years since they stepped back, some things have changed when it comes to Harry and Meghan's relationship with the press. There was a declaration in 2022 that unnamed "sources" would no longer speak for them which eventually fell, without fanfare, by the wayside. After basing their PR team largely in the U.S., they hired a UK-based PR in 2024 and went on to take on their current spokesperson who is UK-based.
Indeed, when news broke that Harry and Meghan were returning to live in Britain, it was two UK newspapers (including tabloid The Sun) along with UK-based journalists for People Magazine and one Australian outlet who had the scoop. When Harry visited the UK recently, a range of British and international outlets were given access to his events. There is now a line of communication between the Sussexes' team and many sections of the British media. It's a pragmatic approach, but not one Harry and Meghan have always taken.
What is notable, however, is that when the couple return to the UK, they will not be coming back to the life that they left. They are not working royals (something that has been made very clear from the royal end) and as such will be able to keep away from the royal rota. If they make public appearances, they will have the choice over who covers them and what they can access. There will be no expectation to release images of themselves or their children for milestone moments. The couple has worked through the UK press regulator to ask media for privacy around their home and their children's school.

#couple

For decades, Natalie Portman has been one of our most cerebral stars. A 1999 Vanity Fair cover, promoting "The Phantom Menace," asked whether the then-17-year-old might "choose Harvard over Hollywood." She managed to do both, earning an Ivy League degree and an Oscar. Her characters in movies from "Jackie" to "May December" are often overthinkers, and her Instagram book club picks tend toward high literature.

Who better, then, to serve as the heroine of a Rachel Cusk novel?

Cusk, the experimental novelist, is set to publish "Life of M," about an unnamed actress coping with feelings of alienation and depersonalization, on Aug. 25. Cusk's work, like the well-loved "Outline" trilogy, favors deep excavation of inner turmoil over what might be called "plot," and "Life of M" is no exception. Still, the obvious similarities to the known facts of Portman's life have earned the book plenty of buzz.

To wit: M, a former child star who received her greatest acclaim for playing a ballerina, is raising children, seemingly solo, in Paris. All of this checks out, and Portman's putative connection to Cusk — she selected Cusk's last novel, 2024's "Parade," for Natalie's Book Club, and both actress and author live in Paris — lends the enterprise a juicy overlay of gossip.

There's no public information indicating Portman's involvement in the project, or whether she approved it at all. (Portman's rep and the book's publicist at Farrar, Straus and Giroux did not respond to requests for comment.) And if people are reading "Life of M" as a document of truth, it may be in part because the novel so confidently places its reader within restricted access zones. We see M through the eyes of a narrator, an unnamed person who has obtained M's permission to document her life. And so we accompany M to a spa, where she and a younger actress chitchat about their peers and discuss Hollywood's gender pay gap, and to an interview at a chic restaurant, where she observes strangers snapping her picture. The access Cusk grants extends deep into M's mind as well: With her friend, M ponders how she might help a new generation of actresses despite her own "ennui" about the industry; with the journalist interviewing her, M is burdened "by the impossibility of anyone ever understanding what she is."

The project of this book is to help us to know a person who rejects examination, just as journalists have struggled to crack Portman, who avoids discussing her personal life in interviews. "Life of M" is not the sort of novel that one can "spoil," but suffice it to say that M ultimately makes her displeasure at the narrator's project plain: Being under a writer's gaze is, for her, intolerable. M comes by this aversion to fame honestly. We're informed that "starring in a film as a child had immediately brought her childhood to an end," and that press coverage of her entanglements as an adult have strained her relationship with her family. She has constructed a series of walls, and w