US President Donald Trump has paid writer E Jean Carroll more than $5m (£3.7m) in damages three years after he was found liable for sexually abusing and defaming her in a civil case, her lawyers confirmed.
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"Today, we are pleased to report that she has received the damages payment the jury awarded her as a result of that verdict," Roberta Kaplan, a lawyer for Carroll, said in a short statement on Tuesday.
Trump was pushing to delay the payment, in order to ask the Supreme Court to reconsider its decision not to hear his appeal of the case. But last week, the judge overseeing the case ordered him to pay the damages.
A representative from Trump's legal team declined to comment on the payment.
A statement from Carroll's legal team confirmed that she had been paid more than $5.62m - the $5m awarded in damages plus the interest accrued during the appeal.
Carroll, a former magazine columnist who is now 82, accused Trump of attacking her in the mid-1990s in a Bergdorf Goodman department store dressing room in Manhattan, and later defaming her on his Truth Social website in a 2022 post denying her allegations.
In 2023, a New York jury unanimously awarded Carroll the damages over her claim. Trump denied the allegations.
Trump put the damages into a court-controlled account shortly after the verdict, and it was held there while the appeals process played out.
Lawyers for Trump decried the judge's ruling that he must pay, calling the case a "hoax" and "Witch Hunt" which they alleged had been funded by Democrats.
Trump has repeatedly alleged that Judge Lewis Kaplan, who presided over the civil trial, improperly admitted evidence that prejudiced the jury against him.
A federal appeals court agreed with the jury's verdict last year and said Kaplan did not make errors that would warrant a new trial.
The Supreme Court last month declined Trump's request to consider the case, clearing the way for the money to be paid to Carroll.
Carroll cheered the ruling at the time, writing on her Substack blog: "WE WON!"
"THIS WIN IS FOR EVERY WOMAN IN THE WORLD!" Carroll wrote.
Trump has also appealed against another jury's decision in 2024 finding the president liable for defaming Carroll in a separate instance and awarding her nearly $84m. A panel of federal judges denied his appeal last year. %!s()
The battle between heroes and villains is back in a fifth installment of Disney‘s wildly successful Descendants franchise.
Descendants: Wicked Wonderland, which premieres Thursday, revisits the world of Wonderland from Lewis Carroll’s classic books and sees the return of fan favorites from the fourth installment, including Red (Kylie Cantrall), daughter of the Queen of Hearts (Rita Ora), and Chloe (Malia Baker), daughter of Cinderella (Brandy). It also introduces several new characters, such as Pink (Liamani Segura), Red’s younger sister, and Chessy the Cat (voiced by Awkwafina), offspring of — you guessed it — the Cheshire Cat.
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Greenlighting a fifth movie in the franchise was pretty much a no-brainer. Each of the first three films ranked as the most-watched cable movie of the year in which they debuted. Descendants: The Rise of Red, the fourth film, premiered on Disney+ as the most-watched original movie among kids and girls 6–11. Last year, the Descendants/Zombies Worlds Collide Tour played to sold-out crowds in more than 40 arenas across North America, and it’s hard to go out on Halloween without running into a child dressed as a character from one of the movies.
Charlie Andrews, executive vp live action, Disney Kids & Family, has some ideas about why the franchise continues to resonate with younger viewers more than a decade after it first premiered.
“The Descendants fandom is truly on another level, and I feel so lucky to be part of these movies,” he says. “The franchise connects with our audience in such a massive way because of the iconic characters, friendships, magic and — of course — the incredible music at the center of each film. Every time you watch a Descendants movie, you want to get up and dance and sing along to songs that have helped define generations. And beyond the fun and fantasy each film delivers, we explore identity in such a powerful way that resonates with any kid. Every viewer is on their own coming-of-age journey, finding the HK [Hero Kid] and VK [Villain Kid] within themselves, and they really see that reflected onscreen.”
Malia Baker as Chloe (left) and Kylie Cantrall as Red in Descendants: Wicked Wonderland.
Courtesy of Disney
In case you’re not familiar with the movies, Descendants blends characters from other Disney franchises, focusing on the offspring of iconic heroes and villains, often showing how they struggle with the labels placed on them and striving for acceptance from their parents as well as those who grew up on the other side of the story in the battle of good vs. evil. It kicked off in 2015 with Descendants, which starred Dove Cameron (as Mal, daughter of Maleficent), Sofia Carson (Evie, daughter of the Evil Queen), Booboo Stewart (Jay, son of Jafar) and the late Cameron Boyce (Carlos, son of Cruella de Vil). The first three movies followed that core group before the fourth installment pivoted to the world of Wonderland (though Alice isn’t part of this story).
Descendants 5 picks up where the fourth movie left off, after Red and Chloe have traveled back in time to stop the prank that turned the Queen of Hearts evil: Now, she’s nice, Cinderella is safe, and things seem perfect for Red and Chloe. However, they soon learn that changing the past created a new villain: Maddox Hatter (Leonardo Nam), son of the Mad Hatter.
Rita Ora in Descendants: Wicked Wonderland.
Disney/David Astorga
Kimmy Gatewood (Muppets Mayhem), who directed Wicked Wonderland, says she’s seen firsthand the impact of the movies on young viewers: Her 11-year-old daughter is a fan.
“It opened up her world to imagination and musical theater and singing and dancing,” Gatewood says of the first time her daughter watched Descendants. “This movie is obviously for her and all the children out there who are trying to figure out who they are and learning that they don’t have to be defined by their parents. We expanded the cast quite a bit, and I hope that all the kids out there can see a version of themselves or someone that they know in this film.”
For executive producer Suzanne Todd, Wonderland was familiar territory: In addition to exec producing Rise of Red, Todd was a producer on the Disney feature films Alice in Wonderland (2010) and Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016).
“Coming in [for Rise of Red], the assignment was, could we relaunch Descendants with some new characters?” she recalls. “I had already made two other Wonderland movies for Disney, and it’s a space that I’m really, really happy working in.”
Todd notes the long-lasting appeal of Carroll’s stories in pop culture, from fashion to music videos and more.
“Even though I had already done two movies in the space, there was still so much [to explore],” she says, noting how the fourth and fifth films combined tell a bigger story. “I love that there’s a throughline; you see the consequences of the actions in the previous movie. It’s not a whole new story; it’s like, OK, that happened and now this is what happened as a result of that.”
Indeed, the movies reveal valuable lessons to young viewers about taking responsibility for your actions, breaking out of societal expectations and learning to accept others. Wicked in Wonderland also focuses on friendships and emphasizes that “friendships are worth fighting for,” Gatewood says. “It also shows that you can be the hero of your own story.”
From left: Malia Baker and Brandy in Descendants: Wicked Wonderland.
Disney/David Astorga
Todd says that the characters’ struggles with moral questions about who they are and whether their parents’ actions define them was part of the appeal of Descendants before coming on board as an exec producer (Gary Marsh, former president and chief creative officer of Disney Branded Television, also served as exec producer on the movie).
“What was probably most interesting to me about taking on Descendants is this idea of identity: Am I good? Am I bad? If my dad is bad, am I bad forever? If my mom is good, but I did something wrong, am I forgivable? I think it’s something that everybody struggles with at some point in their life.”
Gatewood agrees with that sentiment, noting that the characters struggle not just with the impact of their parents’ actions and behavior but also with the normal things that regular kids worry about. For example, “Luis Madrigal says in the movie, ‘I’m doing what people want me to be, I’m acting how people want me to act,'” Gatewood notes. “That’s something a lot of kids feel, like ‘I have to be the smart one, I have to be the strong one, I have to be this, that and the other, but it’s a lot more difficult to live up to these impossible standards. The fact that these characters all show their vulnerabilities is one of the reasons that kids keep watching the movies.”
Gatewood and Todd have high praise for their two young stars — Cantrall and Baker — who helped guide the greener actors, some of whom had never been on a set prior to Wicked Wonderland.
“Some of them were asking about, literally, how you find your mark when you’re coming into a scene,” Todd says. “They were very, very newcomers who were able to watch Kylie and Malia really step up in that way to be responsible. Not in a way that was like, ‘I know something that you don’t,’ it was, ‘I’m going to share what I’ve learned.'”
Artwork for Descendants: Wicked Wonderland featuring Chessy the Cat, voiced by Awkwafina.
Courtesy of Disney
As for Brandy and Ora, Todd likens their friendship to that of Laverne and Shirley while they were on the set. The duo spent a lot more time together on Wicked Wonderland than they did in Rise of Red, as the plot finds them confined in very close quarters at one point. “They were like best friends, just hysterical, cracking each other up, cracking everybody else up,” Todd says. “I don’t know if you’ve ever been locked in a closet with your best friend for days on end, but I think they had a lot of fun. I’m happy to say we didn’t have to drag them to come back. They were happy to come back.”
In addition to the returning characters, Wicked Wonderland introduces several others. Along with Pink and Chessy, viewers will meet Luis (Alexandro Byrd), son of Luisa Madrigal from Encanto; Hazel (Kiara Romero), daughter of Captain Hook; and Maddox’s son Max (Brendon Tremblay). With so many heroes and villains in its library, Disney obviously has a wealth of characters to mine from, but the aim is to be more strategic about which ones make the cut for Descendants.
“The question is always: What does this character unlock thematically?” Andrews shares. “Luis, as Luisa Madrigal’s son, lets us explore a legacy-of-strength theme from a completely different angle than anything in the Descendants world so far — he’s not wrestling with villainy, he’s wrestling with living up to family expectations in a different way. Chessy gave us a built-in tone: mischievous, riddling, untrustworthy-but-charming, which is perfect for Wonderland’s logic. We’re very selective about which new characters we lean into to make sure they carry real narrative weight.”
Gatewood agrees that Chessy was a logical addition from the Wonderland canon.
“She’s a mischief maker, and we wanted a character that could guide us through this new timeline but also maybe is not the most reliable narrator,” she says. “Awkwafina is just a pro, and she’s so funny, and she brings this very sly character to life in a real way. You don’t know whether to trust her or not, and she’s also somebody who finds that little morsel of what makes you mad.”
For fans of Disney and the Wonderland tales, the movie features a lot of Easter eggs and fun details that you need to keep your eyes open for. Gatewood shares that she and her team invented a “zebraff” — half zebra, half giraffe — for the movie, and included little details like butterflies and bread that nodded to the original Carroll story. A scene featuring a larger-than-life chessboard was filmed at the same castle in Vancouver where the first movie was shot. “The details matter,” Gatewood says. “I hope that the fans will feel the love and tender care that went into each detail. This team of crew and creatives, a lot of them were not only fans, but they had kids this age, so you can really feel it in the little details, like the hair and the costumes. Hopefully, on your 17th watch with your child, you’ll find some more details.”
Of course, a big part of the Descendants films is the music. The Wicked Wonderland original soundtrack will be available July 17 via Walt Disney Records. The original soundtracks for the first four films have garnered 12.7 billion streams and counting. “Perfect Princess,” the first single from Wicked Wonderland, has already garnered 14.6 million streams globally since its June 12 release as of Monday, before the movie has even been released.And the Disney Worlds Collide Concert Tour returns this year featuring stars from Descendants, along with the Zombies and Camp Rock franchises. (In addition, a product line — including a doll line from Mattel, costumes, apparel and books — is coming soon.)
From left: Descendants: Wicked Wonderland castmembers Ryan McEwen, Kiara Romero, Brendon Tremblay, Zavien Garrett and Dayton Paradis.
Disney/David Astorga
“As we were reminded last summer during the Worlds Collide Tour, this franchise is beloved for its fun, iconic musical numbers — and Wicked Wonderland will be no exception,” Andrews says. “Steve Vincent, who oversees the music across all our franchises, is constantly evolving the sound to meet kids where they are. These songs become a way for our audience to engage with their favorite characters and moments from the film every day, whether they’re revisiting a favorite track or dancing along with friends. It’s been awesome to see how ‘Perfect Princess,’ from this movie, is already resonating so strongly with our audience.”
So, given the success of the movies, is there a chance there might be a sixth film? Andrews teases that there could be more to come, but you’ll have to stay tuned for anything definitive: “We love seeing how passionate fans are about the Descendants universe. Right now, we’re focused on celebrating this latest chapter, but we’re always thinking of what’s next and how to super serve this insanely loyal fanbase and audience.”
In other words, you may not have seen the last of Wonderland just yet.
Descendants: Wicked Wonderland debuts Thursday on Disney Channel and the next day on Disney+. The script was written by co-executive producer Tamara Chestna with Dan Frey and Ru Sommer. Gatewood also served as co-executive producer. Emilio Dosal was the choreographer.%!s()
PlayStation has pushed back the launch of its FlexStrike wireless fight stick to an as-yet undetermined date due to a lag in production.
PlayStation revealed the news via a post on its official blog on July 14, 2026, explaining that “unexpected production delays” were to blame for the postponement.
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In their post, PlayStation stated that the FlexStrike will launch at a “later date” and promised to share another update with more details “soon.”
“We’re working to ensure we deliver the best possible experience to our players with FlexStrike, so we’re taking extra time to put the finishing touches on the product. We apologize for this delay and look forward to bringing the FlexStrike experience to the community when it launches,” the company wrote.
Players who already pre-ordered the FlexStrike will still be able to check their order status through the PlayStation website and will continue to receive updates about their order from the company — however, those who submitted an order through a third-party retailer will need to contact their source with any questions or concerns.
The FlexStrike fight stick was initially slated to launch on August 6, 2026, with pre-orders having opened on June 27. It marks the very first fight stick created by PlayStation, and is compatible with both the PS5 and PC, retailing for $199.99.
Specifically designed for tournament play with a rechargeable battery, the FlexStrike was initially met with cautious positivity by the broader fighting game community; however, following PlayStation’s recent decision to eschew physical games in favor of digital downloads, players from all genres are now criticizing the brand following this latest update for its physical hardware and peripherals.
Virginia (she/her) is IGN’s News Editor. With ten years of experience reporting on games and entertainment, she’s got a storied background in the fighting game community, influencer news, and viral online trends. Find her on Twitter at @TheeMissGlaze. %!s()
Duluth, GA, July 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Paul Goldean, president and CEO of Pace-O-Matic, has been selected as a Distinguished Member of the 75th Ranger Regiment. The recognition was presented to Goldean at a reception on June 24, 2026, hosted by the United States Army in Fort Benning, Georgia.
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The 75th Ranger Regiment is the U.S. Army's premier elite special operations infantry force. Those who are selected as Distinguished Members exemplify the highest standards of bravery, dedication, and elite military proficiency.
In a statement, the 1st Ranger Battalion Sua Sponte Foundation, a non-profit organization of which Goldean is an active member, stated, “Paul Goldean has distinguished himself as worthy of this selection based not only upon his military service, but also upon his contributions in and out of the service of this Nation. He has personally contributed to the Rangers of the Regiment through his dedication to various causes and his goal of highlighting the 75th Ranger Regiment mission and its warriors.”
As part of one of the Army's premier special operations forces, Distinguished Members are individuals who demonstrate exceptional leadership, tactical expertise, and resilience in complex combat environments. Their commitment to the Ranger Creed, unwavering discipline, and outstanding physical and mental fortitude make them a vital asset to the regiment. Recognized for their valor, strategic acumen, and dedication to mission success, they embody the proud legacy and enduring spirit of the 75th Ranger Regiment. Only a few are selected for this honor each year, and they are considered the “best of the best.”
“It’s an incredible honor to be selected as a Distinguished Member of the 75th Ranger Regiment and, of course, to share this special moment with my wife and dear friends,” said Goldean. “I have never forgotten the training and values I learned while serving in the Rangers. I cherish the memories and think fondly of those with whom I served – some still with us and others we have lost. Their impact on me lasts to this day and pushes me to carry out the Ranger mission in everything I do - personally and professionally. I am forever grateful for every day I served in the Rangers.”
Goldean is well known for hosting annual events that highlight the accomplishments of various Rangers, their family members, and Gold Stars. For many years, Goldean has invited Rangers, family members, and Gold Stars to attend high-visibility, national events drawing attention not just to individuals who served but to the Ranger mission as a whole.
From 1986 to 1991, Goldean served as a Squad Leader in the U.S. Army’s special operations force, the 75th Ranger Regiment. Goldean left the Regiment in 1991 to begin his education and holds a J.D. from Southern Methodist University and a B.B.A. in Accounting from the University of Texas at El Paso. Goldean founded Redline 6 and held top executive positions at several companies, including CEO of Scottish Re Group Limited (NYSE). He joined Pace-O-Matic in 2019, became President and COO in 2020, and was named CEO in 2023.
Goldean actively works to exemplify the “Ranger Life” every day and hopes to set an example for all former military to continue to support the mission long after their service ends.
About Pace-O-Matic
Pace-O-Matic is the leading developer of skill games in the United States. Headquartered in Duluth, Georgia, the company has been innovating in the gaming industry since 2000, delivering engaging and legally compliant entertainment solutions for bars, restaurants, fraternal clubs, and small businesses. With a focus on skill, technology, and integrity, Pace-O-Matic continues to set the gold standard for skill games. For more information, visit www.paceomatic.com.
Simulation of moderate heat stress in an FBN climate chamber: a Holstein dairy cow at 28 °C – conditions that are becoming increasingly common as a result of climate change. Credit: FBN
Climate change is transforming livestock farming—and at a faster rate than many anticipate. More frequent and intense heat waves place a heavy physiological strain on dairy cows.
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Scientists at the Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN) have demonstrated that even moderate heat stress causes measurable changes in the blood of Holstein cows. These include signs of inflammatory processes and the activation of blood clotting. The findings are published in the journal Frontiers in Immunology.
At the same time, certain defense mechanisms in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) are suppressed. These effects were already evident after just seven days of heat stress and provide veterinarians and dairy farmers with concrete indicators for recognizing and counteracting heat stress at an early stage.
"When cows are affected by the heat, their entire organism reacts," explains Dr. Franziska Koch from the FBN. "Changes in the blood, a weakened immune system and early signs of coagulation can reduce the animals' performance and increase their susceptibility to disease. The fact that these processes begin even at moderate temperatures highlights the importance of consistent heat management in the barn."
Under these environmental conditions, the researchers found bacterial components (endotoxins from Gram-negative bacteria) in the blood, and the concentration of these components rose as heat stress increased. At the same time, the body's immune system responded by triggering inflammatory processes to remove these foreign components from the blood.
However, certain defense pathways—which are usually important for a targeted adaptive immune response—were suppressed. Furthermore, the low number of blood platelets indicated an activated coagulation cascade—a finding that was previously observed only in cases of severe heat stress with a fatal outcome.
Dairy cows naturally produce a large amount of heat. When it is warm outside, their bodies find it difficult to dissipate this heat and activate cooling processes. This can temporarily increase the permeability of the intestinal barrier, allowing endotoxins to enter the bloodstream and trigger inflammatory processes.
The new data show that this process begins even in moderate heat. In terms of day-to-day operations on dairy farms, this means taking countermeasures earlier and improving the barn environment. This can be achieved by shifting watering and feeding times to cooler periods of the day and keeping a close eye on water and feed intake by dairy cows.
For veterinary interventions, it may be important to check blood clotting in individual cases in the laboratory to better assess the animal's physiological condition.
Holstein dairy cows were studied under controlled conditions of moderate heat stress (THI 76, approximately 28°C [82°F]) for seven days. Immune responses and coagulation markers were measured over time in blood samples taken at regular intervals. These results provide valuable insights for effective heat management in barns, as well as for veterinary practice.
The temperature-humidity index (THI) is a parameter that combines temperature and relative humidity. It is used in dairy cows to estimate the threshold for heat stress.
For lactating dairy cows, a THI of around 68 is already considered the threshold for heat stress, at which point the first negative signs appear.
A THI of 76 corresponds to approximately 28°C (82°F) with medium humidity and indicates moderate heat stress.
A THI >78 leads to increased heat stress with negative effects on animal health and milk yield.
Publication details
Franziska Koch et al, Dynamic immune and molecular responses to chronic heat stress in blood and peripheral blood mononuclear cells of dairy cows, Frontiers in Immunology (2025). DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2025.1633453
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Moderate heat is enough to trigger signs of inflammation and coagulation in dairy cows (2026, July 14)
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