News

The follow-up to The Social Network appears to be in the works.

According to Deadline, director Aaron Sorkin is now putting together the plan for a sequel of sorts, The Social Network Part II, after teasing the project for years. Sorkin is producing the Sony Pictures film with Todd Black, Peter Rice and Stuart Besser. Sorkin would write and direct the pic.

What will be the plot of ‘The Social Network 2’?

While it won’t be a direct sequel, Sorkin’s new movie would center on the 2021 Wall Street Journal articles known as “The Facebook Files,” which aimed to expose the harm caused by Facebook. Per Deadline sources, the new film will focus on how Facebook has impacted young people, as well as how it has affected politics. Deadline reported, “Insiders say that while it’s being called part two, it’s not a straight sequel but rather a follow-up to the original movie that explored the origins of what would become the world’s biggest social media platform.”

They continued, “Sources stress that the new film isn’t a ‘January 6’ movie and will focus not just on the 2020 election but also Facebook’s effect on teens, preteens, violence and countries outside the U.S.”

Sorkin wrote the screenplay for the original film, which was directed by David Fincher. The 2010 movie told the story of how Facebook started and overcame significant challenges to become the biggest social media platform in the world. Jesse Eisenberg played Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg in the film, which also starred Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, Armie Hammer and Max Minghella.

What has Aaron Sorkin previously said about a second film

Sorkin started teasing the follow-up to The Social Network in 2021 when he said, “What has been going on with Facebook these last few years is a story very much worth telling.” He also said then that a sequel could only happen if Fincher wants to direct the film.

Sorkin continued to tease fans last during a live recording of The Town podcast in 2024, Variety reported. That’s when Sorkin revealed that he’s writing about recent events related to Facebook. He also said on the podcast that he blames Facebook for the Jan. 6 insurrection.

“Facebook has been, among other things, tuning its algorithm to promote the most divisive material possible. Because that is what will increase engagement,” Sorkin said, according to Variety. “That is what will get you to — what they call inside the hallways of Facebook — ‘the infinite scroll’ … There’s supposed to be a constant tension at Facebook between growth and integrity. There isn’t. It’s just growth.”

No other details are known about the project

Karmelo Anthony, now 18, who is accused of fatally stabbing fellow student Anthony Metcalf during a Texas high school track meet in April, was indicted on a first-degree murder charge in the teen’s death.

Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis announced Tuesday that a grand jury indicted Anthony in the April 2 stabbing death of Metcalf, 17, during a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas. Anthony was 17 at the time, according to a news release from the Collin County District Attorney’s Office.

Under Texas law, once a person turns 17, they are legally considered an adult, and criminal charges are handled in adult court, according to the Texas District & County Attorney Association.

In a video statement, Willis called Metcalf’s death a “violent loss” and said the community was shaken by what happened at the track meet. He also discussed his trust in the criminal justice system regarding these charges.

District attorney speaks out following the grand jury’s indictment

“For weeks, my team has been presenting evidence to the grand jury. Today, I summarized that evidence, and I asked the Grand Jury to return a first degree murder indictment against Karmelo Anthony — which they did,” the district attorney said.

The court will schedule a date for trial.

“We know this case has struck a deep nerve — here in Collin County and beyond. That’s understandable. When something like this happens at a school event, it shakes people to the core. But the justice system works best when it moves with steadiness and with principle. That’s what we’re committed to. And that’s exactly what this case deserves,” Willis said.

He continued, “We’re also mindful of Austin’s family, and everyone who loved him. Please keep them in your thoughts — and, if you’re willing, in your prayers as well.”

If convicted, Anthony faces five to 99 years or life in prison for first-degree murder in Texas and a possible fine of up to $10,000.

‘I am pleased that we are moving forward’

Jeff Metcalf, the victim’s father, said he was “pleased” with the news of the indictment and “looks forward” to the trial as a step toward justice in his son’s death.

“I am pleased that we are moving forward. With the first-degree murder indictment, it now goes into the court system. I fully believe that justice will be served for Austin Metcalf. I look forward to the forthcoming trial. But it will never bring my son back,” he said, according to CBS News.

Mike Howard, Anthony’s attorney, said in a video statement that the teen and his family trust the justice system to prove he acted in self-defense against Metcalf.

“Karmelo and his family are confident in the justice system and the people of Collin County to be fair and impartial. Of course, Karmelo looks forward to his day in court,” Howard said.

“Because it’s only in a trial that the full story can be heard, and that impartial justice can be done,” he continued. “We expect that when the full story is heard, the prosecution will not be able to rule out the reasonable doubt that Carmelo Anthony may have acted in self-defense.”

Karmelo Anthony’s murder case so far, explained

Blavity reported that on April 2, Anthony, a former student at Centennial High School, and Metcalf, a student at Memorial High School, were both track athletes. The two got into an argument during a meet at Kuykendall Stadium. The confrontation escalated, ending with Metcalf’s death after Anthony allegedly stabbed him in the chest.

After the incident, Anthony told a school officer that he was “protecting himself” after Metcalf allegedly put his hands on him. When police labeled him as an alleged suspect, the teen admitted to stabbing the 17-year-old and said, “I’m not alleged. I did it.”

He was charged with first-degree murder and released on a reduced bond of $250,000 and has since been on house arrest.

A man who accuses prison officials of violating his Rastafarian religious beliefs by cutting his dreadlocks will now have his case heard by the Supreme Court.

The religious freedom case has gotten the support of the Trump administration, even as Louisiana argues against the man’s right to sue.

On Monday, the Supreme Court confirmed it would hear the case of Damon Landor, who had grown his dreadlocks for nearly 20 years before they were cut against his will by Louisiana officers while he was incarcerated at the Raymond Laborde Correction Center in 2020.

Louisiana admits fault but tries to avoid paying monetary damages

The state has already conceded that Landor was mistreated, with Louisiana Attorney General Elizabeth Murrill stating in a court filing that prison policies have been changed to prevent something similar from happening again. But the state has argued that Landor is not eligible for monetary damages for his mistreatment, an opinion that lower courts have upheld. Now, however, that decision will be reexamined by the Supreme Court during its next term, which lasts from October until June.

Guards threw the court ruling in the trash before shaving Landor’s head

Landor was serving the final part of a five-month prison sentence when his hair was cut against his will. While in prison, Landor carried with him a copy of a court ruling obtained by a different inmate that established that cutting a prisoner’s dreads against their religious beliefs was banned by the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act. Two other facilities respected Landor’s beliefs before a guard at a third facility threw the copy of the ruling Landor had in the trash, according to his complaint. Under the warden’s orders, Landor says two guards held him down while a third shaved his head.

Religious freedom issue supported by the Trump administration

Landor’s case is a test of religious freedom laws in the United States. In addition to the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, Landor’s lawyers point to the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993. That law was the basis for a ruling in favor of a group of Muslim men who claimed they were maliciously added to the FBI’s no-fly list because they would not become government informants. Landor’s team says this ruling supports their case as well. The Trump administration also supports Landor’s lawsuit; Trump has claimed to be a champion of religious freedom laws, usually in order to combat what he claims to be “anti-Christian bias.”

The Trump administration supporting a Rastafarian man’s religious freedom in a lawsuit against a heavily conservative state makes for an unusual case. But for Damon Landor, the administration’s backing and the Supreme Court’s decision mean he has one more chance to receive the justice he has sought for years.

A 22-year-old fan is indefinitely banned from all MLB stadiums after heckling Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte with inappropriate comments on Tuesday at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago. As NJ.com reported, Marte broke down in tears during Arizona’s matchup against the Chicago White Sox as the fan yelled derogatory comments about the second baseman’s late mother.

According to the Associated Press, a White Sox spokesperson said the fan was “very apologetic and remorseful after the fact, and admitted to being very inappropriate and stupid with his comments.” Another source, who spoke anonymously, confirmed to the AP that the fan is banned from all MLB stadiums.

Ketel Marte lost his mother in 2017

Marte’s mother, Elpidia Valdez, died in a car accident back in 2017. After hitting a home run in the first inning of Tuesday’s game, Marte was later reminded about the tragedy abruptly. The 31-year-old was in the middle of batting during the seventh inning when he heard the harsh comments about his mother, according to the MLB. Though the heckler’s specific comments are not known, they caused Marte to cry.

As he walked back to the dugout after popping out, Marte broke down and stared at the heckler. Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo then rushed to embrace the distraught player.

What did Torey Lovullo say after Ketel Marte was heckled?

Lovullo, who asked for the heckler to be removed during the game, said he “had little bit of an interaction with the fan” as he yelled at Marte.

“He wasn’t getting it and was very pompous, and it didn’t sit right with me,” Lovullo said, per the AP. “It was just a gross comment you wouldn’t say about anybody, let alone someone who lost their mom.”

“We need better baseball fans. Baseball deserves better,” he added.

The manager said he had to be a father to Marte in that moment.

“I just reacted as a dad would when I went out to change pitchers,” Lovullo said, per the Arizona Republic. “I could see he was sobbing. It hurt. (I told him).”

“‘I love you and I’m with you, and we’re all together and you’re not alone,” he continued. “No matter what happens, no matter what was said or what you heard, that guy is an idiot. It shouldn’t have an impact on you.”

Tuesday was a big day for New Yorkers as they trekked to the polls to vote in the Democratic New York City primary for mayor.

The nail-biting race saw New York state assemblyman Zohran Mamdani take the lead and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo ultimately concede, and the election’s official outcome will come in July.

Until then, here’s more about Mamdani and his surprising connection to Hollywood.

His mother directed the 1991 film, ‘Mississippi Masala’

Mamdani, in addition to having a growing political influence and a modern approach to campaigning, is the son of Mira Nair, an Indian American filmmaker who boasts an almost five-decade-long career. She directed the 1991 film Mississippi Masala starring Denzel Washington and Sarita Choudhury.

As USA Today reported, Nair met Mamdani’s father, Mahmood Mamdani, while location scouting for the film. The pair went on to marry and eventually relocate to New York City.

Nair has also directed movies like 1988’s Salaam Bombay!, which earned Oscar and BAFTA nominations; 2001’s Monsoon Wedding, which earned a BAFTA nomination; 2006’s The Namesake; and 2016’s Queen of Katwe, starring David Oyelowo and Lupita Nyong’o.

Zohran Mamdani convinced his mother to pass on directing a Harry Potter film

As Mamdani has been celebrating a big step in his bid for mayor, a 2018 clip of Nair with Vir Sanghvi at the Jaipur Literature Festival 2018 has resurfaced online. In it, she discusses how she was in talks to direct the fifth Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, but her son convinced her to pass on the project.

“I was deep into making The Namesake at that time. And The Namesake, this beautiful novel by Jhumpa Lahiri — really, I had suffered my first death in my family of my mother-in-law who was like a mother to me, and an unexpected death of medical malpractice — completely blew me away,” Nair says in the clip. “And I was deep in that melancholy, and that’s what inspired me to make The Namesake because Jhumpa has written in it of this terrible melancholy of losing a parent in a foreign country, which is exactly what I was experiencing. So I was deep in the throes of — like, almost a month away from shooting The Namesake. And they offered me Harry Potter. And I thought I had to take these meetings because my son had learned to read from Harry Potter. And I went to several meetings and I was in the throes of it, and then I was very troubled to be able to give up my own film.”

Nair turned to her son for advice on which project to pursue. A then 14-year-old Zohran encouraged her to follow her passion.

“He said to me, ‘Mama, many good directors can make Harry Potter. But only you can make The Namesake.’”

[embedded content]

Zohran Mamdani has secured the Democratic candidacy for New York City mayor on June 24. If elected during the general election in November, he would become the city’s first Muslim and Indian American mayor.

“We have won because New Yorkers have stood up for a city they can afford. A city where they can do more than just struggle. One where those who toil in the night can enjoy the fruits of their labor in the day,” he said in a victory speech on Wednesday, according to Newsweek.

At 33, Mamdani would also become the youngest mayor of New York City. Being a millennial is something he has brought forward in his campaign, as he used social media to spread the word about his candidacy and has been candid about meeting his wife on a dating app.

Zohran Mamdani met his wife on Hinge

The Democratic mayoral candidate met his wife, Rama Duwaji, on the dating app Hinge. Mamdani shared this personal piece of information on The Bulwark podcast last week, saying that “there is still hope in those dating apps,” according to Cosmopolitan. 

Mamdani and Duwaji got married in a civil ceremony at the New York City clerk’s office this year.

“The outside is just so beautiful and reminiscent of a different New York City, and the inside is in many ways public goods personified,” he told Interview Magazine. “All of these New Yorkers getting married at the same time at different ages and at different times in their lives, it’s very beautiful.”

After he started receiving criticism about his relationship by politicians during the campaign, Mamdani came to his wife’s defense on social media.

“Three months ago, I married the love of my life, Rama, at the City Clerk’s office,” he captioned his Instagram post. “Now, right-wing trolls are trying to make this race—which should be about you—about her. Rama isn’t just my wife, she’s an incredible artist who deserves to be known on her own terms. You can critique my views, but not my family.”

Who is Rama Duwaji?

Duwaji is a 27-year-old artist based in Brooklyn. Originally from Damascus, Syria, she works as an animator and illustrator. Duwaji also creates ceramics and illustrated plates. She uses “portraiture and movement” to “examine the nuances of sisterhood and communal experiences,” according to her website. She has worked with companies and institutions like The New Yorker, Spotify and the Tate Modern.

The grassroots advocacy group the People’s Union USA will launch a nationwide boycott of McDonald’s on Tuesday, protesting the fast-food chain’s decision to scale back its diversity, equity and inclusion policies. The protest is the latest in a wave of pushback against major companies retreating from DEI efforts.

Who is leading the McDonald’s boycott?

The group, led by founder John Schwartz, began protesting in February after President Donald Trump signed multiple executive orders aimed at phasing out DEI initiatives across federal, private and nonprofit sectors, Blavity reported. Other companies, including Target, Walmart, Amazon and Best Buy, were listed alongside McDonald’s in several planned boycotts over the past few months.

On Saturday, the People’s Union USA shared an Instagram post announcing the nationwide protest against McDonald’s.

“This is about more than burgers and fries, this is about power,” the advocacy group wrote in its post. “When we unite and hit corporations in their wallets, they listen. This week, June 24-30, we’re taking a stand. No McDonald’s. No compromise. We’re demanding fair taxes, an end to price gouging, real equality and corporate accountability. This is a show of strength, solidarity and people powered change. Let them feel it. Let them hear us. Let this be just the beginning.”

McDonald’s executive speaks out amid DEI changes

Bloomberg reported that in early June, Jordann Nunn, McDonald’s chief people officer for the U.S. market, told a human resources conference the company had maintained its core diversity programs, albeit with updated language.

“We changed some of the language that we’ve used it around it, but at the core none of our programming has changed,” Nunn said, adding, “We have no intention of doing that.”

According to USA Today, the McDonald’s boycott follows a decline in sales at the fast-food chain. The drop in U.S. sales began in the first quarter of this year, marking the most significant decline in the company’s history since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Since then, McDonald’s has introduced various strategies to boost foot traffic and sales at its restaurants nationwide, including the return of the popular Snack Wrap, which is set to be added to menus on July 10.

More boycotts are planned against Walmart, Amazon and other major retailers

Schwartz also announced on Instagram other upcoming protests against Starbucks, Walmart, Amazon, Home Depot and more, per USA Today.

July 4: Economic blackout

July 1-31: Boycott of Starbucks, Amazon and Home Depot

August 1-31: Boycott of Walmart, McDonald’s and Lowe’s

Red Lobster is celebrating the summer season by adding ten new dishes to its menu.

According to Allrecipes.com, the seafood restaurant chain’s annual Crabfest is back with new twists, including two seafood boils.

Red Lobster offers seafood boils for the first time

Crabfest sees Red Lobster bring back menu items that highlight crab, including Crab Your Way, a pound of crab legs that you can customize with the restaurant’s seasonings. This year, Red Lobster is introducing a new flavor for diners to consider: Old Bay & Parmesan.

The new menu will also include other crab dishes, including new seafood boils. Food & Wine reported it’s the first time the seafood restaurant chain has offered seafood boils on the menu.

Diners can choose between two seafood boils: the Mariner’s Boil and the Sailor’s Boil. The former includes a Maine lobster tail, a dozen shrimp, and snow crab legs, as well as corn and red potatoes. The Sailor’s Boil has smoked sausage and shrimp paired with corn and red potatoes.

Crabfest will also see menu items like the new Crabby Stuffed Mushrooms, Crab-Topped Asparagus, and Crab-Topped Potato. Meat lovers should look out for the Steak Oscar, which features a sirloin steak topped with lump crabmeat and a cream sauce. The Salmon Oscar includes the same lump crabmeat and cream sauce but consists of an Atlantic salmon centerpiece.

In addition to the new food options, the Crabfest festivities will also include new drinks on the menu. The Purple Haze cocktail gets its name from its magenta hue and features Still G.I.N. by Dre and Snoop mixed with desert pear, fresh lemonade, and gold shimmer. The Passion Star Spritz includes a mix just as refreshing with Tito’s Handmade Vodka and passionfruit. The drink also includes Wycliff Sparkling Wine and a gold-dusted dried starfruit garnish.

The Starry Eyed Surprise mixes Patron Silver Tequila with guava, blue curacao, and Starry lemon-lime soda. A sugar rim pulls the flavors together and leaves a lasting sweetness.

According to Southern Living, Red Lobster’s Crabfest is available from Monday through September 14.

Thirteen people have gone on trial in France over a campaign held against Aya Nakamura, a singer who performed at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony. All defendants are linked to far right group Les Natifs, who have advocated for Nakamura to be removed from the ceremony.

The trial was held earlier in June after the group Les Natifs unveiled a banner reading: “No way, Aya, this is Paris, not the Bamako market” in March 2024, according to France 24. The phrase was made in reference to the capital of Mali, where French citizen Nakamura was born. 

Far-right ideology on trial after 13 people launch ‘racist’ campaign against Aya Nakamura

Les Natifs is a French white supremacist group that has taken on the theory of the Great Replacement, an ideology according to which white Europeans are being replaced by immigrants of color. 

The 13 defendants are all aged between 20 and 31 years old. They face charges of inciting hatred and violence based on ethnicity, nationality, race or religion. Three of them appeared and court, while the others were represented by their lawyers.

The defendants, including the spokesman for Les Natifs, Stanislas T., refused to answer questions, reading a statement to justify their actions.

“What is at stake today is the issue of freedom of expression and the independence of the judicial system,” Les Natifs spokesperson Stanislas T. said. 

He denied that the group incited any hatred against Nakamaura while refusing to answer questions. Stanislas T. said the aim of the group’s campaign against the singer was to call out “a political choice that deliberately sought to promote the dissolution of our ancestral culture.”

Prosecutors requested sentences of up to four months of incarceration, while lawyers for the defendants asked for their clients to be acquitted. 

The group’s campaign against Nakamura echoes similar sentiment shared by far-right leaders. Marine Le Pen said the singer’s participation in the opening ceremony would “humiliate” France because of her “vulgarity” and “the fact that she doesn’t sing in French.” Former parliamentary assistant to National Rally MPs Capucine C. was among those accused, according to France 24.

President Emmanuel Macron defended Aya Nakamura’s opening ceremony performance

Macron called out the debate ahead of the singer’s performance at the opening ceremony that was spearheaded by far-right politicians and activists. He described the public outrage against Nakamura as “racist” and “shocking.”

Nakamura previously gave a public response to the stunt pulled by Les Natifs.

“You can be racist, but you’re not deaf … and that’s what really bothers you! I’m suddenly the number one topic of debate – but what do I really owe you? Nothing,” she wrote on social media at the time.