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Miami Herald
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Kim Kardashian's Skims drops wild beauty product, fans baffled
Look, I've had my own complicated relationship with body image. Like a lot of women, I've wrestled with self-love, confidence, and the unrealistic standards that get shoved in our faces daily. Some days I feel great. Other days, I'm critiquing my side profile in the front-facing camera like it's a performance review. So when I saw this latest Skims product - a face-sculpting wrap designed to lift your chin and tighten your jaw overnight - my first reaction wasn't even anger. It was a laugh. Then, honestly? Sadness. Related: This activewear brand wants you to stop chasing perfection Because despite being marketed like the next-gen beauty breakthrough, the $48 Seamless Sculpt Face Wrap looks less like a wellness product and more like post-op compression gear. And while that might sound dramatic, it's kind of the point. Kim Kardashian isn't just selling shapewear anymore. She's now marketing the illusion of facial surgery to wear in your sleep. It's meant to "snatch" your face, but all I could think was: have we seriously come to this? It's not surprising it sold out fast. But to me, this launch feels like the opposite of progress. It's a reminder of just how deep our collective body dysmorphia runs. And the internet agrees. Image source: Bing Guan/Bloomberg via Getty Images The product may have sold out, but the comment sections tell a very different story. On Reddit, users wasted no time calling out just how unsettling the Skims Face Wrap feels. One Redditor, u/Available-Low-2428, summed it up in one sentence: "Everything about this is so dystopian and depressing." Another user, u/EuphoricPines2448, put it even more bluntly: "Once again using women's insecurities for capital gain." And u/UsedAd82 genuinely thought it was a prank: "I thought it was April 1st when I saw the post." Related: This viral luxury basics brand just became even harder to ignore But perhaps the most unintentionally honest take came from u/Confident_Garlic_886, who wrote: "This looks like the brace my doc gave me after I got chin, neck and jaw liposuction lol." There are some users, to be fair, who said they were excited to try it - hoping it might help with sleep apnea or TMJ pain. But that's not what it's being advertised for. It's being sold as a beauty solution, not a medical device. And let's be real: the goal isn't health, it's "snatch." That's the problem. When a face wrap designed to mimic plastic surgery becomes an overnight sellout, it's less a success story - and more of a red flag. This face wrap isn't just a one-off gimmick. It's a signal of where Kim Kardashian is taking the Skims brand. Just weeks ago, her skin care line SKKN by Kim officially shut down. Now, it looks like she's folding beauty devices into the Skims empire instead. And this isn't a random pivot. Skims was recently valued at $4 billion, and continuing to scale means tapping into new verticals. The beauty-tech boom? Prime real estate. From a business perspective, the move makes sense. Skims has already conquered shapewear, loungewear, and even bras and socks - so expanding into "beauty-adjacent" products is a natural next step. More in Retail: Ulta Beauty makes surprise huge expansionNike eliminating some classic sneaker modelsWhy the latest Messi Stanley collab is smarter than it looks But instead of empowering customers, this launch leans into the worst parts of the beauty industry: the kind that sells transformation by way of discomfort. It's not offering innovation. It's offering illusion, wrapped in fabric and Velcro. So while Skims may be trying to capture the at-home beauty market, it's doing so by leaning hard into a look that Kardashian herself likely achieved through much more invasive (and expensive) means. The irony? It's not even subtle. And that, ultimately, is the core of the issue. This launch isn't about confidence or empowerment. It's about monetizing insecurity. Again. Related: Owner of Louis Vuitton and Dior stumbles hard, leans on beauty The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
Straits Times
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Operation Midnight Hammer: What we know so far
People at a protest following the US attacks on Iranian nuclear sites in Tehran, Iran, on Sunday, June 22. Arash Khamooshi/The New York Times Demonstrators gathering outside the Wilshire Federal Building on June 22 in Los Angeles, during a rally opposing the US strikes on Iran./AFP A man holding a bucket with burning wood near US Marines standing guard during a protest against the US joining with Israel in attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities, at a federal building in Los Angeles. REUTERS/David Swanson A man holding a sign near US Marines standing guard at a protest outside the Westwood Federal Building in Los Angeles on June 22, condemning the US and Israeli strikes on Iran. Bing Guan/AFP Demonstrators gathering outside the Wilshire Federal Building on June 22 in Los Angeles, during a rally opposing the US strikes on Iran./AFP US Marines standing guard at a protest condemning the US and Israeli strikes on Iran, outside the Westwood Federal Building in Los Angeles, on June 22. Bing Guan/AFP
Sinar Daily
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Sinar Daily
North Korea condemns US strikes on Iran
It marks nuclear-armed North Korea's first commentary on the US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities over the weekend. 23 Jun 2025 04:13pm The latest statement marks nuclear-armed North Korea's first commentary on the US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities over the weekend. - AFP file photo SEOUL - North Korea condemned on Monday US strikes on Iran, calling it a violation of the United Nations charter and blaming the tension in the Middle East on the "reckless valor of Israel". It marks nuclear-armed North Korea's first commentary on the US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities over the weekend. A demonstrator burning sage speaks to US Marines from 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, standing guard at a protest condemning the US and Israeli strikes on Iran, outside the Westwood Federal Building in the Westwood neighbourhood of Los Angeles, on June 22, 2025. (Photo by Bing Guan / AFP) "The Democratic People's Republic of Korea strongly denounces the attack on Iran by the US which severely violated the UN Charter with respect for sovereignty," said a spokesperson of the North's foreign ministry, according to a statement carried by the state news agency. The ongoing regional tension was an "inevitable product brought by the reckless valor of Israel", the unnamed spokesperson added, claiming the Jewish state "has promoted its unilateral interests through ceaseless war moves and territorial expansion". Washington said Sunday its strikes "devastated" Iran's nuclear programme, but has insisted it is not seeking to topple the government in the Islamic republic. "Monumental Damage was done to all Nuclear sites in Iran, as shown by satellite images. Obliteration is an accurate term!" US President Donald Trump wrote on social media, without sharing the images he was referencing. North Korea is believed to possess dozens of nuclear warheads and various delivery systems as it faces off against South Korea and its key ally, the United States, which maintains around 30,000 troops on the peninsula. The two Koreas remain technically at war, with the 1950-53 Korean War ending in an armistice rather than a peace treaty. - AFP More Like This
IOL News
23-06-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
'Dangerous escalation': World reacts to US strikes on Iran
A man holds a sign near US Marines from 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, standing guard at a protest condemning the US and Israeli strikes on Iran Image: Bing Guan / AFP The United States struck three nuclear sites in Iran on Sunday, joining Israel's bombing campaign after days of speculation over Washington's involvement in the conflict. "Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated. Iran, the bully of the Middle East, must now make peace," US President Donald Trump said after the strikes. Here is a roundup of the key reactions: Iran: 'Everlasting consequences' Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the US attacks as "outrageous" and said his country had a right to defend its sovereignty. "The events this morning are outrageous and will have everlasting consequences," he posted on social media, calling the attacks "lawless and criminal" behaviour. Araghchi later said the United States and Israel crossed "a very big red line" with the attacks, and said he would head to Moscow later Sunday for talks with President Vladimir Putin. Israel: 'Change history' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated Trump, saying the attacks would "help lead the Middle East and beyond to a future of prosperity and peace". "Your bold decision to target Iran's nuclear facilities with the awesome and righteous might of the United States will change history," Netanyahu said in a video message, adding that the attacks demonstrated "America has been truly unsurpassed". He also told Israelis that his promise to destroy Iran's nuclear facilities had been "fulfilled". Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading EU: 'Step back' The European Union's top diplomat Kaja Kallas called for de-escalation and a return to negotiations. "I urge all sides to step back, return to the negotiating table and prevent further escalation," Kallas wrote on X, adding that Iran must not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and that EU foreign ministers would discuss the situation on Monday. Russia: 'Irresponsible' strikes Russia "strongly condemned" the bombings, calling them "irresponsible" and a "gross violation of international law". "A dangerous escalation has begun, fraught with further undermining of regional and global security," the Russian foreign ministry added. Ukraine: 'Clear signal' Ukraine's foreign ministry said the strikes were justified to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons, praising them as a "clear signal". "Ukraine is convinced that Iran's nuclear programme must be stopped so that it never again poses a threat to the countries of the Middle East or any other state," it said. UN: 'Dangerous escalation' UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the strikes a "dangerous escalation in a region already on the edge". "There is no military solution. The only path forward is diplomacy. The only hope is peace," Guterres said in a statement. OIC: Dialogue and 'peaceful means' The Organization of Islamic Cooperation warned that the strikes could lead to "heightened tensions and threaten regional security, peace, and stability". It called for "de-escalation and self-restraint, and for resorting to dialogue and returning to negotiations and peaceful means." Britain: 'Stability is priority' UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called on Iran to "return to the negotiating table and reach a diplomatic solution to end this crisis". "Iran can never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and the US has taken action to alleviate that threat," Starmer said on X, adding that "stability in the region is a priority". France: 'Exercise restraint' French President Emmanuel Macron called a meeting of the country's defence council, with his office saying he had spoken with the leaders of Saudi Arabia and Oman. France is urging "all parties to exercise restraint to avoid any escalation that could lead to an extension of the conflict", Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot posted on X. China: 'Cease fire' China's foreign ministry said it "strongly condemns" the US strikes, warning that they "escalate tensions in the Middle East". "China calls on all parties to the conflict, especially Israel, to cease fire as soon as possible," the ministry said. North Korea: 'Violated UN charter' North Korea also condemned the US strikes, calling it a violation of the United Nations charter and blaming the tension in the Middle East on the "reckless valor of Israel". "The Democratic People's Republic of Korea strongly denounces the attack on Iran by the US, which severely violated the UN Charter with respect for sovereignty," said a spokesperson of the North's foreign ministry, according to a statement carried by the state news agency. Pope Leo XIV: 'Crying out for peace' Pope Leo XIV said that "humanity is crying out for peace" and called for an end to all wars. "Each member of the international community has the moral responsibility to end the tragedy of war before it becomes an irreparable chasm," Leo said during his weekly Angelus prayer at the Vatican. Saudi Arabia: 'Exercise restraint' Saudi Arabia expressed "great concern" after the strikes on its neighbour, the "sisterly Islamic Republic of Iran". "The Kingdom underscores the need to exert all possible efforts to exercise restraint, de-escalate tensions and avoid further escalation," the foreign ministry posted on X. Pakistan: 'Violate international law' Pakistan, the only nuclear-armed Muslim country and a longtime Washington ally, said the US attacks "violate all norms of international law". "We are gravely concerned at the possible further escalation of tensions in the region," Pakistan's foreign ministry said, adding that Iran had the "right to defend itself under the UN Charter". Hamas: 'Brutal aggression' The Palestinian militant group Hamas condemned the "blatant US aggression against the territory and sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran". "This brutal aggression is a dangerous escalation," Hamas said, calling the attack "a flagrant violation of international law and a direct threat to international peace and security".
Toronto Sun
05-06-2025
- Business
- Toronto Sun
Mattel settles baby sleeper death lawsuits before start of a trial
The agreement resolves lawsuits over six death cases and four allegations faulty design led to babies suffering flattened heads Published Jun 05, 2025 • 3 minute read Mattel headquarters in El Segundo, California. Photo by Bing Guan / Bloomberg Mattel Inc. and its Fisher-Price unit have settled lawsuits alleging their recalled Rock 'n Play baby sleeper was so defectively designed that it led to the deaths of infants. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The agreement, disclosed in a Delaware court filing last week, resolves lawsuits over six death cases and four allegations the faulty design of the Rock 'n Play product led to babies suffering flattened heads when they rolled against the product's side, said Michael Trunk, an attorney representing victims who settled their cases. He declined to provide financial terms. Among the cases settled was a suit filed by Ameena Brown over the death of her son, identified in court filings only as AB. Jury selection in her case was slated to start Thursday in Delaware. There are at least four other such cases pending in Delaware Superior Court. A representative of Mattel declined to comment. Mattel acquired Fisher Price in 1993 in a deal valued at $1 billion. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Carl Tobias, a University of Richmond law professor who teaches about product-liability law, called the settlement a positive step, but said 'the company should have done more to ensure that this product was safe for infant use before it put it on the market in the first place.' Product Recall Mattel started selling the Rock 'n Play Sleeper in October 2009. Over the next 14 years, the product was tied to around 100 deaths, according to court filings in Delaware. Mattel and Fisher-Price pulled it off the market in 2019 and offered refunds for 4.7 million sleepers. It reiterated its recall in 2023. Earlier this year, Mattel agreed to settle investors' claims that it hid the sleeper's risks in a $17 million deal. As part of the accord, the company agreed to make changes to the way directors and executives handle safety issues. That followed Mattel's agreement to pay $19 million to Rock 'n Play purchasers as part of a class-action settlement in federal court in Buffalo, New York. A judge approved that deal in March. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. In Brown's case, her lawyers alleged in their complaint that Rock 'n Play's inclined design forced 'children to tilt their heads to one side, thereby increasing the risk of neck and head injuries, asphyxiation, suffocation, and death.' Brown found her infant son dead in the sleeper – which she got as a second-hand gift – in 2018 after he'd rolled over on his side and pressed his face against the soft-padded side, the filing said. He'd been born prematurely the year before his demise. 'The conclusion of these cases marks an important milestone for the families as they move forward from litigation and begin a new chapter,' Trunk said in an emailed statement. He's a partner in the Philadelphia-based law firm of Kline & Specter PC. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Fisher-Price employees warned the company in internal memos three times in 2008 and 2009 that safety research was needed before bringing the Rock 'n Play to market, a US House of Representatives committee investigation found. The committee found no such checks were done. In response to the House's report, Fisher-Price officials said they formed a medical council of pediatricians to focus more on the safety of their products. Mattel officials argued in their court filings that Brown failed to use the Rock 'n Play's restraints when she put her son in it — despite a warning sewn on the product — and that medical examiners attributed his death to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome rather than the sleeper. Mattel also said the child's health issues may have played a role in his death. The Delaware case is Brown v Fisher-Price, No. N-20C-01-067, Delaware Superior Court (Wilmington). NHL Columnists Columnists Sunshine Girls Celebrity
