Sean Gallagher Named Acting Chief of Capitol Police
Amanda M. Castro is a Newsweek Live Blog Editor based in New York. Her focus is reporting on U.S. politics, breaking news, consumer topics, and entertainment. She specializes in delivering in-depth news and live blog reporting and has experience covering U.S. presidential debates, awards shows, and more. Amanda joined Newsweek in 2024 from the The U.S. Sun and is a graduate of the University of New Haven.
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Newsweek
12 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Previous Owners Begged Her Not To Renovate—She Did It and Stunned Internet
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A video about a woman who renovated her home after its previous owners were "begging" her not to has gone viral on TikTok. The video was shared by Jaci Marie Smith (@jacimariesmith), a lifestyle influencer/photographer based in Southern California. The clip begins with Smith explaining how the previous owners "were like begging us not to renovate the house." The video has amassed 2.3 million views since it was posted on May 31. The home built in 1959 was purchased by Smith with plans to fully remodel it. "The home was in our price range, a good size for our family, and in the area we want to live," Smith told Newsweek. "We always had plans of renovating it to make it what we wanted." In comments left in a previous video shared by Smith revealing one of her bathroom renovations, some TikTokers were critical of her choice to redo the bathroom. Tristenikaika said: "This is what's called ruining the charm of a house. Disgusting." User morgan wrote: "But the before had so much charm." @jacimariesmith Replying to @Jani🍵🩷 the bathroom they were crashing out over ♬ original sound - jacimariesmith In the later viral video, Smith addresses the reaction she often gets from followers. "I think people also assume that the house we bought is like a mid-century gem, a house with so much historical character and that we are just these heartless people ripping away this house... we're erasing history and just painting everything white," she says. But according to Smith, the reality is far less dramatic. The home, she explained, had already been renovated in the early 2000s and had lost most of its original mid-century charm. "There was not much charm in this house to begin with," she told Newsweek. "It didn't have much charm or any redeeming qualities we loved." The viral post comes as home renovation spending in the United States was reported to have surged in recent years, with the median spend rising by 60 percent between 2020 ($15,000) and 2023 ($24,000), according to a survey conducted by Houzz, a home design website. Kitchens were the most commonly renovated interior room (with 29 percent of those surveyed having done so last year, followed by guest bathrooms (27 percent) and primary bathrooms (25 percent), the survey found. Smith said the former owners of her home were emotionally invested. "I think they were just very attached to their home and the memories it held," Smith said. "They lived here for a long time and it was nostalgic for them. I don't think they wanted to see it get completely flipped like an investor would do." The viral clip includes before-and-after footage of the bathroom renovations, which dramatically replaced outdated, plain interiors with spa-inspired designs featuring modern fixtures and finishes. "The bathrooms felt particularly dated and not cozy at all," Smith said. "We wanted our bathrooms to feel comfortable, and spa-like which I think we achieved. Our primary bathroom is arguably my favorite room of the house." 'Absolutely Beautiful' The results have drawn high praise online. "The bathroom renovation looks INCREDIBLE oh my word," commented TikTok user Hannah | Marriage + Motherhood. Another user, elsie_AF, wrote: "That new bathroom reveal! I thought that was from a magazine GORGEOUS." Tattooed24seventinkabrat was more blunt, saying: "Good lord it was awful before... it's absolutely beautiful now." Even those skeptical of renovations in general seemed to side with Smith's approach. "It had no character before. You gave it character," wrote madsnaseum. Other users directed their criticism at the previous owners, who had urged Smith not to make changes. "The previous owners need to leave you alone! They sold the house," wrote user Hpach. Aaisyah added: "Do understand giving up ownership in exchange You know, the concept of a transaction?" Smith emphasized that her intent was never to erase history, but rather to create a space that worked for her family's needs and lifestyle. "Our interior renovation is just about done and we ended up doing more work than we initially anticipated. We knocked down walls, reconfigured rooms, etc. We are so happy with it and now we are beginning on landscaping which will also be an exciting journey," she said. Screengrabs from a viral video of a bathroom before it was renovated by Jaci Marie Smith after the previous owners of the home begged her not to do it. Screengrabs from a viral video of a bathroom before it was renovated by Jaci Marie Smith after the previous owners of the home begged her not to do it. @jacimariesmith on TikTok Do you have a home renovation-related video or story to share? Let us know via life@ and your story could be featured on Newsweek.
Newsweek
16 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Exclusive: TMNT Co-Creator Kevin Eastman Reflects on 40 Years of Turtle Power
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek's network of contributors Back before the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles became a household name, it started off as a dark and gritty comic for Mirage from co-creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. More news: Exclusive: 'TMNT' Spinoff Series 'Casey Jones' Set for Release This Fall Eastman has been a beloved comic creator for decades on end, and he sat down with Newsweek to discuss the creation, history, and longevity of the turtles — and he divulged some new updates on the current massive hit, "The Last Ronin." Initially, Eastman and Laird were messing around with one another regarding the creation of the animal equivalent of Bruce Lee, a world-renowned martial artist. Lee, known for his speed and skills in martial arts, was transformed into a ninja turtle. "And so I thought to myself, if Bruce Lee was an animal, what would be the stupidest animal, mammal, creature, reptile, and so fast-moving martial artist, slow-moving turtle. It just made me laugh out loud." Though the idea of a turtle being a martial artist began with a laugh, Eastman and Laird would lean on their comic fandom to turn the one turtle into four. "And then we said, well, if one, why not a group of them, maybe four? Like the Fantastic Four or X Men kind of thing. So I penciled a sketch all four turtles, each with different weapons, and I put this comic bookie Ninja Turtles logo above them, and when Pete did the inking on it, he added a Teenage Mutant to the title. And we just laughed out loud, and it was something we said, 'enough rejection letters.' "Besides, we really love this idea. We're going to keep this one for ourselves, and let's just come up with a story that tells how the turtles got to be Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. And that was in 1984, and the first issue came out in May of 1984." A cover of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1, by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. A cover of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1, by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. IDW The comic was meant to be a one-shot, or singular issue, but the impact of the first issue was undeniable. Eastman borrowed money from his uncle to fund the first issue, and a 3,000-copy run would soon sell out. "We borrowed money from my uncle Quentin. We put together a little business proposal. It was around $1,200 if I recall. All correctly, and that was enough to print 3,000 copies. We thought that we would have most of those 3000 copies for many years to come. It was a one-shot. So, you know, again, we did it, the creation of it and the writing of it was written for ourselves, because we really didn't think it would sell that well. But it sold out pretty quickly, and to our surprise and my uncle ... he was actually going to get paid back." The popularity of the comic would turn into a 6,000-copy run, and eventually, the comic world was begging for the second issue. Eastman and Laird would continue their original run, but the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles would turn into a global sensation shortly thereafter. Though the turtles would come out as a comic that showcased a far darker outlook, Eastman and Lair licensed out the turtles to Playmate Toys, leading to the original cartoon series being released in 1987, a series of video games, and the ever-popular original live-action films. Headshot of Kevin Eastman with the cover for the 1990s TMNT movie. Headshot of Kevin Eastman with the cover for the 1990s TMNT movie. IDW Despite the fact that the turtles were turned into more of the pizza-eating and radical variation that many fans grew up with and loved, Eastman reveals that he and Laird still had creative control over how the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were conveyed. "We were lucky, you know. I mentioned Jack Kirby, who was a big hero of Peter and I and the nature of the business that he grew up in, working for Marvel in DC. It was commonplace for the corporation that you worked for owned all the rights to your characters and anything you created was owned by them. So we were well aware, even around the time that Peter and I started, there was a lot of challenges to industry professionals trying to get Kirby more credit for his rights ownership profits from the characters he created. So we knew how lucky we were that we created something we owned fully." Eastman would eventually sell his share of the turtles to Laird, who in turn sold the rights to Viacom. Despite not having creative control any longer, Eastman has remained a creative voice for the franchise, including in the most recent movie, "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem." "My position as being kind of the OG, you know, the co-creator, Nickelodeon, who's always been really wonderful, very kind. And they, because they don't have to bring me in on anything, but they always reach out and ask my opinion. Or, you know, like I did a voice as I was a good human and 'Mutant Mayhem,' or I've done voices in the cartoon show I worked on, you know, different aspects of different productions. But with that, it was something that Seth and Jeff and Evan and everybody at Point Grey and that whole team had a very specific vision. And it was one of those that had they invited me, and I would have been happy to join him, but they had a vision that they wanted to tell, and I could not be more happy and more proud." Eastman did not bow out of creating new and exciting stories for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. In fact, he became a chief writer when IDW Publishing launched a new turtles comic series in 2011. Inks done by Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles writer and co-creator Kevin Eastman. Inks done by Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles writer and co-creator Kevin Eastman. IDW The monthly-released comic began in August 2011 and has been running ever since. However, IDW chose to relaunch the series in July 2024, with Jason Aaron taking over as the chief writer. Eastman worked with Tom Waltz while at IDW, and they paired together to revive and work on a story back in the 1980s that was initially developed by Eastman and Laird. The idea was about what the world of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles would look like if all but one perished. That idea would be transformed into the massive hit, "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin." "The Last Ronin" follows the tragic fall of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, save for one, Michaelangelo. Michelangelo is distraught over the loss of his brothers and seeks revenge against Oroku Hiroto, the grandson of the infamous Shredder. Cover art for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin, drawn by Kevin Eastman. Cover art for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin, drawn by Kevin Eastman. IDW "It's an idea that Peter and I wrote way back in 1987, set 30 years in the future. And it was 31 years later that Tom waltz and I, when I dug out the original script and materials that Pete and I developed for that in 1987 and adapted into The Last Ronin. We just felt like this is kind of our love poem to all things, you know, dark night, the edginess, the darkness, and some important things leaning, you know, quite heavily on the original Mirage series in this kind of universe of its own." Eastman referred to the reception as "mind-blowing," which has certainly been the case. "The Last Ronin" led to a prequel called "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin - Lost Years," which follows Michelangelo and his quest for answers after the death of his brothers, and the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin II - Re-Evolution," which follows a brand-new set of turtles. Cover art for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin II Re-Evolution, drawn by Kevin Eastman. Cover art for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin II Re-Evolution, drawn by Kevin Eastman. IDW "The Last Ronin" universe is also expanding into a video game, and Eastman revealed that there will be a third sequel for the comics as well. "We are working on a part three. So we feel like, just funny that when I'm looking at your posters behind you, get the 'Empire Strikes Back.' And so we feel like, you know, 'Last Ronin, the first one is kind of 'A New Hope.' 'Re-Evolution' is 'Empire Strikes Back,' and so three is going to be our best shot at, you know, 'Return of the Jedi' kind of concept. So, we're excited to dig into that this year." Eastman also revealed that the third "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin" series is set to start in 2026. "So 2026, is what we're looking at. And so we're all working. We're kind of rolled off series two, almost right into series three. So we're excited." Since creating the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in 1984, the characters and stories have gone on to inspire and entertain fans for over 40 years. What has surprised Eastman through 40 years of writing and drawing, what was initially a joke? "That there are still stories to tell, sincerely." To listen to the entire, watch the video above. Eastman goes into depth on the history of the turtles and their many iterations, the original comic, how "The Last Ronin" was developed, the sequels, and what creating the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles has meant to him for 40 years. For more on comics, head to Newsweek Comics.
Yahoo
16 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Mexico to announce 'measures' next week if no deal on US metals tariffs
(Reuters) - Mexico will announce measures next week if there is no agreement reached with the United States on the steel and aluminum tariffs announced, president Claudia Sheinbaum said Wednesday. She also called the U.S. announcement to raise the metals' tariffs to 50% from the 25% introduce in March an "unfair measure" during her morning conference, citing the free trade agreement Mexico and Canada share with the United Sates. Sheinbaum however said that Mexico's response would not be "an eye for an eye." "It is not a matter of revenge, or retaliation as they call it in English," she said. "It is a matter of protecting our jobs and our businesses." U.S. President Donald Trump had late on Tuesday signed an executive proclamation activating the tariffs starting Wednesday. The Trump administration also wants countries to provide their "best offers" to avoid other punishing import levies from taking effect in early July, according to a draft letter to negotiating partners seen by Reuters. Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard is set to hold talks with high-level U.S. officials this week, Sheinbaum said.
