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Elden Ring Nightreign review — a frenzied battle for survival

Elden Ring Nightreign review — a frenzied battle for survival

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Witness testifies that Diddy dangled her over a balcony
Witness testifies that Diddy dangled her over a balcony

BBC News

time23 minutes ago

  • BBC News

Witness testifies that Diddy dangled her over a balcony

Graphic designer Bryana Bongolan testified that Sean "Diddy" Combs once dangled her off a 17th floor apartment balcony, and that she saw him throw a knife at her friend Casandra Wednesday, prosecutors displayed photos taken by Ms Bongolan and her then-girlfriend of Ms Bongolan's bruises, which she claimed she sustained during the alleged 2016 attorneys worked to cast doubt on Ms Bongolan's credibility before the jury under intense cross-examination, during which she responded that she could not recall past statements she gave the faces charges of racketeering, conspiracy and sex trafficking. He has pleaded not guilty. The federal case, now in its fourth week of testimony, followed dozens of civil lawsuits filed against him by men and women accusing him of abuse, including both Ms Ventura, who is Combs' ex-girlfriend, and Ms Bongolan said she met Ms Ventura in 2014 when she worked for the brand, Young and Reckless. Later, as the head women's designer at Diamond Supply Co., she was assigned to work with Ms Ventura on creating a collection and the two became Bongolan testified they often took drugs like cocaine, ketamine and marijuana together. She later alleged that she procured drugs for Ms Ventura, and that the R&B singer paid her for them. She also acknowledged that she and Ms Ventura had a "problem" with drug use, but that she was currently Bongolan testified that during the friendship, she saw signs of Combs' alleged violence. She said once saw Ms Ventura on FaceTime with a black eye, and that the rapper would often pound on Ms Ventura's apartment door at September 2016, Ms Bongolan testified that she heard banging on Ms Ventura's front door when she and her girlfriend were sleeping on the couch. She hid her girlfriend in a bathroom and went to the balcony, then Mr Combs entered the apartment, and allegedly picked her up and lifted her onto the ledge, she told the said he repeatedly yelled, "You know what the (expletive) you did", and then threw her into the balcony showed the jury photos of a puncture and bruise on Ms Bongolan's leg, along with accompanying metadata displaying the date they were taken. She also testified she suffered night terrors and paranoia as a result of the another incident she described, Combs burst into Ms Ventura's apartment and allegedly threw a knife at the R&B singer. Ms Bongolan said Ms Ventura picked the knife up and threw it back. Neither of them was injured, she during a photoshoot in Malibu with Ms Ventura, Ms Bongolan alleged that Mr Combs got in her face and told her, "I'm the devil and I could kill you"."I was terrified," she told the court. A relentless cross-examination During cross examination, Mr Combs' defence attorney sought to undercut Ms Bongolan, who struggled to answer questions about her statements in previous meetings with Westmoreland repeatedly asked Ms Bongolan about what she told government prosecutors when she first met with them in January 2024. Several times, she asked her about the alleged balcony incident, but the witness struggled to recall details she described at the initial meeting. During her testimony two weeks ago, Ms Ventura, the prosecution's key witness told the court, "I saw him bring her back over the railing of the balcony and then throw her onto the patio furniture." Ms Westmoreland also asked Ms Bongolan about her initial account of the incident in Malibu. The defence attorney said Ms Bongolan originally told government prosecutors that Combs made that threat at a party, and Ms Bongolan testified she could not recall that the afternoon wore on, Ms Bongolan increasingly repeated that she could not recall details of previous conversations with prosecutors. At one point, Ms Westmoreland asked Ms Bongolan to recall her conversations with prosecutors two days prior. Asked about specifics, Ms Bongolan answered that she could not court also heard on Wednesday from forensic video editor Frank Piazza, who took the jury through recordings of the "Cassie video", which shows Mr Combs beating Ms Ventura in a hotel hallway in 2016. He explained that the recordings were untampered with and were an accurate Bongolan is expected to return to the stand Thursday. She will likely be followed by "Jane", whose testimony under a pseudonym could take several days.

Ana de Armas sings Tom Cruise's praises over his 'very special' review of her film Ballerina amid romance rumors
Ana de Armas sings Tom Cruise's praises over his 'very special' review of her film Ballerina amid romance rumors

Daily Mail​

time35 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

Ana de Armas sings Tom Cruise's praises over his 'very special' review of her film Ballerina amid romance rumors

Ana de Armas shared her honest reaction to Tom Cruise gushing over her upcoming thriller, Ballerina, which hits theater on Friday. As rumors continue to swirl that the pair are dating, the actress, 37, shared how much his sweet review of her latest performance meant to her. 'It makes me really happy and proud,' she told told E! News at the film's Los Angeles premiere on Tuesday. The actress continued: 'It's surreal that someone like him is liking the movie and supporting the film and celebrating other people's films.' De Armas went on to emphasize how 'amazing' his support has been and told Variety that it is 'unbelievable' he used his platform to publicly support the John Wick spinoff. 'You know what, he supports every movie,' she added. 'He really wants the industry and cinema to do well and [wants] people going to the theaters.' 'It is very special that someone like him is supporting [Ballerina],' she said. De Armas also confirmed Cruise 'really liked it' and is a fan of the John Wick franchise, starring Keanu Reeves. During his press tour for Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, Cruise called Ballerina 'outstanding' in an interview with AP. Cruise also praised De Armas' 'experience in action' during a chat with E! News. 'She's really good,' he marveled while speaking about her role as Eve Macarro, a ballerina who is trained as an assassin, in the film. Last month, the Oscar nominee gave some insight into her decision to keep tight-lipped on her new romance with Cruise during an interview with ELLE Spain. During the interview, the star hinted at the speculation surrounding her and Cruise as she got candid about how she copes with the public's interest into her personal life. As her stardom has risen, the Ballerina star's love life has often wrought as much buzz as her career successes, with previous headline-hitting romances with movie star Ben Affleck and Tinder VP Paul Boukadakis. When quizzed about the scrutiny into her private life, De Armas admitted that she's grown more accustomed to dealing with it and accepted it came as part of the price of fame. Alluding to her apparent determination not to confirm her and Cruise's relationship status, she explained she's learned how important it is for her to have a separation between her 'public persona' and private life. She said: 'Over the years, you get more used to it. You learn to find your corners, your privacy, your way of doing things, your lifestyle... I'm one of those who think there should be external boundaries, a barrier that's quite visible to others and to oneself. 'Making it clear, "This is as far as I go with my work, my public persona, what's expected of me, and what I want to share with viewers and fans." That's wonderful, and I want to do it. 'You can't let the negative side of fame upset you, because then you won't enjoy the beautiful aspects, but it's essential to separate. We're all people and we need that privacy, consideration, and space. 'It seems incredible to have to say it, but we've forgotten that minimum of respect for others. Sometimes we have to make an abrupt stop so others are aware of your reality, but, well, I find my way. When I want to disappear from the map, I do'. However, Ana also admitted that the public criticism she's received over some of her past relationships has 'hurt me at times'. In November, she was hit by massive backlash after being linked to the stepson of Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez - who was handpicked by Raul Castro and 'chosen' in an election in which there were no opposition challengers allowed and has been accused of overseeing massive human rights abuses. After being pictured on a romantic stroll in Madrid hand-in-hand with 26-year-old Manuel Anido Cuesta, the Cuban star was savaged by fans for appearing to be dating the stepson of a dictatorship that she fled from at the age of 18 to live in Spain. Ana confessed that she had become very good at 'filtering' negative comments, knowing which ones to listen to and learn from and which to 'block' that were 'made to intentionally cause you pain.' The Knives Out star claimed that criticisms have 'gotten out of hand' now and become 'damaging and toxic', but insisted: 'I do have control over that, knowing what I let touch me and what I don't.' Ana and Tom first sparked dating rumors after being spotted out to dinner just before Valentine's Day. The speculation reached a fever pitch when exclusive DailyMail photos showed her being flown into London by the action star in his private helicopter last month, just days before her birthday. While neither has confirmed their relationship, the last week has seen both stars speaking about each other, while on the promotional trail at the same time. In May, Cruise raved to Extra that De Armas is a 'very talented, great dramatic actress [with] comedic, tremendous ability, [who] learns quickly.' previously learned that the couple have been getting serious in recent weeks, with one of Tom's A-list exes even giving their approval. It is understood Spanish actress Penelope Cruz - who dated Tom from 2001 to 2004 - is 'happy' that her ex-boyfriend has found new love with her pal, who she starred opposite in the 2019 movie WASP Network. An insider told the Daily Mail: 'Ana has said that Penelope is happy for her, she approves. They know each other from the movie and also they have friends in common in Madrid from when Ana lived there for a while.' They added: 'Tom makes Ana feel safe and that is very important to her. She was flipped out by the fans and stalkers when living in Venice Beach [Los Angeles] so she moved to a remote part of Vermont. 'She loves being away from the crazy. She has been traveling with Tom to busy cities like London, but he always makes her feel safe because he is thoughtful and he has a ton of security. 'He never puts her at risk, she is completely taken care of when she is in his company.' Friends believe the relationship could last, with our insider pointing to the fact that Ana does 'not like to party', preferring quiet nights at home like her decades-older boyfriend. Though another source stressed that the pair are 'taking it day by day' and that the stunner 'does not give her heart away easy.' They said: 'Ana has a thing for older men and Tom fits the bill of her type. The proof is in the pudding. Being affectionate with someone is not something that Ana would do for a role.'

Unless you're a golfer, Owen Wilson's new comedy Stick doesn't make the cut, writes CHRISTOPHER STEVENS
Unless you're a golfer, Owen Wilson's new comedy Stick doesn't make the cut, writes CHRISTOPHER STEVENS

Daily Mail​

time38 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

Unless you're a golfer, Owen Wilson's new comedy Stick doesn't make the cut, writes CHRISTOPHER STEVENS

Stick (Apple TV+) The gods of television are cruel. No sooner do I confess my loathing for golf than they send a ten-part comedy series about the game. Of course I'm big-headed enough to believe they read this telly column on Mount Olympus. But it's more likely, I suppose, that Apple executives are eager for a sports serial to emulate the surprise success of their feelgood show Ted Lasso, about an American football manager who revives a struggling Premier League club. Problem is, you can enjoy Ted Lasso even if you care nothing about football. Stick, which stars Owen Wilson as a washed-up former professional golfer who discovers a troubled teenage protege, is relentlessly, monotonously fixated with the business of hitting a small round object with a long pole. If you're hypnotised by CGI shots tracking a white ball in flight over trees and lakes, you'll enjoy this a lot. If you possess an endless capacity for studying a man shuffling his feet and swinging a club in an arc, this is definitely the show for you. And if you thrill with paroxysms of excitement because a first drive soars onto the green, you may need to keep smelling salts to hand. The opening scene introduces Wilson as Pryce Cahill, a one-time Ryder Cup player now reduced to working as a salesman in a golfing supplies shop. He's selling a top-of-the-range club to a clueless customer. Then he's at his other job, coaching elderly ladies on their putting technique at the local club in Indiana, USA. (Don't ask me why the state is still called Indiana and not Native Americana — political correctness obviously hasn't arrived there yet.) That evening, Pryce is sinking beers in a bar, when a fellow customer starts mocking his fall from the golfing heights. The confrontation ends in a $1,000 bet on a putting contest. How much tension can be packed into the build-up to a golf putt across the carpet of a bar-room, with a whisky glass on its side as the target? Not very much, it turns out — and I cared even less when Pryce missed the shot on purpose, as part of a scam. His fellow con artist is played by Marc Maron, who was brilliant in the Netflix series Glow, yet another sports comedy — this one about female wrestlers. Maron is always watchable, but his character in Stick doesn't make much sense: he's Pryce's former caddy, a morose and monosyllabic man who somehow possesses the ability to switch on a torrent of wiseacre patter. The protege, Santi (Peter Dager), is equally unconvincing — one minute hard-working, wise and empathetic, the next a sulky teen who can't take his eyes off his phone. Stick does offer more than this. There's a romantic backstory, and Wilson is charismatic enough to make us want to see his booze-swilling, dope-smoking, self-sabotaging character find redemption. But before that happens, you're going to have to watch an awful lot of golf.

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