Africa’s top public health body has confirmed a new Ebola outbreak in Congo, with 65 deaths and 246 suspected cases recorded in a remote eastern province near the borders with Uganda and South Sudan. The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said cases have been concentrated in the Mongwalu and Rwampara health zones of Ituri province, more than 620 miles from the Congolese capital. Preliminary laboratory results detected the Ebola virus in 13 of 20 samples tested, with sequencing ongoing to confirm the strain. Early results suggest it is not the Ebola Zaire strain—the variant responsible for Congo’s past outbreaks and the one targeted by the existing Ervebo vaccine, of which Congo holds around 2,000 doses. “Four deaths have been reported among laboratory-confirmed cases,” the agency said. “Suspected cases have also been reported in Bunia, pending confirmation.” Officials flagged several factors raising the risk of further spread, including heavy population movement, mining activity in Mongwalu, ongoing insecurity in affected areas, and gaps in contact tracing. The agency convened an urgent coordination meeting with health authorities from Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan, alongside U.N. agencies and other partners. The outbreak comes around five months after Congo’s previous Ebola outbreak was declared over, following 43 deaths.
The infamous Kars4Kids jingle may finally be disappearing from California airwaves. A judge has permanently barred the nonprofit from broadcasting its catchy “1-877-Kars4Kids” ads in the state unless the commercials clearly disclose where donation money actually goes. The ruling stems from a lawsuit brought by California resident Bruce Puterbaugh, who donated his 2001 Volvo to the charity before later claiming he felt misled by the organization’s advertising. Puterbaugh argued the commercials gave the impression that proceeds benefited underprivileged children broadly across California and the U.S., without mentioning the charity’s ties to Orthodox Jewish educational programs primarily based in New York and New Jersey. The court ultimately sided with Puterbaugh, finding the omission amounted to deceptive advertising. The lawsuit accused the organization of primarily using donated funds to help finance trips to Israel and other programs for Orthodox Jewish teens rather than the broader children’s causes many donors may have assumed they were supporting. The judge also ordered Kars4Kids to reimburse Puterbaugh $250 for his donated vehicle along with covering legal costs.
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As spring ushers in a season of resets, consumers are rethinking their drinking habits—seeking ways to scale back on alcohol without sacrificing the social ritual. Functional beverages are a great zero-proof alternative to spirits, offering a gentle mood boost sans the side effects. Kava Haven is a non-alcoholic spirit with a flavor profile that hits like a lemon drop shot with a ginger kick.
It’s crafted with noble kava (a South Pacific plant root used to promote relaxation), white grape juice concentrate, and a blend of vanilla, ginger, lemon, and cardamom extracts—all with no added sugar. Drink it straight to savor the strong, smooth flavor, on the rocks for a refreshing twist, or swap it in for traditional spirits in your favorite cocktails.
Plus, if you need some mocktail inspiration, Kava Haven has recipes on its site. And since it’s non-alcoholic, you can skip the electrolytes, painkillers, and the hours of couch recovery the next morning.
An independent 22-day observational study found that people who drank Kava Haven reported lower stress and reduced overall alcohol consumption. Anecdotally, users have reported a noticeable sense of calm that eased social interactions. While the research was observational rather than clinical, the consistency of responses echoed what many customers report anecdotally: Kava Haven can promote a sense of calm while serving as a satisfying alternative to alcohol.
The award-winning director behind Wendy’s iconic “Where’s the beef?” advert has died at the age of 92. Joe Sedelmaier died at his home in Chicago last Friday, his son J.J. confirmed, according to The New York Times. He was featured in Esquireand 60 Minutes, pieces that delved into his talent for touching the fears of everyday life in just seconds. Among his most famous works was the FedEx advert featuring speed talker John Moschitta Jr., with the tag line, “Federal Express: When it absolutely has to be there overnight.” In an email to the Times following Sedelmaier’s death, former Advertising Age critic Bob Garfield praised how he “overstated by understatement. Human movement was reduced to near paralysis. Voices were monotone. The camera was locked at dead center. Nobody even blinked. Maximal minimal minimalism. And the effect was absurdity.” Speaking about his craft to the Chicago Tribune in 1993, Sedelmaier said, “I don’t feel there’s that much to be serious about in a commercial… You’re serious about selling the guy’s product, but comedy has a way of putting things in perspective.” He added, “What I find funny is when people play things straight. I don’t like comedy that winks at you.”
University of Barcelona’s Oxyrhynchus Archaeological Mission
A Roman-era Egyptian Mummy has been found laid to rest with a fabled Greek text. Homer’s Iliad was discovered in a clay packet outside the wrappings of a 2,000-year-old mummy in the Oxyrhynchus necropolis, which may have been used to help guide the dead through the afterlife. The papyrus relic was located by a team from the University of Barcelona’s Oxyrhynchus Archaeological Mission, led by Ignasi-Xavier Adiego, and is thought specifically to be from Book 2’s “Catalog of Ships” of the 24-book epic poem. The team spent six years piecing together, stabilizing, and translating the papyrus until they could finally decode its contents. “The find is incredibly significant, primarily for the discovery of such a papyrus with Greek literary text in its original context,” University of Chicago Egyptologist Foy Scalf told The New York Times. “We have evidence that such Greek literary texts could be used as magical amulets and that Homer was frequently cited in such amulets, as well as in the large handbooks now known as ‘The Greco-Egyptian Formularies.’ The new find directly supports that indirect knowledge.”
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Unless you’ve got the memory of an elephant, taking notes is a must. Remarkable has built a name for itself with innovative tablets that cut out distracting apps and focus on productivity. In fact, a study by Remarkable found that users experience 35 percent less stress and 20 percent more focus when using a paper tablet compared with working on a PC. Today, the brand is unveiling a new offering—the Remarkable Paper Pure.
The new 10.3-inch model is a marked improvement in every way. The battery is longer lasting (up to three weeks on a single charge), it features a crisper black-and-white canvas display, and it is 50 percent faster than the Remarkable 2. Like its predecessor, writing on the Remarkable Pure Paper is, well, remarkable. It feels just like writing on paper with the digital ink appearing in as little as 21 milliseconds—faster than the blink of an eye.
The custom-made marker can be used as a ballpoint pen, pencil, or even highlighter. Plus, since the tablet is held together with screws and snaps, not glue, repairs aren’t a headache for professionals.
Need a weekly planner? There’s a template for that. Want a notebook with ruled lines? There’s a template for that, too. You can even connect with productivity apps like Outlook, Slack, Google Drive, and OneDrive to pick up writing on your laptop. Whether you’re using it for work, school, or just as a journal, the Paper Pure is an all-in-one note-taking device.
Canadian hockey player Paul Boutilier of the New York Islanders skates with the puck, March 1984. (Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios via Getty Images Studios/Getty Images) B Bennett/Getty Images
Former New York Islanders hockey player Paul Boutilier has died at 63, according to the NHL Alumni Association. Boutilier, a defenseman, played five seasons with the Islanders during the 1980s while splitting time with the Canadian Hockey League’s Indianapolis Checkers. Boutilier played in two playoff games for the Islanders during their 1983 Stanley Cup run, helping the franchise secure its fourth consecutive title and earning an engraving of his name on the Stanley Cup. He started his hockey career in the QMJHL with the Sherbrooke Castors in 1980 before being picked up by the Islanders in the first round of the NHL draft the following year. Following his 213 regular-season games with the Islanders, Boutilier played for the Boston Bruins, Minnesota North Stars, the New York Rangers, and the Winnipeg Jets. After his career as a player, Boutilier became an assistant coach for Saint Mary’s University in Canada. “We send our deepest condolences to Paul’s family, friends, and former teammates during this incredibly difficult time,” the NHL Alumni Association said in a statement shared to Facebook. Boutilier’s cause of death was not revealed.
Residents of a quiet residential neighborhood are going spare at the number of driverless Waymo cars invading their area. Locals on Battleview Drive in Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia, say their cul-de-sacs are being clogged by dozens of cars every day after appearing two months ago. WSB-TV 2 spoke to incensed residents who are now pleading with the autonomous driving tech firm to stop. “It’s almost every little cul-de-sac around our area, so I think it’s a real problem,” one resident told the station. “Yesterday morning, we had 50 cars that came through between six and seven.” They erected a makeshift bollard to stop them from entering the cul-de-sac, which only created a terrible traffic jam. “We had... eight Waymos that were stuck, trying to figure out how to turn around,” the resident said. Locals said the increase in traffic was making them worried about the kids and pets in the area, especially since children are trying to catch the school bus in the mornings. One told Atlanta News First that they had seen a cat and a dog have near-misses in two separate incidents. “We would just like to see them stay on main traffic roads,” one said.
A 30-year-old rugby player died after sustaining an “unsurvivable” injury during his team’s opening game last week, league officials in New Zealand have announced. Eugene Hanna was playing for the Glenora Bears’ Premier Reserves on May 2 when he sustained the injury before being taken to a hospital in Auckland, where he remained for 10 days before dying. The specific nature of the injury has not been released publicly, but the New Zealand Rugby League’s statement on his death mentioned its head injury protocols. His former club, the Australian rules football team Waitakere Magpies, said in a statement that Hanna’s death would leave a “big hole in our hearts” but that his legacy would live on there, especially a game-winning goal he scored in 2016. Another club, Lynn-Avon United AFC, wrote in a statement that Hanna “will be remembered as a genuine all-round good bloke.” His own club’s chairwoman, Janet Hunt, wrote in a statement that “there are not enough words to express the unimaginable loss and grief” that his loved ones are feeling.
Two people have died after a small aircraft they were on board crashed into a home in Ohio, erupting into a wall of flame, the local fire department has said. Authorities in the city of Akron reported that the impact took place just shy of 4 p.m. Two people were found dead inside the 1963 Piper Cherokee, which had taken off from Akron Fulton Airport just after 2 p.m. They are yet to be identified. No one inside the house at the time was hurt, though its occupants and neighbors were evacuated as a safety measure. Footage shared on social media and broadcast by ABC News shows dense black smoke billowing over a suburban street, with orange flames flickering toward the base of the column. The crash is under investigation.
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One of the rarest luxuries isn’t a destination or extravagant dinner—it’s an evening entirely your own. Make those solo (or partnered) nights at home a little more indulgent with Lelo’s luxury intimacy devices. The brand’s annual Masturbation Month sale is back, offering up to 50 percent off its most popular products designed to elevate self-care and pleasure. Plus, shoppers can save an extra 10 percent off with code YESYOUMAY10 at checkout.
Among the brand’s bestselling devices is the Sila Cruise, which features a wide mouthpiece and sonic wave technology designed for deeply satisfying external stimulation. With eight intensity levels ranging from soft and teasing to more powerful pulses, it offers a customizable experience that’s equal parts luxe and intuitive.
Meanwhile, the Soraya 2 is engineered to deliver dual stimulation with customizable settings and an ergonomic design that adapts comfortably to your body. With twelve intensity levels and flexible features for a more personalized fit, it’s easy to see why it’s become one of the brand’s bestsellers.
Unlike most male masturbators, the F1S V3 doesn’t try to simulate familiar sensations. Its sonic waves stimulate the entire phallus from every angle, with no thrusting required. Paired with the Lelo app, the toy uses real-time feedback to adjust the experience.
Whether you’re shopping for yourself or a partner, Lelo’s limited-time sale is the perfect excuse to upgrade your nighttime routine with a little extra luxury. After all, self-care comes in many forms—and right now, this one just happens to be up to 50 percent off.
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Attorney Reveals Alex Murdaugh’s Reaction to Murder Conviction Reversal
Alex Murdaugh sits in court with his legal team, including attorney Margaret Fox, during a judicial hearing before Judge Clifton Newman in the Colleton County Courthouse on Aug. 29, 2022. (Tracy Glantz/The State/Tribune News Service via Getty Images) The State/TNS
Alex Murdaugh, 57, was reportedly left in total disbelief after a South Carolina judge overturned his double murder conviction on Wednesday. Speaking to The Sun, defense attorney Jim Griffin said the disgraced former lawyer struggled to process the bombshell ruling reversing his 2023 conviction for murdering his wife, Maggie Murdaugh, 52, and their 22-year-old son, Paul Murdaugh. “He was incredulous because every ruling has gone against him since he got in the spotlight,” Griffin said. According to Griffin, Murdaugh carefully read the judge’s order before admitting, “Jim, I read it, I see it, I still don’t believe it. That’s just sinking in.” In a 5-0 ruling, the court determined former Colleton County clerk Becky Hill, 58, improperly influenced jurors while promoting her tell-all book Behind the Doors of Justice: The Murdaugh Murders, with the judge concluding she had effectively put her “fingers on the scales of justice.” Despite the major legal victory, the former personal injury attorney still faces 67 years in prison, tied to the financial crimes he pleaded guilty to. Defense attorney Dick Harpootlian said the team is already eager to begin preparing for a retrial that he predicts could take place as early as spring 2027.
(Original Caption) Singer Jessica Simpson with boyfriend Nick Lachey of the group 98 Degrees. (Photo by Steve Azzara/Corbis via Getty Images) Steve Azzara/Corbis via Getty Images
Nick Lachey crossed paths with his ex, Jessica Simpson, in March for the first time in decades and shared some awkward details about their encounter. “We hadn’t seen each other in 20 years, then spent six and a half hours on a flight to Hawaii together,” Lachey said on a Wednesday episode of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen. Lachey described their reunion as “strangely OK.” After some prodding from Cohen, he revealed that while Simpson and her mom, Tina, were up the front of the plane, Simpson’s kids and her estranged husband, Eric Johnson, were “in a separate class of service.” He said being in close proximity to his ex-wife was just fine, with the Love Is Blind host telling Cohen that his wife, Vanessa Lachey, and their three children were on the flight as well, and “everyone was very, very cordial” and “very respectful.” Simpson and Lachey were married for three years before divorcing in 2006. Lachey remarried Vanessa in 2011, while Simpson married Johnson in 2014. Simpson and Johnson, who share three children, separated in 2025.
