Medical experts have been dispatched to Congo where a mysterious flu-like illness has left up to 143 people dead, the Associated Press reported Tuesday. The deaths were recorded over a two week period in the Panzi health zone of Kwango province. The deputy provincial governor, Rémy Saki, told The Associated Press up to 143 people had already died with fears that number could rise. Symptoms of the mystery illness include fever, headache, cough and anemia, said provincial health minister Apollinaire Yumba. “A team of epidemiological experts is expected in the region to take samples and identify the problem,” Saki added. The World Heath Organization is currently on the ground collecting samples and investigating the illness, the AP reported. Congo is still dealing with the mpox epidemic, with an estimated 47,000 cases and 1,000 deaths in the country, according to WHO.

Mattel is facing a lawsuit after mistakenly printing a link to a pornography site on the packaging for their special-edition Wicked dolls. According to court documents obtained by TMZ, a South Carolina resident is launching a class action lawsuit against the toy company, alleging that Mattel didn’t offer “any refund for consumers who had already purchased the dolls” and that she and her daughter suffered “emotional distress” from the incident. The plaintiff reportedly purchased a Wicked toy for her daughter who visited the website printed on the toy’s package. “To her absolute shock the website, ‘Wicked.com,’ had nothing to do with the Wicked Doll. Rather, Wicked.com pasted scenes of pornographic advertisements across her phone screen,” the lawsuit read. “These scenes were hardcore full on nude pornographic images depicting actual intercourse.” The daughter “immediately showed her mother the photographs and both were horrified by what they saw.” “If plaintiff had been aware of such an inappropriate defect in the product, she would not have purchased it,” the suit continued. When the misprint was spotted last month, Mattel swiftly pulled the boxes from shelves and released a statement apologizing for the “unfortunate error.”

Not everyone wants to be a tipsy elf during the holidays. Increasingly, people are searching for alcohol alternatives that have relaxing benefits with fewer negative effects. That’s the intention behind Cycling Frog’s THC Seltzers. They are made with cannabis extracts for a lighter buzz than marijuana products normally offer. That makes them ideal for both experienced users and newcomers to enjoy. This season, they come in three holiday flavors, each only 60 calories with 0% alcohol.

The star of the season is the Cran Razz THC Seltzer (6-Pack), which offers 10 mg. of THC per can. That is double the amount of the other seltzers making it a great option for people with cannabis experience.

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An industry favorite, the Black Currant THC Seltzer, (6-Pack) received a gold medal at the 2024 LA Spirits “High Spirits” Awards. This flavor is sweet and tart with 5 mg. of THC per can.

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Wild Cherry THC Seltzer (6-Pack) was crafted for the holiday season. It also contains 5 mg. of THC per can with sour cherry and pear flavors.

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A Secret Service agent assigned to protect Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen fired shots at a group of people who were trying to break into cars on her street in Washington, D.C., according to CNBC. Yellen was not a target of the incident and she was not harmed, the agency said. It also suggested that there was no reason to think that the agent, who confronted the group after observing their behavior, struck any of the suspects before they were able to flee in a car. The incident took place early Tuesday morning, around 1:30 a.m., near Yellen’s home in the northwest part of the city, CNBC reported. The incident mirrors one that happened last year, when a Secret Service agent on Naomi Biden’s detail fired their weapon at a group breaking into a government vehicle in D.C. but struck no one. The agency said that the incident near Yellen’s home will be investigated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the city’s local police. Yellen has not responded to a request for comment by the Daily Beast.

Former ballerina Ashley Benefield was sentenced to 20 years in prison for the death of her husband on Tuesday, following a case that became known as the “Black Swan” murder. Benefield was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 20 years in prison with credit for time served, followed by 10 years of probation. The case garnered national attention, with some comparing Benefield to the protagonist of the 2010 film Black Swan. Benefield shot her estranged husband, Doug, in 2020 during an argument in what she claims was self defense. Benefield, now 32, and her husband, who was 58 at the time of his death, first met when Benefield was 24, 48 Hours reported. They married after knowing each other for less than two weeks, but the marriage was fraught. Benefield accused her husband of poisoning his first wife, who died nine months before they met, and now poisoning her. The claims were investigated and no charges were filed. The couple had a child together in 2018, but Benefield allegedly kept the baby from her husband until a judge intervened. Benefield’s lawyer said that she had been plotting to leave her husband at the time of the shooting, but worried that he had “gotten wind” of the plans.

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It’s not every day that you can score a deal on a high-quality printer at a lower cost. Investing in a quality printer for your home or office is a game-changer, and while it’s not the most fun purchase, it’ll pay for itself in a couple of months. Fortunately, you don’t have to pay full price for a solid printer, thanks to HP’s current sale. Right now, you can score the HP Envy Inspire 7955e, the brand’s premium at-home photo printer for $70 off. If you’re looking for a solid holiday gift that they’ll actually use, the deluxe multi-purpose printer is a great choice—especially for photographers and anyone who works from home.

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Demi Moore once wondered whether her career was “complete,” she revealed on a new episode The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast. “I really did hit a point where I started to wonder, not like, ‘Is this over?’ But, ‘Is this actually complete?’” she told interviewer Scott Feinberg. Moore, who rose to fame in the ’80s and ’90s, was at one point Hollywood’s highest paid actress, known for roles in St. Elmo’s Fire, Ghost, A Few Good Men, and Striptease, among many others, which solidified her as a sex symbol. But as she took a step back from acting following a string of critically-panned films and a divorce from Bruce Willis, Moore said her acting opportunities started to shrink when she returned to the industry five years older. “I looked too good to play older, and was not young enough to play the others,” she said on the podcast. “I didn’t quite know where I fit or where I belonged,” she explained, which prompted her to wonder, “Have I done what I was supposed to do in this?‘“ The past year has answered Moore’s question with a resounding ”no,“ as her new role in acclaimed thriller The Substance, has prompted a career resurgence—and Oscar buzz—for the movie star at the age of 62.

Sean Penn has thrown his weight behind a controversial biopic about a young Donald Trump, as he accused The Academy of “extraordinary cowardice”. Penn, speaking at a star-studded Marrakech Film Festival, said the cinematic guild that presents the Oscars “have largely been part of limiting the imagination and very limiting of different cultural expressions.” He also lauded the Ali Abbasi-directed The Apprentice—which Trump’s lawyers tried to block from release earlier this year— saying that “when something sneaks through, it’s to be celebrated.” “It’s jaw-dropping how afraid this [so-called] business of mavericks is of a great film like that. One with great, great acting. [It’s amazing] that they too can be as afraid as a piddly little Republican congressman,” he said. The biopic about president-elect Donald Trump’s business career in New York real estate detailed the relationship with Roy Cohn that made Trump who he is today.

A 72-year-old American cruise passenger is feared dead in an apparent “man overboard” incident, according to authorities. The solo traveler was unaccounted for when the ship, the Ruby Princes, docked in San Francisco on Monday after a five-day voyage around Mexico. A frantic search ensued onboard but the man was not found, and attention shifted to the water. A spokesperson from the cruise ship told the New York Post: “Princess worked throughout the day with local authorities. CCTV footage has also been extensively reviewed and the ship was searched thoroughly several times without success. Having ruled out other possibilities, this is being treated as a man overboard incident.” The U.S. Customs and Border Protection force took over the investigation after the ship returned to California, reports said. One Coast Guard official said: “What information we have to go off kind of does make it a little more difficult. Searching a wide area of the ocean takes a lot of time, and a lot goes into that.”

Reggaeton singer Daddy Yankee announced the end of his nearly 30-year marriage to wife Mireddys Gonzáles on Monday. “With a heart full of respect and honesty, I want to share some important news about my personal life,” Yankee wrote in Spanish on Instagram Stories. “After more than two decades of marriage and after many months of trying to save my marriage, which my wife and I share, today my lawyers respond to the divorce petition received by Mireddys.” The couple married in 1995 when they were 17-years-old. The Puerto Rican singer has generally kept his personal life under wraps, but he broke his silence to share news of the divorce, which he said “may surprise many.” González also served as Yankee’s manager and CEO of his record label. Yankee retired from reggaeton in 2023, but still releases Christian music. “I respect Mireddys’ decision, and I’m grateful for the time we shared, full of blessings and values, of love and with a beautiful family that will continue to be our priority,” Yankee added.

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Right now, you can score up to 50 percent off on MasterClass subscriptions just in time for last-minute holiday gifting. Honestly, whether you waited until the last minute or not, you’ll be gifting the dad in your life with intelligent, cultured content and giving them the opportunity to learn something new from someone famous.

A California farm’s distribution of raw dairy products has been suspended by the state’s department of food and agriculture after bird flu was detected in its unpasteurized milk, according to Axios. Last week, Raw Farm had voluntarily recalled two batches of its milk that had tested positive for the H5N1 viral strain, before state regulators stepped in. “All Raw Farm operations are currently under quarantine, from herds to bottled product, which means that all raw milk product distribution is suspended,” Steve Lyle, a spokesperson for the CDFA, said in a Monday statement to Axios. No illnesses have so far been linked to the affected batches. The news comes in the home state of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of health and human services and one of the highest-profile advocates of the health benefits of drinking raw milk. A wave of support for raw milk consumption, coming from right-wing figures as well as online wellness influencers, has corresponded to rising demand for unpasteurized dairy, despite officials warning about the potential health risks, The Associated Press reported earlier this year.

Gen Z’s unprecedented swing to the right is largely because of economic factors, like the desire for a whopping salary, according to a new survey. Financial services company Empower surveyed more than 2,200 Americans, and respondents born between 1997 and 2012 declared they’d need to make $587,000 a year to be “financially successful.” The news comes after the youngest voting group, 18- to 24-year-olds, said they are more likely to identify as conservative than as liberal, according to a recent Harvard Youth Poll. “Our data indicates economy is the impetus for the change, and concerns around the economy,” MaryLeigh Bliss, YPulse’s chief content officer, told Axios after their own research found that young people were displaying a “moderate” self-identification. “There was no question for us that the economy and how they were feeling financially in the months—and even weeks—before the election really were going to determine who they were voting for.” David Bahnsen, who owns a wealth management firm, said young people blame the Democrats for their economic turmoil because the party has been in power for a large chunk of their lives.