With sniper rifle photos, Kim Jong Un intensifies spotlight on his daughter, a potential successor

North Korea on Saturday released pictures showing leader Kim Jong Un and his teenage daughter at a rifle range, the latest propaganda images to promote the child touted as a potential successor.

State media KCNA said Kim and his daughter – along with Kim Jong Un's powerful sister Kim Yo Jong and other officials – fired the rifles after the North Korean leader gifted them to military leaders to salute their service to the reclusive state's ruling party.

One of the images – which was flagged during a CNN check as being potentially AI-manipulated – showed the girl,believed to be named Kim Ju Ae and in her early teens, firing a sniper rifle.

In all, North Korea released 27 pictures of the event.

CNN checked four of the photos for signs of manipulation. Only the picture of Kim Ju Ae firing the rifle showed possible use of AI.

Kim specially prepared the gifts of the "new generation sniper's rifle" for the key leaders, calling it "a really wonderful weapon," the KCNA report said.

The shooting-range event came after the conclusion of a congress of the Korean Workers' Party, a largely rubber-stamp political gathering of the nation's elite, where Kim's leadership was reaffirmed by unanimous vote.

At the assembly, Kim Yo Jong was promoted to director of a party department after years in a deputy role, solidifying her standing in the inner circle. Several senior party and military posts were reshuffled, elevating younger loyalists.

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But much of the attention was on Kim's daughter.

Kim Ju Ae stood with her father on the grandstand as he reviewed some14,000 troops goosestepping through Kim Il Sung Square, named after her great-grandfather, in the capital of Pyongyang.

She has also been at her father's side for previous missile tests and other ruling-party events, fueling speculation that she will be the fourth-generation successor to the Kim family dynasty that has ruled North Korea since before the Korean War started in 1950.

In February South Korea's spy agency said it believes the dictator has "entered the stage of nominating her as successor."

There has been no official confirmation from North Korea on the daughter's role, but the image of her purportedly firing the sniper rifle on Friday brought even more attention to her.

"By emphasizing that Kim Ju Ae knows how to fire a rifle, North Korea is hinting that she is undergoing succession training," Yang Mu-jin, a distinguished professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul,told the Chosun Daily newspaper.

Other images appeared to show Kim Ju Ae, wearing a leather jacket, observing through binoculars as her father took a shot, and helping present the rifles to others at the event.

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byMichael Cox

in

February 28, 2026

With sniper rifle photos, Kim Jong Un intensifies spotlight on his daughter, a potential successor

North Korea on Saturday released pictures showing leader Kim Jong Un and his teenage daughter at a rifle range, the late...

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How the World Is Reacting to the Attack on Iran

A young Iranian protester shouts anti-U.S. and anti-Israeli slogans during an anti-war protest against the U.S. and Israeli military attacks, in Tehran, on Feb. 28, 2026. Credit - Morteza Nikoubazl—NurPhoto via Getty Images

World leaders reacted with a mix of support, condemnation and urgent calls for restraint after the United States and Israel launched a sweeping military campaign against Iran on Saturday thatkilledSupreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

President Donald Trump announced Khamenei's death in a post on Truth Social, calling it "the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their country."

The U.S. and Israel announced their strikes on the Middle Eastern nation in the early hours of Saturday morning after weeks of Trump threatening Iran over their nuclear deal program. The strikes hit the capital Tehran, as well as Qom, Karaj, Kermanshah, Tabriz and Isfahan, where there is a major nuclear facility.

Read More:Does Trump Have the Legal Authority to Strike Iran? An Expert Explains

In the hours after the initial U.S. and Israeli strikes, Russia and China released statements in support of Iran, while Canada, Australia and Ukraine were among those who expressed support for the U.S. and Israel. Several world leaders urged restraint and de-escalation on both sides moving forward.

Here is a round up of what world leaders have said about the operation that has begun war in the Middle East.

United Kingdom

Prime Minister Keir Starmer chaired a meeting of the government's emergency Cobra committee as the country weighs its response to the attacks and Tehran's retaliation across the Gulf.

It did not participate in the military action, but the country had deployed RAF Typhoons to Qatar to protect the al-Udeid airbase and allied bases across the region.

The UK government on Saturday said in a statement it "does not want to see further escalation into a wider regional conflict." Still, a government spokesperson emphasized that "Iran must never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and that is why we have continually supported efforts to reach a negotiated solution."

Starmer released a joint statement with French President Emmanuel Macron and  German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, telling Iran to stop their retaliatory attacks on countries in the Middle East.

"We condemn Iranian attacks on countries in the region in the strongest terms," the joint statement reads. "We call for a resumption of negotiations and urge the Iranian leadership to seek a negotiated solution. Ultimately, the Iranian people must be allowed to determine their future."

Russia

Russia condemned the U.S. and Israel's attack, calling it  "a pre-planned and unprovoked act of armed aggression against a sovereign and independent U.N. member state," in a statement from Russia's Foreign Affairs Ministryposted to Telegram.

It accused the U.S. and Israel of  "plunging the Middle East into an abyss of uncontrolled escalation" and said the attacks could cause a "humanitarian, economic and possibly radiological catastrophe" in the Middle East.

China

China's Foreign Ministry spokespersonsaid on Xthat "Iran's sovereignty, security and territorial integrity should be respected."

"China calls for an immediate stop of the military actions, no further escalation of the tense situation, resumption of dialogue and negotiation, and efforts to uphold peace and stability in the Middle East," the statement continued.

France

In addition to the joint statement with the leaders of the United Kingdom and Germany, French President Emmanuel Macronsaid on X, in a post originally in French, that the escalation "is dangerous for all."

"It must stop," he added. "The Iranian regime must understand that it now has no other option but to engage in good faith in negotiations to end its nuclear and ballistic programs, as well as its regional destabilization activities. This is absolutely necessary for the security of all in the Middle East."

He called for an "urgent" meeting of the United Nations Security Council.

European Union

Ursula von der Leyen, the European Union's chief executive, saidin a statement on social mediathat the EU has "consistently promoted diplomatic efforts aimed at addressing the nuclear and ballistic programmes through a negotiated solution.""We call on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, to protect civilians, and to fully respect international law," she said.

Canada

Prime Minister Mark Carney saidin a statement on Xthat Canada supports the U.S. "acting to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to prevent its regime from further threatening international peace and security."

"Canada's position remains clear: The Islamic Republic of Iran is the principal source of instability and terror throughout the Middle East, has one of the world's worst human rights records and must never be allowed to obtain or develop nuclear weapons."

Australia

Australia's Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, said in a statement on X that the country backs the U.S. in their military operation.

"We support the United States acting to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to prevent Iran continuing to threaten international peace and security," he said.

The country also updated their travel recommendations to "Do Not Travel" for Lebanon and Israel.

Pakistan

Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs released astatementSaturday condemning what it calls "unwarranted attacks against the Islamic Republic of Iran," as well as retaliatory attacks by "Iran against the brotherly countries of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE."

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The Ministry confirmed that a Pakistani national was killed in the UAE during the attacks.

"We urge all sides to refrain from any further actions that may undermine the security and territorial integrity of other regional countries," the statement read.

India

India's Ministry of Foreign affairssaid in a statementthat the country is "deeply concerned at the recent developments in Iran and the Gulf region."

"We urge all sides to exercise restraint, avoid escalation, and prioritise the safety of civilians," it continues. "Dialogue and diplomacy should be pursued to de-escalate tensions and address underlying issues. Sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states must be respected."

Spain

Spain Prime Minister Pedro Sánchezcalled on Xfor " immediate de-escalation and full respect for international law," decrying the potential for another "prolonged" war in the Middle East.

"We reject the unilateral military action by the United States and Israel, which represents an escalation and contributes to a more uncertain and hostile international order," he said. "We likewise reject the actions of the Iranian regime and the Revolutionary Guard."

Saudi Arabia

The Saudi Foreign Affairs Ministry condemned Iran's retaliatory strikes across the region in a statement.

"The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia condemns and denounces in strongest terms the blatant Iranian aggression and the flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the U.A.E., Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, and Jordan,"  the statement reads.

United Arab Emirates

After the UAE was hit by retaliatory strikes from Iran, its Ministry of Foreign Affairscondemnedits neighbor in a statement, calling the strikes a  "flagrant violation of national sovereignty and a clear breach of international law and the Charter of the United Nations."

"The UAE underscored that it retains its full and legitimate right to respond to these attacks in a manner that safeguards its sovereignty, national security, and territorial integrity, and ensures the safety of its citizens and residents, in accordance with international law," the statement continued.

Oman

Oman's Foreign Minister Badr Al Busaidisaid on XSaturday after the attacks that he was "dismayed."

"Active and serious negotiations have yet again been undermined," said Al Busaidi, who has been a key mediator in recent U.S.-Iran nuclear talks. "Neither the interests of the United States nor the cause of global peace are well served by this. And I pray for the innocents who will suffer."

United Nations

Volker Türk, the UN's Human Rights Commissioner, criticized both the strikes against Iran, and Iran's retaliatory strikes."As always, in any armed conflict, it is civilians who end up paying the ultimate price," he said in a statement on Saturday. "I call for restraint and implore all parties to see reason, to de-escalate, and for a return to the 'negotiating table' where they had been actively seeking a solution only hours earlier."

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres also condemned military action on all sides of the conflict.

"I call for an immediate cessation of hostilities & de-escalation. Failing to do so risks a wider regional conflict with grave consequences for civilians & regional stability," Guterressaid on X

He also pointed out in the post that the UN's Charter prohibits "the threat of the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations."

Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned Iran for being "Putin's accomplice" in a poston X reactingto the escalation.

"It is important that the United States is acting decisively. Whenever there is American resolve, global criminals weaken. This understanding must also come to the Russians."

Albania

Albania Prime Minister Edi Ramasaid on Xthat Albania stands "firm with Israel and with the peace-seeking brotherly Arab countries" and that it supports the United States' military contribution.

"We fully endorse every decisive effort to prevent once and for all the murderers in Tehran from acquiring nuclear or any other military capacity to harm Israel or any other peace-loving nation in the Middle East," Rama said. "Terrorism must be named. And once named, it must be stopped."

Hungary

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a Trump ally in Europe, immediately expressed concerns for how the strikes would impact oil prices. The strikes, he toldreporters, "doubled the importance of the Friendship oil pipeline," which runs through Ukraine. Shipments of Russian oil have been disrupted since January, and Orbán has accused Ukraine ofimposingan "oil blockade."

Kuwait

Kuwait's Ali Al Salem Air Base, which is used by the U.S. military, was also targeted as part of Iran's military retaliation. Kuwait released a statement condemning the Iranian attacks on their soil and asserted their right to respond to the "brazen attack" via Article 51 of the UN Charter.

Qatar

In similar statements to Kuwait and UAE, Qatar condemned Iran's retaliatory attacks and reaffirmed their own right to respond, as per international law.

"The State of Qatar expresses its strong condemnation of the targeting of Qatari territory with Iranian ballistic missiles, considering it a flagrant violation of its national sovereignty, a direct infringement on its security and territorial integrity, and an unacceptable escalation that threatens the security and stability of the region," the statement,posted to X, read.

Lebanon

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salamsaid on Xthat he "will not accept anyone dragging the country into adventures that threaten its security and unity."

Contact usatletters@time.com.

byMichael Cox

in

February 28, 2026

How the World Is Reacting to the Attack on Iran

A young Iranian protester shouts anti-U.S. and anti-Israeli slogans during an anti-war protest against the U.S. and Isra...

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Trump to give Saturday morning address amid Iran strikes, Axios reports

WASHINGTON, Feb 28 (Reuters) - President ‌Donald ‌Trump is expected ​to give an address on ‌Saturday ⁠morning as the U.S. ⁠carries out ​strikes ​in ​Iran, Axios ‌reported, citing a U.S. official.

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The White House did ‌not ​immediately ​respond ​to ‌a request for ​comment.

(Reporting ​by Jasper Ward ​in ‌Washington; editing ​by Scott ​Malone)

byMichael Cox

in

February 28, 2026

Trump to give Saturday morning address amid Iran strikes, Axios reports

WASHINGTON, Feb 28 (Reuters) - President ‌Donald ‌Trump is expected ​to give an address on ‌Saturday ⁠morning as the U.S...

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Deaths on a boat off Cuba spotlight Florida anti-government groups

MIAMI (AP) — Astolen boat, with 10 people aboard, loaded with weapons, departs the Florida Keys but gunfire erupts before reaching Cuba. The explanation, according to the Cuban government, is the men aboard were terrorists who wanted to infiltrate the country.

Cuba Boat Shooting

The fatal shooting broke out Wednesday amid heightened tensions between the U.S. and Cuba. The ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has led the Trump administration to take a more aggressive stance toward the country's longstanding ideological nemesis in Latin America. It shines fresh attention on the deep-rooted freedom movement among Cuban exiles in south Florida, including some fringe elements who have long sought a violent overthrow of the island's communist leadership.

Armed raids, provocative publicity stunts and protests blurring the lines of legality stretch back decades in the Florida straits. Many of them are led by hard-liner exiles, some who fought in Fidel Castro's guerrilla army that took power in 1959 before breaking ranks when the popular leader converted Cuba into a Soviet satellite.

But such confrontational tactics have faded since the Cold War, leaving many in Miami to speculate the armed incursion was a fabrication of Cuba's intelligence agencies.

"Cuban Americans today are, whether on the left or on the right, really focused on trying to influence U.S. policy rather than thinking that somehow paramilitary action by small groups are gonna overthrow the Cuban government," said William LeoGrande, an American University government professor who specializes in Cuba.

The shooting left four dead and many questions. Cuba's government said most of the people on the boat were violent criminals. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who rose to prominence surrounded by the Cuban exile politics of Miami, was quick to cast doubt on the Cuban account, saying that the U.S. would investigate what he described as a "highly unusual" sea shootout.

Late Friday, top officials with Cuba's Ministry of the Interior unveiled theitems they said were aboard the boat, including a dozen high-powered weapons and more than 12,800 pieces of ammunition.

Anti-Cuban government groups ebb and flow

The counter-revolutionary groups — with names like Alpha 66 and Omega 7 — were always small in number but were at their strongest in the 1970s and '80s. Their influence receded as the Reagan administration arrested their leaders for violent attacks on U.S. soil, like an assassination plot targeting Castro during his 1979 visit to the United Nations and the shooting death a year later of a Cuban diplomat in New York.

Antonio Tang joined Alpha 66 shortly after fleeing Cuba and going into exile in Canada in 1981.

He trained in weapons and guerrilla tactics with the volunteer group at a camp in the Everglades called Rumbo Sur — Direction South. Many of its actions were over before they started, he said.

"We were kind of amateurs — and no match for the Cuban military and interior ministry," said Tang. "They always knew in advance what we were doing. Many folks ended up in jail."

Ernesto Díaz, deputy secretary general of Alpha 66, described the 10 men as martyrs.

"It is an act of compassion for a Cuban people who are suffering," Diaz, 86, said. "It was a sacrifice that has demonstrated the nobility and sensitivity towards freedom in Cuba."

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Cuban attempts to co-opt groups

Former Cuban intelligence officer Enrique Garcia said a well-funded Cuban intelligence department — called Q-2 — spent decades co-opting armed resistance groups. In some cases, Cuban agents would fund weapon purchases and drive unsuspecting exiles into plots.

Agents infiltrated Brothers to the Rescue, which lost four members in 1996 when Cuban fighter jets shot down their airplanes in the Florida straits.

"This strategy —seemingly still in place— sought to portray the Cuban exile community as extremist and link the U.S. government and agencies to such activities," said Garcia, who defected to the U.S. in 1989. "The U.S. intelligence community is aware and must have documented in its archives that this was a permanent modus operandi of the Cuban intelligence service."

Garcia said he can't remember any covert act of the sort Cuba has denounced in at least three decades.

He also finds the timing of the attack suspicious. The Trump administration has asserted almost unprecedented pressure on Havana to open its economy and relinquish almost seven decades of single-party rule.

Families give an incomplete picture

Marina Luz Padron, whose ex-husband, Hector Cruz Correa, was among those reported killed, appealed for privacy as the family mourns. She described her ex-husband as an excellent father to their 4-year-old child, who still hasn't been told about his fate.

"If he went to Cuba it was because he wanted freedom for his country," Padron told The Associated Press in a brief interview.

Other family members spoke to Spanish language influencers in Miami describing their loved ones as peaceful and far removed from what Cuban officials denounced as a "terrorist" incursion.

Ibrahim Bosch, president of the Republican Party of Cuba, another exile group, said that Michel Ortega Casanova, one of those killed, was the leader of his party in Tampa for a while until he requested to be replaced so he could spend more time to with his family.

"He was an excellent person, very hardworking, very dedicated to his family," Bosch said. "He always had the hope of freedom for Cuba."

But Florida resident Misael Ortega Casanova said his brother — an American citizen who has lived in the U.S. for more than 20 years and still agonizes over the suffering that Cubans endure — was on an "obsessive and diabolical" quest for Cuba's freedom.

"They became so obsessed that they didn't think about the consequences nor their own lives," Misael told The Associated Press.

Catalini reported from Morrisville, Pennsylvania.

byMichael Cox

in

February 27, 2026

Deaths on a boat off Cuba spotlight Florida anti-government groups

MIAMI (AP) — Astolen boat, with 10 people aboard, loaded with weapons, departs the Florida Keys but gunfire erupts befor...

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Pakistan bombs targets in Afghan cities, minister calls it 'open war'

By Mohammad Yunus Yawar and Asif Shahzad

Taliban soldiers carry rocket launcher in a vehicle near Torkham border

KABUL/ISLAMABAD, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Pakistan bombed Taliban government forces in Afghanistan's major cities overnight, the first time it has directly targeted its former allies, and described the situation as "open war", raising tensions in a volatile, nuclear-armed region.

The Pakistani strikes hit the capital Kabul and the city of Kandahar, where Taliban leaders are ‌based. It was the first time Islamabad has attacked the Taliban rather than militants allegedly backed by them, a stark rupture in ties between the Islamic neighbours.

Security sources in Pakistan said ‌the strikes involved air-to-ground missile attacks on Taliban military offices and posts in Kabul, Kandahar as well as Paktia province. There were ground clashes in multiple sectors along the border between the Islamic nations.

The Taliban said it launched what it described as retaliatory ​attacks on Pakistani military installations.

Both sides reported heavy losses, issuing sharply differing figures that Reuters could not independently verify.

"Our cup of patience has overflowed. Now it is open war between us and you (Afghanistan)," Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said on Friday.

The strikes threaten to unleash a protracted conflict along the 2,600-km (1,615-mile) frontier with relations between Kabul and Islamabad shattered by a long-running dispute over Pakistan's accusation that Afghanistan harbours militants carrying out attacks across the border.

The Taliban have denied the charge and said Pakistan's security is an internal problem.

Pakistan is nuclear-armed and its military capabilities are vastly superior to Afghanistan. However, the Taliban are adept at guerrilla warfare, hardened by decades ‌of fighting with U.S.-led forces, before returning to power in 2021.

Russia, China, ⁠Turkey and Saudi Arabia were trying to mediate, diplomats and news reports said.

Iran, which borders both Afghanistan and Pakistan, has also offered to help, according to its foreign ministry. The offer came as Tehran holds crucial talks with Washington on resolving their longstanding nuclear dispute and averting new U.S. strikes.

DRONE STRIKES

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid ⁠confirmed Pakistani forces carried out air strikes in parts of Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia but did not give details.

On Friday, the Taliban defence ministry said it "successfully conducted" air strikes using drones to hit military targets in Pakistan. Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the strikes were carried out by Pakistani Taliban militants and all the drones brought down by anti-drone systems with "no damage to life".

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Videos shared by Pakistani security officials showed flashes of light in the night from ​firing ​along the border and the sound of heavy artillery. A video of strikes on Kabul, for which Reuters was able ​to verify the location, showed thick plumes of black smoke rising from two ‌sites and a massive blaze in part of the capital.

Kabul taxi driver Tamim said he was asleep when he heard the sound of an aircraft, which was followed by strikes on what appeared to be a weapons depot.

"We woke up, and the plane came and dropped two bombs, then flew away again. After that, we heard explosions," he said.

"Everyone, in panic, ran down from the second floor of the house. The ammunition inside the depot kept exploding on its own."

Reuters witnesses in Kabul said many ambulance sirens could be heard following loud blasts and the sound of jets.

Mosharraf Zaidi, a Pakistani government spokesperson, said in a post on X that the action as a response to "unprovoked Afghan attacks", adding 133 Afghan Taliban fighters were killed and more than 200 wounded, with 27 posts destroyed and nine captured.

Mujahid, the Taliban spokesperson, said 55 ‌Pakistani soldiers were killed and 19 posts seized, while eight Taliban fighters were killed, 11 wounded and 13 civilians injured ​in Nangarhar province.

HIGH SECURITY

Clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan in October killed dozens of soldiers until negotiations facilitated by Turkey, Qatar and ​Saudi Arabia brought an end to the hostilities.

Pakistan has been on high security alert since ​it launched air strikes earlier this week that Islamabad said targeted camps of Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP), or Pakistani Taliban, and Islamic State militants in eastern Afghanistan.

Kabul and the United Nations ‌said the strikes killed 13 civilians and reiterated it does not allow militants ​to operate from its territory. The Taliban also warned ​there would be a strong response.

The government of Pakistan's Punjab province said it was on high alert for militant attacks on Friday and had conducted a series of security operations, taking 90 Afghan nationals to holding centres for deportation.

A state-run media outlet from Afghanistan's Nangarhar, Bakhtar News Agency, shared an image of what it said was a battalion of suicide attackers, and quoted an ​Afghan security source as saying the bombers were equipped with explosive vests and ‌car bombs and were prepared to strike major targets.

Pakistani officials have said in recent days they feared an escalation of militant strikes in urban centres.

(Reporting by Mohammad Yunus Yawar ​and Sayed Hassib in Kabul, Asif Shahzad in Islamabad, Ariba Shahid in Karachi, Mubasher Bukhari in Lahore, Mushtaq Ali in Peshawar and Saud Mehsud in Dera Ismail Khan; Additional ​reporting by Vinaya K and Fernando Robles; Writing by Saad Sayeed; Editing by Stephen Coates and Raju Gopalakrishnan)

byMichael Cox

in

February 27, 2026

Pakistan bombs targets in Afghan cities, minister calls it 'open war'

By Mohammad Yunus Yawar and Asif Shahzad Taliban soldiers carry rocket launcher in a vehicle near Torkha...

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Andy Cohen Thanks Lisa Rinna for 'Showing Up' on His 'Most Important Days' Despite 'Complicated' Relationship

Andy Cohen is opening up about his dynamic with Lisa Rinna

NEED TO KNOW

• The pair spoke on Watch What Happens Live on Wednesday, Feb. 25, when Cohen thanked Rinna for showing up for him on two important days

• "It is very clear to me that you have a very complicated relationship with the housewives and a little bit with me as a result of that," he said

Andy CohenthankedLisa Rinnafor supporting him over the years during her latest appearance onWatch What Happens Live.

On Wednesday, Feb. 25, theWWHLhost spoke on his history withThe Traitorsstar as she appeared on his show to chat about her new book,You Better Believe I'm Gonna Talk About It. At the end of their conversation, Cohen, 57, said he had been thinking about his relationship with Rinna, 62, ahead of her visit and the forthcoming reunion for season 4 ofThe Traitors.

"It is very clear to me that you have a very complicated relationship with the housewives and a little bit with me as a result of that," Cohen said. "You know, I have to tell you something. And I have to thank you because what I realized is that you showed up for me on two of the most important days of my life."

Cohen elaborated on his statement, sharing that Rinna appeared at his baby shower and calling her the "hype master" who "got those housewives on the table for me" during an "already amazing" evening. Cohen isdadto son Benjamin Allen Cohen, 7, and daughter Lucy Eve Cohen, 3.

"You did that," Cohen said. "And nobody asked you to do it. It was incredible and I will never forget it."

The second day that Rinna showed support was the day of Cohen'sHollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony. She shared some words about Cohen at the event alongside fellow speakers John Mayer andGarcelle Beauvais.

"[It] was another of the most special days of my entire life," Cohen said. "You were filming that day, you had just come back from Aspen, you were grieving the loss of your mom. You sat with my mom at that lunch afterward and I just want to thank you. You showed up for me on two very important days for me and that is not lost on me. I really appreciate that and I'll never forget it."

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After some applause from Cohen's audience, Rinna told him that it "was my absolute pleasure" to be there for him.

Elsewhere during herWWHLappearance, Rinna explained her mention of Cohen's 2023 memoir,The Daddy Diaries: The Year I Grew Up, in her own book. Per the conversation, Rinna confirmed she was upset that Cohen included personal text messages from her in his book — to the point that she even "burned" the book in her fireplace.

Cohen "apologized" for publishing their texts while reconnecting with Rinna at the already-filmedTraitorsreunion, he said. "I had all these reasons for doing it, and then when I really thought about it, I was like, 'Oh wait, you gotta apologize.' So I'm sorry."

"It was so beautiful to watch your book go up in flames," Rinna joked. "Andy, really, it's an honor. That I would burn your book is kind of an honor."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE'sfree daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Rinna also touched on her tenure onThe Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, which she joined in 2014 and officially departed in 2023. "I was never acting, but as I watch it back, it was a characterization of me being a housewife," she said. "Does that make sense? I think it does."

Read the original article onPeople

byMichael Cox

in

February 26, 2026

Andy Cohen Thanks Lisa Rinna for 'Showing Up' on His 'Most Important Days' Despite 'Complicated' Relationship

Andy Cohen is opening up about his dynamic with Lisa Rinna NEED TO KNOW The pair spoke on Watch What Happens...

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“Survivor 50”'s First 2 Eliminated Contestants Speak Out and Reveal What the Premiere Didn't Show (Exclusive)

Survivor's milestone 50th season premiere saw two contestants get eliminated in different ways

NEED TO KNOW

• After their exits, they are speaking out about how things really went down

• Find out what the episode didn't show

Warning: This story contains spoilers for the Feb. 25 premiere episode ofSurvivor's 50th season.

Survivoris one episode into its 50th season, but two contestants are already gone.

Jenna Lewis Dougherty, who was on the show's debut season in 2000 and returned for the first all-star season, was the first person to be voted out and have their torch snuffed byJeff Probstat tribal council. In addition, season 48 winner Kyle Fraser had to be medically evacuated from the game after injuring his Achilles' tendon during the first immunity challenge.

Both Jenna and Kyle talked to PEOPLE after the episode debuted, sharing what really happened in Fiji.

Kyle Fraser

It's been eight months since this all went down. How'd it feel to finally watch the episode?

Kyle: It was good. It's crazy to know that the world has seen it now, so I'm excited that I can be open about it now. I had fun watching the episode, I really did.

Since you had to keep your appearance onSurvivorsecret, did you have a cover story for your injury between filming and now?

Kyle: I told everyone that I was coming down for a rebound in basketball and tore my Achilles. Which, if you know me, is very funny because I'm notoriously bad at basketball. I played lacrosse in college, but I suck at basketball. My close friends figured it out, but my colleagues at work and stuff like that don't know my basketball skills. So it worked out.

When did you realize the injury was the end of your game?

Kyle: I really tried to be optimistic. But in the middle of the night when I had that first sleep, I woke up and I was in pain. I was resting my foot on two rocks — Aubry had helped me put up two rocks to elevate my leg. I just felt the functionality of my foot, and it just was not there. I thought, "I would stay as long as they let me, but they're probably not going to let me stay." It creeped in my head.

But when I woke up, I was like, "I need to keep playing the game. Because if I do get to stay, how would I feel if I just gave up?"

Did you fight to stay?

Kyle: Oh, yeah. There was quite some negotiation with Jeff and Dr. Joe. I cited James fromHeroes vs. Villainsas precedent [for staying with an injury]. When Jeff brought up the liability thing, I actually came back at him. I was like, "I'm a lawyer. I'll sign a waiver." He appreciated the advocacy, but he was exactly right in making sure I was helped.

The episode didn't show it, but you went back down the wall to help Colby up. That's when you got injured. Was there any guilt from him?

Kyle: I think that he was sad, and there was guilt, but it was misplaced. Colby was at the bottom. He was the engine getting people up. He's gassed after lifting literally everybody up, and now the wall's covered in mud on top of it. After everything he did, it's near impossible for him to get up. So I'm like, 'I need to get down and help my teammate who's been helping us.' Because Colby's an athlete, because he's a good person, he was beating himself up a little bit, but it wasn't his fault. Every athlete eventually comes to the understanding that these things do happen, and this was not my day.

Despite the injury, are you happy you went and played again?

Kyle: Oh, hell yeah. I had such a good time playing. And listen, this injury sucks. There's no doubt about it. But I've learned so much about myself. I've had time to learn about patience. I mean, this is an eight-to-12-month recovery. I go to [physical therapy] three times per week. I stayed in the gym three, four times per week. I'm stronger, from an upper-body perspective, than I've ever been in my life. I've learned more about myself as a person that I didn't know. It stinks, and the payoff isn't immediate, but I'm feeling the payoff as we speak. I get to say I'm a part of season 50. Who gets to say that? Only a couple people, so it's awesome.

You have ababy on the way! Will that interfere with you making the live finale and reunion?

Kyle: I don't know. Of course, I would love to be there. I'm still a part of the season, even though it was just for a blip. But first and foremost comes family. Who knows? There's a very narrow window where it could work out. If not, maybe they'll zoom me in like Brenda.

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Jenna Lewis Doughtery

Sorry to see that you're the first one out. How are you doing?

It's easier on this one. The other two, they came to air like a month or two months after we played. This one, it's been eight months. I've had a little time to decompress. But I will tell you, it's also been eight months of the guillotine hanging over my head, especially as you gear up and start doing pre-press. You're waiting to see what the edit's going to be because you're thinking about every dumb thing you said, every dumb thing you did. So once it was actually over, I'm like, "Okay." I felt better, actually.

It felt like you came in hot, especially putting Cirie's name on the chopping block in front of several people.

I will say, it was not me who said Cirie's name first. Not me at all. First day, I felt so uncomfortable. Seemed like everyone else had this rapport — which come to find out, everyone did have that rapport. There were a lot of pre-connections that I was unaware of, but I felt. So I was chatting withChristianday one, trying to bond and "What do you think of the group?' And in his Christian way, he said, I'm going to go over and sit down to who I think is the biggest threat.' He goes and sits next to Cirie while I talk to Devens about Fortnite. And he comes back over — and I will sit in a deposition with Christian — he said, "She's the biggest threat because if there's a swap or there's a merge, she's lost to the wind." That's almost a dead quote. "She's lost to the wind." So I'm like, "Okay, Christian could be an ally." I thought there was an opening there.

Rick Devens goes to the water hole and tells Cirie, "Jenna's saying your name." I probably was, but it was after I was trying to get inroads with Christian and Emily and Devens. Christian made sure I wasn't going to be aligned with Cirie and Ozzy, and it worked. I fell for it. I fell for it because I knew there were these factions that I just was not in on. Christian absolutely masterminded it.

And did you want Cirie gone yourself?

I did think she was a liability. Premerge, you cannot keep someone who is going to make you tank challenges.

Did anyone tell you about Ozzy as a possible candidate to be voted out, like Emily proposed?

Three of them came to me like, "We can do Ozzy." I was like, "Ugh. Are we really going to get rid of one of our biggest challenge beasts but also keep the one who's actively making us lose? I don't think that's a good tradeoff. If we're going to go for one of them, I think it should be Cirie."

Cirie's a lovely woman. I didn't have anything against her out there. I just thought she was a liability.

What about Savannah and Joe in all this?

Savannah and Joe just couldn't come together. Could not be cohesive. It's not like they 100% with either group. They couldn't get it together. I really tried. I mean, obviously — that's why they said I was playing so hard because I felt that I was on the outs of these two groups.

For two new school players – in fact, the two newest school players — they weren't playing fast.

When did you know it was you getting voted out?

I knew that I would definitely get Ozzy and Cirie's votes [going into tribal council]. I didn't know Christian, all this. I think he absolutely masterminded it.

As a mom, what do your kids think of you coming back onSurvivor?

They are completely like, "Whatever, mom." I tried to show them oldSurvivoror even the cover ofTimemagazine and be like, "Hey, this is pretty cool. Don't you have a cool mom?" They could give two craps.

Survivorairs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

Celebrate 50 seasons ofSurvivorwith a newspecial edition of PEOPLE, featuring exclusive interviews with Jeff Probst and the milestone season's cast as well as a nostalgic look back at the show's history, fan favorite players and more.

Read the original article onPeople

byMichael Cox

in

February 26, 2026

“Survivor 50”'s First 2 Eliminated Contestants Speak Out and Reveal What the Premiere Didn't Show (Exclusive)

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Paul McCartney Says Making Amends with John Lennon Before His Death Is 'One of the Great Blessings in My Life'

Paul McCartney opens up about mending fences with John Lennon before the star's 1980 death

NEED TO KNOW

• McCartney says making up with Lennon is "one of the great blessings in my life"

• He talks about their bond in the new documentary Paul McCartney: Man on the Run

Paul McCartneyis forever grateful that he andJohn Lennongave peace a chance.

The legendary musician and his late bandmate had a bond so tight they were like brothers — but after theBeatles' breakupin 1970, their friendship frayed.

In the new documentaryPaul McCartney: Man on the Run, McCartney says he's glad that he and Lennon were able to set aside their differences before the "Imagine" singer's tragic murder on Dec. 8, 1980.

"One of the great blessings in my life is that we made up. It's beautiful and it's sad at the same time," says McCartney, 83. "You know, we loved each other all our lives."

McCartney and Lennon first met as Liverpool lads, and went on to find international fame and success as members of the Beatles alongsideGeorge HarrisonandRingo Starr. But their relationship soured as the band broke up in 1970, and things culminated in a lawsuit McCartney filed against his bandmates after taking issue with manager Allen Klein and the way he was handling their finances.

A 1971 diss track from Lennon called "How Do You Sleep?"added further salt into the wound, and the two grew apart.

InMan on the Run, McCartney talks about finally mending fences with Lennon before his death, and even recalls a visit to Lennon's New York City apartment with wife Linda.

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Together, they watchedSaturday Night Liveas creatorLorne Michaelsoffered them a good chunk of change to head on down to Studio 8H for an impromptu Beatles reunion.

"We got kind of excited. We just go down, we show up, hey! But it was like, why? It'd be great for them. Would it be great for us? We've come full circle and now we're off on another journey," he recalls in the film. "So we just decided to just have another cup of tea and forget the whole idea."

McCartney only briefly addresses Lennon's death in the film, saying that "time can take the edge off" as his daughter and Lennon's son discuss his reaction to losing the musician.

Lennon's son,Sean Ono Lennon, adds that the pair "had a once-in-a-millennium chemistrythat I don't think we're likely to see again."

Man on the Run, which hits Prime Video on Feb. 27 in an intimate look at McCartney's post-Beatles life in the 1970s, from his family life in Scotland to his decision toform and tour with Wings.

The film, directed by Morgan Neville, features interviews with McCartney, Linda, their daughters and Wings band members.

Read the original article onPeople

byMichael Cox

in

February 26, 2026

Paul McCartney Says Making Amends with John Lennon Before His Death Is 'One of the Great Blessings in My Life'

Paul McCartney opens up about mending fences with John Lennon before the star's 1980 death NEED TO KNOW ...

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12 behind-the-scenes feuds that changed TV history

"It's funny, every Grey's actor I talk to who was there during that time is still traumatized by that incident," Shonda Rhimes toldThe Hollywood Reporterabout an early on-set conflict that nearly ended her hit medical drama. That sentiment captures a truth about television: sometimes the most consequential drama happens when cameras stop rolling. This article explores twelve behind-the-scenes conflicts that fundamentally altered shows, careers, and TV history itself.

Behind-the-scenes feuds that permanently rewrote television

Image credit: Spelling Television

When magic turned toxic on Charmed

Tensionsbetween Shannen Doherty and Alyssa Milano forced Doherty's Season 3 exit, killing off Prue Halliwell and introducing Rose McGowan as a previously unknown sister. According to Holly Marie Combs on Doherty's podcast, a producer told her that Milano delivered an ultimatum: fire Doherty or face a hostile workplace lawsuit. The feudhas persisted for over two decades, with both actresses offering conflicting accounts of who initiated the workplace conflict that ended one of television's most beloved supernatural partnerships.

Image credit: Chuck Lorre Productions

Charlie Sheen's meltdown ends an era

Charlie Sheen's public warwith Two and a Half Men creator Chuck Lorreled to his 2011 firing, marking the end of his television career as the highest-paid actor. After Sheen entered rehab and publicly attacked Lorre with profanity-laced tirades, calling him various names and coining phrases like "winning" and "tiger blood," CBS terminated his contract. Ashton Kutcher stepped in,transforming the show's premise entirelyas it continued for four more seasons without its original star.

Image credit: Scott Free Productions

The Good Wife's digital deception

Julianna Margulies and Archie Panjabi's alleged riftbecame so severe that their final scene together was filmed separately and composited using split screens, a visible testament to their inability to share a set. When Margulies claimedPanjabi was unavailable due to other commitments, Panjabi publicly contradicted her on social media, stating that she had been in New York and ready to film, which ignited speculation about the true nature of their estrangement.

Image credit: American Broadcasting Companies, Inc

Desperate Housewives' desperate isolation

Teri Hatcherreportedly became isolated from her Desperate Housewives co-stars due to salary disputesand perceived aloofness, which affected contract negotiations and created a tabloid narrative that overshadowed the show's success. The tensions culminated when the cast presented the crew with a farewell gift, andHatcher's name was conspicuously absent, replaced instead by Vanessa Williams, who had joined the cast only two seasons prior.

Image credit: ABC

Isaiah Washington's workplace reckoning

Isaiah Washington's use of a homophobic slurduring an argument with Patrick Dempsey on Grey's Anatomy led to his firing after Season 3, abruptly ending Preston Burke's relationship with Cristina Yang and bringing workplace conduct under greater scrutiny. The incident traumatized the cast and nearly killed the show, according to Rhimes, who noted that actors present during that time still carry the psychological impact of that moment.

Image credit: C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures

Star Trek's decades of discord

William Shatner's alleged attempts to monopolize screen timecreated decades of public bitterness among the original cast that persisted through movies and convention circuits. George Takei has been particularly vocal, claiming that Shatner changed scripts to diminish the roles of other actors, while Nichelle Nichols called him an "insensitive, hurtful egotist" whose behavior affected everyone around him.

Image credit: CBS

NCIS and the dog that changed everything

Pauley Perrette and Mark Harmon's conflictover his dog biting a crew memberescalated to the point where Perrette left the show, with her final episodes carefully engineered so that she never directly shared scenes with Harmon. After the dog required 15 stitches to treat a crew member's injuries, Harmon continued bringing it to set. Perrette complained to thenetwork brass, leading to arrangements where the stars filmed separately for her entire final season.

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Image credit: ABC

Moonlighting's frantic collapse

Cybill Shepherd and Bruce Willisreportedly clashed both personally and professionally, with production delays stemming from their competing film careers leading to inconsistent scheduling and ultimately, the series' collapse. Willis filmed Die Hard during the show's fourth season while Shepherd dealt with a problematic pregnancy,creating grueling conditionsthat both stars publicly acknowledged years later. However, they eventually reconciled for DVD commentary recordings.

Image credit: NBC

Chevy Chase burns bridges on Community

Chevy Chase's disruptive behaviorled to reduced screen time and a mid-season departure, with showrunner Dan Harmon famously incorporating a profanity-laced voicemail exchange into the actual storyline. The public feud between the actor and creator became so toxic that Chase left before the show's final season, although both men later expressed regret about how they had handled the situation.

Image credit: SNL Studios

Saturday Night Live's early misogyny

John Belushi's refusal to perform sketches written by female writerson early Saturday Night Live suppressed emerging voices and highlighted systemic industry misogyny that took decades to address. His behavior toward writers like Anne Beatts and Rosie Shuster created a hostile environment that reflected broader entertainment industry attitudes of the era.

Image credit: ABC

Andy Kaufman's performance art goes too far

Andy Kaufman's performance art on Taxi, including bringing his alter ego, Tony Clifton, to the set, forced unprecedented accommodations, and his eventual "firing" became foundational TV comedy lore. The boundary between Kaufman's real personality and his performance personas became so blurred that cast and crew struggled to work with him, creating tensions that producers had to manage carefully.

Image credit: ABC

Harold Perrineau speaks out on Lost

Harold Perrineau's complaints about character developmentand writers' room diversity led to his character being written off, sparking revelations about systemic equity issues that became a major Hollywood case study. His public statements about the lack of representation behind the camera highlighted problems that the industry is still grappling with today.

Image Credit: DepositPhotos.

Wrapping Up

These conflicts remind us that television's most enduring stories aren't always the ones audiences see on screen. When personality clashes with production, the fallout can reshape entire series, launch meaningful conversations about workplace conduct, and create industry precedents that outlast the shows themselves.

Ask us! What questions do you have about content, strategy, pop culture, lifestyle, wellness, history or more? We may use your question in an upcoming article!

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byMichael Cox

in

February 26, 2026

12 behind-the-scenes feuds that changed TV history

"It's funny, every Grey's actor I talk to who was there during that time is still traumatized by that incid...

Read More