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American Express Co. announced Monday upcoming upgrades to its U.S. Consumer and Business Platinum credit cards, aiming to distinguish itself in the competitive luxury credit card market.

“More than forty years ago, we introduced the Platinum Card, and we continue to offer Platinum Cards with global servicing, unique benefits and experiences that our Card Members love,” Howard Grosfield, Amex’s group president for U.S. consumer services, said in a news release statement.

Howard Grosfield also stated that Platinum credit card features are mostly popular among Millennials and Gen Z, who account for more than 35% of total U.S. Consumer spending in the last quarter.

” We’re going to take these Cards to a new level, not only in what they offer in travel, dining and lifestyle benefits, but also in how they look and feel, to meet the evolving needs of our customers,” he explained. 

What are the new Platinum credit card features?

American Express offers access to over 1,550 airport lounges worldwide—more than any other credit card issuer—and plans to open three new Centurion Lounges in Newark, Salt Lake City, and Tokyo, bringing the total to 32, per the news release. 

Additionally, the New York-based company is expanding its dining and hotel offerings through platforms like Resy, which provides access to over 20,000 restaurants in more than 30 countries, and its recent acquisition of Tock, adding 7,000 more venues. 

Its Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection now feature 2,600 curated properties, including the exclusive benefit of guaranteed 4 p.m. late checkout at over 1,600 locations.

What benefits can Platinum Business Card holders expect?

American Express plans to enhance its Business Platinum Card with new benefits designed to support business growth. 

Current features include flexible spending limits, travel and business perks, virtual cards, and cash flow tools, as well as access to dining, lounge, and hotel programs. 

Cardholders also enjoy exclusive experiences worldwide, including motorsports, tennis, music festivals, and sporting events, as well as more brand partnerships. The company will provide further updates this fall.

Amex’s Platinum card faces competition from rival premium cards.

American Express has faced increasing competition in the premium credit card market since it raised the Platinum card’s annual fee to $695 and added a $200 hotel credit in July 2021, Bloomberg reported.

What is JPMorgan Chase’s Sapphire Reserve card?

JPMorgan Chase announced Tuesday an update to its premium Sapphire Reserve credit card, raising the annual fee by 45% to $795 — the most significant increase since its 2016 launch, CNBC reported. The updated card, launched Monday, offers more than $2,700 in annual benefits by combining existing perks with new travel- and dining-focused rewards.

New features include a points redemption program that doubles the value of select travel offers and a $500 annual credit for hotel stays. Cardholders also receive $300 dining credits for chosen restaurants, $300 for ticket purchases at StubHub or Viagogo, and free Apple TV+ and Apple Music subscriptions valued at $250 annually, the company said, according to CNBC.

Customers who spend $75,000 or more annually gain additional perks, including top-tier status with Southwest Airlines and IHG Hotels and Resorts. 

Actor David Hekili Kenui Bell, best known for appearing in Disney’s recent Lilo & Stitch live-action remake, has died. According to E! Online, his family confirmed news of his passing on social media.

In a statement shared on Facebook, Bell’s sister, Jalene Kanani Bell, remembered her “sweet, generous, talented, funny, brilliant and handsome little brother.”

The actor’s sister, Jalene Kanani Bell, penned an emotional Facebook tribute

“I’ve been waiting for the words and mindset to properly express the joy of a human, and Prince of a Man he was, but fate pushed my hand this morning by a pre-scheduled Father’s Day newsletter honoring the men in our lives,” she wrote in the Monday post.

Jalene continued, highlighting Bell’s professional and personal lives and what legacy he leaves behind.

“While I didn’t grow up with a Father, David gave me all the unconditional love I could possibly ask for and I believe that all his family and friends received the same from him,” she added. “He was always so proud of me, his nieces and his grandnephew, constantly engaged and always coming up with fun activities to get-together.”

Bell’s sister remembered his love of the film industry and his work as an actor. In addition to Lilo & Stitch, Bell appeared in Magnum P.I., Hawaii Five-0 and The Wrecking Crew.

“David loved being an actor, doing voiceovers, spending time with Brutus traveling as an ambassador for Kona Brew,” she wrote.

But no role meant more to Bell than playing Big Hawaiian Dude in Lilo & Stitch. In her statement, Jalene shared Bell’s excitement about the role and how, just weeks before his death, he bought tickets to the movie for his whole family so they could see he “made it on to the big screen.”

“He planned ahead and purchased the best seats in the house for us all to go together to opening night in Kapolei just two short weeks ago,” Jalene recounted. “That’s one trait we didn’t share, planning ahead:) We talked about and were so energized by the fans dressed in L&S gear head to toe, t-shirts, onezees, hats, mask, and the merch galore flying off the shelf as we stood in line for pop-corn.”

She concluded the emotional message by telling readers to “hug your loved ones today.”

“Our last time together after returning home from the movie was just sitting on my living room couch talking story about life, having a seltzer and doing a little genealogy,” she said. “Blessed by this and all the big and small moments, I will keep our memories alive.”

Others remember Bell’s talent and warmth

According to TMZ, others close to Bell are honoring his life and legacy. The outlet spoke with Lashauna Downie, Bell’s representative, who shared she’d learned of the actor’s passing on social media.

“This is heartbreaking & sad. He was one of my best talent & embodied the true meaning of aloha … a gentle giant,” she said.

Film producer Gerard Elmore also shared an emotional tribute on social media, remembering Bell’s warmth and talent.

“You are the kindest, funniest, smartest human I have ever met. We celebrated, we sang karaoke, we joked and we talked about what was next. We cherished our time with you, we laughed a lot and I will miss you so damn much brother. The world’s time with you was far too short. All our love and light to you and your ohana. Until we meet again legend,” he wrote in an Instagram post along with a picture of Bell.

According to E! Online, Bell is survived by Jalene, his aunt Gerry, and his other sisters, Kehau Bell and Lara Leimana.

The judge presiding over Sean “Diddy” Combs‘ ongoing sex trafficking trial removed Juror No. 6.

As Variety reported, Judge Arun Subramanian noticed “several inconsistencies” regarding one juror’s living situation, which ultimately prompted her to remove him from the case on Monday.

Why was Juror No. 6 removed from Diddy’s trial?

What alerted Subramanian was the multiple places the juror (an unidentified Black male) claimed to be his residence. When the juror initially answered the survey of questions, he shared that he lived in the Bronx with his fiancée and their daughter. Once the trial began, he mentioned to a fellow juror that he and his fiancée had just relocated to New Jersey while they were on a break from the trial. This news led the court to inquire about his residence. He explained how he resides at his Bronx apartment during the week but spends time in New Jersey on the weekends.

“There are serious questions about the juror’s candor and the juror’s ability to follow the court’s instructions,” Subramanian stated on Friday, per Variety. “Removal of the juror is required, in this court’s view.”

Diddy’s defense lawyers fought to keep Juror No. 6 on the case

Combs’ legal counsel argued that it’s not uncommon for people to commute back and forth between New York and New Jersey. 

“I do believe he will be able to follow instructions,” Xavier Donaldson, a lawyer on Combs’ team, said.

Combs’ lawyers also mentioned that the importance of Juror No. 6 for two reasons. The first was that the juror remained “awake” throughout the trial, unlike some of his counterparts. And the second reason was how his dismissal would create a racial imbalance among the jury.

“I don’t generally play the race card unless I have it in my hand,” Donaldson said.

Federal prosecutors emphasized that all jurors, including alternates, appeared attentive throughout the proceedings. They also pushed back against Donaldson’s suggestion, praising the jury’s diversity.

Combs still maintains that he’s not guilty of the crimes he’s being accused of as the trial enters a sixth week and the prosecution wraps up their reasoning.

With $2 billion in debt, At Home is filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The home decor and furniture retailer, which has over 200 locations nationwide, also plans to close 26 stores by the end of September, CBS News reported.

At Home entered bankruptcy after missing an interest payment on May 15, according to Bloomberg. As part of At Home’s forbearance agreement, ownership of the business now goes to lenders who hold more than 95% of the company’s debt.

Why is At Home filing for bankruptcy?

In addition to facing hurdles due to tariffs, At Home is seeing a decrease in demand for home furnishings. Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData, told CBS News that the decline in sales “is partly a consequence of low consumer confidence and a sluggish housing market.” 

“These dynamics are unlikely to change in the near term,” Saunders said.

Per CNN, Saunders added that “there is way too little inspiration and not nearly enough excitement to draw people in to the stores, particularly in areas where competition is high.”

“Given the expenses associated with brick-and-mortar operation and the issues affecting the retail industry, a number of the (At Home) remaining stores are operating at sub-optimal performance levels,” court documents state, according to USA TODAY.

At Home plans to shut down 26 locations by September 2025

In California, At Home is closing stores in the cities of San Jose, Tustin, Costa Mesa, Chico, Foothill Ranch, Sacramento and Long Beach. The company is also closing a pair of locations in the New York cities of Rego Park and Bronx. In New Jersey, closures are expected in the cities of Middletown Township, Ledgewood and Princeton.

At Home’s CEO is optimistic despite the retailer filing for bankruptcy

At Home CEO Brad Weston said he remains optimistic despite the recent challenges. Weston said the retailer is “operating against the backdrop of an increasingly dynamic and rapidly evolving trade environment as we navigate the impact of tariffs.”

Weston added that these steps “will improve our ability to compete in the marketplace in the face of continued volatility and increase the resilience of our business for the long term.”

Doja Cat is making headlines once more for a complicated relationship with her fans.

According to Complex, what seemed like a pleasant interaction between the star and popular TikTok creator Pablo Tamayo took a turn for the worse when, days after the incident, Doja Cat retracted her initial pleasantries.

Doja Cat has a change of heart regarding interaction

In a now-deleted post shared on X, formerly Twitter, on Friday, the “Say So” singer referenced the viral video, writing, “bottom line is i’ll smile at you but it doesn’t mean I f**k w you and don’t touch me and man handle me when you don’t even f**kin know me. iykyk. i honestly think I need to stand up for myself in the moment sometimes. and he didn’t even know my f**kin name to be touching me and kissing me on my face like that is crazy.”

The clip shows the pair hugging twice before parting ways with a kiss on the cheek and Doja Cat telling Tamayo that he had her blessing to call her “Ami,” a nickname for her given name, Amala.

In a subsequent post, she also claimed, “I threw that musty ass shirt away btw,” which Tamayo took off and gifted her after he stated that Doja Cat admitted to liking the T-shirt, which was a part of his clothing line’s Pride collection.

Pablo Tamayo doubles down on his support for the star

After hitting back at Doja Cat, Tamayo said that he threw away a “musty tee” of his own, which was from the Grammy Award-winning artist’s “The Scarlet Experience,” curated by Spotify in Hollywood in 2023. In a later post, however, his tone changed when the TikToker said he was hurt by Doja Cat’s posts yet still called her work “amazing” and noted that he “never claimed to be the biggest fan.”

He also took ownership of Doja Cat’s concerns that he was being too handsy and friendly during their interaction.

“I’m gay,” Tamayo said. “I would never want to make her feel uncomfortable. She’s so iconic.”

Doja Cat’s interesting relationship with her supporters

This incident isn’t the first time that Doja Cat has had interesting encounters with fans. In 2023, as Blavity reported, she took to Instagram, writing, “My fans don’t name themselves s**t,” adding, “If you call yourself a ‘kitten’ or f**king ‘kittenz,’ that means you need to get off your phone and get a job and help your parents with the house.”

During this weekend’s manhunt for the suspected shooter who killed a Minnesota state legislator and her husband and shot another state politician and his wife, one Republican senator chose to mock the shootings and Democrats. Now, Mike Lee is being criticized by his Democratic colleagues for making light of a tragedy to attempt to score political points.

Mike Lee’s posts spread unfounded innuendo, mock Gov. Tim Walz

Sen. Mike Lee of Utah posted a series of tweets over the weekend relating to the Minnesota shootings even as the hunt for the suspected gunman, Vance Boelter, was still underway. In one post, Lee tweeted an image of Boelter, to which Lee commented, “This is what happens When Marxists don’t get their way.”

Since the suspect’s identity has been made public, a number of conservatives have attempted to paint him as a left-wing shooter despite the fact that he targeted Democrats and that there are reports from those who know him which allege he held conservative political views. Lee has shared several of these tweets in addition to his own. In another tweet, Lee posted a picture of the suspected shooter, adding the comment “Nightmare on Waltz Street” in an apparently misspelled reference to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who publicly mourned Rep. Melissa Hortman in a Saturday morning press conference only hours after the fatal shooting.

Outrage over Mike Lee’s callous posts

A number of political commentators, including some Republicans, called out Lee for his tweets, which remain posted as of Monday afternoon. Dan Pfeiffer, cohost of the political podcast Pod Save America, wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, “Truly disgusting behavior from a United States Senator.”

Democratic strategist Matt McDermott called the shooting and Lee’s response examples of “depraved moral rot.”

Yesterday, a Trump supporter went on an assassination spree targeting Democrats.Today, a GOP Senator mocks their murder.This isn’t politics — it’s depraved moral rot. https://t.co/ezLNVf50g7— Matt McDermott (@mattmfm) June 15, 2025

Former Republican National Committee Chair Michael Steele, now an MSNBC political analyst, called on Lee to “grow the hell up.”

The GOP’s track record of condoning political violence

Lee is the latest Republican to make light of political violence. Donald Trump and other Republicans mocked and shared conspiracy theories about the near-fatal attack against Paul Pelosi, the husband of former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, by an intruder to the Pelosi home who was looking for the representative. Recently, Trump suggested that he might pardon the men who were convicted in a plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. This would be in line with one of Trump’s first acts since returning to office: the pardoning or commutation of nearly everyone criminally charged with participating in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol Hill insurrection that disrupted the certification of Joe Biden’s 2020 election win over Trump.

With Boelter now in police custody, more information may be forthcoming concerning the political motivations behind the Minnesota shootings. Lee’s comments have not helped the process of trying to make sense of these violent acts, nor do the Republican’s words help discourage such political violence.

Reneé Rapp’s comments on Tory Lanez‘s getting stabbed in prison are sparking a lot of reactions. In May, Lanez, who is serving a 10-year prison sentence for shooting Megan Thee Stallion, was stabbed multiple times by a fellow inmate. The rapper was hospitalized and has since recovered, but during a recent interview with comedian and writer Ziwe for her self-titled YouTube show, Rapp had no qualms about sharing her unfiltered opinions regarding the situation.

What did Reneé Rapp say about Tory Lanez being stabbed in prison?

During the sit-down, Rapp discussed her ride-or-die friendship with Megan. The two collaborated on 2024’s “Not My Fault,” which was featured in the Mean Girls musical film adaptation.

“How do you feel about Tory Lanez getting stabbed 12 times?” Ziwe asked Rapp, to which she replied, “I feel like a lot of people get stabbed, and that’s OK.”

“Maybe we should be doing it more,” she added.

Ziwe followed up by mentioning how Drake posted a petition requesting to pardon Lanez on the morning of her and Rapp’s interview.

“That’s so tired,” Rapp said, adding that she’s Team Kendrick Lamar all the way.

Many on the internet found Rapp’s comments refreshingly honest, even those who aren’t familiar with her work.

“That’s her friend and she has her back. Tory has his friends and they have his back. Case closed,” someone wrote in The Shade Room’s comment section under a post of the viral video.

“😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 I LIKE HER mind you this is my first impression of her,” another person chimed in.

“LMAOO SHE ATEEE AND YALL MAD BYE 😂,” someone else commented.

Juneteenth, also known as Emancipation Day, has been a federal holiday since 2021. Since then, government offices and some private companies have closed in observance as the Black community commemorates the day on June 19, 1865, when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, were finally declared free.

According to Yahoo! Sports, Nezza shared a TikTok video Saturday night following her performance that showed an unidentified Dodger employee instructing her to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” in English. “We are going to do the song in English today, so […]