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Victims of Jeffrey Epstein have criticised the United States government after it released a partial trove of documents from cases against the late convicted sex offender with heavily redacted pages and blacked-out photos.

The growing outcry on Saturday came as US media reported that at least 16 files from the tranche, which were published online, had disappeared from the public webpage.

The deleted files included a photograph showing President Donald Trump.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) began releasing the trove on Friday to comply with a law overwhelmingly passed by Congress in November that ⁠mandated the disclosure of all Epstein files, despite Trump’s months-long effort to keep them sealed.

It said it plans to release more records on a rolling basis, blaming the delay on what it said was a time-consuming process of obscuring survivors’ names and other identifying information.

But the tens of thousands of pages made public offered little new insight into Epstein’s crimes or the prosecutorial decisions that allowed him to avoid serious federal charges for years. They also omitted some of the most closely watched materials, including FBI interviews with victims and internal DOJ memos on charging decisions.

Meanwhile, a 119-page document titled “Grand Jury-NY”, likely from one of the federal sex trafficking investigations that led to the charges against Epstein in 2019, was entirely blacked out.

One of Epstein’s victims, Marina Lacerda, reacted angrily to the large number of redactions and unreleased documents.

“All of us are infuriated by this,” she told the news outlet MS NOW on Saturday. “It’s another slap in the face. We expected way more.”

Lacerda, who said Epstein abused her when she was 14 years of age, was a crucial witness in the 2019 investigation that led to the filing of sex trafficking charges against the late financier.

Epstein killed himself in jail that year shortly after his arrest.

Lacerda told The New York Times in a separate interview that she felt let down.

“So many of the photos are irrelevant,” she said.

Another survivor, Jess Michaels, told the news outlet CNN that she spent hours searching through the released files for her victim’s statement and records of her call to an FBI tipline, but found neither.

“I can’t find any of those,” she said. “Is this the best that the government can do? Even an act of Congress isn’t getting us justice.”

Marijke Chartouni, who said she was abused by Epstein when she was 20 years old, decried a lack of openness.

“If everything is redacted, where is the transparency?” she said on Friday in an interview with The New York Times.

Some lawmakers also expressed frustration.

Republican Representative Thomas Massie, who helped spearhead the legislative push, accused the White House of failing to comply “with both the spirit and the letter of the law that Donald Trump signed just 30 days ago” in a social media post on Friday.

That law required the government’s case file to be posted publicly by Friday, constrained only by legal and victim privacy concerns.

Meanwhile, the unexplained 16 missing files led to speculation online about what was taken down and why the public was not notified, compounding longstanding intrigue about Epstein and the powerful figures who surrounded him.

Democrats on the House Oversight Committee pointed to the missing image featuring a Trump photo in a post on X, writing: “What else is being covered up? We need transparency for the American public.”

“If they’re taking this down, just imagine how much more they’re trying to hide,” said senior Democrat Chuck Schumer. “This could be one of the biggest cover-ups in American history.”

The Trump administration, however, denied that it was not being forthcoming with the released materials. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said during a TV interview with ABC that there was no attempt “to hold anything back” to protect Trump.

The DOJ also issued a statement on X late on Saturday. “Photos and other materials will continue being reviewed and redacted consistent with the law in an abundance of caution as we receive additional information,” it said.

Separately, celebrities who appeared in photos made available as part of Friday’s release include former President Bill Clinton, late news anchor Walter Cronkite, singers Mick Jagger, Michael Jackson and Diana Ross, British entrepreneur Richard Branson and the ⁠former Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson.

There were also photos of Epstein with actors Chris Tucker and Kevin Spacey.

Many of the photos were undated and provided without context, and none of those figures has been accused of any wrongdoing in connection with Epstein.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor also appears in one photo lying across the laps of several women. The former duke of York, who was stripped of his royal title over his ties to Epstein, has denied any wrongdoing.

Notably missing were references to Trump himself, despite his frequent inclusion in previous releases of Epstein-related documents. Trump and Epstein were friends in the 1990s and early 2000s and had a falling out before Epstein’s first conviction in 2008.

Trump has not been accused of wrongdoing and has denied knowing about Epstein’s crimes.

Amid the outcry, the DOJ sought to draw attention to Clinton, with two agency spokespeople posting on social media images that they said showed him with Epstein victims.

Clinton’s deputy chief of staff, Angel Urena, said in a statement that the White House was attempting to “shield themselves” from scrutiny by focusing on the former president.

“They can release as many grainy 20-plus-year-old photos as they ‌want, but this isn’t about Bill Clinton,” he wrote.

Phil Wickham has released 14 Christian worship albums, has been Platinum certified and nominated for American Music Awards, Dove Awards, Billboard Music Awards and Grammys — but all of his vocal training and performances couldn’t prepare him to step into the shoes of one of his Biblical heroes with the upcoming animated musical film “David.”

Directed by Phil Cunningham and Brent Dawes, “David” marks the second animated film this year for Angel Studios. April’s “The King of Kings” made $60 million and is the second-highest-grossing film from the studio following “Sound of Freedom,” which made $184 million. The film hits theaters on Friday. If the release date sounds familiar, it could be because the third installment in the multibillion-dollar “Avatar” franchise, “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” is released on the same day. Presale numbers for “David” are at $15 million on 3,100 screens, but with “Avatar” tracking to open between $135 million and $165 million, and “The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants” also tracking between $13 million and $20 million, it would seem to be a true David vs. Goliaths for ticket sales.

That in itself could be daunting, but for Wickham, the biggest obstacles came long before release dates were decided. Despite playing in arenas with thousands of fans, he had a “secret dream” of voicing a character in an animated film. A character “that carried courage and faith and had some grand adventure.” But because he’d never chased that dream, he realistically put a limit on that particular goal. Even when the opportunity arose, he was hesitant when going into a casting meeting.

“I’m unoffendable. [I said to producers], if I suck, then just tell me because I don’t want to waste anybody’s time. And also, I don’t want to be bad in a movie as much as you don’t want to make a bad movie,” says Wickham.

The contemporary Christian artist, who recently finished sold-out concerts at Downey Calvary Chapel and the Wiltern, had never tried his hand at voice acting. Not only did he get the role, but he also had to help bring to (animated) life one of the most well-known stories in the Bible. The tale of David — the boy who was anointed to become the king and along the way felled the giant Philistine warrior Goliath with a rock and a slingshot — has become synonymous as the most famous of underdog representations and tests of faith in the Bible. The character and story is also one of Wickham’s favorites.

Phil Wickham always wanted to voice an animated character, especially after seeing “The Lion King.”

(Colton Dall)

“When this came across my desk, so to speak, I was just like, man, I could tell you that story, but I didn’t know if I had it in me. I didn’t know if I was a good actor. I didn’t know if I could voice a character, but I knew I wanted a shot,” said Wickham.

A curious revelation for Wickham was discovering that the singing that he’d been doing most of his life would not work on-screen, at least not for this project. He was asked to tone down things, to sometimes “talk through” lyrics and to generally make the music more dramatic for the screen.

“I thought, OK, I got this. This is why they hired me, because I’m a singer. But that ended up being the hardest part because they didn’t want me to sound like me,” Wickham said.

“Singing became a background to just being the character, which honestly, in some ways, was the hardest thing. Maybe even for my ego as as an artist.”

It was definitely a process that required lots of fine-tuning and looking at David as not just the king and hero that Wickham had grown up reading about at home and in Southern California churches. Sitting in the pews in Downey, the singer reflected on why he got into music and why Christian entertainment is on the rise.

“I found out really quick that I loved being a part of moments where people were encountering the same hope and faith that I encountered in my room alone,” Wickham said of songwriting and performing. He grew up with Christianity all around him, but has seen a spike in popularity for music and movies dealing with faith-based fandom.

“For this movie ‘David’ to come out at this time … I think that the world is looking for stuff to hope in. I think people are just searching and finding out more and more the truth that if we look around us at the world of man, we’re not going to find real solutions. So that maybe if we look up, we will.”

The Prime Minister has said Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich must “pay up now” to victims of the war in Ukraine or face court action.

Mr Abramovich, the former owner of Chelsea Football Club, pledged in 2022 that the £2.5bn he made from the sale of the club would be used to benefit victims of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

But there has been a delay in releasing the funds, which are currently frozen in a British bank account, due to a standoff over how exactly they should be used.

The government wants the money to be used for humanitarian aid, but Mr Abramovich insisted it should be used for “all victims of the war” – meaning that Russians could also benefit.

The oligarch cannot access the money under UK sanctions but the proceeds from the Chelsea sale still legally belong to him.

“If Mr Abramovich fails to act quickly, this government is fully committed and prepared to going to court to enforce that commitment if necessary,” a government spokesperson said.

They said the funds “would strengthen frontline capacity, enhance protection for the most vulnerable and support sustainable solutions that help Ukraine move from crisis response to long-term resilience”.

“It would be hard to overstate the impact that an additional two and a half billion pounds could have for the people of Ukraine.”

Mr Abramovich’s representatives declined to comment.

Speaking in the Commons, Sir Keir Starmer said the UK had issued a licence “to transfer £2.5bn from the sale of Chelsea Football Club that’s been frozen since 2022.”

Sir Keir said: “My message to Abramovich is clear: the clock is ticking.

“Honour the commitment that you made and pay up now, and if you don’t we’re prepared to go to court and ensure that every penny reaches those whose lives have been torn apart by Putin’s illegal war.”

The Treasury said that under the terms of the licence, the money must go to “humanitarian causes” in Ukraine and cannot benefit Mr Abramovich or any other sanctioned individual.

The government first threatened to sue Mr Abramovich in June.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: “It is unacceptable that more than £2.5bn of money owed to the Ukrainian people can be allowed to remain frozen in a UK bank account.”

Mr Abramovich – a Russian billionaire who made his fortune in oil and gas – was granted a special licence to sell Chelsea following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, providing he could prove he would not benefit from the sale.

He is alleged to have strong ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, something he has denied.

It is understood that Mr Abramovich has 90 days to act before the UK considers taking legal action.

On Thursday, EU leaders are set to review proposals to use proceeds from frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine’s huge budget and defence needs. Russia has fiercely opposed the proposals.

Holders Chelsea have been handed a home tie against second-tier Crystal Palace in the draw for the fourth round of the Women’s FA Cup.

Six-time winners Chelsea beat Manchester United 3-0 in last season’s final to secure a domestic treble, while Palace were relegated from the Women’s Super League (WSL).

League leaders Manchester City travel to third-tier leaders Bournemouth, while 14-time winners Arsenal host fellow WSL side Aston Villa.

Arsenal’s north London rivals Tottenham also play an all-WSL tie at home to Leicester City, while Manchester United face third-tier Burnley.

London City Lionesses face a trip to WSL 2 side Sunderland, while Brighton host second-tier Nottingham Forest.

The fourth-round ties will take place on the weekend of Saturday, 17 January, with the date of each tie yet to be confirmed.

Winter came to Gaza last month with a violent storm. I woke up at night to a disaster. Our tent was flooded with water which had transformed our “floor” into a shallow pool. The mattresses and pillows were completely soaked, cooking pots were submerged, the clothes were drenched, and even our bags— which function as our “closets”—were filled with water. Nothing inside remained dry.

As I tried to understand what was happening, I suddenly heard children crying at the entrance of our tent. I opened it quickly and found three children from the neighbouring tents, their lips blue from the cold, with their mother trembling behind them saying, “We are completely soaked… the rain leaked inside and the water reached everywhere.”

The same tragic scene was repeated all around us: women, children, and elderly people sitting in the street under the rain, their bedding drenched and their belongings scattered, while confusion and cries filled the air.

All 1.4 million displaced Palestinians who lack proper shelter suffered that day—people with no protection against the weather or its sudden storms.

For us, it took two full days for our belongings to dry because the sun barely appeared; everything stayed cold and damp. We didn’t move to another place—we stayed where we were, trying to salvage whatever we could, because there was simply nowhere else to go.

Only a week later, an even stronger winter storm arrived with severe rainfall. Tents were flooded again; little children froze in the rain again.

This week, when Storm Byron hit, we were flooded once again. Despite all our efforts to reinforce the tents, secure them tightly, and bring in stronger tarps, nothing worked. The winds were fiercer, the rain heavier, and the water pushed its way inside from every direction. The ground no longer absorbed anything. The water began rising rapidly beneath our feet, turning the entire area into a swamp.

According to the authorities, the strong winds destroyed at least 27,000 tents. These are 27,000 families who already struggled and now have nothing, no shelter, nowhere to hide from the rain and cold.

The rain also brought down damaged homes where people had been sheltering. Every time there is a storm or strong wind, we hear the sound of falling debris and concrete pillars from badly damaged buildings near us. This time, the situation was so bad that 11 people were killed by collapsed buildings.

It is clear that after everything we have endured, we – like other displaced Palestinians – cannot survive a third winter in these harsh conditions. We survived two winters in displacement, living in tents that protected neither from cold nor rain, waiting with exhausted patience for a ceasefire that would end our suffering. The ceasefire finally came, but relief did not. We remain in the same place, with bodies drained by malnutrition and illness, under tents worn out by the sun and wind.

We are a family of seven living in a tent that is four by four metres (13 feet by 13 feet). Among us are two children aged five and 10 and our grandmother, aged 80. We, the adults, can push through the cold and hardship. But how can the elderly and children bear what we live every day?

We sleep on mattresses pressed directly against the ground, with cold seeping in from below and above, with only two blankets that can’t shield us from the freezing nights. Everyone in the tent has two blankets each, barely enough to offer temporary warmth. There is no source of heating—no electricity, no heater—just tired bodies trying to share whatever warmth remains.

My grandmother cannot tolerate the cold at all. I watch her shiver through the night, her hand on her chest as if trying to hold herself together. All we can do is pile every blanket we have on top of her and watch anxiously until she is able to fall asleep.

Many people in Gaza live in conditions far worse than ours.

Most families who just want a modest tent over their heads cannot afford one. The price of tents can go as high as $1,000; the rent one has to pay to pitch a tent on a piece of land can be as much as $500. Those who cannot pay live in the street in makeshift shelters.

Salah al-Din Street, for example, is crowded with them. Most are simply blankets hung and wrapped around small spaces for minimal privacy, offering no protection from rain or cold. With any strong gust of wind, they burst open.

There are also children living directly in the streets, sleeping on the cold ground. Many have lost their mothers or fathers during the war. When you pass by, you see them—sometimes silent, sometimes crying, sometimes searching for something to eat.

Despite repeated promises of aid and reconstruction, the trickle of supplies that entered Gaza has made almost no difference on the ground. Earlier this month, the United Nations announced it had managed to distribute only 300 tents during November; 230,000 families received a single food parcel each.

We did not receive any food parcel—there are simply too many people in need, and the quantities are far too small for everyone to access. Even if we had received one, its contents wouldn’t have lasted us longer than a week or two.

Food prices continue to be high. Nutritious items like meat and eggs are either unavailable or cost too much. Most families have not eaten a proper protein meal in months.

There is no mass campaign to remove rubble or level the ground so people can pitch their tents due to an equipment shortage. No steps have been taken to provide permanent housing for families.

All of this means we now face a terrifying possibility: that life in a tent—one that can be flooded or ripped apart by the wind at any moment—may become our long-term reality. This is an unbearable thought.

During the bombardment, we lived with the constant fear of death, and perhaps the intensity of the war overshadowed everything else—the cold, the rain, the tents shaking above our heads. But now, after the mass bombing has stopped, we are facing the full ugliness of Gaza’s “new normal”.

I fear this winter will be much worse for Gaza. With no heating, no real shelter, and the weather getting worse each day, we are likely to see many deaths among the children, the elderly and the chronically ill. Already, the first deaths from hypothermia were reported – babies Rahaf Abu Jazar  and Taim al-Khawaja and nine-year-old Hadeel al-Masri. If the world is really committed to ending the genocide in Gaza, it needs to take real, urgent action and ensure that we have at least the basic conditions for survival: food, housing and medical care.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.

In the large displacement camps of Gaza, rows upon rows of makeshift tents blanket debris, empty lots and what remains of flattened neighbourhoods. With Storm Byron descending upon the enclave, a sense of terror has seized a population already exhausted from two years of Israel’s genocidal war with its unrelenting bombardment, starvation and chaos.

For the 1.5 million Palestinians living under plastic sheets and tattered tarps, the storm means something more than just bad weather. It’s another danger piled on top of the current battle for survival.

For several days, meteorologists have warned that heavy rainfall and strong winds could hit the strip today, tomorrow and over the weekend, risking flash flooding and significant wind damage. What is certain, though, is that Gaza is not facing this storm with ready infrastructure, stocked shelters or functioning drainage systems.

It faces it with tents propped up with pieces of scrap metal, paths that become mud rivers after only one night of rain and families who have nothing left to protect.

Solidarity a survival strategy

In the camps of Gaza City, the scenes of vulnerability are everywhere. Most tents are constructed from aid tarpaulins, pieces of plastic salvaged from rubble and blankets tied to recycled wooden poles. Many sag visibly in the middle; others are erected inadequately, so much so that they quiver and flap violently under the slightest breeze.

“When the wind starts, we all hold the poles to keep the tent from falling,” said Hani Ziara, a father sheltering in western Gaza City after his home was destroyed months ago.

His tent was flooded last night in the heavy rain, and his children had to stay outside in the cold. Hani wonders painfully what else he can do to protect his children from the rain and strong winds.

In many camps, the ground was already soft from previous rainfall. Wet sand and mud stick to shoes, blankets and cooking pots as people shuffle through. Trenches dug by volunteers to divert water often collapse within hours. With nowhere else to go, families who live in low-lying areas are preparing for the worst: that floodwaters will be pushed directly into their tents.

Stocking up on food, storing clean water and securing shelter are the most basic steps when people prepare for a storm, but that is considered a luxury for the displaced of Gaza.

Most families receive scant water deliveries, going sometimes days without enough to cook or wash. Food supplies are equally strained, and while irregular aid distributions provide basics like rice or canned beans, the quantities seldom last more than a few days. Preparing for a storm by cooking ahead, gathering dry goods or storing fuel is simply not possible.

“We could not sleep last night. Our tent was flooded with rainwater. Everything we had was flushed out by water. We want to prepare, but how?” asked Mervit, a mother of five children displaced near the Gaza port. She added, “We barely have enough food for tonight. We can’t save what we don’t have.”

Despite poverty, solidarity has become Gaza’s strongest survival strategy. Neighbours, with whatever they have, help secure the tents. Young men go through the rubble and scavenge for metal and wood remains to serve as temporary posts. The women organise collective cooking so that hot meals can be distributed to families in need, particularly those with young children or elderly family members, whenever possible.

These unofficial networks become more active the closer a storm gets. Volunteers trudge from tent to tent, helping families raise sleeping areas off the ground, patch holes in canopies with plastic sheets, and dig drainage channels. Crowds try to move those who are in precarious, extremely exposed areas to other locations, sharing information about safer places.

‘We are exhausted’

Beyond physical danger, the psychological impact is deep. After months of displacement, loss and deprivation, another crisis – this time, not war, but forces of nature – feels overwhelming.

“Our tents were destroyed. We are exhausted,” said Wissam Naser. “We have no strength left. Every day there is a new fear: hunger, cold, disease, now the storm.”

Many residents describe the feeling of being sandwiched between the sky and the ground, exposed on both ends and unable to protect their families from either.

As clouds mass along Gaza’s shore, families prepare to take a hit. Some weigh down tent walls against the wind with rocks and sandbags. Others push children’s blankets to the driest corner, hoping a roof will last. Most don’t have a plan. They just wait.

The storm will not be another single-night affair for the displaced in Gaza. It would be a further reminder of how fragile life has become, how survival depends not on preparedness but rather on endurance.

They wait because they have no alternative. They prepare with what little they have. They pray that this time, the winds will be merciful.

Philip Rivers hasn’t played in the NFL for several years. Neither has Cam Newton.

Rivers is in his mid-40s. Newton is in his mid-30s.

Rivers signed with the Indianapolis Colts this week. Newton did not — and he’s taking it somewhat personally that the team did not even reach out to him.

“It’s almost like a slap in my face, bro,” Newton said on the latest episode of the “4th&1 with Cam Newton” podcast. “ I ain’t gonna lie.”

Cohost Omari “Penny” Collins pointed out that NFL teams may not realize Newton is available because of his high profile as a podcaster and TV personality.

Newton stared at Collins incredulously before shouting his response.

“Did Philip Rivers send any type of sign that he was available?” the regular contributor on ESPN’s “First Take” said. “Why you asking me to do something that everybody else didn’t do? I ain’t no sucker. I ain’t no lab rat. Come on, bro.”

Newton added: “People be holding people to a standard that they ain’t even holding everybody else to that standard. And that’s what I don’t like. ‘Well, you ain’t showed that you [are available].’ Have you followed my Snapchat?”

Rivers spent his first 16 NFL seasons with the Chargers and one more with the Indianapolis Colts before retiring after the 2020 season. An eight-time Pro Bowl selection, Rivers ranks in the NFL’s top 10 for passing yards, passing touchdowns and passes completed. He is currently a Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist, although his eligibility for that honor may soon get pushed back.

If Rivers ends up on their active roster — a distinct possibility with the multitude of quarterback injuries the Colts are dealing with — Rivers won’t be eligible for the Hall of Fame until five years after he retires again.

The signing reunites Rivers with Indianapolis coach Shane Steichen, his onetime quarterbacks coach and then offensive coordinator with the Chargers. The two men are close friends who are said to speak on the phone weekly. As coach of St. Michael Catholic High in Fairhope, Ala., Rivers uses the same plays and terminology as Steichen.

But, as Newton pointed out to Collins, “he’s 44 years old, bro.”

Newton, on the other hand, is 36.

Drafted No. 1 overall by the Carolina Panthers in 2011, he was the league MVP in 2015 and led the Panthers to the Super Bowl the same year. His 75 career rushing touchdowns and 46 career games with both passing and rushing touchdowns were both records for NFL quarterbacks until they were broken this season by Buffalo’s Josh Allen.

Newton has not played since 2021, but he never officially retired.

“I did not,” he said, “and will not because of an opportunity like this.”

Newton speculated that teams might be scared off by his flamboyant personality. “They don’t want a circus,” he said.

He also joked that the Colts already have a star player who wears jersey No. 1 — cornerback Sauce Gardner — and they knew “I gotta get No. 1.”

Newton was sure to state he had nothing personal against Rivers, his “brother from another.” But Newton also made it clear he wouldn’t hesitate to work out for an NFL team truly interested in his services.

“I’m open for business,” he said. “But I wanna be [with] who really want me. If you don’t want me, don’t send flowers.”

Leave it to Leslie Jones and menopause to turn “The View” into a more entertaining program.

The “Saturday Night Live” veteran was halfway through a chat Tuesday with Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar and the rest of the “View” crew when she suddenly began to sweat — visibly. She coped by dabbing at her face with a small navy blue towel that magically appeared from under the table.

“You’re — you’re hot,” Behar stammered, breaking up a conversation in which she had opined that comics are truth-tellers who undermine propaganda.

“I’m always hot, babe,” Jones replied, continuing her blotting adventure before explaining — perhaps unnecessarily — “I’m having that menopause. That pause, that pause.”

The performer continued. “I am in it,” she said. “I am ‘pause.’ The heat that comes off of me can light a small city in Guadalajara.”

Forget that Guadalajara itself is a city, and not a small one. Jones’ deadpan demeanor at that moment prompted Sunny Hostin to begin fanning her with a large notecard. Behar joined in with her own card.

“Let’s talk about your latest comedy show because it is funny and it’s called ‘Leslie Jones: Life Part 2,’” Hostin said, attempting to get the segment back on track.

She did not completely succeed.

“I’m spritzing!” Jones said as she once again dabbed her moist face with the magical towel.

The show played a clip from her special where she talked about everyone needing to go to therapy, after which Hostin steered “The View” conversation toward dating.

Then Goldberg stole the spotlight, having left her seat to take over dabbing duties from their guest. “I could die now,” Jones said, holding her hands out, palms up, and looking to the heavens with a peaceful smile as she basked in Whoopi’s careful attention. “This is a little — this is a dream. This is a dream come true.”

At that point, Hostin seemed to give up on talking about guys with Jones and started once again fanning her with the notecard.

“Whoopi Goldberg wiping my sweat,” Jones declared, relaxing into the experience.

“Yes, it’s a beautiful moment,” Behar snarked.

Oh, but wait. Hostin was not to be denied. Or perhaps whatever producer was hollering into her earpiece wouldn’t be denied.

“You talk a lot about the men you’ve encountered … so tell us, how’s the pool out there?” she asked, not clocking that the audience was far more interested in Whoopi now fanning Jones by waving the magical towel. “Have you found any men,” Hostin wondered, “who would do that for you?” Fan you? Wipe your sweat?

“Unfortunately, no,” Jones replied. “Listen, I’m 58 now, so I’m past the BS.”

“You’re also post-menopausal at 58,” Dr. Behar interjected, revealing herself to be an armchair expert in female endocrinology. “It should be over by now.”

Jones turned from her reverie and looked at Behar as if the latter were a bag of dog poop burning on her doorstep. But she did not stomp on the bag to put it out. “It’s different for everyone,” Alyssa Farah Griffin chimed in cheerfully.

“Have we got a beef?” Jones asked Behar, looking at her with that stone-faced gaze only Leslie Jones can deliver.

“Not that I know of?” Behar said. “You know what, we respectfully disagree.”

Good to know that Behar thinks Jones isn’t capable of experiencing menopausal symptoms despite Jones experiencing menopausal symptoms right in front of her face.

Meanwhile, Whoopi stepped up the blotting, offering comforting words to Jones while Behar babbled on in her own defense.

“You comin’ at me,” Jones told Behar.

“Let me get your face,” Whoopi said.

“Thank you, baby,” Jones told her personal sweat-swabber.

And the conversation turned back to the dating scene, which Jones correctly told Hostin “is not bleak. It’s diabolical.” As she spoke, Whoopi folded the magical towel, laid it down in a magical resting place and backed away, blowing on Jones as she took slow steps toward her abandoned chair.

“Just blow yourself all over me, babe,” Jones said, and Whoopi stepped back and obliged. Behar, looking uncomfortable, asked someone to grab a hand towel.

“It’s so sad,” Jones said, “that my whole spot is going to be about me sweating.”

After a commercial break, Behar had in hand a small electric fan, which she promptly aimed at Jones. “This one will take care of all your issues.”

“Thank you, darling. I’m good,” Jones said. “Now I’m freezing.”

Nah girl. When it came to Joy Behar in that moment, you were just cold.

ORLANDO, Fla. — The 2026 World Baseball Classic begins in less than three months.

Between now and then, the Dodgers will have to have some “delicate” conversations with their star trio of Japanese pitchers.

As of now, Dodgers front-office officials said at this week’s winter meetings, no final decisions have been made about whether Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki will participate in the tournament, nor if Shohei Ohtani (who has already confirmed his participation) will pitch in addition to hitting.

“We’re still working through that,” said president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, who met with Team Japan manager Hirokazu Ibata at the Signia by Hilton Orlando this week.

“We’re very supportive of Samurai Japan and all that they’re trying to accomplish, and they’re very supportive of us,” Friedman added. “It was about just keeping open the lines of communication, the mutual respect and working together to help all sides.”

What would be most helpful to the Dodgers, of course, is if none of their three Japanese stars pitch in next spring’s international tournament.

Each of them shouldered a heavy burden during last season’s postseason, from Sasaki’s nine appearances out of the bullpen to Ohtani’s four starts in a two-way role to Yamamoto’s playoff-leading 37⅓ innings (the final 8⅔ of which came on back-to-back days in Games 6 and 7 of the World Series) most of all.

Each of them could also benefit from extra rest going into the 2026 campaign. Sasaki will be returning to the starting rotation after missing most of last year’s regular season because of a shoulder injury. Ohtani will be embarking on his first full season of two-way duties since 2023. Yamamoto is coming off what was already an unprecedented workload even before last season’s playoffs, having set a new career high (either in MLB or Japan) with 30 starts in the regular season.

Already, it appears several other Dodgers players will, or are likely, to skip the event. While Team Canada general manager Greg Hamilton said Freddie Freeman would like to participate, the first baseman is dealing with some lingering health issues after playing through an ankle injury for much of last season. Teoscar Hernández said in an interview that he will not play for the Dominican Republic in order to focus on next season. Tommy Edman, who previously represented Team Korea, is also not expected to play as he recovers from an offseason ankle surgery.

To this point, the only Dodgers player other than Ohtani to confirm his WBC participation is catcher Will Smith for Team USA.

More could follow, from Mookie Betts (who has yet to announce any WBC decision) to Hyeseong Kim (who told Korean media he has requested permission from the Dodgers to participate) to Alex Vesia (who is under consideration for a Team USA spot, according to American general manager Michael Hill).

In Japan, however, the WBC is held to a higher standard of importance than most other countries around the world (and, to its fans, an even more significant level than the World Series itself). The nation has won the event a record three times, including in the most recent 2023 edition. And having star players sit out, or even be restricted, in the tournament can threaten to become a culturally controversial development.

The Dodgers understand this.

Manager Dave Roberts this week described the dynamic with the Japanese players as “very delicate,” and said neither he nor the organization “want to be dismissive of what it means to them representing their country.”

“You can’t debate the emotion,” he added, “what a player might feel of this potential opportunity.”

That doesn’t mean, however, the Dodgers aren’t concerned about the cost the tournament can incur, especially for starting pitchers given its place on the calendar.

Next year’s event will take place March 5-17, requiring pitchers to be built up for live-game action nearly a month earlier than they would otherwise. Team Japan will also have to travel from Tokyo (where they will play their group stage games) to Miami (where the knockout round will be held) during that two-week window, assuming they advance through the preliminary round as expected.

Because of that, Roberts acknowledged he was hoping Ohtani (who will still be managed carefully as a pitcher next season, potentially with a week or more of rest between outings) would only hit in the event — and seemed to hint that would be the likely outcome for the reigning MVP.

“The pitching side of things is challenging and gives us a little bit of pause,” general manager Brandon Gomes added. “But yeah, we’ll obviously continue to have those conversations and figure it out.”

The Dodgers will also face a decision with Sasaki, whom they can block from participating in the WBC since he missed the majority of last season on the 60-day injured list, though they haven’t given an indication yet on whether they would do so.

“We just need to sit down and talk through it as an organization,” Gomes said generally of the team’s process for WBC players. “Once we get more info on the players, we’ll have those conversations.”

While the Dodgers can’t prevent Yamamoto from participating, Roberts indicated they could lobby for Team Japan to keep him (and Ohtani or Sasaki, if they wind up on the Japanese staff, as well) on a more restricted workload for the tournament.

“I would like to think that it’s going to be a dialogue as far as restrictions and limitations,” Roberts said. “In the sense of just trying to give them the opportunity, but also understand they’ve come off some stuff, some long seasons.”

There should be more clarity in the coming month, with Team Japan hoping to have its roster finalized by the new year. Next week, Friedman said, clubs and national teams will also submit forms to MLB regarding players’ potential participation, which allows for a period of feedback between all parties.

“I do think that the conversations need to be had [and] will be had, as far as what each individual is taking on and whatever role that they might be taking on,” Roberts said. “And what potential costs there might be.”

For now, however, when it comes to one of the more delicate situations the Dodgers will have to navigate this offseason, “there’s no more clarity than we had before,” Roberts added.

WASHINGTON — Members of Congress clashed Thursday over President Trump’s use of the National Guard in American cities, with Republicans saying the deployments were needed to fight lawlessness while Democrats called his move an extraordinary abuse of military power that violated states’ rights.

Top military officials faced questioning over the deployments for the first time at the hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee. They were pressed by Democrats over the legality of sending in troops, which in some places were done over the objections of mayors and governors, while Trump’s Republican allies offered a robust defense of the policy.

It was the highest level of scrutiny, outside a courtroom, of Trump’s use of the National Guard in U.S. cities since the deployments began and came a day after the president faced another legal setback over efforts to send troops to support federal law enforcement, protect federal facilities and combat crime.

“In recent years, violent crime, rioting, drug trafficking and heinous gang activity have steadily escalated,” said Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker, the committee chairman. The deployments, he said, are “not only appropriate, but essential.”

Democrats argued they are illegal and contrary to historic prohibitions about the use of military force on U.S. soil.

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., had pushed for the hearing, saying domestic deployments traditionally have involved responding to major floods and tornadoes, not assisting immigration agents who are detaining people in aggressive raids.

“Trump is forcing our military men and women to make a horrible choice: uphold their loyalty to the Constitution and protect peaceful protesters, or execute questionable orders from the president,” said Duckworth, a combat veteran who served in the Illinois National Guard.

Military leaders point to training

During questioning, military leaders highlighted the duties that National Guard units have carried out. Troops are trained in community policing, they said, and are prohibited from using force unless in self-defense.

Since the deployments began, only one civilian — in California — has been detained by National Guard personnel, according to Air Force Gen. Gregory M. Guillot, commander of U.S. troops in North America. Guillot said the troops are trained to de-escalate tense interactions with people, but do not receive any specific training on mental health episodes.

“They can very quickly be trained to conduct any mission that we task of them,” Guillot said.

Republicans and Democrats see the deployments much differently

In one exchange, Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, noted how former Defense Secretary Mark Esper alleged that Trump inquired about shooting protesters during the George Floyd demonstrations. She asked whether a presidential order to shoot protesters would be lawful.

Charles L. Young III, principal deputy general counsel at the Defense Department, said he was unaware of Trump’s previous comments and that “orders to that effect would depend on the circumstances.”

“We have a president who doesn’t think the rule of law applies to him,” Hirono said in response.

Republicans countered that Trump was within his rights — and his duty — to send in the troops.

Republican Sen. Tim Sheehy of Montana, a former Navy SEAL officer, argued during the hearing that transnational crimes present enough of a risk to national security to justify military action, including on U.S. soil.

Sheehy claimed there are foreign powers “actively attacking this country, using illegal immigration, using transnational crime, using drugs to do so.”

Senators also offered their sympathies after two West Virginia National Guard members deployed to Washington were shot just blocks from the White House in what the city’s mayor described as a targeted attack. Spc. Sarah Beckstrom died a day after the Nov. 26 shooting, and her funeral took place Tuesday. Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe is hospitalized in Washington.

Hearing follows court setback for Trump

A federal judge in California on Wednesday ruled that the administration must stop deploying the California National Guard in Los Angeles and return control of the troops to the state.

U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer granted a preliminary injunction sought by California officials, but also put the decision on hold until Monday. The White House said it plans to appeal.

Trump called up more than 4,000 California National Guard troops in June without Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom’s approval to further the administration’s immigration enforcement efforts.

The move was the first time in decades that a state’s National Guard was activated without a request from its governor and marked a significant escalation in the administration’s efforts to carry out its mass deportation policy. The troops were stationed outside a federal detention center in downtown Los Angeles where protesters gathered and were later sent on the streets to protect immigration officers as they made arrests.

Trump also had announced National Guard members would be sent to Illinois, Oregon, Louisiana and Tennessee. Other judges have blocked or limited the deployment of troops to Portland, Oregon, and Chicago, while Guard members have not yet been sent to New Orleans.

Klepper, Finley and Groves write for the Associated Press. AP writer Konstantin Toropin contributed to this report.

A proposed tax increase in one European country has sparked concern

Ryanair has blasted moves that could see passengers pay higher bills under moves to increase airport departure taxes in one popular European destination by as much as double the current rate. In Belgium, the current federal tax stands at five euros per passenger and will be increased to 10 euros per passenger from 2027, which may see costs pushed onto passengers.

On top of this, Charleroi Airport in Belgium will reportedly make passengers spend three euros on their flights, according to proposals made by the Charleroi City Council. Some European publications have speculated this will push competition onto cheaper flights in neighbouring airports such as Paris-Beauvais and Lille Airport.

Ryanair are furious. In response to the proposed tax change, the airline has already confirmed this week that it will cut one million seats from its Brussels Winter 2026/27 schedule.

Ryanair said this move will also affect 20 routes on the schedule while arguing that the move is in direct opposition to other EU markets such as Slovakia, Sweden, Italy, and Hungary, where it claims such taxes are being cut down to drive up tourism. Because of this, Ryanair is calling on both the Belgian Prime Minister De Wever and the Mayor of Charleroi, Thomas Dermine, to reverse the proposed plans.

Ryanair’s Jason McGuinness said: “The De Wever Govt has bizarrely decided to further increase Belgium’s already sky-high aviation tax by another +100% from Jan 2027, on top of the +150% in July last. These repeated increases to this harmful aviation tax make Belgium completely uncompetitive compared to the many other EU countries, like Sweden, Hungary, Italy, and Slovakia, where Govts are abolishing aviation taxes to drive traffic, tourism, and jobs.

“As a result of this second tax hike in just 5 months, Ryanair has been forced to cut -22% of its Brussels traffic (-1m seats), -5 aircraft from our Charleroi base (loss of US$500m investment), and 20 routes (13 from Charleroi & 7 from Zaventem) for Winter 26/27. Should the Charleroi city council proceed with its ill-judged proposal to introduce further taxes on passengers departing from Charleroi next year, these cuts will deepen as Ryanair will be forced to reduce flights, routes and based aircraft at Charleroi from as early as April 2026 with thousands of local jobs at risk.

“If Prime Minister De Wever and his Govt really wanted to revive Belgium’s economy, they should abolish this harmful aviation tax, not double it. Despite so many other EU countries taking this step to support their economies, Belgium is going in the opposite direction, driving up access costs and pushing airlines and tourism elsewhere.

“We urge Prime Minister De Wever to scrap this damaging aviation tax before Belgian’s traffic, tourism, jobs, and the wider economy collapse any further. Furthermore, the Charleroi city council needs to abandon its lunatic plans to increase taxes driving job losses with the effect of lowering payroll, VAT and corporate tax receipts for the local economy.”

Belgium receives more than 18 million tourists each year. According to the latest data from the British government, around 1.3 million Brits travel to Belgium each year.

The proposed doubling is reportedly designed to help finance airport infrastructure and meet new environmental requirements, according to Air Journal.

The festive season is one of the busiest times for travel, and it’s handy to know your rights when it comes to getting a refund and compensation for any delays or cancellations you may encounter

The Christmas period is famously one of the most chaotic times for travel, with thousands of Brits hopping on planes or trains to reunite with family and friends, whether that’s within the UK or abroad. With travel disruption already anticipated in the run-up to Christmas, it’s essential to understand your entitlements regarding refunds and compensation should you face any delays or cancellations.

Multiple strikes have already been confirmed, threatening to cause significant disruption to holiday travel. Approximately 200 check-in and baggage handling workers employed by easyJet at London Luton Airport are set to strike during the final two weekends of December amid an ongoing pay row.

Meanwhile, Heathrow Airport is bracing itself to handle seven million passengers across its four terminals throughout the festive period. It has also emerged that Friday, 20 December, and Sunday, 28 December, are set to be the busiest days for UK airports.

Furthermore, National Rail has confirmed there will be “planned essential engineering works and upgrades taking place as Network Rail works to improve the railway” over the festive period. There may also be reduced services, with some train operators making alterations to their schedules.

So if you’re journeying during the hectic festive season and encounter delays or cancellations, here’s your complete guide to refunds and compensation entitlements.

Flight refunds

If your flight gets cancelled while you’re travelling to or from the UK, you’re legally entitled to either a refund or an alternative flight to your destination, according to MoneySavingExpert. However, there are a few key points that passengers should be aware of:

• The airline is responsible, even if your booking was made through an online travel agency
• If you booked a package holiday, the responsibility lies with the tour operator
• You’re entitled to an alternative flight at the earliest opportunity, and it doesn’t need to be with the same airline
• You can request a different flight, but don’t go ahead and book one yourself

Moreover, if your flight is significantly delayed, which could range from two to four hours, Citizens Advice states that the airline must provide you with:

• Food and drink
• Access to phone calls and emails
• Accommodation if you’re delayed overnight – along with transport between the airport and hotel

For more details, you can visit the Citizens’ Advice website. It’s also advisable to check directly with your airline to see if you qualify for a refund.

Flight compensation

When it comes to flight compensation for delays or cancellations on journeys to or from the UK, the rules can vary. It’s crucial to remember that even if an airline offers a credit note in lieu of a refund, you’re entirely within your rights to demand a cash reimbursement, potentially of up to £520.

As outlined by MoneySavingExpert, under the UK/EU flight delay compensation scheme, certain flights qualify for compensation at a fixed rate. For your flight to be eligible, it must satisfy the following conditions:

• Your flight arrived more than three hours late at its destination
• The flight was scheduled in the past six years
• The delay was the airline’s fault

You may also be eligible for compensation if you were unable to board your flight due to overbooking.

MoneySavingExpert highlights that compensation under EU/UK regulations concerns the “inconvenience of a delay”, rather than reimbursement of the ticket cost. The amount you could claim depends on how long your delay lasted and the distance of your journey.

Furthermore, what matters is your arrival time, not your departure time. Travellers become eligible for compensation when their flight lands more than three hours after the scheduled arrival time.

To determine if you qualify for compensation, you should check directly with your airline.

Rail refunds

National Rail states that if your train experiences delays or cancellations and you choose not to travel, you can secure a refund for your unused ticket without facing any fees from the original seller. If you purchased your ticket from a railway company, their contact information can be found on National Rail’s Find a Train Company page.

Furthermore, it’s worth noting that tickets purchased from self-service machines at stations often include instructions on how to request a refund.

Train compensation

Regarding compensation for rail journeys, National Rail confirms that passengers who arrive late at their destination due to cancelled or delayed services may be eligible to claim money back directly from the train operator.

National Rail states that eligibility depends on several factors:

• Train company you travelled with – different companies have different guidelines, but they all offer compensation
• Type of train ticket – compensation is calculated differently depending on the ticket purchased
• Length of the delay – each train company has its own “compensation threshold”

The most effective way to establish whether you qualify for train travel compensation is to check directly with the operator you booked through. Claims can usually be submitted online, and sometimes via post, or even through designated staff at stations.

For further details, you can visit the National Rail website.

WASHINGTON — Foreigners who are allowed to come to the United States without a visa could soon be required to submit information about their social media, email accounts and extensive family history to the Department of Homeland Security before being approved for travel.

The notice published Wednesday in the Federal Register said Customs and Border Protection is proposing collecting five years worth of social media information from travelers from select countries who do not have to get visas to come to the U.S. The Trump administration has been stepping up monitoring of international travelers and immigrants.

The announcement refers to travelers from more than three dozen countries who take part in the Visa Waiver Program and submit their information to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization, or ESTA, which automatically screens them and then approves them for travel to the U.S. Unlike visa applicants, they generally do not have to go into an embassy or consulate for an interview.

The Department of Homeland Security administers the program, which currently allows citizens of roughly 40 mostly European and Asian countries to travel to the U.S. for tourism or business for three months without visas.

The announcement also said that CBP would start requesting a list of other information, including telephone numbers the person has used over the last five years or email addresses used over the last decade. Also sought would be metadata from electronically submitted photos, as well as extensive information from the applicant’s family members, including their places of birth and their telephone numbers.

The application that people are now required to fill out to take part in ESTA asks a more limited set of questions such as parents’ names and current email address.

The public has 60 days to comment on the proposed changes before they go into effect, the notice said.

CBP officials did not immediately respond to questions about the new rules.

The announcement did not say what the administration was looking for in the social media accounts or why it was asking for more information.

But the agency said it was complying with an executive order that Republican President Trump signed in January that called for more screening of people coming to the U.S. to prevent the entry of possible national security threats.

Travelers from countries that are not part of the Visa Waiver Program system are already required to submit their social media information, a policy that dates to the first Trump administration. The policy remained during Democratic President Biden’s administration.

But citizens from visa waiver countries were not obligated to do so.

Since January, the Trump administration has stepped up checks of immigrants and travelers, both those trying to enter the U.S. as well as those already in the country. Officials have tightened visa rules by requiring that applicants set all of their social media accounts to public so that they can be more easily scrutinized and checked for what authorities view as potential derogatory information. Refusing to set an account to public can be considered grounds for visa denial, according to guidelines provided by the State Department.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services now considers whether an applicant for benefits, such as a green card, “endorsed, promoted, supported, or otherwise espoused” anti-American, terrorist or antisemitic views.

The heightened interest in social media screening has drawn concern from immigration and free speech advocates about what the Trump administration is looking for and whether the measures target people critical of the administration in an infringement of free speech rights.

Santana writes for the Associated Press.

In their appeal, Palace claimed that other clubs had been given preferential treatment to modify their ownership structures for admission to Europe after 1 March.

Palace highlighted the case of Nottingham Forest. Owner Evangelos Marinakis had diluted his control of the club in preparation for Champions League qualification for both Forest and Olympiakos.

In a similar situation, Chelsea owners BlueCo had issued millions of new shares in Strasbourg in case both clubs ended up in the same competition.

Palace claimed this was proof that some clubs had been given extra time by Uefa to sort out their structures.

This was thrown out by CAS, stating that there was no clause in Uefa’s regulations that permitted it.

It was not tested though, because these clubs did not end up in the same competition. If so, it would have prevented an even bigger test of the regulations.

It makes Uefa’s communication with clubs this week all the more important because it appears to completely close off any loophole beyond 1 March.

Clubs in a multi-club ownership structure who think there is any chance of being in Europe must take the necessary steps to be compliant before this date. If they have not, Uefa will be back next summer to take action again.

This could impact clubs such as Manchester United and Nice, who are in the same ownership structure.

I genuinely love a good facial — the ritual of it, the permission to lie still for 90 minutes, the way my skin looks afterward. I’m the person who books facials on vacation, who will try whatever’s trending this month, who drives to San Gabriel for a treatment a TikToker described as “gua sha on steroids.” So, yes, I was willing to pay $430 to have someone’s fingers in my mouth if it meant potential jaw realignment. Even if it meant a tuning fork was somehow involved.

The service is offered in a cozy Beverly Hills storefront by Sonia Vargas, the aesthetician and owner of Sonia Vargas Skin. While I dubbed it the tuning fork facial in my brain, Vargas bills it as the “Restructuring & Rebalancing Facial.” The 90-minute, $430 treatment promises to physically restructure your face.

Vargas said that she left fashion design eight years ago for facial massage training in techniques like craniosacral work (gentle manipulation of the skull and spine), manual lymphatic work and TMJ release. She told me the treatment has become popular with different types of clients. “It just depends on the face, the person, what they need and their budget,” Vargas said.

Some come weekly when dealing with acute TMJ issues, while others book quarterly maintenance appointments or schedule sessions before weddings when they want what Vargas calls a “natural lift.” She’s had clients come after jaw surgery who get treatments twice a week for months, others dealing with bad filler or Botox who needed intensive work to break down adhesions.

Sonia Vargas performs a lymphatic drainage massage.

The room was like many I’d been in for facials, dim, with low music playing and a bed taking up much of the space. But this one had a special addition of LED lights and ‘chakra-aligning’ gemstones that Vargas claimed pulsed at 4 hertz — a frequency she said that’s meant to help the immune system.

First came the familiar parts. The tingle of glycolic acid, the pain of extractions, the warm towels heating my skin. Then Vargas performed myofascial release methods with the precision of someone who knows exactly what she’s doing. Her fingers moved across my face like a pianist working through complicated scales as she tackled lymphatic drainage and the loosening of my jaw — a pleasurable experience that wasn’t uncomfortable even once.

As she continued working, the gradual lifting of my facial muscles began to accumulate into something noticeable. My face felt suspended in what seemed like a permanent knowing smile, as if I’d heard a particularly good joke no one else got.

After examining my jaw, Vargas suggested I add the TMJ release, a $90 addition to the base treatment. What followed was surprisingly gentle intraoral work, also known as buccal massage. I’d seen aggressive videos online, where aestheticians appear to be trying to extract someone’s skeleton through their mouth, but this was very peaceful in comparison. Her gloved fingers worked along my jawline from inside my mouth, breaking the silence to note my left side was significantly tighter, working more slowly there. I hadn’t mentioned the growing asymmetry I’d been noticing in photos or that I’d been meaning to ask my dentist about it.

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1. Sonia Vargas wraps a warm towel around Jackie Snow’s face. 2. Sonia Vargas applies a cleanser. (Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)

The tuning fork came last, with Vargas pressing it against various points on my face. It was supposedly vibrating at something called Schumann resonance, 93.96 hertz, she later explained, a frequency that allegedly helps with immune function and chronic pain. It mostly felt like what it was: a cold piece of metal against my skin, vibrating. Unlike the dramatic muscle work that had come before, this was neutral, a bit anticlimactic.

The treatment incorporates elements that straddle the line between established practice and less proven ideas. The lymphatic drainage component has solid scientific backing, according to Dr. Ivy Lee, a board-certified dermatologist at the Comprehensive Dermatology Center of Pasadena. “The scientific evidence really comes from the breast cancer literature,” Lee said, referring to post-surgical lymphedema treatment. For healthy clients seeking wellness treatments, the benefits are mostly limited to temporary swelling reduction.

Sonia Vargas places a vibrating tuning fork on Jackie Snow’s face.

The vibrational therapy occupies murkier territory. Lee pointed to small studies suggesting vibration might improve microcirculation and skin temperature temporarily. But research that exists varies wildly in frequency, duration and methodology. “We don’t know the optimal dosing of this,” she said. “We don’t have an optimal protocol of what vibration frequency, where you apply it and then how long you apply it.”

The traditional elements of the facial have clear benefits, Lee confirmed. As for the rest, she saw no potential for harm, and in our high-stress world, that might be what matters most.

“Anything that can help us have that little moment where we can center ourselves does help,” she said. “Chronic elevated levels of cortisol are not good for us.”

When it comes to the claims about restructuring and facial rebalancing, the medical community is skeptical. “There is no evidence-based medicine to support any of the claims,” said Dr. Lisa Chipps, a Beverly Hills dermatologist who reviewed the treatment details. While she acknowledged that practitioners might be able to feel differences in muscle tension — as Vargas did with my jaw — changing or correcting those imbalances is another matter entirely.

Still, Chipps noted what both dermatologists emphasized: There’s no evidence these treatments cause harm. “If it makes people feel good, there’s nothing wrong with it,” she said. For some, she suggested, it might be like actors doing exercises before an audition. If it helps them feel their best, why not?

Vargas views the face as connected to the entire body’s fascia system, which is either revolutionary bodywork or expensive fiction, depending on who you ask. When I mentioned breaking my little toe while surfing three years ago had impacted my back and now maybe all the way up to my jaw, she agreed it was possible. “The back of your neck and your shoulders are so tight,” Vargas told me. “When you get certain injuries, you think it’s only there, but it actually affects everything.”

My skin looked great for days afterward, glowy and lifted. Whether that came from the lymphatic drainage or the fascia work, the tuning fork or just 90 minutes of focused attention, I couldn’t say. In a city where everyone’s stressed and most people’s jaws are clenched without even knowing it, the result felt worth it. And while Vargas clearly believes in the deeper bodywork, she hasn’t lost sight of the basics.

“I’m still an aesthetician,” Vargas said. “I want your skin to look good.”

Al Jazeera’s Jessica Washington reports from Indonesia’s Aceh Tamiang, one of the areas worst hit by the deadly floods. Survivors there are now threatened by disease and starvation after entire villages were wiped out, leaving people with nothing.

THE Kardashians have been accused of ‘using AI’ on their reality show after a telltale sign.

When fans saw Khloe’s face ‘abruptly change’ in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment, they went wild and were quick to accuse her and her family of using artificial intelligence.

In the clip, Khloe can be seen on The Kardashians FaceTiming her sister Kim.

Chatting to Kim, Khloe was sitting with Kourtney as they filmed and recorded the Khloe In Wonderland podcast.

At one point, Khloe’s face blurred and her necklace seemingly warped.

Someone shared the video of the moment where Khloe’s face changed and her necklace seemingly shapeshifted.

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Khloe Kardashian rocks just a high-cut nude bodysuit as she reveals new fragrance

“Omg you can see her pendant changing shape in real time,” commented one person.

A second wrote, “They’ve always used filters but THIS is different.. definitely AI.”

“Necklace literally morphed from a cross to an oval to a candy cane,” said a third.

“Face AND necklace changed,” added a fourth.

A fifth person then wrote, “Filter made her look like Hailee steinfeld there omg.”

And a sixth echoed, “I thought she was morphing into Hailee Steinfeld.”

Meanwhile, on Reddit, one fan shared the video from TikTok and penned, “The Kardashians used AI to add extra onto a scene with Khloe and it is terrifying.”

Someone then replied, “That wild…

“I wouldn’t have noticed it right away if it wasn’t for the necklace morphing.”

“Is it AI or did the filter just come off? LOL JK,” said a second.

A third penned, “This is f**king WILD omg it’s so badly done eta I’d give anything to see the prompt.”

“I just don’t understand how this gets approved. So many questions,” said a fourth.

While a fifth penned, “ok im scared.”

And a fifth said, “Would you expect anything different ? They are ….all of them filtered to oblivion.”