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Anna Louizos Dies: Broadway Scenic Designer Of ‘In The Heights’ & ‘Avenue Q’ Was 69
Anna Louizos, the three-time Tony-nominated Broadway scenic designer behind productions including *Avenue Q* and *In the Heights*, has died in New York City aged 69. Her death, caused by multiple myeloma after a series of health problems linked to a riding accident in Greece last year, marks the loss of a designer whose sets helped…
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How Billboard’s Up-And-Coming Country Artist Blake Whiten Went From Viral Covers to Opening Stadium Tours & Scoring His Own Hot 100 Hit
Blake Whiten, Billboard’s August Up-and-Coming Artist, has progressed from posting viral country covers to opening Morgan Wallen’s stadium tour and earning his first Billboard Hot 100 entry. His rapid rise matters because it marks a transition from social-media exposure to mainstream industry milestones, including a debut album, radio promotion and a headline tour. Whiten’s cover…
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Dude Perfect, Weird Al & More on Monthly Comedy Boxscore Recap: By the Numbers
Dude Perfect led Billboard’s July 2026 comedy touring rankings, ending Nate Bargatze’s recent run at the top. The group’s success highlights strong demand for live comedy and entertainment acts even during a month dominated by major music tours. The Squad Games Tour grossed $8.5 million and sold 135,000 tickets across 16 July shows, contributing to…
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Sony’s Reon wearable air conditioner saved my sanity through multiple heatwaves
Sony’s Reon Pocket Pro Plus wearable air conditioner was found to provide meaningful relief during London heatwaves, despite its unusual appearance and high price. The review highlights its relevance in the UK, where domestic air conditioning is uncommon and extreme summer temperatures are becoming harder to manage. The $260 device cools a metal plate against…
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CHRIS PLEASANCE: Is this Putin’s next target? The secret signal hidden in a US spy chief’s unusual flight to Moscow
CIA director John Ratcliffe made a rare, unannounced visit to Moscow, reportedly to warn Russian intelligence officials against attacking NATO members. The article presents the journey as a deliberate signal of US resolve amid concern that Russia could test the alliance with a limited incursion, particularly in the Baltic region. Ratcliffe travelled on a US…
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Peter Cullen Dead: Definitive Voice of Optimus Prime and a Generation’s Eeyore Was 85
Peter Cullen, the Canadian voice actor best known for voicing Optimus Prime in Transformers and Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh, has died aged 85, according to TMZ. His work shaped generations of viewers across animation, television and film, particularly through his long-running portrayals of characters associated with strength, gentleness and melancholy. He remained professionally active…
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New Netflix Mystery Series With Maya Hawke Is Officially Giving ‘Sterling Point’s Breakout Star a “Deeply Brilliant” New Role [Exclusive]
Ella Rubin is nearing the end of filming The God of the Woods, a Netflix mystery series adapted from Liz Moore’s bestselling novel and co-starring Maya Hawke. Rubin said the 1970s-set atmospheric thriller gives her a markedly different and more challenging role, centred on a troubled young woman with a dark past and morally ambiguous…
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If Meta’s going down, it’s taking TikTok and YouTube with it
Meta has reached a proposed US child-safety settlement with 47 states and other jurisdictions, and is using it to urge TikTok, YouTube and Snap to adopt similar protections for teenagers. The arrangement matters because it could set a practical benchmark for future platform-safety negotiations while helping Meta avoid being placed at a competitive disadvantage by…
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‘Onslaught’ Gave Michael Biehn the Same Feeling as Watching ‘Aliens’ the First Time: “I Can’t Wait for the Sequel”
Michael Biehn has enthusiastically praised Adam Wingard’s forthcoming action-horror film Onslaught, saying that watching it gave him the same excitement he felt when first seeing Aliens. His comments matter because Biehn starred in Aliens and has appeared in several landmark genre films, making his comparison a notable endorsement ahead of Onslaught’s release. Biehn said he…
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Alienware 39-inch 5K OLED monitor targets versatile gaming
Alienware’s 39-inch 5K OLED ultrawide monitor is positioned as a versatile premium display, combining an expansive field of view with the 2,160-pixel vertical height more commonly found on 32-inch 4K screens. The review argues this makes it better suited than shorter 49-inch ultrawides for immersive gaming, media editing and general use, while switchable high-refresh modes…