GOSSIP Girl is making a comeback with a “sequel” novel centered around Blair Waldorf as an adult in New York City, over a decade after the show’s end.

The series, which was adapted from the book of the same name by Cecily von Ziegesar, aired on The CW for six seasons from 2007 to 2012.

According to Deadline, the author is revisiting the character’s story, portrayed by Leighton Meester on-screen, for a new standalone novel titled Blair.

Alloy Entertainment sold the novel to Karen Kosztolnyik, VP, Executive Editorial Director of Fiction at Grand Central Publishing, in a major book deal, per the outlet.

The book will be published in the U.S. and through Charlotte Mursell, Publisher of Orion Fiction at Orion, a division of Hachette UK, for a global English-language release.

Blair will reportedly take place 20 years after the original Gossip Girl series was released, with the former snobby overachiever in her 40s, returning to the Upper East Side to regain her dominance in the food chain.

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The novel’s tentative release date is Summer 2027.

It’s unknown if the book could make its way to the small screen, but Alloy Entertainment – which is also behind other successful book-to-series favorites including The Vampire Diaries, You, and Pretty Little Liars – has obtained film and television rights if it drums up interest.

The original novel surely did, having sold over 6 million copies and spent more than 100 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list after its 2002 release.

There have been no reports on whether anyone else in Blair’s former inner circle will appear in the book, although her relationships with many of them translated differently in the TV series.

Serena van der Woodsen was the other main character in the book and in the show, as Blair’s BFF and sometimes nemesis, played by Blake Lively.

Penn Badgley, Chase Crawford, Ed Westwick, Kelly Rutherford, Matthew Settle, Taylor Momsen, and Jessica Szohr also portrayed prominent characters in the TV adaptation.

Gossip Girl got a reboot on HBO Max in 2021, featuring an all-new cast, with Kristen Bell returning as the narrator.

However, the show didn’t hit like the original and was cancelled after two seasons.

Many complained that the show’s teachers’ actions were “predatory,” and the overall allure was nowhere near that of the original namesake.

The revival also didn’t seem to thrust its cast into the same level of stardom as the former series did for stars such as Blake, Leighton, and Penn.

Blake has starred in a number of films since her Gossip Girl run ended, including the romance, It Ends with Us, which was the matchbox that sparked her ongoing legal war with her co-star and director, Justin Baldoni.

Meanwhile, Leighton has had fans swooning over her since joining the cast of the Netflix series Nobody Wants This, alongside fellow Gossip Girl alum Kristen Bell and her husband, Adam Brody.

Penn also cemented his place in another TV series, playing a vastly different character than the “Lonely Boy” from Brooklyn, Dan Humphrey.

The actor portrayed obsessive stalker and serial killer Joe Goldberg in the Netflix series, You, for five seasons from 2018 to 2025.

Gossip Girl is available to stream on multiple platforms, including HBO Max, Netflix, and Hulu.

Pål K. Lønseth, head of Økokrim – the economic crime unit investigating Jagland – said: “We consider there are reasonable grounds for investigation, given that he held the positions of chair of the Nobel Committee and Secretary General of the Council of Europe during the period covered by the released documents.

Baroness Hilary Cass, who led that review, has previously said her report “uncovered a very weak evidence base” for the benefits of puberty blockers for children and young people with gender dysphoria, but that “given that there are clinicians, children and families who believe passionately in the beneficial effects, a trial was the only way forward to make sense of this”.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — Derrick Johnson buried his mother’s ashes beneath a golden dewdrop tree with purple blossoms at his home on Maui’s Haleakalā Volcano, fulfilling her wish of a final resting place looking over her grandchildren.

Then the FBI called.

It was Feb. 4, 2024, and Johnson was teaching an eighth-grade gym class.

“‘Are you the son of Ellen Lopes?’” a woman asked, Johnson recalled in an interview with The Associated Press.

There had been an incident, and an FBI agent would fly out to explain, the caller said. Then she asked: “‘Did you use Return to Nature for a funeral home?’”

“‘You should probably google them,’” she added.

In the clatter of the weight room, Johnson typed “Return to Nature” into his cellphone. Dozens of news reports appeared, details popping out in a blur.

Hundreds of bodies stacked on top of each other. Inches of body decomposition fluid. Swarms of bugs. Investigators traumatized. Governor declares state of emergency.

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Johnson felt nauseated and his chest constricted, forcing the breath from his lungs. He pushed himself out of the building as another teacher heard his cries and came running.

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Two FBI agents visited Johnson the following week, confirming his mother’s body was among 189 that Return to Nature’s owners, Jon and Carie Hallford, had stashed in a Colorado building between 2019 and Oct. 4, 2023, when the bodies were found.

It was one of the largest discoveries of decaying bodies at a funeral home in the U.S. Lawmakers overhauled the state’s lax funeral home regulations. And besides handing over fake ashes to grieving families, the Hallfords also admitted to defrauding the federal government out of nearly $900,000 in pandemic-era aid for small businesses.

Even as the Hallfords’ bills went unpaid, authorities said they spent lavishly on Tiffany jewelry, luxury cars and laser-body sculpting, pocketing about $130,000 clients paid for cremations.

They were arrested in Oklahoma in November 2023 and charged with abusing nearly 200 corpses.

Hundreds of families learned from officials that the ashes they ceremonially spread or kept close weren’t actually their loved ones’ remains. The bodies of their mothers, fathers, grandparents, children and babies had moldered in a room-temperature building in Colorado.

Jon Hallford will be sentenced Friday, facing between 30 to 50 years in prison, and Carie Hallford in April after a judge accepted their plea agreements in December. Attorneys for Jon and Carie Hallford did not respond to an AP request for comment.

Johnson, 45, who’s suffered panic attacks since the FBI called, promised himself that he would speak at Hallford’s sentencing and ask for the maximum penalty.

“When the judge passes out how long you’re going to jail, and you walk away in cuffs,” he said, “you’re gonna hear me.”

“She lied”

Jon and Carie Hallford were a husband-and-wife team who advertised “green burials” without embalming as well as cremation at their Return to Nature funeral home in Colorado Springs.

She would greet grieving families, guiding them through their loved ones’ final journey. He was less seen.

Johnson called the funeral home in early February 2023, the week his mother died. Carie Hallford assured him she would take good care of his mother, Johnson said.

Days later, she handed Johnson a blue box containing a zip-tied plastic bag with gray powder, saying those were his mother’s ashes.

“She lied to me over the phone. She lied to me through email. She lied to me in person,” Johnson told the AP.

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In a text to his wife, Hallford said, “while I was making the transfer, I got people juice on me,” according to court testimony.

The neighborhood mom

Johnson grew up with his mother in an affordable-housing complex in Colorado Springs, where she knew everyone.

Johnson’s father wasn’t around much; at 5 years old, Johnson remembers seeing him punch his mom, sending her careening into a table, then onto a guitar, breaking it.

It was Lopes who taught Johnson to shave and hollered from the bleachers at his football games.

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Kristen Stewart has purchased the historic Highland Theater in Los Angeles, which was closed down in 2024, and will be restoring it into “something for the community”.

The Oscar-nominated actor confirmed the news to Architectural Digest, saying she was “fascinated by broken-down old theaters”.

“I didn’t realise I was looking for a theater until this place came to my attention. Then it was like a gunshot went off and the race was on. I ran toward it with everything I had,” she said.

The theater opened in 1925 and closed after nearly a century in operation. It was designed by Lewis Arthur Smith and began as a vaudeville and silent-film house before shifting to mainstream releases. It was eventually subdivided into a triplex in the 1980s.

Owner Dan Akarakian told the Los Angeles Times in March 2024 the theatre was unable to recover in the post-pandemic world and he was forced to shut it down.

It closed permanently on 29 February 2024, six days before its 99th anniversary, with the final films screened including Madame Web and Bob Marley: One Love.

Stewart said she intended to turn the theater into a community space.

“It’s an opportunity to make a space to gather and scheme and dream together. This project is about creating a new school and restructuring our processes, finding a better way forward,” the actor said.

“We want to make it a family affair, something for the community. It’s not just for pretentious Hollywood cinephiles,” she added.

“I see it as an antidote to all the corporate bulls***, a place that takes movie culture away from just buying and selling. I think there’s a huge desire and craving for what this kind of space can offer.”

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The Spencer star acknowledged the challenge and scale of the restoration work. “There are so many beautiful details that need to be restored,” she said. “There’s a way to bring the building back to life in a way that embraces its history, but also brings something new to the neighborhood and something new to the whole LA film community.”

Stewart’s purchase of the theater puts her in the league of film figures who have taken an active role in preserving Los Angeles’ cinema heritage.

Quentin Tarantino bought the New Beverly Cinema in 2007 and the Vista Theater in 2021, telling Deadline in 2014 he bought the former theater to ensure it wouldn’t get turned into a commercial multiplex and remain dedicated to film screenings.

In 2022, the Village Theater in Westwood was bought by a group of investors that included Jason Reitman, Steven Spielberg, and Bradley Cooper after fears the site could be redeveloped.

Recently, while promoting her directorial debut The Chronology of Water, Stewart said “probably not” when asked if she thought she would stay in the US while Donald Trump was president.

“Reality is breaking completely under Trump,” the actor, 35, told The Sunday Times. “But we should take a page out of his book and create the reality we want to live in.”

She called Trump’s threat of tariffs on films made outside the US “terrifying” for the industry and said she “can’t work freely” in the US.

“But I don’t want to give up completely,” she added. “I’d like to make movies in Europe and then shove them down the throat of the American people.”

A Florida man is facing first-degree premeditated murder charges after he allegedly shot dead his father-in-law after the man reportedly slapped his mother-in-law.

Shaun Simon, 42, has been arrested and jailed after he was accused of shooting dead Bill Toth in Seminole County.

The incident allegedly occurred on Tuesday around 11:30 p.m in the Markham Woods neighborhood where Simon lived with his father-in-law, mother-in-law, and his wife, according to WESH.

According to court records, Toth’s reportedly worsening dementia was causing friction inside the house. Making matters worse, Toth’s wife reportedly was suspicious that he was not being faithful.

Toth’s daughter told deputies that on Tuesday night, her father and mother were arguing about their marriage. Toth allegedly slapped his wife in view of his daughter. She says she told her husband, Simon, about the incident, after which Simon confronted Toth, ClickOrlando reports.

When Seminole County Sheriff’s deputies arrived, Toth was reportedly lying on the floor with a gunshot wound in his chest.

Simon’s wife called 911 after the shooting.

Toth was taken for treatment at a local hospital in critical condition but died at the facility around 2:15 a.m.

According to Fox 35 Orlando, Simon reportedly told deputies that he shot Toth once in the chest. He also reportedly told investigators that Toth had made his “life miserable,” and called the man a narcissist.

A neighbor, Jan Hall, told WESH that she thought Toth was a “nice guy” and said she believed he was afraid of Simon, who she described as a “violent man.”

A judge denied Simon bond during his court appearance on Wednesday. Simon is allowed to have contact with his wife but has been barred from contacting his mother-in-law.

President Donald Trump announced the official launch of his TrumpRx online pharmaceutical drug market during a press event in Washington, D.C.

The site, which goes live tonight, is a direct-to-consumer, government-operated market allowing Americans to purchase prescription drugs at discounted prices, according to the president on Thursday evening.

“This is a big deal, this is a very big deal, people are gonna save a lot of money and be healthy,” Trump said.

The president confirmed that all Americans will be able to purchase “dozens” of the “most commonly used prescription drugs” through the portal.

Trump said specifically that popular GLP-1 weight-loss drugs will be included, noting that Ozempic “will come down from $1,000 to $199. “

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“Novo Nordisk will be slashing the price, as an example of Ozempic, from more than $1,000 to to $199,” he said.

He also said that the price of Wegovy, another GLP-1, will drop from $1,300 to $199.

The president claimed that the reduced drug prices secured by his administration mark the “largest reduction in prescription drug prices in history by many, many times, and it’s not even close.”

The discounted prices offered on the website represent Trump’s oft-touted “most favored nations” pricing scheme. Drug companies have agreed to sell the American public prescription drugs at the same rate as the nation that is paying the least for the drug, thereby ending what Trump described as the American people “effectively subsidizing the cost of drugs for the entire world.”

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He noted that, while prices will come down significantly for Americans, they are likely to increase in other nations.

Dr Mehmet Oz, Trump’s Administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, spoke during the event and demonstrated how the site works.

The website provides access to the direct-to-consumer purchasing platforms for major pharmaceutical companies and has links to coupons that can be taken to a pharmacy for in-person drug purchases.

During his presentation, he said TrumpRx would protect the “most vulnerable” Americans by providing them access to affordable drugs.

“One in three Americans are turned away from the drugstore,” Oz said. “They can’t afford the drugs. No more. Our most vulnerable are protected.”

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Thursday’s announcement comes after months of hype from Trump and top administration officials who have made the planned TrumpRx website a central plank in their pitch to voters who remain skeptical of the president’s work to tackle the cost-of-living problems that led voters to return him to the White House despite multiple criminal indictments — and convictions on more than 30 felonies in his former home state of New York.

Trump and other administration figures have teased the TrumpRx website for months as he has hosted various pharmaceutical industry leaders in the Oval Office to announce pricing agreements under which their respective companies would offer American customers the same prices for their prescriptions that are paid in foreign countries and make investments in American manufacturing facilities.

Trump’s “most favored nation” pricing model is aimed at making medications more affordable for low-income Americans, including those on Medicaid, by connecting consumers directly with manufacturers who will charge prices equivalent to those paid by patients in countries with single-payer health care systems.

The president first pushed the idea of forcing drug companies to match prices offered abroad during his previous term, but faced significant resistance from the industry, including pushback in a lawsuit that resulted in a federal court order blocking his administration from carrying the plan out because it had failed to follow proper regulatory procedures.

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After returning to the White House, he revived the plan in an executive order he issued in May, which directed his administration to take various actions to bring drug prices in the U.S. in line with prices negotiated between pharmaceutical companies and foreign countries that have single-payer health systems, such as the British NHS.

Last July, he sent letters to leading drug companies demanding that they bring down prices offered to Americans to match the negotiated prices available in foreign countries.

In the eight months since, 14 major drug companies gave in to his demand by striking agreements to offer “most-favored nation” prices to Americans and participate in the TrumpRx website.

But the purportedly lower prices offered by the website may not make much difference to voters who are reeling from skyrocketing insurance premiums in the wake of his administration’s decision not to support extending Covid-era tax credits that lowered the cost of health plans purchased on Affordable Care Act exchanges.

In January, Trump unveiled an alternative plan that would institute direct payments as a substitute for the direct federal subsidies that expired at the end of last year.

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Millions of Americans were left facing massive rate increases for their plans in 2026 as Congress left in December without finding a legislative path to extend the premium tax credits.

The White House plan also calls for a crackdown on pharmacy benefit managers and broadening the scope of medicines that can be purchased over-the-counter, which the administration hopes will cut down on doctor’s appointments. It also asks Congress to codify the “most-favored nation” status the White House has used to secure trade agreements aimed at lowering drug prices.

The TrumpRx website rollout also comes as the White House is facing headwinds on affordability matters with just nine months remaining until voters decide whether to extend the Republican Party’s unified control of Washington.

Fans of John Wick are told they have to watch the film before it is too late

A ‘gruesome’ action thriller that some claim is ‘superior to John Wick’ is quietly disappearing from Netflix.

Featuring legendary actor Denzel Washington, The Equalizer first arrived in cinemas back in 2014. The film serves as a reboot of the beloved 1980s television series of the same name.

Washington takes on the lead role of former CIA operative Robert McCall. He’s a figure of enigmatic background who believes he has left his brutal past behind and commits himself to building a peaceful new existence.

Nevertheless, when he encounters Teri, a young woman who has been mistreated by ruthless Russian gangsters, he simply cannot turn away. Armed with his impressive abilities, McCall abandons his self-imposed retirement and resurfaces as a vengeful guardian, prepared to eliminate anyone who terrorises the defenceless.

Whilst the picture may not have won over critics, it still succeeded in earning a remarkable $192 million at the global box office. This level of commercial triumph eventually spawned two follow-up films, reports the Mirror.

READ MORE: ‘Dark and gripping’ crime drama fans should watch with lights on leaving NetflixREAD MORE: ‘Gory’ war movie from American Primeval director is leaving Netflix soon

The Equalizer’s original theatrical release was somewhat eclipsed by a comparable production that debuted around the same period – John Wick. Throughout the years, the two films have inevitably found themselves being contrasted by audiences.

It remains a contentious discussion, but those who have yet to witness whether Washington’s performance surpasses Keanu Reeves’ are running short on time. Although the movie joined Netflix’s catalogue last summer, it’s scheduled to vanish from the streaming platform within days.

A notice now shows that the final day to view the film on the platform is February 28. Nevertheless, at the time of writing, it can also be accessed via Sky Cinema or NOW.

Therefore John Wick devotees who haven’t yet experienced Washington’s action thriller are encouraged to watch it without delay. As one viewer suggests: “Well if you’ve watched John Wick, then you have got to see this. Not only it has such badass moments intricately represented by Denzel Washington but also has moments that give you that ‘feel good’ when you see him going about his business.”

They continued: “Action is neatly choreographed and in certain scenes you don’t need to think how that guy went down. Special mention to the subtlety that The Equalizer brings to the table which seemed to be lacking in John wick. Definitely worth your time!”.

Another user posted on Reddit with the headline ‘The Equalizer is better than John Wick. Change my mind’ and argued: “They managed to make The Equalizer a much deeper movie, with a slower pace and much better character development. The gruesome violence has much more impact and is better filmed, without that gratuitous barrages of bullets and bulletproof jackets. One could also argue that Denzel being a better actor helps The Equalizer to stand out.”

Someone else declared: “It’s like Sherlock Holmes meets John Wick with a hint of the Accountant. Best of all there is compassion and a will to do good.”

Yet another remarked: “Amazing movie. Ten out of ten. Could watch on repeat and would never get bored.”

Meanwhile there are several who simply say that both movies are just as worth your time. As one individual summarised: “It’s pure entertaining action drama which gives you John Wick type vibes. I’m not comparing the movies, both are good in their own style.

“The story was simple and effective, the screenplay was good but little bit loose, the direction was good and the performances were also good especially Denzel’s.”

The Equalizer is streaming on Netflix until February 28.

For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new **Everything Gossip** website.

With Farrell rolling the dice in his selection – dropping James Lowe as well as giving Cian Prendergast a rare start – there were interesting subplots aplenty as the game neared.

Such was the nature of the Paris performance, however, that few such themes could be given fair scrutiny.

Ireland had picked a team to compete in the air but rarely challenged in that regard with the new-look back three of Jamie Osborne, Tommy O’Brien and Jacob Stockdale largely on the periphery.

While the loss of both usual starting props to injury, as well as two back-ups on the loose-head side, was unwanted, it gave the opportunity for others to step up and show what they can do, yet the set-piece was rendered a virtual non-factor.

Indeed, Ireland won a scrum penalty in the 45th minute but, such was the lack of pressure elsewhere, it was the first time Les Bleus had drawn a whistle from Karl Dickson.

Discipline had been a key area to improve after the autumn but, while Ireland did concede only six penalties, they frequently did not get close enough to infringe either, with 38 missed tackles on the night.

Ireland’s failure to get to grips with the non-negotiables – what Farrell called the “main part of the game” – left little point in sifting through much else.

“I think you make your own luck in this game,” said Farrell.

“Without the ball, I thought we lost that battle in the first half. The things like the high ball and winning the scraps on the floor, running through tackles or missing tackles etc – that’s the main part of the game.

“We certainly came off second best in that regard in the first half. Our response was gallant, but that’s not what we want to be, we don’t want to be a responding team. We needed to show it from the get go.”

Here’s how we rated the Ireland players after their Six Nations opener against France in Paris

Jamie Osborne – Found himself manning the last line of defence frequently during an uneasy debut appearance in the opening period. 5.

Tommy O’Brien – Despite being Leinster and Ireland’s standout performer throughout the season, the increased intensity on the flank proved challenging. 4.

Garry Ringrose – Combined effectively with McCloskey though attacking chances proved scarce. 6.

Stuart McCloskey – Demonstrated his defensive credentials during his 50-minute stint, forming a robust midfield barrier with eight successful tackles and only one miss. 7.

Jacob Stockdale – Showed determination and remained committed at the breakdown, displaying quality moments when he had the ball. 6

Sam Prendergast – Presented plenty for observers to assess. Looked assured with ball in hand and going forward, though he missed seven tackles. 5.

Jamison Gibson-Park – Struggles when compared to his counterpart. Made a brave attempt to bring order to the disorder. 5.

Jeremy Loughman – Fulfilled his core scrummaging duties well. Completed 12 tackles with just two misses, exceptional. 7.

Dan Sheehan – A relatively subdued performance by his usual standards, managing five carries over 17 minutes during his hour-long appearance. 5.

Thomas Clarkson – Provided adequate stability at scrum time, contributing four carries and six tackles, whilst giving away two penalties. 5.

Joe McCarthy – Will face questions from Andy Farrell regarding one of his first-half infringements. Made 10 tackles with two misses. 5.

Tadhg Beirne – Has required considerable time to regain form following the Lions tour. Accumulated 13 carries and 14 tackles alongside two misses. 6.

Cian Prendergast – Making his Paris debut and getting stuck into the action. Completed a dozen tackles, proving his value. .

Josh van der Flier – Delivered solid defensive contributions during the opening period, completing 11 tackles without missing any throughout his 50-minute appearance. 7.

Caelan Doris – Proved instrumental in both Ireland’s attacking and defensive efforts. Made 13 carries covering 341 metres, completed 15 tackles with just one miss. 8.

Replacements: Rónan Kelleher 5, Michael Milne 6, Finlay Bealham 5, James Ryan 5, Jack Conan 5, Nick Timoney 6, Craig Casey n/a, Crowley 5.

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