US Business

California firefighters were able to beat back a massive wildfire outside Los Angeles after a tropical storm brought rains and cooler temperatures, US authorities said on Saturday. 

The Fairview Fire was 40 percent contained as of Saturday evening after forcing evacuation orders and leaving two people dead, fire officials said.

The blaze erupted on Monday at the midpoint of a ferocious heat wave in the southwestern United States, scorching 28,000 acres (11,300 hectares) and destroying more than 20 buildings.

The remnants of storm Kay, which made landfall Thursday in Mexico as a hurricane before rolling north up the Pacific Coast, brought rains that helped calm the fire.

“Fire activity has been greatly reduced due to the moisture from Tropical Storm Kay,” a statement from Cal Fire, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, said.

Authorities warned, however, that the rains brought a risk of flash flooding and mudflows in areas where burned-out soil cannot absorb the sudden downpour.

“We could go from a fire suppression event into significant rain, water rescues, mudslides, debris (flows),” Jeff Veik of Cal Fire’s Riverside Unit said Friday.

The western United States is more than two decades into a historic drought that scientists say is being worsened by human-made climate change.

Much of the countryside is parched and overgrown, creating the conditions for hot, fast and destructive wildfires.

Prince William Living magazine chronicles local news from Prince William County, Virginia, near Washington: a fall festival, a car accident, community service projects.

But its website — princewilliamliving.com — is also one of the first to pop up (along with the royals’ official site) in a Google search for “contact Prince William.”

And brace yourself: Some people don’t read their Google results very closely.

The result has been a small flood of phone calls and emails with condolences, sketches, poems, requests — even an offer to make a casket drape — pouring into the magazine’s small offices.

Publisher Rebecca Barnes said Saturday that roughly 40 such messages have arrived a day, from all over the world — India, Bhutan, Japan, Egypt, both North and South America, and England itself.

“Even people in England don’t know how to Google,” Barnes quipped to AFP.

One teenage girl said she was a huge fan of the royals and hoped for an invitation to the Queen’s funeral.

Another messenger offered to work in the royal household “as a housekeeper or something,” adding, “I’m a very clean person.”

The county, incidentally, far predates the Prince William who is now first in line to the throne. Formed in 1731, it was named after the Duke of Cumberland, third son of King George II.

But because of the name confusion, Barnes said misdirected messages are not new. They have arrived for years, usually when the royal family was in the news.

She long ago stopped trying to respond to every message, but recently found she could not resist.

A man messaged to ask if he could be the next King of England.

“Who am I to stand in his way,” Barnes said.

“I wrote back and asked him to submit an application.”

bbk/md

Disney had plenty to offer movie fans at its biennial D23 Expo, with previews of two new animated features and an announcement that the entertainment giant’s centennial next year will include a sequel to Pixar hit “Inside Out.”

A constellation of stars filled Hall D at the Convention Center in Anaheim, California for the expo on Friday, as Disney presented exclusive images and made the surprise announcement about “Inside Out 2.” 

The sequel to the 2015 film will again portray a series of competing emotions (anger, joy, fear, sadness, disgust) struggling to coexist in the head of young Riley. Amy Poehler will again voice Joy.

But this time, Poehler told fans at the Expo, Riley is a teenager, and will be experiencing a new emotion — which the actress would not reveal.

Kelsey Mann (“Lightyear,” “The Good Dinosaur”) directs the film, set for a summer 2024 release.

There were other surprises on the opening day of D23.

Disney subsidiary Pixar announced plans for “Elio,” an animation about an 11-year-old boy who feels he doesn’t fit in, but, after an alien encounter, accidentally becomes Earth’s ambassador.

First images of the production, also set for a 2024 release, depict colorful aliens as well as the faces of Elio, played by Yonas Kibreab (from the “Obi-Wan Kenobi” mini series), and his mother Olga, voiced by America Ferrara (of “Ugly Betty” fame).

– Mufasa grows up –

The studio also presented a clip from its first long-form series, “Win or Lose,” which follows the adventures of a ragtag school softball team. Each chapter is told from the perspective of a different character.

Expo attendees also saw early scenes from “Elemental,” set for a 2023 release. The film tells the story of the love between Ember (Leah Lewis of “Nancy Drew”) and Wade (Mamoudou Athie, “Jurassic World: Dominion”) who live in the city of Elemento.

The catch: the city’s inhabitants are literally made of the basic elements — fire, air, water or earth — so they face an elemental struggle to live together despite their obvious differences. (Wade is described as a “sappy water guy” — while Ember, of course, is fire.)

The Expo’s afternoon session also brought the first clips of Disney’s live-action adaptation of “The Little Mermaid,” starring Halle Bailey, and of “Mufasa: The Lion King,” which with computer-generated images follows the transformation of the orphan cub into the ruler of a lush kingdom. 

Disney also showed a short clip of “Wish,” which is set in the Kingdom of Wishes and tells the origins of magic. 

The animated production marks the studio’s celebration — through late 2023 — of its 100 years of existence. Ariana DeBose (“West Side Story”) stars. 

– ‘We all accept each other’ – 

The festivities began Friday at the Convention Center with stars such as Jake Gyllenhaal, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kristen Bell, Jude Law, Patrick Dempsey, Amy Adams and Maya Rudolph in attendance.

Disney said it will include “100 Years of Wonder” in its logo, and it introduced fans to its Memorabilia exhibit, which tells the story of the company founded in October 1923 by Walt Disney and his brother Roy Disney.

A prominent part of the exhibit: the Mickey Mouse One, an aircraft that belonged to Walt Disney himself.

Thousands of fans of “the happiest place on Earth” lined up early to enjoy interactive experiences, purchase products and meet friends.

Princesses and Peter Pan, witches, storm troopers and an array of fantastical creatures filled the halls as the Expo — normally held every two years but canceled last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic — returned.

“Feels like I’ve got to get emotional, because I’ve been so looking forward to come back,” said actor Allen Waiserman, who arrived on opening day disguised as Cinderella’s wicked stepmother. 

Waiserman said he had worked for months on his outfit, and the transformation on Friday took five hours. 

“It’s not just about the Disney brand anymore. It’s about all the fans that we’ve met, who become like family for us — who accept you for whoever you are,” he said.

“All of my friends here accept me for being dressed in drag.”

He added, “You know, we’re just so happy to be back together.”

D23 runs through Sunday.

Fendi kicked off New York’s Fashion Week with a show celebrating its flagship Baguette bag, in a strong comeback for the runway after pandemic disruption.

The Italian luxury house pulled out all the stops 25 years after the small bag became a fashion staple when it was carried by actress Sarah Jessica Parker on “Sex and the City,” with 1990s supermodel Linda Evangelista closing out the show on Friday, 15 years after she last walked a runway.

The bag’s creator Silvia Venturini Fendi and the artistic director of Fendi’s women’s collections, Kim Jones, collaborated with designer Marc Jacobs, Tiffany & Co., Sarah Jessica Parker herself and the Japanese bag manufacturer Porter.

The result was an entire collection designed around the compact, rectangular purse — known for being worn under the shoulder, like carrying a baguette.

With techno music pounding through Manhattan’s Hammerstein Ballroom, models paraded with every form of the Baguette possible. 

There were bags, yes, but also mini Baguettes stitched on to Baguettes, or woven into the fabric of the clothes themselves — pockets, parkas and sweaters; parachute skirts, cellophane opera capes and large fur hats — recycled, says Fendi.

Silver and fluorescent yellow tones ran throughout, in homage to the glass facades of New York’s skyscrapers and to the safety vests worn by the city’s ubiquitous workers.

– The ’90s are back –

Meanwhile, the triumphant return of Evangelista came a year after she announced she was stepping out of the spotlight after botched cosmetic treatments. 

She was not the only star: Sarah Jessica Parker, of course, also attended; as did South Korean actor and model Lee Min-ho, who was greeted by a cheering crowd as he exited on to 34th Street.

Covid-19 saw Fashion Week all but scrubbed in 2020, while in 2021 live shows returned but without many designers.

In 2022, however, it is back to its frenetic pace, with 101 shows on the official calendar through Wednesday, and the three other major shows — in London, Paris and Milan — to follow.

“The live show is something that is not replaceable,” Steven Kolb, chief executive of the American fashion union (CFDA), told AFP. 

New York brand Proenza Schouler also held its show Friday, in the monumental hall of one of the city’s first Beaux-Arts buildings in Manhattan’s financial district. 

The American brand Tommy Hilfiger is also among the big names to be parading in New York this season.  

But it is the European houses such as Fendi, Marni of Italy, and COS, part of the Swedish H&M group, that CFDA is especially pleased to see. 

“That really elevates the international reputation of New York,” says Kolb, who also sees it as a recognition of the size of the US market. 

Even before the pandemic, New York had to deal with major defections such as Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein, who wanted a change of pace or went to show their collections elsewhere. 

And the American market still has to do without a great talent like Kerby Jean-Raymond, founder of Pyer Moss, this season. 

Elon Musk on Friday added a severance payment made by Twitter to a whistleblower to the list of reasons he feels entitled to walk away from his $44 billion deal to buy the social media platform.

A termination letter sent to Twitter accused the firm of not informing him about a multi-million dollar severance payment it made in June to departing security chief Peiter Zatko, who went on to file a whistleblower complaint criticizing Twitter’s security practices, according to a copy of the letter filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Musk’s lawyers argued that failing to seek his consent before paying Zatko provides another legal basis to break the merger deal with Twitter he inked in April.

Twitter disagreed.

“My friend seems to be arguing that Twitter should have gratuitously told Musk that there existed a disgruntled former employee who made various allegations that had been inquired upon and found to be without merit,” Twitter attorney William Savitt said earlier this week.

“That doesn’t make any sense.”

Twitter did not respond to a request for comment on Friday.

Musk, the world’s richest man, said in his original termination letter that he was canceling the deal because he was misled by Twitter concerning the number of bot accounts on its platform, allegations rejected by the company.

In a mixed ruling earlier this week, Kathaleen McCormick, the chancellor of the Delaware court that is overseeing the case, said Musk could add whistleblowing revelations from Zatko that surfaced in August.

But she denied his request to push back the litigation, saying prolonging the suit “would risk further harm to Twitter too great to justify.”

Musk has been locked in a bitter legal battle with Twitter since announcing in July that he was pulling the plug on the purchase of the company following a complex, volatile, months-long courtship.

The five-day trial is due to go ahead beginning October 17 in the Delaware court. 

Here is a list of the nominees in key categories for the 74th Emmy Awards, which will be handed out in Los Angeles on Monday.

HBO’s “Succession” topped the nominations list with 25, followed by “Ted Lasso” and “The White Lotus” at 20 each.

OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES

“Better Call Saul”

“Euphoria”

“Ozark”

“Severance”

“Squid Game”

“Stranger Things”

“Succession”

“Yellowjackets”

OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES

“Abbott Elementary”

“Barry”

“Curb Your Enthusiasm”

“Hacks”

“The Marvelous Mrs Maisel”

“Only Murders in the Building”

“Ted Lasso”

“What We Do in the Shadows”

LEAD ACTOR, DRAMA

Jason Bateman, “Ozark”

Brian Cox, “Succession”

Lee Jung-jae, “Squid Game”

Bob Odenkirk, “Better Call Saul”

Adam Scott, “Severance”

Jeremy Strong, “Succession”

LEAD ACTRESS, DRAMA

Jodie Comer, “Killing Eve”

Laura Linney, “Ozark”

Melanie Lynskey, “Yellowjackets”

Sandra Oh, “Killing Eve”

Reese Witherspoon, “The Morning Show”

Zendaya, “Euphoria”

LEAD ACTOR, COMEDY

Donald Glover, “Atlanta”

Bill Hader, “Barry”

Nicholas Hoult, “The Great”

Steve Martin, “Only Murders in the Building”

Martin Short, “Only Murders in the Building”

Jason Sudeikis, “Ted Lasso”

LEAD ACTRESS, COMEDY

Rachel Brosnahan, “The Marvelous Mrs Maisel”

Quinta Brunson, “Abbott Elementary”

Kaley Cuoco, “The Flight Attendant”

Elle Fanning, “The Great”

Issa Rae, “Insecure”

Jean Smart, “Hacks”

SUPPORTING ACTOR, DRAMA

Nicholas Braun, “Succession”

Billy Crudup, “The Morning Show”

Kieran Culkin, “Succession”

Park Hae-soo, “Squid Game”

Matthew Macfadyen, “Succession”

John Turturro, “Severance”

Christopher Walken, “Severance”

Oh Yeong-su, “Squid Game”

SUPPORTING ACTRESS, DRAMA

Patricia Arquette, “Severance”

Julia Garner, “Ozark”

Jung Ho-yeon, “Squid Game”

Christina Ricci, “Yellowjackets”

Rhea Seehorn, “Better Call Saul”

J. Smith-Cameron, “Succession”

Sarah Snook, “Succession”

Sydney Sweeney, “Euphoria”

SUPPORTING ACTOR, COMEDY

Anthony Carrigan, “Barry”

Brett Goldstein, “Ted Lasso”

Toheeb Jimoh, “Ted Lasso”

Nick Mohammed, “Ted Lasso”

Tony Shalhoub, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”

Tyler James Williams, “Abbott Elementary”

Henry Winkler, “Barry”

Bowen Yang, “Saturday Night Live”

SUPPORTING ACTRESS, COMEDY

Alex Borstein, “The Marvelous Mrs Maisel”

Hannah Einbinder, “Hacks”

Janelle James, “Abbott Elementary”

Kate McKinnon, “Saturday Night Live”

Sarah Niles, “Ted Lasso”

Sheryl Lee Ralph, “Abbott Elementary”

Juno Temple, “Ted Lasso”

Hannah Waddingham, “Ted Lasso”

OUTSTANDING LIMITED OR ANTHOLOGY SERIES

“Dopesick”

“The Dropout”

“Inventing Anna”

“Pam and Tommy”

“The White Lotus”

LEAD ACTOR, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE

Colin Firth, “The Staircase”

Andrew Garfield, “Under the Banner of Heaven”

Oscar Isaac, “Scenes from a Marriage”

Michael Keaton, “Dopesick”

Himesh Patel, “Station Eleven”

Sebastian Stan, “Pam and Tommy”

LEAD ACTRESS, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE

Toni Collette, “The Staircase”

Julia Garner, “Inventing Anna”

Lily James, “Pam and Tommy”

Sarah Paulson, “Impeachment: American Crime Story”

Margaret Qualley, “Maid”

Amanda Seyfried, “The Dropout”

SUPPORTING ACTOR, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE

Murray Bartlett, “The White Lotus”

Jake Lacy, “The White Lotus”

Will Poulter, “Dopesick”

Seth Rogen, “Pam and Tommy”

Peter Sarsgaard, “Dopesick”

Michael Stuhlbarg, “Dopesick”

Steve Zahn, “The White Lotus”

SUPPORTING ACTRESS, LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE

Connie Britton, “The White Lotus”

Jennifer Coolidge, “The White Lotus”

Alexandra Daddario, “The White Lotus”

Kaitlyn Dever, “Dopesick”

Natasha Rothwell, “The White Lotus”

Sydney Sweeney, “The White Lotus”

Mare Winningham, “Dopesick”

Top 10 programs with most overall nominations:

“Succession” – 25

“Ted Lasso” – 20

“The White Lotus” – 20

“Hacks” – 17

“Only Murders in the Building” – 17

“Euphoria” – 16

“Barry” – 14

“Dopesick” – 14

“Severance” – 14

“Squid Game” – 14

Hundreds entered, but only one can triumph: South Korea’s “Squid Game” will make a play for Emmys history Monday as it aims to become the first foreign-language television show to win top honors for best drama.

The Netflix show — in which misfits and criminals compete for cash in barbaric and fatal versions of schoolyard games — is aiming to follow in the footsteps of Oscar-winning movie “Parasite” with success at TV’s top prize gala.

It is already the first non-English-language series to earn a best drama series nomination. To convert that into a trophy at the ceremony in Los Angeles, it will need to overcome a previous winner in HBO’s “Succession.”

“It’s pretty hard to go against that HBO juggernaut,” said Deadline awards columnist Pete Hammond, noting that the cutthroat drama about a powerful clan vying to inherit a media empire secured the most overall nominations with 25.

“I do think [‘Squid Game’] is going to win best actor,” said Hammond — an outcome that would make Lee Jung-jae the category’s first winner whose performance was not in English.

Other shows contending for the night’s top drama prizes include Apple TV+ dystopian workplace series “Severance,” starring Adam Scott, and the final season of Netflix’s much-lauded crime saga “Ozark.”

Zendaya, who became the youngest-ever best actress winner two years ago for hard-hitting teen drama “Euphoria,” is tipped to repeat with her work on the show’s sophomore season. 

– Keaton ‘lock’ –

Given the penchant of Television Academy voters for honoring previous winners, best comedy series looks like an open goal for season two of Apple TV+’s fish-out-of-water soccer coach “Ted Lasso.” 

But its star Jason Sudeikis will have to fend off another previous winner for best actor in Bill Hader, whose dark hitman comedy “Barry” returns from a three-year, pandemic-prolonged absence.

Jean Smart is also heavily tipped to repeat as best actress for “Hacks,” in which she plays an aging Las Vegas diva forced to reinvent her dated stand-up routine. 

By definition, offering some fresh blood are the nominees in the limited series section, which honors shows capped at a single season.

Four of the five contenders chronicle real-life scandals. 

“Dopesick” looks at the US opioid crisis, “The Dropout” recounts the Theranos fraud, “Pam and Tommy” recalls an infamous celebrity sex tape and “Inventing Anna” is inspired by a Russian con artist who scammed upper-crust New York.

But the pundits’ favorite in a tight race is “The White Lotus,” a satirical look at hypocrisy and wealth among the guests at a luxury Hawaii hotel.

The show — which is bending Emmy rules by returning for a second season, albeit with a largely new cast and location — has a whopping eight acting nominations, including for Jennifer Coolidge.

Actors make up the biggest voting branch in the Academy.

“I think Michael Keaton has got a lock on actor in a limited series” for ‘Dopesick’,” said Hammond, while Amanda Seyfried’s turn as disgraced Theranos boss Elizabeth Holmes in “The Dropout” is likely to prove popular.

– ‘The Slap’ –

The ceremony will be hosted by “Saturday Night Live” stalwart Kenan Thompson.

It is expected to mark a return to normality, after the Covid-19 crisis forced producers to get creative with recent remote and socially distanced editions.

The show takes place at a downtown Los Angeles theater, where A-listers will gather to walk the red carpet for the first major Hollywood awards ceremony since this year’s extraordinary Oscars.

Back in March, Will Smith stunned viewers around the world by slapping Chris Rock live on stage for cracking a joke about his wife.

Emmy organizers have rejected the suggestion that security will need to be beefed up to prevent a repeat.

“I can’t imagine that lightning will strike twice,” Academy CEO Frank Scherma told Deadline. 

“We have smart security. We have people around that make quick decisions… We’ll be on the lookout and we’ll be smart like we always are.”