Following about seven months without communication, the Missouri man's family and friends celebrated his surprising rescue Thursday as a "Christmas miracle" after he was imprisoned in Syria after he claimed to have entered the country on a "pilgrimage" to Damascus. "We're very blessed that he is safe, that he is good, that he is protected," Pixie Rogers said of her brother, Travis Timmerman. "And I saw on the news that he got fed." The 29-year-old Timmerman, who at first merely called himself "Travis," was first spotted in a video that surfaced overnight, which caused some people to mistake him for 43-year-old missing American journalist Austin Tice. Despite not knowing he was in Syria, Timmerman's family claimed he had also gone missing. Rogers remarked, "I'm not sure what his thinking wa...

One of BuzzFeed's most valuable assets is up for sale. The popular "Hot Ones" YouTube show's food and pop culture entertainment brand, First We Feast, was sold by the media business Thursday for $82.5 million in an all-cash transaction. Among the investors are Chris Schonberger, the founder of First We Feast; Sean Evans, the host and co-creator of "Hot Ones"; Crooked Media, a podcast; YouTubers Rhett and Link's Mythical Entertainment; and Soros Fund Management, an investment business established by billionaire George Soros. According to a press release from First We Feast, which will now function as an independent multiplatform media firm, other investors will be revealed later. Schonberger will take over as CEO. "With new investment, we're poised to expand into exciting new areas includin...

MALIBU, California. Dick Van Dyke, a beloved actor, told how his astute neighbors helped him escape the fast-moving Franklin Fire that was burning through Malibu this week. The movie icon, who turns 99 on Friday, remembered witnessing the fire spread across a hill close to his house this week. "I wasn't ready," he told NBC News, despite having already experienced four wildfires. I made a mistake this time. My pool is connected to a fire hose, which emits water in a 70-foot stream. I wasn't prepared, to be sure. I left. It was knotted, and as I lay on the ground attempting to untangle this fire hose, the fire is spreading across the hill. I simply exhausted me. He recounted, "I realized I was crawling to get out, and I forgot how old I am." "You could see it coming from over the hill," he...

Officials announced Thursday that Stanley has recalled 2.6 million of its well-known steel cups due to unsecured tops that have caused numerous burn injuries. According to a statement released by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, this action concerns "all Stanley Switchback and Trigger Action stainless steel travel mugs sold in the United States" from June 2016 to the present. According to the agency, these cups were frequently offered for sale on Amazon as well as at Walmart, Dick's sports goods, and Target. Chinese-made 12-, 16-, and 20-ounce Trigger Action cups as well as 12- and 16-ounce Switchback variants are included in the recall. The aforementioned cups were sold for $20 to $50 at retail. The Seattle-based business released a statement saying, "At Stanley 1913, we are commit...

In separate lawsuits filed Thursday, three men accused Sean Diddy Combs of sexual assault and rape. They claim the rap mogul assaulted them while they were unconscious after giving them tampered beverages. Attorney Thomas Giuffra filed the anonymous cases in the New York State Supreme Court, citing events that occurred between 2019 and 2022. They all claim that Combs sexually abused and raped them. One of the men was a longtime employee of Combs and told NBC News that he was raped in a New York hotel where he met Combs to discuss a substantial amount of money he was owed from his off-the-books job. The man claimed that he ran errands for Combs from 2006 to 2018 and that, although they weren't friends, he didn't anticipate being abused when he met with him in early 2020. However, the man ...

Washington Despite President Joe Biden's vow to veto it, the House of Representatives on Thursday approved a bipartisan bill supported by the federal judiciary that would add hundreds of new judgeships. Prior to President-elect Donald Trump's election victory last month, the law was regarded as uncontroversial and had already passed the Senate with bipartisan backing. Massachusetts' House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark urged colleagues to vote against the bill in a memo she sent out prior to Thursday's vote. She noted that although this plan aims to address our court system's backlog, House Democrats should maintain objectivity on the implications of permitting a sizable number of new, vacant judgeships in the event of a Trump administration. On Thursday, the bill was approved by the Ho...

More than 40 years after Jonestown was the site of the most infamous mass murder and suicide in contemporary history, a South American tour group is transforming the area into a vacation attraction. According to the tour operator, the first group of tourists is already planned to visit the site, which is situated in Guyana's rural interior, in January. They will undergo an overnight experience designed to give them a better understanding of the tragedy for $650. Wanderlust Adventures' creator and owner, Roselyn Sewcharran, stated, "The thing is, Jonestown remains a tragic part of Guyana's history, but it is also an event of global significance." "It offers critical lessons about cult psychology, manipulation and abuse of power." Sewcharran will lead small tour groups to the site of Jonesto...

Washington Despite President Joe Biden's vow to veto it, the House of Representatives on Thursday approved a bipartisan bill supported by the federal judiciary that would add hundreds of new judgeships. Prior to President-elect Donald Trump's victory in the presidential election, the law was seen as uncontroversial and had already passed the Senate with bipartisan support. With 29 Democrats voting in favor, the bill cleared the House on Thursday by a vote of 236–173. In August, it was unanimously approved by the Senate. According to a statement from House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., Democrats at the time backed the bill because they believed Kamala Harris would win the presidency. However, due to party politics, the Biden-Harris Administration has decided to threaten a veto, and Democr...

Officials announced Thursday that Stanley has recalled 2.6 million of its well-known steel cups due to unsecured tops that have caused numerous burn injuries. According to a statement released by the Consumer Protection Safety Commission, this action concerns "all Stanley Switchback and Trigger Action stainless steel travel mugs sold in the United States" from June 2016 to the present. According to the agency, these cups were frequently offered for sale on Amazon as well as at Walmart, Dick's sports goods, and Target. Chinese-made 12-, 16-, and 20-ounce Trigger Action cups as well as 12- and 16-ounce Switchback variants are included in the recall. The Seattle-based business released a statement saying, "At Stanley 1913, we are committed to constant improvement and are focused on creating q...

UPDATE: On Wednesday, December 11, authorities reported that a guy accused of being involved in KeKe's disappearance had been arrested. Elrick Gallow, 52, has been charged with second-degree murder of Keabreonna KeKe Doucet, according to an announcement from the Ville Platte Police Department. According to the announcement, Gallow was first deemed a person of interest, but as the investigation progressed and with the help of the Louisiana State Police and the Evangeline Parish Sheriff's Office, evidence was gathered that resulted in the issuance of an arrest warrant. In relation to KeKe's case, Gallow is the second individual to face charges. During the investigation into KeKe's disappearance, 75-year-old Jerry Lee Verrette was arrested in June for soliciting prostitution; however, it is u...