Latest news with #Roberts
Indianapolis Star
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Indianapolis Star
Indianapolis councilor Nick Roberts denies claims he groped 18-year-old woman against her will
Another Indianapolis city councilor is pushing back on accusations of sexual misconduct after a woman alleged that he groped her while she tried to push him away during a second date. An 18-year-old woman filed a report with Fishers police accusing City-County Council member Nick Roberts, 24, of grabbing her breasts and butt as she tried to pull away during a kiss on July 12 in downtown Fishers, according to allegations reported by Mirror Indy. Roberts, who has not been charged with a crime, denied the allegations in a Facebook video posted July 29, saying he did "absolutely nothing wrong." "I just wanted to completely deny the allegation of doing anything inappropriate," said Roberts, a Democrat. "Quite frankly, I'm not sure why this slanderous post was made about me, but it's incredibly hurtful not just to me but to my entire family and everyone who knows my character. I was raised to respect all people and I would never engage in unwanted physical contact with a woman without her consent." The allegation against Roberts — lauded by the Indiana Democratic Party as the youngest councilor to win in any major American city after his election in 2023 at just 23 years old — is the latest in a series of sexual misconduct claims made against Democrats in city and state politics. Roberts represents District 4, comprising parts of Castleton and Geist in northeast Marion County. Perhaps the most salient allegations are three women's accounts to IndyStar that Thomas Cook, a former top aide to Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett, pressured them into unwanted sexual encounters while dangling career growth before them as their superior. Two of the women have also criticized Hogsett himself for sending text messages that made them uncomfortable and allowing Cook to work as an unpaid adviser during a 2023 mayoral campaign despite his knowledge of past issues. More recently, City-County Council member Keith Graves was accused of physical and sexual assault by a woman 30 years younger than him, according to an IndyStar investigation. Council Democrats have promised to make reforms to the city's sexual harassment policies and reporting systems, including an overhaul of the human resources department and the creation of an inspector general to independently investigate alleged policy violations. Critics have said they doubt their intentions, however, after Council President Vop Osili ordered the forcible removal of one Cook accuser from a council meeting. Indy politics: Joe Hogsett wants to move past harassment scandal. Many aren't sure he can The accounts from Roberts and the woman, whom Mirror Indy did not name because she claims she's a victim of sexual assault, are aligned in some respects. But what differs starkly is their interpretation of a kiss during a second date. The two agreed to meet for brunch on July 5 after they matched on the dating app Hinge, Roberts said. Both say the first date went well, according to her text messages and comments to Mirror Indy. As they prepared to leave, Roberts hugged her and kissed her on the cheek. She later texted Roberts to say she "had a really good time" and "especially appreciate[d] the kiss on the cheek," according to Roberts. Roberts responded that she could get another "(and maybe more)" next time, by which he says he meant a kiss on the lips. Although the woman told Mirror Indy the remark made her uncomfortable, she responded, "I hope so, I'd like that :)" — meaning another kiss on the cheek. The two met in downtown Fishers a week later, on July 12, for ice cream and an evening stroll along the Nickel Plate Trail. During that walk, Roberts admits that he kissed her on the lips for a few seconds. The woman claims that Roberts pulled her off onto a side trail, where he began kissing and groping her while she pushed him away and told him to stop. He eventually loosened his grip, she said, apparently because someone walked by along the main trail. Roberts denies her account of those events, he said. He told Mirror Indy that the pair walked onto a side trail and kissed for a few seconds. He claims only to have put his hands on her hips. "While on our walk, because of those text messages, I kissed her on the lips for a few seconds," he said in a written statement reviewed by IndyStar. "During the kiss, she did not push me away or ask me to stop. If she had done either, I would have stopped immediately. We then walked for approximately another 30 minutes, and we had a conversation with nothing out of the ordinary." While Roberts described the following moments as unremarkable, the woman told Mirror Indy she was visibly shaken afterward. When they arrived back at their cars, Roberts said, "she leaned in so I could give her a kiss on her cheek and we said goodnight." The woman decided to file a police report soon after the date. Fishers police told Mirror Indy that the investigation is ongoing and refused to comment further. Roberts said he's cooperating fully with the police investigation and will continue to focus on his work as a councilor. "I have faith in the process and believe the facts will prove my innocence," Roberts said in the Facebook video, "and I remain committed toward working for our council district in the meanwhile."
See - Sada Elbalad
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- See - Sada Elbalad
"My Best Friend's Wedding" Sequel in Works
Yara Sameh A sequel to the Julia Roberts romantic comedy 'My Best Friend's Wedding' is in early development at Sony Pictures. The studio has tapped 'Materialists' and 'Past Lives' writer-director Celine Song to pen a screenplay for the follow-up, though she is not in talks to helm the feature. The development comes shortly after Dermot Mulroney, who starred alongside Roberts in the 1997 original directed by P.J. Hogan, teased that 'there is talk of a sequel' to the New York Post . The actor was promoting his new Netflix series 'The Hunting Wives' when asked about the potential for a follow-up, saying 'I know nothing about it. Last I heard, quote, lawyers were talking, unquote.' Song just bowed her sophomore directorial effort 'Materialists,' released by A24 in June. The love triangle rom-com, starring Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal, earned $50 million at the global box office. Her debut feature, 'Past Lives,' earned $42 million globally and scored Oscar nominations for original screenplay and best picture. Song is also an acclaimed playwright and is currently developing an e-sports drama series, titled 'Damage,' for HBO. The original 'My Best Friend's Wedding' starred Roberts as a food critic who discovers that her longtime peer, played by Mulroney, is planning to get married. The two had vowed to get hitched with each other if they each remained unmarried by the ripe old age of 28. Realizing she is in love, Roberts' character plans to sabotage the event. The film also starred Cameron Diaz and Rupert Everett. 'My Best Friend's Wedding' was a box office hit upon release in the summer of 1997, earning $127 million in North America and ranking as the ninth-highest grossing domestic release of the year. The film earned three Golden Globe nominations — in best musical and comedy and acting nods for Roberts and Everett — and has endured as one of the more beloved titles from Roberts' romantic comedy run through the '90s. In 2022, "My Best Friend's Wedding" was ranked on Variety's 100 greatest movies of all time. read more New Tourism Route To Launch in Old Cairo Ahmed El Sakka-Led Play 'Sayidati Al Jamila' to Be Staged in KSA on Dec. 6 Mandy Moore Joins Season 2 of "Dr. Death" Anthology Series Don't Miss These Movies at 44th Cairo Int'l Film Festival Today Amr Diab to Headline KSA's MDLBEAST Soundstorm 2022 Festival Arts & Culture Mai Omar Stuns in Latest Instagram Photos Arts & Culture "The Flash" to End with Season 9 Arts & Culture Ministry of Culture Organizes four day Children's Film Festival Arts & Culture Canadian PM wishes Muslims Eid-al-Adha News Israeli-Linked Hadassah Clinic in Moscow Treats Wounded Iranian IRGC Fighters Arts & Culture "Jurassic World Rebirth" Gets Streaming Date News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia Videos & Features Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Business Egyptian Pound Undervalued by 30%, Says Goldman Sachs Arts & Culture South Korean Actress Kang Seo-ha Dies at 31 after Cancer Battle Arts & Culture Lebanese Media: Fayrouz Collapses after Death of Ziad Rahbani Sports Get to Know 2025 WWE Evolution Results
New York Post
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Sequel to Julia Roberts and Cameron Diaz's beloved 90s rom-com ‘My Best Friend's Wedding' announced
An Oscar-nominated director has been hired to pen a sequel to classic '90s rom-com 'My Best Friend's Wedding.' The original film, starring Cameron Diaz and Julia Roberts, became a box office success upon its release in 1997. The movie has since gone on to be considered one of the most iconic films within its genre. It featured Roberts and Dermot Mulroney as Julianne and Michael, a pair of best friends who made a pact that if they were still single at age 28, they would get married. When Mulroney's character gets engaged to another women, played by Diaz, Roberts had just four days to stop the wedding. Director Celine Song, best known for her Oscar nominated romantic drama Past Lives, has been hired by Sony to write the script for the sequel. Song had another hit this year with follow-up The Materialists starring Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal. 'My Best Friend's Wedding' premiered in 1997. Official news of a sequel to 'My Best Friend's Wedding' comes shortly after Mulroney revealed that 'there is talk of a sequel' during an interview with the New York Post. When asked about the potential for a follow-up, he said: 'I know nothing about it. Last I heard, quote, lawyers were talking, unquote.' The original was a big hit when it was released, earning $127 million in the US and three Golden Globe nominations in best musical and comedy, as well as acting nods for Roberts and Rupert Everett. Cameron Diaz and Julia Roberts starred in the box office hit. It comes after it was announced that yet another classic movie is getting a sequel after more than two decades. Bend It Like Beckham director Gurinder Chadha has confirmed she is working on a sequel to the hit 2002 film, which starred Keira Knightley and Parminder Nagra. It will be released in 2027 in honour of Bend It Like Beckham's 25th anniversary and also to coincide with the FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil. Chadha told the BBC she'd received requests for a follow-up 'almost twice a week' since the release of the original, which was made on a $7.2 million budget and became a box office hit, making around $120 million worldwide. 'We've been part of changing the game for women, so it felt like this was a good time for me to go back and investigate the characters,' she explained. It's not yet clear whether the new instalment will be a film or TV series, but Chadha said she hoped to reunite some of the original cast members.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cameron Brink returns but Aces end Sparks' winning streak
Thirteen months after tearing an anterior cruciate ligament, Sparks forward Cameron Brink made her season debut, stepping onto the court at the 2:39 mark of the first quarter. Brink looked comfortable despite the long layoff, jumping into the midseason contest intensity with confidence. She was active and competitive throughout, playing 13 minutes and 55 seconds during her return. 'We're thrilled to have her back, and I'm incredibly proud of her," Sparks coach Lynn Roberts said. "She's on a minutes restriction. … I told her that she needs to enjoy the moment. … It's a hard injury to come back from mentally and physically, and she's done it with a smile on her face." But the night marked the end of the WNBA's longest active winning streak, as the Sparks fell 89-74 to the Las Vegas Aces on Tuesday night at Arena. Read more: Rickea Jackson has career-high 30 points as Sparks get a Commissioner's Cup win over Las Vegas The Sparks (11‑15) trailed by double digits for most of the game and couldn't recover against the surging Aces (14‑13), who extended their lead to as much as 21 points. In the third season matchup between the two teams, the Sparks came out a bit hesitant, while the Aces were the aggressors from the tip. 'That was the worst shooting we've had all season," Roberts said. "We've got to be able to defend. It's knowing personnel, it's knowing tendency, it's staying locked into the game plan even when they score the first eight points.' The Aces leaned on strong starts from Jackie Young and A'ja Wilson, who combined for 34 points in the first half alone. Wilson finished with 34 points, 10 rebounds and four assists, while Young recorded a triple-double with 18 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. Read more: Sparks can't stop A'ja Wilson and Aces in Kelsey Plum's return to Las Vegas Dearica Hamby remained a bright spot for the Sparks, contributing 15 points and six rebounds. Hamby was named WNBA Western Conference player of the week after leading the Sparks to three wins, including a road victory over the defending champion New York Liberty on Saturday. Kelsey Plum added 22 points, five rebounds, and eight assists in the loss. Brink added five points, including a three-pointer, three rebounds, one block and one steal in 14 minutes of play. 'I was really proud of her," Plum said of Brink. "I told her after the game, 'It's very impressive to come in, make the impact that you did.' ... I think she's gonna continue to just help us a ton." The Sparks, who had been rolling offensively, were startled by their difficulty scoring. 'We have been so used to making shots and so I think it caught us off guard a little bit,' Roberts said. The Sparks will look to regroup before playing the Storm in Seattle Friday night. Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Cameron Brink returns but Aces end Sparks' winning streak
Thirteen months after tearing her ACL, Sparks forward Cameron Brink made her season debut, stepping onto the court at the 2:39 mark in the first quarter. Brink looked comfortable despite the long layoff, jumping into the midseason contest intensity with confidence. She was active and competitive throughout, playing 13 minutes and 55 seconds during her return. 'We're thrilled to have her back, and I'm incredibly proud of her,' Sparks coach Lynn Roberts said. 'She's on a minutes restriction. … I told her that she needs to enjoy the moment. … It's a hard injury to come back from mentally and physically, and she's done it with a smile on her face.' But the night marked the end of the WNBA's longest active winning streak, as the Sparks fell 89-74 to the Las Vegas Aces Tuesday night at Arena. The Sparks (11‑15) trailed by double digits for most of the game and couldn't recover against the surging Aces (14‑13), who extended their lead to as much as 21 points. In the third season matchup between the two teams, the Sparks came out a bit hesitant, while the Aces were the aggressors from the tip. 'That was the worst shooting we've had all season,' Roberts said. 'We've got to be able to defend. It's knowing personnel, it's knowing tendency, it's staying locked into the game plan even when they score the first eight points.' The Aces leaned on strong starts from Jackie Young and A'ja Wilson, who combined for 34 points in the first half alone. Wilson finished with 34 points, 10 rebounds and 4 assists, while Young recorded a triple-double with 18 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. Dearica Hamby remained a bright spot for the Sparks, contributing 15 points and six rebounds. Hamby was named WNBA Western Conference Player of the Week after leading the Sparks to three wins, including a road victory over the defending champion New York Liberty on Saturday. Kelsey Plum added 22 points, five rebounds, and eight assists in the loss. Brink added five points, four rebounds, one block and one steal in 14 minutes of play. 'I was really proud of her,' Plum said of Brink. 'I told her after the game, 'It's very impressive to come in, make the impact that you did.' ... I think she's gonna continue to just help us a ton.' The Sparks, who had been rolling offensively, were startled by their difficulty scoring. 'We have been so used to making shots and so I think it caught us off guard a little bit,' Roberts said. The Sparks will look to regroup before playing the Storm in Seattle Friday night.
