What on earth was John Travolta thinking with this dreadful vanity project?

It is normal to be bored by dreadful films, or even annoyed by them. But I don’t believe I have ever felt as sorry for one as I doJohn Travolta’s directorial debut, the viewing of which is like watching a toddler walk into a lamp post.

Travolta has adapted his 1997 children’s novel which recounts one of the actor’s formative experiences: an overnight multi-stop flight he took with his mother from New York to Los Angeles in December 1962, and from which his lifelong love of aviation presumably sprung. From the awful title font on,Propeller One-Way Night Coachis extraordinarily bad – though the making of it also clearly means a lot to Travolta, who gets to relive and share this happy passage of his childhood with the world at large. Is it a film for children? Families? Vintage plane-spotters? One suspects it is in fact a film made for the amusement of one person only, who also happens to be the person making it.

Clark Shotwell plays the youngTravolta, here called Jeff, and Kelly Eviston-Quinnett his mother Helen: meanwhile Travolta himself performs the narration, in which an older Jeff recalls the trip in often punishing detail. At best, the voice-over is wistful if meandering; at worst it keeps zig-zagging off into gibberish. Memorable passages include Jeff referring to the Holocaust (which, astoundingly, comes up twice) as “The Nazi event”, as well as the following reaction to seeing a toy aeroplane in the Trans World Airlines souvenir shop: “Life at this moment was so good that it was just hard to recover from.”

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There are would-be-comic asides about smoking and the cockpit door being left unlocked, encounters with some eccentric fellow passengers, as well as lots of lingering shots of lavish in-flight catering, including glistening inch-thick slices of chateaubriand carved on the trolley, and an odd running joke about chicken cordon bleu. The young Jeff is of course also bewitched by the air hostesses – one of whom, Doris, is played by Ella Bleu Travolta, the director’s daughter.

Another (Olga Hoffman) takes such a shine to the little tyke and his mother that she upgrades them both to first class, gratis, before having them transferred onto an even more glamorous Boeing 707 jet for the last leg of the trip. This is the sort of exhilarating dramaPropeller One-Way Night Coachkeeps throwing at you: someone is lovely to young Jeff, and then the old Jeff rambles for a bit about how great it was. We keep hearing that life simply can’t get any better, then Doris lets him lie down in one of the first class beds for a bit and lo, a new existential pinnacle is somehow reached.

The film’s heavy-handedly naive tone does create some interesting effects: there is a jolt of surrealist horror towards the end when Travolta makes a twinkling on-screen cameo as the 707’s pilot, only to start talking in exactly the same voice – tone, tempo and all – as eight-year-old Jeff’s internal monologue. Then after 60 minutes it’s suddenly over, at which point you’re just grateful the two didn’t book a return ticket.

Screening at Cannes Film Festival. On Apple TV from May 29

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

May 17, 2026

What on earth was John Travolta thinking with this dreadful vanity project?

It is normal to be bored by dreadful films, or even annoyed by them. But I don’t believe I have ever felt as sorry for one as I doJohn ...

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Hailey Bieber Shows off Her Curves & More in Stringy Bikini for Rhode

Hailey Bieber turned up the heat in a new Rhode campaign while giving fans another glimpse of her effortless summer style, flaunting her curves in a stringy bikini. The model posed in a series of sun-soaked photos and showcased bronzed glam while teasing what appeared to be an upcoming Rhode launch.

Hailey Bieber flaunts her curves in barely there stringy bikini for Rhode

Check out her look here:

For the latest shoot,Hailey Bieberslipped into a barely there chocolate-brown stringy bikini that highlighted her sun-kissed glow and minimalist style. The tiny two-piece featured delicate tie details and a classic triangle silhouette. She layered it with a matching cropped cover-up for an elevated beach-inspired look.

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In several photos, the Rhode founder posed poolside and held products from the brand while embracing a warm, bronzed beauty aesthetic. She kept her hair loose in soft waves. She opted for natural glam that allowed her glowing skin to remain the main focus.

Bieber captioned the post simply with, “Warming up.” Fans immediately flooded the comments section, with one commenter writing, “The GLOW and BRONZE insane.” Another said, “Hailey we need the drop now.”

The postHailey Bieber Shows off Her Curves & More in Stringy Bikini for Rhodeappeared first ontheFashionSpot.

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

May 17, 2026

Hailey Bieber Shows off Her Curves & More in Stringy Bikini for Rhode

Hailey Bieber turned up the heat in a new Rhode campaign while giving fans another glimpse of her effortless summer style, flaunting he...

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A medieval book in Rome has been hiding the oldest English poem

ROME (AP) — The researchers in Ireland looked at their computer screen, marveling at a medieval book tracked down in a Roman library. They flipped through its digitized pages and found their sought-after treasure: the oldest surviving English poem.

Italy Old English Poem

“We were extremely surprised. We were speechless. We couldn’t believe our eyes when we first saw that,” Elisabetta Magnanti, a visiting research fellow at Trinity College Dublin's school of English, told The Associated Press.

What's more, she said, the poem was within the main body of Latin text: "It was extraordinary.”

Composed in Old English by a Northumbrian agricultural worker in the 7th century, "Caedmon’s Hymn" appears within some copies of the “Ecclesiastical History of the English People,” written in Latin by a monk and saint known as theVenerable Bede. His history is one of the most widely reproduced texts from the Middle Ages, with almost 200 manuscripts, according to Magnanti's colleague Mark Faulkner, an associate professor of medieval literature at Trinity.

He considers Caedmon’s poem to be the start of English literature.

The manuscript he and Magnanti found is one of the oldest, dating from the 9th century. Two earlier copies contain the poem in Old English, but as afterthoughts — translated from Latin and scrawled into the margin by later scribes or appended but not within the text's main body, according to the researchers.

The discovery sheds light on the English language's wide diffusion, long before what was previously understood, Faulkner said in Rome, where the duo had traveled to view the text in person for the first time.

“Prior to the discovery of the Rome manuscript, the earliest one was from the early 12th century. So this is three centuries earlier than that. And so it attests to the importance that was already being attached to the English in the early 9th century,” Faulkner said.

And it's something of a miracle they uncovered it at all.

The book had a long and twisted provenance

Caedmon is said to have composed the poem while working at Whitby Abbey in North Yorkshire, after guests at a feast began reciting poems, Faulkner said.

“Embarrassed that he didn’t know anything suitable, Caedmon left the feast and went to bed," he said. "A figure then appeared to him in his dreams telling him to sing about creation, which Caedmon miraculously did, producing the nine-line hymn."

Some 1,400 years later, this copy of his poem resurfaced in Rome’s main public library — but not before crossing the Atlantic Ocean at least twice and changing hands even more times.

Monks transcribed this copy of Bede's history in the scriptorium of the Benedictine abbey of Nonantola, one of the most important transcription centers during the Middle Ages, located near modern-day Modena in northern Italy, according to Valentina Longo, curator of medieval and modern manuscripts at Rome's National Central Library.

In the 17th century, as the abbey's importance declined, its vast collection of manuscripts was shifted to another abbey in Rome, then moved to the Vatican and finally on to a small church.

Along the way, some of the texts went missing, only to emerge in the early 19th century in the possession of famous international collectors, Longo said.

This copy of Bede's history went to renowned English antiquarian Thomas Phillipps. He fell on hard times, selling off bits and pieces of his collection, and Swiss bibliophile Martin Bodmer secured the book. From there, somehow, it arrived in New York City, in the trove of Austrian-born rare bookseller H.P. Kraus during the 20th century.

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Italy's culture ministry was scouring the world for the Nonantola abbey's missing manuscripts, snapping them up in auctions and from collectors around the world. It bought the copy of Bede's history from Kraus in 1972, Longo said, and since then the illustrious text has remained in Rome's library — but received scant notice.

Enter Magnanti, who had spent over four years studying Bede’s history and was compiling a catalog of extant copies.

“I knew that the book was listed in the library’s catalog, so I was almost certain that the book was, in fact, still here," she said. “I realized that, because of the very complex history of this book, no big scholar had really looked at it. So it had been virtually unstudied."

She emailed the library, which confirmed the book was in its stacks. Three months later, she received digital images of the entire manuscript.

The text of the poem (translated from old English)

Now we must praise the guardian of the heavenly kingdom,

the might of the creator and his intention,

the work of the father of glory, in that he of each wonder,

eternal lord, established the beginning.

He first created the earth for men,

heaven as a roof, the holy creator,

then the middle earth, the guardian of mankind,

the eternal lord, afterwards created

for men on earth, the almighty lord.

The library is making more rare books available

The library has digitized the entire Nonantolan collection and it is freely accessible through the website, Longo said.

It's part of a massive project by the library to make thousands of rare books and manuscripts available to researchers around the world, according to Andrea Cappa, the library's head of manuscripts and the rare books reading room.

“The discovery made by the experts of Trinity College is just one starting point, a single manuscript that might pave the way for countless other discoveries, in countless other fields, through international cooperation like this,” Cappa said.

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

May 17, 2026

A medieval book in Rome has been hiding the oldest English poem

ROME (AP) — The researchers in Ireland looked at their computer screen, marveling at a medieval book tracked down in a Roman library. T...

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See how President Trump approval rating changed amid economic concerns

In an interview this past week, President DonaldTrump prioritized foreign policyover domestic economic concerns. When questioned about rising gas prices on May 12, the president said his focus was on preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

“I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation. I don’t think about anybody. I think about one thing. We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon. That’s all,” Trump said.

With less than six months until the midterm elections,Donald Trump’s position on domestic affairs appears to be triggering disapproval among voters, according to anew CNN/SSRS poll, as concerns about rising costs as well as healthcare continue to weigh on Americans.

The survey, conducted April 30 to May 4, found 77% of Americans say Trump’s policies have increased the cost of living in their communities, while about two-thirds say those policies have worsened economic conditions nationwide. The results also show Trump’s approval on the economy at a low point and his healthcare disapproval at a record high.

The poll surveyed 1,499 U.S. adults and has a margin of error of ±2.8 percentage points.

More:Vegan, '6 genders', a 'real hit on Jesus.' Why is Trump going after Talarico?

Trump’s approval ratings

Trump’sdisapproval on healthcarehas reached 65%, the highest level for any president this century, with former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush hitting peaks of 63% in 2006 and 2014, respectively. according to a CNN analysis.

Overall, just35% of Americans approve of Trump’s performance, leaving him underwater in the latest survey. His approval rating has been net negative for roughly a year and has trended more negative in recent months.

According to polling averages as of May 15:

• New York Times: 38% approve, 59% disapprove

• Silver Bulletin: 38.5% approve, 58.3% disapprove

• RealClearPolitics Poll Average: 40.3% approve, 56.5% disapprove

Trump approval rating in New Jersey

According toCiviqs, last updated May 13, Trump's net approval in New Jersey stood at -33%.

New Jersey tilts unfavorable overall. About 65% of New Jersey residents polled currently disapprove of the president's performance.About 32% approve and another 3% did not choose either.

Education: Respondents across all education levels disapprove of Trump’s job performance, with postgraduate at 78%, college graduate at 67% and non-college graduate at 60%.

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Gender: Roughly two-thirds of women (70%) disapprove of Trump's performance. Men lean unfavorable toward Trump, with 59% disapproving and 37% approving.

Age: Roughly two-thirds of voters aged 18-34 (76%) disapprove of Trump's performance, followed by 68% of 35-49-year-olds, 59% of those 65 and older and 58% of 50-64-year-olds.

Party: Democrats were most unfavorable toward Trump, with 98% disapproving, followed by independents at 61% disapproval. Meanwhile, Republicans were the most favorable toward Trump, with 85% approving of Trump's job performance.

Race: Black or African-American voters had the highest unfavorable opinion of Trump, with 88% disapproving, followed by Hispanic/Latino and Other tied at 70% disapproval and white at 59% disapproval.According toCiviqs, last updated May 13, Trump's net approval in New Jersey stood at -33%.

New Jersey tilts unfavorable overall. About 65% of New Jersey residents polled currently disapprove of the president's performance.About 32% approve and another 3% did not choose either.

Education: Respondents across all education levels disapprove of Trump’s job performance, with postgraduate at 78%, college graduate at 67% and non-college graduate at 60%.

Gender: Roughly two-thirds of women (70%) disapprove of Trump's performance. Men lean unfavorable toward Trump, with 59% disapproving and 37% approving.

Age: Roughly two-thirds of voters aged 18-34 (76%) disapprove of Trump's performance, followed by 68% of 35-49-year-olds, 59% of those 65 and older and 58% of 50-64-year-olds.

Party: Democrats were most unfavorable toward Trump, with 98% disapproving, followed by independents at 61% disapproval. Meanwhile, Republicans were the most favorable toward Trump, with 85% approving of Trump's job performance.

Race: Black or African-American voters had the highest unfavorable opinion of Trump, with 88% disapproving, followed by Hispanic/Latino and Other tied at 70% disapproval and white at 59% disapproval.

USA TODAY’s Chris Ullery, Kinsey Crowley and Joey Garrison contributed to this report.

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.

This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post:Trump disapproval rises across nation, in New Jersey, latest polls show

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

May 17, 2026

See how President Trump approval rating changed amid economic concerns

In an interview this past week, President DonaldTrump prioritized foreign policyover domestic economic concerns. When questioned about ...

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Philippine lawyers ask Supreme Court to reject senator's plea to block ICC arrest

By Karen Lema

MANILA, May 17 (Reuters) - Philippine government lawyers have urged the Supreme Court to reject the bid of fugitive Senator Ronald dela Rosa, who is wanted for alleged crimes ‌against humanity linked to his role in a bloody "war on drugs", to block his arrest ‌and surrender.

Dela Rosa, the former police chief who oversaw former President Rodrigo Duterte's anti-narcotics crackdown, had asked the Supreme Court to ​stop authorities from arresting him and surrendering him to the International Criminal Court.

He is facing the same charges as Duterte, who is set to become the first former Asian head of state to go on trial in The Hague. Both have denied wrongdoing.

Dela Rosa argued the ICC no longer has jurisdiction after the Philippines' 2019 withdrawal from the ‌Rome Statute.

But the Office of the ⁠Solicitor General (OSG) argued the Philippines may enforce the ICC warrant under a domestic law, Republic Act 9851, which allows authorities to surrender suspects accused of grave international crimes ⁠to international courts for prosecution.

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It said dela Rosa could not demand a separate Philippine court finding that there was sufficient basis to arrest him since the ICC has already issued a warrant, adding the country "will never become a sanctuary ​for impunity."

The ​OSG said dela Rosa was not entitled to relief ​because his "actions show that he comes to ‌court with unclean hands."

"His flight, coupled with the fact that he had previously gone into hiding, is not merely incidental but is a deliberate act to avoid accountability. His conduct places him squarely within the definition of a fugitive from justice," the OSG said in comments filed on Saturday and shared with media on Sunday.

Dela Rosa evaded arrest on Monday after being granted protection by the Senate, whose new president he ‌helped install by reappearing after months out of public view ​to cast a decisive vote for Alan Peter Cayetano, a ​staunch ally of the Duterte family.

The ICC ​unsealed a warrant on Monday for dela Rosa's arrest, dated November. Dela Rosa had ‌been taking refuge at the Senate but slipped ​out before dawn on ​Thursday in what his wife called an "escape". His current whereabouts are unknown.

"To once more extend exceptional privileges to a petitioner who now seeks relief while evading lawful process sends a chilling message — ​not only to the victims of ‌the drug war, but to all who look to the law for justice: that its ​protections are strongest for the powerful, and weakest for those who are now dead," the ​OSG said.

(Reporting by Karen Lema; Editing by Jamie Freed)

byCristiano Ronaldo

in

May 17, 2026

Philippine lawyers ask Supreme Court to reject senator's plea to block ICC arrest

By Karen Lema MANILA, May 17 (Reuters) - Philippine government lawyers have urged the Supreme Court to reject the bid of fugitive...

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