Genius girl hid the lyrics to ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ in her tweets

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Big news everyone! There are still a few good things left on Twitter.

Take the account of , aka @CostcoRiceBag. It may look to the untrained eye like a normal Twitter account, but it is actually a series of tweets that secretly contain entirety of the iconic Queen song “Bohemian Rhapsody.” Hadie spent four months crafting the finest of tweets in order to accomplish the feat.

To clarify, Mart hid the lyrics to each song in the first word of every tweet on her account. To start off here’s her last tweet, and the first lyric to the song:

She goes on to continue writing the lyrics of the song in the first word of each respective tweet.

So if you get it, it should read out, “Is this the real life?” Is this just fantasy?” And then it goes on from there. Clever right?

Her mama tweets are also really well hidden, and super normal. NO ONE would have ever guessed what she was scheming.

It’s also quite impressive how she managed to slide “Galileo” five times almost effortlessly.

And it’s also pretty great that she managed to slide “Beelzebub” into a normal tweet about cavities.

Since May 7, Hadie has tweeted over 300 times to get every single word out. Here’s the first tweet she made, and the last word of the song.

Congrats Hadie. You’re officially the best summer schemer of 2018.

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Pakistan disputes US account of Pompeo-Khan phone call

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A telephone conversation between US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Pakistan’s newly elected Prime Minister Imran Khan has stirred up controversy, with Islamabad calling Washington’s account of the discussion “factually incorrect”.

Pompeo congratulated Khan on Thursday and expressed his willingness to work with the new government to improve bilateral ties between the two countries.

“Secretary Pompeo raised the importance of Pakistan taking decisive action against all terrorists operating in Pakistan and its vital role in promoting the Afghan peace process,” a US State Department readout about the phone call said on Thursday.

But on Friday, Pakistan’s newly appointed Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi refuted the US statement, echoing similar objections raised by other Pakistani officials.

“The impression that has been given in their press release, which mentions terrorists operating in Pakistan, is in contrast with reality. And I say this with full confidence,” Qureshi said at a press conference in the capital, Islamabad.

In a Twitter post late on Thursday, Mohammad Faisal, the spokesperson for Pakistan’s foreign ministry, called the Department of State’s press release “factually incorrect” and urged an immediate correction.

The US, meanwhile, has defended its version of the telephone conversation, with State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert saying that “we stand by our readout”. 

“They (Pakistan) are an important partner. The secretary had a good call with the new prime minister and we look forward to having a good relationship with them in the future,” she told reporters on Thursday.

Pakistan-US tensions

The US has long accused Pakistan of providing safe haven to members of the Afghan Taliban and Haqqani network armed groups, which US and Afghan forces have been fighting in neighbouring Afghanistan for 17 years.

Pakistan denies the allegation, saying it has acted effectively against all armed groups on its territory.

Khan, whose Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) party swept last month’s general election, has been a strong critic of the US military policy in Afghanistan.

But the PTI leader has also vowed to have a “mutually beneficial relationship” with Washington.

“Up until now, that [relationship] has been one way,” he said in a speech after winning the election. “The US thinks it gives us aid to fight their war … we want both countries to benefit, we want a balanced relationship.”

Relations between the US and Pakistan have deteriorated since US President Donald Trump‘s administration began taking a hard line on Afghanistan last year. 

In his first tweet of the year, Trump said that the US had “foolishly” given Pakistan $33bn in aid over 15 years.

The US government announced earlier this year that it was suspending all security assistance to Pakistan until Islamabad took “decisive action” against armed groups. 

Pompeo will visit Pakistan on September 5, Qureshi confirmed on Friday, saying that the “early interaction will prove beneficial”. 

“I look forward to Pompeo’s visit and to engage with him for peace and stability and look at areas where both countries stand to gain,” the foreign minister added.

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Rihanna’s Lingerie Line Is About To Turn New York Fashion Week Savage

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Rihanna and Savage x Fenty are coming to New York Fashion Week. The “immersive experience” will take place on September 12 in Brooklyn, according to Vanity Fair. For those that can’t attend the show, there will be pop-up shops in New York, the Mall of America, and two unnamed cities in the fall. The collection will also be available online immediately after the show.

Ever since its launch, Savage x Fenty has been making waves, as a result of its inclusive categories and seductive accessories like S&M inspired handcuffs. Riri’s been vocal in the past about not being “built like a Victoria’s Secret girl” and striving to create lingerie that speaks to women of all shapes and sizes.

In May, Rih described to Vogue what she hoped to accomplish with Savage x Fenty.

“Women should be wearing lingerie for their damn selves,” Rihanna said. “I can only hope to encourage confidence and strength by showing lingerie in another light. You don’t have to stick to one personality with lingerie; it’s fun to play around. You can be cute and playful one week and a black widow next week. You can take risks with lingerie. I want people to wear Savage x Fenty and think, I’m a bad bitch. I want women to own their beauty.”

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T20 Blast quarter-final – Durham v Sussex – in-play clips, radio & text

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T20 Blast live: Durham Jets and Sussex Sharks meet in quarter-final – Live – BBC Sport


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Summary

  1. Choose from BBC Radio 5 live sports extra & BBC local radio commentary
  2. Durham win toss and bat first
  3. Ben Stokes to play as a batsman only for Durham
  4. In-play clips available to UK users only
  5. Finals day at Edgbaston on 15 September
  6. Get involved using #bbccricket


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Reports: Robin Leach, chronicler of ‘Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,’ has died at 76

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Robin Leach, the celebrity journalist who made a career of ogling lavish living on TV’s “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,” died early Friday in Las Vegas, where he had been working for the Las Vegas Review-Journal. He was 76.

His death was reported by the Review-Journal Friday.

The Review-Journal quoted a family statement that said Leach died “peacefully at 1:50 a.m.”

“Despite the past 10 months, what a beautiful life he had. Our Dad, Grandpa, Brother, Uncle and friend Robin Leach passed away peacefully last night at 1:50 a.m. Everyone’s support and love over the past, almost one year, has been incredible and we are so grateful. Memorial arrangements to follow,” said the statement from Leach’s sons Steven, Gregg and Rick Leach.

Leach had been hospitalized since Nov. 21 after suffering a mini-stroke while vacationing in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, the Review-Journal said. After learning his father was unable to eat or walk without assistance, his son Steve arranged for a private flight to bring his father to Las Vegas the next day. 

Leach moved to Las Vegas in 1999, and spent most of the last two decades chronicling star-studded events around town as a celebrity columnist, most recently for the Review-Journal but also for the Las Vegas Sun. 

On Friday, Clark County, Nevada, which includes Vegas, tweeted farewell to Leach.

“Remembering #RobinLeach, he was British but adopted Las #Vegas. He loved it here, made his home here and was one of the biggest promoters of #LasVegas and the #LasVegasStrip. #RIP Robin and thank you,” the tweet read.

The London-born Leach began his career as an entertainment and celebrity reporter at age 18 at The Daily Mail, one of Britain’s rowdiest tabloids keen on celebrity gossip. He was made Page One editor, the youngest ever at 18.

In 1963, he moved to the U.S. where he worked for multiple publications, including the New York Daily News and just launching People magazine, where he wrote the first 11 cover stories for what has become the powerhouse celeb publication.

He also worked in the U.S. as the show business editor of another British tabloid, The Star, and later joined CNN in 1980 on the network’s “People Tonight” show. He also helped start the syndicated TV show “Entertainment Tonight.”

But he really made his mark in 1984 with “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,” which he co-created. The syndicated show, which ran from 1984 to 1995, focused on celebrities’ lavish homes and favorite destinations, demonstrating there was widespread audience interest in celebrity-centric shows.

In 1984, Leach was nominated for an Emmy, for Outstanding Information Special, for producing the show.

In a 2007 interview with Askmen.com, Leach described his approach to picking the celebrity lifestyles he wanted to show.

“It had to be very visual, as we were on TV. The more eye-popping and outrageous, the better, and the longer the subject matter would be,” Leach said then. “We wanted to make your mouth drop. That was the main effect. One picture was worth a thousand words, so if you had more pictures, the less you would have to say.”

It was an approach that worked, for TV and for Leach himself, who became a multimillionaire from “Lifestyles” and later donated generously to charities. 

He received the ultimate compliment – being impersonated in a skit on “Saturday Night Live” – and appeared in several movies, including “She-Devil” in 1989.

His name popped up in the late Notorious B.I.G.’s song “Juicy” and Britney Spears mentioned “Lifestyles” in her song “Piece of Me.”

Leach was a famous foodie who helped introduce the Food Network in 1993; promoting Las Vegas as a restaurant destination became one of his passions later in life – and got him a prime table anywhere he liked, according to a New York Times report in 2014 under the headline, “Robin Leach Rolls on in Las Vegas.” 

“The support that Robin has given to the food scene here is immeasurable,” chef Rick Moonen, whose restaurants include RM Seafood at Mandalay Bay, told the paper. 

But he was down-to-earth and normal, he told The Times in 1990

“The cartoon character, that’s not who Robin Leach is,” he said. “And when I wake up in the morning, I wink at myself because I like me — I know who I am. And when it’s time to send the cartoon character off, I just send him on his way.”

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‘World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth’ review

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World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth came out of the gate strong. So strong, in fact, that it may be the best expansion in World of Warcraft‘s 14-year history — and it has a chance to keep that title as long as it doesn’t lose momentum.

I have put a few dozen hours into World of Warcraft‘s seventh expansion since its launch on U.S. servers on the night of Aug. 13 and it’s been some of the most fun I’ve had leveling since I started playing WoW in 2005.

Full disclosure on my time with Battle for Azeroth thus far: I leveled a Horde character to 120 and completed all three Zandalar storylines plus put about 20 hours into end-game content. I have also leveled an Alliance character partway through Kul Tiras and completed portions of the Stormsong Valley and Tiragarde Sound storylines. My only experience in Drustavar has been through the eyes of the Horde thus far.

Playing through these zones, each with their own unique but interconnected stories and refreshing designs, immediately brought me back to how I felt when I played vanilla World of Warcraft and some of its earliest expansions. Instead of being a hero with near god-like powers like in recent years, players are back to being more grounded adventurers (going on more grounded, but still enticing adventures).

Image: blizzard entertainment

Stellar stories

Blizzard Entertainment has always done a great job of crafting progression systems in a way that’s incredibly satisfying, and Battle for Azeroth is no exception.

Leveling through Zuldazar, Voldun, and Nazmir in Zandalar was a lot of fun, with twists and turns and genuinely entertaining quests popping up along the way. The storyline through all of it, no matter where it took me, had a consistent set of backdrops that propelled me forward and kept me interested in seeing what was going to happen next.

Both storylines are incredibly compelling and filled with great characters

The biggest backdrop of Battle for Azeroth is the budding of a war between the Horde and the Alliance, two opposing factions that have more or less been on the same side of various struggles for a number of years. The separation of the two factions was refreshing and reminded me of leveling through vanilla WoW with unique zones given to each side (at least at the beginning).

While the expansion kicks off with heavy references and scenes of this war, leveling through the Horde side of the new content it barely came up again. Except for all the times I had to mine Azerite to make sure my faction was the leader in the Azeroth version of a nuclear arms race. The Alliance side of things had some heavier references to to the war, at least in the portions I played, with one scenario in Stormsong Valley where a fleet of Horde aggressors bombed a town.

As that is going on in the background, each side faces a unique sort of threat: The Horde are fighting against the rising threat of an evil Old God creature named G’huun, and the Alliance are working to unseat the corrupt leaders of Kul Tiras who’ve been tainted by the evil Queen Azshara.

Tiragarde Sound.

Tiragarde Sound.

Image: Blizzard Entertainment

G’huun is the focus of the fist expansion’s raid, and Queen Azshara is the focus of the second raid, both of which are not yet released.

Both storylines are incredibly compelling and filled with great characters that are actually memorable beyond their attachment to plot development — something that WoW hasn’t always been so great at achieving. Bwonsamdi in particular, the loa of death (kind of like a god of death) in Zandalar, is such a great, animated character.

The Horde story was so good, in fact, that for the first time in any WoW expansion I decided to finish up all the quest lines immediately before moving onto end-game content. 

Not only that, I made an Alliance character for the first time in 13 years that I didn’t consider a joke just to see the Alliance side of the story. And I’m glad I did, because getting both perspectives on the war made the stories that much better.

The stories of G’huun and the Zandalari trolls, and Queen Azshara and the Kul Tiran humans made me look forward to seeing what happens next in Battle for Azeroth as they deal with their own troubles on the new continents and the war between the Horde and Alliance ramps up.

Questing and gaining power

That said, the quests are not always fun. At times, the three-quests-per-area standard got a little repetitive, and while there were some interesting new takes on questing, some new quests are straight up horrible.

Quests from the Tortollans, a race of turtle people, can be mind-numbingly dumb and slow. One of the standards that you’ll see is one of those matching games arranged in a grid where you can only turn over two items at once to see if they match. Another, and the worst of all the quests I’ve done in 13 years with World of Warcraft, is a turtle “maze” where you slowly guide a slow-ass turtle through a slow-ass grid for seemingly no reason other than to get a reward at the end.

But aside from those, I’d say the questing is mostly well done, if a bit repetitive. It’s really more of a vehicle for story delivery.

Stormsong Valley.

Stormsong Valley.

Image: Blizzard entertainment

In terms of leveling and getting better gear, Battle for Azeroth did away with the legendary weapons players received in Legion and opted for a new sort-of-legendary item that scales up as you play and gather Azerite: The Heart of Azeroth necklace. As you gather more Azerite by just playing the game, its item level increases and so do its stats.

Adjacent to the necklace is the Azerite gear, which is received from quests and dungeons. They are pieces of gear for your head, chest, and shoulders slots with unlockable attributes that you gain as your Heart of Azeroth necklace gains levels, allowing you to customize the bonuses you get from the gear and even boost its item level at a certain point.

It’s a nice way to add some extra customization to the standard gear system without forcing to keep the same weapon for the entire expansion (and the necklace doesn’t even show up on your character model so it’s hard to complain about that).

Zones filled with life

Every new WoW expansion brings players to new lands with new environments, and for a while there it seemed like Blizzard was trying to one-up every expansion with wilder and wilder zones, either by leaning heavily into fantasy elements or sending us to weird, rocky, alien landscapes.

Battle for Azeroth brought it back down to earth a bit, and in doing so delivered environments that felt more natural and lived-in but still didn’t back away from delivering some truly amazing areas.

In Zandalar, there are the areas where the different loas live, like the Garden of the Loa in Zuldazar, which just ooze color and emotion and awe. The reveal of The Heart of Darkness in Nazmir is one of the coolest reveals in all of World of Warcraft, showing the breadth of the blood trolls’ uprising and how much G’huun has corrupted the land.

The Necropolis in Nazmir.

The Necropolis in Nazmir.

Image: blizzard entertainment

In Kul Tiras, the mountains of Tiragarde Sound and rolling lands of Stormsong Valley are so welcoming and evocative. Drustavar brings a creepy, gothic vibe that’s been missing from WoW for a long time, and does so brilliantly all the way down to its dungeon Waycrest Manor.

Waycrest Manor sits in the distance in Drustavar.

Waycrest Manor sits in the distance in Drustavar.

Image: Blizzard entertainment

What ties it all together though is the music. You can get theme and vibe across pretty decently with just visuals, but the sound design and soundtracks in Battle for Azeroth are so, so good. While in Legion I turned off the game’s music (in most zones) to listen to my own jams while I played, in BfA I crank the game’s music up.

The two new continents each have their own major city that you spend a good amount of time in, and both have these great, upbeat, jaunty songs that bring you deeper into the atmosphere.

Dungeoneering

Battle for Azeroth brought with it a handful of new dungeons, with each new zone getting at least one, and most of them are fun, refreshing, and exciting to explore with a group of five.

One of the best stand-outs to me is Waycrest Manor, a mansion whose residents have been corrupted by the evils that are spreading through Drustavar. It has a fantastically spooky vibe that runs all the way through its core, down to the basement where the root of its horrible magic resides.

The Underrot in Nazmir has a 'Stranger Things' Upside Down vibe.

The Underrot in Nazmir has a ‘Stranger Things’ Upside Down vibe.

Image: Blizzard Entertainment

In terms of aesthetic, Temple of Sethraliss in Voldun and Shrine of the Storm in Stormsong Valley are exciting to explore and each have some unique encounters that shake up the typical tank-and-spank method that most dungeons offer.

Temple of Sethraliss in Voldun.

Temple of Sethraliss in Voldun.

Image: Blizzard Entertainment

While most dungeons at least offer some interesting boss fights and mechanics in them, not all of them are particularly enjoyable to run through. Freehold, in particular, mostly takes place in a dark and cramped prison complex that feels a little claustrophobic and sloggish.

End-game offerings

Hitting 120 in Battle for Azeroth opens up a whole bunch of new activities, some of which you gain access to immediately and some others you have to work to obtain.

For one, players get access to the dungeons on the other faction’s continent and after gaining friendly reputation with the new groups they meet get access to world quests, both of which are great ways to get better gear and gold while exploring new areas.

But these aren’t particularly new ideas in World of Warcraft. One of the big new features of Battle for Azeroth unlocks at level 120 — Island Expeditions.

Gotta get that Azerite.

Gotta get that Azerite.

Image: Blizzard Entertainment

Island Expeditions are a new idea that digs into the island vibe brought in by Battle for Azeroth and allows players to team up in groups of three to venture out onto various islands to gather all-important Azerite while fighting against enemies on the island and completing quests. The twist is that Island Expeditions are also a race against the opposite faction — whether it’s three AI characters or three real players is up to you — but you may have to do a little player vs. player (or fake PvP) if you happen to run into them.

If you’re really into PvP, there is a new battleground called Seething Shore that was introduced earlier this year that’s also a battle of obtaining Azerite. 

Another planned Horde vs. Alliance feature is Warfronts, which isn’t actually PvP but tasks you with engaging your opposing faction in large-scale battles over various landmarks around Azeroth, but interestingly these are not yet available despite the focus of Battle for Azeroth.

Image: blizzard entertainment

As you continue to push through end-game content and you raise your reputations with various groups, you unlock more quests that send you to the opposing faction’s continent where you generally try to mess with them, gather intel on their movements, and, of course, kill a whole bunch of them. These quest lines are fun, but generally pretty short and don’t actually propel you through much of the three opposing zones.

Future of Battle for Azeroth

There is still a lot to come in this expansion, which will probably be out for at least two years given World of Warcraft‘s typical cycle, so there’s a lot unknown about what’s to come and if it will all hold up.

Hopefully BfA doesn’t go the way of Warlord of Draenor and fizzle out almost immediately.

With planned releases of at least two raids and warfronts on the way, it’s likely that the expansion will hold people’s attention for a while.

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Trump Organization finance chief ‘gets immunity’ in Cohen probe

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Donald Trump‘s longtime financial gatekeeper has been granted immunity in a federal probe involving the US president’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, according to media reports in the United States.

The Wall Street Journal and NBC News cited anonymous sources on Friday claiming that Allen Weisselberg, Trump Organization finance chief, received immunity to speak to prosecutors in the investigation of hush money Cohen paid to two women, who claimed to have affairs with Trump.

Cohen had pleaded guilty to tax and campaign finance violations on Tuesday. 

He said Trump directed him to arrange the payments. Such payments could be considered illegal campaign contributions under federal election law, according to experts.

Though not named in the Cohen case, Weisselberg is believed to be one of two Trump executives mentioned in the suit who reimbursed Cohen and then covered up the payments by saying they were legal expenses.

Weisselberg has been a Trump confidant who started working for his family in the early 1970s.

It is not clear whether Weisselberg told government prosecutors that the president was aware of the payments.

Trump himself denied having knowledge of the payments at the time they were made.

In an interview with Al Jazeera, Bruce Fein, a former top US prosecutor, described the reports as significant amid questions over the culpability of Trump’s business in the payoff scheme, which Cohen had pleaded guilty to.

“First of all, it is an absolute crime for a corporation to make any contribution to a political campaign,” he said. “They can’t spend one cent providing that assistance directly to a candidate.”

It appears that “substantial sums were paid for the Trump corporation to pay off [the two women], or to reimburse Mr Cohen”, Fein said.

“So, that being a campaign contribution, and that is what basically Mr Cohen has already pleaded guilty to, the corporation is equally guilty, including those who operate the corporation,” he added.

Fein said that with Weisselberg being granted immunity, it is possible that the president himself could be incriminated “in an income tax crime”.

SOURCE: Al Jazeera and news agencies

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WH Stayers’ Million: Stradivarius wins Lonsdale Cup to secure £1m bonus

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Stradivarius has become the first horse to win the Yorkshire Cup, Ascot Gold Cup, Goodwood Cup and Lonsdale Cup in the same season

Stradivarius, ridden by Frankie Dettori and trained by John Gosden, has won the Lonsdale Cup at York to land the inaugural WH Stayers’ Million bonus.

The £1m prize was announced in January for any ‘staying horse’ that won one of four races in May – including the Yorkshire Cup – followed by the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot, the Goodwood Cup and the Lonsdale Cup.

“I didn’t feel the horse was as good today as at Ascot, only his courage and class got him through,” Dettori told ITV Racing. “Show me the money!”

A horse had never won the four races in the same season before.

Stradivarius triumphed in the Yorkshire Cup at York in May, before claiming the Ascot Gold Cup in June and defending his Goodwood Cup crown in August.

The 4-11 favourite, owned by Bjorn Nielsen, got the upper hand in the final furlong at York to beat his old rival Count Octave.

“He has managed to get over every hurdle and he must feel like he has just gone 12 rounds with Muhammad Ali,” Gosden told ITV. “He is not a big horse but he is fabulous and he showed a real mentality.

“Full marks to the owner, he’s been trying to breed a Derby winner for years and he ends up with a Cup horse.”

There was a surprise in the Nunthorpe Stakes as pre-race favourite Battaash finished fourth behind shock 40-1 winner Alpha Delphini.

The seven-year-old, trained by Bryan Smart and ridden by Graham Lee, edged out Mabs Cross in a photo finish.

‘A giant in heart and quality’ – analysis

BBC horse racing correspondent Cornelius Lysaght

Well, it wasn’t the cakewalk that some thought it might be, and Stradivarius really had to knuckle down to win the million because, as Dettori agreed, about three furlongs from the finish – 600m – things didn’t look especially great.

But the fact is that this horse, who’s not very big in terms of size but is a giant in terms of heart and quality, was able to dig deep enough to stay on stoutly and ultimately win actually quite well.

And after the campaign he’s had, winning month after month and over long distances, he can be forgiven pretty much anything.

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Report: Trump Organization’s CFO offered immunity by federal prosecutors in Michael Cohen case

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Report: Trump Organization’s CFO offered immunity by federal prosecutors in Michael Cohen case

The chief financial officer for the Trump Organization has been granted immunity in the Michael Cohen case, according to the Wall Street Journal.

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WASHINGTON – The chief financial officer for the Trump Organization has been granted immunity by federal prosecutors for providing information about Trump’s former attorney Michael Cohen, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Allen Weisselberg, who has long been the financial gatekeeper at Trump’s family business, testified before a grand jury in the Cohen investigation earlier this year, the Journal reported. Cohen pleaded guilty this week to violating campaign finance laws by paying hush-money to two women in 2016 to keep them quiet about alleged affairs with Trump.

Weisselberg has worked with the Trumps since the 1980s and has been seen as loyal to the family. He was hired by Trump’s father, Fred, to work in his real estate firm. He later moved to the Trump Organization, where he reported directly to Donald Trump. 

Weisselberg has reportedly played a key role in the handling of Trump’s finances, including preparing checks for Trump to sign, overseeing Trump’s purchases, and preparing at least some of Trump’s tax returns.

More: AP: National Enquirer had safe of Trump documents, details of hush-money deals

More: Reports: CEO of company that owns National Enquirer offered immunity deal in exchange for info on Trump, Cohen

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Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s ‘Crashing’ is a bingeworthy delight

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Every product here is independently selected by Mashable journalists. If you buy something featured, we may earn an affiliate commission which helps support our work.

Image: channel 4/netflix

About a month ago, I was talking to a friend about TV when she expressed her effusive love for Crashing. I was puzzled, but not unappreciative; I’ve watched both seasons of Pete Holmes’ cute comedy about comedy, and while it’s not something I rewatch intently, I respected her unlikely enthusiasm.

Except that she was talking about a different show entirely.

Crashing rang a bell because it also happens to be the title of a short-lived U.K. comedy from Fleabag‘s Phoebe Waller-Bridge. A day later, I had binged it all, and my friend was correct: This show is delightful.

As the title suggests, Crashing is about a group of people and their temporary living situation – in this case, an unused hospital. Waller-Bridge originally developed the story as two plays and stars in the pilot as Lulu, who upsets the eclectic status quo by showing up to surprise her best friend Anthony (Damien Molony) much to the dismay of his uptight fiancée Kate (Louise Ford).

While that sets up a classic love triangle and an equally classic pair of close friends who clearly haven’t explored their own chemistry, Crashing doesn’t let romantic tension dominate its six episodes in an overbearing way. We spend as much time with the rapscallion Sam (Jonathan Bailey) and his new friend Fred (Amit Shah), with French firecracker Melody (Julie Dray) and her divorcé muse Colin (Adrian Scarborough). 

Platonic friends do not tolerate spontaneous ukelele performances.

Platonic friends do not tolerate spontaneous ukelele performances.

What makes Crashing so special is that it is every bit about muddled twenty-somethings trying to figure things out, but the show opts to tell its stories through exclusively through unconventional and often confusing relationships. 

Sam and Fred meet in the first episode and forge a zero to 100 friendship that takes them both by surprise; Melody and Colin stand up for their unprecedented relationship while baffled by its volatility; Lulu and Kate experience the extremes of kinship and jealous enmity that make female friendships so rich on and off-screen. 

Waller-Bridge is effervescent as ever, commanding the screen with another comedy heroine who is unapologetically messy but undoubtedly soldiering on. She never gets out of a single awkward situation; she just enters into a newer, more mortifying one and redirects the heat. 

There is an unforgettable visual in one episode of Lulu, wine-drunk and down about Anthony but also trying to seduce Sam as she swims in the remains of a ruined dinner. Secondhand embarrassment doesn’t begin to cover it, but Waller-Bridge’s commitment to speaking her character’s truth makes this moment ultimately endearing.

Crashing will probably never get another season or mainstream success, especially with Waller-Bridge having moved on and grown more prolific for Fleabag and recently Killing Eve. But that’s okay, because this brief, beautiful gem of a show will live forever on streaming and still has so much insight to offer about how bizarre circumstances are not only valid, but formative.

Crashing is streaming on Netflix.

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