The ceremony brought together members of the Abura Odonase community in a meaningful celebration.

Cheryl Polote Williamson has been enstooled as a Queen Mother in Ghana, assuming a development-focused leadership role as she expands her philanthropic, business, and diaspora engagement initiatives in the country, according to CityBiz.com.

The Anona Royal Family enstooled Polote Williamson as Nana Aba Kwekuwah Somah I, Queen Mother of Development for the Abura Odonase Traditional Area. The ceremony gathered members of the Abura Odonase community, along with more than 25 divisional chiefs and queen mothers.

The role centers on advancing community development. During her enstoolment and swearing-in ceremony, Polote Williamson unveiled a 12-point strategic plan aimed at creating opportunities and mobilizing resources for women, children, and young people. She has already started putting the plan into action, including an initiative to renovate the village school.

“Giving our children the space and opportunity to dream is more than an ideal—it is a responsibility we all share,” Polote Williamson said.

“When we broaden their horizons and remove the barriers in their way, we give them the freedom to discover the limitless possibilities of who they can become.”

Just days before her enstoolment, Polote Williamson was appointed tourism ambassador for diaspora affairs by Ghana Tourism Federation President Seth Ocran. In this role, she is expected to promote diaspora tourism, investment, and cultural exchange between Ghana and the United States.

Polote Williamson, who has also spoken at Women of Power Summit, led a delegation of 20 women from across the United States to Ghana as part of a U.S.-Ghana business initiative. Representing diverse business backgrounds, the group took part in the inaugural Dr. Cheryl Polote Williamson Business and Cultural Summit on Sept. 14.

The summit brought together representatives from Ghana’s Diaspora Affairs Office, the Ghana Investment Promotion Center, the Real Estate Agency Council, the National Commission on Culture, and the Ghana Tourism Federation. Discussions focused on investment opportunities, business regulations, real estate, citizenship, and cultural engagement.

Over the course of the seven-day visit, the delegation explored Accra and Ghana’s Central Region, with stops at notable sites such as the W.E.B. Du Bois Center and Elmina Castle. According to the release, the group generated more than $200,000 in economic activity for the local community.

Delegation members also supported Polote Williamson’s nonprofit organization, Soul Reborn, which distributed sanitary products and Liberty Cards to children and young people in Accra. She plans to return to Ghana in October to move forward with plans for an information and communications technology center in Abura Odonase while continuing her work with local schools.

As trillions of dollars are transferred across generations, women are poised to become significant wealth holders, making financial preparation and open family communication more important than ever.

The Great Wealth Transfer is changing the landscape of wealth in America, with women positioned to play an increasingly central role in managing and controlling it.

An estimated $105 trillion could be transferred by 2045, with women expected to receive a significant share as they inherit wealth from parents and, in many cases, outlive their spouses. But inheriting wealth and being prepared to manage it are two very different things.

Citizens Bank reports that 74% of women who expect to inherit wealth from their parents may not feel fully prepared to receive or manage those assets. Among women who have already inherited, 80% said they encountered challenges, such as limited family discussions about the transfer or uncertainty about their family’s financial situation. Recently widowed women reported similar difficulties, including unexpected financial issues and insufficient planning.

J.P. Morgan research published in January 2026 found that 70% of family members struggle to have conversations about family wealth. Nearly one in four younger family members say they feel uninformed, while roughly 20% report that financial discussions are postponed or avoided altogether.

Women may benefit from being brought into these conversations early, including discussions about investments, estate planning, business ownership, insurance, retirement accounts, and charitable giving. Families can also clarify who is responsible for financial decisions and make sure beneficiaries understand the assets they may eventually inherit.

The goal is not simply to transfer wealth—it is to transfer the knowledge and financial confidence needed to preserve it.

This can be particularly significant for Black families, given the broader racial wealth gap and the importance of preserving wealth across generations. Understanding how inherited and family-owned assets work, along with access to qualified professional guidance, can play an important role in helping heirs manage and sustain that wealth.

This shift also carries important implications for financial advisers, banks, wealth managers, and entrepreneurs who serve affluent women. As women take on greater responsibility for household and inherited wealth, financial institutions may increasingly need to recognize them as primary financial decision-makers rather than secondary participants in family finances. Citizens Private Bank projects that women could control the majority of U.S. private wealth by 2030, highlighting the changing landscape of wealth management.

The Great Wealth Transfer could move trillions of dollars between generations. But its long-term impact may ultimately depend on something less visible: whether the next generation has the financial knowledge and preparation to manage that wealth when it arrives.

A surrogate mother who chose to continue her pregnancy after doctors discovered that the unborn baby had a severe heart defect has lost her final attempt to bring a custody dispute before the U.S. Supreme Court.

McKenna West had asked the nation’s highest court to step in over the contentious custody battle involving the five-week-old boy, whom she refers to as Gabriel, while his biological parents call him Rumi.

However, Justice Elena Kagan rejected West’s emergency petition, leaving intact a California court order that recognizes the child’s biological parents, Omar Ahmed and Nausheen Gilkar, as his legal guardians.

“We are relieved that Rumi can continue receiving the medical treatment necessary for his survival and that he will remain with his parents, who are committed to making sure he receives the best possible care,” Ahmed and Gilkar’s attorneys told the Daily Mail.

The legal team added that West’s filings in three states, multiple appellate courts, and ultimately the U.S. Supreme Court had challenged Rumi’s parents’ ability to make medical decisions for their son. According to the attorneys, every court that considered the matter has rejected those efforts.

The decision came as photographs obtained by the Daily Mail showed the newborn surrounded by tubes and medical equipment, with a prominent surgical scar down the middle of his chest following emergency heart surgery.

The images, provided by Ahmed and Gilkar, offer a rare public look at the infant at the center of the contentious custody dispute.

Rumi was born in Dallas on August 12 with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), a rare and potentially life-threatening condition in which the left side of the heart is severely underdeveloped and unable to adequately pump blood throughout the body.

He underwent complicated heart surgery shortly after birth. His parents later told a Texas court that he experienced serious medical complications and that his condition worsened, at one point requiring doctors to intubate him again.

The complicated legal dispute began while West was still pregnant.

After unsuccessful IVF attempts, the couple turned to surrogacy and entered into an agreement with West, a cardiac nurse from Anchorage, Alaska, in August 2025. The contract included a provision allowing the pregnancy to be terminated if a fetal abnormality was discovered.

West later said she was asked to terminate the pregnancy after an ultrasound at about 20 weeks revealed that the baby had a serious heart condition.

She declined and subsequently traveled to Texas to give birth, as a broader disagreement developed over what the surrogacy contract allowed the intended parents to request.

West’s attorneys have argued that she was concerned the couple might decline potentially lifesaving treatment for the baby. She has sought custody or conservatorship, saying she wants to make sure the child continues receiving necessary medical care.

Ahmed and Gilkar have strongly rejected that account.

The couple has acknowledged asking West to terminate the pregnancy after learning of the diagnosis but denied ever intending to withhold lifesaving treatment from their son.

Gilkar told a Dallas judge last month that she and her husband were committed to obtaining the medical care their son, whom they named Rumi, needs—and that West’s actions have added further complexity and tension to an already heartbreaking situation.

Their attorney has argued that West’s ongoing legal efforts could create uncertainty over who has the authority to make critical medical decisions while the baby remains under treatment.

“She’s making us go from doctor to doctor and state to state with our baby. She’s trying to take him,” Gilkar previously testified.

In court documents, the couple also accused West of breaching the terms of their surrogacy agreement and maintained that they, rather than the surrogate, are the child’s legal parents.

The dispute escalated shortly before the baby’s birth when Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton became involved and secured a court order requiring the newborn to receive lifesaving medical care.

West’s refusal to terminate the pregnancy has drawn support from her advocates and transformed the case into a broader national debate involving abortion, surrogacy and parental rights.

The case has received backing from anti-abortion groups and Republican officials, while also highlighting the complex legal issues that can arise when surrogacy arrangements involve multiple states.

Because there is no comprehensive federal law governing surrogacy in the United States, states have developed differing rules regarding parental rights and surrogacy agreements.

Despite her efforts, West’s attempts to obtain custody have repeatedly been rejected by the courts.

On September 2, a Texas judge ruled against West’s request for sole conservatorship and dismissed her from the case, while a California court separately recognized Ahmed and Gilkar as the baby’s legal parents.

On September 18, the Texas Supreme Court also cleared the way for the medically fragile infant to leave Texas and travel to Los Angeles for treatment, emphasizing the importance of preserving the child’s life.

West subsequently took her case to the U.S. Supreme Court, asking Justice Kagan to block the California ruling and preserve her ability to advocate for the baby. The Supreme Court has now declined to intervene.

The decision does not resolve every dispute between West and the couple, but it leaves the existing custody arrangement in place, with the newborn remaining in the care of Ahmed and Gilkar.

Richard Allen, the convicted killer in the 2017 Delphi murders, is now arguing that his own confessions should never have been admitted as evidence, claiming he was experiencing a severe psychological crisis when he repeatedly confessed to killing two teenage girls.

Allen, 54, was convicted in 2024 of murdering best friends Abigail Williams, 13, and Liberty German, 14. Their deaths sent shockwaves through the tight-knit Indiana community and sparked a massive investigation.

He is currently serving a 130-year prison sentence—65 years for each victim.

Now, Allen’s attorneys are seeking to have his convictions overturned, arguing that his increasingly disturbing behavior and statements while behind bars were the result of a severe psychological crisis.

The appeal was heard Monday by the Indiana Court of Appeals, where his lawyers argued that the alleged confessions should not be considered reliable because of his deteriorating mental state while in prison.

The legal battle marks the latest development in a case that began with one of the most chilling pieces of evidence ever captured on a victim’s cellphone.

On February 13, 2017, Abby and Libby were walking near the Monon High Bridge in Delphi on a day off from school when a man approached them.

Libby, 14, managed to record a brief video on her cellphone. The grainy footage captured a man walking along the railroad bridge, while a male voice was heard ordering the girls: “Down the hill.”

The eerie recording would go on to become one of the most significant pieces of evidence in the investigation.

Prosecutors later alleged that Allen was the man captured in the footage and that he used a handgun to force the girls away from the trail before they were killed.

The girls’ bodies were discovered the following day. Prosecutors said their throats had been cut, with one victim found nude and the other wearing clothing belonging to the first girl.

Despite the shocking crime, Allen remained free for more than five years before authorities arrested him in October 2022.

During his trial, prosecutors presented an unspent cartridge found between the victims, arguing that it had been cycled through Allen’s handgun.

But some of the most extraordinary evidence came from Allen himself.

While awaiting trial behind bars, he allegedly began making a series of increasingly disturbing statements about the killings.

According to testimony presented in court, Allen repeatedly confessed to murdering Abby and Libby.

One prison employee testified that Allen had said: “I, Richard Matthew Allen, killed Abby and Libby by myself.”

Another witness testified that Allen described planning to sexually assault the girls before panicking and killing them.

More than 60 alleged confessions—made in person, over the phone and in writing—were presented during the trial. His attorneys now argue, however, that those statements and the evidence surrounding them cannot be considered reliable.

The defense claims Allen’s prolonged isolation and the conditions of his imprisonment in solitary confinement contributed to a severe psychological breakdown.

His lawyers argue that his deteriorating mental state may have caused him to genuinely believe he had killed the girls. They contend that Allen was experiencing psychosis when some of the alleged confessions were made and that jurors should have been given more information about his mental condition.

“We live in a world where one or two things happen here,” Allen’s attorney, Mark Leeman, said. “A pharmacy tech with no criminal history goes out for a walk to watch a stock ticker and look at fish and decides to gruesomely murder two girls. Or, we live in a world where the police through confirmation bias failed to find the right guy.”

This invention could mark a significant advancement in sports officiating technology.

The Frustration That Sparked the Innovation

As a youth girls’ basketball coach in New Jersey, Maria Carthon recalls one recurring challenge: trying to get a referee’s attention when she needed to call a timeout. Too often, stoppages came late—or didn’t happen at all—creating frustration during crucial moments of the game.

As a passionate sports fan, Carthon noticed that coaches at various levels faced the same challenge. She found it surprising that, despite today’s advanced technology—including instant replay systems designed to reduce human error in college and professional sports—there was still no reliable way to ensure that valuable time was preserved, particularly during the most critical moments of a game.

After a particularly frustrating experience in 2011, when a referee brushed aside her complaint about not being granted a timeout and told her, “Next time, jump up and down and yell,” Carthon decided it was time to address the problem herself.

“Sports have invested billions of dollars in technology to determine whether a player’s foot touched the out-of-bounds line or the three-point line,” Carthon explained. “Time is critical during the most strategic moments of a game, and it shouldn’t depend on whether a coach can be heard over the crowd. If no one else was going to solve the problem, I decided I would.”

From Idea to Product: Building the Business Strategy

While serving as Associate Director of Programs in the Office of Enrollment Management at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Carthon began researching inventions and expanding her knowledge of product development, intellectual property, and business strategy. She later returned to college to earn a Master’s degree in Business Law, giving her the expertise to transform innovative ideas into viable business opportunities.

Introducing T.O.S.S.: How the Wireless Timeout System Works

Her dedication eventually led to the development of the Time Out Synchronized System (T.O.S.S.), a wireless device designed to help coaches communicate with referees instantly when they need a stoppage in play. With the push of a button, the system alerts an official from a distance, even in noisy, crowded game environments, making it easier for coaches to signal their request for a timeout.

This invention could represent a significant advancement in sports officiating technology, designed to help address game-management challenges that may influence the course of a competition.

Developed in 2023 and continuing to evolve, the system operates through a simple two-step process. When a coach needs a timeout, they press a compact handheld device, which immediately sends a wireless signal to a wrist-worn device used by the referees. The vibration alerts officials to the timeout request, regardless of their location on the court or playing field.

Carthon and others who have tested the innovation believe that T.O.S.S. has the potential to become a standard feature at sporting events in the future.

Endorsements from Professional Athletes and Industry Experts

Former NFL player Ryan McNeil, who tested T.O.S.S., highlighted the challenges of introducing change in the sports industry. “Sports has been an industry where change is hard,” McNeil said. He noted that the conventional mindset has often been, “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.” However, he believes Carthon’s product addresses both efficiency and strategy by reducing the delays and uncertainty coaches can face when trying to call a timeout. In his view, T.O.S.S. can help minimize the chaos surrounding these critical moments and provide a more reliable way for coaches to communicate with officials.

Others who have encountered the innovation, including former NBA player Willie Anderson, share a similarly positive view. Anderson, who played for four teams over a nine-year professional basketball career, tested T.O.S.S. and described it as “a game-changer.” He explained that the device could benefit both referees and coaches, particularly during the closing moments of a game when crowd noise can make communication difficult. Because referees would receive a vibration when the timeout button is pressed, they could remain focused on the action rather than constantly watching the sidelines. Anderson believes this could significantly reduce the pressure placed on officials.

Anderson also recalled coaching an AAU game several years ago when he urgently needed to call a timeout but struggled to get the referees’ attention. “It was wild and crazy in the stands, and the other team had the ball, and they missed the shot,” he recalled. “I was trying to call a timeout, but the ref was focused on all the activity on the floor. By the time I got the timeout, we had lost about six seconds on the clock.”

According to Anderson, those six seconds could have made a meaningful difference, potentially giving his team an opportunity to win. Instead, there was not enough time to organize a play. He believes a system like T.O.S.S. could have prevented the delay, illustrating the potential value of the technology in high-pressure game situations.

Grassroots Deployment and Real-World League Testing

Despite receiving numerous endorsements supporting T.O.S.S., Carthon has found it difficult to gain access to officials within high-level sports organizations who are responsible for evaluating and approving new technologies for league-wide adoption. About six months ago, she decided to take a different approach.

“We shifted and adopted a bottom-up approach, focusing first on recreational leagues and high school athletics,” Carthon said. “What is especially exciting is that this next phase is no longer just about developing the technology; we have real-world testing.”

The strategy has already yielded promising results. T.O.S.S. was recently piloted successfully in Henry and DeKalb counties in the Atlanta metropolitan area, as well as in Georgia Parks and Recreation basketball leagues.

“Several leagues have expressed interest in piloting T.O.S.S.,” Carthon said.

Capital Investment and Venture Mentorship

With financial support from her fiancé, Cliff Ochemba, and her brother, Carthon has invested approximately $100,000 in developing her invention. She estimates that an additional $200,000 to $250,000 will be needed “to take the technology to the next level and develop a more robust, league-ready product.” The additional funding would go toward engineering and product design, developing the next-generation prototype, conducting further testing, and producing a limited pre-production run.

To help move T.O.S.S. toward that stage, Carthon sought mentorship through the American Technology Venture Lab (ATVL). Working under the guidance of Dennis C. Hayes, inventor of the Hayes PC modem, she further developed the business strategy behind T.O.S.S. and gained valuable knowledge in intellectual property commercialization, entrepreneurship, technology ventures, and scaling an innovation from an initial concept into a market-ready product.

Looking to the Future of Sports Technology

Anderson expressed confidence in the technology’s potential, saying, “That technology will make it.” However, he also cautioned Carthon to protect her invention as interest from major professional leagues grows, noting that the NBA could potentially seek to acquire or develop access to the technology.

As a mother of two adult children, Carthon appears more focused on continuing to refine the innovation. With the product already patented, her priority is strengthening T.O.S.S. and addressing any concerns leagues may raise about its functionality and reliability.

“It’s exciting. We have made great strides,” Carthon said. “But there are more strides to be made.”

Shocking surveillance footage captured the terrifying moment a patient erupted in violence inside a Florida hospital.

Rubin Wenyou, 44, was reportedly seen chasing medical staff through the emergency room before repeatedly punching a veteran nurse, knocking her to the floor.

Registered nurse Yanira Eguileor says she was violently attacked during the May 30 incident at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami.

“He started punching me in the back of my head,” Eguileor told WSVN, saying she was struck three times during the terrifying assault.

A second surveillance angle shows the nurse sprawled on the floor as several hospital workers rush in and attempt to restrain the patient.

Eguileor said the attack happened so suddenly that doctors and other staff members had to step in to help.

“He threw me to the ground, and I hit my head,” she told WSVN.

She added that doctors, registration staff, and other coworkers eventually pulled the patient away from her, while she did not see any security personnel at the scene.

The frightening incident took place inside Jackson Memorial’s newly opened emergency department, a facility that Eguileor’s attorney said cost more than $300 million to build.

Attorney Michael Pizzi called the surveillance footage deeply disturbing, saying it documents the violent assault his client experienced during what was supposed to be a routine shift.

“It’s graphic. It’s frightening,” Pizzi said Wednesday, describing the footage as showing a longtime Jackson nurse being repeatedly beaten and left nearly unconscious while, he alleges, receiving no security protection during the attack.

Eguileor said the assault forced her to undergo the same kind of emergency medical care she normally provides to patients.

She said doctors ordered CT scans of her brain, neck and spine following the incident.

According to Pizzi, the nurse suffered extensive bruising along with injuries affecting her head, neck, spine and back.

“She’s been traumatized by this event,” Pizzi said.

Despite the traumatic incident, Eguileor said she still cares deeply about her work at the hospital but believes more should have been done to keep staff safe.

She is now preparing to file a $5 million lawsuit against Jackson Memorial and Miami-Dade County, alleging negligent supervision and inadequate security measures.

Attorney Michael Pizzi claimed that “Jackson Memorial Hospital did not provide any security whatsoever.”

Jackson Health, however, disputes that characterization. The health system declined to comment on the specific allegations because of the ongoing investigation and anticipated litigation, but said security personnel were present when the attack occurred.

According to a statement from Jackson Health, four dedicated public safety specialists were assigned to the Jackson Memorial emergency department around the clock, seven days a week—including the day of the incident.

The hospital also said two off-duty Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office deputies are stationed on campus at all times.

Jackson Health added that hospital personnel responded almost immediately after the violence began.

“Within seconds, the first Jackson Public Safety Officer arrived at the scene, followed shortly by additional officers,” the statement said.

The hospital added that employees involved in the incident were immediately offered support and care following the attack.

Meanwhile, Pizzi has filed a separate whistleblower lawsuit seeking to protect Eguileor from alleged retaliation. He also said he was forced to sue both Jackson Memorial and the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office to obtain the surveillance footage. The Sheriff’s Office declined to comment, citing the pending litigation.

Before the attack, Wenyou had reportedly been involuntarily detained for a mental-health evaluation. He was later charged with felony battery in connection with the hospital incident.

Eguileor said she was shocked to discover that prosecutors had dropped the charge, claiming she had never been contacted to provide her account of what happened.

“Police told victims the state attorney was going to contact you,” Eguileor said. “That was June 3. No one ever contacted me, and then I found out today.”

Pizzi sharply criticized the handling of the criminal case, accusing prosecutors of failing to properly communicate with the victim.

“You blew it,” he said, arguing that prosecutors should have spoken with Eguileor before deciding how to proceed.

The Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office disputed that account, saying prosecutors attempted to contact the people involved in the attack but received no response from the victims, preventing the case from moving forward at that time.

The office said the case could potentially be reviewed and refiled if appropriate contact information is provided.

A Florida woman allegedly drugged a man she met during a night out at a casino complex before stealing his luxury Rolex, reportedly valued at nearly $100,000.

Authorities believe he may not be her only alleged victim and are investigating the suspect over four other cases that reportedly share strikingly similar circumstances.

Lynda Mae Crouse, 32, was arrested Friday on charges of robbery and grand theft related to an April encounter at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida.

The alleged victim told investigators that he first met Crouse on April 12 at the Carousel Club, an outdoor entertainment venue located within the sprawling racing and casino complex.

According to the arrest report, the two exchanged Instagram accounts and later made plans to see each other again.

The man then arranged an Uber to pick Crouse up from her address and take her to his home.

Once they arrived, the pair began drinking together. However, the man told investigators he had consumed far too little alcohol to account for what happened afterward.

At one point that evening, he left Crouse alone in the living room while he went to his bedroom to change clothes.

It was after he returned to the living room that the evening allegedly took a disturbing turn.

The man told investigators that he suddenly began feeling “funny” and “extremely tired,” while also hearing an unusual clapping sound coming from the living room.

When he returned, he allegedly noticed that Crouse was acting differently. Shortly afterward, she reportedly told him she was going home, according to the arrest report.

The man said his condition then deteriorated rapidly. He became increasingly exhausted and confused before eventually falling into a deep sleep.

Several hours later, he woke up with a nagging feeling that something was seriously wrong. Still feeling unusually strange, he told authorities he believed he had been drugged.

His thoughts immediately turned to his valuables—and, in particular, his prized luxury watch.

When he checked the box where he kept his Rolex, he discovered that the luxury watch was gone.

Authorities described the missing timepiece as a 40mm gold Presidential model featuring baguette diamond hour markers and a bezel covered in round diamonds. It was valued at approximately $98,400.

The man later identified Crouse from a photographic lineup.

Investigators say the Gulfstream Park incident may not have been an isolated case.

Authorities have linked Crouse to four other active investigations in Miami-Dade County, including cases in Aventura, Miami and Miami Beach.

According to investigators, those cases allegedly follow a similar pattern: Crouse is accused of approaching men wearing expensive watches at bars and clubs, using a sedative to incapacitate them, and then stealing their valuables.

In one of the other cases, investigators said toxicology results from an alleged victim detected the presence of zolpidem, a prescription sleep medication.

The prescription medication is a sedative that can cause rapid drowsiness, confusion and memory problems, with those effects potentially becoming more pronounced when combined with alcohol.

The allegations resemble a type of theft sometimes described by law enforcement as a “bad date” crime, where someone meets a victim socially before the victim is allegedly incapacitated and later discovers that valuables are missing.

In the April incident, the man acknowledged that he had been drinking with Crouse but told investigators that he had not consumed enough alcohol to ordinarily cause him to black out.

Months after the alleged encounter, investigators arrested Crouse in connection with the case.

She was booked into jail Friday on robbery and grand theft charges and was later released on a $2,000 bond.

The 78th Emmy Awards are facing a wave of criticism after performers of color failed to take home a single award across the ceremony’s major acting categories during Monday night’s event in Los Angeles.

The debate intensified after Variety’s Clayton Davis branded the ceremony “Emmys So White Part 2,” reviving a controversy that surrounded the awards in 2021. Davis highlighted that all 12 acting prizes presented during the ceremony went to white performers.

The lack of diversity was also reflected in this year’s nominations. According to Davis, just 17 actors of color received nominations across the lead and supporting acting categories—a 39 percent drop from the 28 nominees recorded in 2025.

The Beast in Me star Matthew Rhys, who made Emmy history with his win, and Pluribus actress Rhea Seehornultimately claimed trophies, beating out several high-profile contenders, including Euphoria star Zendaya and Beef’s Oscar Isaac.

Among actors of color, only Ernest Harden Jr. of The Pitt and Octavia Spencer took home Emmy honors for on-camera or voice performances this year. Harden Jr. won Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series, while Spencer was recognized as Outstanding Narrator for her work on Lost Women of Alaska.

Neither of those victories, however, was featured during Monday’s televised ceremony. Their awards were presented earlier at the Creative Arts Emmys, held two weekends before the main event.

With no performers of color taking home a major acting prize during Monday night’s broadcast, viewers took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to express their frustration, with some reviving the phrase “Emmys So White” to describe the results.

One of the biggest points of contention was Paradise star Sterling K. Brown losing the Lead Actor in a Drama Series award to The Pitt’s Noah Wyle. Fans flooded social media arguing that Brown was more deserving of the honor, particularly as Wyle had already won the same award at the 2025 Emmys.

Rhea Seehorn claimed the Emmy for Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her performance in Pluribus, edging out strong contenders including Euphoria star Zendaya and The Testaments actress Chase Infiniti.

Meanwhile, some viewers argued that Abbott Elementary star Janelle James, a five-time Emmy nominee, was long overdue for recognition. James lost the Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series prize to Widow’s Bay breakout star Kate O’Flynn, prompting fans to question whether James had once again been overlooked.

In the drama supporting actress race, The Pitt’s Sepideh Moafi was defeated by The Diplomat star Allison Janney, who added another trophy to her résumé and became an eight-time Emmy winner.

Task star Tom Pelphrey won Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, prevailing over contenders such as Pluribus actor Carlos-Manuel Vesga.

In the comedy categories, Jean Smart continued her Emmy dominance, securing her fifth consecutive Lead Actress in a Comedy Series award for Hacks. Her victory came at the expense of Abbott Elementary creator and star Quinta Brunson and The Bear actress Ayo Edebiri.

Matthew Rhys was another major winner of the night, taking home two Emmys, including Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for his role in Widow’s Bay. Among those competing in the category was Wonder Man star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II.

Keeping Widow’s Bay’s momentum going, Stephen Root took home the award for Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, beating out The Four Seasons star Colman Domingo and Abbott Elementary’s Tyler James Williams.

The Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie category also drew attention, as no actresses of color were among the nominees. The award ultimately went to Remarkably Bright Creatures star Sally Field.

In the corresponding lead actor category, non-white performers Oscar Isaac of Beef and Riz Ahmed of Bait were also left without the top prize, with The Beast in Me star Matthew Rhys taking the award.

The controversy echoes the backlash surrounding the 2021 Emmys, when a record 49 non-white performers received acting nominations but none ultimately won. At the time, actors, fans and activists accused the television academy of moving “backwards,” with the hashtag #EmmysSoWhite gaining traction as critics challenged the ceremony’s lack of diversity.

The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards were held Monday at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles.

Law & Order: SVU star and executive producer Mariska Hargitay took on hosting duties for the star-studded ceremony, marking the first time in 15 years that a woman has hosted the event.

The biggest triumph of the 2026 Emmy Awards belonged to Apple TV’s horror-comedy series Widow’s Bay, which delivered a near-perfect sweep. Leading star Matthew Rhys also made Emmy history, becoming the first actor to win two lead acting awards in different categories on the same night.

On the drama side, The Pitt continued its impressive run, taking home both Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Noah Wyle. The HBO Max series repeated the same victories it achieved at last year’s ceremony.

But Widow’s Bay quickly established itself as the night’s breakout powerhouse, winning all six categories in which it was nominated, including the coveted Outstanding Comedy Series award.

The series defeated a formidable comedy lineup that included Abbott Elementary, The Bear, Hacks, Margo’s Got Money Troubles, Nobody Wants This, Only Murders in the Building, and Shrinking.

Set on the fictional New England island of Widow’s Bay, the dark comedy follows a community plagued by a centuries-old curse that unleashes a series of supernatural threats upon the island.

Alongside Rhys, Widow’s Bay stars Kate O’Flynn and Stephen Root also collected major acting honors, winning the Outstanding Supporting Actress and Outstanding Supporting Actor awards in the comedy categories.

However, it was Rhys who emerged as perhaps the evening’s biggest individual winner. His historic double victory made him the first actor to claim two leading acting Emmys in different categories during a single ceremony.

Rhys made Emmy history by taking home not one but two major acting prizes. He won Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for his role in the Apple TV series Widow’s Bay, before also claiming Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for The Beast in Me earlier in the evening.

In Widow’s Bay, Rhys plays Tom Loftis, the mayor of the fictional island community. Originally from the mainland, Tom is initially doubtful of the locals’ beliefs surrounding the island’s mysterious curse. He is also a widower and the father of Evan, his son with his late wife, Lauren.

In the psychological thriller limited series The Beast in Me, Rhys takes on the role of Nile Jarvis, the son of a powerful real estate tycoon. Nile moves next door to Aggie Wiggs, played by Clare Danes, in Oyster Bay, Long Island, seeking a quieter and more secluded life with his second wife. His arrival raises disturbing questions, particularly amid allegations that he was responsible for the death of his first wife.

Meanwhile, The Pitt captured the evening’s biggest drama prize, winning Outstanding Drama Series after leading all shows with an impressive 25 nominations.

The HBO Max medical drama faced strong competition from The Diplomat, The Gilded Age, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Paradise, Pluribus, Slow Horses, and Your Friends and Neighbors.

Set in a Pittsburgh hospital, The Pitt follows healthcare professionals as they navigate demanding shifts while dealing with personal struggles, workplace tensions and the emotional burden of caring for critically ill patients. The series highlights the resilience and dedication required in one of the most challenging professions.

The first acting Emmy of the night for The Pitt went to Noah Wyle, who took home the coveted Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series award.

The 55-year-old actor prevailed over a competitive field that included Sterling K. Brown for Paradise, Gary Oldmanfor Slow Horses, Mark Ruffalo for Task, and Rufus Sewell for The Diplomat.

In The Pitt, Wyle portrays Dr. Michael “Robby” Robinavitch, the central character of the series. His character grapples with trauma, PTSD and lingering psychological effects following the COVID-19 pandemic while navigating the pressures of working in a busy hospital.

Meanwhile, Rhea Seehorn scored one of the evening’s major victories, defeating fellow nominee and global superstar Zendaya to claim the coveted honor.

The 54-year-old actress won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series at the 2026 Emmy Awards for her acclaimed performance in Pluribus, adding another major achievement to her career.

Jean Smart also continued her remarkable Emmy streak, winning Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for the fifth consecutive year.

The 75-year-old actress was honored for her role in Hacks, which recently concluded with its fifth and final season. The victory marked Smart’s eighth Emmy overall from 15 career nominations, and she appeared visibly emotional as her name was announced.

Zendaya presented Smart with the award during the ceremony.

Elsewhere, veteran actress Sally Field took home Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for her performance in Remarkably Bright Creatures.

The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards were held Monday night at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles, bringing together some of television’s biggest stars for the annual celebration.

Harriet Akotowah Mensah recognized the growing need for Black beauty services in Italy and transformed that opportunity into a thriving mobile bridal beauty business.

For Black women planning destination weddings in Italy, finding beauty professionals experienced with textured hair and deeper skin tones can be challenging. Ghanaian entrepreneur Harriet Akotowah Mensah recognized this gap in the market and turned the lack of accessible, specialized beauty services into a successful business opportunity.

Mensah’s growing business recently took her nearly five hours each way to Florence, where she prepared Micaéla Verrelien for her wedding at Villa Merlo Nero. Verrelien, co-owner of Brooklyn’s Sweet Fire Cafe & Studio with her husband, had spent an entire year searching for a Black bridal beauty professional in Italy before her social media community repeatedly pointed her toward Mensah. According to Mensah, the experience highlights a larger gap in Italy’s beauty industry and the growing demand for professionals who understand the unique needs of Black clients.

“Hetty’s Beauty Parlour grew out of a deeply personal experience. I recognized a gap in Italy’s beauty industry and saw how difficult it could be for Black women to find professionals who truly understood our hair textures, skin tones, and unique beauty needs,” Mensah told Travel Noire.

That unmet demand has created a market where clients are willing to travel significant distances—and pay additional travel fees—to access specialized beauty services. Mensah explained that for many clients, distance is less important than finding a beauty professional they can genuinely trust.

For Mensah, that trust has also become a powerful driver of business growth. While social media helps new clients discover her work, she says personal recommendations and referrals are what ultimately turn online visibility into paying customers.

“Social media helps people discover your work, but it’s trust that ultimately turns that visibility into bookings,” Mensah explained.

Now, Mensah is setting her sights beyond running a solo operation. Through The Afro Beauty Team, she hopes to grow a network of skilled beauty professionals who can serve Black clients while maintaining the high level of expertise and quality her customers have come to expect.

On September 11, 2001, a Virgin Atlantic flight carrying 90 terminally ill children on a Make-A-Wish trip to Disney World was unexpectedly diverted to Gander, Newfoundland. Instead of Mickey and Minnie, they were met by police and uncertainty. Their plane became the first of 38 stranded aircraft—and what followed was an extraordinary display of kindness and humanity.

Today, Gander International Airport sees only a handful of small flights each day. But on September 11, 2001, everything changed when the U.S. closed its airspace in response to the attacks, forcing dozens of international flights to land elsewhere.

Gander, located along a major transatlantic flight route, became an unexpected refuge for 38 passenger planes and thousands of stranded travelers. What followed was five remarkable days of compassion, generosity, and human connection—a rare light amid one of history’s darkest moments.

A small town of just 9,600 people suddenly welcomed nearly 7,000 stranded passengers from 92 countries after 9/11. Operation Yellow Ribbon became a remarkable story of compassion, community spirit, and the kindness of strangers during one of the darkest moments in history.

Their incredible story inspired Come From Away, the award-winning musical that brought Gander’s message of humanity to audiences around the world. For five unforgettable days, while the world waited for American airspace to reopen, the people of Gander opened their homes, hearts, and community to complete strangers.

Gander had once been known as the “Crossroads of the World,” welcoming travelers and famous figures from around the globe. But after September 11, 2001, it became known for something even greater: showing the world what humanity looks like when people choose to help one another.

As jumbo jets became more common, air traffic through Gander declined, but its enormous runways made it an ideal emergency landing site. When 38 planes arrived on 9/11, the town of 9,600 quickly mobilized—schools and businesses closed, volunteers stepped forward, and the Red Cross and Salvation Army organized shelter and food.

The passengers waited for hours as authorities secured and inspected the aircraft before allowing anyone to leave. Then, instead of turning strangers away, Gander welcomed nearly 7,000 people with open arms—a remarkable example of compassion and community spirit in the aftermath of tragedy.

With their luggage locked away on the planes, thousands of passengers arrived with almost nothing—and some were even afraid they were being abducted. School buses, driven by volunteers who had immediately canceled a strike, carried them to schools, churches, community centers, and shelters throughout Gander.

First-class travelers, economy passengers, military officials, celebrities, and business leaders all slept side by side on gym floors and in recreation halls. No one demanded special treatment; instead, they shared the uncertainty together, proving that in a moment of crisis, compassion and solidarity mattered far more than status.

The locals called them the “Plane People,” but they were treated less like stranded passengers and more like long-lost relatives. After finally seeing television reports of the 9/11 attacks, many were deeply moved by the warmth and friendship they found in Gander—an extraordinary contrast to the horror they had just witnessed.

At first, there were tensions among passengers from different countries, but these gradually disappeared as everyone realized they were facing the same uncertainty together. Meanwhile, Gander’s residents responded to every request for help. Businesses donated supplies, pharmacies replaced essential medicines left aboard the planes, and a telephone company provided 100 phones so passengers could call anxious relatives around the world.

The generosity went far beyond the necessities. Residents gave away clothing, bedding, food, toys, and their time. Children were entertained, passengers were taken hiking and fishing, and evenings were filled with music, karaoke, and gatherings at local pubs. For five days, this small Newfoundland town became a remarkable refuge—and for thousands of strangers, Gander became a place they would never forget.

Many Gander residents opened their homes to the stranded passengers, offering them a place to shower, rest, or even stay the night if they looked especially exhausted.

Bonnie Harris, who ran the local animal shelter, searched through the planes’ cargo holds and rescued 19 stranded pets that had been left behind. The animals were then cared for safely in an airport hangar.

When local police officer Oz Fudge, known for giving hugs to passengers who needed comfort, learned that several of the terminally ill British children on the Virgin flight were celebrating their birthdays, he helped organize a Disney-themed party for all 350 passengers.

A local shop baked a 14-foot cake, clowns entertained the children, balloons filled the room, and Constable Fudge’s daughter and her friends dressed as Disney princesses. The children never made it to Disney World, but one father later told Fudge that his daughter had enjoyed Gander so much that she said it no longer mattered—a moment that deeply moved the officer.

And amid the uncertainty, even love found its way to Gander. British engineer Nick Marson and Texan buyer Diane Gray grew close while sharing a school gym with hundreds of other passengers. They kissed on the bus back to their plane, married a year later, and returned to Gander for their honeymoon—the very place where their story began.

The generosity of the people of Gander was almost overwhelming. When a local school asked for toilet paper, enough was donated to last an entire year. So much fresh food poured in that the town’s ice rink had to be transformed into a giant refrigerator.

At the local Royal Canadian Legion, where 67 Aer Lingus passengers slept on the floor, Beulah Cooper became a true symbol of the Gander spirit. “I don’t shake hands, I’m a hugger,” she told visitors. When she first heard that the stranded planes were being sent to Gander, her reaction was simple: “Thank God they’re coming here. I know they’ll be looked after.”

And they were. When the passengers finally departed, locals gathered at the bar and sang farewell songs, with tears flowing freely. Beulah had even welcomed three women into her own home and kept the passengers’ spirits up with sandwiches, laughter, and her famously cheeky jokes.

She formed a particularly close bond with Hannah O’Rourke, an Irish-American passenger whose son Kevin, a New York firefighter, was missing at the World Trade Center. Beulah, whose own son was a volunteer firefighter, walked with Hannah to church to pray. Kevin was later confirmed among those who died, but the friendship between the two women endured for years.

Perhaps that is why the story of Gander continues to resonate. Former mayor Claude Elliott believed the town “restored faith in people” after the horrors of September 11. As he put it: “On the 11th, you saw the worst of man. On the 12th, you saw the best.”

As if to prove the point, moments later he was warmly embraced at the airport by Charlotte Bayford from Essex, who had seen the Gander musical 60 times and had returned with friends to see it once again. She said the true story moved her deeply, especially the extraordinary kindness, compassion, and humanity shown by the people of Gander.

The stranded passengers arrived on Tuesday and were gone by Sunday, leaving behind a town filled with memories and emotion. As they departed, many were visibly moved, while Gander’s residents felt the emptiness of their sudden departure—but also the pride of knowing they had been part of something extraordinary.

The passengers left behind not only gratitude, but generosity—contributing thousands of dollars to the community, donating computers to a local school, and establishing a scholarship fund to help young Newfoundlanders pursue university education. Many have returned over the years to reconnect with the friends they made.

It may seem remarkable that a tragedy as devastating as 9/11 could inspire a musical, but Gander’s story shows how compassion can emerge from heartbreak. In the midst of disaster, a small town created a powerful and enduring story of kindness, friendship, and hope.