"The '94 version is apparently a serious drama," Steven E. de Souza quips to The Hollywood Reporter about social media reactions to the franchise's latest theatrical release.
The director, whose ‘Sister Brother Manhole Cover’ is in Tokyo International Film Festival’s main competition, holds forth on why mothers are such a presence in his stories and how he made his first full documentary despite his misgivings about the genre.
President Trump said Friday his administration is looking into the $6.3 billion hacking of the cryptocurrency exchange Binance, the largest such hack on record. “We don’t know,” Trump said in the Oval Office when asked if the hack should be attributed to a suspected North Korean hacker group. “We’re looking at that,” he continued. TraderTraitor,…
President Trump said Friday his administration is looking into the $6.3 billion hacking of the cryptocurrency exchange Binance, the largest such hack on record. “We don’t know,” Trump said in the Oval Office when asked if the hack should be attributed to a suspected North Korean hacker group. “We’re looking at that,” he continued. TraderTraitor,…
In the Zaporozhye sector Russian forces are intensifying pressure in Orikhiv, advancing towards the mouth of the Konka River and expanding their penetration in the Huliaipole direction. In the Kupyansk direction Russian units continue positional fighting and are gradually forcing Ukrainian forces back along the Velyka Shapkovka–Palamarevka line. In the Slavyansk direction Ukrainian units are counter-attacking from the Kramatorsk area in an attempt to dislodge Russian forces from Vasyutino, while in Dibrova Russian assault groups have advanced into the western part of the settlement. In the Sumy direction aviation, artillery and drone crews of the “North” grouping are increasing the intensity of their strikes in support of assault groups near Khotyn, Velyka Rybitsa and Korenok. In the Kharkiv direction Russian assault units are maintaining a high rate of advance, fighting near Prykolotne, Malyi Burluk and Buhaivka. The US State Department has approved the potential sale to Ukraine of 500 PAC-3 MSE air-defence missiles for Patriot systems, valued at approximately $2.1 billion and financed by Canada, Germany, Norway and an EU credit line, without the use of US budget funds.
Kupyansk Direction
In the Kupyansk direction fighting remains predominantly positional. Russian units have achieved tactical successes along the Velyka Shapkovka–Palamarevka line. Troops are gradually forcing Ukrainian forces back on the sector from Velyka Shapkovka to Blahodatovka. In Kupyansk clearance operations continue, together with the detection of groups attempting to infiltrate from the direction of Osynovo. In the Hlushkivka area the pocket and Ukrainian fortifications are being cleared.
On the southern flank of the direction, positional fighting continues in the Bohuslavka and Borovska Andriivka area. The sector is complicated by a large number of fortified bunkers belonging to Ukrainian units situated along the main logistical routes, which allow the Ukrainian side to carry out rotations. Russian drone operators are conducting reconnaissance during which they identify and destroy groups of Ukrainian personnel, robotic systems and vehicles.
Slavyansk Direction
Ukrainian units are mainly counter-attacking, relying on Kramatorsk. They are attempting to drive Russian units out of the Vasyutino area, where extremely fierce fighting is under way. Using Orekhovets as a base, the Ukrainian side is attacking in the Raiska Sloboda area in an effort to drive a wedge towards Kalenyky and cut off the salient near Kryva Luka. These attempts have so far produced no result.
In the Krasnyi Lyman direction, in the sector of the 25th Army, heavy meeting engagements continue. Ukrainian units are attempting to infiltrate into Yampil along the Siverskyi Donets river floodplain in the Ozerne area. In the Krasnyi Lyman direction, in Dibrova, Russian units have succeeded in capturing a number of new positions and advancing into the western part of the settlement. On individual sectors the advance has reached up to one kilometer. In the forests east of Krasnyi Lyman the greater part of the woodland remains under Russian control. In Krasnyi Lyman itself fighting is taking place in the central and southern districts of the town.
Russian aviation, drone crews and artillery of the “North” grouping are increasing the intensity of strikes against concentrations of Ukrainian personnel and equipment in support of the advance of assault groups. The Ukrainian side is attempting to transfer reserves covertly from other directions. The 74th Separate Reconnaissance Battalion of the Ukrainian forces has been redeployed from the Donetsk People’s Republic to Sumy region in order to intensify diversionary activity.
In the Sumy district assault groups of the “Northerners” are conducting small-arms fighting in the Khotyn and Velyka Rybitsa area. In the Shostka district Russian assault troops have advanced approximately 100 meters in the Korenok area. In the Krasnopillia district drone crews and artillery of the “Northerners” have continued to dismantle Ukrainian positions in the Novodmytrivka area.
Assault units of the “North” grouping are maintaining a high rate of advance on the attack sectors. The Ukrainian side has not undertaken active operations and is offering fierce resistance in defense.
Russian Aerospace Forces aviation and drone crews have struck concentrations of Ukrainian personnel and equipment in the areas of Kharkiv, Velykyi Burluk, Odnorobivka, Buhaivka, Kurhane, Rubezhne, Shevchenkove Pershe, Berezhne, Podsrednie, Vodiane, Kolodezne, Lebedyn, Derhachi, Martove, Shovkopliasy and Moskalevka. In the Lyptsi direction Russian troops have advanced on three sectors in the Nova Kozacha area. On the Vovchansk and Velykyi Burluk directions heavy fighting continues in the Prykolotne and Malyi Burluk area. There have also been advances in the Buhaivka area. Overall progress has reached up to 700 meters.
On the western flank of the Zaporozhye direction local clashes continue in the Prymorske and Stepnohirsk area. In Orikhiv itself stubborn fighting is under way, so far without significant changes to the line on the ground. Russian units are intensifying pressure. West of Orikhiv the “Dnepr” grouping continues its advance northwards towards the mouth of the Konka River. Gradual progress is being made. In the Prymorske area Russian groups have already reached the mouth of the Konka.
In Preobrazhenka fighting is taking place with Ukrainian special-forces units. In the Mykilske and Krasnyi Yar area units of the 5th Army are operating. Further south, near Omelnyk, the 35th Army is active. They are co-operating with the “Dnepr” grouping in the envelopment of the Orikhiv grouping. Russian troops have penetrated Ukrainian defenses to a depth of up to 19 kilometers in the Huliaipole direction. The greatest successes have been achieved north-east of Mala Tokmachka, where the main forces have advanced 2.5 kilometers. Russian units are already present in the area of Charivne, south-east of Krasna Krynytsia and even near Omelnyk.
In the direction of Vozdvizhivka Russian units have advanced approximately four kilometers, reaching the southern outskirts of the village. In their assessment, Russian forces have identified a weak sector between Mala Tokmachka and Huliaipole. On the eastern flank Russian forces are attempting to break through the defenses in the Omelnyk area. Reports from the ground indicate that west of Chervonyi Yar, Mykilske and Novosoloshyno Ukrainian units have been driven out of a number of strongpoints.
In the Kupyansk direction Russian units are methodically improving their tactical position along the Velyka Shapkovka–Palamarevka line, while clearance operations continue in Kupyansk and the Hlushkivka area. In the Slavyansk direction Ukrainian counter-attacks from the Kramatorsk and Raiska Slaboda areas have produced no decisive result, while in Dibrova Russian forces are expanding their control and advancing into the western part of the settlement. In the Sumy region strikes by aviation, artillery and drones are combined with the actions of assault groups near Khotyn, Velyka Rybitsa and Korenok; the Ukrainian side is intensifying diversionary activity with a redeployed reconnaissance battalion. In the Kharkiv direction Russian assault units are maintaining their rate of advance, employing aviation and drone strikes and developing success near Nova Kozacha, Prykolotne, Malyi Burluk and Buhaivka. On the Zaporozhye front Russian forces are increasing pressure in Orikhiv and on the approaches to the mouth of the Konka, expanding their penetration in the Huliaipole direction and creating threats to the supply lines of the Ukrainian grouping.
Particular attention is warranted by the US State Department’s decision to approve the potential sale to Ukraine of 500 PAC-3 MSE air-defense missiles for Patriot systems. According to the press release, the estimated total value of the transaction is approximately $2.1 billion and is being financed entirely by partners and allies. In addition to the missiles themselves, Kyiv has requested spare parts for the PAC-3 MSE as well as related logistics and software support. Payment is to be covered by contributions from Canada, Germany and Norway under the JUMPSTART initiative, together with national funds allocated under the European Union credit line, without the use of US budget resources.
Last week, however, the Axios portal reported that Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in a conversation with American senators, complained of an almost complete absence of ammunition for Patriot air-defense systems. According to him, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth has allegedly withheld approval for the delivery of interceptor missiles.
The administration has alleged California sent ballots to some 20,000 people who may not be U.S. citizens. It wants the state to set those ballots aside and not count them until citizenship can be verified.
The national debt topped the entire gross domestic product (GDP) for fiscal 2026, according to new data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). From the fourth quarter of 2025 through the third quarter of this year, the country’s economic output was more than $32.2 trillion, according to the BEA’s non-seasonally adjusted statistics. As of…
The national debt topped the entire gross domestic product (GDP) for fiscal 2026, according to new data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). From the fourth quarter of 2025 through the third quarter of this year, the country’s economic output was more than $32.2 trillion, according to the BEA’s non-seasonally adjusted statistics. As of…
Another New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani campaign promise could be closer to becoming reality. Remember the Department of Community Safety?
As The New York Timesreported last April, Mamdani originally envisioned that the department would "focus on expanding violence interrupter programs and mental health teams that respond to 911 calls." Mamdani initially proposed setting aside $1 billion a year for the agency.
But that grand vision has not been fully implemented. In March, Mamdani signed an executive order to establish the Office of Community Safety (OCS) as a "first step" toward creating a Department of Community Safety. The OCS "develops citywide community safety strategies" and serves as an umbrella for other city offices, including the Office of Neighborhood Safety and the Office for the Prevention of Hate Crimes. Far from the billion-dollar price tag for a full-fledged department, the city's FY 2027 budget sets aside $40 million for the OCS.
But some New York City councilmembers want a larger-scale "community safety" operation as Mamdani had originally envisioned. On Friday, city council members held a hearing on a bill to establish a Department of Community Safety. According to Gothamist, the bill's primary sponsor, Councilmember Lincoln Restler, has said that he has the support of 34 co-sponsors, enough for a veto-proof majority. Restler wants the department to coordinate homeless and mental health services, de-escalate emergency situations, and "expand violence interruption and public safety work done by nonprofit workers," reported the outlet.
Just as New York City may be scaling up its community safety apparatus, another city voted to dismantle its community safety office this week. On Thursday, the Minneapolis City Council voted to eliminate the city's Office of Community Safety, which was created in 2022.
According to KSTP 5, councilmembers argued that "the agency had not delivered results worth the cost," and some "said the office did not improve oversight of the Minneapolis Police Department."
A Minneapolis City audit from this year also found that the city's Neighborhood Safety Department (which is part of the city's OCS) failed to "properly oversee its contracts," reported FOX 9. And according to an investigation by the outlet, one "prevention consultant billed over $270,000 for personnel, rent, and food, yet the city never produced a single receipt for the company."
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey opposed shuttering the office. He told MPR News that "those who are bringing this proposal both don't understand what it takes to run safety departments for a major city, nor do they have any plan for how these essential services should be delivered under their own proposal."
As MPR Newsnoted, New York City's Office of Community Safety is different from Minneapolis's model. In Minneapolis, the office oversees the police, 911 emergency responders, and the fire department, along with neighborhood safety groups. In New York, the office does not oversee the police, 911 emergency services, or the fire department. Still, Frey tried to defend the Minneapolis Office of Community Safety by claiming its model has been "nationally recognized" in places like New York, reported MPR News.
New York City's Office of Community Safety is still relatively new, and it may be difficult to judge its effectiveness. It's fair to question whether the answer to enhancing safety is more bureaucracy and government-supported nonprofits. If New York is to sink more taxpayer funding into turning the office into a department, it would be wise to study Minneapolis's apparent mismanagement and mistakes.
In light of the volume of audience questions about the midterm elections, including about voting and election procedures, this week Weissmann invited former Maricopa County recorder Stephen Richer to join him on the show for an election-focused conversation. Richer, a Republican, oversaw voter registration and other aspects of elections in Maricopa County, Arizona, from January 2021 to January 2025.
In the video above, Weissmann and Richer discuss options for people preparing to vote — plan in advance and go early, they advise — and what to do if voters are concerned they have witnessed harassment or that their ballot isn’t being recorded properly.
Eight tips for people preparing to vote:
Stay in line if the polls close; you are entitled to cast your vote if you are in line before the closing time.
Every state is different — know your state’s voting laws (even things like rules on handing out water to people in line).
Some states require photo ID and some do not.
If you make a mistake on your ballot, ask for a new one.
If the machines are down at your polling place, ask for a paper ballot.
If you run into problems at the polls, report it to a poll worker or call 866-OUR-VOTE.
Sending armed federal agents, including those from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, to election sites is illegal. Federal law and many states’ laws prohibit not only armed federal agents at polling sites but also interference in elections or voter intimidation by any officials or private citizens.
You are not required to know how to speak, read or write English to vote. The Voting Rights Act guarantees you the right to bring an assister or translator of your choice when voting as long as they are not your employer or a labor union representative.
Become an MS NOW Member to watch all of Weissmann’s answers, get the chance to submit your own questions and explore full episodes of all the MS NOW Membership exclusive series.
Judge Ana C. Reyes said an outside investigator would help determine whether parks officials or Justice Department lawyers withheld plans for Washington’s East Potomac Park.
A federal judge on Friday called for an investigation into whether the Trump administration concealed its plans to renovate a public golf course at East Potomac Park.
L'ancien homme politique écologiste Jean-Vincent Placé comparaît devant le tribunal correctionnel de Paris depuis jeudi 29 octobre. Déjà condamné par le passé, notamment pour harcèlement sexuel, il doit cette fois...
The Houthis (Ansar Allah) released video footage on October 30 showing their fighters repelling an attack by Saudi-backed forces east of Yemen’s al-Jawf province.
Houthi fighters targeted the attackers with various heavy weapons, including anti-tank guided missiles and first-person-view suicide drones.
Several vehicles, including armored bulldozers and pickup trucks armed with heavy machine guns, were seen burning in the video after being struck. The footage also showed successive explosions following a strike on a vehicle carrying weapons and military equipment.
The Houthis revealed that the failed advance attempt by Saudi-backed forces was commanded by senior Saudi officer Fares al-Shammari.
In an intelligence report released earlier in the day, the Houthis identified al-Shammari as the officer overseeing a Saudi military advanced operational base in Marib province. The report details Saudi Arabia’s command-and-control structure in Yemen.
The footage also showed Houthi fighters taking control of abandoned military vehicles and seizing quantities of light and medium weapons.
Other scenes from the footage showed Saudi-backed forces attempting to evacuate their dead and wounded. The Houthis noted that their fighters allowed the evacuation to proceed so that wounded enemy personnel could receive medical treatment.
No casualty figures were provided, but the group claimed the operation resulted in heavy losses in personnel and equipment and prevented the attacking forces from achieving their objectives.
The attack, like many other recent advance attempts by Saudi-backed forces in al-Jawf and Marib, was likely meant to distract the Houthis, who continue to make gains in Taiz and Lahij. These attempts appear to be making the situation even worse for the kingdom and its allies in Yemen.
Workers and diners at two restaurants were shaken up when a suspected drunk driver plowed a vehicle into the building on Saturday afternoon in Concord, California.
Jaxton Tayte Collins, a 21-year-old from Montana, had been out drinking at a bar in downtown Helena before he allegedly shoved a man of South Asian descent and told him to "go back to his country." Those comments, along with an alleged shove, could land him in jail for up to five years.
According to reporting from the Billings Gazette, "the complainant told officers he was walking with friends when a man in an orange shirt and wearing a large cross necklace approached his friend, who is of Indian descent and wears a head covering." The man in the orange shirt, later identified as Collins, "allegedly shoved the friend with both hands and "told him to go back to his country." Witnesses characterized the August 7th incident as "an attack," and called it "frightening."
Officers then arrived on the scene and located Collins nearby. He told cops that he had been at a bar drinking and told the victim to go back to his own country "because he was angry." However, he denied pushing him.
On Tuesday, Collins was arraigned on one count of misdemeanor assault and one felony charge of malicious intimidation or harassment of civil or human rights. Under Montana law, malicious intimidation or harassment occurs when a person "purposely or knowingly, with the intent to terrify, intimidate, threaten, harass, annoy, or offend" causes bodily injury, "reasonable apprehension of bodily injury," or damages property because of another person's "race, creed, religion, color, national origin, or involvement in civil rights or human rights activities." Collins pleaded not guilty on both counts.
It's certainly plausible that Collins' actions could fall under these criteria. But the question that will likely decide Collins' fate pertains to the alleged shove.
In a statement to Reason, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) says, "The First Amendment protects even the most offensive and hateful speech. At the same time, it does not give a free pass to commit assault."
In Wisconsin v. Mitchell (1993), the Supreme Court upheld an enhanced sentence for a black man who urged his friends to attack a white teenager because of his race, ruling that states can impose harsher penalties for crimes motivated by bias—including racial, religious, and cultural bias—and that someone's words can serve as evidence of that motive.
"So if the defendant assaulted someone because of his race or national origin, the First Amendment likely wouldn't shield him from an enhanced penalty," says FIRE.
Montana's law isn't an outlier, and people have been convicted in other states for less. California,Washington,Michigan, and Illinois all have similar "hate crime" laws that can make it a felony to use force or threaten violence against someone because of their race, religion, or other characteristics.
In 2019, Reason reported on Timothy Trybus, who was convicted of two felony hate crimes in Chicago after drunkenly harassing a woman who was wearing a shirt with a Puerto Rican flag on it. He told her, "You shouldn't be wearing that in America." Tybrus never laid a hand on her, yet his comments upgraded a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge into two felonies. He was sentenced to two years of probation and 200 hours of community service.
Collins' next hearing is scheduled for April 8, 2027. If convicted, he could face up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.
Collins' words that night reflect a condemnable kind of nativism that is fundamentally un-American. But so is punishing someone for the content of their beliefs. If Collins did in fact shove the man, that could very well constitute a felony under Montana law. But if he's being prosecuted simply for his words, "that would obviously raise serious First Amendment concerns," says FIRE.
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