Ideas on how to have an amazing summer
Mom Hints' Sherri French shares all her ideas to make the most out of the summer months for both you and your kids.
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National Post
37 minutes ago
- National Post
‘Call Her Daddy' podcast star accuses her ex-soccer coach of sexual harassment
The star of the popular Call Her Daddy podcast is calling out her former soccer coach with a bombshell allegation of sexual harassment. Article content In her upcoming documentary, Alex Cooper claims that she was sexually harassed by her soccer coach during her time at Boston University. Article content Article content In the doc, titled Call Her Alex and releasing on streaming platform Hulu in the U.S. on Tuesday, Cooper says that the ordeal occurred a decade ago over the course of three years and that the alleged sexual harassment at the hands of former head coach Nancy Feldman escalated until Cooper left the team in her senior year. Article content 'I felt a lot of anger — anger at my coach, anger at my school, and anger at the system that allowed this to happen,' the podcast host said in the documentary, according to Vanity Fair. 'I don't think anyone could've prepared me for the lasting effects that came from this experience. She turned something that I loved so much into something extremely painful.' Article content Feldman coached the school's women's soccer team for 22 years before retiring in 2022. Cooper said that Feldman began to 'fixate on me way more than any other teammate of mine' during her sophomore season. Article content View this post on Instagram A post shared by Alex Cooper (@alexandracooper) Article content Article content Cooper was a member of the Terriers from 2013-15, when Feldman allegedly took an interest in her and would make uncomfortable comments about her body and her personal life — including asking Cooper if she had been sexually active the previous night. Article content Article content Cooper also alleges that the former coach would try to get her alone and inappropriately touch her thigh. Article content 'It was this psychotic game of, 'You wanna play? Tell me about your sex life. I have to drive you to your night class, get in the car with me alone,'' Cooper said, according to the outlet. 'I started trying to spend as little time as possible with her. Taking different routes to practice where I knew I wouldn't run into her, during meetings, I would try to sit as far away from her as possible. Article content 'Literally anything to not be alone with this woman.' Article content View this post on Instagram A post shared by Alex Cooper (@alexandracooper)
CTV News
41 minutes ago
- CTV News
Sean ‘Diddy' Combs' ex-girlfriend says she cried for three days after reading Cassie's lawsuit
Sean "Diddy" Combs appears at the premiere of "Can't Stop, Won't Stop: A Bad Boy Story" on June 21, 2017, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File) NEW YORK — Sean 'Diddy' Combs' recent ex-girlfriend told Combs that she cried for three days after reading R&B artist Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura's 2023 lawsuit against the music mogul, a case that described hundreds of drug-laced marathon sex sessions with Combs and other men as 'horrific encounters.' The woman, who is known in court by the pseudonym Jane, testified Monday that she felt like she was 'reading my own sexual trauma' as she read the lawsuit, which was settled within a day for US$20 million. She read aloud in Manhattan federal court a text message that she sent Combs three days after the lawsuit was filed in November 2023. She said that she had been crying for three days and felt nauseated. She said three pages of the lawsuit addressing what Cassie referred to as 'freak-offs' and what Jane has called 'hotel nights' followed her experience with the Bad Boy Entertainment founder 'word for word, exactly my experience.' Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey raised the subject of the lawsuit as Jane testified for a third day about her experiences with Combs for over three years until his arrest last September. Cassie testified for four days earlier in the trial, saying she engaged in the weekly sexual performances as Combs mostly watched or filmed her sexual activities with male sex workers in sessions that often lasted for days. Cassie dated Combs for nearly 11 years, ending in 2018. Combs has pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy charges that could put him in prison from 15 years to life if he is convicted. Prior to bringing up Cassie's lawsuit on Monday, Comey elicited from Jane that she had protested the way Combs was treating her in the weeks before Cassie sued. She read aloud for the jury hundreds of text messages that she had exchanged with Combs, including some in which she complained that he seemed to be forcing her into the sexual encounters by threatening to take away her Los Angeles home. He had begun paying for the residence months earlier. She pleaded with him to recognize the damage the sex marathons were doing to her, writing: 'I am not an animal.' Jane's testimony was expected to fill the bulk of the trial's fifth week, as prosecutors move closer to finishing the presentation of their evidence before the defense gets its turn. As in her previous two days on the stand last week, Jane became emotional and cried briefly on Monday, but was mostly composed as she discussed her experiences with a man she said she loved. She acknowledged that she had reviewed some of the sex sessions with prosecutors prior to beginning testimony last Thursday. Comey asked her what she saw on them. 'I saw me,' she responded, before adding: 'following a pattern.' She added that with the 'majority of these tapes it was like the same show over and over again.' Jane said that after she expressed her frustrations and desire to only have sexual relations with Combs, the verbal fights between them would sometimes be resolved when he would say all the things she wanted to hear and promise to spend time with her without a 'hotel night.' Then, she said, when she saw Cassie's lawsuit, 'I almost fainted.' Article by Michael R. Sisak, Larry Neumeister.
CTV News
41 minutes ago
- CTV News
Labubu: The viral monster toy taking over Canada
This image provided by 'Showcase', shows Labubu, the plush toy from China's Pop Mart. Labubu, the mischievous, pointy-toothed monster from Chinese toy company Pop Mart, is no longer just a viral sensation – it's a full-blown cultural phenomenon. And in Canada, demand is surging, thanks in part to Showcase, the national retailer bringing Pop Mart products to local malls. 'Labubu is one of many characters in the Monsters series of Pop Mart, but she's the most famous character by far,' said Samir Kulkarni, CEO of Showcase, in a video interview with 'We've been in business for 30 years. This is by far the largest toy trend that we have ever seen.' Pop Mart describes Labubu as 'a small monster with high, pointed ears and serrated teeth' who, despite its mischievous look, 'is kind-hearted and always wants to help.' Originally created in 2015 by Hong Kong-born, Netherlands-raised illustrator Kasing Lung, Labubu first appeared in a trio of picture books inspired by Nordic mythology. '[The artist] remembered hearing Dutch bedtime stories about different monsters … and created figurines to go with those stories,' Kulkarni said. 'There's a story behind the story, and that's what creates that demand.' Although the character began as a background figure, Labubu has grown into the face of Pop Mart's global success, especially since plush versions hit the market in 2023. Labubu This image provided by 'Showcase', shows Labubu, the plush toy from China's Pop Mart. According to the company's annual report, Pop Mart's revenue more than doubled in 2024 to 13.04 billion yuan (US$1.81 billion), driven in part by Labubu's success. Plush toy sales alone soared more than 1,200 per cent, accounting for nearly 22 per cent of overall revenue. Labubu has been embraced by fans of all ages, though most buyers fall between the ages of eight and 25, according to Kulkarni. 'It definitely skews towards the younger side,' he said, adding there are older customers, especially when it comes to rarer and more expensive figures. Labubu has also become a fashion accessory, spotted dangling from designer handbags carried by celebrities including Olivia Attwood, Kim Kardashian and David Beckham, fuelling the toy's desirability. 'It's a mystery' What sets Pop Mart apart, and Labubu in particular, is the blind-box format. Shoppers never know exactly which figure they'll receive until opening the box. 'It's very different than most toys that are sold in retail,' Kulkarni said. 'In this case, it's a mystery. Sometimes there are rare characters that only appear once every 72 boxes. So, people are looking for the super rare ones, as well.' Those rare figures, once discovered, can skyrocket in value. The result is a frenzied aftermarket, with online resellers charging eye-watering prices for coveted pieces. 'They definitely do get more expensive over time because they are limited edition items,' Kulkarni said. 'There just isn't enough … and demand is much higher than the supply.' Showcase has leaned into the collector culture by offering in-store trading for duplicates and pre-order options for upcoming releases. New Labubu series drop almost monthly, according to Kulkarni, including the wildly popular 'Big Into Energy' collection featuring neon-coloured versions of the character. Labubu This image provided by 'Showcase', shows Labubu, the plush toy from China's Pop Mart. 'That line is the most popular Labubus ever created,' he said. 'We allow for those trades in-store, as well, so that people can … complete their collections.' Labubu vs. Lafufu Tracking down a Labubu isn't always easy. While Pop Mart operates an online store that ships to Canada, there are no physical Pop Mart locations in the country. Labubu figures are also available through a range of retailers — including Showcase, its national partner — as well as independent shops and online resellers. But fans should beware: a growing number of fakes, known online as 'Lafufus,' are circulating in the market. Lafufu, a counterfeit of Pop Mart's hit toy, has gained unexpected traction on social media. The name riffs on the word 'fake,' and their exaggerated flaws like misaligned eyes, uneven fur and lumpy bodies have turned them into a meme of their own. Despite being knockoffs, Lafufus have attracted a following. They're cheaper and more accessible than the genuine article, offering a low-cost entry point into the fandom for buyers who aren't fussy about official branding. There are a few general ways to tell the difference between a Lafufu and an authentic Labubu: genuine figures typically come in Pop Mart packaging with verifiable details, such as a QR code. Lafufus, by contrast, are often sold in unbranded bags and may have visible flaws.
