Photo Illustration by Luis G. Rendon/The Daily Beast/Portraits by Photo by Mary Mathis for The Washington Post via Getty ImagesChappell Roan’s debut album might chart The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, but in the world of pop, she’s going nowhere but up. The Missouri-born singer-songwriter and her mop of red hair have been inescapable on pretty much every social platform. She’s been opening for (and kissing) Olivia Rodrigo on the Guts World Tour, dancing to her own music in front of Red Lobster, and got us all doing the treadmill strut. At this point, Roan is basically the chief marketing officer for gay pop. But, wait, didn’t someone else just say they wanted that job?Last week, JoJo Siwa got roasted to oblivion for saying she wanted to “start” a new music genre called “gay pop.” (Pronounced like “K-pop,” but with “gay” instead.) Folks including Betty Who and the beloved duo Tegan and Sara raised their eyebrows, prompting Siwa to walk back her statements and explain that she never meant she wanted to invent a new genre—no, no—she simply wants to “be a piece of making it bigger than it already is.” The “Karma” singer added that, although she’s “not the president [of gay pop],” she’d like to be the CMO “and use my marketing tactics whether people like it or not.”To be clear, there’s plenty of room in the pop world for all of the JoJo Siwas and Chappell Roans, especially as queer artists continue to conquer other genres including rock (see: boygenius), rap (Lil Nas X), country (Orville Peck), and R&B (Janelle Monae and Frank Ocean). What’s fascinating here is the mirror image that these two represent—one, an industry-approved star working very, very hard to leave her kiddie-music days behind by solidifying herself as an edgy, queer artist; the other, a performer whose debut album was almost a decade in the making and only came together after she’d moved to Hollywood at 17, gotten kicked off her record label a few years later, lost all her money, and moved back in with her parents while working at a drive-through coffee kiosk. Taken together, these two artists’ trajectories offer a fascinating window into the State of Gay Pop Today.Read more at The Daily Beast.

Ludo StudioThere was a wackadoo of an international incident this week.It was an event so shattering that adults around the globe were immediately reduced to tears. There is no known cure for the weeping that occurs surrounding this inciting party: a family of cartoon Australian dogs who might be moving out of their house.The animated series Bluey, which streams on Disney+ in the U.S., is a phenomenon. But this week—in which the sheer number of grown adults allegedly crying along to its season finale has made headlines across the globe—the show reached a whole new level of relevance. And, now that I’ve seen the episode myself (and sobbed silently alone while watching) I have some thoughts as to why this show has become such a big deal—and a crucial, necessary part of pop culture.Read more at The Daily Beast.

Photo Illustration by Luis G. Rendon/The Daily Beast/Getty Images/NetflixWhen I first learned that an AI chatbot was joining The Circle for Season 6, I wasn’t exactly worried for the human players. We’ve heard plenty about how quickly this tech is progressing (too fast, some suggest), but my own occasional experiences with AI have mostly left me underwhelmed. For instance: A few weeks ago, when I wrapped up a blog post dream-casting Margot Robbie’s upcoming Sims movie, I asked ChatGPT to tell me who it would cast as Bella Goth. It chose Charlize Theron. I mean, I love her, but Charlize Theron? As Bella Goth?! Suffice it to say that when The Circle Season 6 debuted Wednesday on Netflix with its robo-character, “Max,” I went in fully convinced that, while AI might be automating over more and more of our world, it still lacks a certain human touch. Foolishly, I thought that there was no way this tech twist would actually convince anyone. Alas, to err is human, and when I binged the first four episodes, I was shocked to discover that the damn chatbot was totally flying under the radar. Circle, message: How the hell could this be?! Read more at The Daily Beast.

There'd been a reason I'd carried that box around. The more questions I asked, the more questions I had.

In a new court filing, Judge Cannon detailed the rules for the release of the evidence.

Israel struck Iran early Friday, according to officials from both countries, in what appeared to be its first military response to the Iranian attack on Israel last weekend.

The amount issued in tax refunds for the 2023 fiscal year has increased by 2.7 percent, the IRS has announced.

Republican senators have accused the Democratic Party of backing away from ally Israel and emboldening Iran to attack the country.

If you're struggling with today's "Connections" puzzle, Newsweek has provided some hints to help you get to the answers.

The House speaker's future hangs in the balance as hardline GOP figures oppose upcoming foreign aid bill votes.

Nigerian singer Simi shares with CNN's Larry Madowo how she balances her global stardom with her naturally introverted personality.

Amid massive antisemitism on American ivy league campuses, a former high level Iranian official who teaches at Princeton University has been accused of allegedly voicing support to two terror groups.

The Oklahoma City bombing killed 168 people on April 19, 1995. Ret. FBI Special Agent Barry Black remembers what it was like to respond to the act of terror 29 years later.

Abigail Adams proved a peerless patriot in the American Revolution with "a spirit that will not be conquered" while championing rights for women in the new nation.

A political organization with ties to Dem. Rep. Eric Swalwell is sending mailers boosting a GOP challenger to a Trump supporting incumbent in a key Pennsylvania primary.

Indians head to the polls on April 19 and are expected to hand Prime Minister Narendra Modi another five-year term.

Press TVIran’s tightly controlled state media made fun of Israel’s reprisal attack on Friday, claiming that a few drones had been intercepted and no serious damage was done—with a top Israeli minister appearing to agree.World capitals have been on edge since Iran launched an unprecedented direct attack on Israel last week, with President Joe Biden among those pleading with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to respond with a direct attack on Iran.Late on Thursday, U.S. rolling news channels switched into breathless global conflict mode as reports emerged that Israel had dismissed the urgent advice of the White House and launched a strike on Israeli soil.Read more at The Daily Beast.

Just as Swifties got their fix of 17 melancholic tracks on "TTPD," the 14-time Grammy winner announced that the project is actually a double album.

Funcionarios de Estados Unidos rechazaron realizar comentarios en la madrugada del viernes

Según la organización, al presentar su informe anual, se da violencia sexual mayoritariamente en la selva del Darién, entre Panamá y Colombia, y violencia física o secuestros en el noreste de México

Abas Aslani, an Iranian journalist and researcher based in Tehran, joins CNN's John Vause to discuss the atmosphere inside Iran after Israel's military strike.

"I didn't realize it had been so long."

Finding today's "Wordle" puzzle a challenge? Newsweek has gathered a few clues to help you find the answer.

Poland announced that on-duty aircraft had been deployed to "ensure the safety of Polish airspace" following Russian attacks on Ukraine overnight.

Experience the best of Virginia, a state rich in history and filled with fun attractions for the whole family.

In Israel, officials described the strike as a limited response designed to avoid escalating tensions. Iran’s state television said military and nuclear facilities were safe.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party got less than 40% of the vote in the last election. But his fractured and dysfunctional rivals have struggled to capitalize on that.

Ukraine's southern military command said Russia has several dozen such missiles stockpiled at military hubs like Crimea.

NetflixZack Snyder dreams in slow motion, his reveries alight with cascading sparks, mushrooming fireballs, and brightly colored energy beams streaking through the air. There’s no modern director more adept at crafting gorgeous pseudo-static tableaus of superhuman and science-fiction mayhem and madness, and he reaffirms that reputation with Rebel Moon—Part Two: The Scargiver, which hits Netflix and select theaters April 19, the second half of a two-movie epic that began with last December’s A Child of Fire.Alas, the downside to Snyder’s fondness for hitting the figurative brakes to gaze at men and women in over-the-top, fit-for-Heavy-Metal-magazine panoramas is that his material often grinds to a halt, and that’s never been truer than with his latest, whose visual splendor is no match for his simplistic, derivative plot.Having defeated admiral Noble (Ed Skrein) at the conclusion of the prior film, fugitive rebel Kora (Sofia Boutella) returns with her mates—love interest Gunnar (Michiel Huisman), general Titus (Djimon Hounsou), cyborg swordswoman Nemesis (Donna Bae), animal tamer Tarak (Staz Nair), and soldier Millius (Elise Duffy)—to Gunnar’s home planet of Veldt. There, she delivers the good news that Noble is dead and that their crops are now safe from the predatory clutches of the Motherworld. What she doesn’t know is that Noble didn’t perish in their last scuffle and has been resurrected by his comrades in a techno-chrysalis that’s juiced via shiny blue and red tubes. Even without this information, however, Veldt’s celebration is short-lived, since one of their own is working as a double agent for the Motherworld, and reports back that the villains will arrive (in five short days) to make their regular grain pick-up.Read more at The Daily Beast.

Dear Abby weighs in on a guest whose appearance may be a distraction at her cousin's wedding and a gym instructor who makes her distaste for a student known.

The former president's aircraft has been seen parked at LaGuardia Airport in New York as he takes part in his hush money trial in Manhattan.

An elderly dog with epilepsy and a mild heart murmur played matchmaker for his mum after her six year relationship ended and forced her to move back to the U.S. from the Netherlands.

It was a rough Major League debut on Thursday for Jack Leiter, but his team still managed to squeak out a victory.

The "limited" retaliatory strike was carried out by the Israeli forces despite earlier warnings by the Biden administration.

The House Rules Committee approved a rule by nine votes to three on Thursday to move a $95.3 billion foreign aid package to the floor for a vote.

An Indianapolis elementary school teacher allegedly orchestrated a "fight club-style" punishment between classmates including a 7-year-old special needs student, disturbing video showed.

García podría estar dando varios pasos hacia atrás en su credibilidad y confianza si es que cae este sábado ante Haney, exactamente un año después de haber sucumbido ante Davis

The airport is currently called Oakland International Airport.

Israel has carried out a strike inside Iran, according to a US official. Follow for live updates.

"Just sugar nothing good in this breakfast, poor parenting," read one comment.

Caitlin Clark registered her first block with the Indiana Fever.

Despite the White House previously voicing its opposition against Israel striking back at Iran, the Jewish state issued "limited" strikes on Friday.

Ashok Kumar/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights ManagementAs the clock struck midnight on Friday and Spotify streams raged, Taylor Swift dropped a few hints behind the meaning of her latest album, The Tortured Poets Department.In her first statement since the album’s release, Swift said that she had “no scores to settle” via her music, and described the project as “both sensational and sorrowful in equal measure.” Reviews, however, are already describing it as a “doozy” of a break-up album.Read more at The Daily Beast.

Adrian Kempe scores six seconds into overtime to lift the Kings to a 5-4 victory and set up a showdown with the Edmonton Oilers in the playoffs.

ABCTaylor Swift fans have been counting down the seconds until the release of her much-anticipated new album, The Tortured Poets Department, which arrives today. But it was the Swifties who ended up being tortured when Jimmy Kimmel decided to prank a few of them by attempting to pass “Anything Is Possible,” Lara Trump’s painful-to-hear new single, off as a track from Swift.Spoiler alert: No one was impressed.“Taylor Swift’s album isn’t the only major release this month,” Kimmel told his audience on Thursday. “It’s the biggest, but we also got a new single a couple weeks ago from RNC co-chair and former first daughter-in-law Lara Trump.”Read more at The Daily Beast.

Julian Hall is like any other teenager in New Jersey.

As some 970 million Indians start to vote in the country's general election, polls suggest that incumbent Prime Minister Narendra Modi will win a third-term in office.

The Security Council veto has triggered backlash as global divisions continue to sharpen over Israel’s war on Gaza.